recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Lion Knights

Once a Knight Errant has proven himself and he has been sponsored by Lion Knights for knighting the King will hear of him. If the King decides with his advisors he can be summoned to the palace and knighted as a Lion Knight.

The Lion Knights are the true Knights of Errantlund. They do not know fear and epitomise loyalty, courage, purity and honour. Many take the path of holy warrior becoming paladins. It is only Lion Knights who many command in the Lion Guard and so may wear the Kings colours of Silver and Green in preference to their own.

Their are Chapter Houses for the order in all the main dukal cities. These men will all be conisidered captains and commanders in any armed force in the field of battle.

The Lion Knights due to their being Knighted by the king are considered extreamely loyal. However is should be remembered that most are high nobles and so when there have been civil wars it is common to find Lion Knights on both sides of the conflict. This is why it is only those Lion Knights who command in the Lion Guard who are considered truely the equals in loyalty to the Guard and the Green Circle and therefore may wear the King’s colours..
Plane of Knowledge

The Plane of Knowledge is infinite and often defies understanding. It forms a major part of the Eternal Vistas.

Knowledge delights in things appearing different than at first perceived. Within this place you are as likely to find a small rugged hut in a long and blasted wasteland as you are a quiet and impressive library.

Important locations in the Plane of Knowledge are: Knowledge's Hut, Celer's Bank, The Index, The Eternal Archive, the Memory Warrens and the Arcane Arc.

Creatures native to this plane are called Perennials.
Ratteroges

A group of Imperial wizards led by the Fallen Elf, Zarin, devised the Mollum programme. They used magic to modify ogres at the most basic level. These new creations called Mollum Ogres were smarter and more easily controlled ogres. They began to employ them as bodyguards and sometimes as unsuspecting spies.

However towards the end of that time a certain Mollum Ogre male managed to successfully mate and bred true. This resulted in a naturally born ogre with different mental capabilities from those in the past. Gone however were the restraints, imposed magically, on the savagery and rebelliousness of ogres. This breed were later named Ratteroges and they still exist today despite the destruction of all known Mollum Ogres. The Ratteroges whilst smarter than regular members of their breed are not the equals of Mollum Ogres, who stood in ranks, developed their own language and were capable of the subtleties of magic and spying.

**Game Mechanics**
Peninsula Forest

This is the forest on the north-eastern peninsula of Errantlund. It is west of the city of Burlliés and provides the feeling of isolation and seclusion that defines the inhabitants of that dukedom. As the only landward route in it provides a natural barrier and hazard. It is used as the first defence against any traveling army going either way.

Unfortunately for the Duke of Burlliés it is also the residence of a couple of hundred Karritkol or wood elves. This outpost causes the Duke endless problems unless he leaves them to do as they would wish and even then all they do is scale back their harassment of the traders and caravans that must travel through the wood.
Kolaran Trading Area

This trading area covers the northern half of the Aurian Empire’s western coastline. Its trading power is huge and it is a very rich area. It is policed both an sea and land by the Blue Protectoran.

The Kolaran Mountains run north south along the eastern edge of the trading area dividing it from the low lying heartlands of the Protectorates.

**Key Cities**

Dardon Point

Kolaran

Tatrak
Naric Fender

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Naric 'Eagle Eye' Fender was a crook, at first a small time fraudster and opportunist trader and then worked as an enforcer after he broke out of prison and made himself an outlaw. After his second major incarceration, Naric signed up to the Yellow Protectoran as part of a deal offering him leniency for his crimes. He is lazy and cowardly, but a fair-to-good shot with a bow.

Despite his disreputable past, Naric maintained a certain air of arrogance and ended up becoming part of Ratorbi Sebini's Suicide Squad at Silverscale Keep. His best friend was the equally disreputable Stoven.
Konrad Borov

Konrad Borov was the High Ranger who led the Green Protectoran during the War of Ears. He was a long time ally of crown prince Viktor and many felt it was Viktor's endorsement that helped him rise to his incredibly powerful position in the military.

He led the Green when they were at their peak of their strength. During his tenure they received 90% of all Protectoran recruits.

1774PE: He was in direct overall command of the seven legions based at Oakhome during the Battle of Oakhome. This battle was a decisive victory for the Empire and Borov was decorated for his leadership and strategic success. Many of his staff and officers were also decorated as a result of the battle and the resulting slaughter of the elven army.
Kavad

Emperor of Auria from 1486 to 1495PE.

He is known in history as 'the Bleeder' because he began the incredibly bloody and unsuccessful War of Vengeance with Torash. He arranged the assassination of the entire Council of Swords by the Knight Stalkers in a move that was supposed to render Torash leaderless and helpless.

His eldest son, Spencer, gained the title ‘Prince of War’ for victories over the Torans in the War of Vengeance. However in a similar way to the War of Thorns Torash itself could not be taken and Auria was forced to allowing them a treaty. The Jennings Treaty (Named for the diplomat who wrote it) is better known as the Encroachment Treaty and gave Auria significantly increased land holdings.

Despite the 'victory', Kavad never got over failing to conquer Torash. He died angry and frustrated only four years after the signing of the treaty.
Runecraft

Runia is the name of the magic generated by the application of runes to materials and objects.

***Source***

Runes are very similar to Arcania but actually access Talia and Divinia also. They are the method developed by knowledge to allow magic to be forged or crafted into physical items and be retained there.

The development of rune magic was dominated by the dwarves for centuries but eventually they shared it with their great allies the elves and then their apprentices the humans.

Runes are dependent entirely on the skill of craftsman and his ability to access the materials and magical sources necessary to craft them correctly to create the desired effects.

Some runes are so powerful they are unique defying duplication, some of these runes have created objects of intelligence that think for themselves and for lack of a more suitable word ‘live’.

Some runes are extremely common. Runes for sharpness for example can be found on almost all high grade weaponry. It is simply considered the next step up in luxury item and in many ways not considered magical at all. So kind of like this as a progression – broken sword – blunt sword – crude sword – well made sword – high quality So it has a rune -master piece better or more runes.

The runes are used to bind into the object Divine magic, Arcane magic, Talia magic etc.

***Learning***
Runia is a studied art accessible by all people who are willing to learn its secrets but it takes a lot of dedication and determination to learn a lot or the more complex and powerful runes. Dwarves are the acknowledged masters among the main races of Tal though the Vhentra have the edge even on they.

Once the runes have been applied to the object they simply work. So most ‘magical items’ can be used by anyone, though some require command words. There are some such items that are different such as wands but that is because the runes on the wands only act as storage and not the ability to create or cast the magic.

So in short Runecraft source is the other magics but it allows that magic to be harnessed and held in objects.

***Organisation***

Runes are as varied as magic their are only a few distinguishing points that should be made.

* Runes are symbols used to store, direct or enhance other kinds of magic.
* - Runes can be drawn on living matter and the Vhentra in particular are defined by this. it usually doesn’t work well as living matter moves too much and decays but in the case of the Vhentra the runes grow in and are not drawn on and so are therefore fully effective.
* Masterrunes – Some runes are unique as they are too powerful to be duplicated. These runes bind magic that is incredibly powerful into an item and can result in items gaining their own intelligence among other things.

Runes have been around for millennia now and many people who are not capable of crafting runes can read them and assess their power even without the aid of magic.

Some key groups are:

* The Runesmiths of Barkarin
* Vhentra

Some key individuals of note
Knights of the Empire

The Knights of the Empire (Or KOE) are the official Knighthood of the Aurian Empire. The title brings with it writs of nobility if the recipient did not have noble blood previously. Those knighted in such a way gain the title 'Sir' before their name and if they are not landed gentry will often be given a gift of land from the crown that is bequeathed to them and their descendants in perpetuity. These lands are to provide an income as well as prestige so that the knight can maintain the dignity of his position.

One is knighted only by a male member of the royal family or by the Grand Master of Ceremonies. There are several dozen Knights of the Empire knighted each year, but in a place as large as Auria that makes them a select breed.
Pedro

Pedro is a tinker and peddler who enjoys visits to the small village where he can trade outside news and wares with the villagers and make a good profit. He fled Shepperton Vale after the Shade attacks, but was briefly seen by Varian in Darien Kal the cursed city… though nothing seen there can be relied on.

More recently he visited the Veiled Court and when he left the dagger from Darien Kal which was linked to MArty was stolen from the Court’s well guarded vaults.
Ro'Tier

The precursor of the Imperial Senate an elite set of tradesmen and mathematicians organised by Jomark the first Emperor of Auria.

They operated as a bureaucracy and the beginnings of a civil service. Later, once the Empire became a reality it became clear that under the Emperor they were making legislation and policy decisions, they had to be re-organised into the Imperial Senate by Kalamon III the Lawgiver.

Yet it would be overly simplistic to say the Ro'Tier became the Senate. When Aluap, the Organiser, revoked their ability to 'elect' Emperors, which they had never really done, they were reforged into the legeslative body of the Senate. Some of the Ro’Tier objected that they were not law-makers, but men of business, and these split off under direction from Aldour, the Vizier of the time, to create the Audit Corporation.
Material Plane

When speaking in Planar terms the locations known as Tal, the Eternal Vistas, the Celestial Haven and the Abyss are all made up of two planes. These are layered within the 'physical' locations.

The material plane is the physical world as we know it and is governed by physical and intellectual laws. These are opposed to the spiritual and emotional realities of the Spiritual Plane which co-exits alongside the material one, but goes unseen and for the most part unnoticed.

Some will refer to Tal itself as the Material Plane but this is essentially not correct, though it does work for simplicity's sake with most listeners. This is because planar lore is incredibly complex and those students of it are in an overwhelming minority in the world.
Rune Lord

The acknowledged leader of all Rune Masters in Barkarin. If he is not acknowledged as Rune Lord by a majority of his peers and specifically by the Thane he is not the Rune Lord. He needs both. There are listed examples in Barkarin’s history when no Rune Master was able to take the title because of a lack of one, other or both of these acknowledgements.

It seems in the rare times there is no Rune Lord it is almost always because of rivalry between the Rune Masters, or because the obvious choice was disliked (read here detested and utterly unacceptable to) by either his peers, his Thane or both. They cannot, or rather would not, chose a Rune Master who was not the greatest crafter and therefore if the greatest is unacceptable the position must be left vacant.
Royal Champions

The Champions are specific warriors who have sworn themselves with a covenant to a specific member of the Royal Family of Errantlund. This covenant and oath is sealed by a cleric, a Green Wizard or both of these positions. This oath is magical and so literally binding on the swearer. However it is based on honour and loyalty and so is breakable by someone who completely abaondoned all honour, loyalty and became a knowing traitor. This has never been known to happen. The Champions have all gone the way of the person they were sworn to protect.

Due to its nature as a covenant it grants benefits to the Champion even as they benefit the member of the family they serve. They must be chosen by the individual so little children often do not have a champion. Their personal skills and loyalty must be extreame to be chosen as the position is one held for ‘life’.

If the person in question becomes no longer royal the oath is broken however in most cases the Champion has continued to serve as bodyguard, friend, counsellor, master of arms or some other role even after the removal of royal priviledges have made the magical part of their bond nul and void. Some champions say that the removal of the royal title has not altered the oath and that it is still present and as potent as ever. The Green Circle however has dismissed this notion as emotional imaginings..
Reynard

Reynard, called the Fox-eyed, is a gentleman outlaw who has a very large reputation. The small folk of Saracan. He is rumoured to give away a lot of what he steals to the poor. Even those that he steals from, especially women, describe him as very gentlemanly. he has a group of near-do-wells who work with him called the Wiley Band.
Kenchillians

The race of birdmen that live in Dragon's Dare. They formed part of the Helm's Gate Alliance.

Kenchillians can fly but struggle to take off from standing due to their weight. Their hands and feet at clawed so most items are built to allow manipulation by taloned hands.

### Game Mechanics

+2DEX -2CON and -2CHA

Slow Movement (20ft base land/swim speed)

Improved unarmed attack (Claws/talons)

Flying (Good) 60ft.
Liches

**Description**

Liches are wizards, who have used necromancy and Soulcraft to render themselves an undead form that cannot be killed. A lich keeps his soul separated from his corpse which makes him incredibly difficult to destroy. Even if a lich’s corpse is destroyed, if his soul is not confronted and also destroyed then he can return to a new shell.

Typically, a wizard must be of great power in order to achieve lich-hood; most liches are powerful wizards.

**Mechanics**

Lich is not a monster but rather a template added to an appropriate wizard character after completing the rituals, death and spells that makes one into a lich. The charcter gains undead traits including the removal of a CON score. See MM pg .
Chad

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Chad is the head of the Black Protectoran and is one of the five Marix of the Empire. He is called the First Lance.

**Appearance**

Chad is a middle-aged man, who is typically seen in a plain Black Protectoran uniform. His appearance is as plain as his garb. He is neither striking of face or build and, though always tidy, could not be called a smart. He has dark black hair that hangs thickly around his head. He is quite short, but it is hard to tell as he spends so much of his time mounted. On his regular uniform only the silver lance pin in his collar marks him apart from his officers.

**Reputation**

Chad's background is lost. He will not speak of it even to those who have known him many years. He has certainly served in the Black Protectoran since his teens and has only ever been known as Chad. The recruitment officer never thought the scrubby teenager's surname would ever be important and by the time it was important, Chad was powerful enough to simply refuse to give it.

**Suggested stats**

**Known Gear**
Lion Guard

The Lion Guard are the personal guard of the King. They guard the city of Lionelle and more specifically the palace. The Lion Guard are chosen personally by the royal family, usually the Maned King himself or the Duke of Lionelle his closest direct male heir. They are led only by Lion Knights and none other. For this reason, if he was not so previously, the Duke of Lionelle is always Knighted to the Order of the Lion, upon the King’s coronation.

They wear the Green and silver of the royal family and while they are chosen for their military capabiltities they are truely chosen for their loyalty to the man who sits in the throne.

Therefore it is possible that when a king dies most of the Lion Guard are honourably released from service as he brings in his own men. This is natural but there are always some who strive to be chosen again and prove themselves and there are always some who resent the removal of this special honour..
Plains Treaty

The Plains Treaty was a binding agreement made between the Alkar horselords and the Aurian Empire in 1767PE.

## Origins

It was signed by the representatives of Emperor Viktor and the Commander in Chief of the Yellow Protectoran. Representing the Alkar were four Tarriks of the Great Shifts, led by Windwhisperer the Tarrik of the Shift of Gales

This was to bring an end to hostilities between the two nations as the Empire was suffering heavy losses at Alkar hands whilst trying to prosecute its war on the elves. The Empire raised grievances, but were met by unrepentant indifference. The Alkan insist that the imperial army's presence in the southern forest of Alkan was a threat and a clear breach of accepted borders. The Emperor was forced to swallow his pride and his negotiators agreed to an end of horselord hostilities by agreeing that no Imperial military would stray on the Alkan side of the border. This forced agreement was hated by Viktor and his children.

## Legacy

This agreement forced the imperial army to stay out of official Alkan territory and so in the years following the treaty only bounty hunters and similar freelancers were able to operate in the northern part of the forest. Through this reduced large scale conflict in the area dramatically it led to the rise of several elite hunter-killer groups.

Though Viktor's son, Vincent, did nothing to violate the treaty during his reign, he passed onto his son, Nikolay the embarrassment of this agreement. This anger and discontent triggered later moves against Alkan. This included offering incentives for Aurians to settle north of the border. These new settlements were deliberate targets for Alkar raiding and used an an excuse to make the Alkar pay for the success of the Plains Treaty with blood in the War of 1803PE.

After that war the Plains Treaty was reaffirmed with the same conditions such as no Aurian military units operating in Alkar territory but with the important difference that the border was now redrawn several leagues further north in order to cover the new Aurian settlements.
Nik Firehand

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Nik Firehand as Commander in Chief was the head of the Yellow Protectoran and was one of the five Marix of the Empire in the 6th century of the Empire.

**Appearance**

**Reputation**

**History**

505-507PE: The Wargak Invasion. When the Wargak horde invades through Saracan it is the Border Guard launched from Rak Danning who saw the majority of the fighting. The Trade Area Legions system proves its worth and under Nik's direction as the first ever Commander in Chief. With masterful tactics and careful use of fortified positions and a limited burnt-earth policy the invasion is turned back.

Partially due to Firehand's methodoligy and leadership style this war is remarked for seamless interaction between the military and the Sapphire Wizards' Guild. The Guild's contribution saved Firehand's campaign and the new system forming the first amendment to the Cullstone Policy in over four hundred years was proven a huge success. In recognition the Blue Crystal Palace was begun and Rak Danning donated 5% of the initial cost as a gesture of thanks.

515: Protectorans Founded under Peter I. Yellow Protectoran]]'s base of power is chosen predictably as Rak Danning and Nik Firehand is made its Marix. Interestingly at this point he is by far the most influential Marix much more so than his contemporary leader of the red because he was seen as proven battle leader.

525PE: Nik Firehand is the military attache to the ambasadorial mission to Kolaran which results in Kolaran formally joining the Empire. This creates a huge new trade stream for Rak Danning. Kolaran becomes its port outlet to the sea and beyond. The Rak Danning market starts to become internationally famous and the city experiences a huge population boom.

**Suggested stats**

**Known Gear**

* Yellow Sash
Mountain Kings

Mountain Kings are the personifications of Mountains in a very similar way to Dryads with trees. There is a Hierarchy among the Mountain Kings. Mountain Fathers for those mountains that are more like aggrandised hills, Mountain Lords for true mountains and Mountain Kings for the loftiest peaks.

Mountain Kings age only as stone ages, so while they can be weathered they do not die of old age. Destroying such a being requires immense destructive force and it would be necessary to destroy his/her mountain as well.
Keiller

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Known as Keiller 'of the Blade' later in his life. A member of the Yellow Protectoran Border Guards stationed at Silverscale Keep during the Second Dragon Army Invasion. He fought at the first two battles of Silverscale and was one of the renowned Suicide Squad.
Midnightswhisper

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The very young lady sorceress of the Shift of Gales. She is a prophetess apart from the fact she is an incredibly powerful magic user. During the Second Dragon Army Invasion she was still young and relatively weak compared to her strength 30 years later during the time of The Avenger when she was one of the five most powerful casters in the world.

She named the Stars of Destiny as such.
Nicholas-Mark I

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The grandson of Jomark and second Emperor of the Aurian Empire. His reign was from 39-86PE.

He used aggressive trade and military expansionism to greatly add to the Empire. These were called the Second Commerce Wars. He did not engage in war with Torash as he was involved under his father in the War of Thorns. However, he was very successful in the campaigns he engaged in adding huge swathes of land and key cities to the Empire. He also raised Lorn Hunter to the position of Marshal of the Empire.

However towards the end of his list of successes, he engaged in the Forked Offensive where the veteran imperial armies struck north into the Alkan plains and into what is now called Saracan. Here they found elves and dwarvern armies allied with huge human forces, halfling and others. At the same time they suffered catastrophic defeats in the open plains against the Alkar as their siege and battle-line tactics were ill suited to a highly mobile war in the open.

This brought an end to rapid Aurian expansionism and heralded a era of consolidation under his son of the same name.
Peter IV

The Emperor of the Aurian Empire from 1050-1102 PE. Also called 'the Seafarer' for his many voyages and the amount of money he gave to seaborne explorers.

The during his very extended reign of Peter IV, the boy king who became known as the Seafarer. Massive overseas trade routes and naval ports were set up during this reign. Imperial holdings on Eltirian created through Fourth Commerce Wars.
Rykov Tchovchi

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Rykov was a member of the Yellow Protectoran's Suicide Squad. He was one of the squad's two Hilts the other being his closest friend Barner.

Rykov was a career soldier recruited from Tor Kalash at a young age. He proved himself a reliable warrior with all the hallmarks of a good officer.
Ratorbi Sebini

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Ratorbi Sebini, called Rat for short, is a young halfling adventurer. Known all over the world from his extensive travels and mischief he became entangled, or rather entangled himself with the Stars of Destiny and was instrumental in uniting and naming that group.

He is known for being talkative, light fingered, extremely fun loving and brave... and being... really annoying! He is surprisingly good with a huge array of exotic weapons, which tend to catch his opponents off guard.
Lion’s Call

This is an event and a law. In Errantlund's past the dukedoms were separate kingdoms however now they have been brought under the rule of a single ruling family. The Lion king rules from Lionelle and in the intervening years there have been times of rebellion. One of the ways the dukes have flouted the king is militarily not by opposing him but by refusing to fund or support his armies.This leaves him as nothing more than a glorified duke in major conflicts. A powerful king was able to force the dukedoms to sign an agreement to make the Lion's Call law.

This law insists that if the King calls all of Errantlund to war they must come. Refusal to do so and to bring the levies of men from their dukedoms to fight is considered treason under this law. As the law has been passed and signed the Green Circle enforce it.

When the King in Lionelle decides their needs to be a countrywide mobilisation for all out war then he issues the Lion Call. Woe betide the duke who does not heed it.
Paradise Unending

An organisation based on the pursuit of eternal happiness. Importantly happiness is keyed to personal desires, no consequences and any price. Immortality and that which is ‘banned’ by others is their specialty.

In some ways they are the most depraved people on Tal, but oddly most of them consider themselves to merely be engaged in a harmless, yet elite, social group.
Para-xian

Para-xian was the communications centre of Derioch and the central city for the Tele-Paths (TPs). It was built with four main thoroughfares moving out from the centre: South-east, south, south-west and north. These pointed to each of the four other major xeran cities. At the very centre of the city was located the ‘Pathways Convention’ a huge sphere that was suspended in the air using stable kinetic lines. This sphere was actually a building and within it at any given time over a hundred Tele-Paths (TPs) would be working maintaining hundreds and even thousands of semi-permanent psionic links.

The whole city was the hub but the Pathways Convention was the core of that. The city was never walled allowing the lines to move more easily and both reception and transmissions to be unimpeded. Its geography alone protected it, as it sat in the middle of the island and so to threaten it an army would have had to take the other cities first. The city was the best example of a stable continuous use of the xeren’ psionic disciplines. The pathways set up by the city reached out across the entire city and the entire island. The Savant for the TPs held great power here as it was to Para-xian that TPs gathered to elect him. However the Master of the Academy and the Link Master of the Pathways Convention also held great sway in the city.

The TP academy was to be found just south the Pathways Convention and was formed a a long sinuous building ending in two towers one to either side. It is to Para-xian that TPs gather to elect their Savant.

The Conclave, the ruling body of Derioch also met in Para-xian in the building of the same name situated just below the Pathways Convention. Indeed it was the power and the manner used to build the conclave with empowered the Pathways Convention to remain constantly aloft. Within the Conclave sat the Witnesses of each of the five disciplines as well as their leaders, the nine Savants.
Materials

There are various materials on the face of Tal. I will only go into the more interesting here. Iron, steel, gold, silver, tin, copper, cotton, flax, wood, paper etc you can consider to be fairly as you know them.

* Ironforge
* Linden Wood
* Mithril
* Silkenweave
* Silverbark
* Stoneforge
* Synthe
* Talium
* Thaif
Northern Campaign

The Northern Campaign was a series of military strikes to take the city-states of Wrennost and the Oakreach Conglomerate.

### Background and Origin

The northern campaign's roots are based on the ongoing Unification Wars it formed a part of. The Empire was growing almost faster than it could sustain. Its population was exploding and now it had gained large swathes of farm land and townships in the west. Still it lacked some crucial natural resources. The mines of Wrennost and the timber mills of the Oakreach Conglomerate were seen as crucial and Grant Boldant who planned the campiagn could see how victory in these locations would allow for later strikes to take High Grange and Home Glade providing even more of the desired resources.

### Key Individuals

* Jomark
* Grant Boldant

### Major Events

12-14PE: The attack on Wrennost.
14-16PE: The attacks on the Oakreach Conglomerate

The victory at Wrennost in the valleys to the north cemented Grant Boldant's position as Auria's foremost general. This involved some fights with Alkan warlords as well as the taking of a very belligerent city state. Silverscale Keep was later built in the main valley here to ensure control of the area.

The conquering of the Oakreach Conglomerate would be the Aurian's first foray into the Oakland forest as it would become known. Auria's success in taking the city state that claimed shared ownership of that woodland and its crucial resources was central to them solving their timber shortage and it also gave them a route to the sea. At the same time however it brought the Aurians directly into conflict with the elves.

### Legacy

Conflict with the elves and eventually the Oakland Fortification followed by the Battles of Weeping Leaves.

Grant Boldant's return to popularity and his commission to take charge of the War of Thorns.

The Mountain Campaign to take High Grange.
Pug

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A known Praetor of Knowledge, Pug was mainly known for his role in the Great Convocation in 160PE and the reorganisation of the Church of Celer. It was he that declared that Simon Midaeus would be the leader of the new church as Cardinal.
Karritan Plain

The elves see their lands as the wood and some of the plains land surrounding it, not in the straight lines the Imperial map makers would wish. Their lands have never been restricted by maps or invisible lines and so it is now. The Plain of Karritan therefore is indistinct in start or finish but in short includes a strip on fairly open flat land surrounding the huge forest of Karritan.

On this more open land hunt and ride the Wildriders. Wildriders are elven horsemen who bread their special Elven Steeds comparable only to Alkan raised horses in their strength, intelligence and stamina. The Wildriders often include druids among their number and (while it remains the exception rather than rule) it is not uncommon to see them riding mythical beasts rather than the standard elven steed.
Rune Masters

Dwarves are the greatest mortal crafters. The best of them begin to see what they craft’s true nature. They can bring this out be using runes. Those who become skilled at this can in time and with training become Rune Masters.

Rune Masters are at the very height of their craft. As dwarves tend to avoid arcane magic they use rune crafting as a way to achieve the same things magic allows other races to achieve. It is not that dwarves cannot master arcane spell-casting (Bale Battershaw for example or Clint Brightower) but they don’t trust arcane magic and they excel at rune crafting.

Many runes do very simple things like making something sharper, lighter or more durable. It is these minor runes that often make the quality of dwarvern goods so remarkable in the rest of Karandia. Some more powerful runes however can do far more astonishing things. Push things with the force of the wind, curse someone, bind an area from magical intrusion or physical intrusion for that matter. Some runes can detect deceit and others can store and release energy on command. Some, like those on the Hakkendak axes, recognises who is in possession of them.

The greatest of the Rune Masters becomes Rune Lord to the Thane. He is the true leader of all the crafters.
Oakland Legions

These were Aurian Legions that fought in the bloody wars in the Oakland Forest to claim the city-state of Home Glade for the Empire.

The conflicts in the forth century called the Oakland Fortification were so bloody they produced extremely hardened veteran legions, who were renamed the Oakland Legions to differentiate them from the others. These legions considered all the other legions to be 'non-blooded' legions and saw them in many ways as rookies. This split is an early precursor of the Green Protectoran.
Ran Clarke

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Ran Clarke is the head of the entire Aurian Military and is one of the five Marix of the Empire with specific command of the elite Red Protectoran. He is called the Marshal of the Empire.

## Appearance

Ran Clarke is a young and handsome military man. Tall, well built and with an impressive noble bearing and physique. He typically wears an adorned Red Protectoran uniform including the Imperial Star. When in battle he wears The Marshal's Armour, made of dwarvern steel and blessed by cleric of Celer (Knowledge) and Barik (Justice).

## Reputation

Ran Clarke is known as one of the most formidable single combat experts in the Empire. He is an amazing sword and shield style fighter and is considered the clear choice of a champion for the Empire. Charismatic and clever Ran Clarke is one of the most popular and respected leaders in the Empire. He is very young for a position of such high importance and prestige but most think he has earned it.

## Suggested stats

### Known Gear

* The Marshal's Armour
* Deflecting Shield of the Marshal
* Blood of Torash
* Dagger of Last Resort
Mithril

Mithril is an incredibly rare metal. It is quite lightweight, completely non-reactive to common elements, takes an exceedingly good edge and holds it almost indefinitely. However the property which makes it truly valuable is that it is the most enchantable of all metals. Mithril is known to be able to withstand and channel the most powerful runes and hold more of them effectively than any other material the dwarves have yet discovered for the purpose.

The most powerful artefacts therefore are invariably made of mithril or have a mithril component. Mithril has an exceedingly high melting point for a metal and the forging of it is (as might be expected) very difficult.

Its value is at least that of 100pp for an unwrought coin-sized piece. Typically mithril is not wasted on actual coins.
Mid-Knights

## Appearance

Mid-Knights are extremely varied as they those who have given their souls over to the Darkness through specific choices or deals they made in life. Typically they once had a race. All wear armour with a mirrored visor so the eyes of a Mid-Night are your own eyes. If they raise the visor their gaze is said to be deadly. With the visor lowered it is said they can reflect the attacks of gorgons and basilisks back upon their owners.

## Roles

Mid-knights fulfill the role of heavy infantry for Darkness and the more powerful ones as heavy cavalry riding Nightmares. They work as guards and sentinels throughout the Plane of Darkness and are even sometimes used on Tal by those strong enough with Darkness' Divine power.

## Traits

They have the common demon traits for the denizens of the Plane of Darkness. Including resistance to damage, magic, cold based attacks and any non-holy weapons. Though these resistances are a far from those of the more powerful demons of the plane.

They are heavily armed and armoured. Their weapons can explode in black flames rimmed in midnight blue and their magical full plate with mirrored helm makes them hard to hurt with physical weapons. This makes them formidable adversaries.

Mid-knights have power over fear and are immune to terror inducing magic. They also inspire dread in those who look into their visors. They also use these visors to deflect gaze and ray and even missile attacks.

*Mechanics*

They are to be treated as Blackguards/Paladins HDs varying from 1-20 and as powerful as a character of that level. They wear plate armour with a + = to their HD/4 rounded down. Their armour always contains the mirrored visor which reflects gaze attacks and even ray attacks if aimed at the Mid-Night from in front. If the visor is raised all Mid-Nights have a gaze attack which is unique to the individual. Normal choices include beholder eye attacks or retriever attacks.

Mid-Knights wield two-handed flaming burst great-swords with a plus = to that of their plate. These flames burn with black and blue flame and do half-cold and half-shadow damage (All evil damage). The damage types must be resisted separately. The blades are considered cold iron, evil and ghost touch.

The swords and armour are mere master-work when worn/wielded by others.
Laranon

This is a river running parralel to the western coastline of Elygia. Far inland it runs right through the western edge of the Elygian Desert and the vast majority of Elygians who do not live on the coastline fishing villages live farming on its banks. It has a single tributary the river Lena or River of the Moon.

At the point where the river Lena joins the huge Laranon is the floating city of Javo.

All along the banks are Elgyias farming comunities.

The mouth of the river in the south part of the western coast is Kaladire the greatest city of Elygia. It empties into the Shining Sea..
Laqual House

The Laqual are the royal family of Rimic. They are decended from Rimic, but not through the direct male line. They are decended directly from Kalasti father to son.

The Laqual family have certain traits which mark them appart from the rest of their race. Most obvious of these is they are all born with golden eyes that shine underwater. A less obvious trait is that they are all mentally linked to the others. Those of the pure Laqual line can sense when their direct kin are in danger and each knows instantly if another has died. This sense can be honed leading some Laqual including the current queen Halia'laquan to be able to detect moods and even the thoughts of her closest kin. It is possible she can even influence those feelings and thoughts now through her own. The house is currently led by the elven king Iralic'laquan..
Larn

Larn is a tall brown haired man who wears camouflaged clothes and cloak. He wields a long avatars sword with a slight curve and single edge. His blade has a Herron on the hilt. He has been called the Herron by some.

He is very sombre, rarely showing emotion of any kind. He like a stone. He counsels with Marin but always does as she asks.
Mantrix Aramoth

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The childhood rival of Leonadar Halkithantarius. Mantrix left Quintox and joined the Quinkorin who live in a constant state of guerrilla warfare with the Aurian Empire who occupy the lower half of their home forest of Quintox, which the humans called Oakland.

He is a formidable fighter and tracker.
Ranats

Ranats are a race of creatures native to Karandia. They like to dwell underground and it appears likely that they originated in the Barkarin mountain range though their civilisation, if they have one, is unknown. Now however there are distinct sub groups of ranats who live in town and especially cities on the surface, as well as wild tribes of ranats living in the forests and moors of Karandia.

They are bipedal though they can drop to all fours and still move effectively. They are very dexterous and some have prehensile tails but not all. Ranats are covered in fur and these have been noted to be of almost every colour, though it does appear as if the colour is inherited and family groups share a likeness.

Ranats are associated with filth, theft and disease. They are typically disliked, hated or at best tolerated.

**Game Mechanics**

+4 DEX, -2 CON and CHA.

Unarmed attacks (2 claws and a bite)

* 1d4 claw
* 2d4 bite

Small size

Immunity to disease
+2 SAVE vs poison.
New Coin

The New Coin is the name of a solid diamond effigy in the Cellestine Cathedral. The statue depicts Knowledge in his guise as the trademan Celer. He is holding a crystalline bag, from which he proffers a single shining coin. The bag is called Future's Fortune. It is said that those who pray here are shown how to turn bad fortune and a dark past to new brighter and happier ends. To flip the coin from the misfortune of the past to the luck of the future. It is said if you have lost everything finding a new coin can bring hope.

Though less than life size the statue is extremely heavy as is probably the largest piece of diamond in existence on Tal. It is set on a huge marble stand to which it is affixed, so moving it would be a massive undertaking. its value is incalculable, not only due to its incredible intrinsic worth, but due to its religious significance, its uniqueness and especially the fact it has several runes across its surface indicating that actual divine power is locked within it.

The potential powers of the New Coin are widely rumoured but no where have they been publicly confirmed or recorded.
Order of the Codex

The Codex is a great record of Knowledge. The Order of the Codex are a group of followers of the Avatar of Knowledge. Their purpose is to gather secret knowledge to be recorded in the Codex. The Codex has a specific name, but this is not well known. If it were recovered it would be not only an unequalled repository of information as well as a magical item of intense potency.

The Order include, Feral, Djinn, Humans, Elves, Halflings, Dwarves, Eye Space, the Forgotten Order.
Protectoran Mutiny

The Protectoran Mutiny was an event which took place in the Aurian Empire in 650PE. It was actually two sequential events. First it was a carefully organised planned movement from within the command of the Protectorans specifically the Red, Blue and Yellow Protectorans.After that though it ignighted lots of low level copycat immitations from the lower ranks many of whom had nothing to do with the initial plan.

It happened during the reign of Emperor Chorghval, The Grindstone. Already 46 years into his reign and an old man by Imperial standards the Emperor is judged by historians in two ways. Typically they blame him for allowing the Tor Kalash too much autonomy in how it governed the Protectorans. THe units were run into the ground and the officers were allowed to use undisguised favouritism and did so. Nevertheless, most historians (With Vendrel Regan being the obvious exception) agree that he handled the actual mutiny very well.

### Events

649PE (Iceal last month of the year)

650PE (Risal 1st month)

Lifsal Temperate Balanced days to long
Sunsal Hot Longest days to long
Breesal Warm windy Long days to Balanced
Fallsal Temperate Balanced days to short
Icesal
Perrix

One of three boys in Shepperton Vale in whom Marin the Veiled Seer has taken an interest. She has given all three of them a special coin that allows her to track them though they don’t know this.

Perrix is huge and known for being careful and disciplined. he is the blacksmith Tomack’s apprentice. He carries a simple axe, but is not eager to use it.

Varian has trained him and the other two boys in the monk arts. Marty particularly liking the quarterstaff fighting.

When they passed through the Cursed city of Middleholm which was renamed Darien Kal after the curse of Melkior destroyed it. Varian, Marin and the boys had to flee into Darien Kal to avoid the pursuit of the beast men and shades that were pursuing them. Whilst there Perrix followed Marin’s instructions perfectly.

After fleeing the town once the mist began to attack them, Perrix was split off from Marty and Varian. Perrix is now helping the Wolf Brothers.
Rafique Asmad

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One of the previous Sultan's of Kaladire

Key members of his family:

Queen Ja’dis – 1st wife of the Sultan

Prince Arian – Crown prince and heir to the throne of Kaladire.

Price Asa – Prince, Fourth in succession.
Princess Shah – First legitamate daughter of Sultan Rafique. Married, 6th in succession.

Princess Jehannah – 2nd Daughter of Sultan. Incredible beauty, unmarried.

Illiama - Illegitimate child of the Sultan and one of his concubines.

Susemka - Illegitimate child of the Sultan and one of his concubines.

Tokar’al - Illegitimate child of the Sultan and one of his concubines.

Amik – Illegitimate child of the Sultan and one of his concubines.
Races

A list of the races of Tal

* Cairen
* Catlords
* Centaurs
* Dragonites
* Dragons
* Dreeku
* Dwarves
	+ Mountain Dwarves
	+ Hill Dwarves
	+ Pit Dwarves
* Elves,
	+ Sea Elves or Aquatikol,
	+ Dark Elves or Ca'venkol,
	+ Fallen Elves,
	+ High Elves,
	+ Wood Elves, or Karritkol,
* Ents,
* Faye,
* Goblins,
* Griffons,
* Gyar,
* Hippogriffs,
* Humans,
* Halflings,
* Kenchillians,
* Ogres,
	+ Ratteroges
	+ Mollum Ogres
* Orcs,
	+ Heartcleavers
* Ranats,
* Shiku,
* Siaks,
* Vhentra,
* Visks,
* Waywalkers,
* Xeren,
* Yagni

* Half-breeds

### Languages

* Abyssal
* Celestial
* Common
* The Dawnsong
* Deepscant
* Draconic
* Dwarvern
* Ele'tal or Vae'tal
* Kol'tal or Elven
* Orc
* Shee'ik
* Thieves Cant
* The Unspoken Tongue
Mandy

Mandy is a woman in her early twenties who is the personal maid to the young lady Amara Gemille. Mandy having served her for several years has become very close to her mistress and often does what she has asked even if it crosses her true paymaster Amelie Gemille Amara’s mother.

Mandy is a quick study a simple girl with easy wants and a ready smile.
Nicholas

Nicholas is a full cleric of the Temple of Justice in Dusken. He wears his clerical robes but leaves his well muscled arms bare in order to openly show the two bands of silver that encircle his upper arms. These bands bear upon them inverted hammers which scholars would recognise as the symbols of Hammerfall. Though reluctant to make a point of it Simon does not shy away from the fact that he believes their ideals (even if they themselves were not true to them in the end) are worth following and in some ways he considers himself to be the last of the Hammerfall guardians. A protector of the weak.
Linden Wood

Wood from a Linden tree. These trees are thee most sacred trees on Tal. They are the closest of all living natural things to the Planes of Light and Nature. Dryads and other Faye prefer them over all other trees.

They therefore probably carry some special property. All that is commonly known is that they are incredibly sacred to many races, especially: elves, halflings, dryads and the fey.

The Linden Grove is considered the most sacred place in Karritan and is the seat of power of the Druidlore.