From Kotuswiki

Contents 1 Creation 2 The Tales of Creation 2.1 Gorms Inspiration 2.2 The Age of Dragons 2.3 The Age of Legends 3 The Lands of Creation 3.1 Morgan Shire 3.2 Dale Holme 4 Races 4.1 Dwarves 4.2 Elves 5 MAGIC 5.1 Sorcery 5.2 Hedge Magic 5.3 Rune Casting 5.4 Devine Gifts 5.5 Dieties 5.6 Druidic Gifts

Creation

The Tales of Creation

Gorms Inspiration

In the first moments of Creation there was nothing and all things. Order and Choas in equal parts. Gorm the Soul Forge looked upon this and brought his hammer down on it, bending it to his will. He etched into the malstrom the language of creation, giving names and definition to all things.

Kale placed his hand on his old friends shoulder and smiled, complimenting Gorm on his unmatched craftsmenship. Other Gods, some small, some great, began looking upon Gorms creation and gave their gifts to it. Ilvor and Scarver, siblings, gave the world an ebb and flow. Lenor gave the worl Law rules for it to exist by. Kale gave to the world grace and finally Nora, Gorms Wife, Breathed life into creation. Malase and Decev simply watched, and made only a suggestion, give the world beings to live in it.

Kale marveled at the ide and grabbed a spec of the sun and like clay molded Azathor the Sun Dragon, first born child of the gods. He looked about the world for some time and asked his parents for a brother or sister to experience the world together. So Nora reached into the molten center of creation and formed Ezeroth the Fire Wyrm. For ages these two and then their succesive siblings, companions and descendants explored and contimplated their creators world. Even the ancients who came after them lived under their watchful eyes, as Kale told to them, look upon them who are so small as though they are us, and protect them as you would your parents.

The Age of Dragons

This is when Decev and Malase stopped watching creation and quietly made their first {ctions?}* within it. Decev, disguised as an ancient, came to Ezeroth and began wipering in his ear. Why should these lesser creatures deserve the protection and reverence of the dragons. The dragons are made from the very elements of the earth, and now even younger and weaker beings are infesting this world expecting your protection. Should these beings be held the same as your parents the very gods who created all things. No, the gods must always be held above all you must never honor another.

At first Ezeroth abmonished the idea and sent the visitor away. Over time though the words began resonating with him. How could he hold others in the same respect as his gods, that was sacrilage. He later found the unknown ancient and began a long discourse. These words are kept in a tome called "The Words of the Fool and the Liar" (this tome is said to be lost but contains EXTORDINARY power, when it was in the library at Paripham, it was forbidden to be read, but because it is the word of a god, it was not distroyed either). In these discussions Ezeroth formulated his conquest.

The only thing preventing his preminence was his brother. His brother though had a propensity for falling into age long Reveries, dreaming of unknown things. So when next this revery came over Azathor, the Fire wyrm with his minions struck. They ambushed and imprisoned first the loyal dragons, sealing them deep beneath the earth Then they turned to the lesser beings of the world, the Ancents put up a great fight, but were sundered, destroyed under the fire wyrms claw. The other races were captured and enslaved. Ezeroth then elecated himself to the god over these beings. HE then forbid any but Dragons to even utter the name of the old gods, he was now the power of the world.

Ezeroth's was to twist and corrupt the world, some of these races fell victim to these deed or chose to be apart of them and were turned from creatures of the sun (The likes of Elves, Dwarves and Humans) to creatures of the moon, fowl and dark. These beings are now called the Orn. They were the Dragons servants and traded their souls for a tiny taste of power. After ages of the Dragon rule, the first true rebelion began, a Dwarf named Dwarn found the means to rise up and fight the orn and their dragon Overlords. It was the Language of creation that was the drwarves great weapon. It was said to come in a dream that Ironwolf had, Gorm spoke to him in words he had never heard and with those few words the light of freedom was found. Dwarn with his 7 companions rose upand slew the first dragon to be illed by mortal hands, Thernal. They and their people then ran to the DragonTooth mountains and hid dep in the earth, gathering their stregnth. Dwarn deep in his heart wished to rid the world of the Dragon rule and free all people but he needed time.

The time dwarn needed came from the elves. A young elven women escaped during the chaos of the Dwarf rebelion and began her quest for the First born Azathor. To her assistance came a barbarian from one of the few free human tribes. The elf and Human found Azathor after many trivails and adventures, bringing him out of his revery and to the world. First Azathor released his imprisoned breathren, then he emplored his younger brother to reliquish his rule. Ezeroth refused and the Dragon wars began and the age of the Dragons was soon to come to an end. Dwarn and his people joined Azathor and after a seamingly endless war Azathor and Ezeroth finally confronted one another. Azathor cast his brother down destroying the traitor and righting the wrongs he'd wreaked upon creation. The Gods cursed Ezeroth, that he'd never be with them again, and that he'd in his hubirus in proclaiming himself god he would guard the gates of hell as a slave to Wreth, till the day a mortal could slay him. It is said that Azathor in his sadness (for his brother) retreated from the world, and the surving dragons followed suit only to rarely be seen.

The Age of Legends

Some centuries after the age of the Dragon Rule there was a dark age as the races of Man, Elf and Dwarf discovered or rediscovered and developed their cultures. After these centuries kingdoms from all peoples started rising and the Age of Legends came into being. In this age the tales and stories of Heroism that the youth of today are weened on were not stories but the deeds of norm. In this age we find the Hallowed halls of Kales great church, the rise and fall of the FisherKings, the rise of the Golden Empire, heroes the likes of Coroth The Ironwold, Pelanor the Sword of Kale, Hestia the Great, Sir Thulic, the Ranger Palis and his love the Druid Saralin, The Last FisherKing Rolan and many many other. Also this age saw such villians as Rolan's son Darek and his wicked mother Helsa, the Foul Wizard Feragin, The Dragon Kashtal and more some even more foul than the above. This section will house the over view of the MOST important events of this age. There is plenty of room for includign other stories and Heroes from all parts of creation.

Coroth the Ironwolf

• His Roots : There are few heroes with as many tales as Coroth. His fighting prowess was said to be second to none, his adventures were such that he made kings, fostered heroes and trained knights. His beginings were as humble as any poor dwarf from the foot hills before the Dragon tooth. Born Coroth of the family Dargoth of Clan IronWolf, his father Revfern was a great and skilled Rune Smith that taught his son the art his clan had mastered for centuries. Revfern though was also a renowned world traveler and he took his son twice to the far lands of the world; from the west coast of the content of their birth to the lands of carthay where Coroth learned unarmed combat from mystic Monks, Iron Folding techniques of curved sword warriors, he traveled by horse back with the itinerate people of the plains of Acthin who worship the wind and the spirits of nature, he knew the griffin rides of the Harsten and learned from the painted faced animist of Galvara.

• The FisherKing : When Coroth came to adulthood he returned home and began his own smith shop in the town of SturnGuild. He found it easy work and was often bored. He began to travel his homelands of the Shires (Later known as morgan shire). He met a young man named Rolan, a soldier in training for the city of calahorn, Coroth and the young man became fast friends, and adventured together for several years with other various companions. It was later discovered that Rolan (Now a Sword of Kale) was a displaced member of the Fisher King blood line. Just to the west of the Dragon tooth, the Kingdom of Sul Thern was Racked with civil war and Rolan, Coroth and a Young Elf Druidess named Saralin took part and resolved the issue, placing Rolan at the Thrown of Sul.

• Ister Kalest Tho : After taking part in the war Coroth retired for a short time to return to Weapon and Armor smithing. He did this well for several years earning comissions from some of the most important people of the world. Then one night in a dream he found himselve before the avatar of Kale, and Kale gave Coroth an order, build a weapon for the god of Justice and Valor, the finest sword creation would ever see. So Coroth packed his bags found some help amongst the BearClan and retreated to a quiet abandoned forge deep in the low sumits of the Dragontooth. Here coroth set about creating this blade. The kilns and stoves of this forge could burn at the temperature required to heat and work Abathor, and the steel the blade was forged from was solid Abathor not the usual doped less pure abathor that sold as the finest blades else where, this blade was for Kale, and for Kale only the strongest and purest would do. For months Coroth folded the steal over and over again, he lost count after 100, and went well beyond, based on the techniques that the smiths of Cathay had shown him. This blade though was straight not curved, Kales symbol was a bladed sword, it was a hand and a half blade with a fine but practical cross bar and fine chained pummel. Two days before he finished he etched his rune into to the blade only one phrase (many runesmithed items have several etchings), it says in the Dwarf tongue, Ister Kalest Tho, "Kales Cold Hand" In the common tongue. On the morning he was to finish the sword he heard someone approaching outside, he armed himself and and went to the door. To his suprised he found a single human, thickly cloaked, with a talisman of Kale hanging from his neck, it was a War Priest of Kale named Gareth, he told Coroth he was tasked by Kale to find the Dwarf and help him finish the blade, and so they did, the warpriest blessing the still Hot steal before Coroth plunged it into the virgin snow of the harsh winter. They parted ways the sword with Coroth as Gareth told him he would know who the sword was meant for when the Cold Hand was needed.

• Child of the Mark : For the Next two Decades Coroth split his time between The Shire Lands and Sul. In the Shires he spent time Forging weapons and armor and traveling with Saralin and in Sul he spent time with his old friend Rolan and helped the king train his army and personal guard. A young soldier and Knight named Wylen Hawksnor became fast friends with Coroth a spent time tutoring with the dwarf in many things. In the Though a troubling revelation from the book of Kale came to the fore, The proficy read "In the time of the Bird Monarches, a child shall be born of the mark of kale (no one is born with the mark it is earned) and this shall be the sign of the Monarches poisinous child. The first kingdom of man shall fail." The Priests of Sul Thern were in panic. They began searching ever new born child for the mark. A year later Aric's Son was born...with the mark of Kale on his sternum, over his heart. He was terrified, he knew the priests would kill his son fearing that he would be the poisoin the proficy spoke of. He spoke to his Liege and Begged for help. Rolan never paid much Homage to the church and allowed the mans son to live and ordered that the nurse maids' silence on the issue on the pains of death, Arics wife passed away in birth. The boy was names Pelanor Hawksguard.The secret was kept for several years until the battle of Barons Revolt, a noble family in the South of Sul rose up claiming to have proof that the King Rolan knew of the Marked Childs birth, the Revolt was put down by Aric, however he died in the battle. The secret was out though, the Kings enemies made their move and Pelenor was Revealed. However, Rolan made plans for the boy in the wake of his fathers death and called his old friend Coroth into service, asking the Dwarf to take his friends son into his care and leave the kingdom of Sul. So Coroth did, taking the 8 year old boy on the same decade long trip of the world Coroth's father had taken him on almost a century before. The two traveled the world and Pelenor recieved the same teaching and training as coroth had plus the tutoring from the Dwarf himself. Coroth could see plainly that the boy was special and found it hard to believe that he could possibly be the poision the proficy had spoke of. The boy was born a sword of Kale, the gifts came to him easily, and by age 16 he was a formidable if inexperienced warrior. Some short time after Pelenor's 18th birthday they returned to the lands of their fathers...to find the entire continent at war.

• The Death Coroth: In this war (The War of the Fisher King) that raged across the continent,Coroth became the hero is known as in the present day. Upon returning in the City of Calahorn Coroth and Pelanor realized they needed to act. So they acted as soon as they could. They started in Calahorn gathering information to what had occured, rolans son had killed his father and now he and his mother sat in rule of the lands of Sul Thern, the other kingdoms warred with Sul but many in the west had fallen to Suls might or had joined them. The Orn now raged across the Gragon tooth and Morgan Shire and only small bands of soldiers include the like of Sir Thulic Aranor (A sword of kale), Saralis (Elf Druidess), Palis (Half Elf Ranger) and Hestia (a Gnome, any Half Dwarf is a gnome, Wizardess). Meeting in vale these heroes joined forces and set out to rid the Shirelands of the Orn, and they did after several years of Combat, Cororth also bestowed upon Pelenor Ister Kalest Tho. Later on they all parted ways to fight battles in other parts of the continent. Coroth was Called home, to fight with his kinsman to defend the Stone Citadel , and so he did. The Hill Clans took up their whole people and began the journey home. He was called home by a Priestess named Dara Helenthor of Clan GoldStag, she was one of the high Priestesses of Nora. She was chosen because they figured the dwarf who cared little for the Mountain clans would have a hard time refusing or visiting harm upon her. Their relationship was classically tense and then through the battles that raged as the Orn and Dwarf armies as they moved towards the Citadel, they grew close and fell in love. In the battle of Torics Pass though Coroth was assassinated in battle. One of his lieutenants betrayed him and put an axe in his back.

• Coroth the Ironwolf : Unlike most mortals, Death Couldn't quell the legend of Coroth. He found himself in hell, along with many of his fellow soldiers. Confused Coroth despaired and toiled for untold time in Wreth's Mines, a slave to the spectre of death. He realized though that something had to be wrong, he was a warrior and a glorious one, so were his soldiers, they should be in Gorm's Hall drinking draught with the creator and regaling in tales of thier Glory. So, Coroth being a man of action took steps to alleviate the situation. He lead a rebellion against his captors, Wreths minions, and moved towards the gates of hell and Ezeroth's remains. Only the fire Wyrm stood between him and freedom, and so he layed his eyes on destiny. Hefting the weapons of his captors and leapt into a battle against the second born. His cunning and strength won the day. His soul nearly as dead as his body now he led his men out of hell and they shut the games behind them....he then found himself in darkness with a warm spirit about him. Nora wispered to him words of healing and his soul was repaired the damage he'd suffered at the hands of Ezeroth. She then appeared to him, in the visage of a beautiful Dwarven woman, and she offered him anything he wanted in exchange for freeing her child the second Born. He had a choose of being at Gorm's side or returning to creation, he chose to return home. Dara preformed the rite to besiege her matron god for Coroths soul, hoping te Favors she'd held from Nora would allow for this one deed, and it did, Coroth was reborn, in time to defend and protect the Stone Citadel. However his people were denied their right of entry into the Stone Citadel, Dara's Father Lord of the UnderMountain claimed that they had insufficient provisions for the Hill Clans. Many Mountain Dwarfs were upset an etire clan even left with the Hill clans and suffered their fate in the Brutal winter of the Dragon Tooth. Almost 50% of the Hill Clansmen were lost, The Elderly, And the young mostly. In the Spring thaw Coroth sent his Kinsmen home and with what Soldiers he had left he went towards Sul to reunite with pelenor and win Sul back from the Orn and the Dragons that the Kingfisher's evil son had brought to his aid. Together with Pelenar, SaraLin and Hestia they literally saved the world by finding Azathor and Bringing the first born and his dragon allies to counter the Foul Dragons. For these deeds the remaining elders of his clan gave him the name of his clan, he was no longer Coroth Dorgoth of Clan IronWolf, he was simply Coroth Ironwolf. He and Dara were married after the war, they lived the rest of their lives in SturnGuild, traveling from time to time, but they would die peacefully some 80 years after the War of the King Fishers.

Knights of the Freelance

An Order of Knights that would serve the realms of the Shining Empire, created by Pelenor Hawksguard. They were the law and doers of good in the Old empire. Sometime before the empire finally crumbled the Knights were disgraced by the actions of one of their Leaders Derak Fa Morgan, the lord of Morganshire, last in the the hero Morgans Line. In responce they disbanded in shame. These days they are the talk of legends and haven't been seen in over 300 years.

The Lands of Creation

Morgan Shire

Hello Friends, welcome to the lands of Morgan Shire. The farthest reaches of the Shining Empire, is the end of the world for some and the whole world for others. In the centuries since the Empire crumbled, under its own weight, the Shire lands have changed little. The Port City of Calahorn still controls the Bay of Sern, the Dwarves of the Stone Citadel rule as always over the Dragon Tooth Mountains and Elves maintain eminence over the Vale.

Morgan’s Keep however has changed. A gift from the Dwarves the Keep stands on one of the low peeks of the Dragon Tooth, and is visible by most in the Shire lands. Where it once stood proud and tall it is now empty and haunted. It was said that the Empire was built on Morgan’s Courage, so perhaps it is little wonder that the corruption and fall of his line heralded the end of the empire three long centuries ago.

Still the Shire Lands are as they always have been. Quiet, hard working people making their way in the world far from the vast kingdoms, reminents of the former Emerald Empire, of the west.

Dale Holme

Helgrim and Rom's businesses

The lower building is Helgrims Hammer and Anvil, the towns pre-eminent smith shop. The yard is where Helgrim's apprentices work, the building is his storefront and his home lies under the hill, with his personal forge under the ground. Above is Rom's Old creek Inn, the favored drinking and dinner hall in town.

Caravan District

This is where the caravans stay, resupply and get repairs.

Business District and park

This is the main business drag of DaleHolme as well as a park that the local families share.

The Constablary and Caravan Gates

This is where the constables live and Train, and though the town is open, do to the raised cause-ways the gates are the only safe entery for caravans.

The above links are of Dale Holme from different points of view.

Races

Dwarves

All the Dwarves in the world can trace their roots to one place, the Dragon Tooth Mountains. In Fact the Vast majority of dwarves still live in around the Dragon Tooth. They were the first people to rebel against the Fire wyrm and come into their own as civilized people. Legend says that Dwarn rose up and cast down the first wyrm slayed by mortal hands, he and his seven followers; Lowboar, SilverTalon, GoldStag, StoneBear, IronWolf, HighEagle and FallRam that is.

The eight leaders of the rebellion founded the laws that all dwarves live by to this day. First they strengthened the borders and claimed the Dragon Tooth as their domain. They sought shelter underneath the earth. Clan StoneBear being the closest to nature stayed above ground to be the protectors of the passes that crossed the mountain range.

The Dwarves spent the next 100+ years building the largest structure under the Moons, Sun and stars. The Stone Citadel. It stands as a monument to the strength and power of dwarves. It is said that the gate way into the Dwarven kingdom is the blood right of all dwarves and none should ever be denied entry.

After many Centuries the Dwarven toiled and lived waring with the creatures of the deep and the Orn to the north. During this time Clan Dwarn the royal line of the the under-mountain was sundered. Years of inbreeding and foul sorcery given to them by the Dark god of Lies Decev had corrupted Dwarns blood line, the dwarves clans caste them deep into the earth. After the battle of Golic’s valley, a battle in a fertile valley in the Dragon tooth against an Orn force, the Dwarves decided to send a portion of their populations out of the Mountains into to the hills as the first line of defense against the Orn threat.

All was well, the war of the FisherKing however changed this. The human war spread across the land swallowing all the peoples into an epic struggle for the very soul of the world. The Hill clan dwarves, Lead by the greatest warrior the world has ever known, Coroth the Ironwolf, marched to the Stone Citadel to defend it’s walls and the gates of the Under-Mountain. For two weeks the Hill Clansmen fought an army of foul beasts. this was a pitched battle that broke the fell army and saved Dwarfdom. However upon Coroth's request to enter the Citadel and retreat the coming winter, Lord GoldStag denied the Hill dwarves, claiming that famine now racked the Under-Mountain. Thus the great schism occurred. The Hill Clans were forced to leave the stone citadel, and and many of their numbers died (nearly 50%, mostly children and the elderly). The SilverTalon sickened by their mountain clansmen’s malice left with the Hill clans. To this day 900 plus years later there is little but enmity between the Hill and Mountain Clans.

• Mountain Clans
  • GoldStag : one of the Noble Clans, their military prowess is rivaled by few.
  • HighEagle : The Scribes and scholars of the Dwarves, a noble clan
  • FallRam : a common clan the agriculturalists of Undermountain.

• Hill Clans
  • SiverTalon : A noble clan, the Skalds, Musicians and Heart beat drummers.
  • LowBoar : A Common clan, the architects and stone smiths of dwarfdom.
  • IronWolf : A common clan, the craftsmen and Runecasters of the Dwarves.

• Others
  • StoneBear : The barbarians. Gaurdians of the dragon tooth. Famed for their Tatooed Berserkers.

A dwarf is not limited to the profession that their clan specializes in, but they are the primary and best practitioners in their field. The exception is perhaps the LowBoar and FallRam, they both do agriculture and stone working quite well.

The greatest honor a dwarf can receive is being given their clan name as their own. For Instance Coroth the IronWolf was formally Coroth of the family Dargoth of Clan IronWolf. After Dieing, by the hand of a traitor, Slaying Ezithor second born the Fire Wyrm at the gates of hell (releasing the dragon from millenia of suffering for it‘s hubris) and being given life by Nora's(goddess of life) hand and leading his army of Hill Clansmen to victory over the Orn legion at the Gate of the Stone Citadel, the people of his clan decided he deserved the title IronWolf.

• Dwarven Vocab
  • Skalds : storytellers and musicians
  • Heart Beat Drummers : War drummers beating drums that steel the souls of the warriors.
  • Berserkers : The tatooed StoneBears who’s tatooes a inked with the blood of the Stone Bear, a monstrous Bear who a StonBear clansmen must kill at there coming of age.

Elves

The elves of MorganShireare are a mysterious people. Unlike other Elves across the old empire the peoples of the Vale keep to themselves.

They are an old people who’s history stretches to time before the Dragon wars millenia ago. After the Fall of the 2nd Wyrm Ezeroth the elves spread across the globe. The Vale was one of these places and the elves here share their kins conection to the world. More than any people they feel and react to the change of the world. Their deep connection to Ilvor (Goddess of nature and the cycle) may have something to with this.

The Vale

The dark forest lies in the east of Morganshire on the coast of Marin’s Sea, south of the Bay of Sern. The center of the forest is said to be haunted and ruled by the foul Gnolls. The Elves of the vale fight the Gnolls in a seemly endless war of control over the Forest. There is also tell of an ancient dragon sleeping in the wood, the old ruler of the Vale from before the Dragon Fall. Perhaps the dragon is the source of the twisted gnolls.

Speaking of Elven cities is a difficult task, as there is no formal elven capital of city to be named, and the cities lack any disernable or stable borders. They seem to the naked eye as migratory, but they do have structures and housing, however these dwellings seem to flow and ebb with the life of the forest. The Tower of Harthenathos is a sight to behold but any outsider who is unwelcome will never find it. Those who seen it will not find it where it once was.

Elven Society

During the age of the Dragon Rule, the elves like all others were enslaved. When Dwarn and his followers lead the first rebellion against Ezeroth the elves saw an opertunity for hope. They were not powerful enough to rebel by force but they did have a great connection to the world itself. In the chaos of war, they sent a single elf maid to find Azathor the first born, dragon of the sun. It was Azathor's revery that had given his younger sibling the moment to strike and enslave the young races of creation. The maiden with the assistance of the wild northman (a young human man of the old tribes who'd evaded slavery) found and awakened the great wyrm who would cast down his brother and his followers. After this the elves scattered to the four winds finding places to settle that were strongest with Ilvors power.

Elven culture seems as fluid as their city boundries. There is a ruler and an aristocracy. The Ruling family “Anthnos” has rules since the coming to the Vale. The Aristocracy though seem to come and go as they please and there is little care for someone’s birth place. The castes as well are fluid, soldiers can come from anywhere, a prince become a farmer and a poor girl can easily become a diplomat or courtier.

There are many families of elves and their connections to other families can seem endless. They care a great deal for these connections as they often effect their place in society. They are a forgiving people, and crime is excedingly rare, when it happens thugh exile is the most common punitive response.

Warriors

All dwarves are warriors, but elves tend to stratify more. Though many Elves have Martial skills an Elf warrior is a member of a caste and a professional soldier. There are three types that have garnered great fame in the wider world.

• The Elsenoris : Unique to the Vale, as a Young child an elf who shows the proper characteristics will be paired with centaur fole. Together they are raised and trained to be a two man cavalry team, they double as Calvary and infantry. They are amongst the most feared military units in the world.

• Archers : They are the English long bowmen of the world they are incredibly accurate and potent. Some even travel with short bows and swords to act as skirmishers, traveling with light infantry and fighting side by side with them, even being trusted as far to be allowed to fire into melee.

• Rangers : Though elves aren’t the only rangers in the world they were the first. Many of the human rangers in the Shire lands were trained by the elves.

• Spell-Sword : The battle mages of the elven army. They are accomplished mages and sorcerers who can weild a sword and bear armor. they travel in squads of 3-6 and are explosive in battle, specilizing in Evocing offensive powers and defensive wards. Reinforced by their skills with swords they seem to fear little.

Elf extras

Age : Elves can live for 100’s of years, but after about 200 of these years they are all but useless, and will retire to the Revery. No one knows exactly what they are pondering in this torper, but they will stay there until they decided to move on, sometimes 600-700 years.

All elves have a deep connection to the earth. Like how not all Rune Casters are Dwarves, but most are; not all Druids are Elves, but many are. Though even those who are not druids still have two gifts most people don’t have. One is excellent senses, eye and ears. The other is a subtle divination, some can sense water, direction, the weather changes, have perfect time and even some connection to flora or fauna.

MAGIC

There are several kinds of magic in the world, though not all are considered magic in the world at large for the sake of this article we’ll refer to them as magic.

The types or as follows:

Sorcery

The most common magic in the world at large. This the classic fantasy magic, learned from the sages of old and arcane in nature. The finger prints of the gods are still present in the world at large. Wizards can perceive these fields and use them to bend and break the laws of nature.

Wizards learn from books and ancient teachings. Every wizard must have the gift to perceive the fields. Some of these fields are strong and some are weak. Most often wizards choose to make their homes in areas that are strongest in the energy they need for the types of spells they wield best.

All races, from the Moon Beasts of the Orn to the Sun creatures of Human, elves and Dwarves have spell casters. Wizards can create magic items, weapons and armor. However these items will fade in energy over time and aren’t usually as strong as the works of the runesmiths.

There are many schools of magic and several universities around the continent. Some sample magical schools are:

• Evocation : Offensive Magic
• Divination : Seeing things through magic
• Necromancy : The understanding of the dead
• Warding : Defensive Magic
• Elemental schools : Obvious
• Enchantment : The effecting of other beings actions

And more…

A wizard maybe a master of more than one school, but will usually focus on one specific school. Wizards are also the longest lived people in the world, even elves can stave off the Reverie for many centuries.

Hedge Magic

Humans have a more holistic style of magic that venerates ancestors and spirits. This stems from human kinds shorter life span and higher reproductive rate. This is the magic that witches and warlocks use. It is similar to sorcery, except that they are bolstered far less by the fields of magic, and is far more tied to the energy human spirits possess. It’s not uncommon for some warlocks to also be necromancers. This type of magic is highly focused on charms, curses, reading of the bones and hexes. Mechanically it is similar to Sorcery.

Rune Casting

The Dwarves long ago were given the gift of the language of creation. This language can only be written in runes. No one knows who used the language after the gods but perhaps they were the architects of the ruins that dot many of the lands of creation. The dwarves have the greatest repository of this language, held in the collective ranks of the Ironwolf clan. They are the most powerful Runecasters and smiths. However even the Ironwolf clans’ understanding of the language is limited.

Anyone can be a Runecaster though the VAST majority come from the dwarf clans, and the most of them are from the Ironwolf. Though the Goldstag have a contingent of capable teacher of the art in the Kingdom of Undermountain. Even the Stonebear blood tattoos are based on the Runes of old.

Devine Gifts

In the religions of creation there are many priests and orders of priests and nuns. Few however maybe less than 5% have any true gift granted by the Gods. Most, even the truly devout, join the priesthoods as a vocation. Some truly unscrupulous individuals use the priesthoods as means to wealth and power.

Those though who have the gift come in several varieties. I will list a God, and gives an example of those they choose to give their gifts to.

Dieties

Kale

Kale is the God of justice, and Just warfare. All peoples revere or fear Kale, though he most often appears as human. There are two groups know to receive his gift the first are the War Priests of Kale. They wield mighty powers, they can shake the earth, strike an evil foe dead with a stare and their hammers can be seen as beacons across great battles. There are also the Swords of Kale, these are true paladins. They are knights errant who ride the lands saving the innocent and righting wrongs. They’ve great knowledge of where they are needed, the ability to smite evil foes, they can Lay hands, and have one truly important gift, they may choose their moment to die.

Lenor

Lady of law and Kale’s wife. Her arbiters are neutral eyes in legal issues. They see the world in law and disorder and seek to keep the law. They some times conflict with kales followers pursuit of justice. The Arbiters have the gift of sight able to see truths through lies and find the point where the scales of law will be balanced.

Ilvor

The goddess of the cycle has Druids. We’ll talk of them later.

Scarver

The God of savage violence and the dark side of the cycle, too, has druids.

Decev

God of deception, Malase‘s consort, the corruptor. His followers are known to be charismatic and easy to like. They will use any means and their super natural gifts to seduce and befoul anyone they see as means to extending their patrons ends.

Malase

Goddess of Malice, among the truest gods of evil. She is evil, to spite creation. Her followers are similar to Kale’s war priests. They however seek to destroy and ravage the lands of creation.

Wreth

The specter of death, the death nail, keeper of hell. Wreth is the end of the life his followers seek those on the verge of death and end it quickly for them.

Nora

Goddess of life, the souls breath. Her followers are the sisters of Nor. They are healers, and are exceptionally rare. She is the wife to Gorm.

Gorm

The Soul Forge, the Creator. He appears as a dwarf smith. On occasion, he may inspire a paladin, but his gift to the world was the knowledge of the words of creation that Runecaster wield.

There are many other gods, some powerful and some less so.

Druidic Gifts

Druids are the followers of Ilvor or Scarver. Though they tend to lean towards good or evil respectively, they are more concerned with their place in nature. These two faction aren’t at war and conflict rarely, they are opposite sides of the same coin, though when a druid commits to a side in a war they may come into conflict with other druids on the other side of the conflict.

Druids meet in circles. They do so to commune with each other wield more power. These circles occur where Ley Lines meet. Ley lines are like creations blood vessels. Where they meet there is great power to be found. Druids often use ley lines for navigation as well.

A druids power is all things Natural. They call down lightning from the sky, call storms, cause life to flourish or blight a land, they commune with animals and effect the tide. They are fearsome beings.