Saturday, November 26, 2011

Adventures of Roadside Inns and Mysterious Charcacters

Greetings!

I shall update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Saturday, November 26, 2011 2246 Hours

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Megalithic Ruins and Ancient Cultures

Greetings!

I shall update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Wednesday, November 23, 2011 2309 Hours

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Campaign Session #16

Greetings!

I shall update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 2323 Hours

Monday, November 21, 2011

Campaign Session #15

Greetings!

I shall update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Monday, November 21, 2011 2317 Hours

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Campaign Session #14

Greetings!

I shall update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Sunday, November 20, 2011 2328 Hours

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Crazy and Bizarre Dungeons

Greetings!

I shall update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Saturday, November 19, 2011 2322 Hours

Friday, November 18, 2011

Campaign Session #13

Greetings!

I shall update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Friday, November 18, 2011 2236 Hours

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Enchanted, Mist-Shrouded Forests and Wilderness Encounters

Greetings!

I shall update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Thursday, November 17, 2011 2219 Hours

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Cultures in Conflict in the Campaign

Greetings!

I shall update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Wednesday, November 16, 2011 2305 Hours

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Campaign Session #12

Greetings!

I shall update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Tuesday, November 15, 2011 2350 Hours

Monday, November 14, 2011

Campaign Session #11

Greetings!

I shall update the blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Monday, November 14, 2011 2316 Hours

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Campaign Session #10

Greetings!

I shall update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Sunday, November 13, 2011 1923 Hours

Friday, November 11, 2011

Campaign Session #9

Greetings!

I shall update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Friday, November 11, 2011 2237 Hours

Thursday, November 10, 2011

OOH-RAH! Happy Birthday to the United States Marine Corps!

Greetings!

Well, November 10 is the birthday of the United States Marine Corps.

OOH-RAH! Happy Birthday to the Marine Corps, and my fellow Marines!

Here's a cool video, and some awesome cadence calling.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biHSXDkQ874&feature=related
Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Thursday, November 10, 2011 2250 Hours

Campaign Session #8

Greetings!

I shall update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Thursday, November 10, 2011 2238 Hours

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Campaign Session #7

Greetings!

I shall update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Wednesday, November 9, 2011 2309 Hours

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Campaign Session #6

Greetings!

I shall update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Tuesday, November 8, 2011 2300 Hours

Monday, November 7, 2011

Campaign Session #5

Greetings!

I shall update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Monday, November 7, 2316 Hours

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Religion, Temples and Holy Sites of the Campaign Region

Greetings!

I shall update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Sunday, November 6, 2011 2130 Hours

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Some New Cities for the Campaign Region

Greetings!

I will update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Saturday, November 5, 2011 2236 Hours

Background Characters and NPC's

a

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Campaign Session #4

Greetings!

I will update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Thursday, November 3, 2011 2147 Hours

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Designing Dungeons

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I will update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Wednesday, November 2, 2011 2134 Hours

Monday, October 31, 2011

Campaign Session #3

Greetings!

I shall update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Monday, October 31, 2011 2310 Hours

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Let The Werewolves Run Free!

Greetings!

Well, it would be crazy and wild if we knew that werewolves really *did* lurk out in the fog-shrouded forests and woods, now wouldn't it? No camping trip would ever be the same...LOL.:)

Halloween is soon to be upon us, with hordes of the little children going from door to door, clawing for more candy and goodies. Yes. Hopefully everyone will be safe and have a good time, and a blessed Samhain.

Happy Halloween everyone!
Cheers!

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Sunday, October 30, 2011 2351 Hours

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Campaign Session #2

Greetings!

I will update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Saturday, October 29, 2011 2337 Hours

Friday, October 28, 2011

New Adventures in the Campaign Session #1

Greetings!

I will update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Friday, October 28, 2011 2348 Hours

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Tools For The Sandbox

Greetings!

I shall update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Thursday, October 27, 2011 2337 Hours

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Arriving At The City

Greetings!

I will update this blog soon.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Wednesday, October 26, 2011 2347 Hours

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Character Parties

Greetings!

I will update this blog entry soon.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Tuesday, October 25, 2011 2313 Hours

Friday, October 21, 2011

Real World Historical Religions In The D&D Game Campaign

Greetings!

I've been doing some editing and design work on my campaign world of Thandor, and was looking at different details on my in-game religions. When I first developed my game world many years ago, I was certainly inspired by numerous historical religions in the process. For gaming purposes, however, I thought it best to avoid adopting real-world, historical religions--at least entirely in whole-cloth, so to speak. One concern, of course, was the ever-present concern and consciousness of religious sensibilities of various players.

However, I've never been overly concerned with that, because all of my players are also good friends of mine, so there is never any kind of negative assumptions, or assuming the worst possible motives for much of anything. Rather, there is always an attitude of charity, acceptance, and good faith. Not that even that was needed--and certainly not relied upon, because it was not necessary. My friends--my players--all generally agree with myself and each other on religious matters, and what is not always agreed upon is simply gracefully accepted as being uniquely different and worthy of respect, because of who we are. No one gets all worked up about some wierd point of difference in some obscure theological matter, or even broad concepts and beliefs.

My friends and players first and foremost embrace attitudes of general good faith and acceptance of what others believe, blended with healthy doses of skepticism towards the claims of any religion in regards to absolute certainty, absolute primacy and superiority over any other religion. That central doctrine--primarily held by and esconced within Christianity, Judaism and Islam--is probably a central reason why none of my friends are what the religious fundamentalists of any stripe would consider to be "religiously pure" "devout" or "walking with the Lord" sufficiently. It does, however, make them far better and easier to get along with, and socialize together in mixed racial, cultural, and religious circles where many such ideas would easily clash and cause division with others.

To my friends, religion seems too abstract too hate people over. They are all well-read and highly educated, and are familiar with the evidenciary, anthropological, and philosophical problems and doctrinal contradictions within almost any religion that tends to make such claims of primacy. There's so many convoluted problems and contradictions that stack up the evidence that there's something wrong with religious fundamentalist that make such claims. From this, then, if such claims are genuinely saddled with so many evidenciary, philosophical, and logical problems, it casts serious doubt on any such claims of primacy and absolute truth. That then opens the door to easily being more open-minded and accepting of other people, other religions, other points of view. Even if one finds deeper disagreement with someone else's beliefs--it still remains far easier to maintain a foundation of respect and acceptance for them. I have found embracing such attitudes of respect and acceptance to be very positive and enriching, regardless of the details of particular beliefs.

Having said that, then, philosophically, it is much easier to explore, question, and confront whatever ideas, cherished "truths" and sacred cows in any manner of organized religions without offending each other. With such a foundation then, certainly in game terms, my friends hold to few "sacred cows" concerning religion--and th more theologically obscure, the less likely they are to give such ideas a great deal of respect. They certainly are not going to be offended by some twisting, reshaping, or tweaking of ideas in dealing with religions in a role-playing game--even if doing so holds echoes of historical religious practices, beliefs or doctrines. They have no problems making distinctions between what people consider to be the "real world"--and the "Fanasy world".

So, it is good to be inspired by historical religions. I enjoy studying them, and embracing different ideas, philosophies, and art, concepts and visuals in my own games. It is very fun, fascinating, and doing so opens eyes and brings genuine enlightenment and knowledge about all kinds of ideas and philosophies, from throughout history, from all over the world.

However, while I have always wanted to avoid offending anyone's religious sensibilities purposefully--especially my friends--it has not as I mentioned ever really been an issue. Thus, I have not had to deal with that burden, either in play at the table, or in designing customs, religions and so on for the game campaign.

The second consideration though, as to why I have not been terribly enthused about using historical religions whole cloth has been a sort of "restricted" feeling, both in play and design-wise, that I just do not enjoy. There are the concerns of not knowing enough, for example, or precision, to capably and faithfully reflect concepts accurately and so on. That also disrupts the game play and suspension of disbelief and all that artistic stuff if you can avoid all the "wait..they don't really believe THAT! or "No, that's not how it's done" and so on. Whatever it is, such kinds of real-world details brought into the game front and center seem ripe for just technical arguments alone, quite apart from heated philosophical or religious arguments.

The deeper, central advantage with creating and using mostly fantastical religions--that may, to one degree or another--be inspired by real-world, hsitorical religions is that there seems to be far more acceptance and comfort with I suppose I would call it, "artistic license". If a game religion is mostly fantastical, then you can freely change and mutate whatever you want, and it just is what it is. There is far less room for someone to get all bent out of shape over some fictitious artistic detail of a fantasy-based religion in a game. Thus, I've preferred making and using fantasy-based, somewhat original game religions, infused with historical inspirations, rather than real-world religions in their entirety. I have devloped these preferences based then on a philosphical point, and an artistic, or authorial point. Plus, it's great fun to get all creative and such, in blending historical ideas and concepts, with the crazy, fantastic game stuff we have in the game books and resources.

That's how I deal with real-world religions in the game--they don't get to be there to begin with, and certainly not to any philosophical level that someone could realistically develop a huge passionate argument about. I think such people inclined to do that have one central failure--they have developed little ability to comprehend the difference between whatever it is they believe and see and feel in the "real world"--and what goes on in, and what is believed and practiced in a fantasy world.

Semper Fidelis,

Richard

Friday, October 21, 2011 2323 Hours

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Castle Avathorn

Castle Avathorn

I shall expand this soon.

SHARK

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Marsh Environments

I shall expand this soon.

SHARK

Monday, May 2, 2011

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Character Parties

Character Parties

Groups of character parties. Mostly used as NPC's. I shall expand on this soon.

SHARK

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Human--Tegheran

Tegheran

I will expand this soon.

SHARK

Human--Mbornu

Mbornu

I will expand this soon.

SHARK

Albeeri--Elephant Men

Albeeri

I will expand this soon.

SHARK

Urrgan--Wolf Men

Urrgan

I will expand this soon.

SHARK

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Amazons

Amazons

I shall expand this soon.

SHARK

Human--Sargath

Sargath

I shall expand this soon.

SHARK

Human--Narmedian

Narmedian

I shall expand this soon.

SHARK

Minotaur

Minotaur

Minotaurs are an intelligent race of humanoid bull-men.

I shall expand this soon.

SHARK

Harthak--Hippo Men

Harthak

The Harthak are a race of intelligent humanoid hippo-men.

I shall expand this soon.

SHARK

Saedren--Lion Men

Saedren

Saedren are a race of intelligent, humanoid lion-men.

I shall expand this soon.

SHARK

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Satari (Half Satyr/Half Nymph)

Satari (Half Satyr/Half Nymph)

Saedren, Sargath Barbarians, Narmedian, Minotaur, Urrgan, Harthak,

Notes. I will expand on this section soon.

SHARK

Half Troll

Half Troll


History

According to the ancient Ussallia myth-cycle of the Karvallia, in mist-shrouded bygone ages when the world was still a land torn by seething chaotic energies unleashed by the titans, many of the world’s races were first created then. The titans were angry and jealous when the gods created the elves and dwarfs, among others as well, such as the humans. The titans brooded for a time, and then they exploded in a storm of rage and set forth to create many races themselves. In great wrath, the titans gathered up primordial earth and stone, and formed the first trolls. The trolls were mixed with icy rain from bitter, cold northern storms; sprinkled with searing blood of the mighty divine titans; soaked in the primal mud of the deep earth; and then breathed upon by the winds of hate and fury. The titans brought forth their new, dark creations, and just before the trolls were awakened by the titans, the dark, black clouds that loomed over all the northern mountains were torn open by a gleaming ray of bright, glorious sunshine from the heavens above. At that moment, as the trolls sleeping forms were bathed in the glorious radiance, and the titans reared back in surprise and fear, the crack of righteous thunder rang out over the heavens, and a great burst of warm, gentle rain suddenly fell upon the land and the sleeping trolls alike. The gentle rains falling upon the trolls heralded a promise of hope and righteous redemption, even in the deepest and blackest night. The gentle, warm rains seeped into the forms of the trolls, and roaring with rage and fury, the mighty titans screamed their hate to the gods, and shed their angry, burning blood anew over the trolls in their final moment of slumber, and brought them to life.

The elder trolls awoke, and proceeded to wander the dark forests and mountains of the cold north, searching for a place to call their home. The trolls found a great mountain fastness to live in, and set about carving deep halls of stone, roaring pits of fire, and deep pools of icy, dark waters. The elder trolls then began to breed and multiply in vast numbers, and in those days they grew strong and mighty. In the cold darkness of their ancient mountain home, the elder trolls forged weapons of war and coats of shimmering mail, and trained great hosts for war. Some centuries past, and the after a mighty storm swept through the northern lands, the elder trolls sounded their great bronze war horns, and gates from the mountain deeps were opened wide, and vast troll armies marched forth to bring war, death and conquest to the lands of elves, dwarfs and men.

The trolls forged many great kingdoms, and ruled with a stern, cruel hand. The trolls enslaved great hosts of orcs, and tied their kingdoms together with broad roads of black basalt, lit by stone orbs of strange, mystical fire, and great bridges of stone, guarded by carved stone gargoyles. The troll kingdoms grew strong and prospered from immense wealth and treasures taken from the deeps of the land, as well as from all of the forests within their grasp; in conquest, too, the troll kingdoms grew rich from long caravans full of booty plundered from elf and dwarf cities, and whole regions of human villages sacked and laid waste; caravans of great wagons pulled by huge, fury mammoths dragged long lines of elf, dwarf, and human slaves, broken by heavy chains, and lashed with the cruel whip of an iron-fisted tyranny, fueled by an endless rage and seething hate of all that was of the Light. For long centuries, the Troll Wars raged, and many elfs, dwarfs and humans were slaughtered, conquered, or enslaved. The mighty trolls grew arrogant and haughty, and prepared their armies for new campaigns that would subjugate all of the lands of the north to their dark dominion. Such plans however, were interrupted by the arrival of a great elven army and fleet from the West. In those ancient days, the elves were mighty and unrivaled in glory, and assembled great armies against the trolls. The elves of the north, led by the elven kingdom of Dor’ Lomenath, had sent word to the ancient elven kingdom of Vaedrenar, in mystical islands far to the west. The mighty elf king of Vaedrenar heard the cry of his brothers of the north, and had assembled a vast host of elven warriors. The great King of Vaedrenar arrived, and marched against the trolls wreathed in clouds of lightning and thunder echoing in the wake of his armies. The elves also were joined by armies of dwarfs and men, and in great wrath preceded by vast storms and lightning from the heavens, the armies of Light fell upon the troll kingdoms.

In righteous glory and fire, the dark troll kingdoms were cast down; their dark mountain fortresses ripped open by fire; their troll and orc armies scourged by bright starfire from the heavens; great wrath and vengeance fell upon the trolls with terrible slaughter, and great storms of fire and smoke mixed with thunder and searing light. The troll people were scattered in storm-tossed winds, and crushed in fear and defeat. The long centuries of troll dominion had come to a dreaded, wrathful end.

During these ages, and some afterwards, troll armies had crushed many kingdoms and tribes in savage storms of blood, plunder and conquest. Many tribes of men were plundered and raped, and kept chained as slaves for centuries in the deeps of the troll’s great mountain citadels. In years after the troll kingdoms were cast down in wrathful defeat and ruin, some few tribes of trolls had turned away from darkness, and worshipped the gods of Light. These tribes of noble, proud trolls helped and befriended tribes of men, which were still struggling to survive in a dark, brutal world swarming with hordes of monsters and violent and wicked races of creatures loyal to the dreaded titans. From these two sources—one of Darkness and one of Light—half trolls came to be, and were given life.

From these ancient times of war and wrath, small bands and families of half-trolls have endured throughout lands in the far north; In evil tribes of trolls, increasingly becoming more barbaric, primitive, and consumed by primal rage and hatred, half troll children typically experienced one of three fates; half troll children were usually crushed under the dark chains of tyranny, brutality, and slavery; other half-troll children, in fear and hatred of their troll masters, managed to escape their bonds of slavery and fled into the wilderness; and other half-troll children—somehow, they grew strong and mighty under the lash, and savagely fought and clawed their way into positions of leadership and dominion within evil troll tribes. Meanwhile, in small tribes and communities of noble and kind trolls, half-troll children were nourished and welcomed. In human communities, most half-troll children were killed soon after they were born—however, some human families, being moved with love and compassion, stayed their hand of wrath, and kept the half-troll children, and raised them with love and devotion. Thus, to the current age, half-trolls have endured the ages, and continue to struggle in a world of shadows—part darkness and part light, hatred, fear and cruelty mixed with love, compassion and friendship.

Physical Appearance

Half-troll characters are always large and powerful in build, and also very tall. Half-trolls are naturally savage and ferocious, and possess great skills in war. In addition, however, half-trolls are also deeply spiritual, mystical, and reverent towards natural animals and the natural world. Many half-trolls possess strange, mystical powers and have a keen talent for magic and sorcery. Half-trolls possess deep insight into the mystical realms, as well as possessing great talents in crafts and smithing, especially when working with jewels, metal and stone. Half-trolls may follow the adventuring professions of Fighter, Ranger, Cleric, and Magic-User.

Half Trolls, much like humans and demi-humans alike, possess particular, unique appearances and characteristics. However, the troll-blood in them is very strong, and exerts a powerful influence over nearly every aspect of their appearance and demeanor. Half trolls, much like their ancient troll ancestors, possess odd features and a strange, unique tendency to typically be either ugly or attractive, with little room or incidence for average appearances. Having said that, the division of tendency is not equally divided; most half trolls, like full-blooded trolls, are quite ugly in appearance. A few however, transcend such common traits, and possess attractive features, and may even be very alluring in appearance.

Half trolls are ripped with thick, corded muscles, and have somewhat of a lean, gangly appearance, as their limbs—both their arms and legs—seem to be somewhat odd and a bit too long in a strange, disturbing way. Half troll’s hair—of whatever colour—is universally thick, wiry, and flares up and backwards much like a horizontal cone, with the large end flaring away from the half-troll’s head, providing the half-troll character with a perpetual appearance of a wild and humorous “Mad Scientist” look. The half-troll’s hair always grows in such a manner, and the half-troll can only change their hair’s appearance normally by shaving their heads bald—but their hair still grows back in the same manner, and takes the same crazy form.

Half trolls have large, piercing eyes, and tend to have large noses, often which are very pointed, though noses that are thick and rounded are also fairly common. Half trolls have large, broad mouths, and thin, cruel lips. Half trolls possess thick, wide brows, but otherwise grow no facial hair. Half trolls have larger, slightly pointed and flaring ears that extend horizontally from their head in a strange, comical fashion. Half trolls possess large, broad feet, and large hands with long, dexterous fingers—again, their fingers, like their arms and legs in general—appear to be frighteningly long for their hands, certainly more so than a humanoid’s hand is supposed to be like. Half trolls have eye colours in colours standard for their human parent, as well as potentially possessing very unusual, even bizarre eye colours. Half trolls typically have thick, tough and bumpy skin—or skin that is rich, smooth and attractive.

Half trolls have enormous appetites and always seem to be endlessly hungry, even if they just finished eating a large meal. Despite the fact that half-trolls are perpetually hungry, and often stuff their mouths with any food at hand, half trolls never become fat or otherwise overweight. Ugly half trolls—whatever their true feelings and disposition—have a cruel smile, and a wicked, hungry and lecherous gaze that most others find unnerving and disturbing. Others around the ugly half-troll—unless they know the character personally—often “feel” like the character has lecherous, wicked desires for them, or others around them; or that the half troll character nurtures a deep desire to eat them in some horrid feast. Attractive half-trolls—again, regardless of their true inner feelings and motives—always seem to have an appearance and demeanor that others consider alluring, enticing, protective, trustworthy—though also mysterious, and even mischievous.

Half trolls typically enjoy the heaviest, most ornate armour they can afford, as well as large, wicked-looking weapons, and gaudy, ostentatious jewelry. On occasion, half trolls may decorate their bodies with various piercings and tattoos, especially in troll tribal symbology and runic symbols. Half trolls also typically love wearing the furs, skins, teeth, and claws of various kinds of animals and monsters, as they are also deep believers in various mystical traditions, viewing such items as having the potential to be magical, or become magical through divine blessing or through mystical and heroic experiences—and also because half trolls have a natural fondness and joy in decorating themselves with such primal, natural items.


Half-troll characteristics and abilities are noted as follows:

Half-Troll Character Tables: Height and Weight

Base Male Half Troll Height: 6’10”-8’0”; (6’8”+2d8”);
Average Height: 7’4”
Base Male Half Troll Weight: 316-460-lbs; (300+16d10);
Average Weight: 380-lbs.

Base Female Half Troll Height: 6’6”-7’8”; (6’4”+2d8”);
Average Height: 7’0”
Base Female Half Troll Weight: 276-420-lbs; (260+16d10);
Average Weight: 340-lbs.

Half Troll Character Tables

Half Troll Character Table: Skin Tone
Dice Roll/Skin Tone
01-15%: Albino White
16-30%: Pale White
31-35%: Pale Grey
36-40%: Pale Grey-Blue
41-43%: Pale Blue
44-45%: Dark Royal Blue
46-48%: Pale Blue-Green
49-50%: Dark Blue-Green
51-70%: Pale Green
71-90%: Dark Green
91-95%: Deep Black
96-00%: Pale White/Grey/Blue/Green (Select one or roll randomly)—which is mottled with a darker contrasting colour.

Half Troll Character Table: Hair Colour
Dice Roll/Hair Colour
01-20%: Ebony Black
21-25%: Golden Blonde
26-30%: Platinum Blonde
31-50%: Pale Green
51-70%: Dark Green
71-75%: Milk White
76-80%: Dark Auburn
81-00%: Dark Green-Black

Half Troll Character Table: Eye Colour
Dice Roll/Eye Colour
01-10%: Pale Grey
11-20%: Iron Grey
21-30%: Ice Grey
31-40%: Black
41-50%: Blue-Grey
51-60%: Blue-Green
61-70%: Bright Blue
71-80%: Midnight Blue
81-90%: Ice Blue
91-00%: Golden Amber

Half Troll Abilities
Strength: 14-19 (Roll 1d6)
Dexterity: 3-12 (Roll 3d4)
Constitution: 14-19 (Roll 1d6)
Intelligence: 3-12 (Roll 3d4)
Wisdom: 3-12 (Roll 2d6)
Charisma: 8-16 (Roll 2d6+6)
Comeliness: Special (See Half Troll Comeliness Tables, below)

Half Troll Comeliness Table
Dice Roll/General Appearance
01-12%: Very Ugly—Comeliness score of 4
13-24%: Very Ugly—Comeliness score of 5
25-36%: Very Ugly—Comeliness score of 6
37-48%: Simply Ugly—Comeliness score of 7
49-60%: Simply Ugly—Comeliness score of 8
61-72%: Simply Ugly—Comeliness score of 9
73-74%: Unusually Average—Comeliness score of 10
75-76%: Unusually Average—Comeliness score of 11
77-78%: Unusually Average—Comeliness score of 12
79-80%: Unusually Average—Comeliness score of 13
81-84%: Unusually Attractive—Comeliness score of 14
85-88%: Unusually Attractive—Comeliness score of 15
89-92%: Unusually Attractive—Comeliness score of 16
93-96%: Unusually Attractive—Comeliness score of 17
97-00%: Very Attractive—Comeliness score of 18

Classes Available to Half-Trolls
Fighter—Advancement is unlimited
Ranger—14th level
Cleric—Maximum of 4th level
Magic-User—Maximum of 12th level*
Fighter/Cleric—Unlimited/4th level maximum
Fighter/Magic-User—Unlimited/12th level*

*Troll Magic

Troll Magic

Troll Magic is a particular style of specialized northern magic that is unique to the Trolls. Some trolls and half-trolls alike possess the divine blessing and have a natural talent for using Troll Magic. Troll Magic blends various aspects of arcane power with natural, elemental rituals from a forgotten age that are more in tune with Druidic practices. Essentially, Troll Magic uses a unique set of arcane spells, blended with Druidic magic. While Troll and Half-Troll mages are able to learn some of these spells from non-troll sources, most of their spells require Troll sources, either from ancient Troll books, or from Troll mages. While some sources of where or how a Troll mage gains spells may occasionally have differ, all Troll or Half Troll mages must seek out a Troll or Half-Troll mage to gain training to advance in every level of Troll Magic. In any event, even when a Troll or Half-Troll mage learns a spell from a non-troll source, the methodology, rituals and material requirements are distinct from even the same spells that non-troll mages may employ. It should also be noted that unique spells and aspects of Troll Magic cannot be learned or mastered by non-troll characters.

Half Trolls possess Infravision to a 60’ range.

Half-Trolls must spend a minimum of x3 expenses per day on food and drink, as their appetites are much greater than those of men. Furthermore, Half-Trolls must also spend a minimum of x2 expenses for any item of armour or weaponry, as such must be custom made for the Half-Troll, in proper fitting, balancing, and adjustments to the Half-Troll’s odd, out of balance frame and disposition.

A Half-Troll character suffers a +50% modifier to damage from fire-based attacks.

Unique to Trolls and Half-Trolls, however, is not only are they utterly fearless, but when they are subject to fire damage or burning from fire, Half-Trolls are swiftly overwhelmed by a savage, dark and fearless frenzy, and they enter a berserk rage lasting for 10 rounds +1 round per character level. During such a berserk rage, the half-troll fights at +2 To-Hit and Damage, and experiences strange and eldritch experience—from deep within the half-troll, the ancient troll blood hyper-activates and heals the character for an immediate burst of healing, restoring 50% of lost hit points caused by the fire attack that initiated the Troll Frenzy. The Troll Frenzy is exhausting, however, and at the end of the particular duration of the Troll Frenzy, the half-troll character immediately falls to zero hit points, and becomes unconscious, and is deeply exhausted. The character may be wakened, but will be deeply lethargic, suffering -6 on all dice rolls, checks and saves. Such penalties go away naturally at the rate of 1 point per day. The Half-Troll may accelerate such restoration, but doing so requires special herbs prepared according to particular recipes.

Starting Languages

Half Troll characters begin the game with the knowledge of Troll, Ogre, Orc, Yeti, Margoth, their appropriate alignment language, and an appropriate human language. However, Half Trolls of sufficient intelligence may learn a maximum of two additional languages. (Half Trolls may learn one new language if their intelligence is 11; one additional language again if their intelligence is 12; if by some means the half-troll gains an intelligence score above 12, the character remains restricted from learning any additional languages)

Politics

Half trolls generally embrace whatever political philosophies and social organization embraced by the culture and region they are raised in.

Culture

Half troll culture tends to reflect largely the dominant culture of the area and region in which they were raised, as there is no particular culture that is intrinsically unique to half trolls. Nonetheless, there are particular tendencies and attitudes that most half trolls cultivate or express within the context of their home culture of origin.
Half-trolls of noble and righteous character strive to serve the Light, and befriend their human brethren, even in the face of much of humanity’s hatred, fear and rejection of them. In the process, noble and righteous half-trolls also strive to honour their troll families and relatives, always seeking to deepen and protect the bonds of their troll relationships—which are often one of the few places in the entire world where half trolls enjoy love, respect, and acceptance. And yet, there are also some wandering trolls of noble and righteous character that have escaped from evil tribes of trolls, and they, in their wanderings, often have yet to find families, or acceptance, as they endure lonely, harsh lives in the frozen, dark wilderness as they nurture a solitary love and faith in righteousness and the gods of Light.

Half trolls possess the normal range of human emotions, passions and feelings—though heavily influenced by Troll tendencies for passionate, emotional extremes. When happy, half trolls are loud, joyous, cheerful and expressive—often contagiously so as they are eager and sincere in singing, dancing, laughing and feasting. Likewise, when angry, a half troll typically go into loud, violent and furious rages—or grimly brood in seething rage for days on end that is so implacably quiet as to be deafening in such dramatic silence.

While half trolls are subject to a range of insanities and emotional disorders in a similar manner as men, noble and good half trolls are nonetheless typically valiant, proud, daring, and compassionate. Half trolls are virtually fearless—at least for their own lives—and eagerly seek to live lives worthy of the ancient sagas of past heroic ages of glory. Half trolls love eating vast quantities of food and drink as well as being generally eager to try new foods and drink. Half trolls have a great love and passion for the mountains, forests, and the sea. Half trolls love being in rain storms, and are excited and fascinated by the sound of booming thunder and seeing the bright flash of lightning. While good half trolls are typically noble, honourable, valiant, compassionate and even kind—evil half trolls are cruel, domineering, arrogant, and scheming—as well as terrifyingly ruthless and immensely greedy and lascivious, possessing a deep, savage joy for war, conquest and dominion.

Whatever a half trolls’ disposition, all half trolls possess a deep love for all manner of gold, silver, gems, jewels and fine treasures. Half trolls by nature are curious and inquisitive, and often have great desires and compulsions to learn about magic, ancient mysteries, secrets, and whatever knowledge they may potentially gain. Even if the half troll is illiterate or uneducated, a driving curiosity and love for knowledge manifests itself in compelling ways. Many half trolls hoard books and scrolls, or seek out an audience with a renowned witch, bard or skald. For the half troll character, typically, merely finding such a person and gaining an audience is a fine and rich treasure in itself. Such experiences remain with half trolls for their entire lives, as a fond and cherished memory.

Religion

Half trolls, while being personally spiritual and having inner feelings and tendencies of expression concerning religion, they tend to embrace whatever the dominant religion of the region and culture they are raised with, as half trolls do not possess an intrinsically unique religion.

Warfare

Half trolls are large, powerful, and ferocious humanoids, and skilled in war and individual combat. However, larger consciousness of warfare, styles of organization, training, tactics and formations are typically reflective of that of the culture and region in which the half troll was raised.

Half Ogre

Half Ogre


History

Throughout the world bands and tribes of ferocious and barbaric ogres wander about, typically living as primitive hunter/gatherers—as well as savage, unrelenting marauders. While ogres justly enjoy such a fierce reputation—there is another side to ogres that is not so widely known, or even often believed. Ogres are tall, huge, brutish humanoids, typically fierce, greedy, rapacious and barbaric—and while strong and fearless, ogres are not very bright creatures. In fact, they are more typically quite simple-minded, ruled by very basic needs, simple emotions and simple relationships. However, ogres do have some measure of reasoning, and some bright individuals are even self-consciously aware of their reputation, and seek to purposely maintain it in a deliberate manner. What is less well-known and incredible to believe by many—is that while ogres are brutal, simple creatures, they are more capable than their fierce reputation and common knowledge suggests.

More than a few tribes of ogres engage in trade with many human communities, and there are several bands of ogre mercenaries that serve many human kingdoms, city-states, and noble lords. There have even been instances of human communities hiring bands of ogres—with gratuitous amounts of ale, a herd or two of cattle or sheep, besides a sack of gold—to help in mining operations, or perform work on heavy labor projects, hauling lumber, digging vast trenches, clear-cutting forest for roads, and carrying great sacks of gravel, sand, as well as hauling rough stone.

Evidently, these friendly ogres often do not want others to learn of their friendly relationships with humans, or their less-than-fierce demeanor in such circumstances. Ogres seem to be self-consciously aware of their reputations amongst humans and other typical “enemies”—but also other tribes and bands of ogres. Ogre tribes, as well as ogre mercenary bands are typically very competitive concerning their own reputation for ferocity, individual and tribal glory, and prestige. These things are often interpreted somewhat differently within ogre communities—but whatever the truth of the matter, the ogres often demonstrate a capacity for more intellectual curiosity and more nuanced social relationships with non-ogres than their reputations typically portray.

These curious realities of ogre natures have given rise to occasional breeding between various members of local human communities, beyond the often more typical result of ogres marauding a hapless human community or caravan, and either ravaging women found on the spot, or often such women are carried off into the wilderness and taken back to the rough, fortified encampments or crude castles that ogres often favour as homes. In such places, these human women are kept as breeding slaves, and while many of them die through the process of giving birth—some of them survive, and are capable of repeating the experience. Meanwhile, the half-ogre children often do survive, and proceed to grow and prosper. Over time, some small bands and loose inter-tribal communities of half-ogres have developed, and are a fairly common feature of many ogre tribes. In addition, within human communities there are typically some women—as well as men—who are curious, eager, and willing to breed with ogres.

The less-talked about truth is that there are more than a few half-ogres that have been bred to a large, powerful ogre female, and her male human slave she keeps as her playmate. Ogre females of especially fierce nature and prowess also join their male brethren in going on raids—and the female ogres enjoy doing so for the same reasons that the male ogres like to raid human communities. Ogre warriors—whether male or female—gain status, glory, and prestige from reputations for courage and ferocity, as well as successfully leading and participating in such raids. In such raids, besides gaining glory and demonstrating prowess and courage, the ogres gain food, in the form of humans as well as captured animals, in addition to other treasure and booty in armour, weapons, ale and beer, and other goods, including slaves. During such raids, male and female ogres alike, besides taking captured slaves, are also fond of ravishing appealing or attractive-looking humans they encounter on the spot in a spontaneous fashion. Thus, half-ogres have come about through a variety of social relationships between ogres and humans—some such relationships are relatively positive and consensual—while others are far more forceful, as well as often brutal and terrifying.

In a final note on the origin of half-ogres, there have also been instances of state-sponsored breeding and social programs between various groups of humans and selected groups, bands or tribes of ogres. For example, there have been several barbarian human tribes that have willingly organized breeding between themselves and ogres—or the barbarian humans have also used human slaves as surrogates for their interbreeding with ogres. Through such methods, larger numbers of half-ogres have been bred, which have then proceeded to interbreed with each other, and create more half-ogres.

In addition, the Vallorean Empire several centuries ago established special farms—enormous, agricultural estates where the Valloreans maintained several tribes of friendly ogres, that had been relatively civilized, and interbred them on a mass scale with large groups of slaves, condemned criminals, gladiators, as well as captured barbarian tribes—in addition to tens of thousands of citizens that volunteered. Such citizens were deported for rioting and such from the vast cities, and as they were desperately impoverished and oppressed by misfortune, were eager to earn coin paid by the owners of the vast agricultural estates.

Most of these programs were relatively benign, supervised appropriately, and induced by payments of food, coin, or privileges, and thus gained the eager and willing cooperation of large numbers of humans—both male and female. The ogres were far easier to entice into the project—throwing them a great feast of roasted cattle and offering them several wagon-loads of their favourite ale was plenty inducement to gain their enthusiastic support. Through such efforts, over a period of several years, the Vallorean owners of the enormous agricultural estates bred enough half-ogres to begin entirely new and eventually self-sufficient breeding programs for the half-ogres. The half-ogre children were raised by various temples, orphanages, as well as the agricultural estates. Over several decades, the Vallorean agricultural estates have grown and developed large, self-contained and self-sufficient populations of half-ogres that serve the Vallorean Empire as farm labourers, miners, as well as other kinds of labourers and workers. Eventually, programs were developed to raise, train, and support various units of half-ogres serving in the Vallorean legions.

Physical Appearance

Half-ogres are very tall humanoids, with massive, powerful physiques. Half-ogres, whether male or female, are thickly built, and very muscular. Half-ogres typically have more or less a full range of human features, traits, and qualities, though with a somewhat more harsh and brutal look to them. Half-ogres have somewhat larger, broader mouths, heavier jaws, and larger, heavier brows for example. Half-ogres typically are what humans would consider “hairy”—as they have hairy arms, legs, and such—much the same as various human ethnic groups known to be hairy—just that all half ogres possess such characteristics, with males being more hairy than the females.

All half ogres enjoy treasure and jewelry of all kinds, and are typically eager to gain booty and loot in whatever form—from animals and clothing, to tools, armour, weapons, and coin and gems. Half ogres love to eat and drink, and are often curious and inquisitive about trying to eat new things, or try new drinks. Female half ogres enjoy perfumes, oils, cosmetics, and finer clothes, as they enjoy such feminine aspects as much as human females do. Most half ogres greatly enjoy bright, vibrant colours of anything, and also anything that is shiny or glitters. While half ogres love great wealth of all kinds—their interpretation and value of such is somewhat different from humans, for example. Great shiny stones that have a deep shimmer, or are otherwise quite beautiful—are seen as great treasures to a half-ogre, even though humans might typically regard such a stone as being pretty, but largely worthless.

Half Ogre Height and Weight Tables

Base Male Half Ogre Height: 6’10”-8’0”; (6’8”+2d8”);
Average Height: 7’4”
Base Male Half Ogre Weight: 396-540 lbs; (380+16d10);
Average Weight: 460-lbs.

Base Female Half Ogre Height: 6’6”-7’8”; (6’4”+2d8”);
Average Height: 7’0”
Base Female Half Ogre Weight: 356-500 lbs; (340+16d10);
Average Weight: 420-lbs.

Half Ogre Character Tables

Half-Ogre Abilities and Characteristics
Strength: 14-19 (13+1d6)
Dexterity: 3-12
Constitution: 14-19 (13+1d6)
Intelligence: 3-12
Wisdom: 3-12
Charisma: 3-12
Comeliness: 3-12

Half Ogre Characters begin the game with double the class Hit Dice of whatever class they select; and gain hit dice as normal for the selected class beginning at 2nd level.

Classes Available to Half Ogres
Fighter--Unlimited
Cleric--4th level
Fighter/Cleric

Starting Languages

Half Ogre characters begin the game with the knowledge of Ogre, Troll and Minotaur languages, their selected alignment language, and one human language appropriate to their heritage and human parent. Half Ogre characters may learn additional languages as appropriate.

Half Ogre characters must spend x4 amounts on all food and drinks per day, in addition to x2 costs for all armour and weapon purchases.

Half Ogre Character Table: Skin Tone
Dice Roll/Skin Tone
01-15%: Pale White
16-30%: Pale Grey
31-40%: Pale Greyish-Blue
41-50%: Ebony Black
51-00%: Roll on an appropriate Human heritage table for skin tone

Half Ogre Character Table: Hair Colour
Dice Roll/Hair Colour
01-25%: Coal Black
26-75%: Ebony Black
76-90%: Dull Black
91-00%: Roll on an appropriate Human heritage table for hair colour

Half Ogre Character Table: Eye Colour
Dice Roll/Eye Colour
01-15%: Black
16-30%: Dark Brown
31-45%: Golden Amber
46-50%: Iron Grey
51-65%: Pale Grey
66-00%: Roll on an appropriate Human heritage table for eye colour

Politics

Half ogres tend to embrace whatever the dominant political ideology, structures, and organization common to the culture of where they were raised. Half ogres, much like most other creatures of mixed race, do not have distinct and unique political ideology or organization.

Culture

Half ogres, much like most other creatures of mixed race, do not possess a distinct or unique culture to half ogres. Half ogres generally embrace the dominant culture of the region where they were raised. Half ogres do, however, have some distinct traits and behavior common to them. Half ogres are generally simplistic, honest, and sincere creatures. Half ogres are naturally harsh, brutal and violent, and comprehend “laws” only in a very basic form. Half ogres are typically morally simple, viewing and comprehending things as being good or evil, or good and bad. Half ogres can, however, also be gentle and nice as well as sincerely protective of smaller, furry, cute creatures, or animals or people they view as nice and good to them. Half ogres have generally the same emotions and feelings common to humans—though typically interpreted and expressed in simple, aggressive, straight-forward manner by the half ogre.

Religion

Half ogres do not have a distinct and unique religion, but much like most other creatures of mixed race, they embrace the dominant religion that prevails in the culture in which they were raised. However, half ogres do generally have some differences. Half ogres are generally superstitious, and interpret religion in a sincere and simplistic manner. Half ogres are seldom capable of comprehending sophisticated theology, nor do they favour such ethereal, complex deities. Half ogres tend to gravitate to and favour gods and goddesses that are simple, earthy, and basic. Deities of the natural elements, love, sex, war, food, drink, animals, stone, light, moon, sun and such like are typical.

Warfare

Half ogres do not have armour, weapons, tactics and organization unique to half ogres, but rather, they embrace whatever weapons, armour and tactics are common to the culture where they were raised.

Half Orc

Half Orc



History

The savage orcs, for many centuries common in the lands of northern and eastern Arthann, have only relatively recently began migrating into southern and south-eastern Arthann. However, their impact has been significant and swift, with several orc kingdoms established, and fairly numerous orc tribal strongholds established throughout the land. The orcs throughout the region have been engaged in frequent wars with local kingdoms and communities of dwarfs, elves, and men.

The establishment of increasingly strong orc kingdoms in the region has given rise to more frequent orc raids against human tribes, as well as civilized human communities. During many such wars and raids, orcs eagerly take humans as slaves, dragging them in chains back to their dark, brutal realms in the mountains. Many orc settlements—perhaps most—are in subterranean environments, where the orcs dig and excavate miles of tunnels, passageways and chambers deep into the earth. However, orcs also establish fortified encampments and settlements on the surface, typically in rugged mountains and hills, as well as in dark forests and marshes.

Human slaves are brutally worked in chain-gangs and such like in all of these environments, used for heavy labour, digging, hauling debris, and all the dirty, hard labour the orcs would seek to avoid and foist onto their slaves. It is in such harsh, brutal environments that hordes of half orcs are bred and raised. Within orc society, two such breeding customs have been embraced. For male orcs, a typically strong orc warrior will often keep one or several human women as breeding slaves; meanwhile, a favoured tribal champion, warlord, or chieftain may keep a whole harem of a dozen or more human women as concubines. The second custom, is one embraced by female orcs. Female gather in close social groups of family members and friends, usually 14-24 members, and typically keep small groups of 3-8 human males as a communal stud-herd for all the females of the group. Such bands of female orcs are typically composed of strong, adult females, with several adolescents, as well as several older, more mature orc females.

Many humans are also bred with during raids—orc females typically keep and raise offspring gained during such raids against human lands—while most human females, however, kill their half orc children at birth. Some human women, however, feel compassion for their half-orc offspring, and manage to keep such children alive and raise them. In many human communities, if the half orc child is not killed at birth, many nonetheless do not survive past adolescence or even early adulthood. Nearly every aspect of human society is hostile to half orcs, and survival is a constant challenge at every step for the typical half orc living in human society. Still, some few half orcs manage to survive to early adulthood, and from such a point their chances of continued survival improve by a fair margin.

Once into adulthood, half orcs may enjoy their substantial size, strength, speed and endurance, and not only strengthen their chances of survival but also their prosperity. Half orcs typically gain some measure of prosperity through following such professions as soldiers, mercenaries, sailors, labourers and craftsmen of various kinds. While half orcs are likely to succeed in various violent professions or professions involving hard, physical labour, some half orcs find success and prosperity as craftsmen, tradesmen and merchants. Half orcs generally can get by through providing such services for anything that is hard in labour, dirty, harsh, brutal or dangerous.

Over time, small sub-communities of half orcs have developed, typically several family groups or a few dozen family groups centered in various locations throughout the land. Such small sub-communities of second-generation half orcs provide an additional avenue from which half orcs most often originate within human communities. However, even in the best of such circumstances, half orcs that manage to survive and prosper in human communities must do so typically burdened still—with a harsh, often brutal environment where local rights are few, and racism, bigotry and discrimination against them are constant and pervasive in almost every circumstance. Despite such harsh environments, half orcs manage to survive.

Physical Appearance

Half orcs are typically of average size, and somewhat of above average weight. Half orcs are typically thick, strong, and muscular. Half orcs have rugged constitutions, and can often survive harsh conditions with more success than humans, for example. Half orcs are also mentally tough, and may endure such deprivations and cruelties with more vigor than a human might under similar circumstances. Male half orcs average 5’10” in height, and weigh 220-lbs. Female half orcs are typically 5’6” in height, and weigh 170-lbs. All half orcs enjoy jewelry, and gaining possessions and wealth much like most humans. While half orcs are more harsh and brutal than humans typically are, half orcs still enjoy the finer things of life, whether such is treasure, clothing, food, drinks, tobacco, fine perfumes, and other such things.

Half orcs typically have skin that is pale green, or occasionally pale grey or pale white. Other tones may be found in variation, depending on if the individual inherits such dominant characteristics from their human parent or from their orc parent. Half orcs usually have black hair, and often dark brown, pale amber, dark grey or pale grey eyes. While half orcs are often harsh and brutal creatures, typically having few social graces or any worthwhile sense of etiquette, half orcs can and do learn higher social conventions, and with great effort can learn to be social, and even reasonably acceptable social company, as well as fairly charismatic, rugged and effective leaders.

Base Male Half Orc Height: 5’4”-6’6” (5’2”+2d8”);
Average Height: 5’10”
Base Male Half Orc Weight: 156-300 lbs; (140+16d10);
Average Weight: 220-lbs.

Base Female Half Orc Height: 5’0”-6’2”; (4’10”+2d8”);
Average Height: 5’6”
Base Female Half Orc Weight: 114-240 lbs; (100+14d10);
Average Weight: 170-lbs.

Half-Orc Abilities and Characteristics

Strength: +1
Dexterity: +1
Constitution: +1
Intelligence: -
Wisdom: -
Charisma: -2
Comeliness: -2

Half Orc Character Tables

Half Orc Character Table: Skin Tone
Dice Roll/Skin Tone
01-20%: Roll on an appropriate Human heritage table for skin tone
21-30%: Pale White
31-40%: Pale Grey
41-85%: Pale Green
86-90%: Dark Green
91-00%: Ebony Black

Half Orc Character Table: Hair Colour
Dice Roll/Hair Colour
01-20%: Roll on an appropriate Human heritage table for hair colour
21-60%: Ebony Black
61-80%: Dull Black
81-90%: Black-Brown
91-00%: Dark Brown

Half Orc Character Table: Eye Colour
Dice Roll/Eye Colour
01-20%: Roll on an appropriate Human heritage table for eye colour
21-30%: Pale Grey
31-40%: Iron Grey
41-50%: Ice Grey
51-60%: Ice Blue
61-70%: Pale Green
71-80%: Pale Amber
81-90%: Dark Brown
91-95%: Red Brown
96-00%: Black

Politics

Half orcs do not have a distinct or unique political culture exclusive to themselves. Half orcs typically embrace in a rough manner whatever political ideologies, structures, and organizations that predominate within the cultural environment in which they were raised.

Culture

Much like many other creatures of mixed race blood, half orcs do not have a culture that is distinct and unique to half orcs. Half orcs embrace whatever the dominant culture is of where they were raised. Half orcs certainly possess some particular attributes that often characterize them within such cultural environments, and such attributes express themselves through the half orc lens of being more barbaric, harsher, and brutal, and typically living in a society where they are marginalized and generally scorned or feared even for their positive traits and attributes. The half orcs endure such, and take pride in their success and their accomplishments in a fiercely proud manner, embracing their harshness and their environments where they are despised, feared, or scorned. While half orcs may gravitate towards brutal violence and evil natures, reveling in deceit, violence, and corruption of all kinds—half orcs can, especially more so in human societies, become rugged and relentless champions of law and discipline, as such half orcs have fearlessly embraced the enshrined values of human society, and determined to embrace and exemplify such values and attributes. In such environments, for example, half orcs may be very law-abiding, unified, cooperative, and generous amongst themselves and extending to the nearby human neighborhoods and communities, as well as being well-known for being respectful and obedient to all law and authority, and often seeking themselves to serve their local noble lords as sheriffs, constables, wardens or soldiers.

Religion

Half orcs do not have a religion that is distinct or unique to half orcs. Half orcs typically embrace the dominant religion of the culture where they were raised. However, half orcs practice of religion varies from standard human practice or expectation, as the half orcs often interpret the religious doctrines in peculiar orcish-influenced ways, or demonstrate their faith and worship in particularly vibrant, dramatic, and expressive ways. Half orcs often, for example, worship in loud, vocal services with open emotional displays, plenty of visions and strange prophesies going on, wild, mass-orgies, wild singing and dancing, and other such styles—as well as praying, flagellation, vision-quests, painting themselves, and embracing tattoos with strange mystical or ancient tribal significance.

Warfare

Half orcs do not possess armour, weapons or tactics unique and distinct to half orcs. Half orcs typically embrace whatever styles in armour, weapons, tactics and organization as is dominant in the culture in which they were raised.
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Half Elves

Half Elves

History

Since ancient times, various elf kingdoms have embraced alliances with diverse human barbarian tribes, as well as more advanced and civilized human kingdoms. Throughout the centuries, trade has also flourished between elves and humans. The fact that elves and humans must fight and struggle to survive in a world that is often dark, harsh, and brutal, and are often opposed by the same enemies, from savage, barbarian humans and tribes of dark, ferocious orcs, to tribes of savage beastmen, and fearsome monsters, makes the formation of such political, social and economic relationships not only easier, but often necessary and essential for both races’ continued prosperity, security, and survival.

From these foundations—political, social, and economic—elves and humans have often formed social friendships and romantic relationships that have bred half elves. Through the centuries, the frequency, popularity, and intensity of such relationships has varied, depending on the particular elf kingdom or tribe, as well as the particular human kingdom or tribe. These fundamental aspects to the relationships between elves and humans form the foundation to their relationships, and continue to the present age.

Physical Appearance

Half elves are typically of average height and weight, though they are almost always athletic, lithe, attractive, and graceful. Half elves are typically charming, sensual and alluring. While half elves are always unique in their form and appearance, half elves are uniformly athletic, attractive, and graceful, never being too thin, or overweight. Have elves also have sloped, pointed ears, much like elves but less so. Half elves enjoy enhanced longevity, and the typical senses and abilities of elves, though in reduced potency and form. Beyond these details, half elves share the wild diversity of traits and features common to humans.

Base Male Half Elf Height: 5’0”-6’2”; (4’10”+2d8”);
Average Height: 5’6”
Base Male Half Elf Weight: 120-210 lbs; (110+10d10);
Average Weight: 160-lbs.

Base Female Half Elf Height: 4’8”-5’10”; (4’6”+2d8”);
Average Height: 5’2”
Base Female Half Elf Weight: 88-160 lbs; (80+8d10);
Average Weight: 120-lbs.

Half Elf Abilities and Characteristics

Half Elf Abilities
Strength: +1
Dexterity: -
Constitution: +1
Intelligence: -
Wisdom: -
Charisma: +1
Comeliness: +1

Half Elf Character Tables

Half Elf Character Table: Skin Tone
Dice Roll/Skin Tone
01-10%: Roll on an appropriate Marlenya or Sarlenya character table for skin colour
11-00%: Roll on an appropriate Human heritage character table for skin colour

Half Elf Character Table: Hair Colour
Dice Roll/Hair Colour
01-20%: Roll on an appropriate Marlenya or Sarlenya character table for hair colour
21-00%: Roll on an appropriate Human heritage character table for hair colour

Half Elf Character Table: Eye Colour
Dice Roll/Eye Colour
01-50%: Roll on an appropriate Marlenya or Sarlenya character table for eye colour
51-00%: Roll on an appropriate Human heritage character table for eye colour

Politics

Half elves do not possess a political ideology, structures, or organization unique to half elves. Half elves typically embrace the political ideology, structures, and organization that is dominant in the culture where they were raised.

Culture

Half elves, like most mixed-race creatures, do not really have a culture that is unique and distinct to half elves. Half elves generally embrace the culture that is dominant where they were raised. Like some, if not most other half races of mixed heritage, half elves may embrace distinctive attributes and characteristics of a sub-culture, but even this is so diverse and malleable over time and variable from place to place and generation to generation as to be largely circumstantial and particular to one generation or perhaps several generations of half elves living in the same cultural environment—for even this may change rather rapidly. In various times and regions, half elves may be scorned and oppressed, or feared and hated. Likewise, half elves may be richly celebrated, admired, embraced and desired. The traits of any particular sub-culture of half elves is formed, shaped and endures in response to such variable conditions.

Religion

Half elves do not have a religion that is distinct and unique to half elves. Half elves typically embrace whatever the dominant religion of the culture in which they were raised.

Warfare

Half elves do not generally possess any armour, weapons, tactics or organization unique to half elves. Half elves typically embrace the tactics, organizations, armour and weapons common to the culture where they were raised.

Human—Common Vallorean

Human—Common Vallorean

History

Common Valloreans are by far the largest population within the Vallorean Empire, and representative of various Vallorean populations abroad on foreign shores. The Valloreans are genetically mixed between Tethorna Valloreans and other provincial peoples and barbarians, and possess a particular political and cultural history unique to each region and province within the empire. Generally speaking, the dominant Vallorean history has been fully embraced and accepted by the various Vallorean populations, simply being integrated with their own local native histories, and held as a time when they were variously allied, conquered, or otherwise absorbed into the empire.

Physical Appearance

Common Valloreans are typically fairly tall, with strong physiques. Common Valloreans are often charismatic, charming, and dynamic. Valloreans may often have pale, white skin—though other skin tones are generally predominant. Valloreans often have black-brown, ebony-black, blonde or dark-brown hair, though many colors occur, and dominate, depending on the local region and province. Valloreans usually have some color of blue, grey, or brown eyes—again, however, highly reflective of the local and regional ethnic population or individual family.

Common Vallorean men often wear their hair cut short or perhaps to their shoulders or middle of their back in length. Valloreans have thick hair that is typically straight, though wavy and curly hair is not uncommon. Vallorean hair varieties, as well as styles and customs are highly variable, depending on the local region and ethnic environment. Vallorean women often wear their hair long and straight, or in long, curled masses, though with great diversity in styles and customs, depending on the local region and ethnic environment. The Common Valloreans typically enjoy a huge range of fashion styles, colors, and materials, depending on the local region and ethnic cultures, as well as the individual family and neighborhood. Valloreans typically embrace all manner of fine jewelry, perfumes, oils, and cosmetics with a broad range of preferences, styles and customs, depending on the local region and ethnic environment and influences. In rural settings, Vallorean women typically wear modest perfume or cosmetics, if any at all; while in urban areas, Vallorean women are very fashionable and sophisticated in their styles and tastes of perfume, oils, cosmetics, and clothing. Male Valloreans likewise are more influenced by the prevailing cultural customs, typically ranging from simple, rustic and unpretentious preferences in a rural environment, and far more fashionable, sophisticated and rich in urban communities.


N.B: Player Characters are encouraged to review the Vallorean Character Tables, presented below:

Valloreans are often tall, strong, vigorous, and charismatic. Valloreans have a huge variety of skin tones, hair and eye colors, and various ethnic features inherited from their Tethorna Vallorean blood, and various non-Vallorean bloodlines. Through the centuries of conquest, slavery, marriage and interbreeding, most of the particular Tethorna Vallorean characteristics have been bred out, and Valloreans are largely identical to standard humans throughout the world in every genetic way. Valloreans are standard humans in every way, though may have occasionally superficial characteristics more in common with their ancient Vallorean heritage. Valloreans may be half-Tethorna Vallorean, and half-something else, or as likely to have some Vallorean blood, and a large infusion of one or more other ethnic bloodlines from a process of constant and chaotic interbreeding and intermarriage through the years.

Vallorean Character Ability Summary
As per standard human character generation, as follows:
Human characters gain a +2 bonus to any two selected abilities at character generation.

Vallorean Character Tables
Vallorean characters may possess features of the dominant Vallorean bloodline, though they have a mixed heritage of some kind. Just as likely, a “Vallorean” may appear as a particular dominant ethnic member, or a blending of such ethnic bloodlines, with only a vague or distant Vallorean heritage.

Vallorean Character Table: Skin Tone
Dice Roll/Skin Tone
01-25%: Pale-White
26-40%: Olive-White
41-50%: Florrid-White
51-55%: Light-Brown
56-60%: Light Tan
61-65%: Olive-Tan
66-75%: Olive-Brown
76-90%: Cinnamon-Brown
91-95%: Tawny-Brown
96-00%: Bronze-Brown

Vallorean Character Table: Hair Color
Dice Roll/Hair Color
01-20%: Black-Brown
21-50%: Ebony-Black
51-60%: Dull-Black
61-75%: Dark Brown
76-78%: Chestnut Brown
79-81%: Chocolate Brown
82-84%: Honey-Brown
85-87%: Golden-Brown
88-90%: Red-Brown
91-92%: Red-Auburn
93-94%: Ash-Blonde
95-96%: Golden-Blonde
97-98%: Honey-Blonde
99-00%: Brassy-Blonde

Vallorean Character Table: Eye Color
Dice Roll/Eye Color
01-20%: Dark Brown
21-30%: Golden-Brown
31-33%: Hazel-Brown
34-36%: Bright-Brown
37-40%: Pale-Brown
41-43%: Bright Blue
44-53%: Blue-Grey
54-57%: Blue-Green
58-60%: Ice-Blue
61-70%: Iron-Grey
71-80%: Pale-Grey
81-85%: Ice-Grey
86-90%: Bright-Green
91-97%: Pale-Green
98-00%: Golden-Yellow

Vallorean Height and Weight Tables

Male Vallorean Base Height: 5’4”-6’6”; (5’2”+2d8”);
Average Height: 5’10”
Male Vallorean Base Weight: 134-260-lbs; (120+14d10);
Average Weight: 190-lbs.

Female Vallorean Base Height: 5’0”-6’2”; (4’10”+2d8”);
Average Height: 5’6”
Female Vallorean Base Weight: 92-200-lbs; (80+12d10);
Average Weight: 140-lbs.

Vallorean Cultural and Ethnic Heritage

Varanthus Regional Vallorean/Foreign Ethnic Cultures
01-15%: Tethorna Vallorean Primary/Mixed*
16-50%: Vallorean/Varanar Character Tables*
51-65%: Vallorean/Nemberi Character Tables*
66-75%: Vallorean/Gharnoth Character Tables*
76-85%: Vallorean/Malbari Character Tables*
86-95%: Vallorean/Archaedian Character Tables*
96-00%: Vallorean/Other Ethnic Heritage*

*Reference Vallorean Heritage Explanations, below:

Vallorean Heritage Explanations

01-15%: Tethorna Vallorean Primary/Mixed*
The character appears largely to be a Tethorna Vallorean, though the character has a family member in the distant, recent, or immediate past that was some kind of barbarian or foreign mixed blood. Typically, such an individual has a long family history of pure Tethorna Valloreans, and their mother or father was non-Tethorna Vallorean. Most such instances are a pure Tethorna Vallorean parent mixing with a Vallorean. Naturally, other intermixing with an entirely different ethnic member may also occur, though intermarriage with Valloreans is a much more common occurrence, especially for Tethorna Valloreans, as they often desire the closest bonds of blood, culture and religion. The character uses the Tethorna Vallorean Character Tables or Vallorean Character Tables, or the appropriate ethnic character tables. Also, while the skin, eyes, and hair tables may be Tethorna primary, the height and weight tables are from the Vallorean section, or an appropriate ethnic section. Note, however, while the character may appear virtually pure as a Tethorna Vallorean, the character does not gain the benefits of a pure Tethorna Vallorean, as their blood has somewhere in their past, either long ago or recent, been mixed with non-Tethorna blood.

16-50%: Vallorean/Varanar
The character may roll on the Vallorean Character Tables, or the Varanar Character Tables, or if desired, mix and match from either, as appropriate. Furthermore, the character uses either the Vallorean height and weight tables, or the Varanar height and weight tables.

51-65%: Vallorean/Nemberi
The character may roll on the Vallorean Character Tables, or the Nemberi Character Tables, or if desired, mix and match from either, as appropriate. Furthermore, the character uses either the Vallorean height and weight tables, or the Nemberi height and weight tables.

66-75%: Vallorean/Gharnoth
The character may roll on the Vallorean Character Tables, or the Gharnoth Character Tables, or if desired, mix and match from either, as appropriate. Furthermore, the character uses either the Vallorean height and weight tables, or the Gharnoth height and weight tables.

76-85%: Vallorean/Malbari
The character may roll on the Vallorean Character Tables, or the Malbari Character Tables, or if desired, mix and match from either, as appropriate. Furthermore, the character uses either the Vallorean height and weight tables, or the Malbari height and weight tables.

86-95%: Vallorean/Archaedian
The character may roll on the Vallorean Character Tables, or the Archaedian Character Tables, or if desired, mix and match from either, as appropriate. Furthermore, the character uses either the Vallorean height and weight tables, or the Archaedian height and weight tables.

96-00%: Vallorean/Other Ethnic Mix
The character may roll on the Vallorean Character Tables, or mixing and matching from two or more other sets of ethnic character tables, as appropriate. Furthermore, the character uses either the Vallorean height and weight tables, or an appropriate ethnic selection for height and weight.

Politics

In the various provinces, there are occasionally local forms of government, tribal government and other political arrangements that may be allowed to exist in a distinct form, and otherwise integrated into the larger political scheme and system of the empire, as determined by the provincial king or governor.

Culture

The Vallorean cultures are an overall blending of the dominant Vallorean culture influenced and integrated with a wide variety of local and regional ethnic cultures and customs. Vallorean morals, customs, standards and expectations are heavily influenced by the dominant Vallorean culture, though with varying degrees of influence and integration from the various ethnic cultures prevalent in the region.

Vallorean marriage customs—especially in distant provinces, or rough border areas often embrace a set of marriage customs generally diluted and changed from the primary Vallorean customs, and may have various other expectations, elements or customs depending on the local populations, neighborhood, and so on.

Vallorean marriage customs are summarized as follows:

Monogamous; Loose, Informal, Concubinage

Loose: People involved have varying expectations of absolute sexual fidelity and exclusivity; mistresses, lovers, and so on are fairly common, and generally accepted.

Informal: The culture has no strict requirements concerning divorce, and divorce is relatively easy and simple to do, with no social, religious or cultural stigmas for anyone involved. In addition, children born out of wedlock are not subject to being outcasts, and may be common and entirely accepted.

Concubinage: The culture embraces the custom of maintaining concubines for a married person, whether male or female. In the cases where concubines provide children, the children have some rights of inheritance. In addition, concubines have an official, legal and social status, and enjoy specific social, legal and inheritance rights.

Economically, the Vallorean Empire is a vast dominion, rich in natural resources of every kind, and enjoys a sophisticated, coin-based economy. However, in various regions of the provinces throughout the empire, various bartering systems may be in place alongside coin-based economies, and have significant influence, and even local dominance.

Religion

Vallorean religious standards and customs are the same as for Tethorna Valloreans, modified by various local regional and ethnic conditions.

Warfare

Valloreans are part of the Vallorean Empire, and with the exception of occasional unique forms of tribal and provincial military traditions, generally conform to the system organization, and forms established throughout the entire empire.

Cultural Weapons and Armour

Vallorean Cultural Armour
Leather Armor (AC 8)
Hide Armor (AC 8)
Studded Leather (AC 7)
Scale Armor (AC 6)
Breastplate (AC 5)
Chainmail Hauberk (AC 5)
Banded Armor (AC 4)
Platemail (AC 3)
Shield, Wooden
Shield, Steel

Vallorean Cultural Weapons
Dagger, Dart, Sling, Club, Heavy Mace, Light Mace, Handaxe, Battleaxe, Heavy Flail, Light Flail, Warhammer, Shortsword, Broadsword, Longsword, Bastard Sword, Greatsword, Great Axe, Great Flail, Great Warhammer, Javelin, Spear, Lance, Pike, Shortbow, Composite Shortbow, Longbow, Composite Longbow, Great Longbow

N.B:
Cultural armor and weapon selections are in general, the same as for Tethorna Valloreans, as the empire as a whole—however, local, regional, and ethnic standards, customs and resources may take precedence or alter the availability or access of various items and styles of armor and weapons technology.

Human—High Vallorean, Tethorna

Human—High Vallorean, Tethorna

History

The High Valloreans were at one time in ages long past a collection of rugged, ferocious barbarian tribes from the mountains and forests in northern Vallorea. Over the centuries, the Tethorna Vallorean tribes conquered other tribes, and built a group of powerful city-states, which gradually unified and joined into a great and powerful empire. The High Valloreans are the ruling class throughout the Vallorean Empire, and a large portion of the senate, bodies of nobles, knight orders, wizard orders, temple leadership, and such are occupied by High Valloreans. In recent centuries, more common Valloreans have been gaining wealth, status and positions of political and economic power within Vallorean society. The High Valloreans, while possessing lifespans considerably longer than lesser men, and holding forms of great strength and vigor, are nonetheless a minority in the empire as a whole. Increasingly, as the Valloreans numbers greatly increased, and the empire expanded, more and more Valloreans gained in social and political power. While the Valloreans have general equality through the law with high Valloreans—there are various particular rights and privileges that only High Valloreans enjoy. The High Valloreans have forged a glorious, enduring empire that has served as a great bastion of humanity in a dark and savage world. The capitol city of the Vallorean Empire is Tarmenor—believed to be the largest, greatest city of humanity in the world. The Vallorean Empire controls the western Dragon Sea, and reigns with an awesome navy of huge, powerful warships and highly-trained, ferociously-disciplined and zealous crews. On land—the Vallorean Empire has been built by the hands of the Vallorean legions.

The Vallorean legions are composed of hardened, vigorous professional soldiers that are stern, violent men of great skill and ruthless, unyielding discipline. The Vallorean legions are typically led by orthodox, competent and professional generals, known as Legates, who have specialized training, as well as books detailing the extensive knowledge, training, tactics and strategy of warfare from famous generals throughout the empire’s history. Such Legates lead their legions with dignity, valour, and unflinching discipline.

On the battlefield, the Vallorean legions are generally superior to all barbarian armies—and many civilized armies as well—for the chief and salient reasons of toughness, tactics, discipline, and ruthlessness. Some scholars have wondered how the Valloreans have managed to create such a powerful, glorious empire that has endured for over a thousand years. The Vallorean Empire has chiefly been able to do this by the unique organization of their legions, and several political policies and cultural attitudes that prevail, to combine into forming a particular formula that is the basis for the Vallorean dominion.

Firstly, the Vallorean legions are tactically flexible, with easily detached and recombined formations. As a matter of course, Vallorean legions fight in ordered, disciplined ranks and files, and are able to quickly and easily deploy into various formations that provide significant tactical advantages over their enemies—even when the legions are vastly outnumbered. For example, the Vallorean square—made up of long files, with checkered ranks extending deeply behind the front rank. This ubiquitous formation is made more flexible by having the various ranks step to the side and back, endlessly rotating the ranks to the rear, and promoting a fresh rank to the front where the fighting is occurring. As the ranks rotate, this simple innovation allows the various ranks at any given time to not only gain immediate medical care, but also to have fresh water, and to rest. This formation and tactic provides the Vallorean legions with fighting ranks of legionnaires that are always refreshed, eager and vigorous—as opposed to the barbarians, which typically fight in a chaotic, screaming, disorganized mob, and exhaust their best warriors in constant fighting, each warrior concerned primarily with their own glory, and not being thought of as cowards or weak by their tribe and fellow warriors. For the Vallorean legionnaires, while individual glory is important and valued—of far greater value is the discipline and obedience of the whole unit, and their performance on the battlefield as a unit—as opposed to what they do as individual soldiers.

In all forms of military knowledge and skills, the Vallorean legions have a historical, professional basis of learning—the advanced Vallorean culture possesses books, and also advanced schools and academies where the knowledge and wisdom of the generations of soldiers, centurions, and generals are preserved, and taught in systematic ways down through the generations. This basis of professional knowledge essentially provides Vallorean commanders with standardized strategic concepts, tactical thinking, unit formations, and battlefield solutions, tricks and stratagems that allow every Vallorean commander to be at least generally competent, and professional in his judgments, command, and leadership. This provides the Valloreans with a uniform, predictable consistency of competent battlefield leadership and performance—as opposed to the barbarian people’s often chaotic, random “luck of the draw” as to the genuine skills of whatever barbarian chieftain or warlord may possess—and certainly an unpredictable performance in the face of a large, professional Vallorean army led by a professional general. Even many civilized and advanced kingdoms and city-states cannot produce such steady, reliable and competent military leadership in the same consistent degree of the Vallorean Empire.

Secondly, the legions are tough, hardened professional soldiers—they train, march, and live for war, every day of the week, every month of the year. Within the ranks, the common legionnaire has been hardened by constant, vigorous training, and drilled over and over with the use of tactics, weapons, and formations. When not actively fighting in battle, Vallorean legionnaires are always training for war—practicing combat tactics and formations, weapon drills, vigorous athletics and team sports, as well as wrestling and boxing. These specifically military duties are interlaced with extensive, harsh training out in the field, where Vallorean legionnaires live in the mud, rain, or burning heat of the sun; march for 20 miles in a day with heavy packs and full gear; lots of running, jumping, and swimming in cold rivers; all routinely finished at the end of the standard day in the field by the construction of a strong field-camp, fortified with an extensive trench, fortified earthen and wooden wall; and wooden spines all around.

Furthermore, the Vallorean legionnaires are skilled and hardened by all kinds of rough, physical labour—chief of which is the constant construction and maintenance of the famous Vallorean roads, as well as the construction of bridges, aqueducts, bathhouses, many civic buildings, fortified walls, towers, and fortresses. Vallorean legionnaires are also trained and drilled in the construction and deployment of a wide variety of war machines—from ballista and catapults, to battering rams, scorpions, and siege towers. The Vallorean legionnaires are widely trained in basic skills with a variety of tools, as well as basic skills in carpentry, blacksmithing, stonemasonry, concrete-mixing, bricklaying, engineering, and siege warfare. While there are certainly specialists and professionals of various trade-skills serving in the legions, all legionnaires are provided with basic professional skills noted, and can perform in a variety of tasks and complete various projects—though for more complex projects, they would need to be supervised by a more experienced professional.

The Vallorean legionnaires, as professional soldiers, are paid professional wages; they are supplied with a basic, standardized kit of equipment, armour and weapons; they are provided with access to consistent, professional, and advanced medical care; they march, live, and fight unburdened by the presence of women, wives, children, or other family on the battlefield or close at hand; they are provided with a highly-valued reward in retirement; and for provincials, serving in the legions also gains them Vallorean citizenship, which not only confers political, legal, and financial rights to them, it also elevates their social status, and provides these benefits to their immediate family and their descendents through the generations.

The Vallorean legionnaires, as soldiers, are not necessarily stronger or in some inherent way superior to their enemies—for in truth, they are not. In fact, many barbarian warriors are considerably larger, and stronger, and inherently more daring and ferocious. The Vallorean legions, while equipped with fine, heavy armour, strong, heavy shields, and excellent, lethal weapons—many barbarian peoples and other civilized nations and peoples possess weaponry and armor that is at least of comparable quality to the Valloreans—and occasionally superior in design or performance. However, the Vallorean legions make use of their weaponry and equipment in a more thorough, consistent, disciplined and professional manner. Furthermore, the advanced, sophisticated imperial economy, manufacturing, and administration allows the legions—every legionnaire, to have such supply of armour, weapons and equipment, with vast supplies of more always available.

The Vallorean legions live by the milk of harsh, brutal, discipline. The Vallorean legionnaire is expected to be loyal, courageous, disciplined, obedient, and tenacious. Vallorean legionnaires are required to be obedient to their officers—failure in such results in the guilty legionnaire being punished by their centurions, which customarily administer severe beatings by using a long, supple, wooden rod, which they traditionally carry with them as a symbol of their rank and authority—as well as an instrument of punishment and discipline. More severe examples of disobedience, or cowardice, dereliction of duty, and so on, are often punished by death. Vallorean officers are expected to be courageous, disciplined, resourceful, strict, intrepid, daring, just, fair, and loyal. Vallorean officers that fall short of these virtues, or fail to properly discipline and train their legionnaires, may be dishonourably discharged from the legions, or executed, depending on the severity of the failure, and the judgment of the commanding Legate. Needless to say—an officer that fails in loyalty or obedience to his Legate or has otherwise failed in the performance of his duty, may be dishonourably discharged from the legions, or executed, as the commanding Legate desires and judges appropriate.

Legionnaires are typically run through a gauntlet of two files of their fellow legionnaires that proceed to beat them to death with stout wooden clubs. Vallorean officers found guilty of various crimes are typically punished in public, by being beheaded on a rough wooden platform in front of the whole legion. When a Vallorean Legate has been displeased by the overall poor discipline and battlefield performance of a particular legion—the whole legion is punished, in public, by being decimated. The guilty legion is assembled in public, and gathered all together in strict formation, whereupon the Legate goes down the ranks, and randomly by lot picks every tenth legionnaire and executes the soldier on the spot by plunging his sword into him, several times if necessary, until a tenth of the legion has been so judged and executed.

The Vallorean legions are infamously ruthless—while the Vallorean Empire is typically keen to embrace diplomacy, once the enemies of Vallorea have provoked the wrath of the Vallorean Empire and chosen war, the fate to come is an absolute and total judgment of relentless war, death, slavery, and ruthless subjugation. In the minds of the Vallorean emperors and the Vallorean senate, such a policy is threefold in benefit; (1) such a ruthless policy serves as a political deterrent to war, and thus ensures peace, prosperity and harmony. Enemies of the Vallorean empire know full well that if they choose war with Vallorea—and fail to achieve victory, or some diplomatic treaty with the Valloreans--that the might and wrath of the empire will bring total ruin and subjugation of their entire realm and society. Thus, the mere suggestion made by Vallorean diplomats and ambassadors that legions will soon be on their way—is often quite sufficient to greatly inspire any foreign diplomats, kings or other leaders to quickly seek a peaceful resolution with the Valloreans—and always such a resolution is obedient and profitable to the desires, policies and goals of the Vallorean emperor. (2) Such a ruthless policy of total war and ruthless subjugation possesses the benefit of expanding the frontiers of the empire, and adding great wealth in natural resources, taxes, booty and slaves. (3) Such a ruthless policy provides all participating legions and their commanding Legate an opportunity for glory, as well as enrichment. By ancient custom, the commanding Legate allows his victorious legionnaires to keep with some exceptions, as stipulated and decreed by the commanding Legate, all such booty and treasure that they can carry. Furthermore, victorious legates often reward their victorious troops with additional rewards of booty, from armour and weapons, to other treasures, coin, slaves, and great feasts and other privileges. By ancient custom, a portion of such captured booty and spoil of war gained during the campaign also goes to the senate.

During the campaign, Vallorean legionnaires are routinely expected to be brutal and ruthless in combat with enemy warriors and soldiers, and to be prepared to chase down and capture any fleeing leaders, their families, and retainers, and imprison them, torture them, or execute them, as desired by the commanding Legate. By ancient Vallorean custom, the first legionnaire over the wall of a besieged city is to be specially rewarded and recognized with honours by his commanding Legate. Vallorean legions in conquering a territory or city routinely bring absolute devastation to the enemy lands, killing animals, slaughtering the population, and bringing fire, death and slavery to everyone in their power. Whole cities are burned to the ground, and tilled with salt so that nothing may grow their ever again; whole cities are methodically and thoroughly looted of every fine treasure and booty; enemy leaders, their families and retainers, are often crucified along the roads leading to the city or atop broad, high hills, so that all may see the wrath and judgment of the Vallorean Empire; especially important enemy leaders and their families are taken in chains back to Tarmenor, where they are marched through the streets of the city in a great triumphal procession, celebrating the glorious victory of the Vallorean legions; vast portions of an enemy population are slaughtered en masse, with their bodies burned in great heaps or cast into vast trenches of mud or sand; what portions of an enemy city’s population that are not ruthlessly put to the sword, are marched away in chains as slaves to further enrich and serve the empire. The ruthlessness of the Vallorean legions is a key and important factor not only in preserving and promoting peace, but in achieving glorious victory and wealth for the empire once war has been embraced.

The enduring success of the Vallorean Empire is promoted and ensured by the dedication of professional, disciplined, highly-trained and loyal legions. However, there are several other factors that contribute to the success of the empire as well. Culturally, the Valloreans are tenacious, and untiring in their love of war and military glory and honour. Valloreans naturally believe not only in the superiority of their civilization, but also that they have a divine appointment to be the guardians and champions of humanity in general—and of the West in particular. Politically, the Vallorean Empire allows its citizens to vote and enjoy a range of participatory processes that have meaningful consequences to their daily lives. Furthermore, Vallorean citizens enjoy a range of political and legal benefits, and the Vallorean society also holds genuine hope for significant social and economic mobility, providing the unwashed masses with a genuine stake in the continued prosperity and dominion of the Vallorean Empire.

These reasons and motivations ensure that the Vallorean Empire always has a vast number of soldiers that may be recruited into the legions. Strategically, the Vallorean Empire is often much more resilient and capable of suffering severe losses, disastrous defeats—and still, within a short time, be able to come back and counter-attack with even more armies. The capacity of the vallorean empire to recruit, train, and equip armies of motivated, well-trained soldiers in a rapid manner has provided the empire with immense resiliency that allows them to ultimately crush their enemies, even when on occasion, their enemies have superior leaders, or have achieved some devastating victory against a vallorean army sent against them. From all of this, the vallorean empire has grown, and endured, and stands as a bastion of glory, strength, and prosperity that continues to inspire humanity in the face of a savage world of darkness and barbarism, lurking with vast hordes of barbarians and monsters, and ripe with plagues and disasters.

Physical Appearance

Tethorna Valloreans are typically very tall, with powerful, heroic physiques. Tethorna Valloreans are often charismatic, charming, and dynamic. Tethorna Valloreans typically have pale, white skin that is usually smooth and flawless. Tethorna Valloreans typically have raven-black, ebony-black, or platinum-blonde hair. Tethorna Valloreans usually have some color of blue, grey, or green eyes, and occasionally golden eyes that are a mix of amber and dark gold.

Urban Tethorna Vallorean men typically wear their hair very short in styles similar to a “crew cut”; “High and Tight”; “Flat-Top” and other similar variations. Short styles that reach the neck or top of the shoulders are also fairly common, and socially acceptable. These styles for Tethorna Vallorean men predominate in both the northern and southern provinces of the empire. Tethorna Vallorean men are also typically clean-shaven, as having facial hair is often considered to be a barbarian custom, as well as a rural commoner custom. Likewise, Tethorna Vallorean society typically views having long hair past the neck to be a barbarian and rural custom. However—many Tethorna Vallorean men who live in northern provinces and rural areas in particular also embrace wearing their hair longer, to the neck, shoulders, or even the middle of the back in length. Northern Tethorna men also embrace wearing beards in various styles. In many regions of the northern provinces—as well as in northern cities—these fashion and grooming customs are considered quite acceptable, though often humorously or gently critiqued as “old fashioned”; “barbarian style”; or “rough”. In ancient times—during the time before the Vallorean Empire was formed, when the Tethorna Valloreans were still living as rural barbarians and were ruled by the Great Chieftains, such styles of longer hair and beards were the entire cultural norm. Tethorna Valloreans have thick hair that is typically straight, though wavy and curly hair is not uncommon.

Tethorna Vallorean women often wear their hair long and straight, or in long, curled masses. The Tethorna Valloreans often prefer darker colored clothing, and fine jewelry of all kinds is very popular. In rural settings, Tethorna Vallorean women typically wear modest perfume or cosmetics, if any at all; while in urban areas, Tethorna Vallorean women are very fashionable and sophisticated in their styles and tastes of perfume, oils, cosmetics, and clothing. Male Tethorna Valloreans likewise are more influenced by the prevailing cultural customs, typically ranging from simple, rustic and unpretentious preferences in a rural environment, and far more fashionable, sophisticated and rich in urban communities.

For the Tethorna Valloreans, their family lineages and histories are considered to be extremely important, and are lavishly and diligently recorded since the founding of the empire. Almost all Tethorna Valloreans possess scrolls or books which document their family lineage and history all the way back to the founding of the empire, and beyond, as well. All Tethorna Valloreans learn to speak and write Common Vallorean, and also High Vallorean. High Vallorean is the ancient language of the Tethorna Vallorean tribes, and is zealously maintained and guarded by the Tethorna Valloreans as an ancient and cherished aspect of their culture and heritage. High Vallorean is typically only taught to Tethorna Vallorean people, though occasional exceptions are made. All Tethorna Valloreans are literate, and may learn additional languages for each point of intelligence beyond 10, in addition to their base languages of Common Vallorean, High Vallorean, and Urrgan. Most common Valloreans, as well as non-Valloreans refer to the Tethorna Valloreans as the “High Valloreans”—while common Valloreans are referred to as “Common Valloreans”, or typically, just as “Valloreans”. While the Valloreans may have many cultural nuances that differentiate themselves from the High Valloreans, except when referring to a particular trait or custom of the High Valloreans, Vallorean culture is generally dominant and universal throughout the empire. Certainly, all foreigners and non-Vallorean peoples make the general reference to the “Valloreans” and the “Vallorean Culture” as being synonymous with the entire Vallorean culture as a whole, without making distinctions between the “Valloreans” and the “High Valloreans”


N.B: Player Characters are encouraged to review the Vallorean Character Tables, presented below:

Tethorna Valloreans are very tall, strong, vigorous, and charismatic. Tethorna Valloreans gain a +1 bonus to Strength at character generation, as well as a +1 bonus to Constitution and a +1 bonus to Charisma at character generation. Tethorna Valloreans are, however, typically less agile than other humans, and suffer a -2 penalty to Dexterity.

Tethorna Vallorean Character Ability Summary
+1 Strength
+1 Constitution
+1 Charisma
-2 Dexterity

Tethorna Valloreans are blessed with a great vigor, and do not suffer the standard effects of aging, and maintain the strength and vigor of their youth well into their final years. Only when the Tethorna Vallorean approaches the extent of their lifespan, do they begin to show signs of aging. Such advanced effects of aging come upon them rather quickly; presaging their journey to the afterlife is at hand. Pure Tethorna Valloreans possess a lifespan that is two-three times greater, or more—than lesser men.

Tethorna Vallorean Character Tables

Tethorna Vallorean Character Table: Skin Tone
Dice Roll/Skin Tone
01-70%: White-Pale
71-90%: White-Olive
91-00%: White-Tan

Tethorna Vallorean Character Table: Hair Color
Dice Roll/Hair Color
01-40%: Raven-Black
41-50%: Ebony-Black
51-60%: Black-Brown
61-00%: Platinum-Blonde

Tethorna Vallorean Character Table: Eye Color
Dice Roll/Eye Color
01-05%: Blue-Bright
06-10%: Blue-Midnight
11-20%: Blue-Ice
21-30%: Blue-Grey
31-40%: Blue-Green
41-50%: Grey-Iron
51-60%: Grey-Pale
61-65%: Grey-Green
66-70%: Grey-Ice
71-80%: Green-Pale
81-85%: Green-Kelly
86-00%: Golden-Yellow

High Vallorean Height and Weight Tables
Male Tethorna Base Height: 6’2”-7’4”; (6’0”+2d8”);
Average Height: 6’8”
Male Tethorna Base Weight: 180-360-lbs; (160+20d10);
Average Weight: 260-lbs.

Female Tethorna Base Height: 5’10”-7’0”; (5’8”+2d8”);
Average Height: 6’4”
Female Tethorna Base Weight: 136-280-lbs; (120+16d10);
Average Weight: 200-lbs.

Politics

The Vallorean Empire is ruled by the Vallorean Emperor. Politically, the Vallorean Emperor also enjoys the titles of Drannicus Imperator, and Primus Magisteri, and Princeps. The Vallorean Emperor is by tradition given the titles and position by majority vote of the Vallorean Senate. The Vallorean Senate is organized from various senior and lesser orders, composed of members of noble families from throughout the empire. Furthermore, the emperor is supported by two Consuls, each being elected to the position by the Vallorean Senate. Various noble titles, composed of Lords, Barons, Counts, Dukes, among others, are given to various members of noble families. Within the Vallorean Empire there are noble titles, and noble titles that serve as separate functions or ranks, reflecting a particular government position, post, or responsibility. Serving the empire are governors, prefects, tribunes and magistrates in various capacities. Magistrates and others are voted into office by popular vote. All male and female Vallorean citizens possess the right to vote, as well as the right to run for the office of magistrate.

The Vallorean Emperor serves for a lifetime appointment. Succession to the throne is often hereditary, though not always so, and any designated successor to the throne must be successfully elected by the Senate, confirmed by the Senate, and blessed by the High Concord.

Culture

The Tethorna Vallorean culture is an ancient, sophisticated culture that has developed a powerful civilization over two thousand years. The Vallorean Empire itself has existed for over a thousand years. The Vallorean culture is heroic, warlike, dynamic, traditional, hierarchical and patriarchal. The Valloreans are typically traditional, orthodox, warlike, materialistic, competitive and religious. Prime values in Vallorean society are honor, dignity, the family, the state, one’s noble lord, structure, hierarchy, discipline, loyalty, valor, piety, and military glory. The Valloreans ostensibly embrace an unusual form of mono-pantheism; what this essentially means is that the Vallorean Pantheon of gods is the only state-sponsored, sanctioned, and state-approved religions. There are exceptions, and exemptions, though most other non-Vallorean religions are typically outlawed and persecuted. Favoured non-Vallorean religions permitted to exist within the Vallorean Empire are heavily taxed, and do not enjoy a range of political and legal rights and privileges that the various cults of the Vallorean pantheon enjoy.

The typical Vallorean citizen is religious, prays daily, and makes weekly sacrifices to the Vallorean gods, as well as making weekly visits to several different temples of the various cults, as well as a patron deities’ temple for additional sacrifices, religious services, worship, as well as special counseling, and various religious activities and instruction. Vallorean temples are very involved with a large range of social outreaches and communal activities, and Vallorean citizens routinely and regularly participate in all such temple-sponsored services and activities.

Valloreans are generally monogamous, and marriage is highly valued, honored, and cherished. Traditionally, Valloreans expect their daughters to be virgins until the holy and divine-anointed state of marriage is gained. Ideally, young Vallorean men are also expected to be virgins until marriage, though there is less societal and family sanction against males who are not virginal, as compared to women. Vallorean men and women alike, as adults, whether married or unmarried, are allowed and expected to participate in the various religious fertility rituals and celebrations—it is during these particular occasions when a Vallorean is allowed to engage in sexual activity with someone that is not their married spouse. However, it is only during these occasions when extra-marital sexual relations are considered proper and acceptable. Carrying on with lovers, concubines, or other sexual playmates in brothels and bathhouses for both men and women outside of such sanctioned occasions is not approved of or accepted by the traditional Tethorna Vallorean society.

As children, all Vallorean children are expected to be disciplined, honest, virtuous, respectful, well-mannered and obedient. By Vallorean law, Vallorean children that are disobedient or dishonorable may be beaten or punished as the parents see fit, and the father holds the right and authority to kill his disobedient and dishonorable children. In adulthood, all adult men and women are expected to lead lives of discipline, dignity, integrity, honor, and virtue. Valloreans often arrange marriages for their daughters when they reach adolescence, though occasionally the girl is permitted to choose a favoured candidate. Valloreans adolescents or even adults that embrace marriage without the express approval of their parents, especially the father, may be fined or stripped of various privileges and family resources, disinherited, and or thrown out of the family home in shame and disgrace.

In marriage, Vallorean women are expected to be loyal, obedient, submissive, respectful, hard-working, industrious, thrifty, responsible, virtuous, as well as always being dignified, graceful, and pious. In marriage, Vallorean men are expected to be authoritarian, disciplined, dignified, proud, loyal, hard-working, responsible, honourable, civic-minded, politically and philosophically educated, industrious, and pious.

Tethorna Vallorean marriage customs are summarized as follows:

Monogamous; Strict, Formal

Strict: A strict adherence to fidelity and exclusive sexual relations is expected. Violation of these expectations and customs may provoke serious social and or legal consequences. Adultery is often punished with savage torture, and often death sentences are the standard.

Formal: The society has very high standards and strict rules and expectations for any kind of divorce. There may be specific requirements that the couple or people involved must exhibit in order to be allowed to divorce. There may be various significant social and religious stigmas attached to anyone that has been divorced. Children born out of wedlock are likewise social outcasts if such is becomes known.

Economically, the Vallorean Empire is a vast dominion, rich in natural resources of every kind, and enjoys a sophisticated, coin-based economy. The Tethorna Valloreans have a great passion for trade—nearly as much as their passion for combat and warfare. Vallorean merchants and nobles alike are typically always highly keen on discovering and exploiting any economic resources—and the Valloreans are well-known for fully exploiting various trade-treaties, resources, and merchants as a prelude to massive military invasion and conquest of foreign lands and peoples. The Valloreans have famously used any disruption or change in trade and access to natural resources as sufficient cause to invade and crush neighboring peoples and tribes. “Trade” was disrupted, or some access to some natural resource was believed to be threatened, and thus, in the interests of protecting Vallorean “Trade Interests”, the Vallorean legions must therefore intervene so as to “restore law and order, and ensure the continued safety of trade”. In Vallorea, wealth and trade are critically important, and merchants and tradesmen are typically viewed as honorable and dignified professions.

Military glory is perhaps the greatest value that is held and cherished by the Valloreans. Military glory and martial prowess is, along with economic wealth, and academic achievement, a triumvirate of prime cultural values for the Valloreans, and one or more of them are all essential for any kind of political career. The legions are a primary military career, though the Vallorean Navy also has a very long and noble history, and is highly regarded as a career for citizens as well as the army. Vallorean commoners often enlist in the military, and make a career in the military a path to professional success, social respect, and reasonable financial security. Vallorean knights typically spend several years serving in the cavalry regiments of the Vallorean legions, before returning to the noble armies of their noble lord back in their homeland.

Historically, the Tethorna Valloreans admire and greatly respect both the dwarfs and the elves. In Vallorean history, there have been a few occasions where a great Vallorean prince or noble married an elf—as both male and female Vallorean nobles have loved and married elven lovers. Elves and dwarfs are both generally welcome anywhere in the Vallorean Empire. However, while the adventurous nobles and great heroes of the Vallorean Empire have periodically embraced relationships with elves as lovers, and with dwarfs as friends, much of the empire has never even seen either an elf or a dwarf, and in many regions, elves and dwarfs are mythological creatures of great intrigue or beauty—but also of potential danger. In many primitive, rural areas of the empire, elves and dwarfs are believed to be mystical, strange, dangerous, wicked and evil. Periodically, any dwarfs or elves discovered in these brutal, rustic areas have been captured and killed by hysterical, wild-eyed and grim mobs, determined to keep their communities safe from being contaminated by such dangerous magical beings. The Tethorna Vallorean populations are generally far more educated, sophisticated, and knowledgeable, and do not hold to such violent, brutal superstitions.

In rural areas of the empire, Halflings are accepted and considered normal, natural creatures that are generally peaceful and inoffensive. In the larger Vallorean cities, people are far more urbane, worldly, and educated, and thus have fairly open and tolerant views for all kinds of races of creatures and humanoids, especially elves and dwarfs, but also for ogres, half-ogres, minotaurs, albeeri, harthak, saedren, and urrgan peoples. Naturally, however, such members of these races must appear to be members of various societies and tribes sanctioned and approved by the Vallorean Empire. Within the cities, the common depictions and customs of such races are generally known throughout the populace at large. Vallorean Ogres, for example, are viewed entirely differently from barbarian ogres, which are viewed and known to be evil, brutal and savage creatures. Vallorean Ogres are descendents of ogre tribes that submitted to the empire and became citizens. In some regions of the empire, there are huge populations of half-ogres that have been bred on vast agricultural farms alongside multitudes of state-owned barbarian slaves that work throughout their entire lives, living and working on these vast farming estates, as well as enormous mines in various hills and mountain ranges. Typically, half-ogre populations on such labor communities live and work amongst themselves, and are kept separate from state-owned human slaves.

From the most ancient of times, the Tethorna Valloreans befriended tribes of the wild and barbaric Urrgan. Urrgan are a race of noble, humanoid wolf-people that are often generally nomadic and rural, either living in small rustic villages in the forests, or wandering in the wilderness as nomadic bands. The Urrgan are typically noble, valiant, simple and barbaric, though they are generally friendly and on very good terms with local Vallorean populations, especially communities that contain Tethorna Valloreans. All Urrgan peoples, whether they live in the wilderness or within urban towns and cities are considered as Vallorean citizens, and are generally held with a deep sense of affection, loyalty, admiration, and paternal protectiveness by the Valloreans, whether Tethorna or common Vallorean.

Tethorna Valloreans typically believe that they have been divinely-appointed to be the guardians of the West, and to be the saviors of humanity, and the champions of all that is righteous and good. The Tethorna Valloreans are generally convinced that it is they, for the past thousand years and more, have been the guardians and protectors of law, order, freedom, dignity, and righteousness, and have defended countless realms and peoples from being subjugated and destroyed by the forces of darkness. Indeed, over two thousand years ago, the elves and dwarfs were engaged in a huge war with vast armies of beastmen, orcs, and monsters known as the Dragon Wars. The Tethorna Vallorean tribes—in those days, vast and powerful in numbers—marched to help the elf and dwarf kingdoms to the far north that were threatened by the forces of darkness, and proved to be decisive in achieving victory. After the Dragon Wars ended, the Tethorna Valloreans eventually formed the Vallorean Empire, which has grown powerful and endured ever since.

The Tethorna Valloreans have an ancient custom of holding gladiatorial fights as part of the funeral rituals and celebrations of a Tethorna Vallorean noble that has died, and is now traveling to the afterworld to serve the gods in glory. From this ancient custom, the Tethorna Valloreans have embraced Gladiatorial Games for the whole empire, as a way of providing entertainment to the masses, gain vast wealth, but also to serve as a sort of mystical religious blessing honoring all of the soldiers fighting and dying in the legions, serving and protecting the empire. Furthermore, as hand-to-hand combat is typically bloody and savage, the Valloreans feel that young men—especially from a young age need to become accustomed to the sight of bloodshed, and the screams of the dying. Through such spectacles of the gladiatorial games, the whole populace might be better hardened and steeled to violence and bloodshed, so they are better equipped to fight and serve the empire with unwavering courage and grim tenacity.

The Tethorna Valloreans believe that the courage and ferocity shown by the gladiators, and their sacred blood being spilled in honor to the Vallorean legions, provides divine blessings to the legions, and also serves as a form of spiritual redemption for the dying gladiators as they enter their journey to the afterlife. No matter what crime, what offense, a gladiator engaged in the life before becoming a gladiator, while he still may be damned in the afterlife, the gladiator may achieve if not total salvation, then at least the gladiator gains some measure of honor and glory in the manner in which they fight and the manner in which they face death.

The Tethorna Valloreans are united by a common culture, language and religion. However, there is some degree of schism, both politically and culturally. Politically, the Tethorna Valloreans of provinces in the northern half of the empire are very jealous of protecting their ancient feudal rights, and carefully and zealously defend their noble powers, rights, and privileges. The Tethorna Valloreans of the northern lands are typically feudal and deeply independent politically. Valloreans in the north are typically violent, martial and warlike, and are highly authoritarian and parochial. The northern Valloreans believe in their divinely-anointed rights and powers, as well as the ancestral rights, lands and powers given them by the Great Chieftains before there even was a Vallorean Empire.

Northern Valloreans are also typically rural, and much of communal life is centered on the ancestral castle of the noble lord—rather than a great city. Northern Valloreans deeply revere the natural world, especially the great forests, majestic mountains, and the shimmering lakes and rivers. Northern Valloreans work mightily and with great care to protect and preserve various natural areas and landmarks, and are careful in thought and policy in any policies of land use and development.

Northern Valloreans are often idealistic, heroic, and romantic in how they view the world, and how the world works, and should work. Northern Valloreans believe in many rural and mystical religious and cultural customs, and embrace their own mystical religious customs with great passion and fervor. Northern Valloreans—especially those of full Tethorna blood—are deeply against the intermixing with non-Tethorna peoples, as doing so dilutes the Tethorna blood, which is believed to be blessed by the Vallorean gods, and a chief source of the Tethorna Vallorean’s famously long lifespans, and incredible vigor and strength. Culturally and socially, as well as religiously, northern Valloreans are typically stubborn and very traditional, and are zealous in their resistance to any kind of change or demands for them to change, and become more “modern” and more “worldy”.

The northern Valloreans generally live in provinces that are far more ethnically, culturally, and politically homogenous and unified. The localized unity and rugged wilderness of much of the northern lands has contributed to the unchanging culture of the northern Valloreans, and even the various non-Vallorean tribes and peoples that have been conquered or absorbed over the centuries have been very close and similar to the Valloreans in culture, politics, and religion. Nonetheless, even in conquest, northern Valloreans often embrace a certain respect and thoughtfulness regarding foreign peoples and customs, and generally seek to accommodate foreign people’s customs and values in a forthright manner, subject to what they believe as the general supremacy and security of Vallorea. In contrast, the northern Valloreans often feel that the southern Valloreans are often not merely concerned with the welfare and security of the empire—but also view all non-Valloreans as uncouth, savage barbarians that when conquered, must submit their culture and customs—not just their religion—wholesale to the demands of the empire, and must simply accept that their cultures are essentially inferior in every way to that of the Valloreans, and the sooner they conform and embrace the Vallorean culture, the better off they will be.

The northern Valloreans, while firmly believing in the supremacy of the empire, also believe that even in conquest, the Valloreans are obligated to make as many reasonable cultural accommodations to the foreign peoples as can be done so, while honoring and securing the Vallorean supremacy. There is often passionate and heated philosophical discord between many northern and southern Valloreans over where to draw the lines as it were in the process of conquest and cultural blending that will likely never be truly resolved, as both factions have developed differing views in response to the very different environments that they find themselves living in, and informing their philosophical and political views.

Southern Valloreans tend to be everything the northern Valloreans are not—generally speaking, the southern Valloreans are very urban, sophisticated, and worldly, and live comfortably in a world that features many facets and changing currents of thought and philosophy. The southern Valloreans are not always—but much more likely to interbreed with non-Valloreans, and also to live in huge cities, and are constantly concerned with wealth, and the acquisition of more wealth, power, and status in a complex political and social environment. Southern Valloreans have resigned to themselves the need and desire to breed with other races and peoples, and generally assume everyone does so, and is eager to do so. However, even in the southern provinces, there are some Tethorna Valloreans that remain pure-blooded, or largely so, and actively speak against and condemn fellow Tethorna Valloreans that intermarry with foreign peoples. Southern Valloreans are, though in different ways, more imperialistic and materialistic than northern Valloreans. Southern Valloreans politically and philosophically are more comfortable with restraining or modifying individual noble’s powers, while strengthening and increasing the powers of the Emperor, as well as the Magistrate Councils and political participation by the urban masses.

Southern Valloreans are also often more comfortable with political customs that reflect the primacy of “The ends justify the means” as well as “The rights of the many outweigh the rights of the few.” Naturally, in dealing with the more culturally and religiously diverse lands and peoples in the southern regions and provinces of the empire, the southern Valloreans are typically forced to live in many hypocritical ways and embrace wholesale contradictions to many expressed political and philosophical values. This, too—the southern Valloreans are more comfortable with, and accept they must reign and govern a great empire where they must live fully in the real world of pragmatism, lust, greed, self-interest, competition, and innumerable philosophical, religious and cultural differences and conflicts.

Thus, while the Valloreans are generally united by a common language, religion and culture, “in-house” they have more than a few issues that provoke passionate public and private arguments and feuds, as well as occasionally heating up to such extent as to inspire nobles dueling in the parlours and palaces, as well as confronting each other in noble tournaments. In addition, due to these political and cultural frictions, various nobles and merchants alike are occasionally engaged in urban street campaigns, where mobs and gangs of hired thugs, mercenaries, former gladiators, as well as groups of ordinary citizens clash in savage and bloody riots. Furthermore, within the fine, white-marbled halls of various establishments and offices as well as schools and estates, there are often rich dinners and gatherings held where philosophers, nobles, priests, and other men and women of letters, education and eloquence engage in spirited philosophical debates dealing with all of these issues, among other topics of interest.

Religion

The Valloreans are primarily mono-pantheists, and united in their religious faith in one, single, religious pantheon that holds dominion over the entire Vallorean Empire. Vallorean temples hold various seasonal celebrations and festivals throughout the year, and are actively involved in numerous communal outreaches and activities for the entire community, as well as sponsoring weekly worship and religious services in every neighborhood and community.

The Tethorna Valloreans build large, elaborate temples of stone and wood, as well as other fine materials, and elaborately decorate their temples with as much wealth and fine craftsmanship as the community can afford. All Vallorean cities have prominent temples to each of the major gods, and often smaller temples to other lesser deities. Towns and villages may typically have one or several small temples to major deities, as well as a few shrines in honor to other deities that are especially favoured by the local community.

The Vallorean gods are briefly detailed as follows:

Vallenar—Sar-Vallenar; Supreme God of the Vallorean pantheon; “God of the Rising Sun”; “God of the New Dawn”; God of the sun; fire; war; righteousness; glory; valor.

Vallenar—Tar-Vallenar; Supreme God of the Vallorean pantheon; “God of the Majestic Sun”; God of the sun; rulership; judgment; law; fire; nobility

Vallenar—Ar-Vallenar; Supreme God of the Vallorean pantheon; “God of the Setting Sun”; God of the sun; fire; magic; law; knowledge; prophecy

Dhoranna—Kal-Dhoranna; Supreme Goddess of the Vallorean pantheon; Goddess of fertility, passion; vengeance; chaos; wild animals; and rulership

Dhoranna—Var-Dhoranna; Supreme Goddess of the Vallorean pantheon; Goddess of fertility; nature; earth; water; air; and fire

Dhoranna—Sar-Dhoranna; Supreme Goddess of the Vallorean pantheon; Goddess of fertility; wisdom; love; marriage; crafts; healing

Paladan—God of healing, smithing, fire, strength, wisdom and hope

Teganna—Goddess of the Moon; the stars; beauty; romance; glory; and war

Aribeth—Goddess of the Moon; justice, wisdom, purity, compassion and healing

Rhyllu—Goddess of the Moon, magic, chaos, prophecy, knowledge and secrets

Ulleric—God of Winter; mountains; storms; thunder; strength; and war

Utharna—Goddess of Winter; chaos; battle; death; storms; and destruction

Taarna—Goddess of Autumn; earth; harvests; domesticated animals; crafts; abundance

Halladar—God of Autumn; chaos; forests; nature; wild animals; earth

Galdar—God of Summer; forests, wild animals, nature, hunting, and nobility

Dramah—Goddess of Summer; fire; passion; fertility; music and art

Sarmanda—Goddess of Spring; waters; fertility; joy; passion; healing

Dartherrus—God of Spring; chaos; wild animals; music; passion; fertility

Martherrian—God of trade; travel; crafts; law; wealth; fortune

Nohbirrian—God of death; plague; pestilence; law; nobility; fate

Hardrannus—God of trickery; fortune; chaos; music; art; poetry

Elladain—God of the sea; trickery; nobility; travel; chaos and fortune

Mallannon—God of the sea; chaos; water; storms; animals; destruction

Dhamarna—Goddess of the sea; waters; animals; beauty; wisdom; compassion

Warfare

The Vallorean Empire is the strongest empire in all of Western Arthann. The Vallorean Empire has gained this great dominion by building and maintaining a huge, highly-trained and disciplined professional army, and a strong, powerful navy. The Vallorean Empire has an army of many legions of tough, professional soldiers organized into units of heavy infantry, as well as excellent heavy cavalry forces. In addition, the army also includes within the legions various units of archers and skirmishers. The Vallorean Empire typically augments the professional legions by the use of provincial auxiliary forces to supply additional skirmishers, raiders, archers, light and medium cavalry, as well various native barbarian forces which possess a range of special skills, training, and talents.

Cultural Weapons and Armour

Tethorna Vallorean Cultural Armour
Leather Armor (AC 8)
Hide Armor (AC 8)
Studded Leather (AC 7)
Scale Armor (AC 6)
Breastplate (AC 5)
Chainmail Hauberk (AC 5)
Banded Armor (AC 4)
Platemail (AC 3)
Shield, Wooden
Shield, Steel

Tethorna Vallorean Cultural Weapons
Dagger, Dart, Sling, Club, Heavy Mace, Light Mace, Handaxe, Battleaxe, Heavy Flail, Light Flail, Warhammer, Shortsword, Broadsword, Longsword, Bastard Sword, Greatsword, Great Axe, Great Flail, Great Warhammer, Javelin, Spear, Lance, Pike, Shortbow, Composite Shortbow, Longbow, Composite Longbow, Great Longbow