Tales of the Royal Archaeological Society, Group 1 (Inactive)

Game Master Doomed Hero

Current Dungeon Information:

Divinations on the site indicate that it was originally the manor of an exiled Imperial politician and academic. The old empire was renowned for it's excess and debauchery, so whatever this person did to deserve exile must surely have been dark.

All that is left of the manor is the foundation and the old basement structure. Apparently the Exile had an entire complex built beneath his home. A cave-in has separated the complex into two areas. It is unsure if one side still has access to the other.

Local sitings of abnormally large insects were what drew attention to this place. Cattle and sheep have gone missing or found dead and stripped of flesh in the nearby area. The closest town has reported a number of recent grave robbings, though that may be unrelated.

Setting:

This is an England that never was.

Called simply "the Isles" and ruled under "the crown" this land is what England might have been if every story of folklore were true and common.

Magic is accepted, though not prevalent or fully understood. Monsters do walk the roads at night. The gods, both old and new, are real and work their wills upon the land.

The geography is recognizable, and some of the history, but pretty much everything else is different.

Races
Elves: Straight out of celtic history. Primarily "irish", though there are elves from the north (scottish) and front he fjord lands (norse). They have managed to mostly escape the prejudice of their fae heritage, mostly because they renounced it and fought alongside men during the Arcadia Wars.

Dwarves: As norse as it gets. Some clans have immigrated to the isles, but they have not, and will not, forget their heritage. They bring the fjordlands with them wherever they go.

Gnomes: Distrusted because of their fae nature, and reputations as thieves. They have taken on the culture of Gypsies and can be found in roving wagons all through the Isles.

Orcs (and 1/2 orcs): From the island chain north of the northlands. Their accents tend to be so thick most people just smile and nod. When the Old Empire came into the northlands, it was the fierce highland clans who pushed them back. There is much infighting among the clans today, torn between those who wish to remain independent of the Crown, and those who wish to join.

Halflings: The Summerfolk are from the eastern hills and the fens. They raise sheep, and have domesticated the wolves there to guard the flocks.

Hobgoblins: The remnants of the Imperial Legions that tried to conquer the isles two ages ago. Now they are integrated into society even better than most of the other non-human races. Some have even earned titles and knighthoods. They still hold on to their old heritage, but not their old loyalties. These days, much of the Crown's soldiers are these hardy folk.