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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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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.

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Dalwin, or Gus, if you prefer…

Posted in Niskantel, The Mice Eyes on February 13, 2011 by coyoteandthunder

Dalwin is rarely called by his given name. In most circles, he’s referred to as the ‘Scanty Rascal’ or his chosen alias, Gus. Born a natural prankster in Niskantel in 1109, he grew up in a large halfling family. As the youngest, he often got away with tricks blaming it on his older siblings, and his parents exhausted from raising so many before, paid little attention to his exploits. When he came of age, his family saw no great gifts in him, for farming, raising animals, tanning hide, carpentry, or any other skill they found useful. What they didn’t know is that he’d spent the majority of his childhood picking locks and thieving from neighbors, selling his finds at local outdoor markets. And once, at age 7 he attempted to break into the home of a world-renowned thief (living under an assumed alias) and found himself caught in a cage. Dalwin, terrified, cried out for his mother, but he was miles from home, and when the gnome owner of the house came out to find a tiny halfling child caught in his trap, he laughed. He introduced himself to Dalwin as Augustus Fairmore, but his friends called him Gus. Gus let Dalwin out of his trap, and brought him into the house. Throughout the course of the afternoon, it came out that Gus had been a thief in a former life by the name of ‘The Invisible Agent’, but in his later years, he’d decided to settle down and retire on his own on the outskirts of Niskantel. He missed the life of a thief, but with the spoils he’d gained from his exploits, he’d retired quite comfortably. Dalwin, enthralled by the life story of this legendary gnome, asked if he could come back and visit again. For years, Dalwin visited Gus, at first listening to stories, and later learning the tricks of the trade. This much older gnome had become his only mentor. At 17, Dalwin was the only person there to bury Gus after he died of a quick-moving illness. Gus had long lived under aliases and lost touch with any friends, so he left Dalwin everything he owned including his very special customized set of thievery tools and his name. Dalwin sold anything he couldn’t carry with him, and left his family who’d never paid much attention to him anyway, and joined the circus. With his new family he continued to hone his pickpocketing and lock-picking in town after town, and learned the aerial arts. As a tiny halfling, he could be thrown long distances, jump extremely high, and perform almost magical feats of acrobatics. At 22 he left the circus, tearfully saying goodbye to the only family he’d ever known, and went out on his own. It was only months before he came across the Mice Eyes Thieves Guild; they recognized his incredible talents almost immediately and asked him to join up. Without a second thought, he joined. Slowly, he became closer with the group within the Mice Eyes, known as the Dark Wings, and after a lengthy auditioning process was initiated into the elite group. He’s been with them ever since, traveling the world-over, using his talents to steal; killing only when necessary. Now, close friends call him Gus, only he knows it’s a tribute to his lost friend and mentor.

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Cities of the Dead Legions

Posted in Lesivith, Men, Niskantel, the Fey Dark, The Sherriff, the Talisman on August 2, 2010 by coyoteandthunder

From beneath you it devours. With the Ebon Boon, the Feydark has invaded Ethilistyr. Under the City of Copper and Gold, Niskantel, the ancient eladrin masoleum of Marukel has opened and from its horrid maw comes fire, plague and dread warriors who know nothing but violence.

The Ebon Boon was not successfully completed, much to the torturous frustration of the Horned King. There were suppossed to be ten necropoli that sprouted wrathful terror across the Dreamwater. There would have been but not for the efforts of the Sherriff and the risen Revanant, Valen Gildensong, and the deconstruction of Rendgray…a story for another entry. Suffice it to say, that only five cities were able to rise. Bessenthia was closed by the Paladins Zarconus and Ferrus, leaving four cities alive with necotic energy at the coming of winter, year 1111, when the Crew of the Talisman needs to decide where best to put there resources as the sherriff scrambles to muster a defensive strategy against the burning of the cities of men.

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Terror under the Lighthouse

Posted in Lesivith, Niskantel, The Shadow Road on April 4, 2010 by coyoteandthunder

In a grueling campaign, Ary with Tomra and the Dwarven brothers Drom and Thom ventured into the secret lair of the horrible undead lord, Lesivith. Ary learned the secret entrance after revealing council member Damarius as an agent of evil. Lesivith, then known as Thulsa Rex, kidnapped the children of Niskantel over a number of months prior to the discovery by the Scarlet Sorceress. Thom the Dwarf was killed by Lesivith’s subterranean, undead horde and despite even the direct involvement of both Tim and Zarconus the Lightning Dragon, Lesvith escaped to continue in his dark and unknown agenda.

Lesivith, Undead lord of Orcus

Tim, Sherriff of Dreamwater

Drom of Hammerguard.

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The South Yard and the Assassin

Posted in Niskantel, The Shadow Road on April 4, 2010 by coyoteandthunder

It was in the South Yard, the main outdoor merchant square in Niskantel where Ary founded the first school of magic in Niskantel, called The Diamond Eye.

The Night Calling Witch, Morrigan told Ary of the coming of Tomra, an assassin who would become an invaluable ally.

A tortured soul, Tomra learned a new path from journeying with Ary, a path based not on killing for hire, his mode of living, but rather fighting for a cause greater than his own.

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Niskantel, The City of Opal

Posted in Niskantel, The Shadow Road on April 4, 2010 by coyoteandthunder

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After the Opening of the Shadow Path, Niskantel became a strategic crossroad/gateway town to the Dream Water. The City prospered greatly. The Sherriff expelled the Council of Eagles from Municipal government but retained the Merchant’s council as the officiating, judicial body.