Shifting Twilight Campaign OOC--Recruiting

[SHARK]

soon to have a character then.

Greetings!

Excellent, Scott! I look forward to seeing the character.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

 

[Scott DeWar]

Sandiford 'Slim', Locksmith

Work in progress

Human Male Thief Level 1

[B]height:[/B]  [B]Weight:[/B]  [B]Hair:[/B] [B]skin[/B]
[B]HP:[/B] 6  [B]EXP:[/B] 0

Str  14  Weight Allowence: +20 lb Doors: 1-2 BBLG 7%
Int  12  Lang +3
Wis  12  ---
Dex  17  Reaction/Attack: +2 Defense:+3
Con  10  --- SSS 70%  Res 75%
Cha  16  Hench: 8 Loyalty: +20% Reaction: +25
Com  13
    [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2381413/]3d6=11[/url] +2 for ch adjustment

Defense: Leather Armour 
[B]Total:[/B] 5  [B]No Dex:[/B] 8

[B]Skills:        Base   Dex   Total
Pick Pockets:[/B]   30    +05   35%
[B]Open Locks:[/B]     25    +10   35%
[B]Find/Rem Traps[/B]  20    +00   20%
[B]Move Silent[/B]     15    +05   20%
[B]Hide in shadows[/B] 10    +05   15%
[B]Hear noise[/B]      10    ---   10%
[B]Climb Walls[/B]     85    ---   85%

[B]Attack:   S/M  Lrg  Spd
Weapon    Dam  Dam  Fact  Space  Wt[/B]
[B]Dagger[/B]    1d4  1d3   2      1'  1 lb
[B]Club[/B]      1d6  1d3   4      1'  3 lb
[B]Longsword[/B] 1d8  1d12  5      3'  6 lb

starting gold: 50 gp
BBCode    [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2381403/]2d6=5[/url]

[B]Possessions:
Item                cost    weight (in lbs)[/B]
Leather Armour     5 Gp     
Long Sword        15 Gp     
Club                 --      --
Dagger X2          4 Gp     
Belt               3 Sp     
Boots, Hi soft     1 gp     
Cloak              5 Sp     
Hat                7 Sp     
Leather Backpack   2 Gp     
Pouch, Belt, Large 1 Gp     
Rope 50'           4 Sp      
Waterskin         15 Sp     
Lockpicks         30 Gp     
Ration, std 7 days 3 Gp

 

[SHARK]

Introduction to the Shifting Twilight Campaign

“Through the muted glow of the shifting twilight, the sun is on the horizon. It is uncertain, however—will the shifting twilight reveal the arrival of a new dark age of savagery and barbarism—or the dawn of a new age of glory and prosperity?”
--Garrius Saranus Tarberus, 6th King of the Kingdom of Varanthus, DC 1470

The Shifting Twilight Campaign is an “Old School” 1E AD&D campaign set in the world of Thandor. The world of Thandor has been continuously developed over the last 30 years, and had its humble roots in 1980. The Shifting Twilight Campaign begins in the rugged Kingdom of Varanthus, located on the frontiers of civilization and the bordering territories of the glorious Vallorean Empire.

In flavour, the Shifting Twilight Campaign highlights a world that is swallowed in darkness, savagery and barbarism. The struggle of humanity is desperate, as not only do humans face their own kind as enemies, rivals and competitors, but also the realms of the dwarfs, ancient and powerful in their dark halls below the ground; in the deepest and most ancient forests, the mist-shrouded realms of the elves rule with a fierce pride and devotion. In the wilderness, vast hordes of beastmen, orcs and other monsters gibber and gather, eager to subjugate all that is good and righteous, and extinguish the flickering light of civilization in a savage orgy of blood and fire. In the great places of mystery and ancient power, the divine titans still remain—most are terrible demi-gods of awesome power and dark tyranny, working to rise again in their dreaded dominion.

The Shifting Twilight Campaign is a huge, wondrous world of ancient antiquity, full of myth, monsters, and epic adventure. While most standard “vanilla” D&D campaigns have their milieu’s center of gravity firmly rooted in a Medieval Western European focus, with heavy infusions of the renaissance period—the Shifting Twilight Campaign takes a different approach, wherein the campaign’s center of gravity is centered more on the cultures and civilizations of the Ancient Mediterranean; with heavy infusions from Dark Ages Northern and Western Europe, as well as infusions from ancient Africa, the Middle East, India, and China. To this palette, then, is added various doses of the Middle Ages, with only the lightest flirtation with the renaissance period.

Welcome to the Shifting Twilight Campaign!

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

CHARACTER CREATION

Player characters should carefully read and review all race and culture sections described in the campaign gazetteer. Most of the special racial characteristics remain the same as per the OSRIC manual, pages 3-7. Height, weight, and so on for various races and characters are significantly different, however.

Standard Human Adjustments
The player of a standard human character may select any two characteristics and gain a +2 bonus to them at character creation. In addition, standard human characters receive a +10% bonus to earned experience points. Furthermore, standard human characters begin the game with (6) Fate Points.

Demi-Humans
Players of Demi-humans and other allowed humanoid races are unrestricted in the maximum level they may achieve; however, there are restrictions on armor for multi-classed characters that include magic-users. (mages, wizards, etc.) Demi-Humans and humanoids begin the game with (3) Fate Points.

Campaign Languages

Common Languages Available of the Varanthus Region

Vallorean
Varanar
Nemberi
Gharnoth
Malbari
Archaedian
Urrgan
Ogre
Halfling
Centaur
Satyr
Orc
Goblin
Minotaur

Unusual Languages of the Varanthus Region

Troll—The tongue of trolls; known most often in the far north; in the Varanthus region, troll is mostly only known by some of the Gharnoth barbarians
Tegheran—the tongue of the Tegheran Empire
Narmedian—The tongue of a feudal, fairly urban and sophisticated kingdom of humans who are tall, and athletic, with dark black skin and fine features, from the distant land of Aghanda; Mercenaries, provincial soldiers, scholars, adventurers, priestesses and merchants from Narmedia occasionally live or visit the kingdom of Varanthus.
Mbornu—The tongue of a mostly rural, tribal kingdom of humans with broad, strong physiques, beautiful features, and dark black skin from lands in distant Aghanda. Mercenaries, provincial soldiers, priestesses, adventurers, and merchants from Mbornu occasionally live in or visit Varanthus
Gnoll
Margoth—The dark, ancient tongue spoken by beastmen, and dark champions of the eldritch gods and divine titans
Perrenar—The tongue of Deer Men
Harthak—The tongue of Hippo Men
Albeeri—The tongue of Elephant Men
Lugonde—The tongue of Lizard Men
Segande—The tongue of Snake Men
Sylvan—a polyglot common tongue for creatures of the Faerie Realms; dryads, nymphs, pixies, brownies, korreds, korrigans, and so on. Such creatures still maintain their own racial languages, however. Sylvan represents a common language of communication amongst all of the faerie races.
Amazon--Amazon is the strange tongue of nomadic tribes of mythical Amazon women, alleged to live in forest regions to the north-east of the varanthus region. Typically, only a few old adventurers, daring explorers and the occasional eccentric scholar possesses knowledge of this language.

Additional, though restricted languages are noted in the various race and cultural sections. Dwarf, Elf and High Vallorean, as well as regional Archaedian languages may only be known if the character is of the specific race, or in the case of regional Archaedian dialects possesses some specialized training and education. Furthermore, any standard monster and humanoid languages from the standard OSRIC manual, Player’s Handbook/Dungeon Master’s Guide have carefully restricted access, and such permission must be gained from the DM for a character to have such languages. Gnome is not immediately available in the campaign, and races that have Gnome as a standard known language must replace it with a selection from the appropriate campaign language table.

Economics

Coins are large, and heavy, weighing 1.60 ounces. There are 10 coins to a pound.

Coins are noted as follows: Name (M, for multiple)/Name, (S, for singular); followed by their respective valuations, and then a description of the coin.

Minas(M) /Mina (S): one PP=5 EP

Drachmas(M) /Drachma (S): one EP=2 GP

Dranus (M) /Drani (S): one GP=10 SP

Denarius (M) /Denari (S): one SP=2 BP

Sallius (M) /Salli (S): one BP=5 CP

Dherus (M) /Dheri (S): Copper

Mina/Minas (PP)
The Mina is a platinum coin, featuring a relief of the current reigning emperor's image, and the year the coin was minted. The obverse side features a stylized dragon raised up, as if attacking. A single platinum piece equals 5 Electrum.

Drachma/Drachmas (EP)
The Drachma is an electrum coin--combining elements of gold and silver together. One side features a relief of the reigning emperor's image, and the year the coin was minted. The obverse side features the image of a bull. A single electrum piece equals 2 Gold.

Drani/Dranus (GP)
The Drani is a gold coin, featuring the relief of the reigning emperor's image, and the year the coin was minted. The obverse side features a two-headed eagle, one is facing east, and one is facing to the west. A single gold piece equals 10 Silver.

Denari/Denarius (SP)
The Denari is a silver coin, featuring the relief of the reigning emperor's image, and the year the coin was minted. The obverse side features the head of a wolf. A single silver piece equals 2 Bronze.

Salli/Sallius (BP)
The Salli is a bronze coin, featuring the relief of the reigning emperor's image, and the year the coin was minted. The obverse side features a rampant lion. A single bronze piece equals 5 Copper.

Dheri/Dherus (CP)
The Dheri is a copper coin, featuring the relief of the reigning emperor's image, and the year the coin was minted. The obverse side features the head of a stag. The copper Dheri is the lowest valued coin.

Initial prices for goods are as for the OSRIC manual, pg. 28-30. This is to provide a common baseline of equipment and goods prices that everyone has access to for ease of initial play of the game in the PBP format. In the future, extensive price revisions may be made, or may be encountered during the campaign that deviates from the standard prices in the OSRIC manual.

Calendar and Days of the Week

Calendar
There are 12 months in the Vallorean calendar, which marks time and the passage of months by the term “DC”—which stands for “Drannicus Calendi”, short for “The Drannicus Calendar”. Each month is divided into 30 days, similar to other kinds of calendars. There are a total of 360 days throughout the entire year.

Vallenari--First Month of the Year
Dhoranni--Second Month of the Year
Teganni--Third Month of the Year
Martherri--Fourth Month of the Year
Sarmandi--Fifth Month of the Year
Aribethi--Sixth Month of the Year
Galdari--Seventh Month of the Year
Paladari--Eighth Month of the Year
Taarnu--Ninth Month of the Year
Nohbirri--Tenth Month of the Year
Mallannu--Eleventh Month of the Year
Ulleri--Twelfth Month of the Year

Days of the Week
A day is always considered to begin and end at dawn. The day is generally considered to be 12 hours, and the evening is likewise 12 hours.
Mardann—First Day of the Week
Haldann—Second Day of the Week
Valdann—Third Day of the Week
Thordann—Fourth Day of the Week
Galdann—Fifth Day of the Week
Saradann—Sixth Day of the Week
Sindann—Seventh Day of the Week

 

[SHARK]

The Kingdom of Varanthus

The Kingdom of Varanthus, to the Valloreans, is a harsh backwater outpost of civilization in a dark sea of barbarism and primordial savagery. Varanthus is a large border kingdom of numerous mountain ranges, rolling hills, and dark forests. Varanthus is rich in natural resources and holds immense potential for fabulous wealth and prosperity. Varanthus has many large lakes, as well as numerous rivers and streams throughout the land that provides plenty of water for both animals and people. Varanthus provides huge resources of woods and excellent timber. The hills and mountain regions of Varanthus provide great potential in good stone, minerals, as well as iron, silver, and gold. Throughout Varanthus, various herd beasts, birds, and animals are plentiful and prosperous. In the more gentle regions of Varanthus, there is good supply of wild grains, as well as a large variety of herbs, plants, and berries. Furthermore, the lakes and rivers hold huge populations of various fish, amphibians, and some reptiles.

Varanthus is a fairly temperate region in climate, embracing all four distinct seasons of the year—spring, summer, autumn and winter. The south-western regions of Varanthus, especially along the coasts, are often warm, balmy, and generally very pleasant. The mountainous areas, while rugged, cool, and heavily forested, are generally hospitable and pleasant, as well as inspiring in scenic beauty. The interior lands of Varanthus are generally dominated by dense woodlands and dark, mist-shrouded forests. Deeper into the forested interior are damp, wet meadowlands and dense marshes, often swept by heavy rainfall.

Historically, the Kingdom of Varanthus was established by an expedition of Vallorean explorers, merchants, soldiers and knights, as well as priests, after a huge Vallorean army spent several years campaigning against the Nemberi and the Gharnoth tribes. Previously, the Varanar chieftains had invited the Valloreans to help them against the Nemberi and the Gharnoth, as the Varanar tribes had been engaged in wars with both the Nemberi and the Gharnoth, and were fearful of ultimately being overwhelmed and destroyed. The Vallorean emperor agreed to help the Varanar tribes, and before too long, a vast Vallorean fleet arrived off the shores of Varanar in the Argerren Sea, and a huge Vallorean army of some twelve legions marched ashore in the spring of DC 1310. The Vallorean legions marched against the Nemberi and the Gharnoth, and pushed the tribes back over a campaign that lasted nearly six years. Once the Vallorean legions had secured peace in the region, the armies climbed aboard their great warships, and returned to Vallorea. The year was DC 1316.

However, many Valloreans chose to remain in the region, and soon established several communities of villages and towns throughout the years of DC 1317-1321. During the years of the Vallorean expedition, the legions had built several fortresses, supply depots, and fortified towers and encampments. At nearly all of these locations, entirely new villages and towns developed around the fortresses, towers and encampments. During the Vallorean expedition, thousands of Vallorean soldiers and merchants, as well as foreign mercenaries recruited from distant provinces of the empire had intermarried and intermixed with the local Varanar barbarian populations. In addition, during the Vallorean expedition, the Vallorean legions brought back thousands of barbarian women from the Nemberi and Gharnoth tribes as slaves and booty. The Vallorean soldiers, merchants, and foreign mercenaries intermixed and interbred with the many thousands of barbarian women, and vast hordes of children were born to the barbarian slave women. Many of the Valloreans had also married and formed families, and had chosen to remain after they were discharged from service in the legions. In the years immediately after the departure of the Vallorean legions, the scattered communities of new and recent Vallorean immigrants, as well as communities of Valloreans mixed with barbarians of various tribes, were gripped by a mixture of feelings, from hope and euphoria, to uncertainty and fear. The scattered communities were often politically fragmented, competitive, squabbling, and at odds against each other over a variety of issues—from political and economic, to cultural issues, race-relations, social order, and religion.

Into this arena of fear, uncertainty and petty rivalries, stepped to the forefront a man of vision, leadership, and ambition. Lord Gandor Tarberus—a Vallorean nobleman—and commander of the great fortress and port of Darthan, emerged as a powerful leader and declared himself the new king of a glorious, unified realm—the Kingdom of Varanthus. The year was DC 1322.

King Gandor’s bold declaration of kingship—and the establishment of the Kingdom of Varanthus—did not immediately resolve all the problems or issues dividing the various communities. In fact, vocal and passionate opposition rose almost immediately to challenge his presumed authority. However, despite such vocal and passionate opposition, King Gandor held several important advantages over the scattered resistance. The young king already held control of the fortress of Darthan—which was also the regions only sea-going port—as well as several other key fortresses and towers in the region, along with important crossroads and stretches of rivers fortified by loyal troops. Nonetheless, opposition intensified and bloody fighting broke out between the two factions, and open war raged for many months. The opposition forces formed a formidable obstacle to the dream of a united kingdom becoming a reality.

During King Gandor’s rise to power, Bargatus, the High Chieftain of the Varanar tribes—approached Gandor with a marriage proposal for his youngest daughter, Sarganna. Gandor quickly grasped the potential as an opportunity that might serve to provide him with sufficient resources and advantages to ensure victory over his zealous enemies—and he was reminded of such salient advantages by many of his entourage, retainers and friends. Gandor agreed to the marriage, and the next year, in the spring of DC 1324, Gandor and Sarganna were officially married. A great celebration followed, and many fine gifts were exchanged. The gods were praised and called upon to anoint and bless them, and wine and drink flowed like rivers. More than a few friendships were formed during this time between members of Gandor’s entourage and barbarian nobles of the Varanar tribes, as well as a good number of additional romances and marriages were arranged. The Kingdom of Varanthus had gained great strength virtually overnight.

Gandor’s knights and soldiers gained the help of many bands of Varanar warriors—as well as the respect and support of many of the common people living amongst the forces of the opposition. Many people living amongst the forces of the opposition—and even heretofore supporting the opposition faction—were of mixed Vallorean and Varanar blood, and with the official support of the Varanar High Chieftain for Gandor’s cause, abandoned the opposition forces, and rallied to the call of Bargatus, Gandor—and the greatly loved barbarian princess, Sarganna. Within the year, the opposition forces had been defeated in a series of fierce, hard-fought battles, and many of the leaders had been killed or executed. The opposition forces to Gandor collapsed, and the Kingdom of Varanthus was finally at peace—and united in the year of DC 1325.

King Gandor, and his wife, Queen Sarganna, proceeded to unify and strengthen the kingdom. Many Vallorean knights and merchant-lords serving King Gandor had families and connections back in Vallorea, far across the Dragon Sea to the north and west, and over the next several years, many of these families and households immigrated to the new kingdom. Gandor built and fortified more villages and towns, spreading further east and into the north. Increasingly, more Varanar barbarians joined with the Valloreans in marriages and settled throughout the prosperous villages and towns, and the kingdom was soon experiencing a large population boom from so many children being born.

Some 5 years after the kingdom was established, Gandor had learned of a group of Haeghenti tribes from lands to the far south, in Aghanda, that were desperate for new lands to settle in. Gandor made various negotiations, and over the next year and a half, the six tribes of the Haeghenti Confederation—soon changed to the Parrallian Confederation after some 8 years—migrated into the area, and settled in the woodlands and fields around the Parrallian Hills. The Parrallian Halflings were soon productive contributors to the prosperity of the kingdom, as well as intriguing and interesting citizens. Various troupes of Parrallian Halflings also spread out from their settled lands, and lived amongst the Valloreans, and integrated into Vallorean culture. In addition, boats of traveling Parrallian Halflings were soon rowing and sailing up and down the rivers of Varanthus, trading and working amidst the Vallorean villages and towns. The Valloreans typically were warm and welcoming to the Parrallian Halflings, and over time, many friendships and social arrangements were developed between the two peoples.

The strange and exotic Parrallian Halflings served as a wondrous and intriguing sight to behold for many Valloreans, and the Parrallian Halflings were also often viewed as beautiful and sensual creatures. The often joyful and exuberant Parrallian Halflings often demonstrated a brazen and lascivious sexuality, and were often seductively eager and receptive to romantic and sexual relationships with humans. The Parrallian Halflings enjoyed intermixing and interbreeding with humans so much, that the Parrallian tribes organized travelling troupes of Parrallian dancers, musicians and entertainers to travel throughout the lands of the kingdom providing entertainment to their Vallorean lords—with the express intent of also interbreeding with the Vallorean population. The Vallorean nobles and lords patronized the troupes of Halfling entertainers, and enjoyed all of their contributions to the joy and merriment of their halls and communities.

The troupes of Halfling entertainers were always paid well for their services, and more than a few Halflings became wealthy and quite sophisticated. Parrallian Halfling communities of mixed Vallorean and Parrallian blood gradually formed throughout the kingdom, where they live and work amongst their fellow Vallorean citizens in a wide variety of professions and trades—as well as entertainers. Gradually, something of a sub-culture developed, with the urbanized, assimilated Halflings being called “Vallorean Halflings”—as they remained quite similar to their tribal relatives in the Parrallian Confederation, but over time developed several cultural distinctions, even while essentially remaining the same in appearance.

Gandor and Sarganna built temples, established fisheries, lumber mills, mines, and farms, as well as increased roads and established a line of fortified towers on the south-western borders. The kingdom was growing steadily in prosperity and wealth, carefully supervised by Gandor, while the population continued to boom year after year. Gandor was careful with expenses, and wisely invested in a progressive campaign of expanding the realm’s infrastructure and industries, which continued to attract frequent immigrants, many of which came by sea and through the harbor at Darthan, the capitol city of the kingdom.

Through the next ten years, from DC 1331-1340, High Chieftain Bargatus and the Varanar tribes increasingly enjoyed the benefits of Vallorean friendship, and Vallorean merchants brought a steady flow of fine-crafted goods into the villages and encampments of the Varanar. Two of Bargatus’ young sons were sent to Vallorea to be formally educated and to learn the ways of the Valloreans, as well as many other young tribal nobles, both men and women. Intermarriages between the Valloreans and the Varanar became more plentiful, as many Varanar women married to Vallorean husbands brought news of the bathhouses, fine perfumes, rich clothing, and wondrous foods available back to their sisters and kinsmen living in tribal areas. More and more Varanar women were wearing clothing made in distant provinces; wearing exotic cosmetics and perfumes from trade-partners of the Valloreans, such as the Tegheran Empire, and the Malbari kingdoms; drinking wine from provinces of the empire; and wearing jewelry made in Vallorea.

The Varanar tribes were flooded with all manner of goods from distant lands, and their native culture and way of life began to rapidly change. Increasingly, many Varanar women desired Vallorean husbands, and year after year, large processions of Varanar women would wander down from their tribal homes in the hills and forests and gather with the Vallorean populations during various festivals and celebrations, and many marriages were arranged every year. High Chieftain Bargatus became a strong friend and ally of Gandor, and fully encouraged his people to embrace the ways of the Valloreans. Gandor established an official Varanar Trade Council, with merchant-lords specifically appointed by the king, and instructed them to ensure not only favourable trade with the Varanar, but also to bring fine goods, tools, medicines, and other goods to the Varanar that would improve their lives in many ways. Naturally, all of the merchant-lords on the Varanar Trade Council became very wealthy from their exclusive royal trade contacts. The Varanar, too, became prosperous beyond their wildest fantasies, and their encampments and villages were virtually swimming in luxurious goods from all over the Vallorean Empire, and beyond.

However, not all was well within the Varanar tribes. The tribes closest in proximity to the Vallorean villages and towns—the Varanu, Ardani, Chalari, and Rhubaan—gained more of the wealth, prosperity, and luxury goods than tribes that lived deeper into the wilderness—the Arbalu, Dhalmar, and Naebas tribes. Many Varanar people were feeling left behind and alienated culturally by the massive changes in their society over the recent years, as well as the growing prosperity and changes amidst the Varanar tribes most involved with trading with the Valloreans. In addition, resentment was growing steadily from the frustrations experienced by so many male Varanar being rejected in marriage in favor of the Valloreans—or invited into a group marriage by the women that included and required that they move with them and live in the Vallorean towns and villages.

Finally, the resentments mushroomed into a plot to assassinate Bargatus and usurp the leadership of the Varanar tribes. In the spring of DC 1341 the High Chieftain Bargatus was poisoned during the night of a great feast celebrating the marriage of two of his nieces to Vallorean adventurers. Two of his five sons were also killed, as well as most of their families in a savage attack by traitorous warriors that went throughout the great encampment, hunting them down and slaughtering them. However, Bargatus miraculously survived the poison, and he was taken by a few loyal supporters to Darthan, seeking refuge. Bargatus managed to recover enough to order a thorough investigation of the assassins, and they were soon discovered and attacked by warriors loyal to Bargatus. Three of the eight conspirators were tribal chieftains, two were priests, and two were priestesses—and the final conspiracy leader was one of Bargatus’ sons, Nargatus—and a prominent and powerful noble. Two of the priests and one of the chieftains were killed in the fighting, while the priestesses and two of the chieftains were captured. Nargatus, the son of Bargatus, managed to escape his captors’ enroute to Darthan in a daring escape. Gandor had agreed to have them brought to Darthan, where they could be securely imprisoned within the fortress. Within the week, Gandor had the two rebel chieftains and the surviving priestess all crucified on Raven’s Hill, just outside the walls of Darthan, overlooking the shimmering waters of Leviathan Bay far below.

Bargatus asked Gandor and his daughter Sarganna for refuge, and help in gaining vengeance against the assassins. Gandor and Sarganna agreed, and soon, columns of fierce Varanar warriors—armoured and equipped as Vallorean provincial troops—as well as troops of Vallorean knights, rode out through the countryside, and began a series of savage raids deep into the lands of the traitors. Over the next three months, in the summer of DC 1341 a bloody civil war erupted as the Varanar confederation was torn apart. In addition to Bargatus’s son Nargatus being a ring-leader of the conspiracy, other members of Bargatus’ household and family were also implicated in the plot. Large majorities of three ancient and powerful tribes were in full support of the rebellion. The three rebel tribes—the Arbalu, Dhalmar, and Naebas—were henceforth called the “Rebel Tribes”—while the other four loyal tribes—the Ardani, Chalari, Rhubaan, and Varanu—were called the “Loyal Tribes”. Bargatus negotiated with Gandor, and during the next year, the four “Loyal Tribes” were all granted citizenship in the Kingdom of Varanthus, and most of the members of the “Loyal Tribes” immigrated from their wilderness homes, much of which were the scenes of continuous battle and slaughter—and journeyed to the Vallorean lands, and began forming communities within the walls of Vallorean towns and castles. The ferocious and wily Nargatus replaced the fallen chieftain of the Arbalu tribe, and became the warlord of the entire rebel faction. The tribal civil war raged for some five years, from DC 1341-1346, with many nobles and warriors from each faction of tribes dying in the war, as well as many Valloreans. Three years into the Varanar civil war, in the spring of DC 1344, Gandor’s great friend and father-in-law, Bargatus, died in his new home of Darthan. Two years after his death, after another brutal campaign throughout the autumn and winter of DC 1346, Nargatus agreed to a peace treaty. The casualties had been great on both sides, and both sides were eager to have peace—at least for now.

The four “Loyal Tribes” over the years also began to be called the “Urban Tribes” as they were increasingly assimilated into the urban Vallorean communities. The loyal Varanar continued to learn the Vallorean language, and also to teach the Valloreans the Varanar language. The loyalist tribes gradually changed their styles of dress, and also began to learn advanced trades, professions and skills. While many still lived in their traditional encampments throughout the forests and hills of Varanthus—more and more Varanar people began to live in the Vallorean villages and towns, and began appearing more alike to the Valloreans.

The three “Rebel Tribes” retreated deeper into the dark wilderness, where they sought to recover from their losses, and worked to preserve their traditional tribal culture, religion, and way of life. The rebel tribes—also known as the traditional tribes—always hated the Valloreans, and grew to view their loyalist brethren as traitors. The rebel tribes violently rejected the Vallorean culture and religion, and maintained a constant and passionate rebellion against both the Valloreans and the loyalist tribes, even though open war was for now, avoided. The rebel tribes continued to launch sporadic raids against Vallorean caravans, as well as scattered encampments of the loyalist tribes throughout the years.

As the three rebel tribes retreated deeper into the harsh wilderness, they encountered several large tribes of ogres. Nargatus proposed a careful alliance with the ogres, and exchanged many gifts between the two peoples. Within a year, Nargatus had conceived of a new proposal, and discussed it with the elders, and gained their support. The ogres eagerly embraced the proposal as well. Nargatus, as the warlord of the rebel confederation, embraced a radical policy of having selected members of each of the three rebel tribes take to themselves ogres as mates, and interbreed and mix with them thoroughly. Each and every year, new Varanar people and new ogres would join in marriage, and breed prodigiously. Nargatus had not just the Varanar women interbreed with the ogres—but also the Varanar men. Many women died during the following pregnancies, though some always survived. The ogre women had no such trouble in bringing their half-ogre children into the world, and gradually, more and more half-ogres were born, and survived childhood. Nargatus continued to have Varanar women interbreed with the ogres, and then, eventually, half-ogres were interbreeding with both Varanar men and women. Over time, enough half-ogres were alive and strong, as to begin interbreeding with each other, and produce new lines of pure half-ogres, bred by half-ogre fathers and mothers. Nargatus was planning for the future, and envisioned the Valloreans and the loyalist tribes enjoying a certain surprise when they next engaged in battle. In the coming years, the rebel tribes would not only grow in vast number—but also in great strength and power.

Meanwhile, the Valloreans continued to build and expand their kingdom, establishing new towns, castles, and extending the outstanding Vallorean roads in nearly every direction. Gandor supervised the construction of a fleet of warships, as well as merchant ships, to increase foreign trade. Gandor also sponsored the settlement of two large islands to the north-west, and many new fisheries were established, and small fishing fleets were built to help expand the supply of salt-water fish and ocean-creatures to the kingdom. The coastal fisheries and fishing villages proceeded to cultivate skills in catching a variety of other strange ocean-creatures, from shrimp, crabs and lobster, to eels, sharks, and clams. The coastal communities also developed additional skills and industries, notably those of harvesting various poisons, glands, organs, coral, seaweed, salt, spines, among other resources from the sea creatures and the ocean environment.

Queen Sarganna was active and dynamic throughout her reign with Gandor, and contributed numerous policies, laws, and efforts that greatly enhanced the prosperity, harmony, and productivity of the entire kingdom. The Queen supported laws that promoted religious tolerance, as well as laws and policies aimed at reducing poverty, as well as increasing the social consciousness and shared responsibility for the general welfare of everyone in the kingdom. Queen Sarganna was passionate in promoting the harmony, happiness, and prosperity of everyone in the kingdom, and was greatly loved and celebrated for her passion, kindness, generosity—as well as her justice, dignity and stunning beauty.

In DC 1350, the Kingdom of Varanthus received a diplomatic delegation from the elven Kingdom of Gallarond. Over a period of some two years, Gallarond and Varanthus signed mutually beneficial diplomatic treaties and trade agreements, in addition to establishing an official Gallarond Embassy at Darthan. In DC 1358, Varanthus received a diplomatic delegation of Dharranim dwarfs from the Kingdom of Zharen-Darthach. By DC 1360, Varanthus and the Kingdom of Zharen-Darthach had several diplomatic treaties and trade agreements of mutual benefit and enrichment, as well as establishing an official Dharranim Embassy at Darthan.

Previously, in the year of DC 1349, Varanthus received several diplomatic delegations from various Archaedian city-states. Varanthus and the Archaedians embraced several diplomatic treaties and trade agreements of mutual benefit and enrichment, as well as an extensive immigration treaty which allowed open immigration of Archaedian people from the various Archaedian city-states to Varanthus throughout the years of DC 1351-1360.

In DC 1352, diplomatic delegations from several Malbari city-states joined in similar diplomatic treaties and trade agreements, as well as an extensive immigration treaty that allowed open immigration of Malbari people from various Malbari city-states into Varanthus throughout the years of DC 1353-1364. During these years, many thousands of Archaedian and Malbari people immigrated into the kingdom of Varanthus, and eagerly became citizens of the growing kingdom.

In both cases, the Malbari and the Archaedian city-states had experienced huge increases in population, and were incapable of providing open lands and richer opportunities for such huge increases in population, so quickly, and were thus desperate to send hordes of young, often impoverished people of their city-states to settle abroad in foreign lands. Varanthus, as a growing and prosperous kingdom with great expanses of open land and harsh wilderness, needed more and more people to work and forge the land and harvest the resources for the hungry appetite of the vibrant kingdom. Thus, the many thousands of Malbari and Archaedian immigrants were eagerly welcomed and warmly received.

In the years ahead, more rebellions, wars and strife would come to Varanthus, as well as plagues, pestilence, famine, floods, droughts and other natural disasters. Through it all, Varanthus endured, and grew strong under the lash of war, disaster and hardship. Gandor and Sarganna had forged a kingdom from the dark wilderness, and established a great and noble legacy that inspired the peoples of the kingdom to embrace a passionate love and reverence for their monarchs—and laid the foundations for a strong, prosperous kingdom that was loyal, passionate, and industrious. Gandor and Sarganna set a dynamic standard of leadership, dignity and devotion that has inspired their descendents to rule and govern with the same attributes, and to labor long and diligently—and with a jealous, passionate zeal to preserve the prosperity, harmony, and security of the Kingdom of Varanthus.

The Table of Royal Monarchs of Varanthus

King Gandor Saranus Tarberus DC 1322-1375;
Ascended the throne at age 28; Reign of 53 years; died in 1375 at the age of 81
Queen Sarganna Maygari DC 1324-1369;
Culture/Ethnic Heritage: Varanar
Ascended the throne at age 18; Reign of 45 years; died in 1369 at the age of 63

King Gandric Saranus Tarberus DC 1375-1401;
Ascended the throne at age 50; Reign of 26 years; died in 1401 at the age of 76
Queen Jhessenya Kaydari DC 1375-1401;
Culture/Ethnic Heritage: Varanar
Ascended the throne at age 46; Reign of 26 years; died in 1403 at the age of 74
Served as the Queen Mother during the last two years of her life

King Galthar Saranus Tarberus DC 1401-1420;
Ascended the throne at age 46; Reign of 19 years; died in 1420 at the age of 65
Queen Drusilla Vandus Negerus DC 1401-1420;
Culture/Ethnic Heritage: Vallorean
Ascended the throne at age 46; Reign of 19 years; died in 1425 at the age of 70
Served as the Queen Mother for the last five years of her life

King Gallion Saranus Tarberus DC 1420-1443;
Ascended the throne at age 45; Reign of 23 years; died in 1443 at the age of 68
Queen Meganta Vandus Dharmentor DC 1420-1443;
Culture/Ethnic Heritage: Vallorean
Ascended the throne at age 28; Reign of 23 years; died in 1458 at the age of 66
Served as the Queen Mother for the last fifteen years of her life.

King Gandathor Saranus Tarberus DC 1443-1461;
Ascended the throne at age 23; Reign of 18 years; died in 1461 at the age of 41
Queen Nemanthe Pallagos DC 1443-1461;
Culture/Ethnic Heritage: Archaedian
Description: 5’10”; 165-lbs; Olive-White Skin Tone; Ebony-Black Hair; Dark Brown Eyes. Nemanthe is gorgeous, voluptuous, and beautiful. Nemanthe has long, thick legs, and broad, curvaceous hips. Nemanthe has a plump, rounded belly, and large, dark brown eyes that have an alluring, sensual gaze. Nemanthe has smooth, beautiful skin, and a rich, bright laughter.
Ascended the throne at age 15; Reign of 18 years; currently living, age 42
Nemanthe Pallagos is the reigning Queen Mother, and has served for the last 9 years, to the present

King Garrius Saranus Tarberus DC 1461-Current year of 1470;
Ascended the throne at age 18; Reign of 9 years at present; currently age 27.
Culture/Ethnic Heritage: Vallorean/Varanar/Archaedian
Description: 6’6”; 265-lbs. Ebony-Black Hair; Ice-Grey Eyes; Olive-White Skin Tone
Garrius is clean-shaven, muscular, and very handsome. Garrius has broad shoulders, and a strong, powerful physique. Garrius has a piercing gaze, and a bold, heroic demeanor. Garrius is charming, sensual, and romantic. Garrius is intelligent, and has great ambition. Garrius is eloquent and articulate in speech, and is a valiant, daring warrior.
Queen: Unmarried

Royal Mistress: Demanthe Khalledouris;
Culture/Ethnic Heritage: Archaedian
Description: 6’0”; 180-lbs; Olive-White Skin Tone; Ebony-Black Hair; Dark Brown Eyes; Demanthe wears her gorgeous black hair long and curly, reaching to her waist. Demanthe has a thick, voluptuous physique, and is very beautiful. Demanthe has long, curvaceous legs, a plump, rounded belly, and smooth, beautiful skin. Demanthe is regal, charming, smooth and manipulative. Demanthe is realistic, pragmatic, and politically shrewd. Demanthe has a dignified, polite and solicitous demeanor, while at the same time being forceful and dominant. Demanthe is perceptive, witty, and has a good sense of humour. Demanthe has a sharp, keen intellect, and is highly educated, knowledgeable and worldly. Demanthe is luxuriously sensual, sophisticated and decadent, and passionately hedonistic. In private, Demanthe is jealous, scheming, and effortlessly cunning, always seeking to ensure that she is three steps ahead of everyone around her. Demanthe’s driving ambition is to preserve her status and dominance, while indulging her every desire and passion. Demanthe is vigorous, shrewd, and persistent in knowing everything, taking the measure of anyone in her dominion, and manipulating people’s desires, thoughts and behavior in accordance with her own desires, ambition, and security. Demanthe’s age, experience and wisdom, as well as her pragmatic, cynical and worldly nature provides her with great insight into many people’s desires and fears, as well as what they are likely to do—and why they seek to do so.
Current Age: 42; serving for past 11 years, from 1459 to the present
Born 6 children to the king; (2) are identical twin girls (age 10); (2) sons (age 8 and 6); (2) daughters (age 4 and 2)

Royal Concubine: Nebuna Dusembe;
Culture/Ethnic Heritage: Mbornu
Description: 5’8”; 166-lbs; Ebony-Black Skin Tone; Ebony-Black Hair; Dark Brown Eyes; Nebuna is plump and voluptuous, with broad, curvaceous hips, thick legs, and a rounded, plump belly. Nebuna has large, round eyes with a warm, sensual gaze. Nebuna has a bright, attractive smile, and a deep, rich laughter. Nebuna is contagiously cheerful, with a seemingly unflappable demeanor that is effervescent, warm, sincere and kind. Nebuna is strong, maternal, and solicitous. Nebuna is deeply spiritual and devout, as well as wise and a shrewd judge of character. In private, Nebuna can be entirely sensual, direct, and very passionate.
Current Age: 36; serving for past 11 years, from 1459 to the present
Born 6 children to the king; (4) sons (age 7, 5, 3 and 1); (2) daughters (age 10 and 8)

Royal Concubine: Nebarra Sardanus Imberi;
Culture/Ethnic Heritage: Vallorean
Description: 5’10”; 165-lbs; Pale-White Skin Tone; Raven-Black Hair; Pale Amber-Golden Eyes; Nebarra is very attractive, and has a muscular, athletic physique. Nebarra has bright, intelligent eyes, and a piercing gaze. Nebarra is a graceful, sensual dancer, and has broad hips, and long, curvy legs. Nebarra wears her long, straight hair down to the waist, and has a smooth, rounded belly. Nebarra is proud, haughty, and assertive. In private, Nebarra is manipulative, scheming, jealous and greedy. Nebarra is thoroughly lascivious and hedonistic. Nebarra is typically uncompromising, unforgiving, and vengeful.
Current Age: 25; serving for past 10 years, from 1460 to the present
Born 4 children to the king; (4) sons (age 9, 7, 5 and 2)

Royal Concubine: Marsellia Sardanus Imberi;
Culture/Ethnic Heritage: Vallorean
Description: 5’10”; 185-lbs; Pale-White Skin Tone; Raven-Black Hair; Pale-Green Eyes; Marsellia is thick, curvaceous, and attractive. Marsellia has a large nose, and a wide mouth. Marsellia has a bright, high and beautiful voice, and is a fine singer. Marsellia has a sweet, innocent, and sincere demeanor. Marsellia is polite, solicitous, and graceful, as well as discreet, humble and devout. Marsellia is loyal to her friends and family, and is kind, generous and forgiving. Marsellia is wise and cautious, while also being naïve and relatively simple-minded. Marsellia is passionate, idealistic, and romantic.
Current Age: 23; serving for past 8 years, from 1462 to the present
Born 4 children to the king; (4) daughters (age 8, 6, 4 and 2)

Royal Concubine: Marzina Saydari
Culture/Ethnic Heritage: Varanar
Description: 5’6”; 140-lbs; Olive-Brown Skin Tone; Black-Brown Hair; Dark Brown Eyes; Marzina has broad, curvaceous hips, thick, shapely legs, and a voluptuous physique. Marzina wears her dark hair in a wild, crazy mass that reaches her waist. Marzina has a deep, sensual voice, full lips, and large, dark eyes that have an alluring gaze. Marzina is deeply spiritual, devout, and passionate. Marzina is loud, outspoken, and emotional, as well as daring and dramatic. Marzina is a devoted hedonist, and can be brazen and lascivious. Marzina is a good singer, and a graceful, sensual dancer. Marzina is intelligent, eloquent, and perceptive. Marzina is artistic, creative and vibrant, and has a devoted, earthy passion for arts, crafts, poetry, and music. In private, Marzina is scheming, greedy, jealous and proud, as well as being thoroughly vengeful against her enemies. Marzina is ferociously loyal to her friends and family, and is protective and maternal.
Current Age: 20; serving for past 5 years, from 1466 to the present
Born 2 children to the king; (1) son (age 4); (1) daughter (age 2)

Royal Concubine: Danewulf Gallawyn;
Culture/Ethnic Heritage: Gharnoth
Description: 6’6”; 220-lbs; Pale-White Skin Tone; Platinum-Blonde Hair; Ice-Blue Eyes; Danewulf has a huge, arresting presence. Danewulf is a huge young woman—everything about her looks and feels huge, from her mouth, her eyes, her breasts, her legs, feet, and so on—without being fat or overweight in any sense. Most men would feel somewhat dwarfed and small by the simple gesture of shaking hands with Danewulf, as her hand typically swallows the hands of lesser men. While not terribly uncommon to meet a large, tall man—for most, meeting a woman that is as large and taller than most men, virtually anywhere throughout the land—is a novel and arresting experience as may be imagined. Most women often seem to appear more like children when they are around the huge Danewulf. Still, while huge, immensely tall, and quite broad and thickly-built, Danewulf is entirely a strong, attractive woman. Danewulf is voluptuous, muscular, and beautiful. Danewulf has a piercing gaze, a bright, attractive smile, and an alluring, mischievous laughter. Danewulf wears her long, gorgeous hair straight and braided to the middle of her back. Danewulf has a smooth, rounded belly, broad, curvaceous hips, and long, muscular legs.

Danewulf is friendly, charming, and polite. Danewulf is athletic, physical, and competitive—while also direct, unpretentious, and generous. Danewulf is loyal to her friends, family, and also to her religion, and is deeply spiritual, devout, and mystical. Danewulf is proud—of herself, but especially of her family and culture, but also her lineage and the particular traditions of her family and tribe. Danewulf is intelligent, outspoken and opinionated, as well as being wise and perceptive. Danewulf is a shrewd judge of character, and is discrete, honourable and trustworthy. In private, Danewulf is very passionate and romantic, as well as playful, sincere, and daring. While in public, Danewulf is more controlled, discrete, and charming—in private, Danewulf can be vengeful, jealous, and deeply emotional, as well as intimidating and violent. When happy, Danewulf is alluringly cheerful, pleasant, flirtatious and gracious. When angered, or otherwise offended, however, Danewulf has a furious temper that can enflame her to great passions and unleash a raging storm.
Current Age: 18; serving for past 3 years, from 1467 to the present
Born 2 children to the king; (1) son (age 3); (1) daughter (age 1)

Currently, the Kingdom of Varanthus is generally prosperous, strong, and secure. However, in recent years there have been several wars and campaigns that have sapped the royal treasuries, as well as an old, decaying infrastructure that demands attention and extensive resources to preserve and improve. Furthermore, in various areas there have been severe flooding, storms, and destruction, which has increased the costs and prices of many food items. Also in recent years, poverty has increased substantially under the pressures and ravages of war, natural disasters, and a deadly plague that swept the land and endured for some 12 years. In time, throughout the land, numerous bands of ruthless brigands have rose against the realm, fueled by lust, greed, and ambition, with their ranks strengthened and expanded by recruits gained from outlaws, criminals and rebels, foreign mercenaries, and isolated bands of barbarians.

In the northern forests, the ferocious Nemberi barbarians have grown strong, wealthy, and powerful, and launch frequent raids into the border regions of the kingdom, led by mighty chieftains and black-robed druids. The Nemberi have in recent years sacked entire villages and towns, plundering the wealth of the realm, and taking thousands of slaves. The cunning and shrewd Nemberi have often taken such slaves and sold them to foreign slave-merchants, and have thus enriched themselves greatly, as the slave-merchants pay very well for handsome, young Vallorean boys, and attractive, ripe young Vallorean girls. The greedy and powerful slave-merchants typically take the young Vallorean slaves to distant, strange shores where they are never to see their homeland again. In their darker moods, depending often on the season, the Nemberi also slaughter many slaves in great sacrificial celebrations in homage to their gods, often by burning them alive in rough, wicker cages that swing from chains on high from great trees, while the tribes dance and feast around roaring bonfires. Nemberi women-druids sing and lead the tribes in ritual chants in praise to their gods as the victims wail and scream in their dying agony. New, powerful chieftains have come to power in the Nemberi tribes, and are a severe and present danger to the whole realm.

In the north-east, powerful tribes of brutal and savage orcs have migrated into the mountains and hills, and often sweep down into the settled farmlands and villages of the kingdom to burn, rape and pillage. The orcs are from several tribes—while they are barbarians, they have also demonstrated that they possess more advanced skills of war, engineering, and siegecraft. The orcs have often established prodigious subterranean mines, plundering the earth of minerals, iron, and precious metals of copper, silver and gold. Humans—both male and female—are kept by the orcs as breeding stock, where the humans are interbred with during mass tribal orgies held by the flickering light of bonfires, amidst the deep tribal drumming. Rebellious slaves are simply ripped open on huge stone altars in sacrifice to the savage gods of the orcs. Others, however, are killed by having molten silver poured down their throats. Throughout the year, the orc tribes also have great feasts where groups of slaves are doused with huge sacks of pepper or barrels of wine for added flavour, and then they are seized by the savage horde and devoured. Halflings are also favoured, both as breeding slaves and as food. Rumours persist that the orc tribes have used captured families of Halflings to breed “herds” of more Halflings, which are kept enslaved as a source of food for the orc tribes throughout the year. The orc tribes are brutal, tenacious, and fearless, and are typically united under the ruthless leadership of powerful chieftains and warlords. The orc tribes also typically have vassal tribes of goblins that live amongst or near to them, and serve their more powerful masters as labourers, servants, raiders and skirmishers. The orcs often give Halfling slaves to the goblins as presents and signs of favour. The orc tribes are a powerful and growing threat to the entire northern borders of the kingdom, and potentially the entire realm.

Also in the north-east, the dark forests have been infiltrated with huge tribes of primordial beastmen. The dreaded beastmen boldly raid merchant caravans and even attack towers and fortified encampments, seeking to not only bring death and war to the kingdom, but also to capture slaves to bring back to their tribes deep in the forest, where they are kept enslaved in brutal servitude and often worked to death, or used as breeding stock in wild, barbaric orgies. Such hapless victims of the beastmen are often eaten alive in great, savage feasts held in honor to their dark and evil gods, or sacrificed on crude stone altars and earthen pits, blazing with fire. Through recent years, Vallorean soldiers have encountered more warbands of savage beastmen mixed in with horrifying human mutants, which are the visions of debauched and decadent madness given physical form. These savage bands of beastmen and mutants are often led by powerful and ferocious knights of darkness—known as champions, and self-styled knights. These powerful champions—fearsome warriors of dark power—are blood and oath-sworn members of ancient, mystical orders devoted in service to savage, eldritch gods and the primordial divine titans of chaos and darkness. The great champions of darkness are typically also mutated—blessed with such monstrous and blasphemous traits by their dark masters, and often possess awesome powers of dark sorcery. The great champions that lead these bands of savage beastmen and horrifying mutants are also served by evil, mystical priests, and groups of powerful, cunning and ruthless witches. These dark, evil witches are cruel mistresses, bloodthirsty and wicked in their plans and ambitions, and fervently devoted to their lascivious desires and blasphemous, whoring lust.

Throughout the forests, hills, and marshes to the north-east of the kingdom, especially around the ancient ruins of the blasphemous city of Khorzam, an ancient enemy of humanity long thought to have been defeated—the Lugonde, and the Segande, have again rose in power and continue to breed hordes of their vile and wicked offspring. The Lugonde—known to common folk as “Lizard-men”—are formed into large tribes, led by powerful chieftains. The evil Lugonde are an ancient race of evil, humanoid lizard-men, often of various vibrant colours and dispositions. Nonetheless, they are all evil, and savage, blood-thirsty barbarians that delight in human sacrifice, and holding ferocious feasts by torchlight and bonfires before their dark, inhuman gods. Each tribe is known to build great temples and labyrinths in honour to their gods, where the great worship-hall is dominated by a massive and huge stone idol carved into some monstrous and wicked image of their gods. Slaves and other such hapless, damned humanoids that have been captured are often cast about into the great horde during dark feasts, whereupon which they are ripped apart and devoured by the Lugonde. Others are dragged up blood-stained stairs to be stretched upon some great altar of stone, bronze and gold, which are typically arranged at the feet of the huge stone idol, and sacrificed to their gods by having their bodies ripped open with huge daggers.

The blasphemous and vile races of the Lugonde are also joined in damnation by their cousin-race, the Segande. The Segande—known most often to common folk as “Snake-men”—are an eldritch race of dark sorcery and savage lusts. The Segande have tribes led by powerful warrior-chieftains, and are bloodthirsty and cruel, delighting in all manner of tortures, debauched orgies, and horrific, sorcerous experiments. Perhaps the real power, however, is held by the shimmering and beautiful snake-women, who often serve as witches and priestesses to the whole Segande tribe. These evil snake-women priestesses are blasphemous in their desires and embrace such bestial, inhuman lusts as to be a wicked blight upon all the land. The shimmering snake-women are able to appear in human form, as ripe and voluptuous as anyone could desire. The shimmering snake-women are often possessed of cunning and shrewd intellect, and they fervently cherish their own savage desires and multitudes of evil plans. The Segande hold mass sacrifices, where dozens or hundreds of slaves are hacked to death or eaten in a frenzy of madness, and cast, often still alive and writhing in agony, into immense grills of iron and bronze, where they are roasted alive before the chanting horde.

Most wickedly, the shimmering snake-women organize blasphemous cults of lascivious decadence, where favoured human cultists are trained in the ways of their dark religion, and mixed and interbred with on a continuous basis, eagerly breeding hordes of snake-men mutant half-breeds. Even now, such cults of depraved humans mix with their snake-men masters and mistresses, breeding new spawn of damnation, and work to spread the worship of their foul religion. The shimmering snake-women use dark powers of sorcery as well as promoting debauched orgies and wicked sexual passions to entice the greedy, perverse, and the simple-minded into a savage enslavement to their ancient religion. Such cults are a desperate threat to humanity everywhere.

The evil snake-cults are often wealthy, as well as secretive and hidden. The snake-cults are often composed of seemingly unlikely members, who gather in secret at wealthy estates, hidden forest glades, as well as dark sewers and subterranean tunnels and chambers beneath urban towns and cities, where they join in worship to their foul gods, engage in their blasphemous orgies, and plot and scheme against humanity.

From the vast forests and rolling hill country of the east, farms and villages as well as caravans are often attacked in bold raids by savage warbands of Gharnoth barbarians, sweeping down upon them mounted on dark, swift warhorses, and unleashing a relentless fury upon the kingdom. The Gharnoth warbands strike their hapless prey with clouds of deadly, barbed arrows launched from their hordes of horse-archers, and are then crushed under the hooves of their heavy armored cavalry, who proceed to slaughter their enemies by huge swords, glittering, massive axes, and long, deadly spears. The Gharnoth warbands are often ruthless and brutal, killing most of their victims regardless of whether they are young or old, male or female—all are slaughtered and burned in merciless raids that leave a landscape of death and ashes. The young and ripe, the most beautiful of young girls or fine young boys are taken by the brutal horsemen back to their fortified camps and kept as slaves and breeding stock. The fury of the Gharnoth tribes has been growing, and is lashing the kingdom with wrath and despair year after year.

Savage pirate raids have in recent years become a threat to the kingdom, especially along the coastal regions in the south-west. Darmacian and Malyren pirates from the Syberri Islands to the north-west have established numerous fortified strongholds and ports throughout most of the islands, and have built great fleets of warships and swift raiders, as well as merchant ships, and smaller coastal raiders that allow them to travel through freshwater rivers with ease. The Darmacian and Malyren pirates are a wild, ruthless barbarian culture ruled by independent chieftains. The Darmacian and Malyren pirates not only sweep the seas of merchant ships, but have also begun to make raids further inland, as well as throughout the coastal communities of the kingdom.

The Syberri Islands are a large group of pleasant, forested and mountainous islands to the north-west of Varanthus. The Syberri Islands possess rich mines in silver, gold and gems, as well as great forests which supply abundant timber for ships. The Syberri Islands have many highland meadows and open, rolling hill-country that overlook scenic views of the broad, wine-dark sea below. The rugged mountain tribes of these islands also raise herds of cattle and sheep, as well as a variety of fruit orchards. Rumours insist that the fortified pirate-towns are filled with vast treasures, and tens of thousands of slaves. In the deeper, harsher regions of the Syberri Islands, legends relate that centuries ago, tribes of wild Minotaurs settled the islands, and dug great subterranean fortresses and labyrinth-temples to their gods. It is rumoured that these Minotaur tribes still dwell in the deep mountains and dark forests of the islands, and fill their fortresses with piles of gold and other hordes of glittering treasures. On dark nights of the full moon, the Minotaurs offer up fine, beautiful maidens in bloody sacrifice to their gods, as the Minotaurs chant and dance around the bonfires, feasting and drinking.

The ancient rebel Varanar tribes that rebelled against their high chieftain many years ago have risen up again in rebellion. Many years ago, the rebel tribes fought a vicious civil war against their brethren, as well as fighting against the Valloreans. The rebel tribes have never surrendered, though through the long years there have been periodic peace treaties, and for a time—typically a score or so of years, the two peoples have enjoyed a measure of peace and toleration. The rebel tribes have sought to preserve their ancient traditions, culture, and religion, and have fervently rejected the ways of the Valloreans, and scorn and hate the compromises and interbreeding their brethren have done through assimilating with the Valloreans. Through the years since the civil war between the Varanar tribes, the rebel Varanar have kept the rebellion alive and well, nurturing their hate, and frequently unleashing their vengeance against loyalist Varanar tribes, and Valloreans alike without mercy or remorse.

The rebel tribes are periodically punished with raids and campaigns aimed at killing many of their warriors, or at the least killing or capturing powerful and influential chieftains and warlords, though they persist in their rebellion, and passionate rejection of the Valloreans. The rebel tribes are again led by a group of strong chieftains and priestesses, and have increased their raids and attacks upon merchant caravans and frontier villages and towers, and have even attacked several fortified towns. Such ferocious attacks threaten the prosperity and security of the kingdom, and pose a serious threat especially to the communities throughout the northern, north-western, and central regions of the kingdom.

To the far north-west, the Malbari city-states of Mhunassa, Zhumarra, Tarmina and Shunash occupy a coastal region that alternates between rugged mountains, dense forests, and open, plains that closer to the coast often features great expanses of thick, wild marshland. The city-state of Mhunassa is warlike and ambitious, renowned for its regiments of fierce soldiers and daring cavalry lancers; Shunash is also warlike and greedy, with many rich merchant-houses that build large fleets of merchant ships to trade and bring fabulous wealth back to the city. The great city-state of Shunash is so wealthy and powerful, it is said that their army boasts several hundred armoured war elephants! Zhumarra is a mystical city-state, famous for ancient schools of mages and sorcery. Tarmina, the city-state that boasts the great citadel of Marnash overlooking a sheer mountain cliff that plunges more than 1200 feet down into the roaring sea below. In recent years, raiding parties from Mhunassa have been encountered within the realm, taking game and large stores of timber. These raiding parties have also attacked and pillaged nearby farms, and have also raided several nearby villages and taken slaves. So far, while the two realms are not at war officially, tensions have continued to grow, as the king of Mhunassa’s explanation that the raiders were merely rebellious mercenaries, and thus there is no need for war, and such is not Mhunassa’s desire. Whether or not the other Malbari city-states in the region would support them in a war against Varanthus is uncertain.

To the west, is the land known as Talantha. Talantha is a great, rugged land of mountains, dense forests, and rich farmland and orchards that is the homeland of the Archaedian city-states of Mylon, Oballas, Marnippos, Gallantha, and Parthanya. In addition, to the south-west are the Metharna Islands, where the powerful Archaedian city-state of Palladas is located. The Archaedian city-states have been engaged in heated diplomacy with the various Malbari city-states over fishing rights in waters between them, as well as several mountainous areas in disputed and contested border regions, where rich mines have been discovered. There is talk of war coming soon to the region, and the Archaedian city-states are concerned where Varanthus will stand. Unfortunately, while Varanthus has a good diplomatic relationship with Gallantha, in recent months, warships from Mylon have boarded Varanthus merchant ships enroute between Varanthus and the Malbari city-states, and seized the cargoes. Mylon has claimed that these actions are necessary to reduce trade, profit, and restricted goods and resources from reaching the Malbari. While the Archaedians have instituted naval trade sanctions against the Malbari—at least the city-state of Mylon has done so—Mylon has claimed that no war with Varanthus is desired. It is unclear how much the other Archaedian city-states support Mylon, if they do so at all. Nonetheless, Mylon has increased their naval embargo, and clashes between Mylon warships and Varanthus warships on the high seas have been increasing recently.

Not very far to the east of the Metharna Islands, are another group of islands, known as the Hippallia Islands. The Hippallia Isles are believed to be enchanted, with mystical forests, orchards of beautiful, wondrous fruits, shimmering lakes of waters said to be blessed by Appollonia, an ancient Archaedian goddess of love, passion, beauty and fertility. Rumours insist that the enchanted islands have vibrant, lush groves where tribes of beautiful barbarian women live in glorious, sensual luxury. Old legends maintain that these tribes of barbarian women—while simple and primitive, are beautiful, charming, and friendly. The beautiful barbarian women are peaceful, joyful and sensual, and enjoy all manner of feasts, celebrations, and dancing as they sing, play music, and worship Appollonia. It is also said that these tribes of barbarian women diligently tend their flocks of enchanted sheep and herds of enchanted goats. The sheep have amber eyes, while the goats have rich black fur, and have ivory and golden horns. The legends say that the beautiful barbarian women are wondrous musicians, and weave fine, luxurious clothes made from the wool of their enchanted sheep.

Further to the south-east of the Hippallia Isles is the great island of Dharmea. Dharmea is a huge island, occupied by large, ancient mountains and dense, mystical forests. Dharmea is said to have many ruins of the ancient Marcenian Empire, with vast treasures of gold, jewels, fine armour and weapons of great power. The legends describe the ruins being guarded by terrible, mythological monsters that slaughter and kill anyone that dares to explore the ancient ruins of the Marcenians.

Thus, the Kingdom of Varanthus faces many foreign and domestic challenges that may ultimately prove to be glorious for Varanthus—or disastrous. Furthermore, while King Garrius has plenty to keep him busy, a significant portion of royal tax revenues and other resources have been mismanaged and squandered by various royal bureaucrats, and various powerful dukes and barons have increased their own taxes on the people, and in some cases imposed harsher restrictions and laws, which has made the common people resentful and growing in their frustrations. Various guilds and associations of commoners in different noble realms have occasionally been rioting, and fighting in street battles and urban brawls with the duke’s or the baron’s soldiers. Passionate demagogues claim that while the common people labour with great burdens, the help they need is denied to them by greedy noble lords that are far more interested in staying in their castles and palaces, indulging in decadent orgies, feasts, and lolling about in luxury than in genuinely helping the people. Many village elders and townsmen claim that greedy and corrupt tax collectors continue to oppress them unmercifully, and even imprison or enslave them and their families if they cannot pay their taxes. In several villages, tax collectors that are especially reviled have been strung up and whipped, before being robbed and dumped at the edge of the village outskirts. Noble lords, of course, have instituted harsh reprisals against the rebellious and recalcitrant villagers believed to be responsible for such insurrection and rebellion. Tensions and problems within the kingdom have continued to grow, with many solutions either difficult to implement fully, or difficult to see what the best response might be. Many learned sages and philosophers of the kingdom—as well as common people—have been wondering, fearfully and with great apprehension—if in this shifting twilight, the kingdom of Varanthus will fall into a dark age of savage barbarism—or emerge into the new dawn of an age of glory.

 

[SHARK]

Human—Nemberi Barbarian Tribes

History

The Nemberi are barbarian tribes of humans that have settled throughout the forests and rolling hill country north and north-west of the Kingdom of Varanthus. The Nemberi tribes originally migrated from lands far to the north-west of the Agerren Sea centuries ago, seeking to escape the growing Vallorean dominion. The Nemberi culture have significantly influenced nearby tribes in the lands of Malyra, Parraena, and Darmacia in many ways, from religion, artistic styles, and philosophy to cultural ideals, clothing styles, armour and weaponry. The Nemberi tribes are related culturally and ethnically to many of the tribal peoples in the lands of northern Vallorea, and more distant realms in northern and north-western Arthann.

Physical Appearance

The Nemberi are a strong, tall, and attractive race of humans. Nemberi are fair-skinned, and have smooth complexions, fine features, and graceful, muscular physiques. Typically, Nemberi have pale-white or ruddy-white skin tone, and auburn, reddish, ash-blonde, or honey-blonde hair. Generally, Nemberi people typically have eyes of bright-blue, blue-green, or blue-grey in color. Nemberi men and women alike enjoy all kinds of jewelry, as well as styles, from ornately-engraved neck and arm-torcs, to necklaces, rings, earrings, bracelets, and others. Nemberi men wear solid-colored trousers, and brightly-colored checkered tunics. Nemberi men typically maintain a well-groomed, neat mustache and short beard at the mouth and chin, with the rest of the face, cheeks and neck clean-shaven. Nemberi barbarians speak the native language of Nemberi.


N.B. Player characters are encouraged to review the Nemberi Character Tables, presented below.

Nemberi Character Tables

Nemberi Character Skin Tone
Dice Roll/Skin Tone
01-40%: White-Pale
41-70%: White-Ruddy
71-90%: White-Olive
91-00%: White-Tan

Nemberi Characters Hair
Dice Roll/Hair Color
01-20%: Auburn
21-35%: Reddish
36-45%: Red-Copper
46-60%: Ash-Blonde
61-85%: Honey-Blonde
86-88%: Brown, Dark
89-91%: Brown, Chestnut
92-93%: Brown, Golden
94-95%: Brown, Honey
96-00%: Raven-Black

Nemberi Characters Eyes
Dice Roll/Eye Color
01-30%: Bright Blue
31-51%: Blue-Green
52-72%: Blue-Grey
73-84%: Pale-Grey
85-92%: Ice-Grey
93-00%: Kelly-Green

Nemberi Height and Weight Tables
Male Nemberi Base Height: 5’10”-7’0”; (5’8”+2d8”);
Average Height: 6’4”
Male Nemberi Base Weight: 176-320-lbs; (160+16d10);
Average Weight: 240-lbs.

Female Nemberi Base Height: 5’6”-6’8”; (5’4”+2d8”);
Average Height: 6’0”
Female Nemberi Base Weight: 132-240-lbs; (120+12d10);
Average Weight: 180-lbs.

Politics

The Nemberi tribes are each ruled by a powerful and wise chieftain, whom is also always handsome. Common Nemberi law requires all candidates for chieftain to have many traits—though three main traits are deemed essential; A Nemberi chieftain must be powerful, skilled in battle, and courageous; the Nemberi chieftain must have a reputation for leadership, wisdom, and good judgment; finally, the Nemberi chieftain must be unblemished in features, perfect, strong and muscular in physique, and in all ways handsome and attractive. Likewise, a female chieftain must possess similar attributes. Tribal histories include several examples of tribal chieftains abdicating—or otherwise removed from the position as chieftain—because they had developed a chronic pattern of poor judgment, lost a limb in battle, or had grown too old, fat, and tired to rule effectively. Besides various practical considerations in ruling in the shadow of any of these deficiencies, the Nemberi religious philosophy also embraces a mystical tradition that maintains that a chieftain is a sort of embodiment and reflection of the gods’ favour and blessings upon the tribe—and thus, any chieftain suffering such deficiencies is a divine portent that a new chieftain is needed to lead the tribe, and the often unspoken dictate that keeping such a deficient chieftain in power is an affront to the gods, and invites the judgment of greater calamity and misfortune upon the whole tribe.

The Nemberi tribes are allied together in a loose confederation, though they are politically independent from each other. Each of the various Nemberi tribes may have different trade policies and arrangements with foreign neighbors, and other such details, though the Nemberi are very cautious and wary of any sort of treaty or political relationship that would bring them into conflict with a fellow tribal member of the Nemberi confederation. Politically, each Nemberi chieftain is advised by a council of Nemberi elders and nobles, as well as bards and druids. While most of the Nemberi tribes are led by male chieftains, more than a few are led by women. The Nemberi embrace relative political equality for both men and women—and while the women are not expected to be the equals of men in open combat, they are generally deemed to be quite acceptable as political leaders and enjoying political power. However, Nemberi women are permitted by the Nemberi culture to become warriors, and many Nemberi war bands commonly have several ferocious, women warriors amongst them. The Nemberi tribes are united through common culture, language, and religion.

Culture

The Nemberi tribes are famous for wild, ferocious warriors of great courage, charming, heroic bards, as well as mysterious, powerful druids. The Nemberi tribes are renowned artists, and have great natural artistic skills, from music, singing, dancing, and painting, to various performing arts, poetry, and all aspects of fine oratory, rhetoric and public-speaking. In craftsmanship, the Nemberi are highly-regarded for their skills in embroidery, weaving, and tailoring, as well as metallurgy, weaponsmithing, armoursmithing, and crafting fine tools, implements, and jewelry of bronze, silver and gold. The Nemberi are skilled merchants, and embrace a sophisticated mixed economy, using bartering systems as well as coins to conduct trade.

The Nemberi are typically loud, boisterous, daring and adventurous. The Nemberi embrace a wild, joyous enthusiasm for nearly everything in life, and are often distinctly open-minded, tolerant, dynamic, and creative. While definitely patriarchal, the Nemberi allow great freedom, rights and power to women in their society. Females in Nemberi culture enjoy most of the same rights, privileges and expectations as men, and most of the same responsibilities. While there are certainly professions and tasks traditionally reserved for one sex or the other, such tribal traditions and customs are generally tolerant and flexible so as to accommodate exceptionally determined, skilled, and talented individuals in pursuing something that is unusual or unorthodox.

The Nemberi marriage customs are summarized below:

Monogamous; Loose, Informal, Concubinage

Loose: People involved have varying expectations of absolute sexual fidelity and exclusivity; mistresses, lovers, and so on are fairly common, and generally accepted.

Informal: The culture has no strict requirements concerning divorce, and divorce is relatively easy and simple to do, with no social, religious or cultural stigmas for anyone involved. In addition, children born out of wedlock are not subject to being outcasts, and may be common and entirely accepted.

Concubinage: The culture embraces the custom of maintaining concubines for a married person, whether male or female. In the cases where concubines provide children, the children have some rights of inheritance. In addition, concubines have an official, legal and social status, and enjoy specific social, legal and inheritance rights.

Religion

The Nemberi tribes worship a pantheon of gods, composed of gods and goddesses, as well as honoring and revering a host of natural spirits of the elements, such as river spirits, lake spirits, forest spirits, and the like. The Nemberi tribes celebrate special festivals throughout the year, especially Imbolc, Beltaine, Lugnasadh, and Samhain. The Nemberi embrace a religion that is very mystical, and deeply interwoven with both the natural world, and the spirit world. For the Nemberi, the natural world and the spirit world are intricately linked and blended, never being quite certain where one might end, and the other begins.

The Nemberi religion also teaches the faithful of the cyclical nature of all of reality, and that death is not to be feared, for life is eternal in the spirit realms, and that the mortal existence is but a temporary stage--a place in time--that ebbs and flows, before the individual moves on to the spirit realm and eternal glory. Every person, every creature and thing goes through such a cycle—and therefore, none should fear death. There is no fear in death—but it is important how an individual dies, and how they face such circumstances.

The Nemberi gods are as follows:

Danu—“Mother Goddess”; supreme ruler and leader of the Nemberi gods. Danu is a goddess of the earth, magic, fertility, storms, animals, forests and knowledge.

Albina—Goddess of love, fertility, marriage, healing and hope

Adnamu—Goddess of travel, the sea, nature, and fortune

Namu—Goddess of spring, fertility, magic, rivers, lakes and forests

Carantia—Goddess of law, wisdom, knowledge, and crafts

Maccira—Goddess of war, death, disease and courage

Sucaria—Goddess of war, madness, fire and greed

Matonia—Goddess of war, lust, fertility, savagery, fate and knowledge

Vicana—Goddess of nature, death, animals, storms and winter

Epponia—Goddess of horses, fertility, joy, and war

Orbianna—Goddess of the sky, storms, stars, prophecy and knowledge

Leucona—Goddess of the moon, darkness, magic, and knowledge

Camberus—God of healing, knowledge, wisdom, and friendship

Dagobius—God of fire, mountains, smithing, knowledge and magic

Vercatus—God of agriculture, farming, autumn, woodlands and animals

Cornutos—God of forests, hunting, nature, and wild beasts.

Deoratus—God of trade, crafts, law, and travel

Martalos—God of war, strength, valor, and nobility

Vallius—God of the sea, storms, destruction, and chaos

Lughanos—God of the sun, knowledge, crafts, music, poetry, summer and hope.

Warfare

The Nemberi wage war philosophically for booty, slaves, and glory, as well as adventure. The Nemberi forces are recruited from the tribal towns and villages, and are led by their chieftains and prominent champions and warlords. Nemberi troops are typically composed of large units of infantry, while more wealthy tribal members and nobles form cavalry units. The Nemberi always go to war accompanied by groups of druids, who bless the warriors, encourage tribal savagery and pride, and use their magical powers to aid the war effort. Eloquent bards are always on hand as well, to degrade their enemies, bolster the Nemberi morale, and to witness glorious deeds for the composition of epic poems and stories celebrating the achievements of various members of the Nemberi tribes.

Cultural Weaponry and Armour

Nemberi Tribal Weaponry and Armor
Tribal Armor
Leather Armor (AC 8)
Hide Armor (Leather, particular treated animal and beast hides, and furs; AC 8)
Studded Leather (AC 7)
Shield (Wooden/Leather/Hides)
Shield (Iron/Bronze)
Nemberi Chainmail* (AC 5)
Nemberi Helm*
Nemberi Great Helm*

Nemberi Chainmail*
Nemberi Chainmail is made of excellent design, providing greater comfort when worn, as well as being 20% lighter in weight from standard chainmail.

Nemberi Helm*
The Nemberi Helm is a well-designed war helm of steel, inlaid with fine bronze. The Nemberi Helm features a raised spine through the crown, providing better strength and protection for the head, as well as cheek-guards along the sides, and a sweeping lobster-tail style of steel mesh and plates that protect the back of the neck. In addition, the Nemberi Helm style provides the wearer with excellent vision.

Nemberi Great Helm*
The Nemberi Great Helm is modeled along the same style as the Nemberi Helm, though the Nemberi Great Helm features a pair of great, sweeping horns from the top sides, in various styles, from sweeping bull-horns, ram-horns, goat-horns, or great deer-antlers. In addition, the Nemberi Great Helm may be open-faced, as is standard, or have a nose-guard, or an entire enclosed face-mask of fine steel, inlaid with gleaming silver or gold.

Tribal Weapons
Dagger, Dart, Club, Sling, Hand-Axe, Battleaxe, Broadsword, Longsword, Javelin, Spear, Lance, Shortbow, Two-Handed Sword

 

[SHARK]

Human—Varanar Barbarian Tribes

History

The Varanar are tribes of barbarian humans that dwell throughout central and southern Varanthus. The Varanar are essentially the native population in the region, having migrated into the area many centuries ago from the far north-east. Loremasters and sages believe that the Varanar tribes originally came from various mountain ranges in distant lands of the north-east, but were forced out of the region by larger, more powerful barbarian tribes. Many sages also conclude that a good number of the Varanar tribes must also have lived in the vast grasslands, where they embraced various horse-deities.

Physical Appearance

The Varanar people are of average height and weight, though they often tend to have broad and thick physiques. Varanar typically have dark brown or dull black hair, and dark brown, grey, or blue-grey eyes. Varanar typically have skin of dark tan, tawny brown, or olive-brown in complexion, and are often hairy. Male Varanar customarily favor full beards, and wild hair worn to the middle of their back. Varanar men favor bright, vividly colored clothing, and especially prize finely-embroidered cloaks. Varanar men typically wear neck-torcs, arm-torcs, rings, and necklaces as jewelry, but nose-rings, toe-rings and earrings are strictly for women. Varanar women are very fond of silver jewelry, and bright, shining gems. Varanar women are especially fond of vibrant colored clothing, and fine perfumes, oils, and cosmetics. Varanar barbarians speak the native language of Varanar.


N.B. Player characters are encouraged to review the Varanar Character Tables, presented below.

Varanar Character Tables

Varanar Character Skin Tone
Dice Roll/Skin Tone
01-05%: White, Pale
06-15%: White, Olive
16-30%: Tan, Olive
31-70%: Olive-Brown
71-85%: Tawny-Brown
91-00%: Dark Tan

Varanar Characters Hair
Dice Roll/Hair Color
01-30%: Dark-Brown
31-40%: Brown
41-45%: Chocolate Brown
46-50%: Chestnut Brown
51-75%: Black-Brown
76-90%: Dull Black
91-00%: Ebony Black

Varanar Characters Eyes
Dice Roll/Eye Color
01-40%: Dark-Brown
41-55%: Brown
56-70%: Brown-Hazel
71-80%: Blue-Grey
81-87%: Dark-Blue
88-94%: Iron-Grey
95-97%: Pale-Grey
98-00%: Ice-Grey

Varanar Height and Weight Tables
Male Varanar Base Height: 5’6”-6’4”; (5’4”+2d6”);
Average Height: 5’10”
Male Varanar Base Weight: 136-280-lbs; (120+16d10);
Average Weight: 200-lbs.

Female Varanar Base Height: 5’2”-6’0”; (5’0”+2d6”);
Average Height: 5’6”
Female Varanar Base Weight: 90-200-lbs; (80+12d10);
Average Weight: 140-lbs.

Politics

The Varanar tribes are traditionally led by a strong chieftain, elected from members drawn from a group of candidates deemed worthy by the whole tribe. The whole tribe votes for such candidates, through reputation, achievements, contests, and other meritorious actions, and from this body of elected nobles, the tribal council confers and appoints a tribal chieftain. The tribal council is composed of various elders, nobles, and shamans, and senior members of the tribe—both men and women—who are known and celebrated for their bravery, skill, wisdom and judgment.

The Varanar have seven tribes that have traditionally settled the region—with different Varanar tribes that migrated further south, into the land of Drathenar, as well as into Dharthanya, to the south-east. The seven Varanar tribes that have settled the Varanthus region are composed of the Ardani, Arbalu, Chalari, Dhalmar, Naebas, Rhubaan, and Varanu.

There are four Varanar tribes—the Varanu, Ardani, Chalari, and Rhubaan--that have urbanized, and fully embraced the Vallorean culture, and become strong allies of the Valloreans. In addition, the urbanized Varanar have interbred prodigiously with the conquering Valloreans, and have also largely embraced the Vallorean religion. The four urbanized, pro-Vallorean tribes refer to the three primitive, traditional Varanar tribes as the “Rebel Varanar” or the “Rebel Tribes”. However, having said that, there is also at various times and in different areas, a different position from this—such other members of the pro-Vallorean tribes that do not hold such a stern view of their brethren, but see them as simple and primitive, misguided and caught up in the grip of primitive superstitions and a fearful xenophobia—but faithful, noble, and heroic for seeking to maintain the old ways.

However, the three “rebel” Varanar tribes—the Arbalu, Dhalmar, and Naebas—have violently rejected Vallorean culture and dominion, and are rebellious at every turn. The three traditional Varanar tribes remain determined, proud, and fiercely independent, while steadfastly holding to their own native religion, and zealously committed to preserving the ancient and traditional Varanar culture. The three traditional Varanar tribes—the Arbalu, Dhalmar, and Naebas—are also generally hostile to their brethren Varanar tribes, whom the traditionalists view as heretics and traitors. Much like the four pro-Vallorean tribes, the “traditional” Varanar tribes also have divergent factions that hold more sympathetic views of their fellow countrymen, seeing them as misguided and deceived, but noble, proud, and sincere in trying to change and do what is best for their people.

While traditionally, the Varanar tribes have been independent from each other, they remained united by their common culture, language, and religion. Since the arrival of the Valloreans, much of these commonalities remain the same, however, the influence of the Vallorean culture and the embracing of such by the four pro-Vallorean tribes, has significantly started a process of rapid change for the members of the four urbanized tribes. This process of a changing culture, as well as the importation and spread of the Vallorean religion, has increasingly driven a large wedge of differences between the two factions of Varanar tribes. The changes have shaped and changed the four urbanized tribes in such significant ways, that the traditionalists feel that they can no longer recognize them as the same culture, and a common tribal identity. Despite the four urbanized tribes’ protestations to the contrary, their tribal identification is increasingly being transformed more into a political label and casual, loosely-connected fraternity—as opposed to a dynamic, living and breathing reality that is the basis for an intense, daily identity that is a vital and essential focus of their way of life.

Culture

The Varanar people are sociable, engaging, optimistic, proud and stubborn. The Varanar are deeply spiritual and mystical, and take omens and various portents, oracles, and superstitions very seriously. The Varanar are excellent musicians, singers, dancers, and are skilled horsemen and archers. The Varanar are passionate in everything they do, from eating and drinking, partying, love, hatred and war. The Varanar are skilled in mining, as well as forestry, woodcraft, as well as native styles of textiles, clothing, ceramics and pottery. The Varanar are infamous for grim determination and tenacity in warfare, and are savage warriors who are feared for their skills in ambush, mountain tactics, and using guerilla-warfare and ferocious raids throughout their dark forested homelands.

The Varanar are generally patriarchal, and hold to particular customs that shape and define gender roles within the Varanar society. Having said this, however, Varanar women enjoy broad social and sexual freedoms, as well as nearly-equal rights, responsibilities, privileges and opportunities as Varanar men. Women are expected to do the vast majority of the cooking, child-rearing, and other domestic chores. Most women do not become warriors of any kind, though exceptional women may do so, as there are some examples in tribal history of women of particular skill, courage, and ferocity becoming warriors. Women are believed to have special mystical powers, insight, and affinity into the spiritual world, emotions, passions, music, dancing, the earth, wild beasts, plants, and wisdom. Men are believed to have affinity for, and special insight and power with fire, storms, metal, beasts, warfare, hunting, discipline, and strength.

The traditional Varanar tribal society embraces monogamy as a marriage custom, but also a custom of tribal and group marriage, where a particular couple may have multiple marriage partners, of either or both sexes. Thus, such a tribal marriage unit may have only a single couple, or three or four couples, married together. By tribal law, however, all such additional spouses must have the approval of both the men and women involved. For example, suppose two couples are joined in a tribal marriage, and contain two men and two women. One of the men could not go outside the marriage unit, and decide to marry a new woman, without the approval of the other two wives and the other husband. Likewise, a married woman is not permitted to do the same thing, without abiding by the law. In the event that all members of the marriage unit agree on the new bride, for example, then the tribal marriage unit would then be allowed to expand to include the two husbands, and now three wives. In Varanar tribal society, married spouses have greater inheritance rights and authority than unmarried lovers, slaves or concubines, which have very limited inheritance rights or none at all, in the eyes of the law. The Varanar tribal customs permit all of the spouses involved in the marriage to enjoy very broad social and sexual freedoms, and all may enjoy many lovers, slaves and concubines.

Monogamy and Tribal/Group; Loose, Informal, Concubinage

Loose: People involved have varying expectations of absolute sexual fidelity and exclusivity; mistresses, lovers, and so on are fairly common, and generally accepted.

Informal: The culture has no strict requirements concerning divorce, and divorce is relatively easy and simple to do, with no social, religious or cultural stigmas for anyone involved. In addition, children born out of wedlock are not subject to being outcasts, and may be common and entirely accepted.

Concubinage: The culture embraces the custom of maintaining concubines for a married person, whether male or female. In the cases where concubines provide children, the children have some rights of inheritance. In addition, concubines have an official, legal and social status, and enjoy specific social, legal and inheritance rights.

Traditional barbarian tribes of Varanar dwell in fortified villages of strong, rough houses of timber and mud bricks, as well as occasionally some stone, and typically feature a circular style of architecture. Roofs are typically made of mud, timber and thatch, bundled and woven together. The Varanar village always has pens and corrals for herds of horses, as well as kennels for the hunting dogs. Chickens, pigs, and goats are commonly domesticated animals, as well as small herds of cattle. Traditional Varanar tribes generally use bartering systems for conducting trade, though coins are occasionally used. The Varanar tribal economy is largely self-sufficient, and while the Varanar enjoy gaining new goods, and trading their own goods for profit, coins hold little value to them personally, beyond their own consciousness of the coins’ value to others. Furthermore, traditional Varanar often view coins as a subversive element used by the Valloreans and other such urban peoples to spread spiritual corruption and weakness amongst the Varanar people.

Religion

Traditionally, Varanar religion embraces a pantheon of savage, violent deities, led by a powerful, “Great Mother” goddess, and a powerful supreme god of war and thunder. The Varanar have fierce gods of war, mountains, forests and storms, as well as beasts, rivers, magic, death, disease, horses and fertility. Varanar shamans may be male or female, while there are tribal societies of witches devoted to various deities of the pantheon, such witches are exclusively female.

The Varanar gods are described below:

Dharmogg—the supreme god of the Varanar pantheon, and the god of thunder, lightning, mountains and war

Dodallia—Goddess of the sky, stars, rain, beauty, healing and knowledge

Sarvog—God of crafts, smithing, fire and mountains

Serovan—God of strength, battle, courage, and battle frenzy

Bhalnogg—God of the sun, honor, nobility and fire

Khalladya—Goddess of the sun, magic, knowledge, and healing. As goddess of the sun, Khalladya is responsible for the sunrise; the goddess Mharanna hunts her every day, seeking to stop Khalladya and bring darkness. Khalladya is the wife of Bhalnogg.

Zaraina—Goddess of beauty, knowledge, wisdom and war

Sedarra—Goddess of fate, prophecy, destiny and knowledge

Zhilbog—Goddess of the moon, knowledge, magic, joy, fertility, and sexuality

Zivara—Goddess of love, fertility, sexuality, passion, and spring

Sarbog—God of love, fertility, marriage, strength, and summer. He is the lover and consort to Zivara.

Kharpallia—Goddess of fertility, sexuality, passion, joy, music, singing and dancing

The Zorina—three guardian goddesses of the morning, evening, and midnight

Rhunogg—God of the hunting, forests, wild beasts, and the earth

Dhywona—Virgin goddess of hunting, forests, horses, wisdom and knowledge

Parandar—God of forests, hunting, explorers, travelers, lost voyagers, luck, and journeys

Zhemera—Goddess of the earth; “Mother of the earth”; goddess of nature, storms, animals, knowledge, nobility and druids.

Varpallen—God of autumn, harvests, agriculture, nature and animals

Pardaga—God of farming, agriculture, crafts and trade

Markosh—Goddess of spinning, weaving, crafts, and the home.

Dhargada—goddess of healing, compassion, mercy, singing and music

Ozzierra—Goddess of knowledge, gossip, fame, glory and trickery

Vhelas—God of darkness, chaos, earth, waters, and the underworld

Mharanna—Goddess of darkness, harvests, witchcraft, winter and death

Berrezogg—God of darkness, forests, hunting, and savagery

Marattu—God of darkness, plagues, disease, suffering, and pestilence

Charnogg—the god of darkness, chaos, war and death

Zharnatra—God of darkness, knowledge, magic, and trickery

Jharbogg—God of darkness, magic, the moon, madness and werewolves

Dharzelya—Goddess of darkness, lust, sexuality, fertility, ambition and greed

Marzhanya—Goddess of darkness, vengeance, rivers, winter, and destruction

Warfare

The Varanar deploy bands of skirmishers at all times for scouting, as well as to encircle, harass, and raid any approaching enemy forces. Varanar troops are a mix of infantry and fast-moving cavalry. The cavalry are equipped as light lancers and horse-archers. Infantry forces are equipped with a broad range of weaponry, and Varanar chieftains typically seek to engage enemy forces in dense, darkened forests, or in rugged hills and mountain terrain.

Cultural Weapons and Armor

Varanar Tribal Weaponry and Armor
Tribal Armor
Leather Armor (AC 8)
Hide Armor (Leather, particular treated animal and beast hides, and furs; AC 8)
Studded Leather (AC 7)
Shield (Wooden/Leather/Hides)

Tribal Weapons
Dagger, Dart, Club, Hand-Axe, Battleaxe, Broadsword, Javelin, Spear, Lance, Shortbow, Composite Shortbow, Two-Handed Sword*

Varan Greatsword*
The Varan Greatsword is a native weapon design, of a large, two-handed sword that features a long handle, and a gleaming blade that sweeps out in a slight increasing curve. The Varan Greatsword is finely balanced, strong, and very deadly. Varanar noblemen often favour the Varan Greatsword, as well as bands of berserkers, elite raiders, and veteran bands of assault troops.

 

[SHARK]

Human—Gharnoth Barbarian Tribes, Western

History

The Western Gharnoth are tribes of barbarian humans that dwell throughout the forests, plains, and mountains east of the Varanthus region. The Gharnoth tribes recently migrated into the region from lands further east and north-east. The Western Gharnoth tribes are culturally and ethnically related to their cousins of the Eastern Gharnoth. The Gharnoth tribes—both the Western and Eastern Gharnoth—are relatives to the Valdar barbarians—a people that live in the cold mountains and dark forests of the distant northern lands of Vandia, Ghalmar, Ussallia, and Pahlanda. Loremasters and sages believe that the Gharnoth tribes originally come from the Goteland Islands, a group of large, rugged islands off of the southern coast of Ussallia.

The Eastern Gharnoth tribes have settled in lands far to the east and north-east, and differ from the Western Gharnoth is several salient ways, some of which are noted here: the Eastern Gharnoth have a higher ratio of black hair in their appearance; the Eastern Gharnoth are nomadic and pastoral, living in mobile tent-villages and travelling exclusively by horseback, as well as rugged, eight-wheeled wagons; the Eastern Gharnoth deploy military forces that are exclusively horse-cavalry, including heavily-armoured lancers and swift-moving mounted horse-archers; in political government, the Eastern Gharnoth not only have males ruling tribes as chieftains, but women may become chieftains as well; in addition, larger confederations of Eastern Gharnoth tribes that are organized into kingdoms may be ruled by kings or queens.

Physical Appearance

The Gharnoth are fair-skinned, very tall, and have strong, powerful physiques. The Western Gharnoth typically have eyes of Midnight-Blue, Ice-Blue, Blue-Grey, or Ice-Grey color. Western Gharnoth usually have ash-blonde, golden-blonde, or honey-blonde hair. The Gharnoth are well-known for being handsome, and very attractive. The Gharnoth are fond of all manner of jewelry, for either sex, though both sexes favor clothing of solid, darker colors. Male Gharnoth typically wear thick, wild beards and grow their hair in long, thick masses to the middle of their back. Female Gharnoth usually wear their hair in long, wild masses, either straight or occasionally curled, as well as braided. Gharnoth women typically grow their long, to middle of their back, their waist or hips in length. Gharnoth barbarians speak the native language of Gharnoth.


N.B. Player characters are encouraged to review the Gharnoth Character Tables, presented below.

Gharnoth Character Tables

Gharnoth Character Skin Tone
Dice Roll/Skin Tone
01-70%: White-Pale
71-80%: White-Ruddy
81-90%: White-Olive
91-00%: White-Tan

Gharnoth Characters Hair
Dice Roll/Hair Color
01-10%: Brassy Blonde
11-30%: Ash Blonde
31-40%: Flaxen Blonde
41-60%: Golden Blonde
61-80%: Honey Blonde
81-85%: Platinum Blonde
86-89%: Brown, Reddish
90-92%: Brown, Chestnut
93-95%: Brown, Golden
96-98%: Brown, Honey
99-00%: Brown, Dark

Gharnoth Characters Eyes
Dice Roll/Eye Color
01-20%: Bright Blue
21-35%: Midnight Blue
36-55%: Ice Blue
56-75%: Grey-Blue
76-90%: Pale-Grey
91-00%: Ice-Grey

Gharnoth Height and Weight Tables
Male Gharnoth Base Height: 6’0”-7’2”; (5’10”+2d8”);
Average Height: 6’6”
Male Gharnoth Base Weight: 216-360-lbs; (200+16d10);
Average Weight: 280-lbs.

Female Gharnoth Base Height: 5’8”-6’10”; (5’6”+2d8”);
Average Height: 6’2”
Female Gharnoth Base Weight: 136-280-lbs; (120+16d10);
Average Weight: 200-lbs.

Politics

The Western Gharnoth are ruled by a powerful king, who reigns over numerous tribes, with each tribe ruled by a strong chieftain. The Gharnoth king is elected to the throne by the high council, made up of various nobles, warriors, shamans, and elders drawn from all of the tribes. The high council elects a king, who traditionally rules for the duration of his life. While the succession is often hereditary, it is not necessarily so, and the high council has the right and authority to select a king from beyond the royal family of the king.

Culture

The Western Gharnoth are renowned as ferocious, cunning warriors, diligent and tenacious farmers, and daring, intrepid sailors. The Gharnoth are skilled in weaponsmithing, armoursmithing, and metallurgy, as well as engineering and stonemasonry. Besides these skills, the Gharnoth are known for crafting fine tools, implements, various tableware, great hunting and drinking horns, as well as fine jewelry of silver and gold. In warfare, beyond being ferocious and brutal warriors, the Gharnoth are known to be shrewd tacticians and resourceful in exploiting the weather, natural elements, and the local terrain at every opportunity.

The Gharnoth form their settlements into fortified towns and villages when good land is available, though many Gharnoth tribes remain more or less nomadic and pastoral. The Gharnoth keep herds of cattle, as well as goats and sheep, pigs, chickens, and various birds for food and trade. The Western Gharnoth values their herds of horses the most, however, and well-armoured cavalry forces are a key element of Gharnoth warfare. The Gharnoth embrace a mixed economy, using traditional bartering systems as well as coins in conducting trade.

In marriage, a Gharnoth husband enjoys great social and sexual freedom, and may have more than one wife at the same time, as well as various mistresses, lovers, slaves and concubines. The Gharnoth wife also enjoys great social and sexual freedom, and while she may have many lovers, slaves and concubines, she may only have one husband at a time.

Polygamous; Loose, Informal, Concubinage

Loose: People involved have varying expectations of absolute sexual fidelity and exclusivity; mistresses, lovers, and so on are fairly common, and generally accepted.

Informal: The culture has no strict requirements concerning divorce, and divorce is relatively easy and simple to do, with no social, religious or cultural stigmas for anyone involved. In addition, children born out of wedlock are not subject to being outcasts, and may be common and entirely accepted.

Concubinage: The culture embraces the custom of maintaining concubines for a married person, whether male or female. In the cases where concubines provide children, the children have some rights of inheritance. In addition, concubines have an official, legal and social status, and enjoy specific social, legal and inheritance rights.

Religion

The Gharnoth religion embraces an ancient pantheon of savage, barbaric deities, led by a patriarchal god of war, storms, and mountains. The Gharnoth revere a “Great Mother” goddess, though she is the wife and secondary to the king of the Gharnoth pantheon. The Gharnoth pantheon has deities of fire, the earth, rivers, fertility, beasts, forests, hunting, trade, craftsmanship, fate, chaos, death, darkness and the moon, as well as various spirits of the natural elements. Gharnoth society is served spiritually by shamans—both male and female—as well as witches, which are exclusively female.

The Gharnoth tribes have many religious celebrations honoring the gods throughout the year. Some of their celebrations and religious customs possess intriguing traditions, such as the following:

Every year, just at the beginning of spring, but before the great fertility festivals of Freyja and Ostara are celebrated, the end of the cold winter months is celebrated by a festival honoring the great mother-goddess in her fertility aspect in which the shamans of the goddess Hloudana bring an enchanted wagon in a great journey through the lands of the Gharnoth, where the procession visits all of the tribes in turn. The enchanted wagon is pulled by a team of sacred cows, and at each village, encampment or town, the Gharnoth hold great feasts, with drinking, dancing, and merriment. During the days or at most a week or so of the sacred procession and feasts, all Gharnoth avoid warfare, and are forbidden to raise arms against each other.

In various celebrations and feasts held in honor of Woden throughout the year, selected slaves and war-prisoners are ritually sacrificed to the great, fierce god, through ritual torture and then they are hung upon a grove of trees by barbed hooks and chains, allowing the ravens to feast upon them during their final hours.

The Gharnoth have many methods of divination that are popular, though the most sacred form of divination that each tribe uses is ritual divination through the shamans observing and listening to the neighing of a herd of milk-white horses. The sacred herds of milk white horses are blessed by the gods, and the Gharnoth believe that the sacred white horses are enchanted and magical creatures, blessed with strange powers and knowledge from the spirit-world. The sacred herds of milk-white horses are kept in a special grove of trees where they live close to the tribal community.

The Gharnoth gods are described below:

Woden—Woden is the supreme god of the Gharnoth pantheon, and a powerful god of war, magic, prophecy, and knowledge.

Sunna—Sunna is a sister to Mani, and is the goddess of the sun. She is also a goddess of fire, knowledge, mysteries, healing, and prophecy. Sunna is invoked in marriage ceremonies, and is a patron and guardian of women, pregnant women, and children.

Mani—Mani is a sister to Sunna, and is a goddess of the moon, darkness, magic and knowledge.

Freyja—Freyja is the goddess of love, sexuality, passion, and fertility.

Sibbia—Sibbia is the wife of Donar, and is a goddess of fertility, friendship, crafts, loyalty, valor, and war.

Hloudana—Hloudana is a supreme mother-goddess, and is the wife of Woden. Hloudana is a fertility goddess. Hloudana is goddess of nature, fertility, forests, the wilderness, and wild beasts.

Baduhenna—Baduhenna is a ferocious and beautiful goddess of war, battle, daring and savagery.

Ostara—Ostara is a goddess of fertility, spring, rain, rivers, animals and joy.

Tiews—Tiews is a god of single combat, honor, nobility, victory, and heroic glory.

Donar—Donar is a son to Woden, and the god of thunder, lightning, war, strength, and battle-frenzy.

Hretha—Goddess of trade, wisdom, knowledge, music, poetry, and healing

Geldric—Geldric is a god of forests, hunting, archery, and wild beasts.

Aldmar—Aldmar is a god of poetry, music, dancing, secrets, and knowledge.

Weland—Weland is a muscular, powerful god of crafts, smithing, knowledge, and magic

Holla—Holla is a supreme goddess of birth, death, reincarnation, darkness, magic, chaos, and the underworld. Holla is mother to Berchta, Luka.

Hagamar—Hagamar is a fierce god of the war, mountains, winter, and storms. Hagamar is a husband to Holla.

Herja—Herja is a goddess of darkness, war, savagery, beauty, passion, and murder.

Berchta—Berchta is a goddess of the forests, rainstorms, darkness, savagery, and wild beasts.

Luka—Luka is a powerful god of chaos, darkness, fire, trickery, and magic.

Idisi—Divine spirit-creatures of war, valor, fertility, and wisdom. The Idisi serve the gods of the Gharnoth pantheon. Idisi are often sent into the mortal realm to serve as lovers, advisors, and guardians to favoured heroes and champions. The Idisi sometimes provide aid to warriors in battle, and carry the spirits of those who have fallen in battle to the afterworld, and eternal glory.

Warfare

The Gharnoth deploy military forces recruited from the tribes, and are led by champions, chieftains, nobles, as well as the king. The Gharnoth forces are composed of skirmishers to harass and raid the enemy, as well as infantry units, bands of berserkers, and large forces of cavalry. The Gharnoth deploy light cavalry as skirmishers and raiders, and their famous heavy cavalry, which features many of their greatest noble warriors, heavily armoured and armed with shields, axes, lances, swords, and bows. The Gharnoth heavy cavalry also provide their prized war horses with a full kit of chainmail armor.

Cultural Weapons and Armor

Gharnoth Tribal Weaponry and Armor
Tribal Armor
Leather Armor (AC 8)
Hide Armor (Leather, particular treated animal and beast hides, and furs; AC 8)
Studded Leather (AC 7)
Shield (Wooden/Leather/Hides)
Shield (Iron/Bronze)
Scale Mail (AC 6)
Chainmail (AC 5)

Cultural Weapons
Dagger*, Dart, Club, Hand-Axe, Battleaxe, Great Axe*, Shortsword, Broadsword*, Longsword*, Javelin, Spear, Lance, Shortbow, Two-Handed Sword*, Warhammer*, Great Hammer

Dagger, Gharnoth Horsehead*
The Gharnoth Horsehead dagger is a fine weapon, with a strong, 12” straight blade. The dagger gained its name from the stylized horsehead pommel. Gharnoth horsemen typically carry a variant horsehead dagger, which features a slightly curved, 6” blade. Gharnoth horsemen typically carry such a weapon concealed in a slim scabbard on their war-belt, or in a special boot-sheath. The Gharnoth Horsehead Dagger uses 1d4 for weapon damage.

Great Axe, Gharnoth*
The Gharnoth Great Axe features a long, sweeping frontal blade, with a single edge. The blade curves downward to the front of the weapon in a long, graceful arc. The great axe has an extended handle and a skull-crusher design on the pommel. The fearsome Gharnoth Great Axe requires two hands to wield properly, and considerable skill to use effectively in battle. While seeming to be a simple weapon, the great axe is clumsy in the hands of a novice. However, in the hands of a veteran warrior, the great axe is a deadly weapon, capable of harvesting a great carnage of enemies from the battlefield. The Gharnoth Great Axe requires at least a 5’ wide front to use in combat. The Gharnoth Great Axe uses 1d12 for weapon damage.

Broadsword, Gharnoth*
The Gharnoth Broadsword is a magnificent weapon of war, and features a heavy, finely-balanced blade 4‘long, 4” wide, and immensely strong, as well as flexible. The Gharnoth Broadsword has a 12” long handle, straight hand-guards of fine steel, and a pommel carved into two blended wolf-heads, each facing opposite from each other. The broadsword pommel decoration, while serving as an effective skull-crusher, also refers to the brotherhood between the Western Gharnoth, and their cousin tribes of the Eastern Gharnoth, who have settled lands far to the north-east. The Gharnoth Broadsword, while similar in form to smaller broadswords, is finely-balanced, but also much heavier than a standard broadsword, and requires a 14 Strength or greater, to use effectively. The Gharnoth Broadsword uses 1d10 for weapon damage.

Longsword, Gharnoth*
The Gharnoth Longsword features a finely-balanced blade that is 4 ½ feet long, with a fairly slender blade that features a slight, graceful curve through the entire length of the blade. The Gharnoth Longsword is an outstanding weapon for foot soldiers, though the weapon is particularly favoured by the Gharnoth horsemen. The Gharnoth Longsword uses 1d8 for weapon damage.

Two-Handed Sword, Gharnoth*
The Gharnoth Great Sword is an awesome blade, which is very popular with Gharnoth berserkers and elite assault troops. The Gharnoth Great Sword has a handle that is 18” long, with a two-headed wolf pommel, which also has a skull-crusher on the wolf-head’s crown. The Gharnoth Great Sword has a 5 ½’ foot long blade, with a sweeping edge, that meets a gently-tapered point. The great sword’s pommel decoration, while serving as an effective skull-crusher, also refers to the brotherhood between the Western Gharnoth, and their cousin tribes of the Eastern Gharnoth, who have settled lands far to the north-east. The Gharnoth Great Sword uses 2d6 for weapon damage.

Warhammer, Gharnoth*
The Gharnoth Warhammer features a finely-crafted double head, and a 3’long handle. Each head is forged of gleaming steel, and crafted with hexagonal heads. The pommel is carved into a fearsome dragon’s head, and is specially weighted to provide balance with the weapon-heads. The Gharnoth Warhammer is a design that blends perfectly forged striking power, with a flexible, light-weight shaft and handle. The Gharnoth Warhammer is an excellent footman’s weapon, and is wickedly effective in hand-to-hand fighting. The Gharnoth Warhammer uses 1d8 for weapon damage. Anyone wielding a Gharnoth Warhammer in battle gains a +2 bonus to Initiative rolls.

 

[SHARK]

Human—Malbari City-States

History

The Malbari people are an ancient race of humans from the Malbari Islands, in the eastern Dragon Sea, off of the shores of Elamnu and Sarranda. In ancient times, the Malbari were a nomadic, pastoral people that sages believe originally come from the deserts and mountain regions of northern Elamnu. The Malbari tribes gradually migrated to the Malbari Islands, and established prosperous mercantile city-states throughout the islands and up and down the coasts of Elamnu and Sarranda. The Malbari became immensely wealthy as merchants, sailors, explorers, and scholars. The Malbari built and maintained a huge fleet of merchant ships, and a powerful navy to protect their merchant fleets and foreign, sea-borne trade routes. The Malbar city-states in the Malbari Islands formed a powerful league of city-states, and rapidly established many colonies, city-states and small kingdoms throughout the Dragon Sea region.

Through the centuries, the Malbari have established several strong kingdoms, and more city-states and colonies, strengthening their vast mercantile empire. However, all of the Malbari kingdoms, city-states and colonies remain politically independent from each other, though they are often allied with each other in various leagues. Occasionally, some Malbari city-states may engage in war against each other, though this is uncommon. Currently, while all Malbari city-states and kingdoms are independent and loosely allied with each other, they remain united by a common culture, language and religion. The Malbari language has grown to become established as a major common language throughout the Dragon Sea region.

Physical Appearance

Malbar people are typically of average height and weight, and have skin of brown-bronze, brown-cinnamon, or brown-olive in tone. Generally, Malbar have black-brown, dull-black, or ebony-black hair, and dark-brown or brown-hazel eyes. Malbar often have larger noses, and prominent cheekbones. Malbar men generally wear neatly-trimmed, full beards, and favour dressing in loose-fitting, flowing garments and fine clothes. Malbari men typically wear their hair long, past their shoulders, though not so far to the middle of the back. Likewise, Malbari women customarily keep their hair long and flowing, usually reaching to the lower back or waist in length, and often curled and rubbed with finely-scented oils. Malbari women typically adorn their famously luxurious and beautiful hair with jeweled pins, and finely-crafted combs. Malbar men and women alike favour all kinds of jewelry, and occasionally have various tattoos. Malbar women are famous for their use of perfumes and artistic skills with all manner of exotic cosmetics. Malbar speak the native language of Malbari.


N.B. Player characters are encouraged to review the Malbari Character Tables, presented below.

Malbar Character Tables

Malbar Character Table: Skin Tones
Dice Roll/Skin Tone
01-20%: Brown-Bronze
21-48%: Brown-Cinnamon
49-82%: Brown-Olive
83-92%: White-Olive
93-00%: Black-Ebony

Malbar Character Table: Hair Color
Dice Roll/Hair Color
01-20%: Black-Brown
21-50%: Black-Dull
51-00%: Black-Ebony

Malbar Character Table: Eye Color
Dice Roll/Eye Color
01-70%: Brown-Dark
71-85%: Brown-Hazel
86-95%: Brown-Golden
96-00%: Brown-Pale

Malbari Height and Weight Tables
Male Malbari Base Height: 5’2”-6’0”; (5’0”+2d6”);
Average Height: 5’6”
Male Malbari Base Weight: 112-220-lbs; (100+12d10);
Average Weight: 160-lbs.

Female Malbari Base Height: 4’10”-5’8”; (4’8”+2d6”);
Average Height: 5’2”
Female Malbari Base Weight: 72-180-lbs; (60+12d10);
Average Weight: 120-lbs.

Politics

While each Malbari city-state or kingdom is politically independent, they all share a similar political structure, having political power primarily divided into three sources—a divinely related king with immense royal power and authority; powerful priests and priestesses from the great temples; and merchant-princes from the vastly wealthy merchant-houses.

Each Malbari city-state’s king is served by a royal council, composed of various members of priests and priestesses—ensuring that all of the various temples are dutifully and fairly represented—as well as prominent merchant-princes, also drawn from the elite councils of each of the great merchant houses in the city-state; and various other nobles and elders from the city. Typically, the king holds power over the military, and has authority in foreign policy, declarations of war, and the power to make treaties. The king also serves various important ceremonial functions as a quasi-divine representative of the gods, and also has power and authority over laws, courts, and the overall welfare and security of the entire city-state. The royal council serves as a critical advisory body, and has the power to supervise or veto various laws proposed by the king—but must have a majority to enforce such. In addition, the royal council controls the majority of the royal treasury and budget.

Culture

The Malbari city-states have grown immensely wealthy from trade—primarily serving as middle-men in conducting trade throughout the Dragon Sea region, as well as bringing products and materials from the various lands around the Dragon Sea to each other, and beyond—to distant shores along the eastern edges of Aghanda, far eastern ports in the Seren Empire, as well as the Vallorean Empire, to the north-west of the Dragon Sea. The Malbari trade in a large variety of goods, from slaves, glass, wine, finely-crafted pottery, colored dyes, colored beads, various breeds of dogs and horses, to fine textiles, tapestries, linens, richly-made clothing, exquisite jewelry and metalwork of bronze, silver, and gold. The Malbari also trade raw materials in high demand, from precious cedar-wood, oak, good stone, as well as fine marble and raw metals such as tin, silver and gold.

Most famously, however, is the export of Malbari Purple, a rich and exquisite violet-purple dye that the Malbari harvest and craft from the Marantic Snail. The Marantic Snail is chiefly found in the coastal waters around the Malbari Islands, though the Malbari have discovered various other locations around the Dragon Sea where the creature can be found. The Malbari also trade heavily in ebony, ivory, coral, honey, spices, various oils, and precious stones.

The Malbar are fine craftsmen, displaying outstanding skills in several areas, from glass-blowing, metalworking, and textiles, to pottery, wood-carving, ivory-carving, and shipbuilding. The Malbar have developed their own distinctive style of ceramic pottery, known simply as Malbari Pottery, and which is in high demand throughout the Dragon Sea region, and beyond. The Malbar have developed several distinctive styles of merchant ships, as well as powerful warships. The Malbar are excellent goldsmiths and silversmiths, and have developed new metallurgical techniques in further refining various precious metals, as well as in tools and techniques in decorating and crafting styles of jewelry. The Malbar are also famous for designing a range of clothing styles and items of clothing—from loose-fitting, trousers and decorative robes, cloaks, dresses, skirts and tunics, to various varieties of hats and headwear, from tall, cylindrical hats to veiled headdresses for women.

Loremasters and sages attribute the first system of writing to the Malbari, whom legends relate that either the Malbari discovered and created the Malbari Alphabet of 22 letters, or, as some legends allude to—that the elves taught the Malbar the skill of writing in the distant past, and the Malbari proceeded to develop writing from that point. Whatever the truth of the matter, the Malbari Alphabet, and the distinct Malbari Script, were spread to the Archaedians to the north, the Elamneans and Parathians to the east, and to the Tegherans in the south. The Archaedians eventually developed and refined the Archaedian Alphabet, and spread the skill of writing to the lands and peoples of the north, including the Vallorean tribes. The kingdoms and city-states of Elamnu and the Parathians adopted the Malbari Alphabet, with the Parathians eventually developing and refining the Parathian Alphabet, and the distinctive Parathian Script. The Tegherans also refined and developed their own unique Tegheran Alphabet and the Tegheran Script, and spread the skill of writing to various tribes and kingdoms in the lands of Aghanda.

Malbari marriage customs are noted as follows:

Monogamous; Loose, Informal, Concubinage

Loose: People involved have varying expectations of absolute sexual fidelity and exclusivity; mistresses, lovers, and so on are fairly common, and generally accepted.

Informal: The culture has no strict requirements concerning divorce, and divorce is relatively easy and simple to do, with no social, religious or cultural stigmas for anyone involved. In addition, children born out of wedlock are not subject to being outcasts, and may be common and entirely accepted.

Concubinage: The culture embraces the custom of maintaining concubines for a married person, whether male or female. In the cases where concubines provide children, the children have some rights of inheritance. In addition, concubines have an official, legal and social status, and enjoy specific social, legal and inheritance rights.

Religion

Malbari religion is devoted to an ancient and enduring pantheon of deities, led by Baal-Hadan, a god of cities, war, storms, and rulership. The Malbari pantheon also reveres the “Great Mother” goddess of Ashara, and a comprehensive pantheon of gods and goddesses—deities of hunting, nature, the sea, crafting, magic, fate, the stars, fertility, law and knowledge, the sun, as well as war, death, disease, serpents, chaos and darkness.
The Malbari build enormous temples to their gods, making each temple as lavishly decorated as the community can afford. Each temple follows an accepted style, of having the form of a ziggurat of stone, featuring a great plaza-entrance with rows of fine-carved stone pillars, inlaid with gold, silver, and precious gems.

The Malbari gods are noted as follows:

Male Gods

Bal-Hadan—Supreme god of the Malbari pantheon. Bal-Hadan is a god of mountains, strength, fire, war, and storms.

Bin-Haddad—God of crafts, smithing, fire, knowledge and law

Ashmagon—God of darkness, fire, death, law and prophecy

Melberek—God of storms, the sea, destruction, animals, and fate

Eshberek—God of deserts, nature, storms and animals

Nargesh—God of the underworld, war, destruction, and death

Gadd-Hammon—God of darkness, trickery, greed, murder and travel

Hadderum—God of Healing, the stars, knowledge, prophecy, and magic

Bal-Harum—God of trade, crafts, law, and knowledge

Melkoon—God of magic, knowledge, darkness, and secrets

Female Goddesses

Asherah—Supreme “Great Mother” goddess of the earth, fertility, nature, lust, sexuality, magic and knowledge

Asht-Hammon—Goddess of marriage, nobility, the home, and loyalty

Sadaemah—Goddess of healing, love, wisdom, and honor

Haddasha—Goddess of the sun, fire, knowledge, chaos, deserts, war, and savagery

Melkasha—Goddess of the moon, darkness, magic, knowledge and prophecy

Shaduna—Goddess of fortune, trickery, fate, gambling, wine and chaos

Tarmeshah—Goddess of chaos, serpents, magic, knowledge, lust and fertility

Urtannit—Goddess of spring, rain, rivers, nature and agriculture

Eshannah—Goddess of the underworld, magic, darkness, beauty and fertility

Yahazebel—Goddess of fertility, sexuality, music, singing, dancing, and nobility

Sadiha—Goddess of forests, hunting, animals, and wisdom

Ashbahli—Goddess of death, darkness, disease and pestilence

Malbari temples feature temple prostitutes, mystics, prophets and the priests and priestesses sponsor various exotic festivals throughout the year, as each god and goddess is celebrated with various feasts, ritual ceremonies, orgies, and sacrifices. The various cults that sponsor temple prostitutes are an essential element of Malbari religion, as engaging with a temple prostitute is a key expression of sacrifice and devotion to the gods, through giving mystical energy to the gods through sex, as well as receiving divine ecstasy and bliss in return, as an expression of the god’s blessing upon the worshipper.

Warfare

The Malbar recruit soldiers from various districts within the city-state, as well as surrounding towns and villages. The Malbar also supplement their military forces by mercenary contracts, gaining the service of all manner of exotic troop-types and special forces. The Malbari typically field forces of medium infantry, as well as skirmishers, foot-archers, and fast-moving cavalry-lancers and cavalry-archers. The Malbari also use well-armed marines, and specially-trained raiders. The Malbari navy is famous for the skill and tenacity of their rowers and sailors, as well as the speed and maneuverability of the Malbari warships.

Cultural Weapons and Armour

Malbari Cultural Armor
Leather Armor
Hide Armor
Studded Leather
Scale Mail
Breastplate
Shield

Malbari Cultural Weapons
Dagger, Dart, Club, Quarterstaff, Hand-axe, Shortsword, Footman’s Mace, Sling, Javelin, Spear, Lance, Shortbow, Composite Shortbow, Scimitar, Falchion

 

[SHARK]

Human—Archaedian City-States

History

The Archaedians are an ancient race of humans descended from a group of barbarian tribes that migrated into the Archaedian peninsula thousands of years ago. The early Archaedian tribes came from the lands to the north and north-east. The Archaedians spread throughout the Archaedian peninsula, as well as lands along the shores of the western, central and north-eastern Dragon Sea regions. The Archaedians are loosely organized into independent city-states and colonies, nominally led and sponsored by one of the primary city-states of Epparna, Damara, Marlanthe, Tharallia, Tharbis, Lycaeris, or Arthenia.

Physical Appearance

Archaedians are generally of above-average height and weight, though they are often strong, broad-shouldered, and thick in physique. Archaedians typically have skin tone of brown-olive, tan-olive, or white-olive. Generally, Archaedians have hair color of ebony-black, black-brown, or occasionally some kind of blonde. In eye color, Archaedians usually have eyes of dark-brown or hazel-brown, though a few other colors are occasionally found. Archaedian men typically wear short, neatly-trimmed full beards, and wear their hair reasonably short—typically no longer than to the neck or shoulders. Archaedian women typically wear their hair piled up, or long and curled, usually rubbed with finely-scented oils, and adorned with a hair comb, jeweled hair-pins, or ribbons. Archaedian men and women alike are fond of all kinds of fine jewelry and rich clothing. Most Archaedian women are highly-devoted to using fine perfumes, scented oils and exotic cosmetics.

In typical appearance, the Archaedian man is nearly six feet in height, weighing a solid 200 pounds. The Archaedian man has curly or wavy black hair reaching to his neck or shoulders, and has a well-groomed, full beard. The Archaedian man is broad-shouldered, with a deep chest, and a strong, muscular physique. The Archaedian man has large eyes, a prominent nose, and is generally rugged, masculine, and attractive. In typical appearance, the Archaedian woman is well over five feet in height, and weighs close to 150 pounds. The Archaedian woman has large, dark eyes, and long, black hair that is curly or wavy, and reaches to the middle of her back or her waist in length. The Archaedian woman has fine skin, and a thick, voluptuous physique, with curvaceous hips, thick legs, and attractive, sensual features.

All Archaedians speak the native language of Archaedian, as well as a home-dialect language particular to the primary city-state of their birth.


N.B Player Characters are encouraged to review the Archaedian Character Tables, presented below.

Archaedian Character Tables

Archaedian Character Table: Skin Tone
Dice Roll/Skin Tone
01-50%: Brown-Olive
51-80%: Tan-Olive
81-00%: White-Olive

Archaedian Character Table: Hair Color
Dice Roll/Hair Color
01-55%: Ebony-Black
56-80%: Black-Brown
81-90%: Ash-Blonde
91-95%: Honey-Blonde
96-00%: Golden-Blonde

Archaedian Character Table: Eye Color
Dice Roll/Eye Color
01-60%: Dark Brown
61-85%: Brown-Hazel
86-90%: Golden-Brown
91-95%: Pale-Brown
96-00%: Blue-Grey

Archaedian Height and Weight Tables
Male Archaedian Base Height: 5’6”-6’4”; (5’4”+2d6”);
Average Height: 5’10”
Male Archaedian Base Weight: 152-260-lbs; (140+12d10);
Average Weight: 200-lbs.

Female Archaedian Base Height: 5’2”-6’0”; (5’0”+2d6”);
Average Height: 5’6”
Female Archaedian Base Weight: 110-200-lbs; (100+10d10);
Average Weight: 150-lbs.

Politics

Archaedian city-states are ruled by public assemblies—every male citizen over the age of 20. The public assemblies gather at specified times of the year, as well as at other occasions, to appoint committees, appoint various nobles as Archons, and a single nobleman is voted as High Archon. The High Archon rules for a lifetime term, unless he has lost the confidence and support of the people, in which he is voted out of office by the public assembly. The public assemblies, and the various committees led by selected nobles, variously vote and control financial policy and legislative authority, while the High Archon has more power in foreign policy decisions, as well as authority over the military forces in wartime.

Some Archaedian city-states are periodically ruled by Tyrants—special dictators that have sweeping power and authority. However, while all Archaedian city-states are either ruled by the public assembly and the High Archon, or a Tyrant, there is one exception—the city-state of Lycaeris is ruled by two appointed kings, and governed by a supreme council of 5 noblemen called the Drythor, who also lead the High Council. The High Council is composed of 500 members, all whom are Lycaeden citizens whom have been elected to their positions by the citizens of Lycaeris. The High Council and the Drythor hold most of the financial and legislative power, while the two Lycaeden kings hold authority over the military and foreign policy.

Culture

The Archaedians are united by a common culture, language and religion. However, each of the primary city-states maintains a particular native dialect, as well as nuances and distinctions concerning politics, philosophy, economics, as well as social customs.

All Archaedians speak Archaedian, though each is also fluent in a primary city-state dialect, corresponding to where they are originally from, as follows:

City-State/Native Dialect
Epparna—Eppari
Damara—Damari
Marlanthe—Marlanthi
Tharallia—Tharallian
Tharbis—Tharben
Lycaeris—Lycaeden
Arthenia--Arthenian

The traditional Archaedian culture is highly patriarchal, and holds to particular customs and gender roles for society. In contrast to male citizens, who enjoy great freedoms of all kinds, whether they are noblemen or not—women have very different strictures and customs and expectations they must contend with, and abide by. Noble, upper and middle-class women are barred from entering many public areas, especially such areas and buildings devoted to politics and government. Good Archaedian women—those women from noble, upper and middle-class families--are expected to remain cloistered within the home and around their estate if they have one, and are generally allowed to go to the market-square, and the temples. Archaedian women are restricted against any political involvement whatsoever. Archaedian women cannot own their own property, or petition a court. Any land must be owned by a male, and any court petition must be initiated by a male. Women must always show deference and respect towards men. Furthermore, women receive a very narrow education, if at all—and are seldom literate. The vast majorities of noblewomen, as well as women from upper and middle-class families, are relatively uneducated, and expected to devote themselves entirely to the domestic realm. Such Archaedian women are expected to be devoted to pleasing their husbands in every way; supervising the home and supervising or performing all of the domestic chores and duties; supervising the children and slaves; and attending to the household shopping needs.

Lower-class Archaedian women, of course, may travel about as they desire, and may pursue various professions—typically those professions that are suitable to the lower-classes, and of simple and humble origin. Lower-class Archaedian women are also entirely barred from politics, and also hold few legal or property rights. Having said this, however, Archaedian women from the lower-classes do enjoy a somewhat greater degree of social, financial and personal freedoms—not nearly as equal to the Halloi women, but typically more so than women of the nobility, and upper and middle-classes.

However, women that are Halloi—essentially prostitutes—are permitted great freedoms, beyond what is expected or allowed for other Archaedian women, especially from noble, upper and middle-class families. The Halloi women typically come from the lower classes—though some are upper or middle-class or noble women that have been somehow shamed and disowned, or are otherwise estranged from their families—some of these women join the profession of the Halloi. The Halloi are all members of a special Halloi guild. It is at the Halloi guildhouse in whatever town or city-state they are in, that provides housing, education, and training for the women of the Halloi. Joining the Halloi guild is one particular method—and the only salient method—for Archaedian women to not only achieve personal, private wealth, but also to cultivate their own personal independence and social freedom. Most Halloi women are sophisticated, articulate, highly educated, as well as graceful, charming, and highly-skilled in erotic arts. In addition, Halloi women are highly trained in singing, dancing, music, writing, poetry, cosmetics, and various performing arts.

Traditional Archaedian society also allows an additional exception—women from whatever background, if they seem to have the particular talents and favourable signs from the gods, may also become priestesses, witches, enchantresses or oracles. Such women, when they are discovered or otherwise make themselves known, are typically gathered up by various societies and professional circles of such women within Archaedian society, so as to further teach them and provide training and instruction in their new life. Thus, there are various temples that train priestesses and oracles, and special guilds of enchantresses and circles of witches. As Archaedian society views women as being symbolic of passion and chaos, such women are allowed to engage in such professions—as is the divine purpose for them, and are accorded varying degrees of reverence, awe, respect, or fear. In all such cases, however, Archaedian men view these types of women as not only exceptional, but also strange, wondrous, and mystical.

Historically, all traditional Archaedian city-states embrace such customs for women, as described, except for the city-states of Tharallia and Lycaeris. The city-state of Tharallia remains closer to the wild frontiers of northern Archaedia, as well as rough, barbarian customs, and allows women broad freedoms, nearly equal to men. Tharallian women are allowed to pursue most professions, and they enjoy near-equal legal rights as Tharallian men, though they are not allowed to participate politically, and they are generally not permitted to serve in the military, though outlying rural Tharallian communities do allow women to become warriors, if they are skilled and tough enough. In the city-state of Lycaeris, Lycaeden women enjoy a sweeping range of freedoms absolutely unthinkable in the rest of Archaedia.

Archaedian marriage ceremonies are public, formal affairs, with a particular priest or priestess officiating, and both families and many friends invited as guests in attendance. Great gifts are exchanged between the couple, and the friends also present gifts to the couple, and afterwards, a great feast and celebration is held. Archaedian marriage customs are generally Monogamous, strict, and formal, as detailed below:

Monogamous, Strict, Formal, Concubinage

Strict: A strict adherence to fidelity and exclusive sexual relations is expected. Violation of these expectations and customs may provoke serious social and or legal consequences. Adultery is often punished with savage torture, and often death sentences are the standard. These requirements are almost exclusively expected of Archaedian women.

Formal: The society has very high standards and strict rules and expectations for any kind of divorce. There may be specific requirements that the couple or people involved must exhibit in order to be allowed to divorce. There may be various significant social and religious stigmas attached to anyone that has been divorced. Children born out of wedlock are likewise social outcasts if such is becomes known. Archaedian men may initiate divorce for virtually any reason—while Archaedian women are heavily restricted to petitioning for divorce; Archaedian women may petition for divorce only under the provision for very serious, egregious reasons, and a Archaedian magistrate has full power to review and judge on allowing the woman to gain such a divorce.

Concubinage: In Archaedia, male Archaedians may retain concubines, lovers and slaves as they desire. Concubines, much like Halloi women, enjoy a particular set of legal and social rights, as well as various rights of inheritance. In addition, children from concubines have some legal and inheritance rights.

The Archaedians are very sophisticated and articulate, being literate and highly-educated. The Archaedians provide all male citizens with formal educations, and encourage increased and ongoing education in all fields, as well as philosophy, politics, and civic involvement. The Archaedians have a sophisticated, coin-based economy, and are very mercantilist, with great merchant houses and fleets of merchant ships exploiting domestic and foreign trade throughout the Dragon Sea region.

Archaedian men typically gather together often at midday to enjoy lunch together, and discuss various political issues, news, gossip, and philosophy. Evening dinners at the end of the day are also popular times for Archaedian men to gather for such discussions and fellowship. Archaedian scholars and philosophers are often members of particular clubs or philosophical societies, and often hold special gatherings and dinners at some selected nobleman’s estate, or perhaps a wealthy house somewhere in the city to enjoy a great dinner, and to engage in debates and discussions. These gatherings are also often shared with groups of Halloi women that are invited to the meeting to provide all the men gathered with entertainment and companionship.

The Archaedians are highly skilled in all aspects of warfare, both land and sea. Archaedian politicians and leaders, if not brilliant and accomplished philosophers and scholars, are expected to be glorious military heroes, and to have gained great reputation in war for the glory of their city-state.

It should be noted, however, that the Archaedian culture is generally quite open-minded and liberal, and there are always some individual philosophers agitating for various social changes, as well as various smaller communities and factions that hold to radically divergent beliefs from the traditional Archaedian culture. Throughout the regions where Archaedian city-states are located, there are always some few city-states that have embraced some sweeping philosophy and change in cultural customs, where all manner of unusual policies and highly-liberal customs have been embraced.

Throughout the north-eastern region of the Dragon Sea, for example, are many city-states that have embraced a much broader attitude towards women participating in the daily social circles, as well as much more liberal professional and economic freedoms. As a result, there are more than a few regions dominated by the Archaedian culture where women have broad professional and economic freedoms, as well as sweeping social and political freedoms. In such regions, women may own their own property, gain educations, control their own finances, and pursue whatever kind of work or professional ambition they desire. Furthermore, in such regions, women socialize with the men in every social circle, and the society is thoroughly integrated, with perhaps only the highest positions of political power being restricted from women. Many sages believe that these powerful social changes have grown from two major influences—the frequent agitation by philosophers from Lycaeris, often joined by activists and philosophers from Tharallia, have worked long and diligently to spread their beliefs and customs embracing freedom and empowerment for women; secondly, the influence spread through trade, as well as immigration, interbreeding and marriage with peoples from the city-states and kingdoms of Tarjan, Oggerri, and Zhunaya.

The Tarjans, Ogerrians and Zhunayans are all part of an ancient, interconnected culture along the south-eastern shores of the Dragon Sea that has flourished for several thousand years. The region has many ancient and powerful kingdoms and city-states, with huge fortress-cities of fantastic and opulent wealth. The cultures of the south-east Dragon Sea region are typically sophisticated and decadent, with exotic customs and ancient, mystical religions. Throughout much of the south-eastern Dragon Sea region, the dominant cultures embrace a distinct reverence for the philosophy of the “Divine Feminine” and allow women to have broad social, sexual, political, and economic freedoms, with much of the religious life and temples being organized, controlled and dominated by women. Thus, the contact that many Archaedians have with cultures of these regions has been steadily influencing customs and practices within Archaedian city-states of the north-eastern Dragon Sea region for many centuries. These enduring cultural influences, as well as the philosophical activism of Lycaeris and Tharallia, have provoked and fueled various cultural and political factions within the Archaedian culture as a whole.

While the Archaedian culture holds many city-states that generally conform to a traditional, orthodox Archaedian culture, there are substantial factions that often disagree on many cultural and political issues, and have embraced many new ideas. In virtually all Archaedian city-states, there are two primary factions—conservatives, and liberals. These factions may have different names, depending on the particular city-state—but they are always squabbling and endlessly debating cultural changes, laws, customs, philosophy, and political policy.

The conservatives generally seek to maintain the traditional Archaedian cultural customs—only seeking to alter or change them slowly, and in modest degrees. Conservatives are not entirely opposed to change, or new ideas or ways of doing things—though they often proceed to embrace any proposed changes slowly, and cautiously, anxious to avoid unleashing chaos and anarchy, and ever-mindful of the ancient wisdom and merits of the customs and policies instituted by their predecessors. Conservatives often presume the old ways are just fine the way they are—and proposed changes must prove to be superior or more advantageous to truly gain their support, as they assume that most proposed changes are ultimately inferior, dangerous, or at the very least, flawed and ineffective, with such being typically more idealistic and high-minded rather than pragmatic. Conservatives typically believe that the wise ancestors of past generations have formed the best and most advantageous customs and policies—and there are few, if any, new ideas or policies that can substantially improve on them in meaningful ways, without also unleashing unacceptable consequences.

The liberals generally embrace much of the same traditional customs as conservatives—though they are typically much more comfortable with embracing new ideas, different approaches to problems, and entertaining unique, unorthodox philosophies than the typical conservative, but furthermore—are willing to support changes in customs and policies that may radically change the society and culture. Liberals often presume that the older customs are essentially flawed and outdated, and can typically be improved on or changed in good, progressive ways that are more effective and advantageous. Liberals typically believe that there are always better ways of doing things—there must be better ways of doing things than they have been done in the past.

Religion

The Archaedian religion is a comprehensive pantheon of complex, sophisticated deities. The Archaedians worship a large pantheon of gods, holding areas of authority and dominion over such areas as war, storms and seas, forests, beasts, love and fertility, hunting, crafting, wisdom, music, the sun, and more.

Archaedians build and support huge, wondrous temples devoted to their gods, as well as shrines in all of the city-states. The Archaedians also revere various holy lakes, springs, or glades throughout Archaedia. Archaedians have developed revolutionary new building techniques, as well as pioneered beautiful artistic styles and forms of stonework and decoration, in the process of building many great temples throughout Archaedia. The Archaedians have, as a by-product of these efforts, created entirely new architecture and engineering principles, as well as a range of specialized tools and training methods that allow such efforts and professions to grow and be pursued.

Archaedian priests and priestesses are very important in Archaedian society, and are highly-respected. Archaedian priests and priestesses supervise all the regular sacrifices by the people; provide counsel, as well as conducting all the public rituals and ceremonies, and performing the various seasonal festivals and celebrations particular to each temple.

The Archaedian gods are noted as follows:

Zhargos—Supreme god of the Archaedian pantheon; god of the air, storms, knowledge and prophecy

Theron—God of the underworld, the earth, death, darkness, wealth, and fire

Pelagon—God of the sun, fire, nobility, war, and strength

Nikandros—God of Healing, Compassion, Knowledge, and Law

Parsidon—God of the seas, storms, destruction, and nature

Diokles—God of murder, darkness, trickery, greed, and fortune

Arrion—God of War, chaos, destruction, and conquest

Dyrranos—God of wine, chaos, music, trickery, forests, savagery and wild beasts

Darmathon—God of strength, adventure, courage, and fortune

Ikarios—God of the sun, fire, chaos, destruction

Appellios—God of the sun, music, prophecy and archery

Hyllos—God of crafts, smithing, fire and knowledge

Appollonia—Goddess of love, fertility, beauty, sexuality and passion

Amanthe—Goddess of war, wisdom, crafts, art and knowledge

Deianneira—Goddess of agriculture, harvests, animals and nature

Xanthippe—Goddess of law, trade, travel and crafts

Salomede—Goddess of joy, wine, fortune, music and gambling

Theiranda—Goddess of chaos, darkness, disease and pestilence

Paramona—Goddess of hunting, forests, rivers, nature and animals

Nikeira—Goddess of Victory, nobility, valor and war

Kyrene—Goddess of magic, knowledge, the moon, and chaos

Hedeia—Goddess of Marriage, intrigue, knowledge, and prophecy

Warfare

The Archaedian city-states each recruit their military forces from the city itself, as well as tributary cities, towns and villages, as well as the surrounding countryside. In addition, Archaedian city-states often hire various kinds of mercenaries, as well as relying on contingents from allied city-states to provide help and support in times of war. Each city-state recruits and supports an army composed of Hoplites, which are heavily-armoured and armed heavy infantry. The Archaedian armies also have foot-archers, skirmishers, and cavalry—typically fast-moving light cavalry lancers. Also joining any military expedition are units of highly-trained siege-engineers, and men trained with building and operating a wide range of artillery and war machines.

Archaedian naval forces enjoy strong, sophisticated warships, and are crewed by highly-paid, highly-motivated professional rowers, sailors and marines. Such men also come from a broad range of backgrounds—though the lower-and middle-classes provide most of the recruits for the navies of the city-states. The men of the navy also form a sub-culture that is somewhat apart from larger Archaedian society, with their own customs, and zealously democratic principles and ideas. The Archaedian sailors, rowers and marines are typically daring, adventurous, and rough—though they are also united by their dangerous fraternity of making their lives and fortunes aboard ships that can, at a moment, make them all equal in death before the fires of war, or the rushing, cold waters of the sea.

Cultural Weapons and Armour

Archaedian Cultural Armour
Leather Armor (AC 8)
Hide Armor (AC 8)
Studded Leather (AC 7)
Scale Mail (AC 6)
Breastplate (AC 5)

Archaedian Cultural Weapons
Dagger, Dart, Club, Whip, Trident, Shortsword, Sickle, Shortbow, Javelin, Spear, Lance, Sarissa (Pike), Cestus, Quarterstaff

 

[SHARK]

Halflings—Haeghenti, Parrallian Tribes

History

The Haeghenti—named Halflings by humans, as well as others—are a widespread, prolific race of small humanoids. The Parrallian Halflings are named for the Parrallian Hills, which is the central landmark of their communities. It should be noted that such a term as “Halfling” is primarily a human one—which has since spread and been adopted by others as a term for the Haeghenti peoples. The Haeghenti peoples refer to themselves as “Haeghenti” as a race, and then by whatever tribal name that they may originate from.

Originally, the first Halfling immigrants to the Varanthus region came from lands far to the south-west, in regions of north-western Aghanda. Many centuries before, various Halfling tribes had migrated from northern forests in Maltainia down into north-western Aghanda, and began to spread out and create prosperous settlements—some communities were established in the more temperate coastlands and arid desert regions, while other proceeded deeper inland, and settled in dense, tropical jungles and dark, mist-shrouded rain-forests.

The Halfling tribes in the temperate coastlands and arid desert regions interbred and mixed with local communities of Malbari humans, while the tribes that lived in the tropical jungles and rain-forests interbred and mixed with black-skinned humans of the native Mbornu tribes. Eventually, after some years had past, several Halfling tribes from both of these environments joined together into a tribal confederation, and lived peacefully while attempting to integrate into more advanced economies of local kingdoms of humans. The Halflings had gained a darker complexion from their frequent interbreeding with the various human tribes, and then proceeded to intermarry with each of the different Halfling tribes in the confederation, which resulted in the all of the Halfling tribes gaining a smooth, darker brown complexion over time. After several centuries of the darker Halflings interbreeding with other darker Halflings, continuously, the ancient, pale-white complexions of the Halflings tribal ancestors from the northern lands of Maltainia had entirely disappeared, and had been bred out of the Halflings genetic composition. However, the tendency for lighter-colored eyes remained somewhat, which still results in an occasional Parrallian Halfling possessing lighter-colored eyes, such as blue-grey, or pale-green. The vast majority, however, are typically born with darker-colored eyes.

The Halfling confederation, however, gradually became the target of increasing slave-raids by humans, as well as suffering from increased incursions by monsters. The arrival of the Valloreans in the region, however, provided the Halfling confederation with a sense of hope, and new opportunities. After several years, the Valloreans had agreed to allow the Halfling confederation to migrate into the Vallorean Empire—though the Halfling tribes were required to migrate and settle in lands that the Valloreans had chosen. The Vallorean legions had in recent years prosecuted a vigorous military campaign in a distant border region, providing assistance to local barbarian tribes that were friendly to the Vallorean Empire. In the aftermath of the Vallorean expedition into the region, the new Kingdom of Varanthus had been established, and needed more immigrants and resources. Thus, the Halfling confederation was allowed to migrate into the Kingdom of Varanthus. The six Halfling tribes of their loose confederation decided to make the epic journey to the new land, in hopes of establishing new, prosperous communities safer from invasions, constant slave-raids by stronger tribes, and marauding migrations of savage monsters.

The small group of six tribes—the Noomhoggen, Nhamburi, Rhumaeggah, Mugheshem, Tahgishwah, and Ghanmori—settled into their new lands, and established several rustic communities. Several communities grew more rapidly than the others, and became towns.
The Parrallian Halflings were granted the area around the Parrallian Hills, and bordering the Nemeth Woods as a feudal fief to govern and administer as they desired, under the aegis of authority and ownership of the king of Varanthus. The Parrallian Halflings thus pay their royal taxes to the king of Varanthus, and must order their communities in accordance with royal decrees from the king.

Physical Appearance

Parrallian Halflings tend to be of slightly above average height and weight for Halflings in general, though the Parrallian Halflings are likely to be more broad-shouldered and muscular than other Halflings commonly encountered. Parrallian Halflings typically have skin of brown-bronze or brown-cinnamon in tone. Parrallian Halflings usually have hair that is of brown-black, dull-black or ebony-black in color. In general, Parrallian Halflings typically have eyes of dark-brown or hazel-brown in color, though some other colors are occasionally present. Parrallian Halflings have skin that is smooth and flawless, and beautiful, attractive features. The Parrallian Halflings typically have hair that is long, thick and flowing, as many Malbari humans possess, while many have hair that is very curly, often having the tight, kinky features of black-skinned humans from Aghanda.

Female Parrallian Halflings are often attractively plump, with voluptuous features, and broad, curvaceous hips. However, more than a few female Parrallian Halflings are just as likely to be athletic, lean, and muscular. Male Parrallian Halflings are typically broad-shouldered, muscular, and athletic. Parrallian Halflings typically have large eyes that are very expressive; their eyes are usually round—though many have eyes that are almond-shaped. Parrallian Halflings typically have slightly large, rounded and flat noses, full lips, and round faces.


N.B: Player Characters are encouraged to review the Parrallian Halfling Character Tables, below.

Parrallian Halflings are small in stature and less powerful than larger humanoids, and have a -1 penalty to Strength at character generation. Generally, Parrallian Halfling characters are quick, graceful and agile, and gain a +1 bonus to Dexterity at character generation. Furthermore, Parrallian Halflings are gregarious, sensual and irrepressibly charming, and gain a +1 bonus to Charisma at character generation. In addition, the Parrallian Halflings are typically attractive in appearance, and gain a +1 bonus to Comeliness at character generation.

Parrallian Halfling Character Ability Summary
-1 Strength
+1 Dexterity
+1 Charisma
+1 Comeliness

Parrallian Halfling Character Tables

Parrallian Halfling Character Table: Skin Tone
Dice Roll/Skin Tone
01-20%: Brown-Olive
21-50%: Brown-Cinnamon
51-80%: Brown-Bronze
81-00%: Ebony-Black

Parrallian Halfling Character Table: Hair Color
Dice Roll/Hair Color
01-30%: Black-Brown
31-60%: Black-Dull
61-00%: Ebony-Black

Parrallian Halfling Character Table: Eye Color
Dice Roll/Eye Color
01-60%: Brown-Dark
61-70%: Brown-Hazel
71-80%: Brown-Golden
81-86%: Brown-Pale
87-90%: Grey-Blue
91-94%: Grey-Pale
95-97%: Green-Hazel
98-00%: Green-Pale

Parrallian Halfling Height and Weight Tables

Male Parrallian Base Height: 4’2”--5’0” (4’0” + 2d6”);
Average Height: 4’6”
Male Parrallian Base Weight: 80-130 pounds; (70+6d10);
Average Weight: 100-lbs.

Female Parrallian Base Height: 3’10”--4’8” (3’8” + 2d6”);
Average Height: 4’2”
Female Parrallian Base Weight: 50-100 pounds; (40+6d10);
Average Weight: 70-lbs.

Politics

The Parrallian Halflings are ruled by a High Chieftain, who is served by a tribal chieftain, elected from the tribal councils of each Haeghenti tribe. In Haeghenti society, however, the High Chieftain is largely a figurehead leader. The High Chieftain is respected, and handles foreign-policy issues—but it is the tribal chieftains that hold real power. The tribal chieftains take counsel from each of their respective tribal councils, and it is in this process that the real decision-making for tribal policies is essentially formed. The High Chieftain reflects the majority consensus concerning whatever particular topic of debate that the tribal chiefs and their councils debated about. The High Chieftain lives in a grand hall at the capitol, and has his own entourage of bodyguards, retainers, and concubines. The High Chieftain does, however, hold some political power, in the form of counsel, as well as casting a deciding vote should the Chieftain’s Council be deadlocked in a 3 to 3 vote, for example, and they are unable to fully decide some matter or another. In such a circumstance, the High Chieftain’s vote becomes politically significant.

The Haeghenti tribes are generally peaceful, though passionate about preserving their freedoms, lands, and independence. The Parrallian Halflings have organized the “Parrallian Confederation” as a political term for their tribal union, especially as it concerns humans, and the larger Kingdom of Varanthus, which the Parrallian Confederation is a member, ally and vassal state. The High Chieftain and his various nobles serve as the tribal representatives and ambassadors of the Parrallian Confederation at the court of Varanthus.

Culture

The Parrallian Halflings have two primary cultural traditions that affect their cultural and political attitudes. One cultural tradition belongs to the farming tribes—the farming tribes are from temperate coastal lands, as well as arid desert regions where the tribes had mastered intensive farming and agriculture. The farming tribes had developed intensive crops and orchards, as well as raising larger herds of animals, and increased the mastery of various crafting professions.

The farming tribes tend to be insular, conservative, and cautious. The farming tribes are primarily sedentary agriculturalists, herdsmen, craftsmen, and merchants. The farming tribes are generally peaceful, though reclusive and uninterested in the troubles and concerns of outsiders. The farming tribes are protective of their herds, farms, and villages however, and zealous in organizing a well-armed militia, and launching fierce raids against their enemies.

The other cultural tradition belongs to the nomadic tribes—the nomadic tribes are from dense tropical jungles and tropical rainforests, where the tribes had established many small villages and encampments throughout the region, typically connected by numerous rivers and lakes. The nomadic tribes spent a majority of their time hunting and gathering, migrating along the rivers and marshes while rotating the areas that they hunted, and the areas where they gathered fruits and plants. The various nomadic tribes also came to rely upon boats that they used to travel throughout the rivers and marshes, hunting, foraging, and trading.

The nomadic tribes tend to be friendly, outgoing, and bold. The nomadic tribes are active, restless, and dynamic, eagerly hunting the surrounding regions, as well as gathering fruits and plants, and trading with other peoples they encounter in their travels and migrations. While generally peaceful, the nomadic tribes can be savage and bloodthirsty against their enemies, and have a long tradition of sacrificing captured war prisoners to their gods, as the nomadic tribes believe that the gods can be nourished and gain special strength by receiving the blood and souls of captured enemies. The nomadic tribes have ancient customs and traditions of embracing fierce warfare against their enemies, and are eager to launch raids into enemy lands to punish their enemies with death and to also take booty and plunder. The nomadic tribes are eager to explore new lands, creatures, and peoples, and are fearless and adventurous raiders, explorers and merchants.

The Parrallian Halflings are a confederation of two groups of tribes, and have spent many years synthesizing the two cultures, mixing the two cultures and religions together, and creating something new and different from either, while remaining familiar at the same time. The two groups have learned from each other, and vigorously engaged in cross-pollinating each other with new ideas and ways of thinking, new customs, and new traditions, to form a dynamic, united, and intriguing hybrid of the two original cultures. The Parrallian Halflings generally love their farms and herds with great passion, though many also love the exhilaration of hunting and wandering the wilderness, as well as using their boats and barges to travel the local rivers and lakes, hunting, raiding, exploring, and trading with friendly tribes and communities along the journey.

Economically, the Parrallian Halflings embrace a mixed economy, using both barter systems and coin-based systems. The Parrallian Halflings raise various crops of grain, as well as a variety of orchards, from apples and plums, to almonds and walnuts. The Parrallian Halflings also grow blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries, among others.
The Parrallian Halflings have also developed several important industries, such as weaving, wool, fishing, as well as woodcarving, textiles, bee-keeping, and ranching.

Parrallian Halflings embrace a monogamous marriage custom, though divorces are relatively easy to obtain, and remarriage is entirely acceptable. There is no stigma attached to divorced or remarried members of the society in any way. Premarital sex is not only expected, and the norm—but encouraged through both private custom, as well as tribal, communal customs where adolescents of both sexes are expected to participate in various fertility rituals that celebrate the tribal fertility and pay homage and thanks to the gods. There are also rituals that celebrate the adolescent’s transition into adulthood, and sexual unions and ritual orgies are a common feature in such tribal celebrations and rituals. Parrallian Halfling marriage customs are noted briefly below:

Monogamous; Loose, Informal, Concubinage

Loose: People involved have varying expectations of absolute sexual fidelity and exclusivity; mistresses, lovers, and so on are fairly common, and generally accepted.

Informal: The culture has no strict requirements concerning divorce, and divorce is relatively easy and simple to do, with no social, religious or cultural stigmas for anyone involved. In addition, children born out of wedlock are not subject to being outcasts, and may be common and entirely accepted.

Concubinage: The culture embraces the custom of maintaining concubines for a married person, whether male or female. In the cases where concubines provide children, the children have some rights of inheritance. In addition, concubines have an official, legal and social status, and enjoy specific social, legal and inheritance rights.

Religion

The Parrallian Halflings worship a large and diverse pantheon of gods. Sages believe that within the oral traditions of the six tribes are clues hinting at a past time where some of the tribes were agricultural, and blended with other tribes that were nomadic. The Parrallian Halfling pantheon seems to be a synthesis of settled, agricultural deities, and other gods, of a barbaric, primitive, and mystical nature.

The Parrallian Halflings build temples of stone and wood in honor of their gods, though such temples are typically encircled by several groves of sacred trees. The temples always have a great pool within them, as well as a great stone altar carved with animal heads and other depictions of the gods in humanoid form. There is also always a great stone fire-pit, so that a large animal or humanoids can be sacrificed to the gods. The Parrallian Halflings hold various celebrations throughout the year, celebrating the different seasons, as well as particular festivals honoring the gods.

The deities of the Parrallian Halflings are briefly listed and described below:

Parrallian Halfling Deities

Emgahway—Emgahway is a supreme god, and leader of the pantheon, along with his wife, the “Great Mother” goddess, Dahshomnoo. Emgahway is a god of war, fire, mountains and strength.

Shuhmoggee—Shuhmoggee is a god of winter, wind, storms, rain, and the sea.

Ushnam—Ushnam is a god of trade, crafts, wisdom, knowledge and law.

Oohmoghwah—Oohmogwah is a god of dark forests, battle, courage, and hunting.

Saumaerik—Saumaerik is a god of the sun, fertility, passion, hope and joy.

Haaghishnah—Haaghishnah is a god of agriculture, domesticated animals, harvests, and nature.

Yomnaroo—Yomnaroo is a god of trickery, greed, ambition, trade, and journeys.

Nooghamnee—Nooghamnee is a god of darkness, disease, the night, and death.

Dahshomnoo—Dahshomnoo is a supreme “Great Mother” goddess, and wife to Emgahway. Dahshomnoo is a goddess of nature, storms, fertility, animals and rivers.

Dahnaroo—Dahnaroo is a goddess of love, friendship, marriage, honor and loyalty.

Meelah—Meelah is a goddess of fate, luck, gambling, poetry, knowledge and travel.

Soborhee—Soborhee is a goddess of the sun, deserts, passion, fire, art, and beauty.

Lahneemah—Lahneemah is a goddess of nature, animals, lakes, rivers, and spring rains.

Rhoonaydah—Rhoonaydah is a goddess of darkness, the moon, prophecy, magic and secrets.

Nhambeelah—Nhambeelah is a goddess of darkness, serpents, reptiles, passion, dancing, lust and magic.

Nahgheesah—Nahgheesah is a goddess of insects, death, disease, magic, and darkness.

Noobhellee—Noobhellee is a goddess of fertility, sexuality, lust, music, dancing, and passion.

Ahgheemah—Ahgheemah is a goddess of healing, knowledge, compassion, and wisdom.

Warfare

The Parrallian Halflings recruit their forces from all of the tribes, and form units of light infantry, skirmishers, and raiders. The Parrallian Halflings, while generally peaceful, are zealous in defense of their lands, and can be savage and bloodthirsty. The Parrallian Halflings typically coat their weapons with various toxins that cause agony, pain, weakness, and such, but seldom death, as the halflings enjoy taking captives for torture, sacrifice, or slavery.

Cultural Weapons and Armour

Halfling Cultural Armour
Leather Armor (AC 8)
Hide Armor (AC 8)
Studded Leather (AC 7)

Halfling Cultural Weapons
Dagger, Dart, Club, Sling, Handaxe, Shortbow, Shortsword, Javelin, Spear, Quarterstaff