TOEE:Setting

Empires

Flandrin

This is the large empire that most of the campaign will take place in.

Flandrin has enjoyed a prosperous 300 years after the last emergance of the Scourge. North of where the Scourge originated, it is a militaristic land, though does not rely on martial law to govern it's people. The Murray family has ruled for the past 500 years and has endured two surges of the Scourge.

Flandrin takes up a good stretch of land with the north being about 50 degrees above the equatorial line having cold winters and a good deal of snow while the south is 40 degrees above the equatorial line, leaving cool winters and warm summers.

The shouth contains most of the farming comminties and may of the occupied woods areas. The north is mountanious and is abundant in ore. This leads to many mining disputes with the dwarves that make their home in the mountain ranges.

Noteable People

King W.J. Murray (Hu)

A noble king that wishes the go down in history as one of the greatest kings.

Grand Advisor Liguradia (Hu)

Advisor to the king and mentor from his birth. He openly is against the kings desire for glory, no matter how noble.

Duke Elros Howe (Hu)

Second cousin of the Grand Advisor and good friends with Baron Castael.

Duke Rhett Radmoore (Hu)

Cousin of King Murray and far removed from the capital. He often keeps to himself and is always concerned with a fourth coming of the Scourge.

Earl Vancliff (Hu)

He comes from a large merchant family and has a great sphere of influence along the coast.

Baron Douglas Castael (Hu)

A family that earned it's land by being a primary factor in driving off the third coming of the Scourge over 300 years ago.

Players may choose to be a member of the Castael family.

Lord Enchanter Malahand (HE)

In charge of the wellbeing of those in the Enclave and is known to still teach a class or two on occasion.

Knight Templar Duncan W. Jones (Hu)

Commander of the Templars.

Noteable Areas

Howe's Domain

Howe commands a great stretch of lands above Lake Chastal. One of the more fertile areas in Flandrin, it is the main source of food in Flandrin.

Howe dislikes having any of Flandrin's military present in his lands, perfering to keep is private knights in his land. When there are times of conflict in his land among the barons, he deals with them swiftly. This constant moving of knights has also opened a good need for mercenary camps to fill the ranks and for farming communities to buy protection when the lands knights are pulled elsewhere.

The attitude of Howe's working class and serfs is generally good, though the militaristic attitude, extreme even in the eyes of the rest of Flandrin, often has those of the lower classes on edge, afraid ot make a mistake and recieve swift justice.

Radmoore's Domain

Radmoore has a stretch of land that begins at the bottom of Lake Chastal and extends south into the wooded areas of Flandrin.

His lands are the primary producers of lumber. The trees to the south are strong, and the Yavin river runs steady and true through most of his domain to the outreaching communities. They are also in charge of creating navel skiffs that are able to run rivers, and a small port is located in the south of the lake.

Radmoore is also in charge of looking after the tower of the Enclave. Though the duty falls primarily on the Templars, he has been ordered to have a standing navy in case the mages get out of hand and decide to cause a disturbance and "escape" via the lake.

Capital City: Dilimdur

This is were the throne of Flandrin is located, it currently being filled by the great King Murray. Coming from a long line of kings that made history, the people of Flandrin expect great things from him.

Dilimdur is built on the ruins of Benice from 800 years ago. Benice was the origional capital city that was brought down during the war with the Orori. It gained its name from a dwarven lord that donated large sums of money and men to help rebuild the city.

Dilimdur contains many nobles house, including the recently contested house of Baron Castael. Some believe that the king of the time allowed the Castael family to have holdings in the capital city to show that even those of common birth can achieve great things and that loyalty to the crown is eventually rewarded.

Encampments of elves are also found within the city. They live in slums, maintaining a culture of their own. Though they are free, they are often too poor and looked down upon to leave their state of life. Nobles have been known to go slumming here, picking up the pretty young elves and tossing them back into the slums once they have had their way with them.

With recent need for soldiers with the small upsurge of orcs in the south, soldiers and towns guard have been pressed into active duty, leaving many third born nobles sons to now be guards. This has left security lax in Dilimdur, with it causing rising crime and the emergance of vigilantism. This is mostly unaffected the upperclass quarters, so the pleas have gone ignored.

Lowlands

The Lowlands are a small stretch of forested area that hug a steep area of uninhabited mountains. The forested area is temperate, but the closer you get to the mountains the colder it gets, and the tree line is very low. Some say that the mountains are cursed in being so unnaturally cold.

To the northeast the Lowlands cradles Flandrin. Trade is loose due to the stereotype that the Lowlanders are nothing but religious feverants and barbarians. These statements are both true, though not necessarily at the same time. There are the extremist to the north that are led by a Grand Bishop and the barbarian tribes of the south that rise and fall as often as the tides.

The Lowlands are unique in that the Scourges often near their civilized lands, but they never invaded. The Lowlanders claim it is their true faith that kept them protected from the Scourge. Many question if this is true, and some of them more extreme pilgrims of the Creator travel to the Lowlands to show their faith. Many of these pilgrims don't return, their fate left in question.

Noteable Noble Rank

Grand Bishop Garlman

He leads the villages in the north from a building called the Grand Temple of the Maker.

Divine Harold Yahmish

Leader of a group called the Maker's Hand. They are in charge of protecting the northern lands from the barbarians to the south and from outside influences that are false to the Maker's voice.

Orori

A large island to the southeast of Flandrin, it houses a host of corrupted houses that fight for power over the island since the Prime died. Inhabited by tall and bronze humans that are known as Ororians and elves, they are always in a constant struggle for power.

Orori is known as being a large agressor that believes that the Maker has created them to rule all over the world. A little over 800 years ago they launced an attack on Flandrin that ultimately failed, but their navy destroyed the origional capital city known as Benice.

Orori has turned its attention elsewhere over the past few hundred years, though it has never forgotten its loss to Flandrin. It occasionally sends warriors to scout and test the lands. The people of Flandrin are worried about another attempt of conquest, and the true intent of Orori is not known. Without a Prime to lead the Orori people, the chances of an assult are slim. Flandrin is taking advantage of this opportunity by opening trade and comission with some of the more friendly and less war-like houses in Orori to create a small amount of peace and ensure some saftey in the future of their chosen houses rise to power.

Racial Cultures

Human (Hu)

Humans are the most common race. They rule most of the world and can be found everywhere. They are the main ruling class in Flandrin. Their cultures very so greatly that there is no real generic human. Those in Flandrin can be seen as having a culture that resembles that of medieval Europe.

Elf and Half-elf (E) (HE)

Elves used to be a very prominate race in Flandrin. During the first Scourge, though, there was a schism between them and the humans. The elves built a tower in the south that was a gateway to the elemental planes. This tower was unknowingly corrupted by those that practiced forbidden blood magic and were secret worshippers of Nerull. This not only corrupted the land, but brought about the first Scourge invasion. Found to be caused by corrupted elemental forces, the temple was named the Temple of Elemental Evil.

The king at the time blamed the elven race for their crimes and began a genocdal campaign against their race. Those that did not fight were enslaved.

They were enslaved for 400 years, until the third Scourge uprising. King Oscar Murray made an agreement with the elven community in that if they would supply every able bodied warrior that they would be given their freedom. They fought well, and earned their freedom.

Unfortunately, freedom does not create equality. Most city elves live in slums where they are segregated from other races. They are looked down on but not hated, though some humans, especially those in the military, have been known to have severe hate for them.

A group of elves branch off from the city to return to their wilder roots. These elves are known as the Del'Varandra. They have claimed a patch of woods in the southeast as their own. This was at one time contested, though the losses were too great to the Flandrin empire and they decided to grant the land to them in the name of their past military service agasint the Scourge.

Half-elves are often born of city elves and humans that could get past the prejudice of the past. They are often taken better by humans and elves trust them more than pure humans. There are some, though, that would view their parents as race traitors.

Recently a Half-elf came to power of the enclaive. This was met with mixed feelings and a fear that now the tower of the Enclave could be much like the south tower once was; taken over by evil blood magic.

Dwarf (D)

Dwarves are a fading race. Broken by civil war between the Dueraden and the Duergar and a natural low birth rate that is lowering each year. They live in the nation of Origimir that is to the north of Flandrin.

Yarl Brockhammer of the Dueuaden has good relations with Flandrin. In turn for providing the rights to certain mountains rich in ore veins, he recieves a good deal of crops produced in the fertile lands south of the mountain.

There is a group of dwarves that have joined the Enclave to look for a reason why they are having a harder time producing children. Rumor holds that this has something to do with the cursed tower that begun the Scourge so many years ago. Whither this is a curse that came from the creation of the first Scourge, a foul disease, or some side effect of blood magic, no one is sure.

They are often seen as master smiths and warriors, and often the two are not exclusive to one another. They often travel to Flandrin to become merchants and craftsmen. Those with a militaristic bent often come as marcinaries.

Their government has a strict caste system and is based on honor, though this is usually percieved honor as opposed to honor in it's true name. The nobles fight their pety court games for power and often send their seconds to duels to defend their honor if they did something that society would frown upon. No one in a dwarven society holds power without having alittle blood on their hands.

Halfling (Hf)

Halflings are migrant folk. They are like gypsys in that they don't like to be tried down to one place too long and they and a nose for getting into trouble, guilty of it or not. Many people take advantage of the existance of there caravans and commit foul deeds and blame it on the halflings. Most often there is little investigation to the contrary and they are forced to pull up camp and find a new place to settle.

Halflings have no real government as a race. They have caravan leaders; often the most aged and experienced. The leader usually is also someone with good ties to certain villages and towns so that they have some safe civilized areas to settle.

Halflings have a special celebtration that happens every three years called Landsmeet. This is a celebration to celebrate Saint Yandalla that is full of music, games, and food. Halflings caravans from all around Flandrin come to a meeting spot called the Thereldan Planes the set up camps to perpare for the ceremony. In tradtion, the festival is open to all and is known as a time of peace all around Flandrin. Civil wars have stopped in the past so that the festival could commence.

Some say the true purpose of the festival is so that caravan leaders can plan routes for the next three years and plan of things greater. Some claim that the halflings have been waiting until the human lands are weak to overthrow them and create an edge of the small folk. Most people scoff at this theory.

Gnome (G)

Gnomes are the half breeds of dwarves and halflings. They combine the best features of both parents; the hard working attitude of the dwarves and the thirst for exploration that the halflings have. Interestingly, gnomes breed true with other gnomes, but are unable to reproduce with halflings or dwarves.

Gnomes born of a dwarven and halfling parent are often the most unique as they have direct influence by members of two very different societies. More often than not, though, a female halfling often has a fling with a dwarf while traveling through a domain. This leads most gnomes to be be raised by halfling mothers.

Gnomes have no real society of their own, much like halflings, but are often accepted by almost any community. Usually always productive members of society, they are often sought out and trained to be innovaters in a certain field of study. This doesn't ahppen often, though, when raised by a halfling caravan.

Gifed with natural talent in both the arts and trades, gnomes are known for creating and running many of the universities found around Flandrin. To have graduated from a gnomish school is considered a great achievement, and many human nobles have gained their learning from a gnome.

There are whispers that there is also a dark underbelly to these schools. Some well known bards that come from these schools seem to carry death wherever they go. These stories of bardic assassins are well worth fearing as it is hard to distrust someone that can so easily put a smile on your face. This led to the famous saying by those that distrust gnomes; "I trust him as far as I can toss him."

Half-orc (HO)

Half-orcs live a life unaware of their true bloodline. The orcs and goblins that formed from the Scourge were known to take humans below the earth and commit foul deeds to their captives. Among there were the raping of captive women. After the first war against the scourge ended, the children of these unholy deeds were gathered as if they were the orcs captives and treated as orphined children of war.

Those born of orcish blood are not aware of the blood that runs in their veins and it is from many generations back, the truth of their forefathers often lost in history. Looking almost exactly like normal humans, they live their lives as any other human would.

No one knows that half-orcs exist, and if someone does, they are being quiet about it. Even less well known is if the orcs did this to a greater purpose.

Conflicts

Politics

Nobles

The political ring is always full of intrigue and backstabbing. Nobles always plot against nobles in attempts to gain power through land and knowledge. Not all of these are military conquest, as the right marriage canoften strike a more powerful blow than any balista.

Howe and Radmoore continue to have conflict over ownership of the extent of Lake Chastal. The king currently is siding with Radmoore in his ownership of the majority if the lake. Many social circles talk about how this does not sit well with Howe and how he is plotting to change the King's mind though less than honorable ways.

There are also many noble houses that do not think well of Castael family. They believe that one is a noble by blood and upraising, not through action in desperate times. The Castael family has strong ties with the Howe family, though, and that has kept many nobles from doing anything more than snubbing them at a party.

Elven Rights

Dilimdur suffers from an upsure in elven vigilantism from two groups.

The Elven People's Front (EPF) are groups of many races, though mosty half-elves and humans, that work for equal elven rights. Though this is often open protest, they have been known to attack estates and strike out violently against the most vile to the elven race.

The People's Front of Elves (PFE) consist of elves and half-elves that strike out against the hatred that is brought against their people. Though often capable of escaping from the city life, they stay to protect those that don't and bring down the corrupt people that exploit them.

Luckily the two groups don't get along at all times, especially when going against the same target. This is mostly due to the extreme view of PFE in that they don't need help from those that opress them, and the EPF believe that the PFE are too extreme and dangerous. The infighting is one of the few reasons why the anti-elf instigators are still safe and keeps these two groups as a small threat.

The Scourge

Something causes a stir within the earth that draws the creatures known as goblins and orcs to the surface. They have always been found in small numbers and there was never a great need for alarm. Once the events that led to the creation of the Temple of Elemental Evil took place things escalated greatly. Warbands of goblins and orcs came to the surface and overran Flandrin.

The Scourge came as a great surprise and almost wiped out all of humanity on Flandrin. An order was created called the Gatewatchers that researched to orcish invasion and found out a great bit about their beings and what drove them. The Gatewatchers drove them back with what was left of the Flandrin and dwarven armies to the Tower of Elemental Evil. The Tower seemed immune to any damage that the army tried to inflict on it. The Tower was instead purged from the inside and the Scourge was no more.

There were two more Scourges after this due to outside influences entering the tower. After the third Scourge and with great sacrifice of many elven mages, they sealed the tower with powerful wards that could no be broken.

As of recent years there have been a great number of orcs and goblin appearing on the surface. The Gatewatchers stationed at the tower state that none of the wards have been broken, so the emergance of another Scourge is not likely. None the less, Flandrin is currently issuing troops to the south to take out the threat before it gets any larger and more organized.

Church

The church is universally devoted to the Maker. Their duties include caring for those not in need and keeping the faith in the people to make them better and so that they shall have a profitable afterlife. There is also a small, militaristic branch of the church that is used as protection across the world, though their focus is somewhat narrow.

Templars

The templars are a special group of paladins that work for the church as opposed to being holy knights of a landowner. Also, unlike many paladins that choose a saint, the templars worship the Maker alone, leaving their judgement to be that purely of the Creator.

Templars are mainly tasked with making sure that arcane magic is kept within legal bounds. They are the main watchers of the Enclave and have the task of hunting down those that flee the Enclave and those that choose to practice blood magic.

Templars are known for being overdedicated, seeing all mages with suspicion. A practice of hit first and ask questions once I've stolen your spell component pouch are not uncommon, leaving a bitter taste between mages, even legit ones, and the Templars.

Cults

Cults to the forgotten and alien gods are not common, but always a threat to the church. These cults often practice under the guise of the Creator, but underneath corruption and diabolic ritual runs through its pious.

The church often does not have the ability to search out and eliminate every cult so it is not uncommon to run into small communities that have lost their way to these false sermons. Private groups are often hires to search out these groups, often leds by the more martial clerics of the Maker.

The Enclave

Mages are seen as a possible danger to society. Not only can they change the world around them with but a few words and a hand gesture, but they are also directly connected to diabolic powers.

Arcane magic is not granted by the gods, but is lost knowledge either taken or researched from long forgotten powers that are said to predate the Creator. From what mages and clerics and find, the power comes from the astral plane; a plane full of dead gods and full of portals to planes beyond.

Astral Fold

This is where acrance casters shift their mind when the gather their spells. Though usually not a danger, the astral is sometimes populated by devilish and demonic beings that tempt the mage with power beyond their greatest desire if they would but let the entity become one with them. Many mages fall to this and become corrupted beyond salvation. This is the main need for the Templars.

The Astral Fold also possesses a physical danger to mages as entities native to the plane can often attack the mind of the arcanist. Death in the Astral Fold leads to a mindless body for the mage that eventually ceases function shortly after.