The Dark Grimoire: An interactive roleplaying community

Dundee is a small town in the western half of Valorn. It lies within the southern plain, and borders the Dark Forest of the west. Dundee is ruled by a mayor. The mayor serves for life, and passes his title down to his oldest child. The current ruling family is kind, if a bit aristocratic.

Commerce is very much alive in Dundee. It is primarily an agricultural center, and traders can often be seen hauling grain on the forest path to Milltown. In addition to farming, several merchants and craftsmen have established businesses to cater to the equipment needs of new adventurers who train in the surrounding plains and swamp. An official Welcome Center provides hospitality and orientation to those who have chosen the path of the adventurer. Adventurers may also make use of a trainer and healer who have volunteered their efforts to assist in advancement for the good of all Valorn.

The Dundee Inn is the best place for a new adventurer to learn news and gossip in the land and meet more experienced heroes. You will likely hear that citizens complain of strange smells coming from the sewers and have glimpsed gigantic rats the size of large dogs. There may likely be some reward for investigating.

Dundee is located in the northwest part of a broad, sweeping plain. Although many parts have been cleared out and fenced off for farming, much of the plain remains wild and home to many beasts. A gigantic tree towers over the southwest corner, and some Dundee children claim to have seen strange tiny humanoids near that area. A fine inn stands somewhat resolutely amidst an enormous ruin of glass shards. South of the plain is a wide beach and, eventually, the ocean.

The Dark Forest on the western half of Valorn lies directly between Dundee and Milltown. The forest is home to fierce, rabid, diseased creatures, as well as a well-armed group of bandits. Most of the forest is very dangerous, but the path that has been cleared between Milltown and Dundee is fairly safe to travel for those somewhat experienced with a sword. Reports of fierce ogres in the deeper forest have been heard as well..

Milltown is named for the seven great mills that churn away at the east end of town, processing grain from the southern plains, lumber from the Dark Forest, and more. Milltown’s turn to turn affairs are run by a council of citizens that meets in the room above the town inn once every Cycle.

Milltown features sturdy walls on both the northern and southern edges of town. These hold back the desert and forest creatures from preying upon the citizenry. The relative safety has resulted in a booming population within the town, and with it, a large variety of merchants to serve their needs. Thankfully, the food supply from Dundee to the south continues to provide adequately.

Those looking for battle around Milltown can venture north, south, or west. The forest to the south is a constant battleground, as citizen soldiers from both Dundee and Milltown attempt to cleanse the woods of rabid animals and forest bandits. The desert to the north is home to fearsome creatures… and rumors of gangs of gigantic demons in the dunes are sometimes heard. The area west of town used to be farmland, but is now home to some sort of evil haunting presence.

The Endless Desert is a huge, hot, desolate area north of Milltown. The area is largely unknown, and is famous for swallowing entire bands of well-equipped adventurers. Rumors abound of a secret tomb, and of a sparkling oasis. Ryndall is often seen on the horizon while travelling here, but few people claim to have ever been able to actually make it to the city.

The large range of mountains to the west of the Endless Desert serves to divide Caernivale from the rest of Valorn. A path exists through the mountains, but fierce beasts and tribes of unfriendly centaurs kill all those who attempt to pass and one might become lost in the strange valleys and plateaus off the path.

Caernivale may be one of the strangest sights an adventurer will ever see. The entire town is built on large wooden platforms, which are balanced on poles that extend at least one-hundred feet down to the beach below. Entrance to the town can only be made by crossing the drawbridge from the cliff that towers over the beach at Caernivale's elevation.

The people of Caernivale are the most guarded in all of Valorn... which explains why they live in an unreachable town on the far side of a gigantic mountain range. Most visitors who do manage to make the trip are disappointed to find that a majority of the town is closed off to outsiders. A capable and sneaky rogue, though, could probably find a way around the town's security measures.

Ryndall is a magical city which exists on some other plane of existence. The only ways to reach the city are by use of mystical means. Nevertheless, the city is "somewhere" in the desert north of Milltown, on the western half of Valorn.

Some believe that there is a division of power in Valorn between Caer Laleldan, Branishor, and Ryndall. The city is home to the most powerful enchanters in the land, whose contributions to Valorn’s safety are as undeniable as their motives are arcane. There is a barely-disguised disregard by the town’s enchanters of the small but necessary non-magical populace, but hostilities are kept in restraint.

Ryndall is ruled by a powerful and mysterious group of mages, known as the Council, whose knowledge of magic has surpassed that of even the most seasoned adventuring enchanter. Their most powerful and prominent member is the Archmage Azeraphel, whose deeds are legendary. His daughter, the Modus Discipula Arctane, sometimes serves as the Council’s representative when Azeraphel is not available. Apprentice Mages Albertus and Arcticus, while not on the Council, often serve as friendly, if not always the most reliable, allies to groups of adventurers.

A relic of the Golden Age when great kingdoms covered the land, The Wall served the Kingdom of the East as a deterrent against the Kingdom of the West. Despite hundreds of years of neglect, The Wall continues to divide the land in two. It towers nearly a hundred feet in the air, and is over forty feet thick at its strongest points. Stories persist from the Golden Age telling of passageways running through the wall. Unfortunately, few can successfully make the journey through the desert to see if the stories are true.

The Black Wastelands cover an area almost equal to the size of the Endless Desert. In combination with The Wall, the Wastelands have served to keep the eastern and western halves of Valorn almost completely separated for generations. The Wastelands are a result of a massive mystical battle that occurred sometime toward the end of the Golden Age. The destruction is so horrific and massive that it is almost assured that the battle had something to do with the downfall of the great kingdoms. The area is home to horribly disfigured creatures and mutants, and is considered one of the least safe (and desirable) areas in all of Valorn.

Branishor is a glittering white pearl on the coast of the gulf that extends into the heart of Valorn. As the only known city to have survived the fall of the great kingdoms nearly four-hundred summers ago, Branishor represents the last remnant of the old culture. Both artists and clerics abound here, as the city houses many galleries, as well as the only surviving Great Temple.

Branishor is ruled by a Council of clergy, led by the High Cleric, Shamson the Holy. Generally, they are known as fair and just rulers, although taxes to support the temple are quite high. Branishor is largely self-sufficient. They grow their own crops in the fields to the north, and can get plenty of wood and game from the woods to the east.

The Eastern Mountains divide the main of Valorn from the far-eastern areas of Verthedge Forest and the Tall Grasslands. The mountain paths are sometimes treacherous here, and many giant beasts and wild centaurs roam the canyons and cliffs.

Altitan is the only city in Valorn not built and populated by humans. It is understood to be home to a race of rock giants called Titans. The Titans (their actual name is unpronounceable to humans) are believed through legends to be excellent weapon and armorsmiths who have somehow mastered how to forge solid rock.

The culture of the giants is a complete mystery as their city has been entirely closed off since the fall of the Golden Age in order to prevent the contamination of demons and avoid the risk of bloodshed. Queen Cordelia has made it known she wishes to re-establish diplomatic communication with the Titans.

Verthedge is a forest full of subtle magic. Everything here seems quite a bit larger than it should naturally be. The plants themselves seem to be quite a bit hungrier for human flesh than they ought to naturally be as well. Verthedge had been the last line of nature before traversing north toward Balthazar's lair and the devastation of life that had once surrounded it. But with his fall, an even stranger place has sprung up.

North of Verthedge Forest, there was once, across a field of rotting corpses, an area known only as The Dead Zone. Haunted by the animated corpses of those who failed to stop Balthazar’s rise to power, the Dead Zone changed immediately after Balthazar’s fall. Like a broken dam, life rushed back upon the area so swiftly that only the most simplistic species of flora and fauna grew to complete dominance and present an ever-present danger to those who enter.

Within what was once the Dead Zone, was the fully corrupted Golden Age city of Ryn. It was there that Balthazar sat on his throne of bones and planned his final victory to destroy all life in Valorn. Overrun with demons and befouled by dark magics, it was there that Queen Cordelia led an army of adventurers to defeat Balthazar once and for all. While it has yet to be restored to a habitable option for humans, it is at least no longer impenetrable for adventurers seeking demons to battle. Rising high above the city and untouched by the pervasive rot of the city is the Tower of Farsight, a mysterious place crafted by the greatest mages of the Golden Age.

The Tall Grasslands are affected by extension of the magic that created the oversized Verthedge forest. Here, grass grows so high that it is nearly impossible to see anything just a few feet in front of where you are standing. For a time, the people of Fartown maintained a discernable path through the overgrowth to allow trade to their humble city, but since its destruction by Balthazar it is unknown how long that path will last. Dangerous beasts that like to hide in the exceptionally tall grass wait for prey to stumble by so caution is encouraged there.

Fartown was once an architectural marvel: a town surrounded by a giant wall of woven tall grass. In fact, much of the town’s crafted goods and materials, plates, clothing, armor, and entire houses, were made from this grass by master weavers whose hardening treatments are a trade secret. Unfortunately this former frontier town was struck down and absolutely destroyed by Balthazar before his defeat. Only deep piles of ash remain. Rumor has it that some of the former inhabitants were able to flee and now survive within Verthedge Forest.

Raised and trained by the Iron Knights in secrecy, Cordelia stepped forward as heir to the throne when King Deek had gone missing. Young but determined, already she has endeared herself to the people of Valorn with her warmth and by her devotion to the realm's welfare. She was captured and tortured by Balthazar for a time but was rescued by adventurers led by three junior Iron Knights against their commanders orders. After her restoration and recovery, she disbanded the Iron Knights and formed a new Iron Order with a broader representation than the elite warriors. She resides in Caer Laleldan and holds formal audiences but prefers a more personal connection with the people throughout Valorn.

Unaware of his lineage, Deek rediscovered his family's past when he began to explore Valorn as an adventurer. A descendant of one of the ancient Kings of the Golden Age, Deek claimed his family's throne with the blessings of the gods. His leadership raised the hopes of the people of Valorn during a dark time following the invasion of Ryndall by Balthazar and his demons.

During Deek's reign, Ryndall was freed from its demon occupiers. After other victories were won, it looked like Deek's reign might last a long time and bring peace to Valorn. But Deek went missing and the throne stood unoccupied until it was revealed that Iron Knight Cordelia was daughter and heir to Deek. Deek's body was found and he was interred near Caer Laleldan.

Azeraphel is the current Archmage of Ryndall, the most powerful and learned mage in Valorn. He, like the rest of the council of Ryndall, will assist Valorn if the need is great and does not interfere with their own secret research. While his power is nearly unmatched, he is an arrogant ally who seems to prefer his own company.

Shamson is an experienced healer as well as a cleric. He had been a large, familiar figure in the Milltown temple for years and rarely stirred from it until he contended for the position of High Cleric upon the death of Elijah the Holy who fell prey to a failing heart after an attack by Balthazar. Shamson’s election was contentious as his cloistered existence contrasted with T’yandra Stallheart’s active participation in defending Valorn. But he has grown to be an eager, if sometimes awkward, participant in Queen Cordelia’s missions.

T'yandra is an experienced healer as well as a warrior, excelling at both field medicine and battle. Due to her "hands on" style, she has become an extremely popular heroine to the people of Valorn. As chief advisor of the previous High Cleric, Elijah, she was in contention for the position upon his death. After Shamson’s election, she left the council of Branishor and took a position as an Iron Advisor to Queen Cordelia.

Gunthield was an elder within the Iron Knights, tasked with protecting the royal line of Valorn. After Cordelia reformed the cadre as the Iron Order, Gunthield chose to stay by her side and serve as an Iron Advisor. Gunthield’s battlefield exploits are near legendary but scores of seasons of battle have taken their toll upon him.

An expert swordsman and formerly the Iron Knights recruiter, Macleon trained and tutored Cordelia from childhood. As she settled into the role of Queen, however, he bristled at having to take orders from a woman he was used to commanding. Finally, after she had been captured by Balthazar, he warned the Iron Knights to not risk worse losses by attempting a rescue, but three junior knights rebelled and were successful. He broke with Cordelia when she formed the new Iron Order and departed, along with former Iron Knight Malvlad, reportedly to Ethucan.

A rogue of exquisite taste, cunning and beauty, Shaerih is infamous throughout Valorn. Her incredible prowess lets her move almost invisibly among the citizenry of even the most densely populated towns, and her sharp intelligence and wit have been the bane of many a man who sought to win her but found themselves at her mercy instead. Her combination of skill and charisma has provided Shaerih with a fairly sizeable fortune, the exact extent of which is unknown.

Not much is known for sure about Balthazar, just that he was once a human and very powerful mage who gained the power to control armies of demons. Believed to have lived many hundreds of winters, he caused the downfall of the Golden Age and the two great kingdoms of Valorn. While he defeated the great combined armies of Valorn in a massive battle, before he could seize full control of the continent, it is said that the rulers of Ryndall managed to bind him to his fortress in the east. From there he plagued the land with demon hordes and various machinations to achieve ultimate victory, destroying or subjugating all humans to his will.

Ancient Valornian mythology tells of another plane of existence that mirrors our own. This is said to be N'rolav, the Dark Valorn, where massive Demons run rampant and an evil presence rules. One theory reigns that Balthazar was able to tap into this twisted plane to rise to a level of power that dwarfed that of other mages who were once his peers. But still it was not enough to give him ultimate control over all life.

He then sought an additional power source, the cast-out god from Sunrifter, Drakon. Siphoning energy from Drakon, Balthazar sought to equal the gods and their ability to shape reality itself. But before he could complete his draining, an army led by Queen Cordelia fought its way to his redoubt and defeated him for good, freeing Drakon in the process.