Chapter One: From the Ashes of Mount Deismaar
Over 60 generations ago, the champions of good and the minions of evil
fought a fierce battle at Mount Deismaar.The conflict was so great that
the gods themselves became involved. The evil god Azrai was intent upon
conquering the world (as any good evil god should be).
The gods faced off in the skies and in the heavens, destroying themselves and blasting Mount Deismaar to rubble. Thousands perished in the resulting devastation. Hundreds, however, survived. The survivors staggered from the battlefield, unknowingly imbued with the essence of the slain deities. These soldiers passed the bloodlines onto generations of descendants, each possessing a fraction of the god's powers, and giving them powers beyond mere mortals. The first of the inheritors of the "divine essence" became the new gods. Those after them are known as scions. Some are destined to rule kingdoms, while others use their abilities to seize power by less traditional methods. Scions who become rulers are called regents.
Regents form a special bond with their holdings (holdings can consist of Law, Guild, Temple, Source, a combination of each, or all four. In other words, regents need not be land holders to have holdings. A guild holding could be a trade route, a source could be the skull of a dead god, law holdings would consist of actually ruling and thus normally do entail ownership of land, Temple holdings could be a congregation of believers or a holy artifact, or a temple, etc.). This bond with their holdings is called regency and can grant them great power. Regency can be passed to one's heirs or the land could choose a regent. Regency can also be stolen.
Chapter Two: Bloodtheft and Bloodsilver (Tighmaevril)
Not all bloodlines flourished after the battle of Mount Deismaar. Shortly
after the destruction of the gods, it was learned that by slaying a scion,
another scion could "snatch" the divine essence from his fallen foe, augment
his own power, and strengthen his bloodline. Many families have risen to
prominence in Cerilia by destroying scions of weaker bloodlines and usurping
their power. By the same token, many bloodlines have vanished from Cerilia
forever. The act of usurpation, or bloodtheft, can occur whenever
two scions meet in battle; if a scion kills another scion with a piercing
blow to the heart, the slayer's bloodline strength increases.
The rarest kind of bloodtheft occurs when a scion is slain by a weapon made of tighmaevril (tie-MEE-vril; elvish for "bloodsilver"). This alloy is extremely rare, and thankfully so, for any scion who owns a tighmaevril weapon holds the fate of other scions in his hands. Tighmaevril was created by an elven smith over 2,000 years ago. In his lifetime, the smith crafted over 12 weapons from this rare, gleaming metal. A scion using a tighmaevril weapon to slay another scion steals the victim's bloodline strength and severs the victim's tie to his domain (assuming the victim is a regent). Over the years, the handful of bloodsilver weapons thought to exist have been spirited away.
Chapter Three: Awnsheghlien and Ehrsheghlien
Awnshegh is an elven term meaning "blood of darkness". The Awnshegh
are abominations descended from the blood of Azrai. Azrai's blood has infused
them with great power, and has warped them into the black core of their
personalities. They have names like the Hag, the Spider, and the Vampire.
They are the most feared form of evil on Cerilia, for unlike the mythical
threat of dark gods, the awnshegh are all too corporeal. They are seen,
felt and heard across the land. In many cases they rule their own realms.
Those realms are often pus sacks of evil. On Cerilia, the land responds
to the intentions of its master.
The most feared of the Awnshegh is The Gorgon. It was the Gorgon who shattered the greatest empire Cerilia has ever seen; that empire being the Andurian Empire. In single combat, the Gorgon slew the peoples' champion the young emperor Michael Roele. The Gorgon is the brother of the God Haelyn and Roele. He was at the battle of Mount Deismaar and was Azrai's third champion, but rather than rising to god hood like Belinik and Kriesha, he choose to stay on Cerilia. Ever so often, he leaves his realm of The Gorgon Crown, and when he does, he and his dark army of Goblins, Orogs and Gnolls ravage the lands with a reign of terror. The Gorgon has not left his realm since his slaying of Michael Roele. He broods in his forbidding castle, Battlewaite, but none doubt that his goal is still nothing less than to be ruler of all Cerilia. How long will it be before The Gorgon rages once more?
The Ehrshegh, or "blood of light" are a mystery. It is not clear if they are descended from Azrai, but have chosen not to serve evil, or if they are of other bloodlines, or something else entirely. Like their evil counterparts, their bloodlines transform them into something else as well; however, they have names like Golden Unicorn, the Fae and the Faun. Unfortunately, they are not as numerous as the awnsheghlien.
Chapter Four: The Races of Cerilia
The "civilized" races of Cerlia include elves (Sidhelien
as they call themselves), dwarves, halflings,
and even though the first three races would disagree, goblins and
orogs. Oh yeah, and there are humans too. Lots of them.
Unlike most fantasy worlds, it's not a happy little place where everyone
gets along and gangs up to kill the bad guys.
The Sidhelien keep much to themselves. They have joined forces with the other races in the past, but prefer their own company. There are three major Sidhelien kingdoms to speak of, Sielwood and Tuarhevial are similar in attitude. Outsiders are not welcomed. Intruders may not be killed on sight, but the repercussions of trespassing are not slight. The third is the realm of Rhuobe Manslayer. The Manslayer is an abomination, blooded of Azrai. He would like nothing less than to see the extinction of humankind, amongst many other races. The Sidhelien are inherently magical in nature. In game terms, they are always Sorcerers and are never Wizards; thus unblooded mages amongst the elves do not share the restrictions of other unblooded mages that the other races do (more on those restrictions later).
Half-elves of the realm live a life of constant stereotyping and racism. Humans view them as elves, and the Sidhelien often view them as tainted. There have been instances of half-elves banding together to form a community (those that exist are no larger than a village); however, normally they do their best to live amongst the humans. Some have been accepted amongst the Sidhelien, but not many. Half-elves do not share their full-blooded cousins version of magic. Mage half-elves are always wizards.
The Dwarves live deep in their mountain fortresses, daring any to try and trespass. Like the elves, they keep to themselves, but are not as xenophobic as elves. It's not uncommon to find dwarves in other lands. They like adventure, and take every opportunity to seek it. The dwarves are mortal enemies of the Orogs, the two races compete for their mountain homes. An offshoot of the dwarf race are the gnomes.
Gnomes often live amongst their dwarven cousins adding their expertise in illusion to the defense of the dwarven realms. Gnomes are renowned for their ability with illusion and often travel in small caravans, much like a circus. These circus caravans travel freely amongst the civilized nations plying their trade of entertainment.
The Halflings or Half-men have only one realm of their own, but are found throughout Cerilia, especially amongst the "big folk". Halflings are the least xenophobic of the races. They are not native to Cerilia. They once lived in a realm called the Shadow World. The Shadow World is a place which mirrors Cerilia on another dimension. It is an evil place full of undead and shadowspawn, but it wasn't always that way. The halflings were chased out of the Shadow World by a force known as the Grey Rider. To this day, the halflings can step into the Shadow World when the veil is weak between the two realms.
Goblins vary from unorganized barbaric clans to the all too organized goblin kingdoms. Goblins is a term used on Cerilia to refer to goblins, hobgoblins and bugbears. The only distinction goblins make between the three are strength and cunning. Therefore, a strong bugbear might lead a goblin army, but a weak, yet cunning goblin might over throw him and take over. As with the other races, they have blooded and unblooded individuals. There are three goblin realms: Thurazor, Markazor and Kal Kalathor. Goblins are not considered "monsters" in the traditional sense. They conduct trade, build nations and (of course) conduct war. It is this last trait which causes dislike towards them by the other races.
Orogs are pretty much bad motherfuckers. They are the bad guys in much the same sense that Klingons were the bad guys in the original Star Trek series. They are well equipped, fierce warriors led by powerful shamans and spell casters, but are nearly helpless in sunlight. They consider all non-orogs to be their enemies, but reserve a special place in their dark hearts for dwarves. The two races are in constant competition for control of the mountains. Thank-fully, there are no orog realms; however, they are often used by awnseghlien as shock troops and elite warriors.
Other races of mention include gnolls, giants and dragons. Gnolls are wandering marauders and brigands. They are a plague across all the lands. Any dungeon cleared out of foul minions is sure to be re-populated with gnolls in only a short time. Organized gnoll armies act as mercenaries, hiring themselves out to whoever offers them the most gold. Giants are elemental creatures closely tied to the earth. Most giants aren't evil. They are reclusive and leave the other races alone, as long as no one encroaches upon their land (the definition of encroachment amongst giants does differ from that of the other races); however, the ice giants of the far north and the evil fhoimorien are much more aggressive than their cousins and often raid other lands. Dragons are creatures of legend. Fewer than twelve have been known to exist. Today, perhaps only half that number is extant. Dragons of Cerilia are all of one species (no red, blue, black...) and remain neutral towards the affairs of the other races. They are said to wield powerful magic.
Chapter Five: The Human Kingdoms
Humans are by far the most numerous of the people of Cerilia and are
divided into five nationalities: Anuirean, Khinasi,
Brechts, Rjurik and Vos. These five
races make five distinct areas of Cerilia. None of the five areas are united
into empires. All five areas are fractured into several realms who constantly
war with each other and the other races of the land. At one time, several
of them were united into empires, the most successful of which was the
Anuriean Empire. It is believed by many scholars that all five of the nationalities
have a common ancestor known as the Basarji. According to many scholars,
the Basarji sailed across the Sea of Dragons long ago from a far off and
forgotten land. Evidence of their culture remains to this day (especially
amongst the Khinasi). The existence and influence of the Basarji is a hot
topic amongst Cerilian scholars.
Anuireans (often misspelled as Anurieans by this DM) are native to the southwestern portion of Cerilia. They were once a fair skinned, red-haired people, but centuries of extensive contact with other cultures have led them to lose most defining features. Anuriean society is semi feudal and based on a class of free farmers and craftsmen. Regents are usually titled nobles. Anuirenas respect nobility and look to their leaders to protect them form the barbarians and savages who surround the states of the old Empire. Commoners identify strongly with their lords, and the dealings and alliances of the noble families are topics of continuous discussion throughout Anuirean lands. Anuireans are based on the English kingdoms of the Middle Ages. Anuire will be the where the focus of the action takes place in the campaign.
The Brechts inhabit north central Cerilia. The Brechts believe in free enterprise, and their society revolves around wealth. Brechts are a short, stocky people with dark hair and dark eyes. More than any other race, they ply the seas with their famous ships. The Brechts are based loosely upon the Germanic kingdoms of our own history.
The Khinasi are similar to the Moors of our own history. They are said to be the direct descendants of the Basarji, and speak the language of the same name. Khinasians are tall, lanky with aquiline features, dark skin and dark eyes. Their complexions range from a light coffee to a dark brown color. Of all the human societies of Cerilia, the Khinasi fear magic the least. Magus are at the top of their societal ladder. In Khinasi can be found organized universities for the express purpose of teaching magic. They do, however, forbid the use of necromancy. Those who practice the "black art" (as they call it) are hunted. Like the Brechts, Khinasi commoners are traders and merchants, but an individual's decorum, hospitality, and conduct are far more important than gross wealth.
Even though the campaign is based in Anuire, much of it takes place in the realm of Elinie. Elinie is an Anuirean realm which was captured by Khinasi paladins long ago. It is still ruled by an ancestor of the Paladins to this day. Much of the culture of Elinie still has a Khinasi flavor to it.
The Rjurik inhabit the Taiga forest and highlands of northwestern Cerilia. They are a tall, broad shouldered people with blonde or red hair and fair complexions. Men and Women frequently wear their hair in long braids, with men often growing beards kept in long oiled braids. Their society is based on the Celts of our own history.
The Vos are a barbaric race from the cold mountains and forests of northeastern Cerilia. They are tall, thick boned people with flat features, light eyes and sallow skin. Male warriors are fond of shaving their heads and wearing long, drooping mustaches. Almost all Vos men are warriors and hunters. All other professions are considered unmanly and Vos women are limited in their freedoms. The Vos worship the dark gods Belinik and Kriesha, both direct descendants of Azrai. Their brutal society is based upon the Russians of our time period.
Chapter Six: The Iron Throne, A Short History
of The Anuirean Empire
The first and greatest empire of Cerilia was started by a man known
as Roele. Roele was at the battle of Mount Deissmar. He and his two brothers,
Haelyn and his bastard brother Raesene (The Black Prince who would later
become The Gorgon), are the children of the now dead god Anduiras. At the
battle of Mount Deissmar, Haelyn and Roele were at odds with their half
brother Raesene, The Black Prince. The Black Prince, always jealous of
his half-brothers, was one of Azrai's champions. When Azrai and the other
elder gods were destroyed, Haelyn rose to god hood, Raesene became the
Gorgon, and Roele became the first Emperor to sit upon The Iron Throne,
ruler of the lands blessed by his father, Anduiras. Thus Haelyn became
the patron saint of the Empire while the Gorgon, eternally jealous, set
out on a campaign of terror to destroy what his brother Roele had built.
Many years passed, with just as many battles. Each Emperor who sat upon the Iron Throne was a descendent of Roele, thus his name was adopted as the family name. None of the Emperors were as famous as the last. The Boy King, Michael Roele. Michael's short reign is regarded as the "golden era" of the Empire. This age is comparable to the Arthurian Legends of Camelot. Expansion of empire was the goal. He expanded the Empire to include much of Brechtur and Khinasi. His greatest achievement was uniting the fractious kingdoms of Anuire into one giant front. Emperor Michael Roele seemed unstoppable. The Empire never saw such a grand period. Warfare was constant, with Michael always at the front. So much so, that people began to worry about a lack of an heir, for he had not yet taken a bride. That mistake would led to the downfall of the Empire, that with one other factor: The Gorgon left Battlewaite intent upon destroying the young Emperor.
Michael and the Gorgon met in single combat during a battle which has been compared to the battle of Mount Deismaar itself. It is said that the two crossed swords for hours; unfortunately, in the end, the Gorgon was the victor. However, young Michael saved Anuire from the fate of the Gorgon sitting upon the Iron Throne. Before the Gorgon could conclude with an act of bloodtheft, and with his dying breath, Michael infused the power of his bloodline into the land, ensuring that the Iron Throne would not except his nemesis as the rightful ruler.
The results were a mixed blessing. The Gorgon had no choice but to return to Battlewaite, for even though he slew the last of the Roele bloodline, his legions were defeated by the combined armies of Anuire, the dwarves and the Sidhelian. Anuire was saved from that dark fate, but with no heir apparent, warfare broke out amongst the nobility. The prize being the Iron Throne itself. The Anuirean Empire was shattered.
That war continues to this day; however, the battles are normally small consisting of skirmishes and border raids amongst the Regents. The war often takes place in twisted political deals, assassinations and trade embargoes. The current top contenders for the Iron Throne are: Prince Darien Avan (ruler of Avanil), Archduke Aeric Boeruine (Regent of Boeruine), and Baron Heirl Diem (regent of Diemed). The Iron Throne still rests in the Imperial City of Anuire (and all three: Avan, Boeruine and Diem have Law Holdings there). It is guarded by the Chamberlain, Caliedhe Dosiere. It is his job to safeguard the Iron Throne until it is claimed by an Emperor. The Dosieres have served the Roeles for centuries. Many would like to see Caliedhe ascend to the throne; however, his family vows forbid him from doing so. The Dosieres are meant to serve the Empire, not rule it.
Rumors, wives tails and hopeful dreams all state that the Roeles are not dead. There are rumors that perhaps Michael was not the last of his bloodline, or that somehow Michael himself will return. Until or if that finally happens, Anuire remains fractured.