A History of Avendale
Forward
The following chronicle is an accumulation of information
pertaining to the lands of
I was able to piece together much of the mystery of Avendale utilizing information discovered in these various sources but several questions still remain unanswered. Some of the material is quite sensitive making it politically imprudent to include everything in this chronicle. I’ve made a few assumptions based on the information I found and some of my conclusions are simply conjecture. Consequently, I chose to entitle my work in order to imply that perhaps there is more then one explanation for the strange happenings in Avendale.
I have produced this work at the behest of my liege Lady Niomi Avendale, and I shall continue to update this history with any additional findings as new information of this mysterious land is reported.
By Arthur Montclieve: Scribe and Historian of House Avendale, Evendarr
Queen Katherine Endarr, a diligent ruler blessed with considerable foresight, was concerned that the once mighty Hadran Empire could pose a future threat to Evendarr. Her Majesty decided that an investigation into this nations whereabouts was necessary to secure the future of the Kingdom. A royal knight of unimpeachable character was selected to lead an expedition in search of the remnants of the Hadran Empire on March 17, 429 E.R. Lady Katherine Galenson, the great, great, great grandmother of Lady Niomi Avendale, was the very same knight selected by Her Majesty for this most changeling expedition.
The expedition traveled north through Ashbury into the lands beyond the Nordenn Vale and purchased provisions at a town called White Sands Ford known today as the city of Ravenholt. Lady Katherine conducted a cursory survey of the region and discovered no evidence of the Hadran Empire. The soldiers did encounter a large tribe of Trolls called the Razorbacks and quickly dispatched these vermin. The Trolls had been assaulting a hamlet of peasant farmers for years, and many of the villagers joined Lady Katherine’s band in hopes of settling a more hospitable land.
Shortly thereafter the expedition journeyed west across the Anymdin Mountains into the lands that would become the duchy of Volta. The region was populated by many Human clans calling themselves the Highlanders who were noted for their courage and honor. The Highlanders were at war with a mighty tribe of Orcs called the Bloody Fist, a war which had claimed many lives on both sides. Lady Katherine spoke with the Mowbrays of Clan Kendall and learned that these people were descendants of a lost military campaign of the Hadran Empire. The Mowbrays told many conflicting legends of their ancestors, but all agreed that they had traveled here from lands to the west.
The Galenson expedition continued west and finally reached the ancient city of Gorm Kherz in the Kingdom of Niman during the Summer of 429. Lady Katherine spoke with many nobles of Niman and learned that it was originally settled by the rear guard of a huge army from the Hadran Empire some seven centuries earlier. Ancient legends spoke of a great army which followed the course of the River Hadran south to conquer territory for the empire. The rear guard was ordered to secure lands here while the brunt of the forces continued south towards the kingdom of Quentari. The Elves eventually defeated these invaders, and the rear guard was stranded in an unfamiliar land. The garrison, cut off from the empire by a Barbarian horde, eventually settled these lands giving rise to the Kingdom of Niman.
Lady Katherine departed Niman more determined then ever to complete her mission. She lead the expedition north into the lands which now comprise the duchy of Elysia, since the empire was rumored to endure at the headwaters of the River Hadran. The expedition encountered the Stonewood Dwarves of the Lonestance Peaks weeks later. The Dwarves were a friendly clan, named for their mastery at crafting Stonewood (living trees of stone created by a ritual backlash). She bartered with the Dwarves for additional supplies, and questioned them about the Hadran Empire. The Dwarves had no knowledge of the empire but warned of the Barbarians which lived in the north and of the various Orc clans which had been at war with the Oak Wood Elves for centuries.
The expedition reached the plains north of the Shimmerglen Forest, the region formerly known as Brisbane, in early Autumn of 429. Lady Katherine followed the course of the River Hadran north through an arid rocky wasteland towards the foothills of the Frostpeak Mountains. Scouts sighted a large hardwood forest in the north, but they were attacked by a group of Barbarians and forced to retreat. The expedition made camp for the night and were set upon by the Barbarian hordes of the Snake Nation at dawn.
The savages caused few deaths but managed to halt any further progress northward. The soldiers fought bravely, yet the Snake Nation outnumbered Lady Katherine’s forces almost ten to one so they withdrew southward. The expedition was overwhelmed in a second attack only days later and Lady Katherine was forced to retreat eastward past a knob of hills. The soldiers eventually reached a river obstructing their path east so they turned south with the Barbarians in close pursuit. Lady Katherine made a stand on the far side of a ford in the river and a grand battle ensued.
The expedition included a legion of cavalry which charged across the ford when the Barbarians arrived. The cavalry charge managed to massacre almost half of the Barbarians, but the remaining savages simply leapt over their fallen kinsmen and decimated the entire legion in hand to hand combat. Fortunately, the charge was sufficient to turn the tide of the battle. The footman held the high ground on the west side of the ford and the Barbarians were eventually vanquished after a grueling fight. Lady Katherine named the crossing Broken Lance Ford to honor her fallen cavalry. Since the frigid waters of the river were choked with ice from the Spring thaw, it was dubbed the Frost River.
Lord Salvador Tandon of the Royal Cartographers Guild accompanied Lady Katherine on the campaign and conducted an extensive survey once the Barbarians had been routed. Lord Salvador named the hills in the south the Maul Hills, since the resemblance to a two-handed Maul was apparent when illustration of the hills on his map was completed. Lord Tandon reported sighting Orcs in the hills, but never conducted a detailed survey of the high lands to determine their number.
Lord Salvador named the hardwood forest in the northern plains Silvermist Wood. The name was chosen because the floor of the forest is covered with a beautiful white mist every morning which persists until noon. He theorized that there must be a hot spring somewhere in the heart of the forest which produces the mist, but this was never confirmed. The forest abuts the foothills of the Frostpeak Mountains and extends south into the grasslands. Lord Salvador also reported sightings of fairy folk within the thickets and trees of the forest but never made contact with these creatures.
Lord Salvador also discovered a huge black monolith protruding from the plains only an hour’s march from the settlement. The exposed obelisk measured ten feet square and nearly fifteen feet high. However, he suspected that much of the monolith is buried deep within the earth and its total length might never be known. The surface is reputed to be as smooth as well polished marble and betrays no mark or flaw even after considerable pounding with hammer and chisel. He suggested that it was an enchanted stone and recommended further investigation by the Royal Academy of Arcane Arts and Sciences. Unfortunately, the Detect Magic incantation did not exist at the time the monolith was found so his theory was not substantiated. Rumors that the monolith was cursed spread throughout the settlement, and people generally avoided the area. The obelisk was eventually given the name Tandon’s Rock to honor the cartographer.
Lady Katherine established a stronghold called Fort Galen near Broken Lance Ford during the Spring of 430. The settlers worked vigorously under Lady Katherine’s direction and a small village of log cabins sprang up around the fort during the Summer of the same year. The Frost River springs from the icy peaks of the Maul Hills and delivers clear fresh water to the plains below. Farmers started planting wheat and rye in the fields near Fort Galen and found that the rich soil yielded a grand bounty during the harvest.
The Frost River continues on a southeast course through the plains and winds through the grasslands to the Broken Lance Ford. Past the ford, the river gives rise to swamplands as it meanders towards the Shimmerglen Forest. Numerous Lizardmen and their ilk were sighted in the marsh but were avoided, since the settlers did not want to instigate a conflict. The river provided settlers with some freshwater game including perch, trout, and bass. Fishing was occasionally hazardous, since Giant Snapping Turtles swim the river’s length.
Lady Katherine realized that the expedition could not continue through such hostile lands so far from any source of supplies. Therefore, she used the fort as a base of operations and sent out patrols to gather information about the region. Search parties were dispatched north past the Frostpeak Mountains and west across the River Hadran, in order to locate the Hadran Empire. While managing the settlement, Lady Katherine soon found an appreciation for the region, and vowed that she would tame these wild lands.
The Barbarians of the Snake Nation launched another offensive at the end of the Summer of 430. The fort gates were breached and the Barbarians attempted to steal the Resurrection Stone. Several soldiers were slain during the battle and bravely choose to resurrect at the Stone where they rejoined the conflict once they had adequately recuperated. The Barbarians were finally defeated and Lady Katherine promoted several garrison members for their heroic deeds.
Many settlers witnessed the visitation of a large spectral eye on December 3, 430. The ghostly glowing orb slowly floated to the gates of Fort Galen and hovered there for several minutes before drifting off into the night. Rumors that the “Evil Eye” had placed a curse on the stronghold spread quickly, and many farmers insisted that the fort be burned to the ground. Lady Katherine ignored these superstitions but some people were so frightened by the apparition that they decided to abandon their farms and return to more civilized lands.
The following year was characterized by thriving success for the new settlement. The Northern Passage provided a deluge of adventurers and settlers from Niman and Evendarr which traveled to the new territory seeking their fortune. The community was expanding quickly, and Lady Katherine was required to devote more time to manage the increasing population. The Barbarians continued to attack sporadically during the following Spring, but the fort braved these raids without much difficulty.
Lady Katherine fell in love with lieutenant Jacob Banner and the two were wed on June 12, 431. Jacob was a kind and brave Healer who was much respected by the settlers. The love that Jacob and Lady Katherine shared was quite strong, and she was with child within two months of their marriage. Lieutenant Jacob was appointed Chamberlain of the settlement on September 17, 431. He valiantly defended the settlement and became renowned for his service to the people.
The Barbarians attacked the settlement during the Autumn of 431 and managed to breach the gates of Fort Galen a second time. A group of the savages succeeded in stealing the Resurrection Stone and attempted to make a hasty escape with the granite slab. They knew that the settlers would have to resurrect many miles south if the stone was stolen, thus weakening the expedition greatly. The Barbarians were chased down by Chamberlain Jacob’s forces and summarily routed. Afterwards, the stone was returned to the settlement intact.
A tavern and trading post was established near Fort Galen in July 431, by an enterprising guild of merchants from Niman called “The Greater Nimani Trading Union.” The trading post sold essential supplies to the community including tools, crop seed, and of course, plenty of ale. The guild also commissioned the creation of a caravan route called the Northern Passage which crossed Broken Lance Ford and continued along the eastern border of the Shimmerglen Forest to Niman. The Northern Passage ultimately became essential to the success of the settlement.
During the Autumn of 431, while a large group of soldiers was away from the settlement, the Snake Nation launched another offensive. The battle was very prolonged and both forces suffered great losses. The Resurrection Stone fell into the hands of the Barbarians for quite some time. Although many soldiers died in defense of the settlement, the only one who died while the stone was in the Barbarians’ hands was a notable figure named Derris Snapdragon. He resurrected at the Royal Academy, and relayed news from the settlement to all who would listen. When Lady Katherine’s forces returned, they united and left the settlement in search of the stone. The weakened Barbarian Horde was no match for the settlers, who took the stone and returned it to Fort Galen two weeks later.
Lady Katherine ordered a scouting party to survey the Silvermist Wood a month later, and the entire group of eight soldiers resurrected at the stone in Fort Galen. Several of these soldiers had a clear recollection of the events leading to their demise and swore that the very forest itself had come alive and attacked the group shortly after they had made camp for the first night. Many members of the expedition insisted that the woods are a home to the Fae and should be avoided, lest they incur the wraith of the Unseelie Court. Consequently, November 10th, 431 E.R., Lady Katherine proclaimed the Silvermist Wood a forbidden area that no citizen should disturb. While in the Silvermist Wood, Chamberlain Jacob contracted a strange disease that none of the local healers could cure. After a short period of extreme illness, Lady Katherine was a widow.
For two years, none of the search parties ever gathered any new information about the Hadran Empire. One group of scouts did encounter a nest of Attercob in the plains west of the River Hadran. The scouts managed to slay the Queen and acquire many ritual components from the plunder. Sergeant Ericson, an Elven Earth scholar, put these components to good use and created an Earth Circle in the village to serve as the Healers’ Guild.
On May 12, 432, Lady Katherine gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, which she named after her liege, Queen Katherine. The next day, her close personal friend Lady Magistrate V'ktara Solonori surprisingly arrived at the settlement. After being warmly received, Lady V’ktara told Lady Katherine of a mysterious dream she had on the previous new Year’s Eve. The dream compelled her seek out her friend for a heretofore unknown reason. The two surmised that her quest was to deliver the child to the safety of Lady Katherine’s family estates in Evendarr.
Lady V'ktara departed the territory one week later carrying the daughter of Lady Katherine wrapped in a bundle of blankets. She also brought with her a detailed journal of the expedition written by Lady Katherine which was the source of much information contained in this chronicle hitherto. Lady V'ktara traveled to Ashbury City where the journal was concealed in the archives of the Bardic College, remaining hidden until June 19, 596. Afterwards, Lady V’ktara returned to the capital where she resumed her role as Lady Magistrate. The child was brought to Galenson Hall just outside the ancient town of Velowyn to be reared by her grandfather.
The reader may notice that the remainder of this chronicle contains considerably less detail. The source of all further information concerning the Galenson expedition was obtained through several personal interviews. The most important of these interviews was with a Biata warrior named Malakar. Malakar is a sergeant of the Royal Army who served under Lady Katherine during much of the expedition and witnessed many of these events. Sergeant Malakar still lives to this day, and currently serves in the Shaidu Garrison Lady Niomi Avendale.
Malakar reports that the next obstacle encountered was resistance from several thousand goblins. The vile beasts had managed to prosper and multiply in the vast region of Brisbane. These goblins were characteristically stupid and weak, just as all goblins found elsewhere on Avalon, and could breed at an astonishing rate. The immense size of these goblin hordes constituted a real threat, but Lady Katherine and her troops succeeded in slaughtering the wretches in short time.
The next year was troubled by continuing goblin attacks. The few surviving goblins from the slaughters of the previous year managed to reproduce their hordes and renew their attack against the settlers. These vermin perpetrated many crimes such as stealing cattle, burning crops, and killing scores of settlers. Lady Katherine and her garrison dispatched the goblins quickly showing no mercy to the rabble. The few surviving goblins, beaten and abashed, eventually surrendered the southern plains of Brisbane and moved north.
The most serious threat to the campaign came from the various Orc clans living in the Maul Hills. Sightings of Orcs became frequent during the Summer of 433, but they usually avoided contact with settlers and it was assumed that only one small clan existed somewhere in the Maul Hills. Occasionally small bands of Orcs would assault settlers but they didn’t murder their opponents or steal their property. Unfortunately, these scuffles were simply a prelude to the terrible war which was to come. Lady Katherine later determined that these were, in fact, scouting parties that had been sent to monitor her troop movements and assess the strength of her people.
The first Orc attack was launched during the Autumn of 433 while much of the garrison was absent. Troops had been dispatched to escort a caravan hauling the fall harvest to Nimani markets, and undoubtedly the Orcs had detected that the fort was poorly guarded. The Orcs painted black and brown symbols of war on their faces and shouted horrible war cries as they charged the battlefield. The attack relied heavily on brute strength since no mages and few healers were found among their ranks. Almost fifty settlers, including women and children, suffered deaths before the Orcs finally withdrew from the fray.
The second Orc attack came under the cover of night only days later. Thankfully the garrison troops had returned from their escort mission, or the fort might well have been taken during the assault. Many necromancers were among the attackers, and these vile corrupters of Tyrra caused the brunt of the deaths during the battle. Strangely, the attackers never used undead, but they did utilize other dark powers of chaos to defile the settlers’ bodies and cause grievous injuries. Several Sarr accompanied the Orcs on this nocturnal raid, and some settlers believed that the distant kingdom of Myrr was inciting the Orc attacks.
Fortunately, the Oak Wood Elves came to the aid of the settlers, or all might have been lost for the expedition. Elven scouts detected Orc troop movements and dispatched emissaries to assist Lady Katherine. They graciously provided invaluable intelligence reports concerning the various Orc clans of the region, which they had gathered over many centuries. The Elves spoke of seven great Orc clans which exist along with perhaps a dozen or so smaller tribes. The great clans included: Bloodthorn, Derifile, Irontooth, Morgas, Nagrah, Saighdear, and Steelwielder. Of these, it was surmised that the extremely barbaric Saighdear clan perpetrated the first attack on the settlement and the Morgas committed the twilight raid.
The Orc clans continued attacking the settlement independently for several months, but Lady Katherine focused her soldiers and overcame each assault without much difficulty. However, a mighty chieftain of the Bloodthorn clan named Ravenin successfully united many of the Orcs, chasing off many of the smaller tribes that would not join him. His forces were mainly derived from five clans: Bloodthorn, Steelweilder, Morgas, Nagrah, and Saighdear. The Derifile clan refused to join Ravenin and were soon slaughtered, while the Irontooth clan fled to the plains beyond the River Hadran.
Ravenin fought with much honor and integrity, showing mercy to all of the enemies’ women and children. Some of the younger children he spared called Ravenin the Greenman, a title he later adopted for his own. The Greenman began a long, organized campaign against the settlers. The Bloodthorn clan had organizational skills which other Orcs seemed to lack, and the Greenman used these skills to great advantage. The immense threat of the Orcs was realized over the year to follow, since the casualties that the Orcs inflicted threatened the very survival of the settlement.
The settlement was almost overrun in the Summer of 434, and the new Chamberlain was forced to move the attack into the Maul Hills, to an area known as Shattered Gorge. The soldiers suffered great losses, but were able to inflict even heavier losses upon the Orcs. During the attack, the “Evil Eye” by made another appearance, to oversee the battle. The Steelwielder clan, comprised mainly of scholarly Orcs, seemed very agitated at the appearance of the Eye. The Eye seemed to portend good fortune, since the Battle of Shattered Gorge was won by the settlers.
After a brief respite, the Orc attacks began again, but this time the settlers were ready. The Oak Wood elves had supplied a legion of reinforcements, consisting of some of their most elite archers. Many Orc losses were suffered, while the Orcs inflicted very little damage upon the settlement.
Finally, the Orcs staged the largest attack of all. In the Winter of 434, the Greenman gathered all of his remaining clan members and attacked the settlement. Many losses were suffered on both sides, but eventually the Orcs were left scattered and useless, and a successful regrouping seemed almost impossible. The Orcs didn’t attack the settlement again, and presumably disappeared into the hills.
During the next few months, there were several settlers who turned up missing. Some settlers believed that Orcs were responsible, still others thought that they were simply murdered by other settlers. A few even tended to blame the Evil Eye. None of these theories was ever proven.
Beginning in the Spring of 435, Lady Katherine’s settlement encountered considerable resistance from a strange race of semi-intelligent bipedal bovine creatures. The settlers promptly dubbed them Minotaurs, due to their resemblance to the mythical creatures of the same name. Lady Katherine’s initial speculation was that these creatures were another breed of the Scavenger race, and as such she attempted to open peaceful negotiations with their leaders. It was later determined that the Minotaur are another race altogether, characterized by considerable warlike tendencies and general belligerence. The Minotaurs became increasingly hostile and frequently attacked the settlers, so all attempts at reconciliation were quickly abandoned.
Malakar reports that the Minotaurs are notably stronger then Orcs and quite a bit more fearsome. Fortunately, the Minotaur herds lacked the numbers and confederation of the Orc clans. The Minotaur attacks were poorly organized and relied heavily on the brute strength of their first charge to achieve victory. Any show of resistance would often break their momentum and turn the tide of the battle. The Minotaurs were also forced to withdraw whenever a skirmish lasted more then a fortnight, since their leaders failed to coordinate adequate provisions.
The most notable Minotaur battle, which Lady Katherine named “The Ten Day War” was won simply due to superior logistics. Best estimations placed the number of Minotaur herds between five and eight. Four of these herds united and launched a vicious attack against the soldiers. The Minotaurs numbered well over two thousand strong, including several hundred calves. Lady Katherine’s troops suffered heavy losses under the force of the first wave. These losses included the complete decimation of her remaining cavalry.
The Minotaurs fought ferociously and showed no mercy to their fallen adversaries, often stampeding over the dead and dying bodies to pursue a new enemy. The garrison was forced to abandon Fort Galen and retreat to the highlands beside the Maul Hills. Fortunately Lady Katherine had foreseen such an emergency and had taken precautions. Stores of food, water, blankets, lumber, spell books, and weapons had been hidden deep within the caves of Shattered Gorge. The foot soldiers formed a defensive perimeter at the entrance to the gorge while archers and wizards took up positions in the rocky cliffs above. The narrow elevated mouth of the ravine prevented the Minotaurs from making any brutal charge and hindered them in hand to hand combat.
The Minotaurs stomped the ground in rage, kicking up a huge brume of dust, and hurled stones at the soldiers hoping to lure them into a fight on the plains. Yet the soldiers held their ground and a prolonged siege ensued. The Minotaurs launched four or five attacks each day and suffered heavy casualties in each wave before finally retreating. After three days the archers had exhausted their supply of arrows and resorted to throwing rocks and starting rock slides. Unfortunately, some of the rock slides claimed the lives of the foot soldiers.
The Evil Eye made another appearance on the morning of the fourth day to survey the battlefield. The apparition floated to the mouth of the gorge and hovered there for several minutes before drifting away. The reaction of the Minotaurs was ominous, as some knelt on one knee to honor the apparition. One herd even withdrew from the area in abject horror and didn’t return until hours after the spectral eye had departed.
Wild rumors that the Eye had placed a hex on the troops spread quickly, and arguments as to the powers of the Eye erupted within the ranks. Some soldiers even started demanding that Lady Katherine surrender to the Minotaurs immediately, so they could avoid the horrible fate that the Eye had in store for the settlers. Of course this only served to reduce the soldiers morale and create strife. Perhaps that was the very power of the hex fabricated by this Spectral Eye, but Sergeant Malakar suspects it was simply superstition.
The various herds began to quarrel amongst themselves after six days of this dreadful onslaught. The morale of both forces was failing, but desperation held the soldiers together. The Darkbone herd departed on the eighth day which reduced the number of Minotaur by almost a third. Several hundred more deserted the field during the evenings of the eighth and ninth days, as conflict between their ranks continued to grow.
Lady Katherine lead the soldiers in a charge out of the gorge at dawn of the tenth day, August 14, 434. The sudden charge caught the remaining Minotaur completely by surprise. The beleaguered and famished Minotaurs suffered heavy losses in the first wave and shortly thereafter began a hasty retreat to the north. The valley at the mouth of Shattered Gorge was eventually named “Galenson Field” to honor the hero who lead our forces to victory on that fateful day.
Several more Minotaur raids would come in the following months, but this was the last real battle of any significance. Scouting reports indicated that many of the herds had relocated to the northwest to avoid further confrontation. The Stonehoof Minotaurs joined the reclusive Nagrah Orc clan and settled somewhere in the arid canyons of the southwest. Lady Katherine ordered the settlers to rebuild Fort Galen, and her search for the Hadran Empire resumed.
The mysterious disappearances continued to plague the territory, and the frequency of these occurrences continued to rise at an alarming rate. Lady Katherine vowed to discover the cause of these disappearances and end the settlers plight. Many rumors pointed blame at the strange Evil Eye, while others alleged that the monolith called Tandon’s Rock was causing the trouble. Still others swore that the angry spirits of Silvermist Wood, now believed to be a haunted forest, were capturing settlers and turning them into Oak trees. Lady Katherine was dubious of such idle chatter and attempted a more practical investigation.
The mystery was finally unveiled by Lady Katherine after seven months of exhaustive detective work. The missing citizens had been captured by slavers and secretly transported to Niman for sale. The Greater Nimani Trading Union was actually a front for the slavers, and the nefarious band was captured and sentenced to death for their crimes. This was significant historically, since it was the first time a sentence of death had been pronounced within the settlement.
Unified hosts of Minotaurs, Giants, Gnolls, Orcs, and other monstrous races attacked the settlement during November of 435. The army was lead by a non-corporeal undead Minotaur named Vendar. Vendar proclaimed himself the leader of a council calling themselves the Colanta, which had sworn to defend the region from human invaders. The Colanta armies caused considerable damage to the village and slaughtered many citizens in this initial attack.
The Colanta continued their onslaught in the following Spring, causing tremendous casualties. Patrols sent into the plains to gather information about the Colanta commonly resurrected, but some survived and reported that the council was comprised of seven powerful undead. Lady Katherine soon declared a state of Martial Law in the territory, and ordered that no citizen travel the plains unescorted. This standoff continued for almost an entire year.
Fortunately, a group of stalwart adventurers led by a Quentari Elf named Jayce My'linyen came to the aid of the settlement, in the Spring of 437. The band called themselves the Twilight Council, and vowed to eradicate the Colanta. They took to the plains in search of the strongholds and spirit bottles of these monstrosities. Two of these excursions were successful, bringing about the end to Gorgrum, a giant skeleton, and Ulaine, an Ogress Wraith Master. The Colanta withdrew from the region shortly thereafter, and Lady Katherine declared an end to Martial Law.
Lady Katherine ordered two more search parties into the
plains on September 4, 437. The search
party that was sent North, led by Sergeant Malakar, never returned. Sometime afterwards, all of the settlers
vanished without a trace. On the first
day of September 442, almost five years later, Sergeant Malakar returned to
Evendarr. He told of how his search
party was captured and enslaved by a hostile nation called the Empire of
Tarsa. Apparently, this nation is
located in a Northwesterly direction from Lady Katherine’s settlement. He escaped, and returned to Fort Galen, only
to discover that all of the settlers had disappeared, and the Earth Circle was
destroyed. The disappearance of the
settlement continues to puzzle historians and sages of the present day.
The
Lands of Brisbane
Forward
The following document has been prepared at the request of Lady Niomi Avendale by the Royal Historians Guild of Evendarr. Lady Niomi commissioned the guild to provide her with information about the lands north of the Shimmerglen Forest known as Brisbane. The material contained within this document is sanctioned for general dissemination. Regretfully, several scrolls concerning these lands have been ordered clandestine by the throne. The Guild charter and Evendarrian law precludes release of any information contained within these documents without proper consent from the throne.
Lord Theodore Hammin
Senior Guildsman
Royal Historians Guild of Evendarr
February 9, 597 E.R.
The territory of Brisbane occupies a vast area approximately 20,000 square miles north of the Shimmerglen Forest and east of the River Hadran. The Shimmerglen Forest constitutes the southern fringe of the territory. The border measures perhaps 17 leagues from the northeastern edge of the Shimmerglen Forest on a line north-by-northwest until it meets a spur of the Frostpeak Mountains. The periphery follows this spur of the Frostpeaks northwest-by-west-by-southwest until the range diminishes into foothills approximately 10 leagues east of the River Hadran. Finally, the border follows the course of the river south until it disappears into the Shimmerglen Forest.
The southern region of Brisbane is dominated by wide, rolling fields of tall grass and a large knob of hills. The plains are occupied by a sizable hardwood forest to the north at the foothills of the Frostpeak Mountains, but otherwise remain remarkably flat and clear throughout the region. The western stretch of land along the shores of the river and north of the Shimmerglen Forest is rather arid and rocky terrain, teeming with caves and canyons carved by harsh dry winds, while the remaining grasslands are lush and fertile.
In 139 E.R. a brilliant sage named Cobel wrote an essay entitled “The Malison of Karveki” proclaiming that the territory of Brisbane is cursed. Cobel wandered far past the borders of Evendarr to study the various cultures of Avalon, and eventually reached the plains north of the Shimmerglen Forest. He claims to have found evidence of an ancient civilization called the Empire of Brisbane which once prospered in the region. The uncharted territory was dubbed Brisbane by the throne due to Cobel’s findings.
The sage speculated that the great dominion of Brisbane was annihilated centuries before the throne of Evendarr was established in a terrible war with a horde of Barbarians from the Frost Peak Mountains. Undoubtedly, these are the ancestors of the very same Barbarians which occupy the region today. Cobel insisted that a terrible curse also had a hand in the ruin of this once mighty empire, and that this curse will plague the region for eternity. Cobel became a raving lunatic shortly after completing the composition, and as such his work has been discounted by most scholars.
Many historians are convinced that the legendary palace of Xzaven, an enchanted alcazar of gold and jewels, lies somewhere in the northern region of Brisbane. Many fortune hunters have headed off into these lands seeking the riches and magic of Xzaven through the centuries. Most of these adventurers have never returned, but some have resurrected at Earth Circles in Elysia and Niman telling horrible tales of their trouble in the plains. Many of these stories are greatly exaggerated, but it is clear that the region is quite dangerous and inhospitable to strangers.
The plains of Brisbane are home to the Northmen Barbarians known as the Snake Nation. The Snake Nation is comprised of many Barbarian clans, and are among the most fierce warriors found anywhere on Tyrra. Guild records indicate that they once numbered almost one hundred thousand strong spread across the Northlands. The Barbarian numbers have diminished in countless wars with Niman and Evendarr, and current estimates place their population at no more then forty thousand.
During 429 E.R., an expedition into the region of Brisbane was lead by a royal knight named Lady Katherine Galenson. Lady Katherine was searching for the Hadran Empire at the request of Queen Katherine Endarr, and diverted her course north after discovering the ancient Nimani city of Gorm Kherz. The Nimani people told her that Gorm Kherz was once a military outpost of the Hadran Empire, and they suspected that the dominion still existed somewhere north of the Shimmerglen Forest. The expedition departed Gorm Kherz in the Summer of 429 following the course of the River Hadran northward, and all communication with the group was lost shortly thereafter.
Derris Snapdragon, a young Hobling wizard who had accompanied the expedition, resurrected at the Royal Academy of Arcane Arts and Sciences during the Autumn of 431 E.R. He had suffered his third death at the hands of Barbarians which had been battling Lady Katherine’s expedition for almost two years. The Barbarians, which Derris disdainfully referred to as “Wilders,” had been targeting him for casting celestial magics. Derris resigned from the Royal Army after giving a detailed report of the expeditions movements.
Derris reported that the group encountered the Stonewood Dwarves of the Lonestance Peaks on there journey northward, an area which now falls within the Duchy of Elysia. Lady Katherine found these Dwarves to be an amiable people and bartered for additional supplies. The Dwarves warned of the Barbarians which lived in the plains north of the Shimmerglen Forest and of the various Orc clans which had been at war with the Oak Wood Elves for centuries. The Dwarves had no knowledge of the Hadran Empire so Lady Katherine pressed northward into the plains.
The Snake Nation Barbarians soon discovered Lady Katherine’s expedition and attacked forthwith without any provocation. Lady Katherine was determined to accomplish her mission, and would not be turned back by these savages. Unfortunately, nightly raids and bloody skirmishes were depleting resources and making further advancement northward impossible. Derris reported that he suffered his first death in one such nightly raid attempting to prevent the Barbarians from stealing a wagon of supplies.
Lady Katherine established a stronghold called Fort Galen in the southeastern region of Brisbane during the Spring of 430 E.R. The settlement fought off numerous Barbarian attacks and continued to gather information about the territory. Progress was slow, and the Barbarians continued their unrelenting assault through the Summer. Derris suffered his second death in a Barbarian raid defending the Resurrection Stone (one of many enchanted slabs of granite used to resurrect dead spirits; the Resurrection Stones were quite useful as they could be transported; unfortunately these artifacts lost all enchantment during the Great Celestial Change of 591). He resurrected on the stone in the middle of the battle and continued to fight until the Barbarians finally retreated.
Derris stated that the Barbarians withdrew for several months to lands beyond the River Hadran after this last defeat. The expedition explored the territory of Brisbane during their absence and located some ancient ruins in the northern reaches. Unfortunately, the Barbarians returned by the following Autumn and launched a massive offensive in which Derris suffered another death at their hands. The Resurrection Stone was surrounded by these savages so Derris decided to resurrect elsewhere.
Lady V'ktara Solonori, a Stone Elf templar, had a mysterious dream on New Year's Eve, in December of 431. Lady V'ktara had earned considerable distinction as a scrupulously just Magistrate of Evendarr, and her wisdom and logic was seldom questioned by the throne. The vision compelled Lady V'ktara to travel north and seek out her close personal friend, Lady Katherine. Her Majesty Queen Katherine reluctantly granted Lady V'ktara leave to pursue this vision quest, and she departed alone two days later, without much fanfare.
Lady V'ktara returned late September of 432 carrying a small child wrapped in bundle. The child, as sworn by the Lady Magistrate and witnessed by Lord Ambrose, was entered into the Royal Archives as the true daughter of Lady Katherine Galenson. Lady V'ktara reported that the settlement of Fort Galen was prospering and they had managed to create a permanent Earth Circle at the site. Lady Katherine was in good spirits when last they spoke, and her search for the Hadran Empire had resumed in earnest.
Reports indicate that the settlement flourished for several years, and many people flocked to the area to seek their fortune. Unfortunately, all contact with the settlement of Fort Galen ceased during the Spring of 438. A search party lead by Sir Walter Groomswald departed Evendarr City during the Summer of 439. The search party returned during the following Autumn and reported that the settlers had vanished without a trace. The fort was in considerable disrepair and the Earth Circle had been destroyed. The fate of the lost settlement remains a mystery to this day.
Between the years of 512 and 537, reports reached the Evendarr throne that a successful bandit army was staging raids on the surrounding regions. Their base of operations was suspected to be within the Wastelands of the Robber Barons, along the River Hadran, but its exact location was never discovered. The bandit leader was so successful that he was eventually labeled The Prince of Thieves, and no one could attest to his exact description. Eventually, the well planned ambushes stopped without explanation. Fortune hunters continue to search the Wastelands for the prince’s secret stronghold, in hopes of finding the vast wealth of stolen plunder hidden there.
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