Eranon's Stuff he knows

***EYES ONLY*** This is a specialized "lorebook" of all things that would be immediately available (without skill checks) for the character. Things will be posted as they come up or are asked about. Players other than this character SHOULD NOT read this information.

Players can and SHOULD add to this page the things they KNOW from the stories and events they've been in. Please break it down into the sections noted below - Feel free to add sections as you like.

You may also ask for any information, and based on situation or skill checks that info will/or will not be placed on this page.

You WILL abide by the LAWS OF SHADOW

This is your Daily Life Under the Shadow

PEOPLE

Commanders of the Eastern Erethor Front

Lord ???

COMING SOON

Lord Eoatin

COMING SOON

Elves of Legend

"I yet see it in her eyes - the wisdom of Kirinhi, the nobility of Benaedan, the strength of Tharadilia... I see in her still the wilder ways of Shadiuil and his Council of the Throen." --Alamath.

Kirinhi: mother of Tharadilia, a seer and sorceress of great renown amongst her people.
Benaedan: father of Aradil, once a warrior on the Council of the Throen and close adviser to the High King
Tharadilia: mother of Aradil, wife of Benaedan, creator of the Cloak of Elven-Kind
Shadiuil: the first of the High Kings of the elves. Aradil, known in later days as the Witch Queen of Erethor, will eventually become the greatest of this line. Founding member of the Council of the Throen.

PLACES

Tir Amrasa Edior

(meaning “land of the emerald tears” in the language of the elves)
In the Last Battle, the Shadow’s forces teemed with countless orcs, terrifying fire-breathing dragons, foul demons, raging giant-kin, and other monstrous horrors out of the wild places of the world. One of the abominations put to devastating use against the human cities and elven woods were trolls bred in the vile pits north of the Highhorn mountains. These creatures, twisted by malice and hate, were often in the front of the Shadow’s onslaughts and bore the brunt of the defenders’ wrath. It was therefore not surprising when, in the aftermath of the war, a number of trolls fled their orcish masters and hid themselves in the wilds of Erenland. A large group escaped into the woods now known as Tir Amrasa Edior. Over the last century, the trolls’ numbers have increased and the forest has become infested with them. Quite apart from the trolls, which orcish hunting parties sometimes attempt to capture, there is a palpable menace in the Tir Amrasa Ediorthat is said to arise from a great spirit that haunts the dark center of the woods.
A Carasil general called Gwyrlael was commander of Tir Amrasa Edior at the end of the Third Age, but she fell to the horde, by all accounts she was a friend and protégé of Queen Aradil herself. At the time, into her capable hands was given the safe-keeping of these sacred woods and the mysterious Emerald Tears, a series of power nexuses that lay at their center. Since her death the nexuses have been masked by this spirit from the attention of the Shadow and the things within have been luring hundreds of enemy troops inside her woods to their doom.

THINGS

Pathwalkers

There is a cry across the shattered land of Eredane, one that cannot be heard by mortal ears. The spirits of the land itself are wracked by the pain of Izrador’s triumph and by the vampiric lust with which he drains the magic from the world. Some say that Aryth herself is responding to the Shadow’s rape of all life and energy. She cannot do so directly, they say, and she has therefore chosen messengers, warriors and champions of her cause.
Others suggest that these adventurers simply come to the forefront via fate, luck, or determination. These have the blood of angels and devils in their veins or can trace their ancestry to giants, lycanthropes, or any number of other magical creatures. It is only natural, these storytellers say, that such exceptional folk will come to the forefront of the fight against the Shadow.
Regardless of the source of these powers, each person follows her own path, one determined by the unique expression of her abilities. Some may choose to follow their destinies, while others will deny the gifts they have been given. However, these are not professions, religions, or skills . . .
they are part of who the character is. It is these powers, and the choices and responsibilities that come with them, that set the PCs apart from all of the other individuals in the world of MIDNIGHT. And it is those choices and responsibilities that define the PCs, for good or ill, as heroes.
Heroic paths are one of the few edges that characters in MIDNIGHT have, but it is a potent one. Some hone their skills to best utilize their path; for instance, someone born to the naturefriend heroic path is quite likely to find himself becoming a wildlander. On the other hand, some heroic paths can have surprising effects on a character; the most peaceful channeler may suddenly find herself directing seasoned warriors in combat.

Pathwalker: Seers

Seers are gifted with second sight, an ancient and mysterious gift. Visions come to them in their sleep, as they fill their canteens in clear, reflective pools, and in self-induced trances. Seer characters are often introspective, searching always within themselves for the answers they cannot glean from their visions.
Sight: The seer can divine information from an object, place, or person that she is touching.

Mystery and Magic

Magic is as much a part of the world as wood and earth, water and air. Just as felling a tree or carving a stone requires the sweat of labor, so too does the working of magic tax the craftsman who would wield it. Whether one would learn and master a magic, harness that magic in the casting of a spell, or bind the magic in the enchantment of a material object, the sorcerer must always invest some of his own essence and vitality in his art. The student of magic must learn that a true channeler does not master a power or force outside himself, but rather one that comes from within. —Suruliam of Caradul, The Art of Magic

Herbalism

Herbalism Rules

Magic Restriction Rules

The ban on magic instituted by the Shadow as well as the occupiers’ general lack of interest in the welfare of the peoples of Eredane have forced the common folk to turn to natural healing methods to keep themselves alive and healthy. The fey folk, druids, and wandering outlaws have long known about the healing properties of various roots and herbs found across Eredane, but in the last 100 years these secrets have been flowing out into the occupied lands. Those who use the arts of herbalism see it as both a way to benefit their community and as a passive means of resisting the Shadow, or at least mitigating the negative psychological aspects of occupation.

The Basics of Herbalism

Herbalism in its most basic and practical sense is the power of plants, properly distilled and applied, to heal, protect, and enhance the mortal form. Its practitioners often approach it more philosophically; the jungle elves especially take a reverential attitude toward preparing their concoctions, which they believe are a union of the material world and the divine spirit. An herbalist is an expert in locating and identifying plants with special properties, starting with those of his home region and then expanding as he is exposed to more exotic species. He learns which herbs to gather and prepare for various effects, how to find specific herbs, and what conditions are best for producing high-quality specimens.

Aradil’s Eye

The Witch Queen of Erethor watches over the face of Eredane from her scrying chambers in the heart of the Arbor. With the war against Izrador closing in around her, even the queen’s legendary powers have been taxed, and she has been forced to rely on more mundane methods to gather information. This has led to the creation of Aradil’s Eyes, an elite organization of elven trackers and spies who can go to all corners of Eredane in search of information about the Night Kings and their forces.

Elven Raiders

Driven back into the dark shadows of their forests, the elves have suffered grievously under the iron fist of Izrador. Most hated of all the Shadow’s enemies, the elves have battled valiantly against a rising tide of darkness. Though their numbers are limited and their options few, the elves never hesitate in the battle against the darkness. Trained to haunt the wilderness with stealth and deadly accuracy with their bows, the elven raiders patrol the borders of the elven forests, constantly searching for the agents of Izrador. When they need supplies or equipment they cannot get for themselves in the forest, the raiders steal forth to attack the goblin and orc encampments, laying waste to their hated enemies and stealing what they can before fading back into the wilds. Organized very loosely, the raiders train in groups of 10 to 12 and each group is given a range of territory to explore. The leaders of these raiding groups meet only rarely, coming together in secret gathering places to discuss the state of their forests and the disposition of their enemies. For the rest of their time, the raiders flit like wraiths through the trees, unseen when not attacking, unheard unless they are on the warpath. In some cases, raiders are given permission to leave their raiding parties and venture into the world, assisting the heroes who stand against Izrador. Skilled in wilderness travel and ambushes, the raiders are also fierce warriors and deadly accurate archers who make excellent allies.

Druids

Druids were once much more common in the lands of Aryth, but many of their traditions have been lost in the aftermath of the war. As the Last Age dawns, few are willing to risk their lives to guard the knowledge and lore of the old ways, so druids have become mere legends in many places. Still, a few persevere and a new generation presents the rare brave soul to whom they can pass on the knowledge of their ancestors. Druids draw their power from the magic of the natural world, and even more than other spiritual channelers, they live as one with nature. Druids gain abilities that allow them to live and act more freely in the wilderness. The spells they gain tend to emphasize the magical power of the natural world as well.

Whisper Adept

The souls of fallen elves sometimes live eternally within the trees of Erethor, giving rise to the phenomenon known as the Whispering Wood. All the elves of Erethor can “hear” the whispers of those who have passed on, but some show a greater understanding of the messages found within them. These elves are sent to study with the mystics in the Druid’s Swamp, learning to hone their abilities by undergoing rigorous trials. Those who come through the trials with their sanity intact become whisper adepts and work closely with the Witch Queen to patrol and defend their forest home from the forces of the Night Kings.

HISTORY

Elves

The elves are more like the elder fey than any of the other fey races of Eredane, both physically and culturally. They are a slight race, lithe, quick, and agile. They are all children of nature, and even with their ancient culture and powerful magic, they still live close to the wilds as part of the Great Forest. They are a unified people, allied not only to tribes or family groups but instead to a single royal line that rules over all of Erethor. The racial devotion to their High Queen Aradil is akin to worship, and though there is a large and powerful Council of the Throne, it seldom opposes Aradil’s will. Despite this greater shared history and culture, there remain various subraces of elvenkind, each with its own unique physical traits and ways of life.

Caransil (Wood Elves)

The elves of central Erethor, the Caransil or wood elves, are the most widespread and familiar of the woodland fey. They range from the southern Highhorns, eastward to the Plains of Eris Aman and the Westlands, and south to the Aruun Jungle. Their skin is the beautiful brown of ino tree wood, and their hair tends to be long, shiny, and black. Their eyes are large and dark, and they are the tallest of the elves. They wear a variety of clothes, from the dark and mottled camouflage leathers of a scout’s kit to the sunset brilliance of a courtier’s elaborate silks. These elves live in enormous maudrial, or homewood, trees that have been coaxed to grow in elegant but useful domestic shapes by age-old spells. The Caransil eat mostly fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. They supplement their diets with rabbits and grouse raised in family hutches and with river fish from the Gamaril and Felthera. The wood elves are traditionally the artists, philosophers, and craftsmen of Erethor. They are also the lineage from which have come the greatest sorcerers and battle mages of recent times. Their warriors carry longbows and longswords.

Danisil (Jungle Elves)

These elves of the southern reaches of Erethor, where temperate forest gives way to tropical jungle, are small, slight, and ebony skinned. Historians speculate that they may be the elven line from which the halflings were born. The uninitiated consider the Danisil “feral elves,” but their culture is as sophisticated as that of their cousins. Many of Erethor’s most powerful druids are of the Danisil lineage. Their hair is dark and coarse and typically worn in short dreadlocks. Their eyes are black and so narrow that the whites barely show. They dress in loose shorts and brightly painted vests, but when hunting, they wear only layers of river mud to hide them from both sight and scent. Adults typically adorn their faces and arms with strangely beautiful patterns of ritualistic scarring. The scars are said to frighten away evil spirits. The Danisil live in boa-bil groves along the many small rivers of the Aruun Jungle. Their druids enchant vines to form large slings that suspend their tiny huts high in the jungle canopy. They live off the fruits of the forest but are also cunning hunters. They are good fishermen and use fleets of delicate canoes to fish and hunt along their rivers. The jungle elves have mastered the use of poison arrows and have developed several toxic elixirs uniquely effective against orcs. They also carry wide curved fighting knives called sepi. Izrador’s invaders learned long ago to fear these ugly little blades, but have little need to venture into the dark Aruun; the fell demons of that place fight on Izrador’s behalf without the dark god having to expend a single soldier.

Gnomes

The gnomes are a clever and resourceful race. Though it is well known that they share ancient kin with the dwarves, even the Kurgun do not like to claim responsibility for the lineage. Gnomes are barely taller than halflings, with only a slightly stouter build. They are bronze skinned but pale eyed, with jet black hair that they keep short as they are constantly in and out of the water. Gnomish culture and history are characterized by their adaptable nature. Their nimble outlook on life allowed them to first move from mountain life to that of the coastal hills of the Ebon Sea, and from there to become adroit seafarers and river runners. Though forced to flee before the onslaught of the Dornish invasions, their solicitous demeanors and mercenary hearts allowed them to return to their conquerors bearing little ill will and offering their services as merchants and guides. The gnomes even welcomed the Sarcosans, knowing that they could stand to make a profit as the newcomers’ liaisons to the fey. Through all these years and new trading partners, the gnomes always knew that their conquerors longed only for land and goods. With the coming of Izrador, this is not the case. They cannot fool themselves into believing that the orcs and their dark god will be content to let the survivors of the wars live their lives in peace; whatever the eventual goals of the Shadow, the gnomes know that Eredane cannot survive the heavy-plated burden of his orcs and the dark mantle of his legates. But the river fey’s strength was not in war. So, as always, they bowed before their new masters and offered to serve. Or so it seemed. Though the race has been subjugated along with the halflings, gnomes continue to enjoy a sort of freedom. Even the forces of the Shadow need to transport cargo and soldiers, and the river barges of the gnomes suit this purpose well. The orcs and legates suffer the existence of the gnome barges so long as they move only cargoes in Izrador’s name, while the traitor princes and the false sussars give them free reign so long as they receive the first pick of choice goods from afar. Most other races see the cost of this semi-freedom as the worst kind of enemy collaboration. What few realize is that the gnomes fight the dark god in their own way: as consummate spies and smugglers. It is their secret trade that keeps weapons, magic, and information flowing among the free races of Eredane. Gnomes wear loose pants and garish vests marked with the trader seal of their family. Rafters carry sharp daggers hidden in their belts and use small crossbows to spear pike or to protect their crews from hungry river eels. When they get the odd chance to turn their crossbows on the occasional orc, the weapons prove both stealthy and lethal.

Halflings

Halflings are a race of tiny folk that some believe descended from the Danisil lineage of southern elvenkind. They call themselves the Dunni, or “the people” in their own tongue. They are almost as dark skinned as the Danisil, with the same coarse hair worn in small, intricate braids that mark their tribal membership. Their eyes range from common black to dark brown and green. Where still free-living, the nomadic tribes dwell on the open plains in large hide tents they share with their extended families. The farming families have almost been wiped out by the advance of the Shadow, but a few groups still remain along the southeastern margins of Erethor. They dwell in cozy sod villages kept alive through their exceptional horticultural skills and the watchful presence of their wogren companions. Halflings wear durable clothes of leather and fine, intricately woven wool. Sadly, most halflings now live in slavery, captured and forced to work in the occupied cites or military camps of Izrador’s armies. The free-living feed on their livestock and crops, while the enthralled survive off what scraps they can scrounge, beg, or steal. The halfling weapon of choice is the spear, with which they protect their flocks, hunt wild boar, and skewer the occasional orc.

Orcs

The odrendor, or orcs as the men and fey of Aryth call them, are an abominable race created by the black will of Izrador. Though scholars only suspect it and every dwarf would savagely deny it, orcs and the dwarves share a common elder fey lineage. In the prehistory of the Kaladrun Mountains, a large clan of the elthedar was exiled by their kin and found succor in the embrace of the Shadow in the North. In the eons that followed, they were corrupted to Izrador’s cause and transformed into the foul beings they have become. Orcs are huge creatures, sometimes twice the size of their dwarf ancestors and bigger even than the Dorns. They are heavily muscled, with broad builds and powerful limbs. Their thick hides are tough and range from light stony gray to coal black. Their hair is tawny and manelike, growing over their heads, along their spines, and down their chests to their groins. Their large black eyes are hooded and protected by thick, bony brows. Their jaws are large and strong, with tusklike lower canines. Orcs are impressive creatures and even beautiful in a way that only fearsome predators can be. In the lands of the far north, orcs still live in deep mountain caves and rough-hewn, underground warrens. There they are directed by and pay homage to orc priestesses, the kurasatch udareen, “the mother-wives of Izrador.” They consume anything edible, including their own dead, but get most of their food from hunting the surface lands at night or by raiding their enemies. Immune to all but the coldest weather, orcs seldom wear more than weapon belts and armor. In conquered Erenland, orcs have taken over human cities, turning large buildings into meeting halls, communal barracks, and storage depots. They feed and resupply from the tribute they demand of their human subjects and relish the occasional meal of human or halfling flesh. Orc forces are garrisoned in cites throughout Erenland, and orc armies war with the elves in the west and the dwarves in the east. Large orc patrols range across the heartland, subjugating their human thralls and hunting spies, smugglers, and insurgents. In short, they are the enemies of all other people of Eredane. Occasionally, as rare an event as an eclipse or a comet, an orc’s mind will expand enough to present a glimmer of an idea: that there are other options. No one knows what allows an orc to move past his base instincts to slaughter and serve. Some may feel a particular hatred toward their oruk captains or the legates they must serve. Others are shocked and confused upon witnessing acts of kindness by other races. Some are simply desperate criminals among their own people. In any case, these orcs most often have little choice but to obey their masters or suffer the same fate as those of the other races who resist Izrador’s will. On some occasions, however, these orcs find themselves in the position to escape the army and to try to make a new life elsewhere. Such orcs are often turned in by citizens bent on revenge for the mistreatment of their people, but sometimes these refugees are welcomed not only for the muscle they provide but also for their skills in dealing with others of their kind. Orc warriors, whether servants of the Shadow or hunted by their own kind, take great pride in their fighting prowess. They make cuts along their arms for each foe they kill in battle, with different shapes for the race of each victim. The arms of warchiefs are usually covered in such marks from hand to shoulder, and at least half the marks are for killing other orcs. Orcs favor large spears they can both throw and use as thrusting weapons. They also carry heavy iron swords with blunt but serrated edges called vardatches. These weapons are slow but brutal and so heavy that the smaller fey races can hardly lift them.

The Heavy Hand of the Shadow

Erenland lies firmly under the hobnail boots of Izrador’s orc legions and at the mercy of the dark god’s priests, the Order of Shadow. Seemingly limitless numbers of orcs and goblinkin have spewed forth from the frozen north to occupy every major town and city, raping the land for the supplies they need to continue the war against the fey. Supporting this vast army are the traitor princes and false sussars, petty nobles and administrators who have sold their souls to the Shadow for privilege, as well as thousands of human mercenaries who are willing to fight and enslave their own people for a few scraps from the legates’ table.

Servants of the Shadow

The Night Kings

Directing the occupation are Izrador’s lieutenants, the four dread Night Kings, immortal creatures that were once champions in the fight against the dark god.

Sword of Shadow

In the occupied lands, the best known of the Night Kings is Jahzir, the Sword of Shadow. Once the Lord General of all the armies of the Kingdom of Erenland, Jahzir was captured and twisted by the dark god, and now commands armies of darkness instead of those of light. It was his knowledge and skill that allowed the dark god’s hordes to slice through the already weakened armies of good without breaking stride. He now commands the loyalty of many of the largest orc tribes and has unquestioned control of the orc legions. As the king of Erenland, he has the authority to command the forces of the traitor princes and can conscript troops from the enslaved population to serve as fodder for elven arrows and dwarven axes. Militarily, he is unchallenged by either the Order of Shadow or his fellow Night Kings. He often rides abroad with his armies, but also holds court from his palace in Alvedara and is known to frequent Theros Obsidia; wherever he goes, however, he seems to relish his control over the kingdom he helped to destroy, and does all he can to bleed its shattered remnants to feed his armies.

Sorcerer of Shadow

Possibly the most dangerous and least known of the Night Kings is the Sorcerer of Shadow.

Priest of Shadow

Controlling the dark god’s legates is the Night King known as the Priest of Shadow. This gaunt figure, once believed to be a Sarcosan holy man, is responsible for the sacrifice of tens of thousands to Izrador each year. He is reviled in the Sarcosan south for turning the once vibrant city of Cambrial into a vast necropolis. Rumors of his creations, including creatures built from the remains of man and beast and legions of undead soldiers marching to war, are told in every town and village south of the Ardune.

Wrath of Shadow

The most savage and openly destructive of the Night Kings is the mighty dragon known as the Wrath of Shadow. Thankfully, this creature is rarely seen outside of Highwall or above the battle lines of Erethor. Where she goes, destruction follows, and few live to tell of her attacks. The fey call her the Scar’garath, “doom of Erethor” in High Elven. The dragon is the most powerful creature on Eredane and there is no hero left alive who could withstand its terrible power.

The Traitor Princes

Completing the Shadow’s hierarchy within occupied Eredane are the traitor princes, leaders of noble houses who betrayed the Kingdom of Erenland and their own people for an extended, though tainted, lifespan, as well as the power over their fellow men that they’ve always coveted. Lesser in stature but just as greedy and malevolent are the false sussars, petty southern nobles and administrators of Sarcosan descent who have become puppet rulers throughout Southern Erenland. Both types of leaders command their own (largely human) troops, establish their own laws, and conspire against their peers for the Shadow’s favor. Izrador’s gift of long life has heightened the character flaws of the traitor princes, leading to dangerous forms of insanity and instability, while the false sussars long for the dark gift whose cost they cannot fathom. While the areas controlled by the traitors still retain the veneer of civilization, they can be far more dangerous than areas controlled by the legates or even the orcs.

Orc Warlords

The legates and traitor princes rule in occupied territory, generally what was once the kingdom of Erenland. Those areas that were strongholds of the resistance or are closer to the free realms of the fey, however, like the battle lines drawn up against Erethor and the Kaladruns, are firmly under the control of orc warlords. These regions are often devoid of human settlements, and those who remain are as likely to become food as they are to be slaves. Meanwhile, north of the Pelluria in the decimated and thoroughly destroyed lands of the Dorns, orc tribes have begun to migrate out of the Vale of Tears to resettle in deserted towns and villages. Tens of thousands of the creatures have settled in the hills around Fallport, up and down the Ishensa River Valley, and throughout the barren lands to the north and east of Highwall. The orcs consider anyone in these lands to be their property to use or kill as they see fit. If the migrations north of the Pelluria continue apace, the orcs will soon outnumber the Dorns. The power of the orc tribes continues to put pressure on the traitor princes, who watch as the whispered promises of Izrador fade away with each passing year. In the east, Gregor Chander has been denied the rich farmlands of the lower Ishensa River Valley that he had fought for in the Third Age.

In Bastion, Chandering, Port Esben, and Steel Hill, the princes are forced to house orc legions that “assist” them in maintaining security. Tension between human and orc troops is clearly visible and more than one human or orc patrol has gone missing in areas devoid of resistance activity. Open warfare between orcs and traitorous men has been avoided, however, as the punishments from Theros Obsidia and the Night Kings for such impudence would be swift and merciless. Orc warlords and even traitor princes can, after all, be replaced. However, those princes that survived the fall of the Shadow and those orcs who have clawed their way to leadership are not fools, and know well how to disguise their blows. The Shadow allows the weak to be culled as long as it does not detract from the war against the fey

QUOTES, MYTHS, LEGENDS, STORIES, AND BELIEFS

The destiny of the world is Shadow. — Anonymous note penned in the margin of the Academy’s Commentaries

The Covenant

The wars with Izrador spawned many great heroes from all the races. The memory of these champions helps to keep the faith among human insurgents and inspire fey defenders who still battle the Shadow today, and some say the strength they gave in the fight against Izrador persists in the weapons they used.
Legend says Elenial, an elven girl whose family was killed in the orc raid on Althorin, killed 27 raiders with a single arrow. Sneaking through the burning remains of the town with only one arrow left in her quiver, she would shoot an unsuspecting warrior, watch him die, and then sneak to the corpse and recover her shaft undamaged. She did this time and again, until the entire orc host huddled together in fear and set to hunting her. It is said she killed their leader with her final shot, just before they cut her down. Still today, elven archers running low on arrows recite her name as they loose their flights, asking her boon in guiding their aim. The quiver of Elenial, should one be able to find it, is rumored to never run out of arrows.
Aio the Light Foot survived the razing of his village, but everyone and everything he loved was taken that night. Aio was given as a slave to a wealthy legate who wanted a halfling slave to cook his meals. He played the part, but learned to pick the lock on his collar. He stole a knife from the kitchens and snuck into the sleeping orc camps nearby. By the time he left an hour later, there were nine orcs dead in their bedrolls. Aio’s nightly forays continued for several weeks and word quickly spread of his stealth and prowess. Aio himself was eventually captured and executed, yet his blade has found its way into the hands of captive halflings ever since so that they might enact justice upon their captors.

Born and Bred

Couthlin wrinkled his nose at the rank smell. The odors of sweat, blood, and less polite bodily fluids wafted up to him as he strolled on the elevated walkway. The commoners milled about below in their usual mindless herd.
“Civilized!”
The large canine creature preceding him stopped and looked up at him, cocking his head in confusion. The legate frowned and kept walking, yanking on the chain attached to its collar.
“Stupid beast. No, they are not civilized. I was exclaiming in disbelief. Being facetious. Go back to your sniffing.” The astirax-possessed hound obligingly returned to scenting the air.
The legate frowned. It was pathetic that he had to rely on one-way communication with a magic-hunting beast. His skills at dialogue and manipulation would be all but blunted by the time he returned to Theros Obsidia. Asnort from the astirax snapped Couthlin from his thoughts. The canine form was watching a passing figure below, quite intently. Couthlin’s dark eyes.followed as well, noticing a suspicious narrow shape jutting out from beneath the figure’s cloak. Roughly hilt-shaped. “A weapon...magical?” he asked in a hushed tone. The astirax growled in assent.
“Then follow,” Couthlin said eagerly, releasing the chain. “Return to me at the temple when you’ve tracked the criminal to his lair.”
The beast slunk into the shadows and trotted after the offending figure...towards its demise, Couthlin hoped. The mage-hunting beast had been witness to too many of Couthlin’s intrigues and coups. The mercenary it now trailed had agreed quickly to his terms: kill the astirax in exchange for the sword the legate had given him.
Meanwhile, below, the astirax salivated in anticipation. The scent of magic was heavy in the air...not just from the sword, but from at least a few enchanted crossbow bolts. All of them aimed at the walkway above, where his master walked.
Rather, his former master

The Other Lands of Aryth

The peoples of Eredane know little of the lands that lie beyond our seas. Some say the elves of the First Age traveled to all the corners of the world, but even if such legends are true, this lore was almost certainly lost in ages past and was never shared with the wise of other nations. What little we know comes from the records of Dornish and Sarcosan settlers who traveled to Eredane from the eastern continent known as Pelluria in ancient days. Sadly, these records are often little more than folktales and must be held suspect in the light of reason.
From fragments of the Histories of the Old Empire, we gather that Pelluria is a land of greater aspect and extension than Eredane, as
“a youth shall gray and come to infirmity before crossing the breadth of the Kalif’s dominion.”
Even allowing for the excesses of a culture known for its vanity and embellishment, this suggests a vast continent unconstrained by the great oceans that embrace our land on three sides. Nor is there reason to believe that the “Kalif’s dominion” ever covered all the realms of Pelluria. It is known that the Sarcosan Empire conquered the Dornland river valley in the north. It is believed, however, that the fall of the Old Empire in the Third Age had as much to do with a war against a rival power in the east as with internal decay and the loss of its overseas colonies in the west.
The Dorns describe their ancestral home as a land of cold, rugged hills, glacial valleys, and deep, snow-laden forests. In the Sarcosan records, we learn of vast grasslands, endless deserts, and great cities of stone built in the oldest days by the first men of Aryth. The elder races of the fey are unknown in these lands, but the stories speak of stranger peoples that share no blood with the elder fey, of fearsome races that hate all others and feed on the flesh of men. Tales of serpent people and beastmen must be considered little more than fables told for the benefit of wayward children.
— Ilsrid of Highwall, The Lands of Aryth