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WritingWritingWritingWritingThe Fraternity of SshadowsNicholas Burke Xavier CattarinichDavid CicaleseMark GraydonPaul KaroubasDavid MoranChris ParsonsAndrew PavlidesPamela RoseStephen SaleVannaxCamiel VissersLeandro Zerbinatti de Oliveira

Commissioned ArtCommissioned ArtCommissioned ArtCommissioned ArtNicholas BurkeDion FernandezEleanor FerronDavid Gibson

Map of SouragneMap of SouragneMap of SouragneMap of SouragneMordent Cartographic Society

Editing and LayoutEditing and LayoutEditing and LayoutEditing and LayoutThe Fraternity of Shadows

The editors would like to give thanks and praise to everyone who submittedsomething for the Souragne project.

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No part of this document is Open Game ContentThe articles contained within this document are the sole property of the authors.Any unauthorized duplication of this document will result in a public burning.

Survey of SouragneMarch 1st, 2006 [email protected]

Fraternity of Shadows®

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Table of ContentsTable of ContentsTable of ContentsTable of Contents

Prologue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Geographical Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Sociological Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Religious Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Appendix 1DM's Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Appendix 2Who’s Who . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Appendix 3The Misroi Legacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

ProloguePrologueProloguePrologue

ProloguePrologueProloguePrologue

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Greetings my Esteemed BrothersGreetings my Esteemed BrothersGreetings my Esteemed BrothersGreetings my Esteemed BrothersIf you can read this, you have received our decryption key to read this tome, not the vapid travelguide it otherwise seems. For those unaware, please allow me to present myself: My name isViktor Hazan, member of the Fraternity of Shadows and one of the elders of the newly foundedSouragne Chapter.

It has been three months since we were chased from our beloved manoir in Ste Ronges. On thenight of Saturday, October 29th in the year 759, a traitorous elder used his reputation to conspireagainst our Fraternity. Alas, even Sir Castelle was fooled. Having considered him a close friend,it is with a loud call for vengeance that I share his name with the readers: Erik Van Rijn.

In the aftermath of Van Rijn's treachery, we fled the city and wandered in search of sanctuary.Recently, we received a missive from Ambrose Skully alerting us to a refuge on the island ofSouragne. Presently, we have set up a new base of operations on that island, and, even now,plan our revenge on Van Rijn and Death's Unholy Order.

We have found an isolated plantation known as La Maison Soulombre. No doubt, you willappreciate the location, just south of this island's main city, Port d'Elhour. The irony is that ahuge cemetery is located near our property, so, in our opinion, this is the last place Van Rijn andhis masters will look for us. Doctor Anthony Reuland -always skilled with propaganda- hasdisseminated rumours that we are somewhat retired merchants. This will cover for themerchandise we receive as well as the visit of foreigners.

Forgetting the horrible humidity, the viciously spicy food and the quaint local customs, ouracclimatising here was relatively easy. Using our Fraternity's deep purse, we are consideredmore well-to-do here than in Richemulot. Life is easy when you are rich in Souragne; indeed,the greatest peril we face is to resist the decadence often noted in the noblity.

During my first days in this strange land, I encountered one of the so-called "priestesses" ofthe voodan cult. This crone, Majenka, explained to me the "laws" of the land. First, she said, allbodies were required to left intact and above ground for four days prior to burial. Next,according to her, we were forbidden to practice our magic arts, for only necromantic or healingmagic are allowed. She mentioned this with a knowing smile as though she recognized that Iwas a practitioner of the Art. I find this particularly disturbing, since I gave the witheredcreature no hints of this! Still, she insisted that these laws were absolute; that they wereenforced by one of the "loa" -one of her spirits- known to the locals as "the Lord of the Dead".

Following this discussion with Majenka, we took all measures to protect ourselves from hisnotice. Thusly, the following edicts were sent to all Fraternity members in Souragne: "Allmembers are to refrain from the use of magic when one's goals may be achieved throughmundane means. Furthermore, no member may at any time cast magic in front of witnesses(excepting when one then permanently silences said audience)."

Not knowing the capabilities of the Lord of the Dead, we believe secrecy to be the highestpriority. To that end, I proposed we capture a minor fiend and trap it in the basement of theplantation in order to shield us with the demon's reality wrinkle. I will reiterate that there is noneed to become ambitious and summon a more powerful a fiend than required. I need notremind our members of the dreaded "Borcan Incident", and the price for such excesses.

More information will be available as we approach the summoning incantation. In themeantime, the other Fraternity cells remain on the Core, searching for Van Rijn. Sourcesindicate that he too is in hiding, most likely on an Island in the mists. As such, those isolatedregions will be the focus of our hunt to capture and destroy him. This survey of Souragne is tobe the first of many reports as we stalk the traitor.

Yours in Shadow,

Viktor Hazan Viktor Hazan Viktor Hazan Viktor Hazan

Geographical SurveyGeographical SurveyGeographical SurveyGeographical Survey

Chapter 1Chapter 1Chapter 1Chapter 1


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From the bridge of our hired boat, I smiledwhen I saw my companion's look of shockwhen we emerged from the Mists. Havingbeen in Souragne once, I knew the changefrom the colder mists to the very hotSouragne climate was quite a surprisingcontrast. My smile left me after a fewmoments when the first clouds ofbloodthirsty Souragniens mosquitoesappeared over our heads.

"Dear Ezra! This place is a furnace!" saidthe Captain of the boat when we came inview of Souragne. "It's so hot here", headded, "I think even steel would melt." Afterswatting a large mosquito on his arm he wentback inside and said "But those bugs are thereason I won't stay very long. I leave you at

the quay and then go back to Darkon."

Souragne in shortSouragne in shortSouragne in shortSouragne in shortLocation: Island in the mists

Ecology: full (forest and hot marshes)

Darklord: The Lord of the Dead

Year of formation: 635

Cultural level: Chivalric (8)

Population: 3 100 (humans 99%,other 1% - mainly calibans)

Main settlements: three - Portd'Elhour (1 200 persons), Maraisd'Tarascon (300 persons), Thibaut(150 persons)

Religion: the loas (see Dark Tales &Disturbing Legends) for the masses,Ezra for the owning class

Language: Souragnien

Government: aristocratic electedleader, independent settlements


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ClimateClimateClimateClimateAlong with the Amber Wastes, Souragne isone of the warmest known lands. Butcontrasting the wasting desert, Souragne isplagued by a very high level of humidity. Infact, simply walking for a minute or twounder the sun causes the average person tosweat. The days are mostly sunny, with a fewthin clouds lazily passing by providing anappreciated -if short- screen from the sun.However, with a nice, cool iced herbal tea ona veranda, this weather is much morebearable than the desert.

On the few occasions when there is wind,this calm breeze comes from the sea and isseldom effective at chasing away the dampair or the mosquitoes. You need to standunder a mosquito net or be always on themove. Standing still only attracts them I fear.However, sometimes, for a few hours, thewind direction changes and come from theswamp. Most people stay indoors when this

happens as the number of mosquitoes andannoying buzzing flies is increased tenfold.

The very warm and humid temperature isdepressingly the same at night making sleepdifficult. In the early hours of morning, ashort hot rain often dampens accumulateddust. On the bad sides, this rain quicklyraises the level of humidity early in the day.We haven't experienced it yet, but the end ofsummer brings the rain season, which lastsabout two months. During this period, wewere told that rain can pour for days on endand the temperatures are only slightly cooler.

The Murky SeaThe Murky SeaThe Murky SeaThe Murky SeaAfter the misty travel, the fog dissipates to asea of muddy colour, the Murky Sea. Thisbody of salt water is usually quiet with fewbig waves. The Sea is narrow, about a milewide at most. For travelers on this sea thehorizon on one side is the flat land ofSouragne and the Mists are the others.During the day, many small fishing boats areseen on it, drifting lazily while fishermenwatch over their nets. The fishermen mostlycatch dull-coloured bony fishes that are tastybut unpleasant to eat. Some larger, meatierfish are not unheard of, if uncommon (tuna,swordfish; which are usually sold a goodprice to the seigneurs). The Murky Sea iswhere a lot of Port d'Elhour inhabitants getthe food they eat, unless they work for aplantation and get paid for their work.

Since the waves are low and the peoplepoor, many small fishing boats are just a fewinches over the water level. When wearrived, one of these boats capsized from thewaves made by our larger vessel. Thefishermen yelled things we could not hear inour direction. All unpleasant I presume.Other fishing ship came to the rescue of thepoor angler while our captain kept hisdirection and laughed nervously at the scene."The man will be saved. But it be anotherreason to leave early. The people here arecrazy", he muttered, "That was not a boat, it'sa floating wooden door."

There are tales of fierce sharks swimmingin the Murky Sea but it is probably only afisherman's tale since it's been decades at

Size of Souragne - Question of scale Size of Souragne - Question of scale Size of Souragne - Question of scale Size of Souragne - Question of scale The swamplands, or some say the spirits ofthe swamp, have a way of clouding men'sminds. In fact no one has really come upwith a definite measurement of the realm'ssize. What may seem a short distancebetween two points to one person mayseem longer or more distant to another...

The last canon measurements forSouragne are 8 miles wide, by 5 milesnorth to south (Domains of Dread, page96). That is close to 40 square miles. Thisis only a suggested size and DMs canadjust this scale for their game.

Mistway to SouragneMistway to SouragneMistway to SouragneMistway to SouragneThe Ravenloft Player's Handbook reveals awell-known mistway linking thenorthwestern Nocturnal Sea, nearNevuchar Springs, to northern Souragne.

Named "The Wake of the Loa" by thesailors, this mistway is two-way and ofmoderate reliability (see the RPHB fordrifting chances of this mistway). Thehazards sometimes encountered in thisspecific mistway are described in VanRichten's guide to the Mists (chapter six)


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least since the last dreaded shark fin wasseen over the water in the Murky Sea. An oldfisherman told me he saw one a few yearsago. Moreover, the image in his mind wasreally that of a shark assuring me this mansaw a real sea hunter. I, myself have nevercaught a shark and wonder how they taste. Ifthey truly do swim this sea, I may have toattempt a quick expedition. For accuracy ofresearch's sake of course.

Then our boat approached the quay. Oursea voyage from Nevuchar Springs wascoming to its end. I went down to my cabinto get my belongings.

Maison d'SabletMaison d'SabletMaison d'SabletMaison d'SabletPopulation - humans and demi humanssettlements: Unorganized, mostly hermits orsmall groups (less than 10); AL CN; CL 6-8;Total population less then 200 (not countingthe swamp folk), mostly humans and a fewcalibans.

In all the lands, in all the realms that floatwithin the Mists, there must be no placemore hostile to human life than theSouragnien swamps. In the shades of theweeping willows and cypresses reside themost deadly contagions, the most dangerousanimals and the most aggressive plants everdiscovered. Worst, a fair dose ofsupernatural creatures also roam thesebogs.The dense marshlands swarm withorganisms, all of which are engaged in thesavage battle for dominance. Indeed, theswamps pulse with life and death, adrumbeat to the dance of predator and prey.Understanding the nature of the primordialswamp, it would seem a foregone conclusionthat civilized man has no place with thewetlands.

Yet, we know there is one tool that manmay employ to protect himself from theecological warfare waged within thewetlands. This tool is knowledge. It is forthat knowledge that I have conducted thisextensive research into the Souragnienswamps. As the most important feature ofthe island is the vast marsh, it was vital thatthe Fraternity possess critical foreknowledgeand develop survival strategies necessary toinhabit this sweltering land.

Dread Possibility - Bloody WatersDread Possibility - Bloody WatersDread Possibility - Bloody WatersDread Possibility - Bloody WatersA Vampiric Ixitxachitl (see MonsterManual II) prowls the coast of Portd'Elhour (Large 8 HD Vampiric Ixitxachitl,CE). Myxitizajal (Mik-ZIT-za-jal) wasaltered by the Dark Powers: It can only bekilled by driving a coral stake through itsheart (within two rounds, otherwise itdisintegrates into bloody sediment) andthen allowing the sunlight to burn it toashes. Myxitizajal must consume blood asa normal vampire, and though it feedsmainly upon fish, once every few monthsMyxitizajal must drain a sentient being.

Shortly after Myxitizajal was drawn intoRavenloft, it was assaulted by adventurerswho stole its prized artifact: the Pearl ofEnthrallment. If it could reclaim its Pearl,it could enslave the people of the Portd'Elhour. The Pearl currently resides witha Voodan priestess named Majenka. In themeantime, Myxitizajal builds its retinue ofslaves from whatever aquatic creatures itcan subjugate.

For a complete history see Children ofthe Night: Vampires.


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The marsh covers at least two-third ofSouragne and is named Maison d'Sablet bythe local people, but my experience showthat speaking of "the Swamp" will suffice.Where this swamp received its name eludesme, and none was ever able to explain theorigin of this designation.

Surprisingly, these marshes are not the foulplaces of rotting death we foreigners at firstimagine. Forget the image of a grey swampwhere everything is decaying. In Maisond'Sablet, the dominant colour of this area isgreen and it blooms with life. Plants growand die quickly leaving room and nutrientsfor more. In there many edible animals liveand useful wood grow quick. In fact, Maisond'Sablet offers many resources to the mostadventurous Souragniens, but its importantto say most of these swamp visitors neverwander far from view of bordering solidground and most probably never wanderedfarther west than Lac Noir.

The outer border of Maison d'Sable'st are aforest of willows trees and thick bushes. Thistangled wood drains the soil and forms abarrier of solid earth to keep the swampenclosed. Beyond this thick patch is a web-like network of creeks and streams. Thesestreams are rarely more than 10 feet across,and half that in depth.

On these borders it is not uncommon tomeet Souragniens coming to the banks to tryfor catfish, shrimps or crawfish; or to collectwild rice, medicinal plants or cutting wood.They stay in or near their flat-bottomed boatsand keep an eye for dangerous reptiles.

It is quite an experience if you enjoyfishing as I do. I would have loved to bringstudents in this place where fish is plentifuland combative; an entire lesson plan couldbe built around the swamp life. I advisepeople set on putting their fishhook in thewater to make sure they do not get lost; it isvery easy to loose all sense of directionwithin the swamp.

The verdant swamps of la Maison d'Sabletare home to all manner of exotic plant life.Even in the putrid, stagnant waters of thebog, numerous species of flora thrive.Indeed, the bog supports a great abundanceof vegetation, including some that possessbeneficial properties and some that pose athreat. The marsh is a heavily forested placedominated by large mangroves but also pinesand cypress on the drier parts. Most of thesetrees have a pale-green coloured mosshanging from them. I found the cypress'wood seldom rots so Souragniens favour it inbuilding. The moss, when mixed with mud,makes a solid mortar for vernacular brickhouses. Other plants life includes manykinds of flowers. A vast array of mosses andmushrooms cover the swamps, with lilypads, flowers and a frightening number ofcarnivorous trees creatures. If it leafy andkills people, it's in the Souragne swamps.

As I wrote earlier, it's very easy to get lostin Maison d'Sablet. There are waterwaysslowly leading off to nowhere, and everchanging sloughs that flow aimlessly, notunlike snow-blind worms, to join a largerriver with slightly more current. In mostplaces the current is very slow, so if you seeripples, probably there is something else inthe water.

Just as in a desert environment, travelersmust stay hydrated at all times and avoidprolonged periods of strenuous activity.Life-long residents of the swamp prefer totravel during the early morning and evening,when the temperature is bearable. Nightfall


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brings still cooler temperatures, thoughlocals warn that the wildlife is also moreactive during the night. It is myrecommendation that our members employlocal guides, or restrict their movements today hours. In either case, hot weatherclothing is mandatory, as is a supply of freshwater.

More than just a hindrance to travelers, theswamps of Souragne are a very real threat tolife and limb. The muddy waters of theswamp are known to be toxic, forcing thenatives to drink from stores of rain water.Using small micro-optical technologyborrowed from our Lamordian members, wehave discovered the bog waters to beinfested with a plethora of parasitic lifeforms. Experiments revealed that ingestingthe reeking water caused sickness in a matterof hours. Even brief immersion in thebrackish liquid put a subject at a marked riskfor disease. Fortunately, a laboratory mishaprevealed that these deadly organisms cannotsurvive emersion in boiling liquid. It is thusrecommended that all Fraternity memberscarry a means of boiling water duringexcursions into the bayou. The only sourcesof potable water are the one you brought, oneyou boiled, or rain collected in leaves.

However, in the deeper regions of theswamp grow a species of tree-climbing vine,known to the natives as "rain-shoots". Thesethick, grey creepers range between 1-3inches in width, and are usually covered in adull green moss. Once cut open these vinesbegin to drip water in a slow but steady flow.Over the course of an hour, a single shootcan produce enough potable water to sustain

a full grown man or woman for four hours.Wise swamp-dwellers are known to campnear large concentrations of trees, so thatthey might regenerate water stores as theysleep.

Though the rain-shoot is but one producerof fresh water, most other sources provemore trouble than they are worth. Case inpoint is the Frog Fountain, a rare andbeautiful flower found in the trees of theswamp. These large, orange and crèmecoloured blooms catch the plentifulrainwater and store them within theconvoluted folds of petals. A single flowermay hold enough water and nectar to fulfill asingle person's need for food and drink forone day. Unfortunately, the local wildlifeprizes the blooms as nests. Some areas wherethese flowers grow are home to snakes andother predators, and also to a rare species oftoads known as "Poison Dart Frogs". Sodeadly are these amphibians, said our guide,that even touching their brightly colouredskin may cause illness or death. Because ofthese, local residents avoid Frog Fountains,preferring other methods of water gathering.


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Movement through the swamp is a tryingordeal. The swamp is a massive obstaclecourse filled with trees, fallen logs, thickbushes, slick mud and small streams.Through this tangled labyrinth, even theshortest routes are made into long, circuitoustrails. Navigation in the marshland maze isall but impossible. Most of the larger pondsare covered with large green water lilyleaves. This vegetal carpet is often very thickmaking travel by boat exhausting and twiceas long.

Though slow and difficult to manoeuvre,rafts preserve the energy of the traveler andoften outpace all but the most experiencedhikers. Some of the locals employ an evenmore impressive water craft, known as a"canoo". These boats are long, sleek vesselsmade from hollowed-out logs. The nativepeasants prize these boats for theirlightweight: two men may carry a boat or asingle man may drag it. This ingeniouscombination allows travelers to move overthe water and land with great ease. The localaristocracy shuns all forms of nativewatercraft and preferring to use the morefamiliar rowboats. Though these craft are farheavier, they are sturdy and may carry greatloads with relative ease.

The ground is muddy at best or coveredwith tea coloured water. Languid ribbons ofmist drift slowly on the ground. This mist isoften very thick and even up to thetreetops.Here and there, a few sandy orrocky islands in the swamp have solidground. Most are said to be inhabited bysupernatural creatures, evil voodan or the ill-famed boccoru. I personally never saw anyof them in numerous expeditions in themarshes

Interspaced throughout the bog are avariety of natural hazards. Peat bogs andquicksand are common in the water-loggedsoil. These lethal hazards are nearlyindistinguishable from the local environmentluring even experienced trekkers into danger.Unsuspecting travelers rarely suspect theirperil until they have already walked deepinto the center of the sucking mire.Experiment has shown that these bogspreserve their victims leaving a body intactfor decades, and perhaps even centuries.

Adventure hook - Coup PadreAdventure hook - Coup PadreAdventure hook - Coup PadreAdventure hook - Coup PadreThis plant is often referred to as 'the DeadPlant', as its mature state looks much likethe rotten remains of a dead vegetable.Mature Coup Padre plants are few and farbetween, however premature ones are notuncommon. A premature Coup Padre plantlooks identical to a smaller version of itsharmless relative, the eggplant, and can beingested without any form of harm.However, under the right circumstances,the plant develops a black and twistedshell. A Profession (herbalist) check(DC18) is required to identify that a matureCoup Padre is more than rotten plantmatter. This DC is decreased to 14 fornative Souragnians. Finding a mature CoupPadre plant requires a Wilderness LoreCheck (DC25).

Once a Coup Padre vegetable matures itrequires no nutrition, moisture, or sunlightto remain 'fresh'. Nevertheless, the plant isstill alive; placing the Coup Padre in itsfavoured conditions causes it to sprout astem and roots, potentially spawning otherfruiting bodies. Local rumours in Souragnesay that the Coup Padre is the favouriteplant of the dead. The truth is not all thatfar from superstition, since the powderedform of the mature Coup Padre can be usedto create more powerful forms of corporealundead.

With a Profession (herbalist) check(DC20) the plant can be ground into apowder. Ingestion of this powderimmediately affects the victim, who mustmake a fortitude save (DC23) or beparalyzed. Paralyzed victims appear dead,however, if left alone, the victim willrecover within 2d4 weeks. Whileparalyzed, the victim does not need air,water or food to stay alive. In most cases,the individual wakes up to find himselftrapped in a coffin, only to suffocate todeath.

A character attempting to raiseindividuals that have died in the abovemanner are able to raise them as if twocaster levels higher than normal (thusallowing a higher number of Hit Diceworth of creatures to be controlled).Thesecorporeal dead that were 'killed' from theCoup Padre receive a +2 bonus towardstheir turning resistance. However, if thesecorporeal undead ingest at least one tablespoon of salt their hit points are reduced tozero and they resume being dead. The bodycannot be resurrected or raised after this.


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Local superstition holds that such bogs trapnot only the body, but also the soul of itsvictims. It is said that should a body ever befreed of the bog, it would rise as a hideouscreature to terrorize the living. Furtherresearch is recommended to determine theveracity of these claims.

The muddy bogs of the swamp sometimestrap the natural process of decompositionunder a thick layer of mud or peat. Thedecaying matter creates a miasma, called"swamp gas", which ferments under itscovering becoming a reeking cloud ofnoxious fumes. Should the covering of mudor peat be disturbed, this cloud will escape,polluting the area until dispersed. Undercertain conditions, these gasses sometimesemerge in such thick concentrations that theypush out all breathable air at ground levelleaving an area smothered in a cloud ofhorrible vapours. Even more dangerous,these gasses are known to be highlyflammable. Upon escape, should the gassesbe subject to ignition, they may explode withthe force of up to a small barrel ofgunpowder. Thankfully, such strength for agas explosion is rarely seen.

Many animals live in Maison d'Sablet, ofwhich, the infamously hungry alligator, isking. One may just see his eyes over thewater, so travellers learn quickly to avoidthese. While the average alligator is about 6to 7 feet, certain larger ones can be longerthan 10 feet. Sometimes these fierce animalsdo not even hesitate to try to get into a flat-bottomed boat if the opportunity presents. Inearly capsized once from the surprise ofhaving two of these reptiles trying to enterfrom the same side, tipping my boatdangerously to their side. Fortunately, thenoise of my pistolette chased them away.

Other animals commonly found in theswamps are raccoons, opossum, frogs,shovel-nosed turtles, small lizards and(typically poisonous) water snakes. Thepoison level of these snakes is within thenorms for this type of snake making it auseful source of venom. It is rumoured thatlone black bears and wild dogs have beenseen.

In the water, the swamp is home to leeches,spiky (and likely poisonous) eels, pike andcatfish. The banks host numerous types ofshrimps and crawfish, which are considereda delicacy by Souragniens. And rightly so, Ithink. Rumours speak of monstrous browncatfish with large human-like dead eyes andsharp poisonous fins. Six to seven feet long,their weight is often over 200 pounds! Theirhungry mouths are wide and sharp enough tosever a man's foot and hungry enough to eatnearly anything, alive, dead or putrid. I'mlooking to landing one of these marshmonsters someday as their flesh issupposedly a delight when marinated in limeand cooked over coal fire.

In the air, birds of all sizes share thetreetops: from the tiny sparrow to doves andsand pipers, falcons and osprey, and evenlarger birds such as the common owl, heronand stork and the occasional pelican (nearerthe Murky Sea).

At night, bats of all size are seen in themoonlight preying on insects. Unfortunately,hunting is not always restricted to them.Several of the larger bats hunt any livingcreature for their blood: these are theinfamous Souragniens vampire bats. Eachanimal is not difficult to destroy, a marshguide once told me, but a swarm of them isquite another.

The Souragnien swamp is a paradise forinsects: mosquitoes and flies, ticks, crickets,cicada, colourful dragonflies and scarabs. Ifound their buzzing at dusk surprisinglynoisy and it covers the approach of largeranimals hunting in the dark.


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The marsh is also home to the deadly blackwidow spider. This spider is often used byvoodan in their ceremonies or their potionbrewing. I got a few of them live, in avivarium. It can be helpful should we need toget rid of someone.

Most of these denizens of the marches donot leave this area to venture far on solidground. In the middle of Maison d'Sablet, alarger lake stands about a mile wide. Thesurface of Lac Noir is thick with water liliesand algae. Many frogs and insects dwell inthis vegetation, with the occasional feedingheron (and the alligators feeding on the last,of course). Traveling by boat on this body ofwater is slow, because of the thick algaecarpet. The name of this lake comes from ablackish wildberry made by a plant growingaround the algae. The berries detach andfloat two times per year, making the surfaceof the water look black. This "lac noir berry"is very bitter and is often used in folkmedicine.

Around the lake are a number of islandsfirmer than much of the rest of the swamp.Legends have a habit of forming aroundthese locals and I have described a fewbelow.

A small island of solid ground is found inthe middle of Lac Noir, and rumours say thatthis sandy island is the home of the loa the enof the Swamp, a dryad-esque fey creaturesaid to be benevolent (see appendix). Manyhave tried to reach for her but never wereable to lay their eyes on her. I passed nearthis island a few times and never saw her orany sign of a house of any sort. It seems theMaiden of the Swamp is a shy being,showing herself only when she chooses.

On the eastern side of Lac Noir, near thedry land border, a peculiar island stands inthe marsh. This small patch of land iscompletely devoid of vegetation, except amassive, black barked, mean-looking willowtree. The place is well known to mostSouragnien, who nicknamed the island "TheBlack Willow." Legends say a plantationwas formerly in this location, before theswamp gnawed at its land. Owned by awicked owner, Nazaris Verret, who killed aservant girl he impregnated under this tree

Dread Possibility - Reptile RaptureDread Possibility - Reptile RaptureDread Possibility - Reptile RaptureDread Possibility - Reptile RaptureIn the westernmost swamp, there is a smalltribe of reptile folk resembling four feet tallhumanoid alligators. These creatures, calledMerrshaulki, perform strange rituals andchants and have the supernatural ability tomesmerize the natural alligators of the swamp(see appendix).

The reptile folk are ledby what they believeto be an avatar of theirgod, a Souragniennamed Sandover(Human AfflictedWerecrocodile [seeLost Empires ofFaerun, p 181] Cleric7 with access to theEvil & Plant domains;

NE). Sandover also possesses the salientability of Animal Command, as detailed inChapter Five of the Ravenloft Player'sHandbook.

Once a plantation worker, Sandoverstumbled upon the reptile men conducting aritual in the swamp. This touched a spiritualcord deep within that transformed him into amaledictive werecrocodile of enormous size.Sandover embraced his transformation,becoming high priest of the Merrshaulki.

His complete story is detailed in Childrenof the Night: Werebeasts.


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for fear of loosing his status if it was knownhe had an affair with his lesser. Haunted byremorse and hung himself. The Souragnienssay that the swamp swallowed the plantationwithin less then a year. The flooded ruins ofthe plantations are still visible. I passed nearthis island once, but didn't walk on it since Isuspect it is haunted. It is whispered manyevil voodan visit the island for supposedlyincreased powers, and that lightning strikesthis tree strangely often.

Another similar patch of solid ground isthe lair of a powerful recluse: the voodanknown as Chicken Bone. This small and fraillooking old man lives in a shack made ofsugar cane, bamboo, and reeds on an islandclose to Lac Noir. It is whispered that thosewanting to meet this near legendary sorcererhave to go to a certain place near the Maisond'Sablet border, where they will find a fragilelooking raft that will magically reachChicken Bone's island by itself. It is alsowhispered that this old man is a mastervoodan and can help anyone (he is said tohave even met the Lord of the Dead), but fora price. The Souragniens we spoke tocautioned us that Chicken Bone usually askfor a specific task, or a peculiar thing, in thevein of a personal item you are wearing(scarf, shirt, etc.) or a strange body part (hair,eyebrows, blood).

Not wanting to get his undue attention, weasked all fraternity members to avoid him orany voodan of darker repute.

The most western part of the swamp,mainly the area west of Lac Noir is seldomvisited by Souragniens. Very few humanslive there, if any, and rumours of strange andcruel creatures are told: alligator people andother reptilian humanoids, secret evil voodantemples, half-sunk cities of zombies, swampmonsters, etc. In addition, a hidden area ofMaison d'Sablet is rumoured to hold animpressive pyramid made of stone.

I believe we should explore this placesomeday but no guide wanted to bring us inthis area.

Adventure hook - Black WillowAdventure hook - Black WillowAdventure hook - Black WillowAdventure hook - Black WillowThis island is haunted by Marguerite, theghost of the servant girl. For moreinformation on this sinkhole of evil,please see the Ravenloft Dungeon MasterGuide, page 98.

Adventure hook - Chicken BoneAdventure hook - Chicken BoneAdventure hook - Chicken BoneAdventure hook - Chicken BoneChicken Bone (or alternatively "Patte dePoulet" as seen in the French Ravenloftbooks) is one of the most powerful andinfluent voodan (The 3rd ed. book DarkTales & Disturbing Legends details thevoodan class).

Thesuggestedvoodan levelfor ChickenBone is 14th.

Basicsuggestedstats: 14d8 (63hit points),LN, CR 10;

Str 13, Dex16, Con 10,Int 16, Wis 17,Cha 14

His list offeats should include: Dancing Bones (seeappendix), Brew Greater Potions (DarkTales & Disturbing Legends) and otherpotion brewing-type feats, and alchemicalfeats (Van Richten's Arsenal).

As payment for his services, he requiresafterward that his patrons perform aservice for him. The nature of this serviceis known only when Chicken Bone hasdone his part of the deal. Most of thetime, it is said these services or paymentsare minor and done in short time. What ismore worrying is that on certainoccasions, the task is very time extensiveand even dangerous.

For more information on this character,please see the 2nd edition Ravenloftmonster appendix MC2: Children of theNight.


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Maison de la DétresseMaison de la DétresseMaison de la DétresseMaison de la DétresseThe southern parts of the marshes are filled

with hidden and particularly treacherouspatches of quicksand. In this area, a lonelyplantation stands. This vast plantation is therumoured home of the Lord of the Dead.Few Souragniens would knowingly approachit and again no guide was willing to bring usthere. They referred us to Chicken Bone,who is said to be able to bring us there.However, his price was one we were notready to pay.

It was here that I learned that scrying inMaison d'Sablet is particulalry difficult.After my failure to secure a guide, I wishedto scry on Maison de la Détresse but all Icould see was mist! Even when I tried tolook in the marshes or the Maison de laDétresse area, only the Mists. That magic isfoiled this way frustrates me and denies ausually good source of information.

Eastern SouragneEastern SouragneEastern SouragneEastern SouragneThe eastern area has higher ground then theneighbouring swamp. Still, weird waterinundations in this area still happen once inabout every three years from water rising inthe swamp simultaneously with the MurkySea, or so I was told. The water level coversthe land by a water blanket of a few feet.After a day or two, it returns to normal. Afterinundations near the swamp borders,Souragniens watch for hungry alligator thatdrifted to the main land and were caughtthere when water receded. Personally, Iblame a high water table and lack of soilabsorption for these floods.

Oh, I need mention quickly that water fromthe few fountains or wells is often taintedand can make people ill. Souragniens collectrainwater for their drinking needs. Aforeigner can see that all houses have water-collecting gutters on the roof, bringingrainwater to barrels.

This drier Eastern section of Souragne iswhere most of the domain's inhabitants arefound.

The "civilised" part of Souragne -or so theseigneurs like to think- has a fewsettlements linked by a dusty road namedChemin Les Tristepas. This road is difficultto travel when it has rained quicklybecoming unpleasantly muddy, delayingexpeditions and doubling travel time.

Les TristepasLes TristepasLes TristepasLes Tristepas"You're right monsieur; it is vraiment trèsdommage that one of Souragne's greatestaccomplishments -the magnificent roadwaythat traverses the island- should 'ave earnedso depressing a name as 'the sad steps'. Itkind of goes against the proud nature ofSouragne's people, non?

"If you are sitting here in Maraisd'Tarascon asking me all these questions,then you have seen how magnifique the roadis, how much effort it took to build the t'ing.What with all the heat an' the bugs an' thebouette an' all the rainy weather… not tomention the jumbies that might crawl out of

Scrying in Maison d'SabletScrying in Maison d'SabletScrying in Maison d'SabletScrying in Maison d'SabletIt should be noted that scrying spells

and similar powers works with greatdifficulty in Maison d'Sablet. The userof these powers has to make a Will-based DC 30 to be able to successfullyuse these spells targeted in the swamps.

The Lord of the Dead knows whensuch scrying attempts are targeting laMaison de la Détresse (DC 20 Will toknow Maison d'Sablet is being scryed,and DC 30 to know the culprit'sidentity).


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the closeby swamp in the middle of the night.Back in the day when it was first completedles Tristepas was quite a sight to behold. Asmooth ride, flagstones and gravel had beenlaid for most of its length, although by thetime the road expansion to Thibaut began itseems they settled on hardwood planks forshoring up stretches that were more prone toflooding during heavy rainfall. Between Portd'Elhour and Marais d'Tarascon, every timea tiny stream cut the road, a beautiful, gentlyarched stone bridge was built, the sidescarved with all sorts of creatures of legend.An' there are ten such bridges between thetwo towns… faut l'faire, non? The rows oftowering willows that flanked the road for itsentire length were impressive, as were the oillanterns that lighted it up at regularintervals along its length. Even the mostinsignificant of intersections was markedwith a pretty sign. That road made Souragnea great country.

"The slaves that built the road first nick-named it les Tristepas because of all theblood, sweat an' tears that soaked the stonesfrom which it was constructed. Hundreds ofmen, women, and children died during itsconstruction from beatings, starvation,exposure, or exhaustion. They marched on itto their death. My own ancestors died tomake this road. C'est triste, non? But I guessit was necessary… someone had to build it,yes?

"The rich folk once had a different, moreproud name for the road… but no oneremember it. Now even the nobles call it lesTristepas. I guess it reminds them thatdespite all their big ambitions most still canonly go from one end of this island to theother end and not much further in the bigworld. Walking on that road always gets methinking about what is and what could havebeen, and what maybe never will be… andmaybe it's the same for the rich folk.

Nowadays, a trip along the road seems to digup one's regrets, to invite the willows towhisper unhappy t'ings in one's ear. Maybethat's because the road itself no longer livesup to what it could have been… it's still nice,but broken flagstones haven't been replaced,some stretches are uneven, there isn't alwaysoil in the lanterns, signs have fallen, thecreatures carved into the bridges lookweathered and faded, and the trees... thetrees look sad. Most people are afraid totravel the road at night; they say that youcan hear those who built it crying in thedarkness, walking behind travelers just outof eyesight.

"Anyway, I doubt that anyone will everbuild such a great road again, in anycountry, and here it is in Souragne… pasmal, hein? And if you try telling me that theroads in Dementlieu or Richemulot are morespectaculaire, I will say that you are full ofit, monsieur…"

-- from an interview with Arnaud d'Lute,shipbuilder in Port d'Elhour


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The drier areas are covered with lightforest, mostly oak and cypress with theoccasional acajou. Near the swamps, theforest is denser. However, the trees are rarernear the few major settlements. I understandthat a tree is considered a potential sack ofcoal by the poor. They use it for theircooking.

In these deforested areas, long grassesgrow. This tall, greyish vegetation can get upto three or four feet in height and undulatesin the wind. These long herbs hide smallponds and tiny snakes (poisonous of course).

Other animals found in the drier regionsare wild pigs, rabbits, some foxes, a few wildhorse and small lynx-sized cats. It is alsoplagued with mosquitoes when the wind isfrom the swamp. I've been told that morethen one person turned Lost One because ofincessant mosquito bites and buzzing.

The first place one would encounter whenarriving to Souragne is the town of Portd'Elhour, where his boat will likely dock.

Port d'ElhourPort d'ElhourPort d'ElhourPort d'ElhourSmall town; conventional; AL LN; CL 8;800 gp limit; Assets 50 000 gp; Population 1200 (including a radius of a few miles);Humans 99%, others 1%

Port d'Elhour is Souragne's largest town,located inside Elhour Bay. The insular saythe town of Port d'Elhour got its namecenturies ago from the first boat to moorthere, the Elhour. Other says Elhour is in factthe name of the first seigneur of this land, butthey could not point any grave on Souragnebearing this forgotten name.

Many slippery wooden quays are foundalong the port, each hosting small fishingboats. Many more boats are seen on themuddy beaches around the bay, near OldCypress Way. At the first glance, I foundthat many of the inhabitants of Port d'Elhoursurvive primarily by fishing, but most looksun baked, exhausted and hungry. I don'tthink the sea is generous, judging from theirdaily catch, but at least those people are freefrom plantations work.

The town is very noisy, especially after thesun's peak time where it is sleepier. Lessworking tends to mean more talking. TheSouragniens are an unusually loud people,whether happy, sad, or angry. Many louddonkeys also add to the noise of the street.

I made the following first impressions ofthe Souragnien population at Port d'Elhour.First, the women of Souragne work veryhard and surprisingly they are oftenindependent of men for their day-to-dayactivities. In fact, a woman with children isoften without a man steadily living home.Second, on the street, there are very few oldSouragniens. Life here is hard and peoplehere die early. Many of them are crippledand get a few coins by being beggars. In fact,there is nothing close to a middleclass: youare either a seigneur or you are poor, and thedifference in status is unmistakable. Lastly,all Souragniens always wear something ontheir head, except at night. It's not for fashionbut to protect themselves from the sun -usually a hat or a scarf.

Most houses of Port d'Elhour are adornedwith painting or stone engraving. Most ofthese represent serpents, alligators or othermarsh animals, or necromantic themes:dancing skeletons, skeletons making music,vévé (see the religion survey), or the everpresent Lord of the Dead drawing with manyvariants. For us in the Fraternity, theseprofane necromantic drawings are oftenreminders of the reason we left our belovedManor in Richemulot…

There are vacant houses in Port d'Elhour.Sometimes squatted for a time by poorpeople or outsiders. Other houses haveburned in various proportions.

There are three parts to this small town,more or less arranged in concentric halfcircles around the port.


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The Port The Port The Port The Port The port is a foul area, stinking of fishrefuses left rotting in the sun. Sometimes thesmell is so overwhelming it can makeforeign people feel sick. This miasma doesn'tseem to annoy the local people and it is fairlyanimated, especially when a foreign tradingboat arrives to haul merchandise. When sucha boat is at the piers, many fishermen tradetheir usual hard work to offer their servicesas dockers. It seems the pay is better, but Ibelieve Souragnien like to be among the firstto learn of newcomers and find thepossibilities they bring to improve their life.

To hide merchandise from thieves (andfrom the bad weather), the bay front ismainly comprised of stone or brickwarehouses, rented or owned by theseigneurs for their trade with other domains.Each seigneur is responsible for the securityof their merchandise, and the most valuabletrade goods are watched by hired guards.

Fishermen unload their catch here too,with throw-away left there and surplus soldat the "marché", the market square.


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Past-the-PortPast-the-PortPast-the-PortPast-the-PortEast of the city is a slum called "past-the-port". This is a dangerous place; most peoplehere carry a weapon, even if only passingthrough. Watch your pockets and don't goalone at night, especially if you look like youhave a heavy coin purse. It is in this area thatmany people of the working class spend theirmeagre pay, to forget for a time their poorlives. Fights and other violence are frequentafter nightfall. The men wander in drabclothing with expressions of sadness whilethe ladies of the street wear colourful makeup as if to hide something.

Many establishments provide prostitution,gambling and cheap alcohol, and often allthree. Many of the bars and gambling housesdo not even have a name. Cock fights are themost frequent gambling events. Theanimation of these games is interesting tobehold as all the town seem to be watchingand wagering. I even saw a few seigneurswith their guards, disguised of course. In thisneighbourhood everything has a price, evenhuman life.

The cheap houses are made of bricks witha mix of mud and marshes moss for mortar.These buildings are in poor shape and manyof these houses do not even have a door!This part of town is particularly hot and mosthouses have hooks at their corner wherecanvas sheets (often reused boat sails) arehung over the dusty street for cover and togive a sense of privacy.

The streets of Past-the-Port are narrow,filled with refuse and very dusty, or, if rainrecently fell, unpleasantly muddy. Sadly, Ifound many poor families living amongst theriff raff and begging children are often seenclinging around wealthy or foreign lookingpersons.

A small and noisy inn is located here, thevery dirty 'Cat and Mouse' (the room qualityis dirty and mediocre and no food). Thesmall 'Grinning Man' (poor food andaccommodations) is one that only the mosthardened rogues would visit after dark. Theresident fence will purchase stolen orotherwise dubious goods for a quarter to afifth of the price, no questions asked. Manyother seedy inns exist but do not have a nameor sign.

Le Coq Noir is the largest gambling houseof the area; it is located at the northern edgeof Past-the-Port, near the Marché. Thisgambling house, where most nights a gameof high stakes cards will be running until thesmall hours of the morning, is less dangerousand frequented by many seigneurs, wealthylocals and foreigners. This "hotel" is, in fact,the highest end of Port d'Elhour's gamblingrooms and closed house. Companionship ofthe highest quality may be bought forenough gold and the chances of finding one'spurse light after a night of pleasure are slimas the "lady of the house" Mme. Larouche,runs a very strict establishment.

The Town ProperThe Town ProperThe Town ProperThe Town ProperOutside the port and the adjacent slum, thetown is nicer and the streets wider. Many ofthe poorer houses are also made of crudebricks, but they are in better repair than theones in the slum. The best buildings aremade of stone or bricks and have two orthree floors.

Dread possibility - Dread possibility - Dread possibility - Dread possibility - Nanaea's grandchildren Nanaea's grandchildren Nanaea's grandchildren Nanaea's grandchildren

Nanaea's grandchildren (see Lord of theDead's background) are crime lords in Portd'Elhour controlling most of theestablishments the vices of lower classespatron. Jessica de Nanaea (Rog6) ownsmany establishments (often a mix of aseedy tavern, with a gambling house andpossibly a brothel), while Antoine deNanaea (Ftr6/Rog4) controls street crimeand protection rackets ruthlessly.

They enforce the protection of the Past-the-Port area with their thugs. Bodies ofoffenders are disposed in the swamp -whennot dumped in still alive.

Both live in a mansion inside Portd'Elhour. They are secretly informants tothe Lord of the Dead. Sometimes, for aprice, they can tell the complete tale of TheLord of the Dead (they are among the fewto know his real name).


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Typically, a large balcony on woodenpoles overhangs the street and worked ironfences with vegetal patterns divide the plots.Some houses also have a gingerbreadwooden ornamentations to it but these oftenneed to be painted, if you ask me.

While Souragne's history speaks of gloryand riches, I think most of the buildings onlyshow a pale reflection of what the townprobably looked in those better days. If youwalk in Port d'Elhour today you'll find mostbuildings are in a piteous state and leftwithout renovation. Still, this is the best partof town where many merchants and skilledartisans live.

Intendant Mayor Bernard Foquelaine livesin a well-kept manor on the outskirt of thetown. A wall surrounds this small propertyof this spidery politician.

The best tavern in town is 'The Black Ship'(the food and accommodations are excellent,but this establishment is often fullyoccupied: it has only four rooms). The BlackShip is definitely the tavern of choice for themore well-to-do traveler as the rooms areboth safe and luxurious. The furnishingshave somewhat of a nautical theme withmuch polished wood and brass. MadameDreyfuss, the widow of a retired sea captainand rumoured smuggler, runs the hostelry.Security for the establishment is good asMme. Dreyfuss has employed some of herhusband's most loyal officers and crew intheir sunset years, rowdy customers may besurprised to find their weapons flicked fromtheir hands with a flash of a cutlass by agrey-haired guard.

The old 'Two-Hares Inn' is a nice and cozylittle auberge, usually with musiciansplaying in a corner (room quality is averagebut no food. They do serve drinks). Its namecomes from a famous Souragnien tale of tworabbits: Longhears, the clever one whoalways helps Bouki, the one who always getin trouble. It seems they had trouble getting asteady chef in the recent years so, for themoment, the kitchen is closed. The moregossip-minded claim the place is cursed.

A seedier locale is the 'Scolding Jay'(room quality is average and again, no food.Drinks, of course, are served), but it's a goodplace to hear rumours. It is owned by a manof ill-repute, one Antoine de Nanaea.

Also in town is the Ezran chapel of Notre-Dame-des-Brumes, which is located onChemin Tristepas near the Marché. It ispresided by Père Étienne Lefebvre (pleasesee Mrs Kingsley's religion section of thisreport).

Three other notorious landmarks are foundin this neighbourhood: a dance hall wheremany Souragniens come to dance and drink(a converted warehouse and where opera issometimes shown), the militia barracks andthe market square called "Le Marché." I haveto say the ambiance of the dance hall iscontagious and even I was tempted to try thelocal dances. Thankfully for those inattendance, Gabrek reminded me of my twoleftward feet.


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Le Marché Le Marché Le Marché Le Marché Most people in Port d'Elhour rely on fishing,but, as I wrote before, it is an activity ofsubsistence only. The meagre surplus of fishis sold here at the market -mostly by women-who buy or trade for vegetables and meatsold from plantations.

The market ("le Marché") is simply anopen square in the town with uneven stoneflagging where people sell their goods, mostof the time on a simple canvas on the floor. Itis flanked by permanent little storefronts.

Ready-to-eat food cooked on the street isalso found in this market. Much can be foundcheaply, the main staple being rice, bananasand beans, with pork, crawfish or shrimp.Sometimes mutton from the plantations oralligator from the swamp is offered.Souragniens do not eat sweets at a meal: itisn't to their taste and most cannot afford it.Be careful, the food is often spicy to mostforeigners but since most inns do not offerfood, foreigners need to come here everydayfor nourishment.

A dry well occupies the center of thesquare. It has a sculpture of fishes led by analluring half-woman, half-fish creature. I'vebeen told this well has been dry a very longtime. It is an oddity as every other well in theland has become polluted before it had achance to run dry.

An interesting feature of Le Marché is boththe fair number of skilled artisans who plytheir craft here and the medicinal market.The artisans sell most of what people need,mostly clothing and tools, but other arespecialized in goods sold to sailors fromforeign shores. Several of them are artists:painters making crude but colourful workwith sunny landscapes, or the ever-presentloas representations. All can be hired to dowall painting.

One of these well-known artisans is JacqueFaisique of Jacque's Jewels (Exp 4, Firblooded). His creations are starting to bewell known in the fashionable circles ofDementlieu. His shop is small and an odourof incense always linger.

For foreigners, the most interesting featureof the Marché is the aforementionedmedicine counters, often located in thepermanent shops around the square. Most areat first glance cheap charlatans promisingsurprising feats with their medicinalparaphernalia. I was able to buy a nicenecklace made out of roots, beads andfeather -for protection against zombies. Iwear it everyday, for the aesthetic value andnot for a second because I believed in itsmagical properties. If you ask around,several of the stern-looking old men andwomen selling their goods here are known tobe benevolent voodans. Their shoppes arefull of blown glasses of all shapes andcolours containing dull or colourful liquids,and certain have plants or animal pieces in it.Some sell live leeches. A few sell antidotesto snake and the dreaded black widow'spoison. Others sell poison itself (as if therewas not enough in this land) strangemedicines, and magical potions like lovephiltres. I tested a few of these concoctionson live subjects and the results were aspromised by the sellers (again, my sincereapologies for that regrettable incidentAnthony, I should have asked).

One of those permanent shops around thesquare is also a voodan shrine held byMajenka (voodan 10th), an old voodanpriestess believed to be benevolent. Wildrumours often come out about this woman. Itis said that someone saw her eat brokenglass, or she is said to take bites at her cigars


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instead of smoking them. Still, she is oftensought for healing or medicine. I met heronce, as you know. She seemed playful andfriendly. I suspect she is very protective ofher fellow voodan worshipers. Her reactionto a few of my comments on life and deathmade her grin with a knowing smile and toldme of the laws proclaimed by the Lord of theDead. She could perhaps represent a goodsource of information on divine magic, bothhealing and necromantic. In her den (partstore, part shrine) odours of food oftenlingers as voodan ceremonies are oftenpreceded by food and alcohol.

This square is also where the rare publicexecution in town takes place. The last ofthese happened a decade ago. You surelyguessed it right: a worker was executed byhanging because he harmed a seigneur.Outside the town of Port d'Elhour is wherethe cemetery and the plantations are located.

The Cemetery (the "City of the Departed)The Cemetery (the "City of the Departed)The Cemetery (the "City of the Departed)The Cemetery (the "City of the Departed)Souragniens take great care of their deadrelatives and mourn them for four days. Thismourning is anything but sad: friends andfamily gather for this period. That was ashock for me to witness such chaffing abouta dead relative. Food and alcohol is servedby the family of the dead person. Storiesabout the dead are told -often wildlyexaggerated- and the favourite games of thedeceased are played. Souragnien are noteducated, yet many times they showedsurprising wit in coping with loss.Still, I feltthere was angst in the air and many fearfulgazes were thrown at the corpse. An olderSouragnien explained this latent fear:occasionaly the loa recall this person and thecorpse rises during the mourning. The familyand friends have to let the zombie go withoutopposing. Needless to say, this is an abruptend to the joyful mourning.

After this four-day delay, the dead isplaced in a wooden casket and a joyfulfuneral parade brings the corpse to thecemetery. Nobody is anxious by then andmany pay their respect and thanks to theLord of the Dead for letting the departed restin peace.

The dead cannot be burred, as ground;water fills the hole at a depth of four feet.The cemetery itself is walled. The richest puttheir dead in mausoleum of stone or brickcovered with white plaster. Many of thesemausoleums are well decorated withornaments and sculptures. These are verybeautiful places, if somewhat morbid.

The mausoleums are neatly designed toform "streets" within the cemetery, thus thelocals often call it "the city of the dead."

The working class usually cannot affordthe construction of a mausoleum and put thewooden casket on a stone or brick floor, withbricks on it. These inventive persons piercethe caskets with holes so they do not float ifinundations swamp this land.

On Chemin Tristepas, stands an old oak.This ancient tree is nicknamed "VieilBranch" by the Souragniens and I witnessedit is sometimes even revered as a loa(benevolent, for peace with ancestors). Thetradition by a supplicant of suspending hisold clothes to the tree in the hope of gettingan ancestor's good grace (or secretknowledge) is also ancient. The huge tree iscovered with bits of clothes, old and new.

Dread possibility - Vieil Branch Dread possibility - Vieil Branch Dread possibility - Vieil Branch Dread possibility - Vieil Branch Vieil Branch was an ancient treant, nowdead. By articles of clothing on itsbranches the mourners bring it closer toawakening. If only a few more pieces ofclothing are placed in its branches, thecollective grief emotions will awakenVieil Branch as an insane undead treant.


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The Plantations The Plantations The Plantations The Plantations A quick look at the plantations surroundingPort d'Elhour shows that agricultural workgives more results than fishing. Theplantation belongs to the seigneurs, who areconsidered nobility in Souragne.

All plantation main houses are luxuriousplaces where success of the owner is madeevident. Located behind cast iron portalentrances, the main house often sports large,tall white pillars at the front. Also, weepingwillows and large flowers often adorn thegreen grass in front of the building. Verydifferent from the dull grey houses inside thetown, the plantation houses are either paintedspotless white or bright colours. Typically,there is more than one entrance as theworkers use a different door than the mainone.

The houses are made entirely of cypresswood or are constructed of bricks with woodadded to the exterior for prestige. Even whensituated on higher ground they are built atopstilts so that air can circulate more easily,cooling the house.

The interiors are also very luxurious, withmarbles, tapestries, ornate ceilings, and theever present worked iron (with vines andother patterns), chandeliers, and large(unused!) fireplaces. The kitchen is locatedin a separate building in the back, to preventeventual fire hazards from spreading to themain house.

Plantations usually specialise in eithersugar cane (mostly used to make rum andtrade), tobacco, cotton and fruits (orange,cherry, mango, banana, grapefruit) or farmanimals (beef or pork). The exportablesurplus is sold in part to the market in Portd'Elhour, but mainly to other land'smerchants. Some plantation owners haverecently capitalized on a new trend, a darktea-like infusion beverage called café. Otherplants grown there include small amounts ofwheat, some corn, onions, celery, peppers(bell and chilli), and carrots.

There are about twenty plantations inSouragne, half of them located around ornear Port d'Elhour. Most of them are verysuccessful, making their owner wealthy.

However, it should be known that a fewowners are no longer that wealthy and areclose to losing everything. These "indigentseigneurs" are still treated as elites by theirworkers and the other seigneurs. I have tonote that some seigneurs are among therichest persons I have met, while otherseigneurs would barely hold average wealthrank in other lands. A few plantations havealso been abandoned, like the one ourFraternity is currently holding.

The following is a list of the most wellknown plantations around Port d'Elhour:

Huit Cyprès: The Desjardins family hasexperienced a steady decline over the pastthree generations. They once had strong tiesto the Tarascons and other well-off familiesvia inter-marriage, but the strength of theseties have waned considerably. Their recentcrop yields have been modest at best, andsuccessive generations of family heads haveincreasingly lived beyond their means whilemaking ever-poorer investment decisions.

In comparison with other landowners, theDesjardins tend to treat their workers with alight hand (although the occasional beatingfollowing an unexplained fit of rage doesoccur), but also offer some of the poorestwages in Souragne. Due to the family'smismanagement of its revenues and assets,workers frequently end up short-changed ontheir already pitiful wages.

The Desjardins are known for throwinglavish parties several times a year ("at theexpense of their labourers," some might addsnidely), which invariably turn into carnalfeasts of debauchery. Over the years, theyhave become less discriminate where theirguests are concerned as they have difficultyin attracting members of Souragne'sdistinguished families to their soirées.

Adam Desjardins (Ari3/War1, CN) andhis wife Eve (Ari2/Rog2, N) are the currentheads of the family. They have fourdaughters of marriageable age - Murielle,Mélina, Aline, and Odette (all Ari1). Thelack of a male heir weighs heavily on thefamily and makes their future uncertain.Only lesser noble families, merchants, andartisans have shown an interest in theDesjardins daughters - to Adam's dismay.


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Maison Soulombre: An estate abandoned formany years after a worker killed the ownerin 732. This plantation was bought by theFraternity of Shadows. For the public eye,remember, we are retreated merchants fromthe Core.

Maison sur la mer: The Belenfant familywere originally of slaves. Ambition, hardwork (and even harder savings),ruthlessness, extreme suffering, unsavourydeals with other families, and even (it iswhispered) secret pacts with sinister powersreportedly enabled the Belenfants to quicklyascend when Souragne first abolishedslavery. The Belenfant plantation is amongthe poorest and most remote of the island'sestates, their lands among the least fertile. Inspite of (or perhaps because of) their modestroots, the Belenfants are among Souragne'smost demanding employers, frequentlyworking their labourers to death in theirattempts to "keep up with the Tarascons."Surprisingly, their labourers -many of whomhail from the most underprivileged parts ofSouragne- are more loyal to the Belenfantsthan those of other estates.

The family's patriarch, Élie Belenfant(Ari2/Clr5), preaches fire and brimstonesermons that extol the virtues of faith andhard work as the key to finding salvation and"Liberté." The self-styled Bon SeigneurBelenfant (as he insists his workers callhim) is rumoured to have manifested divine"gifts" on occasion, although it is unclear inwhose name he uses these gifts (somesuggest Ezra, while others have mentioneddarker and lesser known powers).Motivational sermons aside, Élie is a verymild mannered individual, appearing gentleand grandfatherly to those who meet himaway from the fields. The success story ofthe Belenfant family, combined with Élie'scharisma and divine gifts, may explain theloyalty of his desperate labourers. Élie has awife (Bercine, Ari2) and six adult children.

Mortolane Mansion: Known as an eccentricto his fellow plantation owners, BernardMathurine paid to educate his workers toread. He owns one of the few plantationswhere the workers are satisfied with theirconditions.

Adventure hook - A Demonic Ball Adventure hook - A Demonic Ball Adventure hook - A Demonic Ball Adventure hook - A Demonic Ball A few days following one of theDesjardins family's legendary parties(which the PCs may even haveattended), the PCs receive a note fromEve Desjardins, begging them to ridtheir house of the demon that has herhusband and daughters in its thrall. Thegirls have been suffering horriblenightmares, fits of hysterics, and oddburns between their thighs, while Adamhas come down with a fever that hasrobbed him of his power of speech andleft him bed ridden. Rumours soonspread across the countryside that alustful incubus, who has also broughtsickness to Adam, visited theDesjardins daughters. Soon, othersclaim to have been victimized by thedemon, as a wave of mass hysteriasweeps the vicinity of the Desjardinsplantation and nearby estates. Would-be suitors who sought the hands of theDesjardins daughters and were rebuffedby Adam eventually are suspected ofsummoning the demon, with theassistance of voodans (perhaps Mr.Mensonge from Dark Tales andDisturbing Legends?).

The reality is far worse: in hisdesperation to see his bloodlinecontinued, and knowing fully well thathis wife is unable to bear him morechildren, Adam crept into Murielle'sroom while she was semi-comatoseafter the party and forced himself uponhis eldest daughter in hopes that shewould bear his child. She now has onlyvague recollections (that become moredetailed and accurate as theinvestigation progresses) of someleering demon whispering in her ear ashe forced himself on her. Adam hasbeen feigning illness since his fouldeed, and the other daughters areexperiencing some of Murielle'ssymptoms in psychosomatic form. In allcases, Eve is unaware of the truth.


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New World House: The Hallie-Bourbonneplantation is located on the north side of Baied'Elhour, and it is the farthest plantationfrom Port d'Elhour and remotely located.This plantation was barely hit during thehurricane of 710 and the rebuilding wassurprisingly quick resulting in manyrumours. To these rumours the family simplyanswered "We hired foreign workers", butnobody saw any of these in Port d'Elhour.The current patriarch of the family, Charles(Wiz7 (necromancy)/ Ari3) is an influentfigure in the Port d'Elhour conseil desseigneurs. They trade cotton and largeamounts of tobacco with the outside andexploit their own fleet of boat, headed byCaptain Guy Bourbonne (see appendix), theonly son of Charles.

Old Cypress: Old Cypress was abandoned in711 when a disgruntled maid poisoned thewife and two daughters of the owner,Baptiste Lalaurie. She used a poisoned cakein her murder. After the execution in the Portd'Elhour market square, Baptiste committedsuicide.

Shinny Bay: The Lefbvre family of smallwealth is possibly the most well educated inSouragne and Sentire Etienne its mostcelebrated offspring. Their memberspopulate the city administration, whichexplain many of the Sentire's successfulpleas for clemency or dismissal of charges.Their library, the largest in any Souragnehome, is a local marvel (and eccentricity).I've seen it once and I think one day it wouldbe worthwhile to get permission foraccessing it.

Twelve Oaks: The Dessalines family is one ofthe wealthiest of Port d'Elhour, theirplantation is the largest of Souragne. Thegrandfather, Patriarch and current ownerquickly took the lead in trade with otherlands. The most important members are:Jean Dessalines (Ari3/War3), his wife Paula(Ari2), and their only child (Laura, Ari1)

Weeping Willows: Mont Mirebalais isanother very wealthy family. They haveinterest in boat construction and most of thefamily members are well traveled. The heirof the family is secretly an dark voodan (4thlevel).

Dread possibility Dread possibility Dread possibility Dread possibility An obedient work forceAn obedient work forceAn obedient work forceAn obedient work force

After the hurricane, bodies of plantationworkers littered the ruins of the Hallie-Bourbonne plantation. This jaded anddecadent noble family were the only onethat remained alive.

Accustomed to living a life a luxuryand unwilling to sink into debt forrebuilding, those nobles with skill in thenecromantic arts turned to the drownedcorpses as a new source of labour andservants. As a result, reconstruction wasrapid, fuelled by workers that did notsleep, could not rebel, and had greaterthan normal strength and stamina.However, when initial reconstructionhad ended the family was faced with anoverabundance of increasinglydecomposing and foul-smelling undead.

Being forward thinking and notknowing when these creatures might beneeded again, the legions of undead werecommanded to walk into the bay untilthey were recalled. These hundredobedient dead are still there to this day.Many decomposed to skeletons, andmired in accumulated silt, but should thenobles ever have need they cancommand the sea to give up its dead.

Dread possibility Dread possibility Dread possibility Dread possibility Ghosts of Old Cypress Ghosts of Old Cypress Ghosts of Old Cypress Ghosts of Old Cypress

Since the murder, this property hasbeen abandoned and rarely visited.Five ghosts are said to haunt theplace: the murderous maid (Alvina,ghost rank 2, with the Dream Walkpower), the pitiful wife anddaughters (Nanette, Nadine andVerette, all ghost rank 1 with Aura ofDespair) and the angry BaptisteLalaurie (owner of the plantation,ghost rank 3).


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White Magnolia Hill: The affluent Larouchefamily is a pariah among other seigneurs dueto family connections with the infamousvoodun enchantress Ti-Maman, andNanaea's Grandchildren.

Iolanthe Van Schelm (Ari 2) wasessentially gambled away at their Le CoqNoir after her heavily-indebted father gaveher away in marriage to Guy (Ari 2/Bard3),Ti-Maman's nephew. The musical mavericksoften perform at their gambling house, andthe family proudly attends voodan services,performed in their own chapel by cousinJeanne (3rd level voodan).

White Star Point: The Van Schelm is one ofthe poorer plantation families, but they arequite good at keeping up appearances. Theyused to be quite rich, but they literallywanted to buy enlightenment with coin,paying their 'slaves' more than wasconsidered average in the region, and lostmuch of their wealth. The number ofemployees is small, but they are among themost motivated and actually seem to getwork done properly. The family's plantationis small, but still grows a small quantity ofsuperb tobacco. Their main businesshowever, is in draining and dredging, dyke-building, peat-selling. Since draining, whendone cleverly, doesn't involve as muchmanpower as a full-functioning plantation,this plan's actually working, so far.Important members include PatriarchArchibald van Schelm (Exp4/Ari3) and histhree sons Alfred (Exp2/Ari2), Balthasar(Exp4) and Gerard (Ari1/War3). Gerard hastwo daughters Josje (Exp2) and Iolanthe(Ari2), and two sons Chris (Exp1/Ari1) andWillem (Exp1/Ari1).

Archibald's is senile and continuouslymourns his deceased wife, while his sonsAlfred and Balthasar keep an eye onbusiness. Alfred minds the plantation, whilethe more ambitious Balthasar carries out thedraining and building activities. Theyoungest son, Gerard, ventured to the farland of Richemulot to find investors and as alookout on the Core. Gerard sent his twosons back to aid their uncles, and has sent hisdaughter to the University of Richemulot inSte.Ronges, to become a true lady.

Traveling South Traveling South Traveling South Traveling South As one travels southward away from Portd'Elhour the land elevates slightly, thuseventually relieving itself of the filthyclutches of the endless swamps and bayous.The land beneath one's feet is relatively dryand free of the creeping muck of theswampland, but plant life is still thick andtravel outside the bounds of the Tristepas isstill very much hampered by the dense trees.

Travellers, despite the road, areencouraged to be wary as predatorsoccasionally emerge from the swamp andwilds. Many who leave the town are neverseen again.

With the erosion due to near-continuousrainfall, tropical weathering, and the sheerhumidity of the Maison d'Sablet have formedremarkable formations of dark rock calledLiethe Noire at the southeastern reaches ofthe realm. Here the gullied badlands includedozens of curious standing rocks in therough shapes of giant men and beasts, nodoubt contributing to the local folklore.

Dread possibility - Anton's wifeDread possibility - Anton's wifeDread possibility - Anton's wifeDread possibility - Anton's wifeAnton's wife, Nicole, and thegentlemen drowned with her, are stillaround (see Anton's background).These corpses creep at night on theroad between Port d'Elhour andMarais d'Tarascon. They are onlyencountered when the moon is full,such as the night they died in theswamp.

These water bloated creatures,wearing stained old fashion nobleclothes, will try to catch unwarytravelers and drown them in thenearby swamp with them. Ifdestroyed, Nicole and her unfortunatecompanion's bodies reform in a year,at a full moon, to haunt the roads oncemore and drown innocents.

Treat them as rank two mummieswho appear as grey corpses, waterbloated and making squishing noises.They are immune to fire.


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The native voodan themselves haveapparently given specific names to many ofthese simulacra, in honour of various swampspirits who color the land's prevailingmythology.

At nearly 50 feet high, the tallest of thesenatural structures is a limestone outcroppingwith the rather whimsical name Vierged'Dindon, which, at a certain angle, lookslike a rotund woman with a valiant gaitlooking westward ominously out into theswamps. Locals coming from as far as Portd'Elhour have taken to venerate Vierged'Dindon, offering food, flowers, lamps and,curiously, little rag dolls at the foot of thishumongous limestone pillar.

Marais d'TarasconMarais d'TarasconMarais d'TarasconMarais d'TarasconHamlet; conventional; AL LN; CL 8; 100 gplimit; Assets 15 000 gp; Population 300;Humans 99%, others 1%. The 2nd Editionadventure: Night of the Walking Deadfeatures maps and details on this hamlet.

According to local legend the seigneurPierre de Tarascon founded this village twocenturies ago. He needed workers for hisplantation. Close to the marshes, this smallvillage is built of poor-looking woodenhouses. The Tarascon plantation is locatedeast of the hamlet. It is now run by a cousinof Marcel Tarascon.

The hamlet of Marais d'Tarascon is asleepy town during the afternoon where anonlooker might feel this place is abandonedor forgotten. While quiet during the day, Ifound it lively by the end of the afternoon.An important landmark of this town is theFull Moon Inn (both the rooms and food areaverage). The most interesting bit of localcolour I was told was that liquorice sticks areknown as "bone rattle" in this town.

Dread possibility - MorduDread possibility - MorduDread possibility - MorduDread possibility - MorduMordu is a resident of Marais d'Tarasconwhom rumours suggest is not a native ofSouragne but instead may have comeaccidentally, through the Mists. Mordu is anickname given him by locals which means"bitten" in Souragnien - bitten perhaps bymadness, for he indeed is quite eccentric.He frequently speaks to himself in alanguage others do not understand and hasan extensive book collection that difficultfor Souragniens to understand.

One of the books in Mordu's vastcollection, "The Cult of the Swamp God",is thought o be a treatise on the self-proclaimed "reptile god" allegedly dwellingon a world called Oerth. Mordu himselfbelieves the swamp god detailed in the bookis one of the loa revered and feared bySouragne's peasants that may also be foundin the swamps.

The only book in his collection that he isunable to read is a book on the life of theLord of the Dead - a book written inantiquated Souragnien, which few of thelocals know how to read, and therefore thatmuch harder for even a literate "outlander"to learn.

How Mordu came into possession of thebook on the Lord of the Dead is unclear. Itis quite possible that it was written out ofnarcissism or desperation and expected thata rare literature aficionado would appreciatethe work. Another theory suggests that thebook is a mysterious gift in return forservices that Mordu has performed -perhapswithout full awareness- on behalf of theLord of the Dead

Adventure hooks - Nights After the Adventure hooks - Nights After the Adventure hooks - Nights After the Adventure hooks - Nights After the Walking DeadWalking DeadWalking DeadWalking Dead

After the events in Night of the WalkingDead, one of Marcel Tarascon's cousinsmight take over the family estate in Maraisd'Tarascon and seek to enlist the PCs in hisstruggle against rival families who wish toclaim the plantation and lordship over thetown for their own. Like all nobles inSouragne, he would be abusive to theplantation workers, but may also possess anitem or knowledge that is essential to thePCs, and which they can only obtain bycooperating with him (or her).

Also, the old part of the cemetery wassealed for over a hundred years before theseterrible events involving Marcel Tarascon.The place has since been closed again,however, to prevent other sinister personsfrom establishing their evil activities there,adventurers are asked to check on thisclosed cemetery about once a year.


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There are a number of curious residents ofthis small village, but none attracted myattention more than talk of a local madmanwith a wide collection of books. It wasregrettable that I was unable to locate himbefore thus survey was completed.

Bernard Foquelaine, the current intendantmayor of Port d'Elhour, is the highestauthority in Marais D'Tarascon. However, heis present only for the few monthly meetingsof the council when he is needed. Thewealthy Tarascon family keeps the law andmanages day-to-day affairs.

In the past, Marais d'Tarascon was some ofthe richest farmland and importantplantations on the island. It was a plantationgrown so large it became its own town.However, the last centuries have eroded thewealth and status of the inhabitants andmany avoid this locale as cursed. Thefamous events of two decades ago are justone of the many problems that have plaguedthe village.

ThibautThibautThibautThibautHamlet; conventional; AL LN; CL 8; 100 gplimit; Assets 7 500 gp; Population 150;Humans 99%, others 1%

Located at the Southern end of cheminTristepas, this small hamlet is built aroundthe Durand plantation and the Bourdielmerchant family.

Vardain Durand (Ari3) owns theplantation. This old family has made badtrading decisions in the last decade and itswealth is now just a shadow of what it usedto be. The family coffers will soon be empty.The other member of this family, HillaireDurand, is the sister of Vardain. On anotherfate line, the rich merchant Bourdiel familywas very successful about overnight in rarewood trading with other domains. They planto marry their daughter Renée to VardainDurand.

In the southern marches closest to Thibaut,near the misty borders, lives a voodan ofgreat power, Monsieur Mensonge (voodan16th, See “Appendix 2 Who’s Who” onpage 84.). His reputation is that of a mightysorcerer.

Other Rural LocalesOther Rural LocalesOther Rural LocalesOther Rural LocalesUnorganized little thorps or smallerplantations of 100 persons or less; totalpopulation of about 1 200; AL CN or LN;CL 8.

On the road between Port d'Elhour andThibaut, smaller plantations are found onChemin Tristepas. Less successful then thoselocated near the largest towns, theseplantations are often owned by descendentsof former slaves.

These plantation owners are often ruthlessin the treatment of their employees. Theprofits from these exploitations are small.These seigneurs, in another domain, wouldbe no richer than an artisan. Still, theirworkers treat them like richer seigneurs.

Travelers going south to Thibaut orwandering off Chemin Tristepas sometimescross small, unnamed settlements. Made offrail looking wooden houses, these thorpslook abandoned with a population composedof those fleeing the servile work found in thecities or the plantations or those looking tovanish from sight. They live by hunting orfishing as independency is an importantvalue of these people.

These isolated places have many smallforbidding voodan shrines hidden in thewilderness and the backward superstitiouspeople are often afraid of strangers.

To Honour and ObeyTo Honour and ObeyTo Honour and ObeyTo Honour and ObeyThere is an intriguing tale written inDark Tales & Disturbing Legends aboutan arranged wedding, where manypeople have their darker interest in it.The role of Vardain, Hillaire, Renee andMonsieur Mensonge should be set by theDM before the PCs arrive in Thibaut, i.e.before, during or after this tale?

Sociological SurveySociological SurveySociological SurveySociological Survey



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Indigenous PeoplesIndigenous PeoplesIndigenous PeoplesIndigenous PeoplesAdmittedly, I have spent the majority of mylife in the Core, and much of that in myhome of Dementlieu. As a result, I have beensubject to the homogeneity of those landswhere the different races are distinguishedby the hue of hair. Thus, it was a jarringshock when I stepped off the boat. Even inmy days educating bright young minds at mybeloved University de Richemulot -aninstitution that attracts many from across ourmisted world- I did not see such diversity!

There are two very different races ofpeople in Souragne. The first is very muchlike familiar peoples of my homeland.Almost too alike, but I shall write on thislater. Light skin with darker shades of hairranging from reds to browns. The secondrace is very different with dark brown skinand black hair that varies widely from kinkyto straight.

Of course, I am describing the originalappearances of the two peoples. Due tocenturies of interbreeding, intermarriage andinter-class dalliances there is a fine mixtureof traits with dark and curly hair being foundin fair-skinned families and light auburnamongst darker skinned peoples. There are afew families, mostly the old-bloods andgenerationally rich, who insist upon purity ofblood, but most everyone else has somedegree of mixed blood.

Both groups refer to themselves equally asSouragniens and think of themselves asnatives to the island. However, only thedarker skinned peoples are truly natives; thefair-skinned Souragniens are settlers whocame to the land many centuries ago.

Apart from the double examples ofhumanity there is precious little sentience inthis marshy land. There are a scattered fewcalibans who roam the swamps but few otherdemihumans. I expected some pockets ofelven fey in such a verdant land and wassurprised to hear naught but wild rumours onsuch people. A pity as a village of such folkmight have been an excellent excuse toinvite our missing brother, JonothanLochspear, to join us in exile.

Sociological SurveySociological SurveySociological SurveySociological SurveyFor such a starkly divided people theSouragniens are a remarkably united inlanguage and culture. While the history talksof slavery and common sense would implyracial tensions, this simply is not the case.The two people are as one, equals under theeyes of the law and society. Both can ownproperty, land and have the same entitlementto rank, political office and social standing.

This is not to say all Souragniens are equal.There is a vast social divide between the richand the poor. The landowners, merchantsand wealthy are all considered the elites, anaristocracy that wields the power in the land.Anyone who has no property, goods ormoney is considered poor and can be beatenor worked to the point of death. Thearistocracy treats this working class akin todirt; they are below any consideration andbarely even considered human. Even theowner of the smallest scrap of land is one ofthe cultural elite.

The two races influence the class divide;the dark-skinned former slaves are theoverwhelming majority amongst the poor,although there is a rapidly growing numberof fair-skinned folk in their ranks. And whilethere are dark-skinned folk in the elite, theyare few in number and many married intotheir rank. The richest and most powerfulplantation owners have a firm grip on theirposition and most new aristocrats, regardlessof race, quickly lose their position.

Once, the commoners were slaves,property owned by the landowners andforced to work. However, slavery was basedon racial lines and the pool of labourersfixed. For a variety of reasons (discussedbelow) slavery was abolished and now thereis only paid labour. However, the quality oflife for these poor wretches has notimproved.

Workers are paid a pittance, a small tokensum barely enough to cover the necessities.Many employers deduct the cost of food andlodging from these wages and put theworkers up on their land. Others simply letthe workers find their own way. At first thisseems like an improvement, I know I thought


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paid labourers would fare better than slaves.However, slaves require a steep initialinvestment; they are expensive property thatmust be purchased. One typically does notdamage one's furniture without good reasonand neither does one cripple one's slaves.

Workers are another matter as it may takeyears, decades even, to spend the sameamount of money as it would take topurchase a single slave. There is noinvestment in workers and they can bebeaten, discarded or simply replaced for aminimal cost.

Debt also forces people into hard labour asthe law requires those unable to pay toperform services for those whom they areindebted. Landowners are not required topay their indentured help higher wages, nordoes the law place restrictions on interest.Unscrupulous landowners often force wholefamilies into increasing debt that they cannever pay off, as their wages cannot competewith the interest.

The aristocracy is simply interested in thecontinuation of their status. Most of the trueelites have been rich for generations andhave a stranglehold on the best lands, thefertile fields and best trading routes. There islittle threat of them losing their position orbeing usurped. There are but a few of these'true' aristocrats, less than two dozen familiesin the entire land.

Many have fallen on harder times with therest struggling to maintain their positionwhile their peers steal their wealth andposition further ensuring their own. Soonthere may be less than a dozen rich familiesthat control all, each holding severalplantations.

Caught in the middle between the elitesand the poor are the owners of localbusinesses, skilled craftsmen and the minoraristocrats. They walk a tenuous linebetween having money and having none. Atany time they can ascend by becomingearning a high profit or descend intoindentured service and forced labour. Abountiful crop or some chance luck canelevate a family for years, perhaps even ageneration, while the reverse cripples forlonger. The lesser elites live the most

precariously having to maintain arespectable standard of living andappearance but without the same amount ofresources

Daily LifeDaily LifeDaily LifeDaily LifeLifestyle varies wildly between the classes.There are few similarities between those ofhigh and low rank. Souragniens conductsthemselves about their business with asmuch grace and pride as they can muster.Iwas a little surprised by this, the commonershave a dignity all their own and refuse to bebeaten down or have their spirit crushed. Ifound it both inspiring and off-putting.

The majority are common folk: thoseforced into a life of labour by debt, poverty,or birth that spend the entirety of their daysworking. From sun up until sun down, theytoil in the fields tending to the livestock andcrops. It is in the cotton fields thatcommoners are particularly numerous, theproduce being labour intensive and requiringconstant attention. Men, women and childrenall work the fields together, there is noseparation based on age or gender.

Meals are taken first thing in the morningand again at night: a small breaking of thefast and large evening sup. There is nomidday meal for commoners and insteadthere are a couple short breaks given duringthe day when they are allowed to rest and getsomething to drink. Cooking is done bythose too old or injured to work the fields..


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It is not much easier as they must riseearlier to have food prepared and spendmuch of the afternoon cooking, cleaning andcaring for the young.

As the aristocrats are followers of Ezra,they respectfully give their workers one dayof rest every week. So every seventh day thecommon folk retire from the fields and arenot required to work. Many workers ignorethis and continue to labour for the extramoney. This is especially true for theindentured labourers as it may be the onlyway they can extricate themselves.

From the age of six and upward,commoners are expected to work the fieldsfor a living. Those younger are allowed tohelp around the homes or permitted toentertain themselves as long as they do notinterfere with anyone.

A few commoners are rewarded witheasier tasks and rank. They continue to livewith the other commoners but are paid more,treated better and given a modicum ofauthority. They are expected to maintaindiscipline amongst the commoners. They arethe favoured of their masters, those who -forone reason or another- have earned thegratitude of the aristocrats. They seldomwork the field and instead spend their time inthe kitchens and stables, or even inside thehomes as servants. They have an easier lifeand are usually disliked by the othercommoners.

The elite live a different life: they live offthe efforts of their workers. They amusethemselves with various leisure activitiessuch as games and dinner parties, oftenentertaining guests or visiting otherplantations. They concern themselves withthe trivialities of fine dining, grand dancesand the latest of imported fashions.

A typical day is first spent tending to thefew daily duties such as organizing the helpand seeing to one's legal and financialaffairs. Some spend their time with theirfamilies, often in such activities as schoolingthe children, but many leave this to an in-house nanny or governess. Evenings areusually devoted to social activities: smallgatherings, parties or the like. Somearistocrats like to spend their time in

physical pursuits such as equestrianism orhunting on the borders of Maison d'Sablet.Others attempt creative endeavours such aspainting or embroidery.

Social gatherings take up adisproportionate amount of time forpreparation. Some take weeks to ready forbut a single night. Some aristocratic familiesare known across the island for a specificseasonal ball and there is constantcompetition to hold the best and mostentertaining bash of the year. This unofficialcompetition gets surprisingly cutthroat,sometimes even in the literal sense. Despitethe small number of plantations, there isalways a party in preparation somewhere.

For an example of an average party, Irelate some of my experiences at the wintergathering of the Dessalines. They have anannual gathering at their estate, TwelveOaks, where they celebrate the wintersolstice. As it is the shorted day of the yearthey take the opportunity to revel fromsunset to sunrise, something not that difficultgiven most nobles seldom arise beforemidday.

All the aristocratic families were invited,say the Mont Mirebalais and the Danneels,both snubbed for prior social faux pas.Coincidentally, the Danneels suffered afinancial upset shortly afterward, so I do notexpect to see them at future parties.


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Appetizers and hors d'oeuvre were servedimmediately as people were escorted into theballroom for dancing and drinks. A live bandentertained the revellers until the grandiosefour-course dinner began. This was anextravagant event with extraneous silverwareand as many different dishes as could beincluded. Conversation was light and full ofgossip, rumours and innuendo came readilyfrom both genders. Afterwards, the womenwithdrew for a game of bridge while the mentook to a smoking room for drinks andconversation, much related to business. Overthe course of the night there was a smalltheatre performance, drinks, more dancingand food, some light desserts, even moredrinks and some diverting parlour games.Charades if often a popular game, as is onethey call "similes". A good half-dozendifferent games were performed in a verymannerly and proper manner.

Beneath this opulent surface lay a darkerparty. Gambling was rampant throughout,with the ladies' bridge game beingparticularly high staked. A young womanidentified as 'Lily' left in tears sans jewelleryafter a bad hand. Also invited to the partywere several young, female commoners whowere kept apart and referenced as "dancers"although they did not take part in the ball.Their dress spoke of wealth but theirexpressions and awe hinted at far morehumble origins suggesting they were merelydressing the part. A number of men tookthem aside during the course of the eveningand it became obvious what their purposewas. When I left, I noticed their numbers haddiminished, sad victims of grimmer activitiesI imagine.

By far the grandest party of the year is theMardi Finale. Every year on the last Tuesdayof February, the population of Port D'Elhourholds Mardi Finale: a city wide festivalfilling the streets with music and dance.Celebrated by both upper and lower classesmost of the attractions require no money.Seigneurs scowl at this festivity weeksbefore it occurs yet are still among thecrowds wearing a decorative mask. There isa certain magic about the crowd that makesone act as if gone completely mad. Perhapsthe most interesting part is a game involving

the collection of beads. It is uncertain why,but the people of D'Elhour seem fixated intocollecting the beads of other people duringthis event. There are even trades of materialgoods, such as money or alcohol, for thesebeads. This may be the key reason why thelower class population is quicker to begin thecelebration than upper classes, since MardiGras proposes an easy opportunity to obtainthings otherwise too expensive to buy. Beadsare not to only part of Mardi Finale worthtaking part in as practically everyone in theregion offers their talents to lighten up thecity.

The week after Mardi Finale is a differentsituation. The Ezran clergy strictly dictatethat this week is a time of fasting, prayer,and self-reflection. Gambling, whorehouses,and cockfights remain open, but receivesignificantly less business. Anchorites ofEzra don a black sash upon their leftshoulder as a grim symbol that reality hascome back after the sublime frenzy of MardiFinale. Likewise, the clergy take no part inMardi Finale itself, rather they spend timepreparing for the week following. The streetsat night can get quite eerie during this week,as one cannot help but hear inhuman moansof anguish soar from penitents.

Returning to the topic of this chapter, thereare a small but growing number of dark-skinned Souragniens amongst the elites.Those few who, through luck, intuition orcreativity, have managed to accumulatewealth and status. One would assume theywould keep their traditional values andlifestyle but this is seldom the case. In fact,many act as other aristocrats, indulging inopulence and vice. Many actually exceedtheir peers in sheer decadence, as if theywere making up for generations of lost time.As a result, few dark-skinned familiesmaintain their position for long beforeexcessive spending drags them back down.There are a few notable examples and it willbe interesting to keep an eye on them. Onecannot help but wonder if they have someoutside edge.

I have spent far more time amongst theupper class of Souragne than the commonersand find them similar in lifestyle to thenobles of Dementlieu and Richemulot. They


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concern themselves with trivialities andentertainment existing only to amusethemselves. While diverting, I found muchof the time intellectually draining with vapidconversation.

Literacy is all but unknown on the island,only a scant few have any knowledge ofreading and writing. Even amongst thearistocrats and seigneurs there are preciousfew literates, it is seen as a useless skill and a"waste of time." Even poetry is ignored, oddfor the flowery and dramatic nobles. Historyis taught orally, when it is taught at all. Thereis a remarkable and willing ignorance to thepast. And what little science, philosophy andknowledge is quickly being forgotten infavour of superstition and myth. Books areequally rare although there is the occasionalprivate collection, but even these tend to bedamaged by the humidity. I needn't explainthe tedious steps we have had to take topreserve our few surviving or rescued tomes.Damn the eyes of the thief that raided ourlibrary!

As mentioned, games are a favoureddiversion of the wealthy, another example ofthe competitive nature of the Souragniens.Card games are currently in fashion andevery good gathering has a card tablereadied. Despite being less popular at themoment other games are still played. Bothcheckers and backgammon have beenpopular for a time and crochet is just fallingout of favour. To my chagrin, chess hasnever been held in high regard in Souragne.Savages! Although, a local game I havebecome quite fond of is called 'Bones' and isplayed with just over two dozen rectangularbone or ivory tiles called bones (hence thename of the game). Each bone is decoratedwith two sets of painted dots ranging fromzero to six. Much like cards there is anumber of different games that can be playedwith a set of bones.

Games are firmly equated with gamblingin Souragne, especially card games. Evenfriendly sessions at a gathering or party are"made interesting" with some liberalwagering. What starts as a simple game ofbridge can quickly become a devastatingblow to one's purse. Men also enter into so-called "gentleman's wagers" over a wide

variety of subjects from crops and businessto hunting trips. Other games of chance arealmost epidemic in the urban areas withentire buildings devoted to gambler's art.From dingy alleyways to steamboats thereare people wagering their life's worth for asingle roll of a die.

Some of the more carnal-minded wealthyalso frequent the "houses of ill-repute"throughout Port d'Elhour. These buildingscater to the sinfully minded -or rather thesinful burdened with unwanted gold. Manyof these burlesque houses also featuregambling parlours to entertain the lesslascivious. Ladies in the employ of theseestablishments tend to be upper and middle-class women who have fallen on hard times.It is seldom that a commoner finds employeein any but houses of the lowest quality.Common women are seen as too 'rough' and'crude' to be appealing to men.

Upper-class establishments haveperformances with musicians and dancinggirls (or so I have been told) and offerimported drinks. Privacy and discretion arepromised and every step is taken toguarantee comfort. Not that being seen insuch a place is harmful to one's reputation;certain things are just accepted in this land. Icannot imagine such activity beingunabashedly tolerated back home. Thereverse of this are the lower class brothels,little more than showrooms with dimly lithallways leading to somewhat private suites.Unlike the high-class establishments, men ofbreeding never wish to even be seensoliciting in such a place. This does not meanthey do not frequent such places; the few thatdo simply take greater pains not to be seen.

ClothingClothingClothingClothingFashion is both ignored and desperatelyimportant on this island. Like so much else,it is subject to one's wealth and status.

The poor wear whatever they can find anddress equally in used-clothing or garmentsthey have made themselves. Clothheadbands are common amongst any whospend their days toiling directly under thesun while others try to accent their clothing


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with neckerchiefs, simple woven necklacesor cloth belts. Others take a functionalapproach using hemp rope to hold theirleggings up.

For men, loose shirts and sturdy breechesare the garb of choice. The shirts themselvesare crudely woven and seldom have cuffs,ending in the middle of the forearm. Mostbear signs of repair such as thick patches orsewn tears. Boots are worn if able but manywear crude sandals or go barefoot. Clothingis seldom dyed or coloured with theexception of plain earthen hues such asbrowns and greys.

Women wear lighter shirts, often withshorter sleeves that end just above theelbows. Thick skirts are worn instead ofpants, often paired with heavy cloth aprons.Some women also wear thin, brightly dyedsarongs, but these are never worn whileworking and the aristocrats discouraged theiruse as being "undignified" and "not befittingcivilized people". Small shoes or sturdyslippers are favoured over boots but womenare just as likely to go barefoot as men.

Hair is typically short for the men, croppedtight against the head to keep one cool underthe bright sun. Facial hair is neither favourednor shunned; few commoners have time toshave on a regular basis and most sport thebeginnings of beards. This definitely adds tothe 'scruffy' look of lower-class men.Women let their hair grow long but seldomtake care of it letting it become a tangledmass. They seldom adorn their hair withanything, simply tying it back when itbecomes a nuisance.

In stark contrast, fashion is of vitalimportance for the elites. No expense isspared having the latest fashions importedfrom Port-a-Lucine and Port-a-Museau. Bothgenders slave over appearance, oftenrefusing to leave their homes if they do notlook perfect.

Men (currently) wear thin white shirts withfrilly fronts and wide cuffs often accentedwith lace or frills. These shirts are alwaysworn with expensive doublets or jerkins ofvarious bright hues. Equally colourfulbreeches cover the legs and high riding bootsfinishing off the fashion. Colourful sashes,

kerchiefs and jewellery are worn as signs ofwealth and style.

Women wear thin, brightly coloureddresses and gowns overtop their tightlypulled corsets. These dressed feature manypetticoats and silken layers and more rufflesthan would seem possible. Oddly, whilepains are taken to cover the legs in ashapeless mass of fabric the tops are quitelow-cut. This fashions of the wealthy isshockingly revealing to my Richemulotsensibilities. Despite the latest of fashionsbeing imported in, all dresses are altered tomeet the local tastes. I cannot say Idisapprove. Current accessories are lacyparasols -used to provide shade- and as muchjewellery as can be worn without appearing(too) ostentatious.

Long hair is in-style for both men andwomen; men cut their just below shoulderlength while women allow theirs to grow tothe middle of the back. Both groom their hairmeticulously, brushing and combing forhours. Women further adorn hair withbroaches, clips and long pins. Men tend totie theirs back with a single ribbon or clip.Men are uniformly clean-shaven, facial hairof any kind is shunned. The only exceptionsare elderly gentleman who occasionallygrow a goatee or Vandyke beard.

Jewellery is necessity for any aristocrat'swardrobe. Rings and pendants are commonwith men, while women adorn themselveswith necklaces, rings, bracelets, broachesand more. Jewellery is typically preciousmetals with brightly coloured gold beingfavoured over silver and platinum. Gems andother precious stones are highly prizedadditions to any jewellery and theseexpensive imports fetch a high price.Brightly coloured stones such as jades,rubies, sapphires and the like are muchpreferred over white or transparent stones.

At the moment of this writing, violet is thecolour of season. All the vests and gownssimply must be a royal purple hue andviolets are in high demand as centrepieces.Amethysts are highly prized stones and arecurrently fetching a high price. Although, Iexpect this to quickly change as moods shiftand some other fancy takes hold.


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FoodFoodFoodFoodIt took far longer to research this section thanI would like, simply because it took me quitea while to develop a pallet for Souragniencuisine. They cook with a local vegetableknown as the 'chilli pepper' although it isnothing of the sort! While the locals insistthat food must have some "zest" I find mymeals tastier more when I'm not in burningagony. I don't know what flavour it issuppose to add because all I can taste is pain!

The locals enjoy a variety of what couldbest be termed "stews". They are mixtures ofmeat and vegetables thrown into a pot andcooked. However, they are colourfully givennames like jumbalaya, gumbo and etouffee.The most common ingredients includeonions, a variety of peppers, carrots andmeat. Possible meats include chicken, rabbit,pig, fish, shrimp and other seafood. Recentlyintroduced to the region is rice, a grainimported from Rokushima Taiyoo, whichgrows remarkably well in the moist soil ofSouragne. It is quickly becoming a regionalstaple.

The locals also have the curious habit ofburning the outside of their meals. Theypurposely blacken good food too add textureand flavour or some other such nonsense.While not as disturbing as their selection ofspices it is an eccentricity unique to theisland. Until we find a good cook fromDementlieu for la Maison I fear I may losesome weight.

Little livestock is raised in Souragne savefor some small chickens and hogs. Chickensare by far the most common as they have aspecial significance in the religious rites ofthe land and a connection to the people. Fewcommoners don't have access to a coop. Pigsare also raised but in smaller numbers andusually prepared as spiced sausages.

Most of the meat for meals is either caught,such as snared rabbits, or more commonly,pulled from the water. Souragniens have anaffinity of fishing that I envy. They are adeptat feeding themselves from the rivers andcoastlines of the island. Shrimp, fish,oysters, crayfish and more readily find theirway into pots and onto plates.

I spent many days talking (and sometimesarguing) with the locals on the finer points oflures, nets and baits. I must admit, I havebeen landing more catfish since I swappedfrom chicken skin to fermented liver.

For a remote land of swamps, Souragneplantations actually boast a wide varietyof unique and tasty dishes that wouldrival the concoctions of some of the bestrestaurants in Port-au-Lucine. Whilecrude and rustic in terms of presentation,dishes range from the tantalizinglysubtle, to so highly spiced they would bepalatable to only the most experiencepalate.

The poor eat anything! One dish ismade from a meat which visitors arereferred to as "swamp chicken" that Ilater discovered is, in fact, a species ofsnake. When cooked properly it producesa meat that, as its name suggests, tastesjust like chicken. In the manors, meal canbe very refined, especially during balls. Iwitnessed a dish involving a large andbrightly plumed bird, plucked prior tobaking that, just before the end of thecooking process, was removed from theoven then carefully so the cook couldpainstakingly reinserted the animal'splumage. The end result was a stunningcenterpiece for the meal table.

A number of plantations in Souragnegrow a type of cane which can besqueeze to produce and extremely sweetsyrup. The taste is reminiscent of thepulp of the Mordentish sugar beet or thesap of Lamordian sweet-pine. This isused to make a variety of confectionariesand sweets. It is sometimes drunk freshor after fermentation, sometime withfruits and spices added. The fermenteddrink is particularly popular, and ispurchased by the barrelful by visitingsailors. I found the drink to harsh myself,although I did partake of an interestingfruit concoction which used the spirit asits base.

- Prof. E.C.M Parsons


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There are some class differences betweenmeals. Commoners tend to have smaller,simpler meals cooked in a communal pot.Sets of families share food and cook jointmeals. It is easier for a family to fill theirsmall garden with one type of vegetable thanhave to grow a variety. One might focus onraising chickens trusting others to providethem with greens. Or painful, fiery reds.

The wealthy cook their vegetables andmeat separately, serving 'stews' as a sidedish. They also use a wider variety of herbsand spices, many imported from as far awayas Hazlan and Sri Raji. The nobles eat manyexotic and imported dishes, especially whenhosting parties.

I assumed wines would be the drink ofchoice and was shocked to find this not thecase. Vineyards are rare in these swamps andwhat precious few bottles here have beenimported. Some of the richer families bringin a dozen or so bottles for large parties witheither Borcan or Invidian wines favoured,primarily due to reputation rather thanflavour. They are seldom the finest vintagesor from reputable vineyards but are treatedas if they were.

Souragniens enjoy many beverages. Theelites favour absinthe, a strong greenalcoholic drink that is also mildly toxic.Although, it seldom causes any realimpairment and its reputation is mostly forshow. The implied danger adds to itsmystique. Rum made from sugarcane is a farmore common drink. The aristocrats drinkrums flavoured with a variety of spices whilethe commoners make do with a watereddown beverage named grog.

Language Language Language Language I was surprised to hear Souragnien, the solelanguage spoken by all on this island. It isremarkably similar to High Mordentish, thespeech of Dementlieu. With but a littlepractice, and when spoken slowly, I quicklypicked a conversational understanding of thetongue and have no problems conversingwithout magical assistance. I may not be alinguist like brother Lochespeare, but thisold professor is not uneducatable yet.

However, there is enough local slang andregional variants to throw off the unfamiliar,and the language has mixed with at least onenative dialect. It has picking up the odd wordor phrase while their accent is slurredlacking the crisp annunciation of Dementlieumaking comprehension more annoying.

I would not assume a working knowledgeof Mordentish would be enough if survivalwere at stake, nor would I expect a warmreception. Souragniens tend to think of thosewho do not speak their tongue as slow-wittedor savages, whether they are from thebackwoods of Valachan, the height ofParidon society or even speaking theirlanguage the way it is meant to be spoken.

Table 1: A Souragnien PrimerTable 1: A Souragnien PrimerTable 1: A Souragnien PrimerTable 1: A Souragnien Primer

Alligator Krokrodile

Boat Kok-bato

Dead Kaokoun

Fish Balaou

Hello Bozour

Help Sokour

Magic Mazi

No Non

Old Ancyin

Sea Loséan

Sorcerer Mazigador

Swamp Marècage

Thank you Romèrsi

Yes Oui


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Outlook and Outlook and Outlook and Outlook and WorldviewWorldviewWorldviewWorldviewLike all things in this island, there is adividing split. As the solid land is apart fromthe bog so do the commoner see the worlddifferently than the elites. The poor seethings in relation to nature with a mixture ofspirits, animals and superstition, while theelites think in terms of people; either alliesand rivals. Both have a strong connection ofthe 'old ways', the manner in which thingswere done years ago and, presumable,continue to be done. They are simplycarrying the tradition and legacies upheld bytheir forefathers.

To the commoners, they are living life asunchanged as possible. They maintain theirfaith and religion and continual their rituals.They may work for their employers duringthe day but are their own masters by night.Then they are free to sing and dance andlight the ritual fires. They are quite proud ofhow they managed to resists attempts to bantheir rituals and corrupt their way of life.

The fallen elites who now toil in the fieldsare equally proud, as they will seem all thegrander when they restore themselves orremove the tarnish from family's name. Theyare all convinced their misfortune is merelytemporary, even if they have been in debtand poverty stricken for generations. Theircompatriots in the middle ranks also hold thebelief they are destined to rise to greatnessand that they are not that far removed fromthe aristocrats.

To the nobles, they are living a life ofculture and dignity, one far superior toanywhere else. They are refined gentlemenand ladies and the crème of society. Theseelites are convinced they are the culturalequals of Richemulot and Borca andDementlieu, if not cultural superiors. Duringmy initial visits I was greeted with a touch ofdisdain, as if I were quaint. They were, ofcourse, happy to see I'd moved away fromthe savages of the Core to somewherecivilized.

After my months of research, I havemanaged to find one single word thatdescribes their opinions and beliefs. Just oneword that describes them all.

An interesting anecdote first. I filled asmall bound notebook with my thought andobservations on this land as I travelled itslength and breadth. While relaxing in thecomfort of la Maison I read through mythoughts and found I had used the samedescriptor throughout. It cropped uprepeatedly through the latter half of mynotebook and I never realized it. The wordwas "hypocrite". Although "delusionalegotistical hypocrites" might apply just aseasily.

The dark-skinned commoners believe theyremain true to the past despite havingabandoned the clothing, language and dailylife of their ancestors. They believe they canwork for and with the fair-skinnedSouragniens and still maintain a separateidentity. The saddest example is those whofind wealth and ascend into power and yetstill believe they are in touch with their rootswhile they revel in greater debauchery thaneven other aristocrats. The middle-class failsto see their dwindling numbers as more andmore descend into poverty and oppression orthe vicelike hold the aristocrats maintain ontheir wealth and holdings. Finally, thearistocrats insist they are the culturalpinnacle of the land failing to see theobvious: that they are a pathetic folk rulingover a backwater swamp.

I cannot help but wonder if this fantasy isactually believed or if the shared delusionsare simply a bold face put forward to hidefrom the truth. Or perhaps it is a lie told sooften they have forgotten it is a lie andbelieve the falsehood.

Government and lawGovernment and lawGovernment and lawGovernment and lawSouragne does not have a single politicalleader; each settlement has its own ruler. AConseil des seigneurs gathers all theseigneurs of town, mostly plantation owners,but also some wealthy merchants. To beinvited to this exclusive club, one has to haveat least 25 workers working for him for thelast five years. The Conseil usually meetsfour times each year.

The Conseil des seigneurs elect theirleader, the intendant mayor. A plantation or


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merchant has one vote, but many wealthyowners make sure to have several votes ontheir side though loans or threats. Theintendant is named for a period of two years,but if needed the Conseil can revoke amandate and put someone else in his place (ithas never happened but the threat is there).The intendant is the voice of the wealthy andthe election of the intendant is always theoccasion of intrigue and soft-spoken dealsbetween the powerful families.

The people of Souragne are too poor to betaxed profitably; this is one of the few reliefsthese persons have during their life. TheConseil votes on their self-taxing budget,which is used for administrating the town,the militia and other specific tasks or works,such as a new pier, a bridge, new armour forthe militia, etc. Of course, they never miss achance to let know the working class of the'caring ways' of the seigneurs.

The few laws proclaimed by the Conseilmade with the interests of the workers inmind, or so they claim while they reallyprotect the status quo and seigneurs'interests. For example, among the worstcrime would be to kill or otherwiseincapacitate a plantation owner, "in theinterests of the workers getting paid by thispurveyor of work." Lovely way to phrase it,no? The punishment of such a rare crime ishanging on the public square.

There is no permanent militia for the townsalthough young seigneurs need to serve fortwo years in the Port d'Elhour militia. Afterthis period of time, most noblemen areproficient with a weapon. At any given timePort d'Elhour has about 15 to 25 youngnobles ready to take arms on short notice.They are well trained and well equipped(leather and shields, long swords, crossbowsand many have pistols). The militia can alsoconscript the poor, adding 75 young workerswithin a day's notice (armed with clubs andwooden shields.)

In Port D'Elhour, the intendant mayor is abright man very good at playing hisinfluences and support in order to remain inpower - so well, that Bernard Foquelaine(Ari3/Rog1) has been the intendant ofSouragne's largest city since 742, always

being reappointed to the task every twoyears. But his current mandate is his last onesince the man is now getting old and is oftenincapacitated by sickness. The seigneurshave at least three worthy candidates and thenext Conseil vote should be intriguing.

In Marais d'Tarascon, with the benevolentaccord of the Tarascon family, the currentintendant is also Bernard Foquelaine. Theintendant mayor of Port d'Elhour leaves hisday-to-day duties to Constable Gremin (Ftr3). Constable Gremin is also old and isconsidering leaving his duties to his secondson (his first one died in 730 during eventsleading to the Great Upheaval.)

In Thibaut, the intendancy is sharedbetween the Bourdiel and Durand family. Itis mainly an honorific title since few thingsneed immediate decision in this quiet hamlet.

The intendant and Conseil des seigneursknow better than ignore the Lord of theDead. When they receive a commandmentfrom him it is quickly obeyed. However,whenever they can they like to remind theworkers and foreigners that they are thedominant force of Souragne.

TTTTrade with Other Landsrade with Other Landsrade with Other Landsrade with Other LandsEven if Souragne is isolated within theMists, it has established trade links withother lands. The primary destinations ofthese trade routes are Darkon and Liffe, dueto the Wake of the Loa mistway, but theinterested coastal nations of theNorthwestern Core (Mordent, Richemulot,Dementlieu and Lamordia) are also commondestinations. Souragnien trade ships traversethe length and breadth of the Nocturnal Seastopping at all the islands there

In the last decades, the population of theselands has grown fond of Souragnien goodsand several seigneurs have grown richer inshort time. The main exports are cotton,sugar, tobacco, café and dried fish. A morerecent addition is rice; the grain ofRokushima Taiyoo grows so well here theyhave begun to export it to the Core.


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Imports tend to be specialty goodsunavailable for the locals, exotics andluxuries to please the elites: fashions fromthe West, wines from the middle, craftworksfrom the East, and spices from everywhere.Exotic foods and some animals areoccasionally brought back, especially if theyare entertaining.

Heroes are often hired as guards to bringback payment to Souragne, or for specialtasks, such as an inquiry on a merchant'semissary's disappearance. Given the longtreks goods must sometimes make across theentire Core, guards are all but a necessity.

HistoryHistoryHistoryHistoryI encountered difficulty as I focused on theisland's past; the high number of illiteratesmeant few reliable historical documentswere written. Much of the history is passeddown through oral stories. It became afrustrating endeavour to piece together whathappened. Further complicating this is thepossible false nature of the past, I am suremy brothers are aware of the theory thatwhole peoples and lands are created by thewill of the enigmatic force(s) that control ourworld. It is impossible to know how much ofthe history is real and how much is fantasy,like the false memories of Darkon.

After weeks of searching, I stumbled uponthree tomes that proved invaluable. The firstwas a copy the private journal of EdvardRenfus, captain of a Darkonian vessel thatstumbled upon the island over a century ago.It impressed me so that I dispatchedsomeone to examine the original inNevuchar Springs and send me notes onwhat they discovered. The second is thebook written by his descendant, DannenRenfus, a bard who lived on the island for atime while researching his ancestor'sjourney. Lastly, I used the diary of PierreTarascon. Tarascom, notable for the townnamed after his family and a series of eventsthat occurred there.

I will include passages from all three whenrelevant. While insightful, they are notalways entirely accurate but still proved anexcellent insight into the past.

Excerpt from: The Journal of Captain Excerpt from: The Journal of Captain Excerpt from: The Journal of Captain Excerpt from: The Journal of Captain Renfus Renfus Renfus Renfus

A little back, in 635 BC, this island ofSouragne was first sight'd in the Mists bythis Darkonian mariner. My name is CaptainEdvard Renfus and my crew of theNevermore mired our ship on one of themany sandbars that lurk beneath the surfaceof the Murky Sea in the vicinity of Portd'Elhour. We were cautiously rescued bytownsfolk who marvelled our arrival, for thelocal colonists had lost all contact with theoutside world for the better part of a year.We expected celebration or greetin' as heroesbut found none.

My crew and I spent nearly one year inSouragne, during the course of which wetried unsuccessfully to tow the Nevermoreout of the shallows before we built a newship, La Licorne, in collaboration with somewealthier benefactors, the Mont Mirebalaisfamily. Meanwhile we also took time toexplore the island and get to know its people,culture, and language.

It is a grim and cheerless land, at least inmy opinion. The people are unfriendly andcallous with little joy remaining in theirlives. They seem to do little but go throughthe motions of daily life. How I longed toreturn to Darkon and my waiting wife.

Adventure hook - Trade helpAdventure hook - Trade helpAdventure hook - Trade helpAdventure hook - Trade helpCharacters must represent

Souragne's political interests abroad(in the lands of the Core), or try toestablish new colonies in existing (oras yet undiscovered) islands of terror.Of course, treachery between noblefamilies means that either the PCscan never be sure of the rewards theywill get for successfully carrying outtheir mission, or that they can earnthe enmity of rival families who willstop at nothing to see the plans of thePCs and their backers fail.


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This report is more that a little odd anddoes not at all seem like the Souragne Icurrently reside in. When I discovered thisand read both the Captain's Journal and theship's log I was confused and ready toabandon my research. Then I recalledreading about similar shift in attitudes inInvidia and Sithicus. Some dramatic eventhas occurred between this land's emergencefrom the mists and the present day.

Excerpt from: "Souragne and its People" Excerpt from: "Souragne and its People" Excerpt from: "Souragne and its People" Excerpt from: "Souragne and its People" by Dannen Renfusby Dannen Renfusby Dannen Renfusby Dannen Renfus

For the following history I rely on both oralhistory and some intriguing notes on the lifeof nobleman Anton Misroi (born aprox. 599BC, died 635), which recently were foundnear Marais d'Tarascon in the possession ofan eccentric man by the name of Mordu.They suggest that prior to the arrival ofCaptain Renfus, Souragne was but anisolated trading outpost on a sea routelinking what its inhabitants call the "OldWorld" (and a country called Aurélians inparticular) and the "New World." The colonyhad existed for perhaps a little over acentury when much of it was lost to the mists.

The island was discovered by oneCapitaine Ferdinand Misroi and his crew ofmaritime explorers from Aurélians in what Iestimate to be 528 on the BarovianCalendar. The Emperor of Auréliansreportedly chose the name Souragne himself- though there is no record as to what thename signifies or signified.

Ferdinand Misroi, who was widelywhispered to be an ambitious and schemingman, initially considered claiming the islandfor himself without alerting the Emperor toits existence. He quickly concluded that itwas only a matter of time before rivalexplorers, from Aurélians or somecompeting power, reported his discovery andhe would need to fight to keep his landagainst usurpers. Misroi, who had alwayshad a reputation as a highly independenttype, decided that it might be wise to presentthe island to the Emperor as a gift and a signof unquestionable loyalty, hopefully inexchange for being granted title and ruleover the island. This anticipated reward

would in turn grant him the defensivesupport la Marine Impériale de Auréliaisewhenever he might require it, as well as asecure base of operations to launch hiscontinued forays into the New World.

I wonder at the location and existence ofthis "Aurélians". The language is soremarkably similar to that of Dementlieu andMordent one cannot help but wonder at apossible common origin. Obviously,Dementlieu could not have been Aurélians;the former did not reveal itself from theMists until seven decades after the discoveryof Souragne. However, with what we suspectof the origins of our lands, it is possible thatAurélians is a forgotten relation to Mordent.It could be a colony, related land or even theland from whence the folk of Mordent came.

This possible connection is furthermuddied by the worship of Ezra by thearistocrats of Souragne. Given the age of thechurches in Port d'Elhour, it is unlikely thatthe Borcan faith spread to the island in thecentury that the island has been in the Mists.The locals insist that Ezra is the faith of theirAurélian progenitors, but there is no way tobe certain.

I am interested in this man Mordu, if hecould be found -either alive or dead- hemight be a valuable source of information.However, he has currently evaded all myattempts to locate him, both mundane andmagical.

Excerpt from: The Journal of Excerpt from: The Journal of Excerpt from: The Journal of Excerpt from: The Journal of Captain RenfusCaptain RenfusCaptain RenfusCaptain Renfus

The people of this island are of two races. Atone time slaves from other distant colonieswere also brought to Souragne. Theconquerors did what they could to dominatethe native inhabitants of the island,subjugating hundreds and slaughteringthousands who would not yield to their will.

It is said that Souragne was much largerthen than it is now, the island stretchingalmost 100 miles farther to the south of theTristepas. There was also land rumoured toexist southwest of Maison d'Sablet, but fewsettlements were ever established there


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Some of the savages managed to hide inthe swamps or in the hills, but over thecourse of the following decades the last oftheir number were exterminated.

The once impressive size of the Islandwould explain much, such as the source ofthe resources that supplied the constructionof the settlements and plantations, to saynothing of the endless graveyards. Currentlystone and limited ore has to be pulled fromsmall quarries on the Eastern border, adangerous task as folk frequently vanish intothe Mists. However, there is not nearlyenough stone and ore there to have built thelarge pre-existing buildings or minted thepre-existing currency.


While Ferdinand Misroi was granted titleand deed over a respectable parcel of fertileland close the edges of Maison d'Sablet, theTarascon clan quickly developed thewealthiest holdings on the island. Of thefour Tarascon sons who came to Souragne,Pierre by far was the most successful. Hewas arguably the most prosperous landowner in Souragne and attracted manylabourers and craftsmen to his estate, which,in but a few short years, grew into the townof Marais d'Tarascon.

His good fortune was due in part to thequality and size of the land as well as to hisintuitive understanding of the agriculturaltechniques that could be applied mosteffectively to the Souragnien context.Moreover, as the eldest son of the Tarasconclan, he had inherited a small fleet ofmerchant vessels from his recently deceasedfather. With this fleet, he easily could exporthis crops and timber back to Aurélians atlittle cost, while also being able to chargehefty, yet still competitive, shippingcommissions to other land owners of morelimited means who sought to export theirexotic goods back to the Old World.

Meanwhile, the Misroi family's land,located at the southern edge of the Maisond'Sablet, slowly began to sink into the bog.The once solid and fertile ground becamemarshy after poorly implemented irrigationpaired with unfortunate flooding drenchedthe soil. The northern fields becameincreasingly mired and the Misroi wereforced to rely on the less fertile southernfields. This, combined with the success of theTarascon's, only infuriated Misroi, who sawhis influence on the island decline year byyear.

Ah, the start of the famed Misroi/Tarasconrivalry. Many songs, stories and jokes havebeen told over that lasting feud. The tworivalling plantations that set the stage for allthe lesser familial quarrels that continue tothis very day. This went on for almost acentury before the Misroi line all but endedwith the death of its patriarch Anton, save fora few scattered members without the landand power they once had. More recently, theTarascon line has been crippled after theevents of twenty years ago.

Despite this, Marais d'Tarascon is still aliving town and frequent stop for vesselsbraving the swamp, especially those hopingto by-pass the often-expensive port authorityat Port d'Elhour. Meanwhile, the once grandMisroi plantation is now lost in theswampland of Maison d'Sablet.

Excerpt from: The Diary of Pierre Excerpt from: The Diary of Pierre Excerpt from: The Diary of Pierre Excerpt from: The Diary of Pierre Tarascon Tarascon Tarascon Tarascon

Woe and shadow lurk over the minds of mycountrymen. Despite the constant growth inour land's prosperity over the past half-century, we fear the prophetic remarks madeby a mysterious gypsy.

It occurred shortly after I founded mylegacy, the town of Marais d'Tarascon. Thegypsy man - named Hyskosa - arrived on ourshores. He was rumoured to have been seenin Aurélians on several occasions, and wasknown to have an uncanny ability to predictthe future with remarkable accuracy.


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How he came to Souragne none seem toknow. He had not travelled to the islandaboard any of the ships that were docked inPort d'Elhour and many later whispered thatit was as if a ghost had ridden in from out ofthe fog on a wagon to deliver a message topoor myself.

Initially I welcomed the gypsy with warmthto Marais d'Tarascon, even inviting him tomy estate. Would that I have simply cast himfrom my sight! I was looking forward tohearing the man's travel tales and fortunetelling. I admit I enjoyed the attention andtalk that Hyskosa would generate among theisland's populace, being the centre ofattention brings many advantages. Hyskosaremained in Marais d'Tarascon for severalweeks, spending much of his time withmyself.

Shortly before he vanished without a trace,riding down the road on his wagon, Hyskosaleft me with two shocking revelations: thefirst, that Souragne would suffer a terriblecurse by the end of its first century ofexistence! The second would occur yetanother century later and would involve themanifestation of one of the Six Signs thatwould forever change both island and thewider world around it.

I was dumbfounded. In a state of despair, Ibegan to share Hyskosa's revelations withmy brothers and others in my social circle.It was not long before the tale spread aroundSouragne and had taken on a life of its own.

I do not record the Six Signs here; I cannotbear to write them again. Nevertheless, theyhave been recorded for prosperity on ascroll, a scroll penned by the gypsy himself,which I now hide for its safety for it may bethe source of our salvation.

I found this report enlightening andshocking. My brothers should recognise thename "Hyskosa" immediately. What is moststartling is the date, approximately 535 BC!This is more than a century before Souragnewas drawn into the Mists and well before thetime of the fabled Dukkar. And it is exactlytwo centuries before the first recordedprophesizing of the Hexad in 735, as noted inmany timelines of our Land.

I am aware of the time-altering propertiesof both the Mists and the Vistani (especiallythe Canjar) but if this is true it is simplyextraordinary.

We must investigate this further as theability to move so far back through time thatone emerges in a land before it is engulfed istoo tempting a possibility to ignore! Tojourney down the river of time to the actualmoment of creation might even offer aglimpse of the Watchers.

However, this might simply be a creationof the false history, a faked memory revealedthrough the glaring discrepancy betweenobserved events. Or it may simply be aVistani of the same name or tribe, anancestor of the Hyskosa we know. Thedescriptions are similar but not beyond therealm of coincidence.


For decades following Hyskosa's visit, theisland's prosperity only continued toincrease. The indigenous natives werevirtually annihilated and their "threat"eliminated, crops were abundant, Portd'Elhour and Marais d'Tarascon grewsteadily, and the Tristepas roadway wasconstructed to link Port d'Elhour with theisland's other communities. Rivalries andintrigue continued between noble families;the Misrois and the formal representatives ofthe Crown pervaded the island, but had littleimpact on its economy and overall politicalstability. Insect-borne diseases and tropicalstorms periodically afflicted the colony, butlife went on as normal and Hyskosa'spredictions were forgotten.

Then, a series of disasters struck the islandduring its second half century. Decades ofwarfare in the New World and along thenaval routes connecting the Old and NewWorlds ravaged Souragne's economy andcurtailed travel to and from the island; botha slave rebellion and civil war (with theMisrois on one side and the Tarascons onthe other) resulted in significant loss of lifeon the island. My estimates place thecasualties from 3,000 to 5,000 lives lost.


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The Yellow Death claimed nearly 2,000additional souls to the death toll. Peoplebegan to recall Hyskosa's prophecy andsought to flee Souragne.

A few years following the closing ofSouragne's first century of colonization ahurricane of unparalleled force battered theisland for weeks preventing contact with allcentral and southern settlements; all soughtwhat shelter they could find. The massive eyeof the storm positioned itself overtop Maisond'Sablet cutting off vast sections of the islandwith a terrifying wind and pounding rain.Unnaturally, it held its position for dayscutting off all outside contact. When thestorm at last died down it was replaced bythick fog, which continued to chokeSouragne. A fog thicker and more pervasivethan any the inhabitants had seen before.

Those who remembered the tale of PierreTarascon and Hyskosa agreed that thegypsy's first prophecy had come to pass.Complete despair settled on the islanders.

To the people of this island it is merely 'theStorm', a terrifying memory of a disasterlong since past. To the enlightened, likeourselves, it is clearly the moment the landwas created or brought into the world. Theseminal event -the impetus behind the land'screation- can be found in the events of 635BC.

With the sketchy records, it is hard to bepositive what occurred. However, one eventstands out: the death of Anton Misroi. Infact, the entire Misroi family disappearedone night in 635 around the time of theStorm. It could very well be they perished inthat disaster, or, much more likely in myopinion, their collective murder was theevent that caught the attention of theWatchers in the Shadows!

The question remaining is who was behindthe murder of the family? The most obvioussuspects are the Tarascon family, especiallywith the recent rumours of their consortingwith monsters. But there is no obviousindividual on which to pin the crime, nosingle Tarascon that stands out as such anotorious villain.

The other likely suspect is the Lord of theDead, the Loa figure feared by all across theland. While I am not convinced of hisexistence, I have seen enough to believethere is something or someone that fits therole. He is rumoured to make his home deepin the swamp and is known to be quitevengeful. It is very possible that AntonMisroi offended the Lord and the entirefamily paid the price.

Whatever the truth the event provedwicked enough to catch the darkest ofattentions and drag the land deep into theMists.


The first decade after the storm was atumultuous time. The world had changed andthe rest of the island had been washed awayby the hurricane and smothered by the Mists.The populace felt detached from their oldlives, removed from humanity. A disgruntledapathy settled across the minds of the peopleand the period was marked be a series ofparticularly cruel and humiliating acts.

Strict and harsh laws were enacted,punishments for disobedience were severeand plantations isolated themselves fromtheir neighbours. The few ships that hadsurvived the storm made no attempts to seekother lands or return to Aurélians.

It was on 645 that life was finally seen tohave stabilized. In an abrupt shift cheer wasrestored to the people. Most of the new lawswere repealed and forgotten and homes wereagain reopened to neighbours. The shock ofbeing cut-off finally wore away andshipyards sprung up and trade was renewed.

This was also the remarkable year that thenobles "freed" their slaves. They openlyclaim to have done this because they thoughtit was uncivil to keep and trade men likeanimals, and therefore decided to do therespectable thing by paying their workers.Admittedly few workers managed to saveenough to buy their way out of servitude andmost continue to work just as if they wereslaves, but most nobles remind doubters thatchange takes time.


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More cynical folk claim that being isolatedmade slavery un-maintainable, that withoutthe armies of Aurélians or threat force theslaves would have risen up. But if this weretrue why would they poor and indenturedworkers not revolt?

Another frustrating passage albeit one thatshines a light on the initial comments ofCaptain Edvard Renfus. It seems that somedramatic change occurred ten years after theland appeared in the Mist. Somethingfundamentally altered in Souragne,something akin to the dread lord being slainor usurped. Something that caused the entireland to shudder imperceptivity. Somethingthere is no record of, no trace of, no realevidence of; I am sure something happenedbut can find no proof of the matter.

Regardless, life subtly changed inSouragne. The people regained their focuson manners and civility -regained theirhumanity if you will- but adopted an attitudeof superiority paired with a refusal to seetheir flaws and mistakes. Incidents of casualcruelty did not diminish, slaves -or ratherworkers- were beaten just as savagely, onlynow the façade and attitudes had changed.


In 739 BC, sombre gypsies again emergedfrom the Mists with their wagons and visitedMarais d'Tarascon. The meaning of this visitwas all too familiar to the locals.Remembering the cautionary tales of theirancestors, the residents of the villageprepared for the worst. For weeks, the skiesover Marais d'Tarascon were an oppressiveand roiling black. Villagers suddenly beganto vanish, descend into madness, or diemysteriously without warning, includingMarcel Tarascon, head of the Tarasconestate. The village, not the cheeriest place atthe best of times, choked with terror's grip.

Brave adventurers dared face thechallenge and attempted to prevent thepassing of one of Hyskosa's six signs: "Thelight of the sky shining over the dead / shallgutter and fail, turning all to red".

It is said that their investigations led themto confront the monster that had beenresponsible for the sudden deaths anddisappearances in Marais d'Tarascon. Yet acrimson moon shone through the roilingblack clouds and the sky shed bloody tears ina torrential downpour as the heroes foughttheir adversary - one of the foretold SixSigns of the second prophecy had come true.

While the supernatural events left theislanders reeling, they learned years laterthat part of the grand prophecy concerningthe Six Signs had been averted, and that theywere spared the full brunt of the GreatUpheaval of 740 BC.

I have read Hyskosa's prophecy, it isrequired reading in our Fraternity after all. Aconfusing mass of typical foresight that canbe attributed to any number of events. Eventssaid to be fulfilments of the Hexad andrelated the Great Upheaval can be found inthe histories in every land. Everyone hastheir legends and stories where they claimresponsibility for saving the world. Whilemany of the occurrences are inarguablyrelated (such as Daglan and the Crown ofSouls in Kartakass) there is much scholarlydebate on the missing revelations. Skully isconvinced events in Har' Akir were apart ofthe prophecy while Reuland subscribes tothe theory that events in Sri Raji fulfilled theHexad.

The eclipse and related events in Souragnedo suggest one of the six signs occurred inthis swampy land, but there is no way to besure. It remains a fanciful theory that is un-provable and of little use to the Fraternity.Whatever the truth, that year climaxed thedownfall of the Tarascon family.

Excerpt from: Souragne and its People by Excerpt from: Souragne and its People by Excerpt from: Souragne and its People by Excerpt from: Souragne and its People by Dannen RenfusDannen RenfusDannen RenfusDannen Renfus

The confidence of the Souragnien nobilityhas grown steadily over the past decade.Dark prophecies no longer hang over theirheads and they weathered the last tworelatively well.


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They have begun to explore the seas moreaggressively, hoping to establish colonies oftheir own on forgotten, yet resource-richislands. Souragne strives to become a worldpower, but it lacks the intelligentsia andinnovators who can efficiently harness thoseambitions into effective action. Likewise, thenever ending treachery between noblefamilies (and in particular between theTarascons, Misrois, Dessalines and theMont Mirebalais) inhibits the collaborationthat is required for Souragne to play a moreinfluential role on the world stage.

For all their talk of being the epitome ofrational and civilized society, mostSouragnien nobles are very superstitiousand have an arguably healthy fear of thespirits that are worshipped by thecommoners-and of the Lord of the Dead inparticular. It is rumoured that the Lord ofthe Dead may actively oppose the plans ofsome of the families. This likely will affectthe extent to which the expansionistambitions of Souragne's nobility are or arenot realized in time.

Ah, the joys of history. Describing eventsof pure truth and facts with as much bias andopinion as a single author can manage.Finding the truth is much like fishing: onecasts out a line and sometimes snags a decentmorsel, while other times hours can passwithout even a nibble.

I have presented what I have found andcommented where I can, which is all one cando. They say those with no knowledge of thepast are doomed to repeat mistakes and thisis especially true of Souragne where thepeople cannot even see their mistakesregardless of how plainly visible they are.

Customs and BeliefsCustoms and BeliefsCustoms and BeliefsCustoms and BeliefsI cannot overstress the role of etiquette insociety. There is a 'proper manner' forintroducing people, mealtime, courtship andevery other aspect of life. These rules are notuniversal; the commoners have one way ofdoing things and the aristocrats have another.

The common folk have a very earthylifestyle with an emphasis on nature and theliving world. Their religion in important andplays the dominant role in their life.Everything is thought of in relation to thespirits, the spirits and loa are consulted onevery major decision. Prayer is frequent andsmall offerings are left on an altar every day.Sometimes animal sacrifice is required, forspecial occasions when a favour or service isrequired of the spirits.

This belief in the spirits colours all activityas one must be careful not to offence any loa,either your patron whom you worshipdirectly or any of the others. You must notkill the wrong animal or break any of themany taboos; you must not invoke the wrathof any other worshipers or sorcerers.

Failure to observe etiquette leads to illness.The sick are blamed for causing their owndisease. Predictably, the cure for the illnessis to make amends to the offended spirit orsorcerer. For ambiguous faults sometimeselaborate rites are needed to pacify theslighted and the assistance of a voodan priestis required.

Rites can include a number of items andseem to revolve around a few key animals orthematic objects. Feathers and bones arecommon instruments although the type ofbird the feather came from is highlyimportant depending on which spirit onewishes to deal with. Bones can be used in avariety of ways from wands or noisemakers(rattles, drumsticks) to clothing adornments,they are simply key symbols. Commonanimals are spiders and reptiles with snakesbeing the far most common. This does notinclude sacrifices, something chickens aretypically used for. Already I have seen somany birds be gutted I begin to feel sorry forthe poor dumb birds.

For more on Loa and Voodan please seethe next chapter for a report excerpt filed byanother of our order. Those interested in thisbrand of magic are encouraged to consult thefull manuscript, which includes lengthydescriptions of observed spells and attemptsto replicate them through arcane means.


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There are two views of magic to thecommoners: the magic if the spirits and theloa, and the magic of death and corruption.In terms my esteemed brothers wouldunderstand, they believe only in divine (orpriestly) magic and in necromantic arcanemagic. While the power of the loa isrespected and feared, for it is the power ofhurting as well as healing, it is still viewed asnatural. Only that magic which has a parallelwith the loa - that of necromancy and healing- is permitted. Arcane magic is not, and isseen as an abomination, a twisting of theland. A frequently cited legend says that itwas magic that sunk the land and raised thewaters to the west turning much of the islandinto swamp.

Arcane magic is also blamed for a rarephenomenon when the moon becomes bloodred, an omen of significance that seldombodes well. Superstition runs rampant onsuch nights.

Now, after some time on the land I can tellyou quite clearly that arcane magic has nomore corruptive effect than in any other land.The natives speak out of fear and ignorance,especially as many other mage spells haveeffects similar to priestly ones. Both cansummon up fire as easily as they raise thedead. They speak only out of fear and beliefin their teachings. However, this does notmake their fear any less relevant to thisreport; they will react very badly to any overtdisplay of magic.

The elites have very, very different beliefs.They hold to the religion of their forefathers,to Ezra, but most pay this little more than alip service. Some are devout practitioners butmost simply go through the motions withlittle piety or passion. They will claim to bestrong in their faith but this is another littleself-deception.

Belief: Belief: Belief: Belief: Cabrit Sans Cor'Cabrit Sans Cor'Cabrit Sans Cor'Cabrit Sans Cor'Cabrit sans cor' is a seldom usedphrase by the Souragnian andtranslates as "goat without horns" and,contrary to the translation, does notinfer to female goats but instead to ahuman sacrifice. During a ceremonyto summon a loa, the voodan makesacrifices to the loa they aresummoning. The loa are asked whatthey want, most will be pacified withofferings of rum or food, but somewill only be pacified with a sacrifice.Usually the sacrifice is chicken butgoats or bulls are also given onoccasion. However, the fear that theloa may ask for a human remains sucha concern that it has been built into thevery chants required to summon theloa, for example:

Mistress Lethede, come and aid us.If a cock is demanded, we will give

it.If a bull will suffice, behold it.But if a goat without horns is

required for sacrificed,Oh, where will we find one?Letheda is one of the more gentle

loa, often summoned for protection,but still the fear is there and if neededthe demands of the loa will be met.

Dread Possibility:Dread Possibility:Dread Possibility:Dread Possibility:The The The The Red MoonRed MoonRed MoonRed Moon

The coming of the red moon marks aday of silence by the Loa ofSouragne, for it marks the day theylost one of the greatest from theirnumber, the wife of Kurkva. Thisevent is highly disruptive to undeadand magic users, often causing thoseof the undead to suddenly be cut offfrom the energy that animates them,unless they are under the control ofthe Lord of the Dead; or spell caster'sspells to backfire (DC 14 Wisdom-based to be able to cast a spellcorrectly).


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Instead of faith, the dominant belief intheir lives is manners. The aristocrats aremotivated by what is polite or proper orexpected. There are entire books written onthe subject of manners and respectability, notthat they do much good to these illiteratefolk. This (mostly) unwritten code isenforced by gossip and fear of shunningmore strictly than any law in the land.

Manners are a dance, much like the formalballs so enjoyed. They have theirintroduction and bow followed by anelaborate movement of feet where youattempt to be as fanciful and graceful aspossible while not stepping on your partner'stoes. There is an atmosphere of one-upmanship to politeness, almost an unspokencontest.

To be seen as crude or improper is ahorrific fear of the upper class. It is a labelsure to kill one's chance of attending futureballs and hinder business opportunities. Noone wishes to consort with someone who hasbeen deemed 'improper'.

Noble Souragniens say it is because oftheir superiority they must have manners andrules, it is a part of civilized society. It is afirm belief of the aristocratic Souragniensthat they are the peak of civilization, thatthey are a kind and compassionate andenlightened souls. Their manners are simplyanother sign of their superiority as a culture.They claim not to look down on thecommoners and instead say they are slowlyworking to educate them, to make them asenlightened as they are. They see themselvesas parents who must teach and discipline achild. I believe I have documented the truthenough and my Brothers can guess at thetrue state of affairs.

The elites also claim to not believe in thesupernatural dismissing it as folk tales thatentertain the common folk. Magic and spiritsare viewed with disdain; stories for those noteducated enough to know better. And yet Ihave still witnessed seigneurs paying avoodan priest for a favour or noblesshopping around for charms. They whispersmall prayers under their breath and follow anumber of small superstitions design to wardaway evil spirits or bad luck. True magic is

still rare in the upper classes. Magicians andpractitioners of our art are precious few inthe land already, but they are even feweramongst the nobles.

SoSoSoSouragniens festivals and holy daysuragniens festivals and holy daysuragniens festivals and holy daysuragniens festivals and holy daysSouragnien observe many "holy" days intheir loa worship: there are numerous loasand most of them have their special place forworship in the year. The most feared andworshipped of all loa is the Lord of the Dead,and four days during the year are Days of theDead, in addition to the moonless night whenhis worshippers also pray to him. TheMaiden of the Swamp is also revered allthrough the year but especially around earlyspring. The other loa usually have one holyday each.

Arcane magic in SouragneArcane magic in SouragneArcane magic in SouragneArcane magic in SouragneThe Lord of the Dead has placed a banon all magic in Souragne not related tothe Loa or Necromancy. He hasprecious little understanding of thearcane arts, and what he does notknow or understand he fears. Hemaintains this ban through rumour andfear, hinting that magic corrupts theland or increases the size of theswamp. He tells tales of those whowere once men but now walk aslizards and reptiles due to magic

However, the darklord has nounnatural ability to sense small usesmagic. He scrys across his land anduses spies to keep an eye out formagicians while encouraging locals toreveal anyone who uses magic.However, he is not omnipotentthought and careful wizards can slipthrough his grasp.


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Souragne's Misty Border: Risk, Souragne's Misty Border: Risk, Souragne's Misty Border: Risk, Souragne's Misty Border: Risk, Profit, and Liberté Profit, and Liberté Profit, and Liberté Profit, and Liberté

It is a common belief amongst the poorthat the mountains that once allegedlyrose from the heart of Souragne andprovided the raw materials for the townsand estates have not vanished, but havemerely faded from view and are lost in theMists. The brave or the foolhardy maysearch the Mists in search of buildingmaterials. Although the financial profitsfrom such attempts can be enormous ifsuccessful, more often than not would-beentrepreneurs either never return, or comeback scared out of their wits. All sorts ofcreatures reportedly dwell in the Mists,and the manpower required to bring backa supply of stone in such a godforsakenenvironment therefore makes profitableventures difficult to organize-few arewilling to risk their skin.

Freedom and true equality are distantdreams to most Souragnien commoners.For some, the dream never dies -quite thecontrary, it grows stronger as the abusesthey suffer grow. For countlessgenerations labourers have passed downthe legend of a place called "Liberté",where peace, freedom, and long lostfriends await the weary workers. Manydismiss it as nothing but legend, refusingto place their hopes in such a maddelusion. Others consider the dream to betheir salvation, a dream rekindled by theodd person actually claiming to havemade it to Liberté.

The legends state that Liberté liesthrough the Mists and in order to reach itone must first have suffered a great deal atthe hands of the land owners, then comeinto possession of a protective charm oramulet before finally dreaming of a safepathway to the settlement. On thefollowing new moon, the dreamer mustwalk off the Tristepas into a patch of fogand seek the path she saw in her visionswhile keeping one step ahead of thedemons that wish to lead her astray and

devour her soul. Most who attempt thejourney are never seen again -whetherbecause they perished along the way orsuccessfully reached their paradise isunknown. Some return with their sanitybadly damaged after some horrificencounter in the Mists.

A few do return to Souragne in order tospread the word and to encourage othersto make the journey. Needless to say, theland owners do everything they can tosilence all discussions concerning Liberté,going so far as to hunt down and slaythose who claim to have been there.

It should be noted that despite (seeplantations) Élie Belenfant's fierysermons concerning the way to Liberté, hehimself has never been there nor does heactually wish his workers to make a breakfor freedom. Belenfant's version ofLiberté implicitly stresses that freedomand happiness can be found in hard work,voluntary servitude, and adherence to hisgospel. Other paths to Liberté are false;"shortcuts" ultimately lead to damnation,peace and freedom on a superficial level.

Search for Liberté Part OneSearch for Liberté Part OneSearch for Liberté Part OneSearch for Liberté Part OneJeannine Mirabel, a commoner claimingto have successfully made it to Liberté,contacts the PCs. She needs theirassistance to discretely spread word of herjourney, to recruit others for the journey,and ultimately to escort the fugitivesthrough the Mists. Possible events wouldinclude developing relationships withcommoners and voodan, clandestinemeetings to spread Jeannine's word,properly judging the strength and desireof deserters while keeping the landowners in the dark concerning the escape.

The PCs might feel that the authoritiesare closing in on them. Once Jeannine andthe PCs have recruited a sufficientnumber of people and are ready toembark, the local militia attack thefugitives, attempting to capture as manyof them as possible to make an example ofthem.


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Jeannine mysteriously disappearswithout a trace leaving the PCs to flee or todefend the fugitives against the militia(Jeannine actually works for one of thelandowners, has never been to Liberté, andwas tasked with unearthing as manypotential "coureurs" as possible). It mightbe possible for the PCs to discoverJeannine's true plans and to come up withcountermeasures; Jeannine would insistthat some of her relatives are being heldhostage. Belenfant might intervene in theconflict, but whether on the side of themilitia (to punish the weak who would beso easily swayed to follow a "shortcut" tofreedom) or on the side of the fugitives (togive them a chance to convert to his faith)also is up to the DM.

Search for Liberté - Part TwoSearch for Liberté - Part TwoSearch for Liberté - Part TwoSearch for Liberté - Part TwoThe Lord of the Dead is growing

increasingly distraught over the rumours ofLiberté's existence; however, he is unableto perceive its location even though heusually has little trouble peering throughthe Mists. Misroi hires the PCs throughagents in Port d'Elhour to investigate. Theagent might hint that he has recently foundevidence suggesting that the legendarysettlement may in fact be a place of evilthat is luring gullible commoners to agrisly end.

If the PCs accept the mission, they mustfirst figure out how to reach Liberté. IfLiberté does not exist, they maynevertheless have to survive dreadfulencounters both in Souragne as well as inthe Mists in order to reach this conclusion.Follow-ups stories might involve theexploration and documentation of Liberté,returning to Souragne, and perhapsjourneying to Liberté to eliminate itsleader. Perhaps a friend of theirs made it toLiberté, but now desperately wants toescape? In the process, they may act asunwitting pawns for the Lord of the Dead.

Religious SurveyReligious SurveyReligious SurveyReligious Survey



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The The The The LoasLoasLoasLoasThough the Church of Ezra claims thedominant path among the people ofSouragne, the worship of the loa remainsprevalent, even among certain of theaffluent. It is seldom seen as blasphemousfor a devotee to attend Ezran services in themorning and then participate in a vodanceremony in the afternoon. For a small fee, asimple farmer could pray to Ezra for abountiful harvest, then easily go to a nearbyvoodan "witch doctor" to ask a loa to destroya rival farmer's crops. The mere fact that thevast majority of the populace participates intwo spiritual paths shatters the ratherromanticized belief that loish worship is an"underground religion" practiced only by asecretive few.

As anchorites open the way to Ezra'sGrand Scheme, voodan priests, given themandate to be the negotiators between thespirits and the world of men, lead the rites toplacate the loa. Loish worship is first andforemost a communal affair and almostevery known ritual involves the participationof at least five individuals (the fact that thevoodan frequently choose the number five isan example of how worship of the loaborrows sparingly from Ezran worship, aswould be stated below). Rare is the ritual "Ihave lived in these swamps almost all mylife, watching and listening as the mires ebband flow, die and be reborn, and yet remainexactly the same. I have hunted too many ofthe dead things that lie beneath the waters;too many, perhaps, for normal folk to bear inone lifetime.

"I know not why I could not leave here.There would be times that I would see thedead things cackle and creak their bones,dredging themselves in a mockery of lifebeyond the steep, uncharted ends of theswamplands, and yet as I chase them the fogbecomes too thick, and the filth beneath thewaters turns to paste that seems to hold meback, pulling me away from the edges of thissorrowed land.

"They say the Mists hide many, many morelands within its thick veil. Wherever theymay lie, I am unsure if I would ever see themin my lifetime, where the dead things go. Iam trapped here, for reasons beyond myken."

--Mama Kristienne d'BourbonetteVoodan of the Bayou, Sept. 17, 751.

No true historical manuscript reveals thehistory of the loish religion; it is believed theloa existed long before humanity ever setfoot in the swamps. Oral history mentionsthe loa as ancestor spirits who walked theearth before taking on an intangible form togive their humanoid successors a chance tolive their lives.that involves only the voodan,and even then an audience is required towatch the spiritual proceedings take place.Heavy drums, rhythmic dancing and theingestion of alcohol and hallucinogenicplants are staples of any voodan ceremony,and in the course of time any participant in aritual could become the "mount," or channel,of the loa (see Dark Tales & DisturbingLegends). This ritual possession is the heightof most voodan ceremonies, and utmost careis practiced by the presiding voodan tonegotiate between the wants of the spirit andthe needs of the mortal petitioners.

To summon the aid of any particular loa, avoodan (or any other believer in the loishfaith for the matter), inscribes a vévé, oncloth, wood or on the ground, using certainmaterials from his or her gris-gris collection.This intricate sigil is a symbolicrepresentation of a particular loa and serves


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as an anchor to help ease the loa's transitioninto the mortal world. Once the loa's servicesare no longer needed, the vévé is destroyedimmediately for fear that the loa's wishesmight extend even beyond the confines of itsritual.

More often than not, loish worshipborrows Ezran trappings and rituals toplacate its countless divinities (Viktor's note:for this subject, you should refer to MrsKingsley's following text). Many voodan usecrude versions of the green and white robesworn by anchorites in ceremonies and manyvoodan altars (positioned to resemble Ezranchurch settings) prohibit the use of any metalother than silver within its premises. Churchiconography is exploited generously: thepopular loa Madris Orundi for example, asdescribed by her devout followers, show herto look almost like Ezra herself.

Vévé : loas representationsVévé : loas representationsVévé : loas representationsVévé : loas representationsWhile there are nearly a thousand differentloas, from dead ancestors to regional loas toanimalistic ones, such as Bouki andLonghears (wild rabbits), about a dozen areconsidered majors loas. The vévé for themajor Souragnien loas are shown here:

Vévé and the LoaVévé and the LoaVévé and the LoaVévé and the LoaA vévé is an intricate symbolicrepresentation of any particular loa, andcould be used by any believer in the loishfaith. However, only characters of thevoodan class (see Dark Tales and DisturbingLegends) can access the full powers of vévé,as detailed below. The various vévé of all theloa spirits described in Dark Tales andDisturbing Legends are illustrated elsewherein this book. Inscribing a vévé takes a fullaction, regardless of its intricacies.

Vévé are considered holy symbols whenstitched on single-colored cloth or etched onwood. Followers of the loish religion can usethis ability but Craft checks to create holysymbols still apply in the process. Forpurposes of using the Craft skill, vévé asholy symbols are treated as high-qualityitems (DC 15). This DC is reduced to 10 ifthe crafter is a voodan. The duration last aslong as the material the vévé is inscribed onremains durable, just as other holy symbolsof other religions.

Only voodan are permitted to inscribe vévéon the earth itself, as reaffirmation of theirstatus as negotiators between the spirit worldand the mortal world. These earth-inscribedglyphs are still considered as holy symbolsbut they offer absolutely no mystical powerwhatsoever if they were inscribed by non-voodan characters. Depending on thealignment of the loa the vévé represents, thearea where a voodan inscribes a vévé iseither consecrated (if good-aligned) ordesecrated (if evil-aligned), as the divinespells cast by a cleric of half the voodan'slevel (minimum 1st). Neutral-aligned vévéhave no such effect on its surroundings. Theduration lasts as long as the spell descriptionor as long as the length of the ceremony,whichever takes longer.


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Vévé give its voodan inscriber a +3circumstance bonus to both Diplomacy andKnowledge (religion) skill checks relating toa loa being petitioned (with a question orwith an ability such as Mount of the Loa). Ifother loa are present but their vévé is notinscribed, the voodan has only a +1circumstance bonus to Diplomacy andKnowledge (religion) skill checks whenrelating with them.

Within a radius of the vévé equal to 10 ft. xthe voodan's Charisma modifier, thepenalties for bestowing gris-gris on someoneelse are lowered by 1. For example, a non-voodan loa worshipper therefore has both theeffective caster level and save DC's for abestowed gris-gris at -1 instead of -2. Thisperson needs to stay within the radius givenabove to gain these advantageous diminishedpenalties.

Dear Esteemed Brothers Dear Esteemed Brothers Dear Esteemed Brothers Dear Esteemed Brothers

This information that I have gathered maywell interest you. It pertains to a cult withinthe worship of a Loa, one known asBrahmbei the Oracle. Though membershipin this loa cult (known as Brahmbei's Hand)is utterly unknown to the outside world it isan open secret amongst the voodan thatserve the Oracle.

The cult claims to have been granted a"Holy Mission". They believe that it is theirduty to collect as much knowledge aspossible for their own, and to destroy anyother text or relic holding that knowledge.They see themselves as the shepherds ofknowledge, granting or denying it to all whopass into their domain. Supposedly, the LoaBrahmbei contacts members of this cult intheir dreams showing them an image of onewho searches for knowledge walking down ablack road, in addition to one of two items: abook or a flame. The book means that theHand must grant that stranger what heseeks; the flame means that they must strainevery effort to deny him his goal. The idea ofBrahmbei -or any Loa- sending visions to somany people is absurd but it appearsgenuine. The cult founding happened when adozen Voodan of Brahmbei, each living inseparate parts of Souragne, experienced thesame vision simultaneously.

I believe that some outside force, possiblyBrahmbei but more another, influences thesegullible Voodan to carry out their ownagenda. If we use our magic to grant thesevoodan a similar vision, we could gainaccess to a font of lore containing many ofthe secrets of Souragne. Such Lore couldprove invaluable against van Rijn and hisdead companions.

Raphael BuchvoldHon. Brother of the fraternity

Dread Possibility - the Dread Possibility - the Dread Possibility - the Dread Possibility - the OracleOracleOracleOracleBrahmbei has never been involved with thecult that bears his name. The manipulationcomes from other sources: not one, but apair of opposing forces manipulates theHands. The organization was originallyformed by Oriel, (male human Div9) anoutlander who arrived in Souragne andmanaged to adapt relatively quickly.

Deploring the voodan's practices ofkeeping knowledge to themselves he sent avision to some of the voodan of Brahmbei(disguised in such a manner as to appear tooriginate from the Loa) explaining theideology of the Hands. Hence after, he spiedupon those seeking knowledge in Souragneand sent the hands the appropriate visions toencourage the spread of knowledge. Sincethen, another has discovered Oriel's groupand seeks to turn it towards somewhatdarker knowledge (an idea Oriel finds worsethan the constraint of knowledge). Thediviner has been unable to discover anythingabout the second manipulator, except thatmost visions sent by him feature the imageof a golden quill somewhere in thebackground.


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Searching for Searching for Searching for Searching for EzraEzraEzraEzraGreetings my Esteemed Brothers, I thankyou deeply for the opportunity to contributeto this task, despite the many inconveniencesin this land.

The The The The Cult of Notre Dame des Brumes Cult of Notre Dame des Brumes Cult of Notre Dame des Brumes Cult of Notre Dame des Brumes (?-year 689)(?-year 689)(?-year 689)(?-year 689)

When Souragne arose from the Mists in 635,its seigneurs did not have any clerics orchurches. Chapels were attached to estates;the earliest sketches reveal statuary of agoddess named Notre Dame des Brumes(Our Lady of the Mists) and symbols whichresemble an inverted long sword. Thesestatues, bearing their old inscriptions, havebeen claimed in Ezra's service and still lookpeacefully down upon their wealthyworshippers.

Questioning of the eldest citizens revealeda variety of answers. Some muttered aboutfatal slave rebellions and burning churchesyet no records back up such remarkableevents. Others insist on the presence ofpriests who traveled between estates butoffer neither names nor graves. Others(probably the most honest) admitted noknowledge of clerics or their fate. Theydescribed short family gatherings in thefamily chapel, led by the patriarch of thehousehold, consisting of simple songs,offerings (flowers and candles), and prayers.As vociferous as the seigneurs are againstthe worship of loa, their recorded pre-Ezranprotests list neither religious reasons norauthorities for their stance.

No religious books exist from this era. Theoldest songs were edited to fit Ezra'sworship; alas, there are no copies of theoriginal, and the elderly do not rememberthem. Poor in literary skills, the seigneurs'religious practices were based on a rich oraltradition with set prayers and small rituals.Most of these practices have been subsumed.

Prominent metaphors for Ezra are hersword and shield; Notre Dame's are herenfolding cloak and arms. When this ispresented to the Souragniens, they aresurprised at the suggestion there is anydifference while mouthing the church's lineon Ezra's renowned compassion. If pressed,the knowledgeable suggest that the prayersaddressed to Notre Dame are very old andhave been retained due to long associationand familiarity.


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Some seigneurs in defence of this ideaproudly claim that Notre Dame representsthe true, tenderhearted Ezra so longworshipped in Souragne (these endorseSentire Lefebvre's search for correlationsbetween Notre Dame des Brumes andDementlieu's Ste. Mere-des-Larmes). Howironic that the seigneurs admire and invoke amercy they do not practice.

Franklin Tennyson (year 689 to 700)Franklin Tennyson (year 689 to 700)Franklin Tennyson (year 689 to 700)Franklin Tennyson (year 689 to 700)

Franklin Tennyson was one of the dozenfollowers whom Yakov Dilisnya hadconverted in Mordent. Rumours had filteredback to the Core about the Souragnienchapels amid devotion to primitive spirits.Once success had been established in Borca,the missionary turned his attention to thislatest challenge. He was surprised at thewarmth of his welcome in 689 and theimmediate support he received from theseigneurs. Correspondence with FelixWachter (friend and future Bastion of theMordent sect of Ezra) remarks on his wonderat the similarities between Ezra and NotreDame. The kite shield was quickly raised onthe estates, and Ezra adopted as the nationalfaith within two years of his arrival.

Once he had absorbed this heady success,Sentire Tennyson realised with some dismaythat the lower classes were not overlyinterested in his church. The poor werehappy for the good priest's aid but sawmerely another attempt for the seigneurs toimpose upon their lives. Notre Dame was nottheir Lady after all, and Tennyson's distastefor the loa was well-known. The anchoritenoted the seigneurs' lip service to his pleasfor compassion and charity, but theirembrace of the Home Faith's focus uponjustice, obedience, and other law-abiding(and seigneur-favouring) virtues.

When pressed, they referred to their'generosity' in the manumission of slaves andrewarding of the most loyal. They excusedtheir practices of oppressive paternalism bypointing to the lower class' heathen ways; ifthey would not willingly attend Ezra's ritesnow, what would become of the church ifthey were given freer reins? They were alsonot shy to point out the social similarity withBorca, often remarking that when the Home

Faith saw fit to transform the situation there,they would attend to it themselves.

The first Ezran schism in 698 did not leavethe Mordentish native unscathed. He hadbeen able to turn a blind eye to Borca'smisery, caught up in the euphoric birththroes of his church; the dilemma was finallydriven home to him, a lone Cvore anchoriteamid the island's wretched poverty andoppression. At what point must compassionconcede to civil obedience, the church togovernment? Wachter's schism from theHome Faith, move to Mordent andpopularity were prominent in Tennyson'smind, as his journals and correspondence ofthat time reveal. In Yakov's failure in theirhomeland, he saw a reflection of his own; inWachter's success, he saw redemption. Heembraced the Second Book of Ezra in 699with renewed zeal and hope. Upholding thenew book, he dedicated more time andservices to the poor, and preached from hispulpit the overriding virtue of mercy, so longexpounded by Notre Dame des Brumes.

The Souragniens of the turning centurylooked askance at the priest. The poor weresuspicious of his motives; the seigneurs sawhim as a nuisance, harping continually onimproving workers' wages and conditions.Neither took any real offence for theanchorite was beginning to succumb to anillness which had dogged him for nearly adecade. They considered his fervour asymptom. When Tennyson died of malaria inthe spring of 700, there was little surpriseand some relief.


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Manon 'Ti-Maman' LaroucheManon 'Ti-Maman' LaroucheManon 'Ti-Maman' LaroucheManon 'Ti-Maman' Larouche(year 700 to 710)(year 700 to 710)(year 700 to 710)(year 700 to 710)

Manon Larouche became the new leader ofthe Souragne church, based in Port d'Elhour.The first few years of her leadership wererelatively quiet, as the diminutive womanwho would become known as Ti-Maman(Little Mother) became familiar with hernew duties and larger congregation. Adaughter of Rene Larouche (owner of LeCoq Noir, a popular casino), Manon waswelcomed by the seigneurs as clearly one oftheir own.

This complacency was shattered in 705when Ti-Maman was suddenly galvanisedinto action. She had had a 'revelation'-whether it was intellectual or spiritual is notclear. She not only recognised the loa; shedeclared Ezra to be foremost among them.

This sudden acceptance of the loa mayseem remarkable to outsiders. It is knownthat various seigneurial families, especiallythose involved with gambling and the sea-trade, were not adverse to turning to otherpowers to abet their luck. The Larouchefamily was no exception and Ti-Maman hadbeen a known worshipper of the loa beforeTennyson's arrival.It is uncertain whetherManon Larouche halted her devotion ormerely hid it carefully like so many otherfamilies. What is clear is that the anchoritehad exposed a secret double standard anddeclared it unnecessary.

When Ti-Maman began to attend voodanrites publicly, the seigneurs were in anuproar. In 706 she left the Port d'Elhourchurch under the guidance of her secretaryEtienne Lefebvre and moved to the smallchurch in Tarais d'Marascon. "At the heart ofSouragne lies the heart of the people, the loa,and Ezra. Now may it be the heart of thechurch."

She gathered together fellow loa-worshipping priests and acolytes introducedfurther renovations. Statues of Ezra werecarved from wood and painted, light anddark-skinned; they were wreathed in flowersand garlands of cypress. Smaller statues ofcertain loa (Brahmei, Kurkva, Lethede,Madris Orundi, and Sehkelo) wereintroduced; the most prominent was theMaiden of the Swamp. Icons of Ezra andthese loa arose; she stood large in thebackground, her cloak (borrowed from NotreDame) sheltering them. Days sacred to theloa were celebrated in Ezra's chapels, withprayers addressed to 'Ti-Freres et Ti-Soeurs'(Little Brothers and Little Sisters). Drumsand dance were introduced to the shrinesamong the poor, and songs evocative of thepopular voodan chants composed by themusical anchorite.

Much of the rituals were translated into thelocal patois, so that the ceremony would beunderstood by the uneducated. The anchoritehealed anybody, worshipper or, even atvoodan rites. Whether this was simplecompassion or an ingenious ploy, it broughta mass of worshippers to Ezra's chapels asthe poor began to swarm to Ti-Maman'sservices, admiring the novelty and thecharismatic priest's zeal. As the numbersswelled, Ti-Maman sent her priests out towander among the plantations, andestablished a shrine in the slums of Portd'Elhour.

As church attendance grew, so did theanimosity towards Ti-Maman. The seigneurshad always fought (publicly at least) againstthe loa. They had been able to keepTennyson's pleas at bay by pointing at thebase voodan devotion. Now their places ofworship were in danger of beingcontaminated, and their threat renderedinvalid. Even those seigneurs rumoured to be


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loa-worshippers were no less vociferous.They refused to believe that LaRouchewould be able to remain in power, inspiring arevolution which would surely be banned byeither the church or the other seigneurs. Theyforesaw an eventual backlash that could costthem their titles and estates if attention weredrawn to any other unorthodox families.

Many voodan were also not pleased by thisembrace of their spirits. They feared thepotential absorption of the loa within thechurch as intercessors or servants of Ezra.Their own role would then be eradicated orweakened under such circumstances. Somehad also been enjoying the private patronageof various seigneurs; now these samefamilies were quickly backing away, takingtheir funds with them.

And the church of Ezra? Ti-Maman wasignored at the beginning as the churchfocused upon its first schism and expandingtheir influence upon the Core. When theThird Book of Ezra was penned in 709 inDementlieu, attention finally turned torumours that Manon Larouche was also busywriting. The church was already reeling overclaims that Ste Mere des Larmes was olderthan Yakov's vision; what if this backwateranchorite began to claim the same for hernative church, and threw in a wholepantheon of loa to boot? A missive wasfinally sent to Souragne, demanding that theanchorite explain herself.

Ti-Maman's reply, if ever penned, isunknown as she was assassinated in 710. Hercorpse disappeared during the days ofexposure decreed by the Lord of the Dead.Rumours abound that the seigneurs stole herbody away to prevent veneration or thecreation of artifacts from her bones and locksof hair; others said that in punishment theLord of Death took her body and soul for herdisservice to Ezra.

Who killed her? Nobody was ever caught.Souragniens have many theories which theyare happy to espouse now that most of thesuspects are dead and not able to retaliate.Conspiracies and hidden alliances are stillheavily debated. Several families have takenprivate ancestral credit for the deed; yet eventhey are careful to not proclaim it publicly.

Ti-Maman has been dead nearly fifty yearsbut is still a thorn in Souragne's side, keptalive by her cult.

What of Ti-Maman's revelation? Herwritings (if they ever existed) have vanished.The present sentire is tight-lipped about herbeliefs and the rationale for her actions. Herdisciples, the priests who served her inMarais d'Tarascon, relate that Ti-Maman hadtreated her revelation as a source for publicaction; its details however were solely forprivate meditation. Public opinion is no lessinformative, as it veers between portrayal ofa saint and a heretic.

The Church of Ezra gave her final rites andan empty plot and tombstone is dedicated toher within the confines of their cemetery;whatever controversy surrounded her life,she was acknowledged as true to the faith indeath.

Etienne 'Pere Laissez-Faire' LefebvreEtienne 'Pere Laissez-Faire' LefebvreEtienne 'Pere Laissez-Faire' LefebvreEtienne 'Pere Laissez-Faire' Lefebvre(year 710 to present)(year 710 to present)(year 710 to present)(year 710 to present)

Etienne Lefebvre, a magistrate's son,abandoned his inherited vocation for hiscalling to Ezra's worship in 697. SentireTennyson had made his small libraryavailable to the bookish youth. Just beforehis death he sent Lefebvre to Mordent to seethe church he envisioned in Souragne. Themissionary's writings confide his personalbelief that this promising scholar wouldsomeday lead the local church.


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Upon Lefebvre's return in 702, Ti-Mamanappointed him the church's secretary andfour years later, Sentire of Port d'Elhourupon her departure to Marais d'Tarascon.Rumours abounded of private argumentsbetween the two. Lefebvre was the naturalcandidate to lead the church after Larouche'smurder: a Core (ergo orthodox) education;his family's pure laine (Souragnien slang forpurebred) devotion; years of service andfamiliarity with the temple in Port d'Elhour.

Lefebvre was not blind to the quandary hewas being placed in. Whatever his quarrelwith Ti-Maman, he admired her ability todraw those who most required Ezra's aid. Hehad witnessed the danger of Ti-Maman'sradical change, but also Tennyson'sineffectiveness in successful application ofthe Second Book of Ezra.

Lefebvre sequestered himself during theperiod of his investiture, meditating upon thesituation. When the soft-spoken Sentire tookto the pulpit, he carefully celebrated thetraditional forms espoused in the temple ofPort d'Elhour. The knowledgeable anchoritespoke of Ezra's henotheistic approach; theThird Book explicitly recognised theexistence of other gods, whileacknowledging Ezra as foremost amongthem. He discussed the Core's churchespolitic approach to other faiths, as well as itsrecognition, even requisite celebration oflocal holidays and customs; ergo the place ofNotre Dame's prayers, songs and devotionalpractices in Souragne's worship of Ezra. It

was important that those who sought Ezra intimes of need should be greeted by familiar,soothing surroundings and customs.

However, as he explained to adumbfounded congregation, this courtesyhad to be extended to Souragne's othercongregations. How could he tell the poorthat the loa were not permitted where NotreDame still stood? He acknowledged the CoreChurch - and seigneurs'- concern, whilereminding that no actual sanction had everbeen set upon Ti-Maman, nor an immediateban upon her practices. Most importantly,Ti-Maman and similar loa-worshippingpriests had never been punished by the lossof their powers. Who was he then, to gainsayEzra?

Quoting a Darkonese maxim, 'festinalente'(make haste slowly), Lefebvreexplained that it was important during suchviolent, turbulent times to act carefully. Rashdecisions could invite anger not only withinthe churches, he suggested, but withinsociety at large, especially when Ti-Maman'sassassins were still at large. Having plantedthe fear of insurrection, he calmly stated thatuntil Ezra had revealed her will more clearly,it was wisest to continue with the two stylesof services. He named them high church(haute eglise) and low (known in local patoisas ti-'glise).

As sentire of Souragne, he would maintainthe high church service. This was theseigneurs' service, which followed theMordentish format and included Tennyson'sapproved inclusions from the Notre Dametradition. He promised that the seigneurs'chapels and temples would continue tocelebrate this service. The low churchservice established by Ti-Maman wouldremain in Marais d'Tarascon and its sistershrines. If Ezra chose to reveal herdispleasure, Lefebvre promised swiftretribution and reparations.

At the same time, Lefebvre had sentmissives to the Home Faith in Levkarest andto the Mordent sect in Mordentshire,outlining his actions. He addressed the costof Tennyson's disdain for the loa in terms ofnumbers and offerings. Was the churchwilling to lose these? He repeated the points


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he would list in his first sermon, andreiterated his vow to intervene at the firstsign of divine disfavour. Neither sect waspleased with the situation, but once again,mainland politics were foremost in theirconcerns. In the wake of the latest schismwith Dementlieu books of Ezra were arisingall over the Core. The Third Book's allusionsto gods had encouraged the creation ofapocryphal pantheons claiming equality withEzra; these were a greater threat thanaboriginal spirits.

Unsurprisingly, the priests of the lowchurch did not lose their powers. Theseigneurs were unhappy but unable tocomplain, at least publicly. This changed inMay 714 when statues of Ti-Maman beganto appear in personal shrines. Dressed in herwhite and green sentire robes, her left handpresses a book to her heart; Ezra's shieldrests against her left leg; Notre Dame's greycloak around her shoulders. As if this werenot controversial enough, the right hand issometimes held up in either blessing orgreeting, fingers splayed; others show itholding objects that suspiciously resemblegris-gris (rocks with symbols of the loas;twigs and blades of grass woven into certainshapes).

There had been rumours about prayers andsongs devoted to Ti-Maman in homeworship, seeking her intercession with Ezra;this was the approach used in Ezra's lowchurch. Small groups supposedly praying forTi-Maman's soul were often frequenting hergrave, leaving offerings. The seigneurs hadignored this foolishness, but demandedimmediate action at this latest development.

Lefebvre forbade statues and publicprayers to Ti-Maman in both high and lowchurch. He refused however to intervene anyfurther. If Yakov Dilisnya could stand beforethe Great Cathedral, how could he ban acherished sentire from homes? When pressedabout the voodan links he reiterated thatthese works were not icons blessed orsanctioned by the church, but 'art' or perhapsvoodan icons. It was not his place to defineloas- he left to the voodan.

In 715, reports of miracles attributed to Ti-Maman began to arise. Wounds and ailmentswere suddenly healed overnight; there wereeven reports of her appearance. Once againthe seigneurs approached the sentire.Lefebvre met designates behind closeddoors. The matter is another popular topic ofspeculation, but no sanctions or actions wereproposed. The statues are still foundthroughout Souragne, even, according torumour, in the private shrines of priests. Thechurch carefully records the allegedmiracles, and decades later, declare they arestill studying the matter.

The nickname 'Pere Laissez-Faire (FatherLeave Be/Let It Go)' was coined at this time.The seigneurs are displeased at thecontinuing presence of the loa and icons toTi-Maman. However, the low church is alsoambivalent about their supposed champion.Lefebvre has never attended voodan rites;during his visits to Marais d'Tarascon, hecelebrates the high service. They also feel heis too slow in recognising Ti-Maman, be it assaint or as loa, and that he is lenient with theseigneurs.

This is not to imply that Lefebvre isunconcerned with the poor. His approach is,as usual, slow and patient. He does notcastigate the seigneurs from the pulpit, for heknows it will only encourage lax attendanceand inattention to him in and out of thetemple. The sentire does a routine circuit ofseigneurial estates and manors, aware thathis presence at a table is able to evoke moredonations than the temple offering plate.


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He encourages tender-hearted devotees tomaintain hospices and soup kitchens,publicly praising their efforts to encourage abeneficial rivalry. He uses his family ties todenounce harsh laws and mediates on behalfof worshippers accused by the law oremployers of wrongdoing.

Lefebvre is an avid scholar of the Books ofEzra, the schisms, and heresies. The paradoxof Ste Mere des Larmes has inspired hissearch for a parallel in Notre Dame desBrumes. This is one idea which does appealto the seigneurs' nationalism, and they areproud to make the claim without any proof.Despite his interest, the sentire disagreeswith the intellectual focus of theDementlieuse sect. "A church is not auniversity; the mind serves the heart; theletter, the spirit; not vice versa," he has beenheard to say. "Ezra, goddess or not, did notsay she would think about the Lost, or fallinto a reverie of introspection, but that shewould save them. We must not waste ourtime trying to figure out what Ezra is at theexpense of her mission."

Illiteracy and the lack of educationstandards in Souragne are Lefebvre'spersonal bane. His time in Mordent has madehim aware of how backwards his homelandand its rulers are. The training -basic andtheological- of his acolytes is intense. It isimperative that Souragne's temple be able todefend its practices with a firm orthodoxfoundation, or suffer a sentire imported to dothe will of Core. Lefebvre encourages hispriests to tutor labourers and their childrenunder the ploy that they are being

indoctrinated in holy writ. Many of thesuccessful students have found employmentin the docks and warehouses, keepinginventory and accounts, and even translators.

Despite the public dissatisfaction, Lefebvrehas survived to a grand old age. He isrecognized for his intelligence and possiblecanniness. His decisions while the cause ofanger are never ignored, but studied formotives. Even now, the congregationwonder at his successor, but the old manremains, as usual, silent.

With respect,Professor Gertrude Kingsley (University of

Paridon, Sociology), 760 BC

The The The The Fifth Book of EzraFifth Book of EzraFifth Book of EzraFifth Book of EzraManon Larouche had been writing a book onher vision of Ezra when she wasassassinated. She had turned to EtienneLefebvre for assistance in the task due to herpoor literary skills; these writings were thecause of their frequent meetings andarguments. Below is a pertinent exerpt fromthese writings:

Ezra looked upon the Time of UltimateDarkness, wondering at the people's despairand disbelief. As her eyes sought the sourceof doubt, they fell upon her church. Herewere the lackeys of kings, the worshippers ofwords, and the heartless self-righteous. Andmany were their victims. Her heart opened,and she said, "Do I not heal the sick, andprotect the weak? It is not my place to turnmy back on any in the Grand Scheme."

Ezra moved through the tides of time, shewho is veiled by mist and myth. She sang ofduty, mercy, knowledge and justice. Last ofall, she sang of peace and compassion. Shesang, and echoes of her message rose andtook shape. But Ezra warned, "Words mustnot divide those united in spirit. Wonder notat the number of echoes, nor whence themusic sprang. My name is nothing; mymission is all. Heed me, and follow myexample."

Then Ezra moved through the heavens andspoke to the spirits and gods of light. "Shallwe let the Legions of Darkness delight in ourrivalry? Is this the example we seek to set?


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Let us agree to harmony; and unite againstour common enemy." The gods and thespirits did not resist her words, and she sether shield to their defence. She said to theMists, "These I claim as kin and friend; thesetoo are good, and speak in my name. We areone and many. Together we shall stand in theTime of Ultimate Darkness, together withthose who love us."

Then Ezra saw the damned in the Mists ofDeath. She heard their cries, and her heartopened. But the Lord of Death, a voice of theMists, said, "Turn back. This is not yourrealm; you are not its queen. You haveclaimed the pure of heart, and the redeemed.The damned did not accept you."

Ezra said, "Must the brief span of mortalyears hold sway for eternity? Have none ofthe legions of darkness come to learnregret?"

The Lord of Death, a voice of the Mists,said, "Step through these gates and you willnot emerge until the end of Time."

Ezra spoke, saying, "Have I not joined withthe Mists? I am she who heals the sick, andprotects the weak. I am she who shelters thepure, embraces the redeemed. Even in death,souls may find me, and be saved. Until allsouls are saved, and the Hollow filled, here Iwill be. This is my role in the Grand Scheme.This must be."

Excerpt from the Fifth Book of Ezra, byManon Larouche and Etienne Lefebvre

In her revelation, Ezra's concern about thenumerous Legions of Darkness had turnedher attention to seeking the cooperation ofthe loa, and other good spirits and gods. Ti-Maman had seen the seigneurs deny rights tothe poor on the basis of their beliefs; she wassure this practice was common in the Landof the Mists. She was concerned as aSouragnien not only with the loa and theirworshippers, but her ancestors. What becameof the souls who had never known Ezra?

Ezra's place in the Grand Scheme was nother worship at the cost of all others, butsaving all those who accepted her.According to Larouche, this acceptance wasextended to other gods and the good spirits.This inclusive compassion was the keystoneof Manon's vision of Ezra.

Lefebvre was familiar with the Rite ofRevelation, in which a new sect of Ezra wasofficially recognized. He had seen Ti-Maman and her followers manifest a newvariety of the Shield of Ezra, which grantedsome protection from the undead. But theBook itself was incomplete, and without it,Ti-Maman and her followers would belabeled heretics. Lefebvre foresaw a pogromwhich would annihilate this sect, and furthercrush the lower classes.

Dread Possibilities: Dread Possibilities: Dread Possibilities: Dread Possibilities: Ti-MamanTi-MamanTi-MamanTi-MamanIt is possible that an individual aspowerful as Ti Maman might defy deathitself. There are many ways by whichthe priestess might return to Souragne.• She has become a ghost or an intelli-

gent, good undead. Possibly with voodan abilities in this form, and she serves the Maiden of the Swamp

• Ti Maman may ascend into a minor loa, as an ancestor who has become empowered by veneration;

• The priestess might have been raised, and is hiding in the swamps, where she presently tends to the undead, now that her time among the living is over;

• Alternatly, she may actually be dead, but Lefebvre is considering raising her as his successor and pro-moter of their now shared book.


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The sentire, as a traditional seigneur, wasalso personally ambivalent about Ti-Maman's embrace of the loas, and knew thathe himself at that point in time could notfully endorse her. He hid the book,established the two church services, andmeditated.

As the low church flourished and Ti-Maman evolved a cult, Lefebvre turned toLarouche's writings. He began to elaborateon their theories. He considered revealingthe books at various anniversaries but alwaysheld back. When the Fourth Book of Ezraappeared with its grim message, Lefebvreknew that he could not delay any further. Hehas gathered a cadre of priests to introducethe book after his death. He has set the datefor the book's release as the fiftiethanniversary of Manon's death.

•


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Petitioning the LoaPetitioning the LoaPetitioning the LoaPetitioning the LoaSouragniens worship the loas insteadof the other deities known elsewherebecause they feel those loas are closerto Souragne. Sometimes the loa dogrant their petitioners answers orspell-like abilities on them. Forexample, someone praying the Maidenof the Swamp for healing can receivea cure light wounds spell on her, oranother praying suddenly finds theright way to exit the swamp where heis currently lost.

It should be a DM's prerogative tolet the loas grant these privileges,under the following guidelines:

• The petitioner should pray at least an hour for the loa to answer, or petition the loa during a voodan ceremony to this specific loa.

• The spell-like power granted on the petitioner should be less then 3rd level in most cases. Only in very rare exceptions should these powers exceed this norm. Use the suggested alignment, schools and domains of a loa as guidelines in order to judge what a loa would grant or refuse.

• The power should be given to the petitioner, or to a person the peti-tioner is praying for (ex: a mother praying for his wounded daughter would see her daughter cured by the petitioned loa; or a person wor-shipping a malevolent loa to get his rival cursed). Usual DC should

be applied to unwilling targets of a power.

• In case of an answer to a question (such as the way to get out of the swamp), this should be limited by the DM to matters of interest to the petitioned loa.

• The suggested chance of a loa answering a petitioner should be around 10%, modified by circum-stances (DM's judgment).The peti-tioner should be a regular worshiper of this specific loa (peti-tioner praying the loa for the first time, or less then three times per year, get a -8% penalty). If peti-tioned during a voodan ceremony to this specific loa, add a +5% bonus. A voodan priest add twice his level to the chance of getting answered by the usual loa wor-shiped by this voodan (a 3rd level voodan usually worshipping Brah-mbei should get a 6% additional bonus when petitioning this loa). If the loa petitioned isn't a major loa, add a -5% penalty.

Any petitioner should not get aspecific loa's attention more then onceevery two months, modified bycircumstances (DM judgment). Theonly exception to this rule is voodan,who can get "answers" from their loaup to once a week.

EpilogueEpilogueEpilogueEpilogue



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Dear reader,

I had put away my pens and parchment,this book was done. But it was not to be.Even with our care to hide our arcane skills,we found ourselves into problems with thefirst Lord of the Dead's rules about forbiddenmagic. We trust the following will remainconfidential.

Last Monday, an old man came to theMaison Soulombre plantation early in themorning and asked to speak to the newowners. Usually the servants handle peddlersand merchants but since this one managed toslip past our defences, we granted him anaudience. The man introduced himself asPatte-de-Poulet and claimed he was sent bythe highest authority of Souragne. At first,we thought him to be acting on behalf of thePort d'Elhour Conseil des Seigneurs. Oh,how wrong we were!

Though polite, our strange guest did notlack for nerve. Rather than discuss hispurpose for coming, he questioned us of ourorigins and our goals in Souragne. Weresisted the urge to punish him for hisimpudence, and answer evasively. However,he seemed to see through our deception andboldly announced that his Master did not liketo be lied to, nor did he suffer magicians torun loose in his realm.

It was clear, then, that Patte-de-Poulet (orChicken Bone, as we later learned) was anemissary of the Lord of the Dead. My firstthoughts were, well, violent, but before Icould act, he looked at me sternly as thoughhe knew my intentions. Clearly he was oneadept in the Art, as we should havesuspected.

In the silence of our stunned realization heleft us, though not before making a finalproclamation: his master would send for ussoon, and we would be wise to obey. Therest of the evening was spent betweenfevered debate and long thoughtful silences.

The next day, around noon, we received ashort letter:

Dear Elders,Dear Elders,Dear Elders,Dear Elders,I now feel I have to talk to you privately. Iwill send you a guide tonight, after sunset,and please feel obliged to follow his horse.

Sincerest regards,

A.M.

The missive proved as disturbing asChicken Bone's visit. Our correspondent hadnamed us "elders", a title we used onlybetween us at the Fraternity. We were furtherpuzzled by the signature "A.M." We knew ofno person in the Conseil des Seigneurs or intown with these initials. Despite our growingapprehension, we realized that we had notime to prepare spells for the encounter. Themysterious A.M. knew what he was doing.

After some hasty discussion, we decided tosend a small group of well-equipped elders:Skully, Lutemmi, Reuland and myself wouldmeet with our enigmatic friend. We alsowrote a warning letter to JonothanLochspeare -currently in Sithicus- in case wedid not return, and gave instruction to send itto him if we were not back in 48 hours. Inspite of our prudent measures, we were fairlyconfident in our safety. We had deduced thatif the mysterious A.M. were indeed the Lordof the Dead then he could have destroyed usoutright. We concluded that he might wantsomething from us.

After sunset, a lone horseman came to ourproperty. The frightened Souragnien told usto follow him and stubbornly refused toanswer our questions. Rather than lead ustowards Port d'Elhour, he took us on a trailtowards the festering swamplands of laMaison d'Sablet. From there, he ferried us byraft deeper into the depths of the boglands. Ifour friend "A.M." had chosen his meetingplace to intimidate us, he had succeeded.

Time passed slowly as our guide navigatedthe tiny craft through the twisted labyrinth ofmarshes. Finally we emerged into the vastexpanse of Lac Noir. Our guide led us acrossthe sea of reeds to a solid patch of shore. Infront of us, we saw a faint glow and heard adeep voice: "Good evening, gentlemen."

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Through the trees emerged a man onhorseback, a tall aristocratic gentlemancarrying a torch. He spoke in a polite tone,though his words carried an air ofcondescension. Smiling, he added: "It is apleasure meeting you all here tonight. I amAnton Misroi."

I noticed immediately that something wasamiss with our host. He was bothered byneither the sweltering humidity nor thebiting insects that tormented us even as hespoke.

Speaking to our guide, Misroi uttered"Télesphore, grand-grandchildren of my dearNanaea, leave us. Return in an hour."

Meanwhile, we looked at each other."Misroi?" Skully whispered, "But that's aname of the past!" As my eyes adjusted tothe light, I noticed with dread that Misroi'smount was a quite dead…

When our guide had left us, Antonresumed his conversation with us. "I havewatched your group since you first arrivedand long known that you were not as youappeared. This is my home, gentlemen, andnobody is allowed to spy on me, especiallywith forbidden magic. No secrets are hiddenfrom me, gentlemen. Did you honestlyexpect you could break my laws and leavethis island alive?"

Anton's polite smile changed not afraction, though his eyes gleamed withsavage joy at our fear. It seemed that we hadmade a grave miscalculation. But somethingin Misroi's expression changed. The civilsmile and savage eyes dissolved, leaving amore genuine, if grim expression. Werelaxed slightly; with his show of force doneit was time to talk business. Still, even withall my training I felt like a schoolboy beinglectured.


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"But, dear Elders," he said, "it would seemwe have a common enemy. You see, a pitifulbeing known as Death -how ironic for aname, no? - sent emissaries to me a year ago.These messengers said Death had read aboutme in an old tome. They wanted me to sharemy knowledge of this world with Death. Thefools compounded their impertinence byoffering nothing in return. Sadly, I havefound that the dead are the first to forgetgood manners."

"Naturally," he continued, "I punishedthese ambassadors for their rudeness.Though, astonishingly, their master has yetto understand that I am master within myrealm. I destroyed them save one and toldher to return to her pitiful master and repeatmy answer to his request. Even now hethreatens to pester me with his pitifulminions. Though these intrusions havebecome a source of new servants, they havealso proved to be a nuisance."

"Then," he resumed, "you arrived inSouragne. I could have you destroyedquickly. However, I learned that we havethis common enemy. That you are still alivetonight is owed solely to that fact. Iappreciate the potential value of livingservants, especially in dealing with mattersbeneath my attention."

Anton then ordered us the following."First, I am curious what your organizationhas learned of me and my modest realm. Youwill prepare for me a copy of all you knowabout Souragne within a month and not a daymore. I advise you to omit nothing. You willgive these documents to Patte-de-Poulet. Ibelieve you are well acquainted with him."

"Second, you will keep a very low profileand not flaunt my ban of magic. My subjectshave faith in my laws and I will not sufferthat belief to be challenged. As well, while inmy realm, the Fraternity will keep theservants of Death out of my land. Hunt themand destroy them quickly, for if I must lowermyself to dispatch them my patience withyou shall wear thin."

"Finally, dear Elders, you must neverdoubt that my laws are absolute. You havebeen given a reprieve, not a pardon. Shouldyou ever defy my will, I assure you, I shallteach you all possible meanings of a fateworse than death."

With that, he disappeared back into thegloom. After ages of waiting in the black,our guide returned and ferried us back tocivilization. Of course, we have compliedwith our new found benefactor. Was thereany other choice? Despite his bluster andpredictable power games, it is clear that he isa force beyond our ability to challenge -forthe time being- so we must conform to hisconditions.

Still, this Misroi is a fascinating character.He may yet be a source of great information.I sincerely hope both parties will profit fromthis association.

Viktor HazanViktor HazanViktor HazanViktor HazanMaison Soulombre, SouragneFebruary 1st, year 760

Appendix 1Appendix 1Appendix 1Appendix 1

DM's Appendix DM's Appendix DM's Appendix DM's Appendix


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New New New New FeatsFeatsFeatsFeatsDancing bonesDancing bonesDancing bonesDancing bones

You are able to cast spells simply by dancingor singing them.

Prerequisites: Born in Souragne, able tocast spells, 5 ranks in Perform (Dancing orsinging), Charisma score of at least 13.

Benefit: Through dancing or singing (orboth), you are able to cast spells. You do notneed to make the normal somatic gestures tocast them. Material components must be inhand (and they can are used or consumed asper the spell description). The singing anddancing is a full round action (or longer, isthe spell takes longer to cast).

Since you are in movement, you areconsidered to be in defensive mode whendancing. If the spell is cast by singing, thecaster appears to sing a strange song in aforeign language. To spot that a spell isbeing cast, other casters must make a SenseMotive check DC 16 (+ Cha modifier of thecaster). In addition, Spellcrafts checks toidentify the spell are made with -4 penaltydue to the unfamiliar movements.

New Spells from SouragneNew Spells from SouragneNew Spells from SouragneNew Spells from SouragneExterminateExterminateExterminateExterminate

NecromancySpell level: Wiz/Sor 2nd, cleric 2nd, druid 1stComponents: V, S, MCasting Time: 2 roundsDuration: InstantRange: CloseArea: 50 sq. feet + 50 sq. feet per level.Save: None (Fort negates)Spell resistance: yes

This spell is used on houses overridden withswamp vermin, when their numbers are suchthat they can't be driven off with any othermeans and they are a threat to the health ofthe residents.

This spell immediately kills 50 vermin/caster level (each with less than 1 hit point)in the area of effect (no save). The area canbe shaped according to the casters wishes toa square, a rectangle or a combination ofadjacent rectangles. Each size of the areamust be at least 10'. Vermin with more than 1hit point or larger than diminutive size areimmune to this spell.

In case of a swarm, the swarm may make aFortitude save to negate the spell entirely. Incase of a magically summoned swarm, thespell has a DC penalty of -4.

This spell does require a Power Check.Material component: the remains of a rat

that has been simmered in swamp water for 3days and nights.

Spirit armourSpirit armourSpirit armourSpirit armourNecromancySpell level: Wiz/Sor 2nd, cleric 2ndComponents: V, S, FCasting Time: 1 roundDuration: 1 hour/levelRange: touchTarget: Creature touchedSave: Fortitude negates (harmless)Spell resistance: yes (harmless)

This spell uses the life force of the caster oranother creature to create an armor of shortsfor the caster. While under the effect of thisspell, the caster has an unnatural aura aroundhim that unnerves others (+1 OR).

To cast this spell, the caster must deal 1 hitpoint of damage to a living creature(including himself) with a special dagger(the focus of the spell). In the next round, hecasts the spell. In case that the caster uses hisown blood, the spell can be cast at the sameround that the caster wounds himself(concentration check for one hp damageneeded).

The spell gives the caster a +5 armor bonusand the caster gains a +2 resistance bonus toall saves to resist any deliberatingmanipulation of his life force, from energydrain, ability damage or drain to vampirictouch and ray of enfeeblement.

Appendix 1 Appendix 1 Appendix 1 Appendix 1 DM's AppendixDM's AppendixDM's AppendixDM's Appendix

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In case of ability damage or drain, the spellalso lessens the damage by 1 (minimum 1point of ability damage or drain). Forexample if the caster was drained from avampire for 3 points of constitution, he orshe would lose only 2 points.

This spell cause a powers check if thecaster is using someone else's blood: if thecaster damages another creature to gain theprotection of this spell, even if this creatureis a foe, the spell is considered evil and thepower check is 4%

Focus: A specially prepared ceremonialdagger, costing at least 50 gold pieces. Thedagger must have been used in rituals to theLord of the Dead.

Vermin wardVermin wardVermin wardVermin wardAbjurationSpell level: druid 2ndComponents: V, SCasting Time: 1 roundDuration: 2h/ level Range: CloseArea: 10' radius +5'/level Save: None (will negates)Spell resistance: yes

A less extreme method for dealing withvermin in the swamps of Souragne than theexterminate spell. This spell is often used toward off annoying mosquitoes or leechesfrom the camp site of the caster or to driveoff vermin from an area during the durationof the spell.

This spell immediately drives off the areaof effect all vermin (flying insects, parasites,small reptiles etc.) The spell affects verminof diminutive size or less, with up to 1 hitpoint. For the duration of the spell, verminwon't enter the area of effect.

Larger vermin can resist this spell: verminup to 1 HD may make a will save to resistthis spell. Vermin larger than 1 HD aretotally immune to the ward. In case of aswarm, the swarm may make a will save tonegate the spell entirely. In case of amagically summoned swarm, the spell has aDC penalty of -4.

The The The The SwampSwampSwampSwampTerrain effectsTerrain effectsTerrain effectsTerrain effects

Should the DM needs it, here's a randomtable of Maison d'Sablet terrain Features:

Most of the brooks are just a few feetacross, but some water ways are wideenough for a large boat navigating slowly(and with an experienced guide). The LacNoir area and some of the larger water waysare anywhere between 10' and 40' deepbefore reaching mud. .

Bogs: see DMG description p 88 formovement and various check modifiers inbogs.

Undergrowth: Those are drier islands, withwildly varying size. Truly dry land is veryuncommon and most undergrowth patchesare muddy at best. See DMG description p88 for movement, concealment and variouscheck modifiers in these.

Shallow bog 50%

Deep bog 15%

Light undergrowth 20%

Heavy undergrowth 15%


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Quicksand: The chance to encounter aquicksand is 5% per hour. Those quicksandpatches look like drier land and they aremostly located on the outskirt of dry islands.See DMG description p. 88 for mechanics ofquicksand and rescue.

"Swamp gas": The chance to encounter anarea with inflammable gas is 5% per day. Itis left to the DM to establish its effects, butmost swamp gas areas should contain smallquantities of methane gas. The PCs shouldbe able to smell the tell tale odour of rottenegg (sulphur). Also, some of these sources ofswamp gas could already be burning, in anever-ending torch way. As an option, someswamp creatures could use these gases whencrafting traps.

Optional equipment: Swamp Shoes Optional equipment: Swamp Shoes Optional equipment: Swamp Shoes Optional equipment: Swamp Shoes These very uncommon items are made ofwooden rods and leather and look somewhatlike an upside down umbrella. Swamp shoeshold the user above the surface of swampwater and enable him to walk on the surfaceat normal move (the normal move in aswamp is cut in half). The user can't run.

Some of the humanoids dwelling in theswamp use them for quicker walking acrossswampland and have an advantage forhunting. The swamp shoe has an ovalkidney-like shape, roughly 45 by 70 incheslarge. It takes about two weeks of training tobe able to use the swamp shoes, but the userstill have a -4 dexterity penalty and can'tmove and fight in the same round. It takesanother two week of training to be able tofight without dexterity penalty and be able towalk and fight during the same round.

Getting lost in the bog: There are manyways to get lost in the wilderness. Followingan obvious road, trail, or feature such as a

stream or shoreline prevents any possibilityof becoming lost, but travelers striking offcross-country may become disoriented-especially in conditions of poor visibility orin difficult terrain.

Poor Visibility: Any time characterscannot see at least 60 feet in the prevailingconditions of visibility, they may becomelost. Characters traveling through fog or adownpour might easily lose the ability to seeany landmarks not in their immediatevicinity. Similarly, characters traveling atnight may be at risk, too, depending on thequality of their light sources, the amount ofmoonlight, and whether they have darkvisionor lowlight vision.

Difficult Terrain: Any character inmaison d'Sablet may become lost if he or shemoves away from a trail or other obviouspath or track.

Chance to Get Lost: If conditions existthat make getting lost a possibility, thecharacter leading the way must succeed on aSurvival check or become lost. The difficultyof this check varies based on the visibilityconditions, and whether or not the characteris familiar with the area being traveledthrough. Refer to the table below and use thehighest DC that applies.

A character with at least 5 ranks inKnowledge (geography) or Knowledge

Table 1: Boat StatisticsTable 1: Boat StatisticsTable 1: Boat StatisticsTable 1: Boat StatisticsBoat type Capacity Size Speed Manoeuvrability HP Hardness

Canoe - small 2 medium 30 'Good 15 3

Canoe - large 6 large 30 'Medium 25 3

Raft 6 large 30 'Medium 15 3

Rowboat 8 large 30 'Poor 30 4

Survival DC

Maison d'Sablet, not familiar with the area

12

Maison d'Sablet, somewhat famil-iar with the area

10

Maison d'Sablet, very familiar with the area

8


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(local) pertaining to the area being traveledthrough gains a +2 bonus on this check.

When in deep fog or at night, add a +4penalty to the Survival DC check.

Check once per hour (or portion of anhour) spent in local or overland movement tosee if travelers have become lost. In the caseof a party moving together, only thecharacter leading the way makes the check.

Effects of Being Lost: See DMGdescription p 86 for rules on the effect ofgetting lost.

Other dangers of the swampsOther dangers of the swampsOther dangers of the swampsOther dangers of the swampsEach time spent in Maison D'Sablet, make

these checks for unprotected PCs: Exhaustion check: When moving in the

swamp, from the high humidity anddifficulty to move through the swamp, PC inMaison d'Sablet should make a DC 13 check(Fortitude) or become fatigued. The check ismade after a period of four hour, and foreach hour hereafter.

A fatigued character should succeed a DC16 check each hour or become exhausted.

Water: Drinking water from the swamp orfrom a well in the drier lands of Souragne,unless boiled before, can make character sick(DC 14 Fortitude when drunk; Damage: Con1, and be nauseated).

Disease: Because of the fouled swamp andmosquitoes, for every contact with theswamp, or 24 hour period spent in it, PCshould make a DC 14 check (Fortitude) orbecome diseased.

The check is made with a penalty of +4 ifthe character has an untreated open woundfor at least an hour during this period, and abonus of -4 if the character is well protectedfrom insect bites.

Check on the following table for thatnature of the disease.

Swamp Fever: A DC 14 Fortitude checkafter incubation period of d20+6 hours.Damage: 1d4 Strength and 1d4 Constitution.The disease make the character feel sleepyand fatigued. This is mildly contagious (DC8 when in physical contact with thediseased).

Leech sickness: A DC 16 Fortitude checkafter incubation period of 1 day. Damage:1d4 Wisdom. The diseased character isprone to hallucinations. This is notcontagious. If not healed within four days,the character can get permanently blind (DC10 Fort each day after the fourth).

Gator rot: A DC 18 Fortitude check afterincubation period of 1-4 days. Damage: 1d4Constitution. The diseased has patches of hisskin turning to alligator scales. The wholebody is covered after a week if not healedbefore that. Unfortunate person with visiblesigns of this disease sometimes have beenstoned by superstitious mob. This is mildlycontagious (DC 8 when in physical contactwith the diseased).

Slimy Doom: see DMG p. 292. Victimsturn to infectious mud coloured goo from theinside out. This is highly contagious (DC 12when in physical contact with the diseased).

See the DMG p 292-293 for diseases andhow to heal them. Some voodan potions andfilters add a +2 bonus to healing checks.

Monsters and Monsters and Monsters and Monsters and EncountersEncountersEncountersEncountersSwamp Swamp Swamp Swamp Animal Threats Animal Threats Animal Threats Animal Threats

For Souragniens alligators, use the MonsterManual regular crocodiles stats block (page271) but making them one hit dice smaller to2d8+6 hp (15 hp). On full moon night, theintelligence of these reptiles augments from1 to 4 for a week, making them morecunning and deadlier during this period.

The water snakes are tiny, small ormedium vipers. The poison of the blackwidow (tiny spider) should be: poison DC20, initial damage 2d8 Strength. Some ofthese snakes have the habits to get on a treeto dry, and wait to drop on unsuspectingpasser by.

Swamp fever 70%

Leech fever 15%

Gator rot 10%

Slimy Doom 5%


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Souragnien monstrous catfish: thosethankfully rare horrible fishes eat anything,even young alligators. Use the MonsterManual regular medium shark stats block,but changing their physical description andgiving them slower swimming speed of 30feet. They are not poisonous so the folk taledescription is false on this part. This wasinspired by the Fishead short story by IrvinS. Cobb.

Vampire bats: use a swarm of NightHunter, from Monsters of Faerun, a 7' giantcarnivorous bat (CR 1), and make them huntat night, hungry for warm blood. It is saidthat voodan priest often need these animals'corpses as part of their potions.

Leeches (vermin): the swamp waters areoften infested by these tiny parasites. Theirbite is painless since an anaesthetic iscontained in the leech's saliva. A spot DC 20check is needed to notice a leech has bittenand is attached to the body. A Souragnienleech gorges itself with blood, even when thevictim gets out of the water, at the rate of 1constitution point for every five leechesattached, per hour. The probability of a leechattack is relatively low, like 5% per minutespent in the water, but in some areas thischance rises to 20% per minute. Each attackis composed of 1d4 leeches.

Being bitten by leeches augments the DCfor disease by a penalty of +4.

Monstrous Monstrous Monstrous Monstrous EncountersEncountersEncountersEncountersUncommonly, monsters and othersupernatural creatures are also encounteredin the swamp. Following is a list of creaturesaccording to rarity.

Most common: Zombies1 (CR varies);Souragnien Zombies2 (CR varies. Some ofthem are not aggressive, being in fact on anerrand for Anton Misroi); Leech -Witchbane3 (CR ¼); Quickwood3 (CR 10).

Uncommon: Bloodrose 3 - plants trying tolure people to their leaves filled with freshrain water (CR 1/2); Aquatic Ooze -Bloodbloater (CR 1); Aquatic Ooze -Flotsam Ooze (CR 2); Crawling Ivy 3 (CR2); Zombie - Cannibal3 (CR 3); Lashweed3(CR 4); Evil treants (use Dark Trees (CR 7)

from Monster of Faerun, but making themsmaller - 5d8+10 (47 HP), CR 5; or us theDread Treant3 sidebar p.170); Will o' wisps1(CR 6); Doppelganger Plant3 (CR 6);Death's head tree3 (CR 9).

Rare or unique encounters ideas:Rare or unique encounters ideas:Rare or unique encounters ideas:Rare or unique encounters ideas:For other possibilities, a DM in Souragnecould use a coven of hags3 hidden in theswamps, posing as benevolent voodanpriests. Also, the evil Bog Hag (in OrientalAdventure) wears the skin of its victims.

A "swamp thing" monster (shamblingmound1 (CR 6)) idea could involve a personcursed to this shape by an evil voodan (Butwhat did he do to cause this?).

Travellers might also encounter feu follet,good aligned Will o' wisps with identicalstats but different dietary requirements.

Other interesting swamp-themed creatures'adventure hooks include: Drownling3 (CR3); a tribe of Moor Men3 (CR 3); AquaticRemnants3 (CR 3); Corpse Rat Swarm7 (CR4); Yellow Musk Creeper5 (CR 4); SwampStrider Swarm6 (CR 5); Bloodmote Cloud7(CR 6); Lycanthrope-Werecrocodile4 (CR6); Catoblepas5 (CR 6); Darktentacles5 (CR7); Mudmaw5 (CR 7); Octopus Tree5 (CR12); Zombie Golem3 (CR 12).

1 - from Monster Manual; 2 - seeappendix; 3 - from Denizens of Dread; 4 -Monsters from Faerun;

5 - from Monster Manual II; 6 - fromMonster Manual III; 7 - from Libris Mortis

New MonstersNew MonstersNew MonstersNew MonstersMerrshaulki Merrshaulki Merrshaulki Merrshaulki

In the western part of the swamp, amidst thefetid vines lies the mighty Ziggurat of theGreat Crocodile and heart of the Merrshaulkicivilization. The remnants of a once greatrace, Merrshaulki have regressed to a moreprimitive way of life, yet the still yearn forthe greatness they once had. They offer dailysacrifices of blood and food to their god, inthe hopes that he will once again find themworthy and lead them back into the true


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dominance over the soft skins (other formsof sentients).

Once they were the Akarawa, some of theoriginal natives of Souragne who had ananimist faith in which reptiles and the reptileloa were revered above all others. Thosewith the greatest spiritual strength could callupon the Crocodile God in a ritual thatinvolved soft chants, eerie flute music, and ahypnotic dance. The god would bestow uponhis most faithful the ability to shapechangeinto one of those creatures.

When the Akarawa faced genocide at thehands of the Aurélians, the last of theirnumber enacted a powerful version of theritual that changed them permanently intothe diminutive reptile men that now inhabit aremote corner of Western Maison d'Sablet.

The reptile men typically keep tothemselves and do their best to existunnoticed, but also secretly scavengebuilding materials from Souragne's townsand estates, as well as from the mist-shrouded mountains at the forgotten heart ofthe island. They occasionally abducthumans, preferably children, for monthlyritual sacrifices to their god. This has giventhe reptile men the status of bogeymen inSouragnien folklore.

Their stats are identical kobolds.

Appearance & FashionAppearance & FashionAppearance & FashionAppearance & FashionThe Merrshaulki stand at about 4 feet buttheir slouched posture means appear closer

to 3 feet. They resemble a bipedal crocodile,with scale coloration varying from mottledbrown-green to dark green. This almostuniformed look means that one Merrshaulkilooks very much alike to most human butMerrshaulki can readily identify each otherby slight colour variations and pheromones.Most Merrshaulki wear little in the way ofclothing, wearing only a simple loincloth,but other decorate themselves with simplebone trophies tied with leather cords to theirbody to allow free movement. The exceptionis those of high ranks who wear elaborateheaddresses made of soft metals, bone andfeathers, with Jaws of the Great One,Sandover, possessing the most elaborate.

LanguageLanguageLanguageLanguageMerrshaulki is a mixture guttural resonatingnoises and high pitched squeaks, designed topass for some distance within an aquaticenvironment. However since the coming ofthe holy prophet. Jaws of the Great One,many of the Merrshaulki have (re)learnedthe language of the native soft-skins, butmouth structure prevents them fromspeaking in anything other than brokenwords and complex words of more that twosyllables remain impossible. However, theyoften understand words spoken in theirpresence and woe betide any who thing theyare slow-witted due to broken speech.

Lifestyle & EducationLifestyle & EducationLifestyle & EducationLifestyle & EducationThe Merrshaulki have a ridged socialstructure, with a labour caste, a warrior caste,a priest caste and hunter caste. EachMerrshaulki is assigned to their caste whenthey hatch by a high-ranking member of thepriest caste.

The labour caste, while regard in mostsocieties as downtrodden, is one of the mostrespected next to the priests. They containwithin their ranks the Egia (Nurseryworkers) whose duty is to tend the eggs ofthe next generation. The labour caste alsocontains the Grina (Builders), those trainedin the knowledge of how to construct theworks of the ancients. They were responsiblefor constructing the Temple of the GreatCrocodile.


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The Warrior cast are often the most burlyof all the Merrshaulki due to generations ofselective breeding. It is the warrior caste whoare responsible to obtain sacrifices andslaves from the soft-skins. The warriors actas personal guards of the small priest casteand are responsible for removing every tenthsacrificial remains to the north of theirterritory as a tribute to the One-who-is-dead-yet-not-dead on the orders of Sandover.

The hunter caste is the most numerous ofall the castes and is responsible for ensuringthe population gathers enough food, they arealso responsible for feeding the sacred ones(the local alligators). The small priest castewere the leaders of the Merrshaulki societyuntil the coming of Sandover, and wereresponsible for ensuring the correct ritualsand rite were said, making sure the correctsacrifices were made, and telling the tells oftales of the Great One. However, their roleshave diminished with coming of Sandoverand now act more as an advisory council,performing only the minor rituals andsacrifices by themselves. Elders in the castesteach children though oral tradition, allMerrshaulki are taught the tales of the GreatOne.

The slaves are regarded as fit only to beused up then thrown away. They are lookeddown on by all of the Merrshaulki. Thanks tothe ritual that the slaves go through aftertheir capture, merging them with reptilianessences, they are so docile to their mastersthat they will calmly stand still for one whileit cuts its heart out for a sacrifice.

Attitude Towards MagicAttitude Towards MagicAttitude Towards MagicAttitude Towards MagicThe Merrshaulki worship only one god,

alternately called the Great One or The GreatCrocodile, but concede that this is but one ofhis many aspects and represents his strength,power and unbridled savagery. His aspect ofthe Twisting Serpent represents hisdeviousness, trickery and magic. His aspectas the sun represents his life giving andglory, while his aspect as the moon is that ofhis healing and caring. To honour theseaspects, three shrines exist at compass pointsto the Temple of the Great Crocodile, to theEast lies the shrine of the sun and the West

the shrine of the moon. The Shrine of theTwisting Serpent lies to the North of thetemple, to the south of the temple lies thesacred pools of the alligators.

The Merrshaulki do not see magic as evil,rather it is a blessing of their god in hisaspect of the Twisting Serpent. AnyMerrshaulki that shows such a blessing afterbeing assigned to a caste other than that ofthe priest, often find themselves subjected toan arduous ritual to prove themselves worthyof changing castes. However, such a blessingof the Twisted Serpent is often a mixedblessing as they are often seen as possessingall the traits of the Twisting Serpent and areseen as deceitful and crafty.

The The The The Temple of the Great CrocodileTemple of the Great CrocodileTemple of the Great CrocodileTemple of the Great CrocodileSandover truly believes he is the avatar ofhis profane reptile god and seeks sacrificesin his god's name (and as a convenient foodsource for himself when he changes to hiscrocodile form on the three nights of the newmoon). His reptile men have completed workon the step pyramid that he ordered, and it isfrom this edifice that he rules. He kidnapsvillagers from both Port d'Elhour and Maraisd'Tarascon, and is on the lookout forpowerful artifacts to allow him to expand hiscontrol. Sandover has created a magicalpool, which will allow him to transformpeople into reptile folk through a ritual.

Dread Possibility: Dread Possibility: Dread Possibility: Dread Possibility: Way of the Winding Jaws Way of the Winding Jaws Way of the Winding Jaws Way of the Winding Jaws

(Mistway: Sourange - Wildlands,swamp of King Crocodile two way100% reliable to the Wildlands, 20%reliable from the Wildland.Conditional Mistway: Live humanneed to activate it both ways).

Discovered on slightly before thecoming of Sandover, this mistway hasbecome an almost revered pilgrimageto ailing Merrshaulki, to meet whatthey have come to consider the holyAvatar of their god, a thought KingCrocodile would find most amusing ifit weren't for the live humans that theykeep bringing with them.


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The mighty ziggurat Temple of the GreatCrocodile is one of the wonders of the Landof Mists. Towering above the village its tiplies above the treetops and containing astaggering number of stones blocks. Everyvisible surface contains some kind of carvingdedicated to the Great Crocodile. Fourstairways lead up the ziggurat to the entrancethat leads down into the inner structure, atthe base of the South stair lies the ritual pitthat the captured soft skins are placed intoduring the ritual that makes them foreverslaves of the Merrshaulki. The upperchambers are built for low-level priests,while further down lies a large chambercontaining a large, realistic statue of theGreat Crocodile. Near this chamber is thechambers of Sandover and that of higherranking priest, below these chambers lie thefinal resting place for mummified sacredalligators and those priests who have proventhemselves worthy.

Souragne in the Souragne in the Souragne in the Souragne in the Spirit Spirit Spirit Spirit WorldWorldWorldWorld

The horrors of Souragne's fetid swamps haveclaimed countless lives and the restlessghosts of these unfortunates now reflect thedisease-ridden nightmare from which theycould no longer escape from. Ghosts inSouragne may choose the following as theirspecial attacks:

Corrosive Caress (Su): With this horrificability, the ghost has the ability to channelthe minute dangers of the swamp around herand inflict a rust-like poison on anything ittouches. Any living creature hit by a ghost'sunarmed attacks must make a Fortitude save(DC 10 + ghost's hit dice + ghost's Charismamodifier) or suffer the effects of a strain oftetanus (Incubation 1d20 days, Init dam 1d6Dex, Sec dam 1d6 Con). This disease is notsupernatural and could be neutralized withremove disease or any similar spell. Metallicweapons and creatures struck by a ghost'scorrosive touch suffer as if under the effectof a rusting grasp.

Death's Denial (Su): A ghost with thisability has an effective Spell Resistance

equal to 5 + its rank + its Cha modifieragainst any Necromancy spell targetedagainst it. Death's denial is always active, butthe ghost can turn this ability off and on as itwishes as a free action. Only ghosts of thirdrank or higher can acquire this ability.

Call of the Sun's Shadow (Su): For anumber of times a day equal to its Charismamodifier, a ghost with this powerful abilitycan rebuke zombies, ghouls and otherWalking Dead; this ability is similar to theturn undead ability of a cleric, but the ghostturns the Walking Dead as a cleric half itsHit Dice. Additionally, once a day, the ghostcan automatically destroy any one of theseturned undead; this ability is similar to thegranted power given by the Sun clericdomain.

Only ghosts of fourth rank or higher canacquire this ability.

Evil Voodans and Zombie Evil Voodans and Zombie Evil Voodans and Zombie Evil Voodans and Zombie CreationCreationCreationCreation

Zombies are an important part of localSouragnien folklore. While most voodanpriest are benevolent, the dark oriented onesare feared: they are known to threaten people


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of bringing them -someone dear to them-back to eternal unlife as a zombie slave. TheLord of the Dead in Souragne is also know touse similar necromantic powers. The evilvoodan priests of Souragne became masterson the creation and uses for obedient dead.Zombies are fairly easy to create and arefound all over the Dread Realms, but it is inSouragne that the most evilly refined uses ofzombies are found.

These are some the observed powers ofevil voodan priests regarding obedient dead:

Bigger pile o' bones (Sp): Creation of"normal" zombie, as the animated dead spell- but in higher number. They add theirvoodan level to the number of hit dice ofzombies created.

No bone brained zombies (Su): Zombiewith higher intelligence: when the voodanlevel is higher then 5th, these zombies areoften more intelligent then their ordinaryuntelligent cousins: the chance is 5% perlevel (up to a maximum of 60%) and thesezombies have an intelligence score of 3-4(voodan of 5th to 8th level), 4-5 (voodan of8th to 12th level) and 5-7 (voodan of 13thlevel and up). These zombies are known touse basical battle strategies, and canunderstand more elaborated commands, likea trained animal would. See the VanRichten's Guide to the Walking Dead onpage 25 for more on intelligence.

Speak with the dead (Su): A voodanpriest raising a corpse as a zombie can askquestion about something the zombie knewwhile it was alive (location of treasure,password, witness information, etc.), as theSpeak with the Dead spell. If the spirit wouldnormally be uncooperative, the Will DC saveto resist is increaded by a penalty of half thevoodan caster level (rounded down).

General notes on "normal" zombiesGeneral notes on "normal" zombiesGeneral notes on "normal" zombiesGeneral notes on "normal" zombiesThe condition of the body isn't reallyimportant but at least 75% of its flesh andorgans should be remaining on the corpse fora zombie to be created; otherwise, it's askeleton that will be animated. The corpsecan be freshly dead or in an advanced stateof putrefaction. The corpse's rotting process

is greatly slowed but not stopped: a zombiecan rot nearly forever.

Appearance and BiologyAppearance and BiologyAppearance and BiologyAppearance and BiologyA zombie is a horrible sight, usually withpale gray skin (the color of rotting meat) andmany blood red holes or bruises are seen onthe skin. Its eyes are dead and not alwaysfocused front. Many have worms and otherinsects crawling on/in their rotting flesh.

Several zombies (20%) are created fromless than perfect bodies, as seen in thefollowing table (roll d10):

Also, zombies that have been in battlebefore are often maimed, as are zombiescreated a long time ago (20% chance perbattle, or for every 5 year of existence: rolld10 on previous table).

The rotting meat stench of zombies canusually be detected from a distance of 100feet, and possibly more if a wind carries it inthe right direction. However, except intropical places, zombies tend to dry, and thestench decreases by 10 feet for each year toa minimum of 30 feet. In some very silentplaces, the noise of carrion flies feeding onthe zombie's decaying flesh and fluids canalso be heard from a distance.

Zombies can see in the direction they arefacing, up to the maximal human range.They have the normal hearing sense as theyhad in life. Zombies do not breathe. So thelegend of zombies madly burrowing fromtheir grave through the ground to fill theirlungs with air is, well, just a tale. Even ifthey are flesh creatures, they do not need toeat or drink to survive as most biologicalfunctions have stopped.

1-3 Missing hand (one attack every two rounds)

4-5 Missing arm (one attack every two rounds)

6-7 Missing feet (move diminished by 50%)

8 Missing leg (move diminished by 90%)

9 Missing large part of head (possible hearing or seeing problem)

10 Missing large part of the trunk (no penalty)


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PsychologyPsychologyPsychologyPsychologyZombies are mindless automatons, beinglittle more then walking corpses. However,they understand more complex orders thenthose understood by skeletons : up to 12words per command. Usually, zombies donot speak; they often mutter guttural soundsor simple syllables, especially when theycan't finish their ordered task.

The first time a zombie encounterssomeone it knew in life, there is a 20%chance that the zombie's dead brain willreact to that person's presence and have somekind of reminiscence that makes the zombieact horribly. The zombie will then say or dosomething very meaningful to that person.An ex-lover might try to embrace, a sonmight ask his father to go fishing, a zombiechild tries to get in his parent's arms, etc. Ahorror check should be rolled for the subjecto fthe zombie's attention.

Souragnien zombie templateSouragnien zombie templateSouragnien zombie templateSouragnien zombie templateThe most horrifying powers of the evilvoodan priest are the creation of zombieswith their minds still attached to the body.These Souragniens zombies are not mindlessautomatons, and they are trapped in theirslowly rotting body! The Lord of the Dead inSouragne has many of these obedient deadworking for him in his plantation.

These special zombies have to be createdwithin 48 hours of the person's death and thecorpse should be whole for a Souragnienzombie to be animated. A voodan needs tobe at least 8th level to create a Souragnienzombie, and can do it only once per month.The full process takes 24 hours.

One such zombie is created at a time, andonly the voodan priests know the creationprocess. These voodan priests claim to have"magical formulas" and alchemicalpoisonous concoctions that they put in thecorpses's mouth. The head is needed for aSouragnien zombie to be animated.

If someone alive was to drink thiszombifying concoction, the Will DC to resistits effect is 8 plus the voodan level of thecaster. A failed save means the person falls

completely and for ever under the voodancontrol, and upon this person's death, thisperson rises as a Souragnien zombie. Theonly way to break this strong enchantment isto kill the voodan and get a remove curse; orwith a high level spell such as Miracle orWish.

Creating a Souragnien ZombieCreating a Souragnien ZombieCreating a Souragnien ZombieCreating a Souragnien Zombie"Souragnien zombie" is an acquired templatethat can be added to any corporeal creature(other than an undead) that has a skeletalsystem (referred to hereafter as the basecreature). This is adapted from the SRDzombie template.

This template is a different from othertemplates as it is modified with time. As timego by, the brain of the Souragnien zombiebecomes less and less effective and its bodyrots. To simulate this, the time steps whenmodifications to the template should bemade are: • The first three days of "creation": the zom-

bie appear to be alive, but body is some-what stiffened. All body functions still work, but are slowed. Zombies recently raised could eat or drink, but without appe-tite. Importantly, they do not always know they are dead, as voodan priests often lie to the recently "awakened", telling them they had an accident, a fever, an illness, fell into coma, etc. or that someone tried to murder them in their sleep.

• After four days of creation. After that delay, the bodies start to smell and their decay starts. Body functions have com-pletely stopped.

• Next to other full moon after creation (between 24 to 52 days after creation); and

• Each "anniversary" of creation. Their mind becomes more and more numb.

Size and Type: The creature's typechanges to undead. It retains any subtypesexcept alignment subtypes and subtypes thatindicate kind. It does not gain the augmentedsubtype. It uses all the base creature'sstatistics and special abilities except as notedhere.


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Hit Dice: Raise the Hit Dice to d12s, up toa maximum of 10 Hit Dice (remove Hit Dicein excess).

Speed: If the base creature can fly, itsmanoeuvrability rating drops to clumsy.

Armor Class: Natural armor bonusincreases by a number based on the zombie'ssize:

Base Attack: upon creation, a Souragnienzombie has a base attack bonus equal to 2/3its Hit Dice (round down).

Next to other full moon after creation:change this base attack bonus to ½ its HitDice.

Attacks: A zombie retains all the naturalweapons, manufactured weapon attacks, andweapon proficiencies of the base creature. Azombie also gains a slam attack.

Damage: Natural and manufacturedweapons deal damage normally. A slamattack deals damage depending on thezombie's size. (Use the base creature's slamdamage if it's better.)

Special Attacks: A zombie retains all ofthe base creature's special attacks.

Next to other full moon after creation: aWill DC 12 should be rolled for each specialattack ability; failure means the ability hasbeen forgotten or the Souragnien zombie isno longer able to do it.

Each "anniversary of creation": again, aWill DC 14 should be rolled for each specialattack ability; failure means the ability hasbeen forgotten or the Souragnien zombie isno longer able to do it.

The following modification applies to allWill checks: Extraordinary ability (+3bonus), Spell-like ability (-3 penalty),Supernatural ability (-1 penalty).

In the case of spell casters, or class attackphysical abilities, this Will check should bemade for each spell and ability separately.

Special Qualities: A zombie keeps mostspecial qualities of the base creature, exceptthose relying on a good alignment (ex:paladin power of smite evil, or magic circleagainst evil).

Next to other full moon after creation: AWill check should be rolled for each specialquality relying on improved senses (DC 10,ex: darkvision, tremorsense, etc.) or magicabilities or magic state (DC 15, ex: summonfamiliar, protective aura, change shape,telepathy, etc.); failure means the ability hasbeen forgotten, or the Souragnien zombie isno longer able to do it.

Each "anniversary of creation": asprevious, but the DC is 14 and 18respectively.

A similar Fort DC 12 check is made foreach "physical" special qualities (Damagereduction, immunities, vulnerabilities, etc.).

Also, on a failed Will DC 15 check, azombie gains the following special quality.Single Actions Only (Ex): Zombies havepoor reflexes and can perform only a singlemove action or attack action each round. Azombie can move up to its speed and attackin the same round, but only if it attempts acharge.

Saves: Base save bonuses are Fort +1/3HD, Ref +1/3 HD, and Will +1/2 HD + 3.

Abilities: A zombie's Strength increases by+2, its Dexterity decreases by 2, it has noConstitution score. Remove 1d2permanently from Intelligence, Wisdomscores, and 1d4 from Charisma score.

After four days of creation: Will DC 10 orremove 1d4 permanently from Intelligenceand Wisdom scores (down to a minimum of

Tiny or smaller +0

Small +1

Medium +2

Large +3

Huge +4

Gargantuan +7

Colossal +11

Fine 1

Diminutive 1d2

Tiny 1d3

Small 1d4

Medium 1d6

Large 1d8

Huge 2d6

Gargantuan 2d8

Colossal 4d6


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3). Remove 1d6 to Charisma score (down toa minimum of 1).

Next to other full moon after creation andeach "anniversary of creation": Will DC 10or remove 1d4 permanently fromIntelligence and Wisdom scores (down to aminimum of 3); Will DC 20 or remove 1d10from Charisma (down to a minimum of 1).

Each time, make the needed change toabilities, skills, etc. For example, if aSouragnien zombie's dexterity falls below15, it can't use the Two Weapon Fightingfeat anymore.

Skills: Upon creation, a Souragnienzombie keeps all skills it had in life.

After four days of creation: Knowledgecheck DC 8 (Int) when trying to use a skill.Failure means this skill can't be used in thenext 24 hours. Keep a note of the failedcheck: after three failures, a skill iscompletely forgotten. Roll separately foreach skill.

Next to other full moon after creation: asprevious, but check DC is 10.

Each "anniversary of creation": asprevious, but check DC is 12.

Feats: Upon creation, a Souragnienzombie keeps all the feats it had in life(unless a diminished ability score is lowerthen the minimum needed), and it gainsToughness.

Next to other full moon after creation andeach "anniversary of creation": Will DC is14 or loose the feat. Roll separately for eachfeat.

Environment: Any land and underground. Organization: Any.Challenge Rating: upon creation its CR is

roughly 0,8 to 1 with Hit Dice (a 10 Hit DiceSouragnien zombie is CR 8 creature).

As the Souragnien zombie starts to "loose"fighting and casting abilities, graduallydiminish its CR down to the "normal"zombie minimum, as follows:

Treasure: As base creature had upon itsdeath (minus what the voodan kept forhimself!).

Alignment: Always neutral evil.Advancement / Level Adjustment: N/A

Final notes on Souragnien zombieFinal notes on Souragnien zombieFinal notes on Souragnien zombieFinal notes on Souragnien zombieWhen an evil voodan creates a zombie ofthat kind, the sorcerer has two optionsregarding the control he will exert on thezombie; full control or no control at all:

Full control: the priest possesses a voodandoll of the deceased person, made with theperson's blood and hairs. With it, the voodanpriest has a mental link with the zombie andcan control it at will. The control is in factsimilar to what vampires have on theirspawn: the zombie realizes its condition, butit can't resist his master's orders and thezombie will never hurt the voodan priestwillingly. This eternal control is whatSouragniens fear most.

No control at all: as most of these do notrealize they are dead, the uncontroledzombie will usually resume its task as ifnothing ever happened: try to take back itsformer place in a family, at work, etc., to thehorror of those who see the person back andundead… If this option is chosen, the voodanpriest can't choose to control it later.

Hit Dice Challenge Rating

1/2 1/8

1 1/4

2 1/2

4 1

6 2

8-10 3


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KnowledgeKnowledgeKnowledgeKnowledgeUpon creation, a Souragnien zombie keepsall knowledge it had in life.

Next to other full moon after creation:Knowledge check DC 8 (Int) when trying toremember a fact it knew in life. Failuremeans this knowledge is gone from thezombie's brain (the DM should take note ofthese "forgotten" knowledge and usecommon sense to judge tries to recall similaror related facts). Roll separately for each"fact".

Each "anniversary of creation": asprevious, but check DC is 12.

Salient abilitiesSalient abilitiesSalient abilitiesSalient abilitiesAt DM's choice, most salient abilities forobedient dead from the Van Richten's Guideto Walking Dead (chapter two) can be addedto these special zombies. Also, the appendixof this book (page 104) details "voodanzombies", undead that are quicker and morecunning, like ju-ju zombies.


Who’s WhoWho’s WhoWho’s WhoWho’s Who


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Anton MisroiAnton MisroiAnton MisroiAnton MisroiDarklord of SouragneDarklord of SouragneDarklord of SouragneDarklord of Souragne

Male human Zombie Lord; Ari 5 / Sor 5 / Brd 3

Basic stats: 13d12 (84 hit points), LE, CR 15

SA: see combat SQ: undead traits, see combat

Str 17, Dex 18, Con -, Int 16, Wis 8, Cha 22

List of feats should include: Dancing Bones

Sorcerer spells known - necromantic only.Special, see under "special attacks"

Bardic spells known (the casting of thesespells must be sung or danced):

0 - Dancing Lights, Ghost Sound, Lullaby1 - Disguise Self

The Lord of the Dead, Anton Misroi appearsto be a handsome human in his mid-thirties,tall with shiny black hairs slightly curling atthe back. His manners and preferred clothesidentify him as an old-fashion aristocrat.

One often has the impression that Anton isrepressing excitement when meeting newpeople, especially women. He is a man thatloves the company of the fair sex, especiallyif they have the wit and charm to entertainhim. He sees them as a challenge, makinghim a perfect gentlemen in their company:very gallant and looking to please them withgifts and good words.

In his conversation Misroi is always politeand often philosophical, especially abouthuman struggles with life and death. He isoften impassive, witty, tongue-in-cheek, butalways in control of the situation and makessure his guests understand that this charminggentleman is actually in control of their fatetoo. However, when provoked or insulted, hewill swiftly destroy the object of his rage.

BackgroundBackgroundBackgroundBackgroundAnton Misroi was born the son of a wealthyplantation owner. Spoiled as a child, Antonand his elder brother were always incompetition for their father's attention. Bothwere charming children and they were thesubject of many words of praise by the adultsaround them.At twelve Anton had a fit ofrage against his brother and pushed him in aswamp infested by alligators. Hearing thechild's cry of horror, workers came but it wasmuch too late. Anton's brother has beenkilled.

Horrified at what he had done, Anton fellinto dumbness. During this period in bed, heheard people expressing their horror atAnton being a witness to this horribleaccident. Feigning sleep, Anton felt twoexhilarating emotions: he was thrilled thathis bad action wasn't seen or suspected andhappy of his manipulations of the adults'emotions. But more troubling was that Antonwatched his brother get devoured by thereptiles with secret glee. He was fascinatedby the memory of his brother's eyes lookingat him while his face showed pain and shock.

The rest of his spoiled childhood passednormally. In his adolescence Anton learnedto ride horses. He loved to push them closeto their limits. He also loved cock fights,

Appendix 2 Appendix 2 Appendix 2 Appendix 2 Who’s WhoWho’s WhoWho’s WhoWho’s Who

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especially to see these animals in furyshedding each other's blood with the razorblade attached to their legs. It gave Anton ahigh level of secret exaltation.

He married when he was a young to arefined and educated woman, Nicole, thedaughter of a rich tailor. That he was marrieddidn't prevent Anton from looking at otherwomen and his wife sometimes waited forhim to come home until dawn.

Anton became a minor practitioner of aform of bardic magic called "spellsinging",casting involving either singing or dancing.He never became an expert in this type ofmagic but his love of dancing had adefinitive influence on his future magicalstudies.

Charm and intelligence were used byAnton to rise in local politics. He was alwaysin company of the elite and soon he was asought-after adviser. He once had to advisein a case of a local band of minor ruffiansand bandits. The leader of the ruffians was abeautiful woman of colour named Nanaeathat he easily charmed to bed.

For Anton, wild horse rides and cock oralligators fights were no longer enough. Heused excuses to justify kidnapping atroublesome shop owner. They rode to theswamp and gave him the infamous"Souragnien burial": thrown into the swampto be. Anton watched until there was nothingleft.

In the following years, Misroi killed manythis horrible manner. He eventually ran outof political enemies but it didn't stop him: inthe end he and Nanaea's thugs weresnatching random people at night for thisgrisly fate.

Meanwhile, Nanaea slowly planted seedsof doubt in Anton's head about his wife'sfidelity. Anton could not really believe thathis dull wife was having an affair, but theidea troubled him. Nanaea was in factmanipulating Anton to abandon his wife sothat she could move into the plantation mainhouse and live like a lady of upper class.

One day, Misroi came home early and inthe garden, he found his wife in the arms of aneighbouring plantation owner. While shewas actually weeping about her unhappy life

while the gentleman comforted her, Misroiquickly denounced them as lovers. With atriumphant Nanaea and her ruffians, Antonhad both of them thrown in a patch ofquicksand barely deep enough to cover aman's head.

Nanaea and the other ruffians left Antonalone to watch the pair slowly drown. Underthe full moonlight he played a sinister gameof conversation cat and while they wereslowly sinking. He told them that if theyadmitted their "relations" Anton wouldthrow them a rope. Sometimes he actuallydid throw them the rope but always a footshort. Since the "lovers" had nothing toconfess, Misroi ignored their pleas of mercyand let them drown while entertaining themwith the vanity of human life and death andsimilar philosophical topics. At one point,the man told Anton's wife to climb atop himwhile he went under. When he was sure theman has died, he said that this was a proof oftheir love and then used a pole to push her in.With her last breath, his wife cursed him buthe laughing in her face.

When she had disappeared, he sat on a logto enjoy a few gulps of strong brandy. Theswamp suddenly went very quiet. Then themurdered pair arose, grabbed Anton by hiscoat and dragged him in the quicksand to die.

Horrified, Anton yelled to the sky "I don'twant to die! Don't let me die!" while hedrowned. Something heard his plea andAnton found himself able to escape thequicksand. Days had passed. Anton's fleshwas bloated with water and his skin swollenand bloody from the nasty bites of insects.His horse ran away from his approach.

Panicking and far from understanding whathappened, Misroi slowly walked back to hisplantation to see the road seemed nowmerely a path through the swamps borderinghis plantation. Animals seemed to shun him.

Seeing a "monster" coming out of theswamp, the workers of his plantationattacked him and drove him back in theswamp. Looking at his image mirrored in thewater, he saw he had become a hideouscreature - one of the living dead.

Near mad at this horrible turn of event,Anton wandered the swamp angrily for


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years. He spied the workers of his plantationand also people living in towns and villageseast of the swamp. He was alsodumbfounded when he realized the miles ofcountryside had disappeared into mists. Heeventually considered the swamp to be his"land" and killed most humans foundtrespassing in it, especially his formerworkers. He quickly discovered he was ableto raise those he killed as zombies. Hequickly became the legendary Lord of theDead.

One day he found an island in the swampinhabited by a plant-like woman. TheMaiden of the Swamp was horrified ofAnton's fate and thought he was a fey-likecreature like her, but who hadn't yet beenconnected with the land. Over a period oftwo years, she helped him learn the powersfound in nature's essence.

Anton manipulated her during all this time.The Maiden was more than happy to attemptto help, whom she believed was sufferingwrongly. She could not even consider Antonto have an evil soul leaning towarddestruction instead of life. She taught Misroiby showing him the energy flowing aroundlife and death and how to manipulate thoseforces through dance or rituals with the land.He told her his secret wish was to regain hisappearance, his humanity, and she showedhim how to use nature's positive weave ofenergy to make himself appear human again.

While learning from the Maiden, Antonalso expanded his necromantic powersthrough experimentation. Since the Maidencould not leave her island, he could keepthese tests secrets from her. When theMaiden learned that Anton had notabandoned his fascination with necromanticpower, it was too late. Anton's inner powerwas so great he was the undisputed master ofSouragne and the Maiden was simply "thatannoying moss creature." The year was 645and Anton regained his humanity.

His first move was to regain his plantation;he killed his former workers and raised themas zombies. He was satisfied that theservants he was creating now kept theirknowledge and craft.

However, the power rituals he made withhis land to get these new abilities had adrawback: Anton found he couldn't leave theswamp anymore. As the Maiden was limitedto her island, Anton was no longer able towalk the land: solid land was as quicksand.

Since then, Anton's power has grown, tothe point where he may alter Souragne’sgeography at will. He has felt powerstugging his island toward others but he hasbeen able to resist these forces. Since itsappearance in the Demiplane of Dread,Souragne would surely have melded withother islands or the Core if not for Anton'sabsolute control and desire for isolation.

Anton's CurseAnton's CurseAnton's CurseAnton's CurseAnton can't walk on the solid groundof Souragne. For him, crossing fromMaison d'Sablet to solid ground is likejumping into quicksand, "drowning"him within seconds. Anton then exitssomewhere else in the swamp (see theMaster of the Swamp ability) but hisappearance changes to that of a bloatedzombie corpse similar to when he firstexited the swamp in the year 635. Thisis something he loathes. He is forced tokeep this bloated-corpse appearanceuntil the next full moon.

While he cannot access most of theEastern dry part of Souragne and a fewislands within the swamp (theMaiden's isle and some other) he canwalk the marshy land in the South ofSouragne where his plantation islocated, but he prefers to travel theseareas on horseback.

During rain seasons or theinundations, where the ground is verywet, Anton Misroi's is able to travel on"dry" land. However, his travel onthese soaked lands have to be made onhorse's back, he still cannot touch theland. Anton then haunts the towns atnight, usually on a zombie horse, neversetting his foot on ground. Souragnienwhispers that "Death rides in the rain."When it pours many Souragniensrefuses to go outside.


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Current SketchCurrent SketchCurrent SketchCurrent SketchAnton enjoys a quiet existence in hisplantation. The Manor house's appearancehas declined over the years and is in need ofmaintenance, but Anton finds a certaincharm to it. While he cannot leave theswamp, Anton is able to learn much of whatis taking place on the land. Usually, he is justan observer of the, but sometimes wishes toplay a part or desires to meet some he thinkare worthy of his attention.

He will then attract them in the swampwhere he meets them in person under theguise of an old fashion gentleman. Thesepeople receive invitation to meet him at hisplantation, or sometimes hear strange drumsin the swamp to lure them to his plantation.

His inability to walk on the land frustrateshim from again being part of the upper crustof society. Anton likes wine and fine cuisinebut is rarely able to entertain guests atMaison de la Détresse.

Anton is not as bloodthirsty as before hebecame a darklord, but he loves to share thisexcitement at watching pain and sufferingwith those he think will appreciate it.Activities like riding a horse to its death,watch cocks or other animals fight or atrapped animal gnaw at its leg to releaseitself from a trap.

Anton has a unique power: he is able tomake his spirit leave his body and travel tothe other lands. He is able to observe what isgoing on in these places and he does not likewhat he sees out there. In his opinion, theother domain rulers are not sophisticatedenough to fully enjoy their condition orsimply too single-minded. They are foolsunable to escape their curses as he has andunworthy of respect. They confirm hischoice to keep Souragne isolated.

Anton Misroi had made sure Souragniensknew of the laws he proclaimed. But mostSouragniens know him as the Lord of theDead and are unaware of his real name. Thefirst edict is that newly dead bodies are to beleft unburied and unmaimed for four days, incase his whims lead him to raise them aszombies. The second is an interdict on thepractice in Souragne of any kind of magic

other than necromantic or healing. WhileMisroi doesn't know when this ban istrespassed, he has many informers (bothhumans and undead) who would tell him ofthe culprit spellcaster. In fact, this ban issomething that has been enforced few timesin the last decades, but always with horribleconsequences to the offender.

Examples of punishments meted out tothose practicing forbidden magic, Anton hassometimes had the caster tied to a zombie bya cord passing over an alligator infestedpond. The zombie stands on the oppositeside of the pond and begins moving awayfrom the pond. After long hours of struggle,the dead wear the victim out, and drag him tohis grizzly demise in the pond. This fate ofthe spellcasters was made well known to theSouragniens and it is rumoured that thiscaster is now serving Misroi as a horriblymaimed zombie.

Misroi feels secure that no one practicingnecromancy can really challenge his power,but he is not as confident about the otherbranches of magic, which he does notunderstand. With this ban, he makes surethat outsider spell casters are shunned by theSouragniens and denounced. People withoutscruples who want to destroy an enemy havebeen known to spread false rumours, makingsure that the Lord of the Dead hears aboutsomeone practicing forbidden magic.

Even with all his limitations, deep insidehim Anton is convinced he cheated his fate.He survived death and beat the Dark Powers.He restored his humanity, regained his oldlife and learned necromantic power morepotent than his wildest dreams. He sneers atthose other lords he sees through his wateryscrying and their pitiful attempts to freethemselves of their curses, they are beneathhim.

But deep down he knows this is a lie. TheDark Powers remind him of this. Every timehe allows himself to become complacent andforget -just for a moment- that he is a deadman dressing up as a mortal, he is painfullyreminded. Often he wakes to a horriblestench, his bloody and sticky skin releasing afoul odour of decayed and rotting flesh. Thisstench and the decaying blood and flesh on


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his skin are only removed by bathing in purerain water that needs to be thrown awayafterwards.

The Dark Powers are nothing if notcreative and continually remind Misroi of hisinhumanity with a myriad of reminders, bothblunt and subtle.

CombatCombatCombatCombatAnton Misroi has unique powers that makehim a kind of overlord to the zombie lordcreatures (see Denizens of Dread). In combathe is extremely dangerous as his fury usuallyquickly changes to excitement where hebecomes refined and cruel in his attacks.

All these abilities function as if cast by an18th-level necromancer.

Special AttacksSpecial AttacksSpecial AttacksSpecial AttacksAnton's Dance of the Dead (Su): By

dancing, Anton can cast any necromanticspell (arcane, divine, or turn undead) throughAnton's dance of the dead. One spell perround. Using this ability oftyen causes hisappearance to change to a capering zombiein the clothes of a gentleman for the time ittakes him to cast the spell.

Anton Misroi can share this power withanyone should he wishes to teach it, butthese enlightened persons cannot teach itthemselves. This acquired power is limitedto one necromantic spell effect, or turnundead attempt, or the spell Danse Macabre(from Van Richten's Arsenal). Thoseattempting to use this power also appear asskeletons or zombies while they dance. TheDC to succeed in casting (dancing) Anton'sdance of the dead is charisma based (DC 14).If they fail, the effect is horrible: they aretransformed into Souragnien zombies (foronlookers, they keep the undead appearancethey took during the dance). If the rolled DCis 13 on the dice, the spell affects everybodylooking at the scene, friend or foe, in a radiusof 150'.

Awaken the Dead (Su): see Denizens ofDarkness under "zombie lord", but with a18th level effect.

Reach of the Grave (Su): Once a month,when someone has wronged him or simply

when he wants someone's attention, Antoncan send curses and messages with anunlimited range. This power even reachesoutside the borders of Souragne, but not in adomain where the darklord has closed hisborders. Anton needs something like a pieceof clothing or bits of hair, skin, fingernails orblood.

The "curse" Anton usually prefers to sendis having a zombie visited the target of thisability. It acts like a summon undead spellwith a radius centered on the victim. If thereis one within three mile of the target, notunder control of other entity, this zombiewill slowly walk to the target. It will notattack him but instead try to hug and kiss thetarget for a minute. After that the targetknows he has been sent a "gift" by AntonMisroi. Oftentimes they hear a specificmessage up to 20 words. The zombie returnsto its normal behaviour when finished.

Zombie master (Su): see Denizens ofDarkness under "zombie lord", but with arange covering all Souragne.

Zombify (Su): see Denizens of Darknessunder "zombie lord", but 6 times per day

Special qualities: Special qualities: Special qualities: Special qualities: Master of the Swamp (Su): This is

Anton's most powerful ability, making itnearly impossible to destroy him. Anton iscapable of blending into the swamps simplyby merging into a tree or also sinking intothe swamp within seconds as if he wasethereal. Doing any of these actionsimmediately restores him to full hit points.

This ability also allows him to travel fromplace to place anywhere in the swamp (anability similar as the druidic 6th level spellTransport via Plants) or transfer his mind toany corpse (humanoid or animal) within theswamp. The flesh and bones of that bodytransforms to take Anton's body appearance.

Speech of the Dead (Su): see Denizens ofDarkness under "zombie lord", but withoutany limit to what Anton can learn from thedead spirit.


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LairLairLairLairAnton's plantation is "Maison de la Détresse,alarge plantation now bordered by swampson all sides. A couple more-or-less hiddenpaths leading to Maison are the only meansof entrance.

Zombie workers toil there night and day,maintaining the crops, horses and cattle forAnton's pleasure and guests. These zombieswill not fight to defend the plantation unlessattacked, but will immediately alarm Antonof visitors.

The wooden home stinks of stale air and isold but its walls and floors are still solid. Ithas two stories and is built on poles. Whileeverything is endlessly maintained clean bythe zombie servants, it is old and in need ofmajor repair. The paint on the walls is oftenchipped, floors are covered by water-stainedcarpets, and light come from old cobwebbedchandeliers. In the salon, a well maintainedfireplace struggles with difficulty to lowerthe damp humidity. Eerily, a few of thedrawings on the wall sometimes appear tomove.

Closing the BordersClosing the BordersClosing the BordersClosing the BordersPeople can't leave the island if Anton wishesit closed. People entering the Mists findthemselves back in Souragne after havingwandered for a few minutes.

Dread possibility - Anton's Sketches Dread possibility - Anton's Sketches Dread possibility - Anton's Sketches Dread possibility - Anton's Sketches Anton owns about a dozen magicalframes. It's unknown who created these.Similar in ways to a Mirror of LifeTrapping, any creature Anton holds andpresents the frame to while saying thecommend word must make a DC 23Will save or be trapped within theframe. So far, the command word isonly known to Anton and those trappedwithin. Victims trapped in the framesare conscious and see the room wherethe frame is hung.

When a creature is trapped, it is takenbodily into the frame. Constructs andundead are not trapped, nor areinanimate objects and other nonlivingmatter. A victim's equipment (includingclothing and anything being carried)remains behind. The same commandword frees the trapped creature. Eachcommand word is specific to eachprisoner.

Those looking at the frame see a wellmade pastel sketch image of this personin various positions, in the locationsimilar to where they were trapped inthe frame. A Spot DC 18 will showonlookers that the person in the frame isslowly moving. Some people can passmessages to frame onlookers throughbody language, signs or writings.

Anton currently has about ten personstrapped in these frames. One of them isa crying woman appearing seated on adesk. When given the opportunity, shewill write "Help me" or "Set me free"on the desk before her. She has beenthere for so long nobody but Antonremembers her anymore. Anotherframe contains an arcane spell casterthat offended Anton. This frame wasthrown in the swamp in a place knownonly to Anton. Other frame's content isleft to DMs.

Strong abjuration; CL 14th; CraftWondrous Item, imprisonment; Price80,000 gp; Weight 10 lb.


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The The The The Maiden of the Swamp Maiden of the Swamp Maiden of the Swamp Maiden of the Swamp Female dryad (Loa); Druid 8th

Basic stats: 4d6+8d8 (86 hit points), CG, CR 10

SA: spells SQ: see below

Str 10, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 16

The shy Maiden of the Swamp is a six feettall thin fey-like woman, with pale greenskin, large emerald eyes, and white-greenhair. Her robe is made of leaves and vinesand her feet never completely leave theground when she walks. Finally, her handsappear wooden and her fingers are twigs-like.

This enigmatic dryad has always beenrooted to Lac Noir, and was revered as abenevolent loa before the creation ofSouragne. However, her memory is faultyand she doesn't remember much of the erabefore the year 635.

She was fooled by Anton Misroi to teachhim nature spells and things he wasn't meantto know. Realizing her mistake, she hid fromall sentient being from dry lands for a longtime, until Larissa Snowmane came to herisland. Seeing goodness in her heart, andsure Larissa's cause was worthy againstnecromancy, she awoke the druidic powersin her. This success in her teaching healedthe shame of having been fooled by Misroi.

The Maiden of the Swamp sometimestakes apprentices, but she chooses themcarefully: good heart for healing without anda devotion to protect nature.

The Maiden is unable to leave her island inthe middle of Lac Noir. This island is abouthalf a mile long by about 400 hundred feetwide and heavily forested. Due to the dryad'saura, there is no monstrous creature on thisisland although many animals live there toget the Maiden's protection. She avoidsAnton Misroi and has never seen her sincethe time she was teaching him.

Now raised to loa level, many Souragnienpray for her healing blessing. Beingconnected to the land in a unique fashion, theMaiden knows much of the plane (treat asKnowledge (Planar): 8 ranks).

The best way to petition her directly is tosend her a message through a bird or anyother animal (speak with animals). OtherSouragnien simply travel to her island andtell aloud the tale of their problems and howthe Maiden of the Swamp could help them ortheir cause. If she is moved by the petitioner,

The The The The Maiden's ChildrenMaiden's ChildrenMaiden's ChildrenMaiden's ChildrenThe Maiden of the Swamp is a force

of the nature, and she emanates anenergy that affects all the swamparound her. But as everything in theLand of Mists, her "aura" issometimes corrupted and distorted in away to generate horror: sometimes,people who die in Lac Noir are bathedby these corrupted nature energies.

These individuals rise again fromdeath, but not as zombies. Theybecome a strange kind of elementalmud creature. Their bodies appear aswhen they were alive. Their mind isinsane and they quickly turn to foulmud when killed. Use Mudman stats(from Tome of Terror), except forphysical description.

The Maiden of the Swamp knowsabout these creatures, and it pains her.


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the Maiden will appear to them. However,since her fiasco with Anton Misroi, she nowasks many questions before getting involved.

Spell-Like Abilities: 8th level druid spells,plus:

At will-entangle (DC 20), speak withplants, speak with animals, tree shape; 3/day- charm person (DC 15), deep slumber(DC 17), tree stride; 1/day-suggestion (DC17). Caster level 12th. The save DCs areWisdom-based except entangle (Reflex).

Lac Noir (Su): The Maiden is bound to asingle dry island in the middle of Lac Noir. Ifshe wants to hide, she can merge in theground or in a tree for as long as she wants.The tree or ground where she hides doesn'tradiate magic.

Wild Empathy (Ex): This power workslike the druid's wild empathy class feature,except that the Maiden has a +8 racial bonuson the check.

This NPC is featured in the novel Dance ofthe Dead and described as a loa in the 3rdedition Dark Tales & Disturbing Legendsaccessory.

Larissa Snowmane Larissa Snowmane Larissa Snowmane Larissa Snowmane Female human; Druid 6

Basic stats: 6d8 (51 hit points), NG, CR 4

SA: spells SQ: see description


List of feats should include: Dancing Bones

Signature Possessions: Anton's riding crop(whip becoming a lashing viper whenactivated: 1d2 damage, poison DC 16, 2d6Strength.)

Larissa Snowmane is a middle age woman ofrare beauty. Her icy blue eyes and flowinglong white hairs increase her natural grace.Her uncle raised her from childhood to be adancer on La Demoiselle du Musarde, apaddleboat show theatre.

However, during a stay of the paddleboatin Souragne, she discovered her uncle's evilsecret plans with the help of her feu folletlover Willen. Using the aid of a sinisternecromantic wizard named Lond; he plannedto turn all personnel of the showboat intosubmissive zombies. In order to thwart heruncle's evil actions, she met the benevolentMaiden of the Swamp. The fey taught herhow to harness her natural magical powers,transforming her from dancer to a specialspellcaster: Larissa can cast her nature-oriented spells normally or through dance(see the Dancing Bone feat).

Later, she also met the Lord of the Deadhimself who taught her a few things andunveiled her deep hidden fascination withlife and death. Her common points withMisroi about life, death and pain fascinatedher but she has now chosen to put them asidein her life and ignore those urges.

Satisfied about his pupil's inner strength,Anton also taught her the infamous Dance ofthe Dead, which was decisive in the battleagainst her uncle and Lond. However,something went wrong during theperformance of this difficult dance, and herlover Willen was killed by its deadly powers.

After defeating her evil uncle, she waselected captain of the showboat by the otherentertainers. She renamed the boat RiverDancer and began to tour the domains of theCore and countless Islands and Clusters. Shesurely is one of the most traveled people ofthe plane.


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Many adventure hooks can be derivedfrom her travels and entertainmentpossibilities. Larissa could easily transportsome of the PCs on the River Dancer.

This interesting NPC is described in lengthin the novel Dance of the Dead and the 2ndedition Champions of the Mists accessory.

Captain Guy BourbonneCaptain Guy BourbonneCaptain Guy BourbonneCaptain Guy BourbonneMale human afflicted were-crocodile Exp3/Ari3: CR 6; Medium shapechanger (5ft. 7"tall); Hd 3d8+3d8, hp 35; Init +6 (+7 hybridform); Spd 30 feet; AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10 (hybrid form: AC 17, touch 13,flat-footed 14); Base Att +4; Atk + 6 melee(1d8+1/19-20, masterwork longsword) or +7ranged (1d10/x3, masterwork pistol), or +9melee (1-8 +5/20, bite) or +9 melee (1-12+5/20, tail swipe); Full Atk +9 melee (1-8+5/20, bite) and +7 melee (1-6 +5/20, 2claws) or +9 melee (1-8 +5/20, bite) and + 8melee (1d8+5/19-20, masterworklongsword) as hybrid;

As were-crocodile: (Lost Empires ofFaerun, p 181); AL NG (NE); SV Fort +3(+6), Ref + 6 (+7), Will +6; Str 12 (20), Dex15 (17), Con 9 (15), Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 11.

Skills and Feats: Appraise (6) +11,Balance (0): +2 (+3 as hybrid), Bluff (6): +8,Climb (0): +1(+5 as hybrid), Concentration(0): -1 (+2 as hybrid), Diplomacy (5): +11,Disguise (0): +2, Forgery (2): +5; EscapeArtist (0): +0 (+1 as hybrid), Gather Info (5)+5, Handle animal (0): +0, Heal (0): +2;Hide (5): +10 (+11 as hybrid), Listen (2) +6,Intimidate (8) +12 (+16 as hybrid), Jump(0): +1 (+5 as hybrid), Knowledge [nobility& royalty] (5) +8; Knowledge [local] (2) +5;Mv Silent (0) +2 (+3 as hybrid), Profession[sailor] (1) +3, Profession [merchant] (1) +5,Ride (1) +3, Survival (2) +4, Swim (3) +4(+8 as hybrid), Search (0) +3, Sense Motive(5) +7, Spot (4) +8; Alertness, Skill focus(hide), Persuasive, Mercantile background(+2 Appraise & +2 one Profession); ExoticWeapon Proficiency (Firearms), Improvedinitiative

Languages: Souragnian*, Mordentish,Pharazian, Vaasi.

Signature possessions: noble outfit,masterwork pistol; masterwork longsword,masterwork dagger

BackgroundBackgroundBackgroundBackgroundGuy Bourbonne is seen by many to be the

embodiment of Port d'Elhour, an example ofspringing back from disaster. Guy narrowlyescaped with his life when one of theirfamily's merchant vessels, which Guy wascaptaining, was lured onto reefs rocks of thenorthwestern coast of Souragne by a gang ofcaliban bandits. Mistaking a placed beaconfor a lighthouse, the ship's helmsman hurledthe vessel onto the unforgiving rocks. Guyescaped, but with injuries from the leader ofthe gang of bandits, a hideously deformedcreature and twisted mockery of a man.

It was several weeks before Guydiscovered that the deformed monster thathad attacked them must have been a were-crocodile, infecting him with its curse. Guyhad always been frail and sickly, and theonset of the curse gave him health that hehad never known before. What distressedGuy most were the bestial urges the cursebrought to the surface. These urges typicallyinvolved killing and eating children.

Initially Guy tried to repress these urges,but doing so led hideously violent rages eachfull moon, and several incidents which onlylarge amounts of money and"disappearances" of witnesses kept quiet. Toquell the beast within, he had constructed inthe basement of his house a special roomwhere children, either slave children,vagrants from the city streets, or childrenthat would otherwise not be missed, could betaken. The rest of the bodies of his victim arethen transported to the swamps where theywere sunk out of sight. These practicesmeant that Guy could maintain a more stablepublic persona, and his position as a memberof the aristocratic elite.

Guy is always well dressed in the mustsumptuous of fashions, and always has asword at his side. His most distinguishingfeature is his left hand, always gloved, whichhe tries to keep in a pocket or under his coat.This hand was where his wound occurredthat injected the lycanthropic curse into his


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body. Unfortunately it is forever mutated andtwisted into the stumpy, scaled claw of acrocodile, which a padded glove helps tohide. Guy is extremely conscious of thisdeformity and will fly into a rage if it ismentioned.

Monsieur Monsieur Monsieur Monsieur MensongeMensongeMensongeMensongeMale human; Voodan* 16th

Basic suggested stats: 16d8 (104 hit points),neutral evil, CR 12

SA: spells, including Heart and Souls* andTouch of the Doppelganger*


Feat list should include: Brew Greater Potion*

*see Dark Tales and Disturbing legends

Monsieur Mensonge is a dark skinned manappearing to be in his late forties. Lookingyouthful and healthy, his hair is still blackand his quiet eyes seem to be constantlyappraising something.

Mensonge was born on a plantation nearPort d’Elhour. His parents worked hard fortheir wealthy plantation owner, as they knewnothing else. When he was young,Mensonge saw his father die under a pile oflogs, as a consequence of neglect from a

foreman. His father’s death forced hismother and two sons into deeper poverty,and many around them abused of thissituation.

When she was stuck by melancholy,Mensonge's mother sometimes told them oftheir parentage on her side with the pastgrand Misroi bloodline, to put emphasis ontheir twisted current fate of poverty.

At 17, disgusted by this sore existence, therebellious Mensonge fled to the south, wherehe met elders, who taught him of the healingand benevolent magic of the voodan. Hisfirst patron loa was Lethede, the Lady ofRoads. However, in his early twenties, hishate of the caste system that imprisonedSouragniens into hard work and povertymade him listen favourably to another,darker loa. He heard his mother died adecade ago, but he has no idea of hisbrother's whereabout.

He now lives alone in a small abandonedplantation located near Maison d’Sablet, notfar from the town of Thibaut. Most people ofThibaut know of this location, and theyusually fear going there. Many snakes andswamp animals are free to roam thisproperty’s crumbles walls, menacing butactually not aggressive toward the rarevisitors.

Over the last decade, a few disappearancesin southern Souragne have been rumoured tobe Mensonge’s doing, but if it’s accurate, itseems the figures of authority are notundertaking anything against him. Peopleoften whisper about how MonsieurMensonge is seemingly above the law, andwhy are the authorities leaving him be.

However, his fame over potion brewingskills covers all of Souragne and manydesperate people seek his trade, sometimesfrom outside the island. There seems to be nolimit to what kind of power or sorceryMensonge is able to distil in his expensiveflasks of coloured glass.

Mensonge’s secret patron loa isOhuwaghnn, the Serpent King, whomMensonge serves since a long time.Mensonge take for his Ohuwaghnn’ hatredof humanity and he also makes everything hecan to destroy civilized society. Mensonge’


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long term goal is the collapse of theplantations and everything that representslaw and order. By trickery, his divination,necromantic and transmutation skills areaiming to destruction, under well intendedappearance. Of course, he keeps his patronloa faith a secret, passing himself off as apowerful, but otherwise ordinary, beneficialvoodan. When asked about his badreputation, Mensonge argue about the lack ofrespect of the populace toward voodans ingeneral.

His divination skills are accurate and fewsecrets are hidden a long time from him. Tothis use, he often draws on dark necromanticitems like Spirit Bottles and Gris-Gris Coffin(see Misroi Legacy appendix). Thisknowledge serves him in planningcorruption and destruction against the noblesof mid and southern Souragne. The flasksand advices he sells often have a painfulunseen consequence and have caused a lot ofsuffering.

This NPC is featured in the adventure “ToHonour and Obey” in Dark Tales &Disturbing Legends accessory.


The Misroi LegacyThe Misroi LegacyThe Misroi LegacyThe Misroi Legacy


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Without a doubt, the library was the greatest loss in the destruction of le Manoir de Pénombre.All manner of ancient tomes and magical treatise were incinerated in the fires that consumedour Richemulot estate.

As insult added to injury, the few volumes that survived the fires proved to be of little value.Ironically, our storage locker of valueless books proved to be the surest protection againstcalamity. I spent many a melancholy hour sifting through our "junk bin", in the vain hope thatsomehow some important document had been saved amongst the clutter. It was during such adiversion that I discovered a surprising treasure: a worn and aged diary.

Initially I thought nothing of the tiny booklet, and leafed through its pages as a distraction.The former owner's name seemed familiar, though for what reason I could not recall. I wasabout to toss the yellowed book away when one word caught my undivided attention: Souragne.

By purest luck, I had happened upon a valuable source of knowledge. I immediately devotedmyself to deciphering whatever insights the journal held. To my disappointment, the diaryfocused not upon the land, but rather the history of an obscure noble clan hailing from thatrealm and long since dispersed throughout the mists. Nonetheless, the Misroi Diaries offer usan insight into the culture and nobility birthed by the domain in which we now dwell.

Below are my summarized notes.~ Ambrose Skully~ Ambrose Skully~ Ambrose Skully~ Ambrose Skully

The Misroi FamilyThe Misroi FamilyThe Misroi FamilyThe Misroi FamilyThe Misroi family is an ancient line ofnobility, widely disbursed throughout thedemiplane of dread. The Misrois areconsummate landed gentry, they eschewmost mercantile pursuits in favor ofdeveloping and exploiting large estates.Wherever they dwell, the Misrois quicklygain a reputation for their ambition. The clanaggressively seeks out favorable marriagesand alliances to increase their holdings. Thisassertiveness has served the clan well,allowing it to imbed itself within thearistocracy of numerous realms.

Focused wholly on advancement, theMisrois ruthlessly pursue power. Therewould seem to be no limit to the potential ofthis mighty line, where it not for theirinfamous animosity towards their familymembers. No sooner is a Misroi establishedthan he or she is attacked and plundered bytheir relations. Family loyalty is unknownamongst the Misroi clan, who are known toprey upon their cousins, parents and childrenwith equal abandon.

Though they draw their origins to the landof Souragne, few Misrois dwell in that land.The family fled their ancestral home in theaftermath of a terrible curse. Long ago, thefamily reached the height of its power under

their patriarch, Anton Misroi. When hedisappeared mysteriously, the family fellinto their usual savage infighting. Likeravenous vultures, the Misrois divided upAnton's estates. The strongest memberscarved their own estates out of the legacy,and forced their weaker cousins to flee thedomain. This would prove to be a blessing indisguise, when the family estate wasswallowed up by the swamp. Like Antonbefore them, those Misrois who remained inSouragne vanished without a trace.

Today, the Misroi family is found mostlyin Dementlieu, and in smaller numbers inMordent, Darkon and Nova Vassa. In recentyears, a small number have returned to theirnative Souragne, though none have dared tosearch for the old family estate.

Fitting InFitting InFitting InFitting InThe Misrois are of medium build, with darkhair and pale skin. It is said that the Misroisexhibit some of the facial characteristicssimilar to the Valachani or the indigenouspeople of Sourage. To the bafflement ofoutsiders, the Misroi's hotly deny any suchrelation and consider even the mention ofsuch traits as cause for a duel.

Appendix 3 Appendix 3 Appendix 3 Appendix 3 The Misroi LegacyThe Misroi LegacyThe Misroi LegacyThe Misroi Legacy

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The Misrois try to exemplify the values ofthe gentry and are extremely haughtytowards people of lesser station. Scions ofthe line are required to flaunt the affluence oftheir line by maintaining the mostextravagant homes and clothing. Often,members bankrupt themselves by decoratingtheir estates to hide disuse and decay.

Most importantly, Misrois are required torefrain from socializing with people belowtheir station and partaking in any behaviornot fit for nobility. Adventurers and sell-swords are improper company for Misroiscions, though retinues of servants andbodyguards are permissible.

The Misrois share a preoccupation withdeath. They enjoy walking amongst tombsand graveyards, and in their old age speakenviously of the departed, as if with ayearning to occupy the elaborate tombs theyconstruct. Some servants whisper that themore powerful Misrois actually keeppreserved carcasses in secret chambers of thehouse as perverse curiosities.

Claiming MembershipClaiming MembershipClaiming MembershipClaiming MembershipMore so than other families, the Misrois areloath to welcome new scions. As the Misroiscontinue their perpetual feud with theirrelatives, few welcome still morecompetition from long-lost kin. Indeed, it isnot unheard of for legitimate Misrois to findthemselves disowned should they fall out offavor with their elders.

There are few circumstances when Misroisrecognize wayward progeny. In order tolegitimize one's claim to the Misroi legacy, apetitioner must have the support of aprominent family member. Misrois onlyacknowledge such petitioners if they can beused to further their benefactor's goals.

One common tactic is for a Misroi torecognize a sibling's illegitimate child so asto humiliate his relative and further split theinheritance of his own nephews and nieces.

Even with the support of a prominentbenefactor, a petitioner must possess strongevidence to sustain his or her claim. Letters,diaries, or other tokens must be presented asproof of lineage.

With acceptance into the family,petitioners are meticulously groomed fortheir future position amongst the wealthyelite. Acknowledged Misrois are expected tojoin the ranks of the landed aristocracy andparticipate in the family endeavors andfeuds. Those who fail to take their rightfulstation may soon find themselves out offavor and disowned once more.

Misroi Traits Misroi Traits Misroi Traits Misroi Traits -2 Wis, +2 Cha: Misrois have powerfulpersonalities, but they are arrogant and shortsighted.

Rot in a Corpse's Shell: A Misroi whodies of unnatural causes has an increasedchance of rising as a walking dead. A Misroiwho is killed under dramatic circumstanceshas a % chance equal to his or her hit dicemultiplied by his cha modifier of beingresurrected as a corporeal undead of equalECL.

Family Feats Family Feats Family Feats Family Feats When creating a Misroi character, the playeror DM should select at least one of thefollowing feats: Ancestral Legacy, ColdOne, Courage, Dancing Bones, Die Hard,Iron Will, Jaded, Machiavellian, OpenMinded, Scent of the Grave, UnwholesomeIchor, Wealth. The character must meet therequirements of each feat, as usual.

The following new feat should be availableonly to Misroi characters (or, at the DM’sdiscretion, to those of some other familywith a necromantic background.

Scion of Death Scion of Death Scion of Death Scion of Death A family legacy of evil sorcery grants youcontrol over the dead.

Prerequisites: Cha 13+, this feat must betaken at 1st level.

Benefits: Once per day, you may rebukeundead as a cleric of level equal to yourcharisma modifier. If can already rebukeundead, this feat allows you to rebukeundead an extra number of times per dayequal to your charisma modifier.


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Family Magic ItemsFamily Magic ItemsFamily Magic ItemsFamily Magic ItemsSpirit BottlesSpirit BottlesSpirit BottlesSpirit Bottles

With this tool, a user may trap the soul of adead being in a bottle, so that he or she mayconverse with them once each day.

To do so, the user places a spider inside ofthe casket of the subject before burial. Afterthe body has rested for one night, the userdigs up the body, removes the spider, andplaces it inside of the spirit bottle. The bottleis stopped with a cork impregnated with waxrendered from human fat.

Once each day, the user may open thebottle and speak with dead, as if speaking tothe corpse.

If the bottle is ever broken, or leftunstopped, the venomous spider seeks outthe user and tries to kill him/her.

Strong necromancy (evil); CL 5th; CraftWondrous item, speak with dead, Price 8000gp; Weight 1/4 lb.

Gris-Gris CoffinGris-Gris CoffinGris-Gris CoffinGris-Gris CoffinOf the many devious tools available to theMisrois, few are as insidious as sympatheticcurses. The Gris-Gris coffin is one of themore exotic forms of sympatheticenchantments available.

To perform this hex, the user constructs agris-gris doll out of hair, fingernails andclothing scraps belonging to the victim. Thisdoll is then placed into a tiny replica of acoffin, constructed from wood taken from acoffin that once housed a corpse.

Once each day, the user may place a dropof blood on the lips of the doll. That day, theuser may cast suggestion to the victim.Thissuggestion must be the first thing the usersays to the victim, or else the spell is wasted.

Faint enchantment; CL 5th; CraftWondrous item, suggestion, Price 8000 gp;Weight 1/4 lb.

Charnel Altar: Minor Artifact. Charnel Altar: Minor Artifact. Charnel Altar: Minor Artifact. Charnel Altar: Minor Artifact. The altar is a four-foot high shelf, fashionedout of ebony wood in the shape of a pointedarch. The front of the arch is a hollowedgouge, in which are supported numerous

hooks and knobs shaped like serpents andclaws. These hooks are designed to holdskulls inside of the altar and candles withinthe skulls. Elaborate engravings on the altarmark it as dedicated to the voodun loa, theLord of the Dead.

In the rear of the altar is a drawer, which isperpetually filled with writhing insects.These carnivorous pests devour the flesh ofwhatever is placed inside the drawer, leavingonly clean bone.

The altar is an ancient heirloom of theMisrois, used by the dread family to rise topower in their native land. In the chaoticaftermath of Anton Misroi’s disappearance,a servant stole the relic and sold it to asorcerer in Port D’Elhour.

Without the Misroi line to give it purpose,the altar went dormant and was traded to aship’s captain as a grisly curiosity. The altarwas passed across the Core for years until aMisroi scion discovered it. Sensing itsopportunity, the altar awoke and compelledits new owner to put it to grizzly use.

The altar is dedicated to serving theMisroi's and establishing them as rulers. Oneactivates the altar by decapitating a haplessenemy. The head is then placed in a boxinside of the altar, which is filled withvermin. These insects clean the skull, whichis then mounted on the altar. The remainingbody is then rendered down into 23 blackcandles, which may be burned inside of theskull. A single candle burns for eight hours.These candles shed only the faintest light,though the shadows they create becomelonger and darker.

Once the owner of the artifact lights ablack candle and places it inside of the skull,he or she may cast a spell from thenecromantic school or death domain, as asorcerer or cleric of caster level equal to hisor her hit dice. This spell gained must be oflevel equal to half the victim's former hitdice. The user chooses the spell gained uponlighting the candle and must cast that spellwhile the candle is burning in the altar. Oncethe candle is burned out, the spell is lost.

Strong Necromancy (Evil); CL 15th;Weight 100 lb.

IndexIndexIndexIndex


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AAAAAnimals ....................................................74Anton Misroi ......................................68, 85

curse ......................................................87Arcane magic ...........................................49

BBBBBeliefs ......................................................47Black Willow ...........................................15Boat Statistics ..........................................73

CCCCCabrit Sans Cor’ .......................................48Captain Guy Bourbonne ..........................93Charnel Alter ............................................99Chicken Bone ...........................................15City of the Departed .................................23Climate .......................................................8Clothing ...................................................35Coup Padre ...............................................12Cult of Notre Dame des Brumes ..............56Customs ...................................................47

DDDDDaily Life .................................................32Dancing bones ..........................................71DM's Appendix ........................................70

EEEEEastern Souragne .....................................16Encounters ...............................................74

animals ..................................................74monsters ................................................75

Epilogue ...................................................66Etienne 'Pere Laissez-Faire' Lefebvre ......59Ezra ..........................................................56

Fifth Book .............................................62

FFFFFamily Feats .............................................98Family Magic Items .................................99Feat

Dancing bones .......................................71Scion of Death ......................................98

Feats .........................................................71Festivals ...................................................49Fifth Book of Ezra ...................................62Food .........................................................37Franklin Tennyson ...................................57

GGGGGeographical Survey .................................. 6Ghosts ...................................................... 78Government ............................................. 39Gris-Gris Coffin ....................................... 99

HHHHHistory, Souragnian ................................. 41Holy days ................................................. 49human sacrifice ........................................ 48Hyskosa's prophecy .................................. 46

IIIIIndigenous Peoples .................................. 31Information sources ............................... 101

LLLLLanguage .................................................. 38language primer ....................................... 38Larissa Snowmane ................................... 92Law .......................................................... 39Legacy of Blood

Misroi .................................................... 97Les Tristepas ............................................ 16Liberté ...................................................... 50Loas .......................................................... 53

MMMMMaiden of the Swamp .............................. 91Maiden's Children .................................... 91Maison d'Sablet .......................................... 9Maison de la Détresse .............................. 16Maison Soulombre ................................... 25Manon ’Ti-Maman’ Larouche ................. 58map of city ............................................... 19Marais d'Tarascon .................................... 28Mensonge ................................................. 94Merrshaulki ........................................ 14, 75Mesonge ................................................... 94Misroi ....................................................... 97Mistways .................................................... 8Misty border ............................................. 50Monsters ................................................... 75

ghosts .................................................... 78merrshaulki ........................................... 75

Mordu ....................................................... 28Murky Sea .................................................. 8Myxitizajal ................................................. 9


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NNNNNanaea's grandchildren ............................20Nights the Walking Dead

Night After ............................................28

OOOOOracle .......................................................55

PPPPPetitioning the Loa ...................................65Plantations ................................................24Port d'Elhour ............................................18Port d’Elhour ............................................19

Cemetery ...............................................23Le Marché .............................................22Past-the-Port ..........................................20Plantations .............................................24Port ........................................................19South of the city ....................................27Town Proper .........................................20

Prologue .....................................................4

RRRRRed Moon ................................................48Religious Survey ......................................52Rural Locales ...........................................29

SSSSSandover ............................................14, 77scale ...........................................................8Scrying .....................................................16slavery ......................................................31Sociological Survey .................................30Souragne

in short ....................................................7size ..........................................................8

Souragnien language primer ....................38Souragnien zombie template ....................80Spell

Exterminate ...........................................71Vermin ward .........................................72

SpellsSpirit armour .........................................71

Spirit Bottles ............................................99Spirit World .............................................78Swamp .....................................................72

TTTTtemplate

souragnian zombie ................................ 80Temple of the Great Crocodile ................ 77Terrain effects .......................................... 72Thibaut ..................................................... 29Ti-Maman .......................................... 58, 63Trade ........................................................ 40

VVVVVévé ......................................................... 54Vieil Branch ............................................. 23Voodan ..................................................... 78

WWWWWho’s Who .............................................. 84Worldview ............................................... 39

ZZZZZombie

creation .................................................. 78souragnian ............................................. 80

Other Souragne SourcesOther Souragne SourcesOther Souragne SourcesOther Souragne Sources3rd ed: 3rd ed: 3rd ed: 3rd ed: Ravenloft Campaign Setting, Dark

Tales & Disturbing Legends.

Recomended 2nd ed: Recomended 2nd ed: Recomended 2nd ed: Recomended 2nd ed: Night of the WalkingDead, Domains of Dread, "Chicken Bone"entry (Ravenloft MCII), Champions of theMists (Larissa Snowmane);

Other 2nd ed.: Other 2nd ed.: Other 2nd ed.: Other 2nd ed.: Children of the Night: Vampire(Myxitizajal), Children of the Night:Werebeasts (Sandover).

Novel: Novel: Novel: Novel: Dance of the Dead, by Christie Golden(highly recommended for flavour and waysto role play Anton Misroi).

Fan made: Fan made: Fan made: Fan made: Boccoru specialist kit ( Book ofSorrows 1998); Voodan Zombie (Book ofSouls 1997); Children of the Bayou Book ofSorrows 1998); Simon LaFleur (Book ofSorrows 1998); Zanango Society (Book ofSacrifices 2001); Living Bayou (QtR 1).

And suggested inspiration: And suggested inspiration: And suggested inspiration: And suggested inspiration: • Serpent and the Rainbow movie (1988)• Fishhead short story, by Irvin S. Cobb (1911)• Vampires and witches novels by Ann Rice,

often set in New Orleans


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Player’s Map of Port d’ElhourPlayer’s Map of Port d’ElhourPlayer’s Map of Port d’ElhourPlayer’s Map of Port d’Elhour


104104104104Player’s map of SouragnePlayer’s map of SouragnePlayer’s map of SouragnePlayer’s map of Souragne

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