Golm

The mighty continent of Golm has been witness to much of the most sordid history of Eldreon. It is the birthplace of the dwarves, the adopted homeland of the elves, and the home of two of the most powerful human empires in history - both the oldest and the youngest. Beyond the reach of the so-called civilized peoples are vast regions ruled by nomadic human tribes, orc clans, goblin and hobgoblin kingdoms, and still more monstrous things. To the south the great Kadeshi desert dominates nearly a quarter of the continent, and beyond that lies the Durnauc subcontinent.

Due to its immense size, Golm is generally spoken of as three parts - Northern Golm, from the borders of the elven lands to the Frozen Sea; and Southern Golm, which include elven Thanduilin and all lands below; and the subcontinent of Durnauc beyond the Kadeshi desert.

Northern Golm (Main Article)

Recently home to the empire of Oban, after it fractured and fell during the war with the elves it's northern province of Kulmar has become the preeminent power in the north, due in no small part to the unity provided by their devotion to the Father, a deity who claims to be the rightful god of all humankind. Oban's former heartlands (called the Obansul, or Children of Oban) have recovered greatly since the Empire's downfall several hundred years ago, though a strong anti-elven sentiment still runs through the populace.


Further north lie the Aulgrodd mountains - the sovereign realm of the dwaves - and the cold Northern Kingdoms, a deceptively unifying name for these fractious, often-warring peoples, whose blood runs so much hotter than their homelands.

Inland of the rich coastal lands, the varied Valsarian tribes are at constant war with all neighbors, whether they be Kulmar or the Obansul, elves, or hobgoblins, orcs, ogres, and still less wholesome things. Only the dwarves escape their blades, and in fact often work with them to curb invasions from hordes of aggressive humanoids.

Southern Golm (Main Article)

A land of extremes, the south of the continent holds the lush jungles and plains of Thanduilin and the empty deserts of Kadesh. Kadesh itself was perhaps the first great human empire, fed from the rich waters and fertile floodplains of the Illeyn River. Kadesh's glory faded ages ago, however, and its former provinces - which comprised nearly all lands of the south - long ago ceased to pay so much as lip service to their sovereignty. Mirem's jeweled cities have pretensions of their own power, and the fierce hill fighters of Haljuk and Brin ambush Kadeshi merchants as often as each others. Beyond the mountains and southern jungle, the lands around Golapoor are concerned with their own troubles, as dark things have begun to emerge from the shadows beneath the canopy.

North of the desert and east of the elven lands lie the vast steppe regions, inhabited by all manner of creatures and constantly shifting petty kingdoms. Finally, on the eastern coast sit several cities inhabited primarily by humans, oases of sanity on a long-forgotten shore at the edge of the world.

Durnauc (Main Article)

 Beyond the gnoll-prowled wastes of the eastern desert, the lands of Durnauc cling to one of the more remote and inhospitable regions of civilization, kept alive as much by their own tenacity as by the steady trade for their gold and precious gemstones from more comfortable lands.

Dwarven Religion

The gods of the dwarves are peculiar in that they seem devoted in particular to the dwarven race, and rarely attract the worship of others (with Childa a notable exception). Even in primeval times, before the birth of the mortal races, the dwarven gods kept largely to themselves. Largely concerned with their own matters, they ignored and were content to be ignored by the other divine beings.

Brigga (Lawful Good)

Venerated as the chief deity of the dwarves, many outsiders forget (or never learned) that Brigga is not the wife of the other (traditionally male) chief deity, Aulgren: Rather, Brigga is Aulgren's mother (and mother of many of the other dwarven gods). She is the Keeper of Tradition, a god of wisdom, lore, and law.

Aulgren (Lawful Neutral)

The Maker, son of Brigga and progenitor of the dwarven race with his now-deceased wife. Aulgren is a god of architecture and masonry, and to a lesser extent all crafts as he is recorded as the inventor of them all.

Addi (Neutral Good) - Deceased

Once the dwarven god of fertility and family, she was murdered by her brother Chadribal due to the deceit of the evil deity known as the Slayer. Her death is regarded in popular myth as the reason the dwarven race reproduces so slowly.

Nazgrim of the Gates (Lawful Good)

Aulgren's brother, the dwarven god of war and patron of soldiers.

Korkhum (Lawful Good)

The Delver, god of miners, quarryers, and prospectors. He is also revered by those who explore the subterranean depths, for his knowledge of stone - and anything that lies beneath it - is unmatched.

Childa (Lawful Neutral)

Childa is a god of coin and commerce, and unlike the other dwarven gods is a favorite amongst merchants of all races, where she competes with other similar gods for devotion.

Chadribal, the Shamed One (Chaotic Neutral)

Always envious of his sister's popularity both with the dwarven race and with other deities, Chadribal was tricked by the evil Slayer into murdering her in a jealous fit. His shame at the act has driven him mad - he escaped justice at the hands of his peers and escaped into the cosmos where he still roams mindlessly. Aulgren has built an inescapable prison for the day his wife's killer is eventually apprehended.

The Slayer (Neutral Evil)

A mysterious and malevolent entity that has bedeviled the dwarven race and their gods since the beginning of time, little is known for sure about the Slayer - even its name is lost. Some myths make him out to be Aulgren's brother, or half-brother (or sister), driven by jealousy at Aulgren's prestige. Many dwarven priests are loathe to consider the Slayer a part of the divine family of their progenitor, and deem the Slayer instead as the original creator and god of the goblins, who have similarly troubled the dwarves for their entire history. Despite his crimes, some dwarves invoke the Slayer as a God of Grudges and Murder.

Ohlen (Neutral)

A nature deity "borrowed" from the elves soon after the two races came into contact, Ohlen is called the God of the Living Rock and Old Man Mountain. In some small measure, worship of Ohlen has taken the place that Addi once filled in dwarven religion, which is respect of life and adulation of the natural world. However, Addi was never truly a nature deity, and thus Ohlen represents something new in dwarven worship.

Deities of Eldreon

(Due to the sheer complexity of creating a bunch of interrelated pantheons and lots of godly backstory, the various pages on Gods and religion will be under development for a long time).

Divinity is the essence of the eternal. There exist some being who began as divine entities, the so-called Primordial deities, and there are those few beings both mortal and non who have managed to acquire a measure of divine power - the Ascended. As a being gains divine power it can claim dominion over certain spheres of reality and can then grant a measure of that dominion on to its priests.

Throughout the history of Eldreon gods have been worshiped, either alone in devoted cults or as pantheons of organized religions. The personalities, causes, and concerns of the gods are as varied as their followers, and some of the most destructive periods in Eldreon's history have come as a result of their feuds.

Here you will find a list of the chief deities of Eldreon, as well as links to more thorough descriptions. The information listed here is a compilation of the "common knowledge" of the learned of Eldreon. Note that the grouping here is a scholarly one and the gods are not listed in terms of how they are worshiped - for details on pantheons, see the Religion page.

Known Primordial Deities

The Primordials are a varied bunch, as might be expected of ageless beings spun out of the fabric of the cosmos itself. Some of them are active deities highly interested in the affairs of mortals - others are aloof, and rarely intercede personally on behalf of their worshipers. Still others seem more akin to powerful, nearly-mindless natural forces than thinking beings, and barely acknowledge their worshipers at all.

Following is a list of deities whom are generally accepted to be true Primordials.

Asmodeus (Lawful Evil)

Lord of the Pit and the foremost power in Hell, Asmodeus was one of the beings most instrumental in bringing about the current order of the cosmos. His worshipers are structured into rigid hierarchies and tend to have a fanatical respect for authority and rank - though just as in Asmodeus's home the Pit, behind the scenes are a multitude of ambitions, plots, and conspiracies meant to advance the interests of a few at the expense of the many. Asmodeus retains his authority due to his ability to thwart and punish all attempts to strip it from him - a circular bit of logic that is echoed throughout the places where he is worshiped.

The Triarch (Lawful Good)

Three gods form the celestial authority known as the Triarch - the Archate Lords Makeal, Kabrael, Athael. They rule in Zenith, the most strongly Lawfully-aligned realm in Heaven and the direct counterpart of the Pit. Unlike in the Pit, however, Zenith is a realm of utter harmony and jealousies and rivalries are unknown amongst the Archons who call it their home. The Triarch themselves are the exemplars - perhaps even the source - of this harmony. They are always worshiped as a unified whole, though mortals often cherish one Archate Lord in particular for various facets of their nature: Makael as a god of martial strength; Kabrael as a god of knowledge; Athael as a god of reason and diplomacy.
 

Mortrom and Oros (Lawful Neutral)

Gods of Law and Punishment. Mortrom is the god of Pure Law and judgement, while Oros is his complimentary god of punishment and earned torment. There are certain heretics who claim that these are really two sides of the same god, but in general they are worshiped as individuals. Worshiped in some form by most races (with orcs a notable exception).

The Dwarven Gods (Varied)

 Though known to be Primordials, the Dwarven gods are not often worshiped by other races of Eldreon (save for the goddess Childa, beloved of all merchants). For more information on them please see the Dwarven Religion page.

 

Kiagon (Neutral)

The fury of nature, personified. Kiagon is a god of the full power and destructive potential of natural forces, barely kept in check by intellect and always teetering on the edges of control. A favorite deity of druids and rangers the world over. Many dragons worship Kiagon as their divine ancestor. Kiagon itself rarely makes its will known, and indeed rarely seems to have plans of any kind.

Felathren, the Mother (Neutral Good)

A goddess with many guises, she is variously depicted as a beautiful woman in the bloom of pregnancy, an armored warrior woman, a towering oak tree, and a bouquet of tall interwoven flowers with the sun behind them. She is a potent goddess of fertility and protection.

Hadrold the Fieldfather (Neutral)

Hadrold is a god of agriculture and the humble home. He is worshiped by most of the civilized races in some form, though especially by humans and halflings. Halflings revere him as one of their primary gods, and some of their creation myths identify him as their father, who wooed the wandering goddess Cyaile and produced the halfling race.

Cyaile (Chaotic Neutral)

God of travel, exploration, adventure, and freedom. Cyaile is the erstwhile wife of Hadrold whose wanderlust often tears her from his company and sends her out amongst the infinite cosmos. Hadrold waits patiently for her return each time. Though a neutral god, Cyaile has a particular hatred of slavery and her devotees can often be found working against slavers and any state that supports them.

Seranas (Chaotic Neutral)

A deity of dream, mystery, music, chaos and possibility, as well as containing a distinct streak of hedonism. Seranas is an enigmatic deity who rarely seems to have discernible motives. The beliefs, personalities, and ambitions of her followers influence the aspects of her worship nearly as much as she influences them.

Finn (Chaotic Good)

Lord of Joyful Battle, Finn is often depicted as a hulking red-haired man wearing plate armor and wielding a greatsword. Even in the midst of the most dire battles, against the most sinister of enemies, Finn possesses a feral delight in the contest. He is an energetic god, delighting in taking up good causes. He is a close ally of Byrin, though their widely differing temperaments cause some friction between both them and their followers.

Byrine (Lawful Good)

The Heavenly Crusader. Byrine is a warrior goddess who opposes evil with single-minded focus and utter mercilessness. There is very little humor about Byrine. She is the closest godly ally of Zenith and the Triarch

Akallin (Chaotic Neutral)

Akallin is Finn's brother, and like Finn loves battle and conflict. Unlike Finn, he cares little for any cause, whether benevolent or cruel. He cares only for the trial of combat, the more brutal and demanding the better. He is known to adore challenges and duels, and both he and his followers seek out strong foes to defeat.

Dariel (Chaotic Good)

Heaven's Assassin. Dariel was once a Chaotic Neutral trickster god. Not technically a god of assassins, his worship nevertheless always included an element of carefully and cleverly applied violence. Due to his incredible cunning, he was known as one of the most dangerous forces in the cosmos. Sometime after the mortal Tessa became a goddess, Dariel fell in love with her. At first she refused him due to his often violent nature and neutral stance, and he eventually allied himself with the side of Good in order to win her over.

Vuul (Neutral)

A god of the unknowable depths, which includes the sea. Vuul shares much in common with Kiagon – and indeed, some of Kiagon's priests even claim the two are part of the same divine family. Vuul, however, is even less concerned with the affairs of mortals than Kiagon is and very few individuals claim to be its priests. Though not necessarily worshiped, Vuul is revered and honored by all races that live close to the sea.

Arrosh (Chaotic Neutral)

Another sea god, but in contrast with Vuul Arrosh is very much involved with mortals. Arrosh is a temperamental god, but his power over the sea is greatest of all the gods. He is widely interpreted to be the god of the depths, as opposed to his sister Arrond, goddess of the shore and the coast. With her he is worshiped amongst both elves and even more so by the drecna.

Arrond (Chaotic Good)

With her brother Arrosh, Arrond is the goddess most worshiped by mariners and those who live near the coast. Her brother's power is the greater, but he is also less likely to respond to the pleas of his servants – whereas Arrond loves all those who love the sea, and tries to intercede for them with her brother. She is one of the favored deities of the drecna, who often claim to be her children.

Hayaiph (Neutral Good)

A deity known best in Southern Golm, Hayaiph is a God who treasures purity, the natural order, and harmony. Her servants are devoted enemies of the undead and extra-planar interlopers.

Ascended Deities

Bel-Kari (Neutral Good)

Goddess of prophecy, divination, and foresight. Bel-Kari was a mortal elven woman, an oracle who helped guide the initial elves to their new home in Thanduilin. Her prophecies so overwhelmed her later in life that she went blind, seeing always the shifting mists of the future. Upon her death she ascended and was immediately reborn as a goddess. She resides in Elysium in her Starhall, and strives to protect the fates of all good creatures. Though originally an elf, she has a following amongst good-inclined magic users of many races.

Tessa (Neutral Good)

The Reluctant Warrior. Once a mortal woman and a cleric of a now-forgotten deity, Tessa lived during a time of great strife. She was a leader within her nation and was famous as a healer, but also for taking up the spear of a fallen warrior against enemies of her people. When her god fell, Tessa was forced to fight all the harder as her nation had been amongst the primary benefactors of his power. When she died, she united with her old god's power – hidden away by his deific allies – and ascended as a full goddess. She later become the lover of the god Dariel, and helped to bring him to the side of good.

Cruxin (Chaotic Evil)

A god of bloody vengeance and torture. Cruxin was a man who lived under the ancient Kadeshi Empire. Born into a tradesman's family, somehow his father made enemies of a local minor noble - who took it upon himself to enact sundry cruelties against Cruxin's parents and kin, which steadily escalated from petty to heinous. With the government uninterested in aiding a poor man against one of their own, his father was eventually executed and his mother enslaved, and then the noble's attentions moved on to Cruxin himself, who fled to a distant city. There he married and started a family - but his tormentor pursued him and subjected his new family to the same sadism. His children enslaved and his wife killed, Cruxin finally succumbed to death himself - and became a god seemingly from the power of his hatred alone. It is often rumored that the fall of the Kadeshi Empire is due in no small part to Cruxin's wrath.

Aphaeos Indarae (Chaotic Good)

Once a half-elf from the continent of Anador, Aphaeos was the greatest mortal musician to have ever lived. A devoted follower of Seranas in life, he traveled the world seeking new kinds of music, composing for every people and every society and every creature he came across. Songs he created are sung in elven halls under the stars, among orc tribes in battle, by dwarven miners at their work and drecnan mariners at sea, and even in the temples of the Father of Humankind. In an effort to bring music even to the deaf, he is credited with the creation of symphonic light, the art of using shifting kaleidoscopic arrays of color to bring some of his joy to those who can not hear. So great was his worldwide acclaim and adulation that upon his death he became a god, nearly supplanting Serenas herself in the sphere of song and some other forms of artistry - but his former deity held no grudge for the usurpation.

Urgat Ironhand (Lawful Neutral)

A half-orc raised among the orc tribes of Greater Liria before the Sundering, he learned to make his way amongst that brutal people by virtue of his intellect and guile. However, he was eventually exiled by a chief who viewed him as a threat - but knew his popularity was to great to simply slay him. Urgat lived for some time among humans, then among dwarves, learning a vast amount of engineering knowledge - and more importantly, about law and government. When he got older, he engineered enormous semi-magical golems. Then he returned to and conquered his former tribe, setting himself up as the chief and law-giver. He taught his tribe something of civilization, law, and structured society. After his death, enough of it did to give them an edge over their neighboring tribes - as well as the neighboring Drecna. Thus, Urgat's memory is despised by the mariner people. His tribe held him in great adulation for showing them new meanings of strength and conquest, and thus he attained a measure of godhood.

Other Deities

Not all deities have so clear a history as those above. For one reason or another, there exist gods who origins are shrouded in mystery and uncertainty.

The Father (Lawful Good)

The Father is a very active Lawful Good god who - though his religion originated in Kulmar - claims rightful dominion over all humankind. Clerics of the Father don't get along well with clerics of gods which attract a lot of human worship – though they have no problem with the gods of other races. Some nations outright forbid clerics of the Father from entering, while in Kulmar itself, the Church wields considerable political power. This faith has strong ties with dwarven religions, as the gods of the dwarves rarely compete for the worship of humans. The Father has always claimed to be an original and Primordial god who - with his wife, a now-lost goddess - created humankind. This is disputed by other sources, however, including famously by Asmodeus himself, who claims that the Father is an Ascended god - and ascended fairly recently. For this reason as much as for their conflicting natures, the Lord of the Pit is the most hated enemy of the Father.

Verasch (Neutral Evil)

A divine spirit of fire and destruction, and one of the only gods to make its home on the Material Planes (within the Plane of Fire). Verasch attracts worhip from those who desire power over all else, even if they can't always control it; and from psychotics who wish only to destroy. Dragons who tend towards evil also frequently worship Verasch. While his history is poorly known, Verasch himself makes no claims to his priests about his true nature as primordial or ascended and is seemingly unconcerned with the distinction.

The Gods of the Dark Tapestry (Varied)

Liria

Not exactly a wild continent, nonetheless Liria has vast regions where no human, elf, or dwarf roams. The reason for this is as simple as a single word: orcs. Scholars the world over will admit that while the origin of the orcish race is unknown, due to their sheer numbers it is likely that they come from Liria. Only the fact that they war so often with each other keeps them from dominating everything around them, for if they were all united under a single leader than surely no power on the continent could stop them. As one moves west across Liria, populations become fewer and farther between, and only one nation exists in the far west - Braga, the fortress city, more commonly known throughout the world as Mighty Braga.

The drecnan people had their own origins in Liria, but were driven off the mainland by the orcs after centuries of warfare. They resettled across the straits on several large islands, for the orcs are powerless to cross the wall of water in the face of drecnan mastery of the sea.

Nations of Liria

Arim

The great power in Liria, the Arimites have several times had imperial ambitions, but always seem to be held short of greatness. The last time they seemed on the verge of bringing the settled lands of Liria under their sway, the vast armies of the Obanese Empire arrived at their shores. Now that Oban has fallen, Arim finds itself competing with Kulmar for who shall be the true power of the next age. Also constantly under threat by orcs from the northern forests, Arim's armies are some of the most disciplined in the world.

Ilkane

In Arim's early history, when it was devouring its neighbors to all directions, a large orcish horde swept out of the forest and began to crush Arimite holdings. The Arimite King rallied his armies, depleted from years of conquests, and went to meet the horde - despite the knowledge that they did not have the troops to beat them back. At the final hour, the full strength of Ilkane appeared and turned the tide. In a meeting following the battle, the Ilkanite King said he would "never choose an orc over a man, even if that man is my enemy." The Arimite King immediately swore that so long as Arim remained a free kingdom, so too would Ilkane.

Saldemire

The last king of Saldemire died hundreds of years ago, and their throne has remained empty for a long time due to the machinations of Arim. The Saldemiren nobility would now not likely accept any ruler above them, content to rule their provinces and fight little wars amongst themselves. Each time Arim has had ambitions of bringing Saldemire into the fold, Kordrae, Konacht, and occasionally other neighbors band together to prevent it. "When the Saldemirens kneel" is Lirian slang for something that will never happen.

Konacht

A prosperous kingdom notable for orchestrating the founding of the only dwarven hold in Liria, Konacht's Kings - and therefore, their people - have a reputation for ambition. They are also a great naval power, and are one of the foremost forces patrolling the nearby Sea of Stones against piracy. It is rumored that the Saldmiren nobles pay tribute in order to extend these patrols to their own shores. Konacht's prestige is aided in modern times by being the birthplace (though not the current residence) of Torvald, the greatest living wizard in all Eldreon.

Kordrae

Along with their neighbor Konacht, with whom they share culture and language, Kordrae possess a large naval fleet which they use to retain some measure of trade against the competition of the Belshiran Federation in Ottrunval. Indeed, the Belshirans complain that the Kordraen navy engage in piracy as often as they combat it, as the Kordraen King is constantly thinking of new tolls and taxes to levy against any Belshiran ships his navy can catch. It is said that before long the situation will surely come to open war.

Doneal

Nestled as they are between Arim and the countless savage orcs of the northern forests, Doneal has never in its history known peace. They survive by clinging to the mountains and using their unmatched mastery of ambush tactics and tough fortress settlements. It is not uncommon for Donalese mercenaries to be found elsewhere in the world, plying their hard-won skill at guerrilla warfare for foreign gold.

Chadreal

Much maligned by their northern kin in Doneal, who regard them as soft and fat, Chadreal is certainly a nation which enjoys its comforts. Famous for its bards and storytellers, the Chadralese make good use of the relative safety they enjoy due the blood of others. Many ambitious young Chadralese head north to Doneal and help fight the orcs there, hoping to win fame and join the companies of Donalese mercenaries which fetch such great prices overseas.
 

Kuth Niren

An ancient conqueror from the lands now called Kordrae and Konacht managed to chase the orcs off a gigantic swathe of the interior. Upon his death he bestowed half his realm upon each of his two favorite children - his daughter Niren and his son Goren. As her realm was the northernmost, Niren's inheritance became a warlike kingdom - and due to Niren's interest in magic, her armies came to blend steel and sorcery into a deadly fusion of technique. The war colleges of the Nirenese possess secrets of battle magic that they do not share with anyone save their own soldiers, who are forbidden to pass it on.

Kuth Goren

Free of the pressure of orcish invasion, the Gorenese instead concern themselves with the politics of humankind, forever involved in one scheme or another to secure a port along the coast so as to increase their wealth. Goren is also notable for having one of the largest populations of halflings of any other nation, who find Goren's geography of little woods and soft rolling hills very pleasant.

Braga

Far to the west, at the very tip of Liria, lies Braga. With no neighbors to come to their aid save the occasional helpful fleet of the drecna, Braga stands alone against the constant orcish raids and invasions. On each side of the mountains the way into their lands is guarded by layers of gates and walled passes which grind invaders down before ever getting within sight of the huge fortress city of Braga itself. Every invader that does manage to get that far has been beaten back, often with complete loss. Even dragons, attacking across the sea from Verrath, have been punished for their audacity. Bragans claim - perhaps not without justification - that when the world ends, Braga shall be the last city to fall.

Ottrunval

The continent of Ottrunval was named by the dwarves, who discovered a strange, mystical path between Golm and this new land deep below the earth, through places where the Elemental Plane of Earth lies coterminous with Eldreon allowing stable passage between the two. As a result, Ottrunval is the second great home of the dwarven people, with many great holds nestled within the mountains of the land.

Nations of Ottrunval

Rivettia

One of the old holdings of the Obanese Empire, Rivettia was a popular destination for the tens of thousands of refugees fleeing the elven invasion of the empire. As such it is now a populous land with a strong anti-elven streak, which until fairly recently was enshrined into law. Those laws have now been rescinded to allow lucrative trade with the elven nations, but seeing an elf anywhere but the largest ports is still very rare.

Doruun

The people of Doruun have a culture and language distinct from their neighbors. It is no longer remembered where they originally came from, but it is certain that the people are not truly native to Ottrunval. Regardless, the Doruunites have thrived in their adopted homeland, and they rival the Belshiran city-states for the trade that plies the Sea of Stones.

Belshiran Federation

A loose league of cities united by a common culture and the desire to remain free of foreign invasion, each Belshiran city-state is an independent entity. Their wealth has been built off a dedication to trade, and the language of Belshi has become known throughout the world as a result, often being the only language merchants from distant lands have in common.

Brimspout

Technically a part of the Belshiran Federation, its landlocked status meant Brimspout required a dedication to something other than trade. Fortunately for them, the hills and mountains nearby have vast stores of iron and other ores. Smelters and blacksmiths are so common they gave the city its current name, and its true name is practically forgotten.

Athekor

Perhaps the oldest human culture and kingdom of Ottrunval, the Athekorians were the first people the dwarves discovered and befriended. The lore learned from the arriving dwarves gave Athekor a powerful lust for knowledge, and the Royal Library is one of the most sought-after places of learning in the world.

Geresaad

Caught between the powerful kingdoms of Athekor and Encarn, Geresaadians are best known for their struggle to remain under their own rule; a struggle at which they have had varying degrees of success over their history. Geresaadians are also remarkable for having a much larger number of sorcerers and naturally gifted magicians amongst their number, which many scholars attribute to some source of mystical power from out of the dense and trackless Vurkane Forest.

Encarn

Encarnites are currently the preeminent military power of Ottrunval, and have at certain times in their history project hegemony over much of the continent and parts of Liria as well. Their borders with Geresaad and Athekor are well marked, but to the west there is no check on their ambitions save the rebelliousness of the many towns and settlements in the vast, poorly settled expanse of land; as well as the various violent hordes of humanoids that roam it. Despite this, the sheer power of the famed Encarnite Cataphracts has ensured time and time again that while the hinterlands may suffer, the heartlands remain safe. With the pressure from the clerics of the Father out of Kulmar, Encarn has increasingly identified with its traditional Pantheon instead and a powerful new faith has grown out of the old ways.

The Common Races of Eldreon

Like other RP settings, Eldreon is home to many different intelligent peoples. Below you will find short descriptions of races eligible to be chosen as PCs, as well as links to further info.

Humans

Humans are fractious, energetic, relatively short-lived, and populous. Many distinct nations are ruled and primarily inhabited by humans. They can be found throughout the world of Eldreon.

Halflings

Halflings are the short cousins of humans. The last independent halfling nations ceased to exist many centuries ago, and they now identify generally with the human nations where they live side-by-side in varying degrees of harmony with taller folk.

Elves

A long-lived race with an ancient civilization, the elves have some far-flung settlements but are concentrated in the elven homelands of Thandolin, where several mostly-autonomous nations are united under the authority of the High King. There are also many elves living within the borders of other nations.

Dwarves

Originally hailing from the mighty northern mountain chain of Golm, in ancient times the Dwarves discovered the mystical underground roads that let them colonize the mountains on the distant continent of Ottrunval. Once a race in decline, of late the Dwarves have experienced a resurgence - gaining ground and repopulating once-abandoned holds. Despite this, the seat of the Great Thane - rightful chieftain of all dwarves - remains empty; as it has been for over a thousand years.

Drecna (original race)
Main Article

Native to northern Liria, the Drecna were driven from their homelands hundreds of years ago by the many marauding orc tribes of that region. Famous for their skills of navigation and sailing, a sizable portion of their civilization was able to escape over the sea and establish several nations-in-exile. Due to their somewhat brutish looks and prominent sharp teeth, Drecna are occasionally called "Sea Orcs," a misnomer which they passionately hate.


Half-elves and Half-orcs

Both half-elves and half-orcs exist in Eldreon, with the same traits and troubles that their counterparts in Golarion possess.

World Map of Eldreon

This is the current world map of Eldreon. It is likely that additional landmasses will be added in later iterations, but the major continents should remain as you see here.

Golm (Main Article)

The Old Land, which contains the oldest nations of elves, dwarves, and humans.

Ottrunval (Main Article)

One of the ancient battlegrounds of the war between dwarves and elves, Ottrunval is generally regarded as more vibrant than Golm and more cosmopolitan than Liria.

Liria (Main Article)

A land many still call wild, southeastern Liria is densely populated and fairly prosperous. To the north, however, countless orc tribes - and worse - hold sway both in the eastern forests and western mountains. The drecnan nations have their home-in-exile on the islands off the northwestern shores.

Verrath (Main Article)

The northern continent is sparsely inhabited by the civilized races and is primarily the domain of the dragons, whom are more common here than anywhere else in the world.

Anador (Main Article)

A poorly-explored, wild land. Only the elves visit here with frequency, for they have an ancient kingdom in the eastern forest of the continent, established during the golden age of their people and never abandoned.

Race: Drecna

The drecna are an intelligent humanoid race standing only slightly taller than humans on average, with skin that ranges from a deep gray to a very light greenish-yellow. Their skin tends to be wrinkly and rough, and they possess sharp teeth. Their ears are not prominent nor pointed. Generations of storms and salt-spray have made the drecna a hardy people, and they tend towards lanky physiques which are suited for scrambling up the rigging of the ships they call home as often as any city.

For race attributes and other build info, click here.

The drecna are a people in exile, as their true homelands on the continent of Liria were overrun by orcs many hundreds of years ago. There were three main migratory groups that fled the homeland at different times, and these groups form the basis for the modern drecnan nations.

Ragouti

The nation of Ragouti is comprised of the descendents of those who abandoned their homeland the earliest and settled upon the nearby island of Hith. The civilization they built is the largest and most prosperous of the drecnan nations; Ragouti merchants can be found in every major city in the world.

Gadra

The founders of Gadra were the second group to leave their homes. They share the mighty island of Hith with the Ragouti, and having arrived second were forced to settle upon the lesser share. This has given them a powerful wanderlust and Gadran sailors are some of the most daring explorers Eldreon has ever known. Due to the knowledge gained in these travels, the capital city of Gadra is home to the greatest library of alchemical knowledge in the world - and thus to the greatest alchemists.

Utenvar

The third and final group to flee the invading orcish tribes, the drecna of Utenvar are descended entirely of the ancestral nobility and their retainers. As their desperate last stands gave the other drecna the time needed to assemble their households and flee, the Utenvar were granted a mighty fortress home by the Ragouti when they first arrived upon the shores of Hith. This gratitude soon wore thin, however, and now the Utenvar are often looked down upon by their wealthier kin. Possessed of a grim hatred for the orcs, the Utenvar are the most militaristic of the drecnan nations, and still dream of the day when they might reclaim the lands they once ruled.

Languages

In the old Drecnan Republic, there were two languages: Common Drecnan and Court Drecnan, also known as Natcheda and Creeunthir respectively. Nearly all drecna speak Natcheda, whereas only the Utenvarrians stubbornly keep Creeunthir alive.

Culture and Government

Ancient drecna was a republic with a hereditary military aristocracy. Civil authority could only derive from an election, and this belief is so ingrained in the drecna that there was never a historically successful coup attempt by the martial class. This republic survives in various forms amongst the three nations: In Ragouti a vote must be purchased for each election and any single person may only have one, and thus large "sponsored" voting blocks backed by wealthy merchants are the norm. In Gadra votes may also be purchased, but any ship's captain with a crew of at least ten also possesses a vote by right. In Utenvar every blooded warrior can vote, but certain forms of hereditary right also exist.

Once in the past the Ragouti nation attempted to lay claim to the overlordship over all drecna, but an unusual alliance between Gadra and Utenvar put a quick end to that. The Utenvar were angry at the attempted usurpation of what had been their ancestral position in the Republic - the Gadra simply had no wish to bow to anyone's authority. In the treaty that followed, all three nations agreed that the past was dead, and that no nation or family could lay claim to the authority of the Old Republic until their homeland had been reclaimed.

Racial Attributes

Race-Wide Traits:
All drecna, regardless of nation, possess these traits

Ability Score Racial Traits: Drecna are hardy and dextrous, but are often fractious and have quick tempers. They gain +2 CON, +2 DEX, and -2 WIS.
Size: Drecna are Medium creatures and thus receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Type: Drecna are humanoids with the drecna subtype.
Base Speed: Drecna have a base speed of 30 feet.

Offensive Racial Traits: 
Weapon Familiarity: Drecna are proficient with all light weapons and any weapon with "boarding" in the name.
Defensive Racial Traits:
Toxin Resistant: Drecna gain a +2 Fort save bonus to checks made against diseases and poisons.
Up the Rigging: Drecna gain a +2 racial bonus to climb checks.
Feat and Skill Racial Traits:
Born Mariners: Drecna gain a +2 racial bonus to Profession(Sailor) checks.


Cultural Traits
Drecnan characters choose one nation they originated from and receive the corresponding traits.

Ragouti:
Eye for a Deal: Ragouti drecna recieve a +2 racial bonus to all Appraise checks, and appraise is always a class skill for them.
Industrius: Ragouti recive an extra skill point at character creation. This skill point must be spent on a Profession skill.

Gadra:
Sailor's Stories: Gadran drecna get a +2 racial bonus to Knowledge(Geography) and Knowledge(Nature) checks and these skills are always class skills for them.

Utenvar:
Mandatory Training: Utenvari drecna gain EITHER the Improved Unarmed Strike OR the Weapon Focus feat at level one. If they choose Weapon Focus, they start with whatever weapon they have chosen free of cost.
Payback: Utenvari drecna gain a +1 racial bonus to attack and damage rolls against any creature with the orc subtype.
Poverty: Utenvari start with only half the usual amount of gold for characters of their class.