recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Spined Thresher

Known to the Uthuk as the Gw’reth Chuik, or “that which feeds,” these mighty demons are simply “spined threshers” to the defenders of the Land of Steel. When the enemies of the Uthuk cower behind the stone walls of their cities and keeps, the witches call out into the Ynfernael for the Gw’reth Chuik. If their sacrifices are sufficient, a huge demon hauls its chitinous form from the beyond to do battle for the Locust Swarm.

A nightmare mixture of insect and beast, the demon looms over Humans and horses. These monsters range from the size of a laden wagon to that of a small house. Despite their bulk, spined threshers move swiftly across the battlefield, their many legs propelling them along. They rip apart their foes with serrated mandibles or even devour them whole, while walls and other fortifications crack and crumble under their sustained assaults.

The mere sight of a spined thresher is frequently enough to infect mortal minds with unreasoning fear. As the beast chitters and lifts its bulbous head above the enemy’s parapet, soldiers scatter before it, dropping weapons and shields as they try desperately to flee. The demon seems to revel in the terror it causes, displaying a dark intelligence as it drives prey before it. Often it will trap them against their own defenses before taking its time to crush them underfoot or snip the limbs from their bodies.

In great battles, a favored blood sister might be blessed with the arrival of more than one spined thresher with which to destroy her enemies. In these instances, the great demons level everything in their path, competing to sow the most destruction until naught remains of a city or town but piles of rubble and twisted corpses.
Salamander

The Dragonkin known as salamanders lack the intelligence and arcane power of true dragons, but are nonetheless fearsome creatures and the foundation for countless legends. Salamanders are creatures of magic, although they lack the requisite intelligence to consciously master this power. Heat radiates from their smooth reptilian bodies and the creatures seem particularly suited for life in the Heath—few other environments could tolerate their inflammatory presence.

Salamanders live extraordinarily long and sedentary lives. Every few decades, a salamander seeks out a rift or vent in the broken terrain, rejuvenating itself in the magma below the surface. While largely peaceable, they blaze with violence if threatened, especially if any dare disturb their fiery nests. Salamander eggs (and skins) are highly desirable to mages and scholars for their magical properties, and can fetch staggering prices in Tamalir markets.
Dragon Hybrid

Dragon hybrids are cruel abominations, relics from the age of the Third Darkness. They are the result of depraved experiments of the most inventive draconic invaders, who required loyal servants with both the cunning of Humans and the resiliency and magic of dragon-kind.

The results of these experiments were largely deemed miserable failures, as dragon hybrids were neither as strong as dragons nor as intelligent as them (or even Humans). They served as foot soldiers and were discarded after the end of the Dragon Wars, left to fend for themselves in the wilds of Terrinoth.

Raised in the harshest life imaginable, dragon hybrids are vicious fighters, and time has only made them deadlier. Some possess wings, others deadly talons, and still others a hint of the fiery breath so commonly associated with their larger draconic ancestors. Like dragons, they have a hunger for magic in all its forms. As such, hybrids often delve into Terrinoth’s many ruins, or sell their swords to sorcerers and wizards willing to pay their price in magical artifacts. In recent years, they have become more accepted in Dragonkin society, and fight alongside other Dragonkin as inheritors of Margath's legacy.
Sir Leopold Farnas

*“Evil is a real and tangible force, and it is to be utterly eradicated.”*

A proud knight just taking his place in manhood, Sir Leopold looks the part in every way. Keeps his armor polished, his sword sharp, his shield emblem clear, and most importantly his cape clean. He has a short-cropped beard, clearly to cultivate the appearance of maturity. Its not quite working yet.

Leo was born and raised in the baronial seat of Rhynn. The young knight was groomed for Daqan military service. As a squire, his master was killed in battle. After putting his master to rest, he took up his master’s sword and cause and never looked back.

An arrogant man with good intentions, Leopold considers it the duty of the nobility to defend the meek. He believes it is also the duty of the nobility to rule, for the lower orders don’t have the capacity for leadership the way those of his caste do.
Baroness Adelynn

From her home at Highmont, Baroness Adelynn of Forthyn personally oversees the raising and training of Forthyn’s famed rocs, as her lineage has done for centuries. Adelynn provides these trained rocs to certain other baronies in accordance with longstanding traditions and alliances. Great artificial eyries in the mountains are home to expert breeders and trainers, who have themselves adjusted to the thin, cold mountain air and perfected their arts over many generations.

Recently, however, these folk have faced a new challenge. Unknown thieves have made several attempts to steal rocs, including hatchlings and eggs. Thus far, the roc-masters and the baroness’s men-at-arms have foiled these attempts. The persistence of the thieves and the very difficulty of absconding with such fearsome creatures in such perilous terrain speaks to the determination and resourcefulness of the culprits, and some Forthyners fear this indicates a darker power behind the rustlers. For the mighty rocs to fall into the hands of Terrinoth’s enemies would bode ill for the Land of Steel.
Aymhelin Scion

When the children of Latariana sound the horn for battle, the very forest answers their call. Roots erupt from the earth in a peal of thunder while limbs crack and sway as if in a gale. Moss, leaves, and flowers shift and fall and bloom again with the movements of living trees. What once appeared an old knot suddenly glows with living green light as the will of the forest awakens.

The Loremasters sing of the first sentient trees of the Aymhelin awakening shortly after the arrival of the elves, roused from the slumber of newborns by the most ancient songs of the Latari. The elves stirred some unknown joy in the mysterious hearts of the forest, giving movement to the roots and boughs and trunks of the woods. The elves became enamored of these Finwalyn, or forest children, whose beauty instilled in the Latari hope that not all was lost after their fall.

Some say the Elves use arcane, ritualistic magic to animate huge Deepwood trees. Others claim that the trees achieved mobility on their own, a byproduct from millennia of magic being cast across the Aymhelin. No matter their origin, the trees of the Aymhelin are potent allies. Scions are young, only a few centuries old perhaps, and often accompany the Latari Elves when battle must be done outside the great forest. Though not as powerful as Forest Guardians, these trees can ensnare foes to make them easy targets for Elven archers.

The Aymhelin Scions’ thick bark is strong enough to withstand weapons of steel, stones, and bone. The many limbs and roots of the Aymhelin Scions offer them the unique ability to catch any enemy who gets too close, cutting off their hope of escape. The Scions’ strength comes from their arcane link to the environment.

During times of great need, Elven wealdcallers will expedite the process of the Scions’ awakenings by singing songs of movement and the dawn. On their first steps after awakening, the Scions’ power is erratic as they grow wild and unchecked. Over the course of ages, these saplings will mature into lumbering giants of great of strength and size, and even greater of prowess in battle.

Should the forces of darkness choose to threaten the Latari, they had best be prepared to confront the fury of nature itself. When Aymhelin Scions arise to defend their Elven brothers and sisters, nothing can stand in the way of their victory!

## References

1. Realms of Terrinoth
2. Runewars Miniatures Game
Ashrian

"*I no more understand why I can hear the spirits speak than I understand why you cannot.*"

One day just over a year ago, the Elf Ashrian walked out of the Whispering
Forest knowing not a word of either the Common Speech or the Latari
tongue. She did, however, know the uses of every herb that grows in
Terrinoth, the secret ways of traveling unseen through the forest, and
the language of the spirits,
 which can speak directly to a person's mind if they are willing to
hear. Never staying in one place for more than a few days, Ashrian has
traveled the length and breadth of Terrinoth, and her command of the
Common Speech, Latari, and a dozen other tongues besides is now quite
strong. Ashrian refuses to speak of her home, her people, or her past,
declaring that instead she wishes to think of the future, and how to
make it better.

*"The spirits have given me a map that only I can understand. I already know the way."*

## References

1. Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition)
2. Heroes of Terrinoth
Orrukasi

In the oldest chronicles and most ancient of tales one can find
allusions to a mysterious race of woolly and secretive creatures known
as the Orrukasi. Though their might is unparalleled, it is their genuine
 love for battle that makes them coveted allies. Some see them as
harbingers of doom, others as noble guardians; for wherever they appear,
 trouble is never far behind.

## References

1. Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition): Shards of Everdark
Bone Implement

Magic Implements carved of animal bone have long been used by spiritspeakers, witches, and the nightseers of the ancient Loth Caara tribes. Staffs and wands and other implements crafted from the bones of Humans and their kind are associated with necromancy and other dark magics. When properly prepared, the bones of an ordinary mortal creature can produce frightening effects. The strange foci of the bonewitches, fashioned from horn and fang and claw, could be horrifyingly potent
Baron Fredric

Fredric is the baron of Kell. A rich trade in timber and iron keeps coin flowing into Baron Fredric’s
vaults. Seldom does the coin rest long, however, before the baron puts
it to use for the betterment of his people and lands. It is said that
Roland of Kell slew High Lord Margath at the culmination of the Dragon
Wars, and many people see that nobility in his descendant.

## References

1. Realms of Terrinoth
2. Battlelore Command
Lava Elemental

While most elementals reside in the distant lands of Al-Kalim, a few also live in the even hotter lairs within the Molten Heath. The volcanoes in this land are an ideal environment for these magical creatures, though it is uncertain if the elementals are the cause of the deadly heat or if the volcanoes attracted their attention.

This matters little to those unfortunate adventurers who might encounter them, though. Lava elementals jealously guard their lairs and are always seeking to expand any area where rock is still stubbornly solid—which is usually a place where mortals are to be found.
Glaciel Snowstar

Glaciel Snowstar was a great hero of the War of the Shadow Tear. Malcorne had used the power of the Ynfetaar, the corrupted Star of Latariana also called the Shadow Tear, to summon forth an army from the Ynfernael and ravage the elven tribes.

In the depths of darkness, however, a beacon of hope shone through. Glaciel Snowstar, son of the chieftain of the tenth tribe, the Nivalis, had witnessed firsthand the devastation of Malcorne’s assaults but refused to give in to despair. He rescued his father’s Tear and resolved to travel to the Yrthwrights’ own home, where he would ask the dragons for their guidance and help in defeating the corrupted Elven chieftain. Along the way, he gathered companions to his cause: High Priestess Celeneth of the Salish, the Feredel sorcerer Keldarim, Erenil the Swift of the Latari, and others. The extent of Glaciel’s adventures and the exploits of his companions have made their way into countless lays that are still sung in the verdant settlements of the Aymhelin.

The dragons, whom the First had tasked with preserving the world, seemed to anticipate Glaciel’s coming, but remained aloof even as he begged them for aid. They rebuffed Glaciel’s appeal—this was the Elves’ own doing, and the Elves would need to bear this burden. Yet the Nivalis lordling would not give up. When he refused to leave, the dragons explained that if they interceded in the Elves’ affairs, one day the tribes would be forced to pay a terrible price. Glaciel could not allow his people to suffer any longer, and accepted the dragon’s deal. Glaciel and his companions returned to rally their respective tribes with a flight of dragons at their back. On the Plains of Enfreil, they fought a final battle against Malcorne. In the world’s most desperate hour, their combined forces ultimately achieved victory and struck down the dark Elven lord.

The remaining Daewyl Elves retreated from the combined Elven and draconic forces, hoping to hide themselves away. The victors could not afford for the corruption to spread, so they hunted down their foes to burn them from the face of this world. Malcorne’s wretched tribe was nearly extinguished in the slaughter. Many worry that small enclaves of the Daewyl still lurk in the dark nooks of the world, but at least one group claims to have come back to the light. Now calling themselves the Deep Elves, they seek to atone for their sins by destroying demons in this realm—and in others beyond.
Order of the Stewards

In the days of Terrinoth’s troubled past, the mad sorcerer Devis sought to create a race of utterly loyal and terrible minions that would serve him without question. His experiments created terrifying monsters that ravaged the realm until a band of heroes destroyed them and their dark master. With a forbidden rite, the heroes bound Devis’s evil knowledge within their own minds, becoming the Order of the Stewards. For years, Terrinoth was spared the depredations of these monsters, but now an ancient evil rises to oppose the heroes and unveil the secret they have long protected.

## References

1. Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition): Stewards of the Secret
Lizardman

The lizardmen are a fallen race, broken by the wheel of history and little recovered after their grand empire of Zanaga vanished centuries ago. Taller and thinner than the Mahkim, and more similar in appearance to a scaled Human, they dwell in the ruins of their once-magnificent cities. In the sacred moon city of Xitotl, the upper levels house Humans and Mahkim, while the lizardmen live in the shadows below. The living ziggurat of Teno’tek, whose location changes from season to season, remains a center for the lizardmen, although they have long forgotten how to open its great sun gates and venture inside. Often found alongside Mahkim, lizardmen wear trappings of ancient, broken technologies and wield strange tools with purposes that are a mystery even to their owners.

The lizard god, Moakileki, is an ancient figure of legend believed to have caused the downfall of the great lizardman empire. A beast of entropic glory, Moakileki is worshipped only by hateful and evil beings who seek the death of the world. Some say the last act of the lizardmen’s potent spellcasters, the Crystal Seers, was to cage Moakileki, giving up their lives in the last days of their empire to entomb the god somewhere beneath the jungles of Zanaga. Heroes seeking out the fabled bejeweled skulls of the Crystal Council may find themselves on the path to Moakileki—and, if they are very unfortunate, perhaps even to the giant lizard’s final resting place.
Da’Roul Bonesplicer

When an Uthuk warlord named Da’Roul Bonesplicer marched on Terrinoth from the Wastes, General Waiqar commenced the Ru Campaign. He and his troops vanquished Da’Roul, and throughout Ru and the Darklands they annihilated the Uthuk camps. King Daqan ordered the building of guard towers along the borders of the forbidden lands so that he could station patrols there to watch for signs of resurgent Uthuk. In the years since, the watchtowers have fallen into disuse, for the Uthuk had been utterly destroyed.
Baroness Pryor

Baroness Pryor of Pelgate is the most aged of the Daqan Lords, and among both her
fellow barons and subjects are those who fear she may no longer possess
the strength to deal with the rising threat in the east. After Kell,
Pelgate lies closest of the baronies to the Ru Steppes, and its position
 between two mountain chains provides a natural bottleneck and
defensible position. Still, a greater number of subjects and peers fail
to even recognize the looming danger, and so Pelgate takes few steps to
prepare its defenses.
Arcane Bolt Rune

Many different runebound shards produce a powerful blast of magical energy when activated. While these runes vary wildly in the appearance and exact manner of their effect, the results are similar in dealing harm to living targets. Some arcane bolts manifest as diffuse showers of light that deal limited amounts of damage over a wide area. Others are focused beams that deliver all their energy in a powerful lance that makes a mockery of armor.
Roland of Kell

Baron Roland of Kell is remembered as a great hero of the Dragon Wars for slaying the infamous High Lord Margath.

The dragons had fallen upon the city of Kell, rumored to contain a number of Stars of Timmorran. However, the rumors were part of a ruse. No Stars were to be found in Kell, but the city was ringed with defensive redoubts containing ballistae of Lorimorian design. Leading the defense of Kell was none other than the bold adventurer Lord Roland, who had equipped himself with the tools needed to slay a dragonlord. He bore an ice storm runebound shard, with which he could summon freezing rain, and a rare soulstone runebound shard from the royal vaults in Archaut, which leached the life from his enemies and filled him with stolen vigor in turn. He was mounted upon a rare Yeron, one of the winged horses of the Elves.

As the dragons reeled from a hail of bolts and arrows, they retreated to the cold skies above the Mountains of Despair, out of reach of the deadly artillery fire. Lord Roland had anticipated this, and from his mountainside perch, he took to the air and used his runebound shard to call forth freezing rain on the position of Margath the Unkind.

The dragonlord was left dazed and weakened from the cold, and Lord Roland was able to drive his blade, the legendary elf-sword Coravim, also called Brave Heart, through the neck of the great drake. The valiant lord did not live to celebrate his victory, however, for in the dragonlord’s death throes, Margath broke the wings of Roland’s Yeron. Horse and rider tumbled from the sky to their deaths. The people of Kell hailed a great victory, but with heavy hearts. In the years to come, the mountainsides would be combed for the remains of Lord Roland and Margath, but no bodies have ever been recovered from the snow-shrouded peaks.

## References

1. Realms of Terrinoth
2. Runebound (Third Edition)
Flesh Ripper

Flesh rippers are the heralds of the Uthuk armies: packs of these slavering beasts lead the charge into battle with savage roars and screams. There can be little doubt as to the demonic ancestry of these twisted creatures given their blood-red sinew, bulging muscles, and bony, armored hides. As large as fullgrown lions, flesh rippers tower over most prey. Their size, however, belies their speed. Racing across the ground on all fours, these vicious beasts can easily catch a knight on horseback, while soldiers on foot have no hope of outrunning them. When flesh rippers catch their foes, they truly live up to their name; even a single such monster will paint the earth red as it rends apart its prize. Of course, when one sees a single flesh ripper, others are never far behind.

The wrangling of flesh rippers is no easy task, as Uthuk beastmasters’ countless old scars and missing limbs can prove. Witches and warlocks use blood sacrifice to lure the flesh rippers from the tempestuous heart of the Ru and cage them with sorcerous power. The demons are then branded with the N’klashth, or bloodmark, making the covenant of ownership complete. Once the creatures are broken to the will of the Blood Coven, beastmasters use barbed whips to corral them. Then, when the horns of war sound and the beasts are let loose, their instincts take over, and their masters need only prod them toward the foe and watch the carnage they unleash.
Ferrox

Ferrox are humanoid creatures with pale green skin over powerful muscles. Membranous skin stretched between their arms and torsos allows ferrox to glide, and gives a very bat-like appearance when extended. Their arms terminate in wicked, hook-like claws, and their mouths are filled with razor-like teeth. Vicious and savage, these creatures are only dimly intelligent, and easily dominated by certain dark magics.

Those unfortunate enough to encounter ferrox whilst in the Mistlands rarely live to tell the tale. There are even rumors that those who survive their bite slowly transform into one of these foul creatures.

The ferrox entered the world for the first time after the
experimentations of the insane sorcerer, Devis. The exact nature and
abilities of the ferrox have changed over the long years since his fall,
 and while they contain only a shade of their former power, the beasts
have adapted. Now, the ferrox can sap the power of their enemies and use
 it to repair their own bodies. Sustained by their victim’s strength, a
ferrox is a worthy match for any hero.

## References

1. Realms of Terrinoth
2. Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition): Stewards of the Secret
Sahla

"*Why be only one man when I have the power to be many?*"

As the youngest of seven brothers, Sahla of Al-Kalim spent much of his childhood
imitating his elder siblings. When he was only fourteen, he set out on a
 pilgrimage of self-discovery to the Blessed Valley, and while drinking
from a stream, he saw his own reflection fade from the water. From that
moment, he knew that healing other’s afflictions and drawing upon their
strengths led to his fullest power.

## References

1. Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition): Guardians of Deephall
Brother Gherinn

"*We must suffer and purge our souls unto life, for the flame shall be our judge.*"

Beneath his mask, Brother Gherinn’s face is scarred by the terrible burns inflicted on him by a ritual of purification carried out by priests of Kellos. He never speaks of the man he was before that fiery ordeal, instead simply claiming that the agony was a small price to pay to gain control over his own dark nature. He now uses his mastery of unknowable energies to heal those in need and vanquish the wicked, hoping to wash away the crimes of his past. By climbing to the height of the mystical mountain, Brother Gherinn may finally find true redemption.

"*I must strive to fight darkness, lest I be overtaken by the darkness that dwells within me.*"

## References

1. Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition): Crown of Destiny
Erenil the Swift

Erenil was a Latari hero of the War of the Shadow Tear. Malcorne had used the power of the Ynfetaar, the corrupted Star of Latariana also called the Shadow Tear, to summon forth an army from the Ynfernael and ravage the elven tribes.

In the depths of darkness, however, a beacon of hope shone through. Glaciel Snowstar, son of the chieftain of the tenth tribe, the Nivalis, had witnessed firsthand the devastation of Malcorne’s assaults but refused to give in to despair. He rescued his father’s Tear and resolved to travel to the Yrthwrights’ own home, where he would ask the dragons for their guidance and help in defeating the corrupted Elven chieftain. Along the way, he gathered companions to his cause: High Priestess Celeneth of the Salish, the Feredel sorcerer Keldarim, Erenil the Swift of the Latari, and others. The extent of Glaciel’s adventures and the exploits of his companions have made their way into countless lays that are still sung in the verdant settlements of the Aymhelin.

The dragons, whom the First had tasked with preserving the world, seemed to anticipate Glaciel’s coming, but remained aloof even as he begged them for aid. They rebuffed Glaciel’s appeal—this was the Elves’ own doing, and the Elves would need to bear this burden. Yet the Nivalis lordling would not give up. When he refused to leave, the dragons explained that if they interceded in the Elves’ affairs, one day the tribes would be forced to pay a terrible price. Glaciel could not allow his people to suffer any longer, and accepted the dragon’s deal. Glaciel and his companions returned to rally their respective tribes with a flight of dragons at their back. On the Plains of Enfreil, they fought a final battle against Malcorne. In the world’s most desperate hour, their combined forces ultimately achieved victory and struck down the dark Elven lord.

The remaining Daewyl Elves retreated from the combined Elven and draconic forces, hoping to hide themselves away. The victors could not afford for the corruption to spread, so they hunted down their foes to burn them from the face of this world. Malcorne’s wretched tribe was nearly extinguished in the slaughter. Many worry that small enclaves of the Daewyl still lurk in the dark nooks of the world, but at least one group claims to have come back to the light. Now calling themselves the Deep Elves, they seek to atone for their sins by destroying demons in this realm—and in others beyond.
Lumii Tamar

Lumii was the foremost among the great wizard Timmorran Lokander's acolytes at the Tower of Meringyr, and he was there on the Night of Betrayal.

## The Night of Betrayal

As Waiqar’s minions breached the tower gates, Timmorran gathered the shards of his Orb of the Sky in a velvet bag. He entrusted the bag to his most able student, Lumii Tamar, telling the frightened youth to hide the shards across all the lands, to entrust each piece only to the wise and the noble. With the shards scattered in this way across the world, Timmorran hoped their powers would stay out of evil’s reach.

As the great oaken door to his upper chambers finally began to collapse under Waiqar’s assault, Timmorran walked to a tall window at the rear of the chamber. With a whistle, he summoned aid. Soon, a vast cloud of mountain crows, stretching for miles, descended into the valley. The countryside around the tower suddenly throbbed with flickering masses of black feathers, the drone of their flapping wings was as the roar of a tempest.

Timmorran took a single shard from Lumii’s bag. Using it, he transformed the acolyte so that he might escape. With a final blessing from his master, Lumii Tamar, now in the guise of a mountain crow, spread his newfound wings and leapt from the tower window, escaping the butchery that would follow. Unnoticed in the cacophony of brethren birds, Lumii escaped the eyes and the arrows of Waiqar’s forces. He flew across plain and mountain to do Timmorran’s final bidding, and he did not fail.

Upon entering the upper chamber and discovering Timmorran’s final gambit, Waiqar’s howls of rage could be heard for miles.That would be the night Waiqar cursed himself and his men to become the Deathborn Legion, setting the Second Darkness in motion.

## Lumii Tamar Concocts a Plan

In the ensuing chaos, a shrouded stranger arrived at Archaut, claiming to be a survivor of the slaughter in the Wizard’s Vale. As he bore nothing more offensive than a velvet pouch, he was permitted to address the Council, and so, Lumii Tamar was able to give his account of Waiqar’s betrayal.

Tamar suggested that the fragments of the Orb he carried, which he referred to as the Stars of Timmorran, be kept secret and safe. The Council of Barons granted Lumii the authority to create and head an order of wizards tasked with protecting the Stars and advising on matters regarding them.

The Lumii Order, a secretive group of the wisest wizards, was formed for this mission. The activities of Tamar himself throughout the Second Darkness are largely unrecorded, as was necessary if the Order were to avoid the spies of Waiqar. Suffice it to say, the Stars were largely kept safe from the onslaught of the Deathborn Legion. Waiqar would eventually be defeated in 521, but he was never killed. He dwells still in the Mistlands, plotting his revenge.
Barghest

Some necromancers specialize in commanding barghests, ghastly canines of immense size and strength, rather than raising simple Reanimates. The origins of these bestial creatures is the subject of dark myths, and most firmly hold that they have existed in Mennara long before Waiqar was born. All tales agree, though, that their vicious, undead form has no resemblance to any living creature, and that they appear more the work of some twisted mentality than any natural evolution.

Barghests often travel in scouting packs, attacking from out of woodlands and misted fields to harass and drive prey. They prefer to strike when the night is darkest, relying on their keen senses of smell and taste to detect the signs of life. Those that prove their worth are elevated to become barghest alphas; these share a special mystical bond with their undead master. By meditating, the necromancer can extend their grasp over the barghest alpha, seeing through its eyes and directing the others in its pack with even greater control.
Baron Ulon Heronglade

Ulon Heronglade was a baron of Terrinoth who lived under the rule of King Daqan. He was not pleased with Daqan’s reforms, holding a number of reactionary opinions regarding kingship, and his opposition to Daqan often resulted in heated arguments.

When Daqan was killed on the road, it was whispered that the Bloodguard Knights had been hired to waylay and murder the king by none other than Baron Ulon Heronglade. Led by Baron Waiqar Sumarion, the Council took resolute action: it had Castle Heronglade razed to the ground and the baron seized. Ulon Heronglade never stopped protesting his innocence, even as he dangled from a cage from the gates of Archaut and slowly starved to death.
Orc Spiritspeaker

Orc spiritspeakers use a shamanistic connection through the earth to communicate with the hidden, ethereal creatures of Mennara. This not only allows them to speak as mediums for The Unseen, but also to act as conduits for the spirits to act on the mundane world.

Whether attached to objects or locations, minor spirits are normally unable to summon the energy or focus it takes to act on the physical world. However, through a combination of natural ability and rigorous training, spiritspeakers can thin the barriers that surround Mennara enough to allow apparitions to manifest. That lets benevolent sprites openly share their wisdom, guardian spirits to physically defend their territories, and wraiths to directly attack whoever holds their cursed object.

That connection also gives spiritspeakers a supernatural edge in combat and adventuring, as many will have gathered a modest assortment of objects with useful entities attached which can be summoned for aid or protection.
Daqan Banner Guard

Flying over Daqan armies are colorful banners that swirl in the wind. These battle standards have histories as long as the Baronies of Daqan, a symbol of the undying loyalty each soldier pledges to their home. Only the bravest soldiers are chosen to guard the standard, as under no circumstances may they allow the company’s symbol to fall into enemy hands. These warriors are Banner Guards, an unwavering reminder of the honor the armies of the Daqan fight for.
Rendiel

"*An ancient melody, refined through countless generations... freely given.*"

The Elf Rendiel’s wanderlust began when he heard a snippet of a song from a
human merchant. When Rendiel pressed the merchant for more of his song,
the man apologized and explained he didn’t remember where he’d heard it.
 Reasoning that a human heard the bewitching song in human lands,
Rendiel the bard set out on a quest throughout Terrinoth to find the song that
haunts him.

## References

1. Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition): Shadow of Nerekhall
King Triamlavar

Triamlavar ruled the Aymhelin as King of the Latari Elves during the First Darkness. It was his leadership that built the first alliance between humans and elves, a tradition that was carried through history whenever their lands were threatened by the Ynfernael. He was extinguished on the field by Kul the Serpent during the Battle of the Locust.

## The Siege of Thelgrim

When the Uthuk Y'llan began their destruction of Talindon in earnest, The Elf King Triamlavar pledged to fight alongside King Falladir's forces. An elite army was hastily assembled, combining the best of the fast and hard-hitting troops that they could muster. They force-marched through mountain passes and fell upon the rear of Llovar’s forces, to break their siege of Dunwarr.

The Humans and Elves threw the Uthuk into disarray and forced Llovar to retreat and regroup. Falladir and Triamlavar were able to relieve the Dwarven fortress of Thelgrim and entreated the Dwarves to join the war, but the Dunwarr Deeplords were unwilling to commit to military action. While they did promise the use of Thelgrim to the new alliance, they stubbornly refused to allow their own troops to be risked in battle, claiming they would fight only in self-defense.

## Timmorran Arrives

In 483, the great wizard Timmorran came to the allied force's aid with an army of Sundermen. With the consent of Falladir and Triamlavar, he ordered the allied army to split into two contingents, one commanded by himself and the other by the famed Sunderland general Waiqar Sumarion.

Timmorran’s enchanted army, now joined by Falladir and Triamlavar, sought out the Uthuk and their allies. At the Battle of the Burning Hills, they baited an army of Orcs into attacking their strong, elevated position, leading to a conclusive victory in which Timmorran struck down Chief Lukosh with his magic. The Orcs soon began to desert the Ynfernael cause and by 486 Llovar would no longer be able to call upon a single Orcish regiment.

## Battle of the Locust

In the battle of the locust at the end of the war, Triamlavar defended Timmorran from a vicious Uthuk assault led by Kul the Serpent. Scything bone blades slashed at Timmorran, but King Triamlavar leapt before the charging Uthuk. While Triamlavar was distracted, Kul punched an envenomed arrow through the Elf king’s belly. The Dwarven Deeplord Halgir and the Sayr-Savim Elder Ashan also fell protecting the wizard that day. Their sacrifices allowed Timmorran to finally triumph over Llovar Rutonu and vanquish the Uthuk from Talindon.
Roc Warrior

The giant eagles that dwell among the mountains of northern Terrinoth have been tamed and trained by the people of the baronies for decades. In times of war, these Rocs are armoured, mounted, and led into battle against the enemies of the Daqan Lords. They fly over all terrain with ease, snatching foes up into the sky to drop them to their death. The overhead cry of a Roc Warrior is a heartening song to the soldiers of Daqan which announces their imminent victory, but it is a sound of absolute horror to those that stand against way of the barons.

From her home at Highmont, Baroness Adelynn personally oversees the raising and training of Forthyn’s famed Roc Warriors, as her lineage has done for centuries. The rocs are massive eagles, domesticated long ago and bred for use as war mounts. Adelynn provides these trained rocs to certain other baronies in accordance with longstanding traditions and alliances. Great artificial eyries in the mountains are home to expert breeders and trainers, who have themselves adjusted to the thin, cold mountain air and perfected their arts over many generations.

Recently, however, these folk have faced a new challenge. Unknown thieves have made several attempts to steal rocs, including hatchlings and eggs. Thus far, the roc-masters and the baroness’s men-at-arms have foiled these attempts. The persistence of the thieves and the very difficulty of absconding with such fearsome creatures in such perilous terrain speaks to the determination and resourcefulness of the culprits, and some Forthyners fear this indicates a darker power behind the rustlers. For the mighty rocs to fall into the hands of Terrinoth’s enemies would bode ill for the Land of Steel.
Karnon

"*At end of ages, Karnon remain: ever strong, ever alone.*"

In the oldest chronicles and most ancient of tales one can find
allusions to a mysterious race of woolly and secretive creatures known
as the Orrukasi. Though their might is unparalleled, it is their genuine
 love for battle that makes them coveted allies. Some see them as
harbingers of doom, others as noble guardians; for wherever they appear,
 trouble is never far behind. Karnon's arrival in Terrinoth serves as a
warning: darkness is near.

"*Karnon needs no help from little man. Karnon is Karnon.*"

## References

1. Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition): Shards of Everdark
Forest Guardian

Forest Guardians are unnerving to behold at any time, but especially in combat. The largest of the animated trees of the Aymhelin, they march forward with a fearless abandon, lashing out with their “legs” and using the dense gnarl of their branches and trunks to smash and crush anything that stands before them. Forest Guardians are preternaturally strong, have the inherent resilience of a dense hardwood tree, and act with an efficient brutality borne of beings who may be utterly divorced from the constraints of traditional mortality. They almost never stride beyond the great forest, however, though some have been seen in large Latari armies battling against Broken Plains Orc invaders or Uthuk raiding parties. Forest Guardians grow from the much smaller and more erratic Aymhelin Scions, summoned forth by the Elven Wealdcallers.
Gurak Tol

Gurak Tols are territorial, six-legged lizards that jealously guard their homes; whether that be a warren, isolated cave, or valley. That instinctive behavior has made the creatures invaluable allies for the Orcs who share their homeland of the Broken Plains.

Swift, sure-footed, and incredibly aggressive by nature, Gurak Tols do battle and defend themselves with vicious attacks from strong tails that are tipped with a bone club or spikes. They are the greatest of the many species of giant lizards in the Broken Plains, and the most prized by Orc Lizard Riders. Generally, they tend to rely on their teeth and the claws on their lead fore-legs at the start of combat. Once their prey is wounded and the Gurak feels bold enough to take its eyes off their enemy, though, they swing their massive tails with the force of a trebuchet's ball upon the target's skull or spine. Their tails also allow them to perform a ranged attack when an Orc outrider provides suitable ammunition.

Gurak Tols have been captured and "domesticated" into becoming Orc steeds, but there are still many wild herds that occupy the Broken Plains. While the Orcs actively seek out Gurak Tols for new mounts, they also protect the great lizards from outsiders lest their numbers diminish.
Hilde

A tough-as-nails young dwarf with dark skin and dirty blonde hair, Hilde wears weathered leathers and fingerless gloves. Muscular arms are tattooed with dwarven runes. She carries long daggers that seem all too fitting in her calloused hands. Her posture and stride belie an agile surefootedness

Hilde is the child of a proud Dunwarr military clan and was forced into the army. After much strife, she was cast out and dishonored. She ran with a thieves’ guild for some time, until she realized their evil ways. After striking out on her own, Hilde became an adventurer, seeking a place in the world.

She is hot-headed, anti-authority, and cunning. Fiercely loyal to her chosen companions, Hilde will do whatever it takes to protect them, even if that means breaking the law or protecting them from themselves if they do something stupid. She will sometimes throw herself in harms way, or make rash decisions to prove a point.
Mahkim

The Mahkim are a four-armed reptilian race of Zanaga, and the inheritors of the lizardman empire. Once they were the martial scions of the lizardmen, and the legacy of those glorious days remains in their advanced tactics, unique weapons, and jungle combat skills. While those lizardmen who remain are primitive descendants who remember little of their ancestors’ glory, the Mahkim have lost little of their culture. Many tribes of Mahkim dwell upon ancient roads or in the shadow of an old lizardman temple, protecting these structures from the agents and war parties of the nagas, who are eager to steal their secrets.

Adventurers may find themselves allies or enemies of the Mahkim, depending on whether they come seeking their guidance or to plunder their eggs. Clutches of these milky-green orbs fetch a high price in the ports of Terrinoth and Al-Kalim, where their healing properties are well known. Mahkim are the masters of the inland waterways and guides without peer, which can come in handy when trying to avoid naga hunters in the depths of the old lizardman empire. Explorers sometimes recruit Mahkim warriors or hunters, the race’s young having a reputation for striking out on their own to make their fortune.

The largest Mahkim village, and the spiritual center of their people, rides on the back of the huge crocodile Ravin. This vast beast is worshipped as a god by the Mahkim, and it bears them throughout Zanaga across rivers and lakes, though they must constantly feed its massive appetite. When challenged or wronged, Mahkim warriors paint the god’s likeness on their hides and cry out his name as they charge into battle. These same devotees then devour their fallen enemies, each gulp of meat another prayer to their god.

## Mahkim Warriors

Makhim warriors are as fierce as any in Zanaga, and they have adapted to the environments they fight in. Most employ weapons that only a four-armed fighter could wield, like the dagger-like dolochs they wear as gauntlets. They also employ leather slings which they twist and swing to send a missile flying with tremendous momentum. Makhim are seldom encountered alone; they usually travel in great war parties, some scouting ahead, others staying to the shadows. At first glance, their opponents might believe they face but a few of the reptilian creatures, at least until the jungle comes alive with a cacophony of hissing war cries.
Alister Wendig

Alister Wendig was one of the leaders and the blacksmith of the original Dread Cult. He was a burly man with massive shoulders.

The Dread are a cult of Dragon worshipers in Terrinoth. They plotted to bring back the chief of the dragons: High Lord Margath, who they believed was not killed but instead imprisoned. The cult originated as a splinter sect of the Cult of Kellos, and operated from a secret lair in the crypts of Vynelvale. Judging by the tapestries in the crypt, Alister was one of the cultists who split off and formed a new group which tried to control Margath instead of freeing him.

## References

1. Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition): Embers of Dread
Knight

Noble warriors bound by sworn oaths to causes, orders, or lieges, Knights are the highest symbols of honor in Mennara. They abide by strict codes of chivalry which the greatest knights would rather die than break.

Some knights swear an oath to a lord whose service they dedicate their lives to. Most Daqan Barons have knights like these accompany them both to court and to battle. This practice is also not unheard of in the elf courts of the Latari (an example of one such Latari Knight being Syndrael).

There also exist certain chivalric orders of knights who remain neutral from any one liege but instead serve a greater cause or symbolize a virtue. The most well known of these orders is the Citadel Guard, which is made up of knights who eschew loyalty to any baron, instead defending the baronies as a whole. Other examples include the Knights of the Greatwood or the holy Knights of Kellos. The oldest chivalric orders date back to the Age of Steel and were founded by King Arcus Penacor in Old Talindon.

In Terrinoth, only nobles may become knights, and only in reward for great deeds in battle or in tournaments. In very rare occasions, commoners may achieve nobility by being knighted for some especially valiant feat. Baronies and Free Cities alike hold dazzling tournaments bedecked in the banners and courtesy of chivalry. Those who compete may earn coveted positions of service with great lords or chivalric orders. The Citadel's own Tournament of Valor is the oldest and most revered in Terrinoth, and its champions earn the notice of the Citadel Guard and are invited to become companions in its order of famed knights.

Less polite folk who claim knighthood can be found among the Bloodguard. These are at best dishonorable robbers and at worst servants of ancient evils. No lord recognizes the knighthood of these treacherous bandits, but they appear to hold some form of code similar to a perverted code of chivalry.

## References

1. Realms of Terrinoth
2. Runewars Miniatures Game
3. Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition)
Reynhart the Worthy

"*I’ve been known to lose, but never to give up!*"

Descended from a long line of Daqan knights, Reynhart was destined
for a glorious career in service to the Citadel. He became a squire for
Sir Nessly at the exceptionally young age of nine, and was already
competing in melees before his eleventh birthday. Yet, tragedy was
overdue for young Reynhart. As he prepared Sir Nessly’s armor for a
joust at Baron Zachareth’s annual tourney, he witnessed a cloaked
stranger sneaking into his master’s tent, chisel in hand.

Reynhart knew what the man was about, as sabotaging a knight’s
armor before a joust was a common ploy implemented by unworthy,
treacherous knights. Reynhart drew his sword and mortally wounded the
man—who turned out to be Zachareth’s cousin and royal treasurer.
Reynhart was forced to flee the tourney or face the block for his crime.
 Since then he has sold his sword and kept his head low, waiting for a
day that he might take his vengeance.

## References

1. Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition): Lair of the Wyrm