Obligatory Dragon Age Post.
You had to see it coming. I mean.. I’m a hopeless fantasy rpg nerd.
Honestly, I don’t usually get too excited over games. Even fantasy based CRPG’s. In fact the last game I was really all up in arms about may have been Bioshock.. And if not that, the Planescape game (Still the best NPC’s I’ve seen in a CRPG).
Dragon age is that rarity, really. I was making fat eyes about this game since I first came across a post about it many months ago. There were a few factors that got me pretty pumped to see this game. One was the fact that it was touted as an ‘adult’ game. Not one of those spiky-haired ultra giggly teen angst bullshit RPG’s that seem to flood the market from all sides these days, but one that a game that introduces consequences, some pretty brutal fight scenes, and doesn’t shy away from casual nudity (Nothing too pervy though).
The second was the one that really sold me: It was the spiritual successor to Baldur’s Gate. I loved Baldur’s Gate more than a granny eating a pie made of candy. To date the characters I’d encountered in Baldur’s Gate were some of the finest ones. When I’d heard that this would introduce the same concepts of people with hopes and dreams accompanying you.. Well, I just had to jump on THAT train like a salivating lore-nerd.
After roughly a few hours of playing the game, I’m pretty impressed with it. Its deep. Crazy deep. Nearly Lord of the Rings deep. The maps, the lore, the people, the organizations, political struggles, and seemingly endlessly surprising NPC’s have impressed me. More-so I’m impressed with the fact that there just isn’t the black and white moral compass in this game. Some things will just *suck*. Some people will just die, and you want it to mean something, but sometimes it doesn’t.
Its given me a lot to think about for Felwroth, actually. While I’ve cobbled together one organization here, or a race there, I never really thought much about how they truly interacted with the world around them save broad brushed beliefs (Khavijas and Khulvarri dislike each other, etc).
There are bad points as well, however. The game isn’t the ’sandbox’ game most people have come to seemingly demand from every RPG out there (Usually the result is an incredibly dull and directionless story, akin to Oblivion’s main plot thread). While you are given room to play and plenty of little side quests, your not going to simply pick a spot and head in that direction all the time. To be honest I like the fact that I’m given several branching paths of concrete storyline instead of “Oh, go here.. y’know.. whenever the hell you want. No rush or anything”.
The amount of blood is on the ridiculousness level of a Tarintino movie. It’s passed the point of being macabre to a point of almost hilarity. Your characters seem to be constantly and utterly soaked in blood. Which lends itself some hilarity when your sauntering through town talking with some waif, drenched and caked in blood, and she barely bats an eye at the matter. There’s an option to turn the blood off after a battle is won, but it doesn’t clear up the fact that the rest of this game is seemingly steeped in bloody mess. The pages of your journal, your spellbook, and even the logo are all just speckled with ichor. It reached a laughing point with me when I chose to go to a destination on the overland map, and the travel progress line showed up as.. Yep, you guessed it. drops of blood.
Someone at Bioware seriously needs to get a grip. I don’t think they intended people to actually laugh at the gushing remains splashing all over the game.
And then there’s the ‘creep expression’ people. While I can easily suspend my disbelief in most things, since I grew up on games where your character was a brightly coloured collection of blocky pixels, I have to say that I expected at least a level of eye contact/expression that Half-Life 2 had. Seeing people laugh in game without smiling makes me think that the Chantry has been going from city to city doling out large amounts of Thalidomide to everyone in the game world.
But those are minor quibbles. They really are. I’m very impressed with the writing so far. I’ve been genuinely surprised at some turn of events, I’ve come to utterly loathe the bad guys, and actually care about the people that choose to follow my lead character around. That’s rare to have in a game these days.
Besides, the battles in this game have been appropriately challenging along the way too. It gives me ideas for my D&D games.
..I’ll just be sure not to throw blood all over the table the next time we play.
Auditions for a Loony.
I’ve never really had a personal character before. Lots of characters for other people, or their projects, but never one that was an identifier for myself.
However I’m utterly unable to think of one.
This was the result. I might just go with ‘Rudyard, the rabbit so drunk he’s nearing death’. Though he’ll definitely be a loner.
Oktober
Its taken a lot of work to get my creative wheels started again. Which is when a friend of mine suggested that I just draw images that are doodles. No planning, just start scribbling and hope it works out.
She had a point. Honestly some of the best work I’ve done was from stuff that I just started to draw on a whim without any real forethought. It also gives me a chance to start drawing a variety of things again. Some of which aren’t terribly interesting to look at, and some fo which will be posted here at a later date (When I’m not running around like an idiot trying to get things done for Thanksgiving.. I’m reacting like it sneaked up on me this year or something.)
That said, here’s an image of a race I’d written up for Felwroth years ago, but had never drawn until now. They’re called the Dweomarra. Sort of like tieflings in a way, but they’re more nature/sylvan based than Infernal based. They’re outsiders, deeply ingrained in the natural world, but with a strange tinge of the wicked running through them.
I don’t have a name for this one yet, since it was pretty much drawn from scratch without a plan.
**Beware of nudity and all that**
Oh, and an autumn background, since its that season.
Googly
I rarely get really, really excited about new technology. Not that I haven’t been impressed with some of the new gadgets/techbits that have come out over the years, but to be perfectly honest a great deal of it was just far to expensive for me (Such as iPhones) or I just didn’t understand it (I’ll never get twitter, sadly).
However I became deeply impressed by the early stages of the new Google Wave. Its hard to really explain what it is, but for the first time in quite a while it actually showed off things that really inspired me.
The more that I had seen of the Demo, the more inspired I became. Thoughts of interactive Felwroth Wiki’s with those I trust or who are interested, A way to share images in context, live blog updates, etc.
But the really big one was collaborative story. I’ve been trying to do more open writing with others again and find that the best ideas come from the times that I get to jam out a story or even an idea with others. In fact a dear friend actually got me back into this frame of mind after citing that a lot of writers collaborate this way.
So with Wave, I could see myself becoming a *lot* more productive in getting stories out there. Even if its in snippets. Edits would remain and slowly a story would take on form and meaning and suddenly have a solid place. I like the idea of starting, say, a ‘wave’ about the Javarran people and having three folks offer up thoughts, twists, or even entirely new edits on the race and suddenly they’d have a permanent ‘history’ in the world (Well, at least in the wave browser.. or whatever its called).
I’m going to be poking around on Wave I think. Probably far more than I do on Facebook or Livejournal, both of which I haven’t updated in a long time. I just see myself getting more interactive use out of Wave.
I’m acutally going over a whole bunch of ‘Wroth wiki’s in my mind right now. Even though I should be sleeping.
Stupid sinus headaches.
Friday Musings.
So the next setting was revealed from Wizards of the Coast, and it turns out to be Dark sun.
I’m a rabid plunderer of setting ideas. Felwroth has a fair share of inspiration from other settings. Everything from the old school Greyhawk, to a bit of Forgotten Realms (more just the cosmoplitan feel in some cities) even to Eberron (Though I claim that I made my spired city and had flying ships in my realms far, far before I saw Eberron. Back in 2E to be honest).
So when Dark Sun was announced, I wondered what tidbits I could modify for Felwroth and the campaigns I run there. I don’t want to wholly just plunk down a chunk of Dark Sun into my world setting since it has such a very different vibe. So it got me thinking about perhaps introducing another conduit world.
Felwroth has several pathways to various worlds (and even times). I’ve been toying with introducing a desolate world that was once part of a large empire that fell to ruin after magic went absolutely mental there. Some of the things that would benefit it are:
- Psionics: I like the idea of psionics as the more base-line magic. While the arcane and divine would still exist, perhaps they’d have caveats in their use.
- Heavily Tribal Influence: I used to be into a more tribalistic/clan vibe for my stories and worlds. While that has shifted somewhat to introduce far more cosmopolitan and civilized areas, I still love the idea of things like stone weapons, shamans, spirit guides and perhaps a revamping of the Javarran in Felwroth depending on what Dark Sun introduces.
- Dragon Kings: I mean, c’mon. Dragon KINGS!
- Clustered defenses: Going along with the ‘points of light’ style that 4e introduced. Where civilizations band together against a very chaotic wilderness.
Those are just a few things I was thinking of. I’ll have to wait for more previews, but I know I’ll be taking a lot in from the upcoming setting, as it was one of my favorites.
And hey, if you can’t get BROM to be the artist for the new setting, Wayne Reynolds is just as incredible in my opinion.
Burning Away.
I’ve been trying to avoid social or personal commentary on my site. Its not here to serve as a soap box or pulpit from wich personal issues are chanted from even though art is almost always tainted by the politics of those who view it.
But I haven’t been very prolific lately. In fact I’ve pretty much dropped off of the map. A great deal of that is that I fail at being sociable, that’s a given. I know a few folks enjoy what I post now and then, but this isn’t about posting into a vacuum or not knowing how to market myself.
I’m suffering a severe burn out. Not just creatively, but wholly life in general.
Its not some vague depression that’s causing it. The reason is actually physical: I have a heroin addict as a neighbor. Technically he’s not the neighbor, he’s the offspring of the neighbor.
I feel like I literally get the life sucked out of me whenever this idiot shows up next door. I won’t go into everything that’s going on, but his antics have been uttelry destroying my urge to bother writing or drawing anymore.
This is, of course, pointless, and I know I’m sort of talking to myself here, but I had to get this down somewhere as some kind of catharsis. Maybe also as a way to explain why I haven’t been terribly creative lately. It sounds like an excuse, but I assure you that what goes on would shatter the will to bother with anything of even a saint.
By now I had hoped to have regular features here, and have this as my main hub for art/writing pertaining to everything from Felwroth to musings on the creative community. I don’t know how or even where to make contacts though. I’ve all but lost interest in everything but trying to get a decent night of sleep (Which right now is 4 hours uninterrupted).
I’m sure this is rambly and sounds extremely self-indulgent and whiny, but its one of those times I’m just losing faith in bothering anymore. I’m not trying to make the ridiculousness that is my art or writing into a career (Its not real work unless you cripple yourself in this province). I had hoped that this could have been a pretty good hobby though.
Back to the void though.
Be good to one another.
Spring Training
After two flu’s, a crisis of faith and a severe fear that I just couldn’t draw to save my life, I managed to get some good advice through my skull and have an incredibly productive day.. Partly due to doing creative things in the morning instead of the dead of the night.
I managed to finish up pencils on a commission and even got the following picture of Berrand acting as a practice dummy for his youngest daughter Ahani. She’s definitely got his warrior’s blood.
Come What May.
Over the last few days I’ve just become tired of everything. Mostly just the constant fight.
So come what may.
The image below contains nudity, male and female, and isn’t work safe or even grotesque in any way. This is generally a grand ‘go stuff yourself’ to societal standards and its sad little categorization schemes. But the major point of the picture is serenity. Two characters I cherish simply existing, sharing morning coffe in the place where they plan to retire (Berrand’s home is actually fairly large).
Cinders is relatively short for Lorrnath, Berrand is actually on the large side for them. So I guess it makes them some kind of odd couple.
Anyway, the image.
Taurage.
Another image done quickly. I haven’t drawn a centaur in some time now, so I scribbled this one out in about 30 min. while distracted on the phone.
The end, Complete.
Glee for me: Waking up at nearly 3am and hastily scribbling down an idea for the ending of both a story and campaign. Complete. Now I just need to fill in the middle bits. This will be the first time I have ever fully known the ending to a campaign story.
Utter Nerdery: Posting on my blog about waking up and scribbling notes. I’m -> <- this close to Twittering.
That Old Time Feeling.
I haven’t been writing a heck of a lot on this blog I admit. It doesn’t mean that I haven’t been writing/drawing away in realspace though. I have volumes of stuff that I need to either get out of my head onto paper, or post if its interesting enough (I’m a firm beliver of not posting general clutter to my website).
I’m probably going to be posting the upcoming Story Hour to the forums if I can get things to look just right. There’s quite a bit of artwork involved with the Story Hour, and Word Press has yet to release an update that fixes some major issues that it introduced in the last version. The biggest of which is a very irritating ‘filter’ they introduced that gets rid of formatting tags it doesn’t like. Namely tags that allow me to place proper separators (Like the <br> Tag, for instance) between images and words. The result usually ends up an utter mess that can’t be fixed in any conceivable way. I’m unsure why they thought they needed to introduce such a filter in the first place, but such is the whims of the internet.
The forums will be unaffected, however, which I’m happy about. I still have some images to finish for the first post, but it is coming at some point here. Considering I’m about 14 sessions behind I have a LOT to write about.
Mappage, part 1.
So I’ve been surprisingly productive lately. At this rate I might get into a normal rhythm of work again.
I finally completed something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. A full map of the town of Kivesk. The starting place for the story arc that my D&D campaign is taking place in, as well as a starting place for an upcoming game I’m actually playing in, which I’m looking forward to.
The map is pretty large. It clocked in at a full 11″ x 17″, so to post it I cut it into two sections. Below is the first part:
One of those weirdly working things..
I rarely work on one image from start to finish.
However the image I had of Annika, a character I get to play in an upcoming campaign just worked from start to finish. It turned out exactly as I see her. Its not a large image, but I’ll even admit that it worked out relatively well.
Circle.
**Edit** Please forgive the formatting errors. I’m still working out how to break up lines efficiently with Wordpress.
Quite some time ago I remember sketching out this silly, odd sketch of a yet un-named equine critter. It was done simply as a silly quick gesture piece. More to train myself to draw something using simple processes and lines and not to worry so much about making everything look perfectly right.
The critter caught hold in my mind though. I kept revisiting the same character now and then to sketch something out involving her in some way, most of it just silly stuff or quick expressions.
The more I drew this little critter, the more she became a muse to me. I could be sitting there one moment simply having coffee, the next minute I’d be madly sketching some strange thing about her. It got to a point where I finally ended up naming her.
Cinderfrost. Cinders for short.
As time went on and the more I sketched her, the more I refined her as an actual character. She went from a mutt-mix of unicorn/nightmare/dragon/woman to simply a Lorrnath (equine) creature. I gave her the ‘profession’ of druid at the time, and was generally getting to like figuring out the back story of this odd critter.
After the release of D&D 4th edition, I postponed drawing Cinders in favor of drawing out other characters. I play things that no miniature could ever concievably cover so I tend to draw out the characters I play, shrink them, and make paper standee style figures out of them.
As time wore on, and I finally settled on the core campaign I wanted to run, characters came and went. I was having trouble thinking of just who I wanted to do a story with. And sure enough there in the back of my mind came a voice “Me!”
Cinders, like some strange exuberant ghost, came to the forefront again. I already had another Lorrnath character (Berrand) and figured Cinders had an interesting enough back story to play out. It was deliberately vague at first. She simply ‘arrived’ on Felwroth from the Sylvan Wilds, with little to her name except a strange multi-headed rod (used as an implement) and her profession changed from Druid, to Warlock (witch).
The concept became more refined. Gone were the early days of wings and horns and a short-cropped mane. Her draconic heritage was little more than a brief idea in my head, and the hints to that heritage were more subtle in the form of spines protruding from the back of her head just behind the ears. The more I wrote on her, the more intrigued I was in the storyline and the more of the storyline that progressed the more that the history of the world itself started to take the first firm hold since my co-writing (More idea-pitching than writing, really) about Aman’Dun.
So finally we have the Cinders of today. She morphed quite a bit, but I think in terms of actual character looks, this will be the final version of her. Outfits might change now and then, but Cinders is back in peculiar glory.
A Very Cinders-y Day.
Some days, you just need a Cinders.
As time goes on, I’m still refining her various ‘looks’. Though right now I’m far, far behind on getting the whole storyline assembled with pictures and posted here.
For now, Cinders as a Sorceress.
Returning (Flu based post alert)
Just a note. I’ve been working like gangbusters to try and figure out what was going on with my machine, and a couple things seem to have very, very tentatively cured it.
But more so, I’d like to thank a friend for offering up a machine for me to use. While I might not need it just yet (Though its possible I might. I suffer from the touch that’s destructive to tech that most artists have), I really do appreciate the offer.
Thirdly there will still be a bit of a pause while the last tests are run and certain things are cleaned up on the production box, as well as giving myself time to get over an incredibly nasty, virulent flu that I picked up recently.
Lesson here is: Don’t go 2 nights without sleep and spend 8 hours fixing a computer for a couple weeks straight. It does some wildly bad things to your immune system. I very rarely get sick. Even when others around me are sick (I wash my hands regularly, another lesson). But when I do get the flu, it feels like I have a sack over my head and a raging alcoholic Santa is pummeling me with crisp glee with free weights, while insulting me in a very emasculating way.
.. O.O
Anyway, once I’m past the fever, shakes, and bruising holiday-induced beatings of this flu, I might just have things to post here again. Likely things involving wolves. Or horses. Very likely nudity. And perhaps Santa (no nudity there though_.
Be safe, folks.
Eversnow.
I’m not entirely sure if this site is still being visited, but in any case its becoming harder and harder to find much inspiration lately.
The dreary weather shares part of the blame. It just won’t stop being grey and snowy out. The snows were charming and lovely back when they started months ago, but they’re far past their welcome at this point. I would really like to see the sun again, and get this ruddy snow the hell off the ground.
I’m unsure of why I’ve just been utterly disinterested in writing or drawing much lately. Much as I wanted to have a regular 2 postings a week at minimum, I just can’t bring myself to sit down and write or sketch. Two things which I’m sure I’m quite rusty at now (The art especially).
I can’t give much of a promise if I’ll be updating again soon. I hope I will be. The creative muses seem to be hibernating lately though.
The Long Quiet
>online casino net It seems like ages since I had updated last.
There’s been a lot of things going on lately. I apologize for the length of quiet. This week and last week were both ‘game’ weeks, and outside of working I’ve basically been writing non-stop on the campaign I run.
I’m amazed at how much more of Felwroth is being detailed through all of this. We’re on.. I believe the 10th or 11th session and another one is scheduled for tomorrow (Its a raging geek birthday gift.. Heh).
Tonight’s session was definitely more RP than the last several. I’m no longer just learning the rules system (Its partly why I ran a few combat heavy sessions. That and it helped break the story into more managable bits as any story should have conflict between the RP).
A few notes on tonight’s game:
- Berrand is *very* happy that Cinder’s has been learning yoga moves.
- Berrand is also very happy that Cinder’s is much shorter, since she needed help reaching the various books on the top shelves of a library.
- Galathayne talks to his God in a language he doesn’t know while ‘asleep’. He doesn’t remember it but is suddenly hurling a lot of different things and capable of things he wasn’t before (Switched from Cleric to Invoker, which suited him far better since he’s all about staying in the back).
- There’s nothing like nearly drowning in the sea in a cold month (much like November) after being teleported under the waters in a trapped cave.
- There’s also nothing like staggering back ashore after nearly drowning or being crushed by the sea, only to suddenly witness an unmistakably evil pulse of energy break through the place you were teleported from, shoot into the sky gathering dark clouds, and then pouring cold rain on everyone while they scramble for shelter.
- Berrand instinctively calling Cinders ‘His wife’ = Squeeing pony.
- Its amazing how appreciative one becomes of simple warmth and a good bed after being on the road for roughly 2 and a half months. The characters splurged on the best rooms, best foods, and best spirits available. The group have a toast to Berrand and Cinders declarations, including fine cigars, and retire to the first warm, comfortable beds they’ve seen in what felt like ages.
- Bards are phenomenal now. Not only incredibly gifted in the conversational arts, but also no longer simply the putz standing at the back giving minor bonuses and strumming lutes.
- Don’t giggle at a battle-cleric. Just don’t.
Bells and other Bits.
Sadly Friday’s post was pushed back, but for good reason. We had our 9th game session last night that ran rather late (until 12:10am!). I’m pretty much wiped out completely, and need sleep, but am pretty jazzed about how things are going.
I’m going to do my damndest to do quick sketches to put up with future posts, and even start really concentrating on finally putting down a semi-story hour of the campaign so far. Things are working out very well it seems, and I honestly haven’t had this much fun since playing second edition.
Some quick tidbits on last night’s game:
- We found out that Berrand apparently likes wearing reigns around Cinders. Reigns with bells. o.o
- Cinders has no problems letting others know this, much to Berrand’s chagrin.
- Berrand really would like for Cinders to hang around with Anishta more often. Anishta knows things. Dancing things. Dancing things that she’ll happily teach Cinders. Pole-dancer pony??
- Berrand absolutely loves a good cigar, but would die for a good pipe. Dougan’s become a good source for both cigars, pipes, and a constant flow of booze. What good dwarf isn’t.
- Anishta is more cat than Teifling.
- The dice for Anishta’s trapfinding and trap disabling were on. Frigging. FIRE.
- Winding down on the combat heavy parts of the campaign (There’s a reason for this, leading up to something). Surprisingly resilient group even when faced with near army levels of shambling dead.
- Ammantir were responsible for accelerating the downfall of the Draconic Indorillian empire.
- Amathos has some mad, mad history. Seven pages worth. Now that’s backstory!
- Even when the monstrously large library you find belongs to a long dead, insane empire, its still enough to make Amathos nearly shriek like a tea-kettle.
- Best quote of the night from Dougan, after Galathayne was trying to figure the best way to make his way around an area of darkness. An area of darkness that ONLY Galathayne could see through: “Just go through it! You can see in the dark you idiot.” Galathayne had no retort.. Because it was true.
- Its best not to bother Cinders and Berrand when there’s much jingling being heard. Chances are they aren’t just being ‘festive’.
Wednesday ‘Wroth – The Hollowmarch
This week we’re looking at one of my favorite areas of Felwroth, the Hollowmarch (Aarinkonnen). While I wouldn’t vacation there, the area is incredibly full of story ideas that I draw from.
Aarinkonnen (Hollowmarch)
Aarinkonnen Lore
Aarinkonnen, colloquially known as the Hollowmarch was once the beacon of the Kivaldisaari continent. The massive city of Whiterook founded by the first kings and sages to settle here, most having been refugees from Valhadrune during the Ammantir empire’s war against its neighboring nations.
Whiterook was also the new home of wielders of the arcane. The first mages to openly use their craft after the Indorillian civil wars centuries before, which nearly brought about the end of the arcane floes of magic itself on Felwroth.
Surrounding Whiterook were smaller communities consisting of farming and fishing villages. The Native Javarran peoples were the first traders with the kings of Whiterook, and the partnership between the wolfish people was always in good standing with the growing city and townships, even marking the blending of cultures.
It wasn’t until roughly two hundred years later that Whiterook started to become a port of trade known over the world. The mages of Whiterook began taking on students and bringing in artifacts from ships passing through. Soon the demand was such that an academy was founded in Whiterook known as the Andormir Academy, named after its founder.
The days of prosperity weren’t to last however. The city’s mages started to openly tap into other planes, craving more and more artifacts and knowledge beyond the realms of the mortal realms. With this came the building of several portals and the commissioning of a ‘Grand Temple of Doors’. Its unknown exactly what this temple was going to for outside of a ‘grand crossroads to the universe’. Just over a year after construction started a mass disaster struck the city.
Very few people know exactly what triggered the Whiterook disaster, which is said to have been an explosion of sorts. What is known is that a vast area of the Aarinkonnen province became steeped in twisted, tainted arcana. Entire communities including the city of Whiterook saw their population completely obliterated. Soldiers and Clergy who attempted to enter the area around Whiterook either never returned, or emerged on the brink of death, withered away and dessicated. Even those who were in outlying communities ended up succumbing to the strange bleak arcane sickness after more lengthy battles with illness.
Aarinkonnen is now a mere shadow if itself. While the Eastern portions of the province survive, with the Andormir Academy transported to the hills above Kivesk days before the disaster of Whiterook, little else remains of the west save abandoned buildings and a city that nobody has entered in nearly 100 years.
Settlements and Features
Only the eastern parts and a few parts of Southern Aarinkonnen are settled these days. The west and surrounding areas tend to be avoided at all costs, with the roads leading to, and past Whiterook being deteriorated and generally overgrown.
Whiterook
Ruined capitol city, Sepulcher of doorways; Population: 0 (unknown)
Whiterook still stands with spires reaching high into the air and the tattered remains of banners still blowing in the breezes. But the once monolithic port city is now an eerie ghost-town. A disastrous explosion followed by a shockwave that pulsed out at least five miles in all directions ended all known life in the city, as well as wiped out a large portion of the populace in the surrounding areas.
In its prime, the city was the new center for learning. Everything from the arcane, to the divine and even the primal could be traded and meditated upon in the massive city of white spires. Arcturs Andormir, a renown mage had even set up what was, and still is to this day, the largest academy of learning the mystical arts. He was also the overseer of a grand network or portals to other places on the world, and even other planes of the universe. He was known to have traveled across the known astral sea and returned with artifacts that are still unheard of today.
Whiterook was also the capitol trade city of the Kvaldisaari continent, rivaling even most of the larger ports on Valhadruun, and dwarfing most ports on the, at the time, newly discovered western continents. While laws were generally lax in what could be traded, some things, such as slavery, were outright banned. Whiterook even played an integral part in finally putting an end to the old Indorillian practice of keeping Lorrnath slaves, even providing a safe passage of those fleeing Valhadrune to the Lorrnath societies to the farther east and south.
Few who lived in Whiterook still survive these days. Days before the disaster the Andormir Academy was relocated from Whiterook to the hills above Kivesk for reasons that most of the instructors didn’t know, or didn’t wish to disclose. Those who did live in Whiterook while the academy was there remember the city fondly as a beacon city.
The last descendants of the ruling council of Whiterook made the small city of Thorntower thier new home, and over the last several decades the city grew and even inducted the first Emporer since the disasters. Caliphshan Durian III is the current emporer, though his rule often clashes with the council of the city over his obsession with getting to the bottom of what caused the Whiterook disaster, and somehow restoring the city again.
Kivesk
Fishing Town; Population: 780 (1200+ temporary school residents)
Kivesk is primarily a Javarran fishing town, though has been gaining notoriety not only for the fact that it serves as a place for students of the Andormir Academy to live and spend their off hours, but for the fact that its become a hub for several adventurer companies as of late.
Kivesk’s main trade is still fishing and the imports of various goods (Rum being chief amongst them). The small town does also have a thriving community of folk and tribal artists. During all but the coldest and darkest seasons a marketplace bustles with everything from wood and bone carved jewelry to salted fish to spiced heated drinks are sold. The more obscure curio shops tend to be located closer to the academy where students and instructors alike can peruse the newest imports from all across the known world.
Kivesk is loosely ruled by a Javarran council of elders. While the word of law is enforced, there is very little governing that needs to be done in such a sleepy burg. Crime is nearly unheard of since the town watch has agreements with the Andormir Ravens (a set of shapeshifting druidic sentinels, often taking the guise of ravens) to watch over the township, and few sane people want to deal with the focus of the largest academy of the mystical arts on their activities.
Andormir Academy
School for the Mystical arts: Population: Anywhere between 300 and 2000 students and instructors depending on the time of year.
Located on a cliff-top hill overlooking the small town of Kivesk below, the academy sprawls in all directions, dotted with towers and sub-buildings of all sorts.
Andormir is, to date, the largest known school for the learning of Mystical and Arcane arts. They receive students from all over the globe, and are even rumored to be one of the last places where Indorillian knowledge can still be found.
The academy doesn’t accept students based on any social standing. Both rich or poor students are welcome to attend (seeing as they can afford to gather enough for books and materials at least). The acceptance to the school is based on skill. If you show promise in one field or another, you will be recommended by an instructor for enrollment in the academy.
Sessions tend to be during the colder months, when students really wouldn’t want to be wandering around the minus-fourty degree weather common during the winters in Kvladisaari. Depending on what subjects the student decides to take on, their term could take a year to a decade to complete.
Typically the school teaches the Arcane arts. However as the academy expanded over the years, it has seen students and teachers of the divine, primal, and even elemental start to emerge in its ranks. Currently even mundane things such as herbalism, healing, and archeology are now taught within the massive sprawling towers and complexes.
Andormir also sports one of the finest libraries on Felwroth, though access is only permitted to students, instructors, and approved visitors. The vaults beneath the academy are said to contain things dating from the very birth of the world, and primordial times before that even, however its unknown if that is just a rumor started by the student body.