Z is for Zuerith

Holy cow...I did it. Or at least, I will have done it once this post is published. A to Z completed!

So, what is a zuerith? I'm glad you asked. There's a picture of one below. Nasty critter, isn't it? The image comes from The Dragon #8, dated July, 1977. It it from a time before the Monster Manual was printed, so it predates Advanced D&D. It was part of a monster-designing contest; the image was given, and submissions were made to the magazine. The eventual winner was posted in...Dragon 16, I think? I don't remember. But since I was doing a read-through of Dragon magazine and adding stuff to the D&D rules, I made my own version of the monster: the Zuerith.

The Zuerith is (only one has been seen so far, but there may be more) a creature that lives in a ruined place called the Decayed Pits. These pits are located between Meterra and Xebeoris. The adventurers who found the Pits explored them, naturally enough. The survivors emerged and told tales of this deadly creature discovered therein. Here are its gaming stats:

FREQUENCY: Very rare

NO. APPEARING: 1

ARMOR CLASS: 3

MOVE: 9"

HIT DICE: 9

% IN LAIR: 40%

TREASURE TYPE: E

NO. OF ATTACKS: 1

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 4-16

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Thrown boulders, tail strike (3-18 damage)

SPECIAL DEFENSES: immune to fire, electricity

MAGIC RESISTANCE: 25%

INTELLIGENCE: Low

ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil

SIZE: L (12' long)

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

  Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

LEVEL/XP VALUE: VII/1600+12/hp

The zuerith's ruddy skin and mottled tail strikes fear into the hearts of even the most experienced adventurers, for its strength is equal to that of an ogre, and it can hurl small boulders and other objects at opponents up to 24" away, doing 2-12 points of damage. Although its intelligence is low, is has an evil cunning with which it sets up ambushes in its cavernous lair. Its treasure is usually hidden, and it can use certain magic items (rings, potions, etc.). It cannot read scrolls, nor does it use weapons other than boulders. It always has a supply of at least a dozen boulders in its lair in case of unwanted guests.

The Zuerith does not speak, having no vocal chords. It does have a bellows-like vocal apparatus that allows it to make groaning sounds, but these are decidedly unpleasant and chilling to the listener. Its magical nature gives it a natural immunity to certain types of magic, and resistance to all magic; one-quarter of all magical attacks against it will fail. It will chase invaders out of its lair, but it will rarely follow them, unless it is particularly hungry.

And that will do it for this brief but fulfilling exploration of Meterra, its people, its cities, its geography, and its creatures. I've had a blast doing this, and I look forward to doing it again next year.

For those who have visited, thank you. I will reciprocate now that the month is over; in the real world I work in an accounting office, and Canadian tax season just ended. So, I will have more time to explore other blogs in the A to Z Challenge. I'm looking forward to it.

Y is for Yethrin

Every culture near the sea has its myths and legends about what might dwell under the water. Tales of mermaids, sea monsters, lost cities, sunken ships laden with treasure, and the like can be heard in every dockside tavern. Meterra is no different; the taverns and shanties along the North Coast and in Everton itself are full of such stories, including stories of the shark-men, the Yethrin.

Except in Meterra, the stories are true.

The Yethrin are creatures that live beneath the waves. They are rarely seen by those on the surface, for which those men are grateful. When the Yethrin do rise to the surface, they do so for the hunt. And their prey is men.

Reliable reports on the Yethrin are rare, since most of those who see them end up dragged under the water to be drowned and devoured. But what is known is that they are humanoid in shape, with powerful legs and webbed feet and hands to allow them to travel quickly through the water. Their heads are a horrible combination of man and shark, with their eyes somewhat wider than on a man's face, and two rows of razor-sharp teeth in their wide mouths. Their skin is leathery-gray, and they must keep it wet at all times; they are never seen out of the water for longer than it takes to snatch their prey and drag them underwater.

Since it is only through the use of magic that men can descend deep beneath the waves and safely return to the surface, knowledge of the Yethrin in the deeps is scant, almost non-existent. It is believed by some scholars that they are intelligent enough to have developed a crude civilization of their own, although their vicious temperament and predatory instincts would prevent them from having large communities. However, there are whispers that some of the Yethrin have learned the use of magic.

In combat, the Yethrin are lightning-fast, striking from beneath the surface of the water with precision and surprise. They hunt in small packs, attacking small boats when they find them, and sometimes even larger ships that offer tempting targets. None have ever been captured alive, although they can be killed.

Here are the gaming statistics for old-school D&D players; newer players will be able to convert them easily enough.

FREQUENCY: Very rare (rare underwater)
NO. APPEARING: 2-8 (3-30 in lair)
ARMOR CLASS: 5 (8 if dry)
MOVE: 6" on land/24" in water
HIT DICE: 3
% IN LAIR: 20%
TREASURE TYPE: I, Y
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 (claw/claw/bite)
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4/1-4/3-12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Surprise 1-5
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Immune to fire
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Low to Average
ALIGNMENT: Neutral (evil)
SIZE: M (up to 7' tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
   Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
LEVEL/XP VALUE: III/105+3/hp

Yethrin are often accompanied by 'tame' sharks (25%) or sea lions (25%), but never both together. These animals will obey simple commands, although they are impossible to command once a battle has begun. If there are more than 10 yethrin in a group, one of them will be a leader with 4 or 5 hit dice and doing +1 or 2 damage on all attacks. In a larger gathering, the strongest yethrin will lead; he will have a minimum of 6 hit dice and do +4 damage on all attacks. There is also a 10% chance that there is a spellcaster amongst a group of yethrin; this caster will have the abilities of a magic-user between 2nd and 5th level.

In combat, when striking from the sea they will have a 5 in 6 chance of surprising their target and gaining a free attack sequence before the target can react and respond. This makes them extraordinarily dangerous. However, if the target can spot them coming (rolling a 6 on the surprise roll), the target automatically gets initiative and can attack the yethrin before it can strike. Being of the water, fire holds no fear for yethrin; they can shrug off even magical fire such as fireballs without harm.

X is for Xebeoris

Xebeoris (pronounced KHE-beh-o-rees) is not part of the kingdom of Meterra. Instead, it is a city-state many leagues to the east of the Stesard Plains. This city-state has recently begun trading with the Meterrans; their wares are unusual, but not totally unfamiliar to the European Crusaders, who had seen similar produce from Greek and other Mediterranean traders on Earth.

The Xebeorites are similar to the Europeans, in that they too were the subjects of an Arrival, albeit one that occurred centuries earlier. The Xebeorites were originally Greeks from the time of Athens' glory. But these men and women were not all Athenians; they were from all across the Greek-controlled regions. There were Spartans, Thebans, Syracusans, and many others. These disparate groups banded together for safety against the treacherous creatures that inhabit this strange land, many of them all too familiar to the transplanted Greeks from their own myths and legends.

Today, the Xebeorites have grown into a city-state numbering well over 25,000 people, more than twice the population of Everton. They retain aspects of their Athenian democratic heritage, but the city is ruled by a council of nine oligarchs drawn from the original tribal groupings. The citizens have an elected assembly that advises the council and can, on occasion, extract concessions from the oligarchs when they overreach their power over the citizenry. The military leadership is also subject to popular election, although the people have, to this point, demonstrated enough civic wisdom to ensure they have competent officers.

Xebeoris controls a wide area many leagues across, with a peasant population of at least 100,000 people. They cling to the worship of their ancient gods and goddesses; the Olympian pantheon is alive and well in this land. The priests of the Olympian gods have demonstrated some powers similar to those of the Meterran priesthood, and the magic of Xebeoris has surpassed that of Meterran wizards. And while their cultural traits and language are still based on the Classical Greek, it has evolved over time into a language that the Meterrans fluent in Greek can only partly understand. Still, the language barrier has proven to be less of a burden than originally feared, and the Xebeorites are glad to hear tidings of their legendary ancient homeland.

W is for Wardhurst Castle

Being European, the newest residents of Meterra like castles. Not the huge, concentric fortresses that came to dominate the later medieval period before gunpowders and cannons made castles a relic of the past, but the smaller forts of the earlier Middle Ages. Motte-and-bailey, rough-hewn stone, buildings that are meant to dominate the landscape and allow its inhabitants to cover a wide area for security. And since the Europeans have only been in Meterra for a few short years, they've only begun to dot the landscape with these magnificent edifices.

Wardhurst Castle is the newest of the Meterran fortifications, having been built just over a year ago to defend the western lands against the tribes of the Krypons Plains. It is the only castle commanded by a woman: Lady Jacquelle Guiffart, a blacksmith's daughter who took up arms in defense of her home in Aramar, and eventually became a respected adventuress. Although the Europeans were strongly opposed to her choice of profession, her skill and experience were undeniable. It was her efforts to thwart a kidnapping attempt against a pregnant Queen Ellisabeth that cemented her reputation, and she was rewarded by the king with a title of nobility and an assignment as the commander of Wardhurst Castle.

At first, many of the men assigned to the castle were, at best, reluctant to take orders from a woman. As such, more than half the troops in the castle are Ramai, who are less beholden to European views on gender roles and respect the fact that she is a successful and experienced warrior, regardless of her sex.

Lady Jaquelle is a proud woman with a willingness to take advantage of what people see as feminine weakness on her part. Many a time has she used her sex as a weapon to disarm opponents who see her as weak and unsuited for battle. However, with her new elevation and position, that advantage is whittling away as more people, including the Europeans, realize her competence. She leads a troop of one hundred men, and is said to be interested in taking a force into the Krypons to seek out and destroy grend encampments.

V is for Vonreston

This town is the only settlement on Kiralt Island. Home to 1,800 people, it is a town that thrives on the fishing industry as well as farming. It was settled after the Arrival by some of the German knights and soldiers who had been brought along. Although they pledged their allegiance to Eadric in the early days, they requested permission to settle away from the other towns and villages so as to preserve their own heritage. King Eadric agreed, and on the advice of some of the locals, they sailed to Kiralt Island to settle. As a result, Vonreston has a much different feel than the other settlements in Meterra.

While medieval Germany, France and England aren't really all that similar to their modern counterparts, there is still that regional sense of community in each nation. Obviously, England had it easier, being an island. But despite geographical closeness, the Rhine was a strong border between France and Germany in medieval times. Combining that with the Germanic resistance to the Roman Empire a millennia earlier, and Germany developed quite differently from the rest of Western Europe. Those differences are emphasized in Meterra, as the German Europeans are determined to maintain their unique culture while still being part of Meterra and the Church. Ironically, here it is Vonreston and Kiralt that will likely develop in a similar manner to England, with the island providing natural borders to cultural influences from the rest of Meterra.

Vonreston is led by His Grace, Graf Rickard, formerly of Bremen. The leader of the German Crusaders, and the military leader of the original expedition to the Holy Land, Rickard was badly injured in the initial battle against the grends and ogres the day after the Arrival. It was due to his injuries that Bishop Marten appointed Sir Eadric the Saxon as his replacement; Eadric would, of course, go on to be named King of Meterra after his triumph against the dragon. After Rickard's recovery, Eadric elevated him to the title of Count, or Graf, assuring his loyalty. Rickard is the epitome of a Germany knight: brave, almost to the point of foolhardiness, faithful, and loyal to his liege. He is the model for all of the German Europeans, and there are some who have suggested that he might hold out hope to replace Eadric as King someday. However, Rickard has made no such overtures, nor has he shown even the slightest bit of ambition beyond his current station. He is, in effect, a German king, albeit one subject to the Meterran king, and that's as far as he cares to go.

The biggest challenge for the German emigrants of Vonreston has been adapting to a fishing lifestyle rather than a farming one. The isle is pleasant and does have suitable pasture and farmlands, but the town's economy is largely fish-related. Strangely, however, there have been very few pirate raids on the island despite the growing economy and wealth. The Germans, after all, are fierce fighters, descended from Germanic barbarians, and the local pirates have learned that the Germans are more than happy to revert to type.

U is for Uzean

So, the question is, how does magic work in Meterra? There are many possibilities; incantations, sympathetic magic, barganing with great powers...but in Meterra, it's a bit different.

Meterran wizards draw their magic from mystic writings that have been in use as long as language has been written down. The magical language, Uzean, is written in such a way that it can hold great power within the very words. Magic-users study the spells of their choice on a daily basis, absorbing the power of those words into themselves. Uzean cannot be read by just anyone, and it takes a great deal of study to master even the most basic components of the language.

Through daily study, the magic of the words is absorbed into the wizard's brain as a form of mystical energy. The wielder is empowered to release that energy through the proper use of words and gestures. However, the power of the magic is such that it can only be released once; the mental 'battery' is then drained, and must be replenished with further study. Meterran wizards refer to this process as 'memorizing' the spell, although it is forgotten after having been cast. With experience, magic-users learn to control more of this mental energy, and can memorize more powerful and greater numbers of spells.

Scholars have been studying the strange language of Uzean for as long as anyone can remember. It is unlike any other language known to men, elves, or dwarves. Some believe it to be a corrupted form of an ancient elven tongue, but the majority dismiss this theory as the elves are no better at comprehending Uzean than humans. To some, the dwarves are a suspected source of the language. Their magical craftsmanship is cited as evidence of this, although there are no known dwarves wizards who actually speak the language of Uzean. Whatever its source, the language of Uzean is why magic can be learned in Meterra.

T is for Thirndoral

Somewhere in the Plers Highlands, at the foot of the Forbidden Peaks, the dwarves of Meterra have an underground town named Thirndoral. This town is hidden from the eyes of men; the dwarves do not allow outsiders, especially human outsiders, to enter their realm. The Ramai, the earlier settlers of Meterra, know well enough to avoid caves in these hills, for fear of disturbing the dwarves. The European settlers, on the other hand, are still learning this lesson. And the dwarves are unforgiving teachers.

These are not your bog-standard dwarves from Tolkien and other fantasy fiction. These are old-school dwarves from Norse sagas. Treacherous and devious, untrustworthy and greedy, these dwarves are also master craftsmen, capable of creating items of great power. It was a dwarf who forged the sword now wielded by the King, a sword whose power was awakened in the blood of a dragon. And while none can match the craftsmanship of the dwarves, their gifts and treasures come at a price many are unwilling to pay...

The dwarves are reclusive, although they do trade with the humans on occasion. They are shrewd bargainers, haggling to the last copper coin in order to wring as much from their potential customers as they can. And while their manners are most certainly lacking, their craftwork is such that they are never short of buyers for their merchandise.

The notoriety of Meterra's dwarves has given rise to a few sayings, sayings the Europeans are only beginning to understand correctly. For example:

"Honest as a dwarf": No man wants to be given this descriptor, for he will never be trusted among the Ramai again.

"Out of the mines": Loosely, this is similar to 'crazy as a fox' in today's parlance; it implies cleverness mixed with recklessness.

"Dwarfspun gold": A gift freely given, but the receiver is expected to reciprocate, usually at the worst possible time.

"Dwarven time": As dwarves are long-lived, this refers to procrastinating important tasks.

Despite the negative reputation of the dwarves, they are the demi-humans with which the people of Meterra have the most contact due to their willingness to trade in human communities (on their own terms, of course). Dwarves do not make very good adventuring companions, for they are just as likely to stab their compatriots in the back at an opportune moment and run off with whatever treasure they could grab. There have been exceptions to this rule of thumb, but not very many.

S is for Susp Forest

The northeastern corner of Meterra is the least pleasant part of the entire kingdom. Pirates off the coast, the Evergloom pressing up against what little civilization there is in the region, and the Susp Forest, a woodland dark and gloomy enough to fit right in beside the deadly swamp.

The Susp Forest is home to one of the two elven clans that live in this area. The Miaren clan are reclusive, preferring to avoid both the Europeans and the older culture of the Ramai. They are a mystery to the humans of Meterra, few of them ever leaving the deep reaches of the forest for any reason. They are believed to have vast magical powers, far superior to those of even Larcullus, the headmaster of the Arimore Academy.

The Susp is a very old forest of mostly oak and ash trees. In addition to the elves, it is believed that many other magical and mythical creatures live there, such as dryads, satyrs, leprechauns and fairies of all sorts, as well as a family of dragons. The few Miaren elves who emerge from the woods and have any contact with humans are not interested in discussing the possible inhabitants of the Susp, and few humans are willing to cross the boundaries of the woods if they can avoid it.

Some of the men that dare to go into the Susp do so for a particular reason: They seek the rare trees known as the shadowbark. These trees have a bark that always appears to be in gloom and shadow no matter the light that shines upon it, and the leaves of the tree are likewise a dark green. Their bark is said to contain magical essence that can be used to ward off various curses and charms. Few men who enter the forest return successfully; some don't return at all. As such, shadowbark is very highly prized for its rarity, and those who run the woods and return with branches and such are wealthy men indeed.

The Susp extends from the borders of the Evergloom and the village of Lundy, almost to the fields surrounding Everton. The Pewin Run marks its southern border, and there is an old dirt road that follows the river between Everton and Lundy. It is not well traveled, as few merchants find profit in traveling to Lundy. Nevertheless, the road is guarded by no fewer than three forts: Faerdham Keep, Euthoria Hold, and Nascombe Hold. The troops stationed in these forts guard the road not only from the Susp, but from the Ayls Plains to the south as well, for those plains are home to many wild and dangerous creatures.

R is for Ranulf the Apostate

“You think God had something to do with this? Why would God send us to this terrible place with all these twisted creatures and horrors beyond the imagination? This was never God’s work! He abandoned us and left us to the mercies of the devil! So, if God abandoned us, then we have no more need of him, do we? No, we don’t. And fools like Bishop Marten and King Eadric want to go on pretending that nothing has changed. They’ll soon know the truth they’ve denied themselves…” Ranulf, defrocked priest, now a servant of darkness.

When the Europeans first arrived in this land, there were two dozen priests among them aside from Bishop Marten. Two of these priests saw this new land as a curse, a punishment placed upon the people for their sins. In their own despair, they turned away from God and his people, and began preaching against Eadric and his followers. They sought out darker powers and found them; they began to use unholy magic even as the Church discovered the power of their own prayers.

These priests quickly gained a small following among the local populace, some of whom saw the Europeans as a threat to their way of life. Hunted down by Eadric's knights in the months after the kingdom was founded, one of the two priests was captured, tried and executed for his blasphemy. The other, Father Ranulf, escaped, and secretly continued his seditious ways. He and his followers fled into the southern hills, and he anointed others to preach and blaspheme as he had done. Now this profane church has nearly a thousand followers, all of them in secret.

Ranulf was a faithful, devoted priest, albeit one with a rather inflated opinion of both his piety and his intelligence. He was the first of the Europeans to realize that they had not simply traveled to some unknown land south of the Equator, but rather to an entirely new world. And it was that knowledge that broke him and made him turn away from God and the Church.

Despite being a mere priest with no high rank in the Church, Ranulf has proven to be Patriarch Marten's equal with the power of his black faith. His new devotion to the dark powers that sustain him now has been rewarded, and he is the high priest of the new, blasphemous church of darkness. He holds masses in mockery of the Christian mass, and he plots the downfall of the new Meterran kingdom. His ultimate goal is to see the faith of the Europeans and the Ramai destroyed as his was destroyed, and for the kingdom to embrace the same despair and apostasy that has engulfed him.

In some ways, Ranulf is a tragic figure, but he does not seek redemption or absolution; he seeks destruction. As such, his is the most prominent on the lists of bounties offered, though none have been able to find a trace of the Apostate, much less attempt to collect.

Q is for Quibber

"Quib! Quib!"

It is a sound that puzzles those who hear it for the first time, and terrifies those who have heard it before.

"Quib! Quib!"

In the depths of the Devil's Playground, a group of adventurers, secure in their strength and capabilities, entered a strange chamber. Though they were deep underground, they appeared to be in a forest at twilight, trees stretching as far as they could see.

"Quib! Quib!"

Though the walls of the chamber were invisible, they were nevertheless still there, preventing the adventurers from going far into the forest. But they soon discovered that the walls were only barriers to them...

"Quib! Quib!"

Out of the forest they came, misshapen creatures with four legs, long snouts, and dazzling tails that spun around in a strangely hypnotic pattern. Vicious and hungry, the creatures swarmed the adventurers, some of whom were dazzled by their flashing tails and were unable to defend themselves. Before they could be stopped, the creatures dragged one of the adventurers away, into the forest...beyond the walls the men could not see or cross. As they dragged their hapless victim out of sight, the last remnants of his dying screams mingled with the incessant noises of the creatures...

"Quib! Quib!"

Other adventurers have reported seeing these creatures in the depths of the labyrinth; the name 'Quibber' rapidly came into common usage. While they are not individually powerful, they do not attack as individuals; they hunt in packs, and use their flashing tails to gain an advantage over their prey. And now, reports have reached the Royal Rangers that the quibbers are no longer confined to the depths of the Devil's Playground. Deep in the hills and forests of Meterra, travelers sometimes hear the constant refrain, the harbinger of doom...

"Quib! Quib!"

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The quibber was the first new monster I ever created for D&D. I never found it necessary to create new creatures, as there were so many of them in the game already from official and unofficial sources. But when I began the Meterra project several years ago, I decided that I would start creating new creatures. Some would be related to whatever new rules I was adding to the game as I went through its history; some would just be cool ideas I came up with; the third group was to fill in gaps on the encounter tables. The quibber was in both of the last two categories.

As you will see from the gaming stats, the quibber isn't a particularly powerful creature; it was designed as a level II monster for the AD&D encounter tables, a level that is lacking variety. I included quibbers in one of the stories in The Devil's Playground anthology; the outline above loosely follows the plot of that story. And yes, they are the creatures on the cover of the book, as seen below.

My teenage son, who is heavy into fantasy and D&D, read the book last year, and the story that made the biggest impression on him was the one with the quibbers. In fact, he wants to play D&D with me, but is terrified that I'll drop quibbers on him and his friends. So, quibbers are officially my favorite new monster in all of D&D.

If you're an old-school gamer, or you like converting old stuff to newer games, here are the stats for the quibber.

QUIBBER

FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 2-8
ARMOR CLASS: 6
MOVE: 12"
HIT DICE: 2
% IN LAIR: 30%
TREASURE TYPE: I
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d6
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Dazzling tail
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Semi-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S (4' long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
  Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
LEVEL/XP VALUE: II/28+2/hp

The quibber is a four-legged beast with a short snout and a long, dazzling tail. The tail spins with a hypnotic pattern, causing any who observe it to make a saving throw vs. paralyzation or be unable to act for one round. Quibbers are carnivorous, and hunt in small packs. Their name refers to the sound they make as they attack, 'Quib! Quib!' They live in underground lairs, most often found in the hills and dungeons.

P is for Patriarch Marten

Patriarch Marten, along with King Eadric, is the most important person in the Kingdom of Meterra. While Eadric is the secular ruler of the land, Marten is the head of the Church in Meterra. As such, his word is virtually law, and even the king will not dismiss his words lightly. He is a good, devout and holy man, beloved by not only the Europeans, but the Meterran natives as well.

Born in Brussels as a third son to a poor tailor and his wife, Marten showed quick wit and strong piety as a child. Through the encouragement of his parish priest, he entered seminary at the age of 13 and soon discovered not only a love of the Church and Scripture, but also a knack for dealing with Church politics. This knack enabled him to rise quickly in the Church hierarchy, and he was ordained as a Bishop before his thirty-fifth birthday. 

He served as the bishop of a small Belgian diocese before being assigned to a new posting: Jerusalem itself. This posting was a tremendous reward for his piety and ability, and Marten was determined to live up to the Pope's expectations. Accompanied by a small army of crusaders and knights from across Europe to ensure his safety, everything went well on the trip to the Holy Land...until the transportation to Meterra and a new beginning for the Europeans.

At first, Marten believed they would soon find a way home from this strange land. But events proved otherwise, and the realization that they were in an entirely new world was an utter shock to the Europeans. Instinctively, they turned to their bishop, who was himself trying to adjust not only to the new world they found themselves in, but also the sudden discovery that his prayers now received instant and tangible results. As the Europeans began accepting their fate, Marten was recognized as the head of the entire Church in this new land. There were those who suggested that he take the title of Pope, since they were cut off from Rome, but Marten refused, choosing a different honorific that had ties to the Church back home.

Now, Patriarch Marten works along with the king to help settle the European refugees in their new home. He is the titular head of the Order of the Holy Cross, although he wields no weapon and is no fighter. He avoids anything to do with the Arimore Academy or its headmaster, although at the king’s personal request he no longer denounces the Academy as a breeding ground for evil in his sermons. He still distrusts magic, although he does understand, on some level, that the magic of Meterra has a more naturalistic origin, which will be explained in a later post. Nevertheless, he has excommunicated several Europeans who have discovered that they have the seed of magic within them and deigned to begin studying at the Arimore Academy.

O is for Order of the Holy Cross

“This world is not the same one as before, because it is so much more dangerous. It is clear that God has chosen us, his true Knights, to defend this land and its people as if they were our own. Indeed, they are our own now. So, the Knights of the Holy Cross, armed with God's power as we are, will lead this new land to the truth of God's teachings, and bring these hellspawn creatures to their deserved fate.” Anselme, Knight of the Holy Cross.

The Christian priests who accompanied Eadric's armies from Earth were in a state of shock upon their arrival, as their entire philosophical and religious understanding of the world was completely overturned. However, they never lost their faith in God, and they continued to teach the faith and minister to the needy. They would have remained in this supporting role had it not been for what happened shortly after the Arrival.

Dark magic was unleashed by unknown forces, and the dead rose from the graves and began to prey on the living. Skeletons, zombies, ghouls, vampires and others creatures from the blackest pits of a fever dream began ravaging the lands, and the knights who defended the realms were powerless against their dark energies. Even the wizards could do little to stop them. Only the power of faith proved to be their undoing, and a few brave priests accompanied adventurers in an attempt to stop these creatures.

When they proved successful in driving back the forces of darkness, King Eadric commissioned a new religious order, the Knights of the Holy Cross. These men were both warriors and priests, wielding the might of God against forces too strong for mortals to defeat, and fighting hand-to-hand against other, less infernal creatures. Unlike the other knights, however, the Knights of the Holy Cross refused to use swords and other bladed weapons; it was forbidden by God, said the priests, and the King reluctantly agreed. Since then, adventuring clerics have joined up with adventurers in their efforts to protect the realm.

***************

Of course there are clerics; it's a D&D world, after all. But these clerics aren't your basic priests, or monks from monasteries; these are knights similar to the medieval orders such as the Knights Templar and the Hospitallers of St. John. As one online personality described them, they were a combination of priests and Navy SEALS. Tough in a fight, but with the power of faith to back them up.

Tomorrow, we'll meet the head of the Order, and the leader of the Church in Meterra.

N is for North Coast

Alright, this one is a wee bit of a cheat, but I'm going to talk about a few different places in Meterra along the northern coast of the kingdom.

Bottomless Cove: At the western end of Trytals Bay lies the Bottomless Cove, beneath a cliff face several hundred feet high, and dropping to nearly a thousand feet below sea level. There is one known sunken ship down below, the Waverider, which sunk a century ago.

Burning Isle: Unlike the other islands in Trytals Bay, the Burning Isle is formed from two active volcanoes that ward off ships. The volcanoes have been relatively dormant for the past century and a half, but their activity has increased lately. The island is slowly growing as lava flows down the island to the cooling waters. It is, as far as anyone knows, uninhabited.

Crab Island: The largest of the Bay's islands, Crab Island is home to thousands of creatures such as giant crabs. The shores are too rocky to settle, and few humans ever go there.

Crystal Marsh: This smaller marsh is far more pleasant than its eastern counterpart. Fed from the Drepess Lake and the Hanith River, the Crystal Marsh is home to a few dangerous creatures such as crocodiles, giant toads, huge spiders and others.

Dorencester: This town lies on the shore of the Drinoss Sea deep in the Dragihl Forest. Logging and fishing provide most of the economic sustenance. Although they are fairly isolated from the rest of the kingdom, they are fiercely loyal, and equally independently-minded. A mixture of Europeans and Ramai, Dorencester is home to 3,000 people, all of whom are ready to fight to defend their homes.

Dragihl Forest: This forested region stretches from the Drepess Lake's northern shore to the shore of the Drinoss Sea and Trytals Bay. It is bordered on the west by the Laughing River, and marks the westernmost reaches of human habitation. Few humans live here, however, as the Dragihl is home to the elven people and other creatures of the forest.

Drinoss Sea: This sea is similar to the Mediterranean Sea of Europe; across its depths, to the north, lies a desert coast, home to tribes of nomads and an ancient culture that fell long ago. The Drinoss is a windy, wild sea that has claimed many ships.

Green Isle: Of the major islands in Trytals Bay, this is by far the most pleasant. With rolling green hills and a sheltered shore, the Green Isle is home to half a thousand people. They are both fishers and farmers, and keep to themselves.

Hobert: This town lies on the western shore of Trytals Bay, near the Crystal Marsh. A fishing town, it has also grown since the Arrival, though not nearly to the extent of Everton. Hobert is a town of 4,000 people, and is also known for its many apple orchards that surround the town.

Ogesh Cay: This is the smallest of the major islands in the Trytals Bay. It is home to two fishing villages, and is also covered with sandy beaches. Little grows on the island, and outside the villages nothing else lives there.

Trytals Bay: These sheltered waters provide safe harbors for many ships. There are several islands in the bay which have been thoroughly explored. Kiralt Island's southern shore marks the edge of the Bay. There are several shipwrecks dotting the bay, some of which are rumored to be laden with sunken treasures.

M is for Martefello

Halfway through the challenge! So far, so good.

The capital city of Meterra is now called Everton. However, three years ago it was called Martefello, a name of obscure origins that the Ramai do not remember. The city is built atop the ruins of at least two previous long-dead civilizations, and has apparently been settled, on and off, for at least five thousand years. When they arrived, the Europeans renamed it Everton and claimed it as their new capital city. For the most part, the Ramai had no objection to the new rulership; they had suffered for years from attacks from various humanoids, but the disciplined and hardy European Knights were the best protection they had yet seen. However, there are always some malcontents who dislike change, and there have been rumors of some Ramai who are not at all pleased with the new status quo...

Today Everton is a growing city of 10,000 souls, including some elves, dwarves, and halflings. While not exactly cosmopolitan, it is certainly the busiest town in Meterra, with merchants arriving both by land and sea from the surrounding lands. While the king's court is here, the city itself is run by a Lord-Mayor and a City Council. King Eadric does not involve himself in the day-to-day affairs of the city unless he is directly asked.

The city is surrounded by a curtain wall with four gates. Within the walls the city is divided up into several sections, although only one of them, the Noble Quarter, is itself walled off. The other quarters are divided up by the main streets that run through Everton. The center of the city holds the Market Square, the busiest part of the city. The northeastern Quarter is the Docks, which is a rowdy and busy area.

Some of Everton's most notable buildings include:

Arimore, the Arcane Academy: The only magic school currently operating in Meterra, it has been a place of great magical research and learning for a century. The recent forays into magical learning were stifled by the church, who saw it as an affront to God; practicality won the day, however, as the magical creatures that threatened the kingdom had to be opposed by an equal force. The head of the Academy is, of course, Larcullus Martellos, who has been the Academy's headmaster for the past decade.

Chapterhouse of the Holy Cross: Recently constructed, this is the headquarters for the Order of the Holy Cross in Meterra (I'll describe them in a couple of days). It consists of an austere stone barracks and a training hall, along with a small chapel and stable, surrounded by a low stone wall. Few members of the Order are here on a constant basis, as most of them serve as itinerant priests, wandering the land.

Howlester Fort: The central military base in Meterra is the Howlester Fort, a forbidding and bleak fortress being constructed of black basalt from the Onun Mountains. At the moment, it is a motte-and-bailey, wooden fort with a small keep and several barracks. However, construction on the stone fortifications has nearly completed, and there are two barracks fully built. It is home to over 400 soldiers and their leaders, under the command of Baron Sir Marten du Lacque. Their drilling and parade ground is immaculately kept despite any weather, and the troops are the elite of all the kingdom.

The Jolly Manticore: A run-down tavern in the docks region of the city, this building caters to the lower classes. Fights are not uncommon, and the city watch tend to leave the place alone. It is run by Ceston Merritus, who has hired four toughs as bouncers. The food is of average quality at best, and the drinks are definitely watered down. But they’re also cheap.

What few people know is that the Jolly Manticore isn’t owned by Ceston; he is merely the manager, and his primary duty  is to keep the place run-down to discourage the authorities from taking too close a look at the place. Since this is also the headquarters of the Shadow Guild, that would definitely be an unwelcome intrusion. All thieving activities in Everton are either run out of the cellar of the Jolly Manticore, or are done by rogue thieves who will be hunted down by the Guild and dealt with, one way or another.

The Lion: The Lion is known as the best inn in all of Meterra. Catering to over fifty guests every day, its kitchens rival those of the royal palace in reputation, and the inn's quality commands the highest prices. Its proprietors are a husband and wife, Anselme and Lucinda. Both former adventurers, they chose to retire after achieving a small fortune, and they built and ran the Lion since its founding twenty-five years ago.

The Shady Berry Inn: This inn is not nearly as impressive as the Lion, but it caters to a more common clientele, particularly adventurers. It is located near the southern gate of the city, and is often used as the rest stop for adventurers who have escaped the Devil's Playground and seek to dispense of their treasure. The Inn is run by a man named Garthon, a retired mercenary soldier who hangs his battle axe in plain sight to discourage foolishness. Garthon does not tolerate thievery in his inn, although brawling is more common and accepted...right up until the weapons are drawn. In that case, Garthon has a loaded crossbow at hand, and he will shoot first without bothering to ask questions.

St. Mary's Cathedral: The heart of the Christian faith in Meterra, St. Mary's Cathedral is, like the other important buildings of Everton, under construction. It has already reached a height of sixty-five feet, and is expected to have a two-hundred-and-fifty-foot steeple when completed. There is a smaller wooden church that was built within two years of the Arrival, where masses are said while the cathedral is being built. The head of the church is Patriarch Marten. He has a dozen lesser priests who do most of the masses; the Patriarch usually says mass on special holidays, or when the royal family is present.

Next to the church is a small home, recently built, home to the young sage Ivelin Bullen, a European scholar who was part of Bishop Marten’s party before the Arrival. Since the discovery of the Devil’s Playground he has found a new focus for his studious energies, and has been given permission by the Patriarch to set up his library on church grounds, on the basis that information on the Devil’s Playground is a matter of great concern for the Church. He sometimes hires adventurers to seek out information on the Devil's Playground. He will offer discounted rates to adventurers who bring him such information, especially those who bring books and scrolls to him.

Talverton Palace: The home of King Eadric and his wife, Talverton Palace is a small palace that has been undergoing constant construction since shortly after the Arrival. The keep has expanded in the past year, adding a second tower and a throne room/banquet hall. The third curtain wall has been completed as well. King Eadric and Queen Ellisabeth dwell here, along with their two children. The queen's younger sister, Esmeralda, also lives here under the protection of her brother-in-law.

As you can see, Martefello/Everton is still a work in progress, both in-world and in my own mind. There's quite a bit going on, though. I'm including a map of the city; it's incomplete, but it gives the general layout and notes the important buildings. There are a few on the map that I didn't mention above; those are game-related, and I do need to keep some secrets.

L is for Larcullus

Meterra is a land that greatly resembles the south of France. Similar climate, similar geography, and similar plant life. But it differs in one very, very significant way: Magic. Not the superstitious kind familiar to the medieval culture, but actual magic, manipulation of natural forces in a way impossible for our own world. In Meterra, there is a place where the manipulation of these forces is taught to a select few. That place is the Arimore Academy. It's headmaster: Larcullus.

Larcullus, a native of the land, took to magic at a young age and was sent to the Academy by his modestly wealthy family a year earlier than is customary for students of the mystic arts. He has never been the adventurous type, seeing magic as more of a tool than a weapon, and preferring the excitement of the alchemical lab to the thrill of exploring underground caverns.

Larcullus is the eighth headmaster of the Arimore Academy. He wields a magical staff, though he rarely uses its powers, relying more on his own magical abilities to deal with problems. Nevertheless, it is well known throughout the Academy that the headmaster’s staff wields great power, though the students do not know the details.

He has now been at the Academy for over fifty years, and some students believe he will always be there. He is the most accomplished wizard in the kingdom, or at least that is the public story; Larcullus himself believes that there are other, more skilled wizards than himself, though none live in Everton itself.

Larcullus has paid little attention to political matters, for he dislikes them. However, he is the primary advisor to the king on all matters mystical. He ignores religious disputes, focusing on teaching and researching. He believes that Eadric will be a good ruler for the kingdom. He did know Queen Ellisabeth’s father rather well, as they worked together for several years before Arturus’ death at the hands of the dragon. And while he rejects the life of adventure, he was instrumental in assisting Eadric and his fellows in defeating that same dragon.

Not much else to say about him; every magical story needs a wizard, and Larcullus fits the bill. He's not a Dumbledore clone; I grew up with Gandalf, Allanon, and Belgarath as my wizard archetypes. He's still a behind-the-scenes character for the most part, although when gaming, he'll be a mentor to any wizard characters.

K is for King ?????

I don't really see a way around this, so consider this entire post to be a spoiler for the first book of the Chronicles of Meterra. If you plan to read it, don't read this post until you do. If you have read it, then you know who I'm talking about. This post and the next two will be detailing some of the most important characters in all of Meterra, all of whom will be introduced in the first book, Arrival.

Okay, so...Meterra is a kingdom, which means it has a king. It didn't at first; the Ramai natives didn't have a king, just local and tribal leaders. After the Europeans arrived, they became the default government for the entire region, seeing as how they had the military might to defend the land and plenty of nobles who would qualify for a royal office. But only one of them really earned the position.

Eadric, the son of a minor English nobleman, was one of the many younger sons of European nobility who set out on the grand crusade to free the Holy Land. However, Eadric’s natural leadership qualities came to the fore after the Arrival. With the blessing of Bishop Marten, Eadric rallied the knights and the common soldiers together to secure the borders of this new land from the dangerous monsters that roamed the wilderness.

Upon their arrival in the only real city of Meterra, Martefello, Eadric was introduced to the town’s leader, Arturus, and his daughter Ellisabeth. While his military duties did not allow much time for courting, Eadric saw the advantage in allying himself with the respected Arturus, and sought Ellisabeth’s hand in marriage. When the dragon attacked Martefello, Arturus was one of the victims of the attack. With the help of others, Eadric was able to find the dragon's lair, where it was recovering from the wounds it had suffered when it attacked Martefello. After Eadric slew the dragon and his sword was infused with the power of the dragon’s lifeblood, Eadric proclaimed himself King of Meterra with the bishop's blessing, married Ellisabeth and named her Queen, and dubbed the town ‘Everton,’ naming it the capital of the new kingdom.

Eadric is a good man and a strong king. He leaves the day-to-day affairs of the city to the council, and focuses his efforts on protecting the entire kingdom by building up a military force and constructing fortified strongholds. He is a faithful son of the Church, and brooks no religious dissent within the kingdom. Crown Prince Osmund Arturus, his son and heir, spent much of the past year with a mysterious illness that was very nearly fatal. Fortunately, a band of adventurers discovered that he was suffering from an unusual curse inflicted upon him, and were able to cure him. And, in October, Queen Ellisabeth gave birth to Princess Aveline, named after Eadric’s mother.

Eadric has one area of contention with the bishop: Magic. His sword is a testament to the power of magic in Meterra, and while the majority of the Europeans, nobles and peasants alike, distrust and fear magic, he has recognized that it is an important factor in this new land that must be harnessed for the good of the people. He has allies in this, of course; the native population have quite a few hedge wizards among them who have a naturalistic, almost scientific bent to their magic. Eadric doesn't like the magic himself; he trusts his skill at arms more than the powers of sorcery, but he does not condemn it outright. It remains to be seen if his attitude will spread or remain his own.

J is for Jon o' the Pipers

So far, I've introduced some history, a protagonist, some geography, some monsters, a legend...but no villains yet. And what is a fantasy setting without villains? Well, here's one of the worst Meterra has to offer.

While Meterra is not known as a seafaring nation, merchant ships do travel to and from the docks at the capital of Everton. Unfortunately, there are always those who seek to prey upon merchant vessels. Some seek glory and renown as rogues and rakes, such as Falston the Magpie. While merchants don't particularly enjoy his visits, at least they receive decent treatment from him, paying a ransom in exchange for their freedom. But there is another pirate lord in the seas near Meterra that merchants fear more than the devils of the sea.

 Jon o' the Pipers is a full-blown pirate, a man of no morals or remorse. He takes few prisoners, and those he does take are sold into slavery. He rarely captures ships, preferring to merely rob them of their treasure and sink them. There is a substantial reward awaiting the ship's captain who can bring Jon in to the authorities...or his body, if necessary. He is believed to have a hidden base in the Evergloom, but no one has dared to look for it yet.

Jon's ship, the Hellfish, is distinctive; aside from the green flag with the crossed lightning bolts, his hull is painted black, and his sails are dyed red. His crew, known as the Rattails, are just as bloodthirsty and greedy as their captain. None, however, is foolish enough to challenge Jon; he is a deadly swordsman, and more than one crewman has found himself spitted on the end of the captain's blade for his poor judgment. The Rattails are loyal to Jon mostly out of fear, but also because he is very successful.

Meterra's nascent navy is comprised of only a dozen or so ships, none of which are strong enough on their own to take on a pirate crew, especially one as seasoned as the Rattails. Under the command of Lord Renicus Bonshoms, a Ramai native who spent most of his life at sea before the Arrival, the Royal Navy is drilling hard to get themselves ready to take on the scourge of the Meterran seas.

Jon has yet to appear in a Meterra book, but that will change at some point. I've always loved stories of the Age of Sail and the naval engagements, so a pirate encounter would be fun to write about. And there is nothing redeeming about Jon o' the Pipers; should someone burn his ship to the waterline and throw him to the sharks, the only tears shed would be for the lost reward money. In a gaming campaign, he would make an excellent recurring nemesis, one the players would be eager to take down at the earliest opportunity.

I is for Iknath

Although Meterra has a very strong connection to the medieval Christian Church, it also has a mythical history from before the Europeans arrived. And the Ramai have their own historical and legendary figures to talk about around the campfires. The greatest of these tales is the legend of Iknath.

Harken now to the tale of the greatest hero of legend, the mighty Iknath. 

Iknath was born in a village lost to the mists of time. He was taller and stronger than the other boys, though he was a kind and gentle soul, never using his strength for ill purpose. As he grew, he became a blacksmith's apprentice before his ascension to manhood. Strong enough to wield the greatest hammer, Iknath soon exceeded his master in skill and strength.

A simple man, Iknath was content to live his life as a simple blacksmith, but fate had a different plan for him. As he grew up, Iknath fell in love with the maiden Atalia, a beautiful girl whose parents would not allow her to marry a common blacksmith. But Iknath pursued her with great zeal, never ceasing to woo her.

But one day, as Iknath sought to speak with Atalia's parents once again, a tribe of grends swarmed into the village, pillaging and looting without remorse. Their battle standard was the fearsome clenched, bloody fist, their leader a one-eyed and battle-scarred horror with the blood of an ogre coursing through his veins. As they fell upon Atalia's farmhouse, Iknath roared in anger and fought back with his bare hands, his great strength crushing the skulls of his enemies before him. But even Iknath's might was of no avail as the grends destroyed the farmhouse and killed Atalia's family. Wounded by many swords and holding her broken body in his arms, Iknath's gentle nature turned to wrath, and he watched through unshed tears as the grend marauders disappeared into the west. He took the bloody ribbon from Atalia's hair and wrapped it around his wrist as a talisman.

Iknath returned to his ruined shop and grasped his hammer. Its handle was six feet in length, its head a twenty-pound block of solid steel. Gripping it in one hand, Iknath swore an oath of vengeance upon the grends and began his journey to the west.

He traveled for days until he encountered a tribe of grends. He did not recognize their tribal standards, but he fell upon them, killing several with each blow of his mighty hammer. The few grends who survived his attack ran away, and Iknath continued on his journey. He found several other grend tribes, who met the same fate as the first. But he sought in vain for the clenched, bloody fist that had fluttered over the body of his great love.

After a lengthy pursuit, Iknath found the object of his quest, a tribal standard of a clenched, bloody fist. They had heard of his rampage against the other tribes, and were prepared for his arrival. A palisade of stakes barred his way, and a thousand grend warriors with spears and swords stood before him. Undaunted, Iknath strode into battle, swinging his mighty hammer with unbridled fury against the evil horde. Hundreds fell, even as Iknath was pierced by many spears and swords. Iknath fought on throughout the day, his body refusing to give in to his wounds, his rage unsated while even a single grend stood before him.

Finally, as the sun fell in the western sky, Iknath saw the one he sought. Battered and bleeding, he stood before the mightiest grend chief, the one-eyed and battle-scarred half-ogre. Hefting his mighty hammer for one final battle, Iknath shouted his defiance, and the two warriors clashed for the final time.

The battle lasted for hours. Iknath swung his hammer with a strength undiminished, but the cunning and experienced grend warrior avoided the mighty blows as he circled his weakened opponent. Iknath refused to give up, his rage driving him onward. Blow after blow was struck, but the grend chieftain was made of stronger mettle than his underlings, and he shrugged off the powerful strokes of the hammer.

As the dawn caressed the eastern sky, Iknath felt his mighty strength ebbing, and he knew his time was almost done. But he continued to fight on, driven to see his foe crushed beneath his hammer. But his foot slipped on a patch of bloody grass, and he fell to the ground, his hammer falling from his grasp. The grend chieftain seized a spear and thrust it into Iknath's belly, and the great warrior was pinned to the ground in mortal agony.

Howling in triumph, the half-ogre raised his sword for the final blow. But the blow did not fall, as Iknath tore the spear from his own belly and stabbed it into the grend's unprotected heart. Feeling death approach him, he picked up his hammer for the last time, and as the grend fell to his knees, mortally wounded, Iknath raised his hammer once more and brought it down with all his remaining strength atop the head of his foe. As the grend fell, so did mighty Iknath, still grasping the hammer that had slain a thousand grends.

Since then, many warriors have sought to find the location of the great battle, and to recover Iknath's hammer. But to this day, no one has ever found either one. Some question if the tale has any truth to it at all. Perhaps we will never know. But as long as men huddle around the campfires in the wilderness of Meterra, the tale of Iknath will always be remembered.

H is for Holmfirth

This small town is the major halfling settlement in the Kalurst Hills. It is well-defended, boasting several guard towers and a small curtain wall. The halflings are a disciplined, military group who are friendly, but do not suffer fools well. The town's mayor is Robinia Longfoot, a stout woman whose cherubic face and smiling manner hides the warrior underneath. The halflings of Holmfirth and the surrounding villages are experts at farming in the hills, and also herd goats and sheep.

Yes, there are halflings here. Because it started out as a D&D campaign world, and there have to be halflings. It's like mountain ranges; they're going to be there, so just accept it. I haven't introduced them in the books yet, and I haven't decided if I will. They can be there without showing up in any of the writings, after all.

So, what makes these halflings different from bog-standard D&D halflings? They're not sneak-thieves, for one thing. The archetypical halfling in gaming is great at sneaking and gets bonuses to Dexterity and thieving abilities. And they suck at being fighters, limited to 4th level in the original rules and the 1e Players Handbook. So, pretty much every halfling ever played in D&D is either a straight thief or a fighter/thief, because that's the only way halflings can be useful in the game.

Further, halflings as envisioned in D&D have always been homebodies, rural folk who avoid adventuring and danger. Adventurers were seen as not right in the head, straight out of Tolkien. Either that, or they go the way of Dragonlance halflings, aka kender, the most annoying creatures in the known multiverse except for Dragonlance gnomes.

Well, my halflings are a bit different. Sure, they're still good at the thieving stuff, especially the sneaking around. But that's not their main focus. The halflings of Meterra are warriors. They have to be, considering their neighbors; greedy dwares tot he east, grends, goblins and ogres surrounding them, and worse critters coming down from the mountains to the south. So, they use their innate sneakiness to its best advantage. They are, essentially, experts in guerilla warfare. Strike hard, strike fast, no mercy. Sounds like they'd fit right into Cobra Kai, doesn't it?

But they are noble spirits, with a strong sense of honor and courage in battle. They get along well with the Europeans, who have a similar martial code, although the halflings of Meterra have no problem with sneak attacks, ambushes, and the like, especially when defending their villages. Holmfirth is the largest of the halfling villages in the Kalurst, but it's not the only one. And while they don't have a central government like the humans do, the halflings of Meterra are quick to work together in the face of greater threats.

What Does Meterra Look Like, Anyway?

It's easy to make a list of made-up fantasy names, and it's easy to put them on paper in something vaguely resembling a map. It's another to just start rambling on about those names and expecting people to be able to visualize what you're talking about.

So, I've decided to include a map of Meterra for people to admire. Okay, it's so you can see where these various places are that I've been talking about. Not everything on the map will appear in this blogging challenge, but I'm trying to hit the highlights.

Therefore, behold the land of Meterra, circa 1175 AD.

I created the map on Campaign Cartographer 3 a few years back. It was my first attempt at a campaign map, and it worked out pretty well. It's not perfect, and I haven't really had (or taken) the time to get much better at it. But it serves its purpose.

And no, it's not necessarily in conformity with real-world geographical features. That's me not knowing how these things work in the real world, and making up what seemed cool and neat to me at the time. And yes, I know about the rivers. I didn't at the time, but I do now. And I'm not reworking the entire map to fix them at this point. I'm happy with them; if I do another campaign map, I'll do them better. But for Meterra, this is how it is.

G is for Grend

I was going to talk about the Gleaming River, but after two consecutive geographical entries, I decided to switch things up a bit. Besides, I haven't introduced any of the creatures of Meterra. So, here are the grends.

When the Europeans first arrived in Meterra, they believed they were back in Europe; the landscape certainly didn't match the Holy Land, although no one was able to place just where they were. Their first indication that they weren't in Europe either was their encounter with the grends.

Grends are humanoids with gray skin, black greasy hair, and slightly elongated arms. Their beady green eyes glow with an eerie light, and their faces are drawn and thin. They could pass for human in only the dimmest light, or with their faces covered. Their voices are sibilant, almost snake-like, although they bear no other reptilian qualities to speak of. They are tool users, reasonably intelligent, and eagerly vicious in battle.

Grends travel in tribal bands, ravaging and pillaging when they can, fighting amongst themselves when they can't. Their social structure is barbaric, with the strongest leading the tribe and the weakest reduced to menial work, or killed outright for the amusement of their betters. In battle, tribes disintegrate into wild pockets of fighters, every one focused on his own fight, even to the detriment of other grends. Even with other tribes, they make temporary alliances at best, with both sides seeking advantage over the other. When a greater threat appears, such as an army of crusading knights, grend tribes won't even consider working together to face the threat.

Despite their chaotic and unruly nature, grends are hardy and fearsome fighters, easily a match for any soldier, or even a knight. And while they will fight on their own with no consideration for their fellows, they will rally to their tribal leaders if hard-pressed. If a leader falls, however, the tribe is just as likely to withdraw from the battle to select a new leader from the survivors as they are to continue the original battle.

Grends worship tribal spirits, and some have been granted semi-divine abilities, including some minor spellcasting ability. These grends are tribal shamans, well-respected amongst their fellows. And while they cannot match the power of Ramai wizards or the divine power of the Christian priests, they are cunning and deadly in battle, with absolutely no mercy or sense of fair play.

Grends are omnivorous, willing to eat just about anything, although fresh meat is their dish of choice. They are not cannibals, however; grends will never eat their own even in the most dire of circumstances.

For gaming purposes, grends are effectively my replacement humanoids for orcs; orcs are too Tolkien for my taste, and I wanted something a bit different. Grends are able to crossbreed with humans, although it is exceedingly rare for it to be a voluntary pairing; the resulting child is basically equivalent to a half-orc but with less pig-like features and instead having an aura of 'unrightness'. It's not something easily defined, but those who are fully human sense the taint on their souls, and tend to shun them; hence, half-grends have a lower maximum charisma (just like half-orcs in the original AD&D game).

And I'm going to include 1st edition stats for the creatures of Meterra, in case some old-school gamers want to use them in their own campaigns. Here are the grends:

FREQUENCY: Common

NO. APPEARING: 30-300

ARMOR CLASS: 6

MOVE: 9”

HIT DICE: 1+1

% IN LAIR: 35%

TREASURE TYPE: Individuals L; C, O, Q (x10), S in lair

NO. OF ATTACKS: 1

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8 or by weapon type

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

INTELLIGENCE: Average (low)

ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil

SIZE: M (6’+ tall)

LEVEL/XP VALUE: I/20+2/hp

Grend leaders range from 2 to 5 hit dice, fighting as well as human fighters of equivalent level. Any magic items owned by a tribe will be in the possession of either the chief or the shaman (if the chief is incapable of using it, such as a scroll or wand). Shamans can use magic items restricted to clerics and magic-users without any penalties, although they have the same restrictions as human characters do (command words, proficiency, etc.).

In other respects, grends are similar to orcs as described in the Monster Manual, including choices of weapons and how their lairs are set up. Including their occasional partnership with ogres.

F is for Forbidden Peaks

Of course there's a huge mountain range. There's always a huge mountain range.

These mountains, the eastern reach of the Onun Mountains, are tall, treacherous, and deadly. They earned their name because of the many who have attempted to cross or explore them, only a scant few have returned, with tales of horrible creatures and deadly rockslides.

So, what makes these Forbidden Peaks different from all the other Forbidden Peaks in fantasy lands? Aside from the active Byss volcano, which houses a dragon's lair, not a lot, I suppose. But that volcano is where a great battle was fought, a battle that made a king.

But these mountains house other secrets, secrets that even the wisest of sages or the most learned magicians do not know. An ancient lost city lies somewhere in these mountains, a city that was lost before the Ramai ever came to this land. Who knows what lost lore might be found there? Perhaps some adventurers could survive the treacherous mountains and find out.

No one in Meterra knows what lies beyond the Forbidden Peaks; they are an impenetrable wall, separating Meterra from the rest of the continent. Another mystery to unravel in the future.

E is for Evergloom

The Evergloom was the most feared place in Meterra until the Devil's Playground appeared. A vast swamp extending for over a hundred miles, it is home to countless deadly creatures from myth and legend. Aside from the expected denizens of a swamp such as crocodiles and leeches, the Evergloom is also home to hydras, will-o-wisps, enormous insects, spiders and snakes, and even carnivorous plants and trees that have been warped by some malevolent force.

It is not known why the swamps of the Evergloom are so hostile; the Crystal Marsh on the eastern side of the kingdom is far less dangerous. The learned have speculated that there is some dark magic in the Evergloom that has corrupted what was once a pure, clean land. However, no one has ever been able to discover is this speculation is accurate, as few survive a trip deep into the swamp.

The authorities suspect that the Evergloom is home to another form of deadly creature: Two pirate lords are believed to have established bases at the northern end of the Evergloom, though this has not yet been confirmed. If it is true, rooting out these pirates will be a monumental task, as Meterra's naval forces are as yet little more than a small squadron of patrol boats, insufficient to fend off experienced pirates. Time will tell if the Navy will become a force strong enough to overcome them.

Other rumors about the Evergloom include tales of a temple to a long-forgotten frog-god, a swamp dragon's lair, and even an entire sunken city, lost in the distant past. Of course, these could all be fairy tales or rumors spread by charlatans seeking to excite the gullible. On the other hand, no one knows for sure...

There is one more thing to note about the Evergloom: It is growing. Not slowly over the course of centuries, but rapidly enough to notice. A few weeks ago, the small town of Lundy was fifteen miles from the edge of the swamp; now, it is less than ten. The terrified citizens of the town have sent word to the capital, pleading for the king to stop it. Fortunately for them, there is a man in the king's employ who knows the Evergloom better than most, and who may have the courage to go into the swamp to find the cause of this unnatural growth. But Bartinus Faltor hates the Evergloom...

D is for Devil's Playground

For years, stories have been told in Ramai homes and around the campfires of tribal encampments of dangerous creatures and places in the land of Meterra. Terrifying tales of the Evergloom, warnings of the deadly dragons and giants that inhabit the Forbidden Peaks, and stories of the deadly Aehr trolls have served as warnings to children for generations.

But in the past year, those tales have paled beside the horrors of the Devil's Playground.

In the Year of Our Lord 1174, three years after the Arrival, a lonely shepherd boy witnessed an explosion of earth and rubble in a field only a few miles from the capital city of Meterra, Everton. In the wake of that explosion, the terror-stricken shepherd watched as creatures from the darkest nightmares emerged from the ground below and began devouring his flock. Escaping, he warned a nearby group of knights of what he had seen. Without hesitating, Sir Holbert and the knights rode forth to confront whatever evil awaited them, while the shepherd was sent on to Everton to inform Sir Holbert's superiors.

Upon being informed, the Bishop sent a second group of knights, led by Sir Alcide, to the site. What they discovered there was nothing less than a manifestation of Hell itself. The survivors dubbed the cavernous tunnels below 'the Devil's Playground'.

This horrible place was filled with both nightmares and wonders; soon, word of this place spread, and those who were bold, or foolhardy, sought to make their names within by slaying the creatures within...and escaping with the fantastic treasures that were rumored to be there. But the Devil's Playground was not a mere labyrinth full of monsters...

The Devil's Playground proved true to its name very quickly, for in its depths even the rules of nature seemed to be altered to suit its inhabitants. Corridors and passages would appear different depending on which direction one was walking. A passageway that climbed upward for a hundred feet would continue to climb even when retracing one's steps. Corridors would curve in one direction or another, but observers who turned around saw a long, straight hallway. Exploring the ruins became more a matter of survival than anything else, as the underground environment itself seemed to be against the Meterran adventurers. The thick air seemed to resist or reject the light of torches and lanterns. Their movements felt sluggish, and exhaustion would quickly set in after only an hour underground.

Ancient doors would be swollen in their frames, making them difficult to open...then they would close as easily as the gates of the city. Sometimes, they would close of their own volition, even if they were spiked open. On at least one occasion a party of adventurers were surprised by a patrol of hobgoblins. The sole survivor of that group said that the hobgoblins had surprised them because as the party passed a door they could not open despite their best efforts, the hobgoblins on the other side burst through it with no difficulties at all and caught the adventurers off guard.

Finally, another group of adventurers, badly beaten in their attempts to explore, noted that when their torches went out during the battle, their opponents had no difficulty in seeing them, even though those enemies were human themselves! Other reports have confirmed this, and after much consultation and prayer, the Church has determined that Chaos is very strong in the Devil's Playground, and servants of the light must be very cautious in their endeavors, because the dungeon itself is against them.

One of the common features in the Devil's Playground are tapestries and mosaics of historical battles. At least half of these battle depictions have been identified as world events from the European's history (the battles of Thermopylae, Hastings, Salamis, etc.) prior to the 13th century. However, one of these tapestries depicted a battle fought by the current king of Meterra shortly before his coronation, the famous Battle of the Dragon in 1172, where the king, along with his companions defeated the great fire dragon of the Byss Volcano. Despite the recency of the battle, the tapestry appears to be hundreds of years old. Scholars have speculated that the Devil's Playground exists in a different form of time, though even the most learned scholars of magic are at a loss to explain how such a thing is possible.

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Yes, this is a classic 'megadungeon' in the old-school role-playing sense. I wanted to do something different from the usual 'crazy wizard built a castle that fell apart and has a dungeon under it'. Further, I wanted to explain the strange rules of old-school D&D, which include the weird things described above: doors slamming shut but opening easily for enemies, monsters that can see clearly despite a lack of light, low radii for light sources, and frequent rest stops. It was often stated in old-school D&D that the Dungeon Master was opposed to the players, rather than being a neutral referee. It's an unfair advantage, but it's how early games were often played. The DM would still play fair, but he was playing with house money.

For those who are interested in learning more about the Devil's Playground and what sorts of things can be found therein, I wrote a book about it. It's an anthology of linked short stories that take place in this nasty place, where knights, wizards and holy men find themselves in all sorts of strange predicaments. Some of them even make it out alive. But not all.

The Devil's Playground is a sequel to Arrival, and can be found at an Amazon website near you. It's available in e-book and paperback formats. The cover art for both books is by Alex Lechev, who can be found on Fiverr under the alias 'TheGreyGhost'. And yes, the scene on the cover does take place underground. How? You'll have to read it to find out, because I ain't telling.