The SenZar Solar System Merkarri, the First Planet

Radius: 3,321 miles. Silestion, the Sun Average Distance from Silestion: 42,000,000 miles. Radius: 444,888 miles. Solar Revolution: 0.22 years. Average Distance from SenZar: 99,000,000 miles. Mass: 5.23 X 1026 kg. 30 Mass: 2.14x10 kg. Composition: Merkarri is composed primarily of silicon, Composition: Silestion is composed primarily of silicon dioxide, and iron. hydrogen and helium, with traces of most known Atmosphere: None. elements and some exotics, notably Solara. Satellites: 0. Origin of Name: Named first in recorded history by the Silestion race, who revere the celestial body as a Origin of Name: Merkarri was named in honor of the phoenix-like reincarnation of their own homeworld's ancient Solarr champion, Merkarr'i, who was hailed as the annihilated sun, Silestion has, through the years, become swiftest flier of their mighty race. With the notable the common name for the star of the SenZar solar exception of SenZar, whose name was already in system. existence, the names of the planets were codified and standardized by Jacoor Thrax, the first Overlord of Pacts or Magicks: None, per se, though the star is Zengara, the Forever City, during the first year of his capable of producing several exotics, including Solara. reign. Though not an Astromancer himself, Jacoor Thrax, Special: A notable moment in Silestion's history through his secret communion with The Dragon, realized occurred at the start of the Fourth Age when Lord that it was necessary to "name" the planets, in order for Valthrustra, with a casual wave of his hand, caused the the magicks of Astromancy to become realized. The warm golden hue of Silestion to fade to a dismal, slowly names of ancient champions, many of them from the throbbing black. During the 1,000 years of his reign of original homeworlds from which the denizens of SenZar terror, the "Phoenix" was banished to the Void, and no hailed, were used, as their names were already imprinted sunlight shined down on SenZar. (At least none that on the collective memories of the majority of the people; mortals could see; SenZar still managed to survive this and with their names came power. sunless, Void Moon-burning era, even with an allegedly Pacts or Magicks: None. "black" sun. Most sages speculate that Lord Valthrustra simply polarized SenZar's atmosphere to the golden light Special: Those on the surface of Merkarri will take 1d100 of Silestion, causing it to appear black. Still, there is a points of hardcore radiation damage per combat round. nagging thought that the King of Hate actually did change the color of the star by "banishing the Phoenix," though none but the greatest of the gods still alive from that time can know what truly happened.) Vena, the Second Planet Hel, the Fourth Planet

Radius: 5,829 miles. Radius: 6,356 miles. Average Distance from Silestion: 66,000,000 miles. Average Distance from Silestion: 133,000,000 miles. Solar Revolution: 0.56 years. Solar Revolution: 1.77 years. Mass: 2.23 X 1027 kg. Mass: 4.14 X 1027 kg. Composition: Vena is composed primarily of silicon, Composition: Hel is composed primarily of silicon, silicon dioxide, and iron, with a trace of several other silicon dioxide, sulfur, sulfur dioxide, and iron. silicoid compounds. Atmosphere: Heavy concentrations of sulfur dioxide. Atmosphere: Very little; primarily gaseous state Poisonous to most sentients. silicoids burning off from solar bombardment. Toxic to most sentients. Satellites: 3 ("Hammer", "Anvil," and "Dross"). Satellites: 0. Origin of Name: Hel is named for the ancient Khazak master of the Vulcan Forge, Jerrek Hel, who forged the Origin of Name: Vena was named in honor of the pre- mighty weapons of war which gave the SenZar defenders First Age Starin champion of justice, Vena Dys-Sylvana. the edge in the first Weirding War. Considered by many to Vena was, according to legend, the "lady of light," whose be the first Soulforger realized on SenZar, Jerrek Hel is heroic actions during the first Weirding Wars finally now considered by many Khazak sages to have ascended repulsed the invading demonic forces at the second and unto the ranks of the Grim Grey Gods, only to be final Battle of Ganath. Rumor has it that she was none destroyed in the 222nd year of the Fourth Age by Skurge other than the paramour of Jacoor Thrax himself, and himself. that her selfless sacrifice of her own soul to save the world moved him to honor her memory forever by Pacts or Magicks: None. naming the most beautiful planet after her. Special: Those on the surface of Hel will take 1d10 Pacts or Magicks: None. Legend has it, however, that points of acidic damage per combat round. any spell of love cast upon the rising of Vena in the eastern pre-dawn sky will have a most potent effect. Special: Those on the surface of Vena will take 1d20 points of hardcore radiation damage per combat round. Titan, the Fifth Planet

Radius: 99,768 miles. Average Distance from Silestion: 555,000,000 miles. Solar Revolution: 999.99 years. Mass: 9.39 X 1029 kg. Composition: Titan is composed primarily of super- dense helium and hydrogen, with traces of Zidrae found on the surface near the boundary of the gravitic torus (see below). Atmosphere: All atmosphere lies within the gravitic torus surrounding the planet. High concentrations of methane, sulfur, helium, and hydrogen compete with captured cometary bodies within the raging, chaotic gravitic torus. Satellites: 18 (Variable number of satellites, as most are eventually destroyed even as new satellites are captured; satellites are collectively referred to as "Titan's Chosen.") Origin of Name: The name is the transliteration of the original Silesian, Tyt'N, the father of Warhawk, Supreme God of War. Legend states that Tyt'N was the strongest Silestion ever. Nothing was capable of surviving his mighty grasp. During the original purge of the Death Horde from SenZar, the single Annihilator-class Death Horde vessel in the SenZar sector, the Nemesis (refer to the planetary body "Nemesis" for more information), attempted one last desperate ploy to destroy the SenZar solar system before their mighty vessel itself was destroyed. The Horde, attempting to initiate a singularity within the heart of the planet (a singularity which would eventually yet irrevocably plunge the solar system into utter destruction), caused the planet's atmosphere to ignite and burn away in a conflagration of terrible proportions. The Horde's dreaded Singularity Generator then was brought to bear on the horribly mutilated planet. However, the Horde was thwarted during the final stage of this cosmic blasphemy by the defenders of SenZar, and the singularity failed to manifest completely. The final-stage singularity, unable to wreak its full destructive might, nonetheless transformed the planet into a massive gravitic well, its gravitic torus the incomplete manifestation of the doomed singularity. Escape from the torus surrounding Titan is virtually impossible, save by means of a Master Warp (see "Special" below). Historians note that the naming of the planet was hailed by the Silestions as a sign of Tyt'N's legacy restored. Pacts or Magicks: None. Special: Any celestial body within 10,000,000 miles of Titan will be drawn irrevocably into its gravitic torus, to be completely destroyed by gravitic shearing within 1d20 months. Conventional propulsion will allow an escape from this danger zone. However, once a celestial body approaches within 1,000,000 miles of Titan, it cannot escape save by means of a Master Warp, or primal magicks. Kronos, the Sixth Planet Blackmyre, the Seventh Planet

Radius: 66,112 miles. Radius: 32,984 miles. Average Distance from Silestion: 965,000,000 miles. Average Distance from Silestion: 1,765,000,000 miles. Solar Revolution: 30.17 years. Solar Revolution: 88.42 years. Mass: 6.34 X 1028 kg. Mass: 5.78 X 1028 kg. Composition: The core of Kronos is composed Composition: Blackmyre is composed of a SenZar- primarily of liquid helium. standard core, mantle, and crust. Atmosphere: Heavy concentrations of highly charged Atmosphere: SenZar-standard, with elevated levels of hydrogen, helium, sulfur, and methane, as well as both methane. Exposure to atmosphere is tolerable to most normal and plasma state neon, argon, krypton, and other humanoids, though unpleasant, as the surface of the noble gases. Heavy electrostatic charges emanating from planet is very much a dimly lit, frozen swamp. the core cause the noble gases in the atmosphere to spontaneously ignite, causing the planet's bright "neon" Satellites: 14 ("Nyoth," "Vyex," and "Mullik" are the glow. three largest, with Nyoth nearly as large as the planet Merkarri). All are barren, lifeless worlds, though Vyex is Satellites: 16 ("Kyyrok," "Dyybok," "Golomyn," and held by Astromancers to contain large concentrations of "Tyranth" are the four largest, with each nearly as large Vermix. as the planet Merkarri). Legend states that during the close of the Fifth Age several adventuring parties Origin of Name: Blackmyre was named for Dargoth returned to SenZar from the moon Tyranth, armed with Blackmyre, the noble philosopher-king of the ancient pre- tales of an ancient, abandoned Death Horde base located SenZar Goblin race. Sadly, few sages will openly admit somewhere along the 30th latitudinal line of its northern this seeming improbability, given the current devolution hemisphere. Of all the moons of Kronos, it is known that of the Goblin race on SenZar and the general proclivity of only Tyranth holds a marginal SenZar-standard most humanoids to disregard as fanciful any notion that atmosphere, though survival on its fierce subzero surface the Goblin race once was the intellectual, moral, and would tax even the most fierce Akir. In fact, exposure to ethical equal of any other. Tyranth's extreme cold results in victims taking 1 point Pacts or Magicks: Atmosphere Converter. This ancient of damage per phase for the duration of their stay. Shadar Steel pyramidal structure, found at the exact Origin of Name: According to legend, Kronos was a southern geomagnetic pole of the planet, was installed on contemporary of Jacoor Thrax, though sages are split as Blackmyre by the Death Horde during their occupation of to his true origin. Most conservatively maintain that he the solar system. Originally intended to render to the was a simple Human, perhaps the legendary Kronak of atmosphere of the planet capable of supporting standard Galth, who served as one of Thrax's viziers during those humanoid life, the Atmosphere Converter now lies in a days. Some speculate, however, that the planet was state of disrepair, barely capable of maintaining the named in honor of an obscure artifact, the Kronos, which breathable atmosphere. Few suspect that the Death Horde aided the SenZar forces in the routing of the Death intended to make the planet habitable for anything other Horde contingent. The truth may lie somewhere between than a planetary testing area for their incredible weapons. the two, though, as Kronak of Galth was rumored to Special: Those on Blackmyre take 1 point of hardcore have been, however briefly, in command of the Lysefell radiation damage per combat round. (see "The Nine Power Foci of The Dragon" in CB2), which is known by one appellation in Druus as the "KAR.O.NOS," or "Kronos." Pacts or Magicks: None. Special: Those on Kronos take 1d100 points of hardcore radiation damage per combat round. Susseidon, the Eighth Planet Charon, the Ninth Planet

Radius: 34,935 miles. Radius: 4,344 miles. Average Distance from Silestion: 2,675,000,000 miles. Average Distance from Silestion: 3,677,000,000 miles. Solar Revolution: 157.98 years. Solar Revolution: 342.98 years. Mass: 8.98 X 1028 kg. Mass: 3.12 X 1026 kg. Composition: Composed mainly of silicon, silicon Composition: The core of Charon is composed primarily dioxide, iron, and nickel. The "surface" is liquid water, of nickel and iron. The temperature at the surface hovers kept in a non-frozen state by a superabundance of several degrees above absolute zero. submarine geothermal hot spots. Those with aquatic adaptation of any sort can survive in its waters. Atmosphere: Very little. Vestigial traces of both hydrogen and helium, with an impure form of helium Atmosphere: Primarily oxygen, ozone, some nitrogen, found in a liquid state near the polar areas. and traces of sulfur dioxide and fluorine. Poisonous to most humanoids, who take 1d10 points of damage per Satellites: 1 ("Genneth Nar"). combat round during exposure. Origin of Name: Charon, sometimes referred to as the "Guardian of 1,000,000 Years," is the last true "planet" of Satellites: 9 ("Sslyachz," and "Llyebda" are the two the solar system (before the artificial "planet," Nemesis, largest, with both being approximately the size of the and the dreaded Zone of Destruction). Sages assume that SenZar moon, Kaldos). Charon was named in honor of "Charon the Blind," a holy Origin of Name: Susseidon is an epithet for Poseidonus, man who advised Jacoor Thrax during the turbulent time the ancient T'leel God of the Depths. "Susseidon" refers of the Death Horde's extirpation from SenZar. While the to the warlike aspect of Poseidonus. truth may never be revealed to anyone's satisfaction, it should be noted that the epithet "Guardian of 1,000,000 Pacts or Magicks: None. Years," when translated into Sidhe, returns to us as Special: Those on Susseidon must be adaptable to an "SI.GIL", or the common name of Sigil Talisman, twin of aquatic environment, else they will drown, or die Lord Valthrustra. Considering his reputation for assuming gasping for air that they cannot possibly breathe. numerous identities, especially early in the history of SenZar, it is quite possible that Jacoor Thrax's "holy man" was indeed Sigil Talisman, and that his "true identity" is revealed in the Sidhe transliteration of Charon's common epithet. Pacts or Magicks: None. Special: Those on Charon take 1 point of hardcore radiation damage per combat round, as well as 1d100 points of cold damage. Nemesis, the Tenth “Planet” conventionally (see below), or by means of some extradimensional means, such as Astral or Shadow travel. (Note: Nemesis itself was originally gifted with a PD of Radius: 414,414 miles. 1,001; standard Death Horde fare for an Annihilator-class Average Distance from Silestion: 4,100,000,000 miles. starship. The Primal Web was designed to bind all 1,001 points of the original PD of Nemesis into a standard Solar Revolution: 1,000 years. Primal Defense of 1,001 points, while removing or Mass: 6.66 X 1024 kg. denying the original intent of the PD. Thus, any who would seek the destruction of Nemesis must first Composition: This former Death Horde Annihilator- overcome the 1,001 PD of the vessel itself, then, class starship is composed of a virtually pure Shadar somehow, defeat the Primal Web; for only the total Steel/Omnium hyperalloy. Patterned after the Death destruction of the Void Singularity will rid the universe of Horde flagship, Demonia Prime, Nemesis is a modified the scourge of Nemesis.) Dyson sphere, approximately solar-sized; 99.9% of its interior structure is hollow, allowing the former Special: There are numerous means of conventional population of Horde troops to inhabit the interior surface ingress into Nemesis, as the surface of the sphere is of the sphere. The vessel's power is provided by a riddled with access portals for starfaring vessels (many of harnessed Void Singularity, which occupies the exact enormous size), as well as a gamut of weapon batteries, center of the sphere. Sabotaged during the final phase of which are also means of ingress for those willing to take the war which expelled the Death Horde from the the risk of entering the sphere through a technomagickal SenZar solar system, the singularity is now in a semi- device capable of annihilating most planetary bodies with dormant state, trapped within a primal web of but a single blast. Though the majority of portals, either dimensional energies which effectively phase it out of conventional or weapon, are locked down or this reality (see "Pacts or Magicks" below). nonfunctional, there are still literally hundreds, if not thousands, of portals that remain in an open or unlocked Atmosphere: Little conventional external atmosphere; state. traces of gravitically trapped hydrogen, helium, and cometary debris. Internal atmosphere is SenZar-standard. Nemesis & the Death Horde: Chances are slim that, There yet remains a marginally functional automated life after so many millennia, even one of the original Horde support system, its source the eight atmosphere troops still exists on Nemesis. Granted, the Death Horde generation plants which are spaced equidistantly about is known to employ any manner of "sleeper" agents, the interior surface of the sphere. automated defense units, and technomagickal defenses in the defense of its major starships (of which Nemesis truly Satellites: None. was). But while encountering "sleeper agents" and automated defenses is perhaps a possibility for the bold Origin of Name: Nemesis is the original name of the adventurer who dares to journey to Nemesis, the true Death Horde Annihilator-class starship. Through the threat to the adventurer's soul lies in the fact that the centuries, the name has come to denote in the common Death Horde is also known never to turn the other cheek parlance a foe of extreme power, eternal in nature, and when vengeance lies within their collective unholy grasp. incapable of destruction. It is rumored that, even during Nemesis, seemingly abandoned as it is, doubtless is a the height of his Fourth Age rule of SenZar, Lord primary target for the Horde's far-reaching plans of total Valthrustra did not deign intrude upon Nemesis, though domination of all things living and dead, and the Death his reasons for inaction may very well have been related Horde will stop at nothing to implement their cruel to the nature of the Primal Web (see below), and nothing vengeance upon the one world that has defeated them. more. (So perhaps that bold adventurer will think twice before Pacts or Magicks: Primal Web; PD: 101. The primal daring to journey to a "world" that may very well serve as web acts as a 101 PD defense for any who would dare a base for advance Death Horde scouts, troops, or perhaps attempt to resurrect the Void Singularity which powers even for a contingent of the true Horde itself...) Nemesis. Created by the forces of light which drove the darkness of the Death Horde from SenZar, the Primal Web entraps the Void Singularity within an inescapable multidimensional shunt, rendering it "out of phase" with this reality, and incapable of providing full battle power for Nemesis. Any attack upon the Primal Web will cause the web to issue forth a powerful telepathic warning to all telepathic or empathic sentients within the solar system. The warning will sound but once per disturbance, though the message it contains will specifically "name" the violator(s) and, if possible, transmit a detailed image of the violator(s). A side effect of the Primal Web is to deny all common teleports and transports, Space Warps, and Master Warps into Nemesis. Entry into Nemesis must be achieved SenZar and its Moons

SenZar, the Third Planet

Radius: 7,933.33 miles. Average Distance from Silestion: 99,000,000 miles. Solar Revolution: 1.00 years. Mass: 5.99 X 1027 kg. Satellites: 3 (Faeyera, Kaldos, Selene the Void Moon) Composition: The core, mantle, and crust are virtually identical in composition to that of a Terran-class planet, with the notable exception of the deposits of some exotic elements not normally found on Terra. These deposits, as Faeyera, the First Moon of SenZar well as all other mineral and elemental deposits, are substantially richer in yield than their Terran-class Radius: 2,968.4 miles. counterparts. Average Distance from SenZar: 100,000 miles. Atmosphere: The atmosphere contains nitrogen, oxygen, argon, and a host of other trace elements in Apogee: 104,345 miles. Terran-class proportions. Due to SenZar’s ancient Perigee: 96,273 miles. terraforming, which modified not only the atmosphere but also the planet’s magnetic field, virtually 99% of all Composition: This large moon is composed primarily of radiations harmful to life are filtered out before they silicon, silicon dioxide, iron, and iron oxide. The iron reach the ground. oxide gives Faeyera its reddish hue. Magnetic Poles: The magnetic poles of SenZar shift Atmosphere: The atmosphere is sparse, and unsuitable with the regularity of a planetary heartbeat, which in fact for standard humanoid life forms. There are, however, they are. Both the north and south magnetic poles faint traces of oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere. A fluctuate some 4.14 degrees in both latitude and fairly strong magnetic field is present. longitude from their centroid norm during a period of approximately 56 years. Origin of Name: Refer to the SenZar source book, page 98. The Tides: The Sun and the two visible Moons cause a tremendous variance in the tides, with multiple high Pacts or Magicks: None. tide/low tide combinations possible within a single day. Special: Those on the surface of Faeyera will take 1d10 The baleful influence of the invisible Void Moon is not points of hardcore radiation damage per combat round. normally felt, save during the Weirding, when its appearance plunges all normal tidal action into devastating chaos. Origin of Name: While none can prove the true origin of the planet's name, the vast majority of sages believe that the name of the planet is in fact a remnant of Namo himself; the name an extension of the act of his creation of the world and its multiverse. Scholars of the Sidhe language, however, insist that the name "SenZar" refers not only to the act of creation itself, but also to the very words which Namo uttered to create the multiverse, while in the midst of The Dragon's Breath; "SenZar" is thus the name of "All That All Which Is, All That All Which Binds," the very word of creation itself. Pacts or Magicks: Multiple, including the Nine Power Foci of The Dragon. Kaldos, the Second Moon of SenZar

Radius: 1,111.1 miles. Average Distance from SenZar: 50,000 miles. Apogee: 57,421 miles. Perigee: 41,737 miles. Composition: This moon is composed primarily of silicon, silicon dioxide, and iron, with traces of cobalt, uranium, plutonium, and several other radioactive actinides. Atmosphere: Due to the technomagickal pact placed upon Kaldos by Mad Sam Sprunge (see below), there is a SenZar-standard atmosphere on the moon. Though the air is quite breathable, the radioactive nature of the lunar soil will inflict 1 hit point of damage per minute to all sentients on the lunar surface. Natural AP is still applicable for defense. Origin of Name: Refer to the SenZar source book, page 98. Pacts or Magicks: Terraforming Pact. PD: 1,112. Initiated during the final year of the Seventh Age by Mad Sam Sprunge, this pact will gradually transform the lifeless and barren sphere of Kaldos unto a miniature Gaia—in approximately 1,000 years. There is already an atmosphere suitable for life, though the cleansing and regeneration of the radioactive lunar biome will require much more time to facilitate. The Pact itself is centered in the core of the moon. The core is a titanic, hypercompressed sphere of silicoid diamond, some 10 miles in diameter. Access to the core, restricted as it is by the very nature of its composition, is further restricted by the final 111 PD of the Terraforming Pact. This final 111 points serves as a "null ward," which bars all contact, either direct or indirect, with the core and its pact by any power, force, or entity native to the SenZar multiverse. How Mad Sam Sprunge can access the pact remains a closely held secret. Special: See “Mad Sam Sprunge” in “The Seven Stars.” Selene, the Void Moon must have known would become her ultimate destiny), and not a champion. Radius: 666 miles. Special: There are persistent rumors of a titanic Shadar Steel pyramid located somewhere on Selene. The few Average Distance from SenZar: 23,232 miles. sages who will dare speculate as to the rumored pyramid's Apogee: 23,232 miles. origins seem to agree that it must be nothing other than a creation of Namo himself, existing in hateful isolation Perigee: 23,232 miles. since the earliest days of SenZar. The pyramid, which Composition: Selene, the Void Moon, is composed of a rises more than ten miles high, is surrounded by a 10 mile thick layer of Shadar Steel, which covers an complex of eight Shadar Steel towers, each over one mile essentially hollow world. There is a surface “crust” of high. The towers are connected to the main pyramid by ground up bones and skulls, black and blasted, that elegant flying butresses in the form of rampant dragons. varies in depth from a few inches to several feet. All who These dragons appear to nestle together to form the base dare to enter the feeble atmosphere of this moon must of the grand dragon itself, which rears rampant from the continue to make POW saves vs. the soul-damning main pyramid, its ten mile wide raging wings stretching effects of Shadar Steel on each and every phase, for the to the dark heavens themselves. It should be noted that no duration of their stay. quest thus far has succeeded in confirming or denying the alleged existence of this hideousity, though it is a known Atmosphere: Traces of the Void permeate Selene's fact that even the most powerful immortals are wary of protoatmosphere, and anyone entering it must save as the ancient power of Namo, and are loathe to disturb what per above. well may be some enduring vestige of Namo’s fantastic power. Pacts or Magicks: Temporal Veil. PD: 1,001. Erected at the close of the Fourth Age by a consortium of the forces Illustration Note: Selene, pictured below as the blazing who defeated Lord Valthrustra and his Shadar minions, white light source at the bottom, is in dark syzygy with its the Temporal Veil hides away the Void Moon from companions, Faeyera and Kaldos, during the advent of mortal sight, displacing it into a special temporal the Weirding. Silestion, soon to be banished from "pocket" which shifts it out of phase with the Prime. observation from SenZar for the duration of the Weirding, Thus, the moon is never seen, and its baleful effects are casts its dying, impotent rays in the background; the never felt by the inhabitants of SenZar. It is only during embodiment of the Phoenix itself, giving way to the the time of the Weirding that the Temporal Veil is darkling power of the Void Moon. temporarily lowered, and the Void Moon shines forth its horrid ultraviolet death upon the world below. This necessary impurity in the Temporal Veil was incorporated into the pact to maintain and reinforce its strength, in effect raising the PD of the pact to its own power (1,001 to the 1,001st power) for purposes of its defense. Should the Weirding go its way without becoming permanent, the Void Moon will follow, fading from mortal eyes till the next Weirding. When Selene shines in this reality, every living creature on the surface of SenZar takes 1 hit point per day from its ultraviolet light (all natural AP and magickal AP still applies, however). The Temporal Veil also wards the moon from casual intrusion, rendering it inviolate save by means of a primally augmented Master Warp (or any other comparable immortal/primal means of ingress). This defense is two-way, and anyone on the moon must implement the same means of egress to escape the veil. Only during the time of the Weirding is Selene in-phase with this reality; serving its necessary function as the harbinger of change. Origin of Name: Selene, originally the most prominent moon of SenZar, was dark hued, though extremely luminescent. Selene was known as "the Hidden," as ancient stargazers had to note her presence by virtue of which stellar bodies were being obscured by her presence. Like both Faeyera and Kaldos, Selene, too, was named by Jacoor Thrax. However, unlike her heavenly companions, Selene was named for an abstraction (the "Hidden," which the precognizant Thrax rises some 5,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level. The The Continents of SenZar plateau is studded with thick tropical rain forests, interspersed with slowly fuming volcanoes that form the backbone of the land. Few civilized sentients inhabit this wild, untamed land. Kurg

The largest and most populous continent on SenZar, Kurg is almost as expansive as the Terran continents of Asia and Africa combined. Virtually every climate and geomorphic feature can be found within the land of Kurg, from the barren desolation of the Wasteland to the Map of the World of SenZar, circa early Eighth Age. The steaming tropical jungles of the Murdo region. The great polychromatic geometries of the magickal focal lines, steppes of the central highlands are inhabited by the visible only to immortals and those rare mortals gifted nomadic Human subculture of the Kurg, from whom the with the sight, spin a cosmic web of pure power magick. land derives its name. However, it is the Silestions who rule much, if not all, of the southern and western regions of the land. Mao Yen

The homeland of the August Lords, Mao Yen is a continent of stark majesty and sublime beauty. The island continent of Mao Yen and its neighboring islands lie not far removed from the eastern coast of the supercontinent of Kurg. The coastline of the continent is densely inhabited, though the rugged and mountainous interior regions are still in a somewhat unexploited state and sparsely populated. Vhannok Close-up of the SenZar world map, circa early Eighth The second largest and second most populous continent, Age. The view centers on Zengara, the Forever City. Vhannok is the home to Zengara, Arcturus, Rotath, the More than two-thirds of the world's sentient humanoid Krystallmyst Forest and Mountains, the Veil of Sominus, population abounds within the range represented by the and the Great Rift. The part of the continent that stretches map. eastward from the Great Rift is commonly known as “The 8th Age Continents of SenZar Dragon Peninsula,” and it is perhaps the most highly traveled region in the world. Part of this is due to the high population of the area and the proximity of not one but Asperis several major metropolitan areas, though the mind- A land like no other on SenZar, Asperis is in fact not boggling beauty of the region and its reputation as a entirely of SenZar. Much of its geography was created source of adventurer’s treasure hoards are other strong during the early First Age by the mad god Nonak, of the candidates. legendary planet Asperis. During his mad bid to seize Yhafarr control of The Dragon, he attempted to “fuse” his dying homeworld with that of SenZar. Alas, Nonak was Yhafarr is a harsh, cold land of ice, snow, glaciers, and repulsed in his efforts through the combined efforts of mountains. Many Akir call it home, though the proportion most known immortals, both good and evil, and Asperis of non-Akir is higher in Yhafarr than in Ymir. Portions of was destroyed—but not before a small portion of the continent are dotted with geothermal features, Nonak’s homeworld had indeed fused itself with SenZar, including geysers, hot springs, and fumaroles, which rise creating the continent of Asperis. Thus, the bastard from the tundra in seeming random proliferation. Here, continent of Asperis is a bizarre combination of more than in any other land, one can witness the curious otherworld and homeworld, though only the most juxtaposition of fire and ice, as the two elements war with devoted sages can truly say where one ends and the other one another for supremacy of the land. begins. Ymir Darkoth The land of Ymir shares with the land of Yhafarr the title The dark continent of Darkoth is isolated in the southern of the northernmost continent. Dominated by the Akir, seas, far removed from the cultural streams of the rest of who make their capital of Akirak here, Ymir is cold, the world. The majority of Darkoth is a high plateau that harsh, and unforgiving. It is a land of ice and snow, replete with vast stretches of tundra and boreal forests. the city as Maalax, with each naming stripping the The majority of the population inhabits the coastal and ancient Shadar wizard of a small portion of his soul, piece southern regions of Ymir. However, small communities by screaming piece, then feeding the shredded pieces of of hardy Akir and Jotun may be found even in the most primal to Lord Valthrustra until nothing remained. With inhospitable areas. Maalax no more, the pact was lifted, and the confused population was left to grasp why their own dark ruler left this world with an eternal curse upon his lips. The city serves today the call of Chthon and her dark minions, 8th Age Area and Population of SenZar though by power of Maalax's dying soul-curse no Shadar Lord may enter the city, save under threat of his immortal Area (sq. Continent Population* soul from a particularly nasty pact, the Death Words of miles) Maalax (see below). No other major city has since been Asperis 1,312,000 2,500,000 founded with a name based upon an anagram of its Darkoth 3,535,000 23,450,000 founder’s name. Amalax currently houses a small branch Kurg 25,550,000 535,000,000 of the Shadow Hawk Guild, as well as numerous temples to the evil gods of the Pit. The ancient ways of darkness Mao Yen 1,750,000 88,500,000 are strong here, and few good folk dwell within the Vhannok 13,777,000 333,000,000 ancient black basalt walls of the city. Typically, the ruler Yhafarr 5,450,000 33,000,000 of the city is the high priest of the temple of Chthon, though the theocrat so chosen has yet to retain his grasp Ymir 4,578,000 27,500,000 of power for more than a few months before mysteriously World 55,950,000 1,042,950,000 vanishing from this world. Still, zealots will be zealots, * Population includes all humanoids of all races. and the most powerful priests actively maneuver and Midnight Realm, aerial, island, and miscellaneous manipulate their brethren to achieve their goal of populations are included with the nearest continent becoming the new theocrat. or land populations. Pact: The Death Words of Maalax; PD: 100,001. The city of Amalax is warded vs. the intrusion of any Shadar immortal by the full force of this death-pact, uttered with Details of the Continent of Vhannok the dying breath of Maalax. Any Shadar who dares to enter the city's ancient walls will instantly begin to suffer An Explanation of Terminology Employed: a hideous logarithmic decrease in his own primal, losing The term “Population” refers to the number of citizens one point of primal on the first phase of his stay, then ten found within the city or region listed on the following points on his second, then one hundred on the third, and linked pages. The number is restricted to only the known so on, until his immortal soul is no more, and nothing races, and not the “monster” races or other sentient races save a puny, mortal soul remains. All primal lost is (which are accounted for in the population breakdown by accrued towards resurrecting Maalax, who will resume continent, but not in the individual listings his former immortal Shadar existence once 100,000 accompanying the linked pages). Thus, while the term points of primal have been drained. Though no Shadar “Uninhabited” may mean that there are no Humans or has yet succumbed to this pact, several have indeed tested Silestions there, there may be humanoid “monsters” its power, only to meet with defeat. Thus far, Maalax has there. Some “metro” populations are listed for the more gained some 50,000 points of primal, halfway to his dark populous nations. Racial breakdowns are provided goal of realization in this world. Ironically, Amalax beneath the population listing. “Others” refers to all historically has served as a sanctuary for those who other races. The listing is sometimes but not always would flee the eternal wrath of the Shadar, a cruel reality broken down further. not at all conceived by Maalax when he spoke his Death Words. Amalax Anaxar Population: 50,000 Human: 33% Others: 67% Population: 55,000 The city was so named in the early First Age as an Human: 80% Others: 20% anagram for the name of the city’s paranoid founder, the Ruled by the sorcerer lords of the powerful House of great Shadar wizard Maalax, who refused to directly Jhodek since the middle of the Seventh Age, Anaxar is lend his magickal name to the city for fear of his being considered by many sages to be the finest repository of “named” by all those who said the city’s name. Maalax, post-Fourth Age magicks in existence on SenZar outside who enjoyed perhaps one of the longest and most of the Collegium, the Shadow Hawk, and Witchhold. paranoid reigns on SenZar, was finally dethroned by However, many sages prefer Anaxar to the others, if only Nathrak himself during the turbulent Fourth Age, when because there is nothing to pay for in order to trade items Maalax refused to worship the dark glory of Lord or magicks (you become a member of Anaxar’s city-wide Valthrustra. Eager to punish the infidel, Nathrak pacted “guild” the moment you walk through the city gates). the city itself to act as an anagrammatical soul-snuffer; That, and the fact that in Anaxar knowledge rules, not each person in the city being pacted to say the name of prejudice, and all students of magick are brothers within the heavily artificed black stone walls of the city. The trade of religious products, timber products, gold, and powerful House of Jhodek sees to it that no one violates diamonds. Arcturian stained glass is a highly sought item this basic tenet of law, and the magicks of Jhodek’s Wall on the world market, and commands a price equal to its ensures this on pain of soul-death. The House of Jhodek rather heavy weight in gold. The Church of Rel adheres to is represented by the 13 most powerful spellcasters a fanatically strict, numerological based system in its within the city of Anaxar. Neither race nor codes bar hierarchy. From the lofty office of the Highfather down to entry into the house, though in order to enter one must the lowest cell of the Brother, everything is fixed in first replace another member. This right may be freely number, and there is never an exception to the rule. Of given, as one member may choose another spellcaster to course, since these numbers are fixed in the Holy Book of replace him, or may be won during trial by combat. The Rel itself, there can never be an exception to them, on trial by combat typically is not to the death, as lord- pain of instant purification. ranked spellcasters are uncommon, and difficult to replace. Instead, the trial is used to prove which The Blacklist: The official Blacklist of Rel is a closely combatant has the greater command of the magickal arts. guarded document that can be viewed only by the The House of Jhodek meets once per year, on Highfather and his chosen counselors. The version that Midsummer’s Eve, when they make all necessary the public sees is typically the edited version, which is decisions by majority vote; seldom are councils called modified to suit the present Rellian campaign, whatever it otherwise. might be. The Blacklist is handled as the propaganda it truly is, and is posted in all public places, as well as Pact: Jhodek’s Wall; PD: 13. The power core of Jhodek’s quoted from during special temple services. The current Wall is located within the perimeter of the wall itself, Eighth Age Blacklist (the public version) includes the nestled within the 13 ingots’ worth of purest Supremium following: that forms a hair-thin support matrix throughout the total expanse of the city walls. The Rellian Blacklist Linked Pacts Subject Penance All monsters Purification Pact of Brotherhood: Whosoever casts a spell or employs an item to cast a spell or produce a magickal All mutants Purification All humanoids (non- effect upon another sentient humanoid within the walls Purification of the city of Anaxar is subject to an immediate Power Human) Word: Damn! The only way to safely ignore this All infidels (Human) Crucifixion sanction is to receive the explicit permission of the All pagans (Human) Crucifixion intended target sentient to cast the magick upon him. All blasphemers Purification PD Link with City Walls: The PD of the pact extends (Human Rellians) itself to the defenses of the city walls, rendering them Mercy, while rarely granted, can sometimes be applied if immune to non-primal damage, and granting them the the victim swears his newfound Rellian faith before the full PD of the pact itself. Great Golden Ankh of Rel. Naturally, this applies only to Humans. Unfortunately, even the newly faithful may still Arcturus, the Holy City of Rel be sent to the Light under the pain of fire or nails. Population: 1,000,000 (urban); 1,444,000+ (metro) The Rellian Trinity of Power Human: 100% The Rellian Priest The Holy City of Rel, or Arcturus as it is commonly known, was founded at the start of the Fifth Age by Rel The Priesthood Number himself to serve as a religious sanctuary for all of his faithful. The city was originally laid out in the form of an Highfather 1 ankh, the holy symbol of the Rellian faithful, though the High Priest 12 vast growth of the city has far outstripped the original Priest 36 plan. Purification Square dominates the center of town. The High Holy Temple of Rel rests at the western edge Cardinal 108 of the square, while the many offices of the highest Bishop 324 ranking officials of the church ring the northern and Father 972 southern sides. The temple is situated such that its doors Prelate 2,916 face the rising sun in the east, a feature common to all Rellian temples. Brother 8,748 The Highfather is his own authority, and answers to no Economy: The economy of the Holy City of Rel is one, though he holds council with the Twelve (the Twelve driven by the religious faithful, who tithe a flat 10% of High Priests), the Grand Inquisitor, and the Dragonslayer. everything they earn to the church. This vast surplus of Each of the 12 High Priests is in turn responsible for 3 funds comes in to the city from all the faithful around the Priests, while each Priest is responsible for 3 Cardinals, world, and is the source of the majority of the city’s vast and so on down the line. This system of checks holds the riches. Additionally, the city engages in the lucrative hierarchy of the priests in place, simultaneously reflecting the mysterious tripartite countenance of Rel himself. Listings are provided for “ship of the line” ranked ships Note: The “144 Priests” mentioned in the SenZar source only, and not for the hundreds of support craft and book who serve at the Great Holy Temple of Rel are in smaller vessels also in the inventory. Each ship in the fact “Priests” by name, and not rank; they are drawn Rellian “ship of the line” naval inventory is equipped from the numbers of Priests, Cardinals, and Bishops in with a crew capable of manning multiple battle stations, the hierarchy. including standard batteries of Catapults, Ballistae, Ripplers, Crushers, and Multiple Missile Launchers. The The Rellian Inquisitor number of war machines varies from ship to ship; even The Inquisition Number the least of the great ships sports at minimum one of them. The Grand Inquisitor 1 Inquisitors 48 Special Forces: All Priests, Inquisitors, and Dragonslayers. Purifiers 294 The Grand Inquisitor answers to no one save Highfather The Psychic Wars: More than any other single force, the himself, and is equal in rank (though many would say Rellians were responsible for driving the Order and their superior) to the Dragonslayer. The 48 Inquisitors serve hypocrite-snuffing Witch Hunters underground. Why? the Grand Inquisitor without question, though perhaps Because the Order was seen as a potential threat to the more than one of them is secretly spying on him for one Rellians, especially to the Inquisitors, who also employed of the other two members of the Rellian troika of power. Mysticism. This natural rivalry grew steadily on both The Purifiers are Inquisitors who have not yet been sides until, at long last, the Rellians launched an approved as pure Inquisitors. They are considered to be undeclared holy war against the Order at the start of the 1st Level Inquisitors, and are generally remanded to Seventh Age, which continues even to this day. This perform the less prestigious duties of their mystic order, Psychic War soon became the single most costly (and including general police duties, low-level spying, and, most secret) campaign in the long Rellian histories, as the naturally, purification of the infidel. When one of the Order’s forces waged secret unholy war against what they Inquisitors dies, the most proficient Purifier will ascend perceived as the source of all hypocrites: the Holy City of to take his place among the flock. Rel. The heavy toll inflicted upon the Rellians by the Order includes literally thousands of high-ranking The Rellian Dragonslayer Dragonslayers, Priests, and Inquisitors. The Rellians have The Dragonslayers Number typically been quite careful how they rationalize these especially hideous terminations to the people, explaining The Dragonslayer 1 them away as any variety of terrorist action or The Dragon Lords 12 supernatural event of evil (though they only bother to Dragon Knights 144 explain them if sorely pressed). Still, one must indeed The Dragonslayer is the final member of the Rellian consider deeply the fate of the 52 Highfathers who have trinity of power. Handling the affairs of war, the been assassinated under mysterious circumstances since Dragonslayer serves as a combination of Chief of Staff the start of the Seventh Age. and Warlord for the Rellian forces. The Dragon Lords The Enemy Within: Though the standard Rellian armies are the 12 most powerful lords of the state, serving as the are formidable enough indeed to balk even the most Dragonslayer’s generals, while the Dragon Knights are potent foe, the true strength of the Rellian forces lies titled Dragonslayers who have earned their place in the within the numbers of their faithful. This support is found hierarchy by might, by wealth, or by slaying a true in virtually every population of Humans, who are by far dragon in personal combat. the most predominant race on SenZar. Conservative Rellian Military Forces estimates place the number of Rellians among the Human population at roughly 50%. Therefore, roughly half of all AirForces: None. Humans everywhere on SenZar pay homage to Rel, and this massive fifth column must be considered by every Land Forces: 10 Active Legions in 1 Army. Reserves leader who decides to openly oppose the curved cross of include 3 Legions. Rel. The first and foremost concern is that of civil war, as Sea Forces: any nation with a Human population would probably see half of that population rise against them should they Ship Designation Number (Active Duty) decide to wage holy war against Rel. And it is not at all Rellian Frigate 77 unprecedented for an indigent Rellian population to wage a boycott for any perceived blasphemy, so long as their Rellian Heavy Frigate 44 action receives express approval from Arcturus itself. As Rellian Man’O’War 7 many would-be conquerors have discovered only at the Each Frigate is captained by a Commander. Each Heavy end, Rel is omnipresent, and the enemy is within. Frigate is captained by a Commander or Captain, and is similar to a Frigate except for its Hits rating, which has been augmented to a more substantial 750. Each Man’O’War is similar to a Zengaran Man’O’War, and is captained by a Captain or higher-ranking officer. Note: The Blessing of the Blade: This empowers the holy blade of the duly ordained Dragonslayer who makes the The High Holy Temple of Rel: Magnificent. Opulent. holy quest to slay the dragon. The blessed blade will Breathtaking. The High Holy Temple of Rel is the strike at +10 AV, and inflict Doom for maximum damage greatest example of post-Fourth Age Human architecture if it strikes. This blessing fades after the first successful still extant on the face of SenZar. Silver and gold busts blow. of a veritable host of Rellian saints predominate the immense flying buttresses like so many holy gargoyles. Rel’s Omnipresence: This links all duly ordained The exterior of the nearly five hundred foot tall basilica Inquisitors with a permanent, power-free Mindlink. All dome is covered totally in gold leaf, while its interior is effects are planetary in range, though incapable of frescoed with an awe-inspiring masterwork depicting crossing the spheres. Rel’s creation of all things. The many rows of pews, capable of sitting comfortably more than ten thousand The Fifth Horseman: This defensive pact causes Chaos, faithful, are of the finest ironwood. Looted from the the Fifth Horseman of the Final Apocalypse, to ride forth Great Rift during the First Bright Crusade, each pew is to destroy those who would dare despoil the holy ankh. A varnished with a microlayer of sparkling gold dust. The manifestation of the primal essence memories of those floor is tiled with a variety of black marble; the tiles immortals who have fallen before Rel, the howling primal painstakingly decorated with jeweled inlays of the royal psychic death screams take the form of a titanic crests of Rel’s ancient champions. Two lesser altars, each shapeshifting humanoid bearing a lance of divine fire. capacious enough to allow a hundred armored knights to Mounted on a mare of pulsating Void energies, Chaos will stand in parade, flank the central and main altar, which is destroy the blasphemer by screaming his essence through large enough to hold both of the two lesser altars with a his lance, visiting 1d100 points of primal chaos damage black dragon to spare on either side. The main altar itself per phase on the doomed soul of the victim until it is no is dominated by a one hundred feet tall solid gold ankh. more. Chaos cannot be harmed by any means until the It is upon this most sacred ankh, the Great Ankh of Rel, ankh itself is destroyed. Since, theoretically, Rel himself that the temple’s defenses are artificed. will be no more should the ankh be destroyed, Chaos is free to destroy the world which betrayed him. Once the Artifact: The Great Ankh of Rel; PD: 777,777. Reforged ankh is destroyed, Chaos will manifest for real in this by Rel himself after its destruction during the Day of the world, devouring one point of primal from the entire Dark Angels, when it, the temple, and the vast majority cosmos itself on the first phase of its existence, then ten of the city were annihilated by the VoidSpawn, the Great the next, then one hundred, and so on until, at last, Ankh of Rel now looms as one of the most potent nothing remains save primal chaos. Chaos cannot be artifacts known, for it allows a deific god to walk among destroyed in this form save by direct means of one of the mortals in his true divine form. Rel, enraged by the nine Dragon Foci or a successful casting of The Dragon’s destruction of his own divine avatar during the Breath which can counter even by one point the primal slaughterfest, ensured that he would no longer be bound essence devoured by Chaos. Note that the latter method by the conventions of immortality by binding the will result in the loss of the primal of the caster, as Chaos collective divine essence of his four deific spheres to this devours it, too. reality through the artifice of the ankh. So long as the ankh stands, thus does Rel exist here in this world as his Atláán fully empowered deific form, no mere avatar but divine force incarnate. Rel was willing to pay a steep price to Population: 100,000 (urban); 125,000+ (metro) artifice the ankh, though this was due to the fact that he T’leel: 100% was aware that he would soon reap a bounty of primal The home to the majority of the T’leel race, Atláán rests essence for his great sacrifice. The ankh, because it 100 fathoms down in the relative shallows of the Sea of incorporates Rel’s deific spheres here in this world, Silestion, southwest of the Dragon peninsula (the functions as an extremely efficient essence collector, northeastern projection of the continent of Vhannok). A granting Rel primal essence far in excess of that which study of environmentally friendly design, the structures of all other deific gods realize. the city are composed of ancient rainbow coral reefs, Artifact Powers imported from the seas of the world, that were considered to be “dead” by the strict T’leel standards of The Twelve Chosen: The 12 greatest champions of Rel conservation. Breathing a new life into them, the T’leel are bound through one of their power foci to the ankh, have converted the ancient coral reefs into what many and this mystic conduit empowers their mortal shells sentients believe to be the most fascinatingly beautiful with a tiny portion of divine essence. Each one of the buildings in the world. In fact, when conditions are twelve can tap freely into a personal 10,000 power point favorable, it is possible for those on the water, or above it, battery, which regenerates at 1,000 points per hour. Also, to see the rainbow radiance of the spires and pyramids each can choose any single personal attribute and max it which rise from the city and which crest but 100 feet out at "20" for as long as they are linked to the ankh. beneath the waves. The sea around the city is maintained as a safe haven by the T’leel, who regularly patrol the Rel’s Omnipotence: All duly ordained Priests who pray seas near the city, keeping it free from the scourge of within the temple’s grounds recharge their personal marauding sea monsters and pirates. Creatures of the power point pool at the rate of one point per point of Good Earth enjoy the patronage of the good folk of their POW, per minute of prayer. Atláán, and the city and its surrounding environs flourish conventional military capacity. Hiring themselves out to with many species of both fishes and cetaceans. Atláán is practically anyone (save for the Rellians, whom they ruled by a matriarchical dynasty which stretches back to viewed as a major part of the problem, as well as much the beginning of the First Age, its sterling line broken too fanatically dangerous to rule the world), they only during the terrible days of the Fourth Age, when the routinely worked for both sides of an opposing army, city itself was laid waste and the peoples were scattered making certain never to face their own companies in to the far seas, resettling their beloved city only when the direct combat. Because of this practice, the free menace of the Shadar Lords was finally laid to rest. The companies eventually earned the animosity of those with current empress, Syllaandiaa IV, is a Collegium-trained whom they sought employment, much to the delight of Wizard of great power who has close ties to Zengara, the the Rellians. Collegium, and the Overlord himself. Syllaandiaa, or “Syl” as she is known by those who cannot pronounce Facing distrust from the outside world, the free her musical name, tolerates nothing of the Dark Earth, companies withdrew and begin three centuries of and actively involves both herself and her peoples in the exploration, expansion, and exploitation of southern eternal fight against the powers of darkness. Vhannok and its vast natural resources. During the reign of free commander Jantillig Barok, the discovery of an Atl áán Military Forces immense plateau in the innermost region of the continent seemed to be the turning point in their history. Shortly Air Forces: None. after visiting the plateau’s interior with a group of the Land Forces: None. local natives, life changed for those in the reichhold. Approved by the people, an aggressive policy of Sea Forces: 24 Sea Dragons on active duty. Reserves expansion and defense of the land—which over the next include 12 Sea Dragons. two centuries would see the incorporation of the entire southern expanse of the continent up to the foothills of Each Sea Dragon is captained by a Commander-ranked the great Terror Peaks into the growing empire—was T’leel. Each dragon acts as a platform for a single rider, instituted to the overwhelming approval of the people. though it may be equipped to carry into combat up to With over three hundred years of isolation in their grim 10,000 pounds of armaments, or a similar mass past (save for quashing the occasional Rellian onslaught, equivalent of warriors. or minor squabbles with the Silestion navy in the Special Forces: None. southern sea lanes), the people jumped at the chance to be part of such a tremendous challenge. In honor of their The Barokin Empire leader’s great vision, the people unanimously chose to name their expanding territory the Barokin Empire. Population: 1,000,000 (est.; true size unknown) Human: 90% Others: 10% What prompted these events is still widely speculated by Covering practically the entire southern expanse of sages and scholars alike. Some theorize that the Barokins Vhannok, the Barokin Empire is a land of mystery and discovered a lost pre-First Age city containing ancient extreme isolation.The story of the Barokins goes back to technomagicks and secrets of immense power, and greatly the opening of the Fifth Age, when the mortal races of feared these secrets falling into the wrong hands in such the world, having lost their common bond after hostile times as the Fifth Age. Still, the rumors (mostly vanquishing the Shadar Lords from SenZar, began once Rellian in origin) persist that Jantillig Barok actually again to divide and turn upon each other. With The found a secluded Demonian stronghold, and instead of Dragon slumbering from its long endured primal abuse being annihilated, Jantillig was shrewdly and covertly (or during the reign of the Shadar, mortals and their newly forcefully) manipulated into serving the sinister goals of ascended immortal counterparts vied for power through his peoples’ new masters, biding their time until they are the age old device of war. It was at this time that ready to unleash their devious schemes upon an commoners and knights alike, who had fought side by unsuspecting world. Whatever the case may be, side to rid SenZar of the Shadar menace, found foreigners are not allowed in the empire, and all attempts themselves utterly disgusted with the short-lived to establish diplomatic ties have gone unanswered, save memories of their collective peoples. Turning their backs the limited trade agreements the Barokins share with the on a once united world, the members of this new order opportunistic Mordagans. Even the true population size disavowed all ties to their respective former peoples and remains a mystery, as no official census has ever been nations, then set out to forge their own homeland, free published outside the empire itself, though Mordagan from the hypocrisy of so-called “civilization.” Needing a sources indicate that the empire is roughly as populous as safe haven, the new order traveled south down the Zengara itself, though with a substantially larger continent of Vhannok, founding the free city of percentage of its wealth devoted to its military machine. Rheichhold, where they became known as the Free In fact, since the full implementation of their isolation, Companies of Rheichhold. For the next six centuries the the only truly useful information on the Barokin Empire free companies profited heavily from a world at war, has come through the tight lips of the Mordagan merchant hiring themselves out to various nations and city-states, princes, and then only through the agency of the proper their roles varying according to their employers’ needs; amount of gold. However, no amount of gold will coerce the Free Companies serving one time as advance scouts, the full truth from the Mordagans, who perhaps fear the the next time as elite shock troops, or in any hidden might of the empire and its potentially vile plans for the world of SenZar. What is known of the Barokin in power of their precious artifact since the dawn of the Empire, however, is that its northern borders reach close Fifth Age, with no one able to wrest its power from their to the Veil of Sominus on the east and close to the great prescient grasp. Terror Peaks on the west. The borders are heavily patrolled, with fortified frontier outposts overflowing The Coral Isles with ever vigilant warriors who regard all outsiders with extreme suspicion. Especially anyone who has come Population: 75,000 through the Terror Peaks or the Veil of Sominus alive (or Human: 95% Others: 5% otherwise). Massive war ships of advanced design prowl These densely populated isles are home to a mysterious the harbors and coastal cities of the empire, and the animistic Human subculture, the Wahalu’ki, who returned Barokin military machine is always on the alert. Very to the more simple ways of life in unknown ages past. few sea captains who have sailed errantly into Barokin Now nothing more than what most civilized folk would waters have ever sailed out. Those few who have leave call “savages,” the Wahalu’ki exist as a hunter-gatherer minus their cargo. Any protestors to this policy find and fishing folk, living with few of the comforts of the themselves confiscated as well, and quickly wish they “modern” Eighth Age world. Their simplicity spares had kept silent, for the Barokins are paranoid to the them, however, and they remain outside the normal loop extreme, and utterly without remorse in the enforcement of the often vicious civilized world and its questing, of their antisocial policies. dogmatic maniacs. The Wahalu’ki tattoo their skins with their personal totem, or image of their family’s spirit Bursilom guide. Though they are headhunters during times of war, the Wahalu’ki are not cannibals, and find the practice of Population: 75,000 cannibalism to be disgusting. Their concept of magick is Human: 95% Others: 5% quite limited, though there are some among them, mostly Home to the Oracle of Infinity, Bursilom is a rare in the shamanistic community, who practice Witchcraft. “neutral” theocracy that pays cautious homage to both There are even those in the more remote villages who the “good” and “evil” sides of The Dragon, retaining its practice the dark art of Necromancy, though this is the neutrality due to the fact that the Oracle of Infinity exception rather than the rule among the decidedly serves both sides in equal measure. animistic (and decidedly Good Earth-inclined) Wahalu’ki. There is a current trend among sages to regard the Artifact: Oracle of Infinity; PD: 10,001. The oracle Wahalu’ki as the last remnants of the slave population itself resides within the mysterious Temple of Infinity, that was forced to labor on the great Terror Peaks during which dominates the center of town. A black basalt the Fourth Age. Lending credence to this allegation is the pyramid, measuring 199 feet on each of its sides, rises fact that the Wahalu’ki punish by excruciating, three-day- from the temple grounds, girded near its zenith by a long crucifixion those who would enslave another. massive, magickally levitating, black basalt torus, which Furthermore, the Wahalu’ki legends state that they sailed rings the pyramid’s periphery. From the center of the to the Coral Isles on great “Freedom Barges” during the pyramid the grey-robed priests cast their divinations unto last days of a long-ago “Dark Time,” led by the great the heavens, through the center of the levitating torus. patriarch Wahalu himself, whose name means “He Who The Oracle of Infinity was artificed by unknown and Endures” in the local dialect. Thus, the Wahalu’ki are the quite carefully hidden hands at some time before the “Soul/Spirit of He Who Endures.” They are also more First Age. A simple if secret command issued in Sidhe than likely the remnants of the Human population that (during the day) or Druus (during the night) by a totally was forced to sculpt the Terror Peaks at command of the neutral being (with “0” or no points in his codes) will Shadar Lords, though their own histories are too primitive cause a direct metaphysical link between the caster and to recognize completely the bitter truth of their true the temporal stream, granting the caster a brief glimpse origins. of the three most statistically probable “possible futures” of any potential future event; the first being the “good” Crosshope outcome; the second being the “evil” outcome; the third, the “neutral” outcome. All three will be seen by the Population: 10,042 caster, though the caster must prove his own wisdom by Human: 100% interpreting the answer, especially if the answer is one sought by a paying patron. Patrons who wish to appeal to This island serves as a proving ground, training facility, the priests of the order of the Oracle of Infinity to and naval base for the Rellian military forces. The island prophesy their fate must donate a gift of 100,000 Stars to has been magickally terraformed throughout the ages to the city. (Curiously, more than one-half of the donation allow for most known combat field conditions, ranging goes directly to the city itself, and not just the temple and from arctic to tropical. Thus, within but a few miles, one its priesthood. Perhaps this is why Bursilom enjoys one can wander from freezing snow to sweltering jungles. The of the larger indigent populations per capita than any training, though not up to the standards of a Silestion, is other city on the planet.) With this artifact, you get what more than adequate to produce a fine Human fighting you pay for: The visions are real, though as with all such force. Though the permanent population of the island visions, there may be a certain bit of fluid behavior on numbers just over 10,000, during times of war the their part, especially if acted upon. Perhaps this is the population can swell to well over 25,000, as trainee reason why the wise priests of the Oracle have remained warriors and their accompanying logistical support strain the resources of the isle to its limit. The Desert of Yellow Stones relatively powerful immortals. Though more than likely uninhabited by mortal creatures, the city is known to Population: 45,000 harbor the fruits of over 1,000 years of Shadar hatred, as Sauran: 95% Others: 5% its numerous primal-powered golems, enslaved demons, Third in area among deserts behind the Wasteland and and soul-blasting traps can readily attest. Though the the Burning Lands, the Desert of Yellow Stones is home city’s original defenses were virtually extirpated at the to the second largest nomadic group of Sauran on end of the Fourth Age during the Weirding War which SenZar, second only to the group found within the banished the Shadar from SenZar, there still linger several Wasteland (see “Wasteland”). The desert gets its name interesting side-effects of its former magicks. First, there from the rock-hard clumps of highly impure mineral is no means either of ingress into or egress from the city, sulfur that pepper the surface of its yellow-stained land. save by means of the Chthonian Gate or a Master Warp or The few plants that survive in the desert are acclimatized greater, as the city is cut off from all other known spheres to the sometimes sulfurous fumes which permeate the of existence, save for the Prime, and its connection with desert air, and to the tainted, sulfur-smelling waters the Pit (although these are not accessible once inside the which reach their roots. Few if any sentients other than city, save by means of the Black Point Pool). Second, the hardy Sauran make this land their home. While the unless one is able to perceive multiple dimensional temperatures are extreme in the desert, they are still vertices simultaneously, one is subject to walking down a tolerable to most; still, the yellow stones and their street then abruptly vanishing unto nothingness, totally bounty of noxious fumes and noisome stench repel most soul-shredded and shunted through the Sphere of Time. who seek to make this their home. As for the native Finally, the Creator has free license to launch as many Sauran people, who share the undeniably primitive urge unique golems, creatures, and constructs at the PCs as he to munch on the pure mineral sulfur found in abundance can possibly imagine, but only for as long as they’re in in the desert, they are hailed by their far-dwelling kin the city proper. Once inside the dome, things change, and with such derogatory epithets as llithgg-szz (“stone then they have only Chthon herself to deal with. (Note: eater”), zzllagg-hnzz (“yellow fang”), or even the Chthon herself, that is, and the current holder of this occasional slorr-szzak (“Slorr fart”). Naturally, most particular Dragon Power Foci, who will be sure to Sauran, even those who are not native to the Desert of welcome the PCs warmly for their intrusion.) Yellow Stones, will fight to the death to defend their honor when insulted by the final epithet. Errbor DruusDome Population: 54,000 Human: 90% Others: 10% Population: ??? The city of Errbor is a vassal-state of Mordaga, paying a flat 10% tithe of its GNP to enjoy the protection of the The ancient city of DruusDome lies in ruins some 10 mighty Mordagan Free Alliance. Errbor serves both as a miles beneath the streets of Zengara, the Forever City. port of trade and an overland trade nexus. As such, the Protected from casual entrance by the Mokarr secret city city is rife with merchants, traders, and businessmen, of Sslaanathrax and its dread Chthonian Gate, the bitter including a small yet potent Mordagan contingent of ruins of the Shadar Steel city of DruusDome are the last “enforcers” who see to it that the merchants of Errbor pay bastion of evil, for within DruusDome itself lies the their proper tribute. The governor of Errbor is appointed Black Point Pool, through which direct contact with by the government of Mordaga, and his position is good Chthon herself can be attempted, if one fears not eternal for life—so long as it lasts. The current governor, Lord damnation. The city proper is carved from the living Morgron, a strapping Tauran and former undefeated pit- rock itself, forming a titanic cityscape that covers some fighter on the Mordagan gladiatorial circuit, enjoys his 10 miles in diameter, while the massive hemisphere post and the trappings of power that come with it. As which contains the city has a ceiling some 10,000 feet such, he is willing to bury his pride and play his role as above street level. Virtually every structure in the city the obsequious and servile puppet-governor of Errbor. Or has been demolished, a result of the war which finally at least it would appear to most discerning eyes. Lord banished the Shadar Lords from SenZar at the close of Morgron hosts monthly pit-fights in his great palace. The the Fourth Age. Since that unholy time, the Mokarr have pit-fighters are treated like visiting dignitaries, and are kept the vigil over their masters’ dark holy city and its doted heavily upon by the wily Morgron and his fervently mind-blasting secrets, destroying any who would dare to loyal henchmen. Lord Morgron often will attempt to gain its power. recruit new henchmen from among the most powerful The ancient name of the city has long been forgotten, or gladiators and pit-fighters, and he has no problem with banished from common memory by primal magicks. flaunting his considerable wealth to seduce the best However, its current name, DruusDome, hails from the warriors to his secret cause of liberating Errbor from the name of the cyclopean structure which sits at ground subtle tyranny of the mighty Mordagan empire. zero in the center of the city. This Shadar Steel gargoyle- edificed structure houses the Black Point Pool, which serves as a gateway to Chthon herself. (The common transliteration of the ancient Druus name for the fountain is “Dhakvhülsh-Zhyl’zz,” or “Dark Fountain of Souls.”) Adventure here is nothing short of suicidal, even for Gommorra with thirsty herds of brightly colored, giant dinosaurs and ringed by steaming, sulfurous fumaroles. The local Population: 35,000 ironwood trees dominate the local tropical rain forest Human: 50% Others: 50% flora; towering black-wooded and azure-foilaged trees, which easily surpass in height, breadth, and mass any Razed as once was its neighbor Shem, Gommorra has other species of tree found on the planet. The Azaar make not returned to the ways of Rel. Instead, this former their homes in the canopy of the ironwood trees, their Rellian city has freely embraced the Dark Earth, and has vast wooden huts and communal villages built into and no plans of returning to the Rellian fold. Gommorra is around the tops of the giant trees, using the natural form the nominal home to many surface-world Dark Earth of the trees in a highly efficient, ecologically sound way. guilds, including the Order of the Dark Moon and the The floor of the valley, swarming as it does with all Shadow Hawk. Though curiously tolerant of any and all manner of dinosaurian terror, is simply too dangerous for who would spend their gold within the black basalt city permanent settlement, at least so far as the Azaar are walls of the city, Gommorrans visit instant death upon concerned. Still, they have adapted to life in the forest any who profess openly their allegiance to Rel. In fact, canopy, where they enjoy a simple life of hunting and the mere sight of a gold ankh on one’s person is cause gathering, which leaves them with plenty of time to for that person’s death. Gommorra claims allegiance to devote to their favorite artistic practices, weaving, or Thrax, though the Bitch Queen is shrewd enough to singing. The Azaar, who are found nowhere else on personally distance herself from outright, blatant ankh- SenZar in great numbers, save perhaps in some dank and bashing. Instead, she suborns her searing hatred of all dismal Akir slave encampment, are widely regarded as things Rellian through the vehicle of her Demonian the most talented weavers in the world. governor, Tholkar Drax, who most eagerly enforces her cruel will on the citizens of Gommorra. Cruel even by The Great Rift is populated by the largest concentration Demonian standards, Drax is feared by the citizens of the of dinosaurs found on the planet. The Azaar, ever aware city, who know that the rabid Sentinel’s lust for power of the precious balance of nature thanks to their devotion shall not be sated by merely the genocide of all Rellians, to the Great Spirit, have always managed the but only by the total genocide of all things living. conservation of the saurian species. However, in recent years, the greatest of the saurians, the voracious Gor-Gar, The Goodwill Isles has been hunted almost to extinction by ruthless foreign sportsmen. Never at ease with outsiders due to their Population: 15,000 persecution by both the slave-taking Akir and the self- Human: 95% Others: 5% righteous forces of Rel, the Azaar have recently asked the The Goodwill Isles are comprised of three large isles: Overlord of Zengara, an Azaar himself, to intercede on Deadman’s Isle, Falcon Isle, and Noble Isle, as well as their behalf to keep the rift free from the predations of over 250 small atolls, reefs, and fragmentary isles. The others. Thus it should come as no surprise to witness the population is evenly divided among the three main occasional Zengaran Sylvan Specialist patrolling the rift islands. Guano is the chief export of the islanders. It is in the name of the People of the Trees and their brother- harvested from the smaller isles on a seasonal basis and in-arms, the Overlord of Zengara. sold as a high quality fertilizer on the world market. Divine intervention notwithstanding, the Great Rift is still Surprisingly, the guano merchants do quite well, one of the most challenging areas on the planet. Life there considering the nature of their product and the often is simply harsh, even to those who have been born to it. cruel nature of the jests to which they are subject. Dinosaurs are difficult to deal with even under optimal Amazingly, the isles are protected by the Mordagan Free conditions, and here, in the rift, the saurians are on their Alliance, whose high 10% GNP tithe the islanders are own turf, where they make the rules. Death is willing to pay in order to keep their products safe from omnipresent, and not merely in a form with which most freebooters. Be that as it may, it is known that several of are familiar. Disease lurks in tainted water sources, or in the smaller isles serve as temporary havens for a number stinging jungle insects. There has even been a recently of pirates, freebooters, and thieves, whose coin is taken documented case of an entire village of Azaar dying just as readily as anyone else’s by the pragmatic guano horribly from what Collegium sorcerers have described as merchants of the Goodwill Isles. an acute form of radiation sickness, perhaps a result of some undiscovered natural phenomenon, or perhaps as The Great Rift the result of contamination by some radioactive artifact Population: 250,000 left over from the prehistoric era, when the Death Horde Azaar: 95%Others: 5% was known to employ the Great Rift as some form of Average Depth: 11,411 feet below sea level experimental research and development facility. The home to the Azaar people, the Great Rift is a 1,000 mile long eroded river valley that sinks some two miles below sea level. Averaging roughly 100 miles in width, the rift features a vast, Paleozoic-style jungle which is drained by the slowly flowing Gishagum, or the “waters from below” in the native Azaar. The river bank is lined The Grove of Ganath will navigate the seas near the islands, and even fewer can be persuaded to land there. The ancient Grove of Ganath looms mysteriously in the heart of the Krystallmyst Forest. An ever-changing roster Hunter’s Isle of primordial Sidhe manifests here as a council of trees, who bear wisdom for those who shall come to them. Population: Uninhabited Only those who serve the Good Earth dare walk within Not named until the Second Age, Hunter’s Isle gained its the bounds, or they shall know eternal banishment from claim to fame by serving as the Overlord of Zengara’s this world in the form of a one point primal Sidhe Power personal hunting ground, where he would retire on Word. This potent pronouncement will randomly Master occasion with a party of his finest retainers and lords to Warp violators to a place determined by the Creator, and hunt the relatively harmless deerlike animal species forevermore pacts them on pain of soul-destruction to set indigenous to the isle. During a period of but three foot once more on SenZar. Despite its ability to hurl moons, El-Thagg the Destroyer and his bloodthirsty primal curses, the grove is not itself primal. In fact, the cohorts totally eradicated the deerlike species, as well as Sidhe who manifest in the “trees” are not truly here on all other sentient species, from the isle. Perhaps due to the the Prime at all. They speak their souls from beyond the unwholesome aura generated by the slaughter of millions Dream Barrier, unborn yet born, eternal yet ephemeral. of creatures, the isle has become a hot spot for Thus, while real in every conventional sense of the word, supernatural activity, with recent reports indicating both the grove is nothing more than a projection. It is utterly an impressive network of magick-rich nodes and an immune to all attacks, save by direct attack of one of the impressive array of guardian spirits of all types which nine Dragon Power Foci. guard them. Halfway Isle The Island of Domination Population: 2,500 Population: 2,500 Human: 95% Others: 5% Human: 80% Others: 20% The isle was so named because early merchants traveling The legends say that it was the insurgent Shadar Lord, from Mordaga to Errbor would measure half of their Kyaphas, who sought to wrest control of SenZar from voyage by the distant outline of Halfway Isle’s tall twin Lord Valthrustra during the latter years of the Fourth Age volcanic peaks, the Brothers of Fire. These extinct by attempting to seduce the Dark Earth Mother herself. At volcanoes, Mt. Murrshen and Mt. Murrzen, loom some behest of his Dark Master, Lord Valthrustra, the grim 17,556 feet and 17,898 feet respectively, tall enough to Nathrak consigned the pretender Kyaphas to a perpetual remain snow-capped all year round, even in the balmy cycle of sweet pain on the appropriately named Island of subtropical climate. Some Mordagan freebooters employ Domination, the potential suitor forevermore to be the sparsely populated isle as a stronghold, with their enslaved for dark purposes by Nathrak’s own specially small pirate settlements carefully concealed within small created Dominator Golems. Since the waning years of the coves and shaded inlets. The native population, mostly Fourth Age, this legend has held as truth, for no one has fishermen, are fiercely loyal to the freebooters, whose yet to prove or disprove it. The few permanent inhabitants annual bribes ensure that the fishermen need never fear of the Island of Domination cling to the shores, never to an empty net. test the isle’s dark potential. Still, it should be noted that there is perhaps some whisper of truth to the tale, for Hell Fires there is the unusual phenomenon of the “fever dream,” Population: 13,450 which on occasion (a “1” rolled on a 1d4, checked once Human: 77% Others: 23% per sleep cycle) curses those who sleep upon the isle with disturbing, explicit nightmares. Those who experience the This chain of highly active volcanic islands is of extreme fever dream on three successive nights must save vs. interest, for massive temples to both Pyrus, Elemental WILL, or be compelled to journey to the center of the isle Lord of Fire, and Appollyos, Demon Lord of Fire, are to seek out the source of their nightmares: the eternally located here. Pilgrimages for both of the Lords are held damned Kyaphas, whose psychically shrieking soul here regularly. The temples are filled with the offerings dreams the dreams of the forever-damned within the to the lords by their followers, and they are guarded by massive Hall of Domination at the center of the isle, the hosts of their lords, and their fervently devout broadcasting his own dark torture to all sentients and worshipers. The two factions, normally in a tense state of sensitives who dare sleep within 100 miles of the isle’s truce, will cooperate only if the isles themselves are center. None who have answered this siren call have threatened. It is perhaps more than mere rumor that returned to the land of the living. passages to the lords’ respective home spheres are located within their temples. Approaching the islands by Historical Note: The entire contingent of a Sixth Age conventional means is dangerous, as the constant Rellian expeditionary force, some two hundred souls eruptions of the isles induce treacherous seas, wildwind strong, vanished while pursuing their leader, Lord storms, and the release of both lava bombs and intensely Mikallos, a renowned Dragonslayer, who had succumbed destructive pyroclastic flows. Therefore, few captains to the lies of the fever dream. A local porter, pressed into service by the Rellians, reported that upon reaching the central valley of the island, the entire group shed their clothes, cursed their own deity, then proceeded to an air force, as it is comprised of 7 command wings, or 56 indulge in all manner of bestial blasphemies. Fleeing for full squadrons, of wyverns and riders. There are no his very soul from the viciously orgiastic Rellians, the reserves. However, there are well over 1,000 trained porter alleged upon his return to his sea-side village that wyverns in the Kafir air armada, and this fact alone grants the Rellians were exhorted to the pinnacles of dark Kafir power among the nations of the world profanity by a trio of thunderous, guttural voices which disproportionate to the nation’s size. spoke no language known to his primitive ears. Unfortunately, the veracity of the porter’s tale cannot be Kaza Ka proved, as he himself vanished on the third night after his return... Population: 1,000,000+ (urban); 1,100,000 (metro) Khazak: 99% Others: 1% Isle of the Guardian Deep within the heart of the Krystallmyst Mountains lies Population: 777 the ancient city of Kaza Ka, the capital of the Khazak Silestion: 90% Solarr: 10% empire and home to the Ka himself, Guthal Dirge. The city has recently received a facelift, courtesy of the A simple monastery dedicated to Shy’R sits in Terran-trained engineering skills and soulforging powers contemplation upon the single small peak which rises of Guthal Dirge (see The Seven Stars). The city itself is from the center of the isle. The monastery is staffed by now a primally artificed, self-contained and self- the elite masters of Shy’R, who teach the many aspirants perpetuating environment, its ancient granite and basalt of their mystic way the disciplines of martial arts, the structures upgraded to a hyperalloyed magicks of the mind, and the harmony that is Shy’R. Supremium/Silversteel matrix; the ancient Kaza halls Admission to the isle is possible only by selection during gleaming more brightly than ever before, in celestial the Festival of Shy’R (see Petra for more information), silver and gold. Though Guthal Dirge has been careful to when prospective applicants to the monastery are tested reduce the culture shock of rapidly advancing the here on the isle before the gathered masters during a technomagick of his people, still he feels that he has erred rigorous physical and mental gauntlet of challenges. 99% for the greater good by introducing them to the of those who apply fail. Mystic Warriors, Mystics, and everlasting bounty of his soulforged magicks. Never has Priests are trained here, as well as the occasional Martial the Khazak empire been so strong. Artist and Shy’R Warrior who has proven himself worthy of elite training. The monastery serves also as a The Ka: The Khazak title of Ka is appointed by a council temple of Shy’R. Unlike other temples dedicated to of the leaders of the individual Kazas, or clans, of the Shy’R, however, this temple is open to the public only Khazak race. Guthal Dirge of the Kaza Dirge was during the Festival of Shy’R. appointed unanimously by a council of his peers, the Kazoi of the Kazas. While his people would willingly call The Jaffir-Joffa River him their god, he is wise enough, perhaps, to recall his own recent mortal roots, and not fall subject to the subtle Length: 3,182 miles intoxication of the power that is part and parcel to true immortality. Many surface dwellers refer to the Ka as the This once mighty river is now nothing more than a Underking. feeble stream, polluted by the Rotathians who would use it for nothing more than a sewage ditch. The Rotathians’ The Kaza: The Kaza, or Great Family House, of the wanton misuse of the river’s many resources has left the Khazak people is an extended family group that chooses river’s once fertile banks raw and barren for many to bond together to live among its relatives in, naturally, a hundreds of miles into its headwaters. The Jaffir-Joffa great family house. Each house is unique, an expression originates within the mighty Sea of Ra-Thep. Seven in stone and steel of that particular family’s tastes. great cataracts dominate the first 1,000 miles of the However unique, each house shares one thing in river’s length, rendering riverine travel into the Sea of common: the great hall, which is always in the form of a Ra-Thep a most perilous and most tedious undertaking. tetrahedron (pyramid). Like all perfect mathematical abstractions, the shape of the tetrahedron is sacred to the Kafir mathematically inclined Khazaks, who rank it atop their hierarchy of divine geometry. Each Kaza is traditionally Population: 75,000 led by the most potent warrior of the family, though this Human: 95% Others: 5% is not always the case. In fact, many house leaders, or The last great western outpost before the turbulent Sea of Kazoi, rely upon the wisdom of the house elders when Storms, Kafir is a rogue’s dream: the powerful Wyvern important decisions are considered. Gender is never a Lords, the crime lords of the western lands, run their factor in this equation of power, as the Khazak people immoral and unethical practices from the iron walled long ago accepted the total equality of the sexes. city, where anything can be found for a price. Ruling through a puppet monarchy (the current puppet is King Ama), the Wyvern Lords control all activities within their expansive boundaries. Kafir has the distinction of being an entirely neutral city, owing allegiance to none. The city’s army also has the distinction of being solely The 10 Most Powerful Kazas in the Khazak Empire though each household probably has several religious icons, including the hearth, the axe, the scroll, the Kaza Location Kazoi Professions Levels hammer, and the anvil. Most icons are miniature versions Guthal of the actual items, typically of highly refined metal work Kaza Dirge Kaza Ka Warrior 50th Dirge (Ka) and fully functional. Kozar-ki Kaza Dred Kaza Ka Stalker 18th Kaza Ka Military Forces Dred (f) Kaza Jelak Air Forces: None. Kaza Zhuul Warrior 19th Khandar Zhuul Land Forces: 10 Active Legions in 1 Army, and 4 Kaza Yarra Mechanized Brigades led by the Ka himself. Reserves Kaza Ka Warrior 18th Sthellik Sthellik (f) include 2 Legions. Each of the 4 Mechanized Brigades Kaza Kaza Umli features a standard allotment of 16 Crushers, 16 Multiple Gladiator 13th Remnar Khandar Remnar Missile Launchers, and 16 Devastators. Sthalan Kaza Dhiz Kaza Kro Alchemist 15th Sea Forces: None. Dhiz (f) Special Forces: 9 Active Companies of Deep Engineers Kaza Fhex Kaza Ka Warrior 13th and Sappers, 1 Active Company of Silverblades (see Fhargath Fhargath below) under direct command of the Ka. Malan Kaza Morak Kaza Ka Battlemage 14th Morak (f) The Silverblades: The Silverblades are an elite corps of Khazak warriors who serve as the personal guard to the Alynna Kaza Kayn Kaza Ka Zen Master 15th Ka. Recruited mostly from within his own extended Kaza Kayn (f) by Guthal Dirge himself, the Silverblades serve as an Zi Kaza elite, last line of defense for the Underking. The Kaza Kro Shthdazh Warrior 13th Shthdazh Silverblades are extremely loyal to the Ka, and their (f) loyalty is rewarded by their extreme technomagickal and Explanations: (Ka) indicates that Guthal Dirge is the soulforged gear. Though perhaps a step or two below the Ka. (f) indicates female Kazoi. legendary Phoenix Force in martial skill, the Silverblades more than compensate for their relative lack of martial Politics: Kaza Ka is the capital city of the entire Khazak puissance with their superior numbers, and their nation, and every Khazak city on the planet recognizes technomagickal superiority. All Silverblades are at least the authority of the Ka. Though this has not always been 5th Level Warriors. The company Captain is a 10th Level the case, the dawn of the Eighth Age has compelled a Warrior. paradigm shift in conventional Khazak politics, the renaissance of the entire people a potent catalyst in this Standard Silverblade Bonus Package: Tactics. Aerial new way of thinking. That, and the stark reality of the Combat. Weapon Training (Silverblade Full Battle new Ka’s implacable determination to drag his people, Armor; Silverblade). kicking and screaming if necessary, into this new age; an age in which their shared dreams of fulfillment and Standard Silverblade Equipment: Silverblade Full illumination can be made real. The Khazak Empire Battle Armor (AP 100; 7 Instant Summons slots; Infrared, enjoys strong political ties with both Zengara and Petra, Ultraviolet vision at will; Oxygen Supply for 72 hours, and their league of allied nations. War upon one is recharges 1:2 hours; Hyperalloyed Silversteel, Mysta, and treated as war upon all. Ultima). Silverblade (DC 10; Sharpness, X2 normal, X3 critical; Vampiric 1:1). Economy: In addition to the political ties, the empire also has forged trade compacts with the two powerhouse Note: These are the additional bonuses and items that nations of Zengara and Petra, providing fine Khazak each Silverblade receives during his advanced training, arms, armor, weapons of war, and, of course, which requires but a single day’s effort in Guthal’s own construction in return for goods and services from the soulforged HoloTrainer. The items are soulforged by surface world. Despite the deeply ingrained racial Guthal Dirge himself, using a null imprint method which distrust the Khazak people share of magick, Guthal removes any trace of his own soul from within the Dirge has been able to open and successfully maintain a magickal matrix of the item (which disallows any small albeit potent branch of the Collegium here in Kaza potential soul-tampering games should the blades fall into Ka. Construction, mining, smithing, and both military the wrong hands), yet still empowers the item with true and sage research and development continue to be the soulforged power. motive forces behind the booming economy. Pact: The Pact of the Soulforger; PD: 99,999. After the Religion: The Khazak people pay homage to the Grim unfortunate destruction of more than half of the city Grey Gods, their people’s ancient heroes, as well as to during the Weirding Wars which heralded the advent of their own ancestors. Religious practice is informal and the Eighth Age, Guthal Dirge, vowing to forge anew the highly personal. Devotional gatherings are rare, and wonders of the pre-Death Horde Khazak homeworld of occur only at behest of the Ka, or during times of Khazakai, soulforged a masterpiece of wondrous creation: extreme crisis. The Khazaks have no official “temple,” the Pact of the Soulforger. Bending the raw power of nine master nodes to his will, Guthal artificed most efficiently this new wonder in the span of but one standard Khazak Klaandaara sleep cycle. The citizens of Kaza Ka—Khazaks historically known for their steadfast, old fashioned ways Population: 250,000 (urban); 266,000 (metro) —have adapted quite well to the many wonders of their Khobold: 85% Others: 15% new city, and many of them revere Guthal Dirge as more than merely their king. This city lies within the Krystallmyst Mountains, or the Khojor Mountains as the Khobolds and their Khazak kin Linked Pacts know them. The Khobold who live here enjoy the fruits of their shared hoardings—the city of Klaandaara is Power Battery: 9 master nodes bound as one provide considered by most races to be virtually invincible due to 90,000 power points that regenerate at a specially its highly adept spellcasting populace and their highly augmented rate of 9,000 power points per combat round. artificed weapons of mass destruction. In fact, the city has The total aggregate value of this power is chained never been conquered, not even during the violent Fourth throughout the entire soulforged pact, perpetually Age (though this was due to the fact that the magick- replenishing the energies of the remaining parts of the hoarding Khobolds almost instantly acquiesced to Lord pact itself. Guthal Dirge can, if desired, draw forth this Valthrustra’s mastery over them, if only because he power for himself, though it will impede the potency of appealed to their greed by offering them special items of the remaining parts of the pact in direct proportion to the power for their nonviolent capitulation). The city itself use of the power battery. lies within a massive, one mile in diameter and one- Soul Link: Occupying one Power Foci of Guthal Dirge’s quarter mile high cooled-out lava dome, buried deep immortal soul, the link provides Guthal with a total within the heart of an extinct volcano, Mt. Kol, which lies mechempathic bond with the city, allowing him total, roughly at the midpoint of the Krystallmyst, or Khojor, instant control of the city’s geophysical form equivalent Mountains. Town “square” is actually town “circle,” as to a Shift Order 10 shapeshift. Thus, whatever Guthal the city and its many splendid if somewhat chaotic can imagine the city to be, it can be, instantly. The Soul structures ring the center of town, spreading outward Link has tremendous strategic capabilities, as many a from the center in a series of seven great concentric tiers. Midnight Realm invader has discovered to his chagrin. The tiers rise gradually in elevation as one moves away The concept of instantaneous imprisonment by a from the center of the city, with the seventh and final tier suddenly shapeshifting city should balk the common level with the outer perimeter of the lava dome, granting invader. Should it not, then the very real possibility of easy access to the eight Midnight Realm roads which total annihilation at the merest whim of the Ka should. In issue from the city. The first and second tiers are reserved fact, the link is so thorough that Guthal can instantly for governmental use, while the most powerful Khobold soul-scan any creature within the bounds of the city, merchant lords make their homes in sprawling “pleasure totally reading its soul (stats, memories, karma, codes, villas,” which occupy the third and part of the fourth tiers. etc.). Only those rare few with more primal power than The remaining tiers are the home of the remainder of the the pact itself can deny this function, “greying” populace, with tightly crowded, seemingly chaotic themselves before its all-scanning influence. The Soul structures marking this domain. Klaandaara is ruled by no Link is massively polarized, and does not allow any single Khobold. Instead, power is brokered out to the magicks of any kind to violate Guthal’s soul via the link. seven most powerful merchant lords, with each lord symbolically standing for one of the seven tiers of the Genesis Loop: This pacts the city’s grounds, no matter city. These seven lords meet at High Council once per their form, to perpetuate themselves according to the month to decide by majority vote the affairs of the city. material needs of the populace, ensuring that there will never be hunger or thirst. The citizens have been The Seven Lords of Klaandaara instructed on how to summon the necessary willpower to Tier Name Race Professions Levels activate the quantum replicators, which can, if they so Johda deign, fetch forth anything from a stein of heady spirits 1 Khobold Artificer 18th to a feast fit for a Ka. There is no limit to this celestial Kleez bounty, save for the pride of the Khazak who uses it. The M'rrin 2 Khobold Wizard 16th quantum replicators are invisible and unseen, though Z'nee they manifest their divine bounty within any convenient Jerathan 3 Khobold Sorcerer 15th receptacle by mental command of any citizen of the city. Slik There is no need for a skill roll to activate the replicators. Hworga In fact, even non-citizens can use them, provided they 4 Khobold Alchemist 17th are aware of the command words. the Geld Farakk 5 Khobold Alchemist 15th The Healing Light: Another mentally activated command Gwar function, the Healing Light allows any citizen to Verrigax summon forth a silver-blue aura of soulforging essence 6 the Mokarr Sorcerer 12th which will instantly cure him of all mortal diseases and Heretic cure all lost hit points. It should be noted that many Shool citizens still call upon their favorite healer to summon 7 Khobold Talisman 10th the light for them, though the Ka has forbidden them to Shim invoke his name during their prayers. The Krystallmyst Region into the city by one of its permanent Starin citizens. The Starin are more than cautious about the casual house The name Krystallmyst, rooted in the High Starin guest; this honor is bestowed upon only the most virtuous tongue, results from a unique optimagickal effect: champions of good. This pact is anchored in this reality at flashes of polychromatic light spontaneously arise within four primal points, one in each of the four primary cities. the forest, like a play of magickal St. Elmo’s Fire, and these ebb and flow in frequency according to the current The Krystallmyst Mountains state of the Good Earth. While it is uncommon for those without the gift of Magick Sense to sense these Greatest Height: 33,333 feet (Mt. Eleriel/Mt. Khojor) emanations, it is not entirely unheard of, especially Perhaps the most strikingly magnificent mountain range during times of extreme change, such as the close of an on the planet, the Krystallmyst Mountains run the entire Age. This vast region encompasses both the length of the Dragon Peninsula. The mountains sparkle in Krystallmyst Forest and the Krystallmyst Mountains, the light of both night and day, reflecting from their covering approximately 1,000,000 sq. miles in its crystalline (or “krystalline” if you're Starin) peaks an entirety. awesome rainbow hue that fills the sky with a startling presence. Those who have been foolish enough to dare to Krystallmyst Forest exploit the mountains for their crystals have inevitably Area: 250,000 sq. miles come to words with the many subterranean races who Population: 100,000 dwell beneath the mountains. The Khazaks and Khobolds Starin: 94% Human: 5% Others: 1% are the only folk who refer to the Krystallmyst Mountains as the Khojor Mountains, to honor the ancient First Age Starin Settlements Population Khazak Soulforger, Khojor. According to their legends, Alyssi 5,500 Khojor caused Mt. Eleriel, or Mt. Khojor as it is known to them, and the remainder of the entire Krystallmyst range Mijn 17,700 to arise from the ancient primeval forest with but a single Soral 9,500 blow of his divine hammer, Destiny-Forger. Naturally, the Zyn 55,000 Starin contest this creation myth, as their own legends Chief among the inhabitants of the great Krystallmyst state, quite explicitly, that Khojor created only Mt. Eleriel Forest are the Starin, whose declining numbers and (“Eleriel” being the Starin epithet for Khojor) with his general withdrawal from the affairs of others have divine forge-hammer. Unfortunately, the truth lies in rendered them an enigma to most who seek them out. neither myth. While it is perhaps possible that Khojor at The Starin, though charming and polite to virtually one time made his home in Krystallmyst, perhaps even everyone they meet, still suffer from the relentless within the great peak itself, the Sidhe, whose collective persecution of the Rellian Church, and from the more memories antedate all others’, state unequivocally that bellicose races, such as the Goblins, who view them as both the great peak as well as the entire range stood long nothing more than effete snobs, or cattle to bend to their before the First Age and its mythical champions even cruel will. As such, this persecution has caused the Starin existed, and that none other than Namo himself was their to retreat into the ancient depths of the forest, where they creator. await a better time when all creatures of the Good Earth are treated as equals. Thus are the settlements of the The Land of 1000 Deaths Starin hidden from the purview of mortal man, and it is Population: Uninhabited only the most accomplished and most determined tracker who can divine even the barest glance of the least of To the west of the Terror Peaks loom the blackened, their cities (see pact below). The cities are ruled by the blasted wastes of the Land of 1,000 Deaths. Razed by oldest and wisest Starin individual within that particular primal forces during the Weirding War which closed the city. The eternal Grove of Ganath lies within the Fourth Age, the Land of 1,000 Deaths is virtually geophysical center of the Krystallmyst Forest, and is incapable even today of sustaining even primitive life flanked on all four cardinal points by the four chief cities forms, as the land is continuously bombarded with the of the Starin. The grove is considered to be the holy of screaming soul energies and shattered psychic remnants holies to the Starin, and indeed to all those who serve the of Dromedan, Lord of Lies. Dromedan, an ancient Good Earth. As such, it is protected by the full unbridled member of the Sidhe who once held a place on Namo’s might of the Starin race, who brook no intrusion by those court, was released from his eternal bondage within the of the Dark Earth. The mystic Vale of Valya, found to the Black Pyramid by Lord Valthrustra to destroy the forces north of the grove and its sacred bounds, serves as a of good which threatened the Shadar. Unfortunately, place of serene contemplation to the Starin, who Dromedan ran afoul of Rel, to whom he could not sometimes make the brief pilgrimage to its domain to whisper his infinite lies, and Rel, the Lord of Light, didst gaze peacefully within their own souls. smite the demon Sidhe with a sliver of the Source itself; temporally, spiritually, and psychically rendering Pact: The Veil of Perception; PD 4. The four major Dromedan’s soul into the screaming psychic chaos which Starin cities (see table above) are pacted by a shared 4 still haunts this land. Those who dare to cross into this PD pact to remain hidden from all mortal perceptions, hellish land will be subject to the swirling, whirling, unless and until that mortal has been personally invited blackish-green faerie lights which lay waste to all sentients they touch. Those foolish enough to enter will discipline must pass a stringent examination by the O have a mere 1d4 minutes before they are overwhelmed Senz, and must be capable of being taught to at least one by the ubiquitous psychic forces, their bodies instantly other martial artist. An annual award of 25,000 Stars, withering into dead husks as their souls rush screaming granted during the New Year Festival on Midsummer 1st, from their forms to join the shards of Dromedan in his goes to the creator of the best new discipline of the year. eternal screaming damnation. The only way to resist the The city knows no enemies, and has no city walls. Few, baleful effects of the eternal soul-screams of Dromedan however, are bold enough to attack a city of martial arts is for the victim to have the special power of Mind masters, especially when those of all creeds can benefit Mastery, or a Willpower of 20, in which case his own from its teachings. psyche will be strong enough to resist being liberated from its form. Since there is neither primal nor mortal MingZaaria magick at work here, there is no other known form of resistance. It is said that the land itself is filled with the Population: 100,000 (urban); 105,000 (metro) eternally preserved, utterly blackened mummies of the Mokarr: 95% Others: 5% victims of this curse; their items and belongings still untouched after thousands of years. Few sane sentients, Lying more than one mile beneath the city of Solaria, however, will knowingly risk their eternal souls for the MingZaaria is an experimental Mokarr city founded by a sake of looting the damned. heretic sect of Mokarr. Led by Warlord Mingzar IV, a former Sentinel in service of Chthon who converted to Mar embrace the way of Shy’R after a series of encounters with Zolt’R, the son of Warhawk, these heretical Mokarr Population: 44,489 have broken from the traditional values of their culture to Human: 65% Silestion: 10% Khazak: 5% form their own rather neutral-minded (and non-Dark Others: 20% Earth) beliefs. The Overlord of Zengara, Rhiannazaar, and the Warlord of Solaria, Zolt’R, were instrumental in Known the world over as a haven for martial arts, Mar is seeing that the heretical sect of Mokarr found safe haven unique in that no one particular martial arts style from their rabid Dark Earth-serving Mokarr persecutors; dominates its philosophy. In fact, any martial arts style the former granting them the auspice of the Forever may be learned in Mar; all one has to do is apply for City’s protection during their arduous exodus from training. It is very rare for a teacher to turn away an darkness, the latter granting them the sacred land beneath applicant, even if that applicant is unable to pay the his own kingdom to serve as their new home. Both normal training fees. Both Shy’R and Black Wyrm are leaders now share pacts of friendship with both Mingzar taught here in addition to common martial arts, and IV and his city. MingZaaria is currently under many of the higher ranked masters are cross-trained in construction, with the majority of its citizens still living in the two arts. Martial arts challenges are a somewhat temporary shelters, while they await the completion of common occurrence in Mar. All challenges, however, are their Khazak-constructed city. The Khazak workers are decided by a highly structured, almost elegantly polite there by order of Guthal Dirge, who has tentatively contest, which is rarely fought to the death. Armed or embraced this new order of Mokarr philosophy, if only unarmed, the major point of contention is honor, and this because of his eternal friendship with the Overlord. noble tenet is almost always upheld. So strong is this Currently, the city is being designed to fill the majority of belief in honor that the masters who teach Black Wyrm a one mile diameter, one-half mile high hemisphere here (in open violation of the Mokarr prohibition) will which Zolt’R created beneath his own city of Solaria for always accept any challenge from Black Wyrm purists, Mingzar and his people. Future plans provide for who believe that death should be their reward for expansion of the city and its populace, as Mingzar’s allowing the dark genie of martial arts out of its Shadar tremendous charisma converts more Mokarr to his noble Steel bottle. (Note: After the first few dozen attempts to cause. Still, tensions are high within the city. The Mokarr teach the infidels of Mar a lesson in obedience, the who yet serve Chthon continually harass the construction Mokarr finally got tired of losing so badly. Then, with site, sowing chaos and death in their efforts to snuff the typical Dark Earth aplomb, they decided to pretend that soul of the traitorous Mingzar IV, who bears proudly and Mar simply did not exist.) The main streets of Mar are most blasphemously the feeble mark of the Phoenix Crest lined with dojos, schools, and martial arts training on his chest. facilities. Literally dozens of establishments offer some form of training, while an almost equal number offers varieties of arms and armor for sale. The elected O Senz, or great mayor, of Mar serves for one year, from Midsummer 1st to Midsummer’s Eve. Elected by majority vote of the citizens of Mar, the O Senz typically is one of the greatest masters in the city. To stimulate the growth of the arts, the O Senz’s office awards a hefty 10,000 Star prize for the invention of any new martial arts discipline by a citizen of Mar (citizenship must be earned in Mar; one must apprentice to a local school for a period of at least one year to qualify). The new Mordaga any temple of their choice within the city when it is needed; the old, the infirm, and the orphaned are cared for Population: 250,000 (urban); 325,000 (metro) in state-run mending houses; and education is mandatory Humans: 85% Others: 15% for all children, who must learn to read and write the common tongue and learn rudimentary mathematics An impressive city of black granite buildings, massive before they are allowed to pursue their adult careers. This stone archways veined with luminescent blue minerals, is not done entirely out of a sense of compassion. Instead, and mighty canals through which flows a seemingly it is done because it is the most profitable way to disproportionate amount of the wealth of the world, maintain a long-running, highly competitive and highly Mordaga is the home to the merchant princes of the lucrative enterprise. world. Wide inlets from the harbor reach into the city proper, serving as transportation routes for the wealthy The Mordagan Triumvirate and royalty of the city, as well as routes for both private House Prince/Princess Professions Levels and commercial trade. The ship is the sign of power of the Mordagan lord, and the most powerful are measured Von Ryn Prince Rijn II Rogue 17th by the number and quality of their vessels. Though Selanth Princess Mariah Wizard 14th Zengara may be the trading capital of the free world, it is Melkor Prince Merkarri Stalker/Sorcerer 12th/12th not the trading capital of the not-so-free world, and the Each lord listed above is Human, though no house is many nations that cannot or will not deal with the filled exclusively with Humans. Each house has the Forever City typically can and will deal with Mordaga resources of a rather large (c. 100,000) population city to and her dubiously named Mordagan Free Alliance. draw upon. When in total alliance, they are a most The Mordagan Free Alliance: The Mordagan Free formidable force, and are considered powerful enough by Alliance is ruled by the three most powerful merchant most nations to demand respect. houses in Mordaga. Each house is headed by a “prince” Mordagan Military Forces or “princess.” The three most powerful princes comprise the ruling triumvirate of power that dictates the policies Air Forces: 9 Active Squadrons (16 each) Wvyerns. of the alliance. Policy is set by unanimous decision, and Reserves include 1 Squadron. Each Man’O’War sails this has been the cause of more than one prince’s with one squadron. untimely death. Still, when times are good, there is little bickering, and much profit to be made, as the alliance Land Forces: 2 Active Legions in 1 Army. Reserves demands of its participant nations usually nothing more include 1 Legion. than the trading of their goods for a profit, thanks to Sea Forces: Mordaga’s unique mercantile strategies. (It should be noted that the alliance does impose a 10% tax on some Ship Designation Number (Active Duty) of its vassal-states, though this fee is more for military and political purposes than for trade.) The Mordagan Mordagan Frigate 33 Free Alliance has enabled Mordaga to consistently Mordagan Man’O’War 7 produce a surplus of grain, fruit, and rare spices which the Mordagans sell at a premium to any and all buyers. Mordagan Raptor 3 The plains to the south of Krystallmyst provide the bulk Each Frigate is captained by a Commander. Each of these goods, much the same as do the larger Man’O’War is captained by a Commander or Captain, collectives upon the Plains of Lotarr and Notarr, with and has stats equal to a Zengaran Man’O’War. Each whom the Mordagans enjoy a fair trade as well. The Raptor is captained by a full Captain, and has stats equal alliance provides the towns, villages, and city-states who to a Shy’R Raptor. Note: Listings are provided for “ship produce the goods with the military protection and of the line” ranked ships only, and not for the dozens of market savvy of Mordaga, while it provides Mordaga support craft and smaller vessels also in the inventory. with excess trade goods whose profits greatly enrich her Each ship in the Mordagan “ship of the line” naval already bloated coffers. The Free Alliance offers inventory is equipped with a crew capable of manning countries without strong ties to Zengara another recourse multiple battle stations, including standard batteries of for trade and protection. For that reason alone it has been Catapults, Ballistae, Ripplers, Crushers, and Multiple and probably will be quite successful for some time. Missile Launchers. The number of war machines varies The Mordagan’s power to act as trade brokers is from ship to ship; even the least of the great ships sports considerable. In fact, the alliance is strong enough to at minimum one of them. allow them to deal with Arcturus or Rotath, two nations Special Forces: The private resources of the Triumvirate that have few if any ties to Zengara, then turn around and houses. act as a broker for the trade of Arcturian and Rotathian goods with Zengara, all without ruffling a single lord’s surcoat. Due to its massive mercantile affairs abroad, Mordaga affords its citizens a rare privelege: the citizens of Mordaga pay no taxes, yet they enjoy the benefits of a high quality social program that borders upon the utopian. Citizens of all ages receive free healing from Penitence Isle between 60 and 70 ships. The flat plains behind the city allow for great distance vision and early warning of any Population: 14,000 (est.) oncoming attack. The city is full of trade of all sorts Human: 100% considered both legal and illegal by other cities. With this the city has drawn even more of a populace. This desolate island serves primarily as a Rellian “re- education” camp, with all non-purified Rellians who are “Rancor” is the name taken by the current pirate lord of worthy of redemption being sent here to pay proper the city. Tradition demands that the big boss of the city penance for their real, or imagined, sins. Four small must always take the name of the city’s founder, or else, it monastical compounds ring the outer perimeter of the is believed, bad fortune will befall the city and it will be isle, with each compound dedicated to the re-education destroyed. The current Rancor makes his name by of a certain facet of Rellian dogma: one, for providing a safe haven for pirates, thieves, and rogues of Dragonslayers; two, for Inquisitors; three, for Priests; all sorts, and their often illegal activities. The city has no and four, for all other Rellians. A small but fervently taxes and little government intrusion on business or trade, zealous cadre of Rellians approximately 144 in number or anything else for that matter. The only “tax” is runs each compound. Depending on the severity of the Rancor’s Tithe, which commands a 10% cut of all sin, not to mention the severity of the particular financial transactions carried out within the protection of Inquisitor who does the sentencing, incarceration on the the city. The city is defended by a small army of well paid isle can range from a few mere weeks to a lifetime. and well equipped mercenaries, who also serve as the Trespassers and all non-Rellians are slain on sight, enforcers of Rancor’s Tithe. The rotting, mutilated bodies though the Rellian code permits some leniency with which fill the gibbets at the Open Market are testament to victims of shipwreck. the gravity of the tithe. Places of interest in Rancor include the “Open Market,” a giant open air market at the Petra (not in web files) center of town where trade of any sort is possible, and the “Wave of Hydrus,” a rowdy pirate bar owned by Rancor The Plains of Lotarr and Notarr himself. Also of interest is the modified (and highly artificed) Zengaran Man’O’War, the Capitol, which Population: 90,000 serves as Rancor’s private castle. Constructed of Human: 57% Others: 43% ironwood and inlaid with several tons of the purest Fertile plains that fringe both the northern and southern silversteel, the Capitol glistens over the city on the sides of the Krystallmyst Mountains, the Plains of Lotarr western edge of the market. The city itself is surrounded and the Plains of Notarr are named to honor the two by a huge wall that towers at a height of 85 feet, and is 33 ancient Starin brothers who taught the free peoples of the feet thick. The wall has but one known entrance, due early First Age to harvest the many fruits of the Good north of the port, though there are doubtless other hidden Earth. The Plains of Notarr lie to the north of the entrances. Krystallmyst Mountains; the Plains of Lotarr, to the south. The plains, though not as fertile as once they The River of Venom were, still yield tremendous harvests. The northern plains Length: 955 miles yield wheat, barley, corn, and other grains, while the southern plains yield many varieties of subtropical So called not because its dark waters are poisonous, but vegetables and fruits. There are several dozen collective rather because its treacherous waters are home to an farms within the region, both north and south, which abundance of snakes, the River of Venom drains the market their goods to all of the local city-states and mysterious lands shrouded by the Veil of Sominus. Many nations. The collectives, though fiercely independent, primitive tribes of both Humans and humanoids inhabit enjoy the military protection of Zengara, in return for a the banks of the river. The majority of the tribes indulge sizable discount on the fair market value for their in the worship of snakes, ranging from simple produce. The collectives can range in size from 100 to acknowledgement of the reptiles’ potency to all-out 1,000 in population, with some major though temporary idolatry and a cross-connection to the worship of the increases during the more important harvest times. It is creatures of the Pit. The river flows into the Sea of Fire at noteworthy that those humanoid races with superior the port of Yagzan. Few of the civilized people of Yagzan strength and endurance form the bulk of the two plains’ journey far upstream, though collectors of snakes and rare nonhumanoid populations. venoms sometimes are known to undertake the perilous riverine voyage, at least to the point where the river Rancor becomes engulfed by the Veil of Sominus. Population: 33,000 Robath Humans: 50% Silestion: 25% Others: 25% Population: 87,590 The city was founded in the Sixth Age by Rancor, a Human: 87% Others: 13% pirate on the run from the Zengaran, Silestion, and the Rellian Navies. He found a perfect cove halfway Famous the world over for its magnificent water gardens, between Mordaga and Thrax. It was easily defendable fantastic menageries, and its sunset-purple marble due to its one entrance by sea; no more than one large buildings, the city of Robath is a spectacular jewel in the ship at a time may enter, but once in, the cove can hold crown of the Dragon Peninsula. Robath is ruled by Empress Karala, the latest in a long line of female rulers that she holds secret alliances with both Zengara and in the current matriarchal dynasty of the House of Kozoi, Mordaga, and holds little love for Rel, whose infamous which has ruled Robath for the past 2,345 years. The Blacklist would eliminate almost one-third of her people are infatuated with the empress and her family, population. who can do nothing wrong in their eyes. The fact that Robath has not been conquered during the long years of Rotath her family’s dynasty has much to do with that perception, though the startling beauty of the city and the Population: 1,000,000+ (urban); 1,250,000 (metro) ease of life within its garden-lined walls must be strong Human: 95% Others: 5% factors as well. To be blunt, the city of Robath is rich. The City of the Sand Kings, Rotath sprawls on the eastern Very rich. Due to the city’s location and established bank of the once mighty Jaffir-Ja River. The river now is policy of neutrality, trade both to and from Zengara, puny within its sand-swept banks, choked to a state of Mordaga, and Arcturus typically passes through the city, total congestion by a veritable flotilla of ramshackle making its merchants wealthy (and the House of Kozoi shanty-boats, which pollute not only the river but also the even wealthier, as it takes its 10% cut of the merchants’ nearby Rama-Thothses harbor as well. The city is divided sales). The Empress Karala then re-invests a small into two sections: the city proper, and the Shadow Hawk portion of her own wealth back into the city, usually in Guild, whose complex occupies the center of the city. The the form of some work of fine art, a new garden, or gargoyle-deviced edifice of the towering Ra-Thlax-Ptah something pleasing to eye or ear that all citizens can take Repository, which lies to the south of the Shadow Hawk pride in. Thus, all citizens are happy and content, and Guild, dominates the confusing maze of narrow streets thus continues the dynasty. Still, a city as rich as Robath and the too-numerous unlit alleys of the sprawling (and as neutral, with no formal allies to call upon) is a metropolis of the city proper. The repository serves as tempting target of opportunity for the forces of evil, and both museum and library, and is considered to house one the contentment of its people will do little in the face of of the finest collections of rare tomes in the world. siege engines and weapons of war. This is why the House of Kozoi long ago invested not in a standard Rotath’s many seafaring merchants and caravan traders military force, but in a special golem death squad, the occupy the best establishments in town, the majority of Phalanx Kozoi, which serves the House of Kozoi’s every which are crowded in close to the outer perimeter of the beck and call. The Phalanx Kozoi consists of one squad Shadow Hawk Guild. The Shar-A-Thep governmental (10) of Supremium Doom Golems and one Mortogolem. building, noted for its beautiful white marble minarets, The golems have been specially modified to serve the serves as the center of trade and commerce. It lies to the current ruler of the House of Kozoi, and none other. south of the guild as well. In the center of the city lies the Thus, with but a few words from Empress Karala, the profane Shadow Hawk Guild complex. The single Phalanx Kozoi can deploy to engage and destroy looming black pyramid, the tallest and most massive virtually any conventional invasion force. And thus structure west of Zengara, marks the main guildhall. Four continues the dynasty. towering black obsidian minaret spires, pulsating with eldritch Zynsh energies, gird the cyclopean pyramid. Roktar There are those within the guild who are quite capable of intercepting even the merest questing thought—and who Population: 76,435 were also quite capable of dealing with such non-guilded Human: 67% Others: 33% mystical trespassers in the harshest means possible. A pivotal hub in the Dragon Peninsula trade route, the To the west, beyond the atrophied Jaffir-Ja, the first of a fabled city of Roktar is known worldwide for its rare host of megalithic black pyramids broods in timeless wines, precious spices, and its immaculately maintained silence; each pyramid in the line rising higher than its roads. These roads, a feat of engineering skill, were laid predecessor, providing the effect of a titanic black out at the start of the Fifth Age during the Reconstruction stairway stretching to the western horizon, to the very years. They were laid out over the shattered remnants of heavens themselves. The pyramids serve as the legendary the former roads, though this time they were built to resting places of the mysterious beings known simply as endure, for a hyperalloy of Black Adamant and Those Who Came Before, and their ancient prehistoric Ironwood was used in their construction. And though secrets are guarded fiercely by the Shadow Hawk Guild, literally millions of tons of traffic have used the roads for who kill on sight any who dare to violate their hoary thousands of years, the black mirror-like surface of the vaults. The Great Western Wastes stretch beyond the roads has yet to be blemished, save for a few minor pyramids to the west, and no gods dwell therein, save for scuffs here and there where magicks or exotics have the gods of dust, dirt, grit, and sand. The Great Western marred the surface. (Note: The hyperalloy is employed Wastes are considered to be “the lands of the dead” to the on all roads within the city itself, and for only one mile superstitious Rotathians, and are rarely traveled except by beyond the city, where the road reverts to its typical the priests and necromancers who attend to the tombs of black stone and macadam construction.) Roktar is ruled the great ones. To the east, east-southeast, and south of by the Roadmaster, an elected mayor-president who Rotath stretches only sand and more sand; a veritable sea serves for life. The Roadmaster is assisted in lawmaking of silty, dust-like sand, as it has always been. These by a body of 12 Judges of the Way, also elected for life. regions are known collectively as “The Sea Of Sand.” Roktar outwardly claims neutrality, though it is rumored Politics: Rotath is ruled by the Shadow Hawk, and none ships only, and not for the hundreds of support craft and other. However, the mysterious entity known as the smaller vessels also in the inventory. All ships of the line Shadow Hawk prefers for reasons known only to itself to listed above sport at least one and possibly multiple rule through a puppet ruler, the Nimn, whose dynastic batteries of siege weapons. line exists at the whim of the cruel Shadow Hawk. Nimn Amen Ra-Thari rules with an iron fist, the people of Special Force: 1 Active Company of Shadow Hawk Rotath nothing more than his playthings. The irony of Battlemages (the Jakartha-Ra), under direct command of the situation is not lost on the despot Ra-Thari and his the Shadow Hawk. extended royal family, and they drain the resources of The Shadow Hawk Guild: The Shadow Hawk Guild has the nation for all it is worth. Still, while the word of the existed in one incarnation or another since the earliest Nimn is law, he cannot speak the word unless first days of the First Age. The diametric opposite of the bidden by the Shadow Hawk. To do otherwise is to greet Collegium, the Shadow Hawk Guild forces its initiates the death beyond death. into subservience of the dark powers of the Pit, enslaving Economy: Trade rules supreme in Rotath, which lies at them to its own dark ideals. For more information as to the nexus of several continental and maritime trade the resources of the Shadow Hawk Guild, refer to the routes. Though the land surrounding the city is barren at SenZar source book, page 202. best and devoid of most common resources, the ancient Pact: The Pact of Krul’R; PD: 66,666. At the time of mines of Kaltari are not, and they still produce as much Rynd’R’s conception, Chthon, in her infernal wicked copper, gold, and precious gemstones as the local slave wisdom, secretly brought about the conception of a labor population can wrest from them. Unfortunately, the duality pact. A Shadar nemesis to Rynd’R, Krul’R was average slave condemned to the Kaltari mines endures a created by Chthon as his twin brother, born to the ways of mere six months before expiring from extreme hardship, the Dark Earth and spawned in the boiling womb of the and the turnover rate is not high enough to keep the Pit. All this and more Chthon decreed for past deeds done mines operating at anywhere near their full capacity. unto her by Warhawk, Rynd’R’s father. As Rynd’R grew Rotath enjoys a modest trade relationship with the in power, so too would his dark soul-brother, Krul’R, Midnight Realm city of Yzztgrash, which lies some one until finally, as Rynd’R ascended unto the wings of the and one-half kilometers beneath the sewers of the city. Phoenix, so too would Krul’R embrace the advancing Religion: The Dark Earth Mother and her brood of talons of the Shadow Hawk. As Warhawk saw these wicked Pit-spawn are hailed as gods here. However, events unfolding, he vowed most adamantly that Krul’R freedom of religious choice is not tolerated in Rotath, would never become the Shadow Hawk. But not being especially if one practices the worship of Rel. In fact, the able to directly interfere, lest Chthon retaliate in kind old hatred of the Fifth Age Holy Wars has never died in against Rynd’R, the Supreme God of War resorted to Rotath, and worship of Rel is still punishable by death. most inspired blackmail. Curiously, though the Shadow Hawk rules supreme, It is said that Warhawk led personally a raid into the Pit worship of its divine essence is forbidden, again on pain and procured the true name of Omm himself. With a of death. Perhaps there is some truth to the rumor that name comes power, and with this total power over Omm, the Shadow Hawk is a Material God, and as such is Warhawk encased the Spider Lord within the heart of totally opposed for reasons of its own immortal nature to Silestion, the Sun. It is rumored that on this day Chthon foster worship, lest it be forced into true deific status, actually admitted a sliver of affection for Omm and which would deny it physical existence in this reality. bartered back Omm’s true name and very soul in Rotath Military Forces exchange for Warhawk’s dark son’s not becoming the Shadow Hawk. To complete the deal, Warhawk Air Forces: 2 Command Wings (16 full Squadrons) of relinquished all knowledge of Omm’s true name when gryphons and riders. There are no reserves. Krul’R was brought back from his dark quest of the shadow. Chthon did abide by the pact, save for one minor Land Forces: 4 Active Legions in 2 Armies (The Hand alteration: Instead of Krul’R becoming the Shadow of Nimn & The Doom-Talon). Reserves include 2 Hawk, he would now serve as its eternal guardian. Legions. Transformed both spiritually and physically by the dark Sea Forces: design of Chthon, Krul’R now stands 50 feet tall, dark and diabolic in form, his own visage now hideously Ship Designation Number (Active Duty) transformed into that of a long swept-back demon skull. Rotathian Trireme 125 Down the length of Krul’R’s forearms run organic Shadar Steel bracers, which are fused into his form by means of Rotathian Frigate 48 wicked hooks which pierce his flesh and barbed rods Rotathian Man’O’War 16 which fuse with his bones. Attached to each of these Each Trireme is captained by a Commander. Each bracers are two black Shadar Steel chains. At the terminus Frigate is captained by a Commander or Captain. Each of these chains are massive black soul cauldrons that Man’O’War is similar to a Zengaran Man’O’War, and is glow from within with a boiling, billowing prismatic captained by a Captain or higher-ranking officer. These light. Krul’R swings these massive cauldrons overhead by act as platforms for the naval launching of the air forces. their chains, creating a swirling vortex of energy that Note: Listings are provided for “ship of the line” ranked extends over a one mile radius from atop the central pyramid of the Shadow Hawk Guild complex. Within along the overland trade routes, and tremendous natural this radius, the four fully prismatic effects of the defenses (the city is situated on a stark mesa, well- cauldrons do their individual effects to anyone defended from casual siege) combine to make the city a designated as an enemy of the Shadow Hawk by Krul’R, target of opportunity for the ambitious. In fact, during the and doing nothing at all to all others. Anyone killed past 1,000 years, Saleem has been besieged by no fewer within this radius will have his soul sucked into one of than 10 armies, though it has yet to be conquered by even the cauldrons, which will instantly transport the soul into one. True, there were no major powers aligned against the the Nameless, where the hapless victim’s gurgled soul- city—mostly mercenary armies led by wannabe screams can entertain the Dark Earth Mother herself. megalomaniacs—but each time the city has broken the siege with little apparent effort, and with little in the way Linked Pacts of losses. Fortunately for the city-state, few of the larger Ward 1: Krul’R’s Eternal Damnation. This links nations are interested in its potential as a vassal-state, Krul’R’s body, soul, and mind with Chthon herself, simply due to the fact that defending the ripe target of making him her ultimate puppet, subject to her every opportunity might just be more trouble than it’s really whim. This also links Krul’R to the pact itself, which worth. The mighty Salikhan of Saleem, Jared Joffanth the grants him a PD equal to that of the pact. Savant, is considered by many to be the wisest mortal on the planet. The Salikhan, a middle-aged though extremely Ward 2: Krul’R’s Transconfiguration. This charm grants energetic Human Astromancer, is a benevolent dictator, Krul’R his monstrous physical form (see above) and all and his people love him for it. The doors to trade are of its powers, allowing him to become “real” in order to always open in Saleem, and Jared Joffanth is so skilled in defend the guild. It is only during this time that Krul’R diplomacy that the city-state currently has no enemies exists in true physical form; otherwise, he exists as an among the rest of the world’s nations. energy pattern stored within the matrix of the Pact of Krul’R, which is centered on the main pyramid of the Sanctuary Shadow Hawk Guild complex. It is by this charm that the Shadow Hawk can summon Krul’R to defend the Population: 44,000 guild under any circumstances, though Krul’R is bound Human: 95% Others: 5% in any event to defend the guild once it is actually Revered throughout the world for its beautiful hot springs attacked. and its lush, curiously sub-tropical flora and fauna, Ward 3: Ward vs. Intrusion. No manner of magickal Sanctuary serves the Rellian Empire as a sort of idyllic transport into or out of the guild will work so long as the retirement compound, open only to those who have pact exists. The only means of ingress and egress are by served the faith well their entire careers and to those non- physical, conventional means, such as walking or flying. blacklisted folk who agree to pay the steep 1,000 Stars Extraplanar travel is barred by this ward as well. Only per day fee to rent one of the retirement villas. The coast Krul’R and the Shadow Hawk are immune to this. is studded with many a fine villa, with each sporting the typical Rellian trappings, such as a large golden ankh, or Ward 4: Dark Phoenix, Rising. Upon command of the exquisite marble statues of the Rellian saints. Life is Shadow Hawk himself, the entire outer surface of the sweet, easy and idyllic, even for those who make their pyramid issues forth black spikes of crystal, up to 10,000 living serving as villa attendants. However, a dark specter of them. Each one of these spikes contains one point of looms over this virtual paradise, for the interior of the isle primal energy. Any number of these spikes may be used is haunted by raging spirits and beset by sudden and in the same action phase, inflicting one point of primal random fierce Wildwind storms (see the Wildwind entry damage to a single foe, though each use will reduce the in the “Geomatrix” for more information), a remnant of number of spikes (and primal) remaining on a 1:1 point the isle’s Fourth Age Shadar heritage. Few who venture basis. Though the primal burned does not regenerate on into the island’s inner jungles ever return to the coastline its own, the pact allows the Shadow Hawk to infuse his to share their tales, though this may be due to the fact that own primal (or any other primal, for that matter) into the the laws of Sanctuary state that purification is the matrix of the pact. Thus, the PD of the pact can be punishment for those who dare trespass within the isle’s rebuilt up to its original PD of 66,666 on a 1:1 basis. proscribed inner jungles. Saleem The Sea of Fire Population: 93,230 Average Depth: 12,431 feet Human: 92% Others: 8% Greatest Depth: 24,987 feet (Domination Depths) Founded during the middle of the Fifth Age upon the The legendary Sea of Fire spans the southern portion of razed ruins of a Rellian outpost, Saleem once served the the Dragon Peninsula, the easternmost portion of the forces of the Shadow Hawk as a strategic stronghold continent of Vhannok. The sea derives its name not from during the holy wars of the Fifth Age. Now, no longer in the numerous volcanoes which gird its perimeter but from league with Rotath and the infamous Shadow Hawk the freak of nature which causes isolated expanses of its Guild, Saleem enjoys a most interesting existence as a waters literally to combust. Fortunately, this startling strategically located, totally independent city-state. phenomenon is preceded by the apparition of blood-red Saleem’s natural artesian springs, excellent location skies, which are always lit with devastating bolts of purple lightning. The swift passage of this freakish The Sea of Stars “storm” causes a local variety of kelp, known as sea fire, to combust due to its high magnesium content, and thus Average Depth: 13,129 feet begins a submarine conflagration that seems to defy Greatest Depth: 39,888 feet (The Black Hole) common sense as the kelp burns down to its base in the sea bed, sometimes hundreds of feet below the surface. Rivaling the Sea of Silestion in both beauty and breadth, This phenomenon, now widely regarded as a natural and the Sea of Stars is perhaps the most heavily traveled body not a supernatural phenomenon by most, is relegated to of water on SenZar. The sea derives its name from the the relative shallows where the sea fire kelp grows. eponymous title of an ancient First Age epic poem. The Skilled navigators can usually avoid the potentially epic is credited to Vasa Noth, a member of the original lethal kelp, which produces a flame that causes 1d20 Council of Lords under Zengara’s first Overlord, Jacoor points of fire damage per exposure. It is rumored that the Thrax. In the epic, Vasa Noth chronicles the travels and sea fire kelp, if properly and carefully harvested, can tribulations of the first Zengaran mariners. The sea that produce a superior heating and lighting element, as the they call their own reflects most purely the light from the flames produced by the plant are extremely hot and stars above, and the dancing celestial lights seen by the exceedingly bright. Unfortunately, the flame that burns homesick mariners remind them of their distant heavenly twice as bright burns half as long, and the sea fire kelp homeworlds, to which they can no longer return. Now, at burns burns at a rate of approximately one foot per the start of the Eighth Age, the Zengaran Navy dominates minute. the sea, though Rotathian, Akir, Silestion, and Rellian ships are common to the area. In fact, virtually any The Sea of Ra-Thep merchant ship from any maritime nation in the world can be found in the port of Zengara, the world’s largest. The Average Depth: 23 feet greatest depth in the Sea of Stars is found, ironically Greatest Depth: 235 feet (???) enough, in the very harbor of Zengara. The Black Hole, which was formed by what Collegium scholars refer to as This great inland “sea” is in fact a huge freshwater lake, a “rogue meteor” that struck in prehistoric times, lies a serving as the main source of the mighty Jaffir-Joffa mere dozen miles to the north-northwest of the center of River, which flows eventually past the great city of the city. The hole is conspicuous from the air, forming a Rotath, far to the north. Virtually unsettled and still deep black circle roughly one mile wide in otherwise largely unexplored, the Sea of Ra-Thep is especially crystal blue waters. The Black Hole lies just offshore shallow for a body of water of its size. Legends persist of Zero Isle (see “Zengara”), and its depths are rumored to an ancient city, Ra-Thep-Ra, that lies eternally conceal a warren of passageways leading into the submerged beneath the lake’s surface. The risk of disease Midnight Realm. in its malarial waters and the risk of violent death at the fangs of the vicious, highly predatory crocodiles that Serenity infest the sea’s shallow shoreline place a high price on exploring these claims, however. The recent explorations Population: 14,280 launched into the region by the Shadow Hawk guild Human: 65% Silestion: 25% K’ryl: 3% Others: 7% have returned with more questions than answers, and with substantially fewer souls than with which they The island kingdom of Serenity is home to the largest departed. official gathering of mystics on the planet. Here, where the mighty Silestion and Zengaran empires stand on an The Sea of Sand understood common ground, the great psychic arts are explored for the benefit of both empires. This newly Population: 100,000 established phenomenon has recently been responsible for Human: 90% Others: 10% the expansion of the realm of the mystic arts, with several important new mystic magicks being added in but its first This is the great desert wasteland that stretches to the few years of existence. The native population of Serenity, east, south, and west of Rotath. It includes the Shining some 5,000 or so Humans, have rapidly become Sands, the Shifting Sands, and the Desert of Yellow accustomed to the curious events up in the mountain Stones. Populations are mostly Human, and concentrated stronghold which is home to the studious group of among the surprisingly lush oases which dot the trade mystics. The newfound sense of invincibility which the routes. Very small populations of nomadic Sauran and stronghold and its large core of mystics provides has Tygor are found in the area as well. The three largest perhaps aided in this. The stronghold, built upon a oases are the Kolakash, the Erg-Wahadi, and the Gem of prehistoric place of power, is referred to as the Ra-Thep. Each of these three great oases are located “Omnedon.” It is of a sturdy Khazak design, and is along conventional trade routes, and are well stocked for literally built into the side of the island kingdom’s highest mercantile trade. peak, Mt. Serenity, a long extinct shield volcano. It is rumored that approximately 1,000 devotees of the mystic way reside within Omnedon, assisted by hundreds of support staff, in what must be one of the most highly funded “black” projects shared by the two mighty empires. While the benefits of the project are lucrative and rewarding, the ultimate goal of the research, still on the horizon, would seem to be the invention or discovery The Shining Sands of a unique application of mysticism that empowers even a normal humanoid devotee with mystic magicks that Population: 20,000 (est.) can be delivered by Mystic Spellthought. Both the Sauran: 99% Others: < 1% Mokarr and the Kalamari are extremely interested in this research, though not entirely for similar reasons. The southern and southwestern stretch of the Sea of Sand, However, both races are thus far reluctant to directly the Shining Sands are so named because they reflect the approach the virtually impregnable stronghold to discern light of the sun brilliantly, a laser-like show of white-gold its many secrets, this time for quite similar reasons. prisms as far as the eye can see. Those who cross these sands must protect their eyes with special visors to block Shem out the blinding rays, else they will suffer a visual white- out resulting in near-total blindness. By night, when most Population: 24,000 choose to travel the land, the crystalline sands reflect a Human: 100% surreal stellar light show, the fires of the stars multiplied then recast in polychromatic fire. Note that the Sauran This city was razed by Rel himself during the early Fifth population found in the area has absolutely no difficulty Age, its mostly Human, Rel-worshiping citizens falling in navigating the sands by day or night, as their into sin, and thus being punished by the judicious infravisual capabilities allow them to ignore the otherwise application of divine, purifying fire. However, the new blinding effects of the Shining Sands. Those who dare to city of Shem was rebuilt and resettled by the Rellian stray from the normal trade routes without prior approval faithful atop the blasted ruins of the old city during the from the fierce Sauran natives should be prepared for a close of the Fifth Age. The high plateau on which the old fight to the death, as the local Sauran, who call city rested held important strategic significance, themselves “Forever-Guardians of [the] Holy Radiance,” especially during the world-wide holy wars which tolerate no casual intrusion from the outside world. rocked the Fifth Age. Currently, Shem serves as a monastical outpost for many of Rel’s clergy, and as a Shipwreck Isle repository for many theosophical works. The Rellian clergy and support staff comprise roughly one-tenth of Population: 10,000 (est.) the population, with the remaining nine-tenths being Drakkan: 90% Human: 5% Others: 5% local natives who are Rellian by calling, or at least brazen enough to pretend that they hear his holy call in The bane of many unfortunate mariners, Shipwreck Isle is order to live off the largesse of this fairly rich city, where both noted and feared for its subtle shoals of razor-sharp church-sponsored bread lines ensure that none of the coral, its constantly shifting sand bars, and the vicious faithful knows hunger. Be that as it may, Shem is indeed and unpredictable predations of its native population of a fair, beautiful city. Bright high-country skies shine in Drakkan, who terrorize any mariners who dare to land the rarified atmosphere of this high-elevation city, and upon their chosen territory. In recent years the attacks by many sages believe that the inhabitants of the city enjoy the Drakkan have lessened in frequency, perhaps due to the finest air in all the world. The city is served by a the punitive commando strikes launched by the more Priest-Governor who answers only to Highfather powerful empires (notably, Zengara and Petra) in himself. The post is considered a plum by many of the retaliation for attacks upon their ships of the line. The Rellian cloth, though only the most learned religious non-Drakkan population is comprised mostly of scholars are fortunate enough to be assigned here. expatriates from one nation or another, and their presence appears to be tolerated by the Drakkan, provided that they The Shifting Sands keep to the shoreline and do not invade the mountainous inland, which serves as the Drakkans’ home. Recent Population: Uninhabited intelligence provided by the Dark (see “Zengara”) appears to indicate that the native Drakkan population is The western stretch of the Sea of Sand, the Shifting somewhat primitive culturally, and dismally unaware of Sands are so named because they have a tedency to shift the current state of affairs of the modern world. In fact, it quite disturbingly beneath the traveler’s feet. Most would appear that the misinformed Drakkan still believe travelers avoid this desert, as most pack animals refuse quite strongly that the Fourth Age has not yet run its to travel more than a few paces into the sands. Though course, and that Lord Valthrustra and his Shadar minions virtually uninhabited by humanoids, the Shifting Sands still rule the world. Their reintegration into modern are known to be the home of several varieties of civilization poses an ethical and moral dilemma for the monsters, including the Airshark, the Basilisk, the Overlord of Zengara, who wishes to peacefully introduce Gryphon, and, horribly enough, a strain of mutant Slorr them to the modern world, yet who must proceed most that actively hunts mammals and humanoids. carefully when considering such a drastic cultural change in a primitive yet noble people. After all, they may wish to remain precisely as they now are. Solaria likely fry the creature to oblivion (see below). In spite of the protections on the gate, the Mokarr guard the lone Population: 10,000 entrance into DruusDome with a variety of golems and Silestion: 51% Human: 41% Mokarr: 5% Others: 3% guards. Security is tight, and even one who might pass cleanly through the gates is still subject to interrogation The shiniest jewel in the crown of the Dragon Peninsula, by the ever-zealous guards, who carefully investigate by Solaria is entirely a creation of the early Eighth Age. Its magickal, alchemical, mystical, and technomagickal relatively low population (approximately 10,000) is due means all who would dare to attempt the passage. to the fact that only the best warriors and mages are allowed to settle here on a permanent basis. The city The Forbidden Temple of the Dark Earth Mother lies itself was created by Zolt’R, son of Warhawk, in one within the city, as do the temples of every known demon day. Though the true powers of this primally artificed god of the Pit. In fact, more than one-half of the city remain a closely-held secret, there are rumors that population of the secret city is devoted to some religious the city, like its creator, is capable of total regeneration cause, serving in some capacity in one of the many even from total annihilation, like the Phoenix itself. (And temples that dot the city. Sslaanathrax is ruled by the high rumor this remains, as no one yet has been able to priest of the Forbidden Temple, who is appointed to office damage the city, let alone raze it. Zolt’R, no mere initiate by the most powerful Vakh of Vash Vala, the Mokarr of the art of war, utterly crushed the first invasion capital city. Within the city the high priest (or priestess, as attempt, when some 100,000 Rellian invaders at long last the case may be) rules absolutely, his very word law, knew the true meaning of “purification” by divine though his word may not be spoken save through auspice Phoenix fire.) There are no small buildings in Solaria. of his own Vash Vala masters. The current high priestess, The layout of the city is patterned as an eight-rayed Janeth D’jezz, has been known, however, to defy on mandalan star, emanating from a central source. The occasion the wishes of her hidden masters, albeit in the central source and each of the eight rays are pyramids. name of Chthon, and then only when she is certain that Each of the eight satellite pyramids are megastructures, she can get away with it. It is rumored that D’jezz, a dual- totally composed of hyperalloys of several potent exotics profession Priest/Alchemist of considerable power for a guilt in the finest deep golden hue of Solaria, while the mortal, and her most faithful henchmen are currently ninth and central pyramid is larger than the other eight engaged in secret research concerning the extension of combined. The smaller pyramids are classical the Mokarr life span and the modification of the Mokarr tetrahedrons, each one measuring approximately 777 feet genetic structure to allow natural birth, in total defiance on a side. The central pyramid is more than 1,000 feet on of Mokarr law. Should this research ever be revealed for a side, though this can apparently fluctuate some the blasphemy that it is, then D’jezz and her cronies will unknown amount according to the desire of the face crucifixion by vermix nails. Contrarily, should this pyramid’s owner, Zolt’R. Solaria enjoys a pact of research ever reach fruition, then D’jezz will be hailed by friendship with Zengara, and hence is home to a branch all Mokarr as the savior of their genetically-stagnant race. of the Collegium. Recently, the new Mokarr stronghold of MingZaaria was established beneath the city of Though temples abound, there are some of the finest Solaria. Though many still doubt that this noble magickal facilities in the world here. It is here that the experiment will succeed, Zolt’R, at behest of his father, Mokarr produce their Manta craft, as well as many of Warhawk, Supreme God of the Phoenix Pantheon, has their other technomagickal marvels. From the confines of sworn his blood-oath that he will do everything in his the towering Pyramid of Dark Light, which dominates the power to see that it will. The living incarnation of the cityscape, the many Mokarr technicians ply their dark arts Phoenix itself, Zolt’R has also sworn that he will twenty-four hours a day, continually striving to serve the personally rip the souls out of any foolish enough to put cruel whims of their hidden masters. It is within the his blood-oath to task. Pyramid of Dark Light that the largest Val-Mokarra on the planet is kept under heavy Mortogolem and Death Sslanathrax Squad guard. Many buildings in the city share the pyramidal design of the typical Mokarr structure. Even Population: 100,000 the temples share in the tetrahedral design, though each is Mokarr: 100% customized to suit the specific tastes of its patron. Like most subterranean Midnight Realm cities, the secret city The secret city of Sslaanathrax lies beneath the city of lies within a magickally hewn hemisphere carved from Zengara, deep within the forever-twilight of the the living heart of the earth itself. The diameter of the Midnight Realm. The secret city serves as the last line of hemisphere is roughly one mile, and it rises nearly 1,000 defense for DruusDome, the ancient holy city of the feet from the floor. The city’s lighting is suited for Shadar Lords. Other than by means of a Master Warp, Mokarr eyes, and is similar to what most technomagickal there is but one way to enter DruusDome, and that is by initiates would call “black light.” These magickal lights directly walking through the Chthonian Gate, which lies adorn the many streets, homes, and temples of the city. at the very center of Sslaanathrax. To pass through this Sealed off from conventional means of ingress, gate, one must have the genetic structure of a Mokarr or Sslaanathrax is accessible only by magickal means, such a Demonian, or one must have a perfect “20” in either as by planar travel or magickal transport. the Dark Earth or the Anti-Life code. Any other creature attempting to pass through the Chthonian Gate will invoke a Power Word: Damn, which will more than Artifact: The Chthonian Gate; PD: 1,001. Created The Western Wastes during the early years of the Fifth Age, the Chthonian Gate served as a century-long project of the Mokarr race Population: < 10,000 to guard the entrance to their holy of holies, the ancient Human: 50% (est.) Others: 50% (est.; mostly Drakkan, lair of their dark Shadar masters, DruusDome. The G’rru, and Tygor) permanent super-scrying power of the Chthonian Gate will instantly scan the molecular structure of any Despite the ancient name, the Western Wastes now are creature attempting to pass through the gate. If the relatively fertile woodlands, having recently completed a creature is not a Mokarr or Demonian, or if it does not mysterious spurt of growth during the final years of the have a perfect “20” in either its Dark Earth or Anti-Life Seventh Age. What was only so recently seemingly codes, then it is instantly subject to a Power Word: endless tracts of blasted, erosion-scarred and weather- Damn. Immortals are totally immune to this, provided stripped geography is now swiftly becoming, season after they have more primal than the gate has primal defense. season, a rich and fertile temperate woodland. In recent years there has been a noticeable influx of devotees of the The Terror Peaks Good Earth unto the region, each of their number attaching some mystic miracle of rebirth to the once blasted lands. The indigenous natives, however, have not yet grown accustomed to the new and perhaps unwelcome changes. They also have not yet grown accustomed to the slow but steady trickle of annoying intruders in their realm—not all of whom serve the Good Earth. Thrax Population: 250,000 (urban); 375,000 (metro) Human: 51% Others: 49% The ancient evil that is Thrax perpetuates itself in the dark souls of its inhabitants, who share a fervent faith in the unholy power of the Dark Earth and its thrice-damned godhead, Chthon. Ruled by the iron hand of its Shadar Greatest Height: 9,999 feet (most peaks; see below) mistress, the Bitch Queen, Thrax is the largest surface- world city dedicated solely to the dark ways. Thrax is Forming what many would call the western boundary of revered by those who serve the Dark Earth, and serves as the civilized world, the Terror Peaks, formerly a range of a nexus for evil. The Midnight Realm is accessible from sublime wonder and gentle beauty, were transformed Thrax by both conventional subterranean tunnels and by during the height of the terrors of the Fourth Age to magickal teleportals. Both Mokarr and Demonians freely become titanic tetrahedral monuments to the Shadar roam the city of Thrax, many of them arriving on the Lords. Like a Terran Mount Rushmore hewn by surface world via the tunnels which can be found in Hieronymous Bosch, each pyramidal mountain portrays several places within the city, notably within the Tetrarch, the bust of a particular Shadar Lord, often but not always or town square. The teleportals, however, are found only on all four of its faces. The craftsmanship is in the palace of the Bitch Queen. They are employed only monumental, eerie, and quite perversely beautiful. by her leave, and then only by the most important Millions upon millions of slaves labored and died during ambassadors of the Dark Earth. Most structures in Thrax the Fourth Age to produce these prodigies, their unburied are of recent construction, having been artificed unto life and unmourned corpses forevermore mixed with the by the Bitch Queen herself, according to her own dark yet construction debris which litters the bases of the peaks. delicately wicked designs. Black hyperalloyed steel, or The Terror Peaks still bear the psychic scars of the Thraxian steel, is the basis for most constructions (with tortured and dying slaves, though few are brave enough the exception of the palace itself; see below). This steel is to hear them in this land of ancient pain. Sages have extremely light yet durable, and virtually resistant to all recorded more than 1,000 tetrahedrons, each originally but magickal damage. The minaret, the spire, the 9,999 feet tall, within the range. Few, however, remain in pentagram, and the tetrahedron figure prominently in the their pristine state, thanks to thousands of years of city’s architecture, and the examples found within the righteous defilement. These massive cenotaphs to evil walled city of Thrax are among the most wickedly incarnate have yet to reveal their hidden secrets to any beautiful in the world. The city itself lies on the southern sage's full satisfaction. Countless are those who have side of the Isle of Thrax, nestled within a naturally tried and failed in their attempt to wrest ancient Shadar guarded harbor. The city walls are of an advanced magicks from the Terror Peaks. Countless, too, are the Mokarran design; light and thin, though enforced by unmarked graves of those who have tried and died. multiple layers of Thraxian steel set within a microscopic tetrahedral lattice. To breach any section of the city’s pentagonal walls, one must first overcome an AP of 100, then bring down its massive 1,000 hits. Horribly enough, the tetrahedral lattice of the Thraxian steel allows the Thraxian Military Forces wall (and anything constructed of the unique steel) to regenerate itself at the rate of one hit per hour. Air Forces: 1 Command Wing (8 full Squadrons) of wyverns and riders. There are no reserves. Thraxian Steel: Hyperalloyed from Shadar Steel and the molecular imprint of a common troll by the Bitch Land Forces: 2 Active Legions in 1 Army (Sherrad- Queen of Thrax during the last years of the Seventh Age, Droth). Reserves include 1 Legion. this tetrahedral-latticed metal grants many but not all of Sea Forces: the awesome powers of Shadar Steel, without its disastrous soul-snuffing effects. Sometimes referred to as Ship Designation Number (Active Duty) a “living metal,” Thraxian Steel actually regenerates Thraxian Trireme 55 itself once damaged. This regenerative rate is equal to Thraxian Frigate 24 one hit (or one coin’s worth) per hour. Special: All artificing costs at 10%. FMV: 500,000 per ingot. Thraxian Man’O’War 8 Each Trireme is captained by a Commander. Each Frigate Politics: The despot Bitch Queen rules Thrax, and all its is captained by a Commander or Captain. Each citizens live in fear. No mortal is safe from her wicked Man’O’War is similar to a Zengaran Man’O’War, and is perversions. Backed by her own immortal power, her captained by a Captain or higher-ranking officer. These decrees are inviolable, bound by primal fury. A self- act as platforms for the naval launching of the air forces. proclaimed living avatar of Chthon herself, the Bitch Note: Listings are provided for “ship of the line” ranked Queen deigns not surround herself with lackey mortal ships only, and not for the hundreds of support craft and sycophants such as viziers, advisors, senators, mayors, smaller vessels also in the inventory. All ships of the line etc. All decisions are made by her, for her, and through listed above sport at least one and possibly multiple her, with no exceptions. batteries of siege weapons. Economy: Thrax enjoys a booming slave trade, serving Special Forces: The Legion of Damnation. This special as slave-broker for the entire southern hemisphere of the army, summoned and bound into service by the Bitch planet. Slave markets abound in the city. All may freely Queen herself, contains 9,000 Skeletons & 1,000 Skeletal participate in the market, provided they pay a hefty slave Warriors. They act at her behest, and none other. The tax of 1,000 Stars per slave to the city. Curiously, Bitch Queen has demonstrated the ability to Master Warp merchant ships of all nations are free to employ the safe the entire legion to the battlefield. harbors of Thrax, provided they pay a flat fee of 1,000 Stars per vessel, per day in port. Those who pay are free Other Thraxian Cities Population to make a profit, free from persecution (even if they are The Citadel of Skulls 44,544 Rellians; the Bitch Queen appreciates the zen of total Leper Isle 1,567 hypocrisy). Those who do not pay will find their vessels (and their very lives) confiscated immediately by the Sukra-Bluugk 12,456 forces of Thrax. Vynspyre 33,063 Religion: Since the Bitch Queen proclaims herself a Wargrim 13,989 divine avatar of Chthon herself, the Dark Earth Mother Zor-Kil 11,340 and her band of malcontents are hailed as deities in Artifact: The Palace of Pain & Pleasure; PD: 6,969. Thrax. The worship of anything else is punishable by Artificed unto existence by the Bitch Queen during the soul-death. Rellians are punished in a special manner: first Thrice-Jack's night of the Eighth Age, the Palace of crucifixion by Vermix-laced nails on any one of the Pain & Pleasure dominates the center of the city of Thrax. 1,000 Shadar Steel inverted ankhs which line the Sometimes called the “Iron City of Thrax,” the palace perimeter of the Tetrarch. It is uncommon for the town sprawls like an eight-legged black iron octopus, its many square to be devoid of the piteous cries of mortal agony. flowing spires and lattice-ways of interconnecting minarets covering an area of some 1,000 acres. From the Skull Mountain: Skull Mountain, an artificial mountain center of the palace the Bitch Queen holds court, the composed of the blackened bones of the sacrificial entire isle her playground thanks to the primal magicks of victims of Thrax, rises ominously from the center of the her artifice. With but the expenditure of 10,000 power isle. Amazingly, the dark peak of the mountain rises to a points, the Bitch Queen is able to send forth a full- height of some 6,666 feet. It is considered a holy spot of powered avatar of herself to any place on the island of the Dark Earth, and the truly devout worshiper will make Thrax. Once off the isle, the avatar must conform to at least one pilgrimage to its summit during his life, normal avatar parameters, however. With this avatar, she leaving behind a sacrifice of a skull to mark his faith. is able to visit immediate pain and/or pleasure anywhere The Citadel of Skulls, the second most populous city on she desires, at will. While linked to her palace, no matter the isle, sprawls obscenely at the base of the mount. how remote from it she may indeed be, she enjoys virtual Temples of all the demon gods of the Pit can be found in omniscience of all things on the island. Only those beings the citadel. or items with more primal than the palace itself contain are immune to this power. Other linked powers are as listed below. Linked Powers Tornharm Pain/Pleasure Metalink: Links Bitch Queen’s soul to Palace of Pain & Pleasure without costing a focal link. Cannot be undone, save upon death of the one linked to it. Link must be made while sitting upon the throne of the palace, and must be made while in a state of simultaneous pain and pleasure. Ultimate Retribution: Upon death of Bitch Queen, causes all remaining primal in artifact to consume the one who dares attempt to claim it. Each point of primal will inflict a special full prismatic retribution effect, with all saves made at a hefty -50%. All points will fire off simultaneously. Thy Mistress Am I : The voice of the Bitch Queen causes all those with a WILL attribute of less than “20” to fall into her complete, total control. Those with a WILL of “20” or higher are immune. May be used only while within the grounds of the palace. Duration is permanent. 1,000,000 Veils: Shapeshifts the entire molecular matrix Population: 500,000 of the palace to conform to the Bitch Queen's whims. Human: 75% Others: 25% Any shapeshift up to 10th Order can be achieved. The city of Tornharm, or the Gateway to the West, serves The Little Death: Any sentient with a power point pool as the far-western “sister city” to Zengara, and serves as who dies within the grounds of the palace is instantly the westernmost city-state in allegiance to the Forever sucked into the palace's soul batteries, its soul stored for City. Tornharm is much akin to Zengara, its big sister, future use by the Bitch Queen. Total knowledge of the sharing many of the same customs, laws, and soul is granted to her, and she can choose either to add governmental hierarchy. Unlike Zengara, however, the power points to the Master Soul Battery (see below), Tornharm claims no Overlord. Instead, the ruler of or extract any three powers or abilities from the soul and Tornharm is descended from a matrilineal line of Humans instill it into a soulstone, which will manifest that stretches back to the earliest part of the Fifth Age, immediately, ready for use. If the latter course is chosen, when the city was founded atop the ruins of the ancient the battery will gain no power from the soul, which has city of Tohar. now been shredded to nothing. The current ruler of the city, Lady Sahanta S, or “Lady S” Master Soul Battery: Patterned after the soul batteries as she is known to her subjects, is regarded as one of the found within the matrix of the Four Towers in Zengara, greatest masters of sorcery on the planet. Well over 200 the Master Soul Battery stores conventional mortal years old, yet in appearance a woman in the full bloom of power points within the primally artificed matrix of the her beauty, Lady Sahanta S is one of the most powerful palace. The maximum capacity of the soul battery is mortals alive. Wiser than most, she has thus far resisted theoretically equal to the current PD of the artifact, all attempts to force her to don the primal mantle of multiplied by a factor of 10,000, though this has yet to immortality, instead focusing her prodigious sorcerous be reached. Regeneration is at an astonishing 1,000 gifts on the betterment of the city of Tornharm. Thus do power points per phase. The Bitch Queen can draw from the good people of Tornharm need never fear the night, this regenerating power point pool as long as she for sorcerous plasma globes light all dark corners of the maintains her link. [There is some speculation that the city proper. No one pays for this privilege; the light is Bitch Queen obtained this secret process from none other given freely to all who desire it. Recently, Tornharm has than the grim Shadar lord Nathrak himself. There are begun to implement many of the new Zengaran civil even those who believe that the Bitch Queen is the standards of education (see “Zengara”), the light of daughter of Nathrak, though her beautiful dark Sidhe illumination burning even brighter than the fabled lights physical form belies any direct relation with the hideous, of the city. dinosaurian Nathrak.] Economy: Like Zengara, Tornharm is a merchant’s paradise, though on a somewhat smaller scale. Being the last major city before Rotath, Tornharm receives much of the far-western goods that are bound for the more populous Dragon Peninsula and Krystallmyst area. Also, she receives ports of call from most ships bound for Rotath and the western lands. In times of peace, Tornharm prospers mightily; in times of war, Tornharm typically suffers, as its relative proximity to Rotath would seem to indicate. In addition to her mercantile success, the city enjoys the fruits of its Collegium branch, the tower burns, staffed at all times by a contingent of royal third largest on the planet (behind the main branch in guards and Collegium staff members. Capable of piercing Zengara and the new branch in Petra, the Silestion the gloom of the night to a range of almost 100 nautical capital). Finally, Tornharm profits by acting as a miles in all directions, the Sentinel Tower’s far-ranging secondary clearing house (behind Zengara) for the many light is a modified cool plasma beam, powered by a self- foodstuffs which flow from the fertile Plains of Lotarr. perpetuating tidal motion generator, which gains its energy from the waves which surge past the tower. Tornharm Military Forces Air Forces: Airships, powered by sorcerous artifice to The Vale of Valya defy gravity. A place of peaceful contemplation for the Starin, the Vale Airship Designation Number (Active Duty) of Valya lies to the north of the Grove of Ganath. Starin sometimes make the short pilgrimage to its sylvan depths Vermillion 21 to examine the depths of their souls. They just don't do it Anverness 7 within range of Kiril Spellsinger’s hidden, Frank Lloyd The Vermillion-class airship shares not only the basic Wright-inspired compound, which sits high upon the design but also the stats of a standard Frigate. However, valley’s western slopes. Hard to indulge in the mystic it is capable not only of travel by sea, but by air, as it can discipline of meditation when the master of all bards is engage its massive antigrav generators to fly at up to 20 ripping off a 200+ decibel Hendrix riff on one of his CMR, and up to a height of some 200 feet. Each highly artificed Strats. Fortunately, Kiril, despite his Vermillion is captained by a Commander. Each decidely atypical Starin inclinations, is hip enough not to Anverness-class airship is similar to a Zengaran let rip his mighty bardic musings except during the most Man’O’War, and is captained by a Captain or higher- holy Starin holy days, when all can be challenged to ranking officer. Each of these great vessels is outfitted know their souls for what they truly are. for flight, as per the Vermillion-class airship. While the Vermillion is fitted with conventional armament only, the The first Anshadar recruited by Sigil Talisman in his Anverness is equipped with a unique Plasma Bolt eternal war with Lord Valthrustra and his Shadar minions, Collimator, a fine vein of Supremium which girds the Kiril, ever rebellious, now rejects his role in The entire perimeter of the ship just below deck. The Dragon’s Game, and refuses all contact with other collimator is capable of emitting a 100 point plasma bolt immortals, on pain of their instant soul-destruction at the once per combat round, in a 360 degree sphere of fire, hands of the living embodiment of the Single Sonic with a range of 200 hexes. Since the collimator is linked Sound. The only exception to this rule is Tatternorn to the antigravity generators, there is no need for VoidSpawn, Kiril’s former apprentice, and bearer of the recharge as long as the ship is actively engaged in flight; Pact of the Impossible Blade. otherwise, one shot may be fired only once in every 10 combat rounds. Note: Listings are provided for “ship of the line” ranked ships only, and not for the dozens of standard ocean-going support craft and smaller vessels also in the inventory. Land Forces: 2 Active Legions in 1 Army. Reserves include 1 Legion. Sea Forces: Refer to “Air Forces” above. Special Forces: Access to Zengaran special forces through shared pact with the Forever City. The Palace Royale: The Palace Royale dominates the center of the city. A massive keep surrounds the palace itself, and the highest lords and members of the royal family reside therein. Once per week on Starsday, the citizens are invited to participate in an evening town meeting in the Great Hall of Justice with the Tornharm Council of Lords, who hear, judge, and adjudicate all pleas for supplication. More often than not, Lady S sits in attendance to the delight of the people, who see her as “one of us.” A rare appellation indeed for royalty of any kind. The Sentinel Tower: Tornharm’s deceptively treacherous harbor is guarded by the Sentinel Tower, a gigantic lighthouse which was completed during the early years of the reign of the city’s current ruler, Lady Sahanta S. Even by day the magickal beacon within the Vash Vala perpetuate a balance of power is perhaps due to the Mokarr propensity to weave their political webs at the behest of their hidden dark masters, who more than likely have the life span to measure their moves in the great game in turns of centuries, and not mere years. The Mokarr are disciplined enough to accept that the plans that their generation are making may not reach fruition until many generations later. Mokarr who are born under a certain house typically take the name of the house as their surname. Thus, Aleth Dreg-Nor would name that particular Mokarr as Aleth, of Vakh Dreg-Nor. Those born outside the auspice of a house typically receive no surname, and are relegated socially to the lowest caste of Mokarr society. Not all of the Vakhs are homogeneous in population, though many tend to be dominated by Mokarr. In fact, the Mokarr freely embrace those who join them in their endless Population: 1,000,000+ (urban); 1,250,000+ (metro) crusade against the addled forces of the god who failed, Rel, and all of the blind Good Earth maggots who dare to Mokarr: 75% Others: 25% join his unholy “cause.” Earning the right to bear as one’s The largest Mokarr settlement on the planet, Vash Vala is surname the name of a powerful Vakh is honor indeed. the greatest of all Dark Earth-aligned cities. Lying some Though there are more than one score Vakhs within the three miles below the surface, approximately midway city, there are rarely more than six of great power existing between Zengara and Arcturus, Vash Vala is a totally simultaneously. The six most powerful are listed below in self-contained and self-perpetuating environment. A descending order of power, along with their nominal technomagickal marvel, the city exists in a titanic leaders, their leader’s race, and relative power ratings. underground sphere artificed of purest Shadar Steel. The The 6 Most Powerful Vakhs in Vash Vala “sky” above the city projects a virtual reproduction of the surface-world sky; however, the skies now bear the Vakh Ruler Race Professions Levels horrid imprint of the cosmos seen during the height of Alexa Mystic Vakh Dreg- 18th/18t the glory of the Fourth Age. During the day, the “sun” Dreg-Nor Demonian Assassin/Alche Nor h shines in hideous black light, and the “stars” are visible (f) mist in negative backlight. During the night, the deep purple Vakh Ty- glow of ultraviolet-influenced light bathes the city, and Jad Ty-Vek Mokarr Sorcerer 17th the dark malignance of the Void Moon shines down. Vek Vakh Mrrk Tygor Assassin 16th There is but one conventional means of ingress and Gorthog Gorthog egress from the city: the Eye of Vash Vala. This Vakh Vena imposing 33 meter high, 33 meter wide bulwark is Mokarr Necromancer 16th Vashtak Vashtak (f) constructed of purest Shadar Steel, its multitude of Vakh Karch Talisman/Assass 15th/15t wicked spikes and vicious projections laced with Demonian Vermix. The gatehouse is guarded by a platoon of Nihilotek Nihilotek in h Mokarr Assassins at all times. A single Shadar Steel Vakh Zallia Mokarr Priestess 16th Battle Golem provides some heavy firepower, and is on Jorgroth Jorgroth (f) call at all times. While not linked to the Sphere of the Six (f) = female. (see below), and thus not a true artifact, the Eye is heavily artificed, and has an effective AP of 100, as well as an “instant close” function, which will shut the massive gate tight in but a single phase. The Sphere of the Six tolerates the eye, allowing it to exist within a “hole” in its surface. This hole, however, can be made to instantly reject the eye by a user of the sphere, should there be a need to ultimately isolate the city. POLITICS: Vash Vala is ruled by a tight circle of political houses, each of which contests with its nominal allies for absolute power in the city. There have been few times, however, when a house, or Vakh, has been strong enough to rule with a clear mandate (and without open opposition). There would appear to be a built-in balance of power in the Mokarr political hierarchy which maintains the status quo of multiple houses, multiple nominal rulers. However, this seeming willingness to Vakh Inventory: Below is the itemized inventory of grade materials, or 1,000 coins’ worth of specially Vakh Dreg-Nor. While a rank above the typical Vakh in prepared Ultima. power, the inventory will vary only a little from powerful house to powerful house. Chosen patron deities Note: The term “Vakh” means “house” in the current will vary from house to house, though no house will dare vernacular, but in ancient times this Druus derivative ignore the worship of Chthon. referred to a pyramid. The Mokarr extend the original meaning to refer to all members of their extended Vakh Dreg-Nor Inventory organizations, or houses.

Item Number Item Number Economy: The economy of Vash Vala is driven by the 1 (contains power of the Vakhs, which deal in all manner of vices. Clone Tanks 10 Vaga Farm 6) Prostitution, slavery, drugs, black market items (both magickal and non-magickal), and outright piracy and Shadar Steel Alchemical privation are the norms for these twisted merchants of 10 Battle 3 Laboratory death. When one house does well, all in the city profit, Golems due to the very real nature of trickle-down Dark Earth Greater economics. No one pays taxes, though each Mokarr is Alchemical 1 Val-Mokarra 1 expected to tithe a portion (usually 50%) of his income to Laboratory his Vakh. This is usually donated to the temple(s) in the Alchemists 21 Vulcan Forge 1 Vakh. Mass Sorcerers 9 3 Religion: Worship the Dark Earth Mother, or die! Teleportal Penalties for daring worship anything else vary from Wizards 3 Smiths 24 public crucifixion to purification. Worship is mandatory Master during holy days; it is the rare (and most powerful) Battlemages 3 1 Smiths Mokarr who dares defy the holy dogma of the Dark Earth. The largest structure in the city that is not directly Necromancers 9 Slaves 1,000 affiliated with any Vakh, and indeed serves all citizens of Priests 13 Nightcrawler 13 Vash Vala as a common ground place of worship, is the Mokarr great Temple of the Dark Womb. This large hemispherical Sentinels 1 3 Manta Ship dome functions as a place of worship for all major deities (serves of darkness, though the worship of Omm is by far most Patronage of Assassins 99 Dark prevalent. Some, in fact, call it “The Temple of Omm.” Chthon Earth) Military Forces: There is no unified military force in Mystic Patronage of (serves Vash Vala. Each Vakh (see above) controls a sizeable 3 Assassins Omm Omm) military presence, and is expected to rally to the defense Patronage of (serves of the city in times of war. Not all of them do, however. Death Squads 1 Chaliklak Chaliklak) Truth be known, the Mokarr, despite being unified by their unique origins, have never been united, except for no harm of when they were united as Shadar slaves. Should the Vakh various Vakhs ever unite under one banner, then the fate members of the planet could very well be in jeopardy. Pact of the by spiders; Servitor Trolls 24 Arak must do no Artifact: The Sphere of the Six; PD: 6,661. Created harm to during the early years of the Fifth Age by a convocation spiders, or of the six most powerful Vakhs, or houses, of the Mokarr die race, the Sphere of the Six is perhaps the greatest 1; all technomagickal achievement produced on SenZar by Temple of patrons mortal hands since the passage of the dread Fourth Age. Venom Trolls 12 Darkness worshiped The primal was provided through horrid bargains struck here through demonic agency, with every 1,000 souls sacrificed to Chthon producing a point of primal for the 1; creation. When the desired primal was reached, some Heartseeker 1 (contains “pyramid,” Vakh three centuries into the astounding project, the mortals Farm 100) contains all achieved the manipulation of the primal into their artifact above by sacrificing one Rellian priest for each point of the item’s PD. Finally, the leaders of the six greatest Vakhs, Greater Alchemical Laboratory: This Mokarr creation none of whom were originally responsible for the allows the construction of siege weapons such as the initiation of the project, provided the necessary artificing. Nightcrawler and Manta, which require heavily rad- Unfortunately, this was achieved at the cost of their own shielded environments and special machine tools to souls, which were consumed in ultimate silver fire as they construct, not to mention vast work areas. TTM: 10,000 impossibly bound the primal unto the sphere. man hours. Materials FMV: 1,000,000 Stars of high- Users of the Sphere of the Six are the leaders of the six boundary between the real world and the ethereal majesty most powerful Vakhs of Vash Vala (see below). While of the Spiral Stairway, an ancient artifact that once served the sphere requires but one person to employ it, it is an Namo himself as a means to explore all possible realities. accepted fact that any use of the sphere must be done in The Veil of Sominus itself is a side-effect of the awesome total compliance with the six house leaders. To act magicks of the Spiral Stairway, and its prodigious otherwise is considered an act of war. Users possess the defenses. The veil is nothing more than a very real, very secret Druus commands for employing the sphere. These permanent, and never-changing mist, akin to an actual fog mental commands are passed down from one Vakh bank. The mist hangs suspended over the outer layer of leader to another, changing houses only when one house subtropical rain forest, muffling all sounds and reducing wanes in power, and the secret commands are coerced or normal sight within its confines. Examination reveals that cajoled from them. Using the sphere can be done from the mist itself, which extends several hundred feet above anywhere within its bounds, though not from the exterior the forest canopy, is nothing more than terrestrial, non- of the sphere. magickal water; only the ancient power of Namo holds this freak of nature in thrall. Thus, the outer forest is still Linked Powers quite capable of supporting a wide range of life, which in Virtual Scry: This allows a real-time divination of the fact it does, though sentient humanoids are rare to an current SenZar sky, complete with a highly accurate extreme within the veil, if only due to fear of the virtual reproduction of the sky. The illusory components sometimes bizarre creatures which terrorize the locale. of this effect are primal in nature, and are of the highest The Veil of Sominus reaches some 1,000 miles from the possible accuracy in their reproduction; they are, to be Spiral Stairway. With the exception of the first 286.48 frank, more real than real. miles of the radius, things are fairly normal. However, once approach is made within this radius, the Virtual Broadcast: This allows a scene or programmed transtemporal effects of the stairway banish the veil, scene to be projected from any portion of the sphere. revealing a blasted, flat, burnt-out chaotic terrain which Typically, this function is set to imprint the current sky abruptly rises from the rich forest boundary, reaching to with the hideous overlay of the Fourth Age sky. It can be the distant stairway itself. Once within this area, one can used, however, to project any scene, image, or icon. This see the distant stairway itself, looming on the horizon, its latter function, however, is used only during times of suffuse silver-blue primal radiance a thing of terrible emergency, such as to show the visage of an intruder. beauty as it apparently rises up to the heart of the Complete Knowing: This allows the user of the Sphere to firmament itself. One perceptive enough to the ways of command a superscry of any sentient within the sphere. magick can now, at this point, begin to feel the effects of Once named—even in the most generic terminology— ancient magicks on his soul, as the defensive wards of the the image of the victim is projected before the user, and Spiral Stairway come into play, intensifying in power as complete knowledge of the soul of the victim is imparted one approaches the stairway itself. Note: For more to the user. Only those with primal equal to or greater information on the Spiral Stairway and its awesome than that of the sphere itself are capable of “greying” powers, refer to the listing in “The Nine Power Foci of themselves before the might of the sphere; appearing as The Dragon”. nothing more than a formless, grey ghost image to the user. Yagzan Instantaneous Transport: Allows the user to transport Population: 64,000 anything within the sphere to any other location within Human: 61% Others: 39% the sphere, by mere mental command. The objects being The gateway to the mysterious Veil of Sominus, Yagzan transported have no resistance to the effect. They are, thrives as an adventurer’s haven, profiting heavily from however, immune to the effects if they meet the primal the ill-conceived but heartily financed expeditions into requirements listed above. the veil. Both the Collegium and the Shadow Hawk operate guild outposts here, with the eternal rivals The Veil of Sominus operating under a purely neutral mercantile pact. Yagzan is ruled by a consortium of the twelve most powerful local mercantile houses. Called the “Consortium of Twelve,” the group rules by majority decision, with at least seven votes needed to pass a decision. Free market competition being what it is in a city ruled by merchants, it should be noted that all marketplace FMVs here in Yagzan are, on average, some 10% lower than normal. Citizens of Yagzan prefer to dress in casual tropical fare; the city much resembles a quasi-medieval version of a safari town. The city also does a thriving business in the Population: Uninhabited animal export trade, especially the snake and reptile trade (see the River of Venom for more information). Many of Anathema to most sane travelers, the Veil of Sominus, a the best guides, trappers, and hunters on SenZar can be 1,000 mile radius magickal barrier, serves as a protective found here. Yzztgrash performance of the latest political play. Curiously, violent crime is virtually nonexistent in Zorga. Since most trials Population: 750,000 (urban); 800,000+ (metro) in the past were of a long, thoughtful, and entirely too Mokarr: 75% Others: 25% drawn-out duration, and since the crime rate did not seem to be reduced, the wise forefathers of Zorga considered The second largest settlement of Mokarr on the planet, how to remedy themselves of such a concern. They Yzztgrash occupies the dishonorable position of being solved it in a novel manner by decreeing that all violent some one and one-half kilometers beneath the sewers of crimes be punishable by instant death. Sentence is carried Rotath. Home to more than half a million Mokarr, the out after a brief mystic interrogation by the full number of city is second only to Vash Vala in power in the grim the Eight to determine guilt. The condemned are world of Mokarr politics. Like Vash Vala, Yzztgrash is destroyed by having their brains mystically “switched ruled by a tight circle of political houses, or Vakhs, each off” by the members of the Eight. The Eight are the most of which contests with its nominal allies for absolute learned sages in the city. Each member of the Eight must power in the city. And, like Vash Vala, the politics of possess mystical and/or telepathic abilities, such that any Yzztgrash appear to be mired hopelessly in a thousand judgement rendered in a criminal case will be a fair and webs of patient deceit. just one. New candidates are considered during a special In addition to a host of smaller Vakhs, each of the six city-wide vote upon the death or retirement of one of the most powerful Vakhs of Vash Vala operate satellite Eight. Each citizen of Zorga casts one vote, with victory houses within Yzztgrash. All, however, most decided by simple majority. The Eight gather at the Table acknowledge the superiority of Vakh Mu-Garoth within five of seven days during the week to adjudicate by Yzztgrash. The supreme house in the entire Mokarr majority decision any pressing issues. empire so far as mutants are concerned, Vakh Mu-Garoth commands the respect of all Mokarr everywhere. Its members, though smaller in number than is normal for a house of such power, are all mutants of extreme power. In fact, the pyramid home of the members is laced with radioactive zulzak, and none but true mutants can dare exist within its walls without fear of absorbing massive doses of hardcore radiation (equal to approximately one point of radiation damage per phase during exposure). This genetic poison is warded from reaching outside the pyramid, but its mere presence is enough to balk even the most ambitious Mokarr from initiating a Vakh-war with Mu-Garoth. Thus does Vakh Mu-Garoth reign supreme in the city. Some might whisper that this holds true for the entire Mokarr empire, too. Since the city is unfortunate enough to exist beneath Rotath, there is, alas, another more important factor in its political struggles: the Shadow Hawk itself. Should the dark phoenix rise to claim his place as ruler of Yzztgrash, few of the houses would dare to stand against it, and even fewer would have a prayer of surviving. It is known, however, that the Shadow Hawk has never openly challenged the city during any of its recent incarnations. What is unknown, however, is why this is so. Zorga Population: 74,335 Human: 94% Others: 6% It is said that during the past millennium no other city on the planet has produced more of the finest philosophers and sages than Zorga. Few aesthetes would argue that the city is not conducive to contemplative thought. The city is abuzz by day with traveling scholars, who converge on a magnificent open-air plaza called “The Table,” which overlooks beautiful Wa’ai Bay. Here, sages exchange the latest knowledge, sometimes quite vociferously. By night, the buzz continues, with the sages often retiring to the local inns for a long night of philosophical pondering, or attending a late night realize that not even the power of the gods lives forever, Zengara, the Forever City though the destiny that marks their passage does. Population: 1,000,000+ (urban); 2,000,000+ (metro) Trade: The Forever City is sustained by massive trade Human: 77% Others: 23% with Petra, Tornharm, Mordaga, Mao Yen, Kaza Ka, Spyretooth, and a host of other nations. Though the city History: Zengara was founded by Jacoor Thrax at the itself will have little to do publicly with zealotous start of the First Age. The leader of the successful Rellians, slave-dealing Akir, or barbaric Goblins, there rebellion against the prehistoric Death Horde contingent are still traders and merchants (mostly within the black on SenZar, Thrax subsequently became the first Overlord market) who will still deal with them, if at slightly higher of the city. During his visionary reign he established prices than normal. Zengara produces a surplus of many many of the Forever City’s most important features, goods, including precious gems from the nearby Noman including the original Dragon Palace, an ancient version Foothills, fine silks and textiles, ships of the line and of the Collegium, and a code of laws that endured some smaller merchant ships from its massive shipyards, and five thousand years until the Justinian revisions. magick items via the Collegium. Despite the riches The Forever City is regarded as the most powerful associated with the production of magicks, Zengara’s true nation-state on SenZar. If there is some scholarly debate economic might lies within its many merchants, who as to the invincibility of Zengara’s conventional forces, exploit the city’s tolerant import-export protocols and there is little debate as to her magickal domination. The extremely low flat tax rate. The flat tax rate is 10% of Forever City is home to two of the Nine Power Foci of gross FMV of goods being imported into the city. Each The Dragon. The Overlord’s historical allegiance with merchant, caravan, or ship coming into the city must be the Keeper of the Fang of The Dragon, the Archimage of inspected by a designated officer of the Metro Inspector’s Krystallmyst, secures the Forever City’s massive Office, or MIO. The procedure normally takes but a few magickal troika of primal power. Add to this the minutes or so, and is carried out by highly trained, highly conventional magicks of the Collegium, perhaps the loyal, and highly paid agents. Payment is made on the greatest single body of spellcasters and sages ever spot, in coin of the realm, or by special barter or aligned, and the potential for total magickal mastery is promissory note arrangement. If no payment can be realized. made, then the trader is given 24 hours to come up with the payment before he is asked to leave the city, his goods Currently, Zengara enjoys the guidance of the first in tow. consortium of immortals to set its destiny since the end of the Fourth Age, when Lord Valthrustra and his Shadar Economy: The Noman Foothills are among the richest minions ruled SenZar, and indeed the majority of the ore-bearing formations on SenZar. Thousands of years of known cosmos, with soul-blasting hatred for all things mining, however, have laid bare many of the richest living. Now, however, the destiny of the Forever City veins, though there are yet unexplored bonanzas ready to lies in the path of Light. The first Overlord of the Eighth yield their treasures to the determined adventurer. There Age, Rhiannazaar, has sworn his Azaar blood oath to are no mercantile taxes on goods paid by the citizens of usher in a new era of peace, love and harmony, even if Zengara. There are, however, taxes paid when real he has to snuff utterly the souls of the infinite legions of property (such as a house, manor, lot, or building) the Pit to do it. To this end he has enlisted the formidable exchanges hands. This is equal to 10% of the gross sale immortal talents of the Seven Stars, who, thanks to the price, payable to the Council of Lords. Failure to pay scheming hand of Sigil Talisman, placed several of their within one week of sale will result in seizure of the number among the rulers of the greatest nation-states on property. Each ship that docks in the harbor must pay a SenZar. Tal’N Hawkwind rules as Malakon of Petra and standard 10% tariff on the gross of its goods before the nominal leader of both the Silestion and Solarr races, goods are allowed to hit the local market (see above). while Guthal Dirge rules as Ka of the Khazak race. The Failure to pay will result in expulsion, or, in some rare mere threat of the combined powers of the three leaders cases, seizure of goods. It is the duty of the MIO (see is enough to deter even the most aggressive mortals. The above) to conduct tariff boardings on all calls on port. very real threat of their soul-bond with the bearer of the Finance: The Collegium serves as the nominal “bank” in Pact of the Impossible Blade himself, Tatternorn the Forever City. Commerce within the Collegium incurs VoidSpawn, is enough, however, to balk even Chthon no fees, though loans are subject to a stiff +50% herself. repayment term (and only after approval by the Still, destiny is never gained without due struggle, and Headmaster himself). The Collegium has the capacity to there is always the lesson of Lord Valthrustra to serve as trade in currencies of all nations, as well as to issue a reminder that infinite power does not necessarily imply Collegium Credits, which can be used to purchase goods infinite duration of power. Thus does the newest initiate citywide, and anywhere on SenZar that Collegium Credits into the mysteries of The Dragon, the Overlord of the are accepted. Credit exchange is typically performed by Forever City, Rhiannazaar, temper his noble ambitions note or deed outside the bounds of the Collegium or one with humility. Though young even by some mortal of its designated branches; while at the Collegium or one standards, the Overlord and his immortal compatriots are of its branches, special technomagickal identification perceptive enough, or perhaps merely cynical enough, to devices called “C-Scanners” allow virtual exchange of funds without need of notes or deeds. The scanners resemble flat, glossy black acrylic notepads, and are quite portable. Identity is verified by means of a four-fold, capital, and the Isle of the Guardian), the Temple of the quadruple-checked scanning system which includes Phoenix currently draws more faithful than any other palm-recognition, voice-recognition, pheromone- temple in Zengara. The temple draws more and more recognition, and auric signature-recognition. All four each day due to the tolerant ways of the holy Seekers must verify as positive before accounts can be accessed. (Silestion Priests), who proclaim the wisdom of the All scanning effects are at an effective 10th Order power Phoenix for all to hear. The temple’s proximity to the rating, and cannot be defied, save by primal means. Silverdome abets its rapid rise in popularity, as many who Though possession of a C-Scanner by non-cleared attend the gladiatorial matches cannot help but be drawn personnel is an offense punishable by death, the current to the temple grounds, if by nothing more than an black market FMV of the device (some 250,000 Stars) is appreciation for its sublime beauty. The temple’s enough to warrant the occasional attempt at liberating immaculately landscaped grounds offer a stark, welcome one of them from the Collegium. Rumors persist that all contrast with the clean but often sterile city streets. That, scanners possess hidden tracking devices to aid in their and the inescapable fact that the ever-subtle Silestions recapture, should they fall into enemy hands, and self- created the great temple dome, some 300 feet in breadth, destruct capabilities, should there be no chance for with solid gold. Fortunately, the dome is artificed to recovery. withstand the rigors of its own mass, though there was no provision made during its creation for dimming the There are many nontraditional lenders (especially in the reflected light of the sun, which shines almost as if its black market) who will loan or hold money or goods for heavenly radiance were centered on the dome, and not in a price. This typically is a 10% broker’s fee of the gross. the heart of the solar system. Service will vary, however, from loan shark to loan shark, as will penalties for non-payment. The Temple of Bel: This temple, deep within the heart of Thieves’ Quarters, is dedicated to Bel, the Akir God of Religion: Like the illuminated souls of Petra, the people Thieves. Its complex, though small compared to others, is of Zengara generally are quite tolerant of religious richly decorated by the handicraft of its members. Every freedom. The city is quite receptive to most non-evil Sabbath, the rich give to the poor, and not one of the philosophies, beliefs, and religions, and temples to all faithful goes home hungry. Naturally, there is never a major religions can be found in the city. Though it is theft from the temple, as Bel himself will steal the soul of common knowledge that Overlord Rhiannazaar has little he who believes himself equal to the God of Thieves. love for the Rellian faith, several minor temples flourish in Zengara, a pale shadow of their former number. The Temple of Anu, Lord of Heaven: This massive Temples dedicated to overtly evil forces, such as those complex, located at the terminus of the Southwestern deities of the Pit, typically are hidden from common Way near the border of the old city walls, is home to purview and are difficult to discover (lest select Tauran worship in Zengara. Blocks of Khazak-hewn members of the Dark visit them in the still of the night, black basalt rise ominously to gird the complex, sealing merciless and unforgiving). Temples to all major gods of off the site to all but those of Tauran blood. Outsiders are evil exist in the city; they are simply not in plain sight, unwelcome, on pain of death. Only those with the express and are, for obvious if somewhat dark reasons, extremely permission of a Tauran member of the temple are allowed selective about whom they admit. on the grounds, but never into the holy of holies, which sits at the center of the complex. Only a true Tauran may Temples: There are more than 1,000 temples strewn enter here, in the Hall of Anu, where the towering icon of throughout the Forever City. More than half of them are the Father of the Sky looms monstrous and majestic, its in ruins, and are of no great consequence; long-forgotten mighty arms stretching towards the heavens. [Local structures whose utility has endured beyond the deity to legend states that the crafty Tauran have long maintained which they were dedicated. A small percentage of these a holy relic of their starfaring deity within the temple forgotten temples could still yield loot, as there are still grounds. Called “The Divine Boat of Anu,” this legendary some which have yet to be excavated, or have even yet relic may in fact be an ancient starship. Ironically, the to be discovered for what they truly are. Of the 500 or so starship, if such it truly is, may be an artifact of the Death temples still extant, only a small handfull are truly Horde, however, and not the beneficent Anu.] glorious, and worthy of mention. The (Former) Bright Temple of Rel: This massive complex, located at the intersection of the Great Western Way and Dragon Square, was once not long ago the largest temple dedicated to Rel outside the Holy City of Arcturus. The entire complex was razed by fire in the last quarter-century of the Seventh Age (by the current Overlord and his companions, though few are privy to such knowledge). The entire complex is now condemned, rumored to be haunted by the ghosts of those slain not during the razing of the complex, but during the long years of Rellian habitation. The Temple of the Phoenix: The third largest Silestion temple on SenZar (behind those in Petra, the Silestion Zengara Metro Area The spire is called Lovers Leap due to the fact that the topmost portion of the spire is covered with the graffiti of City Name Population countless years of adventurous lovers, whose pledges of Anasat 32,567 love have long outlived their mortal bodies. Burnideen 957 Calakzhan 16,455 Darkmyst 11,578 Dead Shoals 15,587 Devil’s Mount 14,345 Dry Creek 15,632 Edwin’s Meadow 3,456 Fausta 22,415 Jadda Keep 2,456 Klandar’s Pass 12,689 Maggot Marsh uninhabited Noman Foothills 15,634 River’s End 35,692 Terrasin 43,507 Zero Isle: Windy and desolate, Zero Isle is the largest island in the Bay of Stars. A mere 10 nautical miles north- Undercity 10,000+ (est.) northwest of Zengara, Zero Isle is a former Zengaran Zero Isle uninhabited prison complex, abandoned and mostly forgotten or ignored by most sentients. High winds, strong currents, and a semi-perpetual gloom seem to torment the isle. Ninety percent of the isle’s coast is too steep and rocky for anchor. The quarter-mile long black sand beach on the western flank of the isle, however, offers the lone chance of a successful landing. The ruined piers are treacherous, though, and only a skilled seaman can dare pick his way through the maze of rusted piers and calcified wood to make a landing. Here, on the black sand beach (which makes an eerie though quite harmless musical sound when stepped upon), in the one part of the isle that is somewhat protected from the ever-blowing winds which rake the isle, lay the ruins of the former pier-side dock and warehouses that once were employed for processing the prisoners who came to the isle. Beyond a small rise looms the ruined and blasted basalt prison complex itself, its former grand walls and turrets now nothing more than Noman Foothills: Rising to the south, southwest, and the blasted havens of crows and seagulls, who make their southeast of the Forever City, the Noman Foothills homes here in the ruins and on the beaches, picking the cradle Zengara in a gently sloping yet treacherous maze surf for the occasional fishing ship’s net, or for the of hills, valleys, and gulches. While the majority of its occasional bloated fisherman’s corpse. inhabitants are farmers, the foothills are also the home to Maggot Marsh: Fed by a confluence of Midnight Realm some local lords, whose rambling estates take full artesian springs, Maggot Marsh lies approximately 30 advantage of the rich geography and the panoramic vista Miles South-Southwest from Zengara, just beyond the of the Forever City and its majestic bay. Local law Noman Foothills. The marsh is a despicable stretch of forbids the construction of any estates on the stale moor and dark fog that lies close to the Great southeastern side of the foothills, specifically the side Southern Way, one of the great roads leading to the facing the city, as this would place a structure on the Forever City, Zengara. Maggot Marsh is within two days’ high ground opposite the Dragon Palace, which rises easy walk from Zengara, or one days’ forced march. By from a plateau on the southeastern side of Zengara. The horseback, it is only several hours away. It’s not foothills rise gradually on the northern face of the range, especially difficult to get to Maggot Marsh from Zengara. while they plummet a bit more precipitously on the The marsh lies just off a well-traveled road, the Great southern side. Average elevation of the peaks is Southern Way, no more than 30 miles from the city itself. approximately 1,500 - 2,000 feet. The highest peak is In fact, were it not for the lofty Noman Foothills, one known as Ranger’s Rook, or Lovers Leap. The final 500 could easily see the towering Shadar Steel spires of the or so feet of this ancient peak is a spire of granite, Four Towers within Zengara from the marsh. stabbing some 2,500 feet above sea level, looming like a silent sentinel above the southwestern part of the city. Dragon Square: With its impressive one mile breadth, Palace is accessible directly from the highway. There are Dragon Square is the locus of merchant activity in several points along the highway route which serve as Zengara. A tremendous open-air free market, Dragon guard or listening posts for whatever criminal Square is famous the world over for its pièce de organizations are in power at the time. These posts are résistance, the great Dragon Fountain, which features a generally found on third or fourth story flattops, and are life-size replica of a rampant Black Dragon. Soulforged typically manned by several of that particular by a consortium of inspired Khazak and Starin master organization’s goons. At no point does the highway drop craftsmen to commemorate the great unified victory of to actual street level. Few sane beings will dare the the First Age Weirding Wars, this priceless Silversteel highway when there is rain, sleet, snow, or high wind. masterpiece is heralded as the symbolic heart and soul of Perhaps this is because the Creator can call for an the Forever City: invincible, eternal, and forever vigilant. Acrobatics skill roll on each and every rooftop leap, Dragon Square is laid out in the form of the Eightfold should he so desire. Considering the fact that there can Path, with eight magnificently landscaped avenues often be more than 100 rolls required per mile of travel, serving as its eight spokes. The avenues, which initiate at one can see why few willingly dare the heights for long. the fountain itself, radiate in all four cardinal and all four Note: Despite the danger involved, only flying or direct intercardinal directions of the compass. It is along these transport via magickal means is a faster means of wide, tree-lined avenues that the merchants pitch their traversing great distances in the city. A skilled traveler wares. The square itself is open for business to all can easily outdistance a rider on horseback, provided he merchants during the hours of dawn till dusk, when the knows the Thieves’ Highway well, and harbors no fear of ramshackle multitude of tents and booths are broken a potentially fatal plummet. down for the night. Sabbath is the only day when the square is devoid of mercantile activity. It is, however, replete with festive games and activities, open prayer and philosophical meetings, and general pedestrian activity. Thieves’ Quarters: The northwestern quarter of the city is known as Thieves’ Quarters, though no one is quite certain precisely how this epithet originated. It is here that Crime is king, and Want is queen. The folk in this part of the city are simple, straightforward, rude, brusque, and more often than not downright wicked. Despite the fact of the new Overlord’s rebuilding program, there are still untold hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of structures here which are best described as decrepit. The new riches of this great new age have yet The Four Towers and The Black Pyramid: During the to reach many of the quarter’s impoverished inhabitants, height of his Fourth Age madness, Lord Valthrustra though this perhaps is due to the diversion of these riches created the Four Towers and the Black Pyramid to serve by the criminal bosses of this sad part of the Forever as his base of power—and to serve as focal points for City. It is true that anything can be bought here—even piercing the metaphysical soul of The Dragon, tapping its slaves, though the penalty is death for such trade of the infinite primal and channeling it directly to himself. flesh—if one simply has the moxie to ferret out the Contrary to popular belief, the towers and pyramid (as proper connections. Many of the larger streets in well as DruusDome and the Black Point Pool) were not Thieves’ Quarters, including portions of the Great original creations of Lord V and his Shadar fiends. In Western Way, are of a bi-level design, with a street-level fact, the designs were predicated on an earlier section rising atop a parallel sub-street section. construction carried out by Lord V’s sire, Namo, who did Commonly known by the jaded populace as the very much the same when he usurped the power of The “Underground,” these sub-streets are the source of much Dragon. The original devices were destroyed, however, misery, as they are frequented by the most aggressive during the first God War, but Lord V was prudent enough criminals, prostitutes, beggars, and thieves. Only the to store their designs away in memory for future “Marnia’s Hellhole” section of the quarter has a worse exploitation. Constructed of purest Shadar Steel, the Four reputation. It is here that the infamous bar, the Guppy, Towers are aligned along the central axis of the city’s can be found. design, piercing the ground at each of the cardinal directions of the compass (North, South, East, and West). The Thieves’ Highway: A highway by name only, the Each tower rises approximately 1,000 feet above street Thieves’ Highway is a perilous, circuitous rooftop route level, though this height means little in the real world due which is traveled only by the most talented, and most to the non-Euclidean flux surrounding the towers. The daring, adventurers. For more than 90% of its 100+ mile true “height” is in fact not “height” at all, but more a length, the highway runs at a third or fourth story level, relative measure of the potential of Shadar power found its treacherous length a maze of steep rooftops, blind on SenZar (and in the multiverse in general) at that drops, and maddening switchbacks. Most of its length is particular junction of time. With more darkness comes found within Thieves’ Quarters, though every part of the more “height,” though there are few beings with city with the exception of the four towers and the Dragon perception equal to the task of discerning such an event. Note: The illustration above features the first few code which forbids contact with the outside world. While moments of the Weirding. The Void Moon shines in there is no true city center, there are more than 1,000 hateful ultraviolet, as the Four Towers began to shift miles of sewer tunnels which serve as residences for the into their true Fourth Age forms. The souls trapped in populace. Estimates place the population at more than eternal limbo within the towers begin to scream horribly 10,000 beings, though this figure may be somewhat into dark life, coalescing and condensing into the towers inflated. Unusual concentrations of latent hardcore in preparation of the rise of the Black Pyramid (which radiation abound in the Undercity, prompting many sages will soon materialize in the midst of the towers, to conjecture that the indigenous population may in fact consigning all sentient life on SenZar to another cycle of be mutants. infinite pain). Transport: Transport within the city is predominantly pedestrian. Horse-drawn coaches, donkey- or mule-pulled carts, and even rickshaws are commonplace, though reserved for those who can afford them. Fees generally but not always include citywide transport, with personal baggage. Additional charges will apply to large baggage loads and trips of unusual duration. The Collegium also provides magickal transport for its members to virtually any place on the planet for a steep fee of 1,000 Stars. Return passage must be arranged separately. Zengara City Transport

The towers are separated from the teeming masses of the Means of Transport Cost (per person) city by titanic battlements which gird each tower. The Cart 1 Kop battlements are, like the towers, composed of Shadar Rickshaw 1 Star Steel, and are scorned by all things living. Though there is such overwhelming evil within their midst, few Coach 1.5 Stars citizens of the city consciously regard the towers with Collegium Transport 1,000 Stars anything other than mild morbid curiosity. An “out of Communication: Most news travels by Speaker, by sight, out of mind” attitude seems to pervade the public bardic influence, or by simple word of mouth. The consciousness concerning the towers. And since the Dragon Palace, the Collegium, and members of the Dark towers are often obscured by low clouds or fog, or are are privy to magickal means of communication, usually somewhat hidden by the curtain of night, this attitude in the form of telepathic messages, or by linked scrying certainly saves many sentients from stark insanity. The devices. The Speaker, or town crier, is a duly appointed Black Pyramid normally is “hidden” by a veil similar to member of the Zengaran Civil Service, working as an that which hides Selene, the Void Moon. When the adjunct to the Guardians and the Council of Law. There Weirding wakes, however, the Black Pyramid displaces are always 4 Speakers on duty throughout the city at all itself to the Prime, juxtaposing itself in the here and now, times. Pay is 500 Stars per week. manifesting as a titanic, one mile high pyramidal structure whose base covers the entirety of Dragon Health: Health welfare in the Forever City is generally Square. The square, along with its soulforged dragon administered by method of local healers, or by means of statue, are subsequently displaced, and cannot be religious intervention at any one of its numerous temples. manifested again until the Weirding passes. The penalty For those who can afford it, healing may also be had by for entering one of the towers without direct permission alchemical means at the Collegium. Sanitation is modern of the Overlord himself is death. Warnings in all in all parts of the city, with both hot and cold running common languages are posted along the perimeter of a water and connecting sewers. Still, there is always the 100 meter wide “killing zone” which separates the threat of disease, even plague, in a city of over a million battlements from pedestrian traffic. Note: The multiracial souls. Epidemics usually are dealt with illustration above is a northward view from the North rigorously by the Collegium, and their services are Tower, looking across Silverbreeze Bay. For specific info rendered at the expense of the Overlord. Plasma globe on the magicks of the towers and the pyramid, refer to “streetlights” line Dragon Square, the main avenues, and “The Nine Power Foci of The Dragon.” largest streets, though they are rare, at best, in the poorer parts of the city, especially Thieves’ Quarters, where gas, The Undercity: Commonly known as the sewers, the oil, and tallow still dominate. Undercity is the domain of those wretched souls who find no solace in life above ground, beneath the sun, Education and Citizenship: New education policies set moons, and stars. Rumors abound that the Undercity was into place recently by the Overlord decree that all founded during the turbulent years of the Fourth Age, citizens, regardless of race, must master the Common though recent studies indicate that the Undercity itself tongue (both written and oral) and demonstrate basic may very well be of the same age as the Forever City proficiency in mathematics. Education is free to all (even itself. The multiracial population appears to be loosely adults), and is held both privately in special learning autonomous and rather chaotic, paying heed to no law, centers scattered throughout the city, or publicly in though many of these poor souls adhere to an unwritten Dragon Square during the Sabbath. New applicants for citizenship must demonstrate their proficiency within a Signatories Of The Freedom Covenant period of one year and one day from application, or they will be refused full citizenship. All new citizens born Nation Represented Ruler since the mandate are affected by this decree, while other citizens can either be grandfathered in, or get off their Zengara Overlord Rhiannazaar illiterate asses and learn. Tests for citizenship are held at the Collegium on all national festival days. Citizenship Petra Malakon Tal’N Hawkwind implies that all civil rights are guaranteed by the Justinian Code. It also implies an unwritten contract to Kaza Ka Ka Guthal Dirge uphold the Overlord’s law, or face the consequences. Tornharm Lady Sahanta S Note: A special diploma, emblazoned with letters of pure gold, is awarded to those who demonstrate their Solaria Zolt’R, Son of Warhawk proficiency and become citizens of Zengara. While the FMV of the diploma is barely worth the effort involved, MingZaaria Warlord Mingzar IV the pride of possessing a token signed by the hand of the Overlord himself is a source of pride for many who have Spyretooth Malakon Angel’a little else.

The Freedom Covenant: At the initiation of the Eighth The City Walls: Zengara long ago outgrew its city walls. Age, Zengara signed a compact known as the Freedom Constructed during the height of the Fifth Age Holy Wars Covenant with the nations of Petra, Kaza Ka, Solaria, to ward the Forever City from the seemingly innumerable Tornharm, MingZaaria, and Spyretooth. This accord, sieges of both Rellian and Rotathian forces, the old walls rooted in the justice found in the hearts of all good now form a roughly octagonal pattern around the inner sentients, allows for: the total abolition of slavery; free portions of the city, serving now more as a relic of darker trade between these nations; free exchange of all times than as a necessary military defense. Now, in the philosophical, scientific, medical, civil, military, and Eighth Age, strategically placed battlements and magickal discoveries and inventions; and links the fortifications annul the necessity of a continuous nations together in the common cause of good over evil. perimeter of thick stone walls. And if the conventional While the former pacts are admirable, the final one is by fortifications are not up to the task, then the threat of an far the most salient, as it decrees that an attack on one of Overlord who is not above burning primal to protect his these nations is an attack on all. This proviso also allows chosen city most definitely is. the international use of troops by another nation, provided there is mutual agreement from all parties of The City Watch: The City Watch is the civil body the covenant. This means that it would not be unusual to responsible for alerting the proper authorities to threats of see a legion of Shy’R Warriors led by the Overlord of fire, invasion, plague, natural disaster, or any other threat Zengara, or a company of Silverblades led into battle by to the Forever City. This mostly civilian body is Zolt’R, son of Warhawk, ruler of Solaria. The immortal deputized through the office of the Guardians, and leaders of the principle nations who agreed to the volunteers serve in a fairly loose organizational capacity. covenant sealed the compact with their blood, and they Their numbers are approximately equal to that of the are more than willing to shed it all in defense of their Guardians, although this can fluctuate widely. All service noble ideals. Woe betide the foolish one who dares to is on a volunteer basis. A member of the Watch is test their resolve.... recognized by his silver dragon-star badge (see “The Guardians”) below. The Freedom Covenant was signed by the rulers of these nations in the Grove of Ganath itself, deep in the heart of The City Guard (The Guardians): The City Guard acts the Krystallmyst Forest, at Highsun on Midsummer’s as Zengara’s police force. There are 10 precincts stationed Day, the first day of the Eighth Age. It is the unstated throughout the city. Four lie midway along the four great goal of the nations involved to incorporate all willing ways, while four more lie equidistantly along the four nations into their alliance, such that all sentient beings intercardinal points. Acting as a waterfront division of the may indeed be free of the chains of ignorance, prejudice, force, the ninth precinct is stationed on Pier 1, in the and fear which bind them. extreme northwestern section of the city. The tenth precinct is located just south of Dragon Square. The tenth precinct is responsible for maintaining law and order in the square. Each precinct has approximately 100 city guards on its roster. The lowest ranking Guardians hold the rank of Corporal, and are at minimum 1st level Warriors. Each precinct has four Sergeants of at least 2nd level, and one Captain of 3rd level minimum. All precincts answer to the Council of Law. Roving patrols are always a minimum of two officers. Pay is approximately 500 Stars per month for corporals, 750 per month for sergeants, and 1,000 per month for captains. The Guardian Body Suit is of predominantly midnight blue hue, emblazoned on the chest with a rampant silver Artifact Powers dragon framed within a silver star. Backdoor Superscry: Allows creator of artifact to Typical Guardian Inventory: Guardian Body Suit (AP monitor telepathically the thoughts of all sentient beings 10). Great Sword (DC 5). Stun Baton (1d20 stun damage within the grounds of the arena. Character can monitor per attack; 10 attacks before one hour recharge). 100 beings per phase, per point of INT. Thus, if one’s INT Guardian’s Handbow (2d8; 10 bolts in bandolier). were “20,” then up to 2,000 beings could be scanned per Shrieker (vial-sized grenade which emits a piercing phase. A complete telepathic transcription of thought is 120db siren wail for 100 Combat Rounds; alerts other provided to the character, and the primal artifice of this Guardians). most interesting effect allows a super-fast interpretation of the incoming data. Only immortals are immune to this. The Arena (The Silverdome): Save for the Dragon Palace itself and the four towers, the arena is the most Darkling Ways: This effectively shields the arena massive structure in the city. Constructed of purest white grounds from outside scrying, casual sight, and physical marble gilded with a microlayer of infused Silversteel, intrusion, save by means of direct permission from the the arena gleams in brilliant light during the day, lending creator of the artifact. The Silverdome was not artificed credence to the structure’s common nickname of “The solely for purposes of defending the crowd, nor solely for Silverdome.” Capable of a standing-room-only crowd of the obvious reason of protecting the Overlord from some quarter-million humanoids, the arena is the largest malicious intent. Actually, the main reason for artificing of its kind on the planet. Its weekly gladiatorial matches, the arena to such a high state of readiness was to prepare however, seldom draw more than 100,000, with the it for the clandestine training ops of the Dark, whose largest crowds seen during special holidays, festivals, or members occasionally train in the Silverdome complex a particularly well-hyped gladiatorial death match. after hours. The Darkling Ways render the Silverdome Admission prices vary according to seating placement. completely inviolable, save by more powerful primal The upper tier is relegated to the poor and the ignorant, means, when and if Kaladrid wills it. Those who attempt while the common tier is reserved for those who can to perceive the arena grounds while this power is in force mete out a proper amount of coinage of the realm. will see, quite naturally, the dark, and nothing else. Premium seats normally must be reserved in advance, Physical intrusion is warded by the physical warding while royal boxes are the domain of the Council of effects outlined above. Lords, their special guests and visiting dignitaries, and the Overlord himself. The Dragon Palace: Throughout the thousands of years of its existence, the mighty Dragon Palace has known Silverdome Admission Prices many incarnations. The latest, the Eighth Age version artificed by Overlord Rhiannazaar immediately following Admission Price Seating % of Capacity his coronation ceremony, features a host of unique 1 Kop Upper tier 40% powers which, when combined, form a convincing 1 Star Common 57% defensive matrix of primal power which only the most powerful immortals in existence can ever hope to contest. 10 Stars Premium 2.5% Not since the darkling days of the Fourth Age has the 100 Stars Royal Boxes 0.5% Dragon Palace known such glory. Artifact: The Silverdome; PD: 74. Artificed during the first day of Midsummer, the first day of the Eighth Age, The palace and its grounds dominate the southeastern by Kaladrid Kalinoor, Headmaster of the Collegium and quarter of the Forever City, occupying nearly one-half of Grand Vizier to the Overlord, the conventional structure the entire quarter. Set high upon a flat promontory of the of the Silverdome was reinforced by primal magicks to Noman Foothills, the Dragon Palace looms high above defy any and all mortal damage to the structure or its the city, its majestic dragon-edificed main pyramid rising crowd. Any and all magickal damage or effects that spill some 777 feet into the air. Unlike any other incarnation of forth from the confines of the arena floor and into the the palace, this one features a curious juxtaposition of crowd are instantly dispersed by a picosecond Null Terran ancient Egyptian, Valayan, and Azaar architecture. Pulse, which causes the damaging magicks to vanish The design is aesthetically alive, blending with the local harmlessly. Physical damage effects such as, say, a stray environment while retaining its own unique identity. arrow, are contained by another picosecond effect, this Pyramids and obelisks abound, technomagickal marvels time a phased force field, which will effectively render such as antigravity lifts and rises serve as walkways and any physical attack with fewer than 4 PD harmless. thoroughfares, while bountiful gardens and flowing water Items affected by either effect will be bounced back to courses link these wonders unobtrusively. The palace the floor of the arena, under conditions of normal grounds are separated from the city proper by the gravity. Kaladrid maintains no link to the artifact, though towering promontory, which rises almost 300 feet above he is not above monitoring its special “Backdoor the streets below. Conventional ingress and egress is by Superscry” to divine the intentions of members of the means of a single winding road, the Overlord’s Way, crowd. whose four wide lines are paved with pure 24k gold. There are no palace walls, per se, for the current Overlord does not wish to have a wall between the people and him. That, plus he does not wish his awesome view of the Forever City and the breathtaking Silverbreeze Bay to be obscured by something as trivial as a stupid wall. Walls set either at automatic or by permission. In the latter case, can be erected at a moment’s notice, however, either by Black Dragon Guards normally grant permission at means of the Collegium or through office of the behest of the Overlord. Automatic monitoring of the Overlord himself, should such a defense become palace atmosphere (by means of a link with the Everclean necessary. power listed below) allows the Overlord to keep his palace free from the threat of contagion and disease. This Artifact: The Dragon Palace; PD: Special. The defenses also provides for subtle thermal tweakings, too, such as of the Dragon Palace are centered upon the Dragon air conditioning and heating. Throne itself, one of the Nine Power Foci of The Dragon (see CB2 for more information), where the pacts and Everclean: Keeps entire grounds in perfect, pristine wards are ultimately tied into the foci itself. This unique condition without need of conventional maintenance. bond, possible only due to the link that the Overlord Rubbish is removed by a smart transport field, which shares with the Dragon Throne, provides an effective PD beams the offending matter to disintegration facilities of 1,000,001 to the palace and all of its linked powers. At deep within the palace dungeons. Potentially harmful any time, the Overlord can voluntarily lower the pacts matter such as weapons, magickal or organic refuse is and wards by vocal or mental command to allow a carefully screened before transport by advanced bending of the normal defense protocols. technomagickal scrying protocols designed by Mad Sam Sprunge (who doubtless hoards all the goodies he Artifact Powers happens to discover). Primal Ward vs. Intrusion: This primal ward fizzles all Gaia: Provides virtual, instant growth of all flora on transports into the palace and palace grounds, causing grounds of palace. All plants remain in perfect health all the offending transporter to waste his power points on a year long, capable of instantly regenerating all fruits, totally useless, go-nowhere-and-like-it transport. vegetables, and grains taken from them. All water Primal Pact of Defense: This primal pact protects the remains crystal pure, totally warded vs. all forms of Overlord by forcing all beings with less primal than the poisons, venoms, and radiations. All food and water in pact itself to be totally unable to initiate personally any palace is automatically of highest possible quality, fit for form of violence against the Overlord. They may attack the Overlord himself. Or, to be more accurate, fit for the normally if attacked first by the Overlord. This pact thousands of citizens who dine daily on the bounty, which affects the entire palace grounds. is doled out in Dragon Square each morning for free public consumption. This Is My House...: And if you don’t like it, then you can hitch a ride on a special, primally augmented Master Party On!: What would the Dragon Palace be without Warp that will send all offending victims to a destination Rhiannazaar’s personal touch? By mental command, the chosen especially for them by the Overlord. Overlord can cause any cup never to run dry, any plate never to become empty, and any device of intoxication Pact of Diplomacy: This pacts acts upon the palace such never to run out of its precious bounty. This also allows that, by simple concentration, the Overlord can hear for total warding vs. the effects of intoxication, as all anything spoken or thought within the palace. forms of intoxication can instantly be banished, if desired. Conversely, victims hear only what the Overlord wishes This will affect any and/or all persons on the palace them to hear. The pact provides for total and grounds. Conversely, this also allows any buzz to remain instantaneous translation of all known communication in effect if desired. [Editor’s Note: There are other more forms. subtle effects, naturally, but Zaar would condemn us all The War Room: Adjacent to the main throne room, the to an indefinite sentence in the F&*# Shoppe if we War Room is a technomagically enhanced treasure trove blabbed. Like anybody on SenZar would know what of virtual, real-time strategic information, beamed down “Viagra Falls” means, anyway....] from Mad Sam Sprunge’s ever-scrying technomagickal The Collegium: The most prestigious university for satellites. Here, there is near-total secrecy, as the room is magickal instruction on SenZar, the Collegium and its warded versus all known forms of scrying and transport, branches serve Zengara and much of the civilized world. save for the super-secure connection with Mad Sam’s While instruction in the magickal arts heads the list of its scrying system. The Overlord can command virtual many services, the Collegium is also the premier source illusions of incredible resolution to appear on the of magickal research, its libraries and sages among the viewing screens. The only “grey” images are those of finest still in existence in the free world. Many items of other Dragon Foci owners. magick are brokered here and at its branches, the Thermal Control: Provides total atmospheric and Collegium’s many highly trained artificers capable of thermal control of the palace and its grounds. Allows reproducing virtually any known magick item, provided specific transformation of either single or multiple that the prospective buyer meets certain requirements, sections of the palace to allow for environmental and is ready to pay a premium price for a premium conditions not native to standard humanoid existence, magick item. such as chlorine or methane atmospheres, or high radiation environments. Force fields contain these transformed sections, keeping them sealed from the rest of the palace. Passage to and from these sections can be Table of Collegium Branches on SenZar Collegium Headmasters Table

Location Active Membership College Headmaster Race Professions Levels Zengara 4,444 Kaladrid Alchemist/ 30th/30t Alchemy Anshadar Petra 1,255 Kalinoor Sorcerer h Tornharm 767 Artificing* Gerrok Karn Khobold Artificer 18th Syzygy Solaria 588 Astromancy Starin Astromancer 17th Starsong Kaza Ka 342 Battlemagick Valik Dred Drakkan Battlemage 16th Mordaga 322 Divine Seeker Moonsea 128 Silestion Priest 16th Magick Kelt’R Yagzan 112 Alyssa Enchantment Human Enchanter 15th Fisthold 102 Silvermoon The requirements for Collegium membership are found Mysticism Krotek K’ryl Mystic 16th in the SenZar source book. With the exception of the Donex College of Artificing, which embraces all realms that Necromancy Sidhe Necromancer 17th practice the art of magickal artificing, the colleges Darklens Strigiphix specialize in magickal instruction particular to a single Sorcery Mokarr Sorcerer 18th magickal realm. Each college is overseen by a master- Dreg-Nor ranked spellcaster who must be capable of casting all Sabboth Spellsinging Human Human 16th known common 7th Order and lower magicks of his Spellsinger particular realm, as well as being capable of casting at Annasyn Witchcraft Human Witch 16th least one 8th Order or higher spell from that realm. Each Bayne headmaster lords it over a staff of at least one dozen Vanamon lesser-ranked instructors, who handle the more tedious Wizardry T’Leel Wizard 17th tasks much the same as any other assistant professors Zzelgg and graduate assistants would in a standard university * Artificing encompasses all magickal realms that environment. Instruction is year round, with breaks only practice artificing. for festivals and for one day in every seven (this is Artifact: The Collegium; PD: 11,011. An evolving work- usually set for Sabbath). And while the assistants in-progress, the ancient Fifth Age pacts upon the grounds actually do the majority of the instruction, the are still in place, though capable of being freely upgraded headmaster is expected to teach at least one class per by any group of three of more headmasters. The pacts week, though many of them teach more. Each college of cover the entire grounds of the Collegium, with the the Collegium enjoys its very own complex, which has exception of the Egg Room. been entirely devoted to the instruction of its art. Each headmaster, his staff, and his particular students typically Artifact Powers room within the complex, though the more financially sound members will take up residence at the neighboring Pact of Mastery: Upon becoming a Collegium Silverbreeze. headmaster, the soul signature of the new master is stored in the matrix of the pact. The pact then consults this signature to determine who is and who is not a headmaster. All headmasters can freely transport to and from any point on the grounds, at will, with the exception of the Egg Room. All other forms of magickal transportation, including those of a planar variety, are rendered useless for everyone while upon the grounds of the Collegium. All pacts bound to the Collegium may be altered or upgraded by any group of three or more headmasters, provided they have the primal to do so. Real-Time Interface: This allows any group of three of more headmasters to directly access a special pool of 1,000 points of primal, which they can then mentally access to erect defenses or specially pact the grounds. This pool is often employed to secure special prisoners in the holding cells, and to secure the grounds during times of war. The primal cannot be accessed for personal use, nor for any directly offensive attack (which would cause it to lose points, and thus undo the entire Collegium pact). Even mortals may employ this interface, for the pact allows a non-lethal means for using primal. Their skill with magicks, however, must be nothing less than Mystic Key: To activate the key, the three (or more) masterful, or they risk utter annihilation. headmasters must make a group WILL save by a combined 10 or more. Once activated, the key allows the headmasters to mentally command the storage and summons of all items within. Once per phase, they can also command the key to summon forth a virtual display of the item stored within a particular cell. Virtual Display: Causes a virtual reproduction of the item within a particular cell to appear. A telepathic microburst accurately crams all item’s history, powers, and abilities in headmasters’ minds. May be used once per phase. Storage: Allows headmasters to store any single item of any size within a cell. Requires one phase. Retrieval: Allows retrieval of any single item. Requires one phase. Neither storage nor retrieval may be attempted without first displaying the cell. The Silverbreeze: Directly to the west of the Collegium, along the Great Eastern Way, stands the opulent marble apartment complex of the Silverbreeze, Zengara’s most prestigious condominiums. Serving as the home away from home to many Collegium members, as well as many wealthy adventurers, the Silverbreeze boasts 1,001 spacious apartments, with each apartment furnished with The Egg Room: Here, in the very heart of the all the latest modern conveniences. Apartments vary little, Collegium itself, lies the greatest collection of things with each being more or less a standard two-story studio magick held by any known society or organization: the apartment. They are fully furnished with the finest Egg Room. Constructed of the most pure hyperalloy of furniture and decorations, including an indoor central every known exotic, this soulforged cyclopean fountain, an enclosed patio garden, and all modern masterpiece grows each time another item is added to its conveniences, including programmable plasma globes for archives. Each item committed to the room is securely lighting, hot and cold running water, fireplace, artificed stored in a walled-off null envelope (see below), each in cooling fans, and indoor plumbing. A contingent of highly the form of a spherical facet in the face of this competent mercenaries serves as security guards and mammoth, ever-growing chamber. Only a headmaster of groundsmen for the complex (and they are technically the Collegium can enter this chamber, and then only backed up by the small but lethal contingent of Black when accompanied by at least two other headmasters. At Dragon Guards which resides on the grounds). Fees are least one copy of every known common magick item is 1,000 Stars per month, and occupancy is usually at 95% stored here. All unique items owned by the Collegium or greater year round. are stored here, including all artifacts. The Night Life: What good is a city without a few places Artifact: The Egg Room; PD: 1,001. The Egg Room was for the adventurer to hang his spurs, chill out with his created simultaneously with the new Collegium pact buddies, and sip on a cool brewski or two? We have during Fifth Age. provided but the tip of the veritable iceberg with the listings below of the Forever City’s most popular Artifact Powers nighttime establishments. Enjoy. Null Envelope: Removes entire chamber from the Prime The Whore’N’Brew: The most popular bar in the city, and encapsulates it in Null, or the nothingness which the Whore’N’Brew entertains its patrons within its exists between dark and light. No primal may be used voluminous 10,000+ square feet, four-level confines. A while within this envelope, and all mortal magick is favorite of adventurers of all walks of life. Location: one pulsed while within. block east of North Tower, just off Dragon Square. Pact of Mastery: Renders room inviolate save by a Owner: The Overlord (secret ownership). Entertainment: shared Master Warp cast by at least three Headmasters of Live bands, mud wrestling, gambling, prostitution, the Collegium. Keeps room updated on current dancing. Hours: 24/7. Cover: 1 Star. Collegium headmasters. Recognizes them according to The Guppy: The most notorious hell-hole in Thieves’ their soul signature, then allows their entrance. Focuses Quarters, the Guppy is the one place where virtually warp primally to allow normal manifestation while anything can be had, for a price. Location: Several blocks within a null field. All magick is pulsed or nulled while northwest of former Bright Temple of Rel. Owner: Mad within, and thus the Master Warp is the only thing of Sam Sprunge. Entertainment: Live bands, gambling, outside magick still in existence within the chamber. prostitution, dancing. Hours: 24/7. Cover: none. Once it fades, there is no escape. The Zinger: Catering to the elite crowd, the Zinger is Zengaran Festival Days the most expensive club in Zengara. Location: The south side of the Great Eastern Way, directly across the way Month Day Festival from the Theatre. Owner: The House of Thant. Midsummer 1st Midsummer’s Day Entertainment: Live bands, gambling, dancing. Hours: Midsummer 1st Resurrection Day (R) Highsun to the Balance (12:00 PM - 4:59 AM). Cover: Seabreeze 3rd Sailing Day 10 Stars. Skytears 5th Festival of Games The Black Hole: A former Rellian temple, the Black Skytears 12th Day of Peace (R) Hole now serves as the pit-fighting nexus of the city. Gladiatorial matches, both sanctioned and unsanctioned, Harvestfest 1st Day of Thanks are held nightly during the hour of the Phoenix, with Harvestfest 28th Thrice-Jack’s Night special weekly matches going all night long on Starsday Still 1st Day of the Dead (R) till the first light of Sabbath. The entire floor of the club Still 21st Festival of Ash is situated to accommodate the large octagonal pit where the warriors fight for the entertainment of the crowd. Knightfall 1st The Feast of Fools Location: Occupies the northwesternmost plot along Deepwinter 1st-7th Winterfest Dragon Square. Owner: Zolt’R, son of Warhawk (secret Deepwinter 1st-7th Purification (R) ownership). Entertainment: Pit-fighting, gambling, live Deepwinter 14th Forevernight bands. Hours: 24/7, closed on Sabbath. Cover: 10 Stars. Bitterwolf 9th Remembrance Day (R) The Shroom: This small club caters to the faculty, staff, Windsong 2nd Midwives’ Day and students of the Collegium. Location: The Collegium grounds. Owner: The Collegium. Entertainment: Windsong 16th Celebration of Life Occasional live performers, strategy game tournaments. Thunderfall 4th Day of the Hearth Hours: 24/7. Cover: None for members of Collegium, 1 Skystorm 1st-6th Penance (R) Star otherwise. Skystorm 7th Night of Elixirs Zengaran Festivals: Due to its cosmopolitan, Quickening 7th-9th Festival of Freedom multiracial heritage, Zengara celebrates many different Quickening 21st Veteran’s Day festivals and religious holy days. The “(R)” designates Rellian holy days, which many Humans in the city Starfall 1st Night of Falling Stars celebrate, while the remainder of the festivals have been Starfall 28th Midsummer’s Eve celebrated since long before the advent of Rel. Most Starfall 28th The Night of Nails (R) public facilities and civil services will function on skeleton crews during these holidays, with the exception of law enforcement and the Collegium. Zengara Military Forces Tables Air Forces

# of Military Unit Breakdown Personnel Flight up to 4 Wyverns & Riders 4 Flights of Wyverns Squadron up to 16 & Riders under a Strike Commander 2 Squadrons of Wyverns & Riders Group up to 32 under a Team Commander 2 Groups of Wyverns Wing up to 64 & Riders under a Force Commander 2 Wings of Wyverns & Command Wing up to 128 Riders under a Lord Zengaran Air Force Strength 3 Command Wings, or 24 full Squadrons of Wyverns and Riders. Reserves include 8 Squadrons. Land Forces from ship to ship, with the larger ships veritably bristling with them, and with even the least of the great ships Military # of Breakdown sporting at minimum one of them. Unit Personnel Squad 10 10 Soldiers under a Sergeant Artifact: The Mojo-Mojo; PD: Special (Hits: 10,000 [acts as PD]; PD: 1,001). Artificed by the Collegium at special Platoon 40 4 Squads under a Lieutenant order of the Overlord Rhiannazaar during the first year of HQ & 4 Platoons under a Company 160 the Eighth Age, the Mojo-Mojo serves as the Overlord’s Captain personal war ship. The Mojo-Mojo is employed only to HQ & 4 or more Companies utterly obliterate the chosen enemies of the Forever City. Battalion 640 under a Major Those who witness the coming of this brilliant HQ & 3 or more Battalions Supremium battle barge are privy to a spectacle of utter Brigade 1,920 annihilation, as the Mojo-Mojo will begin to pulsate in under a Colonel multihued shimmering glory, then abruptly launch HQ & 3 Brigades under a Division 5,760 enough firepower to give Voom a bad case of the heebie- General jeebies. The very existence of the Mojo-Mojo is enough HQ & 2 or more Divisions of a threat to balk most enemies of the Forever City, and Legion 11,520 under a Lord few are bold enough (or stupid enough) to tempt its HQ & 2 or more Legions wrath. Army 23,040 under a Warlord Length: 1,520’ feet. Displacement: 1,555,000 tons. Cargo: Zengaran Army Strength 10 cubic mile extradimensional hold. Crew: 1 (special). 10 Active Legions in 1 Army, led by the Overlord Cruise Range: Infinite; see “Subquantum Translocation.” himself. Reserves include 5 Legions. “HQ” refers to a Move Rate: Infinite; see “Subquantum Translocation.” military headquarters establishment, which can be either Action Phases: Equal to captain’s current action phases. mobile or permanently established. The number of Artifact Powers personnel at any HQ can swell with the typical addition of non-commissioned and/or non-military specialists to Primal Link, Hits To PD: This eldritch tampering causes the ranks. all primal damage to be deducted from the “Hits” of the Mojo-Mojo, and causes this artifact to act in all primal Sea Forces contests as if it had a PD equal to the vessel’s current The Zengaran Navy, believed by many to be the most Hits. powerful in the world, is headquartered in Zengara. The Subquantum Translocation: Allows instantaneous Naval Base and its training facilities are located in the transport of the vessel via subquantum shift. Linked with extreme northeastern sector of the city. The bustling Omniphase to provide superior Master Warp capabilities. harbor is partitioned off at the perimeter of the base, Only primally warded destinations (warded by more providing ample space for ship building, for the training primal than the Mojo-Mojo has in Hits) are beyond its of troops and special air cavalry, and for maintaining the capabilities to prosecute. Continuous translocation can be secrecy of the institution. used to simulate conventional travel, from static motion Zengaran Naval Strength to infinite speed. Omniphase: This superartifice enables the Mojo-Mojo to Ship Designation Number (Active Duty) superimpose its existence into multiple levels of reality Zengaran Frigate 99 simultaneously, granting it total invincibility to all but Zengaran Heavy Frigate 77 primal damage. This also provides for total environmental Zengaran Man’O’War 24 adaptation to all known conditions. Not only can the Mojo-Mojo sail any sea or fly any sky, but it can also Zengaran Raptor 12 cruise right through the heart of a star. The Omniphase The Mojo-Mojo 1 renders the Mojo-Mojo in brilliantly shining multicolored Each Frigate is captained by a Commander, and is lights; a pulsating rainbow of wicked hues, similar to that similar in stats to a Rellian Frigate. Each Heavy Frigate of an Azaar in the midst of sheer battle lust. is captained by a Commander or Captain, and is similar to a Rellian Frigate except for its Hits rating, which has Mojo Control: Direct foci link with Overlord been augmented to a more substantial 750. Each Rhiannazaar (or current captain/owner of vessel). Mojo Man’O’War and Raptor is captained by a Captain or Control allows Rhiannazaar to use his CVs, special higher-ranking officer. Listings are provided for “ship of powers, action phases, senses, and prime power through the line” ranked ships only, and not for the hundreds of the Mojo-Mojo itself. All ship controls, including support craft and smaller vessels also in the inventory. weapons banks, are linked as above. Each ship in the Zengaran “ship of the line” naval Structural Augmentation: X10. inventory is equipped with a crew capable of manning multiple battle stations, including standard batteries of Inorganic Regeneration: 1 Hit/Phase. Catapults, Ballistae, Ripplers, Crushers, and Multiple Firepower: The Mojo-Mojo is fitted with multiple banks Missile Launchers. The number of war machines varies of destructive firepower. All firepower is primally enhanced, and as such receives no normal saves or Special Forces reductions, save by equal primal defenses. (Since all # of firepower is linked together to one source, all firepower Military Unit Breakdown is considered to occupy one enchantment slot in this Personnel artifact.) All firepower has a range and field of fire equal 10 units under a Strike Squad 10 to whatever the Overlord can see or scry. All AOE is Commander variable, with a 10th Order maximum. Rate of fire is 4 Squads under a Team Platoon 40 equal to the Overlord’s current number of action phases. Commander HQ & 4 Platoons under a Bank 1, Phased Prismatic Blast: Strikes target for 10 Company 160 combined attacks of a single prismatic hue (see Force Commander “Prismatics” in the SenZar source book for more HQ & 4 or more Battalion 640 information). Thus, the “ultraviolet” prisma could be Companies under a Lord selected, then blasted into the target for 10X its normal Zengaran Special Forces Strength damage, or 100 - 1000 (10d10 X 10), and a single adjusted POW save made at -50% to avoid utter 1 Active Battalion of Black Dragon Guards; 1 Active obliteration. All other prisma receive the POW save Battalion of Sylvan Specialists; 1 Active Company of modification and damage multiples, though their unique Battlemages. All under direct command of the Overlord effects will vary. And will be quite cumulative. himself. Reserves include 2 Companies of Black Dragon Guards, 1 Company of Sylvan Specialists, and 1 Platoon Bank 2, Pulse Detonation: Produces “pulse” in single of Battlemages. target, or up to a massive 10th Order AOE. The Black Dragon Guards: The Black Dragon Guards Bank 3, Neutron Decimation: Bombards all living are an elite corps of multiracial warriors who serve as the organic matter for 10,000 points of damage, no save. personal guard to the Overlord. Recruited primarily from Leaves all inorganic matter intact and unharmed. within the Zengaran military machine, the Black Dragons Bank 4, Destructive Harmonic Pulse Generation: are extremely loyal to the city of Zengara and its Targets magickal and technomagickal energy-based Overlord. All Black Dragon Guards are at least 5th level shields, generating a destructive harmonic pulse which Warriors. Unlike other military forces, however, the renders the shield totally incapable of defending any Black Dragons are simply known as “Black Dragon future attack by the Mojo-Mojo. Guards” until they advance in rank to “Strike Commander” or higher status, when they are promoted to Bank 5, Black Hole Generator: Creates a “Black Hole” the rank of “Captain.” Therefore, there is one and only (as per the Astromancy spell in the SenZar source book) one “Lord”-ranked Black Dragon Guard, the leader of the inside the target. May be directed with infinite precision battalion itself, who answers only to the Overlord. through any shield with less primal than the Mojo-Mojo. Standard Black Dragon Guard Bonus Package Bank 6, Mojo Master Blaster: Fires all banks simultaneously. May be used with Bank 7. Zen QD. Tactics (+1 Mod). Aerial Combat. Weapon Training (Black Dragon Sword, Black Dragon Power Bank 7, The Destroyer: Fires a one point Primal Virus Armor, Black Dragon Power Shield; Black Dragon Power into target’s PD (must be artifact with PD to be affected). Wings; Black Dragon Battlemaster). The Destroyer then goes into effect, infiltrating itself into the host’s primal matrix, then replicating itself by Standard Black Dragon Guard Equipment feeding on its host. The Destroyer drains one points of Black Dragon Sword (modified one-handed Silversteel primal cumulatively per phase (or 1 PD on phase one, 1 great sword; DC 8; Sharpness, X2 normal, X3 critical). + 2 on phase two, 1 + 2 + 3 on phase three, etc.). When Black Dragon Power Armor (hyperanodized “black” there is no more primal, the artifact is no longer vested Silversteel full battle armor; AP 50; STR attribute raised with PD, and the Destroyer commits self-termination, to “20” while worn; Infrared, Ultraviolet, Gloom Sight at causing 10,000 points of raw magickal damage in the will; Black Dragon Power Wings, instant summons from process. The Destroyer can be fired only by an immortal housings in armor, flying CMR 30). Black Dragon Power who is linked with the Mojo-Mojo, as it drains the single Shield (hyperanodized “black” Silversteel; DV +10; initial point of primal from the immortal himself. special AP of 100 vs. all magickal attacks). Black Dragon Battlemaster (modified hyperanodized “black” Silversteel handbow; fires either stun or kill single-target bursts of biomagickal energy; single shots of 100 points each drawn from a power pool of 1,000 which regenerates at 100 per hour). Black Dragon Guards Items: All Black Dragon Guards items are specially artificed by secret contract with the Collegium, specifically through the agency of Kaladrid Kalinoor, Headmaster of the Collegium. Selection & Training: Potential candidates for Black in total secrecy, returning to their normal duties when the Dragon guard training are selected from a pool of mission is over. Some rare few, however, go active in the volunteers from any branch of Zengaran military service. Dark after completion of a mission, never returning to Candidates are physically, spiritually, and psychically their former duties. screened by select members of the Collegium staff. Fewer than 1% of all applicants are accepted into Battlemages: There is one active company and one training. Those who are accepted must endure a grueling reserve platoon of Battlemages operating out of the one year training course, which starts on Midsummer’s Collegium in Zengara. All training is done at the Day. Training is primarily done at the Collegium, though Collegium. Approximately 90% of all students go into there are several weeks’ worth of intense training at the active service. Payment is good, equal to 2,500 Stars per Dragon Palace itself, as well as several weeks of live-fire month while in active service, and 1,000 Stars per month training in the Arena. Only during times of war will this in reserve, or pension. Refer to the “Battlemage” listing training cycle be compressed to that of, say, the freakish in the SenZar source book for more information. training cycles of the Silverblades and the Phoenix The Wall Watch: This honorarium is bestowed upon Force. Tradition is still tradition in the Forever City, and retired veterans of Zengara’s wars. In ancient days, when the current Overlord will defy it only under duress. the walls were the primary defense of the city, the Wall Room & Board: The Black Dragons are stationed on- Watch fought to the bitter end to defend the city from call at the Dragon Palace for a one week on, one week invaders, and their sacrifice has never been forgotten. The off cycle. During the one week on, the guards stay in the medal awarded to mark their service is forged of a single palace itself, in partitioned dormitories within the East coin of Silversteel, its shape that of an idealized heart. Wing. During the off-cycle, the guards can elect to return Members of the Wall Watch typically are grizzled to their homes, attending their posts during their veterans of many campaigns, and are highly respected by watches. The pay is perhaps the highest among the their military peers. known special forces, equal to some 5,000 Stars per Guilds month. This is guaranteed for the lifetime of the guard, whether he is on active or reserve duty, or retired. Artificer’s Guild: Open to all spellcasters, free of membership and free of any screening, the Artificer’s Unlike other ranked organizations, the guards do not Guild serves as the one truly neutral magick guild in the accrue additional wage increases as they become more Forever City. Set in the extreme southwestern area of the experienced; instead, they get more perks (see below), city, the guild complex is separated from the city by and the privilege of being the leaders of the best of the mammoth black basalt walls, through which no means of best. The special detachments of elite guards who pull entrance is visible, save by Magick Sense. If one can duty at the Collegium are housed at the Silverbreeze (see perceive the opening and enter, then one is free to mingle listing). Guards are housed two to an apartment, while with the most powerful freelance spellcasters on the face the captain of the detachment enjoys his own personal of the planet. There are no masters or headmasters in the apartment. Guards who achieve Strike Commander or guild; all are students of the way, and all should expect to higher status are offered lifetime security in the form of be treated as equals while within the sanctity of the one free apartment at the Silverbreeze, as well as complex. Most standard Collegium items and services equivalent rank transfer to any other armed service upon (with the exception of the bank) can be obtained within. their retirement from active duty in the guards. Members often exchange use of their artificing talents for Sylvan Specialists: There is one active battalion and one items or services. reserve company of Sylvan Specialists, or Rangers, in Assassion’s Guild: With the early retirement of Fredrech the Zengaran military machine. All training is done at the Silverdagger, the former Thin Man, the Assassin’s Guild Ranger Proving Grounds, some several hundred in Zengara is nominally led by his daughter, Samantha thousand acres of terrain which begins a mere three Silverdancer (see “The Seven Stars”). However, she has leagues south-southwest of the city and reaches into the relinquished active control of the organization in order to mystical Krystallmyst Forest. Payment is adequate, equal pursue her own interests, and currently the guild is in a to 1,000 Stars per month while in active service, and 500 state of flux, with no true organization to speak of. At Stars per month in reserve, or pension. Refer to the least in Zengara. “Ranger” listing in the SenZar source book for more information. Black Dragon Guild: For members, past and present, of the Black Dragon Guards. The guild house is located at The OSS (Order of Sylvan Specialists): This the intersection of the Overlord’s Way and the Great clandestine arm of the Sylvan Specialists operates under Southern Way. Membership is free, and for life. the aegis of the Dark. It is the OSS that determines when and where the Rangers and their spellcasting brothers, Gladiator Guilds: See CB2 for more information. the Outlanders and Guardians (see CB2 for more Guild of Guardians: Adjacent to Guardian precinct information), ply their trade outside the normal number ten on the south side of Dragon Square, the Guild parameters of their duty. Missions are clandestine, often of Guardians is open to all current and former members involving counterterror, SAR (Search And Rescue), and of the City Watch and City Guards. Membership is free, intelligence gathering behind enemy lines. Members of and for life. Unlike other guilds, this one features a the OSS are expected to perform their clandestine duties section open to public tours, which are held daily. Tours cost 1 Kop per person, and the fees are donated by the Fifth Age. This new code modified the original guild to a Collegium trust fund set up for members of the codification of laws initiated by Jacoor Thrax at the guild who are disabled, and for the families of those founding of the Forever City. For the first time in the members who have lost their lives in the line of duty. recorded history of SenZar, a complete code of law was established for both civil and criminal violations, and Spice Guild: The largest, most opulent structure on the codified in one document. The Justinian Code is designed eastern flank of Dragon Square, the Spice Guild serves with true justice in mind, though, like all codified bodies, as nominal guild house to all merchants, traders, and it is open to interpretation by the Council of Law. A businessmen of Zengaran citizenship. Fees are a one- summary of the code is provided below. time 1,000 Star donation to the guild. Membership is for life, and most guildsmen use it for life, as the parties The Justinian Code thrown within the walls of the guild complex are entertaining to an extreme. Crime Punishment Financial compensation of victim (death Civil Violation Thieves’ Guild: Unlike the Assassin’s Guild, the in rare cases) Thieves’ Guild is still lead by its nominal leader, the Big Boss. Though precious few are aware of it, however, the Slavery Death (disintegration) Big Boss is none other than Mad Sam Sprunge (see “The Murder Death (disintegration) Seven Stars”). Mad Sam, who deigns to run the show Treason Death (disintegration) behind a tangled web of bosses and sub-bosses, none of Rape Castration or Death (victim’s choice) whom are aware of his true identity, secretly manipulates his ignorant followers to prey upon his own enemies, Assault Imprisonment (1 month) and, naturally, enemies of the state. Which is precisely Stealing Financial compensation of victim why the Overlord allows him to continue his secret Adjudication, compensation, or possible Other deception. Besides, should the unthinkable occur, and prison sentence the grand conspiracy at last be known, Mad Sam Sprunge has things set up such that the House of Thant will take the fall. There is no official guild house, though H.E.L.: Though the Dragon Palace is equipped to handle the infamous bar, the Guppy, serves as one branch, while several hundred prisoners, the time when the Overlord the Temple of Bel serves as another. could imprison his citizens with impunity has passed. Now, prisoners are held in a high-security complex buried Warhawk’s Chosen: This unusual guild hall, adjacent to beneath the Noman Foothills known simply as “H.E.L.” the new Temple of the Phoenix and the great Silverdome The exact location of the complex is classified, though it Arena, serves as the meeting place for all warriors of is believed to be somewhere within the part of the Zengaran citizenship. Membership is free for veterans of foothills overlooking the palace (see “Noman Foothills”). the military, while a one-time fee of 1,000 Stars applies Transport to and from the complex is by means of the to all non-veterans. The fee is waived for those who Collegium’s transporter. There is no transporter in the donate one month of their time to the training facilities prison itself, and both staff and inmates must be scryed in of the hall, which serves many would-be warriors as an order to be transported back for release. Former prisoners alternative to Collegium training. Not at all a Silestion- have reported that, despite the Rellian connotations of its only establishment, the guild serves any and all who evil name, the facility is clean, if somewhat spartan, and profess their love of the military and martial arts. not at all what one would expect of a conventional prison. The Dark: The Dark is an ultrasecret service dedicated Perhaps this is due to the manipulated memories of the to the gathering of intelligence for the Overlord, with a prisoners, who are “re-educated” by a staff of loyal secondary function of carrying out clandestine mystics, mostly K’ryl, who see to it that the prisoners assassinations of targets deemed as hostile by current learn the lesson of their crime before they are released. In sociopolitical policy. Though they serve the Overlord truth, the facility is harsh, brutal, and violent to an and only the Overlord, members of the Dark answer extreme, as it does indeed house the most brutal criminals directly to the Grand Vizier, who then distills the in Zengara. Hence the acronym H.E.L., which actually intelligence and reports it to the Overlord. Protocol means nothing, yet means everything to the superstitious dictates that no one but the Grand Vizier know the true who fear that they’ve just gone, quite literally, to Hel, or identities of its personnel. Only the most elite are the Rellian holy name for the Pit. approached to join the ranks of the Dark. Candidates are Zengaran Government screened by the Grand Vizier himself. Membership is for life. There is no written record to compromise their The Council of Law: The Council of Law presides over identities. Members are known by the sign of a special all legal matters in Zengara. The council is appointed on a black diamond of highest quality which is used as an per member basis, with each of the individual lords on the identification device among members. The diamond is Council of Lords appointing a single magistrate to the marked by the seal of the Overlord himself, which is Council of Law. When a new lord takes the place of an incapable of being forged, save by primal magicks. old one, he appoints a new magistrate to represent both Payment is classified, but believed to be extremely high. his own house and the city of Zengara on the council. The Chief Justice is appointed directly by the Overlord The Justinian Code: This is the legal code established himself. The number of members on the Council of Law by Justinian I (The Lawgiver) at the beginning of the is always directly proportional to the number of Zengara Council of Lords Table members on the Council of Lords. Thus, there are currently 12 magistrates on the council, with one Chief Lord House Race Professions Levels Justice, for a total of 13 members. Decisions are made by House Tanna Thant Human Enchanter 19th simple majority. The Chief Justice has the right to refer a Thant complex or undecided (tie vote) case to the Overlord, House 1 Azaar Gladiator 18th recusing himself from casting a potentially politically Shaqazaar Shaqazaar devastating vote. The Council of Law meets in the Verklik, One House One inspiring white marble Hall of Justice, which is located, K’ryl Mystic 19th of All of All ironically enough, immediately to the north of the ruins of the Bright Temple of Rel, on the western side of Ramana Kel House Kel Starin Wizard 18th Dragon Square. Mikael House Human Wizard/ 15th/ 2 D’ambrose (Mutant) Warrior 15th The Council of Lords: The 12 members of the Council D’ambrose Shugrakk House of Lords are the most powerful and influential citizens of Sauran Warrior 16th Zengara. They meet once per month, on the first day of Szand Szand the month, at the Dragon Palace. Together with the House Plink R’rnzz Tygor Assassin 15th Overlord, who acts as tie-breaking or veto vote, the R’rnzz Council of Lords then rules on pressing social and Mina House political matters. Upon the death or retirement of a Mokarr Alchemist 15th Mingzar3 Mingzar council member, new candidates are offered for House consideration to the Council of Lords by the Overlord Kallik Bayne Human Gladiator 14th himself. A special election is then held, and the council Bayne approves by majority vote the member who has survived Jezzeth Fey House Fey Sidhe Shapeshifter 13th the initial screening process. The Overlord can still veto House Drellik Monz Drakkan Battlemage 12th the final selection, if desired, though he will certainly Monz invoke the ire of the most powerful citizens of the city if he does. Current membership of the Council of Lords is Tarsus Anu House Anu Tauran Gladiator 12th as follows, in descending order of the relative power of Table Explanations the members and their respective houses: 1: Shaqazaar is rumored to be the son of the Overlord Rhiannazaar and Shaleeta, an Azaar maiden who hailed from the Overlord’s former village. However, the Overlord has yet to publicly acknowledge such a union, if ever there were one. Still, few are capable of believing, even in a world where immortality is a rare if quite real fact of life, how the son could appear some twenty-five years older than the alleged father. 2: Mikael D’Ambrose, or Michael Ambrose as his Texas-born parents would know him, is a native of Terra, imported to SenZar by the mysterious Lord Diamond of Sandsmoore, Artificer Supreme. A petroleum engineer by trade, Mikael has since learned the ways of magick and steel. He now serves as liaison between the Forever City and Sandsmoore, Lord Diamond’s unique starhome. 3: The daughter of Warlord Mingzar IV of MingZaaria, Mina is the first Mokarr to be truly born, and not made. Though all know her as the daughter of Mingzar IV, few realize her true origin, assuming that she is merely a genetically enhanced clone of her father. Her true origin remains a closely guarded secret for the time being. The Grand Vizier: The Overlord’s right hand man, the Grand Vizier serves the Forever City as its chief advisor to the throne and master of spies. The Grand Vizier is the mastermind behind the Dark. He also advises the Overlord in matters both arcane and mundane. The Grand Vizier is always at the side of the Overlord during public and ceremonial functions. In many cases, he also serves as the last line of defense between the Overlord and his many enemies, and this is the reason most Grand Viziers have historically been capable of sowing mass destruction in the name of the Forever City. Kaladrid Kalinoor, the Headmaster of the Collegium, serves the Forever City in dual capacity, as both the leader of the Collegium and as the Grand Vizier of the Overlord. Few sentients have ever been capable of serving fully in both capacities, though few have ever been immortal Anshadar, as Kal himself is.

The Overlord: The Overlord of the Forever City is arguably the most powerful ruler in the world. Through the ages Zengara has known many Overlords, its first and perhaps most notable being Jacoor Thrax, the first Human to be realized as Anshadar on SenZar. By his artifice the Forever City was established, and a great new cycle of ages began. There was the 1,000 year reign of the mad god, Valthrustra, and the horrible carnage he left in his wake after his Fourth Age reign of terror (the longest of any Overlord in recorded history). And there is now yet another Overlord, Rhiannazaar, an immortal Anshadar, as there forever shall yet be. Though subject like all offices of power to the whims of the people and the occasional hostile takeover, the Overlord enjoys his position for life. There are occasional abdications, but this is the exception rather than the rule. Most who grasp but once the reigns of power are want to let them go, and rarely do, save by force. The Overlord holds absolute power in Zengara. His word is law, and the power of life and death lies in his most capable hands. Any citizen of Zengara, no matter how lowly, however, can challenge the Overlord’s will. This right is guaranteed, though there are few, with the possible exception of the Council of Lords, who choose to exercise this power. To truly become the Overlord, the candidate must be coronated as he sits upon the Dragon Throne, on Midsummer’s Day at the hour of Highsun. He must possess both the Dragon Sceptre and the Dragon Crown in order for his claim to be officially recognized.