recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Demons of the Abyss

Spawned in the Infinite Layers of the Abyss, demons are the embodiment of chaos and evil - engines of destruction barely contained in monstrous form. Possessing no compassion, empathy, or mercy, they exist only to destroy.

The Abyss creates demons as extensions of itself, spontaneously forming fiends out of filth and carnage. Some are unique monstrosities, while others represent uniform strains virtually identical to each other. Other demons are created from mortal souls shunned or cursed by the gods, or which are otherwise trapped in the Abyss.

Demons respect power and power alone. A greater demon commands shrieking mobs of lesser demons because it can destroy any lesser demon that dares to refuse its commands. A demon's status grows with the blood it spills; the more enemies that fall before it, the greater it becomes. The greatest of those that do survive make up the ranks of the demon lords that threaten to tear the Abyss apart with their endless warring. By expending considerable magical power, demon lords can raise lesser demons into greater forms, though such promotions never stem from a demon's deeds or accomplishments.

Demons are the embodiments of Chaos, they lie with ease and break promises without second thought.

The Demons of the Abyss have been at war with the Devils of the Nine Hells since the Dawn of Time, often dragging other planes into their eternal struggle.

## Abyssal Invasions

Wherever they wander across the Abyss, demons search for portals to the other planes. They crave the chance to slip free of their native realm and spread their dark influence across the multiverse, undoing the works of the gods, tearing down civilizations, and reducing the cosmos to despair and ruin. The most well-known abyssal invasion in Aegeron followed the fall of the Imperial City after the Abyssal Gate was opened.

Demons carry the stain of abyssal corruption with them, and their mere presence changes the world for the worse. Plants wither and die in areas where abyssal breaches and demons appear. Animals shun the sites where a demon has made a kill. The site of a demonic infestation might be fouled by a stench that never abates, by areas of bitter cold or burning heat, or by permanent shadows that mark the places where these fiends lingered. A well known example for such a place is the Minthras Hellscape.
House Gallowin

House Gallowin is one of the most influential noble houses in the Free City of Steelcairn. They have a permanent seat on the Regency Council, and although they are among the oldest and most respected noble houses, neither they nor any of the other houses have the power to take control of the city.

During their first adventure the Outsiders found the ducal crown the God-Emperor had sent to *Marcus Gallowin* to elevate his family to the ducal throne. Although this was almost a century ago and the Imperium was no more, the party decided to return the crown to Steelcairn, where the House Gallowin would certainly greatly reward such an enormous boost in their claim to the city.

They are currently the most powerful noble house of Steelcairn, with several lesser houses serving as their vassals. Their wealth and manpower is comparable to the combined might of all other noble houses (but still significantly less). They are led by *Ferthard Gallowin* who holds the title of Regent, but the rest of the noble houses prevent him from actually ruling over Steelcairn.
Jolagh

Jolagh the Cleaver was an orcish warlord of legendary prowess. Around P.I. 350 he united the squabbling orc clans of Aegeron and led them on a decade of conquests, toppling the neighboring human kingdoms, even sacking Ylsalon, capital of Londar. His dream was the creation of a mighty Cleaver Empire.

But his dream was never realized as even someone as great as him could be felled by the poisoned arrow of an elf assassin. After his death his successors promised vengeance, but soon the nature of orcs won out and after much infighting the orcs reverted back to their old way.

But the deeds of Jolagh were not in vain, although he could not give the orcs the empire they deserved, he gave them an identity. Since those days their descendants, regardless of tribe, all identify as Cleaver Orcs.
King Bodvar

King Bodvar Magnusson II is the current ruler of the Kingdom of Nordterra. Nodterra has been ruled by the Magnusson dynasty for almost 800 years now, they were left in charge even after joining the Imperium. The Magnussons claim it is because of the nobility of their blood, as they can trace back their ancestry to the first emperors of the Imperium.

Unlike most rulers of Aegeron King Bodvar appears to have no territorial ambitions, much to the relief of his neighbors as the warriors of Nordterra are regarded as the fiercest warriors on the continent.

During the Silkstone War King Bodvar refused to get involved, but he gave his tacit approval to the massive raid the clans on the border conducted into the Dominion, greatly weakening the dwarves' position in the war.

As a young prince Bodvar became infatuated with an aasimar courtier that ultimately led to the birth of Andromeda Fierra, his bastard daughter. Bodvar arranged for the girl to have a comfortable life and a good education, and kept tabs on her but rarely if ever visited her. When she came of age and began to pursue her grandiose ambition to restore Imperium, Bodvar was first embarrassed, but after her initial successes he became quite worried for her life (of course he thinks Andromeda has no chance of succeeding),
Kingdom of Erdanor

A kingdom on a barren rock in the south-eastern corner of Aegeron, home to the best sailors (and pirates).

## History

This land was once part of the ancient human **Kingdom of Erdanor**. But in P.I. 137 the burghers of the cities on the mainland rose up against the tyranny of their queen and banished her and the entire nobility to this island in the east.

The Queen-in-exile and her noble entourage had no choice but to make the most of this barren land, which meant concentrating on fishing and "shipping" (piracy). When the Imperium arrived two centuries later the Kingdom of Erdanor was in no shape to take on a mighty empire, so they joined willingly. In return the royal line of Erdanor was allowed to continue and the island enjoyed some level of independence.

After the fall of the Imperium the king of Erdanor simply declared its independence and soon returned to their old ways. They mostly stayed out of the Succession Wars except for an ill-planned attempt at reconquering some of their mainland cities that now belong to the Silk League.

The Kingdom is ruled by **King Medrod II**, direct descendant of the original rulers of Erdanor, with a claim to all the cities of the Silk League, even if he does not possess the force to take them.

## Life

The people of this island have always been either fishermen or pirates. A significant portion of the kingdom's revenue comes from sheltering pirates who plunder the trade routes coming from the Azure Federation and the Silk League. Of course the people from Erdanor are more than willing to serve in a more lawful capacity (if paid well). Any captain would attest to the fact that a sailor from Erdanor is worth three from anywhere else.
Archmage Emberheart

Archmage Thralmid Emberheart is a dwarven wizard from the Kingdom of Iregion. He was once a high ranking member of the Arcane Directorium and he had somehow survived the fall of the Imperial City and later joined the future King Carric in founding the Kingdom of Iregion. Despite his prominent role in the founding of Iregion, he barely takes part in the politics of Iregion and spends most of his time with research and traveling.

In certain circles Archmage Emberheart is quite famous (or infamous, depending who you ask) for annulling many contracts between devils and mortals a decade ago, when he found a loophole that got into about one in five of all such agreements. Regrettably, soon afterwards the devils caught unto their supposed slaves just walking off without consequences, and since then they have carefully reworded all of those standard contracts. Although no direct threats were issued, Emberheart knows that bad things happen to those who continue to meddle with infernal matters.

Vistra encountered Emberheart in Stoneharbor where the two dwarves discussed the contract between Rhelora and the Avalanche. Although there was no apparent loophole, but Emberheart promised to take another look later.
Kingdom of Lycea

A modest-sized human kingdom in the center of Aegeron, north of Londar.

## History

In ancient times Lycea was one of the many small human principalities that sprung up near the fertile lands on the shores of the Silverlode River. It was annexed by the Kingdom of Minthras (future Imperium) via dynastic marriage in the second century P.I. and remained part of Minthras until the fall of the Imperium.

Lycea is sometimes refered to as "t*he kingdom that almost wasn't*", as the people of Lycea were loyal to the Imperium to a fault. This almost led to their demise as they refused to abandon the Imperium and raise their own forces even as the demonic hordes were pillaging their lands. It was the intervention of the elves of Londar led by the future Queen Calarel that saved them from annihilation.

Now Lycea is a feudal realm ruled by **King Reynold I** who, like his predecessors, sends vast gifts to the Kingdom of Londar. In many ways the Lycea behaves like a vassal of Londar.

## Life

For the common folk life in Lycea is similar to the other feudal realms of Aegeron, but the cultural influence of elves is visible everywhere, from the decorations of peasant houses, through the clothes and hairstyles of the middle classes, to the nobility learning elvish and discussing poetry during the evenings.

To this day the common people of Lycea consider all elves to be their greatest friends, often thinking that the entirety of elvenkind came to the rescue of their ancestors. It is not uncommon for elven travelers to receive free room and board in the villages they pass through.
Season 1: Curse of Morro

## Plot

Following the defeat of Master Chen and his followers, the ninja have trained new students to be like them. However, the ninja's powers were stolen by a stranger named Ronin with the use of a Obsidian Glaive. The ninja look for him, meeting Jack and Rune, and find out he has help from Kronos. After receiving an unexpected visit from Morro, the Master of Wind, the ninja chase Ronin and Kronos through time only to see Morro again and realize Ronin's plan is to stop Morro.
Tiamon

Tiamon is a male dragonborn sorcerer.

*Short summary of character*

Tiamon , the sorcerer

## Early Life

*Where is the character from?*

From the mountains of the Frozen Lands. Used to be a member of a cult of Tiamat. Decided he didn’t want to be involved in the sacrifice of sapient beings. Was blessed by Lendys with sorcerer powers.

*What was he/she doing before becoming an adventurer?*

Wandering the world, trying to find a purpose or goal, spreading his manifesto.

*Does he/she have family/friends/enemies somewhere in the world?*

The Frozen Lands hold all of his relatives. They despise outsiders and sacrifice them immediately upon finding them.

*What made him/her become an adventurer?*

A revelation from Lendys.

*What drives this character? What are his/her goals?*

## Member of the Outsiders

*How did the events of previous adventures (campaigns) with the party effect this character?*
Library of the Eternal Fire

The Library in Stoneharbor is home of the Monks of the Eternal Fire, servants of the god Rao. The library houses knowledge on virtually all topics and, in their generosity, the monks allow the public access to the above ground levels.

But below ground is the Restricted Library, one of the largest collection of knowledge on curses, rituals, necromancy and all forms of dangerous magic. Even below that are the Vaults, which house magical items of extraordinary power, that the monks hid away from the world to protect it from their incredible destructive power. Items from the Vaults would only be brought up in the most extraordinary circumstances.

In. A.I. 497, on the request of Rhelora, the party entered the Library in disguise and stole the Edict that was kept in the Vaults.
Useful Stuff

Use this page to collect links to useful websites, tools, etc.

## For players

WOTC Dice Roller

Online Die Roller

Dice Probability Calculator

D&D name pronounciation guide

Alignment system

D&D 3.5 Quick Reference Sheets

## Campaign Planning

Donjon Collection of Random Generators

Fantasy Name Generators

Collection of links for general inspiration

Random Tavern Generator

Random Weird Adventure Hooks

NPC Generator

## Dungeon Mapping

Inkarnate

Dungeonographer

Fantastic Maps How to draw a map Tutorial

RPG Mapshare

Anamap

## Random Tables

Totally Random Magic Effects

Chartopia

100 Random Non-Combat Encounters

## Blogs, Videos etc.

DMing tips form Matthew Colville

Nerdarchy

Roleplaying Tips
Golden Lance

The Order of the Golden Lance is nominally a knightly order dedicated to the protection of the people from dragons. It formed from the remnants of the Imperial Dragon Hunters.

They were called in to help repel the Dragon Princes from the Wild Coast. The 'Lance took charge of organizing the disparate tribes and towns of the Wild Coast to mount a better defense, which allowed the order to essentially take control of the region (*think of the Teutonic Order in real history*).

Now they have recruiting camps in all major cities and many adventurous youth flock to fight the dragons, to “*fight the false gods*”. Most never return.
Iron Flail

A mercenary group with a solid reputation. Founded by Ragnar Olvirsson a.k.a. The Tower, former captain of the Golden Lance. The group specializes in monster extermination contracts, has a high success rate and an excellent reputation. Known to have worked with Baronness Ravenborne, they were directly involved with the (failed) kidnapping of Rydia and the death of Estel's father..

In 487 Rhelora lured them to Stoneharbor by making Lord Silvermark offer them a lucrative contract. As they were celebrating their good fortune Tat the House of Night, the Avalanche joined them during the festivities. Rydia lured Ragnar into a bedroom and used this opportunity to kill Ragnar (but her deception had unintended consequences)

## Last known members:

1. **Captain Ragnar Olvirsson**, the Tower, veteran fighter who fought in wars, fought    mean, monsters and dragons. He was a Northman of imposing stature (hence the nickname) and a well-respected leader. Killed by Rydia in 487.
2. **Brukar**, the half-orc barbarian. No one knows where Olvirsson found her, but this half-feral barbarian from the Cleaver Lands is good at one thing and one thing only: violence. Yet, for some reason, she was completely loyal to Olvirsson. She took his death especially hard.
3. **Schmelkeg Rebbrimitt**, is a gnome wizard and she is clearly the brains behind the Iron Flail. Rumored to be an expert of curses.
4. **Aywin** is a half-elf ranger the Flail recruited some years ago from Iregion, where he was wanted by the wizards. Fortunately for him the Flail had no interest in the bounty and Olvirsson took a liking to him.
5. **Warton**, a human thief. Sometimes the Flail have to get their hands dirty and Warton is clearly the man for the job. Has several outstanding bounties in the Kingdom of Rubia and Cascadia.
Tamorian Republic

A realm of bickering nobles and insolent merchants, the republic is one of the few democratic realms of the Old Continent.

## History

The Republic was originally only a protective alliance of city states that formed after the fall of the Imperium, as they found themselves besieged by a belligerent Rubia from the north, barbaric orcs from the east and wealthy, greedy city states from the south. By the end of the Succession Wars this alliance became much more than it was ever intended to be and the Tamorian Republic was formed.

It is governed by the Council of Cities from the city of Tamor, where each city is represented by their lord mayor or consul. The Council decides on all matters through voting and all cities have veto power, which often derails proposals. The internal politics of the republic are famously tumultuous and most monarchies consider its democratic institutions a failed experiment.

## Life

Due to Council's inability to govern the individual member cities are essentially independent in their internal matters and many of them have quite different laws and societies (e.g. Feyburn is a merchant city ruled by a consul elected by the wealthy, while the border city of Saltmire is governed by a duke, whose title is hereditary).
Dwarven Bank

The Royal Bank of the Dwarven Dominion has branches in almost all major cities. It is an ancient organization, formerly it was known as the Imperial Bank, but after the fall of the Imperium the newly crowned High King (Thorin Ironfist) nationalized it (and used its wealth to fund several military campaigns against his neighbors).
Kingdom of Nordterra

The "*Kingdom of the Strong*", a cold, inhospitable realm, home of the fiercest warriors of Aegeron,

## History

Nordterra has been ruled by the Magnusson dynasty for almost 800 years now, they were left in charge even after joining the Imperium. The Magnussons claim it is because of the nobility of their blood, they can trace back their ancestry to the first emperors of the Imperium.

Nordterra is currently ruled by King Bodvar II and enjoys nominally peaceful relations with its neighbors (Nordterra is one of the few realms not aligned with any of the great factions of Aegeron). Still, clans on the border sometimes decide to carry out smaller raids into neighboring territories, which usually go without serious repercussions as most of Nordterra's neighbors are willing to put up with the occasional raids so that they don't upset their fearsome neighbor.

## Life

The Kingdom of Nordterra is a harsh realm with similarly strong, hearty people. Except for a few valleys the climate is too cold for agriculture so the kingdom relies heavily on fishing and grain imports from the Kingdom of Groteron. Most of the locals are expert hunters and strong warriors, they are among the most sought-after mercenaries and adventurers.

The people of Nordterra live in very different conditions. The city folk of Rockbell and other settlements enjoy a life similar to urban areas of the Old Continent, while small villages along the coast mostly sustain themselves from fishing. The people living near the mountains are often organized into clans and tribes who sustain themselves by hunting and occasionally raiding their neighbors.
Gnomehearth

The homeland of gnomes, a land of ingenuity and industry in the mountains south of the wood elves of Londar.

## History

One does not simply ask about the history of Gnomehearth, unless they are prepared for a three hour lecture by a very enthusiastic gnome about various dynastic feuds and trade disputes. Compared to the bloody history of most human realms, the gnomes had a fairly peaceful history where most conflicts were resolved by an excessive amount of debate instead of large-scale violence.

### Courage of the Gnomes

It is common for other races to underestimate the gnomes, but in A.I. 37 during the Century of Conquest they showed the world their true quality. When the threat of the expanding Imperium became apparent the gnome city states banded together to form unified resistance to the invaders. No one expected the tiny gnomes to put up much of a fight, but - to the surprise of the entire continent - the gnomes managed something none of the great empires and kingdoms of the past could: they defeated the Imperial Legion in open battle, a feat that fills the heart of every gnome with pride to this day. (Note that the Encyclopedia Imperium disputes this being an actual victory for the gnomes as their army was subsequently wiped out by an Edict, allowing the Legion to quickly regroup and conquer Gnomehearth.)

## Life

Although most of the population are gnomes, other races are also welcome in their cities. This hospitality and the famed gnomish expertise in all manners of industry has led to a form of "pilgrimage" in certain professions: one has to spend at least several years as an apprentice under a gnome master before any guild would recognize them as a master craftsman. Most gnome towns and cities are independent, there is no formal structure binding them together. But when external threats arise the gnomes put aside all their differences and unite towards a common goal.

The gnome cities are run by a complex and strange system of bureaucracy with elected officials, respected elders and career bureaucrats at every level interacting in a bizarre way that is almost incomprehensible to everyone but the gnomes. While they do have nobility, it is very different from the rigid dynastic system of humans, and it relies more on the renown of the individual families, which allows well-respected commoners to become nobles and also for a old noble dynasties to fall due to the acts of several "bad apples".
Kingdom of Cascadia

A dwarven kingdom in the Cascadian Mountains in the western part of Aegeron.

## History

In ancient times there were two kingdom of dwarves in the West, but after several wars the mountain dwarves conquered their hill-dwelling brethren and formed the Kingdom of Cascadia. Cascadia enjoyed good relations with its neighbors and even opened up its northern, more fertile region to human farmers.

In A.I. 92 the Imperium conquered Cascadia and the ruling family fled into exile. But dwarves live long and have long memories. When the Imperium fell the old king to the crown returned and reclaimed his kingdom, making it one of the few cases where the legitimacy of the ruler is not doubted by anyone. Now his son **High King Toremdir II** rules over Cascadia from the underground fortress-city of Ironmar.

During the Succession Wars a racial conflict broke out between dwarves and humans in Dwarrowdale, that led to some of the bloodiest episodes of the Succession Wars. In the end the humans were allowed to secede, forming the Kingdom of Dwarrowdale. Now Cascadia enjoys good relations and healthy trade with all of its neighbors (except Dwarrowdale).

Once the civil war ended in the Dwarven Dominion, thousands of dwarves fled to Cascadia to avoid the wrath of Thorin Ironfist. These dwarves have quickly integrated into Cascadia, but their presence sours the relationship between the Dominion and Cascadia, making almost ay kind of cooperation impossible.

## Life

Due to the high altitude the climate is extremely cold, most settlements are built underground. These underground cities are fairly self-reliant, almost functioning like city-states, each ruled by a thane.The majority and the ruling class of Cascadia are dwarves. As most dwarves he follows an isolationist worldview, concentrating most of his efforts on the expansion of the underground cities and mines.

As with most dwarven kingdoms, Cascadia’s artisans are famous for the high quality items they produce. One of their most valuable export is adamantium as no one in Rubia can work with that metal (except the local branch of the Barkshield Brother Foundry in Dewport, owned and operated by Cascadian dwarves)
Elasha

Elasha is the elven maid working for the Avalancheat the Frost Lodge.

Elasha is a young elf (barely 160). She is not a native of Stoneharbor, she grew up in an elven village near the free elven city of Eilath Tirrion. Once she reached adulthood she set out to find adventure, to experience the world outside the elven communities which to her seemed frozen in time. She longed for the lively, fast lifestyle of the short-lived races, to live not just exist. She quickly joined the crew of a small merchant vessel that sailed the Opal Stream and the Golden Bay.

One day they were on business in Stoneharbor and the Magistratum found some problem with their customs paperwork which meant they were stuck in the city for a few days. Of course Elasha did not spend that time idly, she spent every night at a different tavern, dancing with strangers and spending the night with new friends. But one morning she was awakened by a loud banging on the door of her room. She woke up, still very hungover, and as soon as she unbolted the door it was kicked in. Behind it were was a drunk man armed with a large hammer and he looked very angry. He started cursing her and demanded she hands over her still sleeping "friend", a demand she rejected and asked him to leave (in a slightly more colorful way). Turns out he was not in the mood to argue with words and swung his hammer at Elasha. She instinctively dodged then grabbed her dagger and thrust it into the man's back. It was then that her "friend" woke up and she immediately ran to the dying man, crying. Turns out he was her father, looking for her daughter who ran away a few days ago (probably because of some bad influence, like elves).

It wasn't long before the guardsmen were summoned and Elasha was taken away for murder. She futilely argued that the man attacked her, as a large number of witnesses testified to the man's honorable conduct, including her "friend". Meanwhile her crew sailed out, not wanting to be associated with a "murderer". The trial was quick, a few days later she was in a cell, waiting for Market Day, when her hanging would be the main attraction. But she had a visitor, a well-groomed man with a pleasing voice who offered her a chance to escape the noose. And it would not even cost her soul if she could find another 3 people in need of similar "help". She agreed and she was free the next day. It was only then that she learned about the Paradise District and how hard her task would be in Stoneharbor. Nevertheless she tried and managed to get one person to sign up (a woman who had a sick child), but her activities came to the attention of the Knights of the Holy Flame who tracked her down and threw her into the Paradise District. She spent the next forty years in there doing odd jobs (including cleaning, minor construction, courier duty etc.) and trying to survive.

She was rescued from the Paradise District by Grep who was looking for a competent and cheap maid who can also do minor repairs on the Frost Lodge. Elasha was grateful for the opportunity and now she works for the party in exchange for room and board, while trying to keep out of sight of the Stoneharbor authorities.
Collective

The Collective is a cult dedicated to the Great Old One. They are barely known outside scholarly circles, mostly due to the extremely low membership. But since the awakening of the Great Old One in 486, the number of members increased drastically, and their leaders have been granted extraordinary powers.

The most prominent feature of this cult is their mentality, which dictates that members act like parts of the same organism with no regard to the individual, which often manifests in exhaustion, sometimes human sacrifices and even suicide attacks.The leaders of the cult are linked by a telepathic link, which allows individual cells of the cult to organize themselves. Also, any attack against a cell is perceived by the others and they will not rest until they took vengeance on the attackers. Because of this trait, most well-informed adventurers and mercenaries refuse to take on the cult.

In 487 the Avalanche was tricked into fighting a cell of the Collective by the deviless Maliel, as revenge for their interference with her plans with the city of Timbergrad.
Lucca Alvari

A man in his late forties with decades of experience at espionage and wetwork. This ruthless man led the intelligence network of the Golden League and influences the politics of the city states from the shadows.

Unfortunately he took notice of the party when they stole a magical Edict from the Library of the Eternal Fire (thanks to the machinations of the devil Ragruz) and quickly forced the party into his service.

He disappeared without trace after the party revealed his role in the Eternal Winter to the Dwarven Dominion. It is unclear if he went into hiding or he was "taken care of".
Silkstone Pact

A protective alliance between the kingdoms of Adestia, Hastogar, Eldhil and Iregion in the event of an attack by the Dwarven Dominion. While these realms were bitter enemies during the Succession Wars (and still are) they could not ignore the growing threat of the Dominion, so they signed the Silkstone Pact to force the Dominion to the negotiating table during the Treaty of Ylsalon in A.I. 429.

It should be noted that the treaty only obliges these realms to help each other in case of an **attack by the Dominion**, otherwise they are free to act against each others' interests (and they did so on many occasions in the past half a century).

In A.I. 487 the Kingdom of Adestia was occupied by Reaton rebels, which the Dominion used as an excuse to invade the realm. This prompted King Berthold of Hastogar to call the rest of the Silkstone Pact to arm. Eldhil honored the alliance, while Iregion refused, citing various excuses. This lead to the Silkstone War and ended the half a century of peace that came after the Succession Wars.
Kingdom of Adestia

Once a human kingdom blessed with fertile farmlands, now a realm ravaged by war.

## History

This land is blessed with fertile farmlands, it was once the bread-basket of the Imperium. Due to a series of misfortunes and bad decisions Adestia became one of the great losers of the Succession Wars, it lost almost half of its territory to the Dwarven Dominion and to the Kingdom of Hastogar. Despite the bad blood with its neighbors the Kingdom of Adestia joined the Silkstone Pact to counter the threat posed by the Dwarven Dominion .

Due to the economic mismanagement of King Jacob, the drought of 487 destroyed most of the harvest with little-to-no reserves left over from the previous year. This led to a country-wide famine, which made the kingdom fertile ground for Reaton propaganda. When King Jacob tried to squash dissent by force the underclasses of Adestia rose up and after a month of fighting the king and the nobility were defeated, the Kingdom of Adestia was no more, from its ashes rose the Republic of Adestia, guided by Reaton ideals.

But the newly elected leadership of Adestia made a grave mistake: to hold the tyrants of old responsible for generations of oppression they organized a grand trial at the end of which they executed King Jacob and most of the Adestian nobility. This gave Thorin Ironfist all the justifications he needed to invade Adestia, to which the neighboring relams responded by sending their own armies to counter the dwarves, leading to the Silkstone War.

In A.I. 488 Adestia is occupied by the Dwarven Dominion, but none of the other realms of Aegeron recognize it as part of the Dominion.

## Life

Life in Adestia used to be calm and eventless, but since the war it has become extremely harsh. The occupying dwarf forces requisition most of the food, leaving only scraps for the people, the mercenary armies of the Silkstone Pact pillage towns and villages and take what they find as "payment", while the remaining Reaton forces are waging a bloody guerilla warfare against both of them, caring nothing about who gets hurt in the process. As usual, the ones who suffer the most are the common folk.
Kingdom of Hastogar

Hastogar is a human kingdom in the central part of Aegeron, located between the fertile shores of the Great Lake and the Silkstone Mountains.

## History

Hastogar is currently ruled by **King Berthold II**, whose family owned large estates in Hastogar for centuries. When the Imperium fell it took them little effort to subdue the neighboring lords and start carving out their own kingdom. They named it after the ancient Kingdom of Hastogar that once existed in these lands, but it was conquered by the Imperium during the Century of Conquest after which it royal lines were forcibly extinguished.

Meanwhile a cadet branch of their dynasty decided to form a realm of their own in the northern part of historical Hastogar, which became the Kingdom of Adestia. Despite the kinship between the ruling families the two kingdoms soon found themselves finding each other, with Hastogar making significant gains, but still being unable to claim victory.

Due to the threat posed by the Dwarven Dominion the Kingdom of Hastogar joined the Silkstone Pact. When the Reatons took over Adestia, King Berthold used the kinship to the late King Jacob to claim its throne, which put him in direct conflict with the Reatons and the Dominion, ultimately leading to the Silkstone War.

## Life

It is doubtful if there was ever a more stereotypical human kingdom than Hastogar. It is a feudal kingdom where nobles have a vast amount of privileges. Most of its inhabitants are peasants who toil away on the lands surrounding their villages, not caring about the disputes of lords and kings. This picture changes somewhat in the southern part of the kingdom, which is much drier due to its proximity to the Eastern Waste. This area is sparsely populated and mostly used for raising livestock. Still, one must be vigilant for the nomad raids coming from the south.
Stormfire Confederacy

An alliance of island tribes in the south of Aegeron, a realm of voyagers and naturally skilled sailors.

## History

The islanders in the Stormfire Archipelago have spent millennia in their own little world, unconcerned by outsiders and rarely trading with merchants. This all changed when the Imperial Navy arrived in the year 83 and forced them to open up their ports to merchants.

But even three centuries of imperial occupation could not erode the heritage of islanders and once the Imperium was no more they returned to their old ways with two exceptions. First, they formed the confederacy so that they could resist outsiders as a united force. Second, they left their ports open, which are vital part of the southern trade network of Aegeron. Although the ports are open to all, but foreign merchants are heavily taxed. This tax is used to maintain the Stormfire Navy, one of the largest (although not the most advanced) naval force of the continent.

## Life

While nominally united, in reality there are great differences between the individual islands, inhabited by a dozen tribes with distinct cultures. In the Confederacy the largest, most populous and wealthiest islands hold all the power, leaving the smaller fringe tribes distrustful of their leadership.
Lady of Hours

Baroness Santia Ravenborne, also know as the Lady of Hours, was an incredibly powerful human sorceress whose actions led to the death of Estel's father and the (failed) kidnapping of Rydia, which led to a fierce battle during the siege of Bhem Darahl. She was ultimately slain by the Avalanche.

The party has learned little of her background, what is clear however that she was not of noble birth and only acquired the Ravenborne name after she used her powers to drive the Hillbreaker Clan from their home at Bhem Darahl during the Succession Wars. For over six decades since then she had ruled as the Baroness of the area, masking her age by assuming the identity of her descendants.

### Abilities

She had a most extraordinary ancestor, a Time Dragon, a legendary being that could exert influence over Time itself, an ability that manifested itself in her. This granted her effective immortality, and allowed her to save the dwarven scholar Thoratin from Moradin's Judgement (until Rydia slit his throat and sent him Moradin).

Her control over Time allowed her fortress to withstand the most advanced dwarven artillery for months. It also gave her great advantage in battle, but ultimately the Avalanche was victorious.

She also had the ability to see into the near future at will and received visions of possible far future events from dreams. These visions led her to conclude that she must become an Avatar of Asgorath to safeguard the Mortal Plane from harm.

### Avatar of Asgorath

To safeguard mortals from future cataclysms she planned to infuse herself with the draconic essence from the souls of sorcerers. e hired the Iron Flail to kidnap sorcerers of rare lineages for her, which led to the confrontation with Rydia and Estel's late father. Infusing herself with different types of draconic essence would have meant that she would act as a conduit for the remaining divine essence of Asgorath, the draconic deity that was slain soon after Creation. Combined with her powers she could become an Avatar of Asgorath, a being similar to the Living Gods, with the power to safeguard the world.
Emperor's Aegis

The Emperor's Aegis is one of the most powerful boons the God-Emperor bestowed upon his subjects. It was meant to protect members of the Imperial Legion by granting them great endurance and resilience. Legionaries were marked with a tattoo made from a special magical ink, which allowed them to tap into the God-Emperor's magic all over the continent. They could march days without tiring, defeat powerful foes and to recover from even fatal injuries.

Although almost a century has gone by since the defeat of the God-Emperor, the Emperor's Aegis is still active, although much weakened, and anyone with tattoo made with **Legionary Ink** can enjoy its benefits. This is why Legionary Ink is an extremely expensive item sought after by kings, nobles, merchants and mercenaries alike. Since the knowledge to make it has been lost, the only sources of Legionary Ink are abandoned imperial forts and laboratories.
Marwan Sultanate

The "*Garden in the Desert*", a prosperous human kingdom in the Great Waste, surviving and thriving where everything else withers and dies.

## History

A magical kingdom south of the Great Waste, that flourishes in the desert where no life could survive, ruled by a sultan whose wealth is beyond measure. This was the legend of the Marwan Sultanate for centuries, although well-traveled merchants knew that the secret was the magical formula for desalinating sea water that the wizards of the sultanate perfected over centuries. Members of the Water Guild guard this secret so closely that even the Imperium could not force them to reveal this knowledge. Not for lack of trying though, these attempts cost the lives of not only guild members but many ordinary citizens. To this day, the common folk of the sultanate are resentful of outsiders, but traders are still welcomed as commerce is the key pillar of the sultanate's prosperity.

## Life

The rule of the sultan in Marwan is absolute, but this rarely needs enforcing as the sultan is also the Water Master, and controls all sources of water in the realm. Those who dare defy his rule are soon reminded that Marwan is in the desert.

The people of Marwan produce exotic dyes and spices that can only be found in this land, bringing in traders from all corners of Aegeron, many of which are even willing to travel through the Great Waste to get those precious goods. Despite its prosperity the sultanate has no greedy neighbors or other enemies to fear as the deserts of the Great Waste defend this realm better than a hundred thousand soldiers could (although the Imperium did conquer them in A.I. 92).
Grudmuli Kegborn

This a middle-aged dwarf is the owner of the Happy Axe. He is a traditionalist dwarf through-and-through, whose family has been running this inn for generations.

He shows great respect to the servants of Moradin (e.g. Pongo). He is also unmarried and seem to have a developed a slight crush on Vistra.
Benduzi Sultanate

The southern half of the historic Alikar Kingdom of humans.

## History

Ancient Alikar was one of the first human kingdoms established on Aegeron, unfortunately much of its history has been lost over the ages. The unbroken rule of Ailkarian kings came to an end during the Century of Conquest when the Imperium unleashed a curse of unimaginable power to stop the Pigris river. Without its water the kingdom fell into ruin within days, and after a week the mob stormed the Royal Palace in Msalu and ended the bloodline of Alikarian kings, thus ending the curse and allowing the Imperium to absorb the realm.

In A.I. 398, a few years before the fall of the Imperium, a large-scale revolt broke out in Alikar, although historians are unsure about the exact grievances that led to both nobles and commoners take up arms. The Imperium sent General Baurus Benduzi of the Imperial Legion to crush the rebels, but hunting guerillas in the desert proved more difficult the he thought.

Benduzi was midway through his campaign when the Imperial City fell. Unlike the other generals of the Imperial Legion he did not rush to the defense of imperial heartlands, instead he saw it as an opportunity to install himself as the ruler of Alikar, founding the **Benduzi Sultanate**. But the rebels were far from beaten, so he had to spend most of the Succession Wars fighting them. In the end the province of Alikar was divided between the Benduzi Sultanate and the Alikar Kingdom.

The current sultan is **Nazeem Benduzi**, the grandson of General Baurus Benduzi, who, like his ancestors, rule with a iron fist.

## Life

The Benduzi Sultanate is unlike the feudal monarchies neighboring it, it is a militaristic despotism, where the Sultan's rule is absolute. The ruling class of the Sultanate are the military leaders, although the nobility still exists (many commanders used their powers to purchase or usurp titles). This has an unexpected upside regarding social mobility, as even the lowest classes can join the military and rise through the ranks if they prove themselves capable.

The Benduzi Sultanate, just like its northern neighbor, is dependent on the Pigris River whose floodplains are covered by fertile soil every year, allowing the otherwise barren kingdom to produce enough food to even export it to their neighbors. It is no wonder that the Pigris River has a special place in the local culture and that many show special attention to Obad-Hai, God of Nature.
Great Old One

The Great Old One was worshipped by the ancient Illithid, its depiction can be found in all of their temples. As far as the wizards and clerics can tell it was not a deity (at least not like the others), but an alien and unknowable being of immense power. It supposedly helped the Illithids establish their inter-planar empire and subjugate most other species to rule them as slaves. It disappeared not long before the Illithid civilization fell apart. It had been "*slumbering*" for millennia and the prophecies of the Illithid foretold that it will awaken "*when the stars align*" and the "*faithful make the ultimate sacrifice*". After learning these the Archmistress of Magic, one of the Living Gods ruling the Imperium, ordered all of its old temples purged and then sealed. The seal of the Archmistress was supposed to keep these places buried until the End of Time, but with the destruction of the Living Gods the seal weakened and eventually diminished, allowing people to enter the complexes again.

In the meantime the stars once again aligned in the prophesized formation and the call of the slumbering Great Old One became strong enough to bend the will of Lord Ryhel who organized an expedition to explore one of these complexes with the help of the Avalanche.

But his call was heard by others, the seelie fey of the Summer Court feared the return of the Great Old One so Prince Sagrell, one of the immortal leaders of the fey, sought to organize a group to prevent his return, the Children of Light**,** to whom he appeared as the Bright Lord.

But the Avalanche thwarted their plans and Lord Ryhel reached the altar in the Inner Sanctum where his death (at the hand of the Avalanche) served as the necessary sacrifice to awaken the Great Old One. Furious in defeat, Prince Sagrell brought the entire complex down, crushing the Avalanche and all others who were in it (fortunately Rhelora later pulled them out and had them resurrected to continue fulfilling their contract with her).

Now the Great Old One is awakened and it is unclear what will happen. Most clerics quickly assert the he is a deity of great evil, but most scholars agree that his nature is so alien and beyond our understanding that neither the "good" or "evil" labels have any meaning. No one knows what he wants and what will happen, but one thing is certain: the world will be changed forever.
Summer Court

The Summer Court is the kingdom of the seelie fey in the plane of Feywild (a.k.a Plane of Fearie), which exists parallel to the Material Plane. While the vast majority of their domain lies in the Feywild, their reach extends into the Material Plane in certain "enchanted" regions. One such region is the Dawnwood, on the north-western side of Aegeron. It is ruled by the friendly seelie fey of the Summer Court, while the neighboring Duskwood belongs to the Winter Court ruled by their darker brethren the unseelie fey.

The fey are immortal creatures of Nature, their goals and desires are mostly alien to mortals; many scholars have tried and failed to make sense of their actions. Still, it is often true that the Summer Court acts in a benevolent, peaceful way to preserve Life and Harmony.

Yet the Avalanche has experienced first hand how far some members of the Summer Court are willing to go, as Prince Sagrell (a.k.a the Bright Lord) sacrificed dozens of his mortal pawns to prevent the awakening of the Great Old One (in which he failed due to the party's interference).
Brass Embassy

A gigantic tower that reaches up to the sky, housing the representatives of the Nine Hells. There are over a dozen such embassies all over Aegeron, all built in large cities. One such tower is located in the Paradise District of Stoneharbor.

It is the home of an large number of devils and their servants, although the nature of their work is unknown. They do encourage people to visit the embassy, where they are known to be generous hosts. Many scholars think this is a ploy to ease people into selling their souls to them, while other scholars argue that devils don’t actually need these souls, they just do the deals for their own entertainment. Whatever their true motives are, it has led to the ruin of countless mortals, including the inhabitants of the Paradise District in Stoneharbor.

The Avalanche has visited the Embassy in Stoneharbor on several occasions and met several of its inhabitants:

* Rhelora, the deviless the Avalanche signed a contract with
* Negmal, assistant of Rhelora
* Henry, the barkeep. He is a paradiser who was allowed to keep his soul if he spent the rest of his life tending to the guests of the Embassy.
* Ragruz, a high ranking devil, perhaps the one in charge of the Embassy.
Chlorobustony (CBN)

CBN is a chemical compound created in 2045 by the famous Fio Calabresi and Kael Marafei. CBN is used for reducing the carbon footprint of a planet in a sustainable way, almost the opposite of fracking . There is a very thin and long drill that injects CBN 50 feet down into the soil. The effects aren’t instant, but take 2-3 months to process and reduce.

## History

In the 1920’s, Thomas J Midgley sped up climate change with his chemical creations. Thomas introduced the earth to both leaded gasoline and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), two of the world's most harmful chemical compounds. At the time, Midgley won many prestigious awards for his new inventions, but research of the matter led to the confrontation of the fact that the chemical compounds used in refrigerators and cars ended up ravaging the environment and poisoning people. Calabresi and Marafei worked on reducing the effects of the chemicals. Both Calabresi and Marafei came from very overpopulated and polluted areas just like many others did, so they grew up being doubtful of change.

## How did we get there?

Science experiments aren’t cheap. You need some sort of funding, either it's from your own stash or from thousands of donors. In this case, Calabresi and Marafei couldn’t fund themselves. For years they had been protesting against fracking industries, going on strikes and marches as they were trying to change the world. In the year 2041, they organized a global strike on climate change. They cut out the cities from their power if it was unsustainable, and burned the warehouses for large construction machines. 4.7 billion people participated in this rebellion, too many for the United Nations militia to fight back. Fio and Kael raised $9.9 billion for their cause, and the four-year long experiment began.

Penelope A. Peters