c558382@showme.missouri.
02-18-1998, 01:03 PM
The following text is a history of the demise of the Order of the Sun
and its connection to the founding of the Greybeard line. To assist the
reader, I offer these useful facts: the adventurers and perspective are
dwarven. Reference to our friends and our lands refer to friends of the
dwarves and dwarven lands. Eltarin Llewylen is an elven ranger who took
up service in the lands of Hildigart Endrede, dwarven Envoy to the elves.
Arbik Oakenhand his his dwarven assistant who posseses the guide class
described in Sages and Specialists. Thaim Ironsmelt is a high level
dwarven chanter (demi-bard) who was the overthane's tutor, and continues
as his advisor. Fuden the Silent is a mid-level priest of one of the dark
cults the dwarves keep suppresed. One of the perennial problems of the
dwarven realm is the cult menace, insidious, many dwarves do not even
realise they worship un-approved entities. The overthane faught a battle
with (adventure type) with Fudin, in which Fudin escaped covered by his
undead minions. The dwarven calendar coresponds to Masetian Arrival.
Kenneth Gauck
c558382@showme.missouri.edu
- ------------------------
The assistant to Eltarin Llewylen, the dwarf guide Arbik Oakenhand, was
looking for evidence of crossings from the Chimearon into the Promontory.
Arbik, a retainer of Hildegart, was doing this work in the lands of
Wulfram because of the role his superior, Eltarin, played in the pursuit
of Fudin the Silent. While crossing desolate peaks and valleys devoid of
mineral wealth, Arbik found a construct which he first took to be a refuge
of Fudin, indeed he supposed he might find the cultist and surprise him.
Instead what he discovered was an old ruin, abandoned for centuries.
Arbik's immediate investigations revealed that it was infested with foul
vermin, such as giant rats, cave crickets, and giant ants. Knowing the
danger such vermin pose, Arbik withdrew and made his way to Kurkburg, the
seat of the Thane, Wulfram Ironvein. Wainier House was then in the
midst of great preparations, and the Thane was too busy to receive Arbik.
Rather, his son Raknarr received the dwarf guide and heard his story.
Raknarr sent for the Thane's Miner, and ordered a team of Pest-masters
conscripted. A platoon of twelve Pest- masters were assembled and issued
kettles, tents, and axes. The noble, Morolk Stonefist, a knight in the
service of the Thane, led the pest-masters in their mission. They were
ordered to clear the ruin of its foulness and prepare it for proper
investigation by learned men. As the Overthane was expected to arrive for
the christening of the Ironvein children, Arbik was instructed to await
his arrival to inform him personally.
[With this adventure hook the players visit the ruin...]
Thaim's Explanation: This tower bears the design and ornament of Avani!
There is no doubt that is one of the towers built by the Order of the Sun,
Avani's Order. In the days before the Anurians came to Khinasi, when the
land beyond Baruk-Azhik was still ruled by Basarji traders, an order of
knights defended the city-states. This was the Order of the Sun, also
known as Avani's Order, or the Knights of the Eternal Sun, a brotherhood
of Paladins, chosen from among the ranks of the soldiers of Avani, goddess
of the sun. The knights stood for justice, stability, and reason. The
order defended the Khinasi against the Anurians during the Anurian
expansion, over 700 years ago. Founded initially after Deismaar to combat
the awnsheghlien, the Order of the Sun achieved military, political, and
spiritual might in the Western Khinasi lands of Binsada and Dhafrane, as
the Chimaeron was known before the coming of the Chimera. The Khinasi
pushed into Baruk-Azhik intent on subjugating us, and we turned to our
long-time friends on the Anurian throne, the dynasty of Roele, for
assistance in 1277. The new emperor, Alandalae, nobly took up our cause.
The coming of the Anurians was the direct cause of the fall of the Order
of the Sun. With our assistance, the armies of Anuire crossed the Iron
Peaks and pushed into Dhafrane. A citadel known as the Spires of the Sun
was the order's greatest stronghold. It was located in the city of
Dhafrane, which was leveled by the Anurians and refounded as Barniere.
They had outposts all throughout the Iron Peaks, along the Tarvan Hills,
near the Rain Serpent Mountains, and along the Kratal river facing
Coeranys. The adventurer-knights of the Order could not withstand the
organized forces of the Anurians. Pressed by the Anurians in the west and
the awnsheghlien in the east, the order collapsed. While this occurred,
the renown Khinasi general, El-Arrasi organized the Basarji Federation to
meet the Anurians. Most of Alandalae's army was heavy cavalry poorly
suited to fighting in the southern Iron Peaks, so he tried to fight the
Khinasi in the Khurinbyrn Valley and east into the Rohrmarch, then subject
to the Khinasi. In the southern territories of the Rohrmarch, where
Khinasi colonization took place, the Basarji Federation and the last
companies of the Order of the Sun met Alandalae and his Anurians at the
Battle of Asarwe in 1299. Many dwarves fought alongside the humans in
special companies. One such warrior was your ancestor, Makkan Rockhammer.
During the battle, the Knights of the Sun launched a suicidal charge to
kill the Emperor. While they succeeded in killing Alandalae, they were
themselves destroyed by Alandalae's honor guard and the dwarven company to
his right, including your great, great grandfather Makkan. It was then
that Makkan earned his birthright by killing one of the noble captains of
the Order. Upon assuming his blood power, Makkan Rockhammer's beard turned
stone gray, and he was forever known as "graybeard", as you are today.
The Order of the Sun was destroyed and was never reestablished. Now all
that remains of the Order are its ruins, such as this one.
1277 GR (Gideon Rinsparr) Emperor Alandalae takes Iron Throne opens
a campaign against the Basarji
1279 GR El-Arrasi organizes Basarji Federation
1299 GR Alandalae killed in Basarji campaign at the battle of Asarwe,
Caercuillen becomes emperor and ally of el-Arrasi
1311 GR Death of el-Arrasi
1327 GR Eldracht Hoffstugart of Mafden leads rebellion against Anuire
1328 GR Makkan "Greybeard" ambushed and killed on a diplomatic mission.
By the way, the story of your ancestor Makkan remains tied to the imperial
house of Roele. After the Battle of Asarwe, Caercuillen became emperor
and made peace and concluded an alliance with el-Arrasi. But this was the
high watermark to the Empire. In 1327, Eldracht Hoffstugart of Mafden
started the rebellion against Anuire. The Emperor, aware of the noble
reputation of Makkan, who was as endowed with charm and grace as he was
with strength and courage, asked Makkan to undertake a diplomatic mission
to Brechtur. He was asked to call upon the Dwarves of Massenmarch to
suppress the rebellion, to journey to Brechlen to ask the Herzog of Muden
to arrest Hoffstugart and the ringleaders of the resistance. Such a
mission, if successful, could have ended the rebellion and stemmed the
decline of the Empire. The Brechts knew it and they laid an ambush for
Makkan as he crossed the Thurin River between Kiergard and Massenmarch in
the Thuringode Forest. We do not know exactly what transpired, but it is
known Makkan and his diplomatic party was killed by the rebels. His
birthright descended to his son, Golan, whose sterling character, heroic
reputation, and marriage to Grabbo Rockhammer, his cousin, secured his
acquisition of the Thaneship of Rivenrock, which has been in the hands of
Rockhammer for centuries, and was thence passed to your collateral branch.
and its connection to the founding of the Greybeard line. To assist the
reader, I offer these useful facts: the adventurers and perspective are
dwarven. Reference to our friends and our lands refer to friends of the
dwarves and dwarven lands. Eltarin Llewylen is an elven ranger who took
up service in the lands of Hildigart Endrede, dwarven Envoy to the elves.
Arbik Oakenhand his his dwarven assistant who posseses the guide class
described in Sages and Specialists. Thaim Ironsmelt is a high level
dwarven chanter (demi-bard) who was the overthane's tutor, and continues
as his advisor. Fuden the Silent is a mid-level priest of one of the dark
cults the dwarves keep suppresed. One of the perennial problems of the
dwarven realm is the cult menace, insidious, many dwarves do not even
realise they worship un-approved entities. The overthane faught a battle
with (adventure type) with Fudin, in which Fudin escaped covered by his
undead minions. The dwarven calendar coresponds to Masetian Arrival.
Kenneth Gauck
c558382@showme.missouri.edu
- ------------------------
The assistant to Eltarin Llewylen, the dwarf guide Arbik Oakenhand, was
looking for evidence of crossings from the Chimearon into the Promontory.
Arbik, a retainer of Hildegart, was doing this work in the lands of
Wulfram because of the role his superior, Eltarin, played in the pursuit
of Fudin the Silent. While crossing desolate peaks and valleys devoid of
mineral wealth, Arbik found a construct which he first took to be a refuge
of Fudin, indeed he supposed he might find the cultist and surprise him.
Instead what he discovered was an old ruin, abandoned for centuries.
Arbik's immediate investigations revealed that it was infested with foul
vermin, such as giant rats, cave crickets, and giant ants. Knowing the
danger such vermin pose, Arbik withdrew and made his way to Kurkburg, the
seat of the Thane, Wulfram Ironvein. Wainier House was then in the
midst of great preparations, and the Thane was too busy to receive Arbik.
Rather, his son Raknarr received the dwarf guide and heard his story.
Raknarr sent for the Thane's Miner, and ordered a team of Pest-masters
conscripted. A platoon of twelve Pest- masters were assembled and issued
kettles, tents, and axes. The noble, Morolk Stonefist, a knight in the
service of the Thane, led the pest-masters in their mission. They were
ordered to clear the ruin of its foulness and prepare it for proper
investigation by learned men. As the Overthane was expected to arrive for
the christening of the Ironvein children, Arbik was instructed to await
his arrival to inform him personally.
[With this adventure hook the players visit the ruin...]
Thaim's Explanation: This tower bears the design and ornament of Avani!
There is no doubt that is one of the towers built by the Order of the Sun,
Avani's Order. In the days before the Anurians came to Khinasi, when the
land beyond Baruk-Azhik was still ruled by Basarji traders, an order of
knights defended the city-states. This was the Order of the Sun, also
known as Avani's Order, or the Knights of the Eternal Sun, a brotherhood
of Paladins, chosen from among the ranks of the soldiers of Avani, goddess
of the sun. The knights stood for justice, stability, and reason. The
order defended the Khinasi against the Anurians during the Anurian
expansion, over 700 years ago. Founded initially after Deismaar to combat
the awnsheghlien, the Order of the Sun achieved military, political, and
spiritual might in the Western Khinasi lands of Binsada and Dhafrane, as
the Chimaeron was known before the coming of the Chimera. The Khinasi
pushed into Baruk-Azhik intent on subjugating us, and we turned to our
long-time friends on the Anurian throne, the dynasty of Roele, for
assistance in 1277. The new emperor, Alandalae, nobly took up our cause.
The coming of the Anurians was the direct cause of the fall of the Order
of the Sun. With our assistance, the armies of Anuire crossed the Iron
Peaks and pushed into Dhafrane. A citadel known as the Spires of the Sun
was the order's greatest stronghold. It was located in the city of
Dhafrane, which was leveled by the Anurians and refounded as Barniere.
They had outposts all throughout the Iron Peaks, along the Tarvan Hills,
near the Rain Serpent Mountains, and along the Kratal river facing
Coeranys. The adventurer-knights of the Order could not withstand the
organized forces of the Anurians. Pressed by the Anurians in the west and
the awnsheghlien in the east, the order collapsed. While this occurred,
the renown Khinasi general, El-Arrasi organized the Basarji Federation to
meet the Anurians. Most of Alandalae's army was heavy cavalry poorly
suited to fighting in the southern Iron Peaks, so he tried to fight the
Khinasi in the Khurinbyrn Valley and east into the Rohrmarch, then subject
to the Khinasi. In the southern territories of the Rohrmarch, where
Khinasi colonization took place, the Basarji Federation and the last
companies of the Order of the Sun met Alandalae and his Anurians at the
Battle of Asarwe in 1299. Many dwarves fought alongside the humans in
special companies. One such warrior was your ancestor, Makkan Rockhammer.
During the battle, the Knights of the Sun launched a suicidal charge to
kill the Emperor. While they succeeded in killing Alandalae, they were
themselves destroyed by Alandalae's honor guard and the dwarven company to
his right, including your great, great grandfather Makkan. It was then
that Makkan earned his birthright by killing one of the noble captains of
the Order. Upon assuming his blood power, Makkan Rockhammer's beard turned
stone gray, and he was forever known as "graybeard", as you are today.
The Order of the Sun was destroyed and was never reestablished. Now all
that remains of the Order are its ruins, such as this one.
1277 GR (Gideon Rinsparr) Emperor Alandalae takes Iron Throne opens
a campaign against the Basarji
1279 GR El-Arrasi organizes Basarji Federation
1299 GR Alandalae killed in Basarji campaign at the battle of Asarwe,
Caercuillen becomes emperor and ally of el-Arrasi
1311 GR Death of el-Arrasi
1327 GR Eldracht Hoffstugart of Mafden leads rebellion against Anuire
1328 GR Makkan "Greybeard" ambushed and killed on a diplomatic mission.
By the way, the story of your ancestor Makkan remains tied to the imperial
house of Roele. After the Battle of Asarwe, Caercuillen became emperor
and made peace and concluded an alliance with el-Arrasi. But this was the
high watermark to the Empire. In 1327, Eldracht Hoffstugart of Mafden
started the rebellion against Anuire. The Emperor, aware of the noble
reputation of Makkan, who was as endowed with charm and grace as he was
with strength and courage, asked Makkan to undertake a diplomatic mission
to Brechtur. He was asked to call upon the Dwarves of Massenmarch to
suppress the rebellion, to journey to Brechlen to ask the Herzog of Muden
to arrest Hoffstugart and the ringleaders of the resistance. Such a
mission, if successful, could have ended the rebellion and stemmed the
decline of the Empire. The Brechts knew it and they laid an ambush for
Makkan as he crossed the Thurin River between Kiergard and Massenmarch in
the Thuringode Forest. We do not know exactly what transpired, but it is
known Makkan and his diplomatic party was killed by the rebels. His
birthright descended to his son, Golan, whose sterling character, heroic
reputation, and marriage to Grabbo Rockhammer, his cousin, secured his
acquisition of the Thaneship of Rivenrock, which has been in the hands of
Rockhammer for centuries, and was thence passed to your collateral branch.