From: digdug@iastate.edu (Doug V Tran)
Subject: MAGAZINE: The Adventurer's Journal v1.3 (Part 2 of 2)
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.misc
Summary: FNN presents TAJ v1.3
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames IA
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 17:02:52 GMT


 ______________________________________________________________________
/ _ \                                                                  \
\__) \  Print: 2 cp        Fantasy News Network      # Subscribers:100  \
     |                                                                  |
     |               +--------------------------------+                 |
     |               | THE    ADVENTURER'S    JOURNAL |                 |
     |               +--------------------------------+                 |
     |          News for the Adventurers, By the Adventures             |
     |                                                                  |
     |  Vol I, Issue #3                              Date: Nov 6, 1992  |
     |                                                                  |
     |             Conjurer/Publisher:digdug@iastate.edu                |   __
      \       Hack and Slash Man/Editor:msphil@tsrv1.ts.wm.edu           \ (_ \
        \__________________________________________________________________\__/

				INDEX
				   
		    News from the Forgotten Realms
		   News from the World of Greyhawk
			   News from Krynn
			  News from Dark Sun
		       News from the D&D Worlds
		      News from ORIGINAL Worlds
		   Quick Guide to the Known Worlds
			    Weather Column

[Continued from part 1 --Mitchell Gold]

----------------------------------------------------------------------
-             KNOWN            WORLD/HOLLOW               WORLD      -
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(Mystara is the D&D Known World/Hollow World campaign setting)

		     TROUBLES ALONG ARMSTEAD ROAD

Mystara : The Republic of Darokin : Armstead :

The  Chancellor's  special  investigator  arrived,  reporting  serious
problems along the  way.   Apparently, of nearly  a dozen guards, only
two survived the trip.   They were  set  upon by  a mixture of mounted
goblins (on worgs) and goblins on  foot, all  weilding crossbows.  The
investigator is worried and is looking for guards to take  him back to
Darokin City.

		      SOLDIERS DEFEATS 1000 ORCS

Mystara : The Republic of Darokin : Fort Nell :

The soldiers   of Fort   Nell  reported  turning   back an  assault of
nearly a thousand orcs,  all on foot.   The  orcs  were wielding  long
swords, backed up by nearly two hundred  crossbows, and they exhibited
unusually good  military tactics.  Darokinian casualties  were heavier
than normal,  but   still   light.   The   commandant   has  requested
reinforcements.

	  EYE OF THE SERPENT AGENT DIES DURING INTERROGATION

Mystara : Alfheim : Alfheim City :

Elves  report  having captured  a shadow  elf who,  under  heavy magic
questioning, reported being an  Eye of  the Serpent.  The  authorities
are  slightly worried,  since they were  able   to determine  that the
shadow  elf was connected with  many more people,  but the questioning
killed the captive before names could be extracted.

		 SILVER FOUND AT CHATEAU DE MALINBOIS

Mystara : Glantri : Viscompty de Malinbois :

The Viscomptess  de Malinbois  today   announced the discovery   of  a
large  silver depost  under her own castle, the  Chateau de Malinbois.
The Fellowship of Were-Hunters, a group formed to hunt lycanthropes to
extinction, were pleased to hear this  and are already  working to get
silver weapons.

Mystara : Glantri : Glantri City :

Glantri,   after   minimal  research  into its   records,    asked the
Darokinian emissary  to go to  Crownguard, the castle of  the Klantyre
family.  The emissary, who was trying to find information on Conor and
Angus MacGregor, was   a  little disappointed,  but apparently  he  is
following up on the lead.

		VYALIA ELVES ATTAINS COUNTY OF VYALIAN

Mystara : The Empire of Thyatis : Thyatis City :

The   Emperor  announced the  secession   of part of   the  County  of
Vyalian  to the  Vyalia  Elves, who  formally  claimed their ancestral
lands a short time ago.  The rumor mill has gone wild with speculation
on what assurances the Emperor received.

	     BLACK EAGLE BARONY RAIDS DURING FESTIVITIES

Mystara : The Grand Duchy of Karameikos : Luln :

The  arrival  of  a  nobleman,  Lord  Valerius  Luctivitae,   prompted
festivities.  Unfortunately, the  festivities  were interrupted   by a
nocturnal raid from the  Black Eagle  Barony.  Town's mistress Sascia,
personally leading the town militia, repulsed the  incursion, and Lord
Valerius praised her for  actions similar to  those that earned her  a
barony.  Baroness Sascia is now the ruler  of the Barony of  Luln, and
she immediately adopted Luln as her patronym.

		    ELVES SPOTTED IN DYMRAK FOREST

Mystara : The Grand Duchy of Karameikos : Dymrak Forest :

The forest  has  been  silent of late,  and   the  frontiersmen in the
area are concerned that there may be some  problems if the goblins are
preparing for some great  move.  However, elves  have been sighted for
the  first  time in decades, and they  were lightly armed and armored,
but fast, silent, and apparently  deadly.  They warned off  any humans
they encountered, telling them to get out of the "Vyalia Woods."

	GENERAL AKHENTOPEN APOLOGISES TO THE CHURCH OF PFLARR

Mystara : Hollow World : The Kingdom of Nithia : Tarthis :

General  Akhentopen was  called  to  task  for  his heresy, failing to
recognize  that the people he  called   "those  vile dog-men who  dare
profess   worhip  of Divine  Pflarr" are  in  fact the  chosen race of
Pflarr, created by  that Immortal in  the distant past.   The  General
issued a formal and very lengthy apology to the Church of Pflarr.

	       MILENIAN TROOPS DEFEATS NITHIAN SOLDIERS

Mystara : Hollow World : The Milenian Empire : Eastern Border :

Milenian  troops  were  reported victorious   in a  confrontation with
Nithian soldiers.  Light casualties were reported.

		    ACOLYTES SACRIFICES FOR HERESY

Mystara : Hollow World : The Azcan Empire :

A   number of acolytes   and  a few of  the   mid-llevel priests  were
sacrificed after proclaiming heresies against Atzanteotl.  Apparently,
they   were also  secretly following   the teachings  of  a mysterious
emperor of ages past, called Atruatzin, the  Quetzalcoatl.  Priests of
Atzanteotl viciously denounce  these  beliefs,  and they  are quick to
sacrifice any who profess them.

Mike Phillips, msphil@tsrv1.ts.wm.edu

----------------------------------------------------------------------
-                           ORIGINAL WORLDS                          -
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Original : Cord - A city of the Free City Alliance :

		WHO TRIED TO KILL PRINCE ARKENSHIELD?

Rumors are still flying  in the city about  the aborted  assassination
attempt  on  Price  Arkenshield.  Was it a   disgruntled merchant? The
Brotherhood of the Night? Or his wife? Only time may tell.

	     CONTRACTS SIGNED WITH DWARVEN MINING COMPANY

The city fathers of Cord are pleased to announce that they have signed
a contract with a dwarven mining company from the  Western Kingdoms to
construct a complete set of  sewers under the  city. Though the  costs
will be high, the long term  benifits  to the city  will be well worth
it.

		       ELVEN MINSTREL VANISHES

The  newly arrived  elven  minstrel  who  was  fast becoming the  most
popular  act in Cord  has apparently vanished   from the city. Several
well to do locals are still looking for the missing minstrel.

		 TROUBLES ON THE EASTERN ROAD OF CORD

The roads east of the city appear to have grown more dangerous as fall
approaches. Master Send, local grain merchant,  reports  the loss of a
grain caravan this  week. City guardsmen report  that the  caravan was
apparently attacked by  a large band of orcs,  last seen headed in the
direction of the  evil Lake Tanga.   Captain  Migan Stonefist  reports
that patrols eastward will  be trebled, and  an  attack force is being
prepared to deal with these marauding orcs.

		   ADVENTURERS SAVES MERCHANT'S SON

When Master   Send lost his caravan, he   also  lost his youngest son.
Apparently the  lad was on  his  way back  from  visiting relatives in
Mist.   Fortunately a group   of    adventurous citizens   managed  to
negotiate his release from the foul  orcs. This same group of citizens
were also responsible for returning a recently stolen tax chest from a
group of marauding bandits that performed a daring  raid in the middle
of Cord itself.

			FATHER TIRLY STILL ILL

On a  sadder note, Father   Tirly of   the Temple of  Alara is   still
suffering from  ill  health. Apparently the  main  temple in Reap  has
still not agreed upon a replacement for  the elderly  and popular high
priest.  Let's hope the  temple hierarchy  makes up its  mind soon, so
Father Tirly can retire in peace.

Mark A. Thomas (thomas@capitol.com)     Capitol Multimedia Inc.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Original:Sea   of  Mist: What  started  out as a  simple  dare between
Brother  Jorune the  Learned, Priest  of  Daenku,  and his adventuring
companion, the elven ranger, Ferrin Greenleaf, soon became a paramount
discovery which led to many unanswered  questions.  The incident began
two  nights   ago, in  the  Last Tankard  Tavern,  in  the village  of
Blackwood.  A somewhat  intoxicated Ferrin  accused Brother Jorune  of
having no "advent'roush  shpirit <hic!>".  The insulted priest  denied
the  claim, at which  time   the drunken ranger  proposed a challenge:
journey to the  unnamed isle at the  heart of the  Sea of Mist.  Since
the shores  of the  Sea  of   Mist are  eternally shrouded  in  thick,
swirling  clouds of mist,  the existence of  the speculated isle is as
yet unconfirmed.  The  brave  duo set out  the following morning,  and
returned by  mid-afternoon,  visibly shaken.   Later that evening,  as
they warmed  their souls in front  of  a roaring   hearth at  the Last
Tankard, they recounted their experiences of the past day...

  "It was quite    unlike anything I  expected," began   Brother Jorune.
"The dense  fog does not cover the  sea -- only the  shores,  as if it
were a great ring."
  
While his associate paused to  sip some expensive imported  wine,  the
young ranger took up the tale. "We were able to see far out across the
surface,  but we could  never  see land.   Lucky for us  I  knew which
direction  to  steer us  in, otherwise we'd   never have  gotten back!
Anyway, we were about three miles or so off shore, when we  stopped to
eat and rest for a while.  That's when it happened."
  
Ferrin  looked deeply into   the   dancing  flames, seemingly lost  in
thought.  Brother Jorune decided  to continue  at this point, deciding
his friend was probably too tired to discuss the matter any further.
  
Heaving  a  sigh, he  said,  "A  long black finger   rose from the sea
itself!  As we continued to watch, others followed.   The water roared
as it cascaded down their sides, almost deafening us  and drowning us.
We hastily began rowing back, and  did not look  behind until the roar
had subsided.   When we  turned to  gaze  upon  the  ebony fingers yet
again, we saw..."  His voice trailed off.
  
"Spires!"  exclaimed  Ferrin. "There   was a HUGE  black   castle just
floating there on the water!"

Sandra S. Stanford
stanford@lonestar.utsa.edu


<Original> :  Seahaven The latest news from  the Seahaven courier ship
is  that  the Lord Mayor, in   conjunction  with unnamed parties   are
offering a captured mated pair of  adult bronze dragons  for sale.  It
is unknown how the dragons were captured or how  they  remain subdued,
but one will  be on display in  the Lord Mayor's  castle grounds until
the  auction, slated for two  months  hence.  The  Pirates of Centilla
have been contracted to provide defense against rescue attempts.

Rumor within a caravan: Don't look like you're enjoying the priestess'
company too much.  Lord Philip [the leader of a group of heavy cavalry
helping to guard the troop] has taken quite a shine  to her.   Heed my
advice,  my  Viristi friend, or  he'll put  you  on  double guard duty
faster than you can say deus sol.  Huh?  What does him being a paladin
have  anything to do with  anything?   He's  still    a man and   he's
breathing!

Rumor in Yagwa: They  say those people to the  east are having trouble
with a plague.   Seems that their  sailors brought it  back with them.
Like I always  say.   If  God had  meant for  people to be traders and
money-grubbers  then  he wouldn't let  these  things happen.  Probably
serves them right but we should send some people over to help them.

Rumor in Vir:  Insane  and wicked  humans  to the south are  pillaging
helpless  and innocent communities  as they  marOAch towards the city.
The millia [army] has been sent to deal with them  and the humans will
most surely pay dearly for their impudence.   [Actually the humans are
marching in the opposite direction, they are not complete fools.]

Legend in a Timnari Clan: Bearslayer [the long dead ancestor of one of
the PC's] took shelter in  one  of those  ruins and found  what looked
like a human skull except it was made of stone.  He brought it back to
the tribe for everyone to see [and left it when they moved  on].  That
next year  he disappeared while  on a  hunt and  was never heard  from
again.

Rumor amongst the Orcs: Stay away from the human  women.  They are all
able to summon up the wrath of the gods and use it as they choose.

Common belief amongst the Orcs: Humans take  great pleasure in cutting
off  the heads of  orcish babies  to  make   what to  them  is a great
delicacy.  They strip the flesh from the skull, cutting it into strips
and deep frying  it.  The brain  is liquified  and heated in the brain
case.  the strips of flesh are then  dipped into the brain mixture and
eaten like chips.

Common  belief  amongst most  other  races  concerning Orcs: Orcs  are
creatures of pure evil that delight in pillage, slaughter, torture and
rape.   This is proven by the  fact   that orcs  never  attempt to  do
anything but attack or  flee [usually the  latter].  One would do well
to  assume  that they  are up  to no   good.    A little  preventative
pesticide cannot  be a bad thing.   After  all, the  paladins of Yagwa
confirm that they are evil.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
-	    QUICK GUIDE TO THE KNOWN WORLD                           -
----------------------------------------------------------------------
WORLD: The Four Kingdoms
CREATOR: Ristonofer

-                         THE FOUR KINGDOMS,                         -
-                     A GUIDE FOR THE ADVENTURER                     -


THE FOUR KINGDOMS PRIMER
as told by Ristonofer Glamdring, Seminarian of the Academy

SHORT HISTORY of the KINGDOMS

    "The lands known as the Four Kingdoms encompass a great stretch of
land slicing north and south through the center of the continent of
Therduin, far west to the great Kingdom of Lorgaard, and east to
borders of the ever-encroaching Tyresian Empire.  The Four Kingdoms
stand now as tentative allies against the threat from the east, a
situation that has not always existed.
    We are in the first century of what scholars have termed the Third
Age of Man.  The First was the reign of the great Skuldavian Empire,
which ended in decadence and decay.  The Second Age encompassed the
majority of the history of the Mannish races, spanning nearly three
millennia.  It ended when the Four Kingdoms themselves united and
repelled the threat of the Tyresians for what was thought to be the
final time.  We have since, to our chagrin, found the celebration to
be a bit premature.  The Tyresian Empire, now not a threat not to
destroy, but to slowly conquer, looms large on the eastern horizon.
    During the Second Age, the Kingdoms of Lisorian and Hubran
dominated the central part of the continent.  In the second
millennium, civil war broke apart Hubran, and the Kingdom of S'ilaran
was born.  River Ophis divided the lands east and west, a barrier that
has stood unto this day.  Exiles from this civil war migrated to a
large island in the south, and the roots of what was to become the
Island Kingdom of Kiron were formed by the House of Garwen.  By the
end of the second millennium, the Four Kingdoms were formed.
    Owing to their origins, the Kingdoms were ever at war or strained
relations with one another, save Lisorian, who maintained a bit of
neutrality, though always aware of the threat from Hubran in the
west.
The Hubrian Range, however, has always provided more than a sufficient
deterrent to those wishing to invade Lisorian from the east;  the wild
lands that lay between western Lisorian and Lorgaard have simply never
been quelled.
    In the latter part of the Second Millennium, the Tyresian Empire,
at the time called Vomica Noire, grew in strength and began to expand
its arms both east and west.  An Emperor by the name of Tyrus seized
power and began building his empire through shrewd and some say arcane
means.  On his deathbed, he vowed to reappear a millennium hence and
seize power of the Known World.  The empire built on that promise, and
harried S'ilaran for centuries, pushing in, then being repelled, and
so on.  Finally, less than a century ago, it all came to a head.
    In the year 2A2882, a man claiming to be Tyrus seized power in
Vomica Noire, renaming his land Tyresias, and claiming all lands
within his Empire.  The Four Kingdoms, embroiled in their own
disputes, signed a truce to deal with the threat once and for all.
Within days, the leaders of those lands were all slain by assassins.
Young Victor of the Kironian House of Garwen, a direct descendent of
the founder of the Island Kingdom, took control and enforced the
treaty.  Soon after, the  Kironian Navy sailed for the east, and
turned the tide of the war.  The Tyresians, who had invaded almost as
far as the River Ophis, were repelled, and within a few years, the
Tyresian Empire lay in ruins.
    This is where we stood until recently.  Order returned to the Four
Kingdoms, and the House of Garwen regained power in Kiron.  Less than
a decade ago, however, the Tyresian Empire, thought to be far too weak
to consider imperialism, began another march into S'ilaran.  Today,
the Kingdom that was S'ilaran is totally occupied by the Empire, and
the Empire now makes its effort to push into Hubran.
    The brave Hubrans boast the finest warriors in the Kingdoms, but
soon, the Empire will simply be far too much.  The Hubrans have
withstood two great pushes to cross the river, but their state is
weakening, and the Empire is relentless.
    On our own shores,  the Pretender King has been put down by the
valiant forces of the Loyalists, and the Rightful Heir has been
returned to the throne.  There is celebration across the island this
day, but that celebration may be short-lived.  Civil war, if it can
ever be called that, has weakened this land to the point of not being
able to defend itself should the Empire continue its conquest into
Hubran.  Even internally the land may suffer now that many good, young
and strong men have died in battle, leaving many a widow and untended
field.

THE MANNISH RACES
    There are three distinct races of man that populate Continent
Therduin, divided roughly along east/west lines.  These include the
Lors in the west, the Therduin of the Four Kingdoms, and the Noirians
of the east.
    The Lors are the descendants of barbarian raiders from the far
northwest shores of the continent in ages long past.  They tend toward
fair hair, heavier structure and great height.  As one migrates
further south in Lorish lands, the hair and complexion of the folk
becomes a bit darker, but rarely will one find a black-haired Lor.
    The Therduin come from the original strain of Mankind as one of
the Lesser Races.  These people owe their heritage to the primitives
than wandered these lands in the time of the Creator Races themselves,
and as thusly as widely diverse as the day is long.  Free
interbreeding with the other Mannish races has led to broad spectrum
of body shapes and sizes, hair colors and skin tones.
    The Noirians as a race as olive-skinned and dark-haired, more
hirsute than the other Mannish races, but not so much as Dwarvenkind.
They tend to be thinner as a race than the others, but this is not to
say that a Noir could never be of great stature.  Little is known
about from where their ancestors come, and there are as many theories
on this as there are "experts" on the topic.

THE AMANNISH (DEMI-HUMAN) RACES
    There are three major Amannish races, commonly referred to as
demi-humans.  These include the enigmatic Elvesti, the pragmatic
Dwarves, and the problematic Ugoth.

    The Elvesti lay claim to being the oldest of all the races.  Their
progenitors, known to scholars as The Eldritch, were one of the
Creator Races.  They are prolific in their environs, but have no real
desire to expand beyond those.
    Elvesti appear as shorter, slighter humans, of fair complexion and
hair.  Average height for an Elf is about 5'5", but rarely does one
exceed 5'10".  Females are not much smaller than males, and more
similar in appearance to their males than any other of the Races.
Even Elvesti of extreme strength are not burly the way Humans would
be.  It is relatively easy for an Elvesti to pass for the opposite
gender among those that know few of their kind.  Their hair runs from
pale blond to bright copper, with many shades of the forest in
between.  Eyes are generally blue or green, but metallic purplish and
red colors are not uncommon.
    The language of the Elven-folk has been learned by many other
races, but none can speak it in the beautifully flowing tones as the
People themselves.  It is said to be one of the most beautiful things
in all the world.  It is also not shared very often with outsiders.
Elvesti will not carry on a secret conversation in their native tongue
in front of others simply for convenience.  It must certainly be a
matter of great importance.  To do otherwise is considered boorish at
best, something that only a Human would be capable of.
    The natural capabilities of Elvesti are far above the other
races.
They are smarter and longer-lived.  Their attention spans, however,
are short, and their perspective on matters others consider important
is radically different.  When you have two thousand years with which
to play, a few weeks of poetry and song is insignificant.  Other races
consider Elves frivolous.  This is not necessarily true.  When they
decide that a matter is worth their attention (be it a war or a flagon
of mead), they pursue it fervently.
    Elvesti have a great distaste for killing, but are very interested
in swordplay and archery.  They consider both great art forms, not to
be corrupted by use for excessive violence.  They understand the need
for hunting, but are very protective of any forest environment and
it's denizens.  They have a great appreciation for things in the wild,
but are very aware of the inherent dangers found in nature.

    Dwarves are tough, resilient people given to hard work and war,
descendents from the Creator Race known as the Drangor.  They live
mostly in or near underground mines and tunnels, spending much of
their time under the earth.  All their arts and work are tied to earth
and rock.
    Dwarves average about 4'7" in height and weigh 150 or more pounds,
but it is not uncommon for a Dwarf to reach 200 pounds.  Rarely does a
Dwarf exceed 5' in height.  Their skin tends to be rather pale due to
the time they spend out of the sun.  They are a hirsute people, and
beards especially have great significance in Dwarven life.  "Go get
shaved" is a popular Dwarven insult.
    There is a common misconception that Dwarves hate Elves.  While
the two races are at opposite ends of the spectrum philosophically,
there has never been a Dwarf/Elvesti war.  In fact, the two Peoples
have often come together during troubled times to face a common
threat.  Dwarves do have a distaste for Elven lifestyle.  While Elves,
as mentioned above, think nothing of frolicking and making merriment
for days or weeks on end, Dwarves would never consider such nonsense.
Time is better served doing or making.  The time an Elvesti would
spend playing, a Dwarf would happily spend digging through strata
after strata of rock in search of gems, or making a carving from a
huge piece of stone.  Dwarven outlook on life is serious, and their
every activity reflects this.
    Dwarvenfolk also tend to be more social than other races.  They
identify greatly with family units and bloodlines.  A Dwarf will take
great pride in being descended from another Dwarf of renown.  Dwarves
use family names when identifying themselves with phrases such as
"Thangor, son of Groznich", or "Thangor of the Bloodrock Clan", or if
a ancestor was particularly noted, "Thangor, blood of Throin
Oakenshield".  Though very familiar within their own clans, Dwarves
are extremely wary of outsiders, and will not identify their clan name
to strangers.  The simple greeting "Thangor, of the Dwarves" suffices
in most situations, although the unspoken implication is "and you're
not important enough to know more."
    There are rumored to be twelve great clans of Dwarves.  Each clan
is separate from the others and has it's own personality.  Each clan
has it's own craft in which it specializes. There are also said to be
several Lost Clans.
    The bane of the Dwarven race is their reproductivity.  Only  four
in ten Dwarven females is fertile enough to reproduce.  The only thing
that has kept the race from becoming extinct is their relatively long
(300-500 year) life-spans.  There is much effort among Dwarven
communities to find a cure for this infertility, but as of yet nothing
has surfaced.  The language spoken by the Dwarves is a rough, guttural
tongue, quite an opposition to the lilting, melodic tongue of the
Elvesti.

    By Mannish standards, the Ugoth are the most vile of the Races.
Physically they reflect the standards of their very warlike society.
They are big and brutish, more than head and shoulders taller than the
average Man, thickly muscled, with skin that tends toward yellowish-
green.  Facially they tend to be hairless, much in contrast to the
rest of their bodies; their features tend to be rather flat, gaining
them the epithet "pig-faces" amongst Men.
    There are several subspecies of Ugoth throughout the Kingdoms,
some far larger than normal, and smaller ones, called Squats that have
the cunning and guile that their larger brethren lack.  The different
strains of Ugoth have many different names.
    Constantly at war with something, Ugoth have a tribal society,
each tribe being led by the strongest warrior, male or female (though
the latter is exceedingly rare).  This position of leadership is
tenuous as best; a moment of weakness can lead to a new chief.  They
are warriors without compare when guided by competent leadership, but
their own stubbornness and low intellect has kept them a minor, but
irritating, force in the overall scheme of things in the Kingdoms.

RELIGION

    A great part of the conflict in the Kingdoms is still the struggle
between the "Old Gods" and the "One God".  The recent war, as you
remember, was mostly divided along these lines.  The Old Gods have
been worshiped by most peoples of the Kingdoms for ages; the One God
is less than a thousand years in the memories of Men.

Pantheism

    The Pantheist view lends itself to the belief that all facets of
life are intertwined.  The various deities have lain out guidelines
for mortals to though the motivation for those guidelines escapes Men.
      Common folk routinely entreat, thank and curse the various
deities throughout the normal course of their lives.  They see their
lives as controlled by the whim of these entities, and do what they
can to curry their favor.  This comes in the form of both organized
and individual worship.
    On the organized side, Priesthoods form hierarchal structure
through which this worship is done.  Priests of a particular deity
have had training in the practices of the veneration of that deity.
They know the ritual and history of their specialty.  They are
normally well-respected members of their community, and are looked to
for leadership and guidance.  Regardless of the deity of the
Priesthood, Priests are afforded the respect accorded to Freemen, and
those in the upper ranks of the hierarchy are treated as lesser
nobles.

Recognized Priesthoods
    Though all recognize the existence of the entire Pantheon,
Priesthoods are normally restricted to the worshipers of those deities
commonly considered "good" by Mankind.  While no one questions the
influence of Eregul, god of Death and the Dead, no "good" person would
consider worshiping him.  The structure of all Priesthoods vary from
sect to sect.  There have been known to be cults dedicated to the gods
of evil, but these are few and far between, at least on the surface.

MONOTHEISM
    The Monotheists are no more or less devout in the worship of their
god than the Pantheists, but as a community are far more fanatical.
The worship of a single, omnipotent being has existed for centuries,
but this particular faith springs from the efforts of a single Man
named Iescu.
    It is said that he came from a little fishing village in the
mountains separating Lisorian and Hubran.  It is said that his mother
was a maiden and his father was the One God himself.  Little else is
said of his childhood.
    It was his mission to bring together all men in worship of the One
God, to complete Man's understanding of his relationship with the One
God and how to properly worship Him.  He is said to have performed
great miracles, such as feeding 4000 people with seven fishes and a
loaf of bread; healing the sick and infirm; even raising the dead.  He
made most of his impact here on the Island Kingdom.  The roots of the
faith and the Kingdom itself come from roughly the same time period,
so it is easy to understand how and why this is the primary religion
on the Island.
    The Pontiff is the leader of the church as a whole.  The previous
one, who was loyal to Rathsmore, died under unusual circumstances
early this year; the Council of Arch-Prelates selected another (with
some assistance from His Majesty).  The Council consists of 15
members, one each Baronial Arch-Prelate, and the Arch-Prelates of
Mele'Kiron and Phila'Kiron.

SOCIETY

ROYALTY
    This station is reserved for the family of the King.
Historically, the descendants of the family of Garwen have ruled the
Island Kingdom.  King Drew, and his father Victor before him are from
this royal line.  Should Drew sire a son, he, too will rule Kiron.
The remainder of the family is accorded the station Royalty, though
there are precious few of them left.  Drew's elder sister Alicia is
married to the Crown Prince of Lorgaard, and his other sisters have
been married off to nobles in other lands.

NOBILITY
    Even though there is a Royal Bloodline, appointment to many posts
are given by merit.  Titles are normally maintained by birthright,
though the King has the option of appointing or removing an entire
noble's family from that status and granting it to another, should he
so choose.  Drew has gone a long way to redefine the nobility of
Kiron.  Many who were loyal to the Pretender King have been removed,
some by force, and new Baronial lines have been redrawn in the
Kingdom. The families of Dukes and Barons comprise this class.

LESSER NOBILITY
    This class is comprised of both petty landed Lords and those that
have been appointed to Lordship by virtue of their deeds. An example
of those appointed to Lordship are the two Lord High Protectors,
Mystra the Chaotic and Kel'wyn Weavemaster, who (along with other
companions, now deceased) were instrumental in the Liberation of
Phila'Kiron in the early stages of the Civil War.
    Other post-holders that fall into this class (unless they fall
into a higher class already) are the various officials that see to the
running of the Kingdom and Duchies.  This includes Castellans,
Overseers, Marshals, Religious Leaders, and the Knights of the Order
of the Crown.

FREEMEN
    With the rise of the great cities of Mele'Kiron and Phila'Kiron,
the middle class of Freemen is expanding at unprecedented rates.
These are primarily merchants, artists,  and those that have earned
their freedom by deed.
    The allegiance of a Freeman to the Crown is different from the
Commoner.
They are expected to obey the laws of the local Lord, and support him
in times of need. Unlike the serf, however, they need no permission
from the Lord to come and go; likewise, they do not enjoy many of the
same protections and services that the Commoner does.

COMMONERS
    The Commoner still comprises the majority of Kironian society.
These are the peasant farmers and soldiers that serve the Lords of the
Kingdom.  In turn for his allegiance to the local Lord, the Commoner
receives protection and assistance from that Lord, who in turn, owes
allegiance to the next, higher Lord.  The local Lord is responsible
for the Commoner, ensuring that he is outfitted well enough to ply his
trade (usually on the Lord's land), or, in the case of the soldier,
fed and housed as well.  The Commoner (sometimes called Serf) forms
the basis of the whole feudal society.  Some say it is no more than a
different kind of slavery.
    In the eyes of the Theotian church, lower-ranking religious
persons are considered Commoners, under the jurisdiction of their
Lord, which would be the leadership of the church.  The Crown tends to
stay out of these matters, as it does with much concerning Theotianism
(at least until recently).

SOCIETY AND ATTITUDES IN OTHER LANDS

    Other lands certainly have their own societies and cultures.  All
being far larger than the Island Kingdom, they have their various
layers of subcultures and countercultures as well, but we will stick
to the primary cultural thread of each land.  What you discover deep
within each land is up to you.

HUBRAN
    Officially called the State of Hubran, this Kingdom is by far the
most rigid of all.  It is structured much the same as a great army;
war and puissance at arms are of high value here.  The capital,
Trevor, has very rigid laws concerning who can and cannot carry
weapons within the limits of the city.  When traveling there, expect
to encounter a coldness toward all types of non-Hubrans, especially
those who follow those rather esoteric professions such as the
Priesthood.  Sorcery is strictly forbidden, and any official may make
immediate capital judgement on someone accused of it.  If you a Weaver
of even modest skill, be very wary in Hubran.
    Currently the Hubrans are involved in defending themselves from
the Tyresian Empire; this effort is draining their resources to
critical levels.

LISORIAN
    A peaceful and gentle land and people.  The Lisorians have never
known invasion from outside forces, and their attitudes show it.  They
have a fierce independence of spirit, but are rather warm to outsiders
when their independence is not encroached upon.  I would encourage
travelers to Lisorian to visit the Free City of Gramarye, a most
splendid place, especially to those interested in collections of
culture and knowledge.  It must be experienced to be understood.  The
Academy, the greatest institution of higher learning ever known, is
crowning jewel of this fine city.
    Lisorian has become a haven for many refugees and those that would
otherwise be political prisoners.  Given that there is much
undeveloped land within the borders of the Kingdom, there is plenty of
space and suitable resources to support the plethora of folk crossing
into the Sage Kingdom daily.  Some scholars believe that this  is good
for the Kingdom, and the positive repercussions of new blood will be
felt for generations to come.  Due to its geographical separation,
Lisorian has been least affected by the current conflicts.

S'ILARAN
    Technically, S'ilaran no longer exists, having been absorbed by
the Tyresian Empire, but I will make a few notes on the people there.
Silaranites are hale and hearty folk, truly dedicated to the lands
that they farm and cultivate.  There is an earnestness to these folk
that seems lost in the great cities of other lands.  Many in S'ilaran
believe that the land will falter under Tyresian rule, and have
dedicated themselves to the preservation of the land itself,
regardless of who rules.

TYRESIAS
    I honestly know little of Tyresian society, but I do know this:
they are marvelously efficient at all they undertake.  Their war
machine has effortlessly swept across nearly a thousand miles of land
and brought it under their yoke.  Their leader, the Emperor Alokkair,
I believe, is said to be a shrewd, cunning and cold man of
indeterminate age and unsurpassed intellect.  It is whispered that
many Tyresians truck with Dark Forces, and it is certain that there
are Weavers among them.

LORGAARD
    An ally to Kiron for many centuries, this great Kingdom runs more
than a thousand miles north and south on the western coast of
Therduin.  It has stood since the early years of the Second Age, and
the people are proud of their heritage and traditions.  They have the
reputation for being a bit stuffy, but are indeed people of honor and
dignity.  They also produce the finest Mannish wines I have ever
tasted.
    As noted, heritage and tradition play a great part in their
society.  Instead of building new things, the Lors are fond of
refurbishing old things.  The great keep Vatis Sacer has recently
undergone its 32nd major renovation.
    The society is patriarchal to the extreme; a son proudly bears the
name of his father (ie-Pierre, son of Jean-Paul) for his entire life,
unless his father has met with some loss of honor or other deleterious
circumstance.  Women are both placed on a pedestal and relegated to
second citizen status, all in the name of tradition.

TEVER SYPERE
    A small, very independent land north of Lisorian, Tever Sypere has
been able to maintain its neutrality due to the fact that it is
totally surrounded by a ring of mountains, with few passable places,
normally with names like Troll Pass and Dead Man's Gorge.  Very little
is known of the Syperians.  The only person I know from Tever Sypere
is Lord High Protector Mystra the Chaotic, a volatile and
unpredictable Wizard (never call her a sorceress, please) that has
done many great deeds in service of the Island Kingdom, and one I
number as friend.

ORGANIZATIONS

    There are several organizations or 'secret societies' at work in
the Kingdoms.  These range from the benign to the malevolent, but one
thing is sure.  There's got to be a reason they're secret.  Here's a
thumbnail sketch:

1.  The Keepers, a society dedicated to the preservation of all
knowledge arcane.  They have become paranoid and dangerous.  Avoid
them, especially if you are graced with the Gift.

2.  The Order of Order, a renegade faction of the Theotian Church.
Unlike the Keepers, they seek to destroy all things arcane, including
sorcerers, whom they see as "pawns of Dark Forces."

3.  The Order of the Crown, the premier association of Knighthood
known to all the Mannish races.  The Order is dedicated to goodness,
justice and chivalry, paying strict adherence to the Code of Atturh.

4.  The Web.  Spinning their treacheries across the Four Kingdoms and
beyond, the Web works toward unknown nefarious ends, linking together
similar organizations in all the lands.  Their prime foci are feeding
the Tyresian slave market and influencing trade (to their own
advantage) across Therduin.

5.  The Brotherhood of Pathfinders has dedicated itself to assisting
the traveler through the wild and wooded lands of the Kingdoms.
Little is known of their origins or long-term goals; suffice it to say
that they are a welcome site to the lost traveler.

CITIES
    Owing to the feudality that still exists in much of the world,
there are but a few great cities of the land.  Let me touch on the
most important.

Mele'Kiron
    Said to be the apex of civilization, this, the capital city of the
Island Kingdom is a vast and sprawling metropolis that houses more
than 100,000 people.  The Theotian Church holds much sway here; the
great spires of the First Church dominate the cityscape.  The King's
own castle stands north of the city, less than five miles away. There
is much of this port city given over to art, theatre and high society
(such that it is).  There is even an inn that boasts running water!

Phila'Kiron
    Across the island from Mele'Kiron, more than 200 miles by the
King's roads, Phila'Kiron has established itself as the "second
capital" of the Island Kingdom. It is from here that good King Drew
held his power base while the Pretender sat on the throne, and it is
from here that many great works were begun, to include the Street of
the Gods, a broad avenue with temples dedicated to both Theos and the
Pantheist deities.  This tremendous undertaking is still under way.

Trevor
    A great city in the land of Hubran, Trevor has stood almost 2500
years.  The city itself is divided into three distinct sections, the
Upper, Middle and Lower Cities, mirroring the social station of the
three.  The Upper City is from where the nobles of the the Ten
Families overlook the rest of their hold; the Middle City is dominated
by the ever-growing middle class merchant and his business; the Lower
is filled with the peasantry of the city--the common laborer and his
ilk.
    The city is bustling and alive with intrigue.  Each of the Ten
Families attempts to exert its influence over the others and the
Overlord himself as well as corrupting trade and warfare to their own
advantage.
    The officials of the city itself are rathy wary of adventurers and
mercenaries, labelling them nothing more than troublemakers.  Passage
out of the Lower City into the others is next to impossible for such
folk (without judicious application of grease to palms, so to speak).

Thanator
    The capital of the great Tyresian Empire, I have not personally
visited it, but I have heard reports from a reliable source.  It is at
once a beautiful and fearsome place, great artistic buildings
spiralling into the sky, hiding dark places of untold evil in their
shadow.  It is a place I would at least once like to visit.

Gramarye
    The greatest city ever, simply put, this free city-state in
Lisorian has stood since the early days of the Second Age.  It is here
that stands the Academy of Gramarye, the greatest institution of
higher learning in all the Kingdoms.  It is indeed a place for all to
see.

Ristonofer, menery@anthem.gn7cg.osd.mil
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-			    WEATHER COLUMN                            -
-                                BY: SEM                              -
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

                   Weather for the Scarlet Forest

Day One: Warm, Partly Cloudy, No Winds
Day Two: Warm, Partly Cloudy, Light Winds (West)
Day Three: Hot, Clear, Light Winds (North) (Morning Fog)
Day Four: Hot, Clear, Light Winds (West)
Day Five: Hot, Clear, Light Winds (West) (Morning showers)
Day Six: Warm, Partly Cloudy, Light Winds (West) (Overcast towards
evening with scattered showers)
Day Seven: Cool, Overcast, Rain (heavy at times)

Well, this isn't much but it is the predominant weather for the
Scarlet Forest this week.  Next time I'll explain the general
parameters and perhaps my calendar system, rather than saying
"day one", etc.  But in any case I'll do it in seven day blocks,
more if needed since it is pretty easy to generate, though not
very scientifically accurate since I know next to nothing about
meteorology.

SEM

<===========================================================================>
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