Castlevania Continent

Castlevania continent is one of the largest continents on the planet of Terra.

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#### **Astarte**

population est. 85k-50%Human, 20%Elven, 10%Drow, 10%Dwarven, 3%Gnome, 4%Gnoll, 1%Centaur, 2%Sahaguin

Established approx. 400BD (Before the Dreaming)

Major Features: Vo' D'uth Airport, Bay of Wayv's Palace, Exitium Arenum (the Arena of Destruction. an arena dedicated to Scor, Boro, Oshram, Grey), Mithryl Seam Railyard, Large Marketplace, Large Harbor

Temples: medium temple to Kama (this temple is a secret location hidden and controlled by the local government under King Utal. It is outside of the urban area.), The Sophia ab Pestis Grand Temple of Scor, large temple to Oshram, shrine to Wayv, large temple of Boro, various small temples, churches or enclaves dot the city.

Astarte is the oldest known civilization on the Castlevania Continent. It's beginning is argued about between scholars but it is generally accepted that the original city's first ruler was the Priest King Xerxes II in the year 365BD. Xerxes was a priest to Kama and is remembered for bringing the sea tribes together. He created a fleet of ships and pirated the trade lanes that connected Tu'Lane with Aqualon and the Vandal Continent.

The wealth of his exploits drew attention from the surrounding horsemen tribes of the Plains. It also caught the attention of the dragons along the coast. Xerxes formed an alliance with the dragon council that governed the northern coast. The only obstacle of King Xerxes was the barbarian horse tribes of the Tamujin Plains and the Scythian Plains. Although Xerxes battled the horsemen for the last 3rd of his life, he never gained a permanent presence past the northern coast region.

After Fenrir purged all dragons in 28BD, the War of the Faithful exploded in Astarte because the temples started by Priest King Xerxes had become a thriving cult to the goddess Kama. The priestly class had ruled the northern coast for 300 years since the death of King Xerxes II and were based in Astarte.The War of the Faithful decimated Astarte and the Kingdom of the North Coast. For nine hundred years Astarte existed as ruins of it's former glory.

The now ancient city was sacked and razed to the ground in 941AD when the shaman of Tamujin the Scourge of the Gods witnessed Blackmoon, one of the 3 moons of Medea, explode. Tamujin began his great conquest by destroying Astarte first. The site where the city sprawled, grew over with time and earth. A small fishing village grew on the bay of Wayv's Palace. One village became two and for 1400 years Astarte existed as a small hamlet on a plentiful bay. Until King Araya's Aqualon Expansion.

During the Aqualon Expansion the city of Astarte, then a small seaside hamlet, was opened wide when the Aqualonian House Rettvich appeared in the bay known as Wayv's Palace. The Aqualon Lord Rettvich sailed into the bay and then into the quiet and humble harbor of Astarte. A few fishing boats met the galleons of the Aqualon Navy and the Age of Reclamation came to old Astarte.

Lord Rettvich was on a quest to uncover the lost wisdom and magic of ancient Astarte. He dug up the remains of the ancient capitol city of the northern coast. It's believed he found what he was looking for. Lord Rettvich turned the sleepy village into a booming stronghold on the northern coast of the continent. He had returned the city to a former, ancient glory.

Astarte served as a starting point for Lord Rettvich's exploration of the continent. The barbarian horseman tribes of the Tamujin Plains made conquest of the north costly and the never ending flat landscape with no established cities ate up the countryside's resources.. The horseman tribes were nomadic and constantly migrated with the herd animals they survived on, which made it difficult to corner them and conquer them. Lord Rettvich pushed on into the continent's interior and left Astarte to be a major port city that supported his efforts of conquest and discovery.

When Lord Rettvich became an Undead Lord, Astarte became the capital city of his territory. He ruled over the North coast and the Plains, from the North Sea to the Ural Mountain Range. There is a legend that Undead Lord Rettvich summoned a demon from hell to prove his power. Not just any demon but a Baron of Hell. The two battled fiercely for seven days and seven nights. In the end, Lord Rettvich stood victorious over the Baron. On the site where he defeated the Baron, Lord Rettvich a Death Knight, demanded the demon serve him as a defender. He demanded the Infernal Baron take the form of a great palace. The demon had lost and was bound to serve the Death Knight and became the equally opulent and evil palace of Captor autem Animae or Captor of Souls.

The Undead Lord Rettvich ruled the North of Castlevania for nearly 1100 years.The Death Knight used Astarte as his capital city for most of that time. In 1003AEN the disciple of Andrulykis, Thor Grimm, destroyed the Palace Captor autem Animae and drove Lord Rettvich from the city. The epic battle leveled much of the city and cost many lives. Thor left Astarte after defeating the Death Knight and destroying his undead elite. Astarte laid largely in ruin once again.

The bay of Wayv's Palace watched over the remaining citizens of Astarte. They alone remembered the legends of the past and told them from old to young. For the next 200 years the city was a small hamlet that saw the sun return and with The Calling, the first arrivals of the various races of Locutus.

For the first few decades after The Calling, the quiet hamlet slowly grew with new immigrants from the many planes of Locutus' reach. Astarte didn't become a boom town this time but instead it seemed to become a meeting place for the native humans and the new races. First, the craftsmen began gathering at the small seaside hamlet, then the traders and stores. After just a few years, the "meeting place" of Astarte gathered over 3000 citizens and hosted another 3000 traders and travelers as it became a safe harbor with it's beautiful bay.

The 8th Bamanite Air Fleet arrived in Astarte in (date needed) under the command of the human, Rear Admiral T'or La'ndis. The fleet arrived and demanded a tribute from the city council of women and iron. That encounter with the Bamanites is known as the Night of a Thousand Cuts. It was a night that saw the mass murder or capture of every elite person in Astarte by the Bamanites. Their air fleet floated above the city for three months while they settled a garrison and erected a fortress named Fort Blackstone. After which, the fleet moved on.

Rear Admiral T'or La'ndis ruled Astarte and the Northern Coast through Fort Blackstone and it's commander, the drow Countess and Lieutenant Commander, Orle'a SilverTouch. The city was instantly cowed by the Night of a Thousand Cuts and there were no uprisings and no remembered or recorded resistance under the government of Orle'a SilverTouch.

Under SilverTouch's leadership, Astarte was once again booming and became a major port city. This time for the Bamanite Army and Air Fleet. An airport, shipyard, and an inner city wall around the army camp were built along with paved roads and a sea wall with fortifications to protect the harbor. She controlled the currency and kept strict controls and taxes. She opened major trade routes with other Bamanite controlled cities as well as free cities like Aqualon.

The population grew to 80k during the era of The Calling (date needed) until The Banishing (date needed). The Banishing cut the population to less than 40k. Only natives of Terra remained; a few generations of humans and the first generation of elves,dwarves,gnomes etc. to be born on Terra but were originally from another world. The Banishing removed the Bamanites largely but it didn't remove the systems and structure the Bamanite ruling machine ran on.

Directly following The Banishing, the remaining Bamanites continued the chain of command as best they could under the command of the new human leader and now general, General Geribaldi von Schtuldt. His rule lasted for 2 years until the drow officer, Captain Vo D'uth of House Poison Black Thorn led a magical coup against von Schtuldt and, it is believed, murdered every major officer loyal to the human general. In one night, every major political position loyal to the general had been replaced.

No one contested the change of leadership and the coup allowed new contact with other cities as the coup was a part of a larger political move by the drow house Poison Black Thorn across the remaining Bamanite territory. The former captain, now King of the North Sea, Vo D'uth ruled Astarte and the surrounding Northern Coast with a subtle hand. No known insurrections or revolts are remembered or recorded and the city was a peaceful place to escape the barbarian horsemen that harassed the plains surrounding the city.

King Vo D'uth ruled Astarte from (date needed) to (date needed) when he was killed by barbarian horsemen at the Battle of Broken River. His second in command at the battle General Luke Utal, a Knight of Shame, became interim ruler of the kingdom and capital city of Astarte. Sir Luke Utal ruled the city until King Vo D'uth's cousin Tir'ith Ki't Vul of the drow house Poison Black Thorn consolidated and united the various regions ruled by her House and became Queen Poison Black Thorn.

In (date needed) a group with Medryn and John Lannister among them entered the city of Astarte to meet a woman who was believed to be Kama reincarnated for the first time since her death by Bamane. Desperate to gain a powerful ally and to meet a hope needed under the Queen's oppression, the adventurers were told of a temple uncovered outside of Astarte that was an ancient site to the goddess Kama. When the party approached they discovered that the Cult of Kama had been attacked and the temple site was now in the hands of the gnoll wizard Knight of Shame, Raz bin El.

The Queen Tir'ith Ki't Vul ruled over Astarte until her death in (date needed) at the Battle of Scor's Hand. The city returned to the rule of it's mayor and military commander, now king, Sir Luke Utal when the drow queen's territory broke apart into it's separate regions and kingdoms.

#### **Castlevania City**

Population: 200k, 5% drow, 1% hafling and gnome, 10% elf, 15% dwarf, 1% misc., 75% human

Major features: Twilight Palace, Garden of Stone Cemetary, Black Angel Cemetary, Red Web Airport, Academy of Arts

Temples: Medryn, Andrulykis, Highwind, Remy, Kratos, Gorm, Boro, Scor

Established 756 AEN.

In the heart of the Twilight Forest lived various barbarian tribes who lived in small villages in a territory of the Undead Lord Therion. It was a backwoods place to the Undead Lord and far away from his main territory on the Vandal Continent. Among Therion Dracul's vampire hoard was a young count named Heinrich Himmler who petitioned to rule over this distant land.

Therion Dracul granted this part of the Twilight Forest to Count Himmler. The barbarians of the region were highly superstitious and worshipped the various spirits of the woods. The tribes and small kingdoms were very fractured and scattered throughout the region without a centralized ruler or major city.

Himmler stalked his new territory and found a particularly sadistic barbarian king named Ralf Underhill that he granted authority to be his enforcer. Ralf Underhill became known as Ralf the Red Sword for his bloody campaign to subdue the farmers and small homesteads and villages. It is said that Ralf gathered nearly 10% of the regional populace into one place and sacrificed them all to Count Himmler.

That horrible spot became a graveyard that all of the people in the region would travel to so they could pay respect and mourn their dead. Count Himmler ordered a town be built on the unholy site and so Castlevania City was started. The Count became known as Baron Himmler.

Baron Himmler's town quickly grew despite being ran by a vampire. He managed his livestock well and created a city that was a sanctuary in a haunted land. The outlying people in the Twilight Forest gathered in Castlevania City and the population grew to around 100k in about 250 years. And then The Penance happened.

In 1006 AEN Thor Grimm had been adventuring through the Twilight Forest and had befriended many of the region's people. It is now believed that because the people had helped and harbored Thor Grimm, the Baron Himmler closed Castlevania City for 5 years. The moratorium on the people starved thousands. No food would grow in the area. No trade was allowed to move from the city. Everything halted and half of the populace died in what is remembered as The Penance.

An excerpt from "Rise of Medryn. Third book. Requiem for a Prince: The Destruction of Prince Himmler" by Snorri Sturelson.

"Virgil stood with Medryn and his band of heroes and spoke of his ancestors. "My grandfather lived during the Great Penance. He was a farmer when the command came down from the vampire lords to starve the city of everything.

They never said why they killed half of the people. The old, the infirm, the sickly, the retarded. Perhaps the livestock had become too lazy from too much easy living. The blood of kings rise in armor and sword but descend in silk and platters. They had forgotten the old ways and didn't respect the Baron properly. The people began to question why they had to sacrifice so often to their rulers.

The city was in chaos for over a year following the initial word to stop food production.Maybe they did it just for laughs. The Prince must have not known what his children were doing. He never would have taken our food for 5 years. Nothing would grow. Trade was forbidden, even with other vampire kingdoms.

So many starved. So many lives. There was a large pruning of family trees, that's for sure."

Thor Grimm was magically kept away from the city. He was kept from helping the people he loved and had sworn to protect. After searching and trying to find the magically hidden gates of the the city, Thor Grimm left the Twilight Forest in an attempt to placate the evil Baron and save Casttlevania City's people. Himmler was rewarded with the title of Grand Duke for defending his realm so well.

Grand Duke Himmler ruled from deep beneath the city. Layers of earth, generation upon generation for around 500 years covered his crimes against humanity and served as his mausoleum. He was feared by all and was master of his domain. Himmler put the random spirits of the Twilight Forest under his boot with his growing undead power. His influence over his human livestock was complete and was always in the minds of his livestock as a dark presence in every baby's room and every shadowy alley. Until the sun returned to Terra and ended the free reign of the vampires.

"Rise of Medryn. Third book. Requiem for a Prince: The Destruction of Prince Himmler" by Snorri Sturelson.

"When the Dawn at Mr. Ordeals brought the sun back from the dead of night, even Grand Duke Himmler's influence waned. The people had respite from the constant threat of being prey for an unseen predator. The common man could be human again. At least during the daylight hours. Children could play and learn, women could keep the affairs of the house, men could press their wills to success. Castlevania City began to grow with confidence again like a strong tree waiting for the sun in the morning."

The Grand Duke used this new hazard to vampires as a weapon. Himmler saw the various vampire kings around him become weak and offered them admittance to his House. The vampires who didn't conform to his authority were set upon by foes. Grand Duke Himmler secretly funded vampire hunters to attack the neighboring vampire kings and gave them assistance with his minions and magical ability. Himmler quickly consolidated the vampires of the southern half of the Castlevania Continent. From the Ural Mountains to the Southern Sea, Himmler was now known as Prince Himmler.

The Calling brought creatures of every kind and power level. Creatures with power that could potentially threaten the Prince and his territory. It brought the Bamanites to Castlevania Continent, but it was Rear Admiral T'or La'ndis who brought an expeditionary force of airships to Castlevania City. The Bamanite leader was impressed with the Prince vampire's power and as a strategic minded human, the Rear Admiral diplomatically offered an alliance with Prince Himmler.

The Bamanite Fleet Admiral offered to protect the city and by proxy the Prince in exchange for using the city as a base of operations. He agreed to act as the visible aspect of the Prince's power. A fleet of the finest Bamanite airships and a garrison of soldiers to enforce law and order and defend against hostile forces during the daylight. The Bamanite military with the full magical power of the drow House Poison Black Thorn. This branch of the drow house was ruled by the Countess and Priestess to Bamane and the goddess Ti' Kratia, Bi'set Poison Black Thorn.

Prince Himmler agreed to the Rear Admiral's peace offering and in (date needed) the Bamanites formed an alliance with the vampire prince of the Twilight Forest. Rear Admiral T'or La'ndis left a couple Destroyers and a Frigate along with a garrison of Bamanite soldiers in Castlevania City under the command of Countess and Priestess Bi'set Poison Black Thorn. The Bamanite Air Fleet traveled north into the Ural Mountains where the Scythian River begins.

The Bamanites immediately built the city's first airport and replaced any outdated or antiquated infrastructure. Countess Bi'set centralised the authority of Castlevania City by bringing the growing influence of the various trade guilds under her control. House Poison Black Thorn used magical intimidation with squads of enforcers to allow the citizens to become assimilated wherever bribery didn't work.

House Poison Black Thorn governed Castlevania City by inventing the laws and enforcing the order. The population boomed as the Twilight Forest and the city absorbed the creatures that unexpectedly appeared with The Calling. Countess and Priestess Bi'set Poison Black Thorn ruled Castlevania City and the southern region of the forming Bamanite territory until the Banishing.

The Banishing (date needed) removed all of the elite class that were not native born to Terra, mostly the drow, dwarves, elves, and other creatures that were from other planes and worlds with Locutus' influence. The humans were the majority of the elite class after the Banishing. The human military officers kept the chain of command as hundreds of other world authority figures disappeared from Terra. Only the humans and similar races that mature faster had descendants that were adults and able to retain power. The Bamanite military took over interim rule of Castlevania City for ten years while the issue of bloodlines and drow houses was debated by the remnants of the Bamanite military.

In (date needed) the human, Admiral Andy LaRouche of the Royal Bamanite Air Corps became Air Marshal Supreme of the remnants of the Bamanite military. While the new Air Marshal Supreme ruled over the former territories of the Bamanites from the fortress city of Scor's Hand, he allied with the oldest female of House Poison Black Thorn to remain after the Banishing. Former noblelady in waiting, now Dutchess of Castlevania City, Lady Tir'ith Ki't Vu of House Poison Black Thorn ruled the people and kept all alliances in place with Prince Himmler.

Castlevania City thrived under Dutchess Tir'ith Ki't Vu of House Poison Black Thorn as she allowed the drow to maintain their superior roles in the hierarchy of the government. The Dutchess solidified the drow rule privately with magical intimidation, Prince Himmler's influence while publicly by throwing money at the poor and restructuring the Knight class of Castlevania City and the Twilight Region.

The Dutchess was such a success to the Bamanite Provinces, she was the obvious choice when every provincial governor of the former Bamanite territory died within a night's time. Air Marshal Supreme Andy LaRouche's whole entourage and any political ties they had were all declared Lady Tir'ith Ki't Vu of House Poison Black Thorn became Queen Poison Black Thorn in (date needed) at her coronation in the private gardens of Palace du Twilight in Castlevania City. After attaining the total political power with a successful "Culling of the Enemy" ritual, the Queen moved to Scor's Hand to rule over the region from a central location.

In (date needed) Queen Poison Black Thorn awarded rule of Castlevania City to her cousin Duke Ban'ic Vu of House Poison Black Thorn. The Duke ruled Castlevania City with a stone hand and is rumored to have been a cult member to Prince Himmler. Duke Ban'ic Vu ruled under the Queen until the defeat of Prince Himmler by Medryn.

An excerpt from "Rise of Medryn. Third book. Requiem for a Prince: The Destruction of Prince Himmler" by Snorri Sturelson.

"The Archmage Medryn had lead the epic group into the personal tomb of the Vampire Prince Himmler and destroyed that nest of parasites from their root. Duke Ban'ic Vu no longer had the threat of the Prince to back his rule where sword and spell didn't work easily. His safety net was gone and he had been left with a target on his chest."

Duke Ban'ic Vu had been the male drow who was most influential in the rise of House Poison Black Thorn to the throne of the LaRouche Kingdom. Duke Ban'ic Vu was the 'secret dagger' inside the royal palace and personal court of King Andy LaRouche. Ban'ic Vu was cousin to Tir'ith Ki't Vul and was awarded Duke and Castlevania City as his lands. Upon the destruction of the vampire Prince Himmler, word of the Duke's dealings with the monster Himmler were spread through the city by an overnight city-wide paper pamphlet campaign exposing his most severe atrocities.

The Duke was staying at the Twilight Palace in the city when the eastern tower of the palace was surrounded by the citizens with the Duke inside. The tower was razed to the ground with the Duke's body being found and mutilated. His head is still above the North Gate portcullis as a reminder and trophy of the people. All of House Poison Black Thorn in Castlevania City was eliminated without a trace the same night as the Duke and the next powerful drow house took the throne. Ol'ivar Gan'nin of House Red Web took control of Castlevania City and for three remaining months of that year, ruled as the Duke.

In (date needed), following the death of Queen Poison Black Thorn, Medryn entered Castlevania City as it's new master. Medryn quickly married a daughter of Duke Ol'var Gan'nin of House Red Web and solidified his authority without bloodshed with the drow elite. Medryn instituted aggressive social reforms and introduced a more liberty inspired form of government instead of the oppressive rulers of the great cities past. Among many of Medryn's benevolent achievements, Freddie Bin Wailin the Bard played an epic 10 hour concert in the poorest sections of Castlevania City and rebuilt the worst of the town with bard magic. The equivalent of a 100 man crew working 60 days.

#### **Vienna**

Population: 110k 10% elf, 10% dwarf, 1% Sahaguin, 5% Misc., 74% Human

Major Features:

Large Harbor, Coastal Fortress, Pearl Palace, College of Knowledge, Lighthouse of Andrulykis, Coliseum, Large Marketplace

Temples: Remy, Andrulykis, Boro, Scor, Medryn,

Established: (date needed, after the Calling)

This continually thriving city was founded by the Lieutenant Commander Pit U' Lithan of drow House Snowcap Amanita as a Coastal Fortress for Rear Admiral T'or La'ndis and the 8th Bamanite Air Fleet.

The Lieutenant Commander immediately put his men to work. He sent officers to parlay with the local elite lords, jarls, dukes, chiefs, or kings. He negotiated a peace treaty with the local rulers of the eastern coast of the Castlevania continent. He offered to allow the elites to continue their rule as long as they payed the Bamanite 8th Fleet a tax. He suggested they build homes in the new fortified city of Vienna. He promised the full resources of the Bamanite 8th Fleet to protect their lands if they served him and the Bamanite ruling class.

The elite families of the region had been operating as feudal lords and kings and were now given the opportunity to come together and help defend against the monsters that suddenly appeared from The Calling. Pit U' Lithan became the Regent Commander of the eastern coast of Castlevania continent and defended the shipping lanes against rampant corsairs and pirates who hide in the Dragon Archipelago and the Merland Islands.

The Regent Commander commissioned 2 naval fleets of 12 ships each to protect the coastline from the Scythian Delta in the north to Thor's Hammer in the south. The local pagans and hillbillies came in from many areas, for the security of the Coastal Fortress and for the military expansion of the Bamanite Army providing jobs and money. A stable place during the mass entrance of monsters and magic.

Vienna boomed from a basic coastal fort into one of the largest and most stable city-states on the continent. Regent Commander Pit U' Lithan ruled with a loose hand on market taxes and heavy hand on military growth and keeping a monopoly on religion. He instituted heavy taxation on all religious activity other than Bamane, Ti' Kratia, and Mor' lyn and a common prayer to the Bamanite Empress Tith' Lith at gatherings. The phrase "In Her Service" was a regular Bamanite military good bye. Most importantly, military service was required to gain citizenship in Vienna and the ability to buy land or real property.

The 8th Bamanite Air Fleet as led on the eastern coast by Regen Commander Pit U' Lithan, along with any creatures or beings not born on Terra, disappeared with The Banishing(date needed). Vienna survived the Banishing because of it's largely human population and the military hierarchy allowed many humans to buy large estates and produce a strong middle-class based on being sailors in the Bamanite Navy and then farmer-citizens of Vienna. A class of "gentlemen sailors" became the lord class of the city-state.

When the Bamanites were Banished in (date needed), the lord class met and formed the Republic of Vienna. It was led with two Consulars and the Vienna Senate. The same two families, the Montegues and the Rothchilds have served as the Consulars since the position was made. Under their direction Vienna has become known for it's sea port and it's variety of resources from the Eastern Ural Mountains, the Twilight Forest, the Scythian Plains and the control of shipping goods along the eastern coast of the Castlevania continent.

Religion in Vienna shifted when the Bamanites were banishted. Many of the citizens became godless after the divine reach of their families' gods and the gods of the military culture of Vienna were stopped on Terra. Many of the common folk of the Republic of Vienna were superstitious pagans from the region and hadn't been exposed to the divine powers of Terra, since that had been suppressed under every region that had been dominated by the 8th Bamanite Fleet.

It was into this vacuum that the Church of Andrulykis sent the Inquisitor Sgt. Slaughter in (date needed) into the lingering temple priestess' of the pantheon of Medea. Sgt. Slaughter led a troop of clerics and paladins into the temples of Bamane, Ti' Kratia, Mor' lyn and the Bamanite Empress and destroyed all remnants of that religion in Vienna. The public cheered the Banishing and celebrate it annually in a week long feast.

In (date needed), for recognition of the Church's actions, the Consulars and the Senate of Vienna financed the construction of The Lighthouse of Retribution in the massively busy harbor of the city. Sgt. Slaughter and his special team of Inquisitors known as the Marauders created the Knights of Vienna in (date needed), a strict order of inquisitors of Andrulykis.

During the reign of King Andy LaRoque, the elite class of Vienna periodically (from date needed to date needed) fought for possession of the easthern Ural Mountains and the rich resources there. Consular Barnaby Rothschild committed his first two terms to claiming and defending resources of metals and gems from neighboring monsters, barbarians and spirits. Consular "Battleborn" Barnaby Rothschild held the office until his death in (date needed) from the red dragon Starscream.

In (date needed) during the quick rise of Queen Poison Black Thorn, the hierarchy of Vienna kept the Queen at a distance politically with import tariffs and trading taxes but also culturally the major population had rejected it's Bamanite roots and had overcome the shadow knives of drow influence with Sgt. Slaughter and his Marauders. The rich and powerful of Vienna knew not to trust the Queen and pursued a neutral diplomatic relation with her.

In (date needed) Medryn became King of Castlevania.

#### **Thor's Hammer**

Population: 125k 60% Human, 20% Dwarf, 10% Elf, 10% various creatures

Major Features:

Murray Rothbard Market, Grand Harbor of the Guilds, Grimm's Cathedral, College of Mechanix and Magics,

Temples: Andrulykis, Boro, Scor, Gorm, Kratos, Highwind, Oshram

Established: 1053 AEN

Thor Grimm returned to the Thunder Cliff Mountains in 1053 AEN where he built a small home on the slope of a mountain and herded goats. He had become melancholy and wanted to be alone with the storms of the Thunder Cliffs. His band of mercenary followers didn't believe the Killer of the vampire Prince Revis was done adventuring and saving damsels. The company of 20 known as Thor's Hammer, made camp on the beach of the peninsula and waited for Thor to return from his churning moodiness on his mountain.

Days turned to weeks that became months into years and the company of 20 adventurers had variously left and returned waiting for Thor. During this time they grew in power and influence but repeatedly ran into the oppressive and evil grip of the various vampire rulers of the seven continents during the Age of Night. No matter where they adventured to or raided, the mercenary group known as Thor's Hammer, always returned to that beach and to Thor Grimm's hearth and friendship.

With every adventure and quest, the Thor's Hammer company spread their network and encouraged business with them as an independent place to funnel goods that were outlawed or suppressed by the various territories of vampire houses and werewolf clans. By 1060 AEN the 20 of the original company had increased to include friends and families of the company and a couple hundred people who had been affected by Thor Grimm and Thor's Hammer. The camp had become a town.

The town of Thor's Hammer gained a reputation as a sanctuary city from the evil of the world. It was a safe harbor for ships to resupply and not be taxed. The town had no mayor, no official council and no form of government. The mercenary members of the company kept their hierarchy but didn't enforce that on anyone else. It was a free society mostly. Slaves remained slaves and visiting soldiers, officers and diplomats remained agents of their various governments and masters; but the town had no rulers and anyone who stayed could be free of another's rule if they were able.

The society was as diverse as every person who came there. With the diversity came the responsibility of maintaining peace and order since there wasn't a monopoly of force by a ruling class. Reputation could get you more than weapons and gold and anyone who didn't understand that common rule were generally ostracized, exiled or killed depending on the severity of ignorance or if violence was used. That common law was understood and respected. Private guard companies formed to provide protection for those who could afford it and the marketplace grew uncontrollably without taxation and guild monopolies. The different social classes formed clubs, gangs and guilds, the craftsmen, artisans, entrepreneurs and businessmen, formed into their own differing forms of guild governments and were regulated by reputation and the ability of constant competitors in their different markets.

In 1065 AEN Thor Grimm, after a legendary party known as "That one night Thor got so drunk he...." Party, the remaining members of Thor's Hammer demanded he return to Northgard to see Andrulykis again and maybe find a piece of mind.

Excerpt from, "The Books of Retribution, Book Three Chapter Ten, "Thor's Question"-by Cardinal Charles Von Grosser

"Thor Grimm left the next morning on a sturdy wooden and steel chariot pulled by two of his goats. He booked passage on a ship and traveled through the main road in town to meet his ride in the harbor. As Thor and the remaining members of his old mercenary company traveled, a crowd spontaneously formed and escorted them to the harbor.

The people had come to see the legendary warrior off. News of his journey had already gone through the town like a fire. The maidens gathered along the cobblestone road to see the mighty warrior off in hopes to catch his eye and be conquered by his lust. The squires and apprentices lined the same streets as the maidens in the hope of Thor asking them to join in an epic quest.

They cheered and followed behind the group's horses and Thor in his chariot to a side street and a small building made the old way. A humble beginning for the grand cathedral I now write this in.Thor and his companions placed offerings of gems, incense, gold and mead at the base of a small statue of a black sickle moon. The statue was set in a recess of a side wall of the earth, hay and stone temple and had a string of prayer beads draped across it while old small candles scatter around the scene.

They said quick prayers and handed out treats to the kids and smiles to the crowd as they made continued to Thor Grimm's ship."

In 1066 AEN, shortly after Thor Grimm left Thor's Hammer for Northgard, the city was attacked by the dread pirate Coppenhagen. The harbor security force under the command of Lieutenant Commander Will Riker, repelled the attacks over the course of a week. At the height of the final encounter, the dread pirate captain was captured and imprisoned on the swampy atoll known as Riker's Island today.

By this time Thor's Hammer was a mix of every major human culture of the time. The city had grown to 40K people and had one of the busiest ports of the Castlevania Continent. It's popularity for being a "sanctuary city" slightly off a major trade route led to the city being known for a great place to sell excess or stolen goods in the large marketplace.

The great economic thinker Murray Rothbard was born into this capitalist culture and formed an Academy of Trade where he taught business and how to negotiate contracts. He was a major influence on the advancement of business and so the city's main marketplace was dedicated to Murray.

The city's reputation for being a place to harbor fugitives, smugglers and as a major black market hub, finally provoked the attention of the (name needed) Empire led by the vampire Duke Harkonin. The evil Duke sent a fleet to blockade the harbor of Thor's Hammer and commandeer or capture any ship without proper Vampire House or Werewolf Clan flags.

In 1068 Duke Harkonin's fleet approached the Cape of Storms as he was bearing down on the city's harbor. Word of the attack reached Thor's Hammer before the Duke's fleet and the collective might of the various guilds in accordance with the Jolly Roger Pact. Each able guild sent their security and various "private contractors" who depended on the city to defend it. The Jolly Roger Pact allowed the security forces to elect Lieutenant Commander Will Riker as Admiral of the Joint Guild Forces for the Battle at Cape of Storms. The admiral successfully defeated the fleet and captured half of the attacking fleet and sunk the remaining ships.

The Duke launched two more fleets at the sanctuary city for criminals and outlaws immediately following his defeat at the Cape of Storms. The Duke tasked his fleets to police the shipping lanes instead of attacking the city directly.His strategy was to antagonize the trade route and leverage his presence with the other vampire lords. His plan resulted in the First Corsair War from 1068 AEN to 1075 AEN.

Admiral Will "Bull Shark" Riker made his career orchestrating the navy of Thor's Hammer.against the immortal Duke until the Battle of Smugglers Bay in the Dragon Archipelago in 1075 AEN. The Duke's forces were caught in an ambush in the infamous bay and destroyed the last of his seaworthy fighting force. The Duke had run out of money and resources waging the war against the cunning human so the vampire used one of his greatest assets, time. He waited 20 years for his arch enemy Admiral Will Riker to die of old age in 1095 AEN.

By 1096 AEN the standard of living in Thor's Hammer was so high that the poorest in the city were wealthy compared to many of the vampire territories. The Duke sent 3 fleets of ships to the city of 50k people with the intent of landing and sacking the riches there. He attempted to land on a beach north of the city and march to the harbor but was stopped as his army was unloading on the beach. Skirmishes like this happened repeatedly until finally the Duke Harkonin pulled his fleets together and openly attacked the harbor in the Battle of Guild Harbor.

Duke Harkonin successfully defeated the Joint Guild Forces and landed in Thor's Hammer where he was stopped by the armed people, the mercenary security guilds and the presence of the Church of Andrulykis. Although the Duke won the sea battle, he was not able to capture the city so he left a fleet to stop all sea actions from the harbor and effectively blockaded Thor's Hammer.

For 4 years the people of the city suffered under the military of (name needed) Empire. Thor Grimm was nowhere near the city to help and every founding member of the original company had died. It took a rag tag fleet of ships and mercenaries led by the dread pirate Captain SeaWolf to break the blockade in a daring attack on the harbor called the Heartbreak Tide.

The captain and his men entered the city and were brought to tears at the suffering of those who had no way to leave during the blockade. Captain SeaWolf was able to consolidate a fleet out of the remaining ships and used Thor's Hammer as a headquarters to start the Second Corsair Wars. The population had been dwindled to 20k people who were more skilled at surviving than crafting or fighting. The guilds had largely broken under the strain of the blockade and the lack of resources from the black market being shut down.

From 1100 AEN to 1133 the people of Thor's Hammer fought against the (name needed) Empire in the Second Corsair War with help from the rebellious human class of any vampire territory that could secretly send help. In 1133 AEN the Duke Harkonin tried to mass his power against Thor's Hammer and it's now top of the line navy but was defeated at the Battle of the Red Tide by the renovated and updated harbor defense towers and security forces of the guilds. The city had returned to it's former glory of 50k people and as a sanctuary city from the vampire elite.

In 1140 AEN the Duke Harkonin sent a secret force of vampire lords and undead into Thor's Hammer in an attempt to take control of the city by undead magic and force. The vampires and undead overwhelmed the city quickly, killing and turning people as they spread through the populace. The two dozen clerics and paladins of Andrulykis held the temple under the command of Brother Bartholomew McKenna in what is called today, the Night of the Living Dead.

Excerpt from "Night of the Living Dead" by Bishop Bartholomew McKenna

"The silent crowd of people came down the street towards our position in the temple. We had all ports and ways boarded up and every defender had both eyes on every one of the openings, waiting. The undead had spread as a plague through the city. Those who had died at the hands of the first wave of zombies, spectres, ghouls and skeletons were themselves brought to unlife and joined in the mass of walking dead.

We were surrounded, we were out-numbered, and the enemy began pounding on the boards of the shored up windows and doors. I'm proud of my men and women in that attack. None of them wavered in their duty. We were filled with the power of our Lord and knew this was the moment we were called to live."

As the small band of holy avengers battled through the streets, Thor Grimm returned to aid them.

Excerpt from "Night of the Living Dead" by Bishop Bartholomew McKenna

"Brother Vladimir held Eastern Silver Street to my left with Brother Gregor and Sister Valin helped me take the main vampire lord of the last four blocks when she pointed to the clouds gathering swiftly over our heads. Her normally soft voice was sharp with battle, "Look! What is that? By Andrulykis!"

As the clouds quickly formed overhead and swirled like a forming tornado. Lightning flashed across the sky, blackish blue at night and a black and gold armored, bushy red and white haired warrior streaked through the air towards a large black ominous area centered over the city. The two met and thunder clapped. I heard cheers break the still air from those who still lived. It was Thor."

Thor's Hammer lost over 5k people from 50k and Thor Grimm had returned to help protect against the undead horde. After the battle, the city donated enough money to build the first church of Andrulykis in Thor's Hammer. The Duke Harkonin was destroyed in the battle and the Will of the (name needed) Empire to attack Thor's Hammer was gone with him.

The (name needed) Empire instead turned it's attention to controlling the shipping lanes and after years of naval skirmishes, in 1150 AEN, the Third Corsair War started. The War was long running with peaks and valleys of intensity, but War never returned to the great city. The War lasted until 1205 AEN when the Dawn at Mt. Ordeals brought the sun back and severely set limits to the vampire forces.

As the rest of Terra began waking up from the Age of Eternal Night, Thor's Hammer continued to grow and to be a beacon of freedom and human prosperity. After the grace period of Daybreak, the Calling brought new challenges as new races and creatures began to arrive from dimensions, planets and planes of every kind. The city absorbed any who were not psychotic or actively evil. The population went from around 50k to 75k as Thor's Hammer was the most liberal with accepting cultures and the most conservative with restrictions.

In (date needed) the flying fortress Ka'lanis arrived in the skies of Thor's Hammer.The Order of Locutus sent the Knights of Locutus Listo and Ericson as emissaries to Thor Grimm's Hall. The Order of Locutus opened trade with the various guilds and mixed crafting and synthing recipes. The flying citadel of Ka'lanis moved on after a short period as it sought out other immortals and possible leads to where the remaining shard of Locutus was located.

Thor's Hammer existed as a mostly peaceful city, a busy hub along the southern coast of Castlevania Continent for the 5 years of the Calling. The city became a thick mix of the masses of creatures from the multiverse, and peaked at around 100k residents and travelers on any day. The multitude of races and cultures quickly segregated into racial and cultural areas. Burrows like Elfstone, Dwarftown, and Shireton became centers for their respective races. Each city burrow reflects the culture that built it while holding a slight common theme of their new home and original Terra culture. The common areas and civil services like the sewer, roads, harbor and newly added gas lights, were upgraded by various groups and individuals according to use and financial ability.

Technology and magic knowledge from Ka'lanis was the standard as soon as it was introduced. The Academy of Mechanix and Magic was built in (date needed) by first generation child from the Calling immigrants, Tesla Marconi. The academy teaches engineering and arcane magic principles and theories. It is the first of it's kind on Terra and it's alumni have held prestigious positions all across the civilized places of Terra.

In (date needed) the Banishing reduced the population of Thor's Hammer to around 75k. Splitting families and wreaking havoc

#### **Nola**

Population: 90k

Major features: Large Harbor, Lock and Dam system, the Banishing Bridge (formerly the Bridge of Bamane), Jedi Academy, Aqualon Quarter,

Temples: Andrulykis, Boro,

Where the mouth of the Scythian River and the Gulf Le Dawn meet is a city that has grown to criss-cross the Scythian Delta and acts as an entrance to the Castlevania Continent interior from the sea.

#### **Karsk**

Population: 65k

Major features: Train Yard, Cannon Fortified City Walls, Large tent covered marketplace, Oil Refinery, Oil derrick feild, the natural city walls of the Black Diamond Plateau

Temples: Scor, Oshram, Boro,

Among the scattered rivers, occasional plateaus and rolling hilled plains, is a walled city that mixes the modern industrial technology with the primitive human nomad culture. From a distance, the city looks like a large stone plateau with lazy columns of smoke coming from it's top. Beyond the impressive 50ft. city walls, Karsk is a tightly packed city. A brick smokestack on a small, brick factory building will be standing among a cluster of round canvas tents. An oil derrick windmill will be slowly spinning next to a three story apartment building.

The large city was established by Rear Admiral T'or La'ndis of the 8th Bamanite Airfleet in (date needed) as a forward operating base after Bamanite surveyors discovered petroleum oil there. The first order was to construct an airport and oil production facility. The Rear Admiral stationed 2 destroyers to protect the construction along with 500 soldiers and 1000 workers and support.

Quickly after landing at the current site of the city of Karsk, the horsman tribes living in and around the area began attacking the Bamanite construction with no success because of the Bamanite destroyer airships. After a year, the Bamanite forces had made the outpost of Karsk into the town of Karsk. The town was established as a major supply of mechanical oil for the 8th Bamanite Airfleet on the Castlevania Continent.

The Bamanites had become confident in their settlement and in warding off the savage horseman tribes, until the call went out to every barbarian horseman within a 100+ mile radius to gather and attack the Bamanite outpost.

An excerpt from the journal of Bamanite Leftenant Colonel Ogram Bo'

"An enormous storm has come across the plains today. I've heard the native workers call it the Ride of Tamajin. I'm only vaguely familiar with the expressions and "ideas" of these simple savages and I am told it is in reference to a folktale. Something about a great king of the plains who gathers the dead of the native tribes, and together they ride across the hills and grasslands. They are a superstitious lot considering the lack of actual divine power on this planet.

Last night the horseman slave known as Ghost Face came to me and said he would pray for me. I was so charmed by this savage offering to wish me well, I decided not to have him flogged or have his rations denied. Instead, I halved his punishment for worshipping savage gods. He seemed relieved when I healed the neck wound I initially landed on him when I saw him chanting and dancing in prayer to native spirits."

It continues the following day,

"The storm has intensified. The destroyers have been docked and stowed under maintenance orders until the weather clears. I've received reports from my clerics that the storm is magical. Someone is controlling it, potentially a divine presence. No scrying can break through the magic of the storm and no magical communications can be sent. I have dispatched a messenger to the fleet in an attempt to keep communications open.

I'm not sure what the point of this magical storm is, but perhaps it is just some native rain dance to bolster their morale. Poor, ignorant, human barbarians. The wind blows and they call it a spirit."

"It's the third day of this rain dance and my clerics say it should clear up today. Rations will be restricted for....

I have just been informed a horde of horsemen, 10000 maybe more, have been spotted coming through the storm. All hands at battle stations. The destroyers are unable to assist in this gale force wind.

They've surrounded our perimeter. They are circling. Our mundane weapons are hampered by this damned storm. Yet their arrows seem as abundant as the raindrops.

I have received no word from command. The barbarians have compromised our interior. We have no protection. We can't stop them from entering. We've mustered in the main hall. We have to hold headquarters..."

The Bamanite outpost of Karsk fell to the barbarian horseman tribes of the Tamajin Plains in (date needed). They sacked the military base and oil refinery like a roaring tornado. Karsk remained abandoned by the Bamanites as they pressed further into the continent and the search for the last shard of the Emerald of Locutus continued. The area returned to the wild.

In (date needed) Captain Vo D'uth of the drow House Poison Black Thorn took power as King of the Northern Coast in Astarte. He gathered the resources from his reign and sent a large number of settlers and soldiers into the plains to reestablish the oil refinery and military base that his Bamanite predecessor's had built. It was a power play for resources that the King of the Northern Coast had researched from military documents of the 8th Bamanite Airfleet from before the Banishing.

This time, the King Vo D'uth of Astarte had the largest city walls known on the Castlevania Continent built around the installation. He had his entire Mage Corps summon creatures to construct a permanent land feature for the city walls of the new Karsk. The city would be protected by walls 60' high and, from a distance, would appear to be a large plateau sitting among the rolling hills of the plains.

He put laws into place to incentivise traders and mercenary guilds to be established with the aim to grow his kingdom's economy, and to use private security companies as free protection for his investment. King Vo D'uth was wise in his judgement and the military outpost quickly became a swollen city.

The resources from Karsk paid for an expansion by the King further into the Tamujin Plains. It was on one of theses expansion campaigns that he met his sudden death at the Battle of Broken River in (date needed). The Knight of Shame and leader of the North Sea military General Luke Utal took emergency command of the Kingdom of the North Sea and maintained order as Ruler until Vo D'uth's cousin, Tir'ith Ki't Vul, claimed rightful possession of the kingdom.

In (date needed) Tir'ith Ki't Vul of House Poison Black Thorn consolidated the northern remnants of the 8th Bamanite Airfleet's territory and was crowned Queen. She knew the value of Karsk's oil fields and military base and wanted to keep her kingdom united by ordering the construction of the first railroad on the Castlevania Continent. Known as "the Queen's Darklight" or "the Darklight Railroad", the railway connected Karsk with Astarte in the North and Scor's Hand in the South.

Karsk was an Oasis on the plains as well as an intimidating military base. With the Darklight Railroad bringing people and trade from across the kingdom, and the near impenetrable natural walls, Karsk boomed with money and culture. The people of Karsk were loyal to Queen Poison Black Thorn as the city grew wealthy, quickly. The city became known as "the Black Diamond".

The barbarian horsemen understood fighting the city walls were useless, so they concentrated on the railroad and various highways, roads and settlements that tried to spring up in the shadow of Karsk's massive walls. The barbarian chief, Koo' Blyh was a constant harassment to the Queen and to the city. He freely wandered the surrounding area of Karsk, picking up loyal bands of horsemen warriors and raiding with them.

Queen Poison Black Thorn's reach to the North Sea was under question and rumors of the loyalty of nobles in the North became a topic in common society. The Queen understood the barbarian threat had to be dealt with decisively and without costing her more than it already had. In (date needed) Queen Poison Black Thorn captured the bandit leader Koo' Blyh in a secret operation by her Mage Corp. Instead of publicly executing him, the Queen offered a truce with the human barbarians. She invited Koo' Blyh and his immediate followers into the city. She promised them slaves, jewelry, fine clothes and equipment, and regular payment for one year if they ceased their campaign against the kingdom. Her one condition was any barbarian who entered Karsk and didn't leave in one year had to stay.

Koo' Blyh agreed to the drow Queen's terms, as did his followers. They marveled at the strange technology and abundance of civilized living. They entered the city and lived as kings themselves. Quickly the barbarian loyalty to each other faded and was forgotten as each lived a drunken orgy fantasy. As the time for the deal came to an end, the Queen visited the barbarian chief again.

An excerpt from "Black Diamond" by Oth' Tinan the Lecherous

"The barbarians hadn't forgotten their native culture. They hadn't forgotten the steppe or the horse. They hadn't forgotten the falcons in air or the wind in their hair. The way the setting sun made the whole of the plains glow as if on fire from an attack by StarScream. They just didn't care.

Why should they care about hunting for food and eating it from a fire made with horse shit? Why wake to a cramp in the back, a chill in the bones, and a near empty belly? They had a ready supply of women and whiskey from the Black Diamond. Most had recently seen children born inside the walls of Karsk. Not just one child, many children. How could they return to the steppe with a dozen mewling babes to feed?

When the year came and the deal was at it's end, every barbarian stayed. They stayed for the parties and the women and the drugs. The wine flowed like the Scythian River and the parties could last beyond even their wild, hearty constitutions. They all stayed, trapped like flies in a web, just like the rest of us."

The Queen had defeated her enemy and protected the North with the Black Diamond deal and within twenty years the human barbarians had become a major cultural presence in Karsk. She never had to enforce the deal and word of her generosity spread to the various tribes of the Tamajin Plains. The large octagonal tents of the plains people became common in the streets of the city. Bodegas with awnings and goat meat mixed with the modern look of the former Bamanite architects.

In (date needed) the Wizard King Medryn defeated the Queen and destroyed her capital city of Scor's Hand. Not every general and supporter of the Queen was at that Epic Battle. The remaining military split into two factions immediately. The Northern Coast Kingdom ruled by the Knight of Shame, King Luke Utal; and the Southern Democratic Republic of Tammany.

Karsk was taken under control immediately by King Utal and has become a major fortified base for his army and airfleet. The city is the second largest city in the Northern Coast Kingdom and is known as "The Black Diamond" because of it's oil, natural plateau appearance, and it's strategic value for the Northern Coast Kingdom.

Slavery is not recognised by King Luke Utal, so there are no slavers publicly operating in Karsk. In (date needed) Her Majesty's General-at-Arms and Knight of Shame, Luke Utal proclaimed dominion of the Northern Coast. He magically crafted a book known as "Utal's Proclamation", a quick tome listing the Common Law and Crown Decrees. In his Proclamation, King Luke Utal decreed he would not invest in protecting the slave trade. Meaning any slavers would have to provide their own protection and enforcement for their trade.

King Utal's Proclamation ended the drow slave trade in the northern remnants of Queen Poison Black Thorn's territory, putting a strain on the drow noble houses and solidifying his domain and allies. The Knight of Shame and now King of the Northern Coast, Luke Utal, made his initial stand against Consular Tammany at the Battle of the Balance just south of Karsk. King Utal successfully defended Karsk and repelled the newly forming Democratic Republic of Tammany and showed his tactical prowess with the decisive battle.

#### **Kiev**

Population: 70k

Major features:

Temples: Scor, Boro, Oshram

#### **Stalingrad**

Population: 100k

Major features:

Temples: Scor, Boro, Oshram,

#### **Gotham**

Population: 60k

Major features: the 12 Black Towers, tent city of refugees from Scor's Hand, Labyrinth of Gotham

Nestled in a huge valley inside the Eastern Ural Mountains, there is a place where two large rivers, the East River and Hook River, come together and naturally form a swampy ground with a large amount of limestone underneath. It was in this valley travelers would camp to wait out storms or seasons.

There is no record that the area ever kept a population greater than a couple families until the vampire Grand Duke Crane created the 12 black monolithic towers that stab into the swampy grass and limestone today. They now serve as a lodestone of the mountain valley, rising up in between the two rivers.

In 275 AEN the vampire Grand Duke Crane believed he could create a self-contained and self-sustaining environment to keep his human crops. Grand Duke Crane wanted to examine his human cattle in a controlled environment to find the most effective way to control and harvest them. He believed the answer was in the human mind so he constructed 12 laboratories to test his theories of controlling the human mind.

Each tower had a different design based on arcane numerology, astrology and abyssal knowledge. The towers were made to account for basic human needs like water, food, and waste. Water control was essential to building the towers and so the Grand Duke employed the help of summoned Djinn and spirits of Terra. The architects and builders used an "order in chaos" approach to constructing the sewer systems to drain and pump water throughout the Black Towers; and to drain much of the swamp covered limestone. This design by Djinn and the spirits of Terra became the Labyrinth of Gotham.

The 12 Black Towers sprouted from the limestone with the spells and abilities of the supernatural world. Every human within 300 miles of the site of Gotham was magically drawn to it by the Grand Duke's Will over his domain. Once each tower was filled, it's doors and windows were magically sealed by Grand Duke Crane. The asylum of 12 towers was considered a jewel in the vampire's territory. He proudly named it his favorite and most worthy experiment. The Grand Duke spent every moment in the towers that he could, for over 200 years, studying the minds of humans and always striving to delve deeper. Occasionally setting the "most exceptional specimens" free into his expansive countryside and territory to explore the results.

By 500 AEN the asylum that was Gotham had lost it's luster with Grand Duke Crane and his residency became extended visits that became inspections until finally the vampire had become bored with his laboratories and never returned. Gotham's 12 towers continued to function as a source of evil in a broken and dark landscape. Each tower was sealed and self-sustaining as long as the humans maintained the systems of food production and waste in the towers that were not completely overrun with insanity and evil.

Generation after generation of humans was born, lived and died in the 12 Black Towers until evil and insanity finally claimed them all. In 717 AEN the Grand Duke was destroyed and the seals on the Black Towers disappeared with the rest of the vampire's legacy. The tower systems quickly broke down and the locks aged with neglect and time while the memories of the cruelty and torture were trapped in the black walls.

The ruins of Gotham stood haunted and mostly silent for over 500 years. The only citizens of Gotham were the echoes of the dead and the random traveler through the mountains.

### ***Continental Lore and Regional History***

**Continent**

**Tamujin Plains**

**Scythian River Delta**

**Eastern Ural Mountains**

**Central Ural Mountains**

**Western Ural Mountains**

**Twilight Forest**

**Vienna Coast**

**Stark Coast**

### ***Continent Timeline***

**Before the Dreaming**

**Age of Dreams**

**Age of Reclamation**

**Age of Eternal Night**

**Daybreak**

**The Calling**

**The Banishing**

**Reign of Queen Tir'ith Ki't Vul (Queen Poison Black Thorn)**

**Medryn's Rule of Castlevania**