seasong's Light Against The Dark (FEB 06)

[seasong]

Gods & Spirits

Planes of Existence

The material realm is the one we are accustomed to. The mountains that you can see with your own eyes, the dirt you can pick up with your own hands. Everything that is well known is in this realm.

Co-existing with this is the ethereal realm, the insubstantial plane of ghosts and spirits. Your mind, anchored to your body and bound in its material "stuff", exists in the ethereal. Ethereal objects which are not bound into an object are insubstantially visible as wispy, transparent things.

The ethereal realm is one dimensional slice away from our own, and has unknown properties. Connected to it in other dimensional directions are the many planes. Of these, only a few are known and detailed herein.

The celestial realm is where the gods dwell. According to most research and theological understandings, the gods constructed it in the ethereal and then divided it from the normal ethereal as the eldest gods once parted land from sea. The celestial realm is actually numerous realms of the same nature, each one owned by a particular god, or jointly owned by several.

The infernal realm is the prison of the older gods, whom the current gods overthrew and destroyed. The serpent YS dwells there, as does the great wolf Abthyr, and many others.

The elemental planes are almost connecter to the material realm, with the veil thinnest where great amounts of the element are strongest. Thus, deep beneath the ground, the veil between the material realm and the elemental plane of earth are very thin indeed. The elemental planes are similar to the celestial realm, but provide their owners with far, far more power. Xeras, Peladas, Hethas and Phastas each possess one of the elemental planes as well as a demesnes in the celestial realm.

All of the realms and planes are geographically limited in scope as regards the material realm. The gods of Theralis do not rule everywhere, and thus one might find other gods ruling the elemental planes elsewhere. This is one small reason why the gods war.

And, as it is said, the wars of the gods are the wars of mortals.

Origins

Once, long ago, the first lick of divine fire sparked into existence in an icy world of blackness. Within moments of its birth, it raged throughout the universe and created everything. However, it was completely chaotic, creating and destroying in an orgiastic frenzy, but without conscious design or intent.

Sixteen major behavioral patterns emerged from its random actions, each representing varying degrees of chaos or order, creation or destruction. And eventually, these took on some degree of self-awareness and drive. When that happened, they ceased to be aspects of one entity and became their own beings, forever dividing the universe from an organic morass into distinct elements.

They developed alliances and enmities, short-term and long-term goals, and succeeded to varying degrees. But they were not a stable structure.

At some point, exactly when is unknown, one of their first servants, now ancient and cunning, led their other servants into betraying and destroying them. The various servants took into themselves what they could of the divine fire, and hid the remainder away until they could handle its burning glory.

These, then, were the first gods as we know them. The current gods are the third generation of such, having overthrown the children of the first gods, and taken the divine fire into themselves.

The current gods were spirits made strong with faith and belief, and are the closest to humanity that have ever been. Their divine fire is also weaker than any before them.

 

[seasong]

Monsters

The wilderness is a dangerous place. The following text contains a few of the reasons why.

Note that this is not an exhaustive list by any means - it is just a sampling of the "wilderness flavor" I am trying for.

Dragons

No discussion of the dangers of the wilderness is complete without mentioning dragons. Dragons are believed to be manifest forces of nature, neither good nor evil, but instead possessed of a strong sense of duty to the natural world. They are noble creatures, but do not think twice about destroying anyone or anything that is needlessly damaging the wilderness. At the same time, they recognize the need for a certain amount of civilization, and sometimes grant land to this or that group to foster such.

Dragons are said to live for one thousand years, at which point they meld into the earth, becoming an unusually shaped formation of stone or mountain ridge. Upon hatching, a dragon is said to be the size of a person, and they nearly double in mass every three years for the next decade. Thereafter, they grow far more slowly (doubling in mass for each age category). The oldest dragons are gargantuan beasts, weighing between 100-200 tons before turning to stone.

They never sleep, but may become lost in their meditations or communing with nature, making them less alert than normal.

Dragons tend to be druid-like, and normally advance in level as follows:

[color=cyan]Wyrmling    0
Very young  1
Young       2-5
Juvenile    5-8
Young adult 8-10
Adult       10-13
Mature      13-16
Old         16-17
Very old    17-18
Ancient     18-19[/color]

Amalan

Six hundred years ago, there was a group of slaves to the orc tribes, who were led to freedom by the hero Thera. The grand-daughter of Dianas (goddess of the grape), Thera's wisdom led her to the valleys that would become Theralis, but discovered that they were guarded by an eight ton dragon of fierce temper. The dragon was Amalan, and he had only just recently been given these lands to protect in honor of his centennial birthday.

When Thera spoke with him, he was at first reluctant to grant humankind any space in the valleys, so pristine at the time, but at the behest of his peers, he grudgingly sent her on a quest - should she succeed, he would grant the valleys, should she fail, she must move on to other lands. Thera's Quest was the destruction of a mighty necromancer who sought the secrets of eternal life, and who was too well entrenched in his fortress for even the mightiest dragon to assault. Thera prayed to Dianas, and developed a plan. She asked Amalan for a few of the grapes of his valleys, and promised that the grapes would lead to the necromancer's downfall. These he gave, and with them, she made a powerful wine, blessed with Dianas' potency. She then entered the necromancer's fortress posing as a merchant of wines. When he sampled her wares, he found them good, and let her in. That night, he drank deeply of the special wine, and fell into a deep slumber from which nothing would wake him. Thera cut off his head, and brought it back to Amalan. To Amalan's surprise, the head awoke at that point, having been so deeply drunk it failed to noticed its severance, and died in Amalan's hands.

The lands were granted, and Thera founded the city.

Today, Amalan has little to do with the region, other than to occasionally check to make certain that the people have not overextended his grant. He is very old now, nearly 60 tons, and powerful beyond measure. He is rarely seen silhouetted against the sky, perhaps once every several years, and is taken as an omen of a bad seasons to come ("When dragons fly, people die").

Large Predators

In general, the larger predators are few in number, and overlap very little in a given region. One does not usually find a mountain lion in the company of wolves, for example. The big carnivores also tend to cover a fairly large area, individually, and the likelihood of randomly encountering one in any given stretch of wilderness is somewhat low, unless you are doing some activity that attracts them.

With that said, the predators of this world are hideously dangerous to the unprepared, and the typical person is unlikely to survive a direct confrontation.

The best known predators are the trapping mantis (common to the wild valleys to the east), mountain spiders (common everywhere), black hounds (rare near civilization, reasonably common near ancient ruins), reasonably normal bears, and and armorcats (occasionally found dominating a wild valley or mountain ridge). A less common, but extremely dangerous creature of the rockier mountains, is the bazilisk.

Trapping Mantis (ankheg): A stocky, human-sized mantis that burrows, feet first, a few feet beneath the surface of the earth and then lies in wait there for large prey, typically a small to medium sized mammal. The trapping mantis is reasonably rare near Theralis, but are common enough in the barbarian valleys to the east that an orc tribe is said to use their serrated forelegs as spear heads. According to forester tales, the trapping mantis attacks by impaling with its forelegs to hold the prey, and then vomiting its stomach acids and enzymes onto the victim. The trapping mantis hunts alone, and is fairly nomadic, adjusting its favored haunts as its prey learns to avoid it.

Bazilisk: A fat, snub-nosed serpent of grey tones and brilliant yellow eyes, typically weighing 50-100 pounds and between six and eight feet in length. According to legend, those who meet its gaze turn to stone, but most scholars agree that this is more likely a hypnotic effect. All agree that its toxin is as deadly as they come, calcifying tissue with staggering alacrity. Bazilisks are only found in rocky areas where its skin colors blend well.

Black hounds: These phantom-like beasts resemble black-furred hounds or wolves of human size or larger. They are possessed of almost malevolent, primal cunning, and sometimes behave in disturbingly intelligent manner. Some hunt in packs, while others live alone (and unfortunately, the loners are the really dangerous ones). Black hounds can slip between the material and spiritual realms, although they never remain in the spiritual realm for long. Legends give them various other powers, ranging from running on water to "smelling souls". A small pack or loner can usually be found along mountains far from civilization - near civilization, they tend to be hunted until dead.

Mountain spiders: These are essentially Large spiders that build massive web labrynths through an area of forest, cave system, or narrow crevice. The spiders themselves usually clump into communities, but they hunt individually and do not organize or work together in any way. Their poison is paralytic rather than deadly. Mountain spiders do not use their webs to trap prey, but to store them - the spiders themselves stalk and attack prey far from the webs, then drag them back to the webs to bind and later consume.

Armorcats: Possibly not an actual feline, the armorcat looks and moves like one, but has a rhino-like hide and a thick, spike-tipped tail. Armorcats are amazingly efficient predators, and generally work alone. They are said to be able to blend into surroundings so well as to become almost invisible until the moment of attack, although this could well be exaggeration of their natural stealthiness.

Dangerous Flora

In a magical wilderness, one can not depend upon the local flora to remain passive. Although for the most part the trees, bushes, vines, flowers, grasses, ferns, mosses and so on remain reasonably quiescent, there are numerous species of each which do not.

Near the Theralis valleys, the most common threats (known to almost everyone) are damp moss, assassin vines, ropers, spitseeds, and rivercutters.

Damp moss: Found in cool, quiet places with plenty of water nearby, damp moss feeds on decomposition. To that end, it has evolved an area sleep effect which affects anyone who touches on the moss, however briefly. Once asleep, they will continue to sleep until they die of starvation. Damp moss has varying appearance by regional sub-species, usually resembling the most common moss of the area. It can be spotted by the remains of past victims, usually small animals. An odd species of squirrel is immune to its effects, and sometimes burrows a small shelter in the safety of the moss; this, in turn, sometimes attracts larger predators onto the moss.

Spitseeds: This is a species of bush which reproduces by firing its sharp, flechette-like seeds at passing animals during the winter. The seed's cover is lethal poison, and when the animal dies, it hosts the seed's growth into a new bush. The corpse is protected by the vigorous poison in its meat - most predators avoid the corpse based on smell alone.

Rivercutters: A type of river weed that only grows in swift-moving currents. It typically feeds on fish that pass through it. Rivercutters are made up of near invisible, razor sharp strands that knot and tangle in the currents. Fish pass into it and are entangled and sliced into by the strands, which then extract nutrients from the body. Rivercutters tear away and regrow when the corpse weight gets too high. In general, it is not deadly to humans, but can cut a person up pretty fiercely. The people of the Theralis valleys generally rip it up unmercifully when they find it.

 

[incognito]

Yo Earl!

Where's the adventuring at?! If one of these PCs doesn't stick a sword in something soon, I'm gonna explode!

Are armor cats Bulette's?

 

[seasong]

Armorcats are big tigers with a bit better AC, slight stat modifications, and possibly some extra abilities. System-wise, they're pretty decently scary, probably about CR 5. A sizable hunting party of experienced (lvl 2-3) soldiers could probably take one armorcat down, with losses.

The armorcat is a "normal" animal, and understanding animal behavior may allow one to avoid a direct combat confrontation with it. Black hounds, on the other hand, are malevolent .

As for sticking swords into things... we'll see.

 

[seasong]

Experience Levels

Theralis uses harsh aging rules, and some pretty decent advancement rules. The combination, plus the local culture, results in the following rules of thumb.

Level 0: All children .

Level 1: 15 years old, this is the default starting point. Characters spend their first year in the Theralis military, as part of becoming an adult. A typical year in the Theralis military is worth 1,000 XP, giving the character a level with combat training, a bit of toughening up, and some free time to pursue their own interests.

Level 2: A young adult, typically 16-17. Typical years are worth about 800-1200 XP due to the challenges of getting started in life. By age 18, most people are reaching 3rd level.

Level 3: A mature person, typically 18-22. Typical years are worth about 500-700 XP (CR 2). A large fraction of the population is 3rd level.

Level 4: Middle age, typically 23-29. Typical years are worth 500-700 XP. The largest minority of the population. Level 4 is the typical "full professional".

Level 5: Slightly older, typically 30-39. Some people die of natural causes at this point. A reasonable fraction of the population is 5th level; this is the "master of the trade" level.

Level 6: The elderly, typically 40-52. Few live past this point. A small portion of the population is 6th level. Generally, 6th level is sufficient for local reknown (throughout all of the divisions of a particular valley, for example).

Level 7: The very elderly, 53+. Generally, 7th level is the point where an individual can be known throughout the Theralis valleys on the basis of ability.

These rules of thumb apply to those who live ordinary lives. A decent percentage of the population live extraordinary lives, and a small percentage of those survive. Adventurers typically advance about one level per year or two, and you can often find "ordinary" adults who adventured for a year or two and are thus a level or more higher than the rules of thumb indicate.

Levels 8-9 are sufficient to be very well known throughout the valleys, with some spillover into other nearby nations. At level 9, you can claim to be a "name" in Theralis.

By 10th level, an individual is near legendary. Above 10th level is the stuff of legends - fighters that can wade through a company of lesser soldiers, spell casters who can level armies, etc.

 

[seasong]

Yeah, yeah, stop boring you with this dull stuff and start posting the durned story!

Commit: Greppa's Ambition will be posted tomorrow morning.

 

[Greybar]

Guess I'm a GM at heart. I'm lovin the background stuff.
Cheers, seasong!

John

 

[seasong]

Glad you're enjoying it . I'm kind of using the Story Hour as a scratchboard for the players, as well - I can never get my players to read my website, but they'll read this for some reason.

I guess they're NOT illiterate gits.

 

[seasong]

PROLOGUE
Greppa's Ambition

Hurath of Theralis Down was a subtle somatist. His fingers barely seemed to twitch before the shadow servant pushed its way through the envelope between realms. It bobbed once, then swept through the narrow marble tower, lighting candles and adjusting each item it found to align with table edges.

It was an old servant for an old arcanist, and was well familiar with his home and what was needed.

Greppa watched carefully, as always. It was a spell he knew, but not nearly to the masterful extent of his teacher. He watched everything Hurath did carefully, more or less. The old man was an excellent teacher of the basics, but that was all he would teach Greppa. The subtle aspects of somatics and kinesics, the methods to weave spells with only the most essential words (by hinting at the lesser words with faint intonations)... these were things Hurath felt were lessons best learned later. Greppa politely disagreed, and became watchful.

And each night, Greppa would attempt a few spells with minimalist elements. He had not yet succeeded, but it was just a matter of careful elimination until he found the ones that worked by themselves.

Hurath, meanwhile, indicated that it was Greppa's turn. Half of the candles were lit, representing Hurath's passing on of knowledge to the young apprentice.

Greppa traced a large circle in the air with one hand, while the second traced a lesser sigil of shadow within its boundaries. He spoke quietly, but firmly, "el ath direthos", and maintained his concentration on the details of the spell.

It worked, and the sigil circle pulled energy from Greppa to form a passage to the dark places of the spiritual realms. A shadow servant pushed through the middle of the circle, then paused, awaiting instruction.

Winded by the spell, Greppa half-whispered, "Light all candles within these walls that are not lit."

The second half of the candles represented Greppa's growing inner spark of magic, and his emerging from apprenticeship. Although he had largely suppressed it, a bubble of laughter threatened to crawl up his throat and consume him.

A journeyman! He, Greppa of Tartwater, was finally to be free to pursue his studies his way!

To be honest, Greppa loved the old man who taught him, but suspected that his doddering, patient ways were holding Greppa back.

The actual ceremony was short and almost informal. The candles were lit, Hurath said a few words about their meaning, and what it meant to be an arcanist, then congratulated Greppa, and presented the young ellini with a heavy medallion that almost looked like an anchor around his dark, scrawny neck.

"Heh. We make them that way to keep you from running around too much." Both laughed. The ceremony was over, and, strictly speaking, Hurath was no longer Greppa's teacher - they were not quite peers now, but Greppa was his own person now.

Hurath stepped in and hugged Greppa tightly, "Young man, you have been as patient and thoughtful a son as I could have wanted. You be careful during your year of Service - I want to see you surpass me in the years down the line, and you can't do that if you're ni the grave."

Greppa just smiled and squirmed out of the hug, "I shall be careful. I always am."

They stood for a moment, a tableau of momentary understanding between them, before Greppa breathed deeply, "I'd best be off, then. It's late, and I want to get there before the soldiers are too drunk to register me."

A few goodbyes later, and a bit more akwardness between the two men, and Greppa was on his way.

Hurath watched him go, knowing the young ellini would do more than surpass him. The child's talent was almost obscene. But he worried, still - Greppa had shown patience while in Hurath's tower, certainly, but there had always been an edge of rush, and an edge of temper. The old man sighed, praying to Athos to help the young man reach mastery of the craft without getting himself killed.

Greppa, heedless of the prayer, swung his feet freely and grinned as he fantasized being the most powerful arcanist in the world.

 

[seasong]

Population Statistics

Theralis has slightly over 50 thousand people, and there are ten times that number in the Theralis valleys. Some random statistics:

The Theralis military force varies, but usually hovers around 11-12 thousand. The force is composed mostly of youths around age 15 to 16 - a year of active military service is part of becoming an adult. In event of a real war, virtually every able-bodied adult in the Theralis valleys has at least some competency. The military also has an additional 1-2 thousand career soldiers who actually run things.

Magic

There are approximately 2 thousand spell casters in the Theralis region. Of these, about half are healers. Of these, about 500 are 5th level or higher (this translates into about 250 healers who can cure all manner of injuries, poisons, diseases and ailments). And of those, there are perhaps a double handful of spell casters who are 7th, 8th or 9th level, mostly in career military.