AC — an acronym for Armor Class.
AD&D — an acronym for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, a roleplaying game that has become a cultural phenomenon.
Adrastus Thorn — a lich devoted to Asmodeus.
Adrian Armage — A cleric of St. Ygg believed lost in the Barrowmaze — lost as in dead. He's not reported in to Mordicar Justhand since late April, PR 204.
Advantage — Gaining Advantage means you get to roll twice where normally you'd only get a single roll. Take and use the better of the two rolls. The three most common cases in which one may gain Advantage are to-hit rolls, saving throws, and skill checks.
adventure — a series of scenes through which players direct their heroes' actions and reactions, culminating in treasure, notoriety, and experience. Cumulatively, adventures through which a hero journeys have the effect of transforming that hero into a powerful force in the game world.
ages — The ages of the Earth are obscured by the tremendous weight of history. We do know some of their names: The Age of Renewal, The Cumerian Age, The Chaulrassan Age.
"Ag-kirzhak, Krizhurg!" — Goblin for 'My Enemy's Strength, Now My Own'.
Ahlfettin Pony — An expensive breed of pony, said to have descended from a Cumerian Champion warhorse and — if the tale can be given credence — a unicorn! True ponies of this type are able to fight as a warhorse and have the larger warhorse's movement. Curiously, there is a small bony knob on their foreheads, perhaps in the same spot that a unicorn would sprout a horn. These creatures imprint on whomever they spend the most time within the month following their first birthday, developing a lifelong bond of loyalty. It's believed that Ahlfettin can polymorph into humanoid form at will.
alignment — Where a given person, monster, or being falls on the continuum of good vs. evil, and law vs. chaos; a creature's alignment gives the dungeon master some idea, in broad strokes, of how that creature should be roleplayed.
Altgrimmr — a dwarven stronghold in the Western Threshold Range mountains a dozen miles northeast of Thundertree and ten miles northwest from the city of Threshold. In centuries past, there was warfare between Altgrimmr and the Duergar city of Barakuir — over a hundred miles of winding tunnels connected the latter with the surface fortress of Altgrimmr. Barakuir lies eight-five miles south of Altgrimmr, and is a surface stronghold.
Anganach — The elder gods, still venerated by many in the Northern Reaches. The Anganach were widely worshipped long before the advent of the Futurus. The Anganach are comprised of the following deities: Crom, Herne, Impurax, Nergal, Orcus, Set, Silvanus, Valdghar, and Zuul.
Arcantryl — One of the Futurus, the newer gods, Arcantryl is the goddess of magic and knowledge.
arcane — Having to do with magic; eldritch forces; possessed of a dweomer; of a rare or esoteric quality such that one might consult a learned sage regarding.
Arcane Adept — Arcane Adept is a trait that can be taken by mage and mage-subclass characters. The Arcane Adept trait can be used in skill checks regarding a contest of wills between two spellcasters. It may be added to arcane research checks, checks to learn new spells, and checks involved with the creation of magic items. The hero Feyre Archeron possesses this trait.
Archaians — a magical race that was destroyed by their creator, Anu-Eya, in PR 103.
Arford Shrewdbody — An elderly gnome (well, half-gnome/half-halfling), proprietor and single employee of Arford's Mill in Eastdale.
Argent Twilight — The Argent Twilight is a secretive organization dedicated to recovering lost arcane lore and magical items. They also are intensely focused on recovering technologies from Ancient civilizations. This organization courts arcanists — particularly Enchanters, and Thieves — especially Dungeoneers. They seek reports, recovered scrolls and tomes, and ancient magic items and technologies so that they may study and (it is hoped) be able to replicate them. In exchange for members' supplying — or promising to supply — these things, the Argent Twilight is willing to provide its members supplies, knowledge, wealth, and other assistances.
Armor Class — In many systems, Dungeons & Dragons, Scarlet Heroes, and — yes — in my own Scarlet Horizons, the goal of a to-hit roll is to get a d20 die result equal to or higher than a certain target number. In the 5th edition of Dungeons & Dragons, that target number is an Armor Class, and in the modern 5th edition of the game, the higher the Armor Class, the more difficult it is to penetrate with an attack.
But in earlier versions of AD&D, Armor Class did not range from 10 to (the upper twenties, or even higher). Rather, in these older systems, Armor Class ranged from negative ten, to positive ten, and the lower an Armor Class, the better. (see also here). My system, Scarlet Horizons, uses this older AC system, but expands the range of armor classes from +10 all the way down to -30.
Aegrilise, The Ungrave, Auntie Croneworm — Depiction: A swelling bole, from which Aegrilise protrudes as if a worm emerging fromst its apple.
Unlike to her adopted siblings, Aegrilise did not etch herself into being. Instead, as a mortal Witness, she usurped one such act of self-conception for herself — using the blackest of black magics to pollute the Nameless Idol's womb with her parasitic soul. A blasphemy she bestows upon the Imagos in her service.
Associated with: All things and fruits forbidden, Entomophobia, Usurpers and Change.
Araumycos — perhaps the largest living organism on Earth, this myconid lies in the upper Middledark. It's midsection lies between the drow cities of Ched Nasad and Menzobberranzan, though beneath most of the tunnels connecting the two.
Asmodeus — The Lord of Hell, arch-devil and greater deity of the 666 Layers. In the primordial age before pre-history, Asmodeus and his brother, Anu-Eya, stood head and shoulders above the other powers in might and ambition and were therefore adamantly opposed.
Auriochos d'Rosenberg — A cleric of Helix and a member of The Seekers. Slain by a gnoll arrow in the Fall of 204 PR.
azatas — Azatas (pronounced ah-ZAH-tah) are a type of benevolent celestials native to the plane of Elysium. Azatas are champions of goodness and manifestations of freedom, and choose to travel the planes helping creatures in need and battling evil. However, they tend to avoid meddling in mortal affairs since doing so could impinge on those creatures' own freedoms. Azatas do not believe that evil can be completely destroyed by methodical campaigns, instead devoting themselves to showing up where they are needed most, doing their best to help, and then promptly leaving.
Azatas are formed from the joy and beauty of Elysium and the constant supply of goodly shades from the Universe, who often spend some time as a half-celestial before becoming an azata. Like most outsiders, they cannot procreate with each other or with mortals, but will happily engage in short-lived relationships with them. Azatas are always looking for those of kind hearts and light spirits, and seek companionship among them whenever they can, but never for very long.
Banville Mask — Keeper of the Heart Queen's pictures, accomplished thief, and an agent of the Order of the Gauntlet. It was Banville who provided Celaena Sardothien some residuum with which to enchant her great sword.
Barakuir — Barakuir, also known as the Iron Kingdom, was a part of the dwarven realm of Shanatar, dominated by the shield dwarf Clan Duergar, whose inhabitants would eventually be transformed into the gray dwarves. The kingdom venerated Laduguer and was ruled by a priest-king who was known as the Iron Shield. Barakuir lies in the Middledark, eighty-five miles north of Altgrimmr and about six miles beneath the Surface.
Barclay Festerton — Townmaster of Phandalin.
Barrowmaze — an extensive warren of barrow tombs beneath the marsh that is sometimes called The Barrow Bog, southwest of Helix. These tombs are remnants from an earlier civilization in the area — the Cumerians. In recent years, more and more undead have been boiling out of this area into the surrounding marsh and sometimes even to the southern edge of Helix and into the streets of Bogtown.
Bauthwaf — the term drow use to reference the network of 100 or so tunnels surrounding Menzoberranzan. The Bauthwaf is vigilantly patrolled by drider-riding elite drow.
Bezarcane — a half-elven sage (MAGE 17) who is a well-respected and highly placed member of the Order of the Gauntlet.
Black Peaks — The Black Peaks are a mountainous range along the western border of The Forbidden Zone. The mountains have numerous named peaks of various sizes and elevations including Mount Yst, the White Mount, The Fang, and Mount Desolate. These range from 9,000 to 12,000 feet high. Sages believe there are at least two passes, likely on either side of the articulation with the Coal Hills, through the mountains to the badlands of The Forbidden Zone. Monstrous humanoids use the passes to raid north of the peaks. There is also at least one orc stronghold, maybe more, somewhere in the range. Lead, iron, copper, and silver can be found in the mountains but they have not been mined by humans, as of yet.
Blacktooth Keep — Built in the years 21 to 32 PR (Post-Ravaging), this small fortress was erected on the site where Kurg Blacktooth slew the Shou witch-priestess Golnadeg Grue-Spitter and her elite bugbear unit, putting an end to the swath of destruction they had carved through Smokeshadow, Dolecherry, and Silent Diamond. Blacktooth joined Smokeshadow and Moonwall in fielding men-at-arms to patrol the Farground Road against incursions by gnoll, ogres, and occasional giants from the surrounding hills.
Bloodthirsty — a magical weapon with this property grants a +2 bonus to attack rolls and to a single damage die of weapon damage if, and only if, the weapon dealt the killing blow to a foe with at least four hit dice within the past twenty-four hours. Otherwise, it imposes a penalty of two instead of the aforementioned bonus. These Bloodthirsty modifiers are in addition to any other magical bonuses the weapon possesses. Thus, a +3 Bloodthirsty shortsword might provide an overall bonus of +5 to to-hit rolls and to a single weapon damage die.
Bruce "Beerbrewer" Bancroft — Brewer and bartender at the Stonehill Inn in Phandalin.
Beckette, Faramund — The fourth son of minor baron of southern Hohnberg, Faramund joined his Uncle Ulred's mercenary band, The Felicitously Forsworn, at the age of seventeen, squiring for his uncle and building experience. Now, at the age of twenty, he has traveled to the region of Stigrix in the Westmark, seeking a former superior officer to his uncle.
Billworth Turgen — Owner of Turgen's Trade Goods and local representative of the Silver Standard Caravan Company in Helix. Billworth facilitates shipments to Ironguard Motte and imports from the same. At 55 years old, Turgen is quite well-off financially. He's an unclassed expert merchant with 4 HP. He has a mustache, speaks in a bass voice, smokes a pipe, and is a likable fellow who just became a grandfather in the Spring of 203 PR.
Biscuit — Crynwyth Ironfist's pony.
Blingdenstone — an upper Middledark svirfneblin city, located approximately forty-five miles west of Menzoberranzan.
Bogtown — a town of 1,932 people located approximately seventeen miles southwest of the Deep Ones' Bridge and twenty-four miles south and slightly west of Ironguard Motte.
Branderscar Prison — Branderscar is prison built into the base of the easternmost mountain in the Fangorran Range north of Rosen. where the mountain meets the western edge of Lake Illatar.
Bran Hammerspike — A dwarven warrior who, in the winter of 199 PR while helping Crynwyth Ironfist search for the Doors of Galduhr in the Moon Peaks, saved Crynwyth Ironfist's life after she was badly hurt by a fire elemental.
Brannock Tilden — A human cleric of Oghma, and head of the Oghman temple in Helix.
Brazen Strumpet, The — An inn and tavern in Helix which Mattie and Aury frequent.
Breanna Badmouth — a 3'4" female Halfling farmer who sold her 10-acre farm on the western outskirts of Phandalin to the PCs and remained as overseer. She helps take care of Tipsy and Topsy when the PCs are out adventuring. Her last name is properly pronounced 'bah-mooth', but the locals — mainly to tease Breanna — pronounce it in a way that suggests the halfing uses profanity and off-color humor. She doesn't, at least not very often.
Breldik Blackbeard, Blacksmith — a 6'4" man, 275 lbs and with a bushy black beard and very muscular physique (STR 18). Breldik is the lone blacksmith in Phandalin. Breldik is married to Brenda, and they have a Saint Bernard named Big Ben.
Brenda Halfast — wife of Breldilk Blackbeard of Phandalin, Brenda was born 173 PR in Kirkilston, where she grew up the third child of a miner father and a barmaid mother.
Brookhollow — a village in the southeast quadrant of the Southern Reaches that sits in a valley nestled in the shadow of Mount Dragonspire.
Brooknash Coster Inn — an upscale inn in Threshold catering to adventurers.
Bryce Lightstep — a ranger who lives in the vicinity of Phandalin. It is rumored — though not by many — that Bryce is a member of the Harpers.
Caldamis, Barony of — a small fiefdom in the southeastern quadrant of the Southern Reaches which engages in trade with various Southern and Northern Reaches communities. This small barony is ruled by Orvair Leonas.
Calico Five, The — an adventuring band that lost a cleric of St. Ygg when infiltrating Gundgathol in PR 203. According to the surviving four party members — a fighter, a warlock, a ranger, and a dungeoneer — the Righteous Arm of Ygg, Cheluthim Sarcos, died during a fight with a deep dragon when a wing buffet blew him into a crevasse.
Campaign — in the context of a tabletop roleplaying game such as Scarlet Horizons, the word denotes a series of successive adventures with some unifying theme or trigger. Conversely, a series of unrelated adventures is comprised of one-offs.
Campanula, The Watcher in Violet, Lady of Bellflowers — Depiction: A woman of noble bearing, so laureled in violet blooms as to be blinded by them.
Campanula was the second of these Graven Idols to stride forth and be seen. And with her Grace of foresight brought a considerable demesne beneath her once beatific rule. Now, the habitudes of her court inspire only boredom and her gaze has fled far from the throne she longs to cede. Guiding those fated to free her from the depths of this ennui.
Associated with: Oracles and Prophecy, Bells and Bellflowers, Rulership, Order, and Onism.
Camp Eastscarp — a beastmen encampment in the Darkwood Forest.
Cere-Lukh — Champion warrior of the Scarface goblins, Cere-Lukh is a brute of a goblin who enjoys the statistics of a bugbear with two levels in Barbarian. Cere-Lukh means Bloodletter in Goblin.
Celaena Sardothien — a human fighter operating in southeast Stigrix in PR 204 and forward. Celaena's companions are Feyre Archeron and Lancaster Fox.
Chargammon — a powerful black dragon who lives in a great cavern beneath the Barrowmaze.
Chaulrassan — the Chaulrassan (chaw-rah-SAHN) were a society and culture that endured for roughly 2,000 years prior to the Cumerian civilization.
Ched Nasad — a drow city some twenty-six miles southwest of Menzoberranzan and a few hundred feet deeper in the Middledark, separated from Menzoberranzan by a portion of Auraumycos.
Chucky — a Geppettin warlock who serves as sidekick to the Saint Yggian paladin, Whiteheart.
Chudwick — Cimmer the Glassblower's boy in the village of Helix, region of Stigrix. An eight-year old human with multiple viddimen deficiencies who is weak and poorly and has garnered Matthias' compassion.
Chuphedra — Means 'loyal companion' among unicorns and ahlfettins.
Cimmer Castion — Chudwick's father and master glassblower of Helix.
Citadel Silver — Dhardofhell, better known as Citadel Silver yet sometimes referred to by (mostly) dwarves as Silverhame (population: 2,154), is a dwarven enclave seventy-five miles southeast of Slaytonthorpe and thirty-three miles northeast of the village of Helix.
In 27 Post-Ravaging, it's leader, King Crumwich Ironfist, financially backed an expedition led by Xavamros Battlebeard I, who'd discovered Underdark tunnels beneath Tornspire Keep in Slaytonthorpe. This led to the Xavamros' reclamation of the Gauntwood Galleries, an ancient complex of deep caverns that dwarves mysteriously abandoned centuries earlier. Citadel Silver's leadership is embodied in a hereditary kingship.
Industry and Trade: Mining (Iron, Silver, Gold), Metal working, Weapon and Armor Smithing. The dwarves of Citadel Silver trade almost exclusively with Eastdale and their raw materials and finished goods filter across the rest of the region from that point. The dwarves and men of the region maintain strong relations for trade and defense.
cleric — a cleric is a priest of a god who militantly evangelizes for her deity, fights her deity's enemies, and enacts initiatives she feels promote her deity's precepts.
Coal Hills, The — The Coal Hills extend twenty miles northwest of the Black Peaks toward Threshold. These Highlands are mined for coal and iron — key resources for the nearby city. However, there are goblin tribes that live in the hills closest to the Black Peaks and they occasionally raid the small mining camps set along the northeastern edge of the ridge. The hills are rocky and they possess very little arable land. The hills have game: deer and rabbits in particular. Sheep are also shepherded in the hills immediately adjacent to Threshold.
Cranstonthorpe — a thorpe of 288 souls situated in low hills northwest of Smokeshadow.
Crom — God of Strength and Battle, and one of the Ancient Ones. Crom's worship has held fairly steady for centuries. Also called the Bloody Crooked One, Crom's avatar appears as a majestic dragon.
Cresseltree — One of the beyond-ancient True Trees, its highest sky-grasping branches home to several thousand canopic elves and other creatures of the Timber Sea.
Crumwich Ironfist — The king of Citadel Silver who financed the reclamation of the Gauntwood Caverns in 27 PR via the valiant dwarven adventurer Xavamros Battlebeard I. This king has championed efforts to reclaim the Golden Age of the dwarven kingdoms throughout his long life. In 201 PR, he began negotiations with the ruling council of the Gauntwood Galleries dwarves, seeking to put together an expedition to first recapture and then to map the vast ancient dwarven kingdom of Gundgathol.
Crynwyth Ironfist — Daughter of King Crumwich Ironfist of Citadel Silver. Crynwyth is a a powerful elementalist in her own right, though she finds fewer opportunities to test her mettle than she'd like, given her protective liege and father. Crynwyth is 48 years old. Crynwyth is at a transitional age — what, in Dwarven timescale, would be considered late adolescence merging into early adulthood. Some of those closest to her still use her childhood name, Crynwyn.
Cult of the Dragon — a widespread cult active for many thousands of years. This cult believes that dragons are a remnant left behind by the Visitors. The cult seeks to spread the worship and rulership of dragons, and sometimes convinces dragons to undergo a ritual to become dracoliches.
CUM #YEARS — The number of years after the beginning of the Cumerian civilization that an event took place.
Cumerian(s) — The Cumerians were a civilization that endured in the Stigrix region of The Westmark from ~650 Pre-Ravaging to ~300 Pre-Ravaging. It isn't widely known what brought this people-group to its demise — though clever PC investigators might learn the cause(s). Some sages theorize that a pact made with the Hell Kings went awry, leading to the Cumerians' undoing.
cuumess — a potent alcoholic brew made and consumed by goblins.
Dalgor Bristlebeard — A dwarven warrior slain in the winter of 199 PR while helping Crynwyth Ironfist search for the Doors of Galduhr in the Moon Peaks.
Darkwood Forest — A dense forest known for its rough terrain rich in timber, stone and charcoal. It is rumored that trolls roam the forest.
The Darkwood Forest is known for its density of vegetation and roughness of terrain. The forest consists of a tall canopy of oaks, beech, and birch trees that nearly blocks out the sun. The terrain is difficult to penetrate due to rolling hills and escarpment ridges.
Located between these spaces are small dangerous bogs. The rugged and densely-wooded nature of the terrain limits agriculture but the forest is rich in timber, stone, and charcoal (the latter serves as a fuel source). The forest is also abundant in game (deer and moose, in particular). The villages of Eastdale, Kirkilston, and Westkeep, as well as the dwarven holdfast of Silverhame, all benefit from their proximity to the Darkwood Forest.
The largely human towns also tend cattle, goats, and sheep in the shadows of the wood. A treacherous caravan route cross-sects the forest from Eastdale to Westkeep. Merchants pay double wages to men-at-arms who run "The Gauntlet" through the Darkwood Forest. Most refuse to take that route, as they fear the trolls and other monsters that ambush caravans.
The local folk believe that mischievous sprites, fairies, and will-o-the-wisps live in the wood. There are also stories of an ancient giant's tomb, and other magical oddities, hidden somewhere in forest.
A tribe of beastmen lives in the depths of this forest, at a location known as Camp Eastscarp.
dazed — when dazed, you are unable to do anything but defend; you cannot make melee attacks, cast spells, or use heroic deeds.
Deep Chaymyn — the deepest known dwarven hold, located almost a dozen miles beneath Seven Cities, in the very bowels of the Middledark.
deepizens — A term made popular by Xavamros Battlebeard I in his later years, when it seemed that Underdark monsters would never be beaten back, and Brokenspire Keep secured from those interlopers from the Great Beneath. These denizens of the deep became, in Xavamros I's vernacular, deepizens — deep denizens.
Delenevar — a druid residing a full hundred feet DownCanopy.
Demetria Kesloril — A half-elven woman currently serving with those mercenaries who operate out of Eastdale. Her mercenary services are cover for her deeper role as a Zhentarim agent. The townsfolk know her as Devra Trueaim.
Devra True-Aim — A half-elven female Zhentarim agent whose cover in Eastdale is that she's a mercenary-for-hire. Her real name is Demetria Kesloril.
dice — Dice are multi-sided small items made of bone, plastic, or some other material. Multiple dice can fit in the palm of a medium humanoid. The upward facing side of a die will have a numeral or a number of pips indicating that particular roll of the dice's value. An exploding die is one that you continue rolling and accumulating the rolled values, so long as the roll result is the maximum possible. For instance, if we rolled a d4 and got a 4 value, we'd roll again. If it came up '2' the second time, the full result of those rolls would be 6 (4+2).
Dhardofhell — The most recently established Dwarf Hold, a surface fortress known more colloquially by surface races as Citadel Silver.
Dolecherry — a village located twenty-one miles southeast of the origin of the Ash River in the Soot Mountains. Dolecherry is remarkable for its river fisherman and for the very high-grade cherries that they export — many of which eventually make their way to Tien Lung, destined to be incorporated into some restaurant delicacy or alcoholic beverage. Dolecherry is a dozen miles south of the town of Smokeshadow, and eleven miles west of the village of Silent Diamond in western Middenmark.
Donally Lake — a large freshwater lake located about twenty miles west of Citadel Silver and about five miles south of the nearest bend of the road that connects Eastdale and Westkeep. The lake is also known as Doneldun's Den, so named for the massive dragon turtle said to live in its depths.
Doneldun's Den — Another name for Lake Donally, which is believed to be home to a dragonturtle — apparently one named Doneldun.
DownCanopy — to be defined...
Dragonkind — A race produced by the Visitor's experiments, dragons were powerful enough over uncounted millenia to raid large cities of the other races with impunity. Dragons dominated the surface world, claiming vast areas of territory and battling each other for land, mates, and status. The great drakes suffered setbacks only when lesser races mastered magic, and they remain influential today despite the advances of such rabble.
Dragon, True — A true-dragon is a creature of great age, believed to have come down to us through the millennia. They were, many ages ago, the powerful servitors of The Visitors. Know this: you can discern a simple dragon from a true-dragon by their eyes. Simple beast dragons' eyes may glow red, or yellow. But a true-dragon's eyes are solid black — no iris, all pupil. An inky pool of obsidian the breadth of a silver serving platter.
Dragon's Teeth Henge — an ancient circle of menhir said to have been constructed by the Archaians, a now vanished magical race.
drow — dark elves who once, many millenia ago, were part of the great throng of surface elves. Sometime in the distant past, a great dispute and schism divided the elves of the surface world. The elves will not speak of it outside of their own race. Those who withdrew to the Underdark eventually became dark elves, able to use faerzress-induced native abilities.
Duchy of Aerik, The — an area in southeastern Stigrix that extends from The Greenlands in the south to just north of the re-built ruins of Ironguard Motte in the north, and from the River Isenduin in the east to the River Merisc to the west. This duchy lies to the west of Middenmark.
Duera, Deep — a god of the Duergar, Deep Duera is also known as Queen of the Invisible Art or the Axe Princess of Conquest. She is a goddess of psionics, conquest and expansion. See here for detailed information.
Duergar, The — Gray Dwarves, sharing common ancestry with Mountain (Shield) Dwarves. See here for more detailed information.
Dungeon Master — One of the people sitting around the table for your Dungeons & Dragons (or some other) game usually takes on a role known as the Dungeon Master or the Game Master. Sometimes this person is simply called The Referee, the Game Master (GM), or the Storyteller. This Dungeon Master describes the world, the conditions, the complications — she interprets the world for the player-characters. The Dungeon Master adjudicates situations that arise in the unfolding story where two or more outcomes are possible — often using various dice to help with these decisions. You may also want to read here.
Du'mal, The — the third part of the triadic pantheon, these gods hold sway almost entirely in the Underdark, as opposed to the World Above gods of the Anganach and Futurus.
Dwargon — a duergar mercenary and merchant often found in Shallowtown. He's had dealing with Celaena Sarodthien over the years, and trusts her.
dweomer — the magical aura of an enchanted item; the source of that magical aura, which enables the item's effect(s).
Eastdale — Population: 2,057
Alignment: Lawful Good and Lawful Neutral
Demographics: Primarily humans with a smattering of halflings, elves, and dwarves.
Political Structure: Ecclesiastical law (St. Ygg); His Venerable Mercy and Prelate of Middenmark, Mordicar Justhand (Human Cleric)
Industry and Trade: Trade and Financial Center, Lumber, Charcoal, Livestock (Cattle, Pigs, Sheep), Agriculture (Corn)
Eastdale is located on the eastern tip of the Darkwood Forest. Eastdale is a stockade-surrounded town, it's double gates flanked by two stone towers with wooden roofed observation posts above each. Each tower is emblazoned with the symbol of St. Ygg - a large red cross.
The town consists primarily of humans and dwarves from Citadel Silver. There is a smattering of elves, half elves, and halfings. The dwarves of Citadel Silver trade almost exclusively with Eastdale and their raw materials and finished goods filter across the rest of the region from that point. The dwarves and men of the region maintain strong relations for trade and defense. The local men o dale as they are called, are hardy folk drawn from the nomadic tribes that migrated across the Northern Reaches long ago.
The church of St. Ygg holds political and administrative control of the town, though ostensibly the heads of the merchant guillds form a ruling council that controls the town. The clerics both lead and employ men-at-arms to defend the town's wooden palisade. They also serve as civil and religious authorities.
Eastdale is not only an economic hub of human/dwarven trade, but also a religious center — providing everything from the training of new adepts to barracking a small company of Red Bannermen, St. Ygg's order of sacred paladins. Due to ecclesiastical law, Eastdale has a reputation as a stern and somber place.
Elbramoth Battlebeard — Second-born (by 1 minute: he and Xavamros III are twins) son of Xavamros II, King of the Gauntwood Galleries.
Eld, The Brothers — Four brothers from Sizemordicus who work together as mercenaries and caravan guards. The names and maximum hit points of the brothers are: Olophorn 21,
Belphor is level 2 and STR 16: adjusted longsword THAC0: 16. Olophorn is level 2 and STR 15: adjusted longsword THAC0: 17. Mintarn is level 2 and STR 17: adjusted longsword THAC0: 16. Finally, Caspius is level 2 and STR 18: adjusted longsword THAC0: 15.
Sadly, Olophorn was slain in a battle with gnolls as his caravan was making its way from Helix to Smokeshadow.
| Name | Level | STR | Adj. Longsword THAC0 | Hit Points |
| Belphor | 3 | 16 | 15 | 28 @ 3rd |
| Olophorn | 2 | 15 | 17 | 21 @ 2nd |
| Mintarn | 3 | 17 | 15 | 24 @ 3rd |
| Caspius | 3 | 18 | 14 | 28 @ 3rd |
Eldritch — Having an arcane nature.
enchant (verb) — To imbue an object with magical energy, typically in the form of eldritch energy patterns capable of being triggered in order to release one or more specific effects that alter reality in some way.
Evil — with a capital letter 'e' — is a quality that may be ascribed to a particular action or being. Those whose nature is evil invariably commit evil actions, and on a routine basis.
An evil being (person, monster, or power) always looks out for itself, even when this is at the expense of others. An evil being tends to show callousness, engage in violence, revel in dominance, perpetrate double-crosses, and generally takes action to move the status of things from order to entropy.
In everyday language, people tend to speak of particular groups or organizations as evil, despite the finely grained distinction that only individuals can be good or evil.
Unless somehow protected against, the spell know alignment will reveal a being's relative location on the Good vs. Evil continuum. The spell protection from evil confers an AC bonus of two points and a +2 saving throw bonus against evil persons/monsters, for the duration of the spell.
Excoriators — a term typically used to refer to paladins of St. Ygg.
faerzress — mild radiation found in the Underdark, faerzress is a remnant of primordial magic that helped shape the Underdark itself. It may interfere with the casting of teleportation and divination spells. This radiation gives some races innate abilities. For instance, the ability of drow to levitate and invoke magical darkness, as well as faerie fire.
Drow seek out areas with strong faerzress to build their cities and outposts, in order to keep others from scrying on their activities or teleporting inside their cities. Drow also use faerzress to create magical items and artifacts.
Areas of high faerzress concentration sometimes manifest physical signals, ranging from subtle shifts in temperature to visibly glowing rock formations. Drow-made magical items fashioned in the Underdark gradually use their enchantment within a few days of being removed from the Underdark.
Farrod's Lake — a lake whose center lies sixteen miles east-northeast of Rosen and thirty miles north-northeast of Helix.
Fangorran Range, The — a narrow range of mountains marching in an almost perfectly straight line, emerging from the Rauth Desert and across the Martel Plains, to its endpoint at the western edge of Lake Illitar.
Far Reach — the original home of Dwarves and originator of the Eight Great Dwarf Holds in the roll of centuries which followed.
Far Realm, The — a plane of madness situated very far from the planes of the standard cosmology. This maddening realm is feared for its power to twist unfortunate visitors into gruesome monsters, and it is from here that aberrations come.
Felicitously Foresworn, The — a powerful band of mercenaries operating out of southern Hohnberg in the nation of Westmark.
Fenwick — Fenwick is a young man in his early twenties, and an initiate of the Seekers. He comes from a noble family in the Hohnberg Pact, and so possesses wealth — though he is never ostentatious. He seems to be trying to atone for some real or imagined transgression, and makes of himself a general dogsbody to everyone else at the Chapterhouse.
Festivius Chrahl — the 65 year-old half-elven bard who travels a circuit from Threshold, to Seven Cities, to Sizemordicus, then back to Threshold — also performing in smaller towns along that route when in between those three large cities.
Feyre Archeron — A red-headed female elf (a rarity) who is a magic-user operating in the southeastern Stigrix area, in the vicinity of Middenmark and Slaytonthorpe.
Flat-footed — A condition affecting those surprised by an attack or event; this surprise means they are not able to enjoy any Dexterity bonus to Armor Class.
Forbidden Zone, The — A central feature of Middenmark. The zone is a badland that was created in the wake of an ancient cataclysm that destroyed the ancient city of Archaia. The badland is dry, sandy, or cracked-earth terrain, with low short hills and almost no vegetation.
Forgehome — The City of Mines, home to a large community of dwarves who make their living underground. Forgehome is believed to hold about 8,000 dwarves. It is located in the Shallows, approximately 1.5 miles beneath and some dozen miles southwest of Citadel Silver. The inhabitants of both locations are on friendly terms. Forgehome supplies much smelted ore to the citadel dwarves, who in turn produce masterwork items with it and ensure that their kin in Forgehome receive a portion of the profits.
Forgehome is a common waypoint for dwarven travel between the Citadel Silver and Deep Chaymyn.
The Forging, Festival of — an annual two-day festival held in Hamelet yearly on May 13th and 14th to honor the best smiths of the land and to put their creations on display — some for sale, some not.
Fornost d'Voivodja — The abbot who founded the Seekers in Pre-Ravaging 102, in Helix. This 332-year-old human is a 19th level cleric of Arcantryl. He is an Expert 9 (Archaeologist 5/Investigator 4)/Cleric 19 — OVL-28 with THAC0 12 and 126 HP. No longer the acting father-abbot of the Seekers' Chapterhouse, he has retired and abides in his tower in Wizardtower, a bastion that has stood for over six centuries. Fornost wasn't the original dweller. Some think he has ties to the wizard who raised the tower.
Futurus — The newer gods, as worshipped by people in the Northern Reaches. Saint Ygg is one of these new gods. The Futurus also include the faith of Arcantryl, as well as the cults of Orcus and of Set. By contrast, the Anganach — the Old Gods — include Nergal and other deities from the distant past, such as Herne, Silvanus, Impurax, and Crom.
Gaston Fellshroud — the middle-aged gnome proprietor — and retired adventurer — of the Griffon's Tongue pub and diner in Eastdale. It's rumored that Gaston wears a magical cape that magically slays anyone who inflicts injury upon its wearer.
Gauntwood Galleries, The — a long-lost dwarven enclave deep beneath the Gauntwood forest in Slaytonthorpe. These caverns were discovered in 27 PR by Xavamros Battlebeard I, and reclaimed and resettled over the next thirty years.
Ghirandiahn — a bronze dragon warlock pledged to Anueya, a former greater god believed by some to still possess deific status but choosing to grant warlock spells as a patron.
gods — beings that can be communed with and who can grant spells to followers, gods are also extraplanar beings that do not reside on the material plane or mortals.
gnosis — any truth or accepted fact within the Scarlet Horizons game setting that is intuitively apprehended by certain characters and monsters. To the meta-thinking players, game gnosis may be flavorful and/or tongue-in-cheek, but it is reality itself to those in-game personae who perceive it.
Golbrandur — an ancient subterranean dwarven city-fortress east of Slaytonthorpe that Xav III's brother, Elbramoth, is waging a drawn-out campaign (198 PR to the present) to repossess. Efforts have so far been largely stymied by a dracolich and dragon cultists, who are firmly entrenched therein.
Golnadeg Grue-Spitter — a Shou witch-priestess slain in PR 20 by Kurg Blacktooth on the site that would later contain Blacktooth Keep.
Greenlands, The — a vast swath of arable farmland on which relatively few trees grow. Sages are unable to explain why no forest has grown in the Greenlands in the past three centuries of men's history in the area — despite the fact that no efforts have been made to prevent forest growth.
Grant Caddyshanks — an elderly human farmer, mostly retired, who now lives in a farmhouse, keeps a few chickens, and only rarely ventures to Smokeshadow for supplies. More often, he relies on the once- or twice-monthly visits of Caravan Master Thromb Earnest.
Thromb brings the old geezer supplies and news, and Caddyshanks pays with jars of moonshine and often news of his own pertaining to the happenings in a ten-mile radius. Yes, Caddyshanks is more than he appears...
Griffon's Tongue, The — a fairly nice pub and diner in Eastdale. The proprietor is Gaston Fellshroud, a middle-aged gnome who also happens to be a psion.
Grongan Drakeslayer — King of Khalidheroneth in the North.
Guardian' Rest, The — The Guardian's Rest is a fortified caravan station located strategically at the outskirts of Kirkliston, near the main road leading to and from the Eastdale and further on to the capital. The compound consists of a large, enclosed area with reinforced wooden walls and watchtowers at each corner. At its center lies a spacious courtyard, surrounded by various facilities designed to cater to the needs of caravans and travelers.
Gundgathol, Ancient — A vast and sprawling dwarven kingdom beneath the Moon Peaks fifty miles southwest of Slaytonthorpe and approximately forty-five miles south-southeast of the village of Helix, lost centuries ago to a Duergar and Derro incursion.
Gursk Spiritspeaker — shaman of the Scarface goblin tribe that resides south of Helix at the edges of the bog.
Hamelet — When the surviving dwarves of Gundgathol fled to the surface almost three centuries ago, they were befriended by local humans. Jointly, the two races established the town of Hamelet, which became well-known for its citizen militia, it's cyclopean component, and the extremely high quality metal goods its smiths produced.
Harpers, The — an clandestine organization that works to protect freedom by opposing any and all groups that seek power at others' expense. The Harpers stand in very particular opposition to the Zhentarim.
hasiko — a hot, fizzy apple-ciderish liquor manufactured in Tien Lung. Produced with a mild enchantment, the beverage is always hot upon pouring and never goes bad. It runs from 70 to 85 proof.
Hellbane — an infernal poison most often associated with warlocks who have made a pact with Asmodeus. See this blog entry.
Helegath Aerengard — a noble of Threshold who is owed ten-thousand royals. The promissory note is currently in the possession of Alemvean Banivardimor.
Helix Village — a village of some five-hundred souls that lies along the northern boundary of the Duchy of Aerik. Helix' claim to fame is that it is the chosen site for the headquarters of the Chapterhouse of the Seekers.
henneth — a five-leaf plant that grows in the rich loam of woodlands in and around Strigix. Brewed into a tea, it is mild stimulating, bringing clarity of thought and a sense of well-being. It is also of use in poultices due to its antibiotic properties.
Herne — The Horned god, the Green Man. Worshipped by many in Middenmark and the Duchy of Aerik. Many people have a celebration and make offerings to Herne each year at the Autumnal Equinox.
hero — in the context of a Scarlet Horizons game session or campaign, the term "hero" when used by the dungeon master is typically in reference to a player-character.
heroic deed — in the context of a Scarlet Horizons game, this term refers to a nigh supernatural ability that a character or monster may employ, and is typically in reference to a player-character.
Hit Points — a numerical representation of a hero's toughness and ability to sustain injury and continue to function. When hurt in combat, or by a spell or trap, a hero loses one or more Hit Points.
Horgrim Tunnels, The — Ancient tunnels beneath the Darkwood Forest. It's believed they were carved ages ago by an underground river, a river no longer present. Perhaps it was diverted or eventually dried up. It is rumored that these tunnels lead to various points in the Underdark — to deep beneath Citadel Silver, to a crumbling ruins in the Forbidden Zone, and northward to tunnels lying beneath Slaytonthorpe.
Hoskighee — A town of some 400 souls nestled in the foothills of the Moon Peaks. This town exports coal and limestone quarried in the hills. It maintains trade relations with Wyrdwood, Helix, Bogtown, and Ironguard Motte.
humanoids — living creatures that walk upright on two legs. Most humanoids have a single set of arms and two eyes. There are exceptions — cyclops, for instance. A large portion of mortalkind is composed of humanoids.
humans — the most numerous of humanoids, not to mention the humanoid race with the lengthiest history on the planet.
Hurg Scarface — chief of the Scarface goblin tribe that resides south of Helix at the edges of the bog.
Hymenaeh, The One-In-Twain, The Hewnhearted — Depiction: A riven man, whom holds the two halves of his beating heart together.
Unable to divest his gaze from the mortal plights of this imperfect world Hymenaeh broke in half beneath the weight of his divine mercy. Weeping tears of copal still, he offers up the baptism of his hewn heart to Those-That-Dream-In-Amber. Spilling his gem bright blood in their stead.
Associated with: Martyrdom, Immortality, Amber, Vilomahs and Waking Dreams.
Lake Illatar — a freshwater lake located at the northern tip of the Fangorran Range, watched over by a swanmay ranger. The prison, Branderscar, is built into the base of the mountain that abuts that lake. This lake is located about fifty-four miles northwest of Threshold and about fifty miles northeast of Rosen.
Imperiosa — The goddess Imperiosa is The Conqueror; she appears most often as a beautiful blackskinned human warrior.
Initiative — Read here.
Ironguard Motte — The seat of power in the Duchy of Aerik. Population roughly 700 souls. Ironguard Motte is the major trade and political center of the district. It's ruling family received this vassal holding from Duke Derric Winterberry of Threshold in PR (-)06.
Isenduin, The — The river separating the Duchy of Aerik from the Middenmark.
Isenton — a town of 3,000 located at The Bend in the Isenduin River. Isenton is eighteen miles southwest of Westkeep and thirty-three miles south and a bit west of Phandalin. The town's chief exports are tobacco, corn, and whiskey.
Inzeldrin — an old green dragon that resides in Shrieken Mire, in Slaytonthorpe.
Juric — an eleven year old Padoar lad who acts as Tauste's errand boy.
Kai, Baron — The baron Luftwian Kai Beckette of Hohnberg, ennobled for services done for the Church. Father of four sons — his most recent, Faramund.
Karg Barrelgut — is the blacksmith, armourer,and weaponsmith for the village of Helix. He is well-liked, honest, and hard-working. He is not comfortable talking about his past. There is a rumor he fled something in his youth back east in the Stonelands.
Kern's Rest & Revelry — an average-quality hostel jointly operated by House Ghallanda and House Thuranni in the city of Threshold. In addition to multiple performing stages and rooms for rent, the establishment incorporates a number of private rooms that have witnessed every sort of secret dealing. The private rooms are rumored to be magically protected against observation, though some believe they simply incorporate the more mundane approach of thin lead sheeting within the walls.
Kesloril's Scarp — a high, craggy hill near the center of Darkwood Forest from which Donally Brook descends, flowing south to Donally Lake — which is bordered by forest along the majority of its twenty-six miles of shoreline.
Khalibra — the humanoid on whom an Ahlfettin imprints.
Khalidheroneth — the northernmost dwarven outpost located in the Spine of the World Mountains beyond even the Salt Marches and Threshold, some hundred miles north of Slaytonthorpe. Ruled by King Grongan Drakeslayer, this enclave of mountain dwarves is the largest known single dwarven domicile at over 6,000 beards. Khalidheroneth is on cordial terms with the other dwarven outposts and exports platinum, marble, gems, mead, metal goods, and labor while importing grain, meat, textiles, and papyrus.
Kirkilston (Hamlet)
Population: 362
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Demographics: Human, approximately 50 elves, half-elves, and halflings
Political Structure: Ecclesiastical Law (St. Ygg); Petre of St. Ygg (Human Cleric)
Industry and Trade: Primarily Livestock (Sheep) and Agriculture (Corn), Mead, Lumber.
Kirkilston is named after the church, or kirk, at its center. The church, alongside the Red Temple in Eastdale and the Watchtower in Westkeep, provide the three key centers of faith, administration, and governance in The Prelacy of Middenmark. However, unlike the more puritanical stance of the clerics in Eastdale, The Red Laws are more relaxed in Kirkilston and the immediate surrounding area.
Kobold Alarm — The particular pattern of aural cacophony that signals Seekers in their Chapterhouse in Helix that the lowest (and 5th) level has been breached ... again ... by kobolds.
Kurg Blacktooth — The half-orc Ranger (-29 PR to 28 PR) who is credited with slaying the Shou witch-priestess Golnadeg Grue-Spitter and her elite bugbear unit, putting an end to the swath of destruction they had carved through Smokeshadow, Dolecherry, and Silent Diamond.
Lacklund Parlfried — killed by the 12-headed hydra in the Great Rock Dale, Slaytonthorpe, in 20 PR.
Laduguer — The Exile is venerated as the protector of the Gray Dwarves and defends them from the countless other creatures of the Underdark who wish to enslave them and seize their tunnels, mines, and crafts. See here for detailed information.
lakes — large bodies of water, usually freshwater. Notable lakes include Lake Donally, Farrod's Lake, Phultarr's Pool, Sammeister Lake, and Lake Illitar.
Lancaster Fox — A halfling thief who, at age 22, felt wisdom the better part of valor and left Seven Cities by cover of night and in some haste. He worked the southeastern portion of the region of Stigrix over the next few years, eventually forming an adventuring band with the elven mage Feyre Archeron and the human fighter Celaena Sardothien. Lanky is a persuasive and likable rogue.
Leo Constance — a human middle-age merchant encountered by Xavamros and Alemvean in the Darkwood Forest after he was beset by bandits. As it turned out, the man was on a supply run for the Argent Twilight.
Leonas, Baron Orvair — ruler of the fiefdom of Caldamis in the southeastern Southern Reaches.
Leroy — Whiteheart the paladin's mule.
lizardfolk — Lizardfolk are humanoid saurians of medium size who live is swamps, marshes, and sometimes jungles and subterranean environments. Lizardfolk are extremely insular and xenophobic, and normally are hostile to other humanoid races.
Lightbringers, The — an adventuring company founded in Slaytonthorpe in PR 25 by Xavamros Battlebeard. The group went on to defeat a concerted threat to the entire region at the Battle of the Broken Spire in PR 26. They held that fortress and remained a company for two decades afterward.
Lowerdark, The — areas of the Underdark more than thirteen miles beneath the surface world are said to lie in the Lowerdark.
Luna — Earth's moon. Also, the name of Prince Xavamros Battlebeard III's pony.
mage — A magic-user; a person with class levels in wizard, warlock, or necromancer.
Magen Eisenthrast — An accomplished mage who commands a position of respect in the Chapterhouse to which Auriochos and Matthias belong.
magic — Many of the smartest people alive today disagree as to the specific nature and definition of magic. A consensus among a sizable minority of sages holds that magic is the application of extremely advanced technology that was gifted to Earth during the Visitation. The belief is that this technology (or, perhaps, these technologies) enable the marshaling of geomantic forces to bend and sometimes alter reality.
Malaster Rendalis of Eastdale — the proprietor of a well-known adventurer supply company based in Eastdale. Most of the goods sold in Malaster's are originally sourced from Tien Lung, Threshold, Sizemordicus, or Seven Cities. I addition to running an emporium catering to adventurers, Malaster also sells mounts and carts, potions, maps, even some scrolls. Of course, he charges top dollar.
Malaster's Eastdale Emporium — the equipment supplies company owned and operated by Malaster of Eastdale. The company caters to the needs of adventurers.
Mason's Apron, The — a tavern in Raven's Pass.
Matthias d'Slaytonthorpe — A scholar-mage belonging to the Seeker Brotherhood in Helix, Stigrix.
Mentos Ilthracin — An illithid merchant and mercenary with ties to Shallowtown and subduing Surface races into Underdark slavery. Lancaster Fox is one of Mentos' contacts.
Menzoberranzan — the City of Spiders, a drow city located some two miles below the surface and about fifty miles southwest of Citadel Silver, in the cavern Araurilcaurak, a massive cavern some three miles by two, and one-thousand feet in height in most places. Menzoberranzan is situated in the upper Middledark, about forty-five miles east of Blingdenstone.
Meow — one of a pair of horses the Phandalin Three purchased in Phandalin to pull their newly bought covered wagon.
metacept — any concept within the Scarlet Horizons game that is relevant only to player-knowledge and is non-existent as far as the players' characters are concerned.
Middenmark, The Prelacy of — Once a lawless frontier, Middenmark has been ceded to the church of St. Ygg, who have established law and order through force of arms and the implementation of the Red Laws, a strict moral code that the Middenmarkers are starting to resist.
Middenmark is a theocratic vassal to the ruler of Threshold. Middenmark is ruled by His Venerable Mercy, Prelate Mordicar Justhand, a cleric of St. Ygg.
The priests of St. Ygg established their political and administrative center at the Red Temple in Eastdale, as well as sending priests and building small shrines in the villages of Kirkliston, Westkeep, and Raven's Pass.
Middenmark lies approximately one-hundred miles north of Slaytonthorpe. The Middenmark lies to the east of the Duchy of Aerik. Middenmark is bounded at its northwest corner by the city of Threshold, on the west by the River Isenduin, and in its southeastern corner by the Spine mountains, and by Westkeep in the southwest.
Middledark, The — areas in the Underdark which lie at depths below the surface of more than three miles but less than thirteen are said to be in the Middledark.
Misty Mire, The — a fen in Slaytonthorpe that is ruled by the green dragon, Inzeldrin.
mithrilantine — an alloy of adamantine and mithril, the secret of whose forging was long thought gone forever, but which the dwarves of the Gauntwood Galleries have reclaimed from the great crevasse of past history. Nearly as hard as adamantine, this allow is only two-thirds its weight and can much more readily accept enchantment.
monster — a creature, natural or supernatural, that is generally feared, and/or generally unwelcome. Monsters may be (but tend not to be) humanoids. They are often powerful combatants. Some have spells or spell-like abilities. Monsters generally pose a threat to travelers, hamlets, thorpes, and towns. Adventurers are sometimes hired to slay monsters that have become problematic. A monster may also be slain in order to use one or more of its parts for spell components or to catalyze certain rituals.
Moonpeaks, The — a mountain range in southeastern Stigrix, home to the second oldest dwarfhold, Gundgathol — in the hands of duergar, derro, and kuo-toa in recent decades.
Moradin-Thaneduhr — head of the Moradinsamman — the dwarven pantheon — and creator of the dwarves.
moradinsamman — the pantheon of dwarven gods.
Mordicar Justhand, Prelate — Ruler of the Prelacy of Middenmark.
"Brethren of St. Ygg, we stand together under the divine guidance of our faith, as we uphold the sacred Redlaws that govern our beloved Eastdale. These laws, a testament to our commitment to righteousness and order, are not merely rules but reflections of our devotion to the higher purpose set forth by St. Ygg. They are the cornerstones of our community, ensuring peace, morality, and justice in a world beset by chaos and sin."
mortalkind — A mortal is any creature that is vulnerable to death, as opposed to immortal creatures. The Material Plane is considered the realm of mortals. Mortals as a collective are referred to as mortalkind. The state of being mortal is called mortality.
Mythalvane, The — a powerful relic, or perhaps artifact, taking the form of a globe of bright, shifting colors of magical energy that sits atop an old stone tower on a hillside overlooking the village of Helix.
nabblat — a goblin term describing a non-goblin accorded the trust, respect, and friendship of the tribe. For instance, Chief Scarface has named Mattias d'Slaytonthorpe to be nabblat.
Nergal — one of the ancient members of the Anganach, Nergal is — or rather, was — god of death and the undead.
necromancer — a mage that focuses on negative energy magic to control undead and deal generally unpleasantly with opposition. In some locales, necromancers must hide their focus out of fear for reaction from religious and/or civil authorities.
neshralk — created using different materials depending on the wealth of the individual or family, neshralk are funerary figures that represent family members, servants to assist the wealthy in the afterlife, or soldiers to serve as tomb guardians. Many possess simple inscriptions devoted to eternal service. Generally, neshralk are 6" to 12" tall. Some are made of precious materials and/or are quite valuable to collectors. Some neshralk have magical effects.
Nezznar — a drow encountered by the Phandalin Three in a chamber beneath Tresendar Manor. This drow had slain his former subordinate, The Glass Staff, and had taken his crystalline quarterstaff. Nezznar sacrificed that staff to make good his escape, managing to take with him one of the skulls that he'd been infusing atop the altar via a ritual.
Northern Reaches, The — refers to the region from The Greenlands at its southern edge to the Tundra at its northern. The map of this region is 44 x 36 hexes, each hex five miles on a side.
Oaxus, God of Stillness — The ancient god — and brother of Anu-Eya — who willingly sacrificed his immortal life to stop a war between two transcendant archmages in The Great Declension, a war that had the potential to destroy the world.
Oghma — Oghma is a deity of knowledge and its applications.
Orcus — a member of the Anganach, Orcus is the god of undead and death. He was once overshadowed in these domains by his father, Nergal.
Order of the Gauntlet — a devout and vigilant group that seeks to protect others from the depredations of evil-doers. The order is always ready to smite evil, enforce justice, and enact retribution against any who try to subjugate or harm others.
Orlogast Highsember — a powerful yuan-ti mage posing as a librarian, sage, and researcher working from within the Red Temple in Eastdale. The Zhentarim believe him to be a spy for the prelate.
Brother Othar — a 5th level cleric of Saint Ygg who cares for the shrine in the village of Helix. He oversees Cella and Gamdar.
Padoar — a village thirty-six miles south-southeast from Ironguard Motte, eight miles southwest of Dolecherry, and thirteen miles southeast of the southernmost of the Soot Mountains. As the crow flies, Helix lies forty-three miles northwest of Padoar.
Pado Brook — a tributary of the Ash River that tracks northeast from Padoar to the river just south of Wizard's Tower.
people — generally the term people is used to collectively refer to humanoid Surface races that tend to congregate and live together for mutual protection, education, reproduction, and safety.
Phandalin — a small town of about two hundred people, Phandalin is still considered a frontier town. It is built on the ruins of a much older settlement that was contemporaneous with the ancient, now lost Netheril Empire. Breldik Blackbeard and Barclay Festerton are notable residents.
Phandalin Three, The — a adventuring trio comprised of Lancaster Fox, Feyre Archeron, and Celaena Sardothien. This band became active in the region in PR 204. After Whiteheart joined the group, this adventuring band became known as The Phandalin Four.
Phultarr's Pool — a lake in the south of the Rauthan Desert. Though called a 'pool', the lake is almost six miles across at its widest point.
plast — a substance produced in the time of the Far Ancients, plast can be hard or flexible. It is prized for its durability and insulative qualities.
player-character — In the tabletop version of a roleplaying game, there are usually two or more people who take on the role of players, and each player controls and makes decisions for a character. These characters are the actors in the unfolding adventure or story.
The players are the people sitting around the table, each player assuming the role of his or her character — in essence, stepping into that character's shoes, living in their skin. Because of this intimate connection between the player and her character, that character is often known as a PC — a player character. You may also want to read here.
PR — also P.R., this signifies Post Ravaging a period of history following the great ravishing of western Westmark by the Shou.
Principality of Brine, The — the sole principality that comprises the Southern Reaches. This principality is ruled by the Triarchs — two men and a woman, all priests: the men, of Oghma and Arcantryl; the woman, of Zuul.
Prugal — a slovenly ne'er-do-well in Padoar, Stigrix.
PS — Pre-Shou Ravaging. For instance, an event that occurred thirty years before the great Shou ravaging would be 30 PS. Scholars don't like this designation, preferring CUM #, which signifies years since the founding of the Cumerian civilization. For reference, the great Shou Ravaging occurred CUM 1625.
Quelline Alderleaf — half-sister to the halfling Breanna Badmouth, Quelline and her sister share farming as an occupation. Quelline manages the ten-acre farm west of Phandalin purchased by the Phandalin Three in PR 204.
Querma — a hot drink made with cow or goat's milk and cinnamon. Some people put other ingredients in as well.
Rafell Riverwarden d'Helix — Rafell (pronounced ruh-FELL) is a Ranger 4 / Archaeologist 6, a fifty year-old expert human residing in the Seekers' Chapterhouse in Helix, and serving as their quartermaster as well as head of their Antiquities Research division. Rafell is credited with discovery of the Mythalvane in 193 PR — an ancient and powerful magical item that helps protect Helix in ways of which no villagers and even very few Seeker brethren comprehend.
Rauth Desert, The — a vast desert whose eastern extent extends into the western portion of the Northern Reaches.
Raven's Pass (Thorp)
Population: 110
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Demographics: Human, Elf, and Half-Elf
Political Structure: Ecclesiastical Law (St. Ygg)
Industry and Trade: Lumber
Raven's Pass is a small village on the southern edge of the Red Thicket. The village was established as a layover location for merchant caravans heading to and from Threshold. As such, it is frequented by caravans heading north from Phandalin, Kirkilston, and Eastdale.
Over time, it became home to a few hardy souls who support themselves by logging the giant red and white birch trees of The Thicket Wood. The village has no means of defense and is merely a small collection of homesteads, stables, and a tavern called The Mason's Apron. Although there is a statue devoted to St. Ygg in Raven's Pass, only a single young acolyte is stationed in the village. The Red Laws are (at best) loosely observed.
Reaches, The — The combined Northern Reaches and Southern Reaches — an area spanning approximately 60,000 miles2; two-thirds of that area comprises the Northern Reaches.
Red Bannermen — The templars (i.e., cleric-soldiers) answerable to Mordicar Justhand, and in service to Saint Ygg. They maintain order and enforce the Red Laws in Eastdale. In general usage, 'Red Bannermen' refers to fighters or (more often) clerics serving the Red Temple and St. Ygg. Technically, paladins of St. Ygg are indeed Red Bannermen, but in normal usage people mean fighters or clerics of Ygg when using the term. Paladins of St. Ygg are known as Excoriators.
Red Laws — The Red Laws of the Prelacy of Middenmark are instituted, ostensibly, by the ruling council of guildmasters in Eastdale. In truth, these Red Laws are instituted and ultimately enforced by Mordicar Justhand, the true power in Middenmark. The Red Laws place harsh sumptuary restrictions on the populace. They make it illegal for clerics of gods other than Saint Ygg to preach or make converts in the Middenmark. And they require that felonies by tried by a court whose judge is appointed by the Prelate, Mordicar Justhand. The Red Laws forbid gambling, prostitution, and alcohol. The Red Laws also promote Sabbath observance and worship.
Prohibitions
Gambling: All forms of gambling are banned.
Brothels: Outlawed within the town limits.
Alcohol: Consumption Restricted, with The Saucy Tart being an exception after 8 PM.
Mordoom Keep: Off-limits to the public.
Mandatory Practices
Sabbath Observance: Required participation in religious services.
Dress and Decency Codes: Prescribed standards for public appearance.
Censorship: Control over arts and literature.
Property And Economy
Property Acquisition: Governed by official documentation and witness validation.
Taxation and Guild Fees: Varied based on profession and income, mandatory for guild maintenance.
Crime And Punishment
Thievery and Crime: Ranging from public shaming to imprisonment or hard labor.
Public Shaming: Utilization of the pillory in the market square for minor offenses.
"In closing, let us remember that our adherence to the Redlaws is not a burden but a privilege, a manifestation of our unwavering faith in St. Ygg. As we navigate the trials and tribulations of our times, let these laws be our guiding light, leading us to a future graced by righteousness. May St. Ygg's wisdom continue to illuminate our path, and may his strength fortify our resolve in upholding these sacred decrees." - His Venerable Mercy, Mordicar the Justhand
The Redlaws influence every aspect of life in Eastdale, from daily activities to moral behavior, shaping the town's cultural and social fabric. This strict legal framework presents challenges and opportunities for storytelling, character development, and gameplay within the Prelacy of Middenmark.
Red Thicket, The — The Red Thicket is unique. The wood consists of gigantic white and red birch trees, the white trees have red leaves throughout the year and the red trees have the reverse. The forest is a distinctly beautiful, and yet sublime and otherworldly feature of the Northern Reaches. These trees live for approximately 600–1000 years.
Raven's Pass, a small thorp, is found on the southern edge of the forest. A pass about fifteen miles long extends from Raven's Pass to the Ford-at-the-River-Isenduin. The ford must be crossed to reach Threshold. The first human settlers logged the forest immediately around Threshold.
Gnolls and orcs know that the Red Thicket Pass, and the Ford at- the-River-Isenduin, provide excellent points to ambush caravans and waylay merchants seeking to conduct trade. Caravans must be well-armed and there is always work for a strong sword-arm.
Giant eagles, giant spotted owls, black bears, owlbears, and other monsters wander the forest. Some say giant treants protect the forest and attack those who cut down the trees. It is thought that wood elves dwell here. The Red Thicket lies east of the River Isenduin, in northwestern Middenmark.
Red Tide, The — A phenomenon in which seawater coming shoreward on the tide is tinted scarlet, from the shore and seemingly out to sea even to the far horizon.
Regina — a three-headed snake whip that Lancaster recovered from a slain drow priestess while plundering beneath the ruins of Tresendar Manor.
Rengar the Bold — a fighter who hails from Sizemordicus and who sometimes works as a mercenary out of Eastdale. This is the man that Matthias d'Slaytonthorpe hired to help train his as a warrior.
residuum — a rare magical substance coveted for its ability to catalyze magical transformations and transmutations.
Revole Ting — known in most circles as Earnest Thromb, Revole is now no longer entirely just a halfling, as his mutated arm attests, notwithstanding the fact that he keeps it hidden by wearing a tough and serviceable canvas long-sleeved jacket when he is among gentlefolk.
Ridyard Kupling — The human blacksmith in Eastdale.
Risk Dice — a pool of d8 dice each player's character regains at the end of a long rest, and which can be spent to perform various Heroic Deeds or to empower spells or rituals.
ritual — a scripted act, usually involving speech, one or more focus items, and sometimes sacrifice of life or of other valuables. A ritual takes at least five rounds, and some may even last hours. Most only take a few minutes. A ritual enacts some outcome, affects reality in some way. It may give everyone involved certain status effects, or ward an area, or extend or shorten the duration of some process.
River Isenduin — The river and its tributaries dominate the geography of the Northern Reaches. Moving from the north it winds its way southwest towards Threshold and the westernmost settlements in the Duchy of Aerik. The Isenduin is broad and deep, although there are fords and bridges where men and wagons can pass.
Rogier Van Der Weyden — The current Father-Abbot of the Seekers in their chapterhouse at Helix. Rogier is a retired adventurer (CLE 3/Sohei 4).
roleplay — Roleplaying occurs when real-life people assume the role of a character within an evolving, jointly-created story — as story usually directed by a dungeon master but to which the individual players significantly contribute over time. Generally, these players attempt to roleplay their respective characters based upon various statistics, background information, personality traits, and motivations that are recorded on a character sheet, a living document that changes over time.
Rootchildren — to be defined...
Rosen — A city (population 55,000) three days' march or one day's ride west of Helix, ruled by a Merchant Council.
Round — Read here.
runic tablet — Runic Tablets were often interred with the dead in Barrowmaze to ward off tomb-robbers. Folk tales say the tablets curse those who read them.
sage — a very learned person whose expertise typically lies in a single area. Some sages are historians, some archaeologists. Others may specialize in monster lore, or in arcana. To consult a sage is to consult a topic expert.
Sagius Nithrexus — thought to be a spy for Prelate Justhand in Eastdale, Sagius appears to be a human who sells his services as a scribe and herbalist.
Saint Ygg — a former adventuring cleric now apotheosized and granting spells to followers of his own.
Sammeister Lake — a small lake just south of Isenton that is home to a small band of sahuagin. This band, led by 'Sammy', often preys upon caravans that are enroute from Eastdale to Raven's Pass and vice versa. This lake is rather small, taking up less than 0.75 square miles.
Saola — a beautiful Ahlfettin purchased by the halfling thief, Alemvean, from the businessman, Malaster, in Eastdale.
Saphira — One of three red dragons born to the Phandalin Four after they stole a trio of eggs from a cavern in the condemned mines north of Phandalin.
Sarrukh, The — a magically powerful race of saurian humanoids that came about due to breeding experiments in which the Visitors coupled with humans. At some point during the aliens' manipulations, the Sarrukh achieved the ability to sexually reproduce with one another. Eventually, some of the original visitor-human progeny died out, but of those who did not some were further experimented upon using gene-splicing and geomancy and they developed into the first of dragonkind.
Sarruhk and dragonkind dominated Earth for centuries thereafter as co-equal alpha races. It is unclear now in the present day whether dragonkind magically developed the ability to assume humanoid form, or if instead this was at-will transformation made possible by mastery of genetics.
Some sages also now speculate that their may still be living Sarruhk who have chosen to assume and permanently maintain dragon form — perhaps to better observe ongoing experiments they are conducting. And whether any pure-blooded Visitors remain on Earth, one can only guess.
saving throw — a saving throw in Scarlet Horizons is a 2d8 roll against a DM-assigned target number. The player rolls 2d8 and adds the appropriate ability modifier and the highest ranked relevant trait. If the result is equal to or higher than the target number, then the player's character escapes an unpleasant outcome, or at least suffers a less severe one.
Sawbones Charlie — Charles 'Sawbones' Smidlap, chirugeon and herbalist for the town of Eastdale.
Shrine of St. Ygg — a shrine to St. Ygg in Helix, overseen by Brother Othar (Level 5 Cleric) and his under-clerics, Cella (Level 2 Cleric) and Gamdar (Level 2 Half-Orc Cleric).
Seekers, The — a brotherhood that works to reclaim the lost knowledge of Earth's previous ages, even back in the dimmest past.
Seven Cities — a clustering of were once, long ago, seven separate cities. This population center of some 300,000 souls is located about three days' march or two days' easy riding to the northwest of Slaytonthorpe.
Shallows, The — the upper portion of the Underdark, sometimes also called the Upperdark.
Shallowtown — a sizeable cavern, with floor area approximately equal to 1.5 football fields, located in the Shallows beneath the southern edge of Lake Sammeister just outside of Kirkilston.
Shou, The — a numerous off-short of humanity corrupted into variations of human-adjacent species by The Visitors and invested with hatred for non-Shou. These peoples are generally magic-resistant and particularly so to the Red Tide.
Shrieken Mire, The — a swamp located in Slaytonthorpe that is reputedly home to a very large tribe of blue goblins.
Silent Diamond — a village in western Middenmark where the dwarf Thoras Goldpanner discovered a fist-sized diamond in PR 46, a find he kept secret until the year of his death in PR 73.
Silverhame — an alternate name for Citadel Silver.
Silver Standard Caravan Company — a company that specializes in both providing and protecting caravans to and from thorpes, hamlets, towns, and cities across Slaytonthorpe, The Prelacy of Middenmark, the Ducky of Aerik, and the Principality of Brine. In addition to the exchange of goods, the company is often asked to transport persons or cargo of import. In these situations the rate of pay is triple or more. Members of the Ironguard family and select merchants always travel with additional protection.
Sirac Silverhair — an elven fighter well into his second century of life, Sirac is something of a constable and all-around problem-solver in Phandalin. He is a seventh-level fighter with 43 HP. He wears elven chainmail +2 which — with his Dexterity bonus — gives him AC 0. He bears a mithrillantine long sword named Astaldo. It is a +1 weapon, +3 versus humanoids. With this sword, Sirac enjoys a modified THAC0 of 12 (10 vs humanoids).
Sizemordicus — a city many miles southeast of Helix. Ruled by a wizard autarch, this city is famous for its fences, cutthroats, and politicians. It has a population of over 100,000 people. The city is surrounded by a stone wall thirty feet high and ten thick, fashioned of cut limestone blocks quarried from the Soot Mountains in the years 06 to 24 PR. The circular Mordician Park at the center of the city is a mile in diameter, featuring numerous trails, various open areas, and considerable old growth forest. It is home to numerous treants and mandrakes.
skill-check — Heroes are capable of any of the ordinary feats and exertions to be expected of an intrepid adventurer, but there are times when the outcome is not so clear. Any hero worthy of the name can cross a slippery log or ride a horse, but can they leap a flaming chasm or force a plow horse into the thick of a screaming melee? When the outcome is uncertain, a GM can call for a check.
To make a check, the player rolls 2d8 and adds their most relevant attribute modifier and their most relevant trait. If multiple traits apply to the situation, apply only the highest of the traits. If the total is equal or higher than the difficulty of the check, the hero succeeds. If it’s lower, then something goes wrong. Heroes rarely outright fail in their efforts, but they often suffer new complications or strokes of bad luck. An unmodified roll of 2 on the 2d8 dice is always a failure and a roll of 16 is always a success, assuming success is possible.
Sometimes two opponents are trying to accomplish mutually contradictory ends, such as a thief trying to sneak past a guard as the guard tries to notice any intruders. In such cases both characters make a check with the usual modifiers and the higher one wins. Ties are rerolled if necessary.
Slaytonthorpe — A subregion in the northern quadrant of Southeastern Stigrix on the northeastern border of the Duchy of Aerik. Slaytonthorpe is famous for its Baron of Mutton inn and tavern. It is said to have the best mutton and beef brisket in the known world. Slaytonthorpe is also famous as the region in which a group of heroes famously recaptured Tornspire Keep in 25 PR.
Slow effect — In
Smokeshadow — a town that arose in the decade of PR 50 to support trade between the dwarves of Smoketower Mountain and the Soot Mountains.
Soil-Leaning — to be defined...
Soot Mountains, The — a triad of mountains located roughly fourteen miles south and slightly east of Phandalin, thirteen miles west-southwest of the town of Smokeshadow, and twenty miles north of Sizemordicus.
Southern Reaches, The — the region bounded upon its northern edge by the southernmost points of the Northern Reaches. Not far across that border to the north lies the southernmost of the Moon Peaks. At the base of one of these mountains, shrouded in coniferous trees, is a shrine to the mysterious, ancient entity known as Zorgon. The Principality of Brine stretches across the Southern Reaches, ruled over by the Triarchs.
spell — a spell is a pattern of magical energy held in readiness, akin to the potential energy of a boulder at the top of an incline. A spell is not only this pattern but also acts as the trigger to release that potential energy into reality-altering kinetic magical energy.
spellcaster — a being that is able to release magical energy by invoking spells. These spells may be garnered through study of arcane formulae, or they can be granted by a god or other patron.
Spine, The — a mountain range that runs from south of the Darkwood Forest to the northern edge of The Forbidden Zone. It also represents the eastern edge of the Middenmark region. The mountains in the center of The Spine are ice-capped. The range is known to be rich in minerals and gemstones. The dwarves of Citadel Silver (Silverhame) mine iron ore, silver, and gold. Bards still sing songs about the first dwarves and how they built a great kingdom in the mountains. Waves of monstrous humanoids, orcs, goblins, trolls, and giants from the far north, pushed them out and they fled to the southern tip of The Spine. Some say the dwarves even found a single vein of Mithril, the most rare and precious of metals, running through the mountains.
Ss'zuraass'nee — the City of Abominations, a large yuan-ti city in the Underdark, half a mile under the lizardfolk kingdom of Kalran.
Stigrix — The southwestern quadrant of the nation of Westmark, once ruled by Stigrix Vandenheim during the Age of Renewal.
stomata-sync — to be defined...
Stonehill Inn — The only inn in the frontier town of Phandalin. Somewhat confusingly, there are identically named inns in Eastdale and Helix; in the latter village, an entire wing has been added and now serves to host visitors who come to treat with the Seekers. The inn in Eastdale had a pair of suites that are always reserved from envoys from Citadel Silver and The Gauntwood Galleries.
Talyan Querdi — a half-elven Ranger slain by lizardmen in the Misty Mire, Slaytonthorpe, in 22 Post-Ravaging.
tangsin — a mild, smoked drug popular throughout the Reaches, tangsin is a mixture of tobacco, ginseng, and the leaf of a hyoscyamine-containing plant. Tangsin tends to relieve intestinal and allergy symptoms in humans, elves, and half-elves. These effects are less notable in gnomes, halflings, and dwarves — but it is significantly beneficial in treating hypertension in gnomes and halflings. No broadly effective treatment of hypertension has been discovered for dwarves. The majority of human, elven, and half-elven users choose to use tangsin for the pleasant taste and mild feelings of euphoric connection it engenders.
Tauste (surname is a Secret) — a magic-user who lives in a tower southwest of Dolecherry, Stigrix.
technology — a contrivance of the Ancients, technology was the ability of said Ancients to harness scientific knowledge and principles and distill them into devices of convenience. Some of those devices went beyond mere convenience, fostering transmission of knowledge and security intergenerationally. The visheat device is a prime instance of such technology that has survived to the present day. The word technology may refer to specific devices or to this harnessing of science that makes them possible.
Thad Clovenshield — — A dwarven warrior slain in the winter of 199 PR while helping Crynwyth Ironfist search for the Doors of Galduhr in the Moon Peaks.
THAC0 — To-hit-AC-zero. See also here.
Thoras Goldpanner — a semi-famous former dwarven resident of Silent Diamond who is responsible for the town's current name.
Thraxis Corvale — an older gentleman-scholar, Thraxis is a member of the Seekers of Helix, is one-quarter dragonborn, and is a self-avowed expert on dragonkind. He has given advice to the Phandalin Three (sometimes Four) and is helping them navigate their ...scaly complications.
Thromb, Earnest (a.k.a. Revole Ting) — a halfling who often serves as a caravan master for the Silver Standard Trading Company. Thromb is a Caravan Master 5/Thief 4 (HP 23; THAC0: 19). He always employs a minimum of four caravan guards.
Tipsy — One of two giant pack lizards the Phandelver campaign PCs recovered from an old abandoned mine in the foothills above Phandalin. Mate to Topsy. Apparently, the mine was being used by goblins and orcs whose intentions and purpose the PCs have not discovered.
Topsy — One of two giant pack lizards the Phandelver campaign PCs recovered from an old abandoned mine in the foothills above Phandalin. Mate to Tipsy. Apparently, the mine was being used by goblins and orcs whose intentions and purpose the PCs have not discovered. Topsy gave birth to seven lizards after the party moved her to their farm on the western outskirt of Phandalin.
short rest — A short rest is 30 minutes.
Thicket Wood, The — a forest of immense red and white birch trees in the Red Thicket, and the site of much ranger activity, as well as carefully controlled logging.
Thundertree — now a ruins, Thundertree was a thriving village from CY 68 to PR 82, destroyed by the green dragon Inzeldrin. Thundertree's ruins lie atop the deeper ruins of an ancient Netherese commmunity. The ruins of Thundertree lie thirteen miles northeast of Slaytonthorpe and nineteen miles west and a bit south of Threshold.
To-Hit roll — a roll of a 20-sided gaming die — a dodecahedron — in order to see if a character's combat attack against a foe successfully hits, or is instead a miss. Normally, in order to calculate the target number, a player needs to know the character's THAC0 with the used weapon.
Tresendar — the surname of a wealthy family from Threshold. In 100 PR, a second son of the then current generation of House Tresendar had a disagreeable taste left on his palate from city politics. He took ship on the Isenduin and traveled southwest, establishing his family in the fledgling community of Phandalin that was being built atop the ruins of Undalan. Tresendar Manor was erected in PR 100 and 101, and stood for over a century, abandoned when the original owner's grandchildren decided to return to Threshold in PR 199. The manor was burned to the ground by the Phandalin Three in PR 204.
Topsy — One of two giant pack lizards the Phandelver campaign PCs recovered from an old abandoned mine in the foothills above Phandalin. Apparently, the mine was being used by goblins and orcs whose intentions and purpose the PCs have not discovered.
Threshold (City)
Population: 25,021
Alignment: Any (predominantly Lawful Neutral)
Demographics: Any (Primarily Human)
Political Structure: Hereditary Kingship
Industry and Trade: Financial, Political, and Trade
Threshold is the capital of the Northern Reaches. Five years ago, the city was attacked by a horde of monsters from the Black Peaks. The army included orcs, goblins, and hill giants who nearly leveled the city and destroyed the stone fortifications. The warriors of Threshold, alongside support from the high clerics and wizards, barely repulsed the army. Currently, only half the city is habitable. The other half was completely destroyed and remains under construction.
Tibald O'Reilly — innkeep/owner of The Blue Shou in Padoar, Strigrix.
Todd the Troglodyte — a troglodyte (who real name isn't Todd) from Shallowtown; one of Lancaster Fox's contacts.
trait — a characteristic possessed by a hero or monster — with an associated bonus usually in the range of one to three — that in some circumstances can act as a modifier for a skill check.
Triple Motte — a triple-refined whiskey made in Ironguard Motte.
Triskelion — one of the original Outsiders, or perhaps one of their descendants — sages vary — this alien Legate for a while possessed Carceri's Ring.
Undalan — The name of the original failed settlement atop which Phandalin is built.
undead — The undead are beings in mythology, legend, or fiction that are deceased but behave as if alive. Most commonly the term refers to corporeal forms of formerly alive humans, such as mummies, vampires, and zombies, which have been reanimated by supernatural means, technology, or disease. In some cases (for example, in Dungeons & Dragons), the term also includes incorporeal forms of the dead, such as ghosts.
Underdark, The — The world-spanning subterranean realm that underlies all the surface lands. Some sages believe that the Underdark is bottomless — or rather, that it eventually impinges upon and then gives way to the Far Realm.
Upperdark, The — Those portions of the Underdark that lie between 500 feet and three miles beneath the surface world.
ur'krik — The goblin word for abomination, most often used by them in refering to products of non-shamanistic magic, but also of unnatural creatures such as undead.
Uvron Alygrean Kesloril is a potent necromancer residing deep within the Barrowmaze. He is allied with the vampire, Yattel Ette.
Valashinaz — a true-dragon believed to reside somewhere beneath the long-destroyed city of Achaia. Rumored to be a collector of antiquities, magical oddities, artifacts, and knowledge, Valashinaz (val-uh-SHINE-as) may be as old as 400,000 years.
Vampiric — A weapon with this property restores two hit points to its wielder — up to the wielder's maximum hit points — whenever the weapon draws blood from another creature. Only a weapon able to deliver piercing damage may have this property. While wielding or carrying a Vampiric weapon, the owner enjoys a +4 bonus to saving throws against undead. On a critical miss, the weapon's Vampiric property is suppressed for the next 1d4 rounds. On a critical hit, an injured foe will bleed for an additional two points of damage per round for the remainder of that encounter, or until healed. This extra bleeding damage doesn't cause the Vampiric weapon wielder to regain two hit points.
Viddimens — According to some learned scholars and healers, viddimens are mystical, boonful substances to be found in the bodies of living creatures. It is believed that a creature's diet may supply these needed viddimens, though the specifics are lost to history. Unfortunately, many people suffer
Visitors, The — Aliens who visited Earth hundreds of thousands of years ago during The Visitation, probably somewhere in the time period the Ancients would have dated 2004 to 2025. The number of sages who hold to this theory is larger than one might surmise, perhaps because of the fair amount of certainty among scholars regarding the extrasolar origin of one other existing race not originating on Earth — the illithids.
Although both analog and digital records of the event may all now be lost to history, The Visitors were first encountered by human beings on November 14, 2004, during a U.S. naval training mission near San Diego. Two Super Hornet pilots were the first homo sapiens to observe this alien visitation.
Visitor heater — A device which, according to legend, was gifted hundreds of thousands of years ago by an advanced species that visited Earth. The device is fueled by copper or copper-containing alloys. A single copper piece, when fed to the device, will cause it to emit sufficient heat to warm a 150 square foot area for two hours. The device is metallic and generally cubic in shape, although all edges are rounded. It is approximately six inches to a side, and weighs three pounds. No one has ever succeeded in disassembling a visheat, as they are known/called colloquially. The devices are highly resistant to damage. It is a testament to the Visitors' technology that these devices are still functional after so many millenia.
Vrakthis — One of three red dragons born to the Phandalin Four after they stole a trio of eggs from a cavern in the condemned mines north of Phandalin.
Weighty Eight, The — Riothamus, Glaurthogos, Pryrates, Inzeldrin, Balagos, Claugiyliamatar, Iymrith, and Mornauguth — the eight original and still extant dragons. From these oviparous scalies have come all dragons that ever graced Earth's skies, plundered its caverns. Some sages hold that these eight also somehow embody the consciousness of the original Visitors, now long since departed.
Westkeep — Westkeep (Village)
Population: 649
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Demographics: Human, Elf, Half-Elf, and Halflings
Political Structure: Ecclesiastical Law (St. Ygg); Endra of St. Ygg (Human Cleric)
Industry and Trade: Horses, Bison, Livestock (Cattle, Pigs, Sheep), Lumber, Charcoal.
A village on the far western edge of the Middenmark, Westkeep draws its name from a single watchtower-monastery built by the local populace and the clerics of St. Ygg.
The watchtower serves as a means of protection but also a place of study and training for young apprentice clerics and monks. The door to the watchtower is 20 feet above the ground and accessed by a temporary wooden staircase. In the event of an attack the guards retreat to the watchtower and the staircase can be destroyed or burned to ensure their safety. The Red Laws are observed in Westkeep, but not as strictly as Eastdale.
Whiteheart Stiffwhiskers — a Mousefolk paladin of Saint Ygg active in southeastern Stigrix since PR 200.
Winterberry, Duke Derric — the ruling lord of Threshold when Ironguard Motte construction was initiated (PR -09), and when it was completed (PR -05). Ten generations later, Derric's very great grandson, Duke Elric Winterbury holds rulership of the city.
Winterberry, Duke Elric — assumed the dukedom of Aerik in PR 198, and rules it from Threshold. Elric is reputed to be an accomplished warlock.
Wizard's Tower — the home and stronghold of the wizard Tauste, located some twenty miles south and two miles east of Phandalin; it's eighteen miles south and five miles west of Dolecherry.
Wolf — one of a pair of horses the Phandalin Three purchased in Phandalin to pull their newly bought covered wagon.
Xaiko the Destroyer of Worlds — One of three red dragons born to the Phandalin Four after they stole a trio of eggs from a cavern in the condemned mines north of Phandalin. Xaiko has not yet grown into the title given him by Lancaster Fox.
Xavamros Battlebeard I — The Battlebeard patriarch is currently off adventuring with an Elementalist named Simeon Paltor and a vampire named Sheist (don’t ask). His son, King Xavamros Battlebeard II rules the Gauntwood Galleries in the depths beneath Slaytonthorpe. Xav I founded the adventuring group know as the Lightbringers, in PR 25. Xav I was born -07 PR and became first king of the Gauntwood Galleries in 103 PR. His son, Xav II, was born in 90 PR.
Xavamros Battlebeard II — At 114 years old (as of October 204 PR), Xavamros II — the Gem King — is firmly established as a ruler and has grown his dwarven enclave from a few dozen colonists — from Citadel Silver, Altgrimmr, and Khalidheroneth — to almost one thousand beards in late 204 Post-Ravaging. His son, Xav III, was born in 149 PR, firstborn preceding his twin brother, Elbramoth, by less than a full minute.
Xavamros Battlebeard III — At 55 years old (as of October 204 PR), Xavamros III is an adventuring dwarf. He is the son of Xavamros II, the King of Gauntwood Galleries, an Upperdark dwarven holding located almost two miles beneath the surface and sharing 60% overlap with Slaytonthorpe.
xylemnating — to be defined...
Yattel Ette (pronounced yell-AY) — a powerful vampire allied with the necromancer Uvron Alygrean Kesloril. Yattel dwells deep within the Barrowmaze, making use of lesser undead as early warning expendables.
Yggian Benediction — From dissipation to service, from vanity to selflessness, from injustice to righteous deliverance! This benediction is used to end corporate prayers to St. Ygg and also to confirm the vows of a knight entering paladin service to St. Ygg.
Yggian Pledge — "
yuan-ti — A race of snake-like humanoids that are distant descendants of the sarrukh. Sages aren't certain if yuan-ti are direct sarrukh descendants — perhaps with some longitudinal genetic mutations — or if perhaps they resulted from sarrukh interbreeding with one or more other species.
Thorgund Zeigenheit — The philosopher, naturalist, and scientist who, in 1285 PS developed the Zeigenheit thermometer, and popularized its use among the intelligentsia. Interestingly, the device works using mercury, just as did the Fahrenheit thermometer of the Ancients.
Zekiran'hru — Mire Friend, a title rarely given by the lizardfolk of Shrieken Mire in Slaytonthorpe. These lizardfolk serve the adult green dragon, Inzeldrin. In PR 25, Xavamros I and the other Lightbringers, were named Zekiran'hru.
Zhentarim, The — an organization that operates throughout the Reaches, seeking to consolidate power and wealth for its members and to manipulate politics to their own advantage.
zhou'kast — The goblin word for decimation or annihilation.
Zorn Neversettle — The reported name of the being whose soul or consciousness is held within Lanky's belt buckle dagger.