Archive for the Gavin Wel Category

Dao Tyr – A Political Primer

Posted in Ancient Lands, Dinnae, Elves, Gavin Wel, Innien, Lands of the East, Niskantel, The Shadow Road on June 7, 2013 by coyoteandthunder

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Click above to enlarge.

1164, in the seventh aepoch of the raelfaen.

Dinnae – Shadow city on the edge of the Fay Dark. The Court of the Black Orchid at the behest of the Queen of Shadow rules with grim and gothic solemnity from the Palace of Blood and Stars. The city population has grown to nearly half a million living souls in the past few years, and has become a major trade stop on the Lilthen Sea. One of the City’s many secrets is the use of undead labor in its industry, driving its economic growth.

Edorinn – The Sylvan nations of the Southern Sun. The City of Edorinn is an ancient metropolis of many thousand elves and eladrin, built on colossal, building like mushrooms. Swarming armies of elf-mounted, green drakes spring from roost to roost, ever vigilant of threats from the north.

Ethilistyr – The Dreamwater. Built on the ruins of the most fabulous of the first cities of DaoTyr, Khepathia, this land of men and fay exists as a rural sovereignty; wealthy from the plunder recovered from the deep and infinite ruins beneath its fertile farms, the Dreamwater also owns considerable arcane wealth from the real opening of the Shadow Road (a powerful vein of multiplanar magic) one hundred years ago.

Eyrolia – The Stone kingdoms of the North. Argon Meavoi, the King of Eyrolia, one of the stonekin, rules as a benevolent king over a vast, frozen land where strong men hunt caribou with the wolf and the raven.

Gavin Wel – If there is a cultural hub of Dao Tyr, it is Gavin Wel. Gavin Wel, governed by the so-called Council of Eagles, a cabal of druids, has prospered in recent years after many years of war and strife. Gavin Wel has marketed itself as a center of freedom and expression and because of it, has become an international magnet for all manner of artists, adventures and con men.

Gildensong – The lands of Wine. The great valleys of Gildensong are protected by ancient dragons who jealously protect those who have tended to these endless vineyards since the beginning of the fifth age, so many thousands of years ago.

Hyth Anir – The DragonKin empire of Lord Arnithol. The destruction of the city of Hyth Anir fifty years ago left a whole race of people angry, strife-ridden and homeless. The chronicles of Valenta Quoul records the recent history of this ruthless army on the move.

Mortileux – The land of the Dead. Ruled over by the dark king of the Blightlords, Volukai, holds grim court in a land of gray sand and black water.

Niskantel – The Copper City. The trademeet of the North. The Scarlet Sorceress, Ariathia, from the Tower of the Eye, permits a free market to all manner of economic activity on the streets, populated by almost a million people, so far under her stone tower.

Norwylnn – The Fay North. Wild Raelfaen, hunter and gather communities guard ancient libraries across tundra landscapes.

Purdjion – The wound in the world. The realm of Angels and Demons.  From the bottom of the black crater, where a mortal to stand there, they would witness a font of heavenly angels cascading from a hole in the sky to then tirelessly meet a infinite well of demons bubbling up from a crack in the blistered earth. An ancient hold keeps this war from spilling out over the great geoscape.

Puriol – The first city of men. Mostly a hallowed ruin, only about ten thousand noble souls still call this ancient place home. The Navy of Puriol is still a potent armada, administering trade all the way to its namesake, Theriol, on the other side of the continent.

Sword Call – The seat of power in Eyrolia. The home of Meavoi. The ritual of EO, 75 years ago, occurred here, and marked the end of the six age of the world.

Tem Salaam – The most-ancient Raelfaen observatory. A place of fay magic that has remained in this place for over 50,000. The oldest power in the world, by far.

The Lilthen Sea – really a massive, freshwater lake.

The Red Tower – Seat of power in the Dragonkin kingdom of Hurthyric. After 100 years of war with the Kingdom of Theriol, the dragonborn people of Hurthyric are in a dire situation. Their goddess, Tiamat, has been vanquished and their emperor is missing.

The West Island – Ancient lands of the Silver Fay, druids of thunder and wilderness.

Thessany – The largest wilderness area in all of Northern Dao Tyr.

Theriol – The Eastern kingdom of Men, Ruled by the noble and young King Brogan VIII. A wealthy kingdom, protected by the strong Clockwork knights.

Unon – The Ancient Lands of the Raelfaen, defined as the area from Gavin Wel to Tem Salaam.

The Calendar of Ethilistyr and the Northlands

Posted in Ancient Lands, Gavin Wel, Men, the Fey Dark on November 26, 2011 by coyoteandthunder

The Company of the Black Orchid

Posted in Ancient Lands, Gavin Wel, the Fey Dark on November 2, 2011 by coyoteandthunder

The Heroes of Shadow, or as they are known in Gavin Wel, the Fugitives of Dark Port, are on their way to Dinnae aboard the Feydark galleon Amoria.

The Dragonkin Wars

Posted in Gavin Wel, Lesivith, the Archfey, The Dragongods, the Fey Dark, The Fey People, The North, The Shadow Road, the Talisman on October 22, 2011 by coyoteandthunder

Announcing the publishing of the Valena Quoul, the history of the Dragon Kin Wars in the ancient lands of Unon. Click here or on the picture above to link to the PDF. This book is another chapter in the hugely involved plot of how the shadow grows over this campaign world. I am still experimenting with my idea of publishing a novel version of the campaign world…been working on it for twenty years. When published, of course, I will only use appropriated art with permission. I appreciate all the artists’ talents on this website and if permission is ever requested I will of course abide. For now, the site is published for personal use only.

The Final Battle of the Epic Quest, into the Pit!

Posted in Gavin Wel, Men, the Fey Dark, The Sherriff on September 18, 2011 by coyoteandthunder


Into the Abyss! went the adventurers for the final battle in the Epic campaign. For some, this adventure concluded three years of work with these characters. Above, the Ghoul King, Doresain, challenges the crew for the soul of Tim Tigeon. This campaign defined Epic experience! At times tedious, at times emotional, at times wonderful, and always glorious, the Game of Mountains campaign was one of the great adventures of all time. Thanks Matt!

WolfDog, Zarconus (Iokhen), Teak Mumbai, Ghesh and Krugg defeated the Ghoul King by fleeing to the Fay Dark.

The Dark Pana was waiting to take the Tigeon boys and claim final victory. Ultimately, the Archfay queen, and younger sister of the Raven Queen destroyed Wolfdog, Teak and Krugg. The Stickareign Blade, the Second Sword of Glory, was smuggled out of the Fay Dark and back to the Dreamwater by Tim, the returned sherriff and Ghesh, the Druid lord. Iokhen, the knight formerly known as Zarconus, ascended to the Astral Court of Dragons as eternal champion.

We battled through Hell (well, actually the Abyss, but it felt like Hell…at times) to conclude the most epic campaign imaginable. Check out some pics and story from our final session. It came down to being assassinated by The Dark Pana, the Archfay Queen Mother of Shadow Magic, the Moon, Wine, Blood, and Owls. Wolfdog died a 27th level weaponsmaster who we started as a 12th level fighter almost two summers ago. Teak (or called Tiki, by some) Mumbai was killed as well. We wrote Tiki as a first level warlock in the Summer of 2008. She died at 27th level as well. Krugg, an epic-cleric, was also killed by the Pana’s Blade in the Black Bog of the Fay Dark.

Matt DM’d a tight and beautiful series of adventures: the final eight chapters of the campaign, rounding out an amazing story-arch that took us through the Astral Tower. You can download the Astral Tower Campaign Setting as a PDF on the DAOTYR website as well. Although glorious, this certainly was a bittersweet ending for all. The campaign ended with Iokhen, the knight formerly known as Zarconus ascending, but not before handing the Stikarein blade to Tim to return to the Dreamwater.

In our Epic Campaign (beginning at 20th level) we did all of the following, in order:

1. Became champions of Vecna by destroying avatars of our worst nightmares outside the City of Dis

2. Destroyed An Elder Brain of the Illithid to gain entrance to the Happy Hunting Grounds

3. Championed over a united front of Daemons and Angels controlled by the Manifest Power of Bane, Lord of Battle

4. Met with Bahamut, the Lord of Light, and raced Rimfire Griffons in the Arena of Celestia

5. Destroyed Arnithol and Nakrathan, the High Elder Masters of Hyth Anir, and defeated the Sword of Doom, Rendelreign as it was coorporeal as a Ancient Blue Dragon

6. Faced the hydra of Demogorgon in the Labyrinth of the Abyss

7. Encountered Glasya in the City of Infernus

8. Rescued the Sherriff, Tim Tigeon, on the 487th Plane of the Abyss by facing Doreseen, the King of Ghouls and fleeing to the Fay Dark where the Dark Pana had been waiting the whole time…

Gramgeld Church

Posted in Gavin Wel, Old Khepathia, the Archfey on September 10, 2011 by coyoteandthunder

Gramgeld Church in Dark Port is an ancient cathedral whose foundations date back to Old Khepathia. It is the historical home of the Black Orchid knights and is ruled over by Lady Asha of the Raven Queen and Lady Jennelith of the Blade. Although Sinis Oebyr is a larger and more influential church, Gramgeld’s dark energy is undeniable and in fact, extremely potent as a source of power for its fell congregation.

Jennelith the Black Orchid

Posted in Gavin Wel, the Archfey, the Fey Dark on September 10, 2011 by coyoteandthunder

For over a thousand years, the leader of the Black Orchid knights is Lady Jennelith. Her infamy is matched only by her mystery.

The first family of Raelfaen Eladrin

Posted in Gavin Wel, The Fey People, The Sherriff on August 14, 2011 by coyoteandthunder

Extiguishing the heart of the Volcano and freeing the third Sword of Glory

Posted in Dwarves, Gavin Wel, Old Khepathia, Orotyr on July 28, 2011 by coyoteandthunder

Following the earthquake and great wave that completed a thirty year, landscape changing series of cataclysms that transformed coastline of Gavin Wel, concluded with the extinguishing of the ancient, artificial volcano Eyrthiria. For five thousand years, the giant cathoid mine that was Eythiria pumped heat into the valley of Dreamwater and now those days are done. The reactor at the center of the volcano was set to meltdown, threatening all life in the Dreamwater, and were it not for the Heroes of Gaulthum, the Khast of the Flaming Shield, it surely would have. The third sword of Glory, named AhkinAhteyn, born at the birth of the volcano is now freed from its forge and presently at Gaulthum in the hands of King Thurgiss.

The Laie of Unos and Tiama

Posted in Gavin Wel, Orcus, the Archfey, The Dragongods on July 26, 2011 by coyoteandthunder

Unos and Tiama were wed
and ruled Khepathia
for the first one hundred years
of the fourth age

before the coming of Aoltha
daughter of Ehlonna
and council of the West Wind
wrought in fate

Aoltha did come with two sisters
called Loramnel and Peonopel.
With long hair each in black
and of comely youth in visage.


So much overwhelmed was Unos
by Aoltha’s beauty that he immediately
then fell in hopeless love
to the doom of his civic rule.

then, it is recounted that the
the King and the girl were not lovers.
He wished only for the peaceful shadow
that covered his heart when she neared.

Thunderbird, called Arethal,
warns the King of Aoltha’s move
to erect the FoeAm Totems
and the fateful portend.

It was by this ritual act then
that Aoltha gave immaculate birth
to Wee Jas, the mother of Fay magic
and there by opened untold portals-

portals that ushered in the many-fold
millions of populants in Old Khepathia,
the Demons and the Angels who walked
in peace for hundreds of years.

Wee Jas marries Firyen Bhendafel,
the Oromancer, the most recognized
raelfaen sorcerer throughout Old
Khepathia, one hundred years

before the coming of the elves
when the wilds began to creep into
the ancient metropolis
spelling the nearing end.

There was foulness in the heart
of Wee Jas and Queen Tiama took
her as niece and together the two
dreamed of a new world of magic.

Wee Jas goes to Maradyn and
meets Corol, the King of the Elves.
The two fall in love and are married
despite her already husband Firyen.

When men come first to Khepathia,
they were a team called The Silver March and The King and Queen
loved them.

As a gift to Men, Tiama had
the Oromancer forge three swords.
The Swords of Peace were smithed
in the creation forge at Eythiria.

The Swords of light were called
Anul Grei, for truth
Rend Grei, for civility and
Rendelreign, for home and hearth.

In 2145 of the Raelfaen’s fourth epoch
was the Tearing of Tiamat.
The beautiful demon Prince Orcus
of Unos’ royal court is the cause.

He learns that Unos had bedded Aoltha
and the wedding of Corol and Wee Jas.
In a moment of unseen doom under bright moon in the cold winter,

he reveals all he knows to the open court
and no one could have fortold
the rage of the noble queen
who cursed her name and heart for all.

Becoming then, chromatic Tiamat,
She cursed the Swords of Light
to be the Swords of Doom
and forever left Kepathia.

The throne she cursed and
gave forever to Aoltha,
who she then called
the Raven Queen, for all time.

Orcus, left bereft, steals the
Swords from the Silver March
and scatters them amongst
evil men and ogre mages.

Forever shall the races of Men
and Orcin kind be doomed to war
at this act of betrayal and theft
by the demon prince.

Firyen, now of the shadows,
become the Anathemancer
and hides under the shadow road
forever hidden from his shame.

Unos, alone and now wild, leaves
the throne of Khepathia to mortals
and goes to the forests of the Elves
and lives with Corol.

Corol, then following called
Corellon Larethian is forever the
elven lord of magic.
Unos plans to restore his honor in battle.

He takes the name Bahamut
and merges the North Star with
his divine heart,
becoming the Platinum dragon.

Corellon and Bahamut
create the three Swords of Glory
to balance the reaping vengeance
of the Swords of Doom.

the first sword is Larissa and it is given to Valen Gildensong to begin a mighty
kindgom in the warm western lands
beyond the mountains Khepathia.

The next is given to King Rheindahl
as he is the first mortal king of the
new city of Gavin Wel,
or Truthful words in old common

This is the Stickarein Blade,
the bright blade who would
forever be fated to be wielded
by one of Bahamut’s champions.

The origin and fate of the third sword
remains in mystery and
shrouded in prophecy
to this day.