Map of the known world

Calendar

Campaign starts in year 1,000 IR (Imperial Reckoning).

1 Year = 365 days = 10 months + 5 festival days.

1 Month = 36 days = 6 weeks of 6 days.

• Odin (mid-winter)
• Vozro (Rebirth Festival, "New Year")
• Dva (late winter)
• Tri (early spring)
• Zasev (Sowing Festival)
• Chetyre (late spring)
• Pyat (early summer)
• Leta (Mid-Summer Festival)
• Shest (mid-summer)
• Sem (late summer)
• Zhatva (Harvest Festival)
• Vosem (early autumn)
• Devyat (late autumn)
• Smert (Festival for the Dead)
• Desyat (early winter)

1 Week = 6 days

• Primus
• Secundus
• Tertius
• Quartus
• Quintus
• Sextus (the usual holiday/day of rest)

MONEY

1 gold zoloto = 20 silver dengi = 100 copper med = $100
1 silver dengi = 5 copper med = $5
1 copper med = $1

Odd Coins

1 iridium platina = 5 gold zoloto = 100 silver dengi = 500 copper med = $500
1 brass latun = $2

Since the start of this campaign, we were led to believe that 1,000 years ago, there was a world of peace and magic. Then some people tried to perform a ritual, using four powerful artifacts, that would open the gates of chaos (knowingly or unknowingly, we don't know). The ritual was interrupted, and the four artifacts of Power dispersed to the four corners of the world. Even those who had special means of knowing the events of this time (Vinz and the Serpent Queen for having lived themselves through this, and Rufus for having living ancestors around) knew this to be true.

As of our visit to Leif's home village in Chapter 43, all of that changed. It seems time is divided in four ages (of which the marks on our foreheads, the Mark of Ages, is the representation):

• The Age of Gods: A golden age of magic and magical empires, during which the gods were active in temporal affairs. Also the time when the Serpent Queen (and Vinz) lived, thus explaining why she seems to know Necros personnally and had his Scroll. This is the age the Inquisitors think would be brought back by performing the ritual.
• The Age of Blood and Iron: An age of chaos, destruction, and torture, likely brought about by mortal wizards overreaching themselves to compete in power with the gods. These mortals made bargains with godlike beings from "outside time," also called Mad Things. The Gods finally won, and decided to erase this age from the memory of all mankind by pulling the timestream to create a loop joining the Age of the Gods and the Age of Waiting as if they were continuous. The wizards and their allies were thus sent in some kind of parallel timestream.
• The Age of Waiting: The resulting age caused by the gods' withdrawing from the mortal world -- in the process, hiding magic and binding away the Mad Things outside of time. It stopped on the last day of last year.
• The Age of Reckoning: A time that some believe will look like a second Age of Gods... and others fear will be a second Age of Blood and Iron. Only one of the two views can be correct, whence "Reckoning." This Age has started the first day of this year. It marks the return of Magic, the Gods, the Mad Things, and the unraveling of the timeloop hiding the Age of Blood and Chaos from our memories. And of course, our small group is right in the middle of the storm.

Geography

The Empire is a gigantic piece of land in the northern hemisphere of the planet. Its width covers the entire continent. It is bordered in the north by the barbarian lands, and in the south by its eternal rival, the Empire of Teclá. It is criss-crossed in many points by chains of mountain, the most important being the one separating the cities of Kapital and Roma in the west.

Although much smaller initially, the Empire has conquered many of its independent neighbors in the last 700 years. Today, many old countries like Kotan and Tenosia are simply provinces of the Empire and controlled by Imperial governors. The Imperial language is in common usage throughout the Empire, although many provinces like to keep their native language in use. And in some provinces (like Tenosia and Kotan), the idea of breaking away from the Empire is now stronger than ever.

The center of the Empire is mainly composed of a big desertic area. Trade routes are still maintained, however, and commerce is quite active, even in this region. There is talk of mysterious tombs and cities buried under the sands and protected by demons, but most of them stay hidden to the casual traveler.

History

To be completed.

Politics

Until recently, the political system in the Empire was very similar to the Roman system, with an Emperor (Nicolai XIV) at his head and a strong Senate to manage the day-to-day operations of the Empire. Each province of the Empire is controlled by a local governor. The capital of the Empire for the last 700 years is named Kapital, and is situated approximately two- third of the way on the western side of the continent.

The old capital of the Empire, Roma, lies 40 days-walk west of Kapital, on the other side of the mountain chains. Many members of the imperial senate, including Rufus Gordianus's uncle Lucius, still live there. Architecturally, this city is much more beautiful than Kapital, and its history and culture much richer, but as the Empire prepared his new expansion 700 years ago, it was deemed that a new capital was needed, more accessible and more defendable. Thus, Kapital was created on a river bank, and most of the Empire's institutions moved to the new city.

Capital: Toshtanag

Politics

Before joining the Empire, Kotan was a totalitarian and militaristic kingdom ruled by the direct male descendant of Rog Ancalagon, legendary founder of Kotan who "fought the gods" to win a country for his people. The sword and shield of Rog Ancalagon are kept in the palace and are considered the holiest of relics.

Situated far to the North and East of the Empire, Kotan enjoyed his independence for a long while. Then, 80 years ago, the Empire, in one of its last expansionist phase, came knocking on its door. The battles were hard fought and numerous, but it soon became apparent that the Empire's Legions, better armed and superior in numbers, would eventually make the kingdom fall. King Arthurio would have still fight till the end, but the kotanese merchants, fearing they would lose everything if the war was formally lost and the kingdom surrendered, took matters into their own hands and managed to have the King assassinated.

Soon after, the merchants found out the King's only child, his daugther Katiana, was already six months pregnant. According to kotanese law, if the child was a boy, he would become heir to the throne, and his mother would serve as regent until his coronation. The merchants knew the daughter shared her father's vision for Kotan and would continue the fight. Assassination was out of the way, however, because killing the daughter so soon after the father would probably raise unwanted questions.

The merchants decided to go another way. The second in line for the succession to the throne was Alexander, the two-years-old nephew of the King by his youngest sister Luanna. Luanna had married a rich merchant, and was much more sensible to the merchants' needs and influences. Using their contacts in the government, and the fact that a kingdom in war couldn't be kingless for three whole months, the merchants managed to have Alexander's coronation ceremony take place before Katania's delivery. Luanna, acting as regent of the new King, immediately started negotiations with the Empire's emissaries, who were eager to stop this really costy war. Soon, a peace treaty was signed, and the kingdom of Kotan became the Dominion of Kotan.

Through the treaty, Kotan managed to keep most of its institutions, although the King's title was reduced to Dominar. The palace's ground is still considered Kotanese soil and no foreigner, even from the Empire, can enter the premise. The Kotanese army was put under the control of the Empire. Without armed forces, the Kotanese Dominarship does not have any political power, but it is still one of the leading economical entity in Kotan, partly due to the fact that there are no Imperial taxes on business transactions made inside the Palace.

The current Dominar is Qadsan, 45, son of Alexander, who died mysteriously some 40 years ago. Even more mysterious, his death was only officially announced more than six months after his disappearance and Qadsan's coronation.

So what happened to Katiana and her child? Was she killed, did she went into exile or hiding to prepare a rebellion? To this day, no one knows for sure but once in a while, some monarchist trouble maker appears and claims to be Katania's son (or grandson) and tries to form a rebellion. Such undertaking had always failed, but, just to be safe, the Empire (backed by the Dominarship's money) outlawed the monarchist movement 15 years ago, calling them heretic because they claim that a mortal could "fight the gods" and win.

Even today, there are still some underground groups of monarchists dreaming of restoring Kotan's independence. Luckily, most of them are composed of pathetic scholars or dreamers without any serious resources.

Economy

Natural resources: Gold mines (controlled by the Dominarship), timber (some rare trees are only found in Kotan)

Main "industry": Pottery, silk

Culture

There are no written tradition in Kotan.

What Kotan lacks in written tradition, it makes up in singing tradition. Prior to the introduction of literacy, history was kept in songs passed from generation to generation. Every major battle had its song that described the different actors, their heroic feats and the strategy they used to smite their enemy. Some songs lasted for 2 hours and proved to be great inspiration for the Kotanese army.

Linguistic

The Kotanese language is still in use today, but it is more and more frequent to meet Kotanese who only speak Imperial.

Religion

Because of the legends surrounding its founding, the Kotanese civilization is not very religious. Common proverb is "My sword is stronger than you faith". The Empire's religions are slowly gaining acceptance, however.

Capital: Tenosia

History

In 297 IR, civil war erupted in the Empire when Augustus Karsus Aurelius, then tribune of the 2nd Legion, tried to seize power by killing Emperor Nicolai IV. His coup was quickly stopped when the 2nd Legion fell in an ambush near Roma after being betrayed by its Primus Pilus Romus Gaius Javius. The two hundred or so survivors crossed the western mountain pass and fled into the desert. Although it was assumed they would all die, half of them actually made it across and reached a big unnamed river. Living on the borders of this river was a small village whose inhabitants were barbarians from the north who had to fled their lands when threatened of extinction by their enemy.

The two groups reached a mutual understanding, and the ex-legionnaires started building a small village beside the barbarian village. They called it Tenosia. Each ex-soldier was able found a wife in the barbarian camp, and the village started growing. In the next fifty years, it became a small city. Eventually, the city's frontier reached the barbarian village and absorbed it. A hundred years after its foundation, it became a real city-state, levying heavy taxes from merchants wanting to cross the desert.

From year 400 IR to 947 IR, Tenosia prospered; although never forgotten, the Empire was almost relegated to the role of tales to frighten children. In 534, Tenosia started an extremely successful campaign to annex the cities near its territory, some peacefully, some martially.

All this changed in 947 IR, however, when Imperial troops crossed the desert to scout the western coast of the continent. They were rapidly eliminated by the Tenosian forces, but others soon came and eventually, news of the existence of the city-state reached the Emperor's ears. He immediately sent a couple of Legions across the desert, but the lack of preparation took their toll on the troops and the first attack failed. The Emperor finally wised up and took more time to prepare his troop for the next wave of invasion.

On the Tenosian side, however, High General Claudio Androvsky knew that his city had only repelled the assault because the Imperial Troops were ill-prepared for the desert. He knew the second wave would be better prepared and even more numerous, and that he had no real chance of keeping the city as an independent state. When the second invasion wave, formed of five complete Legions, showed up at Tenosia's door in 948, he immediately surrendered. Although it was the right decision, many of his generals resented him for it, and he was assassinated less than two months after becoming the Empire's official representative for the Imperial Province of Tenosia. Since then, Imperial representatives have never been Tenosians.

Politics

Given his foundation by ex-legionnaires, Tenosia developped a civilization based on highly militaristic values, mixed with imperial combat tactics and strategies. It was a military dictatorship, with the High General considered the same as a king, and selected for life by popular vote amongst all the living generals (some have tried to take the place by force over the year, but all have been put down. Reigning generals can be removed from office, but it takes at least a two-third votes of all the generals, and some removings had to be done by force. This is such a rare situation, however, that it had only happened twice in all the history of Tenosia.

Kids are removed from their parents' side at the tender age of six to be endoctrinated in the army. They follow a rigorous physical and psychological training until the age of 16, when they are sent to battle against the northern barbarian tribes for a period of at least six years. Those who distingued themselves are sent to special training schools to become officer, while the others are sent back home to learn a new trade. Those who went home, forming the vast majority of the people, are still considered part of the army, and have to spend at least two weeks every six months in military training to maintain their combat readiness.

Since Tenosia has become an Imperial Province, the training regime has only been slightly altered. Young kids are now sent to "civil service training camps" that basically teaches the basis of military life. The next six years are then spent in the Legion fighting for the Imperial Army, instead of against the barbarians.

Although a governor named by the Empire officially rules the city, the High General is still the effective ruler, even if officially he only acts as a civil servant. While he doesn't have the power, his opinion is what will make things go forward or no. If he doesn't want some trade to take place, it will become bogged down in bureaucracy; if he wants it done, all authorizations will miraculously be filled in record time.

Ever since the assassination of High General Androvsky, Tenosia always sported an extremely active and numerous independentist movement, going from the low-life on the street to the highest military ranks, including merchants and nobles. With the troubles plaguing the Empire now, rumors has it that the High General is preparing himself to seize power of the city and throw the Imperial forces out. Another rumor says that the governor has in fact allied himself with the High General to rule conjointly over an independent Tenosia. Finally, others mention that a dark force is now controlling the High General and the governor toward steering trouble in the empire.

Economy

Natural resources:

Fish
Bronze mines

Main industries:

Trade center for those who wants to cross the desert
Armors and weapons
Books
Paintings, sculpture, and other art objects
Wine

Culture

Even with its military tendencies, Tenosia is one of the most active cultural centers in the Empire. Theater plays a major part in day-to-day life. And while the city of Tenosia is mostly military, many of its neigbhors are more oriented toward the sports and the arts. Many of those cultures have been integrated in Tenosian cultures, making it a melting pot of many different religions and styles.

Linguistic

Although some local languages are still used, Tenosian was the official language for many centuries before the Empire came along. Now, it is expected of all Tenosian to know the Imperial language. Tenosian is still thought in most of the schools, although some have decided to concentrate on the Imperial language (to the great irritation of all independentists).

Religion

Having been founded by ex-members of the Legion, Tenosia worships the same Gods as the Empire. It does have its part of oddball religions, mostly "imported" from the cultures it absorbed, but they are of relatively minor importance.

Different parts of Tenosia support different Gods. While the militaristic city of Tenosia mostly supports the Sun God and other Gods of war, other cities support Gods more akin to their main occupations, like commerce, art, etc.

Situated south from the Empire, Teclá is a big land, approximately half the size of the Empire. Founded many hundreds of years ago, it has been on and off at war with the Empire. Pavlo Ruinas, current dictator of the eastern portion of the Empire and ex-general of the Legion, has made his fame and fortune with his wins in the Teclan wars many years ago.

Teclá is a powerful theocracy where the church controls most of the day-to-day life. One of the most peculiar features of its inhabitants is that they never seem to call each other by name, or even by position. Everyone seems to call everyone else "cousin."

The capital is the city of Teclá, far to the south, near the equator. It is build on the ocean coast, and is surrounded by a tropical jungle. The temperature is really hot during the day. Most people actually take a nap between 11h00 and 13h00, and most of the outside activity takes place once the sun comes down. One of the strangest ones we have witnessed is a fire ceremony to send the spirit of the dead to their God between the stars.

The Temple of Teclá is a gigantic compound containing many structures and surrounded by a 15 feet high wall. The main gate is very big, protected by four hearses, and highly magical. Three other gates are present, one on each side, and are heavily guarded. Many hundred guards live on the compond, with at least 80 to 100 always on dury, even in the middle of the night.

The main structure of the Temple compound is a 225-feet-high pyramid at its center. The inside of the pyramid is mostly empty, with three small antechambers and a much smaller pyramid in its centre. Atop this small pyramid is a sacred altar which contains the Tablet of Elder Stone, one of the four elemental artifacts (more precisely, the artifact of earth). According to every law of engineering, this gigantic pyramidal structure is highly unstable and should have collapsed a long time ago.

From the little history we were able to learn, one of the four beings that stole the elemental artifacts came here 1,000 years ago with the Tablet, and built the pyramid around it. In the following years, he founded the Teclan religion and started attracting followers. The city was gradually built around the Temple.

Our group stealing the Tablet caused the God of Teclá to appear, blasting the Temple with lighting bolts in its fury, and making the big Pyramid collapse. We have no idea if this God (or demon) is the same entity that stole the Tablet initially.

Back to start

Situated at the extreme north-western part of the known world, the Island At The End Of The World is part of the northern barbarian territories. From what Leif can tell us, it seems the island is uninhabited, although all barbarian shamans are expected to spend some time there to prove their worth. It is approximately twenty days away to the north-east of Roma by boat. Following the coast would add 10 days to the trip.

According to Vasili and the Inquisitors, this place also hosts one of the four elemental artifacts we have to retrieve, more specifically the artifact of power.. Although we were told we would have to take a test to get it, we know from Leif and the Serpent Queen that this test is in fact a trap.

The Isle at the End of the World has proved a different challenge than the Holy Stone in Teclá. It really seem to be a series of deadly tests against many different and obviously supernatural creatures. To date, we have faced lizards who can teleport (or even dimension-port) at will, a giant ape controlling big balls of rock full of spears, and a 150' water snake.

The artefact we had to steal is a blue sphere surrounded by watery flame, kept on a spike in the middle of a cave guarded by the water snake. We did the deal using brain, stealth and magic instead of brawn.

Someone going directly from Roma to the Island At The End Of The World would halfway meet a relatively big island, 200 miles by 100 miles. This island officially has no name, mainly because no one has ever come back from it.

Thorough research and a discussion with the Serpent Queen revealed that this island is in fact the Island Of Sorcery, a place out of time that stayed exactly as it was before magic was hidden away by the gods a 1,000 years ago.

The Isle of Sorcery is surrounded by a gigantic, perpetual storm sustained by elemental spirits, and a fourteen foot high wave, big enough to destroy any ship coming near. General mana level is normal, with at least one additional level of Death Aspected mana. Invisible to the normal eyes, a vortex is continuously swirling in the sky. The main inhabitants seem to be a group of very emaciated sorcerors who have created thousands and thousands of undead creatures to do their biddings. Most of the island seem uninhabited, by any living being at least. A good part of the island is covered by a dark forest filled with many angry spirits, ghosts, specters, etc.

The sorcerors use at least three kinds of servants:

• Skeletons: normal, everyday skeletons, like Recnam could create.
• Wraiths: Powerful, willful undead beings of great strength (at least ST 20). They are not immaterial, but extremely tough, with at least 20 hit points. They all wear magical armors and are armed with magical shortswords.
• Men of iron: Nine foot tall humanoid beings made of iron. Probably extremely strong and though. They act like automatons but are capable of speech. Each part of the monster has to be built individually and plunged into a vat containing the blood of a thousand warriors. None of the 40 some paths of magic Vinz knows about could have created such a being.

A millenium ago, when the Gods decided to remove the magic from the world, a group of sorcerors, who were either already here or gathered here, successfully isolated this place from the rest of the world and from the Gods' touch. This situation didn't change for the last 1,000 years. Now, with the return of magic to the world, the Gods wants our group to destroy whatever is isolating this island from the rest of the world.

The Isle of Sorcecy's barrier is maintained by a black diamond that is able to absorb the heat of the lava pool and transform it in some kind of magical energy.

The Isle of Sorcery is no more. By sacrificing himself, Recnam allowed an avatar of Necros to appear in the volcano and shatter the black diamond. This destroyed the barrier isolating the Island from the Gods. The magic of the island is now spreading into the world.

Back to start

This unnamed island is located two days' boattrip north of, and is the closest island to, the Island at the End of the World. It is a place where barbarian clans from the other islands come to drop their crazy people for good. There is no way out of the island.

Back to start

The Complex of the Gods is composed of six different locations distributed more or less equally across the continent and built in forgotten valleys on mountain ranges. Each location is composed of a gigantic underground circular corridor many miles in diameter, accessible by four vertical shafts activated by the power of the Gods and put at regular intervals. The main corridor is mostly dark, with a zone of light moving along with any visitors. At regular intervals, a wall of light travel up and down the corridor to detect any anomaly; once one is detected, a bunch of mechanical spiders is dispatched to get rid of it.

Back to start

The Ritual is inscribed in the The Great Tome of Power, which is in fact more a scroll than a book, in that performing the ritual will destroy the book. Ideally, each of the four artifacts need to been present, but it can also be performed with only some of them, or even none; the chance of success depends directly on the number of artifacts, with none carrying almost no chance of success, and all four virually assuring success. The ritual is written in the Elder Tongue, so only those who can read and speak it can perform it.

The Ritual is made of two parts. The first part is the releasing of magical energies from wherever it is kept; the second part is the binding of this energy to one particular being, making him a God. If this second part is not performed, the energy is unleashed into the world with world-spanning consequences.

In chapter 91, the Ritual was actually performed by Pavlo Ruinas, in the presence of only two artifacts, the Tablet of Elder Stone and the Heart of Ice. He did succeed in completing the first part of the ritual, but was killed by Recnam before he could complete the binding part. Accordingly, all the magical energy was released in the world, forming a gigantic mana-quake and liberating a multitude of new magical beings, creatures and elementals in the world.