Welcome to Etharis A world clutched tightly in the talon's of darkness, where it would be rare to find someone who has not suffered. The fall of this world's gods heralded a dark age that seems without end, as the last bastions of light in the world begin to fade away. Corruption runs rampant across the nations of Etharis, and dark creatures rule the nights while the mortal races cower. Plague and famine bring ruin to the impoverished while the well-off hide in their walled cities, escaping this grim reality through whatever vice they can.
In this harsh world, vestiges of hope remain only in the hearts of very few.
The Game In Altenheim, facetiously named the City of Joy and the heart of the Bürarch Empire, your characters will begin as members of a mercenary guild. While the guild will take on most any job, an inner circle of the Darken Fists takes on only a very special task: hunting down the aberrations that go bump in the night around the countryside.
You are one of those within the inner circle, and you will soon find that the night grows darker still. Application
Point Buy
Any class/race from published books
Backstory:
Why did you join the Darken Fists?
Why were you chosen as one of the monster hunters?
Races In ages past, the Elder Races spread over Etharis and carved out separate kingdoms for themselves. Then the humans came, and all but annihilated the other races in their relentless drive to multiply and expand. Today, humans are still the most numerous and powerful race in Etharis. The Elder Races survived either in isolated remnants of their own domains, or incorporated into larger human kingdoms. Though they are reduced in number, The Elder Races are a common sight anywhere in Etharis. Perhaps because they so often live on the fringes of human civilization, they also make up a disproportionate number of its adventurers.
• Humans
While the elves and dwarves were the first races to claim lands in the world of Etharis, the versatile race of the humans were the ones to survive and dominate. Emerging from the forests of central Etharis, now known as Bürach, humans were not considered a threat by other races. Left unchecked, their numbers quickly grew. By the time the great kingdoms of the elves and mighty thanedoms of the dwarves realized the violence that inevitable follows the humans, it was already too late. The eyes of mankind fell greedily on the prosperous lands of the elves and dwarves. The great Era of Expansion, known by the Elder Races as the Great Purge, had begun and humans were here to stay. Tribal armies marched north, south, and west; no land was safe. Unable to unite and react in time, the dwarven and elven monarchs watched as human warriors swarmed and usurped their lands.
To this day, humans are considered the dominant race across all of Etharis, controlling most of the land and sea. Having shorter lives to live than the other races, their old hatreds have faded, and they are more receptive to other races. But elves and dwarves live long, capable of holding grudges even longer.
• Elves
The proud and elegant elves were among the first peopl eto dwell among the forests of Eranthis. Their long history is lost in distant eons, and even elves with their long lifespans do not fully know their true origins. Tall, graceful, and extraordinarily beautiful, they claimed the forests and river lands of Caer Neiada, in what is now the Charneault Kingdom, creating magnificent kingdoms deep within the woods.
The Era of Expansion cost the elves dearly. Their kingdoms were turned to dust, and many of their forests burned to ash. Even though their bows were precise, they were outnumbered and unable to defend themselves on all fronts as war-hungry armies burned their sheltering forests. The elves lived for decades as nomads, trying ot hide in the few remaining forests on the outskirts of human civilization. Their sorrow and grief for the lost beauty of their home empowered them to recreate it. They turned to the arts. Heartbreaking songs of their lost paradises would echo among the trees in the night. Most importantly though, they turned to magic. The forest spirits that had once guided them were not vanquished, and were eager to aid old friends.They bestowed the elves with their magic - the power to restore their lands to their ancient beauty.
• Dwarves
Ancient and dauntless as the mountains they call home, the dwarven race stepped onto the land of Etharis alongside the elves. Unlike the elves however, the dwarves built their kingdoms deep withing the mountains of what is now the Bürach Empire. Adept with metalworking and jewel crafting, the dwarves created countless cities in the hills and two impressive, impenetrable capitals in the Rock Teeth and the Grey Spine.
During the wars of the Era of Expansion, the dwarves barricaded themselves within their two greatest cities: the tiered city of Stehlenwald and the now ruined city of Grebenstein. The dwarves of Grebenstein were besieged by the human warlords who would later lay the groundwork of the Bürach Empire. Though the dwarves fought valiantly for their homelands, the human warlords uprooted their thanedom and claimed their vein rich mines.
The second dwarven kingdom of Stehlenwald however, endured the siege. Rather than share the fate of their cousins to the north, the Stehlenwald dwarves dug deeper into the heart of the mountain. There, their miners laid eyes up a new metal, impenetrable to the arrows of their enemies; adamantine. With armour and weapons of impeccable craftsmanship, the dwarven battalions managed to push the invaders back to their homelands, but at a great cost: half of their population fell, either by the war or by famine.
By the time of the birth of the various human kingdoms, the proud dwarves of Stehlewald had begun to recover their numbers. When they reemerged, the political landscape had dramatically changed. Surrounded and outnumbered by the armies of the Bürarch Empire, the dwarven emporer realized there was only one way to survive and prosper. A deal was struck with the empire, surrendering the lands of Stehlewald and becoming members of the empire, in exchange for a degree of autonomy in their governance.
• Half-Orcs
Orcs in the world of Etharis exist only as villains in fairy tales told to scare naughty children. They were described as violent brutes who lived only to inflict mayhem on everyone. Nevertheless, orcs roamed Etharis even before the dwarves and the elves, and their description in the fairy tales preserves a sinister truth. No one knows why the orcs disappeared from Etharis en masse, except that the last of them were seen in Valika, before they were presumably slain or bred out. However, all know the ominous reminder of their dark and violent past.
The half-orcs of Etharis are tall, daunting, and fierce warriors. Some say that these humanoids are the result of breeding between early human tribes and the last orcs. Others say they are the creation of a lost war god who wanted to immortalize his own image. In any case, the half-orcs combine the best out of their two parts: the formidable resilience of an orc, and the adaptability of a human.
• Half-Elves
Half-Elves are among the later races to walk the land of Etharis. Before the Era of Expansion, humans and elves occasionally crossed paths. Some humans could appreciate the beautiful songs and poems of the elves, and the elves could appreciate the adventurous side of humanity. The results of these bonds were the ever-wandering half-elves. They are easily noticed by their less pronounced pointed elfin ears, combined with a bulkier but still elegant human frame. As with half-orcs, they seem to have taken the best of their progenitors. Taller than the average man, elegant and graceful, they seem to possess the aptitude for the fine arts from their elven heritage, paired with the lust for adventure from their humanity.
However, even though most of the first half-elves were results of love between the two races, such pairings were still considered taboo by the two sides. In the midst of war, most elves could not understand how someone could fall in love with a savage, while few humans could forgive anyone would mingle with the enemy. The first half-elves were cast out by both sides.
initially, the lifestyle of the wandered suited them. Most half-elves keep the burdens of their solves well hidden. They learned how to wear the mask of happiness, often dressing with bright colors and dazzling jewelry, accompanying their stylistic choices with an outwardly flamboyant, optimistic attitude. But if one is lucky enough to gain the trust of a half-elf, they will often see that the heart of one is full of sorrow. Wandering the continent is a lifestyle that fits them, but they can never call any place home. Considered outcasts by humans and elves, they think themselves cursed, eternally strangers, with no hope of claiming any land as their own.
• Dragonborn
Children of the dragons, as their name states, dragonborn walk with pride through a world that greets them with a mixture of fear and admiration. Though they lack wings, they are strongly built and stout with colors resembling those of their ancestors.
Some claim this race must bet he most ancient of all. In the Era of Expansion, they were settled in a small kingdom caught amidst the bloody conflicts between humans and elves. This conflict led to the destruction of the only place they truly belong to, the city of Ember Carin. However, this noble race managed to survive. Eons passed as the dragonborn prayed to draconic gods to restore their kingdom; prayers that went unanswered. Wrath grew among the Dragonborn, as well as desperation. They stopped praying to their dragon lords, and their religion, the Sacred Flame, was abandoned.
The dragonborn were pious and spiritual by nature however, and needed something to beleive in. A new religion was offered to them by Castinellan missionaries who were spreading the word of their new religion, that of the Divine Seraphs. Finding it close to the dragonborn ideals of virtue and determination, they quickly embraced the new religious, becoming its most zealous followers. Sharing the same beliefs with the humans of the Castinella Provinces, they were quickly incorporated to the empire, becoming subjects of the Castinellan theocracy.
As a reward, Castinella granted them a small region of their ancestral land to call their own, rebuilding the ancient city of Ember Cairn, a wonder made entirely of granite. It has since become a site of religious pilgrimage for the dragonborn, with members traveling from all across the continent to visit it.
• Gnomes
Ingenious and full of energy, gnomes are considered to be distant cousins of the dwarven race. Shorter than their kin and not equally bulky, this small framed race compensates for their lack of muscles with ever-working brains and a great aptitude for invention. They have created some of the most impressive mechanical wonders of Etharis. Cannons, automatons, flintlocks, and explosives are all reputed to be results of gnomish brilliance.
During the Era of Expansion, gnome settlements outside the shelter of mountains were annihilated by human warlords, forcing them to seek shelter in the neighboring dwarven city of Stehlenwald. There they shared the fate of their dwarven cousins as countless human armies besieged the tall stone walls of the city.
The surviving gnomes pushed the dwarven thane to dig deeper, in a last attempt to find new metals or an escape route beneath the mountains. As the dwarves gazed upon the newfound adamantine, the gnomes longed for the other veins of the mountain, their ingenious minds hatching a plan to win the war.
The gnomish alchemists worked day and night, mixing the gifts of the mountain until they invented a new weapon: explosives. While this new and effective invention helped win the final battle, the losses for gnomes and dwarves were too great. The gnomish race followed the dwarves of Stehlenwald into their centuries-long isolation. When the dwarven king voluntarily joined the Bürarch empire, the gnomes followed. Today, with trade reaching all across the empire, the gnomes can lay hands on even more exotic and volatile materials, pushing their science to new heights each passing day.
• Halflings
At one time humankind, being an unstoppable force in Etharis, earned the enmity of most races. All who tried to oppose them were met with destruction. One race however, chose not to contest the human ascendancy, but instead decided to cling to their backs for survival.
The Era of Expansion did not affect the population of halflings like it did other races. Even though the halflings did not agree with the violent ways of the humans, they fell silent, deciding that being subservient to the stronger and better-armed human armies would guarantee their survival. After the division of the humans into different empires and kingdoms, halflings fit in perfectly, many acquiring positions as librarians, bookkeepers, teachers, or scholars.
The Bürarch Empire Nestled in the northern region of Etharis, the Bürach Empire presides over its domain like an old lion ravaged by illness. Once a beacon for grand civilizations everywhere, it is now a shattered nation, a nest of corrupt nobility seeking to revive old glories, lurking monsters that prey on the unwary, and desperate common folk trying to survive both. Though it is still viewed by most of its neighbors as the political, military, and economic superpower of Etharis, those within the Bürach Empire live each day with the sense that the end is near. Whether that end comes by war, cults of strange gods, rebellion, economic collapse, or the otherworldly threat of the Beast, the Empire is seeing its last days.
The Bürach Empire once covered the largest expanse of land of any nation in Etharis. Temperate forests abound at the northern edge, but dwindle the further one travels south as logging camps struggle to keep up with the Empire’s demand for lumber. The foothills of the Grey Spine mountain range provide a source of iron and precious gems. A major volcano, Mt. Vengeance, lies to the east of the Empire.
The Bürach began as a group of neighbouring tribes that settled in the north eastern part of Etharis. Over the years, some of these tribes grew in size and stature, and either conquered or absorbed other tribes. Thus, they became the Bürach, which in the olden tongue means “One Above All”.
The people of the Bürach are creatures of tradition, living their lives in lock-step with religious beliefs, family ties, fealty to their Empire, and laws so ancient that few historians even remember why they were made. The Empire follows a caste system, with the royalty at the top, followed by the nobility, the knights, the merchants, the craftsmen, and then finally, the serfs. Their society is structured around fealty to a particular noble family. Each province must abide by the rules of their lords and common born serfs may not leave the land of their birth without permission. Those caught abandoning their lords, either by running away or breaking their laws, are dealt with severely. Though a single empire, the Bürach is not homogeneous. Four distinct groups of people gathered into provinces, with each devoted to their own particular god, and those divisions have survived even if the gods have not.
The Abendfolk are devotees of Aurelia, goddess of healing and protection. Their city of Altenheim forms the cultural and economic heart of the Bürach Empire.
The wise Norden settled in the north, where they worship Ulmyr, the embodiment of magic and chaos. Nordenland is culturally divided, with the west populated by a mix of various races, with the east primarily peopled by outlanders.
To the east, closest to the Grey Spine Mountains, lies Unterland. The Unterfolk follow the ways of Maligant, god of war and conquest.
Finally, to the south lies Rauland, whose people carry on their worship of Galt the Builder, god of order and construction.
As these provinces grew in power, foreign kingdoms soon challenged them, coveting their lands. The people turned to the gods for aid. The Four Divines agreed that the burgeoning Empire needed a central figure around which they could rally. Appearing to each of their priests, the Four advised the Bürach to form an empire.
The priests, known as the Hearthkeepers of Aurelia, searched far and wide for signs of one who would be the emperor. Though they met many a knight, noble, and mage, none was deemed fit for the title. Then their visions led them to the western marches. Here they found a 12-year-old boy named Thancred, who had single-handedly slain a giant that guarded a fjord so that he could build a bridge between two towns. When the Hearthkeepers came before him, they watched as he returned a dead lamb back to life with just his hands. As one, the priests fell to their knees and named him Emperor Indorius, first of his line.
As a gift to the new emperor, the four gods poured their divinity into four sacred artifacts: a crown that radiated authority (Galt), a sword that increased his might (Maligant), an orb that gave him far sight (Ulmyr), and a breastplate that protected him from harm (Aurelia). With these treasures and the support of his people, the emperor launched a campaign against his nation’s rivals. With sword and banner, he led the combined army of the four provinces into war. Victory after victory followed him until the surrounding nations were conquered and folded into Bürach. This created an empire that stretched from one end of the continent to the other, the largest nation in all of Etharis.
With his empire secured, Emperor Indorius implemented ambitious changes throughout the land. He standardised trade and created guilds for building infrastructure. By establishing coastal settlements, he freed the Bürach from centuries as a land-locked people. A patron of the arts, he encouraged bards and musicians to flourish in his court. When Emperor Indorius finally entered the afterlife, the Empire had become a nation of wealth and enlightenment.
This greatness would not last. The gods who had answered the Bürach’s prayers were themselves the survivors of a disastrous war. Only time would reveal the wounds they had suffered fighting enemies beyond even divine comprehension. Surely the gods’ minds were already tainted when they chose Indorius, for the seeds of empire they planted were the seeds of their own madness and destruction.
So great was the impact of Indorius’s rule that the Bürach instituted what would be known as the Edict of Eternal Blood. According to this law, only one of the emperor’s direct descendants could be raised to the throne. The Hearthkeepers took great care to preserve the purity of the imperial family. Cousins and sometimes siblings were led to marry in order to maintain the Edict. However, many voices across the Bürach warned against such acts, but their words fell on deaf ears. Encouraged by the priesthood, the people’s faith in the Imperial family kept the government in power, and for centuries all was right in the world.
That changed with Emperor Leopold I.
From a young age, it was clear that Leopold was truly, irrevocably mad. He often spoke to things that weren’t there and treated people like they were insects, having servants imprisoned and flayed for the smallest infractions. Officials whispered among themselves that they could not in good conscience put him into power, but to disobey the Edict was to invite disaster for the government. Thus, one summer solstice, Leopold was crowned Emperor of the Bürach.
Possessed by religious fervour, Leopold exhorted the masses to believe that only one of the four gods should rule supreme. Why should they each follow four, when only one--the greatest, most powerful of all--was deserving of their devotion? Each sect then began to argue that their god should be the One True Deity. Leopold’s madness seeped into the four artifacts he wore. Worse, as these artifacts carried the essences of the four gods, his madness fed back into their minds, driving them insane.
The Four Divines turned on each other, each believing they should be the One True God. The gods warred in the heavens, causing calamities such as storms, flash fires, and earthquakes. Their hostility quickly spread to their worshippers. Within a year, the Bürach Empire had descended into civil war as the four provinces fought among themselves. To end the violence, individuals from the four provinces conspired against the emperor. Their assassins swept into the imperial palace and killed Leopold. With his death, the sacred artifacts disappeared. This caused the Divine Aurelia to come out of her insanity long enough to see that the gods’ battles would soon destroy all of Etharis. She then used all her power to shield the land from the gods’ war. In so doing, she gave up her own life. In time the other three—Maligant, Ulmyr, and Galt—slew each other.
The death of the Four Divines sent a shockwave of magic throughout the Empire. Divine magic still exists, but is now believed to radiate from the remaining Arch Seraphs and Daemons, not from the dead gods themselves. The leaders of each province called for a ceasefire, and each army retreated to their land to heal and recover from their losses. A new emperor, Aratron I, was installed. A shadow of its former self, the empire clings desperately to its last vestiges of power.
With the absence of the gods, something began to stalk the lands of the Bürach Empire. Unknown what it is, no one is certain how it came to be, but this powerful and corrupting presence has made itself felt throughout countless towns and cities. Eyewitnesses describe it as a towering figure wreathed in shadows, its head an enormous deer skull, bearing a crown of antlers that seem to pierce the sky. It walks where it wills. It corrupts that which it touches. It whispers into the hearts of men and turns them to wickedness.
Soon, aberrations and abominations started appearing throughout the provinces. Discord and corruption seeped through every fibre of society. The creature presents an existential threat to all the imperial provinces, but each threat seems to be unique in nature.
In Abendland, mobs of zombie-like creatures, their flesh fused together into a cancerous, many-limbed blob, attack wayfarers and peasants.
In Rauland, puppet-like creatures strangle and dismember innocent folk with razor-sharp strings.
Nordenland is plagued by corrupted flora and fauna, including treants with human heads and limbs instead of branches.
Finally, Unterland has reported sightings of corrupted warriors, their armour melted into their flesh, roaming the countryside and killing indiscriminately.
The Bürach have named this entity the Beast. The four provinces have each formed bands of warriors, clerics, and mages to combat its threat, but though they kill hordes of its monsters, none have succeeded in facing the Beast and living to tell the tale. And where it goes, monsters arise.
The Ostoyan Empire Beyond the Grey Spine peaks lies a land shrouded in mist and shadow. The hearts of the Ostoyan people are as cold and forbidding as the land they dwell in. Here the mages of the Ravencourt Sanctuary spin their nebulous plots, the Vampire Lords of the Crimson Court devise plans to engulf Etharis in a tide of undead, and the hidden denizens of the City Below wait in the dark, hungry for the living.
The Charneault Kingdom Hidden behind the magical forest of the Grove Maze, the Charneault Kingdom was once a land of honour and spirituality, with a deep connection to nature. Its countless rivers, lakes, and forests are regularly engulfed in a magical mist, which hides just as many castles and fortified villages. But now it is a land of broken vows, dark tales, and terrifying creatures lurking in the night. While the last elven city of Tol Leyemil faces a coup by the Dark Elves, King Thibault de Sauveterre can barely hold the kingdom together as he seeks a cure for the curse which the treacherous Dark Elves cast on his daughter.
The Valikan Clans Far to the north, at the frozen edge the continent, lies Grarjord, the homeland of the Valikan. Each day, the hardy folk who dwell there face the dangers of the elements, the harshness of their faiths, and numerous wars fought in the name of their beliefs. Life is short among the Great Clans.
The Castinellan Provinces Scorched and hardened by the ruthless heat and wind, the people of Castinella are fierce, festive, and faithful. The southernmost part of Etharis offers both great opportunities and great challenges to those brave enough to seize them. Sailing, farming, mining, warring—nothing is outside the Castinellans’ potential, backed by the strength of their rigorous codes and passionate faith. The teachings of the Divine Arch Seraphs— especially Empyreus, Arch Seraph of Valor—have slowly but surely transformed the provinces into a militarist theocracy, with a fierce mistrust of spellcasters. But recently, new challenges to the sacred Seraphic Teachings have thrown the population into disarray. Conflict has escalated to the point where the Arcanist Inquisition has launched a crusade to burn every magically gifted being in the Castinellan Provinces... and beyond.
Class : Ranger (aiming for gloom stalker). Uses a crossbow
Race : Dhampir, mother was human, father was a vampire
Background : Faceless, learned to hide among the people of Altenheim
Backstory :
I was meant to have a better life than this.
I grew up in Altenheim, in the dark and hidden in the shadows. I didn't know my mother, but learned over time what happened to her. My _father_ (if you want to call him that) forced himself on my mother Sydnae and drained her to within an inch of death, and raped her. He brought her back to his lair out of ? curiosity, love? I have no idea, I thought the bastard was heartless, so it must have been curiosity. I was born from that unholy union and she died in the process. I was set out in the woods to survive and I don't know how I did, I have no memory of that. Never had a childhood really. It was all about survival, taking what I needed to survive and growing stronger in the process.
Eventually I made my way back to the city and survived off others, always in the night, hidden from sight. Sometimes I would feed of off the actual dreams of people in town, and sometimes I would need to feed on their actual lifeblood. I have learned of the dreams and desires of my fellow citizens. And what they fear in the recesses of their mind. I hate what I have become. And I am determined to hunt down the one who made me like this, and his kind.
The skills I have helped me to survive, but they are also a curse. I learned how to disguise myself, live among the people of Altenheim, hide my true identity. I learned how to use a crossbow, how to track and hunt in the woods. At times I feel that I have caught brief glimpses of one like my father, a vampire, but they were fleeting. Were they watching me? Toying with me? "Vorenus, are you there?" No answer. I have learned who he is, but not where he lives. Lucky for him.
I learned about the Darken Fists in Altenheim and one night I walked in on one of their meetings. Their purpose and mine are the same. Once they saw my skills and heard my passion, my quest, they were glad to have me join. They are the closest thing I've ever had to a family you could say. Not really a family, but a brotherhood.
I live to put a giant stake into the heart of the one who brought me into this world. He and his kind need to be eradicated from the world. Now I have friends who can help me in this task.
Hi, this looks exciting ! I would be happy to join the hunt !
Name: Fernis
Human, Druid, going for Circle of Wildfire
Point buy: 10-14-15-8-15-8
Backstory: One day, wandering in the wild, I found a small elemental creature lying on the path. Its flamme was dying, injured from a previous encounter with an abomination. Reaching for it to help it, I felt a connection. As the elemental took its last breath, it melted with my consciousness. We are now two in one body.
Why did you join the Darken Fists? I can feel Fire burning my Heart, I want to use this energy bring back order, to slay the Beast.
Why were you chosen as one of the monster hunters? During my Journey, I stayed in Inn in a small village. During the Night, a group of small monster raided the town but I managed to incinerate them before any harm was done. A member of the Darken Fists was there and suggested that I join the monster hunters.
What are your ambitions? Bring back balance in the World. Fire will burn the sins and the abominations creeping in the Night and from the ashes a new life will flourish.
Transformation(optional): Primordial. I could see that his bonding with an elemental spirit changes him slowly into a primordial ? (although I don't know about the mechanics)
Sole survivor of an attack by aberrations that killed his family. Haunted by the event, and his actions during them, he joined the Darken Fists to seek vengeance against those that slaughtered his clan and beings with evil intentions in their heart. He quickly gained notice in the company due to his skills, burning hatred for monsters, and desire to get things done no matter the cost. He embraces his skills and views his calling as placing him above the law at times. He knows that sometimes it takes a monster to find and destroy true evil, but worries that the darkness is growing inside him as well. He fears turning into that which he hates most. He carries great guilt for the raid on his clan and hopes to gain redemption through his actions. He often hears the spirits of his family and clan, offering advice, consult, or torment for his failures. Quick to anger, quick to action.
Transformation - not very familiar with Grim Hollow (yet!) but will work with you on a transformation option.
this honestly seems pretty awesome, would love to join.
Name: Azazel Esh
Race/Class: Half-Elf, Monk
Backstory:
Why did you join the Darken Fists?
Being a traveller, I met many people and they all had many occupations, one of which was being a member of the Darken Fists. They had mentored me for a time and taught me the basics of hunting the creatures of the night. After going on a Lycanthrope hunt and supporting them from the shadows I had gained a thirst for this career. Hoping that through the merit I gain through monster hunting, I may gain favour with the elf and human races.
Why were you chosen as one of the monster hunters? - Due to being trained by a monster hunter I was already of a higher standing than most, during an aptitude test to ensure I would not die at my first encounter with a creature of the night I had ended up severely wounding an initiator. Thus I was deemed acceptable, but slightly unhinged.
What are your ambitions?
To finally gain respect among the two races of my origins, and after going a little insane from travelling alone, I toy with the prospect of becoming powerful enough to make my own kingdom.
I’m not sure if I should make a character based on what is needed to fill gaps in proposed characters or just what I want to play. I can make up a character for any class but some I prefer over others. I’ll create one just as an example but I could make any character as needed.
Name: TBD
Stats: 14, 8, 14, 10, 16, 10
Race/Class: Hill Dwarf/Order Cleric
Background;
He joined the Darken Fist in order to fight the growing chaos in the world. The balance has been broken. Creatures from outside the material planes run rampant across the land and it must be stopped! The balance must be restored!
He was chosen as a monster hunter because of his skill. He is not afraid to stand toe to toe with the monstrosities in the world, is able to heal his allies, and support them in their battles as he works to put an end to the unnatural incursions into the land.
His ambitions are to serve his god, work to restore balance, support and defend his allies, and destroy the evils unleashed.
Ability Scores: Point Buy STR13DEX12 CON12INT11WIS14CHA10
A rogue hailing from the tieflingrace
Backstory:
Why did you join the Darken Fists? To slay monsters along with a party who will not judge her depending upon her appearance
Why were you chosen as one of the monster hunters? She has extended knowledge regarding the nature of fiends which makes tracking them down much easier.
What are your ambitions? She wants to familiarize herself with every kind of ways to assassinate aberrations, as a precaution of her possible fate.
Accused of being an 'asocial' creature, Kallista spent most of her life in isolation distancing herself from the Unterfolk who were mostly absorbed in war and chaos. But, the isolation was psychological in nature, instead of a physical one. Right after being born, she was disposed in a critical condition. But she managed to survive as a member of ancient tribal community prone to nomadic behaviour.
She was loved, taken care of as one of them but what separated them from others is the ever-lurking fear of misfortune and bodily harm, also the unquenchable thirst for natural and supernatural knowledge. As a quick fix, she put a taboo on her second name, and started to carry dreamcatcher locked with her spinal cord which is supposed to lessen the harm caused by her heritage. When she watched her horde gaining momentum because of an upcoming misfit, she stayed behind instead of following them, deliberately knowing the outcome, the beginning of a new life.
Name: Brin Irongear Ability Scores: Point Buy Race: Hill Dwarf Class: Wizard (Clockwork Soul and, eventually, a one-level dip into Order Domain Cleric.) Backstory:
Brin grew up in this unbalanced world. He kept his head down, worked in his clan's smithy, and did his job. He was able to ignore the darkness, as he concentrated on his work, but, eventually, the imbalance of the world just was too much for him. He needed to see balance restored, so joined the mercenary company in an attempt to aid with that. His magical skill brought him to the notice of his superiors, who then put him into this elite group of warriors.
Transformation(optional): Aberrant Horror/Fiend/Lich/Lycanthrope/Seraph/Vampire/Fey/Primordial/Specter ... TBD as not sure what these mean and more info was said to be given in session zero.
Curachoth was the 7th son of a 7th son, and until his teen years thought he was a normal farm boy...until one day...during the full moon something happened. An ancient family curse had revisited him, one that skipped generations, and he had changed, and hurt his family. He was sent away then to study under a distant uncle, where he learned to hunt beasts, and also learned that he was a beast, and would need to learn to master himself.
Why choose the Darken Fist's Curachoth's Uncle is a member, and has taken Curachoth under his wing
His background curse...
He wishes to be able to control his transformation if it should happen again, such that he never hurts another unintentionally, and that he can find the monster responsible for his families curse.
Transformation(optional): Lycanthrope (Don't know the rules for this, so I'm not sure of the order of Lycan makes sense in this world....I could easily change him to a fighter or rouge class with the above basic background)
I am intriged and would love to play in this game. I have in mind an Half-orc Ranger, Krolis Mordan 15, 15, 14, 8, 14, 9
Krolis had spend much of his life with a band of rangers that patrolled the Unterland side of the Grey Spine Mountains. As a young ranger, in training, he had the aspirations of glory that would come from relieving the world of the horrors that roamed the lands. Indeed he thought that the rangers could teach him to accomplish this but, once the truth of things became know he began to understand that such small bands of warriors would never prevail the real cause of monstrous happenings that were so prevalent. Only a disciplined, well supported organization had any hope. So, when he heard of the Darken FIsts in the city of Altenheim he pack his meager belongings, made his farewells and headed out.
Upon his arrival in Altenheim, Krolis Mordan made his case to the Darken Fists, emphasizing his skills in tracking, survival and his abilities at operation in the dark - a good time to hunt evil as the saying goes. He pointed out, without bragging, that he was a strong and experience fighter, versed in hunting monsters, who could hold his own in most situations and worked will with a team of others whose skill were different than his, each complementing the others and make them, as a whole, much more the they would be singly.
As a final offer, his related his passionate desire to destroy the things that beset the land.
Once but a simple farmgirl from the fields of human settlements in the Charneault Kingdom, Anna found her calling as an apostle of the arch seraph Solyma. Her journey as one of the Great Judge's clerics began as a sort of vigilantism, aiding magic users fleeing across the border with the Castinellan Provinces, often with Inquisitors hot on their heels. They had done no great wrong in their lives, and Solyma looked kindly upon her for helping them avoid an unjust death at the hands of mage-hunters. Anna was granted power to continue her path as a bringer of true justice. What began as trivial assistance to any who hobbled across the border turned into open defiance against the Arcanist Inquisition, as she would pierce deep into Castinellan territory to help magi find their way to safety.
Occasionally, she would see such refugees to their final destination, often to the Bürach Empire. A trip over any such distance was often perilous, as the night's creatures were prone to prowl the open roads and fields. She became proficient at dealing with the various aberrations, undead, and otherwise that haunted the land. It was during one such fight that she crossed paths with the Darken Fists. The group recognized her talent, and offered her a chance at recruitment. Surprised(and pleased) to find that the Fists were involved in smuggling operations similar to hers, she readily accepted.
As a battle-hardened woman with experience against the horrors of the darkness, she was quickly recommended as one of the Darken Fists' monster hunters.
Personal ambitions aside, Anna seeks to see the end of the Arcanist Inquisition - though such a task is well beyond her capabilities.
Lewyn was an ordinary librarian, hardly a researcher or specialist. Certainly not the brightest in his field. But he has heard things whispering to him in the stacks. Hints at secrets. Some were beautiful, giving insights to figures lost to time. Some were wretched, with truths that only kept him awake at night for the horror of knowing Burach’s heroes too well.
Then he started seeing things in the night. Monsters and heroes ducking it out on the street. He followed one of these heroes to the Darken Fists.
Backstory:
Why did you join the Darken Fists? Lewyn joined the Darken Fists by accident and grim resolve. He is afraid all the time, and some might say he is a coward. Lewyn would not deny it. But he has seen ghosts, and monsters, and couldn’t walk away. The Darken Fists gave him a chance, and he’s determined to prove he can help.
Why were you chosen as one of the monster hunters? Lewyn was nearly passed over, but has been pleading to join them, paying for weapons training and magic lessons out of his own pocket.
What are your ambitions? Lewyn believes the Beast is a symptom of an underlying issue. Seraphs and Daemons alike are lashing out like dying animals. He searches for the all consuming “why?” He doesn’t believe he’ll be the one to fix it, but he knows he can help find out how.
Transformation(optional): I’m not sure I understand the transformation but, but I’m happy to discuss this. I figure with college of spirits, this might be a gradual transformation, and I think I’d go with lich, or specter. Not sure what’s appropriate here
A burning hatred for the vampiric undead resides within Neilin, a man who hails from the blackened Ostoyan Empire. While the vampires rule the Soma province, it's the normal men and women who break their backs in the fields and mines to keep the nation afloat. For those living in the towns and cities before the wilds, political favors and security granted by the vampire aristocracy come at a steep price.
Mindless undead creatures were a frequent menace to his hometown. The mayor, desperate to keep the town from being overrun, begged the local lord for help. And help did come, but as typical for Ostoya, it was at an unimaginable cost. Month after month after month, young men and women were invited to lord's castle, never to be seen from again. His sister was one such victim; it's been over a decade since he last saw her.
The first chance he found, Neilin fled the Ostoyan Empire. Because he knew his way around a sword, the Darken Fists based out of Abendland were more than willing to employ him.
As his relations within the guild grew, it became apparent to the more senior members that he had experience in combatting undead. For this reason, he was permanently assigned as one of the monster hunters.
Vengeance is never far from his mind - one day he plans to return to Ostoya, and kill the undead bastard that took his sister.
Name: Lance Heller Class: Blood Hunter Backstory: When Lance met the Darken Fists, he was already well acquainted with the life of a monster hunter. He came from a small village in Nordenland, entirely dedicated to the task of cleansing the forest of the dark rot that haunts it. While elsewhere in the forest with a small group, his village was destroyed by a visit from the Beast. Those left living were corrupted beyond recognition into horrid creatures of the dark. The others he had left with were hell-bent on vengeance against the Beast, but he had no such death wish. When they left to hunt the thing, he headed south into Abendland.
The Darken Fists were more than happy to have someone of his skillset, and he easily fit in amongst the other hunters.
Bringing about the downfall of the Beast is nothing but a dream to him. More than anything else, he wishes to never return to that cursed forest in the north. Transformation: None
A wanderer originally from Charneault. While trying to uncover the purpose of a sacrificial ritual planned by a group of drow, the magics backfired explosively. Caught in the middle of the arcane nova, she was either given a vision or temporarily traveled to another realm: an expansive void, only occasionally punctuated by what appeared to be starlight. She was met with a horrifying monstrosity, an eldritch horror beyond her comprehension. Though apparently dormant, her mind connected with it briefly, giving her flashes of an endless, all-consuming hunger. Once it woke, it would not stop until there was nothing left to devour.
The experience left her rattled to the bone. She could not tell if it was hallucination or real, but to this day the appearance of the starry night sky makes her apprehensive.
She left Chaneault for good, having had enough of the dark elves' schemes. The Darken Fists provided her a decent cushion to land on in a new land, and her skills as a mage were more than welcome in the guild.
Backstory: Alone for as long as she can remember, Chaerie has only ever relied on herself and her little magic tricks. Tricks keep you under the radar. Small little things here and there that make people smile and move on. No one looks too keenly at people doing little magic tricks on the road. And so Chaerie survived on her own. She learned some extra little tricks that helped patch herself up after little scrapes and scuffles she'd get into because she always seemed to be getting into some sort of trouble.
Why did you join the Darken Fists? Chaerie wanted some type of fallback, some type of safety net. By surrounding herself with people and making herself useful to them, she's made herself a place that can't disappear on her like all the others.
Why were you chosen as one of the monster hunters? In addition to doing some serious healing for the more 'melee-minded' of the party, she has long since learned to never show fear. When a large monster came charging down at her one day, she stood her ground and unleashed as much of her magic as she could on the creature. I mean, it still nearly took her out, but she earned the attention of some higher-ups that day.
What are your ambitions? To show the world that the elves are still here and they're still kicking.
Transformation: Well, I've gotta go 'fey' naturally with the trickery aspect. Open to other types of transformation, though.
Gregori can barely recall his life before the abominations of came out of the dark and took his parents. His parents were scouts for a large logging camp. They were sent ahead of the main group to mark the path for the others after the hardships of winter. He recalls his mother commanding him to run and hide. The last words she spoke in this world. He hid for seven days as the abomination stalked him in the abandoned camp. The skills his parents had instilled in him as rangers were crucial to his survival. He devised a trap for the fiend using a deadfall to crush and pin it. He then stabbed it's eyes out with his father's knife. The lad of seven summers escaped his parents fate and was found seated upon the deadfall atop the abomination by the other woodsmen as they came upon the desolation.
Backstory: Why did you join the Darken Fists? Gregori was too reckless and obsessed with avenging his parent's death for his fellow woodsmen. He joined the Darken Fists to hone his skills and learn to hunt the creatures that haunt the darkness. The Darken Fists gave him a chance, and he’s determined to rid the land of the monstrosities.
Why were you chosen as one of the monster hunters? Gregori was not chosen due to his passion. He stalked the group admist the hunt and came to their aid in combat. His arrows from the dark were instrumental in the group's success. Afterwards he gladly accepted and has been a member ever since.
What are your ambitions? Gregori wishes to rid Etharis of all abominations. The Darken Fists are a means of achieving his goal.
Transformation: Lycan. I see it as a manifestation of Etharis aiding him in his cause to drive out the darkness. I see him as one who becomes a monster by hunting monsters to long.
Welcome to Etharis
A world clutched tightly in the talon's of darkness, where it would be rare to find someone who has not suffered. The fall of this world's gods heralded a dark age that seems without end, as the last bastions of light in the world begin to fade away. Corruption runs rampant across the nations of Etharis, and dark creatures rule the nights while the mortal races cower. Plague and famine bring ruin to the impoverished while the well-off hide in their walled cities, escaping this grim reality through whatever vice they can.
In this harsh world, vestiges of hope remain only in the hearts of very few.
The Game
In Altenheim, facetiously named the City of Joy and the heart of the Bürarch Empire, your characters will begin as members of a mercenary guild. While the guild will take on most any job, an inner circle of the Darken Fists takes on only a very special task: hunting down the aberrations that go bump in the night around the countryside.
You are one of those within the inner circle, and you will soon find that the night grows darker still.
Application
Races
In ages past, the Elder Races spread over Etharis and carved out separate kingdoms for themselves. Then the humans came, and all but annihilated the other races in their relentless drive to multiply and expand. Today, humans are still the most numerous and powerful race in Etharis. The Elder Races survived either in isolated remnants of their own domains, or incorporated into larger human kingdoms. Though they are reduced in number, The Elder Races are a common sight anywhere in Etharis. Perhaps because they so often live on the fringes of human civilization, they also make up a disproportionate number of its adventurers.
• Humans
While the elves and dwarves were the first races to claim lands in the world of Etharis, the versatile race of the humans were the ones to survive and dominate. Emerging from the forests of central Etharis, now known as Bürach, humans were not considered a threat by other races. Left unchecked, their numbers quickly grew. By the time the great kingdoms of the elves and mighty thanedoms of the dwarves realized the violence that inevitable follows the humans, it was already too late. The eyes of mankind fell greedily on the prosperous lands of the elves and dwarves. The great Era of Expansion, known by the Elder Races as the Great Purge, had begun and humans were here to stay. Tribal armies marched north, south, and west; no land was safe. Unable to unite and react in time, the dwarven and elven monarchs watched as human warriors swarmed and usurped their lands.
To this day, humans are considered the dominant race across all of Etharis, controlling most of the land and sea. Having shorter lives to live than the other races, their old hatreds have faded, and they are more receptive to other races. But elves and dwarves live long, capable of holding grudges even longer.
• Elves
The proud and elegant elves were among the first peopl eto dwell among the forests of Eranthis. Their long history is lost in distant eons, and even elves with their long lifespans do not fully know their true origins. Tall, graceful, and extraordinarily beautiful, they claimed the forests and river lands of Caer Neiada, in what is now the Charneault Kingdom, creating magnificent kingdoms deep within the woods.
The Era of Expansion cost the elves dearly. Their kingdoms were turned to dust, and many of their forests burned to ash. Even though their bows were precise, they were outnumbered and unable to defend themselves on all fronts as war-hungry armies burned their sheltering forests. The elves lived for decades as nomads, trying ot hide in the few remaining forests on the outskirts of human civilization. Their sorrow and grief for the lost beauty of their home empowered them to recreate it. They turned to the arts. Heartbreaking songs of their lost paradises would echo among the trees in the night. Most importantly though, they turned to magic. The forest spirits that had once guided them were not vanquished, and were eager to aid old friends.They bestowed the elves with their magic - the power to restore their lands to their ancient beauty.
• Dwarves
Ancient and dauntless as the mountains they call home, the dwarven race stepped onto the land of Etharis alongside the elves. Unlike the elves however, the dwarves built their kingdoms deep withing the mountains of what is now the Bürach Empire. Adept with metalworking and jewel crafting, the dwarves created countless cities in the hills and two impressive, impenetrable capitals in the Rock Teeth and the Grey Spine.
During the wars of the Era of Expansion, the dwarves barricaded themselves within their two greatest cities: the tiered city of Stehlenwald and the now ruined city of Grebenstein. The dwarves of Grebenstein were besieged by the human warlords who would later lay the groundwork of the Bürach Empire. Though the dwarves fought valiantly for their homelands, the human warlords uprooted their thanedom and claimed their vein rich mines.
The second dwarven kingdom of Stehlenwald however, endured the siege. Rather than share the fate of their cousins to the north, the Stehlenwald dwarves dug deeper into the heart of the mountain. There, their miners laid eyes up a new metal, impenetrable to the arrows of their enemies; adamantine. With armour and weapons of impeccable craftsmanship, the dwarven battalions managed to push the invaders back to their homelands, but at a great cost: half of their population fell, either by the war or by famine.
By the time of the birth of the various human kingdoms, the proud dwarves of Stehlewald had begun to recover their numbers. When they reemerged, the political landscape had dramatically changed. Surrounded and outnumbered by the armies of the Bürarch Empire, the dwarven emporer realized there was only one way to survive and prosper. A deal was struck with the empire, surrendering the lands of Stehlewald and becoming members of the empire, in exchange for a degree of autonomy in their governance.
• Half-Orcs
Orcs in the world of Etharis exist only as villains in fairy tales told to scare naughty children. They were described as violent brutes who lived only to inflict mayhem on everyone. Nevertheless, orcs roamed Etharis even before the dwarves and the elves, and their description in the fairy tales preserves a sinister truth. No one knows why the orcs disappeared from Etharis en masse, except that the last of them were seen in Valika, before they were presumably slain or bred out. However, all know the ominous reminder of their dark and violent past.
The half-orcs of Etharis are tall, daunting, and fierce warriors. Some say that these humanoids are the result of breeding between early human tribes and the last orcs. Others say they are the creation of a lost war god who wanted to immortalize his own image. In any case, the half-orcs combine the best out of their two parts: the formidable resilience of an orc, and the adaptability of a human.
• Half-Elves
Half-Elves are among the later races to walk the land of Etharis. Before the Era of Expansion, humans and elves occasionally crossed paths. Some humans could appreciate the beautiful songs and poems of the elves, and the elves could appreciate the adventurous side of humanity. The results of these bonds were the ever-wandering half-elves. They are easily noticed by their less pronounced pointed elfin ears, combined with a bulkier but still elegant human frame. As with half-orcs, they seem to have taken the best of their progenitors. Taller than the average man, elegant and graceful, they seem to possess the aptitude for the fine arts from their elven heritage, paired with the lust for adventure from their humanity.
However, even though most of the first half-elves were results of love between the two races, such pairings were still considered taboo by the two sides. In the midst of war, most elves could not understand how someone could fall in love with a savage, while few humans could forgive anyone would mingle with the enemy. The first half-elves were cast out by both sides.
initially, the lifestyle of the wandered suited them. Most half-elves keep the burdens of their solves well hidden. They learned how to wear the mask of happiness, often dressing with bright colors and dazzling jewelry, accompanying their stylistic choices with an outwardly flamboyant, optimistic attitude. But if one is lucky enough to gain the trust of a half-elf, they will often see that the heart of one is full of sorrow. Wandering the continent is a lifestyle that fits them, but they can never call any place home. Considered outcasts by humans and elves, they think themselves cursed, eternally strangers, with no hope of claiming any land as their own.
• Dragonborn
Children of the dragons, as their name states, dragonborn walk with pride through a world that greets them with a mixture of fear and admiration. Though they lack wings, they are strongly built and stout with colors resembling those of their ancestors.
Some claim this race must bet he most ancient of all. In the Era of Expansion, they were settled in a small kingdom caught amidst the bloody conflicts between humans and elves. This conflict led to the destruction of the only place they truly belong to, the city of Ember Carin. However, this noble race managed to survive. Eons passed as the dragonborn prayed to draconic gods to restore their kingdom; prayers that went unanswered. Wrath grew among the Dragonborn, as well as desperation. They stopped praying to their dragon lords, and their religion, the Sacred Flame, was abandoned.
The dragonborn were pious and spiritual by nature however, and needed something to beleive in. A new religion was offered to them by Castinellan missionaries who were spreading the word of their new religion, that of the Divine Seraphs. Finding it close to the dragonborn ideals of virtue and determination, they quickly embraced the new religious, becoming its most zealous followers. Sharing the same beliefs with the humans of the Castinella Provinces, they were quickly incorporated to the empire, becoming subjects of the Castinellan theocracy.
As a reward, Castinella granted them a small region of their ancestral land to call their own, rebuilding the ancient city of Ember Cairn, a wonder made entirely of granite. It has since become a site of religious pilgrimage for the dragonborn, with members traveling from all across the continent to visit it.
• Gnomes
Ingenious and full of energy, gnomes are considered to be distant cousins of the dwarven race. Shorter than their kin and not equally bulky, this small framed race compensates for their lack of muscles with ever-working brains and a great aptitude for invention. They have created some of the most impressive mechanical wonders of Etharis. Cannons, automatons, flintlocks, and explosives are all reputed to be results of gnomish brilliance.
During the Era of Expansion, gnome settlements outside the shelter of mountains were annihilated by human warlords, forcing them to seek shelter in the neighboring dwarven city of Stehlenwald. There they shared the fate of their dwarven cousins as countless human armies besieged the tall stone walls of the city.
The surviving gnomes pushed the dwarven thane to dig deeper, in a last attempt to find new metals or an escape route beneath the mountains. As the dwarves gazed upon the newfound adamantine, the gnomes longed for the other veins of the mountain, their ingenious minds hatching a plan to win the war.
The gnomish alchemists worked day and night, mixing the gifts of the mountain until they invented a new weapon: explosives. While this new and effective invention helped win the final battle, the losses for gnomes and dwarves were too great. The gnomish race followed the dwarves of Stehlenwald into their centuries-long isolation. When the dwarven king voluntarily joined the Bürarch empire, the gnomes followed. Today, with trade reaching all across the empire, the gnomes can lay hands on even more exotic and volatile materials, pushing their science to new heights each passing day.
• Halflings
At one time humankind, being an unstoppable force in Etharis, earned the enmity of most races. All who tried to oppose them were met with destruction. One race however, chose not to contest the human ascendancy, but instead decided to cling to their backs for survival.
The Era of Expansion did not affect the population of halflings like it did other races. Even though the halflings did not agree with the violent ways of the humans, they fell silent, deciding that being subservient to the stronger and better-armed human armies would guarantee their survival. After the division of the humans into different empires and kingdoms, halflings fit in perfectly, many acquiring positions as librarians, bookkeepers, teachers, or scholars.
Regions in Etharis
The Bürarch Empire
Nestled in the northern region of Etharis, the Bürach Empire presides over its domain like an old lion ravaged by illness. Once a beacon for grand civilizations everywhere, it is now a shattered nation, a nest of corrupt nobility seeking to revive old glories, lurking monsters that prey on the unwary, and desperate common folk trying to survive both. Though it is still viewed by most of its neighbors as the political, military, and economic superpower of Etharis, those within the Bürach Empire live each day with the sense that the end is near. Whether that end comes by war, cults of
strange gods, rebellion, economic collapse, or the otherworldly threat of the Beast, the Empire is seeing its last days.
• Landscape
The Bürach Empire once covered the largest expanse of land of any nation in Etharis. Temperate forests abound at the northern edge, but dwindle the further one travels south as logging camps struggle to keep up with the Empire’s demand for lumber. The foothills of the Grey Spine mountain range provide a source of iron and precious gems. A major volcano, Mt. Vengeance, lies to the east of the Empire.
• People of Bürarch
The Bürach began as a group of neighbouring tribes that settled in the north eastern part of Etharis. Over the years, some of these tribes grew in size and stature, and either conquered or absorbed other tribes. Thus, they became the Bürach, which in the olden tongue means “One Above All”.
The people of the Bürach are creatures of tradition, living their lives in lock-step with religious beliefs, family ties, fealty to their Empire, and laws so
ancient that few historians even remember why they were made. The Empire follows a caste system, with the royalty at the top, followed by the nobility, the knights, the merchants, the craftsmen, and then finally, the serfs. Their society is structured around fealty to a particular noble family. Each province must abide by the rules of their lords and common born serfs may not leave the land of their birth without permission. Those caught abandoning their lords, either by running away or breaking their laws, are dealt with severely. Though a single empire, the Bürach is not homogeneous. Four distinct groups of people gathered into provinces, with each devoted to their own particular god, and those divisions have
survived even if the gods have not.
The Abendfolk are devotees of Aurelia, goddess of healing and protection. Their city of Altenheim forms the cultural and economic heart of the
Bürach Empire.
The wise Norden settled in the north, where they worship Ulmyr, the embodiment of magic and chaos. Nordenland is culturally divided, with the
west populated by a mix of various races, with the east primarily peopled by outlanders.
To the east, closest to the Grey Spine Mountains, lies Unterland. The Unterfolk follow the ways of Maligant, god of war and conquest.
Finally, to the south lies Rauland, whose people carry on their worship of Galt the Builder, god of order and construction.
• History
As these provinces grew in power, foreign kingdoms soon challenged them, coveting their lands. The people turned to the gods for aid. The
Four Divines agreed that the burgeoning Empire needed a central figure around which they could rally. Appearing to each of their priests, the Four
advised the Bürach to form an empire.
The priests, known as the Hearthkeepers of Aurelia, searched far and wide for signs of one who would be the emperor. Though they met many a knight, noble, and mage, none was deemed fit for the title. Then their visions led them to the western marches. Here they found a 12-year-old boy
named Thancred, who had single-handedly slain a giant that guarded a fjord so that he could build a bridge between two towns. When the
Hearthkeepers came before him, they watched as he returned a dead lamb back to life with just his hands. As one, the priests fell to their knees and
named him Emperor Indorius, first of his line.
As a gift to the new emperor, the four gods poured their divinity into four sacred artifacts: a crown that radiated authority (Galt), a sword
that increased his might (Maligant), an orb that gave him far sight (Ulmyr), and a breastplate that protected him from harm (Aurelia).
With these treasures and the support of his people, the emperor launched a campaign against his nation’s rivals. With sword and banner, he
led the combined army of the four provinces into war. Victory after victory followed him until the surrounding nations were conquered and folded
into Bürach. This created an empire that stretched from one end of the continent to the other, the largest nation in all of Etharis.
With his empire secured, Emperor Indorius implemented ambitious changes throughout the land. He standardised trade and created guilds for
building infrastructure. By establishing coastal settlements, he freed the Bürach from centuries as a land-locked people. A patron of the arts, he
encouraged bards and musicians to flourish in his court. When Emperor Indorius finally entered the afterlife, the Empire had become a nation of
wealth and enlightenment.
This greatness would not last. The gods who had answered the Bürach’s prayers were themselves the survivors of a disastrous war. Only time would
reveal the wounds they had suffered fighting enemies beyond even divine comprehension. Surely the gods’ minds were already tainted when they chose Indorius, for the seeds of empire they planted were the seeds of their own madness and destruction.
• Gods' End
So great was the impact of Indorius’s rule that the Bürach instituted what would be known as the Edict of Eternal Blood. According to this law, only
one of the emperor’s direct descendants could be raised to the throne. The Hearthkeepers took great care to preserve the purity of the imperial family. Cousins and sometimes siblings were led to marry in order to maintain the Edict. However, many voices across the Bürach warned against such acts, but their words fell on deaf ears. Encouraged by the priesthood, the people’s faith in the Imperial family kept the government in power, and for centuries all was right in the world.
That changed with Emperor Leopold I.
From a young age, it was clear that Leopold was truly, irrevocably mad. He often spoke to things that weren’t there and treated people like they were insects, having servants imprisoned and flayed for the smallest infractions. Officials whispered among themselves that they could not in good conscience put him into power, but to disobey the Edict was to invite disaster for the government. Thus, one summer solstice, Leopold
was crowned Emperor of the Bürach.
Possessed by religious fervour, Leopold exhorted the masses to believe that only one of the four gods should rule supreme. Why should they each
follow four, when only one--the greatest, most powerful of all--was deserving of their devotion? Each sect then began to argue that their god should be the One True Deity. Leopold’s madness seeped into the four artifacts he wore. Worse, as these artifacts carried the essences of the four gods, his madness fed back into their minds, driving them insane.
The Four Divines turned on each other, each believing they should be the One True God. The gods warred in the heavens, causing calamities such as storms, flash fires, and earthquakes. Their hostility quickly spread to their worshippers. Within a year, the Bürach Empire had descended into civil war as the four provinces fought among themselves. To end the violence, individuals from the four provinces conspired against the emperor. Their
assassins swept into the imperial palace and killed Leopold. With his death, the sacred artifacts disappeared. This caused the Divine Aurelia to
come out of her insanity long enough to see that the gods’ battles would soon destroy all of Etharis. She then used all her power to shield the
land from the gods’ war. In so doing, she gave up her own life. In time the other three—Maligant, Ulmyr, and Galt—slew each other.
The death of the Four Divines sent a shockwave of magic throughout the Empire. Divine magic still exists, but is now believed to radiate from the
remaining Arch Seraphs and Daemons, not from the dead gods themselves. The leaders of each province called for a ceasefire, and each army retreated to their land to heal and recover from their losses. A new emperor, Aratron I, was installed. A shadow of its former self, the empire clings desperately to its last vestiges of power.
• Darkness Rising
With the absence of the gods, something began to stalk the lands of the Bürach Empire. Unknown what it is, no one is certain how it came to be, but
this powerful and corrupting presence has made itself felt throughout countless towns and cities. Eyewitnesses describe it as a towering figure
wreathed in shadows, its head an enormous deer skull, bearing a crown of antlers that seem to pierce the sky. It walks where it wills. It corrupts
that which it touches. It whispers into the hearts of men and turns them to wickedness.
Soon, aberrations and abominations started appearing throughout the provinces. Discord and corruption seeped through every fibre of society.
The creature presents an existential threat to all the imperial provinces, but each threat seems to be unique in nature.
In Abendland, mobs of zombie-like creatures, their flesh fused together into a cancerous, many-limbed blob, attack wayfarers and peasants.
In Rauland, puppet-like creatures strangle and dismember innocent folk with razor-sharp strings.
Nordenland is plagued by corrupted flora and fauna, including treants with human heads and limbs instead of branches.
Finally, Unterland has reported sightings of corrupted warriors, their armour melted into their flesh, roaming the countryside and killing
indiscriminately.
The Bürach have named this entity the Beast. The four provinces have each formed bands of warriors, clerics, and mages to combat its threat,
but though they kill hordes of its monsters, none have succeeded in facing the Beast and living to tell the tale. And where it goes, monsters arise.
The Ostoyan Empire
Beyond the Grey Spine peaks lies a land shrouded in mist and shadow. The hearts of the Ostoyan people are as cold and forbidding as the land they dwell in. Here the mages of the Ravencourt Sanctuary spin their nebulous plots, the Vampire Lords of the Crimson Court devise plans to engulf Etharis in a tide of undead, and the hidden denizens of the City Below wait in the dark, hungry for the living.
The Charneault Kingdom
Hidden behind the magical forest of the Grove Maze, the Charneault Kingdom was once a land of honour and spirituality, with a deep connection to nature. Its countless rivers, lakes, and forests are regularly engulfed in a magical mist, which hides just as many castles and fortified villages. But now it is a land of broken vows, dark tales, and terrifying creatures lurking in the night. While the last elven city of Tol Leyemil faces a coup by the Dark Elves, King Thibault de Sauveterre can barely hold the kingdom together as he seeks a cure for the curse which the treacherous Dark Elves cast on his daughter.
The Valikan Clans
Far to the north, at the frozen edge the continent, lies Grarjord, the homeland of the Valikan. Each day, the hardy folk who dwell there face the dangers of the elements, the harshness of their faiths, and numerous wars fought in the name of their beliefs. Life is short among the Great Clans.
The Castinellan Provinces
Scorched and hardened by the ruthless heat and wind, the people of Castinella are fierce, festive, and faithful. The southernmost part of Etharis offers both great opportunities and great challenges to those brave enough to seize them. Sailing, farming, mining, warring—nothing is outside the Castinellans’ potential, backed by the strength of their rigorous codes and passionate faith. The teachings of the Divine Arch Seraphs—
especially Empyreus, Arch Seraph of Valor—have slowly but surely transformed the provinces into a militarist theocracy, with a fierce mistrust of
spellcasters. But recently, new challenges to the sacred Seraphic Teachings have thrown the population into disarray. Conflict has escalated
to the point where the Arcanist Inquisition has launched a crusade to burn every magically gifted being in the Castinellan Provinces... and beyond.
Character sheet : https://ddb.ac/characters/50617313/nHbQCd
Name : Boris Bettor
Class : Ranger (aiming for gloom stalker). Uses a crossbow
Race : Dhampir, mother was human, father was a vampire
Background : Faceless, learned to hide among the people of Altenheim
Backstory :
I was meant to have a better life than this.
I grew up in Altenheim, in the dark and hidden in the shadows. I didn't know my mother, but learned over time what happened to her. My _father_ (if you want to call him that) forced himself on my mother Sydnae and drained her to within an inch of death, and raped her. He brought her back to his lair out of ? curiosity, love? I have no idea, I thought the bastard was heartless, so it must have been curiosity. I was born from that unholy union and she died in the process. I was set out in the woods to survive and I don't know how I did, I have no memory of that. Never had a childhood really. It was all about survival, taking what I needed to survive and growing stronger in the process.
Eventually I made my way back to the city and survived off others, always in the night, hidden from sight. Sometimes I would feed of off the actual dreams of people in town, and sometimes I would need to feed on their actual lifeblood. I have learned of the dreams and desires of my fellow citizens. And what they fear in the recesses of their mind. I hate what I have become. And I am determined to hunt down the one who made me like this, and his kind.
The skills I have helped me to survive, but they are also a curse. I learned how to disguise myself, live among the people of Altenheim, hide my true identity. I learned how to use a crossbow, how to track and hunt in the woods. At times I feel that I have caught brief glimpses of one like my father, a vampire, but they were fleeting. Were they watching me? Toying with me? "Vorenus, are you there?" No answer. I have learned who he is, but not where he lives. Lucky for him.
I learned about the Darken Fists in Altenheim and one night I walked in on one of their meetings. Their purpose and mine are the same. Once they saw my skills and heard my passion, my quest, they were glad to have me join. They are the closest thing I've ever had to a family you could say. Not really a family, but a brotherhood.
I live to put a giant stake into the heart of the one who brought me into this world. He and his kind need to be eradicated from the world. Now I have friends who can help me in this task.
Hi, this looks exciting !
I would be happy to join the hunt !
Currently Playing: Regdus Ironfist (Greyhawk) Lvl 1 Storm Sorcerer ; Goraseth Drerjoxian (Icespeak) Lvl 3 Paladin Oath of Glory; Lerak (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight) Lvl 3 Barbarian Wild Magic
In Pause: Grimnir " Shadow-Feet", Lv 11 Owner of "The Basilisk & the Monk" (OotA) - Kurma Kappa, Lv 8 Priest of Oghma (ToA)
Currently DM'ing: Princes of Apocalypse >> Tomb of Annihilation
I am interested, love the idea and the setting.
Name: Edward
Human, Blood Hunter
Backstory:
Sole survivor of an attack by aberrations that killed his family. Haunted by the event, and his actions during them, he joined the Darken Fists to seek vengeance against those that slaughtered his clan and beings with evil intentions in their heart. He quickly gained notice in the company due to his skills, burning hatred for monsters, and desire to get things done no matter the cost. He embraces his skills and views his calling as placing him above the law at times. He knows that sometimes it takes a monster to find and destroy true evil, but worries that the darkness is growing inside him as well. He fears turning into that which he hates most. He carries great guilt for the raid on his clan and hopes to gain redemption through his actions. He often hears the spirits of his family and clan, offering advice, consult, or torment for his failures. Quick to anger, quick to action.
Transformation - not very familiar with Grim Hollow (yet!) but will work with you on a transformation option.
this honestly seems pretty awesome, would love to join.
Name: Azazel Esh
Race/Class: Half-Elf, Monk
- Due to being trained by a monster hunter I was already of a higher standing than most, during an aptitude test to ensure I would not die at my first encounter with a creature of the night I had ended up severely wounding an initiator. Thus I was deemed acceptable, but slightly unhinged.
Demon Vamp of the Abyss
Oh man this sounds fantastic!! I want to play.
I’m not sure if I should make a character based on what is needed to fill gaps in proposed characters or just what I want to play. I can make up a character for any class but some I prefer over others. I’ll create one just as an example but I could make any character as needed.
Name: TBD
Stats: 14, 8, 14, 10, 16, 10
Race/Class: Hill Dwarf/Order Cleric
Background;
He joined the Darken Fist in order to fight the growing chaos in the world. The balance has been broken. Creatures from outside the material planes run rampant across the land and it must be stopped! The balance must be restored!
He was chosen as a monster hunter because of his skill. He is not afraid to stand toe to toe with the monstrosities in the world, is able to heal his allies, and support them in their battles as he works to put an end to the unnatural incursions into the land.
His ambitions are to serve his god, work to restore balance, support and defend his allies, and destroy the evils unleashed.
possible seraph transformation
Noob
Application
InkedBee (Undead_Analyst)
Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts - Jenviel Tsumara: Fallen Aasimar- Monk|Crimson Sands of Time - Navarra Iltazyara: Human- Druid/Warlock| Bleak Prospect - Ermasnietsz: Reborn- Clockwork Soul Sorcerer
Name: Brin Irongear
Ability Scores: Point Buy
Race: Hill Dwarf
Class: Wizard (Clockwork Soul and, eventually, a one-level dip into Order Domain Cleric.)
Backstory:
Brin grew up in this unbalanced world. He kept his head down, worked in his clan's smithy, and did his job. He was able to ignore the darkness, as he concentrated on his work, but, eventually, the imbalance of the world just was too much for him. He needed to see balance restored, so joined the mercenary company in an attempt to aid with that. His magical skill brought him to the notice of his superiors, who then put him into this elite group of warriors.
Transformation(optional): Aberrant Horror/Fiend/Lich/Lycanthrope/Seraph/Vampire/Fey/Primordial/Specter ... TBD as not sure what these mean and more info was said to be given in session zero.
Application
I am intriged and would love to play in this game. I have in mind an Half-orc Ranger, Krolis Mordan 15, 15, 14, 8, 14, 9
Krolis had spend much of his life with a band of rangers that patrolled the Unterland side of the Grey Spine Mountains. As a young ranger, in training, he had the aspirations of glory that would come from relieving the world of the horrors that roamed the lands. Indeed he thought that the rangers could teach him to accomplish this but, once the truth of things became know he began to understand that such small bands of warriors would never prevail the real cause of monstrous happenings that were so prevalent. Only a disciplined, well supported organization had any hope. So, when he heard of the Darken FIsts in the city of Altenheim he pack his meager belongings, made his farewells and headed out.
Upon his arrival in Altenheim, Krolis Mordan made his case to the Darken Fists, emphasizing his skills in tracking, survival and his abilities at operation in the dark - a good time to hunt evil as the saying goes. He pointed out, without bragging, that he was a strong and experience fighter, versed in hunting monsters, who could hold his own in most situations and worked will with a team of others whose skill were different than his, each complementing the others and make them, as a whole, much more the they would be singly.
As a final offer, his related his passionate desire to destroy the things that beset the land.
Transformation: Lycanthrope.
https://ddb.ac/characters/40623958/4MUsZH
Panic is a mechanism that strengthens the gene pool.
Anna Ray
Half-Elf Tempest Cleric
Once but a simple farmgirl from the fields of human settlements in the Charneault Kingdom, Anna found her calling as an apostle of the arch seraph Solyma. Her journey as one of the Great Judge's clerics began as a sort of vigilantism, aiding magic users fleeing across the border with the Castinellan Provinces, often with Inquisitors hot on their heels. They had done no great wrong in their lives, and Solyma looked kindly upon her for helping them avoid an unjust death at the hands of mage-hunters. Anna was granted power to continue her path as a bringer of true justice. What began as trivial assistance to any who hobbled across the border turned into open defiance against the Arcanist Inquisition, as she would pierce deep into Castinellan territory to help magi find their way to safety.
Occasionally, she would see such refugees to their final destination, often to the Bürach Empire. A trip over any such distance was often perilous, as the night's creatures were prone to prowl the open roads and fields. She became proficient at dealing with the various aberrations, undead, and otherwise that haunted the land. It was during one such fight that she crossed paths with the Darken Fists. The group recognized her talent, and offered her a chance at recruitment. Surprised(and pleased) to find that the Fists were involved in smuggling operations similar to hers, she readily accepted.
As a battle-hardened woman with experience against the horrors of the darkness, she was quickly recommended as one of the Darken Fists' monster hunters.
Personal ambitions aside, Anna seeks to see the end of the Arcanist Inquisition - though such a task is well beyond her capabilities.
Lewyn Reedfellow - Lightfoot Halfling - Bard (college of spirits) - sage
Lewyn was an ordinary librarian, hardly a researcher or specialist. Certainly not the brightest in his field. But he has heard things whispering to him in the stacks. Hints at secrets. Some were beautiful, giving insights to figures lost to time. Some were wretched, with truths that only kept him awake at night for the horror of knowing Burach’s heroes too well.
Then he started seeing things in the night. Monsters and heroes ducking it out on the street. He followed one of these heroes to the Darken Fists.
Lewyn joined the Darken Fists by accident and grim resolve. He is afraid all the time, and some might say he is a coward. Lewyn would not deny it. But he has seen ghosts, and monsters, and couldn’t walk away. The Darken Fists gave him a chance, and he’s determined to prove he can help.
Lewyn was nearly passed over, but has been pleading to join them, paying for weapons training and magic lessons out of his own pocket.
Lewyn believes the Beast is a symptom of an underlying issue. Seraphs and Daemons alike are lashing out like dying animals. He searches for the all consuming “why?” He doesn’t believe he’ll be the one to fix it, but he knows he can help find out how.
I’m not sure I understand the transformation but, but I’m happy to discuss this. I figure with college of spirits, this might be a gradual transformation, and I think I’d go with lich, or specter. Not sure what’s appropriate here
Paladin - warforged - orange
Neilin Black | Vengeance Paladin
A burning hatred for the vampiric undead resides within Neilin, a man who hails from the blackened Ostoyan Empire. While the vampires rule the Soma province, it's the normal men and women who break their backs in the fields and mines to keep the nation afloat. For those living in the towns and cities before the wilds, political favors and security granted by the vampire aristocracy come at a steep price.
Mindless undead creatures were a frequent menace to his hometown. The mayor, desperate to keep the town from being overrun, begged the local lord for help. And help did come, but as typical for Ostoya, it was at an unimaginable cost. Month after month after month, young men and women were invited to lord's castle, never to be seen from again. His sister was one such victim; it's been over a decade since he last saw her.
The first chance he found, Neilin fled the Ostoyan Empire. Because he knew his way around a sword, the Darken Fists based out of Abendland were more than willing to employ him.
As his relations within the guild grew, it became apparent to the more senior members that he had experience in combatting undead. For this reason, he was permanently assigned as one of the monster hunters.
Vengeance is never far from his mind - one day he plans to return to Ostoya, and kill the undead bastard that took his sister.
Name: Lance Heller
Class: Blood Hunter
Backstory: When Lance met the Darken Fists, he was already well acquainted with the life of a monster hunter. He came from a small village in Nordenland, entirely dedicated to the task of cleansing the forest of the dark rot that haunts it. While elsewhere in the forest with a small group, his village was destroyed by a visit from the Beast. Those left living were corrupted beyond recognition into horrid creatures of the dark. The others he had left with were hell-bent on vengeance against the Beast, but he had no such death wish. When they left to hunt the thing, he headed south into Abendland.
The Darken Fists were more than happy to have someone of his skillset, and he easily fit in amongst the other hunters.
Bringing about the downfall of the Beast is nothing but a dream to him. More than anything else, he wishes to never return to that cursed forest in the north.
Transformation: None
The experience left her rattled to the bone. She could not tell if it was hallucination or real, but to this day the appearance of the starry night sky makes her apprehensive.
She left Chaneault for good, having had enough of the dark elves' schemes. The Darken Fists provided her a decent cushion to land on in a new land, and her skills as a mage were more than welcome in the guild.
#edbd00 - Gold
Gregori Grimaldi - Variant Human - Rogue <Scout> Outlander Background
Sheet:
https://ddb.ac/characters/50720803/iMyXw8
Gregori can barely recall his life before the abominations of came out of the dark and took his parents. His parents were scouts for a large logging camp. They were sent ahead of the main group to mark the path for the others after the hardships of winter. He recalls his mother commanding him to run and hide. The last words she spoke in this world. He hid for seven days as the abomination stalked him in the abandoned camp. The skills his parents had instilled in him as rangers were crucial to his survival. He devised a trap for the fiend using a deadfall to crush and pin it. He then stabbed it's eyes out with his father's knife. The lad of seven summers escaped his parents fate and was found seated upon the deadfall atop the abomination by the other woodsmen as they came upon the desolation.
Backstory:
Why did you join the Darken Fists?
Gregori was too reckless and obsessed with avenging his parent's death for his fellow woodsmen. He joined the Darken Fists to hone his skills and learn to hunt the creatures that haunt the darkness. The Darken Fists gave him a chance, and he’s determined to rid the land of the monstrosities.
Why were you chosen as one of the monster hunters?
Gregori was not chosen due to his passion. He stalked the group admist the hunt and came to their aid in combat. His arrows from the dark were instrumental in the group's success. Afterwards he gladly accepted and has been a member ever since.
What are your ambitions?
Gregori wishes to rid Etharis of all abominations. The Darken Fists are a means of achieving his goal.
Transformation:
Lycan. I see it as a manifestation of Etharis aiding him in his cause to drive out the darkness. I see him as one who becomes a monster by hunting monsters to long.
Last day for applications. Around 8PM U.S. pacific I'll start sending messages to people.