The Forgotten North

The forgotten north has a huge potential for play.

First off, thank you guys at athas.org for the enormous work you invest in, what we have had the great enjoyment to know, use and play.:grinning:

Faces of the Forgotten North (by athas.org)
http://athas.org/products/ffn/documents/1

Wisdom of the Drylanders (by athas.org)
https://www.google.dk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.athas.org/products/wotdl/documents/42&ved=0ahUKEwjyzLfr_4PUAhUBnCwKHZ4EAKQQFggcMAA&usg=AFQjCNHDdoekOReiLF7rJaVZNmL3du5iWg&sig2=9I-JEE5gxrS3N3L1wBLqtA

Thanks to Agiea & ProfessorZik-Chil:
Two blog entries that explain the Eloy(from his perspective): http://agithewanderer.blogspot.com/2012/01/eloy-part-one.html14
http://agithewanderer.blogspot.com/2012/01/eloy-part-2.html7

Azeth’s Rest - Map

https://www.google.dk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://agithewanderer.blogspot.com/2010/02/azeths-rest-map-and-flag.html%3Fm%3D1&ved=0ahUKEwiSqPmHnITUAhXsBZoKHc00Cd8QFggcMAA&usg=AFQjCNGP3YSYfzgt3Swi60z4c0EwJYEf8Q&sig2=x3uZBfLpuXO5PFIs6TiKyA

Eldaarich
https://sites.google.com/site/moonsoverathas/home/setting-information/landmarks/the-city-of-fear

What I do not know:
The lost cities of the trembling plains.
Prison state of Eldaarich.
Will we ever see them finished?

Let’s dry our eyes, and make what we can, with what we have. Let’s make the forgotten north, less forgotten.

I will leave all the homebrew I have, and what I can find here.
You are welcome to contribute, with your insight, idears and comments.

My dear Eloy brothers, this is indeed a great day!!
Many years the winds have blown across the trembling plains, now it has settled.
Rejoice and praise the elements
Come now brothers, let us explore, make what we can of what the great Brax has left us.
Let us help create the legendary Kurn, the dust of dimlands, the darkness Rohorind forest.
Come now, come now let’s go.

Link to flora and fauna of the plains.

4 Likes

Just a little take, on Mudwatch.

Master Surgeon Ryth’s speech:

" Welcome fellow surgeon’s and healers, from the royal Academy of Eldaarich.
Today we begin, your third practical term.
Hope you all had a pleasant journey, and slept well in the boarding house at Fort Mudwatch.
The dock we are standing at, is the largest operating facility known to us, under the twin moon’s.
Take a look at the saws, and the cleansed obsidean surgical knives, laid out on the tables here for you.
Your first lesson of the day, may be the most important in your studies to date.
I urge you to keep your ears and eyes open, thew the surgical procedure today.
We have just received message, that the Kings silt fleet will be docking within 1 hour, with today’s costumer.
The upcoming procedure is not to be taken lightly, remember the king has placed it on our humble shoulders to preforme well.
Hunting down a giant, is costly on siltskimmers and personal.
It is not tolerated, that the giant dies in our care.
Stopping bleeding, is of up most importance.
Good sedation both centrally and locally, must be measured out perfectly.
Cleaning up important, no infection is acceptable.
You are here to prove, you are the best healers and sergeants, Eldaarich has to offer. You will not be judged individually, but on how the group prefome’s.
Don’t disappoint our supreme leader and father, do not disappoint the people.
Now to the procedure.
We start the cut just above knee level, here and here, this insurers minimal bleeding.
When we finish, the gianthalf will be able to produce maximum work, with minimum ability to escape.
We can hand it over to beast master, hopefully within a month, if the burning of the sores heals well.
Remember, giant half’s are the back bone, of gathering the silt, that we filter at Mudwatch to produce the water supplies, for all of the Dim lands. "

Red guard

2 Likes

Rohorind halflings
Originally posted by Raddu
http://www.athas.org/news/230

http://athas.org/articles/the-good-and-the-green

What is your opinion on Rohorind forest, and the beings that live there?

I think the forest was a lot bigger once, because of this it is a crowded place now. Making the halflings very territorial, defending their homeland and hunting grounds with a great amount of aggression.

A modest estimate is that about 90-120 tribes inhabit the forest, these tribes consisting of 10 to 160 individuals, with your usual loner and outcast trying to survive on the outskirts borders.


As described they live in the top of the canopies.
The jungle consist of gargantuan trees, filled with life on many levels.
Most Rohorind halflings have no concept of what solid ground is, making homes like the weaver birds, few ever setting foot on the jungle floor below, where little light shines, and larger beast roam.
Halfligs hunters in the Roho forest, keep their heads clean shaven, in contrast to those in, the Table lands. This is partly because the risk, getting hair caught i the dense growth in the forest, can stop a halfling abruptly, both in the case of being the Hunter or the prey.
The forest is humid and has many tiny insects, that would love to live in halfling hair.
However the Elders, and chieftains women in larger clans do have long hair. Showing it as a sign of prestige.

I would think at least 3-4 Rain drake’s inhabit the forest, with one greater living in the White mountains.

Gimant the Preserver’s story

I was in the Rohorind forest years ago, trying to collect components.
It’s not like anything I ever saw before.
Entering it is like entering another plane of existence.
It took my hired help, many hours just to penetrate the first mile of dense underbrush.
The trees there are humongous, growing larger and wider for every hundred feet you enter into the vastness of the place.
As we past threw the forest first mile, the work of clearing a path became easier.
The underbrush became less dense, and the space between the trunks further apart.
At this point the forest was so dark, even holding your hand up before your eyes, you couldn’t decipher the number of fingers.
It seems little or no light ever reaches the forest floor here.
Casting a continual light gave us a view of what was there.
Looking up the trees disappeared hundreds of feet above us. The floor of the forest was filled with mushrooms and moss, I believe it’s was too dark for much else grow here.
The place gave me the sense that no human eyes had seen what we saw, and a feel of awe looking at forbidden place.
Just like in the children’s story, about Amba-bos at the button of the silt sea.
We heard movement and gibbering sounds between the trees, but saw no larger creatures, when the light was lit.
I think the creatures there navigate through sound and other senses. Perhaps Psion ways.
I did discover this little creature there.


Having a eerily feeling of being watched, the mercenaries could not be persuaded, even for promise of copper coin, to stay or go deeper into the jungle.
The creature we found died less then one hour after leaving the damp darkness of the forest, I preserved it here in my library for you to see.

Some questions.
What monsters, animals and plant life do we find in the Rohorind forest?
The halflings were driven from Oronha Valley, is that where New Kurn is now?
What culture do the halflings have, do they maintain some of their old and alien ancestors traditions?
Are the halflings vegetarians, except when it comes to sainted prey?

Plot option:
A virus has spred from within the depth of the Rohorind forest. Leaving 2 tribe’s dead, and another pushing out of their territory into other clan’s hunting grounds, in desperation. Leading to potential conflict
The virus has spread to Kurn, where a merchant is the first casualty.
The council has a Krell from the forest under quarantine, suspecting the animal of being the speed of the virus there.
What is the origin, how dangerous is it to humanoids. Can it be stopped?

Trembling Plains is a huge savannah filled with interesting sights, think I will start with them.
The ruins of Kundhuur.
And second off the lone windy mountain of Leavetaking, and the role it holds for the Eloy.

This is my wisdom on the trembling plains, and the headers that live there in."
My experience is the sum of 5 years in the grasslands, living among the eloy clans.
When I refer to the commentory that occurred between them in the following text, it isn’t totally correct related. The eloy don’t waste the winds energy on dialogue.
In the time spent there, I counted close to 150 words in their vocabulary. lt may seem like a enough to you, but in reality it’s close to 1/20 of what we Kurnians, use in common speach.
The Eloy has no word for (to, at, here, there, this and so on).
Ex. A scout observing a flock of 50 mekillots, one days journey nortn of current location, would refer to it as: Pointing, hand signs “Mekillots” hand signs, and gestures. That’s it.
So you see, I had to fill in the blanks in the texts played out below, to give it meaning"


Eloy Fathers lesson:

“My dear son, you are still young, it is difficult to see where the winds will blow you, and how they shape you…
I see compassion in your eyes, for the drylanders, when they beg and weep for their evil soul’s.
Remember my son, they came here with greed in their hearts, to lay waste the land with defilement.
They whimper only now, that they are buried to their necks in the earth.
Soon they will realize, that their body’s will give back to the land, some of what their evil soul’s took.
Their screems will be heard, it will call forth predators, that will show quick merciful death.
Their body and bones will then soil the land.
Soon all that will be left is, the black obsidean orbs, we left there as a warning to others of their kin, not to misuse the land.
Remember they are lucky, to give back, some of what they took.
They are lucky not to live long evil lives, that someone sent them to meet the grey, before their souls could experience, how much more they could destroy. Find your peace of wind I that my son.”

Story on Leavetaking:

"When you were born Brean, you were 1 of 2 boys, granted to me, by your beloved mother.
It was a quiet and clear night, Balimarash the Caravan shining brightly on the eastern hemisphere.
That year flamesky had been really harsh on the clan.
We had been traveling all threw the night, to avoid the feral Trin, whom were ever more present, and early that year, then any know before.
The Clan had gone too far south, it was a bad mistake, and came close to beeing the end of all.
Knowing not the concept of sleep or fear, following each other…just like the red ants, you knew of, and played with as a child, at dry rivers.
One hive mind, where one would appeared, soon hundreds would follow. Trin are not red ants though, they can take down a gargaton mekkilot, in a matter of minutes, and consume it in less then an hour. They don’t sting like the red ants either… Aha, you remember now how they stung you… No the Trin paralyze with their bite, eating pray alive, in that state.
So you see my son, we were heading fore the highlands, as quickly as the Carru herds, and every one else could follow, you know the Trin don’t like the cold nights there and we would be safe to reach them.
The day before the clan had used up the remaining Waspweed, so we had no more repellent left, to keep the trin at bay.
Well anyway you and your younger brother were born on that night.
Your brother was a feeble child, he did not seem to have the wind in him.
As I told you once before, your grandfather was too week to continue at that time, and longed to leave his broken old bones behind and join the spirits of the winds.
Can you see that lonely mountain peak there, on the grasslands to the north, that’s Leavetaking.
Your grandfather picked up your infant brother that night, and left the camp, they went to join the winds there.
One day we will meet them again… I do here their calls sometimes, but it isn’t my time to go there yet.

That was my story on Leavetaking my apprentice.
Personally I never came close to the mountain, but even here from Kurn looking south, you can see the loanly peek.
It’s obvious to anyone, that the Eloys use it to navigate the trembling planes.
I do understand they feel attracted to the lonely majestic peak.
Taking leave from this life there, to join the winds, is more drawing thought, then entering what we believe to be the grey, if you ask me.
When I was yong, long before I became a spymaster in Kurn.
I had an experience with what, we call wind sickness.
It was in the white mountains, at the edge of the Rohorian forest.
Five mates had what you could call, a drunken half-giant’s idea, to take a closer look at the Rohorind forest.
I was one of those yong Kuranin fools then.
With all my comrades dead, on the first day in the forest, I stumbled up the mountain, choosing what it had to offer me, in contrast to the ending in the halflings cooking pot.
The small men didn’t follow me up the cliffs, I still ponder to this day, why.
Maybe they were satisfied with meat they got.
I knew my half giant friend Gre’keo did give them, quite a fight down in the jungle.
I had the fleet feet, not the strength, in the scenario that played out that day, it was the ability that gave me life.
Going up that mountain, the wind seemed to blow strong and hard sucking the air out of my lungs.
I felt light headed, what you could describe as euphoric, in a strange unity with nature, loosing all care of one self…
Maby it was the poisen from the halfling dart, that took its effect, maby it was the wind on the mountain. In any case, i lost all sense of consiosness, and concept of what I was doing…
If this is close to the experience the Eloy feel on the Leave taking. Then I do understand, why they choose to leave their bodies in this way.
I do not know what happened on the white mountain, how long I wander blindly there…
It could not been for long, death by dehydration or fall would obviously have put and end to me quickly, in that state.
The next thing I recalled, was the birdman’s face.
From what I can gather I was in the place they call Winter’s nest, at least 12 sunsets regaining health.
The Aarakocra the left me with a Kurnan patrol in the White mountains, whom escorted me back to the city.
I don’t recall anything from the time I spent there. Only my savior’s face…
I see you ponder if that memory could have been removed… That is a possibility…"

The dwarf’s plee:

Reylan looked up at his five captures, four of them were brutish ruffians, the fifth was skanky, tall, partley fiminen in aperrance, with a skinny elongated face, properly in his late fifties.
Rey did know the man.
They had dealings in the past.
He wasn’t of the more plesent aquintenses.
Ray had always been of the opinion that Chic, must at least be quaterelf, whitch wasn’t far stretched, in these parts, where most humans had some degree of elven blood in them.
Chic wasn’t his real name, but who could care, no one would want to know, more about that dandy anyway…
“Ahh Reylan, you have woken from your beauty sleep. Sorry about all of that, we got a little jumpy, you showing up here, with that big inix out of nowhere, and all.
So… Rey, you was mentioning something about a forgotten city, when you passed out?”
Rey tried to cough, the pain from his ribs, nearly made him pass out again.
“As I said, sorry about that, didn’t know that Kasg’s, sling shot, would send you falling out the Howda, and down the side of the inix like that.
Come here loosen his bounds a little, can’t you see our short friend here, is in pain.”
Chic gestured to one, of his companion’s, to take care of it, and looked back down at Reylan with a crooked, toothless smile.
“So where were we… Something about a ruin city?”
Reyland did know, that no amount of whimper or begging, would get him out of this tight spot, he had to by time, figure someway to get threw this mess, until then just buying time, not getting his throat cut was the first priority.
"Yes Chic, i have mentioned the ruins of Kundhuur, it is a cursed place. I have seen it from afar, but not entered.
You know of the windwalkes, rangers, protectors of the grasslands.
The windwalkers is a brotherhood of eloys, from the herder familys on the plains, whenever a twin is born into the clan, one child is offered to the windwalkers. To protect the land you know, thus having a twin in the eloy clan, and one in the brotherhood. That enshures the contact from the herders to the protection of the land. It is said that a ritual including communing with the winds, decides what infant is taken by the walkers. "
"That’s all fine Rey, I didn’t ask for a lesson on eloy or windwalkers, did I !?
Get to the point, you Mulfather, and produced something of value! "
Chic seemed to bore quickly, witch gave Rey an even stronger indication, that elven blood did run threw his vains.
The creator’s must have had sadistic humour, giving elves such a long physical life, and a attention span shorter then a human infant. Some would argue that this, did cut many elven life shorter then most other species ironically.
Reylan wasn’t in any position to kill Chic, on the insult of being a mulfather, he didn’t care, his value on dwarf pride and heritage did not exist.
But he had the patience and focus of a dwarf, given time and planing, he could hope to snap the quaterelf’s neck.
Actually Rey had father a few muls, it was an easy coin. Nobles paid well for getting slave girls pregnant with muls.
He took the money, did the deed and left.
“Well back to the story on Kundhuur, I was there with windwalkers, that’s the relevence Chic.” Rey replied.
"I met up with them in the tarven Boki Nan, in Azeth’s Rest, they needed som assistance, and I took to helping them, for a small fee.
The ruins of Kundhuur is usually shunned by eloys, haunted lights spread in the valley below where it lies on some nights. We did come on to the place at night fall, the moon’s lighting up the gloomy place in eery purple haze, I did not see any lights down in the valley thou.
The walkers took me along, cause I claimed to know some thing on half-giant’s., being a drylander and all…
One of the mercenaries we were shadowing, was such a beast… This one was big, as white as the silt, and uglier then most. He was a one, in a group of troublemakers, from the bandit states.
In kundhuur I gather, they did part of their shady business… That was later confirmed.
What led the windwalkers here, was the disappearance of 2 smaller clans of eloy.
The suspension was focused on this shady lot.
Looking down into the bowl where the accursed city lay, I did understand why the eloy shunned the place.
It was circular in form, approximately less than 1 mile in diameter.
All the buildings chaved cruketly inward, two story houses, for what I could make out, many small triangular windows dotted the walls surrounding the city. Everything was covered in green moss, leaving sign that the place was much more lush, then even most of the trembling planes, but also abounded for centuries.
In the center you could make out what must have been a big circulary court, and in the middle of the court was a dark sink hole in the earth.
Sorunding the city was a forest of catclaw trees , growing thicker as it closed in on city.
As we discovered later, the half-giant was a waste of worry, he got himself sucked dry by the blood whines whom infested those trees…
Well we got a hold on the 4 other bastards, as they left the city with their inix, one of them, a Ssurran survived the initial attack. It came up with the story I’ll tell you now, before the rangers cut off its tail.
The bandits had come here for trade, trading silks for fluids.
In the haunted city he said, dark spiders live, trading humans for the finest silk.
You can understand why, the walkers treated that lizard to a slow agonizing death.
There were many diskussions on what to do after that, ideas of trying to set fire to the evil place, was abondend, moss and trees could burn, but not the city. The concept of killing plant life was not an option to the windwalkers.
In the end the walkers decided to enter the city, to se if any of the kidnapped eloy could be saved, and scout out the extend of the vile creatures living there. I sat there for 6 moon’s.
The rangers never returned. In the end I left with the inix, and the fine silks.
I see you found the papyrus on the inix Chic, it must have belonged to one of them bandits.
My guess is that it deciphers a map of the city. I gather from the drawing of that fauntain, that the humanoid cut into it, may be what legend in these lands, call a khvakha. One of the races whom no one has seen since the time of the cleansing.
Small ugly creatures with tusks portraying from their lower jaws.

Take a look at the section of the sinkhole, in the center of the city.
There seems to be a tower hidden deep in the the dark there. It is portrayed as partly intackt. That does make me wander, if the khvakhas unleashed some protective arcane magic, that backlashed, in a desperate attempt to save the population, ore if the attack on the city, made it cave inwardly sinking that central sphere deaply into earth as shown.
Whom knows what riches may lay hidden in that tower.
So I told you the story… could you cut me loose? Take the inix, the map and the silk, just give me a gallon of water. "
Chic did not look in a considerable mood.
“Well then maby, we could figure out another deal Chic… You see I’m under a little stress here, some minor details, could have slipped my mind, it may be of small importance, who knows, maby it could be an idear to make a partnership, we could se what treasures lay waiting for us there together?”
Chic sat there, not showing any sign in his face or pustior, for what seemed like an eternity.
“Well, cut the half man louse.
Guess we found us a new dwarfen friend, but you remember no trixies, ore you will find your self at the wrong end of my Bards freind, ore even worse we’ll sell your fluids to them dark spiders for a kilogram of silk.”

The sunken tower
Both bloodvine and spider, dark are found in Terrors of Athas

3 Likes

This is very good material. I am inspired to continue creating material for the Eloy and the Trembling Plains.

How in the name of Dregoth did I miss that post?!?!?!?!?

We are Princess Abaderial Bastern ll, the last princess of the lost Elven kingdom of the Kurnlands.

Since few whom live understand the concept of royalty, and the meaning of “we” related to “we”are the people, and there by are granted power to serve by royalty, not dictate as is done by nearly all whom today claim to be kings. l will refer to myself as “I and me“ in this memoir.

This is my story, a story that is entwined in the roots of the history of Athas.

I want to put my memories down on this parchment, since no one that lives remembers what I do, before I hopefully leave this gray prison and join my forefathers, in the faywilde land with in the winds.

It´s always hard to know where to start, but I guess from the beginning would be best.

I still remember when I was a child free of worries, playing in these fabled halls, it seems just days ago at times, thou many Kings ages have passed.

I was born the third successor to the throne by my mother the Elven high Queen of the North.

She always stated that I was her love child, born out of just that, and not born out of duty, to be sat on the Throne like my brother, the king to be, and the next in line whom would take to the throne if the oldest didn’t make it into adulthood.

My 2 brothers were taken from me early in my life, I remember little of them, just a child`s inner pictures of laughter, playing catch and seek in the green medows near Rifaks wall, and their teasing calls “find us love child”

Back then dark times had already fallen on us, the kingdom was at war, it was the last united elven nation to stand against the might of the cleansing army, set on destroying the elves of this world.

The Champion Alberon, had spread lies about the elven race for ages, most deceitful of them, that the longevity of elves was due to stealing power from the dying sun.

When Alberon the champion laid siege our city and brought the peaks og mount Timor, down on the spires of Kurn, my brothers took up swords to defend.

Some say they met him personally on the field along with the meorties, and wounded him mortally.

That at least is the story told to us, and the story woven in to many pillows, wall hangings, and forge on braziers tiles in our proud city.

In the end, the opposing army was split and destroyed, and Aldebron the slayer of elves, was forced to retreat from the northern kingdom.

It was not whotout great loss to us, one of my brothers lay dead on the battlefield, and the other never recovered from the shattering psionics wielded against his mind on that day.

Alberon never came that close to Kurn again, thou that didn’t matter much.

40 years later, when I was what humans perceive as the age of 15 years, rumer had it that Alberon had recovered from his grave wounds, and had again gathered an army in the south, scouts from Kurn were sent to investigate at the borders of our land, there were a few skirmishes, parts of what then was a large forest was burned by his ligeon, but no greater battles occurred.

What the victors of these skirmishes brought home was far more devastating though.

Our people, the elves of Kurn suddenly started dying of a strange sickness, later deemed Alberons curse, in just a few years the population dwindled to 1/3, even in the palace the loss was great, both my mother and my father the King died in those darkest years.

Of the royal line only my mind shattered brother and I were left, I used to look at his face and envy him, because he did not have to witness and understand the horror and fall of our proud kingdom, and the dark future that lay ahead for all elves.

I had to see the hate between the clans lid up, and hear the death moans of many kin, and in the end I saw the last elf leave the once proud City of Kurn, before my young heart broke and I threw my self off the peaks of the Snow crown mountains.

The Gray opened its fangs to greet me, I had hoped to dwindle there only shortly before passing deeper in, vanishing and hopefully joining my ancestors in the feywild.

That did not happen, I have pondered on why I remain here on the border of death, with no answer for ages. Athas will not leave its grip on me, maybe it is fate, maybe punishment.

I have seen many die since, most fade away in the gray as time passes and they forget what they were in life, I may be released one day, like the Dwarfs, and Trolls of old are believed to fade off and sink to the kore foundation of earth, where they are said forever to rest in tranquility.

Ages passed in the Ruined city of Elves, only I and the meorties whom swore always to protect Kurn remained here dead as we were in the ruins of a abondaned dead city.

Then one day men came, first a few scouts, soon followed by a people.

These were the Keltas, led here by their Commander Keltis.

Keltis sought a place for his tired veterans, far from the horrors of the Cleansing wars.

Keltis was himself a retired Champion of the war bringer Rajaat.

We did not want this evil to root in our city, and met him on the Banding slopes near Kurn.

He came forth him with no shield or weapon, he was at loss and disillusiened, only the plea of his people left him still standing.

We knew what he was, the meorties would have struck him down. I do not know why I did not let them, maybe it was something in the sadness of his eyes that reminded me of my long dead brothers.

He pleaded for his people, he vowed to rebuild the city in respect of its past, that all elves would always find a home here, a promise that he has kept ever since.

As years passed I Bestern helped him become what he is to day, threw the ancient tomes of wisdom and magics hidden in the great Elven library of Kurn: A avingion, a creature of hope.

Keltis or Orionis as he is called now, is a broken, but strong and willful man.

He repents for the evil deeds done in the war, turning seas into dust to kill the lizards whom lived there, and for every Keltas whom died for a wrongful, deceitful cause.

His hart is filled with more sorrow then any man can bare, losing all he loved time and time again.

His loved Sielba rejected him and died, surrounded by her own unpleased greed as her city Yaramuke went up in flame.

His closest friend and ally in the wars, went mad and isolated himself on that island in the dust.

Commander Meran Azeth is gone, Korgunard his apprentice is dead, Prodogie his latest wife has plotted against him and left the city.

Only I remain, and have no comfort to offer.

Still he remains strong and fast in his mission to preserve the North and, keep his people safe.

We seek this not with hearts because his is broken with loss and regret beound repair, I have non and hardly remember it’s beats, we seek it with our minds…

It is certainly ironic that the New vision of a better place, was awoken in a strange place, actually in the mind of a now mad king.

During the last year’s of the cleansing wars, Daskinor told of a goblin city Juhudhuzar, with a false front. How he nearly missed to realize that inhabitants there hid from the praying eyes of his scouts.

I believe this brought forth the idea in his companion mind, kings ages later, when Oronis discovered Orohna valley.

Back then it was inhabited by hafling tribes, whom of most didn’t take it to heart to share the valley.

Primary because the chiften Thas Mac’Cabb, wasn’t prepared to share his power, on the other hand his forces weren’t a match for the well trained army of the Keltas.

A few hafling chose to remain, most followed the chiften into what the North Rohorind call the great exodus. This still passes down threw tales at the campfires in the halfling tribe’s to this day, the hatred I fear will one day ignite again.

Only 4 known passages laed to the fabled valley.

One threw the heavily guarded fort protector, one well hidden in the garden of remembrance behind the the walls of Kurn, where scores of avirak breed, and stop those whom do not drink from the stream of fading memories.

One in the Thray-ee Pass threw the mountain to the North Rohorind, where the semi primordial of the white mountains dwell inside and guard.

The last is over Buranic range or Rifaks wall, the mountains that surrounds the valley, from where no mortals ever have recorded to pass.

But I believe, the valleys best defense is it’s ability to stay hidden and unknown to evil prying eyes.

KURN

1 Like

KURN

HOGALAY

A flickering light danced in the mind of the champion, then another, in time the lights that joined constructed a thought.
It was blurry and at first, later came words, non that formed any real meaning, but slowly they turned into a sentence.
A sentence repeating it self, time and time again, until the speaker himself found awareness of its meaning.
Where am I, where am I?
No response came from the darkness for a long time…
Then suddenly a more collective presence from outside entered the dormant mind.
Master is that you?
Wivid pictures busted into his mind, it took several minuts before he recognized the identity of the speaker.
Commander Listana, what happened?
You was trapped by them filthy dirt loving midgets.
Rest now master, you are… week.
Listanas sentence faded off, as the speaker regretted it in mid way.
The champion payed it no heed, at that moment, memories came flashing back.
The pain and anger filled all his senses.
I am trapped, I am Egendo of Charsies, butcher of dwarves, champion of the warbringer. Trapped in the earth.
The butcher now remember the siege on Hogalay.
The massive city of the Earthen Dwarf lords.
They had followed the refugees for months, as they scattered like rats running for their holes, and ended up here.
Officers and men alike had been tired, but he payed them little note.
He had led an all out assault as soon as the city was in the armies sight.
Leaving his men behind, fighting and bringing down fire and hell on the battlements as he passed.
Egendo the silver mained butcher, entered into the inner most sanctum, to battle the Prins of earth and his high priests.
The battle must have lasted hours, maybe even day’s inside inside the dwarfen halls.
In the end no one had joined the butcher, and he was owerpover by his foes.
Rocks and cliffsides fell on him, spells of earth and entombment cast by desperate priests, they packed him in on all sides, he was incarcerated, at last only the furey of his mind could bring foe open foe down, until even that was walled in.
Egendo turned his attention away from the painful past and back to the present.

Where is General Boris and the rest of my legion?
There was a silence…
Speak up Listana!
They left master.
Egendo opened his eyes but saw nothing but the darkness.
They left, you are still entombed far beneath the earth master.
I heard from stragglers that the warbringer made him champion in your place, and he defeated the king of Kamelok.
Outrageous disobeying my orders, I’ll ring that basters neck!!
Master I believe Boris is no more, I believe that the power that was so unrigtfully taken from you, has somhow found its way back to you, I believe that’s why you coming to your senses master.
That’s a lot of belive commander.
Yes master…that’s all I have had for a long time.
I stayed here to search… for you master, I am loyal, loyal only to you master.
It’s been a long time.
Maybe months, years, ore even ages, searching… searching for you, all around everything has, has gone gray…
I’m glad you are alive master, i feel your warmth even thou you are under all that earth.
We will get you out together, don’t you loose hope.
I promise.

…but I fear…
What do you fear commander?
That I am no longer part of the living.

Ok here, I’ve started a campaign and a reading of what’s been done about the Trembling Plains.

In Azeth’s Rest, the pictures numbers doesn’t match the map keys. I’m trying to put the good number to the best place.

How about a little help? Thanks!

Here is the text and I will attach the two pictures:

  1. Gate. The gate is located between two towers that rise five feet above the walls. A heavy wooden portcullis studded with varnished thorns and barbs secures the gate. In times of attack, a heavy canvas is spread over the interior surface of the portcullis and splashed with a quick-hardening resin, to provide a solid gate. Three fixed crossbows are mounted atop the gate. The posts are always manned, and a makeshift bamboo awning provides shade for the guards. If the PCs display an Azeth trust token, then everyone that the person carrying the token vouches for can enter Azeth’s Rest; however, that PC is then held responsible if any person that she vouches for harms anyone or otherwise violates House Azeth’s hospitality. The guards will also tell the PC displaying the token that the coin entitles him and his friends a free meal at the Drik’s Belly inn, and one free stop at the watering hole.

Without the trust token, each person must pay a silver piece in order to enter Azeth’s Rest. If the PCs seem hesitant to pay, the guards will consider other exchanges, particularly if the PCs have and are willing to part with trained kanks.

  1. Walls. The 40-foot tall outer walls has the exact same color as the brownish yellow sand beneath, five ballistae are set atop the corners of the irregular walls. The walls appear to be made from one single seamless piece of stone, 6 feet thick, but sloped slightly inward. Fixed crossbows are mounted at intervals about the walls.

  2. Perimeter Path. Inside the gate, a well-worn path 25 feet wide runs north and south. The road moves more or less parallel to the walls, and runs the perimeter of the fort.

  3. Azeth Slave Quarters. A windowless two-story adobe building stands across the path on the left as one enters the gate. Despite the grim outward appearance, the slave quarters are surprisingly roomy and clean, and there is an open courtyard at the center of the building. Many of the slaves have families and children. Like herders and Kurnans, House Azeth actually accords slaves greater status than seasonal hirelings. More than fifty slaves and their families live in this building; the thirty most trusted slaves have their quarters in the lower tier of the Azeth family compound.

  4. Drinking Hole. Zaal trees and some spindly bushes grow around the drinking hole, and a number of green-leafed mo’onis trees grow in the thin shade alongside the traders’ buildings. Stones and resin form a two-foot wall around the hole, and the water level raises above the ground. If the PCs display an Azeth trust token, this entitles them to one free use of the watering hole for up to eleven persons and their mounts. Without the trust token, water costs 3 sp per tun (250 gallons)

  5. Oasis. The area north and west of the drinking hole is thick with trees, and the ground looks damp. The tree thicket is off-limits to guests and strangers except for those accompanies by Azeth family members or friends of Azeth. Azeth Baazrags make their nests in the thicket, and vigilantly enforce the rule against unwelcomed persons who stray into the thicket. Khraazgudh, (Baazrag baazrag Druid druid 7/ Grove grove Master master 1), watches over this grove.

  6. Huzbug Azeth’s Quarters. While most of the Azeth family members have their quarters in the southeast corner of Azeth’s Rest, Huzbug Azeth keeps his quarters and offices right next to the drinking hole. He spends long hours here negotiating with herder chiefs, and trade house representatives, and has guest quarters for them. Like other Azeth buildings, the mansion is considerably nicer on the inside than on the outside; a natural spring bubbles up right inside the courtyard.

  7. Azeth Pens. House Azeth keeps its livestock in these pens. The pens are often empty since Azeth purchases its lifestock from the herders, and either slaughters them locally for food, or transports the livestock to Ket or Draj in their trade caravans.

  8. Shrine of the Desert Breeze, administrated by Beraan Biraan Azeth (female human cleric (Air) 7).

This open-air place of worship is open to any visitor. A set of stairs leads to stone platform and altar at the level of the tree-tops. At the bottom of the staircase, a large wicker cage stands, containing about 25 songbirds. For 2 cp, Beraan Biraan will sell any person a songbird for “sacrifice.” To BeraanBiraan, it goes without saying that one “sacrifices” a songbird by standing at the altar and setting it free. The birds are actually trained to fly away from Azeth’s Rest, and then to return to their nesting place from which Beraan Biraan recovers them to sell to other strangers. This is not impiety on Beraan’s Biraan’s part: setting the birds free is a ritual that honors the elements, the details are not important. As far as Beraan Biraan is concerned, all persons have reason to be grateful to the winds, particularly if they travel through the trembling plains; she does not care if they have other beliefs or spiritual allegiances.

Beraan Biraan will look more kindly on persons who show the winds proper respect, by offering a sacrifice for one’s safe arrival in Azeth’s Rest, before trying to strike any other conversation with BeraanBiraan, or trying to negotiate for her services. She will give such persons a 10% discount on any of her priestly services, unless they otherwise show themselves unworthy of her favor. For others, she sells spellcasting services at the normal rate, but she does not keep any confidences secret from her House Azeth brethren.

  1. Azeth Loading Pens. The mekillot pillars allow Azeth to keep the mekillots under control as slaves load and freight to be taken into the warehouse.

  2. Azeth Warehouse.

  3. Azeth Compound, Lower Tier.

  4. Azeth Compound, Higher Tier. Higher on the hill dwell Azeth’s senior agents and their families.14. Tree of Life. Planted by Meraan Azeth, two thousand years ago.

  5. Chapel of the Ancient Seas The most ancient building in Azeth’s Rest. A false adobe mud front covers the ancient stone structure. The dome is translucent, and contains the ancient, but still-living body of Meraan Azeth. House Azeth does not tell the name of this temple to strangers.

  6. Mekillot Handling Area. Pillars for chaining mekillots or driks, and drinking troughs, which Azeth slaves will fill for a price.

  7. Crodlu Stables.

18 Inix Pens.

  1. The Drik’s Belly Inn.

20 The Drik’s Market. Azeth sells its goods here, but when there is room, it allows others to put their stalls here as well.

  1. Tower. Kaidan Azeth (male half elf wizard (preserver) 7) and Leisahn Azeth (male half elf wizard (preserver) 9) work and occasionally sleep in this tower, but they have quarters in the higher tier of the Azeth compound with their children and grandchildren. This husband and wife are House Azeth’s most powerful preservers, other than mercenaries. They often accompany House Azeth caravans to Draj and back, but rarely together.

  2. Tower. AusarMakerand his wife GelnaMakerlive here. Ausar is considered a friend of Azeth, and personally helped to make the walls of Azeth’s Rest. The previous walls were made of adobe mud like most of the rest of the village, and there were casualties every year from the Trin Raids. Since the walls’ construction, not a single person within the walls has died. Ausar is considered something of a local hero.

  3. Mercenary Barracks.

  4. Azeth Kiln. Azeth family members own this Kiln and, and they occasionally operate it to create trust tokens and to mint House Azeth ceramic pieces that are often used in Kurn as well as in Azeth’s Rest. Most of the time, various potters operate the kiln, paying the owners for its use.

25 Potter’s Corner. A few apartments of separate potter families live and sell their wares from these rented apartments. They have dug clay pits within walking distance of Azeth’s Rest.

26 Armorer. Horak, a Kurnan expatriate (Human Expert 4) fashions quality armor here. He imports his leather from Azeth’s Rest (+20% to cost), but sells reasonable quality armor made from trin chitin for only 75% of the normal cost. He is competent but overworked, and rarely produces masterwork armor. He will do custom work armor for typical prices, but will not rush his work or push his other work behind, taking an entire quinth(75 days) to deliver. Horak has no last name since he left the armorer’s clave over a disagreement that he does not wish to speak about. He has great respect for Oronis but as a Kurnan without a clave, he feels alienated in his own land.

  1. West Wind Market. For five bits a day, anyone may set up a 5x5 foot stall to sell goods here. Those who have permission to stay in Azeth’s Rest during the night, may continue their sales during the night, so long as they do so reasonably quietly. Most nights see no business here and most days feature no more than a dozen motley stalls, but during the trade fairs, this area is crowded with stalls selling a wide variety of goods.

  2. Shops and apartments. Negotiating through the manager of the Drik’s Belly Inn, Azeth leases out these buildings from season to season. Leasing space within Azeth’s Rest does not give one the right to spend the night there, as House Tsalaxa rudely discovered. Azeth does not believe that competition constitutes a breach of trust; it allows the Dedys Consortium to sell its goods from the larger southernmost building in this area. However, if Azeth feels that the renter’s sales are cutting into Azeth’s own profits, it will raise the price of the next season’s lease appropriately. It is not at all uncommon for two persons renting identical buildings to discover that one of them is paying ten times the rent that the other is paying. If Azeth wants someone to stay in town, they will lease them space for practically nothing.

  3. Tent Area. For a silver piece, anyone allowed to enter Azeth’s Rest receives a token allowing them to pitch a tent up to 20 foot square in any of Azeth Rest’s outer perimeter areas, so long as they are more than five feet away from a building, and stay out of the animal areas such as areas 8, 16, 18, and 30. The token is good for the rest of the season. During Flamesky season, the price rises to five silver pieces. Azeth usually gets paid in cattle rather than silver, and the house is willing to contemplate other profitable exchanges. Many of the tents in this area double as quarters and vendor booths. Almost every herder has something to sell, cattle, if nothing else. Cattle prices are considerably lower during Flamesky season.

  4. Cattle Pens. These pen areas are for cattle. Anyone can leave their animals here. The fee is modest during most of the year, but rises considerably during Flamesky season.

House Azeth maintains a barracks of 70 troops at Azeth’s Rest, to defend the property and the 90 slaves who handle the cargo and the animals. A dozen or more traders from House Azeth, led by HuzbugAzeth(elven male, Bard 8/Dune Trader 2, LG), manage the fort for most of the year. Most of the slaves are from the Tablelands, as are some of the troops. When the Great Caravan is in Azeth’s rest the number of defenders rises considerably. Just before Flamesky season begins, CorikAzeth(Bard 5 /Dune Trader 5, LN) arrives with the Great Caravan and assumes command of Azeth’s Rest’s defenses, bringing a hundred Kurnan mercenaries to help protect Azeth’s Rest from kreen. Huzbug continues to administrate routine community matters from his small palace, while Corik takes his own place on the hill.

1 Like

Still looking for help with this.

@grummore

Can you say were the map you are using came from, or where it can be found. I’d be interested in helping you with this.

It’s found in the Trembling plains supplement that never made it to completion. I had a partial version of it which I started doing a small layout with someone else until I stumble on a more completed version with many pictures (which I started posting on the DS FB group).

One of the original author (Brax) started showing interest in doing some work on his own old project and I’m helping him with as much time as life gives me.

I know there are some Azeth’s Rest maps over the net, but it’s actually the one in the current document.

2 Likes