Malfator, Undead and the Innate evil or "Dark" of the Northern Province

            Malfator, the god of Suffering, Deceit and Slavery, is also the benefactor and progenitor of undead.  The "Brother" of Leah'Dah, and one of the original Ascendants of Pholtus, a God and god-killer by his own power and right.  Worshiped by the evil and the mad, and fed by the Negative material Plane, Malfator's one desire is to return the world to darkness by erasing the coming of Men and the Light.

Malfator has Three Aspects, or Avatars that walk the world in real bodies.  They have been seen, and appear as young men in graveclothes.

Malfator has only ever really been heard, as he can speak through all undead who can speak, and he takes note of enemies.  Innate Evil are not related to the deity in this way as it is a confusion of the powers of nature that allow them to walk the world again, pulling strength from other realms to animate their bodies and minds, so when they speak it is with their own voice, but the created and the minor machinations of that dark energy are like eyes ears and mouths for the God.  It is not uncommon for sages and wizards to have a skull animated in such a way to converse with and aid in research.

 

The classes of undead are generally understood in the following way;

 

Class I

·        Some weaker spirits and Created Undead.  

 

·        Characterized by limited or very low level Negative Planer Flux, ie.  No Permanent Damage, or limited non-permanent damage, like a normal wound.

 

·        Generally 1 hit kill creatures, or apparitions.  Skeletons, Animal Zombies etc.

 

          While it does take Negative Planar Energy to animate these things, they have for the most part, not been raised up by Malfator.  They are more like small lights that illuminate a world of darkness, and Malfator can at times, sense things through them, only very dimly.  A second level student of the School of Necromancy in the Hidden Tower, cannot proceed to 3^rd level without first raising a construct; a marriage of the Physical world and the negative material world by the young magic users power alone.  There are many such creatures in the world at large, lifted from eternity by trespassers to their resting places, or by the will of deviant scholars.

 

Class II

 

·        The most common Innate Undead.  Ghouls, Ghasts, Revenants, Mummies, Crypt Things, etc.

 

·        All Constructs, Animations and Spirits that discharge NegP flux.    

 

·        Do not absorb or discharge experience or memory.

 

·        Often have special attacks and defenses.

 

·        Require silvered or enchanted weapons.

 

These are the primary vehicles of Knowledge for Malfator and he routinely navigates existence in these vessels.  These entities are often grown from lesser forms of undeath, that have grown on the living, as each time they damage or kill a living thing, the “Hole” through which they pull their power from the negative material grows wider and the energy that comes through comes through faster and in greater amounts.  It is not uncommon for an animated guardian to grow into a dangerous and uncontrollable evil through mere accident.  As with Ghast’s and Mummies, the more they “Feed” on the living, the more they want to, the darker they become and the more Awake they feel.

 

Class III

 

·        Uncommon to rare creatures.  Wraiths, Wights, Ghosts, Vampires, 

 

·        Typified by intelligence and sometimes High Intelligence.

 

·        Attacks drain experience, memory and NegP flux damage.

 

·        Varied special attack forms and defenses.

 

·        Must use enchanted weapons to affect.

 

These creatures do the Heavy Lifting of the “Dark” in creation.  Class III Undead actively seek to destroy the Light.  Malfator rarely inhabits these entities.  Wights for instance, are responsible for though almost complete dissolution of the Dwarves Greatest engineering achievement in the Norther Province, the Loch.  Countless miles of underground roads, and wells and forts all underground and all controlled by Elemental Magic which the Dwarves weald like words.  Because of the packs of wraiths, the Loch has been closed and its countless entrances sealed, and it is now a place of forgotten wonder where only fools or the very brave dare go.

 

Class IV

 

·        Unique Evil.  Greater vampires, Specters, Bansheess, Lichs.

 

·        Genius or dire malevolence.

 

·        All attacks are lethal to life threatening.

 

·        Varied special attacks and defenses.

 

·        Only artifacts or Powerful magic weapons can permanently harm them.

 

These beings have a “Foot” of existence squarely in the Negative Material and so are very hard to truly destroy.  They have routine dialog with the master of their existence, Malfator, and are more the puppet masters of Evil in the Prime Material Plane than Malfator himself. For instance, Oovardiis is a very powerful Lich-like creature that has perhaps transcended even that.  So powerful that he created 9 Simulacra.  It took the Early Humans and the Ancient Elves to unite to bring down One of those Simulacra.

 

Class V

 

·        Extraplaner and Divine.  Aspects of Malfator, Malfator, the Angel of Sin, Netholar and the strange things that live in and roam the Negative Material Plane.

 

·        Genius level intelligence.

 

·        Varied attacks and defenses.

 

·        Unknown how to harm or defeat.

 

·        Eternal, extra dimensional.

 

While the Angel of Sin was known to have had a Portion of its existence wrapped up in the being Innis Gainsover, a Greater Vampire that was renowned in the Fallen City of Freewinds.  Most of that being exists in constant conflict with the Light in the Inner Planes.  Malfator acts in the world of the player characters through influence and his three “Aspects”, though he is more an elemental fixture of the afterlife.  And Netholar, is more like saying Violent Natural Acts, when referring to tornadoes and forest fires, only referencing the Negative Material Plane, and if those things had an intelligence behind them.  How do you kill those things?

Sages, the Seer and the Wardens of the Northern province.

    The Sages Guild as it is called by the common people of the King's land, are actually, Factia Mages of the School of Divination.  They maintain a center of power in addition to the School at the Hidden Tower in the Fallen City of Freewinds.  It is called the Gray Heart Observatory and has offices in all of the remaining cities of the peopled lands.  The actual observatory exists in an unknown location but is believed to be an Old Western city far to the west high in mountain ranges not yet visited by the new men.

    Once led by Obend Fouge for close to 1,900 years, at his death, they are now more of a function of the will of King John, than an Independent Facta.  The Gray Heart seems to further John's will in all things.

    Airlorn, the Primerium of the Facta now that Obend Fouge is dead, was raised in the court of King John, and was once a simple guard of the Blue tower.  Under his guidance, almost every body of armed men of the kingdom has at the very least a Sage attached to it that is capable of rudimentary martial feats.

 

    Leriman – A person hoping to be intuited into the Factia of Divination.  Also a Kingdom Office akin to an administrator.  

    There are Lerimen of the Gray Heart that work the Docks in Brighton, directing captains, recording goods brought in and leaving the port, and taking news.  They are scribes, copy books and are hireable to perform record keeping of almost any kind.  They are intelligent, are fluent in several languages, can read and write in at least three languages, and are great organizers.

    Scholar – A Factia Diviner of 1^st to 3rd level.  Also an Kingdom office akin to, researcher, teacher, Police Officer.

    Scolar's make up the bulk of the Sages Guild.  They read coins, they investigate acts of evil, they are cast a majority of the spells used by the guild.  They train Agents and even sages in areas of Expertise.  Many do not go on to become sages.  Many spend their time in the School and at the Observatory.  All Guard Outfits have at least one Leriman attached to it.  

    Sage – a Factia Diviner of greater than 3rd level.  Also an office akin to, detective and judge combined.

Sages are powerful Divinors and responsible for a great deal in the Northern Province as well as the world abroad.  They work with the Wardens all over the known realms.  They fight with the Kings Army in the South, they administer the lands of the Kingdom with the help of the Guardsmen.  There are several dozen sages in the Northern Province, with eight in Brighton alone.

    Seer – A Factia Diviner of Name level.  Also an office within the Kingdom responsible for high level judicial and administrative tasks.  

    The Northern Province has several seers.  One serves the Provent near the Quarry.  Two are located in Brighton, one in Bricking, and another 8 or so spread about the Province in various capacities, including the East Gate.     

    Provent - A Factia Diviner of Singular Intelligence, independent of the power structure other than they are guides of policy.  There are rumored to be three in the Northern Province, though only the Provent at the Quarry is familiar to people.  She spends her time exploring the ruins of Ovardiis' great tower.

    Primerium – The Leader of the Divination Factia.  Primerium Airlorn lives and works by King John's side, far to the south in Kias.

The Exvocates

Once the High Priestesses of Leah'dah, now these lost and broken women travel the lands to heal and help who they can, a kind of penance, self imposed, for not being able to protect or save their Goddess.

When Malfator, killed Leah'dah, she no longer was able to stand before the Great Veil and catch the souls flung there through violent tragedy.  Her death filled the coffers of Malfator with souls, though, many say, a bargaining still takes place at the time of death.

With Malfator standing in her place, he spreads his own veil before the nothing, and pulls all to him and back through the door of the Day, and into life again, only not life, but a bitter, painful trespassing paid for by the power of Malfators deity and the Negative Material Plane as the menace of undeath.

When Leah'dah's godliness was unmade in that terrible hour, many of her High Priestesses killed themselves in horror and panic.  Many of the Priestess did as well, though some were saved from themselves by the love and the loyalty of their Temple Guards.

What followed next was almost more horrible that the dissipation of the deity, in that all the Darkness that Leah'Dah held at bay for countless millennia, came pouring in like a bursting dam.  The Shrines were overrun, the Acolytes, the Adherents, the guards, the followers, were besieged mundane, and ancient evil, almost everywhere.  Few who loved her survived.

The Temples and the old places of Pholtus we pulled down into darkness forever.  Now they are treacherous places, strongholds of depravity and darkness.

But there are still some who live, who walk the world in pain and emptiness, and do what they can, for the Priestesses cannot heal with the power of their Deity anymore, but bind wounds, work with herbs and do what they can to fight the diseases and evils of the world.

One such Exvocate can be found at the Clearing to the north of Brighton, in what used to be the Plaza of the Old City of Pholtus.  There she heals with plant and bandage and some attend her.

They may also be found wandering the province, usually always with a guide, a man of great years, human and old but a warrior, a Temple Guard, still serving, still loving, for the call of them was a call of love, from the goddess herself, and from the Priestess they served with love with all their might and days and That was not killed and cannot die.

Currency in the Northern Province

There are many types of hard currency in the northern province.  The most common is the Kings Coin, from the Kingdom of King John. 

For use in the game, The PP, GP, EP, SP and CP System is considered a guideline for base valuation, but those coins do not exist in the game world.  they are only necessary as the Game System Reference Materials reference these Currency Valuations.  In the game world however, the characters are interacting with varied coins from many kingdoms and periods.

They might find a small bag with mixed coins from four different Kingdoms, or a buried Dwarven Coin Hoard that weighs close to 800 pounds of mostly rusted Iron chits of little to no value in the world of men but for making horseshoes and nails.

Do you even have a job?

Trade in places

There are many ways in which the Northern Province is able to sustain life and be a significant source of wealth in trade.  Though Men and Kords are at war in the south, there is still trade amongst men and Clanned Kords in other areas, mainly the northern province.  Gray Elvin caravans leave the Silver Gate and the White Tower almost weekly to trade in the lowlands of the east, in Phylukon, Brighton, Ashdale, and Tenwillows.

It is not uncommon for travelers to trade, or for those at inns to get to talking and find out each has what the other needs.

The most lucrative trade however, for those with commodities, is to find Adventurers on the heel, with wealth and looking for what they have.  Food, shelter, potions, etc.

Geogrpahy.

The Kords are great hunters and there are always pelts and artifacts of animal and monster organima to be traded for or bought outright at their camps.  The Yellow Wood also boasts several hunters adept at raising Griffins and Hippogriffs.  They are good hunters of the wild dragons that seem to infest every region of the lands, and great trainers of beasts.  But hunters abound n the northern province, and their handiwork is usually the number one source of food in the NP.  Hunters can usually be hired to support a well organized party and provide for their food on journeys.  They can be hired to track and guide as well.

The Wild Elves are the preminant craftsmen of potions and salves, as they do not hate all men outright and do trade with them at times.  They make the Best Bows that exist and the best arrows.  They also make beautiful leather clothing and armor.  Amber is an oft visited destination for those who love bows.  Kords have an different process for making bows, involving horn, and multiple types of wood.  They only make short bows though.  Wild Eleven Potions are alchemical in nature though there are some who craft magical potions.

The Gray Elves bring Wines with them, Sliver goods or ornate and beautiful craftmanship, magic, silks and rich brocades, and preserved delicacies and fine armors.  Their caravans start either high in the mountains or low at the Silver gate and run consistently.  They are usually escorted by Freebladesmen, and are lead by human merchants who do the actual Caravaning of the Grey Elven Goods.

The Humans trade mostly in Livestock and Foodstuffs and Lumber.  A majority of the items available in markets and at fairs and the roadside, are available through human farmers, ranchers and Merchants.  Some of these sellers do well enough to erect roadside stands, sometimes they have permanent stalls in daily/weekly markets.  Sometimes these stall turn into actual buildings, shops or stores.

The Cerpas make cotton and linen and nourishing grains, flours and ales.  The ales are usually always purchased in advance of their finishing, by local mead and ale halls.  Breads are sold at the farms, on the roadside and contracted by families, and the like.  Linens are usually bought up by craftsmen, and rarely lay around in bolt for as few make cloths.

The Sundered types in general are great craftspeople and make ceramic, wood and glass vessels, are weapon and armor makers, and grow nuts and fruits.  The Sundered rarely take their goods elsewhere but rely upon traders to come to them to buy their goods.  Bricking is such a city, possibly more wealthy than Brighton though one tenth the size.  they make candy in Bricking and the glass and ceramic wares made there are found throughout the world.

The Arakokra trade precious gems, and some foodstuffs and feathers and ornamenture.  They usually trade with the elves, and these items find their way to human markets through them, as not many humans speak their language and the Bird Language is not easily understood by men.  

The Kehnku are also great hunters and are great leather workers and weavers.  They mix readily with the Cerpa and human populations.  

The Dwarves of course trade metals and gemstones and are great makers of armors and weapons, and unrivaled in engineering.  They may be encountered and traded with in their cities, but few Dwarves travel abroad, except those criminals and outcasts flung from the safety of their ancient clans.

The High Elves have several mines their houses work, and are great weapon smyths and alchemists.  Though they are the most common Elf seen in the lands, they are still distrusted and hated in general, despite the fact that the High elves have always been partners with man and have died alongside men to fight the Gray Elves and the Kords.

The Men of the south trade foodstuffs mainly and exotic goods from the pTolegies and Shiboa farther south.  They bring grain and wood from the NP, back to the south where it is desperately needed.  There are independent ships run privately or by consortiums, as well as Kingships, that do trade regularly in Brighton.  

Much that can be desired is available for the right price or the right commodity.  And much more is possible as time is spent and resources are gathered and people are befriended and worked with.  For instance the Gemwright Igni, whos tower is very difficult to find, is the finest gem cutter in the land and buys almost all gems and stones people are willing to sell.  He pays in any currency, and is honest to an unnerving degree.  He is also the best appraiser in the lands and happily buys jewelry at a price that is almost impossible to get elsewhere.  He also sells Ioun Stones, magic gems and jewels, as well as potions and some smaller magic items.  He does not work a market stall though and you may only be introduced to Igni by someone who has worked with Igni before.


The Free Blades Guild

All Warriors and fighters know of the Freeblades Guild, as many are members.  There is representation in even the smallest hamlet, and the larger towns like Brighton and Bricking have legitimate lodgehalls.

Membership is a flat 300gp to join for life.  there are many other goods and services available all at a price except for use of the Bullitan Boards, where all manner of things are sold, bought and traded.  Once a +3 sword was offered for teleportation back to Kias.  Some look for work and offer services, some seek to sell treasure unusable to them.

The only thing that can get you kicked out is killing another Free Bladesman.  They have a contract with the Sages guild to judge all claims against members.

All treasure and magic that moves through the Freeblades Guild gets a modest tax.  If the Guild is doing well, there is no tax.  If it needs revenue for a new lodge, or an undertaking, it Taxs.

All members can buy a chest where their items will be stored and protected indefinitely.  These may not be willed or gifted, and when you die, all items in the box revert to ownership of the Guild.

Healing is available here, but no drinking is allowed on the premises.  There is usually a well staffed and equipped stable and horse available to buy.  their symbol is simply two crossed swords over a shield.

Mining

The Northern Province in mineral rich, and so are the Cold and the Blue mountains, though only cobolt and Iron have been found in the Hard mountains to the south.

The blue Mountain Mines are mostly Silver and platinum mines.  there are gem mines there but most of the gem mines are in the Cold Mountains.

Some of these mines are worked by individuals or groups, others by the King in the South or the gray Elves or larger well armed organizations.  And some mines sleep and others are dead.  The dwarves started extracting the wonders of the earth at the dawn of time and before the coming of the light.  Great storehouses of wealth are said to exist in dwarven tombs below the earth behind their famous Locks.  I tis said the Great underoad connects all underground spaces below the earth.  and it is rare that a cave or hole does not have dwarven markings at its entrance.  In general it is said that a cave or a hole Breaks the Lock or that it doesn't meaning of course the it either connects to the Underoad, or does not.  It is also said that the Underoad connects all the great old cities of the dwarves, and the Dwarven sea forts though many large and narrow passages underground.  as no human sor adventurers have ever been able to open the doors and attacking them usually summons powerful elemental creatures, the exploration of the dark usually ends quickly, one way or the other.

There is a huge coal mine located but 6 days from the northern edge of Brighton and 8 days from Ashdale.  It is the main source of coal for the entire province.

There are Gold mines, Silver mines, Copper mines, Tin mines, Lead mines, Platinum Mines, Coal mines, Salt mines. Clay mines and Limestone mines.  Some mere collection points on the surface, others deep delving's that take weeks of travel underground to reach.

Not far from the Mines from which stalwart souls pull riches from the earth, are the refining and smelting operations, often owned and operated by the miners themselves though not always.  The forges of gray Lake in the west are an example of this.  Easy loads make their way down the ridges of the Brake to Broken Lake.  From there by barge they travel to Gray Lake and the falls of Imlin and the dwarven ruins there.  Many refineries and smelting camps are there and some even use the old machines of the dwarves to turn stone to steel, copper and iron.

Forestry  

From Lumber for construction, to fire wood, charcoal fodder, to specialty woods, all are available in abundance in the northern Province.

Skilled craftsmen abound and paper, furniture, instruments, boats, barrels, chests, coffins, sleds, carts, wagons, boats and bridges are all constructed in the northern province.

Some of these woods are harder to get than others but for the most part, hard and soft woods abound.

Weavers also thrive in the Northern Province, with the Sundered types and the bird peoples making some of the best textiles available.

Weavers

Clothing, baskets, fabrics, tapestries, rope and blankets can all be found readily in the Northern Province, whether made from grasses, wools or cottons.  Only the gray Elves produce Silk however, or the Shiboans in the far south.


Food Stuffs

All manner of food stuffs is grown or farmed in the Northern Province, with the Fields of Brighton and of Ashdale having some of the largest crops that are now possible given the situation in the south with open war.

Dairy's produce cheeses that are available throughout the province, with some of the most expensive coming from Bricking, though almost every farm has dairy cows and makes one type of cheese or another.

Seeds and Nuts are wild harvested or cultivated throughout the lands as well and are readily available as a staple.

Several grains and grasses are grown, barley, oats, rice, spelt, corn and wheat.  these are large operations and much of the harvest is already spoken for, but can be bought in markets in smaller quantities.  Mills set up near the growing fields, either wind or water, run day and night during the harvests, making flours.

Cured and dried meats, though largely provided by hunting, sometimes come from ranches, farms and fisheries.  It is not uncommon to find dried meats made of Aligator, frog, bear, rabbit, etc.  Cured meats are less common, but also available for a price, salted of course.

Roots vegetables and fruits are also common food stuffs available at almost any market or fair.

Though living animals are sometimes sold, it is not common.  It takes a lot to raise up and keep livestock and they are not easily or often parted with.

There are ice houses and wells almost everywhere.  Water is not scarce and people tend to share this resource as it is overly abundant.

Markets

Every gathering of peoples has a market.  It may be informal, like two spread blankets with wares each party are willing to trade laid out.  It may be between two people passing on a road, in fact, it is a common thing for strangers passing to ask, "would you like to trade?".

Hamlets and larger gatherings and camps, may have permanent market spaces set up.  blankets, tents, stalls, booths, even building that open and allow trades a place away from the elements.

Some of the most famous markets being Fishtown at the Docks in Brighton, The Red Stairs in Bricking, The Pavilion of Freeblades, The Oak Market of Tenwillows, The Great Plaza of Ashdale, and the East Gate outside the dragons veil.

Shops and Stores  

Only the larger hamlets have these conventions, they range from rooms within dwellings set aside for the trade of stored goods.  These are practical, but highly informal areas.  They can be as truly cosmopolitain as Teawinkles in Bricking, a Glass blowers shop.

Security and the Law.  

Law and Order in the Northern Province is a complicated idea.  Since the truce between King John and Inbaranen, neither side has brought the rule of Laws or the enforcement of power back to the Northern Province.  It is why the Soldiers of King John who do arrive in the Northern Province by boat, usually sleep on it, even if they debark during the day and do trade.  It is why all the Forts of King John are not Occupied by Soldiers or Guard anymore, with the exception of the Fort at the sea at the mouth of the River Running.

And while Gray Elves can be seen in the area, they are always wanderers, and have no homes, or camps and are always on foot, and sleep in the wild.

There are many armed groups however.

 

A Place to Live

A place to Live

The many places where things live.

Gray Elves

The gray Elves have no real cities or towns in the Northern Province.  They abide somewhat by the truce Agreed to by King John and Inbaranen, the King of the Gray Elves of those days.  Though Inbaranen is long dead, and the Hierophant has assumed all real power of the Gray Elves and their Kingdom of Westfolden, they only send their Emisaries into the lands below them and maintain the great and high forts of the people in the Cold Mountains and their Temple of the River Hale.

It is said the Hierophant abolished the cities of Westfolden and their dynasties, and brought the great tombs low and made all the land for all the people and made none great above the other.

The Emissaries are known, as they are most tall, very capable in combat, polite to the extreme, and unobtrusive, but they do wander the land in pairs.  To what end none know but they.  They were and are Great Warriors of old and all fought in the war to drive the Humans from the Northern Province some several hundred years ago.

The Tower of Light – a watchtower high and old in the cold mountians, close to where they join the Hard mountains, above the start of the First valleys run to the west.  The Tower of Light sits upon the main Trade road between Westfolden and the Lands of the south, as none are allowed into the First Valley but on pain of death from the green hells, trade from the south must climb and then cross the mountains at the birth of the First Valley in the east, and take the dwarven roads far north before they lead past the Tower of Light, and the great keep of the Gray e Elves, Eyeguard.  

That Road is long and starts at the Free City of Hardwall in the south, rises to Highwall, a Fort of King John, and from their the road pierces the mountain tops on it way to SkyGrave, the Kings name for the ruined dwarven city in the mountains.  From there farther north to the Tower of Light, and then west into the Gray Elvin lands.   

Yulibrien Pass – A long passage from Phylukon to Westfolden dotted by shrines, forts and caves.

The Temple of the River Hale – A temple where Leah’Dah was worshipped before the ushering and her death.  There are no priestesses or druids there, only the bastion of Temple Guards who still serve without divine worship.  The memory of the Priestesses who all died that day as their god collapsed and darkness stole their destinies, is all they have.

There is a pass there to the sea in the north and to Phylukon in the south.

Phylukon is a Leahdic Temple half high in the White Mountains.  Still a pilgrimage for many of the north of all kinds.  There is almost always an encampment of travelers and traders there.

Nearspire is a relic of the days of Pholtus, as is Dawn, and lies in a northerly direction on the road from Phylukon to the Tower of Light.  A shrine is there at the crossroads, to Aday, the first servant of Pholtus who lives still and haunts these lands.  Nearspire is now the city of the Aracokra, and is called Rest.  there other cliff cities of Willin and Ora are nearby to the north and south.

Dawn was the first seat of power for Pholtus, and it is here that he absolved the Ascendants who would later become, Leah'Dah, Malfator, Peytah and Varmelius.  It is from Dawn that he made a place for man, and when man came, he went into the lands below and lived with them there in Azizarn, now where the City of Brighton stands.

Eyeguard tower – A great and old fortress of the Dwarves first, and then the Elves, and then Men, and now the Elves again.  A full garrison is there and trade available to Westfoldedn.  Grey Elven Pilgrims come this way to visit the Northern Province.  It is a week west from the Tower of Light.  None take the pass or reach the tower without permission from the Wardens of the Tower of Light first.

The Silver Gate – Located at the west end of a deep valley called Moella, at the feet of the cold moutnains.  The Valley is down in the warmth of the fields, it pushes into the cold mountains and is three days from end to end.

It is said that Suel the Old, a Great Nature Green Dragon lives there, from the time of Ovardiis.  The Silver gate is the Deep road into Westfolden, built for the Elves by the Dwarves.  It does not Break the Lock, and is an incredible journey through wonders and sights that takes 8 days from start to finish.  A spring is born at the Silver Gate there and runs through Moella and leaves the valley, flowing into the Nehi.  The Spring has often there, those that are kind to elves.  Passage through the valley must be granted by Elmwheel at the Eastern Edge, or Varith the Leafwinder at the spring for those coming from Westflden as Moella is the domain of the Dragon, and none, not even the Heirophant himself, walk without its permission.  

With that said, Moella is where most gray Elves can be found, the Silver Gate in particular. 

The Kords

The Kords of the Northern Province are Banded Kords.  They are wild, tribal, clanned and are not yet consumed by the Armies of the God King Mok Turosh, who united the Kords of the south and made one people of them there.

They are tribes of up to 200 strong, and clans of small multifamily units. 

Lone Kords are almost always feral as Kords desire to be a part of a family, a clan or a tribe.

There are three large Tribal Camps of Kords that live in some form of harmony or attrition with the men of the Province. 

Yidari Duor close to Brighton.  The Name comes from the Ruined Elven Temple that their camp has been in for many years now.  There is heavy trade with Brighton here, and Kords of Yidari Duor are not hostile to wards Humans, though the Kords call themselves Door.  Their color is yellow.

The Pit, as it is called by all who have dealings with it, is a large camp somewhat centrally located.  Not many interact with the Kords of the Pit but Miners, Adventurers and Traders.

Then there is Mutt, the oldest continuous habitation of clanned Kords in the Northern Province.  It is more of a city, mud brick, trades, markets, etc.  Most who know and travel the wilds without fear, know of Mutt.  Their Color is Blue.  The color taken from a nasty blue fern that grows in the woods here.

Warrior Bands of Kords are known to roam and hunt or kill humans and elves and the like unprovoked.

Wild Elves

They live in small single family units.  The only gathering places they have than can be called a village are Turnilee, and Amber.  These are more like communal Campgrounds though.  Both are springs and both places families meet and trade and talk and marry.  There are no permanent structures here.

Amber is to the North in the blue Moutnains a few days from the River Hale.  Turnilee is at the base of the Cold Mountains a few days inland south of the Nehi.

You rarely see more than one Wild Elf at a time.

Halflings and Humans

All live together and almost every community, hamlet, town and City as each represented somewhat equally.

Brighton sits almost completely to the northeast coast at the mouth of the Lost River at the Beach and Bay of the same name.  The Bay is a huge safe harbor.  Brighton and the surrounds are built on old Ruins of Pholtic Times, that have subsequently been rebuilt and renovated, first by the Elves then by the Humans.  The Fort that King John built here some 300 years ago is gone, much of the stone from that great work has gone into the building of the Brighton which can boast nearly a million people.  The Pholtic Temple Ruins of Azisarn, the Kings Gladness Keep, and the ruined Gray Elvin city of Seven Tears all intermingle, overlap, and cover all ground in this nearly 20 square mile area that meets the sea.

Ashdale, is another large City built much aarther inland and somewhat centrally located in the Province between the River Under, and the Pinacle of Restos where Restos the Simulacra haunts the skys.  Ashdale is the true center of the Northern province and at 800,000 inhabitants, all trade comes through the City.  It has been rebuilt, of wood, as Restos tears down any stone work he sees. 

There are many Towns like Bricking, Kneeling and Tenwillows.  Generaly no more than 10,000 live in a town, and no less than 3,000.

There are many Hamlets like Needles Bunk, The Green Hunt and Frogwallow.  Generally no more than 2,000 people live in a hamlet and no fewer than 500.

There are many Camps like Lowlite, Fishburden and Many Rivers.  No more than 200 people live in a camp, and no fewer than a few dozen.

There are many Estates, Towers, Keeps and Households in the wild were families, self declared lords and retired adventurers live.  These vary greatly in size.  There is the well know ColdWater Keep; the home of a retired Vicar of King John.  There is Wildover Tower; the oft visited home of a powerful Wizard.  And Anadons Forge; the home of a Dwarven Smith of renown.     

According to the Truce between Elves and Men, King John was never to raise an army or Employ mercenaries in these lands, nor govern them with his Law.  If he did that, the Gray Elves would let all those that survived the war live and more come.  For now, the Northern province is the only place where Men and Elves could heal their past.

Kcerpa

The Cerpa's are the common and familiar race of intelligent Squirrel looking people everywhere.  While Cerpas are seen mainly as farmers and indeed make up most of the farmers in the Northern Province, they are a more diverse race of being than just crop tenders.

It is said the Gray Elves awoke them, it is also said that Pholtus awoke them, some say they are a byproduct of Oovardiis broken mind.  If you ask them they come from the days of the Dark before men, and have always been here, like Dragons and Fairy's.

They speak decent common albeit a bit chittery and of a higher pitch.  They have quite a large town in almost the dead center of the province in the plains that is called Orkan.

tTere are many hamlets that are predominantly Cerpa inhabited like Stirp, and Cope.

High Elves 

There are three houses of High Elves in the Northern Province and combined they make up what is considered the High Elven City of Ilithin, in the Woods east of the Nehi.  There is also a large amount of High Elves at The River Running, further east and closer tot eh Coast and Tenwillows.

The Great Houses are that of Ilwin, Ilithin and Lithilin, though it is a refuge for the disposesed of the High elves, who's Great Houses fell along with the entirety of the Kingdom of Kesh when the Armies of Mok Turosh, climbed the White Stairs of Varmelius, threw down the Gates of Horn, and entered the Vasting to end all life there.

In general, elves with the livery and colors of the Great Houses are left somewhat alone, though other elves, high, wild or gray are seen as the enemy, trash, and often caught and sold as slaves, or just killed outright. 



  

The Northern Province; Geography

The Northern Province

The Northern Province has several boundaries. 

It is bordered by Seas to the east.  It is bordered by Mountain and Seas to the North.  It is bordered by Mountains and the Gray Elven Nation of Westfolden to the West.  It is bordered by Mountains and the Human Kingdoms to the South.  There are some known ways to traverse these boundaries. 

Ships travel near the coast and routes exist that reach Endeverin, the Gray Elvin City by the sea, far to the northwest.  The Magic City of Tarsus, also to the North.   The Fallen isles To the North-Northeast.  The Pirate Cities of Balora and Lidia, on isles to the north east.  The Sea forts of the Dwarves to the East.  The Kings fort and harbor of Lastholm to the Southeast. And further on to Kias, Freewinds and Vicars burg, all human cities, far to the south, and eventually Tulnimoon and the Horned lands beyond..

The Cold Mountains rise to the west and span the horizon running from deep in the south where they split from the Hard Mountains and ending in a chasm where the river Hale falls into the northern sea and the Blue mountains begin their march east along the northern Border of the Provence.  Roads and passes lead there and through, onto the green kingdom of the Gray Elves, named Westfolden.  The Cold Mountains have ruins from the times when the elves ruled here and it was the seat of Elvin power.  Much of the ruins in the first lowlands that sit at the foot of the Cold mountains are all old elvin ruins of the time of Oovardiis, and the ruins of the dwarves who came before them. 

The great Blue Mountains rise to the north, where much that was the old kingdoms of men exists, and a lone fort past them by the sea called Hardhold.  The mountains are home to many and though snow never melts at the peaks, they are temperate and many live there.  Their start at the River Hale is surely a cataclysm of forgotten gods and magic.  It is as though a sword drew down through the great mountain that once joined the cold and the blue ranges and drained the norther swamp into the northen sea by that deep warm river, pulling the mountains out to sea with it, and making them two separate and distinct ranges and a forest of islands beyond.  The dwarves, the elves, the humans all built in this chasm.  The ruins of towns and lost cities dot the old roads that risk those deapths.  Still, People live there, human, and sundered, the Arakokra City of Orrin sit almost atop the river.

The Coast to the Northeast and east are almost all cliffs.  There are natural harbors and some beaches but they are the exception and not the role.  Old Dwarven sea forts dot the horizon out at sea more directly east and at the limit of the horizon, not much to the southeast.  The Fallen Isle rise where the blue mountains dive into the sea in the Northeast.  The Cities of Lydia and Balora are in the southernmost of the Fallen isles.  Out to sea to the east is nothing that men know, a sea not looked to, a place only where men came from, many hundreds of years ago, and did not look back.

To the South are the Hard Mountains that run almost due west, where after many many days travel they join with the cold mountains to their right and march side by side deep into the great lands, always with the Vasting to the South, the gray Elven Kingdom of westfolden to the north and the First Vally between them.  An Idyllic place held sacred by all and kept as a boundary from real war between elves and men.

The hard Mountains end at the sea in a bench of sorts that looks to exist as the only road from the south and the North.  The cliffs that form there at the bench drop straight to the sea some 300 feet below.  There is no mooring or beach between the Kings fort at the start of the range in the south, up to tenwillows cove where the mountains have ended and the low flat fertile lands of the northern province begin.

This bench is called Chapmans bench by the humans, and the Door by the Gray Elves.  There are many hundred of mounds of buried men her from the last and great war with the Elves when Kign John and all his armies were driven from the lands, and his cities burned, and more than most of his men were killed.  The total time it takes to walk the bench is one week on foot, less by wagon and horse.  No horse can run the bench all the way in one day.  Most take ships from Lastholm to Tenwillows and further up.

The rest of the lands of the northern Province sit as if in this great broken bowl of fertile lands, heavy forests, swamps and rivers.  The land is for the most part flat except when one gets closer to the feet of the Cold and the Blue mountains, where terrain rise toward hill and smaller mountains until the they break and stand with impunity and reach straight up to touch the very sky.  The hard mountains are disastrous, and confusing and there are many peaks and many ruts and dead end canyons and crevasse, and despite reason, are harder to navigate and pass than the impssible heights of the Cold mountain is the west. 

The Horror

The Horror

There are lots of horrible things in the world, and you have most likely never encountered or experienced them.

Tell me you can fight a dragon in mele if you have never even seen one before and thought they were not real right up until all 2 tons of it landed at your feet with its 60’ wingspan and 20 foot long neck.  Yep, just roll initiative, that’s all.  Whatever.

Horror Checks are made each time you encounter a sufficiently scary situation, like being attacked by a Gater, or falling out of your skiff and into the bog.  Or sleeping in a marsh for the first time, without a moon, or seeing the undead up and close, despite not engaging it in combat.

IF you are Battle Hardened, you just need to roll a Horror Check, which is Wisdom and Strength, Divided by two and rounded down.

If you make it, your fine.  If you roll a 1, you get bonuses in combat with that type of creature.  If you roll a twenty, it becomes something you are Afraid OF.  It is possible to be afraid of several things, like crossing rivers, Rock Climbing, Horses and Wyverns.  Once you are afraid of something, you have 3 fear markers on that thing.  The can only be removed by Facing your Fear.

When you are afraid of something, it affects all aspects of your encounters with that thing.  What you are able to do is also affected, according to the DM’s Discretion.  Maybe you will have no real effects, and just block out the memory completely.  You might have to role play refusing to get into a boat, or climb a mountain, or get back on the horse.  You may simply just have a penalty to combat, or you may be come catatonic when presented with the fear.  All of these things happen all the time in the real world.

You may remove fear Markers with the permission of the DM, but you must ask, if you don't care and don't ask if you faced your fear well, you don't get any markers removed.  As a player you must track them.  Once they are all removed, you no longer suffer penalties when encountering that fear.  you may choose to live with your fear also, which will earn you bonus experience.  You resign to always fear the thing in question, and when roleplayed well, can get awarded bonus XP.

You may also seek magic to rid  you of your fears, or the Gypsies can brew a potion for you if your up to that sort of thing.

Being afraid of something makes it difficult for you to do that thing.  It does not mean its impossible.  Fear reactions will be determined by the DM.  If you encounter undead, it is the players responsibility to remind the DM that they are afraid of undead.  The DM can then decide what to do.  In the case of Rath, he  was with three other fighters and they were taking the lead so Rath experienced no penalties or modifiers even when it came time for him to step to the front line.  We was also able to remove a fear counter at the end of the encounter.  Loric however, is afraid of Flying Monsters, and while traveling alone, a wyvern surprised him and swooped down, knocking the halfling off his pony, but failed to catch him and carry him away.  When Loric got to his feet and saw it was a wyvern circling he debated standing to fight it with his short sword.  The Wyvvern did not appear to be interested in landing and was linign up for another swoop attack.  Loric received a -6 to hit, -6 to damage and a +6 t AC to attempt such a thing, so he quickly decided against it and sought shelter in the trees, and avoid combat entirely.  The wyvern tired and left to look for easier prey.  Loric, lived, but did not face a fear, so did not get to remove any counters for facing his fear, but because he did survive an encounter with a Wyvern and lived, the DM gave him a roll to see if he could remove a fear counter of 25%, he rolled 11% and so in the end was able to remove a fear counter. 

 

Combat Sucks

Combat Sucks

Initiative

Initiative begins with Pre-Initiative, it is when everyone declares their intentions in the coming combat round.  then all Pre-Initiative actions occur.  Sometimes that is a nocked arrow getting loosed, or and attempt to flee the mele is made, etc.

If a character has the ability to attack more than once per round, an initiative roll is made for each attack.

The Campaign Lawyer has Combat round sheets, and records the order of the attacks, and calls the flow of the combat round.

At the end of initiative, post round actions are taken, then the round is closed and pre initiative begins with intentions for the combat round again, and a new Combat sheet is used.

All ties are rolled off or the DM breaks the tie as he sees fit.

Not all combat ends in death.  Will you run at someone pointing a drawn bow at you?  have you always fought until you were unconscious?

Many combats end in a stand off and begin that way.  It is difficult to initiate combat in most instances and it is somewhat easy to refuse combat in most cases, merely by moving away.

Combatants surrender, run, or are driven crazy with pain of fear.


Critical Hits and Critical Failures.

It is not uncommon to be killed with a single slash of a strait razor.  What is the damage on that, 1-1 / 0-1 ???

Also, when you get run through with a spear, you get run through.  there are just not that many times your gonna stand and fight with a spear through you unless you are a warrior of legend.

Also, shit happens in combat.  This is a breakdown of things that can happen.

Critical Hits (A roll of a Natural 20, this is rare).

01-25 - Full Damage.

26-39 - Double Rolled Damage.

40-69 - Double Full Damage.

70-79 - Triple Rolled Damage.

80-89 - Triple Full Damage.

90-95 - Enemy Incapacitated.

96-99 - Instant Death.

00 – Players Choice.  Do you want them flung from a cliff, to catch fire and burn to death, drown, sprain their ankle and surrender, or just surrender, how about fear you and run and tell all their friends you are a supernatural creature, or how about surrender and offer their lives to you as a slave.  or surrender and swear fealty to you.  How about the through their spear through the head of their leader, or accidentally  knock their friend unconscious.  it your choice.

Critical Failures (yeah, you rolled a 1, stop crying, it happens).

01-49 - No Hit.

50-69 - No hit.  Lose all remaining attacks and actions for the round.

70-81 - No Hit.  Drop weapon at feet.  No other penalties.

82-89 - No Hit.  Weapon Flung 15 feet away in a random direction.  No other penalties.

90-91 - No Hit.  Injured Self.  Weapon damage only no modifiers.  Weapon retained.  No other penalties.

92-93 - Hit Friend, both lose remaining attacks per round.

94-95 - Hit Friend, roll confirmation hit without modifiers, weapon damage only.  Both Lose remaining attacks that round.

96-97 - Hit Friend, Roll Confirmation hit with modifiers.  Both lose remaining attacks per round.

98-99 - Fall and are stunned for 1-3 additional rounds.

00 - DM’s Discretion.  What is the worst thing that could possibly happen, because it just happened.  You rolled a fricking 1, then you rolled 00, what are the chances, I mean really.

While Broken Bones, Lost teeth, Concussions, Cut Arteries and unconsciousness are all a part of normal martial combat, they are solely the discretion of the DM for the purposes of combat in this game setting.