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Countries
The campaign world is commonly known as Eden. This is not the entire
world per se, just the area the players will regularly adventure in,
which is roughly the same area as Western Europe and the British isles
added on. It has more than its fair share of intelligent life forms,
many of which would seem to be the result of some very dubious breeding…
There is less open water than on Earth and a much greater percentage
of the land is wooded. Beasts of burden exist only in the minds of certain
warped mages.
There are 8 recognised major powers in Eden, which between them lay claim to
much of the known lands.
(Click the country for more infomation)
The Darklands |
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About 500 years ago an order of Dark
Knights moved into the ancient forest of Xanadu and constructed
a huge castle there which has since been clad in white marble and
become known as the White Citadel. Led by the Pale Duke they set
about subjugating their surrounding neighbours and absorbing their
lands into their own.. However, as time passed the process of conquest
slowed down and effectively ground to a halt. This is attributable
to 2 main factors; firstly, the provincial rulers have always fought
to escape central control and become more autonomous and secondly
the lands that currently border the Darklands have signed mutual
defence agreements that have effectively held them in check for
over 100 years.
The Provinces of the Dark Lands vary greatly in character, but between
them provide homes to evil men, Goblinoids, Ogres, dark faeries
and several Drow Houses. |
Stygian province crest
Military colours: purple and black |
The
Dreamlands |
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This land is controlled by various orders of chivalric
knights, priests and monks and is well known for it’s religious
intolerance. This has resulted in numerous wars, civil wars, inquisitions
and mass exoduses. Following the sacking of the city of Albion in
the Shieldlands by the Hordes of Jock 6 years ago – whom the
Dreamlanders are convinced was in the employ of the Pale Duke –
they are currently involved in fighting their fifth crusade against
the Dark Lands.
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Military colours: White |
Enchantica |
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Enchantica cannot be called a land of
provinces, more a collection of borders for areas controlled by
powerful Arch-sorcerers, Witches, Faerie folk, Drow, Elves and other
magical creatures and beings. Throughout Enchantica a Sorcerers
word is law in his own domain. As the individual Sorcerers or magical
beings have no real coherent policy on anything, travelling across
their lands can be anything from enjoyably entertaining to downright
deadly! What may be law in one place may be prohibited in another,
rarely are borders marked and byelaws are unlikely to be prominently
displayed, which is made worse in certain areas by the fact that
ruler ship of the land is in dispute… |
Magma province crest
Military colours: red |
The Iron League |
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Home to a great many trading companies
and caravaneers, the Iron League is a nation of merchants, tradesmen
and diplomats. Most of Eden’s prominent rulers owe vast sums
of money to different heads of Iron League provinces…Nearly
all the important decisions are made at irregular trade meetings
of the provincial heads – commonly referred to as directors.
Interestingly enough, the current provincial head of Deepfell in
the Protectorate, Lady Anita Corwyn, grew up in the Iron League
and is counted as a shrewd businesswoman as well as a fair and diplomatic
ruler. This is pretty much the exception to the rule for this country. |
Iron League Crest
Military colours: white and green |
Shadowsfell |
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In this country, what passes for government
is in reality little more than the best organised protection racket
ever seen. Each or these provinces are ruled over by the equivalent
of a Don or family head, with the exception of the Monks of the
Misty Mountains and the Grand Knight of the Fell Knights. These
are the only areas where bribery doesn’t immediately appear
to get things done. Generally speaking, the power in Shadowsfell
comes from wealth and influence, but if scrutinised carefully, becomes
more like bribery and corruption.
Shadowsfell is a pretty bad place to live for your average hardworking,
honest, conscientious peasant. This is why you will hardly find
any still in the country and why several hundred emigrate from outlying
provinces every year.
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Military colours: black and blue |
The
Oakwoods Republic |
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Home to Druids, Elves, Ents, Lycanthropes
and even more Faerie folk than in Enchantica, the Oakwoods has a
rather nasty habit of swallowing invading armies’ whole. Next
to the Darklands, the Oakwoods has been involved in the most official
wars in Eden’s’ history…. Somewhat disturbing
considering their usual philosophy of live and let live, love the
Earth mother and so on.
The Oakwoods became a Republic not all that many years ago and was
once the largest country in Eden, stretching from the Endless Ocean
to the Dragonsclaw Mountains and the coasts of what is now the Dreamlands.
Their decline is mainly attributed to the Darklands and ‘internal
differences’ between Druidical enclaves…. |
Oakwoods crest
Military colours: green |
The
Unified States |
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This is mainly a Dwarven area located
in the Southwest of Eden and consists of impassable mountains, inhospitable
hills, possibly hospitable villages and passable inhabitants. Almost
everywhere surrounding it contains highly dangerous creatures of
some description.
Unified States export large quantities of gems, minerals and, gold
making them rivals with the Iron League in the trading stakes. This
doesn’t create great relations between the nations, but does
provide a competitive market for others. There is a saying amongst
traders; “You want quantity, you buy from the Leaguers - you
want quality though, buy Stateside…” |
Military colours: blue and stars |
The
Protectorate of the Rose |
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Generally accepted as the country where
everyone goes to when they are thrown out of everywhere else. The
person in overall charge of the country is the Lord Protector and
he or she is elected by their peers at a conclave of provincial
heads as soon after the death of the previous Lord Protector as.
The current Lord Protector is the ninth to have held office and
grudgingly accepted as perhaps the best to date. Residing in the
capital of Great Henge, the Lord Protector is ultimately responsible
for the well being of the whole of the Protectorate, previously
called the Smallwoods after it’s founder, an Elven Lord named
Calaborn Nimghul. The player characters usually live in the province
of Deepfell, in the largest settlement called Shadyvale.
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Protectorate Crest
Military colours: green |
There are also a number of less organised groups such as barbarian Celts of
the north, the Hordes of the far west and the nomadic People of the Ways whose
lifestyle takes them just about anywhere.
Finally, there are many areas – which for various reasons – no major
power can claim to be their own, most notably the Haunted Hills and the Dragonsclaw
mountains.
Magic, Power & Undead
Everyone has the potential to learn magic providing they find a sponsor to
teach them, commonly for the players this is the Covens or the Unseen University.
There are eight main schools or elements of magic that can be learnt, Earth,
Fire, Air, Water, Light, Dark, Battle and Universal. The Universal school is
taught to all magic users and a magic user could potentially learn all eight
elements or schools of magic, however those who focus on just a single type
can develop their aptitude for that school or element and gain further specialisation
Power is connected to the main three spheres of the cosmos Good, Evil and Neutral,
the casters draw from the inherent power in the creature’s body to cast
invocations. The spheres function best for those more in-tune with the spheres
alignment and through the connection to the spheres the users are influenced.
Power is taught by the priests of different guilds and there are a selection
of sects within these guilds who use their power to different ends, some destructive,
others beneficial.
Necromancy uses spiritual power linked to the necromantic sphere much like
the good, evil and neutral spheres. The main use of this power is to draw spirits
from another place into the bodies of the dead to raise them as undead creatures
under the control of the necromancer. Necromancy is outlawed in the Protectorate
and is punishable by death, the Dumasi sect of good power users dedicate themselves
to destroying undead and necromancers.
There are also natural occurrences of undead in Eden, around the Haunted Hills,
Darksun or on all Hallows Eve. The natural undead are predominantly the same
as those raised although they aren’t always controlled by a necromancer.
Races
Humans
Humans populate most of Eden, they are hardy and versatile and are capable of
mastering all the major disciplines.
Elves
Elves in there many forms are common across Eden, from the Drow houses who predominantly
reside in the Dark Lands to the Wood elves in the Oakwoods. All Elves have at
least a minor innate magical ability, and find magic easy to learn. They are
quick and nimble finding metal armours cumbersome and preferring skill of blade
over brute force.
Dwarves
Dwarves are found mainly in the Unified States although they can travel far
when trading. They are sturdy and strong favouring heavy armour over magic.
Goblinoids
Goblinoids can be found almost every where on Eden apart from the Oak woods
and Dreamlands, in the Protectorate they reside mainly on the Reservation, a
specially allotted land for them. They favour brute force over finesse with
tough hides able to resist more damage than normally expected. Goblinoids also
are fairly spiritual mainly following deity they call the Great Devourer. Some
scholars continually debate weather there constant warfare is to keep him asleep
or wake this powerful deity
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