Heap of Approved Content
After several relatively dry threads, this was a comparative gold mine. I ommitted everything that has already been described in this thread, and some stuff here is probably also in one of the stickied threads, but since it's in Heap of Approved Content, it appears here.
First, a description of the lands near the south pole (south tower) that gave birth to the cult of Seto:
The bleak deserts of the wastelands and the burning mountains of the south meet in between the dark and lifeless lands surrounding the negative energy tower of the South Pole. Between the sandstone and the igneous rocks, the undead rise without ever being called. Occasionally, the nomads of the deserts and the windswept plains venture into these lands to search for lost treasures and to hide after raiding settlements and farms. More than one tribe has been completely wiped out by the darkness enveloping that land, sometimes forgotten for ages.
True worshippers of Seto believe that his origins are founded in a similar loss. Seto is believed to have been the last of the most vicious and unforgiving desert tribes, called The Raven's Children. They were hunted to extinction by the thieves’ guild out of Ignussus, known as the Curved Blade of Arcton, for damaging the infrastructure upon which the guild was dependant. Slowly being killed off, the peoples of the Raven's Children were forced further and further towards the bleak desolation of the south pole. They fought a gorilla war that they could never truly win, and slowly their people were forced into slavery or murdered by the Curved Blade of Arcton.
Next, a description of the Wanderlust Inn:
The Wanderlust Inn (Minor Artifact)
The Wanderlust Inn appears as a simple gypsy's wagon, always painted brightly in a rainbow of clashing colors. Two large draft horses are always tethered to the outside of the wagon, cropping whatever vegetation happens to be nearby, though the actual yokes of the wagon are forever empty. A small stove pipe on the wagon's roof is always trailing a thin wisp of smoke. Above the door at the rear of the wagon hangs a sign depicting the silhouettes of a young girl and a dog walking into the welcoming arms of a large, pot-bellied man.
Inside the wagon, however, is an entire homey inn. A large tap room never has a lack of seating, no matter how many patrons enter, and immense quantities of food and droink are always on hand. The guest rooms are exceedingly comfortable and cozy without being lavish, and there are always vacancies regardless of the number of guests staying the night.
In the entryway, next to the cloakroom (which always has enough hangers for everyone's cloak, cape, jacket or hat), there are two large notice boards. One is a public board made available to anyone who wishes to solicit adventurers for empoyment or employees, and the second always carries a list of the Inn's itinerary of destinations.
On occasion, the Inn will change its location. When it does so, it is never seen to move, it simply vanishes with the evening mists, reappearing elsewhere with the morning dew. Where the Inn is, it seems to have there as long as anyone can remember, and where ever it had been, it seems to have never been there at all.
Strong conjuration; CL 20th.
A description of Taurusk's home plane (demiplane) and a generic description of his temples:
Taurusk made four of his chosen warlords into demigods - The Riders. With these divine minions he brought war to the whole of Enworld. That is, until they reached the mountain home of the Shural-Kazi's goblins. There, Taurusk himself entered battle. In the end, and few know the whole tale, Taurusk was imprisoned in an endless, shifting labyrinth created by Shural-Kazi. The Riders circled the plane for a thousand years before returning to Enworld. One of them always stands guard at the Labyrinth awaiting the Taurusk's emergence. The Riders are responsible for providing blood to Taurusk, usually in the form of seven male and seven female virgins each year. Taurusk watches and interacts with the outside world through a well at the center of the Labyrinth. The Well of Tears was born with the Labyrinth. Legend holds that when the tears of sacrifices to Taurusk fill the Well and the Labyrinth to overflowing Taurusk will be freed. Other legends state that only Shural-Kazi holds the key to Taurusk's release. Worship of Taurusk has been on the rise for some time and as more sacrifices are made in his name the Well of Tears grows and his ability to touch the mortal world increases.
Temples to Taurusk are varied, but all have some aspect of the labyrinth - twisting natural caverns, elaborate stone buildings with winding stone corridors, stepping stones set into the earth or even a sinuous path painted on the ground. At the center of each is a representation of the Well of Tears. Over this well, ritual sacrifices are made. The sacrifices are frequently tortured, so that the tears of the sacrifice, as well as the blood, may be offered to Taurusk.
A general description of Mortalist Hospices:
Though Mortalists do not have temples per se, they often run hospices in areas between major towns, providing healing, education and protection to travelers and the rural populace. They also act as centers of learning and discussion amoung Mortalists. (Kirin, the Mortalist cleric, was raised and trained in such a hospice following the death of her parents.) Such organized groups often 'sponsor' good members of traditionaly evil or savage races who are cast out from their people of birth, but shunned by the 'civilized' races.
We've already had a description of the Sairundani. Here are a few more words on the Sairundan, their home:
Sairundan is a land far to the southwest of the city of Orussus, a loose federation of several seminomadic tribes, supposedly founded by djinni.
Currently, 13 tribes exist, each named after a storm or wind. These are the Aeolus, Bayamo, Boreas, Coromell, Etesian, Haboob, Hurakan, Kadja, Kohilo, Monsoon, Notus, Sirrocco and Zephyr.
Two tribes that have existed a long time in the past, but joined with other tribes are the Typhoon, who joined the Hurakan, and the Eurus, who joined the Monsoon.
While many tribes travel the lands of Sairundan, a few tribes live in the cities that survived the wars against the Efreet. The largest city, Helatia, currently houses the Hurakan, while the Zephyr live in Baras, a small town. As it might be expected, several tribes have left a city they lived in for the change this step brings, and a tribe that leaves a city invites another tribe into the city. Most times, the invited tribe passes the invitiation to a different tribe, and so on, until a tribe does accept and moves into the town. Only a few tribes refuse to live in the cities entirely, namely the Sirocco and the Boreas.
Here's a little more on the Labyrinth, the home of Taurusk, and by extension, a little on the ruined city of Inzedu'un:
The Labyrinth
This demplane is a mirror of the city of Inzehdu'un, where Taurusk is trapped. It is built on the peak of a terraced mountain, with mighty arches and artistic construction, not to mention the stunning view of the Greater Sajebak Mountains. It is also somewhat of a maze to those who are unfamiliar with the city. All this is lost, however, on Taurusk, who looks about him and sees only his captivity - there is no way to leave (other than through the Well of Tears; his scrying pool, which will only open itself with the tears of a united Shural-Kazi). Descending down from the mountain-top along one of the myraid pathways will only result in being lost in the fog which permeates the lower region, and upon emerging from the fog, the wanderer finds himself along a path leading back into the vast city. There are a few key differences in construction as compared to the true city of Inzehdu'un. First, here it is always twilight. Second, there is nothing alive here other than Taurusk, not even moss. Third, the Labyrinth is Inzehdu'un at the height of civilization; the real Inzehdu'un lies in ruins, rumored to be guarded by terrible creatures and the ghosts of fallen goblins. Fourth, it is uncannily difficult to move things around - the Labyrinth resists change.
Traits of the Labyrinth
- Normal Gravity
- Timeless: Creatures do not age, hunger, thirst, heal naturally, or need to sleep while in the Labyrinth. These resume functioning when the traveller leaves the Labyrinth.
- Self-Contained: Travellers cannot leave the Labyrinth through physical means. The paths descending down the mountain lead into fog, and upon emerging from the fog, travellers find themselves heading in the opposite direction.
- Static: The Labyrinth is eternally unchanging. It is difficult to affect things on the demiplane, requiring a Strength check (DC 16) to move unattended objects. The buildings of the city itself cannot be affected in any way, and nothing will grow in this plane - seeds do not take root, cells do not regenerate themselves, etc. Travellers trapped on this plane without some means of magically restoring themselves will eventually crumble into dust if they spend too long (usually more than a few weeks) in the plane.
- Impeded Magic: All magic is impeded. It takes a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + level of the spell) to cast any spell.
Finally, there is a minor fact, but a potentially useful one nevertheless:
- There is probably a place in EnWorld called Thelisia, known for its red wine.
