Barony of Ungams - And the City of Harp

In the Nightside Region, there is a barony, one of the younger, southern Baronies, settled only a short 600 years ago.  It is currently ruled by Baron Virondis Pulchky, also known as the Music Baron, from the City of Harp.

The capitol city of Ungams is an interesting place, as it contains some very fascinating locations, and also because of where it is located in the Valley.

It is near the Nell Nod forest, and all of the different threats that come out of there, and it is also located near the edge of influence of the Sun King Tribes.  In the plains around the Barony, the Khozaki people dwell, with their great herds of riding lizards, the Fethta.

Along the edge of the Nell Nod Forest, the Temple of Light was built by Padre Kelvin, in the year 603, about three hundred years before the establishment of the City.  At that time, there were only scant and dispersed settlers in the region, often living in fortified hillforts, or they were purely nomadic.  At this time, the Westroners in the area were in a state of constant strife with the Khozaki people, and it often turned into violent raids and small scale warfare between settlements and nomdic groups of the two cultures.  The only thing that brought them together was horrific Mass Frenzy of the Sun King barbarians in the 8th century.

Within the city is the great Cathedral to Saint Horace, called the Stone of Life.  The Cathedral is itself built as a series of tiered semi-circles, the front (outer edge of the circle) of all of them forming a smooth face to the front, forming the face of the Cathedral.  This face is decorated in the typical fashion of Westron Cathedrals - lots of fluted and decorative pillars; stained glass windows; gargoyles along the various levels of roofs and balconies.  The top of the Cathedral, along the front outer edge, has multiple towers and steeples, all topped with gargoyles.  Most of the gargoyles of the Stone of Life Cathedral have the faces of Animals, rather than devils or grotesques.  The back of the cathedral, is as mentioned, a set of tiered steps - 8 stories high - and each story having an open semi-circular balcony.  At the center of a circle that the semi-circle building would form, there is a flat green park, with radial walks covered in decorative white pea gravel.  At the center of the radial works - the center of the park - there is a rising white obelisk coming out of the ground.  All up and down the obelisk are carvings of the various different types of animals (non-magical) of the Valley.  Every point of the semi-circular building is equidistant from the Obelisk.  The Stone of Life, as it is called, is key to the worship services of the Order of St. Horace.

One of the domes at the top of the Palace of Seven Harmonies

The seat of power is the Palace of Seven Harmonies.  This is at the heart of the City, on the tallest of the five Harp Hills that make up the base for the city.  The center hill, called Oldoon, has the Palace built on top of it.  The Harp Hills are what give the name of "City of Harp" to the capitol.  Underneath the hill of Oldoon, however, exist the Dungeons of Suel Sonas.  Suel Sonas was a vizier, then an official title in the City of Harp, in the first century after the founding of the Barony.  It was thought that the growth of the Barony would be enhanced if there was a place to put convicted criminals, including those that practiced crime out among the nomads and settlers.  So, Suel commissioned a group of Dwarves to come and build the underground penal site.  The dungeons were named for him, and although he passed away several years before the dungeon was completed, still it was named for him.

The current ruler, Virondis Pulchky, is 8th regent of the city and the barony to hail from the Aeryfell family.  Within family tradition, each new generational member, and especially those who are considered for the Throne in Ungams, must exhibit some musical talent.   Baron Pulchky, when he came to the throne, was already an accomplished player of the large Hawm flute.  He had done a number of compositions, and his playing is most excellent.  He continues, as Baron, to play whenever possible.  He, more so than any of the early Aeryfell barons or baronesses, patronize the musical arts.

Eagles of Jazzan - Order of Rangers in the Central Valley

The Eagles of Jazzan are an order of Rangers that patrol the regions all around the Jazzan Mountains, but also out as far as the Harp Woods to the northeast, and the Two-Moons River to the southwest.

Hundreds of years ago, before the Barony of Ungams was established, and the cathedral (The Stone of Life) of St. Horace was built there, there was a monastery established to St. Horace in the Jazzan Mountains.  This monastery, known as the Hermitage of Understanding, was located high up on the peak of Mount Soluto.  It was dedicated to an understanding of the natural world, gained through meditation and communing with peaceful animals.  It was founded by Sir Horace Avento of Macester, who renounced his knighthood, his family lands, and all claims to wealth and worldly prestige.

Sir Horace Avento of Macester, choosing the path of the Monastic, and giving up Majestia

The brothers of the Hermitage engaged with a group of knights and men-at-arms in the War of Establishment, against the demon hordes from the Two-Moon River, attacking the newly established city of Henn.  All of the brothers of the Hermitage, who mostly fought in the form of giant bears, were slain except for Horace.  During the fight, Horace, in the form of a giant bear wielding the magic sword Majestia was responsible for slaying a demonic creature, he later found out was a polymorphed innocent, mind controlled into joining the fray.  After the battle, he was totally stricken by grief, and would have died of a broken heart, if he had not been visited by a seraph of the goddess Nadene.  The seraph, one of Nadene's cupid-like angelic messengers, saw in Horace a very good man, and an selfless and peaceful soul, other than his grief over the loss of the brothers in the fight against Noxecatt's demons.  Because of this compassion by the seraph, and the understanding of Nadene for Horace's connection with nature, and especially animals, he was made into an immortal.  In fact, he was made the patron saint of Animals.

The Hermitage at Mt. Soluto

A band of men-at-arms who were impressed with the sacrifice of the Brothers of the Hermitage, decided to forsake arms, and take up a communal life themselves.  However, at this Horace saw the need for humans to not only understand the world - including those aspects of plants and animals that humans are capable of understanding - but also to participate in its defense.  So, he convinced the men-at-arms to become the Rangers of the Hermitage.  They were trained in the skills of tracking and dealing with natural magic and animals of all sorts.  These became the first line of defense, now, against the horrors that occasionally emerge from the Two-Moons River.

Since this first band was formed, there have been Ranger Hermitages set up in a number of wild places, sometimes preceding the migration to the east of the Westroners, and sometimes following it.  Eventually, a group of such hermitages came together to form the Northguard in the year 656.  The Northguard, because they work so closely (at times) with Storm King Barbarians, have dropped the connection to the order of St. Horace, however.

With a number of different Hermitages having been established, it has become traditional to name each such "order" by a name including a local animal to the location of the hermitage, as well as the name of the region that it is from.  Because of this, the Rangers of the original Hermitage have become known as the Eagles of Jazzan.

Sword Pommel of a senior Ranger in the Eagles of Jazzan

Eagles all carried a distinctive sword with an Eagle's head on the pommel.  Other than that they have no mark of office.  Other than human Rangers, the order also includes clerics of St. Horace, and also some Wood Elves from the Harp Woods, who join the order for a number of years, before deciding to return to their Arboreal retreats, or back to the Faery realm.  The range of the valley that the Eagles patrols includes the lands east of the Two Moon River, up to the Great River, and across to the Harp Woods. South, it extends to the city of Henn.  Within this area, there is a network of good creatures and human (and other) inhabitants that are friendly to the Eagles, and provide assistance (whether in the form of information or supplies, or more directly, as assistance under arms).

To this day, the Rangers of the order have as a sworn enemy the sorcerer Raebacc Stin, who has become a Lich and has a secret haunt in a location the Rangers have been yet able to find.  Raebacc Stin was the sorcerer, in the service of Noxecatt, who was responsible for the formation of the original body of diabolical forces that killed the original brothers of the Hermitage.  The magic sword Majestia, formerly owned by St. Horace (when he was Sir Horace) has also become lost over the years, and legends talk about it being in the possession of Raebacc Stin.

Specialty Priests of the Westron Church (part 1)

The many various orders and chapters of the Westron Church each have their own specialty priests (for a list, see this post), available for Human player character use - here are the important stats.

First the goddess of Fertility (one of the three that the Westron Church is based on), as well as her affiliated demigods and saints.

Nadene - goddess of Fertility

• Priest's Alignment: Neutral or Neutral Good
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 12, Charisma 12. Wisdom or Charisma 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Charisma 16 means +10% experience.
• NWP and WPN Prof: Herbalism (Required).  NWP groups - Priest, General.  No weapons required.
• Weapons and Armor: Weapons Permitted: Javelin, polearm, spear. Armor Permitted: Hide armor and leather armor (normal or magical), all non-metal shields.
• Restrictions: Priests of Nadene must be married.
• Major Spheres: All, Healing, Necromantic, Plant, Summoning.
• Minor Spheres: Animal, Charm, Creation, Divination, Protection, Weather.
• Powers: Charm/Fascination (Works as the 3rd level Wizard Spell suggestion, but cannot be used in combat); 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); May choose one of the following animals which which the priest may communicate (not control, just talk to): Cattle, goats, horses, rabbits, sheep or snakes.
• Symbol: The symbol of Nadene is a Pine Cone.

Kyclos - demigod of the Cycle of Life

• Priest's Alignment: True Neutral
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 10.  Wisdom 16 means +10% experience.
• NWP and WPN Prof: Religion (required). NWP groups - Priest, General.  No weapons required.
• Weapons and Armor: Weapons Permitted: Dagger/dirk, knife, scythe, sickle. Armor Permitted: All non-metal armor; no shields.
• Restrictions: Priests may not eat animal flesh - they are vegetarian.
• Major Spheres: All, Divination, Healing, Necromantic (Special Note: These priests cannot use resurrection spell; they use reincarnate instead), Plant, Summoning, Weather.
• Minor Spheres: Animal, Charm, Creation, Elemental, Protection, Sun.
• 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); Turn Undead (same as a Cleric in PHB)
• Symbol: Braided Circle.

 St. Horace - patron saint of Animals

• Priest's Alignment: Neutral Good or True Neutral.
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 9, Charisma 13. Wisdom or Charisma 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Charisma 16 means +10% experience.
• NWP and WPN Prof: Animal Handling (Required).  No weapons required.  NWPs allowed: Priest, General, Warrior.
• Weapons and Armor: Bill, cestus, club, dagger/dirk, knife, mace, main-gauche, stiletto, swords (all), warhammer. Armor Permitted: all non-metal armor; no shields.
• Restrictions: None.
• Major Spheres: All, Animal, Charm, Divination, Protection.
• Minor Spheres: Combat, Creation, Healing, Plant.
• Powers: Identification of any Natural monster or animal; Speak with 3 specific types of animals (priest chooses, 1 bird, 1 mammal, and 1 fish or reptile; Soothing Word for Natural monsters or animals 3x a day (can remove a Fear spell or calm down animals or monsters up to 2x the priests level); Shapechanging at level 5 (as per the Druid's power from the PHB - same animals the Priest may speak to)
• Symbol: Salmon 
• The Stone of Life - Great Cathedral of St. Horace, is located at Ungams. 
• A number of different Ranger Hermitages exist throughout the valley, that are associated with St. Horace, who's clerics have an affinity for both Human and Elven Rangers.  The original, is the site of the Eagles of Jazzan.
  

Mother Kimber - patron saint of childbirth and children

• Worshiper's Alignment: Chaotic Good, Neutral Good, Lawful Good.
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 10. Wisdom 16 means +10% experience.
• NWP and WPN Prof: Healing (required).  No weapons required.  NWPs allowed: Priest, General.
• Weapons and Armor: Lasso, net. Armor Permitted: None; no shields.
• Restrictions: None.
• Major Spheres: All, Astral, Charm, Creation, Elemental, Healing, Protection, Summoning, Sun.
• Minor Spheres: Animal, Combat, Divination, Guardian, Necromantic.
• Powers: Turn Undead (as per Cleric in PHB)
• Symbol: Circle with a dot in it, off center

 St. Leiathar - patron saint of Weather

• Priests's Alignment: True Neutral or Neutral Good
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 10, Constitution 12. Wisdom or Constitution 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Constitution 16 means +10% experience.
• NWP and WPN Prof: Weather Sense (required).  No weapons required. NWPs allowed: Priest, General.
• Weapons and Armor: Battle axe, bows (all), club, hand/throwing axe, javelin, spear, warhammer. Armor Permitted: All non-metal armor, all shields.
• Restrictions: None
• Major Spheres: All, Astral, Elemental (the priest can only use spells with the words Water, Air, and Wind in their names, and the spell chariot of Sustarre ), Protection, Weather.
• Minor Spheres: Combat, Divination, Plant, Sun.
• Powers: Inspire Fear (2x per day, as per Wizard spell of 4th level).
• Symbol: Cloud.
• Cloudhome Cathedral in Werms.

 St. Jaspar - patron saint of Strength and Rocks

• Priest's Alignment: Neutral Good, or True Neutral.
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 9, Strength 15. Wisdom or Strength 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Strength 16 means +10% experience.
• NWP and WPN Prof: Endurance (Required).  No weapons required.  NWPs allowed: Priest, General, Warrior.
• Weapons and Armor: Battle axe, cestus, club, mace, maul, morning star, picks (all), polearm, sword/two-handed, warhammer. Armor Permitted: All armor and shields.
• Major Spheres: All, Combat, Healing.
• Minor Spheres: Elemental, Necromantic.
• Powers: Immune to life draining and paralysis from undead, also to chill touch, energy drain, enervation, ray of enfeeblement, and vampiric touch; Turn Undead (as per Cleric in PHB); Incite Berserker Rage at 5th level; Inspire Fear (2x per day, as per Wizard spell of 4th level) at 8th level.
• Symbol: Mountain.
• The Cathedral of Earthroot is located in the City of Shadows, capitol of Henn.

 Brother Ian - patron saint of Knowledge and Fire

• Priest's Alignment: Neutral Good, or 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: Pass Unharmed through any wall of fire spell; Immune - +2 saving throw vs. priest spells of Elemental sphere, and all wizard spells of Evocation and Alteration with the words fire, burning, flaming, pyrotechnics, and incendiary in the title.
• Symbol: Lantern

 St. Ellain - patron saint of Art and Water

• Priest's Alignment: Chaotic Good, Neutral Good, Lawful Good
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 13, Intelligence 12. Wisdom or Intelligence 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Intelligence 16 means +10% experience.
• NWP and WPN Prof: Artistic Ability (choose one) (required).  No weapons required. NWPs allowed: Priest and General.
• Weapons and Armor: Bows (all) are the only weapon allowed.  No armor or shields allowed.
• Restrictions: Priests in the order of St. Ellain receive D6 for hit dice, rather than D8.
• Major Spheres: All, Astral, Creation, Divination, Elemental, Plant, Protection, Sun.
• Minor Spheres: Healing, Necromantic.
• Powers: Identification of and Immunity vs. certain spells. Because of the priest's superior insight into creativity and art, he is Immune (receives an automatically-successful saving throw) to all first-level wizard Illusion spells for which a saving throw is possible, and gets a +2 saving throw vs. all other Illusion spells for which a saving throw is possible (he can't make a saving throw against someone else's invisibility, for instance).
• Symbol: Quill
• Ramee Tower Cathedral - Khomaes

 Sister Silpha - patron saint of Travel and Air

• Priest's Alignment:True Neutral or Neutral Good.
• Minimum Abilities: Wisdom 12, Charisma 10. Wisdom or Charisma 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Charisma 16 means +10% experience.
• NWP and WPN Prof: Navigation (Required). No Weapons required;  NWPs allowed: Priest, General.
• Weapons and Armor: Club, javelin, mace, maul, polearm, quarterstaff, spear, trident. Armor Permitted: All non-metal armor and all shields.
• Restrictions: None.
• Major Spheres: All, Charm, Divination, Protection, Sun.
• Minor Spheres: Elemental, Guardian, Necromantic, Plant.
• Powers: Receive a new Language once per level, until level 8; Soothing Word (3x a day can remove a Fear spell or calm down people or monsters up to 2x the priests level), Charm/Fascination (works as 3rd level Wizard spell) at 8th level.
• Symbol: Walking stick.

Druids in the Valley of the Old Ones

The class of Druids in the Valley of the Old Ones, as one would expect, are very similar to the concept as presented in the first and second editions of AD&D.  They are mystics who venerate nature, and draw their power from nature and affiliated deities.

Amongst the Druids to be found in the Westron Baronies, there are three orders of druids.  The first, the Brown Order is affiliated with Kyclos - the demigod of the cycle of life.  He is affiliated with the Church by being observed by followers of the goddess Nadene as being her consort.  The Brown Order of Druids is so named because of the brown mantles and belts that they wear on their all white robes.  There's is an order that is dedicated to the circle of life - things all have a place in nature, and Man would do best to fit in with that heirarchy.  The order has its learning and heirarchy centered at the Druid Hall at Kavaman, in the eastern end of the Nell Nod Forest.  Druids of the Brown Order are often traveling companions of Priests of Kyclos, and occasionally with Priests from the Order of St. Horace (patron saint of animals).  Druids of the Brown Order are often found in agricultural communities, or not far away.  Equally, however, they will be found in places of learning.

The Green Order of druids is also affiliated with the Church.  It is very much involved in the communing with plants and trees, and as such is affiliated with the worship of the Green Man (the demigod of plants and the wild who is the seasonal husband of the goddess Corrise).  While Druids of the Green Order are every bit as much interested in scholarly learning about nature, and knowledge of the world around them, they do not have a great center of their worship, but rather tend to congregate their hierarchy around a series of groves, the oldest and largest of which is Mamblir in the Deeper Forest.  Druids of the Green Order rarely settle, and often spend years traveling abroad away from their home grove.  The Green Order often go abroad wearing some sort of green - robes, cloak, or mantle.

Finally, the third order is the mysterious group of Druids known as the Silver Order of druids.  These are not affiliated with the Church in any way, and are chiefly interested in the grander universe - how things work, how they work together, the effect on the stars by the endless world, how fire works, and why it doesn't - these are the sorts of questions often asked by Silver Order Druids.  The master of the order is a mysterious individual who lives high atop his Star Tower, in the Aghanz Hills.  Members of the order often travel abroad, seeking places of deep mystery and meaning in which to make their homes of contemplation of nature.  They are very fond of the various sites of the Old Ones, and seek to understand their peculiar relationship with nature.