Post by Hexenritter Verlag on Feb 14, 2018 3:52:05 GMT -5
Kingdoms of O'Roon Vale [This is a later rewrite of the region that would eventually become the Duchy of Arden in my RMU campaign. But you'll notice the main diference is the name of the region & a slightly different organization of the text. This is to give you a glimpse into the development of the setting. I wish I still had the initial write-up to compare to this. If I do I'll post it, if it is different enough to warrant it.]
The Kingdoms of the O’roon Vale lie within the northern continent of Khaladon. It lies within the great O’roon river valley that sits between the Crimfall Peaks in the north, the Gulf of Ranûk to the south, the Crooked Spine Mountains to the west & the Gallhammer Mountains to the east. It is split by the great O’roon River, which winds south and eventually empties into the Gulf of Ranûk. The region is criss-crossed by rivers and dotted by lakes and forests. The central region is a mix of rolling hills and cultivated fields, which flow into the coastal plain in the south. There are five kingdoms split among the former Anthorii clans who created into the basis of the modern Houses. The Kingdoms are named after their ancestral clan founder & are as thus: Kurvōs in the central vale region, Euross in the eastern foothills, Nōlthar in the western foothills, Torghai on the shore of the Gulf of Ranûk & lastly Rastagg in the northern reaches of the Vale.
Each of the kingdoms is ruled by a member of its local great house born from its ancestral clan, it then is supported by four lesser houses, derived from the clans supporting septs. The Kingdom of Kurvōs is ruled by the scion of House Hazgarl, which is supported by the following houses: Weftig, Sanrow, Cambree & Avorn. The Kingdom of Euross is ruled by the scion of House Feorth, which is supported by the following houses: Ilruhn, Ovar, Ulphar & Mordyle. The Kingdom of Nōlthar is ruled by the scion of House Sorza, which is supported by the following houses: Tagor, Garōs, Drunal & Zavel. The Kingdom of Torghai, is ruled by the scion of House Slavgar, which is supported by the following houses: Hāloth, Ithkaar, Meljarn & Zarrōs. Lastly is the Kingdom of Rastagg, who is ruled by the scion of House Ralvord, which is supported by the following houses: Olesk, Thorskal, Loxzor & Belstōs.
The O’roon Vale used to be dominated by the Elves before the coming of the eastern Anthorii tribes as they pushed west through the Arden Pass into the Vale. It was later conquered & united by the old Empire of Khalidûr a few centuries before its fall into decline, thus freeing the region to its own rule. Since the first humans arrived the Anthorii has struggled with the local Elves, Graal, Saar & other non-humans.
Eventually after gaining enough numbers & might the barbarians united under their hero Arden the mighty & broke the dominion of the Elves. Giving into rage & sorrow the High Elves of the Tamnithir Forest made a dark pact with Anghra to help save them from the hated Anthorii. Their call for help was headed but not as they hoped for. The Anthorri were pushed back by the empowered but maddened Elves. Once the battle was over both the High Elves & their ancient home was warped by Anghra’s dark power. Now no human will venture into its tainted depths, where the new born Dark Elves of Malaroc Forest, the Tamnithir’s new name. The dark elves like their twisted kin to the east rebuilt their city in their now warped visage.
The Fey of the forest were also corrupted by the pact with Anghra, becoming twisted shadows of their former selves. The Hobgoblins became the basis of were-folk that plagues the Vale. The Sylvan elves became Vos Elves & fled the vale West & East. Vor’Graal came in & pushed their Ard’graal kin out of the vale before Arden mustered the Anthorii tribes to drive them back onto their mountain holds.
Weakened by the wars with the Elves & Vor’Graal, the Anthorii could not resist the imperial forces from the Empire of Khalidûr. This led to three centuries of imperial dominion, before the weakened grip of the Empire was able to be thrown off by the Anthorii. The leaders of the rebellion carved up the O’roon Vale south of the Malaroc forest into several minor kingdoms based around the local clan holds.
During this time grew a religious movement seeking to unite the various localized cults of their people after they rejected the foreign Imperial cult. After a century of growing internal strife based around efforts to unite under one sect, a prophet came to the people speaking of a vision for his new church & the renewed glory of the Anthorii people. Much of the turmoil settled down as members of the various rival kingdoms adopted the Prophet Morlig’s religion & philosophy. Now the turmoil became covert & focused on courting the new Church & its founder to help to locate its first cathedral.
Before the Prophet died, he chose the town of Kurvōs to be the home of his cathedral & resting place of his bones after his death. The leader of Kurvōs, Slorn of House Hazgarl claimed that because the holy Morlig chose his town & kingdom it granted him primacy to the throne of a united Anthorii Kingdom. This didn’t set with the other kings; it led to another set of wars between the kingdoms. Five years after the renewed strife, a religious man, named brother Couran rose to prominence that calmed the kingdoms. He led by prophetic visions came amongst the kings claiming that the spirit of holy Morlig was displeased as was the gods. He led a renewal of growth in the church, founding a cathedral in each capital of the various kingdoms.
Brother Couran eventually rose to head of the new O’roonish Orthodox Church. He would go on to found the militant Ordo Templi Hazkar (Templar order of the Wolf’s Hook), a templar knights order aligned for the church. He also founded the Ordo Templi Zhomrach (Templar order of Witch Hunters) to root out witchcraft & sorcery within O’roon Vale. He then enforced a xenophobic philosophy of Anthorii supremacy and began exporting it & the O’roonish Orthodoxy Church eastward into northern Khalidûr Empire among the Anthorii citizens. After Pater Coran passed away his successor Pater Jasphar, who Couran cultivated & endorsed prior to his death, Pater Jasphar pushed his mentor’s ideology as his own. Pater Jasphar was killed by Warell of House Slavgar, at the prompting of Ambassador Thebek, a Fellborn agent; of which caused renewed distrust of non-humans especially Yas’Zekarim Fellborn nomads. Thebek was tried & killed by beheading, his head was sent back to his masters in Arkhon; while his body was burned.
Over the last century there has been ups and downs caused by internal strife over primacy, but the current head of the church Matar Limka has come close to uniting the Kingdoms. Part of this is bringing Anthorii from Khalidûr to help unite the kingdoms with tales of Half-Elfin oppression back in Arsis. Trying to get the Kings to see their eastern kin as a resource to create a real chance for a greater Anthorii Empire that holy Morlig prophesied. Though there is still covert strife between the kingdoms it is muted. The new king of Kurvōs, Alden the IV of House Hazgarl, has married his children to the children of Anthorii chieftains in Khalidûr to help grow his influence & claim on primacy.
The Anthorii are of middling height (5’-6’) and builds, they have pale complexions, with hair ranging from auburn to dark brown and eyes the color of green to dark brown. The commoners wear rough spun linen, wools and leathers for clothing, while the wealthy & aristocracy wear fine linen, woolens & leathers, and in elaborate styles. Spears, long bows, crossbows and short swords are favored among Anthorii folk, though long swords are rare. They wear leather armors with only the wealthy being able to afford chain or plate armors & have begun using black powder weaponry.
The common folk have a gregarious temperament but it is tempered with a growing nationalistic ideology & piety, while the aristocracy is often of a more sober mien. Religion is very important to the Anthorii people and plays a major role on Anthorii society. They celebrate several week long festivals during the equinoxes, solstices & major holidays of the O’roonish Orthodox Church. A new tradition started twenty years ago has all noble children spending a year in religious study at the great Cathedral in Kurvōs. The more well off commoners often send their eldest child to Kurvōs to study alongside the aristocrats’ children.
Citizenship is only allowed to Anthorii folk (those who can prove at least one legitimate Anthorii ancestor), though other humans can live as permitted alien residents. If they marry an Anthorii citizen, their children are granted citizenship as a birthright. No non-humans can be citizens of any of the Kingdoms, though they can get a trading permit to practice their trade as they pass through the kingdom. Non-humans cannot worship in the local churches, but usually find old shrines to honor their gods off the roads. The Yas’Zekarim are distrusted & treated nearly as bad as lepers in the vale. Half-elves are treated nearly as bad, only Dwarves or Half-Dwarves are tolerated to any degree. Ard’Graal & Saar’Khôr are seen as barbaric oafs or sneaks, only allowed to pass through on trade permits. Full elves are treated almost worse than Yas’Zekarim, Ard’Graal & Saar’Khôr because of the history with Elves of the vale in the past & Dark elves particularly. The only non-human race openly embraced by the Anthorii when they are encountered, are the Išnitranii, because of their divine origin.
The Kingdoms of the O’roon Vale lie within the northern continent of Khaladon. It lies within the great O’roon river valley that sits between the Crimfall Peaks in the north, the Gulf of Ranûk to the south, the Crooked Spine Mountains to the west & the Gallhammer Mountains to the east. It is split by the great O’roon River, which winds south and eventually empties into the Gulf of Ranûk. The region is criss-crossed by rivers and dotted by lakes and forests. The central region is a mix of rolling hills and cultivated fields, which flow into the coastal plain in the south. There are five kingdoms split among the former Anthorii clans who created into the basis of the modern Houses. The Kingdoms are named after their ancestral clan founder & are as thus: Kurvōs in the central vale region, Euross in the eastern foothills, Nōlthar in the western foothills, Torghai on the shore of the Gulf of Ranûk & lastly Rastagg in the northern reaches of the Vale.
Each of the kingdoms is ruled by a member of its local great house born from its ancestral clan, it then is supported by four lesser houses, derived from the clans supporting septs. The Kingdom of Kurvōs is ruled by the scion of House Hazgarl, which is supported by the following houses: Weftig, Sanrow, Cambree & Avorn. The Kingdom of Euross is ruled by the scion of House Feorth, which is supported by the following houses: Ilruhn, Ovar, Ulphar & Mordyle. The Kingdom of Nōlthar is ruled by the scion of House Sorza, which is supported by the following houses: Tagor, Garōs, Drunal & Zavel. The Kingdom of Torghai, is ruled by the scion of House Slavgar, which is supported by the following houses: Hāloth, Ithkaar, Meljarn & Zarrōs. Lastly is the Kingdom of Rastagg, who is ruled by the scion of House Ralvord, which is supported by the following houses: Olesk, Thorskal, Loxzor & Belstōs.
The O’roon Vale used to be dominated by the Elves before the coming of the eastern Anthorii tribes as they pushed west through the Arden Pass into the Vale. It was later conquered & united by the old Empire of Khalidûr a few centuries before its fall into decline, thus freeing the region to its own rule. Since the first humans arrived the Anthorii has struggled with the local Elves, Graal, Saar & other non-humans.
Eventually after gaining enough numbers & might the barbarians united under their hero Arden the mighty & broke the dominion of the Elves. Giving into rage & sorrow the High Elves of the Tamnithir Forest made a dark pact with Anghra to help save them from the hated Anthorii. Their call for help was headed but not as they hoped for. The Anthorri were pushed back by the empowered but maddened Elves. Once the battle was over both the High Elves & their ancient home was warped by Anghra’s dark power. Now no human will venture into its tainted depths, where the new born Dark Elves of Malaroc Forest, the Tamnithir’s new name. The dark elves like their twisted kin to the east rebuilt their city in their now warped visage.
The Fey of the forest were also corrupted by the pact with Anghra, becoming twisted shadows of their former selves. The Hobgoblins became the basis of were-folk that plagues the Vale. The Sylvan elves became Vos Elves & fled the vale West & East. Vor’Graal came in & pushed their Ard’graal kin out of the vale before Arden mustered the Anthorii tribes to drive them back onto their mountain holds.
Weakened by the wars with the Elves & Vor’Graal, the Anthorii could not resist the imperial forces from the Empire of Khalidûr. This led to three centuries of imperial dominion, before the weakened grip of the Empire was able to be thrown off by the Anthorii. The leaders of the rebellion carved up the O’roon Vale south of the Malaroc forest into several minor kingdoms based around the local clan holds.
During this time grew a religious movement seeking to unite the various localized cults of their people after they rejected the foreign Imperial cult. After a century of growing internal strife based around efforts to unite under one sect, a prophet came to the people speaking of a vision for his new church & the renewed glory of the Anthorii people. Much of the turmoil settled down as members of the various rival kingdoms adopted the Prophet Morlig’s religion & philosophy. Now the turmoil became covert & focused on courting the new Church & its founder to help to locate its first cathedral.
Before the Prophet died, he chose the town of Kurvōs to be the home of his cathedral & resting place of his bones after his death. The leader of Kurvōs, Slorn of House Hazgarl claimed that because the holy Morlig chose his town & kingdom it granted him primacy to the throne of a united Anthorii Kingdom. This didn’t set with the other kings; it led to another set of wars between the kingdoms. Five years after the renewed strife, a religious man, named brother Couran rose to prominence that calmed the kingdoms. He led by prophetic visions came amongst the kings claiming that the spirit of holy Morlig was displeased as was the gods. He led a renewal of growth in the church, founding a cathedral in each capital of the various kingdoms.
Brother Couran eventually rose to head of the new O’roonish Orthodox Church. He would go on to found the militant Ordo Templi Hazkar (Templar order of the Wolf’s Hook), a templar knights order aligned for the church. He also founded the Ordo Templi Zhomrach (Templar order of Witch Hunters) to root out witchcraft & sorcery within O’roon Vale. He then enforced a xenophobic philosophy of Anthorii supremacy and began exporting it & the O’roonish Orthodoxy Church eastward into northern Khalidûr Empire among the Anthorii citizens. After Pater Coran passed away his successor Pater Jasphar, who Couran cultivated & endorsed prior to his death, Pater Jasphar pushed his mentor’s ideology as his own. Pater Jasphar was killed by Warell of House Slavgar, at the prompting of Ambassador Thebek, a Fellborn agent; of which caused renewed distrust of non-humans especially Yas’Zekarim Fellborn nomads. Thebek was tried & killed by beheading, his head was sent back to his masters in Arkhon; while his body was burned.
Over the last century there has been ups and downs caused by internal strife over primacy, but the current head of the church Matar Limka has come close to uniting the Kingdoms. Part of this is bringing Anthorii from Khalidûr to help unite the kingdoms with tales of Half-Elfin oppression back in Arsis. Trying to get the Kings to see their eastern kin as a resource to create a real chance for a greater Anthorii Empire that holy Morlig prophesied. Though there is still covert strife between the kingdoms it is muted. The new king of Kurvōs, Alden the IV of House Hazgarl, has married his children to the children of Anthorii chieftains in Khalidûr to help grow his influence & claim on primacy.
The Anthorii are of middling height (5’-6’) and builds, they have pale complexions, with hair ranging from auburn to dark brown and eyes the color of green to dark brown. The commoners wear rough spun linen, wools and leathers for clothing, while the wealthy & aristocracy wear fine linen, woolens & leathers, and in elaborate styles. Spears, long bows, crossbows and short swords are favored among Anthorii folk, though long swords are rare. They wear leather armors with only the wealthy being able to afford chain or plate armors & have begun using black powder weaponry.
The common folk have a gregarious temperament but it is tempered with a growing nationalistic ideology & piety, while the aristocracy is often of a more sober mien. Religion is very important to the Anthorii people and plays a major role on Anthorii society. They celebrate several week long festivals during the equinoxes, solstices & major holidays of the O’roonish Orthodox Church. A new tradition started twenty years ago has all noble children spending a year in religious study at the great Cathedral in Kurvōs. The more well off commoners often send their eldest child to Kurvōs to study alongside the aristocrats’ children.
Citizenship is only allowed to Anthorii folk (those who can prove at least one legitimate Anthorii ancestor), though other humans can live as permitted alien residents. If they marry an Anthorii citizen, their children are granted citizenship as a birthright. No non-humans can be citizens of any of the Kingdoms, though they can get a trading permit to practice their trade as they pass through the kingdom. Non-humans cannot worship in the local churches, but usually find old shrines to honor their gods off the roads. The Yas’Zekarim are distrusted & treated nearly as bad as lepers in the vale. Half-elves are treated nearly as bad, only Dwarves or Half-Dwarves are tolerated to any degree. Ard’Graal & Saar’Khôr are seen as barbaric oafs or sneaks, only allowed to pass through on trade permits. Full elves are treated almost worse than Yas’Zekarim, Ard’Graal & Saar’Khôr because of the history with Elves of the vale in the past & Dark elves particularly. The only non-human race openly embraced by the Anthorii when they are encountered, are the Išnitranii, because of their divine origin.
