Axebasher's Guild (Affiliation)

• Scale: 8 (2-5 for individual chapters)
• Capital: 8 (2-5 for individual chapters)
• Alignment: Neutral Evil
• Symbol: Axe and Shield
• Active Regions: Bloodcoast, League of Cities, Central Muriah, Free State of Estonia, Orclands

Background: The Axebasher’s Guild was founded to compete directly with the Sword and Shield Association. Where the S&S is finicky as to what sorts of jobs it will take (i.e. nothing illegal), the Axebasher’s Guild is not so discerning.

Founded rather recently, in ER 1458, the Axebasher’s has spread quickly, mostly from the largess of its founder, the half-orc Grinus Grizzletooth. Wherever the Axebasher’s set up shop, contention quickly ensues with the S&S.

Organization: Organization is a dirty word at the Axe. Barracks are often dirty, and poorly kept. Corruption amongst officers is commonplace. Leadership at the Axe is often by strength. For lower ranking positions, members may challenge their superior at any time, and if they defeat them in a contest of strength, martial prowess, or possibly even good old fisticuffs, then they take their place along side their former superior, having proven themselves equal to the task.

Higher ranking positions (Captain and above) require the former owner to have vacated the spot, either thru promotion or…accident. Newly created positions (for new barracks being opened) are usually assigned by a meeting of the regional commanders.

Goals: Like the S&S, the Axebasher’s Guild’s primary goal is to make money. Mostly they accomplish this thru selling muscle to those in need. Most of their contracts are on the up-and-up, but they have been known to ally with various thieves’ guilds, and the occasional dire cabal.

A secondary goal of the Axe is undermining the S&S. Members of the Axe often go out of their way to cause trouble for members of the Sword and Shield Association.

Sword and Shield Association (Affiliation)

• Scale: 10 (3-6 for individual chapters)
• Capital: 10 (3-6 for individual chapters)
• Alignment: Lawful Neutral
• Symbol: Crossed Swords
• Active Regions: All of the Kingdom of Muriah except The Great Untamed

Background: The Sword and Shield Association, often referred to as the Fighter’s Guild, was founded in the year EK 325. Hastur the First started the guild, in what was then the city of Eribatorea (now New Estonia).

Organization: The S&S is a strict organization. Members are expected to obey superiors above all else, while on assignment or in the guild barracks. Slovenly behavior, untidy or unkempt appearance, or failure to perform duties all result in penalties to one’s rank within the guild.

Members must pay an initial fee to join, but afterwards membership is free. The guild takes a small cut (15-25%) of any assignments the member takes thru the guild. Failure to report income derived from the guild is considered a major infraction.

Advancement in the guild is handled thru peer review, and is conducted monthly, typically on the first of the month. Members are evaluated by their superiors, based on past assignments, training, and behavior. At times members’ martial prowess may be tested prior to advancement. Advancement to the highest post – High Commander – is only done when the current High Commander steps down, or is voted down by a unanimous decision amongst the Commanders. Then the Commanders convene to elect a replacement, typically from amongst their ranks.

Each individual barracks can be considered a sub-set of the guild at large, typically with a Scale/Capital of 3-6.

Goals: The goal of the Sword and Shield Association is simple: to make money. It does this by providing trained and professional military support to individuals, organizations, and even governments. Guard duty, personnel and caravan escort, and even training services are provided, all for a fee. The guild draws a line at assassination: they leave that to the appropriate organizations.

Secondary to their goal as a business, the S&S provides training to members, in the belief that a well-trained staff can generate more income for the guild as a whole.

Vesparta (Deity)

• Spheres: Luck, Gambling, Infatuation
• Gender: Female
• Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
• Power: Intermediate Deity
• Symbol: Dice
• Favored Weapon: Shortsword
• Influence: Patron of gamblers, halflings, and many rogues.
• Domains: Celerity, Competition, Halfling, Wealth, Luck, Trickery, Chaos, Travel, City, Passion

Description: Occasionally depicted as a waifish humanoid with pixie wings, Vesparta takes many forms.

Lore and Knowledge: An elusive deity, Vesparta has her hand in all things, yet cares for none. Known as Lady Luck, or the Meddler, she seems to take joy in having some sway, for good or ill, wherever her gaze may fall.

Followers: Most everyone offers an oath to Vesparta from time to time, to curse or praise their fortune. Those who rely on their luck more than others, such as rogues, gamblers, and such, give proper oaths to her. Halflings are Vesparta’s most common follower.

Followers of Vesparta can be of any alignment. Temples to Vesparta are most common in major urban centers, and only rarely in rural communities.

Affiliated Organizations:
• Church of Fortune: The official church of Vesparta
• Chance-Blades: Rogues and Swashbuckler’s devoted to Vesparta.
• Hands of Capricious Fortune: This outlawed, and some say mad, sect roams the land, dispensing random fortunes on those they meet. Lives of its members are often short.

Holy Days:
• Fortune's Fool (5th of Nature's Hand): A merry celebration of games, pranks, and comedic antics in honor of Vesparta and her fickle gifts. Celebrated in small villages and large cities alike.
• Carnivale Day (10th of Harvestmoon): Often held only in the larger cities, it is a 'last hurrah' of merriment amongst the jesters and rogues, with big street parades, shows, and games of chance dedicated to lady luck, and the fortunes she's brought through the year.

Class Information:

Clerics: Clerics of Vesparta must be partially neutral. There is no canon, and no required vestments. All items of chance are sacred to clerics of Vesparta, such as dice and cards. Clerics of Vesparta often grant blessings of fortune to travelers and gamblers, or try to provide aid to those down on their luck.

As a religion, the Church of Fortune is not wholly organized. Itinerant clerics outnumber lay-clergy almost 2-1, as the Church feels it’s members should make their own fortune.

Clerics of Vesparta cannot Turn/Rebuke Undead. Instead, they can Inspire Luck, as a Swift Action, to one target. This grants the target a sacred bonus equal to the cleric’s Charisma Modifier on that target’s next die roll (lasts for up to 1 minute per cleric level). This ability meets any requirements as Turn/Rebuke Undead.

Class Skills: Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Heal, Knowledge (Arcana, History, Religion, The Planes), Profession, Spellcraft

Favored Soul: Favored Souls of Vesparta are born under a lucky sign. They gain +1 to all saving throws.

Vergis (Deity)

• Spheres: Commerce, Wealth, Greed, Travel
• Gender: Male
• Alignment: Neutral Evil
• Power: Intermediate Deity
• Symbol: Coin
• Favored Weapon: Dart
• Influence: Patron of merchants, wayfarers, bankers, and vagabonds.
• Domains: Celerity, Envy, Gluttony, Greed, Hunger, Pride, Trade, Wealth, Travel, Feast, City, Commerce, Herald

Description: An overweight and short humanoid, Vergis embodies greed, but also commerce and comfort.

Lore and Knowledge: Vergis, while an evil deity, is tolerated in most communities due to his embodiments of comfort and wealth, which most individuals aspire to in some degree. The Coinspinner and the Wanderer, Vergis is also the patron of travelers, wanderers, and the homeless.

Worship of Vergis began in the desert communities of the Sandstorm Desert.

Followers: Most folk allied with businesses give tribute to Vergis in one form or another. Caravans often have a small dedication to Vergis, for successful business and a safe journey. Worship of Vergis is most common in urban communities than rural ones.

Followers of Vergis come from all alignments, but most are neutral and evil.

Affiliated Organizations:
• Church of the Coin: Official church of Vergis.
• Bank of Muriah: The official Bank of Muriah, with a presence in most major cities.
• Horizonwalkers: A group of travelers for the sake of exploration and slaking their wanderlust.

Holy Days:
• Market Day (Once a month): The merchants and sellers in villages and towns alike get together for a small fete to showcase their goods and wares, and allow rural travelers the chance to do all their shopping at once. Often goods are well discounted, or special deals are available. The day varies by city and town, but most are organized by representatives of Vergis.
• Merchant's Day (17th of Kingsmonth): The various Merchant guildmembers get together to exchange wares, gossip, and news, shutting down their shops and enjoying a private benediction by the clerics of Vergis.

Class Information:

Clerics: Clerics of Vergis can be of any alignment, though they tend towards Neutral and Evil. Clerics of Vergis promote business, wealth, and commerce, as well as travel and exploration.

Clerics of Vergis are expected to take a journey at least once a year. This pilgrimage must last at least a month, and they may not stay in the same place for more than three nights.

Vestments to Vergis are platinum and silver, with a gold phylactery. Copper is sacred to Vergis, as the basis for the economy. Their holy symbols are always a single copper coin, blessed by a high cleric, earned as a salary for a day’s work.

Clerics of Vergis cannot Turn/Rebuke Undead, but they can as a standard action, 3 + Charisma Modifier times per day, add +10 per Charisma Modifier to a target’s Movement Rate for 1 hour per Cleric level. This is known as the Blessing of Vergis, and is highly sought after by travelers and wanderers. It meets any requirements, and is affected by, any Feats or Abilities that apply to Turn/Rebuke Undead.

Class Skills: Appraise, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Heal, Knowledge (Arcana, History, Religion, The Planes), Profession, Spellcraft

Favored Soul: Favored Souls of Vergis are imbued with wanderlust, and greed. They covet small things, though not necessarily coin. They may have an overwhelming desire to see new places, meet new people, or just hoard books or knowledge.

Favored Souls of Vergis gain +4 saves vs. any effects that impede movement (Holds, Snares, Entanglement, etc.).

Ullis (Deity)

• Spheres: Strength, Competition, Health, Civic Duty, Metalworking
• Gender: Male
• Alignment: Lawful Neutral
• Power: Intermediate Deity
• Symbol: Hammer
• Favored Weapon: Maul
• Influence: Patron of gladiators, giants, dwarves, and smiths.
• Domains: Community, Competition, Craft, Creation, Dwarf, Metal, Strength, Artifice, Endurance

Description: Shown as a mountainous humanoid, Ullis is the embodiment of brawn. Usually clad in only a gray loincloth, and wielding an enormous maul.

Lore and Knowledge: Ullis is the Great Crafter, and the Forgesmith, as well as the Gladiator. He revels in tests of strength, and other competition.

Followers: Ullis is widely worshipped by the dwarves, and the giant races. He is also widely praised by gladiators and those engaging in feats of strength. Competitions in Ullis’ name are given often throughout the year, and are bawdy affairs.

Smiths and crafters of all races give praise to Ullis, often giving a prayer for the first item crafted in a new year, or when undertaking a special project.

Affiliated Organizations:
• Temple of the Strong: This is the official church of Ullis.
• Battlechanters of Ullis: These dwarven battlechanters give their oaths to Ullis for strength and duty.
• Gladiator’s Union: An underground association of gladiators in lands that have gladiatorial combat.

Holy Days:
• Grand Games(ends 14th of Summersend): Throughout the year, temples host smaller games in a variety of sports - archery, wrestling, jousting, etc., even a few contests of arcane prowess - throughout the lands, and they culminate in the great championships. With qualifying games held in all of the major cities, the final championships are held in a different city each year, and always draw a huge crowd. Timed to end just before the Summer's Feast, the host city enjoys a huge influx of tourists, travelers, and ne'er-do-wells. The champions of the games are oft talked about for years to come, and are heralded as the best-in-class of their sport.

Class Information:

Clerics: Clerics of Ullis must have at least a 12 strength. There are no vestments to Ullis; instead clerics are expected to wear only a loincloth when engaged in his service. Every cleric is expected to have some knowledge of the forge; Clerics of Ullis gain +2 to Craft (Blacksmithing) checks. Clerics of Ullis must be Lawful.

Clerics of Ullis cannot cheat when engaged in a competition – to do so is a violation of ethos. There is no canon for Ullis. Iron is a sacred material – most clerics wear iron or burnished steel jewelry.

Clerics of Ullis cannot Turn/Rebuke Undead. Instead, as a Swift action, they can grant a Blessing of Strength to themselves or one other living creature within level x 10 feet. The target gains +4 Strength for a number of rounds equal to the cleric's Charisma bonus. They can do this 3 + Charisma bonus times per day. This ability meets any requirements for Feats or Abilities that Turn/Rebuke Undead would.

Class Skills: Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Heal, Knowledge (Arcana, History, Religion, The Planes), Profession, Spellcraft, Intimidate

Favored Soul: Favored Souls of Ullis are giants amongst their kind, often the tallest of their race. They are also physically strong and fit. They must have a strength of 14 or better. Favored Souls of Ullis gain +4 to saving throws to avoid or throw off Negative Levels, or vs. Negative Energy or Ability Drain attacks.

Paladins: Paladins of Ullis can expend a Turn Undead ability as a Swift action to gain +4 Strength for 1 round per Charisma bonus.

Tiranus (Deity)

• Spheres: Evil, Corruption, Lust, Debauchery
• Gender: Female
• Alignment: Chaotic Evil
• Power: Intermediate Deity
• Symbol: Pentagram
• Favored Weapon: Whip
• Influence: Patron of demons, evil creatures.
• Domains: Charm, Domination, Drow, Envy, Greed, Hatred, Lust, Suffering, Undeath, Evil, Chaos, Destruction, Passion

Description: Shown mostly as a powerful succubus, wielding a wicked force-whip. Always a malicious, yet seductive, smile graces her cruel yet inviting face.

Lore and Knowledge: Tiranus is the embodiment of temptation, lust, and desire. The Great Corruptor, she is said to have tempted numerous kings and queens into her service to spread debauchery and mayhem, solely for her own whimsical pleasure.

Followers: Hedonists and those wishing to fulfill their darkest desires pay homage to the Dark Queen. She has inspired mass murderers, rapists, and the pillaging hordes of the Ravlish at various times.

The worship of Tiranus is outlawed in all good and neutral societies. Some evil communities sometimes have Tiranus as their main faith.

Affiliated Organizations:
• Church of the Dark Heart: This is the outlawed cult devoted to Tiranus.
• Blades of the Forsaken: These blackguards are a cult of fallen-paladins who have succumbed to temptation.
• Academy of the Dark: These demon-cultists venerate Tiranus for their own dark desires.

Holy Days:
• There are no official holy days for Tiranus, though many sects offer her praise in manners befitting her vile nature.

Class Information:

Clerics: Clerics of Tiranus must be evil. They must be celibate, but not chaste. Initiation services to Tiranus ensure that new members are not chaste, as do most other holy rituals.

The vestments of Tiranus are blood red and black. Spiders are sacred to Tiranus. There is a canon, detailing all the many ways to corrupt the good.

Clerics of Tiranus can Rebuke Undead. They gain +1 saves vs. spells with the Good descriptor, and similar effects.

Class Skills: Appraise, Concentration, Diplomacy, Heal, Knowledge (Arcana, History, The Planes, Religion), Spellcraft, Bluff

Favored Soul: Favored Souls of Tiranus represent the basest, darkest souls of humanity. They are hedonists par excellence, mass murderers, and rapists. The revel in their dark deeds. Favored Souls of Tiranus can Detect Good 3/day, and must be evil.

Sunia (Deity)

• Spheres: Nature, the Earth, Plants, Family
• Gender: Female
• Alignment: Neutral Good
• Power: Greater Deity
• Symbol: Tree
• Favored Weapon: Club
• Influence: Patron of farmers, treants, sylvan creatures, rangers, and most druids
• Domains: Cavern, Community, Family, Renewal, Weather, Earth, Protection, Animal, Plant, Cavern, Feast, Fey, Life, Pestilence

Description: A sylvan female humanoid, clad in woodbark and fur, with antlers on her head. She has been depicted in numerous forms – from great oak trees, to oversized natural animals – in various tales and renderings.

Lore and Knowledge: Sunia, the Earthmother, is one of the oldest deities, and credited with giving all living creatures their form. Another dual-natured deity, she is the life-giving druidess, and the ferocious predator; the Hearthwarmer, and the Fanged Terror.

Followers: Most simple rural communities worship Sunia, as they depend on her generosity, and try to avoid her wrath. The first crop of a season is always blessed by a follower of Sunia. Followers of Sunia tend to be neutral. Many rural families have a small shrine to Sunia in their homes, to ward off danger.

Affiliated Organizations:
• Church of the Earthmother: The official church of Sunia.
• Druids of the Sacred Grove: Druidic circle of Sunia, with dominion over the land.
• Order of Lysentus: This outlawed cult is devoted to returning all lands to nature.

Holy Days:
• Spring Festival (1st of Springdawn): A joyous holiday, celebrated in small villages and large towns alike, celebrating surviving another cold winter, and asking for blessings for the planting ahead.
• Plow Day (8th of Springdawn): Following the Spring Festival, this comical fete features races amongst farmers, to see who can plow a row the fastest. It is generally only celebrated in the smaller villages and towns.
• First Planting (12th of Nature's Hand): This festival is typically held only in agrarian villages. The villagers get together to help one another in the momentus task of planting the first crops of the season. Volunteers watch children, blacksmiths are on hand to repair broken equipment, and laborers try to show their worth in the fields, in hopes of steady employment.
• Harvest Festival (Week of the 24th, Harvestmoon): A popular holiday in both villages and cities, it is celebrated differently in each. In small towns, the harvest festival is a week long drive of labor, followed by a great village feast. In larger towns and cities, it typically centers on children, who play various games, and are rewarded with sweets and treats at the end of the week.

Class Information:

Clerics: Clerics of Sunia must be partially neutral. Evil clerics tend not towards greed, but Sunia’s predatory and wrathful aspects. Good clerics are typically community leaders.

Clerics of Sunia have brown vestments, with a green phylactery. The oak is a sacred plant, with most temples having a live oak at the center. Most clerics also carry an acorn from the oak tree where they were ordained.

Clerics of Sunia perform many services in a community: marriage, counseling, rites of passage, etc. They are very active in promoting community and family.

There is no canon for Sunia; lore is passed down in an oral tradition, as it has been done for age immemorial.

Clerics of Sunia cannot Turn/Rebuke Undead. They can Turn/Rebuke creatures with the Animal and Plant types.

Class Skills: Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Heal, Knowledge (Arcana, History, Religion, Nature, The Planes), Profession, Spellcraft, Survival

Favored Soul: Favored Souls of Sunia tend to be animalistic, almost primitive. They enjoy the wilderness much more than urban environments. Animal and Plant type creatures will not attack Favored Souls of Sunia, except in self-defense.

Druids: Druids of Sunia cannot have companions of the Aquatic or Air subtypes. They gain +2 on social skill checks with Fey or Sylvan creatures.

Solis (Deity)

• Spheres: Sun, Fire, Daylight, Madness
• Gender: Male
• Alignment: True Neutral
• Power: Greater Deity
• Symbol: Sun
• Favored Weapon: Morningstar
• Influence: Patron of farmers, desert-dwellers, sun-worshippers, and the insane.
• Domains: Glory, Madness, Oracle, Fire, Sun, Healing, Sky

Description: Wreathed in flames, this tall, muscular humanoid is painful to look at, as he radiates the glare of the midday sun.

Lore and Knowledge: One of the first deities with an organized worship, the Sun-Father is one of a dual nature: life-giving warmth, and fiery destruction. Solos gave the first creatures of Eninn the fire of life, with Sunia giving their bodies. Enchantra would later grant the spark of sentience.

Followers: The worship of Solos enjoys a widespread following; only the subterranean races tend not to worship Solos. The following of Solos has declined in the ages since the Godwars, as the new deities have taken hold, but it still maintains a strong faith amongst the small rural communities throughout the land.

Followers of Solos range the gamut from the most noble good, to the most heartless evil.

Affiliated Organizations:
• Church of the Sun: Official church of Solos.
• Fire Knights: A loose organization of paladins devoted to Solos.
• Cult of the Benevolent Madness: This cult believes true enlightenment comes with great madness. Members routinely expose themselves to the mercy of the desert sun.

Class Information:

Clerics: Clerics of Solos can be of any alignment, with those of an evil or chaotic nature tending to venerate his destructive or madness-provoking traits.

Vestments of Solos are golden yellow and orange, with a pure white phylactery. Gold is a sacred metal to the church of Solos, and clerics often adorn themselves with golden jewelry or goldcloth. The Summer Solstice is a major Holy Day for clerics of Solos.

Good or Neutral Clerics of Solos can Turn Undead. Evil Clerics of Solos can Command/Rebuke any creature of the Fire subtype. Undead are an anathema to clerics of Solos, as are any creatures of the night, or darkness.

Class Skills: Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Heal, Knowledge (Arcana, History, Religion, Nature, The Planes), Profession, Spellcraft

Favored Soul: Favored souls of Solos are the Sun’s children. They revel in the sun’s light, feeling uncomfortable when away from its warmth. They tend to be very tan, and are more prevalent in desert societies.

Favored Souls gain advantages based on their alignment (they can be any alignment, choose one ability): Chaotic or Evil Favored Souls can cast Burning Hands 1/day, as a sorcerer of the same level, Lawful or Good Favored Souls gain Sacred Purification as a bonus Feat, while Neutral Favored Souls gain Fast Heal 1 while exposed to direct sunlight.

Paladins: Paladins devoted to Solos can use one of their Turn Undead attempts to sheathe their weapon in fire for 1 round per Charisma bonus as a swift action. This fire does 1d6 fire damage on a successful hit; 2d6 damage to undead.

Nox (Deity)

• Spheres: The Night, the Hunt, Mysteries, Fertility
• Gender: Female
• Alignment: True Neutral
• Power: Greater Deity
• Symbol: Obsidian Stone
• Favored Weapon: Longbow/Composite Longbow
• Influence: Patron of amazons, hunters, some rangers, midwives.
• Domains: Darkness, Dream, Fate, Lust, Moon, Mysticism, Oracle, Portal, Summoner, Knowledge, Animal, Fey, Pleasure

Description: Nox is shrouded in secrecy and erotic allure. Her description is alluded to only in innuendo and the obscure idea of the sensual. Those few who have been graced with her presence can only describe a beautiful feminine form cloaked in darkness, and exuding mystery, fertility, and desire.

Lore and Knowledge: The Night Mistress or Nightmother, the Dark Lady, the Childmaker and Keeper of the Secrets, Nox is one of the oldest deities. Some claim she is older even than Corbrin, from some other realm, kept in the deepest, darkest of secrets.

Followers: Most humanoids give offering to Nox when they are seeking to start a family. Worship of Nox is older than even that of Solos or Sunia, and as such is practically an engrained part of society.

Besides those seeking a family, most hunters or gamesmen give tribute to Nox, often a small offering from the first kill of a season. Also, anyone seeking to keep a secret burns a small parchment with the secret written, while offering a prayer to Nox, to ensure it is never discovered.

The followers of Nox can be of any alignment. Worship of Nox is especially prevalent amongst the elves and other woodland races, while being less so of underground or subterranean races, such as the dwarves.

Temples devoted to Nox are never located in urban centers, though sometimes altars of worship are. Nox’s temples are almost always in the wilderness, hidden from casual travelers.

Affiliated Organizations:
• Church of the Moon: Official church of Nox, the Night Mistress.
• Midwive’s Association: Organization of midwives throughout the continent.
• Moonglade Rangers: Association of rangers and wardens devoted to Nox.

Class Information:

Clerics: Clerics of Nox must be celibate, but not chaste. While Nox is the deity of Fertility, her clerics may not raise families while in her service (and in fact, cannot, though many leave service to start families for a time, a practice that is common and often encouraged).

Clerics of Nox must be partially Neutral. Vestments are obsidian silk robes, with a grey phylactery. They are required during rituals, such as the Rite of the Full Moon. There is a canon of Nox, with texts as old as language itself. They are carefully guarded, and only given to prestigious members of the church.

Clerics of Nox cannot Turn/Rebuke Undead. Instead they can Turn/Rebuke any Animal, Magical Beast, or Lycanthrope.

Class Skills: Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Heal, Knowledge (Arcana, History, Religion, Nature, The Planes), Profession, Spellcraft, Hide, Bluff

Favored Soul: Favored souls of Nox hear the call of the hunt in the very fibre of their being, and the pull of the moon is as a tidal force on their very soul. They tend to be obsessive, and secretive.

During a full moon, Favored Souls gain +1 Caster Level.

Tourmaline (Capital)

• Classification: Capital City
• Population: 83,000
• Wealth: Wealthy
• Major Industry: Trade, Jewelry/Gemstones, Royal Navy, Fishing
• Specialty Goods: Golden Pearls, Fine Jewelry, Magic
• Populace Average Alignment: Neutral
• Leader Alignment: Lawful Neutral
• Government and Leadership: Feudal Monarchy, Marquis Leris duKent

Demographics:

Human: 72%	Half-Elf: 5%	Elf: 9%
Dwarf: 1%	Gnome: 2%	Halfling: 9%
Half-Orc: 1%	Other: 1%

History: Situated at the mouth of the Dovons River, amidst the Foothills of Yond, Tourmaline is an ancient city on the Scintillating Sea. Founded sometime around EH 900, Tourmaline was originally known as Casule on Dovons. Sometime after the Sinter Dynasty, Tourmaline was renamed after its major export – the fine gemstones mined in the nearby foothills.

Tourmaline quickly became a power in the region, with its ideal location, and vast wealth. As a city-state, many skirmishes occurred between it and Capaal, which was more closely allied to the Elven kingdom based out of Arborlon. Hiring mercenaries from Muriah, Tourmaline was able to defeat the forces of the Jenovian House, to gain premier dominance of the region. Castor duNeris was the first King of Dyninn, forming the League of Cities in the year ER 112.

During the Great War, King Muriah I used the League’s fractutious nature to his own ends. Muriahan mercenaries were enlisted by the cities of Capaal to usurp Tourmaline’s dominance, and by Tourmaline to prevent a coup. On the field, the mercenaries turned on their masters, and the League of Cities was effectively subjugated without a fight in the year ER 1440.

City Lore: Tourmaline is a wealthy, and very large, city. It is also a beautiful city, situated on the blue harbor of the Sapphire Bay. Tourmaline is clean, and fairly safe. The wealth of the city allows for considerable militia patrols; the city militia is practically a standing army.

Tourmaline is, demographically, a melting pot of culture and creed. Predominately human, it has a significant population of Elves, Half-Elves, and Halflings. The Elves maintain their own district in the city.

Cuisine in Tourmaline is mostly seafood: sailfin, ocean perch, and various shellfish are common. Oyster Stew is a common local dish. Nearby farms in the Dyninn grasslands provide ample grains, vegetables, and livestock to round out the local diet. Mead is the drink of choice in Tourmaline, though many fine breweries and wineries exist to cater to any taste.

The weather in Tourmaline is temperate – it rarely gets very hot or very cold. Clothing is thus layered, and loose, with fine linens, cottons, and silks being preferred. Colors are typically vibrant, even amongst the commoners. Jewelry is worn by almost all.

Crime is low in Tourmaline. The local thieves’ guild – the Emerald Dragons – are a small time affair of pickpockets and cat burglars. The local militia is intolerant of crime.

Every major affiliation, including all Guildtowers and Temples, have representation in Tourmaline. The Royal Navy maintains the majority of their Eastern Fleet from Tourmaline.

Landmarks/Places of Interest:

• The Old Quarter contains many ancient landmarks from the time when the city was still known as Casule on Dovons.
• Traitor’s Effigy is a marble statue marking the defeat of the League of Cities by the Muriahan mercenaries.
• The Vigilance of Hele is an enormous bronze statue commemorated to the goddess Hele, overlooking the harbor.