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“ Stars
fade. Moons shatter. Avadnu may die in turn, one day...but only if
we allow it.”
—Arinthril, sulwynarii bard
Welcome
to the world of Avadnu, the home setting for The Inner Circle's Violet
Dawn product line. This section will introduce our campaign setting
like no other website has done previously. You will find extensive
information on all aspects of Avadnu. To
learn more about what sets Avadnu apart from other campaign settings
read the key features below. To explore the particular areas of Avadnu,
use the tabs above.
Crimson sunlight refracts among the
crystals of the Forest of Waethe, where reptilian beasts feed on
the mystic energies that resonate
in the air. Bones the height
of mountains arc toward the sky across the Throne of Karnn- the
remains of godbeasts dead for millennia, but still the goal of pilgrims.
Within
the Whitemarsh, swamp
vapors coalesce into spirits and illusions, and only the natives can
determine one from the other. In the Kaarad Lands, rivers of flesh
churn under the
watch of wary druids.
Avadnu's environments are as strange and distinctive
as the beings which inhabit them. Pastoral fields and lush green forests
are
cherished as refuges
in a world
where nature is as frightening as it is nourishing. But Avadnu's peoples
have adapted to their land, draping themselves in living leather and
riding six-legged
mokara on long journeys. Secretive guilds collect flowers that make
the weak invincible and foolish kings wise. Clay rich in calite-the
metal that dilutes
magic-is more valuable than gold.
Travelers through Avadnu must learn
to expect the alien in every aspect of their lives. But learning
is difficult in a world where scholars
are few. . .
Wars recent and old have devastated hopes for unity in a dangerous
land. Ancient kingdoms know little of their neighbors, and rely
on the legends
of bards for
information on regions beyond their influence. Colleges of wizardry
struggle for each piece of magical lore they collect, and are reluctant
to use
what they have. The followers of the old gods are a minority, their
faith shrinking
as
the worship of spirits and godbeasts grows and the inward-looking
philosophy of Vohalden wins the minds of nobles and peasants.
At
the fringes of memory and consciousness, the Void and its ravenous
denizens linger. The xxyth await their chance to end all creation,
fulfilling the
mandate given to them by a jealous god. Few of Avadnu's people
remember the last time
the xxyth entered their world, and xxythite cultists exploit
this forgetfulness to expand their power.
Knowledge is a rare commodity
on Avadnu, but not one often sought. Survival is foremost on the
minds of all but the privileged.
The chitinous vulnar
are among
the few cultures whose organization spans the continent of
Kaelandar, and many of their beneficiaries also fear the control of
their
economic network.
The arcanists
of Morgathog perform bizarre experiments in their citadel while
their people starve in the desert or are captured as slaves.
Valiant
individuals may be able to turn away the fog of mystery, but whether or
not they choose to do so is another question.
. .
Survival. Glory. Riches. Conquest. Hope. The men and women
of Avadnu who leave their homes to quest for more seek many
things,
some
noble, most
not.
Brutal skarren nomads depart their kulvraks to test
their prowess in battle, rarely caring who they oppose. Their savagery
is
both their
strength and
their weakness.
The arcane mistji represent the last of
a magical race, and fight to maintain their power and authority;
yet they
deny
the struggle
within
their own
society, as magic-blind mi'thu redefine their place.
The
sulwynarii hold their beautiful heads high and seek to drive back
the darkness of the Void before their race
becomes
extinct.
The passion
that
drives them inevitably
proves their undoing.
Zeidians unquestioningly protect
the domains of other races, regardless of whether or not they are
wanted. In private,
some wonder if their
loyalty is deserved.
Three-eyed ngakoi defy all taboos,
drawing on forbidden psionic energy as they live in terrible lands.
They
are admired for
their adaptability,
and
reviled
for their refusal to fight that which they can
adapt to.
And what of humans?
The bravest, the mightiest,
and the wisest lay claim to the greatest treasure of all: the right
to choose
their
own destiny.
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2000-2004, The Inner Circle.
Violet Dawn and The Inner Circle are trademarks of The Inner Circle.
All rights reserved.
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