a guide to the new continent

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A Guide to the New Continent

By Lobail the Sage

For Would-Be-Adventurers in thePrysmordian Republic

and theNorthern Realms



PrefaceThis book has been written to detail such things, as many outsiders who arrive on this continentmay find interesting. Over the next few pages, the races, faiths, political systems and histories of the nations of the New Continent are listed, with many notes on other relevant issues. Whilst the material in this book is comprehensive, it is by no means complete. There are manysecrets and indeed exceptions that make the New Continent what it is.

An overview of the Nations of the New ContinentEssentially the New Continent is comprised of five main nations and two subsidiary nations.The nature of these nations is such that alliances have altered over time, and it is likely willcontinue to do so for a long time to come. For more information on how the nations wereformed see the history section later in this guide.

The Prysmordian Republic is the state set up after the collapseof the former Northern Realms. During the Tyrthian invasion56 years ago, the Archmage of Prysmordia, ruler of theNorthern Realms, was killed along with over half the Councilof Twelve during the Battle of Osnor Bridge. The Realms then

consisted of Prysmordia, Osnor, Orrim, Dolinor, Rushmoretonand Gateshead. Whilst the three main cities survived, the townsof Rushmoreton and Gateshead were abandoned after themany attacks from both east and west coasts. Dolinor wasvastly reduced in size and power, and the Prince of Dolinor,

the last link between the Realms and Tyrth was unseated and exiled. The Council of Noblestook command after the magocracy failed and later re-instated the Archmage on the conditionthat they held greater power than the Mage Council and had the potential to reach theposition of Archmage. So it is that the Archmage or Regent, depending on which council hecomes from, rules the Republic. The balance of power is that the council from which thecurrent ruler is elected plays only an advisory role and has no vote on matters of state until amember of the opposite council replaces the ruler.

The Northern Realms still exist, as the extended territories of thePrysmordian Republic. The Republic is made up of Prysmordia, Osnor,Orrim and Dolinor, whilst the Northern Realms accounts for Kaelanthin the south, and the colonies in the north. After the Tyrthianinvasion, Kaelanth entered the Realms for protection, having beendefended by the Rangers of Osnor against attack. In the subsequentyears, the bandits between Osnor and Kaelanth were wiped out andthe lands turned to farmland. The druidic lands to the south of Prysmordia were taken over when Prysmordian forces pushed the Tyrthians back into theswamps. The lands were colonised and the druids domesticated, so that whilst many druids stillreside in the region, they have lost the independence they once held. Although the settlementsof Rushmoreton and the druidic towns were wiped out in the Tyrthian invasion, it is thought

that new towns will be founded in the near future.The northern colonies are the result of expansion. With the southern lands either overcrowdedor on the borders with Tyrth, the only expansion that the Republic could afford was to thenorth. Driving back the Gnargs (see races) from the Great Wall of Orrim, the town of Beruvorwas founded in the wastelands, and later many other smaller colonies. The furthest north is in aremote region of mountains some hundred miles from Orrim called Jared’s Creek. It was soondiscovered that the Gnargs would not easily be pushed away, and they have mounted manyattacks to rid the lands of the colonists. Aided by the Midnight Goblins, who still hold a sizeablepresence in the north, there have been countless raids on the settlements. In all there arearound nine colonies, most of them further north than the Spine Mountains or further east thanthe town of Beruvor. Whilst the Northern Realms is a separate state, ruled by Nobles from



Beruvor and Kaelanth, it is subject to the Prysmordian Republic. In the northern coloniesthough, it is only really the strong that have any right to rule.

The Empire of Tyrth accounts for around a third of the land on the NewContinent, making it the largest and most powerful of all the individualstates. Comprised of seven major cities, the capital, Aunaria, being twice the

size of Prysmordia, makes the Tyrthian Empire formidable. In each of thecities, Aunaria, Astoria, Imperial Tyrth, Sulidam, Westria, Souria, andNanordin, there is a Templar Order. These Templars are sworn worshippersof the Emperor and form the elite core of the forces of Tyrth.The Empire is divided into manageable regions, ruled by the heads of theImperial Family, with the Emperor presiding in Imperial Tyrth, a city almost

entirely dedicated to his worship. In the north-eastern corner of Tyrth is the kingdom of Ehb, astate in tribute to the Emperor. Whilst this state is allowed certain matters of independence, itto all intents and purposes, functions as part of the Empire of Tyrth.

The Kingdom of Ehb as mentioned before is effectively controlled from Imperial Tyrth. It isruled by a King from a long line of Half-Faeries. The people of Ehb tend to be fair and bright-eyed, often almost ethereal people. Little of interest to the north goes on in Ehb, as it is mostlydevoted to peace and prosperity – prosperity the Tyrthians have long been eager to share in.

The Goblin Mountain State was once known as the Goblin Marsh State. When the Tyrthianarmy overran the marshes 56 years ago, the Goblins were forced out of the marshes and fled tothe Spine Mountains for safety. Though they put up a brave fight, they were defeated and themarshes were so polluted with bodies and death magics that the Goblins could not return evenwhen Tyrth had been pushed back beyond the ruins of Freeton. Instead they expanded into theold Dwarf kingdom where they continue making their bizarre inventions.

The Dwarf Peoples’ Republic is yet again the remnants of an old kingdom. Formerly kings ruled the realms of theDwarves, but after the Tyrthian invasion it became clear

that this had not been the case. So secret were the Dwarvesthat they themselves had not been told of the death of thelast of the Royal line some hundred years before. WhenTyrth invaded and the King was demanded at council, theabashed councillors who had kept up the pretenceadmitted their lies. The Dwarves became angry, and after the Tyrthian menace was drivenback, they revolted against the last of the old regime. They set up the Dwarf Peoples’ Republicin the eastern half of their kingdom, no longer having the numbers to keep up their greatsecrecy or guard about their realms. The former strongholds in the mountains were soon takenover by the Goblins from the marshes where they set up the Mountain State. So far thedemocratic Dwarves and anarchistic Goblins seem to be getting along as neighbours. Many of the Dwarves formerly of the kingdom, preferred to spread into the newly acquired

Prysmordian Republic lands, where they make up the vast majority of the new farmersbetween Kaelanth and Osnor.

Ainhûr is a kingdom far to the north ruled by the mysterious clans. Theirs is a land of legendsthat do not appear anywhere else. Ainhûr is very different from any of the other nations in theNew Continent, as it has none of the common systems. Primarily Ainhûr is isolated beingseveral weeks journey even from Jared’s Creek. Thus little interactions occurs between Ainhûrand the rest of the continent. Intriguingly, it is the only nation where non-bipedal creaturesdwell as citizens. Centaurs live in the highlands of the land far to the wintry north, and aretreated with great respect, holding much influence upon the ruling body. Whilst the colonistsare said to have contact with many of the Ainhûrians who lived far from the borders of theirland when no colonists arrived. Some are said to live in the small northern colonies.



Other Nations beyond the New Continent Whilst the primary knowledge of nations lies within the New Continent, there are other statesbeyond. They are not described with much detail here, but other works exist with moreinformation.

The Kimobu Isles lie far to the east of the Tyrthian Empire, near the edge of the world. Theyare ruled by the Immortal Emperor and are populated by people who live within strict codes of hierarchy. The fierce Samurai warriors and Quan-Tai-Shek Monks make up the impressivearmies of the Empire of the Golden Sun. Long ago an explorer from Tyrth sailed to the isles andbrought back many accounts of the strange lands.

Coradia is a land on the continent of Arrannon to the west of the New Continent. It has onlybeen in the last few decades that Coradia has even been heard of in the Prysmordian Republic.Reports are varied, but it is thought that the land is ruled by a monarchy of sorts. Also it seemsthat the land is inhabited by many races other than humans. As yet further information isunknown.

Malvernis is the land of darkness and slaves. The Malvernians are infernal creatures, theprogeny of mortals and demonkind. Little is known of the internal workings of Malvernis, andlittle is desired to be known. It is known that the Malvernians are allied with the Serpent Islesand were allied with Tyrth during the Tyrthian invasion. Whether they are still allied is unclear.

A Brief History of the Northern Realms and the Prysmordian RepublicNote that the years are in Tyrthian Reckoning, the year 0 signifying the unification of humantribes and the beginning of the Empire of Tyrth.

1420 – The first human settlement in the north of the New Continent is founded; now knownas Prysmordia. At the time it is ruled by an Imperial Commander from Tyrth.

1429 – Magical Academy established to keep foothold as branch of the Imperial College of Tyrth.

1430 – The settlement develops and the Goblins of the Goblin Marshes are first encountered.1438 – Council of Twelve founded to advise Imperial Commander.1455 – Settlers found Osnor, though at the time it is little more than a small village.1467 – The Imperial Sundering: In Tyrth, the Emperor is overthrown and there is a period of

civil war. The Northern Realms are largely unaffected, but the colonies become detachedand never rejoin Tyrth.

1468 – Imperial Commander recalled and the Council of Twelve now officially takes over.1489 – Explorers discover the Woodland Vale. Pirates of Drananger sign trade agreement with

Prysmordia.1490 – Civil War of Tyrth ends, but new Emperor fails to reinstate the colonies, believing them

lost forever.1495 – Settlers arrive in the Woodland Vale en masse, and drive out the greenskins, now

known only as ‘Dugglers’ to the north of the vale.1496 – First official contact with the Dwarves, though the Dwarves have aided early settlers

from Tyrth against bandits before.1497 – Prysmordia now double original size1498 – Orrim is founded but raids from Gnargs who live just beyond the Woodland Vale

hamper progress.1499 – Dwarves aid settlers in the first cleansing of the Woodland Vale, on this occasion against

Gnargs.1503 – Orrim officially completed, and the Gnargs are removed from the Vale.1529 – After a large dispute with Prysmordia, the pirates of Drananger Island attack and are

repelled. The two cultures never properly reunite.



1536 – Massive numbers of Gnargs are stirred to war by the Fell Demons and begin to raid farmore ferociously.

1538 – The Dwarves are assailed through the mountains and close their lands forever. It is stillunknown whether the assailants were Gnargs or not.

1541 – Gnargs assault Orrim for the first time, and are initially beaten back, but soon thegarrison is destroyed and the city overrun.

1542 – Osnorian citizens flee to Prysmordia along with refugees from the onslaught of theGnargs. The Dwarves are severely beaten in a battle in the Woodland Vale and theCouncil of Twelve sends a legion to help them. Most are never seen again as they arekilled in the increasing conflict.

1543 – Great Siege of Prysmordia: The Council of Twelve and the Mages of the MagicAcademy fight alongside the troops, breaking the old gap between classes. Soon thoughthey look set to be overcome, and messages asking for help from the Pirates of Drananger Island are ignored.

1544 – Early on the Emperor of Tyrth hears of the former colony’s plight and sends twelve of his finest legions to aid Prysmordia. They beat back the Gnargs and within a year theyhave saved the Dwarf Kingdom as well, finally pushing the Gnargs out of the NorthernRealms.

1545 – The Emperor personally visits Prysmordia where he affirms the independence of theCouncil and begins a long history of trade and good relations.

1546 – The Dwarf King proposes the construction of fortifications to stem any future invasionsfrom the Gnargs. The first stone of the Great Gate is laid by the Dwarf King and theArchmage of Prysmordia.

1549 – In amazing time the gates are completed and the Dwarf King travels to Prysmordiawhere he is greeted with great praise.

1552 – Pirates of Drananger attack a member of the Council of Twelve whilst he explores theislands to the west. Prysmordia declares war and the Council selects a new member whois female for the first time.

1554 – Drananger Port taken and theCorsair Lord signs an agreementthat forces him to pay tribute

forever to Prysmordia if he is tokeep his independence.

1569 – The third Corsair Lord after theDrananger Island war refuses topay the reparations and theCouncil swiftly orders thebombardment of his palace bymagic from Prysmordia. Themoney is paid.

1570 – The Goblin Inventor Qwik-Fingers, proposes launching avessel into the void.

1574 – The fated Voidger launchoccurs and the magical Goblinvessel is never seen again.

1589 – Orrim repels an attack from thenorth by unknown warriorsnow known to be the Seck.

1590 – The Gnargs attack the gate.Fearing a repeat of history theCouncil and the Dwarf Kingsend all troops into the wastesbeyond the gate, where thescale of slaughter means that no



life exists in the ‘Desolation of the Gnargs’. Most of the armies remain intact and theGnargs are virtually wiped out. It is thought that their disorganisation indicates the lackof Fell Demon planning.

1607 – Temporary Closure of Kazan Fortress after a Goblin invention being transported toPrysmordia for studying explodes killing 14 dwarves and 6 humans. The Dwarf Kingswears revenge upon the Goblins responsible.

1609 – Dwarf Crusade into the Midnight Marshes proves to be disastrous, with only tenDwarves returning.1610 – Goblins of the Midnight Marshes attack the Dwarf Kingdom through the Dwarven

Mountains, starting the Goblin Wars.1611 – The Dwarf King and his army leave their kingdom and purge the Desolation of Goblins

and Gnargs. Unfortunately they are unable to kill the majority of the Goblins who hadpreviously lived in the Desolation as they flee to the marshes.

1623 – Council of Twelve decree that all non-humans or non-Dwarves travelling through theirlands must pay a tax. Goblins from Goblintown infuriated and the Second of the Goblin Wars begins when Goblins refuse to pay.

1624 – Goblin Wars end when the Chief Inventor of Goblintown realises that trade is beingdamaged and the invention are killing more of the Goblins than the enemy. He decreesthat no Goblin will enter Prysmordia or the surrounding lands as long as the tax is inplace. In the north the Dwarf King kills the Midnight Goblins’ leader and the old feud issettled.

1625 – Goblin Tax revoked due to lack of trade.1629 – New Emperor of Tyrth Crowned and decrees that the northern colonies should rejoin

the Empire. Emergency meeting of the Council and Dwarf King decides they cannot fightthe might of Tyrth.

1630 – The Emperor of Tyrth marches north to take back the colonies but is ambushed by alarge number of Gnargs. How the Gnargs escaped through the Great Gate or eventhrough the Woodland Vale has remained a mystery. The Emperor is killed and the armyturns back.

1631 – Newly crowned Emperor wishes to follow his father’s wishes and prepares to marchnorth. However before he can leave there is a Seck attack on Tyrth and it leaves the

Emperor dead, only three days into his reign.1632 – Having learnt from her predecessors the young Empress decides not to invade the

colonies and instead reaffirms their independence by inviting the Archmage to be Guestof Honour at her coronation. Her reign is extremely successful.

1646 – The False Invasion: Alarming numbersof Gnargs gather in the Desolation andthe armies of Prysmordia are mobilised.There is an attack on the Gate, but afterit is easily repelled the Gnargs disperse.Many fear this shows the Fell Demonswere once again behind the attack, asthe Gnargs usually do not understand

tactics such as retreat.1647 – Rising numbers of Gnargs in theDesolation lead to the Council sendingtheir Mage Legion to cull their numbers.The attacks are successful and theirnumbers are culled.

1683 – On the Anniversary of the Great Siegethe Archmage is assassinated by amember of the increasingly worryingThieves Guild. This prompts the mercilessregime of the 27th Archmage, where witch-hunts take place. He orders that the ThievesGuild is broken down, and imposes heavy taxes on the Mercenary Guild.



1684 – The 27th Archmage steps down after being warned of rebellion. He is later assassinatedby a former bodyguard on orders from the Pirates of Drananger, who had lost a largenumber of smuggled goods through the ordeal.

1699 – Empress of Tyrth dies and Prysmordia is invited to be represented at her funeral.1704 – Dwarves made official citizens of the Northern Realms.1705 – Emperor Maximus XVII comes to the throne but dies within a year due to the long-lived

nature of his mother.1706 – Emperor Maximus XVIII enthroned at Imperial Tyrth.1709 – Battle of Aunaria sees the Imperial Capital overwhelmed by strange forces that vanish

the moment victory is within their grasp. Malvernians begin appearing in Tyrth.1710 – All true Paladins of Palondar are exiled from Tyrth and the waging of war begins on the

old faiths in the Empire.1711 – Year of the Tyrthian Invasion. Massive forces led by Maximus swing through the

Northern Realms, destroying Freeton and gaining victory over the Goblins in themarshlands to the south of Prysmordia. Later in the year, Kaelanth survives two attackswith the forces from Osnor helping to defend the merchant town.

1712 – Dwarf Kingdom collapses, with the Royal Line destroyed, and the Dwarves retreat intotheir former kingdom, whilst many other Dwarves are made homeless. Goblins begintaking the newly abandoned fortresses in the mountains as their home in exile. At Osnorthe Mage Legion and the Wyvern Riders, along with the Orrim Forces sent by theCouncil of Nobles, do battle with the Tyrthians. In the process of the battle, theArchmage and several Council members are killed, despite the fact that the Tyrthians aredefeated. Later the Noble Council takes control.

1713 – Tyrthians pushed back past ruins of Freeton and the Prysmordian Republic declared.Nobles have greater share of the power and the first Regent is empowered. Dwarf Peoples’ Republic set up and Goblins announce that they will not move from theirhomes. Old grudges between Dwarves and Goblinsfinally laid to rest when the two forces defend an attackfrom Ehbian warriors.

1714 – Kaelanth made part of the Prysmordian Republic,Druidic Lands taken but little resistance encountered. The

Republic almost doubles in size. Dwarves move intonew farmlands on the Morenian Plains, and removemany of the bandits in the region. The Regent declareshis intention to expand into the north, and rebuild theNorthern Realms as a subsidiary state to the Republic.

1716 – First Regent dies and is replaced by a Noble. Workbegins on removing the Gnargs. The first colony is begunto be built by the end of the year.

1717 – Beruvor completed and forces from Orrim occupysurrounding area.

1718 – Second Regent replaced by 39th Archmage whenBeruvor is overwhelmed by raiding Gnargs. The Mage

Legion is recalled and the area is swept clean of themarauding foes.1719 – Two more colonies, Tarvil and Haven are built on the ruins of an ancient civilisation.1720 – Five colonies founded; Veren’s Joy, Tribulad, Kandros, Geliad, and Yarn. Gnarg raids

hamper progress as Midnight Goblins are now allying with them.1726 – The Sundering of the North: in one night, the Midnight Goblins and Gnargs sweep

through the colonies raping and pillaging the lands and people. All the colonies areattacked and the Archmage has not enough troops to defend them all. It takes years torepair the damage to crops and structures and the 3rd Regent replaces the Archmage.

1728 – The Great Northern Crusade: Paladins and knights of the Republic ride out into theNorthern Realms and do battle with the creatures that caused the Sundering. Though theMidnight Goblins survive, many of the Gnargs are killed or driven to beyond the



Icestorm Mountains. The Crusade lasts three years, during which time the Paladins of Palondar reach Ainhûr, and formulate the beginnings of an alliance.

1735 – Most of the colonies are rebuilt, and colonists begin to return to the north from theovercrowded cities of Prysmordia and Orrim.

1736 – The 3rd Regent is replaced after overcrowding becomes such a problem. The newRegent, who only narrowly enters office, offers free lands in the old druidic realms, and

the Morenian Plains, as well as cheap contracts for land in the Northern Realms. Theresult is a mass exodus from the cities to the wilderness where many people settle downinto agriculture.

1740 – Gnomes are officially granted citizenship of the Prysmordian Republic.1741 – Dwarves and Gnomes are granted citizenship of the Northern Realms.1747 – The age of exploration begins and the Voidger II is launched. Ships from Prysmordia set

sail for Arrannon and explorers from the Northern Realms finally finish charting thenorth as far as the Icestorm Mountains.

1749 – Explorers discover Coradia, and after spending several months there return home. Onthe way Seck who are later repelled attack them. One of the attackers is captured andtaken back to Prysmordia to prove the Secks’ existence.

1756 – Mithwold Colony founded in the far north, making the Northern Realms andPrysmordian Republic combined, three times the size it was before the Tyrthian Invasion.

1757 – Gateshead is abandoned after a sea serpent destroys much of the town.1758 – Jared’s Creek is founded, but is abandoned again after only a few months as the

temperatures are too low.1759 – Ainhûrians who once lived in the Northern Realms before its expansion are given

entitlement to large areas of land that originally belonged to them, and granted fullcitizenship in the Northern Realms with a vote for the Noble and Mage representatives.

1761 – Kimobian ambassadors arrive in Orrim and the Northern Realms warily signs a peaceagreement.

1762 – Jared’s Creek reoccupied by mostlyAinhûrian descendants, making Jared’s Creekthe most northerly settlement other thanAinhur.

1764 – Gnargs massing in the far north-easternwastes move south and begin to lurk inforests and foothills ambushing travellers.

1765 – Mithwold Colony attacked by Gnarg force.Soldiers from Orrim are despatched to fightthem, but the Gnargs are gone by the timethe soldiers reach the colony. Much of Mithwold has to be rebuilt.

1766 – The Great Winter in the north drives manycolonists south, and even in Osnor there isheavy snow. Solkor Island sinks beneath thewaves as the magical spells fail. No attempt

to raise it is made.1767 – Current Year.

Races in the New ContinentThe races of the New Continent generally live well with each other, races being the intelligentbeings about which civilisation has sprung? Other creatures are not included in this section. Forexample, the Northern Realms is made up of Humans from the Realms, the Republic andAinhûr, Gnomes from the Osnorian Plains and Eredain, Dwarves from the Morenian Plains andthe Dwarf Peoples’ Republic, Goblins from the Mountain State and even a handful of Half-Gnargs. Thus a single realm is made up of many components. In the case of this example thedominant race is human.



Humans are dominant in most empires even beyond the New Continent, however the levels of purity that can be used to describe certain humans are variable. In Malvernis for example, theMalvernians are partially demon and partially human. In the Tyrthian Empire, over 90% of thepopulation are human. The remaining 10% accounts for Malvernians, a very small number of Gnomes and Dwarves, and extra-planar creatures that dwell in certain areas rich in the essenceof Aethyr.

In the Northern Realms and the Prysmordian Republic the percentage of humans is about 85%,with many more small communities of Gnomes, Dwarves and even Goblins. In the NorthernRealms there are also a number of Half-Gnargs. What follows in this section is a run down of the typical regions within nations where each raceis present, and partially something of their physique and culture. As humans are thought to bealike in most countries, although culture sometimes varies, they have not been included.

GoblinsOf all the ‘civilised’ and ‘intelligent’ races of the NewContinent, Goblins are the most alike to humans andat the same time, the most diverse. There are threeprinciple areas controlled by Goblins in the west of the New Continent, none of which have ever beenfought over, given that they are all in the heart of marshlands. Quite why the Goblins love swamps andmarshes remains a mystery, but love them they do.Goblins are normally about half the height of fully-grown humans with green or brown tinted skin that

generally sports ugly boils. Their hands are skeletal in appearance and yet despite theirappearance they are usually peaceful. A Goblin loves to trade and invent, and they do a lot of this. Goblins rarely hold loyal alliances, and whilst most do not fight for anyone, some havebeen known to have alliances with both sides of a conflict. In the Gnarg Invasion in 1543, theGoblins supplied both sides, a fact that led to a split in the previously unblemished relationshipbetween Goblin and Man. Since then both sides have been more wary of each-other.The Goblin Marshes was once home to the largest

population of Goblins in the New Continent. Theylived in little wigwams on small muddy islandsthroughout the swamps, but actually had a smalltown in the centre of the marsh. Known to humansas Goblintown it was rarely seen by outsiders, simplybecause only a Goblin could safely get there. It isthere that the Inventors created their bizarrecontraptions. The Goblin Marshes are on thepeninsular south of Prysmordia but are separated byfor many miles by the river. Since the TyrthianInvasion, the Goblins of the Goblin Marshes have fledto the mountain strongholds abandoned by the

Dwarves. Their culture remains the same, but theynow live within the open halls of the undergroundfortresses and carve out new tunnels with strangeboring inventions.There seems to be little hierarchy in Goblin society,save that the inventors with the strangest creationsnormally warrant a lot of respect. Although mostprojects never succeed a number of notableexceptions have braved the world outside themarshes and gone down in posterity. The mostfamous of these was the magical ship that was launched into the void with a complementarycrew of Goblins, and was never seen again. Since the launch of the Voidger another such craft



(the Voidger II) has been created and was launched several years ago. Unfortunately itrebounded off the edge of the world and plummeted back into the Sea of Tears. Luckily for theGoblin crew, there was an underwater machine that picked them up! The Goblins that live inthe Northern Realms and the Republic are almost always from the Goblins from the GoblinMarshes.The Northern Marshes are home to more primitive Goblins who lack trade with other nations.

They are really the last civilisation before the seemingly endless wastes and the IcestormMountains. Throughout history there have only been a small number of attempts to contact theGoblins in the north, most of which have failed due to the messenger’s death. It is likely thatany travellers would be treated as hostile (if they ever survived) as the Goblins are wary of thenastier creatures that regularly attack the marsh towns from the wastes.The Midnight Marshes are home to the most evil collection of Goblins anywhere. They fullysupport the Gnargs over humans, and it is rumoured that they have crossbred with them. Therehave been a number of unsuccessful attempts to rid the marshes of them, but strangemarshlights and ghosts guard the swamps, attacking any trespassers. Quite why they guardGoblins is anybody’s guess, but they remain a threat to the Great Gate of Orrim, living littlemore than a few miles from it.

DwarvesAs mentioned previously the Dwarves once lived in a kingdom, but now reside in the DPR.Dwarves are stocky creatures, though they are not fat, nor are they exceptionally small. MostDwarves are but a foot or so shorter than an average human and generally have tough, darkskin. Those Dwarves that farm tend to have fairer hair and skin, and often even have blue eyes,but the true Dwarves of the mountains have very dark, almost ebony skin and sport darkbeards with dark eyes. Almost all Dwarves have beards, however since the founding of theDPR; some Dwarves have shaved theirs off to show their disrespect for the class system.In the ancient kingdom the class system wasoften based on what kind of beard yourfamily could grow. Quite how the Dwarvesdifferentiated is unknown.

Dwarves in the Northern Realms areactually quite common. Many trek northbetter prepared for the harsh cold thanmany humans. Within the Republic theyare also quite common, although in recentyears they have tended to move awayfrom the urban areas. Within the DPR there are thought to bearound 11 strongholds still held by theDwarves, including the massive wall thatmarks the border with the DPR and Tyrth.Thankfully there are almost no Tyrthians at

all in the region near the wall, and thehumans are mostly nomadic, relying onDwarven aid to prosper. The Dwarves stillcontrol the only safe road from the northto Tyrth, all other roads leading throughunregulated mountains or into the marshes.

AinhûriansAlthough the Ainhûrians are technically human, they exhibit strange signs of being bred withsome of the more cultured giants in the north. As a result, many Ainhûrians can grow to as tallas 7 feet in height, and taller Ainhûrians, especially amongst older clans, can be as high as 8 feet.The Ainhûrians are segregated into several clans – seven of which are dominant. The



Corieltauvi, the Novantae, the Selgovae, the Parisi, the Demetae, the Druionii and the RoyalHouse of the Cantium. The political system involves Chieftains who are chosen by, advised byand act on the behalf of the people – the Landstadt. Every man over 15 and women over 20are granted a voice in the Landstadt, although meetings are rare and are normally only heldover vastly important decisions. The Ainhûrians elect the best candidate for leadership andthere is little in the way of political bickering. Some younger lords have tried imposing the ideas

of inheritance but so far have proved unsuccessful. There is no religion in Ainhûr, but there isgreat honour awarded to ancestors, and the Brisings – legendary creatures said to have forgedthe Ainhûrians. A mysterious sage named ‘The Watcher’, who resides near the High King’spalace, is the only vaguely religious character that is known of, although few details escapefrom the north.

GnomesGnomes supposedly account for a higher percentage of the population than official resultsshow. There are in fact many Gnomes in communities across the continent, Gnomes beinghighly jovial and easy-going they find it easier than other races to blend into humansettlements. The only real Gnomish settlements are found in Eredain, alongside their adoptedcousins, the Eridians.Gnomes are often split into two sub-species. The older of the two divisions are known as theSun Gnomes. They are generally fair-haired, with paler skin almost like small humans. Thesecond group are known as Moon Gnomes, and have darker hair and skin with nimbler fingers.Moon Gnomes are apparently far more common than Sun Gnomes, but only because SunGnomes are the product of being born during the day, and Moon Gnomes are the product of being born at night. Apparently there are no divisions in their culture or distinctions betweenthe two groups.

GnargsGnargs are thought to be very distant relations to Goblins, but they show none of theirintelligence. They are vicious and possess only a low cunning. Their pale, sometimes green skinis covered in small tears where they claw themselves to increase toughness. Gnargs are cannibalsand will pillage purely for the fun of destruction. They have slitted eyes and are often bloated

or alternatively very gaunt in appearance. Some have speculated that they were once thecreations of a vile sorcerer. There are no Gnarg cities or settlements, but bands of them gatheron the southern parts of the wastes. The Desolation of the Gnargs is a semi-desert in whichvirtually nothing lives, located to the far north-east of the Great Wall and the colonies in thenorth. It is because of Gnargs that the Great Gate of Orrim was principally built. The ability for Gnargs tocause mass havoc on a large scale is largely lost tothem, but they still constantly raid smallersettlements, proving to be menaces to farmers in theremote northern regions of the continent. WhetherGnargs have ever attacked Ainhûr is unclear.

Half-GnargsHalf-Gnargs are the product of the Great Sundering,when many of the colonist women were raped.After that fateful year many terrible children wereborn, with bloated features or pigmented skin. Theoffspring cannot of course be blamed for theirheritage, but many were killed instantly, especially inthe north where laws could not protect the babies.Some however survived, and began to work aslabourers in the north, using their strength to do jobsother men could not. Whilst they are tolerated theyare not accepted. Some Half-Gnargs were so much like their infernal parent that they killed



their mortal mothers when only children and ran off into the wild to join the pure Gnargs. Whether they were accepted is unclear. Some Half-Gnargs on the other hand, strive to beexamples of how anybody, no matter their heritage can do good. These Half-Gnargs often tryto hide their heritage to fit in with humans more. Thus it is that as years go on, more of theviolent Gnarg blood infiltrates the human stock of the north. Whilst it is fair to say that Half-Gnargs are not the most charismatic of creatures, they are not all as stupid as their infernal

parents.

EridiansEridians are extremely rare, and it is believed that there are only two communities left in theentire world. Once, thousands of years before even Tyrth was established, the Eridians ruled allof the north and what is now the Republic. However they were essentially peaceful and aftercrippling attacks from Gnargs they withdrew to a smaller realm. Quite how advanced or evenhow large their realm was at the zenith of their race is unknown, but Eridian ruins at Havenhave been discovered and some have even been suggested as far south as Freeton. When the colonists arrived in the north they drove the Eridians out of their lands and killedmany. Despite this the Eridians did not respond by attacking the humans. Rather when theGnargs attacked the colonists, even up to the Great Siege over 200 years ago, the Eridians aidedthe humans. Alas that they were destroyed, their Royal line failed and the only survivors were avillage in the hidden valley of Eredain. Powerful magic spells protected the valley fromdivination and the Eridian valley remained hidden to the outside world for hundreds of years.Around 50 or so years ago they were discovered by a group of mercenaries. Bringing word of the lost civilisation to the Paladins of Palondar, the secrecy of the valley was safeguarded, sothat only certain people in the entire of the Republic know of its existence.It is documented that the Seck were once enemies of the Eridians, and that even now theystrive to eliminate them completely. However sources reveal that the Seck are not so strongnow either.Eridians are shorter slightly than humans, having green pigmented skin, much akin to theGoblins. They are expert woodsmen, and have long, gaunt faces. They move exceptionally fastand use mostly wood for any materials, including weaponry. Whilst they are by no meanswarlike, they are no children in the ways of war. Many Eridians are rumoured to be the most

efficient and deadly fighters of all the intelligent races in the New Continent.The term ‘Dugglers’ is derived from the small green-haired crossbreeds of mountain cats and

wolves that the Eridians often kept as pets. Thecolonists upon learning this used it to insult theEridians, not knowing any of the more advancedoffensive language of the Eridians.Eredain Valley is still inhabited by some Eridians, ledby Chief Galaron, although a small community of Gnomes also lives there with Mira Pendlebree, theArchtechmandrite of Geldin and her numerousoffspring. The only item known to be in existencenot made from metal by the Eridians in the last few

hundred years, is a stone statue of MudgePendlebree, watching over the entrance to the secretpassage under the mountains.

SeckThe Seck are a terrible race of snake-men that aredevoted in worship to the Cobra goddess. It isthought that the Seck were once men, perverted withsnakekind to create an unnatural abhorrence that isthe Seck. The Seck once ruled all of Arrannon, andwere the archenemies of the Eridians. However like

their eternal foes, their power is now over, and only through alliance with Malvernis have they



maintained any power. They can now only be found in the Serpent Isles in the Sea of Tears,and the Isle of Drananger, where the pirates have been turned to the worship of the Cobragoddess. Who the leaders of these vile creatures are has never emerged.

CentaursIt has only been in the last few decades that acknowledgement of these creatures as fact has

occurred. Centaurs are noble beasts, half man, half horse, though the leaders are more like half stags, so strong is their visage. The greatest Centaurs are those of silvery grey, the Centaurs wholead the many tribes in the foothills of Ainhûr. The Centaurs are revered above all other beingsin Ainhûr, and it is easy to see why. They are immensely wise and well versed in the lore of theworld, they bear the strength of a young steed in its prime, and in their hands are held thepower of the north. The Centaurs are also immensely long lived. Some of the oldest rememberthe time when the Eridians lived in the south, and it is thought that the two races were allied.However little of their culture has been uncovered as few colonists have ever made the long journey through the Icestorm Mountains to the foothills of Ainhûr.

The Deities of the New Continent Whilst there are alternative belief systems, as well as

widespread atheism among many of the magocracy. In thelast 50 years, two defining faiths have emerged. Many of the lesser gods and goddesses of earlier years have beendropped, whilst the main players in the pantheon havebeen more widely worshipped. Also there have been newfaiths appearing.

Elérron ~ The SkylordAround the time of the Tyrthian Invasion, the Prophetcame to bring the message of Elerron. Strange though itseems, the Prophet preached a message of a single deity,essentially saying that the gods of the Northern Realmswere but aspects of a single entity. This entity he named as

Elerron, which was later translated from an ancient tongue of angelic planar beings to mean‘Skylord’. This provoked much debate, as the Skylord has always been viewed as a passivedeity. Whilst it is commonly accepted that the Skylord is the creator of all things, it has been

difficult for many polytheists to agree with the Elerrite viewthat he is the only deity. At current time, there are no templesto the Skylord.

Rélenna ~ Goddess of JusticeOften portrayed as a Griffon (the symbol of law in theRepublic). Rélenna is seen as both a force for neutrality (law)and a force for good (justice). Her worship is not popularamong anybody other than officials and other members of the

upper class, who owe everything to the law. Normally it isTemplars of Rélenna that worship her in her aspect of Justice.Rélenna’s temples are normally found in opulent areas of towns, near merchant guilds and courthouses. The HighTemple is located in Prysmordia.

Hélenna ~ Goddess of NatureHélenna is seen as the embodiment of nature, mother earthherself. She is a direct descendant from Veren and Nena (seebelow for pantheon family tree) and thus symbolisesrejuvenation and life, just as her twin, Rélenna, symbolises justice and peace. She is often depicted with an animal aspect,



as well as many familiars. Her temples generally appear in the wilderness, and are tended to byshapeshifting clerics. The High Temple to Hélenna is located on the outskirts of Osnor, in aregion known as Boddlin’s Vineyard (named after the Eridian god of old),

Veren and Nena ~ God of Life and Goddess of Healing Veren and Nena are husband and wife, and are sometimes

used as a symbol for contented marriage. They are alwaysworshipped together, and their clerics are the only onesforbidden from bearing arms against any natural life.Unnatural life such as Gnargs, Undead and other suchconstructs, are the bane of Veren, Nena, Hélenna andRélenna. Veren is sometimes known as the Dawn-son,whilst Nena is the Moon-daughter. The temples of Verenand Nena are often bare with only a single statue orengraving to denote whom they are dedicated to. Thefollowers of Veren and Nena do not waste church fundson frivolities or decoration, but rather on the poor. Both Veren and Nena are treated with little respect by followersof other gods, as the powers of healing and life seeminsignificant in normal life. It is only normally when a person falls ill that they will seek theblessings of the married gods.

Talannas ~ The HunterTalannas the Hunter is the patron of allwoodsmen not affiliated to Hélenna. Whereas thegoddess of nature strives to protect all wildlife,and takes the form of beasts, Talannas hunts themdown for sport and to show his impressive bowskills. In the creation story (see below) Talannasshoots the Blue Giant Ragnork with one of hisown beard hairs plucked and straightened with

the righteous fury of Rélenna.Talannas’ followers often clash with those of Hélenna, as their interests do, but both god of hunting and goddess of nature will ally together if ever the woodland is threatened.The temple to Talannas is in Orrim, far from thewoodlands of Hélenna in the Osnorian plains.Many of his shrines exist in barracks or archerystores, and many bounty hunters follow Talannas,as it is believed he guides them to their quarry.

Berreck ~ God of Chaos

The absolute lover of war and all destruction, Berreck is a godof chaos. All believers in violence worship him in many places,and the Gnargs’ deity is said to be the same. Although Berreck isnot inherently evil, he does not care what damage he does tothe innocent, which makes him at odds with many of the othergods. His younger brother, Kor, is his archenemy, and the twoconstantly strive to outwit each other in their constant duel.Berreck is said to take the guise of a half-giant, reminiscent of the Blue Giants of Chaos in the creation story, even though hefought against them.He wields a massive two-headed axe called ‘Soul Cleaver’,which is said to have the power to divide the very essence of



silence when used by Berreck. There are no actual clerics of Berreck, the concept as such beingabhorrent to his very nature, but instead he is worshipped by fighters who man his temple inthe peaks of the Spine Mountains on the road from Kaelanth to Orrim through the treacherousDwarf-carved paths.

Kor ~ God of Honourable Combat

Kor, younger brother of Berreck is said to be thenoblest of fighters. He is a great friend of Talannas andPalondar, and although at times has disputes with Veren, generally gets on with the other pantheon godswell. The only exception to this is Berreck, whom hedespises and battles with constantly. The chaos hisbrother represents has no place on the battlefield of war.The clerics of Kor are always Templars, anddemonstrate a skill with their chosen weapon,bordering on the point of being godlike. Such is thededication of the Templars of Kor.The High Temple to Kor is located in Prysmordia, butanother sizeable temple can be found in Orrim.Kor is also associated with the element of fire, andmany of his Templars who worship him in his aspect of fire, receive powerful magic for their dedication.

Rauronor ~ God of the Seas and WeatherRauronor is thought to be the son of Berreck, but there hasnever been any confirmation of this. Certainly the chaoticnature of Berreck is in Rauronor, as is the natural element of his raped mother, Hélenna.Rauronor is worshipped as both god of Weather and theSeas, and so once had his High Temple at Gateshead.

However, since the abandonment of Gateshead, only a smalltemple to his aspect of weather exists in Orrim, the worshipof Rauronor being unpopular amongst most bar seamen.In recent years though, Rauronor has been more noticeablyworshipped by sea-faring nobles, who explore the manylands to west yet unknown to the Republic and the NorthernRealms. Waunna ~ Goddess of Wealth and Trade

Waunna the patron of merchants and the Guild is widely worshipped across the urban areas of the north. She is known to guard those who worship her fiercely and the bandits and robberswho often waylay the merchant travellers, are in fear of her. Waunna is the daughter of Rélenna and Kor, and thus relies heavily upon the law and honour

to gain her power. She has her High Temple at Osnor in the Guild Headquarters (the chief meeting place for the combined guilds of the Republic), but has many shrines across theRepublic and even into the Northern Realms where trade is heavily relied on.

Palondar ~ God of PaladinsPalondar is the least worshipped god of all the pantheon of the Republic. Only the select fewwho are worthy to be Paladins really worship him, and there are very few True Clerics of Palondar.Palondar is great allies with both Kor and Talannas, who make up the Triad of War. He hasoften aided the gods against those that would assail them, and is in charge of the legions of Solars and Angelic hosts that defend the heavens.



Palondar is also seen as the closest link with Elerron, as he isknown as the Right Hand of the Skylord. Some Elerritesbelieve that Palondar is the truest representation of themonotheistic god Elerron of the (false) pantheon.Palondar is now also seen as the god of wisdom, since thedemise of Quarren at the hands of the Fell Demons, whilst

he was in search of artefacts.

Drand ~ God of ThievesDrand has no recognised place in the pantheon, and isoutcast from the heavens after he stole Kor’s Halberd andgave it to the Blue Giants. There are no temples to Drandand although his worship is wide spread, there are evendoubts about his existence as a proper god. Many thievesview him more as pure luck than an actual deity, and his

lack of place in the pantheon family tree seems to support this view. Drand is often depicted asa two-faced medallion showing the trickery of the Prince of Thieves. Whilst Drand is not evil assuch, he is utterly chaotic and will side with anybody at all regardless of moral worth.

Family Tree of the Pantheon of Gods in the Republic and Northern Realms

The Creation StoryLong ago, before the creation of the world, there was utter chaos. Out of the chaos, theSkylord formed the universe, and destroyed the chaos creating the great void, which he setaround the world so that he and the gods he created to aid him would be able to watch

without having to interfere.However, the chaos was not destroyed. From the sea of Chaos many beings escaped and tookthe form of vastly powerful giants that roamed the earth.At that time the only gods in existence were Palondar, Veren, Nena, Rélenna, Hélenna,Quarren and Talannas. The gods bickered with each other constantly, even the wisest, Palondarand Quarren falling into arguments over the borders of their self-defined realms. Thus it wasthat they did not notice how the Blue Giants of Chaos had come to control the earth and allthat was in it. Mortal beings followed the Blue Giants out of the north to colder lands, andworshipped them as gods. Slowly their power grew, and they taught mortal beings to harnessthe power of chaos, and bring it back from where Elerron had sealed it forever. Slowly theydrained the Chaos into the world again, and called it magic, or Aethyr.

Elerron

Veren Nena

RélennaHélenna

Kor

Palondar

TalannasBerreck

Rauronor Waunna



Soon however, even thegods had to pay attentionto the Blue Giants. Forwith the magic they hadcreated, they traversed thevoid and brought war to

the doors of the heavens.Palondar amassed thearmies of Solars andAngelic beings and theyfought long and hardagainst the Giants. Manyfell to the swift-seekingarrows of Talannas, andrighteous fury of Rélenna,but it was not enough.Thus Palondar did petitionthe Skylord to come totheir aid, and soreluctantly he helpedthem. He created two newgods, twins that wouldshape the future of mortallives. They were namedBerreck and Kor and were given armour from the stores of Palondar. Whilst Kor excelled atdestroying the Giants with weapons, Berreck preferred to rip apart the Blue Giants with his barehands. However even with these two it was not enough and the gods were beaten back.Quarren harnessed much of their magic and turned it against them, but Giants were still toostrong. Finally Kor challenged the leader of the Blue Giants, Ragnork to single combat. He wasnearly beaten by the terrible Giant, swollen in power by the mages in the mortal realms, butBerreck came to his rescue. Kor and Berreck battled with the Giant, despite Kor calling for

Berreck to stand back and let honour have its course. Palondar came and did battle with therest of the Giants, his army of Solars destroying many. Ragnork was defeated, and Kor boundhim in chains, stopping his brother from killing him in cold blood. However the trickster,Drand, stole the Halberd of Kor and his keys and let loose the Giant leader once again. Armedwith the mighty Halberd, the Giant rallied his forces and attacked the Heavens once more. Korwas enraged and called a curse on Drand, banishing him from the Heavens. The Giants werebeaten back by Berreck, who devoured each one in turn. Finally Talannas and Rélenna usingtheir combined powers shot dead the giant from afar.The war was not without its losses, for after the battle was over and the Giants left fled to themortal realms to be hunted down by Talannas and Hélenna, it became clear that Kor and hisbrother would never be reconciled. They argued and argued over how they should havefought, and the essence of Chaos that now surrounded Berreck made Kor sick. To spite his

younger twin, Berreck took the role of God of Chaos and left the Heavens for the void, wherehe made his realm from the magic that now seeped into the universe. Palondar and Kor soughtto destroy this breach, but Berreck made his home over it and stopped the pair. He and histwin have never stopped fighting each other since. Whilst in the mortal realm, Hélenna was ambushed by an unknown deity and raped. It couldbe even that it was a Blue Giant. The resultant birth that followed almost immediately was thegod Rauronor, who fell straight into the sea and drank an entire ocean. Ever after Hélenna hastried to bring her son back to the Heavens, but he refuses and stays in the seas that he loves.After the Heavens were secured, Palondar wed Rélenna, and they had a daughter, Waunnawho was presented to the mortal realm as a gift. She would bring the prosperity and comfortthat they craved. The loss of the Blue Giants to the mortals had left them worried and alone, sothe gods took them into care, and in time the memory of such times became merely a distant



nightmare soothed away by the comforts of themodern age.

The Northern Realms: Key LocationsOther than the many colonies, there are severalchief locations, of which travellers should be

aware. Firstly there are many strange naturallandmarks that mark the north out as verystrange, and possibly give evidence of an olderform of magic. One such landform, a greatprotrusion of rock, lies near Mithwold. Whilstmages have theorised on possible geographicreasons for its existence, most agree it is theremnant of some kind of magic ward system.Another location is in the Glacier Valley, whereit is rumoured that several small settlementsexist, totally independent of the NorthernRealms. A huge mountain of volcanic rock,

known as the Dragon’s Rathe, has been carvedinto the likeness of a dragon by some ancientrace. The impressive Dragon Falls to the southare also worthy of a visit, although no knownroads or easy route exists to either. Despite thenames though, there have been no sightings of Dragons in the Northern Realms for many hundreds of years, although more prudent scholarswarn that many are lying dormant, waiting for foolish adventurers…Equally there are other dangers such as the dark Alicorn Pass in the Icestorm Mountains. As suchno colonists who have travelled that way have returned, and it is thought that Beruvor willmount an excursion to check the area for monsters in the near future.

Summary of Settlements in the Republic and Northern Realms

Settlement Population Humans (%) Gnomes (%) Dwarves (%) Other (%)Prysmordia 50,000 80 7 11 2

Orrim 34,000 89 1 7 3Kaelanth 29,000 78 3 14 5Osnor 24,000 67 6 23 4

Beruvor 1,400 94 2 3 1Mithwold 187 99 1 1 1

Note that values of 1 can also include decimal values.

Mithwold: A localised studyIn the next section, the colony of Mithwold will be analysed in greater detail, with maps andsummaries of personalities in the area.The Mithwold colony was founded in 1756, 21 years ago. However nine years after itsfounding, the Gnargs swept through the village and burnt it to the ground. The area that theformer colony was built on is known as the Gnarg’s Clearing in the woodlands to the south.The new colony was built some way to the north, and after four years of hard work, withmuch help from the barbarian from those parts, the colony was a small village again. In eightyears, the colony has erected a large wooden wall around the whole central settlement, with awatchtower and established buildings, not to mention large storehouses and a network of underground shelters beneath the buildings.The colonists themselves consist largely of agricultural workers. With the exception of a fewpersonalities in the town, the occupants are entirely human. Around three years ago there was



a sizeable Gnome presence, but many of them were killed by wolves, who saw the Gnomes aseasy targets in the fields.To the east and south of the colony lie the vast expanses of farmland that the colony dependson. While there are frequent supplies, they cannot be guaranteed, and large shipments of foodoften do not survive the long journey north.Shown below is a rooftop plan of the colony, with buildings of particular interest described in

greater detail. Note that the map is not entirely to scale as it was drawn by a Gnomishcartographer as a rough sketch. Unfortunately his craft crashed in the nearby fields and he wasdevoured by wolves from the forest, and so was unable to leave an accurate copy.

Hwaethgarn’s House:A roughly erected building made from northern timbers in Ainhûrian style. A large number of metal panels line the roof to keep the damp out.Hwaethgarn is an Ainhûrian barbarian, who lived in the region with his parents long before thefirst colony was established. Whilst he has since been granted Northern Realms citizenship, heonly reluctantly lives within the colony walls. He would much rather be in the wild.As it stands, Hwaethgarn is largely popular amongst the farmers, who he helps without failevery harvest. When the wolves attack during winter times, Hwaethgarn is always on the front line, and themany wolf-pelts along his garden fence pay tribute to his ferocity against those that wouldthreaten Mithwold.

Winter Wares:The building housing Winter Wares has much more elaborate style than the other buildingsaround it. A large glass shop window looks out into the street, and long winter overcoats canbe seen within. The owner of the store is Cordelia DeWynter, a middle-aged tailor who haslong kept the colonists of Mithwold clothed. As the farmers are constantly pressured to work inthe fields during the winter to make the maximum amount of food, it becomes more and more



important that they have warm outdoor clothing. Any new colonist arriving at Mithwoldwould do well to check her out first to make sure they are fully equipped for the harsh andsometimes very swift-changing weather.

Captain Dalin’s House:This two-storey building is the home of the current leader of the colony. Captain Dalin is in his

late sixties, yet despite his age is still a competent leader. Dalin was once a wandering healer,though the Tyrthian invasion caused him to enter the army many years ago. A reluctant soldier,Dalin and his friends served first in the Morenian plains and then on the front line at the Battleof Osnor. Many of Dalin’s former companions are said to be dead now, and certainly they donot live in the north. However Dalin remained in the army, and helped rebuild much of theshattered Republic. Gradually as the army disbanded and the people of the Republic fell intopeace again, Dalin took part in further and further expeditions. He was among the first forcesto move north, and helped build the town of Beruvor. He is also said to have held positions inTribulad, Kandros and Yarn before he was given captaincy in Mithwold.

General Supplies:Run by the Dollan family, this shop sells the vast majority of items that people need throughoutthe colony. Dollan receives supplies quite frequently, but during the winter there is a shortageof items as supply wagons and traders do not travel so far north.The Dollan family is the largest in the colony with 12 children. Whilst the Dollan family runtheir shop at a profit, their prices are good and they often are without enough capital of theirown. Jim rarely accepts charity, but now and again, Captain Dalin buys more items than heneeds, especially if the product in question is not selling.

Fletcher’s Shop:Between the General Supplies and the Animal Trader, the Fletcher’s has many items to offer abudding hunter. Many of the farmers buy their hunting bows here so that they have someprotection in the winter when the animals become hungry. Juril Swiftarrow is the local fletcher,though he is not native to the region. Juril originally comes from the south, and is not toothrilled at being posted by the Fletcher’s Guild so far north. However he is loyal to the

townsfolk, and whilst it is unlikely he will stay for very long, he serves them well while he does.

Republic Offices:Kenton Smarl is the Republic representative clerk, sent by the bureaucracy in the Departmentfor the Northern Colonies, many miles away in Prysmordia. Whilst Kenton’s official position isto make sure all paperwork is filled in, in reality he helps the farmers, sending written reportsthat whilst not entirely accurate are often the best way of keeping inspectors from visiting thecolony and shutting down many workers. Kenton is a charming man, and is in charge of alldomestic issues when Dalin is away. When not working in the Republic office, Smarl can befound in his home opposite.

Animal Trader:

Benjamin Thralt runs the Animal Traders, but is also in charge of looking after the welfare of allanimals used by the colonists. He can often be found to be working in the fields rather thanback at his shop, but when he is there he looks after many young horses, training to be used bythe soldiers.

Blacksmith’s:The local town blacksmith is also the only local Dwarf. Braegor Rexxican harks from theMorenian Plains, where his family owns a large farm. Although used to warmer climes, being aDwarf, Braegor finds this to be little of a problem. Braegor can arguably make usable metalitems out of any kind of metal, and in times of crisis he has even melted down spoons to makearmour plating or sword blades. Braegor keeps very few items actually made, and nearly all hisproducts are made to order, due to the lack of metal in the north. After the winter Braegor is



intending on prospecting in theGlacial Valley for any mineraldeposits.

Barracks:There are about 12 or so

soldiers in Mithwold, withmany others acting as untrainedmilitia. The soldiers when noton patrol help their families inthe fields. Lieutenant JonathonMayr is the second in commandunder Captain Dalin, and incharge of training the soldiers.His son is in the Republic Armyand is training under Jonathonso that one day he can movesouth and get a posting in oneof the safer areas. Jonathon’swife and daughter providefood and warm blankets for thesoldiers when they are onwatch in the tower or along theperimeter wall.Dalin frequently takes parties out to deal with local problems, and to check the area for bandsof Gnargs.

The Brisings’ Barn Inn:Named after a local legend about four half-Goblin, half-Dwarven smiths, who forged the chainto bind reality together, the Brisings’ Barn Inn is the most hospitable place anywhere north of the Great Gate. Run by the irrepressible Gnome, Quinn Barltey, the Barn (as it is colloquially

known) is the meting place for all the locals. On any evening the bar will be filled with patronsand during the spring, summer and early autumn there are almost always a number of tradersstaying in the rooms above. Other than the two barmaids he employs, Quinn runs the inn byhimself, and is always happy to offer anecdotes from his vast collection of rumours and myths.

Other Locales of Importance:Featured inset are two small plans of thefarming houses to the east of Mithwold andthe house of Saevler, a hermit of the woods.Saevler is a recluse and lives away from mostof the colonists, but will often help the localanimal trader, Benjamin Thralt if a creature is

badly wounded.

Jaréd’s Creek: A localised studyThe furthest north settlement in the Northern

Realms, Jaréd’s Creek has to be virtually self-supporting for most of the year. Unlike Mithwold,which has the benefit of traders in the summer months, there are no trading routes to Jaréd’sCreek, nor any roads. This has led to a suspension of currency and rationing of all supplies.Currently an Overseer – a semi-military post – governs Jaréd’s Creek, although the actualholder of this post cycles regularly.The original Jaréd’s Creek was built by Dwarves hundreds of years ago when the Dragons stilldominated the skies. The hero Jaréd slew a great Wyrm of spectacular size and won fame foreternity. However a few short years later the dominion of a terrible Red Dragon in the nearby



Icestorm Mountains drove the remnants of the Dwarves out. The site was identified as a primelocation when the colonists arrived, and several scholars were dispatched from Prysmordia todetail work on the ruins.Jaréd’s Creek is defended by two main sets of defences. The location of the town means thedefence is relatively easy, and the massive wooden wall built across the entrance to the Creek is24 feet high in places with full battlements. The first area of the town is nestled behind the

walls, and hosts the many soldiers and their families. Weaponsmiths constantly repair armourand salvage weapons as no metal can be spared. There are also several buildings for the care of animals from the pastures nearby so that herds can be sheltered in the winter. Although severalfarms exist nearby, the majority of people live in the town itself due to the protection itaffords.The second wall defends the entirely sheltered upper section to the town. The high walls of theCreek surround the whole of the upper town so that virtually nothing, including the wind, caneasily penetrate it. The upper town is the location of the ruins of the original Dwarven town,and the Temple to Veren and Nena is built on top of a magical spring that brings healing. Onboth sides of the Verenite Temple lie two towers. The first, built on Dwarven ruins of thecitadel that once stood there, is occupied by the Overseer, and commands a view over theentire plain and forest. On a clear day the mountains north of Orrim can be seen hundreds of leagues away. The second tower serves a much darker master. It is rumoured that a Mage of the Black Robes has taken up residency there. Whilst a Dark Mage is something many fear, he isa sanctioned agent of the Council of Prysmordia and as such is on the same side as the colonists.However these rumours could be mere gossip.Near to Jaréd’s Creek is the mysterious Dwarven complex of Spirit Mountain – a massive tombfor the fallen Dwarf defenders. Nobody has yet dared to enter the vast halls, for rumours of powerful enchantments persist. However ancient legends tell of magical energies channelledinto power receptacles deep within the mountain. The Spirit Mountain tomb entrance ishalfway up the mountain and carved from a strange blue quartz stone that in certain lightslooks like ice. Massive columns flank a huge open gateway, but within the long hall carvedfrom the same stone leads to a sealed set of double doors marked with powerful sigils andrunes. This is as far as anyone has ever been in the history of the modern settlement of Jaréd'sCreek.

Languages in the Northern Realms

COMMON Basic language used across the New Continent and parts of Arrannon

DRACONIAN Magical language used by arcane scholars

AETHYRIAN Rare magical language used by planar specialists

ARCANUS Rare magical language used on some ancient scrolls

PRYSID Official written language of the Prysmordian Republic, but rarely used in common life

GNOMISH Colloquial tongue with no written form spoken by Gnomes

SYLVAN Woodland tongue spoken by many rangers and druids with no written form

HÉLENNIC Specialist tongue spoken only by followers of Hélenna

TALANNIC Specialist tongue spoken only by followers of Talannas

BATTLE TONGUE Specialist language conveyed by movement often found among warriorsand followers of Kor and Berreck



DOKKRA Specialist language conveyed in common but with set phrases having hiddenmeanings – often used by thieves or spies

OSNORIAN Secret guilder language used by all merchants in the Guild

GOGGLIBAKH Ancient woodland language spoken by the Eridians long ago, partially the basis

for druidic

DRUIDIC Spoken tongue only of the Druids, forbidden to be taught to or spoken by non-Druids

TYRTHIAN Language similar to common used in Tyrth and Ehb

OGGUM Written form of Druidic used only by Druids

DWARVISH (KHAZALID) Spoken common Dwarf language used officially in the DPR

KHANEDRIC Rune language inscribed to create powerful permanent enchantments on items

GIZZNIK Common Goblin spoken by most Goblins

GIZZBLO Written form of Gizznik

GIZZDREN Feral Goblin language with no written form

GIZZDOK Midnight Goblin language completely unrelated to other Goblin tongues

VARGROL Gnarg spoken tongue with no written form

DJAR Ritual language of many evil clerics

KHARZIL Language of the Dark Dwarves (Duergar) who live beneath the world

Closing NotesA few brief warnings to all prospective adventurers when travelling through these lands: – Never tell a Dwarf his beard is looking sparse

– Never inform a Dwarf of the DPR that Monarchy is the 'way forward'

– Never ask a Gnome to repeat himself/herself

– Never ask a Halfling to hold your purse

– Don't go looking for Gnargs – they'll look for you

– Don't insult the Archmage or Regent in the Republic of Prysmordia

– Do insult the Archmage or the Regent in the Northern Realms

Best wishes as you journey and adventure – be it for wealth, fame, thrills or glory!

Lobail the Sage

a guide to the new continent

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