Subject: Althainon in a nut shell
From: hook (hook@u.washington.edu)
Date: Tue Aug 24 1999 - 12:40:15 EEST
My desc of Althainon is nearing completion and i have attached below. I
hope to get the rest done by tomorrow.
Darshan: You should probably read this. I have put some thought into how
the lands of Nin'calaris and Althainon relate.
One idea is to leave Althainon fundamentally the way i have written it
and have orcs cross to Nin'calaris without Althainon resistance thus
keeping to your original ideas of orc and Nin'calaris war but on a
smaller scale.
Another idea would to delete what i have written on the Abhorrence
forest, Jarpin, and Brearon and leave those description to you minus any
Althainion inhabitance keeping them to the north and leaving the path
open for orc Nin'calaris wars.
You might have better ideas so tell me what you think
joshua
hook@u.washington
ALTHAINON
Althainon is a region located on the southern portion of Majik's second
largest continent Eldiron. Life in Althainon is dictated by the extreme
seasonal changes brought on by its vicinity to the volcanos of
Tragothar. In the summer and spring months (The Sedise season) it is a
lush green paradise with grassy plains flower covered hills and lush
forests. In the winter and fall (the Antrok season.) all vegetation
dies, becomes dormant or literally walks away and the land turns into a
desolate waste of ash ruled by marauding orcs. Western Althainon borders
the smoldering wastes of Tragothar. To the north it borders Areon and
the Lamarhen lakes. Several islands in the lakes are considered part of
Althainon. To the west is the region of Nin'calaris. The south is
bordered by the Sea of flames. In the south of Althainon is forest land
with a small group of short mountains, the east is mostly ash year
around. The central area are plains rolling hills and a nicely sized
river that dumps into the azure lakes. Also in the central plain are the
Floating Islands, 30 or so large gravity defying land masses that
levitate 200 meters from the ground, circling the central plains region
of Althainon in a clock like yearly migration. In the north near the
coast are forests and marsh lowlands. The primary inhabitance of
Althainon are the Althainion people who toil in the plains during the
pleasant Sedise season (spring and summer) then flee east during the ash
driven storms of Antrok (winter and fall).
CLIMATE
Althainon's climate is controlled by the volcanic activity of
Tragothar. Luckily for the inhabitants it is somewhat predictable (This
can be be done in two ways. Either the winds blow west taking the ash
away during the summer and spring or the eruptions of the volcanoes only
occur during certain months.). The cycle is as follows during Antrok
(Winter and Fall) the land is dead and the sky dark with rare cloud
breaks. Surprisingly the temperature is actually hotter during these
months by about 5 degrees caused by the hot, ash heavy, air coming from
Tragothar. Drastic differences in temperature between Tragothar and the
Lamarhen lakes create massive storms during these months. Tornados,
torrential black rain and hurricane strength winds are common.
The summer and spring months are mild and sunny. During these months
the average temperature stays at a pleasant 72 degrees Fahrenheit (yeah,
i know this needs to be converted to Celsius) and a cool sweet smelling
breeze comes from The Lamarhen lakes and blows west towards the
hellscape of Tragothar. These conditions are by no means completely
constant the lengths of the two seasons are variable some years the
black clouds come late or not at all and in still others the westerly
winds do not blow and take the black storms away keeping Althainon black
all year long. in approximately One in 6 seasons the climate seems to do
one of the above.
FLORA
Athainon's plant life is constricted by a six month growth period. What
it lacks in time it makes up for in quantity. The soil of Athainon is
rich with volcanic ash and a high water table. Whole fruit barring
Pipple trees grow 4 meters tall in these short months. In fact the local
inhabitance have forged a agricultural wonder out of this abundance. It
is said that enough food is grown in Athainon to feed all of Eldiron.
Every year hundreds of ships sail down the Black Tear River laden with
pipple fruit vegetables and grain sailing to all the ports connected to
the Lamarhen lakes some even sail as far as the southern shores of the
continent Minartan. Caravans bring the sweet Pipple fruit to the winter
trade center at the western edge of the Desert of Ghalimcar to trade
with the Brahjians.
Generally during the Antrok (winter and fall) months almost all plant
life decays and dies.54 One exemption are the Eldik Oaks that actually
migrate eastward to the western boarder of Nin'calaris. They are still
brainless plants but from the huge energy stores they generate each year
and specially adapted internal biological mechanisms able to uproot
themselves and "walk" westward in the fall and eastward in the spring.
They loose much of their mass during this migration upwards of fifty
percent from leaf shedding, broken limbs, sugar metabolism and water
loss. Other trees such as the ones making up the Forest of Abhorrence
shed there leaves and become dormant.
Pipples are a fruit similar to oranges and other citrus fruit except
they are red and oblong. Their peel is a little tougher as well. The
plant itself is a fast growing tree that gets about 12 feet tall bears
fruit then dies but its roots do survive and will grow again the
following year. The Althainion people have domesticated this plant and
cultivate orchards that grow and disappear each year.
FAUNA
Generally speaking large animal life in Althainon is rare. There is of
course the normal array of bugs, snakes, small rodents, lizards and
birds, none being supernatural or exceptionally poisonous. Although
mosquitos and gnats can be annoying along the River of Black Tears and
in the northern lowlands by Adremas. In the Forest of Abhorrence Larger
animals do exist such as monkeys larger weasels and predatory birds like
owls and eagles, but during the ashen black season all these creatures
either hibernate or migrate (birds). The only creatures that wander the
wastes at this time are rats, lizards, cockroaches and orcs.
GEOGRAPHY
RIVER OF BLACK TEARS
Also called Harums' Tears. Local folklore has it that when the god
Harum first saw Tragothar he stood on the plains of Althainon and wept
black tears of joy at the sight. Those tears became the waters of the
River of Black Tears. Whether this is true or not is unknown. The river
does run black however stained by the black ashen soil that is deposited
in huge amount from the volcanos of Tragothar. The head waters actually
begin at the small mountain range in the south of Althainon and travel
through the Forest of Abhorrence but mostly in small streams or under
ground. It does not become a full navigable river until about the center
of the Althainon plain. It moves in a generally northern direction to
the Lamarhen Lakes passing by the city of Sadok. Fish and freshwater
crustaceans do live in river dissipate the heavy black ash sediment.
Aquatic life is not abundant though and little fishing is done along its
banks. The Althainions leave that to fisherman along the coast and
concentrate on farming
FOREST OF ABHORRENCE
So named because of a great battle that waged here over a century ago.
It was a year in which the black ash storms did not break and the
westerly winds did not blow. Orc attacks were heavy and the city of
Sadok had fallen. An army of Althainions converged here and met the Orc
hoards. The battle lasted for six full months and casualties where very
high on boths sides but the Althainions gained victory. After the orcs
had been pushed back to Tragothar and the black storms had recided The
forest was renamed The Forest of Abhorrence to signify the Althainions
hatred of Orcs.
FLOATING ISLANDS
If there is a set of world wonders on Eldiron these are high on the
list. Floating above the plains of Althainon are exactly 31 chunks of
rock that migrate along a precise counterclockwise elliptical path. In
early spring they reach castle Theamar and in early fall fly over the
city of Sadok. Most of the islands are small only a dozen meters across,
but four of them are exeptionaly large being between a hundred to five
hundred meters in diameter. They all float roughly 200 meters in the air
in a random formation covering roughly 10 square kilometers of air
space. They are solely possessed and inhabited by the Althainions who
use them for food storage to weather in during Antrok, to escape orc
raids and to retake Castle Theamar in the early spring when needed. The
four larger ones have citadels built atop of them giving protection for
archers, the smaller ones used as scouting positions to spot orc bands
off on the horizon. It is common knowledge among the Althainions to know
where each of 31 islands are at all times all being taught as children
with mathematical presition. Large stone slabs set by the Althainions
pock the plains marking the Islands path. Their migration used by the
people to set crop calendar. The origin of the islands is unknown.
Attempts have been made to change their path but all have failed often
in the destruction of the mucked island.
LAKE NARAK
It is right near the north eastern border of Althainon other then that
there is just a bunch of orcs.
CITIES
ADREMAS
Adremas is on the northern most border of Althainon. It is located in
the center of a marsh and most of the buildings are constructed upon
stilts. Because it is in a marsh many iron and steel smiths (Does steel
exist in Majik?) reside here collecting the ore deposits that accumulate
in the lowlands. They make weapons plows nails horse shoes axes etc.
Many build up large supplies of iron work during the winter to sell in
Baor during Sedise (Spring and Summer). The city also supports a small
fishing community and merchants come to buy agricultural goods produced
in Althainon. Most of the residance do not consider themselves
Althainion though but are Areons. It is mentioned here because about
five hundred Althainions spend Antrok (fall and Winter) here. The
population is rughly two thousand not including the seasonal
Althainions.
BREARON
Brearon is also not an Althainion town but is property of Nin'calaris.
About three hundred Althainions winter here mostly in tent towns across
the river from Brearon. Also nearby a hundred Althainion Woodsman hold
permanent residence in the Abhorrence Forest and often come here to
trade goods. About seven hundred people live in Brearon not including
the Althainions
BAOR
Boar is not a permanent city it is a seasonal one. During the Antrok
season (winter and fall) it is completely abandoned. The inhabitants
either migrate north up the River of Black Tears to Sadok and other
small villages along the coasts of the Lamarhen lakes or seek refuge, in
The Floating Islands. During the Sedise season Baor becomes a bustling
trade center. Farmers from all around the Althainon plains region come
to sell their produce. Traders from Nin'calaris come to sell farming
goods and weapons. Smiths who weather in Adremas set up shop here
bringing iron goods and repair horse shoes, swords, and plows. Woodsmen
from the Forest of Abhorrence sell bows, fire wood, and other crafts.
Some even try their hand at farming. The city is in essence a seasonal
tent market. When the last leaves have begun to fall it is empty of all
human life. During the fall and winter months it is picked through by
Orcs who camp there and destroy any human remnants. The peak population
of Baor reaches about 10,000 humans during mid summer although well over
a third of which are not native Althainions, and consist of traders
merchants and suicidal adventurers traveling to their graves in
Tragothar.
JARPIN
The city of Jarpin is wedged between the Lamarhen Lakes coast and just
on the Althainion side of the Nin'calaris border. It sits upon a high
cliff that overlooks the lakes with the only small path for a half a
mile in each direction that leads down to the water. At the waters level
the city has built several docks for merchant and fishing ships as well
as a few tunnels into the cliff walls in which some people live and do
business. Although most residents here do not share the Althainion
migrant farmer, bow slinging, life style of their plains brethren they
consider themselves to be Althainions. This arises partly because of the
some two hundred farmers who spend Antrok here but mostly from their
shared hatred of orcs who have been know to siege Jarpin on their winter
raids. There live approximately 6000 humans here including the 200 who
winter here.
SADOK
Sadok is located at a bend along the River of Black Tears roughly
midway between Baor, where the river begins, and the Lamarhen lakes
where it ends. It is a well fortified city having two thick ten meter
tall walls encircling it and strong concrete towers that ring the city
about a kilometer out from it . The towers are used as outposts to spot
orc bands. If orcs are spoted large bondfires are lit atop the towers to
alarm the city. The area of the city is small for its population.
Private estates are none existant, housing consitiong of multilevel
apartments with shops at street level. Building materials for the
dwellings consists of stone, concrete bricks and some wood but the later
is rarly used to protect against orc fire storm attacks. Everyyear just
before the begining of Sedise a huge fetival is held within the city
called Enantrokfest. The fetival lasts for two days durring which all
nonAlthainions are closed from the city and a new mayor is elected. All
able bodied residebts participate in the election by gathering in the
center of the city and stand next to the the candidate they choose, a
simple head count is conducted and whom ever has the most supporters
wins the mayorship for a year. The population of Sadok fluctuates
through the year. During Antrok mostly only Anthainons reside here
keeping the population at roughly 7500. Durring Sedise it vurtualy
emties of Althainions dropiong the population of Althainons to 2000 but
a large influx of traders murchents, and ship crews raises the
populatuion to 5000. Althainion property is often rented out to the
visitors at this time. Outside the city about 3 kilometers to the west
Althainions have placed dozens of severed orc heads impailed open 4
meter tall poles as a warning to any orc bands who travel nearby.
CASTLE THEAMAR
"Abandon all hope ye who pass this point." Castle Theamar is the last
human settlement before entering Tragothar. When adventures go to meet
their doom in the western lands of Eldiron they will stop here for
provisions and information. It's construction is ancient and has existed
before any elf or dragon alive can remember. It is also indestructible.
It is said that the Gods themselves could not tear down it's black
smooth walls. This is however probably not true. They either don't care
or its existence purely amuses them. Though the gods have never tried to
harm the castle mortals have and none have ever left a scratch. The
structure itself is 100 meters tall and 18 meters wide at its base. It
is divided into eight 10 meter high tiers each one becomes smaller as it
gets higher. Each tier is self contained and defensible.
During the Antrok season (winter and fall) between 100 to 200 brave
warriors (i.e. lunatics) stay in the castle and defend it against orcs.
Most years they survive the onslaught giving up maybe half of the tiers
and a quarter of the men before Sedise (spring and summer) and the
return of the Floating Islands at which point the orcs retreat from the
arrows that fall on them from above. This is not always the case though,
every ten years or so the orcs do take the castle but usually give it up
in the Sadise season.
PEOPLE
ALTHAINIONS -Humans
1. Introduction
2. Appearance
3. History
4. Culture
4.1 Food & Trade
4.2 Phylosophy and Temperment
4.3 Military
4.4 Law and Order
4.5 Woodsmen and Druids
5. Religion
6. Language
7. Althainon
8. Role-playing
1. Introduction
Althainions are foolhardy, reckless, talented and hardworking. They are
constantly on the move either running to plant crops on the fertile
plains of central Althainon in the spring and summer or running from the
harsh weather and onslaught of orc hoards that comes in fall and winter.
They are similar in ancestry to most of the humans on Eldiron (this can
change i don't know how ancestry of this continent will work) They have
dark hair brown to black eyes although red hair does show up especially
among those living in the Forest of Abhorrence and across the river from
Brearon.
Althainions are ruled by the changing seasons of Althainon. During the
Sedise (Summer and Spring) they grow enormous quantities of crops on the
rich soil of the plains from the banks of the Black Tear River to Castle
Theamar. Then when the wind changes and black ash clouds set in they
pack up and flee to winter on the shores of the Lamarhen lakes and
within the well fortified city of Sadok. At which time they hold
extravagant feasts and engage in a mortal game of cat and mouse with the
invading Orcs that pour into Althainon with the Black storms of Antrok.
2. Appearance
Althainions generally appear unkempt with grubby faces, tangled hair
and dusty wrecked cloths. In the Antrok season (winter and fall) they do
clean them selves up a bit, bathing mostly and lame attempts at keeping
there cloths and hair tidy. Their tastes in clothing generally is
utilitarian in look and fashion. Both men and women wear thick pants
heavy shoes and plain long sleeve shirts or ponchos<--(there has to be a
better name for this). At festivals, though, women have been known to
wear dresses but these are usually reserved for the young and unwed.
Their physique is gangly and awkward having lean well muscled arms and
large strong calloused hands from plowing and harvesting. They are also
always with bow and arrows. Items that never leave their sight.
3. History
The Althainon people arrived to there now home land some 400 years ago.
They are closely related to the people of Areon and in fact slowly
migrated from that land as they addapted to Althainon's harsh
conditions. Most of how they lived has remained unchanged exept for
some refinements to living in the harsh enviornment they call home.
War have played an important part in shaping Althainion history. They
have been at constant war with the orcs of Tragothar; the most recent
large scale war occured about 100 years ago when a great leader unified
the Orc tribes and set off to conqure all of western Eldiron. Through an
ueasy aliance with Nin'calaris, Thasia and the peoples of Areon they
where able to push back the Orcs. Many cultural prescidents where set
from this war. The most striking were the incorperation of women apon
the battle feild, the habitation of the Abhorance Forest by Althainions,
heavier fortification of Sadok and the Floating Islands, and continued
year long occupation of Castle Theamar along with a more binding
political military agreements with the Areon people. In the past there
has also been conflicts with the people of Nin'calaris. Mostly border
disputes and scremishes with Nin'calaris malitia who travel into
Althainon in pusute of escaped slaves or Orc who yearly raid portions of
Nin'calaris. There has also been desputes when woodsmen cross over into
Brearon and free slaves from their Nin'calaris masters.
4. Culture
Althainion culture is shaped by the land they live upon. They are wild
like the seasons that wreck the land and rebirth it again each year.
They live to the fullest be it in work or play and have a tentative
respect for nature and weather that is similar to how a seaman views the
Ocean.
Common life of Althainions is a wild binge and purge of activities
between hard work and leisure. In the Sedise season (spring and summer)
they rush madly to the Althainon central plains to sow their crops. At
this time they work hard often 18 to 20 hours a day. Then in late Sadise
they harvest what is left pack up and leave often with enough food to
last three years. They haul it on rafts, put it on mules and stack full
the graneries atop the Floating Islands. Most spend the Antrok months in
the walled city of Sadok but others winter on the coast, in the Lamarhen
islands, in the Forest of Abhorrence and atop the Floating Islands. Then
the feasts and festivals begin. Althainions are renouned for finding
reasons to celebrate. They have parties, post-harvest fests,
pre-planting fests, weddings, Orc raiding calebrations both befor and
after, coming of age parties for young men and women even for funnerals.
They drink eat and spend the large sums of wealth which they accumulate
from trading their crops.
Althainions are plaged by war brought by the orc who invade Althainon
year round. Though this is more prominent during the Antrok season,
which the Althainions avoid by migrating, it remains a constant threat.
A threat that has forged the Althainons into some of the best archers in
all of Majik. It is said that any Althainion child of twelve can shoot
the wings off a butterfly 300 meters away. They teach the leasons of war
to their children at a young age and regard it as an unpleasent necesity
for survival. These wars have faustered a deep hatred of orcs and few
things please an Althainion more then to watch the death throes of an
arrow filled orc.
4.1 Food and Trade
The abundance of food produced during the Sedise (spring and summer)
season make Althainions some of the most well fed humans in all of
Majik. Huge stores of grain and fruit preserves are kept by them for the
Antrok season. Enough to feed them even in years when Antrok season does
not end. With the great aboundace of food they make a good sums of money
through trade. Most trading in Althainon accures at Baor durring the
Sedise season. Hundreds of ships, caravans, craftsmen and merchents
converge there to buy Althainion grown crops and to sell goods to
Athainions. The crops are usually sold for cheap becouse of the sheer
quantity produced but goods sales are fair the Nin'calaris usually kept
honest by the competition of tradesmen and craftsmen from Adremas and
the Lamarhen lake Islands. Little trade accures in the city of Sadok.
There is some exchange of luxuary good for festivals and the purchase of
fish livestock and woolen goods but generaly not as as much for another
city of its size. The city of Jaspin has fishing and trade to support
itself. The Althainion Woodsmen from the Forest of Abhorrence produce
bows and arrows, the bow strings made from the guts of orcs, plow and ax
handles and other crafts which they sell at Baor along with fire wood.
4.2 Philosophy and Temperment
Althainions are simple, strait froward, loyal and honest. They act how
they feel and think. If they are angry they show it, if happy they
dance. Deceit is none existant among them. A common saying among them is
"No lying thief has ever lead a richer or happier life then any honest
man I ever heard of." They have a deep respect for the land they toil
upon and share that respect among thier brethren. Community among the
Althainions is a neccesity to servival. They are genouruse to one
another almost to a fault; riches and possessesions are seen as next to
nothing when compared to the freindship and loyalty they bestow upon
each other. It is not uncommon for a family to give up half their crop
earning to neibors who fall apon hard times. As stated above
Althainions show their emotions. This leads to the view that they are
very hot tempered. It is not uncommon to see Althainions screeming at
the top of their lungs at one another. Although disagreements are common
they never end in blood shed only in red faces and some shoveing and are
resolved with an even hand and quikly forgotten. Althainions are feircly
loyal. An indescretion against one Althainion is against all
Althainions. Sword play in a tavern against an Althainion often leads to
a quick death to any outsider.
4.3 Military
Formal Oginization of arms does not exist among the Althainions.
Instead more of an organic cordination accures when the time is needed.
Every Althainion knows basic statagy and war tactics along with
exeptional archery skills all which is taught at an early age. It is
said that a bow is placed in an Althainion childs' hands, both boys and
girls, before they can walk. Althainions are the best human achers in
all of Majik if not the best piriod. They are accurate at a full run
while fireing at targets behind them. In Sedrok archers apon the city
ramparts and along the outer towers have range targeted, with leg fired
bows, as far as a kilometer out and kill orcs by the dozens each year
before the orcs even see who is fireing apon them.
4.4 Law and Order
N/A
4.5 Woodsmen and Druids
(agriculture life during summer and spring during winter get kind of
cabin feverish. HArd working honest in Ad&d terms they are chaotic good
. detest orcs. Exceptional archers best human archers in the world if
not the best period. They put a bow in a boy/girls hand before they can
walk. They are accurate at full run shooting at target behind them. Are
accurate on horse back etc.
5. Religion
(worship some sort of nature/agriculture god and probably another for
archery and strategic skill in battle)
6. Language
N/A
7. Althainon
Althainon is a region located on the southern portion of Majik's second
largest continent Eldiron. Life in Althainon is dictated by the extreme
seasonal changes brought on by its vicinity to the volcanos of
Tragothar. In the summer and spring months (The Sedise season) it is a
lush green paradise with grassy plains flower covered hills and lush
forests. In the winter and fall (the Antrok season.) all vegetation
dies, becomes dormant or literally walks away and the land becomes a
desolate waste of ash ruled by marauding orcs. Western Althainon borders
the smoldering wastes of Tragothar. To the north it borders Areon and
the Lamarhen lakes. Several islands in the lakes are considered part of
Althainon. To the west is the region of Nin'calaris. The south is
bordered by the Sea of flames. In the south of Athainon is forest land
with a small group of short mountains the east is mostly ash year
around. The central area are plains rolling hills and a nicely sized
river that dumps into the azure lakes. Also in the central plain are 30
or so Floating islands, large gravity defying land masses that levitate
200 meters from the ground, circling the central plains region of
Althainon in a clock like yearly migration. In the north near the coast
are marsh lowlands. The primary inhabitance of Althainon are the
Althainion people who toil in the plains during the pleasant Sedice
season(spring and summer) then flee to east during the ash driven storms
of Antok (winter and fall).
8. Role-playing
N/A
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