Player's Guide to the Saga of the Gaoler of Ruin

A Player’s Guide to The Saga of the Gaoler of Ruin

Welcome to Caligos

What is Caligos?

   The Feel of the World

   A Brief History

   A Modest Theology of Caligos

   Dark Themes

The Nations

   The Nations of the Vaanth

   The Wilds of the Sotede Steppe

   Telan Heród

   Hargravia

   The Velnors

   Shenea

Natural Phenomena

   The Islands of Night

The Ayin

The Peoples of Caligos

Changes to Playable Races

The Common Races

Dwarf

Elf

Gnome

Halfling

Human

   A Word on Uncommon & Rare Races

Factions, Groups and Orders

   Religions

   Martial Orders

   The Arcanists

   Mercenary Groups

   Mercantile Conglomerates

**Updates Page**

Addition of "The Faceless," under Martial Orders. 6/5/20.

The section “The Religions of the Elves & Fae,” has been updated with more relevant information.  7/4/20.

**What is Caligos?**

The world of The Saga of the Gaoler of Ruin is VAST.  This campaign setting takes place in the world of Caligos, named for an ancient primordial, said by some to predate the gods.

**The Feel of the World**

The world of Saga is a low tech world, with some magic, but not abounding with high sorcery, vast magical resources, items and magic duels, and other such things, as do many Dungeons & Dragons campaign worlds.  Magic is here, but it is rare, precious, dangerous and in some places, greatly unloved.

This setting takes place in a world where technology sits anywhere from the near Classical Antiquity of our own history to early Renaissance exploration technologies, depending largely on location.  This does not, however, include gunpowder, a substance that has no part in this world.  Warcraft technologies otherwise remain at early to late medieval period.

Saga’s world has a low to medium literacy among the vast majority of the population.  However luminaries, education and learned people do have their place in nearly every major city.  While trade routes are common enough, and large regions are able to communicate, the world is filled with a number of terrible creatures, wars that strain relations, and hidden things in the dark places that might threaten the tiny islands of light, that are civilization, in a giant, dark world.

Caligos has its gods, legends, myths, religions and faiths, but the gods do not wander this world.  The land is not riddled with their footprints, their battles and their miracles.  Some even question if such things as gods, devils and even a philosopher’s demiurge figure might exist.  There is room in the Caligos of Saga of the Gaoler of Ruin for doubt, and even faithlessness.  The land however, is not free of religion.  As mentioned above, religion thrives and plays a tumultuous part in the history of the land.

**A Brief History**

For ages, the people of the land consisted of humans, orcs, dwarves and halflings.  These four disparate races had from distant eons been engaged in struggles for dominance, territory, resources and naturally conflict over differences.

Then, about 1800 years in the past the faerie folk, or fae began to appear in increasing numbers in the land.  In addition to a variety of other fae, the humanoid among them, elves and gnomes came in significant numbers to Caligos.  These arrivals led to an unfortunate misunderstanding.  For the fae it was assumed that the humanoid natives had invaded them, and their world.  However, for the native humanoids they understood these fae to be alien and invaders.  This misunderstanding led to an outbreak of strife and eventually, wars.

It has since been revealed that the fae came from a world of their own, quite by accident, or rather that their native world somehow stranded them on Caligos.  The presence of these fae folk has only served to advance the racial struggles already present.

Currently, while cosmopolitanism has grown in some places, and certain groups have even begun to get along, any unity is strained at best, and often a shallow veneer.  In the nearly two millennia since their arrival, the fae have found places, often displacing others.  Nations have drawn lines, and conflicts have minimized, but war is still afoot.

**A Modest Theology**

The religions of the land are varied.  Below is a list of most of the major religions of the world, their major location or location and frequency of popularity.  Those players interested in playing clerics or paladins, speak to your GM to better understand your place in the religion of Caligos.

**The Alrymic Temple** - Dualism of Twin Divines as pragmatic principles.  Based at a peculiar, massive temple in the Sotede Steppe, this faith has grown far from its roots among nomadic tribesmen.

**The Church of St. Ageel Triumphant** - Saints serving a monotheistic deity, the Great and One.  A moralistic faith, based in Ornom, capital of Telan Haród, it is the state religion with increasing popularity outside the borders.

**The Cults of the Seething Hoards of Neetghyng** - Occultism and the worship of demons as deities.  These cults are far spread, but often hidden from sight.

**Ennea** - A moralistic polytheistic-henotheism with a pantheon of nine creator gods each with a portfolio.  Ennea is an old religion that is widespread, but faces decline.

**Followers of Aeleam** - Moralistic monotheistic worship of the ever-blessed, and wise All-Father Aeleam.  This faith is popular among dwarves in the western reaches of Vaanth, and among the Hargrave Mountains.

**Khatism/The Khatti** - Monotheistic worship of a singular mother goddess, Khat.  Sometimes Khat is depicted as an embodiment of the world of Caligos herself.  Popular primarily in southeastern Belore east of the Vhargas Mountain Range.

**Lucai Worship** - An ancient monotheistic religion that worships the sun as an anthropomorphized deity.  Widely known with few adherents.

**The Three Dreamers Faith** - Polytheistic-kathenotheism worshipping a pantheon of three deities.  Steeped in a dogma that vaunts magic, it is popular in Ca’Shaan, and strictly forbidden in lands ruled by Telan Heród.

**The True Faith/Bharasineism** - Monotheistic worship of the one true god Bharasine.  Called the True Faith by orcs.  Developed from the ancient Khufankhetti polytheistic religion of orcs.

**Dark Themes**

The world of The Saga of the Gaoler of Ruin is filled with very dark, heavy themes.  It does not shy away from people being bad to one another.  Nor does it sugarcoat violence, murder, war, racism, monsters, brutality or horror.  Grimdark best describes the general feel of the world.  This does not preclude the possibility of happiness, joy and laughter, such things are laudable, and ought to be sought out.

**The Nations**

The campaign setting begins in one of the smaller, but densely populated and busy portions of the world of Caligos.  Below are a list of several nations, or regions occupied by nations:

If you choose to hail from one of the following locations, should some consideration of one or another draw your attention, consider working collaboratively or making suggestions to your GM about something in these locations.  Worldbuilding does not have to be entirely the GM's affair.

**The Nations of the Vaanth**

Vaanth is a continental landmass roughly 1800 miles longitudinally and 600 north to south.  Largely deciduous, it features heavy coastal forest and a massive central plains dominated by  a large range of mountains, the Aestervholr.  The Rhegrheim dwarven nation, a plutocracy, dominates this range and the surrounding Eastern Plains.

The elven nation of Contiel in the southwestern peninsula, south of the River Auere, is locked in a cold war with their east centrally located neighbors in Hanzel, a nation led by halfling nobility.  The dispute dates back 250 years to a land grab by the elves in the western districts of Hanzel.  At times this conflict has descended into open war.  The theocracy of wood elves and the aristocracy of halflings finds their disputes often being mediated by the staunchly neutral Rhegrheim.

To the east of the Aestervholr, the hill dwarf Voulurfren, led by a mercantile guild elected senate, foster trade with the otherwise sanctioned Contielians.  This friendly trade route, shaped by the human monarchy of Kotesh, northeast of the Sotede Steppe, along the Mithrlochr, shapes much of the dynamics of the entirety of Southern Vaanth.

*Above:  To the South the continent of Vaanth Contains Voulurfren, Contiel, Hanzel, Rhegrheimm, Kotesh, and Hilden.*

On the eastern edge of Vaanth sprawls the massive, war torn savannah nation of Hilden, an ancient empire turned senate led democracy.  It finds its eastern reaches embattled against the growing threat and overreach of the Telanian Monarchy to its east, beyond the Korianus Strait.

**The Wilds of the Sotede Steppe**

The steppe lands are dominated by a number of primarily human nomadic tribes.  These practical equestrians are known for their livestock, trade and widely rumored brigandry.

The most famous of these are the Sotede themselves,  Two centuries of dominance over the region earned them the respect and fear of surrounding nations and people.  Their fame or infamy  would cause surrounding nations to name the steppe lands themselves after them.

The Sotede have declined in the last century as much of the tribe settled in the central corridor to build and maintain the Alrymic Temple and the city of Alrym, that has formed around it. This has made Alrym effectively the only city in the entire steppe, and because of this and giving its location it serves as a massive trading hub for the entire continent.  Other roving bands and tribes now fill their gaps on the steppe.

**Telan Heród**

A deeply religious monarchy, the human dominant nation of Herod had the Telanian family ascend the throne some 350 years ago.  The death of the final member of the Deburg family line meant the crowning of the distant cousin, Duke Patr Telan.

Since that ascension the Telan family have enfranchised the Church of St. Ageel Triumphant, instituting it as the state religion and beginning a campaign of persecution against other faiths.  The formerly foundational Enneans, the Followers of Aeleam, and even some worshippers of Lucai faced forced conversions, expulsion or execution in Telan Harod.

Orders of knighthood, shaped by the beliefs of the Ageelian priesthood, have formed over the centuries since, leaving the Heródian citizenry and surrounding nations of little doubt of zeal of the Ageelian Church and its patron state.  An uneasy peace within and a exhaustian with a war of expansion without, currently characterizes the mood of the people in the region near Talan Heród.

**Hargravia**

A vast, mountainous region northwest of Vaanth.  The Hargrave mountain range dominates the landscape.  Within the southern edge of the range the capital of Hargravia, Ahesblittr sits in the shadow of the massive Mount Hymvergr.

The western valley region gives way to the Alcane Westerlands, a beautiful, alpine, lake filled region surrounded by mountains and gorgeous valleys.  On its  north coast, past the Suntee Lac, is Broward, a major trade port for the whole of the nation.

To the south, the bustling Tanner’s Springs serves as a trade point for the Homat Trade Way of Sotede, and the borders of Shenea.

On its eastern border, Hargravia faces off against Arru Velnor in dispute over hundreds of miles of fertile lowlands.  The elves dispute dates back to the Velne War 800 years previous, when the Hargraven dwarves and orcs pushed the intruding elves back out of Hargravian territories.

**The Velnors**

Arru or North Velnor and Austa or South Velnor split their nation in civil war 575 years in the past.  The eladrin had set up the capital of the new elven nation in the plateau of Cyeil, and they named this capital Vif Luctas.  A gold elf noble, named Cyranno D’Artan rejected the rulership of his former lords the eladrin, and called his fellow elven brethren to, “Cast off oppression in the new world.”

D’Artan’s rebels would include most of the Velnurie Gold Elves and many of the Wood Elves of the nation.  The bloodshed of the Velnarian Civil War would see the nation split with many of the remaining Wood Elves, forbidden entry to Austa Velnor, as traitors and forbidden to remain in Arru Valnor as “forbidden people,” being pushed into the mainlands.  Traveling over the inland corridors of Hargravia and the Sotede facing racial segregation, oppression and violence, they would eventually settle in the south of Vaath, forming the nation of Contiel.

**Shenea**

Called Land of Ten Thousand Lakes, Shenea is a massive overland empire ruled by provincial governors known as Dominators.  The Shenean Empress is alleged to have lived over 1300 years, descended directly from the gods, and is still said to be utterly beautiful.  Largely populated by humans, orcs, and more recently gnomes, the Empire of Ten Thousand is an agricultural marvel, with a relatively diverse and peaceful populace.

The True Faith or Bharasineism has rule among the northwestern Yafu’khat, where the Doni, faithful servants of the Empress, “Be she exalted supremely, among all living things, servant only of and child to the Enu,” are selected.  The faithful orcs do not venerate her as demi-god, but their nationalism and imperialism are virtually unquestioned.

Much of the remainder of the land venerates the Enu, a unique retelling of the Ennea faith held elsewhere.  The pinnacle of the faith appears to be the empress herself, final expression and culmination of the god’s will in the world.

**Natural Phenomena**

**The Islands of Night**

High above in the sky, rarely seen during the day, are the Islands of the Night, the Tse’lel.  These massive, dark forms drift into sight in the late afternoon hours.  As the first smaller motes of them begin to cross Lucai, the day star, the sky dims.  As evening wears on, the larger masses of Tse’lel drift across Lucai, darkening the sky until the darkness of night finally sets in and the night stars, the Donu, become visible.

**The Ayin**

A few intrepid explorers, and cartographers, as well as old legends speak of the walls of light that dance, far in the north.  Fewer still will tell of the wall of angry, spiraling clouds and storms beyond, this is the Ayin.

An endless, frigid  storm circles the entirety of the north, by sea or land, flickering with lightning and slinging dangerous hail and sometimes wintery storms.  As a brave explorer might work their way toward the churning storm they would find the Ayin becoming increasingly dangerous as approached.

Like a cyclone that reaches from horizon to horizon, the story of the monstrous, impenetrable, and deadly storm puzzles even the greatest of scholarly minds.  Some accounts even tell strange tales of terrible things rarely emerging from within.

**The Peoples of Caligos**

A number of changes have been made to the playable races in Saga of the Gaoler of Ruin.  Most of these relate to or flesh out the differences and struggles between the various races, however some are mechanical.

**Changes to Playable Races**

A number of changes have been made to the playable races in Saga of the Gaoler of Ruin.  Most of these relate to or flesh out the differences and struggles between the various races, however some are mechanical.

**The Common Races**

One of the most significant changes from many campaigns in D&D is the actual rarity of the uncommon races.  Dwarves, elves, gnomes, halflings and humans are the most common races.   Half-elves rarely occur but are not unseen, due to elven wars and strife they simply will not fit in well in either society.  Half-orcs are generally frowned on to outright hated among humans; and are forbidden from many orcish tribes, to deadly effect.  However, they do occur, and face tremendous persecution.  Half-blood characters are unchanged from the PHB.

**Dwarf** - These short and stout beings consider themselves the oldest living sentient creatures on Caligos.  A powerful people, generally ingenious and gifted at crafting.  Though they initially fought with humans, in the distant past, over the centuries, they have largely given way to a spirit of allying with their taller brethren.  Culturally dwarves think ill of orcs (though they will ally with them), are disgusted by half-orcs, and despise elves.  Trait:  **Darkvision** has been reduced from 60 to 30 feet.  The following is available to all persons of this race at character creation:

* You are proficient with improvised weapons and unarmed strikes.

**Elf** - Effectively invaders from the Feywild, the elves of Caligos are recent transplants some 1200 years ago.  Due to a belief in their preeminence over all other sentient creatures, these tall, fair folk struggle to find their place, often being at odds with most of the other sentient races.  They are widely seen as condescending and arrogant.  Elves have brought their compatriots, the gnomes, endless strife by sheer guilt of association.

As a people, many of their kind have enslaved goblinoids, which they brought with them as laborers from the Feywild, first introducing hobgoblins, bugbears and goblins to Caligos.  Many of these goblinoids have since escaped or purchased freedom, and have grown vastly in numbers since.  Elf stats remain unchanged.

**Gnome** - Transplants to Caligos along with the elves, these former creatures of the Feywild still maintain their secret, quiet lives of magic, happy trickery and dedication in the wild places.  Unfortunately, their initial efforts to ingratiate themselves to the halflings, and their tendency to overlap in resources and territory with them created a dismal failure.

This, along with the strife of the elves toward the native races brought a significant struggle which has created bitter feelings that have never faded.  Not hated, but largely seen with distrust.  The stereotype exists that gnomes are in conspiracy with elves and accomplices to many of their historical misdeeds.  Trait:  **Darkvision** has been reduced from 60 to 15 feet.  The following is available to all persons of this race at character creation:

* Immediately after you take damage, you can use a reaction to magically become invisible until the end of your next turn or until you attack, deal damage, or force someone to make a saving throw.   Once you use this ability, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

**Halfling** - Halflings have been on Caligos as far back as anyone can remember.  Hidden away in simple lives, and agreeable to a fault, they were seen as the most peaceable of all the races.  The last millennia have seen the halflings brought to struggle with the elves and gnomes to regain their former peace and pastoral lives.  The following is available to all persons of this race at character creation:

* When a creature you can see hits you with an attack roll, you can use your reaction to force that creature to reroll.  Once you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you roll initiative at the start of combat or until you finish a short rest.

**Human** - Humans specifically are the most bounteous people, they will be seen in most places, wanted or unwanted.  Perhaps it is because of their comparatively short lives, perhaps their unquenchable domineering spirit, regardless something spurs humans in a way other races cannot comprehend.  The following is available to all persons of this race at character creation:

* You gain one feat of your choice.

**A Word on Uncommon & Rare Races**

All rules as written races of D&D 5e otherwise are available at character creation.  As a note assume that trait:  **Darkvision** has been removed from all other racial types except those listed above.  If you choose to use one of the uncommon or rare races please see your GM for special considerations of background.  Further, please assume prejudice and difficulty with all other racial choices.  Please see the note above “Dark Themes.”

**Factions, Groups and Orders**

Hardly an exhaustive list, below are several important groups who act as power players in Caligos.  Again, consider working collaboratively or making suggestions to your GM about these or other factions, groups and orders.  Worldbuilding does not have to be entirely the GM's affair.

**Religions**

As listed above, under, “A Modest Theology,” there are a number of religious bodies having significant influence.  Here are just a few and a brief on their roles.

**The Alrym Priesthood** - Alrym priests teach that the greatest manifestation of divine powers were the purified rebirth of the Primordial Lovers, Artec and Xatrana.  They will negate the value of the other seven Ennean deities as being lesser, weaker emanations called Aeons.  The ultimate entity is the Highest, the unity of the two sides, Artec and Xatrana.

The Alrym, harkening back to their roots among steppe nomads tend to be itinerants and travelers.  Their relativism, bizarre teachings and pragmatism makes their religious views little more than practical life philosophy, as far as most other faiths are concerned.  They are seen as amusingly infuriating by many.

**The Church of St. Ageel at Holy Ornom** - The Ageelian priests are of a particularly moral faith, with very concrete theology and an unbending insistence on rooting out disagreement.  When in power situations they will flex muscle to enforce agreement, when out of power they will play the part of the martyr.

It was claimed by the prophet Armin Marcus the Unyeilding who lived 300 years ago, that the Great and One had led St. Ageel and his Holy Knights to seal the Great Dark Ones under Mount Shom, eastmost peak of the Aestervholr range.  His prophecy, coupled with the Zelian Scriptures, penned in Togg during the age of the Hildenian Empire, has caused the church to rise up militant and seek this holy site.

**The Pantheon of the Ennean**

While priesthoods still exist, and altars and shrines to these divines dot the landscape and in older cities, the Ennea have fallen out of interest for many of the peoples of Caligos.  Newer faiths have replaced the ideas of a group of old divines creating the world.

The influence of this religion on history has been undeniable.  The names of the Ennea and their primordial selves fill history books and maps.  The faith maintains a fairly active following along with priests and temples in Kotesh, Hanzel and given the odd theocracy of the Shenean Empire it has a foothold there, as well.

The Lucenea

Artac Skywarden - ♂ The Fighter - god of order, faithfulness and champions, the skies, lightning and of the sun.

Del’Thuum - (Del Thoom) ♂ The Sage - god of magic, knowledge, lore, craftsmanship, poetry, song, music, earth and writing

Ghet - (Jet) ♀ The Mother - goddess of home, hearth, health, healing, wind and marriage.

The Glowan

Shum - (Shoom) ♀ The Lawmaiden - goddess of law, of compacts, trust, money, commerce and contracts

Helm Bet - ♂ Called the Inexorable, The Seeker of Truth - god of magic, truth, knoweledge, lore, books, education, scholars and neutrality.

Chel’ham Haliik - (Shell ham Hal leek) ♀ The Huntress - goddess of the night sky, water, the moon, agriculture, nature and love.

The Caliginae

Tel’yik Tenom ' (Ta leak Tan-nom) ♂ The War Maker - god of justice, vengeance, confidence, production, tradesmanship, war, weapons, and the land.

Xatrana - (Za tron uh) ♀ The Plotter - goddess of magic, the night, the darkness, ice, purpose, lore, secrets and planning.

Boros - ♂ The Beast - god of righteous indignation, fire, the stars, art, fury, murder, chaos and sexual desire.

**The Religions of the Elves & Fae**

The elves and to a lesser degree the gnomes brought their faiths, such as they are, with them from the Feywild.  Their faith includes multiple religions as well as a vast pantheon with unique portfolios.  The Velnors, for example, represent the seat of the faith for the Seelie in Caligos, however it is active in Contiel as well as on the isles of the Kingdom of Tre Var Ven.  Whereas Seldarine and Unseelie faiths have a stronger seat in Contiel.

The religious life of elves is a peculiar thing, while dynamically spiritual as a race, their religious fervor does not tend to have the strict theological dogma of other humanoid faiths.  This bears out in elves making reference to concepts from the Seldarine as well as Seelie and Unseelie courts, perhaps even interchangeably.

**Martial Orders**

Various monastic and knightly orders have their organizational heart in Telan Heród, including:  The Order of Crygorn, The Sacred Brotherhood of the Laughing Saint, and the infamous Militant Order of Dwoemerbana.   In Hilden, an old order of warriors calling themselves the Paladins of Hildewulf maintains a tiny, ancient force.  Westward, in Shenea the Doni Orcan serve the Empire as specialized palace guard.  Other orders exist in the land, time will reveal what might come.

**Knights Heofonheild** - Twenty-five at his ascension Ethyr Hige Delaran Telan, second of his name, would be another young reformer King in Herod.  Inspired by St. Ageel and his noble order, Ethyr would dub a dozen of his most loyal knights into a sacred order around himself:  High King Ethyr and his Knights Heofonheild (Heavensguard).

This elite group of knights, the monarch himself included, are said to be some of the most impressive fighters in the land.  Despite the protestations of the Court, High King Ethyr, with the sacred sword of the Herodians, Caladvough at his side, is known to ride with his men into the heart of battle.

**The Dwoemerbana** - This order in particular is a politically and militarily powerful knighthood.  They are said to have miraculous powers in their pursuit of arcanists and magicians the world over.  The order hunts the *Godsthief* as they call them, those who use arcane magic, which the order claims steal their power from the Great and One.

**Paladins of Hildenwulf** - During the ancient Hildenian Empire, Emperor Greotan formed a palatine, or palace guard, around himself.  This specialized guard of champions came after a time to be called the Paladins.  He named these in honor of the hero Hildewulf, said to have fought on behalf of the gods.  The idea of paladin has grown beyond the modern Hildenian borders, but the original order still remains, serving the senate of Hilden as an elite force.

**The Doni Orcan** - The ancient nation of Orcan, Land of People, ruled by  the eighteen Faati Dynasties had a warrior cast that served each Faati, protecting them from cradle to tomb.  This caste was the Doni, a group of specially selected orcs raised from childhood to be warriors.

Economic strife, a plague and a religious upheaval led to the fall of the already weakened Thuth Dynasty, last of the late period Orcan dynasties.  Without its millennia old power structure the collapse of the nation, Orcan, was soon behind.

The region of Yafu’khat experienced a power vacuum, which was exploited by a Dominator from the young Shenean Empire to the South.  With no living god king or queen Faati the Doni, were quickly recruited to the Empress' cause.  Even in her youth Empress Mezzalina was already considered a goddess by her people. The zealous Doni had found a new holy being to protect.

**The Faceless** - The Faceless is a caste of fierce and implacable warriors, denizens of Carithir.  The serve as a sworn honor guard to that Kingdom and to King Hesseret ba Kenessir.  They will defend these charges to the death unflinchingly.

The results of a secret and terrible ancient process, these men and women are forever changed.  Thereafter forswearing all things else and swearing absolute fealty to the defense of the Kenessir Bloodline.  Hushed legends speak of an initiation where they are sent on a horrid mission to hunt and brutally murder an elf, ripping their body to pieces like an animal.  After this testing they return and emurge forever thereafter never to be seen outside of the swathing of their characteristic black shemagh covering their face and the distinctive purple kurta with red sash.

**The Arcanists**

Maag Ca'Shaan, or the Magocracy of Ca'Shaan sits due east of Togg.  While magic is something that most believe in, the majority of people have never seen magical things.  Legends, whispers and rumors tell of the Farland, shrouded in mist.  There the island nation of Ca'Shaan blankets itself from the small minds and grasping jealousies of the rest of the watching world.

In the Capital of Ca'Shaan, Caelainor rests the Binding Tower, which serves as Capitol building and the heart of a magic user's faction in Caligos, the Arcanists.  Let by High Binder Railin K'aarna, both as King and Guild leader, the Arcanists are utterly powerful in Ca'Shaan.

**Mercenary Groups**

**The Danklefrain** - in Hargravia few organizations have more power than what humans joking (but quietly) call the Army of the Wee.  A collection of Mountain and Hill dwarves, as well as halflings and even a few gnomes, Dunklefrain is a fierce sight to behold.

Their legendary war boar cavalry, simply called *The Rush*, is known far and wide for breaking Velnorian battle lines.  They serve as a ready supplement to Ahesblittr and the state military.

**Mercantile Conglomerates**

**The Sorretto Bankers** - The gnomes of the Sorretto family were pushed  out of Velnor, forced to vacate Hargravia, and sent to the poor districts of Melchiar in Kotesh.  The gnomes had little chance to recover before receiving word that they were being forbidden practice of nearly every skilled trade in Kotesh.

Gnomes are nothing if not diligent workers, and being cast out of their forested homelands, and the trade routes they had built for Velnor during the civil war, the gnomes began to work in the only trades they could manage with their fortune, gemmology and banking.  In short order the Serratos had cornered the money market of Melchiar, rising to prominence, in spite of the Koteshee racism.

In time this led to lending operations and financing.  The family owns a great many properties, and Realty and land speculation are among their present interests.  Some allege that criminal matters, money laundering, and strong-arm tactics are among the techniques used by the Sorretto's.  Regardless, from humble beginnings they have become true power brokers in Vaath.

**The Den’then** - This organization, began roughly six hundred years ago in Ajakko.  It had it's roots as a mercantile conglomerate selling textiles and spices from the Shenean heartland.  They began the Catha Company, a free company acting as a military arm of the The Den’then Trade and Supplie Compane.

The Shenean Empire had, at the time, been engaged in a serious push back the borders of the crumbling remains of the Hildenian Empire.  Engaged in an effort with the dwarven kingdom at Ahesblittr the Dominator of the Laqeen Region hired the nascent Catha Company.

The Empress, impressed at their willingness to fight loyally, and fiercely, for the Empire became their patron, and fed them from the coffers of Shenea.  With the absolute backing of the government, a nigh on endless supply of coin and the already corrupt environs of the coastal city of privateers, Den’then became a powerful organization.

They currently operate dozens of privateer ships, plying their trade in the Vhar Sea and the Banthian.  They maintain a stranglehold on the trade of southern Laqeen.  They have a strong network through the Sotede Steppe, locking in a great deal of trade, even as far as Kotesh and the southern Vaanthian hinterlands.

In addition to their formidable Catha Company, Den'then are rumored to offer a variety of less reputable mercenary services.  There are also varied allegations of organized  crime and even rumors of a thieves guild tightly affiliated with the organization.

Uniquely, due to their history some say, Hilden strictly forbids any Den'then activities within their borders.  However, rumors fly that the shadier parts of Den'then act quietly in Hildenian cities.