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  1. #1
    Senior Member Osprey's Avatar
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    I was wondering if anyone knows if there was any published material regarding the Isle of Caercorwynn, off the southeastern coast of Aerenwe. One idea I've been tossing around is that elven refugees, once natives of the Erebannien, fled here many centuries ago. Now they have taken up the Gheallie Sidhe at sea as elven bucaneers, prowling the Gulf of Coeranys and the trade routes between Anuire and Khinasi. But unlike normal pirates, they don't hunt for booty...

    Any other ideas? Formerly published info?

    -Osprey

  2. #2
    Birthright Developer Raesene Andu's Avatar
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    I put a dragon there once. hang on I'll see if I've got the info around somewhere....

    .. Hey what do you know, I actually found it. This is from 1996 and I haven't looked at it since then, but you may find it useful. Forgive the truly atrocious spelling, it was writen in haste and never looked at again

    By the way, the elven child mentioned grew up to be Rhiannon Kusor, wife of the ranger Alder Kusor, and mother of Danita Kusor (otherwise known as The Chimaera). An interesting little storyline from one of my old BR campaigns.


    Dragons of Aduria #1: Canistilieria Hallikturinustien

    HISTORY:

    In ancient times in Aduria, as in Cerilia, the Dragon races dominated the land and many thousands dwelt in the mountainous peaks of northern Aduria, as well as other regions. As mankind and the other younger races have grown in power the Dragons of Aebrynis have slowly vanished from the world, although more survive in Aduria that in the northern conintent of Cerilia. In Aduria they were hunted by the warriors of ledgend who sought their skins, blood, and other parts for totems, magic, and power. This led the Dragons to retreat from the regions where men dwelt and into the monster filled mountains, or one of the two great deserts in Aduria.

    One of the regions where Dragons can still be found in Aduria is the Valsenio mountain range east of the mighty Adurian Empire. As many as five of these ancient creatures are thought to dwell somewhere in these magnificent peaks, hiding from those who would kill them in the snow covered upper reaches of the mountains. There, far from man and other monsters they are relativly safe, leaving their lairs only occasionally to seek food.

    Of the Dragons of Valsenio there is one that does not quite fit the mold one would expect of an Aebrynis Dragon. While most Dragon these days sleep most of the time and wake to eat rarely she sleeps only occasionally and eats most of the time. Canistilieria Hallikturinustien (Canny for short) is one of the oldest of the Dragons living in Aduria, having seen nearly three thousand years, but unlike the other Great Wyrms can usually be found awake, rather than sleeping.

    Her story begins long ago, when the Five Tribes still lived in Northern Aduria, and Dragon young were still being born. She was hatched in the northern Valsenio's in lands that were then claimed by the Masetian Tribe. Much of her history from this period was lost with the destuction of the Masetian tribe, but ledgeds and some ancient texts speak of Canistilieria Hallikturinustien in great detail.

    The Masetians apparently had a lot of contact with Canistilieria during her younger years and it have even been speculated by some scholars that the Dargon lived among the Humans during her younger years. She was known to them as the Great Hungry Dragon, possible a reference to Canistilieria's great appitite. Whatever the truth is does seem that the Dragon also grew attached to one of the Mastetian Empire. Although the name of this empire has long ago been lost, it was thought to dwell somewhere in Northern Aduria.

    The first of the actual references to Canistilieria came in a historical text bought to Cerillia by Masetians fleeing Azrai. This scroll spoke of a great battle between the forces of the Adurian Empire, backed by priests of Azrai and the Masetians for control of the City of Barium. Canistilieria is mentioned in the scroll as serving the Masetians as an ally or a paid mercenary. The actual text from the scroll is written below.

    And so as the legions approached the mighty Canistilieria Hallikturinustien came forth from behind the city walls and smote them down with fire and spell. Hundred fell before her gaze and were devoured by her ever hungry maw. The armies of Barium fought by her side, killing many thousands of the enemy as well until finally the Adurian Legions withdrew leaving the battlefield strewn with their dead and wounded. With the Adurian armies lying dead before the city we ventured forth once more into the fields that were our and reclaimed our rightful lands. Canistilieria asked then for her price and was paid the reward as we promoised. Though our cellars were now empty and wine was scarce for months to come Canistiliera protected us from our enemy and Barium for now was safe.

    Some time after this the Holy War of Azrai began and the Masetians were driven from their homes, many fleeing by ships to eastern Cerilia. Canistilieria is believed to have followed them north, although if she was also driven out by the forces of Azrai is not recorded. It is here that much of her story was recorded as she is believed to have spent many years in what is now the Sphinx's lands. She is mentioned many time in the histories of the port of Saria, what is now Ariya. During this time the ancient scroll speak many times of Canistilieria as an ally of the city, even as it protector and guardian, although she is not mentioned anywhere as ever living within the city.

    When the war of Azrai finally came to Cerilia the Masetians again called on the ally and Canistilieria was recorded as one of the few Dragon's who were present at Diesmaar. Another old book, stored in the achives of the temple of Haelyn in Diemed speaks of the battle and makes mention of Canistilieria.

    As chaos still reigned from the desturction of Diesmaar those who survived fought to flee the battle site. Many were killed by the Dragon Canistilieria Hallikturinustien who arrived shortly after the explosion and was enraged to find her friends and allies dead. The Elves of Tuar Annwn who still survived fled her firey breath and many died as she attacked them, for Canistilieria blamed them for the death of her human friends. Challenged by an another of her kind she then fled east away from the site of the battle.

    Other stories and texts from the time also speak of Canistilieria arriving at Deismaar following the destruction of the mountain, and attacking those she though responsible for the death of her friends. Following Deismaar she again flew east, but with the Masetian people now all but dead found little to interest her there. For many years Canistilieria became a force to be reakoned with in the lands of the Basarji, domintating the wastelands that now make up the Sphinx's lands. Many hundreds fell to her and she attacked and killed without mercy. Finally however she met her match when she came up against the Elves of the Coulladaraight around 500 HC.

    Canistilieria it is said was not defeated by soldiers or wizards, but rather by a young Elven child. An Elven tale speaks of the encounter, a tale still told often to elven children. It speaks of how a young Elven child called Rhiannon tricked the ancient Dragon into not eating her in return for some magic beans and how the Dragon in her shame fled when she learned that she had been tricked and that the beans had no magical properties. Most Scholars dismiss this story saying instead that the Dragon left because she had eaten all the game in the region, but it remains a popular tale.

    From Khinasi Canistilieria went to the island of Caelcorwynn where she made her home until only recently. She hunted across southern Anuire and many land speak of raids by the Dragon from 500-1200 HC. The island became her home and those who ventured onto it were killed. The people of Osoerde and Aerenwe learned to stay away from the Island and it has remained empty even since, even though the Dragon has now departed, flying south to her old home in the Valsenio mountains.

    Around 1250 HC tale in Aduria again spoke of Canistilieria Hallikturinustien as she raided trade caravens passing though the mountains. She is now thought to live in a network of caverns somewhere near the Great Lake in the Realm of Bu'Zian, high in the Valsenio mountains, although reports often speak of her being seen flying across the mountains, and even the northern parts of the Aduria Empire. As the most active of the surviving Dragons she will no doubt be heard from again, if she is not killed by the Adurian.



    PERSONALITY:

    Canistilieria Hallikturinustien is an unusual sort of Dragon. She rarely hunts and eat fresh game, but prefers to cook it instead, similar to the way humans and the other younger races eat. Food is the most important part of her life, and she spends much of her time searching for new recipies. Because she is a lot more active than the normal Dragon she needs a lot more food to keep her alive. While most Dragon sleep and use little energy Canistilieria is always hunting, fishing, or raiding caravans for food.

    She is probably now Aebrynis greatest storehouse of culinary knowledge, for while other Dragons now secrets of ancient time, great spells and the histories of nations she tends took look at everything from the point of view of her stomach. She remembers battle and empires based on what she ate at the time rather than what actually occured so getting anything important out of her is very hard. Canistilieria is an expert on food and knows almost every type of plant and animal in Northern Aduria, and Southern Cerilia. If asked she can tell which can be eaten, what they taste like, and which are poisonous and should be avioded. She will not however give up any of her recipies, unless they are traded for another. She will deal with mortals if they bring a present (usually in the form of a new recipie or meal) with them, but gaining any knowledge is difficult.

    Those who have spoken to Canistilieria and returned alive say that she is a very intelligent creature, but almost impossible to speak with. One adventurer who sought her knowledge said that the Dragon continually changes the subject and speaks often in languages that he did not understand. She rarely cares if the person understands or not and continues to speak. She also dislikes being interupted and killed one of the Adventurers companions for interupting one of her speaches. She will never accept gold or gems in exchange for knowledge, and those who press her with demands she will usually kill and take their gold anyway. She is an impatient Dragon also, and many how seek her out have met their end when they annoy her or spend too long answering her questions.

    Canistilieria will rarely engage in battle, unless backed into a corner or her life is threatened. In her youth she fought as a mercenary, fighting for gold and food. Over time though the urge to fight has left her and she now seeks only to discover new tastes and sensation. The rest of her kind she generally dismisses as fools for they sleep the day away while their food escapes. For there part other Dragons see Canistilieria as somewhat of a deranged Dragon, acting more like a mortal that a true Dragon.

    This does not concern Canistilieria though, and she generally avoids all other Dragons, and spends time with Humans and other races instead. Currently her favorite occupation is kidnapping cooks from nearby lands and forcing them to cook for her or be eaten. As long as she is kept happy and well fed then the cook is usually kept alive, and if they truely please her she will let them go with a reward from her horde of gemstones.

    Canistilieria lives in a region of Bu'Zian famous for its gems and her lair was actually a mine before she arrived and drove out the miners. If she needs gems for some reason then her massive claws can easily mine her some more. The best she keeps for herself though, in a special cave where she sleeps. Thousands of Diamonds, Emeralds, and other precious stones line the walls of the cave, although other less valuable stones can also be found there. Canistilieria cares little for the actual value instead choosing each stone on how it looks. She polishes the stones until the shine and then sticks them into the walls. Magical spells light up the whole room, causing the gems to sparkle and shine. The light from the gemstones can also confuse any intruders as it is quite bright.



    APPEARANCE & STATS:

    CLIMATE/TERRAIN: The Great Lake/Bu'Zian
    FREQUENCY: Unique
    ORGANISATION: Solitary
    ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
    DIET: Almost anything
    INTELLIGENCE: Genius (18)
    TREASURE: Special
    ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Neutral

    NO. APPREARING: 1
    ARMOUR CLASS: -4
    MOVEMENT: 10, Fl 24 ©
    HIT DICE: 22 (150 hp)
    THAC0: 1
    NO. OF ATTACKS: 3+special
    DAMAGE/ATTACKS: 1d10+10/1d10+10/2d10+10
    SPECIAL ATTACKS: Breath weapon, spells
    SPECIAL DEFENSES: Fear aura, gaze, spells.
    MAGIC RESISTANCE: 60%
    SIZE: G (60' body, 120' wingspan)
    MORALE: Champion (15)
    XP VALUE: 28,000

    A smaller Dragon than most, desptite her great appitite, Canistilieria has a mottled brown green skin. Many years ago while living on Caelcorwynn her hide became infested with a fungus and despite many attempts she has been unable to remove it. This causes some of her scales and skin to appear dark green in colour, with the rest the more normal rust-brown colour. She is also missing part of her left claw, having lost it while wondering how the Seadrake would taste like. It was this encounter the Awnshegh that made her descide to travel south again.

    One two of her claws she wears Dragon sized rings, each is thought to have a different magical defensive power. Apart from these rings she has little other magic though.
    Let me claim your Birthright!!

  3. #3
    Administrator Green Knight's Avatar
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    Caelcorwynn has featured in my RoE campaign. Not a very inmportant part, but an interesting one it turned out.



    The Island has always been shrouded in mystery and legend, primarily because it has been inacessible for as long as anyone can remember. SHips who tried to reach the island inevitably became lost in fog, the wind stilled, or they ran onto reefs.



    In reality, the island is home to a lost kingdom of elves. Using magic, they warded their little plot of land to keep humans out sometime before Deismaar. Since then, they have lived cut of from the rest of the world.



    That is, until the arrival of the terrible awnshegh the Banshee. I`m not going into detail, but the Banshee killed of all practicing elven mages and took control of the islands sources for himself.



    Subsequently he maintained some of the wardings, but actually started attracting ships (most sank, but some of the crew always got ashore) and started to build a small human town whose sole function was to worship him at the temple of the Banshee. This probably lasted a couple of hundred years.



    The ETN (who for some reason took an interest in the island) eventually managed to defeat the Banshee and liberate the Island. Now they are trying to get the human and elven parts of the island to function together, with mixed results.



    Cheers

    Bjørn



    > Fra: Osprey <brnetboard@BIRTHRIGHT.NET>

    > Dato: 2003/10/11 Sat PM 04:37:40 CEST

    > Til: BIRTHRIGHT-L@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM

    > Emne: The Isle Of Caelcorwynn [2#2009]

    >

    > This post was generated by the Birthright.net message forum.

    > You can view the entire thread at: http://www.birthright.net/forums/ind...=ST&f=2&t=2009

    >

    > Osprey wrote:

    > I was wondering if anyone knows if there was any published material regarding the Isle of Caercorwynn, off the southeastern coast of Aerenwe. One idea I&#39;ve been tossing around is that elven refugees, once natives of the Erebannien, fled here many centuries ago. Now they have taken up the Gheallie Sidhe at sea as elven bucaneers, prowling the Gulf of Coeranys and the trade routes between Anuire and Khinasi. But unlike normal pirates, they don&#39;t hunt for booty...Any other ideas? Formerly published info?-Osprey

    >

    >

    >

    >

    >

    >

    >



    Cheers

    Bjørn



    -------------------------------------------------

    WebMail fra Tele2 http://www.tele2.no

    -------------------------------------------------
    Cheers
    Bjørn
    DM of Ruins of Empire II PbeM

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