Posted on November 2, 2024 in Steel-Realms
All Faerie genus in the Steel Realms share the typical animistic outlook. There is a distant awareness by the faeries on Helca that there is a greater sphere of planets upon which they have related faerie kin flourishing. The Faerie Faith in the Steel Realms encompasses this as well as the more organized faiths adopted by the elves.
The Aelfpaths of Helca have been closed going off Helca for as long as the records of the elves show and tests reveal. Many elves follow either the Green Church of Wyld Faith. A few have local connections to the wyld host of numinous spirits of beast and land, and all of these can tie the elves with their Flora Bound feature, activating it to its full potential on Helca.
In the Steel Realms, the elves of Ynth have a special connection to Phelaedea, Lady (goddess) of Air – and her djinn servant Pahlavi. Elsewhere on Helca, the Amesha are all animal spirits; Those of the Pale Plains are known for their wolf companions.
Beast Sense 1/day; no concentration within the Weald.
Posted on November 2, 2024 in Steel-Realms
There are multiple species within the Faerie genus in the Steel Realms.
Long ago were the ancient Aelf names abandoned, though because of their long lives, some still persist… or echoes of them. The use of last names has never been of importance among the elves, most adopt of “of _X_”, where _X_ is the clan, Weald, of Soul Well they are closest bound to. All faeries follow the same conventions, regardless of sub species. Generally naming is universal for faeries across Helca, with nuances as normally provided for in Feyloise of the Steel Realms.
Posted on October 31, 2024 in Steel-Realms
This quest/purpose unifies all of the efforts of the Church of Darkness and their followers.
United Against the Light: Though the Unholy Trio is not a unified pantheon, all of the Orrish of Helca and their followers and agents under their sway are wholly enjoined in the Divine Quest of the Quest of Black Tears.
Goal: Accumulated enough power to push the Curtain of Night forward over the entire Tolkisson Mountain Range and drive the inhabitants of the lands of light to the sea (Thadrician Ocean of Helca) in an spasm of violence, blood, and death, destroying the Sun-Bane.
All the conquered lands will supply the resources then needed to move the Interloper moon (home of the Unholy Trio) and their followers into the dark beyond.
The modern age is heavily defined by the clash of faiths in the “Affray of Darkness and Light“. Death and strife stalk the land relentlessly from beyond the Curtain of Night; peace is a fleeting feeling for those doomed to survive in the midst of constant calamity that defines the current state of things.
Information Sources: Mundane Reference | Associated Phenomenology Only | Specific Lore
Knowledge is broken down by ease of discovery/availability; Any attempt to know more than what's Pervasive will require a reference, source, knowledge, check, or access to someone who can get or provide either of these.
… From the teachings of the Orrish prophets:
… One day we shall burst forth and with us we will draw a curtain over the lands of light. All will know the cool darkness and the soothing balm of its presence. When the only light we see when we look up is the light of distant Stars, stars who are only suns that have yet to fuel the eternal quietude that will engulf them and finally bring peace to the dark beyond.
The Orrish use the terror of slavery and breeding, torture, pain and suffering to generate Elan for the Unholy Trio, and that goes to serve the part of their mission to: “Create fear and collect it to feed the Curtain of Night and the The Murkenstone.”
Scholarly musings on the Quest of Black Tears.
Unknown Origins : The exact ritual source and the efficiency of the dweomer behind this effect is not known to scholars. The effect seems to claim all or some of the Elan that the followers of the Unholy Trio would claim. To that end, how much is required to sustain it, and how much can be “fed” into it, or what else it may accomplish are all shrouded in mystery. It may not even be feasible for the desired outcome of the Quest of Black Tears to even have a chance of being fulfilled for a dozen, a hundred, a thousand or ten thousand more years.
Lich Lord Perspective :The Lich Lords draw off Orrish power and are a constant source of fresh bodies for their armies – mostly used against North Gate Garrison to psychologically shift the hatred of its defenders. They are not as virulently hateful to the Orrish only as a matter of practicality. The Lich Lords would love to see this succeed. It would be easier if the Orrish crusade were realized since food supplies would be affected and it would weaken them.
Reality of Success : Most of the promise of the Orrish crusade is easily dissected with the known science and logic of the world of Helca, to debunk its success. Success would result in the death of all living things when the light is taken away and everything would starve and die. Most scholars believe it is just a motivating force for the Unholy Trio to achieve enough power to break free of the Sune Bane and the planet they find themselves chained to. It is a waiting game. It’s hardly believable to think that the Orrish can be eradicated without the Godspeak Accord being violated by the unholy trio to step in and save their kin. On the other hand, the Numinous spirits of Helca itself don’t wish to inflict this on some other planet and so have kept them shackled to the orbit of the interloper which they somehow are forced to abide by. Letting them win enough to get off the planet. Also would result in millions of deaths and no one wishes that. So it is a tenuous balance, a dance with death until some unknown or unforeseen opportunity presents itself with a solution to the problem.
Posted on October 31, 2024 in Steel-Realms
The Service Experience of the Riverdan Militia of the Time of Service for the Asked and Answered militia of the Riverdans.
Summary: The character has training and experience in quasi-professional warfare.
Time to Acquire: None at Character Inception / [Cumulative] Training (initial 6 months) + Operational (experience 2.5 years)
Cost to Acquire: None at Character Inception / 0 (unless Commission is purchased)
Event @ Each 6 Months Operational Time
nature: d4
Risk /DC 12 Constitution check.
Success
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Failure
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iCore Text
Posted on October 31, 2024 in Steel-Realms
The craggy peak of Redtail Spire can see for dozens of kilometers in every direction, it is a highpoint off the Haedorn Uplands in the Hawktail Hills. It is always manned by one of the Asked and Answered Riverdan Militia. It is named in honor of the Bloodhawks of the region. The militia provide weekly raw meats in a ritual to thank the birds of prey for contribution to keep the surrounding territories independent.
There is a well-worn path that leads up it, to the peak. It is said that was the exact path of the hero Haedorn.