Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Tsochar 08-27-07, 09:51 PM	Thaanis is a world I created for my D&D campaign. It embodies several extremes. Elemental 'Leaks:' First off, each of the elemental planes 'leaks' onto Thaanis in the form of an island (they stand out because there is only one main continent.) Each is about as large as iceland. Y'yka appears as a ring. The sea exists both inside and outside. The difference is, one can find outsiders within the ring more often than outside it. The sea within has no bottom; it simply leads to the Elemental plane of Water. Alotra is a craggy mountain jutting from the waves, with a network of caves underneath. The caves have a tendency to shift over the years, so any map from one century is all but useless the next. The caves eventually lead to the Elemental plane of Earth. Myrga is a volcano. It constantly spews hot lava, and any one place can last only a few days before being buried by a new stream. If someone enters the volcano, he'll end up near the City of Brass, though most who try to do so without magic are dead before they hit the ground. Eirna is not truly an island, rather, it is an enormous canyon into which the sea pours. Fantastic flying creatures fly in and out, and those that fall in find themselved in the Elemental plane of Air. It is said that Y'yka replenishes the falling water constantly, so the ocean can never dry up. Within the Plane of Shadow, the leaks are much stronger; anyone pulled under the ocean waves may find that there is no longer a surface to swim up to. A forest fire or burning building may offer glimpses of firey creatures within. One may turn the corner in a shallow cave, just out of sight of the entrance, then backtrack to find themselves in a hopeless maze. Such occurrences are, thankfully, uncommon, and they only happen on the Plane of Shadow, though the warnings always persist. Lunar cycle: There are two moons, one with a three-day period and one with an eight-day period. The three-day is a 'short week' and the eight-day is a 'long week,' They simultaneously become full every 24 days or so, which constitutes a 'month.' There are 15 months in a year. The months are described by the Ancestral Calendar, which is said to have been invented by the Dragons of the Mythic times, back when the Dragons had their own Empires and megalithic cities. (curiously, no such cities have been found, though the same stories are told all over the world). The months, starting with the New Year in mid-spring, are as follows: Xuraka, Anepar, (summer begins) Umbres, Phreh, Dirifa, Nira, (Autumn begins) Enotu, Nekorla, Glavenrir, Snyxid, (winter begins) Drakis, Lume, Kryynhu, (spring begins) N'virs, and Kanura. Special Months: Within the year the months of Lume and Umbres correspond to the positive and negative energy planes. In Lume, the sun does not set. People tend to be more lively and active, and heal a bit faster as well. During the long week in the middle of the month, the energy overflows so much that unattended objects may suddenly spring to life for a few minutes. Likewise, in the month of Umbres, the sun does not rise. People live in fear, usually locked in their homes. Healing magic is weakened, and undead begin to roam. In the middle week, more powerful undead appear in the wilds. Few appear at this time, and they seldom go near settlements with positive energy wards protecting them, but every few decades one may find a small town in which undead wander, before the next year's Lume turns them to bones. The month of Drakis is an odd one, in that it is at this time that dragons of a particular element gather toward their respective 'elemental leak' islands. In some areas one can see dozens of dragons flying overhead during the initial and final long weeks. (White and Silver dragons fly toward a much larger subcontinent up north, about the size of India and very frigid but not truly an elemental leak). The dragons go there to discuss their findings, interesting things they've learned, new aquisitions into their respective hoards, etc. They also traditionally mate during this time, though it should be noted that this is not instinctive in any way, it's just convenient to get such things done at once. Half-dragons are especially common in these areas due to said tradition. Given a dragon's lifespan, few could hardly stand to attend every single year; in human terms it would be like going hundreds of miles every week for the same convention. Rather, Dragons only attend such meetings when they feel they should 'catch up,' which is only a few times per century. Geography: Most notable about Thaanis is the large land, Met'n Kiluut, that from above appears constantly shrouded in fog. These lands are actually marked with an enormous Magic circle, thousands of miles wide, that was used to seal the area away. Inherently evil creatures, such as Fiends and the more vile and wicked of the humanoid tribes, cannot leave the area, even though they are attracted by it. Evil dragons, especially powerful ones, are not affected by this attraction, and some say they have found ways to pass through the circle itself. The circle prevents all planar travel by evil creatures, though good creatures are entirely unaffected. The circle itself is incredibly complex, and cannot be erased by any known means. In order to create it, ten thousand mages gave their lives, and were transformed into ten thousand stone pillars that surround the land. That was 1148 years ago, at the beginning of the Kiluut area. It can only be accessed by treacherous seas on three sides or perilous mountains on the fourth. Aside from Met'n Kiluut, there are many other areas. The culture in each region is based upon a real-world culture, with the fantasy aspects mixed in. The farthest north one can reach is the cold land of Takunnipuq (inuit). On the south side the same island, called Fareja (j sounds like a y) (Norse/scandinavian) there are human settlements interspersed with frost giant villages. South of Fareja there lies a mountainous peninsula that Dwarves call home: Bintrigland (germanic). Farther along the peninsula, the land is called Neproyekt (Eastern European/russian), and it consists of various goblinoid and humanoid tribes. South of Bintrigland are the Oronian States (West European), which are a loose collection of half-elf nations. The heritage of the inhabitants is usually attributed to leftovers from the fallen First Elven Empire, circa 30,000 Pre-Kiluut Era. It was here that the Elves migrated to their current home, and also when Lolth and Corellon Larethian split the original Gray Elves into the High Elves and Drow that are now prevalent. South of Oronia is the Irennian Empire (various, generic D&D). The Empire occupies its entire portion of the Ithsmus separating Oronia from the rest of the world. Its boundaries are marked by titanic walls, a hundred feet high, that boasts a complement of six hundred thousand soldiers spread throughout the North and South Walls. This has had a very detrimental effect on trade to and from Bintrigland; the dwarves are held responsible for the Fall of the Irennian Empire, which once spread through all Oronia and hundreds of miles southward as well. The Irennian Citizens reflect this hostility in their utter hatred and prejudice toward the "cave midgets" that "used dishonorable tactics to slaughter Irennian troops." While the Dwarves did use their knowledge of the Caverns to their advantage during the war, few of the propoganda stories are true. Interestingly enough, the bigotry extends to gnomes, despite the fact that they do not live in caves and did not fight in the war. South of Iren are the plains of Huanatli/Wanatli (spelling is subject to dialect differences) (Maya/Inca), where pyramid-building human empires dwell. These people believe death on the battlefield to be ignoble, and prefer to be sacrificed by the enemy when they are defeated. They consider Northerners to be savages, which, interestingly enough, is exactly what northerners think of Wanatin. Because they do not sacrifice out of sadism, the clergy and the warriors are considered mostly LN; the gods they worship, however, range from neutral to evil. South of Wanatli is the kamonamon jungle, where the main inhabitants are Kuo-toa (Aztec). It is thought that the Wanatin rituals are less savage versions of Kuo-Toa humanoid sacrifice. The west part of the jungle, Kung Hnuong, is based on Southeast asia, and is mostly the realm of the Yuan-ti. North of there is the peninsula of Jankra (Indian), the domain of the elves, which is the location of my current campaign. There are 13 elf countries in Jankra, plus drow cities underneath. The people there believe in numerous creeds that have hindu/buddhist parallels. One such belief is that above the gods are three primal concepts: creation, preservation, and destruction/transformation, coinciding with the Hindu gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva respectively. At the same time, they try to incorporate themselves into nature, in keeping with the traditional D&D 'elven spirit.' South of Kung Hnuong is Menjalanga, which is more indonesian. West of the jungle is a fairly flat, equatorially warm area, Kalykajiji (australian aboriginal). There, several isolated gnome tribes live. They are not as advanced technologically as the Southern gnomes, but they have a greater affinity towards nature. West of Kalykajiji is the mountainous land of Da-ra-ying-pe (tibetan), which is populated only by scattered monastaries. The only safe routes are between certain monasteries, and one must travel through many of them to cross. Almost all material plane races reside in the monastaries, as well as Githzerai monks. Met'n Kiluut lies beyond the mountain range. South of the Kamonamon part of the jungle is the predominantly halfling area of Pa-tihao (chinese). South of there is Gajileung (korean), which has a greater human population, and in a small peninsula jutting out eastward is Furushii (japanese). The region to the East of this area I haven't developed as thoroughly; immediately past Pa-tihao is a desert bisected by mountains. The west is called Temshawt (syrian/egyptian/byzantine/hebrew), the east is called Al-Pemeqad (Arabian/persian); both areas are inhabited mainly by humans as well as nomadic sun giants, Djinn tribes, xeph remnants, and especially Orcs and half-orcs. The Orcs originally had a thriving empire (sumerian), building step-pyramid temples and farming the then-fertile land. When the humans came to the area, they waged war on the many orc city-states, until only Uruk survived. Uruk warriors worshipped Grummsh, and so had greater skill in warfare than the other tribes. They fought the humans to a standstill, and a truce was declared. The truce grew into an uneasy peace as the two began to mingle. The term 'orc' comes from 'uruk,' but orcs don't use that term amongst themselves, since the Orcish term for orc is 'grrah.' Also in this area are Gnolls, which once had an empire (Egyptian) there as well. The gnolls who built the empire were actually of a different subspecies, Khapseyt-Amn, who were slightly smaller, though they are no longer around in the Kiluut era. South of the desert's eastern end is a primarily human-inhabited area called Awinehiga (North American Indigenous). Awinehiga is the only area where one can find the near-extinct dinosaurs. Some tribes ride Deinonychus instead of horses, but primarily only the warlike ones do so. Larger ones such as Triceratops are used as beasts of burden, given the nomadic nature of many tribes. East of Awinehiga is a region, as of yet unnamed, that is based upon native Africa and is inhabited by gnomes. The region, though far south beneath the equator, is warm and due to southward oceanic currents. The gnomes live in independant rainforest tribes, each with a distinctive culture. These gnomes meld magic and technology into their culture, and create many constructs to assist in their daily lives. The more powerful gnome tribes use steam and magic engines to operate rail-based vehicles that travel to other tribes. Each tribe's engine is distinct, though they all appear sleek, symmetrical, and aerodynamic. Most take the forms of animals, humanoids, or a more abstract shape, and often incorporate intricate patterns. I'll organize it more cleanly when I'm done, can't right now though.
Sliversun 09-01-07, 11:08 PM	Looks good so far. Please add more info soon!
Orion__ 09-02-07, 06:28 AM	I love your idea about elemental planes influencing the material world so directly! I will keep reading for sure :)
Tsochar 10-21-07, 11:20 PM	Wow, I left this to gather dust for a while. Sorry about the hiatus. I edited the previous portions, added a few sentences.... Not much though. Geography cont. Jutting north of the very easternmost part of the continent is a peninsula roughly 2000 miles in length reaching up to the equator. The east side of the peninsula is an enormous swamp, dotted with islands and vegetation, as well as underwater caves and marshes. Here, the land-walking races meet and live next to the aquatic races. Merfolk, Aquatic elves, and lizardfolk are most common, though Locathah, Scrags, Kapoacinth (aquatic Gargoyles), Sahuagin, Nixies, and various other swamp-dwelling races can all be found there. Merfolk and humans sometimes mate, but the offspring are nearly always of one race or another. Society: One notable aspect of societies on Thaanis is the prevalence of lycanthropy. Since at least one moon will be full on ten nights each month (3 for the slow moon, 8 for the fast moon, 1 night is shared and counts for both), lycanthropy is much more noticeable. It is certainly possibe (DC15) for many people to stay human on a night with only one moon full, but nigh-impossible (DC25) to do so on a doublemoon night. Lycanthropy is well-known, as are the methods that can be used to control it, so a natural lycanthrope does not normally pass on the disease when watched closely. Even so, around one in 200 people are born with lycanthropy of some kind or another (wererats and werewolves, mostly), and around 1 in 150 have recieved the disease through a bite. These numbers are by no means constant, however, and the true occurrence depends on how the locals treat it. Some societies impale and burn them once they are 'outed,' while in other societies lycanthropes may constitute the whole of the population. These societies don't usually settle, preferring to hunt, and many do not last for more than a few years. Due to the month of Umbres, which spawns undead, clerics are given special status as protectors during this time of year. Nonevil clerics typically ward their towns against these foul creatures as a matter of tradition, asking for nothing in return (though venerated all the same), while others might do other, more unscrupulous things. They may hold the protective spells to extort the town, they might use the undead to their own nefarious ends, or commit any number of atrocities. While cremations, bolted coffins, blessed dirt and charms may prevent reanimation, wild animals have no such protection. From Umbres until the next Lume, the wilderness may be home to wandering undead animals that prey on their living counterparts. This is why animals on Thaanis have an ability to sniff out undeath, and there are even a few Necrivorous parasites that feed on the negative energy, draining undead until they simply die. These usually take the form of swarms, though the ones that have fed upon many undead may be larger. They are not very prevalent, since Lume's nature utterly deanimates undead, regardless of whether they are touched by sunlight, unless they are protected magically Humanoids born during Umbres have an interesting effect on undead. Undead make no attempt to attack or feed upon them, and generally simply ignore them. Humanoids born in Lume are repulsive to undead, though if they come too close they may temporarily grow weaker. Psionics are rare on Thaanis, and most regard it as a myth. Many people who claim to be psions are really con-artist mages who are trying to justify overcharging for their services, and the stigma in most places reflects this. If you ask a random passerby what they think of a psion that is currently manifesting a power, the normal response is "Psion? Ha ha, that's rich. Do I look stupid to you? Hidden wands and metamagic enhancements can't fool me, and neither do illusions for that matter." Illithids and other monstrous races known to possess such abilities are acknowledged, but it is widely assumed that humanoids cannot wield them, much in the same way as they cannot breathe underwater without a spell to temporarily give them that ability. Resurrection is risky on Thaanis. The spellcaster must call the soul in a 48-hour ritual; the caster is not at risk, but the casting might attract impostor spirits, which roam the world looking for resurrection spells to use as they move into a new body. Wards and charms might keep them at bay, but the impostors are numerous and poorly-understood, so there is always risk. A recently-resurrected person is usually kept under watch to make certain he does not slit the throats of his former companions as they sleep, or worse. Impostors have access to the memories of the people they replace, and so the more intelligent ones can remain undetected for years at a time. It was once believed that the spell itself perverts the mind of the resurrected, but few mages still accept this theory. The clerics who have access to such spells have always asserted the theory's falsehood as well. To date, all impostor spirits reported have been evil, though it is thought that good ones exist that choose not to take bodies. I have more to come, but if you want to ask questions about the world, be my guest. I need to be able to answer anything my players might ask.
Tsochar 10-27-07, 04:21 AM	A map I drew up for Thaanis; Original, darkened, and wordless. I'm not too experienced at image manipulation, so forgive the quality. The bar in the left portion of the bottom is around 4 squares of the top, and represents 2000 miles. http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o259/tsochar/Thaanis.jpg http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o259/tsochar/Thaanis1.jpg http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o259/tsochar/Thaanis2.jpg Yeah, my handwriting sucks. It always has. There will be more to come. Oh, and...:bump:
taradusis 10-27-07, 03:55 PM	Considering how much lycanthropy there is on your world to you have any special ideas?Is lycanthropy always tied to an alignment?Do evil-based lycanthropes outnumber good-based lycanthropes(I.E. more werewolves than werebears)?Do you allow PANTHERIANS,people who can catch multiple forms of lycanthropy(wererat/werewolf being the most common)?Are there Shifters,people with enough lycanthropy to look and act animalistic.RANDOM THOUGHTS
Tsochar 10-27-07, 06:09 PM	Lycanthropes are typically tied to an alignment as described in MM, but the thing of it is, most strictly carnivorous types can't hold together for long as a viable society, usually breaking off within a year or two. Werebears, which are omnivorous, can farm, and they are also tied to LG. Many omnivorous species are likewise nonevil, so while they are relatively uncommon compared with weaker ones, they have a greater presence where they live. Some werewolves and wererats, natural and afflicted alike, are of atypical alignment, but around half are of the usual alignment. The usual breakdown for each axis is roughly 3/4 usual, 1/6 are within a step, and 1/12 are two steps away. As for shifters, I never really bought that long-term lycanthropy in a bloodline causes the two to merge, so they are rare, and usually the result of some magical mishap, or a botched cure.
taradusis 10-27-07, 10:01 PM	What do you suppose would happen if a lycanthrope picked up a rock that came from a moon?Would they gain great power?Would they be cured?Would they be locked into hybrid form as long as they carried it?What would happen if a spelljammership filled with lycanthropes landed on a moon?
Tsochar 10-28-07, 03:01 AM	A piece of the moon would be indistinguishable from ordinary stone, just as a shooting star is a fairly ordinary stone once it falls to earth. The magic of a full moon stems from its location. Once the entirety of the moon is struck by sunlight and reflected back, it gains its power for the night. Spelljammers don't exist. I never really much liked the concept behind spelljammer anyway, for some reason. There are gnome tinkerers working on airships, but something like that takes a lot of time and money to produce, much less make something far superior. That said, if they did land on a moon, the transformation would go by the phase of the other moon and Thaanis. In either case, the period becomes 4.8 days for the other moon and the period of the moon they are on becomes the period for Thaanis.
Aergonne 10-28-07, 09:25 AM	A map I drew up for Thaanis; Original, darkened, and wordless. I'm not too experienced at image manipulation, so forgive the quality. The bar in the left portion of the bottom is around 4 squares of the top, and represents 2000 miles. http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o259/tsochar/Thaanis.jpg http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o259/tsochar/Thaanis1.jpg http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o259/tsochar/Thaanis2.jpg Yeah, my handwriting sucks. It always has. There will be more to come. Oh, and...:bump: sorry its off topic, but my handwriting sucks too!
Tsochar 10-28-07, 07:30 PM	By the way, I forgot to mention a couple of the names written in the images are dated and have since changed. The first post has correct names
taradusis 11-01-07, 05:24 PM	Where will the Pcs be located for the opening adventure,Awinehiga?If so,perhaps you could consider adding Wild West elements?
Tsochar 11-02-07, 04:44 PM	Where will the Pcs be located for the opening adventure,Awinehiga?If so,perhaps you could consider adding Wild West elements? North of there is the peninsula of Jankra (Indian), the domain of the elves, which is the location of my current campaign. If by 'wild west' you mean 'manifest destiny-type imperial expansionism,' then that all depends on what path the players take. That said, any setting could conceivably have similar elements; if aliens came to Earth tomorrow and declared war upon us, forcing us to scatter and become nomadic, then it's very possible that they might build their own lawless fringe colonies. In that case, guerrilla attacks by human freedom fighters would be much like Indian raids, while the aliens might be the cowboys. Note: Technically, each tribe has their own name for the general area; Awinehiga is just the name outsiders know it as. Also: try spacing after punctuation.
Tsochar 11-18-07, 06:36 PM	A bestiary linking established creatures to Thaanis. All information from the sourcebooks are unchanged except where noted. Outsiders that are not typically found on Thaanis are excluded. Thaanis bestiary, part 1: Aboleth: An ancient race of aberrations, whose genetic memory predates the current cosmology. Aboleths are found scattered in coves and deep oceans throughout Thaanis. Their name is a transliteration from their tongue into Rennish (The tongue of Iren, usually used as common); Their actual name requires at least three mouths to pronounce. Allip: The specter that remains after madness drives one to suicide; merely being near them can make one insane. Allips were first discovered in the caverns of West Bintrigland by the renowned dwarven necrologist Thramard Redhide. The following is an excerpt from the journal where he marks his discovery. 5 Nekorla, Mountainyear 482: After acquiring permission to study the graveyard of the human settlement, I have come across the grave of one Maral Tramming, who was reputed to have hung himself out of fear that his wife would eat him, despite the fact that he had never married. When I cast my undead-capture spells, I found nothing but heard the faintest babble. My amulet glowed as I heard it. This indicates a new form of undead, probably incorporeal. I am excited to find out exactly what it is. 6 Nekorla, Mountainyear 482: I have trapped the spirit in an orb of force. It babbles incoherently, so I shall name it Allip, after the dwarf ruler in the kingdom's history, who had a terrible speech impediment.... (several entries follow, chronicling his findings and research. In mid-Snyxid, he brings the Allip back to his laboratory in his home city.) 19 Drakis, Mountainyear 482: Doror forgot to wear his ear-coverings. He listened to too much babbling and now believes his skin is trying to eat him.... 22 Drakis, Mountainyear 482: Doror has killed himself, and another Allip has appeared near his funeral pyre. It seems that madness driving one to suicide is the determining factor in the creation of these spirits. I will have to terminate both subjects before they can do more harm. The old dwarven Mountainyear calendar year of 482 corresponds with 292 PKE by modern reckoning. Ankheg: Giant carnivorous insects that are regarded as beneficial to crops. Ankhegs are native to the plains in Patihao, near Temshawt, and they are prized by farmers as a boon to their harvests. A few of them were transported to Iren during the glory days of the Second Rennish Empire, circa KY 620. They saw limited use in the temperate climate, more accustomed to warmer temperatures, but a few were bred for use as warbeasts. They were not particularly useful in that endeavor, either. Aranea: Shapeshifting, intelligent giant spiders. Aranea have long been known to inhabit temperate forests in Oronia and Iren. Despite the popularity of their web-art and their magical aptitude, they usually try to avoid humanoid society. Athach: Three-armed giants with poisonous fangs. Athachs are native to the hilly eastern portion of Iren, where they prey on humanoids in their search for gems. Violent and unintelligent, they are considered very dangerous. Basilisk: Slow-moving reptiles with the ability to petrify with their gaze. Basilisks were first encountered in South Oronia in the year KY 45, in the early part of the First Rennish Empire. Though they were described in local legends before then, 45 KY is usually regarded as the year they were discovered. Basilisks are said to guard the underground vaults of Nypel I in Irennius Central. Behir: Electricity-breathing snakelike reptiles that despise dragons. Behir live in the hills in the lands east of Pemeqad. They are on fairly good terms with the Pemeqis, though the two usually try to avoid one another. Beholders: Floating heads with the most violent xenophobia in the world. Beholders were discovered in Naproyekt, east of Bintrigland, though they can be found in many places worldwide. Its name is actually something of a joke, as the following entry by Rennish explorers describes. 22 Snyxid, KY 462: Though the Naproyekt underdark is much like the many other subterranean depths, with very similar fauna, legends persist of a race of 'floating heads' that hate everything that are not themselves. The same legends suggest they need to be worshipped by the same beings they hate so much, so we believe it is doubtful such things exist. 23 Snyxid, KY 462: The legends are true. We stumbled across a 'floating head,' and it promptly ordered us to kneel. The sheer size of the thing, it must have been half again as wide as we are tall, prompted us to obey. On a whim it decided to murder Knash in cold blood, and then it led us down to its chamber, at the bottom of a hundred-foot shaft. We can't escape. The only food we get is what it has already chewed after it finished its meal. It's so miserable here. When it left us, Margal said, "That thing's so damn ugly, it'd have to be the beholder!" We all laughed, reminded of the children's story of the ugly couple who declared themselves beautiful, saying "beauty is in the eye of the beholder." (Roughly 3 months of entries follow, detailing the beholder's lair and eventually leading to an escape.) Blink Dog: Intelligent canines with the ability to teleport short distances and become ethereal. Blink Dogs' origins are shrouded in mystery. Some scholars posit that they evolved from ethereal animals and migrated over to our realm, and others argue that they began in our world and came across magical teleportation naturally. A third school believes they are ordinary dogs affected by arcane pollution, though accounts go back far enough such that this explanation is all but impossible. The first accounts, discovered in the plains east of Peme date as far back as 14000 PKE, not long after the elves migrated southward to Oroniaq. Bugbear: Powerful goblinoids that live by hunting and preying on other humanoids. Bugbears, sharing a common ancestor with goblins, are widespread from Bintrigland to Iren, though they are less populous in Oronia, since that area is fairly flat for their tastes. The first Bugbears were thought to have been created from Goblin stock by Hruggek, originating in West Iren circa 15000 PKE.
Tsochar 11-23-07, 05:03 AM	Bestiary, Part 2: Bulette: "Landsharks," giant reptiles that burrow through ground as easily as sharks swim through water. Bulettes can be found throughout the plains on the East side of the Africa-based region, which I have decided to name Bahatika. They were first discovered by the natives there, though the Northern World did not hear of them until several Pannéntish explorers came across one, and were nearly killed by it in the year KY 775. Carrion Crawler: Aberration resembling a giant caterpillar with tentacles. Carrion Crawlers, so named because they eat decaying flesh, have always been something of a mystery to scholars. First spotted in a dungeon in the third century PKE, their origin has been hotly debated as either a magical experiment gone awry or a natural species native to the Underdark. Centaur: It is not clear when Centaurs first emerged from the South Oronian woods and made first contact with humanoid society. The first records of contact come from roughly 1800 PKE, though it has been shown through archaeological evidence that they are actually native to the islands off of the Oronian coast, developing tribes and villages starting around 6000 PKE. They only came to the mainland after a visiting group introduced them to sea travel around 5000 PKE. Records show they maintained contact for roughly 800 years. The group's identity has been lost to time, and the two most likely candidates are the pre-Uruk orc empires and Temshawt merchant tribes. The evidence comes from the island of Arkathos, a fair-sized island with no current centaur inhabitants. Its identity as the centaur homeland was not discovered until quite recently; the first evidence came to light in KY 1087. Chimera: A beast with three heads, all from different animals. The Chimera is undoubtedly of artificial design. Its development was very well documented by South Oronian philosopher-mages. The first chimeras actually had but a single head, and were created sometime in the 15th century PKE. The modern form came about around 200 years later. Choker: Humanoid aberrations with very long, strong arms. Chokers have long been written about by adventurers and explorers. Several descriptions follow. Tepotl was a human adventurer who famously killed his Kuo-toa slavers to pursue freedom. Tepotl's Journal. 3 Krynnhu, KY 717: We saw something in the dungeon today. I could have sworn it was a hairless monkey, or maybe a feral halfling or something, but it scurried away before I could get a good look at it. 4 Krynnhu, KY 717: Gods! The nasty little bugger that I saw yesterday nearly strangled me to death! The thing couldn't have been more than 3 feet tall, but its arms! They grabbed at my neck from nearly ten feet away! It still hurts a bit. I had heard of such creatures, but always thought they dwelt deeper than we were. Kvidmyršky Padaptanani was a Naproyektan dwarf, and a professional dungeon delver. Kvidmyršky's journal: 8 Anepar, KY 232: Some kind of small humanoid with unnaturally long arms tried to jump me yesterday, but my mace got the better of him. I tied him up and asked him about the area, but he refused to answer. I offered a morsel of food, and his tongue loosened so quickly it nearly fell out of his mouth! He told be about a troll hunting party about a mile yonder. I gave him the food, as promised, and sent him away. He might be gone, but I don't trust for one second he won't try and come at me while I'm asleep.
Tsochar 11-26-07, 01:38 AM	Chuul: Aquatic aberrations that combine the worst qualities of crustacean and insect. Chuuls were created artificially in KY 792 by a Pemeqi archwizard named Ashranezr (668-899). Ashranezr was half-human and half Sahuagin, though he was born full human and became half-sahuagin through surgical and magic techniques of his own devising, which had the side-effect of making him immortal. Initial development began in 730, and the first were roughly 20 feet long, and immortal. After a century of work in his island laboratory north of Pemeq, he had created roughly 600 of them. Impatient, he concluded that this was enough, and set out to conquer neighboring kingdoms. They drove back his creations and killed the creator, then burned every shred of his work. 200 of the original Chuuls remain, since they are immortal. Their children, the smaller, more familiar chuuls, however, have a lifespan of roughly 100 years. The smaller versions can be found in many places throughout Thaanis. Cloaker: A carnivore that looks exactly like a cloak while at rest. Cloakers were discovered in the year KY 1000, though the date is most likely coincidental. The first encounter took place in the Awinehi underdark by Rennish explorers, though it has been suggested, due to their uncanny shape, that they were originally actual garments that, due to some freak arcane accident, became intelligent and motile. Given that cloaks have been worn for centuries, and magical clothing has long been in fairly common use, it would seem that this theory is viable. Cockatrice: A bird-reptile with a petrifying bite. The origins of the Cockatrice is shrouded in mystery, probably because when first created by wizards it was given the name of 'basilisk', which of course is also the name of another known creature, and separating the two tends to be difficult in earlier texts. The first use of the term 'cockatrice' came about in the year KY 790, though terms dating as far back as 1400 PKE have attested to the knowledge of at least one of them from that time. What is known is that they were first created by incubating a chicken's egg with a toad, though since toads are cold-blooded there is a certain amount of magical preparation to be done to ensure it hatches. It may also be created by placing a freshly-lain chicken's egg in a basilisk nest, leading some to question whether they are, in fact, separate species. Couatl: a feathered serpent revered as a champion of good. Couatls have been found in the jungles of Kamonamon since olden times; the first mention of them are on Kuo-toan petroglyphs dating to c.2300 PKE. They are rumored to have given the human slaves of the Kuo-toa the idea to seek freedom, and aided in their escape and fight against their former masters. It is for this reason that they are worshipped as gods by Kamonamon and Huanatli humans alike. Darkmantle: octopus-like cave-dwellers with the ability to fly. Darkmantles are thought to have evolved naturally from a similar but less-capable subterranean predator. The first record of their existence dates to KY 574, when a Rennish explorer found one in a seaside cove in Awinehiga's inland sea. His or her name is unknown 8 Lume: I found a new species of Underdark-dweller today! I first noticed something amiss when my lantern seemed to disappear in the darkness. Familiar with darkness spell-like abilities, I drew my dagger right away, anticipating an ambush and close combat, when something drops on my head and begins crushing my skull! I stabbed it a few times and the cavern cleared up, so I had a good look at it. It was like an octopus or squid, only with webbing between its numerous tentacles, and a ring of eyes instead of merely two. Delver: huge aberrations that feed on rock, and can mold and soften stone. Delvers were first discovered in the underdark of Menjalanga, in KY 457, though since then they have been found in many places. Their addiction to metal is well-documented, the most famous case being the Silver mine Massacre of 684, when the vein ran out and the delver became enraged because it couldn't get its 'fix.' Derro: blue dwarf-like beings known for their sadism and racial insanity. The Derro were created by a long-forgotten deity by magically manipulating and interbreeding dwarves and humans. Murderous and insane, they inhabit a deep, forgotten corner of Bintrigland. The first true Derro were found in 392 PKE, and since then the dwarves have begun a campaign to destroy these vile creatures wherever they may be. Destrachan: Intelligent, sightless aberrations with the ability to destroy using sonic reverberations. Found only in the upper layers of the mountain caverns separating the Great Desert into the Temshawt and Pemeq regions, Destrachan were originally discovered by Rennish explorers in KY 568. They are rather rare, and incredibly dangerous. Digester: bipedal creature that digests its meals before eating via acid projector on its head. Digesters were originally discovered by humans around 1350 PKE, in the Kung Hnuom region east of Jankra. A mere 500 miles from Iren, they were often trouble for merchants traveling to and from Jankra. In recent years, however, their numbers have dwindled, possibly due to hunting and poaching. Dinosaur: An uncommon class of reptilian that share an ancestor some millions of years past with dragons, they live in the subtropical northern area of Awinehiga. There, the nomadic natives use them as beasts of burden or possibly mounts. The larger, more unruly types are less cooperative. Their numbers are few, though they are not at risk of extinction quite yet. Dire Animals: Dire animals are something of a mystery. Occasionally, one may be born to an otherwise normal animal herd, clan, community, pride, or group, or sometimes they might be created as a result of arcane experimentation or pollution. Although they may arise in these ways, they most commonly are the offspring of an earlier generation of dire animal, since each species breeds true. They exist everywhere their ordinary counterparts exist. Displacer beasts: Six-legged catlike predators with tentacles that always seem to be just a few feet from where they truly are. Displacer beasts, natural enemy of blink dogs, are found in East Pemeq where they compete with Blink dogs. Unlike their canine rivals, they are not on friendly terms with any humanoids, excepting of course the evil, tribal varieties.
Tsochar 11-27-07, 04:38 AM	Politics, part 1: There are literally hundreds of kingdoms and empires, both extant and ancient, throughout Thaanis. Jankra: In Jankra alone (roughly the size of Texas) there are 13 nations: The largest, Rashamanidii, lies in the south. It separates the rest of the peninsula from the jungles of Kung Hnuom. It represents a full third of the peninsula. The Dariyaa river runs through its west. The next largest, by a wide margin, is Padhi (nasalization of the 'a' causes its Rennish name to be Pongdy). The other countries are Namai-Tham, Gapyaanaata, Vudanlukhi, Pyum Yudo, Tisha, Padh Chamda (the players' current location), Pyatoraa, Jagrii, and Goakanba. The 13th country is not very large; it is twelve miles across by four miles, and lies entirely within Rashamanidii. It is called Veda, and it is the most ancient country, founded by the First Wave of elven settlers. The Veda are of an ancient, some say immortal, sect that keeps all of Jankra history written in painted glyphs within a pyramid-temple at the country's center. Veda is granted immunity from all Jankran countries regarding wars; any conflict that may arise will not extend into Veda, or the whole of history (which is held in very high regard by the elves) could be destroyed. Wars are rare between the nations, however, since elven kingdoms are more accurately defined as alliances between neighboring cities. Each elven nation, however, does share a sense of unity in both its unique dialect of Elvish and the fact that the elves from a given country generally all descend from that country's founders. That said, Rashamanidii is the exception, since it was formed from many former elven tribes for the sake of common defense, since Kung Hnuom is the home of the various Yuan-ti tribes. Although elves are the majority population in Jankra, humans are a significant minority in most nations, driving elven expansionism to a limited extent. They are also partly responsible for the presence of unified kingdoms, which are not generally found among elves. Aside from humans, there exists a rather large gnome population in Jagrii, constituting 9% of the Jagrii population, and there are a number of Dwarves in the mountains of Namai Tham. Drow are present throughout Jankra, notably in the eastern portions, though they are most prevalent in Tisha and neighboring Padh Chamda. They were once common in Namai Tham, but have since been driven out, though the Dwarf population had suffered from their presence nonetheless. Irennius: Iren is the proper name of the country where the former Rennish Empire once stood. The original Rennish Empire was actually called Irennius in the early part of the first Millenium after Kiluut. The latter Rennish Empire took power quickly after the fall of Imperial Irennius in the 500s, and retook the lands of Oronia and part of Bintrigland, as well as a significant portion of Huanatli before it too fell to its current state. As mentioned in the overview, the Irennians hold some animosity towards Bintriglander Dwarves because of their victory. Iren's borders are defined by two enormous walls, one in the north and one in the south, each a hundred feet in height, fifteen stories tall, with guard towers each mile. A total complement of 600,000 archers and wizards occupy both walls at any given time, and in some select places one can see fields of remains of ill-fated invaders, which serve as a warning to any who dare to follow them. The Rennish capital is known as Irennius Central, and it is the largest city in all of Thaanis, a with a population of 270000. Humans are most common, halflings, and elves each about half as populous as humans, with half-elves and half-orcs following. The lower class consists of Mongrelfolk, which live in slums on the outskirts of the city, and Orcs which number roughly 8000. Kobolds, can be found occasionally doing work, while Goblins, and Hobgoblins, while rare, can also be found. Lizardfolk and other monster races are quite rare. A very small clan of 23 dwarves lives in the city's sewers, refusing to give up their ancestors' home, and exist without the knowledge of the general public. There are around 6500 registered lycanthropes in the city. Since lycanthropes are not generally looked down upon (a few high-ranking officials are actually werewolves and wererats), almost all of them are registered.
Tsochar 11-28-07, 04:33 AM	The Thaanis Underdark: Beneath Thaanis, extending throughout the entire planet, are caverns both vast and narrow, known collectively as Underdark. It is said that any region of Thaanis can be reached from any other region by traveling through it. The name 'Underdark' comes from the name used by the native subterranean dwellers to describe it. That it shares its name with a similar cave system in Faerun is not coincidental; before the Sealing of Kiluut, it was possible to open portals to and from other cosmologies using the peculiar magical properties of the Deep. In an effort to bury the knowledge of other cosmologies due to a war that led in part to the Sealing, there is a campaign across much of Thaanis to change its name to Stonedeep, which has met with varied success. Each region of Underdark has its own flora and fauna, rare though it may be, and oftentimes they share a resemblance to surface creatures, albeit twisted. The Thaanis Underdark is not as terrible as in Faerun, nor is it as deep, though it is difficult to ascertain the true depth because of Madness Below. the Thaanis Underdark is divided into 13 sections, called Kesthaan, which in the Ancient Tongue means 'small world,' or 'minor world.' Each Kesthaan is separated from other Kesthaan by deep canyons, called Dalos; although others exist, the ones which have magma flowing beneath are the only canyons that are classified as Dalos. Due to the heat that rises from the magma, it is usually rather easy to traverse a Dalos with a sizable parachute or balloon, even though they are usually miles wide. Within each Kesthaan are numerous smaller canyons, called Paldalos. These are only a few hundred feet across, and often have connecting caves. Most Underdark cities lie on either a Dalos or a Paldalos, since these regions are easiest to travel and build through. Paldalos usually have water running at the bottom, and so they commonly are green towards the bottom. Since Paldalos always empty into Dalos, however, the water turns to steam and travels back up the Paldalos river, until it condenses and falls again as rain. The clouds are usually less than a mile deep, and towards the bottom it is usually very humid and even tropical. One can gauge their distance from a Dalos by the speed of the winds, the temperature, and the clarity of the mist, since very near the Boiling region the steam tends to rise more than it travels, so it clears up right before one hits magma. The upper layers of the Underdark are much more open than the lower layers; entire seas can be found in some areas. Madness Below is the phenomena in which an otherwise sane person becomes slightly intoxicated, as if by alcohol, when he travels more than a few miles down. A rough rule of thumb is that one is intoxicated to the degree a size-appropriate mug of beer would make them after 3 miles gone, another after 5, a third at 6, and another every mile thereafter; most humans and halflings would fall unconscious at 10 miles or so, elves at 8, dwarves and gnomes at 11. The deepest a human has gone without protection is around 14 miles. It is possible to acclimate after a few years living there, but once acclimated a return to the surface causes one to fall ill. (This is a real condition, but usually only affects divers. It's called nitrogen Narcosis.) Air after several miles becomes very thick; it is thought that at 14 miles a rather light elf could actually fly. The thickening atmosphere is part of the cause of Madness Below.
Tsochar 11-30-07, 04:41 AM	Miscellaneous Races: Psionic Races: Most people believe humanoids that use psionics simply are clever magic-users, rather than true psions. Aboleths, illithids, Yuan-ti and other psionic races are acknowledged as true psionics-users. Dromites: Dromites are found in Bahatika, though their hives and tunnels extend throughout the upper Underdark. They are known to some, but no significant contact has occurred yet. Duergar: They are to Dwarves as Drow are to Elves, an evil, deeper offshoot. They have opposed Dwarves for thousands of years, since before even the days of the Mountainyear calendar. Elan: Elans live in a small autonomous country called Batzanko Ezatxarren, which is located within the major Oronian country of Ternora. Almost 30000 Elans live in Batzanko Ezatxarren, and another 40000 live in Ternoran colonies in the equatorial East Sea Islands. Few realize that they are any different from ordinary humans, and most assume they are simply a forgotten ethnic group. Their origin is unknown, though they have only had their own country since the decline of the second Rennish empire and reestablishment of the Oronian states, around KY 800 or 900. Githyanki/Githzerai: The first record of Githyanki and Githzerai are a single mention in an early planar traveler's journal c. 3200 PKE, coinciding with the arrival of the Illithids, where they are described as "gangly humanoids, with bony growths and odd-shaped heads and green skin." Gith, the great leader that freed them, is recorded to have led his revolt around 500 years after, and the ideological split occurred over the next few thousand years. Maenad: Maenads were originally nymphs that had become female slaves to a depraved, vile god, who they overthrew after a time, though they had been changed, no longer the fey they once were. Having regained their ability to reproduce, males began to appear (it is not known exactly how), and they became a full fledged race. However, the same depraved god that once enslaved them enticed a number of followers to his debauched ways, and these became the first Bacchae. They mostly live on the Prakeinnic (sout Oronian) coasts. Thri-Kreen: Thri-Kreen live in the Pemeqi deserts and arid plains, but are also comfortable in the more arid areas of Awinehiga. They avoid northern society; their insectoid appearance is generally reason enough. The select few that do come to the northern parts are renowned for their skills in combat if they are fortunate enough to find a place that does not fear them. To most, they are considered myths, with falsehoods more prevalent than facts. Xeph: The Xephs have a rich and surprisingly little-known history. First mentioned in ancient Shar-uleseth texts dating to 2279 PKE, they established the Xeph Empire in Pemeqad in 1485 PKE. Over time, they expanded their empire north to the Kamonamon jungle and even to Irennius. They never gained a foothold in Oronia, recieving staunch opposition from the Prakeinnic people, but this group was not a threat due to infighting. A historic story tells of the Iatothi canyon, a narrow gorge with a seasonally dry riverbed, through which a number of Xephs had to run for days on end in order to outflank the Prakeinnic armies, belonging to the kingdoms of Sahas, Alokan, Hanalae, and Cadames. The year given is 1296 PKE. The half-elf Alokans and their king Silanael, suspecting such a maneuver, took a patrol of no more than 180 of the finest archers of his army and led them along a path overlooking the gorge to face the Xephs, which numbered roughly 200,000, from a safe position. They shot arrow after arrow, stopping only to replenish supplies at outposts, trying to slow down the Xephs enough to grant the rest of the army passage. By shooting at the front of the ranks, they were able to force the Xephs to move at a slower, more staggered pace. After 5 consecutive days of running (not without sleep; both sides rested by night) through 300 miles in the winding canyon, the Persians stumbled across a cavern that took them up to the other side of the Gorge, where the remaining warriors met and slaughtered the Alokan archers. They could not advance to the rest of Oronia, however, because the armies had since gone into position. Roughly 40,000 Xephs were killed during the course of the battle.
Tsochar 12-05-07, 12:39 AM	Misc. races (part 1): Doppelganger: It is unknown how prevalent Doppelgangers are, since they are masters of disguise. Most of the known ones are employed as assassins, spies, mercenaries, etc. It is thought that over half a million live in in the North (Iren, Oronia, Bintrigland, and Naproyekt) Janni: Janni live in the desert of Pemeq in wandering bands. There are many estimates as to their numbers, but most place them from 2000 to 8000 within the whole of the desert. They sometimes band together to fight a threat, but generally avoid humanoids and other non-Janni. Giants: Giants are a rare, powerful group that appear in many legends and stories dating to millennia ago. Each race has its own noble culture, and although they have nearly disappeared on Thaanis there still live many in the elemental and outer planes. The numbers here reflect only those found on Thaanis. Ettins are actually an offshoot of giant that became a species all its own long ago. Cloud: Cloud giants are the second-rarest variety, settling in southern Naproyekt. There are thought to be roughly 1000 living. Fire: Fire giants live in volcanic regions of Bintrigland, but some also live in the mountainous divide between Temshawt and Pemeq. They number around 2000. Frost: Frost giants live in the icy climes of Fareja, and are the most common type of giant there. In all there are 2500. Hill: The smallest and stupidest of giants, these live in more regions than the others, and are generally considered either monsters or riff-raff, though more often the former. There are around 5000 hill giants, if not more. Stone: Shy and playful, these giants have a reputation of being rabble-rousers. They live throughout Bintrigland and Naproyekt, numbering 3000 or so. Storm: The strongest and most noble, these giants are also the rarest. There are only a few hundred left on Thaanis. Gnoll: Native to Patihao and Temshawt, these savage humanoids are the primitive cousin of a now-extinct subspecies which was leaner and more intelligent. They built enormous, geometric stone monuments which still stand today. There are roughly 300000 gnolls throughout western Patihao and the desert. Goblin: Small, weak, cowardly, and evil, goblins are found almost everywhere on Thaanis. It is unknown how many there are in all, but at least 1 million, possibly as many as 5 million live in the North. Hobgoblin: A larger, more competent cousin of the goblin, hobgoblins are just as widespread, though they are half as numerous. The few that join civilized society are often soldiers, since they seem naturally adept at military life and have a surprising knack for tactics. Kobold: A small, paranoid, and sadistic race of reptilians, the kobolds are descended from the offspring of goblins and chromatic dragons. There were once a good subrace of kobold as well, but these were far less numerous, and quickly fell to the ones we know today. They are surprisingly common in cities, albeit still very rarely seen, and the few that make a peaceable living among civilized society often become miners or locksmiths. Lizardfolk: Thousands of lizardfolk tribes, each with its own markings and characteristics, are found throughout Thaanis. Each tribe is based upon a real lizard species. They are as populous as any major race, but seek to avoid civilization, not understanding why such a thing would be of any benefit to them.
Tsochar 12-10-07, 12:29 AM	Miscellaneous races, part 2: Locathah: Locathah live in moderately deep water near the equator, usually around the Menjalanga and Kamonamon areas. They are thought to number between 50 and 100 thousand. Merfolk: Merfolk are found globally in shallow coastal regions. They are thought to be nearly as numerous as the land-dwellers. Mind Flayer: Illithids are scattered throughout all levels of the Underdark. It is thought that they first arrived in Thaanis (from somewhere unknown) around c. 3200 PKE. There are hundreds of Illithid cities, both rumored and confirmed, of hundreds each. Minotaur: The first minotaur was a bull-headed human offspring of Baphomet and a queen of the island of Arkathos. After it and its mother were banished to the Labyrinth Tomb, where all the kings of the old kingdom were buried, Baphomet would give them food in exchange for an offering of blood from both of them. As the story goes, when the princess passed away, the minotaur child devoured her remains and gained intelligence and its keen insight into mazes, and found its way out. It then murdered the king and demanded that, as the Queen's son he was the rightful heir. The nobility did not allow him to ascend to the throne, and instead banished him to the outskirts of the kingdom. After generations of 'breeding' forcibly with both bovines and humans, the first minotaur sired many offspring, and after some time the two species mixed together into the modern minotaurs known today. Not all are evil, but they all consider themselves to be the rightful heirs to the Throne (not all remember which throne, however). The first minotaur was birthed in the year 2373 PKE; there are thought to be 14 to 15000 in Prakeinos, and about half that many found elsewhere. Ogre: Thought to be distantly related to orcs, Ogres have lived in many parts of Thaanis since long ago; they were thought to have emerged from a common ancestor to orcs half a million years ago. They were historically regarded as beasts or subintelligent monsters, but as of KY 980 they have been recognized as intelligent beings in some Oronian states. There are 80 thousand living in Oronia, and thousands more in other places. Additionally, 20 thousand humanoids are thought have ogre ancestry.
Tsochar 12-21-07, 02:59 AM	Miscellaneous Races, part 3: Ogre Mage: This recent offshoot of Ogre lives farther north, in the Naproyekt region. They are much rarer than ordinary ogres; fewer than ten thousand are estimated to be alive. Orc: Orcs are rather common throughout Thaanis. Mostly, they are descendents of the Uruk tribe of orc, a particularly warlike group that manage to defend themselves against human invaders in Temshawt, circa 8000 PKE. Planetouched: Exceedingly rare and equally reclusive, little is known about planetouched beings. Pseudodragon: In the West Sea regions, pseudodragons are a significant minority in cities and settlements, especially where travel by foot is difficult. Travelers are often surprised when they see them flying above the streets, speaking with townsfolk, and sometimes even running businesses. The Old Scale in Ternora's coastal Carranda province is famous in that every employee, the cooks, waiters, bartenders, and even the proprietor are all pseudodragons. Rakshasa: Rakshasas are reclusive, malevolent creatures found solely in Jankra. They are relatively few; there are perhaps a thousand in all. Sahuagin: The Sea Devils are native to the coasts of Menjalanga, though they are found in many places. The Sea Elves, dwelling mainly in Jankra, first encountered them early in the 7th century KY. Satyr: Satyrs are rare fey known for their passionately chaotic nature. There are 15000 wandering the world. It is not generally known, but Satyrs and Nymphs are the males and females of the same race, respectively. There are around half as many Nymphs as there are Satyrs, though. Sphinx: Sphinxes are found in Temshawt and Pemeq alike, but are extremely rare. Only a few thousand of each type exist, with androsphinxes being the rarest. Sprites: Mysterious and reclusive, Sprites of all varieties live mostly in Iren and, to a lesser degree, Bintrigland. Nobody knows exactly how common they are, given their reclusion. Treant: Treants are found wherever there are trees, though they seldom draw enough attention to themselves for travelers or even settlers to notice. They have migrated out of the North following the aggressive human expansion in the area. Triton: Tritons are mysterious and reclusive, and live generally farther out and deeper than surface-dwellers care to pay attention. As a result, there is little known about them. Troglodyte: Believed to be somehow related to lizardfolk, these smelly, evil, repulsive reptilians dwell in the Bahatikan underdark. Trolls: Living mostly in Bintrigland and Naproyekt, Trolls have been well-known for dozens of millennia. There are thousands scattered throughout the area, but thankfully it is a relatively large region. Vampire: Vampires have appeared in stories from all over the world. It is often difficult to tell a vampire from an ordinary human, though it is possible to "rehabilitate" vampires by carefully balancing positive and negative energy, making them only partly undead. In addition, there exists a disease (Acquired hemophagus syndrome, or "blood's sweetness.") which causes humanoids to become vampire-like, but with fewer vampiric properties and weaknesses. The disease can be inherited or acquired, much like lycanthropy. Yuan-Ti: Native to the jungles of Kung Hnuom, the Yuan-ti were intended to be a servitor race made from human and serpent stock in the 1100s PKE. Although the majority are evil, quite a few Hnuom settlements have their share of purebloods in their population as aristocrats and scholars, though they are still very uncommon. Aside from those rare exceptions, there are believed to be nearly a hundred thousand pureblooded Yuan-ti, ten thousand Halfblooded Yuan-ti, only a few thousand abominations, and thankfully nought but a few dozen anathemas.
Tsochar 01-08-08, 04:49 AM	Epic characters and monsters: Thaanis has a fairly standard assortment of high-level characters, but there are just over a thousand epic characters throughout the world. Among the strongest is emperor Anorias Iren, lv 35. The Imperial Iren line stretches back to the first Irennian empire in the early days of the Kiluut era; each king has shown amazing prowess, excelling in combat skill, strategy, and magic. The first Irennian emperor was one-quarter elf; his paternal grandmother was a Jankran princess who was offered to the lord of a small irennian kingdom as a political arrangement. She taught her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and so on the ancient elven spellcasting secrets associated with Duskblades. Due to the Drow war which ravaged Jankra shortly after, the only remaining duskblades are part of the Imperial Iren line. Some estranged branch house members have taught their pupils the secrets, but they are nowhere near as skilled as the Imperial line. Anorias's brother Narphoros was said to be even more a prodigy than the Emperor, despite being a year younger. He abandoned the Imperial family 61 years ago and has not been seen since. Epic Monsters: The Tarrasque: The tarrasque is unchanged from the MM, though he comes out just a bit more frequently due to the shorter months. Originally a champion of good created by dragonkind out of their ancestors, the dinosaurs, the Tarrasque proved too evil to keep. They could not kill it, so now it sleeps until its hunger suppresses the magic keeping it at bay. Wyrms: The most ancient and powerful of dragons, Wyrms number in the hundreds, though they are in a decline. Linnorms: Evil and powerful dragons, they were once a fearsome race, but no young ones have been seen for centuries. A thankfully dying breed, there are thought to be hundreds of Gray linnorms, a few dozen Dread linnorms, and perhaps seven of the Corpse Tearer variety. They are theorized to be artificial, but that question may never be answered. Megapede: The bane of farmers and villages, these immense arthropods once roamed the countryside in search of food. They are fewer in number, mostly migrated and sealed into Met'n Kiluut. Hundreds exist, though in the deepest Underdark a race of half-fiend Megapedes, both intelligent and flight-capable, have been seen. Orcwort: A type of plant that could destroy cities, the Orcwort is thought to be a descended of Treants mutated by the month of Umbris. Their number is uncertain, but dwindling. Bone Ooze: A terrifying ooze with the ability to extract bones from the living, this type of creature lives in the Underdark. Besides certain scholars, very few know about them. Chaos Roc: An enormous bird of Jankran myth, it has not been seen for centuries. Phoenix: The legendary demigod firebird, There are exactly one hundred in the world, each one able to rise from its ashes after death. Leviathan: The quintessential sea monster, the Leviathan has prowled the Eastern ocean's shipping lanes for as long as history can record. Hellfire Wyrm: Mountain Giant: The most powerful, and least intelligent type of giant, it is said they primarily live in Kiluut. Fewer than twenty are thought to live beyond the seal. Fiendwurm: A demonic experiment descended from common earthworms, equipped with a gate to the Abyss in its gullet and able to call upon its denizens, at least one of these ever-ravenous monsters live in the Pemeqad desert, and more dwell in the Underdark. Crawling Head: The disembodied undead head of a giant, these undead usually are seen near giant lands during Umbris. Thunder Worm: A living storm made of cloud, lightning, and thunder, they dwell in the sky, appearing due to heavy concentrations of atmospheric arcane pollution. Abominations: The deformed mistakes of gods, these immensely powerful beings are too numerous to catalog, though all but a few are imprisoned within prison planes. They escape on occasion; every few years a lesser one shows up somewhere in the world, usually killing any who see it. Greater ones are centuries apart, thankfully. Anaxim: The mistakes of Forge deities, these human-sized machines have been sighted sporadically in places where technology and constructs are used quite often. The last one was seen 8 years ago. Atropal: The undead remains of stillborn godlings, appearing as dessicated fetuses ten feet long, they despise all life and seek to destroy all that lives until it is neutralized. The last one was released in 770 by an adventuring party in the plains of North Awinehiga; it had been buried in a cavern which led to an Underdark ocean, all in all six miles deep. When reached, it rushed to the surface and killed for weeks on end until the gods ended it. The area surrounding the crypt still smells like death. Chichimec: The misguided creations of sky deities, these dwarf-sized monsters are made entirely from hundreds of wings and a tail. One was seen 12 years ago; it killed a halfling in Naproyekt. Dream Larva: Night terrors escaped to reality who cause any that lay their eyes upon them to die of sheer terror, the last time a dream larva was seen was 134 years ago, KY 1014. They are normally created when one dreams a Forbidden dream, stemming from the discovery of certain secrets not meant to be known by mortals; the adventurers that discovered the aforementioned larva had discovered an ancient temple in South Bahatika. Though they were warned by the local gnomes not to go there, they entered anyway, and found something (it is not known what) which drove one of them insane. That night, the party all died, and the neighboring villages and tribes, until daybreak came and it departed back to the dream realm. Hecatoncheires: The oldest and most powerful Abominations, none have been known to enter the material plane, save for one, the legendary Living War. It first came a hundred and one million years ago, before even the Gods themselves. Without any wars, it slept for eons until War was beginning. What happen? Somebody set up us the bomb... sorry, I couldn't resist :P. Anyway, in the days leading up to the end of the Draconic Age, when massive dragon nations and empires spanned the globe, an enormous war ravaged the lands, and it woke. immensely powerful and wielding a hundred giant blades, it slaughtered entire dragon armies and nations easily, until all the dragons had fled to the remote corners of the world. This is but a legend, however; the only beings that could remember that time are Bahamut and Tiamat, and neither speak of it. Infernal: Half-fiend, half-god, the vile, 15-foot-tall demons and devils are hated even by their fiendish kin, fearful of their power. Forbidden by the Gods to exit their home planes, few have been seen, the last one in KY 923 by an adventuring party in Met'n Kiluut. Phaethon: Born of fire, only a volcano's heart, the Phoenix's immolation, or a Great Wyrm's firey breath can come close to matching the oozelike Phaethon's immense heat. They exist trapped in Thaanis's core, the source of the heat of all magma. Rarely, they break their bonds for a few months, breaching the surface for the sole purpose of incinerating everything in their path. This last ocurred more than 500 years ago in KY 636. It happened to surface just 500 miles from Irennius Central. The reigning emperor, Natellius Iren, fought the creature to a standstill for days with his special Farejan-made cold armor and twelve-foot sword, Magnafrigia. (Natellius was one of the strongest emperors, favoring oversized weapons. On a related note, he made it illegal to utter "overcompensating" in the same breath as one of his swords.), until finally defeating it, driving it back from whence it came, and saving the capital city of Iren, though he died of severe burns shortly afterward. Phane: Shadowy progeny of the gods of time or fate, these are usually so far in the past or future that time ceases to be for them. They have the power to warp time and space, and feed on the 'future' of any being they capture in their time stasis field. The last one was seen 3 years ago. Xixecal: Walking glaciers a hundred feet high, sometimes worshipped as gods by white dragons. Xixecals are surrounded by a frigid ice storm extending a thousand feet in every direction. They usually wander Fareja when they escape to Thaanis, though not one has been seen for nearly three thousand years, c. 1730 PKE. Brachyurus: A giant primordial wolf, an evil species with deific strength and a ferocity to match. They prowl the outer planes, mostly, but a few are known to live on Thaanis itself. They are thought to number under a hundred. Colossus: Enormous constructs, the pinnacle of achievement for their creators. Stone Colossus: Seventy feet tall and over a hundred tons of stone, Only 17 stone colossi are known to have been made. Most of them were either destroyed or went into dormancy upon their creator's death. Flesh Colossus: The epitome of necromancy and grafting, at least three hundred humanoids are stitched together to make this vile construct. Only one was ever made, in KY 764, by Dwarven arch-necromancer Urfesli. She tried to conquer a number of dwarven strongholds with her magic, but ultimately failed. Iron Colossus: Only two, perhaps three, mages in the world have the skill to create an Iron Colossus, and fewer than three dozen in all of history can make similar claims. One Iron Colossus, created in KY 1046, has ever been made. It was made by a gnome engineer in Bahatika, Lunsdal, who was called Mkomochuma, Ironhand. Demilich: The ultimate form of a lich, a single skull with immense magical skill and the power to steal souls. Few wizards become liches, and those that do rarely become powerful enough to take the next step. In all of history there have been 13 confirmed demiliches, plus 1 near-certainty and several dozen unconfirmed. Since they can kill all but the strongest adventurers before they can even be seen, however, there can be no telling how many there are. Devastation vermin: These giant vermin are immense, hundreds of feet long. Hailing from an alternate cosmology that briefly touched ours eons ago, they sleep between the surface and Underdark. It is not often when they surface, but they leave an unbelievable trail of destruction in their wake. Devastation Centipede: Over three hundred feet long, these are actually the easiest devastation vermin to kill. The last one awakened was actually fairly recent; 21 years ago, though luckily it was in a remote corner of East Bahatika, adjacent to the great swamps. It crawled off somewhere, and is presumed to have gone farther inland and back to sleep. Devastation Spider: A hundred feet wide, this giant hunting-type spider is the second-weakest type of Devastation vermin. One was last seen in KY 955, in the forests between Bahatika and Awinehiga. Devastation Scorpion: Over 200 feet long, this and the Devastation spider are equally difficult to destroy. One was last seen in KY 998, In Bintrigland. A Dwarven mine expansion led directly to its nest, and it awoke with a fury, smashing buildings, collapsing tunnels, and using its mighty stinger and claws to impale and crush the soldiers and civilians alike. When all was said and done, the war catapults had managed to crack its hide, and one brave soul managed to climb it, pry off a piece of exoskeleton, and delve into it, slicing and maiming all the way. It died, but the dwarven city was utterly leveled, and most of the inhabitants were dead. Devastation Beetle: The mightiest of all Devastation insects, the Devastation Beetle is also the rarest. The only known sighting occurred nearly five millennia ago, around c. 3700 PKE, when it razed the land and destroyed much of what is now Oronia. Epic Dragons: Force and Prismatic dragons are both the rarest of all dragons. Only a few hundred are thought to exist, few of them matured to adulthood. Of course, this is all speculation, since they haven't been seen for centuries. Genius Loci: When a geographic location is left alone for millennia, it sometimes spontaneously becomes alive... and usually evil. Nobody knows how many there are, but sages estimate there could be as many as three hundred scattered across Thaanis.
Tsochar 01-23-08, 02:41 AM	Politics, history, and current events in Jankra: 18000 years ago, when the first elves came to Jankra following the collapse of their mighty Elven Empire in west Bintrigland, there was a disagreement as to whether the time of Elves had passed, or if they were to rebuild their empire there. The noble Elvish clan of Padha believed the latter. They created a vast empire, Pangdhi, not quite as mighty as the former Elvish Empire, but still the largest one in Jankra, the other three being the Vudanluki, Namai Tam, and Jagrii empires. The city-state of Veda, the oldest settlement in Jankra, wanted no part of imperial expansion, instead content to record history in their temple. Around 7500 years before the Kiluut Era, a small coastal piece of Pangdhi known as Goakanba split from the main empire peacefully. around 2500 PKE, West Gapyahnata rebelled against the Pangdhi empire, and East Gapyahnata rebelled against Jagri. Seeking a middle ground after a conflict, and realizing that the time of Elves was indeed over, they soon formed a single country, more a group of allied villages than a real nation. The arrival and integration of gnome settlers into Jagri's capital caused Pyatorah to rebel against the capitol. No longer connected to Jagri, Tisha was free to secede. In PKE 1730, after repelling yuan-ti invaders, the Southern territories decided to break from their respective empires, forming a loose alliance elven villages collectively known as Rashamanidi. 500 years later, the movement reached Padh Chamda, causing it to become the last territory to secede from the once-great Pangdhi empire. Tisha soon broke into a bloody civil war, the Northern side, Tisha, fighting to establish an empire while the seceding side, Maihar, fought to prevent bloodshed brought about by imperialism. With aid from the nearby Vudanluki empire (the only empire besides Namai Tam which did not suffer a collapse, and remains in much its original form to this day), Maihar successfully split after 67 years. In the days leading up to the Kiluut era, the northern states of Namai Tam split from the main empire to form Pym Yudo. After the collapse of the empires, the Jankra region is relatively peaceful, though the Drow have been making routine attacks against Tisha and Padh Chamda, using clever tactics to pit them against one another. Chasa, the northernmost Padh trading city, is a mere two-hour walk from a new Drow stronghold, and as such a few Drow rebels (i.e., those against the war) have hidden there. To make matters worse, the still-powerful Pangdhi Empire rekindled their 2000 year-old feud with Padh Chamda 16 years ago in 1132; they occupy the unforested western portions of Padh Chamda, and are beginning to push into the central forests. Pashadhsa is expected to fall within weeks. The country receives supplies and some aid from Maihar, but Maihar's anti-war policy remains, and they are not participating directly. At the very least, Pangdhi has its hands full, since it has also declared war upon Gapyahnata.