Edion Campaign Sourcebook

You may assume that any information presented here is known to your character, or else it is available as common public knowledge without the need to consult fee-charging authorities.

Personality: Galadhrians are an ancient race of humans from the area around the Filgreen Coast. They have always been known for their unquenchable desire to explore and their epic adventurousness. To this they add their elven characteristic of practicality and patience. The Galadhrians are a powerhouse of adventurers and traders abroad, but inhumanly stable at home.

Physical Description: Galadhrians typically stand from 5 feet to a little over 6 feet tall and weigh from 125 to 250 pounds, with men noticeably taller and heavier than women. Their skin is tan, their hair is often curly though straight is known, and facial hair on men ranges from sparse to thick. Galadhrian dress is usually practical and durable, though any number of styles may be seen. Galadhrian humans usually mature at age 20, and often live in excess of 150 years.

Relations: These world travelers mix readily with any race. They are generally very polite, but sometimes this formality is mistaken for coolness. Galadhrians are found in every civilized corner of the world, but it is rare for them to settle down permanently outside of the Alimides. They often serve as merchants, traders, magistrates, and diplomats.

Alignment: Galadhrians are most frequently good in alignment, and tend towards law or neutrality. Even the heroic adventurers of old were respectful of their nation's institutions.

Galadhrian Lands: Galadhur is a tropical country with rich soil for agriculture. Most of the nation is covered by rural farms and villages. The people tend to be peaceful and prosperous due to the regularity of the seasons. Around the Green Bay and along the coast, fishing is common. Trade is also conducted with the dwarves in the North, who virtually depend on the Galadhrians, and with the rest of the world through Freeport.

Foreigners are common in the major cities of Galadhur, but rare in the countryside. Dwarves are often seen in the north, and traveling along roads to Freeport.

Religion:

Language: Galadhrians speak Galadhrian, which is also used in trading centers throughout the Alimides. Galadhrian has a written form that has existed for thousands of years, and is loosely based on the elven script.

Names:

Male Names: Thurden.

Female Names: Buffin, Fraua.

Adventurers: Adventuring is Galadhur's national heritage. Galadhrians consider it a prestigious occupation. Adventuring is moderated by the Adventurer's Guild, a powerful extra-national institution based in Freeport. Galadhrians adventure for glory above all, as well as wealth and power.

Physical Description: Mesan humans usually mature at age 12, and rarely live more than 70 years.

This description applies to Trians as well as the humans from Thiria and Eila (subject nations of the Trian empire).

Physical Description: Trians typically stand from 5 feet to a little over 6 feet tall and weigh from 125 to 250 pounds, with men noticeably taller and heavier than women. Their skin is olive in colour, and their hair is curly and ranges through blonde, brown and black. Facial hair on men can be sparse or thick. Trians have short life spans, achieving adulthood at about age 15 and rarely living even a single century.

Trians have unusual eye coloring. The colour of the pupil changes with their emotional state (like a mood ring). The pupil colours are given in the figure below. In addition, the sclera of the eye (usually called the "white") is black offsetting the colour.

Relations: Trians are an overbearing people who desire control and power. They do not possess the sense of goodness that is common in Edion and to a lesser extent in the rest of the Alimides. Tria is an empire that rules over many neighbouring nations including Thiria and Eila. The Trian empire is intended for primarily for the benefit of Trians, and thus it is not popular in some quarters of the world. Individual Trian imperial agents are treated with suspicion in the Alimides. Other Trians are usually assessed on their individual merits, but the lingering suspicion remains.

Religion: Trians worship a pantheon of gods.

Language: Trians speak Trian, the language spoken throughout the Trian empire.

Names:

Male Names: Quartius, Rojek.

Female Names: Akeryn, Ketna, Vala, Vesta,.

Ceylaran elves are not available as a player character race.

Physical Description: Ceylar elves have long lives. They mature at the age of 200, and frequently live to see their 1500th birthday.

Physical Description: Edion Forest Elves usually reach maturity at age 120. They are known to live up to 700 years.

Personality: Elara elves don't change very much over time. An Elaran elf might do the same job, make the same decisions, for fifty or a hundred years. Then, all of a sudden, a sudden fever will strike and he will change occupations, renounce his former style of thinking, or travel to a new land. This phenomenon can strike at any moment, without any warning, but it typically only happens once or twice in an elf's life, it ever. Otherwise, elves are inhumanly patient, willing to spend decades growing a specific plant to a specific shape, or to while away weeks discussing a certain point of philosophy.

There is another form of the fever, called the rage, which has been known to infect entire populations of elves. The rage spreads a single individual's ideology to large groups, like an air-born infection. This occurs only rarely, perhaps once a century at most, but the results are generally famous (or infamous).

Elves are curious and literate. They hold beauty and the arts dear. They are eager to learn, but like an armchair historian often prefer to let someone else to the work. Still, the other races prize their knowledge of theory and philosophy.

Physical Description: Elaran elves shorter than humans, ranging from 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 feet in height and weighing from 90 to 150 pounds. While graceful in appearance, they have longer arms and shorter legs than humans, a feature well suited to their tree-based lifestyle. Still, their limbs are lithe and slim. Elaran elves generally have tan skin, dark hair and deep green eyes. They have no facial or body hair. They prefer simple, comfortable clothes, and they enjoy simple yet elegant jewelry. An Elaran elf matures when he reaches the age of about 100, and they typically live to an age of about 550 years.

Elaran elves sleep normally but eat less than half what a humans eats.

Relations: Elaran humans have great respect for the Galadhrian humans with their adventurousness and stability. They tolerate Roarians, valuing their martial skill. Trians are abhorrent to Elaran elves, but no elf would ever treat any individual Trian with less than neutrality.

Alignment: Elves love stability, variety and beauty. They tend towards neutrality when trying to make these sometimes conflicting views work together. Elves are virtually always good, desiring a world in which everyone is happy.

Elaran Elven Lands: Elaran elves tend to live in dense jungle, where they make their homes high in the mid-levels and the canopy of the trees. They use their mastery of plants and their endless patience to shape their homes, towns, and roads from the very flora that surrounds them. The lush jungle amply provides game for hunting as well as fruit, fungi and other food plants unknown outside their lands. Thus most elves have ample time to work crafts and arts which they trade with the outside world for metals and other raw materials.

Religion: Elaran elves mostly are atheist. Bishism is a monastic order based on the principles first expounded by the mythical monk Bish.

Language: Elves speak a fluid language of subtle intonations and intricate grammar. While elven literature is rich and varied, it is the language's songs and poems that are most famous. While Elaran is a poetic language, Elarans usually use Galadhrian for practical texts and with foreigners.

Names:

Male Names: Athravian, Delatar, Elashar, Eochar, Farmian, Helman, Lellendrile, Nämian, Renian, Sorfar, Teridel.

Female Names: Anyana, Bindë, Emenë, Filmarë, Lyana, Rillenë, Themerya, Wylana.

Adventurers: Elves take up adventuring because of wanderlust, often following a bout of the "fever." Some elves adventure on a voyage of discovery, seeing themselves as brave explorers. Often elves also enjoy impressing the other races with their wisdom and martial skill.

Physical Description: Miradrol elves are short and slim, usually 4 to 5 feet tall and weighing no more than 120 pounds. They have pale, almost white, skin, and their hair is usually also white, or silver or copper in colour. Miradrol elves, also known as "Miradren" most commonly have red eyes, but almost any colour is known to have occurred. Elves from Miradrol mature around the age of 120, and they typically live to 700 years or more.

Personality: Roarians are fierce predators and patient enemies. It is therefore fortunate for the other intelligent races that they also tend to be somewhat lazy. Roarians enjoy the hunt but also enjoy sitting and observing. They tend to be more aware of immediate rewards than long-term concerns. A certain fatalism may be part of the reason why Roarians usually claim to be unconcerned with the future. However, many Roarians seem to believe that their lives is in fact a struggle against a dark fate, an attitude that may reflect their animalistic origins.

Physical Description: Roarians resemble tigers that stand on two feet. While they are humanoid, they have claws, sharp teeth, and are thoroughly carnivorous. Their skin is covered in orange fur, striped with black, and as a result most Roarians wear clothing only on their lower body. They are tall, ranging from 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 feet tall on average, and well muscled. Their eyes are yellow and cat-like and their faces are generally whiskered. Roarians mature a little faster than humans, at age 12, and usually live no more than 70 years.

Relations: Roarians get along well with elves, who share their love of the jungle. However unlike elves they are heavily involved in the present and don't appreciate the elven esteem for tradition. Their relations with the Galadhrian humans is more strained, since Roarians consider personal ties more important than official ones. The Roarian attitude towards Trians is strained, but the empire has so far proven uninterested or unable to dominate the Roarian jungles. Roarians treat them with initial suspicion but warm rapidly to Trians who are not zealous for the empire.

Alignment: Roarians are usually chaotic, and they are often neutral. Traveling or adventuring Roarians tend towards good, however, since they quickly shake off their jungle kill-or-be-killed attitude.

Roarian Lands: Roarians tend to live deep in the jungle. There they form clans and villages in loose relationships. Roaria is a wild and mostly untamed wilderness, thick with the species upon which the tiger-people prey.

Roarians in human lands are often mercenaries, hunters, bounty hunters, rogues and smugglers.

Religion: Roaria has two dominant religions. Sédan is the dominant religion in the lowlands of Roaria, while mountain Roarians follow a mystical religion known as Danbulé. The lowland religion Sédan consists of a pantheon of gods representing natural features such as the sea, the forest, the sky, and so on. The most important deities are Rambula, goddess of the jungle predators and Vumjaa of the Rain. Danbulé is a polytheistic religion with an uncounted number of deities. Virtually each practitioner is known to believe in a unique deity. The gods of Danbulé however are merely manifestations of the spiritual power that surrounds all things. Danbulés practice animal sacrifice and enter trances influenced by powerful herbal mixtures where they believe they can speak to the gods and channel their powers.

Language: Roarians speak Roarian, which uses the elven script in the rare cases where it is written. Travelers usually learn Trian or Galadhrian.

Names:

Male Names: Malaccar Tigranos.

Adventurers: Many Roarians believe their race is underestimated by the outside world. Many Roarians adventure to prove that their race is just as powerful as the others are. Many Roarian adventurers seek profit, or merely to pit their skills against the outside world and then return in triumph to their homeland.

The Cleric is not available as a class in Edion. Gods do not exist.

Clergy do exist (see note on Religion) in some cultures. However they may not wield divine magic, since it does not exist. Due to the lack of divine magic, the cleric is not considered a class worthy of being detailed for adventurers.

The knight adventurer is Galadhur's response to the need for armed defenders of the realm. The adventuring knight is loosely speaking a representative of the government. In other words, they have the permission of the King to maintain order, to defend the land, to succor the needy, to punish the transgressor and perpetrator of evil. They are sworn to uphold a code of honour.

The Core Hold of Knights is an institute that attempts to educate and train the adventuring knights. Many indeed of the adventuring knights at large are graduates of the Hold. But, not all. The only qualification necessary to be an adventuring knight is to add one's name to the list in the Hold. That, and to recite the code, which is short and simple. However all know that knights who go errant are hunted down relentlessly and rendered against the Core. So, most every knight adventurer is a good knight, and honest and proud of their position.

Those knights adventurer who are graduates of the Star may wear the symbol of the shimmering star on their arms and this is the most important badge of respect. But in some cases knights gain their own respect and that of the people as well without attending the Hold.

Adventures: Knights adventurer are free to go where they will. Sometimes they form bands and other times they adventure alone. Other times they find that it helps to join with groups with other talents.

Characteristic: Knights adventurer are known both for exploring and for steadfast honour and courage. It is this combination that makes them unique. They are a firm post of steadiness, and at the same time they are always seeking to go outwards to new things. Often they are philosophical, searching for the ultimate in moral truths, to expand their view of the ideal life, to improve their self. In any case they also seek to influence those they meet, at least through their own example of justice and honour.

Alignment: Knights adventurer must be of neutral good (variant) alignment. Knights adventurer follow a code of conduct that stresses ethics and moral conduct. They would have the world be just, peaceful and prosperous, and look to spread this ideology to those whom they meet. One of the most important ways for them to do this is to live their own lives in such a manner.

Religion: The Core of Knights is non-secular. Their creed is humanistic and based on moral and codes that are drawn from real life, not from an abstract deity.

Background: Adventurers are glorified in Edion. Many youngsters dream of growing up to be a world explorer. Those who add a sense of morality to that dream tend to be attracted to the Star of Knights. If they are smart and strong enough, they may be taken on by the star as students and raised in the ways of the knight adventurer.

While they believe that the strength of their steel should suffice in smiting the amoral and evil, they turn to magic to succor the needy. The true knight adventurer is a master of this kind of magic, and its mastery takes long and hard years of study combined with inherent wisdom. This study starts rigorously at the Star's School.

Races: Only Galadhrian Humans may be knight adventurers. Exceptions are exceedingly rare but a few dwarves and elves (and maybe even others) residing in Galadhur have been known to follow this path.

Other Classes: A knight adventurer can easily see the benefits of associating with other classes. However, they must always remember the code and a knight will not suffer to associate with one who flaunts their morals and philosophy. Knights adventurer tend to be wise, respected, and trustworthy, so they are often team leaders.

The Paladin class is not available in Edion. See Knight Adventurer.

The rules below replace the relevant entries in the PH for the Ranger.

Races: Not every race may take the Sorcerer class. Only those races that possess the magic organ may use magic. Those races allowed to take the Sorcerer class include Galadhrian humans, and elves.

The Wizard class is not available in Edion. See sorcerer.

Casting a spell in Edion is similar to standard D&D. The main difference is that spells are stored in spell gems, gemstones of high quality that act as the container and focus of the spell

Sorcerers in Edion may cast any spell that is in their repertoire. These are the spells that an Edionic sorcerer is considered to know. The sorcerer may carry spell gems for other spells, but since they are not part of their repertoire, the sorcerer cannot cast them.

Spells slots, casting time, range, aiming a spell, saving throws, spell results, and duration are all as given in the standard rules in the PH.

Components are handled in Edion differently than standard D&D.

V (Verbal) and S (Somatic): These components are typically handled as given in the PH. All official magic schools teach the spells as given in the PH, so if verbal or somatic components are noted there, they are required in the official versions of the spells. However, in Edion it is possible to remove the verbal and somatic components from the spells with no penalty to the spell's level. This requires normal spell research as given in the rules. Copies of such spells may be available on the black market. However possession or casting of such spells is illegal in Edion.

M (Material): Material components are not required in Edion.

F (Focus): The spell gem serves as the focus for all spells in Edion. It must be in hand or carried by the spell caster.

DF (Divine Focus): There are no divine focuses in Edion (since there are no divinities).

XP (XP Cost): This component is handled as given in the PH.

Unlike sorcerers in the standard D&D rules, Edionic sorcerers must store their spells in spell gems. In many ways the spell gems function like the wizard's spell book in the standard rules. The standard rules are changed in the following ways:

Edionic sorcerers can add new spells to their spell gems through several methods.

Spells Gained at a New Level: Sorcerers perform certain amount of spell research between adventures. Each time the sorcerer achieves a new level, they gain two spells of their choice to add to their spell gems. These spells represent the results of their research. The two free spells must be of levels the sorcerer can cast.

Spells Copied from Another's Spell Gems: A sorcerer can also add spells to their spell gems whenever they encounter a new spell in another sorcerer's collection. No matter what the spell's source, the character must first decipher the magical record. Next, the sorcerer must spend a day studying the spell. At the end of the day, the character must make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell's level). If the check succeeds, the sorcerer understands the spell and can copy it into their spell gems (see Recording a New Spell into a Spell Gem below). The process leaves a spell gem that was copied from unharmed.

If the check fails, the sorcerer cannot understand the spell and cannot attempt to learn it again even if they study it from another source until they gain another rank in Spellcraft. If the check fails, the character cannot copy the spell from another's spell gems.

Independent Research: A sorcerer also can research a spell independently, duplicating an existing spell or creating an entirely new one. The DMG has information on this topic.

Once a sorcerer understands a new spell, they can record it into their spell gems.

Time: The process requires one day plus one additional day per spell level. Zero-level spells require one day.

Space in the Spell Gem: A spell gem can store one spell level per 100 gp of value. A 0-level spell (cantrip) only requires a 50 gp gem. More than one spell can be stored in a valuable gem, but each spell must fit entirely within one gem.

Materials and Costs: The only material required is a spell gem. A spell gem can be any gem with a value of 50 gp or more. Each 50 gp of value allows one 0-level spell (cantrip) to be stored in the gem. For 1st level spells and above, each 100 gp of value allows one spell level to be stored in the gem. Thus, a gem worth 400 gp could store one 4th level spell, or two 2nd level spells, eight 0 level spells, and so on.

If a sorcerer doesn't have appropriate empty spell gems available when they gain a new level and new spells for free, the spells are gained when the sorcerer obtains suitable gems.

Insufficient Gem Value: The actual value of the gem is used by the DM for the purpose of determining if a spell will fit in the gem. If the gem is not of sufficient value to store a given spell, recording the spell will fail. The time invested in storing the spell is wasted. After a failed attempt, the sorcerer gains an understanding of the actual value of the gem and how many levels of spells it can store.

Should a sorcerer lose one of their spell gems, they can use their magical faculty to locate it if it is nearby. By concentrating, the sorcerer can sense the direction of their spell gem as with the locate object spell. The range of this ability is 50 m. This ability only works for spell gems the sorcerer created themselves, and it only works while concentrating.

A sorcerer can use the procedure for learning a spell to reconstruct a lost spell gem.

Duplicating an existing spell gem uses the same procedure as replacing it, except that the task is much easier. The time requirement is halved.

Sorcerers may carry and understand as many spells in their spell gems as they wish. However, at any time only a limited number of these spells may be in their repertoire. Normally this repertoire is fixed and cannot be changed, even if the sorcerer adds a new spell to their spell gems.

However, when the sorcerer gains a new level, they may change their repertoire as they wish. They must have a spell in their spell gem set before they can add it to their repertoire.

At all times, the sorcerer's repertoire can be no larger than given on the Sorcerer Spells Known table in the PH.

Each day, sorcerers must focus their minds on the task of casting their spells. A sorcerer needs 8 hours of rest, after which they spend 15 minutes concentrating. During this period, the sorcerer readies their mind to cast their daily allotment of spells. Without such a period to refresh themselves, the character does not regain the spell slots they used up the day before.

Recent Casting Limit: Any spells cast within the last 8 hours count against the sorcerer's daily limit (as per wizard in the PH).

Regardless of these limitations, there may at times be observed seemingly magical effects that contravene the limitations outlined in this section. These may result from magical powers that are not generally available to characters in Edion.

Some spells in Edion function differently from the versions described in the PH. The changes are briefly described in italicized notes in brackets after the spell.

The spells are presented in alphabetical order.

In Edion, the sun rises in the west and sets in the east. Edion is near the equator of the world, so the days and nights are almost of equal length all year round.

Any calendar must try to match the astronomical facts of the world. In Edion, there are 366.2324 days in each solar year, the time it takes for the sun to rotate around the world. There are also 42.34 days in each lunation, the time between each full moon. There is no perfect way to divide the days and months to match these periods, but the Elaran calendar approximates them with good accuracy.

Coinage in common use in the Alimides and the Trian Empire to exchange for goods and services. There are two majors systems of currency, the Elaran and Trian moneys. For reference purposes, the elven Sircala is a standard "gold piece" coin.

The elaran Shilara is a large coin with a picture of the tree on it that is used as a reference for large payments. Thus, a rich buyer might discuss the value of some service in "shilaras" indicating a princely payment will be made.

Some magic items, such as healing potions, and feather-fall gems, are readily available on the market in the Alimides. Most other magic items have highly restricted availability for casual purchase. Typically, magical academies offer items for purchase to practicing magicians and a limited selection to the public.

Healing potions are expensive relative to healing spells, because they are indiscriminate, healing the subject of many types of ills, including ones they may not be suffering from.

Since sorcerors require spell gems, there is a substantial trade in these precious stones.

The Alimides is a vast sea region that includes the continent of Edion and a large archipelago -- a group of islands -- that lies to the south of the continent. The great landmass of Edion lies at the top of the archipelago. But the islands that make up the rest of the Alimides have almost an equal area of land, divided up among hundred of islands both small and large.

The Trian Empire occupies an massive continent that lies to the north and east of Edion. Most of the geography of that continent is unknown.

Edion is a roughly oval continent, stretching 4000 km across at the widest point, east to west. There is a great deal of difference between the nothern half of the continent and the south. In the north there is a wasteland of desert scrub that is largely uninhabitable. The northern coasts are difficult and there are few ports. A mountain range, the Doromores, cuts across the continent dividing north from south. South of the range, the environment is quite the opposite, a pleasant jungle with plenty of rainfall and habitation.

Because the north of the continent is an uninhabited wasteland, we will speak of the "east" and the "west" of Edion as actually the south-east and south-west of the continent. The east and west are divided (below the Doromore range) by another range of mountains which builds up from foothills at the southernmost tip of the continent towards a great mass of peaks in the center. This is the Tikmurn range.

To the east of the Tikmurn range lies mainly jungle in which the elven nation of Elara makes its home. To the west of the range first lies the Edion Forest, the deepest and most mysterious jungle of Edion. Beyond that is the open space of the Filgreen coast which lies around the edges of the massive Bay of Bromar, which reaches inward almost to the Doromore mountains. Beyond the bay is the other side of the Filgreen coast and another range of mountains, the Atlars, which clutters up the entire western end of the continent.

Of these western lands, the Edion Forest is home to a cult of elven druids who keep out all intruders. The Filgreen coast and the Bay of Bromar is the domain of the humans of Galadhur. The Atlar moutains north and west of the bay, at the western end of the continent and the Doromore range, are occupied by dwarves. Elara and Galadhur are important enough in their own right to be detailed in a separate section.

The Filgreen Coast is a wide and fertile crescent of land that surrounds the Bay of Bromar. It is on this coast that most of the territory of Galadhur lies.

In contrast to the rest of southern Edion, the Filgreen Coast is mostly open and flat. Most of the area is taken by agriculture, with fields of wheat, rice, beans, etc., growing abundentdly after the rains. A substantial minority of the land is covered in forest retained for hunting.

Galadhur a major nation of Edion that occupies most of the region known as the Filgreen Coast. Despite the easy living at home, Galadhrians have turned their interests abroad, to trading and exploration. Education is free, and the country maintains a powerful navy easily the match of any other in the Alimides.

Part of the mystique of Galadhur is its early days of exploration. It is Galadhrians who first explored the myriad seaways of the Alimides, forging the network of trade that links the whole region. Perhaps because of living on the Bay of Bromar, Galadhrians feel the pull of the ocean to carry them abroad. Most foreign trade in the Alimides runs on Galadhrian ships. Galadhrians carry packet mail from island to island. Galadhrians protect the seaways from occasional pirates and sea monsters.

The home port of Galadhur and its capital is the city of Freeport, a lively mix of natives and foreigners there to trade and learn. There is a strong independent streak in Galadhrians, and the city of Freeport in many ways considers itself independent of the whims of the nation. Still, overlooking the city from a tall promontory is the famous castle of Galadhursild, the name-sake of the nation and the royal seat.

Sandwiched between the Filgreen Coast and the central Tikmurn mountains lies a vast, dense jungle called the Edion Forest. Little is known about the Forest except that it is the domain of a collection of elvish druids. These powerful magicians practice their arts with an aim to keep the forest clear from human interference. Thus, few enter the forest and even fewer leave it. It is said that the elves can see through the eyes of woodland animals and that no one enters the woods without their knowledge. It is also rumoured that at the heart of the forest lies a major druidic city where the druids live in Shilara trees, the source, apparently, of their power.

Elara is elven homeland. Elves have dwelled here since before time began ... at least before recorded history began. And since elves have the longest records of any culture on Edion, that's a long time.

The elves live in the heights of massive Shilara trees, a hundred meters above the jungle floor. Although dangerous predators lurk on the surface, up in the understory of the forest that covers the country, it's relatively safe. Still, most Elarans go about their daily life with a knife at their belt. They also carry featherfall gems that give them one free trip down to the forest floor should they fall.

Elaran culture is civilized but the elves still live in close proximity with nature. They have mastered the art of magical gardening, and their gardeners can shape plants over long periods of time into houses, buildings, and even vine-like paths between the trees. Most Elarans live and work in domiciles that are actually living plants, slowly nurtured into their present shapes over dozens of years.

The lengthy elven lifespan dictates a calm pace of life in Elara. Most of the elves life to be five hundred years or more. Thus elves will not blink an eye at an endeavour of gardening of otherwise that takes decades to accomplish. The country is covered with ancient but still functioning works of magical architecture that have been built up over many millenia.

Since the jungle is so abundant with wildlife and fruit and vegetables, the elves need spend little of their time of the basics of life. This leaves most elves ample time to pursue their personal interests, whether this is in crafts, intellectual, or spiritual matters. Elarans are a highly educated and advanced people. Their cities are jewels of civilization. Most elves have spent at least a decade in school, and are free to pursue artistic or arcane arts.

Elara is made up of five major provinces. Each has a different character and flavour. The most mysterious is Ceylar, a hidden realm in the northwest of the country. The others admit foreigners with varying levels of welcome.

Of the three major cities, Arcos is by far the most international. It is the Elaran city of trade and here large populations of humans, halflings, roarians, and even Trians can be found living beside the elves. Next in welcoming outsiders is Sheliar, the capital city of Elara. Although it is near the coast, it is dominated by elves. Miriar is Elara's internal city, far up the Epian river and mostly closed to outsiders.

Easily the most xenophobic and secretive elves of Elara, Ceylarans are also the most distinctive due to their dark, almost black, skin. Still, they are rarely seen by other elves, as they sequester themselves in the mysterious province of Ceylar. By their own design, Ceylar has wrapped itself with a protective mantle of magical beasts, through which none may pass. Their permission is rarely -- if ever -- given.

Ceylar occupies a central position in the continent, abutting both the Doromore and Tikmurn ranges in the north-western corner of Elara. The land is high, and much of it is a cloud forest, misty almost all the time. There is a magical barrier that surrounds the territory, a zone in which a variety of dangerous monsters are held in order to prevent intruders from passing into the provice proper. These monsters are referred to as the "watchers". That they are magical beasts is indicated by reports of blue, glowing eyes from a few brave or foolhearty intruders who have survived to tell the tale.

As for what lies within the province, it is difficult to say. Many speculate that it is a vast trove of historical knowledge, as the Ceylaran life-span is rumored to be upwards of 2000 years. Bolstering this argument is the indisputable fact that Ceylaran elves periodically leave their homeland to involve themselves as advisors in the politics and international dealings of Elara. They usually provide indispensible perspective and advice.

Arcos is the most international city in Elara. It is a bustling port, full of foreigners meeting for trade, politics, or simply passing through. Some consider it the most important port in the Alimides, since it is more centrally located than Freeport.

Sheliar is the capital city of Elara. It is a busy city, with a thriving dock trade that takes care of shipping towards the east with Roaria and the Trian empire. Merchants from Freeport, the Alimides, Roaria, and Tria gather at the dockyards to trade elven crafts, spices and herbs, and rare animals. As the national capital, the city also hosts several of the most majestic buildings in Elara.

The Elaran Royal Palace dominates even the spires of the Bishic temples. The palace is walled with white stone that extends around the entire citadel. The walls, spires, indeed the entire palace is made from the same white stone, seemingly from a single rock, as there are no seams or cracks to be found in the entire structure. Spires, carved delicately to resemble natural plants and trees, rise hundreds of metres from the complex, and sprout delicate stone carved branches which shimmer in the daylight with the reflections from thousands of golden leaves. Inside the palace walls, surrounding the citadel is a garden of elaran delights: tropical flowers and fruit-bearing trees.

The elves of Sheliar are widely concerned with the affairs of world trade, governance and conflict. They welcome the presence of humans and other races in their midst, since the traders and visitors bring with them a wealth of news of foreign affairs. Despite their interest in the visitors, however, Sheriarites tend to avoid close relations with other races, since they (rightly by comparison, most of the time) regard them as short-lived, emotional, and violent. However there is a deep-rooted ambivalence to this attitude in the city, and a thriving population of elves who mix, marry, and live freely with non-elves.

Miriar is the traditional heart of Elara. It is the Elaran city that most closely mirrors the standard elven way of life: peaceful, slow-paced, and creative.

The population of Miriar is almost entirely elves. For other races, the interests and endeavours of rural elves proceed at a level of detail that can seem beyond belief. The attention span of an elf can last for days, months, even years, on a single aspect of a project or a single conversation.

Miriar is a forest city. Like most Elaran towns and villages, it is found off the ground, up in the branches of the huge trees that make up the Elaran jungle. Most structures here are grown and tended by arcane gardeners, so they are living buildings. They are connected by vine-like pathways and roads and range from just a few dozen metres off the forest floor, to high up in the attic just below the canopy.

What business is done in the city centers around fine crafts. Raw materials and finished goods trade hands here and pass in and out of the great craft schools where the lore of making jewelry, arcane gardening, weapon-making, wood-carving, gem-cutting, weaving, etc. are concentrated. Most elves practise crafts for interest rather than profit, but there is still a substantial trade due to the volume of output. In addition, the elves need foreign materials to practise certain attractive hobbies (like gem-cutting).

Membership is available to anyone who travels to the Guildhall in Freeport. There they must pass a test of their abilities and sign the guild agreement against evil.

The guild maintains guildhalls in many countries, including Galadhur, Elara, Roaria, and other nations in the Alimides. The guild headquarters are in Freeport.

Experience is awarded based on the Challenge Rating of monsters slain, and based on the Encounter Level of other types of encounters (for example, traps).

More generally, experience is awarded for overcoming a situation that involves risk. It is undertaking risk, and surviving it, that leads to experience awards. Thus not only facing foes in combat, but other situations also result in experience points awards.

Tree hoppers are beasts of burden able to carry riders up trees, and along branches, elven paths and roads. They have a long, muscular prehensile tails that they use when climbing trees, hanging onto branches, and as a brake when running down trees. They have claws and pads for moving on trees, and walk flat-footed on the ground. They are omnivores that eat mostly fruit but also hunt small animals.

A tree hopper saddle includes straps to hold the rider onto the animal. At night they are sometimes tethered on a long line to allow hunting.