Travel Guide 687
**Warning! This document is a previous version of the world!**
The Lands (687 Post-Accord)
Brought to you by your favorite wandering adventurer, Locke! Deverenia
A cruel and unforgiving place is Deverenia of the Dark Sun. It was founded a millenia ago by a wandering warrior who became the High King of Deverenia by putting the landed gentry to the sword. The legend states that the High King gathered strong knights to his banner and systematically sieged and slaughtered the Dukes of the Old North. Upon his victory he created the Knights of the Round, who would maintain peace and stability through Might. It is perhaps no wonder that the core philosophy in the unforgiving northern kingdom is “Might makes right and the weak suffer as they must.”
The Knights of the Round is a body of 12 Lords and the High King whom gather to make decrees for the good of the realm. Such decrees usually involve outside trade, appropriate taxes and the like, as all thirteen kingdoms are relatively autonomous. Warfare regularly breaks out between the 12 Lords, but such is permitted if the High King allows the battle to take place. In Deverenia, there is only one rule after all, and the Lords must be strong to maintain their land and wealth. Similarly, the title of Lord is just a title, and no noble blood is actually required. Succession is handled by awarding the title to whomever is the one to kill the sitting Lord in a sanctioned trial-by-combat. This ensures that sitting Lords are terrifyingly powerful when it comes to the Art of Combat.
The citizenry, if they can be called that, are mostly serfs as everyone on the land of the Lord is their property. Merchants pay taxes, dues, and fees to maintain their position, farmers own not the land or the crops, craftsmen too must pay a fee to their Lord to practice their trade. Rebellion is dealt with harshly, and fear is used to keep the locals in line.
A few hundred years ago, the son of Lord Pelleas Tamalir challenged and slew his father at the young age of nineteen. Much to the sitting High King’s surprise, the young Lord Tamalir conspired with the Queen to break away from the Table, ultimately mortally wounding the High King in a coup before taking the Queen as his wife and fleeing to his lands. The Queen commanded more power and authority than the High King, and was able to rally two other Lords to Tamalir’s side. The other Lords haphazardly mounted a campaign, but without the High King truly nothing was binding them, and petty squabbling and positioning allowed Lord Tamalir to solidify his power and forge the Kingdom of Tamalir that would be a bastion of Honor rather than power.
Deverenia has been weakened since, but the line of High Kings has re-established and the Table now only houses 9 Lords instead of 12, a reminder of the disgrace suffered at the hands of Tamalir.
Western Deverenia
A nation like Deverenia can only wield power so cruelly before forces like Tamalir begin to balance it. Another such event occurred a few years ago when the Church of the Chosen quickly built a radical following. The stories say that the Lord of Lesalia was going through some routine executions of dangerous citizens, including one Keziah Loris, a young woman who was found guilty of attempting to teach citizens to read and learn about the Lords of Thunder. She was executed with the rest, but the next day the Lord found her alive and well, running her school as if nothing had happened the previous day.
The Lord called for another round of public executions, in which Keziah and her students, both children and adults, were burned to death. That night, though the stories differ as to how it happened, the Lord’s Manor erupted in a plume of fire, slaughtering all its inhabitants. The next day, Keziah Loris and her students declared that the time of Tyranny had ended, and that the Chosen would bring change to the corrupt heart of Deverenia.
Keziah’s followers quickly multiplied, with her being labeled the Chosen. Kingdoms near Lesalia quickly joined the following, with the peasants rising up in violent fashion against their masters. The Church of the Chosen has tried to maintain order, but the bitter hatred towards the citizens is simply too much to control. Some organized church forces and Knightly Orders exist and try to maintain order, but the Church has created a wave of citizens spurred on by hatred. Mobs of vigilantes capture and execute nobles, dissidents, and basically anyone that isn’t part of the mob. “Western Deverenia” is a country in name only outside of the few places the Church has control over. 4 of the Lords in the area are trying to quash the Rebellion, but currently are failing miserably.
The NorthLands
The Northlands are an interesting place to visit, the harsh climate has created a population of hardy people that know how to work hard and drink harder. The Northlands are not a kingdom, nor are they really a confederation of smaller cities and states like the Free Kingdoms. The Northlands are too far North and there isn’t enough wealth to warrant nobility staking much of an interest.
Best described as a frontierland, the towns that dot the countryside are nestled within rolling hills and long and chains of rocky mountains. While modern times have been uneventful in the North, it is an unforgiving land full of history of the very beginning. The stories say that the final battle between Dusk and Thunder took place on the Aerie Peaks, a place that is known for its connection to the Well itself. It’s not known when they were constructed, but there are elaborate shrines, one to each Thunder, constructed on a path through the north. The path is one of the few areas believers of Thunder still flock to pay their respects.
Also in the North is an ancient fortress called Wyrmhold, which the legends say was built to turn back a dragon incursion; when there still were dragons of course. The Fortress remains well in operation, being taken over by a deposed Deverenian noble named Sieg, who claims he “retired” and moved out to the Northlands. Sieg and the nearby Frost Guard clash from time to time.
In the backdrop of history and retired war heroes are the people of the North. Since there are no true kingdoms here, the land itself has an identity, and all are welcome. Those who are refugees from the ongoing war conflicts have fled to the North, and the people there ask few questions. Work hard and you have a place in the North.
The Eastern Forests
The Eastern Forests used to be home to the 3 Great Elven Houses. House Synderi, notable for its command of magic and famed scholars. House Rowan, the most militant of the three, possessed skilled warriors and archers. House Calix, the smallest of the three, pursued the art of Soulcraft, financed by clever schemes and a keen mind for economics. The stories say that the Three Houses were formed by the Elven Lords of the Old World. Rowan, Synderi, and Calix themselves were the first beings to stake their claim in the Accordlands after the Lords of Dusk were sealed and the land torn from its roots.
Over time, the wealth of House Calix put them in a position to control the Great Council, the ruling body of the Elves. Calix had always been the odd sibling of the three, mainly because it’s pursuits of Soulcraft clashed with traditional values and was often seen as an affront to Nature. Due to it’s rising power, Synderi and Rowan conspired to change the flow of power through military might. Citing dark magical practices and forbidden arts, Rowan and Synderi waged war on their little brother.
Perhaps it was the arrogance of the two houses, or perhaps it was a gross underestimation of House Calix’s sorcerous might, but the campaign proved most disastrous. House Calix unveiled its power, sending an unending host of undead warriors, far more powerful than typical undead, onto the other Elves. Every Rowan or Synderi elf that fell simply became another Calix footsoldier. It was also revealed that Calix’s leaders, Lady Tepheroth, wife of Calix himself, and Lord Winter, had used soulcraft to extend an elf’s already long lifespan. It was with horror that Rowan and Synderi realized that the venerable ancestors of Calix had been guiding them since the Old World.
After the brief campaign a mere century ago, Synderi and Rowan were at the complete mercy of the necromantic elves. Calix offered the defeated elves a choice. Swear allegiance to the House or be exiled. The leaders of the two houses and those who had been key players in the war were not given this choice, and were sentenced to unending death, a ritual in which Calix utterly destroy the individual’s soul, preventing any part of them from ever entering the well and being born again. A small amount took the Oath, seeing that Calix had been the defender in this war, and the lives of Calix citizens was known to be quite fruitful. Others looked at their devastated lands, reanimed comrades, and slain leaders and swore an oath of vengeance.
Oath or not, House Calix cared not.
This brings us to the Eastern Forests of Today, in which House Calix is the defining Elven powerhouse of our time. Calix is the embodiment of Law and Order tempered by justice and rationality. Citizens are guaranteed an array of rights and a place within society. The leaders of society are the Venerable Ancestors which serve to create legislation by majority vote on any issue. Overseers of various towns and cities are selected by the council, but nominated by citizens every decade.
The defining characteristic of Calix Society is that every citizen is evaluated for their skills and asked about their desires. Based on this, a selection of occupations is chosen for them by the local Venerable Ancestors. In this manner, every Citizen is guaranteed a place in society. Those that fight against their Calling may petition to change, but they may be denied if a matching occupation is not needed. This also means that young elves study vigorously the subjects of their interest to prove to the Ancestors that they deserve to be in a certain field.
Due to Calix supremacy in Soulcraft, Calix Elves can voluntarily give up mortality once they reach a certain age. They become the Deathless, not quite the undead of common nature, but not quite alive. When an elder Calix elf dies, their strongest characteristics are channeled into artifacts dear to them in life, and these artifacts are passed to their descendants. Citizens routinely carry one or more talismans of such ancestors, and it is rumored that these ancestors can bestow their traits onto their descendants, and in rare cases, actually manifest as spirit guardians. Furthermore, the bodies of the fallen are turned into well-crafted undead, which provide all the manual labor Calix needs. Most families have multiple undead servants to accommodate such needs. Undeath is a common part of society, accepted with no questions.
In current politics, House Calix is making a push to become an international power. Much of it’s military might is allocated to holding back the rampaging hordes of the Eastern Northrogg, a fact they often remind the vulnerable human kingdoms. However, the young Arianrhod, daughter of the Venerable Ancestor Tepheroth and a Human Lord of Tamalir, has shown her love for the Human Kingdoms. Tepheroth has, for some reason, bequeathed great political decision making power to her only living child, allowing the brooding Lord Winter to focus on the War to the East.
Arianrhod has assumed control of the Justicars, handpicked Calix warriors that travel the realms to serve warrants and execution orders on enemies of the state, most usually ex-Rowan or Synderi elves that continue to be a problem. She has dissolved, in name, the Obsidian Order of assassins that served Calix during the War. Finally, she has begun talking political agreements with Dawnsmoor, Tamalir, and the Free Kingdoms so that the Eastern Forests are finally accepted as legitimate power to be treated as an ally, not an enemy. Many watch the young elf with anticipation and wonder as the secretive, dark House has suddenly opened and become a major player in World Affairs. Many distrust the necromantic elves and decry them as evil, but Calix coin and power are both very, very real.
The Gray Mountains The Gray Mountains are, and have been, the home of the valiant and stalwart Great Clan Dwarves. A sophisticated series of tunnels called the Under Roads connect the various underground cities and fortresses. Far underground is supposedly a breach in the Thunder Lord’s barrier, from which strange and dangerous creatures assault the Accordlands. The three Great Clans continually push deeper into the mountains, hoping to establish a line directly on top of the Breach. Each Clan is responsible for maintaining the integrity of their segment of the mountain.
The Dwarves of the Gray Mountains are heavily armed and armored and maintain trade relationships with Valadir and the Eastern Forests. Their warriors have a tradition of taking a Battle Name, which is a single word representing their core ideology, tool or characteristic. For example, the greatest warriors of the Bronzebeard Clan are Thorin “Patience” Bronzebeard and Grim “Claymore” Bronzebeard.
The Wild Lands
The Free Kingdoms
The Dawnwood
The Dark Forest
Tamalir (out of date) All hail the High King Siegfried Gaertner. Tamalir is an odd sort of nation that prides honor, dignity, duty, and compassion above all else, though Deverenia is quick to point out its foundation was none other than betrayal. A relatively new nation, Tamalir was founded by its namesake, Pellinore Tamalir, the son of the Deverenian High Prince Pelleas Tamalir. Unlike his father and most of the nobility of Deverenia, Pellinore had an upstanding character, one of integrity and honesty that won him followers out of respect, not fear. Similarly the people of his father’s lands loved him for his compassion and kindness. However, underneath the honorable exterior was a cunning politician, for Pellinore was, after all, a Deverenian noble. He despised the cowardly acts of Deverenia, and slowly began building supporters and allies; most notably the Queen of Deverenia; whom Pellinore had a secret romance with since they met at a Winter Court. The Queen, Lucatiel, was a young woman that the High King had taken an unhealthy interest in, taking her through political force from the High Prince Aragost. Aragost never forgave the High King for taking his daughter, a detail Pellinore was acutely aware of.
On the most sacred of Deverenian holidays, the High King’s birthday, Pellinore launched his rebellion. Pellinore and his allies, High Prince Aragost and the High Princess Melegrance amongst them, attacked the birthday celebrations. Because of his honorable appearances; the High King thought Pellinore incapable of such a tactic. The stories say Pellinore, his younger brother, and his best friend from childhood singlehanded dispatched the High King’s personal guard; with many claiming that Pellinore possessed a frightening power for a man so young. Several High Princes and their successors met their end at Tamalirian steel, including Pelleas himself, who had not realized his son and completely taken over his base of power and stripped him of his influence.
At the same time, High Prince Aragost personally rescued his daughter. The rumors say the High King begged for mercy in pitiful fashion as the enraged Aragost made the most powerful man in Deverenia suffer long before he died. Without the High King, several of the remaining High Princes simply… did not intervene, content to let Pellinore succeed, a testament to how ununified Deverenia truly was. When the dust settled, Tamalir, Aragost, and Melegrance broke their lands from Deverenia, uniting under the crown of Pellinore Tamalir. Deverenia was simply too disorganized and selfish to offer any sort of serious resistance.
In the aftermath Pellinore enacted sweeping reforms upon the lands to ensure the land would never succumb to the debauchery and evil that defined Deverenia. Peasants were given rights and opportunities never known to them before. The lines separating commoners from Nobility were swept away. Old traditions gave birth to a dazzling new meritocracy organized by Great Houses.
The Great Houses started with the initial founders, but they were so much more than noble families. All citizens are required to join a Great House when they come of age, and the Great Houses foster competitions and programs to attract the best and brightest to their ranks. The Great Houses became family once joined, granting what once were common peasants with an surname proclaiming their choice.
The Great Houses are overseen by the High King, which is chosen by an independent process to ensure no Great House politics can interfere. The High King is a job title, not an inherited position. When the current High King either retires or passes away, the Great Houses select a handful of candidates to partake in the King’s Game, a series of contests aimed at weeding out the unworthy. When the competition is over, the participants who completed the games are all given a chance to take up Pellinore Tamalir’s sword. Tamalir is proud of the legend that the First High King always watches over his people, and his spirit is contained within his blade that protects his legacy.
Current day Tamalir is a power that the other kingdoms take rather seriously. Where other nations are divided, Tamalir is united. The Great Houses constantly compete and innovate in every way they can, keeping their blades, wits, and hearts strong while constantly improving. Deverenia has tried and failed to reclaim the lands. Valadir has attempted several times to claim some of Tamalir’s territory only to be reminded how tenacious their opponents were. Calix and Tamalir somehow achieved a friendly relationship, both sides willing to accept their strange neighbor.
The Shattered Lands The Shattered Lands is named because the area is prone to intense earthquakes that result in numerous chasms riddling the long fields of tall grass and rolling hills. Many brave settlers have tried to find a way to establish civilization in the area, but the combination of natural disasters and monstrous creatures is too much. Some frontier towns have managed to last on the very border of the area, where the quakes are minimal. Numerous adventurers and explorers have used these towns to stage expeditions into the area.
The Western Regions
Valadir
Valadir, a land of well, landed nobility, traces it’s origin back to the Warlord Tiberius at the beginning of the Accordlands. The Warlord fought for dominance in the central lands of the Accordlands against many small city-states and lands claimed by other militant bands. The difference, though, is that Tiberius had mastered a strange magic that was able to bless his lands provide year-long, bountiful harvests despite the poor conditions of the land. Over a short span of a few decades, Tiberius conquered the nearby areas, forming a large kingdom and subjugating the other kingdoms.
The defeated warlords became nobility, and Tiberius became an Emperor. The nobility was held in line with promises of bountiful harvests bestowed by the Emperor, enabling their barren lands to flourish. Without the Emperor’s influence, their land would wither and die, ensuring their loyalty.
The secret of this magic was passed down through the blood, for as long as a Tiberius held the throne, Valadir prospered. Over time the nobility argued for more power, eventually leading to the establishment of the Senate, a body of 30 individuals with an official sent by the ruling Lord of each establishment. The Senate could suggest policy and drive politics with the Emperor ultimately having final say in all regards. This worked for some time, but eventually the nobility languished under such an arrangement.
The nobles turned to fueling the merchants and craftsmen to generate wealth and trade in exotic goods with neighboring kingdoms. The commonfolk flourished under such attention and free markets, earning great wealth for themselves and their Noble masters. The Nobles didn’t mind their waning political power due to the luxurious lifestyles they could lead. Overtime, though, the merchants became disgruntled at their lack of political power, and demanded representation in the Senate. Furthermore, the Emperor Tiberius the 13th, grew afraid of the nobles and their wealth, afraid that they would no longer rely on the Emperor’s blessing in return for obedience.
The Emperor leveraged its vast population and food supply to bolster its armies. Using its monopoly on force, it compelled the Nobles to increase taxes on the wealthy middle class. Simultaneously, the roads, once patrolled by the Emperor’s men, became unsafe and full of “bandit attacks”. Frontier roads and international roads became inexplicably undefended, the Emperor’s forces simply withdrawing and letting it fall to the wildness that permeated the Accordlands.
This oppression immediately threw Valadir into chaos, with all sides plotting against the other. The Merchant’s formed a protective organization simply called The Guild, and they came up with a grand plan to assassinate the Emperor. Ultimately, the gambit succeeded, but it only made things worse.
Tiberius the 14th was not a young man given that the slain Tiberius the 13th was a rotten man that seemed to live for a century. The 14th, an accomplished general, quickly took control of the Senate and tightened his grip on the Nobility through a combination of blackmail and simple intimidation. Weapons were banned from anyone not a soldier in the Empire’s army, causing an outcry from the people.
The people rose up in rebellion, but they were no match for the ruthlessness of the Emperor’s armies. The First and Last battle of the Valadir Civil War took place on the Mandalia plains 5 years ago, where a ragtag army of middle and low-class citizens were put to the sword by real soldiers. This disaster cowed the people and The Guild, and a heavily oppressive regime assumed full control.
The Guild refused to surrender their wealth to the Emperor, though, and instead spent a massive amount of money purchasing the services of one Kyros the Warmaster, a renowned mercenary claiming to be a “General for Hire”. Kyros brought in groups of highly trained professional soldiers and war-makers, especially from Iron Guard, Riverwatch, and the Free Kingdoms. His elite units staged a guerilla warfare against the Empire, bleeding the massive armies badly while suffering little to no damage. Kyros is the first recorded General to field new weapons such as “artillery” and specialized firearm units to devastating effect.
After a few years of the bleed, Tiberius the 14th challenged Kyros to a Blood Challenge in the Grand Coliseum. The Blood Challenge was a tradition started by the First Emperor, namely conflict resolution solved by the shedding of blood in a one on one duel. In this case, the duel was regarded as the most lopsided duel the Accordlands has ever seen. Tiberius the 14th, a fierce combatant with sorcerous might that had killed countless scores of men, was defeated in a mere instant.
It turns out Tiberius the 15th, the only living son, has no stomach for blood, and in fact he had dedicated his resources to providing aid and healing to those wounded throughout the conflict. With the death of the 14th, the newly crowned Emperor called for a Peace Accords to end the conflict and discuss a power-sharing agreement between the Merchants, Nobility, and the Emperor backed by the newly formed Imperial Legions.
Uncertainty is the way of Valadir. The Guild and common folk want to master their own fate. The Nobility wants to maintain their decadent lives. The Emperor wants his people’s wounds to heal. Rumors abound that Kyros plans to simply take the throne himself, others whisper that the nobles will aim to remove the Emperor and install a figurehead. Everyone in Valadir, and those outside, look on with apprehension, for all it takes is one simple spark to light the fires of war into new heights.
The Great Cities
Dawnsmoor
Frost Guard
Iron Guard Mighty Iron Guard is a sight to behold as it is designed for war but kept aesthetically pleasing enough to fool visitors into simply enjoying its grand architecture. The great city is settled into a small mountain range, with its towers competing with the peaks for supremacy of the sky. Great forges can be found throughout the city, and the streets and districts are meticulously planned for maximum traffic efficiency. In fact, everything about Iron Guard is done with purposeful direction and foresight.
Notable landmarks in the city include the Firemaster’s Forge reserved for the most qualified craftsmen in the city to produce Iron Guard’s signature quality goods. The Hearth is a grand cave dug into the side of the mountain at the point where the city fully backs into the mountain. Access to the cave is limited to the Executor and his or her personnel, though it is still a marvel to view the belching flames that rise from its depths. Finally, the Iron Citadel looms tall and ominous at the city center, casting a shadow over most of the city.
Iron Guard is overseen by the Executor, who is chosen every 5 years from a series of tests and examinations sponsored by the Elder Council. Anyone who has lived in Iron Guard for 10 years or more is eligible to apply. The Sentinels watch over the city aided by Gears and Cogs, which are semi-sentient Golems forged within the fires of the city.
Technological innovation and production is the primary focus of the city, with new inventions flowing into the Accordlands from Iron Guard. Troublingly, though, the city has switched its focus to war technology including mundane blackpowder weapons as well as more advanced tech relying on a fusion of technology and magic. The latter has produced wondrous things such as flying ships and giant suits of armor capable of harnessing offensive energy.
Recent events had led to the creation of the Iron Alliance, in which several smaller city-states have willingly placed themselves under the banner of Iron Guard. The city has close ties to the Merchant Guilds of Valadir, but otherwise stay neutral in other affairs.
Riverwatch
The University of Magick Obscura
Valheim
Races
Humans are ever-present and ever-expanding. Most lands have humans present in some way shape or form. Cultures vary just as much as the land itself, with the different human kingdoms truly taking on a unique character.
Elves have fared quite poorly… or quite well depending on whom you ask. High Elves once made up the proud Houses of Synderi, Rowan and Calix. The three Noble houses formed an uneasy alliance within the Eastern Forests, the great lands of their ancestors. However, House Calix began delving into the Art of Necromancy. Their prowess was so great that their leaders defied death and the expertise of their ancestors was forever at their fingertips. House Synderi and Rowan banded together and waged war on their Kin, claiming that the Dark Arts must be destroyed. House Calix proved superior, and the lives of their opponents’ Leaders was held forfeit. House Calix now holds sole dominion over the Forests for the past 200 years, and the other High Elves are scattered through the land.
Wood Elves have long held their place in the Dawnwood under the guidance of the Quel’athalas Druidic Circle. Many elven communities welcomed their High Elf brethren after the Fall.
Mountain Dwarves are also called Great Clan Dwarves and are almost entirely found within the Gray Mountains. These Dwarves form the oldest (There is no written account of a Mountain Dwarf passing of old age) and most venerable race in the Accordlands. According to Dwarven lore, Kohn Peacehand charged the Dwarves with defending his legacy before he died. To signal his blessing, those with Mountain Dwarf lineage all carry Bronze, Silver or Gold beards. It is rumored that the Gray Peaks are located over a crack in the barrier set up by the Thunder Lords, and that the Dwarves maintain vigil and continually battle a mysterious enemy that continually invades. Duty and Honor are paramount to these Dwarves, and they are treated with Reverence throughout the accordlands. Dwarves that flee their duty or are not part of one of the Great Clans of the Gray Mountains are labeled as the cowards.
Hill Dwarves represent the rest of the Dwarven race, those that do not carry Kohn’s blessing. They have tight-knit communities through the land, especially in the Western Regions where ore is plentiful. These Dwarves frown upon the so-called Great Clan Dwarves, and many seek to one up their brethren by developing Wealth and Technology through trade and magical study.
Children of the Earth (Dragonborn Replacement) are a curious species that date as old as the earth itself. It is said the Children were the only race that dates back to the era of the Storm… before the arrival of the Thunder Lords. The Children of Earth take the form of Gargoyles and Fearsome stone creatures hardy and capable of surviving the ancient Great Storm. Very few in number, it’s likely most people of the Accordlands will never lay eyes upon a Child of Earth. It is said that when a Child of Earth passes away, their spirit returns to the Land instead of the Well, upon which they are reborn with their memories intact.
The Lands (687 Post-Accord)
Brought to you by your favorite wandering adventurer, Locke! Deverenia
A cruel and unforgiving place is Deverenia of the Dark Sun. It was founded a millenia ago by a wandering warrior who became the High King of Deverenia by putting the landed gentry to the sword. The legend states that the High King gathered strong knights to his banner and systematically sieged and slaughtered the Dukes of the Old North. Upon his victory he created the Knights of the Round, who would maintain peace and stability through Might. It is perhaps no wonder that the core philosophy in the unforgiving northern kingdom is “Might makes right and the weak suffer as they must.”
The Knights of the Round is a body of 12 Lords and the High King whom gather to make decrees for the good of the realm. Such decrees usually involve outside trade, appropriate taxes and the like, as all thirteen kingdoms are relatively autonomous. Warfare regularly breaks out between the 12 Lords, but such is permitted if the High King allows the battle to take place. In Deverenia, there is only one rule after all, and the Lords must be strong to maintain their land and wealth. Similarly, the title of Lord is just a title, and no noble blood is actually required. Succession is handled by awarding the title to whomever is the one to kill the sitting Lord in a sanctioned trial-by-combat. This ensures that sitting Lords are terrifyingly powerful when it comes to the Art of Combat.
The citizenry, if they can be called that, are mostly serfs as everyone on the land of the Lord is their property. Merchants pay taxes, dues, and fees to maintain their position, farmers own not the land or the crops, craftsmen too must pay a fee to their Lord to practice their trade. Rebellion is dealt with harshly, and fear is used to keep the locals in line.
A few hundred years ago, the son of Lord Pelleas Tamalir challenged and slew his father at the young age of nineteen. Much to the sitting High King’s surprise, the young Lord Tamalir conspired with the Queen to break away from the Table, ultimately mortally wounding the High King in a coup before taking the Queen as his wife and fleeing to his lands. The Queen commanded more power and authority than the High King, and was able to rally two other Lords to Tamalir’s side. The other Lords haphazardly mounted a campaign, but without the High King truly nothing was binding them, and petty squabbling and positioning allowed Lord Tamalir to solidify his power and forge the Kingdom of Tamalir that would be a bastion of Honor rather than power.
Deverenia has been weakened since, but the line of High Kings has re-established and the Table now only houses 9 Lords instead of 12, a reminder of the disgrace suffered at the hands of Tamalir.
Western Deverenia
A nation like Deverenia can only wield power so cruelly before forces like Tamalir begin to balance it. Another such event occurred a few years ago when the Church of the Chosen quickly built a radical following. The stories say that the Lord of Lesalia was going through some routine executions of dangerous citizens, including one Keziah Loris, a young woman who was found guilty of attempting to teach citizens to read and learn about the Lords of Thunder. She was executed with the rest, but the next day the Lord found her alive and well, running her school as if nothing had happened the previous day.
The Lord called for another round of public executions, in which Keziah and her students, both children and adults, were burned to death. That night, though the stories differ as to how it happened, the Lord’s Manor erupted in a plume of fire, slaughtering all its inhabitants. The next day, Keziah Loris and her students declared that the time of Tyranny had ended, and that the Chosen would bring change to the corrupt heart of Deverenia.
Keziah’s followers quickly multiplied, with her being labeled the Chosen. Kingdoms near Lesalia quickly joined the following, with the peasants rising up in violent fashion against their masters. The Church of the Chosen has tried to maintain order, but the bitter hatred towards the citizens is simply too much to control. Some organized church forces and Knightly Orders exist and try to maintain order, but the Church has created a wave of citizens spurred on by hatred. Mobs of vigilantes capture and execute nobles, dissidents, and basically anyone that isn’t part of the mob. “Western Deverenia” is a country in name only outside of the few places the Church has control over. 4 of the Lords in the area are trying to quash the Rebellion, but currently are failing miserably.
The NorthLands
The Northlands are an interesting place to visit, the harsh climate has created a population of hardy people that know how to work hard and drink harder. The Northlands are not a kingdom, nor are they really a confederation of smaller cities and states like the Free Kingdoms. The Northlands are too far North and there isn’t enough wealth to warrant nobility staking much of an interest.
Best described as a frontierland, the towns that dot the countryside are nestled within rolling hills and long and chains of rocky mountains. While modern times have been uneventful in the North, it is an unforgiving land full of history of the very beginning. The stories say that the final battle between Dusk and Thunder took place on the Aerie Peaks, a place that is known for its connection to the Well itself. It’s not known when they were constructed, but there are elaborate shrines, one to each Thunder, constructed on a path through the north. The path is one of the few areas believers of Thunder still flock to pay their respects.
Also in the North is an ancient fortress called Wyrmhold, which the legends say was built to turn back a dragon incursion; when there still were dragons of course. The Fortress remains well in operation, being taken over by a deposed Deverenian noble named Sieg, who claims he “retired” and moved out to the Northlands. Sieg and the nearby Frost Guard clash from time to time.
In the backdrop of history and retired war heroes are the people of the North. Since there are no true kingdoms here, the land itself has an identity, and all are welcome. Those who are refugees from the ongoing war conflicts have fled to the North, and the people there ask few questions. Work hard and you have a place in the North.
The Eastern Forests
The Eastern Forests used to be home to the 3 Great Elven Houses. House Synderi, notable for its command of magic and famed scholars. House Rowan, the most militant of the three, possessed skilled warriors and archers. House Calix, the smallest of the three, pursued the art of Soulcraft, financed by clever schemes and a keen mind for economics. The stories say that the Three Houses were formed by the Elven Lords of the Old World. Rowan, Synderi, and Calix themselves were the first beings to stake their claim in the Accordlands after the Lords of Dusk were sealed and the land torn from its roots.
Over time, the wealth of House Calix put them in a position to control the Great Council, the ruling body of the Elves. Calix had always been the odd sibling of the three, mainly because it’s pursuits of Soulcraft clashed with traditional values and was often seen as an affront to Nature. Due to it’s rising power, Synderi and Rowan conspired to change the flow of power through military might. Citing dark magical practices and forbidden arts, Rowan and Synderi waged war on their little brother.
Perhaps it was the arrogance of the two houses, or perhaps it was a gross underestimation of House Calix’s sorcerous might, but the campaign proved most disastrous. House Calix unveiled its power, sending an unending host of undead warriors, far more powerful than typical undead, onto the other Elves. Every Rowan or Synderi elf that fell simply became another Calix footsoldier. It was also revealed that Calix’s leaders, Lady Tepheroth, wife of Calix himself, and Lord Winter, had used soulcraft to extend an elf’s already long lifespan. It was with horror that Rowan and Synderi realized that the venerable ancestors of Calix had been guiding them since the Old World.
After the brief campaign a mere century ago, Synderi and Rowan were at the complete mercy of the necromantic elves. Calix offered the defeated elves a choice. Swear allegiance to the House or be exiled. The leaders of the two houses and those who had been key players in the war were not given this choice, and were sentenced to unending death, a ritual in which Calix utterly destroy the individual’s soul, preventing any part of them from ever entering the well and being born again. A small amount took the Oath, seeing that Calix had been the defender in this war, and the lives of Calix citizens was known to be quite fruitful. Others looked at their devastated lands, reanimed comrades, and slain leaders and swore an oath of vengeance.
Oath or not, House Calix cared not.
This brings us to the Eastern Forests of Today, in which House Calix is the defining Elven powerhouse of our time. Calix is the embodiment of Law and Order tempered by justice and rationality. Citizens are guaranteed an array of rights and a place within society. The leaders of society are the Venerable Ancestors which serve to create legislation by majority vote on any issue. Overseers of various towns and cities are selected by the council, but nominated by citizens every decade.
The defining characteristic of Calix Society is that every citizen is evaluated for their skills and asked about their desires. Based on this, a selection of occupations is chosen for them by the local Venerable Ancestors. In this manner, every Citizen is guaranteed a place in society. Those that fight against their Calling may petition to change, but they may be denied if a matching occupation is not needed. This also means that young elves study vigorously the subjects of their interest to prove to the Ancestors that they deserve to be in a certain field.
Due to Calix supremacy in Soulcraft, Calix Elves can voluntarily give up mortality once they reach a certain age. They become the Deathless, not quite the undead of common nature, but not quite alive. When an elder Calix elf dies, their strongest characteristics are channeled into artifacts dear to them in life, and these artifacts are passed to their descendants. Citizens routinely carry one or more talismans of such ancestors, and it is rumored that these ancestors can bestow their traits onto their descendants, and in rare cases, actually manifest as spirit guardians. Furthermore, the bodies of the fallen are turned into well-crafted undead, which provide all the manual labor Calix needs. Most families have multiple undead servants to accommodate such needs. Undeath is a common part of society, accepted with no questions.
In current politics, House Calix is making a push to become an international power. Much of it’s military might is allocated to holding back the rampaging hordes of the Eastern Northrogg, a fact they often remind the vulnerable human kingdoms. However, the young Arianrhod, daughter of the Venerable Ancestor Tepheroth and a Human Lord of Tamalir, has shown her love for the Human Kingdoms. Tepheroth has, for some reason, bequeathed great political decision making power to her only living child, allowing the brooding Lord Winter to focus on the War to the East.
Arianrhod has assumed control of the Justicars, handpicked Calix warriors that travel the realms to serve warrants and execution orders on enemies of the state, most usually ex-Rowan or Synderi elves that continue to be a problem. She has dissolved, in name, the Obsidian Order of assassins that served Calix during the War. Finally, she has begun talking political agreements with Dawnsmoor, Tamalir, and the Free Kingdoms so that the Eastern Forests are finally accepted as legitimate power to be treated as an ally, not an enemy. Many watch the young elf with anticipation and wonder as the secretive, dark House has suddenly opened and become a major player in World Affairs. Many distrust the necromantic elves and decry them as evil, but Calix coin and power are both very, very real.
The Gray Mountains The Gray Mountains are, and have been, the home of the valiant and stalwart Great Clan Dwarves. A sophisticated series of tunnels called the Under Roads connect the various underground cities and fortresses. Far underground is supposedly a breach in the Thunder Lord’s barrier, from which strange and dangerous creatures assault the Accordlands. The three Great Clans continually push deeper into the mountains, hoping to establish a line directly on top of the Breach. Each Clan is responsible for maintaining the integrity of their segment of the mountain.
The Dwarves of the Gray Mountains are heavily armed and armored and maintain trade relationships with Valadir and the Eastern Forests. Their warriors have a tradition of taking a Battle Name, which is a single word representing their core ideology, tool or characteristic. For example, the greatest warriors of the Bronzebeard Clan are Thorin “Patience” Bronzebeard and Grim “Claymore” Bronzebeard.
The Wild Lands
The Free Kingdoms
The Dawnwood
The Dark Forest
Tamalir (out of date) All hail the High King Siegfried Gaertner. Tamalir is an odd sort of nation that prides honor, dignity, duty, and compassion above all else, though Deverenia is quick to point out its foundation was none other than betrayal. A relatively new nation, Tamalir was founded by its namesake, Pellinore Tamalir, the son of the Deverenian High Prince Pelleas Tamalir. Unlike his father and most of the nobility of Deverenia, Pellinore had an upstanding character, one of integrity and honesty that won him followers out of respect, not fear. Similarly the people of his father’s lands loved him for his compassion and kindness. However, underneath the honorable exterior was a cunning politician, for Pellinore was, after all, a Deverenian noble. He despised the cowardly acts of Deverenia, and slowly began building supporters and allies; most notably the Queen of Deverenia; whom Pellinore had a secret romance with since they met at a Winter Court. The Queen, Lucatiel, was a young woman that the High King had taken an unhealthy interest in, taking her through political force from the High Prince Aragost. Aragost never forgave the High King for taking his daughter, a detail Pellinore was acutely aware of.
On the most sacred of Deverenian holidays, the High King’s birthday, Pellinore launched his rebellion. Pellinore and his allies, High Prince Aragost and the High Princess Melegrance amongst them, attacked the birthday celebrations. Because of his honorable appearances; the High King thought Pellinore incapable of such a tactic. The stories say Pellinore, his younger brother, and his best friend from childhood singlehanded dispatched the High King’s personal guard; with many claiming that Pellinore possessed a frightening power for a man so young. Several High Princes and their successors met their end at Tamalirian steel, including Pelleas himself, who had not realized his son and completely taken over his base of power and stripped him of his influence.
At the same time, High Prince Aragost personally rescued his daughter. The rumors say the High King begged for mercy in pitiful fashion as the enraged Aragost made the most powerful man in Deverenia suffer long before he died. Without the High King, several of the remaining High Princes simply… did not intervene, content to let Pellinore succeed, a testament to how ununified Deverenia truly was. When the dust settled, Tamalir, Aragost, and Melegrance broke their lands from Deverenia, uniting under the crown of Pellinore Tamalir. Deverenia was simply too disorganized and selfish to offer any sort of serious resistance.
In the aftermath Pellinore enacted sweeping reforms upon the lands to ensure the land would never succumb to the debauchery and evil that defined Deverenia. Peasants were given rights and opportunities never known to them before. The lines separating commoners from Nobility were swept away. Old traditions gave birth to a dazzling new meritocracy organized by Great Houses.
The Great Houses started with the initial founders, but they were so much more than noble families. All citizens are required to join a Great House when they come of age, and the Great Houses foster competitions and programs to attract the best and brightest to their ranks. The Great Houses became family once joined, granting what once were common peasants with an surname proclaiming their choice.
The Great Houses are overseen by the High King, which is chosen by an independent process to ensure no Great House politics can interfere. The High King is a job title, not an inherited position. When the current High King either retires or passes away, the Great Houses select a handful of candidates to partake in the King’s Game, a series of contests aimed at weeding out the unworthy. When the competition is over, the participants who completed the games are all given a chance to take up Pellinore Tamalir’s sword. Tamalir is proud of the legend that the First High King always watches over his people, and his spirit is contained within his blade that protects his legacy.
Current day Tamalir is a power that the other kingdoms take rather seriously. Where other nations are divided, Tamalir is united. The Great Houses constantly compete and innovate in every way they can, keeping their blades, wits, and hearts strong while constantly improving. Deverenia has tried and failed to reclaim the lands. Valadir has attempted several times to claim some of Tamalir’s territory only to be reminded how tenacious their opponents were. Calix and Tamalir somehow achieved a friendly relationship, both sides willing to accept their strange neighbor.
The Shattered Lands The Shattered Lands is named because the area is prone to intense earthquakes that result in numerous chasms riddling the long fields of tall grass and rolling hills. Many brave settlers have tried to find a way to establish civilization in the area, but the combination of natural disasters and monstrous creatures is too much. Some frontier towns have managed to last on the very border of the area, where the quakes are minimal. Numerous adventurers and explorers have used these towns to stage expeditions into the area.
The Western Regions
Valadir
Valadir, a land of well, landed nobility, traces it’s origin back to the Warlord Tiberius at the beginning of the Accordlands. The Warlord fought for dominance in the central lands of the Accordlands against many small city-states and lands claimed by other militant bands. The difference, though, is that Tiberius had mastered a strange magic that was able to bless his lands provide year-long, bountiful harvests despite the poor conditions of the land. Over a short span of a few decades, Tiberius conquered the nearby areas, forming a large kingdom and subjugating the other kingdoms.
The defeated warlords became nobility, and Tiberius became an Emperor. The nobility was held in line with promises of bountiful harvests bestowed by the Emperor, enabling their barren lands to flourish. Without the Emperor’s influence, their land would wither and die, ensuring their loyalty.
The secret of this magic was passed down through the blood, for as long as a Tiberius held the throne, Valadir prospered. Over time the nobility argued for more power, eventually leading to the establishment of the Senate, a body of 30 individuals with an official sent by the ruling Lord of each establishment. The Senate could suggest policy and drive politics with the Emperor ultimately having final say in all regards. This worked for some time, but eventually the nobility languished under such an arrangement.
The nobles turned to fueling the merchants and craftsmen to generate wealth and trade in exotic goods with neighboring kingdoms. The commonfolk flourished under such attention and free markets, earning great wealth for themselves and their Noble masters. The Nobles didn’t mind their waning political power due to the luxurious lifestyles they could lead. Overtime, though, the merchants became disgruntled at their lack of political power, and demanded representation in the Senate. Furthermore, the Emperor Tiberius the 13th, grew afraid of the nobles and their wealth, afraid that they would no longer rely on the Emperor’s blessing in return for obedience.
The Emperor leveraged its vast population and food supply to bolster its armies. Using its monopoly on force, it compelled the Nobles to increase taxes on the wealthy middle class. Simultaneously, the roads, once patrolled by the Emperor’s men, became unsafe and full of “bandit attacks”. Frontier roads and international roads became inexplicably undefended, the Emperor’s forces simply withdrawing and letting it fall to the wildness that permeated the Accordlands.
This oppression immediately threw Valadir into chaos, with all sides plotting against the other. The Merchant’s formed a protective organization simply called The Guild, and they came up with a grand plan to assassinate the Emperor. Ultimately, the gambit succeeded, but it only made things worse.
Tiberius the 14th was not a young man given that the slain Tiberius the 13th was a rotten man that seemed to live for a century. The 14th, an accomplished general, quickly took control of the Senate and tightened his grip on the Nobility through a combination of blackmail and simple intimidation. Weapons were banned from anyone not a soldier in the Empire’s army, causing an outcry from the people.
The people rose up in rebellion, but they were no match for the ruthlessness of the Emperor’s armies. The First and Last battle of the Valadir Civil War took place on the Mandalia plains 5 years ago, where a ragtag army of middle and low-class citizens were put to the sword by real soldiers. This disaster cowed the people and The Guild, and a heavily oppressive regime assumed full control.
The Guild refused to surrender their wealth to the Emperor, though, and instead spent a massive amount of money purchasing the services of one Kyros the Warmaster, a renowned mercenary claiming to be a “General for Hire”. Kyros brought in groups of highly trained professional soldiers and war-makers, especially from Iron Guard, Riverwatch, and the Free Kingdoms. His elite units staged a guerilla warfare against the Empire, bleeding the massive armies badly while suffering little to no damage. Kyros is the first recorded General to field new weapons such as “artillery” and specialized firearm units to devastating effect.
After a few years of the bleed, Tiberius the 14th challenged Kyros to a Blood Challenge in the Grand Coliseum. The Blood Challenge was a tradition started by the First Emperor, namely conflict resolution solved by the shedding of blood in a one on one duel. In this case, the duel was regarded as the most lopsided duel the Accordlands has ever seen. Tiberius the 14th, a fierce combatant with sorcerous might that had killed countless scores of men, was defeated in a mere instant.
It turns out Tiberius the 15th, the only living son, has no stomach for blood, and in fact he had dedicated his resources to providing aid and healing to those wounded throughout the conflict. With the death of the 14th, the newly crowned Emperor called for a Peace Accords to end the conflict and discuss a power-sharing agreement between the Merchants, Nobility, and the Emperor backed by the newly formed Imperial Legions.
Uncertainty is the way of Valadir. The Guild and common folk want to master their own fate. The Nobility wants to maintain their decadent lives. The Emperor wants his people’s wounds to heal. Rumors abound that Kyros plans to simply take the throne himself, others whisper that the nobles will aim to remove the Emperor and install a figurehead. Everyone in Valadir, and those outside, look on with apprehension, for all it takes is one simple spark to light the fires of war into new heights.
The Great Cities
Dawnsmoor
Frost Guard
Iron Guard Mighty Iron Guard is a sight to behold as it is designed for war but kept aesthetically pleasing enough to fool visitors into simply enjoying its grand architecture. The great city is settled into a small mountain range, with its towers competing with the peaks for supremacy of the sky. Great forges can be found throughout the city, and the streets and districts are meticulously planned for maximum traffic efficiency. In fact, everything about Iron Guard is done with purposeful direction and foresight.
Notable landmarks in the city include the Firemaster’s Forge reserved for the most qualified craftsmen in the city to produce Iron Guard’s signature quality goods. The Hearth is a grand cave dug into the side of the mountain at the point where the city fully backs into the mountain. Access to the cave is limited to the Executor and his or her personnel, though it is still a marvel to view the belching flames that rise from its depths. Finally, the Iron Citadel looms tall and ominous at the city center, casting a shadow over most of the city.
Iron Guard is overseen by the Executor, who is chosen every 5 years from a series of tests and examinations sponsored by the Elder Council. Anyone who has lived in Iron Guard for 10 years or more is eligible to apply. The Sentinels watch over the city aided by Gears and Cogs, which are semi-sentient Golems forged within the fires of the city.
Technological innovation and production is the primary focus of the city, with new inventions flowing into the Accordlands from Iron Guard. Troublingly, though, the city has switched its focus to war technology including mundane blackpowder weapons as well as more advanced tech relying on a fusion of technology and magic. The latter has produced wondrous things such as flying ships and giant suits of armor capable of harnessing offensive energy.
Recent events had led to the creation of the Iron Alliance, in which several smaller city-states have willingly placed themselves under the banner of Iron Guard. The city has close ties to the Merchant Guilds of Valadir, but otherwise stay neutral in other affairs.
Riverwatch
The University of Magick Obscura
Valheim
Races
Humans are ever-present and ever-expanding. Most lands have humans present in some way shape or form. Cultures vary just as much as the land itself, with the different human kingdoms truly taking on a unique character.
Elves have fared quite poorly… or quite well depending on whom you ask. High Elves once made up the proud Houses of Synderi, Rowan and Calix. The three Noble houses formed an uneasy alliance within the Eastern Forests, the great lands of their ancestors. However, House Calix began delving into the Art of Necromancy. Their prowess was so great that their leaders defied death and the expertise of their ancestors was forever at their fingertips. House Synderi and Rowan banded together and waged war on their Kin, claiming that the Dark Arts must be destroyed. House Calix proved superior, and the lives of their opponents’ Leaders was held forfeit. House Calix now holds sole dominion over the Forests for the past 200 years, and the other High Elves are scattered through the land.
Wood Elves have long held their place in the Dawnwood under the guidance of the Quel’athalas Druidic Circle. Many elven communities welcomed their High Elf brethren after the Fall.
Mountain Dwarves are also called Great Clan Dwarves and are almost entirely found within the Gray Mountains. These Dwarves form the oldest (There is no written account of a Mountain Dwarf passing of old age) and most venerable race in the Accordlands. According to Dwarven lore, Kohn Peacehand charged the Dwarves with defending his legacy before he died. To signal his blessing, those with Mountain Dwarf lineage all carry Bronze, Silver or Gold beards. It is rumored that the Gray Peaks are located over a crack in the barrier set up by the Thunder Lords, and that the Dwarves maintain vigil and continually battle a mysterious enemy that continually invades. Duty and Honor are paramount to these Dwarves, and they are treated with Reverence throughout the accordlands. Dwarves that flee their duty or are not part of one of the Great Clans of the Gray Mountains are labeled as the cowards.
Hill Dwarves represent the rest of the Dwarven race, those that do not carry Kohn’s blessing. They have tight-knit communities through the land, especially in the Western Regions where ore is plentiful. These Dwarves frown upon the so-called Great Clan Dwarves, and many seek to one up their brethren by developing Wealth and Technology through trade and magical study.
Children of the Earth (Dragonborn Replacement) are a curious species that date as old as the earth itself. It is said the Children were the only race that dates back to the era of the Storm… before the arrival of the Thunder Lords. The Children of Earth take the form of Gargoyles and Fearsome stone creatures hardy and capable of surviving the ancient Great Storm. Very few in number, it’s likely most people of the Accordlands will never lay eyes upon a Child of Earth. It is said that when a Child of Earth passes away, their spirit returns to the Land instead of the Well, upon which they are reborn with their memories intact.
Comments