Serpenteye's e-mail (with permission) ecaf99@hotmail.com
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MAPS
GUILTY PUPPY, MAPMAKER OF THE IR: CURRENT 5TH IR MAPS
http://www.rowf.net/ir/maptest/map-edit.php
http://www.rowf.net/ir/maptest/map-view.php
THE LARGE SCALEOERTH MAP, CRUCIAL FOR THE 5TH IR
http://members.aol.com/cathbhadhx/tsroerth.gif
JAMES' MAP OF THE WORLD OF OERTH
http://www.enworld.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=17956
LIVING GREYHAWK CAMPAIGN LINK, IMPORTANT FOR THE 5TH IR
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=lg.
LIVING GREYHAWK MAP
http://www.sodabob.com/roleplay/dnd...LG_Map_Full.jpg)
IN HONOR OF MAUDLIN, MAPMAKER OF THE 3RD IR: FINAL MAP FROM THE 3RD IR
http://users.pandora.be/maudlin/Greyhawk.jpg
OTHER GREYHAWK/OERTH MAP URLS
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Close-in map links: http://www.sodabob.com/roleplay/dnd/Maps/
Large-scale map: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/5878/gridgeo.gif
Really large-scale map: http://members.aol.com/cathbhadhx/tsroerth.gif
Really large-scale map: http://www.sodabob.com/roleplay/dnd/Maps/oerthlarge.gif
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MAP LINKS FROM WILLIAM'S MAP AND OTHER CAMPAIGN RESOURCES POST
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http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/5878/wogmaps.html
Greyhawk Maps: http://www.thewatchman.de/spidersweb/oerik.htm
Oerth and Greyhawk maps: http://www.sodabob.com/roleplay/Campaigns/GreyhawkMaps/
Oerth map: http://members.aol.com/cathbhadhx/tsroerth.gif
Oerik Continent: http://www.highprogrammer.com/alan/...p/supermap.html
World of Greyhawk Map: http://www.arrantdestiny.com/maps.htm
Greyhawk Maps: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/5878/wogmaps.html
(One shows latitude.)
Living Greyhawk Maps: http://ca.geocities.com/kanisl/
World of Greyhawk Maps: http://talmeta.net/maps/wog.htm
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GREYHAWK SOURCE MATERIAL
THE GREYHAWK JOURNALS (compliments of William and others)
http://www.tc.umn.edu/~monax002/Council/journals.html
LIVING GREYHAWK (compliments of William)
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=lg.
THE HIGH HISTORY OF THE FLANAESS (compliments of William and others)
http://www.tc.umn.edu/~monax002/Cou...J1/history.html
OERTH BEYOND THE FLANAESS (compliments of William)
http://www.sodabob.com/roleplay/dnd/Maps/tsroerth.rtf
OLD GREYHAWK PRODUCTS AVAILABLE AS PDF DOWNLOADS: SV GAMES (compliments of William)
http://www.svgames.com/
GREYHAWK LEGENDARY PLACES (lcompliments of William)
http://www.pvv.ntnu.no/~leirbakk/rp...hawkplaces.html
GREYHAWK DIETIES (compliments of William)
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?...21deitiessearch
NOTABLE PERSONAGES OF GREYHAWK (compliments of Anabstercorian)
http://www.peldor.com/world/people/
THE GREYHAWK CALENDER, NAMES OF DAYS, FESTIVALS (compliments of William)
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In my next post, I will respond to some of the messages I have received. Remember that Al'Akbar sent out messages on the day of his arrival. Using the Greyhawk Calendar, this would probably be the 21st day of the month of Sunsebb in Common Year 603 (3262 Baklunish Hegira). This is roughly equivalent to December 21st on earth -- the usual date of the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year and the longest night of the year.
The world known in the Flanaess as Oerth has 364 days in each year. Each month is 28 days long. However, in addition to the 12 months there are four great festivals. Unlike many other worlds, Oerth has two moons. Luna, the greater moon, waxes and wanes in 28 day cycles. Celene, the lesser moon, is only full four times each year. These occassions mark the great festivals. Luna is often called the Mistress and Celene is often called the Handmaiden. The moons are worlds in their own right, but are largely mysteries to the inhabitants of Oerth.
The days of the week are as follows: Starday, Sunday, Moonday, Godsday, Waterday, Earthday, Freeday. Godsday is the day of worshp for most faiths while Freeday is a day of rest.
The months and great festivals are as follows. Note that I am giving the common names of the months. For more details, you can turn to the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer -- which is a tremendous source of information for Oerth. The seasons are those of the central and western Flanaess, which has a very temperate climate rather like Europe. Winter lasts longer in the north central and northeast regions of the Flanaess, but not in the northwest which is warmed by the currents of the Dramidj Ocean.
Common name: Season: Note
Needfest Midwinter 1st Festival
Fireseek Winter
Readying Spring
Coldeven Spring
Growfest Spring 2nd Festival
Planting Low Summer
Flocktime Low Summer
Wealsun Low Summer
Richfest Midsummer 3rd Festival
Reaping High Summer
Goodmonth High Summer
Harvester High Summer
Brewfest 4th Festival
Patchwall Autumn
Ready'reat Autumn
Sunsebb Winter
From Edena_of_Neith
Note, these are the human names for these months. The elves, dwarves, and others have different names that are well documented in Flanaess lore.
The Flanaess is abnormally warm for it's latitude, especially considering the presence of a large, ice-locked continent (Hyberboria) to the north.
It is an acknowledged fact that the climate of the Flanaess is governed heavily by magic, or perhaps even entirely by magic. The climate is warm temperate to subtropical everywhere south of a line from Ket to Furyondy to the Shieldlands to northern Nyrond to Ratik. North of that line, the climate turns astonishingly cold in a real hurry, transitioning through cold temperate (Perrenland) to subarctic (the Burneal Forest) to arctic (the entire north coast.)
The Thillronian Peninsula does not enjoy this protection, and it is very cold there. The high Corusk Mountains produce powerful winter chinooks as arctic air screams over them, and even after the chinook warming effect the air is still very cold when it reaches the lower southern, subarctic areas.
The waters of the Drawmij Ocean off of Zeif and Ekbir are warmer than they have any right to be ... indeed, they are astonishingly warm. And this warmth protects the Baklunish lands south of the Yecha hills from the cold coming off Hyperboria, producing a warm temperate climate which turns into a hot steppe climate in the Plains of the Paynims, and a severely hot climate in the Dry Steppes.
The climate of the former Suel Imperium (now known as the Sea of Dust) is very much magical, and entirely hot: there is no Earthly equivalent outside of, perhaps, Death Valley. In the central and eastern parts of this ruined land, it has not rained at any point in the last 1,000 years.
Paradoxically, it is cooler in Zindia, to the south of the Sea of Dust, than in the Sea of Dust. In Zindia a normal tropical climate prevails.
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CONCERNING HEMPMONLAND (compliments of William)
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Most of the inhabitants of Hepmonaland are humans of Olman or Touv descent. I will list the total populations for each, based on TSR's Scarlet Brotherhood Greyhawk Supplement, as well as those of other populations. Note that some populations of humans are mixed groups. The Suel of Hepmonaland have some admixture with other human ethnic groups on Oerth, such as the Olman. As such, the Scarlet Brotherhood classifies them as sub-citizens. (Those without Suel blood are considered slaves or potential slaves.)
Whoever takes the Olman and Touv should likely be working against the Scarlet Brotherhood. It might be part of a faction for a new player to claim. Note that these figures are the total for all populations. I have included humanoids and other creatures in the totals. In the Yuan Ti areas, the bulk of the population are humans who are slaves to the Yuan Ti.
Olman populations
Original As per Serpenteye's population adjustment rules
21,600 43,200
Touv populations
Original As per Serpenteye's population adjustment rules
201,400 402.800
Suel (Really partly-Suel)
Original As per Serpenteye's population adjustment rules
53,300 106,600
Yuan Ti areas (Mostly humans ruled by Yuan Ti)
Original As per Serpenteye's population adjustment rules
49,500 99,000
A player taking the Touv and Olman may want to take a demideity or hero deities. The Touv demigoddess Brenna, CN (N) is the demigoddess of passion and forgiveness, being an originally evil deity who reformed herself. As previously stated, the Touv are inspired by traditional African cultures and the Olman are much like such cultures as the Maya and the Aztecs.
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CONCERNING THE DEMIGODS OF OERTH (compliments of William)
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Demigod Wastri and his history: Concerning one of your earlier questions, Wastri is the demigod of bigotry and amphibians. He is lawful neutral/lawful evil and may have been a member of the Scarlet Brotherhood long ago. He resides in the Vast Swamp. His goal is to have humans rule and eliminate demihumans. Orcs, goblins, and bullywugs are among the races that exist to serve humanity in his view. His priests become more amphibian over time.
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CONCERNING THE HISTORY OF THE ELVES OF OERTH (compliments of Thomas)
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The elves, as you know, were created from the blood of Corellon Larethian, shed in battle with Gruumsh. But this blood was spilt in the name of his betrothed, Sehanine Moonbow. Sehanine considered the elves her children, too, and loved them. She created a realm of dream and fancy, where desire dictated reality and there was no hardship. She invited her children with loving arms to come to dwell in paradise forever, and leave the "lesser races" to Oerth (there seems to be the possibility that this was in response to Tharzidun attempting to uncreate reality). Many of the elves, naturally good-hearted, were appalled by the idea of abandoning Oerth to its fate, turned their back on Sehanine, and dispersed (some swore themselves to Chaos, and became the Valley Elves (in the Valley of the Mage); some swore themselves to Law, and went west to the Empire of Sufang. Other elves regard both of these groups with extreme ambilvalence). Half of the elves went with Sehanine. This history has the birthplace of the Elves being in the Flanaess, altough a number of the Elves who remained in Oerth formed the "Kingdom of Miranda," of unknown location. (Info from here.)
Nowadays, Sehanine's clerics, known as the People of the Testng, try to undo the split caused by their goddess and reunite the Elven race. Like their goddess, they preach uninvolvement with the other races. Queen Yolande's policy of strict neutrality during the Greyhawk wars is attribute to their influence, and it is rumored that the death of the Prince Consort was done at their hand because he displayed too much interest in humankind. (This is the background I'm using for Celene, although I don't know how canon it is. Scroll down or do a wordsearch for "Celene.")
The Lendarl islands (or Lendore, or Spindrift), formerly ruled by a council of five powerful mages and having a human population on one of the chain, was subjected to a bloodless coup by the People of the Testing during the Greyhawk Wars. They exiled the humans. Celene has made no comment on the matter. (See this and scroll way the heck down or do a wordsearch for "Lendore.")
The history I'm writing up in fact has the People of the Testing falling out of favor (since the faction is human-friendly and far from isolationist and neutral), but the reuniting of the Elven race still a priority. One of the messages I'm composing is to you, reccomending a solid alliance and offering, unconditionally, any defensive aid you might need.
(ITALICIZED TEXT) Also of interest- In one history (I linked to it at some point, on this thread or the last- I'll try and find it again. Edit: found it ), which was not necesarily canon, of the western nations of Greyhawk, the very northwest portion of the continent housed a fractured Elven empire (broken down into 4-5 states). The interesting part is that there was supposedly a link to a faery plane called "Elfland", which might be related to Sehanine's realm (although there's some crossover between the material and elfland, and I think Sehanine's offer was a one-way trip). There's some relation between the region's name "Minaria" and "Miranda," the elven kingdom of unknown location.
Ignore the italicized above, it'm 99% sure it's not canon.
Okay, I think I figured it out. The little sticky-outy bit of earth labled "Elven Lands" is Miranda. Skip Williams sayeth "Elven Lands: It seems that eleven seafarers crossed (the) Solnor Ocean millennia ago and established a kingdom upon this peninsula."
Anyway, just some info. We probably should hash out how the Elves ended up the way they are, so we're on the same page in terms of history.
Addennum: Miranda is described as being in "far-off Orannia" and you go "over the Solnor" to reach it. Solnor is the name of the Sea by the Sea Barons of the Great Kingdom.
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CONCERNING THE ELVES OF THE FORESTS OF THE FLANAESS (Adri Forest, Bramblewood Forest, Dim Forest and the Oytwood, Celadon Forest, Dreadwood, Fellreev Forest, Gamboge Forest, Gnarley Forest, Grandwood, Nutherwood/Phostwood, Rieuwood and the Menowood, Vesve Forest, and the northeastern forests (the Spikey Forest, Sable Forest, Hraak Forest, and Timberway Forest)) (compliments of Thomas)
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Adri Forest: The elves here are bound in a small kingdom ruled by a lord who wants nothing to do with either the gnomes of the Flinty Hills, the men of Ratik, the men of North Kingdom, or the dwarves of the Rakers, distrusting them all. Keeping his nation isolated, he believes, is the key to survival. While he trades with other peoples, he carefully watches them when they are in his territory.
Bramblewood Forest: How many elves live in this vast forest is unknown, as most of it is claimed and owned by Ket. It is thought, however, that the elves live in their own separate cities, away from the main Kettish populations.
Dim Forest and the Oytwood: These elves are coming into increasingly unfriendly relations. Representatives of both groups travelled together to Celene over ten years ago; when they came back, the two groups came into a slowly rising, but defiintely troublesome, quarrel. Opposing viewpoints over what to do in the wake of the Geoff-Keoland situation are not the cause of the argument, but they are making things worse. Humans who visit are often pressured to take sides in the debate, or to act as impartial messengers, as the elves do not seem to want to go into each others' territory. In any case, however, visitors from Gran March, certain dwarves in the Lortmils, and even northenr Keoland are not well received.
Celadon Forest: The elves of this region have always preferred to maintain their independence from humans, and while they bear man no animosity, they would prefer to send him on his way as soon as possible. This city houses the largest elven city in the Flanaess, outside those of Celene. These elves deal well with the Urnstmen, but past and present injustices by the Nyrondese mean that they trade little and care even less for the people of that region. King Lynwerd has calmed tentions to prevent civil war, but he cannot calm the anti-Nyrondal flames of resentment boiling here.
Dreadwood: The elves of this region live in three different cities in the east, center and west of the forest. Half-orcs and dwarves are wise not to show their faces in this region, nor are citizens of the Yeomanry, the Sea Princes, or Gran March welcome in elven households.
Fellreev Forest: The elves within this region are savage and violent, as ready to fight each other as the local humanoids, monsters, or bandits. All attempts to tame the elves have failed, and indeed the grugach, who have many positions of power here, ceremonially kill men and dwarves.
Gamboge Forest: The elves who dwell here are friendly and good, but fiercely independent. They trust no one of either the Pale or Nyrond, knowing well that both states could covet their territory. Luckily, with the Pale being occupied elsewhere and Nyrond having its own difficulties, they enjoy relative peace, except with the humanoids and monsters of the wood.
Gnarley Forest: The elves of this region are the most classic version-rustic, green-clad people with pointy ears who are masters of the wilderness. While they treat well with the people of Verbobonc, they are wary of any attempts by Furyondy or Dyvers to intrude on their territory, gravely distrust most of Greyhawk, and outright hate the people of the Wild Coast.
Grandwood: The elves here have a long tradition of being freebooting bands of raiders and heroes, packing up their tents, tipis and even collapsible treehouses, moving their towns to avoid being captured by enemies. They consider Ahlissa to be their greatest foe, though they have little love for the people of the Hestmark Highlands or Rel Astra either, only treating with their fellows in the Lone Heath.
Nutherwood/Phostwood: The elves here are suspicious of most outsiders except the Flan, with whom they are strong and brave friends. Strong allies of the Tenha, the two peopls have often aided each other in matters of war against their mutual enemies. The two peoples share many cultural and life elements as well, though the elves find the incorporation of Oeridian architechture and battle tactics into Tenha society to be somewhat annoying.
Rieuwood and the Menowood: While allied with the Sunnd, and the dwarves of the Hollow and Hestmark Highlands, the elves of these regions are suspicious of Holgi Hirsute and his dealings with the Oeridians of Irongate and Onnwall. They deal/dealt well with Idee, often exchanging goods and information between peoples.
Vesve Forest: As part of the grand alliance of good that has flourished here for milennia, the elves of the southern Vesve are good, kind and honest. They worked with the brave Flan warriors in what is now Furyondy before the migrations, and they will continued to do so with the modern nations against Iuz, the Horned Society, or whoever else their foe is this day. Those of the north, however, are isolationist and almost xenophobic towards humanity, blaming men for the evils of Iuz and the Society, and bitter from the endless fighting they must endure against humanoids in that region.
The Northeastern Forests (Spikey Forest, Sable Forest, Hraak Forest, and Timberway Forest)
The elves in these forests, surrounded by barbarians, prefer to live apart from their neighbors, although they can reflect the tendencies of their human neighbors: The Hraak people are cruel and savage: the Sable people are cold and aloof, those of the Timberway friendly and jolly, and those of the Spikey Forest strong and brave.
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CONCERNING MANY FLANAESS ORGANIZATIONS (compliments of William)
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This was circa the release of the Living Greyhawk Gazeteer and some of the stats may be subject to change. Also, I tried to create some new organizations based on what I know of the World of Greyhawk.
Bonehearts and Boneshadow: Iuz's clerics and wizards are known as the Boneheart, while his rogues and spies are called the Boneshadow.
The Circle of Eight: Led by Mordenkainen (Neutral, Human male, Wizard), this organization has fought such evils as Iuz and the Scarlet Brotherhood, even while pursuing its own agendas. Other members include Bigby (Neutral, Human male, 19th level wizard), Otto (Neutral, W15/Cleric of Boccob 3rd), Jallazi Sallavarian (NG, Human female, W15), Dwamij (N, human male, W 18), Nystul (N, Male Human, W 17, Warnes Starcoat (N, Male Wizard, Level 20), Alhamazad the Wise (LN, male Human, W 19), and Theodan Eriason (CN, male elf, W 17.) Mordenkainen is still on friendly terms with Tenser (LG, male human, Wizard 21) who left the Circle of Eight to found his own organization dedicated to fighting Iuz and other evils. The Circle of Eight is known to have a good intelligence network, aided by magical means. Tenser has a similar network.
Horned Society: Former rulers and traditional rivals to Iuz, the Horned Society lost its lands to the demigods. Known for devil worship and the worship of evil deities, there is a concern that the dispersed organization may have people in many lands. Also, some members still fight against Iuz from within his empire. (This faction might be great for a lawful evil power seeking an alliance with devils. Mind you, as with any factions, you have to keep their goals in mind. So, Iuz is not their favorite person.)
Knight Protectors of the Great Kingdom: Once a great order in the Kingdom of Aerdi, they fell into decline. The order was traditionally split between follows of Heironeous and Hextor. Their goal was the preservation of the Great Kingdom. Most of its members now live in Ratik or in Nyrond. This is an order of lawful knights. The rulers of the North Kingdom might support an order worshipping Hextor, but not the Heironeans. So, this order is likely split ? one wanting an evil Great Kingdom and others supporting states that evolved from the Great Kingdom. The latter may desire to rid their land of evil by supporting Almor (some of which is now a province of Nyrond) or Ratik. So, this is a faction several players can claim ? including the Nyrond faction and the Great Kingdom faction.
Knights of the Hart: This order is further broken down into the Knights of Furyondy, the Knights of Veluna, and the knights of the High Forest. They have vowed to oppose Iuz.
Knights of Holy Shielding: This group once ruled the Shield Lands before Iuz triumphed over them. They are lead by Lady Katarina of Walworth and by her chidr aid Knight Bnanneret Incossee of the Bronze Band (LG male human, Ftr 13) a Flan General. Many are paladins, fighters or clerics of Heironeous.
Knights of Luna: This is an order in Celene, led by Melf, Prince Brightflame of Celene (NG, male elf, Wizard 14/Ftr 4) They strongly support the fight to restore Ulek's orders, oppose Iuz, and have a good working relationship with the Knights of the Hart.
Knights of the Watch: Traditionally suspicious of barbarian Baklunish raiders, and too often prejudiced against the Baklunish, they are lead by the Grandiose Imperial Wyvern Hugo of Geoff (LN, Fighter 16). Popular deities among its membership are St. Cuthmbert, Heironeous, Pholtus, Allitur, and Mahayeine. They are split between the Knights of the Watch and the less traditional Knights of Dispatch, who do not hate the Baklunish but hate those who have invaded Geoff as well as Iuz. The Knights of the Watch tend to be mystically inclined and comprised of fighters, clerics, and paladins, while the Knights of the Dispatch tend to have more fighters, rangers, clerics and rogues.
Mouquollad Consortium: The great Baklunish merchant houses belong to this group, and have offices in many cities throughout the Flanaess. Members include clerics of Mouquol, god of commerce, wizards, warriors and rogues.
Old Faith: Centered on the worship of Beory and other deities, this great druidic organization commands great respect .
Old Lore: This group of bards, associated with the Old Faith, is known for its skills in fighting and stealth. Unlike many other bards, they cast druidic spells. They are mostly Flan of noble birth.
The People of the Testing: A group of Elven mystics from throughout the Flanaess, these elves have passed under the Moonarch of Sehanine. The Moonarch appears in different places when Oerth's lesser moon, Celene, is full. So far, the Moonarch has only appeared in random locations in Northern Celene. They seem to have gained rare knowledge and magic. The most well known member is Elraniel Tesmarien (CG, male elf, Wiz 13.) They also have a presence in Sunndi.
The Silent Ones of Keoland: This order of mages and diviners possess some of the last of Suel magic. The Tower of Silence rises hundreds of feet into the air in a location a day's ride from the Keoish capitol of Niole Dra. They are lead by Mohrgyr the Old (N, Male Human, Wizard 20) and have been known to oppose those who seek dangerous magical power. They are not pleased with the emergence of the Scarlet Brotherhood.
The Silver Coins: Often identified by a silver coin with arcane symbols, this organization was founded by the Archmage Tenser to be a good aligned counterpart to the Circle of Eight ? with which it maintains contact and a friendly rivalry. Like the Circle of Eight, the Silver Coins have a good intelligence network supplemented by magic. Their primary goal is to oppose Iuz and other evil organizations, while promoting goodness.
The Emerald Order: This organization is dedicated to the preservation of Oerth's natural environment. It is very similar to the Emerald Enclave on Toril.
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CONCERNING THE HISTORY OF THE GREYHAWK WARS (compliments of William)
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A summary of the Greyhawk Wars: In Common Year 582, Iuz impersonates the Suel god Vatun and spurs the Northern Barbarians to attack the Hold of Stonefist. Iuz next uses magic to dominate the leader of Stonefist and invade the Duchy of Tenh. The Northern Barbarians leave, but Tenh becomes a battleground between the Tenha, the Pale, Iuz, and Stonehold. In the meantime, Iuz defeats the Horned Society, and seizes the lands of the Horned Society and the Bandit Kingdoms.
At the same time, Ivid V of the Great Kingdom moves against Almor and the Iron League. Almor and Sunndi were conquered but Nyrond repels the Overking's forces. At the same time, there is infighting and the Overking's forces attacked Rel Astra. Ivid begins killing his nobles and bringing them back as undead, only to suffer a similar fate. He is renamed Ivid the Undying.
In 594 CY, the Pomarj seizes half of the Principality of Ulek and destroys most of the free cities of the Wild Coast. Celene fails to heed the calls of its allies in the Ulek state for help.
At the same time, the Scarlet Brotherhood conquers the Hold of the Sea Princes, the Lordship of the Isles, Idee and Onwall. The war concludes as different nations sign the Pact of Greyhawk, shortly after Rary, a member of the Circle of Eight, kills his colleagues Tenser and Otiluke at the peace conference.
Despite the pact, some of the fighting continues. The war between the Pomarj and the Principality of Ulek continues. Nyrond absorbs most of what is left of Almor. In 586, Canon Hazen of Veluna uses the Crook of Rao in a ritual that banishes most of the fiends summoned by Ivid, Iuz, and other evil powers. King Belvor III of Furyondy captures the easternmost parts of the Shield Lands from Iuz.
Iuz suffers a further setback in 587, when the ruler of Stonehold is mysteriously freed of the Old One?s magical influences. Stonehold declares Iuz an enemy. The Scarlet Brotherhood and the Great Kingdom also face setbacks. A magical field surrounds Rauxes, capitol of the Great Kingdom. No one knew what became of the city or its ruler. The Great Kingdom splits into two hostile states.
The Scarlet Brotherhood looses all of Onnwal except for its capital, Scant. Ahlissa, a successor to the Great Kingdom, takes the city of Idee from the Scarlet Brotherhood. Meanwhile, the Hold of the Sea Princes erupts into civil war. Sunndi breaks free in 589 CY to become an independent Kingdom.
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CONCERNING VARIOUS PLACES ON OERTH (Continents of Aquaria and Anakeris; the nations of Blackmoor, Esmerin, and Komal; the Valley of the Mage; the Olman Isles and their peoples; the Isle of the Phoenix; the city of Garel Enkdal; Drax the Invulnerable and his city of Rel Astra; Iuzs' troubles in Fellreev Forest; Iggwily, mother of Iuz) (compliments of Williams)
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Continents of Aquaria and Anakeris: Also, Serpenteye may or may not wish to include the Anakeris continent and the continent of Aquaria, with its Isle of the Phoenix, in the IR. Both are not strictly canon, but were created by people associated with TSR. (Aquaria was created by Frank Mentzner and has humans and demihumans. Anakeris is kind of Polynesian.)
Nation of Blackmoor: As for Blackmoor, the LGG identifies the ruler as the Archbaron Bestmor (NE, male human, Ftr 11/Wiz 4). Most inhabitants are lawful neutral or evil. He rules from Dantredun, as the Egg of Coot, a mysterious entity, claims the ruined city of Blackmoor. The Egg of Coot is said to possess great magical power and is responsible for 'automata' near the city. Enemies include Iuz and the Wolf Nomads. However, Iuz seems to avoid the land ? possibly due to a magical influence from various ancient mounds and standing stones.
Nation of Esmerin: I cannot find Esmerin on any map, although it is mentioned in the LGG as a legendary land and other sources place it in the Lortmils.
Nation of Komal: In the LGG gazetteer, there is a reference to a land called Komal to the west of the Sultanate of Zeif ? off the map to the west. It appears to be the section of coast opposite of Zeif on the big map.
Valley of the Mage: The leader of the Valley of the Mage is identified as Jaran Krimeeah, an Aerdi wizard also called the Black One. It is known that he has gnomes and valley elves in his service. He has a drow henchwoman. Enemies include Geoff exiles, Bissel, Gran March, Knights of the watch, Keoland, Sterich, the Circle of Eight, the elves of the Flanaess and even the drow. Indeed, one of the few things that the surface elves and the drow share is a disdain for the valley elves. You might want to see about claiming a portion of the Dim Forest, as it borders Gran March and Geoff.
The Olman Islands and their peoples: They are culturally similar to their inspirations ? the Maya, Aztec, and other Mesoamerican cultures and worship deities of the Central American pantheon.
The Isle of the Phoenix: It existed in a series of RPGA modules as an island off the coast of Aquaria. This continent, created by Frank Mentzner of TSR, had an empire started by Oeridian seafarers (there might have been some Flan humans there, not sure) amid demihumans and humanoids. The empire colIasped, and was replaced with some city states, nations, and settlements. One of the kings played around with technology and I seem to remember a Druidic alliance there, as well as a powerful Lawful Good wizard/cleric on the Isle of the Phoenix.
City of Garel Enkdal: In the LGG, there is an reference to Garel Enkdal, a city of some 25,000 plus orcs, with some numbers of ogres, orc-ogre crossbreeds and other creatures. It is located in the Griff Mountains near Stonehold.
Drax the Invulnerable, Animus Ruler of Rel Astra: Do recall that Rel Astra is ruled by an animus, who is known as Drax the Invulnerable. There are others in the former Great Kingdom, but only a limited number. (It seems only some nobles got the animus treatment.). I don?t have stats, but the ruler of Rel Astra seems to be strong, command mindless undead, charm people, cause fear by touch, heal quickly and have standard undead immunities. (Maybe treat them as a template). Also, I recall that Ivid created some undead outside of Rauxes. So, the undead can boost Ashdarlon's armies.
EDIT: There is immense and undying hatred of Ivid in Drax's heart. Ivid ordered the destruction of Medegia, and the forces plundering that land also attempted the destruction of Rel Astra, Drax's city. Today, Rel Astra stands, but only a few insane individuals live in all the former land of Medegia.
Iuz's troubles in Fellreev Forest: Iggwily, mother of Iuz: There is strong resistance to Iuz from many factions in the Fellreev forest. Factions include sylvan elves, former bandits, some flan, some remnants of the Horned Society under Heirarch Nezmajen (NE male human Clr 15 of Nerull), and the lich Dahlvier (NE male human undead, Wizard 18.)
Iuz has received some help from his mother Iggwilv, a woman of mixed Baklunish ancestry. She is an evil wizard of epic level. The Greyhawk adventure, Return of the Eight, suggests she is likely at least 25th level. She is known to be skilled at summoning fiends and necromancy. She has great knowledge of the planes, and actually bound Graz?zt for a time. I can also give you some information from a Greyhawk module on Tuerny, if you wish.
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- - -
PLAYERS AND THEIR POWERS
AIRWHALE (AND ZELDA THEMELIN)
(Airwhale and Zelda are working together, running a single power)
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E-Mail (with permission) wildspace@gmail.com
PC: unknown
Artifacts: unknown
Powers:
- Friendly ports on Oerth - these are spelljamming ports outside some of the major cities on Oerth, and serve as major centers of commerce with the rest of Oerth, along with providing planetside havens and reststops for the spelljamming races.
- Kule (Celene, the Handmaiden), Oerth's nearest moon (claimed if it has an atmosphere) (under survellance if it doesn't have an atmosphere)
- The town of Triumph on Raenei (Luna), Oerth's farther moon - this represents a small force of humans/demihumans and a spelljammer port.
- Numerous asteroids in the Grinder, including the whole of Ceres the largest asteroid - these represent very large forces of all the spelljamming races, and many spelljamming ports.
- Friendly relations with Edill (Edill is not claimed - Edill represents INCREDIBLE forces of good dragons, and possibly other forces)
- The World of Ginsel - this represent the heart of the Triple Alliance, very large forces of humans, sizeable forces of demihumans, possible very large forces of mercenary gith, possible underwater forces, possibly other forces, and large numbers of spelljamming ports.
- The World of Greela - this represents Cenbreadine the Elven Ship Growing Shipyard, large forces of elves, small forces of humans, and small forces of neutral and good giants
- The Disk World of Spectre - this cold world represents large dwarven forces mining magical metals, small forces of humans, and small forces of tinker gnomes from Krynnspace who maintain a Giant Hampster ranch.
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
Allies in the Port Cities on Oerth: 600 = 0.03 IC x1,00
Kule (Celene), Oerth's nearer moon (under surveillance) 0 = 0 IC
Triumph on Raenei (Luna), Oerth's farther moon: 6,000 = 0.2 IC x1,00
The Asteroids, including Ceres, in the Grinder: 340,000 = 18 IC x0,75 = 13,5 IC
The World of Ginsel: 5,000,000 = 250 IC x0,95 = 237,5 IC
The World of Greela: 400,500 = 20 IC x0,95 = 19 IC
The Disk World of Spectre: 320,000 = 16 IC x0,75 = 12 IC
TOTAL IC OF AIRWHALES'/ZELDAS' POWER SO FAR: 282,23 IC
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: TANNISH
Territories on map: No on-map territories. Many territories off-map up in Wildspace, on other worlds, asteroids, and in space.
PLAYER NOTES:
'Ginsel, the Crescent-shaped earth planet and our main base of operations, has a population of over 6 million humans, and a smattering of demi-humans. It is only 1/16th the surface area of Oerth, about 3 million square miles. 25% of that is water. It is mineral rich, more so per cubic foot than Oerth, (though Oerth's larger mass means that it has many more deposits).'
'When the crystal sphere was sealed off 20 years ago, grayspace went into a major panic. There was rioting and looting on many of the human settlements, the arcane were sealed off from the rest of their race, the elven shipyard was cut off from the imperial navy, and trade ground to a halt. During this time, the Beholder nations, the nogi and the mind flayers begin to flourish, as their opponent/food was disorganized. The Free Traders, the remains of the elvish Imperial navy, and the recently unified nation of Ginsel came together and decided to forge an alliance, to remove these groups from Grayspace. We are that triple alliance, mainly made up of elves, humans, and dwarves. After a great war lasting about 10 years, we now rule space uncontested.
So, here is a list of planets in grayspace, where they were 20 years ago, and what has happened to them in the twenty years that the crystal sphere has been sealed.
Oerth:
The center of the sphere, both metaphorically and literally. Not much more needs to be said here.
Kule (?) 10 million miles (2 hours to Oerth) (Celene, the Handmaiden)
The closest 'moon' to Oerth (technically, everything is a moon to Oerth)
Kule has the remnants of a great civilization, apparently wiped out by some great magical war/catastrophe. Zelda and I are in disagreement as to if this moon has an atmosphere, but the Grayspace supplement says it has none. It is a void world. There is some activity in the underdark of this moon, and it's underdark resembles the underdark of Oerth, though the two are completely separate.
If there is an atmosphere, we lay claim to this planet. If there is not one, we don't, but we keep it under surveillance.
Raenei - 20 million miles (7 hours to Oerth) (Luna)
The second moon, Ranei resembles Oerth, It is not as oxygen rich, and sages believe that this has hindered the growth of intelligent life on this planet. Most of the planet is filled with monsters, however, there is a settlement here, named Triumph, started from a crash landed spelljammer ship. 20 years ago, they were xenophobic to outsiders.
As the cost of Bronzewood has increased the past 20 years, the free traders have placed a logging settlement here, and that has merged with the town of triumph. They are less xenophobic now then they were, but still live a hard existence.
We claim this. Maybe 1000 people at most? I?m not sure if we should even get any IC from it, honestly.
Liga (Sun)
Fueled by a large portal to the plane of elemental fire (note: does that mean the sun has winked out?J) and kept in check by many small portals to the plane of water, Liga is home to a few dozen efferit. These efferent have a single spelljamming ship, (made of brass) and are internally divided about if they want to just explore or attempt to conquer all of Grayspace.
Nothing-new here. We do not lay claim to the sun.
The moth (Anti-liga)
A burnt out star, basically a large rock. Really hot on one side, really cold on the other. Nothing ever happens here, really
The Grinder (all spacefaring races, undead, other)
We hold several asteroid bases here, and the largest asteroid, Ceres, is the headquarters of the free traders. I have no clue how much population this is, but we claim it =)
Edill (dragons, avians, other reptiles)
Edill has more dragons in it then the rest of Grayspace, Realmspace, and Krynnspace combined. These dragons are of all colors, though 95% are metallic, and 5% are chromatic. All of the dragons tend to be 1.5 times the size and hit dice of their planet bound cousins, and are less territorial and highly social. When you realize this means that ancient red dragons go out in hunting flocks, you know how scary that is. 20 years ago, the red dragons were attempting to procure spelljamming technology from goblins.
I suggest the red dragons have perfected the spelljamming fleets, have managed to acquire the steam-technology from before the war ended in Grayspace, and are now harassing the metallics with it.
We do not claim Edill. We are friendly with the Metallics, however.
Gnibile (undead) (Note that Gnibile has a normal atmosphere)
Gnibile has many portals to the negative elemental plane, and the quasi elemental planes. This Air sphere is filled with non-spelljamming undead, (They had acquired 12 ships 20 years ago, however. We are assuming that these 12 ships were destroyed in the war)
We do not lay claim to Gnibile.
Conatha (sahaugin, mermen, other aquatic creatures)
This water sphere is the home of native mermen, intelligent whales (int 7), and introduced sahaugin. The sahugin are vicious, have chased the merfolk to the two earth bodys in the center of the sphere, and have formed nations and are constantly warring with each other. There are hundreds of thousands , maybe even millions sahugin here, much less merfolk.
No one here is space capable, so we have basically ignored this planet. We do not lay claim to Conatha
Ginsel (predominantly humans, with some demihumans)
Ginsel used to be a Machiavellian society known for it's sharp merchants and nasty politics. After the gods went silent and the sphere closed, riots rocked the planet, and it was not until a charismatic King/Queen managed to quell the people and place them under one flag that they stopped.
Ginsel is the Heart of the triple alliance. It is second only to Oerth in terms of importance in the system.
We claim all of Ginsel.
Borka (orcs, goblins, other humanoids)
Borka used to be a world much like Oerth, except the goblinoids rose to the highest levels of evolution, instead of the humans. They developed a space fleet, and went to war with the elves.
The elves used the equivalent of High magic to completely destroy the planet, and it is now a cluster body. Most of the orcs are dead, though many remain on the cluster. This all happened in recent history, about 80 or so years ago.
We do not claim Borka.
Greela (predominately humans and elves, smattering of other
demihuman races, few non-evil giants and giantkin)
Greela, another cluster earth body, was primarily home to human miners, and the Elvin Ship growing facility, Cenbreadine. Cenbreadine was the major source for ships in the Imperial fleet. Now shut off from the rest of the elves, Cenbreadine found itself with tons of ships, but no one to fly them. They were eventually convinced by the rest of the alliance to allow (gasp) humans to pilot their ships.
Greela is the seat of the remains of the Elfish imperial navy, and as such, is the second most important planet in the alliance. We claim all of it, including the human miners and the giants.
The Spectre - 4000 million miles (40 days from Oerth)
The Specter, a disk planet close to the edge of the sphere, used to be a major trading point, and had represenitives from every race on it, good and evil. Today, The evil settlements have been wiped out, most of the good settlements have moved to the warmer climes of Ginsel, Greela, or Oerth, and there are many ghost towns here. The Free traders main base used to be here, now it is in Ceres of the Grinder. Some humans decided to stay, unwilling to leave there dreary home. There is still a large Dwarvish mining operation going on here, extracting some sort of magical metal. There is also a colony of Tinker gnomes here, who maintain a giant hampster ranch.
Dwarven citadels:
While dwarves have mainly intregrated into human society, we do have a dozen citidels who have joined with us.
We lay claim to Specter.'
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ALBUM COVER X
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E-Mail (with permission) questx@alltel.net
PC: Pharaoh Duamutef. Rumored to be a son of the one of the Lost Gods of Ta Neteru. He is often depicted as a gnoll or a gnoll-headed man. One of four brothers. (class levels in progress? some cleric? some wizard? maybe the pharaoh template from Hamunaptra d20)
Artifacts: The Peshent (the crown of the Pharaoh), the Amduat (a book of spells, many concerning themes of death or the dead)
Powers:
- The Tribes of Ellaves - need a description
- Suhfang - need a description
- Ta Neteru - this represents large populations of humans, sizeable populations of gnolls, small populations of sphinx, and small populations of leonals.
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
The Tribes of Enllaves: 1,200,000 = 50 IC x0,50 = 25 IC
Suhfang: 4,560,000 = 220 IC x0,75 = 165 IC
Ta Neteru: 6,560,000 = 360 IC x0,75 = 270 IC
TOTAL IC OF ALBUM COVER XS' POWER SO FAR: 460 IC
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: unknown yet
Territories on map: No on-map territories. Large territories off-map to the far west, see http://members.aol.com/cathbhadhx/tsroerth.gif
PLAYER NOTES:
(Concerning Ta Neteru)
* human: comprise a large majority of the population
* gnoll: maybe 10% of the population? once hunted and feared, the gnoll community has enjoyed renewed status inside Ta Neteru?s borders? many served in a military capacity
* sphinx: represents a small fraction? serve as advisors for Duamutef. Still critical and cautious of this man who would be ruler. The jury is still out but Duamutef makes progress with them everyday.
* leonals: very small in number? they speak of Zep Tepi, the First Time? also represents a few lions of various types (dire, celestial, awakened, etc.)
(further information on Ta Neteru)
From the writings of Semyol Sellon, a traveling scholar from the Flanaess?
I have been fortunate now to have spent nearly a month here in Ta Neteru. The Land of the Gods. Here under the sun. Here among the relics of a lost age. Here where the sand meets the sky.
It is been quite an experience. I have questioned many of the ideas former scholars have put forth about this region. But the one fact I am sure of is everything begins and ends the Ta Neteru?s pharaoh.
Many believe he is a god returned from the heavens in the form of a man. To lead his people back to an age of glory. Even the surrounding lands, once filled with skeptics now fall in line ? eager to obey this icon. Thus the Rekyht ? those who worship the Pharaoh - grows daily. In turn, the Pharaoh seems to grow in power and magnificence; a cycle that is a sight to behold.
Ta Neteru was not always the united nation I now sit upon. Formerly called Sekhem, the land was divided into two. The Pharaoh wearing the Peshent united the lands in a swift campaign. Diplomacy and reason, it seems, were used as much if not more than sword and magic.
Duamutef has instilled a sense of destiny into his people. Many nations and rules speak of these notions. Maybe some do it as to not offend their respective religions. Some do it as to help morale and promote self-worth. But Duamutef and his Rekyht seem very different to this scribe.
(Organizations of Ta Neteru)
* The Udjat: (spies of the Pharaoh? work in progress)
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ANABSTERCORIAN
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E-Mail: rehughes AT MIT DOT EDU.
PC: Eli Tomorast (Eli the Demon-Handed), Leader of the Seekers, Wizard 22nd level, fiend-binder specialist, neutral evil.
Artifacts: Tome of the Black Heart, Demonhands, Sword of the Ebon Flame
Powers:
- The Triumvirate Rebellious - represents Eli the Demon-Handed, Rary the Traitor, Robilar the Traitor, and all the powers given below:
- The Seekers (adventuring company) - represents a small group of elite NPCs.
- House Maure (Maure Castle on the map) (home of the forsaken House Maure, a cabal of Warlocks descended from Suel refugees of the Rain of Colorless Fire) - these represent ruins containing secrets of ancient power of the suel, and possibly small but very potent forces protecting those secrets.
- Rary the Traitor, Robilar the Traitor, and the Empire of the Bright Lands (Seltaren, City of Dyvers, the City of Hardby, the City of Greyhawk: the Bright Desert: the Abbor Alz, the Cairn Hills, the Cliffs of Alz: The Pits of Azak-Zil) - these represent a high level evil NPC, a powerful evil wizard, very large forces of servitor humans, large forces of servitor demihumans, sizeable forces of humanoids, sizeable forces of abominations, small but potent forces of constructs, and possibly other forces.
- The Suel Imperium - this represents an unknown. It is possibly that truly vast forces of suel humans, vast forces of mages, vast forces abominations, vast forces of undead, vast forces of constructs, and vast forces of planar beings may be here. Or, nothing may be here. Or, anything between the two. The only confirmed forces are small forces of demihumans, small forces of humanoids, small forces of humans, and sizeable forces of abominations.
- Succubi and Incubi Allies enforcing rule over the Empire of the Bright Lands - these represent a sizeable force of demons.
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
Forces associated with the Seekers: (unknown) = N/A
Forces associated with House Maure: (unknown) = N/A
Seltaren: 30,000 = 1.5 IC x0,75 = 1,125 IC
The City of Dyvers: 300,000 = 15 IC x0,95 = 14,25 IC
The City of Hardby: 120,000 = 7 IC x0,75 = 5,25 IC
The City of Greyhawk and nearby lands: 1,300,000 = 68 IC x1,00 = 68 IC
The Bright Lands (all territories on-map) 63,000 = 2 IC x1,00 = 2 IC
The Suel Imperium: 10,000 = 0.2 x0,95 = 0,19 IC
The Abbor Alz: 40,000 = 1.4 IC x0,95 = 1,33 IC
The Cairn Hills: 23,000 = 0,8 IC x1,00 = 0,8 IC
The Cliffs of Alz: 2,000 = 0.1 IC x0,95 = 0,095 IC
Succubi and Incubi Allies: (unknown) = N/A
TOTAL IC OF ANABSTERCORIANS' POWER SO FAR: 93,04 IC
+(unknown)
SPECIAL NOTE: Anabstercorian's power has the Infiltrator Trait.
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: DARK GREEN
Territories on map: on-map cluster of territories in the center of the Flanaess
PLAYER NOTES:
'Who are Eli Tomorast, the Seekers, and House Maure, you may ask?
Let me tell you...
The Seekers are, simply put, an adventuring company. A very large, very successful one! Though they act under the official profession of 'antique dealers', 'historians of ancient ruins', and similarly scholarly titles, they are in truth more looters, explorers, and treasure hunters along the line of Indiana Jones. Like Indi, however, they do have their scholarly streak - it's not uncommon for one of their member groups to spend some time exploring and reporting on a 'find' after it's been appropriately looted, delving in to the history and significance of it's contents.
Eli Tomorast is a member. Recently, he became the leader. This is a dangerous thing.
Eli Tomorast is a wizard, specializing in fiend-binding, known as Eli the Demon-handed for the fiendish grafts he has in place of hands. He has long been studying the long-crumbled Maure Castle, the home of the forsaken House Maure, a cabal of Warlocks descended from Suel refugees of the Rain of Colorless Fire. Recently he unearthed secrets there, secrets so potent he rocketed to the top of the Seekers hierarchy. Though his rule is absolute, the Seekers as a whole remain more or less free to act as they will.
Eli is Neutral/Neutral Evil. His malevolence is passive - he seeks power for himself, and revenge against those who have wronged him, but his wisdom, intelligence, and charisma drive him to great deeds that inspire awe, terror, and admiration in those around him.
The Seekers and House Maure are an Infiltrator faction, with a focus on Elite/Epic PL as opposed to Standard PL. If they manage to seize significant territory (as they may), this could change quickly.
More information about Eli Tomorast, the Seekers, and House Maure can be found in Dungeon Magazine #112, the 30th anniversary issue.'
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AZMODEAN
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E-Mail (with permission) theazmodean@hotmail.com
PC: N'Grath, High Druid of the Emerald Order, Treant Druid 20th / Warshaper 5th
Artifacts: none claimed yet
Powers:
- Burundi - this represents a large force of good aligned dwarves (25%), an enormous force of awakened animals(25%), a very large force of Treants (20%), sizeable forces of humans (10%), sizeable forces of lycanthropes (5%), and large forces of other nature-aligned creatures(15%)
- Ishtarland (has infiltrated)
- The Red Kingdom (has infiltrated)
- The Tarquish Dominion (has infiltrated)
- The Emerald Order - This a mysterious organization of Good devoted to the preservation of the natural world of plants and animals, even as they seek to return the Oerth to a state of verdant green beauty and richness. They represent a large force of Good clerics, druids, mages, rangers, and others, and large forces of good and neutral animals, large forces of wondrous beings, large forces of treants and sentient trees and plants, and large forces of faerie.
(from another source) This organization is dedicated to the preservation of Oerth's natural environment. It is very similar to the Emerald Enclave on Toril.
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
- Burundi: 7,400,000 = 222 IC x0,75 = 166,2 IC
- Ishtarland: 8,790,000 = 500 IC x0,25 = 125 IC
- The Red Kingdom 5,700,000 = 220 IC x 0,25 = 55IC
- The Tarquish Dominions: 6,390,000 = 310 IC x0,25 = 77,5
- The Emerald Order: N/A
TOTAL IC OF AZMODEANS' POWER SO FAR: 423,5 IC
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: UNKNOWN
Color on map desired by Azmodean: VERY DARK BROWN
Territories on map: No on-map territories. Enormous territory to the far west-southwest, see http://members.aol.com/cathbhadhx/tsroerth.gif
PLAYER NOTES:
N'grath has watched over Semeast for many, many years as the highest-ranking druid in the area, gently guiding the savage inhabitants to keep to their traditional customs and preventing them from developing practices harmful to nature, often without even revealing his presence. At times however, N'grath's way of doing things has led to tragedy when his subtle manipulations were discovered and the resentfull populace threw their support behind leaders whose direct approaches were better received by the stubborn dwarves who call Seameast their home, though much less successful. Over time the frustrations of these encounters has grown within N'grath, and finally he has decided to openly command the resources of Semeast to protect the natural world throughout Oerth. Once the decision had been made, N'grath acted with astonishing speed, winning over all of the major tribes residing within Semeast through displays of strength where possible and by eliminating the leaders of more stubborn tribes (for their own good...).
Long ago he also rose to a position of power within the Emerald Order, and now he directs the organization to keep watch over the rest of Oerth. Here he still practices his carefull and subtle machinations, keeping the power of the organiztion hidden where it can be used to full effect.
N'grath is now entering a new phase in his quest to protect nature from those who would dispoil it. He is currently organizing his tribes with the aim of conquering nearby areas who he believes are a danger to the natural order. Simultaneously, he is making use of the Emerald Order to make contact with like-minded nations as well as to prepare the way for his hordes to invade the already-mentioned areas he does not agree with.
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BUGBEAR
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IR E-Mail (with permission) Bugbear82@comcast.net
PC: Seth Rhynnon, King of Greater Nyrond, human male paragon Ranger 12th / Sorcerer 12th / Foe Hunter 6th, lawful neutral
Artifacts: The Regalia of Neutrality (Crown, Spepter, and Orb), and the Flask of Tuerny the Merciless.
Powers:
- Modron Exiles of Oerth - this represents a small force of Modrons of various ranks who are trapped in Greyspace thanks to the sealing. They are mysteriously drawn to Seth Rhynnon and treat him as if he were a high ranking modron.
- Greater Nyrond - this represents all of the powers and areas shown below:
- Nyrond (Beer, Borneven, Chathold, East Nyrond, Midmeadow, Mithat, Old Red, Nellix, Rel Mord, West Nyrond, Womtham, Woodwych: Flinty Hills) - these represent very large forces of humans, small forces of demihumans, small forces of good and neutral animals and wondrous beings, treants, and small forces of faerie.
- The Knight Protectors, the Order of Heironeous - this lawful good knightly order represents a sizeable and potent force of humans and demihumans
- The County of Urnst (County of Urnst, Radigast City, Trigol) - this represents sizeable forces of humans, sizeable forces of demihumans, sizeable forces of good and neutral animals and wondrous beings, treants, and small forces of faerie.
- The Duchy of Urnst (Duchy of Urnst, Leukish) - this represents sizeable forces of humans, sizeable forces of demihumans, sizeable forces of good and neutral animals and wondrous beings, treants, and small forces of faerie.
- The Flinty Hills (all territories on-map) - these represent sizeable forces of demihumans (mostly dwarves and gnomes) and small forces of animals and wondrous beings.
- Forest Allies (Adri Forest (excluding the Ice Elves of the Adri), Celadon Forest, Gamboge Forest) - these represent Archdruid Immonara (human female, Druid 13th of Obad-Hai, neutral) in the Adri Forest, large forces of demihumans (especially elves), small forces of humans, very large forces of good and neutral animals and wondrous beings, large forces of treants and sentient trees and plants, and sizeable forces of faerie.
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
Modron Exiles of Oerth: N/A
Nyrond (all territories on-map) 4,200,000 = 222 IC x0,75 = 166,5 IC
The Knight Protectors, the Order of Heironeous: N/A
County of Urnst (all territories on-map) 1,300,000 = 68 IC x0,95 = 64,6 IC
Duchy Of Urnst (all territories on-map except Seltarin) 1,400,000 = 70 IC x0,75 = 52,5 IC
Flinty Hills: 50,000 = 2 IC x1,00 = 2 IC
Adri Forest: 110,000 = 4 IC x0,75 = 3 IC
Celadon Forest: 40,000 = 2 IC x0,95 = 1,9 IC
Gamboge Forest: 45,000 = 1.5 IC x0,95 = 1,425 IC
TOTAL IC OF BUGBEARS' POWER SO FAR: 291,9 IC
+(unknown)
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: LIGHT GREEN
Territories on map: Large on-map areas in the central and central-east.
PLAYER NOTES:
'Here's a quick history of "Greater Nyrond", as I like to call it:
Nyrond was hard hit by the Greyhawk Wars, with almost a hundred thousand dead, starvation, disease, and thoughts of rebelion spread like wildfire. The new king, a vibrant and young man named Lynwerd managed to save his kingdom from the predations of the Aerdy, and was now faced with even greater task of saving his kingdom from itself.
Over the next fifteen years, Lynwerd dedicated his life to the reconstruction of Nyrond. Using monies borrowed from the Urnst States, he rebuilt the smashed cities, repopulated the empty countryside, and established new trade routes, earning him the name "Lynwerd the Rebuilder".
Lynwerd also sought to provide a lasting peace in Nyrond, negotiating treaties with the remnants of once great Aerdy, often at great cost. Lynwerd surrendered all lands captured by Nyrond in the Greyhawk wars and even gifted small portions of Nyrond itself to sucure this peace, earning him the name "Lynwerd the Appeaser".
In CY598 The Duke of Urnst died leaving no heir, making Lynwerd the new Duke. Lynwerd Unified Nyrond, and the Urnsts under one banner and one king. With the influx of goods, services and Labor from the new territorres, Nyrond quickly prospered into a nation as great, if not greater than it was before the wars.
Lynwerd died in CY 603 passing the throne of Greater Nyrond to his cousin Seth Rhynnon , a high noble from the County of Urnst. Durring the Wars, a young Rhynnon, fought along side the Knights of the Shield against the armies of Iuz to liberate the Sheild Lands. Though Rhynnon has had the throne for less than a year, he is popular among the people of Greater Nyrond, especially amongst the Urnst peoples who are ecstatic to see one of their own on the throne.'
'Seth Rhynnon was born to lady Allidrane Rhynnon (age 16) nineteen years before the start of the greyhawk wars. All that is known of his father is that he was an adventuring warrior, whom Allidrane met and was suduced by. From an early age Seth demonstrated unusual strength and talent. When Seth turned 16 he left home and set out to see the world, becoming a wandering adventurer. During the war, he fought side by side with the knights of the sheild, though he never actually joined them. After the war he returned home to manage his estates. with the death of king Lynwerd, the line of successon passed to seth Rhynnon.
Notes on personality: pragmatic & practical, very much a function over form kind of guy. Treats everyone with equal respect and is not afraid to dirty his hands with hard labor. Those who have made themselves his enemy he shows no mercy. Spent his time during the Greyhawk wars as a demon hunter in the shield lands.'
'Knight Protectors of the Great Kingdom: Once a great order in the Kingdom of Aerdi, they fell into decline. The order was traditionally split between follows of Heironeous the Valorous (Lawful Good) and Hextor the Warrior (Lawful Evil) Their goal was the preservation of the Great Kingdom. Now, the Knights of Heironeous have defected, intending to reclaim Aerdi from the evil forces that have come to dominate it. Using Nyrond as their base, they intend to retake their country from without.'
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CREAMSTEAK
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E-Mail (with permission) creamsteak@hotmail.com
PC: Yugthulgon, Master of the Staff of Ancient Penumbra
Other characters: Meepo the Kobold, Iyov the Beholder
Artifacts: The Staff of Ancient Penumbra
Powers:
- Some of the Aboleth Underdark Realms - these represent small but potent forces of aboleth, and large forces of servitor beings of all types.
- Beholder Underdark Dominions (Dominion of the Poisoned Eye, Flesh Reborn, Consuming Eye) - these represent sizeable beholder forces and servitor forces of many races.
- Allied Magic-Using Fiends - these represent sizeable forces of demons, sizeable forces of devils, sizeable forces of yugoloths, and sizeable forces of other fiends.
- Allied Psionic Fiends - these represent sizeable forces of psionic demons, sizeable forces of psionic devils, sizeable forces of psionic yugoloths, and sizeable forces of other psionic fiends.
- Illithid Underdark Dominions (The Collective Overminds) - these represent large forces of illithid, human/demihuman/humanoid cults loyal to the illithid, large forces of servitors/slaves/thralls/voidminds, large forces of eyekin, forces of enslaved aberations, forces of enslaved psionic aberations, and forces of enslaved undead.
- Illithid Spelljammers - these represent a small fleet of illithid spelljamming squidships collected by the Illithid Underdark Dominions.
- Allied Free-Willed Psionic Undead - these represent small forces of psionic undead of various unique types.
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
Aboleth Underdark Realms: 300,000 = 14 IC x1,00 = 14 IC
Beholder Underdark Dominions: 1,350,000 = 71 IC x1,00 = 71 IC
Allied Magic-Using Fiends: (unknown) = N/A
Allied Psionic Fiends: (unknown) = N/A
Illithid Underdark Dominions: 2,600,500 = 150 IC x1,00 = 150 IC
Illithid Spelljammers: (unknown) = N/A
Allied Free-Willed Psionic Undead: 42,000 = 1.5 IC x0,75 =1,125
TOTAL IC OF CREAMSTEAKS' POWER SO FAR: 236.125 IC
SPECIAL NOTE: Creamsteak's power has the Alien Trait.
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: VERY DARK BLUE
Territories on map: No on-map territories. Large territories deep under the surface of Oerth from the deepest Underdark to isolated, secret, above ground locations.
PLAYER NOTES:
'The background for my faction is that the sudden absence of the dieties on Oerth (and the loss of the connection to Illsensine) resulted in a sudden break in the Illithids, thier slaves, and virtually the entire structure of society. My PC (Yugthulgon) is an amalgamation of three high "priests" of the illithids enclaves. By amalgamation, I mean that Yug'rig'noth (egoist), Thul'hur'mca (shaper), and the enslaver Istigon (telepath) were litterally bound to one single body. As such Yugthulgon has 12 tentacles instead of 4. He has 6 eyes instead of two. This aberrant emissary that was created to take control of the chaos is completely and totally nuts for what it's worth.
Yugthulgon (also called virtually any combination of the three original names at different times) killed perhaps 80% of the Mind Flayers on Oerth, mostly those of the three other psionic disciplines. However, he certainly made it a point to exercise his new power to destroy anyone with objections to his new rule. The combined Flayer-deaths, slave split off, and lack of a god to glue it together basically destroyed whatever empire they retained on Oerth.
Weakened, beaten, and otherwise crippled, Yugthulgon went in search of an artifact of his diety in order to perhaps revive some degree of unity (and end the slaughter of his own race). He recovered the Staff of Ancient Penumbra from its prison of over a thousand Githzerai monks, fists of Zouken, and illithid slayers. This made more enemies than one could have ever predicted.
So, following this, Yug united the remaining flayers (though at only 25% strength at best). In an effort that would be called blasphemy (and certainly was, resulting in some additional flayer deaths), Yug agreed to treat some of the "lesser" races like Beholders and certain demons/undead as equals.
Now, with allies in tow, Yug has quitely bided his time, watching as Technology is developed by the surface above. Yug firmly believes that technology serves some eldritch purpose which sealed out the gods, and possibly even magic and psionic power later. Because of this, Yug sees this "power" in a very negative way, and has slowly been building his armies of war to do two things: Subjugate those who were offered "equality" but rejected it, and to COMPLETELY destroy both the demons who brought the tech, and thier technology.'
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DEVILISH
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E-Mail (with permission) devilishd@yahoo.com
PC: Acererak the Demilich
Notable NPCs: The High Leader of the Solistarim (human wizard, over 30th level, lawful evil)
Artifacts: unknown
Powers:
- Acererak and the Tomb of Horrors - these represent an extraordinarily powerful suel demilich, small but extremely potent forces of servitor beings of all types, small but extremely potent forces of constructs, possible sizeable forces of servitor beings, and possible allies of various, strange, and unguessable (but extremely potent) nature.
- Blackmoor - this represents sizeable forces of humans, sizeable forces of neutral and evil animals, sizeable forces of abominations, and possibly other forces.
- The Solistarim (East Black Ice, West Black Ice, off-map territories) - these represent the High Leader (human wizard, over 30th level, lawful evil), a very large and extraordinarily powerful cabal of evil wizards, a sizeable number of liches, very large forces of abominations, large forces of humans, very large forces of certain kinds of demihumans, very large forces of certain kinds of humanoids, very large forces of undead, large forces of devils, sizeable forces of beings from the elemental plane of fire, sizeable forces of giants, sizeable forces of dragons, and other forces (notable races include: flannae human, deep dwarf, dark gnome, sahuagin, lizard man, lizard king, illithid, aboleth, beholder, neogi, umber hulk, efreet, salamander, blue dragon, other lawful evil dragons, and other lawful evil races.)
- The Cold Marshes - these represent large forces of abominations, sizeable forces of humanoids, large forces of neutral and evil animals, sizeable forces of undead, and possibly other forces.
- The Vast Swamp - this represents sizeable forces of abominations of great power and bizarre nature, small forces of feral elves, small forces of humanoids, small forces of (normal) abominations, large forces of neutral and evil animals, and large forces of free-willed undead.
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
Acererak and his Minions in the Tomb of Horrors: 30,000 = 1.2 IC x1,00 = 1,2 IC
Blackmoor: 220,000 = 9 IC x0,75 = 6,75 IC
The Solistarim (all territories on-map and off-map) 6,500,000 = 320 IC x0,95 = 304 IC
The Cold Marshes: 20,000 = 0,6 IC x0,75 = 0,45
The Vast Swamp: 34,000 = 1 IC x0,75 = 0,75
TOTAL IC OF DEVILISHS' POWER SO FAR: 313,15 IC
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: VIOLET
Color on map desired by Devilish: UNKNOWN
Territories on map: On-map territories in the southeast and northwest, extending off-map to the north. Off-map territory to the north of the Black Ice, see http://members.aol.com/cathbhadhx/tsroerth.gif
PLAYER NOTES:
'The Solistarim are a confederation of lawful evil race. They are a dictatorship-magocracy under their High Leader. Mages, even powerful mages, are commonplace, and run almost every part of the government apparatus, so it could be said that theirs is a Magocracy. These mages observe a strict code of service and duty, and all look upon the High Leader as the One and True God (thus, it could be said theirs is a Theocratic Magocracy.)
All the other Solistarim either look upon the mages as semi-divine or divine messengers of the High Leader, or at the least they are scared witless by them. The unbreakable unity of these mages, their unswearing and usually fanatical loyalty to the High Leader, and their absolute tyranny over everyone else, is what has allowed all these disparate and violent races to coexist.
Indeed, the Solistarim are cosmopolitan. Members of all the Solistari races freely mingle in their great fortress cities in the Godspires, in their Underdark cities, in the undersea cities, and in the swamp cities. Individual attitudes, cultures, and preferences have been crushed under the heel of a omnipresent culture of service, loyalty, and tireless effort for the society.
That is to say, for the average Solistari, the attitude is as follows: you exist to serve and advancing the Nation. You're life is dedicated to serving and advancing the Nation. The greatest accomplishment in life is serving and advancing the Nation. The highest of all ethics and morality is service to, and advancement of, the Nation.
Families enforce this discipline upon their children immediately upon toddlerhood. Somewhere between the age of 3 and 7, children male and female are taken for training (as in Sparta in ancient Greece) in what the Solistarim determine them to be the most qualified for: mage, cleric, fighter, etc.
Afterwards, in their teens typically (equivalent) the men and women of the Solistarim are put to work in the armed forces, and after many tours of duty may be released for more domestic duties. At this point, they can advance within the society, and those who achieve the most are often rewarded with great honor, nobility, ranks and title. Some can even aspire to join the ranks of the (so called) semi-divine minions of the High Leader. And go on to divine ascension and become his (so called) divine servants! (Since Divine Ascension is conceivably possible in this IR, perhaps the High Leader may become a demigod, and his mage followers actual divine servants!)
There is a remnant of local culture in each racial group that has not been crushed under the heel of conformity, but it is limited. The law is absolute, covers almost every aspect of life, and is enforced rigorously.
There is zero tolerance for lawbreaking. Minor lawbreaking invokes severe punishment and brainwashing in a reform center. Major lawbreakers are killed. Traitors (which covers a broad spectrum of offenses) are made grisly examples of. The Solistarim revel in seeing traitors destroyed, for they see them as just that: traitors, morally and ethically bankrupt, beings to hate and despise for their actions against their brethren.
This is the case for the flannae humans, dark dwarves, dark gnomes, and kobolds, the founding races of the Solistarim. The illithid have their own form of communal tyranny, but the High Leader long ago subverted the Elder Brain and with it the communal awareness of the illithid: they now tow the Solistari line.
The dragons are held in awe by the average Solistari, and the dragons live by a slightly different set of rules: they have greater freedom. Nonetheless, they are loyal to the High Leader and his agents, and they are loyal to those they have bonded with.
The lizard men, sahuagin, and giants were induced to become allies of the Solistarim, and afterwards Solistari culture slowly poisoned it's way into their lives, until they were copying the Solistari way in most respects. From there, it was a short hop for the High Leader to fully integrate them into mainstream Solistari society.
The beholders and aboleth serve the Solistarim and obey the rules out of fear and awe of the High Leader and his mages. Those who refused to obey the laws are either dead or under powerful magical compulsions to obey (especially the incredibly anti-social aboleth, for whom magical compulsion seemed the only answer to gaining their cooperation.)
The lich lords of the Solistarim have their own pact with the High Leader. The lesser undead fanatical in their loyalty to the High Leader, his mages, the lichlords, and the dark clerics of the Solistarim.
The fire elementals, salamanders, and efreet are NOT a part of mainstream Solistari society, and generally keep apart. After all, their homes are places most Solistari could not survive in for long anyways. However, these races hold the the High Leader and his minions in fear and awe (and some do worship him as a diety) and they are faithful and loyal to the Solistari cause.
The Gith mercenaries are semi-independent. They are tolerated in Solistari cities because of their perceived use. The Gith themselves look upon the Solistari as rather insane employers, but since the pay is good and the potential for pillage very great they don't complain. And Gith society is itself highly militant and disciplined, so there is common ground of a sort between Gith and Solistari.
The neogi are tolerated. The neogi, in turn, tolerate the Solistarim. That's saying something, too, since the neogi are as anti-social as the aboleth. However, they fear the High Leader, he has magical compulsions on them, he pays them well, so they somehow have integrated in. And the neogi and their umber hulk slaves do make for excellent spies, scouts, and special forces.
The devils work with the High Leader and his mages, and are held in fear and awe by the populace in general. They alone are exempt from the rules, while mingling freely in Solistari society. However, the devils make a point of obeying the laws (whether they respect the law or not), and devils are a common sight in Solistari cities.
The Solistarim aren't about racial hatred.
The Solistarim are about the certain knowledge that the Flanaess is their backyard, and a bunch of squatters and loiterers are sitting on their property, and these worthless bums, rabble, and riff-raff have refused to leave when politely asked to do so.
Since the bums and riff-raff refuse to move, they will just have to be evicted. If that means killing them all, down to the least and the last, because they insist on fighting, then so be it.
The Solistarim point an accusing finger at Iuz. Here, they say, is an insane demon demigod who is running amok and wrecking their (the Solistari) backyard with his pathetic humanoid slaves and hordes of conjured demons.
The Solistarim also point the finger at the Oeridians. They can't run a kingdom (Aerdi, Nyrond, Furyondy, others), they can't impose order (witness the chaos of the Greyhawk Wars), they can't run an economy (Aerdi, Nyrond, Furyondy, others), and in the end they destroyed their own capital city and other major centers of population! (witness Rauxes, other cities, and the whole realm of Medegia.) As riff-raff, these oerdian humans have to go.
The Solistarim really don't like elves, or drow. Indeed, they think of them the way we'd think of mosquitos infesting our backyard. Or cockroaches. Or ants. Or other vermin. A Flanaess free of elves and drow (the Solistarim do not distinguish: an elf is an elf, and the only good elf is a dead elf) will be a cleaner, neater place.
Likewise, any elves up in Greyspace are like bird droppings falling on the new roof. It has to stop. It's time to shoot some birds.
Regardless of what others might say of this thinking ... the Solistarim consider themselves reasonable, ethical, moral people. They are proud of their hard work, their capacity to endure suffering and adversary, their achievements in magical research, building of great cities, and otherwise, and their rational approach to an irrational and hostile world.
The Solistarim do not control the City of the Gods. Their forays into it have met with repeated disaster.
However, the Solistarim do hold the alliegance of the nation of Blackmoor and the surrounding marches, along with all the lands down to the Burneal Forest.'
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DRALONXITZ
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E-Mail: (withheld until Dralonxitz gives his permission)
PC: Dralonxitz had not yet created a player character (or demipower: some demipowers can be claimed)
Artifacts: Dralonxitz has not yet selected any artifacts (many players have taken 3)
Powers:
- Dralonxitz has not yet selected any countries, territories, areas, areas in Wildspace, groups, or organizations for his power
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
I don't know yet, since a power has not yet been created
TOTAL IC OF DRALONXITZS' POWER SO FAR: Unknown yet
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: UNKNOWN
Color desired by Dralonxitz: DRALONXITZ HASN'T DECIDED YET
Territories on map or off-map (http://members.aol.com/cathbhadhx/tsroerth.gif) None yet
PLAYER NOTES:
Dralonxitz has not yet submitted any information regarding his power, it's history, peoples, culture, or whatever else he would like to set down for the record.
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EDENA OF NEITH
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E-Mail: edelaith@TWMI.rr.com
PC: Velsharess Eclavdra, Drow Priestess 23rd / Wizard 18th / Warrior 12th (Epic 33)
Artifacts: The Scepter of Lordly Might, the Crown of Lordly Might, the Orb of Lordly Might
Other Items: The Violated Horns (gift from Iuz.)
Powers:
- Empire of Eclavdor (a confederation of 100 drow cities (The Fabulous One Hundred, as it were) from every part of the continent of Oerik, this new empire (capital city Erelhei-Cinlu in the Vault of the Drow) represents very large forces of drow, extraordinarily large forces of servitor races, sizeable forces of assorted servitor abominations, sizeable forces of assorted servitor undead, and sizeable forces of the unseelie.
- Geoff - this represents sizeable forces of giants, and sizeables force of humanoids.
- Empire of the Yuan-Ti - this represents large forces of yuan-ti, large forces of assorted servitor races, small forces of abominations, and small forces of servitor and free-willed undead.
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
The 3 Drow Cities under the Barbarian Seameast (45,000 drow, 120,000 servitors)
The 8 Drow Cities under the Tharquish Empire and Ishtarland (120,000 drow, 320,000 servitors)
The 11 Drow Cities under the Empire of Lynn (165,000 drow, 440,000 servitors)
The 3 Drow Cities under Enllaves (45,000 drow, 120,000 servitors)
The 6 Drow Cities under the Red Kingdom (90,000 drow, 240,000 servitors)
The 3 Drow Cities under Erypt (45,000 drow, 120,000 servitors)
The 4 Drow Cities under the Mare Mysticum and Gigantea (60,000 drow, 160,000 servitors)
The 15 Drow Cities under the Celestial Imperium (225,000 drow, 600,000 servitors)
The 12 Drow Cities under the Khanates and Orcreich (180,000 drow, 480,000 servitors)
The 3 Drow Cities under Komal (45,000 drow, 120,000 servitors)
The 4 Drow Cities under the Baklunish Lands (75,000 drow, 160,000 servitors)
The 7 Drow Cities under Zindia and Nippon (105,000 drow, 280,000 servitors)
The 1 Drow City under the Nippon Dominion (15,000 drow, 40,000 servitors)
The 7 Drow Cities under Hempmonaland (105,000 drow, 280,000 servitors)
The 12 Drow Cites under the Flanaess (180,000 drow, 480,000 servitors)
Servitor Undead (100,000 undead)
Unseelie Allies (100,000 unseelie)
Total Drow: 1,500,000 = 80 IC x0,75 = 60 IC
Total Servitor Races: 4,000,000 = 200 IC x0,95 = 190 IC
Undead: 100,000 = 4 IC x0,95 = 3,8 IC
Unseelie: 100,000 = 3 IC x0,50 = 1,5 IC
Geoff (East Geoff, Geoff, North Geoff, West Dim Forest) 150,000 = 7 IC x0,75 = 5,25 IC
Empire of the Yuan-Ti: 2,000,000 (yuan-ti, servitor races, all others) = 100 IC x1,00 = 100 IC
The Ice Elves of the Adri: 90,000 = 4 IC x1,00 = 4 IC
TOTAL IC OF EDENA OF NEITHS' POWER: 364,55 IC
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: ORANGE-RED
Territories on map: Krestible, West Dim Forest, Tors, Jerlea Shores, Tangles, Celene Hills, Bright Hills, Onnwal Headlands, Denzac Isle, Kelten, Knurl, Hestmark Peaks: each area represents a territory held by a nearby Underdark Drow City. East Geoff. Geoff. North Geoff. The West Dim Forest. Off-map territories across all of Oerik and Hempmonland, see http://members.aol.com/cathbhadhx/tsroerth.gif
PLAYER NOTES:
'Eclavdra looked at the portents, divined the future, and saw doom for her people. Afterwards, long ago, she took it upon herself to thwart that doom and see her people survive the coming challenge, whatever it might turn out to be. Eclavdra said then: Is not survival of the drow, individually and as a people, not the will and way of Lolth?
Eclavdra used the Scepter of Lordly might to unite the city of Erelhei-Cinlu behind her, then sought out the Crown and Orb of Lordly Might, and ultimately found them.
She used the three combined to give herself divine stature among her people, and with this stature, began a unification of the drow, going city by city. After long years of dedicated work, she united the strongest 100 cities of the drow, and transformed drow society from it's normal controlled anarchy into a highly disciplined war machine. And Eclavdra named the new empire she had created after herself, calling it Eclavdor.
In Eclavdor today, drow society runs under a triad. There is the war machine, and the society created to maintain it. Think of the Soviet Union under Stalin during World War II as an analogy. There are the Drow Exalted, who are the secret service, special forces, and counterespionage forces all merged together. Think of Section One from the film (and series) La Femme Nikita. Finally, there is the religious war. To survive is to be loyal to Lolth. To die is to fail and betray Lolth. Survival equals loyalty. They are all one and the same. Death equals disloyalty. (those who die fighting so the rest will survive are considered loyal) They, also, are all one and the same. The loyal will sit at Lolth's side in paradise forever. The disloyal, the treasonous, will burn forever in the deepest pit of the Abyss. Thus, survival equals loyalty and paradise. Death (with the exception noted above) equals disloyalty and damnation. These three concepts are the triad of current drow culture and society in Eclavdor, and sustain the empire in all it's endeavors.
As for the servitor races, they are fed only to be kept alive. They are kept alive only to work. They are worked until they die.
Some of the Unseelie, the dark faerie, have become allies due to their similar natures to the dark elves. Indeed, many sages consider drow to be dark faerie themselves.
It isn't a pretty picture.'
'Who is Eclavdra?
That is a mystery that even Iuz has not solved.
She is quite sane. She is both intelligent and wise. Some say she is pragmatic, and some say she is a wild girl. Some even call her a free spirit, yet it is known she is very devoted to Lolth and the way of Lolth. Many think of her as a wily diplomat, good with words, and others disagree. Some say she is horrifically cruel and sadistic, others say she is merely callous. All know her as soft spoken and gentle mannered, even in battle and in other arduous circumstances. She is generally thought of as a person who enjoys hands-on work, doing jobs herself and hesitant to delegate authority to others. And all agree she is driven, hard working, and astonishingly tireless and enduring.
What does Eclavdra look like?
She is the photo negative of a comely elven maiden just come to womanhood. Her hair falls to her hips and is soft and snow white, her eyes are almond shaped and striking scarlet in the light, her face gentle, her nose soft, her ears cherubic, and her lips pouting. Her figure is slim, shapely, and almost fragile. Her non-glossy skin, smooth and soft, is as black as an elven maids' raven hair.
Typically, Eclavdra wears magical adamantine mail, which fits her form like a second skin, is almost as soft as velvet, and is utterly weightless. She wears robes of royal purple, wears a belt of mithril, and carries twin long swords of a strange, black appearance. The Scepter of Lordly Might, graceful and eloquent in it's worked mithril, rests at her hip when she is not carrying it. The Crown appears as a beautiful tiara on her head, and the Orb appears as a large gemstone at the end of a necklace of mithril beads around her neck.'
' Gift from Iuz to Eclavdra isn't just souvenir ... Violated Horns are worth 3000 gp in free trade, and are priceless when You are with nowhere to run, and goody two shoes on Your tail. It will Recall person to the place of it's creation, Iuz's Altar in this case, when broken.
And one, more important thing. Iuz watches!'
'Concerning the Ice Elves, they are an ancient elven civilization that fell prey to an artifact of cold. This artifact froze them all, effectively putting them and their entire realm in the heart of Adri Forest in suspended animation. Now they are free again, and these evil elves aren't real happy with the turn of events in the world since their time.'
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ELUVAN
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E-Mail (with permission) somebodys_fool@hotmail.com
PC: Arden Leonson, King Arden I of Keoland and High Councillor of the League of Athyr, Human Paladin 32
Artifacts: unknown
Powers:
The League of Athyr (Nations of Bissel, Furyondy, Gran March, Keoland, Sterich, the Duchy of Ulek, Veluna, the Free City of Verbobonc: The Knights of the Hart, the Knights of Holy Shielding, the Knights of the Watch: the Wild Coast: the Lorridges, the Lortmil Mountains, the Good Hills, the Kron Hills, the Stark Mounds: the Axewood, the Dapple Forest, part of the Dim Forest, the Gnarley Forest, the Iron Forest, the Silverwood, the Welkwood: The Silent Ones of Keoland) - these represent very large forces of demihumans, very large forces of humans, very large forces of good and neutral animals and wondrous beings, large numbers of treants and sentient trees and shrubs, very large forces of faerie, and possible underwater allies in the Whyestil and Nyr Dyv.
Celestial Allies of the League of Athyr - these represent a small but very potent force of beings from the upper planes, such as the deva and the eladrin.
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
Bissel (all territories on-map) 300,000 = 15 IC x0,75 = 11,25 IC
Furyondy (all territories on-map) 3,000,000 = 160 IC x0,75 = 120 IC
North Geoff: 50,000 = 2 IC x0,95 = 1,9 IC
Gran March (all territories on-map) 510,000 = 25 IC x0,95 = 32,25 IC
Keoland (all territories on-map) 3,600,000 = 200 IC x0,95 = 190 IC
Sterich (all territories on-map) 290,000 = 13 IC x0,75 = 9,75 IC
Duchy Of Ulek (all territories on-map) 800,000 = 42 IC x0,75 = 31,5 IC
Veluna (all territories on-map) 1,200,000 = 64 IC x0,95 = 60,8 IC
Free City of Verbobonc: 300,000 = 16 IC x0,50 = 8 IC
The Knights of the Hart: (unknown) = N/A
The Knights of Holy Shielding: (unknown) = N/A
The Knights of the Watch: N/A
The Wild Coast (all territories on-map) 400,000 = 16 IC x0,50 = 8 IC
The Lorridges (all territories on-map) 50,000 = 2 IC x0,95 = 1,9 IC
The Lortmil Mountains (all territories on-map and off) 980,000 = 58 IC x1,00 =58 IC
The Good Hills (Counts as a part of Keoland)
The Kron Hills 60,000 = 3 IC x0,75 = 2,25 IC
The Stark Mounds 30,000 = 1 IC x1,00 = 1 IC
The Axewood: (Counts as a part of Keoland/Duchy of Ulek)
The Dapple Forest: (Counts as a part of Furyondy)
Part of the Dim Forest: 50,000 = 1,5 IC x0,75 = 1,125 IC
The Gnarley Forest 40,000 = 1.4 IC x0,75 = 1,05 IC
The Iron Forest: N/A
The Silverwood (Counts as a part of the Duchy of Ulek)
The Welkwood 55,000 = 2 IC x0,75 = 1,5 IC
The Silent Ones of Keoland: N/A
Celestial Allies of the League of Athyr: N/A=N/A
TOTAL IC OF ELUVANS' POWER SO FAR: 540,2 IC
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: REDDISH-PURPLE
Territories on map: On-map territories covering most of the central-west and southwest Flanaess.
PLAYER NOTES:
'Following the Greyhawk War, Keoland was left in sorry shape. Once the most powerful and influential land in the entirety of the Sheldomar valley, in the war that was to shape the future of much of the Flanaess it had no cohesive policy and achieved nothing. In negotiations, the leader's indecisiveness proved sufficient to ensure that Keoland's allies were overrun whilst King Skotti dithered and wondered whether to interfere. Militarily, the once-great land suffered losses and humiliations on all sides and lost territory and influence.
Post-war, the land found itself in a weaker position than it had been for many years since. It badly needed time to rebuild and regenerate its economy, and confidence in the country's rulers was low after their mistakes in the war. When Skotti was assassinated in a plot by Cedrian of Dorlin to take the throne, the country descended into civil war. The noble houses squabbled amongst themselves for power, and for some time disorder reigned.
When finally this was curtailed, it occurred in dramatic fashion. Arden Leonson, the youngest son of a minor noble house in the Gran March, marched into Niole Dra with a small but resplendent contingent of knights and, nervous but determined, stood up in the town square and announced that he had been sent a vision from Heironeous showing him that he must unite Keoland under his banner and restore order and greatness to the country once again. He spoke with courage, power, and conviction, but of course it amounted to very little. He stood no chance of convincing the people that mattered that he should be handed control of the country.
He persevered, however. At first he had little success. But on the occassion of his seventh speech in the capital of Keoland, his divine mandate was proven beyond a shadow of a doubt. As he spoke, the clouds above him parted and a sunbeam reached down to touch him. Bathed in divine radiance he continued his speech with ever-increasing fervour, and as he did so his audience watched stunned as a Celestial host numbering several hundred descended and knelt behind him, bowing their heads to the young knight.
The result was electric. Word travelled across the country lightning-fast that a messiah had come, a Paladin with a divine mandate to rule the country. Supporters flocked to him, and though he still had a struggle ahead of him, he eventually succeeded in taking the Throne of the Lion and restoring peace and order to the land, as well as using his heritage to reforge strong links with the Gran March.
He did not rest long on his laurels, however. He led the country wisely and well, and under his leadership it prospered once again. In his third year on the throne, as the country's affairs were once again seeming in order, disaster struck as the creatures overruning Sterich set their sights on eastward expansion. The County of Flen and the March of Mandismoor came under attack, and it was all the Keoish forces could do to slow their relentless progress.
Arden made a spectacular speech asking for aid from his immediate neighbours, appealing to his already strong alliance with the Gran March and bidding the County of Ulek and the Duchy of Ulek to imagine how things would be if they were faced with the prospect of worrying not only about the Principlality's struggle against the Orcish hordes, but were faced with the immediate prospect of monstrous invasion from the West as well.
The Duchy of Ulek and the Gran March both responded by sending strong military forces to aid Keoland in their efforts to push the invaders back. The County of Ulek, however, perhaps feeling secure in its more remote location from Keoland, sent its sympathies but nothing else. The aid that was sent was enough, however, and the monstrous atatckers suffered a number of crushing defeats and wer epushed back. Feeling that the threat of the monsters of Sterich could no longer be allowed to exist on Keoland's doorstep, and that Keoland should make good on its obligation to aid Sterich in its time of need, Arden then launched a retributive crusade to push the evil creatures out of Sterich and allow its people to return home. He was successful, and with Keoland's help Sterich has been able to restore itself to some semblance of a functioning nation once again.
With the recent cataclysmic events, the alliance between these four lands has been renewed. They have each felt that they need an additional bulwark of strength in these times, and have rallied together under Arden's banner, calling themselves the Kingdom of Athyr, meaning 'phoenix' in the Celestial tongue. As the gravity of the situation has become apparent, many other like-minded powers in the region have also flocked to Arden's leadership, believing that a strong alliance will be necessary to withstand the coming storm.'
'The bowels of Irongate comprise many levels of a vast underground city that houses hundreds of citizens. Here, minor traffic with Mitrik in Veluna is maintained through a magical gateway.'
'The Silent Ones of Keoland: This order of mages and diviners possess some of the last of Suel magic. The Tower of Silence rises hundreds of feet into the air in a location a day's ride from the Keoish capitol of Niole Dra. They are lead by Mohrgyr the Old (N, Male Human, Wizard 20) and have been known to oppose those who seek dangerous magical power. They are not pleased with the emergence of the Scarlet Brotherhood.'
'Knights of the Hart: This order is further broken down into the Knights of Furyondy, the Knights of Veluna, and the knights of the High Forest. They have vowed to oppose Iuz.'
'Knights of Holy Shielding: This group once ruled the Shield Lands before Iuz triumphed over them. They are lead by Lady Katarina of Walworth and by her chidr aid Knight Bnanneret Incossee of the Bronze Band (LG male human, Ftr 13) a Flan General. Many are paladins, fighters or clerics of Heironeous.'
'Knights of the Watch: Traditionally suspicious of barbarian Baklunish raiders, and too often prejudiced against the Baklunish, they are lead by the Grandiose Imperial Wyvern Hugo of Geoff (LN, Fighter 16). Popular deities among its membership are St. Cuthmbert, Heironeous, Pholtus, Allitur, and Mahayeine. They are split between the Knights of the Watch and the less traditional Knights of Dispatch, who do not hate the Baklunish but hate those who have invaded Geoff as well as Iuz. The Knights of the Watch tend to be mystically inclined and comprised of fighters, clerics, and paladins, while the Knights of the Dispatch tend to have more fighters, rangers, clerics and rogues.'
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FESTY DOG
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E-Mail (with permission) festydog69 (at) hotmail (dot) com
PC: Unknown as Festy hasn't chosen a PC yet (but possibly Hachiman the Demigod)
Artifacts: unknown as Festy hasn't chosen any artifacts yet
Powers:
- The Guardinals - these represent a force of very potent beings native to the Plane of Elysium, who were caught when the Crystal Sphere was sealed, and now reside on Oerth.
- Nippon - this represents very large forces of humans, large forces of dwarves, large forces of hengeyokai, large forces of spirit folk, small forces of elves, large forces of animals, sizeable forces of wondrous beings, sizeable forces of faerie, and possibly other forces.
- The Nippon Dominion - this represents large forces of humans, large forces of dwarves, large forces of hengeyokai, large forces of spirit folk, sizeable forces of vanaarans, sizeable forces of humanoids, small forces of ogre magi, sizeable forces of gnomes, sizeable forces of halflings, sizeable forces of faerie, sizeable forces of controlled abominations, large forces of animals, sizeable forces of wondrous beings, small forces of elves, and possibly other forces.
- Zindia - this represents very large forces of humans, very large forces of vanaarans, large forces of humanoids, small forces of ogre magi, sizeable forces of gnomes, sizeable forces of halfings, sizeable forces of faerie, and possibly other powers.
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
The Guardinals: N/A
Nippon: 3,530,000 = 190 IC x0,95 = 180,5 IC
Nippon Dominion: 4,100,000 = 176 IC x0,75 = 132 IC
Zindia: 5,670,000 = 240 IC x0,75 = 180 IC
TOTAL IC OF FESTY DOGS' POWER SO FAR: 492,5 IC
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: UNKNOWN
Color on map desired by Festy Dog: SANDY BROWN OR GOLDEN YELLOW
Territories on map: No on-map territories. Enormous off-map territories to the south, see http://members.aol.com/cathbhadhx/tsroerth.gif
PLAYER NOTES:
Nippon ? A spiritual and warrior-centric society, with clearly defined social casts and extensive rules of etiquette. Nippon is ruled authoritatively by a royal family, believed to be descendants of a god. The country and its dominion are divided into provinces which are managed by daimyos. These are often relatives of the main family or families whose members have performed great heroic deeds in the service of Nippon and the royal family.
The royal family themselves are aasimar, but humans compose the greatest percentage of the population, followed by dwarves, hengeyokai, spirit folk, and even a small population of elves.
Nippon is not as populated as its closest neighbours, but its militaristic bent makes it a formidable enough force to be able to have established a dominion nearby.
Zindia: North of Nippon, across the Sea of Nippon and residing on the Oerik mainland is the densely populated and religious nation of Zindia. Like it?s neighbour Nippon, Zindia has a caste system, but unlike Nippon this caste system is determined by birth and strictly enforced, leaving individuals incapable of changing their caste. Having long been trading partners with Nippon the two countries were quite capable of cooperation and viewed each other in a positive light. Zindia is populous but the largely peace promoting pantheon worshipped in the country means Zindia?s military is not as strong as it could be. Nonetheless the country makes up for it with its beauty. Numerous elegant temples and vast expanses of lush jungle are found within Zindia?s borders. The country is also known for its advanced universities and places of schooling for members of higher castes. Having not focused as much on military the country?s budget was often focused on more peaceful advancements.
Leadership of the country is left in the hands of a council of non-evil ogre mages and high priests, who rarely exercise the power at their disposal but are eager to make changes to their country or reinforce things already set in place for the betterment of the country. Leadership is somewhat democratic and somewhat theocratic, and each council member is voted into their seat from the members of the highest couple of castes in their region (usually a priest though), which they then represent as a council member.
The population of Zindia is incredibly diverse, almost every species having a presence there. The most numerous races include humans, vanaarans, and goblinoids, but
ogres, gnomes and halflings also have notable presences.
Nippon Dominion ? Formerly a part of Zindia a few decades past, the people of the region were inspired to seek independence by the area?s leaders at the time. Rebellion began and the leaders of the rebel forces discreetly bolstered their forces with mercenaries, initially catching Zindian government forces off-guard with how effective they were. The rebels made a steady push north until the government managed to establish a solid defensive line, bringing the rebel advance, for the moment, to a standstill. Naturally Zindia?s neighbours were paying attention, and before the rebels knew it the Nippon war machine had seized this opportunity and crashed into their flank and rear. The rebels had no choice but to surrender or be slaughtered. Nippon decided to occupy the rebels? former region, an action which received no interference. The reasons for this could be summed up as twofold: a) After the civil war Zindia was in no state to contest the occupation on a military level, and b) a show of gratitude. Without Nippon?s timely aid the war could have been prolonged indefinitely. Nippon divided the Dominion into provinces which are currently ruled by a collection of the most trustworthy daimyo families available, through this the average standard of living has been raised considerably over the couple of decades they?ve had control. This change came about because of Nippon being a generally wealthier country than Zindia, and having more relaxed view of the caste system. This led to some problems with more religious members of the community, but they were calmed with extensive negotiations.
The Dominion?s population consistency is almost identical to that of Zindia, save for a small cross-section of the Nippon population, represented by Nippon military and royalty in the region.
The Nippon Dominion is heavily populated like Zindia, but its peoples enjoy a much better standard of living under Nippon rule. This combined with their very religious and mostly peaceful society creates a very industrious nation.
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GUILT PUPPY: JOINT MAPMAKER OF THE 5TH IR
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E-Mail (with permission) craylor@rowf.net
PC: The Elder Brothers (titles, classes, ranks, levels, alignments unknown, and possibly unknowable) and Abbon Craylor, Rogue 17th level / Monk 8th level, alignment unknown
Artifacts: unknown
Powers:
- The Scarlet Brotherhood - this represents a powerful secret faction of suel monks/assassins/others and very large and potent forces of suel humans.
- Areas under the control of the Scarlet Brotherhood - these represent all of the nations and areas given below:
- The Frost Barbarians - these represent sizeable forces of suel humans of a neutral bent, sizeable forces of neutral and evil animals, sizeable forces of abominations, small forces of unseelie, and possibly other forces. This nation is famous for it's viking style ships.
- The Ice Barbarians - these represent small forces of suel humans of a neutral bent, small forces neutral and evil animals, large forces of abominations, and small forces of unseelie.
- The Snow Barbarians - these represent sizeable forces of suel humans, sizeable forces of neutral and evil animals, large forces of abominations, small forces of unseelie, and possibly other forces. The nation is also famous for it's viking style ships.
- Hempmonaland territories (East Hempmonaland, Pelisso Swamp, West Hempmonaland) - these represent very large forces of humans, large forces of neutral and evil animals, large forces of abominations, and exotic forces including possible dragons.
- The Lordship of the Isles (Aerdi Major, Aerdi Minor, Aerdi Rock, East Oljaat, East Sulward, Ekul Island, Midisle, North Duxchan, South Duxchan, West Oljaat, West Sulward, Wild Duxchan, Wild Oljaat) - these represent large forces of humans, small forces of humanoids, and small forces of servitor demihumans.
- the Hold of the Sea Princes (Hokar, Port Joli, the Hold of the Sea Princes, Westkeep: Flotsam Isle, Fairwind Isle, Jetsom Isle: Hool Marshes, Hool Valley) - these represent sizeable forces of humans, sizeable forces of servitor demihumans, sizeable forces of humanoids, large forces of abominations, large forces of neutral and evil animals, sizeable forces of unseelie, and possibly other forces.
- The Tilvanot Peninsula (Ekul, Kro Kerlep, Spine Ridge, Tilvanot Coast, Tilvanot Flats, Tilvanot Jungle, Tilvanot Plateau) - this represents very large forces of Hempmonaland servitor humans, large forces of other servitor humans, large forces of servitor demihumans, large forces of servitor humanoids, large forces of abominations, sizeable forces of undead, and possibly other forces.
- The Coastline of the Amedio Jungle (all territories on-map) - these represent sizeable forces of humans, very large forces of abominations, very large forces of neutral and evil animals, large forces of unseelie, and strange and exotic forces unknown to any but the Scarlet Brotherhood.
- The Loftwood - this represents small forces of humanoids, small forces of neutral and evil animals, small forces of abominations, and small forces of unseelie
- Timberway Forest - this represents small forces of neutral and evil animals, small forces of abominations, and small forces of unseelie
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
Scarlet Brotherhood: 120,000 = N/A
Areas under the control of the Scarlet Brotherhood:
The Frost Barbarians: 300,000 = 10 IC x0,75 = 7,5 IC
The Ice Barbarians: 300,000 = 10 IC x0,75 = 7,5 IC
The Snow Barbarians: 400,000 = 15 IC x0,75 = 11,25 IC
Hepmonaland Territories: 4,900,000 = 174 IC x1,00 = 174 IC
The Lordship of the Isles: 525,000 = 26 IC x0,95 = 24,7 IC
The Hold of the Sea Princes: 840,000 = 40 IC x1,00 = 40 IC
The Tilvanot Peninsula: 1,064,000 = 60 IC x1,00 = 60 IC
The Coastline of the Amedio Jungle: 340,000 = 14 IC x0,95 = 13,3 IC
The Loftwood: 10,000 = 0,4 x0,50 = 0,2 IC
Timberway Forest: 20,000 = 0,6 x0,50 = 0,3 IC
TOTAL IC OF GUILT PUPPYS' POWER SO FAR: 338,75 IC
+(unknown)
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: BRIGHT RED
Territories on map: The Tilvanot Peninsula and possible other territories on-map, on-map Hempmonaland. Off-map territories in Hempmonaland to the southeast, see http://members.aol.com/cathbhadhx/tsroerth.gif
PLAYER NOTES:
'I'll be playing on behalf of the Elder Brothers, the elite of the Scarlet Brotherhood. Their names, powers, and numbers are unknown, even within much of the organization (and perhaps even to one another), but it is generally assumed that they are a mixture of monks, wizards, rogues, and clerics of Wee Jas, each around twentieth level. (Although the public doctrine of the Scarlet Brotherhood shuns magic, it is clear that this is not put into practice among the higher ranking members... Indeed, the deeper one looks at the organization, the less it appears that they have any coherent doctrine at all.)
As for the organization itself, its true politics and hierarchy are obscured by a careful system of secrecy. First, all members are required to take an oath to divulge as little information as possible, including that given to members lower in rank, or, more accurately, members who are under one's authority. Second, all members who hold any authority are instructed to give intentionally misleading and inaccurate information to their lowers, and are generally made to understand, themselves, that some of the information they are given is misleading.
As a result of this, attempts to infiltrate and unravel the organization's true structure have lead only to the conclusion that it may be impossible to unravel. Instances have been uncovered in which authority appears to run in circles: That is, one member has authority over another, who has authority over another, and so on leading back to that original member. In such cases, it appears that no member in the cycle was aware of its existence, each believing to know the "true" hierarchy which was hidden from there superiors. How instructions are fed into such a system from above is unclear; it has been proposed that there may be no "above," that the Elder Brothers are in fact a myth, and that the organization has dissolved under its own secrecy into a system with no true authority, whose actions and doctrines are the manifestation of thousands of interconnected whims and beliefs, systematically distorted until they no longer resemble any one power's vision of what the Brotherhood should be. Whether or not this is true, its appearance is enough to render any underlying, rigid structure invisible to those outside.
Regardless of this, no organization so large can function without charismatic leaders, and the Brotherhood has its fair share. It can be assumed from their code of secrecy that no member would be allowed to become a public figure were he to hold any significant influence in the organization, but their role in focusing the hearts and minds of its membership is no less important. Indeed, it is probably the sense of fanatical devotion that these speakers engender which allows an organization so strangely-knit to function in harmony as a coherent unit, rather than breaking off into factions or otherwise acting out of congruence.
Chief among these speakers is Brother Abbon Craylor, no doubt an accomplished member of the Brotherhood in his own right. It is his domain to handle the most important public and diplomatic affairs on behalf (or at least in the name) of the Elder Brothers. His history appears to lie primarily in espionage, and there are suspicions that such work continues, even when he is on apparently diplomatic journeys.'
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JAMES HEARD: JOINT MAPMAKER OF THE 5TH IR
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E-Mail (with permission) dunlandor@earthlink.net
PC: Ygravene Xagy (also known occasionally as Zagyg)
Other characters: Zagyg the Mad Archmage, Demigod of Humor, Eccentricity, Occult lore and Unpredictability. Murlynd, Hero-God of Magical Technology.
Artifacts: unknown yet
Powers:
- The Nation of Aestia - this represents a loose and chaotic nation holding vague control over an enormous amount of sparsely populated land, limited to the valley floors of the northernmost portions of the country but gradually becoming more and more subterranean in nature as the latitude progresses towards the south pole of Oerth. Sizeable cities are held apart by vast differences in local law, society, and government - a common religion and national government are the main defining characteristics of "Is it Aestian?"
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
Aestia: 6,300,000 = 350 IC x 1,00 = 350 IC
TOTAL IC OF JAMES HEARDS' POWER SO FAR: 350 IC
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: LIGHT YELLOW-TANNISH
Territories on map: No territories on-map. Territories off map include the southern polar ice cap and territories beneath and underground, and a relatively large but sparsely populated spear of land in the middle of southern Solnor Ocean.
PL Notes:
The Aestian Nationalized Seaforce - Aestia has a proud and ancient tradition of seafaring. While the local provincial navies are mostly converted merchantmen with the occasional selkie marines, the Aestian navy has been proudly sailing on or beneath the waves for the last three quarters of a century with the most advanced naval magical technology in all of Oerth. Three tremendous Wetsail carriers are the flagships of the navy, capable of carrying smaller vessels and engaging in massive amounts of um, privateering. The flagships are: The Narwhal, Nautilus, and BunBun (BunBun is crewed only by Kobolds and Gnomes and is sized as such)
Local Armed Forces: Indistinct rabble of variously trained and equipped troops of widely different capabilities and design. One province might rely on a dominated troll marching band to serve as protection, another could consist of a single wise sage, and yet another could have a powerful company of constructs and siege crabs. Generally the overwhelmingly consistent element is the Aestian proclivity toward style and outlandish behavior.
Polarian Tax Corps: Trained to deal with a tremendously different resistance from various frigid provinces while collecting taxes, the Polarian Tax Corps tend to be multispecialists capable of dealing with many different situations. They travel underneath the Polarian ice caps in specially designed boats and in the occasional awakened whale's gullet. They are the elite fighting units of Aestian Tax Collectors.
The Pelican Riders of Sargynia: The Pelican riders are just that- they ride Giant Pelicans as a sort of air force. They're not particularly well trained or maintained, but they have fun and in Aestia that's a legitimate reason to set up a militia.
Vates of Askala: Askala is the magical university of Aestia, and the Vates are the elite seers that inhabit the Ganna monastery at the top of Mt. Aksala. They're not truly a military force, but most everyone on the island of Askala has something to do with magic. Only the Vates are truly significant though, being mostly diviners and illusionists of 13th or higher level.
Walrus Riders of Friesland: These guys ride Dire Walruses, which sounds really silly until you've seen a dire walrus- after which you realize they're incredibly brave with a tremendous tolerance for gassy dire walruses for long stretches of time. They're mostly dwarves, except for a female barbarian Loxo named Esprelza that no one wanted to argue with.
The Srantovati: The Heroes of Srantovati are basically Aestia's answer to a knightly order, except the Aestian Srantovati sword-style fixates heavily upon light or no armor without a shield. Therefore most members are Monks using greatswords and bastard swords. It's invitation only, and Srantovati are accorded the ovations normally reserved for professional athletes. They are usually known by their distinctive dark face paint, bare chests (for both sexes) and red and green striped pants. That dress is so associated with them in fact, that it serves as a cover for their activities sans uniforms.
The Retainers of the Celestial Houses: These forces tend to either be for show only, or to be terribly elite affairs of single bodyguards. By national decree the Celestial Houses are forbidden to raise standing armies, so instead they tend to make up for quantity in quality.
Others: There are also a number of "monster race" citizens and what not that might be construed as forces in their own right. While the Alcian church, for instance, does indeed have a substantial number of priests with effective combat abilities though, they're not mustered or organized as such. So any use of them as combat units will probably require an expenditure of IR power.
PLAYER NOTES
Aestia
Proper Name: Aestia Akalassa
Ruler: Aestem Raudex Merlend (Murlynd) at the behest of Ygravene Xagy (Zagyg), Perguine MLXI of Polaria, Duke of Askala and Irminsul, Ruler of the Malachite Throne, Keeper of the Vates of the Uttercold, Master of the Winds and Stars, Admiral of the Southern Seas, Chief of the White Hide Tribes, Lord of Illusion and Truth, Overking of the New Kingdom, Raud of the Srantovati, and Wind Duke of Aquaa.
Government: Meritocratic Monarchy overseeing a bizarre variety of governmental systems
Capital: Masyus (26,000)
Major Towns: Friesland (4,000), Ganna (limited to 436 permanent residents), Askala (4,000), Moren (41,800), Jelling (11,600), Stetten (22,700), New Roland (36,000)
Provinces: Many semi-independent nations of which Aestia, Askala, Arrona, Curonia, Dacia, Epirus, Ezra, Suomi, Pelegica, Paetrica, Vod, Levts, Vils, Sargynia, Mori, Raethra, and Rhaetia are all some particulars of.
Resources: Ships and seafaring technology, fish and fish products, reindeer, ivory, Gems (I-III), rare lichens, novelty goods and products
Coinage: Narwhal (10pp), Pelican (pp), Crown (gp), Noble (ep), Penny (sp), Common (cp)
Population: 6,300,000 (tentatively)
Languages: Old Oeridian, Gnome, Draconic, Aquan, Common, Askalan (a secret tongue taught to the priests of the Askala), and many exprimental languages in this time of change - including at least one that involves flash cards and another that requires a trombone and pantomime.
Alignments: N, CN*, LG, LN, NG, CG
Religions: Alci* (The Twins, with both Gnomish and Aestian versions being popular), Alia, Bleredd, Boccob, Celestian, Daern, Delleb, Fharlanghn, Johydee, Lirr, Murlynd, Pholtus, The Zorya (The Fate Winds- Atro, Procan, Sotillon, Telchur, Velinius, & Wenta) Velnius, Xerbo, Zagyg, and Zilchus.
Allies: Various intelligent whales, ice elementals, lost seafarers, Akalan tradepriests
Enemies: The Man
History:
Aerdian domination of the Flanaess was an event that took place over hundreds of years, capped by the coronation of Overking Nasran in 1CY. By -213 CY though, the Aerdy had already began to show the fat complacency that would later lead to their downfall. A fleet of 437 ships full of stout adventurers and knights sailed south from the great ancient port of Roland, vowing to restore Aerdian honor and prestige to far away lands and to one day return with the secrets of making the Aerdy masters of their destinies eternally.
Unfortunately for those devout individuals, stalwart souls all, they had little comprehension of the task they had set for themselves. From the very start they encountered resistance to their cause. Sea monsters, hostile natives, and all manner of dire celestial portents all caused attrition amongst the crews and many ships were lost. Still they persisted, their fleet nearly halved and every person aboard (even the halflings) gaunt and starving, they finally found a land to claim for themselves - a paradise of rocks covered in lichens and desperate fur trees at the mouth of a tremendous river. Their leader Masyrus claimed land on the northern side across from that island and called it holy. So the first twin settlements of Masyrus and Ganna were founded and a new calendar was established in 1AR (-197CY).
Eventually those Aery explorers began to call themselves more properly the Aesti, or "Sea People." The harsh islands and coastlines of Aestia almost provided the final wave over into the bilge for the hapless settlers until they met with the indigenous tribes of the area - mostly gnomes, dwarves and kobolds - who they negotiated with and cajoled until those races joined them. Today, in some places at least, the societies are almost completely intertwined. In 102AR (-95CY) their alliances and agreements were settled into the forms that are recognizable today when they drove the last remnants of the hordes of the Ancient Green Dragon Mxaples from the Calnan Swamps and the leaders of all races involved were granted noble status in the great houses of Aestia. Also of noted presence was a great adventurer mage by the name of Ygravene Xagilvy, also promoted to nobility by the consensus of The House of Lords and Houses.
Over the years, Aerdian sensibilities ahve changed much in the Aesti with the Aestian culture now sharing many facets with their gnomish and other demihuman allies. The provinces of Aestia are known properly as Celestial Houses, the Overking of Aestia rules from a throne made of malachite and platinum, and the dream of finding the perfect political system is expressed at the county level with great latitude given to individuals and communities to persue different forms of government and expressions of provinence.
Recently the Aestians have came under the curious rule of a descendant of the mage Xagilvy and his appointed Aestem Raudex Merlend. The two are a curious sort, coming from the sea from nowhere, pronouncing and proving their establishment as progeny of a Celestial House thought lost long ago, and besting every foe in almost every task and challenge until they won the seat of rulership. Their companion Jaldamee dead on the journey, the mage Xagy seems to be still mourning - tirelessly searching the icy frostfell wastes of Polaria for something. Merlend, on the other hand as his agent, seems bent on squeezing every last secret from the scrolls of technology and knowledge that mysteriously appeared in the nation just after the Gods stopped communicating with their priests. Already he and the seers of Askala have vetted out many missteps and inaccurancies that seem to have been placed within the manuscript, and the people of Moren cheered last fall when Merlend demonstrated the first steps of what he calls "aeronology" with a flight in a contraption he called "Pelican III." Unfortunately further experiments by other "aeronauts" have been less than successful.
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JOHN BROWN
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E-Mail: (withheld until John Brown gives his permission)
PC: John Brown had not yet created a player character (or demipower: some demipowers can be claimed)
Artifacts: John Brown has not yet selected any artifacts (many players have taken 3)
Powers:
- John Brown has not yet selected any countries, territories, areas, areas in Wildspace, groups, or organizations for his power
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
I don't know yet, since a power has not yet been created
TOTAL IC OF JOHN BROWNS' POWER SO FAR: Unknown yet
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: UNKNOWN
Color desired by John Brown: JOHN BROWN HASN'T DECIDED YET
Territories on map or off-map (http://members.aol.com/cathbhadhx/tsroerth.gif) None yet
PLAYER NOTES:
John Brown has not yet submitted any information regarding his power, it's history, peoples, culture, or whatever else he would like to set down for the record.
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KALANYR
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E-Mail: kalanyr@gmail.com
Player Character: Morwel, Queen of the Eladrin, Demipower of the Eladrin, Chaotic Good
Other characters:
Her Lunar Majesty Xin Hope, Queen of the Winter Moons (Female elf Cleric 3rd / Sorceress 10th, neutral good), her consort the illustrious Wae Sinde (actually the demigod Ye'Cind in disguise), and her son Vin Barros, Prince of Elvenkind (Male elven Bard 7th, chaotic good)
Artifacts: The Fountain of Beauty (the item said to be responsible for the incredible beauty of several dieties) and Morwel's Court of Stars (which serves as both a demiplane for Morwel's Court and an enabler for the demiplanar courts of the Tulani (as the Tulani have no power that allows them to create these courts this seems to be the most logical explanation for their existance)
Powers:
- The Eladrin - this represents a group of very potent beings native to Arborea, the Plane of Ultimate Chaotic Good, who have come to Greyspace and Oerth. (Should probably have the infiltrator trait)
(Probably no militia level PL, a fairly even split of regular (mainly the numerous coure, novani and bralani) and elites (firre, shierre and ghaele) witha few epic (Shiradi, Tulani and Eladrin with levels)
- Gigantea - this represents sizeable forces of titans (all chaotic alignments), sizeable forces of storm giants (chaotic good), sizeable forces of cloud giants (neutral good and neutral evil), sizeable forces of frost giants (evil), small forces of other kinds of giants (all alignments), small forces of white dragons, small forces of silver dragons, small forces of humans, small forces of yeti and snow maidens, large forces of abominations, sizeable forces of wondrous beings, sizeable forces of animals, sizeable forces of faerie, sizeable forces of unseelie, small forces of elves, and small forces of half-elves.
- Continent of Hyperborea - the area of the continent claimed represents large forces of dwarves (glacier, arctic, Midgard), large forces of elves (ice, snow - all good aligned), large forces of arctic gnomes, small forces of humans, small forces of urskans, sizeable forces of snow orcs, sizeable forces of snow goblins, sizeable forces of frost giants, very large forces of abominations, large forces of wondrous beings, sizeable forces of animals, small forces of treants and sentient trees and plants, small forces of yuki-no-ona (the ice maidens), small forces of ice wierds, large forces of faerie, large forces of unseelie, small forces of elementals, small forces of genies, small forces of good elven undead, and possibly other forces.
The Alliance of the Mare Mysticum:
- The Elvanian Forest, representing all the powers given below:
- The Thorns - these represent a large force of halfling like faerie.
- The Temple of Sehanine - these represent a sizeable and very potent force of elven clerics and elves.
- The Faerie Court - these represent a sizeable and extraordinarily potent force of faerie.
- Allied Forces - these represent a very large force of good and neutral animals and wondrous beings, large numbers of treants and sentient trees and plants, and sizeable forces of good undead.
- Kingdom of the Marchwards - the Armies of the Marchward Kings - these represent a large force of knightly half-elves and other half-elves.
- Kingdom of Miranda, representing all the powers given below:
- Ye'Cind the Demigod of Bards, chaotic good.
- Queen Xin of Miranda.
- The Armies of the Mystics of Miranda - represents a sizeable group of potent elderly elves.
- The Recorders of Ye'Cind - these represent a sizeable force of elves specialized in intelligence work.
- The Court of Winter Moons - these represent a small and potent force of elves dedicated to protecting Queen Xin.
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
The Eladrin: N/A = N/A
Gigantea/Jotnumheim: 1,960,000 = 89 IC x0,95 = 84,55 IC
Hyperboria: 1,200,000 = 63 IC x0,95 = 59,85 IC
Alliance of the Mare Mysticum:
- Elvanian Forest: 510,000 = 28 IC x1,00 = 28 IC
- Kingdom of the Marchwards: 212,000 = 12 IC x1,00 = 12 IC
- Miranda: 128,000 = 7 IC x1,00 = 7 IC
TOTAL IC OF KALANYRS' POWER SO FAR: 191 IC
+(unknown)
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: UNKNOWN
Color on map desired by Kalanyr: VIOLET
Territories on map: No on-map territories, large off-map territories to the west, see http://members.aol.com/cathbhadhx/tsroerth.gif
PLAYER NOTES:
The relationship between the elven powers of Arborea and the Eladrin is usually one of a passive co-operation and non-interference, however seeing the coming of the disaster, the elven pantheon contacted the Eladrin and asked them to venture to the world of Greyhawk to aid those in peril after the sphere was sealed from the rest of the multiverse. Queen Morwel agreed and in a move almost unprecedented in history volunteered to live Arborea and go herself, in the strife coming, the mortals would need guidance and only from them could come the seeds that might allow the undoing of the tremendous evil. Accompanied by the Eladrin not otherwise occupied in other locations across the multiverse and a few titans from Mt Olympus, Morwel and her court have journied to Greyhawk, to the elven nation north of Lynn. The titans accompanying Morwel immediately made contact with their kindred in Gigantia in hopes of gaining strong allies, so far these moves have met with reasonable success although the evil giants and titans of Gigantia are currently opposing the alliance.
Noteable NPCs beside Morwel herself are her consorts Faerinaal and Gwynharwyf both Eladrin of Epic stature.
(An alternate explantion for Morwel's presence is that Arborea was already overrun and she and her court have moved to Greyhawk in a retreat which is perhaps more likely, I'll leave this to Serpenteye to decide).
(Notes on Gigantea/Jotnumheim from Kalanyr)
Gigantea/Jotnumheim: Is a vast territory, roughly the size of Zinda (based on the map), however the eastern half the land is mountainous terrain. And the entire northern half (and the mountains of the south) are subject to frigid winds and ice and snow from Hyperborea. The frozen northern reaches of Gigantea are home primarily to frost giants and evil cloud giants and titans (where they were driven in conflict with the elves of Miranda and their more noble kindred centuries ago), as well as a variety of creatures native to the icy environments including a small number of white dragons. The southern mountains are inhabited largely by titans and cloud giants of good and neutral alignment, and storm giants, a few silver dragons and stone giants can also be found in the area. Apart from the differents in alignment few differences are found between the northern and southern reaches, the titans of both areas and their giant allies/servants have constructed tremendous cities high in the mountains that are hidden from discovery by normal mortals by both clever use of the dangerous terrain and its hazards, and by the potent magic of titanic and storm giant spellcasters. These cities in structure and politics resemble democratic Rome and Greece, with rule by a meeting of the people of the cities. Despite the difference in world view there are some relations in trade between the cities of the north and south and limited migration and travel between them. There are also barbarian tribes, both human and their neanderthal kin spread throughout the non-mountainous areas, who worship the dragons, giants and titans as godlike beings. The titans refer to their civilization as Jotunheim and the sea to the west takes it name from this, although the human inhabitants of the area have long forgotten the origins of the name and assume it is related to the occasional rogue frost giant bands that are encounted in the mountains.
In the higher mountains and the frozen north many other beings from Hyperborea can be found, including Yeti's, Snow Maidens, various ice fey, many wild animals, beasts and monsters. There are also several glacier dwarves delves spread through the northern mountains, and a dream dwarf enclave can be found in the southern mountains. In the non-frozen parts of southern Gigantea fey creatures from the Elven Lands and half-elven immigrants from the Kingdoms of the Marches can be found.
Oreads, Galeb Duh and other moutain spirits are relatively common throughout the mountain region and tend to be either more inclined to striking bargains or vastly more potent than their Flaanesse kin, due to the power of their titan and giant neighbours, little is known of this mountain fairies but it is said that they have members in the Faerie Court of Miranda
(Notes on Hyperboria from Kalanyr)
Hyperborea: Hyperborea is a massive frozen land, large parts of which are merely ice, with no earth, large chunks of which occasionally break away from the mass. However despite the inhospitable nature of the area life finds a way to continue, in addition to the monsters and cold adapted beasts animals there are many small human (and neanderthal) villages scattered in various places (resembling Eskimo culture), as well as relatively advanced settlements of arctic gnomes. In the vast ice glaciers of Hyperborea there can be found numerous deep carven cities of the glacier dwarves, tunelling miles into some of the towering glaciers, with a network of icy tunnels connecting various cities. At the tops of many of these glaciers as well as several of the mountains of Hyperborea, the ice elves have their beautiful cities of carved ice, despite the isolationist attitudes of both the dwarves and the elves, they have a reasonably strong relationship simply due to the sheer difficult of surviving in their chosen habitats. The ice elven cities are occasionally visited by the yuki-no-ona (the ice maidens) of the north, where the strange and sometimes benevolent or malevolent ice fey are treated as spirits of the ice and divine messengers.
In the most remote glaciers of Hyperborea the occasional snow and ice weirds can be found, and these creatures are sometimes sort out by the other inhabitants for advice on the future. In these remote peaks the legendary monastery of the Cloud Anchorite monasteries can also be found, the immortal ancient masters of this place have played an important role in several clashes between the monsters and civilized beings of Hyperborea but they rarely interact with others except in a time of great need. And in the largest glacier of all there are a settlement of the powerful and skilled Midgard dwarves, who the greatest arctic dwarven smiths visit to perfect their craft.
In addition to these creatures there are numerous fairie folk such as the domovoi (CG small fey), frost folk (usually evil), rimefire eidolons (fey, CG), oreads, rusalkas (fey, usually CN), and the aforementioned uldra and yuki-no-ona, who as is the tradition of the fey folk are loosley led by a fairie court consisting of the eldest and most potent fairies. The fairie court has a reasonably friendly relation with the ice elves and the arctic gnomes, and are more favourably disposed to arctic dwarves than is usual because the arctic dwarves ice carving is far less destructive to the nature of the area.
There are also visitors from the elemental planes from portals to the planes of air, water and ice, high in the mountains, such as the qorrashi genie and various elementals, which the races of Hyperborea occasionally magically bind or strike deals with for service.
Monsters and animals like ice toads, giant ravens, and yeti, that serve as both allies/servants and enemies to all races. The strange intelligent bear-like magical beasts known as urskans also frequently work with whoever they think will benefit them the most.
There are also snow goblin and snow orc tribes that serve to harrass the other civilizations as well as tribes of frost giants.
The snow elves of Hyperborea through mystical means occasionally converse with their kindred in Miranda from where they moved millenia ago and it is by this means they have been brought in on the alliance the eladrin are trying to form, and they have convinced many of their good and neutral aligned allies to join them.
The ice elves of Hyperborea have formidable druidic and wizardly spellcasters, to maintain and shape their ice cities, (of which their are approximately 10, with about 10,000 inhabitants each). In all of these cities several baelnorn exist, guiding their mortal kindred through the dangers of life, and using their magic and ancient knowledge to preserve the cities, when the living spellcasters fail. In truth these baelnorn practically rule the cities as living repositories of knowledge and magical power. In and around the cities ice adapted trees and treants can be found as can the usual elven pets/companions, cooshees and the strange and fickle elven cats adapted to their frozen environments. Although the ice elves are relatively isolationist they have in the past helped the humans of the area when they were under threat by snow goblins and orcs and as such have a tenuous alliance with these folk.
The gnomes live in small collections of burrows beneath the ice, each settlement guided by the eldest living gnome, usually a druid, bard or sorceror. These gnomes are strange even by the standards of the gnomes of warmer climates and are hard to tell apart from the fey urdra who they are said to be distantly related to.
The glacier, arctic and Midgard dwarves have similar dwellins, carved into the hearts of mountains and gigantic frozen glaciers. The arctic dwarves have potent innate magical abilities related to the frost and often serve as counsellers and mystics in the glacier dwarf communities. These cities are culturally similar to the dwarven cities of the Flaanesse although the difficulty of surviving and their ice focus means they get along much better with the elves of the area.
The Midgard dwarves (long ago immigrants from Ysgard) have their own settlements separate from the other dwarves and have a more relaxed society, although they are dedicated to their craft and can forge potent magical weapons without knowledge of spells.
(Notes on Ye'Cind from Kalanyr)
Ye'Cind was once a skilled elven wizard and master bard until his performance in front of agents of the Seldarine provoked Corellon Larethian to grant him divinity.
Allies include Olidammara, Lydia, and the good powers of the Seldarine.
(Notes on the Alliance of the Mare Mysticum from Kalanyr)
Mare Mysticum
Proper Name: Mare Mysticum Alliance
Ruler: The Court of Winter Moons; Her Lunar Majesty Xin Hope, Queen of the Winter Moons (NG female elf Cle3/Sor10), and her consort, the illustrious Wae Sinde (actually the demigod Ye'Cind in disguise), and administered by her son, Vin Barros, Prince of Elvenkind (CG male elf Brd7)
Government: Hereditary feudal monarchy consisting of only elves, few half-elves, and many sylvan and fey races.
Capital: Coronel
Major Towns: Coronel (pop 3,000), Meadow (pop 8,000)
Provinces: The Kingdoms of the Marches (21 major fiefs governed by Marchwards), the Elven Forest (a protectorate enforced by ancient treats and many powerful sylvan races), the Faerie Court (a separate court within the Court of Winter Moons consisting solely of fey), the Temple of Sehanine (clerics under the semi-autonomous rule of Wae Sinde), and the thirteen remaining districts of the Elven Nation of Miranda (referred to as Mystics)
Resources: Foodstuffs, cloth, rare woods and spices, horses, gems I-IV, musical knowledge
Coinage: Coronel (pp), queen (gp), moon (sp), and song (cp)
Population: 850,000 - Fey 60% (half-fey elves 20%, thorns 13%, spriggans 11%, satyrs 10%, petals 10%, dryads 9%, grigs 8%, nixies 5%, pixies 3%, redcaps 2%, sirines 2%, nymphs 2%, shimmerlings (uncounted)), Half-elf 25%, Elf 20% (faerie 65%, gray 20%, high 15%, wild 5%), 3% Treant, 1% Halfling, 1% Human
Languages: Sylvan, Elven, Suloise (Celestial Imperium dialect)
Alignments: CG, CN, NG*
Religions: Elf Pantheon (mostly Seharine and Ye'Cind)
Allies: Celestial Imperium (trade), Gigantea (trade with the Titans and fey), Hyperborea (ties with the snow/ice elves who have migrated there).
Enemies: Fireland
History: See flavor text
Conflicts and Intrigues: I wrote this up for the 5th IR, that should be sufficient conflict and intrigue.
Sehanine is our mother, and her tears are what makes the the People greater than the lesser races -for in the tears our mother spilled upon our father's blood she gave us the gift of mystery, that we might cherish it and nurture it always. In ancient times there was a schism, uncreating the Elvendar and we sent those rebels of the unfaithful across the oceans and across the great wastelands to the south to exile. The True People remain near the spring of tears that our Mother created for us, in the ancient woods where magic springs from the trees as easily as sunlight springs from the east. Here we created our great cities of Coronel and Antheon, the meadows of Mistenveil and the tower of Deiren. We are not only the stewards of that great civilization we made, of Miranda (May she live Forever!), but of the true spirit of all who were once Elvendar.
Trust, in the face of the corrupt Elfaine of the east, is hard to maintain. Still we persist, hoping that some few of the profane ones might come over to the ways of the Elvendar and Sehanine. We spread her message through songs as old as the soil and great Ye'Cind, and dilligently record what secrets we discover in those songs. We seek to heal those still reeling from the wounds of our Father with our own tears, while protecting ourselves from their madness. We are the People. We are not monkeys and interlopers on this world, but the heirs to Oerth's most hidden nature. Those who mistake our inherent serenity for generosity do so at their own peril.
The Mare Mysticum Alliance
For ages the elven nation of the Miranda lived in relative isolation from the human and other demihuman powers that ruled to the east and west across the sea. Its only true contest of powers were with the giants of Fireland and ages ago the evil titans of Gigantea, but that changed with the coming of mankind to the south. With the establishment of the Eryptian refugees that came to call themselves the Empire of Lynn the elves found themselves in conflict, war had come for the first time to groves since the dark ones were cast down into the depths of Oerth.
Still, the Lynndites were primitive compared to the elves and more vulnerable to manipulation by ancient minds of the elven elders. The humans were seeded with heresies and embroiled into civil wars, sympathetic and promising humans were seduced by fair elven maidens for the good of the People. Eventually the Empire of Lynn was cut into three portions, the Empire, the heretical tribes of the Enllave, and the half-elven protectorate kingdoms of the Marches. Despite this fair success the Empire of Lynn remains an independent state and is the closest potential threat to Miranda, although currently relations are not hostile.
Physically the Elven Forest itself is the least forgiving of all geography around the Mare. Some of the treants of the Forest remember when the elves and their dark brothers the drow were one people, and when humanity was a mere myth used to frighten gullible elven children. Portions of the faerie court hold residence here deep in the recesses, and the ghosts of fey elven heroes lurk in the shadows to waylay the unannounced into the forest. The Elven Forest is what defines the Mare Mysticum region for what it is, a magical place. Even though few brave elves actually make residence in the forest, its presence is the entire reason for being for the elves to be in the area. Time itself seems to pass more slowly and sometimes less clearly within its borders, and elven and sylvan priestesses and seers come from all across the world to consult with the forest itself's strange intelligence. It is said that before the breaking with the outer planes that Corellon Larethian would while away hours in conversation with the rocks and trees of the Elven Forest. Some say that the legendary patience of the elves was learned in this place, and that in the center of the forest the most ancient of all elven holy sites - a temple dedicated to Sehanine who led the ancient elven people to Oerth - sits untouched by the sands of time.
The Kingdoms of the Marches spread to cover the lands between Gigantea, Lynn, the lost dwarven lands of the Landspire mountains that provide a buffer between the Marches and the lands of the Khanates and Celestial Imperium, and most of the land between the Elven homelands and the Elven Forest. Once the Marches were much smaller, and the Elven homelands much greater, but as time has passed the elves have retreated more and more as their number dwindled and the Marchward's subjects multiplied. The Marchwards are a hardy, industrious folk of mostly half-elven descent. Pledged eternally to their ancient task of guardianship, the Marchwards divide their lands according to celestial accordances garnered from the seerage of the elves. Few humans are allowed to immigrate to the Marches unless they pass a series of tests of magic and skill maintained to establish their loyalty to the elves, but those same tests guarantee that the rulers of the Marches are mighty and committed to their task indeed. Much of the land of the Marches is wide, fertile valleys left over from glaciation. Few occupy the lands, but ancient elven fortresses dot much of the countryside and are occupied by their now half-elven defenders and their fey allies. The overall governship of the Marches is covered by the Council of Y'Cind, whose traditional members include the Prince of Elvenkind, the high priest of Y'Cind, and an ambassador from the Faerie Court of the Elven Forest.
The Elven nation itself is empty. No, not entirely - but the cities of the elves lie mostly unoccupied and the storm wracked seas off the coast sometimes wash through the ages old magics that once protected the shores from the worst of the blizzards that wash over Gigantea. One of the first thing most notice about the place is that most of the residents are old, visibly old as few elves outside the Elven nation are ever seen. A few reckless and ill-tempered young elves pledged as honor guard stay here, and the occasional pilgrim seeking knowledge that might only be found in the capital Coronel's hallowed libraries come for moments. Elves in the ancient homelands live longer than they might live someplace further from the Elven forest and the magic invoked over the years in the Mysticum. The only ambassadors to the Elven nation is a single solitary building in Coronel hosting the delegation from the Celestial Imperium. There has never been an embassy for the Empire of Lynn, all such conversations having been between intermediaries such as the Marchward kings. Even though the Elven nations and the Mysticum alliance covers a huge amount of acreage it is quite thinly populated, being the home of mostly elves, their fey allies, ancient treants and awakened animals, ghosts, and their half-elven knight-protectors.
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KNIGHT OTU
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E-Mail (with permission) olifran@gmx.de
PC: Half-fiend red dragon
Artifacts: unknown
Powers:
- Cult of Ashardalon - these represent a few dragons, a sizeable force of half-dragons, a sizeable force of demons, a very large force of potent and lesser undead, and a very large force of servitors of all kinds.
- The Great Kingdom of Aerdi (Ahlissa, Atirr, Bellport, Central Great Kingdom, Coastal Great Kingdom, Duntsey, Eastern Great Kingdom, Devenwood, Eastfair, Edgefield, Gull Cliffs, Kaport Bay, Lendore Coast, Lone Heath, North Province, Northeastern Great Kingdom, Northern Great Kingdom, Prymp, Rel Astra, Rel Deven, Southeastern Great Kingdom, Southern Great Kingdom, Southwestern Great Kingdom, Western Great Kingdom, Winetha) - these represent sizeable forces of fiends of all types, extremely large forces of humans, very large forces of humanoids, sizeable forces of servitude demihumans, very large forces of neutral and evil animals, large forces of abominations, very large forces of undead, sizeable forces of constructs, large forces of unseelie, and possibly other forces.
- Knight Protectors, the Order of Hextor - this lawful evil knightly order represent a sizeable force of potent humans and demihumans.
- The Sea Barons (Asperdi Isle, Eastisle, Fairisle, Isle of Serpents, Oakenisle) - these represent large forces of humans, sizeable forces of humanoids, sizeable forces of servitude demihumans, sizeable forces of neutral and evil animals, sizeable forces of abominations, and possibly other forces.
- Medegia - this realm, completely destroyed and depopulated during the Greyhawk wars, has been reoccupied. What peoples it represents is unclear, however.
- Allied Forest Realms (the Grandwood) - this represent sizeable forces of servitor humans, sizeable forces of servitor demihumans, small forces of humanoids, sizeable forces of neutral and evil animals, small forces of abominations, and sizeable forces of unseelie
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
United Kingdom of Greater Ahlissa: 7,000,000 = 380 IC x0,75 = 285 IC
Northern Aerdi: 4,200,000 = 220 IC x0,95 = 209 IC
Rel Astra & Solnor: 720,000 = 40 IC x0,75 = 30 IC
Knight Protectors, the Order of Hextor: N/A
Allied Realms and Forest Realms:
Medegia: 670,000 = 34 IC x0,75 = 25,5 IC
The Sea Barons: 308,000 = 14 IC x0,75 = 10,5 IC
The Grandwood: 50,000 = 1.5 IC x0,5 = 0,75 IC
TOTAL IC OF KNIGHT OTUS' POWER SO FAR: 590,75 IC
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: BROWN
Territories on map: On-map territories covering most of the eastern Flanaess.
PLAYER NOTES:
'The cult of Ashardalon started off with all manners of humanoids, mostly humans and elves, worshipping the Great Wyrm Ashardalon. Ashardalon was much of a force of nature, and his power was great. Yet, he was brought down by the druidess Dydd, wounding his heart beyond repair. The heart remained in what would once be called the Nightfang Spire, and became a nexus of negative energy, transforming many of the wyrm's followers to undead.
With the help of the heart and other magic, the vampire Gulthias worked on expanding the cult, and some say that at its height, it had a nearly unlimited number of basic human skeletons and zombies, and a great number of elite forces, from vampires over mummy monks to wight assassins. The fall of Nightfang Spire was devastating to the forces of the cult, but it retained several forces.
Ashardalon, meanwhile, sought to replace his heart, and found that a demon would make a suitable replacement. The great wyrm bound Ammet, a balor of considerable power, to act his heart. While with time, even this powerful replacement heart began to fail, Ashardalon inspired other dragons to attempt the same feat, becoming the so-called disciples of Ashardalon. Not devout worshippers, or even necessarily loyal, most would not serve under Ashardalon, even if they respect his power.'
'Knight Protectors of the Great Kingdom: Once a great order in the Kingdom of Aerdi, they fell into decline. The order was traditionally split between follows of Heironeous the Valorous (lawful good) and Hextor the Warrior (lawful evil) Their goal was the preservation of the Great Kingdom.'
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MELKOR
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E-Mail (with permission) kooligar@op.pl
PC: Gallador the Undying King, Master of the Night Eternal (Emminent class Vampire, fallen Paladin 10th / Blackguard 10th / Necromancer 5th / Eldritch Knight 10th / Archmage 5th, CR 44, equivalent of strong Hero-Deity)
Other characters: Lanfear Princess of The Dark Moon, Allator the Shadow Prince, Meliana Princess of The Veil, and Garthaur Prince of The Flesh
Artifacts: unknown
Powers:
- Gallador's Concord (Court of the Eternal Night (Vampiric Feudal Nation), capital city Shavarash) - this represents Lanfear, Princess of The Dark Moon (daughter of Gallador), sizeable numbers of vampires, large servitor undead armies, and large independent undead armies.
- Ivid the Undying and the City of Rauxes - this represents Ivid (very powerful animus with an artifact known as the Fiend Seeing Throne), very large forces of fiendish servitors and allies, very large forces of undead servitors, large forces of abominations, small forces of human servitors, small forces of humanoid servitor races, small but potent forces of constructs, and possibly other very strange and unguessable forces.
- Underdark Nations under the Concord's Control (duergar Underdark nations, kuo-toa Underdark nations, troglodyte Underdark nations, other humanoid Underdark nations) - these represent very large forces of evil Underdark demihumans, very large forces of evil Underdark humanoids, and possibly other forces.
- The Sulhaut Mountains - these represent small forces of humanoids, small forces of (now) servitor demihumans (mostly dwarves), and small forces of strange abominations.
- Allied Deep Dragons and Shadow Dragons - these represent a small but extraordinarily potent force of dragons.
- The Sahuagin Empire of the Solnor Ocean - this represents large forces of sahuagin, large forces of Ixitch ... (how DO you spell that??), large forces of domesticated sharks, large forces of undersea animals, large forces of undersea abominations, sizeable forces of undersea undead, and possibly other forces.
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
Galador's Concord: 2,000 Vampires, 15,000 Vampiric Spawn, 100,000 servitor Undead = 6 IC x 1,00 = 6 IC
Ivid and the City of Rauxes: 66,666 = 3 IC x1,00 = 3 IC
Underdark Nations under the Concord's Control: 300,000 Duergar, 400,000 Kuo-Toa, 4 million servitor Humanoids = 252 IC x 0,75 = 189 IC
The Sulhaut Mountains 980,000 = 40 IC x 0,95 = 38 IC
Allied Deep Dragons and allied Shadow Dragons: (Counts as part of Concord)
The Sahuagin Empire of the Solnor Ocean: 2,000,000 = 90 x 0,95 = 85,5 IC
TOTAL IC OF MELKORS' POWER SO FAR: 321,5 IC
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: BLOOD RED
Territories on map: Small but potent on-map territory in the east. Large territories underneath the surface of Oerth in the Underdark.
PLAYER NOTES:
(from Bugbear concerning Elder Vampires)
Fledgeling 0-99 years
Mature 100-199
Old 200-299 Yrs
Ancient 300-499 yrs
Eminent 500-999 Years
Patriarch 1000+ Yrs
'Gallador`s Concord: Gallador The Undying King, Master of The Night Eternal is an ancient Vampire who was banished to the Underdark centuries ago . For ages ha has waged a war of conquest and deception, and now with the current dramatic events, his attention is brought back to the surface world!
Court of The Eternal Night: Vampire Children of Gallador, organized in feudal/dynastic system-power is usually based on proximity to Gallador, like generations in Vampire: The Masquaerade.
Origins of Gallador: This history may be found out through powerful divination magic, also may be known by Church of Pelor sages.
600 years ago, Gallador, a powerful Paladin devoted to Pelor, was a Great Champion of The Light, defending Keoland from the forces of evil. His valor and leadeship skills were unmatched, and bards all over the land were creating songs about heroic deeds of Gallador, Knight of The Sun. And minions of darkness felt nothing but dread upon hearing his name. Yet few noticed the flaws of Gallador, for he was a man of great pride, which was growing with each victory, and his wrath was terrible, though always righteous. He lead many sucessful campaigns against goblinoids, having no mercy for them, for he claimed they are capable only of wickedness and destruction.
One day Gallador learned that his entire family, including wife and young children, was murdered in an unexpected attack. He rushed to the High Temple of Pelor and confronted the Archpriest, demanding his loved ones to be resurrected, surely he deserved it as a Champion of The Faith! But Archpriest answered that the souls of Gallador`s family are with Pelor, their happiness is much greater than during their lifetime, they would not return! But Gallador loved his wife and children more than he loved Pelor, and he felt betrayed, for the first time in his life he felt forsaken by his God. Rage overtook him, and he slew the Archpriest, whose blood flew at the holy altar, desecrating it.
Then Pelor himself intefered, sending an Avatar to confront his Champion. But Gallador rejected his Master as a liar and hypocrite,claiming that Gods want only to enslave mortals, to use them in their games. They are allowing the world the suffer, while laughing at the mortal struggles. Pelor`s Avatar said nothing, looking only in sadness. Suddenly, there was more and more blood flowing from Archpriest`s body, and it turned into the river, that completely covered terrified and screaming Gallador. Then Pelor spoke:
"It was you who betrayed your God. Since you rejected my light, I curse you to an eternity in darkness, you shall never again walk in the light of the sun! You will have ages to reconsider your foolishness, and you will be forced to steal the life of others to feed the void inside you, pathetic existence of a parasite!"
So died Gallador the Paladin, and Gallador the Vampire Lord was born. Pursued by his former friends and allies, he escaped to the Underdark, swearing that he will one day revenge himself against false Gods and their pathetic followers. He has never been seen again in the outside world...'
(updated information on the Empire of the Sahuagin, from Melkor)
Emperor Sarkhor the 5th has been turned into a Vampire, alongside Royal Court. He allied himself with Lord Gallador, joining his Concord. The Priests of Sekolah are being purged without mercy, defenseless after losing contact with their God. Strange new machines are being created in the cities of the Ocean depths, and there are rumors of Undeath armies being raised.
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NAC MAC FEEGLE
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E-Mail (with permission) estickgold@gmail.com
PC: Sephir, Human Psion (Telepath) 30th level, lawful neutral
Artifacts: Psicrown of the Crystal Mind (Psionic Artifact)
Powers:
- The Kabalim - these represent a small, but extremely potent group of psionic beings of varied races led by the Psionic Circle.
Areas under the control of the Kabalim:
- The Iron League (Idee Coast, Idee Valley, Iron Gate, City of Irongate, Grayflood, Menowood, Onnwal, Pitchfield, Reiu Hills, Reiuwood, County of Sunndi, Hestmark Highlands, Dullstrand) - these represent large forces of demihumans, large forces of humans, and small forces of good and neutral animals and wondrous beings.
- The County of Ulek - this represents large forces of demihumans (mostly elves), large forces of good and neutral animals and wondrous beings, treants and sentient trees and plants, and sizeable forces of faerie
- The Principality of Ulek - this represents large forces of demihumans (mostly dwarves and gnomes), sizeable forces of good and neutral animals and wondrous beings, and sizeable forces of faerie
- Allied Forest Realms (the Menowood, the Reiuwood) - these represent small forces of demihumans, sizeable forces of good and neutral animals and wondrous beings, sizeable forces of treants, and sizeable forces of faerie.
- The Isle of the Phoenix - this mystical (and enormous) island half-way across the Solnor (apparently) represents large forces of oeridian humans, large forces of demihumans, large forces of druids and treants, large forces of good and neutral animals, large forces of sentient trees and plants, large forces of wondrous beings, large forces of faerie, and possibly other forces.
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
The Kabalim: (unknown) = N/A
Dullstrand: 50,000 = 2,6 IC x0,75 = 1,95 IC
Idee Coast: 90,000 = 5 IC x0,75 = 3,75 IC
Idee Valley: 110,000 = 6 IC x0,95 = 5,7 IC
City of Irongate: 150,000 = 9 IC x1,00 = 9 IC
Iron Hills: 40,000 = 2 IC x1,00 = 2 IC
Grayflood: 0 = 0 IC
Onnwal: 170,000 = 8 IC x1,00 = 8 IC
Hestmark Highlands: 40,000 = 1.6 IC x0,75 = 1,2 IC
Reiu Hills: (Counts as a part of Idee/Sunndi)
County of Sunndi: 250,000 = 12 IC x0,95 = 11,4 IC
The County of Ulek (all territories on-map) 670,000 = 34 IC x0,95 = 32,3 IC
The Duchy of Ulek (all territories on-map) 554,000 = 30 IC x0,75 = 22,5 IC
The Menowood: (Counts as a part of Sunndi)
The Rieuwood: (Counts as a part of Sunndi)
The Isle of the Phoenix: 3,600,000 = 200 IC x0,95 = 190 IC
TOTAL IC OF NAC MAC FEEGLES' POWER SO FAR: 287,8 IC
SPECIAL NOTE: Nac Mac Feegles' power already has amassed 10 PL in the Magical Arms Race, before the start of Turn 1.
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: GREYISH-BLUE
Territories on map: on-map areas in the southeast Flanaess
PLAYER NOTES:
'The Kabalim are a group of vastly powerful psions based in what is now the Iron League. The Kabalim as an organization date back far further than that, however, and indeed the history of the revolt in Irongate is also part of the history of the Kabalim. Origins of the Kabalim are unknown, but they have been in the south of the Great Kingdom since its creation. It has been theorized that they were refugees from the Baklunish Empire or perhaps the Suel Imperium, but if records of their early home exist, then they are kept secret.
It was the Kabalim that fomented the rebellion of the Iron League against the Great Kingdom, and once this had been done they took steps to keep their investment secure. Every spy sent into the League disappeared mysteriously, every informer returned with false intelligence or turned traitor and spilled their information to the League. On the other side, League armies seemed to know exactly what the plans of their enemies were, and made good use of this information. Meanwhile, the Kabalim worked.
The Kabilim have one purpose, one goal, one ideal. They intend to attain the power of gods. The Kabalim long believed that none of the gods of Greyhawk truly ruled with justice or wisdom, condemning them as foolish and uninterested in humanity. The removal of Flanaess from the multiverse simply made them more sure of their cause. The races of Flanaess needed gods, and they intended to become them.
The Kabalim is led by a circle of eight psions of incredible power, who devote their time and energy only to their task of divine ascension. This circle is headed by a human man known as Sephir, a telepath of unimaginable skill, said to have been able to probe the minds of the gods themselves. It is unclear how long the current Circle of Eight has ruled, because their names are rarely known, and they live unnaturally long lives, but it is clear that Sephir has ruled for over three hundred years, and is said to be ageless. Beyond the Circle of Eight, the Kabalim control a hidden network of psionic agents hidden throughout the league, whose sole purpose is to defend the Kabalim's interests by keeping the League powerful.
It is important to note that the Kabalim are not evil. They do not seek power for the sake of oppression or personal gain, but because they believe that someone must take control of what they consider a world without leadership, and they see themselves as the right ones to do this.'
' The bowels of Irongate comprise many levels of a vast underground city that houses hundreds of citizens. Here, minor traffic with Mitrik in Veluna is maintained through a magical gateway.
Curious rumors say that Cobb Darg, Lord Mayor of Irongate, hides a secret related to his heritage.'
'The Isle of the Phoenix: It existed in a series of RPGA modules as an island off the coast of Aquaria. This continent, created by Frank Mentzner of TSR, had an empire started by Oeridian seafarers (there might have been some Flan humans there, not sure) amid demihumans and humanoids. The empire colIasped, and was replaced with some city states, nations, and settlements. One of the kings played around with technology and I seem to remember a Druidic alliance there, as well as a powerful Lawful Good wizard/cleric on the Isle of the Phoenix.'
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PAXUS ASCLEPIUS
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E-Mail (with permission) joejay1066@yahoo.com
PC: The Wolf God, paragon greater barghest 18 hit dice, warshaper 5 / planar champion 5 / legendary dreadnought (several dozen levels)
Artifacts: unknown
Powers:
- The Bone March (including Spinecastle) - this represents sizeable forces of humanoids, sizeable forces of abominations, small forces of undead, sizeable forces of neutral and evil animals, and possibly other forces
- The Pomarj - this represents very large forces of giants, very large forces of humanoids, very large forces of neutral and evil animals, large forces of abominations, small forces of humans, and possibly other forces
- Evil Mountain Realms (most of the Corusk Mountains, Crystalmists, Griff Mountains, Hellfurnaces, Jotens, Raker Mountains, and the Blemu Hills) - these represent very large forces of giants of all kinds, very large forces of humanoids of all kinds, large forces of abominations, forces of undead, forces of humans, and possibly other forces)
- Allied Forest Realms (the Dreadwood, the Hraak Forest, the Phostwood, the Suss Forest) - these represent large forces of humanoids, large forces of evil animals, large forces of abominations, and sizeable forces of the unseelie
- The Troll Fens - these represent large forces of trolls, sizeable forces of abominations, sizeable forces of unseelie, and other unpleasantries
Notes on population (incomplete)
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
The Bone March: 920,000 = 45 IC x0,75 = 33,75 IC
The Pomarj: 3,300,000 = 170 IC x1,00 = 170 IC
The Corusk Mountains: 300,000 = 10 IC x0,75 = 7,5 IC
The Crystalmists: 1,800,000 = 80 IC x0,75 = 60 IC
The Griff Mountains: 500,000 = 20 IC x0,75 = 15 IC
The Hellfurnaces: 2,000,000 = 100 IC x0,95 = 95 IC
The Jotens: 80,000 = 3 IC x0,95 = 2,85 IC
The Raker Mountains: 750,000 = 37 IC x0,95 = 35,15 IC
The Blemu Hills (count as part of Bone March)
The Dreadwood: 50,000 = 1.5 IC x0,95 = 1,425 IC
Hraak Forest: 20,000 = 0.6 IC x1,00 = 0,6 IC
The Phostwood: 60,000 = 2 IC x0,95 = 1,9 IC
Spinecastle (counts as part of Bone March)
Suss Forest: 70,000 = 2 IC x0,95 = 1,9 IC
The Troll Fens: 14,000 = 0.3 IC x1,00 = 0,3 IC
TOTAL IC OF PAXUS ASCLEPIUS' POWER SO FAR: 425.375 IC
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: YELLOW
Territories on map: Mountain ranges in the southwest, west, and northeast Flanaess. Small forest regions on-map.
PLAYER NOTES
'In game terms, the Wolf God is a paragon greater barghest of 18 hit dice, with five levels of warshaper, five of planar champion, and several dozen of legendary dreadnought. This is a purely combatant build, with only minimal and passive magical abilities.
For flavor text: The Wolf God is a terrible sight to behold: a 15-foot goblinoid form, most of its body masked in several hundred pounds of urdrukar full plate. The leering wolflike head that forms the helm is, in fact, identical to the true visage of its wearer, down to the blazing topaz eyes. His pride and joy, Grimcleaver, is a masterwork of vile metallurgy. The falchion, tall as two men, has been patternwelded from Baatorian greensteel, morghuth-iron, and adamantine, heated in fires made from the souls of fallen paladins, and quenched in the still-living bodies of kidnapped priests of Trithereon; the bounties placed by the Wolf God on live swanways indicates that he hopes to duplicate the honing of the Angelwing Razor.
The policies of the Wolf God are simple: order is the proper way of the world, and he is the proper director of that order. To this end, he has made common cause with those who are willing to stomach his means: a brutal tyranny which also includes a complicated caste system. To appease Iuz, he allows his clerical castes (primarily bureaucrats, but also numbering sorcerors, wizards, and those with natural magical powers) to worship the cambion demigod (incidentally providing him with a corp of divine casters to assist his armies); to the drow who dwell so unfortunately close to his heartlands, he has promised positions in the upper hierarchy.'
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RADIANT
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E-Mail (with permission) radiant@gmx.tm
PC: Sanakan, 58th First Claw of the Sikari.
Other characters: Blackwing, Snowfox, Ratcatcher, Scarface, Darkness, Slayer
Artifacts: unknown yet
Powers:
- CLAW (The Sikari, legendary defenders and protectors of the Celestial Imperium) - this represents a sizeable and very potent force of demihumans.
- The Celestial Imperium - this represents a vast (but currently in collapse) force of humans, possibly large forces of demihumans, possibly large forces of humanoids, large forces of animals and wondrous beings, small forces of servitor abominations, and possibly sizeable forces of faerie.
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
The Celestial Imperium: 19,800,000 = 999 IC x 0,25 = 249,75 IC
The Claw Mercenary Company of the Sikari: N/A
TOTAL IC OF RADIANTS' POWER SO FAR: 249,75 IC
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: unknown as of yet
Territories on map: No on-map territories. Enormous off-map territory to the west.
PLAYER NOTES:
'So many worries in this world.
Ethergaunts eradicating your population?
Hordes of Underdark denizes scouring your landscape?
Pesky Paladins destroying your favoured undead?
Do not despair good people of Greyhawk.
The Sikari are now available.
If it threatens you we lend you the best trained troops you could ever want.
If your man are disheartned we will show them hope.
If your enemy is invading your land we will protect your towns and citizens.
If you're too broke we will cut you a deal!
Our soulwarped warriors are one hundred percent loyal and reliable, can be transported instantly to any location the customer requires and are capable of performing any military duty you find yourself in need of.
If you are interested in more information or would prefer to view a demonstration, our emissaries are on the way to YOUR capital right now to provide extensive and free council on any possible business arrangement.
Whatever you need, be it a small unit to garisson a city close to riot or a whole army to launch a major invasion, the CLAW mercenary company is your best choice.'
(further information from Radiant)
The throne room of the white palace.
'They called it the chamber of light. Yet shadows moved through it as if they had a live of their own. And indeed they had. Occasionaly one would lengthen out and start to take more form before finally a black-gald human would step out of it.
Some of them had allrady gathered around the throne of white marble. Each and every one of the men and women was slim, almost gaunt. The most striking thing was their hair, contrasting their pale, almost white, skin. One had the deeped purple while another's was blood red.
One after the other had arrived and give has report. It had been the same every single time.
'It is done.'
Now they waited. Twenty-seven had gathered, with arrival of the twenty-eighth their treason would be complete.
Another shadow split open, revealing the last of their number. His electric-blue hair was bound to tight ponytail behind his back. Like everyone else in attendance he was closed neck to toe in leatherlike suit. The material was covered with armorlike plates of dark crystal and occoasinaly flashes of color shot through them like lightning, more often than not in the same color as the hair of the person wearing it.
The newcomer took his place in the half circle around the throne.
'It is done.'
Like those before him he wasn't adressing the person sitting on the throe itself. Instead his gaze fell on the woman beside it. Dressed like the rest of them she wore her ultra-violet hair short, ending above her shoulders. She met his eyes with her own, far too hard for a girl who looks no more than twenty. The newcomer's voice was challenging, he wasn't happy with what they had done. For an instant both of them had flashes of psionic power lighting up and in the end he bowed his head.
She turned away from them, not able to face their accusing stares any more. The rules were absolute, her orders would never be questioned. But that also meant it was her and her fault alone that their honor was lost forever.
Even in the depth of their fall she had to admire the effiency of her followers. They call her Sanakan, a word that could be roughly translated as 'intruder' in the common language. Like every other person in this room she had given up her real name long ago.
She is the 58th first claw of the Sikari. And the first to break their ancient oath.
'You know what to do. Leave me now.'
With an almost apoligizing look she turns to figure sitting on the throne room.
- we are saving the imperium my lord. I hope you have no objections -
A knife of black crystal is sprouting from the old and regal lookin man's throat and dried blood has ruined his white robes.
- Yes, I asumed you would not. -
The next day atop the roof of the tower of spirits, the highest building of the celestial city and personal refuge of the priest king
The riots had finally calmed down. Since the food had run out only the brutal oppresion of the populace by the city guard had kept any semblance of peace. That was the first thing the Claw had changed. Since yesterday every secret cache of supplies in the palace had been opened and for once the citizens did not have to go to bed hungry. Corn and bread stored to support the army during a siege would only last so long though.
The Sikari who went under the name of Sandheart finally reached the top of the stairs and saw his mistress at the edge of the roof. No doubt she was watching as the last fires from the riots where extuingished.
He stopped, not wanting to interupt her. For the first time in days her expression was serene and in his mind it was only fitting.
Their honor might be gone now but the claw had ended the riots and made the effective fight against the fires possible. The claw had opened that last reserves of food and the claw had exterminated the desease ridden quarters the last night to preven the loss of the whole city to the plagues. They had murdered and killed so many for this but that was the only thing they knew how to do. And someone had to save the Imperium.
Many called Intruder a traitor, none to her face of course, but Sandheart was still young. He remembered his life before the soulwarping and he understood that saving their home country and people had been more important than their honor. There had been no other way he tried to tell himself.
The priest king had gone mad after the gods vanished. The bountiful harvests of the blessed farms had been a thing of the past after the divine priests of the Immaculate Order had lost most of it's powers. The White Order of Paladins had decayed and with it the power if the Celestial Legions. The whole country had been falling apart as the wealth and power build on godly favour had vanished overnight.
Chaos and misery had been inevitable but it was even worse than that. Not used to any questions of their divine rulership the high order of priests had started to brutally suppress the populace after the first riots caused of hunger had started.
The Legions, scarred witless by the loss of their ever present divine support had taken it as a chance to blow off their frustration and thousands had died then they entered the cities.
They had restored peace for a time but the situation just got worse as the Immaculate Order and the priest king himself did nothing to change the situation. Instead they closed themselves of and prayed for their gods of light to return, abasing themselves more and more.
Over a year ago they had declared that human sacrifices would be the only thing that could bring the gods back. It had caused more riots and death but even so it happened.
The Sikari had been there as they had been for five thousand years. Loyal servants of the Imperium and priest-king. Never speaking up, just doing their duty. They had killed the most prominent enemies of the government, made undesirables vanish and sometimes exterminated whole villages if someone suspected the threat of rebellion.
Intruder had returned from her secret meetings with the priest-king and his council, allways silent and fullfilled their wishes without complaint or hesitation.
Last month that had changed.
The first talon, the gathering of the claw's leaders had assembled once again. Silent and serene as allways she had told them of the councils plans.
'The divine ruler of the Celestial Imperium has spoken. The council of the Immaculate Priests agrees. So it is the will of the gods of light that it shall be done.'
It had been the ritual beginning of each meeting in hundreds, maybe thousands of years.
'The gods have not answered their prayers. The sacrifices have not been enough. Only one thing can explain this. The people of our holy country have become faithless and are living a life of sin. The many recent riots and protests are prove of that. The gods have to be appeased. For this reason there shall be a culling. Every third man, women and child shall be sacrificed to the gods, to cleanse our souls and bring back the favour of the gods.
Do not be concerned, we will take them from the towns and villages that mostly suffer from plague and hunger. In fact it will be a mercy. The Celestial Legions will fullfill this holy duty, your Sikari will only have to make sure that any possible organized resistance is crushed before it has a chance to develop.
One day our people will remember this even as a holy expression of our faith, the divine act that brought the gods of light back to us.'
She had opened her violet eyes and met those of every claw in attendance.
'This have been the exact words of our divine ruler.'
Anger had flashed over her expression then and visible arcs of psionic energy flashed over the crystal shards that could form the trademark Sikari Soulwarp-Armor in seconds.
'My brothers and sisters, for generations the Sikari have done their duty.
Traitors have been assasinated, whole armies have been destroyed in silence of no open war could be declared.
The enemies of our sacred home country have vanished in the night.
So it has been and so it will be again. Go out and kill the enemies of the Celestial Imperium.'
And what the first claw wished the Sikari made happen.
Finally Sandheart decided that he should wait no longer. He walked through the small door and stood on the windshaken roof directly behind the first claw.
'Sanakan, the city is ours. Bajou the last priest of the council was assasinated by Blackwing just an hour ago. All their loyal aids are either dead or imprisoned. The ones loyal to us have allready started implement our cover. At least for the time being any word that gets out of the White Palace will be considered the will of the Priest-King. Those who new about us have been silenced. We are now just the new honor guard of our divine ruler.
Even now Scarface's and Jade's talons are on their way to the Legion of Valor in the Kudai province. Right now they are the only one close enough to pose a threat to us. Like all others they are close to insurrection at the moment. Before the night has ended all their organized leadership will be dead. We estimate that the legion itself will stop being any kind of organized fighting force before the next evening and will be completly scattered by the end of the week. Even without our interference doubt that any of the other legions could pose a threat to us and if that changes they will meet a similar fate.
The merchant caste is holding on to our agreed bargain and does its best to make everything appear normal. The mages have been fast to understand the truth of our situation and I personaly made sure archmage Nuruda read your offer.
We've got them.'
He watched her, as she turned around to face him. Intruder held a holy title. She was unquestioned and had served the order for over a hundred years. Sandheart would not dishonour her by acknowledging that he noticed her tears.
It was a shok to even see this happening but he would handle it. Afterall he himself could only cope with the situation by not thinking about it. They Imperium had been crumbling, all estimations had predicted a total collapse within a year or two. But now they had destroyed it themself. No military organization worth mentioning remained, food was nearly nonexistant and nothing was left that could even resemble an economy. Their honor had held them back too long, they had eliminated the threat but their country was already dead. As usual the claw had worked in secret, the only thing preventing their neighbors from simply taking the land was the fact that nobidy knew of their condition. In fact the Imperium seemed even stronger or how could it otherwise have taken in an entire mercenary army. But this would not last long. They would find out the truth and descend on them like vultures.
And that was if the country would not simply tear itself apart from hunger, sickness and rebellion long before that.
The words tasted like bitter irony to him but he had no choice but to day them.
'First claw, three days and three nights ago you asked and as allways the Sikari answered.
The Celestial Imperium is yours.' '
(further information from Radiant)
The Claws:
What exactly are the Claws?
A Sikari (or Soulwarped/Claw, these names are used interchangibly) is basically a high level fighter/psionic. All their fancy soularmor, shadeknifes, etc, are nothing but fluff. In the end they just do what fighters and Psionics do. In a normal game the power to form your heavy armor out of the shards you carry would be very usefull but in this one it is just a special effect. The units don't gain any power from these things and the rules don't even consider what armor they war or if their cool looking weapon are special or not. So just don't think about it, the stuff is just for flavour.
They fight, they blast stuff with their psi and they do anoying things like turning invisible, fly and teleport. So as your opponents they suck. That's life.
Of course they have super secret origin and tons of strange habbits but I will use that in the flavour text. For anyone meeting them they are first and foremost some strange psi-fighters with nifty powers and no known alliance that are willing to work for anyone as long as you can agree on a price.
Appearance: If you think the Claws are a pain in the ... in combat try competing with one on a date.
They are basically humans but the mysterious process of soulwarping that gave them their powers (and which they never explain to outisdrs, only the fact that only 1 in 10 candidates survives the process) also drastically changes their appearance. They are all slim, almost gaunt, most are a bit taller than average.
They have a pale complexion and their skin is soft, smooth and unblemished. Apart from their specteculary colored hair (sky blue, box red, ultra violet and shimmering purple are all common) they have no body hair at all.
Their eyes are egg white, pastel pink or even completly black without iris.
They are almost always wearing their trademark Rixiss suits. These are made from a material that appears to be black leather on first glance but is actualy synthetic. These suits are covered with thin plates of black crystal that form a light armor. Then a Claw focuses her psyching energy into these plates they grow and fuse with each other to form a very impressive looking full body crital armor. Once charged the crystal glows brightly, most of the time with color of the wielders hair. In their normal condition these suits look finely crafted and more like a piece of art than armor. Then 'extended' they often appear more like crude masses of cristal that burn with the psychic power of the wielder. The form of the extended Rixiss suit gets more beautiful the more control the owner has over his powers.
The newest members of claw look like hulking brutes in this form while Intruder's body armor is finely detailed elegant and form fitting armor that would be a pride for any elf.
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RIKANDUR AZEBOL
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E-Mail (with permission) Guldan@wp.pl
PC: Iuz the Old, Demigod, human half-fiend Cleric 26th / Assassin 20th
Notable NPC's:
Iuz's mother, Iggvilw the Epic Conjurer, she possesses Baba Yaga Hut.
Drelzna Darkblade, his seventeen years old Suel sister who is an Epic Soulblade.
Captain Ripp O'Hezrou, Elite Hezrou Demon, freshly promoted.
General Sindol, leader of the Black Death legion, Cambion Fighter renowned for his cool efficiency and emotionless calculating.
Artifacts: Baba Yaga's Hut.
Powers:
- The Empire of Iuz (The Bandit Kingdoms, the Barrens, the Heartland of the Empire, the Horned Society, the Shield Lands, Stonehold, Tenh, the Rovers of the Barrens: the Barrens, the Bluff Hills: the Burneal Forest, the Fellreev Forest, and the Forlorn Forest) - these represent large forces of demons, very large forces of humanoids, very large forces of abominations, very large forces of undead, large forces of humans, very large forces of neutral and evil animals, very large forces of unseelie, sizeable forces of enslaved demihumans (mostly dwarves and gnomes), possible underwater allies in the Whyestil and Nyr Dyv, and possibly other forces.
- The Boneheart - This is a special cadre of clerics and mages who work the will of Iuz, their loyalty fanatical, their methods absolute.
- The Boneshadow - This is a special cadre of rogues and spies who work the will of Iuz, their loyalty also fanatical, and their methods also absolute.
- The Legion of Black Death - this represents a sizeable and very potent force of demons loyal to Iuz.
- The Black Unicorns - these abominations have either just arrived, or have been magically created ... either way, they exist courtesy of Iuz and his magic.
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
The Heartland of the Empire of Iuz (partial territories)
2,900,000 = 160 IC x0,95 = 152 IC
The Empire of Iuz (other territories)
Bandit Kingdoms: 1,200,000 = 65 IC x0,95 = 61,75 IC
Horned Society: 1,000,000 = 57 IC x0,95 = 54,15 IC
Shield Lands: 60,000 = 3 IC x0,50 = 1,5 IC
Stonehold: 220,000 = 9 IC x0,75 = 6,75 IC
Tenh: 400,000 = 18 IC x0,75 = 13,5 IC
The Barrens: 120,000 = 4 IC x1,00 = 4 IC
The Bluff Hills: 10,000 = 0.3 IC x1,00 = 0,3 IC
The Fellreev Forest: 35,000 = 1 IC x0,50 = 0,5 IC
The Forlorn Forest 15,000 = 0.5 IC x0,75 = 0,375 IC
The Boneheart: N/A
The Boneshadow: N/A
The Legion of Black Death: N/A
The Black Unicorns: N/A
TOTAL IC OF RIKANDURS' POWER SO FAR: 294,825 IC
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: BLUISH-GREY
Territories on map: Large areas of the north central Flanaess
PLAYER NOTES:
Geographically characterized by lakes, forest, and grasslands, one would think this
place ideal if it wasn't dominated by an evil demi-god. Iuz, Lord of Pain, God of Evil
rules this region from the small kingdom that bears his name and he has subsequently
snatched up his neighbors -- the Horned Society, the Rovers of the Barrens, the Shield
Lands, and the Bandit Kingdoms. Lands further east and west were under his sway for a
short time, but the greedy half-demon has not been able to hold them. Two lands closer
to home, so to speak, that have not been under his sway bear mentioning. To the north
of the Land of Iuz is Blackmoor. Though seemingly little more than a desolate tundra
with few inhabitants, this Blackmoor is just the shadow of a larger, more important
Blackmoor on another world. The secrets of the other Blackmoor, including the City of
the Gods, arouse both curiosity and fear in the old demi-god. Lastly, nestled into the
Yatil Mountains is Perrenland. Whether the fierce-fighting Perrenlanders are too tough
for Iuz, or he holds back because Perrenland was once the capital of his mother's
empire (she is Iggwilv, the arch-witch), none but Iuz can say for certain.
The first to fall was the Horned Society, a land to the southeast of Iuz inhabited by
hobgoblins that had been ruled by devil-worshipping humans. To the northeast, the
nomadic Flan known as the Rovers of the Barrens also came into his domain. Quick to
follow were the Bandit Kingdoms, a chaotic land of shifting political alliances, south
of the Barrens. The last to fall were the Shield Lands, the northern reaches of Old
Ferrond. Iuz covets all of Old Ferrond, particularly Furyondy.
The Rovers of the Barrens, the men of Blackmoor, and the Perrenlanders (though the
latter are not so pure-blooded) are all Flannae. The Flannae are the oldest human race
native to the Flanaess, a people with deep bronze skin (though the Rovers are
copper-toned), round eyes, and dark wavy or curly hair. The men of the Shield Lands
and Bandit Kingdoms are Oerdians. The Oerdians are believed to have migrated to the
Flanaess from Kara-Tur centuries ago, but actually those early Oerdian tribes had been
expelled from the Celestial Imperium as undesirables (ironic, considering what a
lasting presence the Oerdians have had everywhere else on Oerik). The Land of Iuz is
populated mainly by orcs, goblins, and other humanoid monsters.
The Empire of Iuz is bordered to the north by the Barren Wastes that make up the coast
of the Icy Sea. To the east, beyond the Fellreev Forest are the Flan lands surrounding
the Thillonrian Peninsula. To the southeast, beyond the Nyr Dyv (Lake of Unknown
Depths) are the Urnst states that were once the frontier of the Great Kingdom. To the
south is Furyondy, one-time capital of Old Ferrond, and Iuz's fiercest enemies. To the
west is the Vesve Forest and the Yatil Mountains, where elves and men respectively
resist Iuz's forces. To the northwest, beyond the coniferous Burneal Forest, is the
Land of Black Ice (a magically frozen landbridge to the arctic, literally made of
black ice).
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SOLLIR
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E-Mail: (withheld until Sollir gives his permission)
PC: Arch-Merchant Glu'boise, potent Mercane (Mercane Diviner 10th / Loremaster 10th / Epic Loremaster 15th, lawful neutral), Minister of Foreign Relations for the Combined Merchant's Guild, current (temporary) owner of the Empire of Lynn.
Artifacts: unknown yet
Powers:
- The Empire of Lynn - this represents an extraordinarily large force of necropolitans (a special kind of undead) and possibly other forces.
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
The Empire of Lynn: 11,400,000 = 584 IC x 0,75 = 438 IC
TOTAL IC OF SOLLIRS' POWER SO FAR: 438 IC
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: UNKNOWN
Color desired by Sollir: UNKNOWN
Territories on map: No on-map territories. Enormous off-map territory to the west, see (http://members.aol.com/cathbhadhx/tsroerth.gif)
PLAYER NOTES:
I am here to assert that the peoples populating the land of Lynn are none other than Necropolitans (a brand of skeletons mantaining all their intelligence from their previous lives and can be of any alignment, stats can be found in Libris Mortis). Their society is similar to an ancient oriental one-with a twist-their power structure consists of a dynasty that spans nearly a dozen generations of their people turned to undead. It is common knowledge that the people of Lynn had made a pact with some extraplanar power in exchange for a brand of immortality, and what they got was the secret of transforming one into a Necropolitan. Since then they have preserved the most worthy of each generation, only transforming their people after they have given birth to a number of children and proven their mental maturity. As a price for their pact was the overall control of the nation, and this control has since been passed between a number of hands in various bargains, creating some confusion for the people of Lynn.
The ancient Lynnians who made the bargain were not incompetent though, so there are certain restrictions on the authority that the current owner can exercise over the nation. The Lynnians have always adapted to their current owners while mantaining their integrity as a culture, and while used to having interlopers control their government they are not totally subserviant. The culture has recently been stabilized within the last passing owner, a devil, and is now in possession of an extraplanar organization known as the Combined Merchant's League. The Combined Merchant's League's interests span a number of planes, and they mainly deal in real estate, well, the buying and selling of nations all across the multiverse. They buy up a piece of land they think they can sell for a better price-the actual means of bargaining can vary, they deal with gold and gems but also spells, services, magic items, artifacts, creatures, souls, demiplanes, or simple favors like hiring adventurers or using their enforces to eliminate an age-old enemy of their seller.
My PC, Arch-Merchant Glu'boise is a particularly potent Mercane (LN Mercane Diviner 10/Loremaster 10/Epic Loremaster 15) who is a Minister of Foreign Relations for the guild and also the current (though temporary) owner of the Empire of Lynn. His job is to cultivate relations with Lynn's neighbors as well as to do his best to improve the overall worth of Lynn for the inevitable time that the ownership of the nation changes hands. He is caught in the Industrial Revolution and due to the planar sealing, has a limited amount of resources he can access from the Combined Merchant's League. He considers this situation a challenge that he can use to his advantage by proving his worth more to his Guild, possibly gaining another promotion up its ranks. However, he does have sympathy for the plight of the Empire of Lynn, but however far this sympathy will extend is unknown to even himself at this time. He likes to make personal overtures of diplomacy, although he thinks himself much more charismatic than he actually is...picture a used car salesman One of his defining traits is the ten magical rings he wears, one on each finger (he has taken the Additional Magic Item slot feat eight times), the rings a symbol of the power he has in and the power of the Combined Merchant's Guild.
I would like to claim an extra Epic PL if allowed, this would be for his bodyguard/retainer, a devil-spawned Infernal known as Galathia.
Picture of an average Mercane below, for a more detailed description, see the ELH or the Manual of the Planes. The alignment of my faction would be Lawful Neutral and it would have the Undead trait.
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THOMAS HOBBES
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E-Mail (with permission) ternashandrik@yahoo.com
PC: unknown
Artifacts: unknown
Powers:
- Aliador - this extremely secret and ancient nation under the Griff Mountains (and thus, directly under Paxus' holdings) represents large forces of extraordinarily potent elves, large forces of extraordinarily potent wondrous beings, sizeable forces of extraordinarily potent good elven undead, large forces of faerie, and possibly other forces.
- Celene - this represents large forces of elves, large forces of good and neutral animals and wondrous beings, large numbers of treants and sentient trees and plants, and possibly other allies
- The Lendore Isles - these represent large forces of elves, large forces of good and neutral animals and wondrous beings, sizeable forces of celestials from Arborea, Elysium and other upper planes, sizeable numbers of treants and sentient trees and plants, small forces of good undead, possible underwater allies around the Isles, and possibly other allies.
- The Knights of Luna - this knightly order is elvish, based out of Celene, and represents a sizeable force of elves and elven allies.
- The People of the Testing - this represents a sizeable force of very potent elves.
- The Theocracy of the Pale - this represents a militant lawful neutral church and it's followers (Pholtus is their diety), large forces of humans, and possible small forces of allies of every type.
- The Yeomanry - this represents large forces of humans, small forces of demihumans, and possibly other allies.
- The Church of Tritherion - (need a description)
- The Silver Coins - these are the Good counterparts to the Circle of Eight. These represent a cabal of powerful good wizards, and large forces of allies, servants, and constructs of every kind devoted to them.
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
Aliador: 2,400,000 = 140 IC x1,00 = 140 IC
Celene: 280,000 = 14 IC x1,00 = 14 IC
Lendore Isles: 80,000 = 4 IC x0,75 = 3 IC
The Knights of Luna: N/A
The People of the Testing: N/A
The Theocracy of the Pale: 700,000 = 35 IC x0,75 = 26,25 IC
The Yeomanry: 610,000 = 34 IC x0,95 = 32,3 IC
The Church of Tritherion: N/A
The Silver Coins: N/A
TOTAL IC OF THOMAS' POWER SO FAR: 215,55 IC
+(unknown)
SPECIAL NOTE: Thomas' power has the Infiltrator Trait.
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy:: WATERY BLUE
Territories on map: powers in the southwest and northeast Flanaess. The Lendore Isles (just off-map to the east, see http://members.aol.com/cathbhadhx/tsroerth.gif )
PLAYER NOTES:
'There seems to be no one person that will leap out as an uber-PC, except for perhaps the Bard/Evangelist who will be the current leader of the Church. And he will be pretty uber, but not in the Smiting way, like the wolf-god or Iuz. Very, very, very inspirational and diplomatic, perhaps. (Convert! Convert! Convert!) In any case, I have little to no idea how to use the epic rules, I'll not do anything further stats-wise unless someone points out something really appropriate (although he will pick up Legendary Commander and Epic Leadership, for the obvious reasons). Other important PCs will be Queen Yolande of Celene, and maybe the Freeholder of Yeomanry. Not big stats-wise, I expect, but worth noting as a roleplaying thing.'
'Concerning Aliador, refer to the High History of the Flanaess URL and the History of the Elves URL. Aliador is a powerful nation!'
'The People of the Testing: A group of Elven mystics from throughout the Flanaess, these elves have passed under the Moonarch of Sehanine. The Moonarch appears in different places when Oerth's lesser moon, Celene, is full. So far, the Moonarch has only appeared in random locations in Northern Celene. They seem to have gained rare knowledge and magic. The most well known member is Elraniel Tesmarien (CG, male elf, Wiz 13.) They also have a presence in Sunndi.'
'Knights of Luna: This is an order in Celene, led by Melf, Prince Brightflame of Celene (NG, male elf, Wizard 14/Ftr 4) They strongly support the fight to restore Ulek's orders, oppose Iuz, and have a good working relationship with the Knights of the Hart.'
'The Silver Coins: Often identified by a silver coin with arcane symbols, this organization was founded by the Archmage Tenser to be a good aligned counterpart to the Circle of Eight ? with which it maintains contact and a friendly rivalry. Like the Circle of Eight, the Silver Coins have a good intelligence network supplemented by magic. Their primary goal is to oppose Iuz and other evil organizations, while promoting goodness.'
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UVENELEI
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Email: thegoodbar@gmail.com
PC: Tempest, epic level human male Paragon Barbarian/Frenzied Berserker / Legendary Dreadnought, chaotic evil
Other Characters: First Wife (Kuuma), epic level Succubus Sorceress, CE
Artifacts: none yet
Powers:
- The Tharquish Empire - this represents very large forces of humans, very large forces of humanoids, large forces of abominations, large forces of neutral and evil animals, sizeable forces of unseelie, and possibly other forces.
- The Warfathers - this represents a large and extremely potent force of resurrected Ancients of the Tharquish Empire lands: Tribal warriors of the barbarian peoples of long ago.
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
The Tharquish Empire: 10,400,000 = 590 IC x 0,75 IC
The Warfathers: N/A = N/A
TOTAL IC OF UVENELEIS' POWER SO FAR: 442,5 IC
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: Unknown
Color on map desired by Uvenelei: Bright Red
Territories on map: No on-map territories. Large off-map territories to the far west-southwest: see http://members.aol.com/cathbhadhx/tsroerth.gif
PLAYER NOTES:
The Tharquish Empire. Once a vast nation of seafarers, the Empire was one of the greatest powers in the region. In military power, they were peerless, particularly their renowned fleets. They were among the richest of nations, controlling or influencing the majority of trade up and down the Oceanum Titanicum and the Gulf of Ishtar. Their capital, Tharquin, was (in their own opinion, and in that of several of their neighbors), was a shimmering beacon of culture and learning, the glorious pinnacle of civilization. The citizens of the Empire, mostly human and demihuman, lived in peace, under the wise and benevolent rule of Emperor Algish XXVI. The savage tribes that occupied many areas throughout the Empire were subjected long ago, and now represented objects of pity rather than fear.
That was one month ago. Now, Tharquin burns, the victim of savage rape and pillage. The emperor?s corpse has been torn to pieces by wild dogs and crows, his bloodline erased, and the noble houses scattered. The greatness of the Empire, and quite a few of her subjects, lie broken at the feet of one man, a barbarian chief of chiefs who calls himself the Tempest of Hell.
Soon after the gods abandoned mortals, the stability of the Empire weakened. When the gods became silent, fear spread throughout the people of the nation, while the emperor did his best to hold everyone together. At the same time, however, the barbarian chief Tempest, seeing his chance, unified the tribes of the nearby islands. With a force of unified barbarians, the likes of which hadn?t been seen for centuries, he struck, crippling the infrastructure of the Empire with brutal raids. Along with his army, however, he brought a new hope for the survivors, for with him rode the ancestors of the tribes, ancient protectors here to take the place of the gods. He offered the citizens of the Empire a simple choice: resist, and die, or join the barbarians, and conquer the world. Many joined his forces, in seek of power, glory, or spiritual guidance from the one man whom the resurrected ancestors obeyed.
The forces of Tempest now consist of millions of barbarians and former citizens of the Empire. There is only one law: strength is king. The entirety of the remnants of the Empire belong to Tempest, and to his loyal warriors he gives the spoils of war as he deems worthy. The Imperial Navy is now the largest pirate fleet ever seen in the region. Having conquered the Tharquish Empire, Tempest now mobilizes his forces, preparing for total war against any who oppose him.
The Tempest of Hell: A gargantuan hulk of a man, Tempest was destined for greatness. His body is infused with the spirits of his ancestors, making him capable of ungodly feats of strength and endurance. In combat, his mind dissolves, and he becomes Death incarnate, devastating any creature he encounters. He carries an arsenal of magical armaments, and his whole body is covered with impenetrable armor and stolen jewelry. He is also a very forceful personality, and thousands upon thousands of warriors have sworn to die in his name. Tempest maintains a large harem of wives, all of whom are phenomenally powerful in their own right, for he calls no woman wife who cannot survive for thirty seconds in personal combat with him. Those that survive longer than that are returned to life and granted the honor of bearing his children.
First Wife: The creature who Tempest calls First among his wives, while she appears as a savage warrior, is actually a demoness of great magical power. She bears the honor of being the only one of Tempest?s wives that he hasn?t killed in a duel.
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VENUS
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E-Mail (with permission) mabisschops@hotmail.com
PC: Ogrim Scarseer; Orcish Epic Wizard, King of Orcreich, the Ruler of the Khanate and the Supreme of the Orcish Arcane Order
Artifacts: unknown
Powers:
- Orcreich - this represents a vast force of culturally advanced civilized orcs, sizeable forces of abominations, sizeable forces of wondrous beings, small forces of constructs, large forces of neutral and evil animals, small forces of unseelie, and possibly other forces
- Lower Khanate - this represents large forces of humans under orcish rule, small forces of abominations, small forces of wondrous beings, small forces of neutral and evil animals, small forces of unseelie, and possibly other forces
- Upper Khanate - this represents very large forces of humans allied with the orcs, sizeable forces of abominations, sizeable forces of wondrous beings, small forces of constructs, large forces of neutral and evil animals, sizeable forces of unseelie, and possibly other forces.
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
Orcreich: 7,100,000 = 350 IC x 0,75 = 262,5 IC
Lower Khanate: 2,000,000 = 80 IC x0,95 = 76 IC
Upper Khanate: 4,200,000 = 190 IC x 0,75 = 142,5 IC
TOTAL IC OF VENUS' POWER SO FAR: 481 IC
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: INDIGO
Color on map desired by Venus: UNKNOWN
Territories on map: No on-map territories. Off-map territories to the far west: see http://members.aol.com/cathbhadhx/tsroerth.gif
PLAYER NOTES:
'There is a refence to two nations west of the Baklunish lands. Komal is on the other side of the gulf that has the Sultanate of Zeif. There is also a reference to another land, Mur, where the ancestors of the Tiger Nomads and the Wolf Nomads came from a few centuries after the Invoked Devastation.'
'History of Orcreich & Khanate
The lands of Orcreich are barren and desolated at first sight. Rocks, sand and little green give these lands a sad and dead impression, which if far from the truth. In these lands the Orc King rules supreme over his loyal and ever increasing servants. Many years ago, the smaller tribes of orcs in Orcreich joined forces to repel the growing pressure from their neighbour lands, being the Khanate empire in the west and the Celestial Imperium from the south. Under the banner of Gro'til Burnblade the once nomadic tribes grouped together and settled down in huge encampments, which became cities, which became bastions of orcs, and a lot of them. The what once seemed to be the everlasting wars between the tribes themselves had settled, and made place for a mutual enemy. Gro'til Burnblade became the first Orc King in the history of the Orcs, and in this time-period known as 'the Age of the First' birth was given to the Khanate Wars.
It wasn't for long that the orcs kept their quiet. Organised and well defended, Orcs started to attack the lands of the Khanate, the lands where Magic waved the sceptre over the mostly human people. With mostly brute force and shamanic magic, the orcs reaped havoc over the simple human towns and cities in Lower Khanate, the lands of the 'lesser' humans. The further the orcs came, the more the resistance grew. Mages from Upper Khanate came to defend the lands of their lesser kin, and years of slaughter were upon the humans and the orcs.
The Council caves in.
With the passing of many years, the humans of Lower Khanate got it harder and harder. The waves of orcs never seemed to end, for every orc slain another two would arise. It wasn't long for the cities of Lower Khanate to be evacuated. The Orcs, instead of doing what was in their nature, didn't raid the cities, yet took control over them. The Orcreich Emperium was growing with every loss that the Khanate suffered, and this news was not something the Council of the Khanate was pleased to receive. Fearing the orcs more than ever before, the Council decided their lives were more worth than their honor, and they struck a deal with the Orcreich; no longer would the humans be the enemies of the orcs, yet rather their allies.
From that day on, the orcs spared the humans, and the humans helped the orcs. The Orcish Arcane Order arose fairly quickly, as human mages of great power begun their training of orcish apprentices. The combination of the Arcane Wizards, the Shamanistic Clerics and Druids, and the brute force of the military made the orcs feared to all who knew them, and those who didn't would soon learn their mistake of lacking intel.
The King has died, Long Live the King!
With the Orc King ruling over both The Khanate and Orcreich, the selection process was no longer 'the strongest orc leads' as was the case before. The human Council advised the King on who should become his heir to the throne, and many King listened to this wise advise. King after King sat and died on the throne, with the Council gaining more and more influence on who would be seated on the throne. No longer was the king just a warrior supreme, but his skill in Magic was of great importance as well. In the Age of the Fifteenth the Council first advised for a full Arcanist to become the next heir to the throne.
With that advise, the sixteenth Age is under the lead of Ogrim Scarseer, the current King of Orcreich.
Current Situation
Faction Leader & PC: Ogrim Scarseer; Orcish Epic Wizard (King of Orcreich, the Ruler of the Khanate and the Supreme of the Orcish Arcane Order)
The Khanate Council: Group of 9 Human Wizards from the Khanate, who function as the primary guidance council for the King. Their influence on the King is significant.
The Orcreich Military: The Orc King has full command over the Orcreich Military, but he gives his Head of Three the right to command this army when he is unable to give orders, and calls upon the council of these Head of Three for guidance. The Three are warriors of high skill, and would probably have ruled the Orcreich if it was the old days.'
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WILLIAM
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E-Mail (with permission) williamwronald@aol.com
PC: Al'Akbar, Demigod of the Baklunish, lawful good
Hero dieties: Azor'alq, Daoud.
Artifacts: unknown
Powers:
- Malkuvah Baklunim, the Baklunish Empire, representing all the nations and areas below:
- The Baklunish Nations, Peoples, and Regions (Ekbir, Ket, the Plains of the Paynims, Tusmit, Ull, Zeif: the Bakhoury Coast, the Dry Steppes: the Araphad Islands, the Janasib Islands, the Qayah-Bureis Islands: Lake Udrukankar: the Ullsprue Mountains, the Banner Hills, the Tusman Hills, the Yecha Hills: Bramblewood Forest, Udgru Forest: the (ruined) ancient city of Tovag Barague and it's Standing Stones along Lake Udrukankar: the Mouquollad Consortium) - these together represent very large forces of humans, large forces of demihumans of all types, large forces of good and neutral animals and wondrous beings, small forces of treants, small forces of faerie, undersea allies in large force from the Drawmij Ocean, and very likely other forces.
- the Isles of Azor'alq (resting ground of the legendary first dynasty of the Baklunish Empire) - these represent sizeable forces of dragons, large forces of wondrous beings, large forces of good and neutral animals, possibly small human forces, and possibly large celestial forces
- The Barrier Peaks - these represent small forces of humans, small forces of good and neutral animals and wondrous beings, very small forces of faerie, and possibly other forces.
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
Ekbir: 4,000,000 = 220 IC x0,95 = 209 IC
Ket: 525,000 = 28 IC x0,75 = 21 IC
Plains of the Paynims: 1,000,000 = 40 IC x0,75 = 30 IC
Tusmit: 600,000 = 30 IC x0,95 = 28,5 IC
Ull: 550,000 = 24 IC x0,75 = 18 IC
Zeif: 3,400,000 = 180 IC x0,95 = 171 IC
The Bakhoury Coast: 50,000 = 2 IC x0,95 = 1,9 IC
The Dry Steppes: 60,000 = 2 IC x0,75 = 1,5 IC
The Araphad Islands: 15,000 = 0.4 IC x0,50 = 0,2 IC
The Isles of Azzor'alq: 5,000 = 0.2 IC x0,75 = 0,15 IC
The Janasib Islands: 20,000 = 1 IC x0,50 = 0,5 IC
The Qayah-Bureis Islands: 10,000 = 0.3 IC x0,50 = 0,15 IC
The Ullsprue Mountains: 30,000 = 1 IC x0,75 = 0,75 IC
The Banner Hills: 50,000 = 2 IC x0,75 = 1,5 IC
The Tusman Hills: 46,000 = 1,4 IC x0,95 = 1,33 IC
The Yecha Hills: 6,000 = 0.2 IC x0,75 = 0,15 IC
Bramblewood Forest: 40,000 = 1,5 IC x0,75 = 1,125 IC
Udgru Forest: 30,000 = 1 IC x0,75 = 0,75 IC
Tovag Baragu: 2,100,000 = 110 IC x0,75 = 82,5 IC
The Mouquollad Consortium: N/A
The Barrier Peaks: 50,000 = 3 IC x 0,75 = 2,25 IC
TOTAL IC OF WILLIAMS' POWER SO FAR: 574,255 IC
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: TANNISH-ORANGE
Territories on map: Some on-map territories in the north. Most of the west and northwest territory on the map, stretching offmap to the west and northwest, including islands in the Drawmij Ocean, see http://members.aol.com/cathbhadhx/tsroerth.gif
PLAYER NOTES:
'As I ran my choice of a PC past Serpenteye, let me introduce him to you. As I read up on the Baklunish, their history, and their culture, I realized that there was someone who could bring unity to them. Someone who helped them greatly in the days of the Invoked Devastation, devoted himself to his people and the Baklunish gods, founded cities, and was honored by all his people. I claim the demigod Al'Akbar, the High Cleric, Restorer of Righteousness, lawful good demigod of guardianship, faithfulness, dignity, and duty. His domains are Good, Healing, Law, and Protection. His weapon is the falchion.'
'The Island of Azor'alq: Golden, faerie, pseudo-, silver, and mist dragons are all appropriate residents. Rocs, giant eagles, and a phoenix or two may also be included. These live in relative harmony, foraging outward for fish, whales, or even for food on the mainland. All are concerned that no rumor of the Pinnacles reach the outside world, and will either strand or kill intruders (depending on alignment and circumstances) if they possibly can. Treasures to be found include not only the precious things gathered by the intelligent inhabitants but also certain orchids and birds-of-paradise. Some of the latter have been bred by the longer-lived dragons and are regarded as personal property. The guardians and treasures of the interior should be powerful (possibly undead), and the exterior inhabitants do not wish them to be disturbed. The isle may have human inhabitants.'
'Mouquollad Consortium: The great Baklunish merchant houses belong to this group, and have offices in many cities throughout the Flanaess. Members include clerics of Mouquol, god of commerce, wizards, warriors and rogues.'
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XAEL
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E-Mail (with permission) Xael_Xorlarrin@hotmail.com
PC: Mordenkainen the Magnificent, Wizard 27th Level, neutral
Artifacts: The Silver Key of Portals, The Cup of Al'Akbar, the Talisman of Al'Akbar
Powers:
The Astral Demi-Plane - this represents a very large forces of elves/animals/wondrous beings/faerie living within an almost inassailable haven: an elven created paradise of lush greenery, sparkling waters, and bright skies.
- Calrune - this centaur nation (capital Arlune) occupies the entire coastal region of the Vesve where it borders the Whyestil Sea, and represents sizeable forces of centaurs, small forces of demihumans, small forces of humans, small forces of good and neutral animals and wondrous beings, and small forces of faerie.
- Chauntosbergen - this dwarven city holds the Clatspurs around, and represents large forces of dwarves, small forces of gnomes, and sizeable forces of wondrous beings.
- Delrune - this elven nation (capital Delpheel) occupies the northern two-thirds of the Vesve, has numerous cities and towns, and represents large elven forces, large forces of neutral and good animals, sizeable forces of wondrous beings, large forces of treants, large forces of sentient trees and plants, and large forces of faerie.
- Highfolk - this represents large forces of high elves, small forces of good and neutral animals and wondrous beings, and possibly other forces
- Perrenland - this represents sizeable numbers of flannae humans and small forces of demihumans
- Valley of the Mage - this represents a powerful wizard, sizeable forces of non-evil drow, small but potent forces of constructs, and possibly other forces.
- The Lands of the Tiger Nomads - these represent sizeable forces of baklunish humans and sizeable forces of animals and wondrous beings.
- The Lands of the Wolf Nomads - these represent sizeable forces of oeridian humans and sizeable forces of animals and wondrous beings.
- The Yatil Mountains - these represent small forces of humans, small forces of good and neutral animals, large forces of wondrous beings, and other forces of an unknown an exotic nature.
- The Sepia Uplands - these represent sizeable forces of demihumans (mostly dwarves and gnomes) and small forces of good and neutral animals and wondrous beings.
- The Burneal Forest - this subarctic forest represents small forces of good humans and demihumans, large forces of neutral animals, small forces of good animals, small forces of wondrous beings, and small forces of faerie. Large evil forces of many kinds inhabit this forest, in opposition to Xael's allies here.
- The Vesve Forest - this represents large forces of elves and other demihumans, large forces of good and neutral animals and wondrous beings, large numbers of treants and sentient trees and plants, large forces of faerie, and sizeable forces of humans.
- Morkenkainen and the Circle of Eight - these represent 9 very powerful wizards (alignment and plans unknown) and their small but extremely potent allies of every kind and nature.
- The Knights of the Hart - this knightly order is based out of the Vesve, and represents sizeable forces of humans, and sizeable forces of demihumans.
- The Obsidian Citadel - this is the home fortress of Mordenkainen, and represents sizeable forces of an unknown but potent nature.
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
The Astral Demiplane: 2,000,000: 100 IC x1,00 = 100 IC
Calrune: 25,000 centaur, 8,000 demihuman, 3,000 human, 1,000 faerie (counted as part of the Vesve Forest, no IC)
Chauntosbergen: 560,000 dwarves, 130,000 gnomes (counted as part of the Vesve Forest, no IC)
Delrune: 750,000 elves, 10,000 faerie (counted as part of the Vesve Forest, no IC)
Highfolk: 100,000 = 5,5 IC x0,95 = 5,225 IC
Perrenland: 1,000,000 = 50 IC x0,75 = 37,5 IC
The Valley of the Mage: 25,000 = 1.2 IC x1,00 = 1,2 IC
The Tiger Nomads: 200,000 = 7 IC x0,75 = 5,25 IC
The Wolf Nomads: 240,000 = 8 IC x0,50 = 4 IC
The Yatil Mountains: 450,000 = 20 IC x0,95 = 19 IC
The Sepia Uplands: 50,000 = 2 IC x0,95 = 1,9 IC
The Burneal Forest: 80,000 = 2 IC x0,95 = 1,9 IC
The Vesve Forest: 1,200,000 + (Calrune, Chauntosbergen, Delrune: 37,000, 690,000, 760,000) = 110 IC x0,75 = 82,5 IC
The Circle of Eight: = N/A
The Knights of the Hart: N/A
The Obsidian Citadel: 20,000 = 1 IC x1,00 = 1 IC
TOTAL IC OF XAELS' POWER SO FAR: 259,475 IC
SPECIAL NOTE: Xaels' power already has amassed 10 PL in the Magical Arms Race, before the start of Turn 1.
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: DARK GREEN
Territories on map: powers in the northwest Flanaess
PLAYER NOTES:
'The Circle of Eight: Led by Mordenkainen (Neutral, Human male, Wizard), this organization has fought such evils as Iuz and the Scarlet Brotherhood, even while pursuing its own agendas. Other members include Bigby (Neutral, Human male, 19th level wizard), Otto (Neutral, W15/Cleric of Boccob 3rd), Jallazi Sallavarian (NG, Human female, W15), Dwamij (N, human male, W 18), Nystul (N, Male Human, W 17, Warnes Starcoat (N, Male Wizard, Level 20), Alhamazad the Wise (LN, male Human, W 19), and Theodan Eriason (CN, male elf, W 17.) Mordenkainen is still on friendly terms with Tenser (LG, male human, Wizard 21) who left the Circle of Eight to found his own organization dedicated to fighting Iuz and other evils. The Circle of Eight is known to have a good intelligence network, aided by magical means. Tenser has a similar network.'
'Knights of the Hart: This order is further broken down into the Knights of Furyondy, the Knights of Veluna, and the knights of the High Forest. They have vowed to oppose Iuz.'
'The Obsidian Fortress is the home of Mordenkainen the Magnificent, and is located somewhere in the Yatil Mountains. Needless to say, it is immensely well protected by magic, and probably boasts a sizeable army all of it's own. As Mordenkainen's command center, it is filled with people dedicated to infiltration, intelligence, divination, and otherwise carrying out the will of Mordenkainen and the Circle of Eight.'
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ZELDA THEMELIN (AND AIRWHALE)
(Zelda and Airwhale are working together, running a single power)
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E-Mail (with permission) zelda@dlc.fi
PC: unknown
Artifacts: unknown
Powers:
- Friendly ports on Oerth - these are spelljamming ports outside some of the major cities on Oerth, and serve as major centers of commerce with the rest of Oerth, along with providing planetside havens and reststops for the spelljamming races.
- Kule (Celene, the Handmaiden), Oerth's nearest moon (claimed if it has an atmosphere) (under survellance if it doesn't have an atmosphere)
- The town of Triumph on Raenei (Luna), Oerth's farther moon - this represents a small force of humans/demihumans and a spelljammer port.
- Numerous asteroids in the Grinder, including the whole of Ceres the largest asteroid - these represent very large forces of all the spelljamming races, and many spelljamming ports.
- Friendly relations with Edill (Edill is not claimed - Edill represents INCREDIBLE forces of good dragons, and possibly other forces)
- The World of Ginsel - this represent the heart of the Triple Alliance, very large forces of humans, sizeable forces of demihumans, possible very large forces of mercenary gith, possible underwater forces, possibly other forces, and large numbers of spelljamming ports.
- The World of Greela - this represents Cenbreadine the Elven Ship Growing Shipyard, large forces of elves, small forces of humans, and small forces of neutral and good giants
- The Disk World of Spectre - this cold world represents large dwarven forces mining magical metals, small forces of humans, and small forces of tinker gnomes from Krynnspace who maintain a Giant Hampster ranch.
POPULATIONS, IC VALUES AND DEGREES OF CONTROL OVER TERRITORIES:
Allies in the Port Cities on Oerth: 600 = 0.03 IC x1,00
Kule (Celene), Oerth's nearer moon (under surveillance) 0 = 0 IC
Triumph on Raenei (Luna), Oerth's farther moon: 6,000 = 0.2 IC x1,00
The Asteroids, including Ceres, in the Grinder: 340,000 = 18 IC x0,75 = 13,5 IC
The World of Ginsel: 5,000,000 = 250 IC x0,95 = 237,5 IC
The World of Greela: 400,500 = 20 IC x0,95 = 19 IC
The Disk World of Spectre: 320,000 = 16 IC x0,75 = 12 IC
TOTAL IC OF ZELDAS'/AIRWHALES' POWER SO FAR: 282,23 IC
Color on map according to Guilt Puppy: TANNISH
Territories on map: No on-map territories. Off-map, up in Wildspace
PLAYER NOTES:
'Ginsel, the Crescent-shaped earth planet and our main base of operations, has a population of over 6 million humans, and a smattering of demi-humans. It is only 1/16th the surface area of Oerth, about 3 million square miles. 25% of that is water. It is mineral rich, more so per cubic foot than Oerth, (though Oerth's larger mass means that it has many more deposits).'
'When the crystal sphere was sealed off 20 years ago, grayspace went into a major panic. There was rioting and looting on many of the human settlements, the arcane were sealed off from the rest of their race, the elven shipyard was cut off from the imperial navy, and trade ground to a halt. During this time, the Beholder nations, the nogi and the mind flayers begin to flourish, as their opponent/food was disorganized. The Free Traders, the remains of the elvish Imperial navy, and the recently unified nation of Ginsel came together and decided to forge an alliance, to remove these groups from Grayspace. We are that triple alliance, mainly made up of elves, humans, and dwarves. After a great war lasting about 10 years, we now rule space uncontested.
So, here is a list of planets in grayspace, where they were 20 years ago, and what has happened to them in the twenty years that the crystal sphere has been sealed.
Oerth:
The center of the sphere, both metaphorically and literally. Not much more needs to be said here.
Kule (?) 10 million miles (2 hours to Oerth) (Celene, the Handmaiden)
The closest 'moon' to Oerth (technically, everything is a moon to Oerth)
Kule has the remnants of a great civilization, apparently wiped out by some great magical war/catastrophe. Zelda and I are in disagreement as to if this moon has an atmosphere, but the Grayspace supplement says it has none. It is a void world. There is some activity in the underdark of this moon, and it's underdark resembles the underdark of Oerth, though the two are completely separate.
If there is an atmosphere, we lay claim to this planet. If there is not one, we don't, but we keep it under surveillance.
Raenei - 20 million miles (7 hours to Oerth) (Luna)
The second moon, Ranei resembles Oerth, It is not as oxygen rich, and sages believe that this has hindered the growth of intelligent life on this planet. Most of the planet is filled with monsters, however, there is a settlement here, named Triumph, started from a crash landed spelljammer ship. 20 years ago, they were xenophobic to outsiders.
As the cost of Bronzewood has increased the past 20 years, the free traders have placed a logging settlement here, and that has merged with the town of triumph. They are less xenophobic now then they were, but still live a hard existence.
We claim this. Maybe 1000 people at most? I?m not sure if we should even get any IC from it, honestly.
Liga (Sun)
Fueled by a large portal to the plane of elemental fire (note: does that mean the sun has winked out?J) and kept in check by many small portals to the plane of water, Liga is home to a few dozen efferit. These efferent have a single spelljamming ship, (made of brass) and are internally divided about if they want to just explore or attempt to conquer all of Grayspace.
Nothing-new here. We do not lay claim to the sun.
The moth (Anti-liga)
A burnt out star, basically a large rock. Really hot on one side, really cold on the other. Nothing ever happens here, really
The Grinder (all spacefaring races, undead, other)
We hold several asteroid bases here, and the largest asteroid, Ceres, is the headquarters of the free traders. I have no clue how much population this is, but we claim it =)
Edill (dragons, avians, other reptiles)
Edill has more dragons in it then the rest of Grayspace, Realmspace, and Krynnspace combined. These dragons are of all colors, though 95% are metallic, and 5% are chromatic. All of the dragons tend to be 1.5 times the size and hit dice of their planet bound cousins, and are less territorial and highly social. When you realize this means that ancient red dragons go out in hunting flocks, you know how scary that is. 20 years ago, the red dragons were attempting to procure spelljamming technology from goblins.
I suggest the red dragons have perfected the spelljamming fleets, have managed to acquire the steam-technology from before the war ended in Grayspace, and are now harassing the metallics with it.
We do not claim Edill. We are friendly with the Metallics, however.
Gnibile (undead) (Note that Gnibile has a normal atmosphere)
Gnibile has many portals to the negative elemental plane, and the quasi elemental planes. This Air sphere is filled with non-spelljamming undead, (They had acquired 12 ships 20 years ago, however. We are assuming that these 12 ships were destroyed in the war)
We do not lay claim to Gnibile.
Conatha (sahaugin, mermen, other aquatic creatures)
This water sphere is the home of native mermen, intelligent whales (int 7), and introduced sahaugin. The sahugin are vicious, have chased the merfolk to the two earth bodys in the center of the sphere, and have formed nations and are constantly warring with each other. There are hundreds of thousands , maybe even millions sahugin here, much less merfolk.
No one here is space capable, so we have basically ignored this planet. We do not lay claim to Conatha
Ginsel (predominantly humans, with some demihumans)
Ginsel used to be a Machiavellian society known for it's sharp merchants and nasty politics. After the gods went silent and the sphere closed, riots rocked the planet, and it was not until a charismatic King/Queen managed to quell the people and place them under one flag that they stopped.
Ginsel is the Heart of the triple alliance. It is second only to Oerth in terms of importance in the system.
We claim all of Ginsel.
Borka (orcs, goblins, other humanoids)
Borka used to be a world much like Oerth, except the goblinoids rose to the highest levels of evolution, instead of the humans. They developed a space fleet, and went to war with the elves.
The elves used the equivalent of High magic to completely destroy the planet, and it is now a cluster body. Most of the orcs are dead, though many remain on the cluster. This all happened in recent history, about 80 or so years ago.
We do not claim Borka.
Greela (predominately humans and elves, smattering of other
demihuman races, few non-evil giants and giantkin)
Greela, another cluster earth body, was primarily home to human miners, and the Elven Ship growing facility, Cenbreadine. Cenbreadine was the major source for ships in the Imperial fleet. Now shut off from the rest of the elves, Cenbreadine found itself with tons of ships, but no one to fly them. They were eventually convinced by the rest of the alliance to allow (gasp) humans to pilot their ships.
Greela is the seat of the remains of the Elfish imperial navy, and as such, is the second most important planet in the alliance. We claim all of it, including the human miners and the giants.
The Spectre - 4000 million miles (40 days from Oerth)
The Specter, a disk planet close to the edge of the sphere, used to be a major trading point, and had represenitives from every race on it, good and evil. Today, The evil settlements have been wiped out, most of the good settlements have moved to the warmer climes of Ginsel, Greela, or Oerth, and there are many ghost towns here. The Free traders main base used to be here, now it is in Ceres of the Grinder. Some humans decided to stay, unwilling to leave there dreary home. There is still a large Dwarvish mining operation going on here, extracting some sort of magical metal. There is also a colony of Tinker gnomes here, who maintain a giant hampster ranch.
Dwarven citadels:
While dwarves have mainly intregrated into human society, we do have a dozen citidels who have joined with us.
We lay claim to Specter.'
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UNCLAIMED AREAS: IC VALUES:
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RATIK (description)
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Ratik represents a sizeable force of rangers and good and neutral aligned humans, small forces of demihumans, sizeable forces of good and neutral animals and wondrous beings (especially swanmay), sizeable forces of faerie, and possibly other forces.
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OLD FAITH (description)
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Old Faith is a druidical organization, and represents a sizeable force of druids devoted to Beory, large forces of assorted land and sea beings at their command, large forces of land and sea abomination servitors, and sizeable forces of faerie and unseelie.
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OLD LORE (description)
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This group of bards, associated with the Old Faith, is known for its skills in fighting and stealth. Unlike many other bards, they cast druidic spells. They are mostly Flan of noble birth.
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UNCLAIMED TERRITORIES OF OERTH (NON-FLANAESS)
Continent of Oerik:
Dragons' Island: 700,000 = 35 IC
Island of Fireland: 1,600,000 = 66 IC
Ishtarland: 8,790,000 = 500 IC
The Nation of Komal: 3,500,000 = 180 IC
The Red Kingdom 5,700,000 = 220 IC
The Tarquish Dominions: 6,390,000 = 310 IC
UNCLAIMED TERRITORIES OF OERTH (IN THE FLANAESS)
Interior Amedio Jungle: 540,000 = 14 IC
City Of Garrel Enkdal: 40,000 = 2 IC
Ratik: 280,000 = 12 IC
Sable Forest: 10,000 = 0.3 IC
Spikey Forest: 12,000 = 0.4 IC
Old Faith: N/A (possible addition to PL)
Old Lore: N/A (possible addition to PL)
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GREYSPACE POWERS (as set forth by Airwhale and Zelda, including their claims)
Note: There are some GREAT claims out there, for any of the new players joining in. Serpenteye would have to rule on disputed claims and IC values, but by all means have a look!
http://members.aol.com/cathbhadhx/tsroerth.gif
http://www.sodabob.com/roleplay/dnd...LG_Map_Full.jpg
http://www.sodabob.com/roleplay/dnd/Maps/tsroerth.rtf
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Ginsel, the Crescent-shaped earth planet and our main base of operations, has a population of over 6 million humans, and a smattering of demi-humans. It is only 1/16th the surface area of Oerth, about 3 million square miles. 25% of that is water. It is mineral rich, more so per cubic foot than Oerth, (though Oerth's larger mass means that it has many more deposits).'
'When the crystal sphere was sealed off 20 years ago, grayspace went into a major panic. There was rioting and looting on many of the human settlements, the arcane were sealed off from the rest of their race, the elven shipyard was cut off from the imperial navy, and trade ground to a halt. During this time, the Beholder nations, the nogi and the mind flayers begin to flourish, as their opponent/food was disorganized. The Free Traders, the remains of the elvish Imperial navy, and the recently unified nation of Ginsel came together and decided to forge an alliance, to remove these groups from Grayspace. We are that triple alliance, mainly made up of elves, humans, and dwarves. After a great war lasting about 10 years, we now rule space uncontested.
So, here is a list of planets in grayspace, where they were 20 years ago, and what has happened to them in the twenty years that the crystal sphere has been sealed.
Oerth:
The center of the sphere, both metaphorically and literally. Not much more needs to be said here.
Kule (?) 10 million miles (2 hours to Oerth) (Celene, the Handmaiden)
The closest 'moon' to Oerth (technically, everything is a moon to Oerth)
Kule has the remnants of a great civilization, apparently wiped out by some great magical war/catastrophe. Zelda and I are in disagreement as to if this moon has an atmosphere, but the Grayspace supplement says it has none. It is a void world. There is some activity in the underdark of this moon, and it's underdark resembles the underdark of Oerth, though the two are completely separate.
If there is an atmosphere, we lay claim to this planet. If there is not one, we don't, but we keep it under surveillance.
Raenei - 20 million miles (7 hours to Oerth) (Luna)
The second moon, Ranei resembles Oerth, It is not as oxygen rich, and sages believe that this has hindered the growth of intelligent life on this planet. Most of the planet is filled with monsters, however, there is a settlement here, named Triumph, started from a crash landed spelljammer ship. 20 years ago, they were xenophobic to outsiders.
As the cost of Bronzewood has increased the past 20 years, the free traders have placed a logging settlement here, and that has merged with the town of triumph. They are less xenophobic now then they were, but still live a hard existence.
We claim this. Maybe 1000 people at most? I?m not sure if we should even get any IC from it, honestly.
Liga (Sun)
Fueled by a large portal to the plane of elemental fire (note: does that mean the sun has winked out?J) and kept in check by many small portals to the plane of water, Liga is home to a few dozen efferit. These efferent have a single spelljamming ship, (made of brass) and are internally divided about if they want to just explore or attempt to conquer all of Grayspace.
Nothing-new here. We do not lay claim to the sun.
The moth (Anti-liga)
A burnt out star, basically a large rock. Really hot on one side, really cold on the other. Nothing ever happens here, really
The Grinder (all spacefaring races, undead, other)
We hold several asteroid bases here, and the largest asteroid, Ceres, is the headquarters of the free traders. I have no clue how much population this is, but we claim it =)
Edill (dragons, avians, other reptiles)
Edill has more dragons in it then the rest of Grayspace, Realmspace, and Krynnspace combined. These dragons are of all colors, though 95% are metallic, and 5% are chromatic. All of the dragons tend to be 1.5 times the size and hit dice of their planet bound cousins, and are less territorial and highly social. When you realize this means that ancient red dragons go out in hunting flocks, you know how scary that is. 20 years ago, the red dragons were attempting to procure spelljamming technology from goblins.
I suggest the red dragons have perfected the spelljamming fleets, have managed to acquire the steam-technology from before the war ended in Grayspace, and are now harassing the metallics with it.
We do not claim Edill. We are friendly with the Metallics, however.
Gnibile (undead) (Note that Gnibile has a normal atmosphere)
Gnibile has many portals to the negative elemental plane, and the quasi elemental planes. This Air sphere is filled with non-spelljamming undead, (They had acquired 12 ships 20 years ago, however. We are assuming that these 12 ships were destroyed in the war)
We do not lay claim to Gnibile.
Conatha (sahaugin, mermen, other aquatic creatures)
This water sphere is the home of native mermen, intelligent whales (int 7), and introduced sahaugin. The sahugin are vicious, have chased the merfolk to the two earth bodys in the center of the sphere, and have formed nations and are constantly warring with each other. There are hundreds of thousands , maybe even millions sahugin here, much less merfolk.
No one here is space capable, so we have basically ignored this planet. We do not lay claim to Conatha
Ginsel (predominantly humans, with some demihumans)
Ginsel used to be a Machiavellian society known for it's sharp merchants and nasty politics. After the gods went silent and the sphere closed, riots rocked the planet, and it was not until a charismatic King/Queen managed to quell the people and place them under one flag that they stopped.
Ginsel is the Heart of the triple alliance. It is second only to Oerth in terms of importance in the system.
We claim all of Ginsel.
Borka (orcs, goblins, other humanoids)
Borka used to be a world much like Oerth, except the goblinoids rose to the highest levels of evolution, instead of the humans. They developed a space fleet, and went to war with the elves.
The elves used the equivalent of High magic to completely destroy the planet, and it is now a cluster body. Most of the orcs are dead, though many remain on the cluster. This all happened in recent history, about 80 or so years ago.
We do not claim Borka.
Greela (predominately humans and elves, smattering of other
demihuman races, few non-evil giants and giantkin)
Greela, another cluster earth body, was primarily home to human miners, and the Elvin Ship growing facility, Cenbreadine. Cenbreadine was the major source for ships in the Imperial fleet. Now shut off from the rest of the elves, Cenbreadine found itself with tons of ships, but no one to fly them. They were eventually convinced by the rest of the alliance to allow (gasp) humans to pilot their ships.
Greela is the seat of the remains of the Elfish imperial navy, and as such, is the second most important planet in the alliance. We claim all of it, including the human miners and the giants.
The Spectre - 4000 million miles (40 days from Oerth)
The Specter, a disk planet close to the edge of the sphere, used to be a major trading point, and had represenitives from every race on it, good and evil. Today, The evil settlements have been wiped out, most of the good settlements have moved to the warmer climes of Ginsel, Greela, or Oerth, and there are many ghost towns here. The Free traders main base used to be here, now it is in Ceres of the Grinder. Some humans decided to stay, unwilling to leave there dreary home. There is still a large Dwarvish mining operation going on here, extracting some sort of magical metal. There is also a colony of Tinker gnomes here, who maintain a giant hampster ranch.
Dwarven citadels:
While dwarves have mainly intregrated into human society, we do have a dozen citidels who have joined with us.
We lay claim to Specter.'
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You will note that the IC values given above do not match the IR formula of ((Population x (IC value + 5)) / 100,000)
A population of 1,000,000 should equal 60 IC, but in the above you will see it does not do so.
This is because none of the above territories have actualized their full potential (in their economies, in efficient government, in military infrastructure, etc.) None of them are fully ready for the current situation in the IR.
If any given territory reaches greater readiness, based on player actions, it's IC will increase thusly, moving closer to the theoretical maximum represented by the equation.
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