The World of Andalion
Everything you always wanted to know about Andalion but never dared to ask.
(In other words, a compendum with everything known about Andalion in it)
PART I : Present-day Andalion
A) Andalion
B) Allando
C) The Northern Realm
D) Military Comparison between Allando and TNR
E) The Alliance including the Covenant
F) The Sorcerers
G) Important People (present day, history and legends)
PART II : History
A) The Tale of Years
B) The First Wars
C) The Great Wars
D) The First Thakal War
E) The Covenant
F) The Molinat Wars
G) The Second Covenant
H) The Second Thakal War and other battles
I) The War Of The 7 Races (H,M,N,Dw,Dh <-> T,V+De)
J) Disappeared countries
Part III : The Other Races
A) The Meosa
B) The Dwarves
C) The Nazuri
D) The Dharhan
Part IV : Magic
A) Introduction to Magic
B) Books Of Lore
Part V : The Enemies
A) The Vdini
B) The Demons
C) The Thakal
D) Thakal Nestings
E) Vdini Fortresses
F) Darkfriend empires
Part VI : Religions & societies
Part VII : Stories
A) Andalion
I.A.1 General Information
A1 Valoria West of The Great Forest Elir, Valion
A2 Donerlad North of The Great Forest Gader, Katard
A3 Toturi's Kgd Western Great Forest ?
A4 Paturi's kgd Eastern Great Forest ?
A5 Phitora Island in Allando Cair Atalon
B1 Maraían South of the Bay of Ubian Martar, Elend
B2 Ubian East of the Bay of Ubian Roy-Ubian, Irajend
B3 Varian North of the bay of Ubian Elavar
B4 Masan South of Daleds' sword ? Masand, Garedir, Irgend
B5 Olfirin Middle of TNR Narir?, Marvir?
B6 Muridan North of Isangar, East of TGF Varver, Sasir
B7 Elarian Island in Ubian ?
C1 Malfirin North of Wold of Pain Irgend
C2 Maradon South of WoP Kagir, Marand
C3 Galadion North-East of Andalion Galadion (Alser), Maror
C4 Taribon South of Galadion Varend
D1 Hyporia North of Bay of Allando Withym, Sarn Faralan
D2 Landir East of Bay of Allando Adalandë, Sarn Nitowin
D3 Mucaria South of Paturi's kgd Mucaria, the (new) Burûat
D4 Firiën South of Bay of Allando Vestingal, Halifiriem
D5 Kolaria Middle between BoA1 and BoA2 Sarn Kolar
D6 Paloria North of Bay of Andirion Sarn Okaria, Maradocia
E1 Damoria Alf. Hghts, middle of Variat dwarven Kingdom, Sarn
Feranat [ Ghad'zu]
E2 Buruat South of Mucaria thakal outposts? Kituan
E3 Okeria South of Buruat more thakal outposts???
E4 West Molinat South-west of Isangar Armolin
E5 East Molinat South-East of Isangar thakal outposts???
E6 Isangar East of Mucaria&Paturi's kgd Country of the Wise
E7 Bàran Dûra South of Maradon, East of CoW Shamend
F1 Upper Taradon duh Toran's county
F2 Taradon duh Qaral Tharán, Gárfa Kâaraq
F3 Lower Taradon duh Ulfar's county
G1 Andirion East of Bay of Andirion Orinia, Baïron (the same)
G2 Miresa East of Andirion dwarves
G3 Aldurion South of Bay of Andirion Otzial's mounts
H1 Gatha North of SW of Andalion Gatha city
H2 Refalta South of SW of Andalion ?
H3 Red Plains Middle of S-W of Andalion Dharhan (Canyon of the
Endless Scream)
H4 Talurion South of RP Teboral's county ???
H5 Londiar south-west of Telemnar Alondë
H6 Albian Between Londiar and Aldurion ???
I1 West Telemnar duh nazuri probably : Metari's
county
I2 East Telemnar east of West Telemnar :-) House of Doom, Thakal
I3 Tol Divin South of West Telemnar thakal
I4 Tol Sarat South of East Telemnar Bay of Tedoran, thakal
I5 Ofaran SW of Spine of the World Barol's county
J1-J6 Narâd, Vfának, Tskájan, Âchák, Attárf, Chnál and Llamnaghân Kâaraq :
Osian Tolridon, the Forbidden Isle
K1 Osase West of the Burning Sands ?
K2 Esase East of the Burning Sands ?
L1 Fulltrui N Of Andalion
L2 Esao SW of Andalion
I.A.2 Population
Isangar : - Unbroken Circle : conservatists magi
- Ring in Endimol : rebellious
Meosa : - Water Empire which is settling The Red Plains
(come from Esao)
- Flame Empire : Burning Sands
Fulltrui : - Queens' People in Donerlad
- Fulltor under a daemon Byrat Merid
Barhim : - TNR (2 divisions)
- Allando (4 divisions)
- Alliance (2 divisions)
Dwarves : - TNR - Allando
- Andirion
- Talurion
- Ofaran
- West of the Burning Sands
Kardde : - Forbidden Isle
- Utter South - Utter West
- East Allando and West Molinat
Tegarend : - East Molinat
- Taradon (except South, not attacking) (dwarves)
Celebrian : - East telemnar
Bargend : - West Great Forest raiding Faralan
Nazuri : - Human active friends (attacking Bargend, ...)
- Human passive friend
- Human haters
B) Allando
I.B.1 Allando with many provinces and cities (only cities are useful)
I deleted everything here except the city names in these provinces
Valion : Valion, Satyna, Shanron, Wighta, Fortrita, Atori (fleet harbor),
Jeseca and Aralora
Withym : Withym (fleet harbor), Ilonia, Sarcona, Migotlo, Adane, Sarn
Dafagi, Mudon, Dosali, Tapogi, Masafi, Tibarga, Mison,
Netarie, Nodari, Leivi, Darn Tirion
Cair Atalon : Tol Daran, Tol Kalaan
Konach : Sarn Konach, Tofalden, Tuzilia, Toralia, Svelyn, Delos,
Akusiko, Mavinay, Caldera, Trokaïr
Faralan : Sarn Faralan (one of the major harbors of the Allandan fleet, with
a chapterhouse of the Ring of Swords), Kerina, Topasi, Laächan,
Wilacho, Sarn Donal, Nusali, Tol Flocair, Arata, Sivinia, Domani
Thoria : Sarn Thorial, Amanue, Sarn Adalan, Donuli, Hoberga, Citaël
Kalcar : Sarn Ilien, Baradocia, Tol Golain, Omusiel, Darasi, Uviel,
Endrogar, Alforin, Sarn Malcor
Kiliar : Sarn Kiliar, Palinchro, Gotharia, Sarn Laraial, Tebrozone,
Takilri, Nobusian, Achnokia, Tol Tibodil
Fondar : Fondirial, Sarn Odirial, Baralon, Alfona, Talrif, Nubilia, Sarano,
Femaref, Reksan, Toldara
Cithiel : Cithiel, Nobaran, Apalich, Ditorfan, Bucalan, Tar'tuplon, Thawu,
Atooran, Tevonem, Poraian, Sarn Falem, Uborg
Landir : Adalandë, Kolondar, Mhisgaël, Unifal, Sarn Lostris, Vijella, Sarn
Bodar, Sarn Fieldes, Lidisha, Morata, Ideli Taed, Tol Métode,
Mordula, Calpacie, Aristiona
Nitowi : Sarn Nitowin (main guildhouse of the Ring of Swords), Sarn
Arundiale, Nivelli, Moralan, Grativy, Enbelene, Sarn Poriun,
Rondovia, Nuovinis, Taborla
Mucari : Mucaria, Talonie, Bortrana, Pitivi, Uindivia, Pallaza, Sarn
Donofi
Athrad : Sarn Athrad, Darn Athrad, Sarn Timan, Tol Marath, Kolonia,
Taranja, Modolva, Dorshire, Denlon, Bordoch
Effyr : Sarn Effyr (one of the three main harbours of the Allandan fleet),
Efiria, Tol Dono, Tol Darad, Atalan, Sarn Bodin, Nefola, Tibonia
Foriys : Foriysia, Sarn Valian, Tol Pietar, Tol Golan, Kantora, Uvanach,
Filnach, Topaár, Torian
Medani : Sarn Medan, Darn Sofat, Darn Tiral, Darn Toban, Nemofat, Noskivar,
Pellát
Vestingal : Vestingal (third of the great fleet harbours), Sarn Bario, Tol
Locian, Pelionde, Sonoré, Qalundé, Metian, Shoshire, Valdan,
Mirial
Tabani : Sarn Taban, Tol Erenon, Tol Jacén, Perionda, Telafan, Yotia, Korog
Firiem : Halifiriem, Tonafiriem, Tol Meran, Sarn Pefon, Sidanoi,
Pilchar, Tibanda, Phycian, Ateria, Polanda
Lotaro : Sarn Lotar, Sarn Tel'fan, Pietin, Sarn Elafan, Notuito,
Omario, Kheladan, Borafan
Kolar : Sarn Kolar, Tol Beran, Alaronia, Cerenë, Bazach, Kilach, ToPas
Marado : Maradocia, Taldariva, Ralathan, Mitason, Piral'an, Morindan
Okaria : Gargrea, Sarn Okar, Tol Firan, Tarandon, Muriscie, Raibio
Lunach : Tol Lunach, Tifani, Viandan, Ubondo, Afadon
Danae : Tol Fignon, Sarn Danaia, Darn Filon, Darn Talando, Darn Coluda,
Darn Pitonia
I.B.2 Something completely different
Total population = 11 million
Total size = 500 000 km²
Pop/km² = 22
Population in 1000000
Size in 1000 km²
Pop of cities in 1000
Ruler District Pop Size Pop/km² Capital Pop
Faralan :
Duke Jaino Ga'dor Withym 0.6 30 20 Withym 10
Earl Pitron Sognin Kiliar 0.4 20 20 Sarn Kiliar 9
Count Tibor Hafflan Valion 0.3 12 25 Valion 8
Earl Mithan Ar'fan Konach 0.5 25 20 Sarn Konach 10
Count Meran Ti'fein Thoria 0.3 20 15 Sarn Thorial 7.5
Prince Gaidon Ta'dair Faralan 0.8 32 25 Sarn Faralan 15
Duke Metrim Si'dair Ilion 0.6 30 20 Sarn Ilien 12
Count Alfion Mitren 0.075 6 12 Cair Atalon
Landir :
Earl Capal Mitren Fondor 0.45 25 18 Fondirial 9
King Derdram Ti'falon Landir 1 30 33 Adalandë 18
Count Maril Hafflan Mucaria 0.3 30 10 Mucar 6
Earl Tifar Gai'san Nitowi 0.5 30 15 Sarn Nitowin 8
Duke Iano Dorial Cithiel 0.6 30 20 Cithiel 10
Klanach :
Duke Thobald Ar'fan Klanach 0.6 25 24 Sarn Athrad 10
Count Pudor Sognin Effyr 0.3 15 20 Sarn Effyr 10
Count Tedon Barsin Modani 0.25 25 10 Sarn Modan 6
Earl Vorond Ti'falon Foriys 0.4 25 15 Foriysia 9
Vestingal :
Duke Derdram Gai'san Vestingal 0.7 28 25 Vestingal 13
Earl Toban Sepoka Firiem 0.5 25 20 Halifiriem 11
Count Mathon Ti'fein Tabani 0.27 11 25 Sarn Taban 8
Earl Pedon Barsin Feranat 0.38 35 11 Sarn Feranat 8.5
Variat :
Count Tafal Gai'san Kolar 0.3 20 15 Sarn Kolar 6
Count Pietron Ga'dor Marado 0.2 17 12 Maradocia 5.5
Earl Ivold Ga'dor Okaria 0.4 40 10 Sarn Okaria 6
Count Maralt Sepoka Danae 0.2 30 7 Sarn Danaia 3
Count Svedo Ti'falon Lunach 0.2 25 8 Tol Lunach 3.5
Buruat :
Just a Trefal e.g. Darn Haluna, Darn Kalan
population in 1000000
size in 1000 km²
I.B.3 The Same, but now corrected
The Mark
District Ruler Pop Size
Valion Earl Tibor Hafflan 0.4 20
Earl Tibor Hafflan is Duke of the Mark
Cair Atalon Earl Tibor Hafflan 0.2 10
Faralan
Withym Duke Jaino Ga'dor 0.6 30
Konach Earl Toram Ta'dair 0.5 25
Faralan Prince Gaidon Ta'dair 0.8 32
Thoria Earl Mirien Ti'fein 0.3 20
Duke of Thoria & Firiem
Kiliar Earl Pitron Sognin 0.4 20
Ilion Duke Tedon Ta'dair 0.6 30
Landir
Fondor Duke Toban Ti'fein 0.5 25
Cithiel Duke Iano Dorial 0.6 30
Landir King Vorond Ti'falon 1.0 30
Nitowi Earl Metrim Si'dair 0.5 30
Duke of Nitowi and Marado
Mucaria Earl Svedo Ti'falon 0.3 30
Klanach
Klanach Duke Thobald Ar'fan 0.6 25
Effyr Earl Mithan Ar'fan 0.4 15
Foriys Earl Alfion Mitren 0.5 25
Modani Earl Toban Sepoka 0.3 25
Vestingal
Vestingal Duke Tifar Gai'san 0.7 25
Firiem Earl Meran Ti'fein 0.5 20
Duke of Firiem and Thoria
Feranat Earl Tafal Gai'san 0.3 25
Tabani Earl Pudor Sognin 0.4 11
Variat
Kolar Earl Pietron Ga'dor 0.4 20
Marado Earl Metrim Si'dair 0.3 20
Duke of Nitowi and Marado
Okaria Duke Ivold Ga'dor 0.5 40
Danae Earl Pedon Barsin 0.3 30
Lunach Earl Maralt Sepoka 0.3 25
I.B.4 Noble Houses in Allando
Important Major Houses in Allando are House Ti'falon, House Gai'san, House
Ar'fan, House Ta'dair and House Ga'dor. Lesser Major Houses are the House
Sognin, Ti'fein, Hafflan, Mitren, Sepoka, Dorial, Si'dair and Barsin.
Some notes : the 12 major houses are the families who returned victorious from
the great battles. They defeated with their superious arms [think Numenorians =>
the good humans are aided by the victors and may control the 'bad' humans] the
fisher-men who were left alone by the Vdini [too peaceful] and the other
Allandan humans who had returned from the Vdini-armies from the red plains. To
keep the blood pure, marriages were only allowed between these twelve houses and
the 'pure' major houses of TAL and TNR. These twelve are : Ti'falon, Gai'san,
Ilrem (Mitren), Delosi (sepoka), Dorial, Ti'fein, Sognin, Ar'fan, Ta'dair,
Hafflan, Ga'dor, Si'dair. Dukedoms can be changed between families by the
supreme ruler : this to prevent civil war] can they ????
I.B.5 Early and Late History of Allando
FA 7219 : A group of humans settle around the Bay of Allando [Bay of Allando =
Landir + half Klanach, Peninsula is half Klanach + Vestingal,
Rim&March is Kolaria/Gargrea and Outside Colonies is Itoria], at the
location of Sarn Nitowi. They are farmers / fishermen led by Haldion
son of Baldion [some 1000 people][FA 5887: the first humans start to
settle at Gatha???]. They found the town Aldorian[Sarn Nitowi]. In
the next 1500 years they colonize the entire Bay of Allando and the
peninsula [Itoria is too forested / colonized by nazuri].
FA 7844 : Lord Elberan Baldiran [the last lord of the Haldian] is slain by Nas
Varat, who takes command of the bay in the name of Bargend who
controls this part of Allando from the Hidden fortress at Mountain
Keep [Alfaian Heights]. Nas rules at Qaral'Tarán [Thakal for Fear
Fortress] but when Bargend musters his troops for the Great Battles
[Great muster : 8732 FA, when all the people of Aldarion are
mustered to join the Vdini armies], Nas Varat joins Bargend with a
core selection of Haldian [Bargend only left 2 weak flux-demons
behind]
FA 8748 : Great wars : Bargend is [captured????] killed and Golad Ilrem
-8756 conquers Maqâtra Baragan [the empire of the Dreadlord / Bargend]
[Olar and Ivor hide deep in the foundations of Qaral Afâa [Mountain
Fortress]. The 12 leaders of the clans who returned victorious from
the great wars divide the country between them and do not choose a
superior king between them, because there is enough place for them
in the bay.
SA 1 : The aftermath of the Great Wars. The 12 clans command the fishermen,
those of the fishermen that returned from the red plains and some
refugees from the [First Country : the peninsula including the red
plains]
SA 817 : The Covenant starts at [Onaria???], a neutral city [the alliance
exists only for 120 years so they haven't got loads of cities yet /
neutral except versus Vdini] - it is mainly whatever is left from
Baïron.
TA 1-4 : After the Covenant, the self-declared emperor Trakan I Ilrem,
declares war on Vestingal, Thoria and Kolaria [Withym and Gargrea
were not yet colonized / conquered and Klanach was ruled by Torfan
Ilrem, his son]. After 3 years of bloody struggles the allied
Allandans destroy the Imperial armies and kill Torfan I and his
nearest kin [Trakan I died in TA 2, probably murdered by Torfan].
Most other members of the Ilrem family rename themselves to Mitren,
only some of them stay Ilrem and become a Minor House. The allied
houses Sognin and Ti'fein are reprimanded and the male collaborators
are killed.
TA 2 : Trakan Ilrem is murdered. His son becomes the new emperor.
Battle of Foriys I&II : Foriys is conquered by the Imperial army but
is retaken 62 days later by Duke Fortram Ti'falon [later Fortram I]
Battle of Effyr : Almost 50% of the Imperial fleet is destroyed in
the Effyr harbor, Effyr itself cannot be taken by the victorious
Gai'san troops
Battle of Cithiel : Miners commanded by Earl Ar'fan attack a thalgon
Imperial soldiers and are slaughtered. Cithiel and Fondarian
citizens awaken and start a civil war 'against the Landir Empire'.
TA 3 : Battle of Effyr II : Effyr is taken by Duke Fortram Ti'falon and the
leader of the defenders, Tordan Ilrem, the Imperial Heir, commits
suicide.
Battle of Isen Fields : the Klanach armies commanded by Duke Alfion
Sognin are defeated by Earl Sevron Gai'san.
Battle of Nitowin : Earl Sevron Gai'san, in a hurry to defeat the
empire and take the royal seat himself (to beat Fortram) is ambushed
by Getron Ti'fein. Ti'fein dies during the attack, but the allied
forces are defeated.
TA 4 : Battle of Kasat Taven : Earl Tifon Ar'fan musters the Thorian and
north-Allandan armies and defeats another imperial army at the Kasat
Taven [the bridge/ford? over the taven]. The ford is taken, but the
city defending the ford cannot be conquered. Unwilling to be
squished between 2 armies, Tifon beleagers Sarn Bodar.
Battle of Adalandë I&II : The Fleet under the command of Ti'falon
defeats the remnants of the imperial fleet, while the land armies of
Fortram split : one attacks Sarn Bodar, one attacks Adalandë. The
one attacking Adalandë wasn't necessary, because the Steward of
Adalandë surrenders the city : Torfan had fled to Mucaria.
Battle of Mucaria and Darn Kalan : Torfan had fled and most of his
remaining soldiers were stationed in north Mucaria, in the
fortresses of Agoran. These fortresses Fortram let be : they would
be able to haress him, but they would [probably] stop being hostile
when their lord had died. Mucaria was occupied, but Torfan had
[again] fled to darn Kalan, the most Inlandish point that was loyal
to him. It didn't help, Fortram took it anyway, with the help of a
part of the garrison, who surrendered the main gate. The castle was
taken, and Torfan commited suicide.
Fortram Ti'falon crowns himself to king. ????????but weren't there
other pretendents to the throne, nearer to Adalandë ????????than
Fortram [Mucaria] => eg Tifon Ar'fan? Maybe he crowned himself king
when ????????he had conquered Adalandë instead of when he had
returned from Adalandë
<<< later history of Allando which does not agree with the family tree of
Allandan kings >>>
TA 917 : Drond (IV) son of king Arond VII is born
TA 924 : Vorond IV son of king Arond VII is born
TA 936 : Battle of Kamp Darad - King Arond VII and his oldest son Drond (IV)
perish. The combined armies of Landir and Klanach are defeated.
Trefal Mirel Dorial gathers the remnants of these armies and
fortifies himself at Mucaria. The thakal armies, who were led by a
Flux-demon are defeated.
Vorond IV is crowned
TA 946 : Drond (IV) is born
TA 948 : Derdram VII is born
TA 956 : Lartha is born
TA 965 : Battle of Ares fields - the vanguard of this army, led by Drond IV
is ambushed [such intelligent Thakal !], and is completely
destroyed. King Vorond IV dies when a battalion Fathargs breaks the
shield wall around the royal guard (the Kings' own). This could
happen because the left flank of the Allandan army was destroyed by
traitors : Duke Theror Delosi betrayed the king. Trefal Alinor [a
woman ! a woman !] Satrar takes command and defeats the trakal /
Delosi. Derdram VII captures his nearest kin and kills them. The
remnants of the Delosi family renames itself Sepoka, the Delosi
become a Minor House.
TA 998 : Battle of the Osir [berg] Tarat - second battle of the fox pass :
Derdram VII, commanding his army against an approaching thakal army,
of which scouts said that it was commanded by a vile-demon made his
camp on top of the Osir Tarat. The armies clash in each other. The
thakal rout, but the pursuing cavalry is caught between fathargs.
After the destruction of the heavy cavalry Lord Lotar [Trefal and
strategist of the army] commands the flanks to encircle the thakal.
This should have worked but after the encirclement had been
completed the Vile-demon itself appeared. The fear that came from
him routed lots of soldiers, but with him also appeared lots of
thakal, who squished the shield-wall in the encircled thakal. Even
now the battle wasn't lost yet, for the army was strong, but then
birds of prey arrived, ridden by thakal. These skyknights drove
in the kings'own localized on a nearby hilltop, ready for a deciding
strike at a weakened point. The cavalry was destroyed, and the king
dead. When Polar Ti'falon saw Lord Lotar and his cavalry go down,
together with his father the king, he gathered his bodyguard and
threw them in the battle. The confusing rising from the arrival of
these new troops combined with the dstruction of the thakal in the
middle gave the flanks enough time to start a retreat, while the
center units bought them the time. When a severely wounded
officer '-(saw the young prince with the first line troops he talked
him in leaving the battle fields to gather a new army to revenge
them.
The retreating army was closely followed by Thakal, but they were
trapped themselves, when they entered the fox-pass and ran into the
shield-wall. Death came from above, and without heavy infantery they
couldn't break the shield-wall, for all their fathargs had died with
their heavy cavalry. Their light infantery couldn't destroy the
forces protecting the armies on top of the ridges. This battle was
still almost lost with the arrival of the skyknights, but for Athan
Sil'feir and Tomon Hiandrin, the army's battlemagi, who enchanted
the bird of preys with their own spells to control them. The
creatures turned on the thakal and those who couldn't be stopped
were shot down by the archers.
TA 1095 : Battle of Kasat Even : see thebattleof.txt
Note on the data : Agnesa Orinia was born in Orinia, who start their
chronicles at 120 Before Covenant (the start of the Alliance). The Third Battle
of the Fox Pass : 1074 AC. Ariol Sognin died during the battle of isen Field
(1095 AC). Drond Ti'falon dies during the battle of Kasat Even (1103 AC). The
game starts in 1108 AC
I.B.6 Religion
Allando has 4 main religions :
* The Holy Temple
* The Brotherhood of Mardant
* The Followers of the Prophet
* The Heretics of Vestingal : The Reformed Church of Alam'shol
I.B.7 Cities in Allando (see I.B.1)
Some information on several cities of Allando [very outdated, but with some gems]:
Adalandë
Adalandë is the oldest and richest, largest and beautifulst city of Allando, and
Darn Anaron is even more beautiful, a diamond in the king's crown. Darn Anaron
is the citadel of the King, Adalandë is the rolling waves of the water.
Darn Athrad
Darn Athrad means the citadel of light. It is the location of the Ducal Palace
of klanach. Prophecies speak of the Messias once defending himself here from an
attack of Dark Allandon and protecting himself from Assasination. It is also the
location of the Headquarters of the Barhim.
Darn Tirion
Darn Tirion is the Mykno of Citadel of Peace. It is ruled by Theran Ilrem, the
current Protector of the seals.
Fox Pass
This is the place where Torin Ar'fan, son of the fox of Sarn Konach died. Here
he shall return on the last day, to battle those who killed him, to fight those
who killed his brothers and to save Him Who Shall Come. The Horn shall sound
again!
Gelmir
This town is the reason for a lot of border conflicts between the bellies and
the nords. At this moment is is a part of Allando, (as was announced in the pact
of the 7 wise) since the war of San'drinn in TA 459-463. It has its own senate,
but once each decade, a council of this senate moves to the bicennial great
Meeting.
Ilonia
Ilonia is ruled by Earl Ysbrand Oriald, in name of the duke. Although it is by
two the largest City in Withym, it is small compared with the other two, maybe
as big as 3 vilages together. Other important people here are Father Damon of
the Holy Temple, Tyfan Ruel, leader of the Artisans guild, Mydon Ty'sarva, the
Librarian (and what a library! It has the original version of the second book of
Air, and the Book of Law, as written by Tevon Oriald 750 years ago!) and Healer,
Toron Tre'lya, leader of the Merchants'guild and Patryn Orolfo, Harman of the
army of Ilonia.
Meosa-town
Although most people think Meosa-settlements outside The Waste are traitors or
dishonored men, this settlement is different. They were put here by 'fill in
name of meosa-ruler from centuries ago who was crazy enough to believe
prophecies' because it is said in 'fill in name of one of the books of
prophecies' that the Meosa would fight with the 'promised one' when he arrived.
Mirkvale
The Rulers are a 7-headed council, ruling Mirkvale. They are Earl Inglaron
Hafflan, father Davon Brittyn (representant of the Holy Temple, Brother Qurit
Vianen (representant of the Reformed Cultists of Tegarend), Lord Hierulf Gipling
(commander of the Valion army), master Toron Fien (representant of the merchants
& innkeepers), Kyterion Ver'at (blacksmith and representant of the artisan
guild), Moran Ti'fierat (ambassador of Withym and councillor of Duke Jaino of
Withym).
Valion Army : the valion army is split in 2 parts : 1000 man are the standing
army of Mirkvale, the 9000 others are members of the Withym / Allando army.
These 10000 men shift yearly, giving everyone a nice quiet time in Mirkvale, and
9 years of fighting light-forsakers or worse. The core of the army is the Ring
of Swords, an association of (noble and common) knights led by the Heir of the
Earl, now Earl-heir Trefa Hafflan Barehanded (called as such because of him
taking on a bear in his teens with nothing but his hands, and killing it, and
because of a prophecy at his birth that he would lose his birthright, his
proprieties and, last of all, his life in defense of Him That Will Come, the
messias of which all the Prophecies speak), 100 knights thick.
Language of Mirkvale is low Allandon. Only at the ducal Palace Mykno is spoken,
and that only by Yvonne darksbane, royal Magicka, Trefal McDel the royal
librarian and Loran Flucie(silvervoice) the bard.
Sarn Effyr
The city of Blazing Fire, related to the temper of its citizens, who
Sarn Falas
The city of Illusions : few things that you find here are real. the town looks
very prosperous, many people, many palaces, ... but most of this are illusions.
Some of the things that are really there are the Imperial Guard (when the
emperor died, there was no more place for them, so they went here to wait for
the prophecies who speak of Him Who Shall Come and whom they have to help, the
Lawn Ornaments, a race of gnomes made by a Vdini for use in combat, but thrown
away because they were too peaceful, The Alari, a secret organizatin of mages
seeking for ways to enchant things without getting tainted and for ways to'wash'
the corruption away,...
Sarn Konach
Sarn Konach is the Mykno for City Of Watchers, for the Book of Air saw hard
times to come 'Yanai kothan andoria, makara perina, nithosa gerida'. It is
suspected by those who interpreted the book of Air to be nothing more than wind,
for all it says it is just one line in a metrum of things said about the cities
of Allando. One school of thought nevertheless thinks that when the Promised
comes, this city wil suffer hard from the War 'for them who think themselves
stronger than the lion, swifter than the wolf and smarter than the fox' Ruler of
Darn Konach is Count Mithan Ar'fan, but everyone calles him gerida, because he's
as smart as a fox (is it an Omen that a city, in the Book of Air compared to a
fox, is now ruled by a man they call fox ???). He rules Konach with his 3
councillors: Baron Feren Tendon, Minister Hien Kanas and his wife and magicka,
Liessa Ar'fan.
He had 3 sons once, but all of them died by the sword, one in the Revolution (in
1250, a civil war started in Gelmir, and the legion guarding it at that moment
was completely destroyed, including Fedral Ar'fan). The second died in the
Treason of the Fox-pass (again the same animal !!!), in which a part of the
anti-orc raiding army commanded by Torin Ar'fan was destroyed by orcs and
fighters of Tegarend. The fox-pass was one of 2 roads to the orc-campement they
were going to, but since it was the shortest and the safest (there was fewer
chance that they would be seen), he took the fox-pass, although if the enemy
knew something of their crossing, 50 men could hold the pass against them, while
many more could fire arrows and drop stones on them. Alas, his second in command
was a fighter of Tegarend, and the pass was blocked. Only by the valour of the
Sacred Warriors and the Ring of Swords, commanded by Torin himself, the pass
could be taken, but by then his infantery has faltered, and Torin led his men to
death and glory (for they killed at least 20 orcs each, while Torin recklessly
attacked the 20 fighters of Tegarend guarding their leader. Torin died at the
hands of that guard, but his friends revenged him, and the remnants of the army,
with as few as they were, defended the pass until help came. Of the legion that
has started at Sarn Athrad, only a tithe was left, 400 men who had kept the
upper ridges of the fox pass that not a thousand other men could have kept. They
said they owed it to Torin. Afterwards, not an orc dared cross that pass again,
for they had a legend that when they came there again, Torin and his comrades
would face them again and destroy them completely. The last one (Darolf) died
during his years as guard in Konach itself, when he was fighting a band of
brigands with his squadron of guards. His eye was pierced by a black arrow, and
it is suspected this was work from higher up, because someone wants the Ar'fans
from their throne and themselves on it.
Thoria
The biggest province in entire Allando, Thoria is ruled by Prince Geodan of the
Royal Blood of Allando. The most important fact about Thoria is that it
'controls' the First Dwarven Kingdom, and the only ore-mine still left in
Allando.
Sarn Faralan
Sarn faralan is the Mykno for the city now by most called The City Where Ways
Meet, or Waymeet. Waymeet is by 2 the eldest city in entire Allando, and when
you walk in its street the difference with eg Withym are very clear. Most
palaces of Withym are inns in Waymeet, and the palaces themselves are worthy for
a king (except of course the King of Allando, for Adalandë is even more
beautiful, larger, richer than any other city nowadays). Waymeet is ruled by
Prince Gaidon II adaldoren (wave-breaker, nickname of a lord of the Sea, who has
married Princess Anolda of Adalandë for political reasons, not for love, a wife
who was only important until she got him a son. That son is Kyle Ta'dair,
commander of the Guard. He underwent his training in arms together with the
ducal Heir of Withym, the son of the Earl of Valion and the son of Ilien at the
court of King Lionslayer, and although he was their better in arms and their
better in most of the intelligence-studies, it gnaws at him that not a single
explanation of the Prophecies of the Lion includes him or the family of the
Thorians, while his comrades (or their family) will be commanders of his army.
The important councillors of Prince Gaidon are Gerund Galafa (a very wise and
travelled man, but on the death list of the Keepers of the Light. Prince Ivold
protects him now from their claim of him being a light-forsaker), Dorianne
Lovaie (mistress of the royal bard guild, the training school for all human
bards. Bards do not need to have studied here, but only bards who have trained
here may become court-bards), Barthel Runiar (protector of the land, commander
of the prince's army) and Ayƒl Bastrafa (the authority on meosa if their ever
was one).
Withym
Withym is the capital of the dukedom Withym, and is ruled by Jaino of Withym.
The family of Withym is kinblood of that of the royal family of Waymeet, since
Tiridion II, the grandfather of the current duke, was married with Elsa, the
sister of Geodan, prince of Waymeet. Many rulers of other dukedoms and cities
along the coast think the dukes of Withym mad, because they searched and
kolonized the source of the river that 'founded' their city, in contrary to the
normal Allandon strategy of fleets and harbors. Other important people in Withym
are Theran Ilrem, Defender of Darn Tirion, Earl Ysbrand Oriald, ruler of Ilonia,
Regal Amondo, high priest of Tegarend, Brother Domon Jifa, abbot of the holy
Temple, Mator Withym (another branch of the family), keeper of the King's peace
and commander of the Sacred warriors of Withym, Fathom Gassat, ducal battle
Magick and Hieron&Uvald Klesi, ducal researchers, alchemists, librarians,
masters of lore, bards,...
The Sacred Warriors of Withym is only a part of the complete Withym army, that
amounts to 25000 men. This army is splitted in 5 legions of 5000 men (one of
these is composed of Valion), of which only 1 defends Withym itself. 2 others
are part of the Gelmir Defense corps, 1 other is used for colonization of the
Great Forest at Kheled-zaram and the last one is part of The Allandon anti-orc
raid corps, an army unit of the King of Allando used to counter orcish raids.
The Sacred Warriors is an army unit of 420 men, which are even better trained
than the Kings' own (the bodyguard of the King of Allando). These sacred
warriors are used as vanguard units, scouts, assasins, spies,... One of the
translations/interpretations of the Book of Earth says that it is a squad
of these men that will attack the messias in Darn Athrad.
There is no commander of the complete army, since it is not suspected that it
will ever be complete. the highest rank in the army is that of Harman, commander
of 1000 men (a legion is commanded by the council of 5 Harmen, but the meetings
of even 3 Harman are few, because they are very scattered throughout the
countries they defend. At this moment The White Lions are defending Withym, but
Jaino has ordered one of his Haron to try to make another try to make a shortcut
through the Great Forest to have a shorter way to Mirkvale (three other tries to
do this before has already killed 5000 men (farther back in history), 1 other
Haron is settled in Withym and surroundings, one other haron is shipped in for a
short raid along the coast of Aglarond, another Haron defends the villages
between Withym and Ilonia, while the last one defends Darn Tirion, the mountains
and a part of the forest, since 2 years before, an orcish raid from the Forsaken
mountains made it as far as Ilonia before the troops of Withym could rescue
them. Population of Withym manor is 2000000 citizens.
I.B.8 Allando Military
From smallest to biggest :
Doron : Patrol-size :
10-25 men commanded by the Dorman or a Numan (a level 1 soldier)
Shion : Manipel-size :
150-225 men commanded by the Shiman, his second in command is the
Dorman. He also appoints some level 1 soldiers as lower officials.
These soldiers are hoplites (heavy infantery : pike, sword and a
heavy shield)
Haron : 2 Shian with some dorin of archers, javelineers, and other light
infantery & engineers / miners or, when the unit has less than 400
hoplites : light and/or heavy cavalry. 500 men commanded by the
Harman; the normal battle unit in Allando for garrisons and small
warfare versus pirates/bandits.
Thalgon : 10 Haron with added light cavalry lancer/horsebow and heavy cavalry
/ blademasters / knights - 5000-5500 men commanded by the Thalman.
This is a normal borderland garrison unit, or a unit large enough to
protect a district.
Nahon : Every unit between 1 Thalgon and 4 Thalgon, commanded by the senior
thalman or a Trefal.
Treon : Every unit larger 4 Thalgon. These unit can only be constructed when
commanded by a duke - the king or any high official and is commanded
by this official or by a Trefal. These units are only used when
another country - province attacks or during a Thakal attack.
The master of swords (Thalatro) is the rank of the second in command to the
Harman / Thalman (or third in command ~Svedra in the Third Battle of the Fox
Pass)
The Trefal are the military advisors of the King : There are at any time 12 :
one Grand High Trefal as supreme commander of the Allandan army and fleet (must
at any time be a Lord of Mercy). There are 3 High Trefals (usually one guarding
the Bûruat, one in Vestingal as King's supervisor and the third as quick
reaction commander (in these peaceful days, the third one is usually ambassador
in one of the other countries). The other 8 trefal are the supreme commanders of
all the armies and fleets in their region (although all the nobles and army
commanders can use their own units as they wish unless there is an emergency)
Although the Grandmaster of the Ring of Swords is part of the chain of command
of the Allando army, he is not a trefal. There are admirals in the chain of
command of Allando because the Trefal usually command the land armies after a
landfall, in which case the transport fleet needs a supreme commander itself.
Chain of command in Allando Army :
Grand High Trefal
Tudor Al'chan
Fleet Commander Burûat High Trefal Grandmaster of RoS Vestingal High Trefal
Wuluag Tibren Mido Si'tan Seftan Ar'fan Tetron Il'jedu
Trefal Council Fleet admirals
8 trefal 2 grand admirals and 5 admirals
I.B.9 Family Tree of the Allandan kings
Throne is only given to a male descendant from a line of Fortram I
(year of birth / throne / death)
Fortram I (-43 4 18)
|
Derdram I (-19 18 27)
|
Toram I (6 27 73)
|
---------------------------------
Ulvan (34 93) Derdram II (31 73 78+)
regent for Deron I (78-86) |
| ----------------------------------
| Deron I (68 78 137) Alvan (72 131)
| | |
married into | -------------------------- | married into
Gai'san and | Paron (91 119+) Deron II (93 137 145) | Ar'fan and
recruits in | | | homicide | levies troops
Firiem | Derdram (117 134+) Algon I (121 145 172) | in Faralan
| | |
Ulgar I (152 207 209+) Algon II (144 172 207+) Algar I (163 209 239)
| | |
Uldor (174 209+) Aldun (176 207+) |
|
---------------------------
Derdram III (186 239 248)
|
Fortram II (225 248 312)
|
Derdram IV (251 295 318+)
|
Great Plague Darond I (272 318 341) 331 : Founds the Ring
| of Swords Order
Vorond I (298 341 344+)
| died during war
Grond I (321 344 396) 347 : current military
| system
Vorond II (353 383 428) 402 : goes mad
|
Deron III (381 402 456)
|
---------------------------------
Algon III (403 456 460+) Algar II (407 463 484)
| |
Derdram V (430 460 463+) Arond I (431 484 502) changes the law to allow
| for Queens : first child
| gets the throne (female
| children may decline)
Queen Anda I (455 498 538) 504 : Society of
| Barhim is first part of Military
| and later self-ruling multi-
| national military organization
|
Andor I (476 538 543)
|
-------------------------------
Aria (504 562) passed by Andor II (510 543 571)
| |
| Andor III (535 571 602)
| Married into House |
| Ar'fan -----------------------------------
| Aldor I (561 590 642) Vondor (566 612)
| 645-647 : Landir | |
| - Vestingal Wars Alvan I (588 634 645+) |
| | |
Arvon (608 647+) Algar III (613 645 647+) |
| | |
Algon (625 647+) Alrond (636 647+) Voram (594 647+)
|
-------------------------------------------
Vorond III (622 647 691) Women only rise to the
| throne if no male
| descendants
Vorond IV (646 684 713)
|
Derdram VI (669 713 735)
|
Darond II (691 735 741+)
|
Berond I (712 741 746+)
|
--------------------------
Waron I (731 746 751+) Beron I (733 751 772+)
|
Algon IV (755 772 823) *
|
Arond II (781 823 865) *
|
Queen Aglan I (804 851 873) * Feranat
| recolonized
|
Durfan I (828 837 882) *
|
Derdram VII (856 882 913+)
|
---------------------------------
Thakal attacks multiply Vorond V (887 913 925+) Dorond I (991 925 933+)
|
---------------------------------------
Darond III (912 933 946+) Vorond (915 952+)
| regency 946-952
|
Arond III (936 946 1013)
|
Algon V (961 1013 1019+)
|
---------------------------------------
Arond IV (987 1019 1045) Andor (994 1026+)
|
Derdram VIII (1021 1045 1080)
|
Vorond VI (1052 1080 -)
|
Arond (V) (1074 - -)
|
Andor (IV) (1106 - -)
* the 4 colonist Kings who recolonized the regions which had been ruined by the
Bold Strike by giving premiums to would-be colonists.
+ death in combat, by assassination, ...
I.B.10 Politics in Allando
Vestingal and the Variat are in name ruled by two dukes, but those dukes are
only figureheads since the Allando - vestingal wars (645-647). After the
dissident members of the Gai'san, Delosi and Sognin familes had been executed,
members from other branches of those families inherited these fiefs, but King
Vorond III placed the real power in the hands of the High Council of the South
(High Council of the North are the advisors of the King).
Current High Council of the South : Rulers of South-Allando
Bishop Tidon Armaian (of the Reformed Church of Alam'shol) - darkfriend
Tetron Il'jedu (High Trefal and Kings' supervisor) [High Trefal : only three :
one in TNR, one in Buruat (darkfriend : Mido Si'tan, commander of the Buruât
(wall of fortresses on the border of thakal-infested wilderness and Allando) and
leader of the Mucaria cadre of the WTA) and one here as representative of the
King]
Alconder Desalles, representative of the Merchants, Peddlers and Associated
Trades' Guild and the richest man in Vestingal (probably Allando) - darkfriend
High Lord Ickdor Si'sain, grand admiral of the Firiem Fleet [more than a third
of the Allando fleet, it also includes the Vestingal City and Tabani city
fleet][the other main fleets are the Withym Fleet (most ships are actually
located at Valion) and the Landir fleet (including the famous Fondar shipyards
and the Effyr fleet].
Inquisitor Lord Captain Commander Meran Al'cadar, Chief Barhim of South-Allando
(of the 4 divisions (16 regiments) of the Barhim in Allando, 1 division is
assigned to the Buruat, 1 is assigned to Vestingal (2 regiments in Vestingal, 1
in Firiem and 1 in Tabani), 1 is assigned to Klanach (all in the Darn Athrad)
and the last is scattered in companies all over Faralan and Landir).
Current High Council of the North: advisors to King Vorond VI
Torol Sârn, the Royal Chamberlain - darkfriend, leader of the WTA
Wuluag Tibren, supreme Fleet commander of the Allando Fleet, grand admiral of
the Landir Fleet - darkfriend, leader of the Fighters of Tegarend
High Priest Ta'por Da'kain (of the Holy Temple)
Bern Tavorn and Gûllën Di'fein, kings councillors
Akitro Seftan Ar'fan, grandmaster of the Ring of Swords
Lord Captain Commander Akh-morat Gunaya Sisoffen, Chief Barhim of North Allando
- darkfriend from Talurion (became a merceenary captain, when his crimes where
too widely known in Talurion and Londiar he fled to Andirion and joined the
barhim, steadily being promoted (by killing those of his superiors that didn't
like him, and taking their places).
Grand High Trefal Tudor Al'chan, Supreme General of the Allando Standing Army
and Fleet
(Master Al'aca Nihuderonden, an Alqualondan bard and spymaster of King Vorond;
only Al'chan and Ar'fan know of his 'secret' job)
I.B.11 History of Allando Continued : How does Allando's territory grow?
At the start of the second age, Allando was little more than a congregation of
small fisher-towns, with most menfolk enlisted in Bargend's Five Thousand. When
the 12 Great Houses (+1) returned, they did so with the remnants of their
families and companions, and with the survivors of Bargend's troops (after
several years of Great Wars, the survivors of the Five Thousand had been left
behind by Bargend (who was only supported now by his thakal shapeshifters) and
had joined the Sorcerer armies). They took control of the settlements in Landir.
After a century, these settlements had increased towards Cithiel, Fondor and
Faralan (where the It'acan family, with many Andirion, Galadan and Ubian
settlers [who had turned to this place after their attempt to go north along the
Allandan coast had failed] had founded Sarn Danat) and to Klanach in the South
(SA 17 : Sarn Danat becomes a great city after many wandering people have decide
to join together - SA 34 : Sarn Athrad is founded [Sarn Nitowin and Adalandë
were already great 'villages' by then]).
After another hundred, two hundred years, the political situation had completely
changed : The families had disbanded (whereas before many House families still
lived on the same ground in the same villages, now every House had its own
region and begrudged the ground of the neighbours). The Holy Temple did not stop
this constant warfare between the houses because they could still remember the
times when they had been on the leash of the House Masters. Now the House
masters were quickly degenerating into warfaring muscle-balls, while all the
promising youths joined the Temple. The Temple had, guided by several
opportunists inside (even a few early fighters of Tegarend) 'ordered' a crusade
against Sarn Danat. After the Holy war had been concluded, the Houses Ga'dor and
Hafflan went into Faralan, sending funds (mostly spoils of war) to Adalandë for
the continuation of the great Cathedral of Hope, the building of which started
in 309 but had been stopped in 315 during the Great Plague and hadn't continuef
after the end of the Plague [it was partially to end the state of apathy in the
country that King Daron I (whose father had perished during the Plague) had
agreed with the expedition, which had ended with the death of his youngest
daughter, the wife of Borin It'acan]. Now the poisoners (House It'acan as
presumed by most common people) had been destroyed, their 'evil' money had to be
spent to placate the gods. The building of the Cathedral was finished in 384.
Settlers had also gone father into Klanach and had founded Sarn Effyr and
Foriysia.
Close to 400 years after the Great Wars and the end of the Vdini's rule over
mankind, Allando was growing not further along the coastlines of the bay of
Landir, but was colonizing the country itself. Following many rivers inland,
they founded several cities, mining towns and trade outposts with the nazuri
from the Great Forest and the dwarfs from the Alfaian Heights. Closez to 550 SA,
Allando had grown very large, extending its reach toward Feranat, founding
Vestingal as trading opponent toward Halifiriem. Faralan was further colonized
towards the Great Forest (Sarn Adalan and Sarn Thorial), and Fondirial (before
531 SA still under control of Galadan survivors of the Great Wars who had never
joined Allando and who had warred almost constantly with Allando) joined the
Convention of Great Houses (the current Grandmaster of Fondar had only
daughters, and his eldest daughter married with the eldest son of House Ti'fein,
who became Duke of Fondirial after the Grandmaster's death).
Allando had grown very large in a relatively short time, and would be almost
destroyed in an as short time. During the Lightning Strike, the new territories
at the mouth of the Sirion (Vestingal, which is located at the mouth of the
river coming from Ghad'zu, but which was never occupied by Feranat colonists
because of a curse cast there by its last King when he was assassinated by two
members of his High Council), Foriysia, Sarn Effyr, Sarn Athrad and even Sarn
Nitowin and Adalandë itself [not that Adalandë was the most important place at
this moment, just being the seat of power of House Ti'falon, which was only one
of 5 great Houses, but the Cathedral of Hope was there, and was never reached by
the thakal] had been overrun by the countless thakal who had left the Red Plains
and had trampled the human empires. Only the North and North-East of Allando had
been spared by the brave defenses of House Ti'falon and the other Houses of the
South (Seats of power of the 12 Houses at this moment : Adalandë (House
Ti'falon), Sarn Effyr (House Gai'san), Sarn Athrad (House Ar'fan), Sarn Faralan
(House Ta'dair) and Sarn Konach (House Ga'dor).
After the aftermaths of the Lightning Strike, Allando can recover from its
wounds for a century until the convention of the Covenant and the beginning of
the Third Age. In this time it recovers from the great scabs dealt to it by the
thakal hordes. In a score of years, with the help of a new generation and many
refugees from Feranat and Baïron they expand again to their maximum size from
before the Wars and recolonize the mouths of the Sirion, the Arthanagorn and of
the Athanae (Vestingal, Foriysia and Sarn Effyr).
After the struggles of the Covenant and the short-lived Empire of Trakan I,
Allando is again expanding to the North-west and the South-East, settling in
Withym, Valion and Kituna (Kituna was the capital of the Buruat province which
fell during the newly starting thakal wars +/-975). Three hundred years after
the Covenant, the Duke of Withym makes a military outpost for his fleet on Cair
Atalon, and Vestingal and Halifiriem (which is resettled by people from Feranat
and joins Allando, remaining neutral during the Empire strife) go further south
to Kolaria. After another century, Allando expands even further and although a
lot of Allandan fresh blood has joined the Alliance during the last 500 years,
they expand towards Andirion and guard Andirion's back against attacks made
through the country between the Bay of Allando and the Bay of Andirion. During
the next 300 years, Allando cannot grow anymore and the dukes start fighting
inner wars. No-one wants to colonize further inwards and they all attempt to
conquer coastal regions of their neighbours. Without growth and danger, Allando
is plunging into an era of decadence, and much is lost. Allando is at the height
of its power but is slowly falling asleep.
Suddenly the entire world is reawakened by the brutal assault of Kardde's
thakal, which rampage again throughout the world before faltering and being
destroyed. Both Kardde and Tegarend are ready for war now and have amassed grand
armies of men and thakal, and are readying their sleeper agents in the major
cities of Allando, the Alliance and TNR to create chaos. Instead of attempting
to keep their newly gained territories in their hands they throw every being at
their command onto their enemies, attempting to crush them completely. After
being blooded by the Alliance, thakal floods arrive in Allando. This time,
Allando has no brave house Gai'san to defend Landir, because House Gai'san and
all of the Variat and Vestingal, under impulse of the darkfriends of the Church
of Alam'shol are in a civil war with Landir. It is only when Kardde (with even
less feeling for the lives of her human allies than Tegarend) allows her thakal
to feed on Vestingal citizens that House Gai'san understands that they must not
allow the thakal to defeat Allando, because they will be the next. The thakal
hordes are destroyed between both grand armies and King Beron I (barely crowned
after his brother died during the final charge of the King's Household guard on
the Vile-demon commanding the last remnant of the Black Talons) accepts the
apologies of Duke Tetron Gai'san and gives him the Royal Pardon. Because Kardde
had not attempted to hold the territory she conquered, much fewer thakal hell-
holes have to be closed and defeated and the old territory of Allando is
quickly reconquered. In TA 850, Allando is even grander than before the Bold
Strike, no enemies are closeby, the Alliance is more viligant than before and
Allando enters a golden age for its culture. Allando has grown to contain the
entire Coastal line from Elir (in the Northern Realm, which was only part of
Allando for a very short time, because it joined Allando peacefully [because its
current duke was squeezing the people for their every last farthing] but was
immediately returned to TNR when Queen Darinaja I complained to the Covenant
Keepers) to Sarn Danaia (which is almost next to the Andirion Alliance). It even
expanded inwards, re-occupying Mucaria, Buruat and even Muridan (although Queen
Darinaja II again complained to the Covenant Keepers, because Muridan had been
part of TNR for many centuries and the Covenant Keepers, which are a special
jury composed of all the free people, are supposed to keep countries from
fighting each other over contested territory that had been occupied by the other
country for centuries. When King Durfan I, the last of the colonization Kings,
said that Muridan had never been part of TNR, Darinaja II said that it had once
been part of Ignarion, a sattelite state in her opinion, from TNR because 'its
ruler had asked the current TNR queen whether he had her permission to be King'.
Durfan I acclaimed that in that way every country had once been part of another
country and promptly cut all premiums to new colonizers). This ended a century
of colonizations, and when Kardde started sending new thakal northwards, the
next kings were lucky when they were not attacked during some years, and never
had any chance to colonize new parts of Andalion. During the next scores of
years before the present time, Allando lost Muridan to TNR, Damoria to Andirion
and the Alliance (who didn't colonize it, but filled it with castles to defend
their homecountry) and Buruat and Okaria to Eledon (a country filled with thakal
tribes and dark humans, fully dedicated to their raiding and their defilation of
the country, in name of their goddess Llamnagh, whom they honor with human
sacrifices, not only of captives but also from people of their own tribes).
C) The Northern Realm
I.C.1 Places in TNR (rulers & size)
Name | 'Ruler' | Size | More...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Roy-Ubian | Anor,Invar,Omvor MMm | 23 | Capital of TNR
Mother Church | 'Mother' M | ? | See religion
Irajend | Arar M | 5 |
Elavar | Amand M | 8 |
Magarar | Inand m | 11 |
Varmarerd | Arsoror vm | 2 |
Karaserd | Ervoror m | 1 |
Garanir | Issirir vm | 3 |
Garedir | Asviror m | 6 |
Kasend | Imer m | 2 |
Elagerd | Assorand vm | 4 |
Elaterd | Esvirir vm | 4 |
Masand | Onarar m | 3 |
Irgend | Anaror m | 7 |
Marand | Iror M | 11 |
Marvir | Ervar m | 3 | Argand Plains :
Alser (Galadion) | Assorer m | 7 | Plains west of Marvir and
Maror | Ersor m | 3 | east of Magarar.
Varend | Arber m | 3 |
Shamend | Emseror m | 4 |
Kagir | Anber m | 3 |
Varver | Isir M | 7 |
Natir | Erirerd vm | 4 |
Irsar | Ombarend m | 5 |
Mardar | Emanderd vm | 3 |
Martar | Essar M | 17 |
Sasir | Omor m | 6 |
Alvor | Enardor m | 5 |
Masar | Onarar vm | 3 |
Katard | Enser m | 5 |
Sagar | Anberand vm | 2 |
Gaserd | Orsir M | 3 |
Gader | Orber vm | 1 |
Elir | Imor M | 12 | Former outpost
Elend | Arser M | 2 |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I.C.2 Places in TNR (provinces & districts)
TNR in provinces and districts (by KVBE, will be edited by AJAN)
Province District
Donerlad Elir, Gaserd, Alvor, Katard
Maraían Martar, Elend, Irsar
Ubian Magara, Irajend, Ubian, Elarian
Varian Elavar, Kasend, Garedir
Masan Masand, Irgend
Olfirin Marvir, Natir, Kagir
Muridan Gelmir, Varver, Altard, Masir
Malfirin no cities ????
Maradon Shamend
Galadion Alser, Marand, Maror
Taribon Varend
Upper Taradon What were previously Alliance cities
I.C.2 The Great Houses of the Northern Realm
Major Houses : Anor, Isir, Essar, Invar, Iror, Arser, Imor, Amand, Orsir, Arar
Minor Houses : Anaror, Asviror, Assorer, Ombarend, Inand, Ervar, Omvor, Anber,
Imer, Arber, Omor, Onarar, Enardor, Enser, Ersor, Emseror,
Ervoror
The Houses & their founders
Major Houses :
- House Anor < Daled Anor x Kataja Imor
- House Isir < Kagid Isir x Nata Inendir
- House Essar < Natsler Essar x Elyrinae Irsir
- House Invar < Narret Invar x Darja Asbor
- House Iror < Melsher Iror x Naja Issoror
- House Arser < Dawarar Arser x Gaie Arbar
- House Imor < Elysid Imor x Megarja Enand
- House Amand < Kaset Amand x Varsae Imvar
- House Orsir < Gadral Orsir x Dargarie Onber
- House Arar < Irtagir Arar x Shasandaie Ersor
Minor Houses :
- House Anaror < Kasel Anaror x Narshie Inberer
- House Asviror < Maalerd Asviror x Alsama Imor
- House Assorer < Irtar Assorer x Kataja Enborer
- House Ombarend < Natvaril Ombarend x Matagaie Arser
- House Inand < Elytarer Inand x Natae Esbir
- House Ervar < Varvaril Ervar x Irshae Onvar
- House Omvor < Irtind Omvor x Narlea Imard
- House Anber < Irvarid Anber x Irlae Onsar
- House Imer < Alvared Imer x Maraie Onvir
- House Arber < Elal Arber x Nasara Aser
- House Omor < Narwaril Omor x Dashae Ansorar
- House Onarar < Melger Onarar x Kaie Irvar
- House Enardor < Elyd Enardor x Irsama Asar
- House Enser < Kat Enser x Elalea Omvor
- House Ersor < Elytar Ersor x Shaaja Essar
- House Emseror < Elasent Emseror x Melaja Ervirar
- House Ervoror < Katad Ervoror x Darlaie Imard
Noble Titles :
Women : eldest daughter of the High Seat becomes the High Seat when her mother
dies. If the High Seat has no female children, go back in the family tree until
you meet the eldest closest related female of the youngest generation. If
children are too young to become High Seat, return in the family tree until you
find a good regent (male precedes only if earlier met in the family tree :
father before niece but not before aunt because that is in same layer : tree of
high seat not of daughters)
Men : A man marries into a House, and gains a title of his position in the
NEW House (duke and count are military titles and are for men, although the
political position is 'usually' for his wife). If the father dies, either his
eldest child's husband gains the title, or his eldest UNMARRIED son (which he
loses when he marries, loses when a younger sister marries or is married).
I.C.4 Religion
There are four religions in The Northern Realm :
* The Mother Church of Nadaré & Nudaré
* The Brotherhood of Mardant (undercover in Ubian)
* The Reformed Church Of Alam'shol (only in Galadion)
* Followers Of The Prophet (everywhere)
I.C.5 Military Information about TNR
Military Hierarchy :
The Queen : only on the battlefield in the direst of times.
|
|---- Natar Alsor :*not strictly military leaders as such but since
| they're the best of the best,their opinion is
| highly valued by the Queen and the advisors.
| *can take over command from anyone on the field,
| even the Queen.
| *completely loyal to the Queen.
| *also used for black ops.
Advisors :*are picked by the Queen. Don't have to be noble.
| Current Advisors to Galandrie :
| - Maalant Enardar (m) : 25, mil genius
| - Vara Invar (f) : 80, retired Alsor
| - Dashind Imar (m) : 50, Allando expert (elend)
| - Darmata Iror (f) : 34, Nudara out of commision
| - Salandra Arser (f) : 87, spymaster
| - Kasatil Omvor (m) : 53, fleet commander (?)
| - Varlea Onvir (f) : 41, Thakal expert (sasir)
| - Narta Imsorar (f) : 16, Court Mage ?
| - Nasae Orborir (f) : 23, replaces Varraja Arar
| - Elygar Irand (m) : 60, Alliance expert
------------
| |
| Natar Nudara :*Ranked slightly above Sha'kart but have
| | the same tasks. can also be sent out for
| | smaller ops with smaller bands.
Officers | :*Ranks :
| | - "Judge" : commands an army >100000 * only
| | in the direst of times.
| | - "Sha'kart" : commands an army <100000
| | - "Sha'shal" : commands an army <22000
| | - "Sha'ril" : commands a band <4000
| | - "Sha'gent" : commands a fist <100
| | - "Sha'mard" : commands a squad <20
| |
------------
|
Regional Commanders :*These are about the same level as a Sha'gent
| but are stationed in border forts and are
. authorised to organise militia in emergencies.
.
.
Conscripts :*What does an army consist of :
- Foot :
* pikemen
* swordmen
* archers + crossbowmen
- Horse :
* light cavalry
* heavy cavalry
* elite horse ("stunts riders")
- Special :
* miners & engineers
* scouts
* spellcasters
* people needed to keep the army going :
farriers, armorers, cooks, fletchers,...
Some tactics:
- Band :
* 1X (1000 foot + 200 horse) : main body
* 2X (500 foot + 150 horse) : flanking parties
I.C.6 Family Tree of the Ubian Royal Family (founded by Daled Anor)
Dargje (°983, Q:1001 +1043)
|
----------------------------------------------------------------
| | |
Natdrae(°1024, MS:1060 +1111) Melshae (°1020, Q:1043 +1074) Namatae(°1018, +1027)
|
---------------------------
| |
Elymata (°1060, +1118) Elytagae (°1040, Q:1067 +1100, only had sons)
| + Kasatil Omvor + Salandra Arser
----------------------------------------------------------
| | |
Kata (°1090, Q:1119) Natae (°1082, MS:1111 +1118) Galandrie (°1080,
+ Atratus (It'acan) (°1088, K:1119) Q:1100 +1118)
I.C.7 History of TNR continued (by KVBE)
At the beginning of the Second Age, with many of its young men gone, either to
fight with the Vdini and bleeding to death on the Red Plains, or to fight with
the Sorcerers against the Vdini, both Ubian and Galadion were small countries,
each clinging to their coastal line surrounding a bay which provided them with
food. Because their Vdini had left them soon during the Great Wars, they had
had more time to recover from the sapping of their lifeblood, and after a
century, Ubian had already colonized the entire north and east-side of the Bay
of Ubian, and its city-states were warring each other. Galadion had expanded
under the though control of the Lord of Galadion. Every new extension of
Galadion was governed by a family member of House Iror.
300 years after the end of their governing by the Vdini, who annually selected
their best young men to fight for them (depleting the manpower to colonize),
Ubian had envelopped the entire bay of Ubian. Many of the smaller city-states
had fallen under the sway of Royan, although several others were very large and
had great power in some of the smaller towns (like Irajend, Elavar and Martar).
Galadion had grown to the west during these decennia, founding cities in the
small unwooded coastlines circling the Wold of Pain, and started trading with
Urori's kingdom.
Another century later, the situation in Ubian had escalated. Instead of further
developping toward the west (along the Donerlad), the east (on the immense
Plains of Olfirin), to the south (Muridan) or to the North (which they did to
some extend), the Ubian city-states didn't sent colonization parties out, being
afraid to look weaker and being attacked by the other city states. A greater
polarization becomes obvious, with Martar and Royan working together against
Elavar and Irajend. The great clash follows in 462, when the combined fleet of
Royan and Martar blockade the harbour of Irajend. Irajend is completely ruined
and joins with Royan. Elavar, seeing it is outmatched, attempts to save as much
as they can, and join this alliance. The 'nation' of Ubian [before only the name
of the bay] is formed, although the true power is still in hands of the Lords of
Royan and Martar. Galadion is stunted in its expansions by the forest on its
entire west-flank, an ocean to the north and the east (although the Galadan
fleet starts exploring the ocean and discovers a great island-archipel, of which
many are settled), and Taradon to the south.
More time eslapses, and Ubian is again growing, to the North-east. The dwarven
kingdom in the Akhan mountains is faced with a great flood of Ubian citizens
settling close to the mines and the grasslands of Olfirin and Masan. Martar is
slowly exploring the Donerlad and Muridan in the south, settling sparely.
Galadion is veering more to the south-west and is settling close to the tarhel
nazuri of Natari's kingdom, who constantly war on the wood-choppers of Galadion.
It is now that the Fulltrui start raiding the north coast of Andalion, greatly
disrupting the fleets of Galadion exploring the Ghalan-archipel, and the trading
fleets of Ubian in the Bay of Ubian. After several great battles in an entire of
sea-fights and raids, Daled Anor can defeat a large fleet in the Ubian sea and
conquer a great part of that fleet. Most of the men aboard those ships had
landed to attack Royan, but were driven away by the Royan and Elavar armies, and
were at last defeated on Ydon's Head, later renamed to Daled's sword. Victorious
[although the Donerlad was still in hands of the Fulltrui, but who couldn't raid
without their grand fleet], with a great army (of 3 of the 4 city-states, with
both leaders of those other city-states death in the battle, and all men of
those armies loyal to them) at his hands, and the sympathy of all citizens
around the Bay of Ubian, he conquered all the other cities. After stabilizing
his rule over the nation of Ubian (renaming his capital from Royan to Roy-Ubian,
the Citadel of Ubian), he took the remnants of his army and the great fleet of
the Fulltrui, and went southward to liberate Allando from the thakal. When he
felt he was dying three years later, he created the queendom and changed the
situation in Ubian to a matriarchy, creating the Mother-church seemingly from
nowhere (although it had been 'planted' in his mind by proxies of Nudaré). The
thakal could destroy Sarn Milet and refugees from that city (founded by people
from Sarn Danat) flee northward and join Ubian. Because they do not fear the
Curse which should lay Elarian, and because Ubian notices the strategical
importance of the Isle, they allow these refugees to colonize the isle. Galadion
was attacked by the thakal (although by Tegarend's thakal, who had been pushing
northwards because of Kardde's thakal attacking Taradon from the South) and had
lost the settlers in Natari's kingdom and everything south of the Bay of
Galadion. Galadion, which had been betrayed by several great army commanders who
had joined sides with the thakal after sacrificing their armies, became harsh in
its treatment of fighters of Tegarend (or who they thought to be so) and closed
its country against outsiders (because the Ubian fleet had helped Allando and
not Galadion). When after the Lightning Strike all countries were called to the
Covenant, Galadion didn't come.
The Third Age started without Galadion, and it didn't exist much longer, because
on the Covenant meeting, the other rulers had allowed Ubian to conquer it
because every other country had attempted sending messengers and never had one
returned. It was clear that they thought themselves to be alone on the world and
that every other country was an enemy. The Fultor leader, realizing that he is
cut off from his country without his large fleet, knowing that that fleet is
currently in hands of Ubian and blockading his cities, Ubian colonized the
coastal lines until they reached the Wold of Pain, and then assimilated the
Galadion cities. After a century, most of North-Galadion was in hands of Ubian,
and on Sowan 8 of 146 TA, Galadion city itself falls into hands of Ubian during
the reign of Queen Maraie II, who renames her country The Northern Realm, a
realm from the utter east of Andalion (although still endangered by thakals from
Taradon, but the entire country of Galadion was reconquered on those thakal) to
the utter west of Andalion (although still in hands of former enemies and very
loose allies of TNR). 3 centuries after the Covenant, The Northern Realm still
lays claim to the same countries, but its hold has strengthened in the West
(where the fulltor have become one with the Ubian people through
intermarriaging, and where Aglarond, once founded by refugees from Sarn Danat,
joins Ubian and is renamed to Elir), in the South, where colonists from Martar
explore the river Einan further south than Sarn Gelamir (where some refugees
from Sarn Milet still live, and which is enlarged to a great City), in its
middle, where many people settle, and in the far East, where much of the Wold of
Pain is chopped and settled (because the Nazuri which once lived there almost
all fell under the thakal axes). During the next 3 centuries, little changes in
the Northern Realm. The same lines on the map apply (except for Muridan, which
is added on the map up to the Statue of Ignir) but more people expand to the
country instead of the coastal lines. In 546-612, a great campaign of many
Galadan nobles ends in the re-taking of the old Alliance lands of Borth Taradon
up to the river Tarvadon.
The Bold Strike doesn't hit TNR quite as hard as all other countries of
Andalion, hiding as it is behind the backs of all the people of the Alliance and
Allando. They lose control of Danaion and most of the territories of Galadion,
but most of these losses were only country, not people (who fled to the Bay of
Galadion, which is almost unconquerable), and were quickly retaken. While
nowadays most countries are failing their long war against Kardde, TNR makes
some victories against Tegarend's Taradon, which was again conquered to the
Tarvadon in 1043.
D) Military Comparison Between TNR and Allando
The Land armies of TNR depend on the swift strokes delivered by their cavalry,
so any army able to counter the hit and fade attacks of the light cavalry
horsebows and the heavy brunt of the knights is on its way to victory. Allando,
however strange because they don't depend on a ground army, is the only army
that was able to compose a succesfull counter-manoeuvre to these horses : the
turtle. The only problem is that, while a turtle of heavy-infantery stops you
from losing it doesn't exactly win your battle : if you lose, your entire army
will be crushed, and if you win, you can't destroy the routing units because of
the encumberment of your soldiers.
The Allandon army has 2 strong points : the heavy infantery and the engineers,
who have constructed the best siege machines / ballistas ever seen .
The TNR army has 2 other strong points : the large number of soldiers (instead
of a massive fleet they have a ground army) and the large number of cavalerists,
who storm down a hill, shoot arrows, disappear along the flanks, while a second
wave crushes on the infantery a third wave starts and after that 3 wave the
first returns, and when the first rows start routing the heavy cavalry charges
and breaks the resistence (only the hoplites of the Allandan infantery are known
to be able to stop this, protecting themselves with a turtle and the protecting
the flanks so the waves can't go on.
E) The Alliance
<<< Map of the Alliance is pretty hard, a map of each of them separated >>>
I.E.1 Composition of the Alliance of Free People
The Alliance is composed of several countries ('counties'), named to the nine
leaders of the original Alliance Pact (TA -120) [it was mainly the idea to take
a few retainers with one, and recruit heavily in the regions one passed through,
before settling at one's dedicated position]: Mador (who stayed at Andirion),
Toran (who went to North Taradon), Ulfar (South Taradon), Teboral (Londiar),
Tatvion (Talurion), Barol (who went to Ofaran), Otzial (who occupied the hills
in Ofaran), Utzian (who stayed at his normal dwarven hold but defending the
region like all other Alliance chiefs) and Metari (who served the Alliance as
chief defence against the thakal who hold their own in the Wood of Telemnar,
from where they can erupt in every direction). These chiefs were the leaders of
the Alliance in TA -120, but not every Alliance country was founded at the same
moment, and Ulfar, Teboral and Barol (and their successors) aided the Alliance
countries before they went to their own positions.
I.E.2 More on each separated Alliance country
Madors' county is located at the Bay of Urtvan (after the Covenant renamed to
Andirion and the Bay of Andirion) and is mostly composed of humans. They are led
by the Master of Spears, who is also the Lord Captain Commander of the Alliance
(as Mador was) until 1040 TA. Its military power is located in its heavy
infantery and great warfleets and transport fleet (to ship Andirion troops to
wherever they are needed). Its capital is Orinia (at the mouth of the Orin), but
other important cities are Cidiria (at the mouth of the little Orin) and Emicia,
Travaria, Matiria, Arsidia, Vertilia.
The name Andirion (from Anan : fire and direin : to defend = defender against
fire) is first mentioned at the Great Covenant, when survivors of Feranat and
Baïron, and adventurous people from Allando decide to recolonize the bay of
Urtvan (afterwards called the Bay of Andirion). Its capital city was raised on
the ruins/foundations of Baïron, and is called Orinia. In honor of the
governments of the two elder countries, and unwilling to follow the Allandan
example of an Empire, they decide to opt for a democracy! They are ruled by a
council of 4, and when deciding, there is a necessity of 3 YES votes for
success. When, in an important situation, there is a 2-2, a fifth person is
called to decide (only once per fifth person). Every councillor rules for 4
years (unless voted away by the three others) and is then replaced by someone
else (after votes from the 100 choosers (the 100 most important men from the
country (who haven't been a councillor before). Every year one is replaced.
Replaced councillors who have fulfilled their 4 years are avaible for being the
fifth person.
This was a very bad explanation for an easy idea:
A typical year :
The 100 most important people of the country (55 noblemen [of many minor houses
and 6 greater houses : House Orinia, House Tabor, House Bruar, House Viduga,
House Celeda and House Emecar], 15 guild leaders, 20 merchants and 10 army
commanders [the 8 captain commanders, the banner commander and the fleet
admiral]) vote for a councillor. He replaces the councillor who ruled 4 years
(the three others should have ruled 3, 2 and 1 year). Even if a councillor
replaces someone who died after 3 and 1/2 year, the replacement may rule only
1/2 year. Ex-councillors may be called by the council when an important decision
must be token during a deadlock 2-2.
Andirion started as a small country [Mador's county was founded before the
Alliance Pact by survivors from Baïron in TA -130 and had been called Andirion
at TA 1], merely occupying the north-coast of the bay of Urtvan. After 150
years, it had grown to occupy the east-coast of that bay, including most of the
roads towards the Otzian's mountains [the dwarfs from Otzia had kept themselves
always away from strife, having decided that their was no profit in war,
although they always sheltered refugees and fought everyone who entered their
mountains armed]. During the two centuries after this growth, they didn't expand
very much, including part of the land's edge between the Bay of Landir and the
Bay of Urtvan, sending troops as they were towards the other Alliance countries.
When Molinat was again failing against Taradon, they occupied the few regions of
Molinat that hadn't fallen under the sway of Tegarend, but they couldn't keep
them against the thakal pressure (although the thakal couldn't keep them
either), and Molinat became a deserted place. Sometimes, the thakal passed it
during raids and sometimes, Andirion and Allandan troops patrolled it, but no
country dared lay claim to it.
During the Bold Strike, Andirion was completely destroyed, but many people were
able to flee to the Otzian mounts and the Alfaian Heights, and after the thakal
hordes had been destroyed, they re-settled their old steeds with the same
stubbornness as the Baïran from yonder days had done.
Toran's county is also composed of humans, has a very large cavalry and
infantery army but no fleet, and is located in North Taradon, toward the border
with Taradon and Galadion. Its capital City is Glosaran. North Taradon was part
of the alliance, got destroyed during a large attack by Taradon several years
after it was founded (Alliance Date 37, North Taradon date 15). Most refugees
went to Galadion, where some family names and traditions still mostly go back to
the alliance times. Reconquered by TNR and resettled by descendants of these
refugees in TA 887.
Ulfars' county is located in South Taradon and should guard the world against
Kardde's thakals. It has much heavy infantery. Its capital city is Faratan. TA
256. After 500 years Ulfaran is destroyed by Kardde's bold strike and is only
resettled in TA 996.
Teboral's county is based in Londiar (at the red plains) at Alondë and
Targaban. TA 58
Tatvion's county is located in Talurion at Talurion city
Barols' county is located in Ofaran (Melian is its capital). TA 374
Otzials' county is located in the foothills of the Spine of the World (close to
Ofaran) and is composed of dwarves. Iatzalonian is the name of the main cave
grotto.
Utzian's County is located in the mountains between Talurion and Londiar,
Metari's county is located in the very south-west of the Wood of Telemnar
and is composed mainly of Nazuri. Capital grove is Matari.
Actually the names of the Alliance counties and their main regions are the same.
This comes because before the Alliance and the recolonization of some parts of
South-Andalion, the SE of Andalion was called the Forbidden Plains (regardless
of location), and the SW was called the Red Plains (also those parts where no
combat had occured during the Great Wars). Some centuries after the Alliance had
been founded (+/- 400 TA) most of the Alliance people want to live without the
idols of the past (of course changing them to new idols, people after all still
being people) and change the names from their counties (which were still called
after the original Founders) to real country names, and the regions in which
they were located are changed in documents to the names of those countries (e.g.
Bay of Andirion, the region Talurion, Londiar)
I.E.3 Chain of Command of the Six Alliance Armies
Lord Captain Commander All 6 armies
Banner Commander Army 8 divisions
Captain Commander Division 4 regiment
Lord Captain Regiment 5 company
Sword Captain Company 5 battalions
Lieutenant Battalion 100 men
+ -----------
480000
Master of Spears Pallan Ovinar : Lord Captain Commander Andirion 8
Grand Admiral Dardon Si'tron : Banner Commander Londiar 8
High Lady Sarda Ongar : Banner Commander Talurion 8
High General Sefaton Masardon : Banner Commander Ofaran 6
Mistress of Ships Anla Sitan : captain - Commander Ofaran 6
Lord Commander Erich Bercam : Banner Commander South-Taradon 8
Grand Captain Gaherin Otlom : Captain - Commander South Taradon 4
The Lord Captain Commander of the Alliance was (until 1040 TA) the Master of
Spears of Andirion (as leader of a 'council') and usually a member of House
Orinia. After the 4th attempt of House Orinia to rule instead of 'council'
Andirion and the Alliance, they are stripped of this great political power and
reduced to 'merely ' a noble family (instead of being one of the two Great
Houses who founded the Alliance -> the members of the other house usually were
important military commanders, whereas master of spears, although sounding
pretty martial, is just another word for 'king' / leader). Now any banner
commander (actually, any citizen of the alliance but preferably not in Ofaran or
Lower Taradon, because both regions are too unstable) can become LCC and
'leader' (councillor) of the Alliance.
TA 2 : First attempt of House Orinia to take all power in Alliance fails
TA 118-123 : Second attempt of House Orinia to become absolute rulers. After
many battles, Orinia surrenders to House Bruar and House Viduga,
without withdrawing its claims on 'kingdom' of the Alliance [they
are the most important house left from the sack of Baïron, whereas
both Viduga as Bruar are 'imported' nobles].
TA 350 : Orinia is returned to its earlier power as the High Seat of House
Orinia is again Master of Spears of Andirion.
TA 848-972 : Third Orinia attempt is succesfull (although Ofaran and Lower
Taradon temporarily withdraw from the Alliance until the end of
this take-over [temp. : their words : they though the other houses
would act sooner than they did]). After a couple of asassinations,
House Orinia is without strong High Seat (only male family member,
Adon, remaining in the main branch is 5 years old and the son of
the last claimant who died in a strange hunting accident) [male :
only men can be High Seat of an Alliance House due to the warrior-
like task of the High Seat in borderlands].
TA '00-42 : Lord Adon Orinia (TA 967 - 1042) is LCC and MoS and HC of
Andirion.
TA '42-54 : Lord Kapal (979-1054) of House Tabor is LCC
TA '55-79 : Lord Dimon (1004-1087) of House Tabor is LCC. He is deposed after
a small revolution because it seemed LCC was again becoming
Heridetaric as under the Orinia's
TA '80-03 : Lord Barmal (1025-1103) of House Bruar becomes LCC
TA '03-11 : Pallan Ovinar (1056-1111+) becomes LCC
F) The Sorcerers
I.F.1 Names of the original sorcerers :
- Drayvid [Gal]
Irrina Ombarend(F) [Ub]
Ytraq [Gat]
Setrofan Hafflan [Al]
Pogran(+) [An]
Lladar [Gal]
Thoriga(F) [Gal]
Gaie Essar(F +) [Ub]
Ulfin(+) [Gat]
Ulforan(+) [Gat]
Wotor [Al]
Efaron(+) [An]
Hadar [Gal] are humans
- Otzuh
Iatzial are dwarves
- Maturi(+)
Owori are nazuri
- Onasat(+)
Aseotaon are meosa
Drayvids' battle spear : halberd with broadsword and 2 battle axes, accidentaly
forming a cross, the symbol of Isangar and once each 10 years shown in a
procession (on a cart)
I.F.2 Artifacts
Deb-Ring : When enclosed in a Deb-ring (to be enclosed you must be assailed by
someone with a unused mind strength higher than yours (weaving
fluxes, thinking, ... all uses mind)) your basic spirit loses its
corporeal appearance and is immediately stunned and shielded for a
couple of minutes.
Embodiment : a spirit can be imprisoned or can go in a body (which stops
'living' : no more aging). Problem herewith is dreaming : nobody in a body can
enter the dreamworld Igongar.
Foci : Come from isangar, blood-red stones in the form of an 8. They are
the petrified 'fruits' of the Xaral-a carnivorous plant (Xaral is thakal
for eating tree) 1000 years after the fruits have ripened, they are
petrified and are surged to the surface of the marsh where they can be
harvested for a couple of hours before that years' harvest resinks to the
bottom for another century. They are wanted because of their strange
reaction in contact with living matter : When it is attached to a living
being, it is absorbed by the body, but the being is controlled by the one
who enchanted the Xaral-fruits before it was attached. As long as the
being lives on, it is a sleeper agent for the one who controls him, but
after a couple of months, the controlled body starts to wither unless the
mind of the controlled body is strong enough, in which case the stone
decays.
Dreamwand : Made by Tegarend and enables its user to open a gate to the
reflection of where he is in the dreamworld, but you cannot move
very far from that gate, either being blocked by suddenly very
viscous air or by fear of losing the dreamwand, and dying when your
unnourrished comatose body dies.
I.F.3 The 4 Houses of Fluxweaving
4 Major Houses of Flux-weaving : These were created by 4 of the Main Sorcerers
House of Lladar is specialized in Water magic
House of Otzuh is specialized in Earth Magic
House of Aseotaon is specialized in Fire Magic
House of Owori is specialized in Air Magic
House of Drayvid is specialized in the destructive aspects of the 4 kinds of
magic, and produces battlemagi and the guardians for the Vdini.
Although each category was founded by a member of a different race, this does
not mean only members of that race are allowed to enter that house of course.
I.F.4 Sorcerer rules after the Great Wars
* Every magic user (latent or not) must come to Isangar before his twenty-
fifth birthday, and when accepted as mage, must come when Isangar calls.
* The tales from the first age must not be recorded, except by the Magi
themselves (you may think of a reason)
* Isangar is forbidden for non-magic users
* The human nations must come when Isangar calls a convocation of the free
people.
All magi need a tattoo (given in Isangar, placed on their left upper arm). These
tattoos are magical and cannot be removed (are given after they enter the school
of their choice, when they finish their training (or be finished...) another
tattoo in placed on their other arm). There are 6 tattoos : 1 for each House,
and one for Guardians (see below). The only spellcasters currently without
tattoo are the magi of shadow, darkfriend spellcasters and Atratus.
Important to note somewhere is the fact that almost no-one remembers what
happened in the FA. the Sorcerers have control of almost all the lore there has
ever been. The rest of mankind have only scraps of tales, myths, and songs left,
since no-one of the Sorcerers has ever been seen wandering in the world, like
they did before the Covenant, after the SA. (before the covenant and the end of
the second age, the Sorcerers sometimes left Isangar in search for mighty
artifacts that had been lost in the many fights during the end of the first and
the beginning of the second age, in which many Sorcerers participated. The
original use of the artifacts would have been the focusing of the flux, or
gathering of the Power, but nowadays the few that still remain in the hoards of
the darklords and the archmages are used to prevent the backlash from their
fluxweaving. This is the only way known to man to prevent selfdestruction by
magic-using. It is suspected that the Nazuri have a (better and commoner)
protection against this Taintment, but the means are not known. The Nazuri have
seen what centuries of spellcasting have done to the world and try to disallow
any spellcasting. The meosa were not present during the first age and have no
knowledge of it. The only reason they fight the Vdini is their craving for
heroism and fame (craving for bringing LAW AND ORDER to the world?). the nazuri
(even the tarloth : apparently my name for the 'good' nazuri) are unwilling to
open their archives for human eyes, since they think it would start a new round
of wars. They are not afraid from The Dark Ones because of their unlimited
knowledge of the forests they inhabit. They think not even a Vdini himself would
be able to weave enough flux to capture their forests.
I.F.5 The Prison of Crystal Bars
How are the Vdini 'captured/imprisoned' : they are shielded & kept in a stasis
field (because if they just had to be shielded, entire Isangar would have to
keep the shield). A fraction of all possible weavers can become 'guardians'. At
any time, there must be 14 guardians in the Room of Silence (a giant hall inside
the Prison of crystal bars, which is itself a giant tower in the compound of
Drayvid's House). Several other possible guardians are 'kept' in the higher
rooms of this tower, where they train student-guardians (only those few with the
talent can or want to learn this). Whenever one of the 14 dies, one of these
teachers is send down to the Room of Silence to take his place. They don't
object to this, because for them, this is all they know. It is magi from outside
who are guardians-in-potentia who sometimes chafe at being kept from the world
and being 'virtually' imprisoned (up to 1000 TA no-one marked as a guardian had
ever escaped Isangar or custody from another mage wandering outside Isangar,
until Atratus had been found - maybe the fact that Atratus is a guardian means
he can 'easier' fight with Vdini because a prime requisite of being a guardian
is see-the-ethereal [aura vision]).
In the Room of Silence, the Vdini are trapped in their ethereal forms. The
Balega Tísura [Prison of Crystal Bars] is divided in two concentric circles (one
inside the other). The Outer circle can only be passed by a 'disembodied mind'
(in other words : only unshielded Vdini or demons could attempt this), the inner
circle can only be traversed by a mindless body controlled from without.
When a new guardian enters (he has to cross the room to enter the exact center
of the room), his body is shielded by outer magi to pass the Outer Circle and
his mind is shielded by the inner magi when he attempts to cross the Inner
Circle to reach the Focus Crystal. Afterwards, such a magi cannot leave (the
inner magi might shield him so he could reach the Outer Circle, but the outer
magi would not aid him in traversing the Outer Circle). Because they have to
guard, they cannot sleep. Every morning a group of magi come and give the
guardians 'energy' and 'food'. The Room is a perfect circle, and its walls (and
dome) are perfect mirroring one-way glass (so the healers are invisible for the
guardians).
Whenever a mind-creature (Vdini, Daemons, demons, angels) dies, his 'PU, magical
energy, mana' is entered in that place. Usually it gets thinned by the
environment and becomes impossible to use (although it sometimes still triggers
and grants somebody (mostly unconscious spellcasters) a wish), but once a Vdini
died when a Crystal (other 'stones' could do the same thing) was closeby.
Karis's energy was caught and funneled toward the crystal by Lladar Sorcerer,
who was able to use the captured energy as his own.
[When Tegarend and other Vdini were freed, Ofran Palran was capable only of
shielding 3 darkdwarfs, so only 3 Vdini could be rescued (the dwarfs'minds
weren't shielded and they were obliterated when they entered the Inner Circle).
Palran meanwhile released his shielding spell and killed several of the
guardians, enough to allow the still-shielded Tegarend, Ugandar and Smàdé to
take over the collapsed bodies of the dwarfs, move to the exit where Ofran
waited (of course shielded in the Outer Circle) and leave the Prison. When the
left the Room of Silence, they saw a large army of darkdwarfs fighting with a
couple of regiments of Isangar troops and several battle-magi. While Palran
joined the fray, the Vdini crossed the courtyard of Chalcedony and entered the
Tower of Might. They raised the Stairways until they reached the Highest level,
where the storerooms of artifacts and the rooms of the current Arch-mage
chancellor of Isangar and Protector of Drayvid's House are. There, on the
doorstep of the mightiest man in Andalion, with barely dissipating shields, they
confronted Odon Drayvidion and the council of Battlemagi and utterly destroyed
them (only one senior battlemage, Cobat Diden'dron survived this slaughter
because he was fighting Ofran Palran in the Courtyard, and became leader of the
wolves later). The Vdini took several greater artifacts (including the
dreamwand) and left for the Black Keep before more magi arrived]
I.F.6 The Magi of the Ring
Recently founded sub-group of the Sorcerers who do no longer aim at controlling
and defeating the Vdini but controling the world (still fighting against the
Vdini but also all other free people). Settled in Armolin (capital city of
Molinat, which they call Olangar (country of the Ring)).
G) Important People (present day, history and legends)
I.G.1 Important people in Allando
Vorond VI : King of Allando [16]
Tudor Al'chan : Grand High Trefal and Supreme General of the Allandan
Standing Army and Fleet, Lord of Mercy, member of the
North Allando Council [12]
Wuluag Tibren : Supreme Fleet Commander of the Allandan Fleet, Grand
Admiral of the Landir Fleet, Leader of the Fighters of
Tegarend, member of the North Allando Council [13]
Gaidon Ta'dair : Prince of Faralan [15]
Ta'por Da'kain : High Priest of Holy Temple in Landir, member of the
North Allando Council
Arond (V) : Crown Prince of Allando [16]
Tidon Armaian : Archbishop of the Reformed Church of Alam'shol in
Vestingal, fighter of Tegarend, member of the South Allando
Council [14]
Tetron Il'jedu : High Trefal and Kings' Supervisor in Vestingal, member
of the South Allando Council [12]
Alconder : Representative of the Merchants, Peddlers and Associated
Desalles Trades' Guild and the richest man in Vestingal, fighter
of Tegarend and member of the South Allando Council [13]
Ickdor Si'sain : Grand Admiral of the Firiem Fleet, member of the South
Allando Council [12]
Verdun Londaru : Banner Commander and Chief Barhim [18]
Torol Sârn : Royal Chamberlain, member of the North Allando Council,
Leader of the Western Tegarend Armies [14]
Seftan Ar'fan : Akitro Grandmaster of the Ring of Swords, Lord of Mercy,
member of the North Allando Council [17]
Mido Si'tan : High Trefal of the Burûat, Leader of the Mucaria Cadre
of the Western Tegarend Armies [14]
Madan Lo'bue : Grand Admiral of the Withym Fleet, fighter of Tegarend [11]
Kerron Der'dan : Admiral of the Vestingal Fleet [13]
Mordun Gre'fin : Admiral of the Fondar Fleet
Akh-morat Gunaya: Captain Commander and Chief Barhim of North Allando,
Sisoffen fighter of Tegarend, member of the North Allando Council [14]
Bern Tavorn : Kings' Councillor and member of the North Allando
Council [11]
Gûllën Di'fein : Kings' councillor and member of the North Allando Council
Jaino Ga'dor : Duke of Withym [17]
Tedon Ta'dair : Duke of Ilion [17]
Iano Dorial : Duke of Cithiel [16]
Metrim Si'dair : Earl of Nitowi and Marado, Duke of Landir
Thobald Ar'fan : Duke of Klanach [15]
Regal Amondo : High Priest of Holy Temple in Faralan [12]
Bearn Mitren : Bishop of Reformed Church of Alam'shol in Firiem,
fighter of Tegarend [13]
Ybdan Va'vrysek : Battlemage of Drayvids' House, Ambassador of Isangar in Landir
Karat Omvor : Ambassador of TNR in Landir, younger brother of Kasatil Omvor [16]
Ovak Tronhil : Ambassador of Andirion in Landir
Barran Vo'rekka : Admiral of the Tabani Fleet [14]
Lostar Kanachi : Admiral of the Valion Fleet, fighter of Tegarend [15]
Heino Ti'fein : Admiral of the Effyr Fleet
Meran Al'cadar : Inquisitor Captain Commander Chief Barhim of South-Allando,
member of the South Allando Council
Dirno Sa'sain : Captain Commander and Chief Barhim of Buruat [14]
Mesto Ty'inu : Thaladar master armorer of the Ring of Swords [15]
Domas Alfein : Chief Thalarno of the Ring of Swords
Tibor Hafflan : Earl of Valion and Cair Atalon, Duke of the Mark [17]
Toram Ta'dair : Earl of Konach
Mirien Ti'fein : Earl of Thoria and Firiem, Duke of Halifiriem
Pitron Sognin : Earl of Kiliar [18]
Toban Ti'fein : Duke of Fondor [15]
Svedo Ti'falon : Earl of Mucaria
Tifar Gai'san : Duke of Vestingal [13]
Ivold Ga'dor : Duke of Okaria
Barthel Runiar : Trefal, commander of the Faralan Ta'dair army [18]
Ivon Ter'fein : Trefal and commander of the South Buruat forces [16]
Londi Al'chor : Trefal and commander of the North Buruat Forces [18]
Medon Sa'pair : Trefal and commander of the Valion forces
Ilven Mi'trein : Trefal and commander of the Allando Alliance forces
Gurat Maglat : Trefal and commander of the Landir forces, fighter of
Tegarend [16]
Melchor Hurien : Trefal and commander of the Variat Forces
Tybern Nuvval : Trefal and commander of the Vestingal Forces, FoT [15]
Qurit Vianen : High Priest of Holy Temple in Valion
Davon Brittyn : Al-min of the Followers of the Prophet
Inuit Di'tean : High Priest of Holy Temple in Klanach
Al'aca Nihuderonden : Alqualondan bard and spymaster of King Vorond [13]
Ledo Uni'vato : Grand Senechal of the Ring of Swords [17]
Genar Gai'san : Master of Arms of the Ring of Swords
Baram Ans'olo : Keeper of Sigils of the Ring of Swords, fighter of Tegarend [14]
Massar Donlevi : Leader of the Hand of tegarend [?]
Mithan Ar'fan : Earl of Effyr
Alfion Mitren : Earl of Foriys
Toban Sepoka : Earl of Modani, fighter of Tegarend [14]
Tafal Gai'san : Earl of Feranat [17]
Pudor Sognin : Earl of Tabani
Pietron Ga'dor : Earl of Kolar, fighter of Tegarend [13]
Pedon Barsin : Earl of Danae
Maralt Sepoka : Earl of Lunach [16]
Piydi U'viana : Rabbi of the Brotherhood of Mardant in Faralan
Vondo Al'chiad : Bishop of Reformed Church of Alam'shol in Kolaria [18Suicide]
Domon Jifa : Abbot of the Brotherhood of Mardant in Withym [17*]
Shashek Ans'olo : Commander of the Adalandë City Guard
Derdron Ka'trap : Captain of the King's Own [16]
Tobias Andrion : Royal Librarian [16]
Gerald Bruaran : Financial magnate and investment advisor, fighter of Tegarend
Irana Kjeldonn : Leader of the Royal Seminary.
Devonn Tre'fein : Steward of Adalandë [13]
1111 : Grand Admiral Withym DF dies during a sea battle with a minor TNR fleet
violating Allandan laws, King's Councillor assassinated
1112 : Grand High Trefal killed during combat in Andirion with a large part of
his army, Vestingal High Trefal and Grand Admiral of Firiem (because not part of
the Vestingal conspiracy against Landir), High Priest Temple Faralan for
information he might have about House It'acan
1113 : Supreme Fleet Commander DF, Merchant from Vestingal DF, Admiral
Vestingal, Bishop Alam'shol Firiem DF after the conspiracy against Vorond IV
fails (as instigators), Theron of Valame and his cronies after their conspiracy
fails (as actors during the war). The conspiracy occured while Vorond IV and a
large part of his army were afield. Steward of Adalandë dies during the Palace
revolution, but when Adalandë rises against the conspirators (due to the
influence of the Holy Temple) with the aid of the Duke of Cithiel and his armies
(who was one of the two army commander of Landir who did not revolt). The
revolution 'started' in Valame (somewhere in Klanach), from where it spread
(with the aid of the Church of Alam'shol) into a great movement, with most of
the army having left Allando, sweeping through the country until Theron was
crowned in Adalandë and subsequently beheaded. The Church of Alam'shol and the
'true rulers' of Vestingal were defeated in battle and fled, the true 'leaders'
of the rebellion were killed by a mob
1114 : Archbishop of Alam'shol DF, Chamberlain DF, High Trefal Buruat, Chief
Barhim North Allando DF had fled with most of their loyal troops to Eledon
(after driving away the Allando troops in the Buruat fortresses) Eledon, which
had grown immensively but fell against the Landir and Ubian troops under command
of Judge Kasatil Omvor
1115 : Prince of Faralan, Duke Klanach die during combat
1116 : King of Allando, Crown-Prince of Allando, Duke Cithiel, Tobias Andrion
(wanted to fight because his lore alone wouldn't help if the battles were lost),
captain of King's own (with most of his troops) die in the defeat of the First
Allando army at Endimol, TNR Ambassador just dies
1117 : Grandmaster Ring Swords, Duke Ilion, Duke Withym, during combat in
Molinat, going down with most of the Ring of Swords while separated from the
rest of the armies.
1118 : Chief Barhim during combat against Tegarend in Taradon together with
Atratus
Massar Donlevi will die during an assassination attempt which would be
succesfull but for an unforseenable heroic action ?
I.G.2 Important People from The Northern Realm
Galandrie Anor, Queen of the Northern Realm (f) [18]
Natdrae Anor, Mother Superior of the Mother Church of Nadaré & Nudaré, abbess of
Seminary of the Mother Church (Aunt of Elymata Anor) (f) [11]
Thormon Am'injon, Captain-Commander of the Ubian Barhim (m)
Kasamja Ensor, Captain-Commander of the Galadion Barhim (m)
Gasatird Emend, Al-min of the Followers of the Prophet (m)
Darrint Inbarir, *Fighter of Tegarend* Bishop of Holy Reformed Church of
Aramshol in Marand (m)
Salandrar Inar, Rabbi of the Brotherhood of Mardant (m)
Kasatil Omvor, father of the Queen, earl of Ubian, fleet commander, member of
the Military Staff (m) [18]
Natsler Erirerd, earl of Martar and Gelmir and Duke of Maraían, married into
Essar (m)
Masja Essar, High seat of house Essar (f)
Narret Invar, Duke of Roy-Ubian, son of Vara Invar (m)
Kagid Emir, *Fighter of Tegarend* earl of Varver, duke of Muridan, married into
Isir (m)
Sharea Isir, High seat of house Isir (f)
Uvor Gai'san, earl of Irajend, married into Arar (m)
Kasie Arar, High seat of house Arar (f)
Irtar Invir, count of Alser, lord of mercy, married into Assorer (m)
Narlandrea Assorer, High seat of house Assorer (f)
Shasher Iror, earl of Roy, husband of Natae Anor, son of... (m)
Elysid Ariror, earl of Elir, married into Imor (m)
Dasae Imor, High seat of house Imor (f)
Gadral Imor, Fulltor Leader, earl of Gaserd and Duke of the Donerlad, married
into Orsir (m)
Saaja Orsir, High seat of house Orsir (f)
Natvaril Anor, count of Irsar, married into Ombarend (m)
Magarae Ombarend, High seat of house Ombarend (f)
Elytarer Onbor, count of Magarar, married into Inand (m)
Garrinja Inand, High seat of house Inand (f)
Elal Orar, *Fighter of Tegarend* count of Varend, Earl of Taribon, married into
Arber (m)
Irgaraja Arber, High seat of house Arber (f)
Melsher Ansor, *Fighter of Tegarend* Prince of Galadion and duke of Marand,
married into Iror (m)
Alie Iror, High seat of house Iror (f)
Dawarar Amvor, earl of Elend, married into Arser (m)
Sadrie Arser, High seat of house Arser (f)
Kaset Arser, earl of Elavar and duke of Varian, married into Amand (m)
Masatja Amand, High seat of house Amand (f)
Gawarart Amberand, *Fighter of Tegarend* advisor of the earl of Elavar, leader
of the Ubian fighters of Tegarend (m)
Kasel Anaror, count of Irgend, son of... (m)
Maalerd Irvir, count of Garedir, married into Asviror (m)
Irsamaie Asviror, High seat of house Asviror (f)
Varvaril Anor, count of Marvir, earl of Olfirin, married into Ervar (m)
Katamaie Ervar, High seat of house Ervar (f)
Irvarid Ansirar, count of Kagir, married into Anber (m)
Dartaga Anber, High seat of house Anber (f)
Alvared Emar, count of Kasend, married into Imer (m)
Nargea Imer, High seat of house Imer (f)
Narwaril Isar, *Fighter of Tegarend* count of Sasir, married into Omor (m)
Natlea Omor, High seat of house Omor (f)
Melger Esvor, count of Masand, earl of Masan, married into Onarar (m)
Elyvarje Onarar, High seat of house Onarar (f)
Goran Ta'dair, count of Alvor, married into Enardor (m)
Kattamje Enardor, High seat of house Enardor (f)
Kat Omor, count of Katard, married into Enser (m)
Naaja Enser, High seat of house Enser (f)
Elytar Ervoror, count of Maror, married into Ersor (m)
Kasamae Ersor, High seat of house Ersor (f)
Erich Otlom, count of Shamend, married into Emseror (m)
Natsaja Emseror, High seat of house Emseror (f)
Katad Ersor, count of Karaserd, married into Ervoror (m)
Nawarja Ervoror, High seat of house Ervoror (f)
Shalandrid Invirand, count of Varmarerd, married into Arsoror (m)
Shatagea Arsoror, High seat of house Arsoror (f)
Marwarand Esbar, count of Garanir, married into Issirir (m)
Nadraie Issirir, High seat of house Issirir (f)
Altaril Arsir, count of Elagerd, married into Assorand (m)
Kasha Assorand, High seat of house Assorand (f)
Datamat Enardor, *Fighter of Tegarend* count of Elaterd, married into Esvirir (m)
Elatie Esvirir, High seat of house Esvirir (f)
Darlandrand Erirerd, count of Natir, son of... (m)
Mesamir Onarar, count of Mardar, married into Emanderd (m)
Elasandje Emanderd, High seat of house Emanderd (f)
Tobian Ul'fur, *Fighter of Tegarend* count of Masar, married into Onarar (m)
Narsea Onarar, High seat of house Onarar (f)
Gartal Orber, count of Sagar, married into Anberand (m)
Maaja Anberand, High seat of house Anberand (f)
Dar Anberand, count of Gader, married into Orber (m)
Dasamie Orber, High seat of house Orber (f)
Maalant Enardar, member of the Military staff, military genius (m)
Martamand Orerand, *Fighter of Tegarend* Maalant Enardar's second in command (m)
Vara Invar, retired Natar Alsor, member of the Military Staff (f)
Dashind Imar, Allando Expert, member of the Military Staff, lord of mercy (m)
Darmata Iror, unemployed Nudara, member of the Military Staff (f)
Salandra Arser, spymaster, member of the Military Staff, husband of Elytagae (m)
Varlea Onvir, Thakal expert, member of the military staff, lady of mercy (f)
Narta Imsorar, court mage, member of the military staff (f)
Nasae Orborir, Protector of Truth, member of the military Staff (f)
Elygar Irand, Alliance expert, member of the military staff (m)
Martagind Anorend, Leader of the band of mercenaries called The Band of the Hawk (m)
Metarat Asborand, Commander of the Knights of Valor (m)
Darl Isand, Blademaster of the Knights of Valor (m)
Dasandad Arsirand, Quartermaster of the army of the Northern Realm (m)
Katvarat Irandand, *Fighter of Tegarend* Parademaster of the army of the
Northern Realm (m)
Shagea Asser, Captain of the guard (f)
Kawaraja Ansor, Queen's bodyguard, Natar Alsor (f)
Nitonu Al'diran, High trefal and ambassador in TNR of Allando (m)
Deron Hacdur, Alliance ambassador in TNR (m)
Goran Drayvidion, battlemage of Drayvids' House, ambassador of Isang*Fighter of
Tegarend*m)
Elymata Anor, mother of the Queen, Keeper of the Books (=accountant ;) (f)
Nashae Invar, Librarian of the Great Library of Ubian, daughter of Vara Invar (f)
Varraja Arar, +1008, Protector of Truth, Lady of Mercy, daughter of Irgatir
Arar, Natar Nudara, friend of Kata Anor (f)
Algart Esarer, Guild leader of the Bankers, member of the Brotherhood of Mardant (m)
Nant Isorand, Biggest shipping magnate in TNR (m)
Sal Ensirerd, *Fighter of Tegarend* owner of a large string of inns throughout
the country (m)
Kawared Arsir, playwright (m)
Kamatie Erbarand, First Maid of TNR (f)
Iraja Asvir, head of the Royal Academy (f)
Garlar Emor, mayor of Roy (m)
Kashert Erirerd, mayor of Ubian (m)
Gand Omvarir, Director of the Royal Mint (m)
Garja Orand, diplomatical relations officer (f)
Natvarje Asir, *Fighter of Tegarend* Information liasons (f)
Elasarand Anbirend, composer (m)
I.G.4 Meosa
Emperor of the Flame Empire
Tribal Chiefs
Lore-masters
Empress of the Water Empire Tribal Chiefs (male/female)
Lore-mistresses (wise-ones)
I.G.5 Alliance
Pallan Ovinar : Lord Captain Commander of the six alliance armies and
Master of Spears of Andirion, Lord of Mercy
Gevon Malchon : Banner Commander of the First Alliance Army
Duran Fri'eith : Admiral of the Andirion Alliance Fleet
Dardon Si'tron : Banner Commander of the Third Alliance Army and Grand
Admiral of the First Alliance Fleet in Londiar and Ofaran,
Lord of Mercy
Sarda Ongar : High Lady of Talurion, Banner Commander of the Second
Alliance Army and Lady of Mercy
Hanlo Sapor : Grand Admiral of the Second Alliance Fleet in Talurion and
Andirion
Sefaton : Banner Commander of the Fourth Alliance Army, High Lord
Masardon of Ofaran, Defender of the Spine of The World, High General of
the Ofaran Combined Armies, Lord of Mercy
Anla Sitan : Lady of Mercy, Mistress of ships, admiral of the Ofaran
Alliance Fleet, captain-commander of the Ofaran Allied Forces
attached to the Fourth Alliance Army
Erich Bercam : Lord commander of Ulfaran, Banner Commander of the Fifth
Alliance Army, Lord of Mercy
Gaherin Otlom : Grand Captain of the Taradon-Ulfaran Border troops, banner
Commander of the Sixth alliance army, Lord of Mercy
Avagrain Da'sich: Admiral of the Ulfaran fleet
Tomon Ti'fein : Captain-commander and chief barhim of Andirion
Ilut Y'frôn : Captain commander and chief barhim of Talurion
I.G.6 Other
Luian Vandor : Hero in the Borderlands, Lord of Mercy
Tobon Rhine : Military Leader of Isangar, Lord of Mercy
Vorn Bodar : Hero in Molinat, Lord of Mercy
Valon Marda : Hero in Buruât Province, Lord of Mercy
Atratus :
Sarn Danat (what is now called Sarn Faralan) was destroyed 1500 years ago (+/-
300 SA) by a great army of other Allandan people (incited by darkfriends because
Tegarend wished the destruction of House It'acan because it was prophecied that
a member of that House would once destroy him. It was easy to incite the other
Allandan people because the Danatians and House It'acan were kind of aloofish,
and occupied a great region alone while the 12 other houses were clustered in
Landir and Klanach, and because they were all followers of the Prophet instead
of the Holy Temple, and because they hadn't come to the north with Setrofan
Hafflan but alone, later, and with a lot of people from the Bay of Urtvan).
After the destruction of Sarn Danat, the name of House It'acan was removed from
all scrolls and gradually forgotten (except in the CoW). Many of the survivors
have settled again after this disaster (Elir (or at least the earlier name
(Aglarond), because it was only changed name when it became part first of the
Fulltor Donerlad empire and later of TNR), city of Ignir's statue and Gelmir),
but several of the other survivors (including the House servants who had saved
the youngest son of Borin It'acan) decided never to settle again in a city but
to wander forever on earth.
He has a pendant, which is actually an artifact (eye of the daemon he calls it
(although it is called the Eye of Killrog), which minimizes the effects of
healing with the flux, and the effect of the taint, and allows the bearer to
weave 2 additional flux-'threads'), which was given to him by his parents when
the thakal attacked them. When the mage in the party who found Atratus saw the
artifact, he instructed Atratus in Fluxweaving and the use of his artifact (by
using the artifact and only easy flux-weaves to learn to a 4-year old child, he
was able to teach the boy, where normally only 16+ people are allowed to start
study (younger people would not study something that directly harms them,
certainly not a 10-))
Kata also had an artifact, which is called the Tear of the Angel [a heirloom in
the Anor family for the youngest daughter, but how? No Sorcerer ever returned to
Ubian because the road was blocked](actually also a part of Killrog). Instead of
helping a channeler to heal, it helps a non-weaver to heal. Kata helps Atratus
in the village where he killed some boys because of the likeness of their
artifacts (tear fits in the eye) [add a scene where she says something about it
(what is that? Where did you find that, maybe a prophecy about an anor-child
[youngest of her generation] who would meet the bearer of the 'eye that wept',
who would save her life someday - Kasatil Omvor also knows this prophecy and
that is why he agrees with keeping Atratus in the Palace)]
First daemon item looks like an eye without a pupil, the other like the pupil
with a flowing tear (daemons weeping, seems to me rather like an angel,
weeping because his brethren are destroying the hope of their creator)
Prophecy :
When Nudare's wolf joins with Nadare's eye,
Tegarend will finally die,
and the world shall be healed.
-- translated from ancient Mykno by Nashae Invar, author unknown
Atratus Wolfsblade It'acan : Sworn defender of Kata Anor, prophecied to destroy
the Vdini
Pallan Doman : (702 - 740+)
Lived quite a while ago and was from Melial in Barols' county (Ofaran), one of
the most turbulent regions. He died in the second year of the 'Bold Strike' (TA
739-752). During his life he was a sort of loner / mercenary, feared by many for
his bloodthirst and peculiar weapon. This weapon was a positively HUGE
broadsword made from nudamium, the hardest metal alloy known on Andalion. It was
rumoured to be only slightly shorter than Pallan Doman himself, who was about 2
metres tall. With his great strength, Pallan Doman was able to cut through
armoured knights and their horses with one blow from this sword. He lived for
fighting, and was known to fearlessly charge the enemy on his own. He had a real
problem with taking orders and fought with spur-of-the-moment tactics. The most
probable reason for his choosing of such a strange weapon is his early
childhood. A small orphan in a ravaged village, he was picked up by a gang of
mercenaries who taught him nothing but the art of war. Of course, there were no
swords suitable for small children so Pallan Doman had to train with a standard
sword. Interestingly, Pallan Doman never stayed with one band for long. Usually,
once the job was completed he would leave to find another war. Also, although
he was quite famous after a while and was offered high positions, the highest he
ever accepted was to be captain of the forward raiding team.
Daled Anor : Founder of the Royal Family of the Northern Realm / Ubian.
Darja Asbor :
Elysid Imor :
Ignir : The only personal things known about Ignir at the moment are :
He's a man, important enought to get a statue. (TA 147-219)
Narja ** : Red moon named after her - Probably Mythical.
Arvaja ** : Silver moon named after her - Probably Mythical.
Galaja ** : Blue moon named after her - Probably Mythical.
A) The Tale of Years
II.A.1 First Age
FA 0 World Created.
FA 2435 Bargend takes control of a Nazuri and walks around on the world
FA 4980 Mardant creates the first dwarf (Thal Uhtzanh)
FA 6531 Karddé starts to take an interest in the humans.
FA 6818 Mesandar takes an interest in the Nazuri. The xenophobe Nazuri will
follow Mesandar, the others Mardant.
FA 7644 Karddé creates her first Thakal. It dies after a couple of days.
FA 7803 Karis creates her first horde of Thakal
FA 7813 Karis's empire is squished between those of Tegarend, Bargend, Haliané
and Nudare. Karis is caught by Haliané and enslaved.
FA 7925 Karis kills Haliané and takes control of the Burning Sands.
FA 8732 Start of the Muster of Thakal, Nazuri and humans by the Vdini.
FA 8748 Great Wars start
FA 8756 World spell is casted to allow the Sorcerers to catch the Vdini.
Ugandar, Karis and Mesandar have died, Kardde has escaped.
II.A.2 Second Age
SA 3 Grand Sorcerer Setrofan Hafflan is ordered to capture Kardde. He deserts
from the Sorcerers and takes his family and troops to Allando.
SA 4 Karddé tries to bring her armies back to their earlier level and is
tainted. She now calls herself Llamnagh. Grand Sorceress Gaie Essar is
defeated and killed at the Spine of the World
SA 315-The Great Plague is produced by Kardde and kills millions of rebel
319 thakal, Nazuri and humans. Several nations [mainly those that existed in
Gatha and Refalta] are decimated and lost for history.
SA 322 Sarn Danat is destroyed by the armies of the gathered houses of Allando,
because of information planted by the WTA that they caused the Great
Plague. The main reason for Tegarends' attention to Sarn Danat was the
prophecy of the defeat of the Vdini coming from House It'acan, the
ruling House of that city.
The population flees in a number of directions :
NE to Muridan (Ignir-Gelmir) and found Sarn Milet (=refuge, later
Altard) and Sarn Gelamir (=pelgrimage, later Gelmir (SA 665))
SA 554-Fulltrui attacks on Donerlad (north coast of Andalion)
688
SA 688 Daled Anor repels the Fulltrui on Daled's Sword and becomes the first
person to unite the people of Ubian.
SA 648-Lightning Strike : Kardde's first great attack against the world.
692
SA 696 Creates the queendom and makes his daughter the first Queen of Ubian
(because only daughters).
SA 697 The Alliance is founded.
SA 817 The Covenant
II.A.3 Third Age
TA 4 Fortram Ti'Falon becomes the first king of Allando.
TA 15 'King' Murat Dorfén, leader of the Donerlad Fulltrui pledges his
conduct to Queen Katinyer III
TA 115 See Covenant. East-Molinat is purified by the Covenant up until the
Dark-dwarven kingdom and reconquered / guarded up to the old capital of
Armolin, and resettled up to Gadhon (renamed to Al-Zephyr).
TA 146 Galadion City is conquered on Sowan 8 (the Feast of Liberation)
TA 193 Ignir Omvarir destroys the thakal armies in Sarn Milet and is crowned
King by immigrants from the north. He accepts after asking and receiving
the acceptance of Queen Katmata (169 - 191 - 197+).
TA 262 The Molinat border is pushed back toward Al-Zephyr, many colonists flee
to Allando or Andirion.
TA 321 Second Covenant in Orinia.
TA 421 East-Molinat is truly reconquered by the Thakal (even to the point of
new fortresses). West-Molinat is reduced to a small outpost. Ignarion
is deserted.
SA 423 Tegarend (knowing he has no chance to escape alone and seeing that
Kardde is conquering the entire world) makes a pact with Kardde.
TA 533 Daraion (Al-dodein), the last Covenant outpost in Molinat is destroyed.
TA 739-The Bold Strike. Karrdé's second attack.
752
TA 752 The New Alliance of the Free People
TA 856 Sha'sal Magit Erberir is defeated while attempting to destroy the Baran
Dara thakal
B) The First Wars (FA 1-1973)
In the first days, there was the Void, and in the Void existence was granted to
the One who is Many, He who was created to fill the Void with other things. And
the One worked hard, and he made Terra. But Terra was bare, and the One was
exhausted by his hard work, and despaired. Seeing it unfulfilled after putting
the work of his hands in it, he understood that to complete it, he would have to
put himself in it. And he placed his soul in his creation, and died to give life
to the world. And he placed a Commandment on His Creation : to live in harmony
with each other. And the Body of the One became the plants and the trees, the
beasts who walk the earth, who swim in the sea, who fly in the sky, man, meosa
and nazuri, all that lives for a short time and then returns to the land. But
his mind, the thoughts of the One became the Spirits, and them He Commanded to
look after the children of the earth, to teach them wisdom and compassion for
each other.
But many of the Spirits became corrupted with the Powers that were issued to
them, and sought to rule those who walk the Earth instead of aiding and teaching
them. And those Spirits who still followed the Commandment of the One fought
those who rebelled against his Will, and so war was brought to Terra. Many cruel
deeds were done in this war before the mortal beings awaoke from their slumbers,
not in the least by the Good Spirits, who were in latter days called 'Angels'.
The mightiest of the Good Spirits were Orodian, Anagend, Dialund and Celebrian,
while the mightiest of the Evil Spirits, in later days called 'Demons', were
Kardde, Tegondar, Bargend and Mesagend. And Orodian died in these First Wars,
when the earth-children still slept, and Tegondar was Banished to the Void, and
Mesagend was slaughtered by Anagend, and Dialund was killed by Kardde.
And the Earth was marred in this struggle, and many a beautiful valley was
defiled, and many peaks were flattened and many deserts choked the land. But the
Flamebringer turned to evil, and named himself Tegarend, the bringer of
darkness, the strongest spirit to survive the Wars, and the evil spirits
prevailed. Many of the good spirits had died in the Wars, and many others fled
the Earth and went to the Void, out of fear of becoming like the demons in their
fighting against them, for they did many cruel deeds, and many of the greatest
of the Good Spirits defected after winning a battle, enamoured as they became of
fighting, and war, and power over others.
Hundreds of the weaker spirits who had not fought in the war were afraid and
went down to the world to become ghosts, haunting valleys and rivers. And many
others joined the Evil Spirits, deserting the One's commands to haunt those who
walk the Earth. And the twelve strongests of the Evil Spirits were called the
Vdini, and everyone cowered before them. And when the children of the earth
awakened, they were enslaved by the Vdini, and fought, and died at the command
of their masters, for the Vdini fought each other for domination of the earth,
and used mortals to fight their wars, and they made mockeries of the One's
creation to fight for them.
But the mightiest of the Good spirits, Celebrian, still lived and made himself a
fortress on the Earth. And if he would win the last struggle, his victory would
be as dark as defeat, for although he is still working to free the mortals from
the Vdini, he would only replace those dark lords by a dark lord of his own making.
Once more ...
In the first days, there was the Void, and in the Void existence was granted to
the One who is Many, He who was created to fill the Void with other things. And
the One worked hard, and he made Terra. But Terra was bare, and the One was
exhausted by his hard work, and despaired. Seeing it unfulfilled after putting
the work of his hands in it, he understood that to complete it, he would have to
put himself in it. And he placed his soul in his creation, and died to give life
to the world. And he placed a Commandment on His Creation : to live in harmony
with each other. And the Body of the One became the plants and the trees, the
beasts who walk the earth, who swim in the sea, who fly in the sky, man, meosa
and nazuri, all that lives for a short time and then returns to the land. But
his mind, the thoughts of the One became the twin Spirits Telam (Law) and Rhon
(Chaos), and them He Commanded to look after the children of the earth, to teach
them wisdom and compassion for each other.
But Telam and Rhon didn't agree on the methods necessary to teach the weak
children of the flesh and battled. This was before other intelligent entities, and
thus time, came into being, but they fought a long time, until Rhon was destroyed.
From Rhon's demise were created Ghan (War) and Dorath (Death). The 3 Forces now
discovered they could 'lessen' their own manifestation to create powerful 'under'
lings. Telam created Anagend (the Lord of the Flame) and Atharend (The Bringer of
Light). Ghan created Kelso (Fear), Halma (Rage) and Dado (Hate). Dorath created
Doratharend (the Bringer of Death) and Mesarend (the Bringer of Doom). In a
terrifying war, that filled the skies and the land and the seas, Ghan and Dorath
faced Telam, and defeated her. Telam was not just obliterated, doomed to fall apart
in several lesser beings, but was so utterly destroyed that she shattered in
thousands of entities, giving birth to the Lares and demons, in addition to ten
powerful spirits, Orodian (Listener to Birds), Dialund (Watcher of the Sky),
Celebrian (Magic Worker), Kardde (Embracer of Hate), Tegondar (Lord of Darkness),
Bargend (Changer of Shapes), Mesagend (Changer of Dooms), Karis (Embracer of Risks)
and Mesandar (Lord of Doom).
In that same battle, in her death throes, she succeeded in banishing both Ghan and
Dorath to the Outer Rifts, from where they still attempt to escape, caught as they
are within the dimensions. The Battles had already seen the end of Anagend (who spawned
Haliane (The Radiant Flame) and Dado (who spawned Smade, Shade of Hate), but the defeat
of their master obliterated Kelso (spawning Igandar and Ugandar), and Halma (spawing
Nudare and Nadare). Doratharend and Mesarend fell against Atharend during the final
duel, and from their remains Telam created with her last powers Mardant (the Chooser of
Fate).
With the defeat of all 'evil' forces, the world got a new chance through the sacrifice
of Thelam. But many of the Spirits became corrupted with the Powers that were issued to
them, and sought to rule those who walk the Earth instead of aiding and teaching
them. And those Spirits who still followed the Commandment of the One fought
those who rebelled against his Will, and so war was brought to Terra. Many cruel
deeds were done in this war before the mortal beings awaoke from their slumbers,
not in the least by the Good Spirits, who were in latter days called 'Angels'.
The mightiest of the Good Spirits were Orodian, Anagend, Dialund and Celebrian,
while the mightiest of the Evil Spirits, in later days called 'Demons', were
Kardde, Tegondar, Bargend and Mesagend. And Orodian died in these First Wars,
when the earth-children still slept, and Tegondar was Banished to the Void, and
Mesagend was slaughtered by Anagend, and Dialund was killed by Kardde.
And the Earth was marred in this struggle, and many a beautiful valley was
defiled, and many peaks were flattened and many deserts choked the land. But the
Flamebringer turned to evil, and named himself Tegarend, the bringer of
darkness, the strongest spirit to survive the Wars, and the evil spirits
prevailed. Many of the good spirits had died in the Wars, and many others fled
the Earth and went to the Void, out of fear of becoming like the demons in their
fighting against them, for they did many cruel deeds, and many of the greatest
of the Good Spirits defected after winning a battle, enamoured as they became of
fighting, and war, and power over others.
Hundreds of the weaker spirits who had not fought in the war were afraid and
went down to the world to become ghosts, haunting valleys and rivers. And many
others joined the Evil Spirits, deserting the One's commands to haunt those who
walk the Earth. And the twelve strongests of the Evil Spirits were called the
Vdini, and everyone cowered before them. And when the children of the earth
awakened, they were enslaved by the Vdini, and fought, and died at the command
of their masters, for the Vdini fought each other for domination of the earth,
and used mortals to fight their wars, and they made mockeries of the One's
creation to fight for them.
But the mightiest of the Good spirits, Celebrian, still lived and made himself a
fortress on the Earth. And if he would win the last struggle, his victory would
be as dark as defeat, for although he is still working to free the mortals from
the Vdini, he would only replace those dark lords by a dark lord of his own making.
C) The Great Wars
Karrdé assailed Smadé's domain, tried Tegarends strength with a couple of Thakal
legions,and raided the southern coast. In response Tegarend sent Ofran Palran
with an army to Ofaran and Osian Tolridon. This marks the start of an explosion
of violence. Nadaré [knowing that her peace-pact is broken] musters an army to
attack the 'weakened' Tegarend, but this army is destroyed by Raqah Pernijo and
his nazuri, Karis' swamp things and Tegarends leftover garrison [Tegarend imself
has crossed Isangar and is reaching the Alfaian heights, where his vanguard is
swept away by the dwarves and the thakal of Bargend].
Bargend musters his army and moves to Andirion. Nadaré, knowing about the defeat
of her army allies herself with Nudaré and travel to Telemnar, where they are
routed by Mesandar. No Vdini are left in upper Andalion, and several flux-
weavers from Galadion gather an army and move to the west. When they arrive in
Allando they take the Fear Fortress and create their order, the Sorcerers. At
this same moment Ugandar is defeated and destroyed by Igandar and Karrdé. This
combination is routed by Smadé and Mesandar, who, following Nudaré and Nadaré
come just in time to win the day. Karrdé knows that she is defeated and flees to
her country. Smadé is attacked by Mesandar and is captured by Tegarends
lieutenant.
Tegarend, having defeated Mardant [who fled to the humans in Gatha] assails
Mesandar and defeats him. Karis thinks Tegarend almost defeated and assails him
with Halianés troops - these troops are not functioning in this terrain
and are destroyed- Karis is killed. Mardant attacks Tegarend and is almost
winning when Bargend arrives, fleeing from the sorcerers. The defeated Vdini
flee in the mountains, where Nas Varat perishes. Tegarend attacks Mardant, and
during this campaign the sorcerers assail the Red Plains. On the brink of
Tegarends victory the meosa arrive. With the final additional knowledge [from
the book of fire] of fire a world spell can be casted by the sorcerers of the
four races. The leftover Vdini are captured and brought to Isangar.
After the great war Grand Sorcerer Setrofan Hafflan [second in command of the
Sorcerers] was ordered to take a group of sorcerers and to assail Kardde, who
had escaped. Setrofan, who was battle-weary, and noticed that his family and
friends (the retinue of the Hafflan family) had diminished, left to the east but
veared of to the north with the 11 other Great Houses of Allando. When this was
notified, Setrofan was dunked out of the order and a new party of sorcerers was
send to the forbidden Isle, but by now Kardde had bred a new army of thakal, who
stopped the Sorceror army (the soldiers were few, and the magi were still
learning about the taint).
Setrofan was given a Deb-ring necessary to capture and take hold of a spirit.
The ring was left to Setrofan, because he couldn't do anything with it anyway,
except capturing spirits (which is to the good of the sorcerers). It became a
heirloom of the family, which mistook it as a protective charm, that got given
to the eldest son whenever he served his years in the army. (this explains about
the reckless berserking of the eldest members of the Hafflan family, but doesn't
explain about their luck in these battles, because no Hafflan wearing this
'amulet' died this way in a losing battle, and if he got killed, it was always
recovered!)
D) The First Thakal War (648-692)
Lightning Strike : After 650 years of inactivity (she did conquer most of SW
Andalion and built outposts everywhere), Kardde (who was believed by most
Andalion people to be a legend) attacked the entire world. Only the Sorcerers
(who had never forgotten their failure to capture Kardde) and the people of
Baïron (who had warred almost without end against thakal the decennium before
the lightning strike and whose growth had been stunted due to gulfs of evil men)
were aware of an evil presence in the south, but hadn't expected such an
assault. Many nations disappeared in a long war, which only ended when the
momentum of Kardde's assault was stopped and when Ubian troops (veterans from
the long war against the Fulltrui) joined the battle.
The thakal from the Forbidden Isle, which had been transformed from unliveble
desert into an army encampement without equal, attacked Ofaran [642](which was
stil settled by the few humans who had been there when Smàdé had ruled there)
and slaughtered all men there. Another uncountable host attacks Taradon [642]
and defeats Tegarend's mean defenses [646](Ofran Palran, knowing that if he
would join the battle, he would be destroyed by Kardde, forfeits south Taradon
and defends his keeps more to the north). Her troops veer of to the west and
kill the few farmers still clinging to an existence in Molinat [647]. Kardde's
troops which were stationed to the south and the west of the Forest of Telemnar
pushed northwards and destroyed Baïron [Baïron itself is conquered in 657]
almost completely. Only a tithe of its citizens can flee to the Mountains to
their east (and its dwarven and Meosa defenders) or to the north, where they
warn Feranat and the Vestingal Allandan people.
The army that had destroyed Baïron went further northward and destroyed Feranat
[659] and the South of Allando [664]. A large army is sent from the north of
Allando and succeeds in destroying many nestings and several large armies,
grossly disrupting the newer birthings and reinforcement armies. Alas, a large
army is amassed between the tribes which have not already been attacked by this
army and reinforcements arrive from Feranat and Baïron (which had been conquered
several years before, and whose newer males were ready for battle). The Ar'fan
and Ti'fein armies are completely annihilated [676 after several years of
campaigning], and the Gai'san armies are destroyed when they buy the rest of the
army the time to withdraw to the North. Even this valiant deed does not save the
main part of Allando, which is destroyed up to Adalandë. Although the thakal can
conquer the city itself [687], the citadel cannot be taken and reinforcements
arrive from Ubian [689](with the conquered main fleet of the Fulltrui) and from
the survivors of the Baïron massacres. The last vestiges of the thakal hordes
are destroyed and many years new nestings are discovered and destroyed [up to
747, but 692 is the end of the lightning strike because then the last thakal in
Allando was killed].
The other thakal host which had conquered Molinat is divided in two parts. One
part is sent to the desert to hunt down the Meosa and to take the mountains on
the rear of the other host [but is completely annihilated in 659], and the other
part of this host is send northward towards Ubian and Isangar. This army is
intercepted by the Sorcerers, and their magically aided armies succeed in
routing the attacking thakal. Many are slaughtered by the very few defending
human troops and only several compagnies amounting to a quarter of a million
thakal can destroy Sarn Milet [650] and built nestings there. Without a large
army the magi of Isangar cannot unearth them and allow them to stay there, from
where they stage raids into Malfirin annually.
This war is of course not fought continually over 50 years. There were several
lulls, during which there were no fights. The thakal got continually
reinforcements, because a thakal of two years old is already adult and can go
fighting. There was also few infighting between the clans during the head-runs
because they were close enough to enemy humans. (after the end of the lightining
strike the thakal population did not raise very quickly because due to the
scarceness of humans closeby the young males had to raid other tribes to be able
to procreate, while elder males and females had almost all vanquished during the
wars. Many tribes died out in the decennia after 692). They also continually
built new nestings closer to human cities during those days.
E) The Covenant
SA 700 : The leaders of all the communities come together at Orinia. These
leaders are Gothan Arafel - supreme battlemage and leader of the
Sorcerers, 4 other Sorcerers, representants of the 4 Major Houses of
Flux-weaving (These were created by 4 of the Main Sorcerers [Lladar
= Water, Otzuh = earth, Aseotaon = Fire and Owori = Air; Drayvid was
their supreme commander, whose house produces battle-mages, trained
in the destructive aspects of the 4 Kinds of Magic and who guard the
Vdini]), Battlemage Capal Atèr, Duke Tobol Orinia and General Darend
Imend of The Alliance, Duke Fortram Ti'falon, Duke Trakan Ilrem,
Earl Sivron Gai'san, Earl Tifon Ar'fan and Duke Getron Ti'fein for
Allando [Trakan Ilrem allied himself with the Alliance for help in
his attempt for complete rule over Allando; the Alliance agreed with
a pact that they wouldn't intervene if Allando didn't intervene in
their struggles [one of the Alliance leaders probably had a same
plan (Tobol Orinia died in TA 6, presumed murdered)]], Gallaja Anor,
Garl Inand, Naiandrir Embir and Garlja Esbaror for Ubian [Galadion
didn't come, being succumbed to 'The Dark Side'] and the leaders of
the dwarves, Netzia of the Akhan Hills, Utziab of the Alfaian
Heights and Otzian from the Otzian Mountains, only a couple of
Nazuri arrive with the clear message that they don't want to fight,
don't want to mess about with humans and that all they want is peace
and quiet in their forests.
F) The Molinat Wars
TA 115 : Covenant keepers order all signers to muster an army and retake
Molinat, a constant danger to the more 'liberated' countries and
if taken a new vantage point for an assault on Taradan. Prince
Ivgard II Ti'Falon, Queen-consort Melsher of Ubian [TNR 130 (Marand
finally conquered)], lord-commander Burat Allèn of Andirion and
Battle-Mage Supreme Uvald Drayvidion and Eosessan (chieftain of the
sosattan-tribe : Meosa), Peluri of Toturi and Utsiabon of the
Alfaian Heights can conquer East-Molinat (they name it that way) and
make it a great barrier (destroyed TA 421, when the countries have
forgotten about the covenant and rivalry and suspicion have risen to
unparalelled heights, so no-one sends any more troops or settlers.
The handful of volunteers don't make it most of the time since the
roads have deteriorated.) In TA 533 the last outpost is overrun and
the Thakal have reached the alfaian heights, mucaria, isangar,
andirion and belinor (I suppose this must be Olfirin).
No help came initially from Ubian, otherwise they could have
reached the mountains, since they were laying siege to Marand and
the Fultrui-raids on the northern coast had been increasing. [TNR
expanding to its full size]
More about Third Age Molinat
Orek Mehodon & Isilmo Bruar
Isilmo Bruar : captain of the Blue Raptors (elite ranger cavalry unit : 3rd
battalion of the first regiment of the second division of the
First Alliance army
Talin Sisneva : lieutenant of Talins' Tigers
Mikaïl Ovinè : lieutenant of Ovinès' Orcs
Daleda Tinnán : lieutenant of Tinnáns' Talons
Orek Mehodon : Harman of the Rampaging Boars (hargon of the Third Mucaria
Thalgon)
Ivon Sasverno : Senior Shiman of the 'Boars
Timon Ratin : Shiman of the 'Boars
Blue Raptors : 500 horse
200 heavy cavalry : Raptors : Bruar
100 light cavalry : Talons : Tinnán
100 longbow : Orcs : Ovinè
100 horsebow : Tigers : Sisneva
Rampaging Boars : 500 horsemen
200 heavy infantery : Grunts : Sasverno
100 longbow : Grunts : Sasverno
100 medium cavalry : Tusks : Mehodon
100 light cavalry : Tusks : Ratin
Best horses come from Molinat (~ Arabians)
G) The Second Covenant
TA 321 : The Sorcerers have grown proud of their power and try to order the
other participants around. Both Ofaran (dwarven and human
representative) and Lower Taradon argue that they, as only fighters
against darkness should have more votes than the other members. The
Londiar, Allandan and Galadan representative say that they have to
fight thakal threats as well. The Queen's representative says that
all parties should be equal, that it is not her fault that the
thakal come from the SE, and that they have fulltrui raids. The
Galadian representative says that they have thakal ánd fulltrui
raids, and that Ubian people couldn't find their *ss without a map.
This quite escalates the gathered diplomats. The Andirion Master of
Spears tries to placate these matters and starts his sentence as
follows : As leader of the Alliance of the Free People ... after
this sentence-start the representatives of Londiar, the Nazuri
Alliance representative and the Lower Taradon alliance diplomat
leave the council hall and do not return. Instead of turning all the
free people into fighters against the darkness, the separate
countries trust each other even less by now and stop sending troops
towards Molinat. The Grand Convention was immediately reduced
towards a minor encounter, in which several debates of lesser
importance were succesfully held.
H) The Second Thakal War & later-day wars
II.H.1 The Bold Strike (TA 739 - 752)
The second 'major' assault by Llamnagh 'helped' by Tegarend. While Llamnagh
sicced her floods of Thakal on South Taradon, the Meosa and Ofaran and her
Demon/consort (in the thakal-myths) Maràjakal [mar ràjj akal: twisted flux-
weaver husband] sent his Thakal from West Molinat to North Taradon and SE to
Andirion. Tegarend ordered Ofran Palram [leader of the ETA] to assault south
and North Taradon [incidentally killing Marƒjakal as a second order] and his
WTA-leader to 'attack' Allando and TNR from within [at this moment the WTA
leader was a High seat of a Noble House].
-> many Tegarend-people are high army commmanders/ murdering the other
leader/nobles + leading the Church on a Jihad against the heretic leaders in
Adalandë. Several surviving Galadan nobles are inspired [by another member of
the WTA] in conspiring against TNR and re-establishing Galadion instead of
listening to a queen who is hundreds of kms away.
II.H.2 Attacks against the Forbidden Isle
There have been 3 attacks on the Forbidden isle :
First attack happened during the aftermath of the Great Wars, when a Sorcerer
was ordered to attack Kardde (after Setrofan Hafflan 'deserted'). She [Irrina
Ombarend] and her army were destroyed while crossing the still-changing
[earthquakes-volcanic outbursts] Plains of the Death [one of the many (later
deserts) plains surrounding the Forbidden isle : Vfának]
Second attack : When both Colonies [Ofaran and Lower Taradon] were 'happily
running', Tol Divin and Tol Sarat were quiet, Londiar and the other South-West
Alliance countries were safe and the Burning Sands were adequately defended (500
TA), the Meosa and Alliance attacked Kardde's Country. Many perished while
crossing the Spine of the World, during ambushes by the Stone Thakal. Of the
huge army (over 20000 meosa and 15000 humans), still many survived, until they
reached the Plains, where countless thakal waited for them. No-one returned to
the 'True' world. It was now that the Alliance leaders understood that no
succesful attack could be attempted without the aid of the Sorcerors, which was
why they agreed to the Second Covenant (change in TaleYear from 321 to 521)
proposed by Illian Drayvidion.
Third attack : Staged by Pallan Doman in 738, some 4000 veteran warriors (the
largest command Doman ever accepted, because it was necessary and they needed
someone with his expertise) from the advance scout units entered the Dark Reich
to see if there was truth in the words of a captured darkfriend messenger
(captured after leaving the Forbidden isle), who has told stories about billions
of thakal and darkfriends slowly slipping in the Forbidden isle for a great
mustering and slipping out in small parties leaving for Molinat. They arrived in
The Forbidden isle unnoticed by killing every thakal they saw and disguising
themselves as Darkfriend mercenaries. They succeeded in being called to a
MEETING with several other mercenary captains, several thakal commanders and a
demon. When the entire command of the 23rd attack force was gathered (whose
mission was one of the most important, which was why they were commanded by a
demon), Pallan and his troops killed every leader, pallan himself cutting down
the demon. They attempted to escape from the Forbidden Isle but only 344
survived the rout back to Ofaran (including Pallan). The next year it became
clear that even the wildest tales of the survivors were underrated, when Ofaran
(who were at least warned, although the warnings were never brought to the rest
of the world, because Ofaran was surrounded by advance parties after this
attack, and every messenger leaving the country over land or sea was killed) was
trampled and almost every other country of Andalion was invaded during Kardde's
Bold strike.
Against everything they think in Ofaran and South-Taradon, their Wall against
evil is not as impregnable as they think it is. Many armies can leave the
Forbidden isle over land without opposition, and oversea there isn't even
competition, since Ofaran's entire warfleet is smaller than one of Kardde's
fleets (Lower taradon hasn't even got a 'fleet'), and her troops are certainly
enough to destroy two 'small' countries. the only reason she restrains herself
from squishing those who think to hold her captive, is that it would draw the
eye of the Sorcerors to her, and as one of the only Vdini, Kardde (or rather
Llamnagh) knows fear, and is afraid that the combined might of the North could
defeat her (it could, in a fair battle, with everyone backing them up, and no
darkfriends or rebels backstabbing them, with nazuri and dwarfs at their side,
and even then not against the Fortres of the Spine Of The World).
II.H.3 The Battle of the Thousand Tears
A MAJOR battle in Allando in 1095. It started with a complete destruction of the
last few cities still struggling for existence in the Buruat province, and the
annihilation of the armies in the Buruat-fortresses. The thakal-hordes destroyed
Mucaria and started rampaging through Klanach. Aid was requested to all members
of the covenant, but Andirion and Talurion were also under attack, The Northern
Realm was in uproar after the murder on the Queen and the rebellion of South-
Galadion and Isangar started splitting up in one mage circle that wished to rule
the Earth and one that wanted to stay with the current use of their abilities.
Feduon 4 : the 2 hosts (1 composed of countless thakal, fatharg and lathan,
darkdwarfs and eagle-riders, darkfriends and swampthings, the other composed of
most of the male members of the Houses and all soldiers that could be levied)
face each other on the Kasat Even (field of tears) before the Darn Athrad. The
Allando armies are outnumbered 1 to 10, but fight on and on. Many brave knights
and footmen die on this day during violent charges and sneaky suiced attacks. Of
the entire defending host only 50 % survives the battle, when at the evening of
the third day reinforcements arrive from Isangar, where the mages of the Ring
had been defeated and had left for Molinat.
I) The War Of The 7 Races (H,M,N,Dw,Dh <-> T,V+De)
When 'Anona' (un-named) is found in the wreckage of the ship by two farmers,
they talk about bringing him to Marath (one of the cities on the Isle in the bay
of Ubian), and Anona think they say Mardant and mentions that name. When the
couple hears him, they decide to bring him to one of the rites to Mardant (the
isle was thought to be cursed by the original citizens of Ubian, and was only
colonized by the followers of the Church of Mardant when they were hunted down
by fanatici (darkfriends afraid of the house of It'aca)).
What is Anona actually? Since he must be able to be a member of any one of the 4
(5?) sentient 'good' races, he must be a member of the Alliance. Sent north to
bring a message about the attempt to free Tegarend etc? Maybe from one of the
two alliance states surrounding Kardde's country (probably South Taradon,
because they are closer to Tegarend? Say, a messenger from a darkfriend city in
Taradon to the dwarven mountains is captured (end 1006) by a lancer patrol. They
understand that there will be an attempt to free Vdini from the Prison of
Crystal Bars. Afraid from darkfriends in the councils of the Alliance (and other
countries), they (leaders of Taradon) decide to sent a messenger to the only
people they surely trust : the Lords of Mercy (of course, they are LoM
themselves, but they are vital to the survival of Taradon). What other lord of
mercy are there, which are not vital where they are? [before the War starts] The
only person who might be acceptable is the high seat of house Assorrer, because
all others have important military positions, and cannot be missed. By some joke
of fate, the ship was attacked not by darkfriends but by Fulltrui. During a raid
7 months later (Anona serves these days as a rower), the ship is wrecked and
Anona is the only survivor. In the meantime, that lord of mercy has already
died. Now he has to search for Atratus, who has passed the tests and is newly
chosen as Lord of Mercy. [reason that he is fearful of the name Mardant is that
that was part of his message about the Vdini].
Rescue of Tegarend : WTA starts a war, Isangar sends a detachment of soldiers
and magicians, and the dwarves of Taradon (who have been
digging for years towards Isangar) make holes in the
Prison of Crystal Bars, releasing Tegarend, Nadare,
Nudare and Igandar (and steal several artifacts,
including the dreamwand, which was found on the corpse
of Tegarend's last embodiment after TGW)
Some more thingies about the game itself (not really chronological)
Bargend destroys Ring of Shadow (in Molinat) but is destroyed himself (Bargend
was not freed by Tegarend's rescueers but escaped himself because the guard was
too small).
Kardde is destroyed by Wolfsblade, his wolves (1000 barhim who defected when the
Barhim joined Bargend) and 15 Drayvids' House archmages (Thalotegs, who mirror
themselves on Mehodon), and Celebrian (killed himself by Kardde) and a corps of
elite nazuri-thakal hybrids, but orders all her troops to an all-out attack.
Tegarend calls all thakal and demons to action and conquers Galadion.
Ubian armies defend Isangar against the army trying to save Tegarend and save
several magi from the massacre (the strongest of these become Wolves-thalotegs).
Allando armies (only about 50% due to rebels) defeat Eledon and join Alliance
against miresa. Half go south to Londiar and Talurion (to fight the Water
meosa), the other half goes to tardon and joins the other armies there.
Burning sands Meosa fought Celebrian, Kardde and went Southwest to fight the
Water Meosa.
Fulltrui sac the entire North/Northwest of Ubian, including Roy-Ubian and kill
the Queen (Atratus' friend Kata becomes Queen but doesn't know it until they
join armies with the Allando armies (who must have better messengers)).
Allando rebels conquer adalandë and raise earl Theron of Valame to King (I do
not know where I wrote this down, but there are rebels because they think they
shouldn't fight the darkness but make a pact with them, several rebels are DF's,
but most just try to work out things (including Boram of Portum, Yvon of Calare
and Radon of Gorpia, 3 minor barons and supreme leaders of the armies in the NE
of Allando (fondor) and the reason that Allando could send only 50% of the
armies, because most lords leave some troops behind to defend their own fiefs -
they are the leaders of the rebel forces but work for Theron of course, who is a
DF, part of the royal army is kept in Allando, which causes several lords to
keep some of their armies behind to stop the king during an attempt to make his
rule a bit more totalitarian).
Allando & Andirion armies join with the Ubian forces defending Isangar and go to
Taradon to take down tegarend and stop the cause of most wars raging now. 100000
enter Tardon through the Darkdwarrow mounts, 60000 pass the mountains (leaving
20000 men behind to fight Tegarend's armies returning from Galadion). 10000
pursue the routing Taradon thakal to the Black Mountains region (leaving 50000
dead humans and 200000 dead thakal behind them), and 4000 enter those Mountains.
An even thousand of these survive to enter the Keep of Tegarend, of whom a
hundred (mostly wolves) survive to enter tegarend's Fortress and face Tegarend's
Bloodguard (fatharg-meosa hybrid : strong with brains, 200 elite guardians),
with 300 other survivors wandering about the Fortress fighting all the thakal
who suddenly appear everywhere. Of those hundred, 5 survive to enter tegarend's
Throne Room (You, Wolfsblade, Kata, Allando hero (Hafflan) and an Alliance hero
(preferably from the Bruar family)).
Magi of Shadow (on that isle in bay of andirion)
Hand of tegarend
Dwarves fight underground against darkdwarfs
Nazuri Great Forest are killed by Thakal
Nazuri Wold Of Pain are killed by taradon thakal
Ubian : Half aids Isangar against taradon, other half stays behind and is
attacked by Fulltrui (Ubian queen dies (whether against taradon, galadon rebels
or fulltrui I don't know yet), but Kata becomes queen (although she doesn't know
it) and is informed of this when Ubian troops join them during the final fray in
Taradon.
Galadion : Half perish against taradon, other half flees to Ubian
Allando : Half fight Eledon, Miresa, Molinat, Taradon, quarter rebels (North
under Theron of Valame, the South under Vestingal of course) against the other
quarter.
Andirion : Half go south to Londiar and Talurion (against Water Meosa and
Kardde), quarter goes to Miresa and Taradon, last quarter stays behind
Londiar and Talurion : attacked by Kardde and Water Meosa
Ofaran : Killed by Kardde
South-Taradon : killed by Kardde
North-dwarfs : quarter go south to Isangar (with Ubian forces) and Tardon, rests
stays behind
West-dwarfs : half Taradon, other half underground against Darkdwarfs
South-dwarfs : attacked by Kardde and Water Meosa - those in Miresa go South
with Andirion troops
East Dwarfs ; attack West dwarfs underground,attacked by Alliance/Allando/Ubian
armies
Nazuri West are attacked by Thakal and all killed (won't leave children behind)
Nazuri east are attacked by thakal and all killed
Burning Sands Meosa : attack Celebrian, Kardde, Londiar Water Meosa
Water meosa : attack Dharhan and Londiar
Isangar Magi : attacked above ground by thakal, and under ground by dwarfs,
defended by Ubian, but several Vdini are freed. Survivors either join Atratus
(at the head of the Ubian forces) as thalotegs, other go south to fight Ring of
Shadow (or join them, when they think this attack means that they actually
should take leadership of the world in their hands) or go north to fight
Fulltrui (and are killed by their Daemon)
Ring of Shadows (actually Unbroken Ring I guess I Called them :-) ) : destroy
Bargend but lose most of their leaders, flee to isangar where no one is left or
seek shelter elsewhere (Allando)
Fulltrui : attack and pillage Ubian under impulse of their daemon
Barhim join Bargend after a great Witch-hunt through Allando. When Bargend is
destroyed they side with the rebels (all that are left are darkfriends by then)
Bargend : frees himself and teleports to what he thinks of a safe place,
Molinat, which is already deserted for over 1000 years (under impulse of Barhim
commander whatsisname) ... until the Ring Of Shadows went there half a year ago
(which is 15 days for a Vdini stasis-trapped).
Tegarend : freed, attacks the entire world, at last defeated
Kardde : attack by WB and celebrian, kills Celebrian (who she thinks is the
greatest threat)
Smade : Falls against Kardde
Ugandar : Falls in the South against the Dharhan
Celebrian : sends his army to ruins of Ofaran to fight Kardde's troops there,
and teleports himself to Forbidden Isle with a thousand bodyguards, calling
himself the King of Andalion and asking Kardde to surrender to him. He is
swiftly killed by Kardde, because he shields the wrong person [by striking out
to the first person who can channel, thinking there would only be one] (one of
the wolves-thalotegs with Wolfsblade, who is immediately killed by the strain of
a too-powerful spell (meant to shield a Vdini))
Dharhan : destruction of Tegarend causes rifts etc and they ward off destruction
due to the new book of Magic : The Book of Light. With the five forms, flavours
of magic combined, a new world spell is casted.
I know, Allando is the only place which is not attacked, but I made that OK with
the Civil war raging there, yes?
And I know, the Vdini fall rapidly in this text, but that is because they are
overconfident (like the Forsaken)
The War of the Seven Races will take more time than I previously thought. It
will last several (10-15 years : 1108-1119) with every year worse battles
(reaching higher and higher on the map), with more raids and command tents
getting emptier and emptier (I like the idea of having a command tent of the
Covenant rulers with only the chief generals inside, and after ten years of
battles even lesser captains being inside it :-))
Bargends escape took much longer than that of the other escaped Vdini. After
Tegarend showed him some of his tricks he had used to escape, Bargend spent two
years trying to escape before it succeeded (in terms of books : Tegarend escapes
at the end of book one, Bargend is trying something in book 2, escapes in end
book 2, dies between lines in book 3 and news of this reaches the good ones in
book 4 by a Mage of the unbroken circle (or whatever)). The rebellion in Allando
happens during the third year of the war (book 3), when several nobles decide
that there must be a way to stop the war and have peace with the Shadow, because
neither they nor we (allando) need the entire world. They don't want any more
Allandan blood to flow while defending the ground of the Alliance (the leader of
this rebellion is a DF (Theron of Vallame), but several other important minor
nobles truly believe this)
The end for so far yet :
the last battle
-> what does the player need to defeat Teggarend (the last opponent of course)
Wolfsblade (including Kata and Irga)
Trefa Hafflan WITH his artifact (it is mentioned a couple of times, the
black hand will attempt to kill him and to steal it, in Isangar, whenever
you see the scene where the Vdini were captured you will see the same
items,...)
and maximal 4 other party members
You had entered the Fear Fortress thinking you would face thousands of
bloodthirsty thakal but until now you only met a couple of Vile-demons with
accompanying fathargs. Adequate for stopping smaller parties, but not one
consisting of THE wolfsblade and certainly not enough to stop the Messiah
himself. It seemed to be going too easy...They turned a corner, and entered a
large Hall. In the center of the hall a Throne of Fire stood and a small-seeming
human straightened and raised...it became a black shroud, with a vague humanoid
form in it, but your senses lessed as the shroud deepened. When Wolfsblade saw
his nemesis, who had destroyed his family because of the prophecy that he would
arise (he doesn't know it yet, only after Tegarend dies !!!), berserked and
charged Tegarend, and when they both started to weave spells, it seemed like
Wolfsblade was easily winning. The great Archenemy was losing terrain...and then
suddenly, when all our parties hope was bright, and Tegarend was staggering
backwards, He suddenly started laughing. The big doors to the hall, that we
hadn't even notified closed, and everywhere in the hall bubbles of unseen opened
to allow the thakal enclosed in them to leave, while a circle of fire enclosed
out party. Atratus moved to attack Tegarend, still thinking he was almost
defeated, and then Tegarend stopped playing with him. He slammed Atratus
backwards against the double doors, where he landed in a puddle of his own
blood. Nooooooooo! cried Kata, and together with A and B and Irga, she stormed
towards T. Tegarend laughed again, and tightening his fists he began to squeeze
the life out of his attackers. A and B and Irga died, and Kata slumped down,
saved by her Tear. Suddenly Wolfsblade rose again, and reattacked T. T created a
wall of air, in which A crashed, and again and again and again. Then I noticed I
was standing alone. Where the hell did Treva go ? Wolfsblade dropped down for
the last time, casting his last spell. Now only I was still standing, and T
opened the firewall. So you, pitiful human, allied these men and made them
attack me? Thakal, get him. While the little creatures charged on me, I wondered
where Treva had gone. And the rest is history [Treva, being invisible by A's
last spell, slapped his heirloom on T., thinking that this was the moment he
needed a lucky charm the most. The heirloom, actually being a Binding ring, [if
you hadn't noticed Deb-rin is an anagram of binder] extruded T from his body
accidentaly killing all the thakal), and captured him inside the ring.
After the end of the Game (and the destruction of Tegarend, and the death of the
King of Allando, most of the other crown-pretendents and the defeat of the
rebels), Atratus goes to Allando and becomes king (with Kata as Queen of Ubian).
After the capture of Tegarend, one of the wolves starts talking to Atratus about
House It'acan (don't ask me why - wait! There is a prophecy that said that
someone from House It'acan would be the end of Tegarend, and the mage wonders
why the prophecy didn't scan (It'acan was destroyed because of this prophecy by
DF's who started rumours about the inhabitants). Perhaps the wolfsblades were
made with the Power by the original Sorcerers, and still in the line of Borin,
last Master of It'acan (corny, too much 'magic sword and a strawberry
birthmark)).
J) Disappeared Countries
II.J.1 Ignarion
When Ignir Omvarir destroyed the last vestiges of a thakal army settling for 2
centuries (SA 650 - TA 193) in this wilderness which wasn't even of importance
to Isangar, his followers (mostly from the region just to the South of the Great
Bay) chose him for a King and settled in this region (around Ignarion (which was
earlier when founded by Mardant followers and later (TA 712) when resettled
called Altard)) where they made a great Statue to Ignir Omvarir. This country
was abandoned in TA 421, when almost the last parts of Molinat still under
Covenant control fell to the shadow.
II.J.2 Feranat
Feranat is ruled by the Council of Seven. Originally consisting of the seven
'eldest', after several scores of years, when the country had changed from 1
community into several counties of the 17 noble families, the councillorship
became an elected post, elected by the 'free people' (the nobles, merchants, and
everyone owning at least 1 hosue and 3.5 chickens), many of whom were dependent
on a noble (living on their ground, working for them, ...). The council didn't
always consist of 7 members in these times, sometimes fewer (but never less than
5), sometimes more (but never more than 9 ; more because of vetes between
families). The 'democratic' country became more and more corrupted (think Rome
in the last century before the Empire) until Uragnir Viduga, with the full power
of the Viduga family behind him, made a new council construction, allowing for 1
merchants' guild councillor, 2 councillors representing the plebs (this of
course leading to semi-adoptions of nobles by 'common' citizens), 3 councillors
of the 17 families (in some kind of system fluctuating control from family to
family, allowing re-election of the same family and councillor, never giving a
family with a blood-vete a post unless the opposing family also got a post) and
1 councillor representing the army (this was indeed the main occupation of the
Grand commander of the Feranat armies). In later times, when the army commander
was the best man for the job instead of a noble with a big name, or a proxy from
the nobles, this made the nobles lose their absolute majority. There came more
and more rebellions, assasinations, and soldiers proclaiming their commander to
be a councillor, so that when Kardde's hammer at last fell, Feranat was no more
than an empty hull, stripped of its armies, with many of its richer citizens
exiled or fled to Allando, with weakened and unsupplied borderforts, and the
army in mutiny, pillaging, murdering, fallen apart in compagnies of bandits,
rebels to place their own noble/general on the throne, and regular troops
fighting the others (the last truly elected councillor [instead of placed there]
was chosen 150 years before, an by now there were never more than 4, with one
actually ruling and the others agreeing). The 17 families are the 17 surviving
families who returned from The Great Wars :
Major families Minor families
Viduga Katina Valoda
Beluga Uvina Munita
Arida Lacaja Naraja
Merosa Corida Danaja
Orinia Erita Aroda
Farosa Caruga
Ghad'zu was the capital of Feranat. Once the most important city in Taranja
[peninsula between the Allando and the Andirion Bay] it is nowadays a calm city,
nothing showing that once it was one of the great cities, competing with Roy-
Ubian, Galadan, Molinat and Adalandë [Baïron (the 6th major country included in
the Sorceror Pact) was nothing more than a stark soldier fortress]. During the
Lightning strike Ghad'zu was levelled with the ground, burned, looted, and all
its' denizens got killed. It was never reconstructed, and because the peninsula
never got recolonized, it was overgrowed and its many towers, palaces, oulevards
and hanging gardens were lost. When 1000 years later the Queen Aglan I of
Allando ordered the construction of a road from Vestingal to Gargrea, these
ruins were discovered and a new city was constructed.
All that is left of Old Ghad'zu (now renamed Sarn Feranat) is the tower of
Simeon the seer. His volumes of phrophetic words [scraps of copies of these
words were rescued to Adalandë, where they were added to the book of water] had
all decayed into illegibility, except the stone of Banyan. Described in one of
the Thirsay volumes of Arjan Balidon to contain everything what happened and
shall happen, it was send to Vestingal (already one of the three most important
cities in Allando by then), but never arrived there. It was sent there because
the stone, consisting of 100 chapters, each coded in a different code, in a
different language, was impossible to read.
Mairsil, called the pretender [TA 615-TA 833]
A witch, a magic user who stole the stone of Banyan. Rumored to have stolen
several items from the city of illusions, where she pretended to be an Isangar
mage. One of these items was an artifact that allowed here to weave a little
amount of the flux untainted every time-unit. Knew a spell that allowed her to
'hibernate' some time, which is the reason she became 218 years old. (she had
deciphered a couple of allusions from the stone of Banyan, and knew when she had
to wake)
Thirsay volumes : and then writers dare to say that their characters never
escape their control ! Well, mine did, I never even knew I was writing about the
Stone of Banyan ! Arjan Balidon (779 SA - 77 TA), Allandorian Royal Librarian
who wrote the Thirsay Volumes. A fifty-book large encyclopedia of important
Allandorian people, families, cities, ..., and to a minor impact also of other
places). Arjan even travelled with a mage to Isanger, to the ruins of Andirion
and to Ubian ! (of course not to Galadion, which has gone bad at this moment)
II.J.3 Baïron
Baïron is ruled by a 'dictator' chosen by the army, who rules for 10 years. All
imortant 'posts' are in the hands of the army. The alliance creed is mostly
based on the Baïran law. When Baïron fell (at the end of the second age), most
of the survivors fled to the dwarven Halls in Miresa. During the Great covenant
they voted for an assault on Kardde, and when that failed, they joined the
Alliance. Most leaders of original alliance were Baïran. This country was
founded by the few survivors of the Galadan Sorcerer troops.
After Baïron fell, the alliance troops and what remained of the Feranat troops
met the dark hordes on the Plain of Muredin. They almost won that battle, for
they countered charge after charge, but then darkfriends in the Feranat army
slew Andurfin Beluga, the march-general of Feranat. The Feranat armies routed,
and the Allandorian had to retreat. Feranat was destroyed afterwards and
Allando only escaped that fate by the aid of Ubian and the fact that the
momentum of Kardde's assault had slowed to a crawl over such a distance.
II.J.4 Molinat
Ruled by a king, founded by the remaining Galadan troops in the Sorceror armies.
Armolin was something like Babylon with its hanging gardens. Called by most
inhabitants of other parts of Andalion Paradise when they first arrive here.
Most of the city was already here, created by the human survivors of Karis'
empire. The sorcerers who didn't live in Isangar (feuds,..) lived here. When
Armolin was finally overrun by thakal (in SA 300???), one little group of people
escaped of the carnage, bearing an important thing : the Heart of Kilrog. The
Sorcerers created when they understood somewhat of the Taint on the Flux an
entire series of artifacts who reduced the impact of the Taint (they all died in
this creating [they hadn't foreseen that]). When all combined (never happened
because 3 of them were token from the corpses of their creators in TA 3 when the
remnant of Mesandars' thakal ambushed the Sorcerers at Telemnar, which was
before the Heart and Brain were completed), the artifacts should 'melt' together
to form a [very bad word] golem. The eye and tear are part of this artifact-
series. The little group was led by Archmage Orchaldor Bruar, with his newborn
son Nolondil. When they climbed the Ataïn Mounts that night, O. looked backwards
to the burning city and renamed his son and swore that he nor
his kin would ever stop until they had revenged the destruction of Molinat.
Afterwards, at the Great Covenant, the Bruar family were the greatest shouters
for a Crusade against Molinat. This was agreed to, but only when each nation
could contribute enougb strength (just after a thakal strike). The Bruar family
was at that moment a very influental family in Baïron and later Andirion.
A) The Meosa
III.A.1 Difference between Water and Fire meosa
When the Meosa went to Andalion [main continent] from Esoa, mostly male meosa
went, with 1 female meosa/ 3 male meosa. They were summoned by Haliane (Fire
Meosa!!)a 1000 years earlier and had only now found Andalion. During the world
spell the road from Esao changed and only now have the 'water' meosa found the
way, females took the power when the men didn't return after +/- 10 years. The
Water meosa still have a grudge towards the Fire Meosa (because they followed
the 'god'(Haliane) to 'heaven' without taking them, for blocking the road to
Andalion / believing in fire instead of water). Yukior Maoru controls the Water
Meosa since the end of the Great Wars.
III.A.2 Notes & ramblings
* What is a Meosa ?
Meosa are catlike humanoids that average about 6 feet tall. They have frontal
placed eyes with extremely good night-vision. Their ears are placed higher up
than with humans, giving them good hearing but only in front of them.
For the rest their faces are almost human. They have no tail. They mainly live
in the desert regions. (Esao is mostly desert, which is why the other meosa call
themselves WATER meosa)
Political system :
The Fire Meosa are ruled by an emperor who is only important as a representative
to the outside world. Under the emperor are the tribal chiefs who are the ones
who do the day to day ruling. On approx the same level as the chiefs are the
'lore-masters' or historians. These are highly regarded as the Meosa consider
history and stories very important but they have not that much power. Under the
chieftains there is the warrior caste (of which the chieftains are the best and
wisest) which exists to protect the people of the tribe from any kind of danger.
Twice every year there is a meeting of the 'governement' i.e. the emperor & his
aides and the chieftains. In this meeting a general line of direction is agreed
upon for the next term. They have a highly developped sense of honour. If one's
honour is at stake, they will fight for it, mentally or physically. If someone
is dishonored, the normal course for them is to go into exile (although there is
no word for exile : the word for dishonour implies exile) where they will try to
make a living in the outside world.
They are not by nature a belligerent people but they are very fierce fighters if
provoked. They are also highly skilled in 'earth'-magic <<< fire >>> and have a
good understanding of nature in their natural environment (the desert).
Meosa warriors all serve their chieftain and when he dies, they become voluntary
exiles and roam the lands. The traditional - and deadly - choice of weapon for
an Meosa is a staff and an ame (slightly curved one-handed sword with a length
of about 60 cm).
The Warriors code : Book of Five Spheres
Meosa 'cavalery' rides on the back of a matesoson (a camel/kangaroo-like animal
walking on its hind legs but with its head facing 'downward'. It is another test
of maturity and bravery to ride one bareback (they have rodeo-games). A desert
animal with camel-like stamina and water-preservation capabilities.
Size : from head to legs 3m
Weight : 200 kg
B) The Dwarves
Dwarves use some king of a mini-Wurm which heats the stone in front of him to
2500 °C and gets his food from this molten mass. Everything he cannot use as
food is left behind. They do not need much food, the energy for the melting
process is generated from some weird chemical reaction with some materials from
the molten rock. They can 'hibernate' for some time while using stored 'food'.
They can in addition be used during sieges, although it can be hard to bring
them towards such a fortress (only while hibernating they can be transported).
Name : Thothlukhot
Size : 10M long, 2M diameter.
Weight : 4-5 ton
Etched in Transparisteel
TNR Akhan Hills in Masan
Allando Akhut Mounts in Hyporia
Andirion Alfaian Heights in Damoria
Talurion Otzial Caves in Aldurion
Ofaran Utzian's County
Miresa Ukhial Mounts in Miresa
Taradon Khian Caves in Taradon
Society & Religion Change : Thal Uhtzanh created 4 dwarfs (of the 4 first clans,
and 3 other clans 'drifted apart' from these 4) : Which started : Akhan Hills,
Alfaian Heights, Ukhial Mounts and the Khian Caves. Both the Otzial Caves and
Utzian's County were created together with the Alliance, and the Akhut Mounts in
Hyporia were mined by dwarrows from the Alfaian Heights during the Great Dwarrow
chism (just after the Great Wars, between the Khian Caves and all other dwarfs.
The Khian Caves supporters from the Alfaian Heights left those Caves and went to
the north. They joined again with the other dwarven kingdoms, but as the Ukhial
Mounts, never fought against an enemy who didn't attack them first - although
their retaliation attacks were the most cruel of the entire history of Andalion)
<<< The dwarrows believe in 1 Great Dwarf (Thal Uhtzanh) who created the
overlords of the four clans: Altzuh of The Alfaian Kingdom, Muhtz'akh of the
mountains of Mutzia, Netzal of the Tribe of Netzal and Otz'iab of the Guardians
of Otz'iaba. This Thal Uhtzanh was a statue created by Haliané, who was in
search for a stronger servant in her combat versus the other Vdini. <<< something
like this >>>>>>
C) The Nazuri
III.C.1 Where do Nazuri live ?
Nazuri live in woods. Ok...hmmm... since everything was part of the Creator,
who, after a burrito dinner exploded in millions of particles ;), not only the
land but also the first creatures of each "species" (except for Thakal
<<< &dwarves? >>>) were bits of the Creator, no ? So, let's say some bits are more
closely related to each other than others... like, er, hair and nails for
example. Get the picture ? Ok, now imagine that when one part of the Creator
became plantlife, another, related part became the Nazuri. What do you get ? You
get a half-plant freak, that's what. Now, these half-plant freaks actually are
not that "plantish" and are more freakish (that is, animal), but they still
retain some of their "cousins'" genetic makeup. Therefore, a Nazuri is a very
adaptable being (in the woods that is). If a Nazuri (who by nature have an
emerald green skin (photosynthesis)) comes to a new forest, (s)he changes the
texture and color of his skin to the bark of the dominant tree, but slowly.
Nazuri live in the upper layer of the forest (between and on the branches of the
trees).
III.C.2 What does a Nazuri look like ?
Nazuri are actually quite close to the other humanoid races. They are
diminuitive in statue (although not as bad as dwarves let's say 1.70 meters is a
giant Nazuri ?) and quite weedy ;). Their skeletal structure is light
(comparable to twigs actually) and therefore breaks with a forceful blow, but
their lighter build and flexible skeleton also makes them more agile. Although
they are scrawny, they are quite muscled and strong. Their hearing is extremely
sharp but their eyesight is below normal. They can spot movement however(think
T-Rex ;). Nazuri don't need iron in their food. They have a hybrid body : their
skin is "animal", they don't have a capilary system but a transportation system
for oxygen & juices (= plants). As said before, they change their skin color &
texture to the bark of the dominant type of tree. Therefore they are hard to
spot while motionless in a tree (camouflage). They have no real 'hair' to speak
of but due to the structure of their skin, some kinds of plants (epiphyts etc)
can adhere themselves to it. There are male and female Nazuri. Procreation
happens two ways : plantlike and animallike. The uh animallike procreation gives
a new Nazuri, the plantlike gives a special kind of tree (real tree, not moving,
but with a sense of awareness) that are tended by the Nazuri and in return help
them (warnings, protection, etc...). Nazuri can communicate in two ways : either
with vocal chords (normally only used with the other races and while hunting)
and with pheromones. It's also with pheromones that the 'trees' give warning to
the Nazuri. The 'trees' are called Nanur. If a Nanur is chopped down, the nazuri
get kind of pissed... think child murder and you're at a tenth of what a Nazuri
feels then.
III.C.3 What do Nazuri wear ?
Well, if you're gonna be nice and inconspicous in the forest, of course, your
first guess would be 'not very much' and you're right. Other than the
aforementioned plants and weapons, the Nazuri don't wear any clothes (unless
they need to go to human cities. Then they wear normal human clothes as not to
offend the humans).
What is a Nazuri like ? <<< see below : Tarloth & Tarhel >>>
depends on what they eat mostly ;)
- mostly vegetarian : hates animals (but not other nazuri, I mean, a nazuri
is a nazuri is a nazuri, right ?) which includes humans. (the "Xenophobe"
Nazuri of old...)
- omnivore : takes kindly to all creaturees, since relaxed food tastes better
III.C.4 Social Life
Clans
Nazuri live in 'clans', consisting of about 4-10 families (for the really really
large ones). Usually, (depending on the size of the forest) there are between 1-
4 clans in a region... More tends to sap resources (available trees, food, etc)
too fast so 'extra' Nazuri trek to a new forest in the immediate vicinity to
start a 'colony' of the main 'family'. These colonies retain a strong bond with
the mother-colony most of the time and inter-forest matings aren't an exception.
When these 'colonists' leave, they take with them cuttings from Nanur that have
been preserved with Nazuri-magic. Nanur can be 'imprinted' on other species to
propagate. The decisions in a forest are taken by the clan leader, the eldest
Father of the families consistuting the clan.
Families ?
A Nazuri family consists of a couple of generations of Nazuri led by the Father
of the family, usually the eldest surviving male member. There is no real
'marriage' in the western sense of the word, but their system is more something
like the african multi-wives system... When the first wife is incapable of
producing any more Nanur, the male takes a second wife. The first wife stays the
'matron' of the 'house'.
Usually they travel from tree to tree. When they leave their forests (very
unusual) they can use deer? For nightly transportations they use the Talodared
(a very uncommon giant bat)
<<<
Tarloth : friendly nazuri
Tarhel : xenophobic nazuri, who blame all other races on the death of so many
nazuri in so many wars.
<<< data >>> The Nazuri splitted in SA 4. SA 15 was the year of the kinstrife
(civil war of the nazuri) of which the highpoint was the slaughter in Telemnar.
This place is cursed with the death-curse of so many nazuri, that no-one dares
to come there anymore. (Tarloth killed Tarhel there)
>>>
D) The Dharhan
Don't bother, we've resurrected them, although nothing more has been established
than that they live on the Red Plains, which makes them one-time "subjects" of
Udangar, one of the Vdini who died in the Great Wars.
A) An introduction into Magic
IV.A.1 About this magic system
This magic system was developed for an as yet untitled cRPG set in the world of
Andalion with the intention of creating a system that was "believable" while not
being too restrictive.
I deliberately wanted to get away from the bad (IMHO) system of only a couple
of spells that can be readied (AD&D) or the use of reagents (Ultima) which not
only hinders the caster (need to carry around lots of otherwise unusable herbs &
trinkets) but can also mean a critical spell cannot be cast at the right time
for it. Also, most systems only account for spellcasters (except for major
storylines) working alone which means that low-level casters have a really hard
time doing anything at all. Also I think the idea of buying (!) spells and then
immediately being able to cast them is absurd, I mean, it's not because you have
just bought a bicycle that you can immediately ride it... But ONCE you learn how
to ride it without falling off, you never forget!
IV.A.2 Description
My idea was to create a system that relies on balance :
Instead of needing to get energy from objects to be able to cast a spell, all
the energy comes from the caster (soul-body combination). The more difficult
the spell is to cast, the more it takes from the caster(s). Notice the (s) in
the previous sentence : spellcasters can link their flux to increase the power
over their spell and to distribute the backlash. The caster is still able to use
objects that allow him to have more control over his spell and lessen the
backlash a little but these objects are rare and highly sought after.
All spells use a combination of the 4 elements : fire, air, earth, water.
Some spells are almost intuitive while others use a complex combination of
elements to achieve their effect. A spellcaster can always see the flux a
caster weaves, and in doing so can learn the spell being cast.
There are no defined levels at which a certain spell can be cast, instead,
the more experienced you are, the more control you have over your spell and
the more chance you have of achieving anything (a spell always has a counter-
effect, even if you achieve nothing). This also implies that spells such as
e.g. produce flame, flame dart, fireball and flame wall are all the same spell
in essence but that the caster has more or less control over the flux he's
weaving.
Due to the fact that casting a spell is a challenging thing, spells cannot
be cast while unconscious.
A flux can be made more permanent by 'coiling' it in on itself.
IV.A.3 Types of Magic
There are a couple of different types of magic :
- "Normal" magic
- "Wild" magic
- "Artifact" magic
Normal magic
Normal magic is the energy which comes from the soul-body combination of the
caster (which can be amplified by certain artifacts).
Wild magic
Another kind of magic is the "wild" magic, so called because the caster has
almost no control over it : it's energy comes from 'the bones' of most races
[the 'sort' of spells is different for each race : dwarves will have easy access
to wild magic earth spells (Animation the most important one), as will earth
thakal have] and can have absurdly powerful effects, although the effect of the
spell is unknown to the caster at the time of casting.
Almost all the backlashes are lethal to the caster or leave him in a coma.
Because of this, this kind of magic has never been studied fully and is
banned in most circles.
Interestingly, it seems that people with a psychosis (megalomania,
schizophrenia, paranoia, catatonia) seem to be able to excert more control over
the effects and seem to suffer almost no side effects. (A sufficiently powerful
wild spell is even supposed to be able to cure them of their psychosis but most
people affected do not want to be healed it seems.)
Artifact magic
Artifact magic uses energy that was stored in an artifact (eg a wand, a ring,
...). These artifacts are extremely rare and are jealousy guarded by their
owner. Most artifacts have only one use (wand of flame dart, ring of
invisibility, etc...) but some artifacts have an effect-selector which allows
the caster to use up to 10 different effects stored in the artifact.
The use of these artifacts normally has no effect on the wielder (except those
that have a magical ward cast over them)
IV.A.4 Frequently asked questions (at least FA by AJAN himself :-)
Q : If most of the spells have such an awful backlash, how is a mage going to
survive ?
A : I've put in a great deal of thought and I've come up with a 'buddy' system
(which incidentally also makes a great plot element). I was thinking of
teams of people with different specialities working together ie every
spellcaster has a herbalist(healer) as friend and has a mutual understanding
: the herbalist keeps the mage alive and the spellcaster helps the herbalist
with some of the more difficult preparations.
Q : If being a caster has so many drawbacks, why would I want to be a mage ?
A : I don't know about you but I have never in my whole life RP'd a 'pure'
class... I always describe my PC's class as 'Jack of all trades, master of
all.' This is to say that I have a char that can cast spells with the best
of them and can also handle a sword if his spells should fail him. As it
stands now, a lone caster is almost impossible to play (well, a battlemage
certainly... other kinds should be feasible) but that's why the buddy system
is there. You could always stock up on herbs and potions yourself if you
really want to do everything alone...
IV.A.5 Information about the individual spells themselves
<<< modified >>>
There are a number of different types of spell :
AIR - illusion (easiest - more realistic = more difficult)
WATER - alteration (alters caster back - healing = wounding, etc)
EARTH - creation (e.g. earthenware : earth(base)+air(shape)+fire(bake))
FIRE - destruction (hardest - likely to kill/maim caster)
| - space-time bending (summoning, travelling, slow-time, speed time)
---> thought to be a combination of the 44 'types' of spells but instead these
are LIGHT spells (from the book of light and the Dharhan) which is why the
original world spell failed (with the slow-time spells on the Vdini etc)
Illusion :
An illusion only creates a resemblance of what the caster has in mind.
There are a couple of different levels to illusions : the more control the
caster has, the more 'real' the illusion will seem. For example : a barely
trained caster can produce a flame that will not give light and warmth and
will look suspiciously transparent. The more control he gets, the more
realistic he can make the illusion.
Alteration :
An alteration alters something in a given target e.g. a cup of water
becomes a cup of dirt, a wound is healed. The only problem with
alterations is that they alter the caster back (to a lesser degree) : if
the caster heals a wound, he recieves a less serious one, etc... (note
that this does NOT work the other way : inflicting a wound does not heal
the caster !)
Creation :
A creation spell can create anything (spoon, sword, servant, a room, a
boat, ...), only dependent on the amount of control and power the caster
has. The more power the caster pumps into the creation, the better the
quality of the creation <<< and the longer it will stay created? >>>.
Also, more intricate or large creations need more control.
A creation spell exhausts the caster more or less completely so that it is
imperative that he rests or else he dies.
Destruction
A destruction spell is a weapon, period. As with most weapons it will turn
on its user. Destruction spells always have a devastating effect on the
caster. The only difference is the time it takes the caster to die.
Space-time bending :
As the name implies, these spells somehow bend space-time. They can have
extremely powerful effects (which means extremely powerful backlashes :)
but as they're all quantum, I'm not going to explain it any further .
Spell List :
Every spell has a couple of attributes :
Difficulty : This is how complex the flux are. (scale 1-10)
Control needed : This is how much control over his flux the caster needs
at ALL times. (scale 1-15)
Elements : The elements that are used in this spell
Type : One of the types detailed in the previous chapter.
Backlash : The effect the spell has on the caster (Table to come)
Effect : What the spell does + differences in types.
Basic spells :
All of these spells are the most basic effects which have almost no effect
on the caster. These spells can also be amplified which then alters their
control needed, difficulty (bigger flame, more flames, etc...) and backlash.
Produce Flame
Difficulty : *
Control needed : *
Elements : Fire
Type : illusion / creation
Backlash : goosebumps ? (nothing serious)
Effect : A flame appears in the place the caster wills it.
Produce Water
Difficulty : *
Control needed : *
Elements : Water
Type : illusion / creation
Backlash : tingling sensation ? (nothing serious)
Effect : 25cl of water appear anywhere.
If they are willed in midair, they will undergo normal
gravitational effects (fall and form a puddle). Both
types produce stains but the illusionary stain
dissapears after the caster stops the flux.
Produce Dirt
Difficulty : *
Control needed : *
Elements : Earth
Type : illusion / creation
Backlash : tingling sensation ? (nothing serious)
Effect : A handful of dirt is created.
Produce Wind
Difficulty : *
Control needed : *
Elements : Air
Type : creation
Backlash : itch
Effect : A very feeble current of air is created between two
places the caster has in mind.
Speak Truth
Difficulty : ***
Control needed : **
Elements : Air + Water
Type : alteration
Backlash : dunno yet.
Effect : The target of the spell will feel compelled to speak
the truth for as long as the flux is maintained.
Invisible Writing
Difficulty : *******
Control needed : **********
Elements : Fire + Earth + Air
Type : alteration
Backlash : dunno yet.
Effect : This engraves anything with a text of varying length
which is only visible to casters using the Uncover
Writing spell.
Uncover Writing
Difficulty : ****
Control needed : *****
Elements : Air + Water + Earth
Type : alteration
Backlash : dunno yet.
Effect : This allows the caster to see the results of an
Invisible Writing spell.
Flame Wall
Difficulty : ****
Control needed : *****
Elements : Fire + Air
Type : destruction / creation
Backlash :
Effect : There are two versions of this spell :
- Destruction : Creates a wall of flame that
moves towards a target at high
velocity and burns everything in
its path.
- Creation : Creates a non-moving wall of flame
of certain dimensions.
Uncoil Flux
Difficulty : *******|***
Control needed : ************|***
Elements : Air + Fire + Water + Earth
Type : alteration
Backlash : (average|major)
Effect : This spell allows the caster to uncoil a coiled spell.
If it's not one of the caster's own spells, the
difficulty and the control needed increase and so does
the backlash. This does not take in consideration any
'extra' spells on the coiled spell (example : Permanent
Teleport Anchor)
Teleport Anchor
Difficulty : ********|**
Control needed : ******|*********
Elements : Earth + Fire | Water + Air
Type : alteration ? creation
Backlash : (average|major)
Effect : Teleport Anchor creates an invisible marker which will
allow the caster to teleport this location more easily.
This marker will remain until it is teleported to. To
make a marker permanent, (extremely difficult) a second
flux of water & air must be woven around the marker
which will actually keep teleporting the unused marker
from the past to the present. If either flux is ever
uncoiled an instability will appear in the space-time
continuum which will take out the entire area with an
enormous explosion (don't try this at home kids ;).
Teleport Sphere
Difficulty : *******
Control needed : **********|**
Elements : Earth + Air + Water + Fire
Type : space-time bending
Backlash : (major)
Effect : Teleport Sphere takes an area the caster chooses, a
destination area of the same size and bends space so
that everything in the first sphere appears in the
destination area. Different amounts of control are
needed depending on whether or not the caster knows
the destination area and if his full concentration is
on the task. If his concentration is not complete, the
alignment may not be exact or the things in the sphere
might be scattered over a larger area (not dead or
anything, just a misalignment of the two spheres). If
this spell is used to teleport to a Teleport Anchor,
the control needed is only that needed for a well-known
location.
Invisibility
Difficulty : *****
Control needed : *********
Elements : Air + Water
Type : space-time bending
Backlash : (major but not too hard (milder then teleportation))
Effect : Creates a field around the caster that bends space
around him so lightrays appear to go through nothing.
Slow Bleeding
Difficulty : ****
Control needed : ******
Elements : Water
Type : alteration
Backlash : dunno yet
Effect : Changes the viscosity of the target's blood thereby
making it bleed slower. Unfortunately, this also means
the target's blood moves oxygen around much slower and
can result in brain damage if the target isn't healed
soon.
Air Shield
Difficulty : *****
Control needed : ****
Elements : Air
Type : space-time bending
Backlash : dunno yet
Effect : creates a solid wall/dome of air around the target
with a variable thickness.
Animal Form
Difficulty : ****|****
Control needed : *******|******
Elements : Fire + Wind
Type : illusion / alteration
Backlash : minor-ish / 24% chance change PERMANENT
Effect : Changes the caster's appearance to resemble that of
an animal belonging to the local fauna (no polar
bears in the desert). The more the caster is familiar
with the creature, the more the form will be
convincing and detailed.
The spell lasts until the caster loses concentration.
- The illusion only makes the caster APPEAR to be an
animal and can be easily pierced (with a little
effort).
Unless the caster pays special attention to them,
his tracks in the illusion form will still be human.
Some size considerations are in order... An illusion
of say a large dog will be more succesful than one
of a flea so to speak.
Smell and sounds can be changed with extra mental
effort, as usual.
- The alteration really CHANGES the caster to the
animal, having a 24% chance the change remain PERMANENT
(= not removable except for "Divine Intervention").
If the caster is killed while changed into an animal
he will revert to his original form upon death,
regardless of whether he was controlling the spell or
it was permanent.
Contained Reverser
Difficulty : **********
Control needed : ***************
Elements : Fire + Water
Type : destructive space-time bending
Backlash : hmmm... lets see... quite CRITICAL!
Effect : Comparable to a blowing up a H-bomb in a sphere
that keeps getting smaller and smaller, all the
while feeding everything back into the sphere
(localised space-time mobius loop). Very very nasty
and very very deadly...
Heal
Difficulty : *********
Control needed : *********
Elements : Earth + Water
Type : alteration
Backlash : MAJOR
Effect : Heals a number of wounds on the target, inflicting
an equal number of lesser wounds on the caster.
(mostly scars and gashes - not in the same place)
IV.A.5.bis Some more about Spells/weaves
As said before, spells are 'weaved' together from fluxes of four different kinds
(E, F, W, A). Some spellcasters 'generate' more of one kind than others. Threads
can be woven together for a later spell (e.g. if you need to cast a fireball in a
hurry, you could weave it all together (except for the last thread, because a
spell has to be cast when you lay the last weave). You do not know which spell will
appear from a certain combination of fluxes (unless you have its description in
your spellbook).
Flux-threads can also be inverted on themselves, generating a thread from the
opposite type :
F -> W
W F
E A
A E
FW EA
FE WA
FA WE
WE FA
WA FE
EA FW
FWE 3A
FWA 3E
FEA 3W
WEA 3F
FWEA L -> D
Light spells only use Light-threads, necromantic spells (drain life, raise dead) use
only dark fluxes.
IV.A.6 Flux-power
Every spell consists of several flux-threads woven together (e.g create flame is
one fire-thread, while wall of fire is 3 fire-fluxes and one earth fluxes,
whereas moving wall of fire also includes 2 air-threads). The amount of flux-
threads a mage can weave in the same spell (or at the same time) is his PU.
Drayvid, the leader of the Sorcerers had a PU of 9, and all original Sorcerers
has a combined PU of 73 (5.5 each, while is the normal amount for flux-weavers
is 1 (only 1 / 100 000 humans can weave from themselves (1 / 1000 can have wild
spells in emergencies))
IV.A.7 Twisted Artifacts
Because I like the 'twisted ter'angreal' (do something else or do the same thing
but twisted or used for something else), I sought Andalion for my own twisted
artifacts and found something to twist : Test of Swords / test of Power :
originally these were two artifacts to enter and face challenges, actually a
training module (swords : use swords, power : use (untainted) power in some kind
of other reality). Die here and you 'wake again', more like a game of quake.
They are tainted and now if you die, you are really dead. they are twisted,
because in addition to the skill-test, they also include a 'moral' test based on
actions, not form. Kill the wrong person in the test and you might (will) die.
IV.A.8 Notes on spellcasting
We still have to make all combinations
e.g. FFFA = Flying triple-flare : fireball (without the A it is a 'wall' of fire)
The Sorcerers have found a 'better' way of spellcasting : instead of weaving all
fluxes together at the same time, a mage has several 'slots' free to keep a
weave in for an hour, after which it decays. This means that you weave one flux
(tie it off), weave another one, and then weave them together, then weave
another flux, weave another one, and weave those two together, and then weave
the duos together. F+F --> FF, F+A --> FA, FF+FA --> FFFA which is a fireball.
This takes more time (tying off) and still doesn't allow a spellcaster to weave
more than his normal quota of fluxes. Why all the fuss then? Because in the
example, you would only get 3 x small burns plus whatever air does instead of
flaming like a crisp for yourself.
A link of two magi lessens the taint damage and 2 spellcasters of PU 3 can use 8
fluxes (two to the lowest PU) : 4 magi with the weakest a level 3 spellcaster
can use 8 fluxes (but the taint is divided in 4)
Spell-casting harms the body, but the amount of damage is both function of the
difficulty and the spelltype, but also from fate / luck / destiny. A flare for
light might harm a spellcaster as much as a firewall killing 10 enemies.
Mad Alursh : a spellcaster who is not harmed fysically but psychically by
spellcasting. Wandering aroundin Molinat killing darkfriends and thakal.
B) Books Of Lore
IV.B.1 The Book Of Air : a compilation of Nazuri - lore
Prophecies of the Nazuri
A prophecy of Aritis, Clan-Leader of Telemnar (SA 15)
... - paper is torn
When Treekiller befriends Treefather - Treefather = Nazuri?
When Night becomes Day - Eclips?
When Servant becomes Master - ???
And [...]
[...]
When Doom becomes Woe
When Devils' Child
And Parent are beaten
Then The One Has Risen
Spells Of The Nazuri
These are mostly done with Air (and of lesser importance : Water)
Illusion
=> all illusion spells?
Space-time bending
Invisiblity
Stasis field
Creation
Stasis field
Destruction
Storm
Blizzard
Alteration
Invisiblity?
Other things : illusionary
IV.B.2 The Book Of Earth : a compilation of Dwarrow - lore
Prophecies of the Dwarrows
Spells Of The Dwarrows
These are mostly done with Earth (and of lesser importance : Fire)
Illusion
None
Space-time bending
Teleport
Creation
Animation (a wild spell that makes dwarrows animate their 'statues')
Destruction
Earthquake
Alteration
Animation
IV.B.3 Book of Fire : A compilation of Meosa-lore
Prophecies of The Meosa
Spells Of The Meosa
These are mostly done with Fire (and of lesser importance : Air)
Illusion
Fire illusions
Space-time bending
Banish
Creation
Fire walls
Flames
Continual Light
Destruction
Fireball
Alteration
Nope
IV.B.4 Book of Water : a compilation of human lore
Prophecies of Mankind -> pretty weird poetry :-)
When He Shall Awaken With Wounds
That No Leech Can Heal
Then He Shall See The Linked
Then He Shall Be The One
When He Shall Find His Cradle
That Shapechanging Spoiled
Then He Shall Fear The Wrong
Then He Shall Be The One
When He Shall Find The Place
That Two-Face Ruled
Then He Shall Read The Sky
Then He Shall Be The One
When He Shall Walk The Bog
That Saw The Evil Making
Then He Shall Follow The Mark
Then He Shall Be The One
When He Shall Take The Staff
That Darkness Once Made
Then He Shall Follow His Fate
Then He Shall Be The One
When He Shall Find The Scroll
That Will Show Him The Way
Then He Shall Weave The Flux
Then He Shall Be The One
When He Finds The Unnamed
That Plainly Dwell On Red
Then He Shall Understand
Then He Shall Be The One
When He Shall Bear The Sign
That Fire Him Gave
Then He Shall Know For True
Then He Shall Be The One
When He Shall See The Trees
That Once Charmed Their Parents
Then He Shall Find Hounds' Cousin
Then He Shall Be The One
When He Knows For True
That Death Comes For All
Then He Shall Fight The Circle
Then He Shall Be The One
When He Shall Find The Trap
That Trifle For Him Laid
Then He Shall Know His Fate
Then He Shall Be The One
When He Shall Face The Face
That Changed As Well As Died
Then He Shall Free The World
Then He Shall Be The One
When He Shall Know His Inheritance
When He Shall Know His Legacy
When He Shall Know What He Knew
When He Shall Know What Will Be
- Ancient Scroll discovered by Alhan Lasurr, Historian and Librarian to King Arond III
Spells Of Mankind
These are mostly done with Water (and of lesser importance : Earth)
Illusion
weak illusions that either only work on one race or are not so realistic
Space-time bending
Banish
Creation
Buildings? terraform Earth?
Destruction
Flood
Alteration
Healing
Protection from Magic
IV.B.5 The Book Of Light
What is exactly known about the Dharhan and their book of light? Nothing, except
that it has to contain several subtle changes to the patchwork of the 4 other
books, as the Dharhan physionomy allows them not to shapechange, but to look
almost normal to all but the most observant watcher. With this book, the first
world spell can be reversed and cast again without inducing a new taint.
A) The Vdini
V.A.1 Introduction to the Vdini
"God made the world, and the world was created by God. God was everything, and
everything was God. Thus it happened that during the creation, and because of
the creation, God became divided. God became divided and His particles came
alive. His blood was the seas, and His body the creatures of land and air, and
His mind became the angels. But the angels betrayed His dreams, and they became
evil, and evil became their deal. For almost all of them fell for the evil, and
all of them wanted people to rule and to torture. 12 of these were more
powerful than the others, and these were called the Vdini. Others fell for the
evil these 12 contemplated, and these are called the Demons. Some of them stayed
true to what they felt was true, and these are called Angels. But the Demons
fought the Angels, and the Angels were too few, and many of them were cast out
into the Void, and others left the real world, to dwell in the lands of
Andalion, remembering the love of the Creator, remembering that he had sacrified
himself to create this. And some of them believed in his dreams, and still
fought for them."
As the above Bible of Mardant says, the Vdini were created from the mind of the
Lord. Normally unable to embody themselves, rather appearing in the sky in
ethereal visions, the Vdini found that by weaving a certain flux, they could
destroy a soul and control the body. They still didn't live *in* the body, but
it was close enough. The appearances of these bodies changed, too. Where the
bodies were beautiful before, they became warped : goat feet, hunchbacks, red-
glowing eyes,... These bodies could be harmed without harming the Vdini. Indeed
very few things are able to harm a Vdini, as they can harm very few things by
themselves too. All they can do is weaving fluxes and fighting with controlled
bodies, but these bodies ask a lot of concentration (max 3 at a time). The only
things that can harm a Vdini are a "unable to weave" shieldflux (this only stops
them from weaving fluxes at the place where they are, they can still cast fluxes
wherever they appear (embodiment is made impossible for the Vdini by the
Sorcerers), a banish spell or a stasis-flux (time is slowed by a factor 10, and
even the most powerful fluxweaver can be harmed by an apprentice fluxweaver for
even for all his speed the stasisflux blocks him (no-one has tried this with
Vdini, in Isangar they are shielded and stasised all day long).
Of the twelve 8 remain; Ugandar, Mesandar, Halianè and Karis have died during
the Great Wars. Karddé defends herself on the Forbidden isle (the Sorcerers were
stupid after their victory and let her flee without hunting her down), the
others are bound in Isangar. Vdini can 'send' a spirit/ a mind (e.g. a demon) in
the body of a beast (e.g. a wolf) to create a werewolf or another beast (e.g.
vampire : bat, lizard : dragon). Bargend especially was a master in this use of
the Flux, first creating an illusion of a beast with magic and then entering a
demon to animate it. [you can't just summon creatures, you have to create an
image of the beast and then you have to animate it with a mind]
Tegarend : Bringer of Darkness
Igandar : Lord of Stones
Ugandar : Lord of Dreams
Nudare : Lady Harmer
Nadare : Lady Healer
Haliane : Radiant Flame
Smade : Shade of Hate
Mesandar : Lord of Doom
Bargend : Changer of Shapes
Mardant : Chooser of Fate
Karis : Embracer of Risks
Kardde : Embracer of Hate
V.A.2 Vdini ranking according to power
Name Power Control Total
Tegarend 65 40 105
Kardde 45 30 75
Bargend 35 40 75
Nudaré 40 25 65
Mardant 35 25 60
Karis 40 20 60
Haliané 55 - 55
Nadaré 35 20 55
Igandar 30 20 50
Mesandar 45 - 45
Ugandar 45 - 45
Smàdé 30 15 45
If the combined demon power started on 1000 Power Units, then roughly 50%
belongs to the 12 Vdini, 25% to the 10 daemons, 15% to the fiends, 5% to fluxes
and viles, and 5% to the countless lares-demons.
Orodian 75 20 95
Dialund 35 85 120
Celebrian 35 15 50 (really?)
Tegondar 100 - 100
Mesagend 50 35 85
Telam 10000 - 10000
Rhon 10000 - 10000
Ghan 4000 - 4000
Dorath 4000 - 4000
Anagend 75 20 95
Kelso 100 - 100
Halma 50 40 90
Dado 65 25 90
Doratharend 80 10 90
Mesarend 75 15 90
Cool idea : the demons, fiends, fluxes etc were created by the death of the others (
in the beginning god, then 2 mighty beings, then 1+4, then 3+7, then 5+16, ...
V.A.3 Land occupation
Before the great wars, the world was roughly divided in 15 pieces, 12 of which
were under control of a Vdini.
Tegarend Taradon
Qaral Tharán [fortress of might]
Gárfa Kâaraq [Black Citadel]
Bargend Allando
Maqâtra Baragan
Qaral Afâa
Qaral Táran
Mesandar Telemnar
Galat dâam [~ house of doom]
Qaral Thárk [strength fortress]
Igandar Refalta
Ugandar Red plains
Mardant Andirion
Kardde Forbidden Isle
Karis Isangar
Haliané Burining sands
Nadaré Galadion
Nudaré Ubian
Smàdé Ofaran
V.A.4 Vdini-Pacts during the First Age
Beginning First age (FA 0-7644)
Kardde - Karis - Smade
Igandar - Ugandar
Nadare - Nudare - Karis
Mesandar - Mardant
Bargend - Karis
Mesandar - Smade
Smade 'liberates' thakal-creation to a couple of other Vdini to get friends but
no-one trusts her anymore
Middle part (7500-8500) Karis and Haliane (+8000) out of the picture
Igandar - Ugandar
Nadare - Nudare - Bargend
Mesandar - Mardant - Igandar
Kardde - Ugandar
Before TGW (8500-8700)
Nadare - Nudare - Bargend
Mesandar - Mardant - Igandar - Tegarend
Ugandar - Kardde
Mesandar - Smade
V.A.6 Male Vdini
Mardant
Mardant is a moderately powered Vdini who became 'good' a century before the
Great war of the 7 armies, when he understood that their wars were destroying
Andalion. He formed his own army to defeat all the other Vdini and TO RULE THE
OTHER RACES AS A GOOD RULER (not much better as the alternative). He was
defeated because too few demons were 'angel'-minded and the other races were
gathering behind Isangar. After centuries of Stasis-imprisonment he changed
because his own experience with religions failed (Sarn Danat was destroyed in SA
300).
<<<< After a lot (400 years) of trying and experience and study Mardant
succeeded in weaving a difficult flux : he could incapsulate a soul from a
recent-dead body in a newborn body , etherealising the other soul meanwhile
(this was necessary because he can't kill something). This means 2 things : more
angels to serve Isangar and an undying hero who follows his commandements : be
good, help the weak and abused,....(some of his embodiments are Ignir Croftmoor
and Torin Ar'fan). >>>>
Mardant controlled the Bay Of Urtvan before the Great wars, and his Thakal were
marauding around (because he had changed his mind about that kind of things).
Each of these parties was sought out and destroyed (few things are known about
these units because their hierarchy had changed since the 'changing' of
Mardant.)
Igandar & Ugandar
Ugandar and Igandar (mind-brothers, equal to each other for 99,9 %) controlled
the Subinsula (SW Andalion). Their country was the theater of the greatest
bloodshed of the history of Andalion : The Great Wars, and very few living
things are left there.
Mesandar
Mesandar, the only Vdini able to rally the Nazuri, lived in the forest of
Telemnar. The Keep of Telemnar (now called the House of Doom) was built on the
foundations of his fortress, and since he died there, his black energy still
dwells there (it caused the Nazuri-strife), killing or severely harming those
who come there, driving those who survive the meeting mad.
Tegarend
Tegarend, I obey
Command and I will follow
Command and I will fight
Command and I will die
Come, Great Lord, come
- part of the summoning cyclus of Tegarend
Tegarend is the most powerful Vdini and he is the reason that some of the other
Vdini start forming alliances (and betray them again of course). He is a strong
spellweaver and can (in his ethereal appearance) inspire fear in those who see
him, in contrast to most other Vdini who aren't strong enough and show
themselves as what mankind thinks to be their ideal: a moral being high above
the weak mankind.
Tegarend has always been the most 'versatile' of the Vdini. While he was not as
skilled in some parts of flux-weaving as some specialized Vdini [Haliané: fire,
Smàdé : 'compulsion', Mesandar : space-time bending - 'compulsion - diplomacy']
he was able to fight 3 Vdini, and to defeat 2 Vdini alone. Worse even, his skill
in controlling demons was unmatched by any other creature on earth [save maybe
Bargend], and his willpower [decisive in calculating how many demons you can
control] is higher than all others.
Bargend
Bay of Belfalas - great forest : Bargends' Thakal were as unpredictable as the
current citizens of Allando - some of them were able to cast one wild-spell:
shape-shifting (I know what you will say, so read on). Although this spell
normally is an alteration = killing flux, it is here a wild-spell, which means
succesfully weaving = success without PENALTIES, otherwise you die. These
shapeshifters were only able to change in something the weaver knew, and since
very few Thakal survived a meeting with an allied race, they mostly changed to
animals or Fathargs (they do it subconsciously, so when they think about being
stronger, the spell tries to do so. Few of these Thakal survived the Great wars
and the subsequently colonization of Allando.
V.A.7 Female
Halianè
Haliané reigned over the Burning Sands, with her Earth-Thakal (living in
underground mines (think kobolds)) and her Fire-Thakal (living in the deserts,
protected from the sun by lizard skins). After her destruction, the Thakal who
were under her direct control died because the eco-system she controlled to feed
her minions fell with her demise, and couldn't resist against the building of
Sarn Falas or the conquering of the Burning Sands by the Meosa.
Haliane takes Karis into service because Karis (as a Vdini) can make Thakal and
Haliane thinks Karis is just one of the daemons (can't be controlled by anyone)
and as she can't control minor demons (but Karis can), she's very glad to have
her. Also, this gives an opening as to why Karis could take over Haliane's realm
without problems : Haliane left the training/controlling of Thakal to Karis (had
to:).
Smàdé
Weak. Very very weak. Coward.
Nudaré
Nadaré controlled the later Galadion, while her 'sister' Nudaré owned Ubian.
Their Thakal were the most 'human-like', the least vile-looking. Nudaré tried to
get a creature that was able to fight (Thakal are very though, thougher than a
unarmored human, and a lot stronger) and that was able to blend in other armies
(this didn't exactly succeed, but sometimes one of her Thakal is thrown back on
the genetics tree and becomes a ruffian, a half-Thakal)
Nadaré
Vdini dedicated to peace : she has always been one for diplomatic solutions to
anything. She almost succeeded in brokering peace between the Vdini when
Tegarend (who wasn't satisfied with the part he was getting) started the war
of the 7 races. 'Controls' Galadion. Nadaré had tried to create a peaceful
creature dedicated to peace and beauty, and actually succeeded. Then the War of
the 7 Races broke out and out of necessity she altered them to fighting
machines. Her Thakal are the most humanoid : they are approx 2m10 and a 'normal'
build, except for their right hand which is a claw and their pointy ears
standing at a right angle on their head.
Her followers may only defend themselves if their lives are in danger but may
not strike the first blow. They abhor violence and only tolerate it from
followers of Nudaré. There is a sort of 'vendetta' against followers of Tegarend
since Tegarend was responsible for the failing of the peace negotiations and
subsequent War of the 7 Races.
Karddé
Changes her name to Llamnagh in SA 4.
Karrdé controls the Thakal in the Fire Deserts, the Forbidden Isle+Plains, the
Spine of the World (working title) and the Seven Seas (working title). Each clan
of a subrace (see the 4 examples of adaptions) has an own name chosen from the 4
magical elements : Fire-Earth-Water-Air (eg. the Fire Fighters).Each of these
subraces are commanded by 2 Vile-demons and 1 Flux-weaving demon.
Karis
Karis middle of Andalion; her Thakal were the vilest ones 'cause she used
genetic material from the unnameable swamp-things that lived in the bogs of what
now is called Isangar. Her Empire was enclosured and was eventually squished
between Tegarend, Bargend, Haliane and Nudare. Karis herself survived this
catastrophe, only to die during the seven great wars (she allied herself with
Haliané, who didn't know she was a Vdini instead of a lowly flux-demon).
Haliané's destruction forebode her destruction - the battle-weary Tegarend was
assaulted by her when Haliané had died (Karis thought she would win now, pitted
against weary fighters) but he was still stronger than her, and Banished her.
V.A.8 Celebrian
He would be one of the 'unfallen' angels from my bible of Mardant, who went
undercover after [First Age 4 : the Fall of Tegarend, and the sauntering down
of all other Vdini and demons <<< NO WAY >>>]. Power = 35, Control = 15, but is
mainly using his power from keeping people to enter 'his' domain, which is
located [damn where isn't there a Vdini or daemon ???? ] south of the burning
sands but north of Telemnar, in the small plains region : Before the death of
Haliane there was peace between those places so no-one came there, after her
death no-one cared to enter it, and after the GW the meosa were so dedicated in
destroying pillaging thakal-brigades (those that were left) that they probably
nicknamed that region some variant of The Killing Ground, and the meosa didn't
leave the burning sands. The only times the road was used was by thakal on both
strike missions (probably no-one cared about the destruction of a couple of
brigades, when entire armies are clashing), and by alliance colonists on their
road to Ofaran, which were few and probably not attacked by a 'good' demon.
Celebrian (which is my current name for him) has always kept low from visitors,
but is sometimes found (think Green Man TWOT) and thought to be a hermit mage.
B) The Demons
V.B.1 What is a daemon
Mightiest demon - only 10 were destroyed / captured during the greatest wars,
but there probably were no more than some 15 of them - accounting for 25 % of
the total power[50% of the demon power]. Famous among them are Araton Hôlan
[Karis !!!!], Raqah Pernijo [the daemon who had mustered his own army at the
xenophobe nazuri in the galadion jungle, and who harrased the galadion troops of
Nadaré after she had marched away to the First country - he appeared at the red
plains in 8755 and was destroyed by Kardde] and Ofran Palran [Tegarends
lieutenant during the great wars]
Astral Projection kills the current host body.
Name Before GW during GW after GW Power Control
Efron Archoon N/A N/A Toturi's kgd 45 N/A
Ofran Palran Taradon cont by Tegarend Taradon 35 15
Guràt Mogren Bàran Dâra idle Bàran Dâra 30 5
Nas Varat Variat cont by Bargend KIA 30 N/A
Byrat Merid Isangar idle Fulltrui 25 5
Digmar Eroln E Telemnar fought w Mesandar KIA 10 1
Yukior Maoru S Taradon fought w Tegarend Esao 10 1
Yirkior Murgnat Narâd fought w Karddé Gatha 15 2
Ypsion Mvolun Gatha fought w Ugandar KIA 10 1
Raqah Pernijo Malfirin fought alone KIA 40 20
Origin of Efron Archoon, him being Efaron from Andirion, who joined the
Sorcerers and was caught in a vortex during the casting of the world spell
(created by the absence of Light Magic weaves) has disappeared.
V.B.2 What other demons are there?
Fiend-demon Power : 1 Control : 1
Vile-demon Power : 0.1 Control : N/A
Vile-demons are the worst kind of demons, almost not capable to weave flux, but
capable and good generals. The armies of the Vdini during the Great Wars were
always commanded by a Vile-demon, but during the Great Wars most Vile-demons
were killed, and the remnant of them either hided themselves (it is thought that
the Dharhan were corrupted by some hiding demons), gave their bodies away and
became haunting ghosts or surrendered to the Good to become Guardian-Angels.
Flux-demon Power : 0.5 Control : N/A
Lares-demon Power : 0.01 Control : N/A (most of them are
actually still 'angels')
C) The Thakal
Most of the Vdini created their Thakal opportunistic. Only Tegarend really made
a multi-use creature (what is why he was this succesfull). Karrdé created them
first, but her allies spied on her and learned it themselves and learned it to
their allies, and eventually all of them could create them, even the three who
couldn't control demons (the only reason these three were still alive was that
they were so powerful in the other terrains of flux-weaving that it was really
hard to kill them in the flux-weaving ways). Mesandar, Halianè and Igandar used
them occasionly when they could concentrate themselves fully on that task and
let them roam around the rest of the time. <<< (Mardant destroyed his leftover
Thakal when he joined the sorcerers 1300 years ago).>>>
All of them created the Thakal like the humans/Nazuri but most failed in the
finishing touch, making them ugly creatures made worse because they tried to
'repair' them by using other parts from other creatures (pig tusks, wings). Most
of them even tried to make subraces meant for other aims (Thakal with wings to
'fly', with shovellike forearms to dig, with gills and membranes to swim/for the
crews on the warships, with special adapted lizard skins to survive in the
desert). Only Tegarend never tried to change his primary design (never change a
winning team) because they were so good!
Thakal themselves are divided in 3 'races' :
*The Thakal
*The Fatharg (are born out of Thakal 'parents' and always look the 'same',
whatever adaptions are made on the 'parents' (no Fathargs with gills)
a return to the older genetics)
*The Lathan who are 'ordinary' Thakal except that they can cast wildspells.
Thakal : live approximately 15 years (shorter if used to fight :-))
Female/male persuasion
The Fatharg in my mind has changed from the doom-mutant to something more like a
troll, with five or six being enough to kill ten, to twenty untrained soldiers
in a minute, and even capable to break a shield-wall. Very strong, very broad
killer machines without brains.
Thakal are very disciplined units (necessary when your troops aren't great
warriors and are relying on each other to survive), and they will follow their
direct commander (this commander is the strongest (smartest?) Thakal, and will
be challenged if someone thinks himself stronger or if he makes a mistake)
wherever he wants to do what he wants (mostly because this direct leader is also
the strongest). Although this seems ideal for your army, there is a danger : if
your commander dies, all the leaders will immediately start struggling between
themselves for the high command, backed as they are by the troops under their
direct command ! This happens even in battle.
Sexual Progeny
% Fatharg % Lathan % Thakal % Human
Thakal x Thakal : 20 5 75 -
Thakal x Fatharg : 30 - 70 -
Thakal x Lathan : - 5 95 -
Thakal x Human : 50 - 25 25
Fatharg x Fatharg : 25 - 50 25
Fatharg x Lathan : - 1 99 -
Fatharg x Human : 50 - - 50
Lathan x Human : no progeny
Lathan x Lathan : - - 100 -
Cloning
Thakal -> Thakal
Fatharg -> 50% Fatharg 50% Thakal
Lathan -> 10% Lathan 90% Thakal
When thakal are 'led' by a demon, they are linked to it (like a trolloc to a
Myrrdraal), which means that when the demon (only 'control' when in a body) 's
body dies, the thakal die. ('' : by 'magic' of course, not just leadership)
Thakal are usually born in spring (after a 'carry' time of 6 months), and are
adult after +/- 2,5 years (maximum life expectancy of a thakal is 13-17 years).
In autumn many of these new adult male thakals raid other thakal tribes,
darkfriends and 'normal' humans, meosa and all other sentient races. To be
allowed to mate, they have to return with a 'head' (thakal without a 'head' are
no re-allowed in the tribe and perish).
D) Thakal Nestings
Bàran Dâra : The Bàran Dâra is a forested region about 500 Km SE of
Sasir. It harbours two Thakal strongholds
E) Vdini Fortresses
F) Darkfriend empires
Eledon
Eledon :
- mostly wasteland filled wih thakal pits
- The cultivable parts are occupied by litttle counties of Kardde's men, living
to pillage each others' cattle or for dueling. Slavers, making raids into
Mucaria.
Skald of Grymheim
Ulog of Vrondskin
Davvol of Vestvennby
Grâk of Daalsheim
Tehron of Scalagshalla
A) The Mother Church of Nadaré & Nudaré
This is the most rel. powerful in TNR. All the young noble-women of TNR have to
serve the Church for 5 years after they reach the age of 14, No exceptions made.
These 5 years as an "servant" are supposed to teach the girls obedience and
poverty and as such they are spent in the Monastery at the foot of the Kamir
mountain range.
At the beginning of the 5 years, every worldly possession of the girl is burned
and she is made to live naked for a full week, after which there is a cleansing
ceremony - which is supposed to cleanse them of shame, haughtiness and
disobedience. The girls are then give a single white dress, which they need to
look after themselves. After this first week, in which they need to perform
household tasks, their education begins. In between temple work and sleep, they
are taught the things they need to survive in the world : history, geo-politics,
diplomacy, weapon use, battle tactics, horseback riding, etc. They also get a
strenuous physical workout shedule to make sure they stay healthy. Those who
fail are sent home with a tattoo on their arm to remind them of what they
could have been. Most of those who fail never reach their homes again.
After these five years, the girls return to their homes where they have to serve
another year as altar girl in the temple of the Mother Church.
<<< so there are other temples and other church people >>>
At the end of this year, they are given a sigil tattoo in their neck to indicate
that they are now a 'Daughter of Nadaré' (='Natar Nadara') if they are peaceful
and 'Daughter of Nudaré' (='Natar Nudara') if they are more warrior-like. On
rare occasions, they are made 'Natar Kalsor' (=priestess) or 'Natar Alsor'
(=excelling in all areas). (Natar means daughter, Kalsor means holy, Alsor means
excellent in ceremonial language)
The Natar Nadara are used by the queen as emissaries to other lands
or as scribes/historians, Natar Nudara become general most of the time. Natar
Kalsor are destined to follow in the footsteps of the current Natar Kalsor.
Natar Alsor are different from the others : they are highly honoured and can
become anything they want. Natar Alsor don't answer to anyone but the queen of
TNR. They are the most trusted of all the Natar: they occupy high places in the
"governement". There have been rumours of the use of Natar Alsor as assassin but
these must be dismissed as fevered imagination.
Non-noble girls also have the right to join the monastery when they reach the
age of 14, but they normally don't reach the end of their educational term
(because the Kalsor are much harder on the non-noble, not because they are more
stupid, even if the noble learn how to read & write when they are little and
almost none of the "peasant" girls do.). Those who do get a red/blue ring around
their sigil to indicate that they were not highly born. (their titles get a Kat-
before the second part, so they are called Natar Kat-Nadara, Kat-Nudara, Kat-
Alsor, Kat-Kalsor).
Nudara-blade : Natar Nudara get a sword when they finish their training.
This sword is engraved (invis. writing) with their name and rank + name of the
blacksmith. There are blacksmiths in the Seminary that only make swords like this.
Mesel Enver : Master swordsman and blacksmith (TA 344-413). Only made one blade
each year, which makes them the most sought after blades in TNR.
Protector of Truth : Highest rank available for Natar Nudara.
B) Followers of the Prophet
The Followers of the Prophet are people who follow the commandements as given to
them by the Prophet (Mardant's second try to make a religion) and who await the
coming of the Messias. These people live everywhere (think the first christians)
and follow no special obvious rituals that actually shout 'look here, heretics,
come kill us. Only the believers themselves know some of the members (think
rebel cell structures). Some of these actually plan to destroy the corrupt
kingdom and to replace it by their theocracy).
They want to destroy the unbelievers and their hierarchical system that only
gives authority to those who can back up on a family tree. In this and some more
they are actually backed by the Heretics of Vestingal (although no follower
would say so, the heretics being, well ...heretics). However, most of the
Followers just try to live according to the commandements and actually live just
the same as all families in Allando or TNR, trying to match their ideals with
situations in daily life.
C) Heretics of Vestingal : Reformed Church of Alam'shol
The Heretics of Vestingal believe in Tegarend, but not in the same way as the
fighters of Tegarend. They believe in Tegarend (they call him Alam'shol : he who
comes at need) as in a god (and still want to fight and to die for him), and not
as a devil, whom is followed by and for whom people die who follow and die for
him because of their wish for personal enrichement and satanism. As the name
indicates, the Heretics of Vestingal are localised in Vestingal, Kolaria and
Gargrea AND Galadion- these regions being further from the cathredal of Holy
Temple - Adalandë / The Temples of N & N.
This religion started its bloom circe 545 SA, when Tegarend started his
Offensive. Seeing that he was confined for eternity, but knowing that , with a
big enough force he could challenge the might of the sorcerers
<<>>
started to gather armies around him. Using his remnants of power in Taradon
(much larger than in the 3th age (North Taradon is not yet colonized, sorcerers
haven't yet challenged his troops (<<< SA 714-716, Taradon and Southern Galadion
are sterilized by Sorcerer armies, the first taning of the power of Galadion and
one of the reasons why they split themselves from the free people ? >>>)), he
starts creating wars in the north, pillaging whole dukedoms (no-one dares to
help others, fearing they are trying to trick (Tegarend has lots of human agents
at the courts of mighty lords)), and in addition to counties destroying each
other, Galadion starts making war with Ubian. In the West tegarend can't do
much, because the nazuri of the west want to stay in their forests, Ubian and
Allando are to far from each other and the dwarves are too weird to use. So
Tegarend starts a civil war in Allando (both really, cause it isn't 1 state but
a heap of kingdoms), using his few agents as founders of a religion. Even now,
the leaders of the heretics of Vestingal are major members of the Fighters
of Tegarend (not the hand- too obvious).
Heretics of Vestingal believe in the God Alamshol, he who comes at need [A LAM
SIN HOLAN]
Other secret names to prevent the naming of Tegarend which is well known to the
loremasters and some of the magi who come from Isangar :
Hand Of Tegarend Black hand Otora Mi
Hand of Death Otora Dorat
Bringer of Death Shi Dorat
Fighters of Tegarend Needbringers Olamshan(O LAM SHI/SHAN)
When a member of the church of Aramshol has risen high enough in the clerical
ranks, he is brought (with 2 'godfathers') to the inner sanctum where the
highest priest of that district tells him the truth about Aramshol~Tegarend. If
he accepts this fact, he is placed under some kind of a guard to see his truth,
otherwise he is killed by the godfathers. You must see it like this : they don't
(or can't for lack of knowledge : even these leaders are as less 'darkfriend' as
the normal church-followers, because even they think it is good to follow him)
tell him that Tegarend is a greater demon, wanting to rule Andalion, killing
everyone who doesn't follow him while enslaving all others. No, they tell him
their 'God' is not as good as everyone thinks (some satanistic scenes with goats
etc)
Church Guardians : +/- 3000/4000 thousand warriors protecting the Reformed
Church of Alam'shol? Led by Burat Raesi? As close to a knocking team as the FoT
have.
D) Fighters of Tegarend
They know they follow Chaos and do so to 'reap the rewards' when his victory is
complete. They don't exactly know that Tegarend, their powerful master is
captured but are pawns that Tegarend *will* sacrifice to buy his escape.
Most worshippers are 'normal' people, who serve the dark lord as a 'hobby' to do
on sundays, far from my bed, they want to screw some things for him, but
preferably nothing open.
Western Tegarend Armies
The more militant arm of the Fighters of Tegarend
E) The Hand of Tegarend
The Hand is an organisation of cruel, black hand-tattoed assasins who are chosen
from the pool of Wild-spell weavers. They are unconsciously 'trained' by
Tegarend in the using of one Wild-spell : invisibility (think something like
gray men). These assasins are mostly aimed at noble houses (CHAOS). Tegarend
also controls his own brood of Thakal, commanded by a Vile-demon. they operate
at the darkfriend cities along the east-coast and at the borders of TNR. A bunch
of religious f*ckwits who see themselves as the worldly extension of their god
Tegarend (one of the Vdini). They are dedicated to bringing chaos and
facilitating the return of their god.
Massar Donlevi : a feared name in Allando/Andalion : leader of the Hand of
Tegarend, nicknamed Deaths' talon (Marat Dorat)
F) The Brotherhood of Mardant
As they are everything that remains from the major belief from the now long-lost
Sarn Danat, their lifes are devoted to the destruction of Allando. Every child
that is born in these communities is immediately sworn into servitude to Mardant
himself. The original belief in Mardant was the least aggresive of all Vdini-
beliefs (eg no crusades, 'wouldn't it be nice if we would all be friends?'
stuff, no people who visit you with cunning arguments) the destruction of their
Home-town changed this all. The community is divided over lots of cities (some
court-nobles, some bankers (think Jews),...) and the largest community (Gelmir)
amounts only to 500 members because no new people are accepted(they have some
weird idea that only true descendants from the destruction of Sarn Danat are
allowed to go to Heaven, and rank is calculated from the amount of 'real' blood
they have, in the rare case of mixed marriage). Each promising child (no 2m
large guys) is trained as an assasin (the best Mardantian schools (also none-
mardantians are allowed) are located in Gelmir, Mirkvale, Sarn Horia and Martar)
for that is the easiest way to revenge.
Other communities are bankrupting the enemy, or are (in the more democratic
parts of Allando) getting more and more influence in the all-day life in
Southern Allando, for the more money=the more 'clients' (think Roman democracy)
=the more votes=the more influence. The normal way of revenge (war) is blocked
because of their small numbers. Estimation of the total number of worshippers :
17000. Nen hoop nieuwe mensen in Gelmir geloven er ook in ???
G) Ring of Swords : Tholan
Elite knight order of Allando, although even commoners can enter and win fame
and position. Every noble enters as squire for a year but most don't rise to
Thalarno (Knight) but stay at Squire (Arnado). It is a militant anti-darkfriend
knight order led by the Grandmaster.
Chain of Command
Grandmaster : Akitro : Leader of them all
Master of Swords : Thaladar : Leader in battles
Champion : Thalarnodar : Chief knight
Grand Senechal : Judge of suspected captured darkfriends, enforcer of
the ring of swords rules
Master of Arms : Head armorer and Weaponmaster
Keeper of Sigils : Main administrator
Sertan Ar'fan : Akitro
Mesto Ty'inu : Thaladar
Domas Alfein : Thalarnodar
Ledo Uni'vato : Grand Senechal
Genar Gai'san : Master of Arms
Baram Ans'olo : Keeper of Sigils
H) The Lords Of Mercy
VI.H.1 What are they?
The Lords of mercy are the most dangerous women and men of Andalion. Each of
them are excellent fighters (armed and unarmed), are skilled tacticians and
generals, several of them are spellcasters, ...
To enter, they have to pass the test of swords (changed from ring of swords to
this society) Only the best can survive this test, which seems to be related to
Igongar. People who walk in the light must rely on their skills to pass the test
(1 in 3 passes), but light-forsakers immediately die after entering. The normal
number of members are +/- 15. Most travel around in small parties, aiding where
they are needed, but others are main defenders of their home country. They speak
vows in the test of swords never to hurt where they can avoid to, and never
attempt to kill except against thakal. Even when attacked by light-forsakers,
they shall attempt to capture instead of killing. Most of those who try the Test
are watched 10 or 15 years before.
Test of swords is not a good test for finding darkfriends because even those in
the light do not survive (only 1 in thousand survives, and only one in three of
those SELECTED on skills). You both have to fight in there and to make moral
choices (they can only select on fighting skills). This moral choice is only
enhanced, not 'obligated'. Only those who make the correct decision survives the
test (which is always different). It matters on how the dragon (e.g.) acts
whether you kill him. You must look to actions, not to form.
Test of swords : those that survive this are non-darkfriends (this is not the
same as saying that those who die were darkfriends. Many initiates die in this
acceptance test but not all of those are darkfriends but darkfriends that try
the test fail and die).
VI.H.2 Examples
Varaja Arar was a lady of mercy
Wolfsblade is currently chosen to be tested (and will be in the game, when too
many of the elder lords and ladies have died in the wars)
Grand High Trefal Tudor Al'chan (1042) is a lord of mercy
Torin Ar'fan was chosen to be tested
Seftan Ar'fan, Grandmaster of Ring Of Swords is a Lord of Mercy (traditionally,
the grandmaster of the Ring of Swords is always a Lord of Mercy. When the
grandmaster dies and there is no lord of mercy in the ring of swords, either one
is chosen, or one of the Allandan Lords (not ladies) of Mercy becomes
Grandmaster.
Pallan Doman was chosen to be tested, but refused (way ago in TA 752) (died in
740+ so I guess we'll make this 739)
Lords of Mercy in their countries (there are always 2/3 in every regio, not by
'an accident, which looks suspiciously manufactured', but because they are +/-
chosen in that way (when a lord of mercy in a region dies, the chosen from that
region is tested, or a lord of mercy from another region moves to the afflicted
region [they fight for the light, not just for their country -> but is this
because of the test (did it change them) or could they only survive the test
because of that morality?]):
VI.H.3 Lord of Mercy in present-time Andalion
Allando
Grand High Trefal Tudor Al'chan
Grandmaster of the Ring of Swords Seftan Ar'fan
Chosen Trefa Hafflan
TNR
Allando Expert Dashind Imar
Thakal Expert Varlea Onvir
High Seat of House Assorer Magnir Assorer
Chosen Maalant Enardar
Andirion / Talurion / Londiar
Master of Spears of Andirion Pallan Ovinar
High Lady of Taluruion Sarda Ongar
Grand Admiral of Londiar Dardon Si'tron
Ofaran
High General Sefaton Masardon
Mistress of Ships Anla Sitan
Chosen Varan Luna
South Taradon
Lord Commander Erich Bercam
Grand Captain Gaherin Otlom
Other
Hero in the Borderlands Luian Vandor
Military Leader of Isangar Tobon Rhine
Hero in Molinat Vorn Bodar
Hero in Buruât Province Valon Marda
Chosen Atratus
I) Religion of the Dwarves
The dwarrows believe in 1 Great Dwarf (Thal Uhtzanh) who created the overlords
of the four clans: Altzuh of The Alfaian Kingdom, Muhtz'akh of the mountains of
Mutzia, Netzal of the Tribe of Netzal and Otz'iab of the Guardians of Otz'iaba.
This Thal Uhtzanh was a statue created by Haliané, who was in search for a
stronger servant in her combat versus the other Vdini. <<< something like this >>>
J) The Barhim
VI.J.1 Chain of Command of the Barhim
Banner Commander Army 8 divisions
Captain Commander Division 4 regiment
Lord Captain Regiment 5 company
Sword Captain Company 5 battalions
Lieutenant Battalion 100 men
+ -----------
80000
Chain of command : Banner Commander + 7 Captain-commanders
Verdun Londaru : Banner Commander and Chief Barhim
Dirno Sa'sain : Captain Commander and Chief Barhim of Buruat
Thormon Am'injon : Captain-Commander of the Ubian Barhim (m)
Kasamja Ensor : Captain-Commander of the Galadion Barhim (m)
Akh-morat Gunaya Sisoffen : Captain Commander and Chief Barhim of North
Allando, fighter of Tegarend, member of the North
Allando Council
Meran Al'cadar : Inquisitor Captain Commander Chief Barhim of South-Allando,
member of the South Allando Council
Tomon Ti'fein : Captain-commander and chief barhim of Andirion
Ilut Y'frôn : Captain commander and chief barhim of Talurion
VI.J.2 What are the Barhim ?
The Barhim were founded during the Molinat Wars (TA 150) by Varon Dev'reis, an
Andirian captain commander after a defeat. Several companies had routed before
the initial charge and the entire left wing has fallen apart. Only the right
wing had been able to retreat. Varon decided to create an organization to hunt
down all darkfriends (starting in Allando because the 'darkfriends' here were
Allandon). He constructed it like an Andirion army (starting with 3 regiments
worth of men). The barhim were most 'popular' in 500-600 TA when all the nations
distrusted each other and darkfriends proliferated everywhere, amassing over
150000 men [TA 504 : Barhim allowed to witch-hunt in Allando in return for aid
given to Queen Anda I during the strubles when her first child was a daughter
[she was the first queen, and another queen was not what the Landir people
wanted]]. Now they have been reduced to 8 divisions, 80000 men and several
thousand at its Great House of the Light in Klanach (Fortress of the Light :
Darn Athrad). A nickname for the barhim is thalathrad : fighter for the light
(~thaloteg). There are given 'vision' of the Judge of the Light (kardathrad)(in
fact Bargend) who shows them darkfriends (either members of Tegs' army if
Bargend can find them or people Bargend wants killed). They have gotten a legal
background in 321 at the Second covenant, allowing them their witch-hunts IF the
local magistrate was part of the trial judges.
K) Religion in Allando, Baïron, Ubian and Molinat throughout history
The first years of the Great Wars and after the Great wars, the fishermen who
hadn't left with Bargend lived on. After the thirteen houses returned one by
one, they were enslaved. They lived in small communities (ca 200 / community, ca
100 communities), ruled by a clan leader or a council of elders. Their
technology was something like celts around year 0. They believed in Sarevoc
(their name for Bargend, i.e. an evil god) and Ovanna (their mother goddess).
When the twelve (thirteen including It'acan, which returned later) clans
returned from the great Wars, they came with superior numbers (at least when
compared with each clan apart) and superior tactics, weapons, and even magic
skills. These 'thirteen' clans were actually the twenty-five male survivors of
the Allandan who fought alongside the Sorcerers (the survivors of the 114 who
marched away) with their families, the 5 score men who returned from Bargends
5000 (and who served the Sorcerer troops), and several Ubian and Galadan people
who had married people from Allando or didn't want to go the long way back home.
After this return, many 'cities' were founded (end result, with the two greater
villages that already existed, counted : thirteen) and every clan leader called
himself duke or count and ruled his own piece of Landir (three houses went south
to Klanach, House It'acan went north to found Sarn Danat). Because they fought
in the Great Wars, they know that there are no greater powers than the Vdini,
and do not believe in gods (meanwhile allowing the old religion to proliferate,
because an enslaved people that believes in gods is easier kept down).
After several centuries, the thralls gain more and more freedom (due to
intermingling with the lower clan members) and are more or less free. To keep
the counties together the twelve house leaders decide to construct a national
religion (many of the clan leaders had already fallen to simple superstition due
to the agreement made by the Sorcerers to disallow history writing). They make a
pantheon of gods. The main god is called Almin, and his spouse is Jura, goddess
of community. His daughter is Levina, goddess of wisdom and married to Tarmanon,
the legendary warrior who fought in the Great Wars and was raised to the
pantheon as god of prowess (by this time, the Great Wars have become a myth for
old men). When other countries are rediscovered, missionaries from the Holy
Temple open temples there. After a few decades, the rulers of the land believe
in the Temple and do not remember their ancestors made it. The Bishop of the
Holy Temple becomes a great power in the land and he and his priests are no
longer subject to the commands of the leaders of the Warrior Caste. They (among
others) made rules of engagement between the counties (the Nine Rules of Goldan,
with commentaries of Ardiman II).
When in the third age the Bishop gets chosen by the Kings, the power of the
Temple as self-deciding organism is severaly weakened. Because many of the poor
have silently (fear for hell) complained about the rich clerics, they decide to
leave the True Belief and combine themselves in the Heretics of Vestingal (part
of the proliferation of Vestingal as political power in Allando, next to Landir
and Faralan (whose leader was crowned to Prince because he had once more power
as the king)). They believe in the one god Alam'shol (he who comes at need). The
founder of the religion was Abell Lamir, a madman who called himself prophet of
God. Actually, the old man just got visions of Tegarend, who tried his new-
discovered power (remember that for the Vdini, only a century has passed) of
focusing his mind on someone elses mind, as to be heared by his target. Abell, a
random mind Tegarend chose from the World of Dreams, went mad from the touch and
thought he heared god. Tegarend, understanding this, thought this was his way to
get revenge and get free, commanded the man to preach his coming. Had he tried
this in Adalandë, before the Cathedral of Hope, he would be crucified, but in
almost rebelious Vestingal, they embrace his visions and follow him. (Tegarend
contacted in this way his daemon, Igandar (who was his former ally), Smade, who
pledges her conduct to him and all his commanders in all the years of the Third
Age, although it is a very straining 'spell').
Baïron is founded by Ubian survivors of the Great Wars who decided they did not
want to go back home (young men/women). Their city worked as a magnet on the
scattered people who lived there (Mardant hadn't recruited humans). After a
century they had mingled so much that only one people survived, the Bairan. They
believe in one 'god', Fate. When (in 440) the missionaries from Allando arrive,
many young people embrace this religion because the religion to Fate denies the
people many things (remember that Baïron is a march-land, always fighting), and
is a rather gloomy religion, which preaches that everything is pre-destined.
After several decades, the old religion has disappeared and they have the same
religion as Allando, although they have much respect for Eldoran the god of
Destiny, but only as one god in a multitude. When Baïron is destroyed, a sect
reappears who preaches the end of the world and orders everyone on a crusade
against Kardde and to return to the old belief. When nothing happens, they (and
a number of farmers and bandits who are attracted by the promises of Heaven)
leave for the South and are never seen again, although the meosa have a legend
of a human army trying to cross the Desert.
Molinat is created by Galadan and Ubian Sorcerer troops after years of fighting
the Great Wars and trying to find a safe way back to the realms of the North.
They first try the paths they created through the Great Forest, but when they
see that they paths are overgrown, they decide not to try it because they can't
rely on magic now. They go further to the east but Isangar is still being
terraformed by the Sorcerers. Many magi who didn't want to join Isangar leave
now for Isangar (including two Sorcerers). The remnants (many have left for
Allando) go further east but are attacked by the Taradon thakal who, bereft of
Tegarend's leadership, fight what comes nearby and try to survive in their
underground holes). They few survivors retreat to the Valley of Endimol and
found Armolin there. They believe in a trio of gods, a father-god called Eron, a
mother-goddess called Ivan and a prankster-god called Davon. When Molinat is
destroyed, the survivors flee to Baïron (where their religion is banned) and to
Allando (where their religion is accepted, followed for a short time an then
absorbed in their mythes and religion [Allando is based on Rome if you hadn't
noticed yet]).
In Ubian a two-faced goddess is followed (these people still remember the Vdini
(at least Nudare and Nadare (who also ruled Ubian when Nudare battled)). One
side (called Tir) symbolizes Peace, the other side (called Ka) represents war.
When the Holy Temple arrives in TNR in the third age, they identify Tir with
Levina, and Ka with Armona (goddess of War and Love, not to be confused with
Donar and Alaja, the gods of romancy and true love).
L) Darkdwarfs
Why the hell do the dwarves of Taradon follow Tegarend? Just because he
controlled the entire country in those days? Is dwarven loyalty just that :
loyalty to whomever controls the surface of their country ? Or do they believe
Thal Utzanh is still alive and captured by Tegarend, and are they forced to
follow him (A : do they really 'feel' enough to want him back?) (B : dwarves are
immortal 'like the stone they are' but are forced each year to use their wild
magic spell 'animation' to create a new dwarf; wild magic which sometimes kills
its user)
M) Shadow Magi
Shadow Magi (on their isle close to Allando and Andirion) are little more than
pirate chieftains.
Stories from the naked continent
A) The Third Battle Of The Fox-pass
'It is time, Torin'. Yamin Svedra was right. It was the time to die. But if
he had to die, the best thing to do was to take as many of them as possible
with him. How in the frac has he come in such a situation ?
It had all started one month ago. Because he was the highest in rank officer
of the Faralan Army since the death of Thalman Pheren Ta'dair he had been
invited to the war council. Trefal Givin Thumal had asked for a volunteer
to lead the strike mission to revenge the destruction of Allandon Army, Faralan
Nahon Thalgon I, commanded by Pheren and of course he had volunteered. Even
after hearing that his second in command would be Harman Ignir Yvnol, he had
still been optimistic. Commander of a Thalgon was even better than what his
father had pulled before he became Earl of Konach. He had only been Senior
Harman, first commander of a section, but still part of a council of Harman,
while he would command a strike mission as senior officer. Even after hearing
his command would be minimalized because of the stealth part of the missio he
had still been optimistic. He actually wondered when exactly he had started to
see the conspiracy to kill the Konachi. Well, only one had died yet (his
brother) but there had been to attempts at his life already. He should have
known that sending half a section to contested terrains that had once been
Buruat was either crazy or a suicide mission. His first command would be his
last, and hé would be blamed for sending only 2000 infanterists and 350 knights
to a Thakal stronghold.
It was unbelievable that only 2 weeks ago he had been in Darn Haluna, writing
a letter to his father. If only he had known it would be hs last message for
him. But no, he could still send him a message, by standing his ground here and
revenging the treason.
'Come on, my friends. For Faralan and the King'. The Horn sounded 3 times. 'For
Faralan and Torin Ar'fan' his knights called, and jumped on their warhorses. All
his friends, all dying for nothing. Damn.
They had arrived at Mount Kituna after an uneventful march 4 days ago, and where
once a city had been, were now only blackened ruins. He had sent out scouts, and
they had reported a small rainding party only a few kilometres away. It was
mostly Thakal, but some of them were the bigger and tougher Fatharg. Nothing
they couldn't handle, the scouts said. If they had only known. Damn. He had just
been tricked, because instead of scouting for an ambush or keeping troops away
as a reserve he had just charged right into a couple of Lathan, the slimy
thakal-brood who had an unconscious fireball-spell, that was triggered when they
were attacked. Damn, that alone had costed him an entire regiment, 200 elite
Konachian soldiers. The other enemies were no threat he thought, so at that
moment he held a couple of Haron back, so they wouldn't charge into one another
by shear numbers. That maneuver could have costed him the day, if Yvnol, the
same man who had betrayed them, hadn't used his haron to secure the pass, so he
could detect the other raiding party that had come down that pass, and that
outnumbered his troops 3 to 1. Only the higher ground delivered to him by Ignir
hadn't stopped them. At that moment he would have killed someone for mistrusting
him !
Actually he had done that. All around him laid men who had died because of him
trusting his second in command, who had turned out to be a fighter of Tegarend.
Why wasn't there a better test to search for light-forsakers than the test of
swords ? If the researchers only searched for something like that instead of
talking about healing the magic !
How had he ever come to trust that slimy snake ? Now that was a useless
question. He had, and now he was facing the consequences. Half his command was
dead yet, and the rest would soon follow. If only he had listened to Svedra, his
loyal Thalatro instead of following where Ignir lead. After the skirmish in the
Kituna outback svedra had suggested to take the long and moderately safe route
along the Baïron road to The Andirion Bay, but after that suggestion, Yvnol had
opposed this because it wasn't stealthy enough, and he had almost commanded him
to take the Fox-pass, a pass that leaped through walls of 20 metres high and
only four men abroad. Ok it was stealthy, but it could be defended by 50 men,
while he couldn't force it with all the men he had, and he couldn't outmaneuver
and encircle them , nor could he overrun them with a charge of knights, 'cause
there wasn't place for more than 2 knights! And yet he had agreed with Yvnol,
who had promised him all the glory there could be for someone who laughed with
Thakal on their own domain. Well, it was clear what happened to someone who
dispised the Thakal on their ground. They died.
And what he feared had happened. The Fox-pass was occupied. How they had known
he was there, he hadn't know then, but he supposed their scouts had found out
about them. As if their horses couldn't smell a Thakal from 100 meters ahead !
Overestimating an enemy is never intelligent, even when the enemy is a thakal.
His vanguard had moved through the pass; he had ordered them to move toward the
Uban Mountain, to control the dwarven-grottos and the mountain road. What had
happened to them he didn't know, but possibly nothing good. They had run into
Thakal after the first corner, and while his knights cleared the road of them,
their archers shot them from above. Only a shield wall had saved them, and while
that is a very useful tactic for a retreat, it is worth nothing when you are
trying to break through a cordon of pikemen. Well, they had cleared the first
and the second blockade, only to be drawn further in the trap. At evening they
had cleared a half kilometer. They had gotten to a first raise (he had left a
shion to hold it as a retreat base, but half an hour later 5 men returned from
that shion (fighters of Kardde as he learned later, sent to undercut their
morale, for as far as that still existed in a minimal group that was commanded
by an unexperienced commander, waylaid and ambushed by Thakal, and without a
retreat route). At nightfall they hadn't made it out of the mountainous ridge,
and, hopeless as the men were, they prepared themselves for a final stand at the
grottos they had reached, in the hope to be strengthened by the vanguard Torin
had sent to protect these same caves. What had happened to those men was still
unknown [note from Yvor Kre'pein, librarian of Sarn Faralan and editor of the
chronicles of the Family Ar'fan and the diary from The Fox outwitted, the book
about the family Ar'fan : the bodies from these men were never found - expected
is that they were either killed by the fighters of Tegarend in their unit
(almost certainly wrong because it was an elite faralani unit) or that they were
waylaid by Thalak and token away or worse (eaten)] but he suspected the worst,
or at least the worst that he knew at that moment. It would get much worse.
Svedra had chosen that moment to suggest either to withdraw through the way they
had taken, preparing this by an assault of the ridges along the pass, or pushing
through the enemies in front of them and then turning 180 degrees and returning
along the Feranat road. Why had he said that if they couldn't win proudly, that
they would die proudly, going out as heroes to mask their defeat. Dead heroes
wouldn't help Allando, nor would their heroism comfort their widows. Damn. He
still thought then that he only had to push through these units, that the Thakal
were almost destroyed and that a small effort would bring their entire cordon
down. At that moment Ignir volunteered to take some of his elite units and scout
on the enemies. Damn, he had even compared his heroism to the 'cowardice' of his
Thalatro. Damn, maybe it was good to die here now, instead of living on with
these memories.
The Thakal gathered all their troops around their hilltop and started to attack,
except on the route Ignir was taking. Only then they understood they had been
betrayed. Anger filled them, and led by the Fox himself the knights made
themselves a way through the thakal. Without their encirclement the Thakal were
dead, since they couldn't stand versus the knights and couldn't destroy the
turtle manoeuver of the Haron. 'The day is ours' Svedra had said, but he knew
himself it wasn't. Two of the turtle regiments had fallen to the onslaught,
while one Thalanatro corps had been crushed by Fathargs. Between his vanguard,
his elite infantery unit, the traitors and these casulaties, he had lost half
his command. Because of the time they had lost, there was no change of returning
or outflanking the enemies, who were packed on the hills surrounding the Valley
Laindryn.
Damn. That was all what had happened. He had written it all down in his journal
that he had hided in the grottos at the graves of their fallen. Now it was time
for the Famous glorious Passing away around the bodies of his fallen enemies. If
only he could get those light-forsakers.
'All right people. This is how we become heroes out of the songs. I will divide
our army in 2 parts : harman Theobald Kalyn will comand what is left of his
Haron and the Haron of the late harman Petryn Olon, to occupy the hilltop at our
left front, while the rest of us will follow me and Svedra to move along the
pass. If Shiman Kalyn can keep the mountain his for long enough, we will be able
to skim one mountain ridge with our infantery, using our cavalry to watch the
pass and to cover the flanks, while the other ridge will be hold by kalyn's
newly formed shortbow unit.' None of the men cheered, or even acknowledged to
hear his words. The chosen men moved to confront the Thakal-hold mountain ridge,
while everyone else prayed to whatever god they believed in.
He gave the command of the thalanatran, the horsebow unit and the infantery to
Svedra, while he himself rode at the front of the vanguard, forever seeking dead
at the hand of a thakal without finding it. His cavalry destroyed the thakal
units they met, but even the front units of the army behind them was blocked
again by new enemies. At last they came at the point they were looking for : a
path to the top of the ridge, and a 1000 thakal trying to get to the top before
they would be assailed (thakal aren't good in climbing rocks, there is something
wrong with their build). His infantery units killed a lot of Thakal before they
reached the top, but then they were blocked by an enemy that was ànd at higher
ground ànd fighting in superior numbers. Even with everything against them, they
battled because they had nothing to lose and were eager to take as many thakal
with them in dying. He and his cavalry had meanwhile secured another hilltop
that was climbable for a horse and his archers were using it as a launch
platform. Caught between the sheer drop at one side, the infanterists and
blademasters storming at another side and his marksmen at the third side, the
Thakal had only one chance : fleeing along the ridge. Many of the fleeing Thakal
were cut-down during their run, or pierced by arrows, but a lot of them could
leave the ridge and flee along the road. This was what he had been waiting for,
a group of Thakal running mindless away to their main campement.
'What Ho, my men. What comes now is only for the purest and bravest of hearts'.
He selected one Haron (composed of the younger conscripts) to protect this side
of the ridge and the minor nearby hilltop, lest they not be shot down from the
ridge as the Thakal were, and left most of the riders there, too, for he thought
they wouldn't be too useful in what he was planning, namely an all-out attack on
the main Thakal campement here, and while the horsebow was very useful in strike
missions, in and out, they wouldn't be so annoying in a charge. ' come on my
men. This will be our day. We are going to charge the main Thakal army present
here'. Gasps of astonishement went through the army, clearly not everyone has
let the illusions of help coming go. Shiman Padron Funia, a minor officer with a
lot of experience in countering Thakal-strikes was the first one to speak their
thoughts : ' sir, are we going to attack them with 500 footmen and some 200 odd
knights ? I mean, it is not as if it is just a raiding party there must be at
least 10000 Thakal there, if I know them. We have met some 1000 Thakal at this
ridge, which means the camp will be packed with thakal if that is just a part of
the cordon, and we don't even know who is in command. I mean, for all we know it
could be a returned vile-demon or something'. 'Thank you shiman. If you
would like to stay with the 3rd Haron...or anyone else' Torin said.' No sir.
Thank you sir.' Many men seemed to consider the offer but rejecting it . 'Good.
No more problems ? Then this is the plan. I am going in with the Ring of Swords
and the thalanatran and while we are keeping them busy, shion I and II
take flank positions. Behind the cover they provide I want shion III to use
the salvaged shortbows to start firing burning arrows. The Lancers are reserves.
They will be used to stop ambushes and will help any of the first 2 shian if
they are outflanked. Any questions ? No ? Then we go to our fight.'
'At last forgetfullness will embrace me' Torin muttered as he let his warhorse
step in a galop 'Follow me my brave knights' . He charged and never slowed his
horse down, never stopped until he embraced the Reaper Man.
Epilogue : combat report by Yvor Kre'pein, based on the stories of a witness,
Dorman Mithel
The Heavy cavalry destroyed the ranks blocking them, but although the weapons of
the Thakal were of few use versus armored cavalry the middle part of he cavalry
destroyed, exposing the Ring of Swords commanded by Svedra to Fathargs. Ar'fan
was seeking the fighters of Tegarend in the melee, and although many tried to
harm him, none succeeded, being killed either by the thalanatran or by Ar'fan
himself. At last he found Ignir and galloped to his tent, where the Dreadlord
was seated with his guard. He got pierced by arrows and was almost cut in pieces
by the fathargs. Only the intervenal of the blademasters could prevent the body
from being slaughtered and succeeded in killing the light-forsakers. Too late.
The removal of the Thakal command didn't lessen the ferocity of the creatures,
it even seemed to increase their bloodlust although it looked like the Thakal
commanders were sending their units against each other in their struggle for
leadership. The battle was clearly lost, but all groups held their ground, until
one of the lancers cried that he saw movement at the other end of the valley.
Indeed more Thakal were coming, many more from their outpost at Athan keep.
Svedra took command of the situation and ordered his man in an orderly retreat
instead of a rout. He first started to withdraw his heavy infantery, creating at
both sides a hole to maneuver his lancers through. This onslaught gave his
infantery the time to take a defensive formation at the front of the pass. His
lancers began withdrawing, but the lancers' commander became overconfident and
charged in a separated group of Thakal. Without the support of Heavy fighting
units, the few remaining lancers were slaughtered. The Ring of Swords now
dismounted and joined the blademasters 'to give the infantery and the squires
the time to withdraw to the ridges'.
All of them died, including Yamin Svedra, the master of swords. The new
commander (Shiman Padron Funia, minor officer of the lancer regiments) saw the
destruction of the Thakal and the knights, and decided to use his troops along
with some infanterists to ensure the retreat. He ordered Galain Ti'falon (member
of a minor branch of the Royal House and squire in the Ring of Swords) to take
the command and leadhis charges to the ridges. The band who stood in the pass
amounted to 10 lancers and 20 heavy infanterists. They were never seen again.
When Falas returned to the ridges, the (original) left ridge was at the brink of
falling (defended as it was by a lot of riders with horsebows and 18-year old
conscripts), while the right ridge was encircled and under heavy attack, so
shiman Kalyn couldn't have sent any units even if he had had any reserves. The
troops of esquire Ti'falon came just in time to stop the assault and to destroy
the attackers.
After these failures the Thalak seemed to try to blockade them. In this
situation the horsebows from dorman Prowler were invaluable, always tainting the
enemies to attack them by shooting arrows (the few troops who answered to this
attacks were instantly slaughtered by the remaining heavy infantery). 3 days and
13 (yes indeed THIRTEEN ; not a typo) assaults later a rescue army arrived. How
they could be here that fast ? Some fighters of Tegarend cell had been
discovered by the Barhim and the correlated search had amounted in Allando
knowing that Ignir was a light-forsaker. This news reached Darn Haluna two days
after the departure of Ar'fan, and instead of sending a messenger behind him
(impossible because Darn Haluna is the end of the 'safe' world) Trefal Doman
Ti'fani (certainly no part of the conspiracy) had sent an army to aid him
against the lightforsakers/Thakal and this army now saved the day for some odd
400 soldiers.
The Thakal army was sought out and mainly destroyed, and it would last a time
before they would be able to sent new raiding parties out, but that had costed
them half a section. The remnants of the Allando army returned along the Baïron
road, but not after burying all recognizable allandan troops they found, and
raised a monument for Torin Ar'fan, the 'hero' of the Foxpass. No Thakal dared
to waylay or use the Foxpass later, believing that it would cause 'the Foxes' to
return.
Torin Ar'fan's command has 5 Haron, which amounts to the 2000 infanterists, 100
Ring of Swords + 50 Ring of sword blademasters (Heavy cavalry), 200 riders of
the realm (light cavalry : think horsebow archers, lancers, that thing) and 150
archers. These archers were subtracted from his command « because they wouldn't
help him in the rocky terrain », and since rocky terrain, with many launch
platforms is the next best thing for an archer, this underlines the conspiracy
theory.
About the conspiracy theory : the text implies clearly at least 2 treasons:
the obvious one of his second in command and the conspiracy for the destruction
of the Konachi Family and a republic in Sarn konach. This conspiracy clearly
exists for more than 7 years now, and is certainly guilty of the murder of the
eldest Ar'fan and the second of the 2 attempts on Torin. Possibly also the first
attempt on Torin and the murder of Thalman Pheren Ta'dair to ensure Torin would
volunteer on a 'suicide' mission.
B) Atratus & Kata : An Early Sketch
These are my early sketches for how Atratus & Kata meet. I *know* it doesn't
read that easily and is "4-year old" material (and then... and then.. and
then... etc :) but as I said, these are sketches. Anyway, you shouldn't be
seeing these prolly... wait for the complete story ;)
** A short story : bit of Atratus' life -- going to be incorportated in the new
version...
Atratus Anvirard was still only a boy when he started on his current path in
life : while travelling from Maror to Irajend, his parents' cart was attacked by
bandits. The bandits just having killed his parents, he cast his first spell - a
wild spell - and flattened the whole area. Surprisingly, he survived the casting
of the spell and was found the next day by an adventuring party. He started
studying under all the party members (mage, fighter, ranger, herbalist) and was
soon respected as a swordfighter and spellcaster. Soon after his 15th nameday
the party, who had become his new family, was ambushed by a large host of thakal
on Mt Argar, south of Varver. As the battle became desperate, the old mage cast
a teleport spell on Atratus, flinging him to the heart of the Forbidden Wood. As
Atratus made his way to Marand, he came across a dying wolf. Without thought, he
cast a healing spell on the wolf thus inflicting the unhealable scar on himself.
After waking from the sleep the spell had caused, he found the wolf looking at
him over a couple of rabbits it had caught. When he started out for Marand
again, the wolf stayed close by his side and after crossing the Forbidden Wood,
they turned toward Irajend, all the while hunting together and living off what
they caught. In those 3 years of travelling, Atratus kept practising his skills
and competed in tournaments in the villages on the way.
Near Irajend, they were attacked by a couple of farmboys who killed the wolf. In
a wild fury, he killed most of them but when he tried to resurrect the wolf, his
spell backfired and he was mortally wounded. At that moment, one of the boys who
got away came back into town and told the mayor about a murderer who had killed
the others. Kata Anor, who had just been elevated to Natar Alsor (see The
Northern Realm) and was on her way to Roy-Ubian was asked by the mayor to help
catch the murderer. The boy led a large party of villagers wielding weapons to
where Atratus lay, but on seeing him laying there, Kata immediately started
examining him and discovered he was dying. After doing everything in her power
to heal Atratus, she had him moved to her rooms in the village inn. After a
month Atratus woke up again and gave a start at being alive in a bed. Kata, who
had never been gone from his side in the whole month, immediately asked him who
he was and why he was found comatose outside the village. On hearing he had not
been able to resurrect the wolf, Atratus pulled his blades and asked Kata who
had told her he was a murderer.
Sensing his mood, she told him he was confined to her room until he could be
tried for the murders. At this, Atratus laughed loudly and told her he didn't
want to hurt her but that he had to avenge the wolf. Asking him what had really
happened and hearing the true story of how he had been attacked, she told him
she would take care of it. Trying to push past her to get away, he blinked when
he lay helpless on the floor with Kata standing over him. Only then he saw the
Alsor-tattoo in her neck and apologised for his behaviour. Putting him back in
the bed, Kata went outside and found half the village outside the inn hungry for
Atratus' blood. Explaining what had really happened, she told the people that
under no circumstance they would lay a finger on him so they could go home
before she hanged the surviving boy.
When she returned to the room, Atratus was sitting fully dressed at the writing
table. He gave a start when she came in and hid the note he was writing. Getting
to his feet, he thanked her for all her help and assured her he would not
trouble her anymore. Trying to get outside, he found some of the villagers were
still outside, waiting for him to come out. Going back to the room, he told her
about the people and asked her if she still had business in the village. At her
negative reply, he told her to go outside and saddle her horse, then wait for
him in the stables. After she went out, he snuck out of the room and scrambled
over the roof of the inn to the stables. Seeing Kata waiting there for him he
let himself fall lightly from the roof and landed next to her horse. One of the
stableboys saw him however and let out a cry of alarm. Barely thinking, he
whirled around and started throwing one of his knives. When the knife didn't
leave his hand he looked up and saw Kata restraining his hand, asking him not to
kill any more people. As the sound of running feet came closer, he looked around
and sighed, then nodded and put his knife back in its wristsheat. At his
question of where she needed to go, Kata answered Roy-Ubian.
Nodding sourly, Atratus told her to stay on her horse and as the first villagers
rounded the corner, he started casting his spells. Barely holding himself up and
leaning on the horse, he slammed down a shield of air between them and the
villagers then stretched a teleport-globe around him and Kata and teleported
them to just outside the gates of Roy-Ubian. Seeing him stumble Kata heaved his
unconscious body on her horse and set off for her father's house. Once there,
she again tended to Atratus and after 2 days, he woke. Staring around him, he
asked incredulously where he was. On hearing he was in her father's house, he
then asked who her father and she were. On hearing he was in the Anor-family
Palace, and that she was the queen's youngest sister, he scrambled out of the
bed and started dressing again, all the while apologising for what had happened
and assuring her he had no idea she was from the royal family. When she asked
him how he was going to get out with guards at the doors and at the windows, he
laughed and told her she'd see. Taking a couple of deep breaths, he started
casting an invisibility spell when Kasatil Anor, Kata's father came into the
room. Losing his concentration, Atratus' spell winked out.
Giving a start at an armed man suddenly appearing near his daughter, Kasatil
pulled his sword and ignoring his daughter's scream, charged Atratus. Atratus
slammed a shielding column around the man while backing away toward the bed, two
swords in his hands, casting hunted looks around him. All the while, Kata tried
to explain to her father that Atratus was her guest and asked of Atratus that he
lower the shield. Giving the other man a searching look, Atratus lowered the
shield prepared for any eventuality. Kasatil however lowered his sword and went
over to Kata to slap her. Before his hand could hit her face however, it was
fastened to the wall at his sleeve by a knife thrown by Atratus. Staring at an
apologising Atratus, Kasatil rubbed his arm in disbelief and glanced at his
daughter, who was looking wide-eyed at the knife. Never taking his eyes off
Atratus, Kasatil pulled the knife from the wall and he goggled at the stiletto
he had in his hand. Staring even more disbelieving from the stiletto to Atratus
and back, he asked "What gives you the right to throw a knife", grimacing
slightly,"at me ?" Apologizing, Atratus told him that Kata had saved his life
and that he would not see her hurt if he could help it.
Asking Atratus to repeat himself, Kasatil looked at Kata, who was staring at
Atratus. Again, Atratus told Kasatil that he would not see any harm come to Kata
because she had saved his life. Turning toward her father, Kata asked him if she
could talk with Atratus alone for a while. As soon as Kasatil had left the room,
Kata walked over to Atratus and slapped him full in the face. Staggering
backwards, he asked what he had done wrong. Kata told him he shouldn't be
spouting idiocies, at which he told her again that he would not see her come to
harm. At her question why he would swear such a thing, he simply told her
because she had saved his life and because he liked her. Looking better at him,
she saw he was gritting his teeth and leaning on his sword from the backlash of
the invisibility. Dragging him back to the bed, she gave him another healing
potion and after darkening the room went out to find her father. When he asked
her where she had found him and how long she had been travelling with him, she
told her father about how he had been attacked and she had healed him. At last,
her father sighed and told her that whoever he was, he was too dangerous,
especially since she knew nothing about him and that as soon as he was healed,
he would be put outside. Then he expressed his joy at seeing her Natar Alsor.
While he was telling her what had happened during the 5 years she had been
absent, a scream rose from her rooms. Running toward the room, she saw Atratus
stagger out of the room with a deep cut in his stomach clutching his
bloodstained swords. As she reached him, he mumbled an apology for bloodying her
room and collapsed on the floor. Rushing into her room to get her healing herbs,
she stopped dead in the door and looked at the 4 black-clothed bodies lying on
the floor carrying daggers. Shaking herself, she grabbed her herbs and moved
Atratus to another room where she tried her best to heal his wounds. Staying at
his side, as soon as he awoke she went to find her father who asked him what had
happened. All Atratus could tell him was that he had heard someone move in the
room when he was resting but thought it would be a servant. When someone plunged
a dagger in his stomach, he had cast a slow bleeding spell on himself and had
gone for his weapons. As he went for his weapons, the 4 men seemed to be
surprised to see who he was but they almost immediately attacked him. He had no
other choice but to kill them, after which he had staggered out onto the
landing.
Kasatil reluctantly agreed with Kata that he had probably saved her life and
therefore not an immediate threat to her. After her father had gone to find out
more about the assassins, she told Atratus that his obligations were fulfilled
and that he no longer needed to protect her. The more she said however, the more
he shook his head. His oath had been for his whole life and he would make sure
she remained unharmed.
C) Atratus 'Wolfsblade' Anvirard & Kata 'Catseye' Anor : the present...
As you walk into the crowded common room of the inn, the noise of celebrating
people hits you like a hammer. The place is packed to the rafters with people
standing and sitting everywhere, and with everyone wearing their feastday's
finest for the Feast of Liberation the room is a combination of clashing colors
that hurt the eyes. As you slowly make your way through the throng of people
looking for a place to rest from your journey, your spot a couple at a table in
one of the corners. As the only free chair in the whole room seems to be at
their table, you make your way there, using the time it takes you to reach it to
study the man and the woman.
The silent man seems nearly two meters tall and incredibly broad-shouldered.
Short dark hair spills out from under the hood covering his face. Strapped onto
his back, you notice two strange slightly curved swords. By contrast, the young
woman opposite is talking enthousiastically while making grand gestures. Her
dark auburn hair falls on her shoulders and her green eyes seem to be measuring
you. She looks about average height and build and is wearing a travelling cloak
and a divided riding dress. Next to her a composite longbow and another of those
curved swords rest against the table. They look like people you wouldn't want to
pick a fight with. At her question of what they can do for you, you politely
inquire if you can join them at their table. You turn around as you hear a loud
gasp from one of the men standing close to the table. The man is staring wide-
eyed from you to the couple at the table and back and starts to talk excitedly
to the woman next to him. As the man at the table looks up, you take an
involuntary step back. His dark brown eyes take you in for a moment and then he
shrugs, turning to the woman.
You thought the man would be in his middle years but by the look of his face,
he can't be more than 20. The long scar that starts in the left corner of his
mouth and disappears into his hood only increase your conviction that you don't
want to anger them. The woman gives a delighted smile and motions you to sit.
Unbuckling the sword you're still not used to, you put it down on the table to
take a chair. As you sit down, you see the man's eyes suddenly go wide as he
notices your sword. With a lightning movement, he grabs your sword and starts
examining it, all the while muttering to himself. Giving her companion a frown,
the woman smiles at you and introduces the couple as 'Atratus and Kata'. At her
question to tell about yourself, you introduce yourself and start explaining
that you were sick of your father's farm and that you wanted to see something of
the world, when the man suddenly coolly asks "Where did a farmer like yourself
get a Nudara-blade ?". At that name, the woman's eyes suddenly go wide and in
the blink of an eye she is holding a dagger to your throat. Giving a strangled
croak, you stare at the Natar Alsor tattoo in her neck and tell Atratus "I... I
found it on a ... battlefield near our farm, sir". "Where is your farm, boy ?"
"On... On the Argand Plains, Ga... Gadir, sir". As the man gives a slight nod,
the woman resheats her dagger. You then realise that she never even looked at
you when you spoke, only at the man. The man only says "Varraja Arar" and
surprisingly touches the woman's shoulder as if to comfort her. She gives him a
small smile and turns her attention back to you.
"Do you know anything about that battle ?" she asks while the man is watching
her with a worried look. "No...Not much, Natar Alsor" you stutter under her hard
gaze. "Well then, tell me what you know, man". "Uh... It was night about two
weeks before I left home, when suddenly there was heavy pounding at our door.
When we opened it, there were 10 soldiers outside, commanded by a woman. She
asked for shelter for the night which we gladly gave. The next day, she left
early in the morning and we thought that would be the last thing we would hear
of it. Around midday, we saw a great column of smoke rising a few miles from our
farm so we went to see what it was. When we arrived, we found a lot of dead
Thakal and the woman with most of the soldiers dead in the middle. Two of the
surviving soldiers were burning Thakal-corpses with an empty stare. They told us
they had been ambushed and that they had fought with all their might but that in
the end there were just too many Thakal. We helped them bury the soldiers and
then took them to the village. That's all I know, Natar Alsor."
As you finish your story, you notice that the man has moved next to the woman
and is talking softly to her. As he puts his arm around her to help her up, his
left sleeve falls back and exposes the tattoo of a wolf carrying a sword in its
mouth. Staring at the tattoo, you suddenly recognise the couple : Atratus
'Wolfsblade' Anvirard and Kata 'Catseye' Anor. Scrambling to your feet, you say
goodbye and hurry out of the inn without looking back once.
Gathering up your weapons, you adjust your sleeve with a sigh so it covers the
tattoo. Supporting Kata, you make a path through the revelers to the stairs.
Getting Kata to your room, you gently lie her down on the bed and take a chair
to sit by her side. After a while, she takes your hand in hers and asks "Do you
remember Varraja, Atratus ?" "Of course I do. She was your best friend at the
seminary. She taught you how to fight unarmed too if I'm not mistaken." "What
was she doing out there with only 10 soldiers ? She was one of the most cautious
people I've ever met." "I don't know. You could ask your sister what her
assignment was when we return to the capital, but for now I think you should get
some sleep. You look tired." Giving your hand a grateful squeeze, she closes her
eyes and turns facing the wall. You get up and after closing the curtains, you
cover her with a blanket. Taking up your station next to the door, you think
about Varraja Arar.
When you met her about a year ago at one of the Court Balls in the Palace in
Roy-Ubian, the jovial daughter of the House of Arar didn't strike you as a
fierce fighter. She seemed reluctant to talk about her skills in battle and
spent most of the time recounting pranks she and Kata had pulled while in the
Seminary. She was also very interested in how you came to be in the Palace since
she didn't remember seeing your House-name anywhere. Giving a small laugh, you
explained that you weren't nobly born at all but just the son of a farmer, after
which she took one look at your weapons and called one of the guardsmen. When
she asked the guardsman why he was staring so incredulously at her when she
asked him to throw you out and heard that you were the Lady Kata's companion,
you almost laughed at her expression of disbelief. Instead, you thanked the
guardsman and asked him to find Kata. When Kata arrived, she gave Varraja a hug
and introduced you to her.
Later that evening, you were enjoying the breeze on a balcony when Varraja and
Kata joined you. It turned out that Varraja was to remove the Thakal threat
around Sasir and that Kata had asked her sister if she could go along to help
her friend. Then Varraja told you "From what I've heard about you from Kata,
you're not a bad swordsman. I would appreciate it if you came too.", at which
you gave Kata a frown and told Varraja "Of course I'll come with you. I go where
Kata goes." At Varraja's stare, Kata said "I'll explain later. Now we must get
some sleep if we're going to go tomorrow." As Varraja turned to go, you noticed
the sword on her hip. At your question if you could examine her sword for a
moment, Varraja frowned at Kata but when she nodded encouragingly, she handed
you the sword. Examining it for hidden writing, you soon discovered her rank and
the smith who made the weapon, which made you stare wide-eyed at Varraja. Seeing
you stare, Kata asked what the matter was. "What did she do to earn this blade
?" you asked in a hoarse whisper. "Nothing that I know of, why?" "This blade was
made by Mesel Enver, and reads Varraja Arar : Protector of Truth." At the
shocked gasps from the two women, you asked "You didn't know ?" in a
disbelieving voice, although it was obvious by their expressions. Almost
reverently you returned the sword to Varraja. "I think it's time we go to sleep
if we're to start early tomorrow." you said and motioned them to the bedrooms.
You spent the next two months travelling from Roy-Ubian to Sasir with the 2
bands Varraja commanded. Those days were spent marching while in the evenings
the three of you sparred with wooden swords. After arriving in Sasir, the army
needed a couple of days restocking the provisions, so you got two rooms at the
Golden Ring. When Kata was settled in, you went down to the common room to pick
up the rumours. After a while, you were joined by Varraja who started to ask
about your past because Kata didn't want to talk about it. Suddenly, a crash was
heard overhead and with a leap you were up the stairs, closely followed by
Varraja. Opening the door to your room, you saw a shape bent over Kata lying on
the ground in a pool of blood. With a roar, you threw one of your swords at the
shape, impaling it against the wall. Kneeling over Kata, you found she had been
stabbed in the side repeatedly and was bleeding to death. With a cry of "It's
not fair!" you wove thefluxes for healing and took all her wounds, collapsing
next to her.
When there was a crash overhead, Atratus leapt up from where he was sitting and
almost flew up the stairs. Following him, you unsheath your sword and look
around the hallway. As he opens the door to his and Kata's room, you see Kata
lying on the floor but before you can react, he lets out a roar and throws one
of the swords strapped onto his back at a shape you hadn't noticed. As he runs
into the room to kneel next to Kata, you stare in shock at the man pinned to the
wall by the sword. Going over to examine him, you hear Atratus sob "It's not
fair!" and the next moment there's a loud thump behind you. Whirling around, you
see him bleeding on the ground next to Kata. Searching for the second attacker,
you suddenly see Kata sitting up and almost drop your sword in surprise. Kata
takes one look around, sees Atratus and runs to the closet to get her herbs.
After helping her lift him on the bed, you let her get on with her healing and
examine the attacker further. Lifting the hood of his cape, you notice the
tattoo'd black hand on his shaven head. "Blackhand" you spit disgustedly.
Turning back to Kata, you stop dead as you see her sitting next to the bed with
a lost expression. You gently push her down on the bed and prepare yourself to
stand guard the rest of the night.
As soon as you opened your eyes, you saw Kata and gasped "Thank ? I wasn't too
late !". Kata jumped up from the chair next to the bed and started examining
you. Searching your body, she found two broad new scars on your back and gave a
shudder. "When do we march again ?" you asked her. "As soon as you're healthy
enough" came the answer from Varraja who came in with a loaded food-tray. "Then
we move today. Avert your eyes" you said and staggered out of bed to the closet.
During breakfast, you overheard Kata and Varraja talking... "He's not ready to
ride yet, Kata! Look at him! He almost falls over where he sits!" "If he says
he's fit, he's fit. I've lived with him long enough to know him." "Well, if I
loved someone, I wouldn't let him get out of bed in that state." Standing up,
you swayed slightly and started to strap your swords back on. Walking out of the
room, you stumbled and smiled gratefully at Kata who supported you down the
stairs.
The next few days the army rode south and east, toward the Bàran Dâra. When you
reached the edge of the forest, Varraja ordered camp to be made about a
kilometer out. After the camp was set up, Varraja called for a meeting. There,
she and her Sha'rils and Sha'gents started discussing a wide-sweep pattern to
root the Thakal out of the Bàran Dâra. As you listened in growing amazement to
the errors in their plan, you finally couldn't hold back anymore and asked "Have
any of you EVER fought Thakal before ?" One of the Sha'rils indignantly drew
himself up and said "You might be here because the Lady Anor wanted you to come
along, but who do you think you are to criticise the best of the Queen's
commanders ?". With a sigh and a shake of your head, you started pointing out
the mistakes in their plan, telling them why their tactics wouldn't work, how
Thakal think, what the best sweeping pattern would be etc etc... "And why would
we listen to you?"asked one of the Sha'gents. "Because I've been fighting them
since I was 5" you replied and calmly continued explaining your plan. At a
muttered "Who does this guy think he is?" you heard one of the Sha'gents whisper
"My men say he's THE Wolfsblade." and he nods at your swords. With a weary look,
you told Varraja "I hope you got that, for all our sakes" and stalked out of the
tent.
Later that evening, Varraja came by your tent and apologized on behalf of her
commanders. At Kata's inquiry, Varraja told her what had happened in the
command-tent. "You shouldn't make them look like fools, Atratus""I didn't Kata,
they made themselves look like fools. Now I don't know about Varraja, but I'm
going to do everything in my power to get you two out of here alive. Their plan
was a suicide mission, like Magit Erberir's when he tried to drive the Thakal
from the Forbidden Wood.""Oh... That bad ?" At which point Varraja broke in.
"Erm... Would anyone care to explain what you two are talking about ?" Kata
replied "Well, Atratus just told me the plan you and your commanders made would
have gotten everyone slaughtered.""And you believe him ?""Of course I do!
Besides, of all the people I know, he is the most experienced in fighting
Thakal.""So that about fighting Thakal since he was 5 is true ?" Varraja asked
incredulously. You gave a shrug at Kata's inquiring look and started telling a
story...
"When I was still a toddler, my parents were travelling from Maror to Irajend.
Between the Forbidden Wood and Kagir, our cart was ambushed by a Thakal raiding
party. When they killed my parents, I hid under a pile of clothes. When I came
out of my hiding place, all around our cart lay dead Thakal bodies. A short
while later, a party of adventurers came by and took me with them. They started
teaching me everything they knew. They also thaught me how to fight Thakal,
which is what we mainly did in the 11 years I spent with them. On my 15th
birthday, our party got ambushed by a full Thakal band. Needless to say, we
couldn't hold out against such a force..."
At this point, Kata put her arm around your shoulders and led you inside the
tent. That morning, it turned out one of the Sha'gent had taken his fist and set
out to do a sweep according to their original plan. Cursing him loudly, Varraja
then ordered some of the other Sha'gents to starts sweeping according to your
plan and to bring back the Sha'gent, if he could be found. Around midday, half
of the Sha'gents she sent out returned, running out of the forest and screaming
at the top of their lungs "They're coming! They're coming!". Immediately,
Varraja and Kata ordered the Sha'rils to deploy their men in battleranks. At
your cry not to do that, one of the Sha'ril gave a triumphant cry and said "see,
I told you he was a Thakal spy! Kill him!". Before he could move, Kata had a
blade to his throat and nodded to you. Turning to Varraja, you told her "This is
exactly what they're hoping for! They want to see how many soldiers we have so
they can plan better. Put a quarter of the men in battle formation on the field
and keep the rest hidden from view, but ready. If I'm wrong and they attack,
they can still aid their comrades and nothing will be lost." Studying the
Sha'ril, you asked Varraja "Is this the lone Sha'gent's commander ?" At her
confirmation, you told Kata "You're in command of his band now" and stabbed
him through the eye. At Varraja's shocked gasp, you only lifted his sleeves to
show the daggers he was holding and told them "Fighter of Tegarend".
As the hours passed and the Thakal didn't emerge from the forest, the army
became restless. Returning to Varraja's tent, you told her to tell the men to
lie down fully armored and to extinguish the fires. At Varraja's indignant
question "Why ?", you just told her "Trust me" and walked out of the tent to
prepare your gamble...
Around midnight, when peace and quiet reigned over the darkness, a sheet of
flame suddenly erupted near the edge of the forest. In an instant, more
explosions were heard and the darkness was violently blown away by the light of
a thousand exploding fireballs. The Thakal, all Nighthunters, were blinded by
the harsh light and were easily picked off one by one by the waiting soldiers.
The few Thakal that made it through the sheets of flame disappeared screaming
into the forest, blindly stumbling over rocks and bushes. As Varraja gave the
command to hunt down those Thakal, you stepped in and told her "No. Don't hunt
down those Thakal yet. With a little luck, they will lead us right to the
strongholds. At first light, we'll track them to their camp and end them once
and for all, but now I need to rest first." and with those words, you stumbled
away leaning on Kata's shoulder.
The next morning, the Thakal's tracks were easily visible to everyone and
following them into the forest, the force carefully made it's way deeper and
deeper into the shadowy recesses of the Bàran Dâra. Then, everything started to
go wrong...
As midday approached, the force halted in a clearing near a cool stream. While
everyone was enjoying a bit of shade, Kata and Varraja went out scouting the
area. At Kata's request, you stayed with the soldiers and trained some of Kata's
band in Thakal-warfare, teaching them how the Thakal mind works and what they
can do to turn their thinking against them.
When Kata and Varraja still hadn't returned by midnight, you started worrying.
Suddenly, the mating call of a bluefinch pierced the night, meaning one of the
advanced sentries had seen something moving in the forest. You started moving
in the general direction of the sound, prodding slumbering men back to their
feet as you went. Before you had reached the edge of the clearing, one of the
sentries came into view, supporting a limping Varraja. Running over toward her,
you heard her tale of how they were ambushed on their way back from the camp.
"I was *allowed* to escape, I'm sure of it." panted Varraja. "They wanted us
to know how many of them there are and where." As you started moving toward
the edge of the clearing, she grabbed your sleeve and said "Don't do anything
foolish, we counted over 4000 of them in their camp, which in itself is heavily
fortified. Going in there is suicide." "That might be, but Kata is my life, so
I'm already dead" and with those words, you cast invisibility on yourself
and sped away between the trees.
As you neared the camp, you slowed down and started paying more attention to
your surroundings. Deep in the forest, the Thakal stronghold was almost
invisible in the faint moonlight. The noise coming from inside the stronghold
indicated that the Thakal were holding a celebration. Approaching carefully, you
entered the main space inside the stronghold and stopped in your tracks. In the
middle of the room, an indistinct black shape sat on a granite throne. As your
eyes found Kata tied to a stake with 5 Lathan <<< how does Atratus know they are
lathan and not thakal? >>> standing guard over her, you gave a start and looked
back toward the throne. The shape had become more distinct and had taken on your
form! Suddenly frightened, you saw that your "twin" wasn't looking at anything
happening around him but was looking straight at you with a sick grin on his
face.
** Note to self : what's going to happen ? Kata gets kidnapped, Atratus goes
after her, Atratus fights Gurát Mogren but can't win... Varraja saves them
with part of Kata's band... Mogren gets away... A,K,V+troops are trapped in the
fortress (couple of kms from main force)... Atratus casts spell to get EVERYONE
out of there and back to the main force... While teleporting out of it, he casts
one more spell (contained reverser)... Thakal are wiped out (mostly)... they
limp back to Sasir... --End of memory-- The next day...
Ignored information from :
Andalionthebookofthegame.txt
Barhimstory.txt
Belfalas.html -> family trees
BelfMil.html
Dwarves.html
History -> too hard to convert
Meosa.html -> gram and vocs : not for here
Spoiler.html
Story.txt -> ignored most of it
World.html
World2.html
