Shardworld/Icons
Never before has the balance of power between the icons been so unstable. After decades of war following the High King's death, five Low Kings have divided his realm between them. The Great Khan has joined the iconic ranks, and his arrival seems to have galvanized other malevolent icons to new action. The Locus, Synod, and Wildspeaker strive to maintain their own forms of cosmic balance, while the Auroch-General seeks to assert the dominance of Bas Ata. And something or someone calling itself the Codex of Whispers has revealed its hands on the strings of civilization. The Continent spins on the needle-point of Fate, and the balance can't hold for long. That's where you come in.
Contents
The Auroch-General
Scholar, ruler, and warleader.
The Codex of Whispers
All secrets can be unearthed - for a price.
The Gold Prince
He longs for all the world under his wings.
The Great Khan
The doom from the south.
Usual Location: The Khan's base is a black iron fortress deep in the Southern Scar, and he splits his time between there and the front lines.
Common Knowledge: The Great Khan marched out of the Southern range at the beginning of the age, at the front of a horde of orcs- a monstrous race never seen before on the Continent. His initial assault was beaten back by the hasty alliance of the western nomads, the wizards of the Traveling Tower, and the Twist clans of the Obsidian Sea. For nearly a century since, he's been mustering forces and attempting to unite the monstrous races of the realm under his banner. At the moment, he has gathered many bugbear tribes, hobgoblin companies, and ogre warbands to his side, along with an eclectic mix of other monsters, including at least one dragon. The Khan's forces engage in frequent skirmishes with the soldiers of the Orcwatch set up to watch for and prevent attacks like his first devastating offensive. However, his main form of attack comes from raising "orc-pits" across the land, festering sinkholes that spawn fully-grown orcs.
Characters and The Great Khan: Many people have been hurt by the orc plague, from families to empires. Skilled adventurers who can fight back against orcish incursions are in high demand across the Continent. Given the growing frequency of orc-pit emergence, there is no shortage of jobs and prestige available for those willing to fight. Favor with the other icons is likely to be gained by those who strike especially notable blows against the monstrous hordes. Those who aid the Khan's endeavor to end non-monstrous life are either insane or don't know they're helping him.
Allies: Considering his stated goal to personally slay the other icons, none openly proclaim allegiance with him. Rumors that the Auroch-General has been secretly meeting with his envoys are the cause of much concern.
Enemies: The Wildspeaker burns with fury at the Great Khan's perversion of nature, and he has vowed to utterly annihilate him and his forces to the last orc.
The True Danger: If The Great Khan forges enough allegiances with the monstrous species and creates enough orcs, he will march forth with his horde and the earth itself will tremble.
The High Militant
The way of the Wyrm enforced, by blade or gavel.
The Hellmote
It births corruption from its maw.
The Krakentamer
Savior and scourge in equal measure.
The Locus
The power of the elements, anchored.
The Revenant
It loathes the living for what they have.
The Sleeper Below
Exiled by gods, accepted by darkness.
The Stormchief
The fury of the tempest made manifest.
The Synod
One mind with many voices.
The Tinker King
Victory through progress.
The Wildspeaker
Defender of the wild places, red in tooth and claw.
IDEAS
-Traveling flying realm that spawns demons. There's not one individual demonic leader, but the floating fortress has a form of sentience.
-The Synod live in temple
-The Wildspeaker is an eternally reincarnated protector of nature
-The Auroch-General leads the minotaurs, preeminent warrior-scholar
