Second Iteration

Developed by

The Design Mechanism

From a Creation by

Tom Zunder

Gwenthia
As seen from High Orbit
Visible are the continents of Gwailan (northernmost) and Thurian (southernmost). Clearly visible in the east of Thurian are the lands of Parkhesh,
Nhi-Tual and Quatzadua. Southern Zathuria and central Gara-Dien are visible in the centralcloud-break. To the north-west, the islands of
Cromaigne and Spiria can be seen. Barely visible, and almost in the centre of the picture, is the Red Orb, one of Gwenthias seven moons. The Dark
Orb, or Black Moon, can be seen on each page of this bookeven though it disappeared from Gwenthias skies thousands of years ago..

Map by Colin Driver

Introduction
W

ELCOME TO GWENTHIA. This book describes

the world of Gwenthia: its geography, its peoples, its
history, its politics, its gods, and its possibilities. The
concept behind Gwenthia evolved at The Tavern
(http://tavern.zunder.org.uk/) as a shared world similar to
Chaosiums old Questworld project of the late 1980s. Beginning
with a simple map, Tavern members quickly staked land claims
and began the co-operative process of developing cultures,
peoples, creatures and conflicts to fill those lands and influence
others. Gwenthia was rapidly born, and is still in a state of
development.

Creative Commons

Although designed with BRP in mind, Gwenthia is designed to

work with any set of roleplaying rules or mechanics: readypublished, hybrid or home-grown.

Non-commercial. You may not use this work for commercial

purposes.

The intention of this book is to draw together the basic settings of

Gwenthia and present them in one place for gamers to use for
their own campaigns. All material is published under the Creative
Commons licence (see sidebar), and can be freely used in a
gaming context.

About This Book

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0
You are free:

to copy, distribute, display, and perform the work

to make derivative works

Under the following conditions:

Attribution. You must give the original author credit.

Share Alike. If you alter, transform, or build upon this work, you
may distribute the resulting work only under a license identical to
this one.
For any reuse or distribution, you must make clear to others the
license terms of this work.
Any of these conditions can be waived if you get permission from
the copyright holder

This is the second edition of the Gwenthia: The Guide. It is

greatly expanded and revised, with new information, settings,
details, timeline, history and secrets. If you have the first edition,
youll find much is similar, but quite a lot is differentfor
example

Your fair use and other rights are in no way affected by the
above.

Gwailan Union
The Gwailan Union has been removed from this book as we no
longer have the authors permission to use the material. This has
obviously had consequences for the timeline and history of
Gwenthia, as well as impacting on the development of the
continent of Gwailan.

Gwenthia is the creation of Tom Zunder and developed by The

Design Mechanism, whose contributors are:

Religion
Religion has been greatly expanded and clarified. You will find
more information on the Church of Gwenth, the Church of the
Chain, the Octaminists, The Evening Culture, and other cults and
factions.
Secrets
Some of Gwenthias design secrets are included for
Gamesmasters who need to know more about the world when
planning their adventures. Some of these secrets are hints; others
are more explicit. Use them wisely.
Maps
Bigger, better and clearer. In fact, that goes for all the illustrations
contained in this book...

Credits and Ownership

AurUrbis & Badlands
Cromaigne
Durustan
Gara-Dien
Meravaenia
Nhi-Tual
Parkhesh
Quatzadua
Spiria
Zathuria

Tom Zunder
Lawrence Whitaker
Stuart Mousir-Harrison
Charles Green and
Stuart Mousir-Harrison
Nick Middleton
Nathan Baron
David Gordon
Colin Driver
Darren Driver
Simon Bray

With sincere thanks and recognition to Pete Nash for subsequent

development work.
Layout and Design: Lawrence Whitaker and Tom Zunder
Artwork: Simon Bray, Colin Driver and Richard Huber (whose
work is used as part of the Dover Pictorial Archive Service
agreement)

Finding your Way Around

Gwenthia
This book contains a lot of information; much more than the first
edition. The Design Mechanism has therefore taken the
opportunity to reorganise and restructure the material in order to
make it clearer to use.
This book falls roughly into three sections. The first section
provides an overview of Gwenthia: its geography, people,
religions and history. The second section takes a detailed look at
the major nations of Thurian, Gwailan and the northern islands.

The third section is reserved for Gamesmasters, and contains

secrets and inside information to help GMs prepare campaigns
based within Gwenthia.
You should be able to gain a good feeling for Gwenthia just by
reading the first section. The settings chapters take you deep into
a particular region or country, expanding on material found in the
first section. Only read the third section if you are intending to
run games within Gwenthiathe information it contains is
designed to be revealed during play, and reading this material as a
player, rather than as a GM, may spoil your enjoyment of the
setting.

Table of Contents
The World of Gwenthia
Religion and Crusade
History - Ancient & Modern
AurUrbis
Badlands
Cromaigne
Gara Dien
Meraveania
Nhi Tual
Parkhesh
Quatzadua
Spiria
Zathuria

Page
5
11
21
30
37
39
47
57
69
78
86
94
97

The World of Gwenthia

T

HE PLANET OF GWENTHIA is roughly Earth-sized

and orbits its sun at a similar distance. A Gwenthian day
is 32 hours long; not a result of a slower rotation, but due
to magical forces unleashed when one of the planets moons fell
several thousand years ago. Gwenthia has seven moons, or orbs,
and whilst these satellites appear to be moon-like, they are, in fact,
either supernatural beings (which are worshipped as gods across
Gwenthia) or are the homes of supernatural entities. Thus, the
moons do not exert the same influence over the planetary tides
and atmosphere found with Earths moon.

landmass is in the tropics. AurUrbis has a temperate coastal

climate, warm in winter and humid in summer. Temperatures
hover around 3-4 degrees Celsius in winter, with occasional
snowfall, and rise to an average of 24-26 degrees Celsius in the
summer. Autumn sees continued high temperatures combined
with high rainfall, Spring is windy and temperatures rise
progressively, averaging 12-15 degrees Celsius. The Mountains of
Gold have an alpine climate. The New Province has similar
weather on the coast, but harsher winters and hotter summer in
the wooded hinterland.

The continent of Gwenthia, subdivided into the northern

landmass of Gwailan and the southern landmass of Thurian, is so
named by few in the continent itself. The names come from the
writings of Talthwyn Maptalker, itinerant bard and geographer
from the distant lands of Kumree. Flitting from nation to nation,
from court to court, Talthwyn appeared to treat the difficulties of
terrain and distance as mere trifles. His much copied and
plagiarised works include Three Krarnaks and a Caravan Barge,
Geografica Gwentha and the voluminous History of the Gwailan
Vendetta Wars. Talthwyn's works were compiled across a century
and a half, a lifespan beyond so few that it has been suggested that
fraud and impersonation may have played a greater part in
Talthwyn's latter days or that he sported Cromaignian ancestry.
His volumes have been reproduced by quill-wielding
philosophers, lead poisoned typesetters and recited to kings and
priests by harlequinned troubadours.

Nhi Tual is drier than might be expected, as is the Quatzaduan

coast. This is due to the presence of Eserrian (the landmass to the
east-south east) which blocks a warm ocean current. This lack of
warmth, coupled with the extreme height of the mountains and
highlands explains the severe cold of the Meravaenian Plateau,
despite the fact it straddles the equator. Gara-Dien is at about the
latitude of West Africa, but probably somewhat cooler and drier.

Climate
Gwenthia is an earth-like setting, and the temperature and climate
reflect this. To allow for easy comparison by our readers we have
used expressly Earth analogues to convey meaning.

Parkhesh if taken on average is as dry as dust. The south west

consists of the arid Red Desert (dotted with oases). Along the
north east and north run a chain of mountains which feed rivers
to the coast and the hot interior. To the South East is a parched
Savannah. The rivers leading in land feed small lakes. The strip of
land along the north and east coast is lush with woods and rich
pastures. Rivers provide irrigation for the land and terraced farms
are common, giving a hanging gardens feel to the coast of
Parkhesh.

The Gwenthian Calendar

Gwenthia has two major calendars, the Old and the New.

The Old is Octaminist, following the patterns of the old Order

before the Fall. Each day is 32 hours long, divided into 8 watches
The Climate of Gwailan is broadly similar to that Eurasia. The
named for the Orbs in the sky. The 8th watch, which is the only
north coast experiences temperatures and weather on a parallel
time when the sky is fully dark, is the Black Watch. This is a time
with the Baltic, or slightly cooler, chilled by a cold current running
of the creatures of the night.
from the east along the north coast of the Sea of Granite.
Although the coasts never freeze there is a seasonal risk of drifting Each week is 8 days long, each named for the Orbs, as they are
ice. Once clear of the north coast this current does not follow the known locally. Each month has 8 weeks, again, each named for
western coast but returns north. The great lakes around which are the Orbs, as they are known locally. Each year is 8 months, or 64
based the nations of the Gwailan Union may freeze depending on weeks or 512 days long. This calendar was denounced as heretical
their depth effectively blocking maritime traffic to the centre of by the Human Church of Gwenthia some 995 New Years ago,
the Union. The east coast of Gwailan benefits from the fading
and the New Calendar was proposed.
end of a warm current from the tropics, and experiences a climate
The New Calendar follows the seasons more closely. The New
not dissimilar to the Canadian Pacific Coast or western Europe.
Year consists of 7 months each of 35 days (each of 5 weeks of 7
Cromaigne and Spiria are both rather cooler than would be
days) and a shorter 8th month (the Dark Month) lasting 10 days.
suggested by their latitudes. Menerain in Cromaigne is about the
The 8th month is despised and full of dark portents. So the new
latitude of Madrid, with an expected "Irish" climate, while
year is (7x35days) + 10 = 245 days of normal months plus 10 days
Montemphis in Spiria is about the latitude of London with an
of the Dark Month. It was found that the new year was better
expected "Scottish" climate. Neither island benefits from any
served as having 255 days rather than 256 because of the seasons
warm oceanic currents heading north from the equator, due to the and measurements of the solstices and equinoxes.
presence of the continent of Sianthor off to the south-west.
The New Calendar venerates the Seven Gods of the Moons and
The Climate of Thurian is noticeably warmer since much of the
the Five Messengers as well as vilifying the Devourer. The 8th

month is a sacred time - where the followers of the Human

Church of Gwenthia re-enact the end of the Golden Age and the
Fall of the Dark Orb. The beginning of each year would then be
celebrated with joy as the world passes into a new year after
enduring the attempted rising of the 8th god.

People

Croman (Cromaigne)

Gwenthia supports many races. Most are derived from human

stock, but there are clear signs of evolutionary development,
mutation, cross-fertilisation and genetic engineering.

Cromans (Homo sapiens cromanis)

are unique to the island ofCromaigne
and are the result of centuries of
interbreeding between pure-strain
humans of the ancient Meravae
Empire, and the humanoid
Forerunners. Croman are human
like in physicality but differ in certain
key respects: they all have six fingers
on each hand; enjoy life-spans
greater than the human norm (150
200 years of age is common), and
they are resistant to disease and general illness.

Arboreal (Quatzadua)
Arboreals (Homo sapiens
arborealis), make up the majority
of the population found in the
thick Western jungles of
Quatzadua. It is rumoured that the
race is the result of the first
Zathurian experiment in evolving
intelligent life from the native
primitives, although they are
considered to be human.
Pure-breds are easily recognisable
by their wide eyes and long arms.
Standing at only around five feet
on their short legs, these light-boned hominids are equally at
home on the ground or in the trees. Their sharp eyesight, coupled
with their ability to easily traverse the tree-line, make them much
sought after by mariners; though by nature, most have a natural
aversion to the ocean. In speech they tend to use the common
Quatzaduan tongue, although in private they still use their own
short-speak; a medley of calls, clicks and whistles which are
reminiscent of the native fauna and said to carry for miles when
required. Arboreals tend to be more secular than other humans
but some do frequent towns and cities.

Cromans are, by nature, reserved and thoughtful. Haste is a rare

trait in a Croman, and cool patience and deliberation a common
commodity. Many see the Croman as cold, unemotional beings,
but this is an uncharitable view. They are passionate about the
arts, philosophy, commerce and, in the kingdom of Amerain,
etiquette and history. With close friends and confident they are
open, happy and gregarious, but keep such displays masked for
normal social discourse.

Forerunner (Extinct)
The origin of the Forerunners is unknown, but they were clearly
not human, although were human-like. Essentially the
Forerunners were a slave-race of the Ancients and were, in
themselves, powerful magicians. When humans first arrived in
Gwenthia, ostensibly to destroy the Forerunners, the two species
allied, and formed the Meravae Empire that dominated most of

A Brief Guide to the Nations of Gwenthia

AurUrbis
The seat of learning and culture in Gwenthia,
AurUrbis spans the continents of Thurian and
Gwailan at the Golden Isthmus. Its physical
division is mirrored in the two species that
make-up the population: the black-skinned,
diminutive prodigies that are the KiMentis, and
the tall, fair-haired, KiDelan. A complex
relationship exists between the two, but
AurUrban society exhibits levels of peace and
sophistication that are found nowhere else on
the planet.

Badlands
Bordering AurUrbis, Meravaenia and Parkhesh,
this is bandit countryrugged and dangerous,
and filled with all manner of villainy, mutation,
vile sorcery, and evil-intent.

rather than its land area. What Durustan

lacks in overt power it makes up in
Home to the kingdoms of Amerain, Menerain
economic influence. The Kastu are the
and Spharain, Cromaigne is sophisticated,
primary Gwenthain suppliers of highest
insular, and enthralled to its violent history.
quality, but low volume, metals as well as
The three kingdoms of the island have very
possessing impressive skills in the
different characteristics and cultures which are,
production of complex chemicals. They
seemingly, in conflict with each other. In
addition, Cromaigne is home to countless spirits would rather mint other countries' coins
and manifestations of nature. Many were
than supply them with basic metals in bulk.

Cromaigne

trapped or imprisoned by the Evening Culture,

and remain so to the present times. Others
have simply taken to hiding from humankind,
so damaged are they by their experiences.

Durustan
Durustan does not, at present, play a
prominent role in Gwenthia. Its influence
is more in keeping with its population,

Gara-Dien
Gara-Dien is a lush, hilly and mountainous
region, with extensive forests rising to the
central heights, and fertile, grassy plains to
the north and along the coast to the south.
The Harmonious Empire (as it is styled) is a

Thurian for almost 5,000 years.

Iqari (Cromaigne & Elsewhere)

Within the Meravae Empire,

interbreeding between humans and
Forerunners was forbidden (although
clearly possible). However, when the
dissidents known as The Evening
Culture broke away from the Empire,
and colonised the island of Cromaigne,
interbreeding took place between them,
and the Croman race was the result.
As a distinct species, the Forerunners
have disappeared from Gwenthia, with the last of their kind
departing with the disappearance of the Meravae Empire 2,200
years ago.

Humans
Humans (homo sapiens sapiens) were
brought to Gwenthia to destroy the
Forerunners, but instead formed an
alliance with them and prospered. They
are now the dominant species, and racial
variations are common. It is, perhaps,
the human ability to adapt to, and
influence, the environment, that has led
to the experimentation that has created
the various sub-species such as the
Arboreals, Croman, Shades and Tharux.

mostly human nation bent on spreading its

style of government, faith, and martial
prowess to the entire known world. Each
child brought up within the Empire is, at
least in theory, taught that the Jade Path,
the state religion and system of
government, is as close to perfect as
humans are able to get. As such, it is the
Empires holy duty to the Lady of Doors?
to spread her faith amongst the rest of the
world, whether the people on the receiving
end want it or not. The holy mission of
educating the populace is performed by the
famous Jade College from its massive
headquarters in the capital city of Moorvia

At first glance the Iqari appear to be a cross

between giant raptors and (giant) humans.
Standing at more than two point five meters
in height, Iqari are daunting just for their
size. The muscular arms and hugely
developed torso are humanoid, but from the
waist down and neck up they are bird like. A
pair of wings extends from complex, overdeveloped shoulder blades, and a fan of tail feathers extends
behind. Female Iqari retain breasts although they provide no
nutritional benefit whilst raising chicks.

Iqari can fly using their massive wings. Adult wingspan is typically
between 22-26 feet for both males and females. The shouldermounted wings are extremely powerful, requiring a massively deep
chest to mount the strongest muscles in the body.
An Iqari can launch itself from a standing position, achieving
rapid height very quickly; however such manoeuvres are strenuous
and Iqari prefer to launch themselves from high ledges. They take
advantage of uplifts and thermals to save energy, and can glide for
hours at a time without flapping. The most skilful flyers can
achieve speeds of over thirty kilometres per hour by gliding, and
twice this by actively beating their wings. Iqari cannot hover.
Iqari are most frequently found in Cromaigne, where they
dominate the central mountains of the island. However, Iqari
colonies are found further afield, such as in the mountains of
AurUrbis.

this culture. Also, the smaller Kitar Island

has been taboo for centuries, and only
within the past year have Exploration
Teams been able to even get to it. Their
findings have not been made public, but
are rumoured to be gruesome.

as to constitute a sub-species of human.

Of the various nations within the Meravaenia

region, the Republic of Telbrin is the most
vibrant and outgoing. Its people are natural
explorers (some would say thieves),
thaumaturgists (some would say sorcerers of the
worst kind) and merchants (some would say
crooks). Telbrin is expansionist, adventurous,
Meravaenia
and quite prepared for confrontationalthough
Occupying the central plateau of the Thurian
it seems to have avoided major clashes thus far.
continent, Meravaenia is, in fact, a collection of
Some speculate, but do not openly voice, the
loose republics and independent nation states.
similarities with the long-departed Meravae
The name for this region (and as a consequence,
Empire...
for its peoples) is a misnomer, and refers to the
extinct Meravae Empire that occupied this
Nhi-Tual
areaand beyondfor almost five thousand
Land of the Goddess, Khur-Ishida, Nhi-Tual is
years. The people of the plateau never refer to
a harsh, barren land that is home to several very
themselves as Meravae, but rather to their
Garadien was built upon the ruins of a
different tribes of humans. Once a fertile and
particular
region,
such
as
the
Republic
of
much older civilization, and countless relics
prosperous land, the Tual rejected the demon
Telbrin, Xantir, or the High Kingdom.
of that culture are still buried beneath the
rulers who provided such bounty and embraced
verdant soils of the grasslands and the
This is an essentially human region, although
instead the newly arrived Goddess, who
the mountain-dwelling people of the High
inland desert. Scholars speculate that the
promised true paradise only after a life of
desert has something to do with the fall of Kingdom are so adapted to their environment

harsh environment of the desert.

Numerous tribes now exist across the
Red Desert, each with their own
Lapithians are a race of mountain
allegiance to the policital entities
dwelling, bi-pedal humanoids that
bordering the Red Desert. The jealously
are mostly found in Spiria (the
guard the ruines of the Ancients which
spiritual center of the entire
Lapithian race) and the Mountains of sit on what were once islands in the
Lagoon. They're internecine wars have
Gold in AurUrbis. They are on
average 6 feet tall, have long snouts, proved advantagous to Parkheshi
long and thin tongues, grey fur, large imperial desire, but many Nomads still
remember the betrayal of Maluja who corrupted a number of the
humanoid hands and acidic saliva.
tribes. Some of these Sand Free Nomads have settled in Duresh,
They also live to about 80 years old
Khalesh, Tukresh and other provinces of Greater Parkhesh.
on average and many worship the
Mountain God. Many become blacksmiths or armourers and rank
amongst the finest in Gwenthia for these particular crafts.

Lapithians (Spiria)

Shades (Quatzadua)

Lapithians are heavily reliant on mountains for neutrients, and

therefore Lapithian settlements are commonly found by
mountainsides (around Mt Oreas for example). They feed on
small insects, which they usually snatch up from small cracks in
the mountain using their long tongues, and rock minerals which
are broken down by the Lapithian's acidic saliva. This strange diet
naturally causes caves to form in the mountainsides they feed on,
which female Lapithians use as a temporary home during their
pregnancy, as nutrients are readily available to them when needed.

Red Desert Nomads (Parkhesh)

Believed to be the Servitor Race that was served the Forerunners
who lived in the idylic lagoon that is now the Red Desert. Some
5000 years ago they were aquatic but have since adapted to the
hardship and toil.
The people of Nhi Tual are semi-nomadic,
intrinsically xenophobic, and vehemently
protective of their goddess and way of life.
Outsiders are viewed, at best, with suspicion
and, in the worst case (the Parkheshi, in
particular), with utter hatred.

Parkhesh
Once a province of the mighty Meravae
Empire, Parkesh is, in reality, a collection of
city-states that surround the vast Red Desert of
the interior. Parkhesh has a long, complex, and
violent history. It has seen four civil wars, and
the rise and fall of the powerful
prophet/sorcerer Maluja. However, the most
curiousand, some find, disturbing aspect of
Parkheshis the treatment of the dead.
Indeed, the Parkhesh believe that death is no
barrier to continued usefulness, and have
developed complex magics to reanimate the
dead and put them to social use. Mummified

Shades (Homo sapiens chameleus) are a

sub-species of human residing in
Quatzadua. Originally the children of
the first Tarazon (see the chapter on
Quatzadua for more details), the race still
breeds true in Terexta and Xzanpthia.
More wide-spread than Arboreals,
Shades are found in all regions of
Quatzadua. Also referred to by some as
"the bright ones"(due to the females golden-red pallor when in
season), both names derive from the races natural ability to subtly
change their skin-tone to match their surroundings (a useful ability
- where minimal clothing is required). Where it not for this ability
(along with the six proto-filaments growing over the ears and into
the hair-line), Shades would look all but human.

bodies perform many servant-like chores

throughout the country, and and entire
mummified armies are maintained to defend the
city leagues.

Quatzadua
At the far south of the Thurian continent lies
Quatzadua.

(Nhiaquat being a notable example) but who or

what created them remains unanswered. It is
thought (though not proved) that family groups
of Arboreals did not have the level of
technology required at the time and humans
were too busy fighting for survival to have
created such fetes.

Around three thousand years ago, rumours that

Quatzads were worshiping The Earth God
The country is a juxtaposition of high
spread to the surrounding countries; carried by
mountains, steaming tropical jungles, high
pampas and sub-tropical grass and wetland. Due traders willing to travel to Taxica in the East
to its high southern cliffs, along with its distance and Pazzoxa in the West.
from the central hub of activity, the country lay Shortly after this time the Shade race entered
largely undisturbed (and indeed ignored) until
the picture. It is rumoured that they are the
around 3,000 years ago. Occasional travellers
offspring of the first Tarazon, as their ability to
from the neighbouring lands of Nhi-Tual and
change their skin-tone to match their
Gara-Dien left their mark to a small degree but background and vestigial signs of head-tendrils
the high mountains and impenetrable Jungles
is reminiscent of the lords of Zathur.
thwarted further colonisation. That civilisation
existed before this time is beyond question
Spiria
though, as ancient ruins abound within both the
North of Cromaigne, the island of Spiria is
Western Jungles and along the Thexadin River
home to the rock-eating Lapithians, and the vast

Tharux (Zathuria and Elsewhere)

The Tharux are a rich dark brown
skinned people, noted for their slim
frames, tall stature and quick
movements. They are great thinkers
and have a natural affinity with
science and technology, a gift they
claim was bestowed upon them by
their Zathurian overlords. Their eyes
are black, as is there hair (which
many of them shave off or braid into
locks in emanation of the Zathurian
head tendrils). Long necks, small
heads and thin limbs are their ideal of beauty and many Tharux
use neck rings to extend their throats to a pleasing length. It is
also common for women to cut their earlobes into pleasant forms.
Amongst men the ideal form is to possess a large head, with long
stretched earlobes, both being a sign of intelligence and wisdom.
Head moulding is common amongst both genders, and many
older Tharux can have greatly lengthened skulls (this practice is of
course enforced by parents on their children). Some Tharux carry
Zathurian genes, possessing the nictacting membranes found in
certain Zathurian castes, or the ability to adjust skin colour.
This emphasis on appearance has lead to a caste system
developing amongst the Tharux. The ruling nobles form the
highest caste or Zamogeb, their inbreeding has lead to them
developing extremely Zathurian like characteristics, they rule the
clans which form the backbone of the nation. The next social rank
is the Hagovens?, made of thinkers, scientists and engineers. The
Mount Oreasvenerated by the Lapithians.
The Lapithians are completely peaceful people,
and are thus often overlooked in the affairs of
the world. This has worked completely to
Spirias advantage; it has been allowed to focus
on its religion and quiet dedication to Mount
Oreas utterly unhindered.

Zathuria
Zathur is a land of three distinct cultures living
together in an uncomfortable symbiosis. It
proclaims itself to be the most ancient land in
all the world, ruled by immortals that remember
when the gods walked upon the earth and man
flew in the heavens like seraphim amongst the
stars. It is a land of radical juxtapositions, the
ancient Zathurians live amongst colossal and
impossible cities that defy the technology? of
the rest of Gwenthia, and yet they are trapped
within them by the fear of mortality. They have
powers and abilities that make them godlike to
all around them; they are served by inhuman

Ramovens? is made up of a warrior heirachy, and is extremely

militaristic in its make up. The Tarovens are landworkers, farmers
and petty crafters. Finally the Domvens are landless peasants, who
rely upon to good will of their masters for survival. Slaves are a
common sight in all Tharux clans, all castes apart from the
Domvens maintain slaves in their households.
More detail on Tharuxi and their affinity with technology can be found in the
Zathurian chapter.

Zathurians (Zathurian Arcologies)

The Zathurians are an alien race, not
native to Gwenthia. Their true origins
are only known to themselves, but
they are called the Children of the
Moons' by many cultures. They are a
xenophobic and agoraphobic race
that dwell in sealed cities of great age
and advanced technology. They have
access to devices and knowledge far
beyond the rest of Gwenthia; they are
masters of science, and yet they seem
to dwell in a state of arcane stasis,
never progressing in their
development.

servants and talk directly with the gods, yet fear

to tread beyond the taboo laden borders of the
Zathuri Marg. The Tharux are city dwellers that
believe the Zathurians to be deities of great
power, their small towns and cities litter the
Tharagax region, but are mere shadows of the
arcologies of their masters, yet are extremely
beautiful with their white washed walls, ornate
tiles, glittering temples and masterfully devised
gardens. are
There are also lesser peoples within the domain
of Zathur, most notably the psychic Ghazazi
and the enslaved mountain people known as the
Tegreet. They each have their own roles to play
in the future of Zathur, yet mostly remain
unseen from the eyes of the casual visitor.

Religion & Crusade

W

HETHER PRAYING QUIETLEY to the great Bull

God in the Sacred Horn Temple of Urthan, or
dancing with one's ancestors in the faraway city of
Denipatakano in Kitar, Gwenthia has diverse and varied
theologies. Talthwyn was most fascinated to trace the links and
strands that were shared by the world's religions; as with most
syncretists he stretched this beyond all meaning or sense.
Gwenthia has various strands and themes in religion, with
Northern Thurian having a common thread based in original
polytheism, worshipping the 8 Orbs (Octaminist) and the
subsequent revolutionary AurUrban Church of Gwenthia which
deposed the Eighth Orb in the Octaminist Crusades in it's home
territory of AurUrbis, Cromaigne and Meravaenia. Despite the
attempts of the Hectaminists they were unable to end thousands
of years of Octaminism in Parkhesh.
The key surviving example of Octaminist faith in Thurian is in
Parkhesh and is the Octaminist Church.
Examples of the Hectaminist faiths, many of which are showing
the influence of syncretism include:

AurUrban Church of Gwenthia, the root church only found

in AurUrbis.

Human Church of Gwenthia, the heretical but friendly

offshoot of the first church, strong in parts of Cromaigne,
Meravaenia and western Badlands.

Churches Of The Chain, dominant in Meravaenia

In Nhi-Tual the tribespeople and city dwellers worship the

Dragon Goddess Khur-Ishida who defeated the Seven False
Gods around 3000 BP. The religion is essentially monotheistic in
that it denounces all other deities as false.
Further south in Quatzadua the people worship the cthonic Earth
God through the intercession of the Tarazon, part high priest,
part avatar. They reject all other gods, but retain the mystical path
of the warrior that is the The Cult of Murazcoatl.

Across Thurian missionaries from the mysterious lands of

Gwailan preach millenial and apocalyptic messages. The
Righteous Ascendant priests in their red leather gear preach that
they are the Geneweavers themselves, awaiting the coming of the
One True God and that all must live lives of poverty and purity in
preparation for this apocalyptic day. Fortunately for the
missionaries they are known as great scribes and as such their odd
views are viewed with humour and tolerance, although small
groups of acolytes are known across the land

On Gods and Men

Gods are real. They do move mountains, send storms, bring peace
and love, appear at battles and strike foes. Priests who are
apostate cease to be able to perform miracles, worshippers who
are pious and pure go to their god's afterlife. Gods are, however,
local. The Xemarch Turtle of New Province is not quite the same
as Xemarch Lonely Sigh of Kaipor. The syncretic theologian Kurg
Grace spoke of this in her Treatise of a Theologian outside of Time;
some deities seem self-aware of this localisation, especially the
greatest and most worshipped, others are blissfully unaware and
seem in fact to be separate spirits sharing a name and little more.
Religions are sometimes separate to deities. The Gwenthian
Gnostics practice religion but disdain gods, saying there is a
higher being above all the petty deities, cloaked in Heaven and
only reachable through meditation. Few publically renounce all
religion, but some scandalous aristocrats and intelligentsia
sometimes attract notoriety by hinting at it.
Religions wield considerable wealth, magic, cultural resources and
science in much of Gwenthia. Some act for good, some act for
self interest, few actively work for evil. Conflicts defined as good
versus evil or moral versus immoral are inevitable difference of
opinion about the underlying ideologies, or are smokscreens to
cover a practical real world conflict over power or wealth.

The Adoration of the Zathurians

According to Tharux belief there are seven Great Celestial Lords

of the Zathurians, who rule over their land from their golden
cities. They are immortal entities who bestow blessings upon the
people. They came to Gwenthia to liberate the people from the
oppression of the Eight Orbs who enslaved the world. Each
The Jade Path of Gara-Dien teaches that profession and one's role Great Celestial Lord has a particular emnity for one of the orbs
and seeks to pull it down from heaven. The greatest hero of the
in society is interlinked with one's religous duty and observance.
This state religion has largely replaced earlier animist and pantheist Tharux Mythology is Ghulmash, who destroyed the physical body
of Nytag the Eighth Orb and dragged it from heaven, for his
traditions.
actions he ascended beyond the universe into glory.
All of religion in Zathur is centred on worshipping the alien
The Other Great Celestial Lords are.
beings that are the Zathurians. From the Zharaan Animist
Tradition to the The Adoration of the Zathurians, all worship is
Zatrang, Sailor of the Star Seas
directed to these creatures. Outsiders view this with great
Khornur, Lord of the Comet
cynicism, but to a Tharux the divinity of the Zathurians is
undoubted.
Maduk, Breaker of Heavens
Gwenthian Gnosticism is prevalent as small cults in Northern
Thurian and is viewed with suspicion by the masses. It is largely
tolerated as a non evangelising minority within the main religous
traditions, except in Nhi-Tual where it is seen as demon worship.

Onet, Walker of the Night

Jekarra, Dreaming Warrior
Misapur, The Wisdom of the Cosmos
Khranpur, The Holy Aura

Each has a Golden City (or arcology) named after them.

The AurUrban Church of Gwenthia

The AurUrban Church of Gwenthia is a polytheistic faith that
worships the Goddess Gwenthia as the inspiration that helped
humans free themselves from the oppression of the Devourer
after he had stolen the human race from their rightful home. They
honour the Seven Orbs as the husbands of Gwenthia who aided
the humans to free themselves. The faith is open, tolerant and
welcoming to other species as children on the Seven, but keeps
initiation and membership limited to pure bred humans and the
KiMentas who serve Her. The Human Church of Gwenthia is a
friendly schism.
AurUrbans are devout worshippers of Gwenthia as the Earth
Mother. The KiMentas form the priesthood, the High Temple is
both at and is the City of Gwenth in the Mountains of Gold.
Within that each city favours one of the Seven Gods of the
Moons as it's patron deity, and views it as the Husband God of
Gwenth in that city, to AurUrbans all the Seven Gods are male.
Gwenthia has seven celestial bodies, known in AurUrbis as Moon
Husbands. Seven can be seen clearly in the sky, and an eighth is
believed to exist but to be dark. The Moon Husbands are the
husbands of Gwenth, who freed humans from the evil Eighth
Moon God. The Eighth Moon is Dark, its occupant cast down for
his role as the Devourer, the bringer of the Void. The Dark God,
Devourer, Fallen One is worshipped and propitiated only by dark
and death cults. It is said by the KiMentas that when the
Devourer was cast down from the Sky he shattered into 47376
pieces, and that should people turn to sin again those 47376
pieces will come together and the Fallen One will rise again.

Cromaignian kingdom of Menerain after the First Octaminist

Crusade and was evangelised across Gwenthia by the devout
Menerainian monks who became known as the Earth-Seers. It
became widespread in the Meravae Empire during the Second
Octaminist Crusade, where it syncretised with local beliefs, the
older Octaminist Church and influenced the Churches of the
Chain. The militant arm of the faith are members of the Knights
of the Rose, but ironically the most lauded haghunter of all, Prince
yrGael is not a member of the faith (owing to the fact that he
denies the existence of all gods).

The Church of the Chain

The Churches of the Chain also known as the Children of Xantir,
the Xantiric sects or the Churches of the Seven
The cultures of the Plateau of Meravaenia all adhere to some form
of the Church of the Great Chain of Being, a belief that the seven
Orbs somehow represent or embody certain fundamental aspects
of existence which together are the links of creation that make
existence possible:
The Anchor of the Chain:

Mother Gwenth

The Links of the Chain:

Lady of Stone?: Rock, Purple

Lady of Air?: Wind, Orange

Father of Fires?: Sun, Yellow

Lord of Waters?: Sea, Blue

Weaver of Mists?: Mist, Grey

The Green?: Plants

The Red?: Predator, Prey and Carrion

The Companions of the Chain

The core catechism of AurUrban faith is: '' We are the Lost, the
Stolen, those brought to Gwenthia by the Fallen One and made to
Teller: Direct Dominance, Giving Orders, Conflict and
toil for It as slaves. We, who with the Seven, contacted the
Revenge
inneffable Goddess Gwenthia and drove the Devourer from the
Heavens and freed human kind with the aid of the KiMentas who
Hunter: Subtle Dominance, Manipulation and Survival
turned against the Devourer and drove him from the Sky.''
The Church was the prime mover in the overthrow of the
Octaminist Church and the Octaminist Crusades.

Talker: Trade, Communication, Co-Operation

Knower: Knowledge, Learning, also Sorcery and hidden

wisdom

Dancer: Sky and Spirit

The Human Church of Gwenthia

Unlike the AurUrban version of the faith, any sapient species may
join the priesthood and each community of worshippers view all
temples as equal (this has been known to be viewed differently by
some kings and priests). The Church was founded in the

That which is outside the Chain, the Broken Link

Void: Darkness and Devourer

Civilised folk (or those who like to think of themselves as such)

throughout the Plateau worship the Great Chain of Being and in
general most favour the Church of the Lady of Air, or the Lady of
Stone (also sometimes known as Mother Gwenth). The links of
the Chain are regarded as abstract forces / principles and although
ascribed a gender in some cases are not viewed as
anthropomorphic personifications particularly. The Companions
are similarly viewed as somewhat abstract, but more like
archetypes, and astrologers of the Chain can (apparently) predict
much about a person's life based on precise charting of the
position of the Orbs and the Companions at the time of their
birth. This practice is not part of official church doctrine, but it is
remarkable how many organisational structures in Plateau cultures
use a unit of five...
The tribes of the High Kingdoms pay most direct attention to the
Red and Green, but their shamanic tradition is markedly different
to the Churches of the Red and Green found in the rest of the
Plateau, and heavily influenced by the Companions of the Chain.
Indeed, the Republic of Telbrin is becoming openly hostile to the
violent rights of the Beast Cults in the Hallex River Valley, and
the Kol-shek dVanan has indicated his displeasure as well. In
general, the Republic is moving increasingly towards a secular
state and the Churches of the Chain are increasingly marginalized
but the first overt hostility has been against the Beast Cults so
the other churches have perhaps not realised the extent to which
that hostility is symptomatic of wider anti-religious sentiment in
the Consulate of the Republic. Whilst Telbrin, like most of the
followers of the Xantiric theology of the Great Chain, are
respectful of the Kol-shek dVanan, the seven Churches of the
Chain in the Republic are independent of the direct authority of
the Kol-shek dVanan.
Xantir teaches that the spirit (that which is bound by the chain)
must be free to move along the chain at death all sects teach the
Words of Releasing the Spirit, to be said over a dead body and
which cause the body to burn to ash, releasing the spirit to
continue in the cycles of the chain. All the Meravae Plateau
cultures regard life clinging (spirits remaining housed in dead
flesh) with great repugnance. The spirits of the Honoured Dead
however (those ancestral spirits released from the shackles of
material existence that choose to return to guide their
descendants) are treated with great reverence and much folklore
revolves around the ambiguities and difficulties of placating angry
or upset ancestral spirits. Even the poorest family will have a
shrine to their ancestors, and woes betide the family abandoned
by (or that abandons) their Honoured Dead.
Void (also known as The Dark, Darkness, The Devourer, The
Eater of All and a variety of other names) is feared and reviled
throughout the plateau, although in Telbrin is generally regarded
as a metaphor rather than a reality. It is generally identified
with/conflates the Night Hag and the Dark God so often found

in Thurian belief systems, and quit clearly in pre-Octaminist

Crusade beliefs of the region was the Eighth link of the Great
Chain...
Dancer? is a mercurial figure in Xantiric theology, largely
marginalized and ignored, but a central figure in folk myths and
old wives tales throughout the plateau and the primary myth
figure amongst the Merav Nation, being both the first Shaman
and the primary ancestral figure of all the tribes, each of which is
governed by a Hand (Teller, Hunter, Talker, Knower, Dancer) of
Elders.

The Earth God of Quatzadua

Rumours of The Earth-God of Quatzadua reached the rest of the
Thurian continent around 3,000 years ago, although he had
undoubtedly been worshipped in the land prior to this as his
church was already well established.
Little is known of this deity apart from his ability to bless his
followers with fertility (for themselves, their livestock and their
crops), provide them with rich ores or smite the land with
withering plagues.
Early temples to this deity were no more than open-cast mines,
where the God's riches were reaped by his followers. Later
examples are more lavish. Some being shaped into amphitheatres
or inverted pyramids and covered with paintings and carvings.
Surrounding the temples are ornately carved pillars or pagodas. It
is rumoured that some of the faces carved into these act as the
eyes of the God, allowing him to monitor both his subjects and
their level of piety.
The Earth God also provides guidance for his people of
Quatzadua through his mouth-piece the Gods chosen or
Tarazon; his sole representative on Gwenthia.
The Priesthood is made up of the Senate and the fanatical WordBearers.
The latter travel the land spreading the true word of God which is
tattooed into their skin, to avoid any ambiguity.

Octaminist Philosophy of Parkhesh

The Octaminist Church worships the full 8 Orbs . Believed to
have been purged in the Octaminist Crusades the religion is now
found openly only in parts of Parkhesh. There is a mistaken belief
that the Octaminist Church only worships the eighth orb. This is
not true. Of all the churches it is the most holistic. It venerates the
seven moons, the eighth moon, the Five Messengers (visible as
the five brightest stars in the Gwenthian niht sky) and Goddess
Gwenthia herself.
Although the eighth moon was destroyed, to Parkheshi, it still
exists. Its material form is not present but its spiritual form is still
as potent. Octaminists see the Moons almost as a large

squabbling family, wrought with sibling rivalry. Octaminists

believe that the moons are both malign and benign, and
sometimes those aspects are worshipped by the same people.
The seven moons are associated with seven spirits with a more
powerful eighth spirit (now free of it's body). The Five
Messengers weave their way between the seven moons allowing
the seven spirits to manifest on Gwenthia and to communicate
with Gwenthians. Only the eighth moon does not require the
Messengers to interact with people directly (and there is even a
heretical group of Octaminsts who believe the Five Messengers
are the Eigth Moon).

Khur-Ishida, Dragon Goddess

The Dragon Goddess, Khur-Ishida, is worshipped exclusively in
Nhi-Tual. In the Distant past, the Tual were ruled by Seven
Demons, who demanded to be worshipped as Gods. In return,
Nhi-Tual (which means Land of Tual), was kept vibrant and
fertile. Thanks to the reign of the Seven False Gods, the Tual
became a technologically advanced people, building great cities
and wondrous machines. The rule of the Seven False Gods went
unabated for thousands of years, despite several rebellions,
incursions by other nations, and the Crusades against the Night
Hag.
But four warriors rose up against the Seven False Gods, and
overthrew them, with the help of mysterious Goddess, KhurIshida, who appeared in Nhi-Tual shortly after the eighth moon
disintegrated in the sky. Their reward was to be transformed into
the four Guardian Dragons of Nhi-Tual, and all Tual believe that
they may be given the Dragon mantle when they die. The Tual
thus believe Goddess brings eternal life, allowing all Tual to
ascend to the heavens as dragons and to join her in her Celestial
Court.
Khur-Ishida appeared around 3,000 years ago, when a great
Comet fell from the sky and into the sea off the coast of L-Tual.
What arose from the waters was a beautiful sight to all that beheld
it. According to the scriptures, it was a large silver dragon; its tail
stretched for over a mile, and its shadow plunged the island into
darkness. This dragon was the Goddess Khur-Ishida.
Then followed what the Tual call the War of Restitution, when
the follows of Khur-Ishida waged war on the seven false gods.
The goddess called forth seven warriors (one from each of the
seven tribes). She empowered them with the ability to defeat the
seven false gods. This war came to ahead at the Battle of KhaSanata; the bloodiest battle of the war. After the battle was won
by the Khur-Ishida followers, the seven false gods manifested
themselves within the walls of the city!
It was after that that Khur-Ishida herself appeared, and in one
breath, she blew fire over the city, utterly destroying it. The Tual
watched as the seven false gods burst into flame, before they were
reduced to ash. The Testament of Khur-Ishida ends with the

transformation of the four warriors into the four Dragons of Nhi

Tual.
It is promised that Tual upon their deaths, their soul is
transformed into a Dragon of great power that flies to the
Celestial Court, and takesup residence there, in true paradise,
awaiting the time when the final battle is upon the world, and
Khur-Ishida calls upon the Dragon-kin to deliver the world into a
new, golden age.
The Lazmastu Path
Harken to the words of the Master Lazmastu and be fruitful.
"To each reward in proportion to attainment.
He who takes what is, and makes the most excellent, receives the most
excellent.
He who takes what is, and makes the least valuable, receives the least
valuable."
The orthodox practice among the Kastu of Durustan is the
following of The Lazmastu Path, often referred to as "The Most
Excellent Way." This is followed by the vast majority of the
Kastu, and most of the Doru, although their forms are almost
always admixed with, or even dominated by, numerous smaller,
and far more personal practices. Such heterodoxy is ignored by
most Kastu as long as social order and productivity are not
adversely affected.
Lazmastu's Path sets out the obligations, responsibilities, rights
and doctrines required for the pursuit of excellence. It is a
complimentary mixture of practices, philosophies and modes of
behaviour and while it provides a rule for daily living the Path
itself is ambiguous about many issues that might be classed as
"religious", such as the nature of worship, faith, ethical behaviour
and what happens after this life. Correct practice (orthopraxy) is
valued far above correct belief (orthodoxy).
Rewards for devotion and use of skill are definitely of this world,
with the highest achievers being portrayed as exemplars and
paragons, effectively ruling Durustan in the form of the "Body of
Virtue." Rosanarab the Satirist quipped that there were as many
competing interpretations, and hence Sects of the Lazmastu Path,
that each one found in Hokulkastun could have a representative in
the Body of Virtue!
Irrespective of the speicifics of each sect it is a religious duty and
the highest virtue to produce the best from available resources,
and, wherever possible, to recycle the relics of the Forerunners
and Geneweavers. This is a basic part of the Kastu psyche as they
were quite literally tailor-made to produce the best possible from
whatever raw materials are available, which in the years after the
fall of the Geneweavers included much within the rubble.
There are three competing strands of thought within which all of
the multitudinous sects of path fall.
Some sects are theistic, holding to the existence of a supreme

God, who is often portrayed as distant and largely unknowable.

Most of this group view this God as the creator who set the world
in motion and then left those he had created to look after it. The
The state religion of the Garadien comes in two forms: The
Righteous Ascendant Movement hold a rather extreme form of
Workers Path and The Warriors Path. Both paths are seen as
this position.
integral to society, and are given equal, but firmly separate,
standing. It is common knowledge that everyone exists to operate
The majority of sects are agnostic - the nature and very existence
within one of these two paths, and only certain rare people can
of deities cannot be proven nor disproved; if they do exist they
switch paths during their lives. People naturally fall towards one
are unknowable. The Sages of Hypotet belong to this school.
of these paths, which means that your life is pre-ordained. (Critics
The remaining sects are decidedly atheistic - convinced of the
of the Gara'Dien decry this as a social control mechanism.)
logical proof of the non-existence of a supreme deity and any
Walking any of the paths is considered to be the worship of the
subsidiary supernatural powers. The Devouring Realists? are one
Lady of Doors, the goddess that brought Garadien to Gwenthia.
such sect.
If a person can walk the Jade Path long enough, the Lady will
send them through a door in space, so that her worship can
Thus even among the theists the general mood among the Kastu
spread to other worlds.
is towards a non-interventionist supreme deity.

The Jade Path of GaraDien

Discussions about the nature of the Orbs are similar, varying from
a personification of each as a supernatural demi-urge among the
theists (who see the Dark One as the personification of Pride and
Vengeance and point to the power and personhood of the Star
Child as evidence for their case) through to personless and
essentially randomly existing sources of natural power among the
atheists. As always the agnostics hold a middle view, they might
well be supernatural, but they are ultimately beyond philosophical
understanding, as is the issue of whether they possess sapience.

By far, the vast majority of people walk the Workers path. This
tradition trains people to perform any tasks that arent directly
involved in fighting for conquest. This includes such jobs as
smithing, farming, and husbandry. It also includes surprising
occupations, like government positions, clergy and craftspeople.
There is also a Magicians Path in the Path of the Worker, where
students learn magic not specifically related to battlefield use
(research, investigation, other practical uses, although some
offensive magic is taught.)

The dominant argument concerning the hereafter is that just as

the old is recycled into the new, so it is right and proper for the
bodys components to be employed to the wider benefit of the
rest, which is the staple of the Devouring Realists?. Property is
similarly dispensed, although it may be redeemed by kin for the
payment of a fee judged to be of equivalent value. While most
theistic and agnostic practitioners believe in the existence of a
soul, which is refined through various life-times until it reaches
purity and passes beyond, the atheists tend to see no need for any
existence beyond sight and deny the existence of a soul.

Since there is mandatory military training for almost everyone in

Garadien, the basic precepts of the Warriors path are well
known. However, those that choose to stay on it can become
warriors of almost godlike ability. They are weapons of the
Empire, used to enforce its ideals through might of arms and
energy.

The Jade Paths religious teachings are that each person walks a
blessed jade path during their life, and the energy they great and
give off as they grow feeds those around them and also feeds the
archetypal demigod called the Lord or Lady of that particular
Worship and devotion are practiced daily by most believers in the path. For example, the Lord of the Path of the Soldier is called
simple and reverent pursuit of their labours. However to outsiders Marturu, a figure of dark armour and strength of arms. Those that
walk his path are given aid in battle, and are said to be able to
most of the Kastu seem to engage in no acts of worship
overcome any odds. All of these Lords and Ladies in turn petition
whatsoever and the only religious activity is attributed to the few
Doru who gather around shrines of small size, or more occasional their favoured followers to the Lords of the two main paths.
in larger venues. These shrines and temple complexes are stylised
workshops, created to allow the unproductive, or slightly
eccentric, a framework for religious duty and devotion. Such acts When the eighth moon fell and was destroyed, the Night Hag
of worship will always involve the creation, either corporately, or
came to envelop the world. She brought true darkness and the
by each individual, of some artefact, product or work of art. In
sweetest dreams to those who would open their hearts and minds
some cases this may extend to engagement in sexual intercourse in to her embrace. She also brought her Night Spwnwarped
an attempt to "create" a unique new life. This is not seen as
creatures that ooze from the pure darkness to do the bidding of
prostitution or somehow distasteful, far from it, since the genesis those dearest to the Night Hags heart.
of life remains a mystery, held in awe and reverence, and still
inexplicable. Thus those who attempt to engage in procreation are This relationship between people and the Night Hag, established
in rituals and dreams that always take place during the four hours
seen in a better light than many others. That said, however, the
of the Black Watch, is central to the religious philosophy of the
practice is not particularly widespread.

The Night Hag

Evening Culture, and is still practiced today, although Niht Hag

worship is strictly forbiddenoften on pain of deathin many
countries.
The central view of the religion is that the Night Hag is trying to
reassemble the eighth moon and restore him to the sky where he
will become ascendant over the other moons. As the eighth
moons body is scattered across Gwenthia, and many parts are
hidden, agents are needed to search for, and restore, the body to
an ascendant state. To do this, the Night Hag offers dreams of
deep pleasure and ecstasy to those who open their minds to her
embrace. Other rewards quickly follow: the attentions of one of
the Night Hags seven children, and the power to summon and
command the Night Spawn.
The Evening Culture embraced this task and, at first, used the
power to find and collect shards of moon rock from across
Gwenthia. But as its power grew, it became corrupt, and took to
enslaving the spirits of Cromaigne, twisting them into vehicles for
the Night Spawn. It also decided to destroy the results of its own
procreationthe Cromanwhich chose not to share in the Niht
Hags practices, and sought to free the spirits enslaved by the
Evening Culture.
It was this purge of its own children that led to the first Crusade,
and the subsequent downfall of both the Evening Culture, and
worship of the Night Hag as a major religion.
The most sinister aspect of the religion sees the Night Hag
worshipped as a goddess in her own right, manifesting most often
as an immense writhing hagfish whose slime coats Gwenthia with
a period of utter darkness and allows her Night Spawn to be
summoned forth or walk free. However, it is more common for
her seven children (which are considered princes and princesses
of the Night Spawn, and capable to assuming human form) to be
worshipped, as it is easier to disguise the true nature of the
veneration.
The Night Hags children are:
Duke Jhyr: master of machines and metal. His teachings helped
the Evening Culture to build their vast, blasphemous laboratories
beneath the city they named in his honourJhyrain.
Duchess Sybillis: Sybillis is often represented by a faceless
female demon with a single pendulous breast. In her left hand she
carries the seven moons of Gwenthia (often depicted as crushing
them) and in her right, a noose from which hangs a rag-doll,
representing the goddess Gwenth. Her worshippers are
predominantly female.
Sybillis was the foremost female goddess of The Evening Culture,
and was summoned to destroy the Octaminist Crusade at the
Battle of Jhyrain.
Duke Maligaunt: Duke Maligaunt, the third of the Night Hag's
children, is also known as The Scythe. His power is to rend the
night to metal and wield it thus against the light and those who

follow the sun. His realm is Karvarian, the island to the south east
of Cromaigne, and is still his domain, although no one has set
foot there since the fall of the Evening Culture. Karvarian is a
truly terrible place: dark clouds wreathe the land, even during the
brightest of suns, and the land is blasted, black and barren. At the
centre of the isle is The Monastery, where Evening Culture monks
dedicated their lives to Duke Maligaunt, flayed the skin from their
bones, and clad themselves in black iron in respect of the Scythe.
Duke Maligaunt's power is restricted to Karvarian, but
occasionally his agents walk abroad and spread the wyrd of The
Scythe across Gwenthia, particularly where the sun shines
brightest. Maligaunt teaches that light is death, and only shadows
bring solace. The Dark Orb was dark because it was life
triumphant, absorbing all in its power. Light exposes the lies and
the corruption; darkness is purity and truth. To suffer is to learn,
and to understand is to suffer.
Some claim that Duke Maligaunt's daughter is Khur Ishida who
now commands Nhi Tual, for they share similar beliefs. The
incestuous offspring of their relationship were the dragons who
now flock to Khur Ishida's celestial court, which is held deep
within Karvarian's catacombs, a place of dread chambers and the
sharp-eyed lizards whose scales are of the blackest iron and the
darkest hearts. Maligaunt commands them now as Night Spawn,
and Cromaignian scholars and watchers of Night Hag lore have
told of the dragons circling Karvarian's peaks as Duke Maligaunt
stands atop, commanding the spread of the Night Hag's hours
across the planet.
Duchess Kharonata: The Seductress; Giver of Pleasures and
Tearer of Hearts. She is all things to all men and all women, and
all who gaze upon her are consumed by lust. Her promise is the
Dark Orgy of the Kharonata Halls, where her faithful are
transported each night during the Black Watch, carried by her
centipede-like Night Spawn to take part in the mating rituals that
provide unparalleled pleasure. Kharonatas consort is Saah, the
Watcher.
Di-Guer: The Dark Moon trickster. Di-Guers mission is to walk
abroad and seduce those who reject the Night Hag into
welcoming her power through guile, stealth and falsehood. DiGuer is the only Night Hag Prince who maintains a corporeal
form. His essence was bound to the body of a hunchbacked
young man from Menerain by the Evening Culture, and he is able
to pass for a human with little effort (although his supernatural
powers are only evident during the Black Watch). Every word
Di-Guer utters is a falsehood; every action an illusion, and his
nature is utmost treachery. A highly effective servant of the Night
Hag.
The Unbending Ghire of Ghel: The Unbending Gire of Ghel is
neither man nor woman. It is a living essence; a philosophy with
sentience, and that philosophy is bent towards the destruction of
the Seven Moons. Those who welcome The Unbending Gire of
Ghel are rendered insane, but are blessed with the infernal

knowledge of the exact nature of the seven moons, their agenda

and their purpose. Some heptaminist and octaminist magicians
have tried to contain the Unbending Ghire within their minds, but The First Octaminist Crusade was launched around 3200BP
none have succeeded.
against the Evening Culture when it was learned, principally in
AurUrbis, that the Evening Culture was intent on eridicating the
It is claimed that the entire understanding of the Gire can be
'true' Cromaignians - a people that the Evening Culture had
drawn in a single rune that exists through several dimensions.
created itself through the interbreeding between Meravae humans,
Only those who have gained the Unbending Gire of Ghels
and Forerunners. Intent on ending this genocide, the Octaminist
insight can know this rune and replicate it.
Crusade had two clear goals: destruction of the Night HagDuke Saa'h: The Watcher. His representation is a single eye with worshipping Evening Culture, and the liberation of the
eight pupilsone to watch each Moon. He is the consort of
Cromaignian race. Although a part of the Meravae Empire and
Duchess Kharonata and watches over her Dark Orgies, drinking- supported by that state, the Crusade was primarily a religious one
in the energy that permits his essence to witness all happenings,
launched by the radical AurUrban Church of Gwenthia.
everywhere and at every time. Saahs followers gain a similar
The Crusaders invaded Cromaigne in the north and west and
ability; to perceive things that have either happened or will
swept through the country, slaughtering the Evening Culture and
happen, at great distance.
its Night Spawn allies wherever they were encountered. The
Each of the seven major children opposes one of the seven
Evening Culture fought a ferocious defensive battle, and the
moons, and both the Night Hag and Duchess Sybillis oppose the Octaminist Crusaders were not without casualties. At the Battle of
Goddess Gwenthia.
Amerain, the Evening Culture summoned a horde of Night
Spawn soldiers and, such was their horrific nature, a thousand
crusaders went instantly mad at the sight of their opponent. But
the Evening Culture could not sustain control over their demon
There were three Octaminist Crusades in Gwenthian history.
These were crusades against the beliefs of Octaminism, particularly allies, and, eventually, the city of Amerain was liberated. The
those of the Evening Culture, led by the radical AurUrban Church Crusaders found several hundred Cromaignian prisoners in the
of Gwenthia. The Crusades moved from well intentioned military laboratories beneath Amerains streets. Most were insane or
unable to communicate; but one, who claimed to be a prince of
actions to a period of peace keeping to the realpolitik of
the Cromaigne, had survived some of the most extreme of the
occupation and withdrawal.
Evening Cultures experiments and had retained his sanity. His
name was yrGael, and in the seasons following the fall of

The First Crusade

The Octaminist Crusades

YrGael
It is possible that I am immortal. It is possible that I am mad.

As I write these words, I can measure my life in

millennia. I was born when the Evening Culture ruled
Cromaigne, and I witnessed the horrors of the Night
Blind Plague, the Great Ice Darkness and the
Octaminist Crusades. Empires have risen and fallen
during my lifetime, and I have seen civilisation reach
its cold, cruel heights only to crumble back to simpler,
kinder days. I have watched my own people rise,
develop and diminish, and I have watched enemies,
friends, lovers and children born, live and then die.
My tears, and laughter with it, dried long ago. I have
sampled all emotions and exhausted them. But I am
not finished with life; not yet. For life has not
finished with me.
I watch the worlds passing, and I continue to learn
from it. Old and mad I might be, but I learned a
thousand years ago that this world can surprise and
delight even the weariest heart and mind. I take
pleasure in watching the new-born and listening to
their laughter. The atrocities people commit still
grieve me (and even though I have seen them before

and committed some of them myself). I still thrill to a

lovers touch and a full, sensuous kiss; I still shiver in
the cold and perspire in the heat. I still wander in the
night air and stare, awestruck, at the stars and the
moons (even though I have visited many of them). I
still welcome the rain, beating on my pale, parched
skin.
My purpose is, and has always been, to rend this
world from the Night Hags grip. It is to free the
Spirit Children of Gwenth and bring all races
ethereal and corporeal together into one tribe. It is
to free Gwenthia from the madness of the Orbs and
give its people the freedom of decision and choice. If
the price of such freedom is for me to stretch my
existence beyond the laws of time and space, then it is
worth paying. If the price is to be misunderstood,
hated and feared, I will pay it. Even when my life still
matched that of normal people I was viewed with fear
and suspicion. Now that I am close to four thousand
years old, I no longer care how I am viewed. But I do
have clarity of vision and purpose. I see the world as
it has been, is, and will be. I no longer need counsel,

Amerain, he became a symbol of the True Cromaignians and

rallied them to him. YrGael joined with the Crusaders and helped
to lead the fight to the Evening Culture capital of Jhyrain where
the fiercest and most decisive battle of the crusade took place.
Jhyrain fell after three days of fighting, and the Evening Culture
was destroyed, Prince yrGael leading the resulting massacre. Some
Evening Culture survivors managed to flee, using sorcery and
other means of escape, but did not bank on yrGaels tenacity: the
Prince of Spharain spent the next one hundred years tracking
down and destroying the last of the Evening Culture witches.
It was after the crusade that the realpolitik of the occupation by
AurUrbis forces led to the fracturing of the Cromaigne state into
three. The AurUrban authorities sought to lead the liberated
peoples into the worship of the Goddess Gwenthia within the
AurUrban Church Of Gwenthia, but not all took kindly to
KiMentas guidance despite gratitude to them for ending the
tyranny of the Evening Culture.
Amerain adopted the caste based view of life that AurUrbis
follows, but one where the role of the new species that was
Cromaignians has to fit into the structure. Ever pragmatic,
KiMentas advised the people of Amerain and to this day the city
is the only remaining centre of the AurUrban Church Of
Gwenthia outside AurUrbis. Only seven KiMentas dwell in the
city, acting as the high priests of the high temple to the Goddess
Gwenth.
Menerain was also grateful to the AurUrban forces and adopted
the same religion. They were less happy with the guidance of
KiMentas and after time agitated for the acceptance of others into
the priesthood. Given the racial nature of the people the
or approval, or forgiveness. Blessed with a hardheart, and clear understanding, I will fight until my
last earthly breath for this world and everything that
resides within it.
How did I come to be this way?
The Evening Culture made me this way. Deep in
their Conditioning Vaults they took those who dared
oppose their rule and set about fashioning examples
to other would-be rebels. Some of my kin were
grafted into machines, or had machines grafted into
them. Others were merged with fettered and tortured
spirits, and slowly consumed as a consequence. One,
my sister, was impregnated by Night Spawn, and the
foul, diseased offspring set-loose in the Jhyrain sewers
to mutate and become something altogether awful
and pitiful.
For me, they reserved the shasteen. Forced into me
through surgery and sorcery, the shasteen
consciousness sought to take control of my body and
mind, leaving me a living, stringless puppet. I can feel
it now, a billion single intellects gathered into one
culture offering me a serene existence without pain or
wanting if only I would surrender my flesh to them.
At first we fought, mind against a billion, tiny minds,
and all the while they modified my being, hardening

KiMentas agreed. This was a precedent they came to regret since

the Menerain faith became the roots of the Human Church Of
Gwenthia which Menerain missionaries spread and which has
become the dominant religion worshipping the Goddess Gwenth
outside of AurUrbis. KiMentas do not dwell in Menerain, save for
an amabassador.
Spharain is a city that came under the control of the charismatic
yrGael quickly. He swiftly thanked the liberators whilst also
arming his people and rapidly seizing control. Despite subtle
suggestions from advisors he carved a religious and political
course for his state that was independent of AurUrbis and yet
which agreed fanatically with their opposition to Ocatmiinism.
This sympathy of belief and yet parallel power structures has
marked relations between Spharain and AurUrbis ever since.

The Second Crusade

The Second Octaminist Crusade was a direct consequence of
AurUrban radical theology and the hatred of Prince yrGael for
Night Hag worshippers and all Octaminists. After the First
Octaminist Crusade and the destruction of the Evening Culture,
KiMentas priests turned their atention to the heart of the Meravae
Empire where they suspected underground Night Hag cults and
opposed the continued worship of the Eighth Orb by the
established Octaminists. The debate over theology was still
civilised, but when the powerful figure of yrGael of Spharain
presented himself at the Emperor's court, a militant force of
Cromaignians was at the disposal of the revolutionaries.
Through the force of yrGael's personality and the political skills of
the KiMentas priests, the Emperor called for a crusade against the

the physical into something designed to withstand age,

disease and decay. And when it became apparent to
the shasteen that fighting me was useless, we turned
to negotiation. Bargains were struck. Compromises
made. One day, I would surrender myself unto them
utterly, but only when my lifes work was finished,
and I would be judge of when that day came.

thousand years from now, or even four million there

will be a reckoning between us; for I will be no ones
puppet.

I had learned, you see, that, to the shasteen, time has

no meaning, because they occupy all parts of time; its
curves and angles, its loops, pits and stairways,
simultaneously. The shasteen intellect, pure and
rational, cannot differentiate betweens seconds,
minutes, days, centuries or millennia. To them, only
totality of being is important, and when promised it,
they can be controlled.

I led Cromaigne from the terror of the Evening

Culture. I opposed the laws and rules of the
Crusaders who would take the land I liberated. I led
the fight against those who sought to undermine the
peace of Cromaigne. I uncovered and hunted-down
the remnants of the Evening Culture who poisoned
the ears and souls of decent men and sought to bring
back the Daylight Darkness.

And so I gained my immortality.

I walked with the Spirits of Cromaigne and found

ways to free them. I travelled to the fourth and sixth
moons and conversed with their souls. I travelled
beyond the Five Messengers to distant stars and
confronted the Progenitors in a storm of steel. I
found and lost the Twisted Sword of Fate. I have
killed my sister, my cousins, nephews, nieces and
grandchildren. I have wept for my deeds but relished
in the infamy. I have slept for a hundred years at a
time and still not found peace. I have seen my dreams

By body is suffused by the shasteen. My bones, my

blood, my flesh is theirs. They patiently watch me
from behind my own eyes, absorbing my experiences,
my travels and my interpretations. And so the flesh
prevails, as does the mind and the spirit; the shasteen
grant me life, and, one day, I will make-good on my
promise to them.
And when that day is reached perhaps another four

How do I see myself?

I am life. I am Cromaigne. I am Gwenthia. I am
yrGael.

internal enemies of the state, those who "worshypped darke cultes and
evil goddes". The Knights of the Rose and the Haghunters moved
against pockets of hag worship across the Empire, and often
against members of the establihed religion that KiMentas priests
could argue were heretics. The Second Crusade was fought in city
streets, mountain strongholds, in torture chambers as well as in
pitched battles and sieges against nobles who declared themselves
good Octaminists but had been denounced as dark cultists.

discovery of large gold deposits in the isthmus, deposits which

have since given it the name of the Golden Isthmus and the
Mountains of Gold. Lapithians had started work with KiMentas
and KiDelan in mining the metal, and the Empire demanded it's
tax revenues. Forces marched from the capital along the Hallex
River? and met determined resistance from a large army made up
of all seven city states citizens. The Merav forces were driven
back.

For over 50 years the crusade rolled back and forth across the
Empire, and as it did new groups emerged in positions of
strength. Many converted to the Human Church of Gwenthia
spread by Menerain missionaries, and others to the Churches of
the Chain, both seen as acceptable by the witchfinders. The
Crusade ended as the radicalism of the priests came into conflict
with the interests of the ruling class, who had settled their
underlying political issues with their 'heretical' kindred and saw no
need for further turmoil and chaos. As they re-asserted control
and the decadence of the Empire re-emerged, yrGael sickened of
the conflict and returned to Cromaigne, the second Crusade was
over.

It was at this point that Prince yrGael of Spharain? made one of

his rare visits to court. An ally of the AurUrbis states for hundreds
of years, he broke with them and stated that their greed has led
them to make false accusations and that the Emperor was pure,
but that corrupt advisors from the deserts and coastlines of
Parkhesh had insinuated the practices of the Octaminist Church
into the Empire once again. He slew most of the Emperor's
advisors, and declared that for his own safey the Emperor would
withdraw from public life. yrGael would act as 'Protector' and
guide the Empire.

The AurUrban army struck all along the coast of the Sea of Brass,
seizing the cities of the Parkheshi and putting their priests to the
sword and reconsecrating their temples to the Goddess Gwenthia.
The Knights of the Rose and the Meravae army struck through
"Thatt wich starts glittering ends tarnished and besmirched, such wass the tayl the grasslands south west of the coastline, aided by Red Desert
Nomads from the south. At first the campaign went well, indeed
of the Crusade of the Sands" - Talthwyn Maptalker
the citizens of the coast were dumbfounded to be accused by
The Third Crusade against Octaminism started around 2,900 years fellows from the Empire they thought to be part of. Few put up
ago, when AurUrbis declared that the Meravae Empire had fallen resistance, and priests of the old church were slauhtered in the
into withcraft and heresy, and that no longer could the city states
streets as the armies started to lose discipline. As they did so the
bow their heads to the Emperor. The Empire responded that this locals started to exploit the huge distances that lay between
declaration had less to do with religion than to do with the recent defensible towns. Hit and run raids by dusky guerillas plagued the

The Third Crusade

become the stuff of nightmares, and my nightmares

made solid. I have peered into the heart of the
Goddess Gwenth and seen for myself that she is, like
all Gods, hollow, shallow and alone. I have loved and
lost more than any man alive or who has ever lived.
I will take the pieces of Cromaigne and make them
one. When all else fails, Cromaigne shall stand,
defiant against the Goddess, the Orbs and the
Messengers.
I would do all these things, and more, without regret.
I am yrGael.

The Shasteen
Gather round children and let me tell you of the Horror that
was the Shasteen..
Many years ago, after the Fall but before the Meravae left these
lands, a man named Arsharbath led a group of tomb robbers
deep into the ground to look for treasure and loot to steal from
the long dead. Know then that Arsharbath was a bad man,
and know that his actions led to doom for men and women and
children beyond counting..
Deep in the depths Arsharbath found an Ancients tomb, a

place of dark gloom and shapes that cannot exist on the surface.
Many in his group said that he should turn back, but he was a
greedy man and had heard of the great artefacts that the
Ancients left behind, such as the Sceptre of Bronze Ruin. So he
whipped his men and drove them into the dank tunnels covered
as they were in moss and lichen that glowed in the cthonian
crypt.
Only one, Rubarsham, crept away in the dark and skulked to
the surface. Many called him a coward, but he only said, "A
dead man wears no medals". Which is true, save in Parkhesh,
but most were glad that Rubarsham left shortly therafter.
Anyway, few noticed since Arsharbath returned soon after.
The tomb robber was alone, his companions lost, and he walked
with a steady glazed look in his eye. Few would have spoken to
him, save that in his hand he held a diamond of such size that
as he walked down the street none could do else but gaze at it's
flawless cut and size. None noticed the lichen that grew on
Arsharbath's neck, or that it covered most of his body beneath
his robes, or that his eyes now glowed green with just the
slightest hint of inner light. As they jostled to see or even seize
the diamond none noticed the spores that drifted from his mouth
and settled on their skin. That night, to great jubilation,
Arsharbath mumbled that he gave the gem to city. Parties and
celebrations broke out and the strangely quiet adventurer was
carried around the city on a platform.

Now listen children, and listen well. By morning the city had
grown strangely quiet. Not the quiet of people who have enjoyed
themselves too greatly, but an eerie quiet in which even dogs and
birds uttered not a sound. The silence endured, all day and all
night until the third day after Arsharbath had returned, and
then the city rose and shambled forth from the walls, their bodies
infected with the Shasteen lichen, their brains eaten from the
inside, and their new masters rising the walking dead as they
stumbled and spread the Shasteen Horror from town to town,
from state to state, from husband to wife , from mother to child.
It took over a hundred years for the Shasteen Horrors to be
eradicated from these lands, and even now there are tales of
outbreaks in distant villages or mining communities. 'Tis said
that even the Geneweavers themselves had to help to protect the
strange folk of Gwailan and all because one man was too greedy
to turn away when unnatural danger loomed and because a
town forgot to wash behind its ears...
So he whipped his men and drove them into the dank tunnels
covered as they were in moss and lichen that glowed in the
cthonian crypt.
Only one, Rubarsham, crept away in the dark and skulked to
the surface. Many called him a coward, but he only said, "A
dead man wears no medals". Which is true, save in Parkhesh,
but most were glad that Rubarsham left shortly therafter.
Anyway, few noticed since Arsharbath returned soon after.

KiDelan and Cromaignian fighters. KiMentas priests and Imperial

tax collectors found the locals would pray as instructed and hand
their taxes to legal authority, but that hidden congregations still
worshipped The Invisible Lord and that revenues fell as the
economy started to move underground and out of sight.
After 5 years the impetus had gone out of all crusading. The
crusaders started to settle and defend towns whilst the vast
expanses reverted to local control. After a few more years the
KiMentas started to leave and in thirty years the KiDelan had
intermarried and were effectively indistinguishable from the locals.
Meanwhile the growing conflict between AurUrbis and the
Meravae Empire had led to a collapse of alliance and a series of
ongoing border wars known as the Gold Wars which ended in
AurUrban independence when yrGael made one of his odd
disappearances and the Empire fell into internal conflict.
Thus did the third and least honourable crusade end.

The tomb robber was alone, his companions lost, and he walked
with a steady glazed look in his eye. Few would have spoken to
him, save that in his hand he held a diamond of such size that
as he walked down the street none could do else but gaze at it's
flawless cut and size. None noticed the lichen that grew on
Arsharbath's neck, or that it covered most of his body beneath
his robes, or that his eyes now glowed green with just the
slightest hint of inner light. As they jostled to see or even seize
the diamond none noticed the spores that drifted from his mouth
and settled on their skin. That night, to great jubilation,
Arsharbath mumbled that he gave the gem to city. Parties and
celebrations broke out and the strangely quiet adventurer was
carried around the city on a platform.
Now listen children, and listen well. By morning the city had
grown strangely quiet. Not the quiet of people who have enjoyed
themselves too greatly, but an eerie quiet in which even dogs and
birds uttered not a sound. The silence endured, all day and all
night until the third day after Arsharbath had returned, and
then the city rose and shambled forth from the walls, their bodies
infected with the Shasteen lichen, their brains eaten from the
inside, and their new masters rising the walking dead as they
stumbled and spread the Shasteen Horror from town to town,
from state to state, from husband to wife , from mother to child.
It took over a hundred years for the Shasteen Horrors to be
eradicated from these lands, and even now there are tales of

outbreaks in distant villages or mining communities. 'Tis said

that even the Geneweavers themselves had to help to protect the
strange folk of Gwailan and all because one man was too greedy
to turn away when unnatural danger loomed and because a
town forgot to wash behind its ears...

History : Ancient &

Modern
G

wenthian history is defined by several different races, not

all of them native to the world: the Ancients, the
Zathurians, the Forerunners, the She-eth, Humans and the
Orbs. A series of conflicts, played across 10,000 years, and
involving each of the above, led to present-day Gwenthia and
defined its character. From the conflicts arose the inheritor races:
the Croman, the Tharux, the KiMentis, and others. Over the
course of this 10,000 year period, empires have risen and fallen,
some leaving their indelible mark, and some lost without trace.
The world in this, the present age of Gwenthia, is relatively
peaceful. There has been no major international war for many
years, and expansion of national interests has revolved around
trade and not blood shed.

elder races such as the Ancients and Forerunners, although their

actions (and the results of their actions) are clearly documented in
a variety of philosophical texts (the clearest, and least seemingly
biased, being the Chronicles of the Falls by the KiMentis of
AurUrbis). What is understood is that, whilst Gwenthia enjoys a
period of peace, it is likely to be short-lived. As the KiMentis
have continually observed, history forms patterns, and patterns
recur. Whilst Gwenthia enjoys relative peace now, history dictates
that conflict is unavoidable and will not be far away.

The timeline illustrates the complexity of the inter-relationships

between the different races (see below) of Gwenthia across ten
millennia. Wars and rebellions have been fought for noble causes
such as freedom from slavery and freedom for self-expression;
whilst others have been shaped by pure greed, national interest,
and even the personal agendas of the Gods. The end result has
been to create a highly diverse set of societies across the islands
and continents that are naturally suspicious of the intentions of
others. Zathuria, for all its long history, remains enigmatic and
closed to many; Quatzadua, with its strange customs and devotion
to its Earth God, is a place of secrets and high social stratification.
Cromaigne is insular and directionless, shunning even the worship
of Gods, and Nhi-Tual, once a land of paradise, actively destroyed
its worship of the Seven Gods that brought prosperity in favour
of worshipping a Goddess who advocates toil and hardship.
History has thus been hard on Gwenthia. Few current sages and
historians claim to understand the natures and motivations of the

The Elder Races

It would seem that Gwenthia has long been attractive
to visitors from other worlds, from this universe and
others, and, the Elder Races would appear to be
colonists or invaders, depending on ones point of
view. Of the current races, humans predominate, but
are not native to Gwenthia; neither are the
Zathurians, who we know through recorded history
travelled through the stars. However the origins of
the two major races that inhabited Gwenthia before
Zathurians arrived the Ancients and the
Forerunners are unknown. Both were clearly
powerful, and the Ancients enslaved the Forerunners;
what we know of them is described below. But what
of the Orbs that circle Gwenthia? Their power
predates even the Ancients, and it is with them that
we must start.

The Moons and the

Night Hag
Until 5,000 years ago, Gwenthia had eight moons, or
orbs. It has long been recognised that each moon
possesses its own powers, and those powers have

worked in concert to influence events on Gwenthia.

Whether the moons are the homes of Gods, or Gods
themselves, is not fully understood although
humans, through Zathurian manipulation, tried to
gain such answers when they developed their ability to
walk in the heavens. The orbs have been worshipped
by many Gwenthian cultures throughout history,
either singularly or collectively, and continue to be
worshipped. Wars have been fought over whether
singular or pantheistic worship should predominate,
and even pantheists have fought amongst themselves
in deciding which of the orbs is the greatest power.
The most shocking of all the events concerning the
orbs occurred when the darkest of the moons was
drawn from the sky by the Forerunners, its fall slowed
by the Ancients, until it disintegrated and spread itself
across the face of the planet. Until that time, the
influence of the orbs had been subtle; but, when the
Dark Orb disintegrated, Gwenthia underwent a
drastic and disturbing change.
First, the length of the Gwenthian night increased by
four hours. This was not because the world started to
spin more slowly on its axis; some unfathomable
power within the Dark Orb extended the period of
darkness by an additional four hours without affecting

any of the rotational physics of the world. This

additional four-hour period of night is one of almost
complete darkness. Nocturnal creatures are not active
during it; the stars are dimmed in the sky; dreams are
deep and often at their most disturbing; and, during
this period, the presence of the Night Hag is most
keenly apparent.
The Night Hag is the Meravae term for what appears
to be an aspect of the Dark Orb. In other cultures the
Night Hag is known as The Dark Goddess, The
Shade Lady of Pain, The Redeemer, and many other
variations upon a theme. Many claim to see the Night
Hag in their dreams, a huge, writhing hagfish-like
creature that writhes in the void, her slime oozing
darkness across the planet and releasing her spawn to
terrorise Gwenthia. The Night Spawn, as they are
known, are certainly very real. Powerful, magical,
fearsome, demon-like creatures of myriad shapes and
sizes appear during this four-hour period and walk
abroad. Their agenda is utterly unclear, but most
Night Spawn hate those who walk in the daylight and
will attack, and try to kill, any they find abroad in their
territory.
The Night Hag has been worshipped throughout the
last 5,000 years, almost always in secret, and those

Timeline
The history provided here is subject to a great deal of debate and uncertainty.
The facts in many respects are unclear, and different interpretations have been
offered by many different sources. Most Gwenthian scholars, and especially
those of the Guild of Aviators in Amerain and the various Monastic Orders
of the Human Church of Gwenth, maintain that most of the Old Calendar
history is unreliable and a mixture of myth, half-truths, exaggerations and
out-right lies. Others, and especially the scholars of Spharain, maintain that
history has been charted with startling accuracy, but that events before the Fall
of the Eighth Moon are of questionable accuracy.
Dates are either shown as -BP (Before Present) or as NC (New Calendar).
The transition from Old Calendar and New Calendar is ignored by most
Gwenthians (Parkheshi excepted who still use the Octamanist Calendar
The standard 'present' for the Gwenthia world is 995 NC.

New Calendar
994 NC: Bobanagaradinena ("true-mouth of Gara-Dien") is
proclaimed "King of An Kitar" and charged by the Jade Empire
with taking control of the as-yet unconquered two-thirds of the
largest Kitar isle, Kitarinik.
993 NC: Apparition of Maluja seen in the Parkhesh City Forum.
The Undead soldiers in the mortuary barracks are restless and
some break out to wander the streets of Parkhesh City. Legion
NCOs spend a week rounding up the stray undead.
992 NC: Menerain sends mercenaries to fight She-Eth on Lo
Tual.

who have confessed to achieving expertise in their

worship claim to be able to commune with the Night
Hag, and communicate, summon and, sometimes,
control her Night Spawn. These priests and
priestesses of darkness claim that the Night Hags aim
is total dominion over Gwenthia, and the destruction
of the seven orbs which allowed her to fall to the
earth below. Most cultures outlaw worship of the
Night Hag and, during the period of the Crusades, her
worshippers (much more widespread then) were
hunted-down and slaughtered by the Octaminists and,
later, Prince yrGael of the Cromaignian kingdom of
Spharain. Where the Night Hag is still worshipped, it
is in the secretive of ways, and always during the
period of the Hags greatest strength.

The Ancients
No records exist that describe either how the
Ancients came to Gwenthia, or what they looked like.
According to Zathurian and Meravae Empire
scholars, the Ancients were exiled to Gwenthia,
implying that they did not originate on the planet and,
perhaps, not even from the same universe. Why they
were exiled, and what held them in exile, is unclear;
although it would seem that the eight moons were, in

991 NC: Fifth Parkhesh Civil War begins after Annexe region
rebels after a Temple to Matikhot (Dark aspect of the Dark Orb
Temple) is erected in one of their cities.
990 NC: Alliance occurs between Olakha faction (Light aspect of
the Dark Orb Temple) and Ralashon faction (Orange Orb
Temple) in Parkhesh City. Bikhon faction given control of military
by request of Olakha faction, government remaining in Ralashon
faction power.
990 NC: She-Eth invasion force appear on Lo Tual. Chli-Mestis
Han beings the Steel Wheel Jihad in the Badlands. Increased
Parkheshi military activity occurs on the border of Parkhesh with
the Badlands to protect the city of Spiderport.
962 NC: After 22 years frantic and secret experimentation (and
numerous deaths), the Telbrin Aerial Fleet is first deployed, on a
"Good will embassy" to Renbril and Mull. A Parkheshi special
force is caught trying to steal one of the airboats, all are impaled
on the city walls of Mull for all to see (their heads sent to
Spiderport with a note).
962 NC: Sherba declared new High Priest of Spiria
956 NC: Political unrest in Renbril peaks with an attempted
revolution, savagely suppressed by the local legion of the Republic
Cohorts.
940 NC: Telbrin scholars discover Serin wood and the secret of
Meravae Skyships.
903 NC: New Settlement founded by AurUrban expeditionary
force. Indigenous mongrel humans are captured and settled in
slave farms to begin the process of civilisation. KiDelan army

some way, part of that mystery. As to what the

Ancients looked like, even more ambiguity occurs. The
Zathurians describe them as giants, spirits and
fallen gods in different texts, sometimes deliberately
confusing all three and sometimes being highly
specific. The Meravae scholar Vhastensis Chro notes:
If they once had bodies, they long ago dispensed with them.
Instead, when they needed physical form, they used all manner of
vessels, constructed of flesh and bone, and sometimes stone or
metal, that they would later discard like soiled clothing. But, to
a fault, they were hideous.
They were also powerful: magicians and scientists,
they controlled fearful powers that may or may not
have led to their exile. They enjoyed enslaving races
they considered to be lesser than themselves, and then
stealing (or borrowing, as the Zathurians
diplomatically describe it), their powers and
achievements.
The Ancients declined with as much mystery as their
appearance, and there are few, if any direct legacies of
their empire. But their name and deeds endure, and
shaped Gwenthia into its current form. Without the
Ancients, the world might have been barren and
lifeless.

The Forerunners
The Forerunners were not a single species but a
collective of species that worked together for
common purposes. Culturally, they were extremely
advanced, and did not go by the name Forerunner
(although that term is now used extensively by
Gwenthians to describe them). They encompassed
many different races, some of which were at least
humanlike, if not actually human. And they were most
certainly powerful, with the ability to manipulate
physical matter and energy at cellular and molecular
levels. Indeed, some of the species that formed part
of the Forerunner collective may have been
engineered to fulfil a particular function or need, but
were embraced on roughly equal terms as their
creators. One such example are the Geneweavers,
and it is believed that many of their creations form the
basis of Gwenthias current flora and fauna some
more successful than others.
The Forerunners were enslaved by the Ancients, who
clearly wished to exploit their powers and abilities.
This slavery lasted thousands of years, and predates
even the earliest events described in the timeline.
Slavery is rarely benevolent, and benevolence seems to

officers oversee the programme and the establishment of road,

canal and watch tower networks.
891 NC: Fourth Parkhesh Civil War comes to an end after the
ruling Bikhon faction (Red Orb Temple) is toppled from power
by the Ralashon faction (Orange Orb Temple). Shumtira and
Duresh are given devolved power and local dignitaries are given
governorships to appease the peoples.
890 NC: The Mutant Wars come to an end with Parkhesh
withdrawing from Afkhan - the military campaign a disgrace.
886 NC: Aggressive overtures are made towards Kaipor.
Numerous islands in the Pirate's Teeth are attacked and the
Corsairs are harrassed. An undead fleet of Corsairs appears from
nowhere and destroys a Parkheshi fleet. Shakhan gives up on
Kaipor and pulls back the fleet blockade around the Pirate's Teeth
to police the shipping lanes closer to the coast of Parkhesh.
885 NC: The Mutant Wars in Badlands begin when Parkhesh
sends numerous legions to occupy the Badlands in the region
known as Afkhan. A protracted war lasts for five years. The island
of Shumtira is taken back by force and a heavy military force left
to garrison the island. Guerillas hold out in the interior.
884 NC: Fourth Parkhesh Civil War begins which enflames the
Dureshi City States to the South East of Parkhesh. Forces
sympathetic to Khalesh break away from Parkhesh. Legions are
sent to crush the uprising, and lands west of Duresh are annexed
once again in a protracted war. Uprisings in Shumtira reach fever
pitch when the island's city states hang the Parkheshi Governor.
883 NC: The XXIV Undead Legion is sent to attack Mutant
have been alien to the Ancients, but, however
beneficial or benign the relationship, it took the
Forerunners a great deal of time to either consider, or
initiate, rebellion against their masters. And it would
take several efforts for the Forerunners to break their
shackles. The arrival of the Zathurians, and the
orders from the Ancients to free them from the
power of the Orbs, bound the Forerunner Collective
together as never before. They realised massive
energies to perform the task, and, seeing their
potential, rebelled against their masters. While their
overall rebellion was ill-timed and failed, they did
succeed in implementing new magics derived from
the freeing of the Zathurians. Working together they
achieved partial control of the 8th Moon and sought
to bring it down to the Gwenthian surface, before
their rebellion was savagely quelled by the Ancients,
despite the Zathurian-instigated attacks of the SheEth.
When humankind arrived on Gwenthia intended to
break the power of the Forerunners power over the
Eighth Moon the most unexpected events occurred.
Humans joined with the Forerunners and formed
what came to be known as the Meravae Empire. This
momentous event signalled the eventual fall of the
Ancients, and a consolidation of the Collectives

strongholds in the Badlands near to Whiteport (also known as

Spiderport) as reprisals for besieging Whiteport. The Legion is
never heard of again. This military mismanagement allows the
Bikhon Party take over. The Bikhon high priest, Shakhan siKhalatan orders a build up of military forces in all provences.
882 NC: Mutant army sweeps into Parkheshi annex of White
Spider River and lays siege to Spiderport. Siege lifted by Parkheshi
Galleons arriving with sizeable Undead Legionary force. The new
governor renames the city as Whiteport in honour of the Light
aspect of Olakha.
880 NC: Renbril annexed by the Republic of Telbrin
880 NC: AurUrbis and Republic of Telbrin break off diplomatic
relations after intractable disagreements over the long term future
of Renbril. KiMentis withdrew from Telbrin in protest, leaving a
small KiDelan delegation.
879 NC: Tovril and Shelkan formally petition to join the Republic
of Telbrin
875 NC: Second Siege of Renbril: Republic Cohorts and
AurUrban forces from Mull lay siege to the city of Renbril.
Mutant forces are rapidly driven back to the Badlands but the
remaining population fight a bitter resistance for a further sixth
months before capitulating.
873 NC: Siege of Renbril lifted by large mutant army that sweeps
out of the Badlands, punches through Modrins Line (despite the
Republic's efforts, in a woeful state) and lifts the siege, only to
promptly occupy the city itself.
872 NC: The First Siege of Renbril; Republic Cohorts and units

power that would influence forever Gwenthias

development.

The Zathurians
The Zathurians are an alien race, not native to
Gwenthia. Their true origins are only known to
themselves, but they are called the Children of the
Moons by many cultures. They are a xenophobic and
agoraphobic race that dwell in sealed cities of great
age and advanced technology. They have access to
devices and knowledge far beyond the rest of
Gwenthia; they are masters of science, and yet they
seem to dwell in a state of arcane stasis, never
progressing in their development.
It seems that the Zathurians mourn the loss of their
ability to travel the heavens, and that is their only
desire, to leave the world and return to their home.
The Zathurians claim that when they came to
Gwenthia all men were but primitives dwelling in
trees. Zathurians their science to upgrade them and
educate them, until humans stood as equals with their
masters. The Zathurians talk of an idyllic period,
known as the Era of Joy, when the two races worked
together in harmony, and Gwenthia was filled with
their combined wonders. However, humans tried to

steal the secret of Star Walking, and tried to touch the

gods themselves, their actions were a blasphemy and
resulted in the Eighth Moon being murdered and cast
from heaven. The Zathurians were forced to turn
upon the humans is a bloody and holy war, every
piece of human technology was destroyed and men
were cast back into the forest. Then the great city of
men was destroyed by a heavenly bolt, and became
the Aktalar Desert. Over the aeons the Zathurians
have sought-out the pieces of the Eighth Moon in an
attempt to return his body to the heavens. They have
never forgiven men for their treachery, but still
enslave them as useful tools.

The She-Eth
The reptilian, serpent-like She-Eth may have been on
Gwenthia before the Ancients arrived, or arrived with
them; their precise origins are unclear. They certainly
controlled an empire of sorts in the Thurian
continent, and had access to semi-sorcerous
technology that made them formidable warriors. It is
possible that, until they were lured into rebelling
against the Ancients by the Zathurians, they were a
peaceful race. If so, the Ancients punishment the
confiscation and destruction of their very souls

from Tovril and Shalkan siege to Renbril and make efforts to

reinforce Modrins Line on the basis of evidence of Renbrili
overtures to warlords of the Badlands.

signed between Parkheshi and Khalian forces. Secretly historians

believe it is because the use of the fragment of moon rock was not
thwarted. It is widely believed that the temporal power of
Parkhesh is enhanced by the presence of the piece of the Dark
870 NC: Fall of Shalkan to combined Republic and Tovrili force.
Orb. North East Thurian braces itself for an onslaught of activity
When the fate of the last true Doge of Shalkan is made public, the
from Parkhesh which never happens. A period of peace ensues
citizens of the city riot and lynch any Renbrili they can find. The
across Parkhesh as the once warlike city league seeks to make
occupying forces do not intervene.
amends for previous transgressions and aggression. The ruling
865 NC: The City Wars in the Upper Hallex River Valley. Renbril dynasty of the Eighth College is toppled from power as the
Second College linked to the Worship of Ralashon the Orange
manages to place a puppet as Doge of Shalkan , and attacks the
Moon gains ascendancy. The cult of the Eighth Moon is eclipsed
Republic from two sides, assuming Tovril will stand aloof.
for many years.
839 NC: Third Parkhesh Civil War ends.
752 NC: NC: Maluja and the Eighth College manage to foil the
837 NC: After decades of relatively peaceful coexistence conflict
yearly sabotage of their magical ritual and complete the ritual of
flares between Kitar natives and independent settlers from the
attunement. Maluja vanishes from history and no longer takes part
League of Jinnahn in Gara-Dien. These Gara-Dien citizens appeal in the political decisions of Parkhesh. The Lighthouse of Maluja
to the Harmonious Empire for assistance, and with remarkable
shines with an incredible light. Rumour that an Inner Circle of the
speed the Great Armada leaves mainland Gara-Dien to begin the Eighth College is set up in the Eighth College, no one knows who
Conquest of the Isles of the Kitar.
is a member of this inner circle but it is believed to be the power
834 NC: Third Parkhesh Civil War begins after the eight factions behind the Parkheshi throne. Foreign espionage fails to find out
in Parkheshi politics refuse to compromise. The Matikhot faction more information. Maluja attains apotheosis and is declared a
Saint.
occupies the forum with Undead soldiers and fighting between
different legions of the Parkhesh Empire is seen in Parkhesh City. 737 NC: The Lighthouse of Maluja is built in Parkhesh City
This hasn't happened since the time of Maluja's rise to power.
Harbour, but it's light is not ignited for another 15 years.
821 NC: Written word adopted for common useage in Quatzadua. 736 NC: The Dark Moon Ritual is restarted and sabotaged for a
second time. This happens every year for the next sixteen years.
794 NC: City State of Tovril signs a mutual defence and
preferential trade treaty with the burgeoning Republic of Telbrin
735 NC: Telbrin annexes city of Helbricht, declaration of the
753 NC: The Second Parkhesh Civil War comes to end. A truce is
created a bitter and tormented race. The She-Eth
retreated from Gwenthia (either deep beneath its
surface, or to another pocket of the multiverse), and
remained there until only recently, when hordes of
She-Eth warrior-slaves have invaded the peaceful
island of Lo Tual, intent on its destruction.

Humans
Humankind was summoned to Gwenthia 7,000 years
ago by the Eighth Moon, ostensibly to break the
powerful magics of the Forerunners who were
drawing the orb towards the surface of the planet.
Whatever plans the Dark Moon had for humankind,
they went awry, because, instead of opposing the
Forerunners, humans joined with it in alliance,
essentially breaking the Eighth Moons influence over
Gwenthia.
In time, humans and Forerunners merged their
cultures into what would become known as the
Meravae Empire. This empire controlled most of
Thurian for almost five thousand years during which
time humankind began to proliferate on Gwenthia,
spreading beyond the Thurian continent and even
across the oceans.

Republic of Telbrin. In Parkhesh, The Dark Moon Ritual of

Humankind was clearly very powerful in those distant

years, in terms of knowledge and sorcery, but
following manipulation by the Zathurians, when a
select group of humans gained the ability to walk in
the heavens, it was clear (to the Zathurians, at least),
that humankind might become too powerful. It has
been speculated that the Zathurians themselves
caused the Eighth Orb to explode, knowing that this
would curtail humankinds growing powers.
Certainly, after the Orbs destruction, humankind saw
their magical knowledge dwindle and fade although
perhaps the Zathurians did not foresee that the
powers released by the Eighth Moon as it exploded
would, in time, release far worse effects and spread
them far and wide across Gwenthia.

Attunement is begun where Maluja consecrates the piece of the

Dark Orb in a ritual that takes the eight days of the Dark Month
of the year (the last month of the New Calendar consisting of ten
days). The ritual is interrupted by foreign forces and Maluja has to
wait another year to begin it again.
734 NC: A Parkheshi geological expedition finds a huge piece of
the Eighth Orb in the Red Desert. After great expense, aid and
hinderance by Red Desert Nomads, and expenditure of military
resources, the piece of moon rock is secured and carried by land
all the way to Parkhesh City - taking a year in total. The Red
Desert Nomads fall into a bitter war again which sparkes the
Second Parkhesh Civil War - scholars believe that this war was a
precipitation of the discovery of the fragment of the Dark Orb
and that the Khalesh City States and foreign powers sought to
stop the use of this fragment by Maluja.
695 NC: Telbrin scholars discover ruins of Caer Abrin.
682 NC: The First Parkhesh Civil War comes to an end when an
united force of Red Desert Nomads, led by Farkwhat, and seven
Parkhesh legions forces a truce on the Khalesh City States. The
Khalesh City League swears a non-aggression pact with Parkhesh
in return for access to ancient ruins in the desert nearby.
681 NC: The south eastern part of the Red Desert is united under
a single ruler, Farkhwat, who swears allegiance to Parkhesh and
Maluja.
674 NC: Theurgist Gara-Dien crowns Prince Tangjin as ruler of
the Oxore Dominion, in a splendid ceremony within Maragrim
City. It is the first and last known occasion when any non-Oxore
has been permitted within the city. After the ceremony, and in the
sight of the crowds gathered at Penumbra Town, the Theurgist
ascended a magical stairway before departing through the Green
Door. While rumours of his re-appearance have been rife ever
since they have never been confirmed, leading many to speculate
that he has finally moved on and is serving the Lady of Doors in
another dimension.
670 NC: NhiaQuat city refounded by eastern Quatzaduans and
Hkurik

rebel against Parkhesh City League with help from Shalkan and
Tovril city states and Takda mercenaries. The Khalian League is
set up helped with weapons and expertise from AurUrbis and
Tenbril with weapons carried via the Loparankwari. Some Red
Desert Nomad tribes join the Khalian League in it's fight against
Maluja. The Red Desert descends into another bitter tribal war,
one of many countless others that have occurred through out the
history of Gwenthia since the fall of the Dark Orb.
569 NC: First reports of Lady Sybillis, a daughter of the Night
Hag, infecting the dreams of Cromaignian women.
540 NC: New Calendar of Gwenthia adopted by decree TaTarazon III of Quatzadua.
519 NC: Duke Maligaunt, a son of Night Hag, seizes control of
Karvarian.
518 NC: Prince yrGael sends troops to Karvarian in search of
Blue Sword of Fate. Of the seven sent, only one returns, endlessly
laughing.
487 NC: Corsair's War comes to the end when the Blue Sword of
Fate is stolen from Kaipor, Maluja suspected. Truce is signed with
Kaipor. Many corsairs hide amongst the numerous islands named
the Pirate's Teeth. Maluja curses the Pirates and numerous ghost
ships of undead pirates plagues the region to the present day.
Sightings of Zambala return to a low number.
479 NC: In final phase of the Corsair's War Maluja orders the
invasion of Kaipor which proves to be more problematic than
anticipated. Numerous Parkhesh Galleons are sunk by the nimble
fleet of Corsairs.
461 NC: Blue Sword of Fate found in Pirate's Teeth Islands,
triggering the Corsair's War. Parkhesh begins to build a navy to
help protect shipping and trade. Many blame this year for the rise
of Parkhesh sea power. The next twenty six years show increased
fighting between Parkhesh and he Corsairs but the Corsairs are
aided by an unknown third party and resist the Parkheshi
aggression. Many sightings of the patron saint of sailors, Zambala,
is made, his ship aiding those harrassed by pirates.

443 NC: Star Child, reportedly murdered by her Renbril

666 NC: Bridge of Jet created by KiMentas priests over the Cut of
custodians, appears in Hokulkastun.
Ashkar linking the continents of Thurian and Gwailan with a
major land link for the first time.
419 NC: Renbril launches surprise assault on Mull, which holds
one of the Twisted Swords of Fate.
652 NC: The First Parkhesh Civil War. Parkhesh launches an
offensive to reclaim the Khalian City States in what is now called
388 NC: Northern Alliance sends Heroes to quest for the Star
Khalesh and a bitter civil war between Parkheshi forces and the
Child in Thurian's deserts.
Khaleshi ensues which lasts on and off to this day. Parkheshi
382 NC: City of Tovril forces, lead by the Children of the Fire,
military might is tied up with this seemingly fruitless war which
drive Parkhesh City League from Upper Valley of the Blue
Parkhesh seems dedicated to throwing resources at. By now the
Serpent River. War lasts for three years leaving some of Khalesh
Khalian City states had opened trade with the Nhi-Tualian and
ravaged and Parkhesh sues for peace. Period of peace starts on
Telbrini forever cutting the ties that previously existed with
Upper Valley of the Blue Serpent River and trade is reinstated.
Parkhesh.
651 NC: Khalian city states (in South West Parkhesh) successfully 362 NC: Shasteen Horrors break out in Gwailan: Northern

Alliance formed due to the destruction of the city of Patara.

340 NC: The Twelve Twisted Swords of Fate scattered by Sages
of Hypotet (see below).
321 NC: The Dark Magus arises in Gara-Dien, hunting Tainted
Silver. War ensues in Nilman Desert.
309 NC: The Taxican Rebellion in Quatzadua.
305 NC: Power of the Demon Song released in Gwailan. Chaos
and confusion spreads to neighbouring nations.
300 NC: Shikn tribe of Nhi-Tual launch first jihad against
Parkhesh. Warriors are lost in Red Desert.
295 NC: Parkhesh launches an offensive from Khalesh and
annexes the previously independent Upper Valley of the Blue
Serpent River with undead Legions. Refugees flee to Nhi-Tual and
Llama Tribes bringing tales of necromancy. Temples and Magic
colleges are raided. Relics sent to Parkhesh City.
265 NC: Nhi-Tual discover Tainted Silver and begin to use its
affinity to slay Sorcerers.
242 NC: Modrin's Line completed.
240 NC: Parkhesh Wall abandoned. The wall was never finished
after the architect, Harkash fo-Sulukhan, is found disembowled
along with his court at Spiderport. Maluja sends Inquiry to hunt
assassins down. Badlands Mutants suspected. However Spiderport
remains secured and it's access reinforced.
234 NC: Modrin, war-marshal of Renbril orders the construction
of a wall, blocking the southern routes from the Badlands in to

The Twisted
Swords of Fate
It is unknown where the Twelve Twisted Swords of
Fate came from, who built them or their exact
purpose is. What is known is that when all twelve are
brought together and arcane rituals performed, the
Demon Song is released.

Renbril territory. Known in later years as Modrin's Line. Not to be

outdone, Parkhesh begins a similar project (The Parkhesh Wall)
with a chain of forts along the border with the Badlands, it's
priority is to secure the strategically important harbour of
Spiderport at the mouth of the White Spider River.
232 NC: Mutant Wars ends with AurUrban forces driving the
Army of Mutants into what becomes the Badlands. The area is
devastated magically and as a viable place of habitation.
230 NC: During the Mutant Wars, City States of Upper Hallex
River effectively secede from Parkhesh. Parkhesh sets up neutral
zone as buffer while it consolidates its border. This region
becomes the Badlands (see NC 232).
226 NC: Craxshal Geneweaver leads the Army of Mutants from
Durustan into AurUrbis, after defeat at the Battle of Chaliko
Gorge.
221 NC: City States of the Upper Hallex River Valley attempt to
secede from Parkhesh, Doru exiles support Parkhesh regime.
Parkesh begins brutal suppression of dissidants. Non-octaminist
supporters are crucified in public. Religious relics are spirited away
to Parkhesh City.
220 NC: Unprecedented eclipse of the Sun, all orbs aligned. The
Black Watch is at its most potent since its increased activity in
NC201, nightspawn run riot. Maluja communes with other
Octaminist supporters around the world. After the eclipse, the
Black Watch is lessened in Quatzadia, Parkhesh and some other
regions of Gwenthia.
206 NC: Sacred blood of The Invisible Lord found by Cult of

The metal blades are silver coloured and are quite

plain and unadorned. The tips are coloured though
and each sword has a different colour. What is known
is that the swords are indestructable. They have been
thrown inside volcanoes, dropped into oceans [the
swords float like driftwood] and had attempts to snap
them with heavy loads with the swords braced on a
fulcrum. In all cases the swords have withstood the
trails and remain unscathed.

The Demon Song

Each individual sword is almost three metres long and
has an unusual shaped blade. The shape of the blade
is curved and wide and only one edge is razor sharp.
The other edge of the blade is thicker and rounded
blunt. The tip is sharp but isn't pointed but again
rounded. The cross-section of the blade looks like a
shallow tear-drop. The bottom third 'twists' ninety
degrees towards the handle. On every sword the
handle is different from its companions. They have
lugs sticking out and some have sections missing. All
the handles have writing carved into the metal in an
unknown script.

Very little is known about the Demon Song, what

started it, what ended it and why it happened. What is
known is the devastation it caused when it was unleashed across the whole of Gwailan in 305 NC. The
sky darkened with storms that raged across the land.
Cities crumbed, armies routed, shipping was sunk, and
creatures of the Night Hag stalked the night. The
dead were seen roaming the land doing what they did
in life and the people were in panic. Strange vessels
were seen aboard, ships that bear no resemblance to
any Gwenthian shipping but were always followed by
the foul keening sound that gives its name to the Demon Song.
Key members of the Sages of Hypotet were killed in

vile ways. The remaining Sages went underground

hiding from the affects of the Demon Song and all
Gwailan harbours closed to all shipping. Even the
Black Ships of Menerain fled the area, sailing down to
the Golden Sea.

Only when the Head Sage, Badol, confronted the

source of the Demon Song did it end. After years of
study Badol scattered the Twelve Twisted Swords of
Fate he found at the source of the Demon Song to
prevent it from occurring again.

YrGael and the Blue

Sword
In 518 NC, Prince yrGael emerged from a sixty-year
meditation during which he scoured the Nowhen
Lands for clues relating to certain treasures or secrets
relating to Gwenthia: the Star Child's enemies; the
Stone Throne of the Green Moon?; and the Twisted
Blue Sword of Fate. During his meditation he was
directed by the strange and beautiful Handmaidens
who claimed to be the custodians of the Twelve

Rathkur in Red Desert. Maluja dispatches five legions to secure

the sacred spring from the unsympathetic Red Desert Nomads.
Parkheshi Edict exiles the Cult of Rathkur from Parkhesh League
thus driving them deeper into the Red Desert and other lands.
205 NC: Annual Sacred Orean metal auction begins in Montarul.
201 NC: The Red Desert Nomads wars reach a high with an
overall ruler for the Red Desert asserting his power from this
time. The dynasty does not outlast his lifespan. With the help of
the Red Desert Nomads, Maluja discovers an ancient temple in
the Red Desert. Using the Bronze Sceptre of Ruin he raises an
undead army and with a combined force of Red Desert Nomads
and Undead Legions conquers the Khalian city states. The Black
Watch is said to become more potent, culminating with the
eclipse of the sun in 220NC.
174 NC: Shipping vanishes in Golden Sea, Black Ships blamed.
172 NC: Parkhesh city-state wars end in a massacre - Sceptre of
Bronze Ruin captured by Maluja.
165 NC: Aran leads Parkhesh City League and seizes Upper
Hallex River. Aran brings back an unknown relic which brings
down a curse upon his empire.
155 NC: Aran, son of Arrik, rides into Parkesh city, bearing the
Sceptre of Bronze Ruin. Aran ushers in a period of peace and
prosperity which lasts for ten years.

Dominate in a hard-fought 12 year campaign. ChentPin is

subsequently appointed Imperial Governor of the Xunli Freehold.
140 NC: Parkhesh city-state wars begin, aided by Tharux weapons
and Zharaan Mercs.
134 NC: Mount Kravchul erupts, following discovery of Meravae
tombs, and the disgusting view of large flying ceatures around the
summit.
126 NC: Rasen claims independent government but Zathurian
living ships crush the flames of freedom.
104 NC: Sea Demons rise, attacking the North West part of
Thuria, and Cromaigne, before retreating to the Weeping Sea.
5 NC: Plague revisits Thuria, many turn to the Sisters of Blood
for aid.

Old Calendar
-995 years BP and 0 NC: The Old Calendar is denounced as
heretical by the Human Church of Gwenthia and the New
Calendar is proposed.
-1,000 years BP: The Tharux try to steal Cromaigne secrets from
Jhyrain, but are foiled by Kastun ambassador.
-1,250 years BP: Zathur and Mererain jointly govern Rasen,
ousting AurUrbis settlement. In Thurian, Theurgist Gara'Dien
institutes Emerald Compact, Harmonious Empire founded.

146 NC: In response to years of intermittent and impudent

raiding and slaving through the thinly settled Xunli tribal lands
-1,500 years BP: Churches of the Chain declares crusade against
General ChentPin, himself a Xunli convert to the Jade Path, raises The Cult of Rathkul but can't seem to find it.
the Gara-Dien Imperial Corps and conquers the Sheshaan
Twisted Swords of Fate, and he was led to the island
of Karvarian where the erstwhile Blue Sword was now
in the keeping of Duke Maligaunt.

by Duke Maligaunt, or if yrGael, in his dealings with

the Handmaidens in the Nowhen Lands, was
spitefully, and most cruelly, tricked.

Upon emerging from his meditation, yrGael

summoned to him his finest Knights of the Rose and
sent them to retrieve the Blue Sword. This was the
most dangerous task possible, because it sent yrGael's
warriors into the very heart of the realm of one of the
Night Spawn princes. The seven heroes of the Rose
sought several protective charms from across
Gwenthia, and, after a year of preparation, sailed to
Karvarian and into the heart of absolute darkness.

The Nowhen Lands

Precisely a year and a day later, one of the Black Ships

of Menerain appeared in Spharain's harbour, its only
passenger being the Knight of the Rose, Bhregun. His
body had been lacerated from head to foot in a
strange, geometric fashion and the wounds glowed
with a disturbing yellow light. His eyes had been
burned from his skull, and his body shook
uncontrollably. But more chilling was the laughter: an
incessant, insane laughter that only ceased when
yrGael himself, eyes filled with tears, brought mercy
to the poor, mad, hero.
And the Blue Sword of Fate? It remains unfound and none can tell if it resides on Karvarian, controlled

Between the physical presence of Gwenthia, and the

physical presences of the Seven Orbs, lie the Nowhen
Lands. This domain is free from the Night Hag's influence and is claimed to be a place of heroes, fundamental truths, and waking dreams. Certain sorcerers
claim to be able to enter the Nowhen Lands at will,
seeking either specific knowledge or a simple wish to
escape to a place where their powers are unique and
cannot be corrupted by the Night Hag and her children.
It is said that gods and men are alike here, and the
Nowhen Lands are home to some who were once
gods or who will be in the future. Some of these
beings have been named: The Handmaidens, Strossheim of
La'ash; The Brittle Uncle; The Azure Lady of Sorrow.
Those who have charted the Nowhen Lands state that
they mirror Gwenthia physically, although the cities
and countries familiar to Gwenthians are unheard of.
The Seven Orbs still cluster the skies, but of the
Eighth, there is neither sign nor memory.

The Sages of Hypotet

The Sages of Hypotet are a Durustani religious sect of
The Lazmastu Path, dedicated to the production of
the highest quality weapons. Most who meet their
products meet their doom by them.
Very little is known about them outside Durustan
except for their involvement in the scattering the
Twelve Twisted Swords of Fate. Some sources claim
the sages made them, others that they discovered
them, and others still that they cursed them and
whoever might hold them.

-1,750 years BP: Vendetta wars start in Gwailan and end in

tragedy. Northern- trade with Thurian disrupted.

-2,900 years BP: Guerrilla warfare erupts between Charrux River

Valley folk and Tharux.

-1,750 years BP: Over a century of strife ends as the surviving

elements of the Xantiric Theocracy agree to the founding of the
Confederation of the Children of Xantir . The nascent Confedracy
is immediately tested nearly to destruction by the Ensellati Horde.

-2,900 years BP: AurUrban and Cromaigne forces wage the Third
Octaminist Crusade in Parkhesh. They are aided by a coup d'etat
in the Meravae court by Prince yrGael, and a coalition formed
from the Red Desert Nomads and the Outlanders of the Gwailan
nations. AurUrbis occupies Parkhesh with Red Desert Nomads
help.

-1,875 years BP: Xantiric Theocracy collapses in to civil war.

-2,000 years BP: Insectoid Swarm (Hash-Takk) ravages
Quatzadua, sent by Zathurians seeking retribution for their
missing Charioteer. The city of Xzanpthia is destroyed in the
process. The Ripper Plague is called by the Earth God and
destroys the invaders who cannot enter the Archology discovered
in Xzanpthia.
-2,100 years BP: AurUrbis implements Great Trade Conclave,
Kastu arrive unexpectedly.
-2,150 years BP: Rise of the Xantiric Theocracy, a militant
theocratic dictatorship lead by the Kol-shek dVanan, living
reincarantion of the divine Xantir, in the western Plateau region.
-2,200 years BP: Meravae vanish from Gwenthia. Tharux loot the
cities.
-2,250 years BP: Exodus of Slaves as human population flees the
collapse of civil society in the heartlands of the Meravae Empire.
Rise of the Prophet Xantir, who leads his followers west towards
Zathuria: they are all believed annihilated.
-2,300 years BP: Agreements between Cromaigne and Spiria are
made as Meravae Empire falls.
-2,300 years BP: Central volcano erupts in Dragon Peaks.
Gwenthia plunged into Great Ice Darkness which lasts a decade.
-2,400 years BP: Geneweavers stir in Gwailan in response to
Shasteen attacks.

-3,000 years BP: The Earth God rises in Quatzadua. A Zathurian

Charioteer, sent to investigate the Arboreals (Zathur's first
creation), vanishes. Khur-Ishida appears in Nhi-Tual and
overthrows rule of Seven False Gods.
-3,100 years BP: Prince yrGael of Cromaigne leads the witchhunts
against the last remnants of the Evening Culture. (The Second
Octaminist Crusade). Cromaigne split into three kingdoms by
KiMentas occupation force.)
-3,200 years: The First Octaminist Crusade brings about the
destruction of the Evening Culture. It ends with the intervention
of the free people of Cromaigne.
-3,300 years BP: Various crusades engulf Thurian, whipped-up by
Zathurian wiles. First Tharux cross Charrux River surveying the
land and people.
-3,400 years BP: Gwailans humans go into hiding, and some
migrate to Spiria, the island north of Cromaigne, majority of Iqari
driven from the island.
-3,500 years BP: On Cromaigne, the Evening Culture summons
horses to the island. Above Gwenthia, the seven Orbs (which may
or may not have controlled or guided the wars beneath them)
reach an amnesty, and nations re-build. The Plains Wars rage
along the Charrux River Valley, which ultimately lead to the
ancestors of the Zharaan being driven north into vassalage in
Zathuria.

-2,500 years BP: The Tharux discover a network of hidden

Meravaenian Catacombs and unwittingly release the Shasteen
Horrors.

-4,000 years BP: Aur Urbis emerges on the Golden Isthmus. The
Seven False Gods first appear in Nhi-Tual.

-2,600 years BP: The Tharux, a human race in thrall to the

Zathurians, are driven from Nhi Tual by the Night-Blind Plague.
Population of Charrux River Valley virtually eradicated.

-4,000 years BP: The different races of Gwenthia go to war over

the Dark Orb debris; some wanting to control the powers it
confers, and others wanting to destroy its remains. More and
more debris is discovered and secreted away.

-2,700 years BP: The Cult of Rathkul appears in the east; it seems
lost.
-2,800 years BP: The Tharux appear in Nhi-Tual and initiate trade
with the Tual natives.
-2,800 years BP: Lord Xocotal the head-hunter forms The
Quatzaduan Cult of Murazcoatl.
-2,900 years BP: Some Lapithian groups migrate to the Gold
Mountains in AurUrbis, and the Gold Wars begin between
AurUrbis and Meravae.

-4, 500 years BP: The debris of the Eighth Orb, which
disintegrated before reaching the surface of Gwenthia, is
discovered all across the planet. At around this time, the power of
the Night Hag begins to assert itself and some begin to worship
this dark deitywhich is deemed to be but one aspect of the
Dark Orb. The Meravae Empire expels a growing sect of Night
Hag worshippers. This sect, calling itself The Evening Culture,
flees to the western islands and settles the southerly isles, which it
names Cromaigne and Karvarian.
-5,000 years BP: Something causes the Dark Orb to explode,

unleashing strange changes across the world. The Fall of the Dark
Orb is a major event for most cultures. In Gwailan, the
Geneweavers, under Zathurian tutelage, come to power, ruling
most of the continent. But the Geneweavers rule is not to last,
and they are defeated in a war with the Meravae Empire. Tual and
his family leave Meravae Empire to follow the Seven stars.
-6,000 years BP: Through the interference of both the Zathurians
and Eighth Orb, humans develop the ability to walk the heavens,
and seek to steal the Gods' powers.
-6,000 years BP: Humans, who now proliferate, are scrutinised by
both the inquisitive Zathurian Minds, and also surreptitiously
modified by the Dark Orb as it continues its fall. During this time,
humans spread north from Thurian to the continent of Gwailan.
Around this time the Arborials may have been created.
-7,000 years BP: The Forerunners once again rise to challenge the
Ancients. Slowly descending towards Gwenthia, the Eighth Orb
summons Human magicians to break the Forerunners magic.
From across the universe Humans hear the call of the Dark Orb
and travel to Gwenthia. However, upon arrival, Humans do not,
as expected, battle against the Forerunners. Instead, the two
become allies and fight against the Ancients together, eventually
defeating them completely. The Forerunner/Human alliance
becomes known as the Meravae Empire.
-8,000 years BP: The Zathurians seal their cities to prevent reprisal
attacks by the Ancients. The Ancients dominate Gwenthia for the
next thousand years.
-9,000 years BP: The Zathurians have watched the Forerunners
rebellion against the Ancients carefully, and, for reasons unknown,
side with the enslaved Forerunners. Using their own powers of
guile and command, the Zathurians persuade the reptilian She-Eth
to launch a surprise attack on the Ancients. The attack is repelled,
and the Ancients destroy the souls of the She-Eth race,
condemning their physical forms to wander the void between life
and death.
-9,000 years BP: The Forerunners, seeking liberation from the
Ancients, launch their rebellion. The rebellion fails, and the
Forerunners, for their treachery, find their slavery deepened and
made worse by the Ancients. In frustration at their worsened
situation, the Forerunners use their powers of prayer to summon
the Dark Orb of Gwenthia, and the moon begins its descent
towards the surface of the planet. However the Ancients are not
without their own powers and, whilst they cannot prevent the
Eighth Orb from descending, they do manage to slow its
progress.
-10,000 years BP: Zathurians travel through space and divert to
Gwenthia, lured by the planets eight Orbs. However, the
Ancients, watching from Gwenthias surface, call upon the power
of the Forerunners to assist the trapped Zathurians, and the
power of the Orbs is broken. The Zathurians thus arrive on
Gwenthia.

AurUrbis
The Golden Lands

urUrbis sits on the Golden Isthmus that runs from the

Gwenthian southern continent of Thurian up to the
northern continent of Gwailan . The New Province of
AurUrbis lies on the mainland of Gwailan. The isthmus is bisected North and South by the Mountains of Gold. To the West
of the isthmus is the Konastorm Sea; to the East is the Sea of
Brass.
The coasts of the Golden Isthmus are heavily cultivated and
highly populated. The Mountains of Gold are cultivated in the
foothills using terraces, designed to slow or prevent the rapid runoff of irrigation water. The land is formed into multiple terraces,
giving a stepped appearance. Higher the landscape is alpine and
sparsely populated save for in the City of Gwent. In the North of
AurUrbis, on the sub continent of Gwailan proper, the flat plain is
densely wooded and populated by small settlements.
AurUrbis has a temperate coastal climate, warm in winter and
humid in summer. Temperatures hover around 3-4 degrees
Celsius in winter, with occasional snowfall, and rise to an average
of 24-26 degrees Celsius in the summer. Autumn sees continued
high temperatures combined with high rainfall, spring is windy
and temperatures rise progressively, averaging 12-15 degrees
Celsius.

Where Continents Divide

The Golden Isthmus joins the southern continent of Thuria with
the northern continent of Gwailan. It has been, for over 4000
years, home to the KiMentas people and the city states that make
up the AurUrban nation. The isthmus is broken only at the point
it joints Gwailan where a narrow strait of suicidal ravines and
gorges swirls between the Konastorm Sea to the West and the Sea
of Brass to the East. This strait is known as the Cut of Ashkar, a
reference to the sword of the Dark God which reputedly cut the
gash in the land in prehistory. Over the strait lies the Bridge of Jet.
Cut of Ashkar
A narrow strait of suicidal ravines and gorges that swirl from the
Konastorm Sea to the West to the Sea of Brass to the East. This
strait is known as the Cut of Ashkar in reference to the sword of
the Dark God which reputedly cut the gash in the land in
prehistory. Over the strait lies the Bridge of Jet.
Bridge of Jet
A vastly wide bridge of pure jet brought forth from the earth by
KiMentas priests over the Cut of Ashkar in 666 NC to allow their
troops to subjugate and begin the settlement of New Province.

The New Province of AurUrbis is the northern territory of that

The Mountains of Gold have an alpine climate. The New
state, lying wholly on the continent of Gwailan whereas AurUrbis
Province has similar weather on the coast, but harsher winters and proper lies on the Golden Isthmus, technically on the continent of
hotter summer in the wooded hinterland.
Thurian.
The territory has been progressively colonised by KiDelan and

Doers and Thinkers

KiDelan
Singular and plural: KiDelan, pronounced 'KeeDellan?'
Not a species but a culturally defined ethnic group
amongst Humans.
The KiDelan are 'those that do' in AurUrbis and
they concentrate on physical activity and prowess. They often seem less intelligent than most
humans to outsiders, yet also in great physical
shape and health. There is great diversity
amongst the KiDelan, each city has a distinctive
racial type, some dark skinned, some fair-haired,
and each distinctive to it's home city. AurUrbis is
a nation of strong healthy people, they seem
somehow protected from illness or deformity,
even the poor are robust in body and health. This
seems to be curtailed by a tragically short
lifespan, few citizens see their fortieth year. The
KiDelan rule the Federation that is AurUrbis and
are a brave, passionate and artistic people.

KiMentas settlers since 666 NC when the Bridge of Jet allowed

large scale military incursions viable. The main urban centre is
New Settlement which for cultural and political reasons isn't not
regarded as a city by the nation.

5%
4%
1%

Mongrel (New Province)

KiMentas
Others

High in the alpine passes of the Mountains of Gold lies the

ancient and brooding city of Gwenth? deidicated to the Goddess
Gwenthia. Unlike most AurUrbis cities it is built of black volcanic
stone, largely basalt and jet, and the buildings are low, rarely above
two storeys even for the main temples. Carved and built into the
stone of the mountain, the city has a labyrinth of caverns, cellars,
markets, streets and libraries underground. The city is unlike any
other in AurUrbis in that the population is 90% KiMentas, the
small dark figures dominate and run the city. There is little
industry and every day pack animals trudge up to the city to
deliver food and goods from the hinterland.

The total population of AurUrbis is some 1 million people, with

high urban populations but most living in intensively farmed
agricultural villages.

Political Structure
AurUrbis is a political Federation in which city states run most
affairs independently under the broad guidance of the Golden
Council, which sits in the City of Gwenth in the Mountains of
Gold. The New Province is different in that it is ruled by the
Council directly, with an administration and military forces
dedicated to it.

Culture and Peoples

The Golden Council of AurUrbis is the body that oversees the

broad guidance of the AurUrbis federal state. It can set overall
AurUrbis is populated dominantly by two sentient species, one is
foreign and defence policy, raise and command the City of
the KiDelan (a human sub species) and the other is the KiMentas,
Gwenth militia, oversee the New Settlement in the New Province,
a race whose origins are shrouded in mystery. In the Mountains of
and to arbitrate in disputes between cities. The council is made up
Gold live small communities of Lapithians who mine alongside
of 7 KiDelan and 1 KiMentas. The 7 humans are selected in the 8
small KiDelan groups and under the gaze of small schools of Iqari
yearly Octathlon in which the seven greatest athletes amongst the
who roost in the highest peaks. In the New Province live non
KiDelan are chosen in competition. The KiMentas delegate is
KiDelan humans known as Mongrels. Most AurUrban cities
agreed by consensus amongst the high priesthood of AurUrbis in
have small ex patriate communities of other races and humans.
closed session.
The population breaks down roughly as:
In 995 NC the council resides at Urthan and its membership is:
90%
KiDelan
Sed SaUrthos,
Urthan
Tar SaBellator,
Duxi
making and doing. KiMentas reach maturity in two
years, and appear to live for hundreds of years. The
Lin AquanSon,
Aquos
only sign of age are white tattoos that are made upon Fri SiVinum,
Urthan
Singular and plural: KiMentas, pronounced 'KeeMenntass'
their faces and shoulders as they gain recognition
Kai SiTextor,
Mull
within their scholarly society.
The KiMentas are 'those that think' in AurUrbis and
Sho SaSchola,
Debello
are a short humanoid race, with ebony black skin, no
Hoi
SaCursor,
Aeros
body hair, no apparent genitalia or mammalian
Lin TaCurar,
Gwenth
features. They have a circular mouth, two eyes with

KiMentas

black irises that fill the orbs and make the pupils
almost impossible to see. They have no nose or ears
but a composite sensory array on their elongated
chins. They are not in any way human, as their
internal anatomy shows. KiMentas are physically
weak, have heightened senses both auditory, visual,
chemical and possibly some kind of telepathy.
The KiMentas are, however, borne to human
mothers, amongst the KiDelan, 'those that make' in
the city states of AurUrbis. KiMentas young are born
to human mothers , despite there being no sexual acts
between the mother and any of the Black Folk as they
are often known. It is regarded as a great honour to
bear a KiMentas child, who is taken to the nearest
KiMentas to be raised.
KiMentas perform all intellectual roles in AurUrbis
society, scribes, healers, lawyers, engineers etc. They
are most adept at this task and have a social symbiotic
relationship with the human population who focus on

Cities and Regions

The eight cities of AurUrbis are dedicated to
the particular worship of each of the Seven
Gods of the Moons , the Eighth (the City of
Gwenth) to the worship of the Goddess
Gwenthia herself. Every 64 Old Years one
of the Seven Moon Cities is razed to the
ground and then rebuilt. The city chosen is
the winner of the most AurUrbis Octathlons
since the last Renewal. The design chosen is
that of the KiMentas elected as the Most
Considered at the Renewal Enclave.
Four cities hold to the Octathlon model that
they hold biennial contests based on the

same model, with the winners taking office as the High

Councillors of the city for the next two years. Three are ruled by
High Councils composed from the Masters of the City Guilds,
and one (Urthan) is a hereditary principality.
AurUrbis is a major manufactory state. It imports spices, furs,
amber, timber, ivory, ores, silver, gold and other raw materials
from across Gwenthia. In the cities are manufactured fine clothes,
weapons, jewellery, luxury ceramics, cutlery, wines and spirits.
AurUrbis merchants are some of the most cunning in the world, a
KiMentas trader is usually competing with a sly Parkheshi
merchant. Much of trade is seaborne and the nations of the seas
compete in the Octaminist Clipper Race.

The cities of AurUrbis are:

City of Gwenth, dedicated to the Goddess

Gwenthia.

High in the alpine passes of the Mountains of Gold lays the

ancient and brooding city of Gwenth dedicated to the Goddess
Gwenthia. Unlike most AurUrbis cities it is built of black volcanic
stone, largely basalt and jet, and the buildings are low, rarely above
two storeys even for the main temples. Carved and built into the
stone of the mountain, the city has a labyrinth of caverns, cellars,
markets, streets and libraries underground. The city is unlike any
other in AurUrbis in that the population is 90% KiMentas; the
small dark figures dominate and run the city. There is little
There is a settlement in the New Province which some foreigners
industry and every day pack animals trudge up to the city to
might call a city, it is not, to the AurUrbans there are 8 cities, there
deliver food and goods from the hinterland.
can never be any more. It is simply known as the New Settlement.

Copyright Richard Huber

1981

Urthan dedicated to
Urthos the Red Moon
Husband.

Urthan dedicated to the Urthos

the Red Moon Husband. Urthan
is a river port city in AurUrbis
along the Hallex River that runs
from the Republic of Telbrin to
the Sea of Brass in the south east
of the country. The city lies on
high ground alongside the river
and provides services and taxes
river merchants who come
The Night Hag
upstream from the city of Mull or
downstream from the city of Aquos.
The city is populated by red-haired KiDelan given to passionate
tempers and war. Many generals have come from Urthan. The city
is a hereditary principality ruled by the SaUrthos family. In 995
NC the current Prince of Urthan is the aging Lar SaUrthos. The
city has a strong military garrison which defends the AurUrbis
border from incursions from the Badlands. A chapter of the
Haghunters operates from the city and is headed by Sed SaUrthos,
the heir to the city. Located near natural iron ore and limestone
deposits the city manufactures some of the finest steel weapons in
the world, as well as extensive ranges of ironware.

Aeros, dedicated to Aeran, the Orange

Moon Husband.

Lidin
The written form of Lidin uses a strangely
shifting set of characters which only
KiMentas can read, and which they seem
to decline to teach to others. KiDelan do
not choose to read and write, relying on
KiMentas to handle such boring matters.
Scribes from other nations have suggested
that the script is a ruse or some kind of
cipher, even those who have learnt Lidin
fluently can make no headway with it.

Aeros, dedicated to Aeran, the Orange Moon Husband, and

Aeros is a city in AurUrbis of tall long limbed KiDelan well
known for their running skills. The city produces glassware and
pottery of such quality that princes in far off lands have sold
children into slavery to own it.

Mull, dedicated to Zhar, the Yellow Moon

Husband.
Mull, is a city in the south west of AurUrbis lying alongside the
Hallex River and the border of the Badlands. The citizens of Mull
are known for their fashion in the last hundred years of wearing
full masks at all times in public. Of short squat build with raven
hair the people of Mull are know to have cunning temperaments
and are experts at the raising, harvesting and weaving of silk.
The citizens of Mull worship Zhar, the Yellow Moon Husband.
Mull lies on the main trade route from Meravaenia and in times
past has been fought over by Merav and Parkheshi invaders. A
full military garrison is based at Mull, including a cabal of
KiMentas wizards skilled in combating possible Telbrin air
attacks.

Aquos, dedicated to Aquan, the Green

Moon Husband.
Aquos, dedicated to Aquan , the Green Moon Husband , port city
in AurUrbis on the Sea of Brass , this is a city of traders,
merchants, rogues and entrepreneurs. Known for their webbed
fingers and toes, Aqosians are short, lithe and highly robust. As
well as a major trading power, Aquos also manufactures all ships
in the AurUrban Eastern Fleet.

favoured, this is a soft language on the

tongue. Past and future are denoted by
simple prefacing a sentence with a time
marker. In English this would be like
saying In the past I walk along street or
Tomorrow I visit my uncle. Despite it's
simplicity Lidin can express a full range of
emotions and concepts when used by a
KiMentas. Personal pronouns in Lidin are:
Personal pronouns in Lidin are:
English Lidin

English Lidin

Lidin is a common trade language in the

Sea of Brass and Northern Thurian, it is
also written phonetically by non KiMentas
writers using other scripts and alphabets,
often Parkheshi.

Ee

We

Vi

You

Fo

You

Pa

He

Sa

They

Ki

She

Si

Lidin uses simple words and three tenses,

past, present and future. Soft consonants
or open vowels at the ends of words are

It

Ta

Names are a simple monosyllable personal

name, given to the child by the local

KiMentas priest, a trade name taken at the

age of 12, and the city name, which is only
used with foreigners or abroad. Personal
names are not differentiated between
gender, trade names are. Names seem to
have less significance to AurUrbans than
other cultures who place great emphasis on
naming conventions.
Examples are:
Kim SaVerr Aeros, Kim is a glassblower from the
city of Aeros. Tam SaFerro Urthan, Tam is an
ironworker from the city of Urthan. Om SiTexo
Mull, Om is a female weaver from the city of Mull.
Other personal names include Toe, Sif, Tal, Gil,
Gim, Jom, etc..
[When looking for trade names you can use Earth
Latin verbs, prefaced by Sa for a man or Si for
woman, Ta for a KiMentas.]

Adludo, dedicated to Sharvan, the Blue

Moon Husband.
Adludo , dedicated to Sharvan , the Blue Moon Husband , is a
vibrant port in AurUrbis on the Konastorm Sea , a city of fisher
folk, whale hunters who roam up above Northern Gwailan , and
merchants who trade with the aloof Cromaignians and alien
Zathurians . Adludori are dark haired, olive skinned, short and
wiry. Adludori are well known for their jests, japes and bawdy
humour. Adludo builds all the AurUrban naval ships of the
Western Fleet.

Duxi, dedicated to Dux, the Indigo Moon

Husband.
Duxi, dedicated to the Dux, the Indigo Moon Husband, is a city
in AurUrbis of blonde short people, known to be dour and penny
pinching. Duxi is an agricultural centre, and exports exquisite
wines, spirits, dried meats, as well as tailored clothes and bulk
cloth, both wool and linen.

Debello, dedicated to Debell, the Violet

Moon Husband.
Debello is a city in AurUrbis dedicated to the Debell, the Violet
Moon Husband. Located on the Fretum estuary is the city closest
to the lands of the Zathurians. As such it has a long history of
combating and defeating the alien incursions of those odd people.
Debello is always built low and defensively with multiple walls,
high watchtowers and KiMentas engineers and sorcerers work

The Octaminist Clipper

Race
Every 16 New Year (8 Old Year), there is
the Octaminist Clipper race, where some of
the fastest merchant vessels race around the
Sea of Brass from Parkhesh City to the city
of Duxi in AurUrbis, carrying 10 tonnes of
purest Parkheshi intigro. Who can carry the
spices the fastest is the official point of the
competition, the prize is the ashes of the
bones of the black pirate, Zambala
Whichever city wins the race plays host to
the shrine of Zambala where the rogue is
honoured for his final act, that of rescuing a
child of the prince of [???] from a devious
and cunning pair of trained QuatzHunds.
Many merchants pay pilgrimage to his
shrine. Zambala is said to be an aspect of
one of the 8 Lords (though all of the 8 cults
lay claim to him). During the race, the
Parkheshi galleons, AurUrban frigates and
Gwailan Union ships are not allowed to
assist in any fracas between any merchants.
The race is hotly contested by AurUrban,

hard to develop defensive technologies to keep invaders at bay.

Debello has limited agriculture, the villages nearby are fortified
and defensive, but excels at the manufacture of engines of war
and industry. Both the engines and their products such as cutlery,
armaments, and kitchenware are exported across AurUrbis and
beyond.
By strange irony Debello is also a gathering place for many
merchants seeking to gain the secrets of the Tharux Traders.
When the Three Brother King's send forth their announcements
of that the Tharux are selling their goods, such as guns ,
gunpowder and Grind Wagons , people flock to Debello with
great wagon trains of silver, slaves and exotic goods. Thankfully
such proclamations are rare.

Religion
The main religion is the AurUrban Church of Gwenthia, a
polytheistic faith that worships the Goddess Gwenthia and the
Seven Gods of the Moons. Others exist, the Human Church of
Gwenthia is tolerated amongst foreigners, and the Churches of
the Chain are accepted as a tale of the Seven Gods 'abroad'. All
worship of the Dark God or the Night Hag is suppressed
vigorously, and yet seems growing amongst KiDelan in the poorer
and richer parts of society.

The AurUrban Church of Gwenthia is a polytheistic faith that

worships the Goddess Gwenthia as the inspiration that helped
humans free themselves from the oppression of the Devourer
after he had stolen the human race from their rightful home. They
honour the Seven Orbs as the husbands of
Gwenthia who aided the humans to free
Parkheshi, Gwailan Union and Cromaigne
merchants. Most others will not put to sea themselves. The faith is open, tolerant and
welcoming to other species as children on the
during the competition, unless they are
Seven, but keeps initiation and membership
taking part.
limited to pure bred humans and the KiMentas
There is most certainly rivalry in the
who serve her. The Human Church of Gwenthia
Octaminist Clipper Race. Amerain builds
fine ships, and has entered one of its finest is a friendly schism.
racing clippers 'Argamon's Seal' in the past
two contests - narrowly losing in each race.
Amerain has every intention of winning the
next race, and its shipwrights are busily
engaged in ways of refining the 'Seal's'
capabilities to ensure victory.

AurUrbans are devout worshippers of Gwenthia

as the Earth Mother. The KiMentas form the
priesthood; the High Temple is both at and is the
City of Gwenth in the Mountains of Gold. Within
that each city favours one of the Seven Gods of
the Moons as its patron deity, and views it as the
But why is it that the mysterious Black Ships, that Husband God of Gwenth in that city, to
port themselves close to Menerain Harbour, and have
AurUrbans all the Seven Gods are male.
no known crew, seemingly taken an interest in the
Octamonist Clipper Race? For the past three races,
the ten Black Ships have been spied in the open
waters where the race takes place, maintaining a
discreet distance, as thought watching proceedings?
At the conclusion of each race, they return to
Menerain, assuming again their silent, sinister vigil
over Cromaigne waters. - Telgrin KiMaritim,
Merchant at Large.

Gwenthia has seven celestial bodies, known in

AurUrbis as Seven Gods of the Moon Husbands.
Seven can be seen clearly in the sky, and an eighth
is believed to exist but to be dark. The Moon
Husbands are the husbands of Gwenth, who
freed humans from the evil Eighth Moon God.
The Eighth Moon is Dark, its occupant cast down
for his role as the Devourer, the bringer of the

Void. The Dark God, Devourer, Fallen One is worshipped and

propitiated only by dark and death cults. It is said by the
KiMentas that when the Devourer was cast down from the Sky he
shattered into 47376 pieces, and that should people turn to sin
again those 47376 pieces will come together and the Fallen One
will rise again.
The Orbs are worshipped by the people of AurUrbis in the
AurUrban Church Of Gwenthia as husband gods to the Goddess
Gwenthia, each Moon Husband allied to a city. Most men in
AurUrbis worship a Moon Husband, not always the one
associated with their city, and there is friendly rivalry between the
cults. Women worship the Goddess Gwenthia in some form, save
for some who choose to worship a Moon Husband more for
reasons of trade or preference. Many farmers concentrate on
worshipping the Goddess directly. Only KiMentas may be priests,
and they can do so without necessarily meeting the skill
requirements, replacing the skills with more priestly skills where
appropriate.
The core catechism of AurUrban faith is:

The Church was the prime mover in the overthrow of the

Octaminist Church and the Octaminist Crusades.

The Goddess Gwenthia

Aeran the Runner is the Moon Husband of the Goddess

Gwenthia most associated with speed, determination and athletics
and is the patron god of the city of Aeros in AurUrbis . After the
Fall Of The Dark Orb when the Night Spawn crawled from the
Sea of Brass and slithered and stumbled toward the Goddess in
the City of Gwenth it was Aeran who set off to warn the Goddess
and all the people, running like the wind and reaching the city in
no more than a single hour although the distance was more than a
horse could gallop in a week. Thus does Aeran always hold a place
in his heart for those who exert themselves in physical tasks for
the service of others. Many KiDelan worship Urthos across
AurUrbis, but he is also called on by messengers, heralds,
merchants, athletes and sportsmen.
Zhar, the Masked Tailor is a contemplative and skilled god,
tales tell of how he won the Goddess Gwenthia 's heart with
beautiful clothes, skilled hands and the careful manipulation of his
rivals. After the Fall Of The Dark Orb when the Night Hag
threatened the Goddess, Aquan's love for her was so great that he
made masks all his brothers and he wore them as well as the
Goddess. When the Hag came she killed and slew many of Zhars
brothers but the Goddess was safe. Many tailors, craftsmen,
jewellers and artificers worship Zhar, and so do young and old
men who wish to dress well and seduce their lovers.
Aquan the Swimmer is the Green Moon Husband of the
Goddess Gwenthia most associated with sea, trade and fishing.
Aquan is shown as a merman, with the distinctive webbed fingers
of the citizens of Aquos in AurUrbis . After the Fall Of The Dark
Orb when the Night Hag threatened the Goddess, Aquan's love
for her was so great that he became a giant barracuda and hunted
down and ate the Night Spawn as they swam towards the
Goddess. In doing so Aquan has had trouble with his stomach
ever since, as such those who are troubled with chronic ailments
often call on him for help. Many sailors and fishermen worship
Aquan across AurUrbis, but he is also called on by merchants and
healers.

The Goddess Gwenthia is the deification of Gwenthia. An Earth

Mother who led Humans and/or KiMentas from the slavery of
the Dark God, bringing the Eighth Orb crashing to the ground.
The Goddess is integral in the religions of AurUrbis, Meravaenia
and the Khalesh. She is worshipped by the Aur Urban Church Of
Gwenthia, the Human Church of Gwenthia, the Churches Of The Sharvan, the Jester and Friend is a jolly and convivial god, tales
Chain and the Khalesh Religion.
tell of how he won the Goddess Gwenthia 's heart with humour,
laughter and friendship. After the Fall Of The Dark Orb when the
The Seven Moon Husbands
Night Hag threatened the Goddess, Sharvan's love for her was so
Urthos the Bull God is the Moon Husband of the Goddess
great that he hid the Goddess behind his great belly and when the
Gwenthia most associated with passion and war and is the patron Hag came he laughed at her and belittled her with jokes and jeers,
god of the city of Urthan in AurUrbis . After the Fall of the Dark he befriended many of the Night Spawn and made them whole
Orb when the Night Hag threatened the Goddess, Urthos' love
again, under his laughter the Hag shrank and shrank but as she did
for her was so great that he roared and bellowed and took the
so she lashed out with sarcasm and to this day Sharvan has a
form of a great bull and charged the minions of the night, goring
maudlin side that can come out once in his cups. Many publicans,
and trampling them. When he reached the Hag he gored her in
vintners, inn keepers, cooks worship Sharvan, and so do young
the stomach, but in doing so he was seared and scarred. Thus
and old men who like to laugh, drink and be good companions
does Urthos always hold a place in his heart for those crippled or and friends.
hurt in war or defence. Many warriors worship Urthos across
Dux, the Farmer is a thin and careful god, tales tell of how he
AurUrbis, but he is also called on by dancers, singers, lovers and
won the Goddess Gwenthia 's heart with productive soil and a
orators.
careful eye on expenses. After the Fall Of The Dark Orb when

Copyright Richard Hubert 1981

the Night Hag

threatened the
Goddess, Dux's love
for her was so great
that he buried the
Goddess in his beet
field and when the Hag
came he refused t let
her on his land until
she had paid him a toll,
when she offered him
coin he spent so long
counting out the
change that the
Goddess escaped. The
Hag cursed him and to
this day Sharvan has an
Debell, the Defender
unwholesome love for
coin, which he often
hoards and treats as if it had real value and was not a simple tool
for trade. Many farmers worship Dux, and so do those who trade,
mint and handle money.
Debell, the Defender is a robust god wielding a shield and hand
weapon. Tales tell of how he won the Goddess Gwenthia 's heart
with his silent loyalty and protective manner. After the Fall Of
The Dark Orb when the Night Hag threatened the Goddess,
Debells love for her was so great that he planted his feet in the
Fretum Estuary and took a cloud from the sky to use as a shield.
The Hag and her Spawn crawled from the sea and battered on
Debell's shield until his legs and body were buried in the mud and
all that could be seen was his shield and head. Even to this day
Debell is known to position himself too statically and get stuck
when he tries to move again. Many warriors worship Debell, and
also those who are builders, carers for children, and guards.

seemingly developed for thought above artifice. This strikes a

deep chord within. Spharain, whilst not engaging in mercantile
trade, is very keen to exchange ideas - of philosophy, history and
religion. Prince yrGael has despatched emissaries to AurUrbis
with precisely this intention - much to Menerain's concern, as they
have been strangely cut-out of the high level AurUrban/Spharain
discussions.
Parkhesh is one of AurUrbis major trading partners and also the
nation that has been to war most often with the city states. The
olive skinned Parkheshi are often seen in Aquos and other eastern
cities in AurUrbis, where they compete well for goods and
services. Imports from Parkhesh include the exquisite intigro
spice that AurUrbans have become as used to using in food as the
Parkheshi themselves. Currently tension is rising between the
Parkheshi and Aquos over a band of Parkheshi pirates who have
been preying on shipping in the Sea of Brass from pirate ports
believed to be in Parkheshi waters. Parkheshi are viewed with
great suspicion as natural economic and military rivals, but also
due to the failed Third Crusade and the slide of Parkhesh back
into Octaminist beliefs.
AurUrbis views the upcoming Republic of Telbrin with both a
great deal of respect for their strong social structure and
government, but also a cautious fear that the state could threaten
AurUrban borders if it continues to develop military power as it
has been recently. The development of Telbrini skyships has been
most worrying to the Golden Council and KiMentas engineers are
known to be working on the problem now.

Famous Individuals

The Prince of Urthan in 995 is Lar SaUrthos, a large red-haired

general who has served in AurUrban campaigns in the Badlands
and against the Tharux with valour and distinction. Now 55 years
old he is losing his strength and the KiMentas of the city have
warned that soon his days will be over. The family of SaUrthos
has ruled the city of Urthan from 789 NC to the present 995 NC.
International Relations
They took it upon themselves to protect the city when the
AurUrbans often have an arrogant attitude to outsiders; the
previous council failed to defend the citizens from renewed
KiMentas have a paternalistic and patronising attitude to humanity
outbreaks of Shasteen Horrors. Lars heir apparent is Sed
that is benevolent but eventually tiring. Much of AurUrban
SaUrthos, head of the local Haghunters chapter, member of the
influence in the past has fallen prey to this attitude but also the
Golden Council and sworn enemy of Chli-Mestis-Han and his
reluctance of KiMentas to dwell outside of the Golden Isthmus.
Steel Wheelers.
AurUrbis led the great Octaminist Crusade which destroyed the
Evening Culture. Now the AurUrban state and church train and
send forth the Haghunters , an elite body of men and women
dedicated to rooting out and destroying dark cults across Thurian.
Menerain has traded with AurUrbis for almost two centuries, and
the rival kingdom of Amerain is attempting to forge direct trade
links, rather than rely on the overpriced imports Menerain is
happy to sell. Cromaigne finds AurUrbis to be a reliable, if
somewhat odd, trading partner.
The KiMentas are fascinating to the Cromaignians: a race

Badlands
Bandit Country

he Badlands lie on the north coast of Thurian, east of

AurUrbis, west of Parkhesh and north of Meravaenia. The
land is a blasted wilderness of marshland and blighted
hills. The region has been fought over repeatedly in Thurian
history, and the battle magic unleashed across the terrain have
altered it. Rain falls heavily in the winter, creating quagmires, and
the sun draws it out in the summer to produce a humid
atmosphere. Strange magical storms rage across the area for days,
and whirlwinds and other freakishly magical weather episodes are
common.
The region is a border zone between three major powers, and is
under the control of none. Petty bandits elevate themselves to the
status of princes and use the regions as a base to mount raids into

neighbouring areas. Many pirates sail from the Marash Coast to

plague shipping in the Sea of Brass.
Mutants and warped humanoids eke out a murderous life in the
Badlands. It is said that a Zathurian sorcerer dwelt there in ancient
times; that an Evening Culture sorcerer dwells there still, and that
the Army of Mutants had it's last stand in the Badlands. On the
borders exiled and outlaw Parkhesh, AurUrban and Meravaenian
robbers and rogues mingle in shanty towns.
The Badlands is the main producer of Tanzgrin Root, a mild
euphoric, and Badlands Root, a related and yet highly intoxicating
and addictive drug.
Of note is the King Of The Snake Hill, Turgan Grotskiller, a

vicious mutant leader but sane, and Chli-Mestis-Han, an insane

Night Hag cultist.
Lidin, Traders Cant and Parkhsi are spoken widely, as are many
others from across the world. Currency is largely stolen, although
the King of the Snake Hill has a working mint that produces
adulterated coins.
People in the Badlands are either deeply irreligous or fanatically
devout. Mystical, apocalyptic and dark cults often find
congregations amongst the scum of Thurian, often they are
genuine, often they are just more thieves on the make.

To the east lies the White Spider River, which passes from
Parkhesh through the Badlands to the Sea. This area was annexed
by Parkhesh many years ago and the town of Spiderport was
established at the mouth of the White Spider River. The river acts
as a natural border and troops patrol the northern bank and lands
to keep out mutants. A number of small forts were built along the
river to act as staging posts and look outs. they form part of the
incomplete Parkhesh Wall which stretches for two thirds of the
Parkhesh-Badland border. A legion of Undead once set off from
Spiderport into the Badlands never to be seen again.

The Badlands southern border, with the Republic of Telbrin, is

relatively well defined, as along much of its length runs Modrin's
Border raids from the neighbouring states are not uncommon,
and cult hunters such as the Haghunters often infiltrate the area to Line, a chain of simple fortifications linked by a broad wall built in
the early days of the City States of the Upper Hallex River to repel
track down and eliminate Dark God worshippers.
the raiders from the Badlands. As often an impediment to
One notable region of the Badlands is the Rust Valley, a desolate
punitive raids into the Badlands as it has been a defence against
gorge criss-crossed by seasonal rivers, known locally as Slime
raids from the Badlands, Modrin's Line has changed hands on a
Adders, due to their propensity to appear from nowhere as great
number of occassions and continues to be the source of tensions
muddy surges that strike dead any foolish enough to be camping
between Telbrin, AurUrbis and Parkhesh.
within their rock strewn banks. Rust Valley gains its name from
the huge rotting hulks of nine Tharux Grind Wagons, which have
sat here for the last twenty years. It is believed that they were
destined for Parkesh but never made it, being overcome by
Badlands natives. Several families of bandits have taken over the
monstrous vehicles cabins as their lairs, though none have yet
mastered the mechanisms to get the great machines to work again.
The large number of burial cairns around each machine suggests
this is not for want of trying! The Tharux have never attempted to
reclaim their lost treasures, perhaps because they have forgotten
about them, or because they have great faith in their booby traps.

Bad Men of the Badlands

The King of Snake Hill

Chli-Mestis-Han

The Steel Wheelers

Otherwise known as Turgen Grotskill, a

dirty, violent mutant who rules a dirty
violent den of piracy and scum on the
Marash Coast. When Chli-Mestis-Han sent
an emissary to discuss a temporary halt in
their vendetta, Grotskill had the fellow
turned inside out, dipped in salt, and
returned to Chli-Mestis-Han still alive.

Chli-Mestis-Han, a warlord of the Badlands

and Night Hag worshipper rules from his
enchanted Wagon of Doom, a giant
enchanted wagon of 30 wheels and iron
skin which has navigated the Badlands long
before any can remember. Chli-Mestis-Han
and his Steel Wheelers seized the Wagon
some five years ago (990 NC) and have
begun a crazed crusade of evil that is
horrifying even to the numbed sensibilities
of the inhabitants. Tall and lithe, it is said
that Chli-Mestis-Han has the hips of a
woman, the locks of a dancer, the muscles
of a wrestler and the voice of a man.
He/she is sworn enemy of the King of the
Snake Hill.

Through some insane sorcery of ChliMestis-Han these most depraved of

Badlands Night Hag worshippers have
undergone crude chirurgery and their lower
halves replaced by a single steel wheel upon
which they can move at speeds faster than
the swiftest Khamul or Shamul.

Turgen Grotskills savagery is thus

legendary, and his name is surrounded by
rumours of the nastiest, most unpleasant
kinds. Yet he remains an enemy of the
Night Hag, and has been known to aid
Knights of the Rose and other Haghunters
who have ventured into the Badlands to
root-out the like of Chli-Mestis-Han and
other Night Hag renegades.

Cromaigne
Isle of Three Kingdoms

ROMAIGNES PAST IS one of violence and struggle. Its

present is one of uncertainty and confusion as its three
kingdoms attempt to reconcile their separate ways of life
with the legacy of the Evening Culture.

The Island is green and fertile, with a wide sweep of central plains
perfectly suited to agriculture, and rolling hills forging out to the
coasts that are perfect for rearing sheep, goats and other livestock
that take to the high ground.

Cromaignes history starts with the Evening Culture; the island

provided them with sanctuary from the ostracism of the Meravae
Empire. But the island has a much deeper history that precedes
the Evening Culture and is known to only a few (specifically the
KiMentas and Prince yrGael of Spharain).

In the north, the land is undulating, gentle and thickly forested,

especially in the north east, where forest does not break for
several hundred kilometres. Wild life is especially plentiful red
deer, boar, fox, otter, beaver, squirrel and wolves, for example
but the Great Forest is also home to many small settlements
hidden amongst the trees.

For thousands of years before the Evening Culture arrived,

Cromaigne was inhabited by the Iqari of the central mountains,
the birds and beasts of the forests and moors, and the nature
spirits that personified every forest, river, stream, rock, mountain
peak and moorland of the island. The spirits drifted between their
own world and the physical world, using Cromaigne as the
channel. Their very presence was intensely magical, and their
lifeforce precisely what was needed to power the levels of sorcery
the Evening Culture was experimenting with.
It is believed that the Evening Culture was deliberately guided to
Cromaigne (then known simply as The Green Land) by the Night
Hag herself, so that the spirits of the island could be exploited to
her own, twisted ends. Whether this is true or not, the Evening
Culture pursued a policy of exploitation with utter abandon, and
used its sorcerous talents to capture, imprison and enslave the
peaceful nature spirits, turning their intrinsic magic to power the
Evening Cultures schemes and machinations.
Cromaigne is thus a land that is forever associated with power
magical and otherwise. The spirits; the Evening Cultures pursuit
of the Night Hag; Prince yrGaelclose to four thousand years
old and perhaps immortal; the power of the Human Church of
Gwenthia; the seat of the Crusades; and the Croman people
themselves: long-lived, survivors, and deeply aware of their past
and how it has been shaped. In many ways Gwenthia is unsure of
how to view Cromaigne. It respects its history and special
properties, and with Menerain as the seat of the Human Church
of Gwenthia, is a place of pilgrimage and reverence for many. Yet
on the otherhand, Cromaigne is distrusted, and especially insular
Spharain which doggedly refuses to integrate with Gwenthian
society at large, despite a thousand years of shared cause and
concern.

In the south east, two huge escarpments burst from the landscape
and plough their way, wave-like, towards the southern shores.
The larger of the two, known as The Shifts is characterised by a
vast, natural marshland on the northern side of the escarpment
that is eerily beautiful and extremely dangerous. Not only does
the marsh contain treacherous bogs and quicksand, it is home
so it is said to a race of half-ghosts that dwell in the deepest
recesses of the marsh and control the ebb and flow of the mists
that cling to the ground.
The island has few natural threats to its inhabitants. The Iqari
fierce, man/eagle creatures inhabit the highest of Cromaignes
mountains, Scarclimb Rise, and hunt both animals and,
occasionally, Cromaignians; but they tend not venture far from
their mountainous territories.
Cromaigne is not volcanically active, and neither is it subject to
earth quakes or tremors. The western sea lashes the coastline
mercilessly throughout the year, but the temperate climate does
not lead to hurricanes or tidal waves, and thus, the island of
Cromaigne is green, pleasant, and a rich harvest for its occupants.

The Climate
The island is humid, and it is common for overcast skies, drizzle
for days on end, and thick inland and coastal mists. But, when the
sun punctures the cloud, it casts brilliant rays on a country that is
breathtakingly beautiful. The mountainous central territories have
deep, green valleys, countless lakes, and imposing cliffs that create
small pockets of shelter that are idyllic in their natural simplicity.

Green against green

A thousand shades of green growing
Against the grey of sea and stone
Surf on rock, river against reed, restless
And flowing to a point, a presence
Reflected in deep faces, deep waters
I saw an island, lush and green, break through the mists as the boat cut
towards the great port of Menerain. Captain Kr, standing close, asked for And secrets to tell, in hushed voices
Gentle against the green
my opinion. A land of beauty, I said, for no other words would come.
And the grey of sea and stone

The Geography

Beauty. The captain sighed and rubbed at his eyes: he had not slept since
wed driven away the pirate vessel that had attempted to sink us. Beauty,
aye. But beware, my friend. Cromaigne has a dark heart. Darker than you
or I can possibly know.
From the Journals of Ranyart Finn, Traveller and Wordsmith.

From A Song of Cromaigne (author unknown)

The Language(s)
I like to think that I have a way with language; an understanding of its
nuances and idiosyncrasies, but nothing could have prepared me for the aural
assault of the tongues of Cromaigne. In its formal state, poetry and music; in
its colloquial, a sing-song rapture. But to study it! To learn its rules! On
that, I must admit to being tone-deaf.
From the Journals of Ranyart Finn, Traveller and Wordsmith.
Cromaignians speak two languages: the island-wide language of
Ijiin is a formal language, used for official texts, academic study,
trade, contracts, and so forth. It is a soft, sibilant language with a
very formal grammatical structure, and has its basis in the formal
tongue of the Meravae Empire.
Iajaan is the common, informal language of the island and was
developed by the Cromaignians following the destruction of the
Evening Culture. It is based on Ijiin, but is much looser in
grammatical form, and includes hard consonants to complement
the smoother, more poetical formal language. Iajaan also
includes other Gwenthian influences (although heavily modified
over the years), and a great deal of colloquialisms belonging to
each of the three kingdoms. Iajaan is what all Cromaignians use
in everyday speech; however, dialects across the island
differentiate and identify the speaker. The dialect of Amerain is a
rounder, almost American-like dialect with a rising inflection at
the end of each sentence or statement. Menerains dialect is
broader and flatter in sound, with many common constructions
abbreviated for convenience. Spharains dialect is a soft, rounded
brogue; quiet and precise, with little abbreviation and greater
formality in pronunciation.

Where two is are found together, the pronunciation is EYE-een;

and as, AY-arn. Ijiin is thus pronounced Ye-JEYE-een and
Iajaan Ye-Ah-JAY-arn.
Names
Names are many and varied. Male names tend to end in a hard
consonant, such as l, b, g or k, and female names in soft
consonants or vowels but this is never a hard and fast rule.

The Kingdoms
Cromaigne is divided into three kingdoms. These were, originally,
purely administrative regions developed in the years after the First
Octaminist Crusade, to help rehabilitate the Croman after decades
of Evening Culture persecution. But with time, and political
scheming, the three regionsAmerain, Menerain and Spharain
(named for the three surviving cities) - became autonomous. This
transition was not without struggle. The KiMentas sought to
retain control of Amerain and used a combination of puppet
rulers and the extensive, arcane, Traditions, to fashion a culture
that appealed to the isolationist tendencies of the northern
Cromaignians. In the eastern lands of Menerain, the Merevae
Empire sought to take control, and largely succeeded for a short
period, only to find that the Croman of Menerain did not want
anything to do with the Meravae (which had largely stood back
during the Evening Culture purges) and, instead, adopted some of
the more humanist teachings of Amerain. In the south, Spharain
fell to the control of Prince yrGael, a man considered by many to
be Cromaignes saviour. YrGael rejected all notions of external
influence, arguing that Cromaigne should be one nation. This
single nation philosophy gained a huge deal of support amongst

The Evening Culture

Cromaignes history begins with the mighty Meravae
Empire of central Thurian, and the sect within it that
called itself The Evening Culture. The members of the
Evening Culture were both Forerunner and Human,
and were amongst the first to experience the vivid
dreams of the newly awoken Night Hag. Perhaps
seduced by the promise of greater powers than even
the Meravae held; perhaps enslaved, the sect grew
until it openly worshipped the Night Hag and learned
how to summon and commune with the Night
Spawn, the Night Hags demon children.
The Evening Culture increased in membership and
power, reaching into thousands (both Forerunner and
Human) of members, its knowledge of the powers of
darkness developing to the point where the Emperor
himself realised that the Evening Culture posed a real
threat to his power. The Evening Culture was
forcibly removed from the empire. Those who
refused to leave were executed. The refugees fled
west, travelling across the Sea of Circles until they
reached the western isles. Two islands were
colonised: the smaller was named Karvarian, and the
larger, Cromaigne.

The Evening Culture worshipped the Night Hag

unhindered for 1,300 years. It built four great cities,
assisted by the magics of the Hag and her spawn, and
Forerunner and Human sect members began to
interbreed something forbidden within the Meravae
Empire. As their knowledge of the Night Hag grew,
so did their capabilities, and beneath the surface of
Cromaigne and Karvarian, the most powerful
members of the Evening Culture created laboratories
where science and sorcery became indistinguishable,
guided by the Night Hags immense knowledge. Very
few recall what the Evening Culture created or
unleashed in its underground laboratories, but it was
truly terrible to behold, and many of the Evening
Culture experimenters were driven utterly insane by
the results of their research.
The results of Forerunner and Human interbreeding
were far from horrifying, but no less intriguing. The
children of the two species were human in
appearance, save for several, notable, differences.
First, all the children possessed six fingers on each
hand. Second, it became rapidly apparent that the
Cromaigne childrenknown as Cromanwere
naturally resistant to most diseases and genetic

conditions. Finally, as the Cromaigne children

became adults, it became highly apparent that they did
not age at the same rate as human adults. The True
Cromaignians, as they called themselves, aged much
more slowly, although faculties of intelligence and
comprehension, developed at human rates.
Cromaignians can thus reach much greater ages than
the human range: it is not uncommon for
Cromaignians to reach 150 years, and even 200 years
has been achieved.

Why

The Evening Culture believed that it was acting as the

herald for a new empire, controlled by the Night Hag,
that would see the Dark Orb restored and the Seven
Orbs defeated. This would be the Empire of the
Night and, as every night is preceded by the evening,
so the Evening Culture took its name and philosophy.

the Croman, but was rejected by the KiMentas and Meravae,

neither power wanting to lose the power they had established on
the island.
What prevented Cromaigne-wide rebellion against the Crusaders
and Meravae was religion. Many Croman in the north and east
had wholeheartedly adopted the Human Church of Gwenthia as a
religion. Conversely, YrGael and the Croman of Spharain,
rejected not just the worship of Gwenthia, but the worship of all
gods. YrGaels aim was to restore Cromaigne to the Spirits that
originally inhabited this land, and to many Croman, that was
tantamount to heresy. While such deep-rooted divisions of belief
prevail (and they are still as deep-rooted, if not more so, in
present-day Cromaigne), Cromaigne would remain divided.

Amerain
Occupying the north-west of the island, Amerain is hilly, heavily
forested in its northern regions, and has the most spectacular
coastlines of the island along its western edge. It has three major
cities: Amerain City, Foundation, and New Urthan. Amerain City
was built by the Evening Culture, and retains its ominous,
distinctive architectural style. The city overlooks a wide, deep,
natural harbour that is fenced from the open sea by a line of small
islands. Foundation and New Urthan were built after the First
Octaminist Crusade, and are thus AurUrban in style and feel.
New Urthan is an exact replicaalmost down to individual
bricksof its sister city in AurUrbis, and was raised by KiMentas
magic in the space of eight days.
Ruling House

Amerain is ruled by a combination of forces. The ceremonial

head of the country is the royal family: the House of yrAzurt,
which relies on primogeniture for the selection of its monarchs.
The monarchy is based in the fabulous Azurt palace on the
northern side of Amerain City, and it extends patronage in the
shape of Duchies throughout the kingdom. The Dukes of
Duchesses of Amerain (and there are seven duchies), fulfil the
administrative duties of the kingdom. They are responsible for
collecting taxes, maintaining a militia, and conducting local judicial
duties.
The real power, however, is in the hands of the KiMentas. Ever
since Amerain was established as a separate region of Cromaigne,
seven KiMentas have been based in the kingdom, and specifically
in the city of New Urthan, which was built to provide them with a
semblance of comfort. The KiMentas are the High Priests of
Gwenthia the Goddess in Cromaigne, and have very close links
with the Human Church of Gwenth, based in Menerain. The
KiMentas exercise social control over the kingdom through the
mechanism of The Traditions. This is an immense series of codes
of behaviour, law, lore and etiquette supposedly devised by the
Moon Husband Urthan himself. The Traditions codify most
aspects of social interaction: types of greeting, forms of address,
modes of behaviour, social and sexual taboos, criminal and civil
law, religious observations, and standards to be observed within
society. Only the KiMentas know (and understand) every single
Tradition intimately, and Amerainian society is generally expected
to understand the principles and essential requirements of the
Traditions, rather than every word and detail. Still, all
Amerainians undertake rigorous study of The Traditions, and
those with the deepest commands and understandings of them

Croman Character and Psyche

Due to their long lifespan, Cromans live at an
unhurried pace. The kind of urgency and bustle
found elsewhere on Gwenthia is either curiously
absent or much less frenetic in the towns and cities of
Cromaigne. Cromans are not prone to reach snap
decisions or to act without full consideration of the
facts, options and outcomes. Reaching decisions on
trade, politics and even relatively straightforward
issues can take hours, days or even longer. Between
Cromaignians, this isnt a problem; but for nonCromans it can be frustrating and irritating
especially when the decision or answer appears to be
clear-cut.
By nature Cromans are very calm and quietly spoken.
To hear a Croman raise his or her voice, or even lose
his or her temper, is a rare occurrence and usually
only after the most extreme provocation. Cromans
place great store by their actions and most of their
philosophies are based around thinking calmly and
rationally about matters instead of leaping to
conclusions or judgements that might prove to be illfounded later.

To outsiders, Cromans thus appear aloof and

humourless, but this is a misleading perception.
Cromans are fond of social interaction and laughter,
but their unhurried approach to life means that casual
socialisation and jocularity does not come easily to
them. However, if time and patience is invested in
developing a relationship with a Cromans, one
inevitably finds a warm, loyal and considerate
friendship results.

occupy some of the highest places in the seven Duchies, the Royal come to visit the Seven Moons Cathedral, the ports of Menerains
Court, and in the service of the KiMentas in New Urthan.
coasts hum with shipping activity, and with it, trade. Religion has
been good to Menerain, and the wily merchants of the mercantile
Society
houses and the Illustrious Guild of Merchant Venturers, have
Given the presence of The Traditions, one might expect Amerain taken full advantage of the opportunities.
to be a dull, lifeless place that is beset by ritual and adherence to
Ruling House
the Law. Far from it; the cities bustle with life, enjoyment, and
frequent celebration. Amerain enjoys extremely good relations
Menerain is a true monarchy. Queen urLeyn has ruled for ninety
with AurUrbis, and is a centre for AurUrban trade. KiDelan
years and is a popular monarch. She has relaxed trade restrictions,
merchants and settlers mingle with Croman freely, and the city of introduced measures to ease bargaining, and refuses to impose
Foundation stages an annual recreation of the First Octaminist
taxes on certain imports, knowing that such a lax approach makes
Crusade during Founders Week. This is not some bloody affair,
Menerain far more prosperous than without them. Under urLeyn,
but rather an abstraction of the Crusade, using games and contests the Illustrious Guild of Merchant Venturers has truly flourished,
to recreate the battles of the time. Athletes and aesthetes alike are becoming a trading power in its own right. Queen urLeyn takes
drawn to Founders Week, and the attendees are now drawn from its counsel, but has a close cadre of political advisers of her own
across Gwenthia making this a truly international celebration.
that assist in the wise decisions Menerain has made consistently
under her rule.
Amerainian society is thus open and friendly, although it is lawabiding and driven by etiquette and social graces. Many leads are Menerain is, like Amerain, administered under a system of
taken from AurUrbis, certainy in terms of dress and social
Duchies. Unlike Amerain, Menerain operates to a feudal system:
fashions, but the Croman traits of reserve and emotional
lands are the property of the Queen, and worked, for payment, by
repression are very much in evidence throughout the country.
the populace. A seventh of their yield is paid to the Duke, who in
turn pays a seventh to the Crown. In return, the Crown offers
Relations with Menerain and Spharain
protection and security to its people, and provides a just system of
laws and safeguards.
Although Amerain enjoys close relations with AurUrbis, it is
somewhat jealous of the trading position occupied by Menerain,
Society
and the religious position it enjoys as the centre of the Human
Church of Gwenth. There appears to be a growing feeling that
Menerain society is cosmopolitan and progressive. Of all the
Amerain is too much in AurUrbiss shadow, matched with a
people of Cromaigne, Menerainians are the most gregarious and
distinctly growing animosity towards Menerains prosperity.
least reserved. Its taken several generations for this nature to
Whilst relations are cordial, Amerainians see Menerainians
develop, and the outside influence of wider Gwenthia has no
somewhat as upstarts and imitators. In recent years, Menerain has doubt helped. Menerain fosters a spirit of achievement, and
gained some significant wins during Founders Week, much to
personal success that is founded partially on the teachings of the
Amerains chagrin, and what was once friendly rivalry is becoming Human Church of Gwenth, but also on the harsh lessons of
more than a little soured.
Cromaignes history. Menerain does no want to be a pariah, like
the Evening Culture, or pursue a single ideal, like Spharain, or be
Spharain is viewed with absolute distrust. Spharainians are seen as
enthralled to one nation, like Amerain. It wants to forge its own
bigoted monoculturists that have failed to adapt to a changing
destiny, and this philosophy is reflected in the ambitious attitudes
world. The personality cult of Prince yrGael is viewed with
found in Menerains society.
disdain and suspicion, and there is no wish for Amerain to
become part of yrGaels single kingdom of Cromaigne. Political The streets of Menerains cities therefore bustle with activity and
and trade relations do take place between the two kingdoms, but
trade. People from across Gwenthia can be found: traders from
they are, and always have been, strained, with neither kingdom
Telbrin; sailors and rigging-hand Arboreals from Quatzadua; wily
seeking to become sympathetic to the others views and beliefs.
Parkheshi merchant princes; and the machine-clans of the Tharux.
All are welcomed, and Menerains society thrives as a result.

Menerain

Sprawling across the centre of Cromaigne, Menerain is a vibrant,

prosperous land that enjoys its religious status as the home of the
Human Church of Gwenth, and also its increasing status as an
international trading and political power.
Much of this is due to Menerains active mercantile houses, such
as the sprawling Dro clan, which controls a great deal of shipping
and coastal trade. As many Heptaminists from across Gwenthia

Relations with Menerain and Spharain

Relations between the neighbouring kingdoms are tense.
Menerain believes itself to be the new, rightful, leader of the
Cromaigne hegemony, challenging Spharains ancient position and
Amerains religious centralism. Menerain is openly disdainful (yet
privately fearful) of Spharains conservatism, and constantly seeks
to undermine Amerains religous position by forging ever new
markets across Gwenthia.

Evening Culture Influence

and the two are indivisible.

Despite the presence of the Human Church of Gwenth,

disturning reports have emerged from Menerain of a variety of
Evening Culture-inspired sects that worship the Night Hag in
secret. For the Croman this is sheer, abhorrent, heresy. Such
reports are vague and based in hear-say rather than absolute fact,
but so far, official denials of such eviol have been similarly vague
and casually dismissive.
Both Amerain and Spharain have different reasons for
establishing the truth behind these rumours, but ultimately the
same goal. Political or mercantile dominance is one thing, but for
that dominance to be supported by the sorcery of the Evening
Culture would plunge Cromaign into civil war - with the likely
consequence of yet another, destructive, crusade.

Spharain
Spharain is the only remaining province from the days of the
Evening Culture. It occupies the southern third of the island with
control centred on the ancient citadel of Spharain itself. Spharain
citadel is located in a wide lagoon and built on a series of some
fiftenn islands, interconnected by bridges and walkways that stem
back to the Evening Culture itself. The architecture is still that of
the Evening Culture: high, complicated spires with intricate
carvings and flowing, interconnected runes. The citadel is
protected by a high curtain wall accessible by a single, massive
gate, erected during the First Crusade.
Spharain is yrGaels kingdom, and has been for 4,000 years.
YrGael is very, very rarely seen in public, and all day to day
business is performed by the Council of Seven - ministers picked
by yrGael personally to administer the business of the kingdom
and protect Spharain from harm. The Council of Seven is said to
be in constant psychic contact with yrGael, sharing his dreams
and taking instruction on all domestic and international affairs.
The Council of Seven conducts all its business in yrGaels name,

Ruling House
There is no royal family in Spharain: simply Prince yrGael. He
has refused to be known as King until Cromaigne is a single,
unified kingdom. There are no heirs and no claims to the throne;
only yrGael and the Council of the Seven.
Society
Spharain is insular. Economically and agriculturally, it is selfsufficient. Its population is small - less than 1 million - and its
needs few. YrGael has gifted the lands of Spharain to his people,
and the Council ensures that taxes are fair and land allocated
equally. Disputes are heard by the Sheriffs, itinerant magistrates
appointed by the Council of Seven to ensure equality amongst the
people. Socially, Spharainians are content to remain in their
kingdom, and few travel widely. It is as though yrGael is
nurturing them from a distance, protecting them with the power
of his personality and dreams. For the people of Spharain cleave
to yrGaels ideal of a single Cromaigne, with the structures
imposed by the crusaders dismantled, and Cromaignians free from
religion and outside influence. This ideal is ingrained in the
Spharainian spirit, creating passionate, single-minded, obstinate
people, who are clearly at odds with their fellows in Amerain and
Menerain.
Relations with Amerain and Menerain
Relations with the neighouring kingdoms are cursory. Spharains
buys and sells little, and has rejected all notions of trade
agreements, or free markets. Menerainian merchants are allowed
to trade in Spharain, but the guilds and other structures that
support their powerbase are fobidden.
The religious piety of Amerain is rejected outright. Spharain
worships no gods, and does not accept the Gwenthian church in

The Croman Legislative

With the destruction of the Evening Culture,
the question of who should rule Cromaigne
lingered. Prince yrGael asserted that the
Octaminist Crusaders should leave, and let the
Cromaignians take charge of their own fate. He
was opposed by Princess Jharethen? of the
northern lands of the island, who wanted the
help of the Octaminists in reconstructing
Cromaigne and along Octaminist traditions. In
the east of the island, Lord Menervar?, a
victorious general of the Meravae Empire, and
ally of the crusaders, declared that he had no
intention of relinquishing the lands he had
captured and would happily contest his position
forcefully if necessary.

In a bid to resolve this stalemate, the KiMentas

diplomats of the Crusader occupiers created the
Croman Legislative, and its intention was to
reach a peaceful, but decisive, settlement on
how Cromaigne would be governed.
The Legislative took two years in its
deliberations and failed utterly in its goals.
Prince yrGael declared southern Cromaigne a
separate kingdom - Spharain? - and Lord
Menervar refused to relinquish any rights to his
lands. He spent much of the time fortifying the
city of Menerain and creating a line of
fortifications along his western and southern
borders (the Menervar Wall?, as these
fortifications are known today). Only Princess
Jharethen reached agreement with the Croman

Legislative, and the result was the creation of

the northern kingdom of Amerain, which was
administered by the Princess and a specially
appointed group of KiMentas advisers (the
KiRisan? - 'Those who think and guide') which
continues to serve the Royal Family of Amerain
to this day.
As Cromaigne was separated into three
kingdoms, war naturally followed. Spharain
attacked Lord Menevar's lands in a series of
bloody conflicts that saw Menevar's position
consolidated, and Prince yrGael's diminish.
Eventually Prince yrGael agreed to a truce, and
devoted his time to hunting down remnants of
the Evening Culture that had fled to both
Gwailan and Thurian, and to opposing the

The Spirts of Cromaigne and the Spirit

Purge
When the Evening Culture fled to Cromaigne, they found a
verdant land that was the refuge of countless nature spirits;
ethereal creatures that gave life and power to all that was the
island itself. The spirits bathed the island in beauty and harmony
and were strong in the ways of magic and understanding.
Naturally, the Evening Culture had to enslave them.
So began the Spirit Purge, which continued throughout the
Evening Culture's dominance of Cromaigne and ended only with
the Evening Culture's destruction at the hands of the first
Octaminist Crusade. Groups of sorcerer-warriors scoured the
island for signs of spirit focus and, upon finding them, carved the
Night Hag's runes and symbols into the spirits' contact points
with the material world, thus slaving them to the will and
torments of the Night Hag and the Night Spawn. In this way the
Evening Culture sorcerers gained the ability to command magic
even at the height of the Moons or the brightest days of sun, and
the Night Spawn walked freely in the daylight hours.
No spirit was safe: Father Scarclimb, spirit of the Great
Mountains, took 800 years to enslave; Gashu'an, Lady of the
Great Lake, fell to treacheries from the tributary spirits of the
rivers who sought their own safety. The Grey Spirit of the
southern escarpment fought for centuries and eventually departed
the realm of Gwenthia, leaving behind the marshes of the Shifts,
which are his tears.
Even the spirits of the Iqari were threatened; and as the Evening
Culture grew in power, so they sought out the well-hidden and
Meravae Empire in its heartlands. Lord
Menevar named his lands Menerain?, and it
became a focal point for trade with the Meravae
Empire and many other old and emerging
Gwenthian nations.
Amerain, under the rulership of Princess
Jharethen and the KiRisan consolidated its links
with AurUrbis and began the development of
The Traditions?, which govern its society
totally, and established the Human Church of
Gwenthia as its formal religion.

protected spirits of the Eagle-Men. When Father Scarclimb fell to

the Evening Culture, much of the Iqari's protection was
compromised, and so began the war between the Evening Culture
and the Iqari that became known (to the Iqari) as the 'War of First
and Last?'. The final battle of the War of First and Last was the
Battle of Falling Tears?, where the Iqari assisted in the destruction
of the Evening Culture during the Octamninist Crusade. It was
their victory that brought to an end the Spirit Purge of
Cromaigne, although, even 1,500 years later, many of the island's
spirits are still enslaved; some driven mad by their imprisonment,
and others now corrupted totally to the Night Hag's cause.
The Spirits Today
Following the destruction of the Evening Culture, many spirits
were released from bondage, only to dissipate with the trauma of
their ordeal. Many had been driven mad, and refused to be
released. Others fled the plane of Gwenthia, returning to their
myriad homes parallel to Gwenthias realm.
Many spirits returned to their Gwenthian refuges and lead quiet,
solitary lives, refusing contact with Croman or human, save for
those who demonstrate the affinity to Spirit Walk. Some spirits
are still trapped, held fast by Evening Culture runes and awaiting
rescue: no-one knows how many, or what their state of presence
will be when released.
The Human Church of Gwenth views the spirits as an
anachronism: a remnant of a Gwenthia long gone. These days,
the spirits are remembered only in prayers and nursery rhymes by
the Amerainians and Menerainians.
Yet in Spharain, the spirits are venerated. YrGael has made it a

personal crusade to find and liberate all the spirits of Cromaigne,

and return them to their lands. A united Cromaigne means a land
where flesh and spirit live together in harmony and shared power.
As a consequence, Spharainains are taught that nature is to be
cherished and nurtured. Spirits are worshipped as trusted
neighbours and friends. Shrines and offerings abount at those
places where (sane) spirits are known to exist. Ghost Fences and
Snake Stiles mark those areas where spirits are insane or hostile.
And Spharain still identifies and trains Spirit Walkers - those who
seek-out the trapped and lost spirits and seek to guide them to
freedom. These individuals are naturally attuned to see the spirit
world and identify the nature, power and complexity of the spirits
of Cromaigne. As they grow in experience and stature, so they
grow in power as they learn to call upon the powers of their spirit
allies.

The Knights of the Rose

Spharain maintains its own agency to investigate and track-down
Night Hag and Dark God Cultists: The Knights of the Rose.
These philosopher-warriors are hand-picked by Prince yrGael and
charged with scouring Cromaigne for evidence of the Night Hag
and destroying it. Despite not being recognised by either Amerain
or Menerain?, the Knights of the Rose still operate in these
kingdoms, usually in covert cells. Their presence, and the scale of
power accorded to them by Prince yrGael, has created significant
tensions between Spharain? and its neighbours. Menerain states

vociferously that it does not have a problem with Night Hag

Cultists; and, even if it did, it is more than capable of dealing with
them. Amerain, on the other hand, has unearthed evidence of
cults in several of its settlements, and tries to keep the information
secret something the Knights of the Rose have exposed. The
issue for both kingdoms is that the Knights of the Rose are a
throwback to the Evening Culture Witch Hunts initiated by
yrGael following its demise a period in Cromaignian history
many would prefer to forget.
The Knights of the Rose maintain networks of agents in their
areas of operation, and thus have access to a superb base of
information (and paranoia) to draw upon in their investigations.
As Night Hag cultists sometimes have Night Spawn demons at
their command, the Knights are equipped with Dark Moon?
fragments that provide a range of powers that are effective against
these monsters.
The Knights of the Rose contrast with the Haghunters of
AurUrbis. Whilst believing in a common cause, they are sceptical
of each other. The Haghunters' scepticism is deeply-rooted, and
they refuse to believe that worship of the Night Hag ceased with
the destruction of the Evening Culture; they also believe that
Prince yrGael has made secret bargains with the Night Hag in
return for his extended life. The Knights of the Rose believe that
the Haghunters are ineffective and ill-equipped to deal with the
horrors the Night Hag creates. In reality, these two agencies are
both very good at what they do, and share a ground that is more
common than they realise.

Roleplaying Ideas
A Spirit to Die For
A street vendor on Amerain city has a Spirit Map for sale.
Possession of Spirit Maps has been illegal since yrGael wrenched
power from the Evening Culture over a thousand years ago, and
most these days are fakes. But this seems genuine. It also seems to
point the way to the Enchainment Place of jhur-ghar-jhur-ghar The Father In The Rocks - if so, it holds the key to one of the
most powerful fettered spirits that the Evening Culture could
never command. Whoever commands jhur-ghar-jhur-ghar
commands, they say, the secret of the Seven Moons.
That would explain all the AurUrban assassins, Knights of the
Rose, and a dozen Hag Worshippers of Chli-Mestis Han's sect;
but why is the Royal House of Queen urLeyn so interested?
Falling Angel
Coldacre Farm is like so many in the Scar foothills; isolated, small,
nervous. When the Iqari attack, the people have learned to hide
and let them winged bastards take a few cattle - better than losing
a life.
So what do you do when a wounded Iqari lands in your barn?
What do you do when that Iqari tries to communicate? What do
you do when that wounded Iqari defends you from the foothills
bandits who prey on the lonely farms and saves your life? What
do you do when man/bird and man begin to form an
understanding?
And what do you do when the Iqari Hunters come looking for
some easy raptor blood?
Lodestone
Get me a present, she says. Get me shiny things. So I wander the
canals of Spharain and find this jewelry barge with some strange
black glinting things that REALLY catch my eye. Decent price.
Buy one. She goes mad! Best sex ever!
Now we're having nightmares. Now we're seeing writhing things
in the dark. Sex is still great but becoming frantic, and the bite
marks on my shoulder don't look like her mouth put them there.
And I'm really afraid.
House Party
Chulithor-wan of the Amerain KiMentas is holding his annual
house party. Various dignitaries from the High Guilds, the Middle
Sects and the Low Quarters are invited. Archery, dance, poetry,
fine food, fine wine and song are the orders of the weekend.
And then the body is found in the Observatory, eyes burned out
and telescope trained on the Green Moon. Suddenly Chulithorwan has bolted the doors and is playing detective. Someone's

guilty: someone is going to pay. Chulithor-wan commands more

power than the King, so punishment is a moot point. No option
then... the Game is Afoot!

Gara-Dien
The Harmonious Empire

niquely, the Harmonious Empire of Gara-Dien does not

take the name from the peoples who constitute it instead it records the name of one of the most prominent
figures of Central Thurian history, Gara'Dien, often
known as the Theurgist. The Empire owes its origins solely to his
influence, genius and power, although he always pointed to the
one behind him, the divine being who sent him to Gwenthia
The Lady of Doors.
The Empire's approach to thought, magic and belief set it apart
from the other states and peoples of Thurian a society driven by
the power of the idea.

The Geography
Gara-Dien is located in the western half of Thurian, sharing a
common border with Zathuria along the course of the river
known to the Zathurians as the Charrux, and the Gara-Dien as
the Ellys. The lands draining into this river form a low, rolling
shallow bowl, ideal for the plains-dwelling nomads from which
the True Gara-Dien are descended. While the river has acted as
trade route, allowing the penetration of traders deep into the heart
of the continent the plains have been the site of numerous battles
and wars.
Further to the east the Ellys river is overshadowed by the
immense mountains of Meravenia, which are harsh and uninviting
to the Gara-Dien peoples. Although there are a number of
flourishing independent settlements to the north of the river they
do not fall under the direct authority of the Empire. Neither,

however, are they beholden to the Petty Princedoms of

Meravenia.
Where the Ellys river descends from the uplands there is the
strange and un-natural Nilman Desert, a blasted region of coarse
sands and gravels. No life can survive long in this harsh
environment, undisturbed by wind or magical energy and home to
fearful legends of ghostly legions.
The source of the Ellys river is further east, high in the lands of
the Hash-Takk Marg, a mountainous region which is home to the
strange and disturbingly insectile Hash-Takk. It is a land pocked
with (pre-dominantly dormant) volcanoes, bubbling-hot mud
pools, geysers and hot springs, all contributing to the lingering
smell of brimstone. Few humans live there.
Directly to the south of the Hash-Takk Marg are the rich lands of
the Felloxore River valley, where the Oxore built a mighty
kingdom in past centuries, and now serve as a buffer between the
Empire and Quatzadua. Mistrust and ill-feelings between the
Empire and its eastern neighbour leave this a tense and uneasy
border.
Most of central Gara-Dien, that portion south of the Thurian
plains, comprises deeply dissected plateaux, pierced with several
larger mountains, all of which are covered in lush forests and
woods. Innumerable small rivers drain this region. Those which
drain northwards feed the Viorxe, the Aenthkiang and the
Sifthros, all tributaries of the Ellys. The Sahn, Huam, Shaa (itself
fed by the Linbayan) and the Oxore (fed by the Aragra) all drain
south into the Great Gara-Dien Bay. The
descent south from the plateaux is
noticeably easier than that to the north,
resulting in a tight common identity
between the peoples of the plateaux and
those of the coastlands.
Bordering the Great Gara-Dien Bay the
southern coastlands are fertile and grassy,
with the coastal plains merging almost
imperceptibly into the lower steps of the
inland plateaux. The natives of this coast
look as much to the seas for their food
and wealth as inland, and have given rise
to skilled mariners, wily merchant
adventurers and not a few slave traders.
In recent years it is these mariners who
have driven the Gara-Dien dreams of
expansion to the Isles of the Kitar, not
just confining themselves to the conquest
of the numerous lesser islets, but the
main land itself, Kitarinik.

Issues of Temperature and Climate

The Language(s)

While each of the tribal groupings

from across the Empire subscribe
to a broad language family in
accord with their ethnicity, the
harmonising nature of the
Empire itself promotes a form
taken predominantly from the
original members of the empire
The Harmonious Empire of Gara-Dien covers a large area, and as and referred to simply as Garasuch contains numerous human tribal groups and one non-human Dien. Thus although there may
be a number of languages spoken
species. The resident humans can be broadly divided into three
within each province it is in the
geographically-based categories. These are the True Gara-Dien
Citizen of Eastern
(natives of the Charrux-Ellys River Valley), the Surlz, or Southern interest of all to learn this form as
Gara-Dien (an inadequate term referring to the hill, mountain and it is a prerequisite for citizenship.
coastal folk who were later in
This official language is a technically precise one, like modern
joining the Empire), and the native German. Multi-syllabic compound words are common, especially
peoples of the Isles of the Kitar (a
for specialized tools or items. For example, a sword might be
group of spirit-worshipping tribal
called a sword, but a greatsword would be called a large sword
peoples far from integrated within
that is used to remove the heads from enemies at several paces.
the Empire).
Spoken, it can sound harsh and guttural or soft of sibilant based
on inflection. Its alphabet and vocabulary are both bloated and
There are a large number of subconvoluted, making it almost incomprehensible to non-native
divisons within these groupings,
speakers. As such, Gara-Diens have a flair for other languages,
such as the Mid-Tai pygmy folk,
which they view as almost childish in their relative simplicity.
who are a sub-group of the True
"Gara-Dien is at about the latitude of West Africa, but possibly
cooler and probably somewhat drier." Average temperature in the
20-3ooC range on the coasts and hills, reaching maybe the midupper 30s in the northern savanna, and even higher in the Nilman
Desert.

The Peoples

Gara-Dien, not forgetting the

growing number of citizens referred
Gara-Dien Jade to as Mongrel Gara-Dien and
arising from the mixing of tribal
populations in the burgeoning cities.

Gara-Diens usually have large, complicated named composed of

their birth name (Roger), family or house name (Stevens),
occupation (the Blacksmith), caste (artisan), major
accomplishment (forger of the Sword Bloodbane) and
nicknames (Foe-render). Each addition comprises part of the
persons whole, real name, including nicknames. So, in the
The average Gara-Dien is a mixture of smug superiority and a
desire to make life better for non-citizens. They always want the example, this persons full name would be Roger Stevens,
Artisan, the Blacksmith who forged BloodBane, also known as
best for themselves, and are typically willing to go to lengths to
Foe Render. What you would call such a person in every day life
get it. However, their society is progressive and allows much
upward mobility; by following the precepts of the Jade Path, even would depend on what the speakers station was. Another artisan
would call him Roger, a nobleman might call him Stevens,
a slave can become a wealthy, influential person. They view
while his wife would call him anything she wanted. During
expansion as their Birthright, and are stubborn when it comes to
introductions, it is considered polite to only mention enough of
conflicts.
your name to let the other person know what to call you (so if
The non-human species are the Hash-Takk, alien creatures of
youve got a million nicknames, you neednt mention them all.)
disturbing form and mind. Each Hash-Takk is different from any
It would appear that the Hash-Takk do not possess a native
other, as their mixture of insect blood produces strange and
language as such, since as near as Imperial scholars can tell, the
uneven hybrids. They are mostly bipedal, although quadra-and
hexepedal Hash-Takk are known to exist. Their insect features are Hash-Takk dont actually have names for each other, and only use
verbal communication when dealing with other species. It is
carapace-like exoskeltons, diaphanous wings, segmented eyes,
assumed that they communicate with each other via some sort of
generally beetle like shape and movement. Their more human
features are of pale skin and hair, long slender fingers, tapered ears hive-mind or telepathy, but there has yet to be any serious study
about this. Individuals often adopt Gara-Dien words as names,
and small mouths. They speak in melodious whispers. Their
but do so seemingly at random. For example, a Hash-Takk might
minds are not as linear as human minds, and are capable of
have a use-name of Pliers or Crowbar, or even something like
making leaps of logical and intuitive thinking that astound most
Leather. Those that have become Imperial citizens adopt the
Imperial scholars.

naming conventions of their new country, complete with

appropriately lengthy nicknames.

The Provinces of Gara-Dien

The Ellys Confederacy, with its capital of Saareng, is the largest

navlacht of Gara-Dien, a vibrant mix of the fierce Lyshian
nomads (sworn enemies to the Zharaan across the border in
To allow the most efficient growth and government the Empire is
Zathuria), the Bee People of the Honeyed Coast and lowlands and
divided in a hierarchical manner, while taking account of ethnic
the Chav-Chin tribe of the hills. The Lyshian nomads willingly
variations. The Emperor presides over the Imperial Senate, whose
raid the neighbours across the border for slaves, in support of
senators (darintang, singular darin) are drawn from the eleven
ancient custom and defiance of Imperial Policy, while the ChavImperial Provinces. These provinces (navlacht), and the one
Chin are the guardians of the sacred mountain from which
Imperial Protectorate, are accountable to the senate, and each
Theurgist Gara'Dien is alleged to have departed this plane at the
overseen by an Imperial Governor, directly appointed by the
behest of the Lady of Doors (as opposed to his more public
Emperor.
departure outside Maragrim City). The ownership of the CharruxThe senate has the power and responsibility to propose laws and
Ellys River delta, also known as the Great Sudeg Marsh, has been
policies, which the Emperor, as ultimate authority, may approve,
contested for centuries. However the ever watchful presence of
veto or amend. The Emperor is also Commander-in-Chief of the the Black Angels, the so-called Charioteers of the Zathurians is
military. The senate is a place of intense rivalry where individual
enough to prevent direct military action.
Senators often act under the table. There are a number of factions
The cradle of Gara-Dien, The Primacy of Throseka is
at work within the Senate, often cutting across provincial or
separated from Ellys by the Viorxe river and dominated by the
regional lines. Each Senator and the Emperor hold tremendous
capital city of Moorvia. Beyond the cosmopolitan city, and its
power, but are expected to keep the Harmonic Principles of
extensively irrigated croplands and orchards, the small settlements
justice and compassion in mind when making decisions.
of the Tuoeka people dot the scrublands, while still paying their
Each province is divided into a number of smaller units, the
traditional homage to the Fifthros nomads (a group closely related
regions (xivlacht), each of which is represented by a senator.
to the Lyshian and sharing many traditions and customs).
Typically each navlacht is composed of 4-8 xivlacht, and,
Intermingled among the Tuoeka peoples are small communities of
therefore, 4-8 senators. The smallest unit is the land division
Tharux, descended from roving traders and, by and large,
(domosalio''), each of which is under the oversight of a
apparently ignorant of their relation to their kin further north.
commissioner, (fu'geth), who is accountable to the appropriate
Iorxiland which spans the upper reaches of the Viorxe River is
regional senator.
home to the tribes of the Iorxi Confederacy, a small, widelyIn addition, the reality of the process of assimilation of states and distributed tribal grouping whose guardian spirits were defeated in
peoples into the Harmonious Empire has rendered large areas
a magical contest by the theurgy of GaraDien, at the site of the
which are technically within the Empire unrepresented at the land current capital, Viorsden. While the rule of the Harmonious
division or even regional level, effectively rendering the residents
Empire may have changed their faith perspective somewhat and
as subject or protected peoples and not yet incorporated into the
the educated Iorxi recognise the importance of balance, their
empire as citizens. Naturally the Gara-Dien do not advertise this
traditional way of life has remained largely unchanged. (And
fact to outsiders as a general rule, although some provinces (such heavy-handed attempts to do so have led to bloody protests)
as the Xunli Freehold) mimic Imperial practice in assigning a
Most of their agricultural practices emphasis the burning of tree
guardian (halpanxiv, or little father) with equivalent
cover to create the fertile ash which enriches the soil something
theoretical standing to a senator or commissioner, depending
of this destruction to bring fertility and life ethic seems to have
upon the area covered. Some of the most vicious politicking in the shaped their penal and authority systems.
senate is over the formalisation of official regions or land
The Amnuzan Junta rule a damaged land (where most magic
divisions from these areas, as these threaten to endanger the
seems to be reduced in power and effect). The Chamnu, a taciturn
balance of power between the various factions.
and war-like society hold power over a semi-nomadic mongrel
Alongside this system are the Dominions, tributary states of the
population (the admixture of local Mnid, Tuoeka, Fifthros and
Empire which are allowed a greater degree of autonomy. Their
Tharux bloodlines). This was the area most affected by the Plains
rulers are directly answerable to the Emperor alone. Typically this Wars and still bears the scars. The Chamnu, are not an ethnic
form of governance is applied to powerful regimes that are not yet group so much as a meritocratic warrior elite and are based in the
ready to be fully incorporated into the Empire, or more
fortified city of Ninefold. These warriors are fanatic Gara-Dien
commonly, where a degree of flexibility is in the Empire's
loyalists, renowned for their bravery and loyalty. They await the
interests.
day that the Emperor will order them to swarm across the Ellys
River and burn the Zathurian city of Demna to the ground, a day

Political Structure

which many expect to be imminent. The navlacht's eastern border

is marked by the River Sifthros, the west by the Aenthkiang River.

myth. Since the coming of the Jade Empire this rivalry has been
channelled into matters of trade and prestige, rather than of
blood. One result of this is the splendour of their capital city, the
Tyath County lies on the coast, adjoining the Ellys Confederacy,
great Pnajinn Hua. Imperial Citizens from the League dominate
and is comprised of the majority of the former Greater Tyath
Gara-Dien's trading endeavours with the rest of Gwenthia. Their
Magistracy. After their expulsion from the Honeyed Coast the
ships are superior to all others in the Great Gara-Dien Bay (and
Tyath joined the Empire (by choice) and the Magistrates still wield
far beyond), much to the chagrin of the neighbouring Sheshaan.
impressive day-to-day power from the city of Athsahnduk.
Despite their past history of conflict the Tyath now enjoy far
The Sheshaan Canonry built it's power on conquest and slavery,
better relations with their neighbours than they ever did in preselling many such captives to their longtime allies, the Oxore.
Imperial times.
After centuries of such practices they were finally conquered by
the Jade Empire by the forces raised by the Xunli general and
Tiaen Hills Province is home to the pygmy Mid-tai hill people,
convert General ChentPin after a hard fought campaign (146who simply wish to be left alone. One of the earliest nations to
158). The Sheshaan have since redirected some of their energies
follow the way of GaraDien they are secretive and little-known,
into a centuries-long fight for dominance with the neighbouring
guarding their borders against all comers. It is whispered that they
League of Jinnahn. They are at a serious low point in this contest
await the summons of the Theurge himself, when he returns to
at present. Membership of the Empire and the ways of the Lady
rule Gwenthia at the left hand of the Lady of Doors, and that only
of Doors have not completely outlawed slavery, but have seriously
then will their mighty power be revealed. Any Mid-tai known
damaged the Sheshaan economy and confidence, and their large
beyond their land are either powerful sorcerers or bedraggled
fleet is in poor condition, as is their capital of Neshaanah Hurn,
outcasts. Few who enter their lands return, although their headless
reflecting their current poor fortunes. Worse still the recent spate
corpses may be seen drifting down the river Aenthkiang into the
of attacks on Sheshaan Slave ships is making matters worse...
Charrux/Ellys basin. No formal capital has been designated for
this province.
Always thinly settled, the lands of the Xunli found new strength
and identity after General ChentPin was awarded the post of
In the central hills of Gara-Dien stands The Viridian. For many
Imperial Governor of the newly-formed province, the Xunli
years these lands were shunned by the tribes of Thurian, but now,
Freehold after his successful defeat of the neighbouring
with the coming of the Gara-Dien these forested hills have been
Sheshaan. His mausoleum dominates the capital city of Isemidi.
opened to settlement in a great experiment. Amidst the ancient
ruins the landscape is being tamed and settled by colonists
according to the wisdom of the Lady of Doors and the Theurgist
Gara'Dien. Leaving behind their previous cultural identities the
While many of the Hash Takk follow the Jade Path and the
brightest and best are building The Viridian, and its shining capital teachings of the Jade College, they are not technically-speaking
Demegal. All know that The Viridian is a triumph of the Jade
citizens of the Empire, as the lands of the Hash Takk Marg are
Path, and it produces goods and agricultural produce of the
counted as the oldest dominion. The Hash Takk queen is a
highest order, yet it exports no particular items of artistic or
personal ally of the emperor, not to mention having memories of
cultural merit. Its inhabitants, when met beyond the navlacht,
the Theurgist. In addition to controlling her realm she also rules
seem contented and healthy, but are otherwise totally
the relatively few hardy humans who dwell on the surface of her
unremarkable, except that is, for their unstinting devotion to the
inhospitable domain. In common with the other Dominions the
Lady of Doors.
Hash Takk have observer status at the Imperial Senate.

The Dominions

The Koijo Pact is a land controlled by a number of City-Leagues,

the most powerful of which is the City of Hako. This navlacht
may well be one of the oldest existing governmental organisations
in the region and harbours an intense suspicion of the Tharux. No
one knows the origin of this, but certainly there have never been
any Tharuxi allowed within the walls of the City-States and the
region escaped the horrors of the Night-Blind Plague, at least in
part due to this policy. The agricultural produce from the Pact is
exported far and wide.
The League of Jinnahn is home to the adventuresome and
wealthy Jinnahn, the mercantile adventurers ''par excellence'' of
Gara-Dien. They have a centuries-long history of conflict with the
neighbouring Sheshaan peoples, the origins of which are lost in

Second oldest is The Oxore Dominion having been a dedicated

satellite of the Empire for over 300 years. After defeat in The
Baton Wars the Oxore have been allowed to retain an
autonomous tributary status. This is a pragmatic response, rather
than a particularly generous one, not unknown in Gara-Dien
history. By allowing the Oxore Dominion to retain a degree of
autonomy Gara-Dien has a powerful satellite on its sensitive
border with Quatzadua in the Ill Winds dispute. Any actions
undertaken by the Oxore are plausibly deniable, with the
Imperial consuls of each of the regions being protected from total
responsibility. The dominion is composed of three regions, which
are being closely modelled on the navlacht of the Empire.

Empire can recommend courses of action it cannot compel slave

owners to do so. Some of the more enlightened masters are
known to employ former or trainee Imperial Assessors to teach
Upper Oxore marks the heartland of the dominion and
certain portions of the Path, such as Body Harmony to their
is ruled from the city-fortress of Maragrim City by Prince slaves, and thus to enhance the Dimensional Magic pool of the
Tangjin, a fearsomely powerful warrior-magician,
state without unduly diminishing their labour pool.
reputed to be several centuries old even at the time he
was affirmed as head of the dominion by The Theurgist Any slaves who do attempt to surreptitiously gain literacy are
usually seriously punished by their masters, since once they
himself in 674.
achieve the required minimum standards they can appeal to the
Chejit Province was a tributary kingdom at the time the
nearest Imperial Assessor, who is empowered to grant provisional
when Prince Tangjin was appointed by the Empire and
citizenship on the spot.
still retains the same ruling house to this day.
This can be turned into a form of competition between slave and
The Kingdom of An Kitar is the latest dominion, under the loyal non-slaveholding groups. The Liberty Brigades of the League of
Kitar tribal leader Bobanagaradinena, who has been proclaimed as Jinnahn are known to subsidise certain branches of the Jade
King of An Kitar and charged with the awesome responsibility for College within the neighbouring Sheshaan Canonry, giving them
continuing the conquest and assimilation of the island from the
the resources to house and keep provisional citizens until
capital city of Balembarneho.
citizenship is formally granted.
Lower Oxore was subjugated centuries ago and enjoys
strong links with the Sheshaan peoples.

The Economy

Currency

The Empire promotes a mixed economy, encouraging

competition in many cases while retaining a degree of control over
a range of basic items. The prices of those goods deemed to be
essential, such as staple foodstuffs, are pegged throughout the
Empire, subject to review every five years. With every such review
there tend to be a number of items added or dropped from the
list, at least partly as a result of senatorial jockeying to support
each of the province's intrests. The practical upshot is that the
citizens and dependents of the Empire remain fed, and thus
content, while some goods are available at below market price to
the benefit of any who wish to purchase them from within or
beyond the Empire, while others escape from the protected
category and encourage entrepreneurial importers.

The standard currency is the Imperial Bunt, supplied by mints in

most of the provincial capitals. Each bunt is solid and round,
about 2cm across and marked with the image of Gara'Dien's
Epiphany on one side and a design dependent on it's
denomination. One bunt coins are made of silver alloy and show
the image of a citizen typical to the originating province. Similarly,
ten bunt coins show an assegai, sword, drums and harp,
symbolising the militrary and cultural strength of the Empire. One
hundred bunt coins are of gold alloy and display the Emperor's
regalia, his circlet, staff and sceptre).
For smaller purchases each bunt is divided into 100 Rings, copper
based coins the same size as each bunt but with a hollow centre
and simply insribed with Gara-Dien on the reverse and 1 on
the obverse.

As befits a state that would control the world Gara-Dien dislikes

the need to import too many goods from outside, especially those
it considers of vital strategic interest. Thus there are a number of a Dominions retain their own currencies, pegged to the bunt and
tarifs imposed upon certain imported goods, the value and choice usually of similar design.
of which are similarly imposed in five year cycles. The penalty for
receiving and supplying such goods ranges in severity from a hefty
fine to death.

Religion

Slavery
The practice of slavery is not unknown within the Empire,
although its prevalence is slowly decreasing over time. This area
represents where idealism and economics intersect. Slaves are still
the most economical due to their reduced labour costs, and it is
illegal to keep a citizen as a slave. Imperial policy explicitly
encourages all residents to join the Jade Path, and thus become
citizens. Since part of the full teaching of the Jade Path is that of
literacy, and literacy is a pre-condition of citizenship, most slaves
are forbidden from attending the Jade College, and while the

The Jade Path.

While many speak of the Jade Path in terms of the state religion
of Gara-Dien the terminology is somewhat ambiguous; the Jade
Path being as much a philosophical and ritual practice as a
religious one. The practice of following the Path is akin to an act
of worship, but in a very matter-of-fact manner. It is simply that
which is done rightly. While it is true that the Lady of Doors is
viewed as the focus of all devotion, mediated through the truth as
revealed by the one she sent, Theurgist Gara'Dien, and the lesser
Lords and Ladies (or demiurges), she herself is an enigmatic and
distant figure, and speculation about her nature and purposes are

discouraged. The Theurge himself clearly taught that she is only to

be known by those who succeed in the treading the Path to the
extent of leaving the known sphere through the Green Door, and
they are precious few in number. These individuals are believed to
be chosen of the Lady of Doors as emissaries, so that her worship
can spread to other worlds.
The practice of The Jade Path comes in two forms: The Workers
Path and The Warriors Path. Both paths are seen as integral to
society, and are given equal, but firmly separate, standing. It is
common knowledge that everyone exists to operate within one of
these two paths, and only certain rare people can switch paths
during their lives. People naturally fall towards one of these paths,
which means that life is pre-ordained - a practice which is decried
by both dissidents and external critics alike as little more than a
social control mechanism.

In every domosalio, and every town, there are at least two

externally appointed Imperial Assesors who maintain a branch of
the Jade College, part school and part temple. In some backwater
villages, if there are any Assessors at all they will be lowly, but
literate individuals, teaching to the best of their abilities from their
own home. In bigger cities the Colleges are correspondingly
greater in size and grandeur, all seeking to emulate the
headquarters of the Jade College are located in Moorvia, reputedly
the site of Gara'Dien's appearance. Known as The College of
Colleges, this Jade College is vast and dominates the city - with
the Emperor's Palace and the Senate house located within its
precincts.

Whatever its size the College is the place in which all are offered
instruction in the Jade Path at a given time on a given day.
Although attendance is not mandatory a surprisingly large
proportion of the populace do attend, since the instruction tends
The vast majority of people walk the Workers path. This tradition
to be valuable and useful, if only as a chance to escape from the
trains people to perform any tasks that are not directly involved in
chores of work and meet friends and neighbours!
fighting for conquest. This includes such jobs as smithing,
farming, and husbandry. It also includes surprising occupations,
Each family is presented with a copy of the basic precepts of the
like government positions, religious orders and craftspeople.
Jade Path in the form of Theurgist Gara'Dien's Concise Green
There is also a Magicians Path in the Path of the Worker, where
Scroll, spare copies of which are freely available in the library.
students learn magic not specifically related to battlefield use
Larger branches of the College will have copies of his complete
(research, investigation, other practical uses, although some
work, the Great Jade Codex, available for reference.
offensive magic is taught.)
Since there is mandatory military training for almost everyone in
Gara-Dien, the basic precepts of the Warriors path are well
known. The martial training given to students includes mind and
body control exercises, akin to terrestrial tai-chi, and rudimentary
weapons training. In all places the weapon taught is the
quarterstaff, although instruction in the spear is also widespread.
If a student shows promise (s)he receives the best instruction the
Imperial Assessors can give, and free travel to the nearest large
academy to train in the Path of the Warrior. Those that do so can
become warriors of almost godlike ability. They are weapons of
the Empire, used to enforce its ideals through might of arms and
energy. However even the rest receive lectures on military theory,
which are largely wasted on people who have never fought, and
will never need to fight.
The Jade Paths religious teachings are that each person walks a
blessed jade path during their life, and the energy they great and
give off as they grow feeds those around them and also feeds the
archetypal demiurge called the Lord or Lady of that particular
path. For example, the Lord of the Path of the Soldier is called
Marturu, a figure of dark armour and strength of arms. Those that
walk his path are given aid in battle, and are said to be able to
overcome any odds. All of these Lords and Ladies in turn petition
their favoured followers to the Lords of the two main paths.
The Jade College is the instrument by which the rudiments of
the Harmonious Empire's ideology of the Jade Path is propagated
among the people.

The Old Faith.

While the Jade Path is the state religion of the Harmonious

Empire, it is also an alien faith, brought to Gwenthia by the
sorcerer GaraDien, the person from whom the empire and its
people take their name.
During the Empire's early days of expansion, nomadic quahti &
dromal herders who lived in large family groups populated the
mainland of Thurian. These groups all had slightly different
religious faiths, but each faith was part of a larger central belief
system that began and was perpetrated by the nomads for
generations. Fragments of these faiths still remain in the Empire.
Imperial scholars collectively refer to these oppressed religions as
The Old Faith, a disparaging term that implies that these faiths
are outdated and no longer valid.
The Old Faith is a polytheistic religion. A tribal Totem, which was
typically seen as a personified force, oversaw each family group.
You could, in theory, run into them at a gathering, or find them
wandering the grasslands and woods. These beings were expected
to protect the family and intercede with the 8 Orbs on behalf of
the family. In exchange for these services, the family would make
offerings to the totem, the nature of which would vary by the
needs of the Totem in question. The Totem was served by a series
of attendant spirits, and by its human agents. What these agents
were called varied from family to family, but they invariably
wielded great power, both mystical and political.

Also, the Orbs would send instructions to the Totems, who would
convey the instructions to their agents, who would in turn instruct
the family. In this way, people could be made to fulfil the will of
the gods. It is said that, when the 8th moon fell, all of the Totems
that served it, and their families and attendant spirits, went to the
underworld to join it.
The Empire holds its genesis in these nomadic groups. When
Gara'Dien appeared out of the air, he gathered families around
him and taught them his Path. The Totems said the Orbs were
displeased at this turn of events, but Gara'Dien brought strange
and powerful weapons with him, and the nomads couldnt stop
the relentless expansion. They were subsumed into the Empire,
effectively destroyed and eaten.
However, the Totems servants still live, spreading the will of the
Orbs through the slums of the Empire, festering in hidden groves
and dens, plotting and scheming their way into the hearts of good
Imperial citizens. This, at least, is what the Jade College teaches,
and many of these groups have become as ruthless as the Imperial
line declares. There are, however, tight cells of Old Faith
members who want only to live their lives and worship their
Totems in peace.

tree described in the verse) but cannot perform the spell

themselves. Thus talented individuals may escape detection, either
by deliberate deception or simple garbled teaching - not to
mention the possibility of aptitude being activated later in life.
Some are hidden by the Old Faith and made into Totemic
servants or taught the spirit language of the Kitar. Some even
wind up on the Sorcerers Path from the Path of the Worker.
Some magic users, however, do not make it into one of the formal
schools. These people are either terribly fortunate or sadly
dangerous. They may continue to develop their magical skills, but
are much more self directed. Without the safeguards of an
established tradition, these mages can overextend themselves
(indeed, almost all do at least once) and cause substantial harm as
their magic rockets out of control.

At its core, magic is the ability to take magical energy, and

manipulate it with the mind towards an end function of some
sort. It is also relational; magicians who know their targets
intimately will find it easier to channel energy into them, and will
be able to produce bigger effects with less expenditure of power.
Magicians also develop the ability to infuse a commonly used tool
or weapon with their own energy, so that, when striking someone
with the weapon, or using the tool for its desired purpose, it
Nevertheless, any person suspected of being a member of the Old
counts as being part of the magician. Magicians who travel in
Faith is typically arrested and tried. If found guilty, the penalties
groups and know each other well can also use magic to augment
are the same as for treason and sedition; Death by Hanging,
individual group members, and the group as a whole. For this
Burning or the Sword. Even if absolved of all charges, the victims
reason, magicians on the same Path or of the same tradition find it
good name is indelibly marked, which is sometimes worse than
prudent to have a core group of fellows to act with, as well as
being guilty.
belonging to a larger organizing body that can collect dozen or
hundreds of magicians to produce staggering magical effects.

Magic

The Gara-Dien view is that magic is an inborn trait that all

humans, and most other races, can do instinctively from birth.
However, while this skill is like any other, some people are much
better at it than others. Most people have only a little natural
talent, and cannot progress to greater magic. Anyone who shows
real aptitude is capable of learning any of the different schools of
magic.
Magical instruction in the local branches of the Jade College is
usually limited to the teaching of a set of eight spells rather more
complicated than the common cantrips passed down from parents
and grandparents. This octet is taught by rote as a set of uplifting
verses, with no mention being made of the purpose, other than
general education. Magical aptitude will result in one or more of
the spells working, and mark the individual out for further
attention at a larger academy. Virtually any person living within
the Empire who displays an aptitude for magic is immediately
immersed in one of the Empires religious traditions, where their
magical abilities are filtered through the religions world-view.
Usually the Assesors are not magically adept themselves. Rather
they know what will result should an individual have the talent
(the most common being a simple illusion of the flowering Tcheri

Beyond that, everything is just theory. There are as many ways of

using energy as there are people who can use it. Even within an
established tradition, individuals manipulate this energy in
different ways.
The major magical traditions of The Jade Path are given below,
both with their proper and their common titles.

The Path of The Warrior

The Thrice-Sharp Instrument (The Weapons Masters).
This tradition teaches that magic can be used to sharpen the mind
and prepare the body for combat. Magic energy is used to increase
the users fighting prowess. They train with all weapons known,
although most specialise in only a few.
The Falling Wrath Practice (The Battle Mages).
This tradition teaches that magicians are the masters of power too
immense for others to use. They channel energy to become arcane
engines of destruction. Others of this path prefer to be subtler. In
any case, these are magicians of action.
The Golden Harvesters Association (The Assassins).

The best generals know that depriving an enemy force of its

commanders is the surest way to victory. The Assassins are the
tools for this sort of work. Members are trained in using magic to
get close enough to a target to attack, and to make sure the target
stays dead.
The Hawk's Roving Eye (The Outriders).
The masters of reconnaissance. Members of this tradition use
magic to gather information, to speed through enemy held lands,
and to make sure what they know can get to those who need it.
The Broken Cord Brotherhood (The Saboteurs).
Battles are not only won in the field, but in the disruption of
supplies and the sapping of morale. Members of this tradition are
skilled at sabotage and psychological magics.
The School of Uncounted Dragons (The Artificers).
Members of this tradition are the alchemists of the time. They use
magic to create noxious globes of gas, siege engines, and
clockwork or steam powered engines of war to aid the Empire.

This secret society gains control of an area by using magic to

influence the political process. Their area of control is spreading
out, and cropping up in distant parts of the empire. They seem to
be consolidation their power, but for what purpose? Members
tend to be charming and working their way into influential
positions.

History
Theurgist Gara'Dien was destined to make an impact in the area,
not least stemming from the manner of his arrival high in the
skies above Morvkraal, the ancient and holy site of the Fifthros
nomads of central Thurian. Within three years of this epiphany
the Theurgist, who was acclaimed by many as being not of
Gwenthia, forged an alliance and instituted a pattern of worship
which today dominates a large swathe of the continent, and
proclaims its inevitable victory throughout the world.

While the existence of Gara-Dien can be dated to -1250 BP, with

the signing of the Emerald Compact in Morvkraal, records and
histories of the folk of the Charrux-Ellys Basin can be reliably
traced back to around -3500 BP to the so-called Plains Wars and
the foundation of the Great Ellys Confederacy. Theurgist
Gara'Dien consciously modelled the Emerald Compact and the
The Jade Perfume Masters (The Secret Police).
emerging Empire upon the remaining memories of the earlier
A magically enhanced policing unit that helps keep an eye open on Confederacy, thus placing it within a line of greater history and
enemies to the Empire. Not all members have magical talent, but prestige.
those that do use their gifts to help ferret out the truth, no matter
The nascent empire quickly spread through the lands of the
how occulted.
Charrux-Ellys basin, cementing the plains tribes of the Lyshian,
The Flesh Weavers' Guild (The Healers).
Tuoeka and Fifrthros in an iron alliance that won the allegiance of
the like-minded and drove the hated Zathurian minions, the
A sect dedicated to the health and well being of citizens of the
Tharux, across the Ellys River and thus established a boundary
Empire. They use magic to heal the body and the psyche. Their
that has been firm to this day. Shortly after, in -1248 BP, the
techniques are a closely guarded secret, and it seems as though
Theurgist returned from a personal mission into the hills of the
they use technology beyond the grasp of most of their patients.
feared Mid-Tai, announcing the creation of the Taien Hills
Province. Less than a decade after the Compact was signed (that
The Invisible Hand Societies (The Thieves).
is, by -1243 BP) the Empire covered the whole of the southern
While not an officially recognised part of the Jade Path, there are a
side of the Plains, as far upriver as the edge of the eerie Nilman
number of thieves guilds that have been taking in runaway mages
Desert. Pushing south, down to the coast the Lyshian, having
and using their magical energies to fuel larceny and corruption.
enthusiastically adopted the Path of the Warrior beside their
already war-like nature, finally subdued the Bee People of the
The Benevolent Cloak (The Untaught).
Honeyed Coast and displaced their Tyath overlords in -1221 BP.
This is the path taken by magically able people who study by
It did not take long for the neighbouring Tyath people to
themselves, or go into a Path that doesnt have a magical tradition. acknowledge the prosperity and power of the Jade Path, resulting
Also called The Sorcerers Path, a term which is coming into
in the palace coup which overthrew the Prime Magistrate of the
favour by the increasing presence of pro-Sorcery magician lobby
Tyath and the appointment of his brother as Imperial Governor.
in the Senate. They reject the assertion that theyre somehow
This acquisition marked end of the initial phase of imperial
inferior. In most of the Empire, Untaught who do not walk
growth and ushered in a time of consolidation and internal
another Path are seen as dangerous weapons that can explode at
growth, as well as the establishment of formal relationships
any moment.
between the Gara-Dien and the Hash-Takk of the inhospitable
mountains to the east.
The Shadow Masters (The Body Politic).

The Path of the Worker.

The next two centuries were years of peace and development for
the Empire, as the institutions and practices taught by Gara-Dien
were gradually put into place, such as the spread of the Jade
College. Nevertheless, by 120 the Sheshaan Dominate, a
militaristic and slave-holding society to the south-east, was a
growing menace to regional stability. In 146 ChentPin, a convert
to the Jade Path from the neighbouring Xunli tribe, brokered the
intervention of the Empire into the low-level war in which the
Xunli & Sheshaan were engaged. The power of the Sheshaan was
broken, resulting in the admission of both groups into the
Empire, with General ChentPin as the first Imperial Governor of
the Xunli Freehold. The mercantile League of Jinnahn, alarmed at
the greater economic success of their neighbours and rivals, the
Sheshaan, formally embraced the Jade Path in 165. The
landlocked Koijo Pact, responding to a combination of economic
pressure, missionary activity and political opportunism joined the
Empire as a self-governing dominion in 248, before joining as a
province following the plebiscite 50 years later.
After this period of expansion the empire once again entered into
a time of peaceful internal growth as districts and land divisions
were organised through the newly-acquired territories, the only
notable incident being the magical Wager War between the Brin
and Erifest Schools of the so-called Assassins' Path. In a dispute
to determine internal supremacy the schools engaged in a
campaign against the very spirits of Iorxiland, culminating in the
intervention of the Theurge himself and the subsequent
annexation of the Iorxi Confederacy in 461, not to mention the
discrediting of both the schools.
More recent growth has not been driven by any single discernible
plan. The Baton Wars between the Empire and the Oxore
resulted (in 674) in the foundation of the Oxore Dominion and
the subsequent ascension of the Theurge. To mark the 1000th
anniversary of the Empire the Viridian was created in 745 as an
experiment and demonstration of the virtues of the Jade Path in
lands formerly held in superstitious awe by many of the local
peoples. The last major phase of expansion was initiated in 837
when after decades of relatively peaceful coexistence conflict
flared between Kitar natives and independent settlers from the
League of Jinnahn in Gara-Dien. These Gara-Dien citizens
appealed to the Harmonious Empire for assistance, and with
remarkable speed the Great Armada left mainland Gara-Dien to
begin the Conquest of the Isles of the Kitar, a process which is
still to be completed, leading many to contemplate the real state of
the power of the Empire.

Roleplaying Ideas
Gara-Dien is designed with versatility in mind. There are enough
different races, factions and ideologies in place that a character is
spoiled for choices. This also give the GM great flexibility about
what sort of game he or she wishes to run. The setting supports
both low-powered gaming (regular people serving the Empire,

perhaps hunting down Fallen Totem agents) to high-powered (a

group of Jade Path Warriors seeking out the Empires enemies.)
Adventure Seed: Readin', Writin', 'Rithmetic, and Redemption! A
Jinnahn Liberty Brigade seeks scholars to infiltrate Sheshaan slave
farms and plantations to educate the slaves in the rudiments of the
Jade Path, and warriors who will assist the slaves in contacting the
Imperial Assessors.
There are a few main things to consider when deciding on a GaraDien campaign:
Politics.
The setting is rife with the best and worst sort of political
manoeuvring and machinations. Players might be diplomats in a
foreign country, trying to convince the powers that be to aid in a
military effort, or perhaps play a role in discovering which
Imperial Senators has designs for the Emperors Throne.
War.
As an Empire built on conquest, invasion and retribution are
constant threats. Players might be grunts trying to make their
way to the front, or members of an elite Warrior Path unit
fighting for the Empires growth.
Desperation.
Perhaps the players are Hash-Takk sorcerers, trying to hold on to
their minds while seeking out secrets from their fallen civilisation,
or Fallen Totem agents who want to establish a worship base for
their Totem before it drive them mad.
Rebellion.
It is not just among the Kitar, that there are reservations about
being made part of the Empire. Perhaps the PCs are part of the
underground rebellion effort, or Imperial investigators looking
for dissident groups.
Exploration.
There are vast tracks of land in the Empire that have not been
thoroughly explored and documented. Indeed the Viridian was
built upon the remains of an ancient civilisation, and their ruins
still dot the land and delve far underground. Who knows what
relics from ages past still lie in wait, ready to be plucked from
darkness and brought back into the light of the present day? Do
terrors lurk beneath the soil, waiting for freedom to rend and slay?
A spiritual journey.
The Empire is a land of many faiths and paths to enlightenment.
While many live their lives of toil and sweat, many others walk the
world seeking knowledge, salvation, or just a place in the larger
world. Are the PCs warriors seeking to be the perfect weapon,
agents desiring true intimacy with their Totems, or spirit talkers
who wish to elevate their own spirit to the god-like levels of
power found in other spirits, either for the good of the Kitar or

personal gain? Will you eventually gain perfection and let the Lady
of Doors move them to another world to spread their faith?
The nature of magic.
Magic is a strong presence in Gara-Dien, and it exists in many
forms. Are the players magically adept, and if so, how does this
Talent for energy manipulation manifest?
Evading Pursuit.
The characters might be wanted for a number of reasons, and
existing with the Empire is difficult of Imperial forces are seeking
them. Will they run to the frontier, or hide in plain sight?

Meravaenia
The Roof of the World

t the heart of the continent of Thurian lies the vast

Meravae Plateau, bounded by towering mountains to the
north and south, steep cliffs to the west and narrow
valleys to the east. Once the seat of an ancient inhuman Empire
(the Meravae Empire), for millennia seen as a backwater and
obstacle to trade and commerce across the continent, and
occasionally as the source of religious fanatics and barbarian
hordes, the last half millennia has seen the emergence of a new
power, the Republic of Telbrin, and changed the wider worlds
perception of the Meravae Plateau forever. The Telbrini have
found strength and knowledge by delving deep into their past.
This has brought them unprecedented economic wealth and
contact with the nations of Gwenthia: a new age of prosperity and
enlightenment has dawned for the inhabitants of the crossroads of
the world.

them for the sake of their own aggrandisement, depending on

ones point of view. They have printing presses (hand carved
wooden type), Skyships (recently developed from knowledge
recovered from Meravae sites on the high plateau), passable steel
(Western Europe, circa 1400) and are currently considering
equipping elements of the Cohorts, the volunteer military of the
Republic, with early chargers (simple pre-cursor of the matchlock,
the first musket): once they can reliably forge larger barrels, they
will have the capability to make cannons, and will have added a
new capability to their formidable, if small, army.

The Republic of Telbrin itself seems ripe for external conflict: it

seems inevitable that it will clash with either Parkhesh (with
whom cultural, geographical and historical antagonisms run deep)
and or Gara-Dien (given their expansionist nature and the mutual
problem of the Petty Princedoms region of the Plateau), and
border squabbles with AurUrbis have been a feature of relations
along Modrin's Line. At present relations are cordial with
AurUrbis: both are involved, discretely, in supporting the Khalesh
The Republic of Telbrin occupies the upper reaches of the Hallex
via a trade route through the City of Shalkan and the
River, with the Confederation of the Children of Xantir occupying
Loparankwari.
the north-western plateau, just east of the Manas Mountains. The
Internally the Republic suffers the old tension between the
dizzying heights between, including the towering peak of Mount
mercantile adventurism of the Great Houses and the conservatism
Keril (one of the natural wonders of Gwenthia) are the home of
of the Churches and Cohorts, and this is being complicated by
the High Kingdom folk, the tribes of the Merav Nation. The
new divisions between the orthodox faithful of the Churches and
central plateau is divided up into many petty principalities and
the new secularist (currently in the ascendant). And while debates
kingdoms, some no more than a fortified village. These are
rage in the Moot and Senate (and in the Philosophical Clubs,
known, somewhat unflatteringly, as the Petty Princedoms. The
Cohorts mess halls and the House refectories), the Republic of
further south and west the more lawless, but also sparsely
Telbrins rampant embrace of technology such as the waterwheel,
populated the plateau becomes. The Smoking Hills, where the
Dragon Peaks with their active volcanism really begin, is a baleful edges the Republic towards an industrial revolution whilst
generating a new underclass of the disenfranchised and
country, rarely travelled and mostly shunned by the plateau folk.
impoverished; some rabble rousers, pamphleteers and
The people of the plateau are almost universally human, albeit the
revolutionaries even claim that this is deliberate, part of some
Mountain Folk (as human population of the high mountains are
sinister plan by dark forces that have subverted the very
known) are so well adapted to their mountain home that they
government of the Republic itself.
suffer reverse altitude sickness at anything approaching sea level.
The Children of Xantir on the one hand seem as old as the
The people of the Upper Hallex River Valley and other lowing
laying parts of the region are known as River Folk or Valley Folk. mountains they inhabit - there have been religious houses in these
lonely valleys for millennia, the prayers wheels endlessly spinning
There are pockets of non-humans rumoured to dwell in the high
out a thread of words entreating salvation and mercy through the
valleys, but even the Republic of Telbrin isnt heavily populated,
unending years. The political landscape and history of Xantir, the
and the high plateau boasts some remarkably strange wildlife
(theorised to be left over from Meravae Zoological collections). It High Kingdoms and Petty Princedoms, and indeed the City States
of the Upper Hallex River Valley (Now united as the Republic of
is now generally accepted that there is an Iqari population on
Telbrin) are tempestuous and complex, and indeed poorly
Mount Keril, although details are sketchy, and what relations are
understood.
like between the ferocious flying beings and their human
"neighbours" is unknown.
On the Plateau, the status quo is in turmoil. The Telbrin Cohorts
are pushing ever west and north. Relations with the High
The Republic of Telbrin is young, vibrant, assertive: a nation
newly forged in the heat of innovation and discovery with its eyes Kingdoms appear civil, but those who know the Merav Nation
to the future but grounded with a sense of respect for the history well are worried that the tribes have withdrawn guides and
seasonal workers from the latest Telbrini expeditions, and confess
of its forebears and a true appreciation of natural justice and the
right of men to freedom, commerce and just self-governance free themselves worried over rumours that the Conclave of Tribes has
been called for the first time in generations for High Summer.
of tyranny and oppression... ...or possibly they are grave-robbing
opportunists bent on imposing their views on everyone around

Overview

Within the Confederation of the Children of Xantir, tensions run

high over how to respond on the one hand to the Republic of
Telbrins overtures of friendship (a pretext for access to records
and Meravae ruins within Confederacy lands in most peoples
opinions) and rumours of Telbrini approaches to individual states
of the confederation; and on the other hand, the bandit raids from
the Petty Princedoms have risen to an unprecedented level in
recent years. Added to which, a major theological dispute has
arisen amongst the clerics of the Xantiric Sects (regarding the
poverty or otherwise of Xantir) and words like heresy are being
bandied about. And now rumours have spread of a new warlord
in the Petty Princedoms who claims a divine right to conquest and
to whom an increasing number of the scattered polities bordering
Gara-Dien and the Smoking Hills are bowing.

The Meravae Empire

A political entity, centred on the Meravae Plateau of central
Thurian that dominated Thurian history between 7000BP and
2300BP, apparently run by the non-human (but distinctly
humanoid) Meravae, a Forerunner people.
The bulk of the empires population seems to have been human,
but scholars remain fiercely divided as to the exact relationship
between the Meravae and the humans within the empire. Whilst
the term "slave" is often used (and found in the few extant texts)
it appears to be an old usage from a non-Meravae language.
Indeed, some scholars have suggested that it was originally the
Ancients term for the Forerunners, transliterated in to Ur-Merav.

That all these lands were, millennia ago, the heart of the Meravae
Empire, is not disputed, and that Caer Abrin, high on the flanks
of Mount Keril, was their capital seems, given Telbrini finds in the
two centuries they have held and excavated Caer Abrin, equally
certain. But who or what the Meravae were, what happened to
trigger the fall of their empire, these are unknown to the general
populace, and generally the topic of myth. Many expeditions, both
government sanctioned and not, seek the next major discovery
amidst Meravae ruins both on the Plateau and beyond.

The Empire was founded in prehistory as part of the ancient

conflicts between the Ancients, the Forerunners and the Eighth
Orb. It is said that 7000 years ago the Forerunners rose again to
challenge the Ancients, and that in response the Dark Orb called
across the omniverse to Humans to aid him. On arrival the
human magicians betrayed their summoner and sided with the
Forerunners, and this alliance, which is believed to have beaten
the Ancients, was to become the Meravae Empire. Another major
Forerunner race, the Geneweavers, took an increasingly antiThe Republic of Telbrin is NOT the first "successor" state to the human stance and moved from autonomy to secession from the
Meravae to arise on the Roof of the World, and at less than three Forerunner Collective, which increasingly became the Meravae
Empire centred on the Meravae Plateau. Thus the dominant
centuries old it isn't even the longest lived. But its enthusiasm,
cultures in Thurian and Gwailan around 5000 years ago were the
rampant commercialism and (some say) ruthless exporting of
ideas makes it far more dangerous, or likely to survive and prosper Zathurian arcologies and Meravae Empire in Thurian and the
(depending on point of view). The Telbrini will trade with anyone, Geneweavers in Gwailan. The two Forerunner forces warred
extensively, and although Telbrini and AurUrban records record
and appear to bear no grudges for any historical slights that may
that the Empire won, there is no evidence of extensive
have been dealt in the past... at least, that's the official position:
domination or colonization of the northern continent. The
Republic citizens from tribes with old conflicts however don't
Geneweavers continue to be a major force on the northern
seem entirely comfortable with the new regimes banning of
revenge and feuding (traditions with a LONG history amongst the continent, so perhaps the conflict was more a stalemate on
continental lines.
tribes of the Roof of the World...). And the Tharux Traders are
accorded at best a chilly welcome in most of the lands that follow
The Empire extended from the Golden Isthmus where a new
the Church of the Chain, which still promulgates the 3rd Kolspecies emerged (4000 years ago) to build the province that
sheks prohibition on members of the faith entering Zathur. That eventually became the nation of AurUrbis. Around 5000 years ago
decree has in Telbrin itself been recently enshrined in civil law,
the Tual are reported to have left the Empire to follow the Seven
but whether as a sop to the hard line conservative elements within Stars, so it can be assumed that the lands of the Eastern Thurian
the Churches of the Chain, or for other reasons is unclear.
were not part of the Empire. At some stage the lands that later
Very little info is easily available about the Meravae in the present: become Parkhesh were part of the Empire, certainly by the time
of the Third Octaminist Crusade. It is not know if the lands that
the Republic of Telbrin has beaten a path to the door of anyone
are now Quatzadua or Gara-Dien were ever formally or
who advertised such knowledge and shadowy factions within the
informally part of the Empire.
Telbrin government are tireless in their quest to eliminate any
source of information about what really happened to cause the
Meravae Empire to collapse...

The religion of the Empire, certainly by the fifth millennium BP,

was Octaminist, given the known religious split between the
Empire proper and the radical AurUrban Church of Gwenthia.
To what extent these traditions continue in the practices of the
Churches of the Chain is unclear. The corrupt practices of the
Evening Culture worshipping the Night Hag emerged in the

Empire some 4,500 years ago. The cultists were expelled to settle
Cromaigne, but the tales of Prince yrGael and the later two
Octaminist Crusades suggest that Dark Moon worship was
endemic in the society even if suppressed officially.
Equally problematic is the exact political structure and division of
power within the empire. The emperor was Meravae and always
from one bloodline: but the degree to which the Meravae, even at
the height of the empire (for example during the war with the
Geneweavers circa 5000BP) actually "ruled" is unclear. The
overwhelming majority of persons identified from the scant
archaeological (and even scanter historical records) as actually
'doing' anything are humans "doing the will of the Emperor". And
often those opposing the empire, such as Tual, appear to have
been human as well. Even in the twilight of the Empire, its most
active agents appear to have been humans; albeit the Evening
Culture was unquestionably Meravae in origin and some figures
are clearly Meravae.
The Empire was riven by schism and rebellion from about 3,200
BP when the AurUrbis city-states declared effective autonomy
and began the First Octaminist Crusade to end the Evening
Culture. This autonomy and growing power was further enhanced
when Prince yrGael of Spharain came to court in 3,100 BP and
started a personal crusade against dark cultists with the active
support of KiMentas priests. By 2,900 this has become outright
rebellion with AurUrbis forces occupying Parkhesh and yrGael
overthrowing the Emperor and tearing down all temples of the
Octaminist Church. The society was in decline and by 2,250 BP
with the Exodus of Slaves the Empire was a spent force.

Nations of Meravaenia
Confederation of the Children of
Xantir
The Confederation grew out of the shattered remains of the
Xantiric Theocracy after it spectacularly imploded some 1800
years ago. Its founding date is hard to tie down, but most scholars
agree that it pre-dates the Ensellati Horde by a century or so;
others have seen the Confederation as a delayed reaction to the
Horde, and argue that its founding is much closer to 1500 years
ago. Telbrini scholars remain frustrated that the most fruitful
records for research, those of the Children of Xantir, remain
closed to them.
The Confederation is not a unified polity, but rather a loose
confederation of tens, possibly over a hundred, small states which
share the common feature that a religious sect of the Church of
the Chain has special political pre-eminence (they might directly
rule in one state, and in the next valley over be merely the prime
advisors to a feudal King), and that all those sects respect the
authority of the spiritual power of the Kol-shek dVanan, the
divine living heir of Xantir who (as part of a particularly baroque
peace treaty negotiated some ten centuries past) must spend at
least 12 (but no mare than 56) days at a time in each of seven of
the major principalities of the confederation each year.
The Confederation itself is little more than a gaggle of diplomats
from the most powerful principalities that troops around the high
mountain valleys in the train of the current Kol-shek, with little

Wonders of the Meravae Empire

supported, given its relatively hostile and
inaccessible location? No roads lead to Caer
Abrin, something that still baffles Telbrini
Where the River Astrav (also known as the Blue
scholars, as even with Skyships, the city would
Serpent River) tumbles down from the high
The Ruins of Caer Abrin were discovered by surely have needed roads?
plateau of Meravaenia to form the northern
explorers from Telbrin some 300 years ago on Also known as The Ruins of Light due to the border between Nhi-Tual and Telbrin lies the
the High Plateau and were believed by them to intensity of sunlight at this altitude, the Ruined largest civil engineering work in Thurian (outside
be the seat of the Meravae Empire before its fall City is an eerie and baffling legacy - more Zathur): the half completed Astrava Bridge. It
and the mysterious disappearance of the Meravae comprehensible than The Astrava Bridge and yet leaps out in a single gravity defying curve of
over two thousand years ago. The largest intact more troubling: there are no recognisable flawless marble across the Astrava Falls where
ruins of that era known to survive in Thurian, temples, and as with other Meravae sites, the river plunges down from the high plateau and
Caer Abrin was also apparently largely disquieting echoes of architectural styles and stops halfway across, forever incomplete, most
untouched by the looting that followed the decorative motifs seen elsewhere on Gwenthia. striking reminder of the mysterious fate of the
disappearance of the Meravae race and scoured The region of the High Plateau around the ruins Meravae...
most other Meravae sites clean.
is also home to the largest concentrations of
Important questions remain unanswered about "crypto-zoological anomalies" as Yashin
Caer Abrin: how did the ruins of a metropolis Daibrun Oltan Halvas, has called them: surviving
that once sported a population of some quarter escapees from Meravae zoological collections
of a million souls remain undiscovered so long? abandoned during the fall of the Meravae
How was such a large metropolitan population Empire or later when the Meravae themselves
vanished.

The Ruins Of Caer

Abrin

The Astrava Bridge

real direct power, no standing military force to speak of and

usually largely ignored by the Princes, Dictators, Holy Leaders and
Despots of the various disparate principalities of the
To this day the Children of Xantir, whilst theoretically at least
Confederation and High Kingdoms.
politically united in a loose confederation, are still divided, almost
village by village, in to slightly variant sects of the Church of the
Since the great crusade initiated by the 6th Kol-shek, some 1500
Great Chain, although most acknowledge the spiritual power of
years ago, which brought most of the modern Meravae plateau
into the faith of the Great Chain, at least for a while, the Kol-shek the Kol-shek dVanan.
has directly intervened in Confederation Politics only three times. Whilst the Confederation never achieved sufficient coherence to
On every occasion, the Confederation has overnight turned in to a form a military threat to the other peoples of the plateau, the
remarkably unified, determined body.
missionaries of the 6th Kol-shek dVanan were an invasion none
expected, nor thought to counter until far too late. Ostensibly a
Crusade against the heretical Cult of Rathkul, dispassionate
scholars now believe the crusade of 1500 years ago was always a
Amongst the secular folk of the Confederation of the Children of
plain and simple religious annexation by the ambitious Kol-Shek.
Xantir, names are fairly simple. One is named for ones village, any
The Church of the Great Chain thus spread throughout the
distinction to separate one within the village (if there are two
plateau and is now the dominant religion throughout the region
wood carvers for example), and then a personal name. So
and most acknowledge the Kol-shek dVanan as the ultimate
Cerynwyd, who has a face like the back end of a bus and is one
leader of the faith; in general however, outside the confederation,
the four hunters from the Village of Galstaff, is called Galstaff
religion is not as all consuming and does not dominate peoples
Hunter Cerynwyd the Ugly. Within a community, where it would
lives in quite the fashion it does amongst Xantirs Children. But
be unambiguous, the polity and role are used (Galstaff Hunter,
throughout the former Meravae heartlands, one is never far from
your opinion?), and amongst friends the use name and descriptor
the rattle of the prayer wheels and the constant flutter of the
would be used: Cerynwyd the Ugly you old goat, you owe me a
prayer flags.
skin of fermented Yaks milk! In general the ecclesiastical
population of Children of Xantir abandon their given personal
names when they enter a religious house, and are universally
known by the sect name, house name and station within sect (with The High Kingdoms is a rather deprecating Telbrini joke at the
a numeric descriptor to distinguish between them). So a
expense of the northern clans of the Plateau region, who survive
wandering Monk from the Eternal Veil sects House of Cheltin
in the bitter cold and harsh conditions of the high Keril
with the rank of Novitiate (and at the time he left that house, the
Mountains at little more than subsistence level. Primitive hunterfifth such novitiate) would be Eternal Veil Cheltin Novitiate-Five. gatherers at first appearance, they trade exotic skins and their skills
as guides for metal tools and the like from the lowlands, and
tenaciously guard the secrets of the high mountain homes
including the hidden valleys where they farm various crops and
The Confederation and those states of the Petty Princedoms
raise herds of hardy mountain goats and Munath (a smaller,
stable enough to consider trade are generally pre-industrial
hardier variant of the SuiTh found in northern Nhi-Tual). The
economies, relying on labour intensive methods. Hand weaving is
Kingdoms are actually seven tribes (named for the links of the
the usual method of producing cloth and it is died in small
Great Chain) scattered through the high mountain valleys. Each
batches, producing the distinctive multicoloured clothes of the
tribe is ruled by a Chieftain, who is advised by the Hand of Elders
plateau. Wood is much sort after in trade, with the plateau itself
named for the Five Messengers (Teller, Hunter, Talker, Knower
producing skins, copper, ice and fulgurites.
and Dancer). The tribes collectively refer to themselves as the
The Children of Xantir have a bizarre hodgepodge of coinage,
Merav Nation, albeit it is nearly 200 years since the nation was
tokens and promissory notes, although the Church coin is
gathered in conclave, and even in high summer it is unusual to see
universally accepted. This consists of heptagonal metal tokens,
more than a single tribe gathered in a given valley.
with a hole in the centre, in alloys colloquially known as copper
The Tribes of the Merav Nation are skilled hunters and tenacious
(cl), brass (brl), bronze (bzl) or silver links (sl). One silver link is
mountain folk, but they have little time for deceit or conniving:
worth seven bronze links or forty-nine brass links or three
they live in an environment where such double dealing can be
hundred and forty three copper links. (1sl=7bzl=49brl=343cl).
fatal, and see no honour in such behaviour. Blood feuds and
None of the coins is pure metal (they would be too soft in some
personal duels are common, but within strictly codified lines, and
cases) and have knurled edges to help avoid counterfeiting.
shedding blood of tribes folk outside the sanctified times, or more

History and Character

Names in the Confederacy

The High Kingdoms

The Confederacy Economy

general warfare, is unheard of amongst the tribes (and its existence plateau. Wood is much sort after in trade, with the plateau itself
amongst the lowlanders taken as proof that such folk are all mad, producing skins, copper, ice and fulgurites.
living so far away from the Ladies of Air and Rock).
The Petty Princedoms currencies are if anything even more
chaotic than the Confederations, given the frequent collapses of
Names amongst the High Kingdom
central authority. Barter is very common, and usage of Church
The Folk of the High Kingdoms (or the Merav Nation, as they
and Telbrini coins is more common than the local currency
style themselves) name folk for their Tribe, Clan within the Tribe, (whatever it is), except of course in those polities where use of
Mothers given name and their own given Name. Whilst travelling foreign currency can get one executed.
on the Plateau one might be formally introduced to Mist Snow
Leopard Heralva Xian, a warrior named Xian born of a woman
whose given name was Heralva, of the Snow Leopard Clan in the
Amongst the folk of the Petty Princedoms names are a simple
Tribe of Mist. The tribes are named for the Links of the Great
matter. One is named for ones village, any distinction to separate
Chain, and the Clans usually for their Totem Animal. Informally
within a nuclear family one might use sibling status or given name, one within the village (if there are two wood carvers for example),
with emphasis showing degree of familiarity etc: so Xians brother and then a personal name. In this they follow the same pattern as
the Confederacy of the Children of Xantir.
might address him as either Xian or Third-son. Within ones
clan, the typical usage is Mothers Name, Own Name, so our Snow
Leopard warrior would be Heralva Xian.

Naming in the Princedoms

Telbrin

Telbrin or more formally, The Republic of Telbrin, is a recent

nation state that has emerged from the City State of Telbrin in the
The High Kingdoms have no currency, understanding only barter. Upper Hallex River Valley in the last few centuries. It now lays
claim to the entirety of the Upper Hallex, as far north as the
The Merav nation dress in and trade mainly furs and skins to the
lowlands, and show little interest in most trade good, even salt and (recalcitrant) City State of Renbril and has for some time been
other commodities not easily found in the high mountains. Good pushing west onto the high plateau of Meravaenia. The City States
of the Upper Hallex River Valley freed themselves by various
steel, especially in the form of knife blades are highly prised
means (including violent revolution, peaceful protest and sheer
however, as are sea shells for some inexplicable reason.
patience) from domination by Parkhesh (whose attention was
elsewhere) some six hundred years ago. They rapidly established a
thriving community of independent city-states bound together by
The Petty Princedoms of the Central Plateau region combine the
trade and shared ideologies of democracy and individual rights of
worst aspects of the Confederation of the Children of Xantir, the citizens. Predictably, this harmony lasted precisely as long as the
past of the Upper Hallex City States and the caricature of the
equally good harvests, and then the Hallex states fell to bickering
High Kingdoms: a group of tiny, mostly feudal, kingdoms,
and skirmishing amongst themselves. With Telbrins annexation
endlessly squabbling over tiny scraps of barely fertile ground,
of Helbricht, the Telbrin political model began to subsume that of
forever squandering lives and resources on petty jealousies and
the other states and is now dominant, even in the three city states
imagined slights to little gain and much suffering. The Kol-shek is that joined the Republic later.
paid lip service to here, but these lands are little better than bandit
kingdoms. The more westerly occasionally raid in to the GaraDien region, but more often turn their attention northwards
The structure of the Telbrin state is a republic with a bicameral
towards the Children of Xantir or the ever-encroaching western
system (Common Moot and Senate) with an executive branch
border of the Republic of Telbrin. The presence of Dragons, the
Hash-Takk and the ill reputation of the Smoking Hills discourage (Consul Primus). The executive is elected by the two branches of
the legislature from an aristocratic elite (the Five Houses) with the
any adventures south and east towards Nhi-Tual or Quatzadua.
approval of the military (Cohorts). This system was codified in the
Declaration of Telbrin, written some 260 years ago.

Economy of the Merav

The Petty Princedoms

Government

The Princedoms Economy

As in the Confederation, those states of the Petty Princedoms

stable enough to consider trade are generally pre-industrial
economies, relying on labour intensive methods. Hand weaving is
the usual method of producing cloth and it is died in small
batches, producing the distinctive multicoloured clothes of the

The Common Moot represents the interest of the

common free citizens (those of no recognised house)
and sits for one month a year in late spring/early
summer. Its role is to review the matters passed by the
Senate and Consulate the previous summer and either
accept or protest them. Protest is common, change of
legislation is not.

The Senate represents the interests of the Five Houses,

the Churches (each of the Seven Churches of the Chain
has representation in the Senate) and the Cohorts (the
army of the Republic: retired Hlegio automatically get a
seat in the Senate). The upper house sits for three
months a year and approves legislation, can veto
decisions of the Moot, ratifies the choice of vice-Consuls
and call the Consulate or Consul Primus to account or to
resign.
The Consul Primus is elected from one of the Five
Houses by the Senate and approved by the following
Moot. The term of a Consul is indeterminate, the post is
at the behest of the Senate and as such any Consul can
be asked to stand down or be impeached. Political reality
and the disposition of the military has a great effect on
the term of Consuls.

Economy and Culture

Telbrin is primarily a mercantile power, and is largely driven by
thoughts of profit and aggrandisement, although even here the
tendency is to think of ones House before ones self. The Telbrin
Cohorts are a standing army of well-paid volunteers with an
enviable reputation for the quality of their training and equipment.
They are however not numerous enough to support more
aggressive adventures by the Telbrin government, and are
notoriously conservative. Merchant Houses have largely given up
trying to persuade the Cohorts to defend their mercantile
enterprises, and Telbrini Merchants make extensive use of
mercenaries to protect their foreign ventures (and several houses
actually run Mercenary Companies as a business). The Cohorts

have had in recent years cause to regret this as the Consulate

(enthusiastically backed by the Great Houses) elected to create a
new structure, independent of the Cohorts entirely, to build,
operate, maintain and man the Telbrin Sky Fleet; despite
vehement Cohort protests that the Sky Fleet should be properly
integrated in to the defence forces of the Republic. That certain
Skyships have been seen leaving port with Maniples on board has
fuelled speculation that some rapprochement has been reached
between the crusty Hlegio of the Cohorts and the dashing Sky
Marshall of the Fleet.
Note that there is no distinction in Telbrin between new (i.e.
young, recent) Houses who have achieved their status
through mercantile enterprise and the established (i.e. older,
historic) Houses that chart their roots back to the early days of
the Republic (and in several cases beyond). Trade has always been
a respectable livelihood and age is not an automatic passport to
respect. Heritage on the other hand, does have some weight: the
five Founding Houses (also known as the Great Houses) have a
unique and special status in Telbrin politics and culture.

Mountain Folk
One of two broad ethnic types of human found throughout the
Meravaenia region. The Mountain Folk are found predominantly
among the High Kingdom tribes and on the Plateau itself. They
are generally short, stout, with almost exclusively black hair and
brown eyes, physically well adapted to their harsh homeland and
capable of incredible feats of endurance in the biting cold and thin
air of the high valleys. Mountain Folk that travel far a field can

Telbrini Cohorts

This section outlines the organisation of

the legions of the Telbrini land based
armed forces, also referred to as the
Cohorts, the Blue and Green or the
Blues, although the latter term is strictly a
reference to the infantry legions.

recruiting difficulties. Overall, the Cohorts are

around 7% under strength. The totals given in
the two sub-sections below are of fighting men.
There is a substantial requirement for support
staff.

thus has 711 men (including officers). The

legion consists of 7 cohorts, and is commanded
by an Hlgeio (legate) with a staff of 14 men (7
Jostan and 7 Selgaunt). A legion should
therefore have 4991 men (including officers).

Infantry Legion

There are two types of legion; infantry and

cavalry. Often legions are paired, one of each
type working together. Equally, it is not
uncommon for a legion (or paired cavalry and
infantry legions) to be dispersed over a wide
theatre, especially the Blues who can (and often
are) broken down in to single maniples to
deploy to specific locations. This structure is
what is known as the Telbrini model army
and was instigated in the City of Telbrins forces
some 350 years ago and used as the basis for the
Republics military since the declaration of the
Republic. It should be noted that as of 995NC
all of the legions are under staffed owing to

An infantry legion should be made up as

follows: Each legion is divided into cohorts,
which are in turn divided into maniples. A
maniple consists of 140 men (organised in 10
files of 14 men). A maniple is commanded by a
Coasantl (corporal), giving a total of 141 men.
Each file within the maniple has a Coas (file
leader) and his second (il-Coas), responsible for
the other 12 (and theoretically capable of
splitting the file in to two half-files, one each
under the Coas and il-Coas. A cohort consists
of 5 maniples. It is commanded by a Jostan
(captain), with an il-Jostan (junior captain) and 4
Selgaunts (sergeants) to assist him. A cohort

In general, the typical Legionaries in the

Infantry will be equipped with lamellar hauberks
with ring mail trews and sleeves and a full helm
and carrying a halberd (or short re-curve bows if
archers) with a falchion and buckler as back up
side-arms. The Infantry legions are referred to
as the blues, due to the distinctive colour of
the oil-quenched steel used in Infantry munition
lamellar hauberks.

Cavalry Legion
A cavalry legion is much smaller than an
infantry legion, reflecting the expense and
scarcity of combat trained Lopar. The Telbrini
Cohorts are at present deeply sceptical of

have real difficulties adapting to the thicker air and temperatures

campaigning brought the rest of the Upper Hallex cities in to the
away from the plateau and are in general not great travellers: albeit Republic within a century and a half.
they make the best crews for Telbrin Skyships. Mountain Folk are
Helbricht
notoriously superstitious.
Helbricht is the second city of the Republic of Telbrin and was
the first of the City States of the Upper Hallex River to join the
The River Folk or Valley Folk are the second major human ethnic nascent Republic some 260 years ago; albeit "join" is generally
type typical of the Meravaenia region. They are generally tall, lithe accepted as a euphemism for "black-mailed under threat of
military action after a generation of political manoeuvring and
of build and tend towards straight hair and light colourings,
although their close kinship with the Mountain Folk shows in the intermarriage between key Great Houses in Telbrin and
Helbricht". The treaty that detailed the union of the two cities is
predominance of black hair and their slightly Han appearance.
known as the Declaration of Helbricht and is accepted as the
They are found in greatest numbers throughout the central
founding document of the Republic.
plateau and the Upper Hallex River valley and represent the

River Folk

mixed population descended from the original inhabitants and

the Meravae Empire's human population. In general, River Folk
display a degree of inquisitiveness and adaptability greater than
their Mountain Folk kin, but are perhaps not quite as hardy or
well suited to the extreme conditions of the high valleys.

City States of the Upper Hallex River

Renbril
Renbril is the most northerly of the cities of the Republic of
Telbrin, close to the northern borders with AurUrbis and the
Badlands. Notorious for its involvement in (some would argue
precipitation of) the "Sword Wars" of the 3rd Century NC when it
launched an assault on the southern AurUrbis city of Mull,
Renbril has always been the most warlike and aggressive of the
Cities of the Hallex River Valley, being a leading force in the
secession from Parkhesh in 221 NC and frequently leading or
launching its own expeditions in to the Badlands. Renbril was
conquered by joint AurUrban and Telbrini military action in
875NC and (over AurUrban objections) the city was annexed by
the Republic in 880NC.

The City States of the Upper Hallex River were a number of

independent, human city states that arose from the mingling of
the river cultures and the mountain folk in the upper reaches of
the Hallex River to the east of Meravaenia. Freed from
domination by Parkhesh after a series of bloody secession wars
begun in 221NC, they existed as a loose association, as often in
conflict as allied against their common enemies until the City State
of Telbrin annexed the neighbouring City of Helbricht, leading to Modrins Line
the Declaration of Helbricht and the founding of the Republic of
Modrin's Line is a continuous wall, some 400km long that runs
Telbrin, in 735NC. Subsequent political, economic and military
eastward from the city of Mull in AurUrbis and roughly defines
horses, and have as yet no experience of them
in a military context. The smallest discrete unit
in a cavalry legion is a file of seven mounted
soldiers, lead by a Coasantl or il-Coasantl. Two
such files form a maniple of 14 riders, with the
Coasantl in command, seconded by an ilCoasantl. Five maniples form a cohort of 75
men and mounts, including a command group
of one Jostan and four Selgaunt. 7 cavalry
Cohorts comprise a standard Cavalry legion,
again led by an Hlegio with seven Jostan and
seven Selgaunt. This gives a total of 540 men
(including officers) in a Cavalry legion.
In general, the typical Legionaries in the cavalry
will be equipped with lamellar hauberks with
ring mail trews and sleeves and a full helm and
carrying a Light lance (or short re-curve bows if
archers), with a cavalry Falchion and Buckler as
a back up side arm. The cavalry legions have
traditionally been referred as the greens, due

to the distinctive short green capes issued to

cavalry

Order of Battle as at 995NC

The Cohorts of Telbrin currently consist of
seven legions: four infantry and three
Cavalry. The Legions are:
Infantry:
The Hammer (1st Legion) Northern
border and Badlands operations
The Hallex River Valley Irregulars (2nd
Legion) Home defence in Republic
The Helbricht Company (3rd Legion)
Southern and Eastern borders (and perhaps
beyond)
The Fourth Legion (Modrins Legion)
Plateau posting.

Cavalry:
The Merav Light Company
The Hallex Heavy Company
The Telbrin Guard

Telbrin Skyships
Telbrini scholars had long suspected that the
Meravae possessed some means of practical
rapid transport. Research led to the discovery of
the remarkable properties of Serin wood and
eventually to practical Skyships. The Republic
Air Fleet is the worst kept secret in modern day
Thurian politics.

the border of the Badlands and Telbrin. It was built by the war
leader Modrin of Renbril, to defend the City States of the Upper
Hallex River from raiders from Badlands between 234 and 242
NC.

Geographical Features
Meravae Plateau

Shalkan

The Meravae Plateau dominates the northern centre of the

continent of Thurian, forming a vast table of land in the middle of
Easternmost of the great cities of the Republic of Telbrin, also
the chain of mountains that runs from the Golden Isthmus in the
known as the City of Proud Knives, heavily influenced by
north to the very southern tip of the continent in Quatzadua
Loparankwari culture. A city of transitions from the relatively
between the Falls of Cozar and Corxax Sound. Like the High
sheltered and fertile Hallex River valley to the arid grass lands of
Pampas region that occupies a similar position in the southern
the Western Plains region of Parkhesh. Shalkan marks the
half of Thurian, the Meravae Plateau is a large region of elevated
southernmost extent of easy navigation on the Hallex, and then
terrain. Unlike the pampas however, the plateau is not widely
only by shallow draft riverboats. Southwards the river is too
regarded as particularly hospitable and has a wider variety of
savage and unpredictable, trapped in steep gorges and coursing
terrain, from the towering peaks of the Manas Mountains and
through extensive rapids and cascades as it rushes down from the
Keril Mountains in the north to the active volcanism of the
mountains. It is also a city of cultural transition, its streets
Astrava Mountains that divides the plateau from the High Pampas
thronging with the robed tribes folk of the Loparankwari and in
or the twisted vales of the great glacial valley that divides the
recent years merchants from further a field. Shalkan petitioned to
Mana and Keril Mountains and the wide tundra of the central
formally join the Republic in 879NC, nine years after the Republic
plateau.
and allied forces from Tovril liberated the city from occupation by
the forces of Renbril.

Mount Keril

Tovril
Southernmost of the great cities of the Republic of Telbrin, also
known as the City of Stairs and The City of Granite, Tovril has a
unique character. The cities of the Republic are usual
characterised as cities of the Hallex river valley Tovril is a
mountain city, the river (not the Hallex, but a tributary) being
entirely un-navigable. Tovrili are renowned as miners and crafters
of metal and stone. They are also regarded as more superstitious
and parochial by the other cities of the Republic not
unreasonably given the large segment of the cities population that
is Mountain Folk. Tovril allied itself to Telbrin in 794NC and
formally joined the Republic in 879.

Loparankwari
The tribes who live on the plateau that borders the west of the
Red Desert and the east of Meravaenia are known by the Lopar
beasts they ride. The Loparankwari (Lopharkwan by the Parkheshi
and Khaleshi) are the descendants of a group of people who
migrated eastwards from the high plateaus. The Red Desert
stopped their migration so they settled in a wide plain of arid
grasslands where they live off the Lopar. The city of Shalkan
(Easternmost of the cities of the Republic of Telbrin) is the only
city that many Loparankwari will ever visit, though southern tribes
and caravan guards will venture to the Khaleshi cities (notably
Khalut). Many Loparankwari are hired to guard the caravans that
carry silk from Khalesh to Shalkan and the trade goods from
Shalkan to Khalesh (including weapons for the Khaleshi to fight
the Parkeshi).

High in northern Thurian stands the headstone of Meravaenia, or

the anchor of the Golden Isthmus, depending on point of view.
The northern most of the great peaks of the Keril Mountains that
form the plateau, Mount Keril literally dwarfs all the other
mountains in the known world. Local legends say that its peak
kisses the Orbs as they pass. And certainly unsupported humans
cannot survive even on its "lower" slopes. The Merav Nation tribe
folk regard the mountain as holy ground, and discourage outsiders
from trespassing. There are unsubstantiated observations of
extensive ruins at over 8000m (estimated by observation from a
much lower altitude) by Telbrini explorers before they were
abducted by Merav Nation tribe folk.

Astrava River
Name on the Meravae Plateau for the river whose upper reaches
forms the Republic of Telbrin's border with Nhi-Tual. Also
known to the Khal as the Blue Serpent River and the Tual as the
Kha'ta'la River, as the lower reaches form the border between
Parkhesh and Nhi-Tual. Astrava is believed related to the UrMerav root for dragon.

Flora and Fauna

Aerial Fauna Of The Meravae
Plateau
The Meravae Plateau, for all its extremes of altitude, supports a
surprising variety of life. Whilst the domesticated (and semi-wild)
flocks of Lamox dominate the "civilised" regions of the high

plateau, and the lower reaches boast herds of the hardy mountain
Lopar, long ago imported (possibly unintentionally) from
Quatzadua, in the less settled regions of the plateau many strange
creatures are known to survive: legacy of by gone times,
descendants of zoological specimens escaped from Meravae
collections with the fall of the Meravae Empire, or the result of
some mad sorcerers tampering with the Chain of Being.

herbivorous members of the Aerial Fauna of the Plateau,

swarming in "flocks" or "shoals" of hundreds and more at 33500m around sources of water and stands of Serin Trees, the
fruit of which are their primary food source. Most Sipperlins are
small, 3-18cm in length, typically around 9cm. Flat in body shape,
they have two eyes on raised stalks at the front of the head for
binocular vision and a recessed beak for teasing out berries from
shrubs and trees. Sipperlins are exotically coloured with a wide
One sub group of species is well known across much of the
variety of skin patterns and colouration. There are unconfirmed
plateau, but only above 3000m: a whole ecology of flying creatures
reports of chameleon like sub-species that can change their
that most strongly resemble fish of the ray or skate type thrive in
markings to impersonate other species. Several subspecies build
the thin mountain air, grazing on the hardy mountain grass and
nests, mostly in inaccessible locations, although some ground
shrubs, predating on each other and the mountain Lamox.
dwelling species have been reported. Although most species rely
Telbrini scholars have yet to exhaustively catalogue the creatures
on numbers and flocking behaviour to protect them from
and some expeditions to the plateau have made outrageous claims
predators, some can be quite aggressive and have been known to
regarding large, and as yet unclassified, specimens that are hotly
mob perceived threats. Several hundred beaks can inflict
debated in the Philosophical Clubs of Telbrin.
considerable damage, making them a known risk to lone travellers
who blunder in to a nesting shoal.
All the species so far recorded share some basic characteristics:
they are found, as previously noted, only above 3000m and are
exceptionally rare below 3500m. The smaller herbivorous species
seem particularly fond of the Serin Tree, and a number of other as
yet unclassified shrubs native to the high plateau. The carnivorous Seskerlin are larger, more aggressive and carnivorous relatives of
the Sipperlins. Three main subspecies of Seskerlin have so far
and scavenging species favour the aerial herbivores, but will also
been classified by Telbrin scholars:
prey on birds (which are somewhat scarce on the plateau) and
land bound creatures (Lamox flocks are known to be a favourite),
The True Seskerlin: the first species identified, a lone predator
including it has recently been acknowledged (after the sensational
that typically reaches 40-50cm and predominantly preys on
return of the Shelvrin Expedition) unwary humans. All the fauna
Sipperlins, although will scavenge to supplement its diet.
have a weirdly translucent flesh vaguely reminiscent of glass or
Raven's Seskerlin: a pack predator, typically only 25-30cm in
gelatine that unless correctly treated decays rapidly after the
length. It is one of the fastest of the aerial fauna and possessed
creatures death in to a foul smelling slime. Correctly preserved (a
of both a sharp hooked beak and barbs at the end its "wings"
technique of the Merav Nation tribes) it sets in to a firm almost
hook prey.
cheese like consistency and some species are edible. The skins of
The High Mountain Seskerlin: one specimen has been brought
some species produce (again when properly treated) a fine,
down from the high Plateau of something recognisably
translucent and iridescent leather-like material. Other species can
Seskerlin in body form, but 1.2m in length. It is speculated to
provide a tougher material suited to making armour, and which
be another lone predator. What it preys upon is a mystery.
the Merav Tribes are known occasionally to fashion somehow in
to rigid translucent plates to form remarkably effective personal
armour.
Jolvedrin's Killer is an unusual ambush killer that specialises in
Those species so far recognised are:
trapping Sipperlins. Unlike its prey Jolvedrin's Killer has a muted
Sipperlins
colouring and camouflaging markings that allow it to lie in wait,
Seskerlin
concealed amongst foliage or an outcrop until such time as prey
Jolvedrin's Killer
passes by. It then sprays a unique mucous from glands either side
Hunter of the Air
of its mouth onto the victim. This forms a sticky mass on contact
Unconfirmed reports have also mentioned:
with air, trapping the prey for the Killer to consume at leisure.
The slime is strong and sticky, but atrophies in to a brittle form
Dancers of the Clouds
after a few hours. Some species are rumoured to produce a toxic
Old Man of the Sky
or envenomed form of slime. This is unconfirmed as are reports
Arboreal Cephalopod
of Merav tribesmen eating the slime...

Seskerlin

Jolvedrins Killer

Sipperlins

Sipperlins are not a single species but rather a group of related

species with similar characteristics. They are the smallest

Hunter of the Air

Although no specimen has yet been seen whole by reliable
witnesses, the Merav Tribesman refer to a large predatory species
and have shown teeth and other hard body parts from an aerial
species that is estimated to bulk roughly equivalent to a large wolf
or smaller big cat in size. From the teeth and bones seen, it is
assumed to be a fast, sleek killer, roughly analogous to a shark or
Manta Ray, with the typical "flat" body shape. Several Telbrini
expeditions are currently outfitting to attempt to secure a whole
and, if possible, live specimen for study.

Dancers of the Clouds

Merav Tribal accounts, and unreliable witness statements from the
higher altitudes of the Confederation of Xantir and Petty
Kingdoms, speak of a large (dolphin or porpoise sized)
omnivorous or possibly herbivorous creature that frequents the
higher altitudes (a lower threshold of around 3750m is estimated
from the evidence) - fast, playful and curious, these creatures
feature prominently in Merav Tribal folk tales and are clearly
identified with Dancer, the folk-hero unique to the High
Kingdoms baroque shamanistic (and possibly Octaminist) take on
the Great Chain of Being common to religious beliefs throughout
the region. Credence is give to the tribal accounts as such a
species would logical provide possible prey for the Hunter of the
Air

Old Man of the Sky

Even more circumstantial than the evidence for the Dancers of
the Clouds, most serious scholars believe the tales of the Old Man
of the Sky to be just tales. Leaving aside the plausibility of an
aerial creature some two meters from nose to base of tail that
resides only above 4000m, the folk tales frequently refer to these
creatures also appearing as unnaturally tall old men, wrapped in
long cloaks, but to date no material evidence has been found to
support these stories. Since the Merav Tribes guard the reported
range of these creatures (the slopes of Mount Keril), few
expeditions have had a chance to confirm the stories.

Arboreal Cephalopod
If it exists, the Arboreal Cephalopod is certainly the strangest
creature on the plateau. Telbrini scholars however, as with other
claims, maintain a healthy scepticism, supported by the absence of
any specimens, despite numerous expeditions to the High Plateau
region. If this creature (or group of species) exist, they are a
variety of mollusc-like creature with many (probably at least six,
may be as many as twelve) tentacles that serve as both ambulatory
and manipulator appendages (there may be some differentiation
by role, but oral accounts are imprecise) and are arranged at the
base of a large (medium sized pig equivalent) ovoid body,
surrounding a sharp beak. Although capable of gliding

considerable distances, the accounts seem to indicate that these

creatures prefer the cover of trees and undergrowth. Several
expeditions have attempted to search for specimens, and whilst
none have as yet been secured, serious scholars concede that it
remains a possibility.

Religions of the Plateau

The cultures of the Plateau of Meravaenia are Hectaminist and
all adhere to some form of the Church of the Great Chain of
Being. They share a belief that the seven Orbs somehow
represent or embody certain fundamental aspects of existence
which together are the links of creation that make existence
possible.

Churches of the Chain

The Churches of the Chain are also known as the Children of
Xantir, the Xantiric sects or the Churches of the Seven.
The Anchor of the Chain:

Mother Gwenth

The Links of the Chain:

Lady of Stone: Rock, Purple
Lady of Air: Wind, Orange
Father of Fires: Sun, Yellow
Lord of Waters: Sea, Blue
Weaver of Mists: Mist, Grey
The Green: Plants
The Red: Predator, Prey and Carrion
The Companions of the Chain

Teller: Direct Dominance, Giving Orders, Conflict and Revenge

Hunter: Subtle Dominance, Manipulation and Survival
Talker: Trade, Communication, Co-Operation
Knower: Knowledge, Learning, also Sorcery and hidden wisdom
Dancer: Sky and Spirit

That which is outside the Chain, the Broken Link

Void: Darkness and Devourer

Civilised folk (or those who like to think of themselves as such)

throughout the Plateau worship the Great Chain of Being and in
general most favour the Church of the Lady of Air, or the Lady of
Stone (also sometimes known as Mother Gwenth). The links of
the Chain are regarded as abstract forces / principles and although
ascribed a gender in some cases are not viewed as
anthropomorphic personifications particularly. The Companions
are similarly viewed as somewhat abstract, but more like
archetypes and astrologers of the Chain can (apparently) predict
much about a person's life based on precise charting of the
position of the Orbs and the Companions at the time of their
birth. This practice is not part of official church doctrine, but it is

remarkable how many organisational structures in Plateau cultures

use a unit of five.

Children of the Fire

The tribes of the High Kingdoms pay most direct attention to the
Red and Green, but their shamanic tradition is markedly different
to the Churches of the Red and Green found in the rest of the
Plateau, and heavily influenced by the Companions of the Chain.
Indeed, the Republic of Telbrin is becoming openly hostile to the
violent rights of the Beast Cults in the Hallex River Valley, and
the Kol-shek dVanan has indicated his displeasure as well. In
general, the Republic is moving increasingly towards a secular
state and the Churches of the Chain are increasingly marginalized
but the first overt hostility has been against the Beast Cults so
the other churches have perhaps not realised the extent to which
that hostility is symptomatic of wider anti-religious sentiment in
the Consulate of the Republic. Whilst Telbrin, like most of the
followers of the Xantiric theology of the Great Chain, are
respectful of the Kol-shek dVanan, the seven Churches of the
Chain in the Republic are independent of the direct authority of
the Kol-shek dVanan.

The Righteous Order of the Children of the Fire are a martial

order in the Republic of Telbrin affiliated with the Church of the
Father of Fires (the Yellow Orb). It was established in the
Meravae Empire after the imposition of the Church of Gwenthia
on the population of the Empire by the KiMentas as a result of
the Third Crusade. The order was originally formed as a sister
group to the HagHunters of AurUrbis, concentrating on fanatical
opposition to "life-clinging" and other forms of Necromancy. The
order is dedicated to the cleansing fire of the Father of Fires and
believes that Gwenthia must pass through fire to be redeemed and
the great chain reforged. Publicly (and internally amongst the
lower orders of Novices and Lay Children) this means eliminating
all traces of the Night Hag and its spawn from the surface of
Gwenthia. The true elite of the order (in what are known as the
"Hidden Hands") believe that doing this will actually allow the
Yellow Orb to heal his brother the Dark Orb, and thus restore the
Chain.

Xantir teaches that the spirit (that which is bound by the chain)
must be free to move along the chain at death all sects teach the
Words of Releasing the Spirit, to be said over a dead body and
which cause the body to burn to ash, releasing the spirit to
continue in the cycles of the chain. All the Meravae Plateau
cultures regard life clinging (spirits remaining housed in dead
flesh) with great repugnance. The spirits of the Honoured Dead
however (those ancestral spirits released from the shackles of
material existence that choose to return to guide their
descendants) are treated with great reverence and much folklore
revolves around the ambiguities and difficulties of placating angry
or upset ancestral spirits. Even the poorest family will have a
shrine to their ancestors, and woes betide the family abandoned
by (or that abandons) their Honoured Dead.

The order itself has no priests but maintains an ascetic tradition

and could be characterised as an order of warrior monks. It
organises itself in companies of five Children: a commander, a
scout, a 'speaker' (communications), scholar (intelligence) and a
jack of all trades fifth. A 'hand' is publicly seven companies (35)
and at full strength the official commissioned strength of the
order is 'a hand of hands' (245), ignoring ancillary staff and
Novice and Lay Children not yet qualified to leave the Orders
training Houses. In fact, there are also the companies of the
hidden hands, such that the actual strength is 320 operational
troops (an eighth company in each hand, plus the secret Eighth
Hand forming the hidden 'hand of hands' of an additional 75).

Void (also known as The Dark, Darkness, The Devourer, The

Eater of All and a variety of other names) is feared and reviled
throughout the plateau, although in Telbrin is generally regarded
as a metaphor rather than a reality. It is generally identified
with/conflates the Night Hag and the Dark God so often found
in Thurian belief systems, and quit clearly in pre-Octaminist
Crusade beliefs of the region was the Eighth link of the Great
Chain...

Ur-Merav

Dancer is a mercurial figure in Xantiric theology, largely

marginalized and ignored, but a central figure in folk myths and
old wives tales throughout the plateau and the primary myth
figure amongst the Merav Nation, being both the first Shaman
and the primary ancestral figure of all the tribes, each of which is
governed by a Hand (Teller, Hunter, Talker, Knower, Dancer) of
Elders.

Languages of the Region

Ur-Merav is a dead language: known only through scholarly
conjecture and fragmentary inscriptions. Several modern
languages of the Plateau region are derived from it: Priest Tongue
in particular.

Ur-Keril
Ur-Keril is conjectured by Telbrini scholars to have been the root
language of the human slave population of the Meravae Empire,
and is thus the parent language of several of the languages and
dialects of the Meravae Plateau.

Priest Tongue
The only full language in current use derived from Ur-Merav, is
the Priest Tongue of the Confederation of the Children of Xantir,

in which the Holy Scriptures of the Churches of the Chain are

written, and which is used for all official documents of the faith
and things like prayer flags etc. This language appears to have
been remarkably stable for a considerable period of time as far as
Telbrini scholars can estimate (texts discovered in ruins from the
Ensellati Horde era, some 1800 years ago appear virtually identical
to modern texts in usage), although most of the Confederation of
the Children of Xantir (the innumerable religious sects of the
Church of the Chain) are deeply hostile to allowing Telbrini
scholars access to their holy books for appropriate study. Scholar
Tongue as it is also known is a complex, tonally sensitive language
with a complex glyph based written form that is notoriously hard
to master. The quality of writing can have importance in certain
religious and formal social contexts (applying for a merchant
alliance, proposals of marriage etc) and throughout the
Confederation and Republic talented calligraphers can command
high salaries.

Traders Cant that blends Lidin, Priest Tongue, Telbrinese and

elements of as yet unidentified languages (perhaps Elucen or more
likely the mysterious Tribal Tongue of the Merav Nation tribes) is
the common means of communication. The two varieties of
Traders Cant are largely incompatible, although fluent Lidin
speakers have some chance of making themselves understood in
either, suggesting that actually Lidin may be the root language of
both (or the most recent linguistic overlay).

Telbrinese

The Tribal Tongue of the tribes of the High Kingdoms? is

forbidden to those not of the tribes, and little is known of it by
lowland scholars but it is conjectured to have similarities to
Priest Tongue and is thus believed to be another derivative of UrMerav

Ur-Keril has innumerable derivatives, although it is itself also a

dead language, and many of its children have drifted a great
distance from their roots. The most commonly encountered UrKeril derived language is Telbrinese, or River Tongue, the official
language of the Republic of Telbrin and the predominant lingua
franca of the Upper Hallex River Valley for the last thousand
years. River Tongue is a fast, clipped language of short distinct
phones often concatenated in to apparently long single word
multi-syllabic statements, but actually possessed of a
predominance of low syllable count words. Mountain folk joke
about River folk gabbling; River folk say there isnt enough air in
the high mountains for the Mountain folk to talk at a sensible
speed and think.

Traders Cant
Traders Cant is the name for a number of languages of similar
function, and in some cases related linguistic roots, found
throughout Thurian in lands once ruled by the Meravae Empire.
All have their roots at least partly in the dead language of the
Empire, Ur-Merav, but have mingled with other languages to
create a wide variety of disparate languages that are effectively
distinct, despite their common origins. The two languages most
often referred to as Traders Cant are spoken along the Hallex
River Valley and in neighbouring regions. Common in the lower
reaches of the Hallex River Valley and in the Badlands is one form
of Traders Cant, an ugly polyglot mix of Ur-Merav, Telbrinese
and Lidin with many loan words from Parkhsi that barely
functions as a general language but has immense richness and
subtlety for the pursuit of the best price for a brace of Yak or the
merits a bundle of hunting javelins. It is also quite effective for
insults and intimidation. In the Upper reaches of the Hallex River
Valley, and on to the Meravae plateau itself, another variant of

Elucen
Elucen is language of whistles, as much a signalling system to
communicate across the high mountain valleys as a true language,
albeit it helps explain, to some degree, how rapidly news travels
amongst the tribes of the High Kingdom.

Tribal Tongue

Nhi Tual
The Dragon Chosen

hi-Tual nestles between the realms of Meravaenia,

Parkhesh and Quatzadua, in eastern Thurian. An island,
L-Tual, is part of the Tual lands and is located a kilometre or so off the east coast in the wide bay of the Golden Sea. It is
a dry and barren land, battered by harsh winds and extremes of
heat and cold, but was once lush and verdant, with an abundance
of crops, fruits and wildlife to support its people, the Tual.
Watched by the Seven, the gods who ensured Nhi-Tual was a land
of plenty, the Tual grew and prospered.
Around 3,000 years ago, the Goddess Khur-Ishida came to NhiTual and challenged the Seven, exposing them as trickster demons
that had beguiled the Tual and led them away from the only true
path to enlightenment and happiness. She drove the Seven from
Nhi Tual and returned the land to its rightful state: hard, harsh
and unforgiving, a place of winds, drought, and the constant
threat of famine. And now, the Tual give thanks to this most
benevolent Goddess, for helping the scales to fall from their eyes,
and understand that life is never without suffering, and that every
scrap of food and drop of water must be fought for with sweat,
tears and blood.
A detailed history of the Tual people can be found under the
History of the Nhi-Tual.

The People
The Tual are a hardy and vigilant race of humans, living in the
lowlands and flats of Nhi Tual. They are of stocky build, with
black hair, usually worn cropped, and a skin with a reddish hue.
They are sturdy, used to a life of toil and conflict, and wrestling

with their harsh environment. Despite the hardship of their

existence, they are a well
educated people, being
taught skills and crafts
from early age. The land
is hot and semi-arid, and
the Tual people scratch a
meagre living by driving
livestock along feeding
trails.
The Tual are seminomads and split into
four tribes: Shikn,
Hkurik, Mutsmo, and
Takda, with each tribe
consisting of several different Clans. There are a handful of
permanent settlements along the Nhi-Gha River, which are no
more than villages made of simple primitive wooden structures,
surrounded by a wooden palisade. Each settlement is controlled
by one of the many Clans, who only grant access to the village to
kinsman and recognised traders. Since the land along the river is
more fertile, and rife with vegetation, a few Tual have set up
permanent farmsteads, but these are rare. Where the Nhi-Gha
River meets the sea, there is one major seaport, called Gha-Shasta.
This is the main hub of the river; where goods from all over NhiTual are gathered for trade and barter.
Each tribe controls a region of Nhi-Tual, and possesses its own
unique customs and beliefs. The tribes, through the clan structure,
have the military might, or economical power, to maintain control
over the smaller, lesser Clans. The only thing the Clans have in
common is the worship of the Goddess Khur-Ishida. The Shikn
tribe is the smallest numerically. They
believe in racial purity and are unbending
in their beliefs, unwilling to accept even
the slightest change. This makes them
rather insular and xenophobic. They are
devout in the worship of the Goddess,
imposing their religious view points on
others, and are quick to put heretics to
death.
The second of the tribes, Hkurik, is the
largest and most cosmopolitan. They are
looked down upon by the others, because
they are quick to adopt new customs and
to accept outsiders. Quite a lot of their
customs have been inherited through
marriage and trade with people from
Quatzadua. It is believed by the other
Tual that the city of Nhiaquat was
founded by members of this tribe. The
Hkurik dwell in the southern and central

regions of Nhi-Tual, in regions less suitable for agriculture. This

has forced them to drive cattle along feeding trails, which often
brings them into confrontation with the other tribes. These
meetings can often be bloody, and has forced the Hkurik to
trade their meagre livestock and belongings to hire mercenaries
for protection.
Mutsmo are known as the River People. They dwell along the
banks of the Nhi-Gha River, and on the coastal regions of NhiTual. They are excellent fishermen and boatmen, but poor
warriors. They have built up an economical power based on their
resources. They control much of the trade along the Nhi-Gha
River, levering a hefty duty to those merchants that wish to do
business. It was the Mutsmo that built the town of Gha-Shasta
on the mouth of the Nhi-Gha River, creating a hub for rivertrade. The other tribes have become envious of the wealth that
Mutsmo has acquired, often plotting to bring them down. It is
only fear that prevents them from doing this, as Mutsmo can use
its economical might to buy mercenaries.
Takda are a militaristic people. These are the true warriors of the
Tual. As infants, boys are trained in the arts of archery and
swordsmanship. They are excellent riders, taming and riding the
Targheth Lizards that live on the plains. They are the most
Nomadic of the people, and make a living as Mercenaries, hiring
themselves out to the other tribes. At sometime or other in the
past, each of the other clans has hired members of Takda. They
believe in honour, living their lives by a strict code of conduct.
But this hasnt stopped them in the past from butchering women
and children. Women of Takda are the ones that choose their
husbands. Not the other way around. Usually the most powerful
of the eligible women will select the strongest and bravest of all
the warriors.
Finally, there are the Monks of L-Tual. The Monks live a simple
lifestyle, spending much of their time in prayer to Khur-Ishida.
The Monks do not hold allegiance to any particular clan. They
welcome one and all to the island of L-Tual, even traders from
other nations such as Quatzadua, Gara-Dien and even Spiria. The
Monks of L-Tual would never trade with the Parkhesh or the
Tharux. The Parkhesh are devils, and insult the Sleeping (the Tual
term for the dead), raising them from their eternal slumber as
slaves. The Tharux were blighted by the power of the Night-Blind
Plague, which the Monks believe was sent by Khur-Ishida, as a
sign of their wickedness. However, many Monks believe that the
recent She-Eth incursion on L-Tual is a sign that they are
becoming complacent, and too reliant on material wealth. This has
led to the rise of a new Cult, who sees the invading She-Eth as a
sign of redemption.

past to a number of small tribes being wiped out in a terrible

bloodbath. Since many of them hold no allegiance they have been
known to swap their loyalty to
another in the blink of an eye. Usually,
because they are threatened, paid off,
or they feel that they will better off
with the new ally.

Tual Lifestyle
The Tual are a hardy race, scraping a
living from the harsh environment, in
which they live. Many of the Tual
would be considered poor, and living
in poverty, to the more civilised eyes.
Any onlooker drawing such a conclusion would be mistaken, as
the Tual are abundant spiritually, and care little for wealth or
material gain. The Tual are content to live this way, as the
teachings of Khur-Ishida tell them that happiness comes through
toil and labour.
Not all the Tual are nomads. It is true that some are seminomadic. But a lot of the Tual live in permanent settlements,
especially where there is fresh water. A few settlements have
sprung up along the Nhi-Gha River. Not all of these settlements
were built by the river people, the Mutsmo, but by other Tual in
search of fresh water, or because the trade is well developed along
the river. It is true that the Mutsmo control the rivers. But they
prefer to live on their houses-boats, moving up and down the
river, chasing the fish-stock. The people of the Mutsmo spend
much of their day fishing. If they are not casting their nets, they
are repairing them, or mending their boats.
The settlements inland tend to be small villages, farmsteads, or
forts. There are no sprawling cities in Nhi-Tual. The richest of the
Tual live either on lavish estates, or in the unofficial capital, GhaShasta. There are those that do dwell with the ancient ruins of the
long forgotten Tual cities. But such people are shunned, and
looked upon as heretics and blasphemers. In the desert that
covers the eastern regions of Nhi-Tual, only the nomads live,
driving their Targheth lizards along the feeding trails and in the
mountains in the west, the Suith herders scratch a living on the
bleak slopes. One of the few tribes that build permanent
settlements is the militaristic Takda. These are usually forts, and
are built in areas to safeguard the Takdas own interests. Many
settlements have sprung up around these forts, and are built by
members of the other tribes, usually for mutual trade and
protection. This is good business for Takda, who can control the
trade in the area, and raise taxes for their military campaigns.
When not on campaign, warriors of the Takda will carry out
duties, such as building, herding animals, and farming.

There are many smaller, lesser tribes. However, they are not large
enough to control vast territories, or hold economical or military
power. They associate with one of the four larger tribes depending Settlements belonging to the Shikn tribe are normally built up
on the region they inhabit. Often, they are forced to choose sides around shrines and temples to the Khur-Ishida. Being a very
in disputes between the main tribes, which have often led in the
zealot people, the act of worship takes precedence over all other

activities. So temples and shrines are always at the centre of

Shikn society. It is a meeting place, where the Shikn come
together to discuss important matters that affect the settlement. A
deep, booming bell, the signal for the call to prayer, can often be
heard ringing out from a Shikn village. All Shikn pray at least
three times a day: at dawn, at midday, and finally at dusk. Prayer
takes priority over food or work. Anyone who breaks this
tradition turns their back on the blessings offered by Khur-Ishida.
Being the most cosmopolitan of all the Tual, the Hkurik have
adopted a lot of the traditions from the other tribes. The same
could be said about their settlements. Each village will have a
shrine or temple, a market place for trade, and even a fortified
structure for a militia to be stationed. Some settlements even have
permanent structures, built from stone. The further south you
travel, foreign influences start to creep into Hkurik settlements,
especially close to the boarder of Quatzadua. It is quite common
to find shrines to the Earth God in the boarder settlements, and
for intermarriage between the two peoples. The majority of the
Hkurik are farmers or herders; so many farmsteads surround
these southerly settlements.

Trade and Economics

Since most of the population are farmers of one variety or
another, the basis of all trade in Nhi-Tual is agriculture. This
ranges from crops, such as cereal and bamboo, to livestock, hide,
or meat. This produce is transported all over Nhi-Tual, via
caravans, to wherever it is needed the most. A lot of it ends up at
Gha-Shasta, to be later transported to Topax for trade with
merchants from other nations. Since fresh water can be rare in
some places, it can often become a vital piece of bargaining
power. The Mutsmo have taken advantage of this, and exchange
fresh-water for precious minerals and natural resources. This has
led to the Mutsmo accumulating vast wealth, which they use for
trade with foreign merchants.
Since only a handful of Tual use any form of currency, most of
the goods are bartered for. A village will often exchange plentiful
goods they have for another they are lacking. Only in the major
settlements, such as Gha-Shasta is money used. The coin used in
Nhi-Tual is the Rhl, a large circular coin, made from silver, with
a square hole cut into the centre. The larger the hole is, the less
value the coin has, (due to the amount of silver used in its
minting). The coin isnt widely accepted for various reasons, as
many Tual would rather barter the goods they want, in exchange
for what they have to offer. To make matters worse, metal is
considered impure, and many refuse to even handle coins.
There is a saying amongst the Tual, "Never trust a money lender."
The monks of L-Tual do not believe in profiteering. It is true
that they do tax the traders that come to Topax, but it is not for
finical gain. Usually this money is used to restore old temples, or
to build new ones. In recent months, it has been used to pay for

mercenaries, to keep the She-Eth threat at bay. Like many Tual,

the monks believe in spiritual wealth, and the rewards the afterlife
has to offer. They believe that greed and corruption is blasphemy
in the eyes of Khur-Ishida. But they do encourage open trade, for
the prosperity of the Tual people as a whole.

Impure Metal
Since all metal is seen as impure, the priests of Khur-Ishida decree
that the Tual are forbidden to handle or even use anything made
from metal. Where this strange tradition originated from is not
clear, but some outsiders speculate it may have something to do
with Tuals past use of Tainted Silver. Any Tual who even touches
anything made from metal is automatically considered unclean.
Only those who have been ritually cleansed by the priests of
Khur-Ishida can handle metal. However, this has led the Tual to
find alternatives to using metal, such as Targheth bone or tusks,
bamboo, and sometimes even stone.
All metal must be ritually cleansed before they can be handled by
others. This is a lengthy ceremony, and takes many days to
perform. The person who wishes to handle the metal has to be
cleansed first, using specially prepared oils, before bathing in
sanctified water. During this process, prayers are said over the
person. Once the ceremony ends, the Tual can handle the metal,
which he places in a specially prepared bowl to be sanctified for
use. The metal is left in the bowl of purified water overnight,
while priests watch on offering up prayers to Khur-Ishida. At first
light, the metal can be removed and then taken to a specially
prepared room in the temple.
Depending what the metal is to be used for, the next ceremony
will vary. Prayers are offered up as the metal is melted. To the
priests, melting the metal is just as much as the purification
ceremony, as they believe that metal is only pure in its molten
form. Once the metal is to be cast, forged into weapons, or
minted into coins, specific prayers are offered up. This depends
on the purpose of the metal. Once the metal has been turned into
its desired shape, it is cleaned once again in water, before it leaves
the temple.

Tual Technology
Due to the belief that metal is impure, and the denouement of
Tharux machines, many believe that the Tual are technologically
backward. This is not the case, however. The Tual have found
ways around the absence of metal, by using Targheth bone and
cartilage. Targheth bone is extremely strong, and can be turned
into a variety of different things, from arrow points to cutlery.
The cartilage is extremely flexible, whilst retaining a similar
strength to the bone, making it good material for things such as
composite bows.
Metal weapons are forbidden and can only be carried by those
who have been purified by priests of Khur-Ishida. It is very rare

to find someone carrying a blade made of metal. Those that do

are considered to be people of high prestige and honour, and
usually bear a dragon name. Any Tual who handles a metal
weapon and has not been cleansed, is seen as unclean, and
immediately cast out from Tual society.

Targheth tusks are just the right length and

shape for making into scimitars and as the
ivory is especially tough, can be sharpened to
a superb edge. Especially fine examples known as Targu blades - fetch massive sums
in some parts of Gwenthia. Of course, only
the females have tusks, and as females are
prized, Targu blades can be rare. The Targu
blade is the chosen weapon of a Warrior of
KhNhar. One is often presented to a
Warrior, by his Master, after he has
completed his Apprenticeship.

Copyright 198 1 Richard Huber.

The most commonly found weapons amongst the Tual are bows
and spears. These are made from either wood, bamboo, or
Targheth bone, or a combination of the three. The majority of
bladed weapons are usually finished off with a lacquer transported
from Spiria. Prized composite bows are highly sort after, as the
Targheth cartilage and bone increases the firepower and range,
making it superior to a bow made from wood
or bamboo.

The Hierarchy of
the Tual
Throughout the Tual tribes, the makeup of
the hierarchy is very similar. Each tribe is
made up of their respective clans, which are
governed by an Elder, who answer directly to
the tribes Chieftain. The Chieftain is the
most powerful member of the tribe, and is
the overall ruler. The Chieftain is selected by
the various clan Elders, and is taken from
one of their number. This is a life long position, which demands
respect from all within the tribe.
The Elder is responsible for the running of their particular clan,
and is usually elected from the oldest or wisest of its members.
The Elder is the leader of their clan. Their word is law. They
command the respect of the lowliest peasant to the mightiest
warrior. Different tribes will have different ways of electing
someone to the position. In the Shikn tribe, the clan Elder is
selected from the most powerful of the priests. In the Mutsmo it
is the richest member of the clan. Amongst the Takda, it is the
most prestigious of the warriors that is elected and in the Hkurik
the position of Elder is hereditary.

Each settlement, with the exception of Gha-Shasta, is governed

by a Headman. Each Headman is selected by their respective clan
Elder, and is responsible for the day to day running of their
community. It is their job to make sure that everyone in their
village adheres to the laws of the clan, and do the work they are
supposed to be. They have to make decisions that affect their
village, remediate in disputes, and enforce any decrees passed
down by the Elder. The position is very important and failure can
be costly for the Headman; who can be quickly replaced if
necessary.
The Constable is responsible for the law and order. It is their duty
is to keep the peace, punish wrong doers, and
organise the defence of their community. Each
Constable is selected by their clan Elder, and
answers directly to the Headman of their
village. They are usually in charge of the local
militia, and are responsible for selecting
deputies to help them enforce the law. Their
other duty is to act as arbiter, deciding the
innocence and guilt of anyone thought to have
committed a crime, and pass down a sentence
on those found guilty.
Finally, Gha-Shasta is governed by a
Magistrate. The Magistrate is probably the most
powerful man in all of Nhi-Tual, if not the
richest. As the governor of one of the busiest
sea ports, the Magistrate controls all city
business and commerce, raking-in a huge
fortune through taxes. The Magistrate is duly
elected by Clan Elders of the city, and serves
for a seven year term. Corruption is rife and
many elections are rigged, with voters being
bought off. Usually this means that only the
richest and most influential can run for
Magistrate.

Language
There are three principle languages: the first is Ishid, which is a
derivation of the Quatzaduan language, and spoken by the
majority of Tual. The second are the clan dialects. Each clan has
its own dialect, but they are similar to one another, and can be
usually understood by members of other Clans. The Clan
language is used in communicating formal clan affairs and for
ceremonies; the everyday language is Ishid. The final language is
Celestial, or the tongue of the Dragons. It is said that Khur-Ishida
spoke it, and the Monks of L-Tual are fluent in it. Not many
Tual can speak this rather strange dialect, which is made up of a
high pitched hissing and spitting. But there are rumours of it
being spoken by the She-Eth invaders.

Names
Names consist of three parts: the family name, the given name,
and the Clan name. Family names are no more than two syllables:
a stressed consonant followed by a short, vowel/consonant
combination (Tsua; Hsha; Vesk, for example). Given names are
three syllables and softer (Shaleena, Junatas, Korhinir, for
example). The Clan name is simply the name of the particular
Clan of birth (for example, Hasta, Kotu, Mosata) People that have
proven themselves in life, such as great warriors, high priests,
chieftains, will often have a Dragon Name. The Dragon Name is
always three syllables: Khar for males, followed by an annex
(Khar-Shadasher; Khar-Jigeren) and Khur for females, again
followed by a three syllable annex. A typical name might thus be:
Shaleena Tsua Kotu In most cases, the given name is the usual
name used, but sometimes the full title or even the Clan name
might be used, depending on the import of the situation. A typical
Dragon name could be: Khur-Jigeren Tsua Shikn.

Nhi-Tual Personalities
Shado Kun
A resident of L-Tual, the mysterious Shado Kun claims to be a
spiritual leader of the Shikn. The very few people that have meet
him say that he is very pious about his beliefs in Khur-Ishida. It is
rumoured that he is a master of an ancient martial art, known as
KhNhar. He is often flanked by his protg, Daku Arashi (see
below), his right-arm and trusted friend. Shado Kun has never
shown his face in public, and speaks only through Daku Arashi.
Spiteful rumours claim that Shado Kun is in fact the Dark Magus.
Nothing has been proven, however.

Daku Arashi Shikn

Daku Arashi is a master of the ancient Tual martial art of
KhNhar. He has earned a fierce reputation through surviving
over one hundred duels. This has earned him the nickname
Hando Chi, The Blooded Hand. He is a member of the Shikn
tribe, and believed to be a devout follower of the teachings of
Khur-Ishida. In deference to both his nickname and the battle of
Kha-Sanata, he wears a suit of red leather and bamboo armour.
Despite heavy scarring to his face, he radiates a charisma that
commands respect. Due in some measure to this scarring, he
speaks rarely and then only in a soft husky voice. He is the loyal
protector of Shado Kun, and he is never far from his mentors
side
Hidden Secrets: Both Shado Kun and Daku Arashi have been
infected with the Shasteen Horror. How this happened is a
mystery, as they rarely stray from their temple. Whatever the
ambitions are of these collective entities is also unknown. So far
their intentions appear peaceful, aiding the Tual in their struggle
against the She-Eth. The Shasteen grant their hosts with limited

invulnerability. The Shasteen can turn a fatal wound into a

superficial one, allowing its host to escape death. This is the
reason why Shado Kun is long-lived and Daku Arashi has
survived many duels. Both men cover their faces with cowls or
masks to disguise the greenish pallor which would betray the
Shasteen presence.

Khar-Jigeren Tsua Shikn

Khar-Jigeren Tsua is the military leader of the Shikn tribe. He is
a tall man, even for a Tual, and sports many hair-braids,
representing his many achievements in battle. He is also a master
of KhNhar, and believes in the ancient traditions of the martial
art. Recently has he taken an apprentice, but only after he had
voiced objections to the school being opened on the island of LTual. Currently, Khur-Jigeren Tsua is believed to be on L-Tual,
conducting the on going battle against the She-Eth.
Hidden Secrets: Being opposed to the School to train KhNhar,
Khur-Jigeren Tsua plans to bring it down any way he can. His
fanatical view point as led him to perform some rather underhanded tactics, such as murdering a vocal priest who was a strong
supporter for the School. (Many blamed a She-Eth attack for the
priests death). What his next move will be is still unclear to his
followers. But whatever it will be, it will be bloody.

Khar-Shadasher Kotu Takda

Khar-Shadasher Kotu was chosen to head the school of KhNhar,
because of his priestly upbringing, as the son of a Warrior-Priest.
He is a pious man, but also a formidable warrior, being a
Grandmaster of KhNhar. His rival is none other than KharJigeren Tsua, and the two have never seen eye to eye. This rift

between the two men has only grown wider, ever since KharShadasher decided to head up the School on L-Tual. But KharJigeren would never dare to openly challenge Khar-Shadasher.
Khar-Shadasher Kotu prefers his priestly pursuits to his military
lifestyle, and has taken up permanent residence on L-Tual.

allowing all Tual to ascend to the heavens as dragons and to join

her in her Celestial Court.

Dragons of Nhi Tual

Hidden Secrets: In the past Khar-Shadasher Kotu was a drunk.

He drank heavily of both wine and beer and was often found
passed out in one of the local drinking houses. This shameful
secret is not known to many, including is rival, Khar-Jigeren
Tsua. If the truth ever got out, the shame would dishonour KharShadasher. This is the reason why he wishes to pursuit a priestly
existence, so that he can stay clear of any impure influences, such
as alcohol.

The Gold Dragon of the Sun, whose light shines down during the
day; the Silver Dragon of the Winds, who breathes life into NhiTual ; the Red Dragon of the Mountains; and the Blue Dragon of
the Sea, that washes away the impurities of the people. Upon
death, the Tual believe that the soul is transformed into a dragon
of great power that flies to the Celestial Court and takes-up
residence in true paradise, awaiting the time when the final battle
is upon the world, and Khur-Ishida calls upon the Dragon-kin to
deliver the world into a new, golden age.

Khur Ishidas Awakening

Cult of the Metal Grinders

In the Distant past, the Tual were ruled by Seven Demons, who
demanded to be worshipped as Gods. In return, Nhi-Tual (which
means Land of Tual), was kept vibrant and fertile. Thanks to the
reign of the Seven False Gods, the Tual became a technologically
advanced people, building great cities and wondrous machines.
The rule of the Seven False Gods went unabated for thousands of
years, despite several rebellions, incursions by other nations, and
the Crusades against the Night Hag. But four warriors rose up
against the Seven False Gods, and overthrew them, with the help
of mysterious Goddess, Khur-Ishida, who appeared in Nhi Tual
shortly after the eighth moon disintegrated in the sky.

One of the consequences of the L-Tual rejection of the Tharux

Traders is that Nhi-Tual has been prohibited from accessing the
advanced technology of those people. No sane minded
Gwenthian would sell Tharux machinery to a Nhi-Tual for fear of
Zathurian repercussions. This has condemned the people of the
land to scrabble around in a dark age culture of technological
poverty. To the Monks this is a blessing. They are clear that
Tharux machines are blasphemous and must be destroyed. The
Cult of the Metal Grinders (Cha-Ead) seeks to actively smash
foreign inventions that enter Nhi-Tual's borders. Their numbers
are normally drawn from the Shikn clan. The only way into the
cult is by invitation. They wish to keep their ranks pure. Only the
most holy and fanatical are allowed to join.

The Tual realised that they had been tricked by the seven false
gods into believing that the world was a nurturing place, when in
reality, it was harsh and bleak, only overcome by toil and struggle.
Awoken from a dream, the Tual would no longer accept any other
Gods, save for Khur-Ishida (or Dragon Mother). After the four
warriors drove out the false gods, Khur-Ishida transformed them
into the four Guardian Dragons of the Tual. The four major clans
of today are made up of their direct descendants.

International Relations
During the rule of the false gods, the borders of Nhi-Tual were
closed to all outsiders. When the Goddess came, the Tual opened
their borders to the rest of the world although not all nations were
to their liking. The Hkurik have had good relations with
Quatzadua, allowing them free access to their borders, and it has
been known for the Takda to trade with the Khal in southern
Parkhesh. On the island of Lo-Tual, the Monks welcome traders
from as far away as Spiria.

After the Awakening, the Tual people left their cities and
technology behind (which had become symbols of their
decadence), and became nomadic. The Tual returned to the
simple life, scratching meagre livings by driving their bipedal
Targheth along the feeding trails, or cultivating what little fertile
The majority of the Tual distrust Parkhesh, who raise the dead as
land there was. For the next thousand years, the Tual moved from mindless slaves, denying them their Dragon death-right, and the
area to area, rarely settling in any one given place.
Zathurians, who the priests of Khur-Ishida claim to be the
enemies of the Mother Dragon, and servants of the false gods.
Indeed, Tharux traders from Zathur were driven away by the
deadly Night Blind Plague, sent by Khur-Ishida as a warning.
For thousands of years, the Tual were forced to worship the
Seven Demons. When Khur-Ishida came down from the havens,
she chose seven warriors, and empowered them with the ability to
overthrow the Seven. The four surviving warriors reward was to
It is forbidden for the Tual to practice any sort of magic, under
be transformed into the four Guardian Dragons of Nhi-Tual, and the teachings of Khur-Ishida. Many Tual break this law, and study
all Tual believe that they may be given the Dragon mantle when
in secret (like the Dark Magus and his circle of apprentices). Of
they die. The Tual thus believe Goddess brings eternal life,
course such people are seen as heretics. It is believed that the

Religion

Magic

power of the Dark Magus is taken from various sources; from

She-Eth artefacts, to secrets stolen from the Seven False Gods.
Other practitioners of magic are likely to have gained their
knowledge with the help of outsiders. Rumours have it that one or
two Parkheshi or Quatzaduan sorcerers are willing to teach a Tual
their secrets.

Orb. The Tual were quick to build temples around the stones, and
great cities around the temples. The first great Tual Kingdom was
born. For 500 years, the Tual people paid homage to the Seven
Stars, worshipping the fragments like gods, and offering up
sacrifices to them. Then came the time the Tual called The War of
the Stars.

Only KhNhar comes close to any form of magic. This is an

ancient marital art that employs the use of Ki like abilities,
which draws upon a persons inner strength. The technique was
first employed by the priests of Khur-Ishida for meditative
purposes, but later grew into a martial art. Many priests still
practice KhNhar, but it is now mainly used by a chosen few
warriors. Those that practice KhNhar have been seen performing
fantastic feats, such as leaping great distances, cutting arrows from
out of the air, and even subduing an opponent with a single touch.

Around -4,000 BP, all the races of Gwenthia went to war with
each other, to either to gain control of the fragments of Eighth
Orb, or to destroy them. For many years, Nhi-Tual was at peace.
The war never once spilled over into Nhi-Tual. This changed
however, when a Tual pilgrim was captured in western Nhi-Tual,
by a Meravae war band seeking pieces of the Eighth Orb. After
being subjected to torture, the pilgrim revealed the existence of
the Seven Stars. The war band Chieftain decided to march on the
nearest city.

History of the Nhi-Tual

For the first time in 500 years, the Tual people were to encounter
an outside threat. The Tual were a peaceful people, and didnt
possess many weapons, or have a standing army. All they could do
Tual history begins with a period known as the exodus. Around
-5,000 BP, a small group of refugees left the Meravae Empire, and was close the gates of the first city, and offer up prayers to the
Seven Stars. The war band lay siege to the city and, for many
headed out into the unknown parts of the Thurian continent.
They had seen a sign in the heavens, the destruction of the Eighth weeks, pelted the walls and inhabitants with rocks from their
catapults. The people within the walls were starving, and disease
Orb, and they followed what they called the Seven Stars. They
slowly ravaged the population.
travelled for many decades, following the Seven Stars, not
knowing where it would lead them.
In the seventh week, things changed for the worse. The wall to
The refugees were led by a man called Tual, the Astral Magus, for the city was breached by a hundred warriors from the war band.
Facing very little resistance, they cut their way through the
he had studied the heavens all his life. Those who followed him
inhabitants. Their intention was to reach the gates and open them.
were his seven children, his fifty-four grandchildren, and his one
However, they miscalculated their route, and found themselves in
hundred and twenty three great-grandchildren. They were
the Temple of the Star. Awe-stuck by what they found there, the
accompanied by their wives, retainers, servants, and bodyguards.
warriors lowered their guard, and they were struck down by the
Tuals descendants continued to follow the Seven Stars long after
fanatical priests. As the last one lay dying, he reached out and
the death of Tual himself. In fact it was 500 years before they
touched the Orb Fragment, with his bloody hand
would reach their destination. By then, Tuals family had become
It is written in the ancient scriptures that the stone drank his
a small Nation, which comprised of seven tribes. They witnessed
blood, began to crack, and broke open to reveal the first of the
they seven stars fall to earth in an uninhabited region of the
Seven Demons. It is written that he was wreathed in flame, carried
Thurian continent. This was the place the Tual believed that the
Stars were leading them too. The land they entered was bleak and a spear of jet, and wore a crown of silver. The First Demon
offered the Tual people victory over their enemies, if they would
barren. There was little vegetation, and only strange, bipedal
bow down and worship him. The priests immediately did. It was
lizards occupied the plains.
after this, the First Demon is said to have marched out of the city
The Meravae Empire had not colonised this small part of the
and slaughtered the war band.
world. The Tual people believed it was because of its harsh and
The First Demon told the Tual how to summon his Six Brothers.
fruitless environment. Little did they know, the land that would
Like the first, the blood of the enemy was spilled over the six
become their home, had once been the homeland of the soulless
Sh-Eth. Remnants of the She-Eth empire were scattered all over other Dark Orb fragments, and in turn a Demon appeared. Each,
like the first, wanted to be worshiped like the Stones before them.
the land they dubbed Nhi-Tual, (Land of the Tual). But the Tual
In return, they would protect the Tual from their enemies.
could salvage nothing of use.
Fanatical as they were, the priests agreed. However, a small group
The leaders of the Tual people decided that the seven tribes
of Priests felt that there was something wrong. Deep down, they
should split and search out the Seven Stars. Each tribe travelled
knew that the Seven Demons were false gods, and did not deserve
the length and breadth of Nhi-Tual, trying to locate where the
the worship they were being offered.
Seven Stars had fallen. One by one, the tribes discovered the stars,
little knowing that they were, in fact, fragments of the Eighth

The priests retreated from Nhi-Tual, and set sail on a small boat.
A terrible storm erupted, and the boat and its passengers were
washed up on the shores of a small, uninhabited island. There
they found a mountainous paradise, covered in lush green
vegetation. The water was pure, and the food was bountiful. It
was this moment that the priests realised that the true world was
harsh, and that the power of the seven false gods was but an
illusion. It was nature that provided for the people, and not the
gods.
Over the next 500 years, army after army marched into Nhi-Tual,
in search of Dark Orb debris. Each in turn was either driven away
or massacred by the Seven Demons. After the wars came to an
end, an era of peace began for the Tual, under the ruler-ship of
the Seven Demons. This period is called by the Tual today, as the
Years of Blindness. During this period, the Tual prospered, and
their Kingdom flourished. It became green and lush, and there
was an abundance of raw material. The Seven cities thrived, and
grew into bustling metropolises. The Tual built marvellous
machines, and created many strange wonders. The Tual wanted
for nothing. However, this was also a period of isolation. No one
dared venture into Nhi-Tual, as rumours of the Seven Demons of
Death were widespread on the other side of the boarder.
This peace prospered for 200 years, until a Crusading army
marched into Nhi-Tual. It is said in the Tual scriptures, that the
Crusaders were turned to stone. There remains are said to be very
standing stones, in the valley known as The Plain of Stones.

Prince yrGael personally slew the three generals in combat, which

lead to the Khur-Ishida defeat that day. Upon hearing the defeat
of the three armies, and their kinsmen, the remaining four
warriors became even more determined to rid their homeland of
the seven false gods.
What followed a year later was the Battle of Kha-Sanata; the
bloodiest battle of the war. The city was the base of Prince yrGael
and his Army of Cromaigne and AurUrban forces. This
formidable force was the only thing that stood in the way of the
Khur-Ishida followers and over throwing the seven false gods.
The four armies of Khur-Ishida lay siege to the mighty city, and
for waited for yrGael and his forces to enter battle. When the two
huge armies finally clashed, it was a bloody affair. The death toll
on both sides was tremendous.
In the Khur-Ishida scriptures, one of the four warriors, Takda,
duelled with Prince yrGael. Whether the next part is accurate, it is
unclear. It is written that during the fight, Takda cut off yrGaels
sword hand. Historians do believe that yrGael was gravely
wounded, and was forced from the field of battle. This event
changed the course of the battle. Leaderless, Prince yrGaels army
was quickly defeated. But as victory was in the grasp of the KhurIshida followers, the seven false gods manifested themselves
within the walls of the city.

From all accounts, the seven false gods laughed, before the sky
turned black as night. The ground shook with a powerful
earthquake, and a mighty wind raced across the battlefield.
There followed another period of Isolation. In the many years that Fearing that it was the power of the seven demons, those who
Monks remained on the island of L-Tual, they prayed that a
stood living on the battlefield trembled. But those who did dare to
messiah would come down from heaven, and liberate the Tual
glance upwards were met by the sight of a silver dragon: Khurpeople. About -3,000 BP, of dedicated prayer and patients, a great Ishida herself. In one breath, she blew fire over the city, utterly
Comet fell from the sky and into the sea. What arose from the
destroying it. The Tual watched as the seven false gods burst into
waters was a beautiful sight to all that beheld it. According to the flame, before they were reduced to ash.
scriptures, it was a large silver dragon; its tail stretched for over a
the four warriors into the four Dragons of Nhi-Tual: the Gold
mile, and its shadow plunged the island into darkness. This dragon
Dragon of the Sun, whose light shines down during the day; the
was the Goddess Khur-Ishida.
Silver Dragon of the Winds, who breathes life into Nhi-Tual; the
Then followed what the Tual call the War of Restitution, when
Red Dragon of the Mountains; and the Blue Dragon of the Sea,
the follows of Khur-Ishida waged war on the seven false gods.
that washes away the impurities of the people. It also promises the
The goddess called forth warriors from each of the seven tribes.
Tual that upon their death, the soul is transformed into a Dragon
She empowered them with the ability to defeat the seven false
of great power that flies to the Celestial Court, and takes up
gods. The seven warriors returned to the mainland, to gather
residence there, in true paradise, awaiting the time when the final
support for their cause. Many flocked to the banners of the seven battle is upon the world, and Khur-Ishida calls upon the Dragonwarriors, and seven armies came into existence. Then the war
kin to deliver the world into a new, golden age. After this, Khurbegan. There followed a decade of brutal warfare between the
Ishida ascended back to the Celestial Court.
follows of Khur-Ishida and the seven false gods.
The once fertile plains of Nhi-Tual started to die. What was left
In the scriptures it is written that Prince yrGael of Cromaigne
had been ravaged by a decade of war. The truth had been shown
came to Nhi-Tual, and sided with the seven false gods,
to them by Khur-Ishida: the world was a cruel place, and survival
proclaiming that Khur-Ishida was a version of the Night Hag. He was born through toil and struggle. The survivors left the cities,
called upon the Tual to follow his banner, and strike down the
and gathered under the protection of the war warriors. However,
heretics worshipping her. The scripture speaks of a great battle,
each had differing ideas of how to make a living, and how to
where three of the seven armies were defeated. Many believe that worship Khur-Ishida. This led to the dividing of the Tual people;

each choosing a separate path to take. This was the birth of the
four tribes of Nhi-Tual.
The island of L-Tual then became a religious centre for the Tual.
Pilgrims from all over Nhi-Tual would make the journey to the
sacred site where Khur-Ishida first appeared. The Monks built
monasteries, shrines, and even a religious centre; a settlement
filled with temples called Nhi-Ishida. The Monks chose to lead a
peaceful existence, spending much of their time in study,
meditation, and prayer. The Monks would mediate in the disputes
between the tribes, and offer consul for travellers and pilgrims.
The island became a sign of unity for the Tual.
Not many insignificant events were written down by the Tual.
Out of a small handful of such incidences, only one is
remembered. That is the birth of a very small and insignificant
cult, called The Cult of Rathkul. The cult became a joke amongst
the Tual, and even to the present day, it is the butt of Tual jokes.
As quickly as it surfaced, The Cult of Rathkul vanished. But there
are many tales still told to this day, from speculation to what
happened to the cult, to why the cult arose in the first place. The
biggest question asked by the Tual is: why were they lost? This has
become a hot topic of debate amongst the Monks of L-Tual.
Over the next few centuries, many nations came to trade with the
Tual, including the Tharux. Trade with the Tharux went unabated
for decades, until Khur-Ishida discovered that the foreigners were
under the thrall the Zathurians. In her vengeance, Khur-Ishida
struck them down with the Night-Blight Plague, and they were
driven from Nhi-Tual. After this, many traders feared going into
Nhi- Tual. To the Tual, trade was important. It was a lifeline in
the desolate world.
During this period, the Monks of L-Tual opened the island to
traders. They built a harbour and the small settlement of Topax,
allowing for merchant ships to dock, and do business with Tual
traders. Thanks to this, the island prospered, and many people
came from as far away as Spiria. Unfortunately, this led to the first
encounter with the Parkhesh. After seeing their ships filled with
the walking-dead, the Monks were horrified. The Parkhesh were
denying the souls their birthright to descend to the Celestial
Court.
Faced with such as terrifying concept, the Monks refused to trade
with the Parkhesh. They even turned violent and attacked the
ships. Word quickly spread of the Parkhesh to the mainland. The
leaders of Shikn quickly whipped up support for a Crusade
against the Parkhesh, and many pilgrims, warriors, and priests
travelled to the northern borders of Parkhesh. There they formed
a massive army, and marched into the Red Desert. Ill prepared for
such a journey, the Crusaders never met the Parkhesh in battle.
All succumbed to the Red Desert, dying from thirst, diseases, or
the blistering heat.
Many other Crusaders followed, but none of them returned. It is
written in history that all the Crusaders were defeated in battle.

That they died trying to save the souls of the Parkhesh. None of
the Tual knew the true story, as no one survived from the long
march into the Red Desert. Believing the Parkhesh armies to be
invincible, the Tual never crossed into the Red Desert again.
Instead, the Tual purists would brutally kill anyone they thought
to be from Parkhesh, or crossed over the northern Nhi-Tual
border. However, despite succumbing to such a terrible fate, the
dead Parkhesh were buried in the traditions of the Ishidaian faith,
thus granting them a chance to ascend to the Celestial Court.
In the south, things were different. Trade with the native
Quatzaduans had flourished, and peaceful relations between them
and Hkurik were cemented. This led to the construction of a
permanent settlement, Nhiaquat, over the boarder in Quatzadua.
Both peoples lived peacefully, side by side, co-existing and trading
their goods. This custom continues to this day, and has led to
inter- marriage between Quatzadua citizens and members of
Hkurik.
Over the last few centuries, Nhi-Tual has been relatively peaceful.
There has been civil unrest between the dominate clans, due to
their cultural differences, and their differing view points. These
often have a peaceful conclusion, but sometimes can lead to
bloody confrontations. The peace is kept by the Monks of LTual, who use the principles of the Ishidaian faith to keep order,
which unites the Clans. In recent years, a new enemy has arisen,
one that is a threat to all Tual: the She-Eth. This has unified the
clans against one common enemy.

Parkhesh
Ancient and Octaminist

Parkhesh

human race of peoples who have no love for the Parkheshi. It

makes for a fractious land. Below is a map showing the different
arkhesh is in north east of the continent of Thurian - caught political areas. Note that the islands of Kaipor and Shumtira are
in a war at one end, but peaceful at the other. To the north equivalent in size to England on Earth (that's without Wales and
Scotland).
of this region, is the province of Parkhesh itself, the
dominant human power of the region. To foreigners, the whole
region including the province of Parkhesh, the Red Desert,
Duresh, Ju'Gara, Phasarna, Tu'Kresh, Shumtira, the Loparankwari
Parkhesh is a large state of heterogeneous geographic nature.
Lands and Khalesh are all known as Parkhesh. Indeed at one time
Running along the north and east coast are various chains of
in the ancient past this region was a unified province of the
mountains (The Zotcharakh Olakha literally the Backbone of
Meravaenian Empire. The authorities in Parkhesh City still like to
Olakaha) which feed rivers to the land on either side. On the
believe that they hold sway over parts of the Red Desert, but that
north and north-east coast the city states, dominated by Parkhesh
has always belonged to the mysterious and ancient nonhuman
City, live off the produce from lush fertile strips of land. To the
peoples known as the Red Desert Nomads. To the west of the
south-west is the arid Red Desert, a large basin of rolling red
Red Desert are grass plains which sweep up to the Meravae
dunes where an inland sea once lay. However, microclimates are
Plateau, where the Lopar Riders (who call themselves the
sustained near the mountains, along the coast, and oases in the
Loparankwari) make their home. To the South East lies the
Red Desert. City States dot the wide River Khatala (The Blue
province of Duresh, settled by the exiles from Durustan who
Serpent) bordering with Nhi-Tual, its climate similar to Egyptian
came here long ago after an epic voyage to find a new homeland.
Nile valley on Earth. Further city states lie on the south-east coast
They partially displaced and intermixed with the indigenous Loand around the large island of Shumtira (derived from a nonTak barbarian tribes. In the inner heart of Duresh live the Ralami,
Parkheshi name) off the south east coast of Parkhesh. The inland
and some tribes of the Yakhmi, both nonhuman races whose
slopes and valleys of the mountain chains are home to tribes of
numbers are in sharp decline. To the South and South West of the
peoples who owe allegiance to Parkhesh City. In the south east is
Red Desert lies Khalesh which broke away from Parkhesh a few
a wild bush like land very akin to the outback of Australia and the
centuries ago; the Parkhesh City League has currently annexed
Savannah of Africa. To the west of the Red Desert are dry but
part of their lands on the border with Duresh. Off the coast to the
fertile plains which rise up to the Meravae Plateau.
south east, is the large island of Shumtira - peopled by another

The Geography and Climate

The Flora and Fauna

At first glance, most of Parkhesh may seem to be
lifeless, but the Oases abound with insects, reptiles,
birds and small mammals, and even the desert has an
ecology. Zoologists at the University Of Parkhesh City
are still wondering how so much life managed to brave
the deserts to reach the Oases. The answer lies with
the Red Desert Nomads who actively foster life in the
Oases and the history of the Red Desert. At one time
all the Red Desert was a lagoon with many tropical
islands which are now sites of ancient ruins. These
oases are sacred shrines to the past. Life has always
been there and the oases are still islands, islands in a
desert.
In the South East, in Duresh, the vegetation is much
more bush like. On the coasts the City States have
groves of olive like trees which they press for an oil
that they use for lamps, food and other uses. Animals
include the Dureshi Buck and Dureshi Hog.
Before the appearance of horses in the stables of the
elite, imported from Cromaigne at extreme cost, the
only animal for fast travel was the Shamuul. The
Shamuul is a sleeker cousin to the Khamuul, faster,
more agile, smaller and more elegant, but without the

of a polyglot of peoples now

collectively known as the
Dureshi (they are exiles from
Durustan), on the crossroads
of trade routes, who pay
tribute to Parkhesh City in
return for protection. These
cities are allowed much
freedom by Parkhesh City and
are, for all intents and
purposes, autonomous states
within the Parkhesh City
League (or Empire).

water saving hump. As a consequence, the Shamuul requires

frequent watering. In the West the Loparankwari ride the llamalike Lopar, larger than the Terran species.
Up in Tu'Kresh, Ju'Gresh and Phasarna, heavily irrigated lands
provide lush agricultural terraces and lands sloping down to the
ocean. In Tu'Kresh the spice Intigro is cultivated.
In Khalesh, herds of Targarth lizards can be found along the
banks of the Blue Serpent River and in some cases these lizards
have been domesticated and used as meat animals or beasts of
burden. These creatures are sacred in Nhi-Tual, a potential source
of conflict on the few occasions Tual and Khaleshi meet.

The People
The peoples are varied in stock. To the north and east the people
are much more olive in skin tone (like Arabs in appearance).
These people are an old race called the Parkh, with Parkhesh City
being their cultural capital. This is the region that is rightfully
called Parkhesh, the heartland of what used to be the Parkhesh
City League. The southern river cities of Khalesh
have traded with the Parkh for millennia but they
are more Mongolian in appearance, calling
themselves the Khal (Blue or River People) and
share many cultural traits in common with the
Nhi-Tual to the south, though they pride
themselves in their independence from that state
(helped by living on the north of a very wide
river). They became part of the part of the
Parkhesh City League about 800 years ago but
regained their freedom through bloody rebellion
about 350 years ago.
The south-eastern corner of Parkhesh is peopled
by a dark skinned hardy folk known as the Lo-Tak
(the tribe from which the conqueror Aran hailed),
various tribes who live in a Savannah like bush
environment. The south-eastern city states consist

The non human races in

Red Desert Nomad
Parkhesh are very unlike the
human community. The Red
Desert Nomads are some seven to eight feet tall with web feet
and fingers. They are descended from an amphibious race who
swam in the warm lagoon that is now the desert. . Along the east
coast of Parkhesh and the Pirates Teeth live the Zimkhlor,
descendants of the amphibian race who once lived in the lagoon.
In Duresh there are the Yakhmi who are lion like centaurs
(human torso on a lions body) and the Ralmi who have three
forms each unable to mate with one another but all having once
been one people split by a curse (a lion form, a humanoid lion
form and a human form). The Ralame and Yakhme despise each
other, the latter believing themselves the purer form of a race that
both descended from.

The Language and Names

Parkhsi is the spoken tongue of the Parkh peoples who originate
from the north of Parkhesh. It became the main Parkhesh
language some 800 years ago during the dominance of Parkhesh
City in the Parkhesh City League but an older archaic form of
Parkhsi was used back when the whole region was a province of
the Meravaenian Empire. Khalian is a mix of old
Nhi-Tual languages mixed with Parkhsi and
Meravaenian and Loparankwari speech.

Parkhsi Male

The Parkhsi script is cursive, made of many curved

lines and dots (similar to Terran Arabic or Ancient
Egyptian Hieratic). Spoken Parkhsi is also much
like Arabic or ancient Egyptian with a stress on the
penultimate syllable like in Spanish. The Kh is like
the Scottish Ch in Loch. Parkhesh is pronounced
Par-Khesh with stress on Par. Khal is Kh-al with
stress on Kh, though Khatala is Kh-a-ta-la.
Shumtira is Shum-ti-ra. Zotcharakh Olakha is Zotcha-rakh O-la-kha. Most of the peoples of this use
the cursive script, except the Nomads who have an
oral tradition without writing consisting of their
own language.

Middle Parkheshi speech consists of words that are generally

contractions of phrases in High Speech. Where High speech will
always pronounce the separate words in a phrase, Middle Speech
will make a word out of a phrase. Phrases are contracted by the
dropping of vowels or the dropping of an ending. The word for
Lord in a phrase Khaot can have the ot dropped to form
Kha, or the a dropped to produce Khot. Both Kha and Khot
mean Lord but only when they form part of a contracted phrase.
A Parkheshi will always pronounce the word Lord on its own as
Khaot (unless they are from the lower classes who are not
educated enough to know the difference). Laziness in the language
is shown in the dropping of Kh and a from Ma'tikh'khaot to
form Matikhot. Parkheshi names sound very much like Arabic
and Turkish. Parkheshi names tend to be 2 or 3 syllables in length.

is usually too involved with domestic affairs to get involved with

any other sovereign power.

The Regions, Provinces,

Kingdoms and Cities
Parkhesh consists of eight regions (nine if you include the
autonomous Loparankwari). These make up Greater Parkhesh, a
land that outsiders recognise as an entity more often than the
constituent parts!

Parkhesh City League

The five provinces of The Parkhesh City League (sometimes

called the Parkhesh Empire) are Parkhesh, Tu'Kresh, Ju'gresh,
Duresh and Phasarna, which are the original City States that
formed the Parkhesh City League under the conqueror Aran. The
League also includes the internal regions which sit between the
Zotcharakh Olakha mountains. Parkhesh itself is the Imperial
Up until about 850 years ago, Parkhesh was a fractured region
Capital of the Parkhesh City League situated on the southern
with many city states which coalesced into City Leagues for
coast of the Sea of Brass on the north east of Thurian. Many
mutual protection, but all that changed 850 years ago when the
travellers have been amazed by the beautiful minarets, large
conqueror Aran managed to unite the Duresh region along with
the east, north east and north of Parkhesh in a series of campaigns squares with fountains, canals and Parkhesh gardens.
known as the Parkhesh City State Wars. At about 800 years ago
the self appointed Prophet King Maluja added Khalesh to the
Parkhesh dominance and then Shumtira was added shortly after
Although a loyal part of the Parkhesh City League, the South East
that. A period of peace reigned in this region up till 350 years ago province of Duresh is so populous and far from the northern
when Khalesh overthrew Parkhesh rule and started what is known Parkhesh cities that it enjoys considerable autonomy. It consists of
as the Parkhesh Civil Wars.
the City States of Khasan, Duresh City, Dara'lea, Harsan, Dizhun,
Caran, Khilzuda, Dhilkhan and Matan. Khasan is the Parkheshi
Parkhesh City, is situated on a river mouth on the north coast of
administrative capital of Duresh, though Duresh City is seen by
Thurian and it soon became apparent that each Province needed
the locals as the capital (it was the city first conquered by Aran).
to have an administrative capital, Parkhesh City was too far away
for effective rule. However, the peoples of the South of Parkhesh
still have ideas of their own and bandits and such still roam the
southern desert of Parkhesh and the inner valleys of the
Zotcharakh Olakha mountains close to the Red Desert. Those
that owe allegiance to the Parkhesh League are formidable desert
fighters - guarding the caravans of desert beasts of burden from
the occasional Red Desert Nomad raid.

Political Structure and

History

Duresh Province

Every year there is a Meet of the League at Parkhesh City. All

debate their taxes and how much men and resources they will
contribute to the League. Much politicking takes place, but it
seems to work. It has been known for Parkhesh to send an
undead legion to bring a recalcitrant city state to heel. An
unfortunate waste of resources from a Parkheshi point of view as
the dead from the besieged are usually beyond the point of
mummification and thus useless in the army.
The two main strengths of Parkhesh is in it's Navy and in it's
Legions of Undead. The Navy (originally a merchant fleet now
military in nature) is a vast group of fleets dominated by their War
Galleons which often spat with other navies. However, Parkhesh

Parkhesh City

stopped their migration so they settled in a wide plain of arid

grasslands where they live off the Lopar. The city of Shalkan
The Island of Shumtira lies off the south eastern coast of Greater (Easternmost of the cities of the Republic of Telbrin) is the only
Parkhesh with various cities of its own. The people here are a mix city that many Loparankwari will ever visit, though southern tribes
of Parkheshi, Khalesh and Quatzaduan, Nhi-Tual, interbred with and caravan guards will venture to the Khaleshi cities (notably
Khalut). Many Loparankwari are hired to guard the caravans that
a short hairy indigenous race whose primitive interior homeland
has not been pacified. Shumtira has a key role as a trading post for carry silk from Khalesh to Shalkan and the trade goods from
Shalkan to Khalesh (including weapons for the Khaleshi to fight
coastal trade from and to Quatzadua and on to Gara-Dien. The
the Parkheshi).
wild hinterland also provides a steady flow of skins, furs, exotic
raw materials for drugs and medicines, all primitive products no
longer found on the mainland.

Shumtira

International Relations

Khal City State

Whilst outsiders often do not understand it, the Khalesh people
are not Parkheshi, and view themselves as an independent state.
Just north of Khalesh is the Red Desert and Nhi-Tual is to the
south (above the cliffs to the southern border of Khalesh). This is
the nation through which the lower Blue Serpent River flows. It is
a lush land inundated with silt when the Blue Serpent River bursts
it's bank every spring. The peoples of Khalesh are dark tanned
with mongoloid appearance. A peoples of much intermingling,
they were once conquered by the Parkheshi but rebelled and have
fought an almost constant war (with long periods of truce) with
Parkhesh. During the 450 years of Parkheshi rule, their language
was suppressed so that the majority of the populace speak a
pidgin form of Parkhsi, with other languages and some original
Khalian words, often called Khalsi by the Parkheshi. They are
Hectaminists and are doctrinally as well as racially different to the
Parkhesh. The Khal have various treaties with the Red Desert
Nomads, trade with the Loparankwari to the west of the Red
Desert, and trade with Telbrin. Some contact is with the Nhi-Tual
but it is very limited.

Red Desert
The Red Desert belongs to an ancient race, The Red Desert
Nomads, who once served the Forerunners. A law unto
themselves these peoples shift allegiance like the desert sands. The
Parkheshi may consider them part of their territory it is not clear
that the Nomads view it the same way. Parkhesh has used the
Nomads on various occasions as mercenaries or as a buffer
against foreign invaders. Oil has been recovered from open pools
in the Red Desert by intrepid explorers, many of whom have
disappeared without a word. The Nomads do not help such
exploitation, some suspect they secretly oppose it.

Loparankwari
The Loparankwari are the Lopar riding tribes who live on the
plateau that borders the west of the Red Desert and the east of
Meravaenia. The Loparankwari (Lopharkwan by the Parkheshi
and Khaleshi) are the descendants of a group of people who
migrated eastwards from the high plateaus. The Red Desert

Parkhesh has strained relations with nearly all its neighbours, and
if it was not for its huge size and internal conflicts it would strain
them further. The nation detests and fears the Zathurians. NhiTual despises nearly all Parkheshi even though Parkheshi have
nothing against Nhi-Tual, except the Khalians who are distant
kinsmen. AurUrbis and Meravae are involved in supporting Khal
in its war against Parkhesh. Having said that, merchant ties with
Parkhesh abound between Cromaigne, AurUrbis, southern NhiTual and further afield.

Economy
The north and north east Parkhesh provinces produce spices
(such as Intigro), grains (like rice) and fruits of varying kinds. The
lush fertile terraces provide a green and fertile land in stark
contrast to the arid interior of Parkhesh. Oil was first found in
Parkhesh, where pools of it are found in the Red Desert, it has a
religious significance in Parkhesh where they believe it is the
blood of Olakha, the 8th Orb. Parkheshi have come to this belief
because of the spectra of light seen on the film of oil and in
Octaminist belief, the destruction of the 8th Orb was precipitated
by that of the seven other orbs. Parkheshi forces have used it on
occasion in warfare but with much ceremony and magic. Oil can
be found in other parts of the world but in very small quantities
and requiring quite a bit of engineering to secure it, thus only the
Tharux nations have learned to extract it from the crust of
Gwenthia.
Trade occurs across Parkhesh. Caravans wind their way from the
South to the mountains to the north, reaching Parkhesh City via a
number of passes. Merchant ships ply the seas to the east and
north of Parkhesh and trade routes reach Quatzadua to the south
and Aur Urbis to the north and beyond. The Parkhesh navy is
very strong, consisting of large Battle Galleons which guard the
shipping lanes and patrol the Pirates Teeth, a string of islands
scattered from north east Parkhesh to the island of Kaipor. Every
8 years the Octaminist Clipper race is held between all the nations
of the East of Thurian and from the northern continent. Some of
the fastest merchant vessels race around the Sea of Brass from
Parkhesh City to the city of Duxi in AurUrbis, carrying 10 tonnes
of purest Parkhesh Intigro. Who can carry the spices the fastest is
the official point of the competition, the prize is the ashes of the

bones of the black pirate, Zambala. Zambala is said to be one of

the aspects of the The Invisible Lord.

seven colours are seen as reflection on the surface of Oil which is

believed to be the blood of the eighth Moon.

Parkhesh tries to control the amount of goods reaching more

northern climes by sea from the southern states, but all seafaring
nations have a naval force. The KiDelan of AurUrbis can as easily
travel via the western route - something which the Parkheshi
would prefer to discourage. The Parkheshi War Galleons are
pretty ponderous against nimble small merchant vessels but have
a significant arsenal and fighting force against a flotilla of ships
meaning harm to any of Parkheshi ports or trade routes. The
Parkheshi merchant vessels are smaller than the Galleons and
though they might pack the odd gunpowder device, they would
much rather compete with the trading competition than fight.

Red - Bikhon - Fauna sphere and God of Insects, Infestations and

War. Red is the colour of blood and the life giving fluid. Blood is
spilt in war. God of insects and infestations it is Bikhon who is
also the bringer of diseases, bringer of pestilence and plague. A
dour god but also a God with the joy of life. The hunter and the
hunted, the joy of spring, and the misery of winter.

The Khal City States rely on the rich alluvial deposits of the
Kha'ta'la river. They have an agricultural economy with meats
such as the Khamuul, sheep and river fish. Currently their sea
route has been blockaded on and off by Parkhesh for 350 years so
they trade mostly with Nhi-Tual, Meravae, the Loparankwari,
Quatzadua, the Nomads and distant AurUrbis.
Currency
Parkheshi coinage varies from province to province, but the Gold
Signet is the main coin. Parkhesh has invented paper money in
the form of IOUs. A limited quantity of this cash is issued by the
various Parkhesh banks (all owned by mercantile families).
Precious metals are still the best way to transport or store wealth.

Religion
Parkhesh City League
The Parkheshi Religion is actively Octaminist. They worship the
eight moons and view the Dark Moon as still extant yet invisible.
Parkshi Octaminists acknowledge sixteen moon related deities
two for each moon. For them the Dark Moon is seen as being the
moon with two diametrically opposed halves.
Black - Matikhot/Olakha - Earth sphere
Red - Bikhon - Fauna sphere.
Orange - Ralashon - Sphere of the Flesh
Yellow/gold - Yakhmetra - Fire sphere
Green - Gibrash - Sphere of Plants
Blue - Zim'a'al - Sphere of all Water
Indigo - Khalut - Air Sphere
Violet - Stakhat - Keeper of the Dead
Black - Matikhot/Olakha - Earth sphere - In Parkhesh this sphere
is also given the colours Silver/crystal/white and is identified with
the eighth Moon - which all other cultures see as being Dark or
having no colour. Parkhesh see the eighth sphere as the Master of
all Magic. Octaminist priests see the proof of this in that the other

Orange - Ralashon - Flesh/Body - I Parkhesh the skin tone is a

deep browny red - almost orange. Orange is used in Parkhesh to
portray the gods skin. Statues in temples have orange gold for
their skin. Ralashon is god of courtesans and those who seek to
affect the minds of people. Often given a feminine aspect as a doe
giving birth. The midwife and a fertility goddess.
Yellow/gold - Yakhmetra - Fire sphere - A war god in some parts
of Parkhesh associated with the torching of enemy strongholds.
This god is associated with the anger of fire, the blaze of a bush
fire in the heat of summer. Closely associated with the Sun, a
body with no direct religious significance in the orb-centric society
of Gwenthia. God of civilisation, the small sun in the hearth. A
god of blacksmiths (who also worship Olakha) as he is the rage of
the furnace. He is the blazing sun in the desert, brings light to
plant life, banishes the night hag and vampires from day. He is
also the trickster, mercurial and deviant, ever shifting, showing his
light here and then there. Almost like illusion he plays with
light. His female aspect is the warm bosom.
Green - Gibrash - Plants sphere - closely aligned with Blue and
and Black. God of agriculture and horticulture. Also the despoiler
of history, the expanding bush and the seeming hatred of the
plant life for the ruins of civilisations. It is Gibrash who is invoked
to blot out events from history. God of farmers, healers (because
of healing plants) and anyone who has dealings with plant life. An
elemental god not very clear in its communication. All who
tend plants are blessed by him. God of gardens and palace
grounds, the tree lined boulevards of civilisation. His female
aspect is the goddess of blossom and of spring. Without Gibrash
most of humanity would starve.
Blue - Zim'a'al - Water sphere includes the sea. Goddess of the
spiteful sea and of sailors. Merciless lady of the depths. She is
sacrificed to before leaving land and while at sea. Except at the
Dark Watch when Olakha is sacrificed to. Zim'a'al is also the one
who quenches one's thirst, the god of Oases in the desert. She
also provides the cool plazas in the towns and cities as her
fountains provide cool spray to cool the air. She is also the god of
merchants who rely on her waters to pass in their ships. Bringer
of winter in the high mountains, she is the maker of ice and
glaciers and together with Khalut can make the cold climes
inhospitable.
Indigo - Parzhur - Air Sphere - identified with the heavens / stars
- also identified with sky - bringer of rain - seen as former consort

of the 8th Moon as it's full glory is revealed at night. You can see
the true nature of Air when the sun is set. The colour of twilight
and the sky at night. God of storms and tempests, but is also
worshiped by sailors to provide wind in the sails. Without Khalut
no one could breath. Birds rely on her for flight. The provider of
cool breezes but also responsible for the cold of the night. Khalut
is also the ice maiden - the bringer of the cold winds in the
mountains. She stole the ability to produce water via rain, from
Zim'a'al. They now despise each other.
Violet - Stakhat - Spirit/Keeper of the Dead - in opposition to 8th
Moon who allows the veil between the dead and living to fall
away. The Parkheshi don't believe that the souls of the dead go to
a mythical underworld - that realm belongs to Matikhot (not
Olakha who is in charge of the Earth and not the Underworld)
who is the god of the hell like underworld. God of illusions and
the spirit realm the astral plane. When priests travel in spirit
form they travel in the realm of Stakhat.
Gwenthia is the Earth mother. There are two aspects to her
wife to Olakha as the holy parents Earth Mother and Earth
Father but there is a sinister side to her. She is also married to
Matikhot as the Witch of Hell, the barren yet fertile mistress of
Matikhot. It is her who the Parkheshi believe is the Night Hag
in her association with Matikhot. She is the great mutator, the
spawner of beastmen and weird creatures of the night. She rides
the Dark Watch with Matikhot.
The four maidens are the female aspect of Gibrash and Ralashon
as the maidens, the full bodied bloom of Yakhmetra and
Gwenthia, and the old hag of Gwenthia married to Matikhot.
There are Five Messengers, they are identified with interactions
between people - to express the fact that they are messengers.
They are independent of the 8:
War, (domination by aggressive means);
Seduction (domination by subtle means);
Trade/diplomacy (co-operation);
Knowledge, (communication or education);
Sorcery (inner knowledge uncommunicated).
The Parkheshi hold the eight moons, five messengers, and
Gwenthia herself as the fourteen Gods. Each God has a number
of saints associated with it oversees a part of everyday life. Each
saint has a number of orders. Nearly every Saint has one or more
military orders associated with it and a number of minor orders or
guilds. Examples of orders:
Order of the Scarlet Scimitars - military.
Order of the Silken Veil - courtesans.
Watchers of the Night - Night Guard.
Guardians of the Gates of Dawn- The Day Guard.
Order of the Severed Skull - One of the Mercenary Orders.
Order of Matikhot Undead Legion.

The Third Crusade was waged in Parkhesh against the Octaminist

Church in the northern Parkheshi city states (at that time part of the
Meravaenian Empire). The Crusade was quite ineffectual and yet it
forced the Octaminist church to adopt a Hectaminist cover. To that
end and to this day Parkheshi will often talk of the Invisible Lord as
a euphemism for Matikhot/Olakha, and any Parkheshi abroad is
very careful to avoid discussing the eight way nature of their beliefs.
Khal Religion
The Khal are Hectaminsts who fled from Nhi-Tual when KhurIshida expelled the worship of the Seven Demons (orbs). They
worship the benign aspects of the Seven Orbs in much the same
way as the people of Meravaenia alongside the Goddess Gwenth,
Khalut the Ancestor God of the Khal people and Olakha the
Benign God. The Khal lived under Parkheshi occupation for some
time and in a mirror of the Third Crusade were forced into
Octaminism. To this day some Khal temples have altars to the 8th
Orb, but this Orb is associated with Khur-Ishida and ritually
shunned by the Khal.
Khalut is the Ancestor God of the Khalesh people, husband to the
Goddess Gwenth and father to Olakha the Benign God. He rides
the heaven in the Indigo Orb and protects his children from above.
Khalut is also father to the Night Hag who he fathered against his
will when a succubus came and sucked his seed from at the time of
the Great Ice Darkness. Khalut is the ancestral father of all Khalesh
Olakha is seen as a benign god in Khalesh and not linked to the 8th
Orb. This is in keeping with the belief that Olakha is the progeny
of Gwenth and Khalut. The Night Hag and Matikhot are seen to
be evil twins, half sister and half brother of Olakha, and their
worshippers are ostracised and stoned on sight. Those that
worshipped such malign entities were exiled and fled up the Blue
Serpent River to the Upper Valley beyond Khalesh, somewhere in
Gara-Dien or Meravaenia.
Other Religions
It is simply not known if the Red Desert Nomads have religion at
all. The Shumtiran primitives have suitably primitive shamanistic
and totemistics beliefs. The minority religions of note in Parkhesh
are a small but vibrant Hectaminist flock in the northern city states
within the Human Church of Gwenthia, and the Parkheshi
Gnostics.

The Undead in Parkhesh

The Parkheshi faith believes that the body has 2 souls. The Mind
soul and the Body soul. It is the mind soul which departs the body
and enters into blessed communion with the eternal saints. The
Body soul is that which makes the body stay alive and it is not
considered to be as important as the Mind soul. It is the body soul
which is used to reanimate the dead, as it lingers in a corpse for 8
days after the death of a person.
Generally, the Parkheshi do not see the use of the dead for mili-

tary purposes as corrupt. They see the bodies of those that are low
in class as expendable resources. Mummification was practiced
long ago (2000 years ago, at least according to written records),
and it became widely practiced as the City States grew in wealth.
Maluja, was the first Mortuary Priest to use arcane means to animate the dead so that he created the first Legion of the Dead
about 800 years ago (which lead to the rise in influence of the
Temple of Matikhot over the City States). Each successive 'King'
has utilised these loyal forces to varying effect in the later dynasties, adding to the undead legions. The bodies of the low caste are
the ones used for undead legions and as the undead rowers of the
Galleons. These are also filled with the ranks of dead foreigners
who are slain on the battlefield. The bodies of those who are considered to be high born, or even who are rich enough to pay for
exemption from mummification, have their bodies burnt on pyres.
The ashes of those of high status are placed in canopic jars which
either form part of the travelling tabernacles of the Legions or are
interred in the bow of a galleon - the galleon then being named
after that person. The burning of a body is seen as a way to release
the body soul from the decay that is inevitable if the body was
allowed to rot. The ceremony performed at the cremation captures the body soul and it forms a spiritual complex with the ashes
of the deceased.

first Order to be established and has some of the earliest Legions

to be founded in the Parkheshi empire. The Order of the Severed
Skull is an order set up originally for Mercenaries containing the
34th Foreign Legion, which consists of non-Parkheshi soldiers
(those not from the province of Parkhesh) seeking to become
citizens of Parkhesh - and contained the Legions drawn from the
different Cities in the Parkheshi City League. With time, as each
city became part of the Parkheshi Empire (still called the
Parkheshi City League) the Legions still stayed within the Order
of the Severed Skull. The order of Matikhot was set up by the
First Prophet King, Maluja, and caters for all the Undead Legions.
The military also provide the engineering skills for the Parkheshi
Empire and are responsible for building and roads.

People of Note
Maluja

Maluja was one of a long line of Prophet Kings. He first began his
career in the priesthood as a follower of Olakha but at 30 he
changed allegiance and joined the Temple of Matikhot to become
a Mortuary Priest. He rose rapidly through the temple hierarchy,
abandoning his priestly career to become a Temple Sorcerer by
entering the eighth College where he studied the darker arts of
Sorcery deriving from the Dark Orb's malign aspect. He soon
caught the eye of a newly appointed Grand Master, Vazhan who
Each order or professional Guild provides personal magic
named him as one of the new council of master mages in the
provided to it via the Saint and God associated with it. Warriors
eighth College, which only consists of eight sorcerers led by the
will have access to fighting magic, Courtesans to love magic,
College Grandmaster. When the Grandmaster died, a contest was
tailors to magic that will aid their trade, and so forth. The magic is held among the council of eight. Only the survivor of the contest
localised. More powerful magics are wrought by the Seven
became the Grandmaster so as long as two Masters of the Inner
Colleges of Priest-Mages using Parkheshi Sorcery. Each college,
College were abroad, the position could not be filled. Only one
associated with one of the eight orbs can create powerful magics
could survive and the rest had join Matikhot in the Underworld,
related to that orb. In Parkhesh, all the seven visible orbs are seen for such powerful sorcerer priests would constantly seek to
as aspects of the eighth Orb - the Invisible Lord who is also
undermine their peer who had become the new Grandmaster. As
associated with Gwenthia with which it merged when it fell to
soon as the new Grandmaster had been appointed then eight new
Gwenthia. To Parkheshi the seven orbs are slaves to the eighth, so masters were admitted to be trained by the new pontiff to replace
their magics and influence are slaves to the eighth Orb. The
him when he should pass to the Blessed Underworld. All would
temple of Matikhot has the secret eighth college which has access be trained in the potent shard magics which relied on shards of
to the magics which only the eighth Orb can provide - the Shard
moon rock from the fallen Dark Orb, more valuable than the
Magic. Maluja was a member of this College.
largest cut jewel, or the most precious metal.

Magic

Military

Arak

As mentioned in above, most Parkheshi civilian life revolves

around the Parkheshi Orders and the patronage of a particular
saint. This permeates through to military life as well. Orders will
have one or more Parkheshi Legions attached to it. The number
of a Legion denotes its age (the lower numbers being old Legions)
and can not be repeated or duplicated - when a Legion is
destroyed it is struck from the lists (very much like the Roman
Legions). The Order of the Scarlet Scimitars is an order for
Soldiers founded by Aran, and it consists of some 53 Legions.
The Order of the Scarlet Scimitar has the honour of being the

Arak was a great chieftain who united the Lotak during the arrival
of the Dureshi back in . The father of Aran he was cut down by a
Doru phalanx during a battle that saw his son take the throne. He
is believed to have found the Bronze Sceptre of Ruin in an ancient
Forerunner ruin.

Aran, son of Arak

With the Bronze Sceptre of Ruin, found by his father, Aran took
the throne of the united tribes of the Lotak in what is now

Duresh. An astute man, and great general, he brought the Duresh

City States to a honourable truce, allowing the Doru exiles and
their Parkhesh allies to settle in the Lotak lands in return for
mutual support against other hostile factions in the region, such as
Nhi-Tual, Shumtiran raiders, Red Desert Nomads and the Khal to
the west. He realised the power that the City Leagues would bring
and he helped to create the Dureshi City States even though he
was a barbarian king and fought in the Parkhesh City State wars
which culminated with the taking of Parkhesh City. Aran was
murdered in 172 NC by his camp followers. His united empire fell
into the hands of the Temple of Matikhot.

Quatzadua
Land of the Earth God

uatzadua covers the southern region of the Thurian

continent of Gwenthia. Lush tropical rainforest,
high grassy heath-land and low-lying plains and
deltas make up the majority of Quatzadua. And, whilst ancient
ruins dot the landscape, the culture is relatively young. Only in the
past two thousand years have its disparate peoples come together
under the common banner of the Earth-God. Under his guidance
they have grown into a confident, inquisitive trading nation.
Though not expansionist, they are happy to integrate other
cultures through peaceful means and ready to defend themselves
when necessity dictates.

Geography
The country is a juxtaposition of high mountains, steaming
tropical jungles, high pampas and sub-tropical grass and wetland.
To the East are verdant pasture and wetland. Fed by the water
and minerals washed down from the mountains and high pampas
to the west, these do not see regular rainfall. Expansive freshwater
irrigation (including aqueducts) are used productively by the
populace for the cultivation of rice, Pineapple, reed and hemp.
Arable land is also maintained for the cultivation of Maize, God
Fruits (potatoes), and pasture for the long-haired Camelids (a
species reminiscent of a short, long-haired llama) which are
farmed both for their fine flaxen fur and for their meat (making a

four year crop rotation in all, the last being fallow). The Southeastern shores are home to the City of Taxica, which grew up as a
place of barter but is now the main Easterly centre for export and
trade. Lying in almost the last of the navigable ports heading west
before the central cliffs, this boasts a natural harbour which is
sheltered from the prevailing Easterlies.
West-North-West of Taxica lays the City of Nhiaquat, which
nestles in a valley surrounded by the lightly forested foothills of
the High Pampas. On the first stretch of the Thexadin River
navigable by larger vessels, the city is an amalgam of Quatzaduan
and ancient Nhi-Tual architecture. From here, the Thexadin flows
eastward and empties (eventually) into the Golden Sea. The midsection rises swiftly from Nhiaquat to a high, central undulating
plain (the High Pampas), which ends in the sheer cliffs to the
South; is covered by light rainforest to the North-East; thick
crevasse-filled rainforest to the West and rugged mountains
weaving Northward towards the high plateau of Maraevaenia.
Northward along this rugged trail lies the ancient city of Terexta.
Home of the Xatahople (pronounced Zatahopple) League and the
Tarazon, a living God in his own right, as well as being the sole
representative of "The Earth God". This Temple/fortress is built
into the slopes of Mount Terexta, from which it takes its name.
The Western lands mainly consist on deep rain-forest as well as

Two varieties of Bullet Bulb have been engineered, both of which

are triggered by the application of water. The Bullet Bulb proper
the cities of Xzanpthia and Pazzoxa. The former is built on a site
can be held in the palm of the hand and is the Quatzads weapon
of religious significance; the latter is the main Western trading
of choice. The aperture is inserted into a hollow metal tube
port. All cities are linked by wellmaintained stone roads, with way(originally bamboo, which led on numerous occasions to major
side wells a common sight along their routes, as well as boarding
splinter-damage injury) and fires a sharp lozenge-shaped seed. At
establishments and the occasional tavern/Inn.
ranges of under sixty feet, this can easily pierce the hide of a
Dromal (discussed below). The second variety produces a
The main exports of this region include metal goods, sustainable
beautiful lilac flower. The bulb is also much larger (around the
softwoods, spices, Citrus fruit and camelid products (such as
size of a football) and so, less practical in combat. This fires glue
wool, leather and ivory), as well as small quantities of coffee,
which sets on impact. Whilst both are devastating weapons, they
cocoa and hardwood.
do not travel well and are unusable after around three to five
months of storage.

The Climate

Quatzadua has a tropical climate and although temperatures tend

to remain fairly constant throughout the year, tropical storms are
not unknown in the west during the fall. This region also has a
high level of humidity during the spring and summer months.
Above 2000ft, low cloud and cool rain are common from autumn
through to late spring; especially around the central peaks and
High Pampas. The height of this region tends to attract rainfall,
meaning that areas Eastward are drier; hence the North-Easterly
desert regions.
The East of Quatzadua is less humid and enjoys a dry heat when
exposed to South-Easterlies. In the main this is due to the desert
conditions north of the Thexadin River in Nhia-Nual. Good
water supplies though keep it lush and green.

Another plant of note is the Ground Pitcher. These thrive in light

soil or boggy areas around rivers to the west of the High Pampas.
They grow below ground and can attain a size of about three feet.
A single camouflaged hole (enough to trap a foot and lower leg) is
the only surface sign of these dangerous plants. Any living matter
falling into the interior are broken down by powerful acids, from
which these plants gain their nutrients. Xatahople league scouts
(see "the People(s)") have been known to seed unfriendly borders
with these. They are easily "sniffed-out" by QuatzHunds though.
A number of grasses and fruits are also cultivated. Amongst them
are reed, hemp, Maize, potatoes, rice, coffee, cocoa, cineapple and
citrus fruits.
Birds of note.

The Mauk is a flightless seabird that

stands at around 3.5' tall. Found in
large rookeries on rocky outcrops
The varied geography of Quatzadua makes for numerous habitats,
below the Southern Cliffs, these
each with their own unique ecosystem. For simplicity, only plants
sociable creatures are ungainly on
and animals of note are recorded here.
land but powerful swimmers. Their
Quatzads are born horticulturalists and have cultivated several
bill is ideally suited to catching large
plants over many centuries and put them to practical use. Cork,
quantities of sand-eel and fish, up to
Balsa and other softwoods endemic to Quatzadua are grown and
the size of a mackerel. This bill can also deliver a vicious blow. As
exported. So are some sustainable hardwoods.
they were once hunted for their meat and eggs, they now have
The natural environment of Rubber Trees (Hevea Quatzadiensis) are little trust in humans and have been know to attack en masse
when threatened.
low-lying regions of the Kafax River. These are now cultivated in
many places. Rubber is vulcanised and used in the foundations of The Tagooer or Dagger Bird is said to be related to the Mauk.
buildings to enable them to endure minor earthquakes. It is also
This huge flightless bird (standing at 7') is now all but extinct in
used (along with leather) to create flexible containers for bullet
the wild. Its natural habitat is the deep jungles of Western
bulbs.
Quatzadua, where it feeds on small animals, fruit, nuts and
carrion. Its decline has been due in equal part to hunting by
Bullet Bulbs are a product of the Bromid plant. In the wild, these
humans and QuatzHunds (see Mammals, below). All is not lost
flower in the high canopy before dropping their bulbs onto the
for this bird, however. Their survival has been assured in a semidry ground, far below. These bulbs are weighted and always fall
domesticated form. Farmed in the Western lands, their flesh and
with a sealed aperture facing upwards. High rainfall sets off a
eggs are both treated as delicacies (some are fed a diet of mainly
chemical reaction in them, at which point a sticky-coated seed is
Pineapples to create a sweeter meat). Additionally, they are
shot at high velocity back into the canopy; there to create a new
sometimes used as steeds by Arboreals (see the People(s)).
plant.
Another bird of the Western jungles is the Thistle-Billed Macree.

Flora and Fauna

This colourful, large, tropical starling is highly prized for its

much like sheep. Resident in both the High Pampas and the rich
imitation skills; especially the male of the species. For although
grassland to the East, they are farmed for their soft flesh and fine
their song is completely innocuous in the local parlance, their
fleece.
mating calls bear a striking similarity to a deeply offensive
obscenity in the tongue of the Nhi-Tual; which makes them highly
prised by the warrior caste.
The term "Quatzaduan" can be applied to any of the human subMammals of note.
species residing within its borders. Confusingly however, it is also
The Bellow-Head Pathoxa is a curios fresh-water dolphin uniquely used to differentiate true Homo sapiens from the Arboreal and
Shade sub-species (two distinct but sexually compatible human
found in the silted waters of the Kafax River. It is said to be
groups). Whatever the differing racial origins of Quatzaduan
nearly blind, relying on sonar to seek its prey. Perhaps the
humans, millennia of inter-breeding, along with climactic
strangest thing about this aquatic mammal is the scaling on its
conditions have evolved them into the recognisable peoples they
back, which is reminiscent of Pangolins, Khamuls and to a lesser
are today; Tanned skin, dark hair and dark eyes being prevalent in
extent Dromals (see below).
all. That's not to say that there aren't differences in facial shape
Standing at over four feet tall, the QuatzHund is a native
and overall build, as shown by the following images.
marsupial beast. Generally they hunt in mated pairs, and are
cunning and vicious predators of any soft fleshed creatures. Often South-Western stock tend to be of slighter frame than those
found in the High Pampas and mountainous regions around
found tracking herds of Dromal, they also hunt wild pigs,
Litopterns (strange gazelle-like Tapirs) and humans in the jungles Terexta, who are wide-shouldered and more stocky. In the Northof Quatzadua. Often raised from pups by Arboreals, mated pairs East and along the southern borders of Nhi-Tual, centuries of
of QuatzHund make a fierce pair of fighting guards. The difficulty cross-border interaction has led to the populace having a more
is catching a pregnant female QuatzHund to steal the pups from. eastern appearance and one would be hard-pressed indeed to
differentiate between many of them and their northern
The Dromal is
neighbours.
the natural prey
The most wide-spread of the sub-species are the "Shades" (Homo
of the
sapiens chameleus), who are found in
QuatzHund.
all regions. Also referred to by
Closely related
some as "the bright ones" (due to
to the fierce
the females' golden-red pallor
Khamul of
when in season), both names
Zathuria, these
derive from the races' natural
more docile
beasts are found ability to subtly change their skinwild across most tone to match their surroundings (a
of the low-lying useful ability - where minimal
open and lightly clothing is required). Where it not
forested areas of for this ability (along with the six proto-filaments growing over
the ears and into the hair-line), Shades look all but human. It is
the Thurian
continent. Many have been domesticated. They are prized as pack- rumoured that they are the children of the first Tarazon .
animals, as well as for their meat, leather, ivory and milk, which is Arboreals (Homo sapiens arborealis), make up the majority of the
made into a rich cheese.
population found in the thick Western jungles. Pure-breds are
easily recognisable by their wide eyes and long arms. Standing at
In higher altitudes the Dromal is replaced by Llamas. Quatzads
only around five feet on their short legs, these light-boned
have bred these for thousands of years, so that now, along with
hominids are equally at home on the ground or in the trees. Their
the (now rare) wild Llama, two distinct breeds have been
sharp eyesight, coupled with their ability to easily traverse the treedeveloped.
line, make them much sought after by mariners; though by nature,
The Lopar could be mistaken at a distance for a horse, as they
most have a natural aversion to the ocean. In speech they tend to
have the same height and build. Used by both Quatzads and
use the common Quatzaduan tongue, although in private they still
Nhia-Tualians as steeds, some consider them more versatile than
use their own "short-speak"; a medley of calls, clicks and whistles
horses, as they are more sure-footed in rugged terrain and make
which are reminiscent of the native fauna and said to carry for
ideal pack animals.
miles when required.

People

The Lamox is the second species. These are shorter and herded

Arboreals tend to be more secular but some do frequent towns

and cities. Where the two races mingle, intermarriage is not

unknown. Both in looks and abilities, their offspring range greatly,
some appearing no more than their common ancestor, Homo
sapiens. Others inherit abilities from both parents. The latter are
often persuaded to join the elite Xatahople league. Trained to the
peak of fitness and skilled in the use of both traditional and
"natural" weaponry, they make up the private guard of "The
Living God", as well as being highly prised scouts and soldiers in
general. There are also rumours that an inner circle exists, made
up of highly intelligent assassins.Those that look like humans are
treated fairly in the major Cities (and as a consequence tend to
congregate there) but still face occasional persecution and derision
in some of the more remote settlements.

tribes.

Names

Bartering was the common currency until around 150 years ago;
and is still in use today by

Suffixes normally denote the sex of a person; Ta- being male and
Na- being female. Therefore
Ta-Tarazon III would be male.

Political Structure
Quatzadua is an Imperialistic Theocracy with a central puppet

The nation of Gara-dien lies to the North-West, the Felloxor river

forming a natural boundary between the two. Relationships have
always been strained, although peoples from the Oxore Dominion
and their neighbours from the Sheshaan Canonry are tolerated
and even invited into the country (see Emerald Order).
Quatzaduans have adopted Lidin as the language used during
trade negotiations, peppered with the odd words of Parkheshi,
and Merav Trader's Cant. However, Arboreals still prefer to use
their own tongue.

Economy
Arboreals dwelling deep in the western jungles today.
With the coming of the written word, currency has evolved.
Originally, coinage was loosely
based on the trinkets exchanged with visiting explorers in return
for goods.

bicameralistic (locally elected representatives) Senate. A Senate

will sit for five years and rubber-stamp the will of the Tarazon.
Within these five years, Senate members are also indoctrinated
into the church and leave as priests of the "Earth-God".

Religion

Families and Clans of the Arboreals living in heavily-rainforested

areas still have representatives but follow more of an Anarchocommunistic lifestyle. For example, several groups may unite to
quickly build rope bridges across deep canyons or share locally
grown speciality foodstuffs. Large gatherings (or Moots) happen
every spring. Every fifth year they decide who amongst them will
next represent them in the Senate.

The religion of the entire country is regulated by the priests of

"The Earth God". Early temples were no more than open-cast
mines, where the Gods riches were reaped by his followers. Later
examples are more lavish. Some being shaped into amphitheatres
or inverted pyramids, surrounded by ornately carved pillars or
pagodas.

The Earth God and the Tarazon

The Earth God has provided guidance for his people of

Quatzadua through his mouth-piece the "God's chosen" or
"Tarazon"; his sole representative on Gwenthia. The Tarazon
resides in Terexta and is instantly recognisable by his dark leathery
To the East, Quatzadua trades with Parkhesh and the Gwailan
skin and glowing red eyes.
Union. Its North-Easterly neighbour Nhia-Tual is home to the
Guarded by the
desert nomads, known for attacking the trade caravans that travel
Xatahople league and the
between Parkhesh and Quatzadua. The sea route (via the Golden
high priesthood, the
Sea), is therefore preferable.
Tarazon is blessed with an
The most sympathetic of Nhia-Tual clans is to be found on the
extremely long life-span
island of L-Tual (know in parts of Quatzadua as Topax).
(the current incumbent is
Standing alone in the middle of the Golden Sea, this is their
said to be over two
spiritual home and their only real settlement. The monks welcome
hundred years
Quatzads but distrust Parkheshies, although it is used as a staging
old).Although long lived,
post for commerce between all three countries.
no Tarazon has yet made
his/her 400th birthday.
Quatzadua also enjoys good relations with the "Lake People" of
The first was warped in
Terex-Gha on the Nhi-Gha river and in North-Eastern parts,
his 372nd year into a
Quatzad humans have nearly fully integrated with the Hkurik,
"Living Totem"; an oracle
the largest and most cosmopolitan of the four major Nhi-Tualian

International Relations

of sorts, which resides to this day unmoving - in The Temple of

the Oracle in Xzanpthia. Upon the death of following Tarazons,
the Senate have two great duties to perform. First, the old
Tarazon is taken to Xzanpthia and the body laid to rest at the base
of the Oracle (see People of Note). Secondly, they chose a
replacement from amongst their number. The candidate
(invariably a Shade), with much ceremony steps through Terexta's
"Smoking Mirror". If they are not deemed worthy by the EarthGod, then they disintegrate on contact with this. If they step
through successfully then they are accepted by their God and
become the next Tarazon.

which attacks anything which stalks its shadow. a feral Iqari. A

story from the years before Terexta was built recounts a hunting
party of Lord Xocotal the head-taker. His expedition was chasing
a pack of QuatzHunds into the mountains, when they came upon
a strange multi-hued creature slaughtering the carnivores. Before
they could act, the furious animal assailed the human hunting
party, despite its many injuries from the `hunds. The savage
onslaught killed all seven of his loyal bodyguard, till mortally
wounded it faced Lord Xocotal alone. Having no place to run, the
Lord decided to stand up to his nemesis and slashed with his jade
sword, as the murderous creature tore off his left arm in return.

The age of a Tarazon can be deduced by visiting many of the

temples. Major historical events and religious teachings are kept
on permanent record there, in the form of wall paintings, murals
and pictograms (see below). Text has only been added over the
past 300 years.

Although mutilated, Lord Xocotal lived, and was deeply

impressed by the animal which had butchered both his entourage
and a pack of quatzHunds without hesitation or
acknowledgement of its wounds. He immediately ordered a shrine
to be placed upon the mountain to mark the spot, and from then
on trained all his personal head-hunters to fight like the creature
had. With warriors who each fought like five, Lord Xocotal
started the great unification which eventually led to the formation
of Quatzadua. According to the fragments left by Lord Xocotal,
no one knew the name of the strange animal so he named it
himself; Murazcoatl, the fearless, feathered death.

The Priesthood is made up of the Senate and the fanatical WordBearers. The latter travel the land spreading the true word of God
which is tattooed into their skin, to avoid any ambiguity.
Prior to 540 years ago the Quatzads followed their own calendar
based on the position of the sun and seven moons. The last
Tarazon changed this by decreeing that the common calendar of
Gwenthia be observed. Each day is 32 hours long, divided into 8
watches named for the Orbs in the sky. The 8th watch, which is
the only time when the sky is fully dark, is the Black Watch. This
is a time of the creatures of the night but revered equally with the
others in Quatzadua.
The Year consists of 7 months each of 35 days (each of 5 weeks
of 7 days) and a shorter 8th month (the Dark Month) lasting 10
days. The 8th month is a time for celebration in Quatzadua, as
here it represents the darkness of the earth. To recap, the year is
(7x35days) + 10 = 245 days of normal months plus 10 days of the
Dark month.

The secret philosophies of the cult continued to be passed down

through the head hunters of the region until the time of the first
Tarazon, when many were drafted into permanent armies. It is
still actively practiced, with only trusted warriors being invited to
join the cult if they display the right character. The tenets of the
cult are heavily based upon close study of Murazcoatl, and
chanted as a mantra during its rituals. Roughly translated, it goes;

The Cult of Murazcoatl, the Fearless,

Feathered Death
In the northern mountains of Quatzadua lies the ancient city of
Terexta. This city complex is built into the slopes of Mount
Terexta, the highest peak in the area, and is home of the Tarazon,
the sole representative of "The Earth God". But despite the
authority of the Tarazon, other secretive sects worship in the
mountains. Foremost amongst these is the cult of Murazcoatl, the
Fearless Death. Originally created by the high altitude head
hunters living in the region, the cult has slowly been subsumed by
the warriors of the Xatahople League including members of the
Tarazon's personal guard.
The cult of Murazcoatl does not worship any deity, for that would
be unfaithful towards the Earth God. Instead the cult teaches the
stoic warrior path inspired by a strange animal, a vicious beast

Eyes which never part from your foe, Heart which never beats with fear, Body
which never feels pain, Claws which never fail to taste blood, Mind which
never knows death, I am Murazcoatl
With such a ferocious beast as its totem, the cult members are
sorely tested during their membership and the incidence of

disappearances or fatal `accidents' is unusually high. However, the

cult is prevalent in the upper echelons of those legions raised in
the mountain areas, and those who seek command rank usually
become initiates if they wish to progress further.
Initiation is the first step. Only those who display bravery, skill
and stoicism are invited to join, and only using veiled references in
case the offer is refused. If accepted the aspirant is granted several
weeks leave of absence for some plausible reason (death in the
family, superior performance, legion holiday lottery, etc) and is
then taken with a group of other candidates to one of the many
secret shrines hidden in the mountains. The journey is made
blindfolded, and takes strenuous paths to increase the suffering of
the sightless. Any who complain about the treatment are marked
for later segregation.
After several days spent walking circuitous routes, the aspirants
are finally delivered to the temple. Such buildings are small, and
located near a croft which raises Lamox used for sacrifice to the
shrine's guardian spirit. At first a ceremony is held to induct the
applicants with the cult tenets, after which they are taken into the
shrine which comprises of a chamber and a large pit. Within the
pit is the guardian spirit a feral Iqari - which is deemed to be the
physical manifestation of Murazcoatl. At this point all those
aspirants who complained during the harsh trek are then thrown
into the pit, and the resulting carnage is used to educate the
remaining candidates as to Murazcoatl's prowess.
With this shocking start to their training, the aspirants are warned
that they have set foot on a path of no return, and their silence is
held in trust of their lives. They are then shown to sleeping
quarters and allowed to rest in preparation for their trials. Any
who attempt to flee after this point are tracked down with trained
quatzhunds and torn limb from limb. The next days are spent
being taught cult fighting techniques inspired by Murazcoatl; such
as the leaping death, the scything claw and the screeching terror.
The candidates are also taught that fearlessness is the key to
success in battle, and that a brave death will allow the soul of the
warrior to be reborn as an avatar of Murazcoatl. They are trained
together as a team, and forced to rely upon each other to
overcome challenges during the days.
At the end of a week, the aspirants are tested. Separated, split into
teams of two (carefully selected by the priest and higher initiates),
the candidates are forced to prove their mettle by slaying their
partner. This not only tests dedication, but also prevents the
aspirant from ever informing on the cult, since they now have the
blood of a friend on their hands. It is a potent, and yet deeply
philosophical, ordeal which forces the survivors to many months
of self analysis afterwards. Those who complete the task are
granted initiation, and have a many coloured feather tattooed
upon their upper arms. Those who refuse are fed to Murazcoatl.
The cult has three levels of initiate, indicated by the number of
feathers in their tattoo. To gain the second rank of initiation the

aspirant must defeat a quatzhund in single combat, and to achieve

third rank they must slay a mated pair. Both tests are conducted
by the cult and performed before the eyes of their brother
worshippers. Higher rank not only commands greater respect (and
possible promotion in the military), but also allows access to
further levels of martial training.
Beyond initiate lies only the rank of priest. There is only a single
priest per shrine, and only those who have achieved third rank
may attempt to claim it. The test is simple. The initiate is thrown
naked into Murazcoatl's pit armed with their preferred weapon. If
they survive they are deemed worthy of priesthood. A priest is
marked by having a specially cleaned and disinfected Murazcoatl
feather placed under the flayed skin of their chest and the skin
sewnback in place, a process during which they must utter no
noise.

Magic
Incantations and books of spells are not the magic's found in
Quatzadua. The natives prefer instead the blessings of their
benefactor "The Earth God". This comes in the form of natural
magic; such as sleep poisons, projectile firing plants and the fruits
of the soil. That's not to say that other magic's don't exist, it's just
that the populace are generally ignorant of them.
Many Arboreals, for example, prize amber talismans which
contain preserved life forms. They believe that they are gifts from
the Earth God and the wearer will be imbued with the abilities of
the creature therein contained. Sadly, the majority of these have
no charm on them at all, although genuine examples do exist.
The most powerful "magic" is the preserve of the priesthood.
Temples exist which contain strange "Smoking Mirrors" which are
held in great reverence and guarded fiercely. The one in Terexta is
covered by two ornately decorated doors and only opened at the
behest of the Tarazon or, following his death, a new candidate.
Another is in Xzanpthia and is said to lead to the afterlife. The
prepared bodies of high-ranking officials are ceremoniously
pushed through this particular mirror to join their God in the
depths of the earth. Tarazons who have passed on however are
treated differently (see Role-Playing Ideas).

Quatzaduan Cities
Nhiaquat
The city of Nhiaquat lies on the southern banks of the Thexadin
River (which acts as a natural border between the countries of
Quatzadua and Nhi-Tual). Although the city rests on the
Quatzaduan shore, it is thought that the city was built by the
Hkurik, the largest and most cosmopolitan of the four major
Nhi-Tualian desert nomad tribes.

Pazzoxa
Pazzoxa is the most Westerly of the cities of Quatzadua. Starting
life as a fishing port, the natural wide but sheltered bay led to it
evolving into the thriving and cosmopolitan trading centre found
today.

Being the oldest inhabited city of the region, it was all but
destroyed round 2,000 years ago by an invasion of Hash-Takk
from Gara-Dien (see time-line). Stirred-up by the Zathurians, the
true target of this attack was the destruction of their renegade
member Ta-Tarazon I. Although besieging and laying waste to the
city, this objective was thwarted by their inability to penetrate his
arcology, along with a decimating ripper-plague, rumoured to have
been sent by the Earth-God himself.

Unlike Taxica in the East, Pazzoxa has had relatively few internal
struggles of its own. Though that is not to say it hasn't seen strife.
It's proximity to the Gara-Dien border has led to it being besieged
on numerous occasions and the city is in a constant state of alert.
There are thee main armies in Quatzadua, made up of the
Sharing its defence with the local militia are several units of the
following parts:
fell Obsidian Order.

Quatzaduan Armies

Taxica

The Amber Order

To the east of the high Southern cliffs of Quatzadua lies the last
navigable port of Taxica. Rebuilt following its rebellion in 907
MC, the modern city is a thriving hub of commerce. Quatzaduan
exports from as far a-field as the High Pampas leave here for
destinations in Parkhesh and AurUrbis.

The Amber Order defends Eastern-Quatzadua, and includes the

Quatzaduan navy and customs functions. Formed 308 years ago
(908 MC) following the Taxican rebellion, the Amber Order even
to this day, maintain a strong presence in the city.

Despite the years that have past since its internal troubles, the
Amber Order maintains a huge military presence here.

The Emerald Order

Unlike the Amber and Obsidian Orders, the Emerald Order is an

army of slavers, imported slaves and criminal chain-gangs. They
work as sappers; building roads, bridges, aqueducts and forts. The
Order was officially recognised in 722 NC but was in existence for
The city complex of Terexta is built into the slopes of lofty Mount at least fifty years prior to this. It was originally made-up of
Terexta in the northern mountains of Quatzadua. Close-by, the
disaffected slaver types from the Oxore Dominion (who were
Terex river runs east to Lake Terex-Gha in Nhi-Tual. Trade
formally inducted into a tributary relationship with Gara-Dien in
between the "Lake People" and the city is substantial and has been 674 NC) and their neighbours from the Sheshaan Canonry.
built up over hundreds of years.
Indeed their ranks are still bolstered from time to time by further
migrs from these conquered lands.
Despite the city's geographic location (and the appearance of a
fortress), Terexta could be considered the Spiritual centre of
It is worth noting that whilst slavery of the indigenous population
Quatzadua, as it is home to both the Tarazon, sole representative of Quatzadua and their neighbours in Nhi-Tual is punishable by
of the Earth God and The Cult of Murazcoatl (the latter of
death, the powers that be do not recognise the rights of imported
whom's shrine is said to be its oldest building).
slaves.
Initiates of both use tatooing to denote rank and it is thought that The official line for the order's name is that it fits neatly with
it was developed by the head-hunting tribes who once ruled the
those of Amber and Obsidian, although most believe it to be a
lands hereabout. Most famous of these was Lord Xocotal the
veiled insult to Gara-Dien.
head-taker, originator of The Cult of Murazcoatl. It is said that he
started the great unification which eventually led to the formation
of Quatzadua.
The Obsidian Order act as both the police and the defenders of
Western-Quatzadua. Being the oldest of the armies, it was
founded by Lord Xocatal and counts amongst its leaders members
Xzanpthia is a city of major religious significance to Quatzads as it of the Cult of Murazcoatl. Not surprisingly, only the hardiest of
houses both The Oracle of Xzanpthia and a Smoking Mirror
troops make it. The majority of Quatzaduans both fear and
which leads to the afterlife. The city lies on the Kafax River
respect it in equal measure. It is made up of Humans (around
surrounded by the dense jungles of Western Quatzadua. The city's 40%), Arboreals (around 35%) and Shades (around 25%).
origins lie over 3,000 years ago. It is home to the "Oracle", a
column which contains the combined wisdom of the past
Tarazons.

Terexta

The Obsidian Order

Xzampthia

People of Note
The Tarazon
As "God's Chosen", the Tarazon breeds with humans. (the first
was a Zathurian Charioteer). Offspring are the Shades. In
Xzanpthia. The Oracle of Xzanpthia - The Oracle began life when
the first Tarazon (a renegade Zathurian Charioteer) evolved into a
pillar around 2, 520 years ago. In making him the first Tarazon,
The Earth-God was able to change his genome, enabling him to
mate with humans and father the Shade race.
Within his own Arcology (now covered by a stepped pyramid),
none but his offspring are able to approach. This has led to all
following Tarazons being either Shade or Shade-Arboreal crossbreeds. Over time, the evolved column has grown. On the passing
of each successive Tarazon, their bodies are placed at the base of
the column and slowly subsumed mind and soul - into it, leaving
only an effigy of their faces, through which the Oracle
occasionally speaks.

Lord Xocatal
Lord Xoxcatal is famed in Quatzadua as the man who brought
unification to the country. Before the city of Terexta was built, he
ordered a shrine to be placed upon the slopes of mount Terexta
to mark the spot where he had fought the fearless Murazcoatl.
With warriors who each fought like five, it is unsurprising that
those who opposed the one armed head-taker were swiftly
silenced. Despite this, he is fondly remembered as a man of peace.

Spiria
Home of the Mountain God

piria, the island neighbouring Cromaigne, is one of peaceful

(and sometimes profitable) aspects. Being isolated from the
other nations of Gwenthia, Spiria generally prospers by
following its own political and social structures without the hassle
of bordering nations presenting conflicting ideas and lifestyles.

medium sized animals and attach themselves to tree roots,

leeching any nutrients they suck up. Regardless of this, some of
the settlements on Spiria (particularly Montemphis) purposely
plant Snap Trap seeds in neighbouring woods as a form of
defence from any attackers.

For an Earth equivalent of Spiria, it would be a mixture of

Scotland (for the climate and landscape) and Roman Italy (for the
style in which most of the cities are built). The island is alive with
much of its land mass being covered for forests and mountainous,
rocky areas. It may be because of this that the island is as sparsely
populated as it is, yet the cities thrive with social lively hood and
trade

There is a large variety of wildlife in Spiria, but land based wildlife

tend to dwindle in numbers, particularly in the heavily wooded
areas around Mt Oreas (due to the high population of Snap Traps
there). Wildlife includes squirrels, wolves, foxes, boars, beavers
(particularly on the River Elzix)... similar to that in Cromaigne.
Even Iqari are known to fly over to Mt Oreas.
Sea creatures are few, but do exist, mostly around ports and Lake
Atrox. These include extremely fresh water fish and small algae
eating lizards that tend to stowaway on ships and feed off the
moss that grows on them.
Spiria is also prone to earthquakes, but not volcanic activities.
Spiria rests on a fault line that runs horizontally through
Gwenthia, hence its mountainous nature. This is another reason
why Spiria is sparsely populated for the most part.
The
Climate
Being a part of the northern hemisphere and close to the equator
of Gwenthia, Spiria doesnt have a set climate and its weather
changes seasonally. Its hot during summers and cold during
winters, but not extreme in either case. Snowfall sometimes
occurs earlier during the year, but settles very thinly.

The People
Although Spiria is known to be home to a small number of
humans, the island is mostly populated by a race called Lapithians.
Lapithians are bi-pedal mountain dwelling creatures that stand at
an average height of just over six feet tall and are covered in
longish fur (usually grey) except for around their mouth and nose,
s.
hands and feet. They have long snouts, big eyes, small ears and
hands slightly bigger than that of a human. Lapithians also have
long tongues
Spiria is well known for its incredibly fertile soil and rare plant life. which they use to
get into small
In fact, the fertility of the soil in Spiria is unusual as theres no
obviously logical reason as to why the soil is so fertile because the cracks in
mountains and
most fertile soils are covered in forest areas, however, a lot of
feed off small
people believe that the source of this phenomena emanates from
insects they find in
Mt Oreas as the majority of plant life on Spiria grows around its
them. If a
base. This makes Spiria a popular choice for agriculture and
Lapithian fails to
Spirian fruits can vegetables are usually of some of the finest
quality in Gwenthia and is often used in trades with other nations. find any insects
residing in the
Agricultural produce include sweet rubies (apples), potatoes,
mountain cracks, their saliva is capable to dissolving the salts in
oranges, carrots, cabbages and grapes.
the mountain rock and they can use this as a form of sustenance.
Although Spiria is well known for its wealth of high quality
Over years, this can cause the rocks in the mountain to become
agricultural produce, it is also known for its dangerous plant life
brittle and this causes caves to form within the mountain face
such as the parasitic Snap Traps, which are known to eat up to
itself, which female Lapithians usually reside in during their

The Geography

pregnancy, as they have quick access to the nutrients needed to

keep their babies healthy.
The Lapithians and the Humans that live on Spiria have been
known to co-exist, but only largely in Spirias capital city of
Montarul. Other than that, Lapithians and Humans generally keep
to their own species. This is not because of racial hostility or
xenophobic tendencies, but more because of differences in social
structure.

The Languages
There are two languages spoken within Spiria: Common and
Mountain tongue. Spiria is a known as a nation divided by
language as the Humans rarely speak in Mountain tongue and the
Lapithians seem to struggle with some of the pronunciations in
Common tongue.
Spelling

Pronunciation

Shu
She
Sha
Th
Eigh

SS-hue
Sa-he
Sa-ha
Tee
Ay

Letter

Ph
X

F
K

Lapithians and their cities are the only ones that are generally
given names in accordance to the Mountain tongue. These names
generally follow one of two trends (or sometimes both). The first
and more common trend is that the names generally contain one
or more Ss and/or th in their name somewhere. The second
trend is usually reserved for Lapithian nobles and major cities, and
its where the name is made up of prefixes and suffixes of
meanings used in the Mountain tongue. Names using the less
common prefix/suffix method are generally vague in their
meaning and are only used as a rough guide to the background of
the person or city involved, for example, Skepatis could mean
Kingdom of virtue if given as a name to a city, whereas if it was
given to a Lapithian, it could mean Virtue of the kingdom, and
both meanings could also apply to a city or Lapithian with the
name Virtuinion.
Examples of names given by those speaking the Mountain tongue
include names such as Spethia, Animtoris, Gorderyx, Elthis and
Balthaxs.

Political Structure

Words pronounced in Mountain tongue are usually pronounced

very differently to how they would be in common tongue for the
most part, although there are a few similarities in the way some
words are pronounced.
Spelling

Names in Mountain tongue

On top of these spelling pronunciations, some spellings and

letters are also pronounced as specific letters.
For example, Montemphis would be pronounced Mon-tem-fis and Lake
Atrox would be pronounced At-rok.
Prefix

Suffix

Meaning

Mont
Gord
Virtu
Skep
Cap
Auri
Anim
Fili
Iphi

Eryx
Emphis
Atis
Inion
Arul
Terra
Ferro
Auris
Ola

Mountain
Guardian
Virtue
Kingdom
Capital
Earth
Courage
Son
Daughter

Other than these slight differences in pronunciation, Mountain

tongue uses the same words as the common tongue does.

Each city/village of Spiria has its own governor or its equivalent,

which decide on any major political decisions that occur within
the city/village itself. Usually these governors will be accompanied
by councils of varying sizes to help them finalise on any major
decisions they need to make, however, smaller and more barbaric
cultures tend to be centralised solely around one particular figure
of authority. Most governments within Spiria are friendly towards
each other; however, some of the smaller villages are known to
hold grudges over resource distribution or some other reason of
similar relevance.
Trade connections between different cities and villages are very
common, particularly those who gather a lot of a specific
resource, and are usually managed by council members of each
government involved.

Montarul
The capital city of Montarul is the political central point in Spiria.
Whenever a political issue of such importance that it involves the
whole of Spiria arises, major government officials from different
cities come to Montarul to make a final decision on how these
issues are to be handled. These meetings usually consist of a good
mixture of Humans and Lapithians, and are usually headed by
High Priest Sherba or, if hes not available at the time, another
member of the Mountain Temple.

International Relations
The people of Spiria, particularly the Lapithian population are
very sceptical of the Southern continent of Gwenthia due to the

xenophobic nature of the Zathurians, who are located so near to

the Southern shores of the island, however, Spiria has strong trade
connections to the Northern continent and Cromaigne. The
Lapithians, in particular those with connections with the
Mountain Temple are very anxious to please the people of
Cromaigne in hopes they will help them with their Iqari problem
on Mt Oreas.

Economy
Spiria is a nation that thrives off trade between cities and nations.
Although some of the finest goods go straight to the leaders of
Spirias communities, much of the population depends on its
trade to make money. These trades very often include things such
as blacksmithing, masonry, building, seafaring and merchant, but
the list is not limited to these particular trades.
Most of the economy is handled by government officials. Trades
between cities and villages go through them, but particularly big
trades (especially trans-national trades) go through the Mountain
temple in Montarul, and even then, most merchant ships are only
authorised to leave from their ports.

Currency
Spiria doesnt have a set name for their currency. Instead,
merchants will call the currency by one of the types of coinage
(most commonly they will call their currency the Regal). The
coinage names go like below:
1 Regal = 50 Imperials
1 Imperial = 10 Quartz
1 Quartz = 10 Pennies
A Regal is about 5cm in diameter, whereas an Imperial is about
3cm in diameter, a Quartz is about 2.5cm in diameter and a Penny
is a mere 1.5cm in diameter. All coins appear a brass colour,
except for the Imperials which are silver.
In real-life equivalents, 1 Regal is the equivalent of about 25.

Religion
Religion is the foundation of most of the Spirian societies and
constitutes many of the laws and lifestyles on the island,
particularly in Montarul and Montemphis. Specific beliefs vary
between different people and different cultures; however, most of
the islands population (particularly the Lapithians) have a firm
belief in the Mountain god of Spiria. According to the believers of
the Mountain god, back in the dawn of Spirias birth, the
Mountain god created all the landscapes and life on the island.
During a particularly vicious battle, the Mountain god was badly
injured and transferred his life force into Mt Oreas in order to
keep his island fertile and prosperous. Many people within
Gwenthia regard the Mountain god as a dead god; however, there

are still many people in Spiria who believe the Mountain god is
not dead, but rather choosing a more natural physical state from
which to take care of his people. Because of this, the Lapithians
(who are believed to be a direct creation of the Mountain god)
regard Mt Oreas as sacred ground and fanatically believe that only
they should set foot on the mountain.
High up on Mt Oreas; facing Montarul lies the Mountain Temple,
a place built by Lapithians as a shrine to their god. Within this
temple reside the clerics and sages of the Mountain god, as well as
the Augwatey and the spiritual leader of Spiria, High Priest
Sherba.

Magic
Although magic isnt practiced throughout most of Spiria that is
not to say that magic does not exist in Spiria. In fact, there are
many aspects of magic that exist throughout the lands of Spiria. It
is said by Vulcanologists that the earth in Spiria, particularly
around the base of Mt Oreas is incredibly and unusually fertile
and full of nutrients that arent found in other parts of Gwenthia.
Whereas these same Vulcanologists put this down to previous
volcanic activity within Mt Oreas centuries ago, the Lapithians
and the members of the mountain temple remain insistent that
this is because of the Mountain God rewarding his worshippers
for their faith in him.This unusually fertile soil has attracted
particular trades to move to Spiria for
further benefits and studies. Most
notably are farmers, however, it has
been known for Alchemists to move to
cities and towns relatively close to Mt
Oreas to study and use the nutrients
found in the unique soil found in that
area for their experiments. Most of
these alchemists try to secure homes at
Montarul so they can be as close to Mt
Oreas as possible, however, if this is not possible, they will settle
in Belinthus.
As well as magic practitioners migrating into Spiria, it is known
that High Priest Sherba and the other members of the mountain
temple possess magical properties. Its not known to any specific
extent what these properties are, but many rumours say that they
have connections to the spirit of the Mountain God hidden deep
within Mt Oreas, on which the Mountain Temple stands.
Sherba in particular also wears an amulet around his neck called
the Eye of Oreas. The amulet is about 9cm in width, 6.5cm in
height, looks to be pure gold and seems to glow a mysterious red
colour. Members of the Mountain Temple claim that they forged
this amulet from a mysterious metal they found deep within Mt
Oreas which they believe was a part of the armour the Mountain
God wore when in battles with other gods. Sherba has never been
seen without it around his neck.

History
In the beginning of Spirias life, the Lapithians were the only
known civilisation on the island. The Lapithians have always lived
as a peaceful community, totally devoted to their Mountain god
and good natured to anyone they met; however, there was a great
burden their race had to bare along with their settlement on the
island: The Iqari.
The Iqari used the Lapithian sacred grounds (Mt Oreas) as nests
and often dropped Lapithians from great heights, wiping out big
chunks of the race on each flight over from Cromaigne. In
defence, the Lapithians were forced to forge weapons and armour
and took up arms to defend themselves against their winged
attackers. For a while, this worked and the Lapithians endured a
period of great peace that is until the Iqari learnt to use their
flight to drop boulders from a great height.
For decades, the Lapithian population suffered a decline in
numbers. Many had lost hope until Humans from the northern
continent discovered Spiria for the first time. The Lapithians and
the Humans set up an alliance and the Lapithians used designs the
Humans had constructed for weapons to use against the Iqari,
most notable are the ballistas. In light of this, many Humans
decided to live in separate settlements in fear that they would
constantly be attacked by Iqari. Some even took a major disliking
to the Lapithians, seeing them as arrogant zealots worshipping a
dead god and left them to their own devices.
As time went by, the cities flourished, and the Lapithians had built
the city of Montemphis (which is now the islands military capital)
as a training ground for Lapithian warriors and templars, leaving
the rest of the population to revert back to their original, peaceful
life.
Spiria is still a growing nation, there are still many events yet to
happen in its future.

People of Note
High Priest Sherba
Sherba (Pronounced Sa-Herb-A in Mountain tongue) is the
religious and political ruler of Montarul and all other Lapithian
cities and towns within Spiria. Sherba resides in the Mountain
Temple high up on Mt Oreas, overlooking the Spirian capital city
of Montarul. He dresses in a white cloak made of the finest silks
available within Spiria and brown undergarments, and always
wears the Eye of Oreas around his neck, giving a mystical glow
around his person.
Sherba is rarely seen outside of the Mountain Temple, let alone
outside of Montarul. Some Human non-believers of the Mountain
god say this is arrogance on Sherbas part, but many Lapithians
(particularly those who have had the honour of having an
audience with him) believe that this is because Sherba is fulfilling

the requests of the Mountain god as a prophet until something

else requires his presence. Kind, calm and wise is just a few words
that have been used to describe Sherba.
Sherba also has an eerie habit of knowing peoples true intentions
when confronting them. Many say this is just one of the powers
granted to him by the great Mountain god, whilst other sceptical
people put this down to incredibly good judgement. One thing is
for certain though, nobody other than the members of the
Mountain Temple and Sherba himself really knows much about
him or his connections with the Mountain god and Mt Oreas.

The Augwatey
The Augwatey are seven warriors chosen by High Priest Sherba to
protect Mt Oreas from any defilers, such as the Iqari. They are
chosen for their skill, courage and strong belief in their god and
are very often recruited from the Lapithian barracks set up in
Montemphis. They are dressed in armour and cloth adorned with
the Mountain gods symbol and are said to be vicious defenders of
Mt Oreas.

Zathuria
Immortals & Manipulators

athuria is a land of three distinct cultures living together in

an uncomfortable symbiosis. It proclaims itself to be the
most ancient land in all the world, ruled by immortals that
remember when the gods walked upon the earth and man flew in
the heavens like seraphim amongst the stars.

Geography

itself is a place of myth, shrouded by impenetrable fogs and

haunted by the monstrous servants of the Zathurians. Only the
rare sailor-priests of the Zathurians cross from the holy city of
Dhasham to Khranpur, were they enact their strange rituals
amongst its ageless temples.

The Konastorm Sea is mist shrouded and dangerous water, where

the only time clear skies are seen is prior to one of its torturous
The realm of Zathuria occupies the north west corner of Thurian. sea storms. Many ships have been becalmed and lost in these
It is bordered by the Sea of Circles to the north, the Great Ocean waters, and legends of sea devils, entrapping weeds and
to the west, by Gara-Dien to the south, and shares eastern borders mysterious vanishing islands abound. Yet the hardy Tharux ply
these waters in their noisy clanking and smoking vessels, in search
with AurUrbis and Meravaenia. The northern coast of Zathur
of trade.
known as the Zathuri Marg, it is formed of smashed and broken
rocks that tear at ship keels and are strewn with the remnants of
To the far west of Zathuria the coastline is dominated by the
ancient conflicts, lost civilisations and arcane ruins.
Karamakan Desert, whose shifting sands have swallowed many a
shipwrecked sailor. The coast has become known as the Ships
On the high cliffs above these deadly reefs stand the six of the
Graveyard, and its shore is littered with the bleached skeletons of
great cities of the Zathurians, each surrounded with torturous
vessels from all over Gwenthia. Those who survive the vast dunes
forest and deadly wilderness, filled with all manner of exotic and
stagger into the windswept Charmedi, an expanse of rubble
lethal creatures. Their last city stands on the island of Khranpur,

strewn hills, where little water flows, the only vegetation is thick
forests of Tang Thorn and the winds scour the skin from the
bone.

called the Aurval Seeps. Only the marshland is traversable, as the

force of the river is too great to ford or sail, only the Clanking
Ships can cross it, however the Tharux have recently begun to
construct a great bridge across the river, however so many slaves
In the north-west of the land sits the impossibly vitrified desert of
have died from Seep Rot that the project may never be
Aktalar, a tortured landscape of blasted glass, where only the most
completed. The Mana Mountains stand over Zathur like sombre
pitiful creatures tread its burning surface. This region was formed
rusty gods shrouded in cloak of crisp white cloud. The mountains
when the gods turned their wrath upon the sinful city of the Sky
are rich with mineral deposits , most notably iron, cinnabar and
Touchers, a fanatical cult of men who believed it was their right to
diamond. This combined with the gold deposits found in the
walk amongst the heavens. The desert is like a shimmer cancer of
Gorva Hills have been extensively mined by the Tharux. The
baking death, the hottest regions of the desert is the great crater of
Mana Mountains were once part of a great chain of volcanoes, the
Akanda, where the air shimmers both day and night. The region
largest of which blew its top and created the majority of the
seems to cause severe mutation in anything trying to live in it,
Konastorm Sea and the island of Khranpur.
many of its weird and deadly fauna and flora are unknown in
Gwenthia, and do not survive beyond the deserts borders. Yet
Throughout their sparsely wooded sides can be found foul
despite the trials of the environment people do come here,
smelling sulphurs pools and steaming streams, that suggest that
seeking for ancient secrets amongst the impossibly melted ruins of the mountains may only be sleeping and not yet dead! Throughout
the land.
Zathur can be found strange megalithic structures, creations of
the Zathurians themselves, these structures form a complex
The southern lands of Zathur are the Zharaghal, an arid grassland
networks of invisible roads along which the Zathurians travel in
where water is scarce and what does exist must be sought
their Wind Chariots, it is taboo to travel along these pathways, but
underground. The rocky plains, narrow valleys and wind blasted
many people follow their routes in order to cross the land more
hills are the home of the Zharaan nomads. Many herds of wild
effectively.
Khamul, Zagoro Gazelle, Zebrax and Jankabeest roam the land,
hunted by the wily tribesmen.
The large island north of the Zathuri Marg is called Rasen and is
jointly governed with the Cromaignian kingdom of Menerain.
The divide between the arid Zharaghal and more temperate
Rasen is famed for its Great Market, the size of a small city, that
Tharagax region is the Grieve Hills, a region of vertebrae like rock
acts as the trading hub for most of Thurian and Gwailan, subject
formations, many of which are riddle with ancient caves and
to the consensual laws and tariffs of the Zathurian/Menerain
sinkholes. The Central Tharagax region of Zathur is by
trade council, The Rasen Concord. Given the Zathurians'
comparison to surrounding lands an oasis of fertility and plenty. It
reticence to involve themselves in mundane affairs (usually
is criss-crossed with many rivers, and the well irrigated fields of
handled by their proxies, the Tharux, Rasen is a successful and
the Tharux can provide two harvests a year. Drought is a factor in
dynamic example of Zathurian enterprise and shrewd
the life cycle of the Tharux, but their fortified hill top cities are
manipulation.
well prepared. The region expands from the eastern hills of the
Charmedi to the roots of the Mana Mountains in the east and
encompasses the Gorva Hills, and Torendi coastlands. Most of
the land is flat grassland with occasional patches of forest, but
The western coast of Zathur is blasted by powerful winds, the air
agriculture dominates the regions around each city. At present the is unnaturally hot, and above the Aktalar is unbearable throughout
lands of Zathur extend as far as the great rivers of Charrax in the the year, these same winds blast across the Zharagal making it
south and Aurval in the east. The Charrax is a vast river, which
warm here throughout the year, although temperatures can plunge
moves slowly across the land, except when it floods, and then its
below freezing during the winter nights. The north-east of Zathur
great bores and torrents make is treacherous to all around. The
is more temperate, with hot summers, and cool wetter winters.
waters of the Charrax originate far beyond the borders of
While the northern coasts are lashed by winds from the
Zathuria, and it is used as a trade route by the Tharux and
Konastorm Sea, this rain settles across the lands of the Tharagax.
Zharaan alike. Its banks are home to several Tharux cities, but the
many ruins along the rivers length suggest that another, possibly
inhuman race once dominated the region.

Climate

The People

The Great Sudeg Marsh is formed by the floodplains of the

Charrax, it teems with wildlife, but most predominantly Black
Fever carrying mosquitoes. It is also the home to the Ghazazi
People, a secretive folk, possibly descended from the Zharaan.
The Aurval River is a raging white water flow, which bursts from
the Mana Mountains and then slows into an oozing marshland

Zathurians

The Zathurians are an alien race, not native to Gwenthia. They

claim to have Strode across the cosmos to be here. Their true
origins are only known to themselves, but they are called the
Children of the Moons by many cultures. They are a xenophobic
and agoraphobic race that dwell in sealed cities of great age and

advanced technology. They have access to devices and knowledge

far beyond the rest of Gwenthia; they are masters of science, and
yet they seem to dwell in a state of arcane stasis, never progressing
in their development. Their equipment appears overly ornate, and
an items function may be heavily concealed, or appear irrelevant
to the viewer. Their weapons seem crude, but are deadly in the
hands of their warriors. They work in materials that seem organic
or alien to the touch, their strange way stones are the most
common example of their technology and can be found across
Gwenthia.

The Zathurians are not human, but are humanoid. They come in
several different varieties. The skin of all Zathurians is black and
stone like it is burnished with colour, much like the carapace of a
black beetle, they are capable of changing this colour (seven
colours in total) and with their sensitive eyes they can read each
others moods, leading people to believe that they are telepathic.
The eyes of the Zathurians have seven nictitating membranes,
each capable of viewing a different colour of light, allowing for
good night vision. They are uncomfortable in normal Gwenthian
environments, preferring their bizarre self contained cities. A
Zathurian who remains in his city does not age, although they may
It seems that the Zathurians mourn the loss of their ability to
physically develop and alter. However once they leave their cities
travel the heavens, and that is their only desire, to leave the world
the ravages of time soon attack their bodies. The most commonly
and return to their home. The Zathurians claim that when they
met caste is the Zachara or Charioteer, they are tall elegant
came to Gwenthia that all men were but primitives dwelling in
creatures, with long graceful necks and limbs, smallish heads, with
trees. They used their science to upgrade them and educate them,
a human like face, their heads are topped with fine wiry tendrils
until humans stood as equals with their masters. The Zathurians
that look like hair but move and sculpt themselves into elaborate
talk of an idyllic period, known as the Era of Joy, when the two
hairstyles. The fingers and toes of the Charioteers are capable of
races worked together in harmony, and Gwenthia was filled with
manipulating tools, but it is unseemly to use the feet. The
their combined wonders. However, humans tried to steal the
Charioteer is the fertile stage of the species; they leave the
secret of Star Walking, and tried to touch the gods themselves,
community to breed and to carry the messages of the higher
their actions were a blasphemy and resulted in the Eighth Moon
castes, at this stage the Zathurians visibly age and change form.
being murdered and cast from heaven. The Zathurians were
After some undefined period the Charioteer undergoes a
forced to turn upon the humans is a bloody and holy war, every
metamorphosis into one of three forms, either a Varda or
piece of human technology was destroyed and men were cast back
Warden, which is their warrior caste, a Zavaar or Savant which is
into the forest. Then the great city of men was destroyed by a
their intellectual caste or a Zazathiss or Heavenly, a defunct and
heavenly bolt, and became the Aktalar Desert. Over the aeons the
redundant caste.
Zathurians have sought-out the pieces of the Eighth Moon in an
attempt to return his body to the heavens. They have never
The Wardens are burly
forgiven men for their treachery, but still enslave them as useful
creatures, with faces like
tools.
carved stone, their necks
have all but disappeared into
Throughout the aeons since their arrival the Zathurians have ruled
colossal shoulder muscles
over seven great nations, however they have become dissatisfied
and their head tendrils all
with each and have destroyed them. It seems that each of these
but disappear. Their eyes are
nations became technologically advanced from their close
much larger and they have
proximity to the Zathurians, which their masters allowed, but
very acute movement
there is some trigger in this process that causes the Zathurians to
perception and night vision.
descend upon their slaves like a plague of locusts. The Zathurians
They fight with vicious
seem to be extremely jealous of any race that seeks deeper
hooked swords, ornate
understanding of the cosmos, and through history they have been
archaic spears or sometimes
known to assail other nations to remove this knowledge, such
strange weapons which can
attacks are always absolutely lethal. Lesser purges are known such
sear the flesh of their foes at
as when they destroyed all the telescopes (and their creators, their
a distance, they are
families and their homes) fifty years ago. The relationship between
thankfully rare.
the Zathurians, Tharux and Zharaans remains relatively stable at
present. Each year the Zathurians take slaves to serve them in
The Savant is tall, their
their cities from both people, these people are never heard from
movements are very controlled and restricted. Their faces become
again. They also seem to sow their seed amongst both nations,
long, almost goat like and their head tendrils become rigid,
maintaining control through subtle devices. They remain in the
forming crowns above their heads. The Savant also develops
eyes of both nations as living gods, a fact that is rarely dismissed
noticeable earlobes, and a second series of tendrils that hang
by most other nations of Gwenthia, and one it seems that the
down from their chins. They are great thinkers and spend decades
Zathurians are more than capable of proving.
pondering deep secrets. They seem to issue commands to the
Wardens and Charioteers. Many think they are the ruling class of

the Zathurians, but this is incorrect.

The next social rank is the Hagovens, made of thinkers, scientists

and engineers. The Ramovens is made up of a warrior hierarchy,
The Heavenly is a strange creature, its body is almost completely
and is extremely militaristic in its make up. The Tarovens are
fused, with no movement in its neck and wrists. The rest of the
landworkers, farmers and petty crafters. Finally the Domvens are
body becomes sheathed in a hard carapace from which multiple
landless peasants, who rely upon to good will of their masters for
tendrils extrude, the head tendrils become very long and whip like.
survival. Foreign slaves are a common sight in all Tharux clans, all
When a charioteer transforms into a Heavenly it instantly enters a
castes apart from the Domvens maintain slaves in their
coma like sleep and cannot be communicated with by any modern
households. They have enslaved all the people of Zathuria, apart
means. They are placed in great catacombs beneath the arcologies
from the resilient Zharaan and their cousins the Ghazazi, however
and left to their eternal slumber. The Zathurians believe that when
this in not for want of trying. Slave markets are a common feature
the time comes for them to walk in the heavens again the
of their cities.
Heavenly will be their guides.
Tharux favour the wearing of ornate, tight fitting clothes, gold
There are two more transformations known amongst these
jewellery and flowing cloaks. They are a technologically
strange creatures, Wardens sometimes change into the unmoving
sophisticated culture; their warriors carry crudely rifled guns, use
Guardians, which look like great black columns of carved organic
ornate war machines and cannons against their enemies and don
flesh, these can be found in and around all of the Arcologies.
sturdy steel armour for war (when the hot weather allows). They
Their powers are unknown, but believed to be deadly. The Savant
have made good use of irrigation, water wheels and have begun to
can also transform into the ruling caste, known simply as Thu or
develop steam power, especially as a means of crude propulsion
Thoughts, they become part of the living city on the island of
for their Clanking Ships and Grind Wagons. They have developed
Khranpur. Only the Zathurians have ever looked upon these
rudimentary understandings of electricity, although its application
organic entities, and even they do so with fear in their hearts.
is strictly for religious purposes. Their knowledge of chemistry
and physics is possibly the most sophisticated amongst the
The Tharux City Folk
humans of Gwenthia, and they are renowned as alchemists, and
The Tharux are a rich dark brown
are the only known producers of gun powder in all Gwenthia,
skinned people, noted for their slim
which has become their major export in these troubled times.
frames, tall stature and quick
However the Tharux are immensely secretive. They do not allow
movements. They are great thinkers, anyone into their workshops, and if they do sell their technology
and have a natural affinity with
they disguise its working and function beneath deep layers of
science and technology, a gift they
superstition, religious hokum and some very nasty anti-tamper
claim was bestowed upon them by
booby traps. Those who purchase their machines often discover
their Zathurian overlords. Their eyes that they have very limited life spans, and then the Tharux charge
are black, as is there hair (which
extortionate prices for the devices repair.
many of them shave off or braid into
locks in emanation of the Zathurian
The Tharux greatly revere the Zathurians and each year offer
head tendrils). Long necks, small
forth their brightest children to serve their demi-god masters.
heads and thin limbs are their ideal of beauty and many Tharux
They hold great festivals in the honour of their lords. It is law that
use neck rings to extend their throats to a pleasing length. It is
no man may speak badly of the masters, and the penalties for such
also common for women to cut their earlobes into pleasant forms.
indiscretions are extremely harsh.
Amongst men the ideal form is to possess a large head, with long
stretched earlobes, both being a sign of intelligence and wisdom.
The Zathuri Marg is deemed a holy land, taboo to enter on pain
Head moulding is common amongst both genders, and many
of death and the cities of the Zathurians are portals to heaven,
older Zathurians can have greatly lengthened skulls, this practice is which are looked upon from the sea with great reverence and
of course enforced by parents on their children.
piety. The incursion of the Charioteers into Tharux lands,
bedchambers and holy places is always believed to be acceptable
Some Tharux carry Zathurian genes, and possess nictitating
and just. If called to war the Tharux will rise to the challenge
membranes or the ability to adjust skin colour, or perhaps natural
without mutter or grumble, you and old alike, even if it means
features that makes them more like the masters of the land, such
certain death and hardship.
children are destined for greatness. This emphasis on appearance
has lead to a caste system developing amongst the Tharux. The
The Zharaan Nomads
ruling nobles form the highest caste, their inbreeding has lead to
them developing extremely Zathurian like characteristics, they rule These surly brutish people are all of desert stock. Like the Tharux
the clans which form the backbone of the nation.
their skin tends to range from dark black to golden brown, with
keen black eyes and strong hooked noses. They are a powerful,

barrel chested people, heavily muscled, with well proportioned

limbs. They are great survivalists; they have to be based on their
harsh environment. Like the Tharux they to can display Zathurian
characteristics, however the role of a child born with these
features varies greatly, if the features lead to strength and
increased survival then the child will live, some characteristics
such as the ability to change skin colour will lead to the child
being adopted by the Zharaans animistic priesthood. However
weak children are left to die.
The Zharaan have a natural affinity with the wilderness, they are
uncomfortable in cities and towns. All Zharaan are trained to
tame and herd the fearsome Khamul, a powerful armoured
camelid that is indigenous to Zathuria. The Zharaan are ever
restless, travelling about the Zharaghal as the grazing and the
seasons lead them. Men and Women both have distinct, but
equally important roles in Zharaan society, but both can become
leaders.
They hunt actively, wearing cured animal skins and living in
animal skin shelters. They only come to the cities of the Tharux to
trade their meat and skins for metal or if a Tharux leader is
seeking their employ as mercenaries, for they are feared warriors
renowned throughout Gwenthia. In times past the Zharaan made
war against the Tharux, now they live in a strange symbiotic truce,
which was forged by the Zathurians. Each year the Zharaan are
visited by a great floating obelisk, a servant of the Zathurians, it
demands blood sacrifice, gives gifts of strange artefacts and takes
special children to the Blessed and Gilded Cities of myth. The
proclamations of the so called Finger of the Gods have
immediate and long last effects upon the culture of the Zharaan,
and no war chieftain would work against them. Sometimes the
obelisk is escorted by black angels who enter the womens huts
and bestow their blessings, when this the birthing of special
children increases ten fold.

Lesser Peoples of Zathuria

Despite the strength of the three great nations of Zathuria, there
exist several other cultures that dwell amongst them. The Ghazazi
are secretive marsh dwellers, who seem to be descended from
Zharaan stock, yet never show any Zathurian traits in their
genetics. They are renowned psychics and are famed for their
prophecy, yet they are rarely seen preferring their primitive
existence living in floating reed houses and ply the waters in dug
out canoes.
The Tegreet are a race of enslaved mountain men who serve the
Tharux in their iron mines. They maintain a strong culture of
music, religion and language, placing great emphasis on lineage
and ancestry (which they trace through the female line). They are
small folk, with pale brown/olive skin and remarkably straight
hair. Their culture has been enslaved so long that they rarely seek
to escape or rebel against their masters.

The Languages
ZaLaj This is language of the Zathurians, it is an inhuman
tongue that relies heavily on empathy, eyelid movement, body
position and concepts beyond normal human comprehension. It
sounds like a fluctuating stream of screeches and clicks, and
conveys vast amounts of information in seconds. Some Tharux
with high Zathurian characteristics in their gene pool can
understand this language, but only one person, Thar Andamalaxx
the great founder of the Tharux is ever to have reputedly spoken
it. The written form of ZaLai is even more complex than its
spoken form, and contains some characters so small that they are
imperceptible to the human eye.
Tha-Yux The Language of the Tharux, it is a language of fast
flowing thoughts, interspersed with technical complexities that
make it difficult to understand. It caste maintains a vocabulary
suited to their social and cultural needs. It written form is
extremely effective for making mathematical and technical
notation, it is strangely cuneiform in nature.
Zharag The language of the nomads is a strangely flowing
tongue, with beautiful musical overtones, and is well suited to
poetry and saga a like, it is a shame that only the Shamans of this
culture use it in such a manner. Zharag does not have a written
form, but the Zharaan uses ornate symbolism to support their oral
traditions.

Political Structure
The Zathurians are above the petty politics of humans, their
interactions with each other and those outside of the communities
seem unfathomable. If they act for or against another nation it is
because of their own agendas and has nothing to do with feelings
or relations with other. While they are the lords and masters of the
Tahrux and Zharaan, they seem to treat them more as pets or
children than as equals to debate with. Both races know the
consequences of conflicting with the Children of the Moons, but
to comprehend the actions of their masters they have deified
them, a role which the Zathurians seem to tolerate and some
foreign commentators have suggest relish. The Tharux operate a
feudal system, defined by their strong cultural castes. The
Zathurians are at the top of this order, being defined as living
gods. However it is the Three Brother Kings and their lords that
control the actions of Tharux society, with the lower social ranks
having little autonomy. The Zharaan are a primitive tribal culture.
War leaders, shamans and the tribal circle hold sway over the
every day decisions of life, but like the Tharux they are swayed by
the whims of the Zathurians.

Cities Of Zathuria
Each Zathurian city seems to maintain its own identity and
function within society. They seem isolated from each other as the
inhabitants rarely travel between them, but this is due to the

Zathurians ability to communicate over great distances. The city

of Khranpur seems to be of great significance to them, this may
be as a centre of religion or for some more obscure reason. There
are three major regions of the Tharux nation, these are ruled over
by the Three Brother Kings.
The Kings came into power ninety-five years ago, and due to their
high Zathurian characteristics have aged little since their ascension
to power. Farux reigns over the western Tharux cities, including
Cardaraz in the far south which is only accessible across the
Zharagal Plain. This area known as the Faru Marj in his honour is
renowned for the quality of its inventions. He travels regularly
with his priestly retinue and vast array of courtesans to the holy
cities of the Zathurians, he is the leader of the Tharux faith, and is
seen as the controller of the soul of the country.
Marax, controls the Maramarj, the central and coastal region of
the land, he is exceptionally scholarly in his outlook, a renowned
philosopher and prudent law maker. He travels little; remaining
cloistered in the famed Gardak, Eye of Knowledge his sprawling
capital.
The Emlin Marj is ruled by Emlinada, and encompasses the
eastern most cities. Emlinada invest a great amount of his energy
into construction projects, such as the Aurval Bridge and the
Mines of Har in the Mana Mountains. Like his brother one of his
cities, Demna lies across the plains, but is more easily accessed.
Emlinada is rumoured to be planning a great road from the city of
Mascatta to Demna, which his nobles fear would lead to conflict
with the Zharaan. However despite their differences the Three
Brother Kings maintain and deep fraternity and closeness, which
has made Tharux extremely stable. The Zharaan tribes are many,
each deriving their name from a great ancestor, great act or totem.
Their names change and flux as the generations pass and the
tribes travel about their homelands. Sometimes a particular tribe
seems to gain special dominance of their fellows or several tribes
will ally together to combat a special foe, but such power is
fleeting.