12/16/2008

Priesthood of Rualt (Common Knowledge)

RUALT

Lesser Power:
Deity/Priest Alignments: NE/Any Evil
Portfolio: Ice, Cold, Frost
Requirements: WIS 12, CON 13
Weapons Allowed: All Bludgeoning and Ice Axe
Armor Allowed: Leather, Studded Leather, Hide, Chain and Shield
Magic Items Allowed: As Priest
Major Spheres: All, Animal, Combat, Divination, Elemental (no Fire), Healing, Necromantic, Protection, Weather
Minor Spheres: Creation, Guardian
Bonus PRO: Endurance, Direction Sense, Survival (Arctic)
Required PRO: Weather Sense, Axe weapon PRO
Clergy: Priests and Shamans
Turn Undead: Yes
Command Undead: Yes

RUALT (ROO-ALT)

The Power:
Rualt is the Goddess of Cold and Ice, emphasizing it’s destructive nature and fury. She is primarily worshipped out of fear and placated to hold off the depredations of harsh icy winters. Her worshippers consist of trappers, miners, and settlers in the northern lands, barbarians and anyone traveling through cold regions. Her clergy emphasize the power of the cold and pray for the day when the darkness never rises in the north and the long, cold nights last forever. Sometimes tribes of Frost Giants are led by priests or shamans in her service. Her ultimate goal is the eventual destruction of the world through blizzards, ice and snow, a cold and deadly end to beings who dishonor her by hailing the return of sun and heat each year. Her priests are cold, uncaring, deadly and evil, and enjoy using cold for trapping and destroying those who fail to give themselves over entirely to her worship.

The Ethos
All Azura should be covered by the bleak, beautiful cold and chill of white snow and ice. Darkness and cold are the natural state of things; heat and light are unnatural abominations in the order of life. Fire should be quenched; warmth should be extinguished; light should be darkened. Slay those who worship any of these three through any means, but first try to turn them to the dark and cold. If they show proper obedience they may live, accepting the dark and cold into their life.

The Clergy:
All Rualt’s clergy are women. Her clergy is made up of females who wear long white fur coats and little else…their powers keep the cold at bay. Before they reach second level they must learn to create an Ice Axe (as a hand axe, created by the spell Holy Symbol) which is formed from magically hardened ice and becomes their primary weapon and holy symbol. Such a weapon can only be destroyed by above freezing temperatures for extended periods, or magical heat (saves at +4 vs magical fire), and a priestess of Rualt must construct another before regaining any spells or powers.
When they are acolytes, they are forced to spend all night out nude in a blizzard, where they either perish due to exposure or are accepted to Rualt’s faith, where they no longer feel any cold ever again. Their prayers occur in private, where they maintain vigils in the snow all night to learn their spells. They have very few formal temples and shrines, as their priestesses mostly roam the northern lands and are sometimes found in the most remote and foreboding places. Priestesses of Rualt may never battle or attack each other directly; one who does loses all powers and spells. Often many priestesses cooperate and attack isolated towns or villages of unbelievers en masse, using their spells to bring down fierce weather and freeze every living thing as an offering to their goddess.
Rualt encourages cooperation between members of her priesthood and also looks favorably on the accumulation of earthly wealth, which can be used to buy large amounts of food, drink and supplies to support remote villages, towns and cities during the harsh winter months when trade is impossible due to weather conditions. These offerings (bribes) put the settlements in debt to the priestesses, who only ask the people to give thanks to Rualt in return for this support. Often such remote settlements reluctantly find themselves depending more and more on the largesse of Rualt’s priesthood, which leads to a shrine or temple being formed in that location. There are large mining and lumber towns in mountain locations that have huge congregations (over 1000 or so each) worshipping the cold goddess (the worshippers are too dependent on and too frightened of the priestesses to protest!) and some of these locations have elaborate churches built to her glory.
There is a group of female mages called The Frost Witches who worship Rualt and often dedicate new and deadly cold magic to her glory; these can be found in groups of 2-5 sometimes supporting places of worship or militant actions of the priesthood.

11/18/2008

Gods of Azura:Pantheon

GREATER POWERS

GOD ALIGN/WORSHIP AREA OF CONTROL
Faerel N/Any Nature, Druids
Inari LE/LE, NE Darkness, Death
Kazull CN/Any Battle, Strength
Lurell LG/Any Good Wisdom, Light, Truth
Lusyr LN/Any Except CE Magic
Mallorn LE/Any Evil Corpses, Undead, Decay
Nythiir NG/ Any good Health, Vitality, Healing
Taranthus LE/LE, NE Tyranny, Oppression, Slavery
Vistna N/Any Knowledge, Foresight, Div

INTERMEDIATE POWERS

GOD ALIGN/WORSHIP AREA OF CONTROL
Altreya NG/Any Good or N Creation, Sustenance, Growth
Attar CG/Any Good Enslaved, Oppressed
Bacaris CE/Any Evil Plague, Disease, Pestilence
Kos LE/Any Evil Black Magic, Necromancy
Ravana NE/Any Evil or N Lies, Deceit, Thieves
Savitar CE/CE, NE Avarice, Greed, Pirates
Sybaris CG/Any good Forests, Lakes, Rangers
Zot CN/Any Travel,Explorers, Shipwrecked

LESSER POWERS

GOD ALIGN/WORSHIP AREA OF CONTROL
Ibilis CE/Any Chaotic Disorder, Chaos
Kaerelle NG/ Any Good or N Ballads, Songs, Bards
Mitra (Celanil) CG/ Any Good or N Beauty, Love, Charm
Oro LN/Any Trade, Merchants, Wealth
Rhone LG/ LG, NG Loyalty, Service, Honor
Rualt NE/Any Evil Ice, Cold, Frost
Sirecius CN/Any Chaotic Sleep, Dreams, Fog, Mists
Surain CE/Any Evil Revenge, Retribution, Curse
Tharr N/Any Neutral Crafts, Shipbuilding, Work


ELEMENTAL GODS

GODS ALIGN/WORSHIP AREA OF CONTROL
Akadia N/Any Elemental Air
Grumbar N/Any Elemental Earth
Kalak N/Any Elemental Fire
Vizanya N/Any Elemental Water

OTHER GODS OF AZURA

DEMI-POWERS or Regional Gods

Note that Demi-Powers are religions that are either regional, are on the decline, or have sprung up in the last few centuries and haven’t yet acquired the worshipper base to become a Lesser Power. None of the Gods listed are powerful enough to have a highly organized priesthood or true religious center…all have no official titular head of the church. Many are little more than cults that are given minor priestly powers by weak, hidden or unconcerned Gods.

GODS ALIGN/WORSHIP AREA OF CONTROL
THE NORTH
Baleel CN/ Any Evil or N Destruction, Anger, Storms
Rurik CE/Any Barbarian War
Ulutua N/Any Cold, Ice, Freezing
Valka CG/Any non-evil Sailors, Ships, Winds

BEASTS:
Squerrik LE/Any Evil Wererats, Thievery, Disguise
Terros (LG) NE/Any Evil or N Evil Beasts, Beast Cults
Uthgardt (LG) NG/Any Good or N Good Beasts, Beast Cults
Raya CG/ Any GD or N Intelligent Beasts
Wyrm LE/Any Evil or N Dragons, Treasure
Beast Cults N/Any Unintelligent Beasts

JUNGLE KINGDOMS:
Axea N/Any War, Thunder, Rain
Ert N/Any Death, Underearth, Mines
Horus LG/Any GD or LE Sun, Rulership
Merci NG/Any GD or N Mothers, Childbirth, Growing
Shadow CE/Any Evil or N Shadows, Darkness, Fear
Seth (LG) CE/Any Evil Reptiles, Poison, Evil
Umgawa (LG) N/Any Creation, Life, Jungles



UNHUMAN GODS OF AZURA

These Gods consist of dieties worshipped by non-human races of Azura. Their priesthood’s count no humans among them, but several are very active in societies outside of mankind.

GODS ALIGN/WORSHIPERS AREA OF CONTROL
DWARVES:
Abbathor (IG) NE/Any Evil Dwarves Greed
*Britemantle (LG) CG/NG, CG Knowledge, Scholars
*Duathal (LG) NG/Any Non-Evil Dwarves Exploring, Wanderers
Dumathoin (IG) N/Any Dwarves Mining, Mountains
*Moradin (GG) LG/Any Non-Evil Dwarves Creation, Craftmanship
Silverbeard (IG) LG/LG Battle
Truesilver (IG) LG/Any GD Healing, safety
Vergadain (IG) N/Any Dwarves Wealth, Luck

ELVES:
Celanil (LG) CG/Any Non-Evil Love, Beauty, Art
Enoreth (IG) CG/CG, Any Non Evil Elves Knowledge
Faenya (IG) CG/CG, NG, CN, N Air, Weather, Ocean
*Ilesere (IG) CN/CG, CN Rogues
Kaerelle (LG) NG/Any N or Good Ballads, Songs, Bards
Larethian (GG) CG/Any Elves Magic, War
*Mestarine (LG) CN/Any Elves Outcasts
Thelandira (IG) LN/Wood Elves Forests, nature, Rangers
Vhaerun (LG) NE/Any evil Elves, Wood Elves Thievery, Hatred, Dark

GNOMES:
Earthcaller (IG) NG/NG, Non-Evil Gnomes Earth, Mines, Underdark
Glittergold (GG) LG/LG, Non-Evil Gnomes Protection, Gemcutting
Tharr (LG) N/Any Neutral Crafts, Shipbuilding
Urdlen (IG) CE/Any Evil Gnomes Greed, Blood
*Wanderer (IG) NG/NG, Non-Evil Gnomes Forests, Travel, Nature

HALFLINGS:
*Avoreen (IG) LG/LG, all Halfling Fighters War, Battles
*Brandobaris (LG) N/Any Halfling Thievery, adventuring
Oro (IG) LN/Any Trading, Merchants
Urogalan (DG) N/Evil Halflings Death, Torture
Yondalla (GG) LG/LG, Non-Evil Halflings Protection, Nature

Facts About the Gods:

My theory on the Gods of Azura is this: The Gods of Azura function within a belief system in that the more believers they have, the more powerful they are. God that fill small niches (for example, a God of Lost Things) are unknown on Azura….they perished during the Cataclysm when all their believers perished, since their power is so closely tied to their believers. The Gods that did survive subsumed many of the portfolios of these smaller, niche Gods, and now that they have their portfolio will never surrender it. Thus, the ranks of the Gods now on Azura will remain stable for hundreds of more years (i.e, the entire campaign). Demi-gods have only become active since the Cataclysm, because any before the Cataclysm perished or lost their worshippers. It can be assumed that many of the Demi-Gods now will someday acquire enough powers and worshippers in future centuries to become full Gods, but this is so far ahead in campaign terms (hundreds of years) that the DM or players won’t have to worry about it. With a stable, unchanging roster of Gods to choose from it makes playing priests easier for both DMs and players alike.
In Azura Gods cannot travel to the earth, nor can they send avatars, per “The Overlord’s Curse” they agreed to in imprisoning the Overlord. This eliminates any need for stats or powers when discussing the Gods, as they will never come into play. A God in Azura can be considered to be all-powerful and be able to accomplish whatever deed they wish…aka they are the DM! The only exceptions are the Overlord (imprisoned below the earth); Faerel, which is the spirit of the earth itself; Inari, who dwells on Azura’s second (dark) moon; and the elemental Gods. Even they would never intervene into world affairs and thus are safe from player characters wanting to duke it out with a God. Demi-Gods can walk the earth of Azura, but realistically most choose not to do this, why put themselves into harm’s way when they can live in another dimension and never be destroyed? Thus there does exist an outlet for a DM wanted to create his own religion; they can create a “cult” ruled by a demi-god, while not as powerful as a true god can grant spells and certain powers, but will not be widely worshipped or even known in some parts of Azura.
Planar travel is one way only: From the outer/inner planes to Azura, and no return once there except for death (which traps the planar being on it’s plane for a variable amount of time, typically 100 years or so). Thus, priests or mages of power, or magic items, can summon beings from beyond, but only at great cost. Planar beings can also be sent by the God themselves, realizing the mission is one-way the beings will accept their duty, but knowing that death brings the only return is a bitter pill for many. This covers not only Demons and Devils, but certain agents of good such as Ki-rin, Couatl, and Shedu, and all the Elemental beings. Part of the Overlord’s Curse, the Gods have prevented travel to other planes creating a “closed” world to prevent the sort of problems meddling prime beings inevitably get into when traveling where they don’t belong!

11/15/2008


THE CITY OF NORVIK

Situated on the flood plains of the Delimbyr River and built against the side of a low hill, Norvik is a small, walled community dominated by the small castle of the local duke. The city is sparsely inhabited but strategically located where the High Road crosses the Delimbyr River on the north side of the ford.

This self-styled city is a town of about 2000 folk. This number does not include soldiers, mercenaries, adventurers or merchants passing through….just permanent residents. The town is the largest center of civilization on the lower half of the Great Glacier, south of the Thunderspire Mountains. It is home to human craftsmen and merchants, and a handful of folk of other races. There are about 20 farming hamlets within a day’s walk of Norvik (15-20 miles), each of which is home to around five families. Each hamlet has a fortified building where the residents retreat in case of humanoid or barbarian raids. There are also isolated farms and a few estates of minor nobility. In all, about 2000 additional people depend on the Norvik market for goods they can’t make themselves. Norvik has three major geographical divisions. The first area is the town itself, which fills the western half of the walls. The second region is somewhat higher than the town and is known as the Commons, which is nothing more than a large pasture. The third area, located at the center of the Commons, is the castle of the Duke of Norvik. Much of the castle has been recently rebuilt by a family of dwarves, making it somewhat more majestic and splendid than might be expected of a town the size of Norvik.

Most of the town’s buildings are built on the low ground below the hill holding the castle. The area surrounding the castle is almost entirely given over to the Commons, where horses and cattle graze in times of siege or river floods. Most of the buildings are made of wood and thatch, but since dwarven families have brought their stone working skills to town a century ago, a number of people have built in stone. The duke, for instance, replaced the last wood in his castle with stone, the wall towers were rebuilt in stone, several important town buildings have been built or rebuilt in stone, and the protective walls that surround Norvik are all of stone. Most of the residences in the crowded living areas are still made of wood, and placement of these wooden structures is sometimes rearranged due to the occasional fire. Fortunately, proximity to the river allows the Watermen’s Guild to quench fires quickly.

Norvik gained its name from an incident reported to have occurred 400 years ago. A small merchant village had sprung up to trade with dwarves of the Thunderspire Mountains and tribes of uncivilized humans in the Dark Woods. One day while a dwarven delegation was in town to personally deliver a load of iron ore, a orcish tribe swept out of the forest to attack the enclave. Outnumbered 10 to 1, the allied dwarves and men fought bravely until help arrived, but nearly all were slain protecting the village and keeping the load of ore out of humanoid hands. When the battle was over, upwards of a thousand dead orcs were found strewn across the ruined and deserted countryside, but the people of the village and iron ore were safe. A consortium of merchant houses together decided to rebuild the village on the spot, only bigger, better protected with walls, catapults and ballista, and supported by mercenary troops paid for out of their own pockets. They named the town “Norvik” for the brave leader of the dwarves who fell protecting the shipment of ore and humans of the village (this also had the effect of honoring the dwarven clans, and in return the dwarven clans gave grudging respect for the humans who honored the dwarves so, a fact the Merchant Houses had counted on to help continue trade between the two races.)

After the Merchant Houses rebuilt the town, they divided up the riches of the north with each house having control over a particular export (lumber, furs, iron, gems, etc). At first several power plays caused discreet assassinations and mini-wars between noble houses over who really controlled what in town. Finally, the houses came together and agreed to appoint a “Duke” of Norvik that although ultimately answerable to them, would be independent enough to rule on territorial disputes among Houses, and would have no formal connection to any one house. A unanimous vote was required to choose one, and thus the Duke of Norvik was given nominal control over running the town and guilds. Things have gone smoothly ever since (for the most part). Over 50 years ago, a town council was formed to placate several annoyed merchants and city guildsmen who were upset they had no say in how the town was run. Although supposedly they have power to bring up issues to the Duke that he will give to the Merchant Houses for consideration, in reality they have very little power over how the town is run. This often leads to guerilla type protests that often result in actions being taken much more quickly than through the proper channels (such as all the Watermen not showing up for work one day, or all the taverns closing their door to visitors during the busy season, etc,). When this happens usually the Duke is able to get the Merchant Houses to quickly come to terms with the temperamental townspeople. So in Norvik three levels of power exists: On the lowest level, the townsfolk and through them the town council representatives; above them, the Duke who runs the town proper and reports to the Merchant Houses, who are at the top of the power pyramid. Although it seems unwieldy, this arrangement has worked well the last half century or so.

Another measure of power the Duke holds is in martial matters. The militia consists of every able bodied man in the city, and adventurers and visitors, by the charter of the Merchant Houses, can and have been deputized into helping protect the city during times of trouble. There are two other levels of military men in Norvik. The first is the Duke’s personal retinue and bodyguard, which numbers troops that are loyal to the Duke and paid for out of his pocket (the Merchant Houses used to pay this fee, but the Dagger line broke this tradition as they wanted men loyal to themselves and not to the Merchant Houses). Their main (and most of the time only) job is to protect the Duke and his family, and in times of trouble they concentrate on the defense of the castle proper. The second is a recent development, before the last orc horde attack a decade ago: the Merchant Houses have hired a permanent military force. The main force is based out of The League and is called The 3rd Company. “The Fist of the North”, as they are called in Norvik, fluctuate in number based on current conditions. In times of trouble (rumors of orc hordes, barbarian attacks, pirate raids, etc) the Company can swell to 1000 men, but most the time it consists of only a few hundred. Typically the men are rotated in and out of Norvik based on what type of contract they are signed, which is usually yearly. More and more over the years, locals have joined the 3rd Company for fame and fortune. The main loyalty of the 3rd Company is to the interests of the Merchant Houses, but obviously they are well paid to make sure any evil force is repulsed. Besides the last orc horde, the 3rd Company have served admirably in several conflicts with pirates, barbarians, humanoid invaders, and even once a small group of Frost Giants who attacked one of the outlying hamlets. Those giants were all slain, and since then there have been no incursions that deep into human lands by large humanoid forces, but the leaders of the 3rd Company realize a larger force of such creatures could decimate Norvik if accompanied by dragons or worse…

The militia, duke’s men and 3rd Company all answer to the Duke in protection of the town, and traditionally a man is appointed by the Duke to lead all three. At the time it is Llewyllen Longhand, who has had this job for many years.

The current duke, Peregrin Dagger, is the last in a long line of the Dagger family who have served the town as leader in this capacity (both his father, Powell, and his grandfather, Conan, were former Dukes of Norvik)

A lot of travelers stop in Norvik at one time or another, using it as a base to explore the whole north. Norvik strives to meet the demands of catering to adventurers, which both keeps its surrounding lands safe and keeps local merchants happy. But the primary purpose of the port town is the import and export of goods, and adventuring types should well remember this. Many times their main opportunities of employment will arise through the Merchant Houses and their needs.

Norvik is trying to be a busy metropolis, but it’s still basically a frontier area that lacks many of the advantages found in a big city. It is just not large enough, for instance, to support very many craftsmen. What’s more, some of the Norvik craftsmen aren’t quite as proficient in their chosen trade as their counterparts in larger communities.

Prices for simple items in Norvik are the same as those given in the PHB. More complex
items, such as crossbows or plate mail armor, are not normally manufactured locally. These items may be purchased from passing merchants, but the markup is considerable, typically 100%. EX A suit of plate mail, which normally costs 600 gp, costs 1,200 in Norvik, if it’s available at all. As a rule of thumb, any item costing more than 100 gp in the PHB costs double in Norvik. Most specialty items will have to be made to order at considerable cost.
There is not an alchemist per se residing in Norvik, but many of the higher level mages in town traffic in both potions and scrolls for sale. All potions are doubled in price when available, which is not often. Potions offered for sale are typically made in town by resident priests and mages. Rare components for spells are even rarer in Norvik and again cost more than usual. The only apothecary in town is a priest of the Nythiirian temple,
and his sales are part of the temple’s income.

What goods are available in Norvik? All types of clothing are for sale, although garments made of cotton or silk are high priced. Most clothing is made of wool, provided by local sheep, and leather. Items made of fur can easily be found due to the presence of many trappers and hunters selling their stock directly to buyers in town.

There are several blacksmiths in Norvik who can provide simple weapons, such as swords and axes, and household equipment. Should either weapons or armor be damaged, the local craftsmen can mend them. There is much mended finery and weaponry on the streets of Norvik, mostly dependable and reasonably priced.

Since Norvik residents largely live off the land, many farming and fishing products are available. Produce, vegetables, and meats are available in abundance at affordable prices. Animals are common in Norvik; animal care services and facilities abound.

Norvik is unusual in that unlike many towns, there are several empty residences available for rent or purchase very cheap. With the high mortality rate of the militia and troops, and the constant turning over of mercenaries, adventurers and merchants, many houses are empty at least part of the time. Anyone wanting to rent a house instead of the typical “room at the inn” can easily by accommodated. Prices range from 10 gp a month for a hovel to 100 gp a month for a nicely furnished house with several bedrooms.

Norvik is a frontier town, and thus “currency” is not always the most obvious item, i.e. coin. As a matter of fact, many items…including jewels/gems, furs, art items, and magic, are actually easier to trade/sell. Norvik jewelers are hired by the Merchant House of Gand to give them first crack at buying any unusual or unique gemstones. They are often in the market of these types of stones and adventurers coming out of the Thunderspire Mountains with sacks of gems will get their price more often than not. Likewise with interesting art or antique pieces coming from treasure hordes; most jewelry shops have forged alliances with Merchant Houses that are on the lookout for these sorts of items, and adventurers should have no problem finding a buyer. If they are able to gain the patronage of a noble house, prominent mages or priests, or the Duke himself, they can cut out the middle-men and get maximum profit for such items (this includes magical items of all sorts). Those trading such items as furs or clothing can likewise go directly to merchants who deal in these items for the best deals.

Unfortunately, those adventurers that ride into town with sacks of out of date gold, silver or copper coins (anything minted, say, over 100 years ago) will be forced to pay a fee to convert the coins into “current” currency before they can be spent in Norvik; such taxes usually run 10 percent of the worth of the coin. Anyone entering the town with out of date currency will be directed to the Moneychanger; they will be unable to spend the coin in an established business that is part of the town’s guilds until they do so. There are some merchants/innkeepers that might take money under the table; a tight relationship must be established because the penalties are severe for “fencing” gold this way: forfeiture of all gold and goods from the offending merchant, and the same from adventurers plus expulsion from the city. A second attempt will be considered treason and a death sentence will soon be on the head of the offender!

Another thing that must be considered is the power of the Merchant Houses. If a certain Merchant House loses a specific trade item or cargo due to hijack, theft, etc, it will be impossible to deal that item in Norvik without the original owner finding out. If this is the case, the Merchant House will contact the adventurers and offer a “finder’s fee”….this is typically 50-75% less than the actual worth of the merchandise. Unfortunately, the finders have little recourse than to sell the items back to the Merchant House; failure to do so will have the House petitioning the Duke to confiscate the stolen merchandise from the “thieves” who probably stole the cargo in the first place! (or so they will imply). Wise adventurers first contact a Merchant House upon locating plunder that is freshly stolen or easily traced, and before bringing it into town; often a reasonable “ransom” or “finder’s fee” can be negotiated when the adventurers have the upper hand of knowing the merchandise’s location (which is hopefully well hidden outside of town).


COMMON DETAILS AND LOCATIONS KNOWN ABOUT NORVIK:

1. Towers
The 30-foot-tall towers of Norvik are constructed of stone and firmly set on bedrock. They’re split up into three stories plus the roof on which watchers keep their lookout. Most of the area in the towers is used for storage of war gear. Off-duty militiamen often rest here.
2. Cisterns
These tall, stone structures are kept filled by the Watermen’s Guild. The water is used for the horses pastured on the Commons, as storage in case of siege or fire, and for other reasons of importance to the city council and duke.
3. Farmers’ Gate
This is the most commonly used of the city’s three gates as it’s the closest to the fields outside of town. It’s left open, except at night, and the captain of the gate must be called at those times to let in travelers. The gate is built into a broad tower and has just enough room for one farm cart to enter at a time. The gate is about 10 feet tall.
4. River’s Gate
This is the third of the city’s three gates and provides access to the Delimbiyr River and waterfront district. It’s normally open during the day and closed at night, especially during the flooding season. Like the Farmers’ Gate, there’s a tower built around it. It’s mainly used by water carriers who fetch river water for the town. What few wells there are in the town are normally kept untapped in case of siege.
5. Yellowknife’s Tower
When the mage Delfen Yellowknife came to Norvik several years ago, the north wall tower was under construction. He offered the town a large donation. and a promise of magical aid in exchange for the tower. Yellowknife has grown to love his adopted city, and he joined the militia in its defense. Over the many years he’s lived in Norvik, no one has had reason to question Delfen’s loyalty to Norvik or his mastery of spells.
The tower’s arrow ports are smaller than usual, since all they’re needed for is room to allow a mage clear sight for targeting spells. The windows facing in are larger, allowing Delfen to look out over the town when he desires. Like all the other towers, this one is three stories tall. The top story is Delfen’s living quarters. He teaches his apprentices on the second story, which also doubles as a dormitory for those students who live at the tower. The first story contains a stable for his riding mule and is used for general storage.
Delfen is an affable mage who is bearded, short, and increasingly stout. Delfen is an ex-adventurer and onetime resident of The League who retired to Norvik more than 15 years ago to pursue tutoring would-be mages and get away from the bustle of civilization. Passing adventurers have identified him as having a good reputation, but how he came to retire in Norvik is a question he’s never felt the need to answer. He is somewhat rare for a wizard: a willing, patient teacher of magic who takes on new apprentices and is easy about payment. He’s been known to cast a spell or two for hire, aiding adventurers and others with the gold to pay for his services. He says he has no need of money or adventures and just wishes to pass on his knowledge to whoever is interested, since wizards are rare in the north and their powers are often needed to combat evil here.
6. Ducal Castle
This is the home of the Duke of Norvik and his family. The castle is based on the first building in Norvik, but it has changed a lot since the old days. For a while, it was the only building, a simple wooden structure surrounded by a palisade fence. After it burned down during an orc raid, the duke rebuilt in stone. He created a three-story stone keep on the hillside and surrounded it with a two-story stone wall. After the orc raiders were hunted down and destroyed, the people of the castle began building outside the walls of the castle, eventually creating the town as it stands today. The ducal gate leads to the city and is always open. Inside the courtyard are the duke’s private parade grounds, a blacksmith shop, and a stables. The larder is well-stocked with preserved food, enough for a year’s siege. About 50 people live in the castle, and there’s enough room for 100 more. Most of the duke’s men-at-arms live in town, but his select guard lives in the keep. Duke Peregrin Dagger is a retired adventurer, as is his sister Bronwyn. Both act to defend the city if it falls under attack, and they remain behind and protect it when the militia and 3rd Company ride forth.
Another hero, Lord Llewellyn Longhand serves as the head of the military and marches with it when it leaves town. Although he’s been offered a residence within the castle, Lord Longhand keeps his own residence in town. At one point, Llewellyn was interested in ruling Norvik as its duke, but he has since settled in to serving as Norvik’s military leader instead. His connections with the Longhand trading coster (his brother runs the operation in Norvik), and his scheming nature (he’s much more devious than Dagger) make him an unlikely candidate to ever be chosen as Duke by the rival Merchant Houses. Bronwyn Dagger is the duke’s middle-aged sister. When she learned that she and her brother were probably never to return to The League, Bronwyn rebelled by having nothing to do with the politics of running Norvik and concentrated on becoming a mage. She developed a friendship with the court wizard, Gwydion, and became his student.
About eight years ago, Bronwyn disappeared for more than two years while she tried her hand at the adventuring life. Leaving a note for Gwydion explaining her absence, Bronwyn left town with an adventuring company known as the Iron Edge. She returned around five years ago with wealth of her own and a vast increase in magical ability. The Iron Edge companions still meet in Norvik every few years. Most of the company are now retired, living in various locations and strongholds across the north. Bronwyn busies herself with magical research, making potions and scrolls, and becoming better at her craft in case another orc horde attacks the city someday.

Duke Peregrin Dagger came into dukedom when his father died fighting the onslaught of the forces of an orc horde ten years ago. The council of merchant houses decided to pass the dukedom down to Peregrin to simplify the change in leadership.
Peregrin was only 25 years old and enjoying the adventuring life when his older brother, Merovy, died while adventuring in the Dark Forest. Duke Powell realized his sole remaining heir needed training in land rulership and recalled Peregrin back to Norvik to work for the Merchant houses. Peregrin chafed against this restriction of his adventuring life, but he saw the necessity and acceded to his father’s demands.
The sword Lawflame is the traditional sword of the Dukes of Norvik, dating back to the first duke, who was given it by Sir Floshin.

Gwydion is now an ancient human, probably 70 years old but appearing even older. While he retains the title of Court Wizard, Bronwyn manages the day-to-day magical affairs of Norvik, leaving the old wizard to his tomes and books.

7. Nythiir’s Temple
This is the largest religious center in Norvik, directly supported by the duke and his family, and it shares the hillside with the castle. Liana Sunmist (LG hm C10) leads worship of the God of Healing and lends magical aid to those in need. She is one of the only priests in town capable of casting a raise dead spell, and she can only cast it once a day. She never charges for this favor, but she has his own ideas about who gets raised first. Not surprisingly, the ducal household tops the list. After that, priests and worshippers of Nythiir, those who die in defense of the town (soldiers and militia members), and important NPCs whose well being contributes to the town stability and safety. As can be seen, itinerant adventurers are not high on this list. PCs who are not worshippers or priests of Nythiir must be prepared to contribute to the church with quests or donations to the needy to get his attention. Under no circumstances will she raise barbarians, orcs or half orcs, or evil people…there are too many worthy people before them that can be helped first. Liana will sell Holy Water (25 gp), Healing (100 gp) and Extra Healing (200 gp) potions to adventurers. Her “Adventurer’s Special” consists of a scroll with five Cure Light Wounds and a single Resist Cold and Slow Poison spell on it (at 10th level) for only 500 gp, and he has several of these available.
8. Stables
This is the general livery area for the entire town. The civilians, militia, and 3rd Company (sponsored by the Merchant Houses) all stable horses here. Each person stabling a horse is given a token used to reclaim the horse….horses can be reclaimed without the token, but it is a bureaucratic process unless the stablemen know the individual personally. If a token is lost, a gold piece or more as a bribe might get the unfortunate’s horse back.

38. Vistan Temple
This building is the only temple to Vistna in Norvik. At this time it’s only occupied by one low level priest (NG hm Pr5) named Jemer and a lone acolyte (NG gm 2nd), as the church has not yet decided who shall be appointed to permanently run the temple since the high priest died from old age several months ago (he died while on a trip back to Greystone Hold). The building’s interior is opulently decorated, with several rooms for traveling scholars, priest or worshippers of Vistna (the old priest had several friends in high places and was able to acquire several luxurious items as gifts). There is a small library here mostly consisting of books purchased from adventurers who found them in treasure hordes or abandoned holds or ruins (most of the documents held by the priesthood are at Kryptgarden, which the Vistnan priesthood also runs and owns). Many are written in dwarvish or gnomish, gifts from gnomish loremasters or dwarven priests in the Citadel. Jemer will gladly cast spells for adventurers for a fee (typical prices are 100 gp per level, his selection is below), as he doesn’t have access to the types of friends his superior had and thus is afraid of running low on funds, and can sell holy water or scrolls from his master’s stock (he specialized in low level protection spells such as Cure Disease, Cure Blindness, Remove Curse, Resist Cold, Resist Acid/Corrosion, Endure Cold, and Remove Fear, all at 12th level). There are at least a dozen of each scroll still to sell, so the Vistnan temple will no doubt survive until another priest can be found to lead the temple. Jemer charges 30 gp for holy water, and 300 gp a scroll

43. River Shining Tavern
This is the main entertainment center for the nobility who travel here and the major notables of Norvik. The duke and his sister have been known to eat here, and the main hall of the tavern doubles as the meeting room for the Council of Guilds. By choice, some townsfolk only see the inside when coming to council meetings.
The Delimbyr family took their name from the river and named the tavern after it, too. The River Shining Tavern is the longest established tavern still operating in Norvik and claims to date from the town’s founding almost 400 years ago. Certainly, the wooden building’s architectural style matches that of the oldest buildings in town. The first Delimbyr was a half-elf known as Kelven. He married a human woman and their children were human. Still, the family treasures its elven heritage and uses a forest motif throughout the tavern. This tavern is very nice and caters more to traveling merchants than common folk or soldiers. Only the most successful adventurers with too much gold to spend are welcomed at the River Shining Tavern, though no one is turned away as long as they have the gold for their drinks and meals (Meals: 1-5 gp, stout: 1 gp/tankard, wine: 10 gp/tall glass). The guest rooms in this two-story structure are generally available only to the most noble and influential patrons. The normal price for a room is 5 gp per day, but the rooms are large and can easily hold two with room to spare.

55. Moneychangers
This structure is home to the Moneychanger’s Bureau. It’s a massive, four-story building that looks like a bank vault. The doors and windows are reinforced, and the area is constantly patrolled by the militia and the constabulary. At any one time, 5 7th level or higher fighters are patrolling the inside of the building. They are all loyal soldiers who have been screened by spells (Detect Lie, Know Alignment, Detect Evil) as to their ability to resist temptation. Inside is the money used to run the town, pay the soldiers and mercenaries, and exchange currency.
Inside is the Duke’s official moneychanger. His job is to change any old currency (either found in treasure hoards, brought up from dwarven strongholds, or used by primitive folk) into newly minted coins from The League. This nets the city of Norvik a nice tidy “tax” that is pure profit; the usual exchange rate is 10 percent. Spending “old” currency inside Norvik is strictly forbidden, a fact which the moneychangers will inform anyone balking at the exchange tax. The old coinage is melted down into gold bars for ease in shipment to The League; often in hard times the Duke will give orders to “skim” a few bars for the town’s use; these will be used to trade for food, supplies or other necessary items.
The moneychanger is a priest of Oro that is very loyal to the Duke and the Merchant Houses.

57. Kryptgarden Scrolls
Acolytes of Vistna work here, storing, copying and scribing books and scrolls dealing with the history of the north. Their main collection consists of books, scrolls and writings found by adventurers and purchased by the Vistnan priesthood. There is a large section of dwarven writings as many of the ruins discovered and looted are old dwarven strongholds. There are even a very few orcish scribblings (orcs not being known for their writing skills). All in all, several thousand books and scrolls fill the bookshelves of this building. Guild scribes spend their days looking up documents for adventurers and sages (for a fee) and their evenings copying, archiving, organizing, and storing the books under their care. There is a ward on the whole building, making it and everything inside immune to fire and lighting of both magical and mundane origin. At any one time there are 2-5 1st level Vistna priests working here. Recently the high priest of Vistna in Norvik has died, and the temple is under uncertain leadership until a new one is appointed.

91. Norvik Inn
This is a down-and-dirty place to get a guaranteed restful night’s sleep. The walls are thick and covered with tapestries and wall rugs to blanket and absorb sounds. The large common room and bar has a giant potbellied stove with stacks of wood and coal which gives the place its dirty and oily look. The Inn itself consists of three floors (the top two have 20 rooms each, the ground floor has ten). The main hallway on the 2nd floor connects to a large locked door, which is the entrance to a connecting passageway leading to another locked door….the Tower for Rent (See #86)
The tavern is owned by Demetira Landscraper (NE Hf F2) who came to Norvik many years ago after leaving Greystone Hold under less than desirable circumstances. She is fabled to have dug a 1,000-foot path through solid rock in less than one year with her fingernails and bare hands to escape a prison in the Hold (where she is probably still wanted for some crime or other). She, however, lives elsewhere, preferring cleaner sleeping conditions. The Inn itself is, despite it’s grimy complexion, a well run and cheap establishment (1 gp a night for a double bed room) that also serves a breakfast and dinner every day (an extra 5 sp per person per day) and cheap wine and ale at night (7 cp a glass/mug, 3 sp a bottle). Stabling is also included for free if you buy the meals (otherwise 3 cp a day). (SEE #124)
The Provender:
Breakfast is typically a toasted loaf of bread and a beef and vegetable stew (whatever was left from the night before, with plenty of broth added). Dinner is a rotation of beef, mutton, and pork roast with gravy, greens in summer or potatoes in winter. Desert is a apple tart, which is the only exceptional dish at the Inn, being very sweet, tart and having a tasty crust. Drinks served include buttermilk, a weak red wine made locally, and a good, nutty local ale.

93. Llewellyn Longhand’s Residence
Lord Llewellyn the 60-year-old duke’s Master-at-Arms, has been a retainer of the Dukes of Norvik since the time of Duke Conan, who was the grandfather of the present Duke. He is one of the true movers and shakers in the town, being well entrenched in city politics his entire life. He knows where all the bodies are buried, figuratively and literally.
Duke Conan made the faithful Llewellyn Master-at-Arms for the duchy, an office he has dutifully fulfilled for 30 years. As such, he has both led the duke’s followers in the field and defended the castle while the duke was away. He currently enjoys his high status as a Banneret by having earned it with repeated use of his knightly sword. Sir Llewellyn was knighted at an early age by Duke Conan.

95. Faerel’s Shrine (Harvest House)
Maerovyna presides over this large, stone establishment which is also known as Harvest House. Not far from the Farmers’ Gate, she administers 14 druids between 1st and 5th level who are often traveling throughout the North ministering to the faithful. This shrine to Faerel is of great importance to all the farmers and ranchers of the Daggerford area, as the priests spend their time fulfilling the needs of the community, including blessing fields and researching new plants.

109. Abandoned House
This falling to ruin house once belonged to Samuel; after he left, it was allowed to be looted by locals, and eventually fell into disuse. Inside several merchants have dumped unsellable or ruined stock; it is a maze of boxes, barrels, and junk. A secret entrance in one corner leads to a old part of town that was swallowed by the earth during the last volcanic eruption a few hundred years ago; the Triad has a abandoned citadel down here. Imlik and his fellow Triad members sometimes meet here.

125. Thieves Brotherhood
Headquarters of the thieves’ guild, as it is (they are not very organized or have any sort of formal leadership in this city), this stone house stands two stories tall. It has a single, low doorway with two shallow steps and a few small, barred windows. Unknown to the general public, the guild makes use of all three of the vacant buildings in the Farmer’s Quarter (Locations 119, 131, and 139). They plan to continue using several of the floors for nefarious guild purposes until they’re sold. Imlik, a Triad member, is nominal head of all criminal activity in Norvik and anyone practicing thieving in Norvik would be well to seek out his approval.

144. Caravan Gate
This is the largest of the city’s three gates and is usually kept shut, opening only when a merchant caravan or company of entertainers is camped outside. There are two 24-foot towers flanking the gate with a walkway over the gate between them. The gate itself is 16-feet tall. The flanking towers have arrow slits covering the gate area on both stories.

145. Marketplace
This large, empty area is the site of the market which takes place every fiveday and tenday of each month. Farmers and small merchants bring their goods to the market and sell them from temporary booths. Recently, the booths have become more permanent, thanks to the installation of the drill field near the southern wall. Many of these booths would take a full day to dismantle. On a given day, the number of vendors changes; roll on

11/14/2008

Gods of Azura: Faerel (Druids)

FAEREL

GREATER POWER

Deity/Priest Alignments: N/NG or NE
Portfolio: Nature, Druids
Requirements: Wisdom 14, Intelligence 12
Weapons Allowed: Blowgun, Club, Dagger, Dart, Knife, Scimitar, Scythe, Sickle, Sling, Spear, Staff
Armor Allowed: Padded, Leather, Hide, Wooden, Bone, Shell, Non-metallic Shield
Magic Items Allowed: As Priest
Major Spheres: All, Animal, Healing, Plant, Sun, Weather
Minor Spheres: Elemental
Bonus PRO: Animal Lore, Herbalism, Survival (one type)
Required PRO: Weather Sense
Clergy: Druids, Shamans
Turn Undead: No/No
Command Undead: No/No

FAEREL (Fair-el)

The Power: Faerel is the neutral god of nature; the divine guardian of all natural plant and animal life. Although Faerel is an elven god (with gold, wood, and aquatic elf manifestations), she has many human followers as well. Priests of Faerel have a close relationship with the priests of Sybaris.

The Ethos: Faerelian priests, known as druids, believe themselves to be caretakers of the natural world in which they live. To them nothing is more perfect than the complex web of life which stretches throughout all Azura, and this relationship between the many animal and plant species of the world must be cultivated and nurtured. Druids are charged with protecting the wilderness from unnatural creatures and forces which seek to disrupt and destroy the intricate natural balance found therein.
Unlike other worlds where all druids are ‘true neutral’, Azuran druid’s must take a position on a human’s place in the natural cycle; a question which divides the Faerelian clergy into two opposing philosophical groups. A druid’s alignment is dependent on which faith he chooses to serve. Druids of the golden faith (refers to the gold elf manifestation of the god) believe humans to be just as much a part of the natural world as every other wilderness creature. A human’s need to supply himself with food and shelter is not unlike the basic instincts of every wilderness creature. As long as humans are capable of limiting their use of the wilderness to what they need to survive, gold druid’s believe there is no need for confrontation. The druid’s of this faith therefore believe that humans can and should try to live in harmony with their natural surroundings and the creatures within. All gold druids are neutral good in alignment.
Philosophically opposed to the gold druids are the wood druids (refers to the wood elf manifestation of the god) who believe humans to be an ever-present threat to the natural world. As proof, wood elves point out the many examples of the natural order being destroyed by expanding human civilizations and growing populations; such as cutting down forests for shelter and ships, slaughtering animals for food and sport, and cultivating plant life in an unnatural manner by using agricultural methods to grow abundant crops. As a result, wood druids are no less hesitant to stop a human from damaging the wilderness environment than they would be for an orc, goblin, or troll doing the same. Their disrespect of human life in relation to plant and animal life results in their neutral evil alignment.

The Clergy & Followers: Regardless of the druid’s philosophy he is only responsible to the will of Faerel and not to others of the faith, even if those druids are of a higher level. Only Faerel has the right to judge a druid’s actions. As a result, there is virtually no church organization to speak of. Azuran druids do not need to compete with higher level druids to move up in level and there are no limits or restrictions to the number of druids who can be of a particular level or who can reside in a certain region. Druids are not entitled to any of their usual special powers which are not specifically prescribed for specialty priests of Faerel.
Druids of any level can found a sacred grove which will serve as a temple to their god, although only a druid who establishes a grove and is of 7th or higher level will attract followers. The type of followers attracted to a druid (similar to the followers listed for Rangers) depends on which faith they follow. Both wood and gold druids attract lower level disciples, but wood druids tend to attract more faerie creatures as well. A greater percentage of a gold druid’s followers are demi-humans. Once a druid founds a sacred grove they rarely adventure beyond their locale, choosing instead to become permanent guardians of their wilderness area. The areas served by a druid can be of any size; from a corner of a small island to an entire archipelago. Before a druid settles down and establishes a sacred grove, he usually has spent his time wandering the wilderness as a nomadic crusader confronting wilderness threats while learning about the habitats of many different creatures and plants in regions throughout Azura. Druids have little need to venture into cities or towns.
Wood druids are almost always half elves, wood and gold elves and are commonly encountered in the southern half of Azura including the elven continent, the Southern Isles, the Azeirian Empire, and islands bordering the Memeyrian and Ivory Seas. Gold druids are mostly human, gold elf, and half elf and can be found almost anywhere in Azura, but are most common everywhere north of the Saerelian Sea in the west and the Linarian Sea in the east. Aquatic druids (refers to the aquatic elf manifestation of the god) are also known to exist in the undersea kingdoms of the elves.

Specialty Powers:

1st Level:
· Speak With Animals (2nd Priest) once daily for every other level of advancement (i.e. 1st=once, 3rd=twice, 5th=three time, etc.)
· The druid can accurately identify normal animals, plants and clean water while in natural terrain (i.e. outdoors).

3rd Level:
· Immune to any natural charm spells cast by any magical creature.
· The druid can Pass Without Trace as the spell whenever traveling over natural terrain (i.e. outdoors).

5th Level:
· Speak With Plants (4th Priest) once daily.
· The druid saves at +2 vs any cold, fire and electrical damage (natural or magical in nature).

7th Level:
· Shape-change into a reptile, bird, or mammal up to thrice daily with the druid only being able to use each form once each day. The form of any normal animal can be assumed as long as it is between S to L in size and is indigenous to a specific environment of which the druid has knowledge (usually the same as the druids Survival PRO skill). Upon assuming a new form, the druid heals 10%-60% of all damage he has suffered (round fractions down). The creature shape-changed into must be of normal proportions with it’s physical characteristics, which all become those of the druid. Any clothing and equipment of up to moderate encumbrance will also be shape-changed into the new form. Any protective spells or magic from worn Rings of Protection will continue to aid the transformed druid. Any of the druid’s specialty powers to converse with animals or plants may also be used in the new form.

FAEREL Specialty Spells:

1st Level: Beastmask
1st Level: Heal Plants
2nd Level: Animal Spy
2nd Level: Gift of Speech
2nd Level: Spear
3rd Level: Greenwood
3rd Level: Insect Ward
3rd Level: Invisibility To Animals ‘10
4th Level: Briartangle
4th Level: Thorn Spray
4th Level: Treeheart
5th Level: Control Giant Insect
5th Level: Mulch
6th Level: Ivy Siege
7th Level: Unwilling Wood

1ST LEVEL

Beastmask (Phantasm)
Sphere: Animal
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 12 hours
Casting Time: 4
Area of Effect: One Creature
Saving Throw: Neg

Beastmask may affect a single person or animal, or characters may cast it on themselves. It allows the subject to take on the illusory form of a single animal species, but only that species of animal can perceive the illusion. The subject may not assume an animal form more than twice or less than one quarter the character’s size.
The almost perfect illusion the spell creates deceives the animals sight, hearing, smell and touch. The animal believes the druid is that animal, while to humans, other races and other creatures the subject remains the same. Beastmask does not allow communication with the animal species, although it can be used with animal communication spells.
The material component is a miniature wooden mask carved to look like the animal.

Heal Plants (Alteration)
Sphere: Plant
Range: 0
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Instantaneous
Casting Time: 4
Area of Effect: 10 ft/lvl square or one creature
Saving Throw: None

This spell heals natural, non-monstrous living plants of up to man-size within the area of effect. All damage from fire, frost, cutting trampling, parasites, mold, fungus, or disease is cured. The spell purges all parasites and disease so that they cause no further damage. The spell does not heal large trees, does not restore growth that has actually been destroyed, nor does it counteract the effects of poor soil or lack of water. The spell affects plants growing in a square area of 10 feet per side per level of the caster (10x10 feet at 1st lvl, 20x20 feet at 2nd lvl, etc).
Alternatively, the druid can cast the spell and touch a single plant-like monster to heal it of 2-8 pts of damage. Touching such a creature---even green slime or yellow mold---to discharge the spell does the caster no harm.
The material component for the spell is the druid’s holy symbol.




2ND LEVEL

Animal Spy (Phantasm)
Sphere: Animal
Range: 10 yards
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 turn/2 lvls caster
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: One Animal
Saving Throw: None

Only a normal animal or a giant version of a normal animal species may become an animal spy. This spell enables the caster to share the animal’s senses---see through the animal’s eyes, hear with its ears, smell with it’s nose, and so on. The animal is completely unaware of the spell’s effect, unless the druid warns the beast before casting. Animal Spy grants no control over the creature, however, most casters will use it on a trained animal or one befriended via the Animal Friendship spell.
For the duration of the spell, the caster remains in a trance, unable to move or use human senses. Characters attacked while using the spell cannot feel injuries to their bodies. However, at the start of any round, the caster may choose to return the animal’s senses to the creature and resume control of the human body. The decision ends the spell immediately. The spell also ends if the animal travels more than 100 yards away per level of the caster.

Gift of Speech (En/Charm)
Sphere: Animal
Range: 10 yds/lvl
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 turn/lvl
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: One animal
Saving Throw: None

The gift of speech spell grants a normal animal (or a giant version of a normal animal) the ability to speak any one of the languages the caster knows, whichever the caster chooses, along with the ability to understand words and simple concepts expressed in that language. The affected animal's reactions do not change, nor does its Intelligence increase. The spell has no effect if cast on a creature with an Intelligence score of less than 1.
The material component is the priest's holy symbol.

Spear (Alteration)
Sphere: Plant
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 4 rounds+2 rd/lvl
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: One tree branch
Saving Throw: None

This spell transforms the still-living and still-attached branch of a tree into a stout magical wooden spear that the priest can easily remove from the tree and use in combat. A spear created by this spell gains a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls (2-7/2-9 pts of damage). This bonus increases by +1 at 5th and again at 10th level, to a maximum of +3. The caster must wield the spear. When the spell terminates, the branch reverts to its original form, but cannot be rejoined to the tree.
The material component of the spell is the tree branch.


3rd LEVEL

Greenwood (Alteration)
Sphere: Plant
Range: 10 yds/lvl
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 turn/lvl
Casting Time: 6
Area of Effect: 9 cubic ft + 1 cubic ft/lvl
Saving Throw: None

By means of this spell, the caster can temporarily make dead and withered trees appear living, green, and healthy. The caster can affect one plant (or object made from one), or a mass of plant material up to 9 cubic feet plus 1 cubic foot per level of the caster. Dead or bare trees, shrubs, or vines can be cloaked in leaves. Sufficient foliage appears to afford concealment for the caster, but not enough for an entangle spell.
Dry firewood becomes green enough that it does not light. If the wood is already alight, the flames die down to a thick, choking smoke in a cloud that lasts for one round per experience level of the caster. This cloud, which totally obscures vision beyond 2 feet, fills a volume 100 times that of the fire source, and covers a roughly spherical volume from ground level (it conforms to the shape of a confined area). A creature in the cloud must roll a successful saving throw vs. spell or suffer a -2 penalty to its attack rolls and Armor Class.
Dry, seasoned wood, such as a ship's mast, can be made to bend and snap under a strain like green wood. Rotten wood, such as an old bridge or ruin, usually collapses or becomes unsafe to carry any future load.
Damage to plants or wood suffered by being made "green" is permanent, but the wood otherwise reverts to its former state after the spell ends. In other words, if the greenwood spell is used to collapse an old bridge, the wood returns to its previous condition when the spell ends, but the bridge is still collapsed.
The material component is a leaf of holly.

Insect Ward (Abjuration)
Sphere: Animal
Range: 0
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 month/lvl
Casting Time: 1 turn
Area of Effect: Special
Saving Throw: None

The druid casts insect ward on special foci of the spell, a pair of rune-carved wooden stakes. The druid then plants one stake in the ground, walks up to 100 feet per level away, and plants the other stake. The spell forms an invisible barrier extending between the stakes along the path the druid walked. The barrier is 99% likely to cause a normal insect encountering it to turn and go in the opposite direction. If one or several barriers join to completely enclose an area, affected insects depart the area as well. Those insects trapped in the area become lethargic and slowly die off. While the spell remains, the warded area has only 1% of its normal insect population, which will affect the area's ecosystem as insects form a large portion of many creatures' diets. Details of this are left to the DM.
By means of the runes carved into the stakes, the druid determines what types of insects the spell excludes. This can be specific (for example, only mosquitoes and aphids) or general (for example, all plant-eaters, or all blood-drinkers). Giant insects are unaffected, as are magically summoned or controlled insects. The stakes radiate magic until the spell ends. If either stake is removed from the ground, even for a moment, the spell is broken.

Invisibility to Animals, ’10 Radius (Alteration)
Sphere: Animal
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 turn + 1 rd/lvl
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: 20 ft diameter sphere
Saving Throw: None

This spell renders all creatures within the area of effect at the instant of casting totally invisible with respect to normal animals (Intelligence under 6). This includes giant-sized animals, but it excludes any with magical abilities or powers. The affected creatures are able to walk amongst animals or pass through them as if they did not exist. The effect is broken for a recipient when that individual attacks.
The material component is holly.

4th LEVEL

Briartangle (Alteration)
Sphere: Plant
Range: 10 yds/lvl
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 rd/lvl
Casting Time: 7
Area of Effect: 10 ft radius + 10 ft/2 lvls
Saving Throw: ½

A briartangle spell causes living shrubbery or undergrowth of any type to be instantly changed to densely tangled briars of the thorniest sort, growing to 6 feet in height and increasing in horizontal volume to a radius of 10 feet plus 10 additional feet radius for every two levels of experience of the caster, rounded down (thus, a 7th-level priest would cause a briartangle of 40-foot radius).
Creatures can force their way through the briartangle readily, but the briars snag and halt missiles, thrown objects, or flying creatures within their confines. All creatures trapped within a briartangle when it forms - or those who enter it thereafter - suffer 1d4+2 points of piercing and scratching damage per round (or portion thereof) that they remain moving and in contact with the spell. Those clad in banded, scale, or plate mail have all damage reduced to 1d3 points per round. This reduced damage also applies to creatures made of rock or with skin of comparable hardness, but creatures with lesser armor, such as chain, take full damage, even if a shield is carried. Beings who do not move at all after the first round take only the damage from the first round of contact. In all cases, a successful saving throw vs. spell results in half damage (round up).
Spellcasting requiring a somatic component is impossible within a briartangle. If the owner is moving, clothing and exposed cloth, paper, or vellum items must save vs. acid once per round (or portion thereof) within the briartangle or they are rent and torn. Such items must make at least one item saving throw (for the initial round of contact). Magical items receive a +2 bonus to this saving throw.
Fire destroys a briartangle in a round (regardless of the size of its area of effect), but creatures within it take 2d6 points of fire damage and receive no saving throw against this damage. The area where a briartangle was cast radiates a faint dweomer for 1d4+2 turns after the spell has expired, and this after affect can be used to confuse creatures who are following a pass without trace trail by detecting the spell's dweomer.
A briartangle vanishes instantly if the caster so wills, but otherwise exists until the spell expires or is dispelled. When the briartangle ends, the affected plants revert to their former state.
The material components are mistletoe, a thorn from any plant, and a bud, petal, or leaf from a briar (wild rose).

Thorn Spray (Alteration)
Sphere: Plant
Range: 10 yds
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 round
Casting Time: 3
Area of Effect: 4 thornlike objects/lvl
Saving Throw: None

By means of this spell, a priest can cause barbs, spikes, thorns, spines, or nonmetallic darts, either naturally growing or magically created (in other words, by use of a spike growth, wall of thorns, or briar tangle spell), to spring with enough force to serve as missiles from his or her hand or from bushes or resting places within 10 yards of himself or herself. The thorns fly up to 120 yards within the round of casting and strike as many creatures as the priest wishes within the limits of the number of thorns able to be animated. The priest can direct the thorns in any combination at any living or non-living (a scroll, lantern, or wineskin) creatures that he or she can see. The priest can animate a maximum of four thorns per experience level.
The thorns strike only if a successful attack roll is made for each creature. The attack roll is made as though the thorns were directly wielded by the priest and at a +4 attack bonus in addition to any other applicable bonuses the priest might have; no range penalties apply. The thorns inflict 1 point of damage each. Sleep-venomed wooden darts are sometimes carried by priest (especially druids) who use this spell often.
The missiles of a thorn spray twist and turn in flight to follow moving creatures and avoid obstructions, and are fast enough to catch most birds on the wing. The thorn spray spell works underwater, but the priest has only normal attack rolls, and the range is reduced to 90 yards.
The material components are magical or natural barbs, spikes, thorns, spines, or nonmetallic darts that the priest animates.

Treeheart (Alteration)
Sphere: Plant
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 7
Area of Effect: 1 being and 1 tree
Saving Throw: None

Casting this spell creates a link between the caster or a touched being and a tree. The tree can be any distance from the spell recipient when the spell is cast and during its duration, so long as the spell recipient remains on the material plane.
At any time after the spell is cast, crushing the material component causes the spell to activate. For the next three rounds, any damage done to the spell recipient does not harm him, but instead affects the distant tree. The tree mystically becomes the target of all spells and the subject struck by all attacks. If the tree is dead before the spell is cast, the spell does not work, and the caster knows this, although the spell is lost. If the tree dies of the damage done to it during the treeheart spell, the linked being suffers a permanent loss of a hit point. The recipient of a treeheart spell does not regain hit points through rest until the tree is entirely healed because while it is injured, it receives the linked spell recipient’s naturally healed hit points. The spell recipient can be magically healed during this time, though. A being can be linked through treeheart to only one tree at a time and can only have one treeheart in affect at a time.
The material component is a tree leaf from the tree the spellcaster wants to be linked to.

5th LEVEL

Control Giant Insect (En/Charm)
Sphere: Animal
Range: 100 yds/lvl
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 turn + 1 rd/lvl
Casting Time: 7
Area of Effect: One giant insect
Saving Throw: Neg

This spell works on any giant or magically enlarged insect that fails a saving throw vs spell. Only one insect can be controlled per spell. The insect can be used as a steed by the caster or told to attack any enemies in the area. Because of the particular nature of the magic, which enables the caster to precisely control the insect from afar, the spell only lasts as long as the caster concentrates on controlling the insect...loss of concentration will cause the insect to revert to his true nature on the round following, which could lead to his attacking the controlling priest. An insect that has been released from this spell either willingly or inadvertently can be taken control of again with the casting of another Control Giant Insect.
An insect under the caster’s control can also be used for other tasks as needed. This involves the caster making movements that are imitated as precisely as possible by the insect (giving differing body types). Thus, a priest could force a beetle to follow a route, pull a lever, push chess pieces about on a board, and perform other complex tasks, to the limits its body allows.
The material component is a scale, piece of chitin, or body part of the same type of insect. This can be a dried husk or remnant, and can be from any size of related insect.

Mulch (Necromantic)
Sphere: Plant
Range: 5 feet/lvl
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 round
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: 10 cubic ft/lvl (90 cubic feet minimum)
Saving Throw: Special

This spell causes dead wood (such as a tree, shrub, door, or cottage wall) or once-living organic material (such as leather straps or rope) to rot away instantly. Carefully applied, this can make plate mail fall off a foe, free a bound captive, and so on. When used with less care, it can destroy clothing in a trace, cause weapons to fall off friendly warriors in all directions, and devastate gardens or stands of trees. The spell must affect a minimum of 90 cubic feet if the caster's level so allows; the spell's area of effect above this is increased at the caster's discretion, but limited by his or her experience level.
This spell instantly kills yellow musk creepers, violet fungi, and various harmful molds, but intelligent plant life receives a saving throw vs. spell at +5 to avoid death. Plant beings (such as shambling mounds and vegepygmies) successfully saving against a mulch spell suffer 5d4 points of damage instead.
This spell has no effect on living non-vegetable creatures. A dead body of any sort can be caused to rot away immediately, making Raise Dead impossible (Resurrection may still be attempted due to the victim's dust being present, unless scattered after the spell is cast).

6th LEVEL

Ivy Siege (En/Charm)
Sphere: Plant
Range: 90 yds
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 6 turns
Casting Time: 9
Area of Effect: One Building or similar structure
Saving Throw: Special

The ivy siege spell must be cast upon a stone or brick building constructed upon the earth; flying castles and the like remain unaffected. Immediately after casting, ivy begins to grow at a fantastic rate, climbing from the ground up the building's walls. At the end of one turn, the ivy has climbed the walls. At the end of the second turn, green creepers have covered the structure. On the third turn, the ivy has turned into a black-green and begins to squeeze the building.
Starting on the third turn and every turn thereafter, the building must make a saving throw against siege damage, as if attacked by a small catapult (see the DMG). Two cubic feet of the building crumbles away for each point by which the saving throw misses each turn. This cycle continues until the spell ends or the building is destroyed. The ivy rots away instantly when the spell ends.
A druid can cast only one ivy siege per building at a time. After the ivy has rotted away, the druid can cast the spell on the same building again. However, multiple druids can cast several ivy siege spells on the same building. In the case of a large interconnected series of buildings (like a castle), each casting affects only a single tower, keep, or wall segment, to a maximum of 1,000 cubic feet per level of the caster.
The material component is an ivy leaf.


7th LEVEL

Unwilling Wood (En/Charm)
Sphere: Plant
Range: 5 yds/lvl
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: 30 ft radius
Saving Throw: Special

A caster can transform one or more living creatures within a 30-foot radius into unwilling wood, causing them to sprout roots, branches, and leaves. The creatures become trees of a type native to the region and of the characters' age before the transformation. The spell works only if cast on beings occupying ground that could support a tree; recipients flying or suspended in water at the time of casting remain unaffected.
This spell can mutate a number of creatures equal in total Hit Dice (or levels) to the caster's level. If the area of effect holds a group of creatures with Hit Dice (or levels) totaling a number greater than the caster's experience level, the caster decides the order in which the creatures are affected. Unused Hit Dice or levels are lost. For example, a 14th-level druid casts unwilling wood into a target area containing a giant with 12 Hit Dice and two 3rd-level warriors. The druid can transform either the giant or two warriors, but not all three.
Each creature affected is allowed a saving throw vs. polymorph. The spell mutates all those failing their saving throw, along with any items they carry. A new tree has a height of 5 feet per level (or Hit Die) of the creature. The effect is permanent; a creature transformed into a tree ages as a tree and dies as a tree. However, affected beings retain awareness, memories, personality, and intelligence. Only damage severe enough to kill the tree can kill an unwilling wood creature. Tree-characters can return to normal if a spellcaster of greater level than the original caster uses Remove Curse. The original caster can release a transformed entity at will.
The material components are a bit of tree root and the caster's holy symbol.

Races of Azura: Dwarves

Dwarves

Dwarves of Azura are divided into 3 separate sub-races: Mountain Dwarves, White Dwarves (Derro), and Gray Dwarves (Duergar). Each sub-race has their own language. All dwarves have a life-span of 200-250 years. Due to the mountainous nature of the world’s many islands dwarves can be found most anywhere in Azura.
Unlike the elves, the Dwarven race of Azura is a flourishing one, as their future is full of hope. With only the race of Duergar and Derro to fight with for underground space and resources, in the last millennia their numbers have grown exponentially and their culture has entered a renaissance age of discovery and creation. Dwarven artisans are well known for the incredible statues and busts they create, and in the community being an artist is considered just as important as any other profession. While they dislike most other races except for gnomes (who they live with and share gods with), they are not gruff, rude or unruly towards either elves or man (they actually feel a bit sorry for elves, although they would never admit it, and have conceded the world above to humans as the best of several bad choices). They have other cultural quirks: there are no female dwarven leaders, adventurers or clerics (it is unheard of in their society for a dwarven female to leave the Clanhood; few dwarven females have ever been seen outside of a dwarven city). Dwarven females are housewives and mothers only, and rarely must deal with issues outside of home and hearth. Dwarves who leave the Clanhood to “adventure” are considered insane by “normal” dwarves and completely shunned, to the extent that they are not even allowed to worship Moradin and are “excommunicated” from the faith (since Moradin tells his children that above all they must serve clan, family and community). These outcasts have their own deity, the dwarven god of wanderers, and have been known to mock or ridicule any dwarves openly worshipping Moradin (leading to ugly scenes on many occasions in the surface world between exiles and representatives of one clanhold or another).

Although Dwarves are not overly rude or hostile to non-dwarves, they see no need to interact with elves and humans unless necessary, barely tolerate halflings, and detest humanoid races, Derro, and Duergar equally. Gnomes are the exception and often treated exceptionally well within a dwarven community. Although anti-social to some other races, dwarves are very social creatures within their own clans, and those privileged enough to see Dwarves interact within their own people are typically shocked at the kindness, love and friendship that is shown within their own family and the extended family of the clan. Unlike other fantasy worlds, on Azura dwarves are not a “dying” race, and have actually been growing in number since the devastating events that led up to and after the Destruction of Standing Stone (this includes Derro and Duergar also). Except for conflict with evil underdark races such as the Kuo Toa, Dwarves have expanded their communities in the last millennium with little opposition, and have seceded control of the surface world to humans while growing and consolidating themselves underground. Most dwarven cities are as large as their surface human counterparts and have been known to stretch miles underground. Unlike halflings or gnomes, dwarves are heavily hierarchal and are ruled by kings, and band together in large numbers either above or below ground in almost exclusively dwarven communities.
In dwarven history, nothing looms more important than three events. The first is the Cataclysm, which wiped out millions of dwarves across Azura and destroyed clans that had existed perhaps as long as the world itself. The scattering of dwarves afterwards were gathered and led by one of the greatest of Dwarven kings, Hammerstone, who followed a vision of Moradin to the location of Standing Stone, a gigantic mile high and wide cavern set upon a marble base many miles deep.
Many years later, the clans of dwarves gathered at Standing Stone fell prey to hubris, vanity and the lure of dark knowledge. A group of dwarven mages made a pact with dark powers and became the Derro. These villains secretly allied with the Duergar, (who had long been jealous of Standing Stone) who launched their armies in a gigantic attack on Standing Stone while the Derro worked their evil within with spells, felling the king and his family. In one long week over 1000 years ago Standing Stone fell to this treachery, and once again many dwarves wandered the underdark in seach of a home, pursued by the Derro-led Duergar forces. The Fall of Standing Stone is another seminal moment in Dwarven history, a lesson that even the most impregnable or strongest fortress or clan can be overcome by treachery.
The third greatest event is the founding of Mithral Hall. Escaping the fall of Standing Stone, the clans of refugees traveled many weeks and many miles, led by the dwarven hero Rockbeard (again guided by the visions of Moradin), and finally found another large cavern that was easily defensible. Here the refugees made a stand and turned back the Duergar, using exceptional mithral weapons and armor left in the cavern from a pre-Cataclysmic era lost to Dwarven history. After the enemies were defeated and turned back, mines of pure mithral were found and another dwarven civilization arose there, wiser, stronger and more humble than before. Rockbeard was made the king of Mithral Hall and the society he constructed allowed the dwarven community to divide and expand throughout the underdark hundreds of times in the last millennium.
Azuran dwarves are more magically attuned than dwarves in other fantasy worlds. Azuran Dwarves have the standard abilities of AD&D Dwarves with regards to CON saving throw bonuses and detecting natural phenomenon while underground. Azuran Dwarves receive a +1 to attack kobolds, orcs, troglodytes and Duergar (their deadliest underground enemies). When attacked by any creature over nine feet tall (including Ogres, Trolls, and Giants) these monsters must subtract -4 from their attack rolls because of the Dwarves small size and combat tactics against such large foes. Azuran Dwarves have infravision up to 60 feet in the dark.
Initially an Azuran Dwarf can speak his Dwarven Clan language, gnome, Deep Gnome and Duergar. Most also speak Underdark, a simple language known to most underground races that involves gestures as well as words. Dwarves do not automatically speak any surface languages, although most who live near a large city or settlement on the surface may have a smattering of the human tongue.

Mountain Dwarf: The Mountain Dwarves live in underground complexes near the surface, although some clans of Mountain Dwarves dwell farther down in the Underdark or deep within mountain ranges. Sometimes their towns or cities will expand beyond the underground and stretch out over the side of a mountain or a large hill. Large cities and towns of mountain dwarves are common on the northwestern islands of the barbarians, the rocky islands of the Shards, and atop the peaks of the Kasian islands. Smaller communities are scattered elsewhere throughout Azura.
Dwarven groups are typically made up of “clans”, which are similar to a town or city in surface terms. Each clan is made up of anywhere from ten to a hundred different dwarven families who choose to live and work together as a group. Most clans and their families can proudly trace their lineage back before the Cataclysm or the founding of Mithral Hall. The standing of each family in a clan is very important, as the oldest and most influential family will rule the clan. Rule is through heredity, always male, so certain clans have been ruled by the same dwarven families for almost two thousand years (since before the destruction of Standing Stone). When a ruling family dies out, there is seldom an easy or quick change of power, and often the resulting disagreements between houses can cause a clan war that lasts decades.
The surface world populated by men and elves has little appeal for the average mountain dwarf. Mountain dwarves do not particularly like to maintain close relationships with humans and elves, although they will aid these societies in times of crisis and will trade with them in times of peace. Dwarves ignore halflings, who they consider silly and frivolous. Dwarves have good relations with gnomes, who they often use as intermediaries between the other surface races. Dwarves hate Duergar and Derro above all other races, perhaps even the goblinoids, and will go out of their way to deal death and destruction to them. Dwarves are seldom found living in surface cities, which they view as shoddily built and squalid compared to the magnificence and sturdiness of a stone complex which could serve as a dwarf’s home for hundreds of years. In addition, even in a world dominated by oceans, mountain dwarves see the prospect of sea travel as repulsive especially when an underground route could be available. For these and other reasons, dwarves encountered outside their usual environment are rare and are usually outcasts of dwarven society or possessed of an unusually adventurous spirit.

White Dwarf: The white dwarves, also known as Derro, have scattered communities throughout Azura but are more common along the world’s southern islands. In particular, large clans are known to live in the extensive mountain range on the western edge of Saerelia where they have warred with neighboring elves for centuries. Derro clans usually live in caverns far enough underground to keep them from ever seeing sunlight, but they remain close enough to the surface to raid and pillage during the night. All Derro are neutral or chaotic evil.
The origins of Derro are pre-cataclysmic, but involve an offshoot of the Dwarven race that studied and was eventually corrupted by evil magic. Dwarves disdain the use of magic for this reason, as the racial enmity towards the evil Derro goes deep. Even Duergar dislike Derro, although on occasion they will trade with them or even hire out as mercenaries. Derro consider all other races, particularly Dwarves and Duergar, to be inferiors and used as needed for either experiments or slaves.

Gray Dwarf: The gray dwarves are almost unknown to most surface dwellers of Azura although their kingdoms wield great power and influence in the underworld. The majority of gray dwarves encountered underground are lawful or neutral evil, but good and neutrally aligned communities are not uncommon. Gray dwarves who are evil are also known as Duergar. The animosity between Duergar and Dwarves is legendary, and there are underground wars between clans that have been fought for centuries with no winner or loser. Duergar are an offshoot of Dwarves that chose to serve the Overlord, and Dwarves blame them for the destruction of their greatest city, Standing Stone.
Since the destruction of Standing Stone and the formal splitting of the Mountain Dwarf and Gray Dwarf communities, there is little contact between the two and almost always such contact results in battles. Duergar will on occasion deal with Derro, but dislike them due to their highly magical nature and will not ally or serve them for long.

Classes:
Dwarves can be a Fighter (Standard, Barbarian or Deep Ranger); a Priest of any Dwarven God (or an Earth or Fire Elementalist); or a Thief (Standard or Outcast). Dwarves may never be mages of any kind….Dwarven mages, if they exist, would be treated as Derro and killed on sight by other dwarves. The evil pact that gave the Derro magical powers has formed a deep aversion and hatred of all spellcasting when it concerns Dwarves, although there is evidence that pre-Cataclysm there may have been Dwarven mages of great power. A Dwarf may dual class in either Ftr/Priest or Ftr/Thief (although no Barbarian or Elementalist dual class is allowed).

Races of Azura: Halflings and Gnomes

Gnomes

There are three separate sub-races of gnomes on Azura: Deep Gnomes, Forest Gnomes and Rock Gnomes. Forest and rock gnomes speak the same basic language but with different dialects while the deep gnomes have a unique language all their own. The life span of all gnomes is between 150-200 years.
Gnomes are seen as an intermediary race on Azura. Because they maintain excellent relations with all other races (humans, dwarves, elves, halflings, and even half-orcs or other sub races) they often play the part of trader, peacemaker, or traveling salesman between communities. Gnomes, however, are not known as particularly sociable within their own race. Rarely are large gnomish communities formed, as the typical gnome is a intellectual seeker/teacher of knowledge, or a tireless worker on gems or rock, both lifestyles lending little time for socializing. Gnomes are fascinated by history and hoard knowledge and it’s many forms the way other races hoard gold or gems. Interestingly, gnomes in Azura form their most lasting friendships with like minded others of different races. It is not unusual to find a gnomish scholar teaching at a human university, or a gnomish smith working side by side with Dwarves in a clanhold smithy. Most gnomes tend to be loners that only maintain close relations within their own family unit and certain non-gnomish close friends. Their other close relationships are with burrowing creatures such as badgers, moles, rats and weasels, who often live in a home with a gnomish family and are treated more like companions than pets or watchdogs.

Some of the most powerful mages in Azura are gnomes, and they excel in any field of magic equally. Gnomes are the only race to get along with both elves (the elves respect their knowledge of history, especially relating to warfare) and halflings (the little folk amuse the gnomes, who are usually serious in all other aspects).Azuran gnomes have the standard AD&D magic resistance and ability to detect natural phenomenon underground. In battle gnomes add +1 to attack kobolds or goblins. When attacked by any creature over nine feet tall (including Ogres, Trolls, and Giants) these monsters must subtract -4 from their attack rolls because of the Gnomes small size and combat tactics against such large foes. Azuran Gnomes have infravision up to 60 feet in the dark.
Azuran Gnomes can speak both Gnomish and Dwarvish, and most can also speak either Halfling, Underdark, Deep Gnome or one of the surface languages. Most gnomes can also discern the meaning of the squeaks and noises of burrowing mammals like moles, badgers, weasels, rats, etc. Unlike traditional gnomes, Azuran gnomes mages are not limited to Illusionists, although that is the only variety they can specialize in.

Deep Gnomes: Deep gnomes dwell far underground and seldom have contact with surface-dwellers. Separated for the most part from their forest and rock gnome cousins, deep gnomes have developed a culture all their own in the underworld. Deep Gnomes are very reclusive and rarely reveal themselves, but they have been known to befriend Dwarven communities nearby.

Forest Gnomes: Forest gnomes live anywhere in Azura where dense woods can be found, choosing to isolate themselves from the world of men and monsters. They maintain friendly but distant contact with elves and other sub-races of gnomes. Forest gnomes consider themselves guardians of their woodlands and will defend their woods against whatever foe may threaten them. Forest gnomes, unlike their rock gnome cousins, are less knowledgable and more nature-oriented in their outlook. They are more primitive than their cousins, and generally shun cities and civilization. However, they also have an insatiable itch for historical things, and often a tribe of them can be found guarding (and sometimes inhabiting) ruins, gathering and protecting the knowledge and treasure within.

Rock Gnomes: Rock gnomes are common to virtually every region of Azura. Although their communities reside in rocky and wooded lands away from elven and human cities, rock gnomes maintain good relationships with these races. They also have close contact with their dwarven cousins allowing them to serve as intermediaries between them and other races. Rock gnomes are not uncommon in the cities of Azura often providing their services as merchants and traders. These gnomes are the ultimate adaptors; they co-exist with dwarves, and act as the scholars and teachers in dwarven communities. They also serve this purpose in large human communities on the surface, often serving as sages, historians, or librarians. Gnomes have an insatiable curiosity concerning the past, and will often join expeditions for the hope of learning a bit of historical knowledge (giving them great status in the gnomish community; the leaders are always the most intelligent and well-read, and they have no concept of a dynastic rulership by lineage). Gnomes are ever adaptable, worshipping dwarven, gnomish and human gods in equal measure, with no animosity between those of different religious beliefs. Gnomes seldom take gold or gems as payment for service: books, scrolls, and any sort of written history are considered payment far more valuable.

Halflings

On Azura there are two sub-races of halflings with one living in forested regions and the other in more mountainous ones. Forest halflings can reach 4’ in height while their mountain dwelling cousins are only 3’ tall, otherwise the two sub-races are similar physically. Relationships between the two are good with both sharing a similar halfling language with each having their own distinctive dialect. All halflings have a lifespan between 100-125 years.
Halflings in Azura are a nomadic race, seldom forming their own communities but instead living on the fringes of human, elvish, dwarven or gnomish society. Due to their wandering lifestyles they are treated little better than gypsies in most civilized societies. When they do form a community, it is typically an extended family of 20-30 members who form a small village of burrowed out cottages in the wilderness; or when in a city/town setting often they all live in one building and work in one halfling owned inn or shop. It is not unknown for an entire community of halflings to suddenly uproot themselves and move the entire group to another city or hillside with very little notice. As such, most Azurans will look upon individual halflings with suspicion and dislike until they prove themselves, as it is felt they cannot be relied on or trusted to finish a task or job. Since many halflings drift towards the edges of society and specialize in rogue activities, this furthers suspicion.
Thus, Halflings are basically gypsies, and perceived as such by all other races. They have no permanent homes (no “hobbitowns”), tend to travel in large groups and settle on the outskirts of a community, then make themselves unwanted by stealing and grifting from the populace and then packing up one night and disappearing, leaving an unholy mess where their camp was...despoiling nature and civilized society both. They are distrusted by all other races (no one, for example, will swear an oath with or trust a promise from a halfling) and have adapted by becoming a race of glorious vagabonds. Halflings are often sailors, because this allows them to travel and escape unfortunate situations quickly, and some of the most feared pirate captains in Azura are halfling rogues (with a large complement of bloodthirsty family members making up most of the crew).
Azuran Halflings have the standard AD&D bonuses for magical spells and poisons. They are able to speak halfling and sometimes a human language, although many can also speak Dwarvish, Elvish, or Gnomish depending on where they live and what races they associate with on Azura.

Forest Halfling: Forest halflings enjoy living in harmony with nature and they always dwell in woodland areas. They shun cities and sea travel. Forest halflings have close relationships with wood and gold elves and their communities are often found near elven lands, particularly those of Saerelia, Mimeyria, Telara and more rarely on the islands of the Weyrith League. Very few forest halflings are encountered outside the southwestern region of Azura.
Forest halflings tend towards a “traveler” type lifestyle, vagabonding with their large extended family across a continent or isle, stealing and grifting all the way. They will travel in large caravans of perhaps 20-50 halflings, going by pony drawn wagons to wilderness spots, avoiding large civilization centers. While they will inhabit the outskirts of cities, they dislike most large cities, and will do everything possible to avoid sea travel. Surprisingly, they respect (and fear) elves enough to avoid despoiling their lands and stealing from them. Humans, dwarves, gnomes and humanoid races are fair game for their thieving lifestyle.
Forest halflings do not have infravision and gain their surprise bonus only when in a woodland setting. They are also expert archers resulting in a +2 to hit when using a bow.

Mountain Halfling: Mountain halflings are more common than their forest cousins and can be found in all regions of Azura. They tend to build their communities wherever gnomes and dwarves are common. In addition they have no reservations about living alongside humans in cities and towns and do not share the forest halfling’s fear of sea travel. All halfling pirates and sailors are mountain halflings, and some of the most feared rogues on the sea are halflings (many having all halfling crews!). While more belligerent, violent and adventurous than their forest-living cousins, they also tend to drift to the seedier side of life. Many run confidence and investment scams when they are in port, trusting they will be far away at sea before their marks discover they have been fleeced. Another quirk of mountain halflings is their love of seafood, particularly crustaceans (shrimp, crab, or lobster) which they cook up in huge soups and gumbos. They consider most beef and fowl nauseating.
Mountain halflings have 30’ infravision and can use their surprise bonus only when in rocky terrain. They do not possess their forest cousin’s ability with bows but do receive a +1 to hit when using thrown weapons and slings.

About Me

"Badmike" is a DM of 30 years experience and a frequent poster on The Acaeum.