Chapter 11: Setting

The Eldlandrian Western Guard

The Eldlandrian Western Guard formed as a military alliance in 1056 CE, during the first Eldlandrian - Nova Dirge Conflict. It is composed of the Vihallden Union, Avenngrail, Lundor, Brywicker, Folmaur, and the Allterions. Today the Western Guard maintains a ready army and has classified divisions that are used for reconnaissance, infiltration, counter-control, and other covert missions.

Adventurers and mercenaries should not be surprised if any branch of the Eldlandrian Guard approaches them for a mission. They often hire groups not part of their regular organization for reasons of secrecy, resources, efficiency, and deniability.

Eldlandrian Guard outposts (official and otherwise) can be found in all of the member nations. When on a covert mission, handlers can often provide decent cover for those that need it. Mission locations include foreign and domestic lands, often competing against foreign interests.

The Greystone Sorcerers

The first Greystone Academy was founded by an Avenngrail man living in Lundor in the 4th Century. Over the many years, they have grown to six major Academies of healing, spell and military training. Their graduates are considered among the most adapt healers in all of Eldlandria.

In addition to their myriad political interests and economic investments around the world, the Greystone Academies are seemingly concerned with the plight of common people. They often use their silver to hire talented groups to look into and solve problems that have come to their attention.

The Greystones also operate smaller healing facilities in most cities throughout the free nations.

Ryddorman University

Ryddorman University is among the oldest academic institutions in Lundor. They feature extensive libraries, demanding courses, and inquisitive scholars.

Ryddorman University regularly sponsors explorations. Sometimes adventurers are needed to provide security for scholars, while other times Ryddorman needs hearty folk to follow up clues uncovered during research and bring back lost artefacts and treasures.

Warden Investigators

The original forming of the Warden Investigators is claimed by both Avenngrail and Brywicker. Eventually the concept of a specialized investigator spread to other regions around the 6th century. While each nation has its own set of Wardens, they do collaborate to some extent, sharing concepts and useful procedures.

When needed, any local warden can deputize an individual or group of individuals. Deputized Wardens have the authority to conduct investigations, question citizens, collect evidence, and so on. Often some oversight is recommended, and, in the case of adventurers, if one member of a group has the training of a Warden Investigator, he or she can be made responsible for the others.

Deputized Wardens are often used to scout out and determine whether rumours and threats have any substance. Typically, a group will be hired for a duration of time, legally requiring them to deal with any crime or conspiracy, with assistance from the proper authorities as needed. Because Deputized Wardens can sometimes go undercover more easily than professional Wardens, they will not have the luxury of coordinating with the authorities at every stage.

Crown of Lundor

The Crown of Lundor is the Queen’s invisible hand, ensuring that justice, the people of Lundor and Royal and elected leaders are served well. As deemed by the crown, Agents of the Crown have special rights to bend the laws for the greater good. The Crown of Lundor does not serve to replace any service offered by the Local Warden Investigator or the Eldlandrian Guard, but rather they are an additional layer to protect where most necessary.

Agents of the Crown can identify themselves, but often work unseen or undercover. If needed, they almost always outrank other agencies, at least within their own border. Avenngrail has their Agents of the Crown, similar to Lundor, as does Brywicker (although the Church of Brysren runs theirs).

It is not unusual for the crown to approach capable Adventurers for single missions. The Crown of Lundor often has few agents to spread about their many needs. The fact Adventurers are unknown to other organizations as Agents of the Crown can also help.

Agents of the Crown typically have no single background or training; some have been Bounty Hunters, Highwaymen, Phantom Rogues, Gun-Wraiths and even Urban Wizards. Some adventurers have been known to begin with a single mission, and end up serving an entire career as an agent. The Crown calls this on-the-job-testing.

The Trisstherrn Mail Company

The Trisstherrn Mail Company was founded in 749 CE - the same year that the Queen of Lundor ordered a "bureau of information gathering and analysis" to be formed. Today the Trisstherrn Mail Company has spread to Avenngrail, Brywicker, the Vihallden Union, Folmaur, Northren Talzzeroon and the Allterion City States.

Adventurers who take on temporary assignments for the Trisstherrn Mail Company must enjoy traveling to remote, exotic and sometimes dangerous places. (Permanent deliverers handle the bulk of regular mail routes). Unofficially, it is belived that certain tasks require particular, shadowy cloak and dagger actions; the Trisstherrn Company soundly denies any connection to "such nonsense".

Allteria-Goldman Private Security

Allteria-Goldman Private Security began life as a smaller Folmaur based company. In 1037 CE, an Allterion company invested in and expanded the service, eventually providing private security to clients in the Vihallden Union, Lundor, Avenngrail, Brywicker and the Allterion City States.

Sometimes Allteria-Goldman Private Security acts as a middle man, finding clients with security needs and capable groups who work well together. Often adventure groups are useful for one-time jobs and special circumstances. Allteria-Goldman typically handles all the silver billing and payment.

Allteria-Goldman tends not to discriminate toward whom they provide security, which has lead to cases of undercover Eldlandrian Guardsmen fighting with hired protection.

The Scalestone Merchant Guild

The Scalestone Merchant Guild is a very old community composed of skilled craftsmen and influential merchants. Members gain certain rights, as well as the responsibility to help fellow guild members wherever possible. (Rights include limited use of Guild locations such as Guild halls, greater access to hard to find equipment and some leniency in most law jurisdictions.)

The Scalestone Merchants have powerful lobby groups in nearly every free nation. They have been known to hire adventurers to help them meet their political goals and other objectives.

The Sibboor Industrial Corporation

The Sibboor Industrial Corporation is a mining and factory production company, with Lundorans, Avenngrailmen, and Allterions on the board of directors. They have major projects in nearly every free nation.

Often there is need to hire groups to solve problems relating to, but not limited to, scouting new territories, protecting VIPs, freeing worksites from unknown or hostile forces, recruiting brilliant craftsmen, negotiating protection money (or putting an end to inequitable "agreements"), recovering trade secrets and other situations that need immediate rectification.

The Hunter-Drave Institute of Paranormal Investigation

The Hunter-Drave Institute serves to investigate and combat Paranormal activity such as the presence of Barrier Creatures or Terror Spirits. The two Paranormal Auditors Hunter and Drave originally founded the company in 1051 CE. There are outpost Hunter-Drave Institutes in most major cities in the free nations.

Adventurer and mercenary groups are in constant demand in order to meet the increasing need for paranormal extermination. There is an unfortunately high turnover rate in this line of work, due to "accidents".

The Cralldyne Resistance

Cralldyne is a former nation now within the borders of the Nova Dirge Territories. The Cralldyne Resistance organize the best they can under the totalitarian authority of the Nova Dirge. Some members of the Eldlandrian Western Guard covertly sent into the Nova Dirge Territory have gathered information and supplies from members of the Cralldyne Resistance.

The Followers of Vordamund

Vordamund is a barrier creature thought to have resided within Eldlandria for centuries. It is believed that Vordamund can take human form at will, is exceptionally powerful and exceptionally evil. Most followers of Vordamund are aware that it is a powerful inhuman being; they do its bidding because it is powerful and can also make them powerful.

Adventures without corrupted hearts may be approached to fulfill Vordamund’s wishes, but hopefully will realize what the horrific outcome will be before they are able to complete their actions. More often, adventurers will need to stop the true followers of Vordamund before they are able to complete fiendish plots.

The Kryaegar Household

The Kryaegar Household is a Eldlandrian-wide crime syndicate. The household began as a Brywicker crime family. In their 200 year history, they have taken over thieves guilds, fought and amalgamated with other organized crime groups, and slowly expanded their influence to nearly every major centre in the known world.

While their size and multiple layers of organization make them resistant to local law enforcement, it is also a hindrance. Many believe that the Kryaegar Household has grown too big and cumbersome, lacking the agility to make quick and effective changes. There are reports of relentless infighting and grabs for power, leading to speculation that the Kryaegar Household will fracture into multiple parts in the near future.

Adventurers will most often be assisting the local law or the Crown in combating organized crime, through either investigation, force or the use of subterfuge.

The Mark of Xallagrath

The Mark of Xallagrath is a Terrorist organization dedicated to the removal of the Allterion presence in Eldlandria. Little is known about the exact origin of the Xallagrath organization. They have taken credit for or been linked to over one thousand Allterion and several hundred Eldlandrian deaths. Several high profile attempts to destroy Allterion buildings have been made, two of which succeeded, in ’59 and ’64.

The Mark of Xallagrath remains an active threat today.