Amethyst Isles of Rimecroft [Setting Thread]

[Elemental_Elf]

Welcome brave hero!

The Amethyst Isles have always been a dangerous place to live, as mystical creatures both big and small have called the isles home for as long as the civilized races have been keeping records. However, the good people of these diverse lands were protected by strength of dwarven steel and the might of Rimecroft's Emperors. The three thousand year reign of the dwarven Imperium ended when the dreaded god of Winter - Yasgaram - plunged the Amethyst Isles into a cold, dark night that lasted nearly seventy years. Starvation was rampant, civilization crumbled, war became endemic and death was ever-present. The sheer number of people that died during those seventy years is staggering. When the first beams of spring's light crested the horizon, the Isles were forever changed. In the absence of the Imperial Legions, darkness (both metaphorical and actual) had been allowed to take root. Dragons, devils and other evil creatures had become dominant powers during the Seventy Years of Gloom. The common races of Rimecroft slowly rebuilt their civilization but unity is now a dream held only by great philosophers and the descendants of the Emperors. Civilization is entirely local, with only a few trade routes springing up since the Gloom, all of which are ever threatened by the vile creatures that now haunt the wilds. Few ever leave their home towns, fewer still brave the frontier and delve into the unknown. Those that do either find death or adventure...

Table of Contents:

The Southern Warblade Archipelago

----- Cartography
-------------- Cartography of the Southern Warblade Archipelago

----- Songwillow Isle
-------------- History of Songwillow
-------------- Major Settlements of Songwillow
-------------- Races of Songwillow
-------------- Major Geographic Features of Songwillow
-------------- Notable Characters in Songwillow
-------------- Vetgur Flailwar
-------------- Adventure Sites in Songwillow
-------------- The Noble Families of Whitebuck
--------------  Dirge Ochur
-------------- Vetgur Flailwar
-------------- The Kitsune and the Sowa
-------------- The Ancient Realm of Rhahasia

----- Bastion Isle
-------------- History of Bastion Isle
-------------- Araland
-------------- Adventure Sites of Bastion Isle

----- Multi-Isle Posts
-------------- Giants & Servitude
-------------- Bacdan, Bactahn & the Cooperative of Nhom

World Information

----- The Divine
-------------- The Four Gods

[Elemental_Elf]

Cartography

The Amethyst Isles are a vast archipelago that are spread across hundreds of leagues. The islands are populated by diverse peoples and cultures, all of whom bowed to the might of the Forgefather Emperors. The Southern Warblade Isles were conquered by Emperor Rikard Warblade IX over five hundred years ago. Twenty years into the Seventy Years of Gloom, the Rimecroft Empire officially abandoned the Southern Warblade Isles. Following the Great Retreat, civilization as the people of the Isles had grown accustomed to stood upon a knife's edge. Yasgaram sent hordes of undead, plagues and monsters to the Isles. Within a year civilization collapsed. Since the end of the Seventy Years of Gloom, civilization has slowly re-built itself but only on a local basis. Vile darkness still thrives in the wilds, ready to tear the burdening walls of progress down once more...

The Southern Warblade Isles: [spoiler][/spoiler]

Songwillow Isle and Cloudheart: [spoiler][/spoiler]

Songwillow Isle: [spoiler][/spoiler]

Whitebuck: [spoiler][/spoiler]

Eastfarm: [spoiler][/spoiler]

[Elemental_Elf]

The History of Songwillow Isle

The Isle of Songwillow lies to the south-west of Rimecroft proper. Songwillow was once an idyllic realm of virgin woodlands, windswept meadows and meandering, crystal clear streams. The Songwillow Elves lived in peace and prosperity with the natural world. They gave homage to the Forgefather Emperor and paid an annual tribute of Elephants and magical items created using Will-O-Wisp magic. During the Seventy Years of Gloom, the Forgefather's legions evacuated the island, preferring to protect interests closer to the capital. With the sudden evacuation of the soldiers, the Goblin tribes who had long suffered malignantly in the highest peaks poured out of their warrens. They burned forests, desecrated the streams and brought ruin to the rest. No one knows exactly when but Rueserond, draconic scourge of pre-history, was roused by the senseless bloodshed washing across Songwillow.

When Rueserond awoke, the great Flameshroud Volcano erupted with awesome fury, blanketing the island in ash. The Red Dragon gathered the Goblins and claimed the island for his very own. With Rueserond's direction the wild, barbarous Goblins were forged into a mighty spear that the gentle Wood Elves could nary hope to vanquish. During the Elves' darkest hour, a Copper Dragon appeared as if to answer their prayers. Viasarius battled Rueserond in the skies above Songwillow for, what the bards claim, was over seven days before Rueserand retreated back to his lair deep within the caldera of Flameshroud Volcano.

Since that day, Songwillow has been divided in half along the Throat, a narrow strip of land that connects the two halves of the island. War has become ever constant, with both sides sending small squads of soldiers to infiltrate their enemy's lands and sow discord and ruin. Every seventh day the Goblins march an army across the Throat and attempt to assail the Walls of Forgestar Keep. To this day, not a single Goblin soldier has ever broken past Forgestar's impressible defenses.

The southern half of the island, called Dreamglen, is ruled by the Great Council, which is composed of the King of Songwillow (Letnin Hopewind), the Grand Chieftess of the Unicorns (Nedaah Mercymoon) and Viasarius. The Council meets in the forest-city of Whitebuck, whose ancient Redwood Trees soar into the sky and support nearly a quarter of the entire realm's population.

The northern half of the island, called Foulbone, is ruled by a tyranny of one - Rueserand. Any distension is met with extreme force. No one questions Rueserand. Ever. The Goblins mostly dwell in the Caves that pepper the Madshadow Mountains, leaving the once great meadows and woodlands to lie fallow. Only the shrieks of Yrthaks and the few remaining Elephants call the barren ash-scape home.

[Elemental_Elf]

Major Settlements of Songwillow Isle

- Whitebuck: The capital of Dreamglen. The towering Redwood Trees reach high up into the sky. Hempen rope bridges span the gap between the trees, while wooden decks serve as a base for narrow winding streets and small buildings. The forest is surrounded by a forty foot wide moat, with but two stone drawbridges that cross the water. Though the moat appears perfectly normal, it has been enchanted with magic to light aflame if ever an enemy army were to approach.

- Forgestar Keep: The Wood Elves' mighty fortress that spans the south-eastern edge of the Throat. The Keep was built by the Rimecroft Empire to serve as a port of call for merchants and a home for the Legion. The Castle is maximized for defense, with a labyrinthine design that only the most paranoid of Dwarven architects would dream up. Without Forgestar Keep, the southern lands would have surly fallen to evil by now.

- Eastfarm:  Founded around the ruins of an ancient Elven Tower called Herbmoss, Eastfarm was originally a mere fortification designed to keep watch over the southern seas. As time progressed, the Empire enticed settlers to the area with generous grants of land. Humans and Halflings were the primary settlers but Dwarves retiring from the Legions also came to call Eastfarm home. During the Seventy Years of Gloom, the fort was assaulted many times by Goblins, Ogres and whole flocks of Yrthaks. Through it all, the town survived thanks in no small part to the resilience of her people. Lawspeaker Reydo Keyblade swore loyalty to the Great Council of Whitebuck in return for protection and trade.

- Rooteye & Bluerain: These two twined towers were created to help bolster Forgestar's defenses by providing a magical light source for night battles and help guard the realm from sea-based intrusions. Both towers are manned by over a hundred men at all times.  Generals Abitir Rooteye & Donba Bluerain command the towers that bare their name.

- Caldera: The capital of Foulbone. The city lies, as its name implies, inside the caldera of Flameshroud Volcano. Little thought is given to safety within the city as the volcano is quite active. It is not uncommon for whole sections of the city to simply melt away or be incinerated by small eruptions of magma. If the Goblins had a choice, surly they would choose another location as their capital. Sadly, the choice is not theirs. That power belongs to the Tyrant Rueserand who, as with all Red Dragons, is immune to the heat and flames of the volcano.

- Hellfang Citadel: Constructed by order of Rueserand, this hellish black iron spire serves as Foulbone's main line of defense. Thousands of Goblins call the Citadel home, as well as the Xill (who are an insectoid race brought by Rueserand to his new domain to bolster his forces and strike terror into the hearts of his enemies). The Keep stands at the northern end of the Throat and every seven days an army of Goblins and Xill race across the narrow land bridge and smash into the alabaster walls of Forgestar Keep.

- Sunleaf: Three years ago, Sara'dronxulipod half-celestial King of Ratara founded the Sunleaf Expedition in order to spread the faith of Almahara (goddess of Summer) and Sonbahar (god of Autumn); both of whose faiths had fallen greatly in the wake of the Seventy Years of Gloom. Lead by a human named Vanuel Coldtear, the Sunleaf Expedition landed on a small island dubbed Sara, in honor of their King. Less than a year after landing, Coldtear had finished construction of the citadel. Once his position was entrenched, he sent missionaries into both Foulbone and Dreamglen. The missionaries sent to the latter were politely asked to leave, while the missionaries sent to the former were beheaded. After much cajoling, the Great Council of Whitebuck eventually relented into allowing the missionaries to proselytize after dark visions were seen by King Letnin while he visited the Marsh of Ancestral Dawn. Faith in the Summer and Autumn was quickly restored as both factions focused on good deeds rather than fanciful words alone.  The tiny island of Sara is dominated by the stone castle of Sunleaf, which sports a separate tower for each god. The towers are differentiated by the color of the flame that ever burns atop the tower (yellow for Almahara and Orange for Sonbahar). Expedition Leader Vanuel Coldtear is viewed as being very charismatic and a dedicated soldier. He holds neither the Summer nor Autumn above the other and so was seen as the natural (and neutral) choice to lead the expedition.

[Elemental_Elf]

Races of Songwillow

Almost every common race dwells on the Isle of Songwillow, however the most populous of the common races are the Wood Elves, for whom the Isle is their homeland. They have existed on the island long before Dwarves ever arrived and shall exist long after their empire fades into the memory. Humans and Halflings are most common along the south-western shores, especially around Eastfarm and Sunleaf. They were attracted to the island by generous land grants and other incentives the Empire put forward to help populate this strategic island. Dwarves are very numerous in Forgestar, with most being direct descendents of Legionaries who missed the evacuation order. Gnomes are a common sight both in Sunleaf and in Whitebuck, while Kitsune can be found throughout the Dreaming Forest and the Serenepeace Mountains. Foulbone's most common races are the Goblins and Xill, with significant numbers of slaves from all of the common races but especially Dwarves and Wood Elves, as they are the enemies most often fought against in the Throat. Stone Giants are increasingly common in Foulbone as devilish slavers frequent the Cragcoast that lies across the Narrows. Large numbers of Ratfolk merchants have also begun to appear on the ashen plains of Foulbone though where they hail from is unknown as Ratfolk are not common to this region of the Amethyst Isles.

[Elemental_Elf]

Notable Geographic Features of Songwillow

- The Throat: A narrow land bridge that connects the two halves of the isle. The Throat has become the site of the never ending war between Rueserond and Dreamglen. Hundreds die each week as both sides attempt in vain to break through the other's defenses. The north is guarded by the Hellfang Citadel, while the south is protected by the Forgestar Keep.

- Marsh of Ancestral Dawn: Sacred to the Wood Elves and the Unicorns, the Marsh of Ancestral Dawn holds a deep connection with the Sharranna, goddess of Spring.  The Marsh is tended to by Delidara Stormsnake, who is the Conclave Mistress of the Morning Dawn Druids. The Marsh is said to be bathed in illusions that can portend one's possible future. Many come to the bog to learn of what is yet to come. At the very heart of the marsh lies Dawntower, an ancient Elven Ruin that serves as the main gathering point for those seeking visions. Chieftess Nedaah Mercymoon came to the Marsh seeking a means to stop Ruesarond from conquering the whole of Songwillow. It is said that Sharranna bequeathed unto the Unicorn a vision that would eventually lead her to the Horn of Calling that brought Viasarius to the Isle. The Elves and Unicorns protect the Marsh at all costs.

- The Dreaming Forest: At the heart of this Redwood Forest lies the capital city of Whitebuck. The Forest is teeming with the last vestiges of the unique flora and fauna that once covered the entire Isle. Elvish patrols race through the forest and are ever watchful for Goblinoid intruders. Versarius often sleeps in the forest, especially after long War Council meetings. Though he sleeps, he always keeps one eye open, ever vigilant for danger, for without him, the realm would surly fall.

- The Flameshroud Volcano: The volcano was long though inactive until the great and terrible Rueserond awoke from his Millennia-long slumber. What was once a pleasant mountain covered by a thick blanket of green has become the epicenter of a hellish fire-scape. Ash and lava constantly bellow out of the mountain creating a toxic and dangerous area that few wish to tread near unless absolutely necessary.

- The Serenepeace Mountains: This mountain range lying at the southern end of the Isle serves as a buffer between the storms that plague the southern coast and the idyllic land of the Dreaming Forest. The Mountain Range is dotted with small farms, which grow much needed reagents for the Druids and Mages of Dreamglen. Viasarius' secret cave is hidden somewhere in the mountains, though not even the other members of the Great Council know exactly where. The Copper Dragon prefers to keep that aspect of his life as an enigma.

- The Madshadow Mountains: This volcanic mountain range lies at the northern end of Songwillow. It was once a beautiful forest-covered range, home to large numbers of nomadic Kitsune and a plethora of shrines dedicated to Sonbahar. However, when Rueserond awoke he brought with him the fiery magma from the bowels of the earth. The constant eruptions that spewed forth decimated the forest and turned it to ash. The Mountains now serve as Rueserond's home as he slips into one lava tube and blasts his way out on the other side of the range. The Goblins still call the Madshadow home as the massive number of lava caves serve as dangerous, but secure, places to found their warrens.

[Elemental_Elf]

Notable Characters of Songwillow

- Viasarius: The protector and savior of Dreamglen, without whom civilization would surely have collapsed. Viasarius is an older Copper Dragon who came from a distant land that he chooses not to talk of. Viasarius has a younger brother that serves the Lord of Archonia, which is an island to the east of Songwillow. The Copper Dragon is one third of the Great Council of Whitebuck, which governs the realm of Dreamglen. Of the three Councilors, Variarius is the most gentile and amicable, taking extra time to listen to all sides of a debate before coming to a decision. He allows the other two Councilors to take a larger role in the day-to-day affairs of state, preferring to keep his eye fixed on the long term. When not sleeping in the Dreaming Forest or off in his secret lair, Viasarius can be found roaming the Serenepeace Mountains for game.

- King Letnin Hopewind: The last in the line of Songwillow Kings that stretches back to times immemorial. Letnin Hopewind ascended to the throne of Songwillow five years ago, taking over the crown from his mother who passed away in her sleep. Hopewind is an eager and brash man, who does not relish debating issues as much as his fellow councilors. He is quick to form an opinion and loathe to change it. The King often fights on the walls of Forgestar, inspiring his people to greatness through his own valor. He wears a shimmering copper-plated breastplate and the White Stag Battle Crown while fighting, both of which make him an easy target for his enemies. Letnin is a natural athlete and soldier, far more than any previous King or Queen of Songwillow. When not in Council meetings or fighting, Hopewind can be found wandering around the Dreaming Forest.

- Chieftess Nedaah Mercymoon: The Warrior Queen of the Unicorns tribes, Chieftess Mercymoon is a gifted diplomat and a keen statesman. Being practically immortal, Nedaah Mercymoon has seen the aeons pass from pre-history to the present. She always has the best interest of her tribes at heart, and now, the realm of Dreamglen. She comprises one third of the Great Council of Whitebuck and is often seen as the most gregarious and forgiving member. She does not relish war or glory in battle the way King Lentin or Viasarius do, She would prefer a formal declaration of peace be declared between the two halves of the island and never another senseless battle occur.

- Delidara Stormsnake: As the Conclave Mistress of the Morning Dawn Druids, Stormsnake's most important duty is tending to the Marsh of Ancestral Dawn and ensuring the great diversity of life on Songwillow be maintained. Delidara is unique in that she is the first Half-Elven Conclave Mistress the Druids have ever had (all previous Conclave Masters/Mistresses were either Elves or Unicorns). Stromsnake has taken an active roll in the pursuit of re-seeding the northern half of the island by secretly dispatching Druids. The Great Council looks unkindly to this behavior as it could spark renewed efforts to destroy and/or desecrate the southern half of the island. Regardless, Delidara sees it as her duty as leader of the Druids to do all that is within her power to alter the terrible fate that has befallen the isle.

[Elemental_Elf]

Adventure Sites of Songwillow

- The Blackdeath Cliffs: The safest route up to Caldera lies along the jagged black rocks that line the Blackdeath Cliffs. Make no mistake, though the route is touted as being the safest, it is by no means actually safe. Yrthaks and Shocker Lizards comb the cliffs for travelers, often doing their utmost to fling travelers off the mountainside and down to a brutal death at the base of the Volcano.

- Tunnels of Flesh: The only other passage up to Caldera lies within the Tunnels of Flesh, which, as the name implies, is actually a living organism. Transported here by Ruesarond, the creature constantly craves the flesh of mortals. It is said a thousand Goblins a year are sacrificed to the Tunnels in order to sate the beasts' unnatural hunger. Few travelers survive the treacherous tunnel due to its bile rivers and rampaging demonic badgers.

- The Vault of Suffering: The Mountain Dwarves of the Rimecroft Empire dug too deep and too greedily into the Sernepeace Mountains. Miners discovered a magically sealed door deep under the mountains. When they pried the adamantine doors open, they were immediately grabbed by fetid, green tentacles. The sole survivor claimed to have seen a horde of treasure glimmering inside the vault. The last sound he heard was that of his compatriots screaming in agony as they were torn limb from limb. Since then, many would be Adventurers have traveled into the Vault of Suffering and, sadly,  fared no better than the original miners. The King of Songwillow has ordered the Vault's entrance barred, for fear of letting slip an unstoppable horror...

- The Ruins of Ironmace: Originally founded as the second major Castle on the island by the Rimecroft Empire, Ironmace was destroyed by Ruesarond in the early days of his awakening. The keep has since become an ever-constant thorn in the side of the Great Council as Bandits, Pirates and Goblins often take up residence and use it as a base of operation. Currently, the Oceanblade Pirates, lead by a Drow named Captain Dohor Farcurse, has come to call Ironmace home. He commands a several hundred men and uses three ships called the Vicious Serpent, the Bloody Blade and his flagship, the Hellborn Cutlass. The Great Council does not have the resources to both defend the Forgestar Keep and go after such a large band of pirates. A bounty has been placed on all pirates, with the hope of luring bounty hunters and would be adventurers to the cause.

- The Ruins of Ashlock: The third in the series of castles founded by the Empire, Ashlock was not completed before the Seventy Years of Gloom. Goblins and Xill have claimed the fortification. A particularly violent Xill general named Zarlacau the Bloody Handed has become the de facto ruler of the keep. He has attracted several Stone Giants from across the Narrows to come fight for him. Zarlacau's Giants have become a real threat when he sends them to the once-per-seven day battle along the Throat as the Giants are capable of slaying tens of soldiers with but a single swing of their clubs.

- The Trident:  An ancient Elven tower located at the tip of the most northerly point on the island. No one knows why it was created, as the tower was a ruin long before the Empire came to Songwillow. The Trident has always emanated a strong magical aura that has confounded even the most learned of Mages. The Goblins, being superstitious, give the Watchtower a wide berth, while spies in Foulbone report that Ruesarond has visited the ruin multiple times in the last  few months for reasons unknown...

[Elemental_Elf]

The Gods of the Amethyst Isles

There are four gods in the Amethyst Isles, each corresponding to one of the four seasons. The gods are embodied by the four celestial shields - green for Reinarra (goddess of Spring), yellow for Almahara (goddess of Summer), Orange for Sonbahar (god of Autumn) and black for Yasgaram (god of Winter). The gods of Spring, Summer and Autumn are all worshiped by the civilized races of the Amethyst Isles. Worship of Winter is outlawed for he is the bringer of death and embodies the uncontrolled wickedness of the world.


Reinarra
Reinarra is the goddess of Spring, revelry, beauty, fertility, birth, freedom, exploration, life, art, music, wilderness, and all the happiness in the world. Spring is a time when the world is reborn from the death of Winter, it is a joyous time filled with merriment and love. Reinarra preaches that life is short, so enjoy every moment of it while you still can. Spring teaches that every mortal is equal and that no man or woman should stand above their kin. Exploration, both in body and mind, of yourself, of others and of the world around you are the keys to a full and gleeful life.


Almahara
Almahara is the goddess of Summer, chivalry, luck, athletics, brawn, honor, justice, community, agriculture, battle, hunting and courage. Summer preaches that the community is paramount to the continued survival of civilization. The meek need your aid, not your scorn. Help all those around you for they shall reciprocate in kind. The world is full of challenges that individuals and communities must meet head on to overcome. Defending the defenseless, fighting with honor and braving great dangers in the name of justice are the most admirable virtues a mortal can aspire to.


Sonbahar
Sonbahar is the god of Autumn, tyranny, knowledge, strength, harvests, protection, law, domination, discipline, fate, perseverance and war. Autumn preaches that the dark days of Winter are upon you. Now is the time to bolster your defenses, train your men, gather all the supplies you can and steel your hearts. Now is the time to let the strong rule for they are the only thing standing between you and death. Freedom is meaningless in the face of adversity. Civilization must survive and to do so, the entire community must rally together behind their leaders. Unity of cause, unity of vision, unity of the people's hearts and minds embodied through the tyranny of those with the power, the tenacity, the right to rule.


Yasgaram
Yasgaram is the god of Winter, death, destruction, madness, torment, lies, darkness, vengeance, doom, greed, envy and the senseless slaughter of all living things. Winter preaches that civilization is a lie perpetuated by those who wish to dominate you. Civilization is not natural and therefore must be torn down where ever it arises. Greed  and envy are your friends, take all that you deserve and mutilate those who would dare threaten you! Bathe in the blood of the weak and feast upon their flesh. The world is your's for the taking.

[Elemental_Elf]

The Kitsune and the Sowa

The Kitsune have long been an enigmatic race that has existed on the periphery of every major civilization to arise in the Amethyst Isles. They are a nomadic people, preferring to live in insular familial bands. They made little contact with and formed few bonds with outsiders. The Rimecroft Empire viewed the Kitsune as a transitory nuisance at best and left the tribes alone so long as they did not interfere with Imperial activity. From the perspective of the other races, the Kitsune were seen as being completely mysterious as whole tribes would come and go, seemingly at random, with no obvious means of conveyance. One day a tribe would be spotted on one isle, the next day on an isle a hundred miles away, the next on another isle still further afield.

It was not until a Dwarven Archeologist named Kath Malason unearthed a megalith on Highpeak Isle that the Empire first came to understand how the Kitsune were able to travel so far, so quickly. Via a thorough investigation, Kath Malason deduced that the Kitsune utilized a strange form of magic channeled though standing stones (which are a very common sight throughout the Amethyst Isles) as a means to teleport from one megalith to another. After years of study and discussions with willing Kitsune, Malason was able to work out the basic principles of the standing stones, even going so far as to use the network of megaliths himself. However, on the day he was to present his findings to the Forgefather Emperor, Kath Malason was found dead in his home, with all his notes burned to ash. Kath Malason was without peer when it came to the study of the megaliths. Since then no archaeologist, artificer, wizard or priest has been able to replicate Malason's results, let alone even decipher the stones underlying principles.

Records indicate that the Kitsune have utilized their unique mode of conveyance since at least the ninth era. However, about halfway through the Seventy Years of Gloom the network of standing stones suddenly stopped working. For the first time in their history, the nomadic Kitsune were unable to travel as they pleased. They had become trapped on which ever island they happened to be on that day.

Songwillow Isle had long hosted a fairly large population of Kitsune, who had flocked to the isle due to its unusually powerful and ancient megalith, called the Sowa. Beyond that, the island also possessed hundreds of shrines dedicated to Reinarra that were located deep in the forests of what is now called the Madshadow Mountains. When the standing stones stopped working, many of the now-trapped Kitsune became hostile to all life, falling to the clarion call of Yasgaram. They believed a blood sacrifice to Winter would inspire Yasgaram to re-ignite the magic of their megaliths. After the inhabitants of the village of Southwood were brutally sacrificed, an over-zealous Paladin of Sonbahar took it upon himself to eradicate all Kitsune from the Isle as retribution for their heinous acts. It is said Gola Sunset slew a thousand Kitsune before he himself was stopped by the Rangers.

Since that time the Kitsune population has become split into three groups - those that cling to the old, nomadic ways; those that integrated with civilization; and those that became druids.

- The Keo: This tribe was formed by the survivors of Sunset's slaughter who wished to cling to their ancestral ways. The Keo do not interact with outsiders as they fear more bloody reprisals for the actions of the few who turned to madness and murder. The Keo have a strict matriarchal and hierarchical society with the Chieftess at the top, followed by the Shaman and the Chieftess' concubines, followed by the Warriors, followed by the Gatherers, followed by the Children. When a Chieftess dies, the Shaman proposes three worthy candidates - the greatest Warrior, the most experienced Gatherer or the eldest daughter of the last Chieftess. The Concubines ultimately decide which of the three will succeed the last Chieftess. The Keo are nomadic in nature and distrustful of outsiders. They can generally be seen wandering through the Dreaming Forest and the Serenepeace Mountains. It is rumored that Varisarius has a deep bond with the current Chieftess, Zeka. The two often go hunting alone with one another. Some of their trips can last several days to several weeks or more. It is rumored that the only person in the whole of Songwillow to know where Varisarius' secret lair is located is Zeka. Unlike the Oak Walkers, the Keo have not adopted Dwarven Naming customs. Rather they use the ancient Kitsune custom of naming their children after an aspect of nature that the child most embodies or an event that occurred on the day of the child's birth. For example, Zeka is named after the fast winds that occasionally race over the Serenepeace Mountains, while the hunter Ritsu is named in honor of a new tree that was planted on the day of her birth.

- The Oak Walkers: This tribe of Kitsune has embraced civilization and has fully integrated into Dreamglen society. Most (if not all) of their ancestral roots have been lost. Rather than being strictly matriarchal, the Oakwalkers have become egalitarian (like the Elves), favoring neither gender above the other. Oak Walkers are, for all intents and purposes, simply Elves who happen to look like Fox people. Their leader is Miru Foxoak, who oversees Fox Tur (which is a mighty Redwood Tree lying in the inner circle of Turs within Whitebuck). It is there that most Oak Walkers live and work. Foxoak was bestowed the title of Lord by the then-Queen of Songwillow some ten years ago. Lord Foxoak often bestows the title of Fox Knight upon particularly valorous Kitsune who defend the realm from evil. Though the title is not particularly prestigious in the realm at large (as most Tur Lords hand out similar titles to their followers), it is viewed with quite a bit of reverence by the Oak Walker Kitsune. Unlike the Keo, the Oak Walkers have adopted and embraced the Dwarven naming customs.

(Note: The Keo call the Oak Walkers "Mumo" which in the common tongue means "Hairless", in reference to the idea that Oakwalkers Elvenize to the point of being indistinguishable from Elves.)


- The third Tribe is not really a tribe in the strictest sense but rather Kitsune who belong to the Conclave of the Morning Dawn Druids. The Conclave is small in number but a significant minority of its members are Kitsune who have renounced their ancestral ways and/or the ways of Civilization in favor of the Natural Path of Spring.  Reinarra is the true goddess of the Kistune and has long watched over their race. It is believed she gifted the Kitsune with the standing stones. Due to this, both the Oak Walkers and the Keo go out of their way to aid Kitsune Druids, over and above what they do for non-kitsune Druids.

The Sowa, which was once the heart of Kitsune civilization of the Isle has become a shrine dedicated to Reinarra. All Kitsune, regardless of tribe, come to the Sowa for all manner of ritualized events, from weddings, to birthings, to burials, to ritualized duels. The Sowa is hidden deep within the oldest portion of the Dreaming Forest. The road to the megalith is treacherous as the Kitsune have seeded the area with traps and domesticated monstrous scorpions imported from across the Narrows. Only the Kitsune Guides know the correct path around the traps and the secret commands to bring the scorpions to heel. Very few non-kitsune have ever seen the Sowa and of those that do, only Viacarius has visited it on a regular basis.

[Elemental_Elf]

 

The History of Bastion Isle

Bastion Isle was discovered by Forgefather Emperor Rikard Warblade IX when his Palace Ship was blown off course and ran aground against a reef during a violent winter storm. At dawn's first light, the ship was assailed by a horde of rampaging Merfolk. It is said the Emperor personally slew two hundred of his enemies that day. After the battle, Rikard found that all of his attendant and apprentice wizards had been slain (either by the storm or the horde). Without a means of communicating with his fleet, the Emperor and his crew thus trekked inland with the hope of finding less hostile natives. They found only battle and death.

The isle was soon revealed to be overrun with hundreds of lycanthropic tribes. Bards tell that the Imperials could not walk a mile without running into at least a small band of werebeasts. Fearing the disease would spread like wildfire to the rest of his Empire, the Forgefather declared war against all Lycans. Some twenty days into his war, the Wizards from afar were finally able to communicate with him via their spells. Ten legions were dispatched to the island with great haste. As the righteous bloodbath drug on, the Merfolk that inhabited the shallow seas surrounding the Isle, came to believe the Forgefather to be the reincarnation of their greatest King - Skoolookoozaka the Many-Tentacled. They swore fealty to the Emperor and joined his forces.

The War of Cleansing took nearly thirty five years but in the end, the war proved a great success. Bastion was freed from its villainous masters and became the heart of Imperial culture in the Southern Warblade Isles. Four Legions, thousands of auxiliaries and two fleets were stationed on the Isle. Bastion's wide, grassy meadows served a perfect training ground for the soldiers, while the imposing Victory Mountains held ample supplies of precious minerals.  Hundreds of settlements and fortifications were erected across the island, which quickly became one of the most densely populated regions of the Empire. The capital of the Isle was Mahon, named in honor of the Merfolk Chief who took an arrow to the head to save the Emperor. The Lord of Mahon was given the title Viceroy by the Emperor in recognition of how important Bastion had become to the Empire.

As the Seventy Years drug on, all legionaries from the Southern Warblade Isle were recalled first to Bastion, then to the capital of the Empire. Bastion lost nearly half of its population when the armies left. The sudden depopulation left the economy and government in shambles. Bitter feuds broke out as mayors and army leaders vied for control of the island. War became endemic as the civilization fell in on itself. A few years after the Legions evacuated, Devils began manifesting; first in small numbers but quickly growing in number and strength. They tempted many a leader to the Cult of Yasgaram, which only exacerbated the bloodshed and hastened the fall of civilization on the island.

At this time a powerful Witch of Winter - and the last remaining Lycan on the island - Dakatha Wintermourn rose to power. Seizing this opportunity, Wintermourn created the Wereling Plague and released it at various sites across Bastion. The plague temporarily turned otherwise normal people into rage-driven Lycans who spread true Lycanthropy with each bite. So effective was the plague that within a year, Wintermourn had forged the largest army yet fielded since the Legions' evacuation. She stood upon the precipice of total victory.

It was in this backdrop that two beings were summoned. The first was Abadrael, a Hound Archon, who was brought forth by a powerful Merfolk Priestess whose name has been lost to history. Abadrael was a strong believer in Sonbahar and as such, quickly united all Merfolk under his ivory and amber banner. He called all mer-peoples to the heavily fortified city of Rho-Elus, from where he sent raiding parties to Bastion proper with the aim of destroying Wintermourn's increasingly more powerful coven of fellow witches.

Far to the east, in the city of Mahon, an Astral Deva named Aranaxia was summoned to the material plane. She, like Abadrael, was a follower of Sonbahar. Quickly realizing herself to be the strongest within the city, Aranaxia sized power and declared herself Queen of Bastion. At that time, Mahon was under siege by a horde of murderous Werewasps. Aranaxia called forth her closest ally (and mount) to the material plane, the Pegasus Raphzail. Together, the two single handedly destroyed every Werewasp that dared assault Mahon. Aranaxia took the surviving Dwarves and Halflings and trained them for months until they were as highly trained as the Legions of old. With her new force, the Astral Deva left the safety of her capital and took the fight directly to Wintermourn's forces.  

Beset on the east and the west simultaneously, the Witch could do little as the armies marched across the wide open plains of Bastion, destroying her forces piecemeal. It was then that she concocted a devious strategy. Wintermourn magically fused bamboo seeds that she had taken from a noble's garden and combined them black magic. She then took the seeds and spread them far and wide. Within a month an entire forest had sprung up in the center of the island. Its iron-hard, fire-resistant, black shoots and poisonous leaves served as an excellent deterrent to invasion. Fearing that the Blackshoot Forest would not engulf the entire Isle, Abadrael salted all of the land west of the Twelfth River and all the land east of the Twenty-First River. This act ensured that the Blackshoots could not spread beyond the rivers but also came at a great cost - the once green meadows that were over-teaming with life withered and died, thus creating barren salt plains.

Infuriated at Abadrael's unilateral action, Aranaxia declared war and sailed a fleet west to Rho-Elus. The War of the Celestials was hard fought, killing thousands. Both army's respective leaders fought high in the skies above Rho-Elus, each atop their noble steeds – the Pegasus Raphzail for the Angel, the Bronze Dragon Teumeth for the Archon. The two were said to be an even match for one another, with neither gaining the upper hand (even after days of continuous battle).  As the first rays of the sun crested the horizon, which heralded the arrival of the first Spring in seventy years, Aranaxia pulled her forces back to Mahon.

As the years grow more numerous since the Gloom, the island of Bastion finds itself in a never ending bellicose state. Warbands roam the salt plains, slaughtering Lycans that cross the river-borders, while tribes of Were-beasts do the same for Dwarves and Merfolk that cross into the Blackshoot Forest. There seems to be no end in sight as all three sides are deeply entrenched and possess the resolve to fight to the bitter end...

[Elemental_Elf]

The Noble Families of Whitebuck, pt. 1

Following his conquest of Bastion Isle, Forgefather Emperor Rikard Warblade IX sailed to Songwillow. There he found Elves and Unicorns living in serene forests. He set upon the land an army ten thousand strong. He demanded that they bow down to their new Emperor. The natives had seen many such would-be conquerors before, not a hundred years prior did a Human not come to Songwillow demanding the very same. Elves and Unicorns live extraordinarily long lives and so have seen this song and dance a thousand times before. The leaders of the native tribes broke bread with the Forgefather and discussed the terms to which they would be bound in service and fealty to this new conqueror.

One among them, however, did not kowtow.

With a great sigh Rikard asked the boy his name and why he defied his elders.

The lad responded that his name was Herio and he would not bow to yet another foreign ruler who would be dead long before the children born on this day reached adulthood.

The Emperor saw the spark of a martyr in the lad's eyes. Having spent decades pacifying and with conquest still in his heart, the Emperor came to a compromise.  He declared Herio to be the King of Songwillow, to rule the Isle as he saw fit for all his days yet remaining. The price was meager as prices go – annual tribute of a bounty that the island overflowed with. Herio, now King, agreed.

The Empire was good to Songwillow, giving it food during the harshest Winters and bringing trade in from around the globe. The poorest peasant and the richest merchants all benefited equally. Life was good under the suzerainty of the Imperium. Over the next five hundred years the people of Songwillow became more and more Imerialized, adopting Dwarven language, Dwarven gods, Dwarven clothing and Dwarven names. Few in Songwillow remember the old ways and most are quite comfortable with this facts.

When the Gloom came, the bulk of Songwillow's population laid in what is today Foulbone. When Rueserond awoke, he brought with him fire, brimstone, goblins, war and death. Queen Lefa Windhope, daughter of King Herio, lead the survivors across the Throat and into the deepest recesses of the Dreaming Forest. Along the way all good-hearted peoples flocked to Windhope. This time would come to be called the Queen's March. Once inside the forest, the Queen and her people founded a camp, that would one day become the heart of Whitebuck. With her Druidic allies, she surrounded the camp with a magical moat and blanketed the area with powerful illusory magicks. Dark were the days to come, as Goblins and Xill scoured the forest for, what was to their eyes, the near-mythical camp. Every day was a fight for survival as Rangers, soldiers and peasants roamed the woodland, slaying all enemies they met. None could take a sigh of relief until after the arrival of Viasarius and the end of the Gloom.

With the Druids leaving for the Marsh of Ancestral Dawn, it was left to the de facto leaders of the camp - Queen Lefa Windhope, Chieftess Nedaah Mercymoon and Viasarius - to create a new civilization. The Dragon concerned himself with the war, while the Unicorn focused on healing the sick and wounded. The Queen was thus given the right to create the government. Having been raised in the hallowed halls of the Rimebjorn Citadel, the Queen adapted the Imperial governance system to her realm. The Great Council – composed of herself, Viasarious and Mercymoon and would serve as the executive. Twenty-Four Turs, which means great trees in the tongue of Old Elvish, were planted by the Druids prior to their departure. These trees were given to twenty-four of the most virtuous, the bravest and the most stalwart of her subjects. These twenty-four were given the hereditary title of Lord-Protector. There upon, they would control their trees as if they were provinces of the realm, complete with the ability to govern their demesne how they pleased. These twenty-four Lord Protectors would also sit in the Royal Senate that would act as the realm's legislative body. In return for these rights, ranks and privileges, the Lord Protectors swore undying fealty to the Great Council, the Kingdom of Dream Glen and the Isle of Songwillow. To show their support, they would send men, arms and food to Forgestar Keep.

It was quickly realized that the twenty-four Turs would not be enough to house the population of Whitebuck, and so thirty-two Welds, which in the language of old meant second planting, were given life. To the Lords of these trees, the Queen gave the non-hereditary title of Lord-Warden. The Lord-Wardens were appointed by the Queen and expected to give double what the Lord-Protectors provided to the realm as their food, arms, equipment and men were expected to be of an inferior quality to those of the Turs.

As Winter abated and Spring reigned supreme once more, it was realized that the city needed to expand once more, to wit the Ochurs, which means third planting, were cultivated. The Lord who sat in the Royal Senate, fearing a further decline of their prestige pushed for, and were granted, the right to name the Lord-Overseers of the Ochurs. The Lord-Overseers were a non-hereditary position whose tenure would last just three years. These Lords are expected to give quadruple what the Lord-Protectors contribute to the realm.

All who hold the title of Lord are given the right to wear gold and purple hats, the ability to look their Monarch in the eyes, the expectation that common folk will move to the side as a Lord passes and the right to request and obtain monopolies on services and commodities. The first three dozen or so monopolies were granted in perpetuity, however after seeing the abuses of privilege perpetrated by the holders of those monopolies, the monarchy now only grants such deeds for a set period of time, with the option for renewal.  

[Elemental_Elf]

Dirge Ochur

The Ochur that would come to be called Dirge was the last of the Ochurs to be planted and was the slowest to grow, as the Conclave Mistress of the Morning Dawn Druids had intended for Dirge to become the largest Ochur. Six months after planting and just two weeks into the reign of King Letnin Hopewind, Jala Dirge arrived in the city of Whitebuck. She is derisively called "mutt" behind her back by others for she is, as the name implies, a unique creature who is the byproduct of centuries of cross-breeding. Her Father was Half-Centaur, one quarter-Kitsune, one eighth Human and one sixteenth Elf and Giant, while her mother was one eighth Dragon, Ogre, Dwarf and Unicorn, one sixteenth Triceratops, Dire Tiger, Merfolk, Orc, Nightmare and Nymph and one thirty second Manticore, Janni, Blink Dog and Ettin.

She walks upon four legs like a Centaur but her front two limbs end with malformed hand-claw hybrid (complete with retractable thumbs). Her horse-like body is covered in a patch-work of blue scales, magical fire-hair, tiger stripes and brown leathery-hide. She possesses two vestigial, bat-like wings on her back that span no more than a foot each. Jala possesses a strange tail that is bushy like a fox's, upturned like a scorpion's and ends in an unkempt mass of stringy long hair (like a horse's tail).

Her, for lack of a better term, "human" half is misshapen possessing the stockiness of a Dwarf and the height of a small giant. Jala's skin is jaundice with streaks of blue. Her bulging biceps quickly end in halfling-sized forearms and hands. Her ill-formed head appears to have started off like a human's but was given a short, bony frill (like a triceratops), complete with two stubby little horns and a radiant unicorn horn. Behind her crest is a mane of golden fur. Jala's snout appears to be a mix of a Tiger's and a Dog's, with jutting yellow teeth. Her eyes are spaced far apart, almost on opposite sides of her head. Her Elf-like ears are elongated and twist outwards in an unpleasant manner. Upon her left shoulder is a half-formed second head, whose draconic snout pokes out at a 45 degree angle. It is said her dragon head can see into the future and whispers what may come to pass into her main head's ear.

Yet, with all these oddities, she maintains a spooky aura of beauty that most find vaguely attractive, in a very strange way.

Jala came to Whitebuck with twenty-four Winter-free Heralds, whom she rescued from Satarummatuukaa, the Winter Witch of Bastion Isle's colossal Half-Demon Kraken minion. At the Royal Senate, Jala asked only to be allowed to settle in Whitebuck, for all other realms had scorned her for she was seen as aberrant and often accused of being a Devil Worshiper. The Lord-Protectors greedily eyed the Heralds and so acquiesced to her request, even going so far as to declare her Lady-Overseer of the last Ochur and naming it Dirge, in honor of her ladyship. In return, they requested they each requested fealty of one of her Heralds. The bargain was struck and the treaty signed.

Lady Jala Dirge spent a fortune turning Dirge Ochur into one of the most beautiful places to live in the city. She refused all nobles, merchants and other near-do-well people and instead accepted the city's misfits, poor and homeless with open arms.

One year after planting the Ghost Army of the East crossed the Bay of Rain, dove into the Dreaming Forest and besieged the city. Whitebuck's magical moat's firewall prevented the Ghosts from entering the city. That was, until the Ghosts realized a single branch from Dirge Ochur hung over the moat and the fire. Using their as a corporeal force would use a door, the Ghost Army invaded the city, starting with Dirge Ochur. They desiccated all they touched, from man to the tree itself. The Battle of Dirge was long and bloody. All hope seemed lost until Jala cast a wondrously powerful spell that not a single Arcanist in the city had ever seen before. The Spell allowed the Lady to absorb the entire army into her body but the spell came at a great cost - where there was once a youthful being, the spell visibly matured her well past her prime and into old age.

The Ochur fared little better as it became a dead, blackened husk. All of the work Lady Jala Dirge had done to turn the Ochur into a welcoming home was for not, as almost all of the structures were destroyed in the battle. Jala retreated to her small den at the base of her tree. The displaced and indigent did what they could for themselves, creating haphazard and unsafe domiciles. Over the years the tree was mostly hallowed out to create extra room for the poor and homeless that flooded into the Ochur as Jala completely retreated from public life and cared little for who lived on her tree or what they did. The Royal Senate eliminated all of the requirements that Dirge Ochur was supposed to give the realm, citing the fact that containing the city's unwanted was payment enough. Hopelessness, poverty and vice have become an endemic quality of the tree.

[Elemental_Elf]

Vegtur Flailwar
Lord-Protector of Flail Tur, Grand Master of the Order of Venom Knights & Grand Panetier of the Realm

During the dark days of the Queen's March, one among Her Majesty's many followers rose to prominence. This man was Vegtur Flailwar, the first Venom Knight. Vegtur was a tall, strapping human with long black hair, steel blue eyes and chiseled features. Born into the life of minor nobility, Vegtur dreamed of one day becoming a Knight in the Order of Sir Rorke Steelminer, which had become quite famous in those days for their members' heroic deeds on and off the battlefield. However, when the Gloom came Vegtur's dreams were shattered as he watched helplessly as the Imperium's Legions sailed away to more important shores. When Rueserond arose, Vegtur Flailwar was one of the first to heed the Queen's call.

A Knight by training and deed, Vegtur Flailwar defended the long baggage train that followed the Queen across the Throat. Along the way, he was captured by Xill and brought to Caldera to be judged for crimes against the teaching of the Book of Wrath. Rueserond held court, while Xill decried the Knight's many misdeeds - the slaughter of Xill Soldiers, the harvest of Xill eggs, the destruction of said eggs and - above all other crimes - the use of Centipede Poison (the deadliest poison known to Xill-kind). After a lengthy trial, Rueserond sentenced Vetgur Flailwar to death by implantation. As the Xill prosecutors slowly advanced on the man, their egg sacks bulging with anticipation, a great rumble in the distance was heard. Suddenly, the wall of the volcano was shattered by a spell of immense power. As the weak-winter light flooded into the city, there stood a silhouette of a woman atop a Unicorn was seen by all. The rider called out to demand Rueserond free the Knight as repayment for a past deed. The voice was one Vegtur knew well, as it belonged to Delidara Stormsnake - Conclave Mistress of the Morning Dawn Druids. None in the city knew of what this woman spoke but the mighty Dragon was forced to oblige, under the condition that they leave via the Tunnels of Flesh.

No one knows how Vegtur Flailwar, Delidara Stormsnake and Nedaah Mercymoon survived the treacherous path but survive they did. On the western slopes of, what had come to be called, the Madshadow Mountains, the three encountered a bloat of monstrous centipedes. Having learned just how much the Xill feared the beasts, Vegtur took care to tame several of the creatures and bring them back to the Queen.

Upon their return, it was quickly realized that the merest sight of the Centipedes struck fear into the hearts of their foes. Flailwar formed the Order of Venom Knights, a chivalric order based on the credos of the Order of Sir Rorke Steelminer and adopted the title of Grand Master of the Order. The men who were trained to become the first Venom Knights all went on to become Lord-Protectors within the city of Whitebuck.  The Venom Knights participated in every major battle of the Ruserond War, serving with distinction at the First, Third, Seventh and Tenth Battle of Hellfang Citadel as well as the Siege of Ashlock, the Defense of Bluerain and the naval Battle of the Bay of Rain.

Following the Gloom, Vegtur Flailwar was given the title of Lord-Protector of Flail Tur and the first choice of titles at court. Most assumed Flailwar would choose a heroic title, such as Marshal of the Queen's Forces, Master of the Hunt or Standard Bearer. Instead, he chose the title of Grand Panetier, who is the Queen's Baker. Through this title, the Lord-Protector secured a monopoly over the baking of bread. All within the realm must pay the Lord of Flail a fee to bake bread, regardless of size, shape, consistency or any other concern. This monopoly has made Vegtur Flailwar - and his Telu in general - exceedingly wealthy. Many have protested such a sweeping monopoly but their calls fall on deaf ears.

Many have noted that Vegtur Flailwar was a strapping young man before the Gloom began. The Gloom lasted seventy years and it has been eight since the Spring Sun crested the Horizon, heralding the end to the endless Winter. That would make Flailwar, at a minimum, ninety years of age. By all accounts, he is a Human born into a family that had not interbred with longer-lived races. There is an old Bard's Tale that tells of a Human Knight from Songwillow crossing the Narrows into the Cragcoast and discovering the thousand year old Dungeon of the Archon. He slew the Dungeon's demonic guardians and freed a Hound Archon, who bequeathed on his liberator extended life with which to do more good deeds. Many link this tale to Vegtur Flailwar as he is the staunchest ally of the Merfolk of Rho-Elus, whom are ruled by Abadrael (a Hound Archon). Flailwar himself remains silent on this issue.

[Elemental_Elf]

The Ancient Realm of Rhahasia

The lands of Ishqet were said to be wondrous and amazing. At the heart of the continent was the Tower of Varsiq, which was the tallest structure ever constructed. It stood as a symbol of the peace, fraternity and liberty that was shared equally by all of the all peoples of the world. Dwarven Priests speak of an untenable hubris that washed across the continent as the masses stopped worshiping their gods and instead worked in common bond to forge their own destiny, free of divine influence. After much debate, it is said the four remaining gods cast a divine spear at the Tower of Varsiq, toppling the building and sundering the continent. The gods did this to remind the common people that gods were real and they demanded worship. This event has come to be called Spirefall by the Dwarves and serves as definitive evidence of their gods' interest in the mortal plane and serves as a terrible reminder of their ultimate power.

One of the first races to bounce back from Spirefall were the Pixies. They founded the realm of Rhahasia, which was devoted completely to the principles of Reinarra. Their lands were de-centralized, focusing on equality for all, the arts and free expression (and, if Dwarven sermons are to be believed, lax procreative morals). Rhahasia spread across the Northern and Southern Warblade Isles like wildfire. Historians speak of at least one new city springing up every year for a thousand years. Pixies are unusually small, standing just six inches tall, so everything they built and made was equally diminutive. Cities made by Dwarves, Humans and Elves are bulky, sprawling affairs, while Pixie cities were, comparatively, smaller. The largest Rhahasian city – Mhitahlahk – is about as large as a small castle. Most of their cities and towns were much smaller, averaging the size of a house.

No one knows what brought the Rhahasian civilization down but their ruins litter the Warblade Isles. Most sites have been inadvertently decimated due to unwitting clumsiness, while the rest have simply been overlooked due to their petite size. When a new city is discovered, adventurers (as well as those looking to get rich quick) rush to the location and – using potions that reduce one's size – plunder the ruin for all its valuables.

Rhahasians were well known for their production of mind-altering magic. Sadly these spells usually come with very severe addictive qualities. Most illegal magical potions found throughout the Amethyst Isles were originally concocted by the Pixies of Rhahasia. The most potent (and thus addictive) of their brews are Mhehrevah (which allows one to see an entirely new color), Stahvia (which rouses one's carnal desires), Sahkahrih (which intensifies the bliss of devouring sugar) and Pihtrihs (which allows one to undergo an out of body experience). Very few alchemists can replicate these potions exactly; most settle for cheap knock offs which, sadly, strengthen their addictive qualities (to the detriment of their desired effects). Addicts, alchemists and dealers are willing to pay top dollar for genuine potions.

On the Isles of Songwillow, Pixie Potions are incredibly common, especially in the poorer districts of Whitebuck and Eastfarm. During the Seventy Years of Gloom, people spent fortunes on the various brews as they offered a fleeting escape from the depressing reality in which they lived. The King of Songwillow – Letnin Hopewind officially banned three of the most potent potions. Mhehrevah was excluded from the ban, as it is often used in the Throat to help soldiers see invisible Xill, who shimmer like the brightest torches while under the influence of the concoction. Still, prohibition has done little to curb the use of the brews as illegal dealers are now incredibly common. There are so many illegal vendors in Dirge Ochur that the City Guards simply turn a blind eye, preferring to focus their efforts elsewhere. As Dirge Ochur is the poorest slum in the city, almost everyone is addicted to one mixture or another. On other trees, dealers are forced to think more creatively by mixing the potions in with seemingly innocuous consumable (such as alcohol, candy and seasoning). In Eastfarm, so many people are addicted that Lawspeaker Reydo Keyblade has legalized Pixie Potions (as well as other malfeasances) in specially designated dens of vice. The tax revenue from these dens accounts for nearly a quarter of Eastfarm's annual budget.

Regardless, Pixie Potion use is on the rise once more; the risk of mass addiction threatens to undermine all that civilization has accomplished since the end of the Gloom...