An Empire Torn

A Brief History of the World

The Known World...Nernlünd

Vadek

Cathlona

DragonessenDragon’s Eye

Fenlock Island

Dramur IslandMoon’s Rest

Island

250 miles

1000 years ago...

Empire of the Rising Sun

The Red MoonRepublic

The Iron Kingdom

250 miles

The Empire of the Rising SunThe Old Empire was established in 847BH by the First Sun Emperor Rassius. Leading a huge army of Dragonborn from Dragon’s Eye he conquered all of the fertile lands of Dragonessen in just 7 years, leaving the Red Moon Republic to their barren lands. Legends says that Rassius rode a Dragon made of sunlight and that no foe could stand against him. Over the next 100 years, the Empire expanded it’s influence to cover the island of Cathlona, the Islands of the sunken continent and the southern reaches of Nordlünd. With the ascension of the Third Sun Emperor Krissom, the Old Empire made peace with it’s neighbors and entered a golden age lasting over 700 years.

The Sun Emperors were devout followers of Pelor and were granted the power to rule by a vote of the High Priests of Pelor. In it’s golden age, a senate was set up beneath the Emperor to ensure that the people had a voice in the running of the Empire. During the golden age all races were equal and people moved all about the Empire so that now much of the world has a diverse mixture of races. It is commonly agreed that the Old Empire was the pinnacle of civilization and that we have since descended into an age of darkness.

Since the time of the Old Empire much has been lost. Many of the secrets of the Arcane have vanished in the sands of time, and the great cities of old are falling into ruin, the art of their construction lost to us now.

The Howling (150 years ago)...

Empire of the Rising Sun

The Iron Kingdom

Lasted 15 years250 miles

The Howling160 years ago, a great plague broke out in the Red Moon Republic. For 3 years the Council of the Moon desperately sought a cure for the plague, resorting to isolation and culling to attempt to control the spread of the plague. Then, at a meeting of the council, disaster struck. A child carrying the plague, but showing no symptoms found his way into the council chambers and infected the council. The resulting panic amongst the council elders ended their cohesive control of the plague and within weeks the whole country was infected.

The plague affected only the goblinoid species, but these made up the majority of the Republic’s population. The first stage of infection turned their eye’s blood red and put the victim into a deep sleep that they could not be woken from. After about a week the victim would wake up with an insatiable hunger. Thus began the second stage of infection where the victim’s body would begin to grow and swell as they feasted uncontrollably. The third, and final stage of infection would follow shortly after. In the third stage the victim’s hunger drove them to madness and a pain so great that they began to continuously Howl and froth at the mouth. In all three stages the victim is incredibly infectious and in the last stage driven to bouts of rage. This rage was never directed towards other infected victims, instead they sought out uninfected people to infect or kill and devour.

It is said that in the days after the council lost control, those on the border could hear the howls echoing across the mountains. Then, on 14th Krissom 0AH, the first horde of The Infected attacked the settlements at the end of Red Moon Pass, killing everyone they caught and feasting on the bodies of the fallen.

The Howling (continued)The Howling Plague caused the goblinoid females it infected to become hyper fertile and enter a mating frenzy. Their offspring were infected in the womb and birth and growth to adulthood was achieved at an unbelievable rate and with terrible mutations. The races of the Orcs and Trolls were formed from the two most common mutations, and oddly these races now breed true.

The seemingly endless hordes poured out of what was the Red Moon Republic for 15 years. During the course of the war with the Hordes the surrounding countryside was ripped bare and the Old Empire was stretched beyond breaking point. In 10AH, the 28th Sun Emperor Droniss was killed in battle trying to force a Horde army into the sea after a surprise invasion in the south of Dragonessen. His death left no heir to the throne and in the resulting leadership chaos the Empire fell apart into the countries that we know today.

In 15AH, the Howling Plague stopped as suddenly as it started and to this day no one knows the cause of either the plague or its end. The warlord Kenvian came to power in the lands of the Horde, and he refused to yield the land that had been taken in the war claiming that the true strength of Goblin kind had now been shown.Kenvian continues to rule the Horde to this day, and an uneasy truce holds with the Horde and the other nations of the world.

We all pray that we have seen the last of the Howling Plague, for if it comes again, it may not stop. Look for the red eyes of the Howl and net none remain.

The Current Day (Year 157 AH)The Iron Kingdom

Kenvian Horde

FreeholdVadek CityStates

Tarsoon

Cathlona

Laroush

Red MoonRepublic

Serlan AnsirMerna

Empire of theHoly Sun

250 miles

The Ansirian PrincipalitiesWhen the eastern provinces of Timerus and Frastium become cut off from the rest of the Old Empire, resupply to the forces there became impossible. So the bulk of the Imperial army became stationed in the West provinces of Dragonessen. The war was long and hard, but the fresh supply of troops to the west ensured that the desperate tactics used by Laroush were never needed in the West.

When the Empire collapsed in 10AH, the West provinces became united under the banner of Lord General Ansir, a brilliant leader of the Imperial army. A superb strategist and tactician, he organized the most effective defenses of the war, only the surprise costal invasion of the southern provinces caught him off guard and he was still quick enough to react and save his forces from being split in two.

When the Howling ended and a reluctant, but necessary, peace was signed, Lord Ansir divided up the provinces and appointed his most trusted advisors as Princes of each. The Kingdom survived happily for 60 years until Lord Ansir died. His son was an unpopular king who saw no need to maintain a large standing army, or in helping improve the lives of the poor in the Kingdom. The People’s Revolution of 104AH came as no surprise to much of the world, but the result was a divided kingdom. In the West the People’s Republic of Merna was established, whilst the 12 princes of Ansir created the Ansirian Principalities in the East. The princes each maintain large armies, but in recent years these have been used more in the rivalry between the prince’s than to guard the border lands. Still boasting some of the most brilliant commanders in the world, the borderlands of Ansir are starting to feel the toll of 30 years of barely contained Horde raids.

The Cathlonian CouncilThe Jungle Island of Cathlona is the mysterious home of the Eladrin race. Never fully tamed by the Old Empire, in the century since it’s fall the jungle has reclaimed the whole island. Explorers into the jungle tell tales of giant beasts and huge cities that float on the breeze. Some scholars have theorized that Cathlona is closely linked to the fey world, but others say that the whole world was once covered in dense jungle like Cathlona and that the Island is a glimpse into our worlds past.

Since the fall of the Old Empire, the Cathlonian Council now rules the Island. This council, consisting of the 10 oldest Eladrin, has been slowly removing itself from the dealings of the rest of the world. The majority of Eladrin cities are rumored to be hidden deep in the jungle of Cathlona, but there are a handful of known Eladrin settlements on the fringes of the jungle. There is little organized travel or trade between Cathlona and the rest of the world, but those traders that do brave the jungle cities of the Island return with the finest silks and perfumes.

At the time of the Howling there were a number of Imperial settlements on the Island, but since the jungles have reclaimed the land there is only one city left. The city of Cauloon is a bustling centre of culture, famed for it’s theatre and arts. It is also the staging point for those explorers brave enough to delve into the jungle for the lost settlements of the Old Empire. It is believed that just as in Tarsoon, where the Old Empire began the War-forged project, there where other projects designed to end the war, which are now lost in the abandoned settlements. However, no one who has returned from the jungles has managed to find any of the old settlements thus far.

The City of FreeholdThe fortress city of Freehold can be found on the South-Eastern coast of Nordlünd. The great fortress, which the city was built behind, existed long before the Old Empire colonized the Southern reaches of the continent, clearly the remains of some long lost civilization. The legends say that the fortress was carved from a mountain range and that its walls have never been breached by any assault.

When the rest of the province fell to the advancing forces of the Iron Army during the Howling, Freehold refused to yield. Held by just 1000 men, the fortress withstood siege for 3 years supplied from the sea by the Vadek navy. The Iron Kingdom signed a peace treaty with the city granting them nearby lands as a sign of respect for the bravery of the fortress’ defenders.

In recent years, Freehold has turned into a massive trading port buy running smuggling routes past the Vadek Toll line. Many traders have taken advantage of the chance to avoid the ever increasing Vadek Toll on shipping, making Freehold a wealthy city. When Vadek tried to blockade Freeport in 155AH, the Iron Fleet of the Iron Kingdom sailed to intercept the blockading forces. The Vadek Navy quietly backed down, but their fleets still try to intercept the smuggler vessels which cross the Vadek Sea.

The population of Freehold is an eclectic mix of all races. The finest sailors from all the world come to Freehold to seek their fame and fortune on the dangerous Smuggler’s Run.

The Empire of the Holy SunThe small island of Dragon’s Eye, once the origin of the First Sun Emperor Rassius, is now the last vestige claiming to trace back to the Old Empire. Ruling from the once glorious Imperial City, the New Sun Emperor Grissius has vowed to forge a new Empire of the Holy Sun from the ashes of the Old Empire. An even more devout worshipper than any of the Emperors of old, in 108AH Grissius pulled the warring tribes of Dragonborn that populate the island back into a single unified group. Claiming to have been sent to Dragon’s Eye by Pelor himself, Grissius has set about rebuilding the shattered remains of civilization on the island.

Though once the seat of the Old Empire, the war with the Horde forced the island into financial ruin. The shattering of the empire only made matters worse as hundreds of the island’s noble lords fled to the wealthier corners of the world. The only wealth the island can call on now is the sale of rock, marble and stone mined from the ruins of the Imperial city, and the exploration of the ruin’s depths which turns up rare artifacts from time to time.

Though peaceful to date, the Empire of the Holy Sun has its neighbors on edge. These countries have prospered since the end of the Howling, and have no desire to return power to the Dragon’s Eye. The New Sun Emperor has vowed to restore the Empire to its former glory and the surrounding countries know that when the time comes they will be attacked first.

Grissius is an old Emperor, with no legitimate heir, so the future of the New Empire is very much uncertain.

The Iron KingdomThe Iron Kingdom, residing on the Northern continent of Nordlünd, is ruled by the secretive Dwarven Iron King and is the oldest Country in the known world. The majority of the population are Dwarves, but members of all races dwell in their cities. Famous for its extensive mines and numerous metal works, the Kingdom has always provided the finest of the worlds worked metal.

During the Howling the Iron Kingdom lent financial support to the Old Empire, but took no active role in the fighting. When it became clear that the Old Empire was going to fall apart, the Iron Kingdom took action to reclaim their investment. In 9AH the Iron Army assaulted the northern provinces of the Old Empire and claimed these lands as repayment for their loans. The overstretched Imperial Army could do nothing to prevent them, so much of the territory was taken with little conflict. Only the fortress city of Freehold and the Western province of Tarsoon were able to resist the might of the Iron Army.

The Kingdom has a very poor naval history, with almost all of its sea battles resulting in defeat. However, in response to the increase in the Vadek Toll of 150AH, the Kingdom produced a fleet of iron ships which attacked the Vadek picket line. In the resulting battle, the Iron Fleet sunk 15 Vadek cruisers taking no losses. However the Iron Fleet is too slow to be able to escort trading ships across the Vadek Sea, so the Kingdom were forced to settle for a decrease in the Vadek Toll. Relations with Vadek are strained to this day, and the Iron Fleet is often seen patrolling the boarders of Vadek’s sea lanes.

The Kenvian HordeWhen the red mist of the Howling Plague cleared from the eye’s of the goblinoids and their mutant offspring there was a great sigh of relief from the rest of the world. The Howling was finally at an end. During those first weeks Ansir and Merna were able to retake a sizable amount of land lost during the war, whilst Laroush consolidated their defenses beyond the Charred Lands. But from the ashes of the Red Moon Republic rose a figure of power and strength, who rallied his confused and frightened kin to him and stood tall against the oncoming armies. Kenvian, a great Troll of towering height, led the counterattack at West Moon Keep which shattered Ansir’s attack on the fallen Republic. Shocked by the ferocity of the sudden attack, a hasty truce was signed with Kenvian, granting his Horde all the lands that they held at the time.

Since the end to open hostilities, Kenvian has built huge armies that roam the countryside of the Horde’s lands eating the land barren. He’s motto is ‘By strength we grow!’ a belief that the goblinoid race has become great since it was blessed by the Howling, that this terrible plague was in fact a holy gift sent to show the Goblin races what true power they possessed. Whilst not officially at war with any of its neighbors, all of its borders are closed to travelers and bands of Horde warriors often raid bordering settled lands for food and supplies, their own lands almost unable to support life. These continuous raids have led to a very tense environment, but no-one wishes to risk open war with the Horde as their military strength is unmatched. Whilst many believe an open war is inevitable, the nearby rulers have decided to settle for repelling the raids on their lands.

The Kingdom of LaroushCut off from the rest of the Empire early in the Howling, the provinces of Timerus and Frastium organized their defenses into a single force under the command of Lord Laroush a great general in the Imperial Army. Taking heavy losses and with no hope of resupply from the rest of the Empire, Laroush turned to martial law and enforced conscription to provide the soldiers he needed to keep the Horde at bay. However, he soon found that the common citizen of the Empire made a poor combatant, and he lost thousands of men in desperate defensive ploys. His desperation drove him to employ the services of Priests of Vecna to raise the fallen to fight for him again. The armies of undead proved effective for a time, but even they began to dwindle in number as the Horde continued to attack.

After the death of the Sun Emperor and the withdrawal of Vadek from the Old Empire, Laroush was quick to follow suit and establish himself as king of the lands he was protecting. However, he still needed to hold onto his new kingdom and his armies were loosing ground daily. No one knows how he managed it, but on 12th Rassius 14AH he triggered The Great Burning of the West. From the North coast to the south coast, along the line of defense, a great wash of fire passed over the land, setting fire to everything in its path. The burning destroyed the the lead forces of the Horde, but also caught several settlements and cities on the border as well as countless soldiers holding the line. The 50 mile wide strip of land that runs the length of the border is still blackened and dead to this day. The Charred Lands mark the boundary between the lands of Laroush and the Horde and Laroush’s heirs jealously guard their borders to this day keeping the country in a strict police state.

The People’s Republic of MernaMerna, formally part of Ansir, split from the rest of the kingdom in the People’s Revolution of 104AH when the idiocy of the King became too much to bear. Whilst the King was on a hunting trip with only a handful of his guards a force of several hundred angry peasants attacked his camp late one night, butchering the royal family in their sleep. Not wanting to hand control of their lands back to the nobles who were doing nothing for their plight, the western lands of Dragonessen formed a socialist government, elected by the people, for the people.

Despite the expectations of the rest of the world, Merna has become a stable country, losing only the province of Serlan from it’s lands in the 50 years since the revolution. A true communist state, every citizen of Merna works in state owned facilities, lives in state owned housing and is fed and clothed by the state. All wealth in Merna is carefully distributed evenly throughout the country and its people, and this has led to the country’s citizens become very shrewd traders and accountants.

The country’s close proximity to Vadek has led to it becoming an important trading hub. However, this has begun to attract brigands and bandits to the countryside. The strict laws of even wealth distribution have led to Merna having a very small military force, as the population seek out safer jobs, so the brigands have began to cause serious problems in the countryside. The only way to entice mercenaries or adventurers to the country to help remove these bandits as been to offer them a dispensation from the wealth laws, allowing the government to pay them above the state wage. Of course this decision has not been popular with the common citizens of Merna, who see this as a breach of their constitution.

The Red Moon RepublicOne of the great mysteries of the Howling is how the island of Moon’s Rest was relived of the plague. In 12AH, 3 years before the Howling stopped altogether, Moon’s Rest declared that it was free of the plague and the Red Moon Republic was reborn. The Council of the New Moon, all pure bred goblins, announced to the world that they were cured, and then closed their borders until 138AH, sinking any ship daring to approach the island and supposably cleansing their island of all mutant strains of goblin.

In 15AH, when the Howling stopped on the main land, the Republic tried to step in to reclaim their old lands. Whilst successful at first, the majority of the population chose to follow the more aggressive leadership of Kenvian. Since then there have been several attempts by the Republic to assassinate Kenvian, and several attempts by the Horde to invade Moon’s Rest Island. Neither side has enjoyed any success and relationships between the nations still remain outwardly hostile.

The Republic shares an unusual bond with the land. Goblins by their nature tend to destroy the lands they live in, eating them barren, but the Council guide this destruction carefully. 1 week in every month there is a Blood Moon, and at this time the Council meet to decide where to move each of their tribes. In a complex series of movements the goblin tribes traverse their lands, always finding a fertile spot on the dawn after the last Blood Moon of the month. It is a mystery how the council manage this feat, even more so when one considers that they used to do this for all of the lands they held in the days of the Old Empire.

The Universities of SerlanSerlan, the westernmost province of Dragonessen, was famed for its universities of knowledge. In 124 AH the universities pulled out of the Mernese Republic over public spending disagreements. The universities have always valued knowledge above all else and had disliked rule from common people ever since the collapse of the Old Empire. The State is now managed by a committee made up of the Rectors of each of the 12 universities.

The endless pursuit of knowledge has left Serlan with quite an elitist society. Those at the top enjoy almost all of the pleasures that would have come to any citizen of the Old Empire, but those not in the universities are treated as second class citizens and are little better off than slaves. The universities are also known to have very grey moral boundaries. Experimentation on citizens of the state is common place, and no research path is forbidden. From the mysteries of the soul, and the search for immortality, right through to the creation of undead constructs, no topic is taboo.

Serlan has long concerned its neighbors, but more for the worry of massive arcane explosions, or an outbreak of an uncontrolled disease than for military reasons. Serlan and Laroush, however, enjoy a fruitful relationship. Laroush providing the universities with a sizable amount of funding, and the universities giving Laroush almost unlimited access to their research. It is rumored that The Great Burning of the West may actually have been a project from the universities, but Serlan has always denied this.

The Kingdom of TarsoonThe Kingdom of Tarsoon is what remains of the Old Empire’s Tarsoon province. Famous for its terrible weather, harsh winters and the toil of its War-forged Foundries, the people of Tarsoon are said to be the toughest people in the world.

During the Howling, Tarsoon was attacked by the forces of the Iron Army, but the men, women and children of the province rose up against the invaders. The war with the Iron Kingdom lasted 10 bitter years and tens of thousands died on both sides. The Iron Army began ‘The Purge of Tarsoon’ after it became clear that they couldn’t afford to take prisoners and Tarsoon responded by killing all of their ownprisoners. In 17AH Tarsoon was all but on the brink of surrender, when the first of the War-forged foundries was completed. The Old Empire had started the construction of the foundries early in the Howling hoping to use the War-forged to push back the tides of the Horde. However, the shattering of the Empire had left the project half completed. Tarsoon slowly created an army of War-forged which were able to fight well in the foul weather of Tarsoon and began to push the Iron Army back. Peace was eventually signed in Tarsoon in 19AH, but the War-forged foundries have not ceased in their work and new and improved models of War-forged have been produced in recent years.

Tarsoon’s main industry now revolves around suppling War-forged to the highest bidder. However, the recent discovery of War-forged model 4.0 sentience has caused the industry to falter slightly. Tension also remains high between Tarsoon and the Iron Kingdom. The ‘Purge’ will not be forgotten in a long time.

The Vadek City StatesThousands of years ago Vadek was a great continent, but some unknown disaster befell the civilization which dwelled upon it. The continent is said to have plunged to the bottom of the sea in a great storm. Only the highest points of land still remain above the sea level and this is where the great city states of Vadek may now be found. The city states of Vadek span the Isles of the Vadek sea. Many of the cities are built upon huge stilts and gondolas pass down the streets. The three main industries of Vadek are fishing, trading and exploring the depths of the Vadek Sea. The Vadek Navy is the largest navy in the known world, and their ships are works of art.

Vadek was the first province to declare independence from the Old Empire after the Emperor was killed in 10AH. Vadek had seen much of its wealth and shipping plundered on the war with the Horde, which seemed a far away problem to them. However, the bickering of the city lords of Vadek led to a further split, with each city forming its own state. After 2 years of internal intrigue the city states decided to band together under the flag of Vadek, but the internal politics of the states are in a constant state of flux.

Vadek has always been a wealthy area. Originally this wealth came from recovering treasure from the ruins of the sunken continent, but more recently the trading companies and the Vadek Toll have brought vast wealth to the region. Vadek has a great hatred for the city of Freeport due to it’s smuggling activities which bypass it’s toll, but Vadek is also ill at ease with the Iron Kingdom and its Iron Fleet.

The CalenderRecorded history goes as far back as 847BH (Before Howling) and extends up until the present day in 157AH (After Howling). The Howling began in 0AH and the Empire of the Rising Sun collapsed in 10AH. The Howling ended in 15AH.

Each year has 12 months, named for the first 12 Sun Emperors. (in order)1.Rassius, 2.Sherlas, 3.Krissom, 4.Asslunda, 5.Cassius, 6.Pontus, 7.Methlas, 8.Honel, 9.Vesstia, 10.Grimling, 11.Demara, 12.Nomina. (there were 28 Emperors in total)The Empire of the Holy Sun has renamed the first month Grissius, but this has not be adopted by the rest of the world.

Each month has 4 weeks, the first 3 weeks have 7 days, and the final 8 day week of each month is the Blood Week when the Blood Moon shines at night. The last day of each month is a holy day for most countries and is often a feast day.

Each month has 29 days and there are 348 days in a year.

The 8 possible days of the week are each named after a particular god.The days of the week (in order) are;1.Morda, 2.Erda, 3.Bahda, 4.Korda, 5.Avda, 6.Corelda, 7.Pelda, (8.Sehada)

Religions by CountryCountry State Rel. Common Outlawed

Ansir Kord Bahamut, Erathis, Raven Queen Lolth

Cathlona Melora Corellon, Sehanine, Avandra Raven Queen, Bane, Kord

Freehold N/A All Religions N/A

Holy Sun Empire Pelor Bahamut, Erathis, Ioun Asmodeus, Zehir

Iron Kingdom Moradin Erathis, Bahamut, Kord

The Horde Asmodeus Bane, Raven Queen, Gruumsh, Kord Pelor, Sehanine

Laroush Bane Kord, Raven Queen, Vecna, Tiamat Pelor

Merna Erathis Avandra Bane, Kord

Red Moon Sehanine Melora, Lolth, Ioun Asmodeus

Serlan Ioun Corellon, Sehanine, Vecna Lolth, Raven Queen

Tarsoon N/A Kord, Bane, Mordain, Erathis, The Becoming

Vadek Avandra Erathis, Tiamat, Corellon

Racial Demographics by CountryRace Ansir Cath. Free. H. Sun Iron Ken. Lar. Merna Moon Serlan Tar. Vadek

Dragonborn 10% 0 5% 60% 0 0 5% 0 0 0 5% 0Dwarf 10% 0 10% 0 65% 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Eldarin 10% 50% 5% 0 0 0 5% 0 0 5% 0 0

Elf 10% 20% 5% 0 0 0 5% 0 0 10% 0 0Half-Elf 5% 0 5% 0 0 0 0 5% 0 0 0 5%Halfling 5% 0 5% 0 10% 0 0 5% 0 0 0 5%Human 20% 10% 15% 20% 5% 0 50% 40% 0 20% 50% 50%Tiefling 0 0 10% 0 0 0 10% 0 0 5% 0 0

Bugbear 0 0 0 0 0 10% 0 0 0 0 0 0Doppleganger 0 0 0 0 0 0 10% 0 0 0 0 0

Drow 0 20% 5% 0 0 0 0 5% 0 15% 0 0Gnoll 0 0 0 0 0 15% 0 0 0 0 0 0

Gnome 5% 0 10% 0 10% 0 0 15% 0 10% 5% 20%Goblin 0 0 0 0 0 10% 0 0 100% 0 0 0

Hobgoblin 0 0 0 0 0 15% 0 0 0 0 0 0Kobold 10% 0 5% 20% 0 0 15% 15% 0 5% 10% 0

Minotaur 0 0 0 0 0 10% 0 0 0 0 0 0Orc 0 0 0 0 0 40% 0 0 0 0 0 0

Shifter 10% 0 10% 0 0 0 0 5% 0 20% 0 0Warforged 5% 0 10% 0 10% 0 0 10% 0 10% 30% 10%