The current head of the Barony of Khomaes is Aldra Ap Iaggio. The Iaggio family has ruled the Barony for 8 generations now, stretching back almost 200 years. Although the family, as with most of the significant families, is only interested in politics and the situation in the city of Khomaes (simply called "The City" within the Barony, but sometimes derisively referred to as the Drop or the Rift, because of Dancer's Rift. It is also common for poets to refer to it as the Spire or the Spike, for Dancer's Spike).
The population of the city is approximately 22,000, but it has been a while since a general census has been called for. The local economy, which is based primarily on local agriculture for the lower classes, and on a combination of industrial trade (amberstone and other materials coming down out of the Aghanz Hills), trade with the nearby Baronies, and the pilgrim and traveler trade. The pilgrims and travelers have ample reason to come to The City, and hence the City itself flourishes, and creates additional demand on the surrounding areas, affecting the whole Barony. The pilgrims coming are for the two cathedrals in the city, and also for the School of Charm. The cathedrals are Appuco Fast, and it's twin Ramee Tower. Appuco Fast is dedicated to St. Norena. Ramee Tower is dedicated to the followers of St. Ellain. Both churches draw a large amount of pilgrim traffic, and the business that pilgrims draw, to the Barony.
Westron is spoken commonly in this Barony, as with most of the Baronies. But because it is so far north, there is also a wide understanding of Destrikking. All written transactions, however, use Westschrift.
The surrounding towns are (see the map):
A. Truend - Pop 2,200 - Walled against the large mammals of the Darkearth Plains, and also against the Shagmen out of the Aghanz Hills. A small elite corps of the town guard are called the Truend Rangers, and they travel the local area, looking for traveling groups of Shagmen, and breaking them up before they can get too close to Truend, or local farm villages.
B. Khoben Vale - Population 1,800 - There is a small section of dense trees that grows on either side of a minor river called Bruuka Wash. Carved out of that is enough space for Khoben Vale, all within the trees, and partially on a rocky island in the middle of Bruuka Wash, the rest on either bank. There are sturdy stone bridges connecting the whole affair, and stone walls and towers inside the forest, to protect the town. Outside the little forest, there are single and small groups of trees, all of which attract the giant lynx common to the area. In fact, sometimes the lynx is called the Khoben Cat.
C. Sagio Mill - Population 2,800 - This is an open town, without a city wall. There are, however, several concentric rings of watch towers extending out, 20 miles in all directions around the town. Most of the farms, and other holdings, relying on the town, are within that set of rings. The town gets it's name from a very large stone mill, built next to a rather impressive mill pond. There is no river feeding this pond, but the water in it constantly rotates (due to magic means), providing motion for the very large grinding wheel.
D. Iffel - Population 2,200 - This is a town built around a small castle (D'Mosh Castle), with a curtain wall around the core town. It is, however, built right next to the King's Highway. The curtain wall of the town backs up to and connects with the mound of the King's Highway, and within the walls of the town, there is a curious large tower, that has in it's central area, four very, very large platforms (like rafts, made of large logs lashed together), big enough for a large wagon and team. Each of these platforms are actually elevators, up to a stone connecting ramp over to the King's Highway. The elevators are powered by partially trained Mammoths, captured from the wilds of the Darkearth Plains. This access to the King's Highway means that Iffel is quite wealthy as a trade location. There is a similar elevator tower - obviously built by the Old Ones - on the south side of the King's Highway at this same point, but nobody bothers to maintain or man it.
E. Cyclot - Population 2,400 - This town has a massive wooden great hall at the center of it, lots of professional buildings (mostly of a half timber variety), and massive palisade walls made of very large shaped logs driven into the earth. There are two concentric walls, one only 2 miles across, in a rough oval, only 1 mile across the narrow axis. The second concentric wall is all of five miles across, roughly circular. Inside the first wall is the "inner town" - which is for the wealthiest families, and prestigious buildings. The second wall contains the "outer town" which are most of the minor nobility, lesser professionals, and more important land owners, who own grazing and planting estates outside the town. Outside the walls exists a small community of Elves, mostly Wood Elves (about 400), but a few traveling Gray Elves are always present, also. The residents of Cyclot, and the Elves, refer to this community as Duar Village. These Wood Elves have strong ties to the Harp Woods. Much of the industry in the town is either from the surrounding forest products (charcoal burning, and carpentry rate very highly), but also a very strong wool market is present. The sheep, a curious three horned variety, called the Odelle Sheep, produces very valuable wool. The flocks that graze in open pasture outside the city are protected by shepherds. Cyclot shepherds are known to be very competent, and dangerous, mostly due to the high number of dire wolves in the area.
F. Nowak - Population 2,200 - Another woodland related town, this one with a nearby Gnome community, of about 600 Gnomes, mostly underground. The community is called Cheddom Tower, but the tower is a minor part of the underground Gnome village. Together, the carpenters and craftsmen of Nowak and the Gnomes of Cheddom build some of the most intricate, and fabulous working artifacts (such as cuckoo clocks). There is a strong tradition of hunting amongst the wealthy and young from Nowak, in the Harp Woods.
G. Acron Trade - Population 2,400 - This is another walled town, built around a core of a castle (Bekno Keep), and surrounded by stone palisade walls. It is built next to the King's Highway, and the Old Ones had constructed a curious platform settlement right next to the mound. The platform is large enough for multiple buildings, and serves as a location for the main market of Acron Trade. Approaches to the platform were built with a very long, shallowly sloping ramp up, so that animal and walking traffic have no trouble climbing it. Stairs have been constructed, that are much steeper, but provide quicker access up out of the walled town of Acron Trade. There is not a similar platform, nor an access ramp, on the south side of the King's Highway. Although there is a thriving agricultural community of farms and villages surrounding Acron Trade, it is from trade that it makes its economy.
Note, this is part two of a two part article on the Barony of Khomaes. Part 1 is located here.
Showing posts with label wood elves. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wood elves. Show all posts
Jun 28, 2012
Jan 3, 2011
The Faery and the Goblyn
Two broad groups of intelligent species dwell in the Valley that predate both the Older Ones, and of course, the younger races that dwell there now. These are the Faery and the Goblyn.
The Faery include all of the normal magical races one would associate with that group - leprechauns, pixies, fairies, etc - but also the arboreal magical races - such as nymphs, dryads, nyads, centaurs, fauns, and elves.
The Faery do not have gods or goddesses, as such, but rather have a number of very powerful beings who rule over the Seely court. These are King Oberon and Queen Titania, among others. The Seely Court is removed from this world, and exists in the Seely Realms. How or when this split from the World took place, none now alive know. It is possible that Oberon or Titania know, but they do not speak of it.
The most human like of the Faery are of course the Elves. They dwell almost entirely in their forest realms, which are areas around where portals from the Seely Realms intersect easily with the world of the Valley. As expected, time and distance in the Seely realms are very different from time and distance as measured between portals in the world of the Valley. Because of this situation - that the Elves congregate around the Faery portals - it is rare that Elves in any number are seen outside of their own Fey glens and hollows.
Humans who encounter Elves often mistake the leading figures of the Seely Court as elven "deities". This is not exactly true, but it is common enough for humans to believe so. There are Elves who venerate the members of the Court in such a way, that they behave as Priests while in the world of the Valley, receiving powers and spells from the realm of Faery due to their loyalty and fealty to the Court.
When the Seely Realms were separated from those of the World, at the same time the Unseely Realms were also formed. These were populated by the Goblyn races, mostly. Those consist of the goblins, hobgoblins, orcs, ogres, trolls and other affiliated races. The magics of the Unseely Realms are not nearly as well formed nor as well behaved as the magics of the Seely. Because of this, it is much less likely that travel back and forth against the Unseely portals takes place. Unlike the Faery, the Goblyn portals are almost all underground, some are very deep underground. A number of powerful dark magic beings rule over the Unseely Realms, and these are sometimes venerated by the Goblyn races as their own "deities". This is much less likely than with the Fey folk.
Two interesting outliers from this situation are notable. The first are the Dark Elves. These are a group of elves that, for unknown reasons, have chosen to ally themselves with the Unseely Realms. They dwell mostly underground, and are consummately evil. They are the most powerful, magically, of the Unseely folk, rivaling some Faery folk for power.
The second exception are the very mysterious Gray Elves. There are, roughly, three distinct groups of Faery Elves (apart from the Goblyn Dark Elves). The first two - the High Elves (who dwell mostly in the Seely Realms, but visit the world of the Valley from time to time) and the Wood Elves (who are more likely to remain in the Valley for some time, but always remain in the forests near the portals where they can remain in contact with the Seely Court) never remain forever in our world. They travel back to the Seely Realm (some more or less frequently than others, but none remain here forever), and look to the Court for their guidance and allegiance.
The Gray Elves, on the other hand, are of the Faery sort, but they have decided to come to our world and dwell her permanently. They often take up residence in parts of the world far from the forests, usually because they cannot bear the sadness that results from their decision not to return to the Seely Realms. They Gray Elves often speak in enigmatic riddles when discussing the world, and why they dwell apart from other Elves. It is possible that they may know about the reason for the split of the Seely and the Unseely from the world of the Valley.
One curious feature of the separation of the Goblyn and Faery from the world, there are occasionally babies born to both Elves and Orcs (the races closest to humans) that resemble a human being close enough to be mistaken for one at a glance. There are mischevious members of both the Seely and Unseely realms who will bring such babies to Human communities and exchange them for human babies. In both cases (the elf or orc child raised by humans, or the human child raised by elves or orcs) the results are referred to as Half Elves or Half Orcs. Once their true origin is known, neither are ever fully trusted by Humans. It is not known how the human counterparts are treated in the Faery or Goblyn realms.
The Faery include all of the normal magical races one would associate with that group - leprechauns, pixies, fairies, etc - but also the arboreal magical races - such as nymphs, dryads, nyads, centaurs, fauns, and elves.
The Faery do not have gods or goddesses, as such, but rather have a number of very powerful beings who rule over the Seely court. These are King Oberon and Queen Titania, among others. The Seely Court is removed from this world, and exists in the Seely Realms. How or when this split from the World took place, none now alive know. It is possible that Oberon or Titania know, but they do not speak of it.
The most human like of the Faery are of course the Elves. They dwell almost entirely in their forest realms, which are areas around where portals from the Seely Realms intersect easily with the world of the Valley. As expected, time and distance in the Seely realms are very different from time and distance as measured between portals in the world of the Valley. Because of this situation - that the Elves congregate around the Faery portals - it is rare that Elves in any number are seen outside of their own Fey glens and hollows.
Humans who encounter Elves often mistake the leading figures of the Seely Court as elven "deities". This is not exactly true, but it is common enough for humans to believe so. There are Elves who venerate the members of the Court in such a way, that they behave as Priests while in the world of the Valley, receiving powers and spells from the realm of Faery due to their loyalty and fealty to the Court.
When the Seely Realms were separated from those of the World, at the same time the Unseely Realms were also formed. These were populated by the Goblyn races, mostly. Those consist of the goblins, hobgoblins, orcs, ogres, trolls and other affiliated races. The magics of the Unseely Realms are not nearly as well formed nor as well behaved as the magics of the Seely. Because of this, it is much less likely that travel back and forth against the Unseely portals takes place. Unlike the Faery, the Goblyn portals are almost all underground, some are very deep underground. A number of powerful dark magic beings rule over the Unseely Realms, and these are sometimes venerated by the Goblyn races as their own "deities". This is much less likely than with the Fey folk.
Two interesting outliers from this situation are notable. The first are the Dark Elves. These are a group of elves that, for unknown reasons, have chosen to ally themselves with the Unseely Realms. They dwell mostly underground, and are consummately evil. They are the most powerful, magically, of the Unseely folk, rivaling some Faery folk for power.
The second exception are the very mysterious Gray Elves. There are, roughly, three distinct groups of Faery Elves (apart from the Goblyn Dark Elves). The first two - the High Elves (who dwell mostly in the Seely Realms, but visit the world of the Valley from time to time) and the Wood Elves (who are more likely to remain in the Valley for some time, but always remain in the forests near the portals where they can remain in contact with the Seely Court) never remain forever in our world. They travel back to the Seely Realm (some more or less frequently than others, but none remain here forever), and look to the Court for their guidance and allegiance.
The Gray Elves, on the other hand, are of the Faery sort, but they have decided to come to our world and dwell her permanently. They often take up residence in parts of the world far from the forests, usually because they cannot bear the sadness that results from their decision not to return to the Seely Realms. They Gray Elves often speak in enigmatic riddles when discussing the world, and why they dwell apart from other Elves. It is possible that they may know about the reason for the split of the Seely and the Unseely from the world of the Valley.
One curious feature of the separation of the Goblyn and Faery from the world, there are occasionally babies born to both Elves and Orcs (the races closest to humans) that resemble a human being close enough to be mistaken for one at a glance. There are mischevious members of both the Seely and Unseely realms who will bring such babies to Human communities and exchange them for human babies. In both cases (the elf or orc child raised by humans, or the human child raised by elves or orcs) the results are referred to as Half Elves or Half Orcs. Once their true origin is known, neither are ever fully trusted by Humans. It is not known how the human counterparts are treated in the Faery or Goblyn realms.
Nov 25, 2010
Week of Encounters Day 3: Captain Lu d'Ross and Caerilla Ne Quolda
This encounter takes place in the Wychwood region of the Valley, just to the west of the Tiazarr River. it deals with the Khozaki - a "nation" of Fethta riding nomads from the vast plains around the Barony of Ungams.
The players come across an encamped Khozaki mercenary company near the Tiazarr River, along it's eastern bank. These particular mercenaries are in the employ of Baron Ungams and have been sent to cross the Tiazarr, enter the realm of Gorrem Castle, test to see if a new baron has been selected yet, and scout if there is a chance for advantage to be made by a full scale crossing of the river.
These Khozaki mercenaries are 3rd level human fighting men, and are all experts with the spear and the short bow. In the common manner of the Khozaki, they wear loose brightly colored pants, leather shirts, and short capes of a variety of colors. High hard leather riding boots and bronze helmets complete their outfit. In combat, they would wear scale armor over their leather shirts. Again, as common for all Khozaki, they are excellent riders. This company are riding the common riding animal from Ungams, the Fethta. The Fethta is a great riding lizard, the girth and bulk of a horse, but much longer counting the spiky tail. The drool and spittle of the Fethta is poisonous, and they are trained to fight as well as ride. When angered, and in combat, they will rear up on their hind legs (a maneuver that the riders train for, and their special harnesses and saddles are built to support it), and fight with their two front claws and by biting. The riders will employ their spears, and also shoot their bows. In appearance, the fethta looks like a common green garden lizard, but with a 7' long body, and an additional 7' long spiky tail. The spikes on the tail are merely mating adornments, and not for fighting.
Fethta
Num Appearing: 1-2 (if encountered in the wild)
Alignment: neutral
Movement: 90'
Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 3d (15h.p.)
Attacks: 3 (claw, claw, bite) plus disease
Damage: 1d4; 1d4; 2d4
Save: F2
Morale:9
The bite of the Fethta is indeed dangerous. If a successful bite is made, and a save vs. poison is failed, then there is a 25% chance of infection. If this happens, a blood disease ensues - if infected, the victim will lose one point (from each) of strength, constitution and dexterity for 9 days, and then gain it back at one point each for 9 days; if any go below 0 the victim dies. A cure disease will end this.
This company of mercenaries is a small river crossing party, perhaps 20 fighters strong, being led by a 5th level fighting man named Captain Lu d'Ross. They are encamped near the rivers edge in order to construct rafts for crossing the river with their riding fethta.
In order to speed up the process, Captain Lu d'Ross has ordered the company to chop down the nearby Quolda trees. These are semi-magical trees cultivated by the Elves, and have been growing since the birth of the Elven people. Well into the chopping of the second tree (only three or four would be needed, because of the fantastic properties and quantities of wood that can be harvested from each one), an Elven princess from the nearby woodland realm came to Captain Lu d'Ross, begging for the men to stop the process of killing the sacred trees. Captain d'Ross immediately ordered that the princess, a Caerilla Ne Quolda, be taken prisoner so that the wood harvesting could continue.
Encounter: As the players are looking on to the scene of the harvesting of the Quolda trees, they are ambushed and attacked by a group of wood elves who are intent on stopping the harvest, and have mistaken the player characters as part of the mercenary company. The warband of wood elves consists of a 4th level leader Turokan Har Quolda, and six 3rd level elves. All are fighter/magic-users.
Experienced Wood Elf Warriors
No. Enc.: 1d4
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 120'
Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 3 (18 h.p.)
Attacks: 1 (long sword, and long bow)
Damage: 1d8 or 1d6
Save: MU3
Morale: 8
Spells: Magic Missile, Shield, Levitate
If possible, half of the group will cast Levitate on themselves, floating up out of reach, and will employ long bows. The rest will immediately cast Shield, and then engage in combat. If the chance comes up, they will use Magic Missile against spell casters.
Details for Captain Lu d'Ross, Caerilla Ne Quolda, and Turokan Har Quolda are left for the DM to devise.
The players must decide whether they will fight the elves, or try to parlay with them. Then the noise generated will ensure an attack by the Mercenaries.
During the combat, if one occurs, the second quolda tree will be felled (it is almost down when the ambush comes), and inside its massive trunk, a chamber leading to an underground Wood Elf burrow is revealed. Within are treasures and dangers awaiting the Characters - no doubt which will be determined by their decisions during the encounter between the Elves and the Mercenaries - and how they treat with the imprisoned Princess.
The players come across an encamped Khozaki mercenary company near the Tiazarr River, along it's eastern bank. These particular mercenaries are in the employ of Baron Ungams and have been sent to cross the Tiazarr, enter the realm of Gorrem Castle, test to see if a new baron has been selected yet, and scout if there is a chance for advantage to be made by a full scale crossing of the river.
These Khozaki mercenaries are 3rd level human fighting men, and are all experts with the spear and the short bow. In the common manner of the Khozaki, they wear loose brightly colored pants, leather shirts, and short capes of a variety of colors. High hard leather riding boots and bronze helmets complete their outfit. In combat, they would wear scale armor over their leather shirts. Again, as common for all Khozaki, they are excellent riders. This company are riding the common riding animal from Ungams, the Fethta. The Fethta is a great riding lizard, the girth and bulk of a horse, but much longer counting the spiky tail. The drool and spittle of the Fethta is poisonous, and they are trained to fight as well as ride. When angered, and in combat, they will rear up on their hind legs (a maneuver that the riders train for, and their special harnesses and saddles are built to support it), and fight with their two front claws and by biting. The riders will employ their spears, and also shoot their bows. In appearance, the fethta looks like a common green garden lizard, but with a 7' long body, and an additional 7' long spiky tail. The spikes on the tail are merely mating adornments, and not for fighting.
Fethta
Num Appearing: 1-2 (if encountered in the wild)
Alignment: neutral
Movement: 90'
Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 3d (15h.p.)
Attacks: 3 (claw, claw, bite) plus disease
Damage: 1d4; 1d4; 2d4
Save: F2
Morale:9
The bite of the Fethta is indeed dangerous. If a successful bite is made, and a save vs. poison is failed, then there is a 25% chance of infection. If this happens, a blood disease ensues - if infected, the victim will lose one point (from each) of strength, constitution and dexterity for 9 days, and then gain it back at one point each for 9 days; if any go below 0 the victim dies. A cure disease will end this.
This company of mercenaries is a small river crossing party, perhaps 20 fighters strong, being led by a 5th level fighting man named Captain Lu d'Ross. They are encamped near the rivers edge in order to construct rafts for crossing the river with their riding fethta.
In order to speed up the process, Captain Lu d'Ross has ordered the company to chop down the nearby Quolda trees. These are semi-magical trees cultivated by the Elves, and have been growing since the birth of the Elven people. Well into the chopping of the second tree (only three or four would be needed, because of the fantastic properties and quantities of wood that can be harvested from each one), an Elven princess from the nearby woodland realm came to Captain Lu d'Ross, begging for the men to stop the process of killing the sacred trees. Captain d'Ross immediately ordered that the princess, a Caerilla Ne Quolda, be taken prisoner so that the wood harvesting could continue.
Encounter: As the players are looking on to the scene of the harvesting of the Quolda trees, they are ambushed and attacked by a group of wood elves who are intent on stopping the harvest, and have mistaken the player characters as part of the mercenary company. The warband of wood elves consists of a 4th level leader Turokan Har Quolda, and six 3rd level elves. All are fighter/magic-users.
Experienced Wood Elf Warriors
No. Enc.: 1d4
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 120'
Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 3 (18 h.p.)
Attacks: 1 (long sword, and long bow)
Damage: 1d8 or 1d6
Save: MU3
Morale: 8
Spells: Magic Missile, Shield, Levitate
If possible, half of the group will cast Levitate on themselves, floating up out of reach, and will employ long bows. The rest will immediately cast Shield, and then engage in combat. If the chance comes up, they will use Magic Missile against spell casters.
Details for Captain Lu d'Ross, Caerilla Ne Quolda, and Turokan Har Quolda are left for the DM to devise.
The players must decide whether they will fight the elves, or try to parlay with them. Then the noise generated will ensure an attack by the Mercenaries.
During the combat, if one occurs, the second quolda tree will be felled (it is almost down when the ambush comes), and inside its massive trunk, a chamber leading to an underground Wood Elf burrow is revealed. Within are treasures and dangers awaiting the Characters - no doubt which will be determined by their decisions during the encounter between the Elves and the Mercenaries - and how they treat with the imprisoned Princess.
Nov 20, 2010
History of the Valley - since Ba'a Zarn
The Archivists of Parn Tandalorn tend to view the history of the Valley of the Old Ones as, enigmatically, beginning with the departure of the Old Ones themselves. At some point, in the distant past, the King of the Old Ones Ba'a Zarn disappeared from the world. After this time, the many creatures and creations of the gods of the Old Ones began to spread and to rule over the world. The chief creations amongst all of these are Men, Elves and Dwarves. The Men seem to have been a companion gift to the Old Ones, constructed by the Elemental Gods. The Elves were first created by the forest goddess Earnissa. The Dwarves were created by The Krung, lord of the mountains.
As the power of the Old Ones began waning, many of the Men who were living with them in their fabulous cities began to flee, and to already spread across the world. At this time they began worshiping the gods and goddesses of nature, especially Bronc the Storm King, and Photoss the Sun King. The Three Goddesses were not unknown at this time, but the complicated nuance of the modern churches did not exist - they were simply worshiped as Fertility, Magic and Agriculture.
The tribes of the Storm King grew in power and strength, until they threatened both the Dwarves and the Elves. This brought about the first Elf war, which pitted the ancient tribes of the Storm King against the original forest tribes of Earnissa's people. The Dwarves were pledged to help the Elves, but due to unknown reasons they never appeared at any of the battles. The barbaric humans were losing in the war against the elves, but in the end the Elves capitulated and settled an uneasy peace with the humans.
There are still groups of humans that worship the Storm King, however (and this is true within the Valley) much of human civilization is now built around the worship of the Three Goddesses. These three, and a complicated hierarchy of saints and scions, are the object of much of the modern Church that is key to human civilization.
Within the Valley, the human city of Narn is home to the feudal kingdom of Neill family. Duke Alasdair IV is the current head of the family, and he rules with the blessings of the Arch-Cleric Neveross, of the Cathedral of St. Narn. Across the valley there are many small baronies and other realms that all, in theory, owe feudal loyalty to the Neill family, however the distance and the politics involved mean that at any time any number of these can be at war with each other, or against the Neills themselves. Complicated church politics don't make matters any simpler.
Within the valley, there are several forests where Elven domains are evident. These are largely Wood Elves. There are, in the mountains surrounding the valley, several hidden cities of High Elves as well. During the war with the Storm King barbarians, the High Elves felt betrayed by their brothers who surrendered to the Humans, and so went, mostly, into seclusion. Other than their hidden mountain cities, the High Elves also have a floating city that travels up and down the Great River.
Several underground colonies of Grey Dwarves exist in the mountains surrounding the valley. These are the types of dwarves who feel compelled to pursue their traditional role as miners and craftsmen, working with stones and gems, and digger deeper and deeper into the mountains. Offshoots of these 'traditionalists' often move down out of the mountain, and build towns and villages where they trade with the feudal human cities, and others. These Dwarves who leave the mountains are often referred to as Brown Dwarves.
Countless other races of beings (magical and natural) occupy the areas within and around the Valley. Among the more numerous are the Halflings, Gnomes and of course all the Goblin races, from the goblins themselves, up through the trolls. Many variants of beastmen exist as well. In addition to the underground empires of the goblins and dwarves, there is another race of elves that have taken up life under the mountains - the Dark Elves.
Since the departure of the Old Ones, and the war between the Barbarians and the Elves, the rise of Human civilization has dominated the valley. Today they are the most numerous people within the valley, although the strength of Narn has faded in recent decades.
As the power of the Old Ones began waning, many of the Men who were living with them in their fabulous cities began to flee, and to already spread across the world. At this time they began worshiping the gods and goddesses of nature, especially Bronc the Storm King, and Photoss the Sun King. The Three Goddesses were not unknown at this time, but the complicated nuance of the modern churches did not exist - they were simply worshiped as Fertility, Magic and Agriculture.The tribes of the Storm King grew in power and strength, until they threatened both the Dwarves and the Elves. This brought about the first Elf war, which pitted the ancient tribes of the Storm King against the original forest tribes of Earnissa's people. The Dwarves were pledged to help the Elves, but due to unknown reasons they never appeared at any of the battles. The barbaric humans were losing in the war against the elves, but in the end the Elves capitulated and settled an uneasy peace with the humans.
There are still groups of humans that worship the Storm King, however (and this is true within the Valley) much of human civilization is now built around the worship of the Three Goddesses. These three, and a complicated hierarchy of saints and scions, are the object of much of the modern Church that is key to human civilization.
Within the Valley, the human city of Narn is home to the feudal kingdom of Neill family. Duke Alasdair IV is the current head of the family, and he rules with the blessings of the Arch-Cleric Neveross, of the Cathedral of St. Narn. Across the valley there are many small baronies and other realms that all, in theory, owe feudal loyalty to the Neill family, however the distance and the politics involved mean that at any time any number of these can be at war with each other, or against the Neills themselves. Complicated church politics don't make matters any simpler.
Within the valley, there are several forests where Elven domains are evident. These are largely Wood Elves. There are, in the mountains surrounding the valley, several hidden cities of High Elves as well. During the war with the Storm King barbarians, the High Elves felt betrayed by their brothers who surrendered to the Humans, and so went, mostly, into seclusion. Other than their hidden mountain cities, the High Elves also have a floating city that travels up and down the Great River.Several underground colonies of Grey Dwarves exist in the mountains surrounding the valley. These are the types of dwarves who feel compelled to pursue their traditional role as miners and craftsmen, working with stones and gems, and digger deeper and deeper into the mountains. Offshoots of these 'traditionalists' often move down out of the mountain, and build towns and villages where they trade with the feudal human cities, and others. These Dwarves who leave the mountains are often referred to as Brown Dwarves.
Countless other races of beings (magical and natural) occupy the areas within and around the Valley. Among the more numerous are the Halflings, Gnomes and of course all the Goblin races, from the goblins themselves, up through the trolls. Many variants of beastmen exist as well. In addition to the underground empires of the goblins and dwarves, there is another race of elves that have taken up life under the mountains - the Dark Elves.
Since the departure of the Old Ones, and the war between the Barbarians and the Elves, the rise of Human civilization has dominated the valley. Today they are the most numerous people within the valley, although the strength of Narn has faded in recent decades.
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