AN UNOFFICIAL GAME ACCESSORY

GREAT HULE & KAVKAZ

An Unofficial Game Accessory Great Hule and Kavkaz

By Christian Constantin Additional Content By Omnibus

CONTENTS

Introduction ...... 1 Great Hule and Kavkaz ...... 2 Great Hule ...... 3 Hagiarchy of Great Hule ...... 10 The Nine Kingdoms (Hule) ...... 14 Other Territories ...... 17 Converted Kingdoms ...... 20 Monzagian Banat ...... 20 Sandjak of Antasyn ...... 26 The Bulzan Voivodina ...... 36 The Olgarian Levtja ...... 46 Subjugated City States ...... 53 Kavkaz ...... 55 Chronology of Hule and the Neighbouring Lands ...... 61 Appendix 1 – The Bleak League ...... 76 Appendix 2 – Bulzanian Religious Sects ...... 86 Appendix 3 – The Guardian Spirits of the Converted Lands ...... 89 Appendix 4 – Woodland Folk and Spirits and Guardians of the Fields ...... 95 Appendix 5 – The Grand Master of Hule ...... 99

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS and D&D are registered trademarks owned Content: Christian Constantin, Omnibus, Daniel by Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. Boese, Mystara fans everywhere. This book is a work of fan contributions and does not possess official Maps: Gary Davies based on the maps & artwork recognition by Wizards of the Coast. The editor and contributors make no representations to imply otherwise. of Christian Constantin & Thorfinn Tait. This work may not be sold commercially in the United States of America Translated and arranged by Gary Davies from an or abroad. It may be electronically replicated (“downloaded”) in its original concept of Omnibus. entirety for personal use. The contributors retain copyright to their individual contributions with a PDF Version: 1.3 04/04/2016 fair-use understanding of citation in subsequent works. The artist and cartographer retain all rights to their works as typically construed for art.

Introduction

This manual is taken from the official modules related to the Savage Coast in which the Empire of Hule was also introduced, and expanded on thanks to the work of the fans of Mystara (in particular of Christian Constantin for the content and Thorfinn Tait for the maps). Our Omnibius has gathered the material, translated it, given it coherence where the material was from different sources and has expanded some aspects in order to produce this wonderful Gazetteer. This sourcebook describes the cultures that live in the region surrounded by the Midlands to the north, the Great Waste to the east, the Savage Coast to the south and the Yazak Steppes to the west. This huge territory has always been fought over by the various populations that have passed through it and that have chosen to settle down there, sees two large countries today. Most of the region is called Great Hule, the expanding Empire that controls the Great Valley of the Nine Kingdoms and the western Kingdoms that fall under its shadow. To the east on the Black Mountains is Kavkaz where five proud Kingdoms resist Great Hule’s expanding Empire. Religious wars and barbarian invasions have marked this area for millennia and while peace seems far off, war seems only to awaiting a trigger and this time the objective seems to be to the east.

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Geography Great Hule and Kavkaz

Both regions, Great Hule and Kavkaz, have several populations and cultures. Hule was born from the union of the Nine Kingdoms. Over time, its borders have expanded and shrunk and the union of Hule has also seen times of division in which the Nine Kingdoms each try to get the upper hand over the others. What follows is an outline of the Kingdoms that make up Great Hule and those that comprise Kavkaz. While the former can now be considered a single political entity, the latter keeps a distinct local politics. Another difference between the two regions is of a physical nature, indeed while Great Hule stretches from the slopes of the Black Mountains to the Yazak Steppes on a mainly flat terrain broken by forests and hills and crossed by rivers that make the soil fertile and productive, Kavkaz stretches over wild and craggy land, between narrow valleys and with a harsher climate than that of the Great Valley.

Great Hule

The Nine Other Territories Subjugated Kingdoms Subjugated Kingdoms City States Yozgulak The Sanctified Lands Monzagian Banat Gonica Jandir The Janizary Lands Sandjak of Antasyn Boyarski Boludir The Bulzan Voivodina Kuliye The Olgarian Levtja Birgidir Huyule Karsile

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Great Hule

Area: 571,000 sq.mi. Population: 1,501,000 (65% human, 35% Location: Central Brun, NE of the Savage humanoid, 5% demi–human). Coast, E of the Yazak Steppes, W of Kavkaz Government Type: Hagiarchy Flora & fauna: Typical of central Brun Hule is a vast and diverse place. It stretches somewhere between the Rockwater marshes from the warm and salty waters of the Gulf and Lake Tros. Therefore, the eastern side of Hule to the cold and windswept of it is somewhat larger and flatter than the Zdredanyan Forest. The Nine Kingdoms, western side. On this steeper western side the nucleus of the Hulean Empire, are are located Hule’s principal colonies, the located on the eastern side of the Hulean Converted Lands. Many rivers take shape in Basin. This asymmetric bowl–shaped the higher regions and flow into the basin, depression, extends from the Black attracting many different peoples and fauna Mountains’ foothills in the east to the Bylot as well as giving rise to a wide range of flora. Hills to the west, and from the Great Hule itself – the Nine Kingdoms, the Escarpment in the south to the hills of the eastern side of the basin – consists mainly of Zdredanyan Forest in the north. The centre, flat rolling hills and large valleys. The arable and lowest point of the Hulean Basin lies lands are plenty but many are a little more

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than steppes as they are devoted to semi– feet. Like the rest of the Black Mountains, nomadic herding and small-scale cultures. the Karapazçkoy and the Deraglü Daglari, The valleys tend to be heavily settled, while are made mostly of gneiss even though the the higher lands are left to the semi– erosion has brought the underlying granite nomadic humans and to the humanoid back to the surface. The two ranges are tribes. embedded in forested hills, which give way The climate is drier in the southern part of to the precipitous Ghörez and Filça River the country, where the Great Escarpment valleys. reaches its highest point, than the northern The Yözbek Daglari is like a row of swords part, which receives the cold and humid planted into the foothills of the Black winds of Brun’s hinterland during winters. Mountains. It forms the western wall of the Due to the lack of rain during the winter River Saryaz canyon and its peaks are as high months and the porous bedrock, the as they are in the rest of Black Mountain southern part of Hule is distinguished from Chain. The Yözbek Daglari is a common the rest of the land by its rocky steppes and sight for anybody leaving Hule since it semi–deserted badlands. closes the northern side of the Great Pass. Climate: The Hulean side of the Black The Mountains Mountains is much more humid than the The Black Mountains dominate Hule’s eastern side facing the Sind Desert. If the eastern frontier. They are some of the most foothills have a temperate climate, the dangerous and highest mountains of higher valleys are icy cold during much of Mystara. Many of the mountain range’s the year as temperatures drop approximately peaks are permanently snow covered, and 4ºF for every 1,000 feet increase in altitude. large glaciers fill the higher valleys. The One could say that there are only two Hulean side’s foothills are heavily forested seasons in these harsh regions: spring and in contrast to the side facing the Sind winter. Indeed, the Mountains’ autumn, Desert. However, at altitudes of over 12,000 winter and spring are all very cold and feet, only the grasses and lichens of tundra snowy while summer, which may last only terrain survive. Peaks reaching higher than two or three weeks around the highest 15,000 feet in altitude (of which there are summits, is mild at best. many in the Black Mountains) present Terrain: The high mountains, steep cliffs, nothing but bare rock to wind and sky. and rocky slopes of the Black Mountains The Karapazçkoy and Deraglü Daglari make them uninhabitable for most living (Ranges) are small westward extensions of creatures. Travel through the Black the Black Mountains. These ranges are Mountains is nearly impossible, except via smaller and have eroded more than the main certain passes and trails. Travellers confront chain since they are more exposed to the food scarcity, snow–covered crevasses, winds coming from southern Hulean avalanches, cunning monsters, freezing steppes and to the heavy rainfalls rolling in cold, and air so thin it makes breathing from the Gulf of Hule during summers. difficult. The highest peaks of these ranges can reach Few mineral resources have been found on 15,000 feet, but the average is around 7,500 this side of the Black Mountains, and if

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there were, their exploitation would be those of the Dvinzinian Range. These high more than risky and would turn back even hills are rocky, only sparse grass and torn the hardiest dwarf. bushes are able to survive in the constant Population: Orcs, ogres, kobolds, goblins, cold wind flowing down the slopes of the hobgoblins, gnolls and bugbears all live in northern Black Mountains. the caves and wild lands of the mountains Vapçi and Siyah Tepe are two similar– and foothills. Less common intelligent looking hilly forests. These hills are the inhabitants include mountain giants, a few westernmost arm of the Black Mountains. scattered and beleaguered dwarven colonies They slowly give way to the higher hills of and some dragons. Monsters and creatures the Zdredanyan Forest. These are generally with some affection for cold or arid rolling hills with a higher summit here and territories can be found throughout the there and are covered with a dense mix of Black Mountains. Only, in the southern primeval and leafy forest. part of the range, will one find human Climate: The northern hills and foothills settlements, and those settlements are mostly have a cold temperate climate with confined to the valleys cutting into the long chilly and humid winters, short and Black Mountains. warmer autumns and springs, and fair summers. The southern hills tend to be Hills and Foothills drier and receive much of their rain only Most of Hule’s frontiers are in hilly terrain, during the heavy downpours in spring. some of them forested, others semi–arid or Summers in the southern hills are dry and cultivated. They are mostly covered by hot, fall is slightly colder while winter is primeval vegetation but many expose bare relatively warm and punctuated by localised summits. Numerous small streams cut rain showers. The Çuyak hills are made through the landscape of the Black more arid than the other northern hills by Mountains’ foothills where they merge into the constant winds blowing from the Black bigger rivers flowing toward the centre of Mountains higher valleys. the Hulean Basin. Those small streams and Terrain: The foothills of the Black rivers flow into mighty canyons with Mountains are characterised by steep slopes precipitous cliffs and only near the basin’s climbing rapidly from narrow forested edge do the valleys widen. valleys to bare summits. The streams and The Karcij Tepe, at the southwestern end of small rivers regularly jump from one level to Hule are completely different, they are small another thus forming charming falls and rolling hills covered with leafy trees, with a cataracts, but also deadly sinkholes and thick cover of pine near the summits. Small cliffs. Travel occurs mainly through these rivers and streams flowing from the natural narrow valleys, which are ideal ambush sites sources of the region are common and flow for the surrounding humanoid tribes. The peacefully toward the bigger rivers of the Master has forbid human settlement in the Savage Baronies. foothills and reserves the lands for his The Çuyak Tepe, at the border of Dvinzinia humanoid guests and troops. They make and Hule are formed by the conjunction of their living from trade in furs and timber, the foothills of the Black Mountains and fishing and a little grazing.

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The Karcij Hills are densely forested and Hulean Hills, where they tend to be seen in represent a terrain slightly rougher than the larger groups than anywhere else since the neighbouring valleys and plains. However, hills are clearly their territory. Monsters of settling there is made difficult by the dense almost any types can be found in the hills forest and by the fact that these hills are the according to the particular type of land frontline between Hule and the Savage (rocky or forested) that they prefer. Baronies. The Great Escarpment & Coast The Cuyak Tepe is rocky and inhospitable with steep slopes giving way to semi–desert The southern part of the Hulean Basin rises valleys. The summits of these hills are gradually to form a plateau that ends tormented and eroded by the biting wind abruptly at the latitude of the Gulf of Hule. blowing from the mountains. Rocks are There, following a fault line created by the regularly detached from the highest points telluric activity brought in the region by the and rolls down into the lowest valleys. explosion of a Blackmoorian device in However, these hills are rich with mineral modern–days Broken Lands, the altitude deposits (silver, copper and tin) that are drops by nearly 2,000 feet into the lowlands exploited by small Hulean communities. of the Gulf of Hule in its easternmost part Travel through the most remote parts of the or by an average of 1,200 feet into the Çuyak Hills is risky since water and food steppes of the Yazaks in its western portion. sources are scarce. Telluric and volcanic activities are quite common along the Great Escarpment and The northern forested hills are uneven and well into the southern part of the Black rolling. They do not represent a particular Mountains. The Great Escarpment is only obstacle for anyone willing to cross them. In interrupted at four points: the Kâman River winter, though, the heavy snowfalls Canyon, the narrow valleys of the Tilkit and common in the region tend to make them Kazâl Rivers, and the wider valley of the Rio nearly impassable. Guadiana. Population: All the hills surrounding Hule The highest point of the Southern Hulean are considered frontier lands and are placed Plateau that terminates at the Great under the responsibility of the military Escarpment isn’t the edge of it. It can be administration only to be given to the found miles inland in the arid regions of numerous humanoid tribes of Hule. Few Southern Hule. There, around 3,000’, the humans would try to settle these lands since lands are subject to terrible winds coming they are far from being the best lands for from the vast expanse of land known as the farming and the humanoids that hold most Yazak Steppes. The windswept lands found of them are far from friendly. Only the at the top of the Escarpment are not suitable Çuyak Hills bear a larger human and for agriculture given the drastic temperature dwarven population due to the mining changes, porous soil unable to retain rain activities carried out in the region. The water, and the constantly eroding top soil Siyah hills are rumoured to harbour a small giving way to bare rock in certain places. elven community battling the Master’s The only activity in these regions is herding authority in the region. All kinds of and grazing, the northern slope of the humanoids may be encountered in the

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plateau being renowned for the exceptional Hule’s coastline is a lot more humid than quality of its wool. the interior. It is temperate, with a hot but The highest regions of the Plateau (Terra somewhat dry summer, a warm and damp Vermelha, and the Deglun and Iskilü fall, a temperate winter and a very rainy Ovari) are particularly arid. There, the joint spring. Springs may bring thunderstorms action of heavy rainfall, porous sedimentary and hurricanes from the Izondian Deep. bedrock, and violent winds have carved the Terrain: The Plateau is mainly covered by plateau into lone rocky towers, deep windy prairies. Forested lands may be found canyons, strangely–shaped hills and around the few rivers that flow in this region immense cave networks. Certain humanoid of Hule. Eighty percent of the plateau’s tribes dwell in this harsh land living like population (in Hule) are located along the troglodytes in the natural caves or carving banks of the two main rivers, namely the their houses directly into the soft rock. Kâdan and Kâzal Rivers, where the soil is Some of them may even attribute able to retain some of their water and supernatural powers to the strangest hills supplemented by the rich silt of the higher and revere them as sacred ground. regions. Azurun is the only major town Hule’s coastline consists of a small flat located on the plateau, Iskilü lying at the peninsula extending below the edge of the northern edge of it. Great Escarpment. The Boyâzka Peninsula’s The flat lands facing the Gulf of Hule are altitude varies between sea level and 100 feet densely forested and, only recently, did the at the foot of the Great Escarpment. Small Huleans begin to settle and exploit the beaches and salty marshes punctuate the region. Small fishing hamlets can be found Hulean coastline. The shallow waters of the everywhere along the coast while bigger northern Gulf of Hule hinder the cities can be found at the mouths of the construction of deep sea ports and only in a region’s rivers. Located on the shore of a few spots, often along rivers, is the water large bay, Boyâzka is an exception. The level deep enough for big vessels to dock Castle of Yanidir (Yanidir Hisar) is Hule’s directly in the ports. Otherwise, in Boyâzka main military port, the gulf floor has been by example, ships must anchor offshore and dredged to permit access to the docks for the shuttles are required to unload cargo and huge Hulean war galleys. take it into the city. Population: From 1–5 people (mainly Climate: The climate of the Southern humanoids) per square mile in the arid Hulean Plateau and of the edge of the Great highlands to 20–30 people per square mile Escarpment is warm and temperate, but in the valleys and near the larger towns. In extremely windy. Winters are cold and dry the city of Azurun are many dwarves that but relatively short. Springs bring heavy added to the other settlements in the region rainfall from the Izondian Deep and the total the impressive number of 32,600 overall atmosphere is humid although the souls. Wandering tribes of humanoids can rain is rapidly absorbed into the water table. be found throughout the plateau in the Summer days tend to be dry and hot, while most desolated places, the Master have the nights remain colder. Autumn is a little given them much autonomy on these lands. colder than summer but it brings more rain. The lower northern slope of the plateau is

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inhabited by semi–nomadic clans of lake. Greatrealm consists mainly of a vast humans that came to Hule in one of the temple complex built inside a walled numerous invasions of this country’s long compound. Fields tended by the temples’ history. Many geonid tribes can be found in novices surround the land around the the caves of the badlands. temple. A large path lined by the statues of The Hulean Coast is among the most the different deities revered by the Huleans densely populated region of the country links the Temple to the shore of Lake Tros. with well over 20 people per square mile All the buildings are heavily decorated with everywhere along the coast. In the deepest statues, friezes, elaborate eaves, towers, forest and in the rivers’ delta, however, this banners, and paintings. proportion may rapidly fall to less than 5 The Basin people per square mile. Humanoids are few besides some raiders coming from the The biggest share of Hule’s territory is heights of the Escarpment. Foreigners are located on the western side of the Hulean common in the Hulean ports unlike in the Basin. In fact, it is made up of the large rest of the land. hydrographic basin of the Rosin River and its numerous tributaries. These rivers have The Dark Wood carved out large valleys converging towards The local people fear this large forest for it the centre of Hule where the Rosin River is rumoured to be haunted. Humans do not funnels toward Lake Tros. The lands of live in it and most of the non–human beings Hule are among the best agricultural lands (even the evil ones) avoid it. The most on Brun, the valleys are enriched by tons of common trees of the forest are oak and sediment torn out of the Black Mountains aspen. The underbrush in this forest is very and Zdredanyan Hills. This basin is made thick. Thorn bushes abound. Animals up of five main valleys: The Boycegiz and found in the wood include bear, boars, deer, Gree River valleys in the north, the Rosin small game, owls, crows, ravens, toads, and and Gezrâde River valleys in the east, and bats. People going into the wood always the Thanat River valley to the south. have the sense that these creatures watch Climate: The climate of Hule’s basin them as they travel. Watercourses in the regions is temperate and made up of four forest are enchanted. There is a cumulative distinct and equally long seasons. Spring is chance that anyone drinking this water will mild and humid from the rain carried from be transformed into a boar or a deer (the the Izondian Deep by the strong southern transformation occurs after four failed winds and from the snow thawing on the Saving Throws vs. Spells consecutive or slopes of the Black Mountains. Summer is not), if this water is drunk. Groups of drier but regular thundershowers may form skeletons patrol the skies of the forest when temperatures stay high for long aboard flying barges. periods. Autumn is wetter than summer, as At the centre of the Dark Wood is the Tros the northern airflow brings the colder Lake, a large (4,500 sq. mi.) and seemingly humid winds of Brun’s hinterland. Winter bottomless freshwater lake. Greatrealm, the is cold and wet while the northern winds Master’s capital city, lies on the shore of this blow, snow is rare in the south but common in the north.

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Terrain: The basin is a region of large rivers Basin’s biggest centres. Many humanoids and valleys with some flat hills and many live in the basin, but unlike to their brethren small woods. 70 percent of all Hulean in the remoter regions of Hule, they do not humans live along the rivers. The highlands surrounding the valleys (depicted in yellowish green on the map) are dedicated to the semi–nomadic human tribes of Hule. A multitude of villages and small towns dot the landscape of the Basin and a few much bigger cities have bloomed at strategic locations Most of Hule’s trade and travel are done along the rivers either on small barges or on the paved roads that link the major Hulean cities. Almost every kind of cereal and vegetable are cultivated in Hule’s irrigated fields and the rivers also provide plenty of freshwater fish. Population: Human population ranges from 20–30 people per square mile in the valleys to 10–15 in the highlands. Many large towns can be found along the mighty rivers of Hule. Jandak, Hule’s bustling metropolis, with 52,600 administer their own lands and are seldom inhabitants and Khuur at 22,600 are the organised in tribes.

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Hagiarchy of Great Hule

Located to the north of the Baronies of the them. Hule is a hagiarchy, and is ruled by Savage Coast and the Gulf of Hule, to the “Holy Men” and a clergy. Any person who south of the Midlands and to the west of the turns out to be an enlightened of Bozdogan Great Waste and Sind. With a population can play an important role in the of about 1,000,000 inhabitants, 65% government and not only its clerics. The human, 35% humanoid and 5% dwarf, elf people of Hule are divided into classes, holy and halfling, it is a mosaic of cultures that men, diviners, hermits, prophets, clergy, have been assimilated over the years. Its and commoners. economy is based on agriculture, textiles, glasswork, trade and conquest. It imports The Classes common metals, fish, salt, spices, silk, and Holy Men are the rulers, individuals who – when possible Red Steel. It exports grain, if not actually clergy – have been somehow vegetables, timber, textiles, glass and gems. touched by the Immortals. The Holy Men Hule, also known as “Great Hule” and “The make up the nation’s bureaucracy and Sanctified Land”, is a large nation that lies administration. There are an inordinate between the western Black Mountains and number of thieves among the Holy Men, the eastern edge of the Dravish Steppes. It too. Holy Men are especially favoured of stretches from the City States of the Savage Bozdogan, and they occupy official Coast in the south to the Midlands in the positions in Hule’s ruling class. north. This large nation controls a small Unmistakable signs help determine who is coastline to the north of Slagovich, through favoured, such as being incapable of ever which it carries out important trade, most uttering the words “yes” and “no”, “black” of the territory is composed of low hills, and and “white”, or “is” and “have”, or the there are many scattered small farms and inability to use the letter “e” or numbers of nomadic shepherds, collections of small any kind, etc. farms that become villages and true communities. There are several great cities Diviners are similar to police. They travel that act as distribution points for the the country freely, often in disguise. When agricultural products and as great centres for not disguised, they wear uniforms that commerce in general. Merchants from Sind consist of a red robe and black mask, a mace, and Yavdlom occasionally end up here but and carry a crystal amulet. These officials the cost is always the great risks involved. have two important duties. First, they Western Hule comprises the ancient great search for criminals. Criminals include not and dark oak forest known as Niwhelm, only thieves and murderers, but also those within which extending for about 45 miles who have “wrong thoughts”. Wrong in diameter, is a lake, Tros, apparently of thoughts are considered to be those against clear freshwater, also known as the Lake of the state religion or those who cast doubt on the Deeps. Hule is a collection of races and the “miracles” of the holy men. All clerics species, but only the humans have an active who do not belong to the state religion are role in the government, although humans “wrong thinkers”. All people who follow can delegate non-humans to officially act for other Immortals, or no Immortal are

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“wrong thinkers”. All magic–users are two are generally labourers, servants, or “wrong thinkers”, except those working for foreign traders and are looked down on. the Diviners or the clergy. The Diviner’s Clerics of other religions, mages and bandits second duty is to find worthy candidates for are seen as traitors of the society. Non– government service. If they find a humans don’t figure in the class system. The particularly holy person, they take him humanoids, although they find it before the leaders of Hule for testing. As the convenient and lucrative allying themselves Diviners are both dangerous and rewarding, with the great priests of Hule, live in the common people both fear and respect nominally independent tribes within Hule’s them greatly. borders. It seems that all the humanoids live Hermits are those people who claim to have together peacefully although from time to had a vision from Bozdogan, instructing time they raid each other. The ruler of Hule them to live alone in the wilderness. is a mysterious individual known only as the Hermits may live under all manner of Master, absolute dictator of the land. The conditions – sleeping on thorn beds, living Master leads the Holy Men of Hule in with beasts, or eating no meat. As a custom, preaching a unusual philosophy of lies and they do not shave or cut their hair. Peasants deceit. Loki has manipulated the people of sometimes seek out hermits for guidance. Hule to create a bureaucracy of thieves and Prophets travel the countryside, and while liars. Political intrigue is common in Hule not government officials, are recognised for and to unite the nation the Master from their great wisdom and judgment; acting as time to time finds necessary to find a as judges in important cases that cannot be conflict external, this has brought Hule to judged by the local authorities. However, war with all its neighbours. The Holy Men’s like the common people, they can be true aim is acquiring as many followers as arrested or rewarded by the Diviners. As a possible for Bozdogan (Loki), this is done custom, all prophets travel with a dog and a through skillful deceits which are holy acts young boy who carries a lamp. in themselves. It is believed that Bozdogan has found a way to feed off the deceptions Clerics operate the local temples and and frauds of his followers, each time that shrines. It is their duty to guide and instruct someone deceives someone else Loki earns the people. They try to draw out the some sort of arcane power; the more people holiness in each person. They are the involved and the more underhand the deceit normal clerics of D&D and can be arrested the more Bozdogan gains. Small lies and or rewarded by the Diviners. swindles are of scant interest. The Holy Commoners are just that, farmers, soldiers, Men maintain civil order and the orthodoxy merchants, or craftsmen. Most follow the of thoughts and rule over the land through state religion and lead peaceful lives – until deception. To be considered holy a lie must called to war – and strive towards greater perform one of the following functions: “holiness”. Almost all are of Chaotic bring new followers to Bozdogan, improve alignment. A smaller number of people are Hule’s expansion, further the aims of the Neutral, and an even smaller (and Holy Men, bring about the downfall of shrinking) number are Lawful. The latter foreigners, infidels or wrong thinkers or acquire wealth in the Temple of Hule’s

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name, through theft, fraud and extortion. Hule’s borders are slowly expanding and the According to the dictates of the laws of Hule Holy Men assisted by the warriors of Hule if a person can prove that a lie was have helped the neighbouring cultures join perpetrated for one of the above reasons, it them and become assimilated to the Hulean is perfectly legal – indeed rewarded. way of life forming a mosaic of micro However, the wise don’t lie unthinkingly as cultures, only the northern barbarians resist a lie is a double-edged weapon, it is not it. For centuries the people of Hule advised to lie to a Holy Man and it is prospered and expanded their borders, in heretical among Holy Men to lie to a 1271 BC however the great horde of Wogar superior. A great deception that involves a finally arrived in Hule, raging through large number of unaware people can give a central Hule massacring many and person a place in the history of Hule and enslaving others. Among them was a young create a legend. Holy Man named Hosadus who having accidentally heard about the humanoids’ Customs search for a mysterious blue dagger, The people of Hule aren’t very different to magically enchanted a sword with continual the others of the region, religious services light and passing himself off as a messenger are held each night and the peasants usually of the Immortals sent the humanoids from attend them twice a week, once a week the Hule in search of the elusive dagger. Two local cleric leads a procession through the thirds of the horde continued the search for settlement looking for miracles – which go the dagger beyond the borders while the rest beyond normal magic, these processions who remained in Hule as followers of include drink, dance and music. Animals Hosadus are the ancestors of Hosadus’s are treated with respect as they could be honour guard; the horde is composed of Holy Men in a miraculous disguise, wrong wolf riding goblins. Over time, other thinkers are condemned to instruction humanoid tribes settled within Hule’s which generally consists of being used for borders, there were skirmishes with the hard labour. Any person convicted of a humans but generally, they lived in peace. crime other than wrong thinking can be In 600 AC the northern barbarians united declared innocent if he shows that his in a tremendous army that were close to actions were guided by Bozdogan or if the destroying Hule, but Bozdogan judge has a vision from Bozdogan. reincarnated the legendary hero Hosadus Humanoids are treated with respect and fear who this time combined the art of war with as the peasants don’t want to provoke raids. trickery and deceit and drove the barbarians out, built the great Temple of Death in the History Dark Wood and reconquered all the lost lands and beyond, restarting the expansion. The origins of Hule are mostly surrounded Currently Hule is at peace with the nations by mystery. According to the dictates of the of the Savage Coast. In Hule the army is Holy Men Hule was founded by followers composed mainly of humanoids particularly of Bozdogan around 1500 BC, he told them goblins but the temple–city, Greatrealm, in all they needed to know to fulfil their which the Master lives is defended by a large destiny: spread the philosophy and group of Dervishes. The Dervishes are a prosperity of Hule throughout the world.

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group of elite, light infantry armed with red Diviners or other messengers, for steel scimitars, are often tasked with adventurers the temple-city is place to be repulsing the barbarian invasions from the avoided at all costs. Bozdogan who is no north. Another elite group is the Hulean other than Loki, the prince of lies, his cavalry, the Janissaries. The Grand Master symbol is a mechanical puzzle cube, has lives in the “Temple of Death” a large manipulated the people of Hule creating a complex of temples on the shores of Lake bureaucracy of thieves and liars, subterfuges Tros, far from the cities from where and political intrigues are woven to hold this pilgrams sometimes depart. From here he great nation together. The Grand Master’s controls the nation’s progress and the aim is to acquire as many followers as development of its armies, his wishes are possible for his diety and thereby earn made known to the people through the immortality himself.

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The Nine Kingdoms (Hule)

When Hosadus saved Hule from the invasions of the barbarian populations, he Jandir found a kingdom divided into a multitude Area: 17,500 sq.mi. of small entities, which he decided to Location: Southeast, west of the Black reconstruct before all of the internal Mountains structure. It therefore created nine military Population: 68,359 (80% human, 10% departments, whose borders were humanoid, 10% demi–human). superimposed over the borders of the old Government Type: Local Governor Nine Kingdoms. The idea was to recreate Capital: Jehrom that spirit of union that marked the peoples Industries: Trade, agriculture, textile of the Hulean kingdoms. Now after some Flora & fauna: Typical of central Brun centuries the originality of each single The Kingdom of Jandir is within the kingdom is still in its early days but the Hulean basin and its only external border internal competition has given new stimulus faces the Black Mountains. Like its location to the initiative. the character of its population is also closed and reticent. They are not open to what Yozgulak comes from outside, aren’t interested in the Area: 1,695 sq.mi. outside and don’t hold with having their Location: Extreme south of the Nine affairs known on the outside. They only Kingdoms trade with the other kingdoms of Hule. Population: 82,031 (70% human, 10% humanoid, 20% demi–human). Bojudir Government Type: Local Governor Area: 42,000 sq.mi. Capital: Azurun Location: At the centre of the Nine Industries: Trade, agriculture Kingdoms Flora & fauna: Typical of central Brun Population: 164,063 (90% human, 7% The Kingdom of Yozgulak suffers greatly humanoid, 3% demi–human). due to its proximity to the Baronies of the Government Type: Local Governor Savage Coast and their culture. In Capital: Khuur competition with the latter it doesn’t Industries: Agriculture, textile hesitate to measure itself in the arts and Flora & fauna: Typical of central Brun culture as well as in trade. Home to Hule’s The Kingdom of Bojudir (Boludir in the navies, both commercial and military, it is local dialect) has a central position in Hule, one of the kingdoms that is growing both unlike the neighbouring Jandir however its demographically and economically. Its population have a totally opposite character. political weight within the Nine Kingdoms Being a way of passage between the continues to grow and it is already thinking southern and northern kingdoms of Hule, it about a new war against the Baronies or a has assimilated ideas and cultures from new attempt to colonise Davania. throughout the empire. At Khuur it has

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rebuilt the Great Temple of Chaos with the Great Waste and the kingdoms even further intent of acquiring power in the religious to the east. It is home to a considerable field. Bojudir’s clergy is very active both military force of both humanoids and politically and religously and doesn’t hide humans. its ambition to gain more power in the Master’s hierarchy. Huyule Area: 20,500 sq.mi. Kuliye Location: At the centre of the Nine Area: 23,000 sq.mi. Kingdoms, east of the Sanctified Lands, and Location: Southwest of the Nine Kingdoms west of Birgidir Population: 89,844 (65% human, 30% Population: 80,078 (95% human, 3% humanoid, 5% demi–human). humanoid, 2% demi–human). Government Type: Local Governor Government Type: Local Governor Capital: Iskilu Capital: Jandak Industries: Metalurgy, mining, agriculture Industries: Agriculture, textile Flora & fauna: Typical of central Brun Flora & fauna: Typical of central Brun The Kingdom of Kuliye has a population The Kingdom of Huyule has been, and very dedicated to work. The hard life of the particularly for many Huyulians still is, the miner and the farmer doesn’t leave much heart of Hule. Home of the ancient Great time to develop a culture that goes beyond Temple of Chaos of which after the great those that are the kingdom’s main interests. fire only ruins remain it can still boast the Suspicious and silent they prefer to mind presence of the Mausoleum of Hosadus on their own business. The Holy Men watch its territory. It has however great weight in outsiders with suspicion fearing that they Hule’s religious hierarchy and boasts the will damage the quiet life of the country. largest number of Holy Men. Also its military forces are considerable and quick to Birgidir act in aid of all the Empire’s kingdoms if it is needed. Area: 38,000 sq.mi. Location: East of the Nine Kingdoms, west of the Black Mountains Karsile Population: 148,438 (70% human, 25% Area: 25,000 sq.mi. humanoid, 5% demi–human). Location: Northeast of the Nine Government Type: Local Governor Kingdoms, west of Dvinzina, south of Capital: Magden Sardjikjian Industries: Mining, handicrafts, logging Population: 97,656 (75% human, 20% Flora & fauna: Typical of central Brun humanoid, 5% demi–human). The Kingdom of Birgidir is a very active Government Type: Local Governor kingdom from all viewpoints, industrial, Capital: Erzmin commercial and military. It controls the Industries: Logging, agriculture Great Pass to the east from which pass all Flora & fauna: Typical of central Brun the caravans that head to or come from the

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The Kingdom of Karsile has the great burden of controlling the border with Karsun Dvinzina with which in the past it has had Area: 52,000 sq.mi. frequent wars, as well as watching the Location: Northwest of the Nine northern border. As well as this, it has been Kingdoms, east of Monzag, south of the able to establish a flourishing trade both Great Forest. within Hule and with external populations. Population: 203,125 (95% human, 3% humanoid, 2% demi–human). Eivanjan Government Type: Local Governor Capital: Seyvan Area: 17,000 sq.mi. Industries: Agricuture, herding, conquest, Location: At the centre of the Nine metallurgy Kingdoms, south of Karsile. Flora & fauna: Typical of central Brun Population: 66,406 (80% human, 10% humanoid, 10% demi–human). The Kingdom of Karsun is perhaps the one Government Type: Local Governor most like an independent kingdom, able to Capital: Cirkara support itself, defend itself and practically Industries: Agriculture, textile always at war. Indeed, it provides military Flora & fauna: Typical of central Brun support for the neighbouring Monzagian Banat, quick to intervene if the The Kingdom of Eivanjan has no external independence aims of the Monzag people borders; its population is dedicated to the are ever put into practice. Home of the most agricultural and textile industries. Simple- significant military force in the Nine souled folk but with a great cultural vein. Kingdoms, it also controls the northern Music and other theatrical and visual arts border with the great forest. are very developed. It has kept the cultural traitions of the ancient populations of the Hulean basin, some suspect that it secretly still hides some followers of the old religion.

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Other Territories

For the first human colonists of the Great The first part, is the largest and situated Valley and the Yazak Plain, Niwhelm around Tros Lake, is called the Sanctified supplied most of the food and timber Lands and is the Master’s personal needed for those primitive societies. But, as dominion. This is a restricted place where the human populations surrounding the strangers are watched and captured at the great forest grew in number and evolved first occasion, it also serves as a test ground technologically the constant axe blows for government candidates. The second caused the forest to slowly shrink to its part, is the southwestern part of the Dark current size. Continued wars in one part or Wood, is in turn divided in two, the another of the forest have forced folk ever northern Janizary Lands, which is totally deeper into the forest and closer to its occupied by the Rockwater swamps, and the original inhabitants: the woodland folk. southern Janizary Lands that are mostly After some small clashes between the two covered by forests, and considered a great groups of beings a more or less peaceful reserve for the humanoid populations. cohabitation was established, and cooperation even developed. The Sanctified Lands For centuries, the fragile balance was kept Area: 60,000 sq.mi. until the rise of the Master in Hule. When Location: S of Monzag, E of the Janizary the Master decided to move his capital to Lands, W of the Nine Kingdoms the heart of the Dark Wood in 603 AC Population: 25,000 (10% human, 65% everything suddenly changed. This decision humanoid, 25% other (spirits, fey, demi– was justified by the wish to better protect human). the heart of the Empire from external Government Type: Empire, various Clans. aggression, but also to hide the Master’s Capital: Greatrealm, in the Sanctified own secrets and experiments. Greatrealm, Lands, is the Empire’s capital, and also his temple and capital, was constructed in a home to the Master. way that it radiates evil throughout the Industries: none. entire forest. Hence, most of the woodland Flora & fauna: Typical of the forests of creatures uncomfortable with the new central Brun presence moved to the colder Zdredanyan Forest or to the smaller woods south or west In ancient times, the Dark Wood was the of Niwhelm. Since then, only a few centre of the great forest that covered most creatures still live in the Dark Wood, they of central Brun from the Yalu Sea to the are mostly animals or evil creatures allied to Gulf of Hule. Niwhelm, as it was known in the Master. Even the animals are part of the ancient times, was a dense temperate forest Master’s magic control over the forest since inhabited by strange woodland beings and he can see and hear what most of them see avoided by most humans. or hear. The locals fear this large forest as it is For administrative purposes, the Dark rumoured to be haunted. Humans do not Wood was separated in two different units. live in it and most non–humans (even the

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evil ones) avoid it. The most common trees of the forest are the oak and the poplar. The The Janizary Lands underbrush in this forest is very thick Area: 55,000 sq.mi. making passage difficult. Thorn bushes Location: S of Antasyn, E of Bulzan and abound. Animals found in the wood include Olgah, W of the Sanctified Lands bears, boars, deer, small game, owls, crows, Population: 65,000 (10% human, 85% ravens, toads, and bats. People entering the humanoid, 5% demi–human). wood always have the sense that these Government Type: Empire, various Clans. creatures are watching them as they travel. Capital: The Janizary Lands have no true The watercourses in the forest are capital. enchanted. There is a cumulative that one Industries: Hunting, fishing, handicrafts, drinking this water will be transformed into logging. a boar or a deer (the transformation occurs Flora & fauna: Typical of central Brun after four failed Saving Throws vs. Spells The Master created the administrative consecutive or not). Groups of skeletons region of the Janizary Lands in 651 AC. The patrol the forest’s skies on flying barges. Greatrealm Declaration as the Empire’s new At the centre of the Dark Wood is the Tros capital and the creation of the new region of Lake, a freshwater lake of great size (4,500 the Janizary Lands was a move to control the sq. mi.). It is apparently bottomless. western part of the Dark Wood and thus Greatrealm, the Master’s capital, lies on the put more pressure on the western kingdoms shores of this lake. Greatrealm mainly to abide to the Master’s rule. The first consists of a huge complex of temples, built concrete result of this declaration was that inside a walled compound. Fields tended by scores of humanoids, invited by the Master, the temples’ novices surround the land settled in the region and forced the local around the temple. An imposing path human populations (Huleans and flanked by statues of the Immortals revered Bulzanians) into exile. It has also further by the Huleans leads to the Great Temple encouraged the woodland folk to leave the on the shores of Tros Lake. All the buildings area. are heavily decorated with statues, friezes, Two major castles were built to increase elaborate eaves, towers, banners, and Hule’s military control over the region: paintings. Castle Üskedoz is responsible of the Northern Janizary Lands and is the key to the Central Military Route which directly links Greatrealm to the Western part of the Hulean Empire, it is one of the biggest military works west of Darokin; Castle Karçil, was built on an older Hulean military construction, it controls the Southern Military Route, which skirts the Dark Wood to the south. It is also a key position at the source of Rio Tuntos; in

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short it overlooks all of the Savage Baronies under the threat of the humanoids in river system. exchange for the personal protection Another important inhabitant of the guaranteed by the Master himself. They are Janizary Lands is the great Voysava, a huge involved in agriculture and herding and are green dragon that is one of the only living responsible for the supply of the region’s beings in the Dark Wood beside the Master garrisons and reserves. and his close minions. Voysava is known to The southern part of the Janizary Lands sees like gratuitous destruction and terror, the presence of various humanoid tribes, however it hasn’t been seen for years, and some with fixed camps and others of a rumours want it dead, killed by a group of nomadic spirit are forever moving. In 800 Torreónese adventurers or asleep. AC, part of the western Dark Wood, on the The northernmost part of the Janizary border with Olgar, was given to a Lands consists of a large bog called population of Caracasta from Davania. Rockwater. This marsh was formed 25 There they had supported the attempt of centuries ago, when the great Gree River Hulean colonisation which had been change its course towards Tros Lake instead realised with the construction of the city of of the Gulf of Hule following major telluric Garganin. When the Hulean and Caracasta activity. Rockwater is home to a large Troll forces were defeated the Master, to save the community. Their ancestors were magically Caracasta from the vengeance of the local brought there by the Master about 400 years populations, invited them to move to Hule. ago to serve in his armies. Since then they Here the Caracasta reorganised themselves have grown in number and are a constant in that part of the Southern Janizary Lands. threat to the surrounding human Hidden by the forest they have rebuilt a communities. partially underground city. The Caracasta population however only spend brief The only human communities that still live periods in this land, indeed the Master uses in the Janizary Lands are concentrated in their ability as spies and secret agents the central plain near Rockwater and on the throughout the Empire and surrounding border with Olgar. These Hulean and lands. Bulzanian communities have chosen to live

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Converted Kingdoms

Capital: Debredladany Monzagian Banat Industries: Fur, logging, breeding of Area: 59,500 sq.mi. animals. Location: Central Brun, in the Converted Languages: Monzag, Shqradër and Hulean. Lands N of the Dark Wood, S of the Coinage: Antasynian and Hulean coins. Zdrednayan forest Flora & fauna: Typical of central Brun Population: 96,000 (85% human [50% Important Figures: Döskender Sengor Monzagian, 40% Antasynian, 10% (C23, of Orcus), Hulean governor of Hulean], 10% humanoid, 5% demi– Monzag; Balàzs Khuen (M7), exiled king of human). Monzag, Etrit Verkunj (M17), head of the Government Type: Hulean Protectorate. Antasynian Reunification Front; Piri Monzag is strictly run by the Hulean Gazdag (C21, of Freyja), head of the Lawful military admin, parts of the territory are Brotherhood in Monzag under martial law.

Description: It is difficult to see Monzag as in the Kereçul River valley and in the a homogenous and unitary state, in fact, it westernmost countryside of Monzag, the can be seen as the superposition of two second is found mostly on the fringes of the cultures, one urban, Antasynian, and the Zdredanyan Forest and in the valleys of the second rural, semi–nomadic, made of the smaller Crisöl and Tio rivers. Monzags. The first culture is concentrated

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Geographically, Monzag can also be divided cold temperatures; fog isn’t uncommon in in two: in the north, the wooded hills that these seasons. Summers are hot, but the progressively give way to the great humidity level remains high, although the Zdredanyan Forest, and, in the south, the sun is more present in Monzag during large valleys blooming with crops and summers heavy showers usually follow a densely populated. In the north, the hills are long period of warm and humid. These the hideouts of the last semi–nomadic weather patterns helped the development of Monzag tribes and the small valleys protect a large variety of insects (mosquitoes, flies of the Monzag camps. Along the Kereçul every type, etc), which are common in the River, larger settlements are home to a forests and the northern valleys. mixed Antasynian and Monzag population, The two peoples in Monzag come from very the former making up a larger percentage of different stocks. The Antasynians share the the population as one goes west. same Yazak origins with their western Most of Monzag’s borders were drawn up brethren. The Monzags, on the other hand, by the Hulean administration in an attempt are of Neathar/proto–Ethengar descent and to simplify the running of the territory. have the same pale complexion and hair and However, besides the eastern border with slightly slit eyes as their Sendaryan cousins. Hule, which roughly represents the Both peoples don’t dress the same way, or historical western border of Karsun, the eat the same food, so even a stranger can other frontiers don’t truly represent the real easily distinguish a Monzag from an borders. Firstly, the western border with Antasynian. Antasyn is constantly disputed by the local For the Monzags the forests are like homes: Antasynian population, who seek to supplying food, shelter and revenue (from reintegrate all their people inside just one the fur trade). Few of the Monzags have territory. Secondly, the southern border accepted the Antasynian way of life of with the Dark Wood doesn’t represent any settling and cultivating the land. Prefering a historical reality, but just the desire of the semi–nomadic lifestyle rearing livestock Master to create a buffer zone around his (reindeer, ponies, buffalo) in the forests and Greatrealm temple complex. And, thirdly, fishing keeping a small open area to grow no Monzag, at least among the semi– crops in. Although the forest way of life stills nomadic population, has accepted that holds most of its appeal to the Monzags, Monzag could be separated from the people things are slowly changing. The younger of the Zdredanyan Forest, who are close generations seem to prefer a slower way of cousins to the Monzags. In fact, the life, the lifestyle of farmers and peasants. northern frontier as seen on Hulean maps is Many Monzags now live in cities, be they of more representative of the extent of the Antasynian origin like Debredladany or Hulean control than of the land the Szekçarlit or of pure Monzag foundation Monzags see as theirs. like Pusztök. As people prefer to stay away On average, Monzag is a wet but cold place. from the foresters’ life, the links with the It shares the same climate as the Zdredanyan Sendaryan tribes are cut one by one. The Forest: in winter, cold and humid winds most pessimistic of Mozag herders say that charged with snow come from central Brun. in one or two generations only the clan Spring and autumn are rainy with mild to elders and a few other people will remember

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that the people to the north are the cousins given to the municipal councils of the major of the Monzags. cities. It could be said that the two cultures are The situation in the northern lands, clashing in Monzag: the old urban and populated mainly by Monzags, is the feudal culture of Antasyn and the more opposite: The Huleans administer the lands flexible and anarchic way of the forest as their possessions, having ousted the herders. This oversimplifies the situation. traditional Monzag landlords and nearly Indeed, many Monzags have decided to enslaving the local population. Herders are settle down and leave behind their small forced to settle down, so that the Holy Men ponies, but haven’t accepted all of the can keep control of them, contact with the Antasynian culture. In fact, the urban norethern tribes is strongly discouraged, a population is slowly building a new culture policy that doesn’t hinder the Monzags made up of both Antasynian traditions and from crossing the border more or less freely. the traditions and superstitions of the At the religious level, the Holy Men haven’t Nomads. The Monzags have adopted most followed a mass conversion policy toward of the Antasynian farming techniques and the Monzag people as it would probably have developed an urban culture that trigger a confrontation with the followers of resembles the one that they nearly destroyed the Way of the Law (most of whom are when they came to the region. They Monzags), but they closely monitor any haven’t, however, adopted the rural customs relations between the Monzag clerics and of the Antasynians (like the division of the the outer world. land in Bratjrak or the Code of Lek), During the period of the Monzag instead, the rural populations have kept monarchy, which was the only time when most of the ways of the nomad populations Monzag looked like a modern state, in of the Zdredanyan Forest. which the Monzag King, Ibrany, made For the Antasynians, the real alien is the decisions helped by a council of nobles – people of Monzag, and Hule is only a minor clan chiefs who had distinguished problem. Also, throughout history the themselves in the fight against the relations between the Huleans and the Antasynians and the Huleans – which met Antasynians were far better than the regularly at Debredladany. Naturally, when relations between the Huleans and the tribes the Huleans invaded Monzag territory, this of the Zdredanyan Forest who for most of Council was disbanded and most of the the time raided the farms of Northern Hule. nobles were beheaded or forced into exile. These two facts help to explain why the Most of these nobles’ descendents now form Huleans have granted much more rights to the main resistance body in Monzag. The the Antasynians of Monzag than to the Huleans are in a permanent state of war Monzags themselves. Indeed, for the against them and most of the province’s Antasynians, the administration is laxer here production is allocated to the low–scale war. in Monzag than in neighbouring Antasyn. Currently, the rebels hold most of the Timars are granted to loyal Antasynians, Kadrulay Hills and maintain some their children are sent to Jandák through the strongholds in the Tio River Valley. The devshirme and a large autonomy has been rebels have crowned Balàzs Khuen, a young mage who, according to the oracles, is

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supposed to lead a victorious war against submit them to their rule. The union of the Hule as the King of the Monzags. His Monzag tribes was made easier thanks to the kingdom is, in fact composed by little more action of the Lawful Brotherhood, which than the Oroul Hills and his capital is a used the religion to bring the tribes together fortified camp situated deeper in the and foment even more hatred towards Zdredanyan Forest than any Hulean soldier Hule’s Temple of Chaos. ever dared to go. Twice in the last 30 years When, in 578 AC, the nomads of the the rebels have besieged Fort Zamgulak, Midlands launched their assault against though they haven’t been able to shake Hule, the Monzags headed a confederation Hule’s grip over the region, nor have they of tribes that numbered more than forty been able to stir up a significant rebellion thousand warriors in its ranks. Unlike most among the Hulean–controlled Monzags. of the northern nomads that penetrated Recently, the arrival of a group of deep into the Hulean Basin, the Monzags Dvinzinian missionaries has promoted chose to advance towards the heart of religious zeal among the Monzag patriots. Antasyn. There, they sacked the Antasynian Intolerance toward faiths other than the cities and wrecked havoc in most of the Way of the Law is growing among the valleys. For about 35 years, the Antasyn members of King Balàzs’ court and calls for army conducted an all–out war against the a crusade erupt more and more frequently. Monzags only to be defeated in 613 AC History: Compared to its southern when the Monzags after the siege of Gjitra neighbours Antasyn and Bulzan, Monzag’s sacked the Antasynian capital, thus history as an autonomous state has been destroying the heart of the monarchy’s brief, plagued by wars and marked by the power. The death of the Antasyn king grandiose reign of King Ibrany the Wise. during the siege destroyed the Antasynians’ Monzag’s history begins in 576 AC, when a will to defend their homeland as they dozen eastern Sendaryan tribes united descended into a fight over the succession. under the rule of the Monzags. For a long From 613 to 629 AC, the new rulers of the time the Monzags, who were living on the eastern part of the Antasynian lands southern edge of the Zdredanyan Forest, established a relative peace. During this had been looking southwards at the riches period, the Monzags ruled their new of the lands of Antasyn and Hule. But they possessions with an iron fist. Most of the knew that, if they wanted to benefit from indigenous Antasynian population was kept these riches they needed to ally themselves as slaves and the Monzags were merciless with the other tribes and gather many when they encountered resistence or warriors. The impetus to unify the forest protest. The confederation of the tribes that tribes arrived in 571 AC, when the united made the conquest of Antasyn possible tribes of northern nomad invaded the didn’t survive long, however in 618 AC, the Midlands. The invasion was seen as an new possessions were split into a dozen opportunity for the Monzags and they smaller states and soon old conflicts quickly built an alliance with their cousins developed along the lines of centuries–old from the northern steppes. Strengthened by rivalries of the tribes. their new alliance, the Monzags used it to defeat the tribes that opposed them or

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Exploiting the Monzags’ internal divisions, continues for over eighty years of more or Migen Xhul, the king of Antasyn tried to less intense conflict. It was clear, however, free the territories lost to the Monzags’ yoke. that the Antasynians couldn’t win and, in In 629 AC, he launched a great offensive fact, were losing ground. Seeing his armies against the Monzags’ principalities. At first, losing on most fronts, King Migen II of met with great success, and Prijderel was Antasyn asked the Master for help, help that retaken in less than six months. Soon the was happily granted by the Master who had Monzags knew that, if they weren’t able to been looking for any pretext to intervene in overcome their dispute, they would lose the region’s affairs. most of their new possessions. A council of In 746 AC, the Monzags for the first time the tribes was hastily organised in 630 AC faced the despised Huleans when they and Ibrany Svarcz, chief of the Varganz, was entered Monzag territory in response to elected as the leader of the newly united Antasyn’s request. The war that took place Monzag tribes. This decision brought rapid over the next 130 years left Monzag success to the Monzags who were able to bloodless and exhausted. Initially the turn the tide of the war at the siege of Monzags were able to hold the Huleans at Debredladany. The Antasynians were bay, but it became clear that they were no unable to retake their ancient capital. This match for the Master’s hordes. It took 15 siege lasted for more than a year, but, aware years for the Huleans to take control of the of the fact that in Hule a new empire was main cities of Monzag, but quickly slowly expanding under the Master’s rule, discovered that taking the cities was the easy both the Monzags and the Antasynians part. For years the conflict continued with realised that a peace treaty would be better the Monzags conducting a rather effective than a war that would make them easy prey guerrilla war against the invaders. Only in for their large neighbour. 873 AC did the last Monzag warlord Impressed by Ibrany’s exceptional surrender. So that was the way the Huleans leadership skills, the Monzags’ chiefs placed saw it as many nobles had fled into the forest themselves under his authority, thereby and united their forces in the Zdredanyan bringing to Monzag an era of peace and Forest. For awhile the new rebellion was too prosperity that lasted the 30 years. A Hulean weak and divided to inflict great damage on plot brought an end to what could have the Empire, but about a century later a new been one of the most enlightened Kingdoms generation of leaders were able to create a of the modern Converted Lands. In 662 new united front. This new generation also AC, the daughter of the Antasynian king actively sought alliances abroad and built up was murdered while in Debredladany for a new resistance network throughout diplomatic reasons. Agents of the Master Monzag society. managed to make it seem to the Antasynians In 873 AC, nearly a century and a half after that the Monzags’ actions were behind her their intervention in Monzag, the place murder. Out of rage, the king of Antasyn became a province of the Hukean Empire declares war on Monzag. Both countries ruled by the Holy Men sent to quickly find themselves stuck in a war of Debredladany. Since then the Huleans’ only position, with neither of the two states able interest has been to secure their hold on the to gain the upper hand. This situation territory. The Master has become the only

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sovereign and his administration manages seen as a heresy by fellow members of the about 20 percent of the territory for its own Lawful Brotherhood outside Monzag. benefit, apportioning the rest among Even though, the Monzags follow the rigid Antasynian and Hulean soldiers and civil discipline of the Way of the Law, their cult servants. These new landholders are mainly is somehow less organised in other countries interested in squeezing as much wealth from where it is the major religion. There isn’t an the land as quickly as possible and most of all–powerful clergy like in Dvinzina or them don’t live on their land leaving it to Sardjikjian. Most of the priests move from the locals to administer. Wars, slavery, and one community to another preaching the the emigration of the nobles who lost their Teaching of the Righteous. There isn’t a lands depopulated much of the countryside. strict line of command between the church’s Over the last thirty years, the exiled nobles head and the local clerics. Naturally the link and rebels have been much more active and between the religious orders and the state is Monzag has once again become a major nonexistent as the Hulean code of law is thorn in the Master’s side. Their raids applied in this colony as well as in the other against Hulean positions have claimed converted kingdoms, but, even before the many victims among the Master’s troops Hulean conquest, there was a clear and have more than once disrupted the separation between the political/judiciary communications between Hule and the and the religious power. Naturally, in these Converted Lands along the Northern times, the clerics are invited to give their Military road. However, even though they advice during trials, but their word isn’t have gained in strength and organisation, binding, as it can be in other places. the rebels don’t as yet represent a significant This cultural dilution of the religious power threat to Hule’s control over Monzag. in the Monzag’s society might be changing. However, the Hulean troops haven’t been Indeed, in the free lands and in Balázs’ court able to crush the rebels and many punitive missionaries from Dvinzina are gaining expeditions haven’t returned from the more followers and power. They tend to Forest. teach a more radical brand of the Way of the Religion: The Monzags, at least in the Law than the traditional Monzag clergy did. countryside, are very devout people. As they They have also tried to expel the clerics of have only been recently converted, Ordana and druids from the courts, though rigorously follow the Way of the Law. Their they face growing opposition from the faith is, however, somewhat different to the natives. With them the worship of Odin Way of the Law in radical societies like and Thor has appealed to the Monzag Dvinzina. Many beliefs of the old shamans population more than ever before. They also are still present in today’s cult in Monzag. keep a tighter control over their cleric and Also, the deities of this pantheon who are their followers. Because of this evolution normally associated with the forests or toward a more radical of seeing the Way of nature tend to be worshipped more in the Law, it is quite possible that the rebels Monzag than in other places that follow the will have difficulties imposing themselves as Way of the Law. Moreover, Ordana is seen the legitimate rulers of their own people, if by the local clergy as a legitimate member of their rebellion is to ever succeed. the Pantheon, something that would be

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Notable Sites: The capital, Debredladany, this city is the hub of the new network of was once known as Gjitra, the jewel of patriots that the rebels are trying to build. Antasyn, centuries of war and numerous The Kadrulay hills are high hills covered sieges have destroyed most of its beauty. with evergreens. They are the main entry The ancient royal palace of the Antasynian points for the rebels and the Sendaryan king seves the same purpose under Ibrany’s tribes when they raid the region. It is also rule. However, it was partially destroyed the home of the self–named count, Belà when Monzag’s armies took the city and, Telek, a powerful Monzag noble who didn’t since then, the remaining wings have been give up the fight against Hule. He is mostly used as barracks and stables by the Huleans. known for his habit of impaling all the Now, Debrdladany’s most impressive Hulean prisoners he takes. For a while, most building is the Fortress, a castle entirely people thought that he had died, but he has built from black sandstone that towers recently made a comeback on the Monzag above Debredladany slums. It is the seat of scene. The Huleans tend to leave him and the Hulean military administration of his army alone. He has had contact with the Monzag, but it also houses the Antasynian rebels, but the latter stopped using to mount city council, which is under constant threat expeditions into the Hulean possessions as from the local Monzags. many became vampires after a short stay in Szekçarlit is in an even worse shape than the count’s lands. Debredladany. It is a city without much Even deeper in the forest, is the capital of history, but has become an important the rebellion: Fort Balazs. It is there that the Hulean stronghold in Monzag. Most of its young king holds his court. It is also the population were forced in when the headquarters of the resistance. Currently, Huleans cleansed the countryside of any more than 5,000 peoples live around the signs of the rebellion. From 815 to 860 AC, castle and in the neighbouring valleys. hundreds of Monzags were displaced from Relations between the rebels and the natives their homes and villages of the northern are rather lively, previous attempts to valleys to what then was only a castle at the convert them to the Way of the Law as end of a paved road. Initially, the city was taught by the Dvinzinians have resulted in no more than a large camp, but now, the disputes. However, the common hatred of Monzags have been able to adapt and the the Master stops both sides from being be city benefits from its strategic location. aggressive against each other. Besides being a major centre for the trade in furs, Pusztòk is little more than a big village. Sandjak of Antasyn It used to be the capital of one of the principalities during the first years of the Area: 59,500 sq.mi. Monzags’ reign, but now it is a city located Location: Central Brun, in the Converted far from most of Monzag’s economic or Lands NW of Hule, and S of the political activity. Also, Pusztòk is the last Sdrednayan Forest. stop for the Hulean armies heading north Population: 135,000 (90% human [80 and many humanoid groups have ravaged it Antasynian, 10% Bulzanian, 5% Hulean, over the years of Hulean control. However, 5% Monzagian], 10% demi–human).

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Languages: Shqradër, Hulean and Industries: Mining (copper, tin, iron and Bulzanian. silver), logging, animal breeding. Government Type: Hulean Protectorate. Flora & fauna: Typical of central Brun. Formerly a loose monarchy built upon a Important Figures: Ilnur Baykurt (C26, of confederacy of clans, Antasyn is in a state of Bozdogan), governor of Antasyn; Shkum anarchy where the Hulean administration is Rogaji (T18), Bajraktar of Prizvo, Sali Luzaj the only official centralised political power. (M15), Bajraktar of Zar, Kandon Ristani Capital: Prijderel (F21), Bey of Leqan; Leke Bey or “The Coinage: Lek (gp), Kuru (sp), Qintar (cp), Sloth” (14HD wurmling), head of the Bleak barter. League.

Description: The land of the Antasynians, (Bulzan’s northernmost province) as part of or Shqradèrs, as they called themselves, was Antasyn. The regions are mainly populated once quite larger than the current Hulean by Antasynians and are seen as stolen sandjak. The Antasynians were once the territories. only human society in the northern part of The current land of Antasyn (Shqraderia) the Converted Lands, centuries of invasions consists of a large well–irrigated plain in the from the outside and internal division have east and of mildly high hills in the west. left to the Antasynians just a small part of Northern Antasyn is characterised by dense what was their kingdom in their golden age. forested hills that slowly gives way to the The Shqradèrs still see their motherland as Great Zdredanyan Forest. This geographic extending far beyond the current borders of division (hills versus plains) is also mirrored the Hulean province where they now live. If at the social level between the people of the nowadays the lands recognised as belonging hills, the Gurs; and the people of the plains to them are centred on the Kurqès River, the and valleys, the Dasks. Both peoples have Antasynians traditionally claim the Kereçul different traditions, economic activities, Valley (in Monzag) up to the Crisol River as social relations, and relations with Hule. theirs and consider that most of Oltania When travelling in the hills, one is most

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likely to see small villages of cattle herders ruins of the region’s first settlements, and (goats, sheep) at the top of a rocky hill because they are on the fringes of the (west) or hidden in a small clearing (north), Zdredanyan Forest, home of the dreadful but in the valley the most common sights Sendarya tribes. are larger hamlets surrounded by crops of The Antasynians are the ancient cousins of many kinds. In the Sandjak the borders are the Bulzanians with whom they share the more or less defined by the following same origins: the Blackmoorian colony of geographic features: in the north and west, Yazak. The people of Yazak were already a the Hulean Basin watershed; to the east, the mix of several cultures of the Blackmoor era, forested areas of the Kereçul mid–valley; but they later merged with people of Oltec and, in the south, the hills of the Zorab Gur. and Neathar descent. This explains the Weather varies according to the terrain variety of physiological features that the types (winters are colder in the hills while Antasynians may bear. However, generally, summers are a little milder than the the Antasynians tend to have a light brown average). In general, however, the to olive complexion and dark brown to Antasynian year is clearly divided into four black hair. The people of the hills are seasons: a cold and wet winter with heavy normally of lighter complexion than those snowfalls; a short rainy and temperate of the plain and valleys. spring; a long dry and hot summer and a As already said, the Antasynian society is colder but still dry autumn. Western divided in two different groups: the Gurs Antasyn tends to be much drier than the and the Dasks. The Gurs have a society eastern part of the country because the organized along clan ties. The clans of the winds blowing in the region come more Gurs group in larger coalitions based on often from the arid southwest than from the geographic proximity. These associations of wetter hinterland of Brun. clans are called bajrak, which are headed by The Bylot (Bileot in Thyatian) Hills are the a hereditary bajraktar. Gurs’ bajraktars geographical feature that is the most exercise patriarchal powers, arrange important for the Antasynians. This is marriages, mediate quarrels, and mete out because because, firstly, it is from those hills punishments. The clansmen of the Antasyn that the ancestors of the current hills recognise no law but the Code of Lek, Antasynians came, but, also, because the a collection of tribal laws that regulates a hills provide most of Antasyn’s riches. As variety of subjects, including blood Antasyn is a country whose primary vengeance. Taxes on the clansmen are industry is mining, the hills and their riches difficult if not impossible for the Huleans to are the economic lung of an otherwise poor collect because of the rough terrain and country. The hills are also the place where fierceness of the Antasynian highlanders. the Shqradèrs go in times of war or penury; Some tribes of the hills have managed to they provide a good shelter when invasions defend their independence through the rock the lower lands. However, if the Bylot centuries of the Master’s rule, they are Hills are of vital importance to the regularly engaged in intermittent guerrilla Antasynians at the same time they are also warfare with the Hulean troops, who don’t extremely deadly as a multitude of creatures deem it worthwhile to subjugate them as have chosen to move into in the abandoned

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long as they don’t disrupt the metal supplies officers of the Hulean troops. The other way from the western hills. is to impose lower taxes on the families The Dasks have been so influenced by the following the Temple of Chaos than on the Hulean and Bulzanian societies that the rest of the Antasynian families who must Antasynian tribal system has disappeared in pay the Cizye. The Master thinks that, by the lower valleys. The Hulean increasing the number of his religion’s administration of the Master has imposed a followers in Antasyn, this people will be system of military fiefs under which the easier to control and more loyal to Hule. Hagiarchy grants soldiers and cavalrymen, Finally, the wild card that the Master is temporary landholdings, or timars, in using to secure the mineral supplies from exchange for military service. The practice the Bylot Hills is the Bleak League, a mainly of the timars has divided the lower lands criminal organisation whose head is Leke into small holdings headed by a bey who Bey, a wurmling allied to the Master. In performs most of the administrative and fact, if one was to name the real central ruler military duties at the local level. Over time, of Antasyn, this wurmling, also named “The however, many military fiefs have effectively Sloth”, would probably be at the top of the become the hereditary landholdings of list, ahead of the Hulean governor Ilnur economically and politically powerful Baykurt. families who squeeze wealth from their History: the history of the Antasynians can hard–strapped tenant farmers. The beys, be traced back as far as the zenith of the like the clan chiefs of the hills, have become Blackmoorian culture. It was during those virtually independent rulers in their own times of widespread technology and magic provinces, have their own military that the colony of Yazak was founded by contingents, and often wage low–scale war settlers from Blackmoor and Thonia. When against each other to increase their the Great Rain of Fire destroyed these landholdings and power. ancient civilisations, Yazak was Between the brajraktars and the beys the miraculously saved due to its remote Hulean administration basically administers location, on the edge of the Arctic Circle. As the major urban centres and the a matter of fact, Yazak even profited from exploitation of the mineral deposits of the this cataclysm as the Mystaran axis shift Bylot hills, the remaining administrative brought it more temperate weather. chores are the business of the Antasynians However, as Yazak was totally dependent on local rulers. To guarantee the loyalty of the Blackmoor for its technology, the colony local rulers, the Hulean administration has rapidly fell back to some kind of Iron Age. recourse to two different means of coercion: For more than two millennia the city the devshirme, or the children tribute, and thrived and expanded its influence across religion. With the devshirme, the most most of the region that is now known as the promising children of the Antasynians Savage Coast: new settlements were rulers are sent to Greatrealm or Jandak to be founded nearby, colonies were developed in trained for military, administrative or the Bylot Hills where rare minerals could be religious services and to be converted to the found and cooperation with the Temple of Chaos. Now, these young neighbouring post–Oltec and Neathar Antasynians are among the most prominent tribes grew. The Antasynians are the

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children of these mining colonies of the missionaries to the land of the Antasynians, Yazak era. Their destiny closely followed and the Way of the Law slowly took root in that of the great city of Yazak, until the the Antasynian population. assassination of a mining administrator and This period of peace and calm of the his family’s quest for vengeance led the Antasynians ended in 1712 BC when the different cities of the hills into a civil war, Beastmen of Urzud coming from the over– which raged from 1914 to 1909 BC. populated steppes arrived in the region. After this civil war, which completely King Kajoshaj VIII organised the country’s destroyed the colonies in the hills, the Yazak defence, but division among the clans over people of the Bylot colony split, one faction tactical decisions weakened the Antasynian returned to the original city of Yazak while army to the point that the beastmen finally the other fled to the eastern forested defeated the Antasynians in 1709 BC. Most lowlands. There they met the nomads of of the population of the lowland clans fled southern Niwhelm (the great forest that the approaching hordes and hid in remote once stretched from the Yalu Sea to the forested valleys and in desolated hills. The Western Sea of Dread). Initially the Way of the Law found fertile ground in cohabitation of the two peoples was far from these refugee communities as an opposing easy: the ways of the Bylot settlers and the force to the chaotic habits of the beastmen. druidic nomads conflicted in many ways, Many clansmen didn’t accept the but in the end the two peoples merged to beastmen’s rule and kept the war going for form just a single people. a century. The beastmen were never able to The new settlers brought in a new form of harvest the fruits of their conquest of government: monarchy and Kajoshaj was Antasyn, as they never saw peace in the crowned by a group of warrior as the first region. The major contribution of the Antasynian king. The nomads influence period to Antasynian society was the writing grew as their druidic cults became the of the Code of Lek by Sardjikjian principal religious belief of most of the missionaries of the Lawful Brotherhood in newcomers. This didn’t stop Kajoshaj from around 1685 BC. embracing the religion of Hule, the Temple In 1624 BC, the exhausted military leaders of Chaos, when a group of missionaries of the beastmen fled south and tried to from the Great Valley met the new king in enslave the people of Bulzan, but were 1884 BC. The new religion penetrated defeated two years later. This victory over deeply into Antasynian aristocracy, but the the beastmen didn’t do the Antasynians any population mainly kept its druidic and good as the various victorious clan leaders shamanistic beliefs. entered a military struggle to lead the entire For about two centuries, Antasyn remained nation. So, when, in 1619 BC, the at peace. The monarchy rules from the small Bulzanians invaded the Antasynians’ land centre of Gjitra (now Debredladany), but it all they confronted was a loose more or less only has control over the local confederation of military leaders who are clansmen hierarchy who obey the king but more interested in fighting each other than administer local issues independently. In in uniting against Bulzan. The Bulzanians 1756 BC, the Shah of Sardjikjian sent officially annexed Antasyn to their Bulzano–Antasynian Kingdom. However,

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the Antasynians’ participation in the short of his goal of creating a new kingdom remained sparse and the monarchy, as he died prematurely whilst Bulzanians’ control over the country besieging the city of Prijderel. His son, remained limited to the urban centres of the Luka, completed his work three years later valleys and to some of the mining towns of and was elected the Sacred King of all the the Bylot Hills. Antasynians in the royal palace of Gjitra The entire Bulzano–Antasynian Kingdom (the Bulzano–Antasynian king’s summer (1619–1297 BC) was a period of peace for residence) in 1255 BC. Luka Cajerki took the Antasynians. It was also the period in the name Zymer II in respect of his father’s which the division of the society slowly achievements. appeared. This era brought prosperity to the The period of peace and centralisation of urban centres of Gjitra and Prijderel, but power in Antasyn didn’t survive too long left the highlands in their backwardness. though. The son of Luka, Zymer III, had to The corporation’s system blossomed in both face the nostalgic Bulzanians just freed of the Antasynian and Bulzanian cities, but half a century of beastmen domination. In never reached Antasyn’s rural areas. 1212 BC, the Bulzanians declared war on In 1300 BC, the humanoids of King Wogar Antasyn to revive the Bulzano–Antasynian reached the Yazak Steppes, forcing the kingdom. During the next fourteen years, beastmen of the steppes to attack the the Antasynians slowly lost ground to the Bulzano–Antasynian kingdom. This attack invaders and, in a desperate move to thwart couldn’t have happened at a worst time: the the Bulzanians’ military progression, the kingdom’s administration was locked in King Zymer III asked the Holy Empire of internal conflict and unable to organise an Hule for military support. The result of his effective resistance. The invaders quickly request was far from what he asked for: The conquered the kingdom’s centre, but Hulean forces conquered Antasyn’s enemy stopped short of crossing the Zorab Gur, in 8 years. Antasyn’s autonomy was saved, giving de facto independence to the but the influence of the Temple of Chaos Antasynians. At that time, however, spread rapidly in the Antasynian urban Antasyn was far from being a coherent society, as the Holy Men developed their country, the cities of the valleys were deeply influence at the political level. integrated in the Bulzanian network of The military alliance between the corporation, but the hills and most of the Antasynians and Hule gradually rural areas were still divided into numerous transformed the organisation of Antasyn’s brajraks. Civil disorder quickly developed in military administration. The militaries the cities, where the power of the adopted many of the more centralised corporations was severed from its Bulzan Hulean military structures. As their bases. In 1267 BC, after about 30 years of administration became more centralised, problems and disorder, Zymer Carjeki, the the military increasingly found resistance Brajraktar of Kuranë, managed to unite the among the local Antasynian leaders. The western clans under his rule. In nine years Antasyn king found himself between the he conquered most of the Antasynian two opposing factions. In 1124 BC, King countryside and was able to establish a Zymer V decided to purge the centralised power in Antasyn. He stopped administration of the Holy Men’s influence,

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a decision that brought him closer to the that culminated in 868 BC in the great local leaders against his own military rebellion of the western brajraks. The administration. With the aid of the Holy Hulean militaries were sent to quell the Men, General Sakir Frasheri overthrew the rebellion, but their only positive result was king in a bloody coup d’État in the summer to stop the brajraktars’ militias from raiding of 1123 BC. Hated by the population and in the valleys. A dispute over tactical the local lords, Frasheri’s administration was decisions deepened the growing gap constantly contested and survived only due between the religious and military to the support of the Hulean troops sent to administration. Antasyn. Over the next fifty years, Antasyn’s The Hulean control over the Empire’s status in the Hulean Empire evolved from western possessions was increasingly this simple military alliance to a military threatened throughout the eighth century administration under the direct control of BC as the Sendaryan tribes multiplyed their Jandak. raids on the Northern Military Route The three hundred years of Hulean between Hule and Antasyn. Finally, as administration that followed Frasheri’s contact between the central Hulean coup led to the destruction of most of administration and the Antasynian troops Antasyn’s traditional economic and social grew more infrequent, General Hersek institutions. The Hulean administration Çamak, head of the Hulean military centralised the exploitation of the mineral hierarchy in Antasyn, declared himself ruler and timber resources. The Antasynians that of the Antasynians in 702 BC, thus seceding worked in those industries were treated as from the Empire. Camak and the Hulean little more than slaves. The remnants of the masters of Antasyn stayed away from the corporations were obliterated during this Hulean politics during the period of trouble first imperial era. The religious polarisation that ensued from the Empire’s between the city dwellers, worshipping the fragmentation. They kept most of the Temple of Chaos, and the rural Empire’s administrative structures put in communities that still following the old place during the Empire Era, but managed druidic ways or believed in the Way of the them to enrich themselves. In less than four Law was exacerbated by conversion generations, however, they were assimilated campaigns forcefully held throughout the into the Antasynian society and, in fact, Antasynian population. These campaigns looked more like the traditional king of bore fruit only in the more developed Antasyn: remote and dependent on their regions of the valleys though, the more vassals’ power. remote hills community were never totally The period following the collapse of the first affected by the Holy Men faith. As for Hulean Empire was a period of relative religion, the Hulean Empire wasn’t able to prosperity for the Antasynians. Despite transform the rural leadership of the regular raids from the nomads of the brajraktars who continued to rule their fiefs Sendaryan tribes, trade in minerals with the along ancestral ways. Hulean warlords boomed to meet their Numerous attempts to destroy the power of needs of weapons. The exhaustion of the old the brajraktars by the Holy Men mines of the Shlèzer Gur forced the administration was met by strong resistance Antasynians to progressively settle the

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farther highlands of the Bylot Hills crushing of the rebellion was one of the alongside the Kurqès River. However, this bloodiest events in Antasyn’s history as period of development and expansion was scores of Dasks were killed by the Hulean halted by the plague of the sixth century troops and their allies of the Yazak Steppes. BC, which claimed a high toll on the cities The Dasks’ nobility was all but annihilated, and valleys’ populations. The balance many Antasynians were sent as slaves to between the Gurs and the Dasks was Hule and the Yazak Steppes, and the strongly tipped towards the Gurs, which highlands population swelled with refugees accelerated the decentralisation of the coming from the more populated lands of country and reduced the king’s power. the valleys. This ushered in an era of terror The fourth and third century BC in and violence in Antasyn under the strict rule Antasyn were characterised by the of the Huleans in which the Antasyinians fragmentation of the country and the were of less value than a goblin. This period shallowness of the central administration. of terror ended with the destruction of the The kingdom fell into a state of semi– second Hulean Empire after the Hulean anarchy, local wars erupted between defeat at the hands of the Crystal Pact’s different brajraktars, and the élites of armies in 291 AC. Prijderel and Gjitra increasingly competed From 291 to 295 AC, the Antasynians to be the country’s economic and political struggled to shake Hule’s domination. centre. When, in 186 BC Bulzan was Unable, however, to designate a new ruling conquered by Hule, the Antasynians were family, the different brajraktars kept completely caught off guard and soon saw fighting among themselves until 353 AC, themselves as the most probable next victim the year when Vidian Muju, Brajraktar of of the new Empire. In order to keep a Bushkor, defeated his last adversary on the relative autonomy for his country, King way to total power in the country. These 50 Kulaj II accepted becoming Hule’s vassal in years of war among the brjaraktars following 183 BC, a decision that many Antasynians the Hulean rule, left Antasyn with most of disputed. Kulaj II was the principal victim its political hierarchy decapitated, which of that decision, as some young radicals allowed Vidian Muju to establish the first assassinated him in 150 BC. Antasyn, centralised monarchy that Antasyn ever however, remained under Hule’s suzerainty, knew. as his successor, Baron Kulaj III, refrained For two hundred years of strong monarchic from legitimising the rampant rebellion rule, Antasyn lived a kind of renaissance. A against Hule. council of the brajraktars both of the hills The rebellion in Antasyn was kept and valley was set to advise the king, trade underground until the reign of Kulaj VII, was developed to link Bulzan with the who, taking advantage of a wave of unrest in northern countries and Hule, secular Bulzan, openly took the side of the vendettas between clans or families were insurgents and revoked the suzerainty link toned down, new valleys became settled, in 25 AC. The new Antasynian monarchy mining in the Bylot Hills was expanded to remained independent for about 14 years, as new deposit far from the valleys and the Hulean forces weren’t able to retake the religious tolerance reached its peak albeit lost lands until 38AC. However, the the druidic beliefs began to loose ground in

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the rural communities. It was during this renamed Debredladany by the Monzags, perod that the Kingdom of Antasyn reached was the turning point in this war of its greatest expansion, stretching from valley reconquest: The Antasynians were never of the Zaynovoï River, deep in the able to take back their ancient capital. This Zdredanyan forest, to the Kadrulay Hills. siege lasted for over a year, but, aware that Also, the northern military road, as the Hule was slowly building the roots of a new Huleans call it, was paved from Leqan to empire under the rule of the Master, both Töpi (now Toguhaza) under the monarchy. the Monzag and the Antasynians found that This “Golden Age” of the Antasynians was a peace treaty would be better than a war abruptly ended in 578 AC when the that would make them easier prey for their barbarian tribes of the north invaded most large neighbour. of eastern Antasyn on their way to Hule. The wisdom of Migen wasn’t to last though. Although most of the nomadic tribes of the In 662 AC, agents of the Master successfully northern steppes of Borea and Hyborea only disguised the murder of King Migen’s used Antasyn’s territory as a springboard to daughter as the act of the Monzags. Out of attack Hule, a confederation of small tribes, rage, the king declared war on his the Monzags, from the Zdredanyan Forest neighbour, a war that couldn’t be won stopped their advance in the valleys of according to his generals. Both countries eastern Antasyn. There, they sacked the rapidly found themselves locked in a war of Antasynian cities and wrecked havoc in position where neither could gain the upper most of the valleys. For about 35 years, the hand. This stalemate continued for more Antasyn army waged an all–out war against than eighty years of more or less intense the invader only to be beaten in 613 AC conflict. It became clear, however, to when the barbarians won the siege of Gjitra Migen’s son that the Antasynians couldn’t and sacked the capital of the kingdom, thus win and, in fact, were losing ground. This is destroying the heart of the monarchy’s why, in 662 AC, in spite of most of the power. Since, King Gezar IV was killed brajraktars’ advice, King Migen II asked the while defending his palace; the rest of Master for help, help that was more than Antasyn found itself locked in a war of happily granted by the Master who was succession among the local nobles as soon as waiting for any pretext to intervene in the the nomads had stopped their advance. region’s affairs. In 629 AC, Migen Xhul, Brajrak of Dehrid, This help first appeared as a quick relief for unified the Antasynians under his banner. the Antasynians who were able to regain Strong due to the support of most of the territories lost long ago to the Monzags. brajraktars and of the urban élite, he Also, as Hule painfully conquered all of launched an offensive to take back the Antasyn’s neighbours (Monzag, Bulzan and territories lost to the divided Monzag tribes. Olgar), the country enjoyed an era of Initially, this offensive met with great relative peace and good relation with the success, and Prijderel was retaken in less Master. However, as soon as the Master had than six months. However, the marching finished with Monzag, in 873 AC, his armies of the Antasynians awoke the troops entered Antasyn and threw away the Monzags’ solidarity and resistance soon Antasynian monarchy, replacing it with a began to intensify. The siege of Gjitra, military administration.

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From 876 to 889 AC, the Hulean military never been any armed conflict generated by faced constant agitation in the Antasynian religion in Antasyn, but the Huleans still try lands. Initially, they tried to quell it by force to impose, sometimes through the use of with few results. But, in 893 AC, the Master force, their faith on the people of the hills decided to take a different approach: the and forests. timar system of military fiefs was established Besides these two main pantheons, one can to reward the Hulean officers and the loyal also find the remains of the druidic beliefs Antasynians who received the title of Bey. or the shamanistic faith of the Sendaryan The same year, the practice of the devshirme tribes in remote communities deep in the was also set in place and missionaries from forests of Antasyn. Also, some of the smaller the Temple of Chaos were sent to convert Bulzanian sects can be found in Antasyn, the Antasynians to the Hulean faith. the most important being the Patriarchs and Since then, Antasyn has been a quiet the People’s Temple. possession of the Huleans. Even though Notable Sites: Prijderel is the seat of the much of the Antasynian territory is Hulean government in Antasyn, but it isn’t somewhat out of the Master’s control, the recognised as the Antasyn’s capital by most Holy Men strictly administer the most of the population who still claim Gjitra productive parts of the country. In the latter (Debredladany) as being their historical case, to increase the taxes coming from the capital. Prijderel is little more than a trade province, the Master struck a deal with Leke centre, but it also is a major military Bey, the wurmling at the head of the Bleak stronghold of the Huleans. Its location, on League in 963 AC. Since the Master’s a small island at the confluence of the takeover of Antasyn, many Antasynians Kereçul and Kurqès rivers, has always been have preferred to risk living in the of strategic importance. This city is packed wildernesses of the western Bylot Hills and with hundreds of small houses made of of the southern Zdredanyan Forest instead brick and dominated by the impressive of abiding to the Master’s law. silhouette of Antasün hasari, a citadel built Religion: Like their southern neighbours, by the Huleans to strengthen their control the Antasynians tend to be very tolerant of the region. when it comes to religion. In fact, the geographic separation between the Leqan is the second most important town of highlanders and the townspeople is Antasyn and also the last centre before the probably responsible for the religious highlands of the Bylot Hills. This town’s division of the country. So, if there is main industries are the trade and processing opposition between Antasynians on the of the raw minerals coming from the hills. religious ground, this opposition finds its As it is the last stop before the Antasynian sources more in the socio–historic process outback, Leqan is also known for being a than in theological consideration. Basically, major den for every kind of bandit and there are two main religions in Antasyn: good–for–nothing on their way to the semi– The Way of the Law, which is followed by legal exploitation of the hills. If Prijderel is most of the Gurs; and the Temple of Chaos, the home of the Hulean administration in which has been imposed on the Dasks by Antasyn, Leqan is clearly a town ruled by successive Hulean imperial eras. There has the Bleak League. The most impressive

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building of the small city is the palace of brave the harsh winters and the constant Leke Bey along the shore of the Kurqès threat of the neighbouring Sendaryan tribes. River. The underground portion of this This threat has forced people of different mansion is said to be at least as big as the origins and background to overcome their upper complex. From his mansion, the historical antagonisms and cooperate wurmling oversees most of his against the nomads. Maybe are we looking organisation’s criminal operations. at the birth of a new nation deep in the If Leqan is a major rat hole, the village of forests... Prizvo is really the perfect town for the Brami’s Court and Jaja’s realm are two fairy Antasynian crooks and criminals. The local realms founded some years after the brajraktar, Shkum Rogaji, is one of the Master’s Greatrealm Declaration, which closest lieutenants of Leke Bey, and a forced the Woodland Folk of the Dark prominent bandit. The Hulean code of law Wood in exile. These areas of legends are is seen here as a mere illusion and the tax magically protected against human collectors are the only sign of the Hulean intrusions and are also guarded by many presence, even the Holy Men don’t go that treants. far in the highlands of Antasyn. Nevertheless, Prizvo still remain the last The Bulzan Voivodina civilised outpost before the rough terrain of the Bylot hills. There, the only law is the Area: 48,000 sq.mi. Code of Lek and the Law of the Jungle; Location: Central Brun, in the Converted violence in the mining colonies is every Lands W of Hule, and S of the Bylot Hills. day’s bread. People going to this small Population: 125,000 (85% human [75% outpost are normally attracted by the quest Bulzanian, 15% Olgarian, 10% Hulean], for riches, a quest that may be achieved 5% demi–human, 10% humanoid). through the discovery of new mineral Languages: Bulzanian, Olgarian and bonanza, through the exploration of the Hulean. ruins dating back to the Yazak era, or that Coinage: Lei (gp), Kuru (sp), Bani (cp). may be ended by the sudden encountered of Government Type: Oligarchic council one of the numerous creatures who roamed headed by a Hulean representative. the hills. Capital: Miriestiu Industries: Handicrafts, agriculture, animal Further north is a land of even greater breeding, metalworking, and woodcutting. anarchy: the valley of the Zaynovoi River. Flora & fauna: Typical of central Brun. There, deep in this dense network of smaller river and lakes surrounded by a thick Important Figures: Dogut Zaganos (C23, evergreen forest, gold was found in 988 AC of Masauwu), The Master’s delegate to the by some Antasynian prospectors. Since then Bulzanian Council; Sorin Cardei (M31), hundreds of Antasynians, Bulzanians and secretive wizard of the Lotev Hills, head of Huleans have flocked the region and built a network of Bulzanian resistance against villages out of nothing. Rumours of the Master (other important figures are marvellous fortunes made by the first mentioned in the section on Bulzanian colonists encouraged the new prospectors to sects).

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Description: Bulzan is a land made mainly consists of the large marshes of Rockwater of large valleys separated by rolling forested and the western edge of the Dark Wood. hills. Numerous small villages and hamlets The southern and western borders of Bulzan dot these large valleys. People of these rural are a little less clearly defined as the southern communities live mainly from agriculture border with Olgar is still somewhat in and animal breeding, almost any kind of dispute and as there is some remote crops or herds can be found in the rich and Bulzanian communities at the fringes of the fertile Bulzanian lands. The country is Yazak Steppes outside the reach of the divided in three historical provinces, Hulean Empire. Oltania (north), Nantenia (southwest) and Weather in Bulzan is temperate and wetter Bradjina, each of these marked by specific than in the southern parts of the Hulean religious, cultural and economical traits. Empire. In winter the cold winds of inner The largest human communities are also the Brun brings heavy snowfalls and cold rain. three provincial capitals: Miriestiu (which is Spring is characterised by the collision of the also the historical capital), Dishinau and northern cold winds and the atmospheric Chetniu. systems coming from the Western Sea of The Bulzanian lands extend northwards to Dread, which result in violent the southern edge of the mineral rich Bylot thunderstorms and heavy rain. Summer is Hills where some mining occurs. To the somewhat drier, although the country keeps east, the main natural border of Bulzan most spring’s humidity thanks to the shelter

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provided by the Lotev and Bylot Hills neighbours of Traladaran ascent. However, which insulate the valleys from the strong as the original Yazak people had to interact dry winds coming from the Yazak Steppes. with the surrounding Neathar and post– Autumn is similar to spring, but less rainy Oltec tribes, most of these “pure as the southern hot winds reach the region Blackmoorian” traits were altered over the more rarely. centuries. This is even truer since waves of An important landmark of Bulzan is the Hulean colonists have been assimilated by Rockwater marshes. Even though that, since the Bulzanian society throughout the the Master’s Greatrealm Declaration, this different Hulean Imperial era and since the bog is part of the Janizary Lands and Traladarans have arrived in the region some infested with Troll, it remains an important four centuries ago. Thus, Bulzan is a land of feature geographically as well as varied looks, customs, religious beliefs, and economically and culturally. Indeed, dozens cultures. of small communities live on the resources One of the few traits that the Bulzanians taken from these inundated lands: peat is have retained from their Yazak ancestors is a taken from its shallow waters as strange fish very rigid social division of labour. Indeed, can be caught in the deeper regions, the the Bulzanian society is characterised by the hides from the several reptilian species living importance of the various “corporatie” in the Rockwater microclimate is prized (corporations) that structure the society. throughout the Hulean Empire as are the Those corporations are active in most various types of medicinal, hallucinogens or sectors of the society: every recognised trade poisonous flowers and mushrooms that are (masonry, woodcutting, mining, military, found in Rockwater. Petrified wood and landowners, etc.) has its own corporation amber are also rarer riches that this march representing its interest and protecting its provides to the surrounding peoples. Also, advantages. Each religious sect can also as the Bulzanians usually give their dead to become a corporation if it represents a fair the mighty Dinretul River, which empties number of followers, but the only members into the bog, it is believed that the spirits of that form a religious corporation are the the dead Bulzanians haunt this land. So, for priests of this faith. Only the members of the people of Bulzan, this march is both the these corporations are allowed to own a land symbol of the country’s riches and the places or a business. People that are not members where a lot of frightening stories or epic of those corporations (roughly 75% of the legends take place. population) can only work for someone The origins of the Bulzanian people are who is member in exchange of a (normally) responsible for the different types of people ridiculous wage. The only advantage of that can be found in Bulzan. The being a “Proscris” (outcast) is that they are Bulzanians descend from the Yazak not taxed as only the members of the colonists that settled the region prior to the corporations are required to pay the (tithe) cataclysm that brought about Blackmoor’s to their corporation, which, in exchange, end. As these colonists came mainly from provides for the state budget. This situation the distant realms of Blackmoor and is responsible for abnormal number of Thonia, people of Bulzan are of lighter “Proscris” involved in semi-legal activities completion and hair than their southern like adventuring.

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There is a multitude of small corporations The “Voivod” (Landowners): this front in Bulzan in each specific activity sector. represents several regional corporations of These corporations are all involved to rural landowners; it is a real power in the different degrees in the politics of the Bulzanian society as it provides most of the country. However, as some of them only jobs and taxes in Bulzan. This front was number a few dozen people and others may responsible for the annexation of Bulzan by represent thousands of members, the Master’s empire as it decided, in 732AC, corporations usually amalgamate in fronts to pay its taxes to Greatrealm instead of called “Frunte”. These “Frunte” normally Miriestiu, thus leaving the militaries group companies with similar political aims without any resources. or interests, they are not as tightly knit as The “Mestesugar” (Craftsmen): this is one the corporations, so it is not rare that tactical of the biggest corporation unions in Bulzan alliances are made between corporations of due to the number of members. It comprises different or even antagonist fronts. There all the different types of crafts and is, thus, have been 6 traditional “Frunte” in the the real power in Bulzanian cities. The Bulzanian society: corporations it represents could be as The “Armata” (military): This “Frunte” disparate as the Carpenter Corporation and comprises the military and administrative the Rockwater marshes Fishers corporations of Bulzan. Historically, it has Corporation. Initially opposed to the represented the interests of both the military Hulean invasion they chose to live with it as and civil servants of the central states. long as the Master’s doesn’t intervene too However, in times of strong political power, much in the council decision process. The when the military was needed less, or when merchants’ corporation (Negustor) is the military corporations were detached usually allied with this “Frunte”, however, from the state (as mercenaries), this since Hule has closed the Converted Lands “Frunte” have proved to be divided by frontiers with the outer world the merchants conflicting interests. Actually, the Huleans are somewhat in opposition with the front’s have been able to co–opt most of the policy to accept the Hulean control. corporations represented by this front. The Shadow Corporations (Umbrar): The “Sectar” (religious sects): This “Frunte” Although, this “Frunte” is recognised by the is more a useful grouping that the others, it is a well–known secret that the Bulzanians use than a front in itself as, criminal corporations active throughout the throughout most of Bulzanian history, the country have an important weight in the religious groups were opposed and sought political process in the Bulzanian council. allies in other corporations to increase their They ordinarily do so by bribing the other power over the Bulzanian society. corporations’ delegates to the council. Nowadays, some Bulzanian sects are allied The “Generos” (liberal professions): this is with the Hagiarchy as other are outlawed, probably the weakest “Frunte” in Bulzan as however, none (except, of course, the it only numbers a few dozen corporate Bulzanian Temple of Chaos) as real power members like the academicians’ in the Hulean dominated society. corporation, the judges’ guild and the Magicians’ syndicate. However, since they

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provide most of the civil intelligentsia, their council can veto any law or rules adopted by influence over the council tends to be bigger the council. than their handful number of members The council is made of a varying number of would let think. delegates (the maximum number was The different Bulzanian corporations and reached in the fifth century BC when the fronts interact in the Council, a centuries– council is said to have counted more than old political institution. Even though the five hundred delegates, currently the council has sometimes been abolished when council counts 125 members). Each a single corporation (usually of military or corporation is represented proportionally of religious origin) was strong enough to hold its number of members or elections of to power without the help of other delegates take place inside the different corporations, the council has been a regular “Frunte”. political manifestation of the Bulzanian History: the history of the Bulzanians can society. In the council every corporation is be traced back as far as the zenith of the supposed to be equal, but at some point of Blackmoorian culture. It was during those the Bulzanian history some corporations times of widespread technology and magic have held far more power than others. This that the colony of Yazak was founded by shifting balance of power have led to various settlers from Blackmoor and Thonia. When types of government in Bulzan: there have the Great Rain of Fire destroyed those been times when a single corporation held ancient civilisations, Yazak was so much power that it was able to impose miraculously saved by its remote it’s will on the council (resulting in localisation on the edge of the Arctic Circle. Monarchy, when the civil or military As a matter of fact, Yazak even profited from servants of the states were in control; in this cataclysm as the Mystaran axis shift theocracy when a sect was able to impose its brought it more temperate weather. view over the council; and even in However, as Yazak was totally dependent on plutocracy, at times when the merchants or Blackmoor for its technology, the colony landlords were in power), other times in rapidly fell back to some kind of Iron Age. Bulzanian history have been characterised by an oligarchic system (when a few For more than two millennia the city corporations allied to govern the country; thrived and expanded its influence across finally, the council sometimes gave way to most of the region that is now known as the some kind of limited democracy when all Savage Coast: new settlements were the forces were balanced. The current founded nearby, colonies were developed in political system is of oligarchic essence as the the Bylot Hills where rare minerals could be craftsmen and landlords corporations hold found and cooperation with the most weight in the council with the support neighbouring post–Oltec and Neathar of the civil servants, the traditional religious tribes expands. This golden age of the Yazak or military counterweight being inhibited civilisation was abruptly put to an end after by the Hulean domination of the country. the repeated humanoid invasions of the late However, the landlords and craftsmen eighteenth century BC that preceded the aren’t in a position of complete oligarchy cataclysmic earthquakes that rocked the since the Master’s delegate to the Bulzanian region in response to the activation of a

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powerful Blackmoorian device in faraway based craftsmen corporations. However, Glantri. during this epoch, the counsellors were only Over the ensuing decades, survivors of the there to provide the king with military or Yazak civilisation migrated to the dense economic advice and didn’t own any Midland forest where they found shelter intrinsic power. This social organisation was from the humanoids among the woodland able to transcend the split between the folks (elves, centaurs, and fairies). There Antasynians and the Bulzanians and proved they learned how to revere the woodland itself superior to the Hulean kingdoms creatures and how to exploit the riches of when, in 1502 BC, the Bulzano– the forming Rockwater. As new waves of Antasynian Kingdom invaded the kingdom refugees arrived in the valleys bordering the of Kuliye in the southwestern part of the edge of the great forest however, keepers of Great Valley. the Yazak customs preferred to reject the The rise of the Bulzano–Antasynian forest cults for an agrarian pantheon and Kingdom reached its peak after the decisive decided to found new agriculture–based victory over the humanoids of the Yazak communities. Steppes in 1391 BC. However, the growing The first human civilisation encountered by complexity of the Bulzanian administration the Bulzanian then was the people of and multiplying conflicts between the king Antasyn, who in fact were their long–lost and the corporations weakened the cousins of the Bylot colonies. These first kingdom on the eve of a new influx of encounters weren’t peaceful as, then, the humanoids. So, in 1300 BC, when the Antasynians were dominated by beastmen hordes of Wogar arrived in the region, they rulers and because both people were found a divided country and easily competing for the same fertile valleys and conquered the Bulzanian heartland, leaving hunting grounds. When the Antasynians the northern Antasynian forests free of their rejected their beastmen tyrants, they were former masters. The humanoid domination military expelled into the lands of the of Bulzan didn’t last very long, in 1245 BC, Bulzanians, who quickly organized a a rebellion led by Anton Lupescu, forced military force to resist and defeat the them out of Bulzan and the monarchy was beastmen and, finally, conquered the re–established, although the corporations Antasynians’ lands in 1619 BC. Vasile demanded that more power to be given to Serbanescu, a village chief, was the the council. instigator of the united Bulzanian resistance If the humanoid domination over Bulzan and the head of the militias that annexed was short, this new period of independence Antasynian; he was designated king of was engaged in a new conflict to regain Bulzan by the other villages’ leaders as a control over the Antasynians, in 1212 BC, reward for these great achievements. It was the Bulzanians faced a new threat in the under his rule and the rule of his heirs that form of a unified Hule answering the king the current socio–political structures of of Antasyn’s call for aid. In 1142 BC, Bulzan were forged. The first corporation to Bulzan was integrated in the first Hulean appear was his own: the state servants’ Empire after decades of resistance. Hule’s corporation, which was rapidly followed by iron fist was only challenged in 890 BC the military organisation and some city– when religious restriction pushed most of

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the Bulzanians into open revolt against the temple began to advocate an end to the Empire. It was during this first period of Patriarchs’ power, an end of the corporate Hulean domination that the Temple of system and the democratic designation of Chaos was introduced into Bulzan for the the Council. From 497 to 474 BC the first time. adherents of this new politico–religious In 702 BC, the Hulean military group rapidly grew in number recruiting administration of Bulzan, under the mainly from the dissatisfied “Proscris” of direction of Mehmet Kasparoglü, decided the countryside and cities but also among to secede from the crumbling empire. The the young generation from the ranks of the Bulzanian land was given to his closest craftsmen corporation eager to make their lieutenants, who were allowed to join into a own life. In 473 BC, after weeks of mass political union but were forbidden to protest and the public support given to the operate autonomous armies. To prevent People’s Temple by the craftsmen and unrest in the Bulzanian population, the new scholars fronts, the Patriarchs, backed by the administration accepted granting the other Landlords Association, asked the military religious congregations, a political status corporations to put an end to the civil equal to that the Temple of Chaos already disorder. A divided Bulzan was thus had: the right to incorporate themselves and engulfed in a 75 years long civil war, at the to send delegates to a new council. Twenty end of which the conservative forces kept years later, the old Church of Bulzan (the their privileges. agrarian pantheon, and the largest After the 10-month long siege of Chetniu, Bulzanian sect) was accepted as a new which signalled the end of the progressive pantheon, from then this sect was called forces, the Patriarchs were able to “the Patriarchs” as the delegates they will consolidate their power into an oligarchy of sent to the Council were only the oldest three groupings together with the military clerics of this faith. The fading power of the and the landowners. The growing land military administration over the Council owned by the Patriarchs and the forming of forced the abdication of the Hulean dynasty religious militia undermined the cohesion in 578 BC. The new head of the council was of this alliance. Growing discontent among called the Regent and was elected from the landowners over territory issues and among the members of the council for a 3- losing important military operations against year term. the humanoids of the Yazak Steppes were In 515 BC, after 45 years of growing answered by the dissolution of the Council influence and corruption among the (in 342 BC) and the abolition of the member of the council the Regent was, for national army. Soldiers and officers were the first time, chosen from among the forced to join the ranks of the Patriarchs Patriarchs delegates notwithstanding strong militia or to choose the mercenary life. opposition from the other religious Unfortunately for Bulzan, the Patriarchs corporations. In 509 BC, the Church of weren’t able to keep the country in order; as Bulzan was elected as the national faith; the they sank into internal disputes, the other sects were stripped of their corporate mercenary bands evolved into open title. In response to the religious takeover of banditism, leaving the country to chaos. the council, a new sect named the People’s

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Profiting from the Bulzanian chaos, the Empire and the Crystal Pact. Even though Hulean armies, helped by their Yazak allies, this war didn’t directly affect the Bulzanian invaded Bulzan in 199 BC; there they met region, the growing need for funds to little or no resistance and were even cheered finance the war pressurised the Bulzanian in some parts of the country as they put a economy to the point that the locals halt to the widespread banditism. The revolted against the increasing taxes. Even Patriarchs kept most of their privileges, worse for the Hulean Empire, in 256 AC since their internal divisions impeded them missionaries of the Lawful Brotherhood sent from being a real threat to the Hulean by the Crystal Pact founded a new sect in control of the country but the religious Bulzan and attracted dozens of Bulzanians. paramilitaries were disbanded. As the As Hule was slowly losing its war against the Patriarchs continued to sink into their Crystal Pact, the ranks of the new sect disputes, the Temple of Chaos rose in power swelled with new adherents until 292 AC thanks to the help of the new administration when Cyril Zayetscu, a follower of the Way and the influx of new Hulean settlers. of the Law, triggered an uprising that easily Meanwhile, as the influence of the Temple defeated the crumbling Hulean army. of Chaos grew in the Bulzanian society, the As the new Bulzanian army won over the Patriarchs slowly overcame their divisions former allies of Hule, the Yazak humanoids, and united with other sects to counter this in 297 AC, Cyril Zayetscu was crowned new threat. From 20 to 38BC, the challenge King of the Bulzans and a new Council posed by the rise in importance of the open to all type of corporations was formed. Temple of Chaos and the response of the Over the ensuing years, the Patriarchs tried other Bulzanian sects erupted into a full– to regain their influence in the Council in a fledged religious revolt against Hule and the struggle against the Lawful Brotherhood. Holy Men. Trying to end the religious They finally won in 334 AC when conflict, the Hulean authorities forged an Zayetscu’s grandson adopted the Patriarchs’ alliance with the other segments of the faith. Both as the Patriarchs’ power in the Bulzanian society by taking away the Council was reinforced and as the civil political power wielded by the religious sects servants’ corporation was pushed to the and by creating a new council made of margins of the political spectrum, representatives of the civil corporations. corruption became widespread in all the This move proved to be beneficial to the state’s apparatus and led to the paralysis of Hulean administration as the revolts slowly the Council. settled down because the Bulzanian civil society got its traditional structures of power From 454 to 512 AC, waves of Traladaran back. The next two centuries were marked migrants arrived in the southern Bulzanian by prosperity under an effaced Hulean province of Valkhia. With them came the domination represented by the Church of Traladara, which was initially corporation’s rule. accepted as a new sect among others. But, as its number of followers grew in the This period of peace and prosperity gave Bulzanian population, the King of Bulzan, way to discontentment from 231 to 291 Adrian II, and some corporations welcomed AC. The problems mainly derived from the this new faith as a means to counterbalance war that took place between the Hulean the Patriarchs’ control over the Council.

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Adrian II dies mysteriously in 514 AC independence. So, it was only when the without an heir to take his place, politico– Landowners and Craftsmen agreed to send religious struggles among the divided their taxes to Greatrealm in 732 AC that the Council led to the abolition of the kingdom. resistance was finally crushed. A new The King’s army was disbanded, and the council was established during the following military corporations transformed into year, a council in which the Landowners mercenary units. The followers of the and the craft–oriented corporations had the Church of Traladara installed in the upper hand. southern province used this period of Since the creation of the new council, disorganisation to revolt and establish a new Bulzan has been mainly peaceful. Some kingdom, Olgar, out of Bulzanian lands. In corporations hostile to the Master are still 527 AC, an army made of the Patriarchs’ trying to stir the discontentment of the paramilitaries and mercenaries financed by Bulzanians, but most of them recognise that the landlords was defeated by Milko the Hulean administration has been discreet Levtsky’s militia during the siege of the and that the current council have been able Castle Venestiu, the Patriarchs’ stronghold to bring stability and prosperity into the in southern Bulzan. Bulzanian lands. This defeat opened an era of chaos in Religion: The religious landscape of Bulzan Bulzan. The lost of the rich and religious is one of the most diversified west of Sind. southern province forced a realignment of No religion as been able to establish its cult the forces at the Council between those who over the entire population. Instead wanted large–scale retaliations against the numerous sects cohabit in the population. Olgarian insurgents and those who wanted Normally, a given Bulzanian will only peace and the development of economic follow the teachings of one of the sects, but relations with the new country. During this it is not rare to see someone change his period the council only served as a tribunal obedience more than once in a lifetime. for the different factions’ disputes thus This somewhat original religious behaviour becoming an ineffective legal body. Its is thought to date back to the times of the power was further eroded as the disputes Blackmoorian Yazak colony when extended beyond the strict political arena numerous religious and philosophical into street fights and even into open military beliefs were observed without one being actions between the factions’ paramilitary superior to the others. The Bulzanian units. The division of the Bulzanian forces society has also been traditionally open to was so deep that no one was able to react to alien religious influence as every new cult is the Master’s Greatrealm Declaration of 651 accepted as a new sect among others. Each AC. And, when a dispute over woodcutting sect has its own pantheon and, sometimes, rights on the fringe of the Dark Wood arose the same Immortal may be revered by between Hule and the Woodcutters people of different sects under different Corporation, no unified Bulzanian army names. The agrarian cult of the Patriarchs is was able to face the Master’s troops. the predominant cult among the Bulzanian Nevertheless, the Hulean troops had a hard population, however, it never has been able time against the Bulzanian population and to impose itself over the other faiths for corporations unwilling to abdicate their more than a few years in a row. Every faith

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with more than 500 followers can claim the the Bulzanian society. It encourages title of a corporation, which provides it with learning as a mean of political emancipation the right to send delegates to the Council. and the end of the strict corporate system. It Here is a short list of the Bulzanian religious is particularly active when it comes to help corporation in order of importance: the poorest Bulzanian. It is sometimes The Patriarchs: also called the Church of found in the Dasarian’s shelters educating Bulzan or the Agrarian Faith the Patriarchs’ people. Many Bulzanian scholars are part of corporation is the largest faith in Bulzan and this sect. one of the oldest. It is characterised by the The Church of Traladara: Found mainly in emphasis put on the respect due to elders southern Bulzan, this faith was brought by and the acceptance of the woes that life the Traladaran settlers during the fifth brings upon everyone. century AC. Its tolerance and the belief of a The Cult of the Builders: This is a genuine Golden Age to come for the Traladarans urban Bulzanian cult dedicated to the and their allies characterise it. Since 983 immortals that favour creative activities, AC, when the troubles initiated by the crafts or arts. Most of the followers of this Church of Traladara in Olgar were quelled, sect are found in the craftsmen the Church of Traladara is also outlawed in corporations. Bulzan. The Woodland Cult: this is one of the The Dasarian: This philosophy comes from oldest sects of Bulzan. Its followers are a now semi–extinct western civilisation. It found particularly in forested areas and seeks the ultimate victory of Good over the around Rockwater. It reveres the woodland evil forces. This is a minor cult in Bulzan creatures and seeks a perfect integration of but it provides shelter and care for the the human society with the nature. poorest Bulzanians. It is particularly opposed to the Fiendish Cult. The Temple of Chaos: Brought into Bulzan by Hulean settlers and armies, this faith is The Fiendish Cult: This sect would important among the Hulean population of probably be hunted down in many other Bulzan and in the criminal organisations society as its followers put their faith into throughout the country. the hands of the worst immortal creatures, but in the Bulzanian society they are seen as The Way of the Law: Brought in by a part of the natural balance of the world as wandering missionaries from the Northern long as they do not bring to much Plains and by Sardjik merchants, this cult destruction. This sect has its roots in the has the favour of some city–dwellers mainly belief of the tribes that demons had once in the administrative circles and of the been in conflict with the Yazak cities. semi–nomadic Bulzanian communities of the Yazak Steppes border. The followers of Notable Sites: The city of Miriestiu is the the Way of the Law and of the Temple of historical capital of Bulzan, it is also the Chaos are always opposed in, sometime biggest and the richest city of the converted violent, conflicts. lands. Miriestiu is build atop a steep cliff where the Ostrito River drops in the The People’s Temple: this sect is dedicated Dinretul 250 feet below. The most to the goal of establishing more equality in impressive parts of the city are the Council

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neighbourhood, the Market and the It isn’t so rare to see centaurs and other university quarter. The quarter surrounding woodland beings in this city. the massive granite building of the Council Dishinau, the capital of the province of is dotted with the official representation of Bradjina, is probably the worst place to live the Bulzanian corporations. All of these in Bulzan, located at the edge of Rockwater official buildings are made in a way to this a humid city infested by mosquitoes represent in the best of their corporation. It and always under the threat of being is there that you can find the biggest temples attacked by the trolls. There, people are of all Bulzan, you can also see the best among the poorest of all Bulzan as they realisation of all the corporations: The thrive to survive in this harsh environment Carpenter Hall is some kind of airy and toiled to ripe the Rockwater’s riches. cathedral made entirely of wood, the Many people of Dishinau are the descents Sculptors Guild is a tower in which every of the Huleans and Bulzanians that where stone is sculpted in a way to represent the expelled from the Janizary Lands following entire history of Bulzan, the Engineers the Greatrealm Declaration. Mansion is a massive round building rotating around a central axe with its main door always indicating the hours on a paved The Olgarian Levtja clock. The Market is Miriestiu’s most Area: 42,500 sq.mi. populous area, there you can find the Location: Central Brun, in the Converted exquisite Bulzanian productions, be it Lands southwest of Hule. automatons, clocks, fine cloth, jewels, Population: 55,000 (85% human [45% artwork, etc. The Market is also the place Traladaran, 40% Bulzanian, 15% Hulean], where the sects try to recruit new member, 10% humanoid, 5% demi–human). there always is somebody standing on a box Government Type: Hulean Protectorate. or a chair trying to attract the attention of Formerly a feudal monarchy, the levtja is the population on its cult’s beliefs or now headed by Hule’s governor to whom perpetrating miracles of any sort. The the feudals owe allegiance. Traditionally the University is also a major attraction of the Church of Traladara has a strong influence city. It is a succession of big towers over the course of politics in Olgar. harbouring the different fields of study Capital: Kulnovo where the courses are given in the lower Languages: Olgarian, Hulean and floors and the scholars and libraries lie in the Bulzanian. upper parts. The city in itself is renowned Coinage: Hulean coinage. for its granite buildings topped by copper Industries: Agriculture (wheat, barley, roofs. vegetables), breeding of animals, religious Chetniu, Bulzan’s second most populated artwork city, is built among a hilly landscape. It is Flora & fauna: Typical of central Brun. renowned for its numerous thermal sources of supposedly miraculous properties. Beside this, Chetniu is an agreeable city to live in even though its municipal council is always in conflict with the neighbouring landlords.

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Important Figures: Durul Özergan (C18, (currently held hostage by the Hulean of Bozdogan), governor of the Hagiarchy in administration); Rahil Venevanova (F15), Olgar; Dimitur Yotov (C22, of Halav), Viscountess of Ossamva; Toder Ginchev head of the Church of Traladara in Olgar “The Traitor” (T16), Viscount of Bartsja.

Description: The Olgarian Levtja or Olgar from the Western Sea of Dread. Summer is is situated in a region of plains and rolling hot and dry, with sparse rain. hills dotted with small patch of temperate The population of this country is made up forest and rivers. Most of the population is of three main ethnic groups that came to the located along the three main rivers and in region in different epochs. The first settlers the plain between the Sarja and Rositska were the Bulzanians, the descendents of the Rivers. The eastern part of the country is surviving Yazaks of the cities destroyed by more forested than the western part, which the beastmen’s invasion and the heavy tend to be more arid and hillier. The telluric activity that took place in 1700 BC. boundaries of this country are made They settled mainly along the eastern rivers somewhat by the natural features of the and in the northern part of current Olgar, region: to the west Olgar extends to the but the largest group of them decided to Lotev Hills and the Yazak Steppes, the Dark continue their migration northwards to Wood forms the eastern frontier and the where the dense forest would hide them south one is made mostly by the Syoutja from the beastmen. The second group came Hills. The Olgarian climate is temperate but from the first wave of Hulean colonists. dry and marked by four clearly They entered the southeastern part of the distinguishable seasons. In winter the country during the era of the second Hulean northwestern cold winds blow from the Empire (300 BC–300 AC) as the then heartland of Brun bringing with them some Overking of Hule was eager to reinforce his snow or cold rain. In spring and fall the control over the southwestern border of the climate is somewhat drier as the western Empire and keep his humanoids allies of the winds cross the vast expenses of the Yazak Yazak Steppes out of the region. The third Steppes; however, it is not unusual that group came from far to the east; they were those seasons bring heavy showers coming led by a group of religious radicals from

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Traladara looking for a place to build a new Church or the king to reflect the devotion golden age (see history). Their religious zeal or the loyalty of the fiefs’ rulers. New fiefs and ideals were highly respected by the may also be given from the royal lands to a locals who slowly adopted both religious particularly brave or loyal subject, the and cultural customs. Now, even though Hulean administration has refrain to use most of them are of mixed blood, this group this power since their first attempt to grant forms the biggest part of the population. a new fief to a loyal Hulean (Viscounty of Finally, a smaller fourth group was formed Bratsja) triggered a period of social unrest in by a new wave of Hulean population 832 AC. brought into the country by the Master’s The Traladaran customs are now well decision to give the region known as the integrated by most of the population Janizary Lands to the humanoids in his regardless of their origins. The Shearing service. But, since most of them are now Ceremony (in which a young adult is forced part of the military and administrative to prove their aptitude to survive structures of the Master’s empire they aren’t independently from the family by leaving it that much integrated in the Olgarian society for a year) is common among both the and are regarded as invaders even by the Traladarans and Bulzanians, but less so in older Hulean population. the Hulean families of the first wave. The If the Olgarian levtja is currently a Hulean traditional Traladaran social classes protectorate it has still retained most of the (freemen, Lord/Lady of the court, knight, traditional institution and customs of noble (with a fief), king) have mostly Olgarian society. Politically, Olgar is replaced the old Bulzanian castes and the organised by a feudal system in which the Hulean religion–based hierarchy. However, feudal must swear allegiance to the king the Hulean administration and military are (currently to the Master represented by his considered as a distinct class higher in the governor). Historically, the Church social hierarchy than the rest of the hierarchy chose the king among the feudals population. Divination and palm reading or the king’s family, now the governor is are widespread and specialists in those simply dispatched by the Master. Durul disciplines are highly esteemed. Özergan, the current governor, is a pure The majority of Olgarians live in numerous product of the Hagiarchy’s administration small rural communities made of adobe or and was nominated in 983 AC to put an end mud bricks and protected by a wooden wall. to the religious troubles undermining the The custom is that the agricultural Hulean control over the region. Since then production of the village is put in common he has done all that is in his power to break and shared to meet the needs of the different the Church of Traladara, in so doing he was families. Taxes are taken on the village’s responsible for the destruction of the total production and given to the local lord Cathedral of Zotchevo (the holiest site in (if in a fief) or directly to the state treasury the country) a move that forced the Church (if in the royal lands). Surpluses are usually to become clandestine. Although, under the sold to travelling merchants who bring them Hulean rule titles are hereditary (to ensure to the country’s major markets of Kulnovo the loyalty of the Olgarian rulers), the titles and Irdzhygrad. of the vassals are normally given by the

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History: The modern history of Olgar Bulzanians accepted that Olgar’s group stay began with the arrival of Zhan Olgar in with them. Slagovich in 442 AC. He had to leave the From 454 to 512 AC, more Traladarans distant land of Traladara because of his arrived in the region and more Bulzanians extreme religious beliefs. It is said that he from the southern province converted to the received an omen from Halav himself telling Church of Traladara. However, as the him to go to the West where the Golden influence of the Church grew its precepts Age of the Traladaran was supposed to and the ideal of a future Golden Age happen. He was forced into exile, because increasingly clashed with the principles of his preaching of the new Golden Age to the Bulzanian pantheon and the interests of come was taking the young Traladarans far the Patriarchs and of the King of Bulzan. In from their original faith. When he arrived in 482 AC, Olgar is imprisoned on accusations Slagovich, he saw that the first wave of of heresy and subversion. He is tried and Traladaran colonists were suffering harsh condemned to the stake. This decision conditions and that this region was too proved highly divisive in Bulzanian society desolate for a new Golden Age to happen. because of the allegation that the rich So he and a couple of hundred followers Bulzanian clergy corrupted the king’s began the Grand Move toward the western representative in the religious court. In fact, lands where he thought his visions were most of the secular power was happy to see leading him. a growing rivalry between the two faiths, as In 454 AC, after six years of a long journey it would limit the power of the Patriarchs in across the western coast of the Gulf of Hule the Bulzanian society. The king was also in and along the Great Escarpment’s edge, the favour of the arrival of new well–trained pilgrims arrived in a Bulzanian village near subjects ready to defend the southern present day Kulnovo. Exhausted by the long border. journey, they’ve asked the local inhabitants The divisions and conflicts between the for some food and permission to build a secular and religious power in the Bulzanian camp near their village. The inhabitants society provided the opportunity for Milko agreed, but asked, in exchange, that the Levtsky to stir an uprising of the Church of warriors protecting the pilgrims help them Traladara followers against the Kingdom of in fight a group of goblins from the Yazak Bulzan. In 512 AC, he was proclaimed king Steppes. Olgar took this invitation as a sign of Olgar, a tiny kingdom on the edge of the from the Immortals that his journey was Yazak Steppes but that controlled the trade near its end and that the region’s beastmen routes between Bulzan and the Savage had to be eliminated for the new Golden Coast. Age to occur. When the humanoids were defeated, Olgar told the Bulzanian leader From 512 to 527 AC, as the military power the prophecy of the Western Golden Age of Bulzan was locked in the struggle and invited the Bulzanians to participate in between the Patriarchs and the King, the foundation of the perfect society that punitive expeditions were organised by the would be the Golden Age. Charmed by the rich Bulzanian families looking for a way to loose principles of the Church of Traladara restore trade. Their mercenaries (mostly and the hope of a happy future the local made up of the Bulzanian royal troops)

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failed to regain control over the lost conflict over woodcutting rights near the territories and, even worse, lost control of Dark Wood led to an open conflict between most of the southern province to the hands Hule and Olgar’s northern neighbour. In of the Church of Traladara defenders. The 685 AC, a group of Olgarian nobles, war ended with the failure of the Bulzanian influenced by the Hulean promises of mercenaries to defend Castle Venestiu, wealth and power switched their allegiance stronghold of the Patriarchs in the southern to the Master. Manojan I, King of Olgar, province. suppressed their status, a civil war between For King Levtsky I, this victory was the sign the Master’s allies and the King’s loyal that the Golden Age was coming to his new vassals ensued from this decision. 688 AC country. To facilitate the success of this marked the start of the Hulean participation politico–religious project he created most of in the conflict as the Master’s forces went to the current political structures of Olgar: the the rescue of the rebel nobles. Nineteen first fiefs were given to the heroes of the years later, Manojan I was forced to recent war against Bulzan and the abdicate, the Church of Traladara was construction of the Cathedral of Zotchevo outlawed and the cult of the Temple of was ordered. The next fifty years were Chaos was brought in forcefully. marked by peace and prosperity with only For fourteen years the Hulean armies had to some troubles coming from the humanoids fight to keep their control over the country of the Yazak or the refugees fleeing the as enraged Olgarians still fought against the conflicts in Bulzan. Hulean domination. Finally, in 722 AC, in In 580 AC, King Levtsky II invited the a move to appease the population, the northern nomads who were invading Hule Master ordered that the Church of to sign a treaty of peace and friendship. Traladara was to regain its privileges and Some of them adopted the faith of the punished his former allies, the seditious Church of Traladara and were assimilated nobles: all of them were publicly put to the into the Olgarian society. Later, when the axe... Calm is established in the new reincarnation of Hosad drove them out of protectorate. Wishing to divide the the Hulean Valley, more northern nomads Olgarian society along ethnic lines, the settled in Olgar and in the plains to the Hulean administration of the Olgarian west. levtja decided to create a new fief, the viscounty of Bratsja to gather the Olgarians In 651 AC, the Master’s declaration of of Hulean origin. This decision provoked Greatrealm transformed the sparsely major discontent among the population. To populated lands at the east of Olgar into a cool down the situation, the authorities military province of Hule. The Janizary decided to give the new fief to an Olgarian Lands, as they were called, were transformed of Traladaran origin renowned for his into a huge humanoid reserve. Many loyalty toward the Master. Thanks to the Huleans of the region joined the Hulean Church of Traladara the troubles were put community of Bulzan. to an end. Between 662 and 685 AC, Hulean agents The change of generations in the high clergy stirred up discontent and envy among the of the Church of Traladara brought in some Olgarian nobility. In the meantime, a younger cleric eager to shake off the Hulean

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domination over the country. Between 953 Bulzanian pantheon but the expectation of and 983 AC, tensions slowly built up as the a future golden age through the Church of old hope for the Golden Age reappeared and Traladara has made the Church more because it meant the end of the Hulean appealing than the old Bulzanian pantheon. Empire built upon an army made up mainly The Church of Traladara in Olgar is a little of humanoids. However, as the Church was more radical than its Karameikan more and more involved in the struggle counterpart. Even though it stands on the against Hule, the majority of the nobility same six principles, some of them are more prefered to keep a low profile in the face of important than the others. The sixth the Master’s armies. In 983 AC, Durul principle is in fact more important than in Özergan was sent to put an end to the Karameikos because the Traladaran settlers troubles, he chose the violent way: of Olgar were looking for a place to build a Churches were closed, the clerical hierarchy new kingdom where the Golden Age of the was outlawed, shrines and temples Traladarans could once again blossom. dedicated to the Hulean Temple of Chaos What is the Golden Age? Most of the people were erected everywhere, books referring to wouldn’t be able to tell, but, according to the Golden Age were banned and, the final the local Church of Traladara, several blow, the Cathedral of Zotchevo (holiest requirements must be met: first, a wise and site of Olgar and coronation site of the kings just king will bring riches and harmony into of Olgar) was destroyed. In 984 BC, the country; second, all humanoids must be following the treachery of Toder Ginchev, driven out of the lands of the Traladarans; Viscount of Bratsja, the high clergy’s third, the Golden Age will cause many hideout was uncovered and its members peoples and cultures to adopt the Church of were slaughtered. Since those events, the Traladara faith. When the Church of Church of Traladara has been an Traladara is the greatest faith of all, Halav, underground movement supported by most Petra and Zirchev will return to Mystara of the population and the Hulean repression and they will help humanity to progress to of any sign of rebellion is systematic; the harmony and tolerance. population lives in the constant fear of Hulean retaliation while the nobles enjoy Notable Sites: Even though the current some autonomy. political situation is dire Olgar is still a nice place. There are lots of nice villages where Religion: In general, the population of the population are particularly hospitable. Olgaria share the principles of tolerance and The region is renowned for its nice flowers harmony preached by the Church of that can be seen nearly everywhere in the Traladara even though it is currently windows of houses and for the multitude of forbidden throughout the country. The cats, which are particularly respected for Hulean administration is trying to extend their freedom and independence and the Temple of Chaos’ philosophy and supposed to protect the soul of the people pantheon as a counterweight to the unfairly killed. In fact, it is better to stay in Church’s influence, but they have had little the countryside whilst in Olgar as the two success in implanting it outside the Hulean major cities are under tough Hulean community. Some Bulzanian communities control. near the Bulzan border still revere the

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Kulnovo is a nice looking city but the or Halavgrad that the traditional Olgarian closing of the frontier to trade implemented society may be seen at its best. The tower of by the Hulean authorities and the martial Ossamva in the eponymous viscounty is the law that is severely imposed over the headquarters of the Olgarian resistance and historical capital has brought hard the current shelter of the remnant of the economic conditions and a general Church of Traladara high clergy. impression of despair over the entire city. Once the architectural jewel of Olgar the Once a prosperous city dotted with inns and Cathedral of Zotchevo, is now a pile of ruins taverns, it is now somewhat deserted as rumoured to be haunted by the souls of the many of its inhabitant fled to the slaughtered cleric of the Church of countryside where life is easier. Once a Traladara but also filled with religious thriving trade centre, Irdzhygrad is nearly a treasures. Located in the southwestern ghost town nowadays. The city is totally portion of the Dark Wood is the lair of the under the control of a troop of orcs that has great Voysava, a huge green dragon that is done much damage and plundering. the only living being in this evil forest beside Definitely a place to avoid actually. The the Master and his close minions. Voysava Lotev and Syoutja Hills and the is known to like gratuitous destruction and neighbouring fiefs harbour the main groups terror, however it hasn’t been seen for years, of Olgarian rebels. In spite of regular rumours want it dead, killed by a group of Hulean military interventions in the region, Torreónese adventurers or asleep. the rebels (from Olgar and Bulzan) haven’t been dislodged. It is in villages like Lozarat

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Subjugated City States

Following the phases of conflict between the take control of both a Barony, The Barony City–States and the Baronies of the Savage of Babosas (now Boyarski), and one of the Coast on the one hand and the Empire of City States, Gonica (now Ayskudag and Hule on the other, it could be thought that Yanidir). These are important conquests the Empire will never successfully impose its from the strategic point of view as they control over the Gulf’s populations. In fact, allowed a more secure access to the Gulf and in the last period the Empire was able to the development of the imperial fleet.

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Gonica Boyarski Area: 1,545 sq.mi. Area: 3,668 sq.mi. Location: Extreme S of the Hulean Empire Location: Extreme S of the Hulean Empire, between Zagora and Zvornik. W of Vilaverde. Population: 6,700 inhabitants – mostly Population: 5,300 inhabitants – mostly humans and lupins. human, some halflings. Government Type: under a Hulean Government Type: under a Hulean military governor military governor. Capital: Ayskudag. Capital: Boyarski. Industries: Agriculture, fishing and trade. Industries: Agriculture, fishing and trade. Flora & fauna: Standard for the climate Flora & fauna: Standard for the climate In 453 AC the old ruling family of Svoga In 456 AC, Andrej Dalibor and a small (the Zvornik family), with the help of Traladaran army conquered a Hulean Hojah founded the city state near to a village in the far south of the empire, dwarven mining outpost. The Fortress founding the city–state of Boyarski there. In outpost (the oldest Lawful Brotherhood 951 AC Boyarski fell into anarchy when fear outpost in the Gulf of Hule) and the of a Hulean invasion struck the Traladaran neighbouring lupin village (of the Gonic population. A powerful Verdan merchant race) received a large numer of Traladaran became the new ruler, and modelled the immigrants. The local Lupin leader imitates city–state after his neighbouring Verdan. his neighbours, claiming the title of Boyarski became the “Baronato de Babosas” marquis. Both the village (Gonica) and the (Barony of Babosas), and the name of its outpost (Ostrozac) received Traladaran capital was translated into Verdan as Porto names as they become a new city state. Cavalcante (meaning “port of the knight”). Unlike the other city–states, however, In the final war for the conquest of the city Gonica became known for its religious state (971 AC) Hule conquered Babosas. freedom, the religious freedom that also signals its end. In 950 AC the Master of Hule decided to invade the city–state. While it is occupied elsewhere, the Cult of Bogdan (another name for Bozdogan) slowly infiltrates Gonica. The cultists rebelled, helped by Hulean forces, pushing the gonic army (and the majority of the gonic population) from the area. The lupin refugees migrated to Zvornik (and are now known as “Zvornikian Gonic”). Gonica and Ostrozac are conquered and are newly renamed, as Ayskudag and Yanidir.

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Kavkaz

Area: 203,862 sq.mi. Government Type: Federation of Location: Central Brun, NE of Hule, N of Monarchies the Great Waste, W of Adri Varma. Flora & fauna: Typical of central Brun Population: 814,000 – (85% human, 10% demi–human, 5% humanoid).

The religious persecutions perpetrated population between the followers of the within the Nine Kingdoms have caused Brotherhood and the followers of the old some of the population to flee, at different religions. This fracture split the Iraklita times, to the Black Mountains “Kavkaz”. Kingdom into two distinct kingdoms – Originally is was those who weren’t Dvinzina and Grouzhina, although the split followers of Chaotic Immortals that fled didn’t prevent an alliance against the forces from the forces of the Temple of Chaos of Hule. The alliance against the common which united the followers of the Chaotic enemy however didn’t prevent armed Immortals. These settled in Kavkaz where clashes between the two new kingdoms. In they organised themselves into the Iraclita 1695 BC refugees driven from the Nine Kingdom. Afterwards was the founding of Kingdoms by the beastmen invasion sought the Lawful Brotherhood which united the refuge in the Black Mountains. Both the followers of the Lawful Immortals, in Dvinzinians and the Grouzhinians contrast with the Temple of Chaos. This demonstrated extreme hostility, the however brought division to the Iraklita survivors settled on the edge of the

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Kavkazian land and began to carve out their manipulated to make them believe that they own territory. The Dvinzinian city of had originally come from a kingdom that Stepanazor was taken by the refugees and had been destroyed by a horde of was renamed Azkoran by them. Later on the humanoids. From then they were known as Kingdom of Azardjian was founded with the Chengoush. This in short is the history Azkoran as its capital and elected King of the five nations that make up Kavkaz, Tevrat as the first ruler of the new kingdom. more details and information is given in the Various clashes occurred between the two Hulean chronology section. historic states and the new one, with changing fortunes while the army of The Mountains Azardjian wasn’t definitively defeated and Kavkaz is set in the northern part of the its population started on the Way of the Black Mountains; here numerous rivers Law. A period of about two centuries begin to flow that over time have dug fertile followed in which Dvinzina and Grouzhina valleys. The peaks reach heights of 15,000 were united in an attempt to revive the old feet although the average is about 10,000. Iraklita Kingdom. The Urduks of the Black The air is also rarefied in the high valleys Mountains (ky–Urduk) slowly lost contact where the rivers flow. The mountain slopes with their desert cousins as the latter are covered by thick forests that break into expanded. An epidemic breaks out in the fertile plains of the plateaus and towards Grouzhina. The native population is plains interrupted by rolling hills. decimated while the Ky–Urduk proved more resistant to the disease and used the The Climate occassion to declare the independence of the land of the Ky–Urduk (Kyurdukstan). The The climate is very harsh in winter; snow survivors of the Black Dagger Sect arrived in covers the peaks and sometimes also Se–Goush (high valleys of south Azardjian). blankets the valley bottoms, the rivers tend A new kingdom was violently forged out of to freeze over. Winter if also harsh is shorter the Azardjian lands. The wave of Aradjian as however the valleys are sheltered from the refugees flee from the high valleys, changing cold winds, spring arrives suddenly to sweep the balance of power and starting a new away winter and is long which also shortens period of conflict between Dvinzina, summer. Extremely hot periods are rare Azardjian and Grouzhina. Members of the even in summer and the passage from Inner Circle of the Black Dagger Society summer to autumn is gradual and marked become members of the Lawful more by the colours than by the Brotherhood. The Way of the Law spread temperature. Winter is characterised by a to all levels of Sen–Goush society. The new brutal temperature range. The climate is faith had an adhesive effect for Sen–Goush moderated by the large amount of rivers society. The Black Dagger Society slowly that create warm, wet areas in the valleys goes underground. The people of Sen– that slow down the arrival of the cold and Goush are saved from the curse cast against assist the beneficial effects of spring. the Nithians as their culture had evolved to become clearly separate from that of the Nithians, but their memories were

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Order situatated in the capital shapes the Dvinzina fighters who later present themselves at the Area: 37,838 sq.mi. Temples to take their vows and become Location: E of Karsile and W of Azardjian paladins. Here the arts of war are taught and Chengouch. from childhood along with the principles of Population: 180,000 (90% human, 10% Law and Honour. demi–human). Another important Dvinzina city is Government Type: Monarchy (Council of Aktumberyan which is home to the Law). Monastery of the Missionary, where Capital: Ienizvan volunteer monks are trained to be sent Industries: Mining, handicrafts. throughout the region to convert the people Flora & fauna: Typical of mountainous to the Way of the Law. While for the central Brun. Academy of the Sacred Order a certain staus Description: Dvinzina is a natural basin is needed, here anyone is accepted, in truth among the Black Mountains, at its centre is it is members of the lower classes who are the union of the two rivers that form the usually trained as Missionaries. The role of Gree River which then continues its course the Missionaries is very important for the southwards. The capital rises at the junction security of the kingdom, Kavkaz and the of the two water courses, another two cities other neighbouring kingdoms that follow (Aktumheryan and Zorgatok) are along the the Way of the Law. The Missionaries with course of the two rivers so they are used as their concentrate the converted peoples’ water ways for trade and transport. hate on the Master of Hule and operate Numerous fortresses rise on the mountains around the Empire’s borders as well as that encircle the natural basin, initially built within the Empire itself. by the first refugees to protect themselves from the persecutions of Hule, now Grouzhina represent the Kingdom’s means of defence. An enemy that tries to enter the valley Area: 38,610 sq.mi. would in time find itself encircled by the Location: N of Kyurdukstan, W of Adri Dvinzina forces. In the capital resides the Varma and E of Azardjian. Council of Law, composed of high clerics, Population: 161,000 (90% human, 2% nobles and great merchants, which acts as humanoid, 8% demi–human). the Senate, acts alongside the King in the Government Type: Monarchy. decision making, and on the King’s death it Capital: Houriani selects the new ruler. Each noble family of Industries: Agriculture, herding. the kingdom tries to increase its weight in Flora & fauna: Typical of mountainous the Council of Law; as such the members of central Brun. the families mainly choose to become clerics Thriving territory, dedicated to agriculture or paladins which can bring power and and herding, it can be defined along with prestige to their family. The government Azardjian as the granary of Kavkaz. It is although not a theocracy like Hule is affected by the influence of the Elves of profoundly influenced by the religious Ozungan who although mistrusted leaders. The military Academy of the Sacred entertain profitable trade deals. The more

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liberal religious mentality has allowed the Flora & fauna: Typical of mountainous assimilation of diverse groups of people, central Brun. here the old religion of Hule, which reveres Fertile land and rich in water, also here the all the Immortals regardless of alignment is water ways represent important ways of still followed. The noble lineages hold the communication. Very developed agriculture local power but must answer to the King and herding. Its central location makes it a during the periodic meetings of the grand strategic node for commerce. The cities are council that gathers all the representatives of flat and extensive and use the disposition of the noble lineages in front of the king. The the houses, similarly with the city walls, as a nobles must also occupy themselves with form of defence to stop or channel any collecting the taxes and supplying the army, enemies. It is an absolute and hereditary put money in the state’s coffers and place it monarchy. The capital is very extensive and at the disposition of the military forces if most of the kingdom’s economic, political needed. On the king’s death, the new king and religious activity is centered here. is chosen from amongst the representatives Another three urban centres (Sahirdehi, of the lineages for election and each lineage Yerdimjan and Nyusiyu) are being has a number of votes to express equal to its developed and seek to take some of the political, military and economic influence from the overburdened capital. importance. In each case during the The society is based on healthy agricultural elections there are frenetic diplomatic activities and herding, their great traders are exchanges to establish alliances between the little by little expanding their activity various lineages. Other important cities of transforming these cities importing from the kingdom are: Smojini, great trading the capital cultural events and spectacles of centre on the river’s delta, on the kingdom’s various natures. border is the distribution centre of all the goods that come from outside Kavkaz. Dojti Kyurdukstan and Akhmetia are agricultural cities that exploit the land, made fertile by the seasonal Area: 72,201 sq.mi. flooding of the rivers, for their crops. Location: S of Grouzhina, W of Adri Varma, N of the Great Waste and E of Azardjian and Chengouch. Azardjian Population: 185,000 (75% human, 15% Area: 42,857 sq.mi. humanoid, 10% demi–human). Location: S of Sardjikjian, E of Dvinzina, Government Type: Monarchy. W of Grouzhina and Kyurdukstan, N of Capital: Djukhra Chengouch. Industries: Mining, logging. Population: 173,000 (85% human, 5% Flora & fauna: Typical of mountainous humanoid, 10% demi–human). central Brun. Government Type: Monarchy. Kyurdukstan is the largest Kingdom of Capital: Azkoran Kavkaz, very mountainous, which stretch Industries: Agriculture, herding, logging, between valleys and mountain passes. The trade. population is very varied, evolved in the cities, in the countryside they still hold to

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the more rural traditions. They aren’t very Numerous valleys, excavated by the passage interested in agriculture preferring trade in of the many rivers of the region, are studded logging and hunting. Between the mountains are the mines that supply the Kingdom with the riches needed to buy resources from neighbouring states. The monarchy listens to the noble and mercantile classes. The society of this kingdom is the least developed in all of Kavkaz, in the cities the wealthier part of society has acquired the more evolved ways and traditions imported from the neighbouring kingdoms but most of the kingdom still follow traditions and beliefs of the Urduk and desert nomad populations. The most important families of the kingdom contend for the control of the various mines and their activity stimulates the entire economy of the kingdom. The rural populations are dedicated to hunting with small villages dedicated to herding. and thanks to the Missionaries of the Way Among the mountains the mines produce of the Law, are attempting to develop their precious. Even though they no longer have primitive agriculture. In the kingdom there any memories of their Nithian origins, their are three main cities, Djukhra, the capital, city, particularly in the oldest part, shows Nidzhman and Hayehil, in fact the architectural traits very different from that difference between the capital and the latter of the surrounding peoples. Obelisks, whose two resides in the presence of the King and decorations have eroded over time, are that cannot be said if in the future the King present in several parts of the kingdom has to change the capital. acting as points of reference. The low, square buildings that are more suited to hotter climates and flat lands have over time Chengouch been joined by buildings more suited to the Area: 772 sq.mi. harsh climate creating a unique architectural Location: N of the Great Waste, E of mix. Even the locals’ skin colour is darker Dvinzina, S of Azardjian, W of than those of the region’s other populations. Kyurdukstan. The hereditary Monarchy still follows the Population: 115,000 – (90% human, 5% ancient blood line. In spite of their (known) humanoid, 5% demi–human.) history, they are a greatly organised people, Government Type: Monarchy. who love art and have a great respect for Capital: Erdnidze religion. This has brought about the Industries: Mining, agriculture. creation of sculptures, temples and obelisks Flora & fauna: Typical of mountainous that unites their two tendencies. They are central Brun. the foremost of Kavkaz’s original

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populations that are slowly importing their difficult to see a major difference but for the neighbours’s traditions and at the same time fact that both have a very neat architectural influencing them in regards to the arts, and aspect that makes them look smaller than particularly sculpture. As well as their the other capitals of the neighbouring minerals, their sophisticated craftsmen and kingdoms. artists are greatly valued. There are only two important cities, the capital Erdnidze and the twin city Ferkesk, although here it is

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Chronology of Hule & the Neighbouring Lands

2400 BC: Foundation of the Temple of Old faith begin to fight anyone that doesn’t Chaos. follow their faith in the Iraklita Empire. 2372–2338 BC: Period of religious 2011 BC: Treaty of the Two Faiths. The persecution against the followers of the Iraklita Empire splits. Creating Dvinzina to Lawful Immortals. Some of these seek the west, ruled by followers of the Way of refuge on the Black Mountains, Kavkaz, in the Law, and Grouzhina to the east, ruled Hulean dialect. by followers of the Old pre–Hulean Temple 2350 BC: The elves of Ilsundal pass through of Chaos faith. the Great Valley and the Black Mountains. 2122 BC: Karsile attacks Dvinzina. Some settle in the forest of Ozungan. 1983 BC: The Temple of Chaos converts 2335 BC: The refugees on the Black the Khaghaz tribe. Mountains select Iraklit I as the first 1982–1963 BC: War between the Sardjik Sovereign of the Kingdom of the Just, later clan and the Khaghaz tribe. The Khaghaz known as Iraklita. are decimated and their survivors flee to the 2334–2312 BC: A war of religion breaks Great Valley. The Sardjik clan abandons its out between the Kingdom and the nomadic way of life. Kingdom of the Great Valley. The Iraklitan 1951 BC: Foundation of the Sublime Order army is defeated in the Battle of the Sunless of the Octagon in Dvinzina. Day and driven back to the Black Mountains. 1927–1921 BC: Construction of the Blue Temple on the shores of the Yalu Sea. The THE NINE KINGDOMS PERIOD 2312- city of Kiteng will develop around it. 1700 BC 1918 BC: Union of the Sardjik clans and 2197 BC: Missionaries of the temple of cities. Foundation of the Shazirate (Holy Chaos are sent to convert the barbarous Kingdom) of Sardjikjian. populations to the north of the Yalu coast, 1914–1909 BC: Civil war in the Yazak none of them return. colonies of Bylot “Bileot in Thyatian” Hills. 2100 BC: Foundation of the Lawful The colony is destroyed, one faction settles Brotherhood. It is the Immortal Ixion’s in the forested valleys north of the answer to the dominion of the Temple of Darkwood, the other joins the Yazak cities Chaos in the Great Valley. of the steppes. 2063 BC: Conversion of the Sardjik Clan of 1909 BC: Kajoshaj I is crowned king of the the northern hills to the Way of the Law. new Kingdom of Antasyn to the northwest of the Dark Wood. 2057 BC: First Lawful Brotherhood missionaries in the Iraklita Empire. 1884 BC: Kajoshaj II is converted to the 2035–2012 BC: The War of Purification. Temple of Chaos. Followers of the Way of the Law and of the 1883–1872 BC: First War of the Nine Kingdoms in the Great Valley.

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1853 BC: Houriani is the first Grouzhinian coast, they are expelled from the Ozungan colony on the shores of the Borean River. Forest by the elves and settle in the western 1847 BC: The nomadic Balits are converted part of Sardjikjian. to the Way of the Law. 1749 BC: The Shah of Sardjikjian declares 1836–1823 BC: Second War of the Nine a holy war against the beastmen. Kingdoms. 1729 BC: A new wave of beastmen end the 1834 BC: Grouzhinian explorers meet the holy war as the Sardjiks are outnumbered. beastmen of Urzud in the the Borean The Blue Temple is destroyed. Valley. 1717–1715 BC: New migrants from Urzud 1825 BC: Dvinzina, Sardjikjian and the put pressure on the Sardjikjian beastmen. Balitan tribes unite in the Bright Alliance. The Great Valley is invaded by the beastmen; the realms are conquered one 1823 BC: The Bright Alliance invades after the other as each try to keep its own Karsile and wages war against Eivanjan and independence regardless of the fate of the Karsun. others. 1812 BC: The Bright Alliance is defeated by 1709 BC: The army of Antasyn is defeated an alliance of Huyule, Karsun and Boludir. by the beastmen, the way to the Yazak 1810 BC: Grouzhina attacks Dvinzina. Steppes is open to the hordes of beastmen. Help from the Bright Alliance is asked for 1707 BC: The Rakasta city of Plaktur is but not granted. The Alliance is dissolved. destroyed and occupied by the beastmen. 1807–1790 BC: Third War of the Nine 1703 BC: The Yazak cities are invaded. Kingdoms. 1700 BC: Explosion of a Blackmoorian 1800 BC: Steel Wars in Urzud. device in the eastern lands (Broken Lands). 1796 BC: The Douzbak tribe of the A great earthquake strikes the Great Valley Bazdayan hills is converted to the Way of region destroying the Yazak cities. The the Law. River Gree no longer empties into the Gulf of Hule but rather into Lake Tros. The Yalu 1787 BC: Kiteng becomes a major learning Sea accelerates its shrinking. centre for physics and mathematics. 1784 BC: The capital of Grouzhina, THE TIMES OF CRISIS 1700-1300 BC Mingrel, is burned down by the Dvinzinian 1698 BC: Most of the survivors from the army. A peace agreement is agreed between Yazak cities settle down near the Rockwater the two countries. swamp. Calling this land Bulzan. A smaller 1774 BC: Grouzhina and Dvinzina are group find refuge in the caves of the Great sacked by the passage of Urzud beastmen Escarpment. migrating to the Black Mountains. They 1695 BC: Fleeing the destruction brought manage to keep their freedom through by the beastmen in the Great Valley the fierce fighting. peoples of Birgidir, Karsile and Eivanjan 1750 BC: A new wave of beastmen from seek refuge in the Black Mountains. Both Urzud arrives on the Yalu Sea southern the Dvinzinians and the Grouzhinians show

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them extreme hostility, the survivors settle wave of political conflict within the Nine outside the Kavkazian lands and begin to Kingdoms. carve out their own land 1624 BC: The Antasynians revolt against 1693 BC: The Dvinzinian city of the beastmen which are expelled into Stepanazor is taken by the survivors and Bulzan. renamed Azkoran. 1622 BC: The Bulzanians defeat the 1689 BC: Founding of the Kingdom of beastmen and declare war on the new Azardjian with Azkoran as its capital and Kingdom of Antasyn. King Tevrat is elected as the new country’s 1619 BC: The Antasynian army is defeated first ruler. by the forces of Bulzan. Antasyn is annexed. 1675 BC: End of the beastmen’s Vasile Serbanescu is crowned King of the assimilation of the Great Valley. Bulzan and Antasyn. 1664 BC: Askar Selimbayev, leader of the 1593–1587 BC: Religious revolution in Kazmeni, receives an omen, he must free Huyule. Bozdogan “Loki” replaces Kraliche Kiteng from the beastmen and for his “Hel” as the head of the local Pantheon. people to receive the gift of large plains to Huyule’s heretics are crushed by a coalition herd their cattle. of their neighbours. 1663–1662 BC: The nomads join the 1558 BC: The Night of the Red Clouds. Kazmens of Askar. Helped by the union of Pogroms of Sevigunesh’s “Valerias” Kazmens and nomads, the Sardjikajans followers in most of the Great Valley’s cities. revolt against the beastmen’s tyranny. 1545–1498 BC: The Bozdogan Crusade. Kiteng is liberated and the beastmen flee to The Kingdoms of the Great Valley are once the Nine Kingdoms. again pitted against each other in a religious 1660–1647 BC: Reconstruction of the Blue frenzy. Temple of Kiteng. 1537 BC: Secret alliance between Dvinzina 1659–1656 BC: The Dry Years. A sudden and Grouzhina against the Azardjians. drought affects the entire region. The Nine 1526 BC: Followers of Yangunesh Kingdoms are struck by famine. The “Rathanos” in a mad rage set fire to the beastmen are hunted down because they are Great Library of the Temple of Chaos in associated with the famine. The level and Khuur. extent of the Yalu Sea recedes to it current size giving way to the Yalu marsh which will 1521 BC: An Azardjian plot to assassinate rapidly transform into the modern King Kitavili III of Grouzhina supplies the Midlands Grasslands. The Kazmens are long–awaited Casus Belli. converted to the Way of the Law. 1502 BC: Taking advantage of the Nine 1643 BC: New Immortals rise in popularity Kingdoms’ internal struggles, the Bulzan among the followers of the Temple of army invades Kuliye. Chaos. 1489 BC: Battle of the Two Efreeties. A step 1640–1587 BC: Religious problems within from defeat by Dvinzina and Grouzhina, the Temple of Chaos triggering the first the Azardjian mages unite their forces to

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summon creatures from other planes. The 1300 BC: Wogar’s tribes march into the enemy is routed. After more than 30 years Yazak Steppes, forcing the native of war, the status quo preceding the war is humanoids to invade the Kingdoms of re–established. Bulzan and Antasyn. 1442–1414 BC: War between the FIRST IMPERIAL ERA 1300-700 BC Sardjikjians and Azardjians erupts. The Azardjians establish their current northern 1297 BC: The capital of Bulzan, Miriestiu, border. falls into the hands of the Tribe of Wogar. Antasyn and Kuliye recover their 1395–1391 BC: The humanoids of the independence. Yazak Steppes attack the Kingdoms of Bulzan and Antasyn. The humanoids are 1296–1263 BC: Conquest and domination defeated and the two kingdoms extend their of the Great Valley by Wogar. borders to the edge of the Great 1263 BC: Death of Wogar. Escarpment. The next century is regarded as 1261 BC: Dream of the Blue Knife. The Bulzan’s Golden Age. humanoid tribes begin to migrate eastwards. 1378 BC: The Way of the Law is Hosad “Hasadus in Thyatian” suddenly introduced into Karsile by missionaries of takes power in Huyule. the Lawful Brotherhood that exploits the 1250–1243 BC: Council of Jandak. fact that the Holy Men are distracted by the Celebration of the unity of the Temple of various religious encounters that flare up Chaos under the patronage of Bozdogan. throughout the Great Valley. The Nine Kingdoms are united in Great 1360–1250 BC: Religious revolution in Hule. Hosad proclaims the King of Huyule Huyule triggers a new wave of religious war as the Overking of Hule. Consolidation of in the Great Valley at the end of which the power of the Hagiarchy. Bozdogan takes the leadership of the 1245 BC: Revolt in Bulzan. The humanoids Temple of Chaos. are driven from the region, Anton Lupescu, 1339 BC: The Sardjikjian and Dvinzina head of the rebels, is crowned Sacred King. armies invade Karsile. 1241 BC: Battle of the Gree River. Forces 1313 BC: The humanoid Tribes of Wogar of the Lawful Brotherhood are forced to invade the lands of Douzbak. retire back to the Great Valley. 1310 BC: The Sardjikjian army is forced to 1239–1170 BC: The Dark Age of Kavkaz. recall its forces back home to protect it from Internal conflict in the region sees the the threat of Wogar’s tribes of humanoids expansion of Azardjian. on its northern border. 1235 BC: The Holy Men kill Hosad. Their 1305 BC: The prophecy of King Wogar’s bureaucracy takes the real power in Hule. shaman. The humanoid tribes of Wogar 1227 BC: The humanoids of the Yazak move south following the Yalu River leaving Steppes leave the region to join the tribes of destruction behind them in the Douzbak Wogar. The people of the caves of the Great lands and on the northern border of Escarpment gradually emerge and settle the Sardjikjian. upper Kizil Arzat “Rio Copos” valley.

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1212 BC: War is declared between Bulzan 1105 BC: Non–Aggression Pact between and Antasyn. the Yalu River Empire and the elves of the 1205 BC: The city of Korgüt is founded at Ozungan Forest. the mouth of the Throat River by Hulean 1098 BC: Dorfin adopts Way of the Law. settlers. It rapidly becomes a major trade 1088 BC: Some nomadic tribes that centre between Hule, the Urduk tribes of represent the vanguard of the empire of the Great Waste and the peoples of the Dorfin arrive at the mouth of the Yalu River Serpent Peninsula. and sack the city of Dravya. The most 1198 BC: Antasyn is slowly losing the war, important of these tribes is the Dars. King Zymer III of Antasyn asked Hule for 1084 BC: The Hulean military outpost of aid. Edecul is founded at the conjunction of the 1192 BC: The Bulzans are defeated at the Kizil Arzat “Rio Copos” with the Kizil Battle of the Marsh. The Holy Men Alacan “Rio Guadiana”, where it develops progressively take power in Antasynian trade with the Ksars people of the upper politics and society. Kizil Arzat valley. 1173 BC: First diplomatic contact between 1076 BC: Dorfin (who has begun his path Hule and the Nithian Empire. to immortality) declares a holy war against 1153 BC: First conversions of the Urduk Hule. tribe to the Temple of Chaos. Korgüt is 1073 BC: Alliance between Dvinzina and thrives as trade with the Nithian Empire the Yalu River Empire. booms. 1066 BC: The Azardjian army is defeated by 1141 BC: Miriestiu falls; Hule establishes the Alliance. The population, although the protectorate over Bulzan. reticent, is initiated in the Way of the Law. 1138–1115 BC: Invasion of the Midlands 1065–1034 BC: The War of the Two by tribes from Borea and Hiborea, led by Temples. Hule and the alliance of the Yalu Dorfin chief of the Dormiak. River Empire fight a pitiless war on the 1123 BC: A military coup sponsored by the border between the two Empires. Holy Men overthrows the young King 1052 BC: Karsan, head of the Amarzazat Zymer V of Antasyn. General Sakir Frasheri Ksars begins to unite the peoples of the is crowned king. His power remains linked Great Escarpment. to Hulean military support. 1050 BC: A tribe of human horse archers, 1107 BC: Dorfin is elected chief of all the the Talmav, travels the path of the tribes of tribes. Tashgoun becomes the capital of the the Yalu River Empire. As they don’t accept Yalu River Empire. The empire stretches the authority of Dorfin, the Talmav are from the Borean Valley to the Yalu Sea, to forced southwest along the northern bank of the east it reaches the Adri Varma Plateau. the Yalu River. They settle in the area that The heart of the Empire develops in the is now Kharkav, a valley at the slopes of the land surrounding Yalu Sea. cordillera at the end of the world to the north of the mouth of the Yalu River.

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1047 BC: Founding of the Karsanita 978–951 BC: Dvinzina forces conquer Kingdom. Grouzhina; the old Iraklita Kingdom is 1034 BC: The Hulean army is defeated by revived. the forces of the alliance of the Yalu River 945 BC: Worried by Dvinzinian’s growing Empire. The emperor Dorfin disappears power. Hule begins to sow the seeds of mysteriously. His brother didn’t have the rebellion in Azardjian. charisma needed to keep such a vast empire 942 BC: Contact is lost with a united. The tribes of the Empire that settled plenipotentiary expedition sent by King on the south bank of the Yalu Sea (Balit, Dorfin IV to the Nithian Empire. (It was Kazmen, Douzbak and Sardjik) remain destroyed by a green dragon near modern loyal to the Dorfin dynasty. The far eastern day Selenica. It was only 2000 years later provinces that stretch from the Borean that some adventurers discovered the valleys to the south skirting the eastern side remains of the expedition and the treasure it of the Ozungan Forest became carried which they later revealed to a gnome independent. Likewise, the tribes of the of Threshold who later published northern bank of the Yalu Sea, while information about a mythical Empire recognising the dynasty of Dorfin, declared (Dragon 153)). their autonomy. 933 BC: First victories of the Azardian 1032 BC: Following the fragmentation of rebels in their war against Dvinzina. This the Empire of Dorfin, the Visneskaya follow began a period of 200 years in which the the Talmav southwest settling to the east of Dvinzinians with hard work hold the new the Talmav lands and founded the kingdom united Iraklita Kingdom. of Visneskaya. 921 BC: First expansion of the Hulean 1030 BC: Under constant threat from the Empire towards the western coast of the humanoids of the Yazak Steppes, the main Gulf of Yule. The valley of the Kizil Alacan nomad tribe, the Dars, retired beyond the “Rio Guadiana” is incorporated into the protection of the Yalu River’s mouth in the empire. The military take ever more power Jyar Plain northwest of Yalu Bay. in Hulean society as the Hagiarchy is 1021 BC: Missionaries of the Temple of riddled with bureaucratic disease. Chaos build a religious outpost at the 912 BC: Dorfin IV’s death gives birth to mouth of the Kizil Emetrya “Hope River” conflict within the royal family for the to convert the region’s natives. succession, the dynasty splits its control of 1000 BC: The Dars finally, settle in the the kingdom in two: a northern part and a valleys of the Jyar Plain, were they found southern part. The south proclaims itself Darsagades (the future capital of the Zatrap the new kingdom of Sardjikjian while in the of Darsi of the future Yezchamenid Empire. north all the Bouzbak cities recover their 984 BC: Internal conflict among the independence. The Balit tribe and the Urduks of the Throat River valley. Hulean Kazmens loosen their ties with the new troops are sent to quell the unrest. Hulean dynasties. law is imposed in the region. 890 BC: An insurrection in Bulzan is crushed by the Hulean army.

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873 BC: Expanding southwards, along the Overking is the last bastion of central power western coast of the Gulf of Hule, the in Hule. The Hagiarchy tends to decadence Hulean army encounters armed bands of and internal divisions. the Karsanita Kingdom. 779 BC: Dying from old age the last 868 BC: Rebellion of the Antasynian member of the southern branch of the Barons. Hulean military is sent by the Dorfin dynasty begins a power struggle in Hagiarchy. Tension between the military Sardjikjian. and the Hagiarchy grow. 777 BC: Humanoid attacks in the Borean 861–734 BC: Regular skirmishes between Steppes forcing the last tribes of the former the Hulean and Karsanita armies. empire of law southeast where they settle in 806 BC: The Nithian colony of Senta–ni– the land north of the Ozungan Forest which Tep is founded on the coast to the south of separates the Kingdom of Galannor from the Great Waste. The valley of the Nuvia the Seven Duchies. River “modern Silt River” is quickly 775 BC: The increase of Nithian influence absorbed into the colony’s territory. Some in Korgut creates tension between the Urduk tribes adopt Nithian customs. The Nithian Empire and the Empire of Hule. majority of the colonists are Nithians 753 BC: Raids and pillaging of the discontent with the religious evolution that humanoids of the Borean Steppes strike the has happened in their homeland and who Seven Duchies and the northern Baronies, hope to build a new life in the colonies. giving rise to the Alliance of the Duchies. 800 BC: Humanoid tribes raid the 751 BC: The army of the Alliance of the territories of the former Yalu River Empire Duchies after some some victories near the in the lower Borean valleys, unable to resist border, was heavily defeated as soon as it the humanoid tribes’ numerical superiority tried to advance into the Borean Steppes. the people retire eastwards into the Principality of Galadar and westwards 749 BC: News of a humanoid clan chief towards the Duchies of the northern coast named Vaprak who has been able to gather of the Yule Sea. other clans around him preoccupies the Seven Duchies. 795 BC: To face the threat of the humanoid tribes the Principality of Galadar and the 746 BC: The Urduk tribe allied itself with last three counties, survivors of the Hule, holding the Nithians responsible for humanoids’ attack join the new Kingdom of the meteorological changes in the region, Galannor which also takes under its attacking the Nithian settlements along the protection that which is considered the coast. fourth county, Hinshire, inhabitated by 746–728 BC: First Hulean–Nithian War. halflings. In response to the aggression of the Urduk 793 BC: Revolt of the Hulean military tribe, the Nithian army invaded the Throat administrators, the Holy Men of the central valley and besieged Korgut. In one of their government reach a compromise last united actions, the Hulean Warlords recognising the military’s jurisdiction in the overcome their rivalry and respond to the land surrounding the strongholds. The call of the Overking. However, the Hulean

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forces were defeated in 728 BC. The borders Citadel fell in 724 BC; mystery hides the of Hule shrink back to the foothills of the final events of the battle; the only Black Mountains. information speaks of a great chasm in place 745 BC: Helped by the priests of the Way of the citadel. To the humanoids of Varpak of the Law the Seven Duchies and the the victory has a dear cost, most of the horde Kingdom of Galannor found the Council of is lost; some clans leave the horde as do the Order. Five of the various human tribes join five human tribes. the Council; seven of them declare 725–706 BC: In response to the request for themselves neutral; five declare themselves aid from the Karsanita Kingdom against the opposed to the alliance and prefer to deal army of Hule, the Nithians invaded the with the humanoids. Other small tribes use territories of the western coast of the Gulf of their nomadic nature and, at least Hule. The Nithian forces faced strong temporarily, leave the region. resistance, but not from the Hulean military 736 BC: At the end of lower Borean Steppes forces but from the Hulean colonies and the is the fortified citadel of law where the local populations. The routing Hulean combined army of the Council of Order is army retreat to the Great Escarpment. based, with the aim of intercept the 704 BC: Forced to abdicate the Overking of humanoid threat before the latter could Halu, Haluk VI, sought refuge among the advanve into the territories of Duchies and rebels of Azard. Galannor. 702 BC: Declaration of independence by 734 BC: Dispute over the demarcation of the military administrations of Bulzan and the Huleo–Karsanita border developed into Antasyn. They were quickly copied by the a true war. other Warlords of the Great Valley. The 732 BC: The growing rivalry among the first Hulean Empire shattered. Hulean warlords weakened the central THE AGE OF CHAOS (FIRST power. Multiplication of the Sendarian INTERREGNUM) 700–300 BC tribes’ raids also take a heavy toll on the Hulean military forces and disrupt the lines 700–300 BC: The dark age of Hule. of communication between the Great Political struggles in this epoch are Valley and the western territories. (Bulzan characterised by intrigue, treachery and and Antasyn). assassination, the various Hulean warlords sought to increase their personal power. The 726 BC: Founding of the organiation called Temple of Chaos was divided by internal “Black Dagger Society” that fought for the conflicts. independence of the western Nithian territories. Bulzan and Antasyn remain neutral; their Hulean governors are assimilated by the 725 BC: The Citadel of Law was besieged local societies. by the horde of Vaprak and the five allied human tribes. The siege lasted a year during Climatic conditions in the Great Waste which both the humanoids’ attempts to continue to change, the steppes transform assault the citadel and the attempts to bring into the Sind Desert. reinforcements to the citadel failed. The

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686 BC: Led by the ex Hulean Overking the region lost two–fifths of its original rebels of Azard are able to break the grip of population. the Sublime Octagon Order of Dvinzina. 585 BC: The epidemic reaches Grouzhina. The Iraklita kindom fragments into its three The native population is decimated while historic components. the hardier Ky–Urduk resist the disease. 664 BC: Rakhman Nabiley of Nabila The land of the Ky–Urduk (Kyurdukstan) reunited the Sardjikjian clans. As he gains independence. favoured mercantile interests over religious 579 BC: The Black Dagger Society emerges preoccupations, his reign was marked by from the shadows, exploiting the prosperity and peace. A bustling trade interruption of contact with the empire – developed as the Sardjiks became the due to attempts to prevent the epidemic intermediaries between the Dvinzinian iron from spreading. mines and the Hulean warlords. 578–564 BC: War of Liberation. The Black 655–633 BC: Fleeing the droughts Dagger Society brcomes a resistance happening in their steppes, several Urduk movement and begins a true armed tribes settle in the southern Grouzhinian rebellion. The empire defeats the rebels. valleys. Tensions erupt sporadically between the nomads and the region’s farmers. 564–551 BC: The Long Journey to Freedom. The survivors of the 653 BC: Nithian military forces take independence movement flee to the Black control of the upper Kizil Alacan “Rio Mountains. Fighting for fifteen years to find Guadiana”. In these times the Karsanita a way through the lands controlled by the Kingdom is totally integrated, both humanoids in the southwest of the Black culturally and economically, in the Nithian Mountains. During these years the Black Empire, although it maintains its Dagger Society transforms itself in to the independence. survivors’ only centre of political and 621 BC: First wave of disorder in the military. Nithian colonies of the eastern coast of the 550–537 BC: The survivors arrive in Se– Gulf of Hule. The revolt is violently Goush (upper valleys of south Azardjian). A repressed by Nithian forces. The Black new kingdom is violently forged out of the Dagger Society is forced underground. Azrdjian lands. The wave of Aradjian 619–605 BC: The mountain Urduks (ky– refugees fleeing the high valleys, change the Urduk) slowly lost contact with their desert balance of power and begin a new period of cousins as the latter expanded. Nithian conflict between Dvinzina, Azardjian and colonists and Urduks from the Throat and Grouzhina. Silt River Valleys, are forced to emigrate 526 BC: Members of the inner circle of the along the coast of the Gulf of Hule and in Black Dagger Society become members of the City of Korgut. Senta–ni–Tep is now a the Lawful Brotherhood. The Way of the desert. Law spreads to all levels of Sen–Goush 597 BC: A plague epidemic in the over– society. The new faith has an adhesive effect populated city of Korgut. In five years the on Sen–Goush society. The Black Dagger Society slowly returns underground.

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500 BC: The Nithian culture and Empire becoming the religious centre of the are annihilated by the Immortals. The Sublime Order of the Octagon. Nithian colonies of the Gulf of Hule share 371 BC: Inspired by the peace reached by the same fate as do the Hulean and Urduk the five kingdoms, Cem Ipekci ruler of populations that share the same region. The Azurun, convokes a Hulean council. All the Karsanita Kingdom is erased altogether. major warlords are invited to discuss a peace The few survivors lose all their memories treaty. However instead of negotiating, and return to the Stone Age. Some Cem holds all the warlords in a room where Karsanites that still live in the caves of the he kills them with a powerful Poisonous Great Escarpment are spared. An immortal Cloud spell. This isn’t enough to spell instils a strong fear of the outside in automatically make him the King of all the these people. The people of Sen–Goush territories, but without their lords the were spared as their culture had evolved and military forces are too disorganised to be clearly separated from that of the Nithians, able to resist the military forces of the new but their memories have been changed to lord, in many they submit without fighting. make them believe that they originally came from a kingdom that was destroyed by a 369–324 BC: The Great Unifying horde of humanoids. By now they are Campaign. Çem Ipekçi gradually known as the Chengoush. conquered all of the Great Valley. The main resistance came from the Holy Men, who 482 BC: Missionaries of the Lawful believe that he isn’t religious enough. Brotherhood from Sardjikjian and Dvinzina Indeed, Çem strongly favoured the arrive in the Gulf of Hule region. development of magic in Hule and he was 444 BC: The Peace of the Five Peoples. quite critical about the way the Hagiarchy After years of armed conflict in Kavkaz, the had ruled the country throughout the five kingdoms choose to send emissaries to centuries. His military campaign evolved Kiteng with the will to negotiate an into an overt revolution against the religious acceptable peace agreement. The agreed bureaucracy. The climax was reached with borders are set roughly to their modern the destruction of the main city of the locations. As Hule is still convulsing from it Temple of Chaos, Jandir and the reoccurring internal conflicts many of the elimination of the upper ranks of the Holy northern refugees in Sardjikjian and Men’s hierarchy. Douzbakjian were introduced to the Way of 323 BC: Çem is crowned Overking in Hule. the Law. Some refugees were pushed up into the Duchies on the northern bank of the 302 BC: Çem disappears mysteriously. It is Hule Sea. Tashgoun becomes the major said that Bozdogan himself came to enact commercial centre of the Yalu River and his vengeance. His lieutenant, Galip Yalu Sea. The Borean and Hyborean Ertoglü, is selected by the Hagiarchy to be barbarian tribes that in the time of the Yalu the next Overking. River Empire settled in the region, remain SECOND IMPERIAL ERA 300 BC – 300 peaceful but divided. AC 418 BC: In north Dvinzina, the Great 300–280 BC: Unrest in northeast Hule is Abbey on Mount Nedarat is completed, crushed by the Overking.

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280–250 BC: The Years of Reconstruction. the Hammer Pass. Sardjikjian breaks its Hulean unity is slowly rebuilt after past neutrality to avoid the total conquest of controversies. A new generation of Holy Kavkaz by Hule. Only Dvinzina and the Men is actively occupied in the process. The lands next to the border are incorporated cult of Bozdogan begins to eclipse the other into the territories of Hule. cults of the Temple of Chaos. The great 25 AC: Insurrection in Bulzan threatens Temple of Chaos in Jandak is rebuilt. Hule’s control of the western territories. 213 BC: Alliance between the Empire of Baron Kulaj VI of Antasyn exploits the Hule and the humanoids of the Yazak situation and declares independence from Steppes. Hule. 199–186 BC: A joint operation of the 33–38 AC: Rebellions in Bulzan and Hulean military forces and the Yazak Antasyn are violently crushed by Hule and humanoids conquer Bulzan. its Yazak allies. Many of the rebels are 183 BC: Under the threat of seeing his deported to the Great Valley and the Yazak kingdom annexed by Hule, Kulaj II of Steppes to serve as slaves. Antasyn accepts becoming a vassel of Hule. 44–62 AC: The various attempts by Hule to 160–300 AC: Numerous attempts to subjugate the peoples of the caves of the impose Hulean law on the coast of the Gulf Great Escarpment fail one after the other. of Hule encounter fierce resistance from the 83–114 AC: Conquest of the east coast of local dwarf, elf and human populations. the Gulf of Hule. The fortress of the The influence of the missionaries of the dwarves of Slago fell in 85 AC. The Lawful Lawful Brotherhood grows in the region Brotherhood organises a clandestine and a key component of the resistance. resistance. 143 BC: The Dark Alliance. Azardjian and 120–135 AC: The Hulean expansion in the Hule sign an alliance to fight their religious southeast is stopped by the tribes of Urduk enemies in Kavkaz. nomads. 138–126 BC: First Kavkaziana War. Hule 150–158 AC: Insurrections in the southeast and its Azardjian ally invade Dvinzina. The and the increase in Urduk raids force Hule intervention of Grouzhina and Chengoush to retreat to the north of the Black prevent the forces of Chaos from occupying Mountains. the whole territory. Most of southern 175 AC: A snowstorm of unusual intensity Dvinzina is in the hands of the Dark devastates the northern land of lower Alliance. Hyborea, the lack of food caused by the 99–53 BC: Colonisation of the Bylot Hills death of the livestock and from the forces the Huleans to intervene against the devastation of the crops, forces the raiding Sendaryan Tribes. population of Yevo to embark on their long 34–7 BC: Second Kavkaziana War. Helped canoes and follow the course of the Yalu by Grouzhina and Chengoush, Dvinzina River until they reached the prairies north tries to retake its southern territories. The of the river’s mouth where they quickly forces of Law are defeated in the Battle of conquered the young but prosperous dominion of Vyatka.

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184–207 AC: Third Kavkziana War. The AC. Hule’s territory is invaded. In 291 AC armies of the kingdoms of the Way of the the Great Temple of Chaos in Jandak is Law are defeated at the siege of Duzhar burnt down. The second Empire of Hule (southeast of Sardjikjian), Sardjikjian and falls. western Grouzhina are occupied by the 291–295 AC: Revolt in Bulzan and Antasyn forces of Hule and Azardjian. The situation giving power to the local dynasties. becomes desperate for the Way of the Law and Hule looks further north for new 297 AC: The humanoids of the Yazak conquests. Steppes are defeated by the army of Bulzan. The humanoid tribes separate. 211–216 AC: The Northern Offensive. The armies of the Kazmens and Balit tribe are THE YEARS OF DIVISION (SECOND defeated by the marching Hulean army. INTERREGNUM) 300–600 AC The city of Tashgoun is besieged. Queen 291–307 AC: Increase in the divisions Tursanay II of the Dorfin dynasty is ready between the various members of the Crystal to surrender. Help come from the most Pact. The major bone of contention is the unexpected side. Cymorakk, an elven prince future of Azardjian: Dvinzina, Grouzhina of the Ozungan Forest is able to break the and Chengoush are unable to find an elves’ traditional isolationism and conclude accord. an alliance with the Order of the Law (The Seven Duchies, the five tribes of law and the 308 AC: In a heated discussion, the Kingdom of Galannor). Just when the emissary of Dvinzina declares war on queen was about to sign the treaty handing Grouzhina. An infuriated Cymorakk breaks over Tashgoun to the emissaries of Hule, the Crystal Dagger and leaves. The Pact is thousands of elven archers and cavalry flow dismantled. The elves of Ozungan return to onto the battlefield. The Hulean forces are their traditional isolationism more defeated in what is remembered as the disillusioned than ever with the humans. legendary Battle of the Lost Hope. Even the Order of the Law recalls its (Cymorakk is the reincarnation of Dorfin I military forces back home as they suffer in his path of the Dynast). pressure in the north from the humanoids of the Borean Steppes. Most of the northern 217–231 AC: Period of military barbarians stay in Hule to hold some reconstruction on both sides. territories. However, the blow received by 226 AC: The Crystal Dagger is smelted in the Hagiarchy is such that the Holy Men the lava of the revered Mount Tcharski. It is won’t be able to re-establish themselves as the symbol of unity between The Midlands an important political force before the and the Kingdoms of Kavkaz. beginning of the VI century AC. 231–295 AC: The Sixty Years War. 308–327 AC: Fourth Kavkaziana War. Following the leadership of Cymorakk, the Dvinzina and Grouzhina fight over the armies of the Crystal Pact gradually erode Aradjian territory. The threat that this the military power of Hule and its allies. conflict brings to the local population is Kavkaz and Sardjikjian are liberated and such that it causes an insurrection that frees Azrdjian is occupied from 231–263 AC. the territory of Aradjian. The Sendarian tribes join the Pact in 274

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328 AC: The Treaty of Erdnidze. 458 AC: Missionaries of the Lawful Recognising the pre-war borders as the Brotherhood of the Sendaryan tribes, borders of the Kavkaz lands. convert the Monzags to the Way of the Law. 330–433 AC: The century of peace. Hule is 369–600 AC: Tension increases in the split into a multitude of small dominions. Temple of Chaos. The followers of Small scale conflicts occur between the Orumjek “Korotiku” try to gain control dominions. A peace holds between the after centuries of domination of Bozdogan. Kavkaz states. Sardjik caravan trade between These tensions degenerate into an open Sardjikjian, the Great Valley, Sind, Glantri religious conflict that pit the smaller and the distant realms of the lower Yalu Huleans against each other. River and Hyborea. 502 AC: The dominion of Vyatka after 429–445 AC: Minrothad’s merchants, assimilating the neighbouring populations Sardjik traders and Traladaran immigrants, is now known as the Kingdom of Zuyevo. It introduce lycanthropy in the region. declares war on the kingdom of Visneskaya 433 AC: Major epidemics of lycanthropy to the north. hit Kavkaz and force the authorites to 512 AC: Milko Levski leads a revolt of organise hunts in the region. Olgarians against the kingdom of Bulzan 434–482 AC: Erroneously, the Kyurduks plagued by internal political division and thought responsible for the epidemic. This corruption. He is proclaimed Levski I of triggers a new round of war in Kavkaz. Olgar. 438–454 AC: Traladaran immigrants arrive 517 AC: Empire of Zuyevo. After 15 years in the Great Valley. They establish a of war with mixed results Zuyevo with the settlement on the western coast of the Gulf help of the Talmav – former allies of of Hule, their number allows them to be Visneskaya – is able to defeat the assimilated by the local population. The opposition. Miska Gureyivich crowns Olgar clan move north along the Kizil himself Tsar, Emperor of the united Alacan (Rio Guadiana) and to the west kingdoms of Zuyevo and Visneskaya but along the Great Escarpment. They stop in not of the Talmav lands. the south of Bulzan. The Hulean and 543 AC: Kelsonath Primerider, chief of the Bulzan natives quickly adopt the costumes Guymir unites the Borean and Hiborean and traditions, as well as the faith and tribes with the intent of invading the rich language, of the Olgar clan. Birthing a new lands of the south. nation. 571 AC: Invasion of the Midlands by the 443–469 AC: Demographic pressures force northern barbarians. The tribes go around the Borean tribes to migrate south. They Yalu Sea from the west, sacking the ravage Midlands, the Great Valley and the Duozbak and Sardjik cities. The Blue western lands; their journey will bring them Temple in Kiteng is mysteriously spared. to the lands of the Savage Coast (modern 575 AC: The Sendaryan tribes, united with Esudria and Robrenn). the northern barbarian tribes, invade Hule.

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578–600 AC: The army of the united tribes 669–732 AC: The Hulean armies conquer pour into Hule. Realms after realms, cities Bulzan and Olgar. after cities fall along the invaders’ path. The 700 AC: The Hulean expansionism in Hulean civilisation itself is threatened. The Davania brings about the founding of some Monzag tribe founds a new kingdom out of colonies (among which is Garganin) on the the Hulean and Antasyn territories. Davanian coast opposite the Serpent 600–603 AC: Reincarnation of Hosad. The Penisula. Many Caracasta clans that dwell in return of Hosad stimulates the Hulean’s this area immediately ally with the Huleans, pride and sense of unity. The barbarian seeking to conquer new land from the hordes are defeated by Hosad’s army in the Simbasta and Pardasta tribes. Battle of the Black Lord. The survivors of 745 AC: King Migen II asked Hule for aid the northern barbarian tribes are followed in his war against Monzag. and killed. Only a few are able to flee to Monzag, and only a few are assimilated by 746–873 AC: The Long Conquest. The Hulean society. As the followers of Monzagians fight with all their energy to Orumjek tried to use the barbarians in their defend their freedom. The request for aid religious conflict against Bozdogan, Hosad from the other kingdoms of the Lawful declares their faith illegal. They seek shelter Brotherhood isn’t heard as the the other in Azardjian. kingdoms are occupied strengthening their defences in fear that they will be the next THE THIRD IMPERIAL ERA (THE objective of the reunited Hulean forces. MASTER’S REIGN) 600 AC – PRESENT 753 AC: The Empire of Zuyevo conquers 603–629 AC: Construction of the Temple the tribes of the Tunguska forest. of Chaos at Greatrealm in the depths of the 800 AC: The Hulean colonies on Davania Darkwood forest. Consolidation of Hosad’s are for the most part destroyed or power. Restoration of the Hagiarchy in the abandoned following the war against the great valley, 9 new administrations were Simbasta and the neighbouring human city- created taking the 9 names of the ancient states. The survivors return to Hule taking kingdoms. with them most of the Caracasta of Davania 651 AC: Declaration of the Greatrealm. who were their allies in the past wars. These Hosad proclaims that all the Darkwood and Caracasta are authorised to settle in the Rockwater (mostly uninhabited) are part of Hulean lands and very soon they begin to Hule. The new region, called the Janizary represent a valid addition to the Huleans Lands, is under military control and will be armies. the new home for humanoids that are to be 889 AC: Borderlands Declaration. The assimilated into the Hulean Empire. Master claims the forested region stretching 662 AC: Hulean agents assassinate the sister between Hule and Sardjikjian as part of of King Migen of Antasyn and make it seem Hule. This means the end of the western the responsibility of the Kingdom of kingdoms of Kavkaz, Dvinzina and Monzag. King Migen declared war on Sardjikjian ally to keep this region out of Monzag. Hule’s control.

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891 AC: Battle of the Screaming Vale. Hule 967–976 AC: Zuyevo’s second campaign of is defeated, the borders remain unchanged. against the humanoids of the Yazak Steppes. 913 AC: First tensions between the Empire 968–992 AC: The invasion of the Savage of Zuyevo and the Yezchamenid Empire Coast encounters resistance from the that explodes in war with the defeat of the peoples of the baronies. The Master’s army Yezchian forces. is regularly defeated by soldiers armed with 915 AC: A Hulean detatchment is sent to red steel weapons. invade Dvinzina, the military force is held 975 AC: The Hulean navy is decimated by in check in the hills by the forces of the fleets of the Savage Baronies and City– Dvinzina and Sardjikjian. States of the Gulf of Hule. 935–967 AC: Zuyevo’s first campaign 979–981 AC: Zuyevo’s third disastrous against the humanoids of the Yazak Steppes. campaign against the humanoids of the The Tsar hopes to compete with Hule for Yazak Steppes, which ends with the retreat its mineral riches of the Bylot hills region. of Zuyevo’s army due to rebellions within 949 AC: A Hulean military expedition was the empire. sent to Chengoush, all which returned from 998 AC: The Master begins to look to the the mountains was a cart full of the soldiers’ east beyond the Great Waste for his heads. The Master’s army will never try to conquests. go in there again.

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Appendix 1 – The Bleak League

The Bleak League is the largest and best beyond, in the Savage Coast, Kavkaz and criminal organisation of the Hulean the City States. Empire. This organisation is the heir of an old Antasynian thieves’ guild based in Hierarchy of the League Leqan. It would probably have stayed a The Bleak League’s structure is of a small underground association of pyramidal type. The top of the organisation, Antasynian scum, if not for Leke “The is composed of a small council headed, Sloth”, a wurmling who assumed leadership obviously, by Leke Bey. Each Council of the guild in 893 AC. This wurmling at member is himself at the top of a regional first organized the guild as one of the pyramid. Each regional sub-organisation is principal protagonists in the the Converted named a wing, they are semi–autonomous, Lands by defeating most of his opponents but must follow the general guide lines and taking over their organisations. He built established by the Head. Each leader of a a military-like organisation with officers, wing is also a Council member. The wings troops, goals and strategy. His entire are composed of small criminal or semi-legal underground Empire already put his fingers organisations called pawns in the League’s into every lucrative activity when the Master nomenclature. These are responsible for the came into contact with Leke in 963 AC. everyday activities. Each of them is When they first met, the two leaders knew autonomous in its territory, but must obey that they would be in constant conflict if the Council’s orders and respect the internal they didn’t strike a deal fixing the borders of rules when trying to develop new activities each other’s activities. After days of intense or territories. negotiations, the two reached an agreement Conflicts between wings or between pawns that delimits their spheres of activity, the are common and concern territory Master promised Leke the exclusivity of all attribution in most cases. When a solution organized criminal activities in the Empire to a dispute can’t be negotiated at local or and granted the wurmling the title of Bey of regional level, it is up to the Council to Leqan; in exchange, Leke agreed to give a impose a settlement. A pawn or wing leader portion of his revenue to the Empire and who doesn’t abide to a council decision is provide the Master the use of his criminal most likely to receive the highest network for intelligence purposes. punishment: death. According to the accord, an emissary of the Master was sent to Leqan and a If a pawn or wing leader disappears, the representative of Leke Bey was assigned to Council chooses who will replace the leader. Greatrealm, these were to guarantee a Usually, it’s a close lieutenant or at least permanent contact between the two leaders, someone from the region. In extreme cases, but also to gather information on the other’s when Leke Bey isn’t satisfied with anybody activities. From the day of the accord, Leke in the local organisation, someone from was able to expand his underground empire outside maybe appointed to replace the to all of the Hulean Empire and also former head. Leke Bey also has the power to form new wings. Normally, he grants the

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Wing status to a well-established family or The Wings to someone who has proved his loyalty. This happens on rare occasions and the Council Bylot Wing has no power to oppose this type, or Headquarters: “The Lucky Vein Tavern” another, of decision made by the wurmling. in Zar Trusted Guild Master: Artan “Digger” Kiuprili The Head & his Stalwarts in Leqan: (T24) Leke Bey “The Sloth” (14HD wurmling), Principal pawns: Krexjà “The Happy Head of the League Maiden” Tzeka (T15), Head of The Gülcin Kasapoglu (C17, of Bozdogan), Shadow Guild in Chetniu; Sokol Emissary of the Master “Goldeater” (Goblin 11), Chief of the Abas “Swiftfingers” Strakosha (T28), Sokol’s Raiders” in the southern Bylot Hills; Leke Bey’s right hand man Kogor Markare (Dwarf 10), Head of the Pjerin “The Mule” Nuhiji (F27), Zainovoi illegal mining colonies; Fisnik Captain of Leke’s private guard Thaxhi (F13), Head of the border patrol of Bozsidàn Hrutka (M23), Zervar; Leke’s special adviser Description: The Bylot Wing is among the The Council most loyal wings, it is tightly monitored by Artan “Digger” Kiuprili (T24), Abas “Swiftfingers” Strakosha, the closest Head of the Bylot Wing lieutenant of Leke Bey, who was the Wing’s Ugron “Two Lives” Czobor (T28), former head. Now, Artan “Digger” Kiuprili Head of the Kereçul Wing is trying to get a little more breathing space Corina “The Mistress” Iagar (T26), from is former patron but will refrain from Head of the Bradjina Wing any frontal attack against Leke’s right hand. Durukan ‘The Marmureg Tiger’ Soylu This wing once was in open conflict with (T30), Head of the Marmureg Wing the Bradjina Wing over the control of Nazöm “The Pestilent” (Orc16), Chetniu, but Leke Bey entrusted the Bylot Head of the Gulf Wing Wing with the control of the cities illegal Mahzun “Ratbone” Zafer (T24), activities in 993, a decision that is still badly Head of the Khuur Wing felt by Corina “The Mistress” Iagar. Bashkim “The Boar” Velo (T22), Head of the Rosin Wing Activities: This Wing’s profits derive Piyan “The Sheep” Waqar (T28), principally from the exploitation of illegal Head of the Halli Wing mining sites and from the protection of the Eznik “Blackblade” Deghtsunian (T32), legal ones. Another important source of Head of the Kavkaz Wing revenue is the administration of numerous Sayed “Goldfeathers” Kharsay (officially small casinos and brothels around the T25, but 19HD gold dragon), mining towns and in Chetniu. Head of the Northern Wing Distinctive Feature: A rune tattooed at the back of the neck

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Kereçul Wing Ugron is allowed to ask for a special tax on any caravan going through his territory. Headquarters: The underground complex under the ruins of the Antasynian royal Activities: The main resources of this wing palace in Debredladany. come from the taxes levied on the Guild Master: Ugron “Two lives” Czobor commercial activities taking place around (T28) the Northern Military Road. Another major source of revenues is the racket industry in Principal pawns: Bànos “By the Book” the five major cities that the Wing controls Szokefaguy (T18), head of the thieves’ guild (Prijderel, Debredladany, Pusztòk, of Pusztòk; Istok “Rawbeard” Pandy (T15), Szekçarlit and Kolkoy). Finally, a small chief of the Ratpack in Szkçarlit; Nexhmije surplus comes from the illegal trading in “The Black Rose” Hisari (T17), head of the furs with the Sendaryan tribes and the raids Prijderel thugs; Csepel Snowlion (M16), on remote villages around the Tiò River. chief of the Oroul tribe; Zeki “Ironmouth” Gencebay (T18), head of the Kolköy Distinctive Feature: the little finger of the connection; Byrta “The Bastard” Ohran left hand is amputated. (F17), chief of the Tiò Raiders. Bradjina Wing Description: The Kereçul wing, also known as the “Monzag Bandits”, has just Headquarters: The Fishermen’s been recently granted full autonomy. Corporation Headquarter in Dishinau Before, the pawns of Leke Bey in Monzag Guild Master: Corina “The Mistress” Iagar were divided between the Bylot Wing and (T26) the Rosen Wing. But since many local Principal pawns: Cincinel “One Arrow” organisations were out of the reach of the Trelles (T20), head of the Umbrar Bleak League, Leke Bey decided to strike a Corporatie in Miriestiu; Aarag Stoneclaws deal with Debredladany’s guild master, (9HD Hill Giant), leader of the Lotev Hill Ugron “Twolives” Czobor, giving him a Band; Gorroz Tornfeet (Orc 14), captain of much wider area to rule for the profit of the the Hulean garrison in Irdzhygrad; Count League. Since then, Ugron is a close ally of Vulko Batchev (nosferatu, M21), head of Leke Bey. Despite his animosity toward the the undead fief of Vrancea in the Hills; Master who nearly killed him when he was Oktav Marga (F6, merchant 14), Head of young, Ugron accepts to give information the Negustor Corporation. about the rebels of northern Monzag. He Description: The Bradjina Wing once was hopes, however that somebody will destroy a autonomous criminal organisation the Master one day even though he standing on Bulzan’s corporations system, wouldn’t risk getting involved in such a only recently has it been integrated in Leke’s scheme. underground empire (in 987). To subjugate Ugron’s alliance with a Sendaryan chief is of the independent organisation, Leke’s thugs great value for the Master, since he may use have had to kill the head of the Shadow this tribe to attack the others thus diverting corporation, Adrian Kobori, who also was them from attacking the northern Corina’s secret lover. She hasn’t forgot possession of his Empire. In exchange, about Leke’s order but has avoided truth

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from getting to the ears of the wurmling. Steppes’ edges through alliance with some Only, two “living” beings know about the of their chiefs. In addition, all the fishermen verity: Count Batchev and Cincinel Trelles. of the Rockwater Marsh pay a special The first prefer to keep the secret since he “protection” tax to their syndicate. Another shares the same hate against the League’s source of income is somewhat unknown to boss, the second is planning to use the secret the rest of the League, since Count Batchev at the right time to take Corina’s place in has his own network of alliances with other the League’s hierarchy. prominent undead of the Savage Coast, Currently the relations of this wing with the some trade in magical components and rest of the Bleak League are cold at best. The human parts is ignored by the Head of the loss of Chetniu to the Bylot Wing has been League. However, some agents of “The felt like a major reversal and many believe Marmureg Tiger” have been reported to that Leke’s power has been built on the investigate this trade, if they find that some ruins of the once mighty Shadow criminal activities of the Wing aren’t Corporation of Bulzan. Any kind of means reported, it may trigger another round of is good to undermine the League’s power. conflict inside the League. Among those is the secret alliance between Distinctive Feature: Extensive tattoos of Corina and the Olgarian rebels, which she dragons or tigers on their back. helps with information and intelligence countermeasures against the Master. She Marmureg Wing hopes that once the Master will be down, Headquarters: “The Castle of Karçij” in the Leke will follow short. She also encourages Janizary Lands Gorroz Tornfeet to pressurise as most as Guild Master: Durukan “The Marmureg possible the city of Irdzhygrad so that the Tiger” Soylu (T30) local population’s hate of the Huleans will be increased. Principal pawns: Tzanko Paskalev (T22), head of the Kulnovo’s Daggers; Ponce The wing is always in a state of semi conflict “Torero” Linares (F23), Leader of Los with its closest neighbours. First, even Banditos de La Pineda; Toder “The though the question of Chetniu’s status has Traitor” Ginchev (T16), Viscount of been settled, the Bradjina Wing still claim Bartsja; Durrak “Big Belly” (Goblin 13), it. Also, their is a rampant conflict between chief of the Bayatgal Raiders; Xavier “The the Wing and its eastern neighbour, the Rapier” Marreras (T24), head of the thieves’ Marmureg Wing, which would like to have guild of Ciudad Morales; Fadôl “Sneak” sole control over Olgar’s criminal milieu. Çandarli (T22), master of the Iskilü Activities: The Bradjina Wing gets its Demons. revenues from many sources. Owning the Description: The Wing’s leader is the kind mighty Umbrar and Negustor Corporations of lone wolf who always has been able to guarantees a regular flow of money inside achieve what he wanted to without the help the Wing’s chests. The wing also owns of anyone. He had federated most of the many inns, tavern, brothels, and banks in actual wing’s possession by himself years Olgar and Antasyn. The Wing also controls before Leke took contact with his most of the humanoid raiders of the Yazak organisation. However, Durukan knew

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that, alone, he was no match for the League, Gulf Wing so he decided to accept Leke Bey’s control Headquarters: Galibolü Orcish Reserve over his activities, silently wishing to find Guild Master: Nazöm “The Pestilent” allies once inside the League. What he has (Orc16) found, though, were more enemies than allies. His wing was rapidly confronted to Principal pawns: Gökay “Ironheart” Basgil the Bulzanians of the Shadow Corporation, (T22), head of the Basgil family in Azurun; who already had bought out the Olgarian Zeren “Blackbeard” Tural (F18), head of orcs, thus dividing the control over Olgar’s Boyazka’s pirates; Mucip “The Humble territory. Since then, The Marmureg Tiger Lord” Basgil (T16), Yenigaz’s guild master; has tired to plea his point in front of Leke Mehe’rizar Shinerrettin (goatmen Bey, who prefers to see this wing’s power patriarch), head of the Yehemehertarr clan getting out of hand. Another conflict arose near Budavik; Radan Vlidanovic (T16), when Nazöm “The Pestilent” founded his head of the bank of Zagora and Nova-Svoga own wing independent of the Khuur wing. Description: The Gulf Wing was created Problems over the repartition of the control by Leke Bey in a move to thwart the Khuur over the Gulf of Hule’s pirates appeared and and Marmureg wings growing influence. It are still to be solved, even though the has been given to Nazöm “The Pestilent” to Marmureg Wing has lost most of its fleet to give the Master the impression that his the Texeiran navy. “men” had a word to say in the League’s Currently, this wing is secretly trying to businesses. However, the true power in this expand is influence further south along the wing lies in the hands of the Basgil family. Savage Coast. The local thieves’ guild of A tightly knit Hulean clan that manages Ciudad de Leon and Boa Mansão are most of the criminal activities in southern already under the wing’s influence. Leke Hule. This family has a long history of Bey keeps a close eye on this evolution, even blood feud with the Zafer family of Khuur though Durukan Soylu, the wing’s head, is and they were never able to work together trying to expand without his approval. even under the wurmling’s rule. Now that they are in different wings their conflict is Activities: Most of the wing’s income less frequent, but the animosity can still be comes from the control of the Southern felt. Military Road linking Hule and Olgar: a high toll is required to pass through the The Gulf Wing is trying to expand its Viscounty of Bratsja. Also, the Wing is activity on both shores of the Gulf of Hule involved in some smuggling activities but it has to avoid open confrontation with through the Ksars’ tunnels. Besides the the Marmureg Wing, even though, they are traditional racket, prostitution and increasingly in competition for the rich gambling in the cities of Iskilü, Ciudad Guilds of the Savage Coast. Morales and Kulnovo, the wing regularly The current situation of this wing, locked raids the neighbouring villages of the Savage between two hostile and bigger wings, make Coast. them totally loyal to Leke Bey whom they Distinctive Feature: A black cloak with a need to survive. Actually, the Basgil family red lining. is probably the most reliable group of

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thieves that “The Sloth” has found in Master’s will but still try to remain as southern Hule. autonomous as possible. However, The Activities: The Basgils are the lords of the Sloth is trying to do all he can to curb this docks in all the Hulean ports, they control family’s independence. His latest plot has and racket most of the ports’ commercial been to have the youngest member of the activities. Also, with their ally, Zeren family, Tosun Zafer, magically subjugated. “Blackbeard” Tural, they can control much Young Tosun is now climbing rapidly in the of the freight going through the northern Wing’s hierarchy, and, strangely, his closest part of the Gulf of Hule. Finally, the Wing parents are all dying from unexplained protect and harbour many humanoids reasons. raiders of the southern Black Mountains; in The Master sees his special ties with this exchange, these groups pay a part of the family as the best way to monitored Leke bounty they plunder in the City-States’ Bey’s activities, this is in part why he has put hinterland. one his most dangerous man, Ejder Distinctive Feature: Ear and nose piercing. Çölasan, at the service of the Zafer Family. This is also why the control of the Khuur Wing commercial transit through The Great Pass is at the hand of the family through their Headquarters: Khuur’s Catacombs control of the Black Scimitars’ orcs. Guild Master: Mahzun “Ratbone” Zafer (T24) The Khuur Wing is strongly opposed to the Gulf Wing because it harbours the rival Principal pawns: Ayfer “The Fairy” Basgil family, it also has had some territorial Uzunoglü (T18), head of Duskilü’s Guild; disputes with the Rosin Wing even though Vedat “Stick” Zafer (M17), head of the they are at peace right now. The family has Zafer family in Jandak; Tosun “Lighthead” strong ties with the Halli Wing with whom Zafer (T15), head of the Zafer family in they share the profits coming from the Jehrom; Gazrad “Scimitar” Koorzar (Orc control of the Hule to Sind road. 12), chief of the Black Scimitars band near Nuzayre in the Black Mountains; Ejder Activities: The families’ revenue comes “The Minion” Çölasan (C16, of Talitha), from many legal, semi-legal and clandestine head of the Assassin Syndicate in Jandak. activities. They are involved in trade, smuggling, gambling, prostitution, Description: The Khuur Wing, also known banking, racket, production of cloth and as the Zafer family, has a long tradition in glassware, murder, protection; in brief, Hule underground businesses. It has been at everything that can bring quick profits the head of most of the criminal operations might be of interest to them. One of the at least since the Master’s takeover of the most paying activities still is the racket and Empire. Since then it has been loyal to him plundering of the caravans at the exit of the and only him. However, it was part of the Great Pass. deal passed between the Master and Leke Bey that this great family should obey to the Distinctive Feature: A rune tattooed inside wurmling’s order instead of being on their the right ear. own. Since then the family has accepted the

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Rosin Wing degenerated into an open conflict between the two wings. Headquarters: Cirkara’s Necropolis Guild Master: Bashkim “The Boar” Velo The Rosin Wing is currently at peace with (T22) most of its neighbours, even though its strongest neighbours are plotting to divide Principal pawns: Meryem “Laura” Coskun it into several spheres of influence if not (T15), chief of Seyvan’s Minstrel of the direct control. Night; Ulugh “Crow” Saglam (T18), Magden’s guild master; Yurtsev The Rosin Wing as few direct contacts with “Loneshadow” Arikan (F18), chief of the the Master and they prefer to avoid the Holy Gree River Bandits; Feriha “Velvet Sword” Men since they are clearly closer to the Zafer Birand (T14), head of Gölayam’s family than to the young and since some of underground society; Yonça “The Black them have strong ties with the banished cult Sister” Killiç (C26, of Korotiku), head of of Korotiku. the Underground Temple of Korotiku in Activities: This wing’s activities are under a Karsun, Eivanjan and Karsile. long process of reconstruction. Years of Description: This wing is pretty recent if destructive internal conflicts have left the compare with most of Hule’s old families. It guilds without too many underground has been created by Leke Bey to curb the infrastructures left. New criminal networks power of the Zafer family. This wasn’t done are to be established, new recruits are to be easily however; many succession and trained and new communication links are to territorial wars have taken place before the be set. Only the Temple of Korotiku current guild masters found their way to the currently brings some profits in exchange of top. Most of this wing’s higher hierarchical the Bleak League’s protection. Leke Bey is ranks are filled with younger thief who own working hard to give the wing more most of what they to Leke’s will. financial autonomy and to build back Accordingly, they are, at first sight loyal to profitable activities. the wurmling and to his representative, Distinctive Feature: A spider tattooed on Artan “Digger” Kiuprili. This is, however, the left hand. the first impression that these young wolves give to the rest of the League and many of Halli Wing them have greater ambition than staying Headquarters: The ruins of mere pawns under the order of an Chudrapandra’s palace south of the Kesret Antasyinian leader. Oasis in the Sind Desert Accordingly, many of them are looking Guild Master: Piyan “The Sheep” Waqar outside their wing to forge secret alliances (T28), chief of the Kesret Camels with other wings, principally with the Zafer Principal pawns: Aamir “Red Dune” Rana family. Also, Eznik “Blackblade” (F15), chief of the Desert Pirates; Mudasar Deghtsunian, of the Kavkaz wing has been “Gerbil” Sajjad (T19), head of the Sajjad known to do some recruitment among the clan; Rizwan “Threearms” Younis (F23), lower ranks of the wing’s acolyte, a head of the Younis clan. situation, which has, more than once, nearly

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Description: The halli wing is one of the Saviniev (T16), Member of the Eight in smallest wings of the Bleak League. It is Erdnidze; Irfan “Red Turban” Fadarkan more a collection of brigands of the Sind (F18), chief of the Fadarkan family in desert than an organized crime syndicate. Bjukhra; Yurdagül “The Widow” Cömert But, since their chiefs have found ground (T22), head of the thieves guild in Erzmin. for mutually beneficial agreements with Description: Once one of Leke Bey fiercest Leke Bey, they have accepted to give a little enemies, Eznik Deghtsunian is now one of portion of their revenue to the League. his closest allies. The two of them have sign Albeit, the control of Leke Bey remains a truce in 996 AC, and, since then, their mainly honorific in the region, his allies of relations is cloudless in appearance. In fact, the desert, respectful of the desert’s customs, the wurmling will never trust his former will never betray their given word as long as adversary, but, for the moment, he finds this the wurmling respect his own engagements. cooperation beneficent and doesn’t own the This wing is among the most useful for the power basis in Kavkaz necessary to oust the Master’s intelligence operation since it can Dvinzinaian from his leading position. provide cover for the Master’s agents almost From Eznik’s point of view, his agreement everywhere in Sind. with The Sloth was only a tactical move, his Activities: Most of the activities of this strategic interest lie into the hands of wing are legal under the desert rule, but Remindan, a Kyurduk leader who has sworn would be outlawed in most “civilised” to destroy the Master and Hule power. country. Their profits come mainly from Eznik see in this man an opportunity to the bounty taken during raids against the increase his own power if Hule is ever to caravans travelling from Sind to Hule or crumble. He is looking forward to take over Slagovich. Leke’s organisation in a post-Master Midlands. Distinctive Feature: Urduk desert nomads The cooperation between Eznik and Kavkaz Wing Remindan isn’t known to anyone beside them, in fact, in 1000 AC, few have even Headquarters: The Sole Tower in Azkoran heard of Remindan or of his quest. The Guild Master: Eznik “Blackblade” Master has seen the inclusion of the Deghtsunian (T32), Head of the Kavkaz Kavkasian Wing into the Bleak League as an Wing effective way to monitor the political Principal pawns: Varuzhan “The Black evolution of the Black Mountains’ Monk” Trozian (Mystic 13), head of the countries. The Master hasn’t been able to Poisoners Guild in Ienizvan; Zviad find any charges against Eznik and the Holy “Hellhound” Chikradze (T18), chief of the Men see him as a reliable instrument of Chikradze clan in Houriani; Kamarnik power in the region. “Kamo” Sezer (F15), leader of the Most of the relations between the Kavakaz Mountains Skulls in southern Azardjian; Wing and the rest of the Bleak League are Haykush “The Lone Mage” Bozinian peaceful. Only with the Rosin Wing did the (M23), head of the School of Kavkazians have had some dispute over the Thaumaturgical Arts in Sabirdebi; Ghamil status of Erzmin. It is also said that

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problems have aroused between them and he decided to extend his League Northward. the Northern Wing, but if these rumours The Sardjik merchants viewed this alliance are right, then, the dispute were settled as an opportunity to enhance their business locally and didn’t involve Leke Bey’s security throughout the Hulean region, and intervention. they did. Not only did this alliance help Activities: The Kavkasian wing is involved them to oust the local concurrence in the in a multitude of activities throughout the region, but it also protected them of the ban region, but its most productive activities are on foreign trade decided by the Master. This the smuggling of magical items and the is why the Sardjik merchants recently trade of rare magical components. Since this acquired a near monopoly over the trade wing is far more decentralised than its industry in the Midlands. counterpart, many local criminal activities Changes at the head of the Bazaar in Kiteng, are left at the hands of the pawns and are have brought change to the nature of the rarely reported back to the head (sometimes relations between the Northern Wing and due to the Wing’s leadership interference, the Bleak League. The election of the but sometimes simply because no one but prominent merchant Sayed Kharsay at the the local thugs know about these activities). head of the Bazaar, has brought a strong Distinctive Feature: all members of the opponent of the Master – although he isn’t wing wear a golden curved dagger at their openly- at the head of both the Bazaar and belt. the Northern Wing. Sayed Kharsay is, in fact, Kharsay a powerful dragon ruler who Northern Wing has set his own kingdom near Sardjikjian. Kharsay has been contacted by Hartok Headquarters: The Bazaar in Kiteng Stormrider, a tribe leader who is trying to Guild Master: Sayed “Goldfeathers” confederate the Northern Nomads into a Kharsay (officially T25, but 19HD gold new invasion force, they have discussed the dragon) possibility of an alliance that would protect Principal pawns: Immedin Gosbodar (F9, Sardjikjian against the nomads when they Merchant12), head of the Gosbodar family will attack Hule, which is the official goal of in Durfan; Khardan Abimelik (T12, the nomad leader. Merchant 9), head of the Bazaar in Zhorog; The two weren’t able to keep their alliance Alishaer “Camel Breath” Niyazi (T19), secret, however, Leke Bey has learned about head of the Special Guard in Tachgoun; the deal and has informed the Master about Oraz “Sharp Sabre” Shtoïk (F20), leader of it. For the moment both are waiting to see the Midlands’ Rovers; Kamil “Darokin” if Kharsay is going to deepen his alliance, Djaev (T9, Merchant 15), head of the Djaev they are also preparing to try to subjugate family in Nyabur him, a task that the Master has successfully Description: The Northern Wing is more done with lesser dragons, but Kharsay is a merchant guild than a criminal syndicate. another kind of game. However, given that the Sardjik merchants’ Activities: Most of the Northern Wing activities are always at the edge of legality, activities revolve around trade and banking. they were the one that Leke Bey called when Some brigands are used to discourage

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competition from alien merchants in the Distinctive Feature: Each member of the territory of the wing, but such criminal wing wears the same engraved ring on the activities are sparse. Every kind of activities left hand’s middle finger. On the ring is involving violence are the task of the inscribed the person’s rank in the Wing’s assassins’ guild of Kiteng or Tachgoun who hierarchy as well as the name of that are held under permanent contract by the person’s family or sub-organisation. Wing.

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Appendix 2 – Bulzanian Religious Sects

The Patriarchs The Cult of the Builders (Church of Bulzan, the Agrarian Faith) (The Craftsmen Church) The Patriarchs’ is the largest order among This is a genuine urban Bulzanian cult the faiths in Bulzan and one of the oldest. dedicated to the Immortals that favour Its principal aim is the respect of the old creative activities, crafts or arts. Most of the Bulzanian ways and the development of the sect’s followers are found in the craftsmen Bulzanian nation through procreation, organisations. Its philosophy strongly colonisation and war. Its ultimate objective supports creative activities and sees creation would be to revive the power that as the only way to avoid living an absurd represented Bulzan during the fourth and senseless life. Creation is viewed as a century BC. The Patriarchs spread a divine act that brings humans closer to the philosophy of respect for the elders and Immortals ad give them a part of encourage the cult of the ancestors. They immortality as their creation will survive hold that all people should be able to their mortal end. This cult is animated by increase their happiness through hard work the idea that, if all the people in the world and the respect of the established create just one thing the human race will institutions. For them, the only way for regain their lost time and demigod status [a anybody to grow is by facing the obstacles reference to the technological age of that are always sown on the path to Blackmoor]. The Cult of the Builders is happiness. People must accept these strongly opposed to all the chaotic or evil obstacles and try to succeed by their own faiths that seek to destroy or change any means without seeking outside help. The type of creation. Patriarchs believe that religion is so Immortals revered: important in everybody’s life that it should – Steriag (Asterius) – Svarog (Kagyar) have a more important place in Bulzanian – Svarozhic (Rathanos) – Karzelek politics. It ignores the other sects and (Garl) considers them a distraction that takes the – Weles (Tiresia) – Doregar (12 Bulzanians from the rightful path and this Watchers) puts them in conflict with the majority of – Palarok (Palartarkan) the other sects. Delegates to the Council: Steliana Kobori Immortals revered: (C25, of the 12 Watchers), Emil Vulpes – Dazhbog (Ixion) – Perun (Odin) (C21, of Tiresia) and Virgilio Toda (C16, – Gozhar (Razud) – Taras (Tarastia) of Kagyar) – Matka (Terra) – Jarila (Valeria) – Forsetta–Dzarovit (Thor) The Woodland Cult – Striborg (Cretia) (The Way of Nature, the Forest Church) Delegates to the Council: Dragos Iorgan This is one of the oldest sects of Bulzan. Its (C28, of Razud), Tibor Mazilu (C25, of followers are found mainly in the forested Odin) and Felicia Torok (C18, of Terra) areas and around Rockwater. The followers of the Forest Church place a particular

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importance in the conservation of the – Eylenmek (Faunus) – Yazibali forests and their inhabitants. The sect’s (Talitha) philosophy sect enjoins to live in a way that – Buyulome (Thanatos) – Guzelik will not disrupt the balance between man (Pearl) and nature. It is seen as a peaceful Church Delegates to the Council: Dilara Kazaz where war is viewed as a threat towards (C22, of Loki), Ekber “The Choleric” nature. However, its followers are quick to Nursel (C22, of Alphaks) and Harika fight to protect the forests. This sect is Lacusta (C17, of Talitha) secretly opposed to the Master and sees his Greatrealm declaration as the first step The Way of the Law towards the destruction of the great forest of Brought in by missionaries that wander the Niwhelm (the Dark Wood). It is also northern plains and by Sardjik merchants, opposed to the Patriarchs and the Cult of this cult has the favour of some city– the Builders as these two faiths represent for dwellers mainly in the administrative circles them a threat to the balance between and of the semi–nomadic Bulzanian humans and nature. communities on the border with the Yazak Immortals revered: Steppes. The followers of the Way of the – Bilbog (Djaea) – Yarilo (Faunus) Law and of the Temple of Chaos are always – Svaroz (Ka) – Simargl (Ordana) opposed, at times with violent conflict. – Mati (Terra) – Simorg (Zirchev) Immortals revered: – Chiron – Lado (Frey) / Lada (Freyja) – Odin – Thor Delegates to the Council: Mattias Dobre – Terra – Frey (C27, of Ordana), Tibor Bojin (C24, of – Ka – Diamond Zirchev) and Zaharia Osadci (C17, of – Freyja – Ostara Djaea) Delegates to the Council: Magda Beklea (C20, of Freyja) and Vlad Mazilu (C18, of The Temple of Chaos Odin) Brought to Bulzan by the Hulean armies and settlers, this faith is important among The People’s Temple the Hulean population of Bulzan and in the (The Church of the Scriptures) criminal organisations throughout the This sect is dedicated to the goal of country. This faith is in open conflict with establishing a greater equality in Bulzanian the Way of the Law. It is also against the society. It encourages learning as an Fiendish Cult that seeks to take its place in instrument of political emancipation and Bulzanian society. The relationship with the end of the strict corporative system. It is Patriarchs is also rather tense. particularly active when it comes to helping Immortals revered: the poorest Bulzanians and it is possibile to – Bozdogan (Loki) – Yalamenek find its members in the Dasarian shelters (Masauwu) commited to teaching the people. For them – Savashan (Orcus) – Veleketer everybody is equal at birth and should have (Alphaks) the same chance to develop through learning. For the followers of this sect, the

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only thing that distinguishes the sentient it provides shelter and care for the poorest races from animals is their capacity to learn. Bulzanians. It is particularly opposed to the The ultimate life goal for this religion is to Fiendish Cult. add to the world knowledge by one’s Immortals revered: experiences, studies or achievements. Many – Chardastes – Tarastia Bulzanian scholars are part of this sect. This – Patura – Terra sect is opposed to the conservatism forces in Bulzanian society, be it the Patriarchs or the Delegates to the Council: Janos Troester Corporations. It has good relations with the (C19, of Chardastes) forces that seek to aid the Bulzanian poor like the “Proscris” of the Dasarian shelters. The Fiendish Cult This sect would probably be hunted down Immortals revered: in many other societies, as its followers place – Dodola (Diulanna) – Bilbog (Djaea) their faith in the hands of the worst – Swaroz (Ka) – Khoron (Khoronus) immortal creatures. But, in Bulzanian – Volos (Koryis) – Taras (Tarastia) society, they are seen as a part of the natural – Dvorov (Ssu–Ma) balance of the world as long as they don’t Delegates to the Council: Mihas Grul cause too much destruction. This sect has its (C22, di Ssu–Ma) and Adelina Ilie (M19) roots in the belief of the tribes that demons, were once in conflict with the Yazak cities. The Church of Traladara It is dedicated to the goal of destroying all Found mainly in southern Bulzan, this faith living things. It despises everything that can was brought by the Traladaran colonists extend the reign of the living in the world. during the fifth century AC. Its tolerance Its philosophy is somewhat nihilistic views and the belief of a Golden Age to come for the destruction of everything as a legitimate the Traladarans and their allies characterise life goal. Usually this sect is torn apart by it. Since 983 AC, when the troubles started internecine rivalry, but, as currently a cleric by the Church of Traladara in Olgar were of Swiatonid (Atzanteotl) is the head of the quelled, the Church of Traladara was sect, their approach is more methodical and outlawed in Bulzan. clever. Immortals revered: Immortals revered: – Halav – Petra – Swiatonid (Atzanteotl) – Baba Jaga – Zirchev (Nyx) – Triglav (Demogorgon) – Chernobog The Dasarian (Bartziluth) This philosophy comes from a by now – Rugievit (Bagni) – Leptar semi–extinct western civilisation. It seeks Delegates to the Council: Aurel Paraska the ultimate victory of good against the (C23, of Atzanteotl) forces of evil. It is a minor cult in Bulzan but

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Appendix 3 – The Guardian Spirits of the Converted Lands

Guardian spirits are ethereal creatures found standard daily offering needed to keep a everywhere in the Converted Lands’ rural spirit varies in function of the wealth of the areas. People tend to respect them and give household or person doing the ritual. offerings to appease them or to bring their Failure to do the offerings and rituals brings protection upon the household. The a daily cumulative 5% chance that the spirit worshippers of the Bulzanian Agrarian Cult will leave or be angered (the spirit will leave (The Patriarchs’ sect) are particularly on a roll of 1-4 on 1d6, and be angered on disciplined when it come to the respect due a roll of 5 or 6). There is no way to keep a to the different kind of spirits. Guardian guardian spirit from leaving once it has spirits of the Converted lands are helpful if decided to do so and a new one must be correctly respected but can become summoned. An angry spirit won’t leave on annoying or even deadly if someone’s the spot, he will try to play tricks against his behaviour offend them. former masters or even hurt them, his The way to get a guardian spirit to watch protection against evil will disappear and it over an area is somewhat the same for all won’t give any great power. There is two kind of spirit, though the nature of the ways to get rid of an angry spirit: to destroy offerings and the ritual may change a little. him in combat (their combat statistics are The oldest family member to the next given at the end of the description) or to generation usually tells the rituals. The daily appease him. To appease a guardian spirit, offerings needed to get a guardian spirit in a one must give two times more offering to specific area are usually made of goods him during at least a week, after this lapse of worth between of 10 sp per day, for a time the spirit may simply leave, he may be peasant family, and 10 gp per day, for a rich appeased and will grant back its powers, or family. Each day in which the correct rituals he may stay angry, then the only way to get are made brings 1% of chance that a spirit rid of it would be to destroy it. will come with a maximum of 60%. Every Normally, an angered spirit won’t attack on skipped day reduce the chances of getting a the spot, it will prefer to play malicious spirit by the same 1%. If somebody fails to tricks to the entire household. However, if do the correct rituals during a week or more, someone tries to destroy it, it will materialise his chances are brought back to 0%, and the and defend itself with the last of the entire process must be redone from the energies. In combat, only magical weapons beginning. can reach the guardian spirit ethereal Once a guardian spirit decides to live in a substance. Also, spirits are immunised from building or area, offerings of the correct any mind-controlling spells. nature to the spirits must still be made daily, All guardian spirits have two kind of magical otherwise some of the bad aspects of the powers. Their common power is to protect spirits may materialise. As for the offerings from evil (the same way as the clerical spell needed to bring a guardian spirit, the Protection from Evil 10’ radius) the entire

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building or area in which they live. This firing of the sauna, or sometimes the fourth common power is in effect as long as they to the Bannik. One did not want to disturb stay in the building or area that they have to him while bathing, though, or he might just protect or as long as they aren’t angered. throw hot water on them. Other times he The second, the greater power differs from would use his sharp claws to flay his victim one kind of guardian spirit to the other and alive. Besides a firing of the sauna, they like is not automatically granted to the offerings of soap, and fir branches. The summoner or to the area where the spirit Bannik usually takes on the ethereal lives. For it to be used, the summoner of the appearance of a member or friend of the spirit must prove his total worship by giving family. additional offerings and rituals. For the The Bannik is responsible for the protection guardian spirit to accept to use its greater of the bathing house and of its users; its power offerings must be multiplied by three Protection from Evil power extends to the as should be the time allowed for the rituals. entire building and may be enjoy by any of This must go on for at least a month, after its occupants if they do the required which there is a cumulative 5% per day that offerings and rituals. It manifests himself in the spirit will accept to use its greater power. times of danger to warn people using the Usually, guardian spirits can’t use more bath. The greater power the Bannik may than four times their greater power in a grant to somebody is the ability to given year. Commune, as with the clerical spell. The As ethereal creatures, they are invisible most person must ask three question, which the of the time, however, each spirit has is own Bannik will answer to by yes or no. preferred material manifestation, which it will utilise to reward or to punish people. The presence of a guardian spirit in a particular place can always be discovered by a Detect Magic spell. There are currently four different types of guardian spirits, each of which inhabiting a different place and interacting with human in different ways.

Bannik: Bathhouse spirit. In the Converted Lands, bathhouses are like saunas with an inner steaming room and an outer room for changing. They are dark and frightening and like many scary places, are considered perfect for divinations. They are also the place most often used for child-bearing. No newborn is left there long, though, lest the fairies would steal him. No religious icons are allowed in the bathhouse, neither, as they may offend its true occupant - the Bannik. It is customary to offer every third

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In combat the Bannik will take the material form of a big dog with steam coming out of its ears. A successful attack made by the bannik will result by the paralysis of its victim (for 2-8 turns), Fortitude DC 14. HD: 6d6+6, hp: 30, Spd: 20 feet, fly 60 feet, AC: 14 (11 nat + 3 Dex) touch 14, flat- footed 11, attacks: 2 claws (1d6/1d6 + paralysis Fortitude DC 14), Chaotic, Str 10, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 13.

Domovoi and Kikimora: Male and female house spirits. The Domovik and kikimora are the commonest spirit to be found in the Converted Lands. They usually live in the attic, behind the stove, under the threshold or in the stables or cattle barn. They are thought to be responsible for all domestic went in, to attract the domovoi. When a prosperity and tranquillity and finish chores person moved, the coals from the stove were when family members forget. They will taken with them and the formal invitation howl and moan to warn of approaching “Domovoi, Domovoi, don’t stay here. trouble, and pull hair to warn a woman in Come with our family” is recited to ensure danger of abuse from a man. He can be that the Domovoi came along to the new heard laughing if good times are ahead, and home. Salted bread, wrapped in a white if you hear him strumming a comb, there is cloth will appease the domovoi as will a wedding in the future. The Domovoi putting clean white linen in his favourite should be fed nightly or he may cause room - an invitation to eat with the family. trouble, much like a poltergeist. Usually, if You can also hang your old shoes in the yard neglected, he will simply leave. To attract a to brighten the Domovik’s mood. The domovoi, one should put on his finest domovik and kikimora usually resembles in clothing, go outside and say “Dedushka their material form as a male or female head Dobrokhot (grandfather well-wisher), come of household, living or dead. If he shows live with us and tend the flocks.” himself, it is usually to warn of death. He can also be heard weeping when death Special care is taken in the Converted Lands approaches a member of the household. to only obtain pets and farm animals in the Domovoi’s favourite colour. Each new In addition to their power to protect the horse is introduced formally to the entire household from evil, Domovoi may Domovoi for the spirit took especially good also use its Cureall greater power on any care of the animals he liked but tormented member of the household four times a year. the ones he didn’t. Also, any food or water brought into a building inhabited by a Domovoi will be When a new house is built, the owner would purified as with the clerical spell Purify Food put a piece of bread down before the stove and Water.

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In combat, the Domovoi will keep its human appearance and throw anything at hand (pots, pans, utensils, chairs, etc) against its opponent. One gaze of the angered Domovoi is enough to get a mental disease (-2 to Intelligence, the character will feel down and desperate, there is even a risk that he may try to commit suicide, until the disease is magically cured) Fortitude DC 13. HD: 5d6+5, hp: 26, Spd: 20 feet, fly 60 feet, AC: 13 (10 nat + 3 Dex) touch 13, flat- footed 10, attacks: 2 missiles or gaze (1d8/1d8 or disease), Neutral, Str 10, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 13.

The Kikimora dislikes lazy women and protect good housewives, rocking their babies during the night. In a house where neglect reigns the kikimora subjects its As well as the power of protection from evil inhabitants to every type of harrasment and the Kikimora can cure disease in a family she spins at night making the spindle member 3 times a year. Kikimoras don’t whistle. It is said that a person that sees a attack openly, preferring to cast sleep spells kikimora spin at the house’s entrance is and tormenting the sleeoing victim. destined to die soon. To placate the HD: 5d6+5, hp: 26, Spd: 20 feet, fly 60 feet, kikimora’s wrath you have to wash all the AC: 13 (10 nat + 3 Dex) touch 13, flat- pots and dishes with male fern. A pierced footed 10, attacks: 2 claws (1d6/1d6 + stone or a bunch of juniper twigs, hung over paralysis Fortitude DC 13), Chaotic, Str 10, the hen house, would be the remedies Dex 16, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 13. needed to protect the eggs. The kikimora is portrayed as an old woman with a long nose like a bird’s beak and with chicken legs. The word kikimora means evil mora spirit, this latter indentifiable as a sort of nightmare. When the Kikimora inhabits a house, it lives behind the stove or in the cellar, and usually produces noises similar to those made by mice to obtain food. The normal Kikimora is usually accompanied by her male counterpart the Domovoi, of particular note is the Kikimore of the swamps which instead are the mates of the Leshii.

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Dvorovoi: Yard spirits. Like the domovoi, his material form usually resembles the male head of household and has preferences as to the colour of pets and livestock. He is usually malicious and sometimes, but not often, deadly. Placing a shiny object appeases him, slice of bread and piece of sheep’s wool in the stables while saying “Master Dvorovik, I offer you this gift in gratitude. Please look after the cattle and feed them well.” The dvorovoi protect the entire yard or field from evil. If correctly and rigorously served he can also accept to use its powers of Growth of Plant, as the magic-user spell and of Growth of Animals as the clerical spell (each of which may be ask and granted up to for times a year). In combat, the dvorovoi keeps its human manifestation attacking with bare hands. However, its blows are so powerful that they may even affect the best-protected person. Also, a successful hit will paralyse the victim if they fail their saving throw (Fortitude DC 14). HD: 7d6+7, hp: 35, Spd: 30 feet, fly 90 feet, AC: 15 (12 nat + 3 Dex) touch 15, flat- footed 12, attacks: 2 fists (1d10+2/1d10+2 + paralysis Fortitude DC 14), Chaotic, Str 14, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 13.

Ovinnik: Barn spirit. The threshing barn of the Converted Lands is a 2 story building with a furnace entrenched in earth on the first floor and the second floor for drying the grain. It is ruled by the ovinnik. You could known to burn down the barn, usually with sometimes hear him laughing or barking its owner or the owner’s children in it. like a dog from the corner of the barn in which he lived. Offerings of blini or the last The ovinnik protect the barn and the people sheaf were left to him. If angered, he is inside it from evil, it also grants the building the power to Resist Fire as the clerical spell does. The greater power of the ovinnik is the

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power to Create Food as a cleric of the ninth to the bearer of such an item unless the fire level. is brought down. An angered ovinnik will appear as a huge HD: 5d6+6, hp: 25, Spd: 30 feet, fly 90 feet, dishevelled black cat with burning eyes. It AC: 13 (10 nat + 3 Dex) touch 13, flat- will attack with its claws, but can also breath footed 10, attacks: 2 claws or breath fire once every two rounds. The fire breath (1d6+1/1d6+1 + fire breath), neutral, Str causes only 1d10 damage but will ignite any 12, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha kind of paper, cloth, wood or straw that it 13. touches, thus adding 1d2 damage per round

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Appendix 4 –Woodland Folk and Spririts and Guardians of the Fields

The Hulean region known as the Converted these rituals would make any serious magic Lands comprise the western kingdoms that user laugh, they shouldn’t be taken lightly surround the Janizary Lands, is a region full and can have important effects on the of magical creatures who where forced out everyday lives of the region’s common folk. of the Dark Wood by the power of the When travelling in the Converted Lands, it Master’s evil. The woodland creatures were is important to remember that magic is forced to seek hideouts throughout the everywhere and that the simpilest ritual can region, with the hope of returning to their hide a significant spell or summon magical land once the Master has been defeated. As entities. most of the forest-covered southern region had been deforested to create fields for the The Woodland Folk human agrarian societies, these woodland The woodland creatures of Niwhelm were creatures had no choice but to interact with forced to abandon their forest when the the region’s humans. Master took control of Hule four centuries This constant interaction between humans ago. Since then they have been forced to and woodland creatures and spirits has merge into the surrounding human societies forged the rural culture into one of deep or flee into the cold Zdredanyan Forest. All superstitious beliefs based on the constant kinds of woodland creatures can be found in use of small magical rituals. If, initially, the Converted Lands, some are highly

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integrated into human society, while others, the Converted Lands. Their chaotic more secretive, have preferred to remain behaviour usually doesn’t help them to hidden in the smaller woods that dot the integrate into some of the more “civilised” entire region. areas. However, the Master’s control over Centaurs: The more popular man-horse Niwhelm has forced them to flee to safer people are probably the Niwhelm areas, closer to human communities. Many inhabitants that have most easily melded of them have found refuge in the part of the with the surrounding human communities. Dark Wood on the border with Olgar, Although this cohabitation isn’t always others fled to La Pineda or to the Marmureg problem free, centaurs can be found around Wood to the south of the Empire, and a most of the villages that are close to a wood final group decided to brave the climate of or forest and also, in rarer occasions, in the Zdredanyan Forest in northern Antasyn cities. The largest community of centaurs in and Monzag. A small group of satyrs to the Converted Lands can be found near settle in the Antasynian communities near Chetniu in Bulzan, in the forested hills of Leqan and Gur Zorab, there, they were able Gur Zorab in Antasyn and in northern to mix into the local population and adopt Monzag, where they collaborate with the some of their customs even though rebels fighting the Huleans. animosity is still palpable between the two races, particularly in the evening, after the Wila (Dryads): Adventuring dryads are closing of the local taverns. present throughout the entire region mixing with humans whilst keeping their secret Kurin (Hsiao): the legendary Sage-Owl of identity hidden from their human the Converted Lands is a respected and counterparts. Hamadryads, or dryads revered creature throughout the region. attached to a soul-tree, can, however, only Although there are few in the region (the be seen in the deepest forests of northern Master has ordered his army to eliminate Antasyn and Monzag. them on sight) they are very important in the region’s customs and beliefs. People Satyrs (Fauns): Satyrs usually don’t interact usually visit them in their hideouts to ask for too much with the human communities of advice or for their great knowledge. Some of

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them are known to be among the most love trees and it is said that they have been powerful magic-users in the Converted heard weeping after a tree has been felled. Lands. They are the protectors of the forest and all Leshii: A Leshy usually appears as a tall its creatures. human (large size), but is able to change The Leshy is the wood’s evil spirit. No one their size from that of a blade of grass exactly knows their original appearance, but (Diminutive size) to that of the tallest tree it is said that they look like particularly ugly (Gargantuan size). It has long hair and and big winged fauns. The Leshii are able to beards made of living grass and vines, and it use Polymorph Self at will into any type of is sometimes shown with a tail, hooves and non-magical forest being (plants and horns. It has palid white skin that contrasts animals) or humanoid form. They can also with its bright green eyes. A Leshy has a use a charm similar to mass charm once per close bond with the grey wolf, the king of day. They are usually accompanied by a beasts in the folklore of the Converted small pack of wolves (1–8, normal) or, in Lands. It is also said that they are often seen rarer occasions, with one or two bears (black in the company of bears. They are the Lords or grizzly). They are opposed to treants and of the forest and carry a club to convey their challenge them if they are found in the status. It has blue blood, which gives its cheeks a bluish hue. Legend describes it as having a red scarf and their left shoe on their right foot when taking the semblance of a common human. They are also known for having no shadow. At times they are said to have wings and a tail and are covered in black hairs. Many describe them with goat hooves and horns like fauns. They are usually described as having green eyes. The Leshii can assume the form of a familiar person and seduce them with the sound of their voice. Once in their domain, they could tickle their victims to death. They can also become a hare, a wolf, a bear, a raven, hog, horse, cockerel, a fir or a mushroom. The Leshii

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Leshy’s territory. Their preferred food is destroyed or forced into exile in the young fairies and dryads, although they northern Zdredanyan Forest by the growing don’t dislike grabbing a human for dinner power of the Leshii. Surviving treants of the or just for the fun of seeing it suffer. Converted Lands tend to be quite angry The Leshii are the traditional adversaries of about their situation and protect more the treants for the control of Niwhelm. jealously than everywhere else their With the arrival of the Master of Hule, they territories. They can be seen mainly in the reached an agreement with him, the Dark forests stretching from northern Monzag Wood would be protected from further down to Zorab Gur in Antasyn. human expansion in exchange for the Poludnik (Wood Imp): Wood Imps are Leshii’s alliance with the Master. Leshii can rare in the Converted Lands since, unlike be found mainly in the Dark Wood and in the rest of the Woodland Folk, they the surrounding woods and, less frequently, accepted the Master’s Rule and even in the Zdredanyan Forest or in the wooded cooperated with him like the Leshii. As they valleys of the Black Mountains. revere the same entropic Immortals as the They are masters of shapechanging but have Huleans, they agreed to serve the Master as two main forms, a large sized winged satyr long as the Dark Wood is protected from and a large sized humanoid with a club. The excessive development. It is said that they, transformations work like the alter self spell, with the Leshii, now rule the entire forest of the change in size like the enlarge person or the Dark Wood as agents of the Master. reduce person spells except for the second The Fair Folk: Pixies, sprites, pooka, and they can only change their size by up to the rest of the Fair Folk aren’t usually seen three categories. near human settlements. However, as the HD: 8d1 0, hp: 90, Spd: 30 feet, fly 60 feet, number of undead and humanoids grew in AC: 15 (–1 size + 4 nat + 2 Dex) touch 15, the Dark Wood they were also forced to flee flat-footed 13, attacks: 2 fists or club from Niwhelm. Before the Master’s arrival (1d8+7/1d8+7 or club), Chaotic, Str 21, in the forest, there were three great fairy Dex 1 4, Con 15, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 7. kingdoms in Niwhelm: Bram, Ja and Minuar. The first two were forced to leave Musail (Treant): Before the arrival of the in hurry to the Zdredanyan Forest in Master, Niwhelm (Dark Wood) had been a northern Antasyn, the third one caught off great forest full of treants who protected the guard by the sudden arrival of skeletons and forest’s smaller beings. Now, it is rumoured goblins on its territory was decimated and that some of them stayed in the Dark Wood its population was forced to merge with the to fight the evil forces brought in by the dwindling Fey Kingdom in La Pineda. Master, but most of them had been

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Appendix 5 – The Grand Master of Hule

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There are many rumours about the true door open, at roll call 5 of their companions identity of this mysterious character, surely were missing and in particular one of these the most well-known that is spread on had last been seen near the closed door. purpose by his Holy Men is about Hosad’s Within the room they found a sarcophagus, reincarnation but in secret the legends on broken pots, some traces of cloth similar to his true identity have spread and many of pieces of bandage and a parchment on his opponents engage adventurers to which their companion had evidently enquire about every single clue. In fact, copied the inscription. As soon as the storm acting purely from the Empire’s capital, calmed they left the ruins which were never Greatrealm, few have seen the Master’s found again. It may be asked what all this appearance but those few describe him as a has to do with the Master of Hule, well as man of about 50 years with a hard face and soon as he arrived in Slagovich the caravan eyes that shine with an inner light that leader wanted to enquire about what was express wisdom but also scorn. He always written on the parchment, found an elder of wears a dark cloak that he decorates in the Ksars people who was abucted as a child glowing magic runes with a long mage tunic by humanoids and later luckily freed and underneath. It isn’t known if his powers are taken to Slagovich. The elder knew how to clerical, as may be thought as he is at the read the strange language or it was at least head of Bozdogan’s faith or if he is a similar to his. The writing told the story of powerful mage as many others suppose. But a man who had rebelled against the laws of the wilder myths describe him as a monster his state to profess the faith of another that has taken human appearance or even an Immortal, had for years wove deceptions undead. In Slagovic they recount a story, a and plots to increase his followers and caravan travelling from Sind during a revolted against the authorities. His plan sandstorm found refuge in some ancient was discovered and he and his followers ruins, managed to find the way into what condemned, who committed suicide before looked like an ancient pyramid of which the sentence was executed and because of only the truncated base remained, every this he was cursed to suffer his punishment writing or symbol was irreparably ruined. in undeath and underwent the process of Desperate because of the storm’s increase mummification, was known and called by they forced entry and sought refuge inside. his followers by the title of Grand Master. Inside they found a wide hall, statues and Now that this ancient people have columns were destroyed only an inscription, disappeared and nobody remembers incised on the only dor within the hall anything about them. Whether or not this seemed salvageable. Spending a night and story refers to the Master of Hule nobody the following morning they found that only knows.

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GREAT HULE & KAVKAZ

This module describes the populations that live in the regions to the south of the Midlands, to the west of the Great Waste, to the north of the Savage Coast and to the east of the Yazak Steppes.

This huge territory has always been fought over by the various populations that have passed through it and that have chosen to settle down there, sees two large countries today. Most of the region is called Great Hule, the expanding Empire that controls the Great Valley of the Nine Kingdoms and the western kingdoms that fall under its shadow.

To the east on the Black Mountains is Kavkaz where five proud Kingdoms resist Great Hule’s expanding Empire.

Religious wars and barbarian invasions have marked this territory for millennia and while peace seems far off, war seems only to awaiting a trigger and this time the objective seems to be to the east.