Knur Slagming

Purple Dragon

Knur Slagming, is Giant for Hollow Predator. It is a grassy plain of the Inirthak sector of Grashakh. The most notable feature of the plain are hundreds of holes scattered across the landscape. In the Third Dragon Wake, some of the larger holes that pierce deep beneath Knur Slagming served as the egress point for purple dragons. These dragons of the Underdark, driven by the Dragon Wake frenzy, flew up from the dark reaches of Imgangreth and raided the surface. For a time, they were a threat to Inirthak's denizens.

In the Second Epoch, the Githirmil began claiming this open plain under the flag of the Orchish Empire. To them, it looked like a virgin area that had never seen settlement by axe and spade. They were soon to learn that the area was untamed and unoccupied by peoples because it was the plate for things below. The holes in Knur Slagming dive deep into the Underdark with most opening up over the Cthorgo sea. At night, creatures of the Underdark like giant bats, vampires, stirges, sometimes a purple dragon, and all manner of other flying creatures come up through these shafts seeking out the night's meal.

The holes dotting Knur Slagming vary in size, with the smallest 10' across and largest up to a half a mile in rough diameter. Geologists say that these holes are not natural and look to have been the product of tunneling by purple worms or other Underdark burrower. They are puzzled as why something would dig holes from the surface, and end over an Underdark sea. These holes go by a number of names, with Pelor's Eyelids being the most used. The Githirmil have their own word for them - Gruumsh's Spittoons.

Athurrâm

Sadar-Nizar

Athurrâm is a desert of northern Halmarth and southern Skegjold. It is an unnatural place, having suffering desertification as a result of strong magical emanations coming off the Cube of Infinity. Athurrâm is like other areas of eastern Cinazan, islands and coastal regions turned to deserts from magical energy pouring off the Cube. In the Second Epoch, the destructive energies were diverted away from the area in what became known as the Voruth Anharr Project.

Athurrâm is home to tribes of scorpionfolk which before the disaster that befell the area were centaurs. Those that remained too long in the area during its desertification became Cube Tainted. This caused their equine lower body to be replaced with that of a scorpion and their upper body, though still humanoid, became covered in chitin. The scorpionfolk proved to be more useful and obedient than when they were centaurs, so they became common targets for slave traders. Normally only the young are taken, with their primary market being the holds of the Khazarkar Empire. These young scorpionfolk slaves are raised in military crèches and often become elite guards for government officials or sent to special units of the Athirbêni. Some scorpionfolk tribes participate in this slave trade, selling captured young off as slaves.

The scorpionfolk of Athurrâm are a nomadic people. They are uncivilized and barbaric and not a product of divine creation. They came about in Second Epoch when magical emanations from the Cube of Infinity warped the native creatures of Athurrâm into something entirely different. The area's centaurs became scorpionfolk which worked out well since the grasslands they once roamed had become a bleak desert.

Unknown Abomination

On an expedition into the Tribe Steppes, an adventurer made a sketch of something they only briefly saw before it disappeared into the steppe.  Could this creature be some abomination created by a Theegan and Jara copulation?  If so, it would probably have had to be forced upon them by magic or the doings of a harpy or other such foul creature.  No Jara would willingly mate with a Theegan, seeing them and all other non-Jara as nothing more than prey.  While a Theegan would never lower itself, even the most depraved, to intermingle with a race they despise and fear, one cursed by Krak-Oth and spawned of horse cultists who were once Theegans.

Vul Lom

Water Nymph of Vul Lom

Vul Lom is the largest lake of Krein Jusk. Much of it is an otherworldly liquid that came from the Abyss. As far as sustenance, it is equal to water, but it is darker and heavier. The lake is very deep, with its waters seemingly held in place in tunnels and caverns in the Underdark, defying the normal laws of water dynamics where liquids normally settle to the lowest level. In some areas, the dark blue liquid may cover a section of an area like a wall of water held in place by an unknown force. More intelligent creatures around these areas have grown accustomed to this and swimming through these walls of water to reach the dry connecting area on the others side. This strange property of the liquid to hold in place and not fill an area has led to the spread of aboleth and the kuo-toa across a wide area of Yol Skerah and Vul Sahsir. The Underdark part of the lake is much bigger and generally referred to by the Abyssal word Eki'khas, which has the same basic meaning as the Draconic word Vul Lom, or Dark Water.

On the surface, rains, and the water coming down from Fusvok Mahrol float atop the dark Abyssal waters. The depth of the natural water varies by season, but typically ranges from 40' to 60' of natural water atop the alien waters.

Vul Lom is thought to have been created from a rift between Bal-Kriav and some plane of the Abyss. In the Demon Spawn War, Orcus controlled large tracts of the Aerie of Dragons. Little is known of what happened in this area, but some historians believe that a rival demon prince, perhaps Demogorgon, might have tried to interrupt Orcus's advance west by opening a rift and then sending demons in to attack his lightly defended areas in the rear.

From the surface of the lake to a depth of several hundred feet dwell water nymphs. These vile creatures are carnivores and prey as much on each other as others. Some are powerful spell-casters with minions dominated through witchery or otherwise "convinced" to do their biddings. The Water Nymphs of Vul Lom are alien to Bal-Kriav. They were brought over to this world when the rift was opened to the Abyss. They are outsiders, yet do not have the traits of a demon, though their temperament would make you think otherwise.

Beldileck

Abhômaipeth Mothership - made from Beldileck

Beldileck was a primordial aberration that fought in the Dawn War. His body was a contorted orb atop eleven crab-like legs. It was dotted with many eyes and mouths and looked like a cross between a gibbering mouther and a beholder. All of his attacks and defenses were powered by the arcane, drawing power from the Web of Magic.

After being promoted to primordial lord, he was assigned control over a moon that was then simply called Orb 398. With limited Powers of Creation, he created the beholder race as a security force that would be mobile, highly alert, and unhindered by the rugged conditions of the mini-world assigned to him. Beldileck was assigned to this moon because he had been tainted with Law from an encounter with the then archangel Athena. As such, he was not completely trusted on the battlefield because his plans often forced too much Order on armies dominated by those of chaotic tendencies. When he created the beholders, they ended up having even more Law in them than their creator. After a thousand years of servitude to Beldileck, they began to rebel. A century of fighting between those loyal to him and the rebels ended when Beldileck's great mass was petrified by scores of beholders working in unison.

In the Second Epoch, Abhômaipeth military scientists began un-petrifying parts of Beldileck. They dried these parts and then used them to make the hulls of their largest void ships - the Abhômaipeth Motherships.

Polyxo

Polyxo

Polyxo was born in the God Era to Arcana and Kord. She was the first daughter of these two who were then but archangels.

In the God Era, Polyxo rose to be an astral deva. Since her skills were more suited for the lab than war, she found herself posted north of Cthorgo with the Tholanbar military unit. This was a battalion sized force of Turkûn-Khâl and auxiliaries tasked with building an outpost and then keeping watch for demon incursions. It was a dull post, one seeing little action, sometimes years would go by without demon sightings. During this time, Polyxo turned to dabbling in creation, something she lacked the skill in, but was able to make for with some life energy given to her by her mother Ioun. Her mother, also not a Creationist, wanted to figure out why some were so eager to get this stuff. Polyxo used the life energy given to her to create several new life forms. Each of these were most suited for the Underdark and intended for various duties. The most sentient of these lifeforms are the myconids. This plant-like race was made in collaboration with Silvanus. The myconid were made to spread vegetation and create fungal forests in the Underdark. Her other two notable creations were the carrion crawler and the ochre jelly, both to serve as "vultures of the underworld".

She experimented with soul energy at a place she helped design, the stronghold Quelmollendë. She intended to make a variant of the dwarves that was more accustomed to living in the deeper areas of the Underdark. Her experiments using soul energy to create new life forms were only a partial success. This was because the souls she used were destined for the Abyss. Normally, these souls would be the chattel of the plane, and rise as lemures or some other petty fiend. Polyxo re-purposed these chaotic evil souls, using them to create new life forms. For most of those created in this manner, the outcome was something degenerate, mutated, twisted, or prone to insanity. The Derro race were one of these.

After the Demon Spawn War, Polyxo became a Solar to her mother Ioun. Polyxo's skill at using life energy and soul energy is such that along with her magic items she is equivalent to a Tier 3 Creationist.

Yennog

Leptyr Marauders

Yennog was built in the Lith-Crillion Era by a gnoll shaman that had been turned into a werewolf. He was revered among the gnoll tribes as something blessed by Yeenoghu. The truth though was that the shaman was turned by the will of nature, bitten by a wolf carrying the Curse of Lyncathropy. Various gnoll tribes built Yennog in concert with frequent fighting over who would be building the most important part of the place.

Yennog is a fortress built in the shape of a howling wolf. Either by accident or design, the structure produces a natural, yet unnerving howl. This sound can be heard ten miles away and is constant; thanks to the perpetual winds generated by the Primordial Storm.

Yennog has never fallen to enemy attack. The place has spiritual significance to the gnolls with them stopping any internal fighting and joining forces to combat whatever threatens the place. Those gnolls that have a deep spiritual interest in the place become special guards called the Leptyr Marauders (Leptyr being a reference to the moon). As part of an ancient rite, subjects give up part of themselves to become werewolves. This ritual is the Pack Rite which has since its start, always been performed by gnoll shamans. Since the First Epoch, the Pack Rite has been administered by the Shamanic Conclave of Drugnod.

Yennog is also a training place for warriors. The training is savage with a high combat mortality rate. The class tactic Yennog Savage came out of the bloody training pits of this place.

Ink'ar

Ink'ar

Ink'ar was one of the first nine mortals of the Shou race. He remained alive longer than his normal lifespan thanks to magical elixirs. These were provided to him by his creator and lover Zhusalax. These two parted ways in the God Era over Zhusalax's amorous relations with other mortals and celestials she needed favors from.

In the Demon Spawn War, Ink'ar served on the command staff of Asmdoeus, and later as part of the general staff of the Quara'tun Covenant. Near the end of the God Era, Ink'ar became the god of two races he created - the githyanki and githzerai.

Ink'ar was a pitiless demigod who pitted his worshipers, mainly the githyanki and githzerai, against each other. This was done more to hone his skills in diplomacy and battle than help and guide his creations. His manipulations are thought to have been a result of him being passed over in the Demon Spawn War when Asmdoeus selected Geryon instead of him as second-in-command. Ever since then, he has worked to prove himself a great strategist and tactician - even at the expense of his own people.

Incar's last great game of chess happened on the world Ghífthauk. The Impar'lex War was a near century-long war between the githyanki and githzerai. It ended when his priests, those most attuned to his spiritual presence, lost all contact with him. A year later, the githyanki and githzerai were attacked by a massive invasion force from the nearby moon Ráglauth. The illithids of the Suellk empire made quick work of peoples still suffering the effects of their last war. Decades later, githzerai servants came upon illithid documents in Qualith. These were taken to escaped slaves which had turned into a rebel force. This group spent decades more translating it, learning that it was the illithid's god Ilsensine who killed Incar.

Tail of Golruwyrm

Molten Pools Golruwyrm

The Tail of Golruwyrm is a gold vein that begins along the western cliffs of Diiv Prok. On the surface it is expended. It goes into the Underdark crossing Imgangreth, Miryeril and into Faeglor where it ends at Zarag-Gûn. The main vein has been exploited in many areas but large untapped tracts still exist. These parts are generally in hard to reach areas or falling in the territory of some one.

Some legends say that the Tail of Golruwyrm was produced when the great dragon Golruwyrm perished at Stafknir Hrerbjof - better known today as the Sands of Hell. One version of the story is that the gold vein was her treasure hoard that was fused together when she went out in a blaze of glory.

One of the holds built along the Tail of Golruwyrm and mined by its people is Sigatharkin. This citadel was built by the Mîmêk to protect the advancing mines tapping the legendary vein. This gold seam was so bountiful and consistent that the Mîmêk had been tapping it for a thousand years, leaving a string of settlements and fortresses in their wake. They followed it intermittently from Diiv Prok all the way into Zarag-Gûn where it ends.

In Chaexidor, is a area of high heat where the gold flows like liquid. This area is the Molten Pools of Golruwyrm. It is the territory of salamanders which attack anyone getting near their gold.

Battle of the Eldritch Lords

Xag-Ya

The Battle of the Eldritch Lords was one of hundreds of battles that made up the Dawn War. Over a three day period in 7700 DE, the primordial Sarseg and the archangel Arcana battled at the head of the Endless Wall. Sarseg was their on orders of the Master of Tides, seeking to bring the wall's expansion to an end. The two very powerful arcanists and their armies fought to a stalemate. Ioun sent a message to Sarseg challenging him one on one. The leaders squared off in the middle of the battlefield and unreleased a fury of magic upon each other, but neither could breach the other' defenses. Sarseg then surrounded himself with a sphere of black crackling energy and rolled towards his adversary. Ioun, did the same, but instead of negative energy, she entered a silver and fiery ball composed of positive energy with the hope of canceling out Sarseg's energy field. This did not go as planned, because the two spheres of opposing energy exploded on impact. Most of each side's army were obliterated in the explosion. The several hundred of each side that survived were fused with the blood and magical energy of the opposing factions giving birth to a truly neutral race - the Rilmani. Both Sarseg and Ioun died in the blast, but this was only temporary for each had prepared a safe place for their spirit to re-enter an awaiting clone.

Another result of the battle's explosion was the creation of hundreds of xag-ya and xeg-yi. These creatures attacked anything that moved in the area, forcing the rilmani to play dead or move out of the area as quickly as possible. When the xag-ya and xeg-yi came near each other, they became attracted to each other magnet, and where they collided they created a mini explosion similar to the one that happened when Sarseg and Ioun came together.

Melee a God

Ares using the power Battle Titan

Taking on a Higher Power is no trifling matter.  It can be done, and has been done by mortals.  One of the few known successes is when Rax traveled to the home plane of Coeus and killed him.  Normally though, it takes a god to take down a god.  Besides the potential windfall of loot and magic items, it is more beneficial for a god to do it, because they can take claim to one of the dead god's domains.  For a god though, it is a very risky undertaking and normally only done if it is a sure thing.  If a group of mortals did decide to confront a god, they will need to be in the Epic levels, otherwise they have a near zero chance of success.  This is because all the statistics of the Higher Powers are very high and they have a number of traits that make unimaginably tough.  The two traits that are uniform across all higher powers are Modulating Energy and Divine Toughness.  The first is extra energy damage that they inflict with each damaging attack. For a Cult power, this is five hit points, but for a Greater power it is 25 HPS of damage with the energy type being whatever the victim is most susceptible too.  Divine Toughness is an increase in hit points that occurs at each power level.  This tops out at +8,000 hit points for a Greater power.  Higher Powers are formidable foes indeed, but not omnipotent or invincible - though any lay person would swear otherwise.  In the Demon Spawn War, a few Higher Powers fell forever.  Callarduran died battling Jurusalax and thirteen packs of runehounds of the largest size.   It was taking so long to bring him down, that Jurusalax had his hounds knock him down and then smother him.  If this had not been done, the health pool of Callarduran would have required an entire demon army to overcome.

Soul Energy

content with wandering Pandemonium

Every living thing is said to have energy. Non-sentients that breath their last, don't pass on to another plane, instead they release a bit of life energy. Sentients on the other hand, their spirits depart for the outer planes. The destination is one of alignment and patron deity. If they don't fit any alignment, then they are waylaid in borderline planes like Acheron, Arcadia, Pandemonium, and Twin Paradises until someone convinces or steers them to a particular Soul Gathering Plane. It is in these non-soul gathering planes that the spirit is at risk of being captured by night hags and others that traffic in soul energy.

 Soul energy is what was in the mortal body, with the spirit just a vessel and to those who can see into their spectrum, nothing more than a ghostly semblance of the creature when it is alive.
 
- Io, from the book Wisdom of Io - "Path of Souls"

In the earliest days of creation, Io found that the sentients he was making were returning to the Elemental Chaos with death. He had the Wells of Afterlife created to capture spirits and use their soul energy to create a new being. This new being matched the alignment of the Well of Afterlife.

In the God Era, an astral deva named Polyxo experimented with soul energy at Quelmollendë. She intended to make a variant of the dwarves that was more accustomed to living in the deeper areas of the Underdark. Her experiments using soul energy to create new life forms were only a partial success. This was because the souls she used were destined for the Abyss. Normally, these souls would be the chattel of the plane, and rise as lemures or some other petty fiend. Polyxo re-purposed these chaotic evil souls, using them to create new life forms. For most of those created in this manner, the outcome was something degenerate, mutated, twisted, or prone to insanity. The Derro race were one of these.

Soul energy is also used for empowering magic items with sentience. This can be done either willingly by a good spirit for a good aligned item, or forcibly for neutral or evil ones. Some weapons steal soul energy to power themselves or to crush the soul into non-existence for truly evil ones. A soul destroyed in such a manner is very hard to remake for even the gods - those knowing this are aware then that gods are not so omnipotent as the masses are led to believe.

Siolix

Green Slime

 In the Demon Spawn War, Siolix was a mining area controlled by the demon lord Zuggtmoy. It was not worked by the demons or any of her soldiers because early mining efforts led to many deaths from demons mutating into raging, uncontrollable and insane monstrosities. This is because the area is laden with veins of deep rock. Her adviser in charge of production decided to use slaves to tap the area's rich veins of gemstone, copper, and cassiterite (source for tin).

The mines were a deadly place for many, for once you had the sickness it could not be removed short of the skills of a greatest healer. The lucky survived and mutated, the unlucky became food for her green slimes, black puddings, or gray oozes.
 
 - Borri, from his book History of Me - "The Mines of Siolix"

The earth giants had the best survival rates in the mines, partially from their fortitude and the favor of Geb. Those that did survive, mutated into what has become the first fomorians. After the Demon Spawn War, Geb had the entire area sealed off. There are three entrances to the place, each a fortress garrisoned by huge earth elementals and other earthen loyal to Geb. The earth elementals periodically move through the rock surrounding the area, making sure nothing has dug in. In addition to the earthen is a channel of the Earth Seam which was redirected by Geb to form a continuous defensive loop around the entirety of Siolix. The two Earth Seam sinkholes of the area are connected to each other, so this part of the Earth Seam cannot be used to reach other places of the Underdark.

Siolix is a haven for puddings, slimes and oozes. They feed upon each other, but given the chance they will leave the overcrowded conditions and get a taste of what is on the outside.

War Spirit Shrine

War Spirit Shrine

The War Spirit Shrine is an ancient shrine dedicated to Ares. It was built in the Horgon Era by tungesti missionaries seeking to spread the word of Ares to lizardfolk tribesmen. The missionaries ended up being eaten by their host, but the shrine they built remained. Over the decades that followed, the shrine sunk into the marsh leaving only the upper part of its head visible. It gained power over the centuries as some turned to praying to the majestic edifice for strength, luck on the hunt, or whatever else they yearned for.

The War Spirit Shrine is sited near the heart of Ugrol. This area has a long tradition of producing powerful warmongering tribes. When wars broke out in the Troll Bogs, the Urgol marshes were a source of recruitment and clandestine activities. The warring parties would often see to it that the yuan-ti, trolls, and lizardfolk tribes got embroiled in their own conflict just so they would not end up as mercenaries of the other side. The source of the area's war mentality is believed to be a product of the shrine. In the Horgon Era, it was prayed to by any who could reach it, whereupon they were blessed with a boon that made them more keen to their surrounding, swifter, and stronger. After a time, those that had been there several times, became the voices of the war god Ares. They spread the word of the war god among their people and unleashed their shaman arts upon their enemies and those that questioned their god's orders. In the wetlands of Ugrol, worship of Ares is strongest in the temples of Nemegral.

The boon of the War Spirit Shrine is an enhancement to a number of abilities and skills. It is not an easy one to acquire for it requires a arduous trek into a thick, overgrown swamp with beasts and monsters lurking about. Once one prays at the shrine, they become ready to accept the war spirit. To activate the boon, they must battle the next creature they come across. The boon lasts 1 day for non-worshipers of Ares, and 2 days for those that have him as their patron deity.

see Boon of the War Spirit Shrine

Geejudan

barbarian Shou monk ridding himself of lawful intent

Many people of Kalaran and Padimza have a culture based around Geejudan. In the most simplest terms this means one with boy, mind, and soul. The interpretation of this cultural ideal is open to the follower. It could take the form of flagellate monks that daily flail themselves to purge the soul of chaotic influence, or just the opposite with the entropic barbarians of Qibemjues who claim that when they commit rapine and slaughter, they are opening the way for the infinite energies of the Elemental Chaos. Between these two extremes of Law and Chaos, there are variations of the two, but one thing is for certain, nearly all Shou and Demacian of Kalaran practice Geejudan. It is such a strong value among these people that they fight wars over how it should be practiced.

A number of classes are based on Geejudan. These include, but are not limited to, kensai, samurai and shugenja. Followers of Geejudan with chaotic leanings, may also become wilders, wild mages, and frenzied barbarians.

Bow of Orulûn

Goblin Archer with the Bow of Orulûn

In the Demon Spawn War, forces under Baphomet battled those of Niruš for control of Aettein. The fighting in this sector was light compared to others, but no less brutal. Niruš main force was a division-sized unit comprised largely of mounted goblins. They were trained to fight mounted with bow, lance and light mace. One soldier in this force was a sergeant named Ezphus. In the many engagements of the Orulûn Division he is credited with hitting Baphoment in three different battles. This was done with a bow he handcrafted himself and so hard to pull that it required someone with the strength of a hill giant. Legend has it that he got his strength to pull it from a magical belt plundered from a marilith riddled with arrows. Baphomet studied the arrows in him and noted their custom nature. His agents then tortured some captives, finding out that they were those of Ezphus, and marking him for termination by Baphomet's babau assassins. They ended up catching up with them, but rather than have his trusty bow taken as a trophy he threw it into the river Jhernarth. Days later, his bow was found by friendly forces, but nothing of his body. The bow was given to General Niruš. In honor of Ezphus's deeds she imbued it with great magic. She did not keep it, but let it pass among the ranks with eleven more goblins employing it against the demons and dying in glory while unleashing a storm of booming arrows. Much of the Bow of Orulûn's history after that is unknown with it probably spending most of its time in some treasure hoard.

It reappeared in the Chaos War, with the goblins of Nemebhox harrying the southward march of the Horde of Chaos. In one of the skirmishes, both wielder and mount were struck down by a flaming boulder. The bow was taken as booty by a Giranakhar fire giant and not seen since.

The Bow of Orulûn is +5 mighty composite shortbow (+3 Str bonus) with explosive and exit wound enchantments. It is made from a laminated horn and etchings through-out. These markings were made by Ezphus with each denoting a confirmed demon kill while using the bow.

see Powers

The 222

Gimâlthâr of The 222, Wizard Governor

The 222 were a group of mage initiates from the Khirêl Tâmândêth, better known to outsiders as the Arcanums. Each year at the Arcanums, the professors cull the freshmen class. They evict those lacking the skill to progress beyond a Prestidigitator. Those that had the state paying their tuition, are required to serve in the military until they pay them back. This is a very old practice dating as far back as Volgad and an honored tradition. It gives many the choice of not going on even if they have the aptitude for some may want to pursue other interests like becoming a merchant, farmer, or whatever.

In 868, two hundred and twenty two freshmen were blocked from continued learning at the Arcanums. They were sent off to basic training at fort Bânârmôn. They never reached the place, instead being waylaid at what became known as the Battle of Ahi Nute. This battle came about from a sever in the Elemantum Boundry Ward. This gap in the rift allowed a force of fire giants and their hell hound packs to break out into the Indûrbathuk valley. They snuck across the valley, sleeping by day, traveling by night, bypassing all Giruk strong points and utterly wiping out any patrols they came across.

It had been over a decade since the last opening in the ward, so the long period of peace led to some commanders and personal letting their guard down and thinking that the Throne's minions were as good as dead.

    - Îbelkazgôn, from Vol 2 of Giruk Battle Manuals - "Battle of Ahi Nute"

When the giants attacked Ahi Nute in the early hours of 16 War March, the 222 former students of Khirêl Tâmândêth were asleep or awake and preparing for the last leg of their journey to fort Bânârmôn. In the ensuing battle, what they lacked in basic training and arcane skill, they made up in numbers. The battle reports said they concentrated their magic missiles on anything that seemed to be a sergeant or better or showed toughness beyond the normal. Even with their numbers, they could not beat all the attackers with their small allotment of spells. Some of the 222 died from counter spells from enemy casters and tactical uses of the physical mirror spell which sent their magic missiles back upon them.

 In basic academy, you learn of the military tactics of the Artaxerteans and the Flaemeans. This includes things like their prevalent use of magic and battle mages and priests that accompany every Flaemis platoon and shamans and anti-paladins that accompany every Artaxertus one. You also learn that they follow the Thrones and will never yield except to betray you at first chance. The Thrones are what drives them, and they instill an appreciation of and use of magic that is found nowhere else among their kind across Midrêth and perhaps all of Bal-Kriav.

    - Zenîr-Kardas, of The 222 - "Battle Learning"

The 222 saved Ahi Nute from falling. Over the next two days, Giruk forces moved up the valley and reinforcements came to their aid from Izennâte. The fire giants and their hounds were wiped out and Ahi Nute relieved. The only ones left in the garrison were wounded soldiers and those defending them, 42 Arcanum freshmen of what had been 222. They were showered with such praise, honor and respect that they became something of a legend. Of the 22, half went back to the Arcanums to continue their studies and of these two went on to become wizard governors of Tamlêrran.

Progeny of Baltalas

Progeny of Baltalas

It is fortunate for the realms that the Progeny of Baltalas are few in number. In the Dawn War, they numbered in the hundreds, and all spawn of the primordial lord Baltalas. Those that got out of Muspelheim wrecked untold havoc with their streams of lava spittle and a strength that could matched an adolescent Atlas. A dozen of them together could form a bond whereby they had the heat output of a similar number of volcanoes. They could unleash so much ash, smoke and lava as to cook a world. For the primordials of the Dawn War, the main problem with these fiery monstrosities was their dim-wit and short memory. They would turn on their own side in the midst of combat, either out of choice, enemy convincing, or that it being an easier route to somewhere they suddenly thought of going. This made them unreliable except as something to drop off in enemy territory and let it run amok.

After the Dawn War, only two of these creatures have made it to Bal-Kriav. One was trapped in the Demon Spawn War when it was buried under tons of rubble. Geb and Bahamut worked together to bring down this terror which at the time had no name, so Geb named it Kerath after a crazy son of Thyrm. Because of this gesture, it is said that Thyrm became a forever friend of Geb. Kerath became trapped in rubble, and was then chained to the stone. These Kerath Anchors are one of the marvels of Adunamar and in some areas form the basis of passages from around the volcano Kerath that descend into the Underdark.

In 1421, a Progeny of Baltalas came through the Glothreth Rift and wrecked havoc in Glothreth. It then travelled west into the glacial wastes of Igas. This fiery humanoid, towering the height of three titans, required an entire Artaxertean army to bring it down.

Telek Cage

Telek Stalker

The first Telek Cage was built at the XI Institute. It was conceived from theories that a psionic researcher gleaned from Lith-Crillion data. This data consisted of scrolls and tattered books that eluded to the properties of brain fluid drawn from psionic creatures. For those with a backing in psionic lore, the Lith-Crillion were very knowledgeable when it came to weaponizing psionics and penned detailed catalogs of psionic creatures with much of this specialized knowledge coming from The Pure. One of the most well-known items they created with brain fluid is the Sakamân's Kiss. In the Second Epoch, Fihrhirr - master psionicist, researcher and tinker of XI Institute, used concentrated brain ichor from a telek stalker in the making of the first Telek Cage. This device is defensive in nature like a telek stalker, designed to wear opponents down before making a surgical kill.

A Telek Cage looks like a large bird cage. They are uniform in size and composition - all 7' tall and weighting 487 lbs. The cage's bars are made of high alloy blutium wrapped in deep crystal. These bars are mounted to a Nandistike base. The device has no doors or other way to physically step inside of it. To get inside of the Telek Cage and use its powers, one must use teleportation, gaseous form, diminution or similar powers. The device can only be operated by standing inside of it, and by only one mind. If somehow two creatures find themselves in it - then it is a test of minds to determine who takes control and casts the others mind into oblivion. This is three rounds of mental combat that happens almost instantaneously with the loser's mind shunted off into a realm of madness.

see Powers

Rafthurgar

Quickling

Rafthurgar is an oasis of green surrounded by smoking mountains, lava flows, and high geothermal activity. The oldest wood of this forest are Firebrands. This has come about because this type of wood is impervious to fire, allowing it to survive the volcanic eruptions that are all too common across Anubeth. Over the centuries, the firebrands of Rafthurgar have afforded some protecting to the area within it. This has resulted in a lot of vegetation, anchoring of streams and a river, and accumulation of a rich top soil.

The Flaemeans and other peoples make great use of Rafthurgar's timber and other bounties. Collection of the forest's resources is often under the watchful eye of druids and rangers serving merchant houses in Glothreth. They have managed the forest for a little over six centuries. This followed a period of over-use and nearly seeing the verdant area turned into a desert.

Rafthurgar is home to quicklings, nightshades, korred, needlemen, and other fey leaning more to the dark side than the light. The high number of evil foes in this forest is like the land around it, an entire region under the sinister influence of the Pumice Throne. The Throne is not all bad though, since Rafthurgar is said to be a product of it. The forest would not have become a verdant basin without its Firebrands forming a anchor for life in an otherwise inhospitable landscape.

Maenedhel Shattering

Set

 In 9450 GE, a recently ascended Set used (others would say abused) the artifact Moradin's Surveyor to create a race beholden to him. This race was followed by two more, which collectively became known as the Khazarkar. Set made these people in secret, and then sequestered them in the deeps of Maenedhel. This secrecy was necessary because he was using a stolen artifact to invoke the powers of creation while acting as a god seeking followers. This was a clear violation of the growing protocols being established by the higher powers - at least to the law abiding ones. He knew that he was violating the The Khazakars were helped advance in civilization by Furrouth educators. The Furrouth were under the watchful eye of Set's minions and these in turn were overseen by another group to make sure that nobody messed things up for the Khazarkars. If Moradin, Io or some other higher power learned too soon of his people then there was a good chance that they would work together to undo what he had done, but if his people were around long enough they would probably show some compassion and perhaps even see value in having another sentient human race on Bal-Kriav. Later, after word got out of the Maenedhel Shattering, Corellon quipped:

    Another variation of the human stock? Is this gonna be fair to the elves, other races of Bal-Kriav?

    - Corellon, to Set, "Maenedhel Trial"

In 255 LC, three centuries after his artifact was stolen, Moradin tracked down Set and learned of his doings. As punishment, he reversed Set's environmental changes to Maenedhel, leaving an area supercharged with life energy. This resulted in a region where things grow faster, reaching adult hood in a matter of days, but dying a few days later. Before this came about, Moradin and Set told the people of the region what was to happen and they must leave and eke out am existence on their own without divine help.

Perge'khas

Obyrith Deceiver

 Perge'khas is a vast broken plane of un-melting black ice. This unnatural ice is a remnant of a glacier that long ago, rapidly advanced across Gorejun. This came about in the Dawn War when the god Moradin and the primordial Cari'phis battled it out here. Cari'phis unleashed the black ice on Bal-Kriav, where it came to look like a snaky, fast moving glacier. It served as a bridge between the Elemental Chaos and Bal-Kriav with the interior having fortresses and icy tunnels linking them up. The glacial flow was under mental control of Cari'phis, allowing her to guide it across the land at a pace that could see it cross the continent in a few years. Moradin employed a number of measures to stop the advance, the most notable being the Flaming Belt and the Moradin Jetties. These were only defensive measures, for the halting and then shrinking of the blackness only came about when the Golden Seven captured its controller.

 Upon Cari'phis's capture, she lost control of the glacial flow causing it to rapidly melt and shrink in size with the end coming when it bound itself up like a cat.

 It was Athena's decision, much to Moradin's consternation, to imprison her in Denerra, rather than dispatch her like she had done to so many.

 - Ditherra, of the Golden Seven, from the Golden Tablets, "Subdual of Cari'phis"

Today, the part that lies in central Gorejun is locked in place and no longer moves or grows in size. It is bitterly cold to the touch, yet things live on it and within it. Many of those that live here are descendants of Cari'phis's invasion force - ice mephits, frost trolls, frost giants, and ancient bestial creatures that would be classified as demons by most, but are in fact Obyriths.

Perge'khas radiates chaos and evil. This because it is composed of elemental ice infused with evil energies. The elemental ice is stuff of the Elemental Chaos, while the evil energies came from what is termed Threads of Damnation. These "threads" were tendrils of chaotic energy that worked their way outward from the Step of Foundation and then across the 666 planes that make up the Abyss.

Inside Perge'khas are snaky lines of tunnels that circle around towards the center. Along these are ruins and some intact fortresses that were made during the Dawn War and after. The residents of these places and those that prowl the tunnels or raid the lands around are generally evil to the core.

Kezgihr

Kezgihr

In the Demon Spawn War, Kezgihr was a throne archon serving in the Zephyr Talon. This unit was under the command of Silvanus, but since he had many duties in the war, it was often left in the command of his five top commanders. One of these commanders was Kezgihr. The commanders of the Zephyr Talon worked to defeat the demons of Graz'zt invading Ma'Ohari. The battles with the demons were brutal with lopsided fights, assassinations and clandestine operations. These operations were not only to gather intelligence but also to demoralize the enemy. Demon morale-breaking often took the form of mutilation of those captured and consumption of those killed. The demons also had numbers on their side. These factors caused some in the Zephyr Talon to look for an edge. Kezgihr was one of the ringleaders that led to him and one other commander, and four captains becoming known as the Forsaken Six. When a rumor spread that an investigation was going to happen into the group's blood rituals, Kezgihr got paranoid. His fear of being discovered and suffering the wrath of Silvanus was such that he murdered one of his fellow commanders. This was done so that he could use his victim's blood in a powerful spell called Sight of the Dead Walker. The spell proved the rumor false and Kezgihr's actions turned him evil. He quickly fled the company of Zephyr Talon but not so far that Silvanus could not punish him. Silvanus pronounced a curse on him that to live he must drink blood or seek redemption by dying and letting Hades decide his fate. Kezgihr decided to live.

-- continue

Rhynihx

Rhynihx

Rhynihx was chief interrogator and head of the secret police serving under Asmodeus in the Demon Spawn War. Before entering his service, she was closely vetted with both magic and suffered intense questioning and loyalty tests. This was all done to keep spies from getting too close to the leadership of the Quara'tun Covenant. Rhynihx had an outstanding record of service and higher than average skill for reading someone. She proved her worth in rooting out demon infiltration and spies, yet nobody, not even Asmodeus ever figured out that she was a mole. She was an agent of Graz'zt sent to corrupt the morality of Asmodeus.

Rhynihx was a stunningly charismatic and attractive monadic deva. She became the consort of Asmodeus after spurning his advances for two years. Over the next two centuries, they were in and out of relationships, with Asmodeus always coming back to her. This led to a strong jealousy and the beginnings of the corruption of his morality. Rhynihx's trickery was often very subtle and done over a very long time so as not draw suspicion. One time she let herself be captured and tortured by a pack of demons, claiming to her rescuers that one had violated her. Asmodeus's rage from this incident was so unbounded that he wiped out the demons and then went on a campaign of slaughter. It was during this military campaign, that he gave the order "no quarter" which was generally not how war was waged by the Quara'tun Covenant.

Some think that Loki played a part in the corruption and downfall of Asmodeus, which even if true, paled in to comparison to the doings of Rhynihx. She played a major role in the fall of Asmodeus and him becoming a Fallen Angel.

The irony of the whole affair with Rhynihx is that Asmoeus undoubtedly figured out that she was a mole, yet his love and passion for her were greater than his principles to do what is right.

 - Athena, from a Plaque of Aphalur - "Rhynihx Seduction"

When Asmodeus was cast out of the Prime and sent to the Nine Hells, Rhynihx made the mistake of showing a brief grin. This was noticed by Pelor who then had her watched and brought in for questioning. They were unable to find any complacency in the downfall of Asmodeus, yet Pelor suspected something.

 Not a tear, just a grin at the loss of a close friend and companion of centuries?

 - Pelor, to Rhynihx - "Interrogation of Rhynihx"

Unbenowst to anyone but her, she was pregnant with the seed of Asmodeus. This was the only child she ever had with him and her only child. During the last days of pregnancy her pain was so great that she feared not making it. She implored Ares to have her sent to the Nine Hells. This questionable act by Ares, was the last act of morality undoing by Rhynihx. She took advantage of Ares's compassion for his former protégé Asmodeus and had her sent to the Nine Hells where she would give birth to something that would undoubtedly be corrupted by a wandering evil soul. Rhynihx died giving birth to what became the first erinyes. Before she passed away, she sent a telepathic message to Asmodeus to come and get his daughter. On returning to Nessus, Asmodeus built a monolithic mausoleum of beaten bronze for the only thing that he ever loved more than himself.

What became of Asmodeus's daughter and first erinyes has yet to be told.

Vaults of Ayaraigas

Vaults of Ayaraiga

The Vaults of Ayaraigas were created by the god Benevolence. He made them to safeguard his creations, the Nithians, during a volatile time when worlds and planes were being created and primordials were beginning to move against the gods.

Benevolence stashed the Vaults of Ayaraigas in secret locations across Giranakhar. Each vault held forty Nithians, and each was under a very powerful temporal stasis spell. The Nithians remained under this spell for 10,558 years, far longer than what Benevolence intended on account of his premature death. The Nithians came out of this spell in 2510 LC and moved into the Nilzanâth lowlands.

The Vaults of Ayaraigas are made of blutium, a metal specifically created by Benevolence to protect his creations. Inside this 5' thick outer wall was a 2' thick inner wall composed of saranite. When the Nithians started leaving them, they left in spider-like automations. In a few cases, when they left the Vault they entered a creature's lair and in one case from the heart of a deep gnome city that venerated the Vault like a monument.

It is not known how many Vaults are out there or if any were broken into before the Nithians came out of temporal stasis. Many of those that have been found since the Nithians left have been stripped of anything useful, sometimes leaving only a crumbling wall of saranite, while others have become the lairs of monsters. The Nithians made treks back to them and brought back technology that led to the invention of Clone Tanks.

Sparks of Creation

Creation Energy

Sparks of Creation are invisible motes of life energy. They are undetectable by all but the Gods of Creation. Sparks of Creation are used to create life, including new lifeforms if the user has an extremely high intellect and skill.

In the Demon Spawn War, Ingu'lumin found a Spark of Creation. It is assumed that he found one by chance or that his unusually high intellect found a means to acquire one. Ingu'lumin gave it to his master Yeenoghu, who in turned used it to create a race of humanoids similar to him - the gnolls.

Golruwyrm

Golruwyrm, young adult

Golruwyrm was the first child and daughter of Io. She was the first of the brass dragon sub-types. In the Dawn Era, Io tasked her with laying eggs across the habitable worlds that he created. All the brass dragons of the realm Bal-Kriav are her descendants.

In the Dawn War, she met her end battling a primordial army and two primordial lords. The area she fought in is today called the Sands of Hell. This area became a desert when she died. In the battle those that she did not kill, were blasted into nothingness when she died, her last breath a storm of blistering sand that if it did not burn you to death, ripped your flesh off and then reduced your bones to powder. Her death also created the landmark Diiv Prok, a cliff face resembling the back of a towering dragon. This cliff is not hundreds of feet long, but hundreds of miles long. The size of Golruwyrm was no where near as large as the cliffs. One Plaque of Aphalur says that Io had some doing in making it an unimaginably large memorial for his fallen daughter.

Âni-Zandân

Âni-Zandân

The Âni-Zandân is a ship made from a nautilus-like organism that flies the skies of Spactan. These androgynous creatures are called Âni and have the unusual capacity of being unharmed when bio-engineered. The first people to experiment on them was a team of scientists comprised of the future gods Anubis, Hades, Ptah, and Set. These four Lith-Crillion created living compartments in them and added mechanical attachments. Io was so impressed with what they did that he made them lantern archons. They were then taken to join the other angels preparing to meet the threat of the primordials in the Dawn War.

Near the end of the God Era, the Lith-Crillion on Spactan used the Âni-Zandân to cross into the Void. They journeyed to Bal-Kriav and established centers of study on the island Arcana. The Âni-Zandân that came to Bal-Kriav gave birth to others similar to it, but not the same. Its progeny became more at home with the deeps of the ocean than floating among the clouds. The Âni-Matîrûn and Âni-Nâthil are descendants of Âni-Zandân.

Strategem 11

Gimrune

Callarduran was a God of Creation. Late in the Dawn Era, he created the gnome race. In the beginning, there were no forest gnomes, deep gnomes or Gimrune, just gnomes created in the likeness of Callarduran. Their civilization began on the continent Hezmort. In the Demon Spawn War, Hezmort was invaded by the demon lord Jurusalax. The gnomes were so hard-pressed by the demons that Callarduran fought in the battles to stem the tide. At the time, their were rifts all over the realm of Bal-Kriav, with demons invading on multiple fronts. As a result, commanders like Ares, Athena, and Clangeddin agreed that they could not save every area of the realm, some must be given up so we can win the war and not just a battle.

The number of demons coming against is almost a 100:1 - we cannot save every area, some must be sacrificed for ultimate victory.

- Ares, from the Thuaxor Keozhal - "Strategem 11"

Discus of Ares

a lesser version of Ares's Shear

In the Dawn War, Ares battled Bryakus in the wasteland Felbarum. The then archangel Ares used his shield Ares's Shear in this epic combat.  One of the properties of this artifact was that it enlarged whenever it was hurled in combat, matching the size category of the target. When the shield's razor edge severed one of the necks off of Bryakus it became lodged in the primordial's great body. Bryakus's blood ended up destroying the great size of the shield and breaking it into many parts. The destruction of Ares's Shear left pieces of arjale scattered about the battle site. This arjale of Ares's Shear has been used to make a few powerful magic items, like the Discus of Ares. - "a mortal version of the legendary Ares's Shear".