recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Divine Assumption

**Assumption**, **Divine Assumption**, or **Ascension** were all names given to the phenomenon of a mortal creature being taken to an afterlife in the Upper Planes while still alive. It happened very rarely in Echelon's history.

## List of Divine Assumptions in History

There were only a handful of ascensions to the Seven Heavens:

* St. Rillao the Green ascended to Arborea sometime after the Dawn War of the Ancient World
* St. Chaka Unas was delivered from the Null by an angelic host during the Ultima War
* Eir the aasimar ascended to the Upper Planes after her divine tasks were accomplished during the early 2nd millennium LA
* Jacques the paladin, after freeing the angel Herald, was assumed to Arcadia by the angel and established as an exarch
Pennant Hullcracker

A hullcracker was an invention by Odiss Pennant I. It was designed to be an anti-pirate measure along the Emerald River, and were first implemented in Kodonholm.

## Design

A Pennant hullcracker was originally little more than a toothed, underwater awl, pointed at a 45-degree angle inverse to the surface of a river. If a ship, even one relatively draft-shallow, attempted to cross over, it would become entangled on the teeth or strike the hard center peg. Center pegs were typically made of adamantine. The damage to a ship's keel was often catastrophic, especially when hullcrackers were deployed in large numbers. Even a single hullcracker could slow a ship significantly, allowing defenses to be mustered or other measures to be taken against the offending vessel.

Only small rowboats and barges could pass over an underwater hullcracker. Later versions of a hullcracker involved steam pistons or clockworks, allowing them to be retracted to allow waterborne traffic. These piston-powered hullcrackers could also be used to chew through a ship's keel by repeatedly deploying the mechanisms.
Mimic's Heart

The *Mimic's Heart* was a name of a medium-tonnage caravel sailing ship. It was originally named the *Ancient Mariner*, captained by Queequeg the dragonborn, but was impounded in Megea when its captain could not pay a Zhentarim debt.

The *Mimic's Heart* was most famous for being the vessel that bore Undine, Zin, Hax, and Saint for a time, and was directly involved in the First Battle of the Seaeater. It was scuttled in Seaeater's storm, deep in the Stardragon Sea.
Mosslight Hour

The **Mosslight Hour** was the name given to a phenomenon that existed only on the Feywild-touched continent of northern Antipode. It was characterized by pervasive green sunlight, bathing the land in verdant colors. Though fey creatures were supposedly hyper-aware during the Mosslight Hour, it was generally thought to be completely harmless, until the Meloran Crisis. It was also theorized that monsters in Antipode could achieve a higher level of intelligence during the Mosslight Hour, though this was never proven.

The Mosslight Hour varied depending on the season, and was rarely a full hour of time.

## Mosslight Hour Times

The Harper College of Lore charted the Mosslight Hour with some variance in 201 LA.

It was at its strongest in the summer, when the sun shone brightly. The people of Antipode organized their clocks around the Mosslight Hour, the equivalent of "noon" in many other parts of the world. However, the local time of the summer Mosslight Hour was closer to 12:30 p.m., and usually lasted no more than 47 minutes.

In the fall and winter, the Mosslight Hour moved earlier, and lasted slightly longer, albeit with less intensity. Winter solstice Mosslight Hour times were around 11:45, and lasted until around 12:40 p.m.

## The Meloran Crisis

During the Meloran Crisis of 2358, the Mosslight Hour became dangerous or even deadly. Fey creatures touched by the green sunlight would often be afflicted with madness, some going berserk and others falling into a catatonic state. Other mortals were affected in various ways, including intense pain or an itching rash akin to an allergic reaction.
Veil (nation)

**Veil** was the name of both **a city** and **an** **underground nation** of drow. It warred throughout the 2nd millennium of the Light Age against the dwarven kingdom of Rowangga, finally defeating it in 1982 LA. While the Rowanggan dwarves were scattered mostly above ground, the dark elves of Veil began a decade of dominance of the Ruloi caves and the Veiled Road.

The citizens of Veil were utterly wiped out in 1995 LA when monsters sacked the city. Some speculated that the naga Explictica Defilus used the monsters to punish Veil for the actions of a rogue drow who stood against him.
Pennant-Velgassi War

The Pennant-Velgassi War was a conflict between the human nations of the Pennant Regency and the Velgassi Empire during the waning days of the Middle Era. It was proceeded by the Keelan War, and although the two conflicts were technically separate, both were used interchangeably to refer to the same war.
Moradindrian

The **Moradindrian** was, among other things, a loose collection of spoken history, stories, and poetry-- all memorized-- that existed in the oral tradition of the dwarf clans. Most of Moradin's commandments and guidance came in the form of the Moradindrian. There was no original record, no holy book, and no official canon. Yet, it was seen as being incredibly accurate, to the point of the phrase "the Moradindrian always speaks the truth".

It was very difficult for the peoples of Echelon to pin down exactly what comprised the Moradindrian, or how to determine what was or was not a part of it. As the saying went, to completely understand what the Moradindrian is, one must be a dwarf.
St. Celanawe

**St. Celanawe** was a hero who fought during the Dawn War. He was also called the **Twin Disciple**, as his allegiances were famously to both Bahamut and Kord. A warrior without equal, Celanawe was declared a saint by the Grand Cross after he was slain in battle against the fallen angel Hark.

Celanawe wielded a magic spear which was posthumously named after the fallen hero.
Renaie Elensar-Brewer

**Renaie Elensar-Brewer** was an adventurer, hero, ruler, or some combination of the three, depending on the timeline in which she appeared. In the Blue Timeline, Renaie was one of the heroic warriors which defeated Zijil the Prime and closed Altaya's Loop. In the Median Timeline, she was most notably empress and sovereign ruler of the Velgassi Empire from 772 ME to 822 ME.

Renaie was a player character played by Jannah Minnix.
Dawning Isle

The **Dawning Isle** included the Temple of Numbers and its immediate surroundings. Roughly a mile in diameter at its widest point, the Dawning Isle was originally a magically-infused floating fortress used by the zarum in the Dawn War. Its arcane removal from the supercontinent in the Ancient World directly led to the fracturing of the land into multiple masses and the rise of the Column.
Thaedran Imperium

The Thaedran Imperium was a nation that existed during the Light Age. They were often colloquially referred to as the Thaedran Skylords, and were responsible for the establishment of the Air Rules.

## Society and Culture

A mysterious and dangerous nation to outsiders, the Imperium became increasingly isolationist as time went on. A strict magocracy, their entire existence was predicated on the magical flight and maintenance of their city-sized dreadnoughts, which were theorized to be under the effects of massive *reverse gravity* fields.

Though few persons outside of the Imperium survived encounters with the xenophobic nation, there were tales of incredible magical flying machines and powerful spellcasters threatening air travel throughout the world. Thus, aerial travel during the Imperium's height was regarded as a dangerous gamble; violating the Air Rules was clear grounds for immediate lethal reprisal from the Skylords.

## History

The Thaedran Imperium rose to prominence after the Arlanestran Territories became increasingly fearful about the use of magic in its borders. The dangers of magic were evident in the Logos Vortex, a weapon of mass destruction used in the civil war resulting in Arlanestra's foundation. As the leaders of the Territories continued to limit or control arcane knowledge, more and more hedge wizards and students of magic were pushed to the fringes of Arlanestran society.

Eventually, the Arcana Regulation Bureau was founded, and practitioners of magic were further ostracized or even outright branded as criminals. The Thaedran Skylords came as a result of three wizard towers and their surrounding lands torn from the earth in defiance. The alliance that would later become the Imperium was born.
Scion Company

Scion Company was one of three divisions of cadets recruited by the Pennant Regency in response to the outbreak of the Keelan War. They were the second division of cadets; the first being the fabled Green Company and the third being Rook Company. Scion Company was completely destroyed when the Velgassi Empire captured their training ground of Walnut Ridge.
Snuu White

**Snuu White** was a warrior who lived in the 6th- and 7th-century LA in the Midden Valley on the Mainland of Echelon. She was a member of the Lone Wolves adventuring company.

Snuu was a character played by Jannah Minnix.

## Metagame Trivia

The end credits theme song for Snuu White ***should*** have been "Porn Star Dancing" by My Darkest Days, but it ended up being "The Mighty Fall" by Fall Out Boy.
Ophidian

The **Ophidian** was one of the alter egos of **Grand Magister Reneaus**, a powerful sorcerer seeking lichdom in the 6th and 7th centuries of the Light Age. As Reneaus, the Ophidian orchestrated the construction of the Logos Vortex and brought about the downfall of the kingdom of Chernarus.

He was defeated on the River Styx by the Lone Wolves.
Millennial Spell

The **Millennial Spell** was an attempt by the Sovereign Seven to siphon all magic in the Material Plane. The Spell was initially cast at the Temple of Numbers in 305 BME. It was one of the only 10th-level spells known to exist.

In a complex series of events, the Millennial Spell also became a focal point in the Blue Timeline of the Shattered Prophecy.
Residuum

Residuum was the name given to a dust-like substance that contained raw magic. It was highly sought after by wizards, alchemists, and engineers, and it had a number of applications. Most societies considered residuum to be contraband, and its sale and distribution was usually closely regulated, if not made illegal outright.
Wandering Sundrops

The **Wandering Sundrops** were an adventuring party and troubadour company in northern Antipode. They operated extensively in the Verdauga and Rubblehead regions in the kingdom of Dour.

## Members of the Wandering Sundrops

Members of the Wandering Sundrops included:

* Beauty, a tiefling bard from the Saga Nova College of Valor
* Idea, twin sister to Beauty and minstrel/actress
* Bregland Flengmar, a dwarf ranger and unofficial quartermaster
* Temperance, a hedge wizard rescued from Duke Amren du Chatillion's clutches
* Porsche Squend, a druid and animal tamer
Titan

Titans were ancient beings of incredible power whose strength, at their peak, rivaled that of the gods. They were defeated and nearly all destroyed in a three-way conflict between themselves, the good Celestials, and the Prime Evils.

## Notable Titans

Though few titans (or subsequent mortal knowledge of their names) survived the First War, some managed to escape to Echelon and other planes of existence. Some notable titans included:

* The **Tarrasque**, a monstrous creature that appeared in Echelon only once before the Dark Age
* **Seaeater**, an ancient kraken prophesied to destroy the ocean, who eventually dealt a fatal wound to Melora before being annihilated at the end of the Light Age
* **Charybdis**, a bulbous sea monster trapped in the Whispering Timeline
* **Mual-Tar**, a colossal, immortal serpent imprisoned by chains fashioned by Moradin
Urim

The **Urim** were an esoteric group of evil clerics who ruled the underground tower of Parec Bitan in the Whispering Valley. They were powerful religious figures who demanded obedience, and sometimes even worship, from their followers. Dominating Parec Bitan with an iron fist, the Urim were swift in their punishments and fanatical in their belief that a messianic figure would reward their service at the end of the Whispering Timeline.
St. Raelyn Lionni

**Raelyn** was a human woman who lived during the Middle Era and the Dark Age. She was a member of the Determined group of heroes who fought against Vecna in the Ultima War and saved Echelon. During the Dark Age, Raelyn was posthumously anointed to Sainthood by the Doctantian Order for her victory in the Ultima War and her continued efforts to save her people in the Null.

Raelyn was a player character played by Kelsee Herrick.
Saga Nova College of Valor

The **Saga Nova College of Valor** (often just referred to as **"Saga Nova"** or **"Valor"**) was an offshoot of the first formal bard college, the Harper College of Lore.

Bards from Saga Nova rejected the Harpers' tenet of noninterference. They were still storytellers and troubadours, but instead of merely recording history, Valor bards wanted to shape it. This often brought them into conflict with the Harpers, as Harpers claimed they were dependent on a bard being viewed as a neutral party to events. Saga Nova's activity, they said, tarnished bardic reputation and, in some cases, put Harpers in danger.

## Bounty Hunters

Occasionally, Saga Nova colleges were hubs for bounty hunters. Though not technically a bounty hunting organization in the traditional sense, some Saga Nova chapters did seek letters of marque and reprisal from governments, publish monster hunting commissions, and display legal warrants. Saga Nova bards were well-trained as advisors, and some nobles hired them as councilors, spymasters, and court entertainers. Generally, though, Valor bards were "of the people", and often spent much of their time spreading joy, freedom, and peace away from major cities.

## Relationship with College of Glamour

Whereas the relationship between Saga Nova and the Harpers was icy, and sometimes even hostile, the College of Valor generally viewed bards from the Deliria College of Glamour as spirited rivals. Glamour bards outperformed Valor bards in the courts of nobles and kings, but Saga Nova was seen as much more "down-to-earth" and accessible than Deliria.
Weave

**The Weave** was both a conduit for, and the source of, arcane magic on the Material Plane. It was the way in which mortals accessed magic, and was notably difficult to characterize. Scholars throughout Echelon's history attempted to classify the causes, effects, and nature of the Weave, often using metaphors (such as "fabric" or "field") to describe it.
Vargach Mefem

**Ritual combat** between dragonborn was known in the dragon tongue as ***vargach mefem***. It was a custom from the Arkhosian Empire and, after the Empire's fall, rarely invoked.

One notable circumstance of *vargach mefem* was when the slaver king Redshackle challenged Determined hero Casimiri Pickles to single combat outside Sirocco just prior to the Ultima War.
Outer Planes

The "**Outer Planes**" was the collective name for planes of existence beyond the Inner Planes. They were the home planes of deities, powerful creatures and beings, and various afterlives of mortals from the Material Plane.

There were 16 Outer Planes, with 7 being colloquially known as the **Seven Heavens** or the **Upper Planes**:

* Elysium
* Mount Celestia
* Ysgard
* The Beastlands
* Limbo
* The twin paradises of Bytopia:
	+ Arborea
	+ Arcadia

The Outer Planes also included the nine planes of the Hells:

* Acheron
* Avernus
* Baator
* Carceri
* Dis
* Gehenna
* Hades
* Minauros
* Pandemonium
Turalisjedar

**Turalisjedar** was the Ancient World name for **the supercontinent** on Echelon's surface. After the Temple of Numbers was torn out of the ground by the zarum at the beginning of the Dawn War, the supercontinent began to fracture. Each landmass began moving along Echelon's ley lines, eventually settling into a pattern, with one or two large landmasses focused around the nexus created by the crossing of ley lines.

## Landmasses Resulting from the Sundering

Most landmasses on Echelon's surface were originally a part of the supercontinent. The continental landmasses once a part of Turalisjedar included:

* Pitharas, the Mainland
* The Stygian Lands
* Almantha
* The two Forgotten Continents

Additionally, there were islands and archipelagos, including:

* The Seven Isles
* The Aquidium Archipelago
* The Dawning Isle

## Landmasses From Elsewhere

Two continents and and island were not originally a part of Turalisjedar:

* Zatal
* Antipode
* The Whispering Valley
Tsandria (town)

**Tsandria** was a town on the eastern edges of the Stormchapel region of the Midden Valley. It was ruled by the Bourse, an oligarchal group of merchants and traders, and enjoyed a measure of autonomy from its ruling factions.

The town was utterly destroyed in the 7th century of the Light Age when the nearby wizard tower was torn out of the ground during the Arlanestran Schism. The resulting Tsandria Shatterlands, hundreds of massive fissures several thousand feet deep, were named after the town.
Paladin

A **paladin** was a **holy warrior** in service to one or more of the Celestials. Despite a mortal penchant for describing any righteous knight as a "paladin", true paladins were extremely rare, appointed only in times of great need or prophecy. To even behold a paladin in passing was a once-in-a-generation event for most societies.

It was said that, much like the existence of Solar angels, there could never be more than 24 paladins in the world at the same time.

## Origins

Paladins originated in the aftermath of the Dawn War under the auspices of the Grand Cross. At their directive, three other heroes of the Dawn War formed orders of like-minded knights, each with a separate (but compatible) philosophy. Maximillian the White, an aasimar cavalier, Rillao the Green, one of the first half-elves in recorded history, and Quivan the Red, a close friend of Claudia the Reaper of the Grand Cross, each founded one of these knightly orders.

## Paladin Organizations

There were three sub-classes, or Orders, of paladins:

* The White Order, sometimes called the Order of Devotion
* The Green Order, sometimes called the Order of the Ancients
* The Red Order, sometimes called the Avengers

Each Order traditionally followed its own customs, though they often worked together throughout Echelon's history. Occasionally, though rarely, the distinctions between each Order blurred enough to make delineation between them difficult. Some paladin traditions, such as the Knights of Kherak Peak, did not ascribe fully to any historical order, preferring instead to blend tenets from many different sources.

There were also organizations of warriors and knights which, though based on paladin traditions or tenets, were only partially aligned with the historical Orders. The Knights of Mastermarch, for example, included auxiliary members, squires and warriors who did not wield divine power, and even knights who failed to attain paladinhood.

Paladins were sometimes chosen to lead companies of knights-- most famously the Holy Legions of the Church of the Tetrarchs. However, these historical names were misnomers; in reality, these were not regiments made up of true paladins.
Sehanine Moonbow

Sehanine Moonbow was an Imminent Celestial goddess of great power and influence. Together with her husband Corellon Larethian, they were the heads of the Seldarine pantheon. They created the first elves after the Dawn War began around 5500 BME. She was informally called the Dreamweaver, the Moonlit Lady, and Goddess of the Night Sky.

## Personality

Sehanine evaded attempts at description and definition, and was a frustratingly difficult topic of research. She reveled in mystery, love, and visions, and did not always make her intentions clear. The duality of her nature was a subject of confusion among the scholarly circles of the world. Sehanine simultaneously delighted in harmonious truth, and yet was often known to protect secret pacts. Notably, Sehanine had an apparent soft spot for estranged lovers.

## Dogma and Followers

Sehanine was said to protect against madness and lycanthropy, and healers invoked her name when treating those conditions. She was also a fierce enemy of the undead and, like her solar counterpart Pelor, sought to banish undeath with light.

Her commands were specific to certain situations. More so than any other god, Sehanine was unpredictable. It was generally understood that she promoted beauty and love, and would do much for anyone seeking those things. Crescents of stones bathed in moonlight served as Sehanine's altars where one might meet with guidance from the goddess. However, it was never clear what her grand visions for the world were.

Regardless of her greater motivations, Sehanine did command respect from her followers. The Sehanine clergy was almost exclusively elven, although humans and halflings occasionally took up her cause as well. Whereas clerics of Pelor were seen healing the body, Sehanine's clerics focused on the mind. Her followers were adept illusionists and staunch adversaries of curses such as lycanthropy.
Nine Hells

The **Nine Hells**, sometimes shortened to **Hells** or **Hell**, were among the Outer Planes of existence, and home to devils and the nefarious Prime Evils. They were occasionally called the **Lower Planes** by some scholars. The only way to travel to and from the Nine Hells was via the River Styx.

## Layers of the Nine Hells

The Hells were said to be stacked, like a cake, with each layer directly connected to the ones above and below it. The layers were, in order from top to bottom:

1. Avernus, fiery entry point into the Nine Hells
2. Dis, the Black City
3. Acheron, with its infinite battlefields of slaughter
4. Carceri, the frozen wastes
5. Baator, the desolate, blood-soaked ruins
6. Minauros, characterized by noxious swamps and cruel beasts
7. Pandemonium, with its endless tunnels of madness
8. Hades, a realm of ennui and despair
9. Gehenna, the incomprehensible Broken World of evil and darkness
Ridley Price

Ridley Price was a half-elf knight-errant in both the Blue and Median Timelines. In the Blue Timeline, she and her friends Yuan Altaya, Kyndle Sunhand, Li Drielle, Chaka Unas, and Renaie Elensar-Brewer destroyed the Sovereign Seven and closed Altaya's Loop. In the Median Timeline, Lady Ridley Price was a hero of the Elsir Vale, notably defeating a terrorizing green dragon in single combat as her crowning achievement.

Ridley was played by Emilea Thomas (McCracken).
Pyramid of Death

The Pyramid of Death was the nickname given to the tomb of Ankhenamef, the Last Pharaoh.

## History

The pyramid was originally built as an elaborate sarcophagus to house the body of Ankhenamef. When Mordenkainen defeated the Last Pharaoh's armies, the arch-wizard sealed away Ankhenamef in his own tomb. Mordenkainen used the Pharaoh's own structure as a prison for his soul, and it held the Pharaoh for over 3,000 years. He gave the tomb the nickname "Pyramid of Death" to ward off would-be looters and adventurers, and warded the pyramid with traps to prevent anyone from breaking his spell. He instructed the Vorohanyan elves to keep watch over the Pyramid.

In early 599 LA, Mordenkainen's *imprisonment* spell was wearing off, and Ankhenamef was due to return to the world. Fortunately, the elves of Vorohanya had kept their promise to guard the tomb, and recruited several adventuring groups to enter the tomb and destroy Ankhenamef's sarcophagus. Only one succeeded, and Ankhenamef was destroyed and his tomb plundered.
The Sealing

**The Sealing** was a cosmic, physical, and fundamental event that occurred approximately 3,000 years before the start of the Middle Era. The Sealing prevented any being of a sufficient power from walking directly on the Material Plane. This prevented direct manipulation of (and assistance to) mortals by divine beings, and all forms of open and direct warfare between those beings in Echelon. The Sealing was bypassed in 855 ME by Vecna through necromancy; however, the gods utilized this prophesied event to destroy him via the Determined.
Stardragon Sea

The Stardragon Sea was an oceanic region in the northern hemisphere of Echelon known for several island chains and archipelagos.

## Notable Landmasses

* The Aquidium Archipelago, including
	+ Canticle Island
	+ R'ha
	+ Sterling Isle
	+ Twitchwhim Isle
	+ Umber Island
	+ Zephyrwisp Island
* Drunwag Island
* Khufiri Isle
* Silveran Isle
The Lone Wolves

The Lone Wolves was an adventuring group that played a key role in the Logos War of 599-602 LA. They helped advise the provisional government rebelling against the kingdom of Chernarus, which later formed the Arlanestran Territories.

## Official Members

* Jaldessa Taraan (co-founder)
* Elda-Reiss Taraan (co-founder)
* Medrash Turnaroth
* Aravyre von Azerad
* Mirabella "Apple" Haldevadt
* Dora X. Plora
* Bastion of Trigonon
* Snuu White
* Therigg Hurtharn
* Cull of Nowheresville
* Warra
* Clarence Ik
* Malik Mukji
* Kneo "The Flea"
* Aine Bannatyne

## Auxiliary Members

* Radac (cook)
* Kravel Ironbeard (mason)
* Arlanestra the witch (magister)
* Father Culven (priest)
* Sarah Buckthorn (stablemaster)
* Sidewinder (quartermaster)
Rion Clyde

**Rion Clyde** was a Frontier sheriff and, for a brief time, Arcana Regulation Bureau commander. An Arlanestran sympathizer, he was responsible for maintaining order in the town of Centennial Hill. Clyde was unceremoniously shot and killed by Catalina Erstanzo during a secret meeting, in which he threatened that the Frontier would soon be under government control and its freedoms stripped away.
Tairis Mactire

**Tairis "Cherry" Mactire** was an elf who lived on the western Mainland during the 9th century LA. Cherry was a prominent criminal and anti-hero figure of the renegades of the Frontier. She perished in the crash of the *Zero Hour* while defeating a plot by the Thaedran Imperium to end the Ground Rules and take over the west.

Cherry was a player character played by Jannah Minnix.
Seraphina Longbrow

**Seraphina Longbrow** was one of the iterations of the Voices. She was born a halfling, and later *reincarnated* as a dark elf.

Seraphina was a character played by Kelsee Herrick.

## Metagame Trivia

Seraphina (as well as the rest of the original Voices) has no official end to her story, as the years-long campaign of Voices did not finish.
Meloran Crisis

The **Meloran Crisis** was a worldwide phenomenon that began in 2358 LA when the ancient kraken Seaeater dealt a fatal blow to the goddess Melora, causing the elemental forces of nature to be thrown out of balance. It manifested slowly at first, with subtle effects such as unseasonable weather, and eventually grew into a series of worldwide catastrophes, including the eruption of the dormant Blister, the hyper-focusing of the Mosslight Hour on Antipode, and the collapse of the Tsandria Shatterlands.
Alhamazad

**Alhamazad "Allie" the Wise** was the first arch-wizard in Echelon's history. Alhamazad was a member of a group of legendary heroes called the Grand Cross. Born a male but fighting in the Dawn War as a female, they struck down the Unholy Archon Tu'narath at the climax of the war, ending the zarum threat once and for all.

Alhamazad was played by Kelsee Herrick.
Proudveil Manor

**Proudveil Manor** was the name given to the home of Lord Berkenhall of Megea, a noble of considerable repute in the Stardragon Sea. The Manor was actually a massive mimic, and regularly demanded feeding of exotic creatures and objects.

The mimic was slain in 2348 by Haxifal of Silvera. It was the first adventure for heroes Haxifal, Zinrora Tyrros, Saint, and Undine, later becoming the inspiration for the naming of their ship, *Mimic's Heart*.
Vladimir

Vladimir, progenitor of the dwarven Hearthclan, was a powerful dwarf hero in the Grand Cross, legendary fighters who saved the world during the Dawn War. He was killed by the Unholy Archon Tu'narath in the final confrontation with the Grand Cross in the Temple of Numbers.

Vladimir was played by Joey Minnix.
Zijil the Prime

Zijil was an arch-wizard who lived during the Blue Timeline and Altaya's Loop. As the most powerful member of the Sovereign Seven, Zijil the Prime became known as the *de facto* leader of the group. In the Blue Timeline, he and onetime companion Kithanya Maruk eliminated all the other Sovereign Seven before his pyrrhic use of *wish* to destroy the planet. In Altaya's Loop, Zijil was destroyed by Kyndle Sunhand, Li Drielle, Chaka Unas, and Yuan Altaya.
Skyquake

A **skyquake** was a phenomenon in which a sudden release of arcane energy in the Weave caused temporary ruptures in magic, usually in Echelon's troposphere. Skyquakes ranged in intensity from vibrating tremors to violent shatterings of magic strong enough to wreak destruction on organic and inorganic matter.

The spell Mordenkainen named *shatter* was said to be a form of controlling energies similar to a skyquake into a localized area.
Merzan Blackwater

**Merzan Blackwater** was one of the iterations of the Voices. He was a tiefling adventurer from Whisper during the timeline of the same name.

Merzan was a character played by Joey Minnix.

## Metagame Trivia

Because the Voices campaign did not have a conclusion, the fate of Merzan and the rest of the group remained unknown.
The Beastlands

The **Beastlands**, also known as the **Holy Wilderness**, was an Outer Plane realm representing unbridled nature. It was a favorite wandering place of Corellon and his wife Sehanine, as well as Melora from time to time. In the infinite Beastlands, animals from the Material Plane were given a final rest as sentient, fey creatures. The Beastlands was rarely an afterlife for mortals, though some elves and tabaxi found their way to the plane after death.

Yggdrasil, the World Tree of the Material Plane, extended into the Beastlands, making the Beastlands the only known Outer Plane which bypassed the River Styx.
Psionics

Psionics (sometimes referred to as **psychic power**) was an extreme mental power first developed by githzerai monks in the Stygian Lands. It was also known as the Invisible Art or mind magic.

## Nature of Psionics

Psionic power was fueled by mental, rather than arcane, energy. As such, it did not tap into the Weave of magic, and it did not require access to the Weave to function. This characteristic notably gave psionics a way to sidestep an *antimagic field*, including the dampening effects of the Null during the Dark Age.

Since psionics did not rely on an external power, its effects were variegated and difficult to categorize. However, four main disciplines of psionics were generally understood: telepathy, telekinesis, metacreativity, and psychometabolism.

## Advantages and Disadvantages

Psionics, with the exception of metacreative projections, were invisible to natural or magical detection. A psion (or psychic) was able to operate discreetly, achieving the effects of conventional magic spells (such as *mage hand*) without drawing attention to themselves. Psionic power was restricted by the mental discipline of the user, which often made for unpredictable encounters. A major drawback of psionics to conventional magic was that, unlike magic, psionic energy could not be imbued into any object or location.
Western Golden Age

The **Western Golden Age**, the **Golden Age of the West**, the **Age of Faith**, and the **Golden Age of Light** all referred to the same 120-year span in the western regions of the Mainland. It came about as a result of the defeat of Explictica Defilus and the ascension of the Warriors of Faith to various positions of authority. The golden age was characterized by increased quality of life, political stability, and a general peace for the kingdoms of Rowangga and Trigonon.

The golden age brought about the reestablishment of roads, trade networks, and protection outposts in Gaiak, Stormchapel, Mastermarch, and the Frontier. A technological and magical renaissance occurred, allowing for the rapid expansion of cities like Wophec and Centennial Hill. Contact and good relations with the dwarves of Nem Daral were also products of the enlightened era. Throughout the golden age, the knights of the Aegis protected the western Mainland, driving back dark forces and ensuring prosperity for the contended peoples of the land.
Rook Company

Rook Company was the third of three divisions of cadets recruited by the Pennant Regency in response to the Velgassi Empire's invasion of the southern Nentir Vale. It was the only group never to see combat during the Keelan War, and was disbanded after Green Company cemented a Regency victory at the Third Battle of Slate.
Nenth'anrond

**Nenth'anrond** was the elven name of **a massive whirlpool** in the southern Greyflower Ocean along the Pitharan ley line. It was approximately half a mile in diameter on average, though its size was known to fluctuate. Nenth'anrond was most notably a passage to the Elemental Plane of Water. As such, it was heavily guarded by a joint fleet of warships from the Stigmata Garrison and sea elves during the Light Age.
Second Battle of Slate

The **Second Battle of Slate** was a two-day military engagement between the Velgassi Empire and the Pennant Regency in and around the town of Slate. Major portions of the battle were fought on the open fields of the Opal Valley north of town, and a not insignificant number of skirmishes took place immediately outside and within the city walls.

The battle was notable for being the first direct engagement involving Green Company, a group of military cadets from the Regency.
Third Battle of Slate

The Third Battle of Slate was a Pennant Regency offensive during the waning days of the Keelan War. It was the final major defeat of the Velgassi Empire in the war. It ended with a rout of overwhelmed Imperial forces and the subsequent surrender of nearly a quarter of the total Velgassi army at the time.
Zao

**Zao** was the name of a drow sorceress and adventurer who, along with Calund Lavabelly and Rainbow After Rain, battled Explictica Defilus. She later would help the Warriors of Faith on their quest to defeat the naga by reacquiring her Serpentsbane Orb from her tabaxi friend. She was a rare example of a drow choosing the path of good.

Zao succumbed to elven senescence in 1997 LA when she saw her homeland of Veil in ruins.
Passing of the Null

The Passing of the Null, or simply the Passing, was a global phenomenon that ended Vecna's last curse on the planet Echelon. It came as a result of the dimensional transposition of the Median Timeline's Material Plane with that of the Whispering Timeline, collapsing the Whispering Timeline with the Null trapped inside. This event erased the Null from Echelon in 1205 DA, effectively returning the planet to a pre-Null state and beginning a new Light Age for the Races.
Portal

A **portal** or **planar gate** was a general term applied to any fixed, inter-dimensional gateway which allowed travel between planes of existence. It was sometimes used synonymously with a *teleportation circle*, although the two gateways were notably different. Portals were phenomena found in all the Inner Planes, going by different names depending on lore, plane, or language.

Opening a portal sometimes required a specific set of circumstances. Some portals were permanent openings between the worlds, and could be accessed simply by walking through them. After the 1st millennium LA, many well-known portals were heavily guarded by an organization called the Stigmata Garrison.

## List of Notable Planar Gateways

On the Material Plane, major portals existed on several continents and even in the oceans of the world. Well-known examples included:

* Nenth'anrond, also simply called **the** **Whirlpool**, in the Greyflower Sea near the Seven Isles was a famous portal to the Elemental Plane of Water
* The Blister, **a** **volcano** on the Mainland, was the site of a portal to the Elemental Plane of Fire
* Yggdrasil, the **World Tree**, was on the Almanthan continent and was the location of several portals, including the only known one to an Outer Plane
* The Temple of Numbers on the Dawning Isle became the site of a **shifting, invisible portal** to each of the Inner Planes
* The Urbish Mines on Silvera was the location of a **Shadowfell crossing**
* Duskwood held a **Shadowfell crossing** that only opened on every new moon
* The tabaxi Jaguar Gate was a **mortal-made planar gateway** in the same vein as the Temple of Numbers
* A **nameless rift** to the Plane of Ice existed in the ruins of Leomund Academy after the end of the Dark Age
Seaeater

**Seaeater** was the Common name of an ancient titan defeated by the gods in the First War. A primeval kraken of immense size and power, Seaeater was prophesied to destroy the planet by, as its namesake implied, deconstructing the element of water.

## First War Myth

Only scraps of lore and legend about Seaeater's role in the First War survived to mortal times. Although it was not known if Seaeater ever posed a direct threat to the gods, it was believed to have slain a hundred of Bahamut's dragons during the conflict. Perhaps sensing an opportunity as the multiverse began to separate into distinct planes, Seaeater hid during the war in the Elemental Plane of Water. Only cursory mentions of an ancient kraken titan persisted, until the goddess of prophecy, Ioun, revealed the Last Forecast to her followers sometime during the Ancient World.

## Slumbering in Echelon

The kraken, likely via a portal or as an unconscious manifestation of its will, somehow found its way into the Material Plane. It slept for thousands of years near an archipelago in the northern hemisphere, unknown to the mortals of Echelon. Whether Seaeater slumbered of its own accord, biding its time until the right moment, or was compelled in some way not to awaken, mortals never knew.

## Seaeater is Awakened

In 2348 of the Light Age, an arrogant dragon called Ia'atrix the Black fulfilled her plans to release the slumbering kraken. Her hope was to use a cage of adamantine chains and a powerful artifact from the fallen Thaedran Imperium to capture and control Seaeater. However, when Ia'atrix awoke the kraken, it managed to break free of the chains, overcome the artifact's power, and tear the dragon in half. Seaeater had been released.

The ancient titan's ferocity was swift. In a matter of weeks, Seaeater had leveled the magnificent city of Aquidium, sunk two fleets from the nations of Frostholme and the Crescent Empire, and smashed the Prism Reef to pieces. With the kraken on the warpath, the people of the Stardragon Sea began to fear the worst; that the end was nigh, and the fulfillment of Ioun's Last Forecast was at hand. With the gods barred from interfering in the Material Plane by the Sealing, stopping the legendary Seaeater seemed impossible.
Naelda

Naelda was a town in the western Mainland. Nestled in a valley near the Nem Daral mountain range, it was a vassal of the Kessler Dominion for over 200 years. It was completely destroyed in 599 LA by the Logos Vortex.

## The Naeldan Scar

After the firing of the Logos Vortex, a 3-mile-wide crater was all that was left of Naelda. It came to be known as the Naeldan Scar. The site was haunted, and plagued with monsters.
Tattered Twelve

The **Tattered Twelve** was the nickname given to a group of renegade sailors from the *Stardragon's Ruby*. Together, they managed to slay the green dragon Kluthameer, thereby freeing the kingdom of Thracenwood from his evil rule.

## Members of the Tattered Twelve

The Tattered Twelve included:

* Cuahatemoc, a tabaxi warrior of Zatal
* Tybris Strutt, a former Glavian official
* Takat, a khufiri sailor
* Nadine Middleton, a student of the Deliria College of Glamour
* Jesus Velzan, an experienced helmsman
* Drogo Saegh, an apprentice of the cleric Saint
* Paki, a swashbuckling privateer
* Shamahs of Silvera, a blue-scaled dragonborn
* Fallond Broodfist, a dwarf cook and lover of Paki
* Varis, a sea elf in his twilight years
* Seraphina Rosehips, a halfling thief
* Jeskra Vranhelm, a young dwarf from Nem Daral
St. Octavia

**Octavia** was one of the devout disciples of the god Pelor prior to the outbreak of the Dawn War. She was said to have been martyred in an effort to restore the tieflings of Bael Turath after their fall.

According to Peloric scripture, she was involved in a coupling with an aasimar, eventually giving birth to legendary hero Maximillian the White. She was immortalized as the Patron Saint of Compassion by the Church of the Tetrarchs.
Shadowfield Abeyance

The **Shadowfield Abeyance** was the name given to an event in the late 8th century of the Middle Era. It occurred as a result of paladins of the Church of the Tetrarchs slaying so-called "heretics" in the Shadowfield region of the Nentir Vale. It was characterized as a total and irrevocable sapping of access to divine powers.
Moradin

Moradin was a Creative Celestial deity and patron of dwarves.

## History

The All-father of the dwarves, Moradin fashioned the second race of the Echelon "by breathing life into... cut stones and gems", according to the Moradindrian. Some primitive cultures in the Ancient World worshipped Moradin as a fertility god. After their own creation by the dwarves, the gearforged race were almost monotheistic in their devotion to Moradin. A master craftsman, Moradin also forged *Gungnir*, the great spear of the thunder god Kord.

Moradin's Celestial wife, Berronar Truesilver, was regarded as the Revered Mother of the dwarves and held in high esteem as well. Paladins who fought in Moradin's name also took up the mantle of the mysterious Berronar, and were sometimes called Defenders of Berronar among other dwarves.

## Dogma and Followers

Moradin was the god of the forge, family, and tradition. He encouraged creativity, intelligence, harmony, and above all, hard work. Clerics of Moradin and Erathis usually performed marriage ceremonies in civilized lands.
Monster

A **monster** was a catch-all term for a creature, generally non-sentient, which posed a threat in some way to mortal races. They differed from animals in that monsters did not contribute to the natural cycle or evolutionary progression; druidic lore stated that if monsters were removed from an ecosystem, there would be only positive effects to that ecosystem.

For these reasons, monsters were considered the primary bane of almost every society, including evil ones.

## Classifications of Monsters

The peoples of Echelon organized monsters into several categories. Generally, categories included:

* Aberration
* Beast
* Construct
* Dragon
* Elemental
* Fey
* Fiend
* Giant
* Humanoid
* Monstrosity
* Ooze
* Plant
* Undead
Pelor

Pelor was a Creative Celestial and one of the most prominent deities in the pantheon of Echelon's deities. He was represented by the untouchable and glorious sun, bringing life into the world below it and driving darkness into oblivion.

## History

Pelor was seen as a sort of leader amongst the pantheon. In multiple traditions and holy texts, other gods deferred to Pelor's judgment, with remarks that he was "the first to be sent to... where there was no place". At that "no place", he worked with Moradin, Bahamut, and Avandra to create Echelon.

It was Pelor who took the mantle of leadership against the Prime Evils in the First War.

## Dogma and Followers

Pelor was a god of agriculture, healing, and time. He took on my forms in religions throughout Echelon. He was seen by the Holy Church of the Tetrarchs in the Middle Era as a god of balance between Erathis and Melora. He was called Ra by the desertdweller Faith of the Sacred Flame, and Ehlonna (a feminine deity) by the sea elves in the Seldarine pantheon. The Khufiri people called him Al'Asran, and the tabaxi peoples worshipped Pelor as Tezca.

Pelor's clerics and priests were among the most well-respected in the world throughout any era, with the notable exception of the Dark Age. Pelor's clerics regularly performed healing rites, and preached kindness and compassion to all. Throughout Echelon's history, cathedrals and chapels were funded by an informal and loose organization which was simply referred to as the Church of Pelor.

The teachings of Pelor were written down in the aptly-named Book of Light. Pages and passages from the Book were regularly used as holy symbols. His few paladins were nicknamed Solar Knights, and could usually be found destroying undead and protecting the helpless.
Soul Forge

A Soul Forge was a techno-arcane construction and origin of gearforged. It was a specialized dwarven machine which allowed imbuing a residuum-infused astral diamond with sentience.

## History

The construction of the first Soul Forge took place in a mountain range north of the Red Desert. Legend said that the Zathos dwarf clan wished to mimic their All-father with the ultimate expression of creativity, and therefore create a new species.

When the Null blanketed the world at the beginning of the Dark Age, the Soul Forge was lost for half a century. While dwarven engineers attempted to recreate the Zathos clan's *magnum opus* in Galvanheim Light City, an expedition left Sirocco Light City in 55 DA to recover the lost Forge. The expedition found the Soul Forge and moved it to Sirocco, ensuring the continuation of the gearforged race.

Despite illusions to the contrary, Galvanheim was successful in creating a second Soul Forge in 133 DA. However, as the final cog was put into place, the grand machine disappeared from the Median Timeline. It was not discovered until after the Melding that the second Soul Forge was pulled into the Whispering Valley. For the entirety of the Dark Age, it was assumed that the project was a failure and the Zathos secret to Soul Forge creation was lost forever.

Efforts to build a third Soul Forge took place during the Light Age by several nations, but none were successful until the early 2100s.

The Forges at Sirocco and Mt. Anzin in the Whispering Valley remained the primary locations for gearforged construction throughout the Light Age.
White Order

The **White Order** was an organization of paladin knights formed by Maximillian the White during the Dawn War. They were known by several names throughout the world's history; these paladins were also called **White Knights**, **Solar Knights**, or **Knights Chevalier**. The White Order was founded on the precepts of a sacred Oath of Devotion.

## Tenets of the White Order

Though the exact wording of Oaths of Devotion differed depending on time and place, a paladin taking such an oath signaled that they were binding themselves to five general tenets:

1. **Honesty**, to never lie or cheat
2. **Courage**, to be brave in battle and in life
3. **Compassion**, to aid the weak and to show mercy with wisdom
4. **Honor**, to treat others with fairness and to do good
5. **Duty**, to mete out just punishment and to be responsible for one's actions