As the fire starts to dwindle, and the embers begin their dance of colors, the young boy looks into the wrinkled face of his grandfather. "Da...tell me again why we are here tonight." The old warrior looks into the fire for a moment, then up into the starry sky. Letting out a slow exhale, he smiles, then speaks.
"Ah, Graham, it was a night just like this one, many moons ago, before even I was a lil'. The powers that are the world came together to decide the fate of their own. Beldrementhellen looked at his son Arluth-Traugur, and wept. Where his tears fell, thus did the great forests of the Druids spring to life. Weeping, he spoke to his youngest son.
'Bright One,' for that is what Arluth-Traugur means to the ancient tongue. 'Bright One! How could you have done this??? Do you not know what this means???' 'Oh yes, father,' he spat out the words in distaste. 'I know very well. Now, you and the other weaklings who have created their "peoples" will walk in fear of what I have wrought. The Dolfanc will rule. And by your own law shall I become the Lord of Powers. For as my Dolfanc increase and conquer, your peoples will diminish until there are none left who remember ANY of your names.'
The Other powers were aghast at what had been wrought by their own kin. Verenguaard, the Lord of Light, stood forth. A silver glow formed around him and then coalesced until it formed a skin over his own essence. It covered everything and was likened to a metallic suit. 'I will teach humans the way of the light!' He shouted. 'I will skill them in honor and show them how to protect themselves from your Dolfanc. I will choose holy warriors to lead the people away from your dark influence!'
And so, Graham, I have brought you out here to meet with Lord Aramet. For he has seen in you the Light. He has chosen you to receive the honor of becoming a squire to himself. You will one day become a Warrior of the Light. You shall help turn back Traugur and his evil dominions, the Dolfanc."
The Kingdoms of the West
The lands in the west are the most settled of all the new kingdoms that have arisen upon Dryg-Gwra in the last 2000 years. The Western Kingdoms, as they are referred to collectively, consist of five major nations:
The Nordren Forest Lands
The Choshu Nation (Elven Nation)
The Bragdwrgan Clan Lands (Dwarven Clans)
The Minor Races and Their Lands
(There are conflicts existing among some of these nations, notably between Nordren and the Choshu Nation. )
The Legendary Racewar of Dryg-Gwra
NORDREN
The lands ruled by the Nordren Forest Lords are bordered on the north and west by the huge ocean called Chamdar's Girdle, on the south by the Koktunubian Sound and the Black Marsh, and on the east by the Crystal River. Of all the human lands of the Western Kingdoms, the land of Nordren is by far the most beautiful. They have abundant fertile farming lands, immense forests that range from dark and gloomy to picturesque, a great deal of coastline which provides much of their food. Nordren has the beautiful, rolling Cleddew Hills which surround the small, somewhat worn Cleddew Mountains (Kle-thew). One of Nordren's greatest assets as a nation comes from their proximity to the land of the Bragdwrgan Clan Lands. (see entry on Bragdwrgans) Nordren has the greatest number of cities in the west, but not the largest city itself. Most Nordren cities are built along the coast of Chamdar's Girdle or the Koktunubian Sound. The interior of Nordren does contain many cities, villages, and hamlets, as well as the capitol of Nordren, Banamyr.
Banamyr is located deep within the heart of Sethwood. Banamyr is built in the great Banam trees which are located only in the heart of the forest that bears its name. Banamyr is not usually a military city. It is the most defensible city in Nordren, but when no danger of an invasion is eminent, it is the site of a cultural explosion. The greatest plays, epics, paintings, sculptures, and songs are created at the schools within it's university. There is no school of sorcery in Banamyr, or any of Nordren for that matter. The once great Library of the Magus, the greatest collection of works related to sorcery, was destroyed after the Racewar, and all of its contents lost in the destruction. Along the same lines, the use of sorcery, black magic as it is called in Nordren, is forbidden by law. White magic, magic granted through worship of the gods is, however, allowed. Upon conviction of the practicing of black magic, the sentencing would depend upon the nature of the use and the severity of the result of the sorcerer's action. Even though the ruling body of Nordren, the Nordren Forest Lords, decreed that white magic was good, the people of Nordren are very superstitious, and have trouble dealing even with white magic, without showing awe and a sense of wonder. Due to the Nordren's inherent fear of magic and sorcery, they consider the Faear races, most notable the elves, to be their enemy.
THE CHOSHU NATION
Choshutoquen is what the elves call themselves. It means "we of the fairest." The Choshu nation is the most class based of all the western nations. Each of the five sub-races of the elven nation has it's specific place in the order of the Choshu existence, and specific duties to perform. The five classes and their related races are:
- Pe-Choshu: high elves ruling caste
- Ra-Choshu: gray elves high magi caste
- Bri-Choshu: wood elves hunter and warrior caste
- Fu-Choshu: water elves artisan caste
- Klo-Choshu: dark elves
Progression from a lower caste to a higher one is impossible, but one can always fall to a lower caste. In the language of the elves, one who does fall is called "penndelnorren" (fallen from the order). These penndels almost always go into exile and are never heard from again. The Choshu nation is bordered on the west by the Crystal River and the Black Marsh, the Silverbeard River on the north, the Spears of Sundar on the south, and the Kythranael-Ysyleth (Spires of Ysyleth) on the east. The majority of the elves in the Choshu Nation dwell within the Choshu Forest, where the only real city of the elves is also located. The city of Kythranael-Choshutoquenteth (Spires of the Fairest Children) is the single most awe inspiring site in all the Western Kingdoms. The city's rainbow spires are made from fragile gossamer, but they are magically strengthened by the Brenthel-Va-Majenne, the Brotherhood of the High Magi. The wood elves do not live within the Rainbow City, but roam the plains of the Choshu Nation, following the migrating herds of queoc. The water elves live mainly in the Crystal Lake, but also dwell in the deeper rivers and streams that criss-cross throughout the Choshu Nation. There are many other races of the Faear that live in the Choshu Nation. These include brownies, sylphs, dryads, pixies, leprechauns, and others.
THE ISLAND NATION OF DERUGAR
The nation of Derugar is not what is was 800 years ago. Then it was the seat of the High King of Derugar. The High King was the ruler of the Western Kingdoms. The other nations were allowed to keep their own customs, culture, and laws, unless those laws directly interfered and/or contradicted the laws of the High King. In return, it was the High King's responsibility to maintain the defense lines against the eastern barbarian hordes, and the Dolfanc, as well as any other threat to the survival of a western nation. Since the Racewar, the once mighty nation of Derugar has fallen to petty internal squabbling and power mongering by the seven Baron's of Derugar. The seven baronies and the founding barons are:
- Barony Broadmoor - Baron Alexy Broadmoor
- Barony Decil' - Baron Francet Decil'
- Barony Khardis - Baron Guillome Khardis
- Barony Gustavus - Baron Heinrich Gustavus
- Barony Cordova - Baron Avery Cordova
- Barony Castigar - Baron Andall Castigar
Each of the baronies is ruled independently from each other, and a traveler would be well advised to know the differences between the baronies, as well as the often times unnoticeable boundaries between the baronies. Many a man has lost his life in the gallows claiming he didn't know he had crossed into a new barony. The baronies trade openly between each other, but there is much competition between them. When one baron is angered at another, it is his people who suffer. The commoners of Derugar live a very feudal existence, where poverty and despair are more common than one would believe. The seven barons meet once a year, or sooner if there is a common threat to the island. Every year the Council of Barons elect a Grand Baron to act as Ambassador to the other nations of the west. The Grand Baron is, usually, the most powerful of the seven, and can conceivably hold that position indefinitely. The biggest national threat to Derugar comes from the southern empire of Sundarya.
THE SUNDARYAN EMPIRE
The vast Sundaryan Empire is the most rugged of all the Western Kingdoms. The Empire itself is bordered on the north by the Spears of Sundar, on the west by the Radiant Peaks, on the south by the Fist's of Jabal, and on the east by the vast desert the Kos-Kobar, the Plain of Death. The eastern edge of the mountain range called the Fist's of Jabal end in a small range of mountains called the Heart of Jabal. It is from this small range that the life giving Jabal River flows. The Jabal River winds its way through the plains of the Sundaryan farmland until it meets up with the Koktunubian Sound. The waters of the Jabal flood every year at spring, as the rains from the west, compounded with the thaw of ice at the Heart of Jabal cause the Jabal to swell and overflow. After the flood, the farmland around the Jabal river becomes fertile enough to produce more than enough grains and other farm products. The Sundaryan Empire has the largest single city in all of the west, as well as being the oldest. It also has the greatest number of people in any nation of the west.
Kughdahd, the capitol of Sundarya, is located where the Jabal River comes out of the Heart of Jabal. This location keeps the city out of the flood zone, allows for a more comfortable environment for its citizens year round, supplies the freshest water, and makes the city virtually impossible to be taken by any other western nation. It is in Kughdahd that the Empress Shal-Ahzharah, a direct descendant of the nation's founder Sharrah Al-Sundarya, rules the empire as her ancestors have. All praise the Empress day and night. The people of Sundarya, the Sundars, are as varied as the Western Nations themselves. To the north and east of the flood-plain is the Kos-Kobar, the Plain of Death. It is here that small bands of isolated warrior tribes known only as Death Riders roam as they have for centuries. They are greatly feared, but not well known. To the west of the flood-plain lies the smaller but still deadly desert of Khal-Tur. The majority of Sundars living in the Khal-Tur are member of the Scorpion Nomads. It is the Scorpion Nomads that cause the most trouble for the Empirical troops of Sundarya. Farther to the west, in the Radiant Peaks, live a group of strange men called the Daghasi. They are called madmen by some and prophets by others. Even though, all of the Empress' court tremble when one appears there. It is said that the oldest records of the entire west are kept safe within the caves of the Daghasi. Safe indeed, because Sundars say they would rather cross the Kos-Kobar on foot than set foot inside the Daghasi Caves. It is in the mines of the Fists of Jabal that Sundarya gets its raw materials needed for weapons. They see no need to trade with the *duus khad dali mair*, or the *too serious little men*, as they refer to the Bragdwrgans.
THE BRAGDWRGAN CLAN LANDS
The Clan Lands of the Bragdwrgans, as the dwarves call themselves, are the homes of the only large nation in the west that is not concerned with the many conflicts that are constantly erupting in the west. They are the most peaceful of all the peoples in the west, but when brought to anger, can fight with a fierceness that can level a mountain. These short, quiet folk always have a look of deep thought furrowed and etched upon their faces, at least to the outside world. When amongst their own, or someone they truly call a friend, these dwarves are as lively as any Nordren, as carefree as any Choshu, and can out drink and Derugarian. The Bragdwrgan Clans revel in their craftmanship. It is how they rate and rank the clans. They are the masters of steel, stone, and gems. The Clan Lands are predominantly within the Giantpeaks, in vast underground complexes. Most never see the *luuk-tox*, the world above. There is an area set in the Giantpeaks, that is an impact crater zone. It is an area sacred to the Bragdwrgans. In these water filled craters lie the remains of the meteors that created them. These meteors left behind their remains, made almost entirely of iron ore. Brek-Tek-Vwrga, the Tears of Vwrg, is the name for this crater zone, as well as the human-like Bragdwrgan city nearby. Most notable the armor and weapons created by the Bragdwrgans.
The minor races are considered the following:
The Thossa(TO-sa) as they are called by the human and demi-human races, live in the waters of Chamdar's Girdle, and raid the coastal areas of many lands. These raids allow the Thossa to keep slaves for work and food. It is unknown as to whether or not there is any organization to the Thossa.
The Koktunubia are a semi-legendary race of birdmen that supposedly dwell in the highest peaks on the Isle of Koktun
The Kelfren appear to be cross between a human and one of the Choshu Nation. They are, in fact, cousins to the Bragdwrgans. They live in warrens which consist of boroughs in hillsides. Their warrens are located in an area called the Kelfren Hills. The Kelfren Hills are located in an isolated area to the west of the Radiant Peaks. They are particularly fond of stories. Their cousin race, the Bragdwrgans, believe their cousins, the Mogdwrgans(the Kelfren), are extinct. They use to live in the hills outside of Brek-Tek-Vwrga, but in the Racewar one of their legendary heroes, Aleot Holdenspur, transported the few remaining Kelfren from the battle grounds to the Kelfren Hills. Everyone thought the Mogs were killed by some spell of the enemy, but it was the spell of Aleot transporting them to their new home. One in a few of the Kelfren have shown the gift of being mage-born, but they have the gift without the resistances usually given to the children of Vwrg. Such was the case of their hero Aleot Holdenspur.
The territory of Northreach, located near the northern most rim of the West, is a cold, windswept land. It's people, once great Viking warriors, no longer roam the coasts marauding like they used to. Their proximity to the Sorcerous Isles has made them very superstitious. The Sorcerous Isles are are in the sea just above Northreach. They consist mainly of 8 islands. but there are a couple of mainland locales that are of interest. The Sorcerous Isles got their name due to the fact that the Triad all have their towers located on the islands. The Ivory Tower is actually located on the mainland of Northreach, to the west of Prydon.
The Sorcerous Isles are:
Raven's Isle (Where the Ebon Tower is located)
Guardians Isle (Where the legendary Northwatch Tower is located)
Dragonlord Isle
Isle of Thel
Isle of Exile
Isle of the Dead
Treaty Isle
Ashen Isle (Where the Ashen Tower is)
The Ivory Tower is actually located on the mainland, to the west of Prydon.
The area called the Dolfanc Wildlands is located to the east of the
Choshu lands. It is through the Dolfanc Pass of the Dolfanc Mountains. It is there that
the races, collectively called the Dolfanc, originated from and where they live. It is a
dark area, full of treacherous swamps, cave-filled hills, and dark forests. The races that
make up the Dolfanc are those created by Traugur and his dark brood. All the Dolfanc are
humanoid. There are the very large Hrogue, the short Gilbok, the man-sized Ukahs, and many
other races. The Dolfanc are driven by the desire to push into the Western Kingdoms, and
turn that area into theirs. They have been promised it by Traugur.
This is an area that is only rumoured about. Far to the east, past the
Dolfanc Mountains, across the great Thungol Steppes, lies a land of strange peoples. That
is the land called Dao Xiang-Tso. It is massive compared to the Western Kingdoms. it's
people are unlike anyone in the West. Very few scholars even acknowledge its
existance.