Bright Iron Fastness - River Jarl Steading (3)

The current Jarl of Bright Iron is called Garret Fingolsson.  His name is a curious one for a Storm King barbarian - since it includes a Westroner first name, but it was the name his father (Fingol the Just) gave him.

Old Fingol Olavson (called Trollbane in his youth) was visited by wandering priests of the Order of Brother Rudiger.  It was in his youth, shortly after his father, Olav, died.  In order to secure the Steading, young Fingol had to fight and kill his father's brothers (one of which was nicknamed Ymir the Troll, which is where Fingol's nickname of Trollbane came from).

After this family feud was over, however, a traveling Brother of the Order of Brother Rudiger had come out of the Shadow Woods to the east.  Single handedly, the traveling priest had crossed the Blood Veldt, surviving the Sword People, and had come to Bright Iron to preach the virtues of hearth safety and home protection for the poor and down trodden.  The message resonated with Fingol, and he converted from the faith of his fathers (reverence for the Storm King), to this new strange religion of the Three Goddesses.  In so doing, he also began to mimic Westroner culture and Westroner ways.

Fingol waged war on his neighbors who sought to wipe out his ways, and his people that abandoned the old culture.  In this he was not only relentless, but also quite successful.  His smaller but persistent fleet had waged war on the many trading vessels from Seawyrm, an he also raided the Orc Clans to the south east of Bright Iron.  He held an uneasy peace for many years with the woman warriors from the steading of the River Raven.  The money and treasure that his successful campaigns won him were spent on building a large, fine castle of pure white stone, brought from far south on barges up the Greywater river.  This castle, in stone, is unlike the steadings of the other River Jarls, and more closely resembles a fine stone castle of a wealthy Westroner barony.  Naming it Bright Iron Fastness, it his spiry towers toped with sharp peaks made of the curious Bright Iron, or star metal, that is found in some of the quarries in the area.

Bright Iron Fastness - with its towers skytopped in star metal.

This is the world that Garret Fingolsson was born into, and now rules over.  His is a curious mix of traditional Storm King culture, with some of the behaviors, values, and trappings of more typical Westroner culture.  Officially, his "court" speaks Westron, and writes all official documents in Westschrift.  Unofficially, many of the common people (and some higher up on the social scale) speak Destrikking.  Few remain, however, who can read and write the Ainark Runes.

Garret actually tries to foster the home and hearth life style that is common to the Order of Brother Rudiger, which means supporting agriculture and homesteading more than blood feuds and viking raids.  He has a strong fyrd, however, with a loyal corps of huscarls, that are constantly engaged in warfare against the Orc Clans, and occasional freebooters from the other Storm King steadings.

Immediately southeast of Bright Iron, just on the outskirts of the tended agricultural lands under the protection of Jarl Garret's fyrdmen, lay the lands of the Stone Houses.  The Stone Houses are curious round structures, long since out of use by their original inhuman builders, made of stacked stones.  The are similar to a Broch, or round house, that is built by some of the distant Storm King barbarians, however the roofs are all long since rotted off, and some of the stone walls are crumbling. What is curious about the structures, is that they are built for giant beings.  Larger than an ogre, whomever it was that first peopled these stone houses must have been of a great stature, perhaps 15 feet tall?  The typical stone house (as pictured below) has a first story that is partially underground, and then usually two more stories above that, and a peaked roof.  Sometimes the roofs are present (when they were made out of slate or other stone) and sometimes they are long gone (when they were made out of material that would have rotted with age, such as wood or thatch).  The typical structure is approximately 70 tall (at the peak of the roof), and about 80' across the base, at ground level.  Of course, there is variation, so some exist that are taller or shorter, and either bigger or smaller around.

For a long time, back before the Elves retreated to the Seely realms, the early humans in this region would commune with the spirits that haunt the stone houses, learning much from them.  Then they began using the stone houses as hallowed places of the honored dead - depositing chieftains, warriors and shamans among the stone buildings, and decorating them with fine implements and ornaments made of all types of fine metals.  The number of ghosts and spirits in the area grew and grew.  For generations, however, it has been avoided by most people, reputed to be a place of horrible fetches and liches, and other undead beings.

Cutaway of a Stone House - for scale, consider the inhabitants to be 15' feet tall.

During the reign of Fingol, those in the steading that were stubborn about giving up the reverence of the Storm King and his court were slowly identified and either forced to adopt the religion of the Church (of the Three Goddesses), or they were driving out of the steading.  A large number of traditional skalds (bards) and priests of the Storm King (even joined by worshipers of Helgor, the Black Chieftain) sought refuge and shelter among the Stone Houses.  Some of these were infected by the otherworldly beings living there, and became a particularly ghastly type of undead being known as a Helgorfiend. These beings are enraged when confronted by living people (human or otherwise), and will attack viciously (even suicidally) on sight.  They will attempt to bite the poor victims, and in so doing have a chance to convert them to Helgorfiend as well.  Stats will come in a future posting.

This Steading is very close to the area, in the Sildur Reaches, known as The Scorch, and it has some ties to the men of this holding.  Very important ties.

The Order of Brother Rudiger

Brother Rudiger was an early priest who venerated the goddess of agriculture, Corrise.  He was chiefly concerned, however, with the early communities of farmers that were beginning to spread out from the Baronial castles and their immediate protection, as Westroners spread throughout the northern part of the Valley in the 4th century after they migrated in from the West.  Eventually, in year 487, Rudiger died, and a group of his followers constructed a small chapel in a nondescript sheep hamlet (with no name) west of the Barony of Botts (but east of the Shadow Woods).

As farming communities grew, and villagers needed advice on building stronger stone buildings (to withstand years of the elements, and also attacks of the more dangerous denizens of the Valley) they would frequently consult members of the order, who would share the knowledge that Brother Rudiger developed in that regard (building and community design).  Soon the demand caused the small order to begin spreading, and building its hallmark small stone chapels across the land, in many small hamlets and thorpes.  A sub-order of itinerant monastics began as the Traveling Brothers, and then these spun a group of  nuns as the Traveling Sisters.  The small chapels are run by Community Vicars, and they will sometimes take up a vow of traveling over several years both to spread information about their own community, and to learn about other communities.  There is a somewhat military arm of the Order known as the Hearthguard which consists of fighters who have taken vows of service (always only for a few years) as well as the priests of the order the Guardians of the Hearth (most player character members of the order would be of this group).

One of the main things outstanding about the Order of Brother Rudiger is the fact that it sponsors an order of knighthood, consisting of both commanders of the Hearthguard and also Paladins known as the Knights of the Hearth.  These are covered elsewhere in the writeup on Paladins, but some words are worth covering here.  The Knights of the Hearth do not wear a specific livery of the order (with the exception of sometimes the symbol of a knotted golden rope on their shield or breast), but instead adopt simple two colored dress, and adorn their weapons, mount, and armor with favors.  These favors are collected at villages they visit in their pursuit of justice and chivalry.

Community Vicars, Traveling Brothers and Traveling Sisters (as well as Guardians of the Hearth) will appear in public only when dressed in their priestly raiment.  That consists of simple brown robes (sometimes hooded, or not, according to the clime) tied with a golden knotted rope.  Guardians of the Hearth may wear any armor, but it must be worn either under their robes, or with their robes still evident underneath the armor (so no full plate mail).  If they employ shields while questing or defending a village, it should be a plain design, of a single color, with a golden knot as the only charge.

Spells available to priests of the order can come from the spheres of All, Creation and Healing.  There is also minor access to the spheres of Combat and Protection.

Guardians of the Hearth are also taught techniques to incite fighters into a berserker rage (A willing warrior may be incited at most 1 time per day. It takes 1 round for the priest to incite the warrior. Then the warrior has +2 to hit and damage, and cannot leave the field of battle while foes still face him. Once he leaves, he chooses whether or not to emerge from the rage).

All priests can share a Soothing Word three times per day.  This can function either to remove the effects of a Fear spell or effect, or it can calm the reaction of animals or monsters, of hit dice up to twice the level of the Priest.

All priests also have the ability to turn undead creatures.

Priests of the order must have the NWP "Local History" of the community where they serve.

All sorts of armor and shields are available to Guardians of the Hearth.  Weapons include dagers, dirks, flails, and the morningstar. The last two are preferred.

Specialty Priests of the Westron Church (part 3)

These are the priests affiliated with the Goddess of Agriculture, Corrise.

Corrise - Goddess of Agriculture

• Priest's Alignment: Neutral Good
  
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 11, Constitution 12. Wisdom or Constitution 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Constitution 16 means +10% experience.
  
• NWP and WPN Prof: Agriculture (required). No Weapons required; NWPs allowed: Priest, General.
  
• Weapons and Armor: Bill, flails (both), hand-throwing axe, scythe, sickle. Armor Permitted: All non-magical non-metal armor, all non-magical (non-metal) shields.
  
• Restrictions: None.
  
• Major Spheres: All, Creation, Divination, Plant, and Summoning (can only use wall of thorns , weather summoning , and creeping doom from this sphere).
  
• Minor Spheres: Animal, Healing, Protection, Sun, and Weather.
  
• Powers: Identification A priest of Corrise can examine any normal (non-magical) plant and determine if it is healthy, if not what is wrong with it, where it naturally grows, etc; Create Food and Water (Priest can cast this once per day, for free); Immune to any food poisoning from vegetable source; Heroes' Feast - at 8th Level can cast this once per day.
  
• Symbol: Sheaf of Wheat
  

Green Man - Demigod of Vegetation and Plants, husband of Corrise

• Priest's Alignment: True Neutral, Neutral Good, or Lawful Neutral
  
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 9. Wisdom 16 means +10% experience.
  
• NWP and WPN Prof: Herbalism (required). Sickle Weapon required; NWPs allowed: Priest, General, Warrior.
  
• Weapons and Armor: Club, quarterstaff, scythe, sickle. Armor Permitted: No armor; all wooden shields (no metal or leather).
  
• Restrictions: May not wear Leather or Furs in their clothing.
  
• Major Spheres: All, Divination, Healing, Plant, Protection, Summoning, Weather.
  
• Minor Spheres: Combat, Creation, Guardian, Necromantic, Sun.
  
• Powers: Identify any plant (magical or non-magical) perfectly; Pass through Overgrowth (as per Druid, but at 1st level).
  
• Symbol: Oak Leaf and Acorn.
  

Saint Ermo - Patron Saint of the Earth and Building

• Priest's Alignment: True Neutral.
  
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 12. Wisdom 16 means +10% experience.
  
• NWP and WPN Prof: Required one of (Mining, Stonemasonry). No Weapons required; NWPs allowed: Priest, General.
  
• Weapons and Armor: Club, dagger/dirk, knife, mace, maul, morning star, picks (all), scythe, sickle, sling, staff sling, stiletto, warhammer. Armor Permitted: All non-magical non-metal armor, all non-magical non-metal shields.
  
• Restrictions: None.
  
• Major Spheres: All, Creation, Elemental (the priest may only use spells dealing with dust, stone, rock, mud, and earth, plus transmute metal to wood ), Plant, Summoning.
  
• Minor Spheres: Animal, Divination, Healing, Protection.
  
• Powers: Immune to all Snake venoms (+3 to saving throw); Detect grade or slope as per Dwarf (if character is already a Dwarf, then chances improve by 1 on the dice); Determine approximate depth underground as per Dwarf (if character is already a Dwarf, then chances improve by 1 on the dice).
  
• Symbol: Stone.
• Homehall Cathedral, in Gorrem
• Monastery - Harmonious Reflectory of Order in Octorix, Barony of Henn

Brother Rudiger - Patron Saint of Home and Community- detailed writeup here.

• Priest's Alignment: Any non-evil alignment.
  
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 10, Charisma 12. Wisdom or Charisma 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Charisma 16 means +10% experience.
  
• NWP and WPN Prof: Local History (required). No Weapons required; NWPs allowed: Priest, General.
  
• Weapons and Armor: Dagger/Dirk, Knife, Flails (both), Morningstar. All armors and shields allowed.
  
• Restrictions: Priests of the order of Brother Rudiger must always wear vestments indicating their priestly status.
  
• Major Spheres: All, Creation, Healing.
  
• Minor Spheres: Combat, Protection.
  
• Powers: Incite Berserker Rage (A willing warrior may be incited at most 1 time per day. It takes 1 round for the priest to incite the warrior. Then the warrior has +2 to hit and damage, and cannot leave the field of battle while foes still face him. Once he leaves, he chooses whether or not to emerge from the rage); Soothing Word 3x a day (can remove a Fear spell or calm down animals or monsters up to 2x the priests level); Turn Undead (as per Cleric in PHB);
  
• Symbol: Knotted golden rope.
  

Saint Lilliane - Patron Saint of Orphans and the Dispossessed

• Priest's Alignment: Neutral Good, Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral.
  
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 12, Strength 12. Wisdom or Strength 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Strength 16 means +10% experience.
  
• NWP and WPN Prof: Healing (required). No Weapons required; NWPs allowed: Priest, General.
  
• Weapons and Armor: Dagger/dirk, knife, stiletto, swords (all). Armor Permitted: All armor, all shields.
  
• Restrictions: May never turn away an individual looking for hospitality.
  
• Major Spheres: All, Charm, Healing.
  
• Minor Spheres: Combat, Creation, Divination, Protection.
  
• Powers: Soothing Word 3x a day (can remove a Fear spell or calm down animals or monsters up to 2x the priests level); Laying on Hands (as per Paladin in PHB)
  
• Symbol: Open Hands.
• Tolbe Cathedral - in Botts (also known as the Orphans' Cathedral)
  

Saint Varina - Patron Saint of Vineyards and Wine

• Priest's Alignment: Neutral Good, Chaotic Good.
  
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 9. Wisdom 16 means +10% experience.
  
• NWP and WPN Prof: Brewing (required). No Weapons required; NWPs allowed: Priest, General.
  
• Weapons and Armor: Club, scythe, sickle. Armor Permitted: All armor and shields.
  
• Restrictions: None.
  
• Major Spheres: All, Charm, Elemental, Plant, Protection.
  
• Minor Spheres: Divination, Healing, Sun, Weather.
  
• Powers: Immune to the effects of Alcohol; Soothing Word 3x a day (can remove a Fear spell or calm down animals or monsters up to 2x the priests level); Turn Undead (as per Cleric in PHB); Constitution raised to 18 at level 8.
  
• Symbol: Bunch of Grapes.
  

Saint Norena - Patron Saint of Fire and Comfort

• Priest's Alignment: Neutral Good, Chaotic Good, True Neutral.
  
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 10, Intelligence 10. Wisdom or Intelligence 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Intelligence 16 means +10% experience.
  
• NWP and WPN Prof: Firebuilding (required). No Weapons required; NWPs allowed: Priest, General, Wizard.
  
• Weapons and Armor: Bill, dagger/dirk, knife, stiletto, swords (all). Armor Permitted: All metal armor, all metal shields.
  
• Restrictions: None.
  
• Major Spheres: All, Elemental (the priest may only use the spells whose names include the words Fire, Flame, Heat, Pyrotechnics, and the spell chariot of Sustarre ), Sun.
  
• Minor Spheres: Charm, Divination, Healing, Necromantic, Protection, Weather.
  
• Powers: Soothing Word 3x a day (can remove a Fear spell or calm down animals or monsters up to 2x the priests level); Immune to fire and heat attacks (+2 to saving throw); Create Food and Water once per day.
  
• Symbol: Cooking Fire.
• Appuco Fast cathedral - Khomaes
  

Olimo Vis - Demigoddess of Autumn and the Harvest

• Priest's Alignment: Lawful Good, Chaotic Good, Neutral Good.
  
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 10, Intelligence 10. Wisdom or Intelligence 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Intelligence 16 means +10% experience.
  
• NWP and WPN Prof: No Weapons required; NWPs allowed: Priest, General.
  
• Weapons and Armor: Club, quarterstaff, scythe, sickle. Armor Permitted: No armor; all wooden shields (no metal or leather).
  
• Restrictions: None.
  
• Major Spheres: All, Divination, Healing, Necromantic, Plant, Summoning, Weather.
  
• Minor Spheres: Animal, Charm, Creation, Elemental, Protection, Sun.
  
• Powers: Immunity (automatic successful save) vs. all priest spells of the Elemental Sphere, and wizard spells with coldness and/or heat in their name; Soothing Word 3x a day (can remove a Fear spell or calm down animals or monsters up to 2x the priests level).
  
• Symbol: Leaf.
  

Elongar Suu - Demigoddess of Summer and Growth

• Priest's Alignment: Neutral Good, Chaotic Good.
  
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 10, Dexterity 10. Wisdom or Dexterity 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Dexterity 16 means +10% experience.
  
• NWP and WPN Prof: No Weapons required; NWPs allowed: Priest, General.
  
• Weapons and Armor: Bows (all), Club, quarterstaff, scythe, sickle. Armor Permitted: All armor; no shields.
  
• Restrictions: None.
  
• Major Spheres: All, Animal, Healing, Plant, Weather.
  
• Minor Spheres: Divination, Guardian, Protection, Summoning.
  
• Powers: Identification of the time of day, whenever outside; Turn Undead (as per Cleric in PHB);
  
• Symbol: Tree.
  

Neuvirra Oss - Demigoddess of Spring and the Planting

• Priest's Alignment: True Neutral, Neutral Good.
  
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 10, Strength 10. Wisdom or Strength 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Strength 16 means +10% experience.
  
• NWP and WPN Prof: No Weapons required; NWPs allowed: Priest, General.
  
• Weapons and Armor: Club, scythe, sickle. Armor Permitted: All non-magical non-metal armor, all non-magical (non-metal) shields.
  
• Restrictions: None.
  
• Major Spheres: All, Charm, Combat, Plant.
  
• Minor Spheres: Divination, Healing, Weather.
  
• Powers: Charm/Fascination (Works as the 3rd level Wizard Spell suggestion, but cannot be used in combat); Turn Undead (as per Cleric in PHB).
  
• Symbol: Sapling.
  

Frigia Nor - Demigoddess of Winter and Feasting

• Priest's Alignment: Neutral Good, Lawful Good.
  
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 10, Constitution 10. Wisdom or Constitution 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Constitution 16 means +10% experience.
  
• NWP and WPN Prof: No Weapons required; NWPs allowed: Priest, General.
  
• Weapons and Armor: Bill, flails (both), hand-throwing axe, scythe, sickle. Armor Permitted: All non-magical non-metal armor, all non-magical (non-metal) shields.
  
• Restrictions: None.
  
• Major Spheres: All, Creation, Elemental, Protection, Weather.
  
• Minor Spheres: Animal, Divination, Healing, Plant.
  
• Powers: Create Food and Water (once per day); Soothing Word 3x a day (can remove a Fear spell or calm down animals or monsters up to 2x the priests level);
  
• Symbol: Bare tree.
• Sky Cathedral in Werms.
  

Paladins!

Gentle Knight was pricking on the plaine,
    Y cladd in mightie armes and siluer shielde,
    Wherein old dints of deepe wounds did remaine,
    The cruell markes of many' a bloudy fielde;
    Yet armes till that time did he neuer wield:
    His angry steede did chide his foming bitt,
    As much disdayning to the curbe to yield:
    Full iolly knight he seemd, and faire did sitt,
As one for knightly giusts and fierce encounters fitt.

But on his brest a bloudie Crosse he bore,
    The deare remembrance of his dying Lord,
    For whose sweete sake that glorious badge he wore,
    And dead as liuing euer him ador'd:
    Vpon his shield the like was also scor'd,
    For soueraine hope, which in his helpe he had:
    Right faithfull true he was in deede and word,
    But of his cheere did seeme too solemne sad;

Yet nothing did he dread, but euer was ydrad.

Vpon a great aduenture he was bond,
    That greatest Gloriana to him gaue,
    That greatest Glorious Queene of Faerie lond,
    To winne him worship, and her grace to haue,
    Which of all earthly things he most did craue;
    And euer as he rode, his hart did earne
    To proue his puissance in battell braue
    Vpon his foe, and his new force to learne;
Vpon his foe, a Dragon horrible and stearne.

- Edmund Spenser, 1596 A.D.


The Paladin is a crucial element in the battle between good and evil in the Valley of the Old Ones.  As servants of a higher authority, they are subject to review of their adherence to the laws of chivalry.  A brief word or two seems in order, so that a player who chooses this class would know what sort of Holy order they are buying into, in the game world.


There are, in the main, three orders of Paladins among the Westroners in the Valley of the Old Ones.  All three are lawful good, and have Paladins who are played exactly as the rules prescribe (no variation in class, alignment, abilities, etc).  There are anti-paladins (and worse) in the game setting, but these will be discussed another time.


First, is the Order of Knights of the White Lady.  The White Lady is one of many names given to the eldest daughter of the goddess Magenta.  She is the incarnate as the largest of the three moons that travel across the sky above the Valley of the Old Ones.  Her role in the world is to battle evil and monsters wherever they may be found.  In this she stands in opposition to many of those who are not good, but who still look to Magenta (the goddess of Magic) for guidance and power.  One of the curious worldly aspects of the White Lady is that fact that in her appearance as the large white moon, known by her proper name Poritia Nove, she casts no reflection on the Two Moon river.  For that reason, many evil creatures and men have decided that they are more safe in that region than elsewhere in the valley, and it is a magnet for vile creatures and beings of all stripes.


There are, of course, priests and monks and nuns of the White Lady, but those will be detailed elsewhere.  The Paladins of this order are a typical chivalric order, as was common on Earth around the 13th or 14th century.  A long period of training and serving as a squire would precede the actually conference of Knighthood on the player.  The act of passing from level 0 to level 1 coincides with being Knighted into the order (something that occurs before the start of the campaign for most characters).  A patent of nobility is expected from the family (even if impoverished) for those who would join this order.

Paladins of the White Lady will dress all in white robes - silk if possible.  Their symbol is a black heater shield, with a white disc in the upper right corner. This symbol - the shield with the white disc - appears on the breast of their tunics, on military pennons and banners, and also as the device on their shield.  Individual knights in the order do not wear personalized heraldry.

In addition to the normal chivalric duties of protecting the honor of women, defending innocents, and meting out justice the knights of the Order are primarily interested in vanquishing evil wherever it may be found.  This is a very aggressive order.

Second are the Knights of the Hearth.  This is an order that started out as a group of Priests from the Order of Brother Rudiger.  They had taken up vows to protect those villagers and towns folk who lived far away from the castles of their baronial lords.  Such people are always in danger of being set upon by one sort of danger or another.


After a while, it turned out that bands of the Priests from the order were doing more fighting than anything else, and that gave order to the Paladin's order.


These knights are sometimes known as the Peasant Paladins for they will accept anyone, regardless of a noble patent or not.  They have just as stringent requirements as the other orders, but welcome those of ability, rather than just those of a high birth.

The knights of the order are not interested in military adventures against strongholds of evil, nor do they seek questing.  These are simple, quite utilitarian knights who seek to protect the people that they serve from evil and injustice.  Never ones to back down from a fight, they also do not seek it out.  One of the things that many knights of this order secretly desire is to be able to fight, and perhaps sacrifice themselves, in  a desperate battle defending innocents against overwhelming odds of evildoers.


The livery of the Knights of the Hearth is quite interesting.  They do not have any heraldic symbol, choosing instead individually a set of simple clean livery, consisting often of just one or two colors.  In their pursuit of justice and the defense of the helpless, it is quite common for Knights of the Hearth to collect favors and to adorn their armor and weapons with the same.


Finally, there are is the Brotherhood of the Sword.  These knights came out of the Order of St. Lilliane, that formed when the Cathedral of St. Lilliane was defiled and destroyed by trolls.  The surviving priests took up arms, implored the local secular Knight, Sir Vallimor of Botts to train them in the use of arms, and thus the fighting order was born.  These knights took an oath on an inverted sword, and that remains their symbol to this day.


Of all the three orders, the Brotherhood of the Sword is the most prone to solo wandering and adventuring.  Given strongly to the idea of a quest or mission errant, the brothers will often go on long quests lasting years - following the code of chivalry the entire time they are out questing, always upholding the Paladin code, as well as the reputation and honor of their order.


The livery of the order is simple.  It is a white tunic, and a white shield, with a red upended sword portrayed on the center of each.  This, in simplest form, appears as a red cross.