Archive for the The Shadow Road 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 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.

Map of Maiah

Posted in Farwalkers, Maiah, The Shadow Road on June 11, 2011 by coyoteandthunder

present population 73,000 estimated within 5 miles of Woodhelm.  Maiah was, until recently, a human community. Sure, the Bessallyn Family has plenty of elves in the family tree and orcs have always been thoroughly integrated into Maiahen society, but it was rare to see the many other races on the Ravens Walk that you can in the year 1135. The populations is still about half human and then orcs and elves. Now there are communities of gnomes at Eiser Gein, dragonborn at Ano Ythmir and eladrin at Eddin Kahl.

The Druids of Maiah

Posted in Maiah, Men, Orcs, The Shadow Road, The Sherriff on June 11, 2011 by coyoteandthunder

The Druids, also known as the Court of the Nine Stars, also known collectively as the Wreathers are the most important trans-political organization in the Greater Sorado, and nowhere is this more demonstrated than the rural capital of Maiah.

Just one mile out of the woodlands of Maiah you will find a barren landscape, known by the orcs as Poolis Fyr, the most important druidic magic-site in the Dreamwater. Burials of those who have fallen in battles line the lake like an infinite number of memorials. Druids are essentially, Gatekeepers. They keep natives here and keep outsiders out. That is their primary purpose and the orcs of Ethilistyr have always been the inheritors of this tradition.

Kyralla, daughter of Hearthys, is the leader of the Orcish druids of Maiah. Hearthys died last summer and she is having a hard time adjusting to her new found responsibiliity.

Mahc’Eldynn is an eladrin druid who some believe is over two thousand years old. You can find Mahc’Eldynn at The Fellow Song pub in downtown Maiah every afternoon at two o’clock for a shot of Oba Whiskey.

The Dark Cloak druids, the military force of the Wreathers, helped liberate the Shadowroad, along with Tim Tigean, 25 years ago. There are over three hundred Dark Cloaks who camp around Poolis Fyr and keep the waters of the lake safe.

Alamon and Meidry

Posted in The Shadow Road on July 24, 2010 by coyoteandthunder

Alamon is an Ogre Mage who is not evil but in touch with his Fey side. Meidry is his best friend. They journey up and down the Shadow Road, without a home. They aid those in need as Alamon and Meidry are both powerful magicians with an effortless poise in battle that makes them oh so formidable.

Maralynn, City of Lies

Posted in Elves, The Shadow Road on July 24, 2010 by coyoteandthunder

The isolated and wonderous elven city of Maralynn was founded by the archfey Rinn Faro nearly three thousand years ago. The fertile fields of Berennium are irrigated by the endless springs that rain down from floating platforms where the City continues to thrive.

The astrolabe that keeps watch over the portals to the Feywild.

Tessa, sister of Ryal, the original queen, is the Countess of Maralynn.

The Figurines of Ebon Stone

Posted in The Shadow Road on May 6, 2010 by coyoteandthunder

 The two figurines recovered by the Wolf Dog Consortium from the Cult of Orcus.

The End of Damarius

Posted in Lesivith, The Shadow Road on May 6, 2010 by coyoteandthunder

 Damarius was revealed to be the power behind the Orcus Light at KrakuniBognai. Damarius was destroyed by the WolfMoon Consortium and his ritual plate of Orcus was destroyed.

The Diamond Eye

Posted in The Shadow Road on May 6, 2010 by coyoteandthunder

 In an ancient Khepathian building, believed to be a dormitory for priests of the dragongods, Mistress Arythia has founded the School of the Diamond Eye at Niskantel. A building with its own underground library, the Diamond Eye hosts a public library, the most complete in Ethilistyr, for the citizenry of the North Counties.

News from Femin

Posted in The Shadow Road on May 3, 2010 by coyoteandthunder

Rhyan Laurent finds Tim in the first, cold months of the new year 1111. She informs the Sherriff that she has just returned from the Northern Blight front of Femin. Which is no longer a front of War. The Black Army, as it is called under the commander of Lesha (A title that means war-commander) L’gasi Dakaan, is now over 15,000 strong and presents a major military force north of EthilisTyr. With the finalizing of the electric rail between Femin and Gavin Wel Municipality around the border of Dreamwater, Femin is poised, if it so wanted, to become a City-State unto itself. Already reports of trade with Minaux and Terrarion and other North lands are common and increasing. Beris is a land bereft of a true military force.

Rhyan continues her news with a grave report confirming Tim’s dread of Wolfdog’s rumor that they confronted each other with at Spellshore upon the closing of the Orcus light. Rhyan believes the sword of L’gasy is indeed one of the three swords of doom, RandelReign. An evil, immortal spirit who’s will in bent and who’s influencing sentience is keen. Along with Rendgrey and Anulgrey, Randel Reign is a corrupting force. An possibility that must be undone.

for more on Rhyan and the Anethamancer, the maker of the Swords of Doom:

http://daotyr.blogspot.com/2009/05/avari-and-athenamancer.html