History of the World


The Kingdom of Arbwor has been at peace for almost five centuries. It formed from an alliance between several powerful human clans to repel a hostile invading force. It has never been recorded what the invading force was; some believe it to be an immense Orc war-party, others believe it to be a surface party of Drow seeking slaves for their underground cities. A few more outspoken scholars believe the invading force was a group of renegade Dwarves from the nearby Voncrul Mountains seeking to set up a second empire; to rival the traditional one that boarders Arbwor today.


Whoever this hostile force was, the united clans of Arbwor succeeded in driving them from this land. Over time the ruling families of the clans evolved into the noble houses that preside over Arbwor today; House Bryad ascended to the throne of Arbwor while House Deneith, House Cannith and House Orien became collectively known as the Dragonmarked Houses and formed the Assembly of Lords, with the collective power to overrule the Monarchy's decisions if needed.


King Bryad I quickly sort alliances with the Dwarven Empire beyond the Voncrul Mountains and the enigmatic Elven nation of Thalsallia who resided across upon the other side of the ocean. Under his rule the kingdom grew wealthy, powerful and increasingly influential in the politics of the other nations. Bryad I ruled for 54 glorious years until a tragic "hunting accident" cost him his life and the lives of his closest royal guards. While suspicion of the incident initially lay with his successor, Bryad II, the true nature of the king's death were not revealed to the general public so no guilty party was ever accosted.


Since Arbwor's initial days of glory and power; its influence has waned; this can be attributed to weaker leadership from its monarchs and in fighting between the Assembly of Lords.


The Noble Houses & Notable Groups


House Bryad - The house of the ruling monarch; the current king being Bryad VII. He is a frail balding man in his mid forties who walks with a distinctive limp due to a childhood case of polio. While his body may be weak, his mind is as keen as any sword, while his more lenient view on taxes has made him a popular figurehead for the lower classes. His two sons - Thanion and Ulgar - are both powerfully built warriors who hold senior positions in both the military of Arbwor and within the Guard of Zinghera - the militia of the nation's capitol city.


House Deneith - A house known for its military prowess. The current head of the house, Lord Aston d'Deneith commands the largest ground forces within the kingdom as well as strong ties to the largest independent military force; The Emerald Claw Mercenaries.


House Cannith - While it may not have the largest army, House Cannith more than makes up for it with its arcane might and technological skill; blending engineering with magic to create ruthless engineers of war. The current head of the house is Lord Butchen d'Cannith.


House Orien - A house of merchant princes and one of the wealthiest organisations in the kingdom, if not the whole continent. If money is power then House Orien has it in bucket loads. The current head of the house, Lord Salinar d'Orien is thought to have extended his wealth and influence to every political organisation within the Kingdom of Arbwor.


House Lyrandar - A smaller house known for its chivalry and adventurous escapades. Its current head of house, Lord Hawk Lyrandar is a renowned adventurer and dragon-hunter. House Lyrandar also oversees the only settlement which has a majority of Halflings living within its wooden walls; Ashcombe.


House Kundarak - A dwarven house and a representative of the Dwarven Empire underneath the Voncrul Mountains; House Kundarak welcome the attentions of the other political houses in the kingdom in the hope of gaining more power and influence. Lord Garrant Kundarak is a noted scholar as well as being the leading figure in the Church of Moradin.


House Ironwolf - The newest of the large noble houses in the kingdom but with an important standing; presiding over Caldor, the second biggest city within the kingdom. Lord Ratgar Ironwolf is a somewhat inexperienced lord who has yet to be tested on the battlegrounds of political debating.


House Thuranni - An elven house and representatives of Thalsallia; House Thuranni seem somewhat uninterested in the politics of Arbwor, instead preferring to keep to themselves. Lord Thoman Thuranni seldom leaves his keep, instead choosing to send ambassadors to do his bidding within court.

The Raiders Gang - A vicious gang of dwarves based out of Caldor whose trade includes drug-trafficking, the transportation of slaves and many other illegal ventures. They were lead by Kelvin Smoothbeard until both he and the vast majority of his gang were cut down by the party in pursuit of one of the tears of the well.


The Black Crescent Gang - led by Karl Reinhart; the Black Crescent are a street gang who seem to venerate snakes and their ilk. They originally had an uneasy truce with the Raiders Gang until the antics of the party broke that, leading to a full scale gang war on the streets of Caldor. Following the almost complete destruction of the Raiders by the party, the Black Crescent


The Twelve - A guild of assassin's originally organised by Bryad I to root out any who caused unrest in the newly formed kingdom; they quickly became his tool for political assassinations as he grew more dark and tyrannical in his later years. It is thought that they were actually responsible for his eventual demise. They are so named as there is always 12 guild members, no more no less; every time one is slain another is recruited to take his place.


The Lords of Dust - A cabal of fiends who play with the political of the land as though it were simply a game of chess for their own amusement. It is thought that their organisation existed long before the formation of the Kingdom of Arbwor; shaping the nation into what it is today through their meddling.


The Undying Court - A group of four well renowned adventurers from the time just after Bryad I's reign, after stopping several calamities in the Kingdom of Arbwor, they simply vanished. Several hundred years later they have emerged as undead monstrosities hell-bent on acquiring the Well of Tears. The four adventurers were: Saracen the Bard, Leo the Cleric, Vaslick the Warrior and Hogarth the Mage.

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