The Wyrmblood Chronicles: Scales and Coin (Inactive)

Game Master Byden

A new Emperor has just been crowned in Rond. The remenants of the Dwarven race still search futilely for their brethrens fate, and the ancient alliance between elves and humans has been shattered by the emergence of a new doctrine of elven superiority known as the Harran.

The new Emperor Hardan XVI, has sent out his most trusted men to hire adventurers to seek out rumors of dragons. All in the hope of receiving the same kind of prophecy that made his ancestors great.

You have been hired by an old Knight of the Hallowed Guard, Ser Gyron the Gallant, to explore rumors of a dragon upon the Isle Doubt. After a perilous sea voyage upon a sleek vessel named the Stolen Kiss you arrive in the ramshackle harbour town of Nestle even as the wan light of dawn begins to pierce the mists...

Introduction:

The old master sighed, kneading the bridge of his nose and addressing his small class wearily,

“Our world is called Atar, and our continent Rondia, and we dwell in Varn second city of the glorious Rondian Empire. Is that not so children?”

“Yes Master Vorian.”

“Indeed, and what of the other planes? Are we not the center of the universe?”

“Yes Master Vor...”

“No we are not! Think, I am teaching the future leaders of this great nation not a flock of nonsense twittering parrots! Think. No we are not the center of the universe, we are but one of a dozen planes that all occupy the same space, and are all Atar, at one time were all the same. And all of these are accessed by the shadow space known as...?”

“The Between Master Vorian!” shrieked one excited boy.

“The Between, indeed. The Between the land of the lost, histories losers, have ever fled to the between eking out some semblance of an existence. And the greatest of these, from our own plane certainly are the dragons cursed by Marn himself for slaying his brothers. Once they ruled this world, but when Marn granted their blood the power of prophecy he called forth humanity offering them greatness if they had only the valor to take it. And how did Marn curse the dragons?”

“He took up his sister, uh, Galadra's mantle of fate and gifted it not to the beasts themselves, but to their slayers,” a slender boy quoted, eyes closed in concentration.

“Indeed. So the founder of our great Empire, Hardan I, slew the great Wyrm Thargonax with his hammer Thundernigh and drank of his blood. He saw the place to found the greatest city the world has ever known, and heard the words that he must speak to the elf king to win his allegiance.”

“Does it still work Master Vorian? Do you still see if you kill a dragon?”

“Well, dragons are almost gone from this world now, all those of significance any way. Some dimmer, or smaller creatures remain, as well as some dragonkind that lack intellect. It still works, but such prophecies are... Smaller things, still great gifts in their way, but vaguer, more limited. Why our own Admiral Jarik killed a sea serpent in the Aroshi salt marshes and was granted a single sentence, and the knowledge that he must kill the man who spoke it. The Harran ambassador spoke it at Emperor Kullan's Spring Feast and had Jarik not acted instantly that fanatic would have slain the Emperor and thrown all Rond into bitter civil war.”

“What about the Sword Saints Master Vorian? Where do they live?”

“Ah, well The Sword Saints are the transcended, they... But no, that is enough for today I fear. Go run free, do the horrible things that delight children of your age, just try to wash your hands after.”

Character Creation:

Ability Generation: 20 Point Buy
Available Races: Any Paizo, with current errata, etc.
Optimization: Any none questionable optimization allowed, if your build requires a questionable ruling build something else.
Available Classes: All.
Wealth: Max for class. Will conform exactly to wealth by level guidelines.
Deities: See below for information on setting deities.
Reusing Characters: Please don't let me know if you do this, and have your character adapted for the setting before you post them. Somewhat silly of me, but it will make me feel better.

Common Knowledge:

The Elves are up to something in that great forest of theirs. They have been buying babies with elven blood, and there are rumors of raiding parties taking young women from isolated villages.

The Dwarves disappeared about five hundred years ago, now the remainder have either settled into human communities or wander the land in their caravans acting as tinkers.

The new Emperor is little more than a boy, but the Close Council still consists of Chanceller Nalavar, Archmagus Lenera, and grand Marshall Brant, all of whom are highly respected.

There are many other planes, all of which overlap our own. If something great or terrible happens on another plane it can be sensed in this one, and supposedly brings good or bad luck accordingly.

Religion:

In ages past before the sundering the gods dwelt amongst their peoples and great was their joy. But the gods were eternal and they grieved to see those closest to them dwindle and die, and so they each over the centuries elevated some few who pleased them to immortality so that time could not touch them.

The Crow King was not content with his lot though, and the creation of the immortals denied to him forever provoked his ire. His was the world of the unclaimed dead, the bloodless land, and he wished it filled to increase his dominion. So he went to his siblings and played upon the jealousy hatred lust and fear. And war stirred amongst the gods ever swelling the legions of the Crow King. The battles of the gods made the earth tremble and Marn realized that if their folly continued it would destroy the world, and with the aide of Telthus saw through to the route of the conflict the silver tongue of the Crow King.

Marn sent his people against the Crow King's swelling horde and sprung forth to do battle with his brother whose power had been swelled by the deaths of millions. By the battle stood Tharr the Tyrant, and as Marn was beaten down he considered his brother Marn's words, for they were two sides of the same coin, and when it seemed Marn should be beaten Tharr struck out at the Crow King and the protectors together slew the Bloodless Lord and banished his shade to his own cold Kingdom, where he would be bound for all time.

This battle was too much for the world though, and the great land shuddered and was sundered even as the last blow struck home. Tharr and Marn gathered their siblings and forged an accord bound by the powers of all, that they would leave the world forever and touch it only by their faithful, and some few of their beloved immortals. Of the gods only Malor the mad refused and his fellows could but bind him to safeguard all, they imprisoned him in the great fires at the worlds heart where he would be forever burned, and his powers taken in sustaining himself to prevent him breaking free of his imprisonment. Even then his evil and madness leached out and corrupted the creatures that dwelt beneath the surface of the world.

Dieties:

Adranall

The Elven Lord called the Lonely Bowman. Wanderer and warrior, friend of the forest and moon. Patron of the Wood Elves and Hunters. Adranall's ancient foe is the first Dragon Skalidrak Incardamane who slew the closest of his siblings Nerra mother of the elves, this being the reason that the loner Adranall is the patron of the Wood Elves in memory of his sister. His holy weapon is the longbow and his symbol is the stag. Adranall's own bow is known as Xans Narhethi (Word of Vengence in Ancient Draconic) and is one of only two weapons to penetrate the hide of the first dragon.

Tharr

The protector, who calls himself the father, but who others call the Tyrant. Tharr wishes dominion and holds the people who are his in a tight fist forging them as he sees fit. His clergy preach that the best should control those beneath them for their own good and that power was justification enough of ones worth. Tharr prohibits the practices of hereditary positions and nepotism and, everyone of rank under his sway must compete for it and endure challenges to his position. Tharr's holy symbol depicts a gauntlet with claw-like fingertips and his holy weapon is the bastard sword his own being named Javin Sventlin (Kinslayer in Ancient Draconic) in challenge to the claim of Marn's identically named trident.

Marn

The protector, who calls himself the guard or soldier. Marn sees himself as guard not master and those loyal to him espouse the protection of the weak by the strong and even handed justice for commoner and King. Marn's holy symbol and holy weapon is the trident, his own being Javin Sventlin (Kinslayer in Ancient Draconic), with a plain shield also commonly used both on its own and in combination with the trident.

Sharanna

The lady of the woods, the Unicorn maid and defender of the natural world. Sharanna is worshipped in different beastial aspects by the Aradai Tribes and by the wild elves. Like Adranall Sharanna became a patron of the elves after the death of her beloved sister Nerra. Sharanna's holy weapon is the spear (all varieties), and her own weapon Aussir Donotreska (White Strike in Ancient Draconic) the tip of which resembles a Unicorn's horn.

Malor

The mad god of monsters and berserkers. Malor is unthinking and raging, more so by far since his endless burning in the fiery heart of the world. Many of the creatures of the underworld revere Malor whose taint has leached into them over the aeons. Malor's holy symbol is a mouth or eye bordered by writhing tentacles. Malor disdains weapons - but his followers view the whip as his holy weapon in crude emulation of his tentacles (followers of Malor who possess tentacles may treat them as Malor's holy weapon for all purposes) - instead making use of his powerful tentacles, claws, and fangs.

Skallidrak Incardamane

Skallidrak is not a god, he is older than they and has slain many of their number. He is the progenitor of all Dragons with his closest offspring supposedly growing from his blood, fangs, bile, and scales. Skallidrak now slumbers though even his dreams influence the world through his descendents and worshipers. Skallidrak also rules over the realm of dreams and all those who travel there do so at his sufferance - this is why Elves the ancient foes of the dragons no longer truly sleep. Skallidrak is also rumored to have slain the father of the gods, who created the world, with the prophetically imbued blood of dragons being punishment for this crime.