In the current Age of Valtyr there exist many different factions and groups vying to entice the industrious and adventurous alike into their ranks. Many such guilds thrive off the donations and support such additions give their cause. However, every once in a while there comes a group that does not try to advertise their position, is not concerned with gaining new members, and is quite content to remain small and spend their days perfecting their craft. Although many watch as these splinter groups come and go, there is one that has persisted and, ironically, gained an underground following as a result: the Lodge of Twilight.
Established nearly 100 years ago, in the year 2756, the Lodge of Twilight began as two friends who met weekly for morning tea. Sebastian Kale and Virgil L’deyr had been friends ever since boyhood. When Sebastian followed his calling to join the ranks of the Brotherhood monks, his good friend Virgil was there to cheer him on. And when Virgil suddenly found himself possessed of the gift to see the Voss on his 14th birthday, Sebastian supported him even when Virgil was too frightened to make much sense of his new power. The two boys grew into fine young men and kept up their tradition of meeting every week at Yorberth and Munsin’s Tea Shoppe in Tessali where they had been born and raised.
As Sebastian and Virgil grew into their own power, they learned of their respective organizations’ dislike for the other. Sebastian learned of the Brotherhood’s concern of the Nezrün threat and the menace that sorcery could cause the people of Valtyr, as evidenced by Xanith’s Curse. Virgil, on the other hand, heard of the tales of stolen artifacts secreted away within Brotherhood vaults and the threat that the gods posed, as evident from the Lords of Shadow in the Great War. Despite their factions’ distrust of the other, both Sebastian and Virgil saw it fit to continue their friendship and often dove into great theological and magical debates over their tea and cakes.
After years of discussions, both men realized something. Perhaps it was not the gods, nor magic, that was the problem. Perhaps the real issue lay with the guilds to which they each belonged. It seemed to both of them that the Citadel and the Brotherhood Church were clouded by a need to be right and exert influence over the other. It was on one particular week, when the men were sharing their tea, that Virgil offered an unusual proposal: leave their groups behind and explore something together.
Sebastian sipped his tea, lost in thought, and Virgil feared he had offended his friend, but then he watched as a great grin spread across Sebastian’s face. The monk agreed that perhaps this was the true will of the gods, to be free of the chains of history and set out to create something new. Virgil readily agreed and offered that his sorcery might be emboldened by new methods and practices, which could lead to new and unknown benefits to mankind.
The two men started their own secret society and called it the Lodge of Twilight. The name had as much to do with where they had come from (day being commonly associated with Lassic, the chief god of Sebastian’s order, and night being a time of great study and importance for Virgil’s Citadel work) as it did with where they were headed (someplace in between).
The two friends spent months studying ways to combine sorcery and faith into a new form of power. They set out with the goal that whatever they created, it should serve mankind’s sense of spirit and creative vision. They felt that the Lodge of Twilight should stand for self-expression free from politics as much as possible. In the end, it was their combined talents that birthed the modern practices of Alchemy as we know it.
Although alchemy had existed prior, it was little understood and selfishly guarded by the Order of the Unbroken Circle within the Citadel. With Virgil’s help and Sebastian’s alterations, the two men elaborated on the core principles of alchemy and expanded the craft greatly. Within weeks, they were creating new potions, powders and salves that had never been seen before. What was more, the alchemical objects they made were more potent that Virgil had first expected.
Needing a way to make a living, Sebastian suggested selling the wares at the local bazaar. After one week of offering their goods, the two men were a hit with some of the local customers. Many began to flock to the Twilight stall and seek their wares. Unfortunately, the attention was not all good, and soon the Citadel and Brotherhood got wind of their actions. Threatened with excommunication and imprisonment, Sebastian and Virgil fled Tessali on a caravan headed south to Oronoch, never to return.
After several months of travel and stops, word of the “amazing alchemists” began to reach more ears. Before they knew it, students and scholars alike began to show up at their inn rooms and waystation stalls, asking for tutoring or wishing to share their own discoveries. At first the two staunchly refused to entertain the notion of taking on a following, but after time and listening to the marvelous tales of those they had inspired, they came to realize that they had begun to do what they had always talked about over tea – to offer their fellow man something creative and free from past prejudices. Alchemy was a way to unite others like them that had become disillusioned with the Citadel or the Brotherhood. It also offered like-minded individuals a focus for their budding talents.
In 2758, Sebastian and Virgil opened the first official chapter of the Lodge of Twilight. They maintained strict rules for new entries, but no longer refused such offers. They also kept the locations of their new guild a secret, lest the Citadel or Brotherhood find them out and seek to lead an inquisition against them and their followers.
Since that time, the Lodge of the Twilight has spread into parts or Syr, T’zarak and Fyron, although they maintain the strongest presence in Rynell where the guild was founded. While rumors occasionally surface of chapter houses opening in the south, no official records of the Lodge are known to exist in T’lranen, Corval, or Mierg. The Lodge lives by only one tenet: explore the science of alchemy in new and interesting ways, divorced of politics or prejudice. Given the Lodge’s recent claim to fame as masters within the alchemical art, the Citadel bears no love for the guild and openly seeks to defame their work as “uncontrolled experiments” wherever they go. Likewise, the Brotherhood denounces the Lodge’s practices as “unorthodox” and refuses to acknowledge the group as a viable entity.
The secret recipes, tomes and practices of the Lodge of Twilight are well-guarded secrets. Their members might be willing to sell their creations to the right buyer, but few (if any) would ever give up the secrets to these crafts. To those who join, alchemy has much more to offer than it currently is and the Twilight Alchemists (as they are sometimes called) are dedicated to seeing just what those offerings might be.
Showing posts with label Groups. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Groups. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
The Hundred Men
In the current era, not many organizations hold as much respect as the wandering group of knights and warriors known as the Hundred Men. Officially created in the Age of Sorrows, at the tail end of the Great War, the Hundred Men stand for the tenets that the Storm Knights abandoned in their quest for ultimate power: peace, justice and the protection of those who need it.
The origins of the Hundred Men began in the birthplace of mankind, the prosperous nation of Syr. An older knight named Gannon Coldriver, in service to the Syrian Riverlords in the south, had grown tired of the politics and bickering amongst the nobles of his district. Gannon had grown up from a poor family on the outskirts of Sorin. He had been taught the value of community and aiding his fellow man by his father when he was just a child. As many children do, he admired the Riverlord Knights growing up and when the time was right he joined the order. But all was not as he had dreamed about and throughout his thirty years of service he watched as politics replaced ethical codes.
The various counts, barons and dukes were constantly vying for power, using their position and money to influence the king at court and send the Riverlords to whatever duty served the interests’ best. While the nobles’ intentions still created good for the people they protected, their politicking often left areas of the country unprotected in a time where vigilance was paramount. To Gannon, the Syrian elite seemed to care more for their lands and their popularity at their keeps and castles, than they did the welfare of the people as a whole.
Finally tired of it all, Gannon decided to resign from his post and take up his own banner to help Syr in a different way. He elected to become a free-roaming mercenary, but instead of working for coin or title, he dedicated his service to those in need most. Gannon was a respected member of the Riverlords. He had won several accommodations during his many years of service. When he stepped down, a ripple hit the Riverlords, and some of those who called him friend started to follow in his stead. Gannon tried to dissuade them, for fear of the knighthood’s ranks been depleted too greatly, but in the end ninety-nine other men refused to listen to his pleas. They too had grown tired of the aristocracy’s attempt to use the military for their own ends, rather than the nation’s benefit. Together, one hundred men left the Riverlords and set off to do what their king could not seem to: shore up the weakness in nation’s defenses by aiding its common man and teaching them the principles of justice by action.
Word of this group started to spread like wildfire as the Age of Sorrows was coming to a close. Others joined the “hundred men” in the quest to help restore what had been lost by the greedy Storm Knights. As the group grew in size, they began to spread out, relying on monthly meetings in secret locations and traveling messengers to help keep the budding knighthood well connected to its more distant members. Cells of the group appeared as far south as Mierg and Corval and even penetrated the rocky barrier of the Dantroth Peaks to reach the refugees in what would one day become Rynell. They were even instrumental in assisting the Brotherhood in destroying Geldain Ramuk’s Gray Army at the end of the War. And everywhere they went, the words of their deeds preceded them.
Today, the Hundred Men is quite a bit larger than it started, but it maintains the name as a reminder to the group’s humble beginnings. It was the people that first began calling them thus; the same people they swore to protect referred to them as “true knights” and “saviors”. As a result, the organization honors those it serves by bearing the title the people have given them with humble pride. The Hundred Men are not a secretive organization, but they also do not promote their presence openly or allow any within their ranks to claim fame or stature as a result of serving the group. Such acts, they believe, are the reason for the downfall of the Storm Knights and they will not see this mistake repeated once more. Therefore, the Hundred Men tend to spread word of their presence to those in the know with signature marks on posters, walls and through simple catch phrases with signature responses. It is even said that they possess a hand signal that can be used to mark members of the knighthood.
Those that serve the knighthood and stray from their practices (whether that be by claiming fame in the name of the Hundred Men or by using their position to exploit others’ goodwill) are stricken from their ranks and marked on the back of their left hand with a sideways H. Such a practice lets all that see the shunned know that he/she is no longer in favor with the Hundred Men, and in fact, may soon be considered an enemy. Given the people’s love of the knighthood, such individuals often find more harassment from shop owners and common folk than they do the knights themselves.
The Hundred Men are most active in areas where corruption, tyranny and exploitation of the common man can be found. They maintain a sizeable presence in Rynell and Mierg’s inner cities and towns. To a lesser extent, members of the knighthood can be found in the other nations of the world, including T’zarak where they are presently trying to establish a treaty of support with the current Fahir.
While is has been centuries since Gannon Coldriver first took the brave step to leave the Riverlords and try and make a difference for his fellow man, the spirit of his courage and bravery lives on in the Men, Elves, Dwarves and Cerenoth who, these days, continue his stride towards a better tomorrow by first tackling the problems of today.
Explore a world beyond the borders of reality. Get your copy of Valtyr Chronicles today and find out just how many other groups, sites and mysteries await you inside.
The origins of the Hundred Men began in the birthplace of mankind, the prosperous nation of Syr. An older knight named Gannon Coldriver, in service to the Syrian Riverlords in the south, had grown tired of the politics and bickering amongst the nobles of his district. Gannon had grown up from a poor family on the outskirts of Sorin. He had been taught the value of community and aiding his fellow man by his father when he was just a child. As many children do, he admired the Riverlord Knights growing up and when the time was right he joined the order. But all was not as he had dreamed about and throughout his thirty years of service he watched as politics replaced ethical codes.
The various counts, barons and dukes were constantly vying for power, using their position and money to influence the king at court and send the Riverlords to whatever duty served the interests’ best. While the nobles’ intentions still created good for the people they protected, their politicking often left areas of the country unprotected in a time where vigilance was paramount. To Gannon, the Syrian elite seemed to care more for their lands and their popularity at their keeps and castles, than they did the welfare of the people as a whole.
Finally tired of it all, Gannon decided to resign from his post and take up his own banner to help Syr in a different way. He elected to become a free-roaming mercenary, but instead of working for coin or title, he dedicated his service to those in need most. Gannon was a respected member of the Riverlords. He had won several accommodations during his many years of service. When he stepped down, a ripple hit the Riverlords, and some of those who called him friend started to follow in his stead. Gannon tried to dissuade them, for fear of the knighthood’s ranks been depleted too greatly, but in the end ninety-nine other men refused to listen to his pleas. They too had grown tired of the aristocracy’s attempt to use the military for their own ends, rather than the nation’s benefit. Together, one hundred men left the Riverlords and set off to do what their king could not seem to: shore up the weakness in nation’s defenses by aiding its common man and teaching them the principles of justice by action.
Word of this group started to spread like wildfire as the Age of Sorrows was coming to a close. Others joined the “hundred men” in the quest to help restore what had been lost by the greedy Storm Knights. As the group grew in size, they began to spread out, relying on monthly meetings in secret locations and traveling messengers to help keep the budding knighthood well connected to its more distant members. Cells of the group appeared as far south as Mierg and Corval and even penetrated the rocky barrier of the Dantroth Peaks to reach the refugees in what would one day become Rynell. They were even instrumental in assisting the Brotherhood in destroying Geldain Ramuk’s Gray Army at the end of the War. And everywhere they went, the words of their deeds preceded them.
Today, the Hundred Men is quite a bit larger than it started, but it maintains the name as a reminder to the group’s humble beginnings. It was the people that first began calling them thus; the same people they swore to protect referred to them as “true knights” and “saviors”. As a result, the organization honors those it serves by bearing the title the people have given them with humble pride. The Hundred Men are not a secretive organization, but they also do not promote their presence openly or allow any within their ranks to claim fame or stature as a result of serving the group. Such acts, they believe, are the reason for the downfall of the Storm Knights and they will not see this mistake repeated once more. Therefore, the Hundred Men tend to spread word of their presence to those in the know with signature marks on posters, walls and through simple catch phrases with signature responses. It is even said that they possess a hand signal that can be used to mark members of the knighthood.
Those that serve the knighthood and stray from their practices (whether that be by claiming fame in the name of the Hundred Men or by using their position to exploit others’ goodwill) are stricken from their ranks and marked on the back of their left hand with a sideways H. Such a practice lets all that see the shunned know that he/she is no longer in favor with the Hundred Men, and in fact, may soon be considered an enemy. Given the people’s love of the knighthood, such individuals often find more harassment from shop owners and common folk than they do the knights themselves.
The Hundred Men are most active in areas where corruption, tyranny and exploitation of the common man can be found. They maintain a sizeable presence in Rynell and Mierg’s inner cities and towns. To a lesser extent, members of the knighthood can be found in the other nations of the world, including T’zarak where they are presently trying to establish a treaty of support with the current Fahir.
While is has been centuries since Gannon Coldriver first took the brave step to leave the Riverlords and try and make a difference for his fellow man, the spirit of his courage and bravery lives on in the Men, Elves, Dwarves and Cerenoth who, these days, continue his stride towards a better tomorrow by first tackling the problems of today.
Explore a world beyond the borders of reality. Get your copy of Valtyr Chronicles today and find out just how many other groups, sites and mysteries await you inside.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Citadel ranks
The Citadel is the chief organization for sorcerers and sorcery in Valtyr. Constructed in the Age of Wonders, it was to be a beacon for arcane learning and a haven for mastering the esoteric nature of magic. Throughout Valtyr’s history, the Citadel has gone from savior to mystery to hated enemy. In the wake of the Great War it is viewed as a symbol of hope for some and suspicion for others, for within its secretive halls the tests of magic await those born with the gift to see and weave the Voss.
Within the Citadel there are ranks of authority. No social organization escapes the hierarchy of power and the Citadel is no different. A person entering the Citadel may progress through some or all of these ranks throughout their career as a sorcerer. The ranks are as follows:
Apprentice
Any person entering the Citadel for the first time begins their training as an Apprentice, the lowest of the ranks. Not technically a Sorcerer yet, these people are students of magic, learning all they can in two years of study in preparation for their final test. They answer to all ranks above them, but chiefly to the Errai.
Sorcerer
Once an Apprentice has passed their final test, they are given the title of Sorcerer and are able to freely leave the Tower where they studied and venture into the world beyond. Those who have gained this title can seek shelter, information and rest at any Tower, but can also be called upon for Citadel business. The bulk of the Citadel exists at this rank.
Errai (air-RYE)
Those Sorcerers who have dedicated themselves to learning specific paths of magic can be awarded the title of Errai. The Errai represent sorcerers who have dedicated themselves to a depth of magic, rather than breadth. They usually become teachers to new Apprentices, each dedicated in at least three special types of magic. The Errai hold immeasurable respect within internal Tower affairs; often the Ord among them are called upon to speak with the Councilors before important decisions can be made. Errai can be identified by their signature blue robes trimmed in silver sigils at the hem and cuff. These robes are purely ceremonial, but most Errai wear them out of respect and pride for their accomplishments.
To become an Errai, a character must attain at least 4 Master spells, as well as Counterspell and all Alchemy talent powers.
Akana (ah-KHAN-ah)
Known sometimes as the traveling wizard, the Akana represent the advanced Sorcerers within the Citadel that spend the bulk of their time traveling and aiding the world through action instead of instruction. In many ways they are the opposite of the Errai: they spend much of their time away from Tower affairs, they seek out lost magic and they do not usually take on students. Some Errai see the Akana as selfish in this regard, but the Akana play a vital role in the Citadel: they usually act as a face between the Tower Councils and the outside nations and groups the Citadel works with. To this end, they are both praised for their talents and watched carefully for signs of temptation. Like the Errai, the Akana likewise have ceremonial robes marking their station within the Citadel - red robes trimmed in the same silver runes.
To become an Akana, a character must attain at least 6 Elite and 10 Advanced spells, as well as Natural Linguist, Silver Tongue and all 7 Advanced Arcana talent powers.
Ord
The title Ord is actually a prefix to an existing title, be it Sorcerer, Errai, or Akana. It is taken from the old speech and means “honored”. It refers to any person within the Citadel of Sorcerer or higher that has been recognized by their peers for exemplary service. Gaining the title of Ord marks the sorcerer as a step above his peers and usually confers respect and some token of thanks from his direct superiors. This award may come from an Errai or Akana and be bestowed to a Sorcerer. For an Errai or Akana to receive it, it must come from a Councilor. Councilors may not possess the title of Ord, as they are already the highest rank within their Towers. Only the High Council may choose to elevate a Councilor to their supreme status.
The Ord are marked with a silver rune etched upon the blue stones set in their silver foci bracers. In this way, all Ord can be recognized by others for their accomplishments.
To gain the title Ord, a character must perform some great service to the Citadel and prove that in all ways they serve the tenets of the organization in mind, body and spirit.
Councilor
The Councilors are the ruling body of each active Tower in Valtyr. There are five Councilors in each Tower. All matters involving the Tower are decided by this elite group. Their word is law, unless overruled by the High Council in the Tower Verseth. Only the most advanced Ord-Errai or Ord-Akana can be selected for the role of Councilor. In the Ages past, the Errai usually win out over the Akana, but in more recent times, the Towers have seen more Akana taking on the role of Councilor.
A Councilor may only be selected if a present one dies, is selected by the High Council to join them, or steps down. A vote is cast from the remaining four Councilors in any case and remains in play until they come to a decision. If they are deadlocked for more than a season, the High Council will intervene.
Councilors wear deep purple robes trimmed in silver runes, marking them as the highest station within their respective Towers. A separate marking based on the Tower that they service adorns their robes above their heart; in this way other Councilors from foreign Towers can recognize each other when called to assembly by the High Council.
High Councilor
The High Council sits over the entire Citadel organization. They oversee each of the six remaining active Towers, as well as keep an eye on the black Tower Xanith. They are the most powerful sorcerers in the world and are usually chosen from the Tower Councils, one from each. There are six High Councilors at any given time. They reside within the Tower Verseth in Nilea and act as ruling governors over the entire spell-shrouded isle as well. To be asked to join the High Council is the greatest reward any sorcerer with a mind for politics could ask for.
Similar to the Councilor, a High Councilor may only be selected if a present one dies or steps down (although there has only ever been one case of a High Councilor stepping down since the Citadel’s creation nearly 2,000 years ago). The remaining five High Councilors must deliberate and select a candidate from among an existing Tower Councilor.
High Councilors were robes of white with silver sigils and four dragon scales, one for each type, sown into the collar. In this way, the High Council pays homage to the dragons who once gifted their kind with the power to see and use the Voss.
Within the Citadel there are ranks of authority. No social organization escapes the hierarchy of power and the Citadel is no different. A person entering the Citadel may progress through some or all of these ranks throughout their career as a sorcerer. The ranks are as follows:
Apprentice
Any person entering the Citadel for the first time begins their training as an Apprentice, the lowest of the ranks. Not technically a Sorcerer yet, these people are students of magic, learning all they can in two years of study in preparation for their final test. They answer to all ranks above them, but chiefly to the Errai.
Sorcerer
Once an Apprentice has passed their final test, they are given the title of Sorcerer and are able to freely leave the Tower where they studied and venture into the world beyond. Those who have gained this title can seek shelter, information and rest at any Tower, but can also be called upon for Citadel business. The bulk of the Citadel exists at this rank.
Errai (air-RYE)
Those Sorcerers who have dedicated themselves to learning specific paths of magic can be awarded the title of Errai. The Errai represent sorcerers who have dedicated themselves to a depth of magic, rather than breadth. They usually become teachers to new Apprentices, each dedicated in at least three special types of magic. The Errai hold immeasurable respect within internal Tower affairs; often the Ord among them are called upon to speak with the Councilors before important decisions can be made. Errai can be identified by their signature blue robes trimmed in silver sigils at the hem and cuff. These robes are purely ceremonial, but most Errai wear them out of respect and pride for their accomplishments.
To become an Errai, a character must attain at least 4 Master spells, as well as Counterspell and all Alchemy talent powers.
Akana (ah-KHAN-ah)
Known sometimes as the traveling wizard, the Akana represent the advanced Sorcerers within the Citadel that spend the bulk of their time traveling and aiding the world through action instead of instruction. In many ways they are the opposite of the Errai: they spend much of their time away from Tower affairs, they seek out lost magic and they do not usually take on students. Some Errai see the Akana as selfish in this regard, but the Akana play a vital role in the Citadel: they usually act as a face between the Tower Councils and the outside nations and groups the Citadel works with. To this end, they are both praised for their talents and watched carefully for signs of temptation. Like the Errai, the Akana likewise have ceremonial robes marking their station within the Citadel - red robes trimmed in the same silver runes.
To become an Akana, a character must attain at least 6 Elite and 10 Advanced spells, as well as Natural Linguist, Silver Tongue and all 7 Advanced Arcana talent powers.
Ord
The title Ord is actually a prefix to an existing title, be it Sorcerer, Errai, or Akana. It is taken from the old speech and means “honored”. It refers to any person within the Citadel of Sorcerer or higher that has been recognized by their peers for exemplary service. Gaining the title of Ord marks the sorcerer as a step above his peers and usually confers respect and some token of thanks from his direct superiors. This award may come from an Errai or Akana and be bestowed to a Sorcerer. For an Errai or Akana to receive it, it must come from a Councilor. Councilors may not possess the title of Ord, as they are already the highest rank within their Towers. Only the High Council may choose to elevate a Councilor to their supreme status.
The Ord are marked with a silver rune etched upon the blue stones set in their silver foci bracers. In this way, all Ord can be recognized by others for their accomplishments.
To gain the title Ord, a character must perform some great service to the Citadel and prove that in all ways they serve the tenets of the organization in mind, body and spirit.
Councilor
The Councilors are the ruling body of each active Tower in Valtyr. There are five Councilors in each Tower. All matters involving the Tower are decided by this elite group. Their word is law, unless overruled by the High Council in the Tower Verseth. Only the most advanced Ord-Errai or Ord-Akana can be selected for the role of Councilor. In the Ages past, the Errai usually win out over the Akana, but in more recent times, the Towers have seen more Akana taking on the role of Councilor.
A Councilor may only be selected if a present one dies, is selected by the High Council to join them, or steps down. A vote is cast from the remaining four Councilors in any case and remains in play until they come to a decision. If they are deadlocked for more than a season, the High Council will intervene.
Councilors wear deep purple robes trimmed in silver runes, marking them as the highest station within their respective Towers. A separate marking based on the Tower that they service adorns their robes above their heart; in this way other Councilors from foreign Towers can recognize each other when called to assembly by the High Council.
High Councilor
The High Council sits over the entire Citadel organization. They oversee each of the six remaining active Towers, as well as keep an eye on the black Tower Xanith. They are the most powerful sorcerers in the world and are usually chosen from the Tower Councils, one from each. There are six High Councilors at any given time. They reside within the Tower Verseth in Nilea and act as ruling governors over the entire spell-shrouded isle as well. To be asked to join the High Council is the greatest reward any sorcerer with a mind for politics could ask for.
Similar to the Councilor, a High Councilor may only be selected if a present one dies or steps down (although there has only ever been one case of a High Councilor stepping down since the Citadel’s creation nearly 2,000 years ago). The remaining five High Councilors must deliberate and select a candidate from among an existing Tower Councilor.
High Councilors were robes of white with silver sigils and four dragon scales, one for each type, sown into the collar. In this way, the High Council pays homage to the dragons who once gifted their kind with the power to see and use the Voss.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
The Broherhood's Calendar
The Brotherhood of the Twin Gods forms more than just the leading spiritual organization in Valtyr. It has also served as a place of learning and teaching for centuries. Long before the Citadel was formed after the gift of magic was given to men by the dragons, the Brotherhood was the chief order associated with learning. In those early days, when mankind was but a child in the world, taking its first steps into a strange and wondrous land, the Brotherhood acted as guide and teacher to his fellow man.
One of the first things ever recorded in the written word was the Valtyrian calendar. The Brotherhood knew it needed a way to track the passage of time. As they began their arduous task of recording mankind’s progress, they developed a system of marking the passage of days and seasons. Thus was born the same calendar that, nearly 3,000 years later, is still in effect. It is described below:
The passage of a year is marked is marked by 10 months. Each month is exactly 30 days long, with days being 24 hours in length (12 dedicated to the Champion of Light, Lassic, and 12 belonging to the Wandering Star, Annwyn). Beginning with the first month in the year, the passage of months looks like this:
Newthaw, Showerfall, Rosebloom, Brightsky, Firewind,
Larksong, Harvestmoon, Frostspell, Whitedawn, Hearthfire
These 10 months form what we know of as the four seasons. Spring lasts from the 1st day of Newthaw to the middle of Rosebloom. Summer starts from the middle of Rosebloom and ends on the last day of Firewind. Autumn begins on the first day of Larksong and carries through till the middle of Frostspell. Winter then begins on the second half of Frostspell and ends on the last day of Hearthfire.
In this way, the people had a system for tracking their own passage of time and the monks of the Brotherhood developed a way to catalogue their past for future generations to revisit and learn from. The Valtyrian calendar is universally accepted in the present Age.
One of the first things ever recorded in the written word was the Valtyrian calendar. The Brotherhood knew it needed a way to track the passage of time. As they began their arduous task of recording mankind’s progress, they developed a system of marking the passage of days and seasons. Thus was born the same calendar that, nearly 3,000 years later, is still in effect. It is described below:
The passage of a year is marked is marked by 10 months. Each month is exactly 30 days long, with days being 24 hours in length (12 dedicated to the Champion of Light, Lassic, and 12 belonging to the Wandering Star, Annwyn). Beginning with the first month in the year, the passage of months looks like this:
Newthaw, Showerfall, Rosebloom, Brightsky, Firewind,
Larksong, Harvestmoon, Frostspell, Whitedawn, Hearthfire
These 10 months form what we know of as the four seasons. Spring lasts from the 1st day of Newthaw to the middle of Rosebloom. Summer starts from the middle of Rosebloom and ends on the last day of Firewind. Autumn begins on the first day of Larksong and carries through till the middle of Frostspell. Winter then begins on the second half of Frostspell and ends on the last day of Hearthfire.
In this way, the people had a system for tracking their own passage of time and the monks of the Brotherhood developed a way to catalogue their past for future generations to revisit and learn from. The Valtyrian calendar is universally accepted in the present Age.
The Din'tarra hunters
For the inhabitants of Valtyr, the Great War that ravaged the world for over two hundred and thirty years has come to and end. For most, the scars of that dark time have faded, replaced with the hope for a better tomorrow and the quest for new adventure. For some however, the War’s effects can never be forgotten and they pass down the whispered dangers of the Demonfold and Shadowfold to the generations to come in stern warning.
But for yet a few, the War is still very much alive. The Demonfold and Shadowfold still exist in scattered pockets throughout the world, corrupting those they find and killing the rest. As if this were not bad enough, the Primordial Hordes also pose a threat in the more remote places of Valtyr. While the masses might feel safe in this new Age of Trials, there are groups that know better. The Din’tarra hunters are one such group.
Formed in the early days after the end of the Great War, sometime in the month of Larksong in the year 2333, the Din’tarra began as a group of warriors who drove out pockets of demons, undead and Primordials from the outlying towns and villages of Mierg’s western borders. Led at the time by a fanatical elven hunter named Atherô, the early members of this group were some of the most ruthless fighters and skilled trackers of the times. Atherô knew that the dark tide had been pushed far back by the defeat of the dark god Mezodan and his puppets, the Storm Knights, but he would not rest until he was sure that every last demonic force that served Mezodan and his consort Vegra was destroyed.
To this end, he rallied those of similar mind and passion to his cause. He named his group the Din’tarra, which means “shadow hunter” in Elvish. Alone, he led over sixty men, dwarves, cerenoth and elves into the belly of the Nivenesh Jungle and began his pogrom of the remains of the Demonfold and Shadowfold. When he came across Primordials, he slew them. When he found occasional bands of Ithrak, he didn’t hesitate to take their lives. And when his hunting party found the demons or undead they primarily sought, he unleashed such fury and skill that he could not be stopped.
Those that followed Atherô cleansed the land of the foul taint of the Dark Lord’s power with each passing year. Many died in his service, but many more joined. Atherô himself finally succumbed to old age and found his own death in the glory of one final hunt far from Mierg’s boundaries where he had begun the Din’tarra. In the month of Rosebloom in the year 2545, he led a raid against a powerful kiz’mahr and its host of wraiths and wights just outside of Last Gate in the far northern reached of Rynell. The attack proved successful and Atherô discovered the whereabouts of a breach between this world and the Lands of the Dead. Quickly enlisting some of his group’s supporters in the Brotherhood, he managed to seal the rift, but not before a strange new type of undead burst free and claimed his life. The spirit was a horrible amalgam of decay and dark energy and it fled the confines of the area before the distracted Din’tarra hunters could stop it.
Atherô’s body was buried in private by those present on that day. A new leader was chosen from among the Din’tarra ranks, and after two days of mourning, the remaining Din’tarra set of at once to track and destroy the spirit that had killed their former leader.
To this day the Din’tarra still hunt the rumors of Demonfold attacks and Shadowfold sightings throughout the world. While only a few can stomach the hard lives they lead and gruesome sights they have witnessed, all realize the debt they own such a group for doing what they cannot. The Din’tarra are fanatics for their cause (and some say even a little deranged from the horrors they have witnessed) but there is no argument that they are some of the best hunters in Valtyr and the foremost authority on the practices, habits and powers of the Demonfold, Shadowfold and Primordial Hordes.
But for yet a few, the War is still very much alive. The Demonfold and Shadowfold still exist in scattered pockets throughout the world, corrupting those they find and killing the rest. As if this were not bad enough, the Primordial Hordes also pose a threat in the more remote places of Valtyr. While the masses might feel safe in this new Age of Trials, there are groups that know better. The Din’tarra hunters are one such group.
Formed in the early days after the end of the Great War, sometime in the month of Larksong in the year 2333, the Din’tarra began as a group of warriors who drove out pockets of demons, undead and Primordials from the outlying towns and villages of Mierg’s western borders. Led at the time by a fanatical elven hunter named Atherô, the early members of this group were some of the most ruthless fighters and skilled trackers of the times. Atherô knew that the dark tide had been pushed far back by the defeat of the dark god Mezodan and his puppets, the Storm Knights, but he would not rest until he was sure that every last demonic force that served Mezodan and his consort Vegra was destroyed.
To this end, he rallied those of similar mind and passion to his cause. He named his group the Din’tarra, which means “shadow hunter” in Elvish. Alone, he led over sixty men, dwarves, cerenoth and elves into the belly of the Nivenesh Jungle and began his pogrom of the remains of the Demonfold and Shadowfold. When he came across Primordials, he slew them. When he found occasional bands of Ithrak, he didn’t hesitate to take their lives. And when his hunting party found the demons or undead they primarily sought, he unleashed such fury and skill that he could not be stopped.
Those that followed Atherô cleansed the land of the foul taint of the Dark Lord’s power with each passing year. Many died in his service, but many more joined. Atherô himself finally succumbed to old age and found his own death in the glory of one final hunt far from Mierg’s boundaries where he had begun the Din’tarra. In the month of Rosebloom in the year 2545, he led a raid against a powerful kiz’mahr and its host of wraiths and wights just outside of Last Gate in the far northern reached of Rynell. The attack proved successful and Atherô discovered the whereabouts of a breach between this world and the Lands of the Dead. Quickly enlisting some of his group’s supporters in the Brotherhood, he managed to seal the rift, but not before a strange new type of undead burst free and claimed his life. The spirit was a horrible amalgam of decay and dark energy and it fled the confines of the area before the distracted Din’tarra hunters could stop it.
Atherô’s body was buried in private by those present on that day. A new leader was chosen from among the Din’tarra ranks, and after two days of mourning, the remaining Din’tarra set of at once to track and destroy the spirit that had killed their former leader.
To this day the Din’tarra still hunt the rumors of Demonfold attacks and Shadowfold sightings throughout the world. While only a few can stomach the hard lives they lead and gruesome sights they have witnessed, all realize the debt they own such a group for doing what they cannot. The Din’tarra are fanatics for their cause (and some say even a little deranged from the horrors they have witnessed) but there is no argument that they are some of the best hunters in Valtyr and the foremost authority on the practices, habits and powers of the Demonfold, Shadowfold and Primordial Hordes.
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