Lanethan Q & A (Archived)
Archived from a forum post on ye' olde msremake site in the mid 2000's, it has been edited for formatting and to encourage smoother reading. Thothie also provides some additional answers toward the second half of the page.
First Lanethan Q & A
J-M v2.5.5
All the lore you could ever need, and all the lore I could ever find 
J-M v2.5.5 asks:
What's the background info for currently existing maps? And were they all part of the original lore?
Lanethan
Well, most of the map descriptions I've already done, but I will answer the second part of that with a definite No. A lot of maps got made without my input at all (which is frankly the way I like it), so in general I will only have concrete answers to questions relating places that I created originally.
Edana
Lanethan
Edana's lore was written shortly after its inception. We knew we wanted the players to start in an out of the way, small mountain town. We added the sewers map later as a low level dungeon alternative to the thornlands as a gameplay area, but it also opened up quite a bit regarding the history of the town from my perspective. The way I have it right now:
Edana is a thriving frontier community built around the temple of Urdual, a structure that was in that spot predating the great human empire. In the old ages (for lore buffs, approximately the same time period as when there were no apostles), there was a rather sizable human and dwarven city called Attan. Attan was swallowed in a catastrophic series of earthquakes and landslides, and lays beneath the rock and soil that Edana now stands upon. Their Temple of Urdual was spared, as well as bits and pieces of the upper layers of the city. The Edana Sewers are remnants from the old city of Attan, hence why they don't seem to "fit" with the small frontier town.
Sfor
J-M v2.5.5 asks:
The haunted forest: What does the "s" in "sfor" signify? And what's with the whole Undamael business in this place?
Lanethan
I can't recall the elvish name of that forest, but I made one up a long time ago. For the sake of argument I'll say its probably lost too, so I'll just make a new one now: Eswen Mallan, "The Forest of Winter's Shadow" Looks like the original Elvish name was "Eswen Meldanual", but I still can't find the meaning... I had it a week ago I think. Ah well.
The s in sfor stands for "Spooky." Obviously I didn't have my hand in naming the map file, otherwise it would have been called something else (an elven name, likely). Undamael does have a storyline, one that I wasn't particularly included in creating but I remember most of it: Lord Undamael was a human wizard/king who established dominance in this realm sometime after the old ages (i.e. post "Attan" but pre "the war with Lor Malgoriand" ages), but his general Calrian revolted against him and in the ensuing magical battle the entire area was cursed, and its totally undead-land around there. Charthane was Undamael's hall, Calrian's Tomb is self explanatory.
Thornlands
J-M v2.5.5 asks:
The Thornlands: Is there supposed to be more to this map than a wide variety of training spots for low levels? And where did the name come from?
Lanethan
Thornlands was originally known as A3 when we were developing maps with a grid-based naming system. I came in and named the place, but beyond that had no hand in the lore. I chose Thornlands because, as a high-plains type of environment, thorny bushes abound. Note the Waygate in the caves (that big ol' stone portal thing): Part of an Old Ages teleportation road, long since deactivated. In the design documents for Era of Legends, when players finally got the chance to return to Daragoth, it was to be through this gateway, and after climbing out of the caves they would discover Daragoth to be a post-apocalyptic wasteland. I don't think this timeline is related to MS:S's ideas, though, but just for reference.
MS Caves
J-M v2.5.5 asks:
The dark caves: For ages now, people have wondered what's supposed to be behind that weird metal door in the western part of the caves. Where does it go?
Lanethan
Hmm, I'm not sure which door you are referring to here. My connections map has the Dark Caves connecting to.. Gate City, and the Goblin City. If another door exists, it's likely something the mapper put in on a "just in case" basis or perhaps as part of a plan that wasn't brought to fruition.
Helena
Lanethan
This map was created mostly to have a great setting for town-siege combat with Orcs. Its history is extremely short, it's pretty much a nearly brand-new frontier settlement to bridge the gap between Deralia and Edana.
Calruin
J-M v2.5.5 asks:
The Calrian ruin: Who is Calrian? Who is Garonhroth? Why are they so evil?
Lanethan
I already mentioned this above in the sfor section. Garonhroth has no lore (though he is known as "The Blacksmith" right? Something to work with there if someone wants to.) And all undead are twisted, evil creatures in the MS universe.
Challs
J-M v2.5.5 asks:
The Halls of Charthane: Did I spell Charthane correctly? Who/what is Charthane? Why are these halls all broken and wrecked? For what purpose were these halls made?
Lanethan
Again, see the section on sfor above. Everything is **** up due to the insurrection and ensuing magical battle.
Daragoth
J-M v2.5.5 asks:
The plains of Daragoth: Is there anything special, anything in particular that you had envisioned for this area, next to some wildlife and orcs?
Lanethan
Like the Thornlands, in general this map was handled by the mapper, and I had little to no input. Then again, it's the plains of Daragoth. Obviously Deralia would be surrounded by more farmland in a perfect world, but as it served little game function I didn't press to include it.
Deralia
J-M v2.5.5 asks:
Deralia: I'm assuming that "The Jewel of the Human World" would have to be bigger than it currently is. What should players find in one of the biggest cities on Daragoth?
Lanethan
Deralia is the largest collection of humans, elves, and dwarves living together on the continent of Daragoth. Various districts (some of them devoted to particular races or trades), an active Thieves Guild, and smoke pouring from thousands of chimneys. The King of Deralia sits on his gilded throne in his castle, but he is little more than a figurehead: the true law in Deralia is held in the hands of those who can pay the Guard and the Guilds. For all this, however, it is truly not a bad place to live: poverty is mostly nonexistent, and in general all the enlightened races get along well.
Gate City
J-M v2.5.5 asks:
Gate City: What kind of interesting things can you tell me and the rest of the MS:S dev team about this location?
Lanethan
Oh, ye Dwarven city of Olde! Gate City is one of the largest surviving Dwarven Jharro (city), most having fallen to Orcs or Goblins during the Age of Blood. Obviously it should house a large number of dwarven citizens, is ruled in the usual dwarven method of a Great Council (in which all the dwarves get together in the Hall and drink much ale until everyone agrees to something), and is built over top of a large system of mines.
Goblin Town
Lanethan
This map exists because I dislike not giving semi-intelligent monstrous creatures places to live. It is a goblin settlement, what more do you want?
Keledros Prelude
J-M v2.5.5 asks:
The dangerous pass: While I'm pretty sure this map could be merged with "The ruins of Keledros" in Source, I'm wondering: is there anything special that should be found in this pass? The ruins of Keledros: Who's Keledros? Why is his house wrecked? Why are there spiders in his library (truth be told: the final question is not 100% serious)?
Lanethan
These two maps were headed by a mapper, and have no lore backing. I did have input in the form of suggesting that Keledros be obsessed with the creation of constructs (hence the animated armor).
Heras
J-M v2.5.5 asks:
Heras: Who/what is Heras? Is it the region? Or is it just the temple? What is this temple? In the current MS:C version, the Heras temple leads to... nothing. A hole in the floor leads to an adjacant spider cave, but the actual temple appears to be 'aimless'. Who built it, and why? The traps in the temple would suggest the temple was made to safeguard something. The mines: I really never figured out what this map is good for, except for a quest. It looks nice, but it has so much more potential. And in Source, it could be so much bigger.
Lanethan
Mapper material, again. In fact I had no input whatsoever on this one. I would hazard a guess that Heras should be the name of this region, or perhaps the mountain pass on which the temple lies. The temple has the same architectural style as, say, the Edana Sewers or some of the other areas underneath Edana, so it could theoretically be from the old ages.
Wicard Oven & Bloodrose
J-M v2.5.5 asks:
Wicard Oven: What is this? Where did the name come from? And who built this place, and for what? The Bloodrose valley: This whole Slithar/Venevus business, was that original lore, or was it just made up? Is there anything else you'd want to see in a Source rendition of this area?
Lanethan
Just gonna put these two together and say: Didn't have anything to do with them. Except that Bloodrose valley is named after a mountain in the Lore that exists over top of Gate City (Bloodrose Mountain, the largest peak in the southeast of the continent of Daragoth).
The Continent of Valen
Out of nowhere, known locations on Valen:
Lanethan
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The Adellar desert
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The port city of Adel
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The Empire capital city of Eldarrin
As you can see, not a lot, but obviously Daragoth was being 'developed' as the original game took place there. I'll PM you again if I find more background info on these locations, as I know I've stumbled across it once.
Elemental Planes
Lanethan
Hmm, interesting thought, though the Fatesworn universe doesn't actually have a 'hell' as you're thinking. There is the Abyss, though, and some of its inhabitants could most certainly be called 'demons' by some. In fact, there are various planes of existence in the Fatesworn universe: The Mortal Plane (in which the world of Leann and the continent of Daragoth exists) The Astral Plane (in which dwell the Loreldians....each Loreldian has created his own plane of existence as well..they are known as the 'Threshhold of insert Loreldian's name here') The Elemental Planes (known commonly as 'The Plane of Fire,' or 'Water,' or 'Air,' or 'Earth,' though they each have names as well... Carnaan for Fire, Odriz for Water, Hnshasa for Air, and Mughedd for Earth respectively). The Abyss (location of the Soulwell, sort've a 'neutral' ground for departed souls, but also including the Reach, a rather pleasant place, and the Harness, a rather nasty place)
"Demons," thus, could technically be considered the inhabitants of the Harness area of the Abyss.
Again... interesting thoughts..hadn't thought about including "Demons".
Creatures/Abominations
Lanethan
Hmm, there are a few other "monstrous" types of things not mentioned explicitly there but have a place in various pieces of the Lore. Here's a summary of a few off the top of my head:
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Nightmare- Massive abomination created by Lor Malgoriand. Standing nearly thirty feet tall, this beast has the body of a muscular man but the head of a stallion, and is covered from head to toe in sleek black hair. Lor Malgoriand created these creatures by using dark magics to splice the great northern giantfolk with horses, giving them even more unnatural speed, strength, and endurance. He used few of these creatures in actual battle, however, as they were impossible to control: driven mad by the splicing process, they killed without regard anything within their path until they died of exhaustion. Mostly seen near the beginning of the Age of Blood, Lor Malgoriand took to hauling unconscious giantfolk directly into the sands outside Adellian cities, performing the dark ritual, and then quickly vanishing back to his great castle, letting the Nightmare rampage defenseless towns and desert communities. Legend says that a few of these Nightmares survived the splicing process with enough willpower to curb their rampage, and that these headed into the great desert where they carved homes for themselves in sand-swallowed forgotten kingdoms.
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Elusive Blades- A type of construct, these sword-machines are created by spellcasters as tools of assassination. They are greatly feared for their magical properties. The spellcaster who creates an Elusive Blade imbues it with knowledge of its target, usually a piece of hair or skin taken from the target at an earlier time. Once the Elusive Blade is unleashed, it seeks its target through magical means, flying of its own volition, until it finds the target, which it attempts to impale in a single, deadly stroke. Elusive Blades have been known to fly at speeds so quick that they burn directly through stonework walls in order to reach their target. Their most deadly property is the magic which enshrouds them, however: It is nearly impossible for an untrained mind to notice an Elusive Blade. Though your eyes might see it coming directly for you, your mind will not recognize it as a threat or even as an existing, material object. You will simply not notice it, until it's deep within your chest.
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Archetype- These creatures are either physical manifestations of an element or a purpose. These creatures embody the very essence of the element they are formed of. All of them share nearly humanoid body shapes, but instead of having a corporeal body, they are formed from the interweaving of elemental strands of their various types. However, unlike elementals, Archetypes have no free will of their own, and act based either on magical suggestion or by elemental instinct. Often summoned by powerful elementalists, Archetypes are completely faithful and loyal servants of magicians powerful enough to bind together enough of a pure element to create them. Another interesting property of Archetypes is that they are not solely elemental in nature, as some can be Archetypes of Purpose (sometimes called "Relentless"), which are bound entirely by the purpose to which they were made. Examples of Relentless that have been successfully bound by wizards include: Tracker Archetypes, who appear as tangled fibers of a cloth-like material and who serve only to track that which they were bound to track; Guardian Archetypes, who appear as coils of metal wrapping into a humanoid form and who serve only to guard a space or individual. Legend has it that the Wisps (now a full fledged race of breeding and semi-material creatures) began as Archetypes of Trickery, though that may just be hearsay from the peasantfolk. Oh, and notable Archetypes created by Lor Malgoriand include: The Murder Archetype, The Torture Archetype, and The Plague Archetype.
Fallen Elves
Lanethan
Drows exist in the Dungeons and Dragons world, not the world of Mastersword.
There are Fallen Elves in the world, but they do not resemble the drow (blanch white skin + hair).
Dragons
Lanethan
There are four dragons in the MS world.
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Aeldorandorat (known more simply, in the common tongue, as 'Archan') is a benevolent and wise white dragon that lives with the elves in their capital city of Kray Eldorad.
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Kharaztorant (known more simply, in the common tongue, as 'Khaztor') is an evil red dragon whom the dwarves count as one of their greatest foes throughout history. His current whereabouts are unknown.
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Jaminporlants (known more simply, in the common tongue, as 'Janz') is an evil green dragon who hasn't been seen since the Age of Blood.
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And lastly, Rhudeanlorat, known more simply in common as Rhack, is the most dreaded black dragon who ever lived, and who aided Lor Malgoriand during the Age of Blood. He was last seen flying north into the great ice bleak, and is rumored to have taken up residence in the Frozen Tear, a massive ice castle left over from times most ancient.
Any of these could show up, as they are all still alive, plus it is entirely possible that new dragon offspring (which take over a millenia to hatch) could crawl forth from deep underground nests, long buried and forgotten. But those 4 are known to be alive, as of the current age.
Continents
Lanethan
This (Thothie's MS:C world map) was developed with my input in many areas. I consider it pretty much complete, as far as Daragoth is concerned, but of course there are areas that could be greatly increased in complexity / added dungeons and the like.
The continent of Daragoth is one of three large landmasses that have been documented on the world of Leann. The other two are Dreadwind (to the southwest) and Valan (to the southeast). These are not the only landmasses on Leann: among a few other tales of other lands, there are rumors of a massive continent that dwarfs the three known isles far to the east, where strange and exotic peoples live, who battle with snake-like creatures featuring many heads. None but the most powerful of wizards has ever created portals there and come back to tell the tale.
Daragoth itself has quite a few distinct regions: The southeast, mountainous area (Edana lies here), the Eastern plainlands (Deralia lies there), the frozen north (The Bleak, Frozen Tear), the great central forests (Kray Eldorad lies here), the desolation of the northwest (Malgoriand's castle, Hunderswamp), and the blazing deserts of the southwest (Aluhandra).
Valen's climate could be described as similar to the southeast mountains of Daragoth, but temperature ranges are less extreme as it is closer to the equator.
Dreadwind used to be a lush jungle isle, but since Lor Malgoriand's coming it has been transformed into a deadly volcanic wasteland, with sparse pockets of liveable space. In the original design documentation, Lor Malgoriand's castle rested here, but it has since been moved to the northwest desolation, a perfectly reasonable decision for MS:C, and one that might be worthwhile to conform to in designing MS:S.
Bludgeons
Lanethan
Bludgeons were never included in any of my design, so as far as I'm concerned they're outside the realm of what I would consider canon. However, I also don't really have a problem with it... except that there really were only supposed to be three Enlightened races, one for each of the Loreldians.
Dreadwind
Lanethan
Dreadwind was originally scoped to be the "Endgame" content. In the original design, access to Dreadwind was only given by an Apostle, who would, through a dynamic quest, enlist the help of a group of players to tackle a serious threat arrising on the continent and teleport them. Originally a linear series of 5 maps ending with a climactic battle against Lor Malgoriand himself, the reward for which is a legendary weapon for every character involved, an undroppable/unlootable item, tailored to the character's favorite weapon type. The character deemed most deserving by the group and the Apostle would be given the Atlas (Master sword).
So, no, Dreadwind won't be conforming to my design.
Valen's designs are almost completely Era of Legends related (EoL was set to take place there), but are also nearly 500 years later than the current MS timeline so I don't think they would be as appropriate to consider. The only thing that was definitely supposed to go on Valen is the port city of Adel, and the Adellar desert to the southeast.
Thothie, FYI the original concept I had in mind included a 4 map gauntlet series in which players landed on the shores of Dreadwind, the island off the southwest of Daragoth, that includes Lor Malgoriand's castle at the end. Was to be literally "endgame".
The Lost
Lanethan
The orginal Loreldians stood on average 10 feet tall. However, being creatures that are bound so closely to fate that they nearly become manifestations of it, their physical forms change over time to reflect their "inner being." Felewyn looks much like a very tall elf, but Urdual looks much more like a dwarf. The Lost, it can be assumed, are very twisted and misshapen creatures born from the nightmares and lust for revenge that have consumed them for eons.
Further Questions With Thothie
Oyster
Well, I further probed the writing section but I was unable to answer all of my questions. I had already read 'Lanethan' so that may be why. Perhaps you can answer some of my questions?
The Age of Blood - How long did it last? Also, is there anything, aside from Lanethan, that provides further incite into the events that occurred during this age?
The Human Empire - What is the history behind the old human empire? How long did it last? What did it's borders look like, and where was the capitol city, Adel, located? Also, is there any information on its culture?
The Elves - First of all, what happened in Eswen Hathelon and did Elves ever live there? Has this forest always been frozen? Before Eswen Mallen was destroyed, was it a seperate kingdom from the one in Eswen Sylen or were they united in a giant empire? Also, what are the details on the fall of Eswen Mallen?
Aluhandra - Any info on anything in this desert, aside from the obvious (Shahaddar live here) would be appreciated. I'm probably going to have somebody ask Rickler on my behalf though.
Thothie
Although none of the stories suggest so, one variant making sound as though it lasted but a few days, the official verdict is that The Age of Blood lasted 200 years, measured from ascension of Lor Malgoriand at the hands of Torkalath, to his defeat at the hands of Felewyn, and the events of MSC begin some 200 years after that.
The story of the Old Human Empire seems to vary. It reached the peak of its power long before the Age of Blood, and had been decaying under the rule of a series of treacherous emperors and generals for nearly a thousand years before. It thus had effectively fallen well before the Age of Blood began, and was utterly paralyzed at the peak of the Age of Order that preceded the Age of Blood. Whether Adel is the Old Empire's capital, or an Elven coastal city, varies by incarnation of the mythos. If Elven, it would presumably be on the northern coast (North of Deralia). If Human, the southern. Deralia has no direct connection with the Old Empire, either by blood or locale. Lanethan describes the Old Empire as being centered more inland than the New Kingdom, which also dents the idea of Adel as its capital. In any case, it's underwater now.
Culturally, the empire was much like the newer human kingdom, only a more extreme visage of it. The Human's of Daragoth who follow the ways of Torkalath believe in profit, power, strength, and ambition, and above all, individual freedom. While humans are more accepting of other religions than are the other two holy races, those who worship Felewyn and Urdual are still a relatively small minority.
However, while the Old Human Empire focused on military strength, the Kingdom of Deralia focuses instead on economic strength. The Dynasty of Ardelleron has ruled peacefully, with one minor exception (ask Sembelbin), for nearly a century and a half. This is much unlike those who ruled the Old Empire, where the constant striving for military might, through whatever means, however treacherous, meant few dynasties lasted even a full generation, and those few that did, never did so unbroken. The first King Ardelleron achieved this by creating a military that served to arbitrate for and protect the merchant class, first and foremost, while at the same time, stamping out all competing armies - creating a sort of mandatory-mercenary fleet. So, rather than expanding the scope of the kingdom itself, the Deralian military depends on the wealth of the merchants to invest in its protecting an area, and as the merchant's wealth expands, so does the kingdom's military reach. As a result of this arrangement, the king and royal family, effectively, have no lands outside of Deralia itself, it all being held by various mercantile aristocrats, however, said aristocrats have no armies of their own, as all military might rests in the hands of the king. Thus a perpetual symbiosis is formed between the two, resulting in a much more stable society than more familiar arrangement of the old empire, which resulted in constant rivalry between conquering generals and ruling emperors.
Eswen Hathelon
Thothie
Eswen Hathelon (also, "The Frozen Forest") held several Elven outposts, and several Urdualian Elven camps and holy sites. I should explain that Urdualian Elves (or Eshu) are held with nearly as much contempt by the Eswen Empire as Torkalath Elves (Ramatta), however, unlike the Torkalath elves, the Eshu are not slain on site - merely driven away from the cities - for they are not in diametric opposition to the goddess. The Urdualian Elves have adapted their culture accordingly, and thus have become very shamanistic or druidic, becoming one with the trees, and favoring the wilds and "perpetual balance of nature" over the great spire-laden cities of their Felewyn worshipping brethren. There are also those few small communities of Eshu who opt to pursue the underground lives of the true children of Urdual, but these do so at peril, for the Seekers of Felewyn tend to perceive this behavior as more akin to that of the treacherous Torkalath elves, and they often accuse the Urdualian elves of harboring them. The dwarves, by ancient treaties, will not harbor either Eshu nor Ramatta, and the same is true of the Kingdom of Deralia, however, neither is either kingdom obliged to actively hunt for them, and the more daring merchants will even trade with both.
Back to the subject at hand - suffice to say, those northern settlements in Eswen Hathelon were smashed when the Palace of Shahaed rose near the Frozen Tear, and the armies of Lor Malgoriand laid waste all the northern Elven cities under their second Dread Lord, Atholo. At first, the Urdualian Elves in the area saw this as a necessary evil, for the Order of Felewyn had simply reigned for too long and had done so with little mercy. Thus they willingly retreated into the Bleak and the Frozen Caverns (though they were not so cold, and presumably had different names at the time - for the climate was originally temperate, and only turned as a result of Lor Malgoriand's presence). However, as time went on, even the Keepers of Balance began to believe that The Doom Bringer had gone too far. Their cave-to-cave guerilla tactics then became instrumental to both the creation and the subsequent defense of The Wall, even if the Eswen elves showed little gratitude towards the Eshu for their aid.
Eswen Mallan
Thothie
Eswen Mallan's story (aka The Haunted Forest) is pretty thoroughly covered in the game. This is where the abomination Undamael held the center of his armies, even after the fall of his creator, and where he was eventually sealed. Even sealed away, his power keeps the forest in perpetual night, and causes the restless dead to roam. Before Undamael's arrival, the nearby holy Halls of Carthane were watched and ruled over by Lord Calrian and his brother, Garonhroth, from Wicard Oven. After the arrival, they were either forcibly converted or seduced into serving as the Dread Lord's puppets in the capacities of master necromancer and magical blacksmith. The Calrian Ruins below the forest contain the forge and extensive tombs that provided the corpses required for the bulk of Undmael's armies as well as the weapons to equip them. The tombs were built by the first armies under the instruction of Calrian, and served as a necromantic factory for converting corpses and cadavers into undead warriors, many of which were acquired from Carthane. When Undamael's power was sealed, both the betrayers were sealed within the tombs as a side effect.
The Halls of Carthane contain the corpses of noble humans and dwarves from battles well predating the Age of Blood, presumably from wars against one or more of the Dragon Lords (Khaz and Janz, I would guess). Since Undamael's visit, the tombs have been corrupted, and most of the strongest there were used as undead foot-soldiers in his armies.
Aluhandra
Thothie
As for Aluhandra - there is not much by Lanethan on the subject, other than, "Probably one of the nastiest places in Daragoth". Shahaddar palace is here, as well as the surrounding villa. Somewhere here-abouts there is a small human settlement, that the Orcs allow to continue to exist for its usefulness in trade (Runegahr maintains this order under duress of his personal power, and would not have attempted to do so while his tribe still served The Doom Bringer). Some sort of snake-worshipping cult is also supposed to be hidden somewhere in the desert. There are also rumors of Loreldian ruins... Further, we were thinking of placing the remains of crashed Lodagond somewhere around here - the ruins being a dungeon unto themselves. Aluhandra serves as the western most border of civilization, for the desert is so large, and the craggy mountains beyond so steep, as to be effectively impassable. An ocean is thought to exist beyond the mountains, in which lays the legendary continent of Dreadwind.
Miscellaneous
Thothie
Two of the priests in Edana will chat about it, but they aren't on the NPC interaction system, so you'll have to go up to them and say "rumor". They are very old scripts, so you may need to use the old british spelling "rumour". What they have to tell goes in the category of "slightly fubar lore that needs fixing" though, hence, never did bother tying it to the base chat system and updating them.
The Circle of Seven, by their account, was a set of orc blackhand shamans that sealed Geric's soul in his armor (an Urdualian Elf who went a step further and decided to serve Torkalath when his temple fell, and sought out the orcs), although the phrasing in the script makes no sense. "The Circle of Seven trapped his soul into his armor so they could use his rage on their berserkers." The cryer script also mentions the armor was forged and granted to him by Garonhroth when he first joined the orcs, but says this was during the Age of Blood.
Lord Vecilus was his brother, yet another Eshu Elf. He went to avenge Geric against the orcs. But the way the script phrases it, it sounds as though it were very recent, and that doesn't jell with Geric's undead state of being, nor of the current relationship between Garonhroth and the orcs. (Plus having an Eshu living in the Edana temple seems unlikely - presumably he'd go out and join with his forest cousin's sacred groves instead, or have been part of his brother's temple.)
Again, none of this was disabled, it just may not work right, or require use of the old chat system. Some of these older conventions that are broken entirely probably worked in MS 1.35.
There's a few other intersting bits in there that may not be accessible at all due to using pre MSC conventions (possibly even pre MS 1.35 conventions, in the case of some of these messed up scripts - some of which are just plain written wrong). There's also a few NPC's with contradictory lore that no longer appear in Edana at all (apparently never made it into MSC) - some of which I'm interested in bringing back in (including Suliban and the cryer). But cleaning all this lore crap up is on the list of things to do.
Further Locales (Lanethan)
Lanethan
JM has requested that I make some of the lore regarding various maps and plans that I had for them public. Note that most of this information hasn't been touched in well over six-seven years (and subsequently much of it was lost), but I will post what I have and try to fill in the gaps via memory and improvisation.
Verath
Lanethan
Verath is a frontier town at a high altitude in a rather arid environment (like, say, Tibet). It is a place of hardships, one of the furthest north civilian settlements of the Enlightened Peoples. It is a relatively new settlement, so it has very little in the way of history, but the proud people that make up its inhabitants soon look to forge a new future. Snow is not unheard of at this climate, though like I said the land supports little vegetation due to the altitude.
The Aluhandra Desert
Lanethan
One of the most forbidding environments in all of Daragoth, this massive blasted desert land was fertile plains many thousands of years ago. Human empires rose and fell here, leaving behind ruins that have long since been swallowed by the unforgiving sands. Chief among the dangers for travellers are the Shahaddar Orcat (Orcs), which have copper or rust colored skin. Shahaddar Orcs are perhaps the most dangerous variety of this foul race, slaughtering adventurers and explorers. They live in a mostly tribal society pattern. The desert holds some of the greatest riches and rewards in all of Daragoth, but also some of the most potent dangers. Notable Landmarks? The palace of Shahaddar (part of the once great human empire that dwelt here), now teeming with Orcs unlocking great ancient magics.
Shahaddar Palace
See the description for the Aluhandra Desert above.
The Thunder Plains
Lanethan
On the western coast of Daragoth, to the northwest of the Aluhandra Desert, these arid plains slowly become more fertile as the coastal climate kicks in. The small mountains that separate the true desert from the Thunder Plains are enough to keep the rains from reaching the arid interior. Unfortunately, as the coastal air mixes with the dry desert air, massive thunderstorms are common here. Tales are told that an human society once flourished on this coast, with massive shipping vessels setting sail toward an unknown western continent. Those same tales recount the great plague that wiped out that civilization long ago. Now very little remains of such an empire (if it ever existed in the first place). Notable Landmarks? Ancient lightning rod-like structures made of metal that adventurers occasionally stumble across. While near these structures, adventurers do not risk being struck by the random lightning strikes that plague this area. These landmarks may be relics from the rumored civilization noted above!
The Hunderswamp
Lanethan
Toxic swamp vapors and deadly insects infest this swamp. There once was a road that led through this area toward The Wall, but it has been drowned by the stagnant waters. The Hunderswamp has possibly the largest concentration of undeath in all of Daragoth, fed by a great evil malignancy born from the swampwater itself, that now makes its lair in the sunken ruin of Cacaron deep within. Long ago the swamp was a rather benign forested land, but many ages ago the land began to weep its toxic waters into the ground, soaking up the graveyards and burial sites of the elves and humans who dwelt here. The large concentration of undead has even forced the Borsh Orcs that used to make their home here to leave, settling further north at the Wall or the Longroot Jungle.
Notable Landmarks? Hunderswamp contains the dungeon map Cacaron (more on that in a minute). It should also contain some shallow cave systems wherein the air becomes poisonous.
Cacaron
Lanethan
The monastery Cacaron was once a center of learning for elven and human wizards, martial artists, and warriors would pilgrimage to study their art and refine their skills. Since the great evil of the Hunderswamp swallowed this monastery, the great masters and students of their art have risen from their graves and now continue to practice their art, albeit with an unquenchable bloodlust. The great evil that even now putrefies the swamp also rests here, coiling its dark tentacles through the halls, seemingly in search of something. Notable Landmarks? Large sections of Cacaron are underneath the poisonous waters of the swamp. What treasures or hidden knowledges lie drowned underneath?
The Longroot Jungle
Lanethan
This area was not in my original map. I do not have anything prepared for it, though I will conjecture the following: The jungle environment here is an abberation. It should not be a jungle climatically, it should merely be a forest. Its jungle status, therefore, must be coming from a magical source. The Borsh Orcat that obviously moved here from the Swampland are likely attempting, using powerful magics and rituals, to convert this land into a jungle habitat.
The Wall
Lanethan
(note: Thothie's information on this map is slightly outdated, as it was not used during the Blood War against Malgoriand, but actually was built long before it. This is a revision of its previous lore, but should now be considered canon). Built a thousand years before the Blood War, the Wall is a massive stone wall that was once manned by Elves and Humans alike. It was meant to shield the southern lands from the dangerous ice creatures that were steadily flowing south from the Frozen Bleak. It was garrisoned as a military outpost, the first defense against great Ice Worms and Dragons. However, a great dragon slaughtered the inhabitants and left a curse on the place. It has been abandoned ever since, falling into ruins: a great military and engineering achievement, now home to Borsh and Dimmhold Orcs. As far as setting goes, it is a massive wall-fortress, separating the southlands from the endless white expanse of the icy north. There is no large gate, but there are many ways through.
Caverns of Frost
Lanethan
I have no lore prepared for this area. Ice Worms, Ice Elementals and Archons. Not likely to be inhabited by Dimmhold Orcs (they do not live in caves, like other Orc varieties, but out in the Bleak itself).
Shender
Lanethan
The Shender areas are great northern plains that lie between the mountain ranges and the Forest of Longing. Shender wasn't always as cold as it is now: many ages ago the Dwarves harnessed the power of a nearby Volcano to power their machines, but this Volcano was no ordinary natural occurrence! When the world was being reformed by the three Loreldians in eons past, the great northern ice always threatened to spread southward, against the laws of nature and fate, engulfing the entire continent in a frozen ice age time and again. Not understanding the reasoning for the erratic behavior of the climate, the Loreldians eventually gave up and solved the problem with Fate, creating a solution by harnessing great elemental powers of fire to keep the north ice (now known as the Bleak) at bay. The Dwarves had accidentally tapped into this power, and its influence weakened, thus Shender is now becoming a frozen wasteland like the other areas around it. Does another great Age of Ice lie in store for the continent? Notable Landmarks? The Volcano which once housed a dwarven civilization p'raps.
The Melanion Ruins
Lanethan
Underneath Kray Eldorad, these halls were part of the original city of Melanion (destroyed by Lor Malgoriand during the Blood War). Kray Eldorad was built upward, these ruins lie beneath the streets, and none but spirits and ancient curses of an angry forest linger here. Fey creatures, walking trees and leafwhisperers now stalk its halls, in fury and anger at the curse laid at their feet. The curse drives them to hatred of all other living things, even the elves who once called this place home. Kray Eldorad posts guards to watch these subterranean halls at all times.
Eswen Sylen
Lanethan
The Forest of Giant Trees. Trees here are massive, reaching hundreds of feet into the air, with trunks as wide as 40 feet. Home to many fey creatures, Eswen Sylen is a silent forest slowly recuperating from the angry screams of the Blood War. It is a place of ancient magic and mystery: the elves have dwelt here longer than the sages can keep record. It is said that Felewyn created the elves from the trees and plants that grow here, in the soft light under the great swinging canopies. That is not to say it is without danger, however. Whispers of Fallen Elves and creatures of terrible power that lurk deep in the roots of the great trees still find their way to the lips of Elven children here. When an elf-child goes missing, it is often said that the Lurks took him, and even adult Elves will admit that they believe in the evil shadow creatures.
Kray Eldorad
Lanethan
The Elven Capital city, Kray Eldorad is a beautiful city of white shining marble amid high walls, where the giant Eswen Sylen trees grow freely within. It is also called the Shining City because the great marble towers shine in the midday sun. Populated almost exclusively by elves. There is also the great temple of Felewyn here, one of the last surviving temples devoted to this particular Loreldian. Also of special note is the dragon who resides with the elves. Aeldorandorat is a peaceful white dragon whom the elves revere and turn to for council in these dark times. Any can be granted an audience with the dragon, from an elf child to a wandering human adventurer. Often, Aeldorandorat will say nothing, but he listens intently to everything he hears. Perhaps he will speak to you?
The Observatory
Lanethan
Not part of my original lore, I have little to say here. Originally an elven settlement built during the Age of Blood, but its proximity to Kray Eldorad makes that basically useless, so it needs something more than that. If I were to make up lore regarding it, it would probably have something to do with observing the moon, which the Elves were very focused on in the time of Aginor. The moon of Leann is much like our moon on Earth, excepting the rumors that the Loreldians once built great palaces on it, now long abandoned. How this might fit into a map called the Observatory, I have no idea.
The Frozen Forest of Longing (Eswen Hathelon)
Lanethan
A frozen forest.
BOOYAH.
In seriousness, there is not much lore surrounding the forest of longing. It was once a forest with elven inhabitants, but as Shender cooled, this forest was hit much harder by the influence of the Bleak and quickly became a frozen, desolate wasteland. The trees, now petrified with ice, still stand against the harsh winds of the Bleak, but icy malice has replaced any natural wonder it once had. Dimmhold Orcat do not venture near this forest, they seem to fear it. Whether this is misplaced fear from the time when elves yet dwelled, or fear of some new danger, none can say.
The Tundra
Lanethan
Not part of the original lore, but definitely climatically correct due to its proximity to the Bleak. Seems like it fulfills the role of a coastal edge of the great sheet of ice and snow that blankets the far north of Daragoth.
The Bleak
Lanethan
A frozen wasteland.
BOOYAH.
Actually, I have mentioned the Bleak a lot in the talks of the north. It is, in essence, a perpetual wasteland of ice and snow, with harsh winds and bitter dangers. Ice Worms (giant ones), the Ice Giants of the north (relatives to the Trolls of the central kingdoms), and Dimmhold Orcs make their home here. The Ice Giants live in their ancient halls, fashioned in the frozen mountains in much the same manner as a dwarf might carve a home from the stone of the southern lands. Note that this is supposed to be, barring the dungeons connected to it, the most dangerous area on the continent of Daragoth, full of crevices (death traps) and deadly winds. Being in an area that is open to the wind too long will kill you, so travel across the great expanse requires great planning: hopping from one windbreak to another, whether that be a cave, a lone standing rock, whatever you can find to shelter yourself.
The Frozen Tear
Lanethan
A great crystalline castle made by the Loreldians (created during the same time period as those same crystal castles on the moon mentioned above), the Frozen Tear is now one of the most dangerous places in Daragoth. Not only does it house a particularly nasty clan of Ice Giants called the Faerbolg, it is also home to Dimmhold Orcs who worship the Tear's most famous inhabitant: Rhudeanlorat, great Ice Dragon, scourge of the Wall, and second eldest living dragon on Leann.
Undermountains/Valley of Undermountains
Lanethan
Not connected to original lore, but should definitely include the ruins of ancient Dwarven settlements. It is safe to say that it is related to the original lore in that Norim the dwarf once spent seven months exploring underneath the central mountains in Daragoth and stumbled upon the great temple of Urdual. That would likely mean that the mountain we call Bloodrose today was once known as Utraakkrh. Bonus points to whoever knows what I'm talkin' about.
Dalya Haven
Lanethan
Not connected to original lore at all, this monastery sits at the foot of the Bloodrose mountain. I believe this map is also now defunct?
Lor Malgoriand's Old Castle (Shahaed)
Lanethan
Jiro fashioned this castle himself, using the power given to him by Torkalath (and the Lost). It is a forbidding citadel of black spires. Lor Malgoriand could teleport this castle at will, and at the time of his death it vanished from sight seemingly forever. Its true resting place lies deep in the Bleak. Snow sizzles and cracks as magma flows from underground chambers, surrounding Shahaed with a protective cover of steam and fog. Demons and abominations still lurk these halls, waiting for a command from their master. However, the inner chambers of Lor Malgoriand's castle are missing... as if somehow the core, wherein his dark throne room rests, was separated from these ruins somehow and teleported elsewhere... Some of the greatest fears of the world still dwell in these twisted halls, as well as great magical powers. Jiro was a masterfully evil thief, and during his time as Lor Malgoriand he stole many great relics, weapons, and armors from the hidden places of the world. Any strong enough to fight their way through the halls while retaining their sanity might emerge with limitless power.
Dreadwind Details
Lanethan
Was originally planned as a series of 4 maps, gauntlet style:
"The Ashen Shores"
The players arrive on dreadwind via a crashed ship, airship, or destroyed portal. Something of that ilk. The idea there is that there is no turning back. The ashen shores are just what they sound like, the shores of Dreadwind are covered in a black, sootish sand while jets of white hot flame burst from below, cooking man and beast alike in their random fury. Serves as an introductory point to the island, final confrontation with an Ash Archon (similar to a fire elemental or wind elemental, but with a combination of both types of attacks). The players make their way from the Ashen shores onto the rocky grounds of...
"The Dreadwake"
This plateau of massive rocks, the skeletal remains of dragons, giants, and other beasts too ancient to name. The bones of tortured men, elves, and dwarves dot the landscape, held above the rocks in cages where their flesh became a feast for swarms of carrion birds. Abberations of spirits, beasts, and men hound adventurers every step of the way across this area. Eventually, however, they begin to meet organized resistance: Drelaxxians, extremely dangerous warriors of elven descent (though their resemblance to their fair cousins is negligable). This area culminates into a fight against a Drelaxxian general, Thazzad Ra, who guards the gates of...
"The Halls of Pain"
The Halls of Pain are the remnants of Lor Malgoriand's castle, built upon by the Drelaxxians in his absence. Hardcore fights, ending with the players facing their first Nightmare. A Nightmare is a massive, 30 foot tall or taller, form of a Minotaur: Half man, half horse, covered in black hair and with eyes of fire. This particular Nightmare wields a great sword. After the Nightmare is slain, nothing is left but...
"The Eye of Malgoriand"
The highest tower in the Halls of Pain leads to a room housing a massive portal. The players go through this portal into a fortress that is at once real and unreal, a memory of Malgoriand's fortress of old as it once was during the Great War. Drelaxxians deep within are attempting to summon him, aided by the Orc tribes and the powers of the Lost. Good luck.
That was the original writeup for Dreadwind. End-game content, mind you, not just like level 40 stuff.. Originally slated to be level 99+ content.