http://www.stuffoflegend.com In ages past primitive humans worshiped the many spirits of nature. People, trees, animals, the seasons, and the land itself all flow with vibrant spiritual energy of life. The cycles of life held great power in the hearts and minds of our ancestors, the greatest of which was motherhood. All of the spirits, whether weak or terrible, were born from the earth mother Danu. The priesthood was primarily female, led by the Hichana wise women. Each tribe had a circle of Hichana who met and considered spiritual affairs, conducted blessings, named children, and cared for the spiritual well-being of the tribe. This council was at least equal to the tribal chieftain, except in matters of war. Separately, a council of Istari carried the law across the land and between the tribes. They adjudicated matters of tradition, honor, and justice. When an Istari was initiated into the sacred priesthood, he ceased to be a member of his tribe, for now he represented the law before all the people, and was inviolate. This allowed the Istari to carry news between the tribes, even across fiercely contested territories or in times of war. This also allowed the Istari to broker treaties and work towards peace--or rally the fiercely independent tribes against a common foe. The most famous circle is the Istari of Belerion, who spread the law of the Ithil'Rhi amongst the Kith people, from which they forged the Alornean people. The traditions of the old faith were passed down by stories, songs, and sacred days. None of the barbarian tribes were literate, save for the secret Ogham script of the Istari. Many of the stories employ symbolism, for example the seasons have special meanings for those who follow the old ways. Spring is the green time of new life and healing. Summer represents warmth and fire. Fall represents wealth and the harvest. Winter represents endurance, sleep and frost. Nowadays the "Old Faith" of Danu-worship is often viewed as quaint or barbaric. True nature worship is uncommon except in the wildernesses at the ends of the world where primitive cultures still thrive, such as Kith and Rochir. However, most of the new faiths have elements of the old traditions--if nothing else at least the concept of a "soul" can be traced back to the "Old Faith". en-us Copyright 1994-2010 sol@stuffoflegend.com http://www.stuffoflegend.com/q?Carrow http://docs.google.com/View?id=dck4w2f6_13hnb4s9gw http://www.stuffoflegend.com/q?Turk http://docs.google.com/View?id=dck4w2f6_15dhp6rdc2 http://www.stuffoflegend.com/q?Burners This is a campaign set in Lyonesse starting in the year 879. Four wanderers in the Lyonesse bound together by their mutually unsatisfactory dealings with the dread necromancer Tov Morden. Their adventures lead them into the Ashenrise Mountains, where ancient secrets are revealed. Along the way they show a proclivity for burning down forests. http://www.stuffoflegend.com/q?AshenriseMountains This long line of basalt volcanoes and the lands to each side form the southern borders of Lyonesse with Nan-Avathar. They are ancient peaks, and all except the mighty Mor'Alltach are extinct volcanoes. The mountains are known to harbor Goblyns and long-forgotten Dragon Shrines such as Na'Aashok and Er'Neharl. The free city of Torvilis holds the northern end of the mountains, and Wyrmskrol holds the southern end. http://www.stuffoflegend.com/q?Torvilis Torvilis is a large northern city on the remote northern border of Nan-Avathar and Lyonesse. Since ancient times Torvilis has been a powerful mountain stronghold of Lothian mercenaries, where armies bought to wage war for control of the Ashenrise Mountains and the surrounding lands. Torvilis is near the massive Blackmist Forest, and consumes a large amount of woodland each year to fuel the city's many smithies. Torvilis is generally considered part of Lyonesse because it is a free Lothian city. However, the city has extremely close ties to Nan-Avathar and is in precarious situation politically, so in practice Torvilis stands nearly alone. The city is on one of the major passes across the Ashenrise Mountains, but the mountains are low in this region and there are many nearby passes. To the north is the Nan-Avathar fortress of Nechushtah, the staging point for Avathar campaigns into the northern realms: Belerion and Hrivlyggdor. There are at least a dozen passes to the south along the Ashenrise Mountain http://www.stuffoflegend.com/q?Lyonesse Lyonesse is a vast borderlands on the western coast of the Dragon Sea, northeast of Nan-Avathar and southwest of Belerion and Hrivlyggdor. The north reaches of Lyonesse are the ancient battlegrounds of Nan-Avathar and Belerion, and the region has long been famous for its mercenaries. Their basalt-walled cities are built upon Baal ruins and are well-guarded from attack by the *things* that sometimes wander in from Nan-Avathar and any marauding Kithocs seeking plunder. Lyonesse encompasses the chain of volcanoes known as the Ashenrise Mountains and the lands immediately on both sides, including most of the Blackmist Forest. While Nan-Avathar nominally controls the southwestern side of the mountains, the lands there are in practice free cities of Lothians more closely tied to Lyonesse than Nan-Avathar. The distinctions blur and change frequently. Lyonesse has verdant green hills and forests that are rich in wildlife due to the region's mild winters and heavy rainfall. The waters collect in the mighty Afon http://www.stuffoflegend.com/q?Nechushtah Nechushtah is a mountain fortress that guards the short northeastern border that Nan-Avathar shares with Belerion. The fortress is the forward staging point of campaigns against Belerion and Hrivlyggdor and is constantly manned by large standing armies of undead thralls and Avathars. Nechushtah is ruled by the Kurg'Rhi warlock Sirihaas. This region is near the heart of Nan-Avathar, and the choking volcanic fumes are at their most potent here. The extreme living conditions make this post one of the least favored for Avathar soldiers, and "a post at Nechushtah" is a commonly used threat to keep subordinates in line. Favored officers are often given leave to travel to nearby Torvilis. http://www.stuffoflegend.com/q?ErNeharl Er'Neharl is an old Baal watchtower above a pass through the Ashenrise Mountains. The tower is visible from the Morshea Trades outpose on the road between Torvilis and Wyrmskrol. http://www.stuffoflegend.com/q?NaAashok The ancient Baal dragon shrine, guarded by the dracontia Aashok. The temple was long-lost, but rediscovered in 879 by the Burners, who brought templars of Pyrose from nearby Gnar City in Lyonesse. http://www.stuffoflegend.com/q?MorAlltachj4zlt This immense volcano is the largest in the Ashenrise Mountains, and consistently active. Lava flows from the cone are clearly visible at night, and stretch to the foothills. In 789 the Burners instilled the warlock-spirit Asenbel into the volcano in order to defeat the ice devils who were dwelling on a node in the pass south of the mountain. The ice devils had created a glacier feeding the river to the Skhelloch Gleven fort, and were infesting the waters with ice worm eggs.