AD&D - Time of the Dragon - Box Set (2e)

TIME OF THE DRAGON

Official Game Accessory

THE GUIDE BOOK

TO TALADAS

BY DAVID “ZEB” COOK

Design: David “Zeb” Cook CREDITS:
Editing: Michael Breault
Cover Art: Robin Wood, Fred Fields Cartography: Dave Sutherland, Dave LaForce
Interior Art: Stephen Fabian Typography: Gaye O’Keefe
Keylining: Stephanie Tabat

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toy and hobby trade by regional distributors. Distributed in the United Kingdom by TSR Ltd.

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©1989 TSR Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

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ISBN 0-88038-773-4
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Guide Book to Taladas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 The First Edicts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
The Geography of Taladas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 The Armach-nesti . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 3
N o r t h e r n H o s k. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 Religion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 4
Thenol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 6
The Tamire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 The Thenolites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 7
TheUigan...........................l2 History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 8
The Elf Clans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 8 The Government of Thenol . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 9
The Ilquar Goblins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1 The Army . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 9
The Kazar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 5 New Aurim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 2
The Pureshk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 5 Hawkbluff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 3
The Panak Desert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 6 Blackwater Glade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 4
The Ice People. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 7 The Hulderfolk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 7
The Ring Mountains. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 8 The Steamwall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 9
The First People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 0 The Hobgoblins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 0
The Saqualaminoi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2 The Marsh Kender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 1
The Glass-Sailors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2 The Fianawar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 2
The Gnomoi of the Columns . . . . . . . . . . . 3 5 The Fisheries and Neron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 5
The Scorned. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 7 The Payan Mako . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 5
The Tiderun. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 0 The Shark Men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 6
Rudil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 1 The Wild Elves of Neron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 7
Southern Hosk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 3 Baltch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 0
The Imperial League of Minotaurs . . . . . . . 4 4 Old Aurim and the Rainward Isles . . . . . . . . 9 3
The Lands of the League . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 5 The Hobgoblins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 4
The Provinces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 5 The People of the Isles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 6
Society and Social Class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 7 Hitehkel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 9
The Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 9 The Spire Mountain Gnomes. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 0 0
Minotaur Justice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 9 Gnomoi and Minoi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 0 2
TheArmyoftheLeague . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2 The Citadels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 0 3
The Merchants of the League . . . . . . . . . . . 5 4 The Government and Army. . . . . . . . . . . . 1 0 4
Religions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 4 The Priests of the Gnomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 0 7
The Cities of the League. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 5 Gnomish Inventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 0 8
Armach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 0 The Sky Citadels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 0
The People and Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 0 The Tower of Flame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 0
The Confederation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 2

3

GUIDE BOOK TO TALADAS

THE GUIDE BOOK Ansalon. There was a time when it shared salon is the center of the world and the
a common thread, a little bit of history events there are of paramount impor-
TO TALADAS that was the same. But then the Age of tance to all of Krynn. To these story-
Dreams ended and the bonds between tellers, it is perfectly reasonable that the
“... the Greygem was loosed to drift Ansalon and Taladas slowly loosened. Al- kender of Kendermore, the gnomes of
away to the western lands, what we know though even today they share some com- Mount Nevermind, and the elves of
as Ansalon, where it wrought its magic mon features, each has taken a different Qualinesti and Silvanesti are the only
upon all the races there. Little is said of path through history. kinds of kender, gnomes, and elves that
the land of the Greygem's source in the are to be found.
histories of men. The gnomes of Never- This set presents all the basic informa-
mind may have histories that tell much tion about the continent of Taladas and Quite simply, these historians and
more (if these have not been destroyed by the lands and peoples therein. The Guide bards are wrong. While the history of An-
the latest of their advancements). Book of Taladas describes the past history salon is important, it is not the only his-
of Taladas, its geography, climate, peo- tory of Krynn. Kender, gnomes, and
“It therefore stands that the Lands of ples, and cultures. While the DM must elves take other forms than those found
the Greygem lie to the east, beyond the certainly be aware of all the information on Ansalon. For these other people the
shores of once-arrogant Istar, if such lands in the Guide Book, it is his decision to re- departure of the gods and the Cataclysm
exist at all, for there has been no mention veal anything contained in it to his play- did not occur because of the vanity and
of them even for centuries before the Cat- ers. Certainly he will find many things he arrogance of the King-Priest. As the DM,
aclysm. Mentioned only during the Age feels they should know, however the deci- you will discover that things in Taladas
of Light, this is likely to be no more than sion is left for him to make. The Book of are often not what you have come to ex-
a story told to children at night.” Adventure presents information for the pect from the world of Krynn. True, there
DM alone. Included in this are major and are kender and gnomes and minotaurs,
—Astinus of Palanthus minor NPCs, new monsters, detailed even draconians, but they may be very
rules for player character “mad” gnomes, different from those of Ansalon. This is
Once there was a planet called Krynn goblins, ogres, and minotaurs, encounter part of the fun of discovering and explor-
where man and elf, dwarf and gnome, tables, BATTLESYSTEM™ rules informa- ing Taladas. Now you have new surprises
minotaur and dragon dwelled. They tion, and new background on the gods of and unexpected twists to spring upon
lived in a land called Ansalon and knew Krynn. your players.
no other. Krynn was a vast planet and
there were more places than just Ansalon, Also in this set are 24 map cards. These At the same time, not everything is to-
but the men of Ansalon were too busy cards present detailed maps of sites of in- tally new; there are features the two con-
with their own affairs, too concerned with terest, gnome inventions, and examples tinents share in common. The gods of
gods and dragons, to learn of the rest of dress and clothing of the people of Tala- Ansalon are also the gods of Taladas.
their world. das. Brief key descriptions are found on Their names are different, as are the leg-
the backs of the cards. For convenience, ends that surround them, but they have
Perhaps now, with the War of the the keys are arranged on the backs of dif- the power to overcome mere obstacles of
Lance over, those of Ansalon will gain the ferent cards, so that both the map and space and time. Their wars and struggles
desire to explore and expand. But what key are available during play. Finally, make up part of the common background
will they find? What else is there on the there are four large, four-color maps. Two and history of the world.
planet of Krynn? of these join together to form a map of
Taladas. The other two are a detailed map It is important to remember these dif-
Time of the Dragon provides part of of a region of Taladas and a map of Kris- ferences when dealing with Taladas. The
that answer. Within the pages of these tophan, capital of the Minotaur League. rules and attitudes that you and your
books is a detailed description of an en- players may be familiar with do not nec-
tirely new land—Taladas—and its inhab- ANSALON AND essarily apply here. As the DM, you must
itants. For those used to the people and constantly be aware of this so you can re-
attitudes of Ansalon, Taladas is a land of TALADAS educate your players in an exciting and
surprises. Separated by a broad extent of entertaining fashion.
ocean, it is very different from Ansalon. Up to now, everything that has ever
What do these people know of the been presented about the world of Krynn THE HISTORY OF
Kinslayer War, the arrogance of the has been from the Ansalonian point of
Priest-Kings of Istar and their humbling view. The world, its gods, its history, and TALADAS
at the hands of the gods? Have their lands events have all been told as they relate to
been ravaged by dragons or their children Ansalon, the continent where the War of The people of Taladas, all the cultures
slain by draconians? the Lance was fought. To the tellers, An- and tribes, have never had the benefit of
the services of the great historian Astinus
Taladas is a very different world from

4

GUIDE BOOK TO TALADAS

of Palanthus. There is no grand record of hammer formed the stars, while the im- Mount Garath, drawing upon the
history such as the Iconochronos. Indeed, purities formed the world. The other magical might of Lunias (Lunitari).
such a history is nearly impossible, since gods set to fashioning the spirits of Within this gem, Udras (Sirrion) the
most of the people of Taladas have no gnomes and men. (Ansalon tradition says Alchemist blends massive magical
written language and rely instead on oral that Reorx was forging the world, not power. The gem is presented to the
traditions. The primary written histories men.) First King, the gnomoi Aldinanachru,
are found among the gnomes of Hi- as a sign of favor from Reorx to his
tehkel, the Lost Silvanesti, and the cities The All-Saints War: Reorx finishes the kind. In Ansalon this gem is known as
of the League. Most written histories fol- mortal forms. Before they can be set upon the Greystone (or Greygem) of Garath.
low the dating conventions of Ansalon the world, the gods fall to fighting. Those Aldinanachru orders the Grathanich
(Pri-Cataclius and Alt-Cataclius) brought of good announce that the spirits must placed in the tower of Lunias atop
over by the minotaurs of the League and have dominion over the world. Reorx Mount Garath.
the Lost Silvanesti. The gnomes of Hi- balks at this, holding that he did not cre- circa 3100 Grathanich Released: Hiteh
tehkel divide history into three periods: ate this world for dominion. The evil (Hiddukel) tricks Milgas Kadwar of the
The Birthing Age, from that moment gods seize the opportunity and plunge minoi into releasing the Grathanich. It
Reorx created them to the releasing of the the infant universe into the All-Saints drifts off to the west, wreaking havoc
Greygem; The Cursed Age, from the re- War, hoping in the end to corrupt the through its magical energies. In pun-
leasing of the Greygem to the Cataclysm; new forms to their service. ishment for their foolishness, Reorx
and Reorx’s Gift, the current age. banishes the Kadwar, largest of the mi-
End of the All-Saints War: Blindel, the noi clans, to pursue the Grathanich
For convenience, the timeline below Dolphin-Lord (Habbakuk) persuades across Krynn. (When the Kadwar ar-
uses Astinus’s division of history into five Graylord (Gilean) to go to Reorx’s tent rive in Ansalon, they abandon the mi-
different ages: the Age of Dreams, the and chant part of the secret knowledge noi name to become the gnomes of
Age of Light, the Age of Might, the Age that only he knows, showing the path of Mount Nevermind.)
of Darkness, and the Age of Dragons. Darkness. Reorx relents in his refusal to 2140 Kinslayer War (Ansalon)
Some of these ages have significance for aid the gods of good and unites with 2050 to 2030 The Great March (Ansa-
the people of Taladas; others are without them. Together, they force the gods of lon)
meaning and are provided only as refer- evil to retreat. Fearing imminent destruc- 1241 Fall of Ergoth (Ansalon)
ence points. Furthermore, the timeline tion of the Balance, the Highfather from
also provides dates for selected events in Beyond decrees the Balance of the World. THE AGE OF DARKNESS
Ansalon. These are given when interpre- The gifts are bestowed upon the races and
tation of identical events varies widely be- Reorx allows them to enter into the forms 0 The Cataclysm Strikes: While Ansalon
tween the two lands or to serve as he has created. is pounded by a series of disastrous me-
reference points for comparing the two teor strikes, Taladas is rent by a single
histories. Krynn is Populated: The spirits enter massive blow. The central plain is torn
the world according to their forms. There asunder and Hiteh’s Night begins.
THE AGE OF DREAMS is no agreement among the races as to
who was first. The minotaurs claim the 1 to 20 Hiteh‘s Night: Following the
This period of the history of Krynn is ogres preceded all, while the elves set Cataclysm, the sky is darkened by ash
the most mystical and least documented themselves first. Men claim all populated and smoke and fire. Moutains rise
of all. At the same time, this period has the world at once. Both the gnomes and overnight from level ground. Torren-
the highest correlation between the histo- dwarves of Taladas claim to be the fast tial rains create seas where deserts
ries of Taladas and Ansalon, for this is the children of Reorx. once were. The black sky is lit from
age of the gods. the glow of volcanoes. Disease ap-
THE AGE OF LIGHT pears. The priests of Taladas suddenly
The Gods Awaken: The gods emerge discover they have lost their spells and
from the Beyond into the chaos of the circa 4000 PC The Birth of the Minoi: are unable to cure or heal. Disease and
Universe. The Highfather remains be- Reorx foolishly attempts to teach the death sweep the land on an unprece-
hind, but charges his children with the humans the arts of the forge and the dented scale. Plagues of cholera,
creation of all. To this end, the gods pro- machine, after having taught these to black death, and influenza all exact a
claim the Balance and slow the Chaos to the gnomoi. They do not meet his ex- devastating toll upon a population
make Order. In doing so, they divide into pectations and so he curses them, that has never developed a strong im-
Good, Evil, and Neutrality. transforming them into the minoi. (In munity to disease.
Ansalon, the minoi are the only
The Stars are Born: According to the gnomes known.) 21 Mislaxa’s Return: Priests of Mislaxa
gnomes, Reorx decided to begin the forg- (Mishakal) regain their powers on Tala-
ing of men. In the initial stages of shap- circa 3500 The Making of Grathanich:
ing, the sparks from the anvil and Reorx forges the Grathanich atop

5

GUIDE BOOK TO TALADAS

das. Mislaxa, unable to bear the torment ter of Taladas. There he works to re- heart of the fire minions’ lands, the
of the innocent of Taladas who suffer for lease more dragons and recruit the
the sins of Ansalon, secretly returns her strange creatures that live in this fiery attempt succeeds in terrifying the en-
power to those of her priests who have re- world. emy. At the same time, Erestem
mained faithful through Hiteh’s Night. 243 to 252 The Gnomoi War: The min- forces Hiteh to withdraw the dragons
Because her actions are in defiance of the ions of Hiteh attempt to seize the Cit- from the fight, fearing he will squan-
other gods, Mislaxa is forced to charge her adel of Aldinanachru, the for- der valuable resources. No formal
followers with the greatest secrecy. Her ward-most outpost of the Gnomoi peace is declared, but the fire minions
priests go underground, hiding their ex- Lands, as a first test of the infant curtail any major expeditions against
istence from all authorities. The Mystery Dragonarmies. This opens the Gno- the gnomes, although they continue
Cult of Mislaxa is begun. to conduct raids. The fire minions be-
210 Takhisis Returns: Entering through moi War between the dragons and come hostile to humans, remember-
fire-beings of Hitehkel and the gno- ing their part in the attack.
the Foundation Stone in Ansalon, 296 The Oath: The evil dragons brought
Takhisis (commonly known as the god moi. For the most part the war is a se- back into the world by Erestem call a
Erestem) journeys to Taladas to free ries of small skirmishes marked by Council of the Animal Lords, sum-
the evil dragons. She finds an open- intense sieges. The Maker Ergormac- moning the dragons to the Isle of
ing to their place of exile at the heart droniskar designs the first of the fire- Dragons. There they exact the Oath
of the Burning Sea. Released, the evil fleet, gnomish ships capable of of Neutrality from the good dragons.
dragons begin to explore the changed sailing across the seas of open lava. 315 to 317 The Usurpation: Erestem,
world of Krynn, slowly appearing The knowledge is spread from citadel having already noticed Hiteh’s activ-
throughout Taladas. Contact with the to citadel as the gnomes commence a ity, decides to annex it into her plans
dragons is infrequent however, as major construction program intended to dominate Krynn. Hiteh the Mer-
Takhisis does not care to have their to end the war. chant works out a deal with Erestem
presence known just yet. 255 Storming the Tower of Flame: Their whereby Erestem speaks through
232 Hiteh Appears in Taladas: Follow- fleet assembled, the gnomoi recruit him. In the end however, Erestem
ing the lead of Erestem (Takhisis), Hi- usurps his position, assembling her
teh (Hiddukel) appears and extends human mercenaries and sail them to own horde of the fire minions. Hiteh,
his influence into the lava-filled cen- the Tower of Flame at the center of
the Burning Sea. Although they fail
to capture the Tower, which is the

6

GUIDE BOOK TO TALADAS

enraged at being outsmarted, retreats to PRE-CATACLYSM TALADAS POST-CATACLYSM TALADAS
the Void.
Stretching from the cold north to the No one knows for certain the precise
THE AGE OF DRAGONS warmer climes of the equator, Taladas was details of the Cataclysm night, for these
once a single continent surrounded by are hidden in the secret thoughts of the
330 Dragons Disappear from Taladas: In concentric rings of outlying islands. Al- gods. Whether Krynn swept through an
preparation for the attack on Ansa- though a single landmass, the continent asteroid field (as the more scientific-
lon, evil dragons are sighted leaving was formed by a series of plates. Several minded gnomes believe), sparks from
Taladas in mass flights. However, ranges of mountains rose, beginning in Reorx’s forge struck the earth (a dwarven
some of their kind refuse to obey Eres- the west central region and arcing to the belief), or the Evil God Erestem (Takhisis)
tem, preferring their lives here. These northeast and southeast. Farther north- fashioned a great stone and hurled it at
creatures become known as the west, beyond the ranges, lay the Ice Des- Krynn (as the horsemen of the Tamire
othlorx (the Uninvolved), the first erts, a cold and bitter land separated from maintain) is not important. During that
dragons of neutrality. Erestem curses the mountains by a band of pine forest night, Ansalon was struck by a series of
the othlorx. and steppe known as the Tamire. From large meteorites (or mountains), causing
the shore of the Ice Deserts, travelers the widespread destruction that created
345 Good Dragons Arrive: The first of could see large packs of ice drifting south-
the good dragons are sighted over Ta- ward. the Ansalon of today.
ladas. Although prevented by the The Cataclysm came to Taladas with
Oath from becoming involved in the The eastern coast of Taladas was rag-
War of the Lance on Ansalon, noth- gedly split by an arm of the Urdile Ocean, one significant change: Instead of a series
ing prevents the good dragons from creating a large sea, variously known as of small strikes, the continent was struck
searching for their eggs. The search the Taladan or Indanalis Sea. To the south by a single, massive blow. Why this did
carries them throughout the lands of of the Indanalis, a low mountain range not shatter Krynn completely can only be
Taladas. ran the length of the coast of the penin- surmised. Quite possibly this did not oc-
sula. On the other side of the range were cur since the gods sought only to punish
352 Good Dragons Depart: News of the the jungles of Neron. and not utterly destroy.
secret of the draconians is carried to
the good dragons searching Taladas. The winds sweeping off the Southern And punish they did. The blow struck
Freed from their Oath, most fly off to Ocean normally stalled along the slopes the center of the continental group that
the west to avenge their children. of the Neron Mountains, depositing their forms Taladas, in a region of open plain
However, some refuse the call, prefer- rains on the southern slopes. Although just east of the great mountain chains.
ring to remain in Taladas. These drag- the storms occasionally swept over the The impact was tremendous. The conti-
ons become neutral and are shunned rounded peaks, most of the northern nent tore apart along the tectonic plates.
by the good dragons, who view them slope was hot, rugged, and dry, though it New faults appeared, spreading both ra-
with contempt and hatred. Outcast was far from a desert. At the far end of dially and concentrically out from the
by both forces, the refusers find the peninsula the mountains tapered out point of impact. The mountain ranges to
themselves identified with the and the land became a swampy delta. the west, already geologically unstable,
othlorx, although the good dragons roused once more into volcanic fury.
refer to them as the Oath-bound. North of the Indanalis Sea were the Earthquakes and eruptions shook the
rich forests of Aurim. The land here was land.
THE GEOGRAPHY OF mostly rolling hills mixed with open
plains. Watered by the warm breezes off One major fault split through the
TALADAS the Indanalis Sea, the forests, primarily ranges and reached the western ocean.
of hardwoods with some pines, were Water from that ocean flooded into the
The landscape of Taladas is highly unu- filled with game. The plains were noted breach reaching all the way to the Indana-
sual, a result of the force of the Cata- for their good farmland. Indeed even the lis Sea. At the same time, new activity
clysm. Prior to it, Taladas, Ansalon, and Urdile Ocean off the coast of Aurim was drove up unseen lands across the mouth
all of Krynn were ordinary places, at least famous for its fine fishing banks. It was of that sea, cutting it off from the Urdile
geologically. The land masses were stable here, among all the riches of the earth, Ocean. The western end of the Neron pe-
and relatively unexceptional. All of that that the first strong kingdoms of Taladas ninsula was likewise shattered, the oceans
was drastically changed overnight. To un- formed, assembling the nomad tribes there also flooding into the newly-shaped
derstand how Taladas has become what it into settled and strong governments. Indanalis Sea. Taladas all but disappeared
is, one must know what Taladas once was in an explosive burst of volcano-heated
and what happened to it in the Cataclysm But all this changed with Hiteh’s steam.
that wracked all of Krynn. Night.
With the impact, the rich land of
northeast was shattered by newly-formed
fissures. The rolling hills split and rose

7

GUIDE BOOK TO TALADAS

into mountains, while the tectonic plates Arctic winds give most of the desert a layer that support the cities of the League,
of the plains tilted and sank, combining of permafrost. During the winters, sting- while to the south are the forests of
with the easterly remains of the Indanalis ing blasts of snow and ice rip across the Thenol. Temperate along their upper
Sea, while sulphur-filled rain clouds open ground. Only a few mosses and low- reaches, Thenol’s forests gradually be-
swept eastward on the prevailing winds, growing plants survive in this region of come subtropical near Thunderbreach
all to create the Storm Sea. Farther be- bitter cold and little water. Feeding on Strait.
yond it, the grey rains soaked the remain- these are small herds of nasif a type of car-
ing northern woodlands, creating the ibou tended by the nomads of the desert. The inner arc of Southern Hosk has
Black Forests. The incipient kingdoms of risen into a massive block of jagged
Aurim were shattered and destroyed. Along the inner edge of Northern mountains. Towering over the Indanalis
Hosk are the Ring Mountains. Part an- Sea, these mountains, known as the
The Taladas that has emerged from the cient range, part detritus of the Cata- Steamwall, force back the rising steam
darkness of Hiteh’s Night is very different clysm, the Ring Mountains run the and gasses from the Indanalis (or Sea of
from the single land that it once was. The length of Northern Hosk. In the south, Poison) and Hitehkel, protecting the
continent has divided along several dif- the outer slopes receive the bulk of the land to the west from these noxious
ferent fault lines, forming several distinct rains off the Western Ocean, making the clouds.
regions. mountain valleys lush and temperate year
round. Farther north, the land becomes Westerly winds, sweeping over the
The western part of Taladas, though es- drier and colder. That part of the range
caping the massive destruction of the edging the Panak Desert is often snow- peaks and through the Tiderun Gap,
bound for months. Only the warming push the rain-laden clouds east over
east, was split by a fault running east to currents from Hitehkel prevent these Neron and Aurim, there to drop their
west, dividing the land into two sections. peaks from permanent glaciation. poisonous rains. The Steamwall Moun-
These are known as Northern and South- tains are dead and barren, their ground
ern Hosk. The southeastern section of Ta- On the inner side of the mountains, sharp and coated in pasty acidic ash. Only
ladas, although much changed, is still a few incredibly hardy plants manage to
known as Neron. The northeast, once the vales and snows give way to the Shin- grow here.
called Aurim, is now the land of the ing Lands. This is a region of glassified
Storm Sea and, farther out, the Rainward lava flows, polished by the deadly razor The Steamwall ends at Thunderbreach
Isles. Parts of the western shore of the storms that sweep down out of the moun- Strait, the southern opening to the In-
Storm Sea, where habitable, are remem- tains into the boiling cauldron of Hi- danalis Sea. Here, ground faults opened
tehkel. precipitously, like a massive dam break-
bered by the old name of Aurim, while
the central eastern area is called the Black Separating Northern and Southern ing during the early years of Hiteh’s
Forests. At the very center of the conti- Hosk is the Tiderun, the fault opened to Night. The homes and lands that were
nent is a new land, Hitehkel, the open the Western Sea. Although most of the not destroyed by the initial impact and
subsidence was fairly slight (except where the subsequent eruptions were merci-
wound of Krynn. the mountains were split), it was suffi- lessly swept away by the pouring flood of
Northern Hosk is the largest land area cient to drop the channel below sea-level the Windless Ocean. The narrowest point
in most places. The flow of the run is gov- of the strait is still the site of underwater
of the new Taladas. It encompasses most erned by the tides of the Western Ocean. volcanic activity.
of the lands north and northwest of Hi- During the highest tides, the water
tehkel. Northern Hosk is divided into rushes freely into the new Indanalis Sea. In the waters of the strait outside the
three main regions—the Tamire, the During periods of low tide, the run re- Thunderbreach are a series of islands
Panak Desert, and the Ring Mountains. cedes, its banks shrinking. At the moun- known as the Fisheries. The largest of
these islands is Syldar. The warm waters
Filling the coastal plain, the Tamire is a tain gap, the Tiderun withdraws of the southern ocean combine with the
completely, leaving a muddy flat that can shallow shelf of the strait to create an area
broad expanse of open steppe, dotted rich in plankton. Corals abound, slowly
with occasional woodlands and a few low be crossed. building reefs and atolls around which
mountain ridges. The land is dry, as the Below the Tiderun lies Southern Hosk,
westerly winds sweep most of the rain- strange currents rush. Huge schools of
laden clouds quickly over the Tamire. The the second-largest land area of Taladas tropical fish make the strait a fisherman’s
low mountain ranges force some rains to and the most populated. Along the outer paradise, provided he can navigate the
fall, making them islands of green forests arc of the land are important fishing treacherous waters.
in the midst of the open ground. Most of banks of Hoor, just outside the Bay of Ar-
the Tamire is covered in tall, dry grasses. mach. Armach itself is nestled at the Some of the winds that blow east out of
The roots of these form a near- southern end of the New Mountains, a se- the Indanalis Sea turn to the southeast
impenetrable mat, making the land suit- ries of concentric ranges raised during Hi- and mingle with the tropical storms that
able for little but grazing. teh’s Night. These mountains are dotted come off the Windless Sea. These south-
with volcanoes, hot springs, and other ern rains thin and dissipate the poisons
Along its northern edge, the Tamire signs of geothermal activity. North of the carried from Hitehkel, lessening their
gradually gives way to the Panak Desert. New Mountains are the rich farmlands deadly effect on Neron. The abundant
This is a stony, rock-pan desert broken by rains, hot temperatures, and even per-
weirdly eroded badlands and dry washes.

8

GUIDE BOOK TO TALADAS

haps the exotic nutrients from the ash weather (another gift from Hitehkel) are of sweltering rain. All exposed goods be-
have made the ancient jungles of Neron thought too dangerous to risk, especially come crusted with strange minerals and
even darker and thicker. Strange creatures since the water has poisoned all but the infested with mildewy rot. Metals tarnish
and wild tribes live in the hidden recesses most fearsome of sea creatures. overnight. Leather molds. Cloth becomes
of the forests, where they are rumored to stiff, then brittle. Food takes on the
be locked in perpetual wars with each Thrusting out from Aurim is a newly- stench of sulphur.
other. formed peninsula that appeared when
the lands beneath the Storm Sea sank. Just beyond the Sea of Poison are the
As the Neron peninsula extends out, Here the land is far enough from Hi- Spires, cloaked in steam from the boiling
the low range of mountains that rises in tehkel to support plants and life, yet close lava that runs down their slopes and into
the center gradually tapers away, becom- enough to be twisted and warped by the the ocean. The Spires are the most active
ing first thickly forested hills and finally strange gasses that blow ashore. This has volcanoes of all Taladas, an entire range
disappearing into a lowland area of created the Black Forests, expanses of belching ash, fumes, magma, and lava
swamp known as the Reed Delta. Fed by warped woods draped with gray-green flows. Yet even here there is life, for the
the heavy rains and sunken somewhat in mosses. The woods are filled with dark gnomes have found themselves havens of
the Cataclysm, the Reed Delta is a mix- creatures, long cut off from all others by safety amid all the chaos.
ture of freshwater cane grass and saltwater the wasteland of Aurim. Occasionally in-
mangrove swamp. The delta has gradu- habitants roam down the coast into At the very heart of Hitehkel is Hiteh’s
ally expanded over the years, slowly de- Neron and similar creatures can be found Realm. This is the land storytellers iden-
positing the ash-laden silt washed down in the darkest parts of both areas. tify as Hell, the Abyss brought into the
from the mountains. world. It is the open wound of Krynn.
To the northeast of the main continent The outer ring is a cooling crust of lava—
Beyond the Reed Delta is the island of are the last remnants of Aurim, now thick here, thin there, shifting and crack-
Baltch. Split asunder from the peninsula called the Rainward Isles. Consisting of ing, treacherous to cross. It is like a moor,
during the Cataclysm, the people of one main island and a number of seaward solid in some spots, quicksand in others,
Baltch have isolated themselves from out- banks, the Rainward Isles earn their name where a misstep leads to a fiery doom.
side contact. Their island is low, barely from the near-perpetual rains and grey The air reeks with poisonous gasses and
above sea level. Dikes and levees protect skies of that land. Here the warm, sweltering heat.
the islanders from the fierce storms that moisture-laden winds from Hitehkel
threaten to wash their land away. meet cooler sea breezes, resulting in fre- Worse still is the very center—the
quent showers over the land. Although Great Burning Sea. Here the earth
The northern edge of Neron is sepa- most of the pollutants have dropped bleeds, constantly churning forth fresh
rated from Aurim by a low range of away by the time the winds reach the magma before the surface has a chance to
mountains. Once they formed the back- isles, black, tarry rains do fall from time
bone of the peninsula, but since the Cat- to time. Though warm at the outset, the cool. It is an ocean of melted rock, un-
rains quickly become clammy and bone- crossable by all but the most extraordi-
aclysm they have pulled away to the chilling, making the Rainward Isles a nary means. The atmosphere here is pure
north, creating Udras Bay. The moun- gray, damp, and cold place. poison and the temperature is high
tains keep most of the poisonous winds of enough to scorch a man in a matter of
Hitehkel north of Neron with only a por- Finally, at the center of all is Hitehkel. minutes. Few, save the gnomes, have ever
tion blowing through the Thunderbreach Once this had been the land of Aurim ventured here, for it can only be com-
Strait. and the Indanalis Sea, but the great strike pared to standing in the heart of a vol-
of the Cataclysm changed all that. It is cano.
North of the mountains is the land of
Aurim. Once this was a rich and fertile now a like a great festering sore in the
plain. Now it is a dead wasteland. Shat- center of Taladas.
tered by the Cataclysm, Aurim lies di-
rectly in the path of the killing gasses and Between the Steamwall Mountains and
choking ash spewed out from Hitehkel. Hitehkel proper lies the new Indanalis
The land is gray and dust-covered. Trees
are withered and petrified by the strange Sea or, as it is also known, the Sea of Poi-
fumes that rise from the center of the son. Trapped between two massive
earth. Only the hardiest, most perverse, mountain ranges and kept seething and
and foulest creatures live among the dead boiling by ever-fresh flows of lava, the
ruins of Aurim. Sea of Poison is rich in deadly salts and
brines. Only the oddest and most deadly
Lapping at the shores of Aurim is creatures can survive in its foul waters.
what’s left of the old Indanalis Sea.
Noted for its freakish weather and sting- The waters here quickly crumble wood
ing, chemical-laden water, this is now and etch metal, which makes sailing this
known as the Storm Sea. Little traffic sea an adventure few care to risk. The sun
plies its waves, for its abrupt shifts in is blotted out by the constant clouds of
sulphurous steam and the dreary drizzles

9



NORTHERN HOSK

NORTHERN HOSK within the range are the Shining Lands, The northern and southern ranges are
expanses of smooth glassified basalt called, in the Uigan tongue, Uesi Ilquar
Northern Hosk scoured and polished by deadly winds of (Big Ilquar) and Burya Ilquar (Little Il-
razor-sharp sands. quar) respectively. Running between
“The sunlight guides our paths them is a broad gap known as the Tamo-
To the tents of our mothers. THE TAMIRE giur (Land for Passing Through). This
gap has played a role as a major boundary
The grass guides our paths The Tamire (which means “Fair Land” and parley site between different tribes of
To the tents of our fathers. in the tongue of the Uigan) is a gently the Tamire throughout history.
rolling plain dotted with low-rising
The water guides our path mountain ranges and scattered areas of Because they receive more water than
To the tents of our sisters. dense woodland thickets. The majority of the surrounding plains, the Ilquar Moun-
the land, however, is covered by tall-grass tains are thickly covered in forests of mixed
The deer guides our path prairie and thorny scrub. pine and hardwoods, although the hearts
To the tents of our brothers. of the ranges rise above the tree line. These
Although it covers a broad area of North- forests provide the people of the Tamire
Our liver guides our path ern Hosk, weather conditions are fairly uni- with most of their wood for carving and
To the tents of our cousins.” form throughout the Tamire. The seasonal cart- building. Musk deer, foxes, boars,
—Traditional Uigan greeting variations are extreme. The average sum- martens, bears, and sables lair in the
mer temperature is in the mid 80s to low wooded slopes along with packs of hunt-
Northern Hosk is the largest of all the 90s while the winter average is 5 to 10° ing spiders and goblin tribes. The forests
lands of Taladas and has the second- Fahrenheit. Extremes of 100° + to -30° can are filled with woodland birds and small
largest population. It is a land of geologi- occur. The farther north one travels mammals—mice, shrews, squirrels, rab-
cal wonders set in harsh surroundings. through the Tamire, the lower the average bits, and chipmunks, making the forest
Fabled and little known to the lands of temperatures become. Furthermore, in the rich for hunting. The trees also provide a
the south, it has been the homeland of northern regions the temperature drops at winter haven for many of the animals of
innumerable nomadic tribes that are con- night and rises during the day quite the steppe, particularly antelope, horses,
stantly melding, splitting, conquering, quickly, making for scorching, dry days fol- and the rare steppe tiger, all seeking the
and raiding one another. These people lowed by freezing nights. Rains are shelter of the wooded lower slopes.
have learned to eke out an existence in infrequent—the average rainfall is a little
the harshest conditions from the dusty over a foot a year. During the winter the On the steppes dwell herds of ante-
steppes of the south to the icy wastes of ground is normally covered with a thin lope, wild horses, and camels (to the
the far north. crust of snow and ferocious blizzards some- north), all of which live off the tough-
times roar over the open land. stemmed grasses and winter, mosses of the
Northern Hosk consists of three princi- plain. These animals are preyed upon by
pal areas. The largest and most settled is The Tamire rests atop a solid granite ankhegs, bulettes, wild dogs, and wolves
the Tamire, an expanse of steppe reaching shield that was pushed up somewhat dur- that follow the herds as they migrate
from the Tiderun to the midpoint of the ing the Cataclysm. Thus the shoreline across the steppes. Less frequently met
continent. This land is known for its along most of its length is cliff-like and are the scarce steppe tigers. Once these
fierce riders, both human and elven. jagged, with few good harbors or landing roamed widely over the Tamire. Now they
Along its southern coast, near the mouth points. The shore does taper off to the are only found in the region of the Ilquar
of the Tiderun, are several trading cities, south, giving way to broad, open beaches Mountains. Around these mountains,
nominal members of the Southern at the mouth of the Tiderun. too, are the prized falcons, sought after
League. by chieftains and kings. These birds prey
The shield has been thrust up through on the rabbits, mice, ground squirrels,
The other major region is the Panak the surrounding plain to create two low and game hens that dwell in the grass-
Desert. Only a few tribes live in this fro- mountain ranges down the center of the land.
zen waste, tending herds of nasif and Tamire. The northern end of these ranges
fishing in the icy waters of the marks the edge of the Tamire proper. True is the old Uigan saying that states,
Guurlamskas, the Northern Sea. Though low and rounded, both ranges “Only the witless bowman starves,” refer-
are dotted with numerous outcroppings ring to the riches of their land. The
Isolating Tamire from the rest of Tala- of granite, fissured and split with age. Uigan have indeed fared well in a land
das are the Tiderun and the Ring Moun- Their height above the rest of the plateau many others would find too harsh, but
tains. The former is only a minor forces more rain to fall on their slopes and they are not the only tribe that lives in the
obstacle, except for those foolish enough also serves to break the fury of the winter Tamire. Many nomadic and semi-
not to mind the ebb and flow of the tides. storms blown in from the ocean. nomadic bands of humans and elves have
The latter is much more formidable and long been a part of life in the Tamire.
harbors both riches and dangers. Within
its folds and ridges are goblin tribes and
the fabled Howling Demons. Deep

11

NORTHERN HOSK

Among the human tribes, the Uigan is tively new, as the oldest (Rudil) was ing them from effective action against
currently the largest and most powerful founded only 123 years ago. Rudil has their neighbors. Only the elves’ berserk
force on the steppes. Other human tribes prospered but not grown, its size re- intensity as warriors has prevented the
include the Kazar, Pureshk, Purgi, and stricted by the treaty negotiated with the Uigan and the Kazar from encroaching
Alan-atu. There are also many smaller Uigan in the early years of its founding. deeply into their lands.
clans that are not yet accorded the status Still, it is the largest of the three cities,
of true tribes. Although these tribes bear the other two being trading outposts that THE UIGAN
many superficial similarities, each have arisen to accommodate the increas-
proudly considers itself quite different ing flow of trade between the League and The Uigan people are a short, slender
from the others. It is a grievous insult to Northern Hosk. race. Skin tones range from a pale, weath-
knowingly misname a man’s tribe. ered brown to yellow-white. The head is
Currently, the Uigan are the dominant somewhat narrow and long. Unlike their
Fewer in number but perhaps more power on the steppes. Their tribe numbers Kazar cousins, Uigan heads are not de-
tightly organized and ferocious are the Elf approximately 60,000 to 70,000 people, formed or shaped during childhood. Eyes
Clans, the hosk’i imou merkitsa or “peo- divided between 130 different family are dark with the characteristic epicanthic
ple of the land before [the Cataclysm] .” clans. However, sheer numbers alone fold. The nose is somewhat flattened and
Claiming a birthright to Hosk far older would not be enough to make the Uigan the cheekbones are usually high and
than that of the humans, the elves have formidable. At other times, the total prominent. The chin is sharp and strong.
maintained their barbaric lifestyle for cen- membership in the tribe has been much Most Uigans have coarse black or dark red
turies. Although normally preferring to greater. The Uigan have been successful hair. Light brown or blond hair is virtually
attack their ancestral enemies the goblins, because they have a strong leader, Yakinf unknown. (When it does occur it is nor-
the elves are not above raiding human Boyla (Boyla being the chieftain’s title), mally the result of marriages outside the
tribes or even other elven clans, should the who has kept the family clans unified. Uigan/Kazar group.) Men have fine-
opportunity present itself. textured facial hair; carefully groomed
The Uigan dominate the steppes be- beards and mustaches are not uncommon.
Although they consider themselves to tween the ocean and the Ilquar Moun-
all be of one tribe, tracing their lineage tains and patrol the Tamogiur, thus Aside from these biological characteris-
back to a common family, the elves are ef- effectively controlling the majority of tics, Uigan appearance is quite distinc-
fectively divided into tribal clans. Each trade throughout the Tamire. tive. An Uigan male, upon coming of
clan has a separate totem, a quoyai or age, has blue-black tattoos applied to his
“spirit-protector,” that can be called upon Loosely allied to the Uigan are the cheekbones and forehead. The pattern of
in times of great danger to the clan. Totem Purgi and Pureshk tribes, smallest of the the tattoo varies according to family; the
clans include the Tiger, Bear, Fox, Horse, remaining human tribes. The Kazar live size and number of the tattoos give a gen-
Snake, and Falcon. All the elf clans are ex- in the far northern end of the Tamire eral indication of the prowess and rank of
ceptionally skilled in the handling of the along both sides of Uesi Ilquar. They mi- the wearer.
horse and bow, surpassing even the best grate to the southwestern end of the
horsemen of the human tribes. Panak Desert during the short summer Fighting men shave their heads, except
season and then return to their tradi- for a single lock on the left side. This lock
Between the humans and the elves are tional winter grounds in the northern Il- is braided and bound with a silver clasp.
the Goblin Villages. Long hunted by the quars at the beginning of the fall. The Priests shave their heads completely.
elves and persecuted by the humans, the Kazar are fierce warriors, skirmishing fre- Other men (wizards and slaves) wear their
goblins have formed a loose collection of quently with the Uigan, Elf Clans, and hair long. Slaves are not allowed to bind
family- based villages in the Ilquar Moun- the Ice People of the Panak, but their their hair in any manner, while wizards
tains. Located on the peaks overlooking numbers are small; the entire tribe con- commonly fix theirs into long braids.
the trade routes, each village is little more tains perhaps 30,000 people. Uigan women allow their hair to grow
than a mud-brick and stone fortress. long and then draw it up on top of the
Around these the goblins hunt, grow a The Alan-atu are a mountain people, head, fastening it with gold and silver
few meager crops, and raid their human raising herds in the green valleys of the Il- bands and covering the top with a small
and elven neighbors. Centuries of coex- quars. Their concerns are much more cap. Before a woman is married, this cap
istence have taught them not to molest with the Goblin Villages and raiding is commonly white (which is considered
the caravans that move along the trade Uigan horsemen than with seldom- an auspicious color). After marriage the
routes and sometimes they will even rally encountered elven raiders. cap worn is normally red or blue, depend-
to the defense of a favored merchant. ing on the particular family custom! No
On the inland side of the Ilquar special provisions are made to distinguish
Finally, along the coast near the mouth ranges, the Tamire is dominated by the children of either sex.
of the Tiderun are Rudil, Milgath, and Elf Clans. Altogether, the clans have a
Barask—the New Cities of the League of population of about 50,000. However
Minotaurs. These three cities are rela- the elves are much divided by long-
standing intra-tribal feuds, thus prevent-

12

NORTHERN HOSK

Clothing is normally made from leath- dering up and down the length of the noted as leather workers, hides being one
ers or felts of wool, horse, or camel hair. Tamire during the course of a year. They of the few natural resources they have on
Silks, bought from the League traders, do not have fixed dwellings but live in hand.
are worn for special occasions. Traditional tents (called yurts) made of thick felt and
men’s colors are blue, brown, and yellow, leather. The yurt is stretched over a light Uigan Society
while women tend to blue and red. A wicker frame. The dirt floor is covered
man’s costume normally consists of loose- with a thick layer of carpets and cushions. The Uigan tribe is composed of about
fitting pantaloons, a woolen tunic that During good weather cooking is done 130 different family clans. Each family
reaches to the knees, and a vest. Hard- outdoors; fires are brought indoors dur- clan, averaging about 480 members,
soled, soft leather boots with slightly up- ing periods of rain or extreme cold. comprises several distinct family groups
turned toes are worn to protect against all related by blood or marriage. Each
the cutting edges of the tall grass. In It is said by others that the Uigan will family occupies a yurt or tent. In addition
colder weather, fur-lined robes and mit- eat anything. Certainly it is known that to family members, a tent may also have a
tens are added. Finally, no Uigan rider they dine on the flesh of sheep, horses, number of bond servants or slaves associ-
would be complete without his distinc- camels, antelope, deer, dogs, and even ated with it.
tive pointed cap. This is normally made mice in times of desperation. A favored
of felt and lined with fur, extending feast item is a “twice-suckled lamb,” con- The leadership of a tent is divided be-
down into a huge neck-piece and ear- sidered to be more tender and fortifying tween internal and external functions.
flaps. In winter a heavy leather and fur than normal meat. Their principal drink
version is worn. is mare’s milk and it forms a regular part The managing of the household, in-
of their diet. They drink it straight, make cluding the maintenance of the herds and
Uigan women wear the same boots and it into yogurt, press it into curds, and responsibility for foaling, is directed by
a longer, dress-like version of the man’s even let it ferment into a strong drink the First Wife. Normally, the First Wife is
tunic. In place of the pointed cap, they called kumiss. When on the march or on the first one taken by the head of the
wrap their heads in heavy wool cowls, the campaign, they eat strips of dried meat household. However, he can name an-
tops of their hairpieces thrusting out softened under the saddle, curds of dried other favored wife, if he chooses. Since
through the back. Children wear simple mare’s milk, and a porridge of millet, the oldest son of First Wife is automati-
long robes and use a softer slipper for the mare’s milk, and animal blood. What cally considered the heir, there is often
feet. All Uigan—male and female, few vegetables they eat are normally fierce rivalry among the wives for the af-
youngest to eldest—carry a knife, called gathered from the wild and they eat vir- fections of the head of the family. The ex-
an “arrow-knife.” To give up one’s arrow- tually no fruit, except for berries when ternal matters (negotiating with other
knife is the equivalent of surrender. these are in season. tents, arranging marriages, and attend-
ing clan councils) are handled by the
In wartime, each warrior outfits him- Agriculture is not an Uigan forte. They head of the household, who has the high-
self as best he can. The majority are depend on the herds of horses, sheep, est standing within the tent. The head is
lightly-armored mounted bowmen. A and camels for most of their food and the oldest male of the direct branch (usu-
standard kit would include robe-like ar- clothing needs. In addition, these ani- ally the father or grandfather). If he is
mor of padded leather and quilted cloth, mals are their main item of trade with the dead, then the title falls to his brother or
two compound short bows, 400 arrows, a League merchants. Uigan horses, like all his oldest son (if of age).
hand-axe, and two light lances. those of the Tamire, are noted for their
toughness and are valued throughout the The family clan is ruled by a tegin or
Nobles and wealthy tents provide the cities of the league. In exchange for live- prince, drawn from the founding tent of
heavy cavalry—riders fitted with splint ar- stock, leather, and felt, they receive fin- the clan. This tent forms the noble class
mor, medium lance, compound short bow ished goods, such as silk and brassware of the clan. Thus, within a family clan
and arrows, and long sword, while the along with millet and rice. there is a nobility traced from the founder
horse has splint barding. In addition each of the clan through the eldest male son
man will normally have a number of other Like other steppe tribes, the Uigan are (or brother when there are no surviving
personal weapons—daggers, maces, and noted as riders and bowmen. Their sharp sons) and several cadet branches (the chil-
battle axes being most common. eyesight is legendary, as is their skill in dren of daughters, brothers, and a few
fieldcraft. Throughout the Tamire and sons). Over the years some clans die out
There is no standard uniform, al- even in the lands beyond it, the Uigan are (as there are no male offspring), while
though those of a particular family may valued as guides and trackers. Their no- others grow to the point where they di-
adopt some identifying piece of dress. madic life has given them an exceptional vide to form two related clans. It can
Furthermore, each man wears as fine ability to remember places and shapes. fairly be said that all the clans of the
clothing and armor as he can afford. Sa- They have even mastered the rudiments of Uigan are related to each other to one de-
ble, marten, and tiger skins or horsetail stellar navigation although few, if any, gree or another.
plumes are all used for decorations. have any experience on the sea. They are
Once every year, the tegin gather to
The Uigan are a nomadic people, wan-

13

NORTHERN HOSK

elect a boyla (great prince or duke). At the ther many heads of his enemies. His The importance of tegin within the
council, the tegin of the four boyla fami- enemies are our enemies. When you visit tribe can also vary according to a number
lies (the families that claim a direct blood- my door your bow may be strung.” of factors. Foremost of the tegin are those
line to the first family of the tribe) offer of the boyla families. Second are those te-
themselves or others as possible candi- Upon arriving at the camp of his in- gin who lead the largest families, for they
dates. Although the system is ostensibly laws, the bride’s father greets him saying, have the authority and wealth to make
democratic, it has none of the legal limita- “Found is my son, bought with my their wishes known. Then come the ma-
tions of more civilized governments. Lob- blood! May you sire many daughters to jority of tegin, of moderate wealth or
bying, threats, bribery, duels, and even bring us honor among the clans. May you poor, neither powerful or shunned. Fi-
murder are all part of the process. Of sire many sons to bring us the heads of nally the least important, but most dan-
course, violence will result in feuds and our enemies. When you sleep in my tent gerous, are those tegin who oppose the
the possible break-up of the tribe. As the your bow may be strung.” From that day current boyla. This opposition may be
field is narrowed to a few candidates, the forth the groom’s father-in-law is consid- due to ancestral feuds or to stubborn and
tegin show their support by placing their ered his father (and he becomes the heir foolish opposition to the boyla, particu-
yurts closest to the candidates they favor. of his new father, fitting into the family larly during the election council.
Often this also results in the tribe dividing heirarchy as a son in the birth position
into feuding factions. It has even led to the that his wife occupied), while his natural Uigan Priests
creation of separate warring tribes. On rare mother continues to be legally considered
occasions (such as now under the rule of his mother. Thus, he has one parent in The priests of the Uigan occupy a
Yakinf Boyla) the tribe is unified behind a each camp. unique and troubling position. Before
single strong leader. the advent of the Cataclysm their powers
Within the tribe there are several rec- made them respected and important.
Uigan society is a curious mix of patri- ognized levels of society. At the lowest With the Flight of the Gods, the priests
archal and matriarchal attitudes. Men level are the bond servants and slaves. discovered themselves stripped of the
and women are considered to have equal Above these are the common tribesmen. open displays of their authority. Denied
rights. Either can divorce the other with The clan nobility forms the next social their spells and their powers, they were
very little effort, although wrongful di- class, while the priests (and priestesses) unable to heal the injured, cure the sick,
vorce can bring shame to both parties in- are generally considered to be even more or stem the raging epidemics of new dis-
volved and may even erupt into feuds. important. At the highest levels of society ease. Feeling betrayed by its priests, the
Property is considered to be under the are the nobles of the boyla’s council and tribe lost much of its respect for them.
husband’s jurisdiction while he is alive, the boyla himself. Outside of the tribe
but upon death his widow is allowed to and yet still a part of it are the wizards The priesthoods reacted to this disaster
reclaim her wedding gifts before the in- and the mysterious priests of Mislaxa. in two ways. The foremost group was the
heritance is passed on. Surnames are not priestesses of Jijin (Chislev), the great
used by the Uigan (each person having a Bond servants, tribesmen who are goddess of the Tamire. Before, their
single name), but family names are taken working off their debts or the obligations powers had helped protect the herds, aid
from the mother of the clan. Thus a of their families, are of the lowest social in the birthing, and ensure good hunt-
man’s full name might be Mercho of the level. Slaves are normally prisoners taken ing. When they were suddenly deprived
Taraqua Clan, Taraqua being the name of in raids. Although all are forced to wear of their spells, the priestesses were flung
his father’s mother. the cangue (a heavy wooden wheel- into chaos.
shaped yoke) except when working, the
There are two Uigan blessings given at status accorded the prisoner varies with Although many lost faith, those who
weddings that best describe the basic his rank. Thus, common tribesmen re- remained continued to perform the cere-
Uigan view of this relationship. After the ceive no special considerations while monies as they had before Hiteh’s Night.
two families have secretly negotiated the those of noble blood receive significantly Where possible, they took credit for nat-
marriage of their children, after the better treatment. Important prisoners are ural events, citing their works as success in
groom has performed the “yaquadin” or moved to different family tents on a regu- stemming the tide of evil and disaster.
ritual kidnapping of the bride, and after lar basis, both to spread out the burden of Every child who recovered from plague
the blood-gifts have been exchanged be- watching the prisoner and to keep the was saved by Jijin. Every wound healed in
tween the two families, the new son-in- prisoner from affecting the loyalties of his secret by a Mislaxan priest was a public in-
law returns to live with his in-laws. At the warders. tervention by Jijin. Over the decades,
leave-taking from his parents, the father new ceremonies were created until the
solemnly stands (after drinking quanti- The common tribesmen, who comprise priesthood of Jijin had formulated a
ties of fermented mare’s milk) and says, the majority of the people, are theoreti- whole series of rites, offerings, ceremo-
“I cast you out. You are the son of your fa- cally all equal in standing. In truth, a nies, and procedures that must be fol-
ther no more. May you bring your new fa- tribesman’s importance varies with his lowed.
wealth, personality, and blood relation to
the tegin of the clan.

14

NORTHERN HOSK

Central to the Jijin priesthood is the uals, and cunning, the Jijin priesthood reason for the event, but currently no an-
horse. Jijin priestesses can easily be iden- has regained much of its lost status. The swer can be given that satisfies the leaders
tified by their white robes and their caps priestesses now commonly serve as advi- of the priesthood.
adorned with black horsetail plumes. sors to all the tegin. Furthermore, their
knowledge and training has made them The men of the tribe also maintain a
At the beginning of spring, an offering useful as ambassadors and negotiators be- special priesthood devoted to Qu’uan the
of burned horsehair is made to Jijin. On tween the different clans and even to Warrior (Kiri-Jolith). The priests and the
Midsummer Night the priesthood meets other tribes. A priestess may be called on followers are all male. Priests of Qu’uan
at sacred sites (generally barren hilltops) to negotiate a marriage, fix a blood-price can be identified by their heavily quilted
and prepares bonfires. The colts and foals to end a feud, or carry diplomatic mes- robes, done up in imitation of war armor,
are gathered to be named. Several adepts sages to the Kazar. They are indispensa- and metal caps. The priests do not have
blood each animal, giving it a pattern of ble to the tegin in dealing with the regular rites; they meet and use their
scars on the flank that identify the partic- League merchants, who have a reputation powers only when the situation requires it.
ular clan. Others anoint the animal with for trickery and deceit. Because of all
mare’s milk sprinkled from a horsehair these things, the priestesses are normally The priests of Qu’uan concern them-
whip. Finally, the leading priestess of the accorded an equal or even greater status selves with war and manhood. The most
group gives the horse a secret name, whis- than the average tegin. important ceremony they preside over is
pering this in its ear. During the cere- the “anda” or rite of passage into man-
mony, no men are allowed to attend the In the last few years a new event has hood. Taking place at age 14, a boy’s
rite. The women of the clan assist with sent the ranks of the priesthood into tur- anda is a major event. The father invites
the handling of the horses. moil. With little explanation, Jijin has re- guests from the other men of the en-
turned her powers to some of her campment and prepares a feast in his
During the foaling season, the priest- priestesses—the most faithful and dedi- son’s honor. The number and status of
esses assist in the birthing. The priestesses cated. This unprecedented sign of favor the guests is an important way of showing
also take the most promising children has created a schism of the priesthood the family’s social status, so normally no
and teach them the ancient histories and into two factions—those favored by Jijin effort is spared.
many of the arts that would have been and those not so fortunate. There have
lost otherwise. been several synods called to develop a At the ceremony, the boy is presented
to the priests by his father. The boy is ex-
Through persistence, education, rit- pected to recite the lineage of his family

15

NORTHERN HOSK

to the priests as proof of his worthiness. priests have been executed by the tegin of ther memorized or marked by secret
The priests then cast brass knucklebones their camp when unable to match the abil- signs. All paraphernalia associated with
to determine the omens of the boy’s fu- ities of rivals in other encampments. This the worship of Mislaxa is kept highly se-
ture. These omens are told to the assem- is causing a crisis of major proportions for cret, shown only at special ceremonies
bled guests and may result in great the family clans. that only the initiated can attend.
rejoicing or despair and gloom for the
family. After this, the priests take the boy The priests and priestesses of Mislaxa Charged with the need for secrecy, all
and smoke his body in a sacred fire of wil- have adapted to the new world of Taladas the priests of Mislaxa are wanderers, more
low wood and dung. They then apply his in an entirely different way. nomadic than the nomads they live
facial tattoo, the mark of manhood. Once among. They normally travel alone or
tattooed the boy is given a man’s name. When the disaster of the Cataclysm oc- with one or two other people, customarily
Thereafter he is considered a man of the curred, those of Mislaxa who remained or an herbalist helper, an acolyte, or both.
tribe and is invited to the feast as the survived attempted to continue with
guest of honor. their healing ways, relying on their scanty A Mislaxan priest renounces all con-
knowledge of herbs and medicine. In the nection to family and clan, adopting the
The other major function of the priests 20 years that they were abandoned by religion as his new home. Thus such
is to bless warriors before going into bat- their goddess, the priests learned many of priests are strangers among every clan
tle. This is a very simple process, but no the secrets of natural healing. Even they visit. Arriving in a strange village, a
man feels safe without the word of the though they had lost the greatest of their priest relies on the traditional hospitality
priest on the eve of a battle. Only reckless powers, their healing arts helped them of the Uigan and the customs that have
leaders go to war without having their remain respected and favored. When arisen among the people about their cult.
standards dipped in mingled milk and they regained their powers, they adjusted A stranger in brown robes is almost al-
blood of a mare. accordingly. ways treated with great respect by the clan
members.
Before the Cataclysm there were priests Just as is happening now with Jijin, not
of Qu’uan who were able to perform every priest of Mislaxa regained his The priests of Mislaxa do not preach to
great wonders, but those times have long abilities—only those who were faithful the masses. Indeed, they strive for ano-
passed. However, unlike the priestesses of and devout. Many who failed to pass this nymity, only revealing themselves when
Jijin, the priests of Qu’uan suffered little test left the calling, some bitter and some they must. Virtually nothing is done by
upheaval from the loss of their powers. relieved. Nonetheless, some remained to the priests to spread the beliefs of Mislaxa
continue in their herbal studies and to as- through words. Instead, they rely entirely
Although they lost their powers, the sist their empowered brothers and sisters. upon deeds. They are sworn to cure the
priests continued as before, claiming At the same time, the priests were com- sick, heal the wounded, and alleviate the
credit for victories, while blaming failure pelled by Mislaxa to cloak their new- pain of the suffering. At the same time,
on some act displeasing to Qu’uan. found powers in secrecy and double-talk. the demands of secrecy prevent them from
Eventually the Mislaxan priests formed a offering their services when they arrive.
The stories of priests from before the secret society and disappeared from the
Cataclysm became those of legendary war regular life of Taladas. Typically, when a priest arrives in an
heroes. Indeed they have been exagger- encampment, he is received with great re-
ated in the telling. Over the years she Eday, even though the true gods have spect by the tegin. If anyone in the camp
priests have developed a practice of ac- returned to Krynn, the priests of Mislaxa is sick or injured, the tegin offers the
cepting gifts for services, particularly for continue to work in secret. After over 200 priest the hospitality of his yurt, an invi-
the anda. The better the gifts given, the years, secrecy has become a part of their tation the priest refuses as too great an
greater the likelihood of a fortunate read- ritual that cannot be abandoned. Because honor. Normally the invitation is pressed
ing of the omens, the all-important part of this, Mislaxan priests and priestesses upon him until he accepts, although par-
of the anda. At the same time, the priests (for the cult makes no distinction by sex) ticularly miserly or mean tegin may take
generally take care not to abuse this wear no open symbols of their faith other him at his word. No mention is made of
power. The more positive readings they than a simple brown coat, often patched the priest’s abilities or the needs of the
and threadbare. The priests also use se- encampment at this time.
give, the more business they will have. cret hand-signs to identify themselves to
Like the other gods, Qu’uan has re- each other when necessary. These signs After the priest has sampled the hospi-
are generally not known to the common tality of the tent, he can be approached
turned his power to a select few of his Uigan, although they are sometimes re- by those in need of his services. The
faithful. This threatens to create a major vealed to others. tribesmen come to the door of the tegin’s
power shift among the families. Suddenly tent where they are allowed to entreat the
there are war priests with real powers. The Mislaxans have no altars, churches, or priest for his aid. Unless there are excep-
families who have these priests have man- other public symbols of power. Scattered tional reasons, the priest then attends to
aged to increase in power and prestige, all throughout the land are sites of power or the needs of the supplicants, using both
at the expense of those families served by importance to the religion. These are ei- spells and herbs to heal and cure. During
“impostors.” Several of the less-fortunate

16

NORTHERN HOSK

his stay, the priest is normally gifted with to come along. Among some families, isolating the wizards, they cannot acci-
small and useful things—clothing, the Mislaxans are feared as kidnappers of dentally cause offense.
knives, food, perhaps even a new horse— children almost as much as they are re-
given according to the ability of the spected as healers. The wizards themselves do not find
household. this offensive, for this is the way it has al-
Once an acolyte priest has been ac- ways been. The treatment they receive
Thus, through his services, the priest cepted, he travels with his master, train- from the tribe recognizes and respects
receives those things he needs to continue ing as he goes. Over the course of a year, their difference. In exchange for endur-
in his journeys. There is no set time that more or less, the acolyte is taught the fun- ing the taboos, they seldom have to worry
the priest will stay; typically it is long damental mysteries of the Mislaxan faith. about their own needs. Tribal members
enough to help all those in need of aid. There is no attempt to teach the spells or are customarily expected to provide for
Whatever the length of time, the priest herbal skills. the needs of the wizard and his family by
always moves on. He may hear of suffer- providing food and goods needed. In ex-
ing among another camp or may decide Once all the rituals and lessons have change, the wizard gives the spells and
there is nothing more for him to do here. been learned, the acolyte is brought for- advice the clan needs. Although travelers
ward for initiation in the secret mysteries. find the arrangement curious, it has
One problem for the priests is fraud. A conclave of 20 or more priests gathers at worked for the Uigan for as long as they
Impostors sometimes dress in the brown one of the places of power. This only oc- know. At the same time, the Uigan have
robes and pass themselves off as Mislaxan curs on nights when Ne’ugiar (Nuitari) is no qualms about attacking non-clan or
priests. Those frauds who have attempted setting and Toyaqual (Solinari) is rising. tribal wizards. Their fear of sorcerous
the trick risk a horrible death if discovered powers encourages them to view all
by the tribesmen. Since the mysteries are The acolyte is presented to Mislaxa, strange wizards as threats.
kept secret, they can dupe others by going along with a record of his teachings and
through the motions of healing and cast- deeds. During the ceremony he is ex- The wizards of the Uigan are univer-
ing spells, but those with suspicious minds posed to the “Heart of Truth,” a secret sally renegades, not adhering to the laws
will begin asking uncomfortable ques- never revealed by any Mislaxan and thus of the Robed Orders (which are much
tions. Worse yet is the chance of meeting the center of fearsome rumors. If the aco- weaker throughout Taladas, anyway). Al-
someone who does know something about lyte passes the test, he is receives the spells though few tend to specialize, those that
the Mislaxan cult and can ask the right and granted powers of a beginning Mis- do tend to be abjurers and invokers. They
questions. The punishment for impostors laxan priest. Only those who have passed are not common enough to form into
is death, normally by drawing and quar- the test are allowed to wear the brown large groups or play a tremendous part in
tering. Such a charlatan cannot expect robes of a priest. battles, but many a clever tegin has made
much in the way of mercy. good use of their powers.
Uigan Wizards
The second major difficulty faced by Uigan Justice
the priests is the refusal of hospitality or Outside all of Uigan society are the
outright assault. In their own way, the wizards. Almost every encampment has a On the surface, Uigan law is very sim-
priesthood has developed the perfect de- yurt whose members all practice the arts ple and direct. Criminals are judged by
fense against this. Should one of their fol- of sorcery. Male wizards are easy to spot, the tegin. When the case involves two
lowing meet with ill treatment at the since none bear the tattoos of the anda families, the two must find a third tegin
hands of a tegin or his people, other common to every other Uigan man. The willing to act as judge. This is a delicate
priests simply cut that family off from fu- wizard family is excluded from most so- matter. All the families are related, there-
ture aid. This may only be for a short per- cial activities (such as a boy’s anda) and fore the judge must be no closer in kin to
iod (to demonstrate their power) or can yet is treated with great deference by the one side or the other.
be permanent (in the case of gross cru- tribe. The clan does not hate the family,
elty). The tegin who has offended the but treats it as a special group outside the The judge cannot bear ancestral loyal-
priesthood often finds himself forcibly normal social life. ties or grudges against either side. Nor
replaced by a more practical tegin. can there be any obligations on the judge
There are many taboos that govern re- or any owed to him by either party. Fi-
Since they do not preach and they try lations with a wizard. For example, an nally, in what may be the most difficult
to keep their practices secret, the Mis- Uigan will not eat or sleep in the same condition of all, the judge and his family
laxan priests must use extraordinary mea- tent with, buy a horse from, dance with, clan cannot be of lesser standing than ei-
sures to fill their ranks. They are always wear the clothing of, or drink from the ther clan in the dispute. In some in-
watchful for quick and bright young cup of a wizard. These taboos mostly exist stances this requires the case be heard by
minds who might be trainable as priests. out of fear. The common herdsman is ter- the boyla and no other.
They are not above persuading a youth to rified of the powers of wizards, so he tries
flee from his family in the night, nor will to avoid any possibility of offending one Once a judge is found, the case is pre-
they turn down a promising lad who asks in everyday life. The Uigan reason that by sented. If the matter is clear, there is no

17

NORTHERN HOSK

difficulty. More often than not, the tegin done before the thief returns to his clan, females. Skin tones range from coffee-
must make a decision based on the claims there is very little claim that can be made brown to honey-tan, in part from the in-
and characters of the parties involved. against the tracker. However, if the thief evitable intermingling with Uigan in
Decisions are not necessarily based on manages to return to his clan, a claim for eons past. Their hair color ranges from
truth, but what is best for the clan. Judg- the stolen property must be made with fine honey-blond to brown, although
ments are designed to preserve clan unity his tegin. Thereafter the claim is negoti- coarse black hair is also known (again
and strengthen the ties of clan loyalty. ated as before. probably the result of ancient Uigan
blood).
For criminal acts, punishments are nor- Of course, these legal proceedings and
mally severe and limited by tradition and niceties apply only within the tribe. Non- Facially, the elves have drawn chins and
social standing. For example, if a man of Uigans cannot expect merciful or neces- thin noses. Their mouths tend to be small
low standing kills a clansman of higher sarily just treatment if accused of a crime. and thin and the teeth are somewhat
standing, he and his tent can be exiled Their best recourse is the threat of fearful sharper and more pointed than those of
from the clan. If the situation were re- retaliation (a threat the Elf Clans excel at) humans. Their eyes are more slanted but
versed, the payment of a blood-price or bribery (which the League merchants do have the characteristic fold of the
would suffice. If a man of low standing must sometimes resort to). Otherwise the Tamire people. Their foreheads appear
kills a higher status man of another clan, penalty for a crime is normally enslave- higher than most due to the fact that
the criminal can be claimed as a bond ment or death. their hairlines are more receded than
slave for a set period of time. If a man of those of humans.
high standing kills a lower status man THE ELF CLANS
from another clan, a blood-price to the Beards and moustaches are almost
injured family and the injured tegin The inland side of the Tamire is domi- non-existent since their facial hair is very
would both be required. nated by the hosk’i imou merkitsa or pale and fine. Their ears come almost to a
“people of the land before [the Cata- point and the lobes are long, as it is their
Should a settlement be refused, the in- clysm].” These are the Elf Clans of the practice to pierce and stretch these with
jured party and any kin who care to ally Tamire, infamous among travelers for large plugs.
with them can legally raid the camp of their wild savagery. Although they are
the criminal. The extent of the raid is lim- pressured on all sides by races more fertile The people of the Elf Clans are some-
ited only by the savagery of the attackers. and numerous than themselves, they what vain about their appearance and go
Those raided can defend themselves but have managed to keep most of their an- to great lengths to present a colorful dis-
have no rights of complaint against the cestral lands through their fierce and war- play. Elven males allow their hair to grow
attack. They are seen as having invited like ways. long and then fix it into braids. Normal
the attack upon themselves. practice has one braid behind each ear
The elves of the Tamire are short, lean- and another down the back of the neck.
When property is stolen, particularly muscled people. The average height is These are normally fastened with carved
livestock, the injured party (and any who 5’4” . Unlike other species of elves, those wood or silver fastenings. The length of
wish to join him) can reclaim his property of the Elf Clans do not have a appreciable these braids is a point of pride and it is
by tracking and killing the thief. If this is difference in height between males and not uncommon to see males with hair
reaching almost to their waists. The hair
is kept lustrous and supple by applica-
tions of an ointment made from animal
fat and fragrant herbs.

The males also wear earlobe-plugs dec-
orated with silver baubles, feathers, and
beads. Male dress is very similar to the
Uigan—loose pants, over- tunic, belt,
and boots.

Although they prefer to be bare-
headed, in times of intense heat the males
wear a simple cloth turban. During the
winter they wear fur caps trimmed with sil-
ver decorations. They also wear heavy fur
coats, cut like dusters and fastened with
elaborately carved wooden ties.

Elven females wear similar clothing to
the males. However, the over-tunic is
longer and slit up the front and back.

18

NORTHERN HOSK

Each half can be tied at the ankle or left considered the most wild and berserk of This network of who likes or hates
free. The females are also more likely to all the clans. Few who know of their repu- whom is what governs all but most signifi-
wear silken pantaloons instead of the nor- tation can face them when they imitate cant of inter-clan activities. It dictates the
mal woolen ones worn by the males. Like the coughing roar of a steppe tiger. movements of clans to new grazing
the men, they allow their hair to grow grounds, the seating arrangements at the
long. Instead of braiding, they pull their In addition to lightly armored war- rare grand councils, the permissible inter-
hair up and bind it in buns on the sides or riors, each clan has a small group of heavy clan marriages, and the rights of prisoners
fasten it with combs into a cascading fan- cavalry. These riders wear scale armor and taken in raids. Every elf of the tribe is very
shape in the back. Married women dye wield long swords and maces. The horse is conscious of his clan’s position in relation
their front bangs with henna, giving normally fitted with scale half-barding. to all others. Indeed, names consist of
them a red-brown color. Widows mark In general, however, the elves favor light three parts: first the clan name, then the
their cheeks with an angled scar as a sign cavalry, preferring speed and quickness to family name, and finally the personal
of their grieving. The number of scars is striking power. name.
an indication of the number of husbands
a female has outlived. Elven Society Each clan is identified with a particular
totem, called a quoyai or spirit
The clothes worn are commonly more In many ways the elves of the Tamire protector—a particular animal spirit that
colorful and patterned than those of the live a life very much like that of their hu- can be called upon in times of need.
Uigan. Virtually any color is worn, al- man neighbors the Uigan. They are a no- Originally, before the coming of the Cat-
though reds, yellows, blues, and greens madic people, living in yurts and aclysm, each clan was led by a shaman
are most common. Clothing is normally dependent upon their herds of horses for who able to commune directly with the
woven or printed in broad stripes, floral most of their livelihood. They generally quoyai. A few of the clans are still led by
patterns, or clan totems. share the same sense of values as the shamans who were alive before Hiteh’s
Uigan—a respect for family, reverence of Night. In general, however, the Flight of
Leathers are seldom left in natural horses, and a strong sense of position the Gods caused a minor revolution in
colors—red, green, and black being the within the clan. They have an even the leadership of the clans. Where before
most common dyes. Like the other tribes greater lust for battle than the Uigan and each clan tended to be led by the most
of the Tamire, the elves use wool and felt, every male, no matter what his calling, is devout person of the clan, after Hiteh’s
but they also wear more silks, linens, and expected to be a warrior. Racially differ- Night power shifted to the most astute
cottons obtained in trading with the ent from all other tribes, the elves tend to politician of the clan.
League merchants. Winter clothes make be even more suspicious of strangers and
greater use of fine pelts. Overcoats of rab- arrogant about their own superiority than Thus many of the clan leaders over the
bit, marten, sable, and fox are all com- do the prideful and haughty boyla fami- next 200 years, while posing as shamans,
mon and are trimmed with even more lies of the Uigan. actually have no religious pretensions at
exotic furs—bobcat, tiger, bear, griffon, all. The few shamans that have remained
and giant weasel. The most basic level of group identity in power have had to struggle with guilt
among the elves is the family. This in- and self-doubt. Several of these shamans
When raiding, the typical warrior cludes more than just immediate parents have led their clans into attempting to ex-
wears a robe of heavily padded leather or and children, due in part to the long life piate some long-forgotten ancestral sin
quilted cloth with a large, upright stiff spans of the elves. Thus a single family while others have adopted curious and
collar to protect the neck and ears. A can include five to six generations and complicated taboos to avoid behavior
small metal cap protects the head. Nor- also encompasses uncles, aunts, and all they believe was the cause of their aban-
mally this is adorned with the clan their children. Two to four of these ex- donment. Thus the members of the
totem—a fox tail, eagle feathers, etc. tended families are normally bound to- Horse Clan cannot eat the flesh or drink
gether by close ties of blood and marriage the milk of a horse, as had been their an-
The weapons carried are similar to into a single clan. cient custom, while those of the Bear
those used by the Uigan—an overdrawn Clan cannot drink water on the day they
composite short bow, arrows, light lance, The clan is the only political unit with set out on a raid.
and sword. The horse is normally unar- any authority among the elves. Although
mored, but is dressed with tassels and they recognize the concept of the tribe Now the quoyai have returned. Only
coverings. Some clans dress in special war (all clans trace their ancestry back to a sin- in a few cases has the shaman of the clan
clothes—tight-fitting suits made to re- gle family), it is not a functional part of remained devout enough receive the
semble the clan’s totem spirit. their society. The elves do not elect a sin- powers the quoyai bestows. In most cases
gle tribal ruler. Each clan is more or less the quoyai has revealed itself (either
Most fearsome of the Uigan are the independent of all others, doing as it through event or vision) to a worthy
elite warriors of the Tiger clan. Dressed in pleases within the web of loyalties and member of the clan. This lucky (or un-
yellow and black striped padded leather feuds among the different clans. lucky) soul has been granted the powers
pants and shirt and wearing a tiger-faced
cap of steel and leather, these warriors are

19

NORTHERN HOSK

of the shaman and the quoyai expects the elves of the clan are no less respected as raised in its place. Humans raised by the
chosen one to assume leadership. This is warriors, wizardesses, and advisors. They clan are treated as if they are elven and are
not as simple as it sounds. The current are an integral part of the clan. An injury allowed to marry and create families
“shamans,” for the most part, don’t care or insult to a half-elven family is as much within the clan (since they are considered
to relinquish control. They have accused an affront to the entire clan as if the same “elves,” they are exempt from the taboos
the chosen ones of heresy, blasphemy, had happened to one of the elven families. restricting half-elven marriages). This ac-
and possession by evil spirits. The clans counts for the half-elven communities
are in turmoil, Childbirth and children are a vital part that form part of every tribe.
of elves’ lives. They have always had a low
Unlike the Uigan, elven society is birth rate (due to their slow rates of matu- Still there is a lingering prejudice
clearly patriarchal. The father rules the rity), but since the Cataclysm, when they against them, effectively preventing a elf-
family, both in the tent and outside it. lost the benefit of healing spells, success- raised human from leading a tribe. Hu-
Sons are more favored than daughters for ful births have dropped dramatically. man children among the elves quickly
their usefulness to the clan in raiding and Thus the occasion of a pregnancy and learn to be tough and thick-skinned to
war. Inheritances pass from father to childbirth is one of great importance. In the taunts of their peers. Elven children
sons, normally divided between them all. an effort to ensure success, the shamans sometimes learn it isn’t wise to taunt a
Females do not have the rights of divorce have created a number of taboos and cer- human child, since the humans mature
or property that Uigan women do. In le- emonies for childbirth. The most impor- so much faster than elves!
gal cases they are considered of lower sta- tant of these is the sa’qul idri or
tus than males of the same rank. birth-rage. The other important part of the Elf
Clan culture is death. Given their long
However, females are not totally sub- When the time for childbirth comes, life spans, natural death is a rare thing
servient. Just as with males, all females the Yasua Egom (Eldest Mother) secludes among the elves, although many more
are expected to be warriors, though sel- the mother-to-be in a specially purified meet violent ends in raids and feuds.
dom as skilled as the males. The arts of tent of white felt. The remaining females Each year for two weeks around Midsum-
magic are practiced almost exclusively by await outside, encircling the tent, and sing mer’s Day, the clans gather at a site near
females. Those male wizards that exist are the sacred songs to the clan’s quoyai. No the Turgan Oasis while their shamans per-
exceptions to the norm. They are often males are allowed to enter within the circle form the Ancestors’ Ceremony—funeral
outcast and may even be treated by the of chanters. rites for all those who have died in the
rest of the tribe as if they were female. past year.
Each elven wizardess proclaims one of the During this time, the father-to-be and
moons of Krynn as her guide, choosing the other males of his family prepare for This is one of the few occasions when
which according to her nature. There- the sa’qul idri. They paint their faces in the tribe acts as one. During the days of
after, the wizardess is subject to the wax- special ceremonial war-masks (war paint the ceremony, the clans maintain an un-
ing and waning powers governed by that is not worn for normal raiding) and begin easy truce with each other. If an offense
moon, but she is not restricted in spell se- a ceremony of chants and drinking. Once does occur, it is judged by the entire
lection. Most elven wizards of the Tamire prepared, the males go raiding. The council of shamans. The punishments for
tend to specialize as enchanters or trans- numbers of heads and horses brought breaking the peace are traditionally
muters. Aside from wizardry, the females back foretells the fortunes of the child, severe—heavy fines or death being most
are also highly valued for their ability to thus the father and his relatives fight with common. Several famous feuds have
bear children. great savagery. By tradition, the targets of come about because one family contrived
such raids are non-elven—goblins, hu- to embarrass the family of another clan
Occupying a special position within the mans, and ogres are the victims. Rumor during the Ancestors’ Ceremony.
clan structure are the half-elves. Unlike that the elves are making a birth-rage raid
many other elven communities, little is enough to instill fear and panic into During the year, the bodies of those
shame is attached to being a half-elf (due most of the neighboring tribes, particu- who have died are either carried with the
to the practice of sa‘qul idri, explained larly the goblins. clan or are brought to the Turgan Oasis
later). Every clan has several distinct half- and left there. At the Ancestors’ Cere-
elven families. These form a separate com- Worse still is the sa’qul idri that occurs mony, these remains are properly set to
munity within the clan; they are almost when the mother or infant dies in child- rest. Each clan has a sacred burial ground
equal in status to full elves. Tradition birth. Then the raiders become not just around the oasis. Bodies are placed on
frowns on inter-marriage between half- savage, but berserk with rage and an- platforms and exposed to the elements,
elves and elves (so that marriages tend to guish. Oblivious to their danger, the along with appropriate offerings to the
be between half-elf families) and also pre- raiders have only one goal—to kidnap a clan’s totem spirit. Carved effigies are
vents half-elves from holding the highest surrogate for the one lost. made for the dead whose bodies could
positions within the clan (particularly that not be recovered (as sometimes occurs
of shaman). At the same time, the half- If the mother died, a human woman during a raid). New offerings are made
must be captured to raise the child. If the for the ancestors of the clan.
infant died, a child must be taken to be

20

NORTHERN HOSK

Throughout the ceremony, the sha- males have scrolling patterns of welts tat- a woody, thick taste and has a heady effect
mans of all the clans pray for the strength tooed around their eyes. on those unused to its power.
and safety of the tribe. Each night a dif-
ferent clan holds a feast, inviting guests Goblin dress is both simple and highly The sludge from the brewing is dried
from all the other clans. Each guest is ornamented. Most clothing is leather or in sheets and then used as march rations
given gifts to take back to his clan. The fur; since the goblins produce only a called issache. Issache is high in protein
gifting is a complicated business. Allied small amount of poor-quality cloth, this and quite nourishing, if it can be stom-
clans are naturally given ample gifts. Ene- material is worn infrequently. The ached. It is quite tough and unpalatable.
mies of the clan can be given lesser gifts to amount and quality of clothing is a clear On campaign, goblin warriors typically
insult them. However, they may also re- sign of the wealth of the goblin. Poor soften a piece for chewing by sticking it
ceive abundant gifts to improve relations goblins tend to wear a simple loincloth, between the foot and sandal and leaving
or to embarrass the receiver. Finally, each long tunic, and thick-soled sandals. it there for the day. They also eat jerky,
clan’s gifts must be balanced against all Wealthier goblins wear leather breeches drying the meat of virtually any creature
others given to avoid accidental insult. and lightweight leather armor. This may they can catch. The Ilquar goblins are not
Wise shamans are skilled in the fine art of be adorned with padded shoulder plates noted for their fastidious cuisine.
the feast-gift. and leggings. They too wear thick-soled
sandals. Female goblins wear heavy Although the goblins are organized
THE ILQUAR GOBLINS leather dresses and cowls covering them into villages, they are still, at heart, a
from head to toe (so as to prevent a stran- simple-minded and brutal race. The vil-
Living in the high passes of the Ilquar ger from seeing too much). The young lage system has evolved over the course of
Mountains are the Goblin Villages. Al- are most often naked except for a pair of centuries as the best protection from their
though it is impossible to take a complete simple sandals. enemies. It is not, although they like to
census, there are probably 40,000 goblins claim it is, evidence that the goblins are
living in small, fortified villages through- In battle, goblins tend to dress the more culturally advanced than their hu-
out the two ranges. Most of the villages same as in everyday life. With the excep- man or elven neighbors.
have populations of about 150 creatures, tion of rare and expensive metallic ar-
but there are at least ten villages having mors, they do not distinguish between Within each village, the goblins still
1,000 or more goblins. The villages are everyday and war dress. All the males, ex- abide by the rule of force common to
scattered through most of the central and cept those too sick or infirm, come out to other goblin tribes. The male goblin best
eastern sides of the mountains. Only a fight. Typical weapons include daggers, able to terrorize or exterminate his oppo-
few are found on the western slopes, for falchions (a type of broad sword), spears, sition is the headman of the village.
this is the homeland of the Alan-Atu and short bows. The goblins are not While this is sometimes the strongest
tribe. The villages are also less frequent horsemen, in part because of their nature goblin, it is more often the most cunning
along the northern end of Uesi Ilquar, a and in part due to the ruggedness of the and clever. Even the goblins have discov-
territory that has been claimed by the Ka- terrain. ered that brains are more important than
zar over the past few centuries. muscle. Assisting the headman are a
The goblins are a settled people, each number of chosen companions, bully
The goblins of the Ilquar are a short, village claiming a certain amount of terri- boys as it were. These aides are normally
stocky race. They are heavier-set than tory around it. They live mainly by hunt- brutal thugs, not very bright but obedi-
others of their kind and are prone to pot ing (they are exceptional at camouflage ent and ruthless. They carry out the or-
bellies and bow-leggedness. Their skin and stalking) and metal-forging, supple- ders of the headman and do his dirty
color ranges from yellow-brown to menting this with a few crops and occa- work.
brownish-green. The majority of the race sional raids. The males are responsible for
is bald. The others have thin and wispy hunting, mining, smelting, and raiding. Advising the headman is a small coun-
black hair. Infants have their heads The females and children tend the fields cil of other wise (or cunning) goblins.
shaped when born so that the back of the and see to the everyday needs of the Some of these are allies that must be re-
head is flat and the forehead has a pro- household. warded while others are enemies too pow-
nounced slope backward. This shaping erful or important to terrorize, ignore, or
also gives them broad flat noses, a feature The goblins mainly live on meats, sim- murder. These goblins normally have their
that is considered quite attractive among ple breads, and a few paltry vegetables. own bully boys (though not as powerful or
their kind. The chin is very weak, merg- They have learned to brew a strong drink, effective as the headman’s) and present
ing almost completely into the folds of issca, from a combination of mushrooms the greatest threat to the headman’s rule.
the neck. The males of most villages have and grain. This is flavored with the dried Indeed, in some villages, the headman is
long, sharpened canines that jut out just buds of certain bushes and mashed fruits, little more than a figurehead following the
below their upper lip. Most claimed fe- then allowed to ferment in earthen pots. directions of a powerful advisor.
In the wintertime, the fermented mix-
ture is allowed to partially freeze to in- No matter who is in charge, the goblins
crease the strength of the drink. Issca has are very political. There are constant
schemes to remove, weaken, or just em-

21

NORTHERN HOSK

barrass some enemy on the council (or unchosen as children. At the same time, traveled trails, indiscriminately taking
ruling the village). Thus, the males are they are responsible for casting the whatever they bag. They are wasteful, sel-
very conscious of status. What others con- omens, attempting cures, and protecting dom using all of a kill, and normally kill
sider insignificant actions may be griev- the village from evil. Clearly, wise head- more than they need. While they seldom
ous insults to the goblins. A story among men and advisors work to keep the sha- go raiding outside their lands, they regu-
the League Merchants about Haarad the man on their side. With the return of the larly ambush travelers through the
Witless (a cunning merchant of many gods, some of the shamans have received mountains.
popular folk stories) tells how he caused a powers from Hiteh (ever one to cause mis-
revolution in a goblin village simply by chief). As a natural result, these shamans However, the goblins are also notorious
removing his slippers in the wrong house. have used their new powers to become de as skilled smiths and traders. The Ilquar
facto rulers of their villages. Mountains hold one of the rare deposits
Who hosts guests, the size and number of easily-mined iron ore outside the
of gifts, the order of seating, the position If the non-selection is due to deformity gnomish realms. The locations of these
of soldiers on the march (most important or infirmity, the child is normally aban- deposits are jealously guarded secrets of
in the center or rear), type of food served, doned in the wild, not necessarily in hopes the goblins. Through accident and out-
and number of females are all important that it will die, but simply to rid the village side contact, they have learned to mine
courtesies that must be carefully of the need for its care. A few of these and smelt the ore. Some of what they
watched. Given that fights and death abandoned children have survived to be- make is fashioned into weapons and
may be the result of an insult, entertain- come the gurik cha‘ahl, the dreaded ghost crude armor, but the majority of the ore is
ing is a deadly serious affair among the people. The ghost people are little more cast into bars of pig iron for trade. A few
goblins. than animals. Some have lingering memo- merchants of the League make regular
ries of their village and what happened to trips into the Ilquar Mountains.
Socially, the goblins are very commu- them, memories that have festered into
nistic, to a degree. Property belongs to all hatred. Stories of the gurik cha’ahl are Unlike most lands, the goblins have no
the village, but is held and controlled by told to frighten goblin young and many centralized markets where the smelters
the male strong enough to claim it. Mar- evil events are blamed on them. would gather with their iron to meet with
riage and individual families are un- merchants. Simply put, no goblin trusts
known. Females are “claimed,” and the The goblins are notorious among the any other enough for a central market to
number of females claimed and kept is an people of the Tamire as vermin. They live survive. Instead, the merchants must
indication of status. Children are raised by hunting, but think nothing of de- travel a circuit from village to village,
communally by the females. spoiling a region, especially if it is the trading with each headman independent
hunting ground of another village or of all the others. While this adds to the
Fathers make no special claim to the tribe. They claim any kill they find, ig- merchant’s time and bother, it generally
parentage of a child. Instead, a male gob- noring the inter-tribal custom of identi- works to his advantage since the goblins
lin will occasionally visit the children’s fying by arrow markings. They take can’t compare prices paid each village for
den to claim a male child. Again, the fit- anything as meat, including horses, men, its ore.
ness of the child claimed and the fre- and elves. They set deadly traps on well-
quency of visits are tied to the status of To make the iron trade succeed, the gob-
the male goblin. Thus the most powerful
goblin claims the majority of healthy
strong goblin boys to raise. He then raises
each child as his own, teaching the boy
the important skills—hunting and fight-
ing in particular.

Some male children are never claimed
for a variety of reasons. If the child is fit,
he is raised by the females. By tradition,
the females teach the secret rituals and
knowledge of the shaman, although they
are never allowed to become shamans
themselves. Thus, unchosen males be-
come the tribal shamans, a position that
can often lead to great power and influ-
ence over the tribe.

Shamans are not allowed to be head-
men or have a seat among the advisors—a
lingering prejudice against their being

22

NORTHERN HOSK

lins have had to do two things. First, they This kind of behavior does not win the THE ALAN-ATU
have learned to be canny traders. While the goblins many friends among the humans
merchants do quite well in the trade, they and elves. They are constantly skirmishing Living on the western slopes of the Ul-
don’t get away with robbery. Second, the with the Alan-Atu who share their moun- quar Mountains is a semi-nomadic hu-
goblins have learned through experience tain slopes. Their contact with the Uigan is man tribe known as the Alan-Atu or Goat
not to ambush or rob most merchants, par- slight, since the Alan-Atu lie between the People. Their name describes much of
ticularly known traders of the League. two. It is toward the elves that goblin ha- their existence—shepherds maintaining
While the iron trade is useful to the tred is most intense. Whereas they some- large herds of goats and sheep that graze
League, it is not as essential to them as it is times take human prisoners to serve as on the fertile, grassy slopes of the lower Il-
to the goblins. In the past villages that have slaves or to be held for ransom, the goblins quar. Here the thick forests of the upper
attacked merchants and succeeded in driv- never take elven prisoners. Whenever pos- reaches and the dry grassland of the
ing them out of the region have in turn sible, they massacre every elf they find. steppes meet to form a border of mixed
been attacked and annihilated by their irate Peace missions or negotiations between forest and grassland. It is in the fertile val-
neighbors who were displeased that trade the two groups are impossible. leys forming this belt that the Alan-Atu
had suddenly dried up. live.
Nor are the elves any less vicious in
Still, trade wars do occur when one vil- their dealings with the goblins. They too In appearance, the Alan-Atu share many
lage decides to flex its might. By custom, claim no goblin prisoners and refuse to common characteristics with the other hu-
the aggressor village “invites” the mer- negotiate with their enemy. Elven riders man tribes of the Tamire. Their features are
chants to its walls or requests that they re- frequently make raids into goblin terri- most like those of the Uigan, although the
main away for a set amount of time. tory, hoping to catch hunting parties or men do not have shaven heads and tat-
Thereafter, the merchants trade with war bands well away from the safety of tooed faces. Even at an early age, their faces
other villages in the area at their own risk. their towns. The walled villages of the develop extreme networks of wrinkles and
Of course, those merchants who restrict goblins exist for this very reason. If the it is not uncommon for a traveler to think
their trade to the aggressor goblins are elves have any weakness in battle, it is he has accidentally stumbled upon a tribe
subject to reprisals by the surrounding their lack of skill in storming fortified of prematurely old people.
villages. Not surprisingly, most mer- places.
chants choose to stay out of the area until Their teeth and mustaches tend to be
the fighting has settled down. The victor Normal procedure upon learning of stained a red-brown, colored by a herbal
is usually the village best prepared to sur- approaching riders is for the goblins to root they commonly chew. The use of this
vive a long trade embargo. withdraw behind their mud and stone root (which has no known properties) also
walls and harass the elves with bowfire. means that spitting is an accepted social
Trade is so important to the goblins Secret tunnels provide access to favored custom.
that in the last few decades they have be- ambush points outside the town, ena-
gun to provide protection to the iron bling small groups of goblins to appear, They dress in white, grey, and green
merchants. Within the boundaries of attack, and disappear quickly. If the vil- robes of the Uigan style. In addition, they
each village’s territory, the merchants are lage stands and the riders leave, the gob- wear woolen cloaks of woodland colors
under the protection of that headman. lins dog their retreat, picking off the that they use for camouflage and stalk-
Occasionally a caravan is attacked by a unfortunate all the way to the edge of ing. Their boots are of soft leather and
neighboring group attempting to humili- their territory. trimmed with fur. In the wintertime,
ate the protectors. these are supplemented by thick felt cov-
Of course, the villages are no sure pro- erings that serve as simple slippers. The
The goblins have also been extending tection. Sometimes the elves appear men wear a cap of lambskin with long tas-
their protection beyond the boundaries without warning, catching the goblins in selled earflaps. The women cover their
of their land. The League merchants are the fields or riding through the open heads with cowls like the Uigan. Unmar-
often accompanied by goblin raiding par- gates. Sometimes their force is enough to ried women wear veils that cover the face
ties at least as far as the foothills of the Il- carry the walls in a storming attack. The below the eye.
quar range. Sometimes these guards elves also play upon the character of the
venture even farther, escorting the mer- goblins. A small force may arrive outside Although the Alan-Atu are not noted
chant onto the steppes and then scurrying the village, then withdraw. The goblins as warriors, each man is expected to be
back home afterward. Along the way they pursue the small band of retreating elves ready to defend the herd from predators
may make an occasional raid, but the only to be led into a trap when more and raiders (particularly goblins). There-
goblins are perfectly aware they are a poor riders appear on their flanks. In the end, fore, although there is no particular bat-
match for mounted horsemen. Instead however, although they are outnumbered tle dress, shepherds in the pasture usually
they prefer to use their camouflage skills and outfought, the goblins have man- have a heavy leather robe on hand to use
to make quick ambushes that leave no aged to hold their own against the wild as armor.
survivors who can report their location. elves of the Tamire.
Unlike the other tribes of the steppe,
the Alan-Atu also make use of a shield. It

23

NORTHERN HOSK

is oval, made of cured leather and wicker, ranged marriages and occasional disputes tribe to very traditional ways and cus-
and is surprisingly lightweight. A man’s over pasture. toms. In some ways this has helped pre-
shield is decorated with emblems of pre- serve the unity and identity of the tribe;
vious kills—bits of bone, hair, pelt, or Because they are very vulnerable to in other ways, it has prevented the accept-
personal items taken from the dead. A goblin raids, the families have a highly ance of new ideas. Whatever the case, the
very successful warriors may have several developed sense of cooperation. Blood bards today are not about to relinquish
shields, each filled with the trophies he feuds are not allowed and all disputes are their positions.
has taken, kept in his bator or house-tent. settled through argument and negotia-
tion. Based on the crime, fines of sheep or Perhaps because they are not warlike,
The Alan-Atu are skilled in the spear other property are agreed upon by the el- the Alan-Atu are noted for their suspi-
and sling. Each man also carries a long, ders of each family. Once these are paid, cion of strangers. Ill-equipped to defend
heavy-bladed curved knife called a the issue is considered closed. On the rare themselves from others, they are hesitant
shildor. The shildor is a man’s all-purpose occasions when a fine is refused, the other to reveal themselves to traveling stran-
tool, used in hunting, battle, and butch- families are expected to sever all trade gers. They greet unfamiliar travelers war-
ering animals. It is also well-balanced for with the criminal until the fine is paid. ily and do not invite them into their
throwing and can inflict serious wounds Sometimes this results in division within camps as is the custom among other
when wielded by one skilled in its use. the tribe, which is not resolved until one tribes. Instead, they have the stranger
side or the other migrates to a new series camp some distance away and then go out
As said before, the Alan-Atu are a of mountain valleys. to visit him so he cannot inspect their
semi-nomadic people. They shift their numbers. When visiting they bring food
homes twice a year. In the spring, they Women in the tribe are given equal sta- for themselves so as not to be rude, but
leave their winter quarters and take the tus to the men in all instances. They may they seldom share this with the traveler.
herds into the cooler pastures up the hold property and serve as family elders. Only after they feel certain of the inten-
mountain slopes. In the fall they drive Women are also expected to watch and tions of the traveler do they allow him
the flocks to the base of the mountains, defend the flocks, although they do not into the camp.
back to their winter homes. During the take part in the infrequent raids of the
summertime, the Alan-Atu live in tents men. However, relations between the two However, once the stranger has been
set out in the pastures with their flocks. sexes is strictly controlled, especially be- accepted, the family makes up for its
There they spend their time watching the tween young men and unmarried rudeness by lavishing the traveler with
flocks, hunting, gathering berries, curing women. To prevent intermingling, chores gifts and feasts. Gifts include items such
leather, and stripping the bark from the are divided between two separate groups. as birch-bark boxes, bone combs, and
birch trees. Thus there are flocks watched only by the woolens. Alan-Atu feasts are affairs of
women and flocks tended only by the legend, as they are known for their love of
In fall, they return to their bators— men. There are men’s tents and women’s good food. A typical feast would include
round, permanent homes of wood and tents, men’s fires and women’s fires. a whole roasted kid or mutton soaked in
stone. The walls are made of stacked Only after a man and woman are married butter, broiled mountain trout, stewed
stones that are packed into place with a are they allowed to associate more freely quail with fruit, goat’s milk cheeses, yo-
mortar of straw and dung. Built without a with the entire tribe. gurts, wild onions, nuts, flat breads, por-
roof, a leather tent-like cover is raised ridges of millet, wild rice or barley
when the family returns for the winter. Alan-Atu Priests swimming in honey and butter, dried
Each family has several bators grouped fruits, sweetened spiced tea, fermented
around a single stone corral for the ani- The tribe had never developed a strong goat’s milk, and fruit ciders.
mals. The sheep and goats are kept tradition of priesthood or shamanism be-
penned for most of the winter. Prior to the fore Hiteh’s Night. Thus when the Cata- The guest is given the best blankets in
onset of the snows and ice, the family har- clysm struck (and the true priests the house and, if the weather is cold, may
vests the tall grasses around the bator, disappeared), Alan-Atu society was not be offered a live, trussed kid to act as a
bundling and stacking them to use as fod- greatly affected. bed-warmer. If the guest looks promis-
der later in the season. These same grasses ing, he may be offered a daughter for
are spread over the floor of the house to Hiteh’s Night marked the rise to emi- marriage, although this is usually a
provide insulation from the cold ground. nence of the bards with the Alan-Atu daughter no one else in the tribe will have
tribe. Today the bards, with their knowl- for one reason or another.
Alan-Atu Society edge of ancient tales and events, act as the
guides for the tribe in matters of great im- The Alan-Atu women are skilled weav-
Socially the Alan-Atu view themselves port. Their advice, often based on the ers and makers of felt, while the men are
as a collection of families that forms into a wisdom gleaned from old songs and tales, accomplished leather workers. These
single tribe. Generally each family has lit- is greatly respected and sought after. Un- cloths and leathers, along with their live-
tle to do with the others except for ar- knowingly, the bards serve to restrict the stock, are the main items the tribe has to

24

NORTHERN HOSK

trade. Once a year, in the fall when the Racially, Kazar and Uigan come from Uigan, hardy bactrians able to better
tribe comes down out of the mountains, the same bloodstock. Thus the Kazar withstand the combined conditions of se-
merchants from the League and riders have the same facial characteristics, aver- vere cold and desert. Kazar warriors often
from the steppe people gather at the age height, build, and skin tones as the ride camels instead of horses into battle.
mouth of the Ur’musk Valley. This is the Uigan. Those differences that do appear
traditional trading site of the Alan-Atu. are purely cultural. Kazar children are Having to deal with the snowier regions
Here, for a week, there is a bustling trade bound into cradle-boards fitted with a of the northern Tamire, the Kazar have
camp. hard pillow of dried grain. As a result, all also developed more winter skills than the
Kazar have a distinctive flattening of the Uigan (although nowhere near the arctic
The merchants and Uigan buy goats, back of the skull. abilities of the Ice People). Kazar regularly
lambs, cheeses, sheepskins, birch-bark use snowshoes, a novelty to the Uigan. In-
baskets, tooled leathers, and cloth, while Unlike the Uigan, Kazar men do not deed, one of their favored raiding times is
the Alan-Atu trade for metal pots, weap- shave their heads. They keep their hair during the heavy snows of winter. Racing
ons, silk, silver baubles, grain, and some- trimmed short except for a knot bound in on snowshoes, they strike at a Uigan or
times even horses. Canny merchants up at the base of the neck. They are fond elven camp, easily able to escape over the
bring along entertainers, while those gos- of long, braided mustaches, kept supple drifts before the enemy can catch them.
sips and bards among the tribes come to with rancid butter. Nor do the men tattoo They are practiced trappers, bringing in
share stories and songs. It is one of the their faces. Indeed, they consider this many valuable winter pelts of sable, er-
few times of the year when the Alan-Atu Uigan custom grotesque and revolting. mine, winter lynx, winter wolf, and
lower their traditional hostility toward owlbear. They fish year round, in winter
strangers, allowing themselves to mingle In dress, there are only two significant standing over holes in the ice, harpoon in
freely. differences between Uigan and Kazar. hand as they have learned from the Ice
Living farther to the north, the Kazar People.
The greatest threat to the Alan-Atu (be- make greater use of furs and hides. Thus
sides the strange and horrible creatures it is not uncommon for a man to wear a The Kazar form an important link be-
that are sometimes found in the forests) is bear robe (with the fur on the inside) or tween the League merchants of the south
the goblins. Since they are not as fierce or heavy leather pantaloons instead of the and the Ice People of the far north. Few
numerous as the goblins, the Alan-Atu are Uigan woolens. Boots are normally fur- merchants ever penetrate the icy wastes of
a choice target of these creatures. To pro- trimmed or lined. Kazar men wear a the Panak Desert and fewer still come back
tect their homes and flocks, the tribesmen woolen turban wrapped in a ball about from there. Instead, most goods are traded
have become quite skilled in woodcraft. It their heads, similar to the elven style. The through the Kazar. Each year, the Kazar
is said that an Alan-Atu man knows when turban cloth is dyed in a pattern of buy seal skins, whalebone, walrus ivory,
a hawk has taken prey in the next valley. stripes, the colors denoting the tribal clan and dried fish from the Ice People, trading
While their skills are not this formidable, of the rider. In cold weather, the turban is them metal spearheads, pots, fishhooks,
they have become quite talented in detect- covered with a long, scarf-like cowl. This beads, cloth, wool, grains, and dried
ing disturbances and intruders into their comes to a point in the back and can be meats. Most of the goods are then sold to
lands. Thus they are very difficult to sur- tied to cover most of the face and neck. the League merchants, who in turn sell
prise and many a rash raid by the goblins They also wear snow-goggles carved from them to other tribes throughout the
has met with disaster. bone, something they have borrowed Tamire and in the cities farther south.
from the Ice People.
THE KAZAR THE PURESHK
Kazar women and children also dress
Living along the northern edge of the similarly to their Uigan cousins, again The least significant tribe of the Tamire
Tamire are the Kazar people, the second making a greater use of fur and leather. is the Pureshk. Closely allied to the Uigan,
largest tribe of humans on the steppe. The women decorate their clothing with the Pureshk have little if anything to dis-
Like their cousins, the Uigan, the Kazar beads and fringe. Unmarried women nor- tinguish themselves from their more pow-
are nomadic horsemen. Indeed, they are mally wear a large number of silver adorn- erful protectors. Like the other humans of
virtually identical to the Uigan in cus- ments as a way to advertise the dowry their the steppe, they share the same bloodstock
toms and appearance. To the unobserv- fathers will pay a potential husband. and are even more closely tied to the
ant, Uigan and Kazar are virtually Uigan than are the Kazar.
indistinguishable. However, to Kazar The nomadic life of the Kazar carries
and Uigan the differences are profound. them from the foothills of the Uesi Ilquar As is often the case with minor tribes,
There is a great enmity between the two range to the southern reaches of the the Pureshk have adopted the ways of
tribes, even though there have been sev- Panak Desert. Like the Uigan, they live in their powerful neighbors. Thus their
eral attempts to unite them through dip- yurts, though theirs are primarily made dress, habits, beliefs, and lifestyle are, for
lomatic marriages. of leather. They mind herds of camels all practical purposes, identical to those
of the Uigan. Even Uigan have difficulty
and horses, along with a few flocks of
sheep. They tend more camels than the

25

NORTHERN HOSK

separating Pureshk from Uigan. and, in the far north, ice-covered seas nights of winter return.
If there is any identifying characteristic of have caused travelers to name it so. To The Panak is a land of extremes. Dur-
most it is one of the most inhospitable
the Pureshk, it is probably the matter of hy- places on earth, yet even here there are ing the height of summer most of the
giene. Travelers, merchants, and even the people who have chosen to live among Panak warms to as much as 80 or 90 de-
Uigan agree that the Pureshk people are the ice and snow. grees Fahrenheit during the day, then
among the filthiest and least hygienic peo- suddenly drops to near-freezing at night.
ple of the Tamire. No experienced traveler Seasons on the Panak Desert can be di- During the winter, arctic air blasts across
stays in the tent of a Pureshk clan unless he vided into two basic categories—cold and the land, bringing with it temperatures as
enjoys lice and bedbugs. Their meals are of- not cold. Although it has four seasons as low as -40° F. in the far north. The wind
ten questionable and their habits disgust- is normal for most of the world, spring whips the snow raggedly across the open
ing. The Uigan joke that the Pureshk can and fall on the Panak are so brief as to be ground to catch and swirl around the
never surprise an enemy because he smells non-existent. smallest obstacles. During winter large
them long before he sees them. They also open areas remain relatively free of deep
maintain that as warriors the Pureshk Several months after spring has arrived snow, but the slightest projections cause
would be worthless if it weren’t for their in the south, the freezing temperatures of great drifts. In the farthest north, the
odor, which can cause even the strongest the Panak suddenly break. There is a sud- ground never thaws, leaving ice and snow
enemy to break and run. den explosion of growth as the hardy to thicken and increase year round. The
grasses, scrub, and moss hastily blossom, long dark nights further compound the
THE PANAK DESERT brightening up the land with unexpected chill, leaving the few travelers with the
color. Growth begins immediately and impression of a bleak, dead land.
North of the Tamire lies a broad ex- the summer is begun. During the short
panse of icy wasteland known as the summer, the plants and animals furiously The Panak is divided into two distinct
Panak Desert. Although it is not properly grow, multiply and gather to survive the geographical areas: the Lower Panak,
a desert, the eerie badlands scoured by coming winter. which blends into the grassland of the
bitter winds, gravelly plains dotted with Tamire, and the Upper Panak, the north-
scrub, bleak miles of ice-crusted bog, Just as suddenly as it began, summer ernmost part of the Desert. Dividing the
ends as the icy blasts from the north re- two is the Great Escarpment. Thrust up
turn. Plants suddenly withdraw them- during the Cataclysm, this wall of weath-
selves, animals change color, and the long

26

NORTHERN HOSK

ered and broken sandstone juts 100 to The animals that live in the Panak are tail and liberally greased with whale oil.
300 feet above the lower plain. as hardy as the plants. Along the south- The type of clothing used is much
ern boundaries, in the lands of the Kazar,
In the centuries since the Cataclysm, are bactrian camels and tough ponies, more a matter of practicality than style.
the escarpment has eroded and crum- both able to forage on the tough shrubs Men, women, and children tend to dress
bled, spilling down onto the Lower and withstand the winter cold. Living alike. Clothing is made almost entirely
Panak. In winter, huge banks of snow pile alongside them are the ubiquitous from pelts and hides. The basic dress is an
against its base and ice expands into the mouse, rabbit, deer, fox, and winter undershirt and leggings of woven nasif
cracks of the sandstone. Because of these wolf. Moose are found in the marshy ar- wool, simple baggy pants of seal skin,
conditions, it is a treacherous wall to eas (especially along the Ring Moun- and a loose-fitting tunic of seal or wolf. In
climb. Talus slopes at the bottom are tains). The steppe tiger can be found as colder weather (by their standards) this is
loose and prone to slides, while the stone far north as the Great Escarpment. supplemented by a knee-length hooded
of the face is crumbly and porous. The fur cassock, fur boots, nasif-wool gloves,
best method of crossing the Great Escarp- North of the escarpment, different an- and walrus-hide mittens.
ment is through the occasional gaps in imals reign. By far the most common are
the wall. At the innermost end, the stone the nasif, a type of reindeer, husbanded Since the tribes are not warlike, there is
changes and height increases as the Great by the Ice People. Somewhat less com- no special battle dress. The favored weap-
Escarpment rises into the Ring Moun- mon are the shaggy musk oxen. Here also ons are spears thrown using a spear-
tains. one finds the mice, rabbits, and wolves thrower, slings, axes, and compound
that seem to populate all the world. short bows of whalebone.
The plain of the Lower Panak is dotted Mostly farther to the north are the fear-
with low hills of sandstone, weirdly some polar bears and, even more danger- The Ice People are semi-nomadic.
eroded to form ominous badlands. Eons ous, the remorhaz and ice bears that During the short, warm summer season,
of wind have flattened the tops of these dwell on the icy slopes of the Ring Moun- they travel south to the permanent ho-tii,
while carving out the sides to make cliff- tains. The rarest and most fearsome of all or peat houses, they have built on the
sided mesas and table-top buttes. Flash polar creatures are the white dragons. pastures of the Upper Panak. Each house
floods have carved canyons and hollowed These normally live in the Ring Moun- is built from bricks of stacked peat and
small caves in the soft rock. The intermit- tains, but sometimes, when disturbed, rock carefully pressed together. The roofs
tent streams flood out into the plains, they stretch their wings and satisfy their are woven branches of evergreen shrubs
forming cold sand bogs and broad pans of appetites by hunting over the plains of covered with more peat. The floors are
water. the Panak. normally dug out slightly below the level
of the surrounding ground. Oiled seal
Above the escarpment on the Upper THE ICE PEOPLE skins are used to keep water and wind
Panak, the ground gradually slopes away out. Those tribes that live near the Ring
to the ocean. The few streams run away Even in the frozen lands of the Upper Mountains where trees are more plentiful
from the south to pool into the marshy Panak there are humans. These humans build cabins of wood and stone. The ho-
tundra of the far north. A layer of perma- consist of a number of different tribes tii remain from year to year with improve-
frost exists, coming closer and closer to known by the collective name of Ice Peo- ments and repairs made as needed or
the surface the farther north one goes. At ple. Although not organized into tribes or desired.
the northernmost edge, the ground is even clans, the Ice People consider them-
solid frost year round, and the shore dis- selves to all be one people, united against In the winter, the coastal families move
appears into blinding white expanses of the hostile conditions of their world. As farther north into the cold regions. There
pack ice. such, the Ice People are not particularly they hunt on the ice packs for seal, walrus,
warlike or hostile. They have few natural whale, and bear. They move their homes
Plant life is sparse and low-growing enemies and none who are organized as needed, first setting up seal-skin tents
throughout the Panak. In the south it is enough to present a serious threat. and then packing the outside with snow or
dominated by tough, woody-branched cut snow blocks. More skins are laid on the
evergreen scrub. Where there is sufficient The Ice People are tall, broadly built, floor to keep the ice from chilling the oc-
water these bushes form a thick mat over usually with a thick layer of fat over their cupants. Tribes that live farther inland
the ground. In their shelter are tender bodies. Their faces are small and flattened drive their herds of nasif into the sheltered
mosses and short grasses. Tiny flowers with tiny eyes protected in part by a thick valleys of the Ring Mountains to winter
brighten the landscape, tucked away in brow. The nose has a distinctive pug shape ho-tii that await them.
the warming beds of moss. Farther north, and the mouth is broad. The ears are small
the scrub gives way to arctic moss and tiny with virtually no lobes. Hair and beards To get about, the Ice People have devel-
ground-berries. Even these barely cling to are coarse black. Beards are kept short oped several unique forms of transporta-
life in the harsh conditions. Finally, all while hair is normally tied back in a pony- tion. When moving their camps across
plant life fades away till there is nothing land or pack ice, they make use of nasif-
but ice, snow, and rock left. drawn sledges. One or two of these power-
ful reindeer are hitched to a large sledge,

27

NORTHERN HOSK

which is built from a wicker frame with shamans without power, the Ice People mies. There are the occasional clashes
leather thongs and whalebone runners. were thrown into a panic. By their beliefs, with the Kazar, although these are nor-
someone had committed some great mally quite brief and often bloodless af-
When the snow is deep, the people use wrong. The tribes went through great per- fairs. More dangerous are the thanoi or
snowshoes to get about easily. (The Kazar secution and agony trying to find the walrus men. So rarely are these creatures
learned the art of snowshoeing from the cause. Unable to find a reason, the people encountered that most Ice People know
Ice People. ) finally decided that the evil had been com- them only through stories told at night in
mitted by the shamans. They saw that the the ho-tii.
Those tribes living along the coast people themselves had not suffered greatly
build canoes from oiled seal skins. From (except for the loss of the shamans’ spells) The thanoi are very real, however. Ac-
these they are able to hunt seals along the and that the makou (wizards) had not suf- cording to legend, they come from some-
ice packs, fish in the open floes, and even fered at all. To their reasoning, since the where beyond the farthest polar ice.
harpoon whales on the open water— shamans were at fault, they had to be When they do appear, it is always to raid
although this last takes the combined ef- killed or driven out before the entire tribe and kill. Their attacks are always savage
fort of several men. They also collect and was blamed. Thus, in the short space of a and are beaten back with the greatest of
carve ivory for trade. few years, the Ice People destroyed their difficulty. Many a small tribe has been to-
entire priesthood. The makou then tally exterminated by the walrus men.
The Ice People are skilled hunters and stepped in to fill the role.
fishermen. Not surprisingly, they have no THE RING MOUNTAINS
talent for growing plants. They are expert Thus it is that today the wizards serve
at preparing seal skins and are relatively as the guides and advisors for the Ice Peo- Beyond the Ilquar ranges, the Tamire
accomplished in tanning other leathers. ple communities. They have taken on gradually rises as one goes farther inland
Those on the coast are skilled in the han- many of the public ceremonies the sha- until the gently rolling ground gives way
dling of small boats. In all of Taladas, mans once performed. Much of their to broken foothills and finally the jagged
there are none better at surviving the bit- magical ability has been cloaked in mysti- peaks of the Ring Mountains. A series of
ter cold temperatures of the north. cal mumbo-jumbo to the point where ranges, the Ring Mountains are a combi-
even they believe some of it is necessary. nation of old and new peaks, some
The Ice People seldom see strangers. Thus spells usually have more compo- formed over the centuries, *others thrust
Those they have met universally report nents and steps than are necessary and upward in the weeks after the Cataclysm.
them to be a friendly and trusting peo- creating magical items includes offerings The ground is alternately old and new,
ple. They unhesitatingly welcome trav- and prayers that other wizards would find wooded and loamy slopes mixed with the
elers into their homes to feast and pointless. thin, sandy soils of lava flows.
entertain. The contents of such a feast
vary according to season. In the summer- The makou have assumed important Warmed and watered by the winds
time, it includes meats, berries, young roles in their tribes; sometimes as leaders, blowing off the Tamire, the lower western
shoots, fish, and nasif milk. In winter- other times as trusted and vital advisors. slopes of the southern end of the Ring
time, the meal is more spartan—fish, To distinguish themselves from others, Mountains are temperate and lush. Thi
seal, whale blubber, stewed mosses, and they often wear special headdresses made spring arrives quickly and lasts long,
dried meats. Delicacies include bear liver, from animal skulls and pelts. Common to warming the ground and gradually fad-
salmon roe, and fresh fruits. After a feast, those along the ocean are cowls made ing into summer. Summertime is warm
the Ice People stay up far into the night from a walrus head, while wolf and bear but not hot, the temperatures moderated
telling stories and jokes. They are noted skull pieces are worn by those more in- by the cooling breezes from the snow-
for their good sense of humor and their land. capped mountain tops. Fall is rainy and
willingness to laugh even at their own gray and the winter chill descends
misfortunes. Even though the gods have since re- quickly. The winters are marked by heavy
turned, shamans have yet to reappear snowfall and cold, though the tempera-
Hunting and the nasif are the two among the Ice People. The now- ture seldom drops to extreme lows.
foundations of the Ice Peoples’ lives, thus traditional prohibition against them has
their most important ceremonies revolve just been too strong to overcome. Still, On the higher slopes, the air is thin and
around these. In their beliefs, every some gods have managed to inspire select chill, even on the sunniest days of sum-
event, every instance of good or bad luck, individuals and instill in them the faith mer. The snows last well into summer in
is caused by some action (or failure to act) and powers of their cult. For example, the shaded nooks and crannies of forests.
among the Ice People. Thus, if disease there are priests of Mislaxa, but they have In the heart of the range, the peaks are
strikes a herd, it may be due to an im- found it necessary to pose as makou in or- snow-capped year round with small gla-
proper offering made before the last der to perform their healing arts. ciers waxing and waning from year to year.
butchering or because a herdsman
washed his hair. Complicated taboos Though not greatly threatened and not Farther to the north, the character of the
abound within their society. very warlike, the Ice People do have ene-

When the Flight of the Gods left their

28

NORTHERN HOSK

mountains changes. Arctic air sweeps over mud-pots, hot springs, and fumaroles. pire of Aurim. With the devastation of
the Panak Desert off the Guurlamskas They are treacherous areas to cross, boil- Hiteh’s Night, the Empire was destroyed
Ocean and rushes over the slopes. Sum- ing pools covered by thin layers of decep- and its people scattered. Yet there re-
mers are brief, marked by furious growth. tively solid-seeming earth. Because of mains evidence of its former greatness.
The dry desert winds drop what little rain their warm and soothing waters and their Here and there throughout the Ring
they have, first snow, then turning to overall unusual terrain, these places are Mountains are ruins and traces of Aurim’s
slush, and finally cold gray rain through- considered sacred and special by the sur- might. Some have been long-lost; others
out the summer. Even the lower peaks are face dwellers. are revered as sacred or shunned as taboo.
capped year round by snow and glaciers fill Best known of all these is the Pillar at
the valleys, slowly advancing through the On the inward arc of the Ring Moun- Malad-Thoor, at the edge of the Dwarven
range. In the northernmost part of the tains, the sloping peaks give way to jut- Caverns.
range, the glaciers pour out onto the level ting columns of stone. Formed when
plain of the desert. large masses of basalt were slowly thrust The Pillar is a towering monument of
from below by tremendous pressure, the carved white marble, almost 1,500 feet
As noted earlier, the mountains are a stone hardened into crystal columns. high. Once it stood much taller, but as
combination of old and new. The oldest Roughly hexagonal in shape, most are much as one-third to one-half of the up-
parts of the range are low and rounded, weathered and cracked across their tops, per part has cracked and broken away,
tapering almost imperceptibly into the although a few are smooth and level. scattered in gigantic stone shards over the
foothills bordering the Tamire. Deeper Some columns are small, no taller than surrounding region. Carved bands of
in, the ranges have split along concentric ten or 20 feet; others are gigantic, tower- glyphs encircle the Pillar (which is over
faults that radiate outward from Hi- ing over 1,000 feet in the air. The largest 200 feet in diameter) at vertical intervals
tehkel. The earth has tipped along these are supported all around by smaller of 50 feet. The Pillar is built in a series of
faults, thrusting up mountain ridges. columns bracing and buttressing them. steps, with the column’s diameter lessen-
Quite new, these are extremely high and The columns lean and tilt at all angles, ing every 500 feet.
jagged. some quite perilously while others stand
straight and true. Narrow canyons and While it is known that the Pillar was
These same faults split open huge lava crevasses, their floors strewn with rubble, built during the time of the Empire of
flows. The seething magma poured into separate the columns. Secret trails exist Aurim, the exact reason for its construc-
the remains of the Indanalis Sea, boiling between each, but there are many dead tion is unknown. It is commonly believed
away the water in a tremendous explosion ends and cul-de-sacs. to be an emperor’s tomb, although local
of steam. The sudden cooling glassified legend describes it as the spear of Qu’uan
the lava’s surface, creating the bizarre, The creatures that live in the Ring the Warrior cast to earth during the All-
brilliantly smooth fields of the Shining Mountains vary according to the terrain. Saints War. Naturally, there is rumored to
Plains. Bordering on these strange lands The lower slopes of the southern moun- be a great treasure hidden in or around
are upthrust cones of basalt surrounded tains are rich with deer, fox, wolf, rabbit, the Pillar. Adventurers and grave robbers
by dunes of black sand, each grain a owl, hawk, boar, bobcat, cougar, and have scoured the area in vain.
razor-sharp splinter. This sand blows bear. There are colonies of giant ants,
across the land, polishing the already great flocks of bats, giant beetles, and For all their volcanic convulsions and
smooth plain to create a vast sheet of lone ankhegs. Farther up the peaks are horrible contortions, the Ring Mountains
glass. It also cuts and abrades, and the mountain goats, marmots, and eagles. are inhabited, in some areas heavily pop-
fierce black sandstorms will flay the skin ulated. Those dwelling in the mountains
and strip flesh from the bone in a matter There are rumors of a race of half- are divided between the surface and un-
of minutes. animal, half-humanoid people, the sa- derground. On the surface are the ogres,
qualaminoi (white-furred people) of humans, and small groups of gnomoi.
When the plain was formed, the cool- dwarven legend, hidden away in the Underground, so deeply hidden that
ing lava flowed and formed tubes and coldest and most isolated ranges. Farther they are almost forgotten by the surface,
caves underneath the ground. Thus north, these rumors grow stronger, as do are the dwarves.
much of the plain is honeycombed with reports of the fearsome remorhaz and
underground tunnels and caverns that cave bear. Across the outer ranges, even The ogres, or First People as they call
run for miles. In places these break the stranger creatures dwell on the Shining themselves, live mainly in the woodlands
surface, in other areas the glassified plain Plains—the horax and skrit, great insec- of the western valleys. They dominate
covers them like a thin sheet of ice. The toid beasts able to survive through all but this region, defending the land from the
tunnels are substantial enough to form an the most fearsome of the black sand- occasional attacks of the elves (who gener-
entire world beneath the surface. storms. ally find it much easier to attack the gob-
lins in the Ilquar ranges). During
Dotted throughout the Ring Moun- Before the Cataclysm, the Ring Moun- extremely cold winters, the saqualaminoi
tains are many still-active volcanoes and tains (or what existed of them then) had may come down out to wreak havoc
geothermal areas. The latter have geysers, stood on the edge of the burgeoning Em- among the ogres.

29

NORTHERN HOSK

The frosty highlands are the strange underground, until now when they rarely, common material is buck- and doeskin.
and mysterious stronghold of the sa- if ever, venture into the sunlit world. It is Males wear simple heavy leather trousers
qualaminoi. Little is known of the white- not uncommon for a dwarf of this empire and shirts. These are trimmed with fringe
haired men, for they dwell in a land few to never leave the enclosed world of the and bone—often the prize kills of the
reach. Even should a traveler have the de- underground tunnels. ogre. Females wear long dresses of doe-
sire, he would first have to traverse the skin, decorated with appliques of dyed
homeland of the ogres —a race not noted Far underground, the dwarves discov- leather patches. During the summer,
for their hospitality. Approach from the ered something or someone else, the they go about barefoot. In winter they
other side would be no easier—skirting duramkinarchsa or “beasts of the stone.” add bearskin robes and fur-lined boots
the edge of Hitehkel, crossing the Shin- Living even deeper than the Scorned for extra warmth. In general, they need to
ing Plain, and finally scaling the up- Dwarves, the stone beasts have never wear less for protection than others, be-
thrusts of the mountains themselves. been seen on the surface (at least in recent ing far hardier than other races.
Once there, he would have to survive in a times) and are only known through the
frozen land where even the Ice People of stories of the dwarves and the legends of By custom, only ogre males are allowed
the Panak would find their skills put to a miners. While such tales normally por- to carry weapons (although knives and
sore test. Little wonder that no traveler tray them as monsters, it is quite possible daggers are worn by all). An ogre’s nor-
has gone to the trouble. they are an organized people barely be- mal complement of arms includes a
yond the stages of savagery. Tales and leg- stone-tipped war club, a fire-hardened
Barely better known are the nomads of ends give them a horrid and fanciful spear, several smaller throwing clubs,
the Shining Lands. Even in this deadly appearance, but the common thread is throwing stones (chosen for weight, bal-
and inhospitable land, humans have that they are stooped and squat, barely ance, and looks), slings and stones, and a
fought to make a home. The nomads are able to stand erect, and that their skins metal-bladed dagger. Aside from their
a bizarre and mysterious group, with- are heavily crusted and stiff. Sometimes leather clothing, the ogres wear no armor,
drawn to themselves, with customs they are described with fangs or horns or relying on their natural toughness.
shaped by the unforgiving demands of both; other times the description is
the land they dwell in. Their enemies in- mixed with that of other creatures—apes, Much knowledge has been lost since
clude not just the voracious horax and oxen, even elephants. the Cataclysm, including the secrets of
skrit but also the most implacable foe— the origins of the ogres. Today, popular
the tearing black sand of the Plain. THE FIRST PEOPLE tales and superstitions fill the void. The
elves of the Tamire believe the ogres are as
In a small way, their hardships have Living in the western woodlands of the they have been since the beginning of
been lessened by the gnomes to the east Ring Mountains are the Abaqua ogres time—that they were created in these
of them. The gnomoi who dwell among (Abaqua means “First People” in their forms and shall remain so for all time.
the land of columns are their principal tongue). These brutes are a simple race, Scholars of the League argue endlessly
trading partners. In exchange for miner- organized into a loose nation. Although about the matter (as is their wont). Some
als and other goods, the gnomoi provide hardly pacifists, their needs and wants are maintain the ogres are a crossbreed of hu-
the nomads with sandsuits and useful de- relatively minor and so they stay to their man and saqualaminoi; others react to
vices to make their lives both possible and own lands for the most part. this idea as sick blasphemy, suggesting
safer. These gnomoi, a branch of the that the combination is more likely be-
more numerous and powerful gnomoi of Ogres are classed by humans as part of tween the dwarves and the saqualaminoi.
Hitehkel, live among the twisted paths of the giant races. They stand eight to ten (The dwarves have never heard this idea.)
the columns. There they live like their feet tall, although they are normally The Scorned Dwarves believe the ogres
cousins, designing, testing, fabricating, stooped, which somewhat lessens the im- are the result of Reorx’s rage against the
and redesigning. They make some trade pact of their full height. Both males and humans when they failed to learn his
with the nomads, other gnomoi, and females have broad shoulders and barrel- teachings. Frustrated by their stubborn
those brave merchants of the League and like chests. They stand bent-kneed, giv- minds and slow wit, he cursed them with
old Aurim who reach them, but their ing the impression they are bow-legged. forms to match. They consequently refer
most important trading partners are the Their skin color ranges from swarthy to ogres as human-kin and humans as
Scorned, the deep-dwelling dwarves un- brown to a purplish-black. Their bodies ogre- kin.
der the Ring Mountains. are covered in large knobby warts, some-
thing others might find unpleasant but The ogres themselves have the closest
The Scorned, as they call themselves, which they consider to be a sign of answer to the riddle of their origin. Ac-
are an ancient race of dwarves. Once, be- beauty. Their hair is black and stringy, cording to their tales, they (the ogres) were
fore the Cataclysm, they lived near the sur- normally cropped short all around to once the First People of the Earth. When
face and were commonly seen throughout keep down lice and other vermin. they were created, the gods give them spe-
the surface lands. Since Hiteh’s Night, the Males and females dress simply. The most cial gifts of virtue and fairness.
dwarves have retreated farther and farther

30

NORTHERN HOSK

They were tall and fair, clever and intelli- homes but maintain regular campsites are the most common drinks.
gent. In time there rose among them a tribe where they spend parts of their year. In the At the head of the tribe is the warchief.
that grew evil and corrupt listening to the summer the Black Peak tribe can always be
words of men. This tribe, the Irda, waged found in a clearing on the banks of the This ogre, the strongest and canniest who
great war upon their brethren and finally Mashk River; in winter they camp at the has proven himself in battle, leads the
stole all the gifts the gods had given unto caves of the Tamaf Cliffs. Other tribes fol- warriors in battle, acts as tribal judge, and
the First People. These they fled with, hid- low a similar pattern. Each tribe has a tradi- is responsible for the grouping of the
ing the gifts away in the secret places of the tional range that it considers its territory. hunt. It is a powerful position and dan-
world. Ever since, the ogres have searched Although all one nation, entering the land gerous at the same time. While the war-
for the stolen gifts, hoping to restore them of another tribe is done only at great risk. chief gains many benefits, blame for
to their kind. Naturally, they bear a great The tribes take a dim view of others hunt- failure in battle or times of starvation are
hatred for the thieving Irda and their allies, ing, camping, or sometimes even crossing placed directly on him. The ogres do not
the humans. their territory. Trespassers from friendly forgive failure with a simple “I’m sorry.
tribes (bound by blood relation) are treated Next time I’ll do better.” Death is a far
The true origin of the ogres is close to as special guests—and the same treatment more common punishment.
this, except for several key differences. Yes, is expected in return. Trespassers from hos-
they were once fair and wise, but their own tile tribes are killed or driven off. As a nec- Most activities take place outside
powers were corrupted by evil. It is also true essary ingredient for survival, all ogres are around a central fire. It is taboo to cook
that a great war was fought among the well aware of tribal boundaries and the over this fire, spit into it, or douse it with
ogres, between the Irda and the remainder landmarks that identify them. water. Maintaining the fire is symboli-
of the nation, a war virtually unknown to cally important to the tribe, arising from
men. However, the Irda, having forseen the Tribal life is very simple. Upon arriving practical necessity—the fire-making abil-
inevitable decay of their race under the at a new camp, the ogres build dome-like ity of the ogres is limited, and it is far eas-
force of evil, were attempting to halt the houses of young saplings covered with ier for them to keep one fire going at all
slide. In the end the Irda were forced to flee sheets of bark and leaves. Depending on times. One elder ogre, too old to fight,
to distant lands for their own safety. Being taste, the floor is left bare or covered with has the position of hoorac or “fireten-
the victors, more or less, the remaining pine boughs. Good hunters show their der.” In rank within the tribe it is second
ogres have conveniently rewritten history to skill by covering their floors and the area only to the warchief. The firetender not
favor themselves. outside the entrance with hides. Most only maintains the council fire but acts as
cooking, when food is cooked, is done the speaker of all councils at the fire. The
The ogres view themselves as a single outdoors well away from the huts. Cook- firetender is chosen on the basis of his
nation formed of related tribes of about ing fires are moved into the flammable fame and wisdom to advise the warchief.
100 members per tribe. Each tribe has its huts only during bad weather. They have Like the warchief, his life is forfeit if the
own name, usually chosen from a land- few iron utensils—some simple pots fire goes out or his advice is exceptionally
mark or place name that is central to the bought or taken from merchants. Most bad. Of course, if he gives bad advice he
traditional lands of that tribe. Tribes in- cups and bowls are made of wood or can always try to blame it on the warchief.
culde the Black Peak People, the Deer- gourd. Each warrior has a drinking skull
wood People, the Grass People, the fashioned from the bones of a particularly Although the ogres are powerful, brut-
Falling River People, and so on. Each notable enemy. For a young warrior this is ish and violent, they are not particularly
tribe is an extended family, with broth- normally his first kill; older warriors may aggressive. For the most part they stay to
ers, uncles, children, etc., living within have one or several depending on how themselves (just as they have since before
the same group. Although it is accepted their foes rate. In battle, the ogre who re- the Ogre Wars). However, their violent
that a male can have more than one wife, quests to “drink from his opponent” is spirit cannot be quashed and so they ea-
tradition usually limits him to one. Addi- giving the highest compliment he knows, gerly go to war to avenge any raids made
tional wives are taken most often when a ranking his foe as worthy of being his on them by outsiders. At times they ven-
brother dies, leaving a widow who must drinking skull. ture onto the plains to attack the elves, but
be cared for. Children are raised by the the horsemen are often too dangerous for
parents with the assistance of the rest of The ogres are not particular about the them. The saqualaminoi of the high
the tribe. Those too sickly, aged, or quality of their food or dining habits. Wise mountains are too difficult and reclusive
wounded to travel with the tribe are travelers eat their own meals well away from to make good targets. Their preferred vic-
killed. Ogre tribes do not have too many the fires of ogres. Kills are normally cached tims are the Scorned living deep under-
elderly members. The tribe, as a whole, in tree branches or buried, the meat used as ground. The ogres know the entrances
forms a supportive group with each mem- needed. Spoilage is of no concern to the into this underground world and the tun-
ber responsible for the health, safety, and ogres. Raw, broiled, and stewed meats, nels that lead to the edge of this dwarven
protection of all others. supplemented by a few berries and wild empire. Of course the dwarves are not ones
herbs, are common fare. Water and blood to be helplessly raided and retaliate in
The ogres do not build permanent kind with their own bloody raids.

31

NORTHERN HOSK

Although the tribes function indepen- without roots to any other spoken on Ta- THE GLASS-SAILORS
dently, there are occasions when the nation ladas. They dwell in ice caves and feed on
can be brought together to act as one. If mountain goats and sheep that dwell at Of all the humans who survived the Cat-
their lands are threatened with invasion or the base of their glaciated lands, storing aclysm, none have adapted more thor-
if a charismatic and successful warchief the frozen carcasses in their caves until oughly to the bizarre circumstances of their
arises among the tribes, they will act to- they are consumed. Curiously, they do environment than the nomadic Glass Sail-
gether. While they do not understand the not prey on humanoids by choice but are ors of the Shining Lands. Cut off from con-
full value of money (they do not use it drawn to them by curiosity. They attempt tact with their fellows and thrust into a
among themselves), they will occasionally to capture those humanoids they encoun- deadly wasteland of flesh-tearing sand-
venture beyond their own lands and work ter. However, their methods are rough storms, deceptive glass traps, blinding sun,
as guards or soldiers in distant realms. and they kill those who resist. The ogres, shimmering mirages, and deadly foes, the
in particular, resist quite vigorously, be- Glass Sailors have not only found a way to
THE SAQUALAMINOI lieving the saqualaminoi to be blood- survive but even multiply. In doing so,
thirsty snow-demons. There are reports of however, they have adopted a harsh and
Above the lands of the Abaqua ogres, humans who have actually escaped from unforgiving outlook on life.
above the timberline of the Ring Moun- the captivity of the white-haired men,
tains, is a region of jagged rock and gla- but these accounts are quite possibly ex- The Glass Sailors are a tall and slender
cier fields. Here nothing grows except aggerations or lies. people, descendants of the people of an-
scrawny lichens and hardy mosses in the cient Aurim. The average height for men
warmest sunlit regions at the edge of tree Living so isolated from all else, the is six feet; women stand slightly less than
line. Here even that most adaptable crea- white-haired men do not normally be- this. Their legs are long while their torsos
ture, man, chooses not to dwell. To him come involved with others. Their most are average in length. They have excep-
and others, it is a bleak and desolate land notable contact is in times of poor hunt- tionally long arms, reaching almost to
of lifeless ice and stone. But it is the home ing, particularly during the winter. Then, their knees. Facially, the typical Sailor has
of the saqualaminoi. driven by lack of food, they come down prominent cheekbones and sunken
out of the mountains to raid the villages cheeks. The chin tends to be long and
The saqualaminoi, or white-haired and tribes nearby, again most often the squared and the nose small but sharp.
people, are a race of ogre-like people who ogres. These raids are usually made under Once, long-ago, they were pale com-
dwell in the snowbound peaks of the in- the cover of fierce blizzards that blow plected, but generations of sun and
ner Ring range. They stand seven to nine down the mountains. The ogres call such weathering have given them a deep red-
feet tall (slightly smaller than an ogre). snows the “demonstorms.” In their leg- brown skin tone. Their hair is blond to
Their bodies are covered with white- to ends, the saqualaminoi are not real crea- pale-white. They grow it long and braid,
gray-colored hair—a soft, downy layer tures but evil spirits of the mountains bind, and tie it into patterns. Ponytails,
close to the skin and a longer oily layer sent to perform their wickedness on the braids, buns, and twisted locks are all
covering this. The down traps body heat true people of the Abaqua. common.
while the longer bristles shed water,
snow, and ice. Their heads are compact More recently, Hiteh the Merchant, god Most startling are their eyes. The arrest-
and press down between their shoulders, of mischief, has taken an interest in the sa- ing blue of the pupil is accented by the taut
leaving the impression they have no neck. qualaminoi. In their primitive state, they folds of skin above and below, narrowing
Prominent fangs, small eyes, and an al- stand at the threshold of good and evil. He, the eye to a simple slit. The eyelashes,
most flat nose mark their faces. Their ears for one, is working to tip the balance to though bleached pale, are long and partic-
are hidden under their hair. Both their evil. Through his powers, he has inspired a ularly thick, while the eyebrows are almost
hands and feet are thickly padded, cov- powerful bull of that race with ambition— non-existent, plucked to a fine arc as is their
ered with hair, and taloned to give them cruel and brutal ambition. This bull now custom. The skin around the eyes is paler
purchase on the ice. They can deliver works to dominate and lead the others, than the rest of the face, a result of the sand
massive blows with their fists and cause making them more warlike and aggressive. goggles they almost constantly wear when
horrendous gashes with their claws. The As is the way with evil, Hiteh has taught on the surface.
males (bulls) are larger and more aggres- the bull, named He-of-the-Great-Ice-
sive than the females, except in the de- Cleft, that taking is easier and more success- The dress of the Glass Sailors is divided
fense of young. ful than work. He-of-the-Great-Ice-Cleft between underground and surface cos-
has led others of his people on longer and tumes. The dangerous conditions found
Although the white-haired ones are in- more intentional raids than before. Their- on the topside demand special garb to
telligent, they are extremely primitive. victories, bringing back meat and new lux- protect from the razor-like sand. Even
They do not wear clothing or make any- uries like metal-bladed weapons, have underground, special effort is taken to
thing beyond the simplest of stone im- increased Hiteh’s influence over the whole keep the black sand away. Because of this
plements. They have a language, one tribe. need, clothing for men and women tends
to follow the same pattern.

32

NORTHERN HOSK

The underground costume has three fled. The leather is often molded and amount of importance through the barter
main parts: the pantaloons, the shirt, painted into fanciful animal faces. The of sons and daughters for marriage.
and cowl. Both the pants and the shirt are entire mask laces onto the edge of the
of a tightly woven cotton, grown around cowl. The sand goggles have lenses of Unlike many other peoples of Taladas,
the oases of the Shining Land. Points of glass (cut from the Shining Land) set into the Glass Sailors tend to treat men and
frequent wear— knees, elbows, and the leather cups that flare to overlap the mask women equally. Unmarried women and
seat—are reinforced with thick leather and cowl. These may be plain or elabo- men are both expected to work and fight
pads stitched to the outside of the cloth. rately carved to match the mask. for the survival of the family, thus women
The shirt and pants are loose and billowy are equal warriors to the men. Within the
to reduce chafing by what sand does get To complete the surface outfit, each family there are a few roles that are tradi-
inside. The shirt is double-breasted, the traveler has a leather overcape and gaunt- tionally defined by sex. Navigation of the
two sides overlapping. The inner layer is lets. The cape is carried but, since it is hot glass skimmers is taught to men; ancient
fastened by a set of ties. The outer layer and doesn’t breathe well, is only worn songs and stories are learned by women.
has large brass toggles. When relaxing in during the black sandstorms that sweep The seemingly enlightened attitude of
safe conditions, the toggles are normally the plain. Then the tribesmen draw the equality changes with marriage. At this
left unfastened, allowing the shirt to cloak tightly about themselves and hud- point the women bear and raise children,
drape open somewhat. The cloth at the dle down behind protection as best they a role considered even more important by
wrists, neck, ankles, and waist is gathered can. The gauntlets are also of heavy the tribe, especially considering their low
into tight cuffs. These are further sealed leather and are worn as needed. numbers.
by overlapping thongs and sashes, often
brightly colored and decorated. The third The Glass Sailors are not warlike in the The families live nomadic lives, shifting
part of the costume is the cowl. This is sense that they go out and attack each with the seasonal movements of the horax
part tight-fitting hood, part flowing other or any neighboring tribes (the and the production of the oases. While
cape. It fits snugly over the head, sealing gnomes are their only neighbors of signif- there are many watering points (including
tightly around the face. From this it icance). However, they are constantly flowing rivers) throughout the Shining
hangs loosely down the back and shoul- threatened by colonies of horax and at- Land, most do not provide the shelter
ders reaching to the mid-thigh, splitting tacks of lone skrit and so have developed needed for long stays. These sites are used
into two tails. Ties can be used to fasten it their fighting skills to a fine art. Battle ar- as stopping points on the longer journeys to
to the sleeves and the tails can be mor consists of a breastplate and half- the oases. What makes these oases special
wrapped around the waist for. additional cuisse (leg armor that protects the front of are the lava caves nearby. These caves pro-
protection. When well away from tunnel the thigh) made from the carapace of the vide shelter for the Glass Sailors.
entrances, the cowl is normally worn off horax. Their favored weapons are metal-
the head, only pulled up when stray bladed swords, clubs set with razor sharp Each family group occupies a single cave
breezes blow the sand about. Tight- pieces of black glass, glass darts, and and it is normal for several caves to be
fitting socks with thick leather soles are slings. found around a single oasis. Just as other
always worn, the tops reaching to the end nomads have traditional hunting grounds,
of the pants. Finally, small nose filters Because the Shining Land has few re- the families of the Glass Sailors each have
(carried on a thong around the neck) sources to support people, the Glass Sail- particular caves. Battles sometimes erupt
complete the outfit. The entire costume ors are few in number and live in small when squatters attempt to occupy the cave
is customarily black or dark grey to blend groups. There are approximately 10,000 of a particular family. The cave is important
in with the tunnels. of these nomads all told, although no as the living quarters, emergency shelter,
census has ever been taken (for obvious and storage for the family. Most activities,
On the surface, the underground cos- reasons). Each group tends to be about 25 such as cooking, are still conducted out-
tume is supplemented by additional pro- individuals, all related by blood. Thus doors in the oasis itself.
tection. When the time on the surface is there are about 400 different families
short and the conditions are not danger- sailing the Shining Land. Upon claiming a cave, the family first
ous, no special protections are worn. In erects the door seal which can best be
other situations, the full surface suit is Although they are truly independent imagined as a primitive airlock. Outer-
worn. The most important features are of each other, the families nominally rec- most is a wicker frame of stretched leather
the filtermask and sand goggles. The ognize a monarchy within the people. that covers the cave mouth. This has one
mask is made of molded leather. It fits This monarchy traces its descent to a royal small entrance door. Beyond this are sev-
over the mouth, nose, cheeks, and chin. prince of pre-Cataclysm Aurim and is eral heavy curtains of cloth, each with a
Built into it is a filtering screen to block now concentrated into a few select fami- slit for passing through set in a different
the blowing sand and a simple mega- lies. The monarchial privileges are mat- place. In this way, the windblown black
phone to keep the voice from being muf- ters of courtesy only. They have no ability sand is blocked or trapped before it
to influence the actions of others except reaches the living quarters of the family.
by the prestige of their name. This pres-
tige does allow them to maintain a certain Beyond the seal are the general living
quarters of the family. Since lava tunnels

33

NORTHERN HOSK

tend to be a single chamber, curtains are their name—their unique transportation, gators learn to watch for telltale signs, the
hung to separate different sleeping quar- the glass skimmers. The glass skimmers are drumming waver of the glass, the crum-
ters. Each is furnished with hide spreads similiar in appearance to iceboats. The bled pitted holes, and the hollow thrum-
and woven reed mats. Lighting is pro- skimmer has a hull, one or more sails and ming of the runners. The land is dotted
vided through magical means, phospho- outrigger arms ending in special runners. with gaping holes and the ruins of skim-
rescent fungi, and occasional candles or Here the skates are not metal blades, but mers whose navigators failed to heed
fires. The latter are discouraged since specially oil-soaked and prepared pads these warnings in time.
they quickly foul the air of the cave. fixed to the bottom of the runners. Each
skimmer can carry four to five people and These tunnels hold an even more fear-
Of course, the Glass Sailors don’t live their belongings. Larger skimmers are not some danger, the horax. These insectoid
on the Shining Land just because they practical. Using the skimmers, the Glass creatures live in great colonies in the tube-
think it is a wonderful place—personally, Sailors are able to “sail” vast areas of the ways just below the surface. Seasonally they
they think it is far from paradise. Driven Shining Land. Only areas drifted with the migrate throughout the interconnected tu-
out of more abundant lands by ogres and razor sharp black sand are impassable and beways, moving from one part of the plain
the like, the Glass Sailors have learned to these areas are to be avoided anyway for to another. At night they leave their caves
exist here. They gather the most polished the sand would easily get into clothing to to hunt in packs, swarming over lone skim-
sections of the land for sale to the gnomes chafe and cut. mers or unprotected camps. They also dig
and dwarves who sometimes come up new tunnels, sometimes bursting into the
from below. The glass is used as windows, Glass sailing is not without its risks. Of sleeping caves of the Glass Sailors. It is
lenses, or even cut into pretty baubles. course there is the chance of being over- fighting these and the predatory skrit that
They also mine small deposits of exotic turned by a sudden gust—slamming into train the warriors of Glass.
metals for sale to the gnomes. the hard ground at 30 or 40 miles per
hour is not a pleasant thought. More The Glass Sailors were not an organized
To supplement their living, the Glass treacherous dangers exist, however. The people prior to the Cataclysm. They
Sailors hunt the wild gazelles that live black sandstorms can catch a skimmer out formed from the survivors of the wreck-
along the broken riverbanks, the giant in the open. Little can be done then but age. Because of this, the families did not
lizards of the hot land, and the fearsome to bring down the sail, anchor the points, suffer as much from the upheaval caused
skrit and horax of the tunnels below the and take cover from the cutting sand. Nor by the Flight of the Gods. There was no es-
surface. They grow cotton around wa- is the Shining Land perfectly smooth; tablished set of beliefs that suddenly
terholes, planting the seed in one season there are many areas of jagged shards and needed modification when the priests lost
and returning for the harvest in another. collapsed cave roofs. Navigators need to their powers. Instead, the beliefs of the
They collect fruit from the thick-barked know the lay of the land lest they sail onto Glass People grew out of the events that
trees that grow at waterside. In short, the rocks. There are other areas where the have occurred since the Cataclysm. This
they do everything they can to make their lava caves almost break through the sur- has given them a different view of life
lives easier. face. Here the Shining Land is nothing from most other groups of Taladas.
more than a thin fragile sheet. The navi-
The most notable achievement of the The Glass Sailors have become convinced
Glass Sailors is the one that has given them that the land of Taladas (as they remember
it) is being punished and tested by the
gods. In their tales, told by the female
bards, the gods have become angry with
the evil of their children and are now test-
ing them. Those fit to survive and endure
the tests shall be taken by the gods into the
realm of paradise, the realm of the
High Father. The Shining Land is the test of
their people. If they can survive and prosper
in this land, they will prove themselves wor-
thy. If they fail, including leaving the plain
for more hospitable terrain, they will have
failed in their test and will never be able to

enter the paradise of the gods.
To this end, the wizards and wizar-

desses of the tribe have assumed the roles
of seers and prophets. They tend to spe-
cialize in divination and invocation. It is

34

NORTHERN HOSK

their duty to aid and guide the families convulsions of Hiteh’s Night, the Bilo time. The sergeants and captains are nor-
through the trials set by the gods. They (for short) have settled in the region that mally older, more experienced men who
advise the family and lead it in battle forms the border between the Shining have proven themselves leaders of the
against all enemies. Thus, the wizards are Land and Hitehkel. Here they practice community. Unfortunately this does not
found at the forefront of any fight, not their gnomish arts, making devices and always translate to military skill. Young
necessarily in actual melee but standing living in quiet peace. women without children form the
prominently where all can see them. auxillaries—companies of slingers and
The Bilo gnomes are similar in appear- bowmen with simple leather or padded
Because all that has happened since the ance to the gnomes of Hitehkel. They armor. They avoid contact with the en-
Cataclysm is a test, to turn away from the stand about three to three-and-a-half feet emy if at all possible. Mothers, the aged,
challenge is to fail. Those who fail do not tall and are hefty framed little fellows. and children serve as cooks, water bear-
reach paradise. This makes the Glass Sail- Like all of their kind they have large noses ers, wound dressers, and runners, han-
ors fanatically brave. They will not sur- and high, domed foreheads. Their skin dling all the non-combat tasks that must
render and almost never flee. They will has a ruddy, waxy complexion. Males nor- be dealt with. Thus, although the
not shirk a task or avoid a responsibility. mally wear their hair long and scraggly— gnomes of Bilo are few in number (no
Unlike other fanatics, the Glass Sailors personal appearance is not particularly more than 10,000 total), they can mobi-
view the test as personal to their people. important, although they are not slov- lize themselves to present a formidable
There is no need to spread their view to enly. Females pride themselves on their defense, especially when combined with
others. The test is their test alone. Others prim and proper look. Bathing is a com- the fortifications of their towers.
only exist to pose challenges. They can mon and important practice, unusual
never be part of the Glass Sailors’ test. among the peoples of Taladas. So particu- The Bilo gnomes are united into a sin-
lar are they about hygiene that visitors are gle nation, composed of the ten different
Their belief that they are being tested usually bathed before any audience. This towns that form their land. The Ten
on the Shining Land has led the Glass is presented as a special honor, what with Towns are ruled by the Council of Bur-
Sailors to believe that leaving the land is the attention lavished by the gnomish ghers, the mayor of each town having a
evil. On those occasions when they carry servants, but outsiders tend to view the seat at the Council. From their numbers
goods to the gnomes, all those who take whole thing as a necessary ordeal, espe- the Burghers elect a Burgomeister, Grand
part in the caravan must be specially puri- cially since the gnomes apply the soap Imperator, and a Warden of the Eastern
fied when they return. The purification and brush with great vigor. March.
ceremony, conducted by the family wiz-
ard, is harsh and painful, involving ritual The Bilo gnomes dress simply. Men The Burgomeister is the head of the
burial up to the neck in the sharp-edged wear knee-length tunics, patterned with Council and presides over all the affairs of
black sand. By suffering through this cer- vertical stripes or divided into two colors the gnomes. The Grand Imperator is a war
emony, the traders drive the evil that has (one half blue and the other yellow, for leader. During peacetime the Imperator
entered them out of their bodies. example). Brightly colored hose, soft has no powers or duties and is often not
shoes, and a leather belt finish the cos- even consulted on military matters. How-
This same belief is used to set punish- tume. In bad weather a hooded cloak, ever, in the event of attack, he assumes
ments for crimes. While most crimes are perhaps trimmed with fur, is added to complete control of the gnome militia and
dealt with by servitude or payment of a fine this basic garb. Women wear floor-length is the sole authority for the course of the
(in goods), the worst crimes—patricide in gowns with wide sleeves and a short man- war. During this time the Burghers act as
particular—are punished by branding and tle. Young women usually bind their hair councillors. The Warden of the Eastern
banishment from the land. The expelled in long braids and wear a golden or silver Marches, originally charged with the pro-
criminal has essentially lost all hope of en- circlet. Upon marriage, a wife usually tection of the easternmost towers, is respon-
tering paradise. Of course, the banished dresses in more somber colors as befits her sible for the security of the gnomes in times
still believe they are being tested and thus important station. of peace. It is his duty to protect the
still have a chance for the reward of the gnomes from raids, gather intelligence,
gods. Many of the Glass Sailors encoun- The Bilo gnomes have no standing and quell disorder as quickly as possible.
tered beyond the land view every event as a army, but everyone, male and female Should a war occur, he becomes the second-
test or challenge to their beliefs. alike, is expected to serve in the militia if in-command, taking his orders from the
it is called up. The actual rank and task Grand Imperator. These three terms are for
THE GNOMOI OF THE depends on the age and abilities of the life.
gnome. Men capable of wielding a sword
COLUMNS form the bulk of the militia, serving as Each mayor is elected by the citizens of
common soldiers. Common soldiers have his town. Citizenship is limited strictly to
Living in the land of the basalt a chain mail hauberk, helmet, spear, and gnomes who are eligible to or have served
columns are the Bilogastandirachgno- short sword. Each man is expected to have in the militia. The votes of those bound
mius, a branch of the gnomes. Separated his own equipment ready for use at any in service to another (an apprentice, ser-
from the main line of the gnomes by the

35

NORTHERN HOSK

vant, or sharecropper, for example) are Tower,” and the other is Ilmachtothtalch- The gnomes, filled from childhood with
held by the master. Thus, guildmasters der, the “Tower of Ghosts.” tales, lies, and half-truths about dragons,
and large landowners control a larger por- simply could not withstand their might.
tion of votes than normal craftsmen. The Provoerhoosktalchder is called the Some fled, panicked at the mere thought
mayor retains his position until chal- Warden’s Tower because of its location. It of dragons. Others, remembering the
lenged; there is no set term of service. He was the easternmost of all the Bilo towns, tales of lone heroes bravely besting the
can be challenged by any citizen at any the first line of defense against the hob- fearsome reptiles, foolishly marched for-
time, but such challenges are normally goblins of Aurim. Governorship of the ward on their own only to be destroyed
only made when the challenger feels he town was always assigned to the Warden before the eyes of the others.
has a decent shot at victory. of the Eastern March, the second-in-
command of the Bilo militia forces. How- The dragons ravaged the town. The
Below the mayor of a town is the town ever, 53 years ago, the hobgoblins, aided fortunate gnomes fled to other towers;
council. These vary in size from town to by the fire minions of Hitehkel, stormed the foolish fled into their tower for safety.
town. The aldermen are nominated by the the tower and claimed control of it. Al- These the dragons toyed with for sport,
mayor and approved by the citizens. An al- though the invasion was later defeated sometimes allowing them moments of
derman’s term of service is dependent on (with the aid of the Scorned Dwarves), hope only to then reappear with horrible
the mayor; an alderman can be replaced the hobgoblins have managed to retain fearsomeness. T h r o u g h m a g i c t h e
provided the citizens approve a new nomi- control of the Warden’s Tower. gnomes broadcast their pleas of help to
nee. Clearly the system promotes cronyism the others, but no aid could reach them.
and block voting; however, the gnomes are Today the situation is a standoff. In the end none escaped.
independent minded enough to make the Within the tower are about 1,500 hob-
system work fairly well. goblins of all ages. Ringing it outside, Since that time the tower has remained
under the permanent command of the deserted and the land around it is shunned.
The Bilo gnomes dwell not just among Warden of the Eastern March, are 1,000 Occasionally the farmlands of neighboring
the basalt columns, but also within them. gnome militia. Every season each tower towns are raided, but there is little the
The ten communities are scattered must provide 100 men to this duty. The gnomes have been able to do to date. Every
throughout the land of columns, each ap- gnomes know they have insufficient few years the Warden sends a party to scout
proximately 1,000 strong. Each town is or- numbers to storm the tower—after all the tower. The fortunate return with grim
ganized around a central pillar, a huge they built it and know what its defenses news and nightmares. The dragons remain
basalt tower that rises above the surround- are like. At the same time, the hobgob- and their numbers seem to be increasing say
ing terrain. This tower is honeycombed lins lack the overwhelming superiority the scouts. Masud has raised a brood of
with tunnels, chambers, granaries, armo- necessary to encourage them to attack the hatchlings who are now entering the early
ries, council rooms, barracks, and quarters. gnomes. Both sides are given to raids and ages of maturity. Her old mate died some
As a rule, however, the gnomes do not small skirmishes, each waiting for an op- time ago. Soon she will leave the tower to
dwell here. Instead they live in small homes portunity to appear. find a new mate. Together they will return
of the town built in the shadow of the and she will breed again. Meanwhile her
tower. The whole thing is then surrounded The town and wall at the base of the children will be sent out to manage on their
by an outer wall of defense. tower were destroyed during the battle and own.
have never been rebuilt. Indeed, in the
The gnomes have had many enemies in years since, the rubble and waste outside Gnomish Society
the past—goblins, ogres, hobgoblins, and the tower has actually increased. The
elves. Although their enemies are now few, gnomes attribute this to the filthiness of the Gnomish society is divided into two
they must still contend with formidable hobgoblins. While this is true in part, most main classes. Largest among the Bilo and
threats from the creatures rising out of Hi- of the debris is the result of tunneling being most influential (because they are more
tehkel and hobgoblin raiding parties from done by the hobgoblins. Occasionally competent) are the gnomoi—the True
old Aurim. Should the outer wall of de- gnome sappers detect this tunneling and Gnomes of Reorx. These gnomes are the
fense fail, the gnomes retreat to their tower, manage to dig a countermine, leading to leaders of the community, the supervi-
there to outwait the besiegers. fierce underground battles. They have sors, the captains, the engineers, and the
never been able to achieve more than a guildmasters. As True Gnomes they have
Of course, the gnomes have not always standoff against the hobgoblins, however. the knowledge and ability to build and
proved victorious. Several towns have So the situation now stands. construct successfully.
fallen in the past, particularly to the arm-
ies of the fire beings of Hitehkel. Most of The second tower, the Ilmach- Working under gnomoi guidance are
these are reclaimed and resettled since tothtalchder, is not occupied by anyone. those of the second class, the minoi or
the attackers come only to pillage and de- When the evil dragons were released onto Cursed Gnomes. These fellows, although
stroy, not conquer territory. Two towns are Krynn and flew over Taladas, two of they try sincerely, cannot build and craft
notable exceptions to this. One is Pro- them, Masud the Hateful and her mate, successfully. True, they have the necessary
voerhoosktalchder, the “Warden’s chose this gnomish tower as their home.

36

NORTHERN HOSK

skills, but they lack the insight needed to of the surface for the comforting safety of by women eligible for marriage, make
design and construct items. It is only un- the deep caverns underneath the Ring use of sheer fabrics and soft leathers.
der the careful supervision of the gnomoi Mountains. So deeply have they delved More practical materials include heavy
that they have proven useful. They are la- that those on the surface have all but woolens of goat yarn and stiff leather.
borers, workers at the forge, assistants to forgotten of their existence. They, in
the master craftsmen, shepherds, and turn, now tell grim and fanciful tales of Soldiering is a reputable and full-time
ploughmen. the surface world to their small children. trade in the eyes of the dwarves. Each clan is
After more than 300 years of isolation, required to shoulder the cost of outfitting
Although the gnomoi watch over the only the oldest of their people remember and maintaining a company of males (who
minoi carefully and block them from the what life near the surface was once like. are part of the War Clan). The soldiers of
powerful positions in the society (truly for the company are given a standardized uni-
the good of the community), the gnomoi The centuries of isolation have altered form, although the dress of two different
love their kin no less. At worst their feel- the appearance of the Nylgai. Males companies may be quite different. Each
ings toward the minoi can be described as stand about four to four-and-a-half feet man in the company may have identical
paternalistic. At best, they hope to im- tall. The women average a half a foot shirts, a cap done in the same color, or a
prove the abilities and minds of their less shorter. Once they were a rotund and leather badge fixed to their breast. These
fortunate cousins. The minoi, for the well-fleshed race. Now they are naturally marks are enough for the dwarves to iden-
most part, find no fault with the arrange- lean, although they have retained the tify each other by unit.
ment so long as they are able to occasion- large-boned frame of their people. Their
ally indulge their whims for construction. skin tone, once dark and ruddy, is pale Master smiths that they are, the dwarves
brown tinged with red. Their eyes are have greater access to fine iron than all other
The gnomes of Bilo, unlike their Hi- large, a washed-out blue in color. Hair races but the gnomes. This they fashion into
tehkel brothers, do not have easy access to color ranges from flame red to straw finely made suits of chain mail and plate ar-
rich mineral deposits. Thus they have blond. Their noses are large and broad. mor, swords, spear heads, and shields. Typi-
turned instead to the fabrication of small Men sport beards and the same is consid- cal arms and armor for a dwarven warrior
and intricate devices. Most of these de- ered attractive in females. consist of a chain mail hauberk, pot helm,
vices they keep jealously to themselves, shield, leaf-head spear, and double-edged
but a few they make specifically for trade. The dress of dwarven men depends sword. Each man carries a field kit in a
Most desirable of all these are the com- greatly on the social class of the dwarf. leather backpack or bandolier. The kit usu-
pact timepieces they make in elaborately The majority are miners, sturdy workmen ally contains blankets, rations, honing stone,
designed and decorated cases. These are engaged in honest labor. These men wear polishing oil, and personal items.
capable of telling the time to within a rough coveralls and heavy smocks,
quarter of an hour. However, not satisfied brightly embroidered with clan designs As a further identifying device, each
with this, the gnomes also load them with around the neck and bottom hem. Boots company has a particular crest and name.
clockwork mechanisms—parading fig- are heavy and stout with loose-fitting There are the Anvil, Chisel, Bonecracker,
ures, chimes, telescoping rods with flags tops. No miner would be found without Rock Lizard, and Red Beard companies,
that wave, clockwork voices, and other his bandolier and tool pouch. In this he to name a few. Each has its crest painted
fanciful amusements. keeps his chisels and hammers, the signs on its shield, usually in as fearsome a de-
of his trade. sign as can be created. When arrayed in
Other items they make for export in- solid ranks, shield to shield, the dwarven
clude clockwork toys, elaborately trapped Craftsmen dress similarly, although companies present an awesome spectacle.
chests, and mechanical spit-turners. many wear a tighter fitting shirt (it does
Their output is not great and their prices not do for a smelter to have his sleeve Although the Scorned Dwarves have
are high, limiting these things to the flapping into the molten ore). Craftsmen forgotten much of the surface world,
wealthy. These are often used as status can be identified by the heavy leather their long retreat has preserved much of
symbols in the upper class of the League apron that each wears, emblazoned with their way of life. Unlike most of the sur-
Cities, while the gnomes of Hitehkel are the crest of his trade. Upper-class dwarves face dwellers, the Scorned did not lose
galled to find that the Bilo gnomes do (clan leaders and wealthy merchants) their culture in the upheavals of Hiteh’s
better work than they on such items. forgo the common dress of the working Night. They have remained highly orga-
class, favoring heavy brocade robes deco- nized and civilized, especially in compar-
THE SCORNED rated in runic designs. Small caps gar- ison to the humans and the elves,
nished with bright leather tassels and
Living deep down at the roots of the furred tails top off their outfit. The Scorned Dwarves are organized
Ring Mountains are the Nylgai Hadirnoe, into a single nation. Regular censuses
the Dwarven Scorned. These are the Dwarven women wear floor-length taken by their High Kings have placed
dwarves who, with the coming of the Cat- dresses, bound by sashes and gaily pat- the population at approximately 200,000
aclysm, fled the horrendous destruction terned with ribbons and embroidered ap- souls throughout the caverns of the Od-
pliques. Fancy dresses, such as those worn derRhing or “Land Beneath the Moun-
tains.” These folk are spread throughout

37

NORTHERN HOSK

the length of the OdderRhing, the exten- tremely wealthy and powerful. (not hereditary titles) include Imperial
sive series of caverns that undermine the The second clan of note is the Outcasts. Exchequer, Publican, Proconsul of the
mountains. Each dwarf belongs to one of Black Gate, Chamberlain of the High
the clans that form the core of the dwar- This clan is shunned by all others. Con- King, Chamberlain of the High Queen,
ven government. tact with the Outcasts is kept to a mini- Steward of the Household, and Com-
mum and marriage to one is almost mander of the Faithful.
The dwarven clans are organized along unthinkable. The Outcasts perform du-
the basis of classes or trades. Once they ties that are unclean and taboo to the rest There is one post within the dwarven
were guilds to which any number of fami- of the people. They are responsible for empire that is not under the sway of any
lies might belong. Now, profession and burying the dead, cleaning wastes, cut- clan. By rights, the post is one that should
family are united under the single banner ting wood on the surface, trading with fall under the duties of the Outcasts.
of the clan. All members of the clan are surface merchants, and interpreting the However, its position is far too important
inter-related to one degree or another tongue of the disir, the deep-dwelling en- for that clan. The position of Imperial
and are expected to take up the same oc- emy of the dwarves. Although their posi- Ancestral Caretaker is a hereditary title of
cupation upon coming of age. Those clan tions give them access to unusual routes the Strompdal family. They belong to no
members unsuited to the trade, for what- to power, they are generally poor and clan. Their duties include the prepara-
ever reason, can apply for adoption in a poorly treated by the others. Centuries of tion and burial of the Chieftain’s Clan
more suitable clan. If accepted as a son or tradition have bound them to their roles dead and the execution of those of that
daughter, the adopted dwarf can enter with little complaint. clan who are sentenced to death. For the
his new profession. While this rigid struc- rest of the people, these duties are per-
ture ensures stability and continuity of The third clan is the War Clan. This formed by the Outcasts. However, the
the dwarven traditions, it can also stifle clan is the army of the dwarves. Only royal family cannot be defiled by contact
and constrict the spirit of dwarven initia- members of the War Clan can become with the Outcasts, hence these duties are
tive. This, however, is a price the dwarves soldiers and guards. To maintain the performed by the higher status Stromp-
are willing to accept. ranks of the military, the War Clan fre- dal family. Unattached to any clan, they
quently enters into adoption pacts with do not receive any stigma from their du-
Not all the clans are equal in impor- other clans, even with the Outcasts. ties, nor do they bring shame to any clan.
tance. This varies according to the size These clans provide suitable sons and
and trade of the clan. The largest is the marriageable daughters in exchange for The clans form the basis of the govern-
Miner Clan. A respectable, though not guarantees of protection and safety. This ment. At its head is the High King. He is
particularly impressive trade, the miners is in addition to the maintenance costs the sole ruler of the nation, after a fash-
make up for this by their sheer numbers. the High King has decreed the clans must ion. Only he has the power to pass laws,
Other clans (in no particular order of size pay. In a way, the security of the nation is muster the army for war, and levy taxes.
or importance) include the Smiths, Cast- a brokered business. Appointed by him or one of his predeces-
ers, Scribes, Jewelers, Goldsmiths, Ar- sors are his administrators—those who
morers, and Weavers. Each of these plays The final clan of importance, indeed see that the laws are enacted, enforced,
an important role in the community. the most important, is the Chieftain’s and upheld.
Clan. This is the royal house of the
Four clans are of particular note, for their dwarves. It is from the ranks of the Chief- The High King does not have absolute
roles are special. The Guildmasters are a not tain’s Clan that a High King is chosen. dictatorial rule. Advising him in all matters
particularly loved clan but are crucial to the The selection is made by the votes of the and expressing the will of the people is the
economy of the nation. The Guildmasters other clans, chosen from the princes of Council of Clansmen. This is composed of
do not produce goods but act as traders, ex- the Chieftain’s Clan. Once chosen, that chosen leaders from each Clan. The num-
changing the production of one clan for that chieftain is High King for life. ber of advisors each Clan is allowed de-
of another. The clan is very small, but its pends on a complicated formula that
power is immense. Everything produced by The other princes of the clan receive ti- considers the size of the clan (at the insis-
anyone outside the local community must tles and offices as they are available and tence of the Miner Clan) and the taxes paid
pass through the hands of a Guildmaster. according to their abilities. These offices by the clan (by which the Guildmaster Clan
Iron weapons produced at one end of the are normally given for life, but they can makes sure it is well represented).
OdderRhing are traded for food grown at be revoked for treason or other high
another. Furs trapped are traded to the crimes. In addition, the members of the To determine that representation in
Guildmasters in exchange for equipment Chieftain’s Clan have a number of hered- the council is accurate (and that the
and money. The furs are then traded to the itary titles that lend prestige and, in some proper taxes are being paid) the High
Tanner Clan for finished furs, the finished cases, actual authority. Hereditary titles Kings regularly conduct censuses of peo-
furs to the Furriers, and so on. Through all include Great Revoker, Treasurer of the ple and property. One is always done
these transactions the Guildmasters make a Imperial Guard, Sergeant of the Black when a new High King takes office.
little profit at each stage, making them ex- Gate, Imperial Drillmaster, Keeper of the Thereafter, a new census must be done
Holy Forge, and Lord Firemaster. Offices any time the High King attempts to levy

38

NORTHERN HOSK

greater taxes than have been customarily (who were never particularly religious any- vorings, spices, or herbs. Lacking abundant
paid. In addition, the High King can call way), but it has prevented the cult of Mis- supplies of wood, their furnishings are spar-
for a census any time he feels the clans laxa from gaining a foothold in their land. tan, carved from stone and padded with
have succeeded in hiding too much of wool- and moss-stuffed cushions.
their property from his inspectors. The dwarves are a self-contained soci-
ety and thus do very little trading with Dwarves do have their passions. They
This method of raising and collecting the surface world. When they do trade, rightly claim that no one makes a better
taxes is the best method the clans have for they are most interested in novelties they ale, stout, or lager than their brew-
resisting the edicts of an unpopular High cannot find in their underground world. masters—and they are quite willing to
King. More than once a High King has Finely carved woods, cotton, silk, paper, prove it to their guests. Another passion
been forced to accommodate the clans wine, olive oil, herbs, and spices all com- is for the spoken word. The dwarves have
when they have threatened him with mand high prices. They cannot abide the a love of stories, sagas, and plays—
open tax revolt. In general, those of the taste of most fruits and vegetables, which anything where the spoken word is im-
Chieftain’s Clan have learned not to push are too flavorful for their bland palates. portant. Dwarven bards chant the tales of
their power and authority too far. great heroes at feasts that last for days.
Valued dwarven goods include stone The clans hold competitions, staging the
Dwarven Priests carvings, weapons, ingots of valuable classic works of ancient and modern play-
pure dwarven steel, and magical items, wrights. Poetry challenges, particularly of
Working with the High King and the particularly weapons and armor, which the demanding poem riddles and ken-
clans are the artisan-priests of the Order are almost priceless. They find the con- nings, fill their evenings.
of Makers, the religious core of the structions of their cousins, the gnomes,
dwarves. Unlike other religions, the fascinating in their mechanical splendor. But the greatest passion of the dwarves is
Makers did not lose their powers with the The intricacy of the work is something stone. In the centuries the dwarves have
Flight of the Gods for the simple reason they can appreciate, although they can- spent deep underground, one of their ma-
that they never had priestly powers to be- not understand how or why the gnomes jor goals has been to expand and beautify
gin with. The Makers are experts at the persist in creating these devices without the tunnels, halls, and caverns that form
mystical dwarven art of smithing, the aid or use of the magical power of the their land. Thus there are work gangs min-
dwarves who through devotion to their earth. Indeed, the dwarven smith’s ing, chiseling, carving, and shaping
work are able to create magical items. chant, as he hammers out a bar of iron on throughout the complex of tunnels. In this,
They are neither wizards nor priests; they his anvil, goes “Magic and steel— most of all, they give the lie to the dour and
are masters of the forge. CLANG! Magic and steel—CLANG! austere image others have of them.
Forge gods give us magic and steel—
Their lives are dedicated to the three CLANG!” They love to embellish and decorate
Earth Powers: Ferros, Auros, and their stone in baroque styles. They are in-
Orgentos—the givers of earth’s magical The dwarves lead simple lives. Their food capable of carving a simple pillar. It must
power. These three powers wax and wane is bland—roast meats, stews, mushrooms, have capitals, fluting, plinths, even elab-
according to complicated calendars the roots, milk, and butter. Except for salt and orate faces. Walls are never simple
Makers have prepared. (In actuality, the metal powders, they do not have many fla- dressed stone (unless it is to highlight an
Makers are tapping the powers of the
three gods of magic, which wax and wane
according to the cycles of the three moons
of Krynn. Having never seen the moons,
however, the dwarves can only feel their
influence as it flows through the earth.
Thus they equate these magical powers
with earth gods.)

Before the Cataclysm, there were other
beliefs among the dwarves. However with
the Flight of the Gods, these priests lost
their powers and their cults all but col-
lapsed. Taking this as a sign of the suprem-
ity of their beliefs, the Makers have
managed to convince the High Kings to
proclaim the Order of Makers the state reli-
gion and ban all others. For the most part
this has gone over well with the dwarves

39

NORTHERN HOSK

even greater effect). They are covered up. Now, Outcast spies have been able to the Western Ocean. The banks are lined
with scenes, faces, and geometric de- listen in on secret conversations of the with thick stands of woods and brakes of
signs. Some are meant to educate. Others disir. This is risky work, for spies meet the salt marsh cane.
are purely artistic, carved to highlight the worst ends of all.
strata of the rock. There is no one in the The Tiderun gets its name from the ebb
world better at creating carved works of The war has changed little in recent and flow of its waters according to the influ-
great beauty than the master carvers of years. At the southern end of the Odder- ences of the moons. It has three basic
the Scorned. Rhing the disir have seized several levels conditions—flowing, ebbing, and dry.
of chambers and are now almost within Flowing describes when its waters are high-
Their carving has brought them disas- reach of the ancient human mines, the est, those times when the three moons of
ter, also. As the dwarves continued their pathway to the surface. Previous attempts Krynn are not in conjunction with each
mining, they became obsessed with dig- throughout the OdderRhing to sweep the other. During these times, water flows from
ging deeper and deeper into the earth. disir from their tunnels have met with the Western Ocean into the Indanalis. The
They confidently believed they were the failure, for there always seem to be more
masters of all the land under the surface, secret tunnels that are only found later estuary can be navigated by shallow-draft
that they had the right to claim it all. It when the disir emerge from them. and flat-keeled ships in its flowing stage;
was during this deep delving that the merchantmen and rafters use this stage to
miners breached a cavern moldering with Now the dwarves are trying a new strat- make the dash to and from the Western
the thick scent of death and decay. Some- egy with the aid of a few gnomish and hu- Ocean with their cargoes.
thing slaughtered those miners and left man wizards (a great concession on the
bodies as a sign. Thus the dwarves made part of the Scorned). Their latest cam- The ebbing stage occurs as any two
their first contact with the disir. paign, which seems to promise a chance moons near conjunction with each other.
of victory, is to hunt out and destroy the Then the waters of the Tiderun slow and
The disir, a race of great evil and sav- breeding chambers of the disir. These the banks recede, leaving muddy flats of
agery, has lived in the earth far deeper than raids are risky especially as time goes on cane to either side. The shallow draft
any man or dwarf of known time has ever and the disir deduce the dwarven strat- boats are forced to beach and only the
ventured. Here they preyed on other deni- egy. To delay this, the dwarves are contin- rafters can ply the low water.
zens of the dark realms and on their own uing in their old tactics, although these
kind. Until their discovery by the dwarves, are done in areas well away from the sus- The rarest condition is that of dry. This
the disir had never ventured closer to the pected sites of breeding chambers. occurs only when the three moons are all
surface. Now that has changed. They have in conjunction. During these times, the
discovered a rich world in the tunnels above The war has also caused a profound Tiderun actually retreats so much that the
them. In the decades since they first ap- change in the people. Before the disir at- estuary dries up completely in the center
peared, the disir and the dwarves have been tacks, the dwarves were confident and self- section. All that is left are two greatly re-
locked in a bloody and merciless war of ex- assured as to the righteousness of their duced arms, one by the Western Ocean
termination. actions. Now it seems as if the gods have and another by the Indanalis Sea. During
struck back at them. Disir raids are so sharp these times, the trading caravans hur-
Very little is known of the disir. It is and sudden that the confidence of the peo- riedly cross the vast, muddy expanse of
clear the disir are fecund, for the dwarves ple in the security of their homes has been the Tiderun. Timing is important as the
have killed enormous numbers of them. undermined. Travelers are loathe to journey waters return rapidly. No trader wants to
The disir also have magical or priestly from settlement to settlement alone or even caught in the center when the ocean wa-
power over the dead and can even turn in small bands. Children grow up with the ters return.
the dwarven dead against their living fear and hatred of the enemy. The clans
brothers. Dwarves captured by them ei- place the blame for every failure on the disir Since it is a major, though erratic, wa-
ther escape quickly or meet gruesome threat. The dwarves are slowly becoming terway, the Tiderun has attracted a wide
deaths. This choice prevents the dwarves cynical and pessimistic, perhaps even de- assortment of settlers and rogues. The
from learning much from freed captives. featist. They are suffering a crisis in confi- minotaurs of the League have established
dence akin to that felt by others at the time several trading cities on the northern
Over the years in the colony chambers of the Cataclysm. continent—Rudil being the largest.
the dwarves have found, they have dis-
covered and deciphered samples of the THE TIDERUN Where the Tiderun pierces the Ring and
disir tongue. The few prisoners they have Steamwall ranges, smaller trading towns
taken have taught them the words of Separating Northern and Southern have sprung up to accommodate the mer-
their enemy, but no prisoner has lived Hosk is the great estuary known as the Ti- chant caravans crossing during the dry peri-
long enough to provide a very complete derun. This is a broad, shallow fault ods. While the southern of these two towns
vocabulary. It is only by the persistent opened during the Cataclysm. It connects (Faroen) falls under the nominal jurisdic-
work of Outcast scholars over the years the boiling waters of the Indanalis Sea to tion of the League, the northern town
that a working vocabulary has been built (Malton) is a law unto itself under the rule
of the self-styled Count Ricar. Both are
rough-and-tumble places, but Malton is

40

NORTHERN HOSK

particularly noted for its quick justice and Rudil and the surrounding lands come of the square, traveling merchants lay out
free-wheeling style. It is a particular sore under the control of the League, the their rugs piled with exotic treasures from
point to the League, which regularly ac- minotaur-dominated government of north and south.
cuses Ricar of harboring the river pirates Southern Hosk. As such it follows the
that ply the estuary. laws and customs of the South. The terri- Whisking away flies and calling out in
tory is ruled by an appointed governor a melange of droning, piercing, boom-
Aside from the nuisances of occasional who lives in the keep built on the small ing, and sing-song chants, the merchants
goblin raiders from the Ilquar and the liz- bluff at the edge of the waterfront. bide their time. Soon the square fills with
ard men who sometimes attempt to people. The odors of roasted meats, ex-
board unwary vessels that pass their As is the case in all League towns, otic spices, heady wine, sweat, tobacco,
settlements in the canebrake, the greatest minotaur law and order is rigorously and over-ripe fruit intensify in the heat of
danger of the river is the pirates. These maintained through the swift and dis- the sun. As the day’s heat increases, the
buccaneers patrol the river in their keel- criminating use of force. Brawlers are crowd thins. The merchants crawl back
boats and rafts, swooping down on mer- beaten senseless first and then questions into the shade of their awnings or stretch
chant ships to make off with their are asked. Few citizens in their right out under an improvised tent to sip thick,
cargoes. The best known of these pirates minds resist arrest or make trouble when sweet coffee and rest until the late after-
is the renegade minotaur Haralt the Gray. the guard is around. Caravan guards, sail- noon. Gradually the crowds return. En-
He commands a small fleet of five keel- ors, and Uigan warriors are more likely tertainers come—singers, jugglers,
boats and over 100 men and minotaurs. troublemakers. To lessen the problem, acrobats, and puppeteers—to provide en-
When not prowling the river, Haralt can the town has set aside a separate caravan- tertainment in exchange for coins. The
be found in Malton, enjoying the com- sary compound on the outskirts of town. morning’s cycle of sights and sounds re-
pany of Count Ricar, whom he keeps well This area honest citizens try to avoid, peats itself. Finally dusk falls and the
supplied with stolen booty. while those who own businesses there shoppers go home; the merchants wearily
hire numerous burly peacekeepers or pack their goods, roll up their carpets,
RUDIL bouncers. and close their shutters. The guard makes
its rounds to collect the governor’s tax.
To call Rudil a city (as the inhabitants Although it is small, Rudil has a wide Just behind them come the enforcers for
do) is perhaps stretching the truth. Origi- variety of services. It is a gateway to both the local protection racket out to collect
nally founded as a trading post for the the unknown Western Ocean and the their fee for another peaceful day.
Tamire trade, it has grown into a large wilds of the Tamire. The caravansary com-
town, the most sizeable seaport on the pound is filled with inns, taverns, stables, As with all towns, Rudil has its tales. It
coast of Northern Hosk. (Of course it is and outfitters. Along the waterfront are is, after all, a gathering place for adven-
about the only seaport in Northern chandlers, shipwrights, and sail makers. turous souls preparing to set out into the
Hosk.) There are horse dealers who trade with unknown. Gossip and rumors abound.
the Uigan, ironmongers who purchase There are tales of rich townsmen who
Rudil has a population of about 5,000. goblin steel, wholesalers, grocers, mer- make their way posing as crippled beg-
(Its sister settlements, Milgath and Barask, cers, guides, navigators, riverboatmen, gars, homes of eccentric (and absent) wiz-
have populations of about 1,000 each.) By fishermen, clamdiggers, and oyster div- ards piled high with treasures.
the terms of the agreement reached be- ers.
tween the Uigan and other tribes of the There are wrongs to be righted and evil
Tamire, Rudil is allowed only a small area of Outside the city, farmers struggle with to be overcome. The harbormaster is said
the coast. Rudil sits at the center of this the hard, rocky soil to grow the crops to by some to be in league with the river pi-
area, surrounded by the farmland needed feed the town. Cowherds sit watch to rates, alerting them to rich cargoes
to maintain the population. keep the nomads from rustling a cow here headed their way. Secret meetings of Hi-
and there. Optimistic horsebreeders try teh’s followers have been reported near
Currently the three towns are straining to improve the bloodstock of the Tamire, the North Wall. A dragonrider may have
at the seams. Before further growth can while camel trainers ready their animals just landed outside the walls. Secret po-
occur, the League must reach a new agree- for trips across the dry steppes. But most lice of the Great Illustrious Leader of All
ment with the nomads of Tamire or risk colorful of all is the great bazaar that fills Nations, the minotaur emperor, may be
going to war. The latter option the inhab- the central square. scouring the city looking for a certain
itants of Rudil do not relish, for they have thief. But of course, all of these are gossip
heard tales of what the Uigan do to pris- Each morning as soon as it is light, the and rumors.
oners. Some of them even remember the square begins to fill with merchants.
earlier wars with the Uigan. One re- Around the outer edge are the perma-
minder of those days are the stone and nent stalls of established dealers. Every
earth walls that still surround the outer- morning the gaily colored awnings are
most perimeter of the city. raised and goods are laid out on rugs and
low tables for all to inspect. In the center

41



SOUTHERN HOSK

SOUTHERNHOSK these valleys provide abundant pasture and even mewl and moan in hungry little
and lumber for the people living there. voices. More likely these are heat-fired
“If a man seizes property by force and delusions of fever-stricken castaways,
the property is recovered, the plaintiff At the southern end of the New Moun- their brains boiled by the steaming mists
and the defendant may enter the Arena tains is the Confederation of Armach. of the ocean. Other things, perhaps once
in what armor they can afford. If a man The land here falls away abruptly from animals, are said to be even more loath-
seizes property by force and it is not re- the high pastures to the coastline at the some and dangerous. Most often the
covered, that man may not avail himself Bay of Hoor. As a result, much of the memories of these bring only shuddering
of armor. If the man maliciously disposes coast is rugged cliff, a sharp drop to the terror to those travelers who have become
of the property or renders it unrecovera- rocks below. The weather is warm year lost in the Steamwall.
ble by intention, the combat is to the round and the rainfall is good, but the
death.” soil is thin and badly eroded, making Nonetheless, the Steamwall holds a
farming only fair. lure for the courageous or foolhardy. In
—Regulations of Ambeortin VII, the taverns of the League there are tales of
Legal Codex of the League Traveling farther to the south, one de- this fellow or that fellow—always the
scends from the plateau formed by the cousin of a friend or a traveler met by a
The second largest landmass of Taladas continental shield. Now the underlying caravan—who has discovered ancient
is the southern half of the old continent layer of granite gives way to softer be- treasures hidden in the deep valleys of the
of Hosk, now known rather unimagina- drock. The ranges of the New Mountains range. Perhaps there are treasures to be
tively as Southern Hosk. In addition to its taper off and become lower and rounder. found; perhaps there was only one trea-
great size, it is also the most populated With the exception of the areas immedi- sure and the tale has been repeated over
and civilized of all the lands of Taladas. It ately around the lower ranges (now barely and over; perhaps it’s all a lie.
is the home of the Imperial League of the more than hills), the land drops almost to
Minotaur Cities (commonly called the sea level. Warm, wet southwestern The region once held the burial valleys
Minotaur League or Merchant League or breezes blowing off the Windless Ocean of kings and princes; once there were
just the League), the Kingdoms of Ar- drop large amounts of rain over this re- great monasteries and temples there. An-
mach and Thenol, and the thunderous gion. The kingdom of Thenol and the cient Aurim’s might once extended to the
mountains of the Steamwall. wilds around it are dotted by subtropical old mountain ranges. Here nobles spent
forests and swamp. the hot winters in palatial villas. Here also
Like its northern counterpart, Southern dwarves lived in great caverns just below
Hosk spans a broad arc, forming the Moving inland from the coast, the the surface. Here elves hunted and
southwestern part of the continent. The ground changes little. Along the inner- played. Perhaps lost treasures from these
northern portion of this arc is an extension most edge of Southern Hosk, the times were not all destroyed.
of the underlying shield that spans the Steamwall blocks the access to the In-
Tamire. This has split along a fault at the danalis Sea. Except for a series of foothills Where the people of Northern Hosk
Tiderun. This shield creates a level plain in in the north, the range rises with little are wild and savage for the most part, the
the northwesternmost corner of the conti- warning. Unlike the New Mountains, the people of Southern Hosk are settled and
nent. As this extends to the south and Steamwall is high, rugged, and bleak. civilized. The most significant group on
east, the ground gradually rises. This The western foothills (what little there the continent is the Imperial League of
forces river drainage into this plain, carry- are) are covered with darkly twisted rain Minotaur Cities. Dominated by the sea-
ing rich silts to nourish the land. The com- forests. Downpours occur almost daily faring minotaurs, the League carries the
bination of rich land, water, and and the lush growth is recast in darker mantle of ancient Aurim. It can trace its
temperate climate, moderated by the forms by the polluted rains that blow history in part to the people and rule of
winds off the Western Ocean, makes this down out of the mountains. Higher up Aurim, although that great Empire never
the most fertile farmland of all of Taladas. the slopes, the overgrowth gives way to had minotaurs to contend with. The
rock-hugging ground plants and eventu- League is the greatest power, both cultur-
Farther to the south, the rising lands ally lichens. At the very heights, just be- ally and politically, within Southern
give way to the New Mountains. Created low the snows, only the hardiest plants Hosk. Over the centuries it has been
by the abrupt uplift of several underlying can survive the deadly rains blown over steadily expanding and increasing in
faults, these mountains are not particu- from the Indanalis. power.
larly high, but they are still growing.
There is mild volcanic activity, but this is While the western slopes are merely Beyond the borders of the League are
very minor as these things go in Taladas. bleak, the eastern slopes of the Steamwall the barbarian peoples—at least according
The New Mountains are divided into a se- are a nightmare. Hideously corrupted to the minotaurs. Some of these such as
ries of small ranges separated by broad plants with pale, gelatinous leaves and the wildmen of the New Mountains fit
valleys. Higher and cooler than the plain, pus-like sap suck up the foul minerals this description. Others are barbarians in
and breathe the acidic steams of the In- title only, named so for the simple fact
danalis. It is said that some crawl about that they are not citizens of the Empire.

43

SOUTHERN HOSK

The most significant of these are the na- was before the terror of the Cataclysm and starvation, new horrors, dogged their
tives of Armach and Thenol. that shattered the provinces and satrapies steps. The people became convinced they
of Aurim. The greatest wonder of the were being led to a wonderful promised
Armach is an anomaly in the land of Ta- world was no more. land. As the weeks passed and utopia
ladas. It would have been a barbaric back- never appeared, they became disillu-
water had not a great storm driven the However, the Empire of Aurim was not sioned and restless. Many dropped out to
elves of Silvanesti (in Ansalon) into the completely cast down and forgotten. Like form small villages in peaceful-seeming
sheltered bay of Hoor. These elves were the shards of a broken plate, parts of it mountain valleys and river bottoms.
part of the Great Armada that set sail from splintered and broke, spinning away Some of these have succeeded and now
Silvanesti to the lands of the Qualinesti, from the whole. Most were ground into proudly maintain their independence
voyaging around the entire span of the dust in the black years that followed. Un- from the Children of Aurim (as they call
continent. Forced to scatter by minotaur able to prevent the ravages of plague, the Kristophus’s band). Others were not so
pirates from Mithas, this portion of the convulsions of the earth, or the assaults of fortunate. Their meager homes have long
fleet was caught up in a raging storm. foul creatures, the satraps and generals since been swallowed up by the wild.
Running before the wind, it was all they quickly found themselves overwhelmed
could do to stay afloat. Finally the ships by the troubles of Hiteh’s Night. Petty Among those who continued the trek,
were driven into the rocky coast of Hoor. claimants to the title of emperor and in- there was disharmony and dispute. More
Marooned in a strange land, the elves have dependent kingdoms suddenly appeared than once Kristophus had to rely on the
worked together to build a new life. and vanished as quickly. Still the dream guardsmen loyal to him and his family.
of Great Aurim lived on. Rebels were given the choice of being left
Farther south is the Kingdom of behind, which was often little more than a
Thenol. Though the inhabitants are hu- One of the farthest outposts of the Em- sentence of death, or surrendering into
mans descended from the same stock as pire was a small, rustic province, Styrllia. Kristophus’s custody. Those who surren-
those of the League, these have since It lay on the western edge of the great dered he spared at the cost of their proper-
gone into greatly different territory, both mountains that divided Taladas, barely in ties and then assigned to the care of the
physically and morally. Thenol is a sinis- contact with the rest of the Empire. remaining loyal families. His measures
ter land, its leaders evil and corrupted. When the Cataclysm struck, Styrllia were draconian, but the people held to-
Few travel there and fewer still enjoy their managed to escape the worst of the de- gether.
stay. struction, but it was evident to the people
they could not remain among the unsta- Eventually, Kristophus and his people
Empires and kingdoms are not the only ble mountains. Under the leadership of reached a good land. In a narrow band
places where people (and other things) Guidan and Kristophus, the people set along the coast, the forest gave way to
live. The Steamwall, a place many would out on a trek for safer lands. grassy meadows. Here the farming was
consider uninhabitable, is home to many good, lumber was close at hand, and the
creatures. Living in the forests near its Scouts were sent in all directions. From sea provided fresh fish, a novelty to these
base are the Hasmana Clan, a small col- the east and west came back grim reports people. Kristophus chose to settle his
lection of dwarves with a very different of boiling seas, burning lands, and more people here and founded the town of
view of life. Farther up in the mountains towering mountains. From the west and Kristophan in the land of New Styrllia.
are other dwarven clans that live more tra- south the scouts returned with reports of The settlers were not many and the first
ditional existences. Also hidden in the primitive forests and swampy jungles, decade for their settlement was hard, but
tucks and folds of the Steamwall are colo- both filled with dangerous creatures and eventually it grew into a network of
nies of goblins, ogres, and hurdu, a other, perhaps even worse terrors. towns.
group of evil lizard-like men. And of
course, there are dragons. The Steamwall Based on the reports of the scouts, The trek had changed the society of the
is home to many of the dragons of Tala- Guidan and Kristophus decided to divide Styrllians profoundly. Before their depar-
das. The great creatures seem to like the the people into two groups. Guidan ture, the majority of the people had been
foul and difficult conditions of the would lead one expedition to the south freeholders, farmers and herders with
mountains. and west, looking for a new homeland property of their own. A few families
beyond the mountains and swamps. Kris- made fortunes in the trading business,
THE IMPERIAL LEAGUE tophus would lead the other to the west, shipping products to and from Aurim. A
searching for a path through the forests to small group of skilled craftsmen formed a
OF MINOTAURS the sea beyond. So ordered by their lead- tiny middle-class, beholden to the mer-
ers, the people of Styrllia gathered their chant families, but not bound to them.
Once the world of Taladas counted the goods and set out.
Empire of Aurim the greatest wonder in By the time the group reached the sea,
all the world. No other land could rival it For the people following Kristophus, Kristophus’s measures for dealing with
for magnificence and splendor. But that the trek was far from easy. Their route car- the rebels had changed things dramati-
ried them through trackless forests inhab- cally. The people who arrived were di-
ited by hungry, evil creatures. Disease

44

SOUTHERN HOSK

vided into two classes, the Loyal Families they again crossed the ocean and found of the Empire. These are Kristophan,
and the Rebels. Few had managed to re- the settlements of Kristophus. Facing Trilloman (both in New Styrllia), Vinlans
main neutral during the march. During landward, these were easy victims to the (in Highvale), and Morgad and Thera
the rebellions on the march, the Loyal horned raiders from the sea. (both in Eragala).
Families received favored treatment by
the Satrap, such that their fortunes dwin- This would have been little more than Each city has its own character. Kris-
dled less. They were exempted from gru- a sad chapter in the history of New Sty- tophan remains the imperial capital and
eling labor taxes and appropriations of rllia had it not been for the far- is the center of government and culture
equipment for the guard. The property sightedness and ambition of Eragas the throughout the empire. Trilloman, its sis-
of the Rebels was divided among the Brutish. Like all minotaurs, he was fired ter city, is the hub of trade throughout
Loyal Families. During the course of the with ambition to rule. Backed by his fel- the empire. To the south, Vinlans is
march, many weak and unimportant lows, Eragas seized the government of noted for its fine crops, wines and grapes
households actually managed to increase New Styrllia and proclaimed himself the in particular. Morgad is the greatest sea-
in importance and wealth. new Emperor. His challengers were port of the League, second in trade only
quickly dispatched in a makeshift Arena, to Trilloman. Finally, there is Thera, the
For the Rebels, the situation was re- according to minotaur fashion. A new era Pleasure City. Noted for its cool summer
versed. Once classed as a Rebel, all prop- was begun, weather and natural hot springs, Thera
erty was confiscated and given over to the has become renowned as the playground
Loyal Families. Each Rebel household In the centuries that followed, the of the wealthy and powerful, minotaur
was then assigned to the service of a Loyal minotaur lands have expanded and and human alike.
Family. In exchange for service, passed grown. There have been many factors
from father to son, the masters provided contributing to its success. A strong tradi- However, the League is more than just
for the needs and protection of the Rebel tion of empire, among both the humans the Five Great Cities. Each province is
family. By the time Kristophus’s Styrl- and the minotaurs, made acceptance of dotted with towns, villages, farmland,
lians reached the ocean, institutional Emperor Eragas easier. The military and industries that provide the lifeblood
slavery was an established practice. might of the minotaurs left their rule un- of the empire. The population is densely
challenged. The minotaurs had tried and packed into the areas of good land, the
The hardships of the Styrllians were tested systems of governing, copied from farmers gathering together into small
not over yet, however. A mountain peo- the Pirate Kingdoms of Ansalon, but also towns. These are connected by roads
ple settled by the sea, they were poor sail- wisely accommodated the laws and cus- maintained by the taxes of the people.
ors and fishermen. For the most part, toms of the humans into their own sys- Convict and slave gangs are constantly
they turned their backs on the ocean. tems. Finally, the land and other people engaged in building and repairing the
They became farmers, gradually clearing of the region were ripe for conquest and road network. Well-constructed bridges
more and more of the forest away for their civilization. A combination of these fac- span all but the largest rivers.
fields. Concerned with the land, they tors (and perhaps the blessing of the
built their defenses to face inland, pro- gods) has caused the initial conquests of Other areas are covered with thick for-
tecting them from the attacks of hostile the minotaurs to become the lands of the ests. Here lumbermen and trappers rely on
neighbors and wandering creatures. They Minotaur League. the rivers to carry their goods to the market
lacked the skills of boat-building and towns. On the fringes of the Steamwall
navigation and so never developed fleets THE LANDS OF THE LEAGUE range and on the slopes of the New Moun-
or naval tactics. Indeed,. they had never tains, miners dig for ore, particularly the
seen a threat from the sea. Then the Currently the Minotaur League consists valuable steel. Garrisons are stationed
minotaurs arrived. of five provinces: New Styrllia, the capi- throughout the provinces to protect the
tal of the empire; Eragala, along the Ti- people and quell any rebellions.
For centuries, the minotaurs had been derun; Okami, the forest region;
master sailors, plying the oceans of Ansa- Highvale, along the edge of the New THE PROVINCES
lon on the other side of the world. They Mountains; and the Conquered Lands,
had sailed all of Ansalon and crossed the the most recent addition, one that presses Of course, the cities are not the only
Western Ocean to the land of Taladas, close to the borders of Thenol. The thing to be found in the Empire. Al-
though there was nothing to find. With League also has the outpost towns of Ru- though the cities are the most spectacular
the Cataclysm, the shackles of Istar were dil, across the Tiderun, Faroen, at the features, the provinces are equally impor-
broken and the minotaurs took to the seas base of the Steamwall, and Brilmantar, tant to the strength of the Empire. Grain,
in earnest. Their skill as sailors quickly deep in the Steamwall range. fruit, lumber, ore, milk, leather, indeed
made them formidable pirates and their everything needed to feed and supply the
ambitions of empire made them danger- When one speaks of the Minotaur cities comes from the rural lands. Woods-
ous raiders. As they ranged farther and League, however, one normally means men from the frontiers serve in the army
wider, it was only a matter of time before the Five Great Cities that form the heart as scouts. Dwarves trained in the arts of

45

SOUTHERN HOSK

mining build the monuments that fill the vived to return. These ruins are shunned night by handsome and beautiful stran-
cities. by the locals and not even the temptation
of prize pearls will persuade them to dive gers, perhaps elves of the watery deep. A
Nor are the provinces lacking in won- there. The divers tell stories of horrible night is spent and the stranger is gone. A
ders natural and man-made. Here and sea monsters and strange fish-eyed peo- woman will bear a child different from
there are the evidences of ancient Aurim ple still dwelling among the ruins. the others or a strange babe will be found
or far older kingdoms of the demihu- in a basket washed up on the shore. Such
mans. The uplift of the Cataclysm has Eragala are the Children of the Sea.
changed ordinary landscapes into exotic
vistas. Often located far from civilization, Stretching from the rocky cliffs over- The wise father treats his foundling
these places are little visited except for looking the Western Ocean to the child well, for then his nets will be full
deadly creatures and intrepid explorers. swampy plain of the Tiderun, Eragala is and his boat will never founder on the
the second-most populated province of rocks. Ill fate awaits the man who mis-
New Styrllia the Empire. A practical land inhabited by treats his child. The child, held in both
practical people, Eragala is not without awe and contempt, grows mysterious and
Aside from Kristophan, Glory of the its wonders. One of the more mysterious wild. More than one strange story is told
Empire, New Styrllia is best noted for its can be found along the secluded bays and of the powers of such children and more
wide plains of farmland. Once it was inlets. There, far from other settlements, than one has disappeared later in life un-
thick with rich forests; now these have are lonely hamlets where the villagers are der mysterious circumstances.
been reduced to small copses that remain decidedly odd. More withdrawn than
in the waste ground, land unsuitable for even the naturally reticent peasant, they Not mysterious but majestic is the
farming. Along the sea are many small look normal—almost. They carry them- Luminari, the lighthouse at the mouth of
picturesque fishing villages. The greatest selves slightly differently and deep in the Tiderun. Build atop the chalk cliffs of
wonder of all, however, is not found their eyes is a hidden longing for the sea. the shore, it is a slender tower rising 400
within the province but in the pearl beds feet above the land. At its pinnacle is an
off its coast. There, among the riches of These villagers are the Children of the ever-burning light, visible for miles, that
the sea, are sunken ruins according to the Sea. Over the generations, men and aids sailors in finding their location and
divers who have ventured there and sur- women of the village have been visited at in avoiding the dangerous shoals at the
Tiderun’s mouth. It is said the lighthouse
was built by Eragas himself, with the aid

46

SOUTHERN HOSK

of black sorceries. Its perpetual light is ru- their clutches, all the time intoning the The Conquered Lands
mored to be powered by a fabulous trea- grievances they have against the living.
sure. No man tends the light nor will any Carved from the wilderness and the
local climb its stairs, even though the Highvale territories of savage barbarians, the Con-
door at its base stands enticingly open. quered Lands are wild and untamed. It is
Tales are spun of master thieves who have Forming the border with Armach, a province for the hardiest pioneers, those
entered and never returned. Just what Highvale province has seen more than its who shun the corrupting comforts of civi-
horrors, if any, are inside no one knows. share of battles. Scattered along its bor- lization. Each town, each village is a for-
ders, at the mouths of passes and along the tress ready to defend against marauding
Okami coast, are fortifications of all types. Now beasts and raiders from Thenol. Vast sec-
more concerned about Thenol, Armach tions of the province, especially away
Covered in thick forests blanketing and the League have entered into a truce from the rivers, have yet to be mapped.
rugged ground, Okami is a vague mem- and most of the forts and castles are aban- Only a few roads have been built into the
ory of evil to those who are descended doned. Although funds are allotted to wilderness so far.
from the original settlers of New Styrllia. maintain those deemed most strategic,
It was through these dark forests that the these monies are siphoned away by corrupt The wonders of the Conquered Lands
wanderers suffered the greatest hardships administrators long before they reach the have yet to be cataloged. On its border is
and terrors. Foul creatures stalked their Highvale frontier. Because of this, most of the current homeland of the hulderfolk,
route, while dissension split the ranks. the buildings are falling into min. beyond that are the dark lands of Thenol.
Many small settlements were left in the Within it still are undefeated villages of
wake of the march. Most of these were Furthermore, most of the garrisons goblins and tribes of ogres. Great caves
never heard from again. have been pulled from the Armach bor- that lead to the realms of powerful wiz-
der to strengthen the forces along the ards are supposed to be found in the hills.
The dark forests of Okami were the Thenol frontier. The creatures of the New Dragons and their mysterious riders are
original home of the hulderfolk, people Mountains have taken advantage of this said to live in the forests. There are even
who have long since moved to the outer and have returned to their old haunts. tales of a forest in which the trees speak
fringes of the Empire. However traces of Although the peasants have complained and grow tall enough to reach the moons!
their lives still remain. Hidden among about suffering the attacks of great mon- But, as with all frontier tales, there are ex-
the trees are pleasant-seeming glades sters, the current emperor has done noth- aggerations and half-truths. Practical
where the hulderfolk once gathered. ing to ease their hardship. men are certain that when all is said and
These still have lingering traces of hulder- done, half the wonders described have
folk magic. A man may nap in such a One fortification was not built by the never existed and the other half are less
glade dreaming of a night in the com- Empire. Surrounding the base of Mount than what the storytellers claim.
pany of the hulder, only to awaken and Bluetop, at the very edge of the frontier,
find a decade has passed. Another pro- is a wall. Built of crudely cut, unmortared SOCIETY AND SOCIAL CLASS
fanes the powers of these people and their stone, it stands almost 15 feet high all
sacred grounds, only to lose the memory around. At regular intervals are small The Minotaur League is a very class-
of his own life. A third may foolishly en- watchtowers and the wall is pierced by oriented society. Every citizen—
ter the glade during the full moon, only many gates. Curiously enough, it appears minotaur, man, elf, gnome, or
to lose his wits, forever touched by the that the wall is made to protect against dwarf—has a position that affects his lot
power of the hulder. something on the inside, something in life and even extends to minor details
dwelling on the mountain. The towers of his daily life. While the law gives pro-
A greater evil than that in the glades look inward and the gate bars are on the tection to all classes, even slaves, its appli-
lurks in the forests. Those who stayed be- outside. cation varies from class to class.
hind on Kristophus’s march did not vanish
entirely. Their fields and villages were re- Many a curious wizard has hired adven- Socially, there is no one more impor-
claimed by the forest, but the people did turous souls to investigate the region, but tant than the Emperor and the Royal
not disappear. Now the people remain as none have met with any success. Outside Family. This includes not just the Queens
bergasts, undead lurking among the rot- the wall, there are no signs of who built it and Royal Children, but also the uncles,
ting remains of moss-covered huts, contin- or why. Inside, the bold have scoured the aunts, nieces, and nephews of the Impe-
uing on in a grotesque parody of their mountain, searching for a clue as to what rial Line. In recognition of their status,
sunlit lives. Sheltered by the unnaturally was kept there. Many a skeleton of man or members of the Imperial Family are nor-
thick canopy, they hunt, chop wood, draw demihuman has been found, but there mally assigned government posts. For the
water, and work at phantom fields, all are no clues as to what the builders so most part these posts provide a good liv-
without purpose or result. Driven by hate- ing for little work. No one (especially not
ful energies, they slay any who fall into the Emperor) wants members of the Im-

47

SOUTHERN HOSK

perial Household to have too much rights, taxation, magical patenting, and unfranchised people—those who are not
power, Thus the positions received are a Arena settlements. slaves but have not earned the rights of
method of buying them off. citizenship. These include sharecroppers,
For example, General Rilkin Conners- free servants, apprentices, and others
Still, the Imperial Family is not above baugh has earned the minotaur status by who work for a master but are not owned
the law, although they are immune to virtue of his victories against the Thenol. by him. Their legal rights are among the
large sections of it. With the exception of In a great ceremony, he was given the full least, both by law and circumstance. Im-
the Emperor, the family is subject to law- title Commander of the Imperial Left perial decrees limit their ability to com-
suits and trials just as anyone else. How- Rilkin Connersbaughiskis, although in plain against their landlords and masters.
ever, their wealth and position make normal communications he is still re- Lack of money prevents them from press-
these impractical matters at best. The Im- ferred to as Connersbaugh, the -iskis ing those cases they can. Many a strap-
perial family has much power among the saved for formal proclamations. ping man of the unfranchised has chosen
judiciary (Praetors) and bureaucrats. to risk his life for the fortune and fame of
Only flagrant crimes or those that present Of the normal humans, the Loyal Fam- the Arena.
a threat to the Emperor (or a more power- ilies are the highest in status. Although
ful member of the household) ever seem they originally fought and resisted the At the lowest level of society are the
to come to trial. minotaur invasion, their families and slaves. Many are descendants of the Rebel
power provided the structure on which families given into the custody of the
At the same time, the Imperial Family the empire was built. Ever adaptable, Loyal Families. A few can trace their lin-
is limited by the Emperor and the Em- most of the families learned to accommo- eage more recently to one of the families
peror relies on the support of his people. date and profit from their new masters that defended Kristophus against the
It behooves him to prevent his family and thus retained their positions. Those minotaur invasion, the true Loyal Fami-
from gross excesses and flagrant viola- families that remained truly loyal to the lies. Others are captives taken in the wars
tions of the law. Those emperors who Kristophus family (and so actually de- of expansion the minotaurs have waged
have allowed themselves and their fami- served the title of Loyal Families) were ex- on their neighbors. Not a few are peas-
lies to become decadent find themselves terminated along with Kristophus or ants who failed in their attempts to rebel
brought into the Arena to stand trial for were broken and scattered, their lands against their horned overlords.
their crimes. Weakened by their ways, and holdings claimed by the minotaurs
they have more often than not been and their allies. Because of their actions Even slaves have certain legal protec-
proven guilty. against Kristophus, to this day the name tions. While few of these concern them-
Loyal Family has a bitter and hateful con- selves with a master’s treatment of his
After the Imperial Family, the next in notation to the common people. property, there are many that set the legal
status are the Horned Houses, the mino- responsibilities of a master for his slave.
taurs of the League. Much lip service is The bulk of the empire is composed of There are strict conditions regarding sale,
given to the credo that any minotaur, no common citizens. These include journey- responsibility for crimes committed, con-
matter what his station, has precedence men craftsmen, freehold farmers, fron- ditions by which a slave can stand in the
over members of other races. In actual tiersmen, small merchants, and Arena, and set terms whereby a slave can
practice, this standard is observed more tradesmen. Citizenship is allowed to purchase or receive his freedom. Still, even
in the breach than in the observance. property holders and the creators of man- with all these conditions and protections, a
While the wealthy and strong minotaurs ufactured goods—vintners, craftsmen, slave’s life remains vile and undesirable.
have clear dominance over all others, smiths, etc. These are the people the Em-
those bulls and cows of lower status often peror must protect and please. Although Within this carefully outlined social
find themselves indebted to the human their rights are much less under the law structure of legal rights and obligations,
and dwarven merchants of the League. As than the highest of the high, they are a foreigners fall through the cracks of the
a result, many of the creditors raise them- significant force. They are numerous system. As a solution, no foreigner is al-
selves to a status approaching that of the where the rulers are few. Though the Em- lowed to represent himself in any legal
minotaurs. peror may have better men and weapons, action. Instead, he must have a sponsor to
these cannot be everywhere. present his claim. The social level of the
This has led to the rise of a special so- sponsor, who must be a citizen of the em-
cial class, technically lower than mino- In the past the people have stormed pire, determines the social level of the
taurs but higher than the “pure” human governors’ palaces, rioted in the streets of foreigner in the subsequent inquiry into
families. These people, through their Kristophan, and burned the harbor of the case. Foreigners (especially those
wealth or service, are allowed to place the Morgad. In each of these cases, retribu- from the Tamire) find this fascination
formal “-iskis” at the end of their name, tion was swift and brutal, but the damage with the legal process stupefying if at
a appellation reserved for minotaur clans. caused and the threat of more forced the least not mystifying. However, given the
In addition, they are accorded the status Emperor in command to revise his poli- government and legal system of the
of minotaur in the eyes of the law. This is cies or tread more lightly. League, these distinctions are important.
particularly important for property
Beneath the common citizens are the

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