The Taer

Table of Contents:

Overview

Taerfalon (Teer - fa - lon) is an early renaissance world of intrigue and political machinations where what is real and what is known cannot be easily distinguished.

The World

Known as the greater realms of the Taerfalon ("Tear fa lon") this is a large spherical world that has several continental masses along with two sets of archipelagoes.

The Gods

The High Three

Mithron - Also known as Lord Thunderhand, and Quicksight, Chief amongst the Gods, God of Fire, Lord of Dry Weather, Barbarian Tribes, Food cooked on the open flame and the open plains

Nelleamor -Wife of Mithron, called "Goddess of the Spring", revered amongst elves. Lady of all the Elves, the forest, early spring, food cooked by the hearth or stove.

Mithronelle - Eldest daughter of Mithron and Nelleamor, called "Goddess of the Summer" Lady of the summer, the sun, goddess of Paladins, and Rangers.

The Mid Three

Healdar - Also known as Lord Seawind, and The Unyeilding, God of the Sea, Lord of Rain, Sailors, and aquatic creatures. He was the First of the Gods to dissent during the Days of the Dreaming.

Vulalle - called the "Goddess of the Fall." Also called the Lady of Halflings, the steppes, rivers and lakes. She is the protector of the animals.

Rolmir - also known as Darkness, and Nightbringer. He is the offspring of Healdar, and Vulalle during the first epoch (known as the Days of Dreaming.) Fighters, monks, and thieves revere him. The elves also state he was the father of humanity, although the humans deny this.

The Low Three

Syatis - Only the most devout of her dark cult know this name. To all others she is Lady Midnight. To the elves she is "Lady Goddess of Winter." Goblins, Orcs, Ogres, and all dark creatures revere her. Her arrival ended the Days of the Dreaming.

Talthor - Son of Mithron and Vulalle in the Second Epoch (known as the Days of Nightmares) He was the first of the Gods to be corrupted bt Syatis. Worship of him is officially banned in all the western realms, and the northern clans. The followers of his Dark Mistress, Syatis, sustain his worship.

Maravinn - Known as "Mistress Traveller" and more commonly Magi Fortendi. She is not worshipped per se, rather respected by Sorcerors and Wizards. She is the only Goddess to appear in mortal form. Commoners and other non-magical folk regard her more as a demon rather than a goddess.

The Lesser Gods

Local Gods, and Goddess are worshipped in fervor by different peoples in different cities, towns, and regions. Their powers and avatars are debated by clerics, wizards, sorcerors, and monks alike.

The Saints

Alenault, the Kingdom of the Western Plains.

All players will start in Blackvale, capitol city of Alenault, the Kingdom of the Western Plains. Blackvale is a commercial city inhabited mainly by humans, but all races are welcome (as is their coin.)

Religion, and the Cleric/Monk

The Central religion of Alenault is the Circle of the Red Ring of Fire. Commonly called the Circle, it is an organized following devoted to the worship of the High Three, and more chiefly Mithron. Its leader is the Holy Father, Vicar of Aventi (The capitol of Aeranus). The Holy City of Aventi is the center of the faith, with a large establish bureaucracy of scribes, lawyers, clerics, and monks. The Circle is the established religion in most of the western realms, reducing many other equally legitimate faiths to the status of cults. Monks/Clerics may join the order if they are of any good or neutral alignment. Monks/Clerics who do not choose to join the circle are considered cultists, and may incur the wrath of the Circle. The circle has a rigid hierarchy and Monks/Clerics who buck this hierarchy can become heretics. Although strict the Circle offers many rewards to their members. Rewards can be gained at any major temple.

Cults

Cults are considered annoying nuisances by many of the major governmental organizations in the western realms. They are tolerated as long as they respect the Circle, and do not preach what the Circle considers heresy openly. At most a cult may contain a maximum of fifteen members, but many are only a handful of faithful.

Heretics

Cultists who incur the wrath of the Circle and fallen members of the Circle are considered heretics. Heretics are actively hunted by the Circle, its paladins, and bounty hunters. N.B. Cults that worship the Low Gods are considered Heretics in most of the western realms.

Magic

Magic in the Taerfalon is rare, but powerful. Those who are able to wield magic do so by one of three paths.

1. Heritage -- There are people in the world through their ancestry have been related to a mystical race, and thus have powers because of that (i.e. Elven descent equals a possibility of being magically inclined.) 
2.  Innate nature -- Due to a gift of fate the person may have some innate magical ability (i.e. casting specific spells or having the ability to use spell like effects.) 
3. Being recruited by a Wizard Guild -- Some individuals are lucky enough to find a guild of Magic to train them. Being highly secretive and difficult to find, Magic Guilds are often times the hardest road to Sorcery. There are the four roads to using magic, which is the priestly magic of the Gods, but to the average peasant these are "miracles" rather than magic ability.

Guilds

Aside from the legal trade guilds, there are several guilds/organizations of note.

The Silent Company - An organization of those less lawfully minded acquirers of property. In the smaller towns it proudly proclaims its presence, while in larger towns it can be quite secretive and hard to find. Rumor has it that each "Company" is commanded by a Brother (or Sister) of Silence. These members rule each Company with an iron fist, and can issue orders of death (or worse if rumors are to be believed) on a whim.

The Order of Western Lances - Believed to be divinely inspired this order of nobles, knights, paladins (of the High Three), and other martially inclined folk are the cornerstone for order and goodness in the western realms. From the nobles that support the King of Alenault, to the Paladins of the Holy Father, and the Elven Bowmen of the Commonwealth these champions of good seek to eradicate evil, protect the weak, aid the unfortunate, and establish order.

The Circle - See above.

Magic Guilds - Rumored and hidden these guilds are considered in many places equally heretical as the Low Threes Cults. At best they are tolerated, partly out of fear, and partly out of respect. The foremost of these guilds is rumored to be the Conjurers of Tobermoral. They are said to exist in a city deep within the lands of the Northern Clans. All magic users are considered Wild Mages until they join a Guild. A guilds attention is gained by the skills of the Magic user. How this attention is gained is dependent on the Guild, and the Magic User.