recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Custos

**Custos** is a Firbolg Barbarian from the Everglades in the Argent Basin. He is one of the four original members of the party, but leaves on a personal quest following the Battle of Leftbridge.

## Background

Born in the evergreen woodlands of the north, Custos grew up in the cradle of nature. From a young age he was taught how to live off of the forest, and gained a deep appreciation and trust that nature could and would provide all that was necessary for life to flourish. As he neared adulthood, Custos learned that his kin were not the only race to inhabit the land and that not all of them shared firbolgs' appreciation of nature.

When he finally came of age, Custos volunteered to train in the ancient art of a firbolg fighter and join the few remaining warriors that would defend his home. Training came easily at first. He quickly grew accustomed to many of the weapons his instructors showed him. He learned how to use the terrain to his advantage and flow through a battlefield with all the swiftness of Mother Nature's children. Those years of his life flew by far too quickly.

Although Custos believed to his core that it was his duty to protect nature as it protected him, he did not expect the experience to come at the cost that it did. His training complete, he and those he had trained with spent their days sparring to keep their skills sharp and prepare themselves for any threat. It was during such a sparring session that he first felt it. He remembers little from that day, just an intense animal rage as his partner was about to best him, and then a blur of motion. The rest is hazy, but to this day he can still remember the body. Torn nearly clean in two, the blunted edge of a training sword having struggled to cleave through the torso. Custos' hand still clutching the sword now lodged where the stomach would be. Trembling, Custos lost his grip on the weapon, and fell to his knees as what remained of his friend collapsed limply to the forest floor.

Everyone told him it was an accident, that training was a dangerous undertaking, but he knew better. It was no accident. Every time he thought about it, every time he let himself think about it, he could feel it again. The rage. The urge to fight. To feel the blood pump beneath his skin. It wasn’t long before he couldn’t take the platitudes and false words any longer. In the dark of night, he stole away, leaving behind his home, his family, and the only life he had ever known.

Since then he has carried on his duties as a protector, living in solitude, stalking the woods. Trying desperately not to succumb to the blood-lust he had once felt, he tries to never kill, and protects the sanctity of life where he can. Maybe someday he can atone for his sins, and be free of the guilt he still feels.
BIN Boi Nick

The darkest edgelord BIN Boi.

Enjoys anal beads and other butt stuff. He is the second most gay member of the BIN Bois.

Nick has never been in a relationship which leads many to think he has the gay

In love with the Bird, but the Bird will never love him back.

Has mastered the thigh masturbation technique, with help from secret meetings with the dark lord.

Known for sayings such as: "h6bgtklnmg[9-=0iyu4th3gft6jyg7t6" "SUGGADICC," "YEAAAAAAA"

His gayness is misconstrued for he does not like Pr0n
Balthamos

**Balthamos** is a being of devilish origin, who was in charge of a pack of devils that were searching a ruined chapel south of Lavente, which had also drawn the attention of Marsilio Di Angeli. He makes a deal with Lionel Forrester to retrieve a relic from the chapel's crypt in exchange for the return of his friend Gaeldrim's soul.

## Description

Sitting on a crossbeam in the rafters and leaning against the side of the ceiling, one leg dangling down and idly swinging, is what at first looks to be a tiefling. He has bright red skin, sharp angular features, pupil-less eyes, and ridged black horns coming out of his forehead and curving smoothly back behind his head. But the more you look, the more you can make out variant details that mark him as something else than a common mortal. His features are a bit too angular, almost alien. His eyes are solid black, like polished ebony, the same colour as his horns, and he has two further small horns coming out of his lower jaw on either side, where a beard would be. His fingers are long and spindly, tipped with pointed black fingernails, and his teeth, which he flashes in a grin, are filed into pointed edges. More than that, he has a pair of leathery red wings furled behind his back, cruel talons at the end of each bony segment.
Cycles of the Moon

**Cycles of the Moon** is a puzzle encountered by the party in the tunnels below Ironstone while they were attempting to breach the inner chamber of an ancient ruin, presumably linked with the Precursors.

## Context

Previous to the puzzle, the party had fought two ancient clockwork golems and retrieved four small crystal orbs, each resembling the moon in various states. These orbs are crafted of dark, clear glass and opaque, white glass in four different patterns

### The Puzzle

The players step into a large dome-shaped room sixty feet in diameter and height. It is quite dark but the ceiling of the room is lit up to look like the night sky. It is covered in dozens of shining stars in a sea of black, but there is no moon to be seen. Along the walls, perfectly spaced at 90 degrees apart from one another, are four carvings that show the moon in four states:

* New Moon
* Crescent Moon
* Gibbous Moon
* Full Moon

Ten feet in front of each of these carvings are pedestals with small indentations that appear to be designed to hold the orbs the players found earlier. (Placing the corresponding spheres in front of the carvings does nothing for now.) In the center of the room is a rectangular column that extends all the way into the darkness of the ceiling. Each side of this column has a tube sticking out of it that is pointing directly at one of the pedestals, exuding no light.

### The Solution

To solve this puzzle the party needs to shine lights that match the engravings on the wall. To do so, they will need to do a few things:

* Find a way to open the tubes at the center of the room. This is simply done by pulling slightly on the tubes causing a small latch to open. Inside each tube is a dim, faded crystal that sheds a tiny amount of light.
* Replace the burnt out bulbs in the tubes at the center of the room. This is done by harvesting the stars from the ceiling which are in fact just more of these crystals that have not lost their charge. The players will need to find a way up to the 60 ft. ceiling (climbing the central column is the obvious method) but the walls of the room should be scalable as well with some effort.
* Once the players have the new crystals, they simply need to screw them into the tubes and it will project light out to the wall. Then the opposing Moon Orb will need to be placed on the pedestals. So to project a Full Moon on the wall, they need to place the New Moon orb in the pedestal, because the darker, clear glass portions of the orb are what allow light to pass through.

Placing all the correct pieces in the right order caused the wall on the opposite side of the one they came through to slide open, revealing the passageway into the next chamber.
Appendix • Objectives & Goals

## Current Priorities

* All - Get to the Artefact.
* All - Get the key (Yuli) to the Garden.

## Upcoming Priorities

* Oondak - Needs to find a cure for the disease ailing his tribe. Then, he needs to return home.
* Nicolaos - Needs to go South (Domar) and figure out the gap in his memories.
* Nicolaos - Visit the Gnome Gnetwork.
* Yuli - Get to the centre of the Desolation.
* Finn - Perform his play.

## Overarching Goals

* All - Get to the Artefact.
* ~~All - "Fix" Gaeldrim's rage.~~
* All - Visit the Black Kraken Company HQ in Silverthorne.

## Finished Goals

* ~~Reach Decime and recover the artefact~~
* ~~Let the guards know Barco requires aid. Survive the night.~~
* ~~Yuli + Gaeldrim - Need to take care of their curse in Thyr (Tyrenter).~~
* ~~Lionel - Needs to find something in a different Plane of Existence.~~
* ~~Yuli - Needs to go East (across the ocean).~~
* ~~All - Pull in the same direction.~~
* ~~Gaeldrim - Head back to his Pride.~~
* ~~Jendora - Wants to kill Gyoda, an assassin from her past.~~
* ~~Evandur - Needs to find his parent's killers.~~
Campaign 1 • Chapter 08

"*Look at this. So much death. What can we do against such hatred? They treat us like we’ve brought nothing but slavery to these lands. We brought order, laws, justice, stability. We built roads, schools, libraries, infrastructure, and this is how they respond. By slaughtering us in the sand.*"
 ― Julius Vex

## Ravages of the Plague

They travel southeast from Imrafel to the village of Zaira, which had gone quiet according to scout reports. Along the way, they discuss the war and the state of Samarkhet. The war, Julius tells them, was at a stalemate, with Inquisition troops unable to push far enough into the desert to achieve any real victory. The Samarkhesians were skilled at ambushes and quick attacks, and it had so far frustrated the legionary forces.

Upon reaching Zaira, they find the village (which is built into the side of a massive stone column) completely desolate and seemingly empty. They approach, with the party heading in first to investigate, but while quietly climbinb up the winding stone path, they knock loose a stone. The resulting noise wakes a horde of sporelings, the same creatures that had razed Hedgewood, that seems to have overrun the village. A brief battle follows, and with the assistance of the soldiers Julius commands, the kill the dreadborn pack.

Inside the village they find a strange scene, as if the residents had simply disappeared, leaving most of their belongings in place, and no trace of bodies or remains. They do however find a survivor, a weak and feeble old elf, who seems to have been left untouched by the sporelings, but also seems close to death from starvation and dehydration.

The survivor tells them how the sickness, the Wither, spread very quickly from a travelling merchant who scratched a resident, causing a sudden outbreak that consumed the village. Like they had experienced and been told before, it only took a few days for the symptoms to show and the infected to become rabid. Tthe infection began with coughing and fever, then skin starts to have grey mottled bruises which eventually spread until the victim snaps. The old elf tells them that the ones who got sick first also started to change physically, with bone claws jutting from their fingers and teeth losing gums and becoming sharper. While he talks, the group notices the grey mottling on his skin, and realise that he too is infected. When he is finished, he begs them to kill him so that he wouldn't turn. Custos, taking the burden upon himself, obliges.

The only other thing they find in the village are a few creates, similar to the ones they had encountered at Westhaw, which are marked with the symbol of a nearby mill town, Al Salah, that serves as the main grain distribution centre of the region. Further investigation determined that the crates had some traces of the plague on them, which convinces Julius to continue the investigation by heading towards Al Salah.
Ascended Deities

**Ascended Deities** are mortal individuals who have managed to achieve a level of deistic power, classified as the ability to draw their power from the worship of others. Such individuals free themselves from the earthly tether and fashion their domain amongst the Fractal Realms in The World Stream, taking their place amidst the Prime Deities who came before.

In many cultures throughout Ygdren, there have been several beings in history who claimed themselves to be gods. In most cases it is a claim based on falsehood, as these pretenders were mainly mortals who achieved near-godlike powers. While they have indeed been powerful beings, they pale compared to real gods. Many such false deities obtain their power and status through blood sacrifices and blood magic, and typically feed directly upon their worshippers. In many respects they are simply deceptive tyrants. However, in some very rare cases, mortals have actually succeeded in transcending the material coil to become entities considered as deities. This process is called ascension.

Ascended deities are amongst the strongest entities in the cosmos of Ygdren. They possess a scale of power comparable with the Prime Deities and are placed on the same level, but remain outsiders even amongst the gods, forever branded as usurpers of the divine power.

## List of Ascended Deities

* The Arkencast
* The Ashmaiden
* The Grailknight
* The Silversong
* The Shénziao
Ashburn (river)

The **Ashburn** is a major river in the Argent Basin. It flows from several small tributaries that descend from the nearby mountains, one of which is notably a waterfall on top of which the old border keep of Eboncaer is built. The river empties into the bay just north of the southernmost tip of the Sentinels. The fortified town of Ashdun, one of the oldest cities in Atheldael, is built at a fork where the largest tributary joins the main river.
Bill Fisher

**Bill Fisher** is the dock master at Stillwater, a half-elf. He is a lazy drunkard that Yuli and Gaeldrim bribe in order to gain access to the dock ledgers and find out more information about Yuli's mother.

## Description

A portly, greasy, middle-aged man, with oily black hair. Dressed in stained clothing and reeks of alcohol and sweat. He's got some stubble and a wispy moustache, that does nothing to cover the bags under his eyes.
Draken (constellation)

**Draken** (*Old Elvish:* "Drake"), commonly referred to as "the Wyvern", is a constellation in the night sky of Ygdren, depicting a wyvern in full flight. It is said to be an omen of imminent death or destruction of property. This can be taken positively, for example by raiders before they embark on a voyage or assault. People born under this sign are said to be vicious and sometimes cruel.

As a seasonal constellation, Draken is only visible in the northern hemisphere during the summer.
Campaign 1 • Chapter 05

"*Sickness’ made a ruin of this town, and that’s the honest truth. They call it the wither, and the name’s apt alright. We’ve lost half our able men, and we can’t trade out of the town no more. Nobody wants to buy from us see? It’s a shambles, and what’s the crown doing to help? Sending four nobodies to "investigate". No offence; it’s just I’d rather they sent a few arcanists to conjure the sickness away, and you don’t seem like no scholars.*"
 ― Jaclyn Morrigan

## The Road West

From Lynnhold, the party travels west following the forest road through Stedmark and later Crosswood. Everywhere they stop, they investigate the persisting rumours of plague, which seem to originate primarily from a coastal town by the name of Westhaw.

When they reach Westhaw, having travelled most of the width of the Everglades without much trouble, they are greeted by the lord of the town, a lesser earl by the name of Jaclyn Morrigan. Under stress and ill-tempered, he asks them what they plan to do to fix the plague situation that is ruining trade into the village and ravaging the population. He begins to give them details about the plague itself, describing how it begins as a simple grey rash that spreads across the skin of the person until it affects their minds, turning them rabid. The conversation is interrupted when a few sailors on the dock that are unloading crates from a newly-arrived ship seem to succumb to that exact same plague and begin attacking other people on the docks

The party fight off the infected sailors, and then investigate the cargo of the ship they were unloading, finding it to be full of food supplies. The earl informs them that the supplies are imported from Samarkhet, but tells them that no ship here will take them due to the ongoing war between the Vigil Protectorate and the Mordael Emirate, so they would have to charter passage in Winterport from the smuggling ring known as the Drowner Triads.

They decide to follow the trail and take a ship to the port city, a journey that will take them the better part of a week, and hire a grumpy trader by the name of Floki to take them, setting off the following morning.
Calius Durio

**Calius Durio**, a curate of the Church of the Vigil, was tasked with the clergy of Imrafel following its takeover. Extremely religious, he was discovered to be perpetuating the Wither under the orders of a mysterious stranger with "eyes of fire". He killed himself to avoid punishment after the party and Julius Vex confronted him.
Evelyn

**Evelyn** wasa young orphan girl who worked at the Hedgewood inn before the attack. She aws one of the first people the party encounters in 4E 102 at the village, and shows great interest in their adventures. She joins the party after the events at the Precursor Temple, is later revealed to be Salakai's illegitimate daughter, and dies during the Battle for Silverthorne in 4E 103.
Duran Ashford

Earl **Duran Ashford** was the head of House Ashford and one of the most influential nobles in the Elven Empire in 4E 102. He was in overall command of the armies and fyrd of Norfeld Reach, including the garrisons for the border keeps, and answered directly to the Queen. He died at the Battle for Silverthorne in 4E 103.

## Background

Duran was born in a time when tensions between the Northern Alliance and the human kingdoms were rising once again, threatening a longstanding peace that had so far only been marred by a few skirmishes and border raids. He was raised from a young age to lead and to fight, and he showed an aptitude for both very quickly.

He got his first taste of war in 3E 1972, when the kings of the Marble Vale led a surprise invasion north. Norfeld Reach, Duran's earldom, took the brunt of the first attacks, and Duran's father was killed in the fighting. Now earl, and still little more than a child by elven standards, Duran found himself in the middle of a power struggle between lesser earls trying to usurp his position, and an encroaching enemy force. With reinforcements still days away, Duran gathered together those earls loyal to him and led a brutal hit-and-run campaign, harrying the human armies all the way down to the shores of the Ashburn, where they were shattered between the hammer of Ashford's forces, and the anvil of the rest of the alliance troops.

His exploits during that first campaign earned Duran a great deal of respect, and his bravery and tactical skill became an asset of major importance to the crown. Over the decades, he remained the first line of defence against incursions from across the Sentinels, turning his relatively small earldom into a defensive array of keeps and outposts designed to devastate and slow invasions as they passed through.

The forces he nurtured would be put to the test many times throughout the years, facing countless eager warlords and raiding parties, but never more so than when the newly-formed Vigil Inquisition launched another invasion on the Elven Empire. The latest in a long line of aggressors, the inquisition legions proved to be a formidable foe. Organised and disciplined, they met Duran's fyrd outside the fortress city of Ashdun, in a gruelling battle that lasted two days. It was the first major defeat of Duran's career, and his own son died in the fighting. Though he had never been the most optimistic or good-natured, the loss of his son turned Duran sour, a fact which was only cemented further when his wife died a few months later to a common sickness.

Bitter and angry, wishing nothing but revenge on the Vigil Protectorate, he was and remains to this day the biggest critic of the Triskele Treaty.
Atraxi (constellation)

**Atraxi** (*Viric:* "Chains"), commonly referred to as "Thanagor's Chains", is a small constellation in the night sky of Ygdren, depicting a figure bearing chains that hold back the stars. It is said to represent the endless imprisonment of Felgrindr, the Evermoil, and his malicious jailor: Thanagor, the Shackled Titan who is a necessary evil that takes pleasure in keeping the former at bay. Legend would have it that if the constellation ever were to break apart, the mad god's will would sweep over the world and devour it whole.

As a circumpolar constellation, Atraxi is always visible in the night sky of the northern hemisphere.
Black Kraken Company

The **Black Kraken Company**, officially known as the *Black Kraken Mercantile & Trading Company*, and sometimes known as the *Black Trading Company*, or simply *The Company*, is a trade and mercantile organisation of Athelian origin. It is privately-owned, and owes no allegiance to the crown, but has close ties to the monarchy and is often chartered for official purposes.

In 4E 776, it is one of the most powerful organisations in the world, holding its own private land holdings, chartering its own navy and armed forces, and responsible for a sizeable percentage of all trade to and from Almeras. It was one of the first institutions to recognise the potential of sky ships and push for their advancement.

## Organisation

### Structure

As a primarily naval-based institution, the Company employs a sizeable fleet as well as a substantial military force trained as marines and peacekeepers. Their ranks are often recruited from those with previous military experience who wish to serve a more lucrative cause.
Cerulean Ocean

The **Cerulean Ocean** is the largest and deepest of Ygdren's oceans, extending across nearly an entire hemisphere from the western coasts of Maíandir and Yuantica, to the eastern coasts of Almeras and Anterra. As one component of the interconnected world ocean, it borders the Havitean Ocean to the south, the Sinerean Ocean to the north, and the Vastenean Ocean via the Strait of Ebelin in the west.
Crimson Veil

The **Crimson Veil** is one of three institutions in direct service to the crown of the Elven Empire. They form the intelligence and subterfuge division of the elven military, with members specialising in combat, arcana, intelligence, and eventually all three. In 4E 102, they are led by Grandmaster Evan Cairne.
Abbie Walker

**Abbie Walker**, was a half-elf bandit who operated on the outskirts of Atheldael, leading a larger organised group of bandits known as the Blackrock Gang. During an assault on the gang's fortified encampment in 4E 776, she dove into a mountain stream to escape and was presumed killed by the rapids. Her body was never found. She would return later, as an undead servant of a larger power, seeking to claim Yuli for the one she serves.

## Description

### Before Death

A relatively tall, half-elven woman. She has dark skin, brown eyes, and thick curled black hair cut very short; shaved crudely, perhaps with a knife, on the sides. She's well-built, well-muscled, and is wearing thick leather armour studded with iron. Her ears are adorned with a number of gold loops and earrings, and her expression is seemingly locked in a permanent scowl. At her hip swings a sheathed cutlass, and an arclock pistol is tucked into a loop in one of the straps that holds her armour together.

### After Death

A familiar humanoid figure, clothes and body dripping in water, dark skin mottled and wrinkled, face overgrown with clusters of stony limpets, and a large protruding coral growth bursting out of the left side of the face and curling behind her head. Her face, once cold and calculating, is now twisted into an undead facsimile of rage claimed by the sea, and the touch of her hand is clammy and cold
Campaign 1

## Dread War

The first campaign set in the world of Ygdren, in the years 4E 102 and 4E 103, sees four individuals from across the continent of Maíandir brought together by a series of visions that prophecies an oncoming war against a race of fiends known as Dreadborn. The adventure takes them through various trials and adventures; dealing with a plague in Samarkhet, a rebellion, traitors and assassins, and ultimately a large scale demonic invasion and the threat of extinction. Along the way they meet new companions and lose old ones, heading always towards a final conflict against an ancient foe.

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Anderrow

**Anderrow** is a small, unimportant village just south of Stillwater. It is located deep in the Lustrewood and is rarely visited by merchants or travellers. As a result, the village has very few facilities or accommodations.

## Notable Locations

### Bill's Stable

Owned by William Tanner, the stable is probably the largest building in town, with a vast penned area next to it where one can see multiple horses grazing. It's entirely made of timber, with a thick thatched roof. The smell of hay and freshly shorn grass mixed with dung is pungent, reaching you long before you get close to the building.

### Zathra's General Store

Owned by Zathra, the store is a single storey log building, with narrow windows and a very simple exterior, with numerous scratches and graffiti etched into the outer wood. The inside is equally simple, lined with shelves nailed into the wood and a variety of boxes containing unorganised items and goods.
Campaign 1 • Prologue

## Chasing Visions

Welcome to the world of Ygdren: a small planet, orbiting a binary star system, with a single moon, and three major continents. The story takes place primarily in the western continent, Maíandir, beginning in a small, peaceful, farmer village tucked away in the heartlands of the Elven Empire, where an unlikely set of adventurers have just arrived.

The reasons they are here differ. A firbolg, an aasimar, and two gnomes, they seemingly share nothing in common, save for the fact that all of them have been suffering through a vivid series of ominous dreams.

Custos, the firbolg barbarian, hails from the far north, from deep within the tangled depths of the Everglades, where he has lived all of his life. For the past few days, he has been unable to sleep, constantly seeing grim visions of forests rotting and dying, trees crumbling from within, and shadows flickering between the trees, and hearing harsh whispers that left his head aching.

Castiel, the aasimar paladin, has travelled across the mountains from the distant southeast, venturing into foreign terrain for the first time in his life. Much like Custos, he has been tormented by visions of war and destruction. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw cities burning and people dead in the streets, but always he could see nothing that would have killed them, only a looming shadow that eventually consumes the sun and ended his dream in complete darkness.

Namfoodle, the gnome ranger, left his home in the southern forests of Norfeld Reach, travelling north through Northern Alliance territory. He has been seeing disjointed images of caves and tunnels that are swarming with hundreds of abnormal creatures he doesn't recognise and can’t clearly see, but somehow, their twisted shapes and unnatural movements still seemed oddly familiar.

Tinkeder, the gnome artificer and Namfoodle's half-brother, has joined his sibling on his quest, having also been subject to strange dreams. His visions have been hazy and unclear, but always he could see a wheel of emerald fire cutting through blank air and sucking warmth and light into its centre, and a half-hidden figure standing nearby, with eyes that shine the colour of molten lava.

Although each set of dreams is different, all of them have ended with a faint, melodic voice speaking to each of the four in a language none of them understand. And yet...some subconscious part of their minds compelled them to travel in this direction, and whether by luck or by design, they have all come to this place on the same day, a few hours into the morning, while a busy marketplace thrives around them.
Campaign 1 • Chapter 03

"*The darkness we face has many ways of wresting information it seeks, willingly or not. I trust only you with this, as the sword has made its choice. The blade you now bear has seen much sacrifice and death, and it will see more again in your possession I fear. It is a weapon of the ancient times, bound in fire and the heart-blood of the earth, forged in flame, and what effect it will have on you, I cannot say.*"
 ― The White Lady

## The Sword in the Stone

The party follows the Witherburn northeast, taking the path shown to them in their collective visions. At the base of the mountain pass, near the village of Baleden, they once again meet with The White Lady, who leads them up the pass to a ruined keep built atop a pillar of stone in the middle of a ravine. According to The White Lady, the keep, An Rath, seems to have been overrun by dreadborn, but more importantly is emitting a low hum of power similar to that given off by Cirit'cel, Namfoodle's bow.

The party ventures inside, crossing the crumbling bridge and battling a number of dreadborn at the gate of the keep. Inside, they find the keep in disrepair, with all the buildings empty and in ruin. Fighting their way through the remaining dreadborn, they enter the main hall, which is empty aside from a large stone in the centre, embedded into which is a magnificent white sword.

Inside the hall, they are ambushed by a fiend of shadow, a Whisperer, that turns them against each other and is nigh impossible to see or strike. The fight leaves most of them nursing serious injuries, and a mistrust for one another after they turned on each other in the middle of combat. During the fighting, Evelyn, who is now travelling with the group, is nearly killed, but seems to recover after a surge of magic from the shadow that encompasses the hall is absorbed into her, leaving her greviously wounded but alive.

Having defeated the Whisperer, they attempt to retrieve the sword from the stone, but only Castiel manages to pull it free. Once the sword is removed from the giant boulder, words ignite on the outside, some in an ancient language, but others in Elvish. The words speak of a prophecy, that reveals the sword to be one of four Precursor Weapons. Namfoodle's bow is another, and two remain to be found. They also find some old treasure in the keep's treasury, as well as a few magical trinkets.

After resting, they return to The White Lady, who speaks to them about the sword, calling it Duren'dal. She also gives them some information about the keep, telling them that they would do well to reclaim the fortress and rebuild it anew. She departs, leaving them alone on the small ledge overlooking the chasm of An Rath.
Drowner Triads

The **Drowner Triads** are a widespread smuggling ring that originated from the Argent Basin, notably the city of Winterkept (originally Winterport) in Arlia. They deal in a widespread black market of illegal trade in exotic and outlawed goods, but occasionally dabble in the smuggling of people, artefacts, and drugs, amongst other things. Members are known as "drowners". The triads were originally formed by the enigmatic Madame Saí, whose age and real identity remain unknown, though who leads the triads at any given time is a closely-guarded secret.
Fera Lynnwel

General **Fera Lynnwel** was the highest-ranking member of the Silver Hand in 4E 102 and in overall command of all imperial military forces during times of war. In particular, she was charged with the defence of Silverthorne and the distribution of security forces throughout the rest of the Argent Basin. She fought at the Battle for Silverthorne in 4E 103 and survived, continuing to serve as general until her retirement a decade later.
Elvedel Crownlands

The **Elvedel Crownlands** is the central sector of the Argent Basin, and is also the largest and most populous part of the region. It was the original region from which the Elven Empire spread, under the leadership of Athelvad the Conqueror, and is now part of the Kingdom of Atheldael, holding its capital: Silverthorne City.
Fyrd

The **Fyrd** is a temporary armed force conscripted from the shires of the different regions in the Elven Empire in times of war. It usually consists of all men and women of fighting age that are not already part of a standing army. Service in the fyrd is usually of short duration and participants are expected to provide their own arms and provisions. Conscripts are also occassionally requested in times of peace to garrison important fortifications, typically on a rotating schedule.
Chuul

**Chuul** are large lobster-like creatures that inhabit the shallows near to coasts and prey on creatures on the shoreline. The many tentacles that surrounded their mouths were capable of causing paralysis with a single touch, thus leaving their unfortunate victim at the mercy of the chuul's powerful claws. Amphibious by nature, chuul are not great swimmers, preferring to engage in combat either on land (where they could survive indefinitely) or very shallow water. They can detect magic within a wide radius, and tend to be drawn towards it (and any unfortunate creature that is attached to it).
Everglades

The **Everglades** is a massive area of woodland that makes up the entire northern third of the Argent Basin, stretching all the way from the eastern Mogul Caí to the Mit'lhorn. Despite extensive urbanisation, it remains one of the largest uninterrupted stretches of forest in Maíandir, and is home to a number of native species, such as Firbolgs.
Ferals

**Ferals** are mutated humanoids with long sharp talons and an unhinged bottom jaw that breaks into two halves to tear into flesh and bone. They crawl surprisingly fast on all fours and can leap over short distances with the same fluid motion. They serve as the low-level infantry of Salakai’s dreadborn forces, and possess the capacity for basic strategy and flanking tactics, particularly when working as a group.

They attack with their talons and teeth, leaping at the end of their first rush to attempt to knock down their targets and tear into them while they are prone. They are immune to poison, but show weaknesses to divine energy. They are somewhat adept at stealth due to their small forms and being low to the ground and often surround their targets before attacking. Like any dreadborn, they give off a smell of rust that seems to hang on the air.
Elskendur (constellation)

**Elskendur** (*Sceída:* "Lovers"), commonly referred to as "the Lovers", is a two-part constellation in the night sky of Ygdren, depicting the faces of two lovers holding each other close. The pair are said to represent the bonds of eternal love and companionship. In many cultures, particularly in Wyldcrown, it is considered inauspicious for couples to marry on nights when the constellation is not visible.

As a circumpolar constellation, Elskendur is always visible in the night sky of the northern hemisphere.
Arianne Prokhorov

**Arianne Prokhorov** was a human sorcerer and a member of the Nievalski Rus. She travelled for a time with Kalahan's warband, before her death at the hands of the Swordbreaker of Rhagorak.

## Description

A lithe woman of middling height, with pale white skin and hazel eyes framed by dark brown hair. Her body has various scars suffered throughout her years of service. She also bears a tattoo depicting a black crown, a symbol of the Wintershard, chosen patroness of the Nievalski Rus. She favours wearing a collection of furs and a thick woolen cloak that help with the cold, and favours purpose over any form of aesthetic.

## Character Information

### Background

Arianne was born and raised in Nodvograd, and spent her childhood exclusively amongst the women of the Nievalski Rus. She did not know her father. Her duty to the Czarina was the most important aspect of her life, and she was raised to make sure that duty was central to all her decisions. She was an examplary student in her order, and was tasked with investigating the growing undead incursions in the east of Urskaya some time after her graduation, which is where she met Kalahan's warband.
Granny Myrtle

**Granny Myrtle** is a mysterious old crone who lives in the deep marsh east of Stillwater, inside a hut of driftwood and cobblestone. When the party visited her in 4E 776, she seemed to have been expecting them, and drew tarot cards for some within the group, in doing so claiming to give them glimpses into the future.

## Description

An impossibly old crone, wrapped in shawls and blankets that flow off the chair and spill onto the floor. All that can be seen of her form is her face; a face wracked with age, wrinkled to the point of being indistinguishable, a long hooked nose, jutting chin, and high, prominent cheekbones that only serve to accentuate the gauntness of her features. Tufts of sparse black hair hang behind her head, and milky white eyes stare straight ahead, unseeing.
Aldwyr

Emblem of the Aldwyran Empire in 4E 776

**Aldwyr**, the heartland of the Aldwyran Empire and home to its capital and most of its major cities, is a political territory on the eastern coast of Almeras. It is considered the originating territory for the empire, often considered the oldest civilisation still existing in Ygdren.

## Society

### Culture

Aldwyran society is deeply militaristic and expansionist. They consider themselves a superior people and will bring their superiority to what they consider barbarous lands, whether by peace or by force. This deep-rooted imperialism sets the culture apart because nearly every part of everyday life is focused in some way on aiding military efforts and providing efficient contribution to the state.

The capital city of this sub-part of the empire is Averreik, which serves as the overall capital of the empire in its entirety as well. It is a heavily industrial city and is often considered the most heavily defended place on the planet. It also serves as a centre for technological and scientific advancement, both well-suited to drive the cultural need for constant war.

### Demographics

Like all of the Aldwyran territories, the population is an even mix of humans and dwarves. Substantial groups of other races also form a part of the population, but for the most part these are slaves captured during the constant expansion of the Aldwyran Empire and sent to work in the heartland territories. The general culture of the empire is highly conservative. Outsiders are not trusted and often met with outright hostility, and as such rarely venture far into the territories of the empire.

By 4E 776, Aldwyr serves as the main cultural zone of the Aldwyran Empire. It is home to the majority of the free population, and holds many of the major cities of the empire within its borders.

### Politics

As part of the Aldwyran Empire, Aldwyr follows the rule of the Warleader, using a Stratocracy form of government. The head of state is also the head of the military, and the military's administrative, judiciary, or legislature powers are supported by law and society.

In Aldwyr, rule is handled directly by the Warleader, but is delegated to subordinates who oversee civilian affairs and economic function. The Warleader is also in direct control of the territory's military. This control falls to the highest-ranking military officer in the event of the Warleader being absent or indisposed. The Warleader is generally advised by a council of high-ranking officers and civilian personnel.

## Trivia

* The Aldwyran Empire is somewhat based off of expansionist and imperial Germany and Prussia, with a greater focus on military strength and industrial advancement. The culture focuses heavily on discipline, efficiency, and effective contribution to the state.
Layla Lopez

Jill- (Older maternal half-sister)

Jackson- (older maternal half-brother)

Timmy- (Older brother)

Robert- (Older brother)

Kelly- (Younger sister)

Layla Lopez

Layla is the fifth child of her mother Julia and third child of her father Nathan she is considered Adventurous, Brave, and Selfish

## Personality

Layla is Wild, Adventurous, Selfish, Athletic, Brave, Bossy, Emotional, sensitive, and puffy hair

## Relationship

Jill- Jill is her older maternal half-sister

Jackson- Jackson is her older maternal half-brother

Timmy- Timmy is her older brother

Robert- Robert is her older brother

Kelly- Kelly is her youngest sister
Freída (constellation)

**Freída** (*Old Elvish:* "Peace"), commonly referred to as "Peace", is a constellation in the night sky of Ygdren, depicting a a falling leaf. It is said to represent peaceful times and the end of conflict. Many truces in history have been signed under this constellation for traditional reasons. People born under this sign are said to be harbingers of peace in life, ending conflict and ruin wherever they go.

As a seasonal constellation, Freída is only visible in the northern hemisphere during the winter.
Calendar of Ygdren

The main calendar in use in Ygdren is the elven calendar, which lasts 360 days over the course of 12 months between each winter solstice. Each day is 24 hours in length, with the hours of daylight varying by season, though to a lesser extent due to the two suns around which the planet orbits. Months all have 30 days, organised into 4 weeks of 7 days each, with a holiday day at the end of each 2 weeks. It is designed to be orderly and easy to keep track of, by order of the Elven Empire's monarch during the time of its making.

The calendar has elven roots and became widespread during the golden age of Maíandir. It sees use throughout the majority of the civilised world, though some cultures prefer their own split of months and weeks and will often name their months differently. The months listed here are those used in Maíandir and most of Wyldcrown.

## Seasons

Officially, seasons are split into exactly three months each, starting on the first day of their respective three-month period and ending on the last. Naturally, seasons fluctuate by geography and region, as well as from year to year, and will rarely line up precisely with the defined days. The seasonal splits are lined up most accurately in central Maíandir, and by extension in regions similarly along the equator.

Many cultures have festivals and holidays to celebrate the start or end of certain seasons, though this once again varies between regions. The most common practice revolves around the two solstices, which many cultures tend to celebrate in some form or another.
Appendix • Memory Bank IRNS4142

## Transcript

```
>>> MEMORY BANK LOADING...
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> DATA STATUS: CORRUPT. RECOMMEND IMMEDIATE RESET.
>>>
>>> *Ẁ̴̨̩̦h̷̺͌̊e̶̡͈̿r̷̗̒͂e̶̗͉͈͑ ̵̹͋͘͜a̴̻͋͂̋m̸̗̲̻̚̕ ̵͔̀͠Ǐ̴̠͚̪?̷̫̾̕*
>>>
>>> MALFUNCTION DETECTED. RESTARTING...

```

The splash of water hits your face like an ice-cold gut punch, jolting awake your senses. You breathe; exhaling warm air into the tub of steaming soapy water in front of you. A sigh of exhausted relief. Regretting last night’s indulgences again. What else is new? But you're still alive.

Rubbing the last of the sleep from your eyes, you look up. Nice mirror. Glass. Fancy. Your brother always provides the best. Look at you. Handsome. Bags under gold-green eyes. Tired. Scruffy brown hair. Metal skin, black and bone-white. Familiar enough. It’s *you* after all.

```
>>> ANALYSING DATA...SEQUENCE CORRUPT.
>>> POTENTIAL MATCH. ATTEMPTING TO RESTORE.

```

The rhythmic clunking of clockwork from the foundries outside never ceases.

Assessment: warforged do not need to sleep.

Logical Conclusion: no sound-proofing required.

Look left.

Alcoves in the walls. Sleeping quarters.

Current Population: 42.

Location: Barracks Block D5.

Look forward. Reflection analysis.

Plating: Metal. Adamant Alloy.

Colour: Black. Bone-White.

Facial Features: Eyes, Green. Hair, Brown.

Target Identification: IRONSTRONG.

Reset Count: 2.

Designation: Serve & Protect.

Race: Human.

```
>>> ANALYSING DATA...SEQUENCE CORRUPT.
>>> REBOOTING...

```
Aldendael

Emblem of the State of Aldendael in 4E 776

**Aldendael** is a small political territory in the valleys of the Mogul Caí northwest of Atheldael. It was originally an independent state formed by elves that had migrated northwest from Atheldael during the periods of heavy warfare, but signed into Athelian vassalage for protection against invading troops from expansionist Urskaya to the immediate north.

## Society

### Culture

Aldenian culture is defined largely by its close ties to Atheldael and its continued vassalage to that territory. As a region that stemmed mostly as an offshoot of its superior state, it shares much of the same folklore and traditions, and even speaks mostly the same language.

The capital city is Rolhelm, built into the side of a mountain in a spectacular feat of engineering and arcane practice.

### Demographics

The territory's population is overwhelmingly elven, with only a few rare occurrences of dwarves and ursine that defected from Urskaya. More than half of the population is descended from families that used to live further north in the tundra and fled south into the safety of Aldendael's mountains and valleys.

By 4E 776, Aldendael serves as an effective region of Atheldael proper, sharing open borders and heavy cultural links. The ongoing hostility with Urskaya has led Aldendael's civilian population to dwindle at the price of increased joint Aldenian and Athelian military presence.

### Politics

Aldendael uses an Aristocracy form of government, where power is shared between a small council of nobles. As a vassal state, the council is still ultimately subservient to the monarchy of Atheldael, but is free to rule independently outside of certain circumstances.

In Aldendael, the leading council is formed from the Earls that govern each of its provinces. It is similar to a smaller version of the Athelian witan but is designed to share power between a group rather than to advise a monarch. In 4E 776, the ruling Earls are subject to approval by the monarch of Atheldael, due to the status of the state as a vassal, but the intervention of the monarchy is rarely enforced.

The territory was never a formal part of the Elven Empire, but shared close ties with it during the height of its power. It is now part of the Commonwealth of Elven Nations.

## Trivia

* Aldendael shares many of Atheldael's Anglo-Saxon influences, notably in its use of Earls and the witan. Any cultural differences stem from its relative separation from the larger territory, as well as from ongoing Norse influences from descendants of northern refugees (similar to Northern England's partial Danish heritage).
Calisca da Vigo

**Calisca da Vigo** is a human noblewoman from Rotherton, from a wealthy merchant family. Before the events that drove Evendur Dundragon away from his home, the two were pledged to be married. She is a talented musician, a violinist, who was afforded a scholarship at Evergreen Academy.

## Description

A slight, neatly dressed woman with elegant features. She has flaxen hair coming down to her shoulders, the fringes tied into neat little braids tucked behind her ears, holding back the rest. Her eyes are a warm auburn brown with a sparkling hint of mischief accentuated by the small smile that curls her lips.  A short emerald green cape, pinned at the right shoulder with a glittering silver brooch, is tossed precisely behind her shoulder, giving a flash of colour to her clothing. She's wearing a finely made vest in shades of dark vermillion with silver buttons over a white shirt with puffy sleeves coming down to her forearms, and a quaint skirt in gold and green
Brave New World • 4E 776

## Brave New World

**Brave New World** is set in the year 4E 776, in the midst of a rapidly expanding world riding the peak of a golden age of trade, industry, and enlightenment. The adventure brings a group of seven wandering souls, through sheer happenstance, to the town of Stillwater, where the seeds of a much grander journey begin to take root.

### Players

YuliLionel ForresterNicolaos J.V. ThresceMakaio HotahIronstrong-4Hector von DuskenDieterich VarnahalakKatrin VermillionKalahan KrasnyalyyEvendur DundragonJendora GrimshawGaeldrimAspenAurora GarwynnOondak