The Winter Wall¶

The Winter Wall is over one hundred miles long and averages two hundred feet high. It is the largest fortress in the known world.

Bordered by mountain ranges on both ends, it is manned by an imperial force known as the Winter Guard made up of a mixture of volunteers and criminals all of whom are sworn to lifetime service. Once given, the oath of the Winter Guard is only lawfully ended by death. Those that break it early are guilty of high treason and forfeit life. The Winter Wall is within the boundaries of Fellice — and so is every land to its north, as far they are concerned.

The Winter Wall can house over thirty-thousand warriors plus another five-thousand support personnel. The current complement, however, is only about 10% of that number. This is a source of great anxiety for the commanders of the Winter Guard. They feel the Guard is not prepared to repel an assault.

Currently, however, there are fewer then three-thousand warriors and another five hundred support staff. This is a source of great anxiety for the commanders of the Winter Guard. As they see it, northern hoards could attack at any time, but they feel underfunded and generally not prepared to repel such an attack.

New conscripts for the Guard have been dropping steadily over the past century. It seems that while the children of Fellice still hear the stories and hold the Guard in high esteem, fewer are following through and joining up as adults. There have been discussions of supplementing the Guard with standard army forces. Naturally, the Guard’s leadership is not in favor of this solution and would rather see more prisoners given the opportunity to serve in place of jail.

Borsheen¶

Standard: A white boar and crossed black spears on a green background.

House Head: King Markus Davren Borsheen

Power Base: Murath in Fellice

The honor of House Borsheen is without tarnish and their victories can not be easily counted. On the field of battle they are among the most feared of opponents, not only for their fierce ability and martial skill but for their many layered strategies. Borsheen is the only Major House to lack significant land holds in more then one country. Also, they are the only House to hold all the major land holds in one country; Fellice is unquestionably their land.

Canitus¶

Standard: A black stag above lightning on a green & white background

House Head: Duke Rychar Starcrest Canitus

Power Base: Foamrest in Mostor

While few members of this House excel at anything they are at least competent. They are the least powerful of the Major Houses and the oldest one still in existence, next to House Kalistic. Canitus has been around just over four hundred years. Strong land holds are maintained in northern Mostor and north-eastern Argos.

Dorell¶

Standard: A blue hawk over a rising gold sun on a blue & white field

House Head: Queen Melina Delan Dorell

Power Base: Balashar in Argos

They are known as fair rulers of a mind to care for their subjects and an excellent understanding of the relationship between commoners and nobles. Tradition is valued by House Dorell. They have the majority of the major land holds in Argos and some in southern Mostor as well. Of all the Major Houses, Dorell has the largest military force.

Morgain¶

Standard: Three white stallions on a blue background

House Head: Duke Sezral Tal Morgain

Power Base: Rocrest in Argos

The black sheep of the Major Houses, House Morgain’s near legendary skills in carousing and womanizing are second only to their shrewd business sense and diplomatic faculties. Significant land holdings are maintained in eastern Sulkor, southern Celyd and western Argos.

Nentus¶

Standard: An hourglass and black scythe on white and red

House Head: Regent Cen Almos Nentus

Power Base: Southflo in Celyd

They are a well rounded House with members know for a variety of skills and faults. The extent of their role in the fall of House Arrnas, while not know to all, was great. They benefited from that, gaining substantial Arrnas holdings by imperial decree. It is widely know that they were instrumental in establishing the republic although many nobles of slow wit question the wisdom of that. House Nentus has moderate sized land holds in Argos, Mostor and Sulkor.

Roesoon¶

Standard: A red tower of stone on a gold & black background

House Head: King Justin Almir Roesoon

Power Base: Ahlabim in Sulkor

They are know for a harsh sense of justice and duty. Their wealth is substantial and their cavalry is known and respected across the Middle Lands. House Roesoon controls most of Sulkor, in addition they have land holds in southern Celyd and minor holds in both Argos and Mostor.

Trellmock¶

Standard: A gold sword and tome on a dark blue background

House Head: Archduchess Clarise Vashee Trellmock

Power Base: Sapreen in Mostor

One of the most powerful Houses of Mostor, they are known for both a love of lore and a thirst for current information. It is said they take in scheming with their mother’s milk. Significant land holds in Mostor are under control of House Trellmok as well as some in Argos.

Dosren¶

Standard: A black griffon head and two swords on white and blue

House Head: Count Jular Dosren

Power Base: Holdings split between Argos, Mostor

House Dosren is not known for planning, they tend to act with an alarming immediacy. This has led to more than one borderland conflict with other Houses. Most often smaller Houses but at times their rashness has led to conflict with far stronger opponents. Just in the past hundred years scholars can point to three such instances and a few even speculate that had better actions been chosen in those times House Dosren would have substantially higher standing. They have strong ties to House Trellmock.

Gantu¶

Standard: An orange ram’s head on a blue background

House Head: Countess Mailyn Gantu

Power Base: Most holdings in Celyd

House Gantu is remembered for its founder’s stubborn streak. A common saying being, “Old man Gantu could out wet water if he set his mind to it.” Guston Gantu, the House’s founder, has at least a half dozen well recorded historical references of his fierce nature. While his line has learned to be more prudent, they have not totally escaped Guston’s shadow. They are firmly tied to House Nentus.

Helot¶

Standard: A purple owl on a green & black background

House Head: Count Fularrd Soson Helot

Power Base: Most holdings in Mostor

The Helot line is one of the few Houses that has a strong streak of arcane magic in its family tree. This has been as much of a detriment as not. While there are some excellent advantages to being a mage, too many people still associate magic with the Savage Time. As a result, Helot has difficulty expanding their influence much beyond Mostor. Both House Roesoon and House Morgain have some influence with Helot but they have managed to avoid formal oaths of allegiance to either.

Kuntarr¶

Standard: Three suns and three shields on a blue background

House Head: Count Dirk Heny Kuntarr

Power Base: Holdings split between Sulkor, Celyd

Founded during the Wild Hills Rebellion of 191MLE in which Sir Phillip Hend Kuntarr battled rebel forces in a three day holding action which allowed Imperial reinforcements to arrive and put the rebellion down. House Kuntarr has seen many ups and downs over the years but they have endured. There have been times when it looked like they would achieve Major House status and other times during which it looked like they would lose everything. Some say House Kuntarr fights a perpetual holding action against life and success. They are tied solely to House Kalistic and that is where their allegiance is placed.

Lunaz¶

Standard: A sword and key on a blue and purple background

House Head: Baroness Helen Kysta Lunaz

Power Base: Holdings split between Argos, Fellice

Members of House Lunaz always seem to be looking for an angle, they don’t approach things head on. In addition they are an opportunistic lot. House Lunaz is heavily involved in commerce. This has been the main method of their rise in power. As they are rather successful in these business endeavors they are a fairly wealthy House. It is often said they should move to Mostor as they would fit in better there. House Dorell holds major influence over Lunaz.

Orcrest¶

Standard: Two black hatchets over a red and gold background

House Head: Baron Barnabas Sulon Orcrest

Power Base: Most holdings in Fellice

Known for their strength in battle, House Orcrest seeks out conflicts in the borderlands. Over the past two centuries House Orcrest has actively pushed out into the borderlands. All their children are encouraged to strike out on their own and found a freehold in the borderlands. The ones that have the most success with this task will inherit the great titles of the House while a less successful sibling or cousin takes over their old position. While this means that, historically speaking, only one child in three lives beyond the age of 25, it also has seen Orcrest expand at a rapid rate, gaining lands and titles faster then their peers. They have ties to and are strong supporters of House Borsheen.

Pentell¶

Standard: A knight on a tan & red background

House Head: Countess Josephine Pentell

Power Base: Most holdings in Argos

The members of Pentell are a long lived House, many living to ages over 100. It is rumored they have elven blood. The general consensus is that while they are often a level headed and open minded lot they are still prone to the occasional flight of fancy. Pentell sponsors more New Houses than most of their peers. They, themselves, have strong ties of allegiance to House Canitus.

Casabon¶

Standard: A green and gold shield on a pale green background

House Head: Baron Nathaniel Reid Casabon

Power Base: Cave Bear Vale freehold in Fellice

House Casabon is in its eighty-first year. Nathaniel is very old and will soon pass his title to the Casabon’s third heir, the lady Jennell Casabon. Jennell has been working on the plan for Imperial review since she was a teenager. Her main objective is to increase the iron mine’s output and she hopes to find a source of silver in the freehold. With the added wealth she will expand the garrison and increase patrols. The local orc tribes have been less troublesome over the past few years. Jennell knows this will not last and the extra guards will be helpful when they return. The freehold has four settlements, one large walled town, a village and two hamlets.

Indorn¶

Standard: A red lion on an orange and white background

House Head: Baroness Charlotte Indorn

Power Base: The Red Mountain freehold in Celyd

The Baroness is first of her line and founded the freehold, ruling for the past thirty-six years. She has no husband and seven children, all adopted. Only two of the children are of Charlotte’s bloodline, they were her sister’s children. House Indorn’s review would be more difficult if Charlotte named a child not of her bloodline as heir. This is a question she is wrestling with currently, she wants the best child to be heir. At this point that is Sheldon Indorn, not of her bloodline and a half-orc, but also an excellent warrior and priest of Rakthor. The adopted children, all orphaned by orc raiders, are devoted to her and her plan to rid the land of orc tribes. The nearby mountains provide no shortage of orcs. The freehold has one settlement, a large walled town. It sees at least one sizable orc raid every two or three years.

Murktan¶

Standard: Three stars and a fish on a blue and black background

House Head: Baron Darius Wyse Murktan

Power Base: The Clear Water freehold in Sulkor

House Murktan is up for Imperial review in less than four years. At this point it is hard to say if they will pass it. While House Murktan has performed well over the past seventy-eight years, Darius’ eldest son is proving to be less than an ideal example of nobility. This jeopardizes the review. Should the boy continue to act as he is the Emperor may decide the Murktan bloodline is not a noble line and move to dissolve their House. Darius must gain control of his son or pass him over as heir in favor of a child that is better suited to the noble image in general. Such problems are among the reasons so few New Houses survive the Imperial review. The freehold has three settlements, one large coastal town and two fishing villages.

Urgains¶

Standard: A blue bear on a white background

House Head: Baron Flint Seth Urgains

Power Base: The Deep Clay Hills freehold in Mostor

Flint is the second member of the House to hold the title of Baron. He inherited the title eighteen years ago. His eldest, Elizabeth Hope Urgains, has shown herself to be an exceptional heir. The freehold is one of the few with a major export and this is largely due to her efforts. The high quality clay found in the area makes excellent pottery and brick. It is shipped out in its raw form and as pottery or brick. As it stands now only an increase in the local goblin activity could cause major issues for House Urgains. The freehold currently has two settlements, a large walled town and a hamlet.

Welldown¶

Standard: A pair of keys on a gold and red background

House Head: Baron Temalo Rix Welldown

Power Base: The Manticore Wood freehold in Argos

House Welldown is in its twenty-third year and Temalo has only just inherited his father’s title and power. This makes Temalo the second Welldown to hold the title. Whoever is next, be it Temalo’s yet to be born heir or his sister Iris, will have ten years before the Imperial review of their House standing. House Welldown has had success in their campaigns against local hobgoblin and bugbear tribes. The biggest news in the freehold is Temalo’s search for a bride. He has been more active, socially speaking, then he has over past years. The rumors are flying as to which young maiden is most likely to catch his eye. Political motivations will most likely be a factor in the union, some say more than love or looks. The freehold currently has three settlements, two villages and a small walled town.

Arrnas¶

House Arrnas held the crown of Celyd before it became a republic. Many of them were involved in a plot against the Imperial Throne to seize power. Now known as “Blackhearts” for the actions of Bartimus Arrnas, a rather cruel king and the devious mastermind of the plot for power. The remaining members of this bloodline are mostly penniless and without honor in the eyes of the other Houses. A few of those, directly involved in the plot, escaped execution by fleeing to far away lands; Bartimus and his sons were not among these “lucky” few. Some 60 years later those that remain in the Middle Lands without imperial warrants hanging over them do so as a reminder of the cost of rebellion. The Arrnas standard was a blue crescent moon over a great axe on a light grey background.

Endun¶

House Endun caused a financial disaster that bankrupted a dozen Minor and New Houses. Some of the Major Houses felt that economic pain as well. The assets gained by House Endun due to this subterfuge were seized by the Imperial Throne and House Endun was dissolved by imperial decree. This was one of the few times a House of this size was dissolved with the political support of nearly all the other Major Houses. Now known as “Forked-tongues” this bloodline is not now, nearly one-hundred years later, and may never again be trusted with money or the power that goes with having it. The crest of Endun is a set of black scales on a red background.

Fortess¶

Now known as “Mad-hats” or “Kin-slayers” this house fell under mysterious circumstances. Some say it was a curse or other fell magic. In the end a dozen predominate members of House Fortess went totally insane within the span of four moons. For most the insanity was as bloody as it was quick. Duke Polimus Fortess, being one of the most well known. He slew his wife, six of the eight children and a dozen of their most loyal retainers before being killed by his own guards. The guard captain, Kyle Sunchild, later took his own life in grief for having to kill his lord. Stories like that of Polimus were repeated, again and again, with others of the Fortess line over the next few moons, until the House was in such turmoil that it never recovered. The present day remnants of House Fortess are known for extreme and sometimes erratic behavior. Fortess flew a banner showing the tree of life circled by five stars on a purple backing.

Ricdon¶

Forever remember as “Blind-eyes”, House Ricdon was run into the ground by a long series of poor choices that culminated in Duke Trevor Montblac Ricdon unwittingly siding with a group of moneylenders in a plot against his king and childhood friend, King Samule Roesoon. While it did come out that the moneylenders had manipulated the duke, which saved his life, House Ricdon could never shake their reputation as fools. As such the House fell into ruin and even four generations have not seen it rebuilt. It is widely believed that another four wouldn’t help. A blue hunting dog flushing quail was the sigil of House Ricdon.

General Living Conditions¶

What follows is an overview of different living conditions, referred to as GLC. It is meant to be a way of generalizing socioeconomic factors and condensing it into meaningful labels for your use.

• Destitute: a horrible existence. No home or income (or very little income) is had by a person at this level. Starvation is a real and present danger. Virtually no belongs beyond the rags they wear are accumulated. Theft and/or survival skills are required daily. Payment of tax is impossible but there is very little for such a person to pay tax on.
• Poor: a hard life. Small scale farmers, unskilled labor, and the elderly often find themselves in this group. Such people are often underemployed or have an exceedingly large family to support. They are not often a home/land owner. Normal shelter for such people is a single room shack/apartment or a tent. The cheapest possible food is acquired, be that purchased or grown/raised/foraged and shortages are common. Belongings are spartan, often homemade, and repaired far more often than replaced. It is a struggle to pay taxes and they are in near constant danger of losing everything to the taxman. Extra coin seems a fiction to these people.
• Below Average: a very modest lifestyle. Farmers and unskilled (or low-skilled) labor and the elderly often find themselves in this group. Additionally, they are sometimes underemployed or receive subpar pay or have a family to support. Food is often what is cheaply available but shortages are rare. It is not unknown for such people to own their home but it is far less common in urban areas as opposed to rural areas. The common domicile is a small, simple house or apartment. Belongings are not abundant and often repaired/patched. Taxes are a burden that sucks-up all the “spare” coin such people have. It is very hard for these folks to save.
• Average: basic needs are accommodated. This group includes successful farmers and full time workers (newly skilled or unskilled), sometimes having a small family. Soldiers often fall into this category. Food is of decent quality and quantity. Home ownership is common, yet more so in rural areas. Such a home is often a comfortable small or mid-sized house/apartment. Belongings are adequate and in decent condition, not often new but well maintained. Taxes take a sizable portion of income. Saving is possible when care is used to manage expenses.
• Above Average: has just a little more than most. Established artisans and merchants, mid-level government officials, military officers, or highly skilled workers. Food is readily available and of good quality. The home is most often owned and commonly a mid-sized house/townhouse. Belongings are of good quality (often new) and abundant. Taxes take a sizable portion of income. Saving and even making small investments are possible for such people.
• Wealthy: well-off and with few material worries. Money lenders, high-end merchants, top level government officials, low-level nobles. Food is plentiful and of excellent quality. Homes are owned and are often a family estate with lands and servants and a wide range of amenities. More than one dwelling is very possible. Belongings are of fine quality and excellent condition and exceedingly abundant. Taxes are not a burden. Saving and investing are simple matters.
• Extravagant: little that can be had with gold is beyond reach. Nobles and other lucky people fall into this category. Commonly, food is both excessive and exotic. Multiple homes/estates (fully outfitted and complete with servants) are owned. Large swathes of land and several businesses are owned. Belongings are plentiful, exotic and perfectly maintained. Taxes are not a burden. Saving and investing are exceedingly trivial matters.

Avg. Living Condition Cost vs Base Wage (ALCC/BW)¶

This is meant to be an indicator of a region’s economic viability. In essence, it is the ratio of the base wage of an area vs the cost of an average living condition, that being the “average” GLC. Both the wage and cost are fluid, average, values and should not be taken as gospel. They exist only as a tool to help the GM by giving them an idea of local conditions so they can convey that idea to the PC’s.

The base wage is the weekly salary of an unskilled worker. In an average town with an average economy (average supply/demand) that is about 5gp a week. In the same case, cost should be 5gp (or just a bit less than 5gp) a week. This is the theoretical ideal. So, in this case, ALCC/BW is expressed as 5gp/5gp. In practice, because so few cases are covered by that ideal, the numbers will be larger or smaller as dictated by local economic factors. Things like tax rate, supply chains, customer base, worker saturation, job availability, and so on will directly affect the numbers. In the end, there is no formula to calculate these numbers, it is a GM’s judgment call.

The relationship between the GLC categories, a person’s income and the ALCC/BW is relatively straightforward. The closer a person’s income is to the cost in ALCC/BW the closer they are to having an “average” living condition. The ALCC/BW shows the general tendency of the local economy to be a “favorable” worker environment. Generally, the cost (first number) should be a bit less than the base wage (second number). But as long as they are close the common folk will not suffer too greatly and the general population will drift toward “average” GLC. As the base wage and cost drift farther apart the general population will drift away from an “average” GLC as dictated by the direction of the shift. Higher cost makes the drift move toward “poor” GLC. Likewise, a higher base wage would make the drift move toward “wealthy” GLC. Neither case is desirable, as both show an unhealthy or unsustainable economy.

A good rule of thumb is that a well managed economy will stabilize with cost between 99 and 101 percent of wages. To be clear, having a cost that is higher than base wages does not mean that everyone is automatically operating with a weekly deficit of funds. It means that cost is such that people have to be more frugal and cannot always afford everything they need and will have to settle for a cheaper alternative in those cases.

Use the following table to assess what a person’s GLC would be based on what percentage of cost (in ALCC/BW) their income is. In the case of income levels under 200% of cost, the resulting GLC can be adjusted downward by one or two categories if they are supporting a mid-sized or large family.

Keeping Time¶

What the average commoner does to make a living is important. When they do it also matters. The wheel of the year, the calendar, drives when many of these needful things are done.

Food production is just about the most important activity in the Empire. So many citizens are a part of agricultural work that it drives, not only the commoners, but the Empire as a whole. Hence the calendar is based around planting, growing, and harvesting. This is the way it has been for most of recorded time.

There are four seasons in a year. Each of the four seasons are divided into three sections called months. This makes twelve months in a calendar year. Each month is 30 or 32 days long. A year is 368 days long.

While there is a “standard” name for each month in the Empire, some tribals have their own names. Foreigners, also have other names for the months. Regardless, the times are marked by the stars and phases of the moon and the movement of the sun. So, whatever name is given to it, the month is still what it is.

There are no standards for naming weeks or days of the week. If names are used, they are by local or regional tradition. For official Imperial needs, the year, month, and day of the month are all that are required under the law. For the average citizen, knowing the day of the month is enough. As example, when it is the 20 th day of Ty’Rae the average citizen knows that by this time of the year the southern (warmer) areas have already planted their second crop of the year. Any that haven’t done so will not have time to grow a second crop.

It is not uncommon for a city sized settlement to have a gnomish clock/calendar in their main square or fort. Such clockwork devices count minutes and hours as well as days and months and years.

Noble Life¶

The life of a noble is not as easy as it may seem. Sure, most nobles have a measure of wealth and that can be helpful. Some even have power which can be enjoyable. But there are responsibilities and demands in a noble’s life.

At the core, nobles exist to govern the Empire. The lowest level local nobles manage local resources and collect taxes. The nobles above those see to greater goals of the Empire but in essence do the same thing at a regional level. They also keep the local level nobles in line. Above the regional level nobles are the royal nobles. They govern a kingdom and likewise keep the regional nobles in line. Again, it’s the same job just at a higher level. All of them serve the Imperial Throne which guides the Empire.

Tax is collected by the noble in order to operate the government, offering protection and infrastructure. First, a percentage of the funds are given as tribute to nobles above the one collecting taxes. Then they are required by the Imperial Throne to keep a standing military force of a size mandated by the settlement’s size. That will take a large portion of the tax. So long as the military force and tribute are in order what remains is used as the local noble dictates. It is completely within their power to use the funds for personal needs as well. Most do so freely. The smart ones invest some in local infrastructure.

Military resources are directed and used by the noble. They are used to protect the local population, as much from orc hoards as from criminal elements. All the forces a noble commands are subject to be called upon by the nobles above them in service of the Empire. Indeed, every citizen of the Empire is subject to being called for military service, so long as they are able bodied.

While not all nobles see it as such, they also serve the people they govern to a degree. Their plans and actions affect everyone below them. A bad decision on the noble’s part can plunge their territory into a state of ruin. In the end a good leader will understand that they ultimately share the fate of those they lead. So, what is good for the people is generally good for the noble.

Not all nobles are created equally. Some have land and title, others do not. Some are wealthy while others must go to moneylenders on a regular basis. Overall, nobles can be divided into general groups based on power and standing, of which there are three: new noble, untitled nobles, and old blood noble.

New nobles started life as a commoner and by way of deed were recognized as having “noble blood”. If the deed showed devotion to and did a service for the Empire they could be granted a noble title. Most often this is a Knighthood the rest of the time it’s a Magister’s seat. While history has recorded times in which even higher titles were bestowed, that practice is too rare to be considered. Neither the title of Knight nor Magister is a title that is passed to ones children so the new noble is not guaranteed to be a member of a “noble bloodline”. To be recognized as a member of a noble bloodline by the Empire means being granted House status. That takes more than a single deed and often more than one family member doing the deeds. Therefore, it is not only possible but common to have a title and not be a member of a House. Nobles at this level have little in way of power or wealth but they are the most numerous group.

Untitled nobles are members of a House but have not earned or inherited a title, for instance the second or third heir. They are still referred to by the general title of lord or lady. All other titles are more specific. As example, Knight of the Realm, Magister of Dorbank Hamlet, Baron of the Seven River Vale, and so on. Untitled nobles do as much as they can to gain a title because with a title they gain power and influence and wealth. Military service is one of the quickest ways to gain a title and may young nobles try it.

An old blood noble holds a title and is a member of an established House, i.e. minor or major. They are the smallest section of nobility and the holders of power and wealth. When people think of nobles this is the group that comes to mind.

The noble’s life is full of power games and plots and fear. This is not a life for everyone, the stress can be fatal. It is after all, a long way down from the top. Just look at the story of any Fallen House. One example of the extreme measures nobles take in pursuit of their games, hiding magic use. Arcane magic is linked with the Savage Time in the minds of many. For this reason rule by mages is not common as they are not trusted. So, nobles will rarely practice magic openly, it’s just too risky.

Brick¶

Having a brick or stone hearth is expensive but not uncommon in many dwellings. However, a building made entirely of brick is prohibitively costly. Just making brick in such large quantities is next to impossible without a massive kiln to fire the clay and make brick. The source of clay is important as well, some clay makes better brick than other clay. So, the combination of limited material, specialized facilities, and add in the skilled labor needed to make and use brick, then it all comes together as an expense that only the most wealthy can afford. Buildings made of brick can easily reach seven stories. More than that is rarely done as there are few skilled enough in both engineering and use of brick to do it. Also, the quality of brick used would have to be of the highest caliber with very consistent material and manufacturing going into them. This makes such structures almost unseen outside of major cities.

Earthen¶

Earthen buildings, cobb (or adobe, in hotter, drier climates), is made by mixing mud, straw and either sand or clay. For adobe, these are formed into blocks then sun and air dried then bound together with mud to form walls. Traditional cobb doesn’t use blocks and is more sculpted as a whole but still air dried. Buildings made of earth tend to be inexpensive, well insulated, and very sturdy (when properly maintained). With a good roof and drainage, they do well in any climate, but dryer is better. While not impossible, it is not practical to make an earthen building taller than two stories. Most dwellings will be one level, having two or three rooms at most. This makes a fine choice in smaller settlements and rural area housing. For these reasons, many common folk live in earthen homes. In the coldest of places, where the earth is frozen year-round, snow and ice are sometimes used to make dwellings.

Hide¶

Made with hides, tents or yurts are used only in small, very new, or semi-nomadic settlements in regions that do not see much in the way of heavy snowfall. As a percentage, very few people live in such structures within the civilized lands. It is more common in borderlands and/or hotter climates. These dwellings are almost exclusively single story and, very often, single room structures. Tents sold commercially in the civilized lands are just as often made with an oiled canvas as with hides. Caravans trekking the Great Desert make common use of large canvas tents on their journeys.

Stone¶

Worked stone block builds are very strong but the labor required to mine, transport, and construct with this material strictly limits its use. Even crude river rock or other rough stone and mortar buildings are many times the coin and effort of wood. For this reason, it is only used by common folk when nothing else is available and often only by enlisting the help of every able-bodied neighbor within miles. Helping a neighbor means being able to ask for help in return. Like with wood, a stone structure can vary from crude to masterwork. The number of rooms is only limited by coin and land. Often, worked stone buildings will rise to five stories. Higher is possible with good engineering but the danger is collapse due to its own weight. Larger cities see more use of stone as a building material for non-dwelling buildings.

Wood¶

Wooden structures are some of the most varied in the Middle Lands. They can be rough and crude split logs, or fancy and finely worked planks, it all depends on the skill of the builders and the coin spent. Found in all climates, they are only limited by the supply of local trees. While they can easily reach three stories, it is rare that they go higher than four without a master builder to design and oversee construction. All but the largest of cities don’t normally build wooden structures so tall. The vast majority being three or fewer stories. The size of rooms and the number also vary greatly. This makes wood the most common choice for non-dwelling buildings in settlements across the Empire.

Basement¶

Basements are not common because of the problems with drainage. What is more common is a small root cellar, usually placed in the middle of the dwelling to minimize water issues. Large cities have sewer systems and storm drains that improve drainage to the point that basements are much more likely. Still, they are too expensive for many. However, some business will find a basement extremely useful as a storage area for goods that benefit from temperature controlled environments.

Dugout¶

In extremely cold or hot climates, cutting a dugout out of a hillside will help make a dwelling more comfortable year around. It only takes a few feet to make a difference so, it’s common to have a half wall with a roof over a shallow dugout. In the coldest environment, the dugout is made so deep that its basically a hole in a hill with a roof. In rural areas, when the terrain is suitable (ie hills), the dugout is almost as common as cobb dwellings. Halflings are very fond of this type of dwelling, but they take it to another level of craftsmanship. For them, building a dugout becomes a work of art.

Roof¶

The make of a building’s roof is at least as important as its walls, if not more important. There are a few different types to choose from, the most common is thatch. Basically, woven straw or reeds, thatch is easy to work and the material is plentiful in most places. The greatest down sides to thatch are the need for high maintenance and the fire risk. Most larger towns avoid thatch in favor of shingles or tile. Shingles are most often made of wood and secured in an interlocking pattern with nails and a bit of tar. The more expensive ones are oiled or shellacked for added water resistance. An even more expensive option is tile, which is due mainly to its production similarities to brick. However, the most expensive choice of roof is, by far, tin sheets. It is very hard to make, rivaling tile or brick. Each sheet is a square between three and four feet. These sheets are placed on the roof in a similar fashion to shingles. Tin is also one of the most fire resistant type of roof.

Fort¶

Built of wood and/or stone, forts are military installations. The basic composition has a small base of just a few buildings surrounded by basic walls or a palisade. A small tower for archer placement and lookouts is a common feature. Barracks, a storehouse, forge, stable and command center are other features often found in a standard fort. Walls surrounding a keep range from the simple log wall to rough stone and mortar construction. Eight feet is an average height for such a wall.

Keep¶

Made largely of stone, keeps are larger, more complex versions of forts. They often serve as home for the local noble as well. Having several towers for defensive purposes is common. Their walls are stone, taller and stronger than those that surround a fort. Most are less than twenty-five feet in height. Only the largest would have cut stone walls. Overall, the keep exists to resist siege and is build reflecting that fact.

Moat¶

The variety of moats range from a simple ditch, less than three feet deep, to a stone lined trench eight or more feet in depth. Lining the moat with sharpened sticks is common. Filling them with water is only done for the deeper, stone lined variety. Without the stone lining, the water tends to erode a moat’s sides and it collapses in, partly filling the trench. Most moats are built to ring a fort or keep’s outer walls. They exist to break an opponent’s charge as well as serve as a barrier. The most used width is ten feet, but larger ones, spanning thirty feet have been constructed for larger settlements. While not always the case, moats filled with water are often connected to a nearby stream or river. Stagnate water is a bad thing.

Palisade¶

It’s a wall made of tree trunks sunken into a packed earthen mound. The earth, piled up and packed down on either side of the wall, provides strength and stability. It also make the palisade easier to build than it would be if the logs were driven straight into the ground. Standing eight to twelve feet tall, the palisade is often a temporary or starter fortification. A shallow moat is a common side-effect of construction. While not a standard feature, some palisades have a wooden platform along the interior side for defenders to stand on. This allows them to see and attack forces assaulting their position while maintaining cover.

Wall¶

Most walls built as fortifications are thick and stone. Rough stone and mortar are most common with cut stone being seen less often. In a typical defensive wall, the outward facing side is virtually sheer while the interior side is often tapered, giving a base that is wider than the top. At the top, a defensive wall is often several feet wide. For the smaller, or more narrow walls, a wooden platform will often ring the wall near the top. This allows defenders to see and attack any force assailing the wall and still allow them to take cover behind it. The more ambitious cut stone walls used in major cities are even wider. As much as ten or fifteen wide at the top. This allows them to forgo the wooden platform and have defenders wall along the top of the wall itself, while still protected by a small secondary wall with battlements. Often, such secondary walls are built on both sides of the walkway to maximum protection from either direction. Walls rarely enclose the whole settlement except in (or near) the wilderness lands. In most cases, they do cover enough area that a fair percentage of the population could seek shelter within them. All the major cities have walls, not so much as a defensive structure but as a display of wealth and power. Wise settlements maintain a warehouse within their walls for siege provisions.

Watch Tower¶

The stone watch tower is the most basic of fortifications. It is used as a mini-fort and favored for being encapsulated as well as its small footprint. Most are between thirty and forty feet tall, with a base width of about twenty feet. Some are square based and others have a round base. All of them have a small platform on top, ringed with battlements and useful for both archers and lookouts. While not always the case, it is not uncommon for such a platform to have a roof. The vast majority are built of rough stone and mortar, having walls that are two or three feet thick. A common style of construction has the tower’s outer wall wider at the base and tapering toward the top.

Random City Life Events¶

Life in a city is not often boring. They are vibrant and exciting places and that will draw people with a promise of a better and fuller life experience, plus a great deal more to gawk at. But just what does happen in a city? What follows are a few minor events that could occur in any settlement at any time. Roll or pick one whenever you want to add a bit of spice for the players and give them a taste of the exotic or more mundane aspects of city life.

Births¶

The birth of a child is a cause for celebration in most places. There is often a gathering of some kind. At the very least, good wishes are given. Among the commoners, food is often given to the family. The first born child is a special occasion and the celebrations are generally grander.

Prayers are often offered and rites are sometimes performed as is custom for the people. Among humans, a new mother will give thanks to Volios, even if she doesn’t follow the New Gods. Such people often make a sacrifice to distract Tanjoom from the child. A child that gains the notice of Tanjoom will be influenced by the Fox and become more mischievous than is healthy.

Non-humans have their own rites and deities for birth. Elven ceremonies are the longest and most elaborate. Births are rare for them so the celebrations are grand. Halflings also have long festivities, including much feasting, for a birth but that is just their way rather than a product of birth rarity. Indeed, every humanoid race welcomes their young into the world in some way.

Festivals¶

A festival is a celebration that will involve most, if not all of the local residents. While some have a religious basis, it is not necessary that religion be a factor. Each settlement may well have a festival or two that is unique to them. Perhaps based on some local bit of history, a great deed or a battle or some beloved local resource. There are, however, a few common festivals related to the Empire and celebrated on the same day in every settlement across the Middle Lands. There is no religious context to these celebrations but the predominate deities of the area may be honored, or not, according to local custom.

• Father’s Day – (1 st of Ty’Set) A day devoted to the memory of all those who died for the Empire. Beginning with Lord Loran Kalistic, who’s death started his son’s, Tazral, lifelong quest for justice and led to his forming the Empire. To a degree, every soldier who has served the Empire is honored. Families are encouraged to remember their kin lost in battle and know the sacrifice they made was important to all citizens. A common practice is making rings of local flowers to put on the graves of soldiers and any local battle memorial monument/site. Some citizens take part in a pilgrimage to the town of Father’s Rest, located on the shores of the Danchu river just north of the Dothmas hills. Once there, they visit the memorial erected by Tazral to his father, Loran.
• Founding Day – (18 th of Mo’Rae) On this day the founding of the Empire is remembered. All citizens offer thanks for the protection and guidance of the Empire. Honor is given to the local noble and the guard. The color of the day is imperial green, often paired with white (or white and black). The tri-leaf, symbol of the Throne, adorns homes and shops as decoration and a show of support for the Empire.
• Tazral’s Day – (5 th of Fer’Ko) A day to celebrate the life of Tazral Kalistic and to honor the ideals he held up. Plays are preformed based on stories from the Saga of Tazral. The stories picked are the ones that exalt the most heroic behavior people can display. The celebration is aimed at being fun for children and instilling in them the core values that have led to the Empire’s latest expansionist phase. All the games, entertainment, and food are free on this day. The Empire allows merchants to record the cost of items they give away for free and count that toward their taxes. The penalty for lying about the amount is strong. Doing so is seen as the next best thing to treason.

Funerals¶

The majority of humans in the Middle Lands follow the New Gods. Which means their funeral rites are predominately those of Nisvaloon. Basically, the body is cleaned, wrapped in cloth and burned during the daylight hours when the smoke of the fire can carry the deceased’s spirit into the portal of the sun and on to the next world. Passing from one fire, the funeral pyre, to the next, the sun.

There are prayers that would be spoken during the burning, local tradition often makes its way into which prayers and/or how they are presented. In some places the body is burned to ash. In other places, it is burned till only bone remains. Whatever is leftover, be that ash or ash and bone, is interred according to local tradition. In some places this means a grave, or a crypt (if the person was wealthy or important), or being released to the sea, or the elements, or buried under a tree. There are many possibilities, not all of which are listed here. These rites are done so that the dead find peace and can freely move on. There are many who do not follow the New Gods. For this reason funeral rites vary as well. Some bury their dead. Others offer the body to nature, where it is consumed. A few send the body out to sea. Still others wrap the body in herb solution soaked cloth and leave it in the hot sand until it mummifies, after which it is interred. Finally, there are those for whom the body is irrelevant and gets no special rites or treatment. Regardless of what rites are observed, a vast majority of the dead are handled by a group known as the Caretakers. Found in almost every city in the Empire, they act as undertakers. When a Caretaker is not available, like in a small village, the family of the deceased will take and prepare the body. They will also perform any rites that are needed in the event that a religious figure is not available. In addition to burial rites, there is often some social gathering involved with the death. Many places will have a funeral precession. Family and friends walk the deceased to their final rest. Sometimes, there is music. Often the home of the deceased is opened up for the living to gather and mourn. When and for how long depends on local custom. In a few places the gatherings are very upbeat and the life of the person is celebrated more than their passing is mourned. These social events are for the living.

Holidays¶

Holidays (holy days) are religious ceremonies/festivals that honor one deity or another. They all have some purpose in addition to being an act of faith. From place to place the details will often be different, as will the deity honored, or even the day it is held. Sometimes the differences are drastic and other times, they are minor. Additionally, these events are social gatherings.

What follows is a bit of detail about things that happen in the life of the average commoner during any given month of the year. That will shed light on what kinds of holidays they will take part in, as well as, which deities they seek to call on during these rites.

• Mo’Ko - Most farmers spend this month ploughing their fields and spreading manure into the freshly turned earth. This is to prepare the land for planting. It is the time of rebirths and awakenings. For many animals, this is the beginning of their mating season. Holidays and celebrations during this month revolve around these themes with Drazlooh and/or Nisvaloon being honored by many.
• Fer’Ko - Mating season for other animals continues during Fer’Ko. Early in the month, hens begin to lay eggs. By the middle of this month most farmers will have planted their crop. This is the month of the trickster. If not placated, the trickster will bring a late frost to spoil the newly planted seeds. Many of the festivities in this month are aimed at pleasing whatever trickster deity the locals favor. As example, Iturr or Tanjoom or even Corhov. Other ceremonies are in relation to the early hunting season, which begins this month.
• Ty’Ko - By this point everyone, from the people in the cold plains of Fellice, to the folks farming in the dry plains of southern Sulkor, will have their crop in the ground. Any last minute repair/maintenance of irrigation systems is done, this includes things like digging new ditches or clearing old ones of debris and weeds. The deities of sky, rain, and/or growth are commonly honored during this month. The first farm animal births are beginning during this month, mostly rabbits and the chickens. Bantus is often honored at this time.
• Mo’Rae - Festivals of Summer’s Night are common during this month. In many inland areas of the Middle Lands this is the first constantly dry time of the year. Irrigation is vital for crops in such places. Often the first crop of hay, used as animal feed, is harvested at this time. Ploughing of any fallow fields take place during this month. Sheep are sheared, taking their winter coat, and the first piglets are born. Deities of growth, rain, and perseverance are often honored during this month.
• Fer’Rae - Regardless of location, this tends to be a dry month. In places that are lucky enough to have a long growing season, this is also the month of their first harvest. The fields are then readied for a second crop with more ploughing and manure. Fallow fields are treated to another ploughing. Sheep and goat birthing season begins. Deities of the hunt and/or birth are commonly celebrated during this time. Bohtan is very popular this time of year, even with non-elves.
• Ty’Rae - For the areas with a climate that favors it, the second crop is planted during this time. Any planting is done before the late rains begin during the end of this month. Such areas will also take time to call on the deities by way of harvest festivals to thank them for the first crop and ask for blessings for the next crop. Rakthor and/or Janumorn are often given a sacrifice to keep the late summer storms mild.
• Mo’Set - Many of the ceremonies of autumn revolve around making sacrifices for a good harvest and/or hunt. Hunting activities pick up substantially during this time of year. Later in the month, harvesting begins for the areas that are not so lucky as to have a climate that favors more than one crop a year. Many still plant hay for use during the coming winter.
• Fer’Set - By the end of this month everyone will harvest and plant some winter hay if they can. Afterward, the final ploughing of the fields begins. Fruit tree pruning begins. The newly harvested crops are prepared for winter storage. Harvest festivals begin in earnest and feasting/celebrations will be common. Volios will be widely hailed and honored during this month.
• Ty’Set - The ploughing of any remaining fields is done. The final big hunts of the year begin. The game animals taken are smoked or salted or otherwise preserved. Most areas see the beginning of their rainy season during this month. As things die and the land sleeps, many people take this time to honor the dead. Tashrune and/or Hethrize are given homage. The northern lands see their first frost which comes late in the month.
• Mo’Helt - The time of preparation begins. Tools are mended or replaced and other general upkeep is done. Across the Middle Lands the general weather gets wetter. The warmest of southern lands get their first frost by the middle of the month. In the north, some snow is already falling. This is one of the busiest times for the northern people. They have the least time before heavy snow falls and makes any work they haven’t gotten to all but impossible. This is also the time of year that some of the livestock are slaughtered and preserved for later. This is the month of celebrating and giving thanks for hearth and home. This is the time of year calves are born.
• Fer’Helt - For many, this is the coldest darkest time of the year. Hens stop, or at least slow down, their egg laying. What work that can be done indoors, by the fire, is done. Any other, nonessential, work can wait for better weather. During this, the darkest month, both Gravston and Hethrize are commonly honored. With the shortest days upon them, people look forward to the longer, warmer days to come. Both rain and snow are common all month.
• Ty’Helt - The beginning of the end of winter is a time for rejoice. The days are getting noticeably longer and, at least in the south, the cold is beginning to recede and the winter rain and/or snow stops. People start to get outside again and prepare for the next growing season by making repairs to tools and fences and the like. People begin to stockpile manure for treating the fields in the upcoming growing season. Most domesticated horses are born during this month. It is also the time to celebrate love and hope. Ceremonies for Nisvaloon and/or Ursinah are common.

While the details vary from region to region there are four main holidays, each with a theme. The spring equinox (rebirth), summer solstice (life) , autumn equinox (harvest), and winter solstice (family). While the holiday’s date can vary a bit, as is practical for the locals, everyone has at least these four. In addition, there are often another 4 to 8 local holidays during the year. These will be totally dependent on the the local/regional customs and culture.

Marriages¶

In the Middle Lands, the purpose of any marriage is to join people together and create a family of some kind. All types of unions are possible but not all types are fully accepted in every place. As example, the Jute Rhone of the northern lands practice group marriages. While they are not the only ones, they are a minority. For them, it is normal to have three or more people, all of whom are married to each other. Many people, not of this minority, see it as odd. Some others do not, even if they don’t practice the same customs. It is accepted because all recognize the importance of protecting diversity of customs and respecting one another.

The reason(s) behind a marriage can be based on love or gain. Generally speaking, when the motivation of the participants are the dominate factors, love wins out as the reason to get married. However, when their parents control matters, gain has more to do with marriage than love. For nobles, it is rare that they are allowed to marry for love. While commoners do marry for love it is still not as widespread as it could be. The fact is that marriage for gain is the dominate reason because arranged marriages are the most common type of marriage in the Middle Lands.

Marriage rites very widely from place to place and by religion. It is common that someone officiate the ceremony. While this is often a religious figure, it could be a village elder, it could be the local noble or a proxy of the noble. Witnesses are another commonality. At the very least, each party in the marriage has a witness, often family. More commonly, it is an event for most, if not the whole village to come see.

The timing can be important as well. In a few places marriages are only done on certain days/nights of the year. While other places do it as needed. Location can be of equal importance. It maybe a family or local tradition that everyone is married under the same tree, for example. Or before a local idol, a several centuries old, huge statue. Or an ancient temple, now nearly a ruin.

Documentation is stringently required for noble weddings with copies going to all parties of the marriage, as well as to the Imperial Throne. For commoners it is much more simple. Weddings are performed before the witnesses and the fact is recorded in the town’s records. A copy of the record goes to the Empire for safe keeping.

Finally, it is common to have a marriage feast and a first night celebration of some kind. The length of the festivities vary from place to place. Some of the details will vary as well. The general sentiment is to wish the newly married well and give them the best first night they could have.

As for divorce, some groups think marriage is lifelong. A few others set a duration. Regardless, nearly every group has some custom/rule for ending a marriage. How acceptable it is depends on the group.

Name Days¶

While some will name a child at birth, many do not. Old superstition holds that naming a child too soon draws the attention of foul spirits and endangers the child. This is common among humans. Different people have difference customs regarding the naming. For some, the name day is 100 days after birth. Others subscribe to the custom that one year after birth the child is given a name. A few do not name the child until the parents “know” the child and can give a meaningful name. Whatever the case, by Imperial law, the age of a citizen is calculated by counting the person’s name days rather than birthdays.

Nobles have an additional ceremony on the child’s first name day. The main point is that, by performing the rite, the child is taken as part of the noble’s bloodline. Only the head of the family can perform this rite. When, and if, it is done the child can legally use the family name. If it is not done, the child is labeled a bastard.

In a few tribes the child is not named by the parents at all. The elder or wise one or tribal leader will name all children. Sometimes this involves a vision quest to “find the child’s name in the stars.”

Naming a Person¶

Not everyone has a “family” name. In the Middle Lands, easily half of all commoners do not. Those that do, get them one of a few ways. Those being hometown, profession, parents, and being a descendant of a failed noble house.

The hometown is a common option for people from rural areas. Such places have small populations. Hence calling someone Olivia of Ash Ridge would be enough to identify her when the next nearest person named Olivia is two villages over.

Another common last name would be based on ones parents. As example, Ethan son of John son of Henry is wordy but that could, at times, be shortened to something like Ethan Johnson. In a similar line, the now “civilized” descendants of tribals will often use the parent’s tribe or clan as a family name. That can lead to last names like Crow or Dogrunner or Northwind.

In some places it is not uncommon for a child to follow the parent’s profession. This can lead to another popular method of acquiring a last name in accordance with that profession. Some examples include, Hunter, Miller, Smith, Baker, Cooper, Tailor, Potter, Fisher, and Farmer.

Finally, another way commoners can get a last name is by being a descendant of a failed noble House. Over the past 500 years, there have been hundreds of noble houses that faded into obscurity. In many cases, the only thing remaining of these Houses is the name borne by its, no longer noble, descendants.

All nobles have a last name in their House name. Houses are often named in an old tongue, mostly dead ones. For the older Houses that is just the way it was, using the dialect of the time. But newer Houses did it to give themselves a sense of age seen as important for any noble house to have. Regardless, these names are based on some deed of the House’s founders. As example, Dosren means “Goblin Slayer” in one ancient Luvic dialect, Casabon means “Bridge Guard” in another dead minor Luvic dialect, and Borsheen translates as “Barer of valiant boar blood” from the ancient Novaskag of that House’s region.

As a final note on the names of people, from time to time a child is born with questionable lineage. Such an illegitimate child is called a bastard. Bastards do not get the family name as a child born within a marriage would. This is more important for nobles than commoners. Noble bastards will be given a bastard’s last name if they get one at all. Such a name is traditionally a common, natural, object like Rock, River, Tree or Cloud. For the rest of their life, it marks them as a bastard to any hearing the name.

Naming a Settlement¶

Either local ties, culture, or history is often the basis of a settlement’s name. So, if a battle was fought there, or near there, the newly formed village could be named for that. In some cases they are named for a founder, especially if that person made some great sacrifice for the settlement. Naming a place for what it produces is also common. Geographical features are another theme for naming places. A few examples of names include things like, the Village of Kara’s Fate, the Town of Twin Tree Hill, or the City of Ash Cove. Additionally, old languages can add an extra flair. Examples include, Balashar which means “good harbor” in one of the old tongues and Mostor which means “plentiful land”.

Use the following table for quick settlement names. Roll or pick one entry from both the resource and location columns, use of the descriptor column is optional.

Naming a Tavern/Inn¶

Taverns in the Middle Lands have a tradition of sporting a playful, fun name. While it is not a hard rule it is very common in settlements with more than a few taverns. The more taverns there are the more interesting the names get. As a result the old established taverns, the ones that have been around for generations, will have plain names while the new ones have witty names that try to stick in ones head.

The table below is given for times when a name is needed quickly. Roll or pick one from both the adjective column and the noun column. If desired, an entry from the prefix column can be used to add extra spice to the name.

Basic Imperial Military Formations¶

Military units of the middle lands follow a basic structure that has been used for over a thousand years. The units are composed of enlisted soldiers and officers. Higher level officers are often of a noble bloodline but rarely have a title. Officer ranks are Lieutenant, First Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Colonel, Lieutenant General, and General. Enlisted soldiers are almost exclusively commoners. Enlisted ranks are Private, Private First Class, Corporal, Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, Master Sergeant, and First Sergeant. Typical unit composition and command structure is shown in the following table.

The Village of Red Oak Grove¶

Population: 837

ALCC/BW:4.02/3.99

Located just off the Imperial Road, less than two days east of Rocrest, this village was founded over two hundred years ago and is known for the wool they export. They also have a small inn which brings in travelers from the road. The area is far from the wilderness so it is fairly safe. With the main road so close they also see regular patrols from both the Imperial Guard and from the Rocrest Guards whose domain extends just past Red Oak. There are even occasional patrols from the local Countess, located ten miles down the road. Finally, the local constables are in the village every day keeping the peace and watching for danger.

The settlement is on a hilltop. It is centered around the Old Watchtower, a stone tower thirty-five feet tall which houses the local office of the constables, the city clerk’s office, and the magister’s office. The square outside the tower is used for public addresses and other such displays and gatherings. Including the Oak Roof Inn and Tavern, there around two dozen businesses in this central section of the village. About half the local population also resides in this area. The others are spread out in farms and ranches within a mile or two of the village.

Dornect Miller was a local man, a commoner, who served the Countess as a guard for twenty years. He excelled, becoming an officer of the guard and rising to the rank of Major. When he retired, he was granted a knighthood for his exceptional service to the Countess and her House. A few years after returning to his childhood home, Red Oak Grove, the village’s Magister passed on and the Countess heard a petition favoring Miller as a replacement. She agreed and Sir Dornect Miller was granted his second title, Magister of Red Oak Grove Village, and empowered to govern the village. He has done so for the past eight years. His time as a guard commander has been useful. While the village only has five constables, they are still the only local guard and its first line of defense. Until Miller took over they lacked a leader with a military background and one who understood what they needed to do their job. As a result, they are now a better trained and equipped guard. Magister Miller has been good for the village but he does have his shortcomings. For example, he is not the best at diplomatic resolutions or finance.

While this is not a wealthy village, they do well for themselves. Of the roughly sixteen-thousand gold pieces of tax collected each year, about half of it goes to the higher nobles, the Emperor, the Queen, the Duke, and the Countess. The Magister uses about a quarter of the remaining coin for paying, training, equipping, and facilitating the local guards. What is left goes to maintaining the local roads, keeping the tower in good repair, paying clerks and other government workers, and providing for Miller’s needs. Any money that remains after all that is put aside and saved for emergencies.

The Barony of Bone Pass¶

Population: 3144

ALCC/BW: 5.01/5.31

The barony is located in the mountains of Fellice, a few days north of Ghuntos, and was founded only forty-three years ago. It is a borderland territory with a great deal of orc activity and hence, not the safest of places to live. As a result, there is only one settlement and it is surrounded by strong stone walls. They do not grow much food here but do have some livestock, most of their food is imported. Naturally, the supply caravans are targets of orc raiding. The attraction for settling here is the silver mine.

Being far from the main roads, there are almost no patrols from the outside. As is the case with most borderland territories, there is no safety net as help is not close at hand. The only guards are the local guards, the only law the baron’s law. The baron’s law is very strict and punishment is harsh. In extreme cases criminals are often sentenced to hard labor in the mines. Due to the remote location, the city guard is thrice the size it is required to be under Imperial Law. So, one hundred warriors work for the city guard and they really have their work cut out for them. The orcs are unrelenting and the miners love a good bar fight. There is never a dull moment for the guards. They face each day with a grim determination, all the while waiting for the next big orc attack. Waiting and wondering when they will feed the high pass’ Field of Bone.

The town, called Sutter’s Hold, is ruled by Baron Clive Hig Sutter. The second head of House Sutter, a New House, he has ruled for sixteen years and is doing well so far. His stronghold is on high ground and ringed by a stone wall. The surrounding town is also walled and has seen numerous orc sieges over the years. While there are businesses they are largely reliant on imported raw materials. The major exceptions being lumber, furs, skins, and wool. All of which are abundant locally.

House Sutter was formed only thirty years ago. Clive’s father, Anton Sutter, and his older brother, Markus Sutter, came to this wilderness valley forty-three years ago. Both had already been knighted for their actions in service to House Borsheen. The brothers proceeded to gather people, bringing them to the valley and building a settlement in order to mine the silver found here. It was not easy, there were titanic battles with all manner of local monsters, and it ended up costing Markus his life in a battle with trolls. A little over a decade later Anton petitioned the Imperial Throne for House status and was approved. He became the first Baron of Bone Pass. Now Clive, son of Anton, is Baron of Bone Pass and he continues his father’s work by trying to expand the settlement, strengthen the guard, and quell the surrounding wilderness. It should be noted that when Clive gave the order to add another thirty permanent guards to the city watch he could have just as easily use those thirty warriors to form his own House guard. He opted not to, as making them part of the city guard avoids any question of his House building its military unnecessarily.

The silver mine has been key to building the barony and it has made the locals well off. Thanks to this prosperity, taxes are over one-hundred-thousand gold coins a year. About thirty percent goes to more powerful nobles. Another forty percent is used for paying, equipping, training, and facilities for the city guard. The remainder is used to maintain infrastructure and keep House Sutter’s needs fulfilled. The Baron uses a portion to attract new settlers to his domain, he wants the population to increase by fifty people every year.

The County of Sweet River¶

Population: 22,881

ALCC/BW: by settlement

Found on the northern most stretch of the Yahsur river is a tributary called the Sweet River, which runs through the relatively new county called Sweet River County. Twenty miles down river the Imperial Road crosses the Yahsur and another two hundred miles down river is the capital of Celyd, Southflo. The county has five settlements, three on the river and the other two a few miles inland. The largest, Mahlcam’s Bridge, is less than a mile from where the Sweet joins the Yahsur, it is also home to the Countess Sahrah Lo Teshren, the seat of House Teshren, and it acts as the shipping hub of the county. To the south, the area along much of the Yahsur is well populated, while not as densely populated as the Danchu, it is enough to provide a safe area that makes the river easier to travel on. The northern most reaches of the Yahsur are not as well populated and are still classified as borderlands. Sweet River is the northern most civilized area and it has only been declared “pacified” for about forty years.

Being far from the Imperial Road, the only regular outside patrols they see are the Duke’s and they only come up the Old River Road every few weeks. Once or twice each year a Republican Guard patrol will pass through the area. Apart from those patrols, the county handles it’s own security. When combined, all the city guards in the county number two-hundred-ten warriors. Each day there are at least three Tridents from various city guards patrolling the county’s roads. Because the surrounding land has been largely pacified and cleansed of aggressive monsters this is enough to keep order and maintain safety in the area. The most problematic safety issues are from criminal elements and the rare river creature.

Mahlcam’s Bridge, the main settlement, has a population of nearly nine-thousand people. Its ALCC/BW is 6.31/6.27 and the city guard has ninety members. The city has walls but they have not been needed in over seventy years and the city has expanded beyond the old walls. There is a walled castle on high ground as well, it is used by the Countess and city guard. There is a thriving business sector, with hundreds of merchants and crafters, supplied by local producers of raw materials. Many of these producers are in one of the county’s other, smaller, settlements. Meadow Run, Keller’s Watch, and Silk Grove are towns in the county with around four-thousand people each. The Village of Chanter’s Hill, the smallest settlement, has under a thousand people. Another few hundred people live in isolated domiciles scattered around the county but too far removed to be part of one of the settlements. Each of the smaller settlements has its own city guard, fortifications, businesses, and magister. Both crop and livestock production are higher than needed for local use.

House Teshren is just over ninety years old and was raised to Minor House status only twenty years ago. Zeck Jen Teshren, founder of the House, took over the failing territory just after the previous baron’s house was dissolved. Zeck was able to pull the barony back together and put it on the path to being declared a civilized territory. Zeck’s successor, Baron Ohmai Teshren, was elevated to the title of the Count of Sweet River forty-two years ago. Twenty-one years later, Count Reese Mi Teshren, the third head of the house, successfully navigated the Imperial Review process and saw House Teshren become a Minor House. Everything was going well until last year when a tragic accident took the lives of the aging Count and his two children. This leaves only his eldest grandchild to rule the county. The newly elevated Countess, Sahrah Lo Teshren, is barely sixteen years old. There are questions as to if she will be able to run the territory and more questions regarding the nature of the events that led to the death of the old Count. House Teshren is on shaky ground at the moment. The Countess must not only deal with the affairs of state but ensure the continuation of her line all while deflecting the advances of distant cousins and neighboring nobles. She is currently hiring guards for House Teshren and is looking to fill thirty positions. That would expand Teshren’s guard to forty. It has been said that not having a sizable guard may have contributed to the events leading to the Count’s death.

The people of this county are moderately prosperous. The main export is foodstuff which heads upriver to borderland territories that are unable to produce all they need for themselves. Apart from that the county makes a dozen other products for export, none of which are extraordinary but do sell well enough. Some go north to the borderlands but most of it is part of the regional trade with other, nearby, counties. All the taxes collected in the region would total over eight-hundred-thousand gold. Between tax collected in Mahlcam’s Bridge and the noble share of taxes from the other four settlements the Countess has direct control of half a million gold a year. One tenth of that is enough to provide for all the needs of the Mahlcam’s Bridge guard. Another thirty percent goes to the higher nobles. The rest is used for maintenance and infrastructure. Of course, some of it is used by the Countess and House Teshren.

A. Balashar¶

Population: 135,000

ALCC/BW: 11.70/11.79

A major trade hub located on the southern coast, at the mouth of the Danchu river, and the seat of the Empire. Goods from lands across the Narrow Sea come in and go up river while northern goods coming down river head out for places such as the Spice Kingdoms. The harbor of Balashar is the busiest in the known world. The Danchu docks see an average of 120 river vessels (mostly barges) a day and the Seaside docks average another 50 coastal vessels and as many as 25 deep water vessels a day. On top of it all the city’s fishing fleet, employing ships of all sizes, provides a near constant stream of vessels entering and leaving the harbor. Just watching the harbor accommodate this daily activity is an awe inspiring spectacle.

The city is home to the queen of Argos, house Dorell, and the Imperial Throne, house Kalistic. Each has a palace; the Imperial Palace at the west end of the Heart Boulevard and the Queen’s Palace on the east end. The Six Pillars of the Empire are spaced along the Heart Boulevard. Five of them are one hundred feet high. The sixth being forty-three feet high. Each year a one foot section, decorated with carvings denoting defining moments of the year, is added to the sixth pillar. As with all the other pillars once it reaches a height of one hundred feet a new pillar will be started. The ceremony for adding a new section is part of a week long holiday celebration held each year in remembrance of the founding of the empire. Every city in the Empire holds some type of celebration during this week. The only commonality to these fairs is the theme of celebrating the Empire’s birth. It must be noted that the birth of Balashar itself predates the Empire’s by several centuries.

1. Imperial City: This area houses the castle, city guard headquarters, Imperial Army barracks, strategic stores, imperial administration offices, the Emperor’s Court, Argos’ royal court, and a great many other diplomats, nobles, and officials. This is where the government operates from. Security is tight with regular city guard, Imperial Guard, and Imperial Elite Guard operating in the area. Still, with so many government offices, there is a level of accessibility that is maintained.
2. Heart District: Politically speaking, the most powerful of the Empire’s denizens live here. It is said that, in the Heart, one can not throw a stone without hitting a noble. Shops and businesses in the district are high-end and tend to be overpriced. Heart Boulevard is magnificent and a sight that every citizen wants to see at least once. Running the area between the Imperial Palace and the Royal Tower, often called the Queen’s palace, it is lined with manicured trees and breathtaking statues. Also, the Pillars of the Empire, five of which stand about one-hundred feet high, run down the Boulevard. The docks in this district are most often used by the military and nobles. Very few trade vessels dock here. Also, the harbor pilots operate from these docks. Each incoming vessel of an appropriate size has a harbor pilot board it out in the bay. The pilot then directs the vessel to a dock in accordance with the Harbor Master’s Office. Orders and updates are communicated to the pilots by flag, or mirror, or signal lantern. Smaller vessels are given orders on where to go by the pilot but are not boarded. A hill on the southwestern most section is the lighthouse’s location. Known as Heart’s Flame, it stands as a beacon for seaward vessels. It is also the office of the Harbor Master who coordinates shipping traffic by telling which ship to go to what dock.
3. The Sisters: The collective name of three islands on the north side of Balashar is the Sisters. A large amount of river traffic docks on the islands. Many are traders and some are local fishermen. The Sisters are named for three women of historical significance, none of whom were, in life, sisters or even from the same time in history. The island of Anneahlyn houses the lighthouse known as the Sisters’ Flame, which contains a satellite office of the Harbor Master. Anneahlyn, a companion of Tazral’s from the sagas, has been best remembered for smiting giants and offering her vast wisdom to Tazral at important moments. The island of Marrah was named for Marrah Ves Joon, a famed explorer from well before the Empire’s time. The stories of her adventures, at least the ones that have survived, are well known in the Empire. Finally, the island of Janice is named for an apothecary and alchemist who lived only a few centuries after the Savage Time. She is credited with discovering many of the healing herbs used today which is important because it allowed healing without a dependance on magic.
4. The Eel: Many seafaring vessels dock here. Also the home for many local fishermen. It is known to be a rough area. Rumor has it that The Grif, Balashar’s thieves’ guild, is based here.
5. The Conch: Almost exclusively an area for local fishermen. A few seafaring vessels may dock here if both the Seaside docks and the Eel docks are overloaded.
6. Seaside District: This is the section of the city south of Heart road and between the Inner Wall and the Outer Wall. Most of the vessels that dock here are seafaring trading ships. There are a wide range of areas to be found in this district, the good, the bad, the ugly.
7. Danchu District: The section of the city north of Heart road and between its walls. Much of the Danchu river trading traffic docks here. The northern most peninsula has a hill called High Bay.
8. The Blend District: The Blend has a very high percentage of non-human inhabitants. It is also a very busy trading district with many shops and markets. Where the buildings of other districts are mostly made of stone and brick, over half of the ones found here are still composed of wood. That makes fire an extra danger here. This district is still slowly expanding toward the eastern hills.
9. The New District: The latest expansion, this district got the needed building approvals only three years ago. Building has been slow but steady with city officials taking what some call an unhealthy amount of interest in what buildings and businesses are moving to the area.

B. Rocrest¶

Population: 58,000

ALCC/BW: 10.33/10.30

Located where the Danchu forks off the Lestare river, which leads into the briny waters of the Grey Marsh to the south west. The Grey Marsh is the largest marsh/swamp region in the Middle Lands. The Danchu runs another 500 miles where it meets the sea. Rocrest is a trading city that is known for it’s apothecaries and herbal research which thrive due to the city’s proximity to such a flora rich marsh/swamp. Tribal wood elves from the western forest often come here to trade. It is not uncommon to find halflings and gnomes from the Dothmas Hills trading here as well. Rocrest was founded after the Latter Formation Wars, in 23 MLE.

C. Levloe¶

Population: 89,000

ALCC/BW: 9.70/9.90

Where the Nocmal river flows from the north into the Danchu river from the west is Levloe’s current location. From here, the Danchu flows another thousand miles into the Inner Sea. The main and oldest section of the city sits on a high bluff between and overlooking both rivers. Bridges span each river and connect the Old City district with the Nocmal (northern) district and the Danchu (southern) district. Known as the gateway to Argos, Levloe is important both for trade and as the northern most stronghold of Argos. It is also known for good wine. The vineyards are plentiful to the south of the city. Currently, there is major construction occurring to reenforce the Old City river walls. These walls have been placed to maintain the bluff and keep the rivers from undermining it. The city has an interesting history in that it has moved three times since being founded about four- hundred years ago. The site of the first incarnation of Levloe was washed away in a flood during 207 MLE. The city moved up river but was again wiped out by a massive flood in 258 MLE. Higher ground was utilized for the third founding but the bluff was not correctly maintained and was undermined by the river. In 414 MLE it collapsed in the middle of a spring night, sending a full quarter of the city plunging into the Danchu. Over 10,000 citizens lost their lives within a few minutes. The site was abandoned the next year as it was deemed too unstable to rebuild upon. The current site is fastidiously maintained and very innovative techniques have been employed to minimized erosion. The citizens have not, and may never, forget the Collapse.

1. The Bull: On the highest ground rests the Archduke’s castle. Also the city guard headquarters.
2. The Old City: Oldest section of the city and where most of the trade happens.
3. The Danchu District: The southern district and where most Danchu cargo is loaded and unloaded. Many of the wineries for which the city is famed are found in this district and south of the city. There are even a few small vineyards here.
4. The Nocmal District: Most Nocmal cargo is loaded and unloaded here. Also, known for showcasing the northern wares that pass through. Cuisine featuring ice peppers is a favorite.
5. The New City: This district has the highest percentage of non-human populations in the city.

D. Murath¶

Population: 62,000

ALCC/BW: 10.22/10.45

The capital of Fellice is located centrally in the Cold Plains due south of the Dragon’s Backbone mountains. This city serves as a military stronghold first and foremost. It sits on the Fellice Plateau about forty feet above the surrounding plains. A web of beacon towers are centered here and stretch across the plains. They use a signaling system to transmit messages regarding the immediate need for troops in the frontier regions. Non-emergency requests use more traditional communication lines. Murath has existed, in one form or another, in its current location for the past thousand years. It is believed to have had its beginnings as a tribal center for trade. Possibly, having religious meaning as well. A great deal of the early history has been lost so the identity of the original founders is a subject of debate among scholars.

E. Ghuntos¶

Population: 51,000

ALCC/BW: 12.05/12.10

Ghuntos is the western stronghold of Fellice and guardian of the Dagger Mountains. A copious number of mines are found in the area making this a wealthy city. Fine steel and high-grade silver are transported along the Danchu to the rest of the world. The high and thick walls of Ghuntos make a suitable defense against most any foe and give the city’s denizens a sense of safety. While many elements of the city’s populace would love to project the image of Ghuntos as a “metropolis of cultural riches” the miners and other “real” people of the city project their own style. This is a city of many layers. It is also a relatively new city, having been annexed by the kingdom about 30 years after its founding in 144 MLE. Only about 40% of the local mines are human run enterprises. The remaining mines are owned and worked by dwarves who sell a portion of the ore produced to Ghuntos. As a result there is a significant dwarven presence in and around the city. The Danchu starts its 1400 mile run to the sea here.

F. Jortice¶

Population: 31,000

ALCC/BW: 11.70/11.73

This, the eastern stronghold of Fellice, is located on a mountainside in the Dragon’s Fang mountains, close to the source of the Nocmal river which flows about 500 miles where it merges with the Danchu river. The city is nearly inaccessible. That coupled with hidden mountainside terraced farmland, accessible only from within the city, and the river flowing through a ravine above before falling within the city’s walls mark Jortice a challenge to siege. The city is divided into two sections (low city and high city) by the mountainside’s switchback flow. Trade is secondary here. This city has been a haven since its inception and founding during the reign of the Flayer Prince, over eleven-hundred years ago.

G. Foamrest¶

Population: 32,000

ALCC/BW: 9.20/9.15

This city is renown for its harvesting of oil fish, production of fine ink, and master lens crafting. There is a major naval presence here, both Imperial and Mostorian, sending dozens of ships on pirate patrols. Foamrest is called, The Red Harbor, for the large Imperial contingent of War Sails based here. This was not always the case. In fact, three-hundred years ago, over half the traders sailing into the harbor would have been classified as pirates under current law. Foamrest was a smaller city then and could not afford to turn away any but the most blatant of pirate traders.

H. Sapreen¶

a.k.a. The Sage City

Population: 189,000

ALCC/BW: 11.44/11.51

The capital of Mostor is a trading city but is known to house the best libraries in the Middle Lands. Largest among the libraries is the eighty-eight domes of the Lelot Library which is owned by the Gleamdon University and run by the Prime Order. The sprawling walled complex spans parts of several city blocks and sports above street bridges connecting the sections. Sapreen, the Sage City, is one of the few cities having a concentration of wizards higher than normal. Some say there are over a hundred in the city at any given time. Mining the stone quarries and trade with Rekton are major sources of income for the city.

1. The Citadel: Houses the city’s stronghold, the council’s hall, the Archduchess’s manor, the city guard operations center, their barracks, and strategic store warehouses. As is the case with any stronghold, the Citadel sits on the highest ground in the area.
2. The Old City: Highbrow citizens and businesses dominate this walled section of the city.
3. The New City: Also known as the Book, many of the libraries for which Sapreen is famous are found here. This includes the Lelot Library and the Gleamdon University.
4. Dock District: This area is devoted to trade and commerce. There are many sailor taverns here.
5. The Central City: Merchants buy and sell everything the city has to offer here.
6. The South City: A less prosperous section of the city populated by workers.
7. The West City: Also nicknamed “Magic Town”, this area has drawn a large population of wizards. In truth, there are a only a few score wizards living here but they are very publicly wizards.
8. Quarry District: Many businesses dealing with the quarries that surround Sapreen are here. There are strong ties to the South City as most of the workers live there.

I. Covehaven¶

Population: 115,000

ALCC/BW: 9.90/9.88

The city of Covehaven has both a major fishing industry and a substantial trade hub. One thing that sets fishing here apart is the fact that they preserve and can a fair portion of their stock. Each can includes a key so no can opener is required. The secret canning process ensures a shelf life of up to one year, longer in cooler environments. Salted, smoked, dried, and spiced fish are canned year round. In addition, the same technique is applied to some fruits, vegetables and other meats on a smaller scale. All these items are popular rations for soldiers and sailors alike. Covehaven brand canned rations are known and trusted across the Middle Lands and beyond. In scholarly circles at least, Covehaven is know for a more important reason. It is the oldest still occupied city in the empire. While the name has changed several times, the original city was called Jhanfruzzahltok. It is believed to have been founded more than fifteen- hundred years ago and to have served as the seat of the Moon Empire. It is common for new construction within the city and surrounding area to unearth bits of ancient items. Historians are always willing to part with some silver or even gold for such items. On rare occasions, ruins are unearthed. This will send the local scholars into a frenzy of activity as they clamor for the opportunity to study the site. Such a study will delay the new construction so city officials will not always grant them the chance.

J. Rascool¶

Population: 71,000

ALCC/BW: 14.81/15.27

At the edge of the Nojala Mountains is the trading city of Rascool. Gold and precious stones are mined just south of the city and then moved out on trade routes all over the Middle Lands. The wealth of this city has made a large upper-class, many of whom pursue a life devoted to art, music and the like. Well over 80% of these mines are owned and operated by humans. The remainder being dwarven mines. There has been tension with the dwarves over mineral rights in the area so relations are strained. In general, the dwarves want very little to do with the humans of Rascool.

K. Ahlabim¶

Population: 102,000

ALCC/BW: 12.83/12.90

Known as the gateway to the spice road, all land based trade with the Spice Kingdoms starts in Ahlabim. As dictated by the White Sands accord all caravans are escorted by tribal scouts comprised of representatives of the clans who’s territory they will pass through. This is the basis of the travel dues paid to each clan as outlined in the treaty. Caravans are required to bring in all the water they will need for each crossing. Ahlabim is also known for its master glass blowers.

L. Shalamahkib¶

(sha-lam-ah-kib)

Population: 91,000

ALCC/BW: 9.80/9.77

The harbor of Shalamahkib transports goods to and from the coastal towns of Celyd and has done so for the past seven-hundred years. The Sea of Storms makes this one of the most dangerous trade routes in the Middle Lands. This also makes it the most profitable. A south bound sea route is exceptionally difficult as the storms along that coast are even more deadly then the ones to the north. One of the most notable things about Shalamahkib is the yearly bard competition. In truth, it is open to all manner of entertainers, singers, dancers, musicians, poets, jesters, and so on. The archduchess, Clarin Avan Nentus, has sponsored the competition for the past 28 years. Hence the name of the event, Clarin’s Competition, and the nick name given to the winners, Clarin’s Choice. During the month long event, entertainers perform in inns and taverns and on street corners across the city. Those that manage to draw significant public attention are invited to perform for the archduchess. The best of those preform during the final week to massive crowds in Noble’s Square, just outside the archduchess’ palace. Of those, the top five entertainers, chosen by the archduchess, each receive one-thousand pieces of gold, a bronze medallion, and bragging rights for their victory.

M. Lechwed¶

Population: 122,000

ALCC/BW: 10.28/10.32

Found on the border of the Lesmah Swamp the city of Lechwed is a thriving trade hub between north and south. They are known for perfume and rare herbs. The perfume district demands large quantities of fragrant materials, fresh, dried, and magically packaged. Alcohol is also in high demand by perfumers. The center of the city was transformed into a magnificence public park after so much of it burned in the fires set on the order of Bartimus, the black-heart. Now called New Dawn Park, it is the site of weddings, fairs, markets, and celebrations year round. It also has several memorials to those that gave (or lost) their lives during the rebellion and monuments to the rebellion’s heroes.

N. Southflo¶

Population: 66,000

ALCC/BW: 8.79/8.83

This trade city is surrounded by some of the most fertile farmland in the Middle Lands. They produce exceptional wine and spirits with a myriad of subtle flavors. Southflo is the capital of Celyd and the seat of the Senate. It was founded over 800 years ago or, as some contend, re-founded. Near the end of the second fall refugees from many lands came to the area this city now occupies. Some historians think the city was founded as a city of outcasts. Another, not so minor, claim to fame is the city’s role as a backdrop for a very popular story, To the Surprise of the Silk Princess found in the Saga of Tazral, vol IV.

O. Hilldale¶

Population: 35,000

ALCC/BW: 8.52/8.55

Renown for its gnomish clock makers and hillside mines, Hilldale is a thriving seaside city. This is one of the few cities in the Middle Lands to have a substantial non-human population. This is also a major hub for the gnomish airships. It is a common sight to see them in the sky above the city. The city’s gnomish wonders attract many spectators. The Clock Plaza being its chief draw, boasting over five- hundred clocks of gnomish make and design. The range and complexity of these spring powered marvels of ingenuity is a sight to behold. The city is full of such sights so it also attracts like minded people. The city’s population of tinkers and alchemist is, relatively speaking, huge.

1. Dove’s Roost: The stronghold of the Duke and the base of operation for Hilldale’s city guard. The castle sits on the highest hill and commands a breathtaking view of the city and harbor below.
2. Dove District: The oldest section of the city is a blend of business and residential areas which house the finest Hilldale has to offer. This area is densely populated and very diverse. While a majority of it is composed of decent neighborhoods, there are a few shady places.
3. Trade District: The heart of Hilldale’s commerce is located here. Anything that comes through the city can be purchased or sold here. Both the Clock Plaza and Brown Field (the dock for airships) are found here. The Central Docks, the most used docks in the city, are a major part of the district. All manner of neighborhoods can be found here, the good, the bad, and the ugly.
4. North Docks: These docks have grown to be a shady area. It is said that some of the vessels docking there lack the proper paperwork.
5. Trade Island: Almost exclusively a warehouse district, this area is know to be exceedingly busy day and night. Second only to the Central Docks, a huge number of ships dock here.
6. Wares Row: This area is the fastest growing section of the city. The South Docks see their fare share of traders. There are just as many warehouses here as on Trade Island, yet there are more bars and taverns. Wares Row caters to the ship’s crews as well as their cargo. This has led to the district’s reputation as a bit of a rough area.
7. Clockwork District: Gnomes and tinkers and alchemist are concentrated in this area. Traveler’s often make a point of seeing this section of the city. It is spectacular and sometimes frightening.
8. Lighthouse Isle: On the highest point of the isle stands the harbor’s lighthouse. Nicknamed “Sentinel” and standing over 100 feet tall, it’s light can be seen from sundown to sunup for miles.

P. Brazhale¶

(brahz ale)

Population: 21,000

ALCC/BW: 7.55/7.75

Technically not part of the Middle Land Empire, this city is on Rektor rather than Keltor. This is a major trading center populated mostly by dwarves and gnomes with a fair number of humans. The harbor entrance is a massive cave mouth that leads to underground docks and tunnels to the city. Ships too large to enter the cave, like the Unetor Wave Mistresses, dock outside the cave mouth at the outer annex, which is the mostly human section of the city. Many of the Gnomish Smokers call Brazhale their home port. The black rock mines in the nearby hills make refueling them easier here. These mines are the only known source of black rock.

Q. Vesral¶

(vez rahl)

Population: 29,000

ALCC/BW: 9.01/9.10

Technically not part of the Middle Land Empire, this city is on Rektor rather than Keltor. This is a major trading center populated mostly by dwarves and gnomes with a fair number of humans. It is also one of the few mostly above ground settlements dwarves occupy. The large stone keep, Battle Mound, dominates the city. It’s stones are a famous example of dwarven work, both strong and beautiful in a harsh and angular way. Below ground are several layers of dwarven made tunnels that many of the dwarves and gnomes live in. The above ground section is mostly human but has a few additional examples of wonderful dwarven stone masonry scattered among the human built structures.

R. Mischihoon¶

(miss chee hoon)

Population: 11,000

ALCC/BW: 6.99/6.95

Technically not part of the Middle Land Empire, this city is on Soltor rather than Keltor. Surprisingly small, this seaside city exist solely as a trade center. It is divided into two sections, the foreign quarter along the docks, which is completely walled off with strictly regulated access, and the high quarter, surrounding the foreign quarter on three sides, which is off limits to non-elves. The elves are deathly serious about this. Any non-elf that tries to leave the foreign quarter, in any way other than a boat heading out to sea, faces a death sentence. Established in 219 MLE, Mischihoon is the most heavily regulated city in the known world. Every aspect is controlled by its elven owners, population, new construction, trade and so on. The foreign quarter is built on an artificially raised section of land that was part of the bay floor when the city was founded. Rumor has it that the elven magic responsible for this feat was engineered in such a way that it could, at the whim of the city rulers, be “turned off” allowing the foreign quarter to slip quickly beneath the waves again. The elves will not publicly address this rumor other than to comment on the imagination of humans.

House Guard¶

The House Guard is loyal to its House first and foremost. They serve as personal guards to the House leadership and protectors of their homes. In times of war they are one of the elite forces that comprise a noble’s army. Size, strength, equipment, and training of the guard are direct products of the influence and wealth of the House it serves. Houseless nobles can have a personal guard that fulfills the same role.

New Houses, being near the bottom of the noble latter, have the smallest guard but they also have limited need for a guard because the family is small and they have few holdings to protect. Twenty to thirty is common but in rare cases as many as fifty can be employed. If such a number is sustained for too long the New House’s sponsor may look at increasing tribute required as they obviously have so much extra coin. Unjustified buildups can draw attention from more powerful Houses, in addition to the sponsor. Maintaining a House guard is a bit of an art form, too small and the House is in danger of not being able to protect itself and its holdings, too big and political consequences are sure to occur.

Minor Houses are established and will have a larger guard. Most have two or three estates to guard, the family members that live in them and various other holdings. It is not uncommon to have fifty guards. While that will be enough for the majority, the more powerful houses classified as Minor Houses could have as many as two-hundred guards. These would be spread across half a dozen estates and as many as thirty family members. Again, when a large number of warriors are retained in the guard, that house draws the attention of more powerful houses. The scrutiny can be uncomfortable and lead to requiring increased tribute to a more powerful house or the Imperial Throne itself. Such steps are often taken to quell a rising power.

Major Houses have significant holdings and, hence, require a larger guard. The low side is about five- hundred and some have as many as twelve-hundred. A Major House may have a dozen or more estates and as many as a hundred family members to protect so the larger numbers are warranted. Again, if even a Major House maintains a guard that is too much larger they will draw the attention of their peer houses and maybe even the Imperial House. Plots and additional taxes are possible responses when a Major House appears to be building military forces without cause.

The cost of employing, training, and maintaining a guard varies with the local economy. In general, the common guard would be paid enough to give them an “average” GLC while officers draw enough to fall into the “above average” GLC. Better officers would be paid more but would provide better leadership and training to the troops. Add to that the cost of equipping them all and the repair and maintenance to the equipment. Finally, the facilities they need to do their job have a cost. As example: Assuming an ALCC/BW of 5gp/5gp, an average cost to employ a guard of 100 would be in the neighborhood of 30,000gp a year. That doesn’t include the cost of equipment or facilities or better than average officers.

Army of the Domain¶

The army all nobles are required by Imperial law to maintain is the Army of the Domain (or Realm). The size is determined by the base population of an area, most often a city (see Settlement Size). They will act as city guard/police in addition to patrolling the realm. Just as with any other organization, the Army will have a reputation based on its actions and leadership. Monetary cost are similar to that of a House Guard. As example: A city of 50,000 citizens is mandated to maintain an army of fifteen-hundred as its guard which would, assuming an ALCC/BW of 10gp/10gp, cost about 850,000gp a year just to employ. That is a significant cost but an average city of that size would collect in the neighborhood of 2.5 million gold a year in tax. Most often, training and equipment are not as high quality as what would be put into a House Guard but the cost is still significant, mostly due to the size of the Army.

Imperial Guard¶

The Imperial Guard is the largest, best equipped standing army in the Middle Lands. They have excellent training on top of this. Currently, they number 10,000 which are composed of medium infantry, pike bearers, archers, and cavalry. Of that total, one quarter are assigned naval duty and the rest are land- based forces. Each major city, other than Balashar, has a full battalion contingent, over 200 warriors. Balashar will usually have a bit more than four full battalions of Imperial Guards in/near the city at any given time. The remaining fifty companies will be out on patrol. Most of their time is spent traveling the Imperial Roads. Assignments rotate every few months with soldiers spending a vast majority of their time in areas they are not from. The leadership believes this lessens the likelihood of favoritism. Meanwhile, the naval forces patrol the shipping lanes. The purpose of patrolling is to give the Empire’s citizens a sense of safety. The Emperor believes it important to be in the minds and lives of as many citizens as possible, in a favorable way. As such, the patrols are a high priority. The standard Imperial Guard uniform is white and green, officers have silver or gold trim. A common nickname being “Green Shields”.

Imperial Elite Guard¶

Then there is the Elite Guard charged with the personal protection of the Emperor. Numbering 500 they are composed of heavy infantry, pike bearers, archers, and cavalry. They never recruit noble blood. They stay close to the Emperor. They handle special assignments and other, high level, high risk, duties for the Imperial Throne. An assault on or showing disrespect toward an Elite is the same as doing it to the Emperor and is a severe crime. Elites rarely deal with people unless there is a problem so most see them as hard and unforgiving, a persona they seem to cultivate. Their uniforms and armor are green and black and white, the imperial colors. The only nicknames they tolerate are “White Swords” or “Elites”. Should a commoner address one, and wish to be respectful, they will most often call them “Master/Mistress Elite”.

Blue Swords¶

The Blue Swords are the oldest and most prestigious mercenary company with over two centuries of history. They are known and respected across the Middle Lands as an elite fighting force. The current commander is Rostell Sunchild, a descendant of Kyle Sunchild. Blue Swords maintain their numbers at about eight-hundred, divided into battalions of one-hundred. Five battalions of infantry, two heavy (one of which are pike bearers), two medium and one light armored (the scouts). One battalion of medium cavalry and one each of archers and crossbows. There is also a ninth battalion for siege weaponry but it only has about twenty members. They also employee up to two-hundred camp followers when on the move. These civilians serve as cooks, grooms, blacksmiths, laundry service and the like.

Iron Storm¶

The Iron Storm is little more then a moderately controlled barbarian horde. They number between twelve and fifteen-hundred warriors of mixed type but leaning very heavily toward medium infantry. Their berserker tactics are feared. Every officer of the Iron Storm is a worshiper of Rakthor and as such they proudly wear his red swirl tattoos on their faces and torsos. Prior to any battle the Iron Storm holds a ritual bloodletting conducted by their witchdoctor during which they work themselves into a blood frenzy. If possible, this ritual is done in front of their intended target. It is a very effective fear tactic to watch over a thousand warriors ritualistically working themselves into a lather and tearing apart blood sacrifices under direction of a scary looking witchdoctor. The Iron Storm is led by a masked warrior know only as the Jun Wolf. It is believed that this person is not the original Jun Wolf but rather a symbolic station that is taken by the strongest warrior.

Wessroth Company¶

Named for their general, Nathen “Bloody Bastard” Wessroth, the Wessroth Company has grown to around six-hundred warriors. Most of which are infantry and archers. They also maintain a sizable group of mounted scouts. General Nat, as his warriors call him, is known as a tactical genius that few want to stand against. While being well over 60 years of age, General Nat is a vibrant man and still a remarkable swordsman. Rumor has it that he is the bastard of some unnamed noble house. No one smart says so to him. If it is true then Wessroth is not his family name but a bastard name he was given or, more likely, a name he took himself, as bastard names are most often names of common things like rock or tree or river.

Other Companies¶

While there are dozens of other companies, some stand out for one reason or another. Their time may be short or long. Their commanders may be brilliant or fools. Their hearts may be strong or black. They all have a story. They will all spill blood for gold.

Assassins¶

Anyone who kills an individual for gold or gain can be called an assassin. While it is very illegal, it is also surprisingly easy to find someone willing to do it. However, if one seeks a professional, the only route is to find a member of the enigmatic Order of Kodar. There are many rumors surrounding the Kodar. Some say they steal children in the night to replenish their numbers. Other whispers claim they are servants of an unnamed dark god and sell their souls to feel no pain and live for a thousand years. It is rumored that its members are devoted followers of a very complex and secret code of conduct. Monetary payment for the services of the order vary with the job and the client’s ability to pay. Some claim the Kodar will kill for nothing if the target is “special”.

Bandits¶

“In my youth there were two things I loved, the open road passing underfoot and the clear warm sky overhead,” Tazral Kalistic – The Troglodyte Menace of Oak Hollow, from the Saga of Tazral, vol II. While those words do outline what many love about travel on the open road, what they don’t love can generally be summed up in one word, bandits. These are the shadowy denizens of both imperial road and forest path who seek to liberate objects of value. Most operate in small groups of three to twelve, but solo operatives are not unknown. Larger groups, while not unheard of, tend to draw the attention of law enforcement much faster so they don’t generally last.

Pirates¶

Some would say pirates are just bandits of the sea. In a very narrow way of thinking that may be true, but pirates operate on a much grander scale than a petty band of bandits. The risk is higher as is the reward. Pirates also have a more defined code. Every pirate ship is directed by its captain but they are truly controlled by their code or articles. These articles are drawn up when the crew comes together. While they may share some general features every crew has their own set and each pirate on-broad agrees to follow them when they join the crew. The articles are designed to give the crew a clear set of rules regarding behavior, loot distribution, punishment, dispute resolution, and so on. A great captain understands the importance of a good set of articles that allow the crew just enough say and freedom to keep them happy and enough order to make running a tight ship possible. An example set of articles:

1. Every crew member has a vote in affairs of the moment; has equal title to the fresh provisions, or strong liquors, at any time seized, and may use them at pleasure, unless a scarcity makes it necessary, for the good of all, to vote a retrenchment. The captain dictates punishment with crew consent.
2. No striking one another on board, all quarrels to be ended on shore. Any quarrels not so ended shall be ended by rule of the quartermaster. Such rule may include reasonable re-compensation, declaration, and/or a duel (to blood or death). Duels held on shore.
3. Crew that desert the ship or their quarters in battle are guilty of an act punishable with death or marooning.
4. No person to game at cards or dice for money aboard the ship.
5. The lights and candles to be put out at eight o’clock at night: if any of the crew, after that hour still remained inclined for drinking, they will do it on the open deck.
6. Every crew member is entitled to one day of rest in every eight. Schedule to be taken by the quartermaster. In times of emergency, rest days can be suspended.
7. Crew shall keep their personal gear and weapons clean and fit for service.
8. None will talk of breaking up the crew, till each has a share valued at least one-thousand gold coin. If in pursuit of this business, any crew should lose a limb, or become a cripple in their service, they will have eight-hundred gold coin, out of the public stock, and for lesser hurts, a proportionately lesser amount. The crippled crew member is then put ashore as the Captain sees fit.
9. The captain and quartermaster to receive two shares of loot: the master, boatswain, and gunner, one share and a half, and other officers one and a quarter. All other crew to receive one full share.
10. No crew member is allowed a lay companion on board, be they spouse or not. Such relationships between crew members are not allowed for the harmony of all. Any crew found guilty of making unwanted advances will receive forty lashes to their bare back. Furthermore, any crew that lay with another without their consent shall be put to death.

Hands down, the most important thing for any pirate crew is the reputation of their captain. The right eputation can be the difference between a opponent’s crew fighting hard and not fighting at all. Also mportant to piracy in general, is the infrastructure that supports their trade and that goes well beyond ommon fences. There are remote island towns that subsist and even flourish trading in pirated goods.

Thieves¶

Every city has its thieves and they tend to organize. As a result every city of a respectable size has at least one thieves’ guild. A city with more than one will, generally, not stay that way for long. The struggle for control may be short or last years but it will end when only one guild remains in the city.

A thieves’ guild is much more than a group of pickpockets. It is a complex network of support for a group of thieves with specialties ranging from pick pocketing to cat burgling to strongbox cracking to long cons to extortion and so much more. This support network includes information gatherers, law enforcement turncoats, fences, smugglers, equipment specialist, crooked bureaucrats, masters of forgery, and any others that may facilitate the art of thievery. Moreover, if there is an illegal activity happening in the city, the guild is there with fingers in pies.

Like any other organization, such a guild has both rules to follow and dues to pay before membership and its benefits are given. The rules vary a bit from guild to guild but an example set follows:

1. Article of Silence: Applying to all members, past or present. Members shall not speak of guild businesses to nonmembers. Members shall not reveal the workings of the guild. Members shall not reveal any locations related to the guild. Members shall not name any other member of the guild as such.
2. Article of Shadow: Avoid drawing unwanted attention to yourself or the guild in general. To that end, members should avoid trivial murder. Kill only if required to do so. Deaths are, in the long term, bad for business.
3. Article of Loyalty: Members must follow the commands of guild leadership to the best of their ability. No job is undertaken without guild consent. Unless ordered otherwise, each member should respect guild protection and not act against those under said protection.
4. Article of Duty: In order to maintain good standing a member must promptly pay all dues and fees. It is the duty of any member to bring information that may be of use to the guild to the attention of leadership. This includes information regarding the member’s job plans within the city’s boundaries. Additionally, it is the duty of every member to follow all articles of the code.
5. Article of Advancement: Promotions are given at the discretion of guild leadership. Upon the new moon, any member may challenge the guild leader for control of the guild. Said challenge to be a contest chosen by the three senior most members who are not involved. The price of failing the challenge is death or banishment, at the discretion of the guild leader.

Depending on the guild and the goods and how much planning the guild did for the job, between 20% and 80% of any given haul goes to the guild in the form of dues and fencing fees and information fees. While this may seem unfair at first glance two things should be noted. First, items fenced via the guild are safely smuggled out of town and sold in distant lands as is necessary. The more common items are easier to fence locally while unique items are close to impossible and hence must be shipped to far away places. Second, the thief’s cut is naturally smaller in cases were the job was planned and/or researched by the guild and merely executed by the thief. These two things are very costly activities for the guild but both greatly reduce the chance that anyone is apprehended and imprisoned. Not getting caught is, generally speaking, just about the most important thing on any thief’s wish list.

So, this is how the gold flows in nearly every guild, at least the major streams of gold. Thieves pay the guild for membership. Smart merchants pay the guild for “protection”. The guild bribes guards and city officials in order for their operations to go more smoothly. The guild pays “specialist” to apply their skills as needed. There are other minor inbound and outbound streams of gold but they are not always applicable.

Getting in as a member can be an adventure in and of itself. A prospective must first make contact. This is done by making your presence known to the guild, either by seeking out a guild member/associate, or by committing illegal acts until the guild takes note and approaches. The latter method is risky as some guilds may just kill the interloper. The former method, being preferred, is facilitated by the use of Thieves’ Cant symbols/signs pointing the way to an introduction contact. This is generally not a direct contact but a “polite” way to get guild notice. Once contact is made, the prospective can petition for membership.

It is not uncommon for the guild to do some form of background check, at least checking with their law enforcement contacts. The process can take weeks or longer in some cases. In the intervening time, the prospective is often accepted on a probationary bases and is often assigned a “mentor” who is expected to instruct them on what is required by the guild. At this point the guild is not collecting dues or offering benefits to the probationary. The probationary must still earn the guild’s trust. How long that takes depends on a wide range of factors but in general it is never less than one week and at least one or two “jobs”. Naturally, any jobs will be guild approved, with a vast majority of profit going to the guild.

Once accepted, the soon to be member must undergo some ceremony. The details will vary from guild to guild but it is at least a witnessed oath of loyalty and sometimes a “job” or other test of skill. Afterward, dues are paid and the new member is welcomed into the fold.

The structure of a thieves’ guild can and does vary widely from city to city. In general, there are members and a leader. But it is rarely that simple and complex command chains evolve all too often. It would not be unreasonable to have two or three layers of “senior” members between the common thief and the guild leader. It is also not unheard of to have a council in place of a single leader.

Finally, the interactions of guilds based in different cities is limited. Most will, at least, have lines of communication set up with neighboring guilds. As it is mutually beneficial, guilds will often have deals setup for moving “hot” goods to other cities for the local guild to offload.

The Caretakers¶

Undertakers and followers of Nisvaloon. These are the people that prepare the dead for their final ceremony. While most citizens of the empire would have a ceremony based on the new gods, Nisvaloon in most cases, not everyone follows that path. The Caretakers realize this and do their best to prepare each body in a manner befitting that person’s culture and religion. There is always at least one Caretaker in any given city with a population greater than five-thousand. It is rare for a town of less than a thousand to have one. In towns without a Caretaker, bodies are prepared by family or friends.

Maven¶

The wandering crones of Hethrize roam from village to village. Maven will, when asked, sit in judgment over and settle any civil dispute once they have heard both sides. They will also judge criminal actions if the town, as a whole, consents to be judged by Hethrize in return. The ceremony preformed in such an instance is said to draw the eye of Hethrize. All the old stories agree that it is not a good idea to catch her eye as most everyone has done something that the Crone will judge wicked. As any child knows, the wicked are taken to the Underworld in the Skull Bearer’s basket. It is custom to offer food and shelter to any lone, elderly, traveling woman as they may be a Maven and judge the person wicked for their wanton lack of decency and compassion toward others.

The Red Guard¶

Also known as the Knights of Tashrune or the Red Knights. These holy warriors seek to perfect themselves and make a better world while following the teachings of the Red Wolf, Tashrune. Each pursues excellence in martial skills, understanding the war mindset, tactical knowledge, and philosophy of life. In understanding war they learn that war’s root cause comes from an imbalance, most often a lack of justice. In other cases it comes down to fear. They learn that war is not a solution and should be avoided if possible. At the same time they learn the tactics and martial skill needed to wage war on a level beyond the average warrior. This combination of strength, knowledge, and skill gives them a special perspective.

The Red Guard goes out into the world with a mission. They bring justice to the wronged, protection to the weak, and devotion for life to all. Like Tashrune, they value strength, wisdom, and respect for life (knowing when to take it is as important as knowing when not to take it). They often walk the world alone or in pairs. Larger groups are uncommon outside of the order’s base of operations, a castle in the central hills of Celyd on the Yahsur river just north of Southflo called the Den. All prospective members must journey to the Den and train for three to seven years. This study is for the mind, body, and soul. It is not easy and many fail. Those that succeed become holy warriors of Tashrune and are blessed by him.

Seers¶

An order devoted to Bantus, the Seers wander the empire and offer their services as oracles where ever they go. Seers have a way of looking at things, an insight into the workings of the universe, that they are willing to share. As with all things, there is a price, but gold is rarely more than a small bit of it. There are many tales of Seers answering questions for commoner and noble alike. Those tales rarely have a happily ever after ending.

The Arcane Syndicate¶

This is the one and only wizards’ guild in the empire and there is little they will not do to keep it that way. They are open to all arcane casters but only the pure arcane casters advance far. The Syndicate’s main concern is with limiting access to the power of magic for any outside force. Nowhere is this more important to them than in the field of warfare. They will do what is needed to keep any mage from being a tool of some government or noble. The power of any mage is for that mage alone and the Syndicate exist to protect mages from any outside forces seeking to “enslave” their power.

While no mage is forced, all are invited to join. The more powerful a mage gets the harder it is not to join. Some spells and raw materials and other resources are found only in the hands of the Syndicate’s members. While it is not impossible to advance without being a member it will be more difficult. Also, training could be more expensive for non-members.

It is widely believed that the Syndicate strongly binds all its members by some form of oath. Possibly an oath of a magical nature but that is pure speculation. One possible reason for such rumors is that it is virtually unheard of for a mage to leave. When asked, if they say anything at all on the subject, mages will say that “membership is very beneficial.”

One service offered by the Syndicate is aimed at helping members in need of some gold if they are willing to cast a spell or make an item. Often, some noble or other wealthy person will want a spell casting or a magic item. The Syndicate negotiates with them, finds out what they need, sets realistic expectations regarding the request, and offers solutions/alternatives. At least half of the requests are without merit and the Syndicate makes sure that frivolous requests are understood by all parties to be just that. For example, a request for a pen that never runs out of ink for some noble’s clerk is not going to be fulfilled as it is frivolous and if produced in quantities would have an unnecessary negative economic impact on both makers of pens and ink. The Syndicate discourages mages, members or not, from providing such services independently citing its filtering and negotiation efforts as invaluable to the process. Indeed, the members that have done it independently agree that giving the Syndicate a 10% cut, more if they provide the materials, is worth what they bring to the process. It is a headache to deal with such requests. By way of the Syndicate, some requests are fulfilled and many are not. Also, the service requester and the service provider have minimal direct contact because the Syndicate acts as an intermediary. A wizard can make a little gold if they need it without undue headache. And, in the end, the Syndicate controls the vast majority of new magic item sells and spell casting for hire.

The internal workings of the Syndicate are known only to its members. And even then, only the senior membership have knowledge of the Syndicate’s goals and methods. What is publicly known is that members pay dues and there are seven circles of membership, the first circle being for the most junior and the seventh the most senior. There is speculation that there are levels beyond that but nothing has been confirmed. Rumor has it that the Syndicate has secret libraries all over the empire and perhaps even a stronghold deep in the Argos wilderness.

The Prime Order¶

This is a group of scholars who operate the Gleamdon University and fill the role of Prime Advisors to the powerful. For the past six-hundred-twenty-eight years the Prime Order has been based in Sapreen but the earliest evidence of it can be traced back eighteen-hundred years to documents outlining doctrines very much like key doctrines the Order was founded upon. The basic tenant of the Order is that knowledge must be harnessed to temper and direct power for a greater good. As far as the Order is concerned the Savage Time came about because of an unbridled lust for power. When all is said and done the Order aims to see that mistake is never again repeated. They wish to direct leadership down a wiser path. Members of the Order are forbidden the pursuit of power in and of itself; that is their highest crime. Those found guilty are reprimanded and, in extreme cases, can lose their position and prestige within the Order.

The Prime Order operates the illustrious Gleamdon University, which has been educating students well over five-hundred years. Gleamdon is the largest and the most famous of all universities in the Empire. Every member of the Prime Order is a trained scholar and sage who graduated from the Gleamdon University. Yet only a fraction of Gleamdon University graduates are members of the Prime Order. The Order’s dedication to education is well known, in addition to the higher curriculum, the University will teach local children that seek knowledge. These children tend to be one of the larger pools from which the Order replenishes its numbers. They grow up steeped in the Order, so it can easily become a way of life for them.

For over six-hundred years the Order has taken requests for Prime Advisors. If they grant the request, a member of the Order is assigned the role. A Prime Advisor is bound by oath to provide truthful council in service to their “chosen entity”. In this way it is assured that a Prime Advisor will seek to offer the best advice and never lie or withhold information when advising their “chosen entity”. Such an entity is traditionally a city, or an organization, or a fortress, or a noble house, or in very rare cases a person. The Prime Advisor of an entity is bound for life and is disgraced should their advice lead to the entity’s end, which is the main reason a person is so rarely chosen. There are several hundred Prime Advisors stationed across the Empire. Each one services a powerful entity and has influence over what actions that entity takes.

While it is a highly desirable position, not all members of the Order will become Prime Advisors. A Prime Advisor is expected to be well versed in matters of history, philosophy, law, economics, tactics, herbology, biology, alchemy, magic theory and all other forms of lore. True, a few may dabble, but none are dedicated practitioners of magic as that would be a pursuit of power for it’s own sake, which is something the Order frowns upon.

These recent centuries have been the most peaceful and stable time since before the Savage Time. A great deal of that is due to the Order and the Prime Advisors in particular. Each is dedicated to the ideals of the Order and work hard to see that leaders do not become consumed with lust for power. The Order sees magic as a tool, a dangerous one, but still a tool. This has lead the Order to have a few goals that complement some of the goals the Arcane Syndicate has. While they don’t work together, they do find themselves working toward the same goals from time to time. As example, both groups do not want to see magic abused by rulers.

The Tinkerers’ League¶

Inventors of all types are drawn to the Tinkerers’ League. The League also welcomes smiths, clockmakers alchemist and other specialized artisans of similar ilk. This is a very gnome heavy organization, in fact, its mother chapter is based in Hilldale, a city famous for its Gnomish inhabitants. The League has a chapter in nearly every major city across the empire. While not all smiths are members the most ingenious and innovative ones often are. For that reason even the smallest of towns could have at least one member.

Dues are moderate, as the the purpose of the League is more a network to facilitate inventors inventing. The exchange of knowledge and expertise is the main method the League uses to get this done. Leadership is elected on a local bases. When a wider scope decision is required the leadership of the affected chapters get together and vote on a course of action.

Lamp Lighters¶

As a settlement grows, they do many things to combat crime. It turns out that one of the simplest methods is to deny the criminal an easy place to hide, the darkness. A common solution is a Lamp Lighters guild. The earliest phase of this type of guild are lamp bearers, who walk with people while carrying a lamp. They are not guards. The next step is when the main street is fitted with lampposts. In the hour before dark members of the lamp lighters’ guild go around lighting the lamps or candles in the lampposts. Not all streets get this treatment, just the most used ones. How long the lights are tended depends on the settlement. Most don’t keep them lit past midnight and lamp bearers are still active in the unlit areas. There are a few cities that have areas which are lit from dusk til dawn. Such a thing is rare.

Balashar has the “High Bay” district which is the only area in the Empire to be lit by magic. It was something the lamp lighters’ guild argued against. The Arcane Syndicate had denied similar requests several times over the prior century so it was a surprise when they allowed this one. It has been made clear that the Syndicate will not do this in other places. That suits the Lamp Lighters as magic lighting would put them out of business.

Gong Farmers¶

As a settlement grows, one of the biggest challenges it faces is sanitation. Good sanitation is vital to the general welfare of the populace. It cuts down on disease and makes for a more peasant environment. A huge hurdle to sanitation in a society that depends heavily on work animals is excrement in the streets.

Once a settlement begins to pave its roads and have storm drains, it becomes a candidate for having a Gong Farmer guild. It is the job of the Gong Farmers to remove excrement from the streets and keep the storm drains clear of debris and flowing well. As the city grows and adds sewers, the duty of the Gong Farmers extents to them as well. When a sewer system is plagued with an over abundance of vermin, it is the Gong Farmers that are charged with clearing them out. They often hire adventurers for this work. In the larger cities, they even harness the power of ooze, pudding, and slime monsters to dispose of waste. This is one of the most dangerous guilds to work for. Not only is the accident rate high but the danger of attacks by sewer monsters is higher than the public knows. Gong Farmers also end up supplying a large amount of the local fertilizer demand. In short, they are in the waste disposal business. There are often ties to the local thieves guild but when that happens, great pains are taken to keep it hidden.

Transportation Guilds¶

Trade and commerce are powerful economic forces. But before an item can be sold, it needs to get to the marketplace. Every settlement has people that transport goods. From the basic workers that load wagons and barges to the wagon drivers and river boat pilots. Anything coming in or going out has to be loaded/unloaded or moved by them. When these people organize they become a powerful group within the community. This doesn’t often happen in the smaller settlement but as they grow it becomes inevitable. It happens even sooner for places that are trade hubs, including settlements on major rivers or very close to one of the Imperial Roads.

Water Carriers¶

Water Carriers is the common name for any organization that manages water delivery services in a settlement. Every settlement with a population over a few hundred will develop a guild of Water Carriers. In the beginning, they physically carry vessels of water from the well to people that lack the time to do so or need more than is practical to fetch on their own. There is a fee for this, so not everyone can or will need to use the service. Often bakers and tavern owners are their first customers.

As the settlement grows, more and more people will have need of their services. Somewhere along the line, as the settlement grows beyond the size where wells are practical, the Water Carriers begin to build water carrying infrastructure to aid them. Cisterns are constructed and pumps to keep them full, later fountain systems are added to get water to more places in the ever growing settlement. By the time they reach city sized, the Water Carriers are piping water directly to their biggest customers. With more growth, the pipe systems get more comprehensive allowing more customers to get the higher level of service at a lower cost. Finally, the largest of cities see their Water Carriers guild reach the point were they maintain a system of cisterns and aqueducts and pumps and pipes that supply the daily water needs of hundreds of thousands of people. In some rare cases, they also handle crop irrigation.

The engineering involved in a high-end water delivery system is impressive but not as complex as some may think. The basis of a gravity pressure water system is a group of above ground cisterns. These are most often built in the form of cylindrical stone or brick towers. The smallest being about 10 feet wide and 20 feet tall, holding about 35 thousand gallons of water. The largest, commonly used, being 40 feet tall and 20 feet in diameter and holding around 300 thousand gallons. In any of these cisterns the walls are thicker at the base and tapering toward the top. Each cistern feeds one or more pipes near its base. For the large systems, it is typical to have a few big main cisterns feeding many smaller cisterns that in turn then feed the pipe network for the general population.

The force of gravity pressurizes this network of pipes, but it is not constant. As more people draw water from the pipes the pressure drops. Also, as water drains from the cistern the pressure diminishes. This is countered as much as possible by quickly getting water into the cistern to replace what is flowing out. Water pumps are used to keep the main cisterns topped off. One of the more common pumps is the water screw as it works well and is simple to maintain. Other devices used to move water include the water wheel, chain pump, and piston pump. All pumps can be powered by wind, water, or labor.

However complex the system, their basic service only gets water to the customer on a reliable and timely basis. This means that the average citizen, if they have water piped to their home at all, will have one small access pipe with a valve. The water pressure is weak, just enough to fill a basin. But it is better than carrying buckets. However, the more common scenario in a large urban area is that each apartment building has a water pipe filling a large basin in a central courtyard and the residents go to it and carry what they need back to their apartment.

Normally, once the water gets to the customer the Water Carriers’ job is done. But the wealthy customer will often want to buy better services. Examples include things like personal mini cisterns to increase water pressure, water features (like fountains) in their home, and a larger supply for a private bath house.

Overall, the local Water Carriers will become more important as the settlement grows. Indeed, they are among the most powerful group in any of the major cities of the Middle Lands. Most cities learn the hard way that, as they grow, it is vital to keep this group happy or takeover their infrastructure as public works. This is the route that several of the largest cities have taken.

Xorn Brokerage¶

Named for the city it began in, the Xorn Brokerage is a group of foreign moneylenders from the Spice Kingdoms who have spread across the Empire. While there are many groups for moneylenders in the Middle Lands, none are as powerful and wealthy as the Xorn. They have offices in the largest 100 cities of the Empire. With satellite offices in Rektor and Unetor, they have the largest coffers in the known world.

Exacting and harsh yet impersonal, the moneylenders of Xorn are know for business sense. They do not show favoritism, ever. They do not take risks without information and careful calculation. Little things like morality don’t get in the way of profit were they are concerned. So, when a noble needs to borrow vast sums of gold, there are none better suited to the task than the Xorn. That assumes the noble can afford the price of their services. If so, then that war can be funded or the destroyed grain stores can be replaced. Be sure of one thing, there is a cost and the Xorn will have what’s theirs.

There have been those who didn’t think they should pay back the loan. Not one has lasted more than a year. Each had their lives systematically destroyed by the Xorn. Then they died, poor, broken, friendless and often, by their own hand. None of it can be traced back to the Xorn Brokerage, but the facts remain.

Water Vessel Types¶

• River Barge: This can be anything from a raft of lashed logs to a flat bottomed boat for cargo. Barges rely on the current and the use of poles to steer when going down stream. A simple collapsible mast and sail provide locomotion for upstream travel, which can be very slow. Again poles are used to guide and push the craft. This type of vessel is practically useless on the open sea but a lake is another matter. Cargo is stored on the main deck, out in the open. Tarps are used to cover and protect such cargo. A small tent like aft cabin is the all purpose crew area (mess, sleeping area, and so on).
• Ice Raider: It resembles a viking longboat. Having a long slim body, a single mast, oars, a ram and limited ice breaking ability make this perfect for the Ice Sea. The Mako tribe uses them to raid shipping lanes in the northern parts of the Inner Sea. While it can travel on many rivers, it is often used in open water. These vessels have two levels including the main deck so cargo space is at a minimum. The main deck has space for the the rowers, twelve on each side. This leaves the rest of the crew to operate the sail, rudder, and perform any other needed duties.
• Merchant Girth: This wide body design is favored by merchants for it’s cargo capacity. One or two masts and a bank of oars on each side make this a craft for hauling large loads at a slow and steady pace. They can navigate rivers as well as coastal waters with equal ease. Typically having three levels, including the main deck, the lowest level is all cargo space. The next level is crew space and rower stations (35 on each side) and secondary cargo. There is often a small aft cabin on the main deck which is subdivided for use by the captain and mates or paying passengers.
• Wind Runner: Fast and light, these ships are like sloops. They have one mast and some have oars. This type of vessel is a favorite for pirate use due to its speed, excellent maneuverability, and overall versatility. Their shallow draft allows easy use on most rivers. Most of these have a large (taller than normal) lower level used for cargo. It is common that a portion of the cargo level be subdivided into two levels, the upper being for crew use and the lower for cargo. Some designs do this fore, some aft, but more common is to use the outer hull area leaving a inner section about 10-12 ft. wide that’s full height and rigged for cargo. Most designers see the latter option as better for overall balance and stability. The designs that use rowers double crew sleeping area and rowing stations. Without rowers a crew only needs to number twenty yet pirates often run with forty as the extra hands are useful for fighting.
• Spray Seeker: A medium sized vessel having two or three masts that resembles a schooner. While not unheard of, oars are rare for these ships and largely ineffective. They can travel at respectable speeds and are able to make use of the deeper river channels. These craft are most at home in the ocean. In addition to the main deck they often have three levels below deck. All sport an aft cabin on the main deck and some have a fore cabin as well.
• Storm Rider: Produced mainly by those on the western coast of the Middle Lands, these ships are built to weather storms and rough water. While of a similar size and configuration to the spray seeker, they are not as fast and carry a little less cargo but their rough weather survival rate is several times better. This is due to a wider stable design, better construction methods (also more expensive) and different rigging. Unlike other ships, the design of the Storm Rider is much more uniform due to relatively few shipyards producing them. They all have two masts and three levels below deck and an aft cabin on the main deck.
• Wind Beast: A large sailing vessel with massive cargo capacity and three or four masts. They can be likened to a barque. These craft are not designed for river use and hence will often run a foul in all but the deepest of river channels. Below the main deck are three levels. The lower two being devoted exclusively to cargo storage. The upper most being crew space and supplies and secondary cargo storage. A spacious aft cabin on the main deck is standard.
• War Sail: The red war ships of the Middle Land navy resemble a trireme with three masts. They are huge, powerful, fast and not build for cargo. All are equipped with a steel ram, two ballistas (one fore and one aft), a catapult mid-ship (mounted on a turning wheel) and a mobile Greek fire launcher. There are two levels below the main deck. A great deal of that space is devoted to the one-hundred-forty rowers, twenty sailors, and forty warriors standard to the war ship’s crew. All that leaves little room for cargo.
• Wave Mistress: Used exclusively by the people of Unetor, these vessels are made for long voyages in the open sea. They are larger then most any other sailing vessel known in the Middle Lands and use a very complex sail and rigging design that allows for great speed and wind management abilities. Most have between four and six masts and four levels below their deck. This gives them an impressive amount of space for cargo.
• Elven Silk Sail: Exclusive to the elves of Soltor these are hands down the fastest sailing ships known. Long and sleek, having up to four masts and equip with silk like sails and rigging these vessels are unlike any that humans have ever produced. They employ a design somewhat like a catamaran for stability and speed. The trade off being there is very little space for cargo. It is rumored that the elves have some even faster vessels that are reserved for elven nobility.
• Gnomish Smoker: The only known metal ships are made and used exclusively by the gnomes of Rektor. They are steam powered, burning wood, charcoal or coal. These vessels are fast and made to last. Aside from that each one is different in design and is decorated according to the taste of the gnome that built it. Most have two levels below the main deck. The first having gnome sized crew quarters and supplies and an “engine” room (often located mid-ship or aft). The lower being a large (taller than normal) cargo only area. The main deck often has a two story structure mid-ship which is outfitted to suit the ship’s needs. In the way of drive systems, some use a paddle wheel, others employ an automatic oar rowing system and still others make use of a drive shaft and propeller design. Many are also equipped as ice breakers. Some are cargo vessels, others passenger ships and some are just fishing boats. Many humans question the wisdom of traveling in one of these boats that by the look of it should not float much less move.

Private Messengers¶

Every settlement of more than a thousand people has a few messengers for hire. Sometimes they are organized and sometimes not. Anyone can hire such a messenger but it is expensive. The longer the distance and the tighter the timeframe the greater the cost. There is also a price difference for reputation. The established, reliable, and discreet messengers can and do charge a premium for their services. For the average messenger, most of the runs they make will be short, quick, local runs taking no more than a day or two. On a good road, a messenger on foot can travel 24 miles a day. On a horse, they can cover 40 miles a day. One can expect to pay a reputable messenger 2 to 7 gold per travel day depending on the delivery timeframe and the size of the delivery. Local service, say within the current city is much cheaper. On average, a few silver coins can get a message delivered anywhere in that city.

It should be noted that the vast majority of these messengers operate on foot or on horseback. There are, however, a rare few with other means of conveyance. Special mounts, magic items, gnomish airships, spells, special abilities, and so on. Naturally, such people can offer their services as messengers on their own terms. The more fantastic and/or rare the mode of transportation is would affect both cost and availability of the service.

Imperial Messengers¶

Every major city has a pegasus stable with up to six riders and mounts available at any given time. Used almost exclusively by government officials, the imperial messengers, Flyers, are professional, fast, and very expensive. When not engaged in government work an imperial messenger can be contracted to make a delivery for others. It is not uncommon for the local ruler to suspend this service in the interest of government needs, official business always has priority. The Flyer can normally cover 96 miles a day in fair weather. A minimum of 250 gp is required to retain the service of the Flyer for a single day. In some very rare cases, a Flyer will make a delivery for a much reduced fee. It must be for an extremely good cause and of great importance. It should also be noted that the relationship between rider and pegasus is profound. Like the pegasus, the rider must be good-aligned. It is more a partnership of equals as rider and mount have chosen to work together. There is a strong bond of friendship and respect between them.

Cliff-dwellers¶

The mountains on both sides of the desert are home to clans of cliff-dwelling tribes. While not a single tribe they are closely related and see one another as allies. Marriage between members of different clans is fairly common. These clans identify themselves by the location of their sept (hold or village), e.g. Dew Valley Clan or Dawn Rock Clan or the like. A clan builds its sept close to water, most of which is snow melt. The water is key to the clan’s life. It enables them to farm and raise livestock. Their architecture is rather advanced, the cities are small but well planned.

Nomadic Clans¶

The nomad tribes are also clan based with some being friendly and others not. Clan names are most often a color and a desert feature, e.g. Red Rock Clan, Blue Sand Clan, Yellow Spring Clan and so on. With resources being limited, war between clans is not uncommon. Common threats include giant scorpions, sand spiders, dust fey and sand storms. Young warriors are given as a rite of passage the task to slay a giant scorpion and make armor from its chitin. Mounts are commonly used by the nomadic clans but the type varies from clan to clan. Some of the mounts used are: camels, elephants, jor lizards and horses.

The trade routes to and from the Spice Kingdoms have created, among the clans, a group of “haves” and “have-nots”. Clans with territory used by the routes directly benefit from the White Sands accord and gaining wealth. The other clans are poor in comparison and unhappy about it. This gives rise to caravan raiding by these clans. The most dangerous leg of the trade route is the Dead Sands, a large area of unclaimed desert land that caravans, pressed for time, can cut through. This area is unclaimed for good reason; it is the harshest area of the desert with no water and vicious electrical sand storms that can last for days. There is nothing there so no one goes there if they can avoid it.

Bimcho¶

A tribe known as the Bimcho live on the open plains of Sulkor. They are nomadic hunters who in centuries past were warlike. While those tendencies have been suppressed they are still unpredictable and even dangerous at times. They commonly use both horses and elephants the later being a holy animal.

Horse Runners¶

The western plains of Mostor are home to the nomadic tribe known as Horse Runners. These people hunt the wild herd animals of the plains from horse back. It is said they do everything from horseback. Sometimes they will raid a freehold or caravan. Mostly, they are peaceful. The horses they raise are highly valued for their speed and stamina. While the Horse Runners will not often trade their horses to outsiders it has happened.

Mursha¶

The mountain range between Fellice and Celyd, known as the Dagger Mountains, is a harsh land. In the hills surrounding the Dagger Mountains live the Mursha. Their villages are semi-permanent and they tend to winter in caves. The Mursha are a deeply spiritual people seeing their relationship with the land as a symbol of their worth as a people. “Treat the land as your brother.” In their rite of passage they employ a fungus that grows deep in their winter caves which when imbibed as part of a ritual “shows the face of the brother” to them. They wear furs and use herd animal urine to mask their scent when hunting.

Razlanchi¶

The western forest of Argos, near the boarders of Celyd and Sulkor are home to the Razlanchi. They make their villages high in the old trees and live in harmony with nature. Before hunting they pray, asking for both permission and forgiveness for the life taken. After the hunt another ritual is performed to offer thanks. Some of these tribes are elven, marriage between members of the human and elven tribes are not unheard of. The offspring of such unions are well treated.

Central Clans¶

The central tribe is really many clans, all of which are named after the clan‘s spirit totem. They refer to themselves as the People of the _totem_, e.g. People of the Snow Leopard, People of the Mastodon, People of the White Wolf and so on. They roam the Ice Kingdom and hunt various herd animals on the tundra. Threats to them include wolves, bear and ice giants. Some of the clans of this tribe delight in taunting the Winter Guard and will often make a game of it, seeing how long they can remain hidden and how many minor wounds they can inflict.

Jute Rhone¶

The north west coastline is home to a tribe of whale hunters calling themselves Jute Rhone (Ice Runners). On the northern edge of the Sea of Storms the storms are no less fierce but are a little less common. They regularly contend with polar bear and ice giants. Jute Rhone practice plural/group marriage, with family units consisting of 3 or more adults who are mutually married to each other. The women are the primary hunters, as extra body fat and stamina are needed to survive the cold, harsh environment for long journeys across the ice. Parenting is dependent on the gender of the child- boys are only raised by men and girls are only raised by women. Girls are taken along for the hunt beginning at a very early age, but male children are left at home with the fathers to learn other skills, such as weapon making, carving, building and so on.

Mako¶

On the mountainous north east coastline live the Mako tribe. They see themselves as predators of the sea and their long boats are feared. The Ice Sea freezes over for two or three months each winter during which the Mako‘s are quiet. During that time ice giants can raid here but don’t do so often as it is far from their home. While this tribe hunts seal and whale they also launch raids south into the Inner Sea. They trade with some of the dwarves of northern Rektor. There are also a number of smaller tribes, most of which live in the mountains around the Frozen Waste. Some are human and a few are elven. They are generally hostile toward the Winter Guard who have a long history of attacking on sight.

Novaskag¶

Spoken in the northern area of Keltor, predominately in the Ice Kingdoms but also bleeding down into Fellice. After the Winter Wall was built it cut off the north and restricted access to the majority of Novaskag dialects. Only one dialect, called simply Skag, is still spoken south of the Wall. It’s seen, by citizens of the Fellice, as a low language used by bumpkins living in remote mountain villages near the Winter Wall. North of the Winter Wall, it is the dominate language having at least a dozen dialects. These are spoken by the various human tribes of the Ice Kingdoms. Cross dialect understanding is very basic for Novaskag.

Luvic¶

This is the language of the Middle Lands, as far as humans are concerned. There are half a dozen major dialects, all of which can communicate with some difficulty. The major dialects are:

• Danchu Luvic (a.k.a. Imperial Luvic) - Dominate along the Danchu river area, in both Fellice and Argos.
• Inner Luvic (a.k.a. Eastern Luvic) - Spoken across Mostor and along the eastern shore.
• Mountain Luvic (a.k.a. Northern Luvic) - Heard across Fellice and in northern sections of Celyd.
• Storm Luvic (a.k.a. Western Luvic) - Popular along the western coast of Celyd and Sulkor.
• Plains Luvic (a.k.a. Southern Luvic) - Almost exclusively used in the inland areas of Sulkor.
• Yahsur Luvic (a.k.a. Republic Luvic) - Used in the interior of Celyd and along the Yahsur river.

Among the major dialects communication is possible but only with simple, direct language. Another dozen dialects are more removed or older and are spoken in remote areas. They can be hard to understand, even for a fluent speaker of one of the major dialects.

Hemtopie¶

At least four dialects are used in the Spice Kingdoms. Also, a few other dialects are spoken by the tribes in the Great Desert. Most citizens of the Empire can’t tell one desert dialect from another and refer to them collectively as Mobu, which is the name of one of those desert dialects. The other two being Tope and Wu. Among all the major dialects communication is possible only with simple, direct language.

Asurten¶

There are three major dialects of this family spoken by the humans of Rektor. All have minor influences from the Dwarven language. It is believed that Asurten shares its origin with Hemtopie as the two follow structures that are either very close by design or an amazing coincidence of circumstance.

Quy¶

There are only two major dialects of Quy in existence, low (Quy pronounced ku-WAY) and high (Quy pronounced KO-whi). Both of these are spoken exclusively in Unetor where language is tied closely to social status. Slaves have what amounts to a minor dialect which they are forced to speak. It’s based on Low Quy but with more focus on clear speech.

Quy is unique in that the dialects have been engineered to enforce ideas of social class. High Quy uses the formal and ancient forms along with strict rules of pronunciation and enunciation and emphasis. This gives it a crisp and clear sound. While Low Quy only uses the formal forms when speaking to an elder or a noble but is otherwise muddier with looser structure. It has more variance in how it sounds but is generally much less crisp and can even sound mashed, slurred or muffled. Finally, the slave dialect is very restrictive, having, what amounts to no first person pronouns or proper names for any slave. As example, a slave would not be allowed to say, “I am.” They would have to say something like, “this slave is.” The common command, “speak slave” is a meant to be a two fold demand, both to speak and how to speak.

All speakers of Quy understand all the dialects but, generally speak only their own. Only the elite may speak High Quy without risk, a slave would die, a commoner could be beaten or imprisoned. A noble would be sullied speaking Low Quy and the idea of speaking in slave’s tongue would make them ill.

Dwarven (Devairrik)¶

The language of dwarves is ancient. While it has evolved over the centuries, the most archaic dialects known are not so different as to be totally incomprehensible. Dialects are known by clan names. Only the oldest of clans have a dialect. Indeed, there have been no new dialects in more than 800 years.

Elvish (Estollin)¶

In its written form, there is only one version of Elvish in use. It’s at least 4,000 years old. All the differences are in the spoken form. For this reason, elves can always communicate in writing. Indeed, their documents tend to be long affairs, either flowery in prose, or exact in detail. The dialects are spoken by the different sub-races of elves, as example: High elf, Dark elf, Wood elf, Aqua elf, Wild elf, and so on. Each has a different spoken language. There are dead dialects of Estollin and they are very old.

Gnomish (Tecken)¶

Gnomes have three major dialects currently in wide use. One is Ancient, the others being Dawn (spoken in Rektor) and Dusk (spoken in Keltor). Ancient is spoken by historians and other scholars, it was the language used by gnomes before the Savage Time. Tecken has structures for exacting measurements.

Halfling (Looh)¶

Halflings have one language. There are no dialects. Halflings take comfort in home, they don’t like home to change. This mindset has kept their language from deviating with isolated groups. When they have to split-up, the smaller groups hold to their ways and language tenaciously. Groups that fail, don’t survive it.

Orcish (Gom)¶

Orcs are unique. Their spoken language seems to be, in some strange way, innate. Regardless of where they are born, within a year of birth the young orc is speaking and the language is always the same. Why this happens is unexplained. A famous experiment, done by an ethically-challenged sage, raised newborn orcs in “silent isolation” and found they had the same language development as the control group orcs having a “normal” upbringing. Written language, when used at all, is different from tribe to tribe.

Trade Tongue¶

The common trade tongue, called Common, has evolved to facilitate better communication for trade and is widely spoken in all major trade areas, the more remote places having it to a lesser degree. Knowing Common means you don’t have to know half a dozen other languages.

While the history is not widely known, the roots of Common reach back to before the Savage Time. In it’s ancient form, Ag’rune, it was the language of knowledge from that time. As a result all the academic works predating the Savage Time were written using it. For that reason, anyone wanting to learn from and study those books had to learn the language. Enter, the Prime Order.

The Prime Order kept that ancient language from totally dying out. They used it as their language of knowledge and education. The books they wrote were written in it. About seven-hundred years ago, as the Prime Order began to spread across the known lands, Ag’rune was spread as well. It was resurrected. As their influence expanded, so did the use of that language. When they opened schools and began teaching, they taught Ag’rune. The children of the wealthy would learn from them. And, as the Order could, they would teach more and more children, regardless of status.

Everywhere the Prime Order went, Ag’rune followed. But it was when Sapreen became the official home of the Order, just over five-hundred years ago, that changed the game. Sapreen is, just as it was then, a hub of trade on the Inner Sea. It was a simple matter for the Order to encourage their language of knowledge and learning to become the language of trade as well. Over the two-hundred years following that, Ag’rune would morph into Common. It evolved, changing and becoming more of an amalgamation, adding words from other languages. Roughly three-hundred years later, Common is the trade tongue and the language of educational institutions as well as the language books are published in. Half of all the Empire’s citizens speak it. Because of the Order’s dedication to education, 1 in 4 citizens can read and write Common. At least that many more are literate in another language.

The current trend shows that Common has been displacing more and more human languages over the past two hundred years. This is expected to continue as the momentum shows no sign of slowing. Indeed, it is projected that the Empire will, for all practical purposes, have no other human languages in another two centuries. This is in sharp contrast to the last thousand years, at the beginning of which scholars estimate that over 50 human languages saw popular use. Having one language emerge as the dominate human tongue is having a positive effect on human cohesiveness and cooperation.

Battle Sign¶

Some warrior clans/groups have developed a complex set of hand signals for use during battles or other times in which vocalization is not tactically advantageous. Such battle languages are group specific and closely guarded secrets as knowledge by the “enemy” would compromise the language’s tactical usefulness.

While not often a full blown language, these are sets of signals that will allow relay of orders using hand and head movements. Armies often have simple drum beats or horn signals for the same purpose. Coordination is of vital importance when strategies require timing movement and actions of large groups.

Thieves’ Cant¶

Thieves’ Cant is not a language like any other. It’s a many faceted system of covert communication that is regulated to the point that there are no separate dialects. There is a verbal aspect to it, which is based on an ancient and otherwise dead language with roots in the elvish tongue. Even if someone knew that language it would do them little good as the way words are used is code like. In other words, the original definition of the words used is not the same as what they mean in the context of Thieves’ Cant. Think of it as a highly specialized form of slang.

In addition, there is a non-vocal aspect to the language. Thieves often need to communicate without speech, often without being physically there. Symbols are used for this. Sometimes they are written on a wall like graffiti, other times a series of physical objects arranged in very specific way. Thieves are sneaky, so are the signs they leave for one another. As a result, the signs are designed to be in plain view yet go unnoticed by the uninitiated. Finally, there is a simple set of hand signals used for times when thieves need to make silent exchanges while on the job.

Thieves don’t tell/teach non-thieves the Cant.

Dead Languages¶

There are also a number of dead languages, some of which are dialects of existing families and others being of completely different, now extinct, families. Even if such a dead language is a dialect of a currently used language family it can easily be so far removed by time as to be completely foreign. To be clear, a dead language is no longer spoken for the purposes of everyday communication. Such a language may still be known by historians or other scholars and yet remain “dead” for all practical purposes.

While not really common, there is a well documented practice of using words from dead languages for naming places. It is true that some of these places are so old that they may have been named before the language died, however, in many cases it is done to make the place seem older (more established) than it is. The borderlands in Mostor see this more often than other areas.

It is also common for ancient dead languages to find use in magic and rituals. Indeed, while Ag’rune, the bases of Common, was the language for knowledge, it was not the language of magic. Any scraps of magical text that have survived the Savage Time would be in any of a dozen, now dead, languages. Other dead languages are used to encode magical works of this age. It is likely that the more powerful/dangerous the magic is, the more obscure the dead language. Or possibly, the more paranoid the writer is.

Chaos Blessing¶

School: transmutation

Level: sorcerer/wizard 1

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Components: V, S

Range: touch

Area: one creature

Duration: 1d3 rounds + 1 round / level

Saving Throw: Will negates

Spell Resistance: yes

The affected creature is momentarily surrounded by a mild distortion, like a heat mirage. For 1d3 rounds, starting with the round it was cast and there after at the beginning of each round before anyone has an action, one random effect from the following table will affect the target creature.

All effects will expire at once when the spell ends.

Chaos Curse¶

School: transmutation

Level: sorcerer/wizard 1

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Components: V, S

Range: touch

Area: one creature

Duration: 1d3 rounds + 1 round / level

Saving Throw: Will negates

Spell Resistance: yes

The affected creature is momentarily surrounded by a mild distortion, like a heat mirage. For 1d3 rounds, starting with the round it was cast and there after at the beginning of each round before anyone has an action, one random effect from the following table will affect the target creature.

All effects will expire at once when the spell ends.

Prepare Ground¶

School: transmutation

Level: cleric 5, druid 5, sorcerer/wizard 5

Casting Time: 1 hour

Components: V, S, M (herbs, oils, and incense worth at least 1,000 gp)

Range: touch

Area: 100-ft. radius emanating from the touched point

Duration: 3 hours/level

Saving Throw: none

Spell Resistance: no

This spell aligns the magical energies of an area so the flow is more beneficial for performing rituals. Within the affected area, the performance DC of the ritual is lowered by 1 point. Should the spell’s duration end before the ritual is completed then any remaining concentration checks are made without the adjustment to the DC that this spell affords.

Straw Man¶

School: transmutation

Level: bard 1, cleric 1, druid 1, sorcerer/wizard 1

Casting Time: 1 round

Components: V, S, M (twine and 1 cubic yard of straw or the like)

Range: touch

Effect: one animated construct

Duration: 3 round/level

Saving Throw: none

Spell Resistance: no

A bale of straw or hay or similar grass is animated. The resulting construct is a small, dimwitted, humanoid servant that can be commanded to perform simple tasks or attack adversaries. When the spell duration ends the magic holding the construct together slips away and it reverts to a plain pile of straw.

Straw Men¶

School: transmutation

Level: druid 4, sorcerer/wizard 4

Casting Time: 1 round

Components: V, S, M (twine and 1 cubic yard of straw or the like per construct)

Range: touch

Effect: two animated construct + 1 additional / 2 levels (max 7)

Duration: 3 rounds/level

Saving Throw: none

Spell Resistance: no

One or more bales of straw or hay or similar grass is animated. The resulting constructs are small, dimwitted, humanoid servant that can be commanded to perform simple tasks or attack adversaries. When the spell duration ends the magic holding the constructs together slips away and they revert to plain piles of straw.

Straw Horde¶

School: transmutation

Level: druid 6, sorcerer/wizard 6

Casting Time: 1 round

Components: V, S, M (twine and up to 3 cubic yards of straw or the like per caster level)

Range: 100-ft.

Effect: see text

Duration: see text

Saving Throw: none

Spell Resistance: no

One or more bales of straw or hay or similar grass within 100 ft of the caster is animated. The resulting constructs are dimwitted, humanoid servant that can be commanded to perform simple tasks or attack adversaries. When the spell duration ends the magic holding the constructs together slips away and they revert to plain piles of straw.

The horde works a little differently from the rest of the line. To start, multiply the caster’s level by three. This is the pool that is used to “purchase” constructs for the horde. The cost is one point for each hit die of the construct created. The base duration is 1 round/level but that can be altered using points. Add up to two points for each construct to increase the duration to as much as 3 rounds/level. Any of the Straw Constructs (I to IV) can be created as part of the horde. Example, a 12 th level wizard uses Straw Horde. The pool is therefore 36 (12 x 3=36). The wizard could call 36 Straw Construct I’s for 12 rounds. Or 18 Straw Construct I’s for 24 rounds. Or 2 Straw Construct IV’s and 3 Straw Construct II’s for 36 rounds (wasting 1 point because it’s not enough to buy another construct for that duration). Or any combination of hit dice + duration modifiers that is equal to or less than the pool. Unused pool points are lost.

Designing a Ritual¶

But before a ritual can be performed, one must have a ritual to follow. For most, that means they have to research and design it themselves. Once designed, it is often the case that no one knows if the ritual will work because it has never been tried before. A vast majority of these first attempts fail, a few fail spectacularly. It is not easy to design a ritual that works. This is mostly a factor of there being no “how to” guides for creating a ritual and everyone has to start from almost zero. Designing a ritual is a process that requires gathering clues of how things may work, based on what is known of magic theory, without knowing if it will work that way. Sometimes clues can be found in the strangest of places, folktales, history, genealogy, bestiaries, metallurgy, and any number of other texts that are unrelated to magic or magic theory. It’s a huge puzzle and all the pieces are hidden.

Designing a ritual requires the researcher have the following:

• Ten levels in a pure spell caster class (mage classes or priest classes)
• Skill in spellcraft, minimum of 5
• Knowledge of magic (arcane or divine), minimum of 3
• The ability to create magic items of some kind other than potions or scrolls
• An extensive library, such as one found at a university or a large city. Most personal libraries are not adequate for this task.
• A research assistant is optional but they can give aid. No more than one assistant is useful.

The parts that make up a ritual are very similar to the parts that make up a standard spell. There are vocalizations, gestures, materials, and tools (focus devices) that work together to tap into, direct, and focus the magical energies called up by the ritual. Another important component is time. It takes time to perform a ritual. This is mostly because of the amount of power being drawn. If a caster tried to draw the same amount of power in a standard spell they would risk literally bursting into flame. The minimum amount of time required is six hours but rituals can last for days. During a ritual the performer is not able to eat, drink, or sleep due to the near constant activities they must perform.

Three of these factors, time, cost of materials, and special tools, can affect the research DC and the performance DC of a ritual. Each of the three generating as much as a 1 point increase or decrease to the DC. For both material cost and tool rarity the research and performance DC’s are affected in the same way, i.e. the more expensive/rare materials and tools make both design and execution of the ritual easier. However, for performance time the relation is that increasing the research DC will decrease the performance DC and vice versa.

The cost of materials will run at least 500 gp for the simplest of rituals, with more complex rituals easily costing 10,000 gp or more. What matters most is that these items have some relationship to the ritual’s effect and they are consumed by performing the ritual. It is often possible to use alternate materials that are more or less expensive. The cost of tools (or focus items) can be high as well. They are often masterwork items made from exotic materials. Tools can be substituted with more or less expensive/rare alternatives just as materials can. Sometimes questing is required to get the best tools. For both materials and tools, if an alternative is selected it is done during the research phase. From then on it is locked in and the ritual must be performed just as it was researched.

Additionally, the time taken to research the design of a ritual will affect the research DC. Taking more time to thoroughly research the design can decrease the DC by up to 2 points. Likewise, failing to put enough time into research can increase the DC by as much as 5 points. It may take several weeks to research the design of a relatively simple ritual, the really complex ones can take years of research. Research time need not be contiguous so long as notes are taken. In these cases, the loss of the notes means the research has to start over. Research cost a minimum of 500 gp a week.

The DC required to create a ritual is judged by the GM on a case by case basis. The absolute minimum DC for a ritual is 30 and that would be for a very simple one. It could quickly reach 40 or more. This depends largely on the ritual’s end effect. As the effect’s complexity, scope, and power increases the DC goes up in accordance. Then all the other factors are added in, tools, materials, time, research effort, and aid. Taking 10 or 20 is never an option when designing a ritual. Failing the DC roll by 5 or less means that the researcher will not know the ritual’s design is faulty. They will think everything is OK but, when performed, the ritual will automatically fail.

In summation the design DC is set by:

• Looking at the end effect of the ritual. This gives the base DC. The minimum is 30 and values should go up in proportion to the end effect’s power, scope, and complexity.
• Adjust for research resources. In most cases, an adequate library will generate no adjustment. A poor one increases the DC by 1 to 5 points. An excellent library may reduce the DC by 1 point.
• Adjust for design parameters. By opting to use more expensive materials, rarer tools, or extend the casting time of the ritual, its design DC can be reduced by as much as three points. The opposite is also true. These changes will also effect the performance DC of the ritual, materials and tools having the same adjustment and time having the opposite adjustment.
• Adjust for the amount of time taken for researching the design. Rushing the research increases the DC by between 1 and 5 points. Taking extra time decreases the DC by 1 or 2 points.

Once the DC has been established, a spellcraft roll is made against it. Bonuses can be applied for synergy and if the optional research assistant was successful with their aid check. On rare occasions, there may be other bonuses (or penalties) to apply. If the roll succeeds the design is sound. If it fails the design is faulty in some way. Sometimes that flaw is obvious, sometimes it is not. Failing by five or less means the flaw is so minor that it maybe unnoticed. Failing by more than five means the faults are so obvious that the designer is immediately aware. Regardless, such faulty rituals will always fail if they are performed.

Anyone, other than the original researcher, with 10 levels as a pure caster can review a ritual and thereby make a spellcraft check to notice any flaws, the DC is 30. This review takes at least one week of uninterrupted time to study the ritual and an adequate library for “fact checking”.

Executing a Ritual¶

The first thing about any ritual is that it is a test of both mental and physical endurance. Rituals are basically long and drawn out spells. During a ritual the performer (or caster) is not able to eat, drink, or sleep due to the near constant activities they must perform. The base DC is set by the amount of time it takes to cast the ritual. The minimum DC is 29. For each six hours, or fraction, of casting time up to 24 hours add 1 to the DC. Beyond that add 1 point to the DC for each 4 hour interval, or fraction, up to a total of 48 hours. Rituals with casting times beyond 48 hours add 1 point to the DC for each hour, or fraction, beyond the 48 th hour. That reflects only the mental strain of the ritual. Rituals are very hard and dangerous, the DC should reflect that. A base DC over 50 should not be unusual for a powerful ritual.

Any effects from lack of food, drink and/or sleep are another matter. Chances are that someone with the resources to design and perform a ritual will have the resources needed to mitigate simple lack of food, drink, and sleep (such as a ring of sustenance). If such resources are not available the GM may impose additional penalties to the later concentration checks in order to reflect hardship caused by lack of food, water, and/or sleep during the ritual. As a guideline, it is suggested that the first check be made normally and each check after that have an increasing penalty to reflect the lack of one or more of these. Naturally, someone lacking just sleep would have an easier time than someone lacking food, drink, and sleep so the penalty should reflect that. Additionally, it would be possible to die from lack of water in just a few days and a complex ritual could take that long to cast. This is yet another of the many reasons that those who take part in rituals must plan things out.

In addition to the effort required, the cost in coin can be very high as well. When the ritual is designed it can be designed around more (or less) expensive materials and tools. While that decision cannot be changed later, it still affects the performance DC accordingly. More expensive components decrease the DC while cheaper ones increase it. Additionally, the casting time can be altered during the design phase and that will also affect the performance DC. While this may seem to duplicated changes to the DC for casting time it does not. This change reflects that the effort of the casting is more (or less) stressful than it would be normally.

Assistants can also help lower the performance DC. Up to six assistants can be utilized and each one will lower the DC by one point. Note that this is not the same as giving aid, which is not possible for a ritual. An assistant must have 5 levels as a pure spell caster and a spellcraft skill of at least 3. These assistants have important, but minor roles in the ritual. They lend their voices to the chants, they bring materials or tools the caster at the correct time, they clear things away as needed, they facilitate the ritual by seeing that things move forward in an orderly fashion. As their roles are minor they are afforded the opportunity to eat, drink and even nap so long as it does not interfere with the ritual.

When executing a ritual two other key things must be addressed, “when” and “where”. Both the location and time the ritual is performed can affect the DC of success in a positive or negative fashion but in most cases they will have no effect at all. In general, a one point adjustment to the DC for “when” and another for “where” are possible. A favorable place may be a place attuned to magic or to the type of magic being preformed, as example, a necromantic ritual may find a recent battlefield a favorable “where”. Likewise, a ritual to promote growth may find the spring equinox an ideal “when” and the winter solstice the worst “when”. Finally, if the location is prepared with a Prepare Ground spell the DC can be lowered by 1 point.

In summation the performance DC is set by:

• Looking at the ritual’s casting time. The base DC is 29. +1 for each 6 hours of casting time, up to 24. +1 for each 4 hour interval between hour 24 and 48. +1 for each hour beyond the 48 th .
• Adjust for design parameters from the research phase. This adjustment can be up to three points.
• Adjust for any assistants. -1 for each assistant, maximum of six.
• Adjust for time and location. Can adjust the DC by 1 point for both time and location, but it is most often zero for each.
• Adjust for casting a Prepare Ground spell. This is optional.

The performer of a ritual must have ten levels as a pure spell caster. In order to cast the ritual a concentration check is made against the ritual’s performance DC once for each 12 hours, or fraction of 12 hours, of casting time. If all the checks are successful then the ritual was successfully completed and the willing target gets the effect. It should be noted that an unwilling target may get a saving throw and any spell resistance must be overcome first. Spell resistance is reduced by the ritual’s power, 10% of the performance DC rounded down. Regardless, of success the material components are used and the caster burns a number of spell slot levels equal to one half the performance DC, rounded up. As example, a 10 th level wizard has 4 first level spells, 4 second level spells, 3 third level spells, 3 fourth level spells, and 2 fifth level spells for a total of 43 levels of spell slots. So that 10 th level wizard performing a ritual with a DC of 42 would have to use 21 levels worth of spell slots. They do get to choose which slots are burned. So to meet the require of 21 in this example they could pick the two 5 th level slots, a 3 rd level slot, and four 2 nd level slots. Hence, until they have time to rest it would be as if those slots, burned by the ritual, had been used to cast spells.

Ritual Failure¶

There are two main causes of failure. First, missing one or more concentration checks during the normal casting of the ritual. The second is having the ritual interrupted. Additionally, if the performer stops the ritual for more than one combat round it is considered automatically interrupted.

Any action by, attack on, or interruption to the performer that would require a concentration check for general spell casting provokes a concentration check in this case as well. Calculate the DC of the interruption as if it was on a 10 th level spell and compare it to the performance DC of the ritual, use the higher of the two as the DC of this concentration check. Failing the concentration check means the ritual has been interrupted and fails. It should be noted that taking out assistants will not necessarily interrupt the ritual, unless the performer is in some way directly affected, but it will increase the DC of any remaining concentration check as the bonus for that assistant is no longer available.

The backlash from a failure can be deadly. In essence a great deal of magical energies are bound up in the ritual and if it fails those energies are released in an uncontrolled fashion. They strike out in random ways with unpredictable results. But just as with spell failure, the details of a ritual’s failure depend on what effect the magic is trying to achieve. The GM should roll d100 on the following table to get an idea of the severity of the failure’s backlash, add 10 to the roll if the failure was due to interruption. In the end, the exact effect is determined by the GM.

For minor detrimental failures only the target is harmed and no save is possible because they were open to the ritual affecting them in the first place. Both “Major” and “Catastrophic” effects may have a saving throw. It depends on the effect and is up to the GM.

Example, Ritual of Immortality¶

One of the most commonly sought after enhancements is an end to aging. This is, relatively speaking, a simple ritual with a simple effect; stop the aging process in one creature. So, successfully completing this ritual means the subject will not age another day in their life.

Bow of Arrows¶

Aura: moderate conjuration; CL: 9 th Slot: none; Price: 90,600 gp; Weight: 3 lb;

This appears to be a normal composite longbow, with a minimum strength modifier of +2. It has no enchantments that alter to hit or damage rolls. However, should the bow string be fully drawn without an arrow nocked, one will magically appear, nocked and ready to fire. Such arrows are silver tipped but otherwise normal. An arrow created by the Bow of Arrows last only 5 minutes after being fired. If not fired it vanishes when the bow’s string slackens. There is no known limit to how many arrows can be created.

Construction:

Requirements: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, major creation;

Cost: 45,300 gp;

Mirror of Wellness¶

Aura: strong conjuration; CL: 12 th Slot: none; Price: 42,000 gp; Weight: 25 lb;

This item resembles a normal mirror in an ornate metal frame. It measures about 3 feet long and 2 feet wide. The mirror can be hung or placed on a surface and then activated by speaking one of two command words. Once activated, the next creature reflected in the mirror’s surface has that command word’s effect discharged upon them. If more than one person is reflected, the target is random. The first command word’s effect cures 3d8+12 points of damage (as cure serious wounds) and can be called upon twice each day. The second command word cures almost any abnormal condition and 120 points of damage (as heal) but can only be used once each week. The mirror is fragile, has a hardness 1, and 5 hit points.

Construction:

Requirements: Craft Wondrous Item, heal, cure serious wounds;

Cost: 21,000 gp;

Tablecloth of Heroes¶

Aura: strong conjuration; CL: 12 th / 20 th Slot: none; Price: 26,000 gp / 43,000 gp; Weight: 2.5 lb / 15 lb;

This item appears to be a very finely crafted tablecloth. Once each day, when the tablecloth’s command word is spoken, it will spread itself on the nearest suitable surface, worst case being the ground. If a table is not there, a great table will materialize beneath the cloth. A number of fine banquet chairs will form around the table, assuming none are already there. A number of place settings will appear on the cloth, how many depends on the tablecloth’s type. Finally, a magnificent feast will appear, enough to feed one person / place setting. This meal has the same benefits and limitations as the one created by a Heroes’ Feast spell. When the meal is over, be that completed or interrupted, all the place settings and feast remains vanish. When the cloth is removed from the table, it reverts to its original condition and any conjured furnishings vanish. The command word is often stitched on the underside of the cloth. There are two varieties of tablecloth, a lesser and a greater. The lesser measures 7 ft by 15 ft and is made for a table 4 ft by 10 ft which seats twelve people. The greater tablecloth is more ornate, measures 25 ft in diameter, and is made for a round table 20 ft in diameter which seats twenty people.

Construction:

Requirements: Craft Wondrous Item, heroes’ feast;

Cost: 13,000 gp / 21,500 gp;

Kelgal¶

a.k.a. The Smith

She is the goddess of creation and is much beloved by dwarven smiths and other crafters. The stories show Kelgal’s creative way of thinking things out and her prominent role in the War of Creation against the giants. Her hammer and anvil shaped the world while they were soaked in giants’ blood. The symbol used by her followers is a red anvil.

Larhelm¶

a.k.a. Earth Shaker

King of the gods, Larhelm sits on the Under Throne at the heart of the world. The legends say that when a dwarf dies they are taken before Larhelm who will judge the course of their life. If he is pleased they go to the Afterlife and if not it is the Pit. His symbol is the ancient Dwarven rune for “earth throne” which is most often inscribed on a disc of volcanic rock or obsidian.

Yuretgolen¶

a.k.a. Orc Cleaver

The god of war and revenge, he truly hates orcs and giants and the goblinoid races in general. The murder of his brother, Marloam, was the catalyst which started the War of Creation. According to legend Yuretgolen brings “war unlike any the giants have seen” in retaliation to his brother’s death. His symbol is a battle axe.

Bohtan¶

a.k.a. Wild Runner

The god of wilderness and hunting. When the world was created, Bohtan was stunned by its beauty and abandoned himself to the Hunt as an expression of joy. The stories say that any who encounter him are likewise overcome by manic joy and pulled into the Hunt until they see the next dawn. Their nature will determine their place, as hunter or prey. His symbol is a hunter’s horn.

Nishrah¶

a.k.a. Dream Speaker

Goddess of visions and inspiration, she is an elven deity but is often worshipped by non-elves. It is said she rules the land of dreams, which is a place we all touch when we sleep. Her half brother, Corhov, is Lord of Nightmares. There are many stories of her not so friendly interactions with her brother who is the consummate trickster. He is often looking for a way to usurp her and take over the realm of dreams. Nishrah is also the deity of arcane forces. Her symbol is a blue star.

Tuzale¶

a.k.a. Mother

The goddess of life, growth and renewal. Tuzale is the queen of the elven gods, there is no king. At the start of each major cycle, 84 years, she takes a new consort and discards the old one. Only the most beguiling of elven males are taken by her. When she is done with a consort he takes his place in the Drone Guard, sworn to protect and serve Tuzale for eternity. Her symbol is the crocus.

Arnuf¶

a.k.a. Great Builder

The god of knowledge and crafting. Arnuf lives in a flying clockwork castle and spends day and night building all manner of devices. His goal is making the world a better place by building all that should have already been built. A good thing is a thing that should have already been built. His followers seek to help him build these good things. Weapons are not good things. Arnuf built seven divine machines to explore the seven mortal aspects. None of the stories agree on what the seven aspects are but the machines roam the world and seek ways to observe the aspects in mortals. His symbol is a cog and spring.

Ortho¶

a.k.a. Stonewall

The warrior god, the protector, the avenger, Ortho is all of these. Known for tenacious fighting against long odds, Stonewall has been in the heart of every gnomish warrior since the Exodus. Even when the battle doesn’t go well, revenge is the providence of Ortho. He has a way of coming out on top in the end. The gnomish round shield is his symbol.

Qurin¶

a.k.a. The Healer

The goddess Qurin is known for healing magic. She cured the sun of a fever and the wind’s bad breath. Gnomish healers are often followers of Qurin, she also has notable numbers of dwarven followers as well. It is not unknown for some humans to worship her. Her symbol is the half moon.

Drazlooh¶

a.k.a. Land Mother

The goddess of crop, herd and health, no physical form is associated with her as she is life itself in all its guises. Growth and prosperity are provinces of Drazlooh. Both farmer and shepherd pay homage to her and take part in seasonal rituals to honor, thank, and celebrate her. The symbol used by her followers is a sheaf (a bundle of grain stalks).

Iturr¶

a.k.a. The Trickster

God of luck, pranks and deceit, from the harmless to the deadly this deity is the manifestation of trickery. As is common with Halflings, no physical form is associated with the deity. Many halflings say that he is the desire we all share to glue a desk drawer shut or replace the sugar with salt or any other mischievous act. Others say that statement says a great deal about halflings in general. Thieves and illusionist are common followers of the Trickster. The dagger is a symbol of Iturr.

Zaphkah¶

a.k.a. Home Father

The god of hearth, home and hospitality. Zaphkah is the power of the hearth, the flame itself. There is no physical form attached to him. Zaphkah promotes strong ties to family, friends and community. Meals in ones home take on a ritual quality for followers of Zaphkah. Not in a stuffy way but as an expression of joy and bonding with friends and family. The hearth is the symbol of Zaphkah, often a piece of hearth stone is used by priests as a holy symbol.

Bantus¶

a.k.a. The Seer or Light Bringer

The god of knowledge and wisdom rules the realm of reason. Worshiped by many intellectuals, the Seer is often depicted as a man with two heads, one owl and one raven. Having been born of the union of a mortal and an unnamed deity, he straddles the world of mortals and the gods, seeing both. He is credited with ending the Savage Time and is hence one of the few old gods still widely worshipped. His symbol is a lantern.

Gravston¶

a.k.a. Winter Beard or the White Man

A god of struggle and strife who is depicted as a gnarled, old man with snow white skin and a great beard. He is seen as a harsh god who helps only those he respects and Winter Beard respects only those with the will to fight. Originally, he was a tribal deity of a brutal and warlike tribe of nomadic northern plainsmen. The iron stone is his symbol.

Hethrize¶

a.k.a. The Skull Bearer or the Crone

The goddess of death and the Underworld. A common depiction being a giant old crone burdened with a large basket of skulls on her back. Hethrize judges a mortal’s actions in life. She is said to come in the night and scoop up the wicked, throw them in her basket and cart them off to the Underworld. Legend has it that a person judged wicked will hear her cackling when they have drawn her notice. Her symbol is a skull.

Janumorn¶

a.k.a. Water Rider

Favored among the west coastline settlements, the Water Rider is seen as a god of luck and the sea. Any who sail the Sea of Storms would do well to honor Janumorn. He is said to ride a horse of living water that dances across the sea spray. Both dawn and dusk are holy times for his followers. The sea horse is his symbol.

Nisvaloon¶

a.k.a. Mother Sun

The goddess of the sun, fire and rebirth. She is seen as a savior bearing the dead off and into the next life. It is said that by burning the dead their souls are lifted up to her on the smoke and she sees them reborn. Her followers will only burn their dead when the sun is up. They also start each day with a morning ritual of greeting the sun. She is the sun and that is her symbol.

Rakthor¶

a.k.a. Blood Bringer

The god of war and storms is traditionally shown as a naked man drenched in blood. The stories say he is prone to bouts of berserker rage in battle. Warriors following him tend to have swirling red tattoos in honor of that blood soaked image. The Iron Storm mercenary commanders all have such tattoos on both face and chest. Rakthor’s symbol is a battle axe.

Tanjoom¶

a.k.a. The Fox

This trickster god also is credited for humor and is often seen as a dark blue fox. It is said that he leads hunters to their death and teaches bad children the art of malicious mischief. There are thousands of stories about the Fox and his antics. Some are benign but most end poorly for those that catch his eye, all have a quality of twisted justice. His symbol is the laughing fox.

Tashrune¶

a.k.a. The Red Wolf

A great and cunning red wolf that embodies the essence of the hunt and strategy. There are many stories of the Red Wolf, all have a common thread of wisdom in regard to conflict or hunting. They show the good of knowing when and why to take life as well as when not to. His symbol is a racing wolf of red.

Ursinah¶

a.k.a. Dusk Lady or Three Face

Goddess of love, lust and revenge is often pictured as a woman in a dusk colored cloak. She has one of three faces beneath her hood, one for each of her aspects. The face of love is fair and beautiful, the face of lust is wild and manic, while the face of revenge is dark and cold. She shows the face of the aspect that is dominating at that moment. Her symbol is a golden lilly with one black petal and one red.

Volios¶

a.k.a. Green Woman

The goddess of the growth and the harvest is seen as a green skinned woman, most often nude. She is also a fertility figure. Worshippers will invoke her name in marriages and planting rituals. They thank her for births and harvest festivals. Her symbol is a fruit tree, most often a plum tree.

Bantus¶

a.k.a. The Guide

In the old pantheon Bantus had a different role and was a lesser deity. He was seen as an advisor to mortals and immortals alike. Additionally, the role of seer was not as predominate in these old stories. The surviving stories paint Bantus as being at odds with many of the other deities. Even though they seek out his counsel, they do not often follow his advice, at least not the first time around. This would lead to many “learning moments” and the story often ended with them doing what Bantus suggested in the beginning. The main reason they are reluctant to heed his advice is his mortal blood. The old era stories involving the advice given to mortals didn’t often go as badly. Most of the time, they would try to follow his advice but mortal flaws would lead them astray. In the end, the old era stories were about learning.

Foel & Til¶

a.k.a. The Lovers

These two are the spirits of loving relationships. Sometimes good ones and sometimes damaging ones. The stories of Foel & Til have them living life after life after life and each one is a different tale of love. Love of family, love of friend, love of spouse, love of riches, love of vices, unattainable love, disastrous love, obsessive love, and many more. These stories explore love, lust, passion, and obsession.

Hajout¶

a.k.a. Mother

Wife of Kohlot and goddess of family, oath and home. According to legend, she created the mortal world from the formless void of chaos. In the beginning, it was a strange place, responding to her slightest whim. Only she could walk in it until her husband tamed it by bringing order to its chaotic nature. This was symbolic of the union between spouses bringing focus and order and stability to their lives.

Islynnas¶

a.k.a. The Trickster

In the old tales Islynnas spares no expense to poke holes in the ego of anyone that appears too full of themselves. The Trickster’s form is always different, female, male, humanoid, or animal, it’s all possible for Islynnas. It is said that the Trickster was a supporter of Bantus, but some claim that was just a ploy. On occasion, a well educated rogue may pick up worshipping Islynnas. Sometimes they are rewarded.

Kohlot¶

a.k.a. Father

Ruler of the gods and champion of order and laws. He is said to have given the newly created world order. The stories say many of the lesser deities were fathered by Kohlot, some with Hajout and others not. He is never a creator on his own but he speaks order into things, making what others create more useful.

Mononik¶

a.k.a. The Warrior

The goddess of conflict, competition, and strategies. In their unadulterated form the ancient stories of competition always have her or her symbolism in them. It is said that Mononik reveled in the Plane War and wished to prolong it. She felt the conflict could push mortals to a new level of development.

Pangu¶

a.k.a. The Chronicler

The god of fate and death, Pangu records the life and deed of every living being. It is said that he writes the major course of your life at the moment of your birth but the details he leaves to you. He was one of the few Old Gods that stood with Bantus yet he did not fair as well after the dust settled. Outside of a few small enclaves, he is no longer worshipped by humans.

Rajhahl¶

a.k.a. The Builder

All acts of creation are attributed to Rajhahl. Inspiration, epiphanies, spontaneous pontification, and general glibness were believed signs that a person was touched by Rajhahl. These traits were as often bad as they were good. Some of the oldest tales say Rajhahl was the first of the Old Gods. Others say that which is called Rajhahl is not a deity like the others but a force, primal, eternal, and without motive.

Watlen¶

a.k.a. The Traveller

Sometimes seen as male, other times as female, Watlen is a manifestation of the seasons and weather and the open road. The wanderlust that grips some so relentlessly was said to be the blessing of Watlen. In the old tales, people so touched by the Traveller were destined to have great adventures. Of course, such a blessing gives no promise of success, there are more than a few tales of people dying horribly.

Ahjifrohme¶

a.k.a. The Witness or Whisperer of Secrets

At the moment of Creation, Ahjifrohme was there. All the secrets of creation were his to observe and now his to share. It is said that there is a canyon that was carved by a river of blood that flowed from the primal battlefield during the moment of Creation. When the high moon wind rushes down this canyon it brings the words of Ahjifrohme and the secrets he keeps. Some also say this wind brings madness as well as knowledge. There is much debate as to the location of this canyon.

Meklidozrin¶

a.k.a. Watcher of the Veil or Keeper of Madness

Meklidozrin is the formless guardian of the the Veil. The Veil is the curtain that separates worlds and dimensions. All who touch the Veil are seen and any that dare breach it risk drawing Meklidozrin’s wrath. Stories say that before the Veil was erected everyone could see into every world and none were without at least a touch of madness. Meklidozrin’s vigil keeps both unknowable madness and knowledge from the world. The mortal mind is, for the most part, not equipped to hold this knowledge.

Zenchu¶

a.k.a. The Sleeper or The Destroyer

Said to be the destroyer of worlds, Zenchu sleeps. When it wakes it will kill the world again. Some say the Savage Time was the result of Zenchu almost waking. Stories put the Sleeper deep underground or in the deepest ocean. It is said that only a fool seeks Zenchu but the wise bow to Zenchu.

Boggards¶

Boggards stand 5 feet tall and weigh close to 200 pounds, however they tend to look shorter due to a hunched posture. While they are often found in swampy areas, the boggard also inhabit rain forests, damp caves, and any other places that are wet and shady as they need to dampen their skin often. Another key factor will be spawning pools which boggards will want to protect.

In the Middle Lands, boggards are a bit smarter than the normal variety, gaining a +1 to intelligence. This translates to better tactics. In particular, their use of “the chorus”. This strategy is used to maximize the usefulness of their Terrifying Croak ability. The first three rounds of any combat one third of the boggards use their Terrifying Croak. In this way they ensure maximum fear. Additionally, when their numbers are great enough, they will employ their Sticky Tongue to pacify an opponent, by making grapple attacks with a minimum of three boggards using their tongues on a single opponent and working together in the grapple. Coupled with ambush tactics, this makes boggards a more feared opponent.

Boggards form organized bands and are always led by a large and powerful individual. On average, these groups number 30 to 40 boggards. They will make small settlements of mud huts. While they are aggressive, they do not often seek raiding with the fervor of goblins or orcs. The exception being when their shaman motivate them with religious rantings of star alignments and the like.

The boggards have their own, rather primitive language, but about a 1 in 8 can converse haltingly in the common tongue, though their vocabulary is rather limited. They are held in disdain by sahuagin, who will occasionally raid a boggard settlement for sport and out of sheer malice, eating any captive alive. Lizardfolk will rarely associate with boggards, though there is no open hostility towards them.

Bugbears¶

Standing about 7 feet tall and weighing, on average, 400 pounds, the bugbear is the largest of the goblinoid races. It could be argued that they are the most vicious, mean, vile, and cruel of the goblinoids as well. Their sadistic streak is often used by the hobgoblins who employee bugbears as executioners, torturers, and elite shock troops.

Bugbears do not build large settlements, their nature is too volatile for that. When they do settle, it is in ruins that are in some way significant to their shaman, meaning it’s an evil place aligned to dark powers. Even then the bugbears will have goblins or kobolds to do the grunt work. Outside of these rare cases, bugbears are known to take temporary shelter in caves that are convenient to them, meaning close to settlements they want to attack. Hobgoblin settlements will often have space put aside for the bugbears they hire. The bugbears will stay as long as it is “fun” and profitable. That works for the hobgoblins and the goblins, after all no one wants to be around bored bugbears, least of all goblins.

Centaurs¶

Centaurs average 7 feet tall and about 2,000 pounds. They live in semi-nomadic tribes on the plains and in the forests of the Middle Lands. These tribes average around 20 to 30 mated pairs and another 20 to 30 young centaurs and another 10 or so elders. For the most part, centaur tribes have peaceful interactions with their brethren. They are natural storytellers with a rich oral history. While they do keep written records, it is considered a backup for the oral tradition. The legends of centaur prowess with the bow are not without base. While bow hunting feeds most centaur they do grow some crops as well. Their herb gardens are almost as legendary as their abilities with a bow.

Centaurs are not generally friendly with dwarves. They tolerate gnomes and halflings. They are friendly with elves and like wood elves. Humans have a special place in the hearts of most centaurs, a place filled with deep hatred. Centaur history says humans are the cause of the Savage Time and the centaur nation suffered greatly during that era. The great old cities were destroyed and the centaurs were scattered. Additionally, the centaur bloodline was cursed. They call this curse the Sorrow. According to the old tales the curse demands that any city they seek to build will fall until “no stone stands upon another”. All centaur believe this to be true as there are many stories of centaur since that time trying to start cities and having them destroyed at every turn. So, this leaves the centaur, as a people, feeling bereft and vagabond like. They still blame humans and as a result the hatred of them is widespread. While they do not go so far as to attack humans on sight, they are unpleasant toward them and will use the slightest of provocations to justify an escalation of hostility.

Both strength and wisdom are valued by the tribe so leaders tend to have both. Centaur have no settlements larger than a village and under centaur law no settlement may have more than three-hundred occupants and nothing is built from stone. In this way they try to avoid the Sorrow using methods that seem to have worked in the past. Still, even with these measures, they abandon their settlements every ten to twenty years and go start another. There is no set time frame for this, it just happens when the tribe’s elders see the omens.

Lone centaur do roam the land and from time to time they will enter the settlements of other races. This is more common in elven settlements and very rare in human settlements. The ones that venture into human lands have managed to let go of their anger, or at least they control it well. If they have not then they don’t stay long. The exception being the Forlorn, centaurs that have been exiled for one reason or another. Most often this is done to centaurs that are too progressive of mind.

Cyclopes¶

These beasts are all but unknown in the Middle Lands. They are more common in the Spice Kingdoms and on very rare occasion found inhabiting the warm islands in the Narrow Sea. While finding a cyclops on one of these islands is rare, it is even more rare that the explorer gets away from them. There are legends of ruins in the deep south jungles of the Spice Kingdoms which are suppose to be from a mighty cyclops civilization.

Derro¶

The derro are a degenerate race of small stature. Some believe them distant cousins to gnomes or possibly a twisted cross between humans and dwarves. They inhabit the great subterranean realms of the Underworld. Although the derro hate light and suffer pain and injury from contact with sunlight, they still venture to the surface at night, driven by their dark needs. Secret shafts are used to raid and steal and kidnap humans and other surface dwellers for slaves or experimentation, some rumors say that a few are actually eaten as well.

Doppelgangers¶

Sick, twisted, depraved, these are words commonly used to describe the demeanor of doppelgangers. Lusting for power and influence, doppelgangers infiltrate the societies of other creatures using their shape shifting ability. They will collect wealth and enjoy the power their assumed position affords them for as long as possible. Most often, this is not a long term endeavor and the doppelganger will stay only as long as it feels secure and is of benefit to the doppelganger. When leaving, they will take as much with them as possible.

Not all doppelgangers are depraved and debaucherous freaks. Many are content to spend some time impersonating a political figure, using that position to rob the community blind, and then quietly slip away to the next opportunity. But it’s the sensational stories that are the ones to spread and be remembered. So, many, if not most, doppelgangers are less extravagant then those in the stories.

Drow¶

In the earliest age, when elves were new to the world, there was discord among them. Those elves of foul, selfish, and cruel disposition were driven out. They fled their brethren. Yet even apart, the two factions could not abide the existence of one another and warfare was common. Again and again, the good elves defeated the evil, pushing them back. Always pushing them back. Soon there was no place remaining, no haven save one. The dark caves under the earth beckoned and the need for safety drove the evil elves to them. And so they went, forsaking the wind, rain, sky, and sun to save themselves from extinction. In the darkness, they found the first comfort known to them in living memory. There, in the lightless caverns and endless warrens of twisting passages the dark elves, the drow, were reborn. In time, they grew strong once again. In time they became creatures of the darkness. In time the desire to return to the surface abated, somewhat. Still, they never forgave nor did they forget. The surface elves are deeply hated by every drow that draws breath. Indeed, all surface dwellers are disliked by drow. They will cause pain to the “light runners,” with a song in their dark, twisted, little hearts.

Over the past few centuries, drow have been busy deep in the Underworld. There have been wars and new dangers to overcome. On the surface, next to nothing is known of these events. But now, for whatever, reason the drow are looking to the surface again. They have an advantage this time, so many humans have forgotten about them that they are the stuff of legend and myth. Drow are not foolish and see this as a huge opportunity, one they don’t intend to waste. They will strike from the shadows and use proxies but they will make this boon count. The blood of the “light runners” will flow!

Duergar¶

The duergar are the rarely encountered, emaciated, evil-visaged cousin to dwarves. Also known as the gray dwarves or gray ones, they are malicious in the extreme and dwell in some of the deepest subterranean depths where the light of day can not reach them. When they are encountered, there are normally but a handful of them. However, there are stories of lairs having hundreds of duergar. Thier warriors are both cunning and fierce.

Duergar have been know to dwell with derro, and similar evil creatures, acting as smiths. While not as good as dwarven wares, the products produced by duergar smiths are still high quality. Finally, they live longer than do normal dwarves, often by a full century or a touch more.

Fey¶

Sometimes called the First People, fey are spirits of nature and wielders of life’s magic. They are strange and alien people that now inhabit a shadow world called the Between Land. According to fey history, or what is known of it, the fey walked the mortal world before any other being and later left for the Between Land. Of all the other creatures that would come into the mortal world after them, many are descendants of fey. Dwarves, elves, gnomes, and halflings all have fey blood but are not true fey. Examples of true fey include dryad, nymph, pixie, and satyr. While not the only true fey, they are the most well known.

The names of the not so well known fey vary from place to place. Local environment, culture, and legend affect these local nature spirits. While name and appearance are prone to change, the base essence of the spirit remains unaltered. Hence, there are some basic classifications that appear again and again. Three of these are detailed below.

Giants¶

In the Middle Lands, when someone talks about a giant they mean a hill giant as that is the common type of giant familiar to people of the Empire. While stone giants can be found in the mountains they are so rare as to be virtually unknown by most people. There has not been a credible recorded sighting of a frost or fire giant in three hundred years. And a storm, or cloud giant in over a thousand years. So, the tales of larger, more powerful, and smarter giants than the hill variety are dismissed as travelers’ exaggerations. That is not to say they don’t exist, only that none have lived to tell the tale. That said, fire giants are found in the Spice Kingdoms. Frost giants are north of the winter wall. Cloud giants live mostly in Rektor. Finally, storm giants may have vanished from the mortal world altogether. The last “documented” encounter with storm giants took place on an uncharted island deep in the Sea of Storm.

Gnolls¶

Typically, a gnoll is 6.5 feet tall and weighs 225 pounds. While they are lazy and tend not to build their own settlements they do take over abandoned villages or warrens and use them until they are no longer suitable. Gnolls love to have slaves. Slaves are used for every imaginable labor around the gnoll lair. The ones that underperform are eaten. Eventually, they always underperform.

Gnoll bands are relatively small, typically no more than one-hundred gnolls. Tribes are more like breeds, the dominate breed of a band determines what tribe they identify as. The most well known tribes are the Black Backs, Blue Tails, Red Snouts, Sand Manes, and White Ears. There are no leaders at the tribe level but sometimes a very strong or very savvy gnoll will come along and unite many bands to wreak havoc.

The one thing that gets gnolls off their lazy backsides, most of the time, is a good hunt. They love to run down prey, so long as it doesn’t involve too much running. What’s more their game, is using pack hunting tactics to take down wounded prey. It’s not sporting but they like it. The best moment of the hunt for any gnoll is when they start to eat the innards of their still living prey.

Goblins¶

The smallest of the goblinoids, a goblin stands on average 3.75 feet tall and weighs 50 pounds. Called “tunnel rats” by their larger brethren they are also the most numerous of goblinoids. Other races often use goblin proclivity for mating as some form of insult.

While goblins will dig warrens, something they do well, they will also take over abandoned places. In the mountains, on the plains, by the sea, deep in the forest, it is all the same to the goblin. They breed and spread and then breed some more. War is the only thing that really keeps goblin populations in check.

As individuals, goblins are generally weak, frightened, and stupid creatures. In groups they are belligerent, rambunctious, and stupid creatures. Goblins follow strength out of both fear and awe. They want to win so following the strong is a step in the right direction for any goblin. The strongest leaders can gather a substantial horde of goblins. While most tribes number only a few hundred the largest are currently about eight-thousand. The largest known tribe ever was under the goblin king Utty Face Chewer who gathered nearly twenty-five-thousand goblins to his banner. Much land burned and many fell before the Face Chewer tribe.

Every tribe of goblins has a “goblin king” that rules them and from whom the tribe’s name is taken. A king rules the tribe absolutely and they follow him for his strength. Showing weakness is a quick way for a king to become a former king. Some of the currently famous kings are Mumbro the Fish Eater, Torek Eye Biter, and Zippy the Paw Taker. Their tribes are large and well known in the Middle Lands. These large tribes launch raids on other settlements at every turn. They even get bold enough to engage the armies of the Empire from time to time.

Goblins at war are a terrible sight. The large tribes will flood the battlefield with a few thousand screaming goblins that just wash over whatever is in the way. They often use a multi-prong attack strategy in which the main force slams the enemy’s front line with utter abandon while worg riders sweep wide right and left then turn to hit the enemy’s flank and/or rear as they can. The smaller tribes like to force an enemy into a defensive position and firebomb them. Goblins love to use fire in war. Goblins love to use fire anytime at all. Some of the essentials of cooking may escape them, but they still build the cook fire, even if they just use it to light the slaughtering ground. “Fun glowy glowy!”

Hobgoblins¶

An average hobgoblin stands 5 feet tall and weighs 160 pounds. They are the builders and visionaries of the goblinoid races. That is not to say that they themselves build things, they direct slaves to build things for the most part. The exception being that they are fantastic weapon and armor smiths and war engine designers. They are also marvelous tacticians and their excellent organization skill make them wonderful clerks as well. Hobgoblins have the ambition to build empires, fortunately for the rest of the World, they never seem to get enough slaves to realize that ambition.

Hobgoblins are the most orderly of the goblinoid races. They are organized by tribe, which they call a “kindom”. Other races commonly and incorrectly use the term kingdom rather than kindom. When members of different kindoms encounter each other, it often ends in bloodshed and death. There are six well known kindoms of hobgoblins, Ahthrogs, Ganron, Hahvrin, Murlashdu, Sulthgoth, Yovvan and another score not so well known. A kindom is made up of clans that are related by bloodline. Clans are a little more volatile than kindoms and seem to come and go, sometimes with alarming speed.

The largest kindoms have 20,000 to 30,000 hobgoblins in them. They are not all in one settlement, in fact, it is rare that a settlement has more than three-thousand hobgoblins in it. A typical hobgoblin settlement is a war camp with up to a thousand warriors, a few hundred slaves, up to a hundred bugbears, and maybe two-hundred goblins who are kept out of the main camp and away from sources of fire. More than one camp has been put to the torch by goblins playing with “The fun glowy glowy!”

Kobolds¶

The average kobold is about 3 feet tall and weighs about 35 pounds. They are cowards alone and bold in groups, the larger the group the braver they get. They are some of the best miners around and master trap builders. Their warrens are full of traps as are any caves surrounding their lair. Kobold traps are not always deadly. In fact, many are designed to trap and hold interlopers so the kobolds can take them prisoner. While kobolds do sometimes kill and eat prisoners they often sell them to hobgoblins or gnolls or sometimes even orcs. Some tribes give away slaves taken to keep other, more powerful, creatures at bay.

Some of the more well known kobold tribes include the Acid Flingers, Fire Scales, Iron Teeth, Scar Snouts, and Smoke Eaters. There are dozens of lesser known, smaller tribes as well. A typical tribe is about two- hundred kobolds with the largest having up to three-thousand kobolds. Such large tribes are very rare.

Kobolds will pull up stakes and leave everything behind for the opportunity to serve a dragon. If they hear of a dragon in the area they quickly organize a welcoming party and seek a meeting. If the dragon will have them the whole tribe will quickly relocate to a spot closer to their new master/mistress.

Many years ago a great kobold shaman and seer recorded a foretelling. She saw that the long sleeping dragon blood would awaken and her people would take strength from it. The Dragon Scion would walk the world. Kobolds would have their place beside the dragons and rule under the masters. Since that time many a kobold has stepped up to say they are the Scion and promptly been eaten by a passing ogre or troll or the like. But every time it happens the other kobolds rush to follow the Scion and months of chaos follow. The foretelling is something that every kobold knows of, they hear it from the egg on.

Lizardfolk¶

Lizardfolk vary but most stand between 6 and 7 feet tall and weigh between 180 to 250 pounds. They are a simple, private, and peaceful people. The last two centuries have been very hard on the lizardfolk living along the Danchu and Yahsur rivers. Both rivers have seen explosive growth of human populations. The humans use the rivers for trade and travel. In addition they have diverted massive amounts of water via a myriad of canals used to irrigate distant farmland. This has caused many marshlands to slowly vanish. Drying up as the river’s overflow is greatly reduced.

While largely peaceful, the lizardfolk have been taking action. They have not made the connection that the canals are to blame but they have tried to fight off the humans that settle in land that was once marshlands. Along the Yahsur they have had a little success but the Danchu is lost to them. In addition to the marshlands along the rivers drying up, both the Lesmah Swamp and the great Grey Marsh have been slowly shrinking. The lizardfolk are worried and they are becoming more desperate to save their homes as time progresses.

More lizardfolk are venturing outside of their marshy homes. Some have been exiled and others are seeking answers to save their people. Sadly, many die as a result of misunderstandings. These arise as a result of cultural differences which make it hard for lizardfolk to function in the foreign settlements. If they are not killed out right when guards try to subdue them, they are often imprisoned for violating laws they don’t understand.

Minotaurs¶

On average, a minotaur is 8 feet tall and weighs 900 pounds. There are many stories surrounding minotaurs and their lairs but the most famous is that of their origin. The common legend is that during the Savage Time the Old Gods cursed one bloodline above all others. They were cursed to live and to kill. Their savage killing and eating of other mortals warped them and this corruption manifested itself by changing them, giving them the head of a bull and massive hooves in place of feet.

As much as the minotaur loves to hunt and kill and eat humans and other such races they love to do it in ways that terrorize their prey even more. They commonly say, “Fear makes the meat sweet!” Harrying their quarry through a labyrinth has become their favorite method. It is the minotaurs natural cunning that makes this so appealing to them. A maze is child’s play to the mind of a minotaur. And at the same time they often confound the prey. This also appeals to the minotaur’s sadistic side. To be honest, that is just about every “side” a minotaur has.

Minotaurs are solitary creatures until it is time to mate. A strong bull will try to attract as many cows as he can. It is not uncommon to have two or three cows for a single bull. A single minotaur is usually born to a cow. Twins are rare and regarded as holy. By its second year, a young minotaur has fully developed horns and can fight an orc on equal footing. By its fifth year, a minotaur is larger than a man, and by its tenth year, it has attained adult size and mannerisms. At this point a young bull will leave the lair, or if the dominant bull is old, he can be challenged by the younger bull. Only the winner will live. The young cows leave to seek a strong, unrelated, bull.

The young that leave will wander until they find a suitable lair or a mate. It is not uncommon for that to take some years. By their fifteenth year they have usually found both a lair and a mate. Caves or ruins or even city sewer systems can become lairs to a wandering minotaur. Some are even enlisted by other monsters or evil folk to be mercenaries or guardians. Some gold and the chance to kill humans are generally all it takes to hire a minotaur.

Morlocks¶

A typical morlock stands just over 5 feet tall and weighs roughly 150 pounds. They live in the ruins of long forgotten civilizations deep underground. On the longest and darkest of nights they return to the surface and hunt. Tales of morlocks stealing children from their cribs are common fireside stories in the Empire. These tales have their base in fact and the children taken do not last long among the morlocks. In recent years morlock activities have increased sharply and they can come above ground just about anywhere there are caves. Due to this, even the most heavily patrolled lands can be raided.

According to legend, during the Savage Time humans fled the terrors wrought by the Old Gods. They fled to every conceivable location, including deep into the Underworld. It did not go well for those people. The darkness would rob them of much. Some say they found a baneful artifact deep under the ground referred to as the Bone Obelisk. It is said that this twisted monument was carved from the bones of a long forgotten and insane deity. The people worshiped it and it changed them, corrupted them and showed them the secrets of becoming one with the shadows of the Underworld. The cost of the compact reached deep into them and they began to feed indiscriminately, so long as it was meat. The fresher the better. Soon they would be both cannibals and necrophages. With their humanity lost they continued to devolve until they became what is now known as morlocks.

The stories go on to say that deep in the Underworld is a ruined city, swarming with morlocks, where the Bone Obelisk rests. It is said the Obelisk exudes a softly glowing mist that blankets the city in a dim light, just enough to make one wish for darkness. For thousands of humanoids, this city of blind horrors is the last thing they will ever see. Its halls echo with the near constant screams of captives being consumed alive. The last person who reported seeing this city and lived, was over six centuries ago. All accounts say she was never the same. Some even say, she went back there, to that city of blood, and faced the nightmare that would never leave her in peace. Faced it and was devoured by it.

Other morlock settlements are not really worth the name. Small bands tend to take up residence in caves close to prey. On average such a band is no more than twenty morlocks. They tend to hunt in packs, ambushing the unlucky and swarming them with rending claws and clicking teeth.

Ogres¶

Standing 10 feet tall and weighing close to 700 pounds, ogre are the “littlest giant”. They spend a great deal of time working for others. Even with their relatively low intelligence, there is enough they can do to earn the rates they want. Make no mistake, they are well compensated and in high demand. Orcs love to employee ogres as mercenaries, each one is worth a dozen orcs on the line. When orcs go to war they take as many ogres as they can find.

Most problems begin when the orges have downtime. The only thing worse than a bored bugbear is a bored ogre. They will make their own fun and that fun is always pain for something smaller and weaker, which most things are. Games like “How many thumps can it take?” and “How many sticks can I stick in it?” and “How does it taste?” and the all time favorite “Will my club fit in it?”, while being time honored classics loved by generations of ogre are, for everyone around the ogre, not so much fun. Well, orcs like it until the kobolds run out.

Home life for the ogre is not much different from work. They live in caves or abandoned structures with small groups of ogres related by blood. At most a dozen members make up these family units. Fighting is common. Mating is totally indiscriminate. Anything that doesn’t fight back hard enough is food. This sums up the average ogre household.

Ogres keep slaves but end up eating them within a few days. The idea of slave labor, while good in the minds of most ogres, does not stand up to a rumbling stomach for long. The only chance a slave has is to keep the food coming as fast as possible. That and avoid the ogres looking for a place to put their club.

Orcs¶

Savage and strong, the average orc is roughly 6 feet tall and 210 pounds. They are, without a doubt, the most problematic marauders in the Middle Lands. The combination of a high level of hostility and high reproductive rates and environmental flexibility makes the orc a constant obstacle. While they favor mountainous or hilly regions they are also fairly common in the forest, on the plains, and in coastal regions. Caves, ruins, or freshly abandoned structures are often taken over by orcs and used as a base. No settlement within two days of an orc encampment will have to wait long for an attack or raid.

Orcs are quick to paint their faces and attack. With a weaker adversary they ride in on dire wolves, making a great show of it, and roll over any resistance before taking what they want, which is everything. But strong enemies are harried, supply lines are attacked, patrols are ambushed, snipers are used, and terror is encouraged. Orcs do not play fair and, while not the smartest of creatures, they are cunning enough to use complex strategies. Sadly, for the orcs, they are often a victim of their own success. The better they do the more orcs come to “get a piece of the action” and the more chaotic things become. It gets harder and harder for the orcs to carry out indirect warfare like that for long. Soon, different bands are stepping on each others feet and they start fighting one another. At this point a smart orc war chief switches to the direct assault so all the orcs can focus on attacking the same thing at the same time. Often, that change in strategy will allow the orcs to excel again.

It is at this point that orcs are at their most threatening. A screaming horde of hundreds of orcs is something that has ended more than one borderland town. Such hordes are common. Every year scores of small borderland villages are erased by such attacks. The larger hordes can number in the thousands and threaten much larger settlements. Fortunately, those large hordes are less common and will quickly draw the attention of any and all nearby armies loyal to the Empire.

But, as horrifying as these attacks are it is not death that frightens most people, it’s being taken and living in captivity. Orcs take slaves, often they go out of their way to take slaves, and life as a slave to orcs is something most would not wish on their most hated enemy. A slave can only expect to be branded, used as their orc masters desire, then to die horribly for the sport of orcs, and end it all by being eaten by those same orcs. Few escape, the ones that do are never the same.

Female slaves can expect additional horrors for they are often used as breeding stock. It is not at all unknown for female orcs to pick a male slave and couple with them. Most orcs think of this as foul because the male slaves are rarely strong enough to make good breeding stock. In the end, orcs value half-orcs. The half-orc can often be as cruel as any orc and are very often more intelligent. If they are of the right temperament, the half-orc can do very well among orcs, even becoming a leader. Those that lack such a temperament often die young or slip away in search of a better, less brutal, place.

Orcs are tribal creatures. Every band of orcs is part of a tribe. Tribes are based on bloodline. The largest and most well known tribes in the Middle Lands are the Bloody Blade, Bone Breakers, Death Eye, Ear Takers, Rotting Hand, Rune Tooth, Sly Tongue, and Vile Blood. There are dozens of other, smaller, tribes and new ones form all the time as others vanish. Every tribe has its sign, used as a battle standard, honor tattoo, and an ownership brand. Tribe status is measured by the power of its warriors, the number of its slaves, the cruelty of its leader, and the gold they take.

Rakshasa¶

When the gap was sealed and the Savage Time ended, not every last beast the Old Gods sent to the moral world died. Some adapted. One foul spirit of the void began to take the shape of humanoids, and by consuming their souls, it found a new energy supply to replaced what it lost when the gap was sealed. This new source of power would sustain it. And it evolved into something never seen before, the creature now known as rakshasa. The consumption of souls continues.

Centuries later they still seek to carryout the will of the Old Gods, tearing at the mortals in every way they can. They do this for themselves not for the Old Gods, they believe they are all that remains of the divine glory that was the Old Gods. And hence, they believe they should inherit the legacy of the Old Gods. Fortunately, their numbers are small and not likely to grow quickly as reproduction is difficult.

To reproduce a rakshasa must fully corrupt a mortal and merge with them. Years later they split, becoming two independent rakshasa. Due to the time required and the difficulty of corrupting a mortal to the level necessary for merging, the rakshasa can barely maintain their numbers. As a result they are very careful and avoid direct confrontation unless no other option is available. They will flee if possible, and physical assault is only used when success is absolute. Subterfuge and stealth are their tools.

Rakshasa must eat one mortal, there by consuming their soul, every lunar cycle or they start to degrade, losing one hit dice for each cycle they don’t eat. If they lose all their hit dice they fade into nothingness. Eating returns them to full strength. Rakshasa like to make a production of the feeding. It becomes an event, one they savor.

Sahuagins¶

A sahuagin stands 7 feet tall and weighs about 250 pounds. In the Middle Lands about one fifth of all sahuagins have the amphibious mutation. Commonly called “sea devils”, sahuagins kill for sport as much as out of need. Next to pirates, sahuagins are the bane of both shipping lanes and coastal settlements. They come in the night, sliding silently over the sand from the sea, into small fishing villages to whisk people away. There are tales of entire villages being emptied over the course of a single night. Many seaside villages keep nightly vigils, most especially during moonless nights & the highest tides of the year.

Ships anchored in harbor are vulnerable to these nightly incursions as well. Vessels carrying large amounts of dried meat and/or sweet peanut cream are most likely to draw sahuagin attention. Their amphibious raiding parties will often sneak onto such a ship, kill the crew and investigate its stores. They will take any valuables and/or foodstuff they like. This often includes the crew’s bodies.

Even at sea and under full sail ships can be attacked. Sahuagin are strong swimmers and can keep pace with all but the fastest of ships. They will often latch on to the ships underside with their powerful claws and climb the hull in the dark of night. Once on board they kill any watchers and stall the ship, allowing more of their brethren to join them. If they can kill the crew they will strip the ship bare.

The average sahuagin raiding party is up to eight warriors, if they are targeting a village or ship at least half will have the amphibious mutation and it’s not uncommon for all of them to have it. Larger parties may even have a sahuagin shaman who could cast Air Breathing (a variant of the Water Breathing spell) which would allow any non-amphibious sahuagin to safely venture out of the water for a while.

Sahuagin outposts and raiding party camps are often in water at least a few hundred feet deep while actual settlements are in much deeper water, often a thousand feet or more. These undersea cities are both magnificent and terrifying to behold. They can house several thousand sahuagin and their slaves, often merfolk or aqua-elves. Each settlement is ruled by a sahuagin baron. It is rumored that somewhere in the deep ocean is a city of unparallelled size and wonder which is ruled over by the sahuagin king.

Troglodytes¶

A typical troglodyte stands about 5 feet tall and weighs 140 pounds. While numerous, infighting has kept troglodytes in check for centuries. Prior to the last decade, encounters with them were rare. But something is changing and more troglodytes are coming to the surface to hunt. There are even reports of the mythic dark elves of the Underworld being seen commanding troglodytes. While the lore is sparse, what is known of dark elves says this is very unlikely. Yet something is happening below.

Raiding parties often number between 12 and 20 troglodytes. In the borderlands they are more common but caves can be anywhere and any cave could lead to a troglodyte lair. It is the increased attacks in the “civilized” lands that has generated much worry. Southern Mostor is one of the latest hotbeds of activity.

Troglodytes do not get along with those outside their tribe. A typical tribe being 50 to 60 mated pairs, with at least as many young and half again as many eggs. Tribes settle in cave systems or ruins. They are ruled by the chief troglodyte who is often a priest as well.

Religion has a major role in troglodyte life. There is no one entity universally worshiped by all troglodytes, it is on a tribe by tribe basis. That adds to the tension between tribes which has historically driven the different tribes to fight one another. While powerful denizens of the Abyssal domains are often worshiped, Elder Beings are also worshiped. Some even follow the Old Gods, in a perverted fashion.

Trolls¶

Trolls stand about 14 feet tall and weigh around 1,000 pounds. Their hunched posture makes them look shorter. Males are solitary and females live in small groups with their young and up to three other females who are often siblings or older offspring. Males come around looking for a mate from time to time and if one of the females is inclined she will accept him. He stays for a short time and moves on once the mating is successful. Trolls defending a spawning lair, one with young, have a +2 bonus to all melee attack and damage rolls.

Trolls are almost always hungry. This leads to a never ending search for food. It also means that hiring a troll can be easier than one may think, so long as you have food to offer. The best food is some form of fresh humanoid but trolls are not picky so just about any meat will work. Gold is not a huge motivator, they like it just fine but food is more valuable to them. The treasure a troll tends to amass generally comes from the belongings of its prey. Which is why it is often found among the bones of past meals which litter the floor of a troll’s lair.

A troll’s lair is almost always underground. It could be a cave or sewer or a tomb or some other ruins. What matters is that it is isolated and safe. Other than that, trolls can hardly be called picky when it comes to where they sleep. The solitary males are more transient, while females establish spawning lairs in which young are raised. These spawning lairs will often see generations of trolls grow to adulthood.

It takes about twelve years for a new born troll to reach full adulthood. By the age of four they can fight as well as an orc. They can get by on their own from the age of six. By their tenth year they are ready to leave the spawning lair. Males go off on their own while females will seek a spawning lair with room to accommodate them. If one is not found they will establish a new one in a neighboring territory, often many miles from the nearest spawning lair. It is unknown how long a troll can naturally live but some subjects have been found to be over seventy years old.

Anyone seeking to employ a troll should be content to approach males. They would not be well received at a spawning lair. The females have no time to leave due to the young they care for. On top of that, they would see the interloper as a threat to their young. Even when dealing with a solitary male, the process of retaining a troll is tricky and dangerous. Most don’t make it past introductions before it gets violent. It is best to open with food, the amount of food being in proportion to the length of time one wants to talk.

Worgs¶

Measuring 3 feet tall at the shoulder and weighing close to 300 pounds, worgs are feared for their strength and viciousness. However, the intellect of worgs is often underestimated. In truth, it is the factor that really puts them on another level. They remember past foes and tactics. As trackers, worgs are far superior to dogs or normal wolves. They are determined and never forget a scent they track, most especially the scent of any prey that escaped.

Worgs will, if it suits them, attach their pack to some other group of creatures, so long as it is beneficial. They like goblins because goblins are easy to control and happy to have a pack of worgs. Other creatures they will ally with include orcs, hobgoblins, and various giants. Additionally, they will join with humans if fed and treated well. Being intelligent, one thing all worgs dislike is being treated as pets. In their minds they are in an alliance and allies are equals. They will not long tolerate being looked at as pets. Worgs hate goblin dogs and will kill them unless allied with the goblins whom the goblin dogs in question are serving. Nothing stops worgs from attacking owlbears, for whom they have an unrelenting hatred. The source of this is a mystery, but something about the scent of an owlbear sets worgs off. Finally, worgs love the taste of halfling and will seek it out when possible. One enterprising goblin took to making “Worg Yummys!”, the only worg treat made with real halfling jerky. It did very well and he amassed the largest most aggressive worg rider brigade in goblin history. Then his halfling supply dried up and half the worgs ate their riders in anger over the inferior gnome jerky substitute.

Sometimes a worg is taken as a pup and raised to be a companion of some sort. These worg are not welcomed by any existing pack. Not even their original pack will recognize them. That is not to say the pack will not know them, they will be known by their scent, just not accepted.

A typical worg pack is about ten strong. But, in rare cases, they have been know to have as many as thirty beasts. The pack will be commanded by the most powerful bitch. She controls them and decides with whom the pack will ally themselves. Any pack female can challenge the alpha bitch for leadership. Most fights for dominance are to the death.

Fet’louse¶

Commonly called a marsh trapper, these creatures wait just under the surface muck of a marsh or swamp. From there, they attack anything stepping on them.

Fet’louse CR 5

Alignment: N; Size: Large; Type: aberration

Init +6; Senses blindsense 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft, scent; Perception +15

Defense

AC 18, touch 11, flat-footed 16 (+2 Dex, +7 natural, -1 size)

hp 52 (7d8+21)

Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +8

Defensive Abilities amorphous; DR 5/piercing or slashing; Resist cold 5, fire 5

Offense:

Speed 10 ft., swim 10 ft

Melee slam +10 (2d6+8 plus grab), bite +10 (1d8+5)

Statistics:

Str 20, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 7

Base Atk +5; CMB +11; CMD 13 (can’t be tripped)

Feats: Alertness, Blind-Fight, Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Perception)

Skills: Escape Artist +8, Knowledge (geography) +10, Perception +15, Stealth +15 (+23 in wetlands), Sense Motive +8, Survival +10, Swim +17; Racial Modifiers: +4 Stealth (+12 in wetlands), +8 Swim

Ecology:

Environment: any swamp

Organization: 1 - 3

Treasure: standard

Special Abilities: constrict (2d6+8)

Fet’louse are believed to be a distant cousin of the lurking ray. They are found exclusively in wetlands areas, and while warmer climates are preferred, any climate can support them. Their coloration varies, but blends well with the local wetland terrain.

Most victims don’t know the danger until the vicious, foot wide maw filled with sharp teeth opens beneath their feet. This is quickly followed by the rest of the beast convulsing and rippling and bashing in an effort to drive its meal into those teeth. All of this is accompanied by the creature shrieking. This is commonly believed to be an effort to surprise, disorientate, and/or scare its prey.

If one could lift a fet’louse off the ground and examine it, one would find a creature resembling a 10 to 12 foot wide fleshy flower, weighing around 600lbs, 900lbs when fully fed. The mouth, in the center, leads to the digestive pouch underneath. The “petals” are flaps of flexible muscle which can undulate, lift up, and curl inward, all of which is done with the goal of forcing food into its mouth. Once enveloped, by way of a successful grapple attack, its prey is crushed to death and eaten. Inorganic items are excreted into the muck beneath the fet’louse. While they don’t care so much about riches, they do make several caches of excreted items in order to have something to offer when bargaining.

The most surprising thing about fet’louse is that they are intelligent and can even speak the common language. While it is possible to speak to them, they are not interested in the affairs of humanoids. Coin is not important to them but they do recognize that it can be useful to get other things. Food is more enticing. A promise of food can lead to fet’louse being employed as guardians, assuming the area they are guarding is a swampy area.

Every wetland area of the Middle Lands supports fet’louse and, as a result of their widespread population, there are regional names for them. In addition to marsh trapper, they are also called bog bo, slip, or mud crik. The average citizen of the Empire sees them as vermin, dangerous and deadly, but still vermin. As fet’louse don’t go out of their way to communicate, the common belief is that they are animals. While some of the more knowledgeable sages know different, the idea that they are at least as intelligent as people has not caught on with the general population. Other swampland humanoids, such as lizardfolk, don’t have this delusion and are more likely to interact with a fet’louse.

Jor Lizard¶

Similar in appearance to a large zebra-tailed lizard, the jor lizard is used as a mount by some tribals in hot and dry areas.

Jor Lizard CR 1

Alignment: N; Size: Medium; Type: animal

Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +4

Defense:

AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +2 natural)

hp 15 (2d8+6)

Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +0

Offense:

Speed 50 ft.

Melee bite +5 (1d6+4)

Statistics:

Str 18, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 10, Cha 1

Base Atk +1; CMB +5; CMD 7

Feats: Endurance

Skills: Perception +4

Ecology:

Environment: warm deserts or plains

Organization: 2 - 12

Treasure: none

Special Abilities:

Adapted to desert movement. Hence, the overland movement multiplier in sandy desert areas is at ¾ rather than the ½ listed for normal use.

Jor’ledos means “great sand lizard,” they are often called a jor lizard or a jor for short. A typical jor, having a slim and sleek build, is 400lbs and stands about 4.5 feet tall at the shoulder. They are 10 to 12 feet long, nearly half of which is tail.

These lizards are carnivorous, desert dwelling reptiles that inhabit the dry southern plains of Sulkor and some areas of the Great Desert. Jor are almost as adept at water retention as camels and faster in the open desert. In addition, they are very strong for their slight build and relative size. For these reasons, some desert tribes have domesticated jor, using them as mounts.

In the wild, jor eat a variety of desert insects. Domesticated jor live off beetles raised by tribals. The jor’s teeth are small and designed for crushing insect exoskeletons. While insects are their main food, any jor will eat whatever meat they can put teeth into. Typically, small prey is taken as it comes.

The average lifespan of a jor is fifteen years. They reach adulthood in their second year. A typical breeding pair will have four to six eggs a year. Eggs are buried in sand among rocks until they hatch, about ten weeks. The parents stay close and protect the nest as best they can. In the wild, only two or three of these eggs will live to see adulthood.

A jor’s skin is tough and they tend toward earthy color tones with black rings running down the tail. Tribals, however, have a fondness for other colors and domesticated jor have been bred for different colors and patterns when possible. Often times, the brighter and/or more extravagant skin patterns are used by tribal members with higher social status.

The breeding has led to a healthy jor trade among the tribals. In the past half century more non-tribals have been acquiring jor for use as mounts, at least in southern Sulkor. Over the last decade jor racing has been spreading. Some of the cities in Sulkor now have large, sandy rings used as jor tracks. They hold daily races for both sport and gambling. Likewise, jor breeding is moving beyond the tribals.