Michael Morris
First Post
Here's some hereunto unpublished bits on the Estarian Empire. Plz forgive the lack of formatting.
(Helps to post it)
The Estarian empire today is a land of scattered city-states which, while paying lip service to the emperor, are nominally independent in their day to day affairs and they carry on much as their western counterparts, albeit without waging war on each other as the western countries do from time to time. The Estarian Empire is perhaps the strongest military force on the continent outside the Orkish Kingdoms, but the people have little interest in conquest since the arrival of a unique religion to the region known as Pentalism. The Temples of the Pentalist League have managed to drive out most competition from outlying lands, and they give the Estarian Empire a strong religious link between the nobles that is lacking in the governments of the west.
The Old Kingdoms are the among the wettest regions of Delcerni, with a climate not unlike that of Louisiana, Mississippi and the other southern states in terms of rainfall, although a bit cooler than these during the winter. The winters are fairly mild although the summers can be blistering. The region is vulnerable to hurricanes blowing in from the Asidian Ocean, and more than once one of these storms has risen to make it’s presence felt.
Government
The Estarian empire has three primary governing bodies. The oldest of these is the office of emperor, and although traditionally almost omnipotent, the current emperor, Halsdian has allowed for the reestablishment of the Imperial Senate and as a devout Pentalist he, as his father before him, has placed judicial matters of the state into the hands of that temple system
The office of the emperor is still the supreme commander of all military forces in the Estarian Empire, and Halsdian takes great pains to make sure the military is firmly within his control at all times as he is wary of the past and the records of several military coups. Outside the military the Emperor is the voice of the state and represents it in foreign affairs. He is also the Executor of the law, although Halisdan relies heavily on temple officials to carry out his dictums and those of both temple judges and Senate nobility. In ages past the emperor of the Estarian Empire was worshipped as a god, but Halisdan’s father, Emperor Prosben abandoned this edict when he took up the cause of Pentalism. The heraldry of the office of emperor is the outline of a blue pentagram, with a gold and silver dragon coiled about it’s sides representing the two suns of Carthasana. On flags, shields and banners a blue star alone represents the emperor.
The Senate touches it’s roots deep into the past before Malchani was an empire, and the reestablishment of this body has come as a surprise olive leaf on Halisdan’s part to help cultivate loyalty among the nobles. Halisdan has given the Senate free reign over most domestic affairs. The requirement to sit on one of the senate’s 200 seats is that the one own a square mile or more of land. Currently the Senate only has 126 active members, although this fluctuates depending on what is up for debate (when tax rates are up for debate landholders seem to come out of the woodwork, and the 200 seat limit is enforced on a first come - first serve basis, with exceptions given to long term debaters upon the floor). The Senate is overseen by the Emperor when important matters are in debate, otherwise the Emperor’s son, Prince Aslandal sits on the council according to Halisdan’s decree. In practice Aslandal has very little interest in politics, and sends his wife Talisa in his place. An attractive and highly sharp witted lass in her early thirties, Talisa is also an accomplished sorceress and uses the Art, and a lot of tact, to keep the Senate’s more bombastic members in line. The Senate has not established a heraldry for itself to date, but that is the primary item of contention on the floor at current date.
The judicial wing of the government has been placed in the hands of a priesthood, and the execution of these affairs has been carried out with characteristic priestly zeal. It was again Halisdan’s father that innovated the practice of letting the priests control the judicial system. Apparently the priests will dispose of political enemies of the emperor using trumped up heresy charges, and in return the priests get to seek out real heretics. Foremost on this list are the practitioners of the Listralan Way, an autotheistic priesthood whose practices will be dealt with later in this manual. The Pentalist judges use a red pentagram for their symbol of office.
History
While the last four hundred years of the Estarian empire have been quiet compared to the last four hundred years of war off to the west, they have been by no means uneventful. The Orcish Plagues formed a considerable drain on the Estarian economy such that by c. 1000 SR the Alexan period (so named for it’s first emperor) came crashing down in the turmoil ignited by a three year long drought, followed by a flood-ridden summer which saw four major hurricanes rip through the coastline. With the death of Emperor Thilsandi in 1003 SR the empire seemed on the brink of disintegrating just as the west had. However, after a few years of war two major contenders for the throne became clear: Delonal, Duke of Covensai and Ellaine, Duchess of Ilstag. Rather than fight for the crown the two decided to form an uneasy truce which slowly evolved into a marriage. The child of their union was appropriately name Unitas.
Emperor Unitas came to the throne late in the year 1030 SR and he began a vigorous campaign of restructuring. Fear of yet another invasion prompted the construction of several castles in the southwest, most of which have collapsed due to abandonment, although one still stands, Castle Elmwood. The Unitasian dynasty would move on for roughly 200 years, during which time two new religions would appear at roughly the same time: Pentalism and the Listralan Way.
A Tale of Two Prophets
During this period the peoples of the Estarian Empire worshipped a curious mix of deities, most of whom survive today in the Courts of Siliani and Aurnon in the Telzoan religion of Telensitary. However, the Orcish Plague had disintegrated the priesthood to dangerous levels, and by the time of the marriage of Delonal and Ellaine the structure of the religion in the region had all but disintegrated. Into this void stepped a radical priest known as Gregory the Clark.
Born in 971 SR, Gregory the Clark’s early life is quite obscure as is his real name and origin, but given his mastery of courtly etiquette it is probable that he was a noble before “seeing the light.” Gregory taught that all the myriad deities were nothing more than charlatan entities that were dispensing the power of five much older, and much more powerful entities. This simplified approach to worship appealed to the nobility who appreciated it’s logic, although to the current day the peasantry has a tendency to take little stock in the new “fashions” of their betters. By the time he died (or according to his temple was “taken up”) in 1032 SR Pentalism had become one of the better established religions in the new Estarian Empire.
However, while Gregory taught in the eastern sections of the empire another prophet was at work in the cities of the west, in particular Talmnask. His name was Listralan, and his philosophy was even more radical than that of Gregory. Listralan rejected the theory that man should lie subject to the gods. He believed that all men had a certain amount of divinity within themselves, and with proper self study and discipline that divinity could be awakened and, eventually, one could make oneself a god. The rather erudite teachings of the “Way” caught on only as a private faith, and among those already given to a certain degree of meglomania (i.e. wizards).
The two religions would come to blows in the latter half of the 12th century SR, and the warring between the Listralan’s and virtually everyone else would continue until the Listralans were forced underground in the latter half of the 14th century SR.
End of a Dynasty
Cities of Delcerni
Chapters 4 through 10 describe the cities of Delcerni, from ancient and proud Sandiem to broken down and defeated Malchani. Each entry has the following information:
The Ruler: A brief description of the person, or persons that have control over the city in some official (and sometimes unofficial) capacity.
The Court: Individuals who have the ear of the ruler or hold power in their own right. These are the movers and shakers of a particular city.
Population: An estimated population.
Features of the City: Features for which the city is known, such as the great lighthouse of the city of Dalze in Telzoa, to the great ship’s castle in the harbor of Sandiem.
People of the City: What the people of the particular city’s culture are capable of, and the character point cost of having a human PC of that particular city (which is usually 25 to 30 points).
Major Products: Economic activities which drive the economy of the city, including but not necessarily “products” alone (as indeed, “piracy” is listed as the product of one city). These items play the most significant role in the economy of the city, and they are also items for which the city is famous, like fine swords, exacting jewelry and so on. When trade is mentioned it means that the export and import of goods form a major section of the city’s economy.
Armed Forces: The armed forces present in the city, including the mercenaries that might owe their loyalty to someone other than the ruler.
Major Temples: The temples which are prominent in the city, and the priests that staff them.
Key Figures Outside Court: Prominent citizens. Also, persons who live near the city and who occasionally travel there may be listed. In the smaller cities (or in those with large courts) this entry is sometimes omitted.
Rumors, Lore and History: Facts, fictions, traditions and myths about the outlay of the city.
In 1241 SR then Emperor Dracali led an expedition northward to force out the pirates of the city state of Rahn, part of Telcashome. However on that expedition Dracali would contract a fatal case of the smallpox and died before priestly aid could be successfully sequestered. Dracali had no heir, and soon all of the Estarian Empire was up in arms in what would later be known as the War of the Three Dragons. This three decade long conflict would end with the child emperor, Malsian, ascending the throne at the age of 13. Although a young man, Malsian was an incredibly shrewd and exceptionally intelligent individual throughout his life, and it is widely believed he may be the Estarian Empire’s only wizard emperor in it’s long history.
By 1275 Malsian established his rule and it would last until 1320 SR when his son Prosben would take the throne. Prosben established many of the current ruling traditions, including the establishment of Pentalism as the state religion. Prosben ruled until 1364 SR, and his son Halsidan is the current emperor of the Estarian Empire. As a reminder, this book assumes the campaign starts sometime in the year 1400 SR, or 4830 AR.
The Estarian Mindset
The Estarians are the inheritors of the oldest empire they know of, and they are proud of this fact. They view their western human neighbors with disdain, seeing them as primitive and highly dangerous barbarians which need to be controlled once opportunity presents itself. The Orcs of the southwest are usually considered only marginally worse than the humans of the interior, if only because they are uglier; but the Estarian military leaders accord the orcs grudging respect in matters of battle, and they are not above sponsoring orcish raiding expeditions into the interior, even to the point of providing ships and weapons: all this to keep the upstart fiefdoms of the interior under some semblance of control.
Estarian society divides roughly between the land owners and the workers, but the system is not as rigid as the serf situation to the west. Men are hired and paid wages to work the fields for the lords, and lords own their own properties without the complex vassalage system upon their shoulders. This is due largely to the strong Estarian economy which, unlike the west, remains essentially coin based, although barter does occur from time to time.
While there is a class striation between noble and commoner in Estarian society, the lines are not as strong. Being a “noble” is a matter of property ownership: one’s social power is relative to the property owned. Thus it is possible to move up the rungs of Estarian society quite rapidly by acquiring gold and the like.
Cities of the Estarian Empire
The Estarian empire has several major cities and castles which are covered here: Sandiem, Ashdal, Ilstag, Imaskiel, Trenis, Covensai, Talmask, and the castles of Ditherholme, Chalaska, Olsheni, and Southgate.
Sandiem
Capital City of the Estarian Empire
Built on a small island off the coast of mainland Delcerni, Sandiem is named for the sandy beaches and grassy knolls of the island it sits upon. The city occupies the island’s only harbor, and that harbor is jealously guarded. One sage commented that mankind will never build a better fortress than that given by the gods to the people of Sandiem.
The Ruler: Emperor Halsidan (hm LN/ Cavalier /5), ruler of the empire, holds his seat of government in the city of Sandiem and has it within his authority to overrule any decision by the City’s Marshal. However, Halsidan prefers to keep his hands clear of Sandiem’s internal affairs as the concerns of the empire as a whole tend to occupy most of his time. Halsidan is an aging man in his late fifties, although he can be roused to rage he is, for the most part, a quiet individual one wouldn’t expect to see as emperor. Halsidan is sometimes called the “Quiet King,” for when decisions are placed before the court he is usually the very last to speak, after all of his advisors and all sides in the dispute have had their say. When Halsidan does speak however, his word is law and carries great respect.
Charles Noble (hm NG/ Fighter /4) is the current marshal of Sandiem, and he is in the second year of his current five year term. Noble has held the position for twelve years, and in that time he has proven to be a highly effective administrator and quite skilled at dancing the high wire act between the desires of the emperor and the city’s guilds. His position is gained through an election of the city’s recognized guild-master’s, and their choice must be accepted by the emperor. Most of Sandiem’s day to day affairs are ran by the marshal and the council members.
The Court: Emperor Halsdian has at his control the largest court in all of Losineris, and as can be expected in a large court, there is a lot of political maneuvering to get to the emperor’s ear. Listed below are the courtesans that have the easiest time getting to Halsidan and / or have the greatest amount of power in their own right.
First among his advisors is Queen Empress Olani (hef LG/ Enchanter /3). The wife of the Emperor since both were children, their marriage was arranged by her father, an elven noble of the Gristandiel kingdom. Over time the two have proven to be a good and passionate match, and she has bore nine sons and four daughters for the Emperor. A lively woman with fiery red hair, as a half elf she has not aged much and does not appear much older than her eldest daughter who is now twenty-two years of age. Court rumors persist about the queen’s eye wandering, but to date she appears to be faithful to her aging liege, although the two make an odd, and sometimes painful contrast. Olani is an enchantress of very minor note, and has insured her children understand some of the basic concepts in sorcery. One of their daughters, Elsa, has become infused enough in the art to earn tutelage under elven teachers in Alvindale.
Crown Prince Aslandal (hm CG/ Thief /5) is a perpetually bored young man who has but two fascinations – his wife and stealing. On occasion the prince will steal into the night and go rogue for several days at a time, with no one in the kingdom able to find him until he returns. During these indulgences he either robs the nobles for personal entertainment, or joins up with a band of adventurers and heads into the catacombs beneath the ruins of Sandielansta, the city which preceded Sandiem on the isle. His father is aware and somewhat bemused by his activities, and he has ordered that all who do know about the prince’s hobby keep their lips firmly shut or else.
Princess Talisa (hf NG/ Sorcerer /8) is the wife of Aslandal. The daughter of one of Halsidan’s political rivals, her marriage was an arranged one. Their relationship has been tempestuous at best. She highly disapproves of Aslandal’s gallivanting and suspects that he may be cheating on her. But when the two are not mad at each other for something their passion, according to the bards, is unmatched; and indeed rumors persist that she had developed several spells with decidedly naughty purposes. Publicly the Princess spends much of her time with the Imperial Senate. A highly outspoken feminist, she enjoys mental fencing with the members of that body, and after delivering countless humiliations with her razor sharp wit the senators have finally began to accord her respect (which they must do anyway, for one day she will be Empress). Still, a visible chill goes through the senate anytime an upstart tries to spar with her rhetoric, for no senator has bested her, and only once in court did an individual get the better of Talisa.
That individual is Kira Lee (ef (silvani) CG/ Sorcerer /12). Officially she is the Ambassador to the Emperor from the Elven Kingdom of Gristandiel. In addition, she has been Talisa’s teacher in the magical arts and the two have become near inseparable, especially when Aslandal has went rogue for this or that reason. Kira is a quiet individual whose council is often sought by Halsidan since she is honest enough to present bought the pro’s and the con’s to actions he might be contemplating. Kira has served as Ambassador to the Estarian Empire for nearly 120 years now, and she is often asked what the actions of previous emperors would have been – questions she tends to avoid. When matters that concern her own kingdom arise she does state simply what the elves would desire in a situation. Given that the current queen has always advocated that Kira’s advice be followed, and Halsidan views her as something of a second mother it shouldn’t be too surprising that the elves usually get their way.
First Sorcerer to the Emperor Temlasia (hf LG / Sorcerer / 14) is a quiet, elderly lady in her late sixties, and although she’s not above masking her age when it suits her purpose, she usually attends court in a unpretentious blue gown with no markings or embroideries. She is officially charged with the tracking of all magical activities within the empire, a job that she relegates to those scribes and clerks in her charge. She has made it known privately to the emperor that she would like to be released from her office to retire and enjoy her old age while she still can, and as a result there has been a search begun for a suitable replacement, a search that the Pentalists priests are coordinating, with the hopes of finding a candidate that will prove easier to control than Temlasia has been. A firm worshipper of Pektos, she has proven to be a pagan thorn in the side of the priest’s plotting, although removing her would prove to dangerous as she is, magically, more than a match for most of the members of the league. This and the fact that she still has Halsidan’s favor. She was a lover of Prosben, the former emperor, and she regards the emperor as something of an adopted son, and the feeling is mutual.
High Priest Alan Thrask (hm LN/ Priest /10) is the leader of legal affairs throughout the empire, and he spends most of his time overseeing the Holy Court of Inquisition. While the leader of the Pentalist League in legal affairs he is by no means the ultimate authority in the temples, although he has the ear of that individual. Alan Thrask is a bitter and sometimes dangerous individual who carries out the law with unabated passion. Whenever he moves through the court he is given a wide berth, for it is known that he is the individual responsible for the “convenient” removal of enemies of both temple and state in the name of heresy.
Grand Priest Solorin Clark (hm N/ Priest /16) is a personal friend to Emperor Halsidan and hears his confessions personally whenever the emperor feels the need to give them. He has convinced the emperor to help him in the construction of a new grand cathedral and he is currently auditioning architectural designs for the project. Solorin is a quiet and aging man, but his spirit and will are still very strong and few in court are daring to enough to try to inspire his ire.
Brian Alder (hm NG/ Cavalier /14) is the high commander of the emperor’s armies. A huge and physically intimidating individual, Alder usually attends court dressed in full armor. He drills the elite guards of the palace constantly and does a great deal of traveling through the empire to insure the loyalty of troops and generals are firmly with the emperor, reporting any discontent he finds to the emperor.
Eli Schooner (hm CG/ Mariner /10) is the Admiral of the Emperor’s fleet, and he personally commands his majesty’s flagships. Eli has currently been quarreling with Alan Thrask over who should have control of the port courts and administer maritime law. Recently he has forwarded a compromise by which a priest would administer maritime regulations, but the courts would be separate from the Holy Court of Inquisition. Only time will tell if he gets his way.
Population: With a population of over 100,000 registered (120,000+ if the beggars and other transients are included), Sandiem is easily the largest city in all of Losineris. There are notable subgroups of elves, half-elves and gnomes in the city; most of whom live in their own districts of the city, and together they comprise perhaps 12% of the population.
Features of the City: Sandiem is situated on an island just off the coast of Losineris, on it’s southward side. The city’s name means “Sandy shore,” and the island does have large and beautiful white sand beaches. However, Sandiem sits on the only river of the island which flows from the side of the extinct volcano Mt. Sanri. Sandiem sprawls around all three sides of it’s crescent shaped harbor. The city has no outer walls as it has always depended on a strong navy to repel any invasions that might be forthcoming.
In the center of the harbor is a small island known as Ship’s Castle. On this island lies a cleverly designed harbor that conceals from seaward sight a navy of over 100 ships. Ship’s castle is designed to protect it’s charges from the effects of hurricanes, which Sandiem as a must deal with from time to time (the last major hurricane was ten years ago). The ships in Ship’s Castle can be sealed into their cells and thereby be protected from winds and storm surges.
For this reason then the only walls that Sandiem has defend not her land approaches, but the seaward landings. The walls are made of solid stone and are some 40 feet across at the top and 80 feet thick at the base. At 80 feet in height, in the 410 years since their completion only one hurricane has managed to drive a storm surge over the wall, and most suspect that occasion to be magically aided.
Within the city’s walls is a curious system of locks and canals. If a hurricane is approaching (and this can usually be divined magically) the whole system can be drained in about eight hours. The seaward locks are concealed by the walls from direct assault by the wind. Made of solid iron, the lock gates are 3 feet thick and weigh several tons. They are moved entirely by water pressure and a couple of levers which can be manipulated by 2 men.
The canals connect the lower third of the city and act as capillaries for the trade of the city. In the upper sections are homes and several small market square. On a hill overlooking all of this is the Forum of Sandiem. This open square, which is about three times the size of a football field, is always choked with merchant stalls whose byzantine layout changes by the week. The Grand Palace of the Emperor sits on the east side of this square, and to the south lie the city’s hall and local governing buildings, excepting the national mint. On the western flank of the square lies the Great Hall of Estarian Guilds, and to the north is the daily deteriorating structure of an old temple to Tean, the property of which now belongs to the Pentalist League and the old temple is being demolished to clear the way for a new grand cathedral. In the meanwhile a smaller structure serves for worship ceremonies, and it lies behind were the new temple will be. The Pentalists built this structure to serve as priestly offices and quarters once the main temple is completed.
The Grand Palace is a group of six building linked together with sky walkways. From those walkways, and between the buildings, lie some of the most exquisite gardens in all of Losineris. The buildings themselves are beautiful, solid marble constructions whose polish shines with the light of the suns. Indeed, most of upper Sandiem is city of marble, for this heavy stone is useful in standing up against the high winds the city sometimes hosts.
Outside the city lies the ruins of Sandielansta. Much of this city was built into the soft volcanic rock of Mt. Sanri, and over a couple of centuries a maze of tunnels grew beneath what few columns stand in testament to Sandielansta’s passing. The people of Sandiem used the place to build catacombs, further increasing the maze of tunnels and passageways therein. A couple of years ago some gravediggers broke into a series of catacombs from a city even older than Sandielansta, and soon after the catacombs became infested with undead and highly dangerous to enter. More than a few adventuring bands have come to Sandiem to explore this strange new dungeon complex.
But if delving deep into the earth isn’t one’s cup of tea, perhaps education is. Sandiem has the finest schools in Losineris. Recently Grand Priest Solorin has promised to provide buildings for the schools to teach their curriculum within, and this has caused a split in the Scholar’s Guild. There are those who welcome such help, but many fear allowing the Pentalist League to get their hands on education due to the possibility that the priests might try to control the curriculum. The results of this power struggle and what effect they will have on Sandiem’s schools is yet to be seen.
Of course, what city would be complete without entertainment venue’s? The largest of these is the Ecliptoron. Formerly a ring for gladitorial combats, the place has been converted to a theatre in the wake of the Pentalist League’s rise to power and their subsequent ban on fights to the death. If the stage isn’t one’s cup of tea then Sandiem is littered with taverns with such names as Sailor’s Doubt, The Nest, and The Goldplank.
People of the City: The people of Sandiem have an attitude that others describe as insufferable. They tend to look down their noses at the rest of the world and see themselves and their city as the pinnacle of civilization.
The people of Sandiem are quite lank in appearance. They have an olive complexion which is typical for humans all up and down the Asidian coast. Women and men alike keep their hair relatively short, shoulder length is uncommon and beyond is relatively unknown. Indeed, most Sandalans cut their hair to an inch in length. Princess Talisa has started a fashion in the court among women of wearing a braided tail on an otherwise short hair style. Fashion in Sandiem has lead to long, flowing gowns among the women, and even the men’s tunics tend to be exaggerated in length, especially in the sleeves.
Education is highly valued in Sandiem, and all who can afford it are sent to the schools. A surprising percentage of the citizenry can read, and this only serves to add to the elitist mindset of the Sandalans. Players wishing to have their characters come from Sandiem must spend all 30 points allocated to humans. In exchange they gain proficiencies in reading / writing in Liternanin, rhetoric, oratory, and a +1 bonus to their initial intelligence scores.
Major Products: Trade, Marble, Fishing, Durable Goods, Education.
Armed Forces: A garrison of over 1,000 men form the city watch. They are armed with clubs, man-catchers, the occasional net and they wear studded leather armor. The naval contingent in the city comprises another 2,000 sailors all-told and nearly 5,000 soldiers are at the Emperor’s command as a full time army in the nearby fortress of Alzin, which is on a hill overlooking the city from the north and protecting the landward approaches to the city should a landing be accomplished elsewhere on the island.
Major Temples: Outside of the Pentalist League’s current temple and temple project there are no religious centers within Sandiem. The leading priests of the order are mentioned along with the individuals of court.
Key Figures Outside the Court: Liam Mason (hm N/ Diviner /9) is the current director of the Scholar’s Guild, and he personally oversees and decides who is worthy of the limited wizardly training that is doled out by the school. The Emperor has approached him on occasion to ask about the feasability of making a large military unit of sorcerers, to which Liam kindly offers dozens of reason as to why it could never work. The truth though is that Liam is very aware from his studies of history how well it can work, and he is hesitant about bringing magic into war. Not a particularly devout man, Mason opposes the offer made by Solorin to build housing facilities for the Guild if priestly teachings are added to the curriculum.
Alex Shile (hm N/ Artificer /7) is, on the other hand, quite supportive of the Solorin’s offer. As chief professor of mechanical studies of the Guild he has a chair on the guild’s committee meetings and he almost always brings up the subject when he can in an attempt to get his way.
Robert “Blackjack” Shipman (hm NE/ Mariner /12) is a vicious and powerful little man who captains the Swift, and with it (and several other ships) he engages in privateering operations throughout Losineris. Emperor Halsidan’s officials “tolerate” him because he doesn’t make a nuisance of himself with imperial ships, and he occasionally helps run down Telcasin pirates brazen enough to venture out onto the Asidian Ocean. Blackjack is considered by most to be a lunatic ever since he ventured south and captured several Durensan elf ships despite heavy magic attack. He is rumored to be on the lookout for a good wizard willing to gain some sea legs so he can go back to the Shadow Vale for more lucrative raids.
A fast friend of Blackjack’s is “Shadowknife” Krisdal (hm LE/ Thief /15). Shadowknife is not only Sandiem’s best thief, but he is also the tough the runs the thieves’ guild and, through tricky politicking he’s managed to get his fingers into virtually every other guild as well. He has boasted privately, on more than one occasion, that he could bring the whole city to a stop if he wanted to, within a couple of hours. Whether or not he could back that threat up has yet to be proven.
“Scar” (hm CE/ Assassin /12) is the pseudonym used by the leader of the city’s assassin’s guild. A shrewd and highly cautious individual, he is also given to wild mood swings brought on by a long term addiction to alcohol. It is said by some in the guild that he has been too drunk for too long to pull a job, but few would dare cross Scar. For one, he is close friends with Shadowknife, and with that friendship he is often able to get the thieves’ guild of Sandiem to scout out potential targets for the assassins of the city. Scar also runs a fairly tight protection racquet that brings in considerable money from the city’s civic leaders. Rare indeed does the assassin’s guild of Sandiem actually assassinate anyone, but it has happened, and merchants need only be reminded of the Bleeding, a night when the assassins killed the second born son of more than 40 influential families, in order to get them to pay up protection fees. Scar and most of his lackeys are high on the Emperor’s wanted list.
Sana Kayle (hf N/ Thief /9) runs the city’s prostitution guild. For the moment prostitution is still legal throughout the empire, although the priests of the Pentalist League have been attacking this institution for some time. Sana is quite a relaxed individual most of the time, and spends most of the time watching after her charges whom she regards as foster daughters.
These are but a few of the many guild masters and personalities of Sandiem. DM’s are encouraged to introduce their own characters to the rich fabric of Sandiem.
Rumors, Lore and History: The city that came before Sandiem, Sandielansta, was founded in 2240 AR ( -1190 SR). Sandielansta would stand for three centuries until the Years of Golden Fire, a god war which wracked much of the country side and drove the remains of old Sandielansta far beneath the ground, at least according to the legends. Few documents and mark survive from that time period, save the “ruins.” The history behind the ruins is somewhat unclear, and whether or not they were part of Sandielansta itself or predate it is sometimes debated by sages. What few records remain from the time were apparently discovered by George the Clark, and many of the religious doctrines of the period have been adopted by the Pentalist League. If this is so, then the activities of the Pentalists could have grave consequences for the city and the empire, although such theories are whispered about only, for to speak them openly is to be burned at the stake for heresy.
Sandiem’s own history, which apparently begins almost to the day of Sandielansta’s fall has been equally checkered throughout the ages. Sandiem was one of three cities to come to power in the region during the centuries that proceeded the Malchanian Empire. Sandiem was the only one of the kingdoms to survive the orcish onslaught that would begin in the year 2620 AR, but this had more to do with the lack of orcish skill at naval combat than any act of Sandiem. The Sandalans, to their credit, did seize upon the mistakes of the orcish attempts to cross the narrow channel that separates the island from the mainland. The greatest of these mistakes was the orcish attempt to build a bridge of ships across the 19 mile wide channel. The Sandalan navy waited until the project was nearly complete, then they sent a small fleet of fire ships (wood ships soaked in oil and loaded in flammables) into the heart of the orcish chain, setting the whole of it afire. The orcs would never again attempt an invasion of Sandiem. The people of Sandiem where then instrumental in pushing back the horde.
The rise of Malchani brought human conquerors to Sandiem, but the city’s fall to the Malchani had more to do with political intrigue than military might. At that point in the city’s history there was a civil war on the streets of the city, and one of the family’s agreed to help the Malchani take the city into their empire if they in turn where given the city. This family, the Asanguiles, would rule Sandiem during most of the Malchani period.
Modern Sandiem is still a scuttlebutt’s paradise. Rumor, suspicion and the like can cross the city quicker than a wildfire. Most of the gossip revolves around the amount of power that the Pentalist League has obtained and is obtaining. While most of the powerful families at least pay lip service to the priests, very few of them actually trust the priests, especially the red robed heresy examiners, who are given a wide berth wherever in the city they travel.
Outside the politics, there are plenty of rumors of the flavor that young adventurers love to sink their teeth into. Sandiem is a city built on the ruins of a city, which according to new evidence was itself built on ruins. The catacombs just to the north of the city have never fully been mapped, nor have the natural caverns which bore into the side of the extinct Mt. Sanri.
(Helps to post it)
The Estarian empire today is a land of scattered city-states which, while paying lip service to the emperor, are nominally independent in their day to day affairs and they carry on much as their western counterparts, albeit without waging war on each other as the western countries do from time to time. The Estarian Empire is perhaps the strongest military force on the continent outside the Orkish Kingdoms, but the people have little interest in conquest since the arrival of a unique religion to the region known as Pentalism. The Temples of the Pentalist League have managed to drive out most competition from outlying lands, and they give the Estarian Empire a strong religious link between the nobles that is lacking in the governments of the west.
The Old Kingdoms are the among the wettest regions of Delcerni, with a climate not unlike that of Louisiana, Mississippi and the other southern states in terms of rainfall, although a bit cooler than these during the winter. The winters are fairly mild although the summers can be blistering. The region is vulnerable to hurricanes blowing in from the Asidian Ocean, and more than once one of these storms has risen to make it’s presence felt.
Government
The Estarian empire has three primary governing bodies. The oldest of these is the office of emperor, and although traditionally almost omnipotent, the current emperor, Halsdian has allowed for the reestablishment of the Imperial Senate and as a devout Pentalist he, as his father before him, has placed judicial matters of the state into the hands of that temple system
The office of the emperor is still the supreme commander of all military forces in the Estarian Empire, and Halsdian takes great pains to make sure the military is firmly within his control at all times as he is wary of the past and the records of several military coups. Outside the military the Emperor is the voice of the state and represents it in foreign affairs. He is also the Executor of the law, although Halisdan relies heavily on temple officials to carry out his dictums and those of both temple judges and Senate nobility. In ages past the emperor of the Estarian Empire was worshipped as a god, but Halisdan’s father, Emperor Prosben abandoned this edict when he took up the cause of Pentalism. The heraldry of the office of emperor is the outline of a blue pentagram, with a gold and silver dragon coiled about it’s sides representing the two suns of Carthasana. On flags, shields and banners a blue star alone represents the emperor.
The Senate touches it’s roots deep into the past before Malchani was an empire, and the reestablishment of this body has come as a surprise olive leaf on Halisdan’s part to help cultivate loyalty among the nobles. Halisdan has given the Senate free reign over most domestic affairs. The requirement to sit on one of the senate’s 200 seats is that the one own a square mile or more of land. Currently the Senate only has 126 active members, although this fluctuates depending on what is up for debate (when tax rates are up for debate landholders seem to come out of the woodwork, and the 200 seat limit is enforced on a first come - first serve basis, with exceptions given to long term debaters upon the floor). The Senate is overseen by the Emperor when important matters are in debate, otherwise the Emperor’s son, Prince Aslandal sits on the council according to Halisdan’s decree. In practice Aslandal has very little interest in politics, and sends his wife Talisa in his place. An attractive and highly sharp witted lass in her early thirties, Talisa is also an accomplished sorceress and uses the Art, and a lot of tact, to keep the Senate’s more bombastic members in line. The Senate has not established a heraldry for itself to date, but that is the primary item of contention on the floor at current date.
The judicial wing of the government has been placed in the hands of a priesthood, and the execution of these affairs has been carried out with characteristic priestly zeal. It was again Halisdan’s father that innovated the practice of letting the priests control the judicial system. Apparently the priests will dispose of political enemies of the emperor using trumped up heresy charges, and in return the priests get to seek out real heretics. Foremost on this list are the practitioners of the Listralan Way, an autotheistic priesthood whose practices will be dealt with later in this manual. The Pentalist judges use a red pentagram for their symbol of office.
History
While the last four hundred years of the Estarian empire have been quiet compared to the last four hundred years of war off to the west, they have been by no means uneventful. The Orcish Plagues formed a considerable drain on the Estarian economy such that by c. 1000 SR the Alexan period (so named for it’s first emperor) came crashing down in the turmoil ignited by a three year long drought, followed by a flood-ridden summer which saw four major hurricanes rip through the coastline. With the death of Emperor Thilsandi in 1003 SR the empire seemed on the brink of disintegrating just as the west had. However, after a few years of war two major contenders for the throne became clear: Delonal, Duke of Covensai and Ellaine, Duchess of Ilstag. Rather than fight for the crown the two decided to form an uneasy truce which slowly evolved into a marriage. The child of their union was appropriately name Unitas.
Emperor Unitas came to the throne late in the year 1030 SR and he began a vigorous campaign of restructuring. Fear of yet another invasion prompted the construction of several castles in the southwest, most of which have collapsed due to abandonment, although one still stands, Castle Elmwood. The Unitasian dynasty would move on for roughly 200 years, during which time two new religions would appear at roughly the same time: Pentalism and the Listralan Way.
A Tale of Two Prophets
During this period the peoples of the Estarian Empire worshipped a curious mix of deities, most of whom survive today in the Courts of Siliani and Aurnon in the Telzoan religion of Telensitary. However, the Orcish Plague had disintegrated the priesthood to dangerous levels, and by the time of the marriage of Delonal and Ellaine the structure of the religion in the region had all but disintegrated. Into this void stepped a radical priest known as Gregory the Clark.
Born in 971 SR, Gregory the Clark’s early life is quite obscure as is his real name and origin, but given his mastery of courtly etiquette it is probable that he was a noble before “seeing the light.” Gregory taught that all the myriad deities were nothing more than charlatan entities that were dispensing the power of five much older, and much more powerful entities. This simplified approach to worship appealed to the nobility who appreciated it’s logic, although to the current day the peasantry has a tendency to take little stock in the new “fashions” of their betters. By the time he died (or according to his temple was “taken up”) in 1032 SR Pentalism had become one of the better established religions in the new Estarian Empire.
However, while Gregory taught in the eastern sections of the empire another prophet was at work in the cities of the west, in particular Talmnask. His name was Listralan, and his philosophy was even more radical than that of Gregory. Listralan rejected the theory that man should lie subject to the gods. He believed that all men had a certain amount of divinity within themselves, and with proper self study and discipline that divinity could be awakened and, eventually, one could make oneself a god. The rather erudite teachings of the “Way” caught on only as a private faith, and among those already given to a certain degree of meglomania (i.e. wizards).
The two religions would come to blows in the latter half of the 12th century SR, and the warring between the Listralan’s and virtually everyone else would continue until the Listralans were forced underground in the latter half of the 14th century SR.
End of a Dynasty
Cities of Delcerni
Chapters 4 through 10 describe the cities of Delcerni, from ancient and proud Sandiem to broken down and defeated Malchani. Each entry has the following information:
The Ruler: A brief description of the person, or persons that have control over the city in some official (and sometimes unofficial) capacity.
The Court: Individuals who have the ear of the ruler or hold power in their own right. These are the movers and shakers of a particular city.
Population: An estimated population.
Features of the City: Features for which the city is known, such as the great lighthouse of the city of Dalze in Telzoa, to the great ship’s castle in the harbor of Sandiem.
People of the City: What the people of the particular city’s culture are capable of, and the character point cost of having a human PC of that particular city (which is usually 25 to 30 points).
Major Products: Economic activities which drive the economy of the city, including but not necessarily “products” alone (as indeed, “piracy” is listed as the product of one city). These items play the most significant role in the economy of the city, and they are also items for which the city is famous, like fine swords, exacting jewelry and so on. When trade is mentioned it means that the export and import of goods form a major section of the city’s economy.
Armed Forces: The armed forces present in the city, including the mercenaries that might owe their loyalty to someone other than the ruler.
Major Temples: The temples which are prominent in the city, and the priests that staff them.
Key Figures Outside Court: Prominent citizens. Also, persons who live near the city and who occasionally travel there may be listed. In the smaller cities (or in those with large courts) this entry is sometimes omitted.
Rumors, Lore and History: Facts, fictions, traditions and myths about the outlay of the city.
In 1241 SR then Emperor Dracali led an expedition northward to force out the pirates of the city state of Rahn, part of Telcashome. However on that expedition Dracali would contract a fatal case of the smallpox and died before priestly aid could be successfully sequestered. Dracali had no heir, and soon all of the Estarian Empire was up in arms in what would later be known as the War of the Three Dragons. This three decade long conflict would end with the child emperor, Malsian, ascending the throne at the age of 13. Although a young man, Malsian was an incredibly shrewd and exceptionally intelligent individual throughout his life, and it is widely believed he may be the Estarian Empire’s only wizard emperor in it’s long history.
By 1275 Malsian established his rule and it would last until 1320 SR when his son Prosben would take the throne. Prosben established many of the current ruling traditions, including the establishment of Pentalism as the state religion. Prosben ruled until 1364 SR, and his son Halsidan is the current emperor of the Estarian Empire. As a reminder, this book assumes the campaign starts sometime in the year 1400 SR, or 4830 AR.
The Estarian Mindset
The Estarians are the inheritors of the oldest empire they know of, and they are proud of this fact. They view their western human neighbors with disdain, seeing them as primitive and highly dangerous barbarians which need to be controlled once opportunity presents itself. The Orcs of the southwest are usually considered only marginally worse than the humans of the interior, if only because they are uglier; but the Estarian military leaders accord the orcs grudging respect in matters of battle, and they are not above sponsoring orcish raiding expeditions into the interior, even to the point of providing ships and weapons: all this to keep the upstart fiefdoms of the interior under some semblance of control.
Estarian society divides roughly between the land owners and the workers, but the system is not as rigid as the serf situation to the west. Men are hired and paid wages to work the fields for the lords, and lords own their own properties without the complex vassalage system upon their shoulders. This is due largely to the strong Estarian economy which, unlike the west, remains essentially coin based, although barter does occur from time to time.
While there is a class striation between noble and commoner in Estarian society, the lines are not as strong. Being a “noble” is a matter of property ownership: one’s social power is relative to the property owned. Thus it is possible to move up the rungs of Estarian society quite rapidly by acquiring gold and the like.
Cities of the Estarian Empire
The Estarian empire has several major cities and castles which are covered here: Sandiem, Ashdal, Ilstag, Imaskiel, Trenis, Covensai, Talmask, and the castles of Ditherholme, Chalaska, Olsheni, and Southgate.
Sandiem
Capital City of the Estarian Empire
Built on a small island off the coast of mainland Delcerni, Sandiem is named for the sandy beaches and grassy knolls of the island it sits upon. The city occupies the island’s only harbor, and that harbor is jealously guarded. One sage commented that mankind will never build a better fortress than that given by the gods to the people of Sandiem.
The Ruler: Emperor Halsidan (hm LN/ Cavalier /5), ruler of the empire, holds his seat of government in the city of Sandiem and has it within his authority to overrule any decision by the City’s Marshal. However, Halsidan prefers to keep his hands clear of Sandiem’s internal affairs as the concerns of the empire as a whole tend to occupy most of his time. Halsidan is an aging man in his late fifties, although he can be roused to rage he is, for the most part, a quiet individual one wouldn’t expect to see as emperor. Halsidan is sometimes called the “Quiet King,” for when decisions are placed before the court he is usually the very last to speak, after all of his advisors and all sides in the dispute have had their say. When Halsidan does speak however, his word is law and carries great respect.
Charles Noble (hm NG/ Fighter /4) is the current marshal of Sandiem, and he is in the second year of his current five year term. Noble has held the position for twelve years, and in that time he has proven to be a highly effective administrator and quite skilled at dancing the high wire act between the desires of the emperor and the city’s guilds. His position is gained through an election of the city’s recognized guild-master’s, and their choice must be accepted by the emperor. Most of Sandiem’s day to day affairs are ran by the marshal and the council members.
The Court: Emperor Halsdian has at his control the largest court in all of Losineris, and as can be expected in a large court, there is a lot of political maneuvering to get to the emperor’s ear. Listed below are the courtesans that have the easiest time getting to Halsidan and / or have the greatest amount of power in their own right.
First among his advisors is Queen Empress Olani (hef LG/ Enchanter /3). The wife of the Emperor since both were children, their marriage was arranged by her father, an elven noble of the Gristandiel kingdom. Over time the two have proven to be a good and passionate match, and she has bore nine sons and four daughters for the Emperor. A lively woman with fiery red hair, as a half elf she has not aged much and does not appear much older than her eldest daughter who is now twenty-two years of age. Court rumors persist about the queen’s eye wandering, but to date she appears to be faithful to her aging liege, although the two make an odd, and sometimes painful contrast. Olani is an enchantress of very minor note, and has insured her children understand some of the basic concepts in sorcery. One of their daughters, Elsa, has become infused enough in the art to earn tutelage under elven teachers in Alvindale.
Crown Prince Aslandal (hm CG/ Thief /5) is a perpetually bored young man who has but two fascinations – his wife and stealing. On occasion the prince will steal into the night and go rogue for several days at a time, with no one in the kingdom able to find him until he returns. During these indulgences he either robs the nobles for personal entertainment, or joins up with a band of adventurers and heads into the catacombs beneath the ruins of Sandielansta, the city which preceded Sandiem on the isle. His father is aware and somewhat bemused by his activities, and he has ordered that all who do know about the prince’s hobby keep their lips firmly shut or else.
Princess Talisa (hf NG/ Sorcerer /8) is the wife of Aslandal. The daughter of one of Halsidan’s political rivals, her marriage was an arranged one. Their relationship has been tempestuous at best. She highly disapproves of Aslandal’s gallivanting and suspects that he may be cheating on her. But when the two are not mad at each other for something their passion, according to the bards, is unmatched; and indeed rumors persist that she had developed several spells with decidedly naughty purposes. Publicly the Princess spends much of her time with the Imperial Senate. A highly outspoken feminist, she enjoys mental fencing with the members of that body, and after delivering countless humiliations with her razor sharp wit the senators have finally began to accord her respect (which they must do anyway, for one day she will be Empress). Still, a visible chill goes through the senate anytime an upstart tries to spar with her rhetoric, for no senator has bested her, and only once in court did an individual get the better of Talisa.
That individual is Kira Lee (ef (silvani) CG/ Sorcerer /12). Officially she is the Ambassador to the Emperor from the Elven Kingdom of Gristandiel. In addition, she has been Talisa’s teacher in the magical arts and the two have become near inseparable, especially when Aslandal has went rogue for this or that reason. Kira is a quiet individual whose council is often sought by Halsidan since she is honest enough to present bought the pro’s and the con’s to actions he might be contemplating. Kira has served as Ambassador to the Estarian Empire for nearly 120 years now, and she is often asked what the actions of previous emperors would have been – questions she tends to avoid. When matters that concern her own kingdom arise she does state simply what the elves would desire in a situation. Given that the current queen has always advocated that Kira’s advice be followed, and Halsidan views her as something of a second mother it shouldn’t be too surprising that the elves usually get their way.
First Sorcerer to the Emperor Temlasia (hf LG / Sorcerer / 14) is a quiet, elderly lady in her late sixties, and although she’s not above masking her age when it suits her purpose, she usually attends court in a unpretentious blue gown with no markings or embroideries. She is officially charged with the tracking of all magical activities within the empire, a job that she relegates to those scribes and clerks in her charge. She has made it known privately to the emperor that she would like to be released from her office to retire and enjoy her old age while she still can, and as a result there has been a search begun for a suitable replacement, a search that the Pentalists priests are coordinating, with the hopes of finding a candidate that will prove easier to control than Temlasia has been. A firm worshipper of Pektos, she has proven to be a pagan thorn in the side of the priest’s plotting, although removing her would prove to dangerous as she is, magically, more than a match for most of the members of the league. This and the fact that she still has Halsidan’s favor. She was a lover of Prosben, the former emperor, and she regards the emperor as something of an adopted son, and the feeling is mutual.
High Priest Alan Thrask (hm LN/ Priest /10) is the leader of legal affairs throughout the empire, and he spends most of his time overseeing the Holy Court of Inquisition. While the leader of the Pentalist League in legal affairs he is by no means the ultimate authority in the temples, although he has the ear of that individual. Alan Thrask is a bitter and sometimes dangerous individual who carries out the law with unabated passion. Whenever he moves through the court he is given a wide berth, for it is known that he is the individual responsible for the “convenient” removal of enemies of both temple and state in the name of heresy.
Grand Priest Solorin Clark (hm N/ Priest /16) is a personal friend to Emperor Halsidan and hears his confessions personally whenever the emperor feels the need to give them. He has convinced the emperor to help him in the construction of a new grand cathedral and he is currently auditioning architectural designs for the project. Solorin is a quiet and aging man, but his spirit and will are still very strong and few in court are daring to enough to try to inspire his ire.
Brian Alder (hm NG/ Cavalier /14) is the high commander of the emperor’s armies. A huge and physically intimidating individual, Alder usually attends court dressed in full armor. He drills the elite guards of the palace constantly and does a great deal of traveling through the empire to insure the loyalty of troops and generals are firmly with the emperor, reporting any discontent he finds to the emperor.
Eli Schooner (hm CG/ Mariner /10) is the Admiral of the Emperor’s fleet, and he personally commands his majesty’s flagships. Eli has currently been quarreling with Alan Thrask over who should have control of the port courts and administer maritime law. Recently he has forwarded a compromise by which a priest would administer maritime regulations, but the courts would be separate from the Holy Court of Inquisition. Only time will tell if he gets his way.
Population: With a population of over 100,000 registered (120,000+ if the beggars and other transients are included), Sandiem is easily the largest city in all of Losineris. There are notable subgroups of elves, half-elves and gnomes in the city; most of whom live in their own districts of the city, and together they comprise perhaps 12% of the population.
Features of the City: Sandiem is situated on an island just off the coast of Losineris, on it’s southward side. The city’s name means “Sandy shore,” and the island does have large and beautiful white sand beaches. However, Sandiem sits on the only river of the island which flows from the side of the extinct volcano Mt. Sanri. Sandiem sprawls around all three sides of it’s crescent shaped harbor. The city has no outer walls as it has always depended on a strong navy to repel any invasions that might be forthcoming.
In the center of the harbor is a small island known as Ship’s Castle. On this island lies a cleverly designed harbor that conceals from seaward sight a navy of over 100 ships. Ship’s castle is designed to protect it’s charges from the effects of hurricanes, which Sandiem as a must deal with from time to time (the last major hurricane was ten years ago). The ships in Ship’s Castle can be sealed into their cells and thereby be protected from winds and storm surges.
For this reason then the only walls that Sandiem has defend not her land approaches, but the seaward landings. The walls are made of solid stone and are some 40 feet across at the top and 80 feet thick at the base. At 80 feet in height, in the 410 years since their completion only one hurricane has managed to drive a storm surge over the wall, and most suspect that occasion to be magically aided.
Within the city’s walls is a curious system of locks and canals. If a hurricane is approaching (and this can usually be divined magically) the whole system can be drained in about eight hours. The seaward locks are concealed by the walls from direct assault by the wind. Made of solid iron, the lock gates are 3 feet thick and weigh several tons. They are moved entirely by water pressure and a couple of levers which can be manipulated by 2 men.
The canals connect the lower third of the city and act as capillaries for the trade of the city. In the upper sections are homes and several small market square. On a hill overlooking all of this is the Forum of Sandiem. This open square, which is about three times the size of a football field, is always choked with merchant stalls whose byzantine layout changes by the week. The Grand Palace of the Emperor sits on the east side of this square, and to the south lie the city’s hall and local governing buildings, excepting the national mint. On the western flank of the square lies the Great Hall of Estarian Guilds, and to the north is the daily deteriorating structure of an old temple to Tean, the property of which now belongs to the Pentalist League and the old temple is being demolished to clear the way for a new grand cathedral. In the meanwhile a smaller structure serves for worship ceremonies, and it lies behind were the new temple will be. The Pentalists built this structure to serve as priestly offices and quarters once the main temple is completed.
The Grand Palace is a group of six building linked together with sky walkways. From those walkways, and between the buildings, lie some of the most exquisite gardens in all of Losineris. The buildings themselves are beautiful, solid marble constructions whose polish shines with the light of the suns. Indeed, most of upper Sandiem is city of marble, for this heavy stone is useful in standing up against the high winds the city sometimes hosts.
Outside the city lies the ruins of Sandielansta. Much of this city was built into the soft volcanic rock of Mt. Sanri, and over a couple of centuries a maze of tunnels grew beneath what few columns stand in testament to Sandielansta’s passing. The people of Sandiem used the place to build catacombs, further increasing the maze of tunnels and passageways therein. A couple of years ago some gravediggers broke into a series of catacombs from a city even older than Sandielansta, and soon after the catacombs became infested with undead and highly dangerous to enter. More than a few adventuring bands have come to Sandiem to explore this strange new dungeon complex.
But if delving deep into the earth isn’t one’s cup of tea, perhaps education is. Sandiem has the finest schools in Losineris. Recently Grand Priest Solorin has promised to provide buildings for the schools to teach their curriculum within, and this has caused a split in the Scholar’s Guild. There are those who welcome such help, but many fear allowing the Pentalist League to get their hands on education due to the possibility that the priests might try to control the curriculum. The results of this power struggle and what effect they will have on Sandiem’s schools is yet to be seen.
Of course, what city would be complete without entertainment venue’s? The largest of these is the Ecliptoron. Formerly a ring for gladitorial combats, the place has been converted to a theatre in the wake of the Pentalist League’s rise to power and their subsequent ban on fights to the death. If the stage isn’t one’s cup of tea then Sandiem is littered with taverns with such names as Sailor’s Doubt, The Nest, and The Goldplank.
People of the City: The people of Sandiem have an attitude that others describe as insufferable. They tend to look down their noses at the rest of the world and see themselves and their city as the pinnacle of civilization.
The people of Sandiem are quite lank in appearance. They have an olive complexion which is typical for humans all up and down the Asidian coast. Women and men alike keep their hair relatively short, shoulder length is uncommon and beyond is relatively unknown. Indeed, most Sandalans cut their hair to an inch in length. Princess Talisa has started a fashion in the court among women of wearing a braided tail on an otherwise short hair style. Fashion in Sandiem has lead to long, flowing gowns among the women, and even the men’s tunics tend to be exaggerated in length, especially in the sleeves.
Education is highly valued in Sandiem, and all who can afford it are sent to the schools. A surprising percentage of the citizenry can read, and this only serves to add to the elitist mindset of the Sandalans. Players wishing to have their characters come from Sandiem must spend all 30 points allocated to humans. In exchange they gain proficiencies in reading / writing in Liternanin, rhetoric, oratory, and a +1 bonus to their initial intelligence scores.
Major Products: Trade, Marble, Fishing, Durable Goods, Education.
Armed Forces: A garrison of over 1,000 men form the city watch. They are armed with clubs, man-catchers, the occasional net and they wear studded leather armor. The naval contingent in the city comprises another 2,000 sailors all-told and nearly 5,000 soldiers are at the Emperor’s command as a full time army in the nearby fortress of Alzin, which is on a hill overlooking the city from the north and protecting the landward approaches to the city should a landing be accomplished elsewhere on the island.
Major Temples: Outside of the Pentalist League’s current temple and temple project there are no religious centers within Sandiem. The leading priests of the order are mentioned along with the individuals of court.
Key Figures Outside the Court: Liam Mason (hm N/ Diviner /9) is the current director of the Scholar’s Guild, and he personally oversees and decides who is worthy of the limited wizardly training that is doled out by the school. The Emperor has approached him on occasion to ask about the feasability of making a large military unit of sorcerers, to which Liam kindly offers dozens of reason as to why it could never work. The truth though is that Liam is very aware from his studies of history how well it can work, and he is hesitant about bringing magic into war. Not a particularly devout man, Mason opposes the offer made by Solorin to build housing facilities for the Guild if priestly teachings are added to the curriculum.
Alex Shile (hm N/ Artificer /7) is, on the other hand, quite supportive of the Solorin’s offer. As chief professor of mechanical studies of the Guild he has a chair on the guild’s committee meetings and he almost always brings up the subject when he can in an attempt to get his way.
Robert “Blackjack” Shipman (hm NE/ Mariner /12) is a vicious and powerful little man who captains the Swift, and with it (and several other ships) he engages in privateering operations throughout Losineris. Emperor Halsidan’s officials “tolerate” him because he doesn’t make a nuisance of himself with imperial ships, and he occasionally helps run down Telcasin pirates brazen enough to venture out onto the Asidian Ocean. Blackjack is considered by most to be a lunatic ever since he ventured south and captured several Durensan elf ships despite heavy magic attack. He is rumored to be on the lookout for a good wizard willing to gain some sea legs so he can go back to the Shadow Vale for more lucrative raids.
A fast friend of Blackjack’s is “Shadowknife” Krisdal (hm LE/ Thief /15). Shadowknife is not only Sandiem’s best thief, but he is also the tough the runs the thieves’ guild and, through tricky politicking he’s managed to get his fingers into virtually every other guild as well. He has boasted privately, on more than one occasion, that he could bring the whole city to a stop if he wanted to, within a couple of hours. Whether or not he could back that threat up has yet to be proven.
“Scar” (hm CE/ Assassin /12) is the pseudonym used by the leader of the city’s assassin’s guild. A shrewd and highly cautious individual, he is also given to wild mood swings brought on by a long term addiction to alcohol. It is said by some in the guild that he has been too drunk for too long to pull a job, but few would dare cross Scar. For one, he is close friends with Shadowknife, and with that friendship he is often able to get the thieves’ guild of Sandiem to scout out potential targets for the assassins of the city. Scar also runs a fairly tight protection racquet that brings in considerable money from the city’s civic leaders. Rare indeed does the assassin’s guild of Sandiem actually assassinate anyone, but it has happened, and merchants need only be reminded of the Bleeding, a night when the assassins killed the second born son of more than 40 influential families, in order to get them to pay up protection fees. Scar and most of his lackeys are high on the Emperor’s wanted list.
Sana Kayle (hf N/ Thief /9) runs the city’s prostitution guild. For the moment prostitution is still legal throughout the empire, although the priests of the Pentalist League have been attacking this institution for some time. Sana is quite a relaxed individual most of the time, and spends most of the time watching after her charges whom she regards as foster daughters.
These are but a few of the many guild masters and personalities of Sandiem. DM’s are encouraged to introduce their own characters to the rich fabric of Sandiem.
Rumors, Lore and History: The city that came before Sandiem, Sandielansta, was founded in 2240 AR ( -1190 SR). Sandielansta would stand for three centuries until the Years of Golden Fire, a god war which wracked much of the country side and drove the remains of old Sandielansta far beneath the ground, at least according to the legends. Few documents and mark survive from that time period, save the “ruins.” The history behind the ruins is somewhat unclear, and whether or not they were part of Sandielansta itself or predate it is sometimes debated by sages. What few records remain from the time were apparently discovered by George the Clark, and many of the religious doctrines of the period have been adopted by the Pentalist League. If this is so, then the activities of the Pentalists could have grave consequences for the city and the empire, although such theories are whispered about only, for to speak them openly is to be burned at the stake for heresy.
Sandiem’s own history, which apparently begins almost to the day of Sandielansta’s fall has been equally checkered throughout the ages. Sandiem was one of three cities to come to power in the region during the centuries that proceeded the Malchanian Empire. Sandiem was the only one of the kingdoms to survive the orcish onslaught that would begin in the year 2620 AR, but this had more to do with the lack of orcish skill at naval combat than any act of Sandiem. The Sandalans, to their credit, did seize upon the mistakes of the orcish attempts to cross the narrow channel that separates the island from the mainland. The greatest of these mistakes was the orcish attempt to build a bridge of ships across the 19 mile wide channel. The Sandalan navy waited until the project was nearly complete, then they sent a small fleet of fire ships (wood ships soaked in oil and loaded in flammables) into the heart of the orcish chain, setting the whole of it afire. The orcs would never again attempt an invasion of Sandiem. The people of Sandiem where then instrumental in pushing back the horde.
The rise of Malchani brought human conquerors to Sandiem, but the city’s fall to the Malchani had more to do with political intrigue than military might. At that point in the city’s history there was a civil war on the streets of the city, and one of the family’s agreed to help the Malchani take the city into their empire if they in turn where given the city. This family, the Asanguiles, would rule Sandiem during most of the Malchani period.
Modern Sandiem is still a scuttlebutt’s paradise. Rumor, suspicion and the like can cross the city quicker than a wildfire. Most of the gossip revolves around the amount of power that the Pentalist League has obtained and is obtaining. While most of the powerful families at least pay lip service to the priests, very few of them actually trust the priests, especially the red robed heresy examiners, who are given a wide berth wherever in the city they travel.
Outside the politics, there are plenty of rumors of the flavor that young adventurers love to sink their teeth into. Sandiem is a city built on the ruins of a city, which according to new evidence was itself built on ruins. The catacombs just to the north of the city have never fully been mapped, nor have the natural caverns which bore into the side of the extinct Mt. Sanri.
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