rstites's Griffin Mountain Runequest IIish game.

Characters[edit]

Back Ground Information[edit]

People of Note[edit]

Blueface: There are many shamans in Balazar but there is only one Blueface. Balazarings say he is centuries old and rumored to be nearing godhood. Blueface is above tribal bickering and goes where he is needed. His face is tattooed with stylized runic whorls and swirls, and brilliant blue. Blueface is often accompanied by a huge saber-tooth tiger called Greyrunner Runefang.

Glyptus the Good: The king of Elkoi citadel is a weak-willed Lunar puppet allowed to rule as he wishes because the Lunar Provincial Government has no interest in directly administering the local barbarians.

Gonn Orta: This enormous giant was born in the God Time. In the First Age, he was a friend of the dwarves, but that friendship soured during the Second Age. He was instrumental in the Giant Revolt which smashed many dwarf strongholds and released the stone Jolanti. He settled atop the Rockwoods in 1042, founding his market and remaining there ever since.

Granny Keeneye: Since the time of Balazar there has been a Granny Keeneye. She is an immortal Chaos spirit that has possessed an unbroken string of bodies for centuries on end, each incarnation passing on the same spirit and intelligence to her successor. As she wears a body, it slowly warps and metamorphes into her true form - something entirely non-human. Eventually she takes a new host, passing the victim's spirit into her used monstrous body.

Skilfil Heartpiercer: The direct descendant of the Hero-king Balazar the Founder, the king of Dykene is a famous warrior king. He magically quested to the High Flyer to gain the flock of seven giant hawks that carry his warriors and protect his citadel.

Yalaring Monsterslayer: The king of Trilus was a mighty hunter in his youth. He and his followers overthrew the despotic Gadaringer dynasty that had ruled the citadel for two hundred years. He is liked by the citizens of Trilus. His wife, Queen Vania, is also a well respected warrior in her own right. They have three children.

Places of Interest[edit]

Balazar: A rugged and thinly populated expanse of land, Balazar lies between the Elf Sea on the north and the eastern Rockwood Mountains on the south. Its grassy plains and grassy hills support many herds of wild cattle and other such animals. Local barbarians and prides of smilodon hunt the herds.

During most of the Second Age, trolls occupied the land. Some old ballads refer to this, and the Balazarings claim that their Found himself conquered the trolls. Non-Yelmalions delight in pointing out that the trolls had already been exhausted by the elf wars.

The barbarians of the area are the Balazaring peoples. They trace their descent from the legendary Balazar, famous as a leader of a Yelmalio legion during the days before the Dragonkill War. He met, and wed, a local hunting nymph and they had three sons. Balazar marched to war with the True Golden Army while his sons were still boys. Like most members of that army, he died in the Dragonkill of 1120. Everyone knows that the sons quarreled afterwards for the inheritance and became dire enemies. Since that time there have been three tribal fortresses, housing the three kings of the tribes. The three forts are Dykene, Trilus, and Elkoi.

Bear Hills: The hills mark the easternmost region of Balazar. They were said to be the home of the King Bear until Balazar and his children, aided by Brother Dog, defeated him.

Bear Woods: The pine woods were once where the Great Tree of the Elder Wilds was rooted, until it was destroyed by the trolls in the second age. A large number of green elves live in these woods.

Bilini River: This relatively tame river is populated every four years by great numbers of Elf Sea salmon.

Brother Hills: Where the sons of Balazar hid when he went to the Dragon Kill in Dragon Pass.

Crow Stone:

Dog Hills: A large range of rolling, rocky hills in west Balazar. The region is usually claimed by Elkoi, and the clans centered there are usually its allies.

Dwarf Hat: This mountain is part of the Greatway dwarf complex and inhabited by dwarves.

Dwerrow River: This river is deep enough to be occasionally occupied by huge monsters from the Elf Sea. It is rightly known as deadly; most Balazarings recommend avoiding it. It effectively divides Balazar into two regions. It is one of the rivers used by the Elf Sea salmon every four years for spawning.

Dykene: One of the ancient citadels founded by Balazar but destroyed by giants and only recently resettled. It is famous for its great hawks that serve as mounts for its warriors.

Elder Wilds: A distant region, rarely visited by humans, where large numbers of the Elder Races still live. The region has never been conquered by humans; to most peoples it is hostile territory. Its inhabitants have always been members of the Elder Races.

Elders Rock:

Eleven Big Giant Mountains: A range of very high, ice-capped mountains in the eastern Rockwoods, they are ancient giants who rebelled against the gods and were turned to stone. All giants are descended from two or more of these giants. The southern portion of this range, called the Three Little Giant Mountains, gives birth to the Zola Fel River which flows into Prax, and it is these giants who used to float their babies down the river to the sea.

Elf Sea:The Elf Sea is an extremely large fresh water lake located adjacent to both the Elder Wilds and Balazar. No elves have been seen on this great freshwater lake for many centuries. Recently, the sea has become infested with a plentiful supply of exotic and dangerous creatures, and it has become all but impassable.

The Elf Sea got its name during the First Age. The elves once grew wondrous shapes, and from them constructed magical ships and boats. From the Elf Sea they sailed northward upon the Arcos River, and also portaged their boats from the Elf Sea overland to the Oslir River. The forest which grew the boat parts was in the Balazar region, but has since been destroyed, perhaps by Zorak Zoran, or even by some Fire god.

Elkoi: One of the ancient citadels founded by Balazar and occupied by the tribal kings ever since. In 1564, Elkoi was seized by the Lunars. Ever since that time, Elkoi has remained a Lunar outpost under the rule of a client king and is surrounded by a small agricultural population.

Er'oring Wilds: This vast, virgin woodland is the remnant of the ancestral forest of the Elder Wilds Aldryami. It is thick with elves who fiercely defend it against all intruders.

Firepoint: A large glowing section of land where fire occasionally erupts from the earth. Shaman are the only ones who go there to consult with salamanders and other fire spirits.

Fishwade Ford:

Flint Hill:

Gonn Orta's Pass: This mountain pass is the home of a great, ancient, benevolent giant Issaries priest. Gonn Orta is friendly to all strangers who come in peace and will trade with almost anybody. The giant resides with his companions in a huge stone structure which completely blocks the pass, the only way through the eastern Rockwood Mountains for hundreds of miles.

Gork's Hills: These rolling, wooded hills in the Elder Wilds are inhabited by tribes of trolls. It is the "final" resting place of a powerful old vampire from the Empire of the Wyrms Friends period. This vampire is believed to be the senior-most vampire of the entire region.

Grave Stand: A site that is rich in flint. There is a hill fort located there where the people retreated when Dykene was destroyed.

Greatway: One of the major dwarf strongholds in Genertela, outsiders can see the beautiful town carved upon the slope of the mountain. An extensive city honeycombs the interior of the eastern Rockwood Mountains for many miles. Dwarf Hat is the name of a nearby tall mountain with its own external city, but is actually part of the underground Greatway. Although the dwarves were members of the various Dragon Pass Councils, they disdain to trade with Dragon Pass, but maintain some mercantile interests with the primitive Balazarings to the north.

Griffin Mountain: A tall and lonely peak located in the midst of the North Plains, it is inhabited by a clan of griffins. There are rumors of a great treasure to be found near the top of the mountain. The nearly extinct Windberry tree is also rumored to grow here.

High Wood: The southern forest of eastern Balazar, this is a mixed forest of conifers and deciduous trees. It is the wildest of Balazar's woods and inhabited by brown elves.

Highbridge: This unusual geographic feature spans the Dwerrow River between the East Plan and West Plain. It is a stone arch 15' wide and 180' long, curving gracefully over the dangerous waters 30' below. It is believed to be dwarf-made. Legend says anyone who tries to claim ownership of the bridge will be cursed.

Kintal's River:

Look Hill: The highest point in the West Plain. From it one can see east or west, since it is the watershed for the West Plain.

Morak's Mound:

Old Rope Bridge:

Old Tree:

Pebble Ford:

Pure Hearth:

Rockwood Mountains: These Mountains are a sheer range thrust upward in God Time as an impassable wall separating warring races of men. It has served its purpose well. Many peaks of the Rockwoods are so high that they are permanently snow capped, and in the winter, the snow demons spread their realm lower on the slopes and invade the lands of men.

Parts of the mountains are ruled by dwarves who have vast cities tunneled deep into the rocks and spend most of their lives underground. Other parts are inhabited by huge mountain giants who cause rock and snow slides to kill any person stupid enough to try crossing them by climbing.

Rodi's Gap: Open ground the separates Dangerground from the Eastern Plain of Balazar.

South Wood: This forest is mostly conifers on the upper slopes of the Rockwood foothills, but deciduous on the lower regions around both banks of the river.

Summer Ford:

Taks Mound:

Trilus: One of the ancient citadels founded by Balazar and occupied by the tribal kings ever since. Its current King is Yalaring Monsterslayer. It has a temple to the Lightbringer gods of the Orlanthi.

Troll Hills: These steep and craggy foothills, much dotted by tumbled rocks, are inhabited by countless uncivilized trolls. There are no trees left. The hills are covered with very tough brambles and brush, along with the common high grass.

Tuno's Cradle:

Turtle Landing:

Two Stone: A set of vertical stones were placed here by some an unknown group ages ago. Two of those stones remain standing while the others have fallen over from time. It is rumored to be haunted by ghosts of past ages. Only shaman go there.

Valley of Hammers: This region of the upper Dwerrow River leads into Greatway Moutain. It is devoid of vegetation. Is is said to be the road made by the dwarves long ago to get safely down from Greatway to the lowlands. It is still often used for this, though they also use more secret routes.

Whitefall River:

Deities[edit]

Balazaring Deities[edit]

Founchild is the primary god of the male Balazaring population. He is the god of hunting. Hearth Mother is the primary god of the female Balazaring population. All Balazarings trace their lineage to these two deities through their common ancestor Votank, and all Balazarings participate in lay-level worship of all three of them. Most adults aspire to initiate to one of them. Most Balazarings offer worship to variety of other minority deities as well. Balazar is worshiped as the founder of the citadels and most recent leader, and his three sons are each worshiped as the citadel protector god by those in the three citadels.

Foundchild Foundchild is the hunter god.

Hearth Mother The Hearth Mother is goddess of the home. Most Balazaring women follow Hearth Mother.

Brother Dog

Balazar Hero/god of the people of the three citadels and the surrounding hunter clans.

Citadel Gods (Elkoi, Trilius, Dykene)

Votank the Ancestor Votank is the son of Hunter and Hearth Mother by most people. He is the ancestor of the people of this region. He taught them how to live and survive.

Foreign Deities[edit]

These are imported gods that many Balazarings worship, especially those clans in and close to the citadels. Lightbringers are primarily located in Trilus, and Seven Mothers are primarily located in Elkoi.

Etyries

Lightbringers Foreign deities worshiped at a small temple at Trilus.

Seven Mothers Foreign deities worshiped at a small temple at Elkoi.

Yelmalio Foreign deity brought to the region by Balazar. He is traditionally worshiped by the ruling class of the citadels as well as many of the soldiers.

Vrimak God of birds, worshiped as a minor deity alongside Yelmalio in Dykene by the giant hawk riders.