PART 1: Campaign Overview: This section provides an account of the essential elements of the current Shroudworld campaign. This covers recent history and current affairs, as well as a description of the starting region and an account of Shroudworld cosmology. There's more than enough information here to get you started.

PART 2: Shroudworld Deities: This section describes the sixteen commonly worshipped deities in shroudworld: six are good, six are evil and six are neutral. Some also worship the Gaia which is not a deity. Players may only select good or neutral gods, with the exception of Crest, who is the only evil god permitted.

PART 3: Playable Races: This section lists the six main racetypes available to Shroudworld players. All standard NWN2 and MotB subraces are playable, although some alterations have been made to ECL races. For the purposes of the campaign, all half-elf characters have elven mothers, and all half-orc characters have human mothers.

PART 4: Guilds and Prestige Classes: This section details the seven professional guilds and the nine custom PRCs of Shroudworld. A player may only belong to one of the listed guilds at any one time. There are no default NWN2 PRCs in Shroudworld. Each cutom PRC can be unlocked through a series of in-game quests.

PART 5: The Church of the Shroud: This section describes the history of the Church of the Shroud and its twin organisation the Red Shroud. The Church of the Shroud has been the most powerful organisation on the face of the earth for many years and its tentacles can be felt even in lands it does not directly rule.

PART 6: The Rise and Fall of Falgoon Gap: This section describes Falgoon Gap, a dwarven citadel destroyed by the Church of the Shroud around a decade ago. The survivors live in the local settlements of Sanctuary and Falgoon Refuge, not far from Dissan Abbey, the starting location for player characters.

PART 7: Cultures of the Wider World: This section details a selection of the most significant cultures and societies in the region, excluding the Church of the Shroud and Falgoon Gap, which warrant independent sections. Most of the events described here are in some way relevant to quests featured in-game.

PART 8: The Fate Wars and Other Legends: This section describes the core myths and legends of Shroudworld, starting with the arrival of the gods in the universe and their various squabbles up until the present day, which have dramatically shaped the mortal plane and defined most modern societies.

PART 1: CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW  

Recent History: The Church of the Shroud

Recent history has been dominated by the civil war within the evil Church of the Shroud. For centuries the church has held sway over vast tracts of the civilised world, but a little over a decade ago dissent within the ranks broke out into open hostility. Few places were left untouched by the ensuing struggle which culminated in the release of the Blood God from his mortal prison.

The Shroud follow Phykrell, also known as Krell or the Blood God. For centuries he was incarcerated in a prison on the mortal plane called the Crown Spires. While he was imprisoned in the Crown Spires, blood ran from his many wounds and formed streams and pools in the surrounding land. The Shroud Elders practised corrupt rituals during which they would imbibe this blood, and it gave them extraordinary powers which many were naturally reluctant to relinquish. The stated ambition of the Church of the Shroud was to free Krell from the Crown Spires, but many Shroud Elders made no effort to pursue this ambition, for it suited them to leave their god in prison and exploit his oozing essence for their own ends.

World Affairs: The Imminent War

For the past decade since his release Phykrell has been purging the ranks of his followers and wreaking terrible vengeance on all who opposed him. In the city states of Greystone and Westwall vast swathes of the population were employed by the church in one form or another, and the purge has quickly got out of hand with accusations and counter-accusations flying around all over the place.

Krell regards himself as the rightful ruler of the heavens. At the moment, the path between the mortal and celestial planes is blocked by the Tower of Salt and Sandstone. But he is no doubt already massing his armies and rallying his allies so that one day they may march on the tower and storm the gates of heaven itself. The Third War of Fate may well be inevitable. His most powerful allies at this time are probably the gods Hester and Hellacaster, for they command huge armies on the mortal plane. The worshippers of Waltell and Crest have customarily marched under the banner of the Shroud, although Crest’s followers in the Crescent Order failed to support the Shroud Loyalists during the civil war. Tilsman is also a traditional ally of Krell.

Local Topography: Sanctuary Region

The lands around Dissan Abbey have been deeply affected by the great events of the past decade or so. The armies of the Shroud razed the citadel of Falgoon Gap in the Cear Cadia Mountains just a league or two from the abbey. Some of the straggling survivors dug themselves a new home in the mountain and called it Falgoon Refuge: others settled in the nearby town of Sanctuary.

Sanctuary is the closest civilised settlement to Dissan Abbey and lies on the route between the Feylands and the Wanderbog. It too is a young town: Holden Crunchyson is considered the founder although there may have been one or two buildings there already before he first opened his inn. It is garrisoned largely by survivors from Falgoon Gap. Sanctuary is home to several of the larger professional guilds and is generally a great deal more open to strangers than Falgoon Refuge. Both settlements fall outside the territories directly controlled by the Shroud, although the church has allies everywhere and it would be hard to overestimate the impact that their war on Falgoon Gap had on the surrounding area.

World Cosmology: The Three Planes                                                    

There are three planes of existence: the mortal plane on which we stand, also called the Earth, the celestial plane which is also called Heaven or the Twelve Stairs, and the infernal plane which is also called the Abyss. The sixteen commonly worshipped gods traditionally reside on the Twelve Stairs and draw much of their power from their mortal followers in the world below. The Tower of Salt and Sandstone blocks the path between the mortal and celestial planes. Some gods were on the mortal plane when the tower was completed, but most were on the Twelve Stairs and have been unable to manifest themselves on earth in person since the tower went up. Those who are manifest on the mortal plane similarly cannot now return to the celestial plane.

Of the sixteen commonly worshipped gods, thirteen are siblings and greater gods. The other three, Sorn, Basenbe and Malamay are the wife and sons of the god Allanbay, and are lesser gods. There is also a seventeenth god, who dwells neither on the Twelve Stairs nor the mortal plane, but in the Abyss: we shall of him not speak here. Furthermore, some people worship the Gaia, which is not a god but better described as a force or an essence. Six of the gods are benevolent and righteous, six are wicked and deceitful, and four are neutral in outlook. The Gaia is also considered neutral.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page.

PART 2: SHROUDWORLD DEITIES

Good - Allanbay: God of Nature
Good - Sorn: Goddess of Fertility
Good - Basenbe: God of Prophecy
Good - Malamay: God of the Vast Waters
Good - Veldex: God of Valour
Good - Canter: God of the Elements

Neutral - Daeder: God of Mountains
Neutral - Broodblame: God of Strength
Neutral - Valdor: God of War
Neutral - Vidal: Goddess of the Arts
Neutral - The Gaia: The Essence of Nature

Evil - Phykrell: God of Greed
Evil - Hester: Goddess of Vanity
Evil - Hellacaster: God of Death
Evil - Crest: God of Magic
Evil - Tilsman: God of Shadows
Evil - Waltell: God of Deceit

Aliases: Saviour of Mankind, Father of Elves
Alignment: Lawful Good
Portfolio: Nature, Wisdom
Favored Weapon: Longsword

Allanbay is the eldest of the gods. He imbued the elves with souls and brought an end to their suffering when first he visited the mortal plane: thus he is generally held in very high regard in most elven societies. Allanbay is an avowed enemy of Phykrell, and his worshippers have long been persecuted and forced into hiding in the lands where the Church of the Shroud hold sway. He is worshipped alongside his wife Sorn, who is currently a prisoner of the god Crest, and their two sons Basenbe and Malamay in the Temple of the Four in Sanctuary, and has followers in many of the free kingdoms of the world. It was Allanbay who set in motion the natural order called the Gaia, which is sometimes worshipped in its own right, independently of Allanbay himself.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of gods above. See also: The Temple of the Four, Elves and Half-Elves, The Gaia, The First Lore, The Marriage of Allanbay, The Origins of Magic.

Aliases: Goddess of Life, Elven Mother
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Portfolio: Femininity, Motherhood
Favored Weapon: Light Mace

Sorn was once a mortal elf until Allanbay brought her to the Twelve Stairs and made her his bride and a goddess. She was long worshipped by the elves of Rendora until they displeased her with their unholy practises and she cast their city deep into the earth. Rhodani halflings claim that she appeared to them shortly after this and named them as her new chosen people. Sorn was long coveted by Crest, the god of magic. He forced Allanbay to give her up, and since that time she has been a prisoner in his moon fortress. Her followers are persecuted by the Shroud, but she is worshipped openly alongside her husband and their two sons Basenbe and Malamay in the Temple of the Four. She is popular the world over, particularly amongst elves and halflings. Rituals performed in her honour generally celebrate fertility, agriculture and the family.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of gods above. See also: The Temple of the Four, Elves and Half-Elves, Halflings, The Marriage of Allanbay, The Origins of Magic.

Aliases: God of Fate, Farseer
Alignment: Neutral Good
Portfolio: Scrying, Fortune-Telling
Favored Weapon: Staff 

Basenbe is the elder son of Sorn and Allanbay and a god in his own right. His followers are few and far between and often persecuted by the Shroud: he is a favourite of seers and mendicants, although he is also worshipped alongside his parents and his brother in the Temple of Four. Like his brother and father, Basenbe grieves over the captivity of his mother, Sorn, in Crest’s Moon Fortress. Basenbe is known for his visions and dreams of the future. It was at Basenbe’s behest that Daeder built the Tower of Salt and Sandstone to block the way between earth and heaven, after Basenbe had foresen an era in which the gods would wage war across the mortal plane. Several scrolls on which he had written these visions were later stolen by Hester and their whereabouts is unknown.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of gods above. See also: The Temple of the Four, The Tower of Salt and Sandstone.

Aliases: Storm God, Sailors Saint
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Portfolio: Seas and Oceans
Favored Weapon: Spear 

Malamay’s followers have traditionally been sailors and fishermen, although as a god of water he is also sometimes worshipped in the desert. The have played little role in politics and up until recently the worship of Malamay was tolerated by the Church of the Shroud. This has changed since the release of Krell, and the church is now far more hostile to Malamay’s followers. Malamay is worshipped alongside his parents Allanbay and Sorn and his elder brother Basenbe in the Temple of the Four. There are temples to him elsewhere, near rivers and lakes and the coast, where there is an abundance of water, and in the deserts, where there is none. Like his brother Basenbe he grives deeply over the captivity of his mother in Crest’s Moon Fortress.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of gods above. See also: The Temple of the Four, Floodhold and New Nepatmet.

Aliases: God of Valor
Alignment: Lawful Good
Portfolio: Honor, Valor
Favored Weapon: Great Sword 

Veldex is most commonly followed by knights and paladins and all who seek to uphold divine justice and the code of chivalry: in particular, the Knights of Magilone. He has always opposed Krell and the other wicked gods and so have his followers, which has often made them unpopular with the nobility of the city states controlled by the Church of the Shroud. The worship of Veldex was frowned upon and eventually outlawed in the city of Greystone, and the Knights of Magilone were forced into hiding Apart from the knights, Veldex is also worshipped by the Witchwood halflings, and the mages of the Duskcaster Society, named after one of the first ever mortal mages to be taught the secrets of arcane lore by the Arnde.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of gods above. See also: The Order of Magilone, The Wesmoon and the Witchwood, Duskcaster Explorer, The Second War of Fate.

Aliases: God of the Elements
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Portfolio: Four Elements, Alchemy
Favored Weapon: Dagger 

Canter’s curiosity has given him a great understanding of the elemental nature of the world and an intuitive comprehension of magic that predates Crest’s discovery of arcane lore. He is said to love the mortal plane more than any other god, and it is not known whether he dwells there or in heaven since the construction of the Tower of Salt and Sandstone. Canter is popular amongst the Rhodani halflings, the elves of the Vexian woods and the Joda desert, and at the gnomish court of King Kalas, as well as with many sorcerors. The Order of the Half-Sun is also dedicated to his worship. The followers of Canter have often maintained neutrality in world affairs, although the Order of the Half-Sun has suffered during the recent purge in Greystone.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of gods above. See also: The Order of the Half-Sun.

Daeder: God of Mountains

Aliases: God of the Mountains, Dwarven Father
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Portfolio: Stonework, Metalsmithing, Construction
Favored Weapon: Warhammer

Daeder created the dwarves from his own blood, and is often known as their father. Unsurprisingly, he is very widely followed by dwarves, although gnomes sometimes worship him too. For centuries Daeder held himself aloof in matters of celestial politics and neither supported nor opposed Phykrell. He was eventually persuaded by his fellow-gods to build the Crown Spires prison for Phykrell. The last shard of the key to this prison was guarded by Daeder’s favoured people in the citadel of Falgoon Gap; even his most fanatical followers, the Trodding Hammers, were slaughtered when the citadel fell. It was also Daeder who constructed the Tower of Salt and Sandstone at Basenbe’s behest.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of gods above. See also: Dwarves, Falgoon Refuge and Falgoon Gap, Trodding Hammer, The Tower of Salt and Sandstone.

Aliases: God of Strength, Iron
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Portfolio: Strength and Endurance
Favored Weapon: Heavy Flail 

Broodblame is the strongest of all the gods and the least inclined towards the use of magic. When first he visited the mortal plane he spent many years amongst the barbaric tribes of men and orcs, although he is also worshipped by some dark elves, dwarves and others who value physical prowess above all else. He is very popular amongst the warriors of the Yeoman’s Auxiliary. Although Broodblame has opposed Krell’s claim to the kingship of the heavens in the past, his opposition has never been particularly fanatical, and worship of Broodblame has always been tolerated by the Church of the Shroud: indeed, of all the gods who oppose Krell, Broodblame is regarded by the wicked gods as the most likely to defect, although his followers might dispute that.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of gods above. See also: The Yeoman’s Auxiliary, Murkbriar Chaplain.

Aliases: God of War
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Portfolio: Warfare
Favored Weapon: Battleaxe 

Valdor is worshipped by warriors of all stripes and it is common for soldiers on both sides of a battle to make prayers and dedications to him; smiths and armourers often hold him dear too. Before the Tower of Salt and Sandstone blocked the way between the earth and heaven, Valdor often appeared on the mortal plane to teach the arts of warfare and smithing to any who would learn. Although he supported Allanbay and Veldex against Krell during the Second War of Fate, the worship of Valdor has always been tolerated by the Church of the Shroud. Along with Broodblame, Valdor is one of the most popular gods amongst the members of the Yeoman’s Auxiliary, particularly amongst men and dwarves.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of gods above. See also: The Yeoman’s Auxiliary, Murkbriar Chaplain, The Second War of Fate.

Aliases: Goddess of the Arts, Divine Si
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Portfolio: Song and Merriment, Knowledge and Lore
Favored Weapon: Rapier

Vidal is generally thought of as a female deity these days, although she was once thought to be male. Vidal is a patron of bards, artists and loremasters the world over. Although she opposed Krell’s original claim to the kingship of heaven, and the undead guardians of Krell’s prison were summoned by her flute, her worshippers are tolerated by the Shroud who do not think them dangerous. She has always had deep feelings for Crest (feelings which have not always been reciprocated), and she was hurt when he took Sorn captive in his Moon Fortress. Like Crest she is popular amongst the Lore Dragons. Many of the Callobe Troubadours follow her, though they are not required to do so.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of gods above. See also: The Callobe Troubadours, The Lore Dragons, The Origins of Magic.

Aliases: The Essence of Nature, The Natural Order
Alignment: True Neutral
Portfolio: Nature, Hunting, Balance
Favoured Weapon: Sickle

The Gaia is not a deity as such, but rather the natural order of the world as first set forth by Allanbay: the relationship between hunter and hunted, the turning of the seasons and many other things are conrolled by the Gaia. The magic of the Gaia was so powerful that it eventually took on a life of its own and is worshipped by druids as an independent entity. Much knowledge of the Gaia was lost during the Second War of Fate, and druids now often follow Allanbay or Sorn instead, although the Asgar Tribe still worships the Gaia. In certain places, especially where the earth has been touched by the poisonous blood of the god Phykrell, the Gaia has become warped and corrupted: this is known as the “Tainted Gaia”.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of gods above. See also: Allanbay, Witchwood Avenger, The Asgar Tribe.

Aliases: Krell, The Blood God
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Portfolio: Greed, bad-assery, horridness
Favoured Weapon: N/A - not selectable by players 

Phykrell, also called Krell or the Blood God, once sought to make himself king of gods. Even when he was granted this office it was not enough, for still he strove to exercise ever greater power over his fellow gods. After many years of warfare fought across heaven and earth he was defeated and imprisoned in the Crown Spires on the mortal plane. He languished there for centuries. His freedom was won by the might and fervour of his followers: the fanatical Red Shroud lead by the warlord Delrox, the silver dwarves of the Jasper Peaks, and the loyalists within the Church of the Shroud, the most powerful single institution on the face of the earth. Now the dreaded Blood God stalks the land and is feared by all, friend and foe alike.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of gods above. See also: The Church of the Shroud, The Marriage of Allanbay, The Second War of Fate, The Key to the Crown Spires.

 Hester: Goddess of Vanity

Aliases: Goddess of Vanity, Mistress of Mirrors
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Portfolio: Vanity, spying, dark elves
Favoured Weapon: N/A - not selectable by players

Hester has always held herself apart from the other gods, preferring the darkness. Her followers once took many forms but her magical influence gradually transformed them into something else: the beautiful and terrifying dark elves; she also created the hideous looking orcs out of the bodies of those who displeased her. Hester is a staunch ally of Krell, and her followers worked more avidly towards his release than many of his own servants. The followers of Hester can be found in many dark corners of the world, but their greatest stronghold is in Haarp in the Joda Desert. Although like many other deities she is trapped in the heavens, she monitors events on the mortal plane with great care and attention.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of gods above. See also: Elves and Half-Elves, The Occupation of Joda, The First Lore, The Tower of Salt and Sandstone.

Aliases: God of Death
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Portfolio: Death, undeath
Favoured Weapon: N/A - not selectable by players 

Hellacaster holds it within his power to make the dead rise and walk the earth: he can command great armies when the need arises. Although powerful necromancers and liches the world over swear their allegiance to him, the foremost of all his servants is the lich queen Wesmoon whose shadow extends over the Witchwood and sometimes beyond. Hellacaster has always supported Krell’s claim to the kingship of the Twelve Stairs and his mortal followers have often worked closely with the Church of the Shroud: indeed, followers of Hellacaster were instrumental in the fall of Falgoon Gap. And it is Hellacaster who refuses the ghosts of that city any peace: it is through his malign influence that they are forced to fight on even in death.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of gods above. See also: Wesmoon and the Witchwood, The Siege of Falgoon Gap, The Second War of Fate.

Aliases: God of Magic
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Portfolio: Magic, Lore
Favored Weapon: Staff  

Crest was responsible for the discovery of arcane magic and sold the secret to each of his fellow gods. Allanbay paid the highest price, and since that day his once-mortal wife, Sorn, has been a prisoner in Crest’s Moon Fortress. Some of Crest’s more beligerent followers claim that worship of Sorn, and all artifacts attendant thereupon should naturally fall within their purview. It was Crest who sent down the Arnde, dark angels from the celestial plane, to teach the secrets of magic to mortals. Crest is followed by many individual mages and scholars: he has a strong following amonsgt the planetouched and the Lore Dragons in particular.

The best known organisation following Crest is the Crescent Order, who historically played a role in the Church of the Shroud. Although Crest has generally been an ally of Krell, the Crescent Order displeased Krell during the civil war. The only deity genuinely well-disposed towards the god of magic is Vidal. But now that Crest no longer has any firm loyaties, either side in the war that is to come would do well to cultivate his friendship and that of his followers, however odious that may seem.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of gods above. See also: The Lore Dragons, Planetouched, The Crescent Order and the Firars of Waltell, The Origins of Magic, The First War of Fate.

Aliases: God of Shadows
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Portfolio: Shadows, thieves, lycanthropes
Favoured Weapon: N/A - not selectable by players  

Tilsman has many enemies and few friends. His particular odium is reserved for Crest and Waltell, both of whom earned his enmity during the First War of Fate, and for the Knights of Magilone; for Magilone once wounded Tilsman. He is the patron of shape-changers, and his worshippers congregate in strange cults where they deliberately infect themselves and others with lycanthopy. Tilsman fought beside Krell during the Second War of Fate, and his followers have long been allies of Krell’s congregation on the mortal plane, and although they have never formally participated in any of the institutions attached to the Church of the Shroud they have often joined forces in hunting down the Knights of Magilone, who are the sworn enemies of both Tilsman and Krell.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of gods above. See also: The First War of Fate, The Second War of Fate.

Aliases: God of Trickery, God of Thieves
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Portfolio: Deceit, trickery, thieves
Favoured Weapon: N/A - not selectable by players 

Waltell is a close ally of Krell, and the Friars of Waltell have long been integrated into the Church of the Shroud, where they have mostly been regarded as the inferior partners of the arrangement, yet the friars never wavered in their service to the Shroud Loyalists during the civil war and have mostly avoided the purge. Apart from the friars, Waltell’s followers are mostly thieves and vagabonds. Waltell is a particular enemy of Tilsman, whom he betrayed to Crest during the First War of Fate. Although the followers of Tilsman and Waltell are all allies of Krell, they will never fight side by side and there is generally very open hostility and violence between them.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of gods above. See also: The First War of Fate, The Crescent Order and the Friars of Waltell.

PART 3: PLAYABLE RACES

Dwarves
Elves and Half-Elves
Gnomes
Halflings
Humans and Half-Orcs
Planetouched

Dwarves are the children of the mountain god Daeder, created from his blood when the world was young. There are dwarven kingdoms and settlements in many parts of the world, often (although not exclusively) in high mountainous areas. The dwarves of Falgoon Refuge once dwelt in and around the citadel of Falgoon Gap, where the last shard of the key to Krell’s prison was hidden. Falgoon Gap itself was destroyed in a terrible siege a little over a decade ago. The dead dwarves of the citadel still fight on, seemingly unaware of their altered condition. Further away in the Jasper Peaks, the Jasper Dwarves follow Phykrell and swear allegiance to his immortal servant, Delrox. During the recent civil war, they never wavered in their loyalty to Phykrell.

There have always been significant numbers of dwarves in the larger human city states. Daeder is the most popular deity amongst dwarves, particularly in Falgoon Gap where an elite order called the Trodding Hammers once dedicated themselves to his service. Valdor is also very popular, for he taught weaponcraft to the dwarves; Allanbay, Sorn and Broodblame are also sometimes worshipped.

NB: ECL as a concept no longer exists in Shroudworld. Races treated as ECL in default NWN2 will progress according to the standard experience tables used by all other characters, but will suffer a 10% penalty on all quest experience. Duergar Immunity to Poison & Paralysis will be replaced with Resistance to Poison (+4 saves vs poison) and Hardiness to Spells (+2 saves vs spells).

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of races above. See also: The Rise and Fall opf Falgoon Gap, The Jasper Peaks, The Key to the Crown Spires.

Elves were the first creatures to be blessed with souls. For many years they were the favourites of Sorn and Allanbay. The greatest elven city was Rendora, but many of the elves there fell into wickedness and Sorn punished them by destroying the city. The elves scattered and built new settlements in all parts of the world. Those who made their home in the woodlands are known as Vexia elves: the Cear Vexia Rangers huard the woodlands close to Sanctuary and are archers of great distinction. Of the many nomadic elven tribes roaming the Joda Desert, the largest, commonly known as the Kur’casna Tribe, have made a semi-permanent home for themselves in a small city of the same name.

The Dark Elves were originally created by Hester, who transformed her followers to make their appearance more attractive. Not long after Phykrell’s release, forces of the Shroud brutally occupied the Joda Desert, and with the assistance of some of Hester’s dark-elven followers in the nearby ruins of Haarp, they have installed their own puppet overlord on the throne of the High Junta in Kur’casna. Other dark elves sometimes follow Broodblame or Hellacaster.

Elven worshippers of most gods can be found: Allanbay and Sorn are still well-loved, Canter is popular in both the Vexian Woodlands and the Joda Desert and Malamay is also sometimes worshipped in the desert. Elves are found in most large cities: similarly humans are often found living amongst elves, and so half-elves are not uncommon. The Methbein Traders who control their trade empire from the merchant quarter in the predominantly human city-state of Westwall are thought my most to be elven, although rumours about their precise origins vary.

NB: ECL as a concept no longer exists in Shroudworld. Races treated as ECL in default NWN2 will progress according to the standard experience tables used by all other characters, but will suffer a 10% penalty on all quest experience. Drow Spell Resistance Feat will be replaced with Hardiness to Spells (+2 saves vs spells) & Lightning Reflexes (+2 reflex saves).

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of races above. See also: The Methbein Traders, The Occupation of Joda, Vexian Bowman, The First Lore, The Marriage of Allanbay.

Gnomes are well-known for their industry and ingenuity. Unfortunately for them, their greatest tinkers and enginees have always been prized as slaves, and are often forced to defend themselves against the Far’hath Slavers. The majority of Grey Gnomes are subjects of King Kalas whose court lies a short way beyond the Feylands. He was a staunch ally of Falgoon Gap, who kept an impressive embassy there right up until the fall of the citadel. The Shroud repayed his support for Falgoon by massacring much of the court. Subsequently, the Emerald Giants, who had once been employed by the gnomes as mercenary guards, exploited the chaos to take over the gnomish court on behalf of a Verrader (outcast) dragon.

The other main gnomish society, known as the Dour Gnomes or Warcrafters makes its home in the Joda Desert. Their society is highly regimented and harbour extremely aggressive territorial ambitions. Religion does not play a great part in gnomish public life, but gnomish followers of most gods can be found: Daeder is popular, and so are Crest and Vidal. The Warcrafters admire Valdor.

NB: ECL as a concept no longer exists in Shroudworld. Races treated as ECL in default NWN2 will progress according to the standard experience tables used by all other characters, but will suffer a 10% penalty on all quest experience. Deep Gnome Spell Resistance Feat will be replaced with Spell Hardiness (+2 saves vs spells), and Slippery Defense will be replaced with Luck of Heroes (+1 Luck AC).

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of races above. See also: The Reprisals against King Kalas, The Occupation of Joda.

There are two particularly ancient halfling societies: Rhodani and Witchwood halflings. The Rhodani halflings live in small wilderness villages are known for their leisurely approach to life. They were visited by Sorn after she lost faith with the elves of Rendora, and consider themselves her chosen people. They are mortal enemies of the warlord Delrox and have suffered greatly at his hands.

The halflings of the villages of Slidramet and Hapamet in the Witchwood have held out for centuries against the legions of undead that threaten their woodland homes. The halflings of Slidramet continue to wage this war, though they are increasingly isolated as the inhabitants of Hapamet evacuated their village and let it fall to ruin some years ago. Settlers from Witchwood were the founders of a halfling colony in the Underlake called New Neptamet: they were joined there by some Rhodani halflings, and others from the great city states across the world (for there are halflings to be found in most major cities). Sorn and Canter are popular with the Rhodani; Veldex and Sorn are popular with the Witchwood halflings.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of races above. See also: Wesmoon and the Witchwood, Floodhold and New Neptamet, The Marriage of Allanbay.

Humans are plentiful throughout the dominions controlled by the Church of the Shroud, particularly in Greystone and Westwall. These great city-states have been terribly damaged by the civil war within the ranks of the Shroud and in many places the outlying coutryside is increasingly lawless, causing many otherwise peaceable commoners to take drastic measures to survive. Elsewhere barbarian tribes, such as the Asgar and the Bjornings, maintain traditions handed down over many generations.

Human societies have always been fairly cosmopolitan and there are many well documented incidences of reproductive relations between humans and orcs, both in the barbarian tribes and in the civilised lands, too, where half-orcs are relatively common. Orcs themselves are descended from followers of Hester whom she punished for treachery with a curse that left them hideously ugly: they now follow Broodblame more than any other god. Humans and half-orcs can be found in the congregations of many temples; Krell has many human followers, but so do Valdor, Veldex, Broodblame, Waltell, and most other gods.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of races above. See also: The Greystone Purge, The Asgar Tribe, The Jasper Peaks.

Planetouched are the mortal descendents of beings from the Twelve Stairs and the Abyss. There are dark places deep within the bowels of the earth where daemons and devils dwell. Having risen from the Abyss and often unable to return, slowly their essence has trickled through into the bloodlines of men and elves, and other creatures besides. Their progeny are called “Devilblooded”. Similarly, when the god Crest sent the Arnde down earth to teach the secret of magic to mortals to mortals, the Arnde spent much time amongst men and elves, and sired many children there (called “Arndeborn”). Fables speak of a city of the planetouched called Floodhold, founded on the banks of the Underlake, where Arndeborn and Devilblooded creatures alike have made their home.

Planetouched beings with elemental blood in their veins are seldom seen on the mortal plane: Canter is a popular choice of deity for them. The Arndeborn of Floodhold worship their ancestors, the Arnde, as well as Crest (who once commanded the Arnde). Some Devilblooded citizens share in this worship, whilst others celebrate their own Abyssmal forefathers at the Evil Opri.

NB: ECL as a concept no longer exists in Shroudworld. Races treated as ECL in default NWN2 will progress according to the standard experience tables used by all other characters, but will suffer a 10% penalty on all quest experience. This will affect all planetouched characters.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of races above. See also: Floodhold and New Neptamet, The Origins of Magic.

PART 4: GUILDS AND PRESTIGE CLASSES

Guild: The Bitter Union
Guild: The Callobe Troubadours
Guild: The Lycium Magike
Guild: The Order of Magilone
Guild: The Order of the Half-Sun
Guild: The Temple of the Four
Guild: The Yeoman’s Auxiliary

PRC: Duskcaster Explorer
PRC: Far'hath Gladiator
PRC: Lore Dragon Disciple
PRC: Magilone Fugitive
PRC: Methbein Trickster
PRC: Murkbriar Chaplain
PRC: Trodding Hammer
PRC: Vexian Bowman
PRC: Witchwood Avenger

Requirements: Minimum 1 level of rogue. To progress through the ranks, PCs will also need to develop either Sleight of Hand or one of the dialogue skills (Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate).

In the recent past a thieves’ guild called the Bloody Talon flourished in the city of Greystone. When the Shroud Loyalists wanted to acquire six of the shards of the key to the Crown Spires from the Temple of Krell (thus precipitating the civil war within the church) they employed a thief named Sbik, and in return for his services gave him enough men to take control of the Bloody Talon. Sbik’s takeover of the Bloody Talon was violent and ruthless. He effectively made the thieves’ guild an organ of the Shroud, and opposition to this policy was brutally supressed. The Bitter Union was founded by several former Bloody Talon members who managed to escape the city, and are now preoccupied with the worry that Sbik’s goons may be coming after them.

However, many newer guild members have no ties with Greystone. Business within the Bitter Union is primarily confined to bootlegging, smuggling, burglary and petty theft. The guild is, naturally, hidden, although it is said that any thief poking his nose where it shouldn’t be in Sanctuary is likely to find the Bitter Union sooner or later.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of guilds and PRCs above. See also: The Key the the Crown Spires.

Requirements: Minimum 1 level of bard. To progress through the ranks, PCs will also need to develop their Perform skill.

The Callobe Troubadours is a guild in the loosest sense. The guild was formed recently and is comprised chiefly of wandering minstrels. As the patron of the arts and more specifically of music and song, the goddess Vidal is a popular deity amongst the membership, although followers of other gods are welcome in the guild. The professed aim of the founders is to spread inspiration and knowledge throughout the common peoples, and to proliferate guild-sanctioned performances in the friendlier settlements of the world. The troubadours have no guild house, but the several of the founding members are known to frequent the taverns of Sanctuary and Falgoon Refuge. They are actively recruiting new members.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of guilds and PRCs above. See also: Vidal.

Requirements: Minimum 1 level of either Sorceror, Warlock or Wizard.

The Lycium Magike is predominantly devoted to the pursuit and protection of arcane knowledge. Members guard their secrets jealously and strongly object to the practice of magic beyond their ranks. The guild maintains a tower in Sanctuary with a small library and a store which offers some minor magical services to non-members, although more significant services are reserved for members. Wizards, sorcerors and warlocks jostle elbows within the tower. Many of the rituals and magical experiments practised there are somewhat unstable and occasionally cause consternation amongst the citizens of the town, but on the whole membership of the Lycium Magike is considered respectable. There are followers of many gods within the guild: Crest and Canter are popular.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of guilds and PRCs above. See also: The Origins of Magic.

Requirements: Minimum 4 levels of Paladin.

The very first Knights of Magilone were born as rams but were later turned into men by the god Veldex to fight against Phykrell and his allies towards the end of the Second War of Fate. They were one hundred in number and Magilone was the bravest of them all. Each wore an Amulet of Veldex which gave him powers that no man has ever been born with. These amulets have been passed down from one generation to the next: they choose their own bearers from people of all races and backgrounds, and anyone chosen by one of the amulets is destined to become a Knight of Magilone. The Order of Magilone also includes many other knights who follow the code of the order without bearing one of the amulets.

The Knights of Magilone have many enemies, but they are particularly hated by the followers of Phykrell and of Tilsman. Under pressure from the Church of the Shroud, they were outlawed in Greystone many years ago by the Rickheart ruling dynasty and were subsequently forced into hiding. The knights became very active in the resistance against the Church of the Shroud. They moved their headquarters to the Temple of Veldex in the halfling village of Hapamet in the Witchwood where they were welcomed with open arms. However, the village of Hapamet and the Temple of Veldex there were abandoned some time ago.

Taking advantage of the recent civil war within the Church of the Shroud, the knights have re-established themselves openly and have a large outpost near Falgoon. They recently fought a difficult campaign against the trolls of Murkbriar; many members of the Yeoman’s Auxiliary were once footsoldiers in their armies. The Order of Magilone is the toughest of all professional guilds to join: prospective candidates must have spent at least four seasons as a paladin.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of guilds and PRCs above. See also: Veldex, The Murkbriar Campaign, Magilone Fugitive, The Second War of Fate.

The Order of the Half-Sun: A Monastic Order                                

Requirements: Minimum 1 level of Monk.

The Order of the Half-Sun is dedicated to Canter, the god of the elements, and the monks who belong to the order practise the monastic forms of the stone, the river, the cloud and the half-sun. The historical home of the order was the Bell Tower in Greystone, and in earlier times they were honoured advisors to the royal family of that city-state. They were sidelined when the Church of the Shroud installed the Rickheart dynasty as the puppet rulers of Greystone, but for many years maintained an uneasy neutrality in their dealings with the Shroud, until the purge began in Greystone and the order was criminalised.

The Bell Tower was destroyed and many of the monks were slain, although a few managaed to flee the city. The surviving monks are now scattered widely across the world. Several have settled in and around Sanctuary and have been trying to re-establish the order at new premises in the town. Apart from practising traditional methods of self-defense, the monks of the Half-Sun are collectors and guardians of ancient lore, and place great value in all forms of knowledge and learning.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of guilds and PRCs above. See also: Canter, The Greystone Purge.

Requirements: Minimum 1 level of either Cleric, Druid, Favoured Soul, Paladin, Ranger, or Spirit Shaman. 

The Temple of the Four is dedicated to the worship of Allanbay, his wife Sorn and their sons Basenbe and Malamay. The Four have been followed individually since time immemorial, but their collective worship is relatively new. The temple itself is in a secluded grove but can be reached easily from Sanctuary. There are shrines and temples to individual members of the Four in many other places. Followers of Allanbay, Sorn and Basenbe have all been persecuted by the Shroud for centuries, although up until recently worship of Malamay has been tolerated.

As Sanctuary does not fall within the territories of the Church of the Shroud, it is possible for the Temple of the Four to operate quite openly, and it is the largest established religion in the region. Reverence for the natural world is an integral part of the worship of both Allanbay and Sorn and druidic and shamanic rites are often performed alongside the more traditional duties of priests. The Temple of the Four also permits priests of other deities to worship on their premises, provided that the gods they follow are not antagonistic to any of the Four.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of guilds and PRCs above. See also: Allanbay, Sorn, Basenbe, Malamay.

Requirements: Minimum 1 level of either Barbarian, Fighter, Paladin or Ranger. 

The Yeoman’s Auxiliary was formed by infantrymen who fought for the Knights of Magilone during the recent Murkbrair campaign against King Frein’loka and the Greenpath Trolls. When the knights’ armies were largely disbanded at the end of the war, the yeomen formed their own professional organisation and began to gire themselves out as mercenaries. They have a large guild hall in Sanctuary and play an active role in the defense of the local settlements: many members of the militias both in Sanctuary and Falgoon Gap are now paid up members of the guild, benefitting from training, equipment and other facilities on offer. The guild also makes an effort to provide for veterans and the orphans and widows of dead soldiers.

Broodblame and Valdor are popular gods within the guild, although worshippers of many gods can be found there: indeed, during the campaign against the trolls a chaplaincy covering all of the gods apporved of by the Knights of Magilone was established to see to the pastoral and spiritual care of their footsoldiers, although most of the chaplains left after the end of the campaign.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of guilds and PRCs above. See also: The Murkbriar Campaign, Murkbriar Chaplain.

Archetype: Mage/Warrior
Trainer: Thecla Riverborn, Duskcaster Lodge
Build Requirements: Not yet completed
Abilities: Not yet completed 

The mage Duskcaster was one of the first mortals ever to learn the secrets of arcane lore from the Arnde, the dark angels sent by Crest to introduce magic to the mortal plane. The Duskcaster Research Society is an organisation of mages and scholars aiming to follow in his footsteps. Duskcaster himself was a loyal follower of the god Veldex, and the society is also devoted to him. Duskcaster mages are typically inquisitive about the world around them. Often finding themselves endangered in the course of their investigations, many members have developed fighting skills alongside their spellcasting abilities: these are known as the Duskcaster Explorers. The society has a lodge a short distance from Sanctuary: new recruits are occasionally accepted.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of guilds and PRCs above. See also: Veldex, The Origins of Magic.

Far’hath Gladiator PRC

Archetype: Offensive Warrior
Trainer: Gory Gory, Far'hath's Tomb
Build Requirements: Not yet completed
Abilities: Not yet completed

When Slavelord Far’hath ordered the construction of a great tomb in the Hinterland, it was decided that the tomb should be consecrated with the blood shed in perpetual gladiatorial games. Many of the gladiators are slaves and captives, but the need for blood is so great that the Far’hath minotaurs have been recruiting mercenaries and adventurers to fight in the ring, and have been training them in the talents and techniques of gladiatorial combat. Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of guilds and PRCs above.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of guilds and PRCs above. See also: The Jasper Peaks.

Archetype: Warrior/Mage
Trainer: Smok Foglung, Hall of Cyngs.
Build Requirements: Not yet completed
Abilities: Not yet completed 

The Lore Dragons sometimes accept non-draconic servants and disciples. Talented wizards, sorcerors, warlocks and bards are all eligible: however, the notion that draconic blood runs through the veins of one profession more than any other is an absurd myth that should be dismissed out of hand. Only those who have proved their devotion to the Lore Dragons are permitted to learn their secrets: their pseudo draconic powers are a gift, not an inheritance.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of guilds and PRCs above. See also: The Lore Dragons.

Magilone Fugitive PRC

Archetype: Thief/Warrior
Trainer: Outlaw Vivienne, New Neptamet
Build Requirements: Not yet completed
Abilities: Not yet completed

The Knights of Magilone were once based in Greystone, but were outlawed and forced into hiding many years ago by the Rickheart dynasty under pressure from the Church of the Shroud. Recently the knights re-established themselves openly, but some had become so used to life on the run that they preferred to remain as they were: these are known as the Magilone Fugitives. They work with resistance leaders and freedom fighters in Greystone and Witchwood and many other places besides. They still honour Veldex and adhere to the code of chivalry that they learned as knights, but have retained little else, preferring to strike from the shadows rather than engage in open combat. They are not easy to track down, but they do occasionally admit new recruits.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of guilds and PRCs above. See also: The Order of Magilone, Veldex, The Greystone Purge.

Methbein Trickster PRC

Archetype: Mage/Thief
Trainer: Ludmilla, Methbein Warehouse
Build Requirements: Not yet completed
Abilities: Not yet completed

The Methbein Traders are not above employing thieves to get want they want - indeed theivery is regarded as a more or less legitimate business practice. Methbein Tricksters are able to complement their talents as thieves with some arcane ability. They are few and far between: most are not Methbein in origin, but merely employees, and although Methbein society is deeply patriarchal, women of other cultures are accepted as Methbein Tricksters, as well as men.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of guilds and PRCs above. See also: The Methbein Traders.

Murkbriar Chaplain PRC

Archetype: Priest/Warrior
Trainer: Potash Joe, Murkbriar
Build Requirements: Not yet completed
Abilities: Not yet completed

During the Murkbriar campaign against King Frein’loka and the Greenpath Trolls, the Knights of Magilone established a a chaplaincy for their footsoldiers, including priests of all of the benevolent and the neutral deities. The chaplaincy was disbanded at the end of the campaign, but one or two of the priests stayed in Murkbriar to tend the graves of the fallen and honour their memory. By far the most popular gods were Broodblame and Valdor; Daeder and Veldex were also well represented, and the Temple of Four took and active role in providing spiritual and pastoral care for the troops. Many of the footsoldiers from the campaign are now members of the Yeoman’s Auxiliary and remember the Murkbriar Chaplains fondly.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of guilds and PRCs above. See also: The Murkbriar Campaign, Broodblame, Valdor.

Trodding Hammer PRC

Archetype: Defensive Warrior
Trainer: Warlord Hallhewer, Falgoon Gap
Build Requirements: Not yet completed
Abilities: Not yet completed

The Trodding Hammers were once the elite warriors of Falgoon Gap. They were pious and brave and dedicated themselves to Daeder: their banners and shields bore the sign of his red hammer. The entire order of Trodding Hammers was not only slain but utterly destroyed during the siege of Falgoon Gap. As far as anyone knows, the order’s secrets died with its members: though the dead of Falgoon Gap are not known for their silence.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of guilds and PRCs above. See also: The Rise and Fall of Falgoon Gap.

Vexian Bowman PRC

Archetype: Archer/Forest Protector
Trainer: Namor Tilüviele, Feylands
Build Requirements: Not yet completed
Abilities: Not yet completed 

The Cear Vexia Rangers are guardians of the forests and master archers, and the Vexian Bowmen are the finest of them all. They pass their secrets down from one generation to the next and rarely allow outsiders in on these secrets, although they will sometimes make an exception for outstanding bowmen. The Cear Vexia Rangers have a small camp in the Feylands, amongst other places.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of guilds and PRCs above. See also: Elves and Half-Elves.

Witchwood Avenger PRC

Archetype: Priest/Forest Protector
Trainer: Not yet completed
Build Requirements: Not yet completed
Abilities: Not yet completed

Witchwood was once home to an ancient grove where druids and servants of nature congregated to lead the fight against the forces of Wesmoon. It is said that this grove fell to Wesmoon’s undead hordes some time ago and that the surviving foresters have sworn to win it back, calling themselves the Witchwood Avengers, but little is known about them at this time.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of guilds and PRCs above. See also: The Rise of Wesmoon, The Gaia.

It would be difficult to overestimate the impact that the Church of the Shroud and the Red Shroud have had on recent history, particularly in the lands of men. Although both the Red Shroud and the Church of the Shroud are dedicated to the worship of Phykrell, they are in fact two distinct political entities. Following the Second War of Fate, while his prison was under construction, Phykrell called his loyal warlord Delrox to him and granted him the gift of immortality, in return for which Delrox swore that he would toil ceaselessly to secure his master’s freedom. Out of the blood that dripped from his wounds, Phykrell created man-like beings called the Red Shroud whom he placed under the command of Delrox.

The Church of the Shroud also gained its power from the blood of Phykrell but many years later and under slightly different circumstances. As Phykrell languished in the Crown Spires, blood drained from his wounds and gathered in pools at the foot of the mountain. An thirsty elven traveller drank from this pool one day: it corrupted his heart but bestowed upon him extraordinary powers. Other men and elves drank from the pool and became similarly corrupted. They founded the Church of the Shroud and worshipped Phykrell openly, all the while continuing to drink of his blood and partake of his godhood. Partly as a consequence of the godlike power wielded by some of the Shroud Elders, in time the Church became the most dominant power in the lands of men.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page. See also: The Second War of Fate.

The Church of the Shroud controlled puppet governments in the city-state of Greystone and other settlements the world over. Although they claimed, like the Red Shroud, to be working towards the release of their master, they grew complacent: after all, as long as Phykrell remained imprisoned, they would be able to exploit the magic of his blood for their own gain. The key to Phykrell’s prison had been shattered and the shards were hidden around the world. Once the Church of the Shroud had discovered six of the seven shards the majority of the Shroud Elders more or less called the search to a halt. However, Delrox and the Red Shroud, who had always endured a tense alliance with the Church of the Shroud, continued the hunt for the final shard.

The Red Shroud and a few of Shroud Elders who remained loyal to Phykrell (the Shroud Loyalists) eventually marched their armies up to Falgoon Gap and recovered the last shard of the key to the Crown Spires. The Church of the Shroud refused to relinquish the other six shards, and so the loyalists hired a thief named Sbik to steal the shards from the Temple of Krell in Greystone. Once the Shroud Loyalists had all seven shards in their possession, open civil war broke out with the Shroud Loyalists, including the Red Shroud and a few of the Shroud Elders who remained loyal to Phykrell, on one side, and the greater part of the Church of the Shroud, including the vast majority of the Shroud Elders, on the other.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page. See also: The Key to the Crown Spires.

Delrox’s followers amongst the silver dwarves of the Jasper Peaks reforged the shards into a key at their stronghold, the Ebony Fortress. The Church of the Shroud attempted to prevent the Shroud Loyalists from reaching the Crown Spires, but eventually the loyalists broke through the defenses around Krell’s prison and used the key to release their master. Since his release, Phykrell has turned the Crown Spires into his new cathedral, far off in the east. Delrox still rules over the Red Shroud from the great capital of Westwall, some way north of the Crown Spires. A great purge of all disloyal priests is taking place within the Church of the Shroud, which is now headed by the Red Priest Fendaar: the purge is at its fiercest in Greystone where the disloyalty within the church was at its most flagrant.

Most of the Shroud Elders who opposed Krell’s release have either been destroyed or have fled to distant parts of the world where they hope to find safety. A few of the Shroud Elders, those who failed to take sides during the civil war, left Greystone to invade the distant Joda Desert and therefore avoid the wrath of the god they failed to support.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page. See also: The Greystone Purge, The Occupation of Joda.

All of the other gods of wickedness and deceit have been allies of Krell at some time or other and their worship has historically been tolerated and at times even encouraged by the Church of the Shroud. The Shroud Elders even went so far as to incorporate followers of Crest and Waltell into the church hierarchy. The Friars of Waltell held considerable power within the Church of the Shroud, although they were never accorded the same status as followers of Krell himself. They sided with the Shroud Loyalists during the civil war and have not yet fallen foul of the purge currently taking place in Greystone and elsewhere.

The Elders of the Crescent Order, who follow Crest, were also accorded honorary rank within the Church of the Shroud. Although they did not act openly to prevent the release of Krell, they did nothing to help the Shroud Loyalists, and when the purge was instigated the Crescent Order was forced to flee Greystone and are thought to have sought refuge with the Lore Dragons.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page. See also: The Greystone Purge.

Far off to the east lies the great capital city of Westwall. Westwall has been the seat of power for the warlord Delrox since long before the Second War of Fate. The Red Shroud who have been under the command of Delrox since their creation, have been loyal to Krell throughout the recent civil war and so although the purge has been instigated in Westwall as well as in Greystone it has not taken root in the same way: a number of deserters from the Church of the Shroud in Westwall managed to escape to Floodhold.

South of Westwall, within the caldera of a great volcano, are the Crown Spires, the Blood God’s former prison. The Crown Spires have now been consecrated as a new cathedral from which Krell will oversee the restructuring of the Church of the Shroud. The land surrounding the volcano is lifeless and barren and the journey to the Crown Spires is frought with danger. It is rumoured that further reaches of the Underlake stretch for hundreds of miles beneath the surface of the earth and that it is possible to reach the Westwall that way. This would explain the high volume of maritime traffic that finds its way to the Methbein Traders in New Neptamet, as they are well-established in the merchants’ quarter of Westwall.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page. See also: The Key to the Crown Spires, The Methbein Traders.

Falgoon was for centuries one of the most powerful and prosperous of all dwarven kingdoms. It extended far beyond the surface citadel of Falgoon Gap, atop the Cear Cadia mountain range: there were vast residential quarters dug deep into the mountains, and the surrounding mountains and lowlands were dotted with mines and small dwellings. The Falgoonians were famously pious: many claimed that Daeder himself had been involved in the founding of the citadel, in times before even the First War of Fate. The citadel was defended by a stout army including an elite warrior order called the Trodding Hammers, who dedicated themselves to Daeder’s service and feared nothing save the Blue Sickness.

The Siege of Falgoon Gap

For centuries one of the shards of the key to the Crown Spires was hidden in Falgoon Gap. The dwarves took the defense of the shard very seriously, as it was Daeder himself who had built the Crown Spires where Krell was gaoled. However, eventually a traitor named Orbsen revealed the location of the shard to the Shroud, in return for the promise that he would be named King of Falgoon. Most of the Shroud Elders showed little interest in retrieving the shard, but a small number of them joined forces with Delrox and the Red Shroud and marched their armies up the Cear Cadia mountains. The dwarves were prepared and the siege seemed set to be drawn out for months or even years: several of the Shroud Elders actually turned their armies around and headed home.

The Shroud generals in command of the siege took drastic measures: they called upon followers of the god of death, Hellacaster, to release terrible magics that reduced much of the city to rubble and destroyed almost everyone on the surface of the mountain, including the larger part of the Shroud’s own armies as well as the dwarves. The shard was retrieved and the citadel was left in ruins. Hellacaster has refused to permit the spirits of those who perished in the cataclysm to enter the hereafter, and so they are doomed to relive the fight into eternity, Falgoonians and Shroud alike rising undead each day to do battle in the ruins.

The Falgoon Refugees

Some Falgoonians survived the cataclysm that destroyed their great citadel. In most cases this is because they were not on the surface of the Cear Cadia mountian range when the worst of the magics were released by the servants of Hellacaster: in some cases they had already effected their escape from the citadel at some earlier stage; others had been elsewhere at the time the siege began. As Falgoon Gap itself was now haunted by the ghosts of all who had fallen there, it was not possible to return to the citadel. A number of the survivors found themselves a new home in an ancient mine. Over the past decade or so they have gradually started to rebuild their shattered lives, reopening some of their old mines in the outlying hills and making some efforts to establish trade.

However, many of the Falgoon Refugees are still very wary of strangers and whilst they are seldom openly hostile neither do they welcome outsiders. There is no clear leader of the refugees: the royal line of King Stouthand Lethenhoe appears to have been broken, and the crown of Falgoon now rests somewhere with the traitor Orbsen, deep within the mountain.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page. See also: Dwarves, Trodding Hammer, The Key to the Crown Spires.

The royal family of the grey gnomes is Kalas’danma’ckner and the king is commonly referred to as King Kalas. The Court of King Kalas lies at the centre of a vast burrow of tunnels dug into the earth. One of the many exits comes out near Ceadish Canyon in the Feylands: historically the gnomes employed the mercenary Emerald Giants, to guard this exit, an arrangement dating back several generations. King Kalas was a staunch ally of Falgoon Gap and is known to have provided the many locks that barred the way to the secret chamber in Falgoon where the last shard of the key to the Crown Spires was hidden: it is also thought that he may have sent other assistance to Falgoon when he heard of the siege. The retribution of the Shroud was swift and very ugly.

After the destruction of Falgoon Gap the surviving armies of the Shroud made a short detour on their way home and rampaged wildly through the gnomish court, murdering many of the gnomes and looting their gold and jewels. The Emerald Giant mercenaries had not been faced with such an overwhelming force in the history of their service, and so they simply stood aside and allowed the Shroud to pass through. After the Shroud had left and the carnage was over, the giants moved into the court themselves, supressing the remaining gnomes who had once been their paymasters. They have renamed the outer part of the court the Emerald Keep and treat the gnomes as slaves. Rumours hint that the giants acted for one of the Verrader dragons who outbid the gnomes for their services.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page. See also: Gnomes.

PART 7: CULTURES OF THE WIDER WORLD

The forest now known as the Witchwood was once the peaceful home of many halflings. During the Second War of Fate the forest halflings harried the progress of the armies of Delrox and the undead forces of Hallacaster. Hellacaster punished them in later years by conjuring perpetual dark clouds over the forest so that it became a haven for the living dead and all who detest the sunlight. A witch named Wesmoon made her home in the forest and practised her necromancy there. She gave herself completely to Hellacaster and made herself a lich: in time much of the forest came under her control. Resistance to Wesmoon centred around the halflings of the local villages of Hapamet and Slidramet, and the druids of a small grove that had remained untouched by Hellcaster’s curse.

The Witchwood halflings were known for their piety and their devotion to both Sorn and Veldex, and when the Knights of Magilone were outlawed by the Church of the Shroud they found refuge in the Temple of Veldex in Hapamet, which remained their secret headquarters for many years to come. The local halfling warriors who also worshipped at the temple were called the Hellhunters. Wesmoon gradually gained the upper hand and a little under forty years ago a few pioneers left Hapamet to start a new life in the town if New Neptamet in the Underlake. Over several decades new settlers joined them, mostly from Hapamet but a few from Slidramet too. The Knights of Magilone were increasingly preoccupied with affairs beyond the Witchwood and the defenses of Hapamet slowly crumbled.

Hapamet was eventually abandoned by the halflings and is now in ruins and overrun by foul creatures of the night. The grove of the druids has also fallen to Wesmoon’s undead hordes: a handful of survivors managed to escape. Only the villagers of Slidramet still hold out against the lich queen, and they have become almost completely isolated from the outside world and suspicious of strangers. Wesmoon herself is now quite clearly Hellacaster’s most powerful servant on the mortal plane.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of cultures above. See also: Halflings, Floodhold and New Neptamet, Witchwood Avenger.

King Frein’loka’s heartland lies to the south and west of the Witchwood, but he has recently expanded into new territories to the north and east of Sanctuary: these territories have been renamed Murkbriar. He met with fierce opposition from the Knights of Magilone who had not long since taken advantage of the civil war in the Church of the Shroud to re-establish the order openly without fear of reprisals.

The knights had gradually been starting to operate more openly for some years before the civil war and had all but abandoned their secret headquarters in the Hapamet Temple of Veldex. While the Shroud were distracted by internal disputes, the knights founded a new military outpost near to Falgoon, from which they coordinated a bloody campaign against King Frein’loka’s Greenpath trolls. They levied a large army to do battle with the trolls and managed to achieve a number of key stategic objectives before agreeing to a truce a couple of years ago. By this time they had fought the trolls to a standstill and drawn a halt to the expansionist programme: had the trolls gone unchecked they might very well have reached Sanctuary and beyond. The trolls also claim victory, having conquered vast new territories.

At the end of the campaign the knights disbanded their infantry and many former footsoldiers went on to form the Yeoman’s Auxiliary in Sanctuary. The rank and file suffered terrible losses in Murkbriar and, unlike the knights, regard the campaign as a disaster. But everyone agrees on one thing: sooner or later King Frein’loka and the Greenpath Trolls will break the current treaty. The knights keep a careful watch on the outer limits of Murkbriar, where the trolls appear to be driving slave-gangs.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of cultures above. See also: The Order of Magilone, The Yeoman’s Auxiliary, Murkbriar Chaplain.

The Asgar Tribe is a human society that once roamed ancient forests close to the Witchwood, living in harmony with the Gaia. During the course of the civil war within the Church of the Shroud, the two opposing sides met in battle on the traditional Asgar hunting grounds and the tribe suffered terribly in the chaos that followed. They were forced from their homeland and embarked on a nomadic existence. The encroaching empire of King Frein’loka and the Greenpath trolls pushed them ever eastwards. The Asgar headed south and settled close to the Wanderbog where they have found new hunting grounds. The Knights of Magilone managed to hold back the trolls from expanding south and the Asgar have now made a permanent home for themselves.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of cultures above. See also: The Gaia.

The Lore Dragons are descended from the three guardian dragons who once guarded Morgane’s Tower and watched over the seven shards of the key to the Crown Spires: some say created by Morgane, others say by Daeder. In an attempt to draw upon the power of the shards, Morgane accidentally destroyed the tower, sending the shards flying into space and landing in different corners of the world. The guardian dragons hunted high and low for the shards: they passed down this instinct for stewardship to their progeny, and after several generations had passed the Lore Dragons became a society in their own right. These children of the guardian dragons no longer sought the seven shards: their inclination to hoarding is less specific and they are captivated by anything of an arcane or scholarly nature.

The Lore Dragons do not exactly profess to worship any gods, as they consider themselves above such mortal abasement, but they hold certain deities in high esteem: in particular Crest and Vidal. Those who tend towards Crest are the greater in number and sometimes find themselves at odds with those who prefer Vidal or any of the other gods. Their heart of government is the Hall of Cyngs in the Hinterland and dragons with a role in law-making are called “smoks”. They are currently harbouring the Crescent Order there: the order, which follows Crest, was once incorporated into the hierarchy of the Church of the Shroud, but they failed to support the loyalists during the civil war and were forced to flee the purge in Greystone.

The Lore Dragons despise outsider or “Verrader” dragons whom they consider lawless and uncivilised. They are also at war with the Methbein Traders: the traders once created a machine that could leech magical energy from Crest’s Moon Fortress, a machine which the dragons confiscated, and which sits in their museum beneath the Hall of Cyngs to this day.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of cultures above. See also: Lore Dragon Disciple, The Key to the Crown Spires.

The Methbein are elven in appearance, although their origins are unknown to anyone but themselves. They control their trade empire from the merchants’ quarter in the city-state of Westwall but their trading posts can be found in some of the most remote parts of the world. Their society is deeply patriarchal and Methbein women are rarely seen in public: it is believed that the wealthier merchant princes keep harems. The Methbein Traders have a reputation for being able to supply just about anything from the strangest artifacts to the rarest wines. There is a Methbein trading post in Hinterland and they operate a large warehouse and a fleet of ships in the Underlake: the New Neptamet halflings rely on them to bring wealth and commerce into their subterranean settlement.

They are capable spellcasters and often put their arcane talents to work in the pursuit of gold and riches. They are also skilled diplomats and have successfully remained neutral in most conflicts. However, they are hated by all followers of Crest for crimes committed long ago, when the Methbein Forefathers created a machine capable of siphoning off magic from Crest’s Moon Fortress. The machine may have been inspired by the powers that Tilsman gave to his followers during the First War of Fate, although there is currently no evidence that the Methbein have ever worshipped Tilsman. The Lore Dragons, whose own forefathers were not even born at the time of the First War of Fate, confiscated the machine many years ago, and have been at war with the Methbein Traders ever since.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of cultures above. See also: Elves and Half-Elves, Methbein Trickster, The First War of Fate.

It is said that the god Malamay spent long years in the company of Deader and that together they fashioned great mountain ranges along the ocean floor. It was Malamay too who created the Underlake, a vast subterranean lake beneath the earth. The deepest parts of the lake almost touched on the Abyss below, and the first inhabitants were demons and devils who slipped through the cracks. Over the years men and elves and other creatures found their way to the shores of the lake: they mixed with the creatures of the Abyss and also with the Arnde, the dark angels sent to teach magic to mortals, who tarried there a while. A race of planetouched creatures sprang up: some Arndeborn and other Devilblooded. In time they would found Floodhold, the fabled city of devils.

The halfling settlers of New Neptamet arrived in the Underlake much more recently. The first pioneers came from Hapamet in the Witchwood a little under forty years ago. Eventually almost the whole of Hapamet followed, along with halflings from Slidramet and from Rhodani towns and villages savaged by the armies of Delrox, and from the halfling ghettos in the great city-states. Relations between halflings and planetouched have been generally poor. When they first met to draw up territorial boundaries, blows were struck and the parley was abandoned. The great feast laid on to celebrate the occasion went untouched and to this day the table has not been properly cleared. Both settlements were both built over the ruins of an dark-elven empire and now face a common enemy: the elves have embarked on a reconquista of their ancient territories and have already taken Floodhold.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of cultures above. See also: Halflings, Planetouched, Wesmoon and the Witchwood, The Methbein Traders.

The city-state of Greystone, or Greystone Claybanks to give it its full name, lies a fortnight to the southwest of Sanctuary, and is built over what is thought to be the site of the fallen city of Rendora, which was destroyed by Sorn several millennia ago: the waters of the nearby lake are said to be Sorn’s tears. Unlike Rendora, Greystone Claybanks has always been a city of men, and although the population is fairly cosmopolitan, the aristocratic class is composed mainly of human families. The rulers of the city-state traditionally governed with the aid of the monastic Order of the Half-Sun, and brought trade and prosperity to Greystone.

But as the Church of the Shroud grew in influence, the Shroud Elders became de facto law-makers. They installed a new ruling family, the Rickhearts, who dismissed the Order of the Half-Sun and outlawed the Knights of Magilone. The Temple of Krell became both a fortress and a prison and the common folk lived in constant fear - and things have got worse. Most of the Shroud Elders of Greystone found themselves on the wrong side of the Shroud Civil War, and the city has borne the brunt of the purge that followed. The Shroud Loyalists set about ruthlessly crushing any institution not sympathetic to their cause. The Order of the Half-Sun was dissolved and even the puppet-king Rickheart was deposed to make way for direct rule by the church.

The purge has quickly spiralled out of control. The Church of the Shroud employs huge swathes of the civilian population and even tradesmen require religious patronage to further their careers: clerks and carpenters, musicians and militiamen have all been caught up in a frenzy of accusations and counter-accusations that has spread through the city like wildfire. For the vindictive and the craven this is an opportunity to settle old scores and indulge their baser instincts: thousands of innocent people have been murdered and worse by baying mobs on the basis of nothing more than hearsay. Many more have fled the city and are living as refugees in the broken lands beyond the city walls: the city of Greystone has become a hell on earth.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of cultures above. See also: Humans and Half-Orcs, The Church of the Shroud.

The Jasper Peaks rise a short distance north of Greystone. The lush farmland that once filled the space between has been scorched by the Shroud Civil War and is barely habitable any more. The human population is lawless and banditry is common. This is prime recruiting territory for the Cliff Raiders, a highly organised group of bandits whose hideout lies almost two weeks to the north, near Sanctuary. The home city of the Far’hath Slavers is dug into the Jasper Foothills, although the attention of the minotaur Slavelord Far’hath has more recently been focused on the construction of his labyrinthine tomb way off in the Hinterland. The Cliff Raiders have taken advantage of this distraction and routinely raid minotaur wagons and trade caravans: war has been declared between the two parties.

Meanwhile the Jasper Dwarves are busily preparing for war. They have always been loyal to Krell and to Delrox, and it was at their stronghold that the key to the Crown Spires was reforged. High in the Jasper Peaks, in the impenetrable Ebony Fortress, they do not concern themselves with the purge in Greystone: they are readying themselves for the day when Krell marches on the tower of Salt and Sandstone, for they plan to be there beside him.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of cultures above. See also: Dwarves, Far’hath Gladiator.

The Joda Desert lies to north of the Jasper Peaks and is the is home to several tribes of desert elves. The most numnerous are the Kur’casna, who made a semi-permanent home for themselves in a small desert city also called Kur’casna. An uneasy peace existed between the desert elves and the Shroud up until the recent occupation of Joda by several Shroud Elders who had remained neutral during the civil war. After Krell was released from his prison, these elders were aware that their neutrality had most likely displeased him. They levied an army in Greystone and marched out to Joda to make war on the desert elves, partly to ingratiate themsleves with their master and partly to keep out of the way of the purge in Greystone. They allied themselves with a group of dark elven Hesterites.

The dark elves of Haarp in the Joda Desert are the most powerful of all Hester’s congregation and had long harboured designs on Kur’casna. By allying with the dark elves these elders have played a clever game: if the Shroud Loyalists act against them, they risk either alienating Hester or handing the desert over entirely to her followers. Neither option would please Krell who needs Hester but hardly trusts her. The desert elves have paid a high price for the generals’ strategical manoeuvring. They have been ground mercilessly under the heels of their new overlords, who have installed a new High Junta on the throne of Kur’casna. All attempts to resist the occupation have been brutally supressed, and the desert elves’ Water Temple has been ransacked.

Elsewhere the desert bristles with dangers. Strange abominations roam the sands: some whisper that they are failed experiments of the Hesterites. A few miles from Kur’casna the gnomish Warcrafters are building up a devastating arsenal, unheeded by the world: they too will be a force to be reckoned with in Joda, when their plans for war reach fruition.

Return to the list of contents at the top of the page or to the list of cultures above. See also: Elves and Half-Elves, Gnomes.

PART 8: THE FATE WARS AND OTHER LEGENDS

The First Lore (year 0 - c.1900)
The Marriage of Allanbay (c.1900 - c.6400)
The Origins of Magic (c.6400 - c.6500)
The First War of Fate (6652 - 7099)
The Second War of Fate (7505 - 7531)
The Key to the Crown Spires (7531 - 8985)
The Tower of Salt and Sandstone (8106 - present day) 

The world was young when the gods first arrived: an old men led thirteen children from some distant homeland and settled on the celestial plane, which they called the Twelve Stairs. The old man proclaimed himself the ruler of this new land, but the thirteen children chafed beneath his yoke and cast him out of heaven, so he built for himself a new place, the Abyss, and made it his home. Each of the Twelve Stairs was inhabited by one of the thirteen children, apart from the twelfth, which Canter and Tilsman shared between them. The children spent many years pursuing and developing their private interests before they took any notice in the mortal plane, the barren lands below them where naked, soulless creatures shivered in the cold.

The children bestowed gifts on these shivering creatures and inspired great awe in them. The children became gods, their power growing in proportion to the number and fervour of their mortal followers. At this time the gods asked Allanbay to be their king but he turned them down. Hester then demanded that she should lead the gods, but the others would not accept her and she departed from their company. At this time she created the dark elves, sculpting and tinting the bodies of her followers in a manner that seemed beautiful to her. Daeder also shunned the company of the other gods, preferring to roam the mortal plane. As men and elves showed no love for the mountains and caverns he carved into the land, he created the dwarves from his own blood and they became his people and his followers.

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Allanbay travelled the mortal plane observing the lives of the elves: he shed a single golden tear at the sorrow he saw. An elven girl named Sorn comforted him with words. Allanbay rewarded her people, the elves, by bringing spring and summer to the cold lands around them. A great city named Rendora would one day grow up in the valley of the elves, and they would cherish the golden tear of Allanbay as a relic. The girl, Sorn, ascended to the Twelve Stairs with Allanbay: he married her and shared his divine power with her, making her a lesser goddess.

Phykrell had plotted for years to become king of the gods and when he saw that Allanbay had weakened himself, he struck out at him. They fought and Phykrell was victorious. He threaned to murder Sorn unless Allanbay supported his bid for the throne of heaven. A council of the gods was called and they voted on the matter. With the support of the other wicked gods and of Allanbay’s reluctant assent Phykrell took the vote and became king. For the years that followed Allanbay and Sorn remained aloof from the affairs of gods and of men and elves, too. They raised two sons, Basenbe and Malamay, who would in time become lesser gods in their own right.

When the boys were grown a little, Sorn took them to visit the city of Rendora on the mortal plane, where he people, the elves, dwelt. But the city had grown corrupt: slaves were sold in the street and dark rituals were practised openly. In her anger Sorn buried the city beneath the earth and wept into the crater she had made. The elves fled Rendora and found new homes in the forests and the deserts and elsewhere. In centuries to come the city of Greystone would spring up on the banks of the lake made by Sorn’s tears, but that would be a city of men. Sorn herself later appeared to the Rhodani halflings and is said to have founded the first of their towns and laid down laws by which they should live.

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The god Crest spent many years alone in private study and so it was that he discovered the art of magic. He could have made himself lord of the gods in place of Phykrell, but instead he called a council of the gods and offered to share his powers at a price. From most of the gods he demanded assistance in the construction and defense of his moon fortress, but not from Vidal, Phykrell, or Allanbay.

Crest admired Vidal’s desire to learn and they became close. He often shared his discoveries with and taught her the art of magic freely long before he approached any of the other gods. He gave her an enchanted golden flute which she played for him often and when the moon fortress was complete he permitted her to come and go freely, an invitation extended to no other. From Phykrell, Crest extracted merely the promise of aid on some later occasion, but from Allanbay he asked a high price indeed: Crest coveted Sorn, and would only teach Allanbay the secrets of magic if he gave Sorn up into Crest’s care. Allanbay saw that if he did not partake of this new power, he would in any case be powerless to defend his family, and so with sickness in his heart he assented.

With Sorn a prisoner in his Moon fortress, Crest set about increasing the power of his mortal congregation. He sent down dark angels called the Arnde, to the mortal plane and bid them teach arcane lore to his followers. But Allanbay bid them teach any mortal capable of learning. In the long centuries that followed the Arnde found only three such mortals, Duskcaster, Morgane and Delrox, none of whom followed Crest. Duskcaster was loyal to Veldex, and Delrox to Phykrell; Morgane would one day become the guardian of the key to the Crown Spires. These three mages eventually spread the arts of wizardry across the mortal plane. The Arnde left their mark in other ways too: whilst engaged in their sacred search, they diverted themselves often, and sired many mortal children, sometimes called Aasimar or Arndeborn.

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As Crest grew in power his brother Tilsman became jealous: for Crest had many mortal followers and Tilsman had but a few. Tilsman acted with Waltell to cast a great spell on Crest’s Moon Fortress which would drain power for the fortress and transfer magical energy into the hands of Tilsman’s followers. Many of Crest’s followers now flocked to Tilsman’s cause instead. Crest did not dare leave the Moon Fortress for he feared Allanbay and his sons, and the retribution they might one day enact upon him for imprisoning Sorn. Instead he ordered his followers to make war on the followers of Tilsman and a bitter conflict erupted. The fighting soon engulfed the mortal plane, affecting all peoples regardless of religion. This struggle is now called the First War of Fate.

After years of conflict, Crest invited Tilsman to the Moon fortress to negotiate peace. Waltell had now joined Crest’s side in the dispute and lured Tilsman into a trap within the fortress so that Crest might defeat him. Tilsman escaped but his face was wounded in the fight and he subsequently refused to show himself in public. The war ended with the defeat of Tilsman and the routing of his followers.

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Phykrell was king of the gods in name only: in truth he commanded little respect amongst his brothers and plotted to assert his authority in a manner they could not ignore. He commanded the warlord Delrox to raise a great army for him in the city of Westwall. The army swept across the mortal plane conquering all before it, the ranks ever swelling with vile creatures created by Phykrell to follow the warlord. The gods draw much of their divinity from the strength of their followers, and dominion of the mortal plane would give Phykrell immense power over his brothers. Allanbay was distracted by the loss of Sorn and absorbed utterly in his observation of Crest’s Moon Fortress, and so it fell to Veldex, the god of valour and also of justice, to marshall the defense of the mortal plane.

Veldex waited for the armies of Delrox in the Galen Mountains. It was here that he came across a herd of rams, one hundred in number, and with a sweep of his sword made warriors of them and granted them amulets of protection. These knights stood beside him and fought the hordes of Delrox to a stalemate: the warlord’s army was destroyed and all but one of the knights were slain. The bravest of the knights, and the last to die, was Magilone, and the survivor was named Tulock. At the end of the battle Tulock gathered up the amulets of all the rams-turned-knights and in the years to come new bearers were found. They called themselves the Knights of Magilone and dedicated their lives to Veldex and to the cause of chivalry and justice.

Delrox retreated. He had many more men awaiting his command and vowed to return with them. Other gods now became involved in the war. Valdor came amongst the men threatened by Delrox and trained them in war so that peasants became soldiers within a day. Daeder also intervened, for Delrox had wrecked many dwarven homes with his magic and the dwarves called upon their god to aid them. Valdor taught the secrets of weapon-smithing to the dwarves and Daeder bid them forge enchanted blades for Valdor’s army. Meanwhile, Phykrell too had called upon his divine allies and Hellacaster had answered the call, raising the dead from the earlier battle and marshalling them to fight alongside Delrox’s men in a new army with Phykrell at the helm.

Allanbay had now left his observation of the Moon Fortress and waited with Valdor’s army for the forces of evil to descend upon them. Tilsman marched with Phykrell and with his magic of shadows and deception had brought forth great black clouds to swaddle the undead hordes in darkness. Allanbay saw that the corpse of Magilone had been raised by Hellacaster and now marched amongst the undead. Allanbay called to Magilone to turn upon Tilsman, and somehow even in death the great warrior heard him, and resisted the magics that bound him. He bore down on Tilsman and sliced his hand clean off. The black clouds cleared: sunlight fell upon the undead hordes and many were turned to ash in an instant. Valdor’s army charged at their enemy, and though the fighting was bloody, they prevailed.

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At the end of the Second War of Fate Phykrell was left wounded and bleeding prolically. For his crimes and his aggression the gods sentenced him to an eternity of imprisonment on the mortal plane. Daeder built this prison deep inside a mountain and called it the Crown Spires. The construction took nine years but Phykrell was too weak to escape during that time. Once the Crown Spires was complete, the gods drained much of Phykrell’s power from him and bound it into a golden key. They threw him into the prison and locked it with the key which Daeder smahed into seven shards with his great hammer. The shards were given up into the care of Morgane, one of the first ever mortal mages, who built a magical tower in which to store them.

Three dragons guarded the shards: some say they were created by Morgane, others say by Daeder. The dragons found this duty onerous found the duty onerous and petitioned Morgane to permit them one day of relief. So Morgane granted this request and for one day each year he guarded the shards himself. But the shards were infused with power from Phykrell himself, and after many years they corrupted Morgane. The mage thought that by drawing power from the shards he could make himself godlike and immortal. His efforts created a magical explosion that destroyed him and the tower and sent the seven shards flying across the mortal plane. There were many who sought to recover the shards, for good or for ill. In the time since Phykrell’s imprisonment the Church of the Shroud had flourished in the lands of men.

The Red Shroud and the Church of the Shroud both sought the shards of the Crown Spires key so that they might free their god. The three guardian dragons and all opposed to Phykrell’s release also sought the shards. The Church of the Shroud came by four of the shards in time. A fifth was said to be held by a priest named Sullen who managed to escape with the artifact before the Shroud razed his temple. The Shroud Elders gathered two more shards over the course of several centuries, and once they had six, many gave up looking for the seventh as they had lost all will to liberate their god. A little over a decade ago those who continued the search for Sullen’s shard discovered its location: the traitor Orbsen of Falgoon Gap lead them to the citadel of his forefathers.

The Shroud Loyalists destroyed Falgoon Gap and retrieved the shard. With the aid of the thief Sbik they gained the other six shards from the Temple of Krell in Greystone and took them all to the Ebony Fortress in the Jasper Peaks so that the Jasper Dwarves, ever loyal to Krell could reforge the key to the Crown Spires. After centuries of captivity Phykrell was freed. His first act as leader of the Shroud was to name the Crown Spires a cathedral and his home, from which he might come and go as he pleased.

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Nearly two millennia ago Basenbe had visions of a future in which the gods once more waged war across the mortal plane causing great devastation and destruction, greater even than they had caused in the past: he predicted a Third War of Fate. He traveled to the mountain home of Daeder and spoke to him of the future. Six days, Basenbe recited the visions he had seen and Daeder listened. After Basenbe finished, Daeder spoke not a word but picked up his hammer and journeyed to the valley of the mortals. With special powers given to him by Basenbe and by the magic of his Hammer, Daeder constructed the Tower of Salt and Sandstone. The tower blocked the way between heaven and earth, for it rendered it impossible for any god to travel between those planes without the loss of divine power.

Daeder was bound to the mortal plane by this act, but he did not mind. The other gods also were forced to remain wherever they were when the tower was constructed. The gods can still speak with their mortal followers; it might also be theoretically possible for a mortal avatar to house the soul of a god and thus circumvent the tower, but no mortal is ever likely to survive being possessed by a god for long.

It is said that Basenbe habitually wrote his visions down on scrolls because, owing to their magical nature, he was inclined to forget them. The visions that predicted the Third War of Fate were scribed on five enchanted scrolls which were later stolen by Hester, though it is not known to what end she acted thus or what became of the five Scrolls of Fate.

Now that Phykrell is free it seems that the Third War of Fate will take place in spite of the measures taken to prevent this. Once he has tired of punishing those members of his own congregation who betrayed him, he will gather an army and march on the Tower of Salt and Sandstone and it may be that even Daeder’s fell enchantments cannot prevent him from marching on the gates of heaven.

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