World flavor, fluff and background

[Anastasia]

This is for flavor pieces of all sorts. Enjoy and feel free to ask questions in the nagging topic.

[Anastasia]

In the world of Valia there is a continent known as Galast. In the center of this continent are vast forestlands, unknown to most. Far to the east are human lands, to the west are elven kingdoms and to the south are orcish hordes. This is a long empty middle ground known as the Vastwoods.

Over the past century or so, it has become a frontier. At first orc outcasts drifted to the southern reaches of the Vastwoods, taking up farming and survival over raiding and open warfare. Soon enough elves came from the west, both to expand and to watch their hated racial rivals. In a handful of decades the humans began to come from the east, adventurers, settlers and those seeking their fortune on the frontier of the known human world. Above them all in the great forest canopy are the raptorians. They ignore the landbound races below them and live isolated lives unknown to any but themselves.

Orcs

The orcs of the Vastwood are aberrant by orcish standards. With few targets for banditry and pillaging, the outcast orcs have taken to the ways of civilization. They have made a grand city for themselves - a rolling, massive city closer to an overgrown farm camp with ideas stolen from elven and human cities - and have adapted to life in the Vastwoods. They are generally shunned by the other orcs, save for the occasional outcast exiled to them. They are still not above the occasional raid. Despite this, some orc farmsteads have learned to get along with human settlements - and even the rare elven and orcish farmstead have come to informal agreements.

Orcs in the Vastwood have ability score modifiers of +4 Strength, -2 Wisdom and -2 Charisma. Many of the outcasts were intelligent and questioned orcish traditions, resulting in their banishment. Further, having to adapt to a new lifestyle has encouraged greater mental ability within the outcasts orcs. Likewise, orcs from the Vastwood do not suffer from light sensitivity. The shade of most of the canopy has allowed them to slowly adapt to brighter light.

Elves

Elves from the Vastwood are a mix of settlers and trained agents instructed to keep an eye on the orcs. The Vastwood is sufficiently distant from the elven lands that taking steps to eliminate the orcs is not realistic. They are typical elves, masters of woodcraft with a sense of natural superiority over other races. Due to the isolated nature of the various elven farmsteads and settlements, many have fallen into trading with humans as much as other elves. This has lead to uncommon closeness between certain elven and human settlements on a case by case basis - including the natural conclusion of that, half elves. More interestingly, certain extremely isolated elven and orcish settlements have managed to do the unthinkable; they've managed to get along.

Elves in the Vastwood are as written in the SRD.

Humans

Humans in the Vastwood are rugged frontiersmen, hopeful adventurers and dream seekers. The reasons for each human there vary, but three reasons predominate. The first is that several of the more powerful kingdoms want to keep an eye on the elves and orcs. The second is that while there is ample good land and resources in the human lands, one can always find more elsewhere. The final reasons is that over the past decade or so, a sect of the Newmen have taken to moving here to escape persecution. The humans tend to get along with both the elves and orcs, as long as neither side is causing trouble. The humans have also made an effort to make contact with the raptorians, but efforts so far have failed.

Humans in the Vastwood are as written in the SRD.

Half-Orc

Half-Orcs are misfit children that come from human and orc relations. Half-orcs do relatively better in the Vastwoods than other locations. Due to the relatively peaceful mixing of the races, fewer half-orc children are the results of tragedy. Many have a normal life in isolated farmsteads or settlements. Half-Orcs are accepted by orcs as long as they're useful and by humans depending on the situation and location. Half-orcs tend to adventurers, the orcish desire for violence and human wanderlust smoothly melding together. Elves have little use for half-orcs and the other two races are generally accepting.

Half-Orcs have ability score modifiers of Strength+2 and Charisma-2.

Half-Elves

Half-Elves are the result of human and elves intermixing. They fit into the Vastwoods as much as anywhere else - namely, they tend not to feel that they fit in. As a result they take on wanderings and adventuring. A large amount of the bards in the Vastwoods are half-elves, who naturally cleave to the profession.

Half-Elves in the Vastwood are as written in the SRD.

Gorgorath

Gorgorath are the offspring of elven and orcish couplings.  They are the children of tragedy in all other locations. In the Vastwood this is usually true, but not always. The fringe settlements of each race have on occasion managed to come to a sort of peaceful co-existence, and a few Gorgorath have been born. The ones with a peaceful upbringing do better than those without it, but they tend to be outcasts no matter what. Orcs accept them as long as they're useful, though they're lower on the food chain than half-orcs. While a single elven farm or settlement may accept a Gorgorath born to them, they will generally be rejected by other elves.

Gorgorath racial traits

- +2 strength, +2 dexterity, -2 constitution, -2 wisdom. Gorgorath have an offputting mix of elven grace and orcish muscle, but are sickly and prone to rash and sometimes violent action.
- Base land speed of 30ft.
- +2 racial bonus against sleep spells and similar effects.
- -2 racial penalty against disease.
- Low-light vision and darkvision 60ft.
- Mixed blood: For all effects related to race, a Gorgorath is considered both an orc and an elf.
- Automatic languages: Common. Bonus languages: Elven, Orc, Giant, Gnoll, Sylvan.

Raptorians

Little is known of the raptorians or their canopy cities. They stay above the other races, more concerned with the sky and trees than the landbound races below. Due to the fact that weaker raptorians can only glide and not fly, the rare raptorian seen traveling in the Vastwoods tends to be powerful. This has not gone unnoticed and has resulted in the other races treating them with care, apprehension and respect.

Raptorians are as written in Races of the Wild.

[Anastasia]

In most parts of the Vastwoods, magical healing is a luxury akin to gold or precious stones. There are few clerics and fewer of those who can manage a healing spell. As such, traditional herbalism plays a large part in medicine. Characters with ranks in Profession(Herbalist) have access to the following abilities. The use of these abilities (besides Identify Herbs) requires a Herbalist's Kit. Purchasing one costs 20 gold. A sufficient source of herbs, such as a maintained garden, alleviates the need for this.

Identify Herbs (DC varies)

A trained herbalist can identify herbs using Profession(Herbalist) in place of Knowledge(Nature).

Pain Relief (DC 10)

By the proper use of herbs such as arnica, splitleaf and roseal, the herbalist may bring relief from pain for 8 hours. This reduces any penalties from pain by 2 points and grants a +2 bonus to any further save against effects that cause pain (such as symbol of pain).

Treat Wound (DC 15 or higher; see text)

A skilled herbalist can create and apply a poultice that prevents wounds from becoming diseased and infected. In practical terms, if used on a wound that transmitted an injury based disease before the incubation period is complete, the victim is allowed a second saving throw with a +2 bonus. While infection is generally not accounted for in D&D, should a situation where infection is taken into account applies, this ability may also be used against it in the same way.

Diseases that originate from a supernatural source have a DC equal to the saving throw against the disease or 15, whichever is higher.

Antivenom (DC 15 and DC 20; see text)

The proper herbs can be made into an edible compound with efficacious relief against poison. Consumption of this compound grants a +2 bonus to saving throws against poison. If the check is passed with a result of 20 or higher, any ability damage or drain inflicted by poison is reduced by 1 point to a minimum of 1. Antivenom is effective for one hour.

Sedative (DC 16)

Through the use of herbs blended into a tea, a herbalist can create a powerful sedative. A creature that drinks this tea falls asleep for 1d4 hours. Heavy doses of this and Pain Relief above are used for attempts at primitive surgery. Unwilling creatures are allowed a DC 16 Fortitude save to resist. Creatures immune to poison or sleep effects cannot be sedated.

Healing Herbs (DC 25)

It is possible, though too difficult for all but the most skilled herbalist in the Vastwoods, to achieve a small measure of immediate healing with the right herbs. A successful Healing Herbs check cures 1d4 points of damage. For every 5 points that the DC is exceeded by your check, increase the healing by 2d4 points.

[Anastasia]

Travel in the Vastwoods

The following is a series of short essays desecribing how travel works in the Vastwoods. It's meant to add flavor to the setting. The amount these matter to y'all varies. A PC with a bag of holding doesn't need to worry about storage space compared to a typical peasant traveler, for instance. Some entries do offer options to the PCs and you're welcome to use them if it helps. I'm not accounting for magic or magical items in any of these. They're the exception, not the rule.

Part 1: Logistics

Ask an old, grizzled traveler about what's hard about traveling and you'll get a surprising answer. It's not monsters, the distances, the loneliness or the other assorted difficulties. No, the hardest and most important part of traveling is keeping yourself supplied. After all, if you run out of something important in the wild, you have to get by without it or obtain a substitute. Plus the fact that you have to carry your supplies only makes it more difficult. As a result, experienced travelers have developed several ways to deal with this.

1. Carrying minimal food. Seasoned travelers learn to live off the land as much as possible. Ranks in Survival are important here, though skills such as Profession(Hunter) or Knowledge(Nature) can provide meat and edible plants, respectively.
2. Invest in a good backpack. While the typical SRD backpack suffices well enough, masterwork backpacks can be a wise investment. These backpacks cost 100 gold and are designed to better carry weight. Using one increases a character's light load range by 10%. Being able to carry more without being loaded down helps in battle and saves precious energy for more practical matters. The price makes them a luxury of the well off or those who can make them themselves. Creating one costs 50 gold for materials and a DC 15 Craft(Leatherworking) check, or a check on a similar skill.
3. Pack animals. Unfortunately, the Vastwoods are not hospitable to most pack animals. Horses are not native to the area, so the few examples are on farms. Donkeys and similar beasts are used on occasion, though the risk of injury and the beasts going lame limits them. Likewise, carts and wagons don't work well in the Vastwoods. They require roads or at least a path not overly cluttered, and too much of the Vastwoods is still virgin territory. More exotic solutions do exist, such as the orcs training wolves to be pack animals.
4. Knowing how to fix things. A few ranks in a skill that allows for tailoring, tinkering or fixing things can be highly useful. These tend to be craft and profession skills. Likewise, being able to patch up a broken sword or torn armor in the field can be a literal lifesaver.
5. Wealth management. Carrying hundreds of gold coins around isn't practical. As a result, various means of wealth management exist. The simplest is to convert your coins to lighter, smaller treasures or goods. Expensive herbs, spices and magical reagents are popular choices, as are gems and jewelry for the wealthier travelers. Likewise, investing or giving money to settlements you pass often is fairly often. While this is not risk free, it can create an oasis of friends who are happy to put you up, repair your equipment and give you a safe haven for free. Finally, buried or hidden treasure is quite common. If you have more than you can carry, take what you can and hide the rest for later. This can result in your treasure becoming someone else's treasure, of course.
6. Getting by without. Learning how to survive without important things can eliminate the problem altogether. While you can't learn to survive without food or water, many other material possessions can be sidestepped. This manifests in the popularity of feats such as Improved Unarmed Strike and Eschew Materials. Likewise, feats such as Endurance and Faster Healing(CW) help a person last longer and heal faster in lieu of herbs or healing supplies.

Part 2: Travel

The actual act of traveling in the Vastwoods isn't as straightforward as in other realms. With few exceptions, paths rarely go above the level of animal trails and many places lack paths altogether. Getting around is a matter of forestry as much as putting one foot in front of the other. Travel tends to be slow for this reason, as time is lost to going around things, cutting through foliage, finding places to ford rivers and other such difficulties. In addition, parts of the Vastwoods tend to be rocky, which only makes travel more challenging. Movement in the Vastwoods is generally calculated using the forest/trackless column seen here. Particularly difficult areas may reduce this to 1/4th, similar to trackless jungle.

As noted above, horses are not native to the Vastwoods. They make poor mounts due to the local terrain and most travelers get by on foot. While specialized mounts do exist, they're rare and often creatures such as animal companions or familiars.

Part 3: Travel Hazards

The hazards of travel are many. While some are common to any type of travel, the Vastwoods has unique difficulties and quirks to take into account.

The Vastwoods are beneath an ancient and thick canopy, resulting in shadowy conditions even at midday. Low-light vision can be useful even during the day, as the lack of light tends to be pervading. At night the forests are pitch-black, the feeble light of the moon and stars unable to penetrate. Travelers without darkvision require a source of light to get much of anywhere. Due to this, humans and others that do not enjoy darkvision favor the Blind-Fight feat. No matter day or night, the lighting conditions are conducive to stealth. Generally, the hours near sunrise and sunset are dim enough to qualify as shadowy illumination. Creatures with low-light vision, darkvision or a source of light to illuminate things ignore this. Once night falls, everything is considered to be within darkness. While low-light vision does not help against this, darkvision does.

As a wild forest, the Vastwoods have their share of active hazards. From poison ivy to rampaging dire bears, there are many and myriad creatures that can directly endanger travelers. Ranks in Survival and Knowledge(Nature) can help identify or mitigate these threats, but the varied nature of these threats makes summary impractical. Seasoned travelers learn to prepare and deal with the common threats and to react carefully to new ones.

Finally, traveling injuries in the Vastwoods do happen. Sprained ankles, falls, exposure to allergic or poisonous plants and similar things are known to happen. The odds of this happening go up with hustling, running and forced marches.

Part 4: Diplomacy

While traveling, meeting other people and coming across settlements is common. Various customs have arose from these meetings. The exacts tend to vary from race to race. Knowing the proper protocols can save a traveler trouble. Note that these deal in generalities and local exceptions can exist.

Humans

Travelers

Human travelers are wary but open to both other humans and other races. When approaching human travelers, they will generally have weapons drawn. It is generally viewed as a hostile act if the approacher does the same. Generally, staying back and introducing yourself in Common while unarmed is the proper greeting. Approaching with weapons draws or approaching close is seen as a threatening move and can lead to hostilities. If Common is not known, a fair few humans know at least a smattering of elven or orc. They tend to know words useful to traveling, so basic communication and the assertion that you aren't a threat can be communicated.

Settlements

Human settlements tend to be open. While the settlers do usually know how to defend themselves, humans generally offer hospitality to any that are not hostile. The same strategy as meeting human travelers applies, coupled with asking for hospitality if desired. Generally a human family will feed, provide water and shelter to polite travelers, but may expect some menial labor or minor compensation in return. They'll offer this regardless of race, though they tend to be suspicious of elves and orcs.

Elves

Travelers

Elven travelers generally expect a ritual greeting. This is to be offered on first sight, even if it requires shouting from a distance. The phrase "Uuma ma' ten' rashwe, ta tuluva a' lle" is sufficient, followed with 'Alush' if the speaker is not an elf. The failure to provide this greeting causes the elf to become wary, though rarely immediately hostile. Any hostile move from that point will result in the elf retreating or engaging in combat. If the greeting is given, the two come together and talk. Elves are friendly and forthright with other elves, polite but distant to half elves and humans and pitying, scornful or disgusted by gorgoraths. Note that orcs can shout the ritual greeting as much as they like, but hostilities are almost certainly going to be initiated by the elf.

Settlements

Elven settlements are isolated and often hard to find. They blend into the world around them and are wary of non-elven travelers. Elven travelers need not engage in any particular ritual. Merely introducing themselves is sufficient to procure hospitality. Other races are best served with the same greeting shouted to elven travelers. While improper to use and a major breach of etiquette for an elf to do, it's accepted that other races wouldn't know any better. Generally, elven settlements will provide basic food and water to travelers and a place to rest if conditions outside are inhospitable.

Orcs

Travelers

Orc travelers tend to be brusque and straightforward. Come at them with no bullshit and no fear and they'll generally parley. There's no fancy codes or protocol here as long as you can speak Orc (preferable) or Common (passable). Vastwood orcs are less inclined to attack first than their kin, so most meetings don't result in immediate violence. As long as the meeting is interesting or useful the orcs aren't likely to start anything. A large minority of orcs show an un-orcish interest in trade, particularly in any goods they don't recognize. Be warned, for orcish barter revolves around intimidation as much as haggling.

Settlements

Orcish settlements have a warlike quality to them. This is out of practicality and racial preference, and most have log walls or some other form of defensibility. Giving a shout out will usually get their attention. Orcish hospitality varies wildly, though being strong enough to rough up a male orc or two will do wonders for getting respect, as will successful intimidation or arguments. Push come to shove, confident travelers will get food, water and a bunk as long as they aren't elves.

[Anastasia]

Monster type roundup!

This is a quick guide to what monster types are in the Vastwoods. This is a general guide, not a grand authority. Just 'cause something's rare doesn't mean you can't run into it. There's a quick summary before I get into things, in case you need a reference or are lazy. (Read the whole thing anyway, it's not long.)

Rare: Elementals, Outsiders.
Uncommon: Abberation, Dragons, Giants, Ooze.
Common: Fey, Humanoids, Magical Beasts, Monstrous Humanoids, Plants, Undead, Vermin.

Aberrations

Aberrations are uncommon but they are known of. They tend to be odd things and incomprehensible, sometimes conflated or mistaken for the Fair Folk. They fall into the category of weird shit people don't know much about or see often.

Animals

Animals are extremely common. Wild animals native to forests are extremely common, as well as dire animals and odder variations yet. Expect to be dealing with them quite often.

Dragons

Dragons are wholly uncommon within the Vastwoods. Green and Bronze are known of, and you never know what's lurking deeper in. Dragons and settlements tend to avoid each other. There's more than enough space for it. Like in any campaign, they are big, dangerous and capable of ending PCs.

Elementals

Elementals are vanishingly rare in the Vastwoods. The rare times that they're seen is almost always due to magic summoning them. Like outsiders, they aren't the focus of this campaign and I don't intend to use them but rarely, barring the occasional summoner.

Fey

Fey are common according to myth. Stories of the Fair Folk are common. Think the alien and feared tricksters of past times rather than nature-elves. Most people wisely are wary of them or outright afraid. How much of this is story and how much is truth is subject to argument, but keep the focus point I'm working from in mind.

Giants

Giants are semi-rare around the forests. There's a few here and there but there's not terribly common. Of course, that doesn't do you much good when one's clubbing you to death. They are known for domesticating all sorts of larger animals for use. They treat dire bears like we treat dogs, for instance.

Humanoids

Humanoids are common as settlements are. No need to draw this one out. It's possible you may stumble on new or unexpected types of humanoids, but we shall see.

Magical Beasts

Magical Beasts are a diverse lot, but are fairly common all in all. A lot of these aren't too different from animals or humanoids with magical powers. They're a diverse lot so it's hard to say much more than that.

Monstrous Humanoids

See humanoids mostly. Centaurs are certainly known of at the least. They fall into that same sort of area along with magical beasts vis a vis animals. The distinctions here may not matter much IC.

Oozes

Oozes are an unlikely but possible trouble to run into. They're the same the world over, moving acidic predators. They're brainless so extermination is usually the ticket. There are reports of tree oozes that fall from above on unwitting victims, but reports are sketchy.

Outsiders

Outsiders exist but aren't a focus of this campaign, nor are the planes. You may come across one or two in some manner, but most likely the only time they'd show is because of summoning spells. Don't even expect that to happen often. They were the focus of B3 so they're mostly taking this game off.

Plants

Plants are extremely common in this game. From Assassin Vines to Treants and so many more things, plants are up there with animals as a common encounter. Be ready and expect your greenery friends 'cause they're coming to play.

Undead

Undead are not the most common creature in the Vastwoods, but local conditions are beneficial for certain types. The shady conditions and lack of heavy sunlight suit some types of the walking dead, as do the remoteness for certain intelligent ones. They aren't the most common problem but most seasoned adventurers in the Vastwoods have a undead story or three.

Vermin

Vermin are common enough. Rats, bugs and things less pleasant yet, they're exactly what you'd expect. Spiders in particular favor the forest, including ones much too large for anyone's taste.

[Anastasia]

Fey Death Curses

A passage from A Study of the Fey¹ by Sir Willard Winterbrook, sorcerer of Red.

Until now, this document has explained the many and myriad threats interactions with the fey bring. We now reach the hanging sword over any hostile interaction with them, above even the threat to life and limb any fey poses. A fey brought to death can manifest it's spite, shock and dismay into a final act before they rejoin the natural world. This manifests as a curse to the life-thief² that can forever torment them from that day on.

A death curse has no set form. It comes from the same whimsy that drives all fey, honed to a furious spear at death's beckoning. It usually has some relevance to the fey, the creature or the circumstances of the fey's demise. Beyond that the specifics vary from curse to curse. Of what is certain is that each curse is powerful and harder to resist than a curse laid by an arcanist or a god's man. It takes a ferocious will to overthrow a death curse, as the person's will has to be stronger than the fey's outrage at its demise. A fortunate soul that overcomes a fey curse at this stage is safe and free of further harm.

Those who succumb to the fey's death curse are immediately afflicted with a curse. These curses may or may not have a direct means to lift them and this may or may not be mentioned by the dying fey. If there is an escape clause to the curse, following it will lead to the nullification of the death curse. If any possible escape is uncertain or unknown, consulting an oracle is advised. If there is no escape clause or the clause cannot be achieved, it is then recommended to investigate magical means. The spell remove curse³ can lift a minor fey's curse, while break enchantment⁴ can shatter the curse of more powerful fey. The greatest fey curses are beyond only these magics, but such are vanishingly rare.

In light of this, the best way to deal with fey death curses is to avoid them in the first place. Killing a fey is rarely productive and should only be a path of last resort. Non-lethal force to subdue the fey is advised if possible. While the fey will be angered when it awakens, this is far more manageable than a death curse. Should death be the only option, slaying the fey with a weapon of cold iron slightly weakens the potency of the curse. Armor made of cold iron likewise provides some protection against a death curse.

Being unable to hear or understand the curse provides no defense against it. Abjuration circles against good, evil, law and chaos provide no benefit. Material defenses are of no use, even those of magical force or more exotic things, save for cold iron armor as noted above. Indirect methods are unreliable in the short term. For instance, a summoned creature that slays a fey will not be the target of the curse, but the summoner instead will be the victim. More remote situations, such as someone paying an assassin to slay a fey, are less clear.

¹ Fey is a technically correct term for the Fair Folk. Common folk hold that it is disrespectful to call them by this name. Fey Death Curses uses this name for them at all times, holding that there is no evidence that this is true.
² Life-thief is a fey term for murderer. It has the same connotations as murderer in Common as well as a reinforcement of disdain.
³ Remove curse is a low-moderate spell available to most arcanists and clerics.
⁴ Break enchantment is a high-moderate spell available to advanced arcanists and clerics.

[Anastasia]

Bonus material for your successful venture into the fey realm. Congratulations!

Fey Mantles

A passage from I Couldn't Look Away by Paul Ichemann, Hierophant.

To understand the Fair Folk is a monumental task. I again assert this to the point of making it a truism, all because you must remember it now more than ever. Indeed, in trying to comprehend the variety the Fair Folk embrace, excellent mental adaptability is essential. Those stuck in traditional modes of thought will find this a futile undertaking. Proceed only when you can manage this.

To understand the broad differences between each member of the Fair Folk, you must comprehend the following fact. Each Fair Folk is, beneath everything else, one of several known types. The complications come in that each type has unfathomable variety. This is because every Fair Folk, regardless of what type they are, takes on secondary aspects. These aspects are shared between the Fair Folk and manifest differently between each one. These aspects are known as mantles in Sylvan and will be referred to such from hereon.

Essentially and in short, take two pixies. If neither had mantles, they would be akin to any mortal child. One might be bigger while the other has prettier hair, and so on with various differences. Yet one takes on a mantle relating to the earth, becoming larger, stone like and a burrowing creature instead of a winged flier; the other has a mantle relating to the sun and becomes a radiant figure in the sky. To the untrained eye these would appear to be different creatures altogether, but in truth, they are both pixies. It is suspected there are no more than three dozen base types of Fair Folk beneath the mantles. In addition, the more powerful Fair Folk can have more than one mantle. How these mantles interact is unclear.

To better facilitate understanding of this concept, knowledge of a few mantles is presented below. This knowledge is in no way complete or comprehensive.

Soil Mantle: This mantle can be identified by the Fair Folk's skin being loose and dirt like. Flakes of dirt-skin routinely shed off and such ones are prone to muddiness and dirtiness as a matter of course. In spite of this, the flesh of the Fair Folk is notably more resilient to direct attacks. The Fair Folk may demonstrate the ability to manipulate dirt and cause stone to crumble into dirt.
Health Mantle: This mantle is identified by a Fair Folk of uncommon vitality, good health and energy. They rarely tire and seldom sleep, yet do not suffer from this.  A Fair Folk with this mantle can endure more injury than its kin, has abilities similar to a pious cleric's restorative spells and has a high tolerance to poisons.

[Anastasia]

Wyvern Poison

A transcribed, adapted and annotated lecture from Taxonomy Lectures by the Orales of Estenfair.

The poisonous stinger of the wyvern is treasured by miscreants for its potency. A single dose of wyvern poison can command thousands of gold¹ on the black market and is considered one of the most expensive poisons known to elvenkind. It is well known to any who listen to the oral histories, known for the assassinations of the Golden Lord², Allusthrus the Red³ and the incapacitation of the sixth High Justicar⁴ among others.

Wyvern poison is primarily spread through slashing or puncturing injury, though consumed variants as the result of alchemical processes are known to exist. When injected into the victim's body, it spreads throughout the nerves directly. It does not interact with any other part of the body through methods that are not clearly understood. The poison results in systemic nerve damage throughout the body. It radiates outward from the wound, causing catastrophic failure of the entire body. Victims swiftly die as the result of total loss of bodily control. This includes involuntary muscular systems such as breathing, with the cause of death being asphyxiation. Survivors are the result of the poison only causing partial bodily shutdown.

Symptoms of wyvern poisoning are numbness combined with a dissociated sense of inner burning. This is followed by pale complexion, loss of bodily motions, profuse sweating, dilated pupils and convulsions. As the poison spreads further symptoms manifest; excessive drooling⁵, incontinence and a rapid loss of body heat. Quickly administered antitoxin may aid a victim showing the initial symptoms, while only magic can save someone showing further symptoms. Barring magic, death is assured once further symptoms set in. Survivors are best treated with magical restoratives. Should those not be available, extended bed rest will suffice.

It is a little known fact that some wyverns possess the sorcererous talents of their distant draconic cousins. In addition to the dangers of giving an apex predator the ability to channel arcane mysteries, a side effect of this results in changes to the wyvern's venom. This altered poison at first works identically to normal wyvern poison. Survivors suffer severe mental and physical harm as the poison works. Those who delve into arcane mysteries are noted to be abnormally resistant to this poison.

¹ As of the most recent telling of this lecture, based on figures from the Orales of Estenfair.
² A figure of prehistory, recorded in song as willfully drinking the poisoned chalice that his beloved son gave him.
³ An elven lord who died at 2380 as the result of wyvern poison tainted wounds, which caused this army's defeat in the Battle of Sal Farano.
⁴ Ael Cydho, Son of the West. Incapacitated at 2453, but nonetheless lead his army to victory from his cot.
⁵ A possible accelerator to asphyxiation as the result of choking one's own saliva.

[Anastasia]

Wandering Undead in the Vastwoods

A situation report from Dame Esona Guildleaf to Sir Simon of Volgard.

As requested, I have complied a list of incidents involving the undead. I have taken effort to confirm these stories and they may be considered accurate.

1. A scout in Riverside's employ reported an encounter with a shambling corpse. This creature was well rotted but still ambulatory; in fact, it was as fast as a wolf or cougar. This own speed was its undoing, as it was successfully lured into a ravine and dispatched with arrows from safety. The information suggests a zombie, but zombies are shambling creatures and not fast. The scout, a commoner named Rodreck, is reliable. He is a teetotaler so there is no doubt he was in his right mind.
2. A travel party came on the remnants of a skeleton. In spite of being bleached white and showing signs of weathering, it had surviving heart tissue and recent blood stains. A copy of a detailed report by the party is attached; the skeleton was burned after they finished. The creature does not fit any type of undead I know of, nor do my books know of it. It cannot be confirmed to be a dispatched undead, but the curious circumstances suggest it.
3. A detached, fleshy hand appeared within Riverside and assaulted a common woman in her home. She was able to pin the creature under a cooking pot and alert the town guard, who dutifully dispatched it. It fits the description of a crawling hand, a minor type of undead used as a familiar by necromancers. A subsequent sweep of Riverside and the surrounding area did not turn up any signs of a necromancer. The commoner, Becca, lost an eye in the attack. This is no deterrent to her continued productivity.
4. A scout did not report back. A rescue party was mounted and found the scout. He was clearly dead, his chest torn open and half gone. In spite of that he rose and attacked the rescue party. He was subdued, but not before biting one of the rescue party. That member sickened as they returned and died soon after. The next night he rose as a zombie, but we were fortunately prepared and were able to slay him without further injuries. Study does not suggest any abnormal traits beyond normal zombies beyond the means of transformation and reanimation.

Four distinct incidents with different undead suggest a greater underlying issue. Efforts at hunting down a necromancer have not borne fruit. Divine auguries have been silent when using both horse guts and sheep guts. As such, I must report that our efforts so far have not illuminated this issue. Further, I cannot discard random chance. Visitors from other towns have mentioned the occasional incident with the undead. It may be foul luck and little else, but I confess that I do not believe it. For now I will remain vigilant and shall send word of any further attacks or breakthroughs.

I remain your obedient servant,

Dame Esona Guildleaf

[Anastasia]

Draconic Fecundity

A recorded story from a nameless Sidhe Scholar to Adamana Loren, devout proven of Scramas.

Author's note: The following is a direct transcript of knowledge from an ancient Sidhe Scholar. The woman spoke the human tongue poorly and cared little if I understood. Any errors are unavoidable.

Dragons? (Indecipherable mutterings) You wonder why? Yeah, yeah, yes, yes, yes, yes, you would and you would keep wondering. Magic. Magic you couldn't dream about. You're (Indecipherable mutterings). Won't ever be. Too soft, too soft, too soft, too soft. (The author was unjustly poked in the chest several times.) Fertilizer, like cow shit in a field. Too much, too much, they have too much and too much. Nearly kills the female.

(A pause while the Sidhe Scholar attends to herself.)

The bull dragon's still got to spread his lineage. Nature's nothing more than ensuring that strong lineages go on. That same magic? (Indescribable mutterings) Works, works like a spell. The bull pushes hard enough and magic makes it happen. Man, woman, man, woman, man, woman, man, woman. Doesn't matter. The lineage is magic. Real magic and real magic like you won't ever be. Too far gone. The entertainment's left, left, left and left again. But it's not one way. The last war proved it.

(Indistinct mutterings after the author asks for clarification on that last point.)

When they're gone, they'll be waiting. When it's all gone and it's a boring world again, it'll happen and happen again and then again. That's the point. It's all circles. Cut a tree open and you'll see the circles. Cut a chest open and watch the heart pump. It's circles. The snake that devours its own tail. It's circles. Here and there, here and there, here and there, here and there. It's circles. They're the symbol every one of you too soft and too soft (Incomprehensible mutterings.)

But the dragons know circles. Oh, they know circles. From high to low, they know the circles and know how to play them. The bull dragon most of all. Each half-blood is momentum down that circles back up and up and up and up. Those are why.

(At this point, the Sidhe Scholar refused more questions and soon violently assaulted the author. The author was wounded but forced the Sidhe Scholar to retreat. She has not been seen since that time.)

[Anastasia]

Mushroom Notes

Hm? A little book fell out of Myann's pack. Curiosity grips you and you take a peek.

White/yellow, stringy, grows inside insects and kills them. Quiet, confused. Eats instead of being eaten. Poisonous. Has an endearing voice. Useful in creating reagents for verminbane weapons.

Gray, cap with no stem, grows on dead trees formerly inhabited by a dryad and struck by lightning. Sidhe-like and sullen. Extremely poisonous and causes hallucinations. Wants to be eaten and is possessed of the morbid sorrow a tree has after a dryad leaves. An antidote to most poisons but its own poison is routinely fatal.

Dark/dull blue, moldy, grows in many places. Typical mushroom behavior. Edible. Tasty when grown in cheese and feels complete in cheese. If grown properly, it is a useful compound in alchemical and magical remedies against disease.

Black, truffle-like but not a truffle, grows in places of sorrow not related to the Sidhe. Wants to be eaten but knows what it does, spiteful. Extremely poisonous. Poison does not kill but it removes the ability to feel positive emotions. Consumers become dead inside and commit atrocities. Useful in mind-altering magic and in cursed items.

Gold, full cap and stem, grows within lava flows far below the surface. Typical mushroom behavior. Claims to be edible to precious metals and is consumed by them as they mature. May not properly understand them yet. Can be used as an ingredient to turn flesh into gold.

Transparent white/blue/gray banded, multiple caps connected together with stringy extensions, grows in deserts. Typical mushroom behavior but unusually charismatic. Edible but addictive. Best used lightly in cooking. Note to self: Summon for midnight snack again.

Rosy red with black flecks, stem and cap, grows 'where the sky meets the earth'. Speaks in a language I don't understand, but the mantle lets me know the meaning. Edible by Sidhe and prized by the Sidhe nobles. Causes mortals to die as a sun rises in their stomach. 100% mortality rate. Powerful optional component for many spells with sky, fire or life.

[Anastasia]

Kobold City Structure

A passage from A Study of the Underfolk by Sir Willard Winterbrook, sorcerer of Red.

Of the many mysteries of the kobold race, none is quite as intriguing as their city structure. One would expect dwellings like that of the dwarves or moramdes¹ and the resulting focus on defensible structures. Instead, the common kobold tribal city is a cluster of tents and capable of supporting a nomadic lifestyle. This unique behavior is the result of several environmental factors that have shaped the kobolds.

The first and most salient threat is the prevalence of threats to the kobolds. They have notoriously poor relations with shocker lizards and giant ants that infest parts of the underworld. Compounding that is that many tribes have conflict with local threats and powers, such as dwarf settlements and moramdes totems. Unlike these races, kobolds do not focus on defense. They are small creatures and it must be understood they rely on mobility combined with superior numbers. Simply put, static defenses and structures do not suit them.

Furthermore, the nature of many of their enemies renders static defenses moot. Dwarven engineers are adept at demolishing the defenses of enemies, shocker lizards can burrow through stone and some softer metals, giant ants use their tainted psionicry² to aid digging and moramdes totem manifestations are efficacious at bypassing defenses. To a kobold, there is no point building great defenses, for their enemies will overcome them. Moreover, the kobold lifestyle poses two distinct factors against more permanent cities. The kobold pursuit of shiny things encourages searching for said treasures. Secondly, the kobold affinity for explosives can easily lead to the destruction of any permanent structures they build.

When viewed in this light, the kobold's tent based, semi-nomadic lifestyle makes sense. While it is an inherently inferior choice that results in the stagnation of the kobold race, it does make cultural sense. Unlike humans, elves and other more civilized species, kobolds have a direct impetuous against settling down.

Reports of kobold cities and cultures deeper in the underworld are best considered tall tales. Likewise, the kobold fables of 'living shinies' and other such foolishness has no base in academic study. This is a subtle but telling indication of the immaturity of the kobold culture. They have not embraced learning and instead live in thrall of fear, much as common people fear the werefolk, the fey and lizard men.

¹ - Moramdes are a feral race of humanoids similar to humans. They are noted for a high incident of mutations and insanity. A Study of Underfolk suggestions the root is crossbreeding with aberrations.
² - Psionicry is the study of the mind and the principal of mind over body. It is also known as psionics, the gift and mindmagic.

[Anastasia]

Myann's Lore Compendium, vol 1.

Myann's passed copies of this around since the group runs into the strangest things. Like her.

Races and creatures

Humans

Are humans. Enough said.

Elves

Not that different from the general norms. Relatively friendly to non-elves but it's not that unusual. The Missus and her brood skew the sample size, anyway.

Half-Elves

About what you'd expect. We see dozens each day thanks to Robert and the Missus.

Gorgorath

The cursed offspring of elves and orcs. Relatively common in the Vastwoods but still often outcasts. Noted for ill health.

Orcs

Vastwood orcs are further to the south and tame by orcish standards. They deal better with light than normal orcs and are less likely to raid and plunder right away. Plus they helped Porridge grow up and they aren't Sidhe, so they aren't all bad.

Kobolds

Pint-sized cave dwellers that prize shiny treasures and believes bombs are holy. How they continue to exist without extinction eludes me. They favor tent-towns and a semi-nomadic lifestyle. Fond of dragons as well.

Shocker Lizards

Cave lizards that hate everything that isn't them. They live in packs and are rarely encountered alone. Noted for malice, staring at groups and general viciousness. According to Gildas, they might see the world in an alien manner and everything but electricity as nightmares. They hate mindants in particular.

Mindants

Giant ant colonies gifted with psionics. They live in a hive structure and are semi-hostile. Not as immediately vicious as shocker lizards, but they don't stop once committed. Mindants have connections to crystals. They hate shocker lizards in particular.

Halflings

Halflings live to the west and past the local elves. They seem to have a tribal structure. Rather vicious and have a bloodthirsty definition of what cultured means.

Sidhe (Fair Folk, fey, ect)

Creatures with dominion over nature. Insane, cruel and see mortals as little more than playthings. While they can be killed, fey death curses make this an absolute last resort. Best avoided or dealt with civilly. Watch your manners.

The Watch

Strange entities from a 'kingdom above this one'. Dedicated to eradicating the unclean, which seem to be those with the gift of psionics. Said to be faceless and the source of 'unison', which is supposedly related to Sidhe mantles.

Dragons

Seem to have something called the High Season, which is related to breeding. Draconic power may wax during it. Unfortunately we don't know much else.

[Anastasia]

Lost Glories

A tract from All the World's Treasures by Adamana Loren, devout proven of Scramas.

Diadem of Flame

This was the ceremonial crown used in the coronation of Ael Sydho, Son of the West. It is wrought iron burnt red by the flames of a red dragon. It is said to allow the wearer to command flame, destroy water and be protected from fire. The diadem was lost in the Fall of Asbanna and has occasionally turned up since then.

Cheese Slicer

A blade said to have once been a small cleaver used to slice cheese, hence the name. It is renowned as having been dropped in a pool of magic and transformed into an enchanted weapon. Now it is said to be able to slice through any and everything as easily as cheese. It was in the possession of the Moramdes for several centuries and is reputed to have cut through magical force as easily as cheese. It was lost a century ago, and besides a few sightings in the hands of dwarves, has been absent from the world's stage.

Wandering Knight's Armor

Armor worn by Outcast of Xyre, a knight cursed to forever wander the world. He wandered for close to a century, seeing the world far and wide, before returning to die outside of the gates of Xyre. This armor is said to give the wearer speed equivalent to a trained monk, in spite of wearing armor, as well as having superb defensive ability. Currently in the position of the Scramite church.

Dranner's Fury

The origins of this ring are uncertain. It is a ring that bestows any who wear it a berserker's might. It shows up in the hands of a champion, who wrecks great havoc on the battlefield before eventually dying. The ring becomes known then, as it explodes into a corona of light before consuming the champion's body. Dranner's Fury then reappears approximately a decade later. Little else is known about it.

Fairy Fairness

An axe made of cold iron and anathema to the Fair Folk. Said to be able to negate the curses of the fairies, as well as shatter the magic they wield. Last seen two centuries ago in the possession of Sir Clespal of Pelor, who vanished on a mission to liberate a village from a fairy's machinations.

[Anastasia]

Bleak Vista

A quoted passage from The Alien Menace Below by Myssi Sherbrooke, speluncomancer.

I have never known such fear as when the cave's gloom is parted by electric blue flashes. Even now, the thought of it causes goosebumps to run up my body. It is not the raw lethality of the shocker lizards, though that is always a concern, but the mind and vision the creatures possess. This makes me feel a terror that is impossible to describe, but I will try.

It began when my initial studies of the shocker lizards ceased to return useful results. I felt that I had to understand the hateful creatures rather than only study them. The instrument of this mistake was a carefully crafted spell that would allow me to hijack the senses of a lizard through electric currents. Here I thought I was clever to subvert a trick the lizards had tried against me. In retrospect, I can only shake my head at the sense of foolishness I feel.

When I finished the spell on a captive lizard, my entire world changed. Shocker lizards don't see color. They barely see shapes, sizes and perspective. They see what is electric and what is not electric. What is electric is good, right and safe. Everything else is wrong, alien and horrifying. I can only try to express the absolute fear I felt. The world became a bleak vista and I felt as if all the world was a mocking lie.

The spell was designed to last for hours and I had not thought to create a means to dismiss the spell. I broke long before then the hours were up. Everywhere I looked only brought a new swell of head-spinning disgust. I dimly recall smashing my laboratory apart, screaming at the world to stop while I felt a profound alienation from everything around me. Only the single lizard I had captive was right. I felt as if the rest of the world had gone mad and dedicated itself to breaking my mind. 

Weeks later I was able to control myself enough to write of my experiment. Understand this - the shocker lizards are not like us. They don't care for us. I can feel the disdain when I think about it, rising up and threatening to turn the world into a hellscape of wrongness. They can't understand us. They have a mind so far segregated from ours that conflict is inevitable.

Exterminate the shocker lizards.