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While the Chainmail miniature didn't do so well some years ago, I loved the setting it was based in. Socialist dwarves, humans and elves going at it, and gnoll armies! Plus, we finally had a chance to see some of the lands outside the Flanaess. I'm hoping the setting will someday make a comeback, either in a new campaign book or within the pages of Dragon.
It was a great setting that deserved more than just a miniatures game. Here's a brief description of the factions involved for those of who don't remember or never heard of Chainmail:
Ahmut's Legion: An undead army led by Ahmut and necromancers.
Drazen's Horde: Hobgoblin tribes united by Drazen.
Kilsek: An exiled drow house in the service of Mistress Venrit.
Mordengard: Socialist dwarves who overthrew a tyrant years ago.
Naresh: Gnolls and demons led by Jangir, priest of Yeenoghu.
Ravilla: Finally, elves that kick @$$!
Thalos: Humans and gnomes who's ancestors were elven slaves.
And let's not forget that the current conflict, the Godwar, is about accumulating the power of Stratis, the recently slain god of war (coincedently the son of Stern Alia, making him the brother of Heironeous and Hextor).
I whole-heartedly agree. I actually have been running adventuring campaigns in the Sundered Empire for quite some time. I would like to see a published campaign setting of Chainmail, as well as supplements for advancing the wars between the nations (for example, loss or gain of territory, the generals and the actual stats for characters like Drazen, Ahmut and the rest.)
Bring back Chainmail!
I've never seen any of the original Chainmail minis (I much prefer the current line of DnD minis) but everything I've read about the setting seemed cool.
The crossover between the Chainmail minis and many of the current line of D&D minis is really extensive. Especially with the earlier sets. It's metal-assembly & paint required vs. plastic play out of the box.
It's a lot easier to do a custom modification with the Chainmail minis.
For my part, if they did an update of Chainmail, I would like them to reconcile the placement the factions with the Greyhawk Map from Dragon Annual #1 (where in the west did it take place?). Though that world map was from 1e/2e days, the same map was pretty much used in LGG, except without the places named.
I think that Dragon and Dungeon Magazine could have a huge extravaganza like they did for "Dark Sun" for "The Sundered Empire." It's not like many other settings out there, and really deserves another look. I would love to see the stats for Drazen, Ahmut, Almira, Jangir and Venrit. They gave the stats for Stratis' "Ebon Glaive" in Dragon a long while ago, but I would also like to see the magic items of that setting, such as the thunderlashes and the shock rifles of Mordengard. Any new mundane weapons or cool magic spells would be a great article as well. Prestige classes unique to the setting, such as one for characters who wish to follow the path of the Northwind Dueling societies, could add some unique flavor to it. It's a setting with a familiar feeling, but a very different feeling. Bring back Chainmail!
Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but here's my question: does the 2002 Chainmail book include all that history on Ravilla/The Sundered Empire that was published in bits and pieces throughout Dragon magazine (my 1st article is from #286 in 2001)? If so--even if I have to get it in pdf form--I want to get that book. I probably have most of the Dragon articles, but I'd love to have them collected all together. I was hoping the Chainmail book did that, but perhaps what I've read in Dragon were supplements.
Anyone own this original Chainmail book/pdf that can answer my question? Any help is greatly appreciated.
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Anyone own this original Chainmail book/pdf that can answer my question? Any help is greatly appreciated.
I have the book in pdf, and sadly, it focuses more on the miniatures game than the setting background. One of the first chapters basically has a description of each faction. The rest is mostly mechanics.
I have the book in pdf, and sadly, it focuses more on the miniatures game than the setting background. One of the first chapters basically has a description of each faction. The rest is mostly mechanics.
Anyone own this original Chainmail book/pdf that can answer my question? Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thank you Hagen, you saved me some cash. Now I'm guessing that the articles I have from Dragon have not been collected anywhere else. A pity. It was a great setting.
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who loved this setting- I always felt it should have been explored further. I guess it's time for chainmail fans to make their own stuff!
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who loved this setting- I always felt it should have been explored further. I guess it's time for chainmail fans to make their own stuff!
I'm game to help
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who loved this setting- I always felt it should have been explored further. I guess it's time for chainmail fans to make their own stuff!I'm game to help
I agree. I'm ready to help. I actually statted a couple of the big guys, like Drazen, Jangir, and Ahmut, for a campaign I ran in the Sundered Empire. I have every issue of Dragon with the support for it, and I also have the core rulebook.
I agree. I'm ready to help. I actually statted a couple of the big guys, like Drazen, Jangir, and Ahmut, for a campaign I ran in the Sundered Empire. I have every issue of Dragon with the support for it, and I also have the core rulebook.I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who loved this setting- I always felt it should have been explored further. I guess it's time for chainmail fans to make their own stuff!I'm game to help
Well then, let's do it! Time to homebrew! Put your thinking caps on guys, and let's work together to come up with something great!
I have every issue of Dragon with the support for it, and I also have the core rulebook.
Rockfall, are there earlier articles than the one I have in #286? Do you know of any index that lists all the issues of Dragon that included stuff on the Sundered Empire? Now I'm wondering if I have them all myself, since I don't own all Dragon issues from #286 forward.
As to reviving this up for a homebrew, I'll apologize right now for being less than helpful. As I've pointed out many times in my posts, crunch is not my strong point. I'm interested in the setting for the fluff, actually. But I'll read what you all come up w/ eagerly :)
Sorry for taking so much time away from this post- I'm still looking for some old chainmail stuff. I have some back issues to sort through and a pdf for some chainmail material somewhere on my laptop. I'll get to it asap.
So, you are expanding west of the main part of Greyhawk? I'm game.
I'd be glad to help :) 3.5 rules?
/d
So, you are expanding west of the main part of Greyhawk? I'm game.
I'd be glad to help :) 3.5 rules?/d
The Sundered Empire is indeed in the western part of the World of Greyhawk. 3.5 rules should be fine.
Alright! What area do you all want me to work on? I'm open to any of them.
/d
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I don't have much time to actually work on developing the Sundered Empire, but if such an article were printed I would like to see the following:
- A more detailed map of Western Oerik
- Developments since the start of the Godswar
- A look at religion: What faiths are worshipped and how does Stratis fit
- Ways to run adventures for adventurers of different races/factions
- Info on the Free Cities and the disputed regions
- Map and info on the abandoned gith city in the Underdark, now inhabited by House Kilsek.
- Stats on Stratis' four artifacts: axe, spear, flail, and his missing sword
You know, Duicarthan has been working on a "Beyond the Flanaess" project for Greyhawk over at OerthJournal/Canonfire! You might try contacting him to see if you can "officially" snag a piece for the Sundered Empire in the project. :)
You know, Duicarthan has been working on a "Beyond the Flanaess" project for Greyhawk over at OerthJournal/Canonfire! You might try contacting him to see if you can "officially" snag a piece for the Sundered Empire in the project. :)
Once again Lilith, you are the cabbage-candle of knowledge that banishes the darkness of ignorance.
Once again Lilith, you are the cabbage-candle of knowledge that banishes the darkness of ignorance.
I do what I can when I can. :)
Awright! Finally found the .pdf! I hope to have some bare bones up before the weekend is out.
- Well, as far as I know, Stratis had a lot more than four artifacts. His glaive, the Ebon Glaive, for example, is lost in a dragon graveyard on/near the Ghostwind Plateau. Also, his longsword is actually in the possession of a young elf named Tarquin. He's enigmatic, and hails from an ancient and illustrious family. It is whispered that he may become the Emperor of Ravilla.
As for a foothold on the religion bit:
-Thalos' state religion is that of Stern Alia, and she is recognized as the mother of Stratis, Heironeous, and Hextor. Every Thalos soldier's shield is emblazoned with her face.
-Corellon Larethian is recognized as the chief god within Ravilla (more than likely the entire elven pantheon is recognized, though). However, the elves maintain an item called the Empty Throne, where they believe Corellon will return one day, and will commend them for their devotion to his edicts. I would also think that because the elves of Ravilla work with felldrakes and goodly half-dragons, there is likely a strong reverence for Bahamut, in large part due to his intervention in the Demon War.
-Yeenoghu, the demon patron of gnolls, is venerated above all else among the gnolls of Naresh. Due to Yeenoghu's enmity with Baphomet, I would think that it would be considered heresy to possess anything related to Baphomet. As the gnolls follow Jangir, the high priest of Yeenoghu, and a half-fiend, he is probably viewed as blessed or "chosen" by their demon patron.
- The dwarves of Mordengard seem like they would be fairly traditional in their religious beliefs. They possess many traditional dwarven values, such as pride of craft, honor, duty, and toughness. The old Chainmail minis included Hammer Priests and Zealots, which leads me to believe that the dwarven people of Mordengard worship Moradin and the rest of the dwarven pantheon.
-Kilsek is definitely a Lolth-worshipping group of drow. They feel as if they have been passed through a trial-by-fire, tested by Lolth, and delivered unto an unsuspecting populace. They have already enslaved kuo-toan warriors, after all.
-Drazen's Horde follows Nomog-Gaeya above most other deities. In fact, an issue of Dragon Magazine (the issue number escapes me at the moment) featured a prestige class called "The Boge of Nomog-Gaeya". It can only be assumed that the orcs, goblins, and other creatures within their burgeoning monstrous ranks follow any number of demon lords or evil monster deities, including Grummsh and Maglubiyet.
-Ahmut's Legion, or at least the portions of it which can think, as well as the Cult of the Red Scythe (Nerull worshippers), view Ahmut as the emissary of Nerull (he basically told them he was), blessed with remarkable control over undeath. Much like Nerull, Ahmut desires to slaughter every person who opposes his rule.
If you like what I'm laying down here, let me know. I am willing to listen to creative criticism. I'm pretty stoked about it.
- Well, as far as I know, Stratis had a lot more than four artifacts. His glaive, the Ebon Glaive, for example, is lost in a dragon graveyard on/near the Ghostwind Plateau. Also, his longsword is actually in the possession of a young elf named Tarquin. He's enigmatic, and hails from an ancient and illustrious family. It is whispered that he may become the Emperor of Ravilla.
As for a foothold on the religion bit:
-Thalos' state religion is that of Stern Alia, and she is recognized as the mother of Stratis, Heironeous, and Hextor. Every Thalos soldier's shield is emblazoned with her face.
-Corellon Larethian is recognized as the chief god within Ravilla (more than likely the entire elven pantheon is recognized, though). However, the elves maintain an item called the Empty Throne, where they believe Corellon will return one day, and will commend them for their devotion to his edicts. I would also think that because the elves of Ravilla work with felldrakes and goodly half-dragons, there is likely a strong reverence for Bahamut, in large part due to his intervention in the Demon War.
-Yeenoghu, the demon patron of gnolls, is venerated above all else among the gnolls of Naresh. Due to Yeenoghu's enmity with Baphomet, I would think that it would be considered heresy to possess anything related to Baphomet. As the gnolls follow Jangir, the high priest of Yeenoghu, and a half-fiend, he is probably viewed as blessed or "chosen" by their demon patron.
- The dwarves of Mordengard seem like they would be fairly traditional in their religious beliefs. They possess many traditional dwarven values, such as pride of craft, honor, duty, and toughness. The old Chainmail minis included Hammer Priests and Zealots, which leads me to believe that the dwarven people of Mordengard worship Moradin and the rest of the dwarven pantheon.
-Kilsek is definitely a Lolth-worshipping group of drow. They feel as if they have been passed through a trial-by-fire, tested by Lolth, and delivered unto an unsuspecting populace. They have...
Like isn't the word. I'm LOVING this. I still want to post some basic information for people who may not be familiar with the setting, however.
- Well, as far as I know, Stratis had a lot more than four artifacts. His glaive, the Ebon Glaive, for example, is lost in a dragon graveyard on/near the Ghostwind Plateau. Also, his longsword is actually in the possession of a young elf named Tarquin. He's enigmatic, and hails from an ancient and illustrious family. It is whispered that he may become the Emperor of Ravilla.
As for a foothold on the religion bit:
-Thalos' state religion is that of Stern Alia, and she is recognized as the mother of Stratis, Heironeous, and Hextor. Every Thalos soldier's shield is emblazoned with her face.
-Corellon Larethian is recognized as the chief god within Ravilla (more than likely the entire elven pantheon is recognized, though). However, the elves maintain an item called the Empty Throne, where they believe Corellon will return one day, and will commend them for their devotion to his edicts. I would also think that because the elves of Ravilla work with felldrakes and goodly half-dragons, there is likely a strong reverence for Bahamut, in large part due to his intervention in the Demon War.
-Yeenoghu, the demon patron of gnolls, is venerated above all else among the gnolls of Naresh. Due to Yeenoghu's enmity with Baphomet, I would think that it would be considered heresy to possess anything related to Baphomet. As the gnolls follow Jangir, the high priest of Yeenoghu, and a half-fiend, he is probably viewed as blessed or "chosen" by their demon patron.
- The dwarves of Mordengard seem like they would be fairly traditional in their religious beliefs. They possess many traditional dwarven values, such as pride of craft, honor, duty, and toughness. The old Chainmail minis included Hammer Priests and Zealots, which leads me to believe that the dwarven people of Mordengard worship Moradin and the rest of the dwarven pantheon.
-Kilsek is definitely a Lolth-worshipping group of drow. They feel as if they have been passed through a trial-by-fire, tested by Lolth, and delivered unto an unsuspecting populace. They have...
What issues of Dragon did this information come from? I'd like to check my back issues, just in case.
I actually got most of the information I'm building on from the core Chainmail handbook. I am currently away from home at a writer's conference, so my issues of Dragon are not accessible. I'll let you know as soon as I get home.
As far as other religion notes, I believe that there would be a race between the remaining war gods Heironeous and Hextor to gather up the clerics, paladins, and other servitors of Stratis. Also, I am thinking that many of Stratis' paladins and clerics continue to be granted their powers (as the Paladin of Stratis from Chainmail continued to have all it's divine abilities) by Stern Alia, who probably gathered the majority of Stratis' followers unto herself.
I'll be putting up more later.
Here's what I was able to uncover on the religious front. If anyone has more up-to-date information, please let me know.
Stern Alia
Demigoddess of Oerdian Culture, Law and Motherhood
Holy Symbol- A woman's face
Alignment- LN
Domains- Knowledge, Law, Protection
Preferred/Holy Weapon- Heavy Mace
Yeenoghu(for the Gnolls)
Holy Symbol- Triple Headed Flail
Alignment- CE
Domains- Chaos, Evil, Fury
Preferred/Holy Weapon- Three-headed flail
Nomog Gaeya(for Drazen's Horde/Hobgoblins and other goblin races)
Holy Symbol- crossed longsword and handaxe
Alignment- LE
Domains- Law, Evil, Strength, War
Preferred/Holy Weapon- Handaxe or Longsword
Ahmut's Legion venerates Nerull, whom most are familiar with, and the Dwarves of Mordengard still continue to worship Moradin, the Soul Forger, although I'll have to check to see if there are any other dwarven gods who may have become popular since the overthrow of their tyrant king. Anybody got any ideas?
I'd love to see a nice, fat but concise Greyhawk campaign book that would intergrate the Sundered Kingdom into the setting.
I know, I know. I can dream, though, can't I?
I would think that Clangeddin Silverbeard would be venerated by dwarves quite highly during wartime (after all, he IS the dwarven god of war). Perhaps, due to the open, discussion based ideals of the dwarves in this world, Dumathoin (dwarven god of secrets) would be looked upon with more suspicion and distrust.
Here is a list of articles on the Sundered Empire from Dragon Mag:
The Empire of Ravilla 285
Ahmut’s Legion 286
The Armies of Thalos 287
The Gnolls of Naresh 289
People’s State of Mordengard 291
Drazen’s Horde 292
The Free States 293
Underground Scenarios 294
The Children of Nassica 295
The Ebon Glaive 296
Exiles from the Vault 298
Soldiers of the Last Order 315 (Campaign Classics Article)
Here is a list of articles on the Sundered Empire from Dragon Mag:
The Empire of Ravilla 285
Ahmut’s Legion 286
The Armies of Thalos 287
The Gnolls of Naresh 289
People’s State of Mordengard 291
Drazen’s Horde 292
The Free States 293
Underground Scenarios 294
The Children of Nassica 295
The Ebon Glaive 296
Exiles from the Vault 298
Soldiers of the Last Order 315 (Campaign Classics Article)
Searching....search complete.
I possess all save 285 and 294- anyone else have those?
Here is a list of articles on the Sundered Empire from Dragon Mag:
The Empire of Ravilla 285
Ahmut’s Legion 286
The Armies of Thalos 287
The Gnolls of Naresh 289
People’s State of Mordengard 291
Drazen’s Horde 292
The Free States 293
Underground Scenarios 294
The Children of Nassica 295
The Ebon Glaive 296
Exiles from the Vault 298
Soldiers of the Last Order 315 (Campaign Classics Article)Searching....search complete.
I possess all save 285 and 294- anyone else have those?
I have those, Freehold.
I have those, Freehold.Here is a list of articles on the Sundered Empire from Dragon Mag:
The Empire of Ravilla 285
Ahmut’s Legion 286
The Armies of Thalos 287
The Gnolls of Naresh 289
People’s State of Mordengard 291
Drazen’s Horde 292
The Free States 293
Underground Scenarios 294
The Children of Nassica 295
The Ebon Glaive 296
Exiles from the Vault 298
Soldiers of the Last Order 315 (Campaign Classics Article)Searching....search complete.
I possess all save 285 and 294- anyone else have those?
Thank god, because while I can take an educated guess on the Empire of Ravilla, I have NO idea what the underground scenarios encompass. Can you give us a reader's digest version of those articles?
Well, not only does issue 285 give a stat block for the crested felldrake, but it gives a fairly in-depth look at the history of Ravilla. It also gives a look into grey elf dueling societies and how to put together a North Wind duelist style character.
Okay, so here comes the Reader's digest version of 285:
The wood elves and grey elves used to keep to themselves. The wood elves stayed in their forest homes, while the grey elves lived in massive mountain cities. The two types of elf did not communicate with one another very often, but then the armies of the Abyss arrived.
The forests of the wood elves were horribly burned by the invading demon armies. They received little aid very quickly, and soon they stood at the very brink of extinction.
A legendary hero emerged at this point. Peramil, a wood elf hero mounted on a giant eagle, flew to the grey elven city of Ventia. He slaughtered many demons along his flight, but he never slowed. He told his grey elven kin of the terrible slaughter of the elves in the woodlands.
The grey elves sprang into action, sending powerful wizards and armies to combat the demonic forces. Over a hundred thousand elves marched to war against the Abyssal hordes. Bahamut led his metallic dragons into battle, as he was sympathetic to the cause of the elves.
The wood elves formed special warbands called Oathbands during the war, performing acts of guerrilla warfare, pummelling the demon armies with sudden strikes and vicious archery assaults.
After the Demon War, Correllon Larethian gave the grey elves the task of guarding the Abyssal gateways. The elves sealed their cities and concealed them with powerful magic. They then built new cities around those gateways.
The wood elves discovered that little of the forests were left. They made a pact to be a part of a new elven nation with the grey elves. Grey elf control would cease at the edges of the forest. The wood elves also promised the use of Oathbands in times of war.
At first, the elves operated in city states. This worked wonderfully for about 500 years. The elven city of Xanos erupted into bloody chaos one day when the Abyssal gateway there flared to life, demons spilling out into the city. Though the so-called "Xanos Incident" was quickly and bloodily contained, the damage was done. The Grand Council of elves demanded to know why the incident had happened. Investigation into the incident revealed that there was an abnormally high number of sorcerers in Xanos, and the conclusion was reached that sorcery was dangerous, demon-influenced magic, and that the only safe way to approach magic was wizardry.
The elves had their scapegoat. The sorcerers protested, claiming it was draconic ancestry which granted them their sorcerous gifts. The Grand Council had become the ruling body, rather than an advisory one, and the city states were drawn into a greater whole, united by fear of another demon uprising. The Grand Council proceeded to officially ban sorcery. Specialized teams of mage hunters were formed to hunt sorcerers down. They forced sorcerers to either forsake their sorcerous powers or to go into exile. Many left and did not return.
Trigorian, a great mage hunter, unearthed a sorcerer cult. Their trial made Trigorian a hero in the eyes of the people. When he became part of the Grand Council, he demanded the elves take a more aggressive stance on sorcery. Sorcerers were running wild beyond the borders of the elven city states. They went to war, violently and swiftly overrunning many of the smaller kingdoms beyond their borders. The dwarves were largely ignored, as they are not a sorcerous people. The people of Thalos were attacked, but under the command of their Queen Almiram, they turned the elven assault aside. Although Trigorian demanded a renewed attack, no one would back him. The elves were tired of warfare.
Thus the elven city-states were forged into the Empire of Ravilla. The Grand Council became known as the Oligarchs, and their power was quite vast. They presided over the zenith of Ravillan power, the Elven Peace.
I'll do the Reader's Digest version of 294 tomorrow. Right now, I need sleep.
Good deal, now I know I was missing #285, which I just ordered here from Paizo. Thanks for the lists!
Anyone have inside scoop why the Chainmail setting got the axe and WOTC moved on to their Minis line instead? It kills me that a section of Western Oerik started to get developed as canon and then...ka-boom...
Damn. That IS good. I think I'll order that issue as well.
I concur with Ben- this is a well thought out and plotted take on the elven race. Any idea why chainmail died?
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Good deal, now I know I was missing #285, which I just ordered here from Paizo. Thanks for the lists!
Anyone have inside scoop why the Chainmail setting got the axe and WOTC moved on to their Minis line instead? It kills me that a section of Western Oerik started to get developed as canon and then...ka-boom...
From what I heard, the sale of Chainmail minis left much to be desired. If no one's buying the product, why bother developing it? Still, I'm convinced that Greyhawk will never die so one of these days a book will be published and it'll include the Sundered Empire. I just hope this happens within 50 years or so. Good things come to those who wait.
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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Y'know, I've been looking for a pre-designed campaign world in which to DM the Githyanki Incursion from Dragon 309 / Dungeon 100. The background given in Polyhedron (three continents: humans, dwarves & orcs, halflings, ...) was a little lacklustre; just, y'know, sitting there, waiting to be Incursioned.
The Sundered Empire looks like a good base for a Githyanki target. The more I poke around, the more I like it. The conceit that there is an even older, dead goddess hidden in the world makes Stratis' deicide more poignant and suggests alternate endings to the campaign besides "grab all the magic loot and win".
So, for my campaign's purposes, western Oerik was once part of Oerth, but when Stratis died, the gods broke that land free of Oerth, calving it off into a smaller (about the size of the real-world moon: 4400 miles from pole to equator), seperate Material Plane.
Thanks for this thread, folks.
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The Sundered Empire looks like a good base for a Githyanki target. The more I poke around, the more I like it. The conceit that there is an even older, dead goddess hidden in the world makes Stratis' deicide more poignant and suggests alternate endings to the campaign besides "grab all the magic loot and win".
You know, if the Sundered Empire could use another faction, the githyanki would be a great choice! Right in the middle of a battle between the Ravilla and Naresh's hordes, the red dragon-riding githyanki legions would swoop in and obliterate everything...cool.
You know, if the Sundered Empire could use another faction, the githyanki would be a great choice! Right in the middle of a battle between the Ravilla and Naresh's hordes, the red dragon-riding githyanki legions would swoop in and obliterate everything...cool.The Sundered Empire looks like a good base for a Githyanki target. The more I poke around, the more I like it. The conceit that there is an even older, dead goddess hidden in the world makes Stratis' deicide more poignant and suggests alternate endings to the campaign besides "grab all the magic loot and win".
This thread is just chock full of good ideas. Maybe it could be made part of the homebrew storyline!
Also, any luck on that underground synopsis...?
Ah, sorry about the extra time this has taken. Lots of stuff going on... But now I'm back to business here. It's interesting you should mention the gith races... here goes!
Beneath the feet of the Sundered Empire lies ancient Zarum, a place where the gith once thrived. However, they were attacked and enslaved by the mind flayer empire. The illithids dragged the gith to the Outer Planes. When the gith rebelled, they eventually fell into a pair of squabbling factions, the githyanki and the githzerai. Neither of the races ever returned to Zarum, settling instead into the Astral Plane and Limbo, respectively. The Zarumite cities have fallen into ruin, but they hold many secrets. The ancient galleries and cities of Zarum now form several battlefields for the Godwar. The River of Angry Souls and the bridge at Celestian's Gift are two of these newly rediscovered mysteries, but are swiftly becoming new battlefields in the Godwar.
The River of Angry Souls
The war against the mind flayers was intense and bloody. Thousands of gith warriors died in battle with the illithids, and thousands more were enslaved by the cruel mind flayers.
One group of gith attempted to escape the illithid slavers. They fled deep into the tunnels, but were finally caught between the mind flayers and a raging underground river.
Rather than facing the cruel torments of the illithids, the gith threw themselves into the river, desperately grasping at any chance of survival, of freedom. Some drowned, some died being smashed against rocks, and some were devoured by aquatic monstrosities.
The number of dead gith was so vast that their rotting corpses slowly changed the raging waters into a slow moving sludge. The outpouring of blood and souls transformed the river into something different entirely. It gained a strange sort of sentience. The river had become a repository for the cursed, angry souls of thousands of dead gith.
Most warriors of the Sundered Empire give the river a wide berth, but the priests of Nerull have become strangely fascinated with it. They throw captured enemies into the rive to see if the victims will be drawn into the screaming mass and subsumed.
Celestian's Gift
Celestian the Star-Wanderer sent a meteorite hurtling toward Oerth centuries ago. It blasted deep into the surface of Oerth, and despite its age has never cooled. The core of the meteor is said to contain a great gift from Celestian, though none can say exactly what it is. Some claim it holds the purest adamantine in the multiverse, others claim it holds deep philosophical truths or powerful magic. As of yet, none have claimed the secrets of Celestian's Gift.
Only one narrow natural bridge allows access to Celestian's Gift. The span is treacherous and certain death awaits any who fall over the sides. The meteor also has guardians. Some are easily identified creatures, such as beholders and other abberations, and others are horrors unknown to any but the Star-Wanderer.
Despite the formidable defenses of the meteor, several have tried to gain access to the meteor. The dwarves of Mordengard have made the most attempts by far, but all have been rebuffed. A famed elven wizard named Elyrion also attempted to gain access to Celestian's Gift, certain it was just the dwarves bash-and-hammer techniques that were the problem. He instead turned his intellect toward solving his dilemma. He was, however, carried off by a nameless winged monstrosity and never seen again. Lately, the bridge has become the place of numerous battles, as each faction desires the powers of Celestian's Gift for themselves. As one of the greatest mysteries and prizes in history, it is almost certain that claiming it will prove a great victory for whoever unlocks the secret. However, as the bodies pile up, some are beginning to think Celestian's Gift is actually a cruel and fiendish curse.
There are D&D rules for the River of Angry Souls and The Bridge to Celestian's Gift, as well as Chainmail rules which even work fairly well for the D&D minis game, which are also included. I'll put those up soon.
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Communist Dwarves...Lets get it right...they were a Commonwealth of Dwarves...Every one having that right to an equal share of the obligations and benifits of citizenship...including the requirement of 100% concensus on every act of Government, law, Constitution...
How I love your Bannana Republic...
D&D Challenges
River of Angry Souls: The gith souls are tormented by their condition. Those in the water must make a Will Save (DC 11) each round. The screams and howls of a thousand trapped souls attacks the mind of the person in the water. Those that fail the save take 1d6 points of temporary wisdom damage. While in the water, all creatures move half speed.
This makes a great adventure hook, especially for paladins, clerics of goodly gods, and good people in general. What good cleric could turn their backs on so many imprisoned, tormented souls?
Bridge to Celestian's Gift: This challenge is actually probably best used as the seed for an entire story arc. Characters can search for the true secret of Celestian's Gift. Is it a gate into the realm of the Star-Wanderer? Did Celestian even really send it (as opposed to some other deity)? Perhaps the meteor actually contains an extra-dimensional space far larger than it appears, ripe for exploration.
D&D Challenges
River of Angry Souls: The gith souls are tormented by their condition. Those in the water must make a Will Save (DC 11) each round. The screams and howls of a thousand trapped souls attacks the mind of the person in the water. Those that fail the save take 1d6 points of temporary wisdom damage. While in the water, all creatures move half speed.
This makes a great adventure hook, especially for paladins, clerics of goodly gods, and good people in general. What good cleric could turn their backs on so many imprisoned, tormented souls?Bridge to Celestian's Gift: This challenge is actually probably best used as the seed for an entire story arc. Characters can search for the true secret of Celestian's Gift. Is it a gate into the realm of the Star-Wanderer? Did Celestian even really send it (as opposed to some other deity)? Perhaps the meteor actually contains an extra-dimensional space far larger than it appears, ripe for exploration.
I have used both of these in my home Sundered Empire campaign. In the case of the River of Angry Souls, the players recently uncovered a plan by the Cult of the Red Scythe to harness the energy of all the trapped souls to perform some as of yet unknown ritual.
I borrowed a bit from the Planar Sphere quest in Baldur's Gate 2 in the case of Bridge to Celestian's Gift. The meteorite contains an extra-dimensional demiplane. The demiplane is filled with aberrations and warped creatures, cast out of Celestian's realm for defiance. The magic has deteriorated over the centuries, hence why the creatures were able to get free of the sphere for brief periods of time. Imagine the PC's surprise when they came across Elyrion, gone mad after several years trapped in the sphere, seeking a way to thwart the godly magic which had trapped him within.
It also occurs to me that the sudden appearance of the drow in the Sundered Empire is probably very shocking. The Vault of the Drow, where Venrit and Kilsek are from, is located in the Flanaess. The drow have only been a recent menace to the Flanaess (official timeline pegs it around 20-30 odd years, as I understand it), and have probably even more recently appeared in the Sundered Empire. This leaves great roleplaying opportunities for players and Dungeon Masters, as the drow would seem so alien, so debased, and unlike what most people have ever encountered.
Hokay, I'm back from the abyss and I've FINALLY got some information. This isn't complete- I need to do rundowns for Mordengard and Drazen's Horde. I hope to have those up soon, followed by my own take on what things are like 10 years after the start of the war.
A Brief Rundown of the Factions of the Sundered Empire for the Chainmail Campaign Setting.
I”m covering everybody save perhaps the Empire of Ravilla, as everyone knows by now I lack that particular issue. I’m also giving the super-condensed reader’s digest version and probably taking a few liberties- I apologize in advance.
Name: Ahmut’s Legion
Sobriquet (included this solely for laughs. I’ve been reading too much White Wolf): Dead Man Walking
Origin: Originally a human warlord that pushed his way deep into Ravilla with his barbarian army (with a cameo appearance by Stratis, the god of war), he waged a bloody war against the elven empire for years. He was a notorious reaver that was finally slain by elven assassins and buried where he lay. For an age he was little more than bones and dust, his name used to frighten elven children into staying in bed after dark, until the fateful day that the dying god of war cast his spear into his old sidekick’s grave. The weapon’s energy immediately returned him to life as a powerful free willed undead. Taking the spear for his own, he raised numerous skeletons and zombies and created a new army of the dead with which to raze western Oerik.
The Cult of Red Scythe- servants of Nerull, the Reaper of Life- heard rumors of this herald of undeath creature and originally sought to bring it to heel, but Ahmut was raised to rule, not to serve. He single-handedly slew their leadership and the remaining Red Scythe cultists bent the knee and now help to create and maintain undead troops without Ahmut having to call upon his spear.
Allies: Those that aid the Legion do so in secret. Worshippers of Nerull are executed upon being discovered in Thalos and some of the Free States. The worship of Nerull originally came about as a way of rebelling against Ravillian rule in times long past, and they remain widespread and clandestine throughout the land. Also, those who fall in battle against them are unwitting allies in a sense, as the Legion’s necromancers and cleric rarely let them stay dead for very long.
Enemies: Drazen’s Horde and the Nareshi Gnolls are Ahmut’s main concerns, although he would love to bring Ravilla to its knees once more.
Strengths: Ahmut is powerful even without the Spear of Stratis, and he need no longer use its necromantic abilities to raise the dead now that he has the Cult of the Red Scythe as his thralls. The Cult itself is also probably the best spy network in the Sundered Empire due to its age and insidious nature.
Weaknesses: The lack of living, rational minds makes parlay with any of the current factions unlikely, and even bitter foes will stand together against a foe that seeks to force all that yet live into eternal slavery in death.
Homebrew Options: One could say that Ahmut has already won in a sense, as he not only possesses the Spear of Stratis, but access to unlimited troops as well, provided he continues winning skirmishes. Former members of Drazen’s Horde and the Gnolls of Nareesh have already made appearances in his armies as undead creatures bound to his will, and it is likely that a concentrated attack on either one of these factions would result in him doubling or even tripling the size of his army. The Red Scythe could also go from an underground cult to an open religion, with one or more of the Free States falling to its influence, and Thalos being forced to fight a shadow war as Scythe assassins seek to eliminate its leadership.
However, the Legion has one glaring weakness- it is primarily composed of undead. Mordengardian Hammer Priests, Thalosi Paladins and Ravillian Clerics could come together in a temporary alliance to cut the legs out from under it. Another weakness could be Ahmut’s glaring ego- perhaps he finally offends Nerull by referring to himself as the new god of death or even starts a campaign to supplant him entirely. Such an obvious deus ex machina is highly unlikely, not to mention cheesy, but not impossible.
Name: Thalos
Sobriquet: Paladin and Pals
Origin: Pushed out of their ancestral home by what would eventually become the nation of Ravilla, the warrior-queen Almira lead her people in the search for a new home. Finding an island just off the coast that was overrun by kobolds, she lead her people to victory and founded Thalos. She created a system of government that united the barbarian tribes and created a standing army and small navy. War was right around the corner, as the elves decimated their fledgling navy and tried repeatedly to establish a beach head on the island. They found themselves pushed back into the sea each time, however, and while losses were serious on both sides, the elves were far from home and eventually lacked the raw material, manpower, and will to fight. Their retreat gave Thalos 50 years of peace, but then the kobolds rose to prominence again, attacking from their underground warrens. The Church of the Shield Mother carried the day for the human forces, organizing a defense and slaughtering the kobolds once more. Almira’s descendent, Queen Almira II, invited gnomes from the nearby mainland into the country, offering them full citizenship if they would but claim the kobold warrens for themselves. By the time Queen Almira III was on the throne, humans above and gnomes below ruled Thalos. Queen Almira XXI rules now, and has used the Godwar as a springboard for a crusade to retake their ancestral lands held by the elves.
Allies: Thalos has a thriving trade empire thanks to their rebuilt navy, and many of the Free States clamor for their favor. The dwarves of Mordengard would probably not balk at doing business with them either.
Enemies: Ahmut’s Legion raises the hackles of the more spiritual elements of the Thalosi forces, and while Drazen’s Horde and the Gnolls of Naresh are also hated enemies, the goal of their crusade is to wipe Ravilla off the map.
Strengths: Just like in any RPG, humans are well balanced. They have a powerful island nation with a strong navy at their backs, and a foothold on the mainland that cannot be undone. They have paladins, golems, and sorcerers in their forces- elite command, shock and support units respectively.
Weaknesses: Just like in any RPG, humans are a fractious people that lack a singular identity. Humans can be found in opposing factions in the miniatures game, which means in a tabletop setting treachery can be a serious problem. Their trade empire is naval-based and bad weather can prove catastrophic both to their coffers as well as those who fight on the mainland. Furthermore, their crusade is just that- a crusade- and thereby vulnerable to the loss of momentum and purpose should they be defeated one too many times. Finally, they have yet to obtain a weapon of Stratis, and are at a serious disadvantage should a warlord who possesses one take the field.
Homebrew Options: If Thalos were to absorb two or more of the Free States through diplomacy as opposed to force of arms, they could become an empire in their own right and would win the Godwar practically by default as they go from a Queendom to an Empire. Stratis’ weapons would be envied, but not required, as the Empress rams her forces down Ravilla’s throat. Furthermore, if they allied with one of the Free States and the People’s State of Mordengard, they could surround and crush the elves within less than a year.
However, complacency can be more detrimental to a crusade than all out defeat. If things go well for the Free States they could increase their influence, thereby making conflict aside from the Godwar becomes an uncommon sight for the Thalosi, the humans can grow just as lax as their elven predecessors did, possibly even losing their foothold on the mainland. It would not necessarily be the end of Thalos per se, but it would be a long, slow decline into impotence. Another possibility could be attack from within by sleeper cells of the Cult of the Red Scythe, who could have elements of Ahmut’s Legion simply walk to the island, bypassing their navy entirely.
Name: The House of Kilsek
Sobriquet: Drowapalooza
Origin: This fallen House was expelled from the Vault of the Drow as scapegoats following a civil war. They wandered for years as scavengers and pariahs, until an illithid ally helped them to plane shift to their new home of Kalan Geld. After taking the time to bring the semi-native kuo-toans to heel, the leader of the House, a drow matron named Venrit, began to train her remaining forces in earnest for the day that they would return to the Vault as conquerors. When molten drops of Stratis’ blood fell upon the earth they created a number of massive tunnels that lead deep into the ground- and just above Venrit’s head. Initially wary of the surface world as it gotten her exiled from the Vault in the first place, when news of the godwar reached her, she knew Lolth wanted her to wield one or more of the sacred weapons and bring the Vault to its knees.
Allies: Those that aid the drow do so unwittingly, as Venrit’s Nightshades are not only masters of disguise (self), but also misdirection, as their mistress prefers they make sure all they do look like someone else’s work. It is possible that Drazen’s Horde could become an ally something were to happen to Drazen himself, and at least one of the Free States could fall easily to drow treachery.
Enemies: The drow have yet to become major players in the godwar, but once they do, it is likely that the grey and wood elves will oppose their purple-skinned adversaries, as would the state of Mordengard (see Homebrew Options),
Strengths: As drow go, the House of Kilsek is unique- a house that stands on its own, free of the Byzantine politics that define those of the Vault. Venris reigns supreme, and her will is never questioned. They are in a unique location as well, deep under the earth, bordering every faction while being fenced in by none. They can field a force almost anywhere at anytime. The Nightshade prestige class is a great offensive weapon, and they make natural leaders for warbands that are going to the surface. The Bloodsister prestige class is an excellent defensive tool, and can also be used to lead shock troops o the rare occasion that the drow need to act overtly.
Weaknesses: Their uniqueness also has its flaws- as a House far removed from the Vault, they lack traditional drow cannon fodder to assist them, such as bugbears and other forms of goblinoids. Kuo toa and displacer beasts are potent allies, but the former is only truly useful in certain enviornments, and the latter is far too precious to be considered expendable. Each strike at the surface world must be carefully planned in order for her to keep from losing elite units, and an alliance of as little as two of the factions in the world above could put a premature end to Venrit’s ambitions.
Homebrew Options: Should Venrit’s situation improve, the drow could establish a permanent base on the surface world, probably in one of the Free States. Perhaps they could make an alliance with the sect of monks in the mountains, or utterly annihilate Ironfist (or vice versa), gaining the rank and file they so desperately need.
On the other hand, if Venrit’s situation takes a turn for the worst, she could have made an aggressive enemy of the dwarves of Mordengard, who engage her below, and the elves of Ravillla, who face her above. Her campaign would go from one of active combatant to passive observer, relying exclusively on her Nightshades to get information on (and eliminate key members of) the factions in the world above.
Name: The Free States
Sobriquet: The Fifth Food Group (for other factions, that is), The Other White Meat
Origin: Centuries ago, the Council of Ravilla, in a moment of epic self-serving politics, pulled back some of their western border to create the state of Govis, which was ostensibly a frontier for humans to settle and become citizens of the Empire of Ravilla. In reality, however, it was little more than a buffer state against the occasional disorganized attacks of savage humanoids from the south. Despite this cowardly convenience, there were many who accepted their offer, and as a puppet state, Govis flourished. Humans that settled there absorbed elven culture, and saw reflections of it in their government and military and educational systems, although precious few elves lived in the state itself. A little under a hundred years later, Thalos staged an invasion of Govis under the guise of a liberation movement to “throw off the elven yoke”. Although Govis’ standing military was no match for the Thalosi, they stood and fought bitterly, holding them off while waiting for support from Ravilla. Although they genuinely were fond of Govis and the issue was fiercely debated, in the end Ravilla decided they could not mobilize their forces in time to repel the invaders, and the puppet state fell to Thalos. Most elves that fled the war returned to Ravilla with heavy hearts, and many humans became Thalosi citizens out of anger, feeling betrayed by the elves, but there were refugees that did not trust either country. They instead settled the lands in between Govis and Ravilla- who had pulled their western border back even further to get some breathing room- and thereby created the very first of the Free States. One became many and more, as the number of individual buffer states between Govis-cum-Thalos and Ravilla waxed and waned over the years, solidifying only recently as regular clashes between Drazen’s Horde and Thalos helped to define a southern border for the Free States. The two largest Free States are Ironfist, lead by an ogre mage mercenary who realized he could make more money defending humans instead of killing them, and Fivestar, which was founded centuries ago by a human, half orc, elf, gnome and halfling and has each of these races on its surprisingly stable ruling council even today.
Allies: The Free States are a collection of mercenaries, allied with all and none at the same time. Fivestar is a notable exception to this, as they face regular hostility from Drazen’s Horde, and have a weak alliance with Thalos with an eye towards keeping the savage humanoids under control.
Enemies: The Free States are their own worst enemy, as treachery reigns supreme here. The assassination of key leaders is relatively commonplace in the more chaotic ‘States, which means a well-timed invasion could be a cakewalk.
Strengths: The Free States have a secret guardian in the Cult of the Return, a sect of monks that believe Stratis is still alive but in hiding as a test to the young races. They lead swift and debilitating strikes against any and all who would invade.
Weaknesses: Do you really have to ask? The Free States have no centralized government and no future in their current form. They will have to embrace change if they wish to survive at all, otherwise they will become grist for the mill of the more powerful factions.
Homebrew Options: Then again, fate is a fickle thing. Fivestar’s alliance with Thalos could expand to include trade, which would be lucrative for both sides. If Fivestar acts as Thalos’ intermediary to the rest of the Free States and not their vassal, they could become a power all their own. Ironfist could expand their protection racket to other Free States, and with Fivestar fivestars (pun intended) filling their coffers, the Free States could become a united, independent entity of moderate power.
In all probability, however, the Free States will be carved up and shared amongst the factions like cake at a birthday party. While Thalos stands to gain the most from the Free States, should Ravilla decide to try their hand at creating buffer states again, they may have an easier go of it by absorbing the Free States that are close to their western border.
Name: The Gnolls of Naresh
Sobriquet: Devil Dogs
Origin: Yeenoghu and Baphomet were once bosom buddies, working together to invade western Oerik. Beaten back by the elves, the gnolls fled to the western mountains and disappeared. Yeenoghu and Baphomet turned on each other in their defeat, waging war on each other through their children- gnolls and minotaurs respectively. The gnolls made a fighting retreat into a new land just behind the mountains they crossed to invade what would become Ravilla. It was populated by savage humanoids that they swiftly ingratiated themselves to, acting as mercenaries in the incessant wars they waged upon each other. Eventually the gnolls turned traitor and slaughtered their employers. They renamed the land Naresh, or “Far Home” in the gnoll tongue. Its first enemy would be the minotaurs that descended from the mountains with a vengeance, eager to claim victory in the name of their god. Although surprised, their superior knowledge of the forests at the foot of the mountain chain repelled the impending invasion, which was followed up by a bloody counterattack in which the Nareshi slaughtered the minotaurs in their underground home. After taking time out to repopulate following this war, they were on the march again with an eye on Ravilla once more. True to their guerilla gnollish nature, they waited until the elven nature was besieged by war on multiple fronts before attacking and taking a large hunk of their eastern forest for themselves. It was into this plum situation that the half demon Jangir was born. He was awarded Stratis’ flail not long after taking leadership.
Allies: Jangir has both lesser demons of the abyss and seasoned gnoll veterans at his beck and call, not to mention a powerful demonic patron.
Enemies: More or less everyone, but he reserves a special hatred for Ahmut’s Legion, which raises gnolls from the dead and ‘enhances’ them with multiple limbs and heads in a mockery of Yeenoghu’s form.
Strengths: Jangir is a triple threat- he has extraplanar and mundane troops in his armies, and the flail of Stratis is his own personal weapon. His army is loyal, disciplined, and would survive without him should he fall on the battlefield.
Weaknesses: The pack mentality of gnolls means that Jangir needs to watch his back moreso than most leaders. There will always be someone underneath him who thinks he can do a better job, even when things are going well for the faction.
Homebrew Options: This is perhaps one of the more powerful factions, as they have yet to face a debilitating defeat. Were they to continue to ride the tides of victory, they could probably cut a bloody swath from their lands through Ravilla, into one or more of the Free States and into Govis. It is unsure how long they would be able to hold on to this land, as their chaotic and evil natures drive them to conquer and destroy as opposed to settle and rule, but they could certainly redefine more than a few borders on their slog to the coast.
Then again, as stated above, gnolls have a pack mentality in which the leader must face constant scrutiny and challenge by ambitious underlings. It is unlikely that any assassination attempts would succeed, but should Jangir fall out of favor with Yeenoghu or simply be beaten and devoured by a particularly skillful (or lucky) cub, it could be months before the gnolls were ready to mobilize again.