Introduction
Title: Veil of Erova
Brief Description: In the world of Erova a dark plague has spread across the land. Things known as nightmares roam freely attacking anything, man or beast, they come across. This when the most famous of heroes of the lands are so recently taken from us. Our prayers go unanswered falling on the deaf ears of the gods and civilizations across the world are beginning to start to crumble under the pressure. What role will you play in this now cursed land?
Character Skeleton:
NOTE: We are starting at level one. And yes I will level us through the roleplay so you can "learn" more things from your class. Don't worry about feats or skills or stats unless you want to for yourself. As this is mostly roleplay based and will involve pretty much no dice rolls.
Name:
Age:
Race:
Physical Description:
Class and Level:
Equipment:
History:
Current List of Acceptable Core Classes:
Barbarian
Bard
Cleric
Druid
Fighter
Monk
Paladin
Ranger
Rogue
Sorcerer
Wizard
Current List of Acceptable Races:
Humans: Mainly make up the Thelac Empire. Though they are easily the most varied of the species and can be found in any of the surface cities working for and with any of the races.
Dwarves: Most dwarves live isolated in their main city underground but there are those that live in the few villages they maintain above ground. The many clans make up the Silver Circle, which is a pact long Honored by all the major clans. It keeps them bound by a council under a High King. Their politics are deeply embedded in honor and clan titles.
Elves: The race itself was very entwined with magic and nature. Because they were beings of mostly magic themselves, every elf had some sort of magical aptitude. Those who were born without the connection were shunned and became known as Dark Elves. There are few of either kind that are left in this world. With most of them gone and the rest openly hated against by everyone they have gone into isolation or endure much for so little.
Another hardship they must endure is their lack of connection to the magic that once flowed through them. Whatever had caused the rest of them to vanish also severed the link to magic for the rest. No surviving elf can cast any degree of magic.
Gnomes: Having been enslaved for such a long period of time most have forgotten the way it used to be. They now serve as nomadic wanderers or live within the Thelac Empire. Grateful to them for freeing them, most have just assimilated with little thought of leaving. Still brilliant though most of their heritage lost to time some telling of gnomish heroism and innovation are still remembered.
Half-Elves: Scorned by true elves for diluting their blood with that of a human. And scorned by humans for the way elves have acted in the wars in the past. Adventurers or Mercenaries at best, bandit's at their worst.
Half-Orcs: Feared by most due to their orc blood and because of the usual way they come about. These half-breed are more common than one would think with the Orc race almost coming to an extinction during the first two wars. And then having been driven underground. They are mostly mercenaries or highwaymen due to their physical appearance being rather hard to hide in most case. The few that are fortunate enough to look human aside from the large appearance tend to hide away their orcish bloodline or defend the villages that do take them in to the death.
Halflings: After being freed they pretty much followed suite with the gnomes and banded up with the Thelac Empire. Though a lot of them ended up leaving to make a home for themselves in the hilly plains. They can be as varied as human though and tend to be seen in every city or village on the surface. Pledging allegiance where their hearts lead them.
Setting: Erova
Major Timeline:
Legend: BC = Before Creation AC= After Creation
Fifty Billion Years BC - The world was formed. The major gods were born.
1347 BC - Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes, Halfings, Orcs, and Goblins are born on the world.
1330 BC - A dispute breaks out among the major gods. Sides are drawn and a war begins.
1250 BC - The elven tribes unite in everlasting peace under Glenilth Thornswallow. The Herald's Glory is born.
1246 BC - The gods saw a way to use their creations against the others. War breaks out among the Alliance and the Hordes. The alliance being a pact among the clans of dwarves and the Herald's Glory.
1245 BC - The monstrous races are born into the world during a fight among the gods.
1178 BC - The alliance defeats the hordes. And the gods lock the orcs and goblins under the ground cursed to remain for a thousand years.
982 BC - Gruumsh persuades Kurtulmak to send the kobolds against the dwarves.
978 BC - The dwarven clans are united by Thrumor Stonard during the first kobolds attack. The Silver Circle is born.
0 - The first humans are created.
178 AC - The first orc reaches the surface hailing the beginning of the orcs returning to the surface.
465 AC - The Imperatus is established.
480 AC - Gruumsh influences the life of a recently born orc in revenge on the other gods for his previously failed plans.
485 AC - Ognor begins to reunite the various orc tribes through display of his unmatched strength and iron will.
486 AC - Realizing that Gruumsh was behind what was going on Pelor intervened and blessed the child of a human family. John Kerry the first was born.
494 AC - The first raids against the other races begin.
553 AC - The gnomish clans and the halfling kingdoms are completely overrun by the orcs. The two races are enslaved and used to bolster their workforce. Many gnomes and halflings die in enslavement.
578 AC - Ognor's grip on his lieutenants waned as their numbers began to dwindled from the multi-front assaults they were doing.
580 AC - John Kerry slays Ognor ending the Orc Uprising.
600 AC - The Imperator, Rust Nabdron, is assassinated under murky details. Fredrick Bell is crowned the new Imperator.
659 AC - Using some kind of dark magic Fredrick is able to control many of the tribe leaders left in command of the orcs. Things get nasty for anyone trying to do good in the Imperatus. Most of the religious practices are banned and followers of Pelor in specific are hunted down and executed by the new army.
718 AC - The Imperatus declares war on the dwarves and elves in the west keeping them occupied with endless bodies of their new foul army. While at the same time progressing east burning towns and villages that did not surrender to them.
719 AC - The Imperatus move on the Eastern Vale, burning the woods down. They seemed to be searching for something.
720 AC - John Kerry the Second begins causing havoc for the Imperatus in the western cities.
724 AC - The Darkmasters are revealed when they find what they were looking for in the now ruined Eastern Vale. Hordes of the undead pour from the east into towns killing everyone. Even those loyal to the Dark Masters were not spared the wrath.
725 AC - Thelac is recognized as the new King. He calls on the dwarves and elves to help in the cause. Neither come to his aid. The Thelac Empire is born.
725 AC - The hordes of the Dark Master cease attacking the dwarves and the elves instead moving back to the cities in the west while the fresh dead pushed in from the east.
740 AC - Thelac is desperate and about to lose his fledgling kingdom already. Pelor comes to him with a vision of success and he proclaims that the gnomes and halflings should be free. Any that join his empire is given food and shelter. This act helped to turn the tide of war. The Silver Circle, under High King Bronzar Wildbeard, offers their help to the Thelac Empire once again. The Herald's Glory still refuses to help as a whole. Though many elves do end joining as mercenaries and adventurers.
759 AC - Thelac and John Kerry the Second manage to slay Magus Vrictus.
780 AC - The Great Elven Exodus occurs.
814 AC - The Starvation begins. Many began to blame the gods.
820 AC - The dead begin to pour from the Dark Wood. The Silver Circle and the Thelac empire try to contain it at the borders.
821 AC - It becomes too much and they are forced to retreat.
823 AC - John Kerry the Third and his party of the worlds best heroe's enter the Dark Wood.
826 AC - No word from the Heroes, and no end in sight to the new dangers of the world. Many have begun to blame and continue to lose faith in the gods. Thelac has fallen severely ill and in his venerable age many expect him to die. With no heir to the throne many fear a power struggle.
History:
Nations:
The Silver Circle: The Dwarven empire. Made up of the five dwarven clans. Stonard, Balderk, Lutgeehr, Torunn, Urgo. For many years these clans existed peacefully with the races above and below ground but during the first real manipulation of the gods the initial war broke out and caused the divide of races. During the war the clans banded together and helped defeat the hordes of Orcs and Goblins that had turned on them. A pact had been struck with the elves to protect the weaker races, the gnomes and halfings, from what was coming.
After the war an uneasiness grew among the clans as more of the monstrous races who proved nothing but violent appeared deeper in the cavernous tunnels they had dug with their own hands. It was not long until most of the Deep was no longer inhabitable. The dwarves retreated from the Deep to their cities underground and more of them even began pushing towards the surface creating trade villages with the races above.
But what many had begun fearing for years broke out when the monstrous kobolds and other creatures of the deep swarmed the dwarven cities with tremendous force. Many of the underground farms and mines the dwarves depended on were lost immediately. It was during this attack of the kobolds, when most of what the dwarves had strived to protect for so long seemed lost. Thurmor and a band of his most trusted warriors from the clan of Stonard appeared from the city of Wadow bearing a great hammer rumored to have been forged by Moradin himself. They struck at the horde of kobolds repelling them far enough to give the rest of the dwarves time to prepare. Thurmor then persuaded each of the dwarven clans to reunite finally under one banner. The Silver Circle was forged and the dwarves were able to fend off the attack.
It was during the never ending war with these races, that reports of Orcs were heard but mostly dismissed as they had not been seen in almost a thousand years. At the same time humans were also just beginning to meet the dwarves who had been forced to the surface during the start of the attacks. After some time a wary relation ship formed with the Imperatus and the dwarves were swept up in the Orc Rising. Though during the first war the pact of dwarves and elves had protected the weaker races this time the hordes were too much and the dwarves were mostly forced to protect only themselves.
After a brutal battle where Redmun Balderk was lost Bronzar Wildbeard of the Torunn clan was crowned the New High King. His passion for a human lead him to fight alongside John Kerry during the final battle with Ognor. Though it would end up being this same passion that would anger the dwarves when the human turned on them. Many will remember the day in history when Frederick Bell declared war on the dwarves. And even more are still unsure of the humans even after deciding to help the Thelac Empire against Magus and his unearthly army.
When the end had come and an uneasy peace once again spread through the surface land the dwarves were still contending with the monstrous kobolds, golbins, tunneling worms, and other dangerous creatures that continue to come from the deep. Yet they enjoyed brief moment of relief before the plagues and starvation began spreading.
After Bronzar died in one last battle trying to hold the dead from what was still then the Great Wood. The dwarves retreated with the rest to their homes too weak after the many recent conflicts to continue. With no high king to be crowned and many claiming to be the next times are desperate for these once mighty people. Thought they still hold a few major cities in the mountains and couple outlying trading towns many have retreated to Wadow. All are clamoring for the next high king to be found and for the Silver Circle to fix all the problems that have been escalating beyond control.
Stonard Clan: The first of the five clans formed by the first dwarf ever created. They have long held prominate power in the Silver Circle and also had the first High King, Thurmor. They are usually lawful and good aligned dwarves who look out for the other clans.
Balderk Clan: The most militaristic of the clans, even though all dwarves are brought up in a martial lifestyle the Balderk clan takes it a step further. They produce some of the top warriors in the Circle and are most of the guards you find positioned through the cities.
Lutgeehr Clan: This clan of dwarves are scholarly by nature producing scholars and historians that keep the records of all dwarves past and present in a large library in Wadow.
Torunn Clan: Brave and heroic even though they aren't the strongest or most miltaristic. They tend to be the adventurers you see outside the ground. Explorers and Adventurers.
Urgo Clan: Vile and hated even among other dwarves. They are tolerated because of them joining the circle and being the primary workforce for the underground cities. You rarely see them outside the Deep Down. This has made them cruel and angry at the other dwarves.
Herald's Glory: In the very beginning unlike the masters of the deep the elves felt very connected to the surface world. All the beauty of nature and the wildlife that filled it entranced them. They were the first to feel the touch of true magic and the divine powers. Something Moradin had even been unable to gift to his kind so early. The elves freely worshiped Corellon Larethian and Ehlonna as their favored dieties. Many also came to know of Boccob and Obad-Hai but the two goddess were the ones they most revered. When Glenith Thornswallow and his wife Alyssa Thornswallow proposed that all elves were connected and that they should work together for the greater good the Herald's Glory was born.
When the first war broke out among the races the elves joined the dwarves against the hordes vowing alongside them to protect the then weaker races of gnomes and halflings. Using their superior connection to their gods, they were fierce wizards and spellswords dominating the battlefields. Their command of magic at the time being unparalleled through the races.
After the initial war ended and the orcs and goblins had been banished to the depths of the world the elves returned to a peaceful existence. Few things would bother them as they frolic'd through the majestic woods and plains of the world. They peacefully traded with the outlying nomadic villages of the gnomes and the dug in halflings of the hills. When the first humans appeared they were the first race to meet them and after a serious of strange encounters they welcomed them into the world helping them trade with the others. Though they grew wary when the Imperatus was formed and things within the human world became more militaristic they continued to trade with them.
The Orc Uprising hit them hard as the orcs and goblins seemingly poured endlessly from the mountains forcing the elves to escape to the forests where they had the advantages. But this meant that the fledgling races of the humans, gnomes and haflings were left to fend for themselves against the growing hordes. Though they continued to aid through the defense of their homelands and the occasional attack against a passing horde.
It was an elf by the name of Hannah Windwhisper that represented the elves in the party that finally took down the mighty orc Ognor. She was the best Ranger the Heralds Glory had ever seen and her grasp of the wizardly arts were almost as unmatched. Her death would be the scorn of elves eveywhere when she would eventually die to the very humans she had fought to save in the last battle of the Eastern Vale. A momentous battle in elven history that every elf would come to know and be deeply angry with the humans for.
So angry that even after some of them prove themselves to the races of the world as different by freeing the halflings and gnomes that had for so long been captives of the orcs and goblins and then the humans under Fredrick's rule. They still refused to help the Thelac empire instead choosing to hold out in the Great Wood. Even though many elves would eventually join the new Thelac empire as mercenaries or adventurers. The Herald's Glory and most of the elves were still deeply wounded by the Imperatus's actions.
During a mid-summer's eve of the year 680 AC every elf alive felt a sudden and unexplained urge from somewhere deep within to return to their sacred city in the Sacred Grove. The mostly holy of areas for them inside the Great Wood. None could explain it and it was something very few spoke of outside exclusively elven company. By the end of the year most were overpowered by the urge and returned to the grove. Some seemingly in a trance and others willingly. Few were able to resist this seemingly magical calling. By the first snowfall ninety percent of the elves had mysteriously vanished and the few that had been able to resist felt a sickening sense of loss. Many grew severely ill for days and the even less who pulled through had a disturbing affliction. They all felt the loss of their connection with magic from then on.
Scorned by the races from their previous actions as a whole and soon to be rumored as the reason for the Starvation many were forced to live as dirt in the towns they still resided in. Either forced out or killed in the initial anger they now live as adventurer's trying to prove themselves to the world, trying to find purpose again, or nomads travelling in a daze of loss. Though many just joined with others as bandits preying on the now weak world trying to just survive.
Imperatus: Initially they were actually a good empire that formed as a result of partnering with the elves and learning of the other races. Soon trade had begun and small villages and cities started forming. But the thing that makes everyone human in one way or another started to affect people. The need for order in the chaos called to them and a man by the name of Gonha Nabdron rose to it. He founded the Imperatus to control the flow of trade among the growing number of towns and help control those that had turned to banditry.
Even though Gonha is eventually slain during a battle with orcs, his son Rust Nabdron would become Imperator and lead the humans through one of the roughest times they would face as the dwarves and elves ended retreating. The halfling and gnomes that had peacefully roamed the lands were enslaved when they were finally overrun. Rust unsure of the future of his legacy prayed to Pelor and was answered with visions of a man.
Eventually John Kerry the First would become known among the surviving villages and outposts as a mighty hero of men. Wielding holy justice and smiting foes in the name of Pelor and the Imperatus. It was not long before Rust sent for him and promised him great wealth and power if he would take up cause for them and help defeat the hordes. Though he refused any reward beyond the telling of his tale he still took over as general of the Imperatus Armies and lead them to a series of victories against the orcs.
Briefly peace would fall on the humans but it as history has proved it would not last long. Rust Nabdron was assassinated and then through the murkiest of details a man named Fredrick Bell was crowned the new Imperator. In a few short years the entire empire had changed to a dark semblance of its once great past. Orcs started appearing in the cities under control of the army and any worship of the good gods was persecuted and outlawed. While worshipers of Pelor were specifically hunted down and slain.
Fredrick declared war on the dwarves and the elves using the orcish hordes he now had control of. Enslaving any who opposed him in the name of the Imperatus. He used the previously enslaved gnomes and halflings as his own work force and play things. They were slaves bought and sold freely in the emerging slave culture of the Imperatus. This was not restricted to just gnomes and halflings though as it expanded to other humans, elves and dwarves that were resisting them.
When things were starting to look like it was evening out among the Imperatus and the broken nations of the Silver Circle and the Herald's Glory Fredrick pulled a new trick from his hat. He moved on the Eastern Vale ins search of some sort of hidden artifact. He begins burning and pillaging anything in his path enslaving those that survive. Currently John Kerry the Second begins causing havoc for the Imperatus in the western cities after most of its armies had left to the western front.
The Dark Masters are revealed when an ancient artifact is finally found deep in the Eastern Vale. Hordes of the Undead pour from the east under their control killing everything. The undead did not care if you were friend or foe and as such many loyalists that had fought hard to get this far for the new Imperatus were slain.
Eventually a single man known as Magus Vrictus became known as the sole master of the Dark Army. His armies ravish the land but he is eventually defeated by the emerging alliance of the Silver Circle and the Thelac Empire.
Thelac Empire: Born in strife and chaos Thelac Grendale was born in a back alley to poor parents. Even then they knew he was blessed by Pelor. He eventually grew to be the king of the Thelac Empire. Having met John Kerry the Second and used as a figure head to reunite the scattered and lost people of the Imperatus. Being crowned the new king of humanity and the emerging empire of hope. Thelac called on the dwarves and elves to once again come to humanities aid against the growing number of foes. But he was returned with no response from either side. They were still angry with the previous actions of humanity and refused to help the nation of bloodthirsty murderers.
And so Thelac fought for years trying to prove to the world that humans were not all evil. That they once again deserved to be known as an empire of good and prosperity in the world. He fought every day for that dream and even as the Dark Army was beating down the very last walls to his capital he prayed to Pelor. He who has always had his blessed eye on humanity. He was granted a vision of victory and a prophecy to follow.
During one of his greatest moments he declared an end to slavery of the races. Proclaiming it a foul practice brought on them by the dark taint of Fredrick and his Dark Masters. In this single greatest moment he managed to earn the respect of the High King Bronzar Wildbeard who persuades the Silver Circle that the time was once again to aid humanity. Even though the Herald's Glory as a whole refused to help still heated at the thought of what the humans had done and how they betrayed their trust. Though many elves do end joining as mercenaries giving them some of the spell casting power they were severely lacking in.
Thelac, John Kerry and a small group of adventurers leading a massive army were finally able to defeat Magus Vrictus, though few know what really happened after. The uneasy peace that always followed a majorly disastrous war fell on the land again as things slowly started to return to normal.
When the Starvation began many humans blamed the elves and those in control of the now massive Thelac Empire. As it wore on though people turned their hate to the gods for allowing such things to have befallen their world in the first place. It became worse when the Dead began to pour from the Great Wood, turning it into the Dark Wood. The weak but still existent armies of the Empire moved with the Silver Circle to contain the threat but it quickly became too much. After John Kerry the Third and the rests of the worlds best hero's seemingly die in the Dark Wood hope is almost non-existent for the end of the despair that is now heavy on the world.
Now adays the Thelac Empire is nothing more then a handful of broken and wartorn towns supplied by diseased and battered farming villages. Bandits and theives are thick where-ever people gather and adventurers try to make up for the lack of patrolling from the armies. Many towns break away from the empire in as much of the sense as they can relying on solely themselves refusing to pay taxes anymore.
The Oath: A brand of both physical and magical benefit. It's required of every citizen to decide at the age of maturity whether or not to accept the oath. Those that do accept the oath are bound to the Empire and must answer it's call at any time. They are usually immediately conscripted into the current standing army and eventually sent orders to join one garrison or another. They are paid a monthly salary and can earn "merit" raises from their local head officer.
Gnomes: Even in the early days they were mostly nomads and wanderers having few villages to call their own. After enslavement by one race after the other they are severely lacking in faith in themselves. But they are still inately brilliant and inguenitive. After their freedom was finally granted by the Thelac Empire they intergrated themselves into the bigger cities for the most part while some did spread our to return to their nomadic ways.
Halflings: Being free spirited and friendly they were easily conquered by the much larger race of the orcs. Suffering much the same fate as the gnomes they also had their spirits and heritage destroyed for years under enslavement. By the Orcs, the Goblins and the humans many halflings till have memories of enslavement. They live lives of nomads though many have returned to the hillands to try to recover some of what once was their lives.
Major Wars and Events:
Creation of the world:
Little is known but much is speculated about this event. The historians and scholars who try to explain this are heatedly argued with by the peasant and zealous followers. The one thing that is agreed upon is that the world was created empty. A blank surface like the canvas before the painter begins. and the gods themselves were created by something more powerful than anyone could imagine. Then the varying gods were set about to create the world however they liked. Populating it with forests, plains, deserts and mountains. Land, water, plants and animals. They basked in their creation enjoying it for many, many millennia. However when Moradin grew bored, which everyone eventually does, he got an idea to try something that had never been done before. He gathered some metals and gems from deep under the surface. Using his power he shaped the first dwarf and breathed life into it. That was the very first sentient creature to ever walk the planet. Amazed at what Moradin had done, the other gods began trying to create their own image of what the creature should look like. Soon Elves, Gnomes, Halfings, Orcs, and Goblins joined the Dwarves in existence. Each race with thier own features and strengths peacefully existing on the surface and under the ground.
War of the Gods:
In a dispute between whose creation was better a fight broke out amongst the major and lesser gods. The lesser gods were angry that they had been unable to create their own things. So they sided with whomever they liked the most and a war began to brew. It was actually one of the lesser gods who mentioned that the major gods could use their creations against one another. Soon the races of the world were drawn up into the war of the gods. It was one of the strongest times for magic in the world and many artifacts were created in the battles. It was also during this time many of the lesser gods found the power to create their own creatures. And thus many of the deformed and monstrous races were born. After the war the winning gods locked the orcs and goblins deep underground, cursing them to remain for a thousand years. Gruumsh and his allies were enraged but could do nothing for the time being.
The Kobold Wars:
A time of growing danger for the Dwarves as the many kobolds and monstrous creatures of the had appeared in the Deep Down had grown more aggressive with time. What many of the dwarves believed couldnβt happen did as the never ending swarm of kobolds crashed wave after wave against the dwarven defenders. In mere hours they had decimated all the dwarven defenses and were raiding the underground farms and mining operations of the various underground cities in the dwarven network of tunnels. This would strike the dwarves so deep that they would never truly recover. Most of their underground forts and cities had been lost in mere days. Gemnia and Wadow were the only ones left as hundreds of thousand of dwarven refugees bustled within and fought outside trying to cut any sort of a hope from what was quickly becoming only certain death.
It was what could only be described as a miracle when Thurmore Stonard and his band of loyal subjects appeared from the thick of battle just outside of Wadow. Dwarves still tell the tale of his insane feats of power as he wielded Stonebreaker, a mighty greathammer forged by Moradin himself. He cut through the swarm like a hot knife through butter bringing new life to the desperate dwarven ranks. Thurmore forged the Silver Circle, a treaty between the clans, and used it to bring glory and honor to the Stonard name until he passed in glorious battle. During the next seven hundred years the dwarves fought the never ending surge of kobolds slowly gaining ground once again as the Silver Circle commanded the dwarven armies. It wasnβt until 278 BC under the command of High King Edmound Urgo that the dwarves were finally able to say they had won the war. The kobolds retreated back into the Deep Down resorting back to their usual tactics of the occasional uncoordinated raiding.
The Orc Rising:
The world was still young and the fledgling races were still struggling to assert themselves in the environment. With the many monstrous races and barbaric tribes still raiding them. The emerging nations were prime targets when the varying tribes of Orcs and Goblins seem to band together and start swarming against the nations. Under the command of a particularly nasty Orc by the Ognor. They ravaged the countryside and decimated army after army of the separate nations. Eventually they completely over ran the gnome and halfling kingdoms killing many and enslaving the rest. This went on for years before fighting on so many fronts finally began to weaken the seemingly endless population of orcs and goblins. It was because of this weakness that the human nation, The Imperatus, seized opportunity and sent a party of it's best heroes to lead an army against Ognor himself. It was the beginning of the end for the orcs as they began putting down the various chieftains striking at the command structure. Sending most of them splintering back into separate bickering tribes. Eventually John Kerry the First and his men found and put down the beast of a chieftain. The last of the horde would then follow suite of the rest and splinter up within mere months things were beginning to return to normal. With no true chieftain like Ognor the orcs returned to in-fighting and the occasional raiding.
The Dark Masters:
Some time after the initial Orc Rising, a group of dark warlocks got together and hatched a scheme with those in power of The Imperatus. Together they began to twist the culture of the humans towards darkness and placed Fredrick the Terrible in control. With his new found power and backing he reunited the orc tribes once more but this time under his banner. Another great war was brewing and it was to be between the Imperatus and everyone else. Using their new puppet king the group who became known as The Dark Masters waged war for years against the two major elven kingdoms and the dwarven kingdom. They had begun to burn the forests in the east in search of something as they plundered village after village of the elves. Burning everything to the ground as they went. During this time rumors of a rebellion began to spread. Said to be lead by John Kerry the II himself, he and his party were liberating cities across the continent. When news spread far enough and the rumors turned out to be truth. What was once just riots and rural bandits became full scale rebellion across the nation.
Birth of Thelac:
When the rebellion had pushed the Imperatus back to where they only occupied the eastern continent and a stretch of unclaimed cities lay across the west people began to look towards John Kerry to take up mantle as their new King. But he was old and foreseen his time on this world was not to be much longer. After a brief search he uncovered a man by the name of Thelac. They claimed he was the last heir to the true lineage hidden years before when the warlocks had begun their scheme. He proved to be a noble man, a righteous man and one of action in the end. Under his rule the Thelac Empire rose out of the ashes. It was not an easy road as they had no support from either the dwarves or the elves against the Dark Masters. The dwarves were still wary of the humans and had retreated underground and to the mountains once again. The elves still angry with the attacks against them refused to help. Instead aggressively defend their last forest home against any non-elf.
During the war Thelac was on the brink of losing to the seemingly ever growing army of undead, orcs, goblins, and demons that the Dark Masters seemed to control. He was desperate for allies and found them in the immigrant gnomes he kept freeing from orc work camps and villages. He promised them freedom and to help them reacquire a place of their own. To help them rebuild a nation they could once again call home. Something so many of the current gnomes had never had. It gave them hope and a reason to fight. He extended the offer to the halflings as well. With this act he had also proved to some of the dwarves that this new human empire was nothing like the old. He would receive support from both the gnomes and the dwarves giving his exhausted army a much needed bolstering. Once again help was asked of the elves, this time by all the races. And once again they refused saying that they had a more important role to be played soon.
After a long and brutal war Thelac managed to slay the leader of the dark masters, Magus Vrictus, with the help of John Kerry the III and his party of heroes. Unable to truly kill him though they secretly sealed his essence away into the very mystical amulet they had destroyed half the world for. Severing it into two pieces they gathered two of the most trusting people they could find. Giving them no information other than that they must each find a place to hide their portion and never tell a soul where it is. Those tasked with hiding these pieces away, have long since passed and anyone with knowledge of it has either died or is sworn to secrecy. Even though the rest of the world is mostly oblivious to Thelac's secret everyone learns the nursery rhyme of Magus Vrictus. And knows it to be a name of fear. Using it as an example of how dangerous certain magics could be and how they could never let one man get that power again.
The Great Exodus:
Elves everywhere could feel it in the very magical essence that was their lifeblood. A calling, an urge to return to the wood. None would speak with anyone not of elven origin about this inner urge so little is actually known about these events. What the scholars would eventually say happened was that a true Herald was born within the elven ranks. And that his very birth called them back. In the next few months as the elves began to return he was growing at an exponential rate becoming a full fledged adult in a matter of months. This was further proof to them that he was the True Herald. And then suddenly, they were gone. No record of where they went or how but ever since they great flash in the sky they were gone. Ninety-five percent of the elven population just gone. Only those who had resisted the urge for one reason or another remained. They were slaves, adventures, mercenaries, hermits and townsfolk.
The Starvation:
A series of unimaginable droughts mixed with new plagues believed to be brought on by the disappearance of the elves. Where ever it had come from though, the priest were unable to cure it. It cause unimaginable pain as your organs began to turn to a a black ooze inside you. Slowly rotting away until they can no longer function and you die a terrible death. Farmlands were destroyed and rendered useless dustbowls, the animals died. Superstition and growing famine marked the beginning of unrest once again. Many would die from hunger and disease unable to reach a major city. While others were cast out at the first sign of sickness or left out to die when the very same cities closed the gates unwilling to open for anyone. Many would outright blame the gods for this saying that it wasn't fair that the elves turned out to be not only immune but had mostly vanished from the world. Many lost faith and those whose faith persevered usually died from disease. Instead of allowing the few remaining elves to help their tormenting of them grew worse. Many were killed by crazed people either sick from disease or angry at life.
The Nightmares:
No one can say for sure what happened but since the day of the great flash the once mighty Great Wood began to darken. The plague grew worse and foul creatures began to roam the world. The lush forest was shriveling and dying. Becoming a rotting gnarled place of death and decay. The creatures within mutated as the plants began to turn to black ooze. It wasn't even months before a large portion of The Great Wood had become a foul murky swamp. When the Silver Circle and the Thelac Empire could no longer contain the plague they began to venture into the Great Wood trying to find the source of this foul magic. As it could be nothing but some sort of foul magic. As usual they called upon John Kerry's line of Paladin's to lead some of the world's greatest heroes of the time into what was quickly becoming called the Dark Wood. Many months would go by and the plagues would slowly get worse. More and more undead creatures would crawl from the Dark Wood. Reports of demonic creatures were starting to spread as well. But no report spoke of the return of the Heroes. It has been three years now and most of the countryside is too dangerous to travel.
Places:
Mountains:
Northern Mountain Cluster: Is home to many of the Mountain Dwarves and hides the entrance to their underground city.
Western Mountain Range: A cluster of steep and high mountains just west of the Whistling Gap and south of the Great Wood.
The Eastern Barrier: Runs along the northern sides of the Yutik River. There is a point where one of the largest mountains in the barrier, The Granite Cap, blocks the mighty Yutik. But the river would not yield and bore a hole under the mountain.
Deserts:
Arigae Wastes: The now barren dead landscape where the Eastern Vale once stood. There is a ruined city somewhere in its vast wastes that the Dark Masters had used as a headquarters. Now it is home to bandits and all sorts of villains.
Beaches:
Pearl Beach: Used to be entirely part of the Herald's Glory but when the Silver Circle moved in for the luxury of fish and a sea port. Things got heated for a while.
Twin Snakes: These large sandbars line the southern mouth of the river. They serve as sites for some of the most violent battles between the Imperatus and the Herald's Glory.
Forests:
The Great Wood: All the forest on the western continent make up this.
Dark Wood: The name given to the woods as of recently due to the severe change most of it is undergoing.
Deadwood: The eastern most portion of the woods. Where most of the foul creatures are believed to originated.
Murkwood: A swampy dark forest that surrounds Deadwood separating it from what is now the Dark Wood.
Keen Glades: The southern most portion of the woods.
Something: Portion of the woods above the Oaken Meadows being in close proximity to the Dead Woods it is overflowing with foul taint.
Oaken Meadows: They dominate the western portion of the Great Wood. Very resistant to the changes that are going on around them they have retained much of its beauty and wildlife untainted.
The Painted Forest:A dangerous area on the south of the Great Wood. It was taken over long ago by a mad wizard of great power. Those who enter never return but still rumors spread of lost treasures.
Plains:
White Run: The north-eastern most stretch of plains and plateaus.
Whistling Gap Separating the Western and Northern mountain ranges this stretch of fertile plains is known for the faint whistling of the wind as it rushed through the valley.
Pocket Fields: Separates the Painted Forest from the Dark Wood.
The Torn Stretch: Grassy farmlands stretch out south of the Great Wood where most of the western Thelac Empire resides.
Edge Valley: Strip of grassland north of the Great Wood and south of Pearl Beach.
Bountiful Run: The fertile plains to the south of the Arigae wastes.
Lakes:
The Sheet: A frozen lake within the Northern Mountain range. There are very few days a year where it warms up enough to break through.
The Oasis: A large lake positioned on the edge of the Arigae Wastes and the Bountiful run. Also where New Ardwall was founded by the soldiers returning from the battle in the Wastes.
Stardust Falls: An ancient comet landed in the Western Mountain range.
Rivers:
Yutik River: Separates the eastern and western continents.
Nations:
Thelac Empire: The human empire it is primarily made up of just that. But there is a large percentage of gnomes and halflings that make up it as well. Ever since King Thelac freed them from slavery they have been and integral part of the empire. Ever member of it is required to have decided whether or not to take the Oath of the Emperor. If they do, they are branded for life and expected to serve anywhere, and anytime in the Kings name. In return they are added to a list and paid a stipend from the treasure depending on the amount of active soldiering they did. Usually upon accepting the oath, at a young age, they are inducted into the Military and end up serving between five to ten years. There is no gender restriction both males and females must decide to take the oath. Those who do not are not shunned but are considered lower class citizens to most.
Main towns:
1: Lynmoor: A poor town just south of the Painted Forest. It serves as the western most city in the Thelac Empire and used to be a bustling trade hub for those on their way to the bigger cities from the other nations. Now it is a rather pathetic excuse for a village. Rounding out at just four homes, three shops, a blacksmith, the Tavern/Inn, and two farming fields.
2) West Haven: A trading town to the west of the Great Wood. Formed at the base of the Northern Mountain Cluster it serves as the only way humans can trade with the cities in the mountains.
3) Port Endwall: The only town in the north. Based at the end of the Yutik River and positioned near a bountiful gold and silver mine it still bustles with activity.
4) New Ardwall: Based at the edge of the Agriae Wastes it serves as the last stop before going to the wastes of the desert and as the last town taken by the Thelac empire before the Imperatus had begun burning down the surrounding woods and villages.
5) Ardwall: The capital of the Thelac Empire positioned just south of the Great Wood. With
6) Redenvale:
7) Threshold:
Villages:
1) Greenview - A small, hospitable farming village in the Keen Glades, and a good place of resupply for travelers.
2) Chromand - A growing fishing village in the northwest becoming more economically important in the Empire.
3) Delniah - Although it was a rather indistinct village in the East, it has become increasingly important and populated as the military sends reinforcements and supplies through its roads.
4) Surruthis - A village primarily run by thugs and the black market, located on the roads between Ardwall and New Ardwall
The Silver Circle: The Dwarven empire. Made up of the six dwarven clans. Stonard, Muradin, Balderk, Lutgeehr, Torunn, Urgo. Forged under High King Thurmor Stonard during the start of the Kobold Wars. Since then it has existed as a council of five. Together they rule all of the dwarven clans from the city of Wadow in the Northern Mountains. Though each clan's vote is equal it is the job of the current high king to settle tie breakers with an extra vote. Politics are brutal lately as no high king has been crowned since the death of Bronzar Wildbeard. Many are vying for the position but a vote has yet to come and the people are already in a desperate situation.
Main towns:
1: Gemnia
2) Granitesburg
3) Wadow
4) Brynmound
5) Steelia
6) Becopperlin
Villages:
1) Kyndale - A medium sized trading village near the outskirts of the Northern Mountain Range. Home to dwarves, humans and halflings. One of the closest places most humans ever get to the Dwarven Empire.
Independent:
1: Grimen
2) Hali
3)
4)
5)
6)
- 4 posts here • Page 1 of 1
The Story So Far... Write a Post » as written by 3 authors
As of his last scheme we have made our way through through the Dark Woods at his request to save time on the journey. Although the group mostly kept to the Oaken Groves for safety . We are here to slay a local group of orc raiders that are rumored to have taken up host within. They have been attacking the few caravans that are making their way through the Whistling Gap basically crippling the smaller villages along the way.
The group is making it's way out of the edge of the forest heading towards the rocky side of the Northern Mountain Range. The clear sunny sky above is obscured by the clawing branches. A light breeze stirs the undergrowth. Up ahead out of the treeline and across the short distance of grass you see the rocky crags that hide your destination. Suddenly Red notices activity ahead and signals for everyone to crouch it a quick gesture of his hand.
As the group collectively crouches and stares ahead you notice two large bestial figures menacingly brandishing spears at a frail-looking old man. He is on the ground backing away as they move in on him. The creatures have flat faces marked by narrow eyes and small tusks. "Orcs." Red mutters. Although he doesn't immediately move to help he does look to the rest of the group. "Where there is one, there is many. "
Garekk blinked and his eyes refocused on the orcs not more than forty feet away. He growled again and shifted in his new armor. Garekk lowered his gaze for a moment and uncomfortably slid his thumb beneath the breastplate before pulling on it for a few useless moments, hoping for a little more comfort. The rugged iron armor was made for a human as it was human made and thussly did not take into account a half orcs added size and bulk when compared with their human counterparts. Odd that Garekk suffered ridicule from his orcish brethren for being too small when his human kin looked on him as some lumbering monstrosity. The irony was not lost on the big half orc as he resigned to his uncomfortable fate and looked back up to the orcs in the distance.
The half breed reached for the one handed iron mace hanging from his hip and grunted in impatience as he waited for the moment to charge. The mace he'd gotten from the same armorer that sold him the iron armor was of similar construction. Simple, cheap and rugged but durably made. The weapon was of basic construction, a small to medium sized weapon consisting of a leather wrapped shaft with a ball of spikes for the head. Not overly complicated like that elven garbage but killed people just as dead. Garekk flicked his eyes to Red for a moment before speaking in a hushed tone. His deep voice rolling out of his throat like the growl of a bear.
"I'm gunna go say hello to the family."
With that Garekk rose and charged out of the cover of the treeline. He raced at the orcs with mace in hand and a fearsome roar tearing from his lungs. The orcs turned in surprise and bloodthirsty welcome to the challenge. The old human breathed a sigh of relief at the momentary reprieve from death as the single half orc and two orcs charged at each other.
Not caring too much if they saw, Keiron bent over just slightly, more so because he was trying to get a better view of what was actually going on, and tried to listen in on what the orcs were preparing to do. But he did not even get to do that, as Garekk related himself back to his orcish heritage and charged recklessly into the open beyond the rocks they were trying to hide behind with his mace in hand. Having nothing better to do, Keiron thought to pitch in.
"On your right!" Keiron called to Garekk, as an aqua energy began flowing from the crystal, across his chest, and spiraled down his arm to his hand. Sparking loudly, a wave of energy shot like a cannon at an orc, damaging its armor severely or if not, killing the fiend as it would fly back and slide across the ground. He then casually, carrying his longsword by his side, hopped over the wall of rocks Red tried to get his group to get behind and slowly followed behind their halfling companion.
"Come on, kiddies," he said sarcastically as all of them were older than him, "let's help the man." Following his suggestion, he went over the the old man, surely taken by surprise now, and scanned with his eyes to see what sort of condition he was in. Subsequently, he looked back to the forest around them, seeing if any more orcs Red believed were there were actually heading towards the group, and finally to Garekk to see how he was handling his opponent.
"Don't hurt yourself, Garekk," he remarked with a smirk.
He reached his opponents and had to duck immediately or taste a spear thrust. Dipping beneath the initial blow from the orc on his right he tackled the orc on the left. The two went tumbling to the dirt in a chaotic mess of growls and green muscle. Garekk rolled to his feet almost at the same moment his opponent did the same. The orc cast a glance at his compatriot just in time to see a blast of bluish white energy take his kinsmen right off his feet. The orc turned back to Garekk with a look of shock and concern to which the half orc only grinned wickedly, flashing his small jagged tusks.
Garekk lunged forward, mace coming up to catch the orc on the chin but the larger opponent caught his wrist with his free hand in a vice like grip. With a growl the orc lunged forward with the tip of the spear ready to skewer the smaller half orc but Garekk used his smaller stature to his advantage and side stepped the stab even while being restrained by one hand. He stepped in closer, avoiding the lunge and grabbed the orcs spear arm with his free hand. Each warrior's weapon arm was restrained by the other and the two were caught in a battle of strength. In this contest the larger, stronger full breed should have had little trouble over powering the smaller hybrid but what Garekk lacked in comparable strength he made up for with brutal cunning.
He leaned forward into a viscous headbutt that shattered the orc's nose. The orc back peddled in pain as his nose erupted blood. Garekk's weapon arm now free he swung hard at the orc's right knee. The weapon connected and smashed the knee cap instantly. The orc howled in pain as he dropped to the ground.
"TUDUK MAL!"
The orc cursed, maliciously insulting the half breed's mixed blood.
"Don't hurt yourself, Garekk,"
Came Keiron's voice from a few paces behind him. The sarcasm was evident in the spellsword's voice which brought a dark grin to the half breed's face as he moved to finish with his orcish kin. Garekk stepped forward and kicked him in the teeth, loosing a few of the orcs front incisors.
"Nurdon murguul..."
Garekk swore back in a cold, deadly tone. His insult spoke to the orcs weakness in battle and unworthiness. That insult would be the last words ever heard by the orc as Garekk brought his mace down hard on the skull of the orc. Bone and brain matter spurt out from the point of impact before the body dropped over with a few sudden spasmatic twitches. Garekk turned back to Keiron with a smirk of his own as he shouldered his mace casually.
"You gunna finish off the one you blasted?"
He asked jokingly as he heard the orc groan as it tried to stumbled to it's uneasy feet. Garekk liked Keiron, he took to the spellsword shortly after meeting him. The two made it a habit of trying to one up each other in combat but it was all in good natured competitiveness. Truth was that the human was among the few friends Garekk had.
- 4 posts here • Page 1 of 1
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View All » Add Character » 5 Characters to follow in this universe
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Shen Light-Bearer
"The Undead have no place among the Living!"
Garekk
A half orc looking for somewhere to belong and enemies to crush.
Gerald "Red" Dingo
Broad shoulder adventurer. "Strong like an Ox, Sly as a Fox, Savage as a Orc."
Liun Cheyl Gra'Phel
A druid that seems to be at home in the icey, snow coved tundra, Protecting it from harm.
Trending
Gerald "Red" Dingo
Broad shoulder adventurer. "Strong like an Ox, Sly as a Fox, Savage as a Orc."
Liun Cheyl Gra'Phel
A druid that seems to be at home in the icey, snow coved tundra, Protecting it from harm.
Garekk
A half orc looking for somewhere to belong and enemies to crush.
Shen Light-Bearer
"The Undead have no place among the Living!"
Most Followed
Shen Light-Bearer
"The Undead have no place among the Living!"
Garekk
A half orc looking for somewhere to belong and enemies to crush.
Gerald "Red" Dingo
Broad shoulder adventurer. "Strong like an Ox, Sly as a Fox, Savage as a Orc."
Liun Cheyl Gra'Phel
A druid that seems to be at home in the icey, snow coved tundra, Protecting it from harm.
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Erova
by Quantumlegacy on Wed Aug 28, 2013 1:24 am
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on Tue Sep 03, 2013 8:37 am
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Erova
Most recent OOC posts in Erova
Re: Erova
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@Everyone else again, I'm hoping to have the first post up by the end of the week, which to me is saturday, so the 31st. Could have just said the end of the month. :0 But anyway, I'd like to have all the characters in by then if not I will consider waiting until the following saturday but as with anything like this the longer we wait the less interest is held.
Re: Erova
@TheYashie - If you read the storyline and setting I have provided you will go to make a new character for this roleplay when looking under the character tab. Fill in the name for the first box and then add the miniature skeleton I provided and fill in the blanks with the character you have in mind. If he doesn't fit completely I'll let you know via Pm and we can work out any kinks.
The Skeleton for those that somehow missed it:
Character Skeleton:
NOTE: We are starting at level one. And yes I will level us through the roleplay so you can "learn" more things from your class. Don't worry about feats or skills or stats unless you want to for yourself. As this is mostly roleplay based and will involve pretty much no dice rolls.
Name:
Age:
Race:
Physical Description:
Class and Level:
Equipment:
History:
@Everyone so far - I'm glad that you have showed interest and it's nice to see a few faces I know. Also I'm very glad to know that you liked the setting and will say as I have before that if you spot an errors whether they be grammatical or timeline/impossibruity let me know~!
I just added in a quick and dirty list of available starting races and core classes so as to keep it simple. You may multiclass and request other source material be available for class related things as we go. Basically just stick to the PHB1 to begin with. It's what I restricted the actual DnD group that is also using this setting right now to. I am pretty sure I mentioned it already but I will be running this roleplay alongside the DnD sessions I am hosting. So events from here might make news or rumors there and vice versa. On a sidenote I'll post available source material as it is requested, converted and then eventually "unlocked" by me when either group does so.
Re: Erova
Bromander Shepard wrote:Loving what you did hear QL, gunna be making a half orc shortly. Makes me wanna break out my character sheets and die, buy a couple cases of mountain dew and call my buddies over to do a bit of adventuring lol
Hahahaha. Quite high praise here.
I saw in the tags that you would prefer 3.5e, but I was wondering what that system had that made you choose it over Pathfinder and 4e.
Re: Erova
I wanna RP in this one! So .. umm .. how do Roleplays on this site work? Am I allowed to create a character all on my own which conforms to your roleplay setting or would you be giving me a set of guidelines (say race, alignment or some such) upon which to base my creating? :)
Re: Erova
Re: Erova
Erova
Mostly complete and ready for some awesome adventuring. I'm looking for at least two others to play this. It will be roleplay based and doesn't actually require you to know much about DnD or having to roll dice. But I would prefer to you know something about DnD so that you keep it in the realism I am trying to create.
Also I know this kind of thing can be weird so post any questions or comments you have here.