Feyraal: a post-historic world in the shadow of ancient monoliths.

[Brian]

[ic=Unwritten Legends]Long ago, before the great Uyuâ,¬,,¢Mahn awakened the tribes of Uyun, before great Viluun awoke the tribes of Wilve, and before even the oldest of all tribes there was a time before people, a time of Gods.  These Gods, the Gods of the Earth and the Gods of the Sky, lived in great cities, they were giants, bigger than the mountains, who held power over all of the great spirits and all of nature both in heaven and on earth.  They could create and destroy at a whim; and nothing was out of their reach.  But these great Gods were the children of even greater gods, powerful and unknowable these [primal ones] were beyond both the earth and the sky.  The Gods of the Earth and the Gods of the Sky bickered amongst themselves, and soon their bickering turned to war.  They rampaged across the world.  So powerful and mighty were their wars that the mountains would crumble, and the seas and lakes would run dry, and the forests would burn to the ground.  When the Gods of the Earth were close to defeat, they hatched a plan that they hoped would turn the tide against their enemy and allow them victory at last.  The Gods of the Earth brought together the elements of nature, mixed them with the elements of life and magic, and finally with the elements of death and darkness.  However, though they were Gods, and their power great, they delved too deeply and too far.  They angered the [primal gods] and in their hurry they made a grave and disastrous error.  Their creation, Baalgorgon (Weapon of the Gods), was more powerful than them for it had the blood and essence of the [primal gods] within it.  This mighty weapon rose against its creators and devoured them, but that was not enough for its hunger was unknowable and unfathomable even to the Gods of the Earth and Sky.  It raged across the world, eating everything that it touched until at last it settled upon the Gods of the Sky.  They fought it with all of their might, but it seemed the more they fought, the more powerful it became.  It feasted upon their magic and grew stronger.  The Gods of the Sky were at a loss, and they despaired at their inevitable destruction; but they were still powerful, as powerful as the now dead Gods of the Earth, and they came together in one last effort to destroy Baalgorgon and save their world.  The Gods of the Sky created the [16] idols and in them they placed the last vestiges of light, life, hope and creation.  They made these great idols in their image, cast in a dark stone from deep under the earth, and imbued with the power of the gods.  They turned these idols against Baalgorgon and bound the beast with earth and fire and called a star from the heavens to smite it down.  At last Baalgorgon was defeated, but not before 3 of the great idols were destroyed, and the last of the Gods of Sky fell.  The power of the [primal gods] within Baalgorgon was released and in one terrific blast shook the earth and the heavens to their foundation.  The Gods of Earth and Sky were no more.  The idols fell silent and still and the world turned for countless aeons.  In time the spirits of nature and heaven began to rebuild the shattered earth.  The forests grew again, and life started anew.  It was at the base of the great idols that the Great Races were born, and there beneath them that they thrived and grew.  The Uyun, the Wilve, the Jaruun, the Shithriss, the Wemic, the Centaur, the Bethar, the Vazha, the Ogrish, the Hâ,¬,,¢gnulu, the insectoid Thri-Kreen, the giant Gogron, and the evil Talakhan â,¬' all great, great, great, great grandchildren of the first children of the Great Races.  They are our kin, our allies, and our enemies.
That, my son, is how the world came to be, and how we came to be.  The Gods of the Earth and Sky are no more, but we have seen their ancient cities.  Their power still sleeps within the idols, and we draw that energy from them to create magic.  So too do we draw energy from the spirits of the earth and sky, for they remade the world when the Old Gods were no more.  Beware those who work the dark ways of sorcery, for in them is the blood of Baalgorgon; and even though it lies bound and buried deep beneath the earth, it still yearns to be free.  It is best to avoid the lands to the north and west, for it is a place blighted with foulness and evil.  Red-skinned demons dwell in the reaches of the jungles, swamps and forests, and they feast upon the flesh of the unwary and foolish.  Even deeper still lurk the vile spawn of Baalgorgon itself, and it is best to stay close to the village and heed your elders.  For the Children of Baalgorgon delight in the torment of children, and if they snatch you away, they will make you one of them.  
So heed my words child.  Pay homage to Uyuâ,¬,,¢Mahn, and always be respectful of the great spirits of the earth and heaven.  Do not wander for from home, and beware those who use the dark magic of Baalgorgon.  These things will lead you to a happy life and a big family, and one day you too can tell this tale to your children and your grandchildren and they to theirs.  For it is best to know the story and the greatest moral of allâ,¬Â¦
- Even gods can fall to foolishness, vanity and selfishness.  War only begets more war, and power is the key to both destruction and salvation.

~A Brilani Mystic to his son[/ic]

 [spoiler=A Brief History of Before History]The real history of Feyraal is ancient indeed and much of it has been lost, having been told orally for hundreds of generations.  
the world of Feyraal was once like any other world.  it was home to many races and peoples and they were all very advanced in magic and technology (think Eberron + 200 years).  but as powerful as they were, they were still fallible and foolish.  the great empires of the time, the Empire of the Seldarine and the Empire of the Dorvesh (dwarves) started a great war that spread to the far corners of the world.  it was a great world war of epic proportions.  all the races allied themselves with one nation or another and battles raged for years and years.  the Dorvesh, in an attempt to defeat the far superior arcane might of the Seldarine created a mighty and powerful living weapon, a titanic golem imbued with the essenses of demons and devils, elementals and even gods.  but this creation was far more powerful then its creators and it ravaged the world.  the Dorvesh designed the "Baalgorgon" (or god-weapon in the dwarven tongue) to devour and absorb magical energy.  it did this all too well, and in fact its hunger for magic was unquenchable.  in a matter of weeks it had destroyed the Empire of Dorvesh, and the last of the dwarves fled to the other kingdoms.  some even pleaded with the Seldarine, warning them of the unstoppable monstrousity that would soon desend upon their kingdom.  the vain, arrogant and stubborn Seldarine brushed them aside and continued their war unaware that they had already won by default...for when the royal guard spilled the blood of the Dorvesh diplomats on the floor of the royal hall, they did not know that it was the last.  the Cthuul rampaged across the land, devouring all magic.  many of the magic races sickened and died or were eaten outright.  as it ate Baalgorgon grew larger and larger.  finally the Seldarine realized their folly, but only too late.  the last of the kingdoms rallied together and the war ended, but already a new war had begun and Baalgorgon was starting to create more of itself...giving birth to others like it.  the last of the great empires created giant golems to battle Baalgorgon, each one made in its likeness and the last of the Seldarine wizards researched a way to destroy the devourer forever.  but such a way was long in coming, and in a last desperate attempt the Seldarine and their allies bound Baalgorgon in the earth.  the magical backlash was too great, and the surviving peoples of Feyraal were obliterated in a massive blast that scorched and destroyed thousands of miles of earth.  all was quiet, and it remained so for countless hundreds of years.  in time the planet began to heal and recover, and new life began to grow in the shadow of the ancients.  in time, the world was repopulated, and the days of the great empires long forgotten.[/spoiler]

please feel free to direct all comments and critiques to the  Feyraal Discussion Thread

[Brian]

[spoiler=Global Map of Feyraal] [/spoiler]

Feyraal
â,¬' A post-historic world in the shadow of ancient monoliths.

The world of Feyraal is quite old, but much of its history is lost and shrouded by the veils of time.  It is a dangerous and primal place with the various races barely mastering the use of fire to cook food and warm their villages, dens, caves and forest dwellings.  It is a world of fell, prehistoric beasts and gargantuan creatures.  But all of it is not pre-historic; on the contrary, it is post-history.  It is the world after the fall, several ages after the collapse of a great and powerful civilization; and in the dark reaches of the great forests, jungles, and seething swamps are titanic monoliths.  These great edifices are the tombstones and crypts of a long forgotten era; dark, dangerous and unknowable testaments to years beyond any mortal imagining.  This is Feyraal.

Core Ethos:
The world is a big and uncompromising place.  It is wise not to stray too far from home, for the woods are filled with strange and dangerous things â,¬' spirits, demons and giant beasts.  Daytime provides the only opportunity to hunt and gather, for when the night falls you will be the hunted if you stray far from the warmth of your fire â,¬' the only protection against the darkness besides the great spirits of nature and the power of the holy eidolon.  

Tone and Theme:
The tone of Feyraal is that of savage survival in a dangerous and primal world.  As stated before, this is not â,¬Å"prehistoricâ,¬Â in so much as it is â,¬Å"post-historicâ,¬Â.  The world was once peopled with powerful nations and civilizations but fell into a great world war.  Nothing was left and aeons passed before the world once again renewed itself and the various races began to thrive.  Many races went extinct, while others evolved and settled other regions of the world.  The world of Feyraal is a world of adventure and exploration.  The races are at last coming together, meeting for the first time.  A small handful of the more advanced and powerful have formed small nations (Neolithic/early bronze age at most â,¬' think Incan, Zulu, early Egyptian) that ferociously defend their territories.  All of this in the shadows of antediluvian ruins from a long-distant era.  Great beasts, strange new peoples, demons, witches, druids, and god-like idols abound in this primitive world.

Conflicts:
The setting is conflict, man vs. nature and the unknown.  The world itself is dark and unforgiving, eat or be eaten; but slowly cultures are coming togetherâ,¬Â¦sometimes in war and sometimes in mutual benefit; but no matter, there is always a greater threat, always something â,¬Å"outsideâ,¬Â that is hungry.  There is also something much deeper, something far more vile and sinister, a throw-back to a forgotten time that sleeps in the dark corners of the world.  Its hideous offspring muster, and slowly its corruption spreads â,¬' like oily tentacles of foulness â,¬' ever closer to worlds of man.

Magic and Technology:
Arcane magic is almost unknown in the world of Feyraal, a dark secret kept by the foul Red Elven warlocks of the northwest and the vile agents of Baalgorgon in the Seething Crawl.  The player races know only druidic and divine magic and only a rare child of the Wilve is born with sorcerous blood.  
Technology is close to what mankind possessed in the late Neolithic period on earth.  Agriculture, basic metalworking, and larger communities are just beginning to appear; but the majority of the populations still dwell in small tribes and villages scattered throughout each racial area.  The larger nations greedily horde their knowledge of smelting to themselves and trade in metal goods is in its infancy.  Most items are made from bone, stone, or wood; but in the depths of long forgotten ruins lay items of fine craftsmanship and eldritch powerâ,¬Â¦steel swords and suits of metal and items that surge with arcane mystery.

Classes and Rules:
There are many general classes, and thus prestige classes that do not exist in Feyraal.  The most common classes are Barbarian, Ranger, Druid, Priest with the rarer classes of Warrior and Sorcerer.  Specialist Wizards are nearly unheard of but possible in the more advanced cultures.  General Wizard, Paladin, Bard, and Rogue are not available player classes.

Character Races:
Races available to players are:

[spoiler=Humans (Uyun)]The humans (collectively called the Uyuâ,¬,,¢Mahn), are one of the more dominant races of Feyraal, second only to the Wild Elves and the Red Elves.  The human territory is defined by the River Allorac on the eastern side, the Mountains of Mika to the east, and the Blackbough Jungles to the southeast and south.  The northern part of this region is dominated by low rolling hills which rise to high mountains and forests.  Further south the hills give way to lush grasslands, plains and savannah.  Verdant wetlands dot the banks of the river for miles until it enters the dark Blackbough Jungles to the south.  This geographic region is known collectively as the Plains of Brilan.  
The northern humans, or the Uyani, are more advanced than their southern brethren, the Brilani.  A typical Uyani is tan-skinned, though pale in comparison to a typical Brilani, and tall and lithe of frame.  Uyani men keep their hair short, oftentimes shaved, with long beards.  Uyani art and design is a fusion of Babylonian and Southern European Neolithic cultures.  As a people, Uyani are an expansionistic, theocratic monarchy.  Their ruler is also the high priest of Uyuâ,¬,,¢Mahn (the name of the city as well as the 500â,¬,,¢ foot Eidolon that dominates its center).  Many of the small villages and towns of the northern regions are under their rule, and they continue to expand southward into the plains.  Overall, Uyani tend towards Lawful or Nuetral alignments.  The Uyani have recently learned to mine and smelt ore, particularly softer ores like tin, copper and bronze.  This is quite advantageous with the recent attacks of both the Ogrish and Gogron from the high mountains to the north and east.  It also has allowed them to clear a wide region around Uyuâ,¬,,¢Mahn of beasts and other dangers.  Towns and villages under Uyani rule are now receiving trade in metal items in return for agricultural resources.  The Uyani have a rough system of writing in the form of hieroglyphics which they chisel into stone tablets, and in bas reliefs on temple walls and tombs.
The Brilani are a more peaceful and naturalistic sort of people divided into several small tribes.  Many of the Brilani tribes are nomadic, but some have small fishing villages on the banks of the Allorac; and others live in scattered villages in the eastern hills or in cliff dwellings further towards the mountains.  The Brilani have deep ebon skin and are of a strong, lean build.  They tend to grow their hair long and weave it together with colored stones and other decorations.  In many ways the Brilani have a very African feel in art, culture and design with a slight Native-American influence.  The Brilani still use bone, wood and stone tools, though many of the northern tribes have been tempted by the promise of metal from the Uyani.  The beasts of the plains are large and dangerous, but only less dangerous than those mighty creatures that dwell in the jungles.  The southern tribes have developed a strong relationship with the Xulu; and have recently acted as diplomats between them and the Wemic and Bethar, finalizing a peace treaty that has been generations in coming.  This is due largely in part to the incursion of warlike and aggressive Hâ,¬,,¢gnulu from the southern jungles up the Allorac River into the Human, Wemic, Xulu, and Bethar lands.  This mutual enemy has brought these races together in a common goal.  The Brilani have 9 major tribes that form a loose-knit nation.  These tribes are the Brilani, Rookunu, Matuambi, Vatab, Kalabas, Shatyim, Dandubu, Egreb, and the Ulumaati.  There are a handful of other tribes not affiliated with the nation, but most characters will be associated with one of the 9 larger tribes.
Human characters can choose from a variety of classes.  The northern Uyani humans are warriors, priests, specialist wizards, rangers, druids and barbarians.  An Uyani warrior serves the ruler of Uyuâ,¬,,¢Mahn and his priesthood.  They are the strong arm of the Uyuâ,¬,,¢Mahn nation.  Priests are nobility and fill positions beneath the king.  Specialist wizards are something relatively new to humanity and tend to be very rare individuals.  A southern Brilani human can choose from the barbarian, ranger, druid, and priest.  Brilani priests are usually recent converts to the Uyuâ,¬,,¢Mahn religion who spend their time teaching the faith to others.[/spoiler]
*[spoiler=Wild Elves (Wilve)]The Wilve are an elusive and enigmatic group.  They have no central government and live in widely scattered tribes throughout the jungles in the south.  Most settlements and much of the population is centered in the Jungles of Alivraen beyond the mountains to the west of the Plains of Xulu, but several groups have can also be found as far east as the Blackbough jungles and even deeper south in the farthest reaches of the Jungles of Graalaa.  The Wilve, much like the Red Elves, are ancestors of the Seldarine who have lost all but the faintest remnants of their heritage.  They are feral and barbaric and avoid mixing with outside cultures.  However, some small tribes have had encounters with the Brilani humans of the Plains of Brilan; and so far their relationship is favorable though still reserved.  The Wilve throughout the Jungles of Graalaa are at constant odds with the Vazha for territory and resources.  Though the Wilve in this area are generally aloof to the Vazha, the Catfolk tend to see no difference between the western Alivraen Wilve (whom they hate) and their southern and eastern brethren.  Thus, their relationship is rather tenuous.  The Wilve of the Jungles of Alivraen are dangerous and violent.  They attack and eat all outsiders and are usually captured by, or are in league with, the Red Elves for use in experiments or as slaves.  The Wilve of the south and east fear their western brethren; and the red-skinned devils with whom they often associate.  Most Wilve players will be from the Blackbough Jungles or even the eastern portions of the Jungles of Graalaa.  
Wilve have very little use for clothing, wearing usually nothing more than a loincloth or strip of hide; and they all have a savage appearance.  They are slightly shorter than humans and very lithe of frame.  They often tattoo their bodies and weave skulls, feathers and stones into their unkempt and wild hair.  Wilve have a deep bronze skin with hair that ranges from black to a light brown, and eyes of many various hues â,¬' brown, red, violet, purple, green, and blue are common.
Wilve tend to be long-lived, however, life for a Wilve is dangerous and violent.  The jungles are full of large beasts and dangerous creatures.  So even though they can live for hundreds of years, they often times donâ,¬,,¢t make it past 75.  Wilve pride themselves on their strength and ability to survive.  They have no pity for the weak or infirm.
Wilve characters can be barbarians, rangers, druids or sorcerers.  Some Wilve are born with the latent magical blood of their ancient Seldarine ancestors and exhibit a deep, intrinsic and natural understanding of magic.  Strangely, all Wilve sorcerers are born with white or golden (almost luminescent) eyes.  These unique individuals are both feared and revered by their brethren.  Depending on the tribe, a sorcerer Wilve may be exiled, honored, or (in the case of many northern Wilve) handed over to the Red Elves or eaten by the chieftain.[/spoiler]
*[spoiler=Catfolk (Vazha)]The Catfolk, or Vazha, dwell in the jungles on the eastern shore of the Sea of Ios.  Like the Wilve they tend to be rather insular but the two do come to odds at times.  Though they arenâ,¬,,¢t sworn racial foes, some clans and tribes clash over territory or resources, while some make peaceful alliances.  Some Vazha hunt evil tribes of Wilve relentlessly.  The Vazha have no major towns or settlements but live in small villages in the roots of large trees or dens in the earth.[/spoiler]
*[spoiler=Halflings (Jaruun)]The Jaruun, live along the coasts and archipelago of the Sea of Ios.  Their culture is very Polynesian/Caribbean in tone.  The Jaruun have dark skin and wild, knotted dreadlocks and enjoy games of chance and contest.  They are a peaceful and happy folk who practice open trade with most all of the other races.  Theyâ,¬,,¢re curious and enjoy travel and adventure, but it is wise not to mistake their natures for foolishness and naivety.  A Jaruun Mahtua, or vengeance squad, is as deadly and lethal as a viper sting.  The Uyun have a saying â,¬Å"It is best to humor a Jaruun, for those who cannot take a jest are food for the fish.â,¬Â[/spoiler]
*[spoiler=Lizardmen (Shithriss)]The Lizard folk are a quiet and shamanistic people that dwell on the eastern shores of the Sea of Ios.  They are quiet and pragmatic and have only just begun to meet the Jaruun.  Their location has made them isolated for many centuries, but exposure to the Hâ,¬,,¢shtaâ,¬,,¢klr â,¬Å"strange little people from the seaâ,¬Â has awakened in them a spirit of curiosity; and many young Shithriss have begun to travel with the Jaruun to see the world.  They are similar in tone to the Aztec cultures.[/spoiler]
*[spoiler=Goatmen (Bethar)]The Bethar inhabit the grasslands.  Bethar have been involved in a century long feud with Wemic and Centaur but recently have established a tenuous peace, do to the incursion of the warlike and aggressive H'gnulu (gnolls/flind).  The Bethar are Native-American in flavor.[/spoiler]
*[spoiler=Wemics]Inhabit the grasslands, and only recently have made a truce with the centaur and Bethar.  Like the Centaurs, they are African in flavor.[/spoiler]
*[spoiler=Centaurs (Xulu)]Inhabit the grasslands.  They are regal in demeanor, but can sometimes be arrogant and prejudiced to other races (especially Wemic).  They have the lower-quarters of a zebra instead of a horse, and have a Masai or Zulu flavor.[/spoiler]

Gnomes, Dwarves, standard AD&D Elves (their sub-races â,¬' beside the Wild Elves and Talakhan), Orcs, and half-breeds of all races are extinct or do not exist on Feyraal.
There are some modifications to the available classes, but not many.  Rules for non-steel/non-metal weapons and items are in effect as well as rules for piece-meal armor.

Other Races of Note:
The player races represent only 8 of the 13 Great Races.  The other non-player Great Races are the Ogrish (ogres and ogre-kind); the Hâ,¬,,¢gnulu (the gnolls, pronounced â,¬Å"hoo-looâ,¬Â); the Talakhan (Red Elves); the Thriâ,¬,,¢Kreen; and the Gogron (Giant kin).  Many other races and creature flourish and grow in the farther corners of the world; but the 13 Great Races are the ones that can be found throughout the starting campaign area.
 [spoiler=Dragons]
Dragons were greatly weakened when Baalgorgon wreaked havoc upon the world and many of them died.  The small handful that was left disappeared in their lairs and slept.  No dragon has been seen by the Great Races for over 500 years.  Other magical beasts are rare as well.  [/spoiler]  
 [spoiler=Red Elves (Talakhan)]The Red Elves are decendants of the ancient Seldarine.  Powerful magic users, the arcane energies of their ancestors still flows within their blood.  The Red Elves, through their dabbling and exposure to outside races have have also corrupted their arcane lineage with a taint of evil.  Unlike other elves of other worlds, the Talakhan are Lawful Evil, and many have the blood of Devils in their veins.  A Talakhan's skin ranges in tone from a deep red to a burnt orange hue with white, red, black, deep violet or orange hair.  Many show signs of their vile heritage - small horns, fangs, scales, and tails.  The more pronounced the trait, the more "noble" the Talakhan.  Of all the races, the Talakhan are the most advanced both technologically and magically due to their dealings with outsiders and their proximity to many ruins of the ancient Seldarine.  They are expansionistic, arrogant, elitist tyrants and slavers who thirst for power and domination.[/spoiler]
Religion and Cosmology:
The world of Feyraal is based in pseudo-scientific principle.  Itâ,¬,,¢s an old world that formed from gasses and the like and saw ages of evolution.  The world itself is slightly smaller than earth and has two moons â,¬' the larger Ios and the smaller Mika.  It orbits its single yellow primary, Eldara, once every 390 days and a full day is 24 hours long.
The religions of Feyraal are race specific and totemic in nature, each race revering its own eidolon.  The eidolons are mighty carvings, hundreds of feet high, which represent each of the races.  Some are male, some are female but all of them grant divine magic to the faithful.  A races eidolon usually sits near the heart of its homeland and tends to be where the largest settlement or city is located.  A priest of any given eidolon carries a smaller replica as their holy symbol.  No one knows where the eidolons came from, for they are present throughout racial memory and pre-exist everything but the dark ruins that lay scattered around the world.  The faithful believe their patron god carved the eidolon as a symbol of their power in the material world.  The eidolons harbor incredible power and nothing can destroy them, even time and weather has not marred their flawless, polished surfaces.  They are as seemingly untouched now as they were when they were first made.  All divine magic is drawn from the eidolon by the priest.  Druids also exist in abundance and revere the various spirits of nature.  Feyraal is a world without active deities in that there are no gods that guide the fates of mortals, but merely the energy or essence of the divine channeled by the faithful either in priestly form, or druidic.

 [spoiler=Secret of the Eidolons]Each of the Eidolons was carved and created by the early races that they represent.  Long ago, the gods had a more active role in the affairs of their followers, and granted these idols their divine power to defeat Baalgorgon.  However, the devastation and loss of life caused by the defeat of Baalgorgon reduced the numbers of the faithful so drastically (and in some cases completely) that the Gods lost their hold in the material realm.  Even though they are unable to manifest their power, and take a more active role in the lives of the new peoples of Feyraal, the seed of divine strength still lives inside each of the remaining eidolons and it is this seed that powers the spells of mystics and priests.

 [spoiler=UyuMahn]This great 500 foot eidolon stands upon the side of the Mountains of Mika faces to the northwest.  It's marbled granite surface is smooth and unmarred by time.  It is carved in the form of a human man, suited in mighty plate mail, strong and determined with a rugged and handsome face.  In his right hand he holds a mighty hammer, and over his left breast he holds a great shield with the face of a lion.[/spoiler]

 [spoiler=Viluun]The jade eidolon of the Wilve is carved in the image of a wild and beautiful Wilve woman.  Standing over 400 feet its shoulders and head crest the tops of the jungles in which it resides.  she looks to the north with concern as she knocks her bow with an arrow.[/spoiler]

 [spoiler=Jaruun]The 300 foot tall, alabaster statue of the Jaruun sits meditating upon a hill facing to the north on the central island of the Isles of Jaruun.  He sits cross-legged, dressed only in a robe, his long dreads hang to his waist.  His eyes are closed in deep concentration while in his left hand he holds a golden circlet and in his right a golden rod.[/spoiler]

 [spoiler=Vazha]The black eidolon of the catfolk is crouched low beneath the jungles canopy facing the north, his body coiled and ready to spring.  His regal muzzle is curved in a protective snarl and his claws are partially unsheathed in warning.  There is a deep groove, or scar, in the obsidian rock along his left eye and similar marks along his right flank.  Despite his wounds, he is proud, powerful and undaunted.[/spoiler]

 [spoiler=Shathriss]This mighty eidolon, carved from solid lapis, rises 200 feet above the rolling waves of the Sea of Ios facing to the west.  In its right hand it holds a mighty spear, it's slitted eyes are narrowed in anticipation and it's left hand is raised to the sky.[/spoiler]  

 [spoiler=Xulu]The noble and strong Xulu protectively surveys the broad grasslands and savannah around him.  He holds a great oblong shield in his left hand, and a long spear in his right.  He looks to the north with proud defiance.  His upper half is strong and bare - carved from obsidian and his lower half is made from striated black and white marble.  He stands 600 feet about the plains.[/spoiler]

 [spoiler=Wemic]The eidolon of the wemic, carved from a giant block of tigerseye, lays languidly upon the grasslands.  Her eyes look to the north with caution and a subtle sense of sorrow, but she is relaxed in demeanor as though she is resting after a bountiful hunt.  Her right hand is set upon the ground with her left hand touching her heart.[/spoiler]

 [spoiler=Hgnulu]H'gnulu howls with feral and beastial victory towards the north.  He holds a large club high above his head.[/spoiler]

 [spoiler=Bethar]The great Bethar is a perfect specimen of his race.  Several large, thick curling horns crown his goat-like head.  He stands facing the north, his mighty axe in the earth with an air of reserved victory, his eyes narrowed with subtle caution.[/spoiler]

 [spoiler=Talakha]The vile witch Talakha faces south towards the other eidolons.  She is carved from pure basalt atop a high peak near the molten caudlrons of the Three Sisters.  She is unabashedly nude with a malevolent smile creeping across the alien beauty of her face.  Her body, though elegant, lithe and beautiful cannot distract nor hide her otherworldly corruptions.  Her hair is a crown of writhing tendrils capped with lamprey mouths and her right side is dotted with ruby eyes her arm a mass of tenticles and rasping maws.  Her left hand holds a high staff capped with an orb that glows with and eerie green-violet eldritch light.[/spoiler]

 [spoiler=The Broken Eidolon]This eidolon used to be carved in the image of the gnomes, but was sundered in the massive blast.  It's head lay half buried in earth, and it parts scattered in a long swatch from northwest to southeast.  There are other broken eidolons - Thurmordan, Sharnosh, and Ghulbain to name a few - further north of the seething crawl.[/spoiler]

 [spoiler=Other Eidolons]There are other eidolons scattered around the Seething Crawl - Gogron, N'gash, and Ogrish.[/spoiler]
[/spoiler]

Geography:
The world of Feyraal is a vast and unbroken wilderness â,¬' from dense jungles, to dark swamps, to mighty temperate forests, to rugged mountains, to broad grasslands, to parched deserts â,¬' there are many lands unseen by the eyes of the Great Races for millennia.  The campaign area spans a region approximately 2000 miles square near the equator; it is a â,¬Å"Mesopotamiaâ,¬Â of sorts, where culture and civilization is beginning to flourish.  Beyond this area are uncharted lands whose records have all but vanished in the abyssal shadows of long-buried ruins.  Everything is vast in size and scope, trees that tower several stories high, mountains just seeing the effects of erosion and time, and seas of countless fathoms all peopled by a large array of mighty creatures, throwbacks from distant eras and epochs of time.  There are several long mountain ranges across the single large continent of Feyraal, as well as a smaller, younger range in the center of the southeastern island continent.  There is no landmass at the South Pole; but the single continent extends up to the northern pole and is covered in large glaciers with on single large frozen sea.  The names of these features are forgotten, and the peoples of Feyraal have yet to discover these new territories to even begin to name them.  Only the central campaign region bears any named locations.  The central large gulf at the center of the campaign area is known as the Sea of Ios (it isnâ,¬,,¢t technically a sea, but the natives have named it that).  To the west and east are dark tropical jungles.  The gulf itself contains several island chains and archipelago that are home to the Jaruun.  To the north of the Sea of Ios is the massive crater called The Seething Crawl.  It is the prison of Baalgorgon, the God-Weapon from the time before history.  It is a land of corruption, decay and foulness.  At its center is a boiling ocean and it is ringed on all sides by high and treacherous mountains.  South of the Sea of Ios is open ocean and lands that have yet to be discovered.  Eventually it all gives way to temperate forests and finally frozen steppes and glaciers.

[Brian]

A view of the region east of the Sea of Ios, referred to as Ambalwilde
[spoiler=Ambalwilde][/spoiler]

A political map of the same region...
[spoiler=Political Boundaries][/spoiler]

write up forthcoming...stay tuned...

[Brian]

still working out a few more details before full post...hang in...please feel free to critique in the discussion thread!  thanks!

[Brian]

Rough Timeline

 [spoiler=The Primeval Age]

*The old gods create the world and the heavens
*The first of creatures is shaped and set upon the world to live.  The gods realize that this is not enough and go about creating all the worldâ,¬,,¢s living things.
*A rogue god creates the first sentient being.  When the other gods find out they then make others like it in their own images.  Thus the first great races are born.

[/spoiler]

 [spoiler=The Age of Gods]

*-1 million years:  the first new races settle the world and are relatively removed from one another, they develop individually for several thousand years.
*- 395,000 years:  the elves rise quickly and begin to master arcane, druidic, and priestly magic.  The god of the elves is much more active in her role with her creations while the other gods remain aloof and objective.
*- 392,000 years:  the elves have their own kingdom, and have driven the goblinoid races further into the mountains.  The other races â,¬' dwarves, gnomes, halflings, humans, etc. â,¬' are also becoming more advanced.  
*- 390,000 years:  the races begin to meet for the first time.  The elves disdain the outsiders, especially the dwarves, and become isolationist and xenophobic, retreating from the world for a long period of time.
*- 300,000 years:  all the races have expanded and inhabit large empires.  The dwarf-goblin wars begin.
*- 298,000 years:  the elven civil war erupts due to disagreements between varying factions within the race.  Some wish to open diplomatic relations with the outside world and the other races, while others wish to remain secluded.  The elven emperor exiles those who wish to mix with the outsiders.  The other races meet the elves for the first time.
*- 297,000 years:  the elves teach arcane magic to the other races.
*- 290,000 years:  the races thrive in their own nations there are a multitude of technological and magical advancements.
*- 287,000 years:  War of the Black Scale an incursion of black dragons into the human nations.  The humans, elves, dwarves and gnomes form an alliance and push back the black dragons.
*- 286,000:  the dwarves split from the alliance and retreat into the mountains.
*- 284,000:  the goblinoid and giant kingdoms rise to power under the three kings â,¬' Rolâ,¬,,¢Gorok the 10th king of Trolls, Varaknosh King of Orcs, and Hurgoron King of Giants.
*- 282,000:  the War of Kings.  Varaknosh makes a pact with Namarenth the Black Dragon Queen.  The three kings, with the help of the black dragons, attack and destroy the dwarven city of Thurdorvash.  Their legions sweep further into the human lands and the war rages on.
*-281,000:  the dwarves, with the aid of the gnomes, defeat the Black Dragon Queen and drive the orcs back.  Varaknosh is also killed, but is quickly succeeded by his son, Sharnosh and the war continues.  The centaur join the armies of the three kings along with the goblins and the gnolls.
*-280,000:  the elves, after years of avoiding the conflict, engage in battle with the Trolls.  Rivenbough the elven archer strikes Rolâ,¬,,¢Gorok in the eye with an arrow and he is slain.
*-279,000:  Hurgoron surrenders and the remaining armies are disbanded and driven away.  The war ends.
*-278,000:  the dwarves, having suffered great losses from the war, demand aide from the other races to rebuild their destroyed cities.  The elves refuse and return to isolation.
*-275,000:  the dwarven kingdoms are rebuilt, and the capitol city of Dorvesh is founded.  The gnomes are absorbed into the Dorvesh empire.
*-273,000:  the elven nation grows and the empire of the Seldarine is born.  Humans, halflings, and other fey races join the empire.
*-270,000:  the teleweb is createdâ,¬Â¦a series of teleportation portals connecting the city-states of the Seldarine Empire together.
*-268,000:  the Dorvesh build a massive underground railway system connecting their various states together.  the giants join the Empire of Dorvesh.
*-265,000:  War of the Red Scale.  As the Empire of Dorvesh grows, they expand into the Red Dragon lands and awaken Malgorian the King of Red Dragons.  The Empire of the Seldarine do not engage in battle.
*-263,000:  the red dragons, near defeat, forge an alliance with the Dorvesh.
*-262,000:  the Dorvesh ban any Seldarine from the empire and stop all trade relations.
*-261,000:  the Dorvesh build the Wall of Raddorol spanning from what is now called the Sea of Ios all the way northward, completely separating the two empires.  All Seldarine who cross the wall are killed.
*-259,000:  the giants face a growing famine and cross the wall to invade the human lands.  In retaliation the humans cross the wall and attack the giants.  The Dorvesh, curbing their anger, diplomatically ask the Seldarine for assistance but the Seldarine refuse.
*-258,000:  infuriated for the last time by the detached and callous nature of the Seldarine the Dorvesh muster the giants and invade the human cities, raiding and pillaging they take control of several teleportals and begin mustering a larger force to attack the Seldarine capitol.
*-257,000:  the Seldarine are quick to respond, and with a demonstration of might and power heretofore unseen in the world, completely crush the giants and the Dorveshing armies.  The lands and fields are left barren, and those who survive are cursed.  
*-255,000:  the Dorvesh fester over their loss and begin to build a stronger army increasing the size of their garrisons along the wall and building massive engines of war.
*-254,000:  the Seldarine, in another arrogant display of power, attack the garrisons of Dorvesh at the teleportals and lead a strike against the wall and punch a massive hole through it.  The Dorvesh stage a counterstrike and disable the teleportals with the aide of the red dragons.  The War of the Gods begins.
*-252,000:  The war is at a drawâ,¬Â¦both sides are over-taxedâ,¬Â¦but both are also unrelenting.  Millions die on battlefields, entire forests are razed, cities burned to the ground.  The Seldarine release massive magical plagues that cripple the enemy, the Dorvesh use gargantuan titans and fire breathers to lay waste to cities.  The decadent nobility of the Seldarine remain detached, high in their towers and floating citadels sending wave after wave of soldier, construct and spell against the Dorvesh; but neither side gains anything greater.
*-251,500:  the world is a barren and war-torn wasteland.  The regular peoples of both empires suffer â,¬' they face starvation, or forced military service, or death at the hands of the enemy.  The last remnants of each race retreat to the capitols of each empire.  Racial alliances have been drawn and redrawn a hundred times.  The fey disappear as well as many other magical races.
*-250,000:  the Dorvesh begin building the God Weapon, Baalgorgon in a final attempt to destroy the Seldarine.  With stolen arcane technogies and even darker magics the Dorvesh are successful at creating a weapon that will finally defeat their enemy.  It is a weapon that feeds on and absorbs arcane energy.  A titanic abherration of diabolical design and construction meant only to destroy and devour.  Their sense of accomplishment and victory was short lived, for Baalgorgon was beyond their control.  In a matter of weeks, the entire empire was no more.  The last of the Dorvesh fled to the Seldarine to warn their enemies of the monstrosity they had unleashed; but their pleas fell on deaf ears, and they were killed by the Seldarine.
*-249,900:  Baalgorgon the Devourer begins to grow larger and split off smaller versions of itself.  The Seldarine and remaining races create the eidolons.  In a final confrontation the armies of the Seldarine and the eidolons clash at the remains of the Wall with the Devourer.  As the eidolons begin to fall the archwizard of the Seldarine envokes one final, powerful incantation binding Baalgorgon to the earth, and with one final spell calls a comet down from the heavens to smite the Devourer and bury it beneath molten rock and debris.  The devastation is incredible, and the magical backlash as the Devourer is imprisoned sends a massive shockwave for thousands of miles in every direction.  The world is a dark and barren place.  The Age of Gods is at an end and the earth is silent and still for several hundred thousand yearsâ,¬Â¦.

[/spoiler]

 [spoiler=The Age of the Pheonix]

*0:  the fey return to Feyraal and mourn the devastation.  They begin to revitalize the worldâ,¬Â¦nurturing the earth slowly over time.  Forests grow anew, rains begin to fall, rivers flow across once scorched sun-baked lands, and life begins to thrive once again.
*500:  the great races appear at the base of the great eidolons and begin to thrive and grow.
*1500:  the Talakhan empire.
*1800:  Uyuâ,¬,,¢Mahn
*2112:  campaign start.

[/spoiler]  

this is just a rough start...i have to refine the time a bit more i think.  i try to consider the life-expectancy of each race and adjust the dates accordingly.  elves being so long lived i figured 1000-2000 year increments wasn't too out-of-the-question, but i could be wrong so i may have to re-work it a bit.  but in any event, this is the general gist of it so far.  if you have any thoughts, input or ideas feel free to post it up in the discussion thread of the same name.  i'll refine over the course of the week.