Æl-Ceald, The Eternal Cold

8/10/2019 l-Ceald, The Eternal Cold

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A world shrouded in perpetual winter.Humanity clings to life with tooth and nail, hunting

and gathering to survive.

In the deep, dark forests terrifying beasts roam throughthe cold snow.

This is the world of l-Ceald

This world was once a lush, temperate world where great kingdoms sprawled andpeople worked the land in fealty to their lords and kings. But that was before theWintras engulfed the land.

It is said among the tribes that the Wintras, the AllWinter, was a curse from thegods. !ther tribes speak of an ancient darkness that stole the sun"s fire and robbedthe world of summers embrace.Whether the true cause of the AllWinter will ever be discovered, nobody knows.

#ittered across the eternal winter landscape are ruins of cities and villages of thetime before Wintras. These places often contain mysterious relics and magicalartifacts of that bygone age, but there are also terrible dangers lurking in thesedevastated ruins.

The b$fylc, the tribes of %l&eald, live a harsh life. Temperatures are almostpermanently below free'ing, and the world is covered in a permanent layer ofsnow and permafrost that makes any kind of subsistence farming impossible. (othey hunt, and gather what roots, nuts and berries still grow in the inhospitableclimates of the AllWinter.The tribal societies of the b$fylc are huntergatherer warrior societies. )ach b$fylc isruled by an *deling, a man or woman of noble blood from one of the originalfamilies of each tribe. Within the b$fylc are smaller family groups, kun+n, whose

nomadic lives follow herds of game across the snowy plains.Hunting is a way of life for these people, but warfare is e-ually common. Thetribes have never been anything but tenuous allies, and blood feuds and outrightwarfare happens more often than times of peace. When war breaks out, theterrifying wolfridda, dire wolfmounted warriors, ride out to meet their foes, andthe ber'erkers raise their aes to the skies and howl for the blood of their enemies.%l&eald is a dark and dangerous world. Hideous creatures stalk it"s winter forests,and the b$fylc tribes are warlike and hostile to outsiders.


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The bfylc tribes share this winter world with other races.The albaz, the elves of l-Ceald dwell in the deep forests to the north and east. They are an ancient

people, the first people created by the Dragon Kings in the time before time. They are a tall,beatifl race of fair-s!inned, fair-haired people whose lifespans measre in centries. "hen"intras descended on l-Ceald, the albaz were not affected as harshly as the hmans were. Their

powerfl magic saved them from the worst of the disastros effects of the #ll-"inter, and they

managed to !eep their sacred groves safe from the claws of winter. These groves, the holy places ofthe albaz drids, are the only places in l-Ceald that "intras cannot toch, and these green islandsare a sorce of both spirital and physical norishment for the albaz who tend them. The frits

prodced by the sacred trees that grow in these places can hold powerfl magical properties, and arehighly soght after by those who !now of them.

The albaz are gided by their drids, who form rling concils of elders that govern their clans.$ach clan, or gwen, is both a grop of families and a nation. These gwen have their own religiosand social traditions and laws, and almost all of them are ancient, with roots stretching bac! to theearliest recorded history, right after the %irst "ar.

The &econd 'eople, the dwergaz, ma!e their homes within the (iflheim montains that stretchsoth-westwards from the far north.&mall, togh and hardy, the dwarves are the only fedal society left from the time before "intras.The ice and cold of the #ll-"inter cold not reach them in the heart of the montains, and the hallsof their great !ings stand now as they did then, carved from the very roots of the (iflheimmontains.Dwergaz are a deeply religios people, and their faith in the Dragon Kings of $arth colors everyaspect of their daily life. They bild enormos temples and grand states in honor of the DragonKings, and prayer and song is an important part of their lives. $very activity, from coo!ing andcleaning to the hallowed arts of metalwor!ing have their own prayer-songs which form animportant, rital part of the activity.The dwergaz are the only people left on l-Ceald who still remember the art of wor!ing iron. Tothe dwergaz, metalwor!ing is a sacred act. )t gives shape and life to the stone, and the stone is adirect and holy lin! to the "orldsong that birthed the earth and all living things. The few hmansand albaz who have learned this sacred art from the dwergaz ta!e this spiritality with them, anddwergaz forgesongs can be heard in the templesmithies of these rare and powerfl men and women.The arts of the smithy are highly soght after by the *delings of the bfylc, and there is mchsperstition and fear srronding wor!ed metal+ especially metal weapons, either bronze or themch more rare and valable iron weapons, are mythical things that give great honor and power tothe ones who wield them.

There are other peoples. The enigmatic, for-armed !asatha and the dezn catfol! also call l-Ceald their home. The mercrial and elsive dwolmalbaz, who call themselves shadow fey, dwell indar! corners of l-Cealds forest, and the half-elven *gder and the half-or!ish acla live nfortnatelives among the bfylc tribes and the city-states of the albaz.

#nd ot in the wastes the brtal, savage and tormented or!az howl for blood and performnspea!able rites to spite their terrible, dar! gods.


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The history of l-Ceald

The "orldsong

)n the time before time, the world was empty, desolate and cold.)nto the dar!ness flew the first dragons, the igh King )o and his wife, the eavenly een /a.

The two flew over the void, and throgh their song of love the dar!ness was separated from thelight, and the world was made. Together King )o and een /a lay ten eggs, and for centries theywatched the eggs, King )o in the light and een /a in the dar!, ntil the eggs were hatched and theTen Dragon Kings were born.The ten were the five Dragon Kings of $arth and the five Dragon Kings of eaven, who were later!nown as the %ive 0ords of Dar!ness. The five Dragon Kings of $arth inherited their connection tothe physical from their father, while the five Dragon Kings of eaven inherited their mother1s lin!to the heavenly and the spirital.Together the ten brst ot of their eggs, and soared across the s!y. )nfatated by the beaty of lightand the allring mystery of the dar!, the ten Dragon Kings sang in 2oy, and with their song theworld too! form. 0and, sea, montains and forests grew where the ten Dragon Kings1 song toched

the world, and the igh King )o and his eavenly een /a loo!ed at their sons and daghterscreation and saw that it was good.

"hen the world was created, and the heavens was separated from the earth, and the seas wereseparated from the land, the five Dragon Kings of eaven were tired and wanted to rest. They hadsed all their power to sing forth the sol of the world, and to weave the powers of magic into the

physical and ethereal realms forever bond to the material world. 3t the Dragon Kings of $arthwere not tired, and together they sang a new song, a song of love for creation and the wonders ofdiscovery. #nd from this song all living things sprang forth, all animals and birds and fish. #nd afterall the animals of the earth, the sea and the s!y came the thin!ing races.

%irst were the albaz, The %irst 'eople, and they ran laghing into the world into4icated by theDragon Kings songs, and fell in love with the deep woods.

Then came the dwergaz, The &econd 'eople, and they fell in love with the high montains, and withthe precios metals and stones that were fond in the earth and within the deepest hearts of themontains.

Then came the Third 'eople, man!ind, and the open plains became their land, where they bilt theircities and walls+ for man!ind were the yongest of the races, and the world was already old and fllof dangers when they were sng by the Dragon Kings.

"hen the five Dragon Kings of eaven awo!e from their sleep and saw what their brothers hadcreated, they were at first e4cited. The Three 'eoples florished and spread to every corner ofcreation. 3t when the Three 'eoples began to give offerings to their creators, offered prayers tothem, honoring them with songs and bilding temples and shrines in their honor, the Dragon Kingsof eaven were filled with 2ealosy. They went to their mother, The eavenly een /a, and toldher what had happened and as!ed that she ma!e right the in2stice that was committed against them.#nd een /a listened to them, and even she was 2ealos for her children. Together they went toigh King )o and the five Dragon Kings of eaven said to him that if the Three 'eoples sholdworship the Dragon Kings of $arth, they shold also worship the Dragon Kings of eaven. #nd ifthey wold not, they shold be destroyed so that the in2stice wold end. 3t igh King )o !new

well that neither he nor his $arthly sons and daghters cold dictate or change the Three 'eoplesthoghts, their actions or their faith. "hen King )o said no, een /a was filled with wrath, andwith her children she swore to destroy the 'eople.


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Ths began the %irst "ar. The Ten Dragon Kings foght brother against brother, ntil the DragonKings of $arth, with the help of the Three 'eoples armies, were finally victorios. #nd the DragonKings of eaven were banished from the world. The Kings of eaven lost their titles, and werefrom this day !nown as the %ive 0ords of Dar!ness. 3anished from the world, they bilt themselvesnew !ingdoms of dar!ness and fire on the border between light and dar!, and from there they began

plotting anew to ta!e the world from their $arthly brothers and destroy the creation that was denied

them and the 'eople who re2ected them.

#fter the %irst "ar

The Three 'eoples florished dring the time after the %irst "ar. "ith the defeat of the Dar! 0ords,dar!ness itself seemed to retreat from the world. &mmers were long and warm, crops were

plentifl, and the songs of the Dragon Kings of $arth were sng in every temple and every shrine.5an!ind bilt great cities of stone and timber, and roads were constrcted all across the land. Theseroads served as trade rotes, spplying the empires and !ingdoms of men with goods and wealthfrom across the world. There was war, and great fortresses and castles sprang p to protect thewealth of the !ings of man, bt over all this was a time of peace and prosperity for hmanity.

The albaz !ept to the forests they loved, tending them with love and deep respect. The many gwen,each descended from one of the very first albaz sng into being by the Dragon Kings at the dawn oftime, spread across the forests of the world. Their drids were the first to borrow the divine powerof the Dragon Kings to perform miracles of faith, and they taght their prayers and songs to theother 'eoples so that they might all revere the Dragon Kings and wield a portion of their power forthe good of all.Deep in the montains, the dwergaz wor!ed metal and stone in reverence of their creators. 5ost ofthe treasres they wroght were offered to the gods in their mighty stone temples as sacrifice, asymbol of the endless gratitde the dwergaz felt for their ma!ers, bt some were traded with theother 'eoples. Together with the goods of metal and precios stones, the dwergaz also traded their!nowledge of the arts of the forge. ammers rang and spar!s flew all over the world, and theforgesongs of the dwergaz cold be heard from temple-smithies of hman cities and albaz groves.

The Coming of "intras

(obody !nows where the #ll-winter came from, or why it strc!. &ome shamans and dridswhisper of an attac! by the 0ords of Dar!ness, who somehow managed to steal the fire of the sn./thers believe it was some dar! deed perpetrated by either men, albaz or dwergaz that angered theDragon Kings of $arth, and these priests desperately offer sacrifice to the Dragon Kings in thehopes of pleasing them once more and ending the #ll-winter.

3t no matter how mch they pray and sing, or how many beasts are offered p on the altars andbled dry on the sacrificial poles, "intras still grips the world with icy fingers.

The !ingdoms of man were the first to fall. "hen the crops failed and their livestoc! starved andfroze, wars bro!e ot over what little resorces remained. Cities fell to the cold and hnger, andgrew empty as the farms that spported them were barren and abandoned.The lore and artisanry of the time before "intras was forgotten, and man!ind was forced to a6irenew s!ills to srvive. "or!ing the land became impossible, as the winter cold allowed no crops togrow. )nstead hmanity trned to the hnt for sstenance, and grew nomadic as they followed theherds of game arond the winter wastes.3t the life of a hnter is a harsh one, and starvation and disease were common. 5an!ind learned to

gather in family grops, see!ing protection in nmbers and the loyalty of blood and !inship. Thesee4tended family grops, often alliances between mltiple intermarried families, became !nown asthe !n2n, and the !n2n banded together in tribes7 The bfylc.


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$ach bfylc tribe pays homage to the elder families who created them, and the *delings who rleeach tribe are chosen from among the descendants of these first families.

The albaz were hit hard by "intras, bt not as hard as the hmans. The drids had seen the signslong before the disaster strc!, and thogh they cold not discern it1s sorce they managed to erect

protective wards arond the holy groves 2st in time. These groves had always been islands of

spring in winter, bt as the final winter settled and spring did not retrn, the magic of the drids!ept them safe from the spernatral winter.$ven with the groves intact, thogh, "intras dealt the albaz a heavy blow. #s the hmans, the albazhad been dependent on agricltre to sstain their large city-states. "ith the ability to wor! the landgone, the albaz had to trn to the groves for sstenance. The magical gardens of the groves

prodced their frits only twice a year, once dring mid-winter and once dring smmer, and thismeager bonty was hardly enogh to feed all the albaz in the cities and beyond. &o the dridsallowed farmers to raise crops and livestoc! within the protective aras of the groves, sharing theirrital sites with sheep, chic!en and cattle. The great city-states of the albaz remained strong,

bt life otside the city walls was harsh and difficlt."hen "intras strc!, a faction of albaz called the nseelie decided to abandon l-Ceald altogether,

and throgh planar magic soght sanctary in another world called the shadow realm. This e4odsof an entire political faction ironically came as a relief to the strggling albaz, as food spplies werernning dangerosly low. The nseelie had been a political grop of albaz who venerated the nightand the hnt, and their territorial, violent ways made them a faction in conflict with the ma2ority ofalbaz society. These dar! albaz who fled to the shadow realm wold become the dwolmalbaz, thedar! fey cosins to the albaz."hen trade with the dwergaz stopped as the montain fol! closed their borders, the albaz sppliesof iron dried p. The ancient smiths of the forest realms had to adapt to contine practicing theircraft, and trned to bronzewor!ing for the tools, weapons and goods they made. #s the centries

passed, the final ironsmiths gave in to old age+ the yonger generation did not have the !nowledgeof wor!ing iron, and even after the dwergaz reopened their gates and trade once again flowed

between the races, the arts of forging iron were lost to them.5any of the hmans who fled their dying cities soght shelter with the albaz. The gates to themontain realms of the dwergaz were closed, and for many the only options were starvation ore4ile. 5any chose e4ile. #t first the albaz welcomed their hman brethren with open arms, bt asthe flow of refgees grew stronger, the albaz realized that their groves cold not sstain them all."hen their cities were filled and starvation threatened, even the albaz closed their gates tootsiders, and the starving spplicants had to retrn to the icy wilderness and certain death.To this day a sizable portion of the albaz poplation is made p of *gder 8half-elves9. 3eing ofhman descent carries with it a certain stigma, and even thogh they are accepted in albaz societythe *gder are sb2ect to both pre2dice and ridicle by their fll-blooded !in.

The dwergaz were more fortnate than their srface-dwelling brethren. The montain-realms of thedwergaz !ings reach deep into the roots of the (iflheim montains, and they barely felt the cold of"intras at all. &till, life beneath the montain changed for the dwergaz once "intras had the worldin it1s grip. #s it dawned on the hman !ingdoms and the albaz forest realms that the final winterwas not going to change into spring, the dwergaz foresaw what was to come. The great scholars ofthe age conseled their !ings to close the borders to the srface world. manity wold beravenos, they said, and the albaz wold ta!e them in ntil their city walls wold brst fromoverpoplation. The hngry people wold trn to the dwergaz lands, and if they were allowed in thedwergaz too wold starve, ntil there were no people left on l-Ceald e4cept hngry savages livingin caves. #nd the dwergaz !ings listened, and the great iron gates to their realm were sht.

"ithot the lcrative trade in metals and precios stones, the dwergaz had to adapt to a more asceticway of life. :one were the oplent riches of the time before the #ll-winter, and the l4ries thatflowed into the dwergaz coffers from the lands on the srface.


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The new dwergaz life was one of spartan tilitarianism, even among the wealthy elite. #s theeconomy shifted, the nobility too! to giving alms to the poor, and investing in the commnity forthe good of all dwergaz. &till, poverty was rampant, and every day merchants and artisans were lefton the streets as debts went npaid and deficits reached for the s!ies.The soltion became religion. "hen their wealth failed them, the dwergaz people trned to theirgods for the answer. ;eligios orders and monasteries sprang p everywhere beneath the

montains, and mon!s and clerics became a common sight in every dwergaz city tending to thewea!, the sic! and the destitte.#s times became harder and resorces ever more strained, the dwergaz traded gold for prayers,gemstones for sermons and l4ry for devotion to the Dragon Kings of $arth.This was the time of the 5ontain "ars, as !ing trned on !ing and brother on brother. Clad in ironand armed with blessed weapons, the dwergaz trned on each other over perceived slights, religiosdisptes and most of all resorces. %ood was scarce in this age, and the few srface colonies werenable to provide enogh sstenance for the great !ingdoms. To ma!e matters worse, sbterraneanclans of or!az and hobgoblin armies made their first moves against the dwergaz dring this time,armed with weapons sacrificed to the Dragon Kings by the clerics and smiths, which they hadretrieved from the sacrificial pits the dwergaz believed to be bottomless. %or two hndred years the

wars raged, ntil the dwergaz race was on the brin! of e4tinction. )t was dring this time that 0eifrthe


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The World of l-Ceald

The world of l-Ceald was once a temperate world of grassy plains, deep forests teeming with lifeand bontifl oceans. The Three 'eoples thrived in this world, bilt great cities, e4plored andsettled, and the world was alive with trade and adventre. The hman !ingdoms along the coastwere s!illed shipwrights and seamen, and elf, dwarf and man traveled far and wide in their voyages

of e4ploration and con6est.(ow that "intras has ta!en hold of the world, however, there is no more travel, and no more trade.(ow every year is an ordeal, and those who live in the ice and snow do not always !now wheretheir ne4t meal will come from, let alone if they will live to see another year.

l-Ceald consist of one large continent srronded by oceans. The lands of the bfylc span thewestern half of the continent, srronding the western portion of the (iflheim montain range thatseparates east from west and north from soth. The montains carve a path from the northeast to thesothwest, dividing the bfylc tribal territories into two regions. The northern and sothern tribesshare a common langage and cltral heritage, bt have evolved into separate societies over time.)n the north, the old ways are still alive. The northern tribes are generally more war-li!e than theirsothern neighbors, the north being nder more pressre from the or!az than the soth. The clans of

the or!az ma!e their home primarily in the northern regions of l-Ceald, along the foothills of the(iflheim montains. The dwergaz and bfylc along the borders to their lands do what they can to!eep the menace at bay, bt the nrelenting savagery of the or!az means they win as many battlesas they lose, and their presence in these regions is all bt permanent. The few srface settlementsmaintained by the dwergaz are in constant conflict with the or!az, and have learned the wisdom ofcltivating allies. These settlements have close bonds of friendship with both the nearby bfylc andthe local dezn families.#lso living along the (iflheim montains are the !asatha. They maintain positive relationships withthe dwergaz otposts and their dezn and bfylc neighbors, and many tribes depend on them forthe healing salves and poltices they prodce and trade. The dwergaz for their part are only toohappy to share territories with !asatha villages and monasteries. Their combat prowess anddedication to the Dragon Kings ma!e them invalable allies in the constant conflicts with the or!azclans who terrorize these areas. Dwergaz and !asatha alliances are often long-lasting, and thedwergaz srface otposts wold li!ely not have srvived had it not been for the protection theyreceive from the !asatha monasteries.

)n the tmost north, as far as any bfylc has even been, the dezn ma!e their home. Their familygrops have no permanent home, and so their lands have no borders+ they often stray into bfylcterritories, and the two races have interacted and traded for so long that they have developed a sortof friendship with one another. )t is not ncommon for the northernmost !n2n to have a deznmember or two, and both the bfylc and catfol! tonges are widely spo!en in the area.

The northern lands are dominated by rolling hills and sparse forest, framed in the west by the oceanand to the east by the mighty (iflheim montains. To the far north, the rolling hills give way to thedeep evergreen forests that are the ancestral home of the dezn. Thogh there are rins of albazcities here, there are no !nown albaz commnities in these northernmost forests. &ome dwergazscholars speclate that perhaps these albaz followed a different religios tradition than their easterndrid !in, and that their magic was not strong enogh to overcome the might of "intras. Theseforests abandoned by the albaz are slowly being settled by dwolmalbaz Corts since the shadowfeys retrn to l-Ceald. These Corts have so far ignored the local bfylc and dezn commnities,

bt as their territories e4pand this might change. The shadow fey can be aggressive neighbors ifthey feel their territories are being invaded, and as their presence strengthens in the northern forestsconflict may be inevitable.

The sothern parts of the bfylc territories are flatter than the north, dominated by snowy plains,rivers and some forested terrain. The sothern cliffs along the coast are home to great floc!s of gllsand other a6atic birds, which provide eggs to spplement the diets of the coastal bfylc.


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#long the northern wall of the (iflheim montainrange the dwergaz have some permanent srfacesettlements which serve as trading posts with the bfylc and albaz in the region, and the north-eastern forests of the soth are albaz lands. The albaz city-states claim the forests as their own, andare more than willing to protect them shold their reign be contested. Than!flly, the albaz anddwergaz have so far managed to avoid any ma2or conflicts.The tribes of the sothern lands have had e4tensive dealings with the albaz, and have adopted many

of their cltral traditions. Drids are far more common in the soth than they are in the north, andthe sothern tribes gender roles are very similiar. Dwergaz scholars who have stdied thephenomenon of bfylc gender roles have conclded that the for genders of the northern tribes aroseas a necessity, since both men and women had to be able to hnt and fight e6ally. ow thefeminine genders arose is a riddle many scholars arge abot, bt the most accepted theory is thatthe hman commnities these bfylc evolved from had a very tolerant view on se4al morality thatwold have been so shoc!ing to the contemporary dwergaz scholars that it wold have been omittedfrom any records of these cltres. /thers believe it is a reslt of albaz inflence, bt this theory iscontested becase of the limited albaz presence in the northern regions.The sothern gender roles are ndobtledly derived from cltral inflence by the albaz, thogh.The sothern gender of ailegz is very similiar to the albaz =illeagan, and even the bfylc word is

derived from the albaz.The sothern tribes en2oy a mostly peacefl relationship with the albaz, and thogh conflictsoccasionally arise they are most often 6ic!ly settled and forgiven. #lbaz drids en2oy a high statsamong the sothern bfylc, and most bfylc drids come from the soth. The drid concept of meidhhas also made it1s way into the bfyc cltre of the soth, thogh it is not worshipped with anywherenear the devotion of the albaz drids.

The ocean that srronds the western part of l-Ceald remains a mystery to the people who livethere. &hipbilding is a long lost art to both the bfylc and the albaz, and the dwergaz have never

bothered with sch things even at the height of their power. Thogh some of the srronding islandsare 6ite large and visible from the coast, no one has visited them since the #ll-winter. )t is possiblethat there are settlements on these islands, as many fled "intras by sea when the disaster firststrc!, bt if there are nobody has had any contact with them for many centries. &ome among thecoastal bfylc whisper of strange dancing lights on these islands, and some of them do have rinsvisible from the coast, bt so far sch tales remain rmors.

The wildlife of l-Ceald has adapted to live in the harsh conditions of "intras as mch as they areable. erds of ms!o4, reindeer and deer migrate across the icy wastes, feeding on lichen, moss andevergreens. These migrations ta!e the beasts to and from the many drid groves that dot thelandscape, and dring the mating seasons these animals will floc! to the groves to mate, feed anden2oy the relative comfort of these magical islands of smmer. The drids who tend these groves

ta!e care of the animals, ma!e sre they are fed and help the animals give birth to their yong. Thisgreat responsibility is ta!en p by every drid in l-Ceald, and it is a sacred calling that helpsmaintain the delicate balance of meidh and !eeps the lifeblood of l-Ceald flowing in these diretimes. "ithot the drids, the animals wold die off from starvation and e4posre, and no lifewold be able to srvive "intras.%eeding on the magical plants and trees that grow in the groves have left their mar! on the animalsof l-Ceald. $very generation a few of the animals born show signs of this power. 3orn faster andstronger than the others, these magnificent beasts are called the aylays, and are revered by thealbaz, bfylc and dezn as holy creatres blessed by the Dragon Kings. Their fr is often brightwhite, and covered in rne-li!e mar!ings of deep ble, dar! green or rich prple. 5any schcreatres have antlers, even species that normally do not, and often sport great and impressive

manes. They are cnning and intelligent, and many serve as animal companions for rangers,hnters, drids and witches. 'redators too are sometimes born as aylays, and these beasts haveimpressive horns or antlers, and are often blac!, or have frs in deep, dar! colors of night.


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&premely dangeros and cnning, sch beasts have been !nown to stal! prey mch larger thanthemselves inclding armed hnters and warriors.These creatres are seen as sacred by the tribes of l-Ceald, thogh hnting them for their pelts isnot a crime. /wning a cloa! or other item of clothing crafted from aylays fr is a mar! of honor,and many priests and drids wear their fr with pride as a symbol of their faith.)n addition to predators li!e wolves, white tigers, lyn4es and bears, and herd animals li!e reindeer

and ms!o4, the icy wastes of l-Ceald are home to many great animals. erds of mammothsstomp across the snowy plains, and wooly rhinos and giant sloths feed on evergreens and claimterritories arond the drid groves. These enormos creatres are dangeros to hnt, bt their meatcan feed an entire !n2n for days, and their frs, ts!s and horns are valable materials that can betraded for food, weapons and goods. &abretooth tigers stal! the forests, dire wolf pac!s rn acrossthe plains hnting prey, and titanic beasts ma!e the grond sha!e with their heavy footsteps.


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The Three Peoples

The albaz, dwergaz and bfylc are the three dominant races of l-Ceald. The term bfylc meansfamily, and is sed both for the varios tribes who dwell in l-Cealds harsh, wintery landscape, andto describe all of man!ind collectively.

The various bifylcthat ma!e their home in the icy wilderness are both different and similiar.Cltrally, they are all related. They spea! dialects of the same tonge and can nderstand oneanother easily. They share the same religion and many of the same cstoms, and thogh there arelarge differences in their societies and tribal strctres, they are still obviosly one people, albeitspread over a large geographical area and with great cltral variety.$ach bfylc is made p of individal !n2n, which are nomadic family grops who follow herds of

bison, ms!o4 and reindeer across the plains. These family grops are sally made p of three tofive e4tended families, and can nmber anywhere from >? to >?? individals. The largest !n2nare those who ma!e p the %irst families of the bfylc, and these powerfl family grops areconsidered the heart of the tribe. The *delings who rle the tribes sally come from these familygrops. The bfylc tribes themselves fnction li!e nations, consisting of any nmber of !n2n and

nmbering anywhere from less than a thosand to over for thosand people spread over severalnomadic !n2n. #lmost all bfylc are nomadic societies and ths have no capitol, cities or villages.The only e4ceptions to this are the coastal bfylc who maintain permanent or semipermanentsettlements and spport themselves by fishing and hnting seals. These settlements range from thesmallest, which only accommodate a single !n2n to larger ones where several family grops live.5any sch settlements are abandoned for months at a time as their inhabitants move to differentlocations to follow migrating pac!s of seals and other marine life.#lmost no bfylc have domesticated animals, with the e4ception of dogs and the terrible dire wolvesthat the prod warriors of the wlfridda ride into battle./ne aspect of the cltre of the bfylc that varies from region to region is genders. The bfylc do nothave binary gender identities. )nstead, gender identity varies from tribe to tribe based on geographyand the inflence of other cltres, primarily the albaz.The northernmost bfylc, who live beyond the (iflheim montain range that divides the northwestfrom the sotheast, recognise for distinct genders."hile men 8or manwaz9 traditionally perform dties li!e hnting and warfare, and women 8wbhan9ma!e food and care for children, there are also women who identify as mascline 8called ma@dvaz9and men who feel and behave feminine 8me!az9. :ender identity is more often than not a personalchoice in adolescence, thogh some bfylc assign genders to their children according to thetraditions of the family and the tribe.5anwaz and ma@dvaz fill the roles of artisans, hnters, warriors and fathers, while wibhan andme!az tend to home and hearth, raise and care for children, and prepare food.

3oth the mascline genders may marry any feminine gender they choose, thogh romanticrelationships between manwaz and ma@dvaz are seen as shamefl and forbidden, as are same-gender relationships.)n these northern bfylc, religios dties often fall to the wibhan and me!az. )t is they who sing thesongs and prepare the offerings, and the priests and priestesses are honored and respected leaders oftheir commnities, often serving as advisors to the *deling who leads the bfylc.#mong the sothern bfylc, the for genders of the northerners are rare. )nstead, they have

borrowed a gender role from the albaz, the ilegaz 8which the albaz call =illeagan9. These sotherntribes have three genders, each distinct from one another. 5en, or manwaz, observe traditionallymascline roles while women 8wibhan9 tend to the home as among the northern tribes. The ilegaz,meanwhile, fill a role of their own as religios intermediaries between the bfylc and the Dragon

Kings. Ailegaz dties inclde tending to the altars and shrines, singing the holy songs of theancestors to honor the gods, as well as seeing to the spirital needs of the tribe, dispense blessingson weddings and childbirth, and tending to the fneral rites of the deceased.


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with other family grops and go raid a neighboring bfylc. These raids can be bloody affairs, as thelosers will literally starve./ther times an entire bfylc may mobilize for war, often as a reslt of conflicts regarding herdmigrations, trade rotes and territories. 5obilizing all the !n2n can be a slow process, since thefamily grops are nomadic+ they often stay for months at a time in any given location to hnt andforage however, and an *deling with any !ind of sense 8or competent advisors9 will !now the

migratory patterns of each !n2n and can easily trac! their location.The largest bfylc can mobilize over a thosand warriors in this way, which is a terrifying prospectfor any tribe to face.$ach bfylc has their own traditional war paint and dress, and their weapons and armor are ni6elyornamented to intimidate their foes and identify their tribe. &ome tribes paint their faces blood redor snow white, or adorn their armor with painted 8or even real9 s!lls, bird feathers or the teeth andclaws of wild beasts. "ar mas!s are not ncommon, and weapons often have both carvings and

painted colors ment to evo!e fear and dobt in their foes.$ach bfylc tribe also has their own battle songs and chants, and many battles have been wonwithot a single drop of blood spilled, simply becase the ferocios and intimidating songs, dancesand cries of wrath have shattered the enemies morale.

&ongs have a particlarly important place in the lives of the varios bfylc of l-Ceald. The DragonKings sang the world into being, and the tribes believe that all song carries with it a part of thiscreative power. There are songs for every activity, and the songs are sed both as an act of faith andas a teaching tool for every art, s!ill and profession. &ongs of mending, songs of coo!ing andcleaning, hshed songs of the hnt and the powerfl forgesongs sng by the few and reveredmetalwor!ers in their forge-shrines are all e4pressions of the bfylcs reverence for their creators.

The leaders of the bfylc, the *deling, are chosen by rling concils of priests and elders from thenoble families who are considered among the %irst, the fonders of the bfylc. These %irst familiesoften have e4tensive legends and stories abot their ancestors and their deeds in service of the bfylcand the Dragon Kings. The position of *deling is traditionally a mascline instittion, and the*deling are almost niversally manwaz and ma@dvaz. &ome few bfylc, especially along the forest

borders of the albaz, elect alegaz as their *deling, bt this practice is rare and displays an nsallevel of devotion to the Dragon Kings that ma!e many people of other tribes a little ncomfortable.&till, sch religios leaders are accorded the respect they are de, and are often !ind and benevolentleaders. There are also songs of terrible priest-tyrants, however, and most are wary of giving a priestsch power. 5any a cationary tale warns against mi4ing the athority of the Dragon Kings withthe athority of men.$ach *deling has a close relationship with their advisors. The most common advisors are priests,elders, family members and renowned warriors. # very few have metalsmiths as advisors, and theseare highly praised and soght after. The arts of the forge are in high regard, and the rare few who

manage to get the approval and apprenticeships of the dwergaz become great and powerfl menrmored to hold great power. Their !nowledge of the dwergaz rnescript ma!es them invalable asscribes and lawma!ers, thogh the common bfylc are wary of the written word and it1s power.There are some among the bfylc who feel a calling to the way of the drids. These individalsoften wander the wilderness alone loo!ing for a drid grove, see!ing the wisdom of the drids thatlive and worship there. &ch spplicants are welcomed, bt there is no garantee they will beaccepted into the ran!s of the drids and initiated into their mysteries. To become a drid, one mstgive p not only the traditional worship of the Dragon Kings the way the bfylc and the dwergaz do,they mst also nderstand and confront the dar!ness in themselves, and find the point of balance

between light and dar!, good and evil inside their sol. Those who come ot on the other side ofthis ordeal with a newfond !nowledge of themselves are few, bt those that do are welcomed

among the drids. 5any have been driven insane by these dar! dridic rites, and a rare few haveeven been lost their lives to their own dar!ness. The way of the drid is difficlt to wal!.Those that do become drids find themselves in a strange place in bfylc society.


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Drids are respected among the tribes, bt not flly nderstood. Those !n2n who have a dridamong them often e4perience plentifl hnts and mild weather, and these family grops oftenrevere their drids with the same respect they show their priests. 3t the rites and ritals of thedrids are also distinctly alien to the tribesmen. Drids are less reliant on song to invo!e theirmagic, and the strange concotions and incantations of a drid can nsettle onloo!ers and casesspicion among the sperstitios tribesmen. 5ost people in the bfylc also distrst the power of the

written word, fearing that their spirit or essence may somehow become trapped in the writing. &till,most people nderstand that the drids worship and honor the Dragon Kings in their own way, andthe tribes who have reglar contact with the albaz have a greater trst in their drids.

The albazcall themselves elfs, thogh the bfylc name for them is the most well-!nown otsidetheir borders. They are a mostly peacefl people who ma!e the forests their homes. Their society is

based arond their cities, with each city serving as a state rled by a concil of drids. These dridsare both the political and spirital leaders of their people, and are highly regarded for their ancientwisdom and power.# citys power is centred arond it1s groves, holy forest gardens free of "intras1 toch where theholy trees of the albaz grow and are tended and nrtred. These trees prodce frit twice a year, and

these frits are consmed in holy rites along with blessed water, cheeses and white meat. The fritsare seen as a blessing from the Dragon Kings, and parta!ing of them means sharing some of thegods divine power. 3ecase of this, the frits are highly soght after by both bfylc *delings and

priests, as well as dwergaz clerics.The albaz are the only srface-dwelling people who hold livestoc!, which prodce both wool fortheir clothes and mil!, eggs and meat for their tables. #lbaz coo!ing is considered the best in l-Ceald, and the varios city states are !nown for their particlar style of preparing and seasoningtheir coo!ing.

The albaz have remembered the ancient art of bronzeforging, and have !ept it alive. &ince they livesch e4traordinarily long lives, their artisans have practiced their arts for centries and are tremasters of their craft. #n albaz bronzewor!ing apprentice mst often toil in the forges for a hndredyears or more to learn the intricacies of casting the metal and hammering it into shape. 3ronzeweapons, coo!wear and armor are e4tremely valable both within the albaz domains and among the

bfylc, and as the metals re6ired to forge bronze are scarce in the albaz forest realms they are hardto come by even for the albaz themselves.

#lbaz society has three genders. The dine, the men, serve as warriors, craftsmen and merchants,while the bean 8women9 coo!, clean and prepare food. The third gender, the =illeagan, serve asoracles and soothsayers, mch li!e the bfylc ilegaz. Children are assigned as =illeagan at birth,and only when specific omens precede the birth of the child. 3eing chosen as an =illegan is a great

honor. Billeagan are forbidden from becoming drids, however, becase a drids connection to theDragon Kings is believed to come from their masclinity or femininity. &till, most drid groveshave =illegan acolytes assisting with the ritals, and =illegan are highly regarded in albaz society fortheir roles as fortne tellers and midwives. #s with the ilegaz, the =illeagan are recognized by theirshaved heads, which are often decorated with colorfl tattoos.#n =illegan may marry both men and women, bt not another =illeagan. This taboo stems from the

belief that the mascline and feminine re6ires balance, either with it1s conterpart or with thebalancing genderlessness of an =illegan. Two =illeagan copling wold harm both, according to thisbelief, as their lac! of mascline or feminine energy wold sch the life force ot of them.&till, there are tragic tales of =illegan in love who die together as their love drains them of life, andthese tales are very poplar among the romantic bards of the albaz.

#lbaz consider marriage sacred, and every marriage mst be blessed by a drid in the name of theDragon Kings. 5any albaz choose to enter into triple relationships with both a member of theopposite se4 and an =illeagan.


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These marriages are called perfect marriages, and are seen as especially aspicios and blessed. #llthree genders in nison is said to enhance the energies of all parties, and will prodce healthyoffspring born with the favor of the gods.

The drids who govern the albaz city-states and the groves otside them all belong to an ancient,secretive order. The eldest drids tell tales of the %irst "ar, and how the powers of the drids magic

trned the tide in the decicive battle that saw the Dar! 0ords defeated and cast ot of l-Ceald.These tales have since become legend among the albaz, and the drids are revered as protectors andgides for all the albaz people. 5ighty songs of the deeds of famos drids are always poplaramong the albaz, and a feast is incomplete withot a retelling of these legends.To the drids the concept of meidh, or balance, is e4tremely important. $verything mst be

balanced against it1s opposite, becase this is the way of natre and the laws of the Dragon Kings.$ven the gods mst have meidh, the balance between light and dar!, the Dragon Kings of $arth andthe 0ords of Dar!ness. "ithot meidh, the world wold fall apart.Their reverence of meidh ta!es the place of the devotion to the Dragon Kings that is so important tothe bfylc and the dwergaz. The albaz and their drids have a deep respect for their creators, btthey revere the creative power of the worldsong and the balance of light and dar!, life and death

more than the Dragon Kings themselves. $ven the gods are a reflection of meidh, the balance of allthings, and the religion of the albaz and their drids is centred arond this delicate balance.#ny child born nder a fll moon is said to be mar!ed by the Dragon Kings and is immediatelygiven to the drids to raise as one of their own. The yong drids are instrcted in the importance of

balance in all things, and are taght to revere natre and all living things in respect for the wor! ofthe Dragon Kings.The drids are the only albaz who master the written langage, and this art is a closely gardedsecret among them. "ritten script is sed dring religios ritals, and to record the laws anddecitions of the drid city concils, as well as !eep records of historic and political events. ery fewotsiders ever learn the dridic script.

The dwergazare the race who have !ept most of their !nowledge and lore from before "intras.They live in a fedal society where social ran! and stats means everything. The igh King of thedwergaz 8who call themselves dergar9 rles with an iron hand over the !ings of the (iflheimmontains. $ach !ing in trn rles over a !ingdom divided into dchies, baronies and fiefs. Thed!es, barons and lords each command vassals from the ran!s below them, in addition to the!nights and men-at-arms nder their personal command.There is little in the way of wildlife nder the montains, bt the dwergaz do grow crops ofmshrooms and other growths that don1t re6ire as mch direct snlight. These mshrooms are sedto ba!e bread, brew ale and serve as a staple in almost all dwergaz food. 5shroom-farmersfertilize their cave-fields with manre from the tnnelboar they !eep for meat and mil!, as well as

the dead bodies of their livestoc!. "ild tnnelboar are also hnted in the caverns of the nderdar!,bt these hnts are dangeros and mostly nderta!en by the elite. The dwergaz also raise ponieswhich they se as pac! animals and to ride on long voyages above or below the montain.The pride and 2oy of the dwergaz are the metals and precios stones they dig ot of their mines.These shining materials are seen as manifestations of the worldsong and the glory of the DragonKings, and are prized possessions among the dwergaz. They are sed to decorate the enormosshrines and temples they constrct in the Dragon Kings honor, as well as for 2ewelry for both clergyand noblemen.Dwergaz cities are enormos, constrcted in natral sbterranean caves formed by ndergrondrivers and reservoirs. These cities are carved from the walls and grond of the caverns, and theyoften cover a mch larger area by e4tending into caves and tnnels. These cities are chaotic and

strange to otsiders, and mapping them in conventional ways seems impossible de to theirnfamiliar layot. There is very little light, since dwergaz see perfectly fine in the low light, and allthe forges and smithies ma!es the air raw and hard to breathe. 5ost dwergaz have gotten sed to it,


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bt the nobility who rarely ventre ot of their palaces have invented ways to filter the air bybilding vents and ventilation shafts.'erhaps the most important aspect of the dwergaz cltre is their metalwor!ing. #s the only peopleto master the secrets of iron, the dwergaz see lots of trade. 3ecase of the religios aspects of theirmetalwor!ing, however, they rarely part with their creations. "hether it1s tools, weapons, armor orvanity items, the dwergaz are relctant to trade away any goods of sch spirital importance as

wor!ed metal. 5ost of their goods end p in the temples, where they are gifted to the gods assacrifice by being thrown into sacrificial melting pots. /nce these weapons and goods have beenmelted down, the metal is blessed and salvaged for the smithies. The act of sacrificing wor!ed metalto the Dragon Kings is seen by the dwergaz as honoring the act of creation, and the songs sng bythe clerics dring sch sacrifices are meant to mirror the worldsong itself. )n the past sch sacrificedweapons were simply thrown into la!es or deep pits in the montain, bt that practice proved fataldring the 5ontain "ars when sbterranean or!az clans salvaged these sacrificial weapons andsed them to assalt the dwergaz.


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/ther 'eoples

#side from the Three 'eoples, there are other races who ma!e their homes in the snowy wastes ofl-Ceald. There are the orcs, called or!az by the bfylc tribes, a savage and warli!e race whosemarading clans are a constant terror to the bfylc and the albaz. #nd in the far north, the catfol!whom the bfylc call dezn dwell. Their society is made p of close-!nit family grops, and they

are mch more peacefl than their bfylc neighbors, lac!ing the nified leadership that the bfylcrely on. There are also the *gder,half-elven ancestors of the nion of albaz and bifylc, who are seenas blessed by the tribal commnities+ and half-orcs, acla, the nfortnate children of bfylc andor!az. aled for their strength, yet feared by many, the acla live a hard life among the tribes.The Kasatha are a reclsive people who dwell in the valleys and foothills of the (iflheimmontains. They are a race of ascetics and mystic warriors, who believe in peace and harmony andlive their lives in accordance with the commandments of the Dragon Kings. These nimble, for-armed creatres rarely leave their montain villages. They are constantly harassed by or!az raids, aswell as the giants, ogres and other monsters who live in their lands.#nd in the deepest, dar!est forests, well beyond the albaz city-states, dwell the shadow fey, whomthe albaz call scathsidhe, !nown as dwolmalbaz by dwergaz scholars, in their moonlit spires and

twilight !eeps. These enigmatic and mercrial fey, dar! cosins of the albaz, hail from a differentworld called the shadow realm. They are at once crel and benign, mysterios, aloof and seeminglyncaring of the plight of others, yet often helpfl and !nown for hospitality and loyal friendship.

The deuzncome from the far north of l-Ceald, beyond the (iflheim montain range. They livea nomadic life similiar to the bfylc, and their wanderings sometimes brings them into contact withthe neighboring tribes. They are a peacefl people, thogh they can be fierce warriors if provo!ed, alesson the warli!e bfylc have learned many times and seem to !eep forgetting.The dezn have no tribes or overarching societal strctre, bt are instead nited by a commoncltral and religios heritage. )n star! contrast to the bfylc, the albaz and the dwergaz, the dezando not worship the Dragon Kings of $arth. The Dragon Kings do have a role in the oral history ofthe dezn, and they recognise the gods as their creators, bt the primary religios tradition of thecatfol! is ancestor worship and an animistic belief in and respect for the spirits that dwell in allthings.

Dezn shamans condct ritals to celebrate and honor the ancestors of the dezn people, and theyhave a powerfl respect for natre and all life. This respect for their ancestors colors every aspect ofdezn life. The spirits of those who came before need appeasing, and in retrn for the offerings andgifts the dezn give their ancestors, they e4pect their help and intervention in times of need. Theofferings can range from food and drin! to tools, weapons, fine items of clothing and 2ewelery. )t iscommon to offer sch gifts before important events li!e weddings, births and hnts, and an ancestor

who fails to give blessings and fortne on sch occasions shames the entire family. 'owerfl ritesare needed to cleanse sch a dar! shadow from a family, and on rare occasions the offendingancestor spirit may be smmoned to answer for it1s actions.0i!ewise, it is important to offer gifts tothe spirits of the world. The spirit of a river mst be fed, so it will not ta!e the lives of childrenstraying too near. 'rayers are offered to the spirits of animals slain to feed the family, and smallto!ens or gifts may be bried with the animals bones to send its spirit off to the ne4t world."intras came as a hard blow to the dezn. Their shamans believe that some great offense wascommitted against the spirits of winter and weather, and each year dring what was once smmer,shamans from all the dezn lands gather to perform great and powerfl rites to please these

powerfl spirits. (o prayers have been answered dring these moots, bt the shamans faith isnwavering, and their dedication is strong. The crse of "intras hangs li!e a dar! clod over the

dezn, and their songs and tales tell of the warm glories of &mar. These melancholic songs andstories fill the hearts of those who listen with a profond sadness, bt there is always a note of hopein them.


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The dezn live their life srronded by family. These family grops bind many generations ofcatfol! together, and nothing is more sacred to a dezn than this familial bond. The catfol! arematriarchal, and each family is led by it1s oldest female. Eong males who come of age leave theirfamilies behind, and stri!e ot into the wilderness in search of a mate and a new family to 2oin.These wanderings can ta!e years, as the nomadic lives of the dezn ta!e them far and wide acrossthe icy plains. /nce a male manages to find a female who will have him, his new family will

prepare a massive feast in honor of the yong cople. This is a time of great celebration for thecatfol!, and sch celebrations can last for p to a wee! of msic and merriment. The male ise4pected to bring with him stories of his ancestors, and each night of the celebration the yong manwill delight his new family with tales of the heroism, bravery and wisdom of his past !in.)f the family is not satisfied with these tales, the yong male is allowed to stay ntil he has matedwith hisfemale, and then is sent on his way. )n this way, every tribe is blessed with new life, even ifthe yong cople failed to find love.&ometimes wandering males find their way to a bfylc !n2n. The catfol! are viewed by mosttribes as welcome gests, who bring fascinating tales and news from afar. $very so often, schmeetings ends with the yong male falling in love with a bfylc woman. The ways of the bfylc arestrange and often nsettling to a yong dezn, who show little interest in the romantic advances of

men of either gender. &rprisingly, many catfol! wanderers fall in love with ma@dvaz. The dynamicbetween a dezn and his ma@dvaz love shares many elements of a traditional catfol! marriage,with the female leading the hosehold and the male allowing himself to be led. Their attraction tostrong women and their sbservient attitde to marriage pleases many ma@dvaz too, and of all therelationships that form between catfol! and bfylc, these are the strongest and most endring. /ncea dezn forms sch a relationship, their strong faith in marriage and family ma!e them e4cellent

partners, both nrtring and fiercely protective.The strange religios beliefs of the catfol! are often accepted by the bfylc once they nderstandthat they do indeed pay respects to the Dragon Kings.&ome priests will bal! at the notion of ancestor worship, bt by and large the catfol! are allowed to!eep their e4centricities. The fact that most catfol! are e4cellent singers, and 6ic! learners will

please most priests, and a dezn who learns all the songs of worship will gain mch respect withinthe !n2n.

The kasatha live in 6iet montain settlements in the (iflheim highlands. Their villages are oftenlocated in the many valleys along the foothills of the (iflheim montain range, along the manystreams and rivers that flow from the glaciers and montain reservoirs otward to the sea.5any !asatha dwell in monasteries, seclded temple-villages where they contemplate the natre ofthe divine and their role in the order of things. These cloistered priests are friends to the drids ofthe albaz, and many itinerant !asatha mon!s ma!e pilgrimages to drid groves to commne with theDragon Kings in these holy sites.

#mong the scholars of the dwergaz, the !asatha are believed to be the last 'eople created by theDragon Kings dring the %irst "ar, a race of protectors and holy warriors made to protect the worldfrom the destrction wroght by the hatefl 0ords of Dar!ness. The !asatha1s own songs tell asimilar story of their origin. They follow this mandate religiosly, forever training their minds and

bodies to be ready for war against the dar!, and their monasteries are as mch training gronds asthey are places of worship. $ach sch monastery is led by an abbot, a high priest who condcts theceremonies and approves the new recrits. /nly the strongest and fastest !asatha are selected to 2ointhe monastic life.Those who do not 2oin the holy mon!s live ordinary life in the villages. Kasatha are a matriarchalsociety,bt other races have difficlty recognizing any physical difference between females andmales. Kasathas !eep their moths hidden behind clothing, and don1t remove this clothing in the

presence of other races.5en mate for life with a female partner chosen for them by the villageelders. The elders are the lawma!ers and rlers of these villages, and their word is law for all wholive in the village. To the !asatha, rles and laws are of e4treme importance.


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They view the laws of their society as divine, handed down to their seers by the Dragon Kingsthemselves, and to follow the laws is to demonstrate their faith in the giding hands of the gods.)n every village, there is a temple to a particlar Dragon King whom the villagers see as their

patron. )n every sch temple, sally a strdy stone strctre with little ornamentation beyond aprominent state of the Dragon King it is dedicated to otside the entrance, there is a reli6arywhich holds the sacred scroll of laws that govern that village. These scrolls are the prised

possessions of the villagers, and any harm done to them is pnishable by death. (atrally,destroying or desecrating sch scrolls are deeds of great renown to the or!az clans who ma!e the!asatha their enemies.The !asatha do not possess the !nowledge to wor! metal by themselves. )nstead, they trade for theirweaponry with the albaz and, more rarely, the dwergaz and the dwolmalbaz. )n addition to the

bronze and iron weapons they a6ire from trade, they create their own weaponry from natralmaterials. Their most famos weapon, and the one their enemies fears facing the most, is the spinalsword, crafted from the spine and bones of a slain enemy of the warrior who wields it. Thesefearsome weapons are often coated with potent poisons made from herbs gathered in drid groves.;eclsive as they are, !asatha nonetheless have some dealings with the other 'eoples of l-Ceald.They trade with the albaz and occasionally dwergaz for weapons and armor, and sometimes ma!e

contact with the nearby bfylc and dezn families to trade for food, frs and other goods. )n retrnfor these goods, the !asatha often pay with healing ointments, salves and potions, as well as othernatral remedies and herbs. 5any of these brews hold potent power, and they are highly soghtafter.)n addition to trade, many !asatha go on pilgrimages to groves, rins and holy sites all over l-Ceald. These are of great importance to the !asatha, and most try to go on sch a pilgrimage atleastonce every few years. # !asatha who dies withot visiting a site of pilgrimage is often seen as verynfortnate, and it is not ncommon for their families to embalm their corpse and ta!e it on a

pilgrimage before brying them. Kasatha elders are often ta!en on sch 2orneys to be bried at aparticlarly holy site, and the !asatha believe that in this way their spirit is 2oined with the earth andthe power of the Dragon Kings instead of going on to reincarnate.

The dwolmalbazcall themselves shadow fey, and their realms lie deep within the eastern forestsbeyond even the realms of the albaz. :one since the coming of "intras, the shadow fey are slowlyregaining a presence in l-Cealds forests since their retrn a centry ago. $ach decade newfortresses and towers are bilt, and the dwolmalbaz claim sovereignty of the forests that were theirhomes before "intras. The albaz, recognising an obvios threat from their more aggressive !in,have attempted negotiations that so far have reslted in peacefl coe4istence. The shadow fey arefiercely territorial, and every year their e4panding borders creep ever closer to albaz lands. ow thegwen will respond to the growing shadow fey intrsion is still nclear, bt the neasy peace thate4ists between the two brother peoples cannot last forever.

The forests of the dwolmalbaz domains ta!e on a dar!, frightening appearance mirroring theshadow fey themselves. )n these shadowed woods they constrct tall spires of stone and wood, andbild castles and !eeps in which they hold cort.The shadow fey are similiar in appearance to the albaz, bt there are stri!ing differences betweenthem. Dwolmalbaz have s!in ranging from snow white to shadowy dar! or grey+ some even haveglittering or faintly glowing s!in. 5any of them have horns, ranging from sbtle nbs to impressiveantlers, and some have intimidating rows of sharp teeth. They also vary in statre, from taller than

both men and albaz to shorter than dwergaz. The shadow fey have the same three gender roles astheir albaz cosins. #mong them, the =illeagan serve as priests to the great !ings and 6eens, andalso ta!e the roles of oracles interpreting omens and portents and witches who dispense blessingsand crses.


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To otsiders the dwolmalbaz can seem strange, even mad. Their reasoning and logic has been aswarped by their home in the shadow realm as their physical forms, and their world view is distinctlydifferent from the other races. They are notorios for their altered relationship with time, whichflows differently in the dar! world they call home. &ome among them are apparently immortal, andthey often leave l-Ceald for long periods, only to retrn and e4press shoc! and frstration that theworld has changed since they left. To some their actions may seem insane, bt there is always a

method in them. They advance their goals sbtly, and their victims are overta!en before theybecome aware. "hile the shadow fey are often antagonists and sally described as malevolent,they are not inherently evil. (either are they inherently good. They are fey. 0i!e all fey, mortalsmst be wary with their interactions or pay a steep price.Dwolmalbaz society is divided into Corts. $ach has a geographical centre, bt they are reallycentred arond their leader. The shadow fey do not worship the dragon !ings, instead revering theirCort rlers as gods. The largest corts are the &mmer Cort and the "inter Cort, rled by the&mmer een and the "inter King who are married to one another.There are nmeros other, smaller corts as well, each rled by a powerfl shadow fey monarchrevered as a deity by their followers. These monarchs are powerfl wizards and sorcerers, and theyhave the ability to grant miraclos power to their priests and clerics.

Dwolmalbaz society is fedal and in many ways mirror the dwergaz. They have noble lords and!nights, and a system of fealty and honor that governs their interactions with one another. )n star!difference to the tilitarian dwergaz, however, the laws that govern the shadow fey are positively

byzantine, and navigating the many reglations, codes and traditions of the dwolmalbaz is adangeros e4cercise in frstration for all bt the most competent lawyers and scholars of the fey.The dwolmalbaz hail from a place that e4ists nowhere on l-Ceald, called the shadow realm.Dwergaz scholars recognize this realm as a plane of e4istence !nown as the 'lane of &hadows, atransitive plane that lin!s the world of l-Ceald to the elemental )nner planes and the /ter planeswhere sols of the dead go to 2oin the Dragon Kings and where the hellish realms of the 0ords ofDar!ness lie. &ome !ingdoms of the shadow fey lie partly in the shadow realm, and it is possible towal! from a dwolmalbaz forest realm directly into the shadow realm if yo !now where to go andwhat to loo! for. This dar! realm of nightmares and shadows is home to fey creatres of manytypes, and there lie the palace cities and castles of the tre rlers of the shadow fey, great princes,6eens and !ings who wold never deign to set foot in the material world of l-Ceald.)t is possible to reach the shadow realm with magic, and an e4perienced wizard may se that dar!

place to travel between locations in the material world in a fraction of the time an overland 2orneywold ta!e. &till the plane is home to many dangers, and only the bravest or most foolish do so withany reglarity.

The shadow fey se bronze tools and weapons li!e their albaz cosins, in part becase iron is scarcein the forests they call home, bt most of all becase of the effects of cold iron on the fey. %ey hate

cold iron and many refse to se tools of mndane iron as a precation.The origins of the shadow fey are shroded in mystery, even for the dwolmalbaz themselves.Dwergaz scholars believe that they were originally albaz who fled to the shadow realm when"intras englfed the world, bt the shadow fey dispte that claim. #ccording to them, the albaz aredegenerate cosins who were cast ot of the shadow realm by the dwolmalbaz nobility manycentries ago. (o written or oral sorce among the albaz or in dwergaz libraries spports this claim,however. 5yths and songs among the albaz have many mentions of the shadow fey, bt none thate4plain their origins or their relation to the albaz. )t is entirely possible that the two peoples are notrelated at all, bt both the albaz and the dwolmalbaz insist that there is a familial bond between thetwo peoples. The relationship between the albaz and the dwolmalbaz is a strained one, bt they havea mtal respect for each other. The two races have had both positive and violent dealings with one

another, and small territorial conflicts between shadow fey Corts and albaz city-states do happenwith some fre6ency.


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The two peoples are e6ally often allies against or!az incrsions or drow attac!s however, and theyfre6ently trade with one another. ow this will change as the territorial disptes grow morecommon in the face of dwolmalbaz e4pansion is yet to be seen.&hadow fey have a natral criosity and wanderlst, and they often thirst for adventre. #dwolmalbaz who performs epic deeds and retrns home with spoils of war will recieve greatrenown from his !in, and many dwolmalbaz ta!e to adventring to see the world and e4perience all

the wonder and terror it can offer.

alf-elves, called gderby the bfylc and egdaer by the albaz, are born from nions of albaz andbfylc. 5ost *gder live among the albaz, a reslt of the refgees who fled to the albaz city-stateswhen "intras first descended. These nfortnate people are not considered fll citizens by thealbaz, and are often pt to wor! in menial tas!s sch as caring for animals, constrction orharvesting the frits of the groves. This wor!, thogh essential, garners them little respect, and theyare often treated little better than slaves. &till the albaz are not crel, and they ta!e care of their own.The *gder have basic civil rights, and violence or crimes against them are pnished by the dridconcils almost as severely as offenses against an albaz. 5any *gder grow p dreaming of freedom

and adventre, and if they get a chance to leave as they matre they often ta!e it. The harsh realityof "intras soon catches p to them, however, and many never retrn to the relative safety of thecity walls.Those *gder who have dwolmalbaz blood in them have it a little better. The shadow fey readilyaccept them into their Corts, and thogh they are of lower stats than fll-blooded dwolmalbaz,they are not social pariahs li!e they wold be in albaz lands. 5any serve as s6ires to fey !nights,tending their steeds, carrying their arms and serving as companions on their travels. &ome even riseto !nighthood themselves, thogh they wold have to perform great deeds to win the respect andadmiration of the fey nobles.

#mong the bfylc, *gder fare mch better. The bfylc consider the *gder blessed, and many growp to be priests. /thers grow fascinated by the songs and tales of their albaz ancestors, and ta!e pthe life of the bard, often travelling the world to learn all the songs and stories of the Three 'eoplesand other denizens of l-Ceald.5any *gder who rn away from the albaz forest realms and manage to srvive the icy wastes endp settling among the bfylc.%or some reason, the *gder are often gifted with the blood of the Dragon Kings, and theysometimes become great sorcerers. The bfylc, sperstitios and distrsting of the arcane arts asthey are, will often react with fear and pre2dice against these individals. &ch *gder, dobleotcasts, are often forced ot into the wastes to fend for themselves. They will sometimes bandtogether in commnities, and these commnities are often more amicable to other otcasts+ even

acla who find their way to these covens are welcomed, and often grow to become valed familymembers and gardians.

!cla" or half-orcs, are often viewed as crsed. 5ore often than not the prodct of rape, these sons ofthe blodthirsty or!az are feared and even shnned by many among the Three 'eoples. Their bloodrelation to the dreaded or!az ma!e them social otcasts, and those who do not fear them pity themfor their crse.Those acla who grow p among their or!az !in will often rise to positions of stats. &maller ofstatre and wea!er than the or!az, the acla are nonetheless valed by the :reat and 3lac! for theircnning and intelligence, and will often serve as advisors, commanders and dar! shamans to theor!az clan leaders. Those among the acla who ascend to leadership themselves do so with e6al

parts intelligence and ferocity, and they become fearsome leaders. "hen an acla warlord arises, hispresence is often felt far and wide. is natral cnning and insight are potent tools of war, and hisplans will often seem brilliant when compared to the petty plans the or!az sally ma!e.


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Those who grow p among the bfylc tribes live hard lives. 5ost !n2n will !eep them on theotside, barely feeding them and rarely paying them any form of respect. 'ractically the onlyrespect a bfylc acla will recieve is in combat, where their or!az blood shines throgh. 5any aclawill embrace this image of the savage, brtal warrior to try and gain some stats this way, bt thefear the bfylc have for their or!az blood sally means that any respect they recieve comes withmistrst and fearfl glances. 5ost will loo! over their sholder when an acla is near, fearing that his

or!az heritage will posess him to mrder them or do other nspea!able things.#mong the albaz, their stats is even lower. 5any acla children are !illed in the womb by dridicremedies, and those who srvive ntil birth are sometimes set ot for the wolves and creatres ofthe forest to deal with. The rare few who are !ept and raised grow p as lonely, sad children, forever

2dged and condemned by everyone arond them. Those who reach adlthood almost always leave,thogh a few stay behind and try to ma!e the best of the sitation.&ome acla who leave their bfylc or albaz commnities find homes among the mch less

2dgemental dezn families. /thers see! refge in !asatha monasteries, where their otwardsappearance means little. These acla often become renowned warriors, and fight with a frighteningferocity against the servants of the 0ords of Dar!ness.


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#agic in l-Ceald

l-Ceald is a magical world. )t was created throgh the magic of the worldsong, and the crse of"intras is definitely magical in natre. Thogh rare in the eyes of most, magic is everywhere,sleeping and waiting to be released. The worldsong still reverberates in all things, the world is filledwith rins of ancient civilisations from the beforetime, and even the great battles of the %irst "ar

and the crse of "intras have left traces of magical power in the world.

'ractitioners of magic are very rare in l-Ceald. $very generation a small nmber of sorcerers areborn, individals toched by the Dragon Kings who can wield great power. These sorcerers are sorare they are the stff of legend to most people, thogh they are more common and accepted amongthe albaz. The dwergaz hold sch individals in great esteem, and among them magic is considereda powerfl e4pression of the power of the Dragon Kings or $arth.

#mong the bfylc, magic of any !ind is feared and respected. The tribal society of the bfylc is asperstitios one, and a great deal of weight is pt on omens, portents and signs from the gods.&dden onsets of diseases, failed hnts, accidental deaths and other problems are often attribted to

crses or the wrath of the gods. The power to crse and afflict victims with disease or in2ry is seenas blac! magic, power derived not from the Dragon Kings bt from the 0ords of Dar!ness. Thosewho practice magic mst therefore either hide their abilities or legitimise them by becoming priestsor getting the spport of an *deling or other athority figre.

'riests are an e4ception to the rle. The bfylc don1t distingish between divine and arcane magicthe way dwergaz scholars and albaz drids do, bt they respect the power of the gods more than the

powers of man!ind. # power that seems to come from the Dragon Kings themselves is alwaysaccepted and respected, even if it still instills ncertainty or fear. The prayers and songs of priestsand drids are an accepted way to wor! magic.#nother accepted way of wor!ing magic is throgh the traditional songs of power. &ongs hold anincredibly important role in bfylc life, and they are believed to have the power to both harm andheal, to create and destroy. $ven so, a very blatant display of magic may arose fear andsperstition, even when performed as part of a song. The power of songs is seen as a sbtle one, andgrandiose magical effects will case most people to wonder if blac! magic is involved.

Those who are not born with magical powers who wish to command the forces of natre willalways find a way to power. The rins of the beforetime hold many magical secrets for those braveenogh to loo! for them, and many ambitios yong men and women have dies loo!ing for thetreasres of the past.'osessing a magical item isn1t as taboo as practicing magic, bt it still nsettles and frightens

people. This fear can be sed to gain respect and athority, however, and many *delings own amagical sword or other item which they wield as badges of office. # strong individal who canharness the mysterios powers of the past in this way deserves respect.0earning to wield the magical forces themselves isn1t easy. There are witches and wizards in thewilderness who might consider ta!ing apprentices in e4change for goods or favors, bt they areseldom to be trsted and their intentions are often dar!.

To be born with sorceros gifts is both a blessing and a crse. )t is called the 3lood of the Dragonby dwergaz scholars, who believe it to be a blessing from the gods and a manifestation of the powerof the Dragon Kings.#mong the bfylc, it is viewed as anything bt a blessing. The tribes call it a crse, the toch of

"intras or perhaps the corrpting inflence of the 0ords of Dar!ness, and those who embrace theirgifts are shnned and feared.


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$ods of l-Ceald

The %ive Dragon Kings of $arth

Wulthuz" %ragon &ing of 'ife

Chaotic Good

Portfolios: God of life, animals and natureDomains: Animal, Earth, Good, Plant (Growth), Sun, Water

"lthz is the King of 0ife, and patron god of all living things. $verything that wal!s, flies andgrows in l-Ceald owe him their lives, for he was the Dragon King who sang the first notes of the"orldsong, leading his brothers and sisters in the choir that created life itself. &ongs honoring"lthz are sng in gratitde for the gift of life, especially at births. e appears as a magnificent

brass dragon shining with the light of the sn."lthz holy symbol is a brass dis! with a stylized rising sn at it1s centre.is favored weapon is the heavy mace.

(ullo" %ragon )ueen of ProsperityNeutral Good

Portfolios: Goddess of family, community and health

Domains: Air, Charm (o!e), Community, Good, "ealin#, Weather (Seasons)

%llo is the Dragon een of family and commnity. The Three 'eoples pray and sing to her forgidance in family matters, and in times of need for their tribe, their family or their people. &hecares for all her children, and is the patron goddess of parents and children everywhere. %lloappears as a beatifl bronze dragon, with friendly eyes and glittering scales.%llo1s holy symbol is a bronze disc with a stylized person with open arms at it1s centre.er favored weapon is the shortspear.

Wurdiz" %ragon )ueen of (ate

awful Neutral

Portfolios: Goddess of fate, fortune and mysteries

Domains: Dar$ness (Ni#ht), uc$ (%ate), &a#ic, 'eose, 'une, ric$ery (Decetion)

"rdiz, &he "ho )s, is the Dragon een of fate and fortne, and patron goddess of mysteries,riddles and that which is hidden. &he is also the goddess of peacefl death, and gardian of theafterlife. er songs are sng at fneral rites, and as invocations of her name to learn the mysteries ofdestiny. "rdiz appears as a copper dragon, with stars gleaming in her eyes and the dar!ness of

death nderneath her wings."rdiz1 holy symbol is a copper disc with a half-moon and a star.er favored weapon is the dagger.


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Wodanaz" %ragon &ing of Wisdom

awful Good

Portfolios: God of $nowled#e, wisdom and understandin#

Domains: Artifice, Good, *nowled#e, aw, 'une, %ire

:reatest among the Dragon Kings of $arth, "odanaz is the god of wisdom and !nowledge. The

drids venerate "odanaz as a teacher and gide to the mysteries of meidh, and among the dwergaz"odanaz is considered the patron of metalwor!ing and artifice. is songs are sng at the forges andtemplesmithies of l-Ceald, and echo in drid groves across the land. "odanaz appears as a softlyglowing gold dragon, with an ara of wisdom abot him that hmbles all who stand before theDragon King."odanaz1 holy symbol is a golden disc with an open eye in it1s centre.is favored weapon is the longspear.

Teiwaz" %ragon &ing of *eroesawful Good

Portfolios: God of heroes, #reat deeds and #lorious !ictory

Domains: Glory, Good, aw, i+eration (%reedom), No+ility (eadershi), Stren#th ('esol!e)

Teiwaz is the protector of l-Ceald, the resolte gardian against the inflence of the Dar! 0ordsand their minions. e blesses the warrior, and his grace soothes the weary and the defeated, andraises them p to fight anew. e is venerated by warriors across the world, and his songs are sngas battle hymns to prepare for combat. Teiwaz appears as a glorios and impressive silver dragon,and his light brns the wic!ed and n2st with righteos fire.Teiwaz1 holy symbol is a silver dis! with a spear at it1s centre.is favored weapon is the longspear.


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The (ive 'ords of %arkness

!uzawandilaz" %ark 'ady of Terror

Neutral E!il

Portfolios: Goddess of fear, terror and the ni#ht

Domains: Dar$ness, Death (ndead), E!il, &adness (Ni#htmare), &a#ic, ric$ery

#zawandilaz is the terror of the tter dar!, the cold, ncaring mother of dar!ness in all its forms."hen the sn sets and the dar!ness creeps across the land, all living things feel her terrible tochand cower in fear at her presence. Those who worship her invite madness, and her howling songschill the bones of even the greatest warriors. #zawandilaz appears as a terrible blac! dragon,

blac!er than even the moonless night s!y.#zawandilaz1 holy symbol is a hman s!ll.er favored weapon is the terbt2e.

$autaz" %ark 'ord of %eceit

awful E!il

Portfolios: God of decietfulness, lies and untruthsDomains: Charm (ust), E!il, *nowled#e, aw, &adness (-nsanity), ric$ery (Decetion)

:ataz, the %ather of 0ies, is the Dar! 0ord of Deceit. e is the voice that whispers crelty in thehearts of all, the sorce of all that is wrong and corrpted. "ith a word he topples !ings and inspiresdobt and fear in nations, and by his will are all men bent and bro!en. :ataz desires nothing morethan to see all the world !neel before him in spplication. is songs are whispered by those whowold see! his dar! gifts of deception, bt the price for sch awfl blessings is always too high.:ataz appears as a ble dragon covered by clods of dar! mists.:ataz1 holy symbol is a blac! star.is favored weapon is an obsidian dagger.

Welanduz" %ark 'ady of +iolence

awful E!il

Portfolios: Goddess of !en#eance, !iolence and slau#hter

Domains: Death (&urder), E!il, %ire, aw, Sren#th (%erocity), War (.lood)

"elandz, the Dar! 0ady of iolence, is the mistress of pain and sffering. &he delights in thetorment of living things, and every sting of pain is li!e sweet wine to her. "elandz thirsts forsffering, and her followers shed the blood of innocents in her name to please the Dar! 0ady ofiolence. er songs are sn by evil warlords and warriors before battle, and invo!ing her name

brings great fear to any opponent. "elandz appears as a blood-soa!ed green dragon, with great,red-stained fangs."elandz1 holy symbol is two crossed spears with blood red tips.er favored weapon is a greatclb.


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!gilaz" %ark 'ord of %estruction

Chaotic E!il

Portfolios: God of destruction, death and the end of all thin#s

Domains: Chaos, Dar$ness (oss), Death (&urder), Destruction ('a#e), E!il, War

#gilaz, the :reat Destroyer, is the end of all things. e awaits patiently for the world to end, thogh

he has an active hand in bringing abot the end of the world. There is nothing more pleasing to himthan lives snffed ot, good things ending and the destrction of beaty and love. /nly the bravestand most insane of mortals dares worship the :reat Destroyer, and the gifts he gives his followersare never pleasant. is songs are howled by the mad and the depraved, and his rites are dar!,twisted and destrctive. #gilaz appears as a terrifying red dragon, and his dar! wings spew smo!eand the stench of death arond him.#gilaz1 holy symbol is a blac! spiral.is favored weapon is the battle a4e.

$rendel" %ark 'ord of ,easts

Chaotic E!il

Portfolios: &onsters, +easts and all foul thin#s/Domains: Animal, Chaos, E!il, Plant (Decay), Stren#th (%erocity), Weather (Storms)

:rendel is the 3east 0ord, master of all that creep, crawl and slither. is minions are the monsters,the terrible beasts who rip flesh and chew bones, and everything born of evil, dar!ness and chaosobeys his will. 0i!e a beast he howls for the flesh of the innocent, and his worshippers cry histerrible songs at night. :rendel appears as a bestial white dragon, with hge terrible fangs.:rendels holy symbol is a hman footprint with claw mar!s.is favored weapon is narmed attac!s and natral weapons.


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#onsters of l-Ceald

l-Ceald is home to many creatres, some of whom are not classified as animals by the scholars ofthe dwergaz. manoid creatres sch as ogres and giants ma!e their homes in the montains,valleys and forests of the world, and in the deepest caves and caverns of the (iflheim montainswhole nations of hobgoblins, goblins and other pests ma!e the lives of the dwergaz difficlt.

5ost hmanoid monsters are solitary, li!e the ogres, ettins and bgbears, bt some have societiesand cltres of their own. The most common of these societies are the clans of the or!az, bt thereare others. obgoblins dwell in the deepest, dar!est tnnels of the (iflheim montainrange, alongwith their goblin servants, and they have made war on the dwergaz for centries. #lso living

beneath the montains are the drow, a race of dar!-s!inned creatres whose albaz ancestors 2oinedforces with the 0ords of Dar!ness and were banished at the end of the %irst "ar to the hazardosdepths of the montains, the realm !nown as the nderdar!. )n the absolte stillness and dar!ness ofthis sbterranean realm of terror, the drow plot and plan their revenge on the albaz who cast themot. Their depraved rites honoring the 0ords of Dar!ness are nightmarish and brtal, and they are anevil people twisted by envy and hate towards their srface-dwelling !in.:iants live in the montains, and these brtish creatres will not hesitate to !ill and eat anyone who

strays into their domains. There are some peacefl races among the giants, and these often dwell inisolated villages high in the montains, where they venerate the Dragon Kings and wish only to livein peace. &ometimes these friendly giants will ma!e contact with !asatha villages or dwergazotposts, most often to trade or warn of some impending disaster.5ore bestial monsters also stal! the wintery realm of l-Ceald. Dra!es are common in themontains, and these dragonlings are often revered and sacrificed to by nearby tribes.Tre dragons are a rare and aspicios sight. They are all children or direct descendants of theDragon Kings of $arth or the 0ords of Dar!ness, thogh the evil dragons who serve the Dar! 0ordshave not been seen since the end of the %irst "ar. They will sometimes act as messengers,delivering commandments and prophesies directly from their divine parents, bt most of the timedragons will not interfere in the affaires of the 'eoples. "hen they do it is always for someimportant prpose, and those who recieve sch a message !now with certainty that they haverecieved a divine message directly from the gods.Dragons hold their own corts, and have their own langage and society. The inner wor!ings oftheir cltre are n!nown to mortals thogh, and even the greatest scholars of dragon!ind at themost prestigios niversities of the dwergaz !now little more than tidbits and rmors of what goeson at their gatherings. "hat is !nown is that dragons will sometimes gather in great nmbers on thevery highest pea!s of the (iflheim montains. "ether these are meetings of government, legal trialsor religios rites thogh is a mystery.There are many !inds of giants in l-Ceald. &ome are dmb brtes who claim a cave, a stream or aclearing in the woods as their own and fiercely defend their den. These giants are often too inept or

too lazy to hnt for themselves, and will fre6ently steal food, rob hnting parties and passing!n2n or demand payment in food and spplies for Jprotection.The niflheim montains are home to more intelligent giants, both marading frost giant clans and

benevolent giant !ingdoms who are more than willing to trade with their neighbors and ma!e offersof mtal protection. The dwergaz are natrally sspicios of giant-!ind, bt will deal will dealwith peacefl giant commnities if they prove their friendship. The !asatha, on the other hand, aregreat friends to their giant neighbors. There are strong bonds of respect and trst between the!asatha and the peacefl giant !ingdoms that srrond them. The !asatha vale these giants fortheir honesty and !indness, and the giants for their part have a deep respect for the !asatha faith.&ome giants even practice the dridic tradition, and tend groves and protect the wildlife inaccordance with the dridic creed.

The fey are fond everywhere in l-Ceald. They are the spirits of forests, rivers and streams,montains and snowy plains. Their wrath is legendary, and the peoples of the world pay themrespects and leave them offerings to appease them and ensre bontifl hnts and safe passage in


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woods and over rivers. /ften tric!sters and mischievos pran!sters, fey delight in teaching lessonsand provi!ing reactions from the people who enconter them. They can be tric!y, vengefl and evencrel, bt they can also become great friends to those who treat them with respect and honor theirterritories.#fter the retrn of the dwolmalbaz, the fey poplation of l-Ceald has increased. The last hndredyears has seen

Documents

Æl-Ceald, The Eternal Cold