DM Notes and Backgrounds

[Kaber]

Ok so here I will post background information and additional info regarding NPC's, Locations, Events and the like. You are welcome to print these out for you oun notes if you like or just check in periodicaly to see what its all about.

Info posted here will be mostly general knowledge. Some posts will be "Out Of Character knowledge" to help you better understand a given situation and to help understand the motives of various individuals. It may also help you to understand what motivates your characters as well.

[Kaber]

TERREFON-SHLE-SHREE

Terrefon is an Elvin village nestled in the heart of the fey woods. It is only a few days west of Sarago bay. Although close to human settlements there are various enchantments that keep unwanted visitor away. These enchantments are mostly used to confuse wanderers and lead them away from the village.

The village population is about 300 peoples in all. This includes a village Elder (Reindell-Loyal protectorat of the Branch of Truth and Harmony, Holder of the staff of life and gaurdian of the Root of Seasons), A high preistess(Thalia) to the Elvin god, Corellan Lorithan and the Hunters Branch which consits of 30 skilled hunters adept at both bow and sword.

The village is only 400 years old and while small is important as it acts as a first line of defence against human encursion on elvish soil. They are the first to know the happenings in the human settlements and are charged with protecting a very large area of the land. This includes the lands around Sarago Bay and at the edge of their territory, the lands around Silverspur.
Thus they have authority to act under the Elven high council as royal emessaries and it is here that abassadors form the elvin council come, when there is need for direct communication between Human lords and Elvish royalty.

I will post their sigil here soon.

[Kaber]

Sarago-Port city.

Sarago is a bustling port city. Its main exports are metals and stones. The lands of Tarcad are rich in mineral content and so a healthy trade of High grade Iron Oar, Mytheral and Silver and semi-precious gems has commenced. Imports are Salts, spices, silks, Citrus fruits and uncommon spell componants. The population is around 800,000 people.

The city is about 100 years old, starting out as a small fishing village it has grown well under the guidance of the ruling monarchy untill now.

King Delder died under mysterious circumastances 5 years after the death of his wife, leaving his son (Prince Baxter) in charge. King Baxtar was an only child, his brother having died at child birth and thus sole heir to the throne. He took command at the age of 17 and tried to rule as his father had but had little head for it. On his 25th birthday, he was asked to send men to aid in a battle overseas. He did so and decided to acompany them, thus giving power over to his cousin, (Baron Dushard), in his abscence.

King Baxtor returned, victorious and this began a long line of battles and wars. Some say he is a secret follower of Aries. As the king grew more absent, more powers and abilities were bestowed upon Baron Dushard untill he recently achieved title as Lord Prince Dushard and heir to the throne in the kings absence. He became corrupt and taxed the people heavily. This has led to riots and potential rebellion. Dushard rules hard and even harder against those he deems criminals of the state. Since his 5 year reign there have been 350 public executions. Worse are the rumors that King Baxter is dead, killed on a return trip under mysterious circumstances and the rumors that Dushard encourages an under ground slave trade by pirates.

Sarago does in fact have a large smuggleing ring and other numerous underground dealings, the thieves quarter (The Ally of Roses) is a large merchants area not far from the docs and still close to those of high society.

The local Malitia works directly under Lord Dushard as his personal military force. The city gaurds can do only so much and in fact many are lax in their duties. The local malitia was made at first to rout out those involved in traitorous acts, they are becoming more like the secert police.

[Kaber]

Silverspur.

Sliverspur is a small town nestled in a valley between the Shaghorn mountains to the east of Sarago. Travel there takes about a week. Once a dwarven mining town, it was abandoned many hundred years ago when the oar grew to little and the Orc raids grew to much. Humans found it and settled it after removing the Orc threat and it still is much the same as it was when found. The land around showed great signs of productive farming and the elves were happy to help in this endevor, though inderectly. Soon the large valley became known for not only its crop but for its horse trade.

Silverspur has about 500 people, most of them are farmers or rachers. It is a small comunity and a close knit group. They tolerate "tourists" and but have little love of the city folk. Adventureres are actualy welcomed as this brings income and since the town was settled by adventurers it is a tribut that they still acknowlege and respect. Though such groups are rare.

The Ranchers are said to breed the finest war horses and work horses in the land and though their numbers are small they are very much in demand. Prices are usually double the standard for a war horse and the list for such horses are usually quite long.

Now this normally peacful town is rulled by fear. First are the graves which are being emptied of their dead. Second are the men who have died horrble, brutal deaths. Some have reported a mysterious fog coming out of the woods and stealing the souls of men. Others have found livestock slaughtered. In the past two months there have been 12 deaths.

When the village was first settled there was a mid wife known as Reha and she worked with herbs and potions. She was in esscence a witch. Despite warning by her to the mayors daughter, that if she did not do as told she would lose the child, the daughter did as she would anyway. In fact so insolant was the daughter that she spat in the midwifes face and this brought the midwife to anger. She told the young maiden that she would regret her temper. When the child came to term things were not well and the child came, Still born. The mayor was crushed and the daughter blamed the witch. They hunted her down and tied her to a tree in the old wood and left her there for the elements and animals to take care of. It is said she cursed the citizens of Silverspur before she died.

Since then people would vanish in the wood and never be heard of again. Still, there are children who claim that they were lost but an old woman showed them the way home and when they turned she would be gone. Others say that a force would try to push them into the nearby river and drown them. Not untill recently have the slayings truly begun though.

(more details to come as the party learns more)

[Kaber]

Shard Demervil - Kings Forest Warden

The kings forest warden is Shard Demrevle. Shard is a the closest thing the king has to a ranger in his employee (Ranger 3rd lev/Fighter 6th Lev).
He has no love of the current ruler but, being neutral good, figures its the way of life.

He spends most of his time in the woods either drinking his homemade brew and tending the hops or chastising poachers for their inconsideration. For the most part, the poachers are only hunting food for their poor families and so Shard see's no reason to stop them overtly. Thus he posts signs and occasionally will donate hides and meat from kills made by real poachers. (the latter he does look out for and it is one of the very few things that anger him).

Shard is a hulking 6'11 with fiery red hair and beard. He is slow to anger, good with the animals and children and lives in a small cabin outside the city walls nearer the west side. His food comes from huting and gardening and what tools he needs he makes. He very seldom goes into the city but people will seek him out if they need a guide or a tracker in the woods. He dose not know the location of the Elvin outpost though many accuse him of hiding its secrets.

Some suspect that he may in fact be related to the old king and that it is he who should take the throne from the current ruler. Others scoff at the thought of a "begger at a kings table"

THE DELDERIAN WOOD

The forests of King Delder grew to the East and West as far as the eye could see. While these forests were not truly his he still protected them as though they were. He charged druids and rangers to care for them but after his death, Prince Baxtar had little interest in the woods and without support the furthest reaches fell into wild wood. Still to keep up pretences he held only the woods closest to the city and as far as the nearest hill as the "Royal Forestry" or the "Kings wood" as it is called by the locals. It is these that are protected by Shard.

[Dragonsrule]

Whoa! OK now when I decided on my background on Raven, I would have never guessed your background would then include the person I had raising him. LOL. Now that is scary. Hmm, maybe Raven being a half-elf he can find them

[Kaber]

Well since you created the forest warden it stands to reason that the forests would have some significance to the surounding area (Especially to the Elves) there for I had to create Shard. Thank you for the idea and the info.


Oh yeah....maps are coming.

[Kaber]

Ok, my original directions were wrong. I don't know my North from my East but anyway...their not the best and somewhat incomplete but they will be updated soon and at least you have something to stare at.

[Kaber]

[Kaber]

THE TALE OF THE FOX.

Many and varied are the stories of pirates and in fact to this day these wolves of the sea still plunder the coasts. (however they do seem to leave the coast of Sarago and the nearby baronies alone).

None, however, are as famous and well know in the lands at the Tale of the Fox.

Leaf parker was a merchants son. His father ouned a ship and traveled far and wide selling his goods. History has a way of repeating itself and in that day the king was taxing the peoples heavily. The merchant however would not pay the kings ransoms and so he was set upon and fell by the blade of the kings men. Leaf parker, enraged at the death of his father stole his fathers ship and alone he sailed beyond the horizon. It is said the gods looked after him for even though the kings men pursued, a fog rose up even as a wind carried Parkers ship away.

a year or two passed and things went as they do. Then came the ship. Swift it was, faster than most any ship. They say its sails were like the wings of a dragon and its hull sparkled with the jewles of plunder. They say its hull was armoured in dragon hide and the mast head was that of a feirce serpent. It would come at night or early morning with a fog, the flag it flew was the strangest of all. A crimson banner with running black fox and cross bones behind it. No doubt a pirates flag but to look upon that banner caused many a hard man to tremble in fear.

The ship would set upon merchant ships carrying the kings gold and more often than not sink the kings militery vessals. The Fox was a crafty fellow. He is said to have stood nearly 6 even 7 feet in hight and that his black beard was made of thunderheads. His black hair was made of the night and stars shimmered in it. Of course these are just the ramblings of bards and drunks but while men feared him, women adored him. Often it is said that he would take the women and children and, when he was done with his plunder, would set them ashore unharmed. He would leave fishing vessels alone and while he plundered ashore he and his men would claim only the lives of the men who stood under the kings banner.

Then one day he fell upon a whaling vessel. In truth it was a disquised merchants ship. Not one man stood left alive. However, on that ship was also the kings daughter, she was a fighter. Taking no orders from any man, she was free of spirit and defiant in her fathers court. It is said that the fox fell instantly in love with her. He took her and while the king felt sure a ransome would be demanded, none came. Nor did she return, persuming her dead the king raillied his alies and thus was formed the Baltic Armada. The sea was plauged by the hundred ships that swarmed the coasts. At last the fox was spotted and the chase began. Feirce were the battles and so armed were the ships of the Baltic Armada that the fox had to flee. The Armada gave chase. The whole of the fleet set sail after him, it is said that the Fox's ship, Swift Hammer, moved as a storm on the sea. Cutting down all in its path, but the Baltic Armada was relentless. They lost him for but a day and then they found him.

The Swift Hammer and her captain stood still and silent as the Armada approached. Then it charged. They say as the flag was raised a great thunder rolled and the sea became a churning mass of watery rage. The Swift Hammer charged the entire fleet, Cannons blazing. It cut down the first vessals before it, even as it few in the midst of the enemy and they say the ship then, was alive. They say it howled in feury and seemed to dance along the top of the water as it sped toward them. Many ships were lost that day and when the cannon smoke and spell haze cleared all that remained were but splinters of wood. No men, no cargo, nothing but smoldering debri. The waters calmed and though they searched, the only thing of value remaining was the crimson flag wrapped round the princess' crown. It is said that the king spat on the flag and flung the crown into the sea and as he did so his heart turned to stone and he fell dead. The crown flashed and turned to a tear shapped saphire of equal size before sinking into the ocean. Lost forever. Of the Fox or the Swift Hammer none can know for sure for neither were seen again nor was the princess ever known. Though some say that a beutifull woman, ragged and worn appeared sometime later. She came to the palace and at the gates she fell, crying for the loss of her soul bound mate and died there of a broken heart.

Sailors to this day curse the fogs and keep a watchful eye for the avenging spirit of the Fox and his ghost ship.

[Kaber]

THE FORGE OF FURY

Note: Some of this information was taken from the module of the same name. While the module does not revolve around the forge it does take place in an old dwarven stronghold. This stronghold made up the last part of the dungeon in the Mine of the Mountain King.


This is the tale as told by an old elvin poem.

Deep in the bowls of Khundrukar
Durgeddin the black in fury forges
Bellows the beast of the unhealing scar
Blades of ill intent, on Orc blood gourges

Cut by only a hair
the blood yet everywhere
Never by spell or potion to heal
at deaths door now do you kneel

Blades meant to wound
Blades forged in rage
Against the Orcs, doomed
Yet now left hidden by age.


It is known that there was a distant dwarven king who fought against the Orcs. His hatred for them knew no bounds and the war against them lasted many years. In the end an orcish cheiften found the secret to his stronghold and the orcs breached the walls and plundered the dwarven halls. The king took all that remained of his clan and set out in search of a new home. It is said that he forged some of the strongest blades known to that time and that the wounds they left, never healed. This is all that remains of the dwarven kings tale. He and his clan disappeared from history and those who do know the tale believe it to be nothing more than a dwarven myth. Or is it?