Kingdom

of the
Flamesword
Jamie Revell
 Kingdom of the
Flamesword
By Jamie Revell

Based on Original Material by: Nick Brooke, Sandy Petersen, and Greg Stafford

I call upon Rokar the Prophet to smite those who would profane or steal from this holy work, so that
disaster and misery shall be theirs for all the days of their lives, yea, even unto the third generation.

Glorantha is the creation of Greg Stafford. Greg Stafford and Issaries, Inc., reserve the right to use any
Gloranthan names, places, and concepts, from any Original Material, in any future Gloranthan development or
publications, without further credit or payment.

All material in this work is unofficial. Greg Stafford and Issaries, Inc. assume no responsibility for the work’s
Original Material, nor accredit its validity or accuracy. Greg Stafford, Issaries, Inc., and Moon Design Ltd. make
no guarantee that they will use or acknowledge this material in any way, and may contradict it in future
development and publications.

Kingdom of the Flamesword is © Jamie Revell, 2012. The cults of Saint Xemela, Saint Gerlant, Saint Iames,
the Iron Blood School, the Humble Calligraphers, and the Debaldan School are copyright © 2003 by Issaries,
Inc. and are used as they originally appeared with permission. Some artwork copyright William McAusland,
used with permission. Some artwork © V Shane 2003, used with permission. Cover artwork by Paul Slinger ©
2008, used with permission.

I, Jamie Revell, agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Issaries, Inc., Greg Stafford, and their
employees, contractees, and licensees from any and all claims arising from the unauthorized usage of any
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Gloranthan and Lords of the West is the registered trademark of Issaries, Inc., and is used under license from
Issaries Inc..
Kingdom of the Flamesword

Foreword
Many years ago, I was asked to write a series of books on the West of Glorantha. For
various reasons, the plans for publication fell through, and books by other writers may
eventually replace them. The plan, at one point, was to write three books, one covering
the West in general, and one each for Loskalm and Seshnela.
The Loskalm book, along with much of the material for the first book, became The
Book of Glorious Joy, published in 2011 by d101 Games, thanks to the able skills and
determination of Newt Newport. However, that still left large amounts of work
unpublished. Plans to publish that by other routes stalled, and so this work came into
being.
Kingdom of the Flamesword collects together the material that would have gone
into the book on Seshnela and Rokarism. It does for that kingdom and religion what
Book 2 of The Book of Glorious Joy did for Loskalm and the Idealists. Here you will find
my interpretation - non-canonical, of course - of the politics, geography, religion, and
magic of that land, along with any other snippets I thought useful for gaming.
Nor is that all, for this also includes an appendix, originally written for what would
have been the first book in the series. The appendix covers the most widespread of
Malkioni cults, at least in my imagining of the West, and was intended as background
that would fit both the Seshnela and Loskalm books. Some of this information is briefly
summarised in The Book of Glorious Joy, but the fuller version is here, along with other
cults not found in Loskalm.
There are still parts of the planned first volume that remain unpublished. They
include overviews of Ralios, central and eastern Fronela, the Castle Coast, the Brithini,
and so on. However, they imparted little that hasn't been seen in previous publications
(notably Genertela: Crucible of the Hero Wars), and the little that is new doesn't fit
here.
This work is intentionally basic in format; it is not intended as a professional looking
publication that might challenge the rights of Moon Design or Issaries. It can, perhaps,
best be thought of as something like an Unfinished Work, only without the patina of
canonicity. Don't expect anything in the way of bespoke Gloranthan artwork, or,
indeed, much artwork at all. This is a way to get vast wodges of text, written over many
years, out there, and, for the most part, wodges of text is all you're going to get.
So there you have it: an Unfinished Work, or perhaps a Mostly Finished Work,
dedicated to the old view of Seshnela. Hopefully, those of you who liked The Book of
Glorious Joy will also find this useful, even if it isn't as slick. Enjoy.

Jamie Revell, January 2012

Page 2
 CONTENTS
ONE GOD, ONE CHURCH, ONE KING 4

THE KINGDOM OF SESHNELA 6

History 7
Political Structure 9
Crime and Punishment 13
The Military 19
The Royal Court 25

THE ROKARI CHURCH 31

People of the Cloth 31
Religious Communities 35
The Inquisition 39
Orders and Schools 44
Church Leaders 67

GAZETTEER OF SESHNELA 71
The County of Deu 73
The County of Estaurenic 80
The County of Noyelle 86
The Duchy of Rindland 94
The Duchy of Tanisor 108
The Barony of Vogai 123
The County of Voi 128
Dangin March 132
The Island of Gilboch 137

FRIENDS AND FOES 142

Allies and Enemies 142
Heresy and Witchcraft 150

THE BARONY OF HERELGEM 153

The Barony 153
Aaldor Manor 163
Voices of Seshnela 167

EVENTS AND QUESTS 171

Tournaments 171
The Flamesword Quest 178
Other Heroquests 183

APPENDIX: FOR THE GLORY OF GOD 189

Widespread Saintly Orders 189
Widespread Wizardry Schools 201
Sorcery Schools 206

Page 3
Kingdom of the Flamesword

One God, One Church, One King

Seshnela and Rokarism
Once, Seshnela was the heart of an Empire that stretched across the world. It received
tribute from two continents, from across the West, and from the distant Orient. Its
Emperors were perhaps the richest men in world history. Its wizards probed into every
corner of the magical world, always seeking to learn more. But, in the end, they probed
too far, the universe rebelled, and the Empire fell.
In the turmoil that followed, one man arose to lead the way out of the darkness. His
name was Rokar, and he brought a new faith that did away with old uncertainties and
taught every person their place in society. In his name, Bailifes the Hammer re-united
the warring barons, and forged the Kingdom anew. Now the new Kingdom of Seshnela
stands poised at the brink of another great change, one that could see the Empire
restored - or their dreams of divine unity shattered forever.
Seshnela is one of the Western lands of Glorantha, and many would say the greatest,
and the truest to its ancient roots. The Rokari Church is the lynchpin of society, defining
morality and social structures alike. The Rokari divide everyone into four castes on the
basis of their birth: commoners, warriors, wizards, and nobles. Everyone knows his or
her status in society, and the Church teaches that every occupation is just as important
to the whole.
Seshnela is a land of knights and wizards, of humble peasants and demure damsels.
The knights of Seshnela are dedicated to the ideals of a chivalric code that emphasizes
personal prowess over the soppy, romantic beliefs of their northern fellows. A
Seshnelan knight is a true warrior, skilled with sword and lance, secure in his high
status. They face danger from rival barons, from outlaw bandits, from foreign nations
following wicked faiths, and from griffons and dragons that strike from the wild lands.
Many go further, and dedicate themselves to a religious order, following the path of
the great warrior saints of the past, such as Gerlant, the Bearer of the Flamesword.
These holy warriors have magic of their own, that strikes fear into the hearts of their
enemies.
Seshnelan wizards dedicate their lives to the study of magic, ignoring the distractions
that plague lesser men. Some fight alongside the knights, lending their skills to the
battle, while others study arcane texts, forge magic weapons, or explore the magical
realms of the Other Side. The clergy also belong to the wizard caste, and many are free
to travel as they wish, performing blessings on their fellow men, and saving them from
the temptations of sin.
Seshnela is also a land of healers, followers of the blessed Saint Xemela, and of
travelling minstrels and overbearing nobles. It is a rich land, of cities and farms, of
castles and wild forests. Ancient ruins are everywhere, reminders of past glory, and
repositories of forbidden, ancient lore, and of their terrible inhuman guardians.
Heretics scheme to undermine the foundations of the Church, and witches cackle in the
shadows, cursing the faithful.
"One God, One Church, One King!" cry the Rokari, and the people of Seshnela
assemble under the banner of the flamesword and the symbol of the Church, ready to
bring unity to the world. Whether it wants it or not.

Page 4
One God
There is no God but Makan. All others are delusions, inexorably dragging their
followers into damnation. The pagan priests of foreign lands gain magical powers, it is
true, but the beings they worship are not true gods, not worthy of any kind of respect.
Only the Creator of the Universe is worthy of true veneration, for 'gods' of storm,
earth, or sea cover just a fraction of his realm, pitiful by comparison. All good Rokari
use true magic, the magic that comes from an understanding of God and his creation,
not from the misunderstandings and sacrificial worship of the pagans. God is One, God
is supreme, and God will surely lead Seshnela to victory over its foes.
One Church
The Rokari Church is the one, true, Church, that still holds to the vision of Malkion
the Prophet and understands God's plans for the world. All others have fallen into sin
and Error, leading to breakdowns in society, or worse yet, damning the souls of their
deluded victims. Through following one path, the people of Seshnela can become
stronger than the fractious heretics of Safelster or the misguided fools of Loskalm. If
there is only one God, there can be only one Church, and everything else is a
distraction. When everyone knows their place, when the Church guides everyone in the
true life, and when Makan alone receives the veneration that is his due, then the world
will be saved, and everyone can attain the pure bliss of Solace.
One King
As the Church is the guide, so the Kingdom binds everything together. While rival
nations exist, the Church cannot continue its good work across the world. Rebel nations
have broken away from Seshnela in the past, and whenever they have done so, they
have fallen to following false prophets and treacherous doctrines. Seshnela must be
united under the authority of one King with the strength of purpose and purity of
vision to sweep all rivals before him, and bring Rokarism to the world. The Middle Sea
Empire came close to achieving that glorious ideal, and, with the guidance of Rokar,
the new Kingdom of Seshnela can come closer still.

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Kingdom of the Flamesword

The Kingdom of Seshnela

The Kingdom of Seshnela lies in the southwestern corner of the great continent of
Genertela. It is a large feudal nation, one of the most powerful in the West. In times
gone by, it was more powerful still, and ruled much of the world, and many people
still look back fondly on those past glories. Seshnela is determined to make itself a
pre-eminent force once again, defeating the enemies that surround it on all sides, and
bringing the benefits of its unifying faith to heretic and pagan alike.

Physically, the Seshnelans are relatively

Seshnela at a Glance
Name: The Kingdom of Seshnela
Nature: Feudal kingdom
Capitol City: Segurane of the Walls
Ruler (1620): King Guilmarn
Area: 139,000 sq. miles
Population: 1,580,000 humans
Language: Seshnegi (a Western tongue)
Religion: Rokari Church (Malkionism)
The People
The Seshnelan people belong to the
Wareran, or light-skinned, race of humanity.
Some Seshnelan scholars claim that their
people are descended primarily from the
ancient folk of Brithos, who first settled the
region before the Dawn, and established its
first cities. In reality, the ancestors of today's
Seshnelans include folk from Slontos, Ralios,
and the ancient Pendali tribes. During the
days of the Middle Sea Empire, people from
almost anywhere in Glorantha could have
been found in Seshnela, further adding to
the mix. The modern Seshnegi language is
essentially a vernacular form of Brithini,
albeit sufficiently derived to no longer be
mutually intelligible with that tongue.
swarthy in appearance, and typically have
dark to sandy hair, and dark eyes, although
almost any combination can be found
somewhere. They are of medium height,
with a narrow frame and well-sculpted
features, although, again, huge variations
exist between individuals. Men wear beards
and shoulder-length hair, while women wear
their hair long and unshorn, but at least
partially concealed beneath a veil or
headscarf.
The modern Seshnegi derive from two
main heritages: the Tanisorans and the
Rindlanders. Each has their own traditions,
with the Rindlanders having a reputation for
being more martial and dour, while the
Tanisorans are more famous for their
religious zeal. Most outsiders see little
difference between the two, although the
locals can easily identify their different
accents. Names, especially place names, are
also a good indication of cultural heritage,
for many Rindlander names hark back to an
earlier time before the Seshnegi had risen to
dominance in the area. None the less,
Rindlanders and Tanisorans alike speak the
same language today, and both regard
themselves as true Seshnegi and inheritors of
the ancient history of their Kingdom.

Page 6

History
Prehistory and the Dawn Age
The indigenous inhabitants of the land
now known as Seshnela were pagans and
heathens, worshipping strange beast gods,
including snakes and lions. The Brithini lord
Froalar left his homeland over the seas to the
east, to avoid strife with his brother, and
founded a city on what is now the Castle
Coast. Other Brithini settled there, and the
city of Frowal became the nucleus of a new
Kingdom; Seshnela.
After the Dawn, the people of Seshnela
found their Brithini ways increasingly
difficult to maintain. Froalar adopted
paganism, and mated with the land goddess
Seshna Likita to produce a dynasty of snake-
legged Serpent Kings that reigned for over a
hundred years. During this time, the tiny
colony expanded inland, throwing back the
barbarian Pendali that ruled the interior. In
time, the followers of the prophet Hrestol
established a new form of Malkionism and
instituted the state of knighthood, laying the
foundations of the feudal system. They
suppressed the pagans and the old Brithini,
and Seshnela expanded again. Under the
Lofting Dynasty in the third century, people
called it the Silver Empire, and its armies
conquered Tanisor, Rindland, and Arolanit.
Seshnela declined again under the
following dynasties, and a new threat
emerged from the east. The followers of the
pagan god Nieby claimed to be healers, and
saved the land from a terrible plague. But it
became clear that they themselves had
started the plague, for Nieby was, in reality,
Gbaji the Deceiver, a scion of the Devil.
Under the leadership of Saint Arkat, Seshnela
made war upon the followers of Gbaji, and
eventually defeated them. Arkat himself
turned to godless foreign ways, and retired
to Ralios, but the Seshnelan hero Gerlant
stayed loyal to his God, and the barons asked
him to become their new ruler after King
Talmakos died without heir. He established a
new, devout kingdom, and returned
Seshnela to the glory it had known under the
Page 7
The Kingdom
Silver Empire. Even today, Gerlant remains
the most popular saint in Seshnela, a patron
for the land and its people.
Seshnelan Dynasties
Froalar Dynasty predawn - 156
Serpent Kings 24 - 142
(Many short dynasties) 156 - 194
Lofting Dynasty/Silver Empire
194 - 286
Palangtar Dynasty 286 - 415
Hermalor Dynasty 415 - 453
Gerlant Dynasty 453 - 673
(Civil war) 673 - 729
Saval Dynasty 729 - 1049
Middle Sea Empire 789 - 990
(Interregnum) 1049 - 1414
Bailifes Dynasty 1414 - present
The Imperial Age
At first, the Gerlant dynasty ruled wisely,
bringing peace to the land, but his great-
grandchildren strove amongst themselves for
the throne, plunging the Kingdom into civil
war. During this time, the hand of God wrote
The Abiding Book in Jrustela, over the ocean
to the south, and missionaries arrived to
preach its teachings. Eventually, the warriors
and wizards of the Jrusteli Confederation
pacified the squabbling realm of Seshnela,
and appointed their own kings. Last among
them was King Saval, who went on to
establish his own dynasty, and to bring peace
and prosperity to the region once more.
His descendant, Svagad, formalised the
alliance of Jrustela and Seshnela, and took
the title 'Emperor of Land and Sea'. The
Empire expanded, at its height ruling almost
the whole of Western Genertela, much of
the southern and eastern coasts, and even
large stretches of the distant southern
Kingdom of the Flamesword
continent. Wealth flowed into the coffers of
Seshnela, the heart of the great Middle Sea
Empire. Its leading wizards, the God
Learners, probed the secrets of the universe,
and conducted great experiments to prove
their theories.
At last, the universe itself seemed to rebel
against the hubris of the God Learners.
Magical disasters plagued the Empire, and
one by one, its distant provinces rebelled. In
930, the Closing struck the coasts of
Seshnela, cutting off all access to the
overseas territories. After further rebellions
caused the losses of Fronela, Ralios, and
Arolanit, King Tualon dissolved the Empire,
and only his own realm of Seshnela
remained. In 1049, a mysterious force of
purple-skinned demigods landed in the west,
and killed the king when he went forth to
challenge them. They enacted a powerful
ritual that blasted the cities into rubble,
plunged the richest lands of Seshnela
beneath the waves, and transformed many
of the survivors into inhuman beast-men.
The Third Age
For centuries, turmoil reigned in the
shattered remnants of the once glorious
kingdom. The rugged islands and coasts that
had once covered much of the land were
now either home to monsters, or to humans
no longer interested in uniting with former
brethren. Only the eastern provinces of
Tanisor, Nolos, and Rindland remained
relatively undamaged, and refugees flocked
to those lands. Everyone believed that the
title of King was cursed, and none dared
claim it. In any event, no one person ruled
over what remained of the land. Petty
nations came and went, the local lords
competing with each other for land or glory,
and bandits and foreign mercenaries taking
advantage of the disorder to seize what they
could.
Even the Church was in disarray, with rival
factions competing for power. It was clear
that the God Learners had brought doom
upon the land, but nobody could agree on
what the correct ways to live and to worship
God were. Instead, many wizards sought to
Page 8
enrich themselves at the expense of the
people, forgetting their true role in society.
Finally, after three centuries of political and
religious in-fighting, God granted a vision of
the true Church to a wizard named Rokar,
who immediately began to spread his
teachings. Rokar saw that the downfall of
the God Learners, and the venality and
corruption of the current Church all had their
roots in the teachings of Hrestol, who had
lead them away from the pure society
founded by Malkion. Rokar preached that a
rigid caste system should once again be
created, as had existed before the Dawn, and
that wizards should devote themselves fully
to the worship of God, and the creation of
the strict society that God desired.
Evil wizards martyred Rokar in 1349, and
he visibly ascended into Solace in a beam of
light, attended by mourning angels. This,
among other miracles, convinced many
people that Rokar was a true Prophet, a
successor to Malkion sent to deliver the
world from corruption and strife. His faction
within the Church continued to grow after
his death, but it would not gain true
dominance for another sixty years. In 1412,
the Rokari Duke of Rindland, Bailifes the
Hammer, defeated a powerful alliance of
nobles at the First Battle of Asgolan Fields,
and gained undisputed rule over the
northern parts of Seshnela. The next year, he
invaded Safelster, and conquered the
western parts of that land, bringing them
under the Rokari creed. His realm secure, he
at last claimed the old title of King of
Seshnela that had been vacant for so long.
The Rokari wizards forged the regalia of the
Kingdom anew, and Mardron, the Rokari
Archbishop of Leplain, crowned him King in
1414.
Just two years later, Bailifes invaded the
south, and defeated the powerful Duchy of
Tanisor, adding it to his personal domains.
The Rokari Church was triumphant, and the
few folk who adhered to the old ways fled
into the west, where they set up rebel
baronies in the broken remains of Old
Seshnela. Pitiful and weak, Bailifes chose to
ignore them, and to consolidate his rule over
 The Kingdom

the rich lands of his kingdom instead. His region once more. King Feliest subdued the
dynasty has ruled Seshnela ever since. unruly barons, although he could not retake
Seshnela's fortunes have waxed and waned Nolos, and granted more power to the
over the two centuries since Bailifes' Church, strengthening its hand in national
triumph. At the height of its power, under affairs. By the time of the current king,
King Ulianus III, the nation stretched from Guilmarn, Seshnela was peaceful once more,
Noloswal in the south to Lake Felster in the and central government was strong. Yet
east. During the reign of his son, Urfenthos I, now, threats gather on its borders, and the
the peasants revolted in the Ditchers' Church strives for ever greater power, in its
Rebellion, so-named because of the deep desire to bring the whole world under the
ditches and tall walls they built around the Rokari creed.
towns to protect them from royal forces.
These defences came to naught, as Urfenthos The Bailifes Dynasty
crushed and executed the rebels. Bailifes the Hammer 1414-1431
King Vikard chose to live a life of Bailifes II 1431-1435
unparalleled luxury, and sponsored many Ulianus II 1435-1449
great events to celebrate his reign, Ulianus III 1449-1465
culminating in the Most Grand Tournament Urfenthos I 1465-1483
of History. He squandered so much of the Urfenthos II 1483-1494
Kingdom's wealth that the economy Ulianus IV 1494-1509
collapsed, bringing misery to the people. Vikard of the Tournies 1509-1520
Safelster took advantage of the unrest to Lofting II 1520-1545
rebel, and remains independent to this day. Lofting III 1545-1552
In later years, Nolos, too, seceded from the Feliest 1552-1574
Kingdom, establishing an independent Svalanigos 1574-1590
duchy. Lofting IV 1590-1607
Later kings rebuilt after these setbacks, Guilmarn 1607-present
bringing Seshnela to prominence in the

Political Structure
The Kingdom of Seshnela is feudal in
nature. All political power ultimately derives
from the King, who delegates some of that
authority to the senior nobles in return for
commitments of military support and tax
revenue. They, in turn, delegate some their
authority to minor nobles for similar
considerations. The system is not precise, and
there are no central laws governing exactly
how it all works. Each noble is free to govern
his own realm as he sees fit, subject to any
commitments he may have made to his own
liege lord. As a result, a complex patchwork
of exceptions and specific considerations is in
use across Seshnela, with various lords having
specific privileges or commitments that their
neighbours lack.
Royal Government
At the pinnacle of all Seshnelan
government sits the King. He has the final
word on all laws and the administration of
justice in his realm. All oaths of fealty
ultimately end with him, and all land within
the kingdom is, theoretically, his personal
property. For over two hundred years, the
King has belonged to the Bailifes dynasty.
Like all noble titles in Seshnela, the
monarchy is inherited strictly down the male
line. Daughters and their descendants are
permanently excluded from the succession to
noble titles. In practice, this sometimes leads
to titles becoming extinguished, when no
male heir can be found. In these cases, the
estates of the noble or landed knight revert
to the liege lord, who has the power to
assign it to another member of the

Page 9
Kingdom of the Flamesword
appropriate caste. In practice, male
descendants of a previous holder's daughters
are preferred for such positions, so such
people are not necessarily excluded from all
hope of office. In theory, however, these are
new creations, and the new landholder is not
'inheriting' his estates from his ancestor.
Of course, the King has no liege lord,
which would make the absence of a male
heir rather more problematic. This situation
has not yet arisen within the current dynasty,
and seems unlikely to do so in the near
future. However, if it ever did, the Kingdom
might well be plunged into anarchy or civil
war between rival contenders to the throne,
for no legal mechanism exists for resolving it.
The King rules, for most of the time, from
Segurane, a vast city on the River Tanier.
However, he does not spend his entire year
in the city, and regularly visits his other
dominions, especially the Duchy of Tanisor,
to affirm his rule over the whole of the
Kingdom. The royal government holds court
wherever the King happens to be at the
time, and is not permanently located in
Segurane. The court consists of the royal
household, the chief officials of the
Kingdom, and any nobles currently visiting to
petition the King for favours.
Although the King rules by feudal right,
and is the font of all justice within the
Kingdom, he necessarily maintains a
bureaucracy to run his, and the nation's,
affairs. Four noble officials head this
bureaucracy, all appointed by the King, and
serving at his pleasure. The Royal Marshall
commands the King's personal military
forces, and inspects all castles and defensive
outworks on His Majesty's behalf. He is not a
commander-in-chief of the royal army, for
that role belongs to the King alone, but he is
Page 10
a powerful and influential figure in the
military, the equivalent of a senior general.
The Royal Treasurer controls all the
finances of the royal court, and of the
Kingdom. He evaluates the taxes that should
be charged to the barons, and arranges for
their expenditure on royal castles, royal
roads, and the administration of the realm.
Organisations such as the exchequer, the
privy purse, and the royal tax collectors all
report to him, and his bureaucracy is,
perhaps, the largest in the court as a result.
The King cannot, of course, directly
oversee his entire realm at any given time.
Due to the large number of barons, and size
of the Kingdom, it is necessary to appoint
other officials to serve on his behalf in
outlying regions when he is not personally
present. These officials are the sheriffs,
appointed directly by the King but
supervised by the Royal Justiciar, who
handles the legalities of the court and issues
proclamations and other writs. The Justiciar
is also responsible for the King's spy service
and the administration of the royal
dungeons.
Finally, the Royal Chamberlain administers
the royal household itself, and travels with
the King at all times. All the various servants
of the court are under his authority, from
cooks and maids, to the master of the royal
hunt and the king's falconer. Through his
office, the chamberlain effectively controls
all access to the King, deciding who can seek
an audience, and who cannot. He also
preserves much of the royal regalia, items of
tremendous magical power that the King can
wield on behalf of his nation. As a result, his
position is considerably more important than
might at first be thought.
 The Kingdom

The Royal Regalia

Before a king can take the throne, he must first be crowned with the royal regalia by a
senior official of the Rokari Church - in practice, this has always been the Ecclesiarch. The
coronation binds the King and nation together, and only a crowned king can access the
powerful magic that the items of the royal regalia provide. Apart from the sword and
chain, all the current items of the regalia were made for Bailifes when he re-established
the Kingdom in 1414, the originals having been lost with the drowning of Old Seshnela.
The regalia are not worn or carried at all times, but are generally reserved for important
occasions, or when their magic is particularly needed. In particular, it is not possible to use
both the sceptre and the sword at the same time (although, of course, the king can wear
the sword in a scabbard whilst using the sceptre).
The crown symbolises the King's absolute sovereignty, and is the most powerful item
within the regalia. From the moment the crown is placed on his head, the King has access
to the wisdom of his ancestors via the guardian essence of the Royal Family. It has various
other powers that are active only when it is worn, which is typically done only at the most
important of state functions or times of dire emergency. The King has various other
crowns, with lesser magic, that he wears at other times - these are considerably lighter
than the very heavy and cumbersome crown of state.
The sceptre represents the King's temporal authority, and has the power of command
over his rightful subjects. It is a heavy gold staff, two feet in length, topped with a
mastery rune, and is borne in the King's right hand at important ceremonies.
The orb is a silver sphere decorated with bands of gems, and surmounted with the rune
of the Mortal World. It represents the lands that the King rules over, and can command
the essences of the land to do his bidding. The King must carry the orb in his left hand to
make use of its power.
The ancient Dukes of Rindland handed what is now the Seshnelan sword of state down
as part of their own ducal regalia. It is a deadly sharp broadsword, engraved with the
hammer arms of the Bailifes dynasty, and symbolises the King's military authority as well
as providing powerful combat magic of its own.
Bailifes seized the chain from the Dukes of Tanisor when he added their realm to his
kingdom. It is a set of gold links, worn over the shoulders, and bearing a large ruby. It
represents unity and harmony within the realm, as well as the King's legitimate rule over
Tanisor.
The ampulla is a small lidded container only a couple of inches high, made of jewel
studded aluminium, and in the form of a dolphin. The King is anointed with oil from the
ampulla when he is crowned; symbolizing that his power is derived from God. At other
times, water poured from the ampulla onto the hands confers the King's blessing on
those he favours.
counts as personal holdings. The Counts of
The Barons Estaurenic and Noyelle are the remaining
In early times, the King's immediate vassals exceptions, who accept fealty from a number
were the tenants-in-chief, powerful dukes of barons within their domains. Elsewhere,
and counts who held fealty over great while almost all the barons theoretically owe
swathes of the Kingdom. Shortly after fealty to one of the tenants-in-chief, in
Bailifes founded modern Seshnela, he added practice, the King himself holds all such
the Duchy of Tanisor to his own ancestral posts, and their loyalty is directly to him.
holding of Rindland, ruling over both realms There are forty nine barons in the
directly as Duke. Since then, he has also Kingdom of Seshnela. Each maintains his
acquired the realms of two out of the four own force of knights, which they must loan

Page 11
Kingdom of the Flamesword
to their liege lord as part of the contract of
fealty. The exact number of knights each is
required to maintain and supply on demand
varies depending on historic precedent, the
location and resources of the barony, its
population, and various other factors, some
of which are seemingly arbitrary. In some
instances, the baron may pay a fee, known as
'scutage' in lieu of providing some or all of
his commitment of knights. The baron must
also maintain castles, and other defences, the
number of which is determined by letters
patent issued by the Crown. Unlicensed
castles are seen as evidence of potential
rebellion, and are likely to be torn down.
Within his realm, the baron sets and
collects his own taxes, and settles civil
disputes between his vassals. Most baronies
include at least one town or city. Often the
baron has a castle there from which he rules
his domain, but others prefer ancestral seats
in the country, away from the stench of the
cities. Most towns and cities have a charter
for limited self-governance, with some
authority delegated to the Guilds or Church,
but others are under direct baronial rule.
Where the Guilds rule, they appoint a Mayor,
whom the master guildsmen elect from
among their own number.
The King holds a further twenty or so
baronies directly, without any intermediary
nobles. He appoints a seneschal to run such
territories, usually drawn from within the
King's own family, or from his most loyal
supporters. Such positions are not hereditary,
and exist only at the King's pleasure.
Landed Knights
The vassals of the barons are the thousand
or so knight caste landholders who rule
individual manors and villages. Even here,
the system is not always as simple as might
be supposed, as some knights owe fealty to
others, rather than to the baron directly, but
the majority form the bottom rung of the
landholding hierarchy. The size of their
estates can vary greatly, especially as
concerns population. Most manors are based
around villages or small towns in the
countryside but some, particularly those held
Page 12
directly by the barons, can contain entire
cities. The city of Segurane, for example, is a
'manor' held directly by the King, while
Leplain is governed by the Church on behalf
of the Crown.
A landed knight has similar duties to a
baron, but on a smaller scale. He settles
disputes amongst the landless knights and
commoners, and provides a limited military
force to the baron as part of his feudal
duties. Few knights have castles of their own,
for only true nobles have the wealth or
authority to administer them. Instead, they
may have a fortified manor house or similar
building from which to rule their estates.
They appoint local tax collectors, keeping a
portion of the revenue for themselves, and
sending the rest to the baron. Since their
estates are usually quite small, they can
reasonably be expected to have a good idea
of exactly how much tax they are due, but
their superiors might not, and many knights
under-represent their earnings, so as to keep
more of it for themselves.
In rural manors, a Reeve represents the
commoners. He is a senior peasant who deals
with the knight on behalf of his fellows, and
supervises any work details required for the
maintenance of the village as a whole. In
larger settlements, guilds or other
organisations may take on this role, and may
have considerably more duties, some even
having the power to enact and enforce
minor ordinances on behalf of the common
good.
While craftsmen and similar specialists pay
tax in goods or cash, farmers work off their
feudal duties by working the knight's family
fields, known as his demesne, for a certain
portion of their time. All goods from the
demesne go to the knight directly, and he
may demand a proportion of goods obtained
from fishing the local river, operating
beehives, or other peculiarities of the local
economy. In addition, the peasants have
their own plots of land that they work for
their own benefit and upkeep. Those with
the very smallest plots work as itinerant
labourers, hired by those with the larger
fields to maintain a subsistence lifestyle.

Crime and Punishment
The legal systems of Seshnela date from
the Dawn Age, when the first Malkioni kings
established systems of rule that were, in turn,
based on those of ancient Danmalastan. The
systems remained largely intact through the
Imperial Age, but the upheavals and changes
since that time have lead to a number of
alterations in the precise mechanisms of
justice, and in the nature and severity of
various criminal offences. In particular, the
rising influence of the Rokari Church has
increased the importance of certain offences
against the common morality.
The Courts of Seshnela
There is no one unified court system for
the whole of Seshnela. Rather, there are a
number of competing courts, whose
functions can often overlap or come into
conflict. At the lowest level are the shire
courts in the countryside, and the guild
courts of the towns and cities. Minor nobles,
often the younger sons of barons, administer
the shire courts, which are concerned with
various infractions committed by the
commoners within a given shire. The shires
themselves vary in size and population,
according to ancient traditions or the whim
of past rulers. Failure to pay taxes or fees,
breaches of the peace, and boundary
disputes between peasants take up a large
part of the court's time. In practice, it also
not uncommon for lords, and even knights,
to hand out summary justice, especially to
any peasants who fail to show them proper
deference.
In most cities, some of the local guilds may
have legal powers delegated to them by the
baron or other ruling noble. The guilds are
primarily concerned with protecting their
own monopolies, for example, by ensuring
that members do not give away trade
secrets, and that non-members do not try to
set up their own businesses. Depending on
the exact nature of their charter, they may
also have the power to prosecute minor
offences committed by their own members,
Page 13
The Kingdom
ostensibly to protect the good name of their
profession. In reality, this gives them some
tangible authority, and the opportunity to
obtain income from fines or bribery, while
freeing the local noble from the commitment
to try innumerable petty cases.
County courts are the main level of the
legal system to deal with serious criminal
offences. Crimes such as murder, rape, and
banditry, and those committed by members
of the knight caste all clearly fall within the
purview of the county courts. However,
other details may either be vaguely defined,
or vary between counties. For example,
either county or guild courts might try a
particular crime committed within the walls
of a city, depending on the exact charter of
the guilds, or simply by who happens to
catch the suspect first. Panels of minor nobles
administer the county courts, under the
direction of the local ruler or his designated
representative. For these purposes a 'county'
may, in fact, be an entire duchy (that is,
Rindland, or Tanisor), or, in the case of
Gilboch and Vogai, a nominal barony.
The Rokari Church also has its own courts,
administered by the priests of the Inquisition.
Offences directly against the Church, such as
heresy and blasphemy, are naturally the most
sensational crimes tried in the ecclesiastical
courts. However, general crimes against
morality, such as public lewdness,
homosexuality, adultery, and recusancy
might also be the subject of a court hearing.
This is typically at the discretion of the
examining priests, and some are naturally far
more enthusiastic in seeking out and
prosecuting such crimes than others are. In
many cases, the Church also has the authority
to try any wizards accused of criminal
offences, although this may vary, depending
on the exact offence and the jurisdiction
where it occurred. Conflicts may sometimes
occur with the secular authorities in such
cases. More information on ecclesiastical
courts is available on p. 39.
Kingdom of the Flamesword
Royal courts are the most important within
the nation, and are concerned with appeals
from lower courts and with offences against
the privileges of the Crown. Only the King
can overturn the judgment of a noble, and it
is not a power he frequently exercises; in
fact, obtaining a hearing at all is usually
difficult. For many of the routine functions
of the royal courts, however, the King's
nominated sheriffs can stand in his place.
Typical crimes considered 'offences against
the Crown' include treason, robbery on the
King's roads, and assault on a royal official.
Furthermore, any noble accused of a crime
must be tried in the royal courts, for nobody
else has the jurisdiction to do so. Liege lords
typically deal with civil disputes between
their vassals, such as boundary conflicts,
financial irregularities, and the like. Often, of
course, the liege lord is the King.
Trial by Combat
Members of the knight caste, and their
wives and unmarried daughters, have the
right to trial by combat instead of
undergoing the usual court procedure. This
is, of course, only available when the accuser
is himself or herself eligible to take part in
such a contest. The trial by combat must first
be approved by the court which would
normally have tried the case, and nobles
differ in how likely they are to permit such
an option. Women and those manifestly
incapable of fighting by virtue of age or
infirmity may select a champion to fight on
their behalf.
Before the combat, wizards cast blessings
over both participants to ensure that God
will favour the innocent. In HeroQuest terms,
the innocent party gains a +10 augment to
all combat skills for the duration of the
contest. The combatants may not employ any
magic; the authorities hold the participants'
talismans throughout the contest, and the
wizards' blessing removes the effect of any
pre-existing blessings that might give the
guilty party an edge. The combatants must
also use identical weapons and armour
agreeable to them both. The use of
quarterstaffs without armour is particularly
Page 14
popular, but any combination is allowed, so
long as none of the equipment is magical or
otherwise enhanced.
The combat begins at noon, and, if
necessary, continues until sunset. Heralds
serve as judges to ensure fair play and to
confirm a victor. The combat ends when one
party is dead, incapacitated, or verbally
submits. If the victor was the accused, he is
cleared of all charges, otherwise, he goes on
to suffer whatever the usual punishment for
his crime may be.
Penal System
Although the authorities may hold suspects
in local prisons awaiting trial, imprisonment
is almost never used as a punishment in its
own right. The only exception is for nobles or
other senior figures considered too
influential to execute, for whom house arrest
or similar might be deemed more
appropriate. For minor offences, fines, or
restitution are the most common forms of
punishment. For more serious offences, or
where restitution is not possible, the court
may instead sentence the culprit to corporal
punishment. Stocks are widely used as
punishments for public drunkenness or
similar offences, and public lashing for more
serious crimes. Only commoners are typically
subject to corporal punishment of this kind.
Typical punishments in their stead include
being ordered to undertake religious
penance, stringent fines, or, in the case of
nobles, forfeiture of lands or permanent
exile from the Kingdom.
 The Kingdom

For many offences, including murder, rape,
banditry, and serious assault on a member of
a higher caste, the usual punishment is
death. For male commoners, death is by
public hanging, with the body often
remaining on display in a gibbet until it
decays to a skeleton. Hangings of the wives
and daughters of commoners take place
privately, for the sake of decorum. For all
other folk, the execution is by beheading,
typically taking place inside a castle or other
closed location. When the authorities wish to
make a particular example of such a person,
they place the severed head on a spike in a
publicly visible location. Traitors are the most
likely to suffer this fate, although there are
no specific restrictions on the practice in the
case of other offences.

Divorce
Marriage is a holy sacrament, and, as such, only ecclesiastical courts may dissolve it. Even
the King has no power to grant a divorce, since it is a bond made before God. During a
marriage, a couple are legally considered to be one person, with the husband responsible
for his wife's actions, and often suffering legal penalties on her behalf. Either party may
request a divorce, but this results in a drawn-out legal process that only rarely produces
the desired result. Malkion himself declared that divorce was 'the most undesirable act
that is not specifically forbidden', and the Rokari Church interprets this rule strictly. The
only legal grounds for divorce are infidelity, gross physical abuse, and heresy or apostasy.
Of these possibilities, infidelity is the most commonly cited in divorce cases, and only
apostasy is grounds for an automatic divorce.
The ecclesiastical courts may also annul a marriage, that is, declare that it never legally
existed in the first place. This would occur if the couple turned out to be more closely
related than first thought, if the couple have failed to properly consummate the marriage
(for example, because of male impotence), or if one partner was incapable of assent at
the time of the marriage due to insanity or some similar grounds. Such annulments are,
however, relatively unusual.

dissatisfaction with the Church or nobility,

Organised Crime
Despite the severity of the punishments,
and the enthusiasm of the courts, Seshnela
has its fair share of criminals. Most, of course,
are occasional offenders, but the kingdom
has its fair share of habitual or professional
criminals. In the countryside, campaigns by
the knights have never fully extinguished the
menace of banditry and highway robbery.
Bandits hide out in the hills or forests,
making occasional raids against merchants,
tradesmen, or others with goods worth
stealing. Many retire to live off their ill-
gotten gains in cities far from their original
home, but some form longer lasting bands,
perhaps fighting for a particular ideology -
for example - or simply because it is the only
life they have known. Such bandit
communities are typically small and well
hidden, and have a guardian being that
helps protect them against the law.
In the cities, some habitual criminals have
gathered into associations that help increase
their power. At the most extreme, these are
mockeries of trade guilds, with strict rules of
internal discipline. These larger gangs are
better able to protect their turf from rivals,
conduct larger scale crimes such as protection
rackets, and sometimes to save their
members from the gallows through bribery
or even jailbreaks. Mostly, of course, they
exist simply to enrich their leaders.

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Kingdom of the Flamesword

Sumptuary Laws
Specific laws prohibit folk from wearing clothes inappropriate to their
station. The Rokari Church supports such laws, and has encouraged their
adoption throughout the kingdom, but, unlike dietary laws and similar
restrictions, they are not strictly offences against the faith. Wearing clothes
that violate the sumptuary laws is normally punishable by confiscation of
the offending items and a suitable fine, although, as always, the exact
punishment is at the discretion of the judge.
Commoner men wear trews and tunics, fastened with a simple leather
belt. Cloaks and wide-brimmed hats are worn in inclement weather.
Footwear consists of sandals or simple leather shoes. The clothing of
peasants and the poorer urban labourers is naturally made of the cheapest
materials available, but richer tradesmen can afford finer clothing, often
decorated in multiple subdued colours. The sumptuary laws dictate that only
cloth, wool, or leather may be worn by commoners, and prohibit the use of
finer materials such as linen and fur. Commoner women wear simple kirtles
made of the same materials. Unlike those of higher caste, they do not have
to cover their hair at all times, although, in practice, headscarves and hats
are not uncommon among those who can afford them, for they provide a
touch of class. Richer and more influential commoners, such as guild leaders,
frequently flout the laws, but the courts rarely bother to prosecute them,
unless the local noble needs some income from fines, or wishes to gain the
favour of the Church.
Members of the knight caste wear similar clothing to commoners, but
made of finer materials. They can wear clothing made of linen, or trimmed
with squirrel or fox fur, but not the finest of materials, nor other types of
fur. Jerkins of fine leather are also popular. To more clearly demonstrate
their difference from the commoners, knights' clothing often uses expensive
dyes to produce bright or contrasting colours. Knights also tend to wear
relatively form-fitting clothes, accentuating their shoulders and muscular
builds, and easy to fight in even without armour. Women of the knight
caste take full advantage of the superior materials permitted to them, but
must keep their hair covered at all times. A considerable variety of bonnets
are available for this purpose, normally worn in combination with some
form of loose headscarf.
Wizards wear specific types of robe appropriate to their position within
the Church. The sumptuary laws specifically forbid members of other castes
from wearing robes, while wizards may not dress in 'secular' styles, even
when off-duty. The robes of the senior officials of the Church are often
quite magnificent, decorated with runes or other patterns, and with
sumptuous colours, sometimes even including silver thread. However, while
it is often not apparent at first glance, many wizards choose to wear rough
hair-shirts of sackcloth or similar materials, beneath their fine robes, to
remind themselves of their dedication to God. While many Seshnelan men
wear hats, for wizards, it is compulsory, emphasizing their unworldly and
asexual natures. Skullcaps and pointed hats of felt are most common, with
bishops wearing richly decorated mitres as signs of their office.
Nobles, in theory, have no restrictions on the clothes that they may wear.
Naturally, in practice, they always wear clothes that befit their station and

Page 16
 The Kingdom

emphasise their power and influence. The very finest materials, such as silk,
damask, muslin, and ermine adorn their costumes, and only they may wear
clothes decorated with gold thread. As with women of the knight caste,
noblewomen must cover their hair when in public, and many choose to
wear gloves and face-veils, so that only their eyes are visible. The dresses of
noblewomen are often impractical and constricting, with tight bodices and
long trails, emphasizing their distance from mere manual work or domestic
chores.

Page 17
Kingdom of the Flamesword

Women in Seshnela
Seshnela is a male-dominated society, with women having fewer rights than
men. All the ruling nobles are men, as only men can become wizards. Unmarried
women hold the same caste as their fathers, but move to their husband's caste
on marriage. In theory, there are no restrictions on inter-caste marriage, but in
practice, most people marry within their own caste, and nobles never marry
commoners.
In practice, female commoners have far fewer restrictions on their activities
than their higher caste counterparts. The wives of farmers work just as much as
their husbands do, although their main emphasis will be on spinning wool,
making cheese and beer, and similar domestic chores, rather than ploughing the
fields. In the cities, women often work alongside their husbands, learning their
crafts, and only the more zealous Rokari raise more than token objections.
Widows can, and often do, inherit their husband's businesses, and if a craftsman
dies without male heirs, any skilled daughters he may have will often carry on
his trade. As a result, female commoners can own property, and work on their
own behalf without male supervision. They will, naturally enough, have many
suitors if their business is successful, and it would seem odd to reject them all
without good reason - but this does happen from time to time. Entertainers are
also as likely to be women as to be men - but then, entertainers are widely
known for their loose morals anyway.
Women of higher castes often find their lives more restrictive. Their dress
codes are stricter, involving relatively constricting bodices and awkward skirts,
and their ankles and hair must remain covered, lest they appear morally lax.
Noblewomen rarely travel outside their homes without a chaperone, and
women of the knight caste are similarly restricted outside of accepted meeting
places such as daytime markets.
Naturally some, especially among the knight caste, with its traditions of active
service, chafe against such restrictions. Some become healers, serving alongside
the knights, in religious hospitals, or in service to a noble family. Others join the
Church as nuns (see p. 63). Noblewomen can also become healers, but many
chose to work as merchants on behalf of their families. Officially, female
merchants do not exist, or publicly declare their status, but many have a much
shrewder head for business than their husbands do, working quietly behind the
scenes, conducting the real negotiations, and managing the accounts on their
behalf.
Those women who wish to go further, and take up arms, have only three
options: they can leave Seshnela, they can disguise themselves as men, or they
can join the Order of Saint Elleish (see p. 191). The Order's headquarters are
located in Danginmarch, but the King has recently granted them lands of their
own in distant Lalia, a wild region northwest of Safelster. Thus, the knights of
Saint Elleish are engaged in a crusade well beyond the borders of Seshnela, out
of sight of most decent Rokari. None the less, the Order is tolerated by the
Church, and its members are free to travel anywhere in the kingdom, despite
any prejudice they might face from more conservative folk.

Page 18

The Military
The Army
The army of Seshnela is not a single
organisation. Instead, each baron maintains
his own army, any of which the King can
summon to fight on his behalf, as a key part
of that baron's feudal obligations. Even
when fighting as part of a larger force, the
baron retains command of his own troops,
and is responsible for their pay and upkeep.
A baronial army typically consists of three
parts. Most important are the household
knights, professional soldiers serving the
baron full time. They are based at castles or
other major fortifications throughout the
barony, protecting the baron's family and
retinue, and enforcing his law. The second
part is the feudal levy, consisting of knights
drawn from the baron's own vassals. Most of
the time, these knights serve as a group at
their local manor, but they also have to
supplement the baron's household knights
for a certain time each year, or whenever
there is a major emergency that requires
their presence. Finally, there is the peasant
militia, consisting of archers and mundane
castle or town guards. These are not
members of the knight class, and most have
relatively poor training, or only serve during
times of crisis, spending the rest of the year
on their farms.
Seshnelan knights, for the most part, fight
as individuals, rather than as part of a well-
organised whole. Their primary motivation is
the pursuit of individual glory in single
combat, a key element of their chivalrous
ideal. A few, especially those serving the
more powerful nobles, or the King himself,
are more used to fighting as part of large
formations, and can be especially formidable
on the battlefield. Not all members of the
knight class are cavalry troops, in any case.
Those who are less wealthy, or whose liege
lord lacks the wealth to provide them with
sufficient horses, serve as men-at-arms,
heavily armoured footmen fighting hand to
hand. Some of the larger infantry units,
serving more powerful or wealthy nobles,
Page 19
The Kingdom
fight in tight formation, using heavy
polearms to their best advantage against
charging cavalry.
The King also maintains his own Royal
Army. While this is larger than that of any
individual noble, it is nonetheless but a small
proportion of the total military, once all the
baronial forces are figured in. This consists of
the King's own household cavalry, the
garrisons of the various royal castles across
the Kingdom, and the soldiers who patrol
the royal roads, ensuring the smooth and
safe passage of trade along the King's
highways. A number of wizards also serve in
the army, supplementing the power of the
knights in battle.
The Church also maintains its own military
forces. Although many followers of martial
knights such as Gerlant and Iames serve as
skilled members of the various secular armies
throughout the Kingdom, the most
dedicated serve their Orders full time, as a
permanent source of elite cavalry with feudal
obligations divided between Church and
Crown. The Church, of course, also provides
combat-wizards, such as the members of the
Order of Blood and Iron, to the service of the
King.
Even though most knights fight as
individuals, there are officers amongst their
ranks. Often, these are temporary postings,
given to skilled knights whose judgment
their companions will trust. Bannerets are
the lowest such rank, typically commanding
around ten knights each, although the exact
number is highly variable. Higher ranks are
likely to be more permanent, and to be
placed in charge of training new knights,
deciding postings within a baronial or royal
realm, and so forth. Typically each baron has
his own Marshall for this purpose, while
larger, usually royal, forces have commanders
placed under the authority of the Royal
Marshall (who, unlike his baronial
counterparts, is a noble, not a warrior). The
religious orders sometimes have more
complicated command structures, suited to
their needs as an elite, well-organised, force.
Kingdom of the Flamesword

Military Forces of Seshnela

(approximate figures)
Knights Men-at-Arms Archers
Baronial Armies of Deu 1000 500 800
County & Baronial Armies of Estaurenic 2500 1250 2000
County & Baronial Armies of Noyelle 1000 500 800
Baronial Armies of Rindland 4200 2100 3300
Baronial Armies of Tanisor 3400 1700 2700
Baronial Armies of Vogai 1000 500 800
Baronial Armies of Voi 1500 750 1200
Baronial Armies of Gilboch 600 300 400
Army of the March 2000 1000 1000
Order of Saint Gerlant 1000 400 -
Order of Saint Iames 600 240 -
Minor Orders (total) 800 320 -
Royal Garrisons & Sheriffs' Forces 900 900 -
Army of the Royal Household 600 elite knights, 600 heavy infantry
Peasant archers are a different matter. wishing to improve their skills, or old
They are recruited from amongst the comrades wishing to help them out.
farmers, typically just for the duration of a Standard of Living: Common.
summer campaigning season, so that they Typical Equipment: Dagger, shortbow, pack of
may return to their crops in the autumn. arrows, camp equipment, some basic tools.
They may have their own informal leaders, The use of mercenaries is also quite
but they serve strictly under the command of common in Seshnela. Many barons
knights for the duration of the conflict. Some supplement their own income by loaning
archers are highly skilled, but they are not some of their knights, for a fee, to other
professional soldiers, as members of the barons who have their own scores to settle.
knight class are. More significant, however, are mercenaries
Peasant Archer from Safelster, who may include a wide
variety of troop types, especially including
Abilities: Army Regulations, Farming, Identify
crossbowmen, who are not otherwise
Foe, Know Crops, Make Bow and Arrows,
Make Camp, March, Predict Weather, Scan
available in Seshnela.
for Danger, Set Stakes Against Charge, Short Finally, the more powerful nobles will also
Bow Combat, Work Hard. employ siege engineers, able to man
Typical Personality Traits: Brave, Conservative, catapults or undermine walls. Such people
Disciplined, Suspicious of Knights. are typically members of the commoner class,
Typical Relationships: to Community; to
although commanded by knights (as the
Comrades; to Lord. actual operation of such machinery would be
beneath the dignity of a true warrior). Siege
Typical Followers: Beginning peasant archers
will typically not have followers, although operations form a major part of Seshnelan
they may acquire less experienced archers warfare, and all castles are constructed, and
magically reinforced, to protect against such

Page 20

attacks, while keeping the garrison inside fed
and watered for as long as possible. The
typical siege engines used are mangonels,
trebuchets, ballistae, battering rams, and
siege towers.
The Navy
During the Second Age, Seshnela had one
of the largest navies in the world, but the
Closing put an end to that. With the sinking
of Old Seshnela, it became possible to travel
the waterways between the islands of Pasos,
but few Seshnelans did, and no rulers
established a significant naval force to patrol
them. Even after the reunification of the
Kingdom, Seshnela had no true fleet, just a
few customs boats and a series of coastal
forts to protect against possible invasion
from Pasos. In recent years, this has changed,
as Guilmarn prepares his plans to invade and
conquer the Quinpolic League.
Unfortunately, the actual coastline of
Seshnela is relatively short, consisting
primarily of the shores of Vogai, and, of
course, the island of Gilboch. Worse still,
there are few natural harbours along the
Vogai coast, which is rocky and treacherous
for most of its length, with steep cliffs and
submerged shoals. This is where the land
cracked and fell when Old Seshnela
drowned. In the few safe harbours that do
exist, Guilmarn's men are working feverishly
to construct a fleet to rival that of Pasos, and
they have a long way to go. So far, there are
few warships actually afloat, and the
recruitment of experienced sailors in what is,
for the most part, a landlocked country is
proving problematic. But Guilmarn is
determined, and one day, he will have his
fleet, and, just maybe, Seshnela will once
again rule the waves.
Becoming a Knight
Knight caste parents raise their sons in
much the same way as children of any other
caste for the first fifteen years of their life.
They know that their sons will eventually
become warriors, and so encourage them to
play-fight with wooden swords and similar
toys, and they may get them used to horses
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The Kingdom
Details of a typical baronial army are given
on p. 160. Details of the weapons, armour,
and abilities of typical soldiers are given on
p. 142.
from an early age. The father may be away
from home for long periods, leaving the
mother to raise the children on her own, or
with the help of friends and family. But, in
general, a knight's childhood is not that
different from the childhood of a commoner,
except for the greater luxuries available, and
the certain knowledge of their high social
status.
That changes once the boy reaches the age
of fifteen, and is old enough to be accepted
as a full member of the community. On the
11th Nex first following his fifteenth birthday,
the boy and his family travel to a nearby city
for the squiring ceremony. Baronies take it
turns to host these ceremonies, so that,
often, the boy will have to travel into a
neighbouring barony to take part. Larger
cities, such as Segurane, hold them every
year, as there are easily enough local lads
reaching fifteen in any given year to make
the ceremony worthwhile.
In any event, about five or six boys will
typically be present for any given ceremony.
Conducted in the largest available Church,
the ceremony begins with the boys
confirming their devotion to the Church, and
their willingness to fight and die for the sake
of their community. Senior knights then
present them with their first set of weapons
and light armour, and the prayers of all the
knight caste across the region translate them
to the Hero Plane. Here, they experience the
First Testing of Horal, in which they must
prove their dedication and bravery. Horal
was the founder of the original warrior
caste, the direct male ancestor of all modern
knights. In the First Testing, he faces
outsiders who wish his people harm for the
first time, and he must protect the women,
merchants, servants, and scholars that travel
with him. So long as the boys demonstrate
the virtues of their caste, they pass the test,
and return to the mortal plane as legal
adults.
Kingdom of the Flamesword
From this point onward, the boys, now
men, take on the role of 'squire'. They go to
live with an experienced knight, usually in
their home barony, but some distance from
the home where they grew up. The knight,
or his more experienced compatriots, trains
the squires in the arts of knighthood.
Although they can probably already ride a
horse, they continue to practice, and learn
the use of the lance, as well as duelling with
blunted swords or similar weapons. In return,
the squire acts as a kind of servant for his
knight, maintaining his equipment, looking
after his horses, and assisting him at
tournaments or on the battlefield. All the
time, the squire is preparing for his own
admission to full knighthood.
This training period typically lasts five or six
years, although it can be shorter, or longer,
in the case of particularly talented or slow-
learning individuals. Once the squire is ready,
he approaches the local wizards and requests
a knighting ceremony. Unlike the squiring
ceremony, the candidate performs this alone,
with no others to assist him, save the prayers
of his community. A noble must sponsor each
candidate, and becomes his liege lord from
that point forward. The noble presents the
candidate with a full suit of armour, a set of
spurs, a horse, and a new sword. After a
public ceremony in which the knight re-
dedicates himself to his caste duties, and
vows eternal loyalty to his liege lord, he
undergoes a solitary vigil through the night
at a chapel or other suitable place of
worship. At some point during the vigil, he
will suddenly find himself transported to the
Hero Plane, where he undergoes a second
initiation quest. Many squires chose to
dedicate themselves to a particular saint at
this time, and may re-enact key points of
that saint's life, while others will face more
general challenges. The experience is always
a personal one, in which the squire faces up
to his own weaknesses as a prospective
knight, and must overcome them. If he does
so successfully, he will return to the mortal
plane shining with a hero light that marks
him as a true knight. In the morning, the
Page 22
noble accepts the new knight into his
household.
Seshnelan Chivalry
Hrestol laid down the first set of rules that
knights should follow, and defined the core
virtues of chivalry that were accepted
throughout the west for centuries. Rokar
showed that Hrestol's teachings were
impractical distortions of the true message of
God, and decried the obsession with chivalry
as one of the causes of the downfall of the
Middle Sea Empire. At the same time, he
acknowledged the importance of mounted
combat, which Hrestol's predecessors had
largely rejected, and endorsed the
continuing existence of knighthood, as
opposed to the old infantry-based warrior
caste. God, he said, intended His people to
be powerful, to overthrow the pagans and
heretics, and he had never explicitly banned
the use of horses by warriors, for none
existed in Danmalastan. The continued
existence of a knightly caste, combined with
the rejection of Hrestoli chivalry, required
the creation of a new, more practical code.
The Seshnelan code of knighthood
emphasises three central virtues: prowess,
loyalty, and piety. Prowess is the most
important of the three, for it defines the very
purpose of the knight caste. A knight must
be skilled at arms, courageous, and ever-
willing to lay down his life to protect his
people and his Church. He must, in general,
protect those members of the faithful who
are unable to protect themselves, and to this
end take part in battles against pagans,
heretics, or common criminals who threaten
the greater good. A Seshnelan knight must
strive to perfect his own individual skills,
seeking personal glory in battle to emphasise
his dedication and zeal. At the same time, he
should never abandon his comrades to a
dishonourable fate. He constantly maintains
his skill through training and taking part in
tournaments, and he maintains his weapons
and armour in peak condition at all times.
The virtue of loyalty centres on the concept
of the liege lord. Every knight has a liege
lord, from whom he receives his first

weapons and other equipment, and who
may even provide him with food and board.
In return, the knight provides the noble with
loyal service, never questioning his orders,
and striving to promote the lord's good
name amongst his peers. If one lord contests
against another, the knight is obliged to
follow his commands, and to make war with
his fellow knights if necessary, for he must
assume that the noble has valid reasons for
his actions. God will not hold unjust actions
against a knight if committed with the lord's
blessing, for no knight could truly
understand the ways of the nobility. (The
Church, of course, does not grant the lord
himself such leeway - if he allows unjust acts
in his name, then God will punish him).
Because nobles are bound by their own
codes of loyalty, a knight also owes
allegiance to his lord's own liege, and
ultimately to the King himself. But it is not
for him to question his liege's interpretation
of the orders and needs of higher authority.
Finally, a knight must be pious. Everything
he does is for the good of the community,
and that means the general body of the
Rokari faithful. Knights should follow the
tenets of their Church, as everyone should,
and their higher visibility makes this more
important than it is amongst mere peasants.
Knights should therefore be chaste,
temperate with wine and food, and behave
in a manner generally befitting their station.
Although this is the least of the three virtues,
and many knights pay only lip service to its
requirements, others chose to dedicate their
lives to the Church, joining a religious Order
and living a semi-monastic lifestyle. These
holy knights are amongst the most respected
in the land, balancing their martial prowess
with their duty to God and Church.
The remaining virtues of Hrestoli chivalry,
such as courtesy and largesse (see Heroes of
Malkion), are not strictly condemned, but
neither are they regarded as important. A
knight who spends time learning poetry or
the ways of courtly love, as the Hrestoli
knights do, is failing in his first duty to
protect and to fight. Rokari knights thus
regard their counterparts elsewhere as soft
or foolishly obsessed with acts that have little
Page 23
The Kingdom
to do with their caste. In return, the Hrestoli
look on them as crude bullies and thugs with
no understanding of their true role in
society.
A Day in the Life of a
Seshnelan Knight
Sir Enoval rises at cock-crow in the
dormitory that he shares with his fellow
unmarried knights. The quarters are
relatively cramped here, inside the heavy
walls of Herelgem Castle, but they are
comfortable, and he has his own bed, unlike
the servants sleeping on the straw in the
basement below. The other knights are also
stirring, preparing themselves for the day
ahead. In the light that falls through the
single, narrow window, Enoval pulls on a
tunic and leggings, and a pair of leather
boots, and then heads out to the narrow
corridor that leads down to the Great Hall.
The servants are already up, knowing that
the knights like to rise early. Enoval finds a
place along one of the trestle tables, and
takes a share of bread and soft cheese, with
a draught of weak beer - cleaner than the
water they dredge from the well. The other
knights are chatting amongst themselves,
discussing castle gossip or the day ahead, but
Enoval excuses himself early, for he is eager
to begin the day's tasks.
He heads back to the dormitory, and opens
the heavy chest beside his cot. He pulls on
the heavy quilted gambeson, a long sleeved,
skirted garment of padded cloth, and ties he
light arming cap securely over his head. Next
comes the hauberk of bronze mail, covering
the gambeson, and with a cowl and ventail
to cover his head and chin. Lastly, he puts on
his helmet, and ties the scabbard belt about
his waist, carrying his most prized possession
- an iron sword granted to him by the lord
himself at his knighting ceremony. Armed for
the day ahead, he leaves the dormitory and
heads for the outer bailey of the castle,
where the practice grounds are located.
Enoval is already a knight, skilled in the
arts of war, but he knows that he must keep
himself in peak condition if he is to advance
in his profession, and prove a worthy
Kingdom of the Flamesword
follower of the Baron. He collects his horse
from the stables, checking its tack himself,
for he does not trust the skill of the stable-
boys. Satisfied, he collects a shield and lance,
and mounts his horse to begin practicing his
charge. Time and again he tilts at the target
dummy, striking it several solid blows, and
working up a sweat. Some of the other
knights are joining him now, having dawdled
at their breakfast and ablutions. He smiles
quietly to himself, confident that his greater
enthusiasm will win out in the end. One day
he shall be a leader among knights, or called
to the service of the Order of Saint Gerlant -
perhaps even the King himself!
Sir Tenrik has found his horse's condition
not to his liking again, and decides to take it
out on the stable boy, beating him severely
with the flat of his sword. Some of the other
knights stand around laughing at the boy's
misery as he tries to avoid the blows, but
Enoval has better things to do with his time
than persecute the castle servants. He calls
out to Tenrik, suggesting a sparring match,
as the man already has his sword out. The
older man reluctantly agrees, and Enoval
dismounts so that they can fight on foot.
Tenrik has more experience than the eager
youth, but he is getting on in years, and
going to fat. The fight is not an easy one, but
none of the audience are surprised when
Enoval gets the better of his opponent,
placing the sword against his neck, and
forcing a submission. Tenrik glares at him,
feeling humiliated; perhaps Enoval will pay
for his rashness later. But for now, he
continues with his weapons and riding
practice, losing himself in the familiar
routine.
At mid-day, he heads back to the castle,
and prays for a while in the chapel to Saint
Gerlant. One day, he hopes to become an
adept, learning his patron's spells to better
practice his craft. In the meantime, he relies
on his own skill and dedication, and the
blessings bestowed on him by the chaplain at
last Sabbath's weekly service.
In the afternoon, it is his turn to patrol the
estates, with his brother, Reimar. He collects
his horse and equipment again, and heads
Page 24
down into the town. Reimar is married, and
can afford his own house; he often comes up
to the castle, but perhaps today he has been
busy with his family. On the way, Enoval
catches sight of Koris, the daughter of the
local redsmith. He hails her, and is rewarded
with a winsome smile, and a wave. She is
heading down to the market, probably
buying the day's food for her family, and
Enoval regrets that he does not have time to
follow her. He should visit her tomorrow, he
decides, and find time to steal some tender
kisses. She is a commoner, of course, but her
family is wealthy, since everyone needs
bronze. She will make a good match one
day, perhaps, and no doubt she will be
happy for the increased status that marriage
to a knight will bring her.
He is still thinking of Koris when Reimar
hails him, and they clasp hands as brothers
do, happy in each other's company. They ride
out together, into the countryside around
the town. They watch out for bandits and
miscreants, but, as usual, their presence is
enough to deter would-be wrong-doers. As
long as the people can see the Baron's strong
hand on the realm, Enoval suspects that they
will be happy enough. For what are people
without a strong ruler to guide them?
It is a pleasant day, and the two brothers
enjoy their time riding and patrolling. In the
evening, as the sun dips low in the sky, they
return to the town, and Reimar makes his
excuses to his wife, so that they can head up
to the castle together. After securing his
horse in the stables, Enoval leaves his brother
for a while, so that he may change out of his
armour, and into his finer clothing. Of
course, he keeps his bronze dagger with him,
tucked into his belt, for it would not do for a
knight to ever be disarmed.
He meets Reimar again in the Great Hall,
where the servants have already prepared
for the evening's feast. They are both
hungry, not having eaten since the morning,
but, of course, they have to wait for the
Baron's speech to open the festivities before
they can tuck in. It is a good speech, or so
Enoval assumes, who knows little of this sort
of thing, and he adds his voice to the

applause when it has finished. Then the
servants carry the food in, great haunches of
beef and venison, adorned with vegetables,
and swimming in a richly flavoured sauce. Of
course, the baron and his family, up on the
high table, eat different food, being
forbidden the common root vegetables that
accompany the knights' meals. Root
vegetables are sinful, or so the wizard says,
and their earthy nature is too base for the
refined palate of a lord. Enoval does not
care, for it is written that even the holiest of
knights may eat a carrot.
After the meal, entertainers enter the hall
to amuse the Baron and his men. The
minstrels bear news of other parts of the
realm, of Tanisor in the south, and troubles
in Safelster, far to the east. Enoval is
disinterested; these events are far from
The Royal Court
King Guilmarn the Fat
Position: King of Seshnela
Magic: Rokari Church; Adept of Saint
Gerlant; Royal regalia
The current King of Seshnela was born
during the reign of his grandfather, King
Feliest. Feliest had two sons; the elder
Svanaligos, was the Crown Prince, and heir
apparent, raised from infancy on the
assumption that he would one day be king.
Guilmarn's father, Prince Lofting, was King
Feliest's younger son, born many years after
his brother. Lofting had led a pampered
childhood, an unexpected late gift to the
family, and never likely to have to rule on his
own behalf. With little aptitude for
weapons, he instead apprenticed as a
merchant, helping to manage the royal
finances.
Prince Lofting became increasingly reliant
on his elder brother and, while not
profligate, he definitely appreciated the
finer things in life. In due course, Svanaligos
ascended the throne but, crucially, he failed
to provide a male heir. He had three
daughters, but, under the rules of Seshnelan
inheritance, neither they, nor their
descendants, could ever rule the Kingdom. It
Page 25
The Kingdom
home, and little likely to be something that
he needs to know as a knight. The Baron
seems happy though, but Enoval is still
relieved when the minstrels move on to
singing ballads, and a juggler plies his trade,
moving among the tables.
At last, the night's entertainment ends.
Tenrik is drunk again and some of the other
knights have to haul him off to his quarters.
Reimar says goodbye to his brother and
comrades and heads back home with a
happy heart and a full stomach. The Baron
and his family have already retired, so there
is no shame in leaving, and Enoval decides it
is time that he returned to the dormitory.
Tomorrow he intends to court Koris, after all,
and there will doubtless be many other
things to do.
became increasingly apparent that Prince
Lofting would become the next king, even if
he was manifestly unsuited for the role.
Worse, it seemed that Guilmarn took after
his father, dooming the kingdom to at least
two generations of weak rule.
The King and his courtiers ensured that the
young Guilmarn trained as a warrior, not as a
merchant, and he eventually initiated as an
adept of Saint Gerlant, as heirs to the throne
always did. He did not take to the role with
any great enthusiasm, but he became at least
a competent warrior, bearing the flaming
sword of his patron saint. Portraits of the
current King almost always show him at this
stage of his life, a fit and healthy man, and
suitable role model for the nobility. But it
was not to last.
Although never abandoning his duties,
Guilmarn preferred to spend as much time as
he could enjoying the benefits of his station.
Especially after his uncle died and his father
ascended the throne as Lofting IV, he held a
number of great banquets, and spent money
on courtly entertainments. His father, who
proved as weak a monarch as his advisors
had always feared, did nothing to restrain
him, and Guilmarn's once imposing frame
gave way to increasing flab. Guilmarn, now
Kingdom of the Flamesword
Crown Prince, neglected his family and his
studies as the barons grew increasingly
restless.
Lofting IV died peacefully when Guilmarn
was thirty-nine years of age. Suddenly, he
was thrust into a position of real importance
and authority - and, to the surprise of most,
he rose to meet the challenge. No longer
under the influence of his father and his
cronies, the new King began to listen to his
more competent advisors. Skills of leadership
that he had rarely displayed before rapidly
became apparent, and soon crushed a
number of rebellious barons, stamping his
firm authority upon the kingdom. He was no
fearsome warrior, as some of his ancestors
had been, but he was a strong ruler, and to
most people, that was all that really
mattered.
Now in his early fifties, Guilmarn has lost
none of the fat of his middle years. But he is
not as decadent as his appearance suggests;
he pays attention to the affairs of state, and
seeks to expand his influence over his
neighbours. Nolos, in particular, is a thorn in
his side, a rebel duchy, openly condoning the
heretical faith of the Ship of Life Church. Its
principal ally, Pasos, bars Seshnela's access to
the open ocean, and the Safelstrans are ever
troublesome beyond the eastern borders.
Guilmarn seeks to unite them all under the
personal rule of his dynasty, and his
preparations for war are well advanced.
The King is a loyal Rokari, and aware of his
position as one of the key symbols of the
Rokari faith. But, all the same, he believes
that only he has the right to rule, not the
Church. Wizards, in his view, should be
advisors alone, and this has occasionally
pushed him into conflict with Ecclesiarch
Theoblanc. The two do not openly challenge
one another's authority, and, on many
matters, they see eye to eye. But on many
others, they fail to work in unison, and each
distrusts the other's ultimate motives. It will
be a black day for Seshnela if ever Church
and Crown come into open conflict.
King Guilmarn has three children; Crown
Prince Feliest, Princess Aramana, and Princess
Haastrild. Of the three, Aramana is the only
Page 26
one to have left the court, living with her
husband and children, and visiting her father
only occasionally.
Queen Temelia
Position: Queen of Seshnela
Magic: Rokari Church
The Queen Consort is the sister of the
Count of Estaurenic, one of the king's most
loyal supporters. Her marriage to Guilmarn
helped cement the bonds between the
d'Estau and Bailifes families, a duty that she
took seriously. Temelia is an intelligent
woman, and a significant power at court, but
this fact is not immediately apparent to
outsiders. She often advises the King in
private, while publicly deferring to his
authority in all matters, as a good Rokari
wife should. She supports her husband as far
as possible, although this is as much due to
her belief in the importance of a strong king
for the good of the nation as it is from any
personal affection. She is a true Seshnelan
loyalist and a believer in the primacy of the
state over the Church, and distrusts
Theoblanc as a result. None the less, she has
no doubt in the ultimate virtue of the Rokari
way of life and its role in the eventual
salvation of humanity.
Guilmarn has taken relatively little interest
in the raising of his children, beyond a
general fatherly affection. This is 'women's
work', as far as he is concerned, and this
attitude has helped the Queen immensely.
She has raised her son, Feliest, to be a true
hero for the Seshnelan people, and a fitting
future king, while her daughters have
inherited her wisdom and virtue.

Prince Feliest
Position: Crown Prince
Magic: Rokari Church; Adept of Saint
Gerlant
Prince Feliest is the only son of King
Guilmarn, and thus, the heir apparent to the
Kingdom of Seshnela. From an early age,
Queen Temelia raised him on stories of the
great warrior kings of the past, inspiring him
with tales of heroism and nobility. He
eagerly took to his weapons practice,
becoming more than a match for most of the
royal knights. He became firm friends with
many, although always conscious of his
higher status, and is therefore inclined to
listen to military advice when he needs it,
while still taking firm decisions of his own.
As a future king, there was never any
doubt that he would initiate into the Order
of Saint Gerlant. But he took to the
teachings of the Order more enthusiastically
than some of his predecessors did, and
dedicated himself to the study of the saint's
grimoires as much as to his weapons practice.
Although by no means the strongest warrior
of the court, he is none the less a budding
hero, combining strength at arms with all the
virtues of Seshnelan nobility. He remains
fully loyal to his family, and dutiful to his
father's wishes, but some nobles feel that he
would make the better monarch. Nobody
actually plots to put him on the throne,
however, and if Prince Feliest ever learned of
such a plot, he would quash it without a
second thought. But many do await his
eventual succession as a bright day for the
Kingdom.
Feliest is married to the daughter of a
Rindland baron. The court arranged the
marriage years in advance, as they always do
for such important events, but over the years
it has blossomed into a warm and loving
relationship. The Prince is devoted to his
wife, and to his young children; a boy, and a
girl. As of 1620, a third child is on the way.
Page 27
The Kingdom
Princess Haastrild
Position: Princess
Magic: Rokari Church; Adept of Saint
Deelia
The younger daughter of King Guilmarn is,
perhaps, the most eligible woman in the
kingdom. In addition to the obvious benefits
of marrying into the royal family, the
princess is also attractive, and she has many
suitors. Her elder sister is already married, so
she is only one of the King's children who yet
remains single. Many negotiations are
underway behind the scenes to find her a
suitable husband, a fact she bears with
equanimity. None the less, she has clear ideas
about her role, and she shares her mother's
intelligence.
Most recently, she has joined the Order of
Saint Deelia, one not yet fully incorporated
into the Rokari Church. The Order
emphasises feminine virtue and obedience,
yet allows women access to grimoires,
something that the more fundamentalist
members of the clergy oppose. Thus, her
decision was somewhat controversial,
although her parents supported her position,
something the Church could not easily
oppose. Now, Haastrild serves as a
potentially powerful voice for the Order at
court, and for its ideals. She is certainly not
above using her influence to further the
Order's aims, something that may become
important if the struggle within the Church
ever becomes more open.
Lord Arvangert
Position: Royal Marshal
Magic: Rokari Church; Adept of Saint
Gerlant
The Royal Marshal of Seshnela is a middle-
aged man, still showing some of the athletic
prowess of his youth. He is a competent
military commander, but largely uninterested
in politics. He yearns for a chance to prove
the mettle of his troops in battle, confident
in the belief that his is the most effective
military unit in the kingdom, or among any
of its neighbours. Seshnela, however, has not
had a major war for decades, leaving him
frustrated by the endless round of inspecting
Kingdom of the Flamesword
castles and other fortifications. Lord
Arvangert therefore presses the King for
immediate war against Nolos, stating that
the very existence of the rebel duchy is a
major snub to Guilmarn's rule.
The marshal takes a direct hand in the
training and manoeuvres of his troops. He
conducts frequent inspections, and closely
supervises his immediate subordinates. None
the less, he is a fair man, and most of his
troops trust him, and would fight well on his
behalf. He has most day-to-day contact with
the senior knights-commander, the captains
of the royal foot, and the commander of the
royal guard - the small unit of knights that
travels with the King at all times.
In addition, the Lord Master Herald of the
Kingdom is nominally answerable to Lord
Arangvert. The Lord Marshal, however, has
only a passing interest in heraldry, allowing
the kingdom's chief herald a much freer
hand than any of his counterparts in the
military proper. The Lord Master Herald
serves as herald to the royal family, and
performs heraldic duties for the kingdom as
a whole. For example, he maintains the
central register of heraldic devices for
Seshnela, and would negotiate with foreign
powers in the event of a full-scale war with
another nation.
Lord Hartwig
Position: Royal Justiciar
Magic: Rokari Church
Lord Hartwig is elderly, and no longer as
sharp as he once was. As a result, there has
been subtle criticism of his performance from
some quarters, for many courtiers doubt that
he has the acumen to competently fulfil the
demands of his post. None the less, he is
extremely loyal to the King, and, through
long practice, has learned the art of telling
His Majesty exactly what he wants to hear,
making him one of the most trusted of all
the royal advisors. He was once an adept of
Saint Gerlant, but left the Order when its
physical demands became too much for his
failing health.
Lord Hartwig grudgingly travels around
the realm, installing new sheriffs and
Page 28
overseeing the administration of justice.
These days, however, he prefers to remain
close to the King, whose influence can
protect him from accusations of
incompetence. His immediate subordinates
have great latitude in their activities, so long
as they do not trouble the Royal Justiciar too
much in person. The Lord Privy Seal holds the
Great Seal of the Kingdom, which marks and
magically protects all royal proclamations. He
currently plots to usurp his master's position,
waiting for the perfect opportunity to
discredit him in the eyes of the King. The
Keeper of the Rolls is a wizard who
maintains the written records of the royal
court.
The third principal assistant to the Justiciar,
the royal spymaster, is content with the
status quo, which allows him to pursue his
own interests without much interference
from his superiors. He is a competent man,
and gathers much information on the
dissident nobles within the kingdom, as well
as on its neighbours in Safelster and the
Quinpolic League. Unfortunately, Lord
Hartwig pays little attention to his reports -
especially when they might be bad news for
the Crown. As a result, the King is not as well
informed of current events as he should be,
and often has an overly rosy view of his
subjects.
Lord Sebhard
Position: Royal Treasurer
Magic: Rokari Church; Adept of Saint
Mistandar
The royal treasurer is a distant relative of
the King, who sees his primary duty as
enrichment of the Crown. Some are
suspicious of him, because he follows Saint
Mistandar, rather than Saint Gerlant, as most
members of the royal court do. They claim
that he is too interested in wealth and
commerce and not enough in the manly
pursuits of combat and command, and this is
largely a correct assessment. However, as
long as he handles the royal finances well,
his position is secure.
Lord Sebhard is especially effective at
rooting out hidden money, and knows well

how to evaluate the holdings of the various
nobles who owe the King fealty. Of course,
he cannot be everywhere at once, and many
nobles do manage to squirrel away
considerable taxes that should rightly belong
to the Crown, but everyone fears his arrival,
and the threat of another audit.
The treasurer also oversees the Royal Mint,
a vital cornerstone of the Kingdom's
economy. The silver coins of the kingdom
bear the serpentine national emblem on one
face and an image of Guilmarn's head on the
other. Magic protects them from
defacement, and ensures that their silver
remains with the purity standards that Lord
Sebhard's personal assayist-wizards approve.
Lesser nobles can mint copper clacks, but the
treasurer checks these regularly, too, to
ensure that their makers do not adulterate
them with cheaper metals.
Lord Tharendar
Position: Lord Chamberlain
Magic: Rokari Church
Lord Tharendar is an overweight, bald,
man who wears only the finest of clothes. He
is a prissy perfectionist, and unpopular with
much of the royal household. He is flattering
and obsequious in the presence of the King
and Queen, but shrill and demanding in the
presence of anyone he considers his junior.
Page 29
The Kingdom
He is quick to hand out beatings or other
punishments to those servants who fail to
live up to his high standards, although he is
too squeamish to ever be present when his
sentences are carried out. He is married, but
totally ignores his wife, and shows no
interest in his two sons, one of whom
recently completed his training for
knighthood.
Lord Tharendar's immediate subordinates
include the seneschal-royal, a commoner
who commands the lesser servants of the
household. Although the seneschal is an
efficient man who always ensures that the
King's apartments and meals are prepared to
the highest standards, Lord Tharendar still
finds excuses to bully him and berate him for
his incompetence. The King's Healer fairs
better, for he is a wizard who has the direct
ear of the King. However, the Royal Chaplain
is a rival of the King's Healer, and seeks to
undermine his position at every turn. The
Chaplain's first loyalty is to Theoblanc, rather
than Guilmarn, however, which sometimes
weakens his own position with the King. A
noble liturgist of Saint Gerlant, he provides
most religious services for the court. Finally,
of course, there is the King's Fool, but
everybody looks down on him, as is the
natural way of things.
Kingdom of the Flamesword

The Flamesword
In the Dawn Age, Saint Gerlant first learned the secret of the flamesword in order to
fight the followers of Gbaji the Deceiver. He was able to wreathe his sword in flame
whenever he drew it from his scabbard, and his followers have used prayers and spells to
duplicate this ability ever since. By following the appropriate heroquest (see p. 178) the
best can even use the power at will, as Gerlant himself did.
The flaming sword has become one of the most recognizable symbols of Seshnela. Only
a minority of knights can actually use it, since the power is unique to the Order of Saint
Gerlant, but they are famous out of proportion to their numbers. In battle, Gerlantite
knights from the vanguard of any attack, bearing down upon their foes in a great mass
with all their swords ablaze. Their own horses are trained to ignore the fire that their
riders wield, but few others are, and the simple sight of a charging group of flamesword
knights can evoke panic among their foes.
Gerlant's own sword was part of the royal regalia for centuries after his death, held by
all the Kings of Seshnela, and the Emperors of Land and Sea, until the end of the Imperial
Age. King Halifor was the last to bear it, and it vanished when the Luatha slew him in
1049 ST. It is possible that this, the original flamesword, is still in the possession of the
Luatha to this day, somewhere in the islands of Old Seshnela.

Page 30
 The Church

The Rokari Church

Ever since Saint Mardron, Archbishop of Leplain, crowned Bailifes the first king of a
reunited Seshnela, the Rokari Church has been central to the lives of the kingdom's
inhabitants. The prophet Rokar had a vision of the church as the creator and
guarantor of a perfect society, and saw that it alone could restore the long-lost
golden age of Danmalastan. Since then, Mardron and his successors, especially the
current Ecclesiarch, Theoblanc, have been working to achieve the prophet's dream. As
the Hero Wars approach, they stand at the eve of a great turning point in history,
either to make the first steps towards uniting the world under their creed, or to fail,
and damn the world to torment and hopelessness.

People of the Cloth

The Rokari Church distinguishes between
the laity, who cannot perform the
sacraments, and the clergy, who can. The
main body of the laity consists of the regular
worshippers of the Church congregations,
who pray at the weekly Church services.
Others are adepts, capable of casting the
spells of their patron saint. Most adepts have
no specific role within the Church, and are, in
social terms, no different from any other
worshipper. Some of the Orders even exist
outside the Church, with their own internal
hierarchies; the current Rokari leadership
wishes to quash this practice. At the other
extreme, the Church directly employs the
adepts of the Orders of Saint Gerlant and
Saint Iames, holy knights who fight for
Rokarism.
Lay Officers
The lowest ranks within the formal Church
hierarchy are common worshippers with
specific religious duties. The larger Church
institutions also employ commoners as
domestic servants, cooks, and so forth, but
these are not part of the Church proper,
since their duties are not religious in nature.
The lowest actual rank is that of sexton. A
sexton's primary duty is maintenance of the
graveyard, including digging and filling in
the graves. In small parish churches, they will
usually also be responsible for maintaining
the physical structure of the religious
building. The vicar employs his sexton
directly, although, in practice, a particular
local family may hold the position by
tradition, so that the vicar has a limited
choice of whom to appoint.
A Church warden is a man employed to
protect the larger Church premises, such as
cathedrals. Some are foot soldiers, but others
are knights of Saint Iames serving as part of
their religious duties. Especially for knights,
the position of Church warden may be a
temporary one, with the knight returning to
his Order household after a few years'
service. Some wardens, however, hold a
more or less permanent position.
An acolyte is a non-ordained man that
assists at religious services. Some are liturgists
in training, and may be from any caste, while
others are permanent commoner caste
Church employees. The latter are particularly
common in rural or remote locations where
trainee liturgists may be in short supply. An
acolyte cannot perform blessings, and has no
special magic, but performs duties such as
lighting candles, carrying the holy books, and
robing the vicar or other clergyman. Unlike
most other Malkioni churches, those of the
Rokari lack bell towers. Instead, they have
high steeples including a platform from
which a singer calls the faithful to prayer.
Acolytes commonly perform this duty. In the
larger, noisier, cities, the wizards also
enchant the steeples to amplify the singer's
voice.

Page 31
Kingdom of the Flamesword
Lay Officers in HeroQuest
A Church warden is either a Foot Soldier or
Cavalry Soldier who happens to have a particular
duty. No special rules are required to describe
them.
Sextons and acolytes are generally not hero
material, but may be useful as followers for
clerical heroes. A sexton is a labourer, and
perhaps a domestic servant, and has abilities such
as Maintain Grounds, Dig Grave, and Obey Vicar.
An acolyte might be a trainee liturgist, with a
similar keyword to his fully qualified counterpart,
but lacking the ability to perform Blessings. A
permanent acolyte is closer to a servant in nature,
with the special abilities of Assist Clergyman and
Call to Prayer. They also tend to have relatively
high levels of Doctrine of Rokari Church,
compared with other lay worshippers.
Liturgists Outside the Wizard
Caste
Liturgists conduct the religious services of
the Church. Most liturgists are clergymen,
able to perform the sacraments of the
Church, including naming, dedication,
confirmation, marriage, burial, weekly
blessings, and the confession of sins (see
Heroes of Malkion). Liturgists may belong to
any caste, and can only lead religious services
for members of their own caste. They
perform a wide range of different functions
within the Church.
Lectors are lay ministers, the lowest rank of
liturgist. They are not ordained clergymen,
and therefore cannot administer the
sacraments. Lectors always work for a specific
order, and administer only the basic rites of
the order, conferring their Saint's special
blessings upon the adepts. In game terms,
lectors are liturgists, and use the keyword for
their regular occupation. For example,
Lectors of the Plough are farmers, and
Lectors of Saint Xemela are healers. Some
Rokari orders have a rank structure for their
liturgists, allowing for posts such as Senior
Lector, Archlector, and so on, but others
have no such distinctions.
Curates are the lowest rank of the clergy.
They are members of the commoner caste,
and perform the weekly religious services
that all commoners must attend. They can
also absolve sins through private confession,
Page 32
and can perform blessings over a corpse, and
even conduct funerals in the absence of a
wizard. They cannot, however, perform the
other sacraments, such as marriage or
dedication, which are the preserve of the
wizard caste. Many curates serve in the
countryside, assisting the local vicar in
ministering to his parish, but others may be
attached to craft guilds or work as part of a
cathedral chapter. Most Rokari deal with
curates almost exclusively, outside of special
occasions such as confirmation or marriages.
They are thus, for most people, the public
face of the Church. In theory, curates are
answerable to the local bishop, even though
many of them work directly under a vicar. In
the chain of veneration, they channel
devotion to either a vicar or a bishop,
depending on their exact role.
Chaplains are very similar to curates, but
serve the knight and noble castes, rather
than the commoners. Knight caste chaplains
serve in the Orders of Saint Gerlant and Saint
Iames, as well as in purely secular military
organisations. Each noble household also has
its own chaplain, with the Royal Chaplain
being naturally the most prestigious post. In
the chain of veneration, chaplains channel
devotion to the local bishop.
Wizard Liturgists
The Iron Blood School has scholarly lectors
who, like their counterparts in the other
castes, are lay ministers. All other liturgists in
the wizard caste are ordained clergymen. A
number of different positions exist.
When a wizard liturgist completed his
training, and is first ordained, he becomes a
deacon. Deacons are junior clergymen who
assist their superiors, but have no benefice of
their own. For the great majority of people it
is a temporary position, a stage through
which a liturgist must pass before they move
on to higher things. Deacons can either serve
in a cathedral chapter, or they can take up a
peripatetic position, traveling between
towns and villages preaching the word of
God. The few deacons that chose to remain
so indefinitely are always of the peripatetic
kind, finding that being tied to a particular
 The Church

place or position is too limited or stifling. The Episcopate

Deacons do not normally conduct the
sacraments themselves, although they can do The episcopate is the body of bishops and
so in extremis. In other respects, they are archbishops within the Church. It administers
similar to normal clergy. and defines the canon law under which
A vicar is the senior clergyman within a wizards and other liturgists live. It binds the
parish. Parishes are the basic units of Church together as a whole, both through
ecclesiastical government in Seshnela, and the chain of veneration, and by performing
typically cover a few villages, and perhaps a special rituals that affect large regions or
market town. In more urban areas, a city, or bodies of the faithful. Bishops are often
even a district of a large city, might directly involved with the nobility for this
constitute a parish. The vicar is responsible reason, since a noble's authority to rule
for collecting Church tithes, and for the comes ultimately from God. Each member of
spiritual wellbeing of all the people in the the episcopate administers a particular
parish. The parish church is often a focal diocese. Within the Kingdom of Seshnela,
point for a community's guardian essence, dioceses are typically somewhere between a
which the vicar also maintains. Vicars barony and a county in size, and do not
conduct weddings, naming, dedication, and always exactly mirror lines of secular
confirmation ceremonies, and funerals for authority. Members of the episcopate are
their parishioners. They officiate at major always liturgists, since adepts are not
religious ceremonies, and conduct any ordained members of the clergy.
magical rites that affect the community as a Structure of the Episcopate in
whole. In the chain of veneration, a vicar
Seshnela
receives devotional energy from the curates,
and channels it to a bishop. ecclesiarch Archbishops bishops
Priors are liturgists who serve communities Leplain (Leplain)
of adepts within a School or similar
institution. They are not themselves adepts, Arnlor Bethencourt
nor do they invoke the blessings of the Gevisey
School (if it has any), but instead lead the
weekly worship services and perform other Lamreaux
pastoral duties for their fellow wizards. Estau Danvoutiers
Similarly, a dean is a liturgist who leads
services for other liturgists, either deacons Quoigne
within a cathedral chapter, or trainees in a Segurane Drenwal
seminary. Deans may also have a number of
Hassenwal
administrative duties related to the upkeep
of their place of work. In the chain of Pfauber
veneration, priors and deans both channel
Possingen
devotion to the local bishop.
In theory, vicars, priors, and deans are all Trezieres Corozac
equal in 'rank' within the Church, and are
Herelgem
equally eligible to be promoted to the
episcopate. In practice, deans work more Souronne
closely with their bishops, and may receive
Voganwal
preferential treatment when a vacancy
arises. In any case, it is quite possible for a Voine Bornestof
liturgist to move between the different
Donsbruck
positions as needs arise within the Church.
Regular bishops supervise a single diocese,
and have no additional authority. They

Page 33
Kingdom of the Flamesword

ordain the various liturgists within their
diocese, and supervise their activity. They
receive tithes from the vicars, and distribute
them throughout the Church as the need
requires. They conduct weddings,
investitures, and other special sacraments for
the senior nobles within their diocese,
emphasizing the vital nature of such rituals
for the region's wellbeing. Each bishop has a
cathedral from which to conduct their
activities, including a dean and a number of
deacons. In the chain of veneration, a bishop
receives devotional energy from vicars,
deans, chaplains, and priors, and channels it
to an archbishop.
There are nine archbishops within the
Rokari Church. The archbishops of Noloswal,
Pasos, and Safelster are, however,
responsible for regions primarily or entirely
outside the Kingdom of Seshnela. Their
duties are partly missionary in nature, and
they have a relatively limited number of
bishops under their authority. Archbishops
have their own diocese, just as regular
bishops do, always including a major city. In
addition, the archbishop supervises all the
bishops within a much wider region, or
ecclesiastical province. This supervision tends
to be light, with the bishops being trusted to
run their own dioceses properly without
much intervention from higher authority.
Archbishops exert rather more direct control
over the wizardry schools within their
province, whose leaders report directly to
them. In the chain of veneration, archbishops
receive devotional energy from the bishops
of their province, and from the regular
liturgists within their personal diocese, and
channel it to the Ecclesiarch.
The Archbishop of Leplain is also the
Ecclesiarch of Rokarism, and the supreme
mortal head of the Church. He is the ultimate
authority within the Church, and the final
arbiter of doctrine. Only the Ecclesiarch has
the power to ordain new bishops or to invest
archbishops. For over a century, Theoblanc
the Pious has been Ecclesiarch, and he is
responsible for much of the character of the
modern Rokari Church. In the past, the
bishops and archbishops of the Church met
in conclave to elect a new Ecclesiarch when
the incumbent died, but this has not been
necessary within living memory. The
Ecclesiarch conducts rituals that affect the
whole of the nation, including such
ceremonies as the coronation of a new King.
He is the pinnacle of the chain of veneration,
receiving devotional energy from the
archbishops and from the liturgists of
Leplain, and using it on behalf of God and
Kingdom.

Reliquaries: Saint Mardron's Crosier

Saint Mardron used his crosier during the ceremony of investiture of Bailifes as King of
Seshnela, and in the dedication of many of the churches of Leplain. It remains within his
cathedral, where wizards use it in important ceremonies affecting the religious life of the
Kingdom.
Form: A large and ornate wooden staff, topped with a law rune made of iron gilded
with silver. Engravings of holy sayings run along its periphery.
Communication: Silver light shines from the rune.
Functions:
I Awareness - Find True Leader 18W
; Blessing - Aura of Divine Presence 15W2
D Defence - Ward Away Dissent 8W2

Page 34
 The Church

Church Titles Summary

Address occupation magic congregation
LECTOR (varies) Any suitable Liturgist Adepts
CURATE Curate Clergyman Liturgist Commoners
CHAPLAIN Father Clergyman Liturgist Knights/nobles
DEACON Deacon Clergyman Liturgist (none)
VICAR Reverend Clergyman Liturgist Parish
ADEPT (none) Wizard Adept (none)
PRIOR Reverend Clergyman Liturgist Adepts
Father
DEAN The Venerable Clergyman Liturgist Deacons/Trainees
BISHOP The Right Clergyman Liturgist Diocese
Reverend
ARCHBISHOP The Very Clergyman Liturgist Ecclesiastical
Reverend Province
ECCLESIARCH His Holiness Clergyman Liturgist Entire Church

Religious Communities
The wizard caste has the duty of protecting
the faith, and of providing moral guidance
to the worshippers of other castes. While
most clergy live amongst the other castes,
providing liturgical and parochial support,
many wizards are adepts, highly trained in
the magical arts. They do not serve their
communities by conducting religious
ceremonies, but by using their magic in the
service of Church and Kingdom. Adepts
generally live apart from the other castes, to
avoid distraction and possible corruption. In
this way, they can maintain the purity of
purpose and the clean living that makes
them such an example to others.
Becoming a Wizard
Wizards are celibate, and have no children
of their own. Instead, God perpetuates the
wizard caste through a process of
immaculate conception. At the instant of
conception, God enters into the woman, and
infuses the child with the divine spark of
wizardry. This is not apparent to the parents
at the time, of course, nor for several years
after the birth. The child may show signs of
unusual intelligence or display a particular
interest in theological or academic matters,
but this is not always the case. In fact, the
child has no biological father (although he
most certainly has a mother), even though
God only intervenes when a mortal man
performs the procreative act. In this way, the
rule that castes descend through the male
line remains intact; a wizard child does not
belong to the caste of his apparent father,
because the man is not really his father at all.
It is slightly more common for wizards to be
born to knightly or noble families than to
commoners.
Twice a year, vicars travel through their
communities to identify those children born
as wizards. A special blessing is required to
perform the test, which requires the vicar to
lay a hand on the forehead of each child he
inspects. The sign of wizardry is not apparent

Page 35
Kingdom of the Flamesword
in the youngest of children, for it takes a
while to mature to its full capacity. A wizard
child most commonly reveals their caste at
nine years of age, but, in practice, it varies
between the ages of seven and ten. The vicar
therefore inspects all boys between these
ages during his biannual circuit.
Once the vicar identifies a child as a
wizard, he sends the boy away to a seminary
to begin his studies. From this point forward,
he will have no contact with his old family,
with the Church itself taking over that role.
Wizards thus have no family ties or other
bonds that might hinder their devotion to
God and His Church, something that their
rule of celibacy also reinforces. Devout
Rokari women feel honoured if they discover
one of their children is a wizard, for this
shows they have been touched by the divine.
Others, especially amongst the peasantry,
feel that life as a wizard is surely more
comfortable and prestigious than anything
they could provide, and give up their child
willingly to the Church for this reason. A few,
inevitably, attempt to hide their children
from the vicar when he performs his
inspection, or to somehow spirit him away
after the vicar discovers him. This is,
however, often very difficult to arrange
successfully, and the penalties are severe if
such an act is discovered.
At the seminary, the young wizard receives
a basic education in the ways of his caste. He
learns to read and write, and studies logic
and rhetoric, which will later provide a basis
for the detailed study of theology and magic.
The confirmation ritual for wizards takes
place at the age of sixteen, and is conducted
annually at each seminary. The children must
first read a passage from scripture to
demonstrate their literacy, and ascend to the
Otherworld to face the Wilderness Travail.
Here, the candidates experience the testing
that Malkion's early followers endured after
their expulsion from Danmalastan. Enemy
figures appear to tempt them, and they face
difficult obstacles that they cannot overcome
with mere physical force. Eventually, they
arrive at the gates of Malkonwal, the City of
Page 36
God, and return to the physical world as an
adult.
After the rites have concluded, the newly
confirmed adult must chose to become either
a liturgist or an adept. This choice is
revocable for one year only, after which the
wizard remains on his chosen path for life.
Portents during the confirmation rite may
help in the decision, as may the approach
that the young wizard selected to
circumventing the obstacles in his path. For
example, if he primarily used his natural
intelligence to overcome obstacles, a wizard
may be suited to become an adept, whereas
if he placed his trust in God alone, he might
be better suited to become a liturgist.
Seminaries
Seminaries are training academies for
wizards and other liturgists. A dean heads
each seminary, and conducts all the religious
services there, in addition to supervising the
training of the aspiring clerics. Deacons and,
in the larger seminaries, sub-deans, assist the
dean in his teaching work. Prospective
chaplains train together, whether they are
knights or nobles, but the other castes do
not, due to the differing nature of their
work. Curates, for example, must learn their
rituals by rote, since, as commoners, the
Church forbids them to learn to read. Non-
wizard seminaries tend to be located in
cities, where students can easily reach them,
and noble caste seminarians are permitted
servants and other perquisites of their
station.
Seminaries for wizards, on the other hand,
are monastic institutions usually located in
the countryside away from possible
distractions. They train young wizards before
they reach adulthood, and continue the
training of those wizards who wish to
become liturgists. For the latter, this involves
extensive study of philosophy and theology
and preparation for pastoral work. Wizard
seminaries also include scriptoria for copying
the scriptures of the Church.
Once a liturgist has completed his training
at a seminary, a bishop ordains him as a
newly appointed clergyman. During the

ordination ceremony, the aspiring clergyman
ascends to the Hero Plane, where he faces a
community mired in one of his caste sins
(usually sloth, cowardice, carnality, or
venality) and must overcome them to prove
his worth.
Lectors do not normally attend seminaries,
and instead receive instruction from within
their own order.
Wizardry Schools
Wizardry schools take on prospective
adepts as apprentices. The Rokari Church
recognises only four such schools: the Iron
Blood, the Lordly Advisory, the Defences of
God, and the Inquisition. These four schools
are part of the Church hierarchy, supported
by central funds, and answerable to the
Ecclesiarch. Other wizardry schools also exist
in Seshnela, but are separate from the
hierarchy, and must provide their own
funding. Most schools include multiple
separate training institutions, distributed
across Seshnela and beyond. Adepts,
regardless of their school, are not ordained
members of the clergy, and cannot conduct
religious ceremonies or invoke blessings.
Priors conduct religious services for the
adepts in a school, but they are never the
leaders of the school, with that role going to
the most experienced master adepts.
A newly adult wizard must spend at least
seven years as an apprentice before he
completes his training. Thus, all Rokari
adepts are at least twenty three years of age.
As described in HeroQuest, the final test that
a wizard undertakes before becoming a full
adept is to create a portal of power and
access the node of his school's founder.
A Day in the Life of an Adept
Wizard
Lukardis wakes as the morning sunlight
streams through the small glass window into
his cell. He gets up promptly and attends to
his morning ablutions. A wizard, after all,
must remain clean and unsullied by worldly
grime. The water is cold at this time of year,
but the stone floor is warm against his feet,
heated through the hypocaust by the bound
Page 37
The Church
elemental in the furnace room. He opens his
closet and selects one of his sets of everyday
robes. They are predominantly grey, as the
School requires, but trimmed with red, and
decorated with black runes. His talismans, of
course, are secure in his belt pouch, ready to
hand, as always. Finally, he slips on a pair of
leather shoes, and places his skull-cap over
his head.
The first bell of the day sounds, its time set
by the great water clock in the north tower.
He heads through the halls of the School,
nodding greetings to his fellows as they pass.
The adepts congregate in the refectory, and
stand in silence as the Headmaster leads the
brief morning devotion to the Iron Shepherd.
The Headmaster sits, and chairs scrape
against the stone floor as the School follows
his lead. They eat warm porridge with a
small dash of honey, and a portion of bread.
There is a little chatter amongst the tables,
especially from the far end of the refectory,
where the apprentices sit. Eventually, the
Headmaster rises again, and the room falls
silent.
The Headmaster makes the
announcements for the day, much of them
regular administrative matters of no great
import. However, he warns the School that
he has recently received news that there has
been renewed skirmishing along the Nolosi
frontier. Soon, no doubt, the Church will call
some members of the School to service with
the army, fighting the good fight against the
schismatics. He reminds them that this is their
sacred duty, the reason for the existence of
their School, and that they should be
prepared to leave at a moment's notice.
There is a general murmur of agreement
from the assembled adepts. Lukardis is
unconcerned; he has suspected this for some
time, and has already made preparations
should he have to leave suddenly. He is a
wizard of the Iron Blood School, and knew
when he joined what the risks would be.
After breakfast, Lukardis returns to his cell
to gather some charts that he compiled
earlier in the week, and then heads to the
classrooms in the east wing of the School. On
the way, he sees Abelard and some of the
other apprentices kicking a leather ball
Kingdom of the Flamesword
through the corridors, laughing and cheering
as they do so. Of course, the School
encourages competitive recreation, the
better to prepare the students for their life
as battle wizards, but not in the corridors,
and not before morning lessons. Abelard is a
trouble-maker, hot-headed and, despite
years of training in the seminary, not yet
sufficiently reverent to the duties of his
caste. Lukardis shouts out to the errant
apprentices, and confiscates their ball,
rebuking them all, although he knows well
who the ringleader is.
The diversion over, he hurries them all
along to the class where he will be teaching
them today. The apprentices stand to
attention until he permits them to sit at their
desks, and the lesson begins. Today they are
studying a battle of the Imperial Age, when
Seshnela fought, and defeated the pagan
warriors of Fronela. He can tell that the
subject bores some of the students. Perhaps
they would rather be in metalwork class, or
learning actual magic. Maybe they think that
Seshnela is unlikely to face a pagan threat
soon, and that the lesson has little relevance
to their lives today. But it has been part of
the curriculum for over a century, and an
Iron Blood wizard must be ready for
anything.
When the School bell sounds, he dismisses
the class, and returns to his cell to replace his
charts of the battle. Next, he heads to the
scriptorium where he will complete his
assigned work for the day. A few other
adepts join him, all with their own particular
work to perform. Lukardis is making a copy
of The Book of Conflict, and has reached the
chapter on the methods for strengthening
Armour. In due course, he will add the book
to the library with the other grimoires of the
School. The work is calming, and he soon
forgets his morning difficulties with the
apprentices. The colored inks are rich and
vibrant on the vellum as he scribes the
curlicues of text, and makes a few additions
to his drawing of a knight in mail. He is
taken by surprise when the bell sounds
again, signaling for him the beginning of his
free time.
Page 38
He places the half-finished grimoire
carefully away under the watchful eye of the
supervising Master of the scriptorium, and
returns to his cell once again. He collects the
ball that he confiscated from Abelard earlier
in the day, and hands it over to the Master of
Apprentices, to return to the boy along with
any punishments he deems necessary. His
work for the day completed, Lukardis walks
out into the school grounds. Although
autumn is beginning to set in, it is still sunny,
and the grounds reflect the beauty of God's
creation. He meets up with Ragimund and
Herluin, two other adepts who have had the
same idea. They are all of similar age, and
Lukardis even attended the same seminary as
Ragimund, so the three are fast friends. They
spend the afternoon talking about the
affairs of the School, and the possibility of
fighting against Nolos.
If the School does send them to fight, they
will be away from its quiet confines, out in
the wider world. They will have to work
alongside knights, and the uncouth lower
castes that they rarely see here. They discuss
how different life will be, but agree that the
knights will be glad of their presence,
because of their healing magic and their
ability to support them in a fight. Stranger
still, though, they will meet women, who
they have rarely seen since learning of their
heritage and arriving at the seminary.
Women, they agree, are odd creatures, and
they are somewhat apprehensive of their
seductive wiles. A wizard needs to keep his
mind pure, and women, so the Prior says, are
most distracting. But they are sure they can
resist, for they are of higher caste than the
knights and commoners who normally find
them so attractive.
Clouds begin to gather, and it looks as if
rain is coming, so they head back in doors
and find other activities to keep them
occupied. Lukardis reads his copy of The
Abiding Book, using the small desk in his cell,
until the bell sounds for the evening meal.
He gathers in the refectory with the other
adepts for a meal of fish soup, salted pork
and vegetables, and red wine. The
conversation is louder now than at the

morning meal, for this meeting lacks the
formality of the Headmaster's instructions
and preparations for the day ahead. Now
Lukardis and the other adepts can relax, and
even the apprentices now have a few hours
free time ahead of them.
It is dark by the time the meal finishes, and
the adepts head out into the halls of the
school, the major ones lit by burning rushes.
Lukardis looks out of a window onto the
south part of the grounds. The sky is
beginning to clear again, and the stars are
The Inquisition
The Rokari Inquisition is a School of
wizardry, one of the four sacred wizardry
orders of the Church. Its primary function is
to safeguard the souls of the faithful from
the deceptions of Error, the temptations of
the flesh, and the evil of witchcraft. The
Ecclesiarch determines what is and is not
orthodoxy, but the Inquisition interprets that
law on a day-to-day basis, ensuring that the
faithful do not stray from the path of
righteousness. The Inquisition also polices
the Church itself, punishing violations of
canon law that fall short of heresy or
blasphemy. They conduct these latter trials
behind closed doors, without the full
accoutrements of a public trial (such as
putting the accused to the question) and
hand out penances rather than more
extreme punishments. Similarly, the
Inquisition also tries Crimes against Morality,
such as adultery or consumption of non-caste
foods. Again, they dispense with
imprisonment and torture in these cases,
which are less serious than accusations of
heresy.
The Inquisition has a single School for the
education of apprentices, located in Leplain.
This is also where the majority of Inquisitor-
adepts spend most of their time, and serves
as administrative headquarters for the order.
Each archdiocese within Seshnela also has an
office of the Inquisition, lead by a High
Inquisitor who advises the archbishop and
coordinates Inquisition activity within his
jurisdiction. The High Inquisitor answers only
Page 39
The Church
coming out. It is peaceful here, for now, even
as they wait for battles that they know are
coming. But how good it is to spend the days
here, rather than in constant practice
combats as the knights must do, or in toiling
drudgery, like the commoners. His duty to
Kingdom and Church is clear, and he is glad
to be a wizard, free from the distractions of
women and daily toil. God's plan, as always,
is generous to those with eyes to see.
He heads off to bed, content with his life,
and eager to see the next day unfold.
to the Grand Inquisitor in Leplain, who, in
turn, answers only to Ecclesiarch Theoblanc.
In addition to the adepts of the School,
and the various servants that any such
institution requires, the Inquisition also
employs a number of highly experienced
knights. They protect Inquisition premises
and staff, arrest and detain prisoners, and
conduct other duties at the direction of the
wizards. The knights together form the
Inquistorial Order of the Burning Lance,
which answers directly to the clergy, and
takes its name from the powers provided by
its guardian essence. Most members of the
Order are actually stationed outside
Seshnela, where they serve in the front line
against heresy, and lead massed assaults on
communities beyond the Rokari fold.
Contrary to popular belief, the Inquisition
does not employ full-time spies within the
community; they have no difficulty in finding
informers among the public willing to report
their fellows without receiving any direct
recompense.
Church Trials
Inquisitors tour the countryside and cities,
setting up courts in churches or other public
buildings (they have no courthouses of their
own outside of Leplain). Their primary
activity is in the cities, with some rural areas
not seeing a full Inquisition court for decades
at a time. When the Inquisitors arrive, they
make their presence known as widely as they
can, and order the local authorities to make
a proclamation that any person knowing of
Kingdom of the Flamesword
heresy or witchcraft in the region should
make themselves known. Often, the wizards
are present because of a previous tip-off, or
suspicion of particular activity, but even so,
they will not waste the opportunity to
uncover any other crimes of which they may
be unaware.
The Inquisitors always interview witnesses
in confidence, so as not to tip off the guilty
party. Assuming that they find the accusation
worthy of further investigation (as is
common), they will order the accused
arrested while they conduct further
enquiries. Three Inquisitors are required for a
full trial. The most senior acts as the judge,
and appoints the other two as prosecutor
and defence counsel, respectively. The
accused, of course, has no say in the selection
of his defence counsel, who, in any case,
must be a member of the Inquisition. The
judge will also appoint a court recorder to
take down the details of the actual trial; this
may be any literate person, but is often also
an Inquisition employee.
The accused remains in prison while the
wizards conduct the investigation. All
talismans or other magical paraphernalia are
confiscated, and the knights of the order
guard the prison to prevent escape. None the
less, while time in a Church-run prison is
certainly not pleasant, the prisoner will
receive at least a modicum of care, which
often exceeds that provided in state-run
dungeons. In due course, however, the
prosecuting Inquisitor will put the accused to
the question. This interrogation may last for
several hours a day, over a period of a week
or more, and consists of both mundane
torture and magical enquiry.
Naturally, during this entire period, the
accused cannot know what the charges
against him are, what evidence there might
be, or who the witnesses are. After all, if he
knew the identity of his accusers, he could
use evil magic against them, and knowing
any further information about the charges
might enable him to deduce who they are.
Also, Inquisitors often find that, under
extreme torture, suspects often confess to
crimes of which none of their accusers had
Page 40
been aware, something which would
obviously be less likely if they knew what
they were 'supposed' to confess to.
Eventually, the trial itself begins. The
prosecutor presents his witnesses, and any
testimonials made by the accused while
under the question. The defence counsel
cross-examines the witnesses, and presents
arguments to counter those of the
prosecutor. Justice is assured by the fact that
the defence counsel has no interest in seeing
a guilty man go free, and will not overstep
the bounds set for him by the Inquisition.
The judge then weighs up the arguments on
both sides, and delivers his verdict.
More than nine in ten Church trials end in
a conviction, a higher figure than in the civil
courts. This clearly demonstrates the greater
skill and perspicacity of the wizards at
identifying the guilty before the start of a
trial. There are a wide range of punishments
available to the judge, depending on the
severity of the offence. The most common is
for the culprit to be subject to a Purging and
Condemnation. Purging is a lengthy process
that cleanses the subject of the taint of Error.
This can be very painful, but it ensures the
safety of the individual's soul so long as he
does not backslide. Once the Purging is
complete, the Condemnation ritual places an
indelible mark upon the subject's forehead
which lasts for one season. The mark is in a
form relevant to their offence, although
some of the rarer forms are only readily
identifiable to wizards. Whatever the precise
nature of the mark, it indicates that the
person has committed a grave offence
against his community, and he or she will
certainly suffer ostracism as a result. The
judge will usually direct that Church wizards
renew the mark at the end of each season,
and only allow it to fade permanently after a
specified period has passed - a full year being
common.
Punishments for more serious offences
include branding and permanent mutilation.
Excommunication is also a valid punishment,
although mainly used in cases of
disobedience to the regular directions of the
Church, rather than for heresy or witchcraft.

For the worst crimes, or for those who re-
offend after Purging and Condemnation, the
usual punishment is death by fire. The
Church never conducts these executions
itself, as this would be contrary to its purpose
as shepherd of the faithful. Instead, they
hand the condemned over to the secular
authorities, who carry out the sentence on
their behalf. In its mercy, the Church
promises to magically kill any condemned
person who fully confesses to all their sins
and undergo a lengthy Purging. In such
cases, the authorities still burn the corpse, in
order to purify it of its base and heretical
taint.
Trial by Ordeal
In the case of trials for Crimes against
Morality or similarly minor offences, a judge
may permit the accused to undergo Trial by
Ordeal instead of a public hearing. There are
various different forms of this trial in the
West, most of which involve pitting the
accused against the elements. The most
popular in Seshnela is the Trial by Truth and
Fire. To conduct the trial, a wizard inscribes a
bronze rod with the runes of truth and law,
often accompanied by runes of the Rokari
Church. The wizard then places the rod into
a blazing brazier and prays over it until it
becomes red-hot. Once the wizards directs
him to do so, the accused must pick up the
rod, and walk forty paces holding the rod in
his right hand. Precautions are taken to
ensure that no person, apart from the
wizard, uses any magic during the ordeal, so
that God's justice is not circumvented.
If the accused drops the rod before
walking the full distance, they are guilty, and
the judge will sentence them accordingly.
Otherwise, the wizard examines the hand
immediately after the ordeal, and acquits the
accused if he finds no serious injury. Few
people volunteer for Trial by Ordeal.
Page 41
The Church
Contest: Undergo Trial by Ordeal
Appropriate Ability: Resist Pain, Resist Fire, Stoic,
etc. Magical abilities may not be used.
Typical Modifiers and Augments: Strong Will,
Piety to some aspect of the Rokari Church, or
similar abilities may provide a positive
augment. Innocence of the charges provides a
+10 augment due to the prayers that the
wizard performs over the rod.
Resistance: Nearly Impossible
Major or Complete Victory: You are manifestly
unharmed, and acquitted of all charges
Marginal or Minor Victory: You are hurt, but not
so badly as to fail the ordeal. You are
acquitted.
Tie, Marginal, or Minor Defeat: Your hand is
wounded, and you are convicted of the crime.
Major or Complete Defeat: You are hurt, and
drop the rod before completing the ordeal.
You are convicted.
Heresies
Heresy is the refutation of Church doctrine.
Schismatics, members of other Churches, are
all heretics by definition, but the Inquisition
has no formal authority over them. This is
because the Inquisition exists to protect the
faithful, and members of non-Rokari
Churches are not amongst the faithful.
Certainly, both ecclesiastic and secular
authorities restrict the activities of
schismatics in Seshnela, but the Inquisition
itself has no hold over them. Schismatics,
however, are foreigners and nobody expects
them to behave decently. Everyone born
within the Kingdom of Seshnela is Rokari,
whether they want to be or not, and is
therefore subject to the Church's laws.
Fighting heresy is one of the key functions
of the Inquisition. Rife in foreign lands, it
always seeks to infiltrate Seshnela, and turn
the hearts of the faithful against the true
Church. Some heresies are clearly foreign,
spread by schismatic missionaries. Others are
home-grown, or, at least, have been present
in Seshnela for so long that they remain
persistently beneath the surface, sometimes
breaking out to infect the minds of the
people. We provide a sampling of some of
the better known heresies below, but many
others exist, most of them insufficiently
Kingdom of the Flamesword

important to receive their own official The Deivatic Heresy

designations. The theological status of Malkion, the first
The Adragan Heresy prophet, is a complex one that can lead
many of the ignorant astray. As Rokar
The Rokari Church, like most others, ties
explained, Malkion was a mortal man, whom
the faithful together into one body through
God sent to the world to deliver his message.
the Chain of Veneration (see Book of
Over the centuries since Malkion's sacrifice,
Glorious Joy, p. 26). The Adragans oppose
various sects have claimed that Malkion was,
this practice, which they claim unfairly
in some sense, God himself. This is the
denudes the populace of magical power,
Deivatic Heresy, and it is widespread beyond
while serving only the most senior members
Seshnela's borders. It appears to originate
of the Church. They commonly accuse senior
with the Blue Book of Zzabur, a heretical
clergymen of corruption and venality - the
tome of the godless Brithini. Within the
very sins that Rokar established the Church
Kingdom, it is an Error in need of correction,
to counter. Adragans do not normally
not a full-fledged heretical movement, and
oppose clergymen as a whole, but they do
most churchmen regard it as relatively minor.
regard the hierarchy of the Church as an
None the less, the Church cannot permit it to
impediment to salvation. They believe,
exist unchecked.
instead, that only local clergy should exist,
each acting independently for the good of The Feminist Heresy
his flock. Such a belief would, of course, Malkion and Rokar both taught that
destroy the unity of the Church, leaving women are more perfect than men are.
everyone open to outside invasion and Therefore, being such refined and gentle
doom. Yet, among some commoners, the creatures, they should not have to worry
apparent luxury in which senior clergymen about affairs of state, or the details of
live seems unfair, and they begrudge advanced magic, and they certainly should
providing anything to their seniors. never have to face violent threats. It is the
The Borist Heresy role of women to nurture and support men,
not to become knights or wizards. The
The Borist Heresy, which originated in
Feminist Heresy, by contrast, states that God
Ralios, is a corruption of the Rokari belief in
intended women (or, at least some women)
the importance of the confessional. Sin
to do everything that men can do. It is not a
accumulates in the body as a corrupting
coherent creed, and heretics may disagree as
influence, and only Church liturgists can strip
to whether women can become wizards, but
it away, to purify the worshipper and enable
not knights, or whether even taking up arms
them to reach Solace. Borists believe that
is acceptable. The most famous such heretic
wizards can, and should, accumulate the sin
was Saint Elleish (see below), who lived long
of their congregation within their own
before Rokar, and established an Order of
bodies, and use its energy to power their
female knights and adepts. The Order now
magic. In this way, they claim, they transform
survives out in Ralios, and has dispensation
the sin into virtue and further the will of
from the Crown to continue in its activities.
God. In reality, the sin inevitably corrupts
Naturally, many in the Church object, and
their souls and bodies, turning them into
the Order's future is uncertain.
active manifestations of evil. The belief is
seductive, and has spread through parts of The Fronelan Heresy
eastern Seshnela because of the readiness of In the land of Fronela, to the north, people
Borist wizards to shrive their congregations
sought an understanding of God even higher
of sin, without the precautions and rituals
than that of Makan, the One Mind who
that more circumspect Rokari employ. created the universe. They claimed to find
Irensaval, the Hidden Mover, who existed

Page 42

beyond and before all observable reality.
They further claimed that Irensaval was the
source of all morality, and that he
transcended even the rules of Malkion. As a
result, the Fronelan people began to move
down a path that took them ever further
away from the teachings of the prophet, and
the only sure means of salvation. They fell
increasingly into Error, adding many other
heretical beliefs to the creed and today
remain the biggest threat to Rokari
hegemony over the Malkioni peoples. The
Fronelan heresy is not widespread in
Seshnela, but it is an especially derided and
hated belief, because it is the starting point
for so many other forms of Error.
The Hrestoli Heresy
Hrestol was a false prophet of the Dawn
Age. Although his followers were
instrumental in throwing back the Brithini,
and in establishing the first historical
Malkioni Church, he was a corrupt and sinful
man who performed many wicked acts to
promote his own status as prophet. His
teachings contained many Errors, even
though they also contained the kernel of
truth that would eventually flower as the
Rokari Church. His existence was a necessary
step along the path to the true message of
Rokar, for it ensured the downfall of the old
Zzaburites and Brithini, but he was no saint.
Hrestoli Heretics beg to differ, and regard
their founder as a prophet equal to or
greater than Rokar himself. Although he also
held to many other heresies now considered
distinct, it is his creation of Joy that the
modern Church condemns the most. Joy was
a cruel spell that Hrestol created, to trick his
followers into believing that they had made
direct, personal, communion with God. It was
a powerful illusion, which still tricks many
people today, when heretics use it to fool
the gullible. Hrestoli heretics are most
common abroad, in lands such as Fronela,
but, in the past they have sought to infiltrate
Seshnela with their perfidious magic.
Theoblanc created the Student Body
specifically to counter their threat.
Page 43
The Church
The Ordelvic Heresy
Ordelvis is the name for the God of the
Fourth Action, who shaped the world in
which everyone lives today. Worship of
Ordelvis in his own right is an Error, because
it prevents people from reaching the higher
forms of God that are necessary to attain
Solace. Furthermore, because Ordelvis is
associated with the gross and material world,
magic derived from this source lays a
particularly heavy burden on the soul. At the
same time, however, Ordelvic magic, also
known as 'common' magic, is relatively easy
to learn and often provides benefits of
particular use to those striving to survive in
the mundane world. The Church has yet to
formally condemn the use of all common
magic, but an excessive reliance on it is an
Error. Commoners are generally safe from
accusations of following the Ordelvic Heresy,
although it makes a convenient charge
against those whose other crimes are
uncertain. Members of the other castes must
be more circumspect in their use of this type
of magic, and many chose to concentrate
their magic, as the Church recommends.
Extreme Ordelvans, whom the Church
counters vigorously, believe that liturgists are
unnecessary to reach salvation, and that the
wizard caste should be composed of adepts
alone. Concentrating common magic,
through the Self Rock Teaching, or similar
methods, bars the soul permanently from
Solace, and is therefore another particularly
dangerous form of this heresy. The Shadow
Church (p. 150) is a relatively organised form
of the Ordelvic Heresy, which the Church
does actively counter.
The Nomian Heresy
The Nomian Heresy, named for the
birthplace of the schismatic Galvosti Church
in Ralios, promotes the use of a practice
called 'tapping'. This allows an adept wizard
to drain the soul of a human - or, less
commonly, another entity - in order to
enhance his own magical power. This, of
course, permanently damages the drained
victim, and even the Galvosti do not go so far
as to use this power on the Malkioni faithful.
However, since any person has the potential
Kingdom of the Flamesword
to reach salvation, and since tapping
inevitably damages God's creation, it can
never be acceptable. Unlike the similar Borist
Heresy, which can appeal to commoners who
wish to rid themselves of sin, Nomian beliefs
appeal only to wizards, as only they have the
ability to perform such magic. At times,
Nomianism has been common within the
Church, as it was before the coming of
Rokar. It is not a serious concern at present
within Seshnela, but the Inquisition is
vigilant against its return, since it is able to
corrupt the wizard caste itself.
The Profane Heresy
This is a common Error, periodically found
amongst the uneducated. It has never had an
organised body of followers, nor have
preachers promoted it in Rokari lands.
Nonetheless, it is persistent, and the
Inquisition recognises that they must correct
it where it exists. Briefly put, it states that
wizards have no special status beyond that of
the other three castes. Rather than wizards
being the products of immaculate
conception by the women of other castes,
this heresy implies that they are simply
normal folk with a particular talent for magic
or learning. By implication, any person can
become a wizard through sufficient training
and dedication. Extreme followers of this
belief sometimes hold that all men, or even
women, should be allowed to study
grimoires, and that the Church unfairly
denies them access to the more powerful
forms of magic. Naturally, this is a belief that
the Church is keen to extinguish, as it strikes
at their special status as shepherd of the
faithful. Some people outside of Seshnela
combine this with the Kionan Heresy,
Orders and Schools
The Rokari Church, and in particular, its
Ecclesiarch, is the ultimate arbiter of religious
orthodoxy in the Kingdom of Seshnela. The
Church must sanctioned any school or order
which hopes to survive. The ecclesiastical
hierarchy directly controls two orders and
four schools, but has traditionally allowed
Page 44
denying any role to the wizard caste except
that of religious teacher.
The Progressive Heresy
Like the Profane and Deivatic Heresies, this
is a common Error, but not an organised
religious movement. It is however, very
powerful beyond Seshnela, and may
therefore be spread by schismatics from
other lands, perhaps visiting as merchants. As
with many other Errors, Hrestol was the first
person to promote this belief, and it
contributed directly to the corruption of his
followers. Progressives believe that is
possible for people to change caste, almost
always by 'promotion' to a caste perceived to
be higher in status. Beyond Seshnela, this
belief takes many different forms, and its
proponents within the Kingdom often have
difficulty articulating precisely what they
believe. In any event, change of caste is
clearly not possible within Seshnela, so that
the belief is of little practical import. But it is
dangerous, since it implies that nobles, for
example, are really no better than
commoners, and so can encourage people to
ignore their instructions if they believe they
know better.
The World of Losers
This is a new heresy from Ralios, which is
rapidly expanding and turning the faithful
against both the true Church and their
rightful secular overlords. In some respects, it
is an extreme form of the Adragan Heresy,
but it also incorporates many other
dangerous beliefs that inevitably lead to
social disintegration and the ultimate death
of the heretic. For more information, see p.
151.
others more freedom. Ecclesiarch Theoblanc
intends to change that, as part of his long
program of Church reform. He envisages a
world where the most virtuous orders and
schools are under the direct control of the
Rokari Church, and all others are banned
outright.

Most liturgists within the Church do not
belong to any specific order, and instead
lead religious services for general
congregations of the faithful. Such people
are the backbone of the Church, and their
blessings come directly from its core
scriptures, rather than from those of lesser
saints or wizardry school founders.
Rokari Church
Virtues: Austerity, Chastity, Obedience.
Scriptures:
The Abiding Book
a Common Blessings: Be Content with Life,
Bless Congregation, Find Peace, Hide from Foes,
Renew Faith, Till the Land.
; Special Blessings: Absolve Sin, Bless Building,
Bless Corpse, Bless Food, Bless Home, Bless this
[animal], Bless this [bunch of animals], Bless this
Crop, Confirm Adult, Consecrate Relic, Dedicate
Infant, Find Way Home, Name Child, Protect from
Illness, Resist Heathen Spirit, Resist Intoxication,
Resist Pagan God, Sanctify Marriage, Staunch
Wound.
Z Curses: Curse Adulterer, Curse Apostate,
Curse Food Hoarder, Curse Murderer, Curse My
Enemy, Curse Thief, Curse Vadeli, Excommunicate
Sinner.
The Theoblanc Papers
a Common Blessings: Bless Leader of
Congregation, Obey Church, Remember Rokar's
Laws, Work Hard for Church.
; Special Blessings: Resist Change, Resist
Greed, Resist Temptation, Work Off Sin.
Z Curses: Curse Idler, Curse the Insubordinate,
Curse Questioner, Curse Sorcerer, Curse
Temptress, Curse Worshipper of Graven Images.
Great Secret: Solace (the worshipper ascends to the
highest heaven, and is removed from play).
Icons and Images: Depictions of the Prophet Rokar
show a man in simple robes, without any of the
finery that typical of a great Church leader. Most
show him blessing the penitent, or denouncing
the unfaithful for their sin and Error. The most
common symbols of the Church are the Prophet's
rune, the triangle of Law, and the rune of Makan,
the One Mind.
Founder's Day: 8th Holiday, the anniversary of
Rokar's vision of the perfect church.
Other Festivals: Standard Malkioni. Rokar's Day (8th
Holiday) celebrates the founder and his vision of
the restoration of the perfect Church; Liberation
Day (22nd Aeror) is a solemn day of introspective
worship that commemorates Rokar's self-
sacrificing martyrdom. Nadir (21st Aeror) is the
height of the Devil's powers, and thus a day for
Page 45
The Church
righteously beating the sin out of miscreants and
suspected heretics.
Other Side: The many nodes of the saint and school
founders that the Rokari Church acknowledges
are all interconnected. Some of those not yet
under the full control of the Church include
gateways to nodes of other, heretical saints or
founders; naturally the Church forbids all use of
such pathways. After death, worshippers enter
the realm of purgatory, where divine energies
strip away their remaining gross matter and taint
of sin. The purer of heart the departed is, the
quicker his or her passage through purgatory will
be, but even they require a thorough deathbed
absolution of sins to be sure of the quickest
possible passage. After this period has passed, the
essence of the departed ascends to Solace, to
spend a blissful eternity communing with the One
Mind. Those whose essences are too mired in sin
and gross materialism, whether through their
own deeds, or through lack of absolution, will
eventually sink down to Hell, where chaotic
energies will warp and degrade them until they
are obliterated from existence.
Saintly Orders
The Rokari Church acknowledges the
importance of the saints in providing a
virtuous example for the faithful to follow,
and in providing magic to benefit the
Kingdom. However, only the Orders of Saints
Gerlant and Iames are part of the Church
hierarchy, answerable directly to the
Ecclesiarch. The Order of the Plough has a
similar status, but is decentralised, and of
lesser importance. The Church classifies all
other saints as 'virtuous', 'permitted', or
'forbidden'. The 'virtuous' saints are those
whose pedigree is firmly Rokari. Although
their Orders exist independently of the
formal Church structure, they have always
supported Rokarism, and have never
promoted Erroneous beliefs. Theoblanc is
determined that these Orders must either
submit to central authority, as those of
Gerlant and Iames have done, or face
expulsion and disestablishment.
'Permitted' saints are of less certain status.
Within Seshnela, their Orders do not preach
Erroneous beliefs, and they do not directly
support the enemies of Rokarism. Yet their
saints are not clearly virtuous in all respects.
Some have promoted Erroneous beliefs in
the past, or work closely with schismatic sects
elsewhere in the West. None have
Kingdom of the Flamesword

unequivocally acknowledged the Rokari Virtuous Saints

Church as the only true path to salvation,
Saint Dalan 1,000
and most predate its founding. The Church
permits the faithful to join these Orders, but Saint Deelia 1,700
keeps a close eye on them for subversive
Saint Mistandar 950
behaviour. Like the 'virtuous' saintly orders,
Theoblanc plans to destroy all those that will Saint Orvar 600
not submit to his authority. Unlike the Saint Osni 250
virtuous orders, however, that submission
looks very unlikely. Saint Tandavar 500
Rokari worshippers may not join any other Order of the Plough 7,500
saintly order. Such 'forbidden' orders have
clear links to heretical doctrines or schismatic Permitted Saints
Churches, and serve only to delude the Saint Elleish 500 (mostly
faithful. serving abroad)
Saint Hasterax 250
Seshnelan Membership of the Saintly
Orders Saint Josselyne 600
Saint Ongaring 500
Saints of the Church
Saint Gerlant 1,600 knights Saint Xemela 2,800

+ 500 nobles Saint Zemuron 450

Saint Iames 900

Reliquaries: Folette's Sudarium

When Rokar contended for the souls of the villagers of Mandagai, the Arkati struck him
down with a darkness spirit, so that he fell to the ground, and convulsed as if in a fever.
Fearing that the demon had defeated their Prophet, his followers were frightened to
approach, lest they too, suffer as he did. Yet one peasant girl from the village, named
Folette, did go to him, and mopped his brow with her kerchief. The Prophet destroyed
the demon within him, and rose again to defeat the Arkati. Afterwards, the villagers
discovered that Rokar's image had been miraculously transferred to the cloth, which
remained a relic thereafter.
Form: A square cloth of simple material, bearing an imprint of the visage of Rokar the
Prophet.
Communication: The image on the cloth becomes more vivid and lifelike.
Functions:
I Awareness - See Demons Within 19W
; Blessing - Curse the Unbeliever 3W2
D Defence - Protect Common Folk 7W2

Page 46
 The Church

Entry Requirements: Must be a professional soldier.

Saint Dalan the Doughty
Abilities: Follow Orders, Ignore Hardship.
During the Return to Rightness, the Virtues: Dedicated, Doughty, Obedient.
followers of the Abiding Book brought its Scripture: The Life of Saint Dalan
teachings to many lands. Many knights and a Common Blessings: Doughty Resolve, Hear
soldiers fought in the crusades, against those Orders, Reconsecrate Talismans.
who followed the old ways and rejected the ; Special Blessings: Bless Polearm, Bless Shield,
true word of God for their own selfish ends. March All Day, Smite Pagan, Stout Armour.
One such soldier was Dalan the Doughty, Z Curses: Curse Pagan Warriors.
who began as a simple man-at-arms, but Grimoire:
worked his way up through the ranks t The Fist of Righteousness (spells: Close
because of his extraordinary skill and Wound, Find Weapon, March Without Food,
dedication to the cause. Eventually, he rose Reinforce Shield, Shatter Foe's Armour, Shatter
Foe's Blade, Stand Together, Strengthen Arm,
to lead his own heroic band of crusaders,
Strengthen Resolve, Strike as One).
fighting in both Ralios and Fronela to throw
Icons and Images: Depictions of Saint Dalan show
back the forces of ignorance and Error. At him as a common warrior, standing resolutely
the Battle of Sunset Gorge, he famously with his weapons at the ready, or praying before
defeated a band of Humakti heroes, and a battle.
proved the superiority of the word of truth Saint's Day: 8th Messistide, the anniversary of the
over the pagan god of death and battle. Battle of Sunset Gorge.
After Dalan's death, his followers Other Side: Dalan's node on the Saint Plane is a stout
established an order to honour his name, fort with heavy walls of stone and barracks for a
large army.
which steadily grew in size to become one
Disadvantages: Dalan's followers are common foot
the major fighting orders of the Imperial soldiers, and rarely knights. As such, they tend to
Age. In the turmoil that followed the fall of consist of the less influential members of the
the Middle Sea Empire, the order dwindled, warrior caste, and the orders of Gerlant and Iames
and became extinct beyond Seshnela. When look down on them as a lesser order than
themselves, albeit one that is sometimes useful.
Rokar revitalised the faith, the Order of Saint
Dalan was amongst the first to join with him,
and they fought under the command of
Bailifes as he united the kingdom.
Common soldiers make up most members
of the order, which rarely fights as a single
organisation in the way that the households
of Gerlant and Iames do. Instead, it has
chapters in many of the larger military forces
of the kingdom, each lead by their own
lectors. Adepts swear loyalty to their rightful
secular overlord, not to a military
commander within the Order itself. The
central chapel of the order is located in
Segurane, and contains the holy ossuary
within which the saint's bones are preserved.
Citing its long tradition of religious
independence and proven loyalty to the
crown, the Archlector of the order has
resisted Theoblanc's requests that he place
himself under the Church's direct authority.

Page 47
Kingdom of the Flamesword
Saint Deelia the Dutiful
Deelia never wanted to be a saint. She
lived in the Dawn Age, the daughter of a
moderately influential Seshnelan noble
house. Her life was remarkable only in that it
was not remarkable. She always submitted to
the rule of the menfolk in her life. She never
spoke out of turn, or allowed herself to fall
prey to unseemly desires. She was, in all
respects, the perfect example of the
submissive wife that many Malkioni favor.
Then the followers of Nieby came, spreading
pestilence that they pretended to cure.
Deelia's children all died in the magically
induced plague, and she herself almost
joined them. But her prayers preserved her
against the evil magic, and she survived,
along with her husband. When it became
clear that Nieby was actually Gbaji, the
Deceiver, her husband joined the crusade
against him. Deelia remained at home,
loyally maintaining the house on her
husband's behalf with only a single
maidservant for company.
A year later, a follower of Nieby who had
escaped the crusade entered the house with
a small band of monstrous followers,
intending to use it as a hidden base to strike
back at the faithful. Rather than fleeing,
Deelia remained at her post, insisting that
she must preserve the house, as her husband
had wished. The madman captured both
Deelia and her servant, and prepared to
commit indescribably lewd and degrading
acts of torture. Before he could lay a finger
upon either of them, however, the saint
prayed to God for deliverance, and began to
glow with an inner light. The light grew and
grew until it flooded the grounds of the
house, and burned the foul creatures and
their leader to ash. Saint Deelia then
ascended to heaven, leaving only her servant
as witness.
In the present day, the Order of Saint
Deelia is close-knit, but non-hierarchical. The
female lectors of the order would be willing
to submit to central Church authority, so
long as they could continue their mission of
ministering to gentlewomen and promoting
their ideals of female devotion. Many Rokari
Page 48
clergy, however, are unsure that an all-
female order of the Church is appropriate, as
it requires female liturgists. The future for
the order is therefore unclear.
Entry Requirements: Must be a woman. Most
members are the daughters of knights or nobles,
but this is not an essential requirement.
Abilities: Resist Unwelcome Advances, Stay Silent.
Virtues: Dutiful, Meek, Supportive.
Scripture: The Rule of Saint Deelia
a Common Blessings: Be Proper, Reconsecrate
Talismans, Suppress Independent Thought.
; Special Blessings: Bless Home, Bless
Needlework, Don't Trouble My Man, Look
Decorative.
Z Curses: Curse Strumpet.
Grimoire:
P The Damsel's Primer (spells: Brighten
Decorations, Chaste Wooing, Discourage Improper
Behaviour, Disguise My Achievements, Follow
Approved Cooking Recipe, Keep Clothes Soft,
Maintain Innocence, Protect My Home, Stand By
My Man).
Icons and Images: Images of the saint show her
standing meekly with hands clasped, or praying in
a chapel. She is always dressed modestly, without
the flashy jewellery that less virtuous women
sometimes wear.
Saint's Day: 9th Brumastide, the date of her ascension
into Solace.
Other Side: Deelia's node on the Saint Plane is a
modestly decorated set of castle apartments,
suffused with an aura of peace and quiet.
Disadvantages: Since the order stresses obedience
and remaining unobtrusive, it produces few
heroes, and has little public influence.
 The Church

Saint Gerlant Flamesword Entry Requirements: Must be male, and either a

The Household of Great Fire is one of the
most influential branches of the Rokari
Church. It consists of numerous individual
households, based throughout the Kingdom
of Seshnela. In addition, some adepts of
Saint Gerlant serve on detached duty,
performing other vital functions for the
Kingdom. For example, the King is always an
adept of Gerlant, and some knights even
travel abroad on special missions. Ideally,
each household should contain thirty regular
knights, six captains, a marshal and his
bodyguard, plus seventeen squires serving as
grooms and messengers. The ideal household
also employs two male commoners as
servants, but these are not adepts. In
practice, of course, not all households are
ideal, since this will naturally depend on the
availability of willing recruits, recent losses in
combat, and so on.
The Marshal General of the order has his
headquarters in Leplain, and oversees all
activities of the Household of Great Fire. The
Ecclesiarch appoints the Marshal General for
life, and receives absolute loyalty in return.
Rival Orders of Saint Gerlant exist in other
lands, especially Ralios and the Quinpolic
League, but they all hold to heretical beliefs
and so the Rokari order treats them as
dangerous schismatics to be purified or
conquered.
knight or a noble.
Abilities: Broadsword Fighting, Resist Temptation.
Virtues: Devout, Disciplined, Obedient, Stern.
Scripture: The Life of Saint Gerlant the Pure
a Common Blessings: Pray Right for Right,
Reconsecrate Talismans.
; Special Blessings: Bless Armour, Burning
Blade, Resist Cold, Resist Pagan Magic, Shrug Off
Hurt, Strong Horse.
Grimoires: Adepts who are from the knight caste use
Miracles of the Saints, Volume IV as their
grimoire, while nobles have access to the spells in
Miracles of the Noble Saint.
t Miracles of the Saints, Volume IV (spells:
Burn Away Pagan Magic, Burn Pagan, Burn
Wound Closed, Commanding Shout, Defend
Superior Officer, Flaming Sword, Heal Me Now,
Ignite Kindling, Keep Me Warm, Protect Him,
Rally Followers, Surprise Ghost, Sword Cutting).
t The Miracles of the Noble Saint (sample
spells: Burn Away Pagan Magic, Burn Pagan,
Commanding Shout, Flaming Lance, Flaming
Sword, Heal Me Now, Keep Me Warm, Protect
Me, Rally Followers).
Icons and Images: A sword wreathed in flame is the
most common icon of the order. Images of the
saint always show him bearing such a sword,
although he may be dressed either in knightly
Armour, or the robes and regalia of the King of
Seshnela.
Saint's Day: 3rd Fervidor, the anniversary of the
saint's coronation as King of Seshnela.
Other Side: Gerlant's node on the Saint Plane is an
austere chapel near the Unfaithful Forest.
Disadvantages: Obedience to the strict rules of the
Order is an absolute requirement.

Reliquaries: The Rule of Saint Deelia

The lectors of the Order of Saint Deelia maintain the original copy of her scripture,
written by the saint's own hand as a guide to the moral behaviour of women. They use it
to bless congregations, especially during times of strife when faith is hard to come by.
Form: A silver and gold box, inscribed with the name of the saint. The original sheaves
of vellum lie inside, visible through a small glass window, but almost never handled
directly.
Communication: A beautiful and calming fragrance suffuses the surrounding area.
Functions:
I Awareness - Sense Enemies of the Order 3W2
; Blessing - Banish Despair 6W2
D Defence - Maintain Purity 12W2

Page 49
Kingdom of the Flamesword
Saint Iames the Good
The Household of White Light is the junior
of the two saintly orders currently
incorporated within the Rokari Church. None
the less, it has around twenty individual
households across the Kingdom. Each
household typically consists of two dozen
knights, a dozen healers, and a smaller
number of squires and similar support staff.
The knights and healers spend attend
separate religious services, and those who
are unmarried eat and sleep in separate,
cloistered, parts of the household compound.
This helps reduce the temptation to fornicate
with one another, an offence that can result
in expulsion from the order. Each community
has a knight-marshal as a leader, who must
be a male liturgist and adept. Like the
Marshal General of Gerlant, the Grand
Marshal of Iames receives his post directly
from the Ecclesiarch.
Entry Requirements: Must be a knight, a healer, or a
military liturgist.
Abilities: First Aid, Work Together.
Men only: Mace and Shield Fighting.
Women only: Comfort the Wounded.
Virtues: Austere, Devout, Generous, Pure.
Scripture: The Life of Saint Iames the Good
a Common Blessings: Endure Hardship,
Reconsecrate Talismans, Righteous Inspiration.
; Special Blessings: Bless Mace, Bless Shield,
Ease Pain, Heal Cuts, Resist Darkness.
Z Curses: Curse Stygian.
Grimoires: Adepts who are healers use Miracles of
the Saints, Volume V as their grimoire, while
knights have access to the spells in The Shining
Mace.
l Miracles of the Saints, Volume V (spells:
Castigate Heretic, Heal Warrior, Overcome
Heretical Magic, Protect Comrades, Purify Water,
Soothing Touch, Throw Back Darkness).
O The Shining Mace (spells: Bludgeon Heretic,
Hold the Line, Overcome Heretical Magic, Protect
Comrades, Shining Mace, Throw Back Darkness).
Icons and Images: Images of Saint Iames show him in
shining white Armour of the best kind for the
locality, bearing a mace that shines like the sun.
Saint's Day: 28th Frigidor, the day of the Battle of
Burning Light, in which Iames lead his forces to
victory against the Lead and Iron Army of trolls
from Guhan.
Page 50
Other Side: Iames' node on the Saint Plane is a
chapel of pale marble standing amid a glorious
sunlit glade.
Saint Mistandar the Fair
The Order of Saint Mistandar has no
overall leader, with each noble family having
its own chaplain or group of chaplains. Since
the merchant branches of these various
families often compete with one another,
regular coordination amongst the chaplains
is rare. However, they do occasionally meet
in conclave, to decide matters of theological
importance, or challenges to the order as a
whole. The noble houses tend to protect the
order from outside interference, but
Theoblanc wishes to unite it under a single
figure of his own choosing.
Entry Requirements: Must be a male member of the
noble caste.
Abilities: Administer Noble Finances, Enjoy Luxuries,
Noble Protocol, Understand Politics.
Virtues: Conspicuously Wealthy, Fair to Fellow
Nobles, Hate Thieves.
Scripture: The Life of Saint Mistandar
a Common Blessings: Estimate Right Weight,
Hide Money, Reconsecrate Talismans, Smooth
Talking.
; Special Blessings: Protect Merchant Caravan,
See Through Counterfeit, Sense Good Deal, Sense
Imminent Theft.
Z Curses: Chastise Thief, Curse Lowborn
Profiteers.
Grimoire:
h The Ledgers of Credit (spells: Convincing
Offer, Evaluate Quality, Fair Balance, Flee from
Bandits, Polish Goods, Preserve Grain, Preserve
Meats, Seal Trade Deal, Sense Other's Wealth,
Strengthen Lock, Ward Coffer).
Icons and Images: Most images of the saint show him
holding a set of balances, and weighing out coins.
Less commonly, he is taking part in a trade deal,
exchanging like for like.
Saint's Day: 18th Nex, the anniversary of Mistandar's
death.
Other Side: Mistandar's node on the Saint Plane is a
complex of luxurious apartments, whose rooms
are interspersed with treasure-filled vaults.
 The Church

Entry Requirements: Must be male, and a member of

Saint Orvar the Mighty
Orvar was a knight of Imperial Age
Seshnela. He was a humble man, who loved
nothing more than to travel into the
wilderness, testing himself against wild
animals, and the elements. He spurned the
comforts of wealth, and attributed his skill at
hunting to the beneficence of God. In later
years, he taught that the hunt is an allegory
for the struggle all good Malkioni must make
against the forces of paganism and
temptation. Just as we test ourselves against
the forces of nature, we must also test
ourselves against the corrupting influence of
our base desires, or the insidious entrapment
of Error. After the fall of the God Learners,
surviving members of the order rejected the
increasing materialism of the Church. Later,
this stance brought them recognition from
the Rokari Church as one of the virtuous
orders.
Congregations of the Order tend to be
small, and scattered. They answer to no
central authority, a fact that has hampered
their union with the Rokari Church.
Theoblanc seeks to appoint a single head for
the order, but for such a move to be
meaningful, he must first gain the
agreement of its numerous independent
liturgists. If, as many suspect, this is not
forthcoming, or proves too difficult to
implement, he will likely decide that he is
better off banning the order altogether.
the knight or noble castes.
Abilities: Reject Luxury, Survive Alone.
Virtues: Humble, Self Sufficient.
Scripture: The Hunts of Saint Orvar
a Common Blessings: Reconsecrate Talismans,
Resist Temptations of Wealth, Spot Spoor, Take
Comfort from Faith.
; Special Blessings:Bless Bow, Clean Skinning,
No Scent, Quick as a Fish, Quiet Step, Resist
Weather.
Grimoire:
C Saint Orvar's Fireside Wisdom (spells: Erase
Tracks, Grab Salmon, Invisible to Deer, Light
Campfire, Maintain Campfire, Navigate in the
Wilds, Preserve Meat, See at Night, See Tracks,
Strip Off Skin).
Icons and Images: Saint Orvar is commonly shown
sitting by a campfire, roasting meat, or else
hunting a deer or other forest animal. Although
he was a knight, most depictions show him
wearing leathers rather than full Armour.
Saint's Day: 12th Frigidor, the saint's birthday.
Other Side: Orvar's hunting lodge lies in the Forest
of Deceit, the only bright and open clearing in
that otherwise dark and treacherous domain. The
node itself is a lodge of rough hewn wood,
devoid of luxurious fittings, yet always warm and
welcoming.

Reliquaries: The Liquefying Blood of Saint Xemela

One of the few surviving relics of Saint Xemela from the Dawn Age is a vial of her
blood, which she shed to save the Children of the White Mill from the Bloodless Curse.
Form: An ornate cage of silver and bronze holds the original reliquary, a glass vial
containing a dark reddish-brown powder.
Communication: The blood returns temporarily to a bright red, liquid state.
Functions:
I Awareness - Seek Out Corruption 17W2
; Blessing - Heal Any Wound 6W3
D Defence - Strengthen Resolve 15W2

Page 51
Kingdom of the Flamesword
Saint Osni the Penitent
Osni was born to a commoner labourer in
the city of Orphalsket in Imperial Age
Seshnela. His parents died before he became
an adult, and he took to begging on the
streets of the city. In time, he joined the local
criminal gangs, becoming a mugger and
burglar. Eventually, the authorities caught
him, and amputated his right hand as a
punishment. Disowned by his former
comrades, he turned to begging again,
becoming even more wretched than before.
One night, sleeping in the gutter, he
received a vision of Malkion that changed his
life. He began to preach the words of the
Abiding Book, which he had never seen, and
condemned his former life of criminality. He
wandered the streets, demanding that others
give up their lives of sin, or abandon their
luxuries to receive the salvation of Solace. His
miracles of succor to the penitent and
downtrodden grew in number and his
renown grew. People offered him gifts of
food, or fine clothing, but he refused them
all, save the minimum he needed to survive.
He died as he had lived, in poverty and
squalor, but a cult grew up around his hovel,
and survives to this day.
The Order of Saint Osni is a charitable
institution that cares for the poorest of
people in Seshnelan society. It eschews
hierarchy, and its lectors are illiterate,
memorizing the scriptures by rote. The
mainstream Church recognises the austerity
and virtue of the order, but it is proving
difficult to incorporate such a disorganised
rabble under the Ecclesiarch's personal
authority.
Page 52
Entry Requirements: Must be a commoner, and
willing to take a vow of poverty.
Abilities: Beg for Alms, Know Local Streets, Street
Preaching.
Virtues: Eschew Comforts, Zealous.
Scripture: The Redemption of Saint Osni
a Common Blessings: Reconsecrate Talismans,
Resist Temptation, Survive in Squalor.
; Special Blessings: Accept Punishment, Ease
Pain, Heal Sores, Purify Water, Redeem Sins.
Z Curses: Curse Glutton, Curse Rats.
Grimoire:
n The Penitent's Path (spells: Banish
Drunkenness, Banish Foul Odor, Castigate Sinner,
Destroy Rats, Help Others Stay Warm, Pass
Unseen, Punish Self, See in the Dark, Survive
Without Food, Swim Through Sewers).
Icons and Images: Images of Saint Osni show a gaunt
man in rags, with a stump in place of his right
hand. Despite his wretched appearance, his
bearing is one of pride, as he calmly prays or
angrily upbraids the unworthy.
Saint's Day: 25th Brumastide, the anniversary of the
saint's death.
Other Side: Saint Osni's node is a ramshackle hovel
standing in the centre of an underground
chamber lit by flickering torches. A shallow canal
filled with fresh water runs past the hovel, and
into a maze of darkened tunnels beyond the
chamber. Despite its dismal appearance, the air in
the place is clean, still, and pleasantly warm.
Disadvantages: Members of the order take a vow of
poverty, and may not allow their wealth rating to
exceed 9. Many people look on them as
dangerous zealots, while others find their chosen
lifestyle faintly disgusting at best.

The Order of the Plough
Before the time of Rokar, the peasants
across Seshnela followed many Common
Religions, such as the Little Saints, without
any coherent central Church order to guide
them. Saint Mardron and his advisors
identified this problem at an early stage,
realizing that it inhibited the ability of the
peasants to focus their time on work for the
greater good alone, and that many of the
Common Religions were outright heretical or
counter-productive. In the absence of any
definitive peasant saints, they established the
Order of the Plough as the proper vehicle for
peasant veneration of God.
Members of the Order all belong to the
commoner class. As a result, liturgists are
often illiterate, and none of them are
academically trained in the way that wizards
are. They generally do not use the
'Clergyman' keyword, as they spend much of
their time working alongside their fellows in
the fields. They have no prospect for
promotion within the Church, and are not
considered fully ordained ministers. Very few
of them, however, would even desire such an
opportunity, since they are happy to remain
as commoners, and leave more serious
religious work to the wizards. Those few
peasants who hope for something better,
and might strive to overcome the limitations
of their birth, are unlikely to become
liturgists or adepts of this Order, which
stresses conformity and tradition above all
else.
The order is an established arm of the
Church, whose lectors are directly responsible
to the local vicar. Bishops appoint all the
lectors, so that the order has almost no
internal structure of its own, and no
meaningful influence on Church politics.
Page 53
The Church
Entry Requirements: Must be a member of the
commoner caste.
Abilities: Be Content, Grind Corn, Thatch Roof.
Virtues: Deferent, Hard-Working, No-Nonsense.
Scripture: The Plough Benedictions
a Common Blessings: Awaken Refreshed, Keep
Working, Plough Deep, Reconsecrate Talismans,
Remain Obedient.
; Special Blessings: Drive Away Vermin, Fertile
Fields, Fertile Marriage, Preserve Grain Stocks,
Repair Farm Goods.
Z Curses: Curse Slacker.
Grimoire:
F Work for Good (spells: Chastise Disobedient
Son, Find a Little Extra. Hobble Errant Daughter,
Ignore Own Fatigue, Keep Out Elements, Poison
Vermin, Repair Plough, Scare Away Crows, Secure
Barn, Strike Wife Dumb).
Icons and Images: Ploughs and runes are the most
common symbols of the Order.
Saint's Day: Plough Day, on the 2nd Sementis, is the
day on which the ground is traditionally broken
for the coming season.
Other Side: The Node of the Plough on the Saint
Plane is a great barn, filled with stocks of grain
and bales of hay and straw. It is always warm and
cozy here, but the many tools and workbenches
make it clear that it is no place of leisure.
Kingdom of the Flamesword

Entry Requirements: Must be a male member of the

Saint Tandavar the Herald noble caste.
Before his sacrifice, the prophet Malkion Abilities: History of Seshnela.
entrusted his message to his key disciples, Virtues: Impartial, Peaceable, Stern.
known as the Secret Keepers. One of them Scripture: The Rule of Saint Tandavar
was a noble of the Enrovalini people, whose a Common Blessings: Appear Calm,
descendants settled in Seshnela before the Reconsecrate Talismans, Seem Reasonable.
Dawn. In search of new lands to rule, they ; Special Blessings: Bless Flag of Truce, Bless
later lead an expedition to the south, and Neutral Ground, Negotiate, Resist Foreign Ways,
Stay Safe from Harm.
helped settle the island of Jrustela. Over the
centuries, their noble house declined, but it Z Curses: Curse Oath Breaker.
continued to keep the secret teachings of Grimoire:
Malkion safe. Tandavar was a younger scion h Foreign Tribulations (spells: Aura of
Authority, Binding Oath, Calm the Faithful, Force
of that house, who lived in the seventh
Concessions, Hold Captive, Interpret Foreign
century. In the year 646, he became one of Desires, Intimidate the Unfaithful, Preserve
the Witnesses to the writing of the Abiding Records, Resist Pagan Magic, Speak to Foreigners).
Book, proving its connection to the ancient Icons and Images: The standard illustration of Saint
teachings of the prophet. Tandavar shows him standing with his left hand
Tandavar always sought peace, and resting on the Abiding Book, and his right hand
holding a sacred flag of truce. The badge of the
conducted negotiations between many rival
college of heralds, a vaguely serpentine unfurled
factions amongst the people of Jrustela, and scroll of black fur with white flecks resting on a
later, Seshnela. He showed how the Abiding golden background, is also widely used as a
Book laid down the rules for truces and the symbol of the order.
resolution of disputes. He became the chief Saint's Day: 9th Aestival, the date of the saint's
herald of Jrustela, establishing a college of death, when he passed on his mission to the
leaders of the Jrusteli college of heralds.
heraldry that would survive until the
Other Side: Tandavar's node on the saint plane is a
downfall of that land. By then, his followers
perfectly circular hall of marble, with sunlight
had spread throughout the lands ruled by streaming down from openings in the high
the Middle Sea Empire. In later years, the domed roof. Benches stand along the walls, while
much older order of Saint Jenerin, one of the the wide open central space is ideal for meetings
followers of Hrestol, re-asserted its control in and negotiations.
Fronela, and in other areas heraldry
dwindled altogether. But, in Seshnela, a
college survived, trying to promote peace
amongst the numerous squabbling rulers of
the land. When Bailifes succeeded in uniting
the errant noble houses under his personal
rule, the order of Saint Tandavar declared
that this triumph proved the destiny and
righteousness of the Rokari cause, and joined
with the Church.
The Order of Saint Tandavar in Seshnela is
called the College of the Ermines Scroll, and
is the central depository of heraldic
information in the Kingdom. Located in
Segurane, it trains all of the heralds of
Seshnela, as well as providing for their
religious needs. The Lord Master Herald
prizes his neutrality, and has so far resisted
calls to place his order and college directly
under the authority of the Ecclesiarch.

Page 54
 The Church

Wizardry Schools The Defences of God

The Rokari Church directly sanctions only
the four sacred wizardry schools. These are
under the direct control of the Ecclesiarch,
who appoints their senior leaders. A number
of other schools also exist, and receive
varying levels of support from the Church.
The schools of sorcery, which stand entirely
outside the Church, are condemned as
hotbeds of atheism and anticlericalism.
Seshnelan Membership of the Schools
of Wizardry
Approximate
No. of Adepts
The Four Sacred Schools
The Defences of God 1,600
Saint Mardron established this school in
order to defend the Kingdom from threats
both internal and external. After they have
completed their training, most adepts are
assigned to castles or cathedrals across the
land, with only a small number remaining at
the school to teach new apprentices and
perform administrative duties. Adepts help
the knight caste to shore up the physical
Defences of the realm, and defend them in
battle. They also help Church liturgists
defend against some of the more spiritual
hazards that occasionally beset the faithful.
Unlike adepts of the Iron Blood School, they
rarely travel abroad to support armies, as
their strength is in reinforcing existing
fortifications.

The Holy Inquisition 480 Entry Requirements: Must be a member of the

wizard caste and concentrate their magic.
The Iron Blood School 3,200
Abilities: Assess Defences, Deliver Inspiring Sermon,
The Lordly Advisors 320 Upbraid Sinner.
Virtues: Righteous, Staunch.
Other Wizardry Schools Grimoires:
Bardan's Book (Russet 900 a The Abiding Book.
Cross)
D The Impenetrable Shield (Deflect Arrows,
The Humble Calligraphers 1,400 Douse the Flame, Find Trapped Victim, Render
Waterproof, Resist Storms, Resist Winter, Respect
The Paradoni Explorers 650 the Holy Place, Skin of Bronze, Strengthen
Fortifications ritual).
Pragamapathic 800
^ Smiting the Sinner (Exorcise Ghost,
Thaumaturges Incendiary Bomb, Repel the Undead, Slay
The School of Raceen 1,300 Serpents, Smite Heathen, Smite Infidel, Smite
Pagan).
Rokar Read Right 2,000 Festival Day: Shield Day, on the 6th Aeror. On this
day, wizards of the Order gather together to
The School of Shining 300 enter the Other Side and engage in rituals in
Steel which they face enemies of the state, and ritually
reinforce the Defences of their Chapter Houses.
The Urestes Academy 1,800
Other Side: The Tower of Faith stands like a beacon
The Vonerin School 1,200 rising above the Swamp of Indolence. Its
windowless walls appear hewn from black stone,
while the interior contains safe, comforting halls
lit by smokeless flame. The portal of power
created by wizards of the Defences of God is
called a Sacred Embrasure.

Page 55
Kingdom of the Flamesword
The Inquisitor's School
Saint Mardron established the Inquisition
as a wizardry school with the specific duty of
protecting the faithful from Error, and
protecting the sanctity of the Church. At
first, it sought out those wizards or
worshippers who stayed true to the beliefs of
the old Church, and who failed to fully
appreciate the beauty and importance of
Rokar's message. Later, especially under
Ecclesiarch Theoblanc, the Inquisition
widened its focus to combat Errors from
many different sources. It is now one of the
most powerful arms of the Church, and
jealously guards its many special
prerogatives.
Entry Requirements: Must be a member of the
wizard caste, with no past record of deviancy or
Error.
Abilities: Interrogate, Understand Heresy.
Virtues: Fanatical, Thorough, Unswerving.
Grimoires:
a The Abiding Book.
I Rokar's Searching Questions (Be Understood,
Disorient Suspect, Find Heretical Text, Induce
Mental Anguish, Intimidating Presence, Make
Suspect Talk, Pangs of Guilt, Sense Evasion, Trial
by Ordeal ritual).
a Rokar's Inspiring Answers (Condemn Heretic
ritual, Merciful Death, Purge Error ritual, Resist
Error, Resist Heretical Magic, Right Thinking,
Strengthen Resolve, Terrify Spirit).
Festival Day: The Day of Righteous Renewal falls on
the 25th of Fervidor, the day after Malkonmas. It is
a day for re-dedicating oneself to the service of
the Church, and for making resolutions about
one's actions over the coming five seasons.
Other Side: The Chapel of the Inquisition is a large,
echoing cathedral devoid of decoration. Pure
white light streams in through the windows,
enhancing the austere simplicity of the
architecture.
Page 56
The Iron Blood School
This school dates from the Dawn Age,
when the first wizards travelled with knights
on their campaigns. For much of their
history, they only travelled abroad on great
crusades, such as the Return to Rightness, but
in modern times, they regularly support the
Kingdom of Seshnela in its 'perpetual
crusade' against the forces of Error. Most of
the time, the adepts and liturgists of the
school train at their schools across the
country, preparing for their periodic
assignments to support the troops along the
border, or in foreign lands.
Entry Requirements: Must be a member of the
wizard caste and concentrate their magic.
Members of the Order include liturgists who
belong to the Clergyman profession rather than
the Wizard or Scholar professions.
Abilities: Assess Course of Battle, Blacksmith
Virtues: Brave, Unbending.
Scripture: The Iron Shepherd's Flock
; Special Blessings: Bless the Army, Bless Battle
Standard, Bless Our Guarding Troops.
Z Curses: Curse the Enemy.
Grimoires:
a The Abiding Book.
t The Book of Conflict (Augment Lance Strike,
Augment Sword Blow, Give Soldier Courage, Melt
Iron, Strengthen Armour).
l The Mysteries of Health (Heal Horse Hurt in
Combat, Heal Soldier Hurt in Combat, Heal Horse
Impaired in Combat, Heal Soldier Impaired in
Combat, Heal Horse Injured in Combat, Heal
Soldier Injured in Combat).
Festival Day: Forge Day is the 1st Nex, during the
height of the season of storms and ill weather.
Other Side: The Iron Shepherd's Forge is a node on
the Saint Plane. It is a large smithy, standing on a
pinnacle of rock constantly battered by hostile
storms. A great pool of molten iron lies in the
centre of the smithy, lighting the space with its
red-orange glow. The portal of power created by
adepts of the order is called a Gate of Iron Blood.

The Lordly Advisory School
The prophet Rokar was martyred in 1349,
and ascended into Solace. The old Church
authorities railed against his teachings,
denying his ascension as magical trickery, but
his message was so powerful, and so full of
divine Truth, that it could not be suppressed.
It spread throughout Seshnela, and slowly,
there were those among the Church who
joined its cause, and began to fight from
within. Mardron was one such man, a
powerful wizard who had been denied
advancement through the ecclesiastical
hierarchy because of his refusal to tolerate
simony or to engage in corrupt and immoral
practices to further his career. He abandoned
his parish in the old Church, joined the
nascent Rokari religious movement, and
became one of its spiritual leaders.
With similarly minded contacts, he was
soon able to forge a band of wizards able to
fight the Church on its own terms,
converting other wizards who could see the
truth of Rokar's message. In 1410, he
converted Bailifes the Hammer, Duke of
Rindland, to the Rokari cause, and at last he
had an army. Three years later, Bailifes was
King of a re-united Seshnela, and Mardron
was the first Ecclesiarch of the Rokari Church.
Mardron established the four Sacred
Schools of the Rokari Church, and
incorporated the Orders of Saint Gerlant and
Saint Iames into the religious hierarchy. The
School most associated with his name,
however, is that of the Lordly Advisors,
whose function is to support the nobility and
to assist the highest levels of the religious
hierarchy.
Page 57
The Church
Entry Requirements: Must be a member of the
wizard caste and concentrate their magic.
Members of the Order include liturgists who
belong to the Clergyman profession rather than
the Wizard or Scholar professions.
Abilities: Canon Law, Church Politics, Work with
Nobles.
Virtues: Austere, Inflexible.
Scripture: The Works of Saint Mardron
a Common Blessings: Command Commoners,
Influence Nobles, Resist Temptation, Righteous
Zeal, Work Together.
; Special Blessings: Bless Conclave, Infuse
Water with Holy Energy, Inspire Clergy, Preserve
Church Sanctity, Protect Church Finances, Resolve
Moral Quandary.
Z Curses: Curse Simoniac.
Grimoires:
a The Abiding Book
l The Book of Unity (spells: Aura of Dignity,
Chant for Hours, Immaculate Robes, Inspiring
Speech, Intimidate Commoners, Quell Doubts,
Voice of Command).
a The Book of Pious Magic (spells: Crozier of
Righteous Smiting, Eliminate Indecent Urges,
Identify Holy Relic, Preserve Church Records, Seal
Reliquary, Ward Arcanum)
Icons and Images: Contemporary portraits of Saint
Mardron do exist, and act as the basis for the
more stylised representations more commonly
used by the Church. Such images invariably show
the saint dressed in his full robes and regalia,
often gazing down paternally on his flock.
Saint's Day: 7th Sementis, the day on which Mardron
was enthroned as the first Ecclesiarch of Rokarism,
unifying the Church under one leader for the first
time since the martyrdom of Rokar.
Other Side: The Node of Saint Mardron is a towering
cathedral, decorated in an austere and
foreboding style. The Portal of Power created by
adepts of Saint Mardron is called the True
Gateway.
Kingdom of the Flamesword
Saint Rokar Read Right
The prophet Rokar created this order of
scholars himself, but it has always enjoyed
independence from his Church. The members
of the school are theologians, whose duty is
to preserve the holy texts, and to correctly
interpret them for the general populace. The
school buildings of the order are libraries as
well as places of training, and some wizards
spend virtually their entire lives there. Other
adepts travel across Seshnela, working in
lesser Church libraries, assisting other
religious orders, and providing theological
advice to wizards and powerful laymen alike.
Entry Requirements: Must be a member of the
wizard caste and concentrate their magic.
Members of the Order include liturgists who
belong to the Clergyman profession rather than
the Wizard or Scholar professions.
Abilities: Debate Theology, Interpret Scripture.
Page 58
Virtues: Studious.
Scripture: Right and Wrong Reading
a Common Blessings: Correctly Interpret Holy
Book, Ignore Impious Words.
; Special Blessings: Ignore Sophistry, Keep
Reading, Preserve Holy Book, Sense Presence of
Holy Book, Sense Presence of Impious Book.
Grimoires:
a The Abiding Book.
y Saint Rokar's Third Encyclical (Appear
Authoritative, Burn Pagan Writings, Enter Library,
Find Right Book, Find Right Page, Gain
Theological Insight, Maintain Silence, Quote
Correct Scripture, Read Book, Read Silently, Strike
Dumb).
Festival Day: 4th Messistide is Scroll Day, on which
Rokar established the school to preserve his
teachings.
Other Side: The Library of Right Reading is a node
on the Saint Plane. It is a great airy space, lined by
multiple levels of balcony, each bearing multiple
bookshelves and reading desks. The node deadens
all sound within to no louder than a whisper. The
portal of power created by adepts of the order is
called a Divine Bridge.
 The Church

The Paradoni Explorers
Paradon was a Dawn Age wizard who
explored the essence planes on behalf of the
early church. He fought against the Brithini,
whose sorcerers dominated the Western
otherworld at that time. He sought out
ancient texts and re-opened paths to the
essence planes that the Brithini had jealously
guarded, and broke their monopoly. He
found ways to bend essences to his will, and
taught others what he had learned. He
mapped the complex connections between
the nodes known at that time, and served
the Second Ecclesiastical Council of
Malkionism when it drafted its first official
list of saints.
His school grew yet further after his death,
as they discovered more nodes, and distrust
of atheist sorcerers continued to grow. It
adopted the principles of experimental
heroquesting discovered by Arkat, but used
them only sparingly. During the Imperial
Age, Jrusteli schools controlled by the God
Learners came to dominate the exploration
of the essence planes, and the Paradoni
Explorers declined in numbers, decried as
merely tinkering with minor details whilst
others conducted the grand experiments. In
time, of course, the God Learners fell, and
while the Explorers at first felt a backlash
against all who explored the essence planes,
in time that faded, and they became an
influential school amongst the warring
territories of Seshnela. With the coming of
the Rokari, the Explorers reached an
accommodation with the new Church, and
now provide services to the Four Sacred
Schools, as well as to other wizards in more
independent institutions.
Entry Requirements: Must be a member of the
wizard caste.
Abilities: Elemental Lore.
Virtues: Curious, Open-minded, Practical.
Grimoires:
a The Abiding Book.
b Elemental Forms (Banish Shade, Bind
Salamander, Bind Sylph, Bind Undine, Summon
Salamander, Summon Sylph, Summon Undine).
m The Book of Beyond (Aid Essence, Banish
Ghost, Call Essence, Communicate with Angel,
Hinder Essence, Identify Essence, Locate Node,
Resist Hostile Essence, Ward Away Demon).
Festival Day: 14th Messistide, the anniversary of the
founding of the school.
Other Side: The Node of Doors takes the form of an
open-air circle set on top of a grassy hill with an
increasingly indistinct landscape fading away into
the distance. Dozens of open stone doorways
surround the circle, each leading out to a
different portion of the saint or adept planes. The
portal of power created by Paradoni Explorers is
called a Portal of Travel Beyond.

Reliquaries: The Holy Cruciger of Orphalsket

A holy wizard of Orphalsket crafted this cruciger during the Dawn Age, and gave it to
Saint Gerlant, who imbued it with his holy power. The knights of Rindland used it during
the Imperial Age, and it survived the sinking of Old Seshnela. Today the Order of Saint
Gerlant moves it among its chapterhouses, and employs it against faithless foes. The
cruciger reforms from its parts a season after using its Blessing function, and was last used
to slay the Dread Rabbit of Uton.
Form: A bronze globus cruciger, with a band around the centre decorated with magical
runes.
Communication: Choral music sounds in the minds of the faithful.
Functions:
I Awareness - Bounce Towards Foe 5W2
; Blessing - Explode 20W3
D Defense - Reform After Use 15W2

Page 59
Kingdom of the Flamesword

The Five Actions

These are the Five Actions through which God made the universe that we live in today:
The First Action - Creation
In the beginning, there was only God. God created the universe in the First Action. He
separated Matter from Energy, which was the first distinction to exist. In so doing, he
established the fundamental rules that made the universe what it is, and allowed all
subsequent things to come into being.
The Second Action - Manifestation
The Second Action was when God created the first runes, and defined the nature of the
universe. First, he separated the Shapes from the Principles, allowing the world to be
understood through Applied Thought and Intellect. Then he used the Shapes and
Principles to measure and define each other, separating the Elements and the Powers. By
analysing the differences between the shapes, he created earth, and from earth he
created fire, from fire he created water, and from water he created air. In a similar
manner, he created the ten Powers, which are mirror images of each other.
The Third Action - Identification
In the Third Action, God mixed the runes together and spread their forms across the
world. The first beasts, plants, and humans came into being at this time. Some of the first
people seized the power of the runes for themselves, perverting their power for their
own ends. These are the False Gods, worshipped by the pagans today. Most other people
remained in the Kingdom of Logic, in direct communion with the will of God.
The Fourth Action - Preservation
During the Fourth Action, the races of humans separated from one another and began
to people the earth. Malkion the Founder walked among them and taught them Right
Action. He divided people into the four castes, and established the perfect Kingdom of
Danmalastan, where everyone lived in happiness and harmony. Those who listened to his
words and lived in Danmalastan were the first Malkioni, while those who did not became
the first pagans, heathens, and infidels, from whom others descend today.
Eventually, however, the Malkioni fell into the Great Error, which we know to be
Disobedience. This caused them to believe that they knew better than their elders, and
that they could do as they wished. They broke the caste rules, because they thought it
would be expedient. They became drunken, because they thought that drink could not
master them. They consorted with people other than their spouses, because they thought
it would do no harm. And the Error lead to Sin, and Sin lead to the Fifth Action.
The Fifth Action - Destruction
Malkion the Prophet was a mortal man, infused with the divine spark of Godhood. He
sought to bring all of the people of Danmalastan back to the perfect ways of their
ancestors. When this failed, he went into exile and founded the city of Malkonwal. As the
Sin outside its walls grew ever larger, it spawned monsters and devils that plagued the
land and devoured the people. At last, the forces of evil caught the Prophet and slew him,
tearing his body asunder. Yet, through this great redemptive sacrifice, Malkion opened
the path to Solace, and the holy city vanished from the face of the earth. The sun
disappeared from the sky, and all was darkness, decay, and death.

Page 60
 The Church

Zzabur and his minions saw that their actions had not been good. They cast a mighty
spell that broke the sheets of ice that were crawling forth across the earth as the monster
army grew. They returned the sun to the sky, and brought about the world as we know it
today. Everything is imperfect now, but the message of Malkion survives, that we might
reach Solace, and perhaps restore the world to its former glory.

Entry Requirements: Must be a member of the

The Illustrious College of the wizard caste.
Pragmapathic Thaumaturges Abilities: Apply Leeches, Bombastic Sesquipedalian
The Pragmapathic Thaumaturges Utterances, Pragmapathic Medical Theory.
originated in Imperial Age Jrustela at around Virtues: Intellectually Superior, Self-Assured.
the same time as the God Learners. They Grimoires:
decried the absence of wizardry schools a The Abiding Book.
dedicated to the healing arts, by contrast l Principles of Pragmapathic Purgation
with the several that existed to assist the (Augment Leeches, Balance Bodily Humours ritual,
Cleanse Wound, Induce Diuresis ritual, Induce
military through providing combat support.
Emesis ritual, Induce Perspiration, Induce Pyrexia,
The pragmapaths acknowledged that various Purgative Power).
saints, such as Xemela, already provided their c On the Rectification of Corporeal
adepts with spells to assist in healing, but Disharmonisation (Diagnose Illness, Eliminate
insisted on a more rigorous approach based Pathogenic Essence, Exorcise Pathogenic Daimone,
on natural laws, rather than divine Exorcise Pathogenic Spirit, Neutralise Poison,
Perspicacious Palpation, Preserve Leeches,
intercession. They collated medical theories
Preserve Medicine, Resist Infection, Set Bones).
from traditions throughout the West, and, as
Festival Day: 13th Turbidor is the day of Puissant
the Middle Sea Empire expanded, from even Lucubration, which commemorates the founding
further afield. They insisted that disease had of the school.
material causes that were amenable to Other Side: The node of the school, the Exedra of
primarily physical remedies. They Cogitation and Edification, appears as a richly
recommended the use of alchemical appointed lecture hall lined by bookshelves. The
portal of power created by Pragamapathic
preparations and venesection to cleanse the
Thaumaturges is called a Foramen of
body of the impurities within which both Pneumatomorphic Transvolation.
magical and mundane causes of disease
could fester.
The wizardry school expanded slowly, but
eventually gained a foothold outside
Jrustela, and survived the fall of the Empire
and the drowning of Old Seshnela. After the
rise of the Rokari, it remained as the only
Seshnelan school of wizardry dedicated to
the medicinal arts, a useful supplement to
the orders of the healing saints. In recent
years, the school has made overtures to the
Rokari Church for a more official status, now
that some of the saintly orders are coming
under suspicion of heterodoxy. However, this
would require the school surrendering much
of its traditional independence from outside
control, something that Theoblanc has not
yet convinced them to accept.

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Kingdom of the Flamesword

School of Shining Steel Entry Requirements: Must be a member of the

wizard caste.
Drangbert was a smith of Dawn Age Abilities: Engrave Metal, Metallurgical Lore.
Seshnela who excelled in the art of making Virtues: Meticulous, Obdurate.
weapons and Armour. He became an adept, Grimoires:
training with the Barmalan School of
a The Abiding Book.
combat-wizards, from which the Iron Blood
School later evolved. His magic and piety
t The Perfect Sword (Augment Sword Against
[enemy type] ritual, Protect Sword ritual, Reforge
enhanced the power of his creations, and he Broken Blade, Sharpen Edge, Shatter Blade).
sought, with less success, to understand the u Secrets of Metal (Assay Metal, Chill Metal,
dwarven lore of metallurgy. At this time, the Eliminate Corrosion, Enchant Copper ritual,
elves began to encroach upon northern Enchant Iron ritual, Enchant Silver ritual, Heat
Seshnela, expanding their forests into Metal, Lighten Metal, Preserve Metal, Purify
Metal, Soften Metal).
present-day Noyelle and Deu. Drangbert
Festival Day: 22nd Aestival, the anniversary of the
joined with Church leaders in insisting that it
birth of Drangbert the Smith.
was the holy duty of the Malkioni to resist
Other Side: The Halls of Shining Steel are a collection
the elven advance. This lead to the Crusade of fortified smithies, each specializing in a
Against Wood, in which Seshnelan armies different metal. Portals of Power created by
crushed the elves and their human pagan adepts of the school are called Passages of Shining
allies. Steel.
The Church established a saintly order to
venerate Drangbert's name, which survived
into the Third Age. The order, however, was
closely associated with the Hrestoli, as it
venerated a commoner who had become a
wizard. The Rokari Church therefore
condemned the order during its rise to
power, and it no longer survives. The
grimoires of the order were, however, too
useful for the Church to simply order their
destruction. Instead, they erected a small
school to study the grimoires, and to
supplement the existing militant schools.
Unlike their counterparts in the Iron Blood
School, adepts of the School of Shining Steel
do not normally fight on the front lines. They
produce enchanted weapons and Armour for
use by others, and conduct research into the
secrets of metallurgy. The school remains a
small one, with a single chapter, located in
the County of Deu, and employs commoners
to perform the mundane tasks of forging
metal.

Page 62

Other Monastic Orders
In addition to the formal saintly orders and
the schools of wizardry, the Rokari Church
maintains two cloistered orders for non-
adepts. In many respects, they resemble the
saintly orders, but represent a permanent
religious vocation rather venerating a
specific saint.
The Sisters of Contemplation
Religious communities of women have
existed within Malkionism since the Dawn
Age. At first, they were relatively small, but
over time, some grew to become large
abbeys. Most such communities were
independent of each other, while still
acknowledging a connection to the Church
of the day, but a few grew large enough to
establish their own satellite priories. The
Rokari co-opted the various Seshnelan
nunneries into a single organisation, the
Sisters of Contemplation, with a common
Rule to guide them. However, the order has
no single leader, although the abbesses
occasionally meet in conclave to discuss
matters that affect them all. Theoblanc plans
to treat the Sisters in the same manner as the
saintly orders currently outside the Church.
Rokari nuns come from all the castes,
drawn from those who feel a special calling
to serve God and Church. After two years as
probationary novices, during which their
vocation is tested, they change their names
to symbolise their separation from their old
life. The primary function of nuns within the
Church is to pray for the Kingdom, and any
other special projects that the episcopate
requests. Nuns attend prayer services five
times a day; at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon,
sunset, and dusk. This constant supply of
devotional energy supplements that
provided by regular liturgists and benefits
the nation as a whole.
Each nunnery is lead by an abbess, with a
prioress serving as her deputy and as chief
liturgist. Many nuns never leave their
cloisters, enjoying a complete separation
from the outside world. When not at prayer,
or in silent contemplation of God, they make
vestments, talismans, and other necessary
Page 63
The Church
items for the Church at large. The abbess
may, however, permit those of proven
dedication and mental fortitude to perform
charitable deeds in secular society, and use
their abilities to help others.
Entry Requirements: Must be female, and have
completed a two-year probationary period.
Membership: Approximately 3,200 nuns across
Seshnela.
Abilities: Engraving, Pray for Hours, Read Abiding
Script, Sew Vestments, Write Abiding Script.
Virtues: Contemplative, Dedicated, Patient.
Scripture: The Nun's Psalter
a Common Blessings: Bless Church Leaders,
Bless the Kingdom, Reconsecrate Talismans,
Remain Pure, Work Together.
; Special Blessings: Bless Abbey, Bless Corpse,
Bless New Novice, Bless Vestments, Confirm New
Nun, Help Others Renew Faith, Relieve Suffering.
Z Curses: Curse Enemy of the Church.
Grimoire:
l The Mercy of God (spells: Banish Lust, Banish
Greed, Bring Hope, Bring Peace, Calm Tempers,
Ease Pain, Ease Sorrow, Example to Others, Induce
Justified Guilt, Promote Obedience, Resist Worldly
Temptation, Support Church Ritual).
High Holy Day: 7th Fervidor, the first Sabbath of the
summer is a day of special devotion for the nuns,
when they restate their commitment to their
vows, and accept new members into their ranks.
Other Side: The Node of the Merciful Contemplation
of God, on the saint plane, takes the form of a
nunnery constructed of pure white stone,
suffused with a soft light from the heavens, and
surrounded by quiet, well-tended gardens.
Disadvantages: Nuns are members of a monastic
community, and must dedicate at least 60% of
their time to its needs, and usually much more.
They take vows of chastity, obedience, and
poverty.
Kingdom of the Flamesword
The Student Body
The state known as Joy of the Heart is a
wicked illusion that induces the victim to
believe that he or she has attained personal
communion with God. Of course, the true
God, Makan, is too distant from mere
earthbound mortals to commune with them
directly until experience of Purgatory has
released them from their gross matter after
death. Instead, He disseminates His power to
the faithful through the medium of the true
Church. Those who experience Joy are lead
away from the true majesty of God, into an
empty illusion that offers no genuine reward
in the afterlife. It is possible to overcome a
single experience, but, unfortunately, the
illusion is an insidious one, and, once
exposed to it, the sufferer is at increasing risk
of a relapse. Eventually, the soul of the
victim becomes unable to experience Solace,
and is eternally damned.
To counter this threat, the Church has
created the Student Body. This monastic
institution insulates sufferers from the
outside world, and provides an environment
in which properly trained clergy can prevent
them from experiencing any further Joy in
their lives. It is a lifetime vocation, because
the sufferer is never fully free of risk. Of
course, those who refuse to join the Student
Body are, by definition, guilty of the Hrestoli
Heresy, and must be executed by burning at
the stake, if their souls are to stand any
chance of salvation.
Members of the Student Body spend their
time working for the Church, and devote
themselves to study of its theology and
prayers. They must take part in five religious
services a day, at dawn, noon, sunset, dusk,
and midnight. They live under a rule of
poverty that permits them few personal
possessions, and must dress in hair-shirts and
plain robes. Food is deliberately bland and
monotonous, and the monasteries have no
windows onto the outside world, lest the
beauty of nature prompt a relapse. Men and
women live in separate communities.
Page 64
Entry Requirements: Liturgists come from the regular
wizard clergy, and do not live under the strict
Rule of their charges. The Students themselves
must have experienced Joy of the Heart at least
once in their lives, but otherwise may come from
any caste, gender, or background.
Membership: Approximately 1,000 students, and
fifty liturgists.
Abilities:
Students: Diligent Study, Memorise Prayers, Pray
for Hours, Wake at Night.
Liturgists: Determine Proper Punishments, Guard
Students, Memorise Rules.
Virtues: Joyless.
Scripture: The Student Canon
a Common Blessings: Accept Monotonous Life,
Bless Monastery, Ignore Outside World, Prevent
Joy, Study God, Work Repetitively.
Z Curses: Curse Hrestoli.
High Holy Day: 28th Nex is the Night of Joyless
Obedience, when the Students are permitted no
sleep and must spend the entire night chanting to
ward away the dangers of Joy. The Church chose
this night because the following day marked the
first appearance of Joy in the world.
Other Side: Unlike most others, the Joyless Node on
the saint plane does not connect to any spell
nodes. It is a desert of grey sand and rock beneath
an ashen, sunless, sky.
Disadvantages: Students must remain permanently
cloistered inside their closed communities. They
have no grimoires, as the only benefit of joining
the order is to prevent their souls from
experiencing any further Joy.
 The Church

HILMDAY FRONDAY HARANDAY ORENDAY ULERDAY ACODAY SABBATH

SEMENTIS New Year Plough Josselyne Mardron
n Day F G l

VERNUS

Vonerin
b
Pentacles
a

FERVIDOR Gerlant Sisters

t l

Malkonmas Righteous
0 Renewal I
AESTIVAL

Tandavar Calligraphers
h Y
Ongaring
s
Shining
Steel u
MESSISTIDE Menena Rokar Read
x Right y
Dalan Paradoni
t b

Page 65
Kingdom of the Flamesword

HILMDAY FRONDAY HARANDAY ORENDAY ULERDAY ACODAY SABBATH

AEROR Defences
D

Nadir
q
Liberation Raceen
n M
FRIGIDOR

Orvar
C
Urestes
y

BRUMASTIDE Zemuron
a
Deelia
P
Iames
O
Osni
n
TURBIDOR

Pragmapaths
c
Elleish
k

NEX Iron Xemela

Blood t l

Mistandar
h
Hasterax Joyless
^ k
HOLIDAY Scriptmas
i
Rokar
a

Page 66

Church Leaders
Theoblanc the Pious
Position: Ecclesiarch of Rokarism,
Archbishop of Leplain
Magic: Rokari Liturgist, apex of the Rokari
chain of veneration
Theoblanc was born the younger son of a
minor noble family in 1471. The local vicar
identified him as a wizard at the virtually
unheard of age of six, and took him away to
the seminary. Once there, he excelled in his
studies, despite his tender age, and proved
remarkably adept at magic. By the age of
twenty, the entire Church knew of him as a
prodigy, and his inevitable rise through the
hierarchy began. He served briefly as a vicar
in Segurane, before becoming Dean of the
Cathedral Chapter at Leplain, perhaps the
most prestigious post below the episcopate.
At the age of thirty he became the youngest
bishop yet created in the Rokari Church, and
five years later became Archbishop of
Tanisor. He has not visibly aged a year since
that date.
Throughout this time, he argued for
Church reform, stressing their common
purpose, and the need to unite to fight their
opponents. He strengthened the Inquisition
in his archdiocese, holding the clergy to
stricter standards of behaviour than his
predecessors. He began compiling the series
of bulls and epistles later known as The
Theoblanc Papers, which clearly laid out his
vision for Rokar's Church. Those wizards
unable to accept his reforms were demoted
or quietly retired. When, after twelve years,
the sitting Ecclesiarch died of old age, the
Church elected him as replacement
unopposed.
His position now secure, Theoblanc was
able to extend his reforms throughout the
Church. Many other archbishops had already
taken them up, but even so, it was many
years before the task was complete. Yet
Theoblanc knows that his task is still not
complete. Many people squander their
veneration on different saints, diverting
them from the true path laid down by Rokar.
It is essential the Church place those saintly
Page 67
The Church
orders whose beliefs are most compatible
with Rokarism under their direct control, as
has already happened for Gerlant and Iames.
They must expunge all the others, or change
them to conform to the principles of true
morality. Wizardry schools are no exception;
their grimoires may be useful, but if their
morals are suspect, they have no place in the
modern world.
It has taken many decades for Theoblanc
to reach a position where he is ready to take
these drastic steps. But prophecies now tell
that a period of great magical change is
coming, and if the Church takes advantage
of it, it can only be victorious. Once all of
Rokarism is under his personal control,
Theoblanc knows that it will become
unstoppable, and blow away the heretics in
Ralios and Wenelia like chaff in the wind.
With the power the Church garners from the
new worshippers, it can take on and defeat
even the greatest of heretical sects, such as
the Idealists of Loskalm.
The whole of the West will be united
under one King, one God, and one Church.
Makan's glory will reinstitute the perfect
time of the Third Action, wiping away the
pagans and their false gods, so that
Malkionism reigns supreme over the whole
of Glorantha.
Valcorin the White
Position: Grand Inquisitor
Magic: Rokari Church; Adept of the Holy
Inquisition
The current Grand Inquisitor rose through
the ranks until Theoblanc awarded him with
this most trusted of positions. He is a small,
rather scholarly-looking man, whose mild
and polite manner belies the number of
people he has sent to the stake. He wears
simple, white robes, disdaining the fripperies
that could come from such an exalted office.
His piety is as impeccable as his conviction in
the righteousness of his cause is unshakable.
He is truly saddened by the number of
people that his Inquisition have had to
Question or execute, but he never doubts for
Kingdom of the Flamesword
a moment that this is the only course of
action they can take, in the face of the
terrible heresies and dangers that beset
them.
Formally, Valcorin's rank in the
ecclesiastical hierarchy is roughly equivalent
to a bishop. Certainly, he is the equal of the
Chancellors of the other three sacred orders.
In practice, of course, the Inquisition is so
powerful that is influence is second only to
Theoblanc himself. He works closely with the
Ecclesiarch, and has, so far, supported him in
all of his actions, for the two men think very
much alike. Through his High Inquisitors,
Valcorin gathers intelligence on Church
activities throughout the land, the better to
ensure that it acts with unanimity of
purpose.
Lord Reimmel Steinbor
Position: Marshall General of the
Household of Great Flame
Magic: Rokari Church; Adept of Saint
Gerlant
Lord Reimmel is a large man, still with
much of the martial prowess of his youth.
Theoblanc appointed him because of his
proven tactical ability and personal loyalty. In
particular, he led raids and fought skirmishes
against the Stygians of Ralios, whom he
detests as vile sinners. Although he has
proven very capable at coordinating the
military actions of his order, his skill for
peacetime administration is less effective.
Fortunately, this is a weakness that he
recognises, and has successfully delegated to
his subordinates. He administers his own
personal household of knights in Leplain,
where some of the greatest bearers of the
flamesword reside.
Lord Reimmel has never publicly disagreed
with his Ecclesiarch. Privately, he yearns for
the chance to test his knights in battle
against heretical foes, and would like to see
a crusade against Ralios. But he
acknowledges that Theoblanc is far wiser
than he is, and must be planning the crusade
for a time when it will be most effective. He
would like to see the other militant orders,
such as Dalan and Josselyne, brought closer
Page 68
into the fold of the Church, as he believes
this will greatly enhance the nation's
strength. Most of the other saintly orders, he
has little time for, and he is unconcerned as
to their eventual fate.
Sir Halbaran
Position: Grand Master of the Household
of White Light
Magic: Rokari Church; Adept and Liturgist
of Saint Iames
Sir Halbaran heads the Order of Saint
Iames as both military and liturgical leader.
He is middle-aged, and still straight of
bearing, and sound in body and mind. He is a
man of great personal piety, unflinching in
the service of his Order and his Church. He
oversees all the important activities within
the Order himself, and stays permanently
busy as a result. Although his order is far
smaller than the more popular Order of Saint
Gerlant, he regards himself as fully Lord
Reimmel's equal, and stresses the importance
of the adepts of Iames at every opportunity.
The rivalry has so far remained a friendly
one, with both Orders acknowledging the
other's importance to the nation, even if
they disagree about their relative merits.
Like his counterpart, Sir Halbaran is
unfailingly loyal to Theoblanc. The unity of
the Church is paramount to him, and he
would like to see all the saintly orders
brought under its auspices. Wizardry schools
without obvious military or administrative
importance, such as the Pragmapaths or the
adepts of Urestes, he regards as rather a
waste of time and resources. If he had his
way, he would direct their adepts into more
useful pursuits within the other schools.

Chancellor Krenz
Position: Chancellor of the Iron Blood
School
Magic: Rokari Church; Adept of the Iron
Blood School
A tall, completely bald man, Chancellor
Krenz heads the largest school of wizardry in
Seshnela. He is over a hundred years old, but
has not visibly aged since his sixties.
Theoblanc appointed him Chancellor in 1582,
and his grip on the school has been absolute
since then. He is rigid in his views, and will
not tolerate any deviation from his school's
rules or ideals. Most adepts within the school
fear him, and are relieved that he rarely
leaves his personal chapterhouse near
Segurane, except to attend meetings with
Theoblanc and other Church leaders. The
chapterhouse is a small one, lacks students,
and is largely devoted to administration and
the coordination of especially powerful or
significant magical rituals.
As in all things, Chancellor Krenz is
unbending in his interpretation of his
school's duty to support the army defend the
realm. He dedicates all his endeavours to
that end, and he is only interested in other
wizardry schools insofar as they help or
hinder his goal of protecting Seshnela. His
personal involvement in politics is minimal,
and many see him simply as an extension of
Theoblanc's will.
Lady Helgern Anstrasse
Position: Seshnelan Prelate of the Order of
Saint Xemela
Magic: Rokari Church; Adept and Liturgist
of Saint Xemela
The Ministress Prime of the Xemelan
hospital at Arnlor is a kind, elderly woman of
noble birth. The hospital is a vast institution
employing around a third of all the
Xemelans in the country. Because of this pre-
eminence in the field of healing, all the
other hospitals around the country look to
Arnlor for leadership, and its head
automatically holds the additional title of
Prelate. The position is largely an honourary
one, as she has no authority over other
Page 69
The Church
hospitals, but when the Order must act as
one, the Prelate chairs the conclaves, and
usually receives a mandate to act on her
fellows' behalf.
Lady Helgern is a good and virtuous
woman, but her knowledge of politics ends
at the hospital walls. She is devoted to her
charges, and cannot understand why anyone
else might think differently. She believes
that, even if Theoblanc were to ban the
other saintly orders, or to force them under
Church control, her own would be exempt,
because it is simply too useful to tamper
with. She dismisses all concerns to the
contrary, persisting in her belief that the
Ecclesiarch must be a friend to her Order,
because what holy man could not be? She
mostly ignores envoys from other Orders, or
dictates of the Church that she finds
inconvenient, preferring to concentrate on
her duties within the hospital.
Genois the Gifted
Position: Captain-General of the Russet
Cross
Magic: Rokari Church; Adept of Bardan's
Book
The Russet Cross is a mercenary company
of warrior-mages based in the city of
Drenwal in eastern Rindland. The leader of
the company is Genois the Gifted, a man
with particular skill for hiring out his men,
and managing their resources. As a young
adept, he fought alongside the other
members of his company, but his financial
acumen soon came to the fore, allowing him
to serve first as a quartermaster, then as a
broker between the order and its patrons. He
rose through the ranks due to his political
and administrative skill, not his magical
power, and eventually achieved election to
the post of Captain-General.
He no longer looks the part of a warrior, as
he did in his youth, but as he must deal
primarily with nobles, not knights, this is
rarely a problem. He is overweight, and
prefers fine russet robes and jewellery to
military wear. His pampered appearance
belies a keen mind, however, and he has
proven a surprisingly effective leader of the
Russet Cross. Theoblanc covets the grimoires
Kingdom of the Flamesword
of his company, but sees no value in its ideals
and principles. Genois fears, quite rightly,
that the Ecclesiarch will seek to have the
Russet Cross disbanded, and is busy
politicking to make them too indispensable
for this to happen.
Trenstimus
Position: Prime Scholar of Saint Urestes
Magic: Rokari Church; Adept of Urestes
Academy
Trenstimus has held the position of Prime
Scholar of Saint Urestes for almost three
decades. A compromise candidate at the
time, many hoped that he would not last
long in office, but he has stubbornly refused
to die or retire. His work on the study of
Page 70
geological formations of the Tanier Valley is
unsurpassed, but is, perhaps, not wholly
relevant to the task of administering one of
the largest independent schools of wizardry
in Seshnela. He is an elderly man, and
becoming rather frail, and his mind is longer
as keen as it once was. For the last twelve
years, he has provided only weak leadership
for the school, delegating some matters to
his subordinates, and ignoring many others.
He appreciates that Theoblanc may pose
some risk, as the Ecclesiarch hopes to merge
his school with the mainstream Rokari
Church, but prefers to busy himself with his
studies rather than worry about the matter
too much.
 Gazetteer

Gazetteer of Seshnela
The modern Kingdom of Seshnela occupies the land around the Lower Tanier River
and some of its major tributaries. Much of the region consists of plains, with a few
low-lying hills and areas of moorland. Its cities are small compared with those of other
Western nations, such as Loskalm and Safelster, and a high proportion of the
population lives in the countryside, tending the many manorial farms, and the areas
of royal forest. Seshnela consists of two duchies, four counties, and three additional
areas under the control of local barons. We describe each of these regions in detail
below.

Climate Flora & Fauna

Seshnela has a pleasantly warm climate,
without great extremes of temperature or
precipitation. The Iron Mountains and the
Castle Coast peninsula provide barriers
against the worst of the storms and icy winds
blowing off the Neliomi Sea. The weather is
mild during Sea Season, with frequent rains
watering the croplands. During Fire Season,
the prevailing winds move from the west to
the south, bringing warm weather and
scattered showers interspersed with long,
sunny days. The weather is driest in Earth
and Dark Seasons, when much of the wind
blows from the north, unloading its snow
over the Nidan Mountains long before
reaching Seshnela. Although the nights are
cold in Dark Season, there is frost for only a
few days each year, and some years pass
without any snow falling at all. In Storm
Season, strong winds head in from the west,
bringing cold rain, while melt-water from
the mountains floods the Deu and Nidan
Rivers, sometimes causing local problems.
Before the first Malkioni arrived, forests
covered much of present-day Seshnela. Now
they survive in more restricted areas,
between the many manorial farms and the
small towns and cities. The forests are
primarily deciduous, dominated by beech,
ash, and royal oak, intermixed with
evergreens, especially at higher altitudes.
Commoners are able to hunt rabbits and
hares for food, and stoats, polecats, and
martens for their fur. Knights and nobles,
naturally, hunt larger game, including wild
boar, and red, roe, and fallow deer. Falconry
is also popular amongst the upper castes,
with merlins, kestrels, sparrowhawks, and
red-tail falcons all being native to the region.
Eagles are rarer, but the richest of nobles
import them from Fornoar and Ralios.
Badgers, foxes, and the occasional wildcat
threaten the farmyards of the peasantry,
while rubble runners infest the ancient ruins
of the land. Larger predators include wolves
and griffins, while brown bears, hippogriffs,
and unicorns are rare outside the wilder
forests.

Page 71
Kingdom of the Flamesword

The Royal Roads

The Serpent Kings built the first Royal Roads in the second century. They perceived the
system as a means to move armies rapidly into the field, making it easier to fight the
Pendali, and keep them apprised of events in their rapidly expanding realm. The Roads
also proved useful for trade, and helped to keep the Kingdom unified. Over the centuries,
they waxed and waned in power, and some Kings and Emperors extended them, while
others let them decline. With the fall of Old Seshnela, however, they failed utterly, and
became no more than a memory.
Bailifes the Hammer regarded the re-establishment of the Royal Road network as a high
priority. He recognised its importance to trade and its assistance in moving armies about
the country, but more than that, he saw the Roads as a symbol of royal power, an
indication that good times had returned. The new Roads he built did not always follow
the lines of their older, imperial forebears, acknowledging the changes in Seshnela since
the start of the Interregnum. The Road system reached its greatest extent under Ulianus
III, but has declined since, as various outlying territories have left the Kingdom.
The Royal Roads connect all the main cities of Seshnela, and are marked on the maps in
this book. All of the roads are paved for their entire length, and local peasants keep them
repaired as part of their feudal duty to their masters. There are also regular patrols of
knights along the roads, but their real advantage is magical, not mundane. Every mile
along the road stands a pair of stones, one on either side, and each containing a powerful
magical essence. The essences help protect the roads from attacks by bandits or others
wishing to harm travellers, and also ease travel, making movement along the system both
unusually quick and remarkably safe. In fact, in recent years, there have been no reports
of bandits even attempting to attack those travelling along the Royal Roads.
The power of the Roads is inextricably linked to that of the King. Once a year, he must
perform a powerful ritual to keep the Roads functioning, a ritual that weak and
ineffectual Kings find difficult. Sheriffs, or other appointed officials, must then walk the
entire length of the roads through their territory, passing on the royal blessings, and
ensuring that the magic reaches every milestone. This latter necessity, of course, makes it
impossible for Roads in secessionist states, such as Nolos, to maintain their power.
Royal Road Guardians
Functions:
I Awareness - Alert Road Patrols
; Blessing - Travel with Ease
D Defence - Keep the Peace

Page 72

The County of Deu
County Seat: Bornestof
Ruler (1620): King Guilmarn, Count of Deu
Area: 13,000 sq. miles
Population: 100,000
Formerly part of the Duchy of Rindland,
the region around the valley of the Deu River
broke away as an independent county during
the interregnum. Borders shifted down the
years, but the county remained intact until
the time of Bailifes. A supporter of the old
Hrestoli ways, the Count of Deu joined the
alliance against Bailifes as the Rokari Church
began to grow in power. He died at the
Second Battle of Asgolan Fields, and the
surviving members of his family fled to the
coasts of Old Seshnela, where they still
remain. Bailifes seized control of the county,
and added the title to his own. Since then,
every King of Seshnela has simultaneously
been Count of Deu.
Page 73
Gazetteer
Compared with the rest of Seshnela, Deu is
sparsely settled, with the population
clustered around the river valley. Much of
the county is upland, rising steadily towards
the foothills of the Iron Mountains. Away
from the river, the land consists of high
plains dotted with scrubby trees and low
quality farmland, and the occasional range
of higher, moorland, hills.
Deu is justly proud of its reputation as the
'Anvil of Rindland'. Nowhere in human lands
are there more iron forges than in the
county, and weapons and armour pour out
to support the knights and soldiers
throughout the kingdom. Without the trade
that the high standard of Deu's metalwork
brings, the modest agriculture of the uplands
Kingdom of the Flamesword
and narrow valleys could not support its
cities, and times can be hard in winter, when
snow covers the hills and trade is limited.
There is no one person solely responsible
for administration in Deu. There is a county
court, consisting of nobles appointed by the
King, but no other central organisation.
Instead, the county is divided into three
shires, governing the eastern, southern, and
northern regions, and the sheriffs represent
the King's justice. There are five barons in
Deu, with a sixth barony, that of Bornestof,
being vacant and held by the Crown.
City Ratings
Each settlement is described with a
size, type, and rating. The rating
describes the level of facilities and
prosperity that the settlement has
relative to others of its type and size.
Narrators may use this rating as a
guideline for the Resistance to certain
tasks at their discretion.
A rating of +0 indicates that the
settlement is exactly typical for its kind
and size. Because the ratings are relative,
a Large City +0 is significantly “better”
than a Medium City +0, since the larger
population would naturally be expected
to attract more specialist trades and
outside commerce. In general, ratings
range from -10 to +10; settlements
outside of this range tend to either
expand to the next higher size category
as immigrants take advantage of their
prosperity, or decline to the next lower
size as trade and commerce fall off.
Bornestof
Type: Medium City +0
Significant Abilities: Forges
Security and Defences: Complex stone
walls, large fortress with moat, watch towers
Temples and Shrines: Medium Rokari
cathedral, Headquarters of the Order of
Shining Steel
Ruler: Royal Seneschal
Suzerain: Count of Deu (King of Seshnela)
The ancient seat of the Counts of Deu is a
heavily fortified city. The heavy stone walls
Page 74
are dotted with numerous towers, and the
gates of the city have impressive gatehouses.
Only the docks stand outside the
fortifications, and towers whose archers can
deny access to the river overlook those.
Within the walls, the city is crowded, with a
maze of narrow streets. A large market
stands near the centre of the city, close by
the cathedral. A significant section is set
aside specifically for trading in metal, for this
is the city where merchants travelling from
Laurmal unload their goods to those who
travel the safer routes of the Royal Roads.
Foundries and smithies of all kinds
dominate the heart of the city. Blacksmiths
and armourers naturally predominate, for
iron is cheaper here than in almost any other
city in the human world. Of course, the
merchants sell much of the iron on, to smiths
elsewhere in the kingdom, and beyond. But
the smiths here have a reputation as the
nation's best, and work hard to maintain it.
The sound of ringing hammers can be heard
throughout the day from almost anywhere in
the central parts of the city. There are
redsmiths, silversmiths, and the like too, and
their skill is scarcely lower, although not so
widely famed.
The Order of Shining Steel has its only
chapter located in the city. The cathedral was
once dedicated to Saint Drangbert, the
Order's founder, who lived here. The Iron
Blood School is jealous of the Order's
prominence in the city, and has its own,
much smaller, chapter here which constantly
strives against their fellow adepts. Because
the Shining Steel adepts have little support
from elsewhere, the contest is less uneven
than local numbers along would suggest,
and the rivalry has occasionally burst into
violence.
Traditionally, the Baron of Bornestof was
the eldest son and heir of the Count of Deu,
but the King himself now holds the two
positions jointly. The King appoints a
seneschal to govern the town and barony on
his behalf. He does not often visit the castle
here, finding the city unpleasant, which gives
the seneschal a considerable degree of
latitude in his rule.

Uniquely, the city has a small community of
apostate dwarves, ignored and rejected by
their kindred in the Iron Mountains. They
number only a couple of dozen at the most,
but they make their presence felt by assisting
human smiths and artisans in their work,
contributing to the city's reputation for
craftsmanship. They live in specially
constructed subterranean halls beneath the
city, away from the prying eyes of humans.
Rejected by their own soulless religion, and
incapable (as non-humans) of receiving
salvation, the local Rokari Church ignores
them as irrelevant.
River Deu
The River Deu rises in the Iron Mountains
and flows through a steep valley into the
county of the same name. It winds its way
past towns and countryside to Rindland,
where it eventually joins the Nidan River
shortly before the latter flows into the Tanier
at Segurane. The river is narrow and fast-
flowing for much of its length, and presents
a considerable barrier to travel. By far the
largest bridge across the river is at
Donsbruck, but it is not alone. As a result,
the large riverboats that ply the Tanier
cannot venture more than a few miles
upstream from Segurane, and rarely travel
even that far. Low-lying barges can navigate
the river, however, and are widely used to
transport iron and other goods from
Rannenburg to Bornsetof and beyond.
The towns and cities along the Deu bristle
with water wheels, taking advantage of the
river's rapid flow to power mills not just for
grinding flour, but for operating heavy
machinery in the larger metal foundries.
Some of these mills are enchanted, using
magical essences to improve their
mechanisms, and further increase their
output. Such designs are crude by dwarven
standards, but appear impressive to most
foreign visitors.
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Gazetteer
Donsbruck
Type: Small City +5
Significant Abilities: Forges, Stone Bridge
Security and Defences: Stone walls, small
fortress
Temples and Shrines: Small Rokari
cathedral
Ruler: Baron Stoffern
Suzerain: Count of Deu (King of Seshnela)
The city of Donsbruck stands on a wide
stretch of the River Deu, and features that
river's largest bridge. The bridge is a
magnificent stone structure, with protective
essences bound into the piers. Merchants and
other travellers regularly cross the bridge,
despite the toll, for the Royal Road from
Noyelle to Rindland crosses the river here.
This makes the city a trading centre, where
many travellers chose to stop on their
journey. The Royal Road to Bornestof also
starts here, and the city sports a market for
metalwork far out of proportion to its size.
Most goods sold here are from elsewhere,
although, like other cities in Deu, Donsbruck
has its fair share of forges and foundries.
Baron Stoffern is elderly, but surprisingly
fit, and prefers finance to warfare. He has
accumulated a significant personal fortune,
although no one has ever proved any of the
allegations of graft that circle about him. In
fact, his lifestyle is not particularly
ostentatious, by the standards of Seshnegi
lords, for he is a miser that spends little on
himself, and little on the city and barony he
rules. The bridge wardens are a powerful
lobby, and among the few that are sure to
receive any payments they request. This is
partly due to the bridge's importance to the
city's economy, but also due to the wardens'
own honesty and integrity and the assurance
that they genuinely need any money that
they request. The baron's eldest son died in
1615, leaving a seventeen year old boy as the
heir to the barony. He has so far failed to
come out from his grandfather's shadow,
and it is unclear as to what direction he
would take the city when he eventually takes
over.
Kingdom of the Flamesword

Heroes: Sir Antelmund The Herg Sill

Delmois During the God Time, giants raised open
the land here to open a great crack, and
Position: Knight-Marshall
threw the black dragon Herg within. They
Magic: Rokari Church; Adept and
lowered the land again, and crushed the
Liturgist of Saint Iames
dragon beneath the weight of rock. Fire
Originally knighted by the Baron of
Daimones from the depths rushed through
Donsbruck, Sir Antelmund's religious
the crack, and sealed it with a great slab of
zeal led to him joining the Order of
lava rock. Now the Sill stands as a cliff, many
Shining Light. He rose through the ranks
miles in length, separating the raised land to
to command his own household, based
the north from the lower terrain to the
in the County of Deu. He has forged his
south. The Sill is over a hundred feet high in
household into an especially skilled hero
places, and consists of sheer, igneous rock.
band, earning the respect of his peers in
The fire daimones brought metal with them,
the Order. He fought the Thunderous
from the deepest parts of the earth, and
Wolf on the Hero Plane, and took its
these veins remain within the slab of rock
powers. His band sings of the glory of
that plunges beneath the Sill, miles into the
God before entering battle, and
ground. Where the rock is softest, humans
summons thunderclaps and crushing
have opened mines along the face of the Sill,
blows to disorient and destroy their foes.
although they have barely scratched the
The healers of his household burn away
surface of its tremendous bulk. In other
disease magics and seal wounds shut
places, the rock is too hard to extract the
with their hands.
metal, or the veins are too poor to be worth
Sir Antelmund is a strong supporter of
exploiting, and the dark, rocky cliff face
the Church, and places his loyalty to God
remains pristine, save for a few clumps of
even above his loyalty to the Crown. He
grass clinging to cracks in its surface.
is eager to destroy all those that stand in
And somewhere, deep beneath, the
the way of Rokari hegemony over the
crushed bones of the ancient dragon remain,
West, and despises the weakness of the
imbued with a power beyond the
Ship of Life Church as much as the
understanding of most wizards. They are still
perfidy and confusion of the Safelstran
potent, still malevolent, and still dangerous
wizard-cults. He stands at the forefront
to any mortal who might uncover them...
of the Church's battle against its foes,
leading a life of exemplary obedience
and personal purity.

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 Gazetteer

Knockers
Mining is a dangerous business for people across Glorantha. There are constant risks of
cave-ins, floods, and other natural disasters. The environment itself is often cramped,
unpleasant, and difficult to reach, and the work is exhausting. Light and fresh air are in
short supply, the latter brought in only by magic. And then there are the things that live
down the mines.
Unless a human mine has the misfortune to break through into a cavern system or
working of some other race, trolls, dwarves, and the like are unlikely to be encountered
by miners. But beings of the otherworld are a different matter. One of the most common
is the knocker, known by various different names across Glorantha.
Knockers are incorporeal beings, able to pass through solid rock without difficulty. Yet
they are also capable of becoming solid, creating a body for themselves from the gross
matter around them. In this form they resemble skinny humanoids with gangling limbs
and wide, slit-like mouths. They seem to lack eyes, having no need of light in their
subterranean realm. They stand from two to three feet tall, and have no difficulty
negotiating even the most tortuous tunnels and cracks, even in their solid form.
Miners who know the proper rituals must appease the knockers regularly to avoid
coming to harm. The exact form of the rituals varies from place to place across Glorantha,
perhaps on the whim of the knockers themselves, but all experienced miners know at
least one. Unfortunately, even minor transgressions can upset the creatures, which can
sabotage mines and cause endless trouble for those trapped beneath ground. They rarely
attack physically, doing so only as an absolute last resort, but they know spells for causing
harm at a distance, which is all that really matters.
When knockers have been appeased, and nothing has upset their mercurial tempers,
they can actually be quite helpful to miners. For instance, they have magic that can help
to shore up rock, although they will never work alongside humans. Most famously, they
'knock' on the walls of mines when a disaster is imminent, giving the miners who hear
them a chance to escape to safety.
cheap taverns catering to the local residents.
Holten The town is dirty and unpleasant, and has
Type: Town -10 few of the civilised amenities or services one
Security and Defences: Wooden palisade, would normally expect in a settlement of its
watch towers size.
Temples and Shrines: Medium Rokari The population consists almost entirely of
church miners and guardsmen. The miners are a
Ruler: Royal Warden rough and ready bunch, prone to fights and
Suzerain: Count of Deu (King of Seshnela) drinking, and many of them are former
Holten lies up against part of the western farmers on the run from their feudal
stretch of the Herg Sill. The area is desolate, overlords. The authorities ignore such
and only minimally suitable for agriculture. escapees here, perhaps because they have
The town exists for one reason only; the merely exchanged one form of back-
large deposits of silver under this part of the breaking servitude for another even worse.
Sill. The Counts of Deu were the first to Besides, they need such men to work the
establish a mine here, during the interregnal mines and extract the silver to enrich the
years of the early Third Age. The settlement royal coffers and supply the realm with new
grew from a mining camp to a rough-and- coins.
ready town. Visitors are rare, and the A wooden palisade surrounds the town on
authorities discourage them. There are no three sides, sufficient to deter bandits and
inns here, although there are numerous would-be thieves, although it would not
hold off a professional army for long. The

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Kingdom of the Flamesword
north side of the town is the Herg Sill itself,
rising over the settlement and presenting an
even more formidable barrier to would-be
intruders. The single church is of moderate
size, but is run-down and rarely visited by the
inhabitants. There are no nobles
permanently resident here, and the town is
effectively under military rule. When nobles
from the royal treasury do visit, they receive
accommodation at one of the few pleasant
buildings in the town, a secure stone-built
place specifically for their use.
The mines themselves are extensive, with
various mine supervisors have enlarged them
repeatedly down the centuries. They are
cramped, hot and dusty, and dangerous in
parts. The silver is present as veins of metal
nuggets in the rock, not as an ore.
Rannenburg
Type: Small City +0
Significant Abilities: Forges, Merchant Inns
Security and Defences: Stone walls,
medium hilltop fortress, watch towers
Temples and Shrines: Large Rokari church,
large chapter of the Iron Blood School
Ruler: Baron Vauner
Suzerain: Count of Deu (King of Seshnela)
The River Deu flows into Seshnela through
a steep-sided gorge that runs for several
miles. The small city of Rannenburg stands
near the upper end of the gorge, and marks
the border of the Kingdom. A fortress has
stood here since ancient times, although
most of the current structure dates back only
two hundred years. The castle and its
surrounding watch towers stand at the top
of a steep slope, with a spectacular view of
the river and surrounding countryside. A
number of residences dot the slope itself,
with narrow winding streets posing a
considerable obstacle to any potential
invaders. Most of the city, however, lies
along the river bank, where a wide, relatively
flat area of ground has proved ideal for
building. Here are the major commercial
centres of the city, and its numerous metal
foundries.
Although Rannenburg does not stand on a
Royal Road, its location makes it ideal for
Page 78
merchants who wish to reach the Royal Road
at Bornestof, loading their goods onto
barges for the first part of the journey. As a
result, most of the iron trade with the
dwarves at Laurmal passes through the city,
rather than taking the shorter route through
Bormandy into Noyelle. That Bornestof offers
one of the largest markets for iron in the
kingdom is also a contributory factor. Many
large and luxurious inns provide for the
needs of the merchants who travel through
the city, heading out into the wild, if
relatively safe, foothills of the Iron
Mountains.
The Iron Blood School has a significant
chapter here, located on the hilltop near the
castle. The adepts are always keen to acquire
the iron that passes through the city, and are
determined to take as much of the best
material as they can before it reaches of the
Order of Shining Steel in Bornestof. The
School prizes its ability to dominate the local
religious scene, forcing the vicar into a
relatively subordinate role.
Baron Vauner is a competent ruler, and
was a skilled knight in his youth. He has a
keen interest in the study of fortifications
and the methods of siege warfare, and has
ensured that his own castle and city are well-
defended. He works well with the Iron Blood
School, whose senior members receive
frequent invitations to the castle, and are
always included in his counsels.
The Sheep-horn Hills
This range of hills crosses the southern
reaches of Deu from the foothills of the Iron
Mountains. The region is rugged and
relatively dry, dotted with trees and open
pasture. Sheep graze among the hills, tended
by peasant shepherds with meagre croplands
in the lower valleys. The hills are also rich in
copper and native bronze, and there are
numerous mines scattered across the
uplands. To the local landholders, these
metals are more valuable than the wool the
shepherds produce, and knights fortunate
enough to have a good mine on their land
can become quite wealthy.

Central authority is weak here, and knights
do not often venture far from the safety of
their manors, save to protect their own
investments. A few paths cross the highlands,
but transport is difficult in most places. As a
result, parts of the hills have become havens
for bandits and other outlaws, perhaps
escaping from the restrictions of Rokari
society, or simply out for their own gain. The
bandits become more active in winter, as
their own ability to forage is restricted, but
no time of the year is entirely safe. So long as
the copper and bronze still reaches the
lowlands, the sheriff and local barons care
little for what happens up here, and leave
the local knights to their own devices.
The Singing Caverns
Near the eastern edge of the Sheep-horn
Hills stands a great opening in the ground,
the entrance to a vast and complex series of
caverns that worm their way beneath the
moors. At the cave mouth, essences of air
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Gazetteer
battle with those of earth, the sounds of
their conflict creating a singing sound that,
on a clear day, people can hear from a mile
or more away. Sometimes the air essences do
well in their battle, plunging into the caverns
and disturbing the depths, but more often,
after penetrating a hundred feet or so, an
explorer finds the atmosphere becoming
fetid, damp, and warm.
Deep within are caves studded with
magical crystals, but the earth essences
protect them well, making any attempt at
organised mining impossible. Rock
elementals, knockers, and creatures from the
deep can appear as if from nowhere, driving
out intruders. Water fills the deepest caverns,
and there are even waterfalls far below the
ground, where subterranean streams empty
into sunless lakes. Elsewhere are forests of
mushrooms, fed by organic detritus that
somehow makes its way down from above.
Unbeknownst to many, a clan of voralans
dwells here, tending the fungus.
Kingdom of the Flamesword
The County of Estaurenic
County Seat: Estau
Ruler (1620): Count Girand of Estaurenic
Area: 10,000 sq. miles
Population: 250,000
During the days of the Middle Sea Empire,
Estaurenic was a wealthy realm, forming the
southern lands of the Duchy of Tanisor.
Scholasticism prospered here, fostered by the
God Learner university at Estau. When Old
Seshnela fell, there were riots and peasant
uprisings across the region, aimed at
destroying the careless wizards who brought
this doom upon them. Many feared that
Estaurenic would follow the western duchies
into the sea, and that only by expunging
every trace of the God Learners could they
avert that fate. While the land certainly did
not sink, it remained in turmoil and anarchy
for years afterward, until re-united by the
ancestors of the present Count.
The Count and his people converted to the
new Rokari way before Bailifes began his
campaigns of conquest. They looked back to
the old times, when Estaurenic had been a
rich land, safe from its enemies, and believed
that Rokarism could help them regain what
they had lost. When Bailifes invaded Tanisor,
the Count enthusiastically joined his armies,
and fought against the Hrestoli at the
Second Battle of Asgolan Fields. After the
victory, he swore fealty to the King, who
rewarded him with the territory around
Danvoutiers, which had previously been
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independent. His descendants have ruled the
County ever since.
The wide valley of the Tanier River
dominates the eastern parts of the county.
The population is densest here, crowded
around the rich, well-watered lands. Three
cities and numerous towns and villages dot
the broad, low banks. To the west, the land
gently slopes up to form a broad plain
dominated by fields and agricultural villages.
Only a few royal forests remain as preserves
for hunting, and even the low-lying hills
along the borders are well-patrolled by
knights, keeping the land safe for the
common people. In the west, the land drops
precipitously into the sea, with jagged cliffs
preventing safe landings anywhere along the
short coast. There are no harbours along the
Estaurenic shoreline, and the coast is one of
the few parts of the county without a high
population.
Since ancient times, much of the county's
wealth has come from agriculture. In the
valley regions, wheat grows better than in
most other parts of Seshnela, giving a wider
variety to the peasants' diet than elsewhere.
Fields of rye, the staple crop for most
Seshnegi, cover much of the plains, and form
the source of much of the county's wealth.

Estaurenic, however, is more famous for its
wizards. The surplus of available grain makes
it easier for monastic communities of wizards
to thrive on the labour of the peasantry, and
the county has a well-deserved reputation
for scholarship, stretching back to at least
the Imperial Age. Many wizards come here
to study, making it second only to Leplain
itself as a centre for magical learning.
The Count of Estaurenic heads the nobility
here. The seven barons all owe fealty to the
Count, rather than directly to the King, as in
most other parts of Seshnela. This means that
the Count can muster his own army from the
feudal levy, and has some freedom in the
setting of taxes and other privileges. He
administers the county court directly, assisted
by the barons. Estaurenic contains three
shires, covering the western, central, and
eastern parts of the region.
Count Enil Girand
Position: Count of Estaurenic
Magic: Rokari Church
The Count of Estaurenic is arguably the
second most powerful noble in the Kingdom,
after the king himself. His ancestors have
always remained scrupulously loyal to the
Crown, and have retained their territory in
an unbroken line. The current Count is a very
pious man, who donates considerable monies
to the Church. He is a firm believer in the
Rokari virtue of obedience, and despises the
rulers of Nolos as rebels and oath-breakers.
He is an admirer of Theoblanc, and a staunch
supporter of the Inquisition, being keen to
remove any trace of heresy from his lands.
No sensible noble will openly oppose the
Inquisition, but Count Girand is one of the
few that will actively support them in their
duties. He forbids any of his relatives to
follow saints such as Mistandar or Tandavar
until and unless those Orders come fully
under Church control, and discourages all
other unapproved saintly orders within the
County save those of Gerlant, Iames, and
Xemela. If Theoblanc ever decides to ban
those such Orders altogether, the Count of
Estaurenic will be one of his most
enthusiastic supporters.
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Gazetteer
The Count lives in accordance with the
dictates of his religion, a visibly pious and
virtuous man. Guests at his castle find it
austere, and his feasts are bland and
unexceptional. Only at the annual Estau
tournament of chivalry (see below) does he
make any effort at extravagance,
demonstrating the success that comes from a
virtuous lifestyle and correctly following the
moral guidance of the Rokari faith.
The Very Reverend Severik
Position: Archbishop of Estau
Magic: Rokari Liturgist
The Archbishop of Estau is a thin, ascetic
man, devoted to the study of theology. A
close friend of Count Girand, he has
cultivated court contacts as a means to make
the Church's task easier. He also works
closely with the Order of Rokar Read Right,
believing that the ultimate success of the
Church lies in understanding the world as
much as possible, and in devising methods to
deal with recalcitrant foreigners. He supports
the coming conflict with Nolos, seeing it as a
chance to deliver a mortal blow to the Ship
of Life Church as much as a chance to punish
those who have rebelled against the rightful
authority of the King.
Danvoutiers
Type: Small City -2
Significant Abilities: Suspicious Locals
Security and Defences: Stone walls, small
fortress
Temples and Shrines: Small Rokari
cathedral
Ruler: Baron Rambert
Suzerain: Count of Estaurenic
This small city nestles amid the pastures of
western Estaurenic. By the standards of many
Seshnelan cities it is relatively clean, with few
open sewers, even in the poorer parts of
town. The town guard is reasonably
conscientious, keeping down criminal
activity, but at the same time being
suspicious of travellers. When Old Seshnela
fell, a monstrous crab lurched ashore from
the newly inundated lands, and scuttled
purposefully towards Danvoutiers. Smashing
its way through the streets, seemingly
Kingdom of the Flamesword
immune to anything the defenders could
throw at it, the creature smashed the local
God Learner Abbey into rubble, and then
gouged great pits into the ground before
turning round and heading back to the sea.
The pits still remain, and no one has dared
build on the plot of land that surrounds
them, a stark warning against the folly of
tampering with the nature of the world.
Baron Rambert is content to manage his
fief with as little interference as possible. He
assists the Count only reluctantly, and tries to
send as little help to Estau as he can. As a
result, his knights rarely see action beyond
their homeland, and, in fact, it is those with
the least skill or reputation who are most
likely to be sent elsewhere as part of a feudal
levy.
Douleme Castle
Type: Town +1
Significant Abilities: Constant Military
Presence, Crowded
Security and Defences: Large concentric
castle
Temples and Shrines: Medium Rokari
church, chapel inside the castle walls
Ruler: Baron Rozier
Suzerain: Count of Estaurenic
Douleme was an unremarkable baronial
seat until Nolos seceded from the Kingdom.
As the most prominent castle along the
newly created frontier, it became the
headquarters for the many bands of knights
that now patrol it. The town outside the
castle walls bustles with knights and
mercenaries from dawn to dusk, something
that has brought moderate prosperity to the
townspeople. Commoners who have not
benefited so much, however, find that the
constant presence of overbearing knights is
only making their lives more difficult, as any
resources tend to vanish into their hands.
There has been some tension in the town, as
a result, with occasional crackdowns on those
seen as insufficiently supportive of the
benefits of knightly status.
The castle itself is large, and dominates the
surrounding countryside. The practice
grounds in the bailey seem to ring almost
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constantly with the sounds of mock battles.
Baron Rozier recently ordered the
construction of new and larger stables, but
the work has been somewhat rushed, and
the result is not all that it could be. Mistrust
of the Nolosi is strong here, with everyone
saying that they have let their blind greed
get in the way of their loyalty to the Crown.
Those who are - or appear to be - Nolosi, are
less welcome here than almost anywhere else
in the Kingdom.
Estau
Type: Medium City +4
Significant Abilities: Church Libraries, Flood
Defences, Riverside Docks
Security and Defences: Stone walls, large
fortress with moat, watch towers
Temples and Shrines: Large Rokari
cathedral, large chapter of Rokar Read Right
Ruler: Count Girand
Suzerain: King of Seshnela
During the Imperial Age, Estau was the site
of one of the major God Learner universities.
After the sinking of Old Seshnela, a mob
descended on the university, razing it to the
ground and killing all the God Learners they
could find. Centuries later, wizards raised a
great library and scriptorium for the Order of
Rokar Read Right on the spot, so that its holy
influence could finally expunge any evil
residue that remained at the site. The
Monastery of Saint Rokar has since become
the largest library and centre for theological
scholarship in the Kingdom, outshining even
the libraries of Leplain in size, if not
importance. Only Church wizards have access
to the books and scrolls kept at the library,
with heretical outsiders kept firmly outside
the gates. Indeed, few non-wizards have ever
been inside the forbidding walls that
surround the monastic compound.
Unfortunately, recent expansion to the
library uncovered subterranean vaults
belonging to the old, God Learner site. The
Rokari quickly re-sealed the crypts with stone
and magical wards, but they are so
concerned about what might lie within that
they have carefully kept the fact secret from
all but the most essential personnel.

Estau lies on flat plains of loam
surrounding this part of the river. Heavy
walls engraved with giant air runes protect
the city from the occasional floods that
sweep the river in Sementis. Their
enchantments have protected the city for
decades, and nobody seriously fears flooding
any more. The towers of the cathedral and
library rise high above the city, and are
visible for many miles around, taller even
than the castle. The city markets are large for
its size, with merchants from Nolos bearing
goods from around the world up the Tanier
River to trade.
The lands just outside the city are the site
of a major tournament of chivalry held every
year during Fervidor. Knights from across
Seshnela come to compete in the most
prestigious event of its kind in the Kingdom.
The event sticks rigorously to the Seshnelan
Style of tournaments (see p. 171), eschewing
such innovations as the Fronelan joust, which
have become popular beyond Rokari lands.
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Gazetteer
Heroes: Eremund
Position: Church Adept
Magic: Rokari Church; Adept of Rokar
Read Right
Erremund's parents were minor nobles
from western Estaurenic, and were
delighted when the churchmen
identified their younger son as a wizard.
Eremund had already proved to have an
inquisitive mind, and life in the Church
suited him perfectly. He joined the Order
of Saint Rokar Read Right as an adept,
putting both his magical skill and his
academic insight to good use. As he
continued his studies, he decided that
there was much more the Church could
learn about the land in which they lived,
and the people that had come before
them. Rokar's vision had been to restore
the rites of the oldest forms of
Malkionism, and by seeking more
information on those long-gone times,
Eremund, and others like him, could help
bring that vision closer to fulfilment.
Eremund gathered knights, healers,
and other experts around him, and
began to explore the old ruins of
Seshnela, seeking evidence of the
ancient Malkioni and their foes. He also
sought out paths in the Hero Plane,
uncovering old rites that everyone else
had thought lost. When the Ship of Life
Church gained followers in coastal
Vogai, he heroquested to face the
Shadow of Doubt, which had cast
uncertainty into the hearts of the
faithful. He defeated the Shadow by
showing its arguments to be false, and
bound its power into his staff. Now he
uses the power of Doubt against the
enemies of the Church, causing them to
question the own false premises that
lead them away from the words of
Rokar.
Kingdom of the Flamesword
Old Eye Ruin
The School of Ouxey is a Hrestoli school of
wizardry devoted to the magic of perception
and vigilance. The School had a tower here
during the Imperial Age, and throughout the
Interregnum. The wizards conducted their
arcane studies, and sold their services to
Hrestoli lords. In the uppermost room of the
tower they had magical scrying devices that
they used to observe events in far-off places.
After the fall of the God Learners, the
Ouxites were condemned along with many
other wizards, since many assumed that they
had seen the coming disasters, and yet had
done nothing to avert them, or even to warn
the common people. A mob marched on the
tower, only to find it empty and abandoned.
Magical seals barred access, and nothing the
people could do damaged the tower, so
eventually, they returned home.
In later years, King Ulianus I decided to use
the tower as an observation post. It stood
close to the new coastline, and it would have
been possible to see out to sea from the top,
even if none of the magical devices
remained, making it ideal for keeping an eye
on treacherous Pasos, whose boats still
patrolled the narrow channels around the
nearby islands. With some difficulty, Rokari
wizards broke the wards on the tower, and
knights re-occupied it. Before long however,
it became clear that the tower was cursed,
and that men stationed there fell ill with a
sleeping malady, and found their magic
opposed by dark essences. Rather than try to
exorcise the curse, the King ordered his men
to abandon the tower once again, and no
one has occupied it since.
The tower still stands, although weeds and
brambles now choke its lower buttresses. In
1543, lightning struck the upper part of the
tower, destroying some of the structure
there. While this suggested to some that the
curse had lifted, there was no compelling
reason to re-occupy it, besides which, its
ruinous state had made such a task too
dangerous. The ruin remains, staring out to
sea, empty, save perhaps for ghosts and
ancient Hrestoli magics.
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Quoigne
Type: Small City +2
Significant Abilities: Horse Market,
Merchant Inns, Riverside Docks
Security and Defences: Stone walls, small
hilltop fortress
Temples and Shrines: Medium Rokari
cathedral
Ruler: Mayor
Suzerain: Count of Estaurenic
The eastern and western branches of the
Royal Road part company at Quoigne, a free
town on the Tanier River. A long ridge forms
the southern boundary of the city, where the
castle stands, along with the houses of the
wealthy. As trade up the Tanier has increased
in recent decades, the city has grown rapidly,
and now many buildings lie outside the
protection of its walls. This is especially so on
the western side, where a small river runs
just outside the city wall to join the Tanier.
The western branch of the Royal Road enters
the city over a bridge here, but many inns
and homes sprawl on the far bank. Within
the walls, the city is crowded, as if too large
to fit within comfortably. The guild council
has recently considered extending the walls,
but this will require considerable funds, and
would take many years to complete, even if
they ever do reach an agreement on its
necessity.
Although the market for foreign goods is
larger at Estau to the south, Quoigne is a
good meeting place, because of the junction
of the Royal Road. Most foreign goods
continue up the river, taking the most direct
route to Arnlor and Segurane, but all trade
destined for Noyelle and Voine must leave
the Tanier here. Extensive horse paddocks lie
close to the city, and while the local horse
dealers specialise in ponies and pack horses,
rather than great chargers or swift horses,
the horse market is always busy.
Quoigne is a free town, given certain legal
rights by an ancient charter. The guilds
control the courts here, and meet in council
to raise taxes and determine expenditures.
Currently, the Guild of Horse Breeders and
the Wainwrights' Guild have the most power
on the council, but the Redsmiths' Guild and

the Guild of Boatmen often oppose them,
with many others giving their support to
either side as their own interests dictate. The
council elects a Mayor from its membership
once a year. Although there is no limit to the
number of times a Mayor can serve, he must
always be careful to keep the support of as
many guildsmen as he can, lest he lose office
and the perquisites that it brings. This tends
to lead to a rather laissez-faire government,
with the Mayor struggling to avoid
offending anyone by taking overly radical
action.
Tremarde Abbey
Tremarde is the Seshnelan headquarters of
the Humble Calligraphers, a School of
wizard-adepts dedicated to scholasticism and
the making of ciphers. The School is
widespread, with branches in Fronela,
Safelster, and other Malkioni lands, as well as
Seshnela. Most Rokari Calligraphers serve as
independent consultants to local lords, work
in other Church institutions, or run small
scriptoria in the cities. The School established
Tremarde as a central repository for scrolls,
and for providing direction to adepts
throughout Seshnela. Their strict neutrality
proved an asset once the populace turned
against the God Learners, since nobody
associated them strongly with the old creed.
Instead, most people saw them as harmless,
and Tremarde remained untouched
throughout the Interregnum.
The Abbey made itself useful during the
Interregnum, by providing ciphering services
and carrying secure messages for various rival
lords of the land. When Estaurenic converted
to the Rokari faith, the Calligraphers
remained officially neutral, supporting
neither the newcomers nor their Hrestoli
predecessors. Because of their prior
usefulness, the Count of Estaurenic protected
them, and the Inquisition had more
important targets. Before long, all of the
adepts at Tremarde were Rokari, despite the
official nondenominational status of the
School, since the Rokari were the only source
of adepts in the Kingdom. Nonetheless,
Theoblanc wishes to bring the School under
his personal authority, along with all the
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others, and make it Rokari in name as well as
practice.
Tremarde is a sizable abbey, consisting of a
cluster of buildings dedicated to preparing
and preserving documents and texts of all
kinds. The adepts are not cloistered, and
come and go at will, providing services to
lords and churchmen across the Kingdom.
Anyone can come and consult with the
Calligraphers at the abbey, although the
libraries and certain ritual areas remain out-
of-bounds to visitors. Naturally, the local
Calligraphers also adhere to all the usual
rules of the Rokari wizard caste, including
celibacy. Nonetheless, they keep in touch
with their counterparts in other lands, where
Calligraphers may be Hrestoli, belong to
minor sects, or to none at all.
Virtoins
Type: Small City -1
Significant Abilities: Riverside Docks
Security and Defences: Stone walls,
medium fortress, watch towers
Temples and Shrines: Large Rokari church,
Chapter of the Household of Flame
Ruler: Baron Bracoire
Suzerain: Count of Estaurenic
Virtoins stands on the east bank of the
Tanier River, close to what is now the
Seshnela/Nolos border. Once, the Royal Road
used to run down the west bank of the river,
all the way to Noloswal, but after Nolos
rebelled, it became impossible to maintain
the wards on those parts of the Road outside
of Seshnela. The King ordered that the entire
southern stretch of the Road be abandoned,
so that now it stops at Estau. The physical
road remains, of course, but travellers only
use it for short distance journeys; all major
trade is now restricted to the river itself. This
made little difference to most merchants,
who generally preferred the convenience of
river travel in any event, and the benefit to
Virtoins has been slight.
Far more significant was that the city now
stood close to the border with a potentially
hostile nation. The signs of this change are
everywhere, for fortification has become a
major priority for the city. Although the city
has had walls for a long time, as most cities
Kingdom of the Flamesword
in Seshnela do, the baron's men maintain
them with more diligence than in the past,
and man the watchtowers with large
detachments. Most noticeable, however, is
the castle. Over the last few decades, the
baron has upgraded it several times, adding
new towers and defensive outworks. The
baron's men cleared away buildings and
entire streets to make way for the
expansions, leaving the commoners to
grumble about their heavy-handed
approach. A large garrison remains here
now, including many forces levied by the
King and the Count of Estaurenic. Formerly a
city founded on the river trade and the rich
farmlands of the alluvial plains, at times it
now feels like a city under siege. When the
The County of Noyelle
County Seat: Trezieres
Ruler (1620): Count Hedenveld of Noyelle
Area: 16,000 sq. miles
Population: 100,000
The County of Noyelle is a relatively recent
foundation, which did not exist before the
Interregnum. Much of the region was only
settled in the late Dawn Age, and some parts
Page 86
time comes to launch an attack on Noloswal,
Virtoins will likely be the main base.
Baron Bracoire is a well built and
gregarious man, fond of his food, and
generally good natured and generous
towards his knights. He has little time for
commoners, and finds the constant nagging
of the more pious wizards to be an irritation
he could well do without. The military build
up suits him well for the time being, as it
means more money coming in from the
Count and King to help shore up the town's
defences, and gives him a powerful voice at
court, but he is nervous about what will
happen if full-scale war breaks out with the
rebels in the south.
remained pagan long after Malkionism
dominated elsewhere. During the Imperial
Age, the Seshnelan kings established a
County of Trezieres, which covered broadly

the eastern part of present day Noyelle. The
western regions belonged instead to the
Duchy of Joriland, with its seat at Laurmal.
The west in particular was a wild land,
considered of little value by the Empire and
largely ignored even by its own dukes.
With the fall of Old Seshnela, the Duchy of
Joriland ceased to exist, and civil war soon
swept away the County of Trezieres as well.
Barons fought with each other across the
region, and brief-lived counties rose and fell
as the generations passed. Eventually, Baron
Hedenved of Rindland, exiled from his
homeland, seized control of the eastern
regions, and declared a new County of
Noyelle. His successors gradually increased
their power, eventually subjugating the
wilder western reaches and adding them to
the county, creating a realm roughly
equivalent to that which survives today. At
first the counts resisted the advance of
Bailifes and the Rokari faith, but they
famously switched sides at the Second Battle
of Asgolan Fields, turning on their rivals from
Deu and Voi. Bailifes rewarded them by
making them one of his principal vassals,
although at first he stationed many royal
knights in Noyelle to ensure that the counts
did not have a second change of heart.
The old division between east and west
remains apparent in the modern county. The
eastern regions, around Trezieres and
Souronne, look to Tanisor for inspiration,
and rival them in their production of textile
fabrics. The west remains more of a frontier,
warily eyeing the mysterious forests beyond
the border. People from western Noyelle
speak with a distinct accent, closer to
Rindlander than Tanisoran, although with
many unique features of its own. They
mourn their past as part of the lost duchy of
Joriland, despite the fact that, historically,
they gained little benefit from the
relationship.
Numerous small woodlands dot the region,
much of which is untamed. Some of these
are deliberately preserved royal forests (see
p. 99), but others are simply undeveloped
territory, yet to be claimed by encroaching
farmland. Especially in the west, hunting is a
popular pastime among the local knights and
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locals. Not only are wild boar and deer
plentiful in Noyelle, but stranger creatures
often visit from the west, taking advantage
of the sparse patrols and open country to
travel several miles from the border.
Sometimes these creatures are dangerous,
and whole bands of knights must attempt to
seek them down and defeat them before
they destroy too many crops, livestock, or
peasants.
Noyelle, like Estaurenic, retains its own
count, who oversees the county court, and
receives fealty from six barons living
throughout his realm. Count Hedenveld also
retains his own army, mustered from a
feudal levy in much the same way as the
King's army, and pledges its service to the
Crown as art of his own oath of fealty. There
are four shires in Noyelle, including
Bormandy, whose sheriff is described on p.
181. The Shire of Immerland, which includes
the northern and central parts of the county,
including Immhalt and the Spukwoud, is
particularly low in population.
Count Hedenveld
Position: Count of Noyelle
Magic: Rokari Church, Adept of Saint
Gerlant
Count Igini Hedenveld is in his late forties,
a stern man with firm views on the
importance of Rokarism. In his younger
years, he was a noble knight, and spent
much time hunting in the forests and wild
lands of Noyelle. This gave him a keen
knowledge and love of nature, as well as a
friendship the Order of Saint Orvar. The
Order has long been a significant one in
Noyelle, but has especially prospered under
his patronage. The count also favours other
Rokari saints, and not just Gerlant and Iames,
whilst denouncing those of other faiths.
Xemelans and followers of Mistandar,
Josselyne, and Hasterax have all benefited
from the count's largesse, so that the county
is today one of the strongest centres of
saintly veneration in Seshnela.
The count, however, is suspicious of
Theoblanc's plans for the future of Rokarism.
While he believes that a wide range of magic
from approved and theologically sound
Kingdom of the Flamesword
orders and schools can only benefit the
nation and faith, some church leaders are
acting to discourage their expansion, and
clearly doing so with the Ecclesiarch's
blessing. Count Hedenveld is no heretic, and
none of his beliefs challenge the official
doctrine of the Church as it currently exists,
but if Theoblanc's plans come to fruition, he
may find himself challenging the Ecclesiarch
and his followers.
The count's only son is currently engaged
to the daughter of Baron Carois of Lamreaux
in Tanisor. In accordance with custom, the
baron must provide a dowry worthy of the
count's status, and negotiations as to its
exact size and composition are ongoing.
None the less, there is little doubt that the
baron will raise the necessary finances,
although all the many details of such an
important a noble marriage will naturally
take some time to arrange.
The Very Reverend Krievert
Position: Archbishop of Trezieres
Magic: Rokari Liturgist
The Archbishop of Noyelle is an aging man,
no longer as active as he was in his youth.
Despite the supposed austerity of his faith,
he is overweight and indolent. While he was
a zealous preacher in his younger days, he is
now content to enjoy the benefits of his
position, knowing that no further promotion
is possible. None the less, despite his lack of
enthusiasm for administration or most other
forms of activity, he does still possess political
acumen, and knows which of his followers to
reward for their service and loyalty. As a
result, there is little danger of him losing his
office. The Archbishop is also rigidly
orthodox, and privately worried by Count
Hedenveld's enthusiasm for saints other than
Gerlant and Iames. While his preferred
approach to the matter is to allow the count
to metaphorically dig his own grave, he none
the less keeps a close watch on his activities,
and those of the saintly orders.
Herelgem
Type: Small City -2
Significant Abilities: Hunting Opportunities
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Security and Defences: Stone walls,
medium fortress
Temples and Shrines: Small Rokari
cathedral
Ruler: Baron Tuhnring
Suzerain: Count of Noyelle
This is a frontier town defending the
northwestern corner of the county. There is a
detailed description of the town and its
surrounding land on p. 155.
Hetz
Type: Town +7
Significant Abilities: Travellers' Inns
Security and Defences: Earthen rampart,
small castle
Temples and Shrines: Medium Rokari
church, large chapel to Saint Ongaring
Ruler: Baron Vodert
Suzerain: Count of Noyelle
In the year 144, Seshnan pagans waylaid
Saint Ongaring at the small village of Hetz,
and martyred him by crushing him beneath a
great boulder. Although they desecrated the
saint's body, his followers were able to
recover his remains and buried them in a
reliquary at this spot. They built a small
church over the burial site, which became the
original focal point of his Order. As a patron
saint of travellers, Ongaring's Order never
looked to any one location for spiritual
leadership, but the church nonetheless
became a site of pilgrimage and veneration.
Inns sprang up to cater to the many
travellers, and soon the village grew into a
sizable and prosperous town.
During the Imperial Age, wizards moved
the saint's reliquary to a grander location
near the coast, but many pilgrims still chose
to visit the site of the martyrdom itself to
pray to their patron. The Order became
influential and wealthy, because of its vital
role in maintaining communication between
dioceses across the vast Empire. They lavished
some of this wealth on Hetz, and the current
chapel building dates from this period.
With the Closing of the Oceans, and the
fall of the Empire, the Order's role at first
diminished. Pilgrims came to worship at the
shrine less frequently, and many of the

external funds dried up. During the
Interregnum, however, many churchmen
found the communication abilities of
Ongaring's adepts to be useful. As rival lords
divided Seshnelan territory between
themselves, and posted hostile patrols along
their various borders, neutral and respected
messengers could be of vital importance.
Hetz was not the only centre for the Order at
this time, true to the adepts' distrust of
gathering power in one place, but it was a
significant one. Its baron stayed aloof from
the conflicts of his fellows, but eventually
pledged fealty to the Count of Noyelle.
Hetz, then, was a relatively wealthy town
when Bailifes the Hammer crushed the
knights of Tanisor, and established his
kingdom. Since the rise of Theoblanc,
however, the town has suffered yet another
downturn in fortunes, and much of its
former grandeur has now faded. Pilgrims still
visit the shrine, where the original rock used
to martyr the saint remains in place. The
townspeople remain proud of their saint,
conscious of their role as a major holy site for
an Order now found throughout the West.
But, at the same time, they cast worried eyes
towards Leplain, and wonder what the
future has in store...
Immhalt
Immhalt is a general name for the wide,
central regions of Noyelle that are still
largely undeveloped. Where the soil is
relatively rich, there are forests and
woodland glades, but over much of the land
there are tough grasses, shrubs, and gorse.
Some of this land would be suitable for
pasture, but has been instead been reserved
as hunting grounds for nobles (see Royal
Forests, p. 99) or simply left unoccupied. Few
people live in Immhalt, save for foresters and
others who help to preserve the hunting
grounds.
This is largely because the powers of
nature are very strong in Immhalt, and there
has never been a pressing need to encroach
upon them. Nymphs, such as Oreads and
Limoniads, are common in the wild lands,
but there are also many other spirits,
essences, and daimones that inhabit the
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region. Some are hostile to travellers, while
others are more inclined to ignore them, but
their magic is ever-present, and can interfere
with Malkioni spells in often unpredictable
ways. Snakes seem especially common here,
which many attribute to the power of
ancient pagan gods. The hillier, eastern,
reaches of Immhalt are also home to several
colonies of griffins, which can make life
difficult for anyone with horses, whose flesh
they prize highly.
Ingerode
Type: Small City +1 (currently reduced to -9
due to disease)
Significant Abilities: Disease Ridden
Security and Defences: Stone walls,
medium fortress, watch towers
Temples and Shrines: Large Rokari church,
temporary Xemelan mission
Ruler: Baron Krender
Suzerain: Count of Noyelle
Ingerode is a small, but well-fortified, city
that helps defend the western frontier.
Before the sinking of Old Seshnela, the city
was insignificant, but it was one of the few
to grow through the Interregnum. The
barons hired increasing numbers of knights,
and raided their neighbours, growing
wealthy off stolen goods. Eventually, the
Count of Noyelle sent an army and sacked
the city, installing a new baron. However,
the military expertise of the city remained
useful, and the new rulers proved loyal
supporters of the count, providing many
knights to serve in his armies. The Order of
Saint Rendoir, an old hunting saint,
established a major chapel here, which the
Order of Saint Orvar took over following the
region's subjugation by Bailifes. The city
became the rallying point for the defence of
the southern stretch of the border with
Kanthor's Forest, and for hunting
expeditions to track down some of the
strange creatures that ventured from out of
the woodland.
Recently, however, there has been an
outbreak of Delirious Flux, a form of Brain
Fever (see Anaxial's Roster p. 229) in the city.
The disease initially spread throughout the
poorer parts of the city, but soon spread
Kingdom of the Flamesword
elsewhere. Every street now contains at least
a few houses marked with the death rune,
warning visitors to stay clear. Trade to the
city has largely dried up, although local
farmers desperate for income still visit the
markets, and supply the inhabitants with at
least some food. Knights from neighbouring
villages patrol the roads into the city,
warning travellers of the danger.
The disease does not kill everyone it
infects, and claims mainly the infirm and the
young. Even so, few people are willing to
brave entering the city without a good
cause, and the economic effect is already
proving disastrous. The Order of Saint
Xemela has established a mission here, but,
as the disease continues to spread, the
adepts are rapidly becoming overwhelmed.
The baron has hired pragmapathic wizards to
ward off the disease from the castle
compound, so far with some success, but few
others are wealthy enough to afford their
fees.
Page 90
Heroes: Sir Elbor Dersten
Position: Knight and Lector
Magic: Rokari Church, Adept and
Order Liturgist of Saint Orvar, various
heroquesting powers
Sir Elbor grew up in a manor close to
Ingerode, the younger son of the knight
who held the manor for the baron. The
manor was reasonably wealthy, and,
with no chance of inheriting, Sir Elbor
spent his time hunting and visiting
tournaments. He wooed many women,
although never committing to any, and
enjoyed the social benefits of his station,
giving little thought to matters of piety
or duty.
That all changed one day when he was
out hunting near Kanthor's Forest. He
dreamed of Saint Orvar, who bade him
get up and arm himself. As soon as he
awoke, he acted on the dream's
message, and only just in time, for a
band of elves descended upon his camp,
hoping to slay everyone as they slept. His
valiant actions drove the elves away, and
he swore on the spot to dedicate himself
to the Saint's service.
He spent the next year preparing to
become an adept, learning more of the
saint's life and teachings. He
transformed himself into a dedicated
adept knight, and, in later years, became
a Lector as well, to teach others of the
saint's words. He established his own
chapter of the Order, gathering other
adepts and loyal companions to his side.
He became convinced that the saint had
a mission in mind for him, and explored
his myths on the Other Side to better
understand what that might be. Now he
and his band have many heroquesting
powers, allowing them to move with
complete silence, and to strike their foes
from a distance, as well as resisting the
magic of pagan and heretical cults. They
continue to quietly promote the Order's
ideals, emphasizing the importance of
saints to the Rokari Church.

Souronne
Type: Small City +1
Significant Abilities: Wool Market
Security and Defences: Stone walls, small
fortress
Temples and Shrines: Small Rokari
cathedral
Ruler: Baron Fourai
Suzerain: Count of Noyelle
Souronne stands on the main trade route
between Vogai and the rest of Seshnela. The
walls encircle a low hill, with the castle and
cathedral standing on the flat summit. The
wool trade dominates the city, with the local
Drapers' Guild being highly influential. The
locals regard the business of fabric-making
and sheep-rearing to be more important
than any other trade and take it very
seriously. On market days, sheep crowd the
city streets, and other merchants and
tradesmen simply have to make way for
them. While outsiders often mock the rustic
appearance of the city, and begrudge the
teeming sheep their rites of passage, the fact
remains that the city is relatively prosperous,
making money from the sale of cloth and
yarn to other parts of the Kingdom.
In 1619, a crisis struck the local wizards
when the Dean of the cathedral chapter
experienced Joy of the Heart (see p. 64). At
first, he attempted to cover up this terrible
secret, but, as so often happens, it affected
his duties within the Church, and other
wizards became suspicious of his true
loyalties. The Inquisition moved swiftly to
arrest and interrogate him, and soon
discovered the truth. Although the Dean
himself is now a member of the Student
Body for his own safety, the city is still
feeling the repercussions.
Eager to discover what might have caused
the Dean to experience the illusion of Joy,
the Inquisition set up court in the city. The
Inquisitors want to know whether any secret
Hrestoli are hiding in the city, and how they
infiltrated the cathedral chapter. They are
also concerned that his high profile position
might have allowed the Dean to spread his
contagion among the faithful, and even
within the Church itself. Their investigations
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have so far not come to a definite
conclusion, but numerous citizens have come
forward to accuse their neighbours of
suspicious actions or beliefs. The Inquisition is
therefore casting its net ever wider, and
making its presence felt throughout the city.
Everyone seems suspicious of everyone
else. Are they are closet heretic? Or an
Inquisition spy? The Inquisitors hold regular
trials in the square in front of the cathedral,
while their torturers work through the night
to try and separate truth from deceit. The
Inquisition recently cleared the local bishop
of any direct involvement, but his failure to
maintain the purity of one of his closest
subordinates made his position untenable.
Theoblanc dismissed him from his post, and
he currently serves as a deacon at Trezieres.
The Ecclesiarch has yet to appoint a
replacement, leaving the diocesan seat
vacant. Churchmen are channelling their
devotional energy directly to the Archbishop
at Trezieres, but he is unable to supervise
them directly, leading to considerable
organisational confusion throughout
southwestern Noyelle.
The Inquisitors have even interviewed
Baron Fourai, although they did not formally
put him to the Question. Since his resulting
exoneration, he has given his full
cooperation and support to the Church in its
efforts to seek out the guilty and protect the
populace. He is a humble man, with a good
knowledge of Church doctrine, and he and
his family remain loyal to the Church.
Although it is likely that the local nobles are
indeed guiltless, some of Souronne's
commoners instead suspect the baron of
having used his influence to avert suspicion,
and complain that he is not suffering as they
are.
Spukwoud
During the Crusade Against Chaos, even in
Seshnela itself there were those who had
fully surrendered to Nieby and his evil ways,
and rose in arms against their rightful King.
One such minor lord, named Vorgrant, took
up the life of a bandit in these woodlands
after his exile. He brought many of his
knights, wizards, and other retainers with
Kingdom of the Flamesword
him, and they lived here for some time, the
forests being more extensive in those days.
The evil band raided the surrounded
countryside, a thorn in the flesh of the
righteous, and they gave up all pretence of
Malkioni ways to dedicate themselves to
their evil cult. This reign of terror lasted for
some years, as the main military forces were
engaged elsewhere, fighting the Vampire
King of Tanisor. So it was much later that
forces loyal to Gerlant scoured the forest,
and killed all the outlaws they could find.
Lord Vorgrant himself died in a final battle in
the heart of the wood, cursing his enemies as
his blood soaked the soil around him.
The outer parts of the forest, beyond the
effect of the curse, have slowly disappeared
before advancing ploughs and pasturage.
But the former central regions remain as evil
as ever, and few dare to venture within. All
the trees growing from this poisoned soil
appear dead and leafless, yet they never rot,
nor blow down in harsh winds. The
undergrowth is a tangled mass of weeds and
brambles, many of which also appear dead,
yet grasp and cut anyone who passes
through. Spectral knights patrol the
unnatural woodland at night, translucent,
and showing signs of death in battle. The
locals believe that, somewhere deep in the
forest, the phantom of Lord Vorgrant still
holds court, plotting his revenge against the
mortal world. If so, he has been waiting for
over a thousand years...
Trezieres
Mercenaries for hire
medium fortress, watch towers
cathedral, Chapel of All Saints.
fortified city standing on the western branch
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Wraiths
The spectral inhabitants of the
Spukwoud are wraiths, an unusual type
of ghost animated by feelings of
frustration and hatred. They are
permanently visible, and take the form
of translucent skeletons or partially
rotted corpses. Many, those in the
Spukwoud included, bear the clothing
and accoutrements they did in life,
although these are similarly spectral, and
fade into nothingness when the wraith is
gone. Wraiths radiate cold, and some
emit an odour of decay. Some haunt
specific sites, as normal ghosts do, but a
few are free to wander as they will. They
seek to destroy all living things.
Wraiths attack by simply touching
their victims, for their hands and
weapons can pass through any physical
barrier, armour included. The touch of a
wraith is chilling, and saps the strength
from the victim, sometimes to the point
of death. This weakness lasts indefinitely,
although magical healing is effective.
Because wraiths are immaterial, they are
invulnerable to normal physical attacks,
and only magic, or magically augmented
weapons, have any effect against them.
Typical Wraith: Hate Life 10W, Icy
Touch 2W, Resist Damage 10W, Resist
Exorcism 18
Some wraiths may also possess some
skills or magic that they possessed in life.
Type: Medium City -4
Significant Abilities: Horse market,
Security and Defences: High stone walls,
Temples and Shrines: Medium Rokari
Ruler: Count Hedenveld
Suzerain: King of Seshnela
The county seat of Noyelle is a well-
 Gazetteer

of the Royal Road. For centuries, it has been
one of the main trade routes connecting
Vogai with Tanisor and Rindland, and the
Royal Road has reinforced that importance.
In recent years, lumber destined for the
shipyards of Voganwal has become the city's
major trade item, gathered from the
woodlands of Noyelle. The trade is an
awkward and inconvenient one, since there
is no river running directly from Trezieres to
the Vogai coast, forcing timberwrights to use
large, overland caravans rather than simply
floating the wood floating downriver.
Nonetheless, the timber of Noyelle is
superior to that growing in the harsh soils of
the coastal lands, so the trade continues.
Despite its relative size, Trezieres still has
the feel of an agricultural market town.
There is little local production of jewelry,
expensive fabrics, and other luxuries,
although such items are for sale in the
markets. The city is however, famed for its
large stables and the quality of its horse
breeders. The count was one of the first
people to import the fast Vuanso riding
horses from the orient after the Opening of
the Oceans. Now the locals specialise in
breeding and raising them, providing them
to knights and nobles throughout the
Kingdom. The locals also sell a great number
of warhorses, including the powerful Fronan
charger.
Trezieres has also benefited from the
count's enthusiasm for saintly orders, most of
which now have chapters within its walls. By
working together, the various orders have
recently constructed a chapel dedicated to all
the Rokari saints. Distinct from the cathedral,
where chapels are more commonly located,
this is a new building adorned with intricate
stone carvings and statues of the various
saints and their deeds. Adepts regularly come
here to pray, and a liturgist of Saint
Mistandar handles the financial and
administrative side of the chapel's business,
distributing collected alms to the various
orders.

Dragons of Seshnela
The True Dragons are creatures of the late Second Action, created before humanity
from the power of the greatest runes. There are none in Seshnela now, as far as anyone
knows. But their offspring are a different matter. Wyverns are relatively weak, debased
draconic creatures, and are relatively common in and around Seshnela, especially in the
deep forests to the west. Magisaurs, degenerate, vaguely humanoid reptiles, are found in
Kanthor's Islands and the southern coasts, but not in Seshnela proper.
But it is the great flying dragons that inspire the most awe and fear. They are rare here,
and many years go by without anyone reporting such a creature. But they do exist, hiding
in the wild lands just beyond the borders, and sometimes even in the ancient ruins or
royal forests of Seshnela itself. They are rapacious and deadly, and will prey on any
livestock or humans nearby. Fighting such creatures is perhaps the greatest challenge any
Seshnelan knight can hope for, as they are not merely physically formidable, but magically
potent. Their very presence strikes fear into the hearts of mortal men, and only the
bravest of knights can stand against them. Yet the rewards for doing so are
commensurately great.

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Kingdom of the Flamesword
The Duchy of Rindland
Ducal Seat: Segurane
Ruler (1620): King Guilmarn, Duke of Rindland
Area: 39,000 sq. miles
Population: 420,000
The first rulers of Rindland were Marcher
Lords forging the northern frontier of the
old Kingdom of Seshnela. Early in the
Imperial Age, Rindland became a duchy,
charged with protecting trade down the
Tanier River from Sodal to Naumstadt, and
with repelling hostile forces from Arolanit,
Fornoar, and beyond. Once the Middle Sea
Empire absorbed Arolanit, the frontier feel
of Rindland declined, but its martial tradition
continued, and the duchy supplied many
knights and armies to the Empire.
When the Empire fell, rebel lords
established themselves in many of the castles
and towns of Rindland, and central authority
began to weaken. The line of the old dukes
faltered, but a new line eventually rose to
replace them. One of these new dukes, the
grandfather of Bailifes the Hammer,
launched a series of campaigns to subjugate
his neighbours, and created a firmly run
duchy that ruled the whole of the modern
region, save for western Sodal and the
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Hochmark. His son, Bailifes' father, converted
to the new religion of Rokarism. The Rokari
creed appealed to the dour and practical
people of the duchy, and it was popular
there long before the Duke himself formally
converted, but now the Church had the full
force of law behind it, and was able to
extinguish all of its foes. Later still, Bailifes
himself took up the banner of Rokarism, and
used it to re-unite the whole of Seshnela
under his personal rule. Segurane became
the national capitol, and Rindland became
the heart of the newly reborn Kingdom.
Rindland is a flat and relatively
monotonous region, with only a few low hills
dotted here and there. The southern parts of
the duchy, along the Tanier River are densely
settled, with numerous towns and villages
along the banks. To the north, the
population is sparser, and the castles that
dominate the landscape seem outsized for
the towns they protect. Since the fall of the
Empire, Rindland has once again become a

frontier, albeit a well-defended one, with
Arolanit, Fornoar, and Safelster all lying on
its borders.
The military has always been the dominant
force in Rindland. Much of the economy is
geared to supporting it, and the region is
second only to Deu in the quality of its
armour and weapons. Fortifications are the
greatest pride of the Rindland people, and
both its architects and its siege engineers are
superior to those elsewhere. In the south,
trade along the Tanier with Safelster means
that more exotic goods are sometimes
available, although the danger of heresy
spreading from that fractious land keeps the
Inquisition busy.
Rindland is the hereditary holding of the
royal family, a land they carved out for
themselves during the Interregnum. The King
himself holds Rindland as a personal fief, and
supervises the ducal court that is the region's
only other central administration. The
fourteen barons all owe their fealty directly
to the King. The duchy contains nine shires,
plus the Hochmark and Segurane city, which
have their own separate jurisdictions.
Rindland is also an archdiocese of the Rokari
Church, the second formally established
(after Leplain).
The Very Reverend Endrich
Position: Archbishop of Segurane
Magic: Rokari Liturgist
Endrich is one of the most powerful
archbishops in the Church, second only to
Theoblanc. His archdiocese covers almost the
whole of Rindland, and includes the great
city of Segurane, home to the royal court. He
is a blunt, uncompromising man, known for
his unswerving belief in the importance of
unity. Like Theoblanc, he opposes all those
saintly orders and schools which currently
stand outside the mainstream of the Church.
He is a capable administrator of his
archdiocese, but his grasp of politics is
limited, for he prefers to deal with things in
as straightforward a manner as possible. This
makes him unpopular with some of his
bishops, who fear the verbal lashings that he
delivers for the slightest problems within
their domains. Many of them would like to
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Gazetteer
see him gone, and replaced with someone
else. His failure to grasp politics and subtle
manoeuvrings helps here, but his dedication
to the Ecclesiarch has so far stood him in
good stead.
Arkhome
Arkat built a great castle here to defend
the northern approach to Seshnela during
the late Dawn Age. He lived here himself for
many years, and the site is now intimately
associated with his name. Arkhome fell into
ruin during the Imperial Age, with newer
fortifications taking over its original role.
Modern Rokari curse Arkat's name, because
he cruelly abandoned his people and his
faith, becoming first a pagan, and then an
inhuman monster. Ghosts, evil spirits, and
pagan daimones haunt the ruins, and all
sensible folk stay well away.
The people of Safelster, however, see
things differently. To them, Arkat is a hero,
and they either ignore his later actions, or
interpret them as signs of some twisted
virtue. Safelstran pilgrims regularly travel to
the site, to hold dark rituals amongst the
ruins. The authorities, of course, forbid all
such activity, and the pilgrims must travel in
secret to avoid detection. Most choose to
travel by a northern route, crossing into
Seshnela through the wild lands of Fornoar.
This places them at greater risk of attack by
bandits and trolls, but avoids Rokari patrols
until the last part of the journey. A few
prefer to travel down the Tanier to Drenwal,
and then turn north, risking detection by the
authorities, but avoiding the dangers of
wilder lands.
Royal knights under the command of the
local sheriff patrol the lands around the ruin,
constantly searching for pilgrims trying to
sneak in. There have been attempts to
occupy the ruins themselves, but the ancient
evil of the place has always driven the guards
out after no more than a few weeks. Rokari
knights and wizards staying at the ruins
suffer possession by ghosts, contract strange
maladies, or simply die of no apparent cause.
Attempts to tear down what remains of the
ruins meet with similar obstacles.
Kingdom of the Flamesword

The castle is, naturally enough, in an strengthening the kingdom, and allowing it
ancient style, built of dark stone with great to expand through Nolos and Safelster as
square towers and an outer curtain wall. The rapidly as it once did through ancient
wall has collapsed in many places, allowing Tanisor. They seek knights with experience of
easy access, and the upper parts of the keep heroquesting to assist them in their
and towers have long ago fallen. Rubble endeavours, as they try to retrace old paths
litters the courtyards, and grass and trees through the hero plane and make Seshnela a
grow amidst the stones. Yet much of the name feared across the world once again.
central structure still stands, and there are a
few intact chambers within which the
followers of Arkat can practice their heretical
devotions. The cellars beneath the castle are
also relatively intact. A few Safelstran sects
prefer such subterranean locations for their
rites, but for the most part, they are host to
still more sinister ceremonies. For the trolls of
Fornoar also regard Arkat as a great hero,
rightly acknowledging his role as a foe of
humanity. During the coldest weeks of
winter, small bands of trolls sneak in under
cover of darkness to explore the dungeons
beneath Arkhome and conduct hideous
sacrifices to their dark gods.

Atringen
Atringen is the largest chapter of the Iron
Blood School in Seshnela. A large walled
compound surrounds a cluster of buildings,
constantly expanded and rebuilt down the
years, so that they now form a complex maze
of passages, walls, and courtyards. Nearly
three hundred adepts live and work here,
along with their servants and liturgists.
Nearby villages supply the fresh food
consumed by the wizards, but salted and
preserved goods come from further afield, as
do all the other specialist supplies that a
wizardry chapter requires, but cannot
produce itself.
In recent years, the wizards at Atringen
have been studying the myths of Rokarism
and its ancient predecessors, seeking to tie
them more closely together. In the Dawn
Age, the forces of King Froalar and his
descendants forged the original Kingdom of
Seshnela from the pagan lands of the
Pendali, and built the Silver Empire. The Iron
Blood adepts believe that they can recreate
the military magics used in those distant
days, and bend them to the service of Rokar,

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Hero: Verauldt the Hardy
Position: Adept
Magic: Rokari Church; Iron Blood
Adept
A child of the knight caste, Verauldt
had always hoped to be a warrior like his
peers, but, at the age of ten, the
examiners determined that he was a
wizard, and sent him to the seminary. At
first, he proved unruly and difficult to
control. Certainly the boy was
intelligent, and he showed no signs of
open heresy, yet he yearned for a more
active life than the Church seemed able
to provide him. It was inevitable that,
once his initial training had finished, he
would chose to join the Iron Blood
School. There, he could, in time, fight
alongside the knights, and help in the
direct defence of the realm. The School
assigned him to Atringen, where he
completed his adept training.
At last, Verauldt had found his calling,
ad he proved a valuable asset to the
School. He quickly mastered the
grimoires, and was eager for service
against the Kingdom's foes. He has
fought in border skirmishes against
Nolos, has helped root out bandits, and
supported raids into the Tarinwood.
Although, naturally, he avoids those
actions forbidden to his caste, Verauldt
prefers to be as close to the front line as
he can, using his magic to support the
knights and attack his enemies. He has
honed his magical skill through his many
skirmishes, and his knowledge of the
Book of Conflict is now amongst the best
in his School. He stands bravely against
the foes of Seshnela, and of Rokarism,
reserving an especial contempt and
distrust of the Nolosi and their allies.
Bleak Rocks
The land rises in this area to form an ill-
defined plateau, where great rock
formations rear from the ground. Some of
the rocks are isolated, while others have only
narrow paths between them, with towering
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Gazetteer
walls of solid stone on either side. The rocks
themselves are devoid of vegetation, even
lichen, while the ground around them varies
from bare mud near the centre to thin,
struggling, grass further out. An ancient
essence inhabits the rock, and drives away
any living thing that tries to grow here.
Animals avoid the place, and even humans
feel uneasy.
The rocks have roots that stretch all the
way down to Hell, from which the essence
first escaped during the Fourth Action. A few
witches and evil sorcerers have tried to bind
it to their will, making use of its powers of
death, but it has always resisted them, and
nobody has ever succeeded in taming its
ancient evil.
Drenwal
Type: Medium City -1
Significant Abilities: Large wharves
Security and Defences: Complex stone
walls, large fortress, moat
Temples and Shrines: Medium Rokari
cathedral, headquarters of the Russet Cross
Ruler: Baron Neram
Suzerain: Duke of Rindland (King of
Seshnela)
The branch of the Royal Road that runs
along the Tanier River ends at Drenwal.
Rindland's second city has grown fat on the
trade with Safelster, but at the same time it
remains distrustful of its eastern neighbours.
For it is not just trade goods that travel down
the Tanier to Seshnela, but merchants and
other travellers holding to strange heretical
beliefs, and with dangerous ideas about
personal liberty and moral freedom.
Everyone looks across the border to see the
dissolute and fractious ways of the
Safelstrans, simultaneously fearing that their
doctrines will spread, and hoping to unify
them all under Seshnelan and Rokari control.
Safelstrans have to be careful here, yet still
they come because of the trade
opportunities.
Nor are Rokari fears of contamination are
not entirely without justification - some
preachers do visit the city to spread their
beliefs, although those that last for any time
are those that can succeed at working in
Kingdom of the Flamesword
secret. A Seshnelan eager to learn of
alternatives to his own theology will find it
easier here than anywhere else in his
homeland, so long as he is circumspect. The
Church, of course, is not foolish, and the
Inquisition is always active here. Yet there
are limits to how openly the Inquisition can
act, and how much pressure it can put on the
locals, without harming trade - and the city-
states of Safelster do supply much that the
Kingdom desires. The result is something of a
game of cat-and-mouse.
All of this is not say that the city is as much
a hotbed of heresy as those who live
elsewhere sometimes suspect. Most people
here are loyal Rokari, who will denounce any
crazed Arkati they should come across.
Heretics may be more common here than in
other cities, but they are still very much a
minority. And, Safelster being what it is,
there is no clear pattern as to which heresy is
dominant...
The Russet Cross also has its main base in
the city. An order of mercenary wizards who
excel in military magic, they are officially
neutral in any disputes between Seshnela
and its neighbours. Yet most of the members
here were born in Seshnela, and feel an
affinity for their homeland. Certainly, the
order is careful not to offend the mainstream
Rokari, and they have not supplied
significant forces to its foes since the
interregnum.
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Baron Neram is an ambitious man, who
wants the best for his city and lands. He
envisages his domain as the springboard of a
future invasion of Safelster, as it was during
the reign of Ulianus III. He despises the
Arkati all the more because of the
importance of their trade to his city, making
it difficult for him to move openly against
them unless the Crown was to order a full-
scale invasion. Despite the official
disapproval of the Church, he has forged
links with the Russet Cross, hoping to use
their magic to support his armies.
Erchen Forest
Erchen is the largest of the royal forests in
Rindland. It does not lie within any barony,
being the exclusive property of the Dukes of
Rindland, and hence the Crown. The terrain
here is uneven, with numerous gullies and
low hills dotting the landscape. Even before
Ulianus II declared the area to be a royal
forest in the early fifteenth century, there
were few farms here, and the land was
largely wild. This made it ideal for hunting,
and with the legal protection that it now
enjoys, deer, boar, and other animals flourish
here. Erchen has become a favourite hunting
ground for the King and his family, and he
only rarely grants hunting privileges to
anyone else. Any he does grant are therefore
highly prized, and are a particular sign of
royal favour.
 Gazetteer

Royal Forests
A royal forest is an area of land set aside exclusively for the royal family to hunt game.
Nobody else, regardless of caste, can legally hunt in such an area without obtaining prior
permission. The King may grant 'the right of chase and warren' to any person he sees fit,
although in practice it is restricted to nobles and especially favoured knights. The rights
may be either temporary or indefinite, but are usually restricted to a specific forest.
Typically, deer, wild boar, rabbits, pheasants, partridges, foxes, martens, and an array of
fabulous beasts enjoy protection within the forest, while other animals (such as squirrels
or wildfowl) do not. Naturally, the King may change the details of this list as he chooses,
to take account of particular circumstances.
King Ulianus II established the first royal forests in modern Seshnela, but he was not the
first to employ the idea, which stretches back to the Dawn Age. As a result, such forests
exist throughout the region, and they are common in parts of Safelster. Not all such
'forests' are even wooded; they may be any area in which there is sufficient game to hunt,
including some areas of moorland, and parts of the Sodal marsh.
Any commoners, or even knights, who live within a royal forest suffer constraints to
their activities. Not only is hunting forbidden, so are 'offences against the vert', which
damage the local vegetation. Such offences include felling trees and the like, but also the
erection of new buildings without specific permission. It is forbidden to practice
agriculture within a royal forest, beyond small vegetable plots, and no one may own a
'hunting bow', or any kind of dog (which might accidentally kill game). Naturally, many
locals resent such onerous restrictions, especially in newly claimed forests that previously
operated under common law. Most knights are, however, able to purchase rights of
pasturage for their commoner vassals within the forest, thus allowing them to keep swine
or other animals. A knight can also purchase fishing rights, and may sometimes even have
to pay a fee to allow his peasants to collect firewood.
Typically, royal forests do not lie within any baronies, and are subject to royal, not
baronial, law. The King appoints a Warden for each forest, usually from amongst the local
nobility, who is ultimately responsible for keeping the peace, and enforcing all the forest
laws, within his realm. He, in turn, appoints a number of 'woodwards' as forest wardens
to patrol the territory, and ensure that everyone obeys the law. Woodwards are typically
knights, although some may be commoners with experience of the forest and proven
loyalty and good judgment.

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Kingdom of the Flamesword
Hassenwal
Type: Small City +0
Significant Abilities: Paved Streets, Skilled
Stone-masons
Security and Defences: High stone walls,
medium hilltop fortress, watch towers
Temples and Shrines: Small Rokari
cathedral
Ruler: Baron Hongart
Suzerain: Duke of Rindland (King of
Seshnela)
The only city on the Nidan River until
Segurane, Hassenwal surrounds a steep hill
with a commanding view of the valley. The
Hongart family built their first castle on the
top of the hill centuries ago, and the Church
later built a cathedral nearby. The remainder
of the city lies below the hill in a broad valley
bottom. Hassenwal later came to prominence
because of the quarries nearby, which supply
superb stone for the building of
fortifications. The walls and castles of
Segurane are partly built from Hassenwal
stone, shipped down the river on great
barges. Hassenwal itself shows many signs of
the source of its wealth. Most of the streets
are paved, and the fortifications around and
within the city are of the highest quality,
although much smaller than those of some
other cities. Because of its position,
Hassenwal also boasts a market for various
goods brought down the Nidan River, and it
is easier to obtain furs and pelts here than it
is elsewhere in Seshnela.
Unsurprisingly, the guild of stone-workers
is powerful here, and they have rested many
rights from the baron. For example, they
enjoy a number of tax exemptions, and they
hold their own courts that can punish most
infractions within the walls of the city. They
even employ their own police force,
composed of commoner caste men armed
with stout wooden truncheons and leather
armour. These guards supposedly protect the
whole of the city, but they are only
interested in the markets, main
thoroughfares, and the homes of the
wealthy. They will almost certainly ignore
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anything that happens in the poorer parts of
the city.
The current Baron Hongart is an elderly
man, becoming rather frail, and unlikely to
live for much longer. His control over his
lands has waned considerably over the last
several years, a fact of which the stone-
masons have increasingly taken advantage.
The baron has daughters, but no surviving
sons, and his nephews are squabbling
amongst themselves in the hope of
becoming his officially recognised successor.
The nephew with the best claim is a knight
of Saint Gerlant, an honourable man with no
aptitude for rule, while the others seem even
less attractive choices. So far the old man has
refused to take sides, which will likely leave
the eventual decision in the hands of the
King.
The Hochmark
North of the Herg Sill in Deu, the land is
barren and inhospitable. Cold winds blow
down from the Iron Mountains, and only a
few stunted trees grow amidst the desolate
moorland. Before the foundation of
Seshnela, no ruler claimed this worthless
territory. Once Deu had been absorbed into
the Kingdom, however, Bailifes annexed the
land north of the Herg Sill, making it part of
his duchy of Rindland. The intent was to
secure the border with Arolanit and protect
the mines along the Sill. In the event, he and
his successors built few forts, and many that
were have been abandoned since, leaving
the Sill itself as a natural barrier to any
potential invasion of Deu.
Hochmark remains part of Rindland, but
does not formally lie within any of its shires.
There are no towns here, and few villages.
The settlements that do exist are small, and
barely eke a living from the thin soil. As with
similar regions elsewhere, it has become a
haven for bandits and outlaws, somewhere
that they can hide without fear of major
reprisals from the authorities. Even the
Church has only a passing interest in the
region, and travelling preachers are the only
wizards most locals ever see. The Hochmark
is a harsh, unforgiving land, and most people

steer well clear of it. For their own part, the
locals are too busy surviving to take much
notice of the outside world.
Heroes: Sir Guisaume
Trondeau
Position: Banneret
Magic: Rokari Church; some unique
heroquest powers
Generations ago, King Bailifes II
recognised the loyalty and dedication of
Sir Guisaume's Tanisoran ancestors, who
swore fealty and have served at
Segurane ever since. Guisaume himself
proved a worthy successor to the family
name, and has always served the King
loyally. As a young man, he took part in
a campaign against the trolls of Guhan,
who were raiding into Fornoar and
northern Rindland. He personally slew
Gorgaz the Black Mace, a powerful troll
warrior, a deed which secured his fame
and brought him into the King's
personal household as a retainer.
He began to take part in a number of
heroquests, following in the paths of
ancient saints. After one such quest, he
gained the ability to make his sword
shine with the light of Truth, cutting
through falsehood and deceit to slay
those who benefit from obfuscation and
trickery. His fellow knights praise him as
a model of Rokari chivalry, while the
wizards have foretold great deeds for
him in the future, as dark times come
upon the kingdom. He is unswervingly
loyal to the Crown, and attributes his
success to his insistence on maintaining
strict Rokari virtues.
In recent years, he has become a
banneret, with his own force of knights
and other supporters, forging a powerful
hero band that strikes fear into the
enemies of the kingdom. He hopes to
campaign in Safelster one day, using his
sword and heroquest powers to cut away
the lies of the heretics and bring them to
the all-embracing truth of Rokar.
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Naumstadt
Type: Small City +2
Significant Abilities: Numerous Inns, Dreary
Architecture
Security and Defences: Stone walls,
medium fortress, watch towers
Temples and Shrines: Large Rokari church
Ruler: Baron Krieber
Suzerain: Duke of Rindland (King of
Seshnela)
The city of Naumstadt stands on the Tanier
River between Segurane and Arnlor. Many
merchants and river travelers stop off here
on their journey between the two major
cities. To cater for them, Naumstadt is full of
taverns and inns of all kinds. Some cater to
wealthy merchant nobles, and others to
simple river bargemen, some are sedate, and
others rowdy, but all seem to be busy year-
round. Yet few stay here for long, and the
city's own market is not as bustling as one
might expect from the size of its itinerant
population. Indeed, those who travel away
from the inns and high streets find that the
city is uninspiring. The architecture is plain
and functional, typical Rindlander
functionality unrelieved by the artistic
adornments seen in places such as Segurane
or Drenwal. To many foreigners, the city
typifies what they dislike most about
Rokarism, a flat monotony with no room for
individual self-expression or joy.
Baron Krieber is a dull, unimaginative man.
He raises the virtue of obedience to levels
unusual even in Seshnela, but is not an
effective leader of men himself. Passionately
loyal to the King, he is always sending
reports to Segurane and follows any
instructions he receives in return to the
letter. He prefers, where possible, not to take
important decisions himself, deferring to the
crown where he can, and his advisors where
he cannot. In general, he prefers to do as
little as possible about anything, which is
why Naumstadt has failed to capitalise on its
crucial trading position in recent years.
Kingdom of the Flamesword
Nidan River
Rising far to the north in the mountain
range of the same name, the Nidan River
flows for over a hundred and fifty miles
through the untamed wilderness of Fornoar
before reaching Rindland. The river then
flows through a wide valley to it confluence
with the Tanier at Segurane. Fertile farmland
borders this lower stretch of the river, with
numerous small towns and villages.
Hassenwal is the river's only true city,
however, and there is far less trade down the
Nidan than down either the Deu or the
Tanier. Bridges are rare, although there are a
number of local ferries that serve to carry
travellers across the water. Barges bear
goods between Hassenwal and Segurane,
but further north it is unusual to see much
beyond local fishing boats.
Expeditions to the distant mountains do
bear dwarven goods to Seshnela. But these
are far less common than trading missions to
Laurmal are, for the dwarves of the Iron
Mountains are more willing to sell iron.
Furthermore, the route to Laurmal is both
shorter and less dangerous than that up the
Nidan River. Fur trappers also brave the risks
of the wilds in order to bring back valuable
pelts, and this forms a significant portion of
the trade that does pass down the valley. For
the most part though, the river beyond
Hassenwal is quiet, and the villages and
towns there have little contact with the
outside world. Only when one approaches
the border does one begin to see any true
forts, and these are small affairs, intended to
provide early warnings of attack rather than
to hold off a determined force for any length
of time.
Page 102
Pfauber
Type: Small City -5
Significant Abilities: Open Sewers, High
Taxes
Security and Defences: Stone walls, small
fortress
Temples and Shrines: Small Rokari
cathedral
Ruler: Baron Vix
Suzerain: Duke of Rindland (King of
Seshnela)
The city of Pfauber stands in north-eastern
Rindland in a lowland region close to the
Sodal marshlands. The city is poor, with few
reasons to recommend it to visitors. Local
produce fills the markets, but merchants
from further afield are much less likely to
visit. This gives the city a somewhat parochial
atmosphere, and the locals are generally
distrustful of travellers, even those from
elsewhere in Seshnela. In turn, even other
Rindlanders stereotype the people of
Pfauber as backward and lacking in
intelligence. The city's muddy streets and
cramped wooden housing do nothing to
correct this impression.
Pfauber Castle is old, although perfectly
functional. Built during the Imperial Age, it
has changed hands many times since, but has
rarely been upgraded or enlarged.
Nonetheless, the walls are solid and capable
of resisting an attack, as are those
surrounding the city itself. Few guards patrol
beyond the castle, though, and crime is
commonplace. The cathedral is newer than
the castle, but it is small and unimpressive
compared with those in most other
Seshnelan cities, being a place to send the
less worthy clergy, keeping them away from
the true centers of ecclesiastical power.
Baron Vix is unpopular with his fellow
nobles, and even more so with his subjects.
He cares primarily for his own enrichment,
and levies harsh taxes on the local
commoners, for which they see little return.
His knights are more loyal, since he keeps
them well paid and equipped, and gives
them many opportunities to exercise their
superiority over the common folk. Many
suspect that the baron also keeps a
 Gazetteer

significant amount of his taxes for himself, that will change before long, and everyone
embezzling money that he should pass on to fears the devastation that the Brithini can
the Crown, but nobody has ever found bring.
conclusive evidence of wrong-doing. Even As befits the ruler of such a place, Baron
the local sheriff rarely visits the city if he can Negrund was a skilled knight in his youth. A
help it, which makes it easy for the baron to dedicated follower of Saint Gerlant, he
do as he wishes without outside interference. remains fit and capable of personally leading
his troops into battle. He is knowledgeable
Possingen about fortifications, and the means of
Type: Small City -3 destroying them. On the open battlefield,
Significant Abilities: Mercenaries for Hire however, his tactics tend to be simplistic,
Security and Defences: Heavy stone walls, relying on the mass charge with couched
medium fortress, watch towers lance and a quick victory due to
Temples and Shrines: Small Rokari overwhelming military force. This has proved
cathedral sufficient to ensure that bandits no longer
Ruler: Baron Negrund trouble the region, but might prove less
Suzerain: Duke of Rindland (King of effective against the massed armies of
Seshnela) Arolanit, should they ever take to the field.
Possingen is heavily fortified for its size, a None the less, the baron is a brave man who
powerful stronghold in a relatively remote leads by example, and he is popular with his
part of the country. The Arolanit border lies knights.
not far to the north, and the lands to the
west are sparsely settled. The surrounding
region has a strong martial tradition, and
nobles prize knights from this corner of the
kingdom as particularly skilled and
courageous. In Possingen itself, knights
abound, and the local tradesmen cater to
their needs. Smiths that make and repair
weapons are common here, even though
they are not as highly regarded as those
from Deu to the south. Travelling knights
and their companions are sure to find inns
dedicated to serving like-minded people,
quality stables for their horses, and
commoners eager to serve them.
In most other respects, Possingen is a
rather unremarkable city. Only minimal trade
passes through the city, since Arolanit does
not care to buy most Seshnelan goods, and,
in any case, has little to offer in return. Exotic
goods are difficult to come by here, and even
the knights often dream of campaigning
elsewhere. As a result, the baron and other
local landholders often hire out knights to
other parts of the kingdom, and the city is a
good place to hire mercenaries. The place
has a rough-and-ready frontier feel, and
thoughts often turn to the Brithini to the
north. Although Arolanit has not invaded for
centuries, rumours and prophecies predict

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Kingdom of the Flamesword

Segurane Lord Storbar - Seshnegi Petty Noble,

Knight, Know City Defences
Type: Large City +2 Lord Halarn Draupf - Seshnegi Petty
Ruler: Royal seneschal Noble, Administer City Government,
Suzerain: King of Seshnela Maintain Order
Look and Feel: A crowded medieval Master Bortholdt - Seshnegi Potter,
metropolis surrounding a mighty palace Maintain Guild Interests
Reactions to Foreigners: The people of Security and Defences: Three concentric
Segurane regard themselves as superior to stone walls, immense fortress, catapults and
most foreigners, because of their righteous ballistae, watch towers
religion and the lax morals of distant lands. The City Guard - 200 men-at-arms
Nonetheless, the locals accept the presence (defending outer stone walls)
of foreigners as necessary for trade, and The City Watch - 100 common guards
there is no active persecution - so long as (patrolling richer neighbourhoods)
they do not openly practice heretical or Palace Guard - 80 heavy footmen
pagan religious rites. The High Guard - 150 experienced
Significant Abilities: High Bridge, Pottery knights, 15 noble knights (defending
Kilns, River Docks inner fortifications)
Other Features: Narrow Streets (-5 to find The First Hammers - 60 experienced
your way about), Trade Hub, Wide River battle wizards
Resources Segurane Household Knights - 150
Trade Modifiers: Weapons and armour +5, regular knights, 100 men-at-arms
Pottery +10 (defending outer fortifications and
Recruitment Modifiers: +15 river boatmen, countryside)
+10 foot soldiers, +5 scholars, +5 household Temples and Shrines:
servants Segurane Cathedral - Imposing
Renowned Facilities: High Chapel of Saint Dalan - Fortified
Humbert the Equestrian - Breed Church, Relics of Saint Dalan
Powerful Chargers, Breed Graceful Chapel of Saint Gerlant - Chapel
Riding Horses College of the Ermines Scroll - Heraldic
The Silver Spurs - Comfortable Library, Chapel of Saint Tandavar
Accommodations, Foreign Guests Xemelan Hospital - Calming
The Green Lion - Comfortable Atmosphere, Healing
Accommodations, Knights' Meeting Office of the Rindland Inquisition -
Place Grim, Trial Records
Four Roads Market - Foreign Trade Library of Saint Rokar - Church Library,
Goods Calligraphic Scriptorium
Potters' Square - Quality Ceramics Royal Chapel - Ornate
Other Facilities: Underworld Contacts: The River Pirates,
The Wounded Pig - Cheep Beer, Dodgy The Postern Boys
Deals Alt Turm (Guardian)
Laurtanne's Supplies - Wizard's Supplies Functions:
Orvenstoff's - Spicy Sausages, Obtain I Awareness - See From Afar
Unusual Meats ; Blessing - Maintain Natural Order
Renowned Inhabitants: D Defence - Unscalable Stone
King Guilmarn and the royal court - see
Segurane was an ancient fort and river
p. 25
port that became the capitol of the Duchy of
Very Revd. Endrich - Archbishop (see
Rindland during the Imperial Age. Down the
above)
centuries, it has continually grown in size,
and is now by far the largest city in the

Page 104
 Gazetteer

region, dwarfing even Noloswal at the King, or seeking mercenary employment.

mouth of the Tanier, far to the south. Widely Despite their presence, much of the city is
known as 'segurane of the Walls', the city dangerous after dark, with the narrow
has massive fortifications. Three great curtain streets of the poorer areas of the city making
walls mark the outer perimeter of the city, it easy for footpads and other hoodlums to
each being significantly higher than the one escape any pursuers.
outside it, so that siege engines and Segurane is the ancient family seat of the
magically enhanced archers can fire over, or Bailifes dynasty, from which they
down onto, the outer wall if necessary. The consolidated their rule over Rindland before
spaces between the walls are empty swards, conquering the rest of Seshnela. Lord Draupf
with additional fortifications at the four serves as governor of the city, a position his
gatehouses. family has held for many generations. He
Inside the inner wall, the city is cramped manages the civilian government, including
and crowded. Wooden and stone buildings relations with the guilds and merchants,
cram together everywhere, and the streets while Lord Storbar, a relative of the King,
are narrow and winding as soon as one takes charge of military matters.
leaves the main processionals that travel
from the gatehouses to the inner city. A
great artificial hill rises here, surrounded by a
final curtain wall with defences just as
impressive as those outside. Military barracks,
wizards' chapter houses, and government
buildings top the hill inside this wall, and
surround the vast bulk of the royal castle. A
veritable army of servants toils in the
basements of the castle, and at times it
appears as if the entire civic economy is
devoted to keeping them supplied.
Three branches of the Royal Road network
meet at Segurane, which stands where the
Nidan River meets the Tanier. The southern
Royal Road reaches the city by means of a
great bridge over the river - the only such
crossing on the Lower Tanier. The bridge is
magical, and towers on impossibly tall pylons
over the wide waters. The central arch is so
high and wide that even sailing ships can
pass beneath, making the river navigable all
the way from Noloswal to Felster Lake.
Over the years since its founding, Segurane
has become a centre for pottery production.
High quality clay lies in the river valley
nearby, allowing the local potters to make
exceptional ceramics, suitable for even the
most demanding merchants and nobles.
Important though this is to the local
economy, trade and military power are the
two real strengths of the city. Knights and
soldiers walk everywhere, whether part of
the official armies and defensive forces,
accompanying nobles visiting to petition the

Page 105
Kingdom of the Flamesword
The River Pirates
There are, of course, no genuine river
pirates on the Tanier River as it flows
through Seshnela. Near Segurane, in
particular, there are many knights who
keep an eye on river traffic, and who
would have no difficulty in hunting out
any bandits that preyed on the trade
ships. However, this has not stopped one
of the underworld gangs of the city from
adopting the name. They operate in the
southern and western districts of the
city, leaving the north and east to the
rival 'Postern Boys'.
The River Pirates are thieves and
smugglers, preying on the poorer
inhabitants of Segurane down near the
docks and wharves, which are the only
parts of the city that project outside the
protective curtain walls. Inside the walls,
they hide among the twisting streets
near the Fishmonger's Market, and in
districts where the labourers and dock
workers live. They control the wells in
this part of the city, running a racket
where they receive payment in exchange
for access to fresh water. The City Watch
never visits this part of Segurane,
regarding it as not worth their while,
which allows the River Pirates relatively
free reign.
A spirit known as the Drowned Rat
acts as guardian being for the gang. A
ghostly apparition, it scampers through
the dark alleyways and open sewers of
Segurane, and whispers in the ears of
the River Pirate gang leaders, giving
them knowledge of lucrative deals and
the best ways to smuggle goods into and
out of the city.
Page 106
Steurgen Tower
In 1564, King Feliest ordered the
construction of a watchtower in the
northeastern corner of the Kingdom, as part
of its frontier defences. The result was
Steurgen Tower, built with magical
assistance over the next five years. The tower
itself is a slim pinnacle of pale stone, soaring
a thousand feet into the air from the top of
the highest hill in the region. Stables and
other outbuildings surround the base of the
tower, but most activity occurs within. The
lowest floors contain a mustering hall for the
knights, along with kitchens, workshops, and
living quarters for the servants. Higher up
are the living quarters for the knights, which
are more spacious than those in many castles
are, along with a great hall for
entertainment, and similar facilities. Higher
still rise empty halls, and then the main
stairway of the castle, winding up through
the empty interior for hundreds of feet.
The highest part of the tower contains
accommodation and study areas for the staff
of wizards that man the observation
platform at the summit. Food and other
supplies reach these levels by means of a
magical contrivance that can levitate up
through the tower's core, although this is
insufficiently strong to support a full-grown
person. As a result, the wizards rarely see
anyone from the lower reaches of the tower,
except when they start and finish their tours
of duty. They rely entirely upon the knights
to maintain order, deal with any outside
threats, and generally see to their wellbeing.
The main purpose of the tower is to keep a
watch over the land of Holut, which lies
north of Sodal Marsh. One of the Safelstran
nations, Holut is somewhat barbaric by
comparison with its neighbours, and its
soldiers are forever raiding nearby lands,
including Seshnela. Magical viewing devices
mounted on the observation platform allow
the wizards to keep an eye on events up to
forty miles across the border, if necessary
calling the knights out to intercept raiding
parties.

Western Sodal
Seshnela claims rule over almost the whole
of great marshland that forms the head of
the Lower Tanier River. However, the
isolationist Count of the Marsh holds sway
over most of the region, and his people are
more Safelstran than Seshnegi. No King has
made a serious attempt to enforce his rule
here since the days of King Vikard, leaving
Sodal as an independent nation. The western
and southern parts of the marshland,
however, are more recognizably part of
Seshnela.
No baron holds court here, but a number
of Rokari knights do live in the villages
hidden among the waterways and boggy
woodland. The land is dismal, haunted by
mosquitoes, but birds and other wildlife also
abound here, and parts of the region are
officially Royal Forest, with restricted
hunting rights. Bandits hide out here,
because of the rarity and difficulty of proper
patrols. In other places, small villages subsist
on mud plants and wildfowl, and give little,
if any, thought, to their ostensible rulers in
far away Segurane. Many of the locals speak
Safelstran, not Seshnegi, and the border
between the two lands is vague at best.
Ziegel
Type: Town -3
Significant Abilities: High Towers
Security and Defences: Large concentric
castle
Temples and Shrines: Medium Rokari
church
Ruler: Sheriff of Nachsen
Suzerain: Duke of Rindland (King of
Seshnela)
The great castle of Ziegel stands near the
Arolanit border. The original structure dates
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Gazetteer
back to the Imperial Age, but little of that
now remains. The current castle sports a
massive keep with four high towers, and an
extensive curtain wall and large gatehouse.
A town has sprung up outside the walls to
supply the inhabitants with food and other
mundane supplies, although the castle has its
own dedicated smithy and other essential
services. There is also a church inside the
castle walls, with its own vicar and other
clergy. A large chapel to Saint Gerlant
occupies a corner of the church, and includes
some minor relics sacred to the saint.
The castle is the home for the Sheriff of
Nachsen, a shire extending along much of
the northern frontier. Although the King has
mobilised larger armies near Nolos, and in
Danginmarch, the commander of Ziegel has
perhaps the largest number of knights under
his personal command of any sheriff in the
kingdom. The Brithini single-mindedly patrol
their border, determined to keep Seshnelan
'contamination' of Arolanit to a minimum.
The knights of Ziegel also patrol regularly,
and keep a close eye on their foes to the
north.
In recent years, there have been signs of
new construction in southern Arolanit - a
most unusual event, and one that many fear
is a prelude to a planned invasion. The
Sheriff has requested support from the King,
but very little has arrived, because of the
concentration of military effort in the south,
and on the occupation of Dangk. The troops
at Ziegel are disciplined, but even so,
rumours are beginning to spread amongst
them that the Brithini plan something soon.
Everyone hints at all sorts of fantastic and
unpleasant tales of Brithini activity, but
nobody really knows what they are capable
of, or what they want.
Kingdom of the Flamesword
The Duchy of Tanisor
Ducal Seat: Arnlor
Ruler (1620): King Guilmarn, Duke of Tanisor
Area: 36,000 sq. miles
Population: 350,000
At the Dawn, the lands around the Tanier
River were the heart of the Pendali culture. A
primitive, pagan people who worshipped
lions, the Pendali fought many wars against
the Seshnegi. Slowly, the armies of Seshnela
beat them back, eventually destroying them
for good and bringing civilisation to the
region. Far from the centre of Seshnelan
power, the people here eventually
established their own nation, the Kingdom
of Tanisor. At first allied with Seshnela
proper, the kings of Tanisor soon took their
own path, rejecting Malkionism in favour of
darker religions. By the late Dawn Age, the
last of the kings had bargained with the
powers of Chaos and become immortal
Page 108
vampires, preying on their subjects and
neighbours alike. The rulers of Seshnela
appointed Arkat leader of the Crusade
Against Chaos, and he crushed the Vampire
Kings forever.
From that point onwards, Tanisor became
part of Seshnela, and by the Imperial Age it
was a wealthy duchy occupying more or less
its current territory. The line of dukes died
out at the beginning of the Interregnum,
and anarchy reigned. For the next few
centuries, several petty nations rose and fell,
some of them unifying large parts of Tanisor,
only to collapse within a single generation.
No one took the title of King, believing it to
be cursed, but Princes, Dukes, and even

Archons claimed rule over various parts of
the land.
By the time of Bailifes, the region was
relatively stable again, with a powerful duke
ruling from Arnlor, although the northeast,
around Leplain, formed the separate, smaller
nation of Corignon. The rulers of this latter
nation adopted the Rokari faith and sided
with Bailifes, while the dukes continued to
espouse the old Hrestoli ways. The Duke of
Tanisor formed a coalition of his neighbours
to oppose the Rokari, but fell at the Second
Battle of Asgolan Fields. Bailifes absorbed
the duchy into his new Kingdom, and took
the title of Duke for himself. Since then,
Tanisor has rebuilt its wealth to become a
powerful and populous realm within
Seshnela.
Geographically, the term 'Tanisor' applies
to the whole of the region around the Tanier
river valley from the borders of Nolos to the
edge of Sodal. Never truly unified under one
leader, much of this territory now lies within
Rindland and Estaurenic. Nonetheless the
heart of the duchy remains the river valley,
which is especially populous around Arnlor
and Lamreaux. The stretch of the river
between the cities is less inhabited, because
of the ancient ruins that occupy the banks
there, and the barges that travel the river try
to sail through as quickly as they can. To the
west, the land is fertile, the wide plains
covered by farmland, which supplies much of
the Kingdom with grain and other
agricultural produce. The southeastern
corner has the least inhabitants, and is quite
desolate in places, marked with castles and
towers defending the frontier from invasion.
The King of Seshnela retains the title of
Duke of Tanisor, but appoints no single
individual to govern the region on his behalf.
The ducal court meets at Arnlor, which the
King visits in person once a year, always
staying for a few weeks to reinforce his rule
over the duchy. There are twelve barons in
Tanisor, all of whom owe fealty directly to
the King, in his role as duke. The King also
holds some territory directly, especially
around Arnlor, while Leplain is a special See
of the Rokari Church. Tanisor contains eight
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Gazetteer
shires and has two archbishops, one of whom
is also the Ecclesiarch.
The Very Reverend Odring
Position: Archbishop of Tanisor
Magic: Rokari Liturgist
Odring has served as Archbishop of Tanisor
for over thirty years. His archdiocese covers
the whole of the duchy, except for the city of
Leplain and its immediate environs. In his
younger days, he was an enthusiastic
supporter of the Inquisition, and well known
for his strict, hard-line attitude towards any
hint of questioning Church authority. He was
very protective of his position, and closely
supervised the behaviour of his bishops,
believing his own moral compass to be
superior to that of all but a few of his closest
confidants. Now, however, he is in his
twilight years, elderly and infirm. He rarely
travels beyond his cathedral in Arnlor, and
his grasp on the affairs of the archdiocese
seems to be fading. He constantly suspects
his bishops, and other churchmen, of
plotting against him, hastening his demise so
that they can take over his position.
However, he issues few decrees these days,
which actually allows his subordinates
beyond Arnlor more freedom than they have
had for decades. His decline is not yet so
great that Theoblanc has any intention of
taking the drastic step of forcibly retiring
him, but the bishops wait eagerly in the
hope that he will become too ill to continue
his duties, and jockey for position amongst
themselves to catch the eye of the
Ecclesiarch.
Aiz
The abbey of Aiz is the headquarters and
largest chapter of the School of Raceen in
the Kingdom of Seshnela. The School recruits
only wizard adepts born amongst
commoners, in imitation of the life of its
founder. In his native land of Fronela, adepts
regard Raceen as a commoner who raised
himself to the wizard class through his own
efforts. The Rokari reject this interpretation,
pointing to Raceen's skill with magic as proof
that he was a wizard all along, whose life
demonstrates the necessity and importance
Kingdom of the Flamesword
of the Rokari system of seeking out wizards
born amongst the other castes. While such a
distinction might seem unimportant, it has
created something of a rift within the
School, with the Rokari Raceenites holding to
a strict interpretation of the caste system,
while those in other lands are generally
strong promoters of inter-caste mobility. The
Abbot of Aiz has as little to do as possible
with his counterparts in Nolos and Fronela,
but strives to bring the small Safelstran
chapters of the school under his influence
rather than that of his rivals.
Aiz is a large abbey surrounded by a low
walled compound and a small amount of
farmland. Where, elsewhere, Raceenites
willingly help with the work of the harvest,
even going as far as to live amongst the
peasants in some cases, the adepts at Aiz
maintain the strict separation that their caste
laws dictate. The farmers supply the abbey
with food and other supplies as a feudal
obligation, and the abbey hires knights to
help protect them. The abbey also produces
a number of crafted goods, many of them
magically enchanted, and sells them to
merchants plying the Tanier River. There are
no significant towns nearby, so the river
trade is important, and the abbey maintains
quays and a market place on the river bank
for this purpose. The abbey itself stands on a
bluff overlooking the river, just a half-mile
from the quays.
Ironically, despite their rivalry with
branches of their School elsewhere,
Theoblanc considers the School to be tainted
by its past. In particular, he regards the
craftsmanship espoused by the School as
unfitting for adepts. If and when he brings
the School under direct Church control, he
would likely redirect its adepts to menial
duties, and hand Aiz over to the Iron Blood
School or some other, more dignified
institution.
Page 110
Arnlor
Type: Medium City +3
Significant Abilities: Cloth Markets, Ferries,
Riverside Docks, Xemelan Hospital
Security and Defences: Stone walls, large
fortress, watch towers
Temples and Shrines: Large Rokari
cathedral
Ruler: Sheriff (acting as seneschal)
Suzerain: Duke of Tanisor (King of
Seshnela)
Arnlor became the capitol of Tanisor at the
end of the Dawn Age when the old kingdom
became a duchy. It lies on the east bank of
the Tanier, where the Royal Roads to
Segurane and Leplain meet. It is a city of
dark and foreboding architecture, rising
from the plain through which the Tanier
travels. Although ancient walls surround the
main part of the city, it has long since
outgrown its bounds, and now many streets
and buildings sprawl beyond the walls. Only
the poor live in this outer city, whose streets
are little more than mud tracks with open
sewers that flow sluggishly into the river. In
the old city, within the walls, layers of solid
earth and the rubble of previous habitation
raise the streets above the muddy detritus of
the river bank, and the streets are paved and
dry. The local stone is dark, however, which
gives the city much of its gloomy
atmosphere, even in the relatively well-
heeled areas.
The Royal Road crosses the Tanier at
Arnlor, but it is so wide that there has never
been any attempt to construct a bridge.
Instead, great ferry barges travel back and
forth across the waters, ranging from small
boats that carry small groups of poor
passengers, to huge vessels that can bear
wagons and horses. The Ferrymen's Guild
controls this traffic, passing a share of its
revenue onto the Crown in return for its
monopoly. Although, naturally, river boats
travelling up and down the Tanier do not
have to concern themselves with the Guild,
anyone carrying a paying passenger from
one bank to the other within a mile of the
city must be a Guild member. On the rare
occasions that anyone has tried to break this
 Gazetteer

ban, they have usually been found floating

face-down in the river not long after.
Despite the grim architecture, Arnlor is also The Tanier River
the largest centre for production of the
The Tanier River flows through the
famed Tanisoran tapestries and carpets that
heart of modern day Seshnela, and gives
decorate many noble homes and wizardry
its name to the region of Tanisor. Strictly
chapters up and down the land, and even as
speaking, this is the Lower Tanier, as
far away as Safelster and Pasos. Weaving is
distinct from the Upper Tanier, which
one of the main industries of the city, and
flows through Ralios, but few locals
the very best tapestry weavers often receive
bother to make the distinction. The river
commissions from powerful nobles or
has its source at Lake Felster, and flows
churchmen elsewhere, using their skills to
through western Safelster until it reaches
illustrate stories or scenes especially
the marshes of Sodal. From there, it runs
significant to their clients.
through southern Rindland and the
Arnlor is also the site of the largest
modern Duchy of Tanisor, to Estaurenic
Xemelan Hospital in Seshnela. From the
and the rebellious Duchy of Nolos. The
outside, the building looks as gloomy as any
great trading city of Noloswal lies at the
other in the city, but inside there are airy
mouth of the Tanier, where it drains into
naves and open courtyards, some of them
the Solkathi Sea. The cities of Segurane,
decorated with bushes or healing herbs.
Arnlor, and Estau all stand on its banks,
Hundreds of healers toil here, accepting rich
along with many smaller settlements.
and poor alike in exchange for whatever
The Deu and Nidan Rivers are its major
donations they can make. The place seems
tributaries.
perpetually busy, yet there are areas set
The river is extremely broad
aside for quiet contemplation where the
throughout its length, and lies in a wide
healers and their patients can go to give
valley with rich, alluvial soils. Through
thanks to the Saint. Male and female
much of Seshnela the river varies from
patients are kept strictly segregated, in
500 to 1000 feet across, with the magical
accordance with Rokari decorum. Similarly,
bridge at Segurane being the only one
there are separate wards for commoners and
to cross it. For centuries, it has been the
knights, with wizards and nobles receiving
main route for trade through the region,
private rooms with fittings suitable to their
a role which became increasingly
status.
important after the sinking of Old
The King, in his role as Duke of Tanisor,
Seshnela. Barges are the main form of
appoints a seneschal to govern the city on his
transport, but the river is deep enough
behalf. For over a hundred years, this role
for much larger vessels to travel all the
has traditionally gone to the Sheriff of
way from the sea to Lake Felster if they
Oritaine, the shire within which the city lies.
so chose. For most of its length, the river
He delegates some authority to the city's
farmland lines the river, with numerous
guilds, but maintains a strong guard force
towns and villages dotting the banks.
within the walls, and administers the main
In ancient times, the people of Tanisor
criminal courts of the city, as well as the shire
worshipped the river as a pagan god.
courts. Outside the walls, law enforcement is
The Malkioni kings of the late Dawn Age
sporadic at best, for the sheriff's men are
stamped the practice out and destroyed
only concerned with maintaining trade and
the shrines. Folk ceremonies recall this
with the well-being of the wealthy.
long-lost worship at a few places,
gaining common magic in return for
token sacrifices of garlands or fish
returned to the waters, but there is no
longer any formal worship.

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Kingdom of the Flamesword
Basmol Ruins
The lion-worshipping Pendali had a
fortress here at the Dawn. The Seshnegi
sacked the fortress in the early second
century, as part of their subjugation of the
indigenous inhabitants of Tanisor. The God
Learners identified the deity of the Pendali
as Basmol, a great spirit worshipped in Prax,
and gave the ruins the same name. The
Pendali fortress was unusual in design,
consisting of a number of steep-sided
artificial hills, more like mountains than
regular architecture. Cairns and curving
defensive ramparts decorated the sides of
the hills, although many have since crumbled
to dust or vanished beneath earth and
vegetation. From the outside, the ruins
appear almost like natural features, with
only their sudden eruption from the
otherwise flat plain giving a clue to their
artificial nature.
Inside, however, multiple stone-lined
chambers lead down to tunnels weaving
beneath the main structure and far into the
earth. Some of the tunnels have since
collapsed, or flooded with water from the
Tanier, but several remain. At seemingly
random intervals within the tunnels, there
are oddly carved stones, deep pits or wells,
and empty niches serving no obvious
function. Simply visiting the place feels
unsettling to most humans, and travellers
normally give it a wide berth. However, once
every few years, there are reports of lion
men from distant Prax creeping into the
ruins to enact beastly rites at the dead of
night. The authorities execute any they
catch, since they are dangerous and barely
human, but this does not seem to deter
others from arriving in later years.
Basse-Chaine
This ridge of hills lies in eastern Tanisor,
close to the Tarinwood Forest. The valleys are
fertile, but the higher ground is rocky, with
few trees. The people here are goat herders
and farmers, largely self-sufficient, but
making a renowned goats' cheese popular
across the Tanier valley. The hills are largely
Page 112
peaceful, with few bandits or other problems
to keep the local knights taxed. The main
threat comes from the elves, who have
sometimes raided this far into the Kingdom,
seeding strange plants that break up
agricultural ground, or have less obvious
purposes. As a result, every house here has a
garland of dead hawthorn branches over the
lintel, a magical charm that wards away the
forest folk.
Bethencourt
Type: Small City -4
Significant Abilities: Ill-disciplined Knights
Security and Defences: Stone walls, small
fortress, watch towers
Temples and Shrines: Small Rokari
cathedral
Ruler: Baron Dierom
Suzerain: Duke of Tanisor (King of
Seshnela)
Betherncourt has a reputation as a
backwards town, whose inhabitants know
little of the civilisation and grandeur of the
rest of Seshnela. As with most such
reputations, this is something of an
exaggeration, but it has a kernel of truth.
Many of the lands near Bethencourt are
relatively wild, including a couple of small
Royal Forests reserved for hunting by the
nobility. Even beyond those areas specifically
protected by law, woodlands dot the
countryside between the farms of the
peasantry. Woodworking, and all its allied
trades, such as cooperage, are important
within the city, and almost every building has
a decoratively carved wooden lintel.
Baron Dierom is a keen hunter, who
spends more time chasing game than he
does in actual administration of his realm.
Although not an Adept himself, he is a
supporter of the Order of Saint Orvar, who
have established a large and well-appointed
chapel in the city. The baron frequently
donates money to the Order, and its
members receive many invitations to the
grandiose feasts that he hosts at his castle.
However, he spends less of his resources on
the mundane upkeep of the barony, with the
result that the roads in this region are

notoriously poor. He is, however,
conscientious at keeping down banditry,
and, with minimal oversight from above, his
knights frequently deal as they please with
any miscreants they discover.
Castle Bouzancouf
The southeastern corner of Tanisor is a
wild frontier, with only occasional small
villages lying between stretches of
undeveloped land. Castle Bouzancouf is one
of the few bases of royal power in this
generally empty region. Formerly the
northernmost outpost of the duchy of Nolos,
Seshnegi knights captured the castle after a
siege in 1573. King Feliest transferred the
castle and surrounding territory to Tanisor,
where it has remained ever since.
The castle is not particularly impressive,
consisting of a bailey lined by high walls,
with a tall square keep to one side. The
defenders have rebuilt all of the defences
destroyed during the siege, but have not
significantly extended them. For all its
symbolic importance as Nolosi territory held
by Seshnela, the castle's strategic value is
low, and the garrison is primarily concerned
with putting down bandits and occasional
raids from Tarinwood, rather than facing
hostile forces from the south. Bouzancouf is
an unpopular posting with knights, most of
whom are serving tours as part of their
feudal duty to the duchy of Tanisor.
The commander of the castle is Tirois
Bracoire, a noble knight and relative of the
baron of Virtoins. He is a capable leader, but
feels that his talents are wasted out here,
where there is little to do for much of the
year. He tries to keep the knights occupied
with training and patrolling, to distract from
the absence of the benefits that their status
normally provides. Despite his best efforts,
most are largely concerned with how much
longer they have to serve before returning to
their homes and families.
Corlivy
The Pendali were not the only peoples to
inhabit present day Seshnela before the
coming of the Malkioni. Various other pagan
Page 113
Gazetteer
peoples shared their land, and a few left
ruins of their own. Corlivy is one of the
better known such monuments, a religious
site whose original builders are unknown.
Wizards who have researched the matter
claim that the stones here predate the Ice
Age, coming from the time of the Fourth
Action. Scholars know little of the
inhabitants of Tanisor in those days,
although most assume that they were animal
worshippers, similar to the Pendali, and
other, later peoples.
The site of Corlivy consists of a processional
way half a mile in length, marked by small
stones and punctuated by five great
trilithons. Carvings decorate the stones of
the trilithons, each of which depicts a
different animal. Approaching from the
south-east, the carvings are of, respectively,
horses, lions, snakes, wolves, and deer. The
site has stood unused for centuries, and grass
now covers many of the smaller stones along
the processional. Nonetheless, heathen spirits
still flit about the site, and are willing to
defend it, if necessary. The magic here is
ancient and powerful, but no one knows
how to make use of it, so that the Rokari
have chosen to treat it as an area that poses
no significant threat, and so leave it alone.
Most people are superstitious about visiting
the site, fearing that the ancient spirits might
corrupt or harm them.
Gerlant's Vent
Even after Gerlant and Arkat had cleaned
Seshnela of the scourge of Gbaji, some
dangers remained. One year, a host of giant
insects crawled forth from the ground here,
and menaced the countryside, eating crops,
livestock, and humans alike. Saint Gerlant
and his companions rode forth to face the
creatures, which appeared to be made of
living earth. They slew some of the creatures,
and the remainder fled to this spot, where
the valiant knights cornered and killed them.
No sooner had they done so than another
group of the monsters sprang forth fresh
from the earth. Calling upon God for
deliverance, Gerlant drove his sword deep
into the ground. Fire spread from his blade
across the earth, as if the soil and rock itself
Kingdom of the Flamesword
were burning, while leaving the saint and his
companions unharmed. The monstrous
creatures themselves burst into flame, and
turned to harmless ash.
A gash remains in the rock here to this day,
only a few inches across, but of
unfathomable depth. A thin trail of smoke
issues forth almost constantly from the vent.
Several times a day, gouts of fire burst forth,
and more rarely, there are bursts of steam.
Nothing will grow within several hundred
yards of the vent, where the ground is
blackened and stony. Close by stands a
chapel for pilgrims, and a household of
Flamesword Knights, venerating this holy
site.
Gevisey
Type: Small City -7
Significant Abilities: Damaged Buildings,
Surly Peasants
Security and Defences: Stone walls,
damaged fortress
Temples and Shrines: Small Rokari
cathedral
Ruler: Baron Vautromme
Suzerain: Duke of Tanisor (King of
Seshnela)
The farmland around Gevisey is relatively
poor in quality, and the locals often seem to
struggle to survive. The markets here are
small, and merchants visit only infrequently.
Local barons have traditionally striven to
maintain as large a force of knights, and to
live in the same style as their counterparts
elsewhere, which has inevitably resulted in
levels of taxation that are difficult for the
inhabitants to meet. It is, perhaps, scarcely
surprising that Gevisey has always been
something of a hotbed of discontent and
seething resentment. For example, the city
Page 114
was one of the major rallying points of the
Ditchers' Rebellion, the largest peasant
uprising since the Interregnum.
More recently, in 1611, another wave of
rebellion hit the city. This was precipitated
when the Inquisition took a number of
commoners into custody, including
influential members of the Weavers' and
Woodworkers' Guilds. Apprentices from
many guilds got together to organise
marches that only served to inflame the
situation. False rumours spread that the
Inquisition had sentenced the accused
heretics to death, and a mob descended on
the prisons, releasing them from custody.
The Church and the baron naturally
responded with great violence, searching the
city for the rescued prisoners, and this finally
precipitated a full-scale riot. Fearing for his
life, the baron fled the city with his key
advisors and knights, leaving it in anarchy.
Three weeks later, royal forces from Arnlor
stormed the city, putting the rebels to the
sword. The rioters had looted and damaged
the castle, parts of which remain unsound to
this day, although, surprisingly, the cathedral
had fared much better. Resentment still
simmers in the city, since everyone knows
someone who died in the fighting, or the
executions that followed. Indeed, some parts
of the city still stand empty, such was the
extent of the bloodletting. However, it was
not just the commoners who suffered
because of the rebellion. King Guilmarn
dismissed the baron from service, arguing
that he had broken his oath of fealty by
abandoning his post. He installed Lord
Vautromme of Rindland as the new baron, a
stern military man who looks with contempt
upon his troublesome subjects.
 Gazetteer

Heroes: Arland Chivier

Position: Minstrel
Magic: Rokari Church; some unique heroquest powers
Arland was born the son of a Tanisoran minstrel. As a boy, he travelled throughout the
duchy, never staying in one place for long, and he developed a lifelong love of travel.
Although he loved the Seshnelan countryside, and the joy of visiting different places,
what interested him above all were the stories. The rich, vibrant, history of his homeland
came alive in the old tales, and it was for this reason more than any other that he chose
to become a minstrel himself when he reached adulthood.
At first, he travelled alone, or joined small groups that he never remained with for long.
He preferred to make his own way in the world, choosing where to go rather than
following the lead of more experienced minstrels. In due course, his skill with the lute and
his prodigious memory for myths and stories brought him fame amongst his fellow
entertainers. Others joined with him, and he accumulated a hero band of his own, always
travelling from town to town and castle to castle, never in one place for more than a few
weeks at a time. He even married one of the members of his hero band, and started a
family of his own.
He no longer restricted himself to Tanisor, but visited every part of the Kingdom, even
crossing the border into Nolos a few times. All the time he gathered myths and legends,
learning of the deeds of the saints, and of ancient kings and heroes stretching back to
before the Dawn. He saw how Rokar had brought the ways of the past back to life, and
how his legacy would one day bring about the return of the perfect world of the Third
Action. He realised then that simply keeping the myths alive by word of mouth was not
enough; he had to live them.
With the support of the Church, Arland became a heroquester. He and his followers
were no knights or mighty magicians, but there were many other heroic paths to follow.
He explored myths of communication, transport, and negotiation on the Other Side, using
them to benefit the communities that he passed through. He continues in this role to the
present, still travelling from place to place as he does so. At times, he joins with knights
and wizards to support them on quests more suited to their abilities, but primarily, he
explores those myths that suited his own talents. Not only does he help others through his
quests, but he has also gained significant powers of his own, including the ability to open
his own portals to the hero planes, ad the ability to protect those he travels with from
pagan magic.

unsettling atmosphere, but there are no

Guincaux
On a plateau near the southern end of the
Basse-Chaine stand a collection of several
dozen burial mounds. The Pendali
constructed the mounds by raising stone
burial chambers, sealing them, and covering
them with earth. Modern scholars are
unclear as to who the Pendali buried here,
since they left no written records. They may
be chieftains, shamans, or something else
entirely, although they clearly must have
been important, since most people had only
simple graves. The site is desolate, and has an
hostile ghosts or spirits above ground.
Centuries ago, God Learners broke into some
of the mounds, and reported finding
animated lion skeletons that attacked them
until destroyed, as well as hostile spirits of
various kinds. They found bones inside, as
well as pottery and other trinkets of interest
only to scholars, but no jewellery or anything
else of value to later treasure hunters. The
Seshnegi have largely ignored the area since
the end of the Imperial Age.

Page 115
Kingdom of the Flamesword
Lamreaux
Type: Small City +4
Significant Abilities: Cloth Markets,
Riverside Docks
Security and Defences: Stone walls,
medium fortress
Temples and Shrines: Medium Rokari
cathedral
Ruler: Baron Carois
Suzerain: Duke of Tanisor (King of
Seshnela)
Lamreaux lies on the Tanier River, where
the Royal Road begins to head away from
the valley towards Arnlor. The stretch of river
to the north is desolate, marked by ruins and
haunted battlefields, so many heading for
the northern cities prefer to take the more
direct route by road. Lamreaux is the primary
production centre for the dyes tapestry
makers and cloth weavers use across Tanisor,
and even further afield. The Dyers' Guild of
Lamreaux knows secret techniques and
unique common magic rituals that make
their produce especially vibrant and long-
Page 116
lasting, making them superior to those
produced locally in most other towns and
cities. As a result, many dyers have become
wealthy, and the Guild is influential here,
along with the Weavers' Guild that makes
such good use of their produce to make
quality goods for export.
Baron Carois is a sickly man, who seemingly
is always suffering from some malady or
other. He patronises the Pragmapathic
Thaumaturges heavily, preferring to rely on
their work rather than that of the Order of
Saint Xemela, who he regards as plebeian
and tainted by its Hrestoli past. He has
recently arranged the marriage of his
daughter to the son of Count Hedenveld of
Noyelle, which he hopes will lead to a long-
lasting alliance between their families,
furthering his influence at court. The
arrangements are at an early stage, and the
baron is currently raising the large dowry
that the match requires.

Leplain
Type: Medium City +9
Ruler: Rokari Church
Suzerain: King of Seshnela
Look and Feel: A city dominated by the
spires of cathedrals and the work of holy
men.
Reactions to Foreigners: For most of the
year, the city is full of pilgrims from
across Seshnela. The locals are used to
dealing with Rokari from elsewhere and
will welcome them gladly, making them
feel part of a broad-based religious
community. While there are no laws
formally barring non-Rokari from
entering the city, anyone who is
obviously not part of the faith will face
open suspicion and legal interference
throughout their stay.
Significant Abilities: Clean Streets, Zealous
Locals
Other Features: Royal Road, Wide Plazas
Resources
Trade Modifiers: +15 holy relics, -15 to non-
Rokari, -30 to non-Malkioni, -5 black
market
Recruitment Modifiers: -10 mercenaries,
+10 scribes, +10 wizards
Renowned Facilities:
Three Spires Inn - Quality Food,
Sumptuous Accommodations
The Golden Quill - Magical Supplies,
Wizards' Meeting Place
Ingian the Lexigrapher - Parchment, Inks
and Pigments
Rancomar's Robes - Wizards' Clothing,
Religious Accoutrements
Other Facilities:
The Sword & Candle - Clean Rooms,
Efficient Staff
The Pilgrim's Rest - Large Flophouse
The Prayer Market - Talismans, Relics of
Uncertain Provenance
Page 117
Gazetteer
Renowned Inhabitants:
His Holiness Theoblanc the Pious, and
other key church leaders - see p. 67
Reverend Lemutard - Rokari Clergyman,
Administer City
Sir Menoir Creutard - Seshnegi Cavalry
Soldier, Adept of Saint Gerlant,
Command Soldiers
Security and Defences: High stone walls,
medium fortress, watch towers
The City Guard - 80 men-at-arms
(defending fortifications)
Hermandar's Own - 80 regular guards
(patrolling streets)
Household of Searing Flame - 43
experienced knights of Saint Gerlant
Inquisitorial Order of the Burning Lance -
50 elite knights (supporting the
Inquisition)
Shield of Light - 50 battle wizards
The See Guard - 40 experienced heavy
footmen (defending Ecclesiarch's
household)
Temples and Shrines:
Cathedral of Saint Mardron - Grandiose,
Experienced Wizards
High Office of the Inquisition - Austere,
Trial Records
Chapel of Saint Dalan - Chapel
Household of Searing Flame - Chapel of
Saint Gerlant
High Chapel of Saint Iames - Airy
Grand Chapter of the Defences of God -
Magical Watch Towers
Grand Library of Rokar - Holy Texts,
Restricted Section
Household of Elosette - Nunnery
Chapel of the Marble Dome - Private
Chapel
Underworld Contacts: There are no
organised criminal gangs in the city,
although individual criminals do exist.
The best place to contact such people is
at the Prayer Market.
Kingdom of the Flamesword

Merangvar (Guardian) The city has a unique status within the

Functions: Kingdom. It has no lord, and is subject to no
I Awareness - Sense the Unfaithful feudal feoff, although it is part of the Shire
; Blessing - Righteous Zeal of Corignon. In matters other than those of
D Defence - Pacifying Sense of Awe royal law, however, the Church itself governs
the city, setting its taxes, trying minor crimes,
Leplain, the City of Spires, is the spiritual
raising its own defences, and taking on all
centre of the Rokari Church. From anywhere
the functions normally associated with the
in the city it is possible to see the great spires
nobility. This special jurisdiction stops at the
of the cathedrals and churches soaring into
walls, and so does not apply to the peasants
the sky. The city is remarkably clean and
that toil to feed its people. The Church
crime-free, thanks to a highly efficient and
appoints a clergyman, currently Reverend
motivated city watch, and to the magical
Lemutard, to handle the city coffers and
atmosphere of devotion that encourages
oversee its mundane administration.
everyone to work hard and to take pride in
The Cathedral of Saint Mardron stands in
their heritage. The city was small and
the centre of the city, surrounded by
unremarkable until the time of Bailifes,
numerous other chapels and churches, as
when its bishop, Mardron, rose to
well as buildings dedicated to the
prominence within the nascent Rokari
administration of the Rokari Church.
Church and anointed the new King. Pilgrims
Including all of its outbuildings, it is, perhaps,
came in ever greater numbers to the site of
the largest Malkioni church anywhere in the
some of the faith's holiest places. Wealth
world, and its spires reach hundreds of feet
flowed into the city, which grew steadily in
into the air. The city also boasts the
response, rapidly outstretching its original
headquarters of many of the religious orders
walls. The Church razed much of the centre
and schools of wizardry that dominate
of the city to make way for wide open
Rokarism, most of which also sport especially
plazas, and new and grander churches and
grand buildings. The Grand Library of Rokar,
adepts' chapterhouses.
headquarters of the Order of Rokar Read
For most of the year, Leplain is flooded
Right, is famous as one of the best
with pilgrims, and its inns and boarding
repositories of ecclesiastical texts and
houses are full to bursting. Much of the city's
grimoires in the world, rivalling even those
economy is dedicated to keeping pilgrims
of Sog City, far to the north. The Chapel of
well fed and supplied. Only in winter does
the Marble Dome, part of the complex of
the number of pilgrims drop, and the city
buildings around the main cathedral serves
becomes quiet and introspective, continuing
as the private place of worship for the
its own devotions according to the
Ecclesiarch and his staff, and is close by their
ecclesiastical calendar.
offices and living quarters.

Page 118
 Gazetteer

Heroes: Reverend Father Sigalbert

Position: Inquisition Prior
Magic: Rokari Liturgist, various heroquesting powers
Sigalbert's parents were weavers from the city of Estau, and raised him well in the
values of the commoner caste. Even as a wizard, he believes strongly that commoners are
the foundation of the Kingdom's prosperity, and that their thrift, hard work, and
obedience are an example to all Rokari, no matter their birth caste. His theological purity
and dedication lead to his teachers at the seminary considering him for membership of
the Inquisition, but instead, he preferred to continue his studies as a liturgist. He served as
a deacon at Leplain, gaining inspiration from Theoblanc and the other great Church
leaders with whom he regularly came into contact. From there, he at last joined the
Inquisition, albeit as a liturgist rather than as an adept.
As an Inquisition Prior, his duties were to minister to the inquisitors themselves, hearing
their confessions, leading their religious services, and guiding them in God's will. He also
helped the Inquisition preach against the dangers of heresy, and the importance of virtue
to those who wished to attain Solace. He spent much of his free time deep in study,
improving his knowledge of the scriptures, and his ability to use the magic contained
within them.
Sigalbert became a heroquester, seeking out heretics on the Hero Plane, defeating their
schemes and interfering in their rituals. He gathered like-minded people around him,
creating a cadre of committed heroquesters, determined to increase their magical power
yet further in the furtherance of Kingdom and Church. Theoblanc gave him leave to
establish his own academy in Leplain, where he teaches advanced theology and
heroquesting magic to the most able members of the wizard caste. He preaches an
absolute dedication to the words of the prophet, and his followers have a reputation for
particular ruthlessness and fanaticism.

are mostly harmless, although occasionally,

Night Gorge
A great dragon once lay here, but tore
itself free from the ground during the Fourth
Action, and flew away for unknowable
reasons. Now a great gash remains in the
earth, a canyon over a mile in length, and
around 250 yards across at its widest. No
river runs through the gorge, which has
steep cliffs all the way around, which no easy
path to its base. The cliffs are themselves
hundreds of feet high, casting a near
perpetual gloom into the depths of the
gorge, hence its popular name. Very little
grows in the depths, but numerous caves
penetrate the cliff walls, where they form
the roosts for thousands upon thousands of
bats. At night, the bats rise from the gorge
like a cloud, obscuring the stars before
spreading across the countryside in search of
food. Despite their evil association, the bats
larger, magical bats have been sighted, some
of which kill and mutilate livestock.
Nogiers
Type: Town -4
Security and Defences: Earth rampart
topped with palisade, strong stone tower
Temples and Shrines: Medium Rokari
church, large chapel to Saint Hasterax
Ruler: Knight Commander
Suzerain: Duke of Tanisor (King of
Seshnela)
The town of Nogiers is a holding of the
Order of Saint Hasterax. King Ulianus II
granted the town, then little more than a
village, to the Order to help preserve the
easternmost border of his realm from the
elves of the Tarinwood. The Hasteraxi raised
a motte outside the town, and constructed a
tall stone tower on top. They have reinforced

Page 119
Kingdom of the Flamesword
the tower since, making it a powerful
fortification defended by significant magic.
The Hasteraxi knights dominate the town,
whose craftsmen work largely to serve the
Order. Most of the locals are proud of their
association with the knights, who are less
demanding than many of their counterparts
in other orders, and who are obviously
performing a vital service to the Kingdom.
The knights for their part are as fanatical
as any other Hasteraxi, and have little need
for luxuries. They maintain a watch at the
tower, which has a good view of the
surrounding countryside, and out to the
eaves of the Tarinwood. They patrol the
countryside, remaining alert for any rumours
of elven attacks. As the largest chapter of the
Order in Seshnela, they serve as leaders for
the other chapters throughout Tanisor and
Noyelle, although the latter in particular, are
largely autonomous in their day-to-day
affairs.
The Rokari Church, for their part, regards
the Hasteraxi as useful, but of uncertain
loyalties. Theoblanc does not regard their
order as a high priority for inclusion within
the main Church hierarchy, largely because
they are so focused on the elven foe that
they have no interest in religious politics or
most doctrinal issues. The Order, for its part,
cares little for what the Ecclesiarch does, so
long as he does not interfere in their primary
mission to defend humanity from the elves.
Pamencon
Type: Town +5
Security and Defences: Stone wall, small
fortress
Temples and Shrines: Large Rokari church
Ruler: Baron Lemergue
Suzerain: Duke of Tanisor (King of
Seshnela)
The Interregnum was a time not just of
social turmoil, but also of spiritual danger.
The absence of central authority, either
secular or religious, created an atmosphere
within which corruption could foster.
Pamencon was one place where that
corruption ran deeper than most.
Page 120
One pious woman noticed that, after a
family visit to the town, her teenage
daughter had begun to act in strange ways,
behaving licentiously and refusing to say her
prayers properly or with due diligence. She
suspected demonic possession, but her local
liturgist either would, or could, do nothing.
Fortunately, at that time, the Prophet Rokar
was travelling nearby, preaching his message
to the people. The pious woman sent him a
plea for help, and the Prophet took pity
upon her, and went to visit her home. There
he discovered that it was exactly as she had
feared; her daughter was possessed. The
Prophet cast out the dark essence, and, after
questioning it, sent it mewling down to Hell.
But from the questioning, he learned that
the truth was worse than he suspected; the
town of Pamencon itself was corrupted, and
the demon was only one of many that now
infested the settlement.
The villagers demanded that the town be
burnt to the ground, and its people slain, but
the Prophet lacked the forces to take such an
extreme action, and knew that God would
guide his hand towards a better solution. He
entered the town in disguise, and went to
the church. There he discovered the Hrestoli
liturgist, locked in his own cellar, kept alive
only by the scraps of food that the people
threw to him as they mocked his
powerlessness against them. A great altar
had been set up in the church where the
people could practice their blasphemous
sacrificial rites.
In his anger, the Prophet called out in a
loud clear voice that all who rejected the
word of God should come and face him.
Magically, his voice carried throughout the
entire town, and none of the possessed
people who held it in such a grip of terror
could resist. In a baying mob, they descended
upon the church. The Prophet sent the
liturgist out to meet them, but his magic was
useless against them, and they beat him to
death before entering the church, where
Rokar himself awaited them. The Prophet
raised his hands, and, condemning their
wickedness, he cast out all of the demons
and bound them within their own altar. The

stone of the altar turned pitch black, and
became so cold that ice water began to
condense on its surface. Those who had
willingly allowed the demons into their
hearts, or who had not fought against them,
found their own souls following the demons
to their fate, and their bodies fell dead upon
the floor. The others were freed, and,
weeping, offered up thanks to the Prophet
for their deliverance.
The stone altar remains in the church of
Pamencon to this day. The townsfolk have
rebuilt and enlarged the church itself, and
their town has grown too, famous for its
exceptional devotion to the Prophet and his
ways. King Bailifes made it a barony, and
now it boasts both a castle and new stone
walls, both of which were absent in Rokar's
day. Pilgrims come from across Seshnela,
either simply to pray at the site of one of the
Prophet's greatest deeds, or in the hope of
curing the insanity or waywardness of a
relative or friend through his miraculous
intervention.
The Red Ruin
The city of Tanewal stood here during the
Dawn Age. At first a fortified town built to
defend against the Pendali, it became the
capitol of the Kingdom of Tanisor after the
final defeat of the lion-men. In later years,
the Vampire King and his court ruled from
here, casting their dark shadow across the
surrounding lands. An army of slaves toiled
to rebuild the centre of the city to glorify its
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Gazetteer
undead rulers. At last, Arkat lead an army to
tear the city down and slay the vampires,
simultaneously liberating and conquering
Tanisor for the Kingdom of Seshnela. The
remaining inhabitants abandoned the city,
and left it to decay. Few dared even speak
the name of the city thereafter, and the
euphemism 'the Red Ruin' became so
popular that most people no longer know it
as anything else.
The hope that the city would decay to
nothing proved unfounded. The outer parts,
where the common homes and shops had
been, did indeed vanish beneath vegetation
as roofs and walls collapsed into rubble.
Little now remains of large portions of the
old city save mounds in the earth and the
occasional stone. Even the city walls remain
standing only in a few places. But the central
parts of the city, and those closest to the
bank of Tanier, are resistant to the march of
the elements, and very little will grow there.
Here loom mighty structures of blood-red
stone, temples, palaces, and fortresses
dedicated to ancient evil. Nor is the city
empty, for packs of ghouls have taken up
residence in the ruins, along with many other
unsavoury and unnatural creatures. At night,
inhuman howls echo from across the river,
and all sane people give the place as wide a
berth as they can. Some even say that
spectral knights patrol the streets on ghostly
chargers, although visitors are so rare that it
is difficult to know the truth.
Kingdom of the Flamesword

Vampires
Vampires exist throughout Glorantha, undead creatures preying on the blood of
mortals to maintain their immortality. However, the vampires of different regions are
often radically different to one another in the nature of their powers, habits, and even
appearance. Some scholars speculate that the vampire manifests whatever its human host
society fears the most, be it seductive evil, bloated soulless corpses, or twisted skulking
monsters. Others argue that the term 'vampire' is a vague one, applied to many different
creatures with no real relation to one another.
The vampires of Seshnela and Safelster are social creatures, often found in packs, with a
single powerful creature subjugating up to half a dozen others to its will. Initially created
by dark sorcery, the strongest vampires are all potent magicians, often studying forbidden
grimoires (see, for example, the cult of Ulfrathgar on p. 215) in addition to using their
own innate powers. Like all vampires, they feed upon the blood of mortals, most of
whom die after but a single feeding. However, they also know magic which can spread
their contagion to certain of their victims. Such people rise again three days after their
death, as vampiric slaves of their creators, and may initially have little knowledge of
magic.
Seshnelan vampires are readily identifiable to those who knew them in life, but they
have pallid, almost white, skin, and eyes of a deep, blood red. They can hypnotise mortals,
see in the darkest night, and command rats and other vermin. Although they dislike
bright light, it does not harm them, and they can remain active through the day if they so
choose. Only fire and items imbued with the power of the prophets or saints have any
chance of harming them, and they can rise again from their remains if so much as a
fragment of their body remains unburned.
Fortunately, these undead monsters are rare. Some shelter in the Red Ruin, although
they are unrelated to the Vampire Kings that reigned there in the Dawn Age. Others hide
in caves or ruins in secret places across Seshnela and lowland Ralios. They are but shadows
of the grandeur they once possessed during the old Kingdom of Tanisor, cunning
creatures utterly inimical to human life.

Page 122

The Barony of Vogai
Baronia Seat: Voganwal
Ruler (1620): King Guilmarn, Baron of Vogai
Area: 9,500 sq. miles
Population: 100,000
Vogai has the longest history of continual
civilisation in modern day Seshnela. The first
Malkioni settlers arrived during the second
century, when the Serpent Kings warred
against the Pendali, and pushed them back
to the Tanier valley. It was from here that
Seshnela launched its early wars against
Tanisor, and that the first knights ventured
forth to Deu and Rindland, carving new
lands from the wilderness.
During the Imperial Age, the region
became part of the Duchy of Pasos, forming
its boundary with Jorriland to the north.
However, little remains from those days, as
the principal cities and castles of the land
nestled in the fertile lower land of the river
valleys. When Old Seshnela fell, earthquakes
shook the land, and the sea rushed in,
drowning all the major centres of
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Gazetteer
population, and leaving only the less settled
uplands above the waves. Vogai had been an
inland region, home to sheep herders and
foresters, but once the earthquakes ceased, it
found itself on the coast. To the south, the
land was shattered, turning most of the old
Duchy of Pasos into a chain of islands that
have followed their own path to this day.
Closer in, vast cracks had opened in the
ground, causing much of the land to slump
hundreds of feet, plunging it below sea level.
Where once the fields had stretched to the
horizon they now stopped at precipitous
cliffs, fresh breaks in the rock that fell away
into the sea.
Virtually every noble living in the region
died in the catastrophe, for they lived in the
richer, lower, lands, which were now
underwater. There were no barons, no
Kingdom of the Flamesword
bishops, and no central authority. Anarchy
reigned. Slowly, however, settlers from
Tanisor, Estaurenic, and Nolos began to
move into the shattered land. The
population rose again, and new nobles
established their domains. The nobles
contested amongst each other, but none
emerged victorious over his fellows to
declare himself Count. By the time of Bailifes,
a baron ruled from Voganwal, but even his
territory was meagre compared with the
great counts of the inland territories.
The Baron of Vogai sided with the
Tanisorans, and died at the Second Battle of
Asgolan Fields. Bailifes installed one of his
own relatives as the new baron, greatly
increasing his territory to include land as far
east as Sorinac. A campaign of pacification
followed, in which Church sponsored knights
brutally suppressed Hrestoli die-hards across
the barony. Now, two hundred years later,
the inhabitants are as much Rokari as anyone
else in Seshnela, and most see the old
campaigns as a righteous, if unfortunate,
necessity.
Barons ruled in Vogai for two centuries, as
no King ever incorporated their land into
one of the neighbouring counties. In 1611,
the last Baron died in a freak hunting
accident, an arrow through his throat. An
investigation by royal authorities quickly
discovered that no one was to blame for the
tragedy. As there were no direct heirs to the
barony, Guilmarn followed the precedent
that his father had set in Voi, and seized the
barony for himself.
The people of Vogai are Tanisoran, with
little relationship to the Pasosi who lived
here in the Imperial Age. They have built few
cities, and the land is almost entirely rural,
occupied by fields of rye, barley, and wheat,
with villages nestling in dells below the
higher ground. Some parts of the barony are
barren, with windswept hills or woodlands
suitable for hunting, but the wildest regions
are the coasts. The coastline of Vogai consists
almost entirely of high cliffs, formed when
Old Seshnela sank, and there are few natural
harbours anywhere. Of the few that do exist,
only Voganwal has a harbour sufficient to
Page 124
take anything more than small fishing craft,
a fact that severely hampers trade with the
outside world. In consequence, most people
avoid the coast, feeling even now that it
reminds of a terrible doom that may yet
come again.
Historically, Vogai had only a single noble
family, that of the baron. Guilmarn has
stripped the remaining members of the
family of their old titles, reducing them to
merchants and other minor roles.
Supposedly, a baronial court exists to mirror
the county courts elsewhere in Seshnela, but
the King rarely visits, and the sheriffs try
most serious criminal cases themselves,
instead of passing them on to a court that,
for the most part, exists in name only. Vogai
consists of two shires, one in the west, and
one in the east, and between them, the
sheriffs conduct most of the administration
of the region in the name of the Baron and
King.
Muilletor
During the Interregnum, the Debaldan
School established a chapterhouse on the
cliffs overlooking the sea at this location. A
great tower dominated the centre of the
structure, looking out over the New Channel.
The uppermost chamber of the tower
contained a great blue flame that only those
with Symbolic Sight could see, and wide
openings on the seaward side of the tower
made it visible to wizards out at sea. The
adepts used this light to find their way back
home after exploring the waters. At the base
of the cliff is a natural crevice in the rock in
which the Debaldans constructed a small
subterranean wharf from which a stairway
leads up to the tower far above. The fact
that the flame was invisible to common folk
made it very difficult for anyone other than
wizards to approach the tower safely from
this direction. Other chambers within the
rock contain deep pools of water that the
Debaldans used in their rituals.
The Rokari dissolved the chapter when
Bailifes added Vogai to his realm. They
forced the adepts to flee to Nolos and Pasos,
and looted what remained at Muilletor.

Bailifes initially used the tower as a base for
knights using its vantage point to watch for
possible invasion fleets from Pasos, but,
when it became clear that no such fleets
were ever likely, the Seshnegi abandoned
the tower and let it stand empty for a few
years. Later, a chapter of the Paradoni
Explorers moved in, rebuilding some parts of
the complex to suit their own purposes.
Today, some parts of the complex still stand
empty and in partial ruin, with plants
growing over the walls. However, the central
parts, including the tower itself and most of
the subterranean chambers, still see use by
the Paradoni adepts. The invisible flame no
longer burns, however, and the Paradoni
rarely travel out to sea in any case. Given the
features of Muilletor, the current residents
specialise in summoning undines and
studying water magic, but they do extend
their studies to other aspects of the
Otherworld, like their kin elsewhere.
The New Channel
The New Channel is the body of water
between the Pasos Islands the south coast of
Vogai. The waters are relatively shallow, with
a few drowned towns and other ruins on the
seabed, but the main challenge to shipping
comes from the numerous rocky shoals. The
Channel itself is generally placid, and strong
storms are rare, blunted by the mass of the
surrounding land. Strong currents and
riptides are common near the shore, making
landing along much of the coast difficult or
even dangerous, but once out in the main
body of the Channel, sailing is
straightforward.
Despite this, few large ships sail in the New
Channel. Trade ships from foreign lands
almost invariably stop at one of the ports of
the Pasos islands, rather than making the
longer journey to Voganwal. Similarly, the
great warships of the Quinpolic Navy do not
patrol these waters, protecting more
valuable commercial and strategic routes to
the south. The main vessels found here are
fishing boats, small local trade ships
travelling between Pasos and Voganwal, and
the few, rather pitiful, picket ships of the
Seshnegi Navy. These last have little to do
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Gazetteer
much of the time; merely serving to make a
statement that Seshnela has not entirely
abandoned its great naval traditions of past
centuries. Holding off a full-scale invasion
from the sea is currently beyond Seshnela's
abilities, although Guilmarn is determined
that this should not remain the case for long.
Pichauve
A high, steep-sided, hill rises out of the
western reaches of Vogai. The climb to the
top is long and arduous, but provides a
spectacular view of the surrounding
countryside. Few make the attempt,
however, for the hill is a site of ill omen in
local folklore, and shepherds even avoid
grazing their flocks nearby. There is nothing
but short grass and a few low-lying shrubs
here; the wind seems to scour the seedlings
of larger plants away. At the summit stands a
tall obelisk of carved stone, rectangular in
shape, and mottled with lichen. Images of
serpents cover the sides of the stone,
accompanied by ancient runes, many of them
now forgotten.
Sonmalos, the fourth of the Serpent Kings,
ordered this stone raised in the early second
century. It is a sacred site to the ancient
pagan goddess Seshna, worshipped in these
lands before Malkion. Vipers shelter among
the rocks nearby, and harming one brings
the retribution of evil spirits that inflict
misfortune. Sometimes at night, travellers
report green lights flickering and hovering
over the hill, yet more evidence of its sinister
power. A determined witch could doubtless
gain power here by venerating the spirit of
the hill, perhaps even gaining spirits of their
own to command.
Ile de Rilat
The Ile de Rilat is a smallish island in the
New Channel, inhabited mostly by fishermen.
The inhabitants here are Pasosi, living in
villages scattered along the rocky coastline,
and leaving the interior of the island
occupied by only a few meagre fields and
pasture for sheep and other animals. One of
the various petty lords of Pasos formerly
claimed the island as part of his domain,
Kingdom of the Flamesword
although it had few natural resources worth
fighting over. In 1548, a Rokari wizard
named Ifrand visited the island and
established a mission. Crucially, the Pasosi
overlord, who ruled from the island to the
south, paid him little heed, feeling that no
sensible commoners could ever be enticed
over to the Rokari creed. He was wrong, for
the visions of Solace and the cunning
rhetoric that Ifrand provided rapidly won
over the villagers, and they converted en
masse. Too late, Pasosi mercenaries attacked
the island, but a miraculous storm sank one
of their boats, and the villagers set about the
remainder with pitchforks, driving them back
into the sea. The villagers appealed to
Seshnela for assistance, pledging their loyalty
to the Rokari cause, and knights arrived to
deter any future invasions. There were no
further skirmishes over this largely worthless
island, but Pasos has been more wary of
Seshnela since the incident than it had been
before.
Ruf™me
The oldest chapter of the Iron Blood School
still surviving in the world, Ruf™me is not as
large or impressive as many of its modern
counterparts. Adepts of the School first
established it during the late second century,
when central authority was weak. The adepts
chose the location because of a nearby
copper mine, which allowed them to make
their own bronze, but the mine has long
since worked out, and now stands
abandoned and partially flooded. The
chapterhouse is a solid stone structure, in the
old style, built as much for defence as for its
aesthetic appeal. Its chapel even lacks a
proper spire, for the adepts have long had a
reluctance to add to the buildings, and
remodel them in the fashion of more
modern ages.
Ruf™me is, however, home to an especially
impressive library of grimoires and other holy
and magical texts. Its scriptorium is one of
the best in Seshnela, outside the School of
the Humble Calligraphers, and many adepts
prefer grimoires produced here. The
defences of the School are correspondingly
Page 126
impressive, with thick walls of stone
protected by potent warding essences.
During times of trouble, such as during the
Interregnum, adepts and their allies
sheltered here against the dangers of the
outside world, and kept valuables and
magical treasures secure in its underground
vaults.
Sorinac
Type: Small City +1
Significant Abilities: Salt Pans, Smells of
Fish, Treacherous Approach
Security and Defences: Stone walls, small
fortress
Temples and Shrines: Large Rokari church
Ruler: Mayor
Suzerain: Baron of Vogai (King of
Seshnela)
During the Imperial Age, Sorinac was a
market town of no greater significance than
many others nearby. When the Luatha
drowned Old Seshnela, the land to the south
collapsed, and a great wave of sea water
flooded over the fields to the north, rushing
into the town itself and drowning those
inhabitants who could not flee quickly
enough. Eventually, the waters partially
receded, ebbing away to the south. When
the townsfolk returned to their homes, they
found that the city now stood near the coast.
The fields to the south remained
underwater, but there were no precipitous
cliffs here, just a slowly sloping shoreline. To
the north, sea salt filled the fields, killing the
crops.
Many abandoned the town then, or died in
the resulting famine. But, over the centuries,
not only did others move into Sorinac, the
town grew in size, becoming a small city.
Ironically, the newcomers' reasons were the
same as those that had driven away their
predecessors: the salt and the new shoreline.
Sorinac is one of the few places along the
Vogai coast that boast a natural harbour,
rather than forbidding cliffs. True, the
harbour is a poor one, with shallow waters
that prevent ships from approaching, and
treacherous rocks just offshore that can sink
the unwary. But, for the same reason,

warships and raiders cannot come close, and
small fishing boats familiar with the rocks
and currents can ply the coastal waters
without too much difficulty. Much of the dry
land nearby now boasted salt pans that
workers could alternately flood with sea
water and then leave to dry. Salt is a
valuable commodity, for it helps to preserve
food, and few places can produce it in large
quantities.
Today Sorinac is a relatively rich, if small,
city. Its harbour relies largely on natural
defences, with only a minimal harbour wall
that provides little protection on its own. The
fish trade dominates the local markets,
especially pickled and salted herrings, which
the city provides in large quantities. Visitors
find much of the city quite smelly as a result
and should resign themselves to a diet
consisting largely of seafood. Because of its
value, King Ulianus III granted the city a
charter for self-government, putting power
in the hands of the guilds. The Salters' Guild
quickly came to dominate all the others, and
every Mayor since has come from their ranks.
Voganwal
Type: Small Port +5
Significant Abilities: Crowded, Shipyard
Security and Defences: Stone walls,
medium fortress, heavy harbour walls, watch
towers
Temples and Shrines: Small Rokari
cathedral
Ruler: Seneschal
Suzerain: Baron of Vogai (King of
Seshnela)
The official name of this city is 'New
Voganwal', but almost everyone uses the
shorter version. The original city stood some
miles to the west, close to the Veranior River.
When Old Seshnela sank, Voganwal was
among the casualties, destroyed in a great
tidal wave that swept up the valley to the
east before lapping against a new coastline
here. Ships sailing to and from the current
city avoid the ruins of Old Voganwal, for,
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Gazetteer
although they are now well below the
waves, the ghosts of the drowned
inhabitants still linger in the nearby waters.
Returning settlers built a new city here
because it is by far the best harbour along
the coast north of Nolos. It stands at the
head of a narrow channel lined by steep
cliffs on either side, where the mouth of a
small river forms a natural bay now lined off
by the harbour walls. The city is Seshnela's
only real port, although the volume of trade
is less than it might be, because most foreign
trade ships stop at Pasos or Noloswal, rather
than sailing all the way through the New
Channel. Nonetheless, a Royal Road runs to
the city, and serves as a conduit for such
maritime trade as exists.
In recent years, the city has grown
dramatically, because of Guilmarn's desire to
build a navy to challenge the might of the
Quinpolic League. Large shipyards now
border the harbour, and are constantly busy
with the sounds of construction. New naval
ships moor at the docks and patrol the
nearby waters, far out of proportion to what
would be typical for a city of Voganwal's
size. Cheap labourers' accommodation has
sprung up everywhere as the King moves
more workmen in from nearby towns and
villages, and even from the Seshnelan
heartland. The markets are bustling, flooded
now by new arrivals too numerous for the
older facilities to cope.
Until recently, the Baron of Vogai dwelt in
the city and governed its affairs in person.
Since Guilmarn has taken over the barony as
a personal fief, he has rarely visited the city,
finding it too common for his tastes. Instead,
he has appointed a seneschal to run the city
on his behalf. The King harasses his seneschal
with constant requests for reports on the
construction of the fleet and its state of
readiness. It seems few people can keep up
with the King's expectations in this regard,
for no seneschal has remained in post for
longer than a couple of years before finding
themselves replaced.
Kingdom of the Flamesword

Heroes: Sir Haraud Lecoire

Position: Ship Captain and Knight
Magic: Rokari Church
Sir Haraud was born the younger son of a minor Vogai knight. His father lacked the
funds to sponsor his full initiation to knighthood, so, like many other younger sons he
became a man-at-arms. When his lord had no need of his services either, he sought
employment elsewhere, becoming a mercenary and travelling to Voganwal, where he
joined Guilmarn's nascent navy as a marine. Here at last he found his true vocation. Given
the chance to demonstrate his skills and the strength of his devotion to God and King, he
proved himself a worthy leader of men. The seneschal of Voganwal elevated him to the
rank of full knight, and gave him command of his own vessel, the Sword of Rokar.
The Seshnegi had had little tradition of sailing large ships or of naval warfare for
hundreds of years. Whereas Nolos had the opportunity to rebuild their fleet from an early
date, and the magical traditions to do so quickly and effectively, the folk of Vogai were
not so fortunate. Sir Haraud has worked hard to try to reverse that disadvantage. He
seeks out those with the greatest potential amongst the volunteers and draftees of the
Navy, and then subjects them to demanding training and extensive trials of their ability.
Those who succeed best are given the opportunity of joining his personal hero band
aboard the Sword of Rokar. It has become one of the very few Seshnelan vessels that the
Pasosi truly respect, and they would be delighted to see it gone.
Sir Haraud knows that the time for full scale war with the Quinpolic League is coming
ever closer. While Seshnela's main attention is on Safelster to the northeast, Guilmarn's
Navy can have only one purpose, and the Pasosi know it. Sir Haraud suspects that they will
strike first, most likely by raiding Voganwal and trying to scuttle the fleet before it is
ready for war. Although he is not the commander of the Navy, he is its most respected
captain, and his noble superiors take his advice seriously. He works hard to boost
preparedness, even as he heroquests to the Other World to bring back magic that the
Seshnegi have forgotten, but that might aid them in their war against more experienced
naval powers.

The County of Voi

County Seat: Voine
Ruler (1620): King Guilmarn, Count of Voi
Area: 4,700 sq. miles
Population: 150,000
The County of Voi is a relatively recent
creation. During the Imperial Age, the city of
Voine lay at the frontier of the Duchy of
Tanisor, with much of present-day Voi lying
within Rindland. Voi was a peaceful and
stable border, not a political entity in its own
right. The Interregnum, of course, shattered
that peace. During the centuries that
followed, Rindland and Tanisor warred over
the fertile lands around Voine, which
controlled an important corridor between
their two territories. The city changed hands
repeatedly, as clashing armies devastated the
countryside. In the closing years of the
Interregnum, Voine broke away from its then
rulers in Rindland, and established the
independent County of Voi.
Bailifes crushed that independence at the
First Battle of Asgolan Fields, reclaiming the
County for Rindland, and subsequently for
the re-established Kingdom of Seshnela. The
original Count went into exile in Tanisor, and
Bailifes appointed a successor, charged with
defending his southern borders. It was also
here that Bailifes finally crushed his
Tanisoran rivals in a second battle, unifying

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the two duchies under his personal rule.
Thereafter, the Counts continued to rule Voi
as their counterparts did in Estaurenic and
Noyelle.
In 1596, the Count of Voi died leaving only
a five year-old boy as his heir. King Lofting IV
established himself as regent, governing the
realm on behalf of the infant Count. Three
years later, the boy died unexpectedly.
Rather than awarding the County to a
cousin, the King declared that the line had
died out, and proclaimed himself the new
Count of Voi. His position was by then
sufficiently entrenched that there was little
objection, and the former Count's few
remaining relatives were silenced or exiled.
Since then, Voi has remained a royal holding,
similar to Deu and Vogai.
The smallest of Seshnela's counties, Voi is a
fertile land, blessed with rich, loamy soil.
Numerous villages occupy the countryside,
and there is relatively little waste land, so
that the population is actually higher than
that of larger neighbouring realms such as
Noyelle. The peasants grow great quantities
of grain here, including large amounts of
wheat and barley, in addition to the rye that
is the usual staple crop of Seshnela. The
county also has wide fields of flax, which the
locals turn into fine quality linen for export.
In past times, the fertile plains of Voi were a
hindrance to the people, because they made
the county a natural corridor between the
warring duchies of Tanisor and Rindland, as
well as making the land valuable in its own
right. Now, however, they allow the people
to live in comfort, a rich territory at the heart
of the Kingdom. The old wars make
themselves apparent, however, in the mix of
Rindlander and Tanisoran names found in
the county's families, reflecting the various
waves of occupation in the past.
A Sheriff governs the county on behalf of
the King. He oversees both the County and
Shire courts, which have jurisdiction over the
same area, and thus are effectively the same
body. Since the Crown took over the
personal estates of the old Counts of Voi,
there have been only three noble families in
Voi, each governing a single barony. In
addition, the city of Voine possesses a charter
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Gazetteer
allowing it significant self-government,
although the city's main fortress remains
crown property, and is the principal
residence of the Sheriff.
The Very Reverend Tiraud
Position: Archbishop of Voine
Magic: Rokari Liturgist
The Archbishop of Voi and Deu is an
elderly man who clings tenaciously onto life.
As with Theoblanc himself, some suspect the
use of immortality spells to prolong his life,
although, if so, they are not as effective as
they might be. For, while Tiraud's mind
remains as alert as ever, his body shows every
one of his ninety three years of age. None
the less, he is not quite bedridden, and is still
able to perform all of his duties as
Archbishop.
Tiraud is a rigid and fanatical churchman,
who pours bile upon even the slightest hints
of heterodoxy or disobedience to the will of
the Church. He is determined to support
Theoblanc in any way that he can, and
enthusiastically supports the Inquisition in its
bid to cleanse the Kingdom of taint. He
insists that he cannot die until the Church
has completed its mission of sweeping all
opposition away from this corner of the
world.
Asgolan Fields
Bailifes fought the two great battles that
helped unify the modern Kingdom of
Seshnela in this open land southeast of
Voine. The First Battle of Asgolan Fields, in
1412, unified the north of the kingdom,
added Voi to Bailifes' personal domain, and
ended the influence of Tanisoran nobles over
their northern neighbours. In 1416, the
Second Battle saw the pivotal defeat of the
old Hrestoli Church and the conquest of the
south. For decades afterwards, the ghosts of
the slain haunted the battlefield, until the
Vonerin School and the Order of the Raven
finally cleansed the site.
No monument stands here to the many
who fell to make Seshnela the nation it is
today and to ensure the triumph over
Rokarism over its heretical forebears. The site
is a wide plain, devoid of arable land, but
Kingdom of the Flamesword
used by nearby villages as communal
pasturage for their cows and sheep. A few
trees dot its bleak landscape, but mostly
there are just grass and herbs. The site
remains strategically significant, positioned
as it is on one of the main thoroughfares
from Rindland to Tanisor. It may be that the
Fields have yet to see their final battle...
The Order of the Raven
The Vonerin School is an old school of
wizardry dedicated to fighting the
menace of the undead across the West.
In the early years of the Interregnum,
the School established a martial order of
knights based in the city of Voine. The
Order of the Raven is dedicated to
fighting corporeal undead and, to a
lesser extent, other monsters that
threaten the civilised world. It has
around four hundred fighting men,
mostly knights, with some men-at-arms,
and a large number of support staff. The
Vonerin School directly appoints the
Master of the Order, and its wizards
work closely with the Raven knights.
Although the headquarters of the Order
is located in Voine, there are other,
smaller, chapters across the Kingdom.
Skills Taught: Know Habits of
Monsters, Undead Lore
Typical Personality Traits: Hate
Undead, Resolved
Guardian: Ravensbeak
I Awareness - Sense Undead
; Blessing - Burning Strike
D Defence - Move in Shadow
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Voine
Type: Medium City -2
Significant Abilities: Crowded Streets
Security and Defences: Stone walls,
medium fortress, watch towers
Temples and Shrines: Medium Rokari
cathedral, Chapter of the Vonerin School
Ruler: Mayor
Suzerain: Count of Voi (King of Seshnela)
The only city in the County of Voi stands
on the plains amidst miles of rich, open,
farmland. A Royal Road runs to and from the
city, which serves as a major market for linen
and unwoven flax fibre, with weavers
forming a large proportion of the
population. The backstreets of the city are
muddy, suffering from poor drainage and a
lack of upkeep from the city authorities. The
market squares of the city are undersized
compared with the rest of the city, but there
has been no effort to expand them. Instead,
the markets spill out onto the wider, paved
streets, which are constantly crowded as a
result. Commoners bringing in crops from
the countryside jostle with tradesmen
hawking their wares, making any movement
difficult during the day.
During the Interregnum, armies from both
north and south sacked the city repeatedly.
When Bailifes threatened to besiege the city
after the First Battle of Asgolan Fields, the
inhabitants rose up against their rulers and
forced them to flee. In recognition of this
loyalty, when Bailifes assumed the title of
Count of Voi he granted the city limited self-
governance. Seven guilds nominate members
to sit on a governing council, which elects a
Mayor to serve for four year terms. The
Mayor is then responsible for raising taxes,
and for the city's upkeep and defence.
Currently, the Drapers' Guild holds sway over
the council, and is effectively able to
nominate the Mayor without opposition.
Supported by the Tanners' and Potters'
Guilds, they have pursued a policy of
enriching themselves and their members,
while spending little effort on the city itself.
The Carpenters' and Masons' Guilds form the
largest opposition bloc within the council,
and have often proposed radical plans for
 Gazetteer

rebuilding - which would, naturally, benefit rivals off against each other, and siding with
their own members. The Metalsmiths' and whichever faction appears to have the upper
Innkeepers' Guilds profit by playing their hand, which currently means the Drapers.

Heroes: Sister Remelle d'Aronasse

Position: Healer and Nun
Magic: Rokari Church; Adept of the Order of Saint Xemela
Remelle was born a noble, the daughter of a Tanisoran baron. Even as a child, she was
headstrong, and determined to her best for the Rokari Church. Her parents soon decided
that she would make a poor marriage prospect, but that she could serve the Church well
as a nun. She went to serve in a Tanisoran nunnery, where she joined the Order of Saint
Xemela.
Her noble ancestry made her suited to leadership roles, but she preferred to remain an
Adept, serving in the hospital, rather than taking on administrative or liturgical roles.
Despite being offered the position of Abbess at the hospital on three separate occasions,
she always turned it down, saying that that was not where she could best serve God.
Originally trained at Arnlor, she later moved to Voi, where she joined in the work of a
minor hospital located in the countryside. On occasion, she has even travelled with armies,
helping to heal those injured on the front lines. Her fame grew, and most now regard her
as the foremost healer in Seshnela.
Her dedication to both her Order and the Rokari Church are great, and she refuses to
believe that the two cannot continue to work in harmony. In addition to heroquesting on
the Other Side to combat spirits of disease and discord that threaten the kingdom, she has
become an ambassador for her Order, a role that her nominal superior, Lady Helgern (see
p. 69), has shown no interest in taking on.
In 1619, Sister Remelle experienced a vision of destruction and civil war engulfing the
Kingdom. Xemela herself spoke to the healer, and told her that this disaster could only be
averted if all of Seshnela stood together against its foes both within and without. Taking
up this new mission, Remelle has travelled to noble and royal courts, and to the city of
Leplain, to encourage others to act together, and convince everyone of the vital
importance of Saint Xemela to the future unity and success of the Kingdom. It seems at
times as if few people in power are listening, but she remains determined to do her best
for God and country.

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Kingdom of the Flamesword
The Dangin March
Baronial Seat: Pelme
Ruler (1620): Lord Mertant, Baron of the March
Area: 9,200 sq. miles
Population: 150,000
Dangim (known as 'Dangin' in the
Seshnegi tongue) is historically part of
Safelster. In ancient times, it was a holy site
for the pagans of Ralios, a role that declined
in importance with the rise of Malkionism.
During the Imperial Age, Dangim became
part of the Duchy of Safelster, and it became
independent again once the Duchy
disintegrated. During the Interregnum, it
traded with both its eastern and western
neighbours, forming many links with the
Rindlanders in the process. In 1442, King
Ulianus II invaded and conquered the region,
establishing a County to see to its
government. His son, Ulianus III, extended his
dominions further east, and sent many
settlers into the western part of the County.
The settlers established a firm tradition of
Rokarism, especially in the cities, and their
Page 132
descendants continued to feel a stronger link
to Seshnela than to Ralios. Uprisings further
east lead to the eventual 'liberation' of the
city from Seshnelan rule during the reign of
King Vikard. The new rulers re-established
Arkatism as the state religion, raising the
cursed and fallen saint to the status of
cultural hero. However, the Rokari settlers
were too deeply entrenched to simply
extinguish, especially in the west, and
tension continued between the two
communities for the next hundred years.
In 1613, King Guilmarn launched his
campaign to re-conquer Safelster for the
Seshnelan crown. Armies poured across the
border into Dangim, and Rokari wizards
strove to overcome the dark pagan powers
of the Arkati. The west of the County fell
within a year, and the armies massed for the

invasion of the city-state proper. The city of
Dangk fell in 1616, its last Count dying
during the siege. The last survivors of the
ruling noble house went into exile with a
few of their knights, and Guilmarn
dismembered the land, dividing it into two
separate administrations; the Dangin March
became a special barony within the Kingdom
of Seshnela, while the region around the
Dangk became an occupied County under
the King's personal rule.
The Dangin March consists of an area of
plains forming a wide open border with
Safelster to the east. Guilmarn is rapidly
fortifying the area, building new forts that
can later form the foundation for full-size
castles. The Army of the March is very large
in comparison with the population, and
consists largely of feudal levies raised
elsewhere in the Kingdom. Rich fields and
numerous small villages cover the land
between the forts, home to peasants of both
Seshnegi and Safelstran extraction. In the
March, Rokari predominate, especially in the
city, but Arkatism still survives. The Arkati
minority is shrinking as increasing
persecution convinces many to convert to the
newcomers' religion, but there are entire
villages that remain true to the old ways.
The March is a barony owing fealty directly
to the Crown, rather than to a Duke or
Count. Unlike other baronies, the King
appoints the baron directly, and the position
is non-hereditary and held at his pleasure.
The Baron of the March administers the
March Court directly, which takes on the
duties of both a county and a shire court,
since the March has no shires of its own.
Since the current baron is essentially a
military leader, with much wider powers
than most other nobles do, the March is
effectively under martial law, although this
often makes little practical difference.
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Gazetteer
Lord Mertant
Position: Baron of the March
Magic: Rokari Church
After the invasion, Guilmarn installed Lord
Mertant, the husband of one of his cousins,
as the first Baron of the March. A serving
knight in his youth, he retains much of his
youthful fitness, but now leads from behind
the lines. He helped lead the armies that
seized Pelme, and subsequently secured the
rest of the March. He regards the Marchers
are Rindlanders in need of assistance, rather
than as potentially hostile foreigners with a
predilection for heresy. This has made his
rule more benign than many expect, and
certainly more so than is the case in the
County to the east (see below). Nonetheless,
he is a loyal Rokari, and determined to
support the Inquisition in stamping out any
hint of Arkatism amongst any holdouts.
Similarly, while there have been no uprisings
against Seshnegi rule, if there ever where, his
instinct would be deal with them quickly and
brutally.
The Very Reverend Rumois
Position: Archbishop of Safelster
Magic: Rokari Liturgist
Theoblanc recently appointed this former
bishop from Estaurenic as the spiritual guide
for all the city-states of Safelster. In reality,
his authority extends no further than the
March and the County of Dangim, and he
receives no venerational energy from any
bishops. Theoblanc has decreed that the six
Rokari Patriarchs of Safelster - Tarasdal,
Tiskos, Daran, Sentanos, Kustria, and Partan -
are all directly subject to the Archbishop, but
every one has ignored the instruction,
insisting that they are equals of the
Ecclesiarch himself. As a result, the Rokari in
Safelster exist in a state of schism with the
main body of the Church, and the Inquisition
is unable to operate there, allowing heresy
to run wild. Theoblanc claims to have heard
the cries for relief from the faithful of the
east, and has promised that any Patriarch
who refuses to submit to his authority will
eventually undergo rigorous purification in
the Inquisition dungeons.
Kingdom of the Flamesword
Meanwhile, the Archbishop rules as best he
can from Dangk. He is an intemperate man
who has difficulty gaining allies, and is quick
to call on the Inquisition when he suspects
disloyalty amongst his own wizards. As a
result, many local wizards resent him,
especially as he is a foreigner imposed on
them from outside. Schismatics insist on
referring to Rumois as the 'Bishop of
Dangim', the title of his predecessor, who
was stripped of his position after the
invasion for having supported the 'Patriarch'
of Daran.
Hrelar Amali
The elves were the first to occupy Hrelar
Amali, once the holiest site in Ralios. During
the Dawn Age, pagan humans pushed back
the elves, and built a series of great temples
here, dedicated to their land goddess and
wheat-mother, Ralia. Such was the
importance of the temples that a small city
sprung up around them, dedicated to serving
pilgrims and priestesses alike. Malkionism
spread through the late Dawn Age, and into
the Imperial Age, slowly replacing the old
pagan ways, and the city fell into decline.
There was no decisive battle, no great siege
in which the city finally fell to the
monotheists, just a slow abandonment that
left the city and its temples in ruins.
Even so, some of the smaller sects of Ralios,
especially those that claim to recognise
pagan deities as servants of the true God,
still regard the site as sacred. The pagan
highlanders living beyond Safelster are even
more adamant that the site is holy to their
great goddess, although there is little they
can do about its current condition. As with
other ruined sites in Ralios, pagans
sometimes visit Hrelar Amali to conduct their
age-old rituals, keeping their ancient ways
alive.
Although cleared by God Learner
researchers in the late Imperial Age, the site
is now heavily overgrown once again. Trees
grow between and within the old buildings,
ivy festoons the walls, and flowers bloom
where streets once stood. For pagans, the
wild condition of the ruins only emphasises
Page 134
its closeness to their ancient fertility goddess.
Malkioni, however, who have a more
rational turn of mind, question how natural
it is that so many plants grow amongst ruins
that are covered by permanent shadow
throughout the day. The sunlight is never
strong here; even on the brightest day it
feels like twilight in the ruins, and those
looking up can see the brightest stars shining
in the sky while the sun is pale and wan.
By contrast, at night, the ruins seem to
shine from afar. There is no visible source for
the light, which, to those within the ruins,
appears to come from the sky above. The
night time glow is like bright moonlight, but
continues even when the Moon is new.
Looking up, the stars seem tremendously
bright, glittering across the heavens, yet
even heavy cloud cover seems to have no
effect on the strange nocturnal illumination.
The heart of the old city contains the great
temples. Now roofless, like everything else in
Hrelar Amail, their walls still stand as
testament to their former glory. The floors
are carpeted with grass, and earth clogs the
entrances to any subterranean vaults that
there might once have been. Pagans claim to
find a remarkable peace here, with the
presence of the goddess and her servitors
nearby. Malkioni, especially those with
Symbolic Sight or liturgical powers, instead
feel an increasing unease, a sense of
unnatural power that permeates the old
stones, hateful of the fleeting influence of
mankind.
Pelme
Type: Small City +2
Significant Abilities: Bellicose Preachers,
Martial Law
Security and Defences: Stone walls,
medium fortress
Temples and Shrines: Medium Rokari
church, ruined Arkati temple
Ruler: Lord Mertant
Suzerain: King of Seshnela
A small city previously subject to the
Safelstran city of Dangk, Pelme fell after a
brief siege in 1614. Rokari sympathisers
inside the city had opened the gates to allow

the Seshnelan army entry, and they soon
overwhelmed the defenders, forcing the
castellan to offer his surrender. Over the next
year, the Seshnegi re-fortified the city,
building it up as a forward base for the
invasion of Dangk itself. Even after that war
concluded, Pelme retained an unusually large
number of knights and other soldiers. The
Safelstran name of the city is Pellem, a name
that citizens may no longer use.
The agricultural produce of the many
nearby villages and towns provides the basis
for much of Pelme's economy. It has little
trading influence beyond the March's
borders, as most merchants chose to travel
up and down the Tanier to the north. It is far
more important as the March's unofficial
capitol, containing the primary residence of
Lord Mertant and his advisors. The people
here are mostly Rindlander by ancestry, and
Rokarism was important long before the
conquest. As a result, there is less unrest here
than might be expected for an occupied city,
with many people glad for their deliverance
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Gazetteer
from their former Safelstran rulers. Many
Rokari in Pelme are particularly zealous for
the export of their religion and government
to their fellows elsewhere in Safelster, and
eagerly volunteer to help with the war
effort, while preaching for immediate
invasion of the larger cities to the east.
Amongst the more traditional Safelstran
inhabitants, there have been a great many
converts to the Rokari Church. The
Inquisition is busy evaluating the sincerity of
these conversions, which bring a number of
social and taxation benefits to those who
choose to undertake them. Nominally under
martial law, the hand of the authorities is
relatively light because of the general
acquiescence of the populace. As the
Safelstran campaign continues, Guilmarn
plans to reward the citizens of Pelme with
the establishment of more typical feudal
government, along with some trade
concessions.
Kingdom of the Flamesword

The County of Dangin

County Seat: Dangk
Ruler (1620): King Guilmarn, Count of Dangin
Area: 9,200 sq. miles
Population: 200,000
After securing the territory that was to become the Dangin March, Guilmarn's armies
pressed on to invade, and conquer, the heart of the old County of Dangin, including the
great city-state of Dangk. Once the dust had settled, he proclaimed himself the new
Count of Dangin, and took the land as a personal demesne. The County was not part of
Seshnela during the Imperial Age, and, unlike the March, the Seshnegi do not consider it
as such today. Rather, it is an occupied territory, albeit part of their rightful heritage as
rulers of the entire West.
In practice, local army commanders are the only rulers in Dangin. They administer a
court that functions much as the County Courts do in Seshnela, but also take on the duties
of Sheriffs. Rokarism remained influential in Dangin throughout the sixteenth century,
although the Count's family and much of the ruling elite followed the cult of Arkat the
King. After the invasion, the Seshnegi closed the temples of Arkat as possible places
where rebels could gather. Non-Rokari worship remains legal in private premises,
although its practitioners are subject to higher taxes and official persecution. The Church
intends, in the long term, to expunge such practices altogether, and is considering a
forced mass conversion to hurry the process up.
The southern parts of the County are high and mountainous, and are essentially beyond
the reach of the central authorities. Arkati hide out in the foothills and mountain valleys,
although their resources are few and they are a much less serious threat than the
established armies of the neighbouring Safelstran nations are. Even in the lowlands, the
peasants tend to follow Arkati or Henotheist ways, and the Church has difficulty
enforcing its will beyond the walls of the city.

Page 136

The Island of Gilboch
County Seat: Corozac
Ruler (1620): Lord Givense, Baron of Gilboch
Area: 1,600 sq. miles
Population: 60,000
Geographically, Gilboch was once part of
the Duchy of Jorriland, but the people of the
present realm have no connection with the
former inhabitants. This is because Gilboch
was part of the region that fell with Old
Seshnela. Formerly an inland region, it
became an island as the waters rushed in,
drowning all of its former towns and castles.
The wave of magical energy swept over the
land remaining above water, transforming
the few survivors that had huddled together
for protection. They became satyrs,
minotaurs, and stranger creatures, and elves
soon arrived to grow dense forests that
covered the island. For the next five hundred
years, no human that set foot on the island
survived unharmed, as the elves vigorously
defended their new land.
So far the story of Gilboch is little different
from any other of the chain now known as
Kanthor's Islands. But on Gilboch, in 1532, a
Xemelan healer and noblewoman named
Lady Gwelenor washed up on the shore. She
had been travelling by ship to Pasos from
Voganwal, to work with her Order there, but
a sea serpent attacked the ship, destroying it,
and drowning or devouring all the other
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Gazetteer
passengers and crew. Gwelenor somehow
befriended the elves, although in later years
she would not speak of her time alone on
the island, or what she had done to earn the
friendship of these soulless people.
In 1536, a dove flew into the Xemelan
hospital in Vogai, bearing a message written
on a sheet made from some unknown kind
of leaf. It read simply 'Gilboch is Seshnelan.
We may return.' Naturally, the first
expeditions to test out the message's truth
were tentative in the extreme, but it soon
became clear that the elves and their half-
human allies had abandoned the island,
leaving it free for colonisation. Once he
learned the news, King Lofting II authorised
a full expedition of exploration, and later
blessed the establishment of a settlement
and barony on the island.
Later that year, Lady Gwelenor herself
visited the new baron in his private
apartments - at that time, a simple wooden
house, as no castle had been built. She had
changed, and was no longer fully human,
bearing the mark of elven-kind on her
features. She told the baron her name, and
her past before landing on Gilboch, and bore
Kingdom of the Flamesword
a message from the elves. The island would
belong to the humans only so long as they
met certain conditions. There were rites they
had to conduct at the start of each season,
obviously pagan rites that appeased the
spirits of the land. They must not attempt to
find the Grove of Oulier, which she said was
hidden near the centre of the island. And
she, herself, had to remain unharmed, a
living bond between humans and their new
land. If these conditions were broken, the
magical curse that still afflicted the rest of
Kanthor's Islands would strike again, and the
humans would become as beasts, and trees
would once again cover their croplands and
cities. The baron acquiesced, feeling that he
had no choice in the matter, and his
descendants have kept the bargain ever
since. Gwelenor herself returned to the
woodlands near the centre of the island, and
appeared only rarely thereafter.
Gilboch is a moderately sized island, with a
hilly coastline that allows only a few small
harbours. Most of the settlement is around
the coast, consisting of fishing villages and
croplands, and the interior remains largely
forested. Humans have been here for only a
little over eighty years, and in many places,
the recency of this occupation is obvious.
Much of the land is untamed, especially away
from the coast, and, of course, there are no
old buildings, nor ancient local traditions.
Most islanders are Tanisoran by ancestry,
descended from settlers that arrived within
the last few generations, as part of land
grants awarded to knights by Lofting II and
his successors. Most take pride in their
isolation, and in the beauty of their home,
and feel that they need little from the
mainland. Trade is limited, since Gilboch
produces little that the mainland needs, and
Seshnela has few trade ships to travel
between Voganwal and the island.
Fortunately, Gilboch has been self sufficient
for several decades and no longer needs
regular supplies of grain or crafted goods.
Followers of Saint Hasterax are banned from
setting foot on the island, for fear that they
would be unable to keep the baron's
bargain, and thus doom all of its inhabitants.
Page 138
Gilboch is a barony, and is nominally part
of the Duchy of Tanisor. In practice, of
course, the baron answers directly to the
King. Because of the distances and
practicalities involved, Gilboch does not send
criminals or petitioners to the County Court
in Tanisor, and instead, the baron
administers his own Baronial Court, to which
the King ha delegated almost all the relevant
powers. Gilboch is also a shire, with the
sheriff living in Corozac, close to the castle.
Baron Ranois Givense
Position: Baron of Gilboch
Magic: Rokari Church, Adept of Saint
Gerlant
The fourth baron of Gilboch is still a young
man, unexpectedly foisted into power by the
premature death of his father. He served
with the Order of Saint Gerlant on the
mainland, including a time commanding
troops in the March, but returned home to
take up his rule. He is handsome and athletic,
a positive image for Rokari knighthood, and
he takes the virtues of Gerlant and his
Church seriously, determined to protect
those weaker than himself. He is married to a
healing Adept of Saint Iames, with whom he
has two young children. For the most part,
he has striven to keep his realm divorced
from the activity and intrigue of the royal
court, hoping to lead other Rokari through
virtuous example.
Corozac
Type: Small Port -3
Significant Abilities: Sheltered Harbour
Security and Defences: Simple stone walls,
small fortress, seaboard watch tower, walled
harbour
Temples and Shrines: Small Rokari
cathedral
Ruler: Baron Givense
Suzerain: King of Seshnela
Gilboch's only city lies on the east coast
overlooking a wide cove now occupied by a
small harbour. Like the rest of Gilboch,
Corozac is not wealthy, but the island
produces enough crops and other foodstuffs
to support the population without difficulty.

Corozac is, perhaps, the most isolated city in
Seshnela, and days can go by without any
ship landing at its docks. Most of the locals
are content with this state of affairs, trading
with the farmers of the surrounding land,
rather than dealing with the sometimes
heavy-handed rulers on the mainland.
Corozac is, of course, a newly built city,
and lacks the ancient buildings found in
many of the other urban centres of Seshnela.
The cathedral, in particular, is the country's
youngest, and is still desperate to obtain
more reliquaries to boost its prestige and
magical power. The city also has light
defences, since the Baron feels that invasion
is relatively unlikely and has, in any case, not
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Gazetteer
received the funding to build much more.
The walls of the city are low, and thinner
than those elsewhere, and would be unable
to resist a determined attack with siege
engines or equivalent magic, although they
would certainly stop simple cavalry or
infantry assaults. Similarly, the castle is as
much built for comfort as for its defensive
strength, and is one of the more pleasant in
Seshnela. The harbour has a solid wall,
however, and some defences to prevent
marines from storming the city after a
landing, and a tower overlooks the harbour
from a nearby hill, providing early warning
of any attack from that direction.
Kingdom of the Flamesword

Heroes: Lady Elisette

Position: Magical Avatar
Magic: Unknown, possibly Aldrya
In 1586, Lady Gwelenor made one of her rare visits to the Baron of Gilboch. She
announced that, when she died the baron must provide a replacement for her, to
continue the pact in future years. The replacement had to be a girl, under the age of
twenty, born on the island, and belonging to the noble caste. These requirements would
allow her to form a bridge between the native power of the island, and the ruling
authority of Seshnela, allowing the subjects of the King to continue living there. While
the baron was reluctant to condemn anyone to what he saw as an ungodly fate, the fact
that there was, at the time, no living person who fit the requirements perhaps made it
easier for him to acquiesce. When his granddaughter was born two years later, however,
and it became clear that Lady Gwelenor was weakening, he realised exactly whose fate he
had sealed.
The baron and his son raised Elisette Givense as any good Rokari family would. She was
a quiet girl, and attended well to her prayers and lessons. But hanging over her was
always the knowledge that, if the island's guardian died before her twentieth birthday,
she would have to give up her life for the good of her people. It was a role she took up
with apparent equanimity, putting her future into the hands of God. In 1605, a message
arrived at the castle, saying that Lady Gwelenor had died, and that Elisette should replace
her within the week.
Following the instructions Gwelenor had provided, the young girl travelled with an
escort to a spot near the centre of the island, and then walked on alone into the forest,
barefoot, and clad in a simple dress decorated with flowers. Her family grieved as if she
was dead. Four weeks later, however, she appeared at the castle in Corozac, transformed
as Lady Gwelenor had been, and bearing the goodwill of the island. Despite her mother's
entreaties, she returned to the wilds again, vanishing as her predecessor had done, and
apparently at peace with her new life. She has appeared on a few occasions since, her
visits as mysterious and fleeting as Gwelenor's had been. Some of these visits have been to
her family - the current baron is her elder brother - but as many have been to commoners
out in the fields, or travelling the woodlands of the unspoiled interior.
Lady Elisette appears to have aged far less than she should have, seeming now to be in
her twenties, although her transformed appearance makes it difficult to tell for certain.
This would, however, fit with the fact that Lady Gwelenor, as far as records can
determine, must have died at around the age of one hundred. Her skin, though
apparently smooth, has the colour and mottling of bark, and her eyes are a luminescent
green, without whites or pupils. She still wears her simple shift, or one much like it, for it
does not appear to have worn with the passage of time. Green leaves twine in her hair,
although it is unclear whether these are adornment or a part of her physical
transformation.
Her magical powers are difficult to determine, but those few wizards who have viewed
her with Symbolic Sight say that she glows with an inner light, that seems both beautiful
and strangely alien. The commoners of the island regard her as their saviour, even saying
prayers in her name, although Rokari wizards find her nature and very existence to be
disturbing, a pact with pagan powers that they cannot unravel.

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 Gazetteer

Iles Broches
Off the west coast of Gilboch lie two small
islands, surrounded by smaller skerries. The
islands are apparently protected by the same
bond that protects Gilboch, for humans can
land here without elves or beastmen
molesting them. As such, the King of
Seshnela claims them as part of his domain,
under the authority of the Baron of Gilboch.
However, there is little reason to visit the
islands, which are currently uninhabited. The
coastlines are rocky and treacherous, and the
islands possess nothing of interest but a few
trees and bushes. Seabirds flock to the
islands in great abundance, and sometimes
fishermen come here to take their eggs, but
most feel the risk is not worth the meagre
reward.
Oulier
Oulier lies somewhere in the centre of
Gilboch Island, in the midst of untouched
woodland. Its exact location is unknown, for
the very few that have visited it did so by
accident, and were subsequently unable to
retrace their steps. It is known to be a grove
of majestic trees, surrounding some natural,
moss-covered, stones lying flat in the ground.
Lady Elisette lives here, as did Gwelenor
before her, although the exact nature of her
lifestyle remains a mystery. The few people
that have stumbled across the grove report
feeling in a dreamlike state throughout their
visit, and were very unclear as to the details,
although they saw no houses or other
artificial structures. Wizards believe it to be a
powerful source of elven magic, connected
somehow with the nature of the bond that
Lady Gwelenor forged with the island, and
that allows humans to live here.

The Red Moon

In 1247, at the height of the anarchy of the Interregnum, a terrible portent appeared in
the skies. Hovering to the northeast, and clearly visible throughout the former lands of
Seshnela, was a great blood-red disc that remained visible even at night. The disc waxed
and waned as the days went on, as if a sinister black shadow crossed over its face.
Peasants cowered in fear, and even brave knights blanched at the terrible sight. Wizards
gathered, and all agreed that it was a dire sign of impending evil, a work of the Devil that
prophesied doom. The most powerful amongst them could even feel its baleful radiance,
bringing a new form of magic into the world, one that corrupted the natural order of the
universe with its malign presence. Yet nobody could agree on what the message meant,
or how they might defeat the prophecy.
In later years, it became apparent that the Red Moon was a sign of the corruption of
those times. The false worship and heretical ignorance of the old Hrestoli had weakened
the influence of God in the world, allowing a foul and noxious power to break its way in
from the Outer Darkness. Rokar taught everyone the correct paths to follow once more,
and the triumph of his religion over that of his rivals prevented the Moon's foul prophecy
from reaching fruition. Yet the Moon remains in the sky, and reports state that, far to the
northeast, evil folk offer it worship as a false god. So it will remain until the true religion
triumphs over all others, and all men bow to venerate Malkion and Rokar, as God
commands.

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Kingdom of the Flamesword

Friends and Foes

There are over a million people in the Kingdom of Seshnela. Some of them will be
potential friends of the Heroes, fellow knights and wizards serving the same lord, or
the same religious ideals. Others may be bandits, raiders, misguided heretics, or even
witches. Many will simply be fellow travelers, townsfolk, or peasants wanting to get
on with their lives. This chapter provides tools to help the Narrator describe such
people quickly, and reveals some of the secrets of the hidden enemies of society.

larger, with up to twenty knights in a

Allies and Enemies
The following section describes groups of
people that heroes will commonly encounter
when travelling through Seshnela, or along
its borders. Narrators in sudden need of a
'typical' group of knights or bandits can use
them as is, or use them as a basis for more
specifically detailed groups. Most groups will
have a leader with abilities higher than those
listed; a +10 improvement to particularly
important abilities is often justified. Similarly,
the statistics provided are for 'typical' groups
only - many groups are not typical, and may
have abilities much higher than those listed
here. The Narrator should also, of course,
feel free to adjust or ignore the abilities
provided to suit the needs of his own
campaign.
The keyword ratings listed for each
character type below include all the typical
abilities and equipment that come with the
keyword. Only important abilities not
included in the keyword, or at a higher level
than the others in a keyword, are listed
separately. Of course, most people will have
some personal abilities not listed below, and
the Narrator should feel free to add them as
needed.
Patrols and the Military
Regular Knights
These are typical Seshnegi knights, such as
might patrol the countryside or the Royal
Roads. Most patrols are small, with three to
five younger knights and a more experienced
leader. In times of trouble, patrols are much
detachment. Knights also form the primary
defence of towns and castles, and the bulk of
expeditionary armies. Such knights are rarely
adepts, and receive only the standard
blessings of the Church.
Keywords: Seshnegi 1W, Regular Cavalry
Soldier 4W.
Significant Abilities: Lance Combat 6W,
Sword and Shield Combat 9W.
Equipment: Iron sword, Lance, Mail
hauberk, helmet, and heater shield, Daron
horse.
Experienced Knights
These are skilled knights, serving in the
military orders or in elite units, such as those
directly serving a senior noble. They patrol
particularly sensitive areas, or border regions
where trouble is expected. Especially skilled
and heroic knights act as their leaders. Many
small units, within renowned hero bands,
may have abilities much higher than those
listed here. Some of these knights, including
those working for the military orders, will be
adepts, using the appropriate grimoire.
Keywords: Seshnegi 3W, Regular or Shock
Cavalry Soldier 10W, [Order] Grimoire 6W.
Significant Abilities: Lance Combat 16W,
Sword and Shield Combat 16W.
Equipment: Iron sword, Lance, Iron plate
and mail, pot helm, heater shield, Fronan
horse.
Noble Knights
Members of the noble caste often train as
knights, learning martial skills as part of their
preparation for command. Younger sons may
take up knighthood as a permanent career,

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while those destined to inherit will
eventually move away from the battlefield to
spend more time at court. Noble knights are
usually better equipped than their warrior
caste counterparts are, and often take up
positions of command. Many are adepts of
Saint Gerlant, the only martial order
permitted to their caste.
Keywords: Seshnegi 1W, Petty Noble 7W,
Miracles of the Noble Saint spells 3W.
Significant Abilities: Exert Authority 10W,
Lance Combat 10W, Ritual Combat 10W, Scan
for Danger 6W, Sword and Shield Combat
12W.
Equipment: Iron sword, Lance, Iron plate
and mail, pot helm, heater shield, Fronan
horse.
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Gazetteer
Customising Orderly Knights
Elleish: Rare female knights, only
commonly seen campaigning beyond the
frontier. They are skilled with the
crossbow, but can also augment both
their Lance Combat and Sword and
Shield Combat with grimoire spells.
Knights of Elleish move swiftly, using
speed and surprise to overcome their
enemies, rather than brute strength.
Gerlant: Prefer to use their Flaming
Sword in combat. They can use
Commanding Shout or Rally Followers to
take charge of other knights, while the
Strong Horse blessing can augment their
Lance Combat.
Hasterax: Specialist and fanatical elf-
fighters, who use Axe and Shield Combat
as their primary melee ability. Orderly
liturgists keep their axes permanently
blessed to provide additional augments.
They are less effective with Lance
Combat. Even against human foes, they
fight with fierce determination.
Iames: Use Mace and Shield Combat as
their primary melee ability. Their
Righteous Inspiration can augment
combat abilities, so long as the cause is
just. Protect Comrades and Hold the Line
can augment in defensive situations.
Josselyne: Commonly use Reinforce
Armour and Strengthen Sword Arm in
battle. They are usually less skilled with
Lance Combat, as they prefer to fight
with swords at close range, where they
can bring a wide range of augments to
bear.
Zemuron: Specialist chaos-fighters, in
regular battles they can use Razor Sword
and Lance of Purity to augment both of
their primary combat abilities. Unlike
most other Seshnegi knights, they are
often skilled in Archery.
Kingdom of the Flamesword
Men-at-Arms
Men-at-arms are the poorer soldiers, who
fight on foot, rather than riding into battle.
Commanders employ them in defence of
fixed fortifications, such as castles, or to
protect peasant archers or siege equipment
in battle. Although members of the knight
caste, they have not undergone the full
rituals of knighthood, and will likely have
received inferior training and equipment.
Cavalry knights serve as their officers.
Because of their relatively low status, few
men-at-arms become adepts.
Keywords: Seshnegi 17, Regular Foot
Soldier 2W.
Significant Abilities: Sword and Shield
Combat 6W.
Equipment: Iron Sword, Mail hauberk,
helmet, and heater shield.
Heavy Footmen
The more powerful nobles, and especially
the King, employ elite infantry units trained
to fight in close formation. Like men-at-arms,
they are knights who have not undergone
the full rituals of their caste, but they are
better equipped and trained, and well able
to hold their own on the battlefield. Other
Seshnegi are most likely to encounter them
protecting county or royal palaces, and the
most significant holy sites. In battle, they
form tight defensive cordons to resist the
charge of enemy cavalry, and then fight in
close combat. Many, although by no means
all, heavy footmen are adepts of Saint Dalan.
Keywords: Seshnegi 1W, Shock Foot Soldier
6W, Orderly of Saint Dalan 5W.
Significant Abilities: Disciplined 10W,
Polearm Combat 14W.
Equipment: Iron Glaive, Sword, Iron and
bronze armour, pot helm.
Page 144
Unit Abilities
The following abilities replace the
generic abilities in the Cavalry Soldier
and Foot Soldier keywords for Seshnelan
warriors. Note that few members of the
warrior caste learn missile combat, which
they regard as a peasant skill. Note that
adepts of Iames and Hasterax tend to
prefer maces and axes to swords,
respectively.
Knights: Cavalry Charge, Lance
Combat, Sword and Shield Combat
Men-at-Arms: Hold the Line, Sword
and Shield Combat
Heavy Footmen: Phalanx Fighting,
Polearm Combat
Common Guards
There are many defensive roles considered
too lowly for members of the knight caste to
perform. Commoners take on these tasks,
collecting tolls at city gates, guarding
prisoners awaiting trial or execution, and
keeping the peace. Compared with knights,
they are poorly equipped and poorly trained,
and they are unlikely to have much magic.
Keywords: Seshnegi 17, Regular Foot
Soldier 17.
Significant Abilities: Archery 19, Spot
Trouble 17, Spear Combat 3W, Sword Combat
19.
Equipment: Bow, Spear, Sword, Cuirbouilli
armour.

Battle Wizards
The School of Iron Blood provides wizards
to support knights in combat. During military
campaigns, battle wizards deploy just behind
the front lines, casting their magic on the
knights, who then engage in hand-to-hand
combat. At other times, the School assigns
battle wizards to support larger military
patrols, especially in more dangerous frontier
regions. This helps the wizards train and gain
experience, so they are ready for full scale
actions. Especially skilled battle wizards form
their own hero bands, and may be
significantly more skilled than the regular
wizards described below.
Keywords: Seshnegi 1W, Wizard 4W, Iron
Blood Adept 6W.
Significant Abilities: Dagger Combat 17,
Book of Conflict grimoire 9W.
Equipment: Dagger, Light bronze and iron
armour.
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Gazetteer
Wanderers
Bandits
There are always some commoners
dissatisfied with their lot in life. Perhaps the
harvests have been particularly poor this
year, or perhaps they are simply greedy, and
want to seize the riches of the nobles for
themselves. Perhaps they are already
outlaws, forced to hide from the authorities
because of crimes they have previously
committed. Or perhaps they simply live
where law enforcement is weak or non-
existent, such as the wild lands of Fornoar.
Either way, such people can take to crime,
setting ambushes for merchants or other
travellers. Some bandits live regular lives in
villages throughout the kingdom, ostensibly
good subjects for their overlords. Many
however, form semi-permanent bands for
their own protection, and set up camps in
remote hills or dense woodlands where they
are difficult to track down. Only the Royal
Roads are truly safe from banditry and
ambush, although, naturally, some parts of
the kingdom are at less risk than others.
Bandits are, almost by definition, poorly
equipped and trained, and they typically
have low morale. On the other hand, they
are also more likely to have common magic
effective in combat than other commoners
are.
Keywords: Seshnegi 17, Bandit 19.
Significant Abilities: Archery 19, Know
Local Area 3W, Set Ambush 5W, Spear
Combat 3W, Sword Combat 19.
Equipment: Bow, Spear, Sword, Simple
leather armour.
Kingdom of the Flamesword

The Bandit Campaign

Players that feel constricted by the regimented society of Seshnela may decide to play
bandits or similar outlaws who operate outside the system. Such a campaign can prove
rewarding, especially if the players find the strictures of Rokarism to be immoral or
outright 'evil'. The Narrator can play to this perception, emphasizing the oppressive
nature of the Seshnelan state and Church, and portraying nobles and wizards alike as
generally corrupt and unworthy of respect.
Bandit layer heroes are unlikely to be common criminals. Instead, they may have their
own codes of honour, and hold to high-minded ideals that separate them from the
oppressed masses and their cruel overlords. Quite possibly, they steal from the rich, and
give to the poor...
We provide a Bandit keyword below, but not all bandit heroes would necessarily use it.
Hunters, Farmers, and former Foot Soldiers might all join bandit gangs, and everyone
needs a few Healers. Entertainers could help provide cover for bandit activities, or scout
out the local populace, and Thieves could provide useful contacts inside cities, as well as
having their own skills. Even scholars or wizards might find themselves in a bandit gang.
Perhaps they have become disillusioned with the regular Church? Perhaps they are
heretics or other extremists on the run from the Inquisition or the Student Body? Either
way, a clever bandit gang can find a way to use their unusual abilities or magic to their
advantage.
Common People
Bandit keyword The commoners are by far the largest caste
Abilities: Evaluate Target, Hide, Intimidate, Make in Seshnela. Most commoners are peasant
Camp, [Melee Weapon] Fighting, [Missile farmers, and a significant proportion are
Weapon] Fighting, Scan for Danger, Set Ambush, craftsmen, working in towns, cities, or rural
Rural Survival.
villages. Their wives work as hard as they do,
Typical Personality Traits: Callous, Cunning,
Desperate, Disorderly, Greedy.
helping to manage the farm or business, or
practicing 'feminine' trades such as spinning,
Typical Relationships: to bandit gang, to criminal
contacts. brewing, or cheese-making. While outsiders
Typical Followers: Bandits often lack followers, but generally expect Seshnelan commoners to be
some have families to support, while the more downtrodden and rebellious, in fact the
powerful and famous bandits lead their own great majority are largely content with their
gangs. lot, so long as they are not caught up in wars
Standard of Living: Minimal or the victims of famines or other disasters.
Typical Equipment: Weapons, light armour, camp or The Rokari Church is instrumental here,
other hideout, loot.
giving each person a sense of satisfaction
and pride in his proper place in society. Only
a small proportion of farmers are adepts of
the Plough, one of the few orders permitted
to their caste, but a great many practice
some form or another of Common Magic,
regardless of Church dictates.
Keywords: Seshnegi 17, Farmer or
Tradesman 4W, Common Magic spells 17.
Significant Abilities: Assess Social Standing
20, Farming or [Trade] 8W, Work Hard 5W.
Equipment: Pitchfork, pruning hook, or
similar implement, dagger, tools of the trade

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 Gazetteer

Itinerant Preachers merchant caravans for the added protection,

Rather than take up a benefice, many but will have to pay or work their way. The
young wizards chose to travel the more dedicated merchants often join the
countryside, bringing the word of God to the Order of Saint Mistandar, but most nobles
masses. For some, who find themselves find the necessary commitments to religious
unsuited to the sedentary life, this can duties too onerous.
become a permanent profession. Such Keywords: Seshnegi 1W, Merchant 4W,
preachers travel from village to village, Orderly of Saint Mistandar 3W.
delivering fanatical and lively sermons that Significant Abilities: Bargain 9W, Exert
often outshine those of vicars or curates Noble Authority 3W, Know Caravan Route
settled into a comfortable life. Often they 9W, Ride Horse 5W.
feel that they have a particular message to Equipment: Iron sword, Light iron mail
impart to the people, whipping up fervour shirt, Daron riding horse, pack ponies,
for a crusade, or warning of the dangers of merchant caravan, etc.
debauchery or common magic. They can be Minstrels
extremists, but, at the same time, they are
Minstrels are wandering entertainers,
difficult for the Church to control directly, so
travelling across the kingdom to hold musical
that their messages are not always fully in
performances and similar entertainment for
accord with regular Church teachings. They
nobles and commoners alike. They create
often travel alone, experiencing the
and memorise ballads that tell of events in
hardships of the mortal world to purify their
far-off places, and are the only regular
souls, but some travel with like-minded
source of news for most people. As
individuals, perhaps even from other castes,
commoners, they have only minimal
eager to fulfil God's will in whatever way He
protection against the hazards of travel, but
requires.
they also have relatively little worth stealing.
Keywords: Seshnegi 1W, Clergyman 2W,
They typically travel in small groups, but,
Liturgist 5W.
even so, tend to avoid the most hazardous or
Significant Abilities: Deliver Sermon 10W,
distant areas, leaving such places somewhat
Fanatical 2W, Pious 4W, Use Scripture 8W,
cut off from the outside world. Minstrels can
Venerate God 10W.
be either men or women, and some can find
Equipment: Travelling robes, copy of
permanent employment serving a particular
scriptures, carved wooden staff.
lord at his court. Popular musical instruments
Merchants in Seshnela include harps, flutes, citterns, and
kettledrums. Many minstrels employ
Rokari merchants belong to the noble
common magic to help protect and succour
caste, since only they can deal with outsiders.
Such merchants control all long-distance them on their travels.
trade between cities, and across national Keywords: Seshnegi 1W, Entertainer 5W.
borders. The size of merchant caravans will Significant Abilities: Good Memory 8W,
naturally depend on the distance being Know Distant Events 6W, Play [instrument]
travelled, the anticipated risk of bandits or 10W, Staff Combat 19.
foreign raiders, and so on. The largest Equipment: Staff, musical instruments, etc.
caravans travel regular routes at specified
times of the year, for example, bringing
exotic goods from the ports of Nolos to
Tanisor, or valuable furs from Otkorion. Such
caravans can have as many as a hundred
guards and knights, but most are far smaller
than this, perhaps employing a few men-at-
arms and some common guards as support.
Travellers to foreign lands may wish to join

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Kingdom of the Flamesword

Pilgrims
There are many sites of holy power in
Seshnela, and people from all castes and
occupations undertake pilgrimages to visit
them. The pilgrimage itself is part of the
religious experience, so that pilgrims do not
generally travel with merchant caravans, or
otherwise find ways to circumvent the
privations of the journey. Even nobles and
commoners rub shoulders on such journeys,
and men and women travel together. Of
course, everyone maintains the usual
proprieties, but the enforced close
interaction between the highest and lowest
stations in society helps to bind people
together for the common good. Of course
pilgrimages to shrines or sites dedicated to
specialist saints (such as Saint Gerlant) will be
dominated by members of the relevant
professions, but even commoners pray to
knightly saints for protection.
Pilgrims vary too much for typical statistics
to be meaningful. They will tend to have at
least 1W in Piety, Worship God, or similar
abilities, but beyond this, almost any ability
could be found somewhere in the group.
Pilgrim groups will tend to contain at least a
dozen people, and it is highly likely that one
or two will be competent members of the
knight or wizard castes.

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 Gazetteer

Equipment: Iron sword, Archaic bronze and

Enemies of Seshnela iron plate, open helm, round shield.
Even inside Seshnela itself, heroes will not Elven Raiding Party
simply face their fellow Seshnegi. Beyond the
The ancient forest of Tarinwood sprawls to
borders, the risk of encountering dangerous
the east of Seshnela, one of the great
and hostile foes naturally increases still
homelands of the soulless, inhuman, elves.
further. Nolosi, and to a lesser extent,
Since the fall of Old Seshnela, the elves have
Safelstrans, are culturally similar to the
also grown significantly in power to the
Seshnegi themselves, and their raiding
west, extending Kanthor's Forest over the
parties and patrols will consist of knights and
islands and the lands south of the Castle
men-at-arms much like their Rokari
Coast, up to the border with Noyelle. Elves
counterparts. Likewise, the bandits found
are implacably hostile to humanity, because
beyond the borders are no different to those
they hate the very idea of agriculture, and
that plague the less patrolled regions of the
seek to turn the whole world into wild
kingdom. At the other extreme, Seshnegi
forests, where only the most primitive of
crusaders far from home, in places such as
human tribes could survive. They rarely
northern Fornoar or the Ralian highlands,
launch large scale invasions of human lands,
might encounter almost any foe, from wild
although the threat is never far away, but
barbarians to man-eating trolls. However,
small parties of skilled raiders do often probe
particularly common foes that are clearly
the Seshnelan defences, destroying cropland
different from the Seshnegi include the
or villages where they can.
Brithini of Arolanit, and the elves of
Keywords: Kanthor or Tarinwood Elves 1W,
Tarinwood and Kanthor's Forest.
Warrior 10W, Aldrya Practitioner 5W.
Brithini Patrol Significant Abilities: Archery 15W,
To the north of Rindland lies Arolanit, the Shortsword Combat 10W.
largest surviving colony of the Brithini. Equipment: Enchanted copper shortsword,
Immortal, godless sorcerers, the Brithini are Elf Bow, Bark armour and buckler.
an ancient foe of all the Malkioni churches.
Like that of the Rokari, their society
possesses four castes, although their
functions differ somewhat. Their warrior
caste patrol the borders of Arolanit
punctiliously, and permit few outsiders to
enter. As with everything else in Arolanit,
ancient law prescribes the form that the
patrols must take, and there is rarely any
significant variation between them. Each
consists of nine soldiers, issued with standard
equipment. They have no magic of their
own, but the sorcerer caste enchants their
weapons and armour with a list of approved
spells. There are, however, no knights in
Arolanit, since the Brithini caste laws prohibit
their warriors from riding horses, and their
nobles from bearing arms.
Keywords: Brithini 20W, Shock Foot Soldier
10W2.
Significant Abilities: Follow Rules 5W2,
Sword and Shield Combat 15W2.

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Kingdom of the Flamesword

The Shadow Church

Heresy and Witchcraft The Rokari Church invented the term
'shadow Church' to describe any organised
Not everyone in Seshnela is truly Rokari.
heretical movement that threatened their
Heresy festers wherever the Inquisition has
authority within their own lands. In practice,
been insufficiently vigorous, and, in some
it now largely refers to a particular form of
cases, full-blown heretical movements have
the Ordelvic Heresy (see p. 43) that survives
sprung up, in dire need of Correction. The
wherever central authority is weak. The
followers of such movements often claim to
followers of this movement do not use the
be loyal to the ideals of the Rokari Church,
term 'shadow Church', and, in fact, have no
but believe that its leaders have lost their
particular name for their practices. They
way. Those who denounce the Church openly
focus around the worship of Ordelvis under
tend not to survive long if they are
the title of 'My Big Friend', which they
identified, but some have become skilled at
believe reflects the greater proximity of
hiding their true sympathies. In addition to
Ordelvis to their lives and everyday concerns
the two heresies described below, worship of
than the remote abstraction of Makan. They
Lanbril is common in the larger cities, under
do not deny the importance of Makan, nor
various guises, where the wizards denounce
of the regular Rokari services, but feel that
it as a clear moral lesson in the dangers of
the regular Church is not sufficient for their
the Ordelvic Heresy.
needs. The movement is often associated
Worse still are the witches, whose magic
with rebellion against central authority, and
stems from false gods and wicked spirits.
is common amongst outlaws and other ne'er
Everyone fears witches, because of their evil
do wells.
magic, yet some villagers seek them out in
Entry Requirements: Be a commoner or knight, and
secret, believing that their powers of fertility recruited by an existing member.
and revenge can help them attain forbidden Abilities: Survive Alone, Worship My Big Friend.
desires. Witches are, if anything, even more Virtues: Cautious, Down-to-earth, Self Reliant
secretive than heretics, since there is no hope Common Magic:
of them being returned to the mother
Church if caught. They attend the weekly R My Big Friend talents - Attract Lover, Avoid Bad
Gods, Avoid Clergymen, Dig and Bury a Hole,
religious services of the Rokari to avert Escape Fight, Fight Illness, Fix Wound, Healing
suspicion, and then practice their dreadful Bandages, Run Away
magic and debauched rites at the dead of Other Side: My Big Friend's Hut is a welcoming,
night. warm shelter somewhere on the Essence Plane. It
is always stocked with basic food and supplies.
Disadvantages: Membership of the Shadow Church is
forbidden by the doctrine of the Rokari Church,
and is subject to punishment by the Inquisition if
discovered.

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The World of Losers
The World of Losers Movement originated
in Ralios, as many heretical beliefs do. In
recent years, it has spread into Seshnela,
fomenting unrest, while adapting itself to
the nature of Rokari society. As a result,
there are a number of differences between
the Ralian and Seshnelan forms of the
heresy, although they share a common creed
at heart.
Essentially, the Losers believe that the
world will soon end, and that everyone will
soon face the judgment of God. Estimates of
the time remaining to the Apocalypse vary,
but are a matter of a few years at best.
Losers further believe that they must purify
themselves of sin as rigorously as possible to
ensure that they enter Solace when the end
of the world comes. They claim that the
Rokari Church, along with all others, is lead
by fallible humans, and that true virtue
comes from within, not from following the
dictates of the clergy. Losers therefore reject
Rokarism, and devote themselves to personal
purification. In many cases, this consists of
abandoning their belongings and caste
duties, and gathering in great groups in the
countryside or towns, then rigorously
beating themselves to rid their bodies of the
taint of sin. In many cases, these frenzies of
self-mortification become so extreme that
the Losers whip themselves to death in the
throws of their religious fervour.
Given its self-destructive nature, and the
continued failure of the world to end on
schedule, the Inquisition has found the
World of Losers surprisingly difficult to
eradicate. This is largely due to the extreme
fanaticism of many of its members, who
actually welcome martyrdom at Church
hands as a sign of their piety. The usual
threats have no effect on those who fully
expect to die soon in any event, and are
convinced that they will enter Solace when
they do. Some Losers even appear to enjoy
the experience of being Put to the Question,
seeing it as yet another sign of their
devotion.
Page 151
Gazetteer
In keeping with their belief in individual
salvation, all Rokari Losers are liturgists of
their movement.
Entry Requirements: A sincere desire to be purified
of all sin.
Abilities: Endure Punishment, Mortify Own Flesh.
Relationships: Member of the World of Losers.
Virtues: Fanatical, Martyr, Self-Righteous.
Scripture: The Losers' First Catechism
a Common Blessings - Bless Self, Renew Faith,
Resist Authority, Resist Hardship.
; Special Blessings- Bless Corpse, Bless Tools of
Mortification, Dedicate New Loser, Religious
Frenzy, Resist Heathen Spirit, Resist Pagan God,
Resist Temptation.
Z Curses - Curse Own Genitals.
Grimoire:
The Losers' Second Catechism (spells: Ecstatic
Flagellation, Example to Others, Ignore
Exhaustion, Ignore Thirst, Purify Through
Starvation, Purify Through Pain).
Icons and Images: The Losers reject the use of almost
all icons and symbols save their own rune.
Saint's Day: There are no universal holy days for the
movement, although all anticipate the coming
End of Days.
Other Side: Losers experience the bliss of Solace
during their services, although even the Hrestoli
deny that this is a true form of Joy. Their node on
the Other Side is a place of indescribable beauty
and wondrous, burning light.
Disadvantages: The Church forbids all membership
of the movement, and bans its spells as an offence
against the prerogatives of the clergy and against
God and human nature. Members who are
captured by the Inquisition must abandon their
beliefs if they are to survive; few choose to do so.
Kingdom of the Flamesword

The Witch-Cult of Seshna

Witchcraft
Witches are the last remnant of the pagan
religions that once flourished in Seshnela. In
the earliest years of the Dawn Age, during
the time of the Serpent Kings, their
predecessors held great power within the
Kingdom, but they dwindled as Malkionism
grew stronger, and almost faded to nothing
during the Imperial Age. They enjoyed
something of a recovery during the
Interregnum, and the Rokari Inquisition has
never quite extinguished them altogether.
Modern witches no longer have
congregations of followers as their forebears
once did; they operate on their own, mostly
in hiding, and few outsiders have observed
their rites. This does not stop speculation, of
course, much of which assumes the existence
of foul sacrifices, curses against God, skyclad
dancing, and tempestuous, unnatural orgies.
Like many rumours, these probably have a
grain of truth.
The greatest of the old pagan deities of
Seshnela was Seshna, the goddess of the
land, and Mother of Rye and Serpents.
Although modern witches can be somewhat
eclectic in their adoption of magical
traditions, Seshna's cult is the one with which
most people identify them. Seshna appears
to select her followers from among the
poorest and most ostracised members of
peasant communities, or those who live in
isolation in the forests. Most seem to be self-
taught, with the false goddess granting her
powers to those who seek her, rather than
undergoing any sort of formal
apprenticeship. This makes it especially
difficult to track down witches, and, since
few of them still gather in covens, finding
one rarely leads to the discovery of any
others.
Entry Requirements: Must be female and chosen by
Seshna.
Abilities: Avoid Notice.
Virtues: Passionate, Suspicious.
Practice Spirits:
" Deep Emotion Spirits - Barren Beast 14 to 6W,
Induce Lust 14 to 10W, Spoil Food 15 to 6W,
Weaken Enemy 2W to 15W
d Land Spirits - Appease Nature 15 to 8W, Contact
Wildlife 17, Find Healing Plant 18, Find Poison
Plant 18
p Rye Spirits - Blight Rye 18 to 5W, Burgeoning
Rye 16 to 6W, Enrich Rye 15
' Serpent Spirits - Evil Eye 5W to 15W, Hide
Secrets 1W to 12W, Hide Tracks 18, Slither Unseen
15 to 2W, Venom 19
Charms and Fetishes: Seshnan fetishes are made
from snakeskin or pieces of wood, wrapped in or
around dried herbs of various kinds.
High Holy Day: 21st Aeror, known as 'Nadir' to pious
Rokari because of its association with ancient
powers of evil.
Other Side: Seshna's Caverns are deep cracks within
the earth, illuminated only by gouts of orange
flame and an all-pervading, dim greenish light.
None the less, wild plants seem to grow in the
caverns without difficulty, as serpents and other,
less pleasant creatures, slither from unseen
crevices.

Page 152
 Herelgem

The Barony of Herelgem

The Barony of Herelgem is a typical lordly domain within the Kingdom of Seshnela.
We provide it here as an example of the sort of arena within which player heroes may
start out, or even spend their careers. Narrators can either use it as is, or modify it to
suit the needs of their own campaigns.

The Barony
The Barony of Herelgem lies in the shire of Bormandy, within the County of Noyelle. It lies
at the extreme northwest of the county, and borders Kanthor's Forest on the west, and the
foothills of the Iron Mountains on the north. It is something a frontier region, with agriculture
and forestry as the mainstays of its economy. The close proximity to Kanthor's Forest ensures
that its knights are constantly active, with elves and stranger creatures making the occasional
foray across the border.

Page 153
Kingdom of the Flamesword

line of barons. They sided with Bailifes at the

History First Battle of Asgolan Fields, crushing their
Saint Gerlant established the Barony when rivals from Deu and Voi. Along with the
he awarded a plot of land on the upper surrounding region, Herelgem became part
Rentier River to his vassal, Herel the Short. of the re-united Kingdom of Seshnela. In the
Herel became the first lord of the land now years after the Second Battle of Asgolan
bearing his name, and owed fealty directly to Fields, refugees flooded through Herelgem
the king, thus earning the title of 'baron'. He on the trail to the Castle Coast. Royalist
took the emblem of a rearing wyvern as his forces fought many skirmishes against
personal coat-of-arms, and this has since heretical lords here, and stationed whole
become the banner of the barony, carried by companies of Rokari knights in the barony
its leaders into battle. The land was largely for decades to come.
forested at the time, but, over the Eventually, peace returned, save for the
generations, the farmers cut back the trees ever-present threat of elves and beastmen in
and expanded their croplands, so that much the western forests. Herelgem has rebuilt its
of the barony is now only lightly wooded. prosperity, and the barons remain loyal to
Knights seeking unclaimed land settled here, the Counts of Noyelle. The Church
creating their own manors, and pledging established a bishopric here, while the King
loyalty to the baron in return for service. It chose to base his new sheriff in a newly
was a wild land, and not without its dangers, constructed castle to the south. The people
but it was relatively safe from the of the barony returned to farming and
machinations of the court and the civil wars forestry. But, of course, they all know their
that plagued Seshnela in the early Imperial newfound peace will not last forever...
Age.
Desiring peace, the baron readily
submitted to the Jrusteli liberators that
ended the civil wars. The new King made him
a vassal of the Duke of Joriland, who ruled
from the city of Laurmal to the west. Like its
neighbours, Herelgem was a loyal part of the
Middle Sea Empire, and supplied many
knights to fight in its armies abroad.
The drowning of Old Seshnela destroyed
the duchy along with the kingdom. The
Barons of Herelgem found themselves rulers
of a tiny, independent state besieged by
elves and bandits. There were many setbacks
over the coming years, but the knights
proved themselves a match for the troubles
that beset the small nation. In time,
Herelgem rose to dominate the region,
subjugating their neighbours and founding
the County of Bormandy. The County lasted
just three short generations before a series
of devastating elven raids resulted in the
death of the counts, and of the last
descendants of the original barons. The
region fell into anarchy.
In time, the Counts of nearby Noyelle
pacified the region, and installed their own

Page 154

Rokari Communities in
HeroQuest
Like other communities in HeroQuest,
Rokari communities receive ratings in
five areas that define their resources.
The five abilities of a Rokari community
are:
• Wealth - the community's material resources.
For some communities, this is primarily in
silver coinage, but for many it represents
wealth in kind, such as bushels of rye
• Diplomacy - the ability to extract favours from
other communities, while minimizing the cost
of any reciprocal obligations
• Morale - the community's belief in it's ability
to achieve its goals, and its willingness to
follow the direction of its own internal
leaders
• Piety - the community's adherence to Rokari
doctrine, its faith in the power of God to
protect them from others, and its willingness
to follow the directions of Church leaders and
higher ranking nobles
• Magic - the collective ability of the
community to harness magical energy
The community to which an individual Rokari
owes his primary allegiance depends greatly on
his caste and his specific role in society. In theory,
of course, everyone owes allegiance to the Crown
and the Church, but, for most people, these are
too remote or nebulous to be as important as the
people with whom they live. In addition,
individuals may have obligations to all manner of
other communities, many of which will possess
guardian essences of their own. Such additional
communities may include war bands, trade guilds,
and religious orders. However, most HeroQuest
games will only need to track the resources of an
individual's primary community, which the
Narrator should determine from the following list:
• For commoners, vicars, and parish knights -
the parish
• For nobles, chaplains, and household knights -
the noble household
• For knights in religious households - the
religious household
• For cloistered wizards - the cloistered
community
• For bishops, deans, and their staff - the
diocese
Page 155
Herelgem
Locations
The Barony of Herelgem occupies the land
around the upper reaches of the Rentier
River. The countryside is relatively flat, and
dotted with copses of trees between the
fields of the farming villages. In the north, it
rises steadily towards the rugged foothills of
Iron Mountains. The land is moderately
fertile, but not exceptionally so, and in the
wilder reaches is chocked with thorny shrubs
that make travel difficult. The only true road
in the barony is that running through the
city and the town of Vachen; it is unpaved
and prone to clogging with mud from
Turbidor to Sementis. The other paths are
mere tracks, kept clear by horses and carts,
but with little real effort at regular
maintenance.
Herelgem
Herelgem is a small city, with a population
of around 1,400 souls. The largest settlement
for some distance around, it is a centre for
the local economy, and boasts large
agricultural and timber markets. Most
common trades are practiced somewhere in
the city, although coopers and joiners
predominate, because of the ready supply of
wood, and their produce forms much of the
barony's exports. As with many Seshnelan
cities, the streets here are narrow, with
densely packed timber-frame houses rearing
either side, often with overhanging upper
stories. The main streets are cobbled, but
away from the markets and the wealthier
districts, hard-packed earth suffices for the
residents.
Stone walls surround the city, and
contribute to the cramped feeling of the
street plan. There are three gates into the
city, one of which leads to a stone bridge
over the river. Guards levy a toll on all those
who cross the bridge, to help pay for its
maintenance. The largest building within the
city proper is the cathedral, seat of the
bishop and site of many key magical rituals
conducted throughout the year. Compared
with cathedrals elsewhere, it is of relatively
modest size, but nonetheless, it has a
Kingdom of the Flamesword
towering stone steeple and two smaller
towers.
The castle stands on an artificial hill at the
northern corner of the city. Various lords
have rebuilt and expanded it down the
centuries, and it now boasts an inner and
outer bailey, and an impressive keep. It is
from here that the baron holds court,
dispensing his justice over the surrounding
lands. Forty knights and ten men-at-arms
serve as the baron's personal household at
the castle. The Count visits once each year,
and everyone scurries to make the
accommodations as presentable as possible,
and to ensure that food and bedding are of
the highest standards.
The Villages
Fourteen landed knights owe fealty to the
Baron. One rules from Vachen, and the
others have fortified manor houses across
the barony. Each manor house has its own
village, and a small number of outlying
hamlets. Fields of wheat and rye surround
each village, from which the farmers make
their living. Livestock graze on common
pasture, and pigs wander the outlying
woodlands. See later in this chapter for a
description of Aaldor, a typical manorial
village. In addition to the manors, there are
villages at Borsein, Talpul, and the two forts,
which provide their respective lieges with
food and a basic workforce. The baron
appoints another knight to supervise a
mining camp on the edge of the foothills in a
quasi-manorial style, but the land is too poor
for it to be agriculturally self-sufficient. The
mine provides the barony with copper, and
some native bronze, remnants of the bones
of pagan gods slain during the Fourth and
Fifth Actions of God.
Bijnslot
Constructed during the Imperial Age, the
Dukes of Joriland used this small castle to
cement their power over the surrounding
district. It was a tall, square keep, with
towers at the corners, and a low curtain wall
around the periphery, and stands on a hill
with a commanding view of the surrounding
terrain. After the fall of Old Seshnela, the
Page 156
barons took over the castle, and used it to
guard the northern approaches to their land.
The Counts of Bormandy also placed garrison
here during their brief rule. Shortly before
Bormandy fell, a large warband of elves laid
siege to the castle, and undermined its
foundations with rapidly growing roots, and
plants that tore at the rock. The elves
massacred the garrison to a man, and even
today, the strange plants weave though the
cracked stonework. A band of rebel knights
holed up in the ruins during Bailifes'
campaigns, but most died mysteriously
within days. The survivors babbled about
ghosts and malign spirits haunting the site,
and few people have dared to venture back
since.
Borsein
The Order of Saint Gerlant has a household
at Borsein, with the marshal fulfilling the
usual duties of a feudal holder. The village
and its land are Church property, and do not
owe fealty to the baron, although an annual
rent is payable to the local bishop in addition
to the agricultural produce and similar
supplies provided to the knights of the
household. A large stone building dominates
the village, with its own walled compound
containing stables and a well. A full
complement of thirty eight knights lives
here, with their squires and servants.
Although they have no specific role in the
defence of the barony, they have a friendly
rivalry with the regular knights of the
surrounding area, and help defend both
Herelgem and the neighbouring barony to
the south. The Order provides strict rules for
the conduct of its knights, but these do not
include avoiding contact with the locals, and
they often travel to the city for supplies or
news.
Drenslot
Drenslot is one of two forts guarding the
border of the barony. Only wilderness lies
beyond, that no human has claimed for
centuries. The fort is of motte and bailey
construction, with a stout stone tower rising
on an artificial hill above a small village. A
wooden palisade surrounds the village, and

serves as an outer line of defence. Fifteen
cavalry knights and five men-at-arms live at
the fort. The baron rotates service here, with
knights typically serving two months here
before returning to the relative comfort of
Herelgem city. The land here is wild and
untamed, with thin soils that are poor for
agriculture. Shortages are common in the
winter months, and postings here are
unpopular. Elven raids are less common here
than at Jagenslot to the south, but bandits
sometimes raid from the northern hills,
especially during the hard times of winter
when the elves are quiet.
Jagenslot
The second of the two forts guarding the
border, Jagenslot has a similar construction
and garrison to its counterpart. The land is
better here, and supports a significant village
in the bailey. Knights stationed here
therefore obtain better food, and most
prefer this posting. The land here is also
better for hunting, and fabulous beasts even
wander into the region on occasion.
However, they are also busier than those at
Drenslot are, for the long stretch of border
here is the primary launching point for raids
by the elves of Kanthor's Forest.
Nachswoud
A patch of dense woodland, the
Nachswoud squats in the southern part of
the barony. The trees crowd close together
here, and heavy ferns crowd together along
the margins and in the few spots where
sunlight creeps through. No elves live here,
but a small colony of their degenerate
monkey-like cousins, known as runners,
makes trouble for visitors. But visitors are
few, for the locals believe that the wood is
haunted by beings worse than mere runners.
Heathen spirits flit between the overhanging
branches, eager to possess or torment the
unwary. Attempts to fell the trees have met
with magical resistance, and barons down
the years have decreed it is not worth the
trouble to try again. If there were witches in
Herelgem, this would be a good place for
them to gather and work their sinister spells.
Page 157
Herelgem
Neiplas
A low level of essential magic permeates
the waters of this lake. A profusion of water
weeds cover the banks, a home for
kingfishers and dabbling ducks. Numerous
fish swim beneath the surface, and some
grow to remarkable size. Yet the fertile
power of the lake does not extend much
beyond its banks, and the land around
remains unsuitable for agriculture. Attempts
to fish here are rarely successful, as lines and
nets quickly become fouled or broken. Yet
the water is benign, and if collected in the
correct manner during the first two weeks of
spring, it will retain its powers of fertility for
a full year. It can help cure barrenness or
impotence, or soothe a pregnancy. Only a
few people know the correct way to collect
the water, however, and they fear spreading
the secret too far, lest overuse should dilute
the essence magic, and cause it to fail. The
stream that runs from the lake to join the
Rentier has no special powers.
Rentier River
The Rentier River rises as a stream in the
foothills of the Iron Mountains, and flows
through the centre of the barony. It
eventually turns to the west and becomes a
tributary of the Veranior, which flows
through Kanthor's Forest to the sea. The
river is fast flowing in places, and can flood
towards the end of the year when frequent
rains supplement the melt-water from the
mountains. There is only one bridge across
the river, at Herelgem city, although there
are also fords at Vachen and Talpul.
Sometimes in summer, the river falls low
enough that it is possible to ford it
elsewhere, although this is rarely entirely
without risk. The map does not show the
highest parts of the river, where it is narrow
enough to be routinely fordable at all times.
Talpul
Like Borsein, Talpul is Church property, and
does not owe fealty to the Baron. A chapter
of the Iron Blood School is here, with a
complement of around a hundred adepts,
and a dozen apprentices. They live in a
partially closed, monastic community, with
Kingdom of the Flamesword
only a few people dealing with the local
villagers. The chapterhouse itself stands some
way outside the village proper, and imports a
significant portion of its food and supplies
from other Church properties beyond the
barony. While the local bishop, or more
senior Church officials, can call the adepts to
provide services for the defence of the realm,
they are not part of the regular defence
forces of the barony, and only serve along
side its knights in times of crisis. Individual
adepts may, however, serve with local hero
bands, or assist the baron, as part of their
preparation for full-scale battle. Such adepts
must return to Talpul regularly, but may
otherwise travel wherever they will be most
useful.
Vachen
The town of Vachen is the barony's second
largest settlement at 500 inhabitants. Sir
Ereldic holds it on behalf of the baron, and
lives in a large stone house with its own
public hall, near the centre of the town.
Vachen is a market town, always busiest
when the surrounding farmers bring their
produce in for sale. Merchants also travel
through Vachen on their way to Herelgem,
as it lies on the only road to the city, but only
a few chose to stop here, and there is only a
small inn for local travellers. In many ways,
Vachen looks like a smaller version of
Herelgem city, but it lacks stone walls or a
castle, and has fewer specialised craftsmen.
Wyverns' Pit
A deep crater gouges into the hilly ground
here. The walls of the crater are rocky, and
little will grow here. In the Dawn Age, the
Pit home to a colony of wyverns, which
terrorised the surrounding land. When the
Herel the Short first established the barony,
the wyverns would swoop down to grab
livestock, and fly away before knights could
arrive. Eventually, Herel lead a band of holy
knights and wizards to their lair, and slew
them. A couple of wyverns returned here in
the early Third Age, after the fall of Old
Seshnela, but they are long gone now. Any
return of the creatures would be a bad omen
for the barony and its people.
Page 158
The Forest Elves
The elves of Kanthor's Forest have been
foes of the people of Herelgem since the
dawn of the Third Age. The forest beyond
the western border is not especially dense,
although it becomes more so the further one
penetrates. Knights can operate here, and
the elves cannot bring the full strength of
their defensive magics to bear, making the
contest a more even one than it might
appear at first glance. Elven parties often
raid across the border, intent on destroying
crops and signs of civilisation such as roads or
large stone buildings. Unlike bandits, they
steal relatively little, which makes them seem
especially inhuman and evil to Seshnelan
eyes. Instead, they wish to spread their
forests, removing the blight of agrarian
civilisation from the region.
Most raids are relatively small, probing at
defences, rather than launching full scale
attacks to destroy villages or the like. The
elves know that their positions in the
woodland are not as secure as they might
like, and fear excessive reprisals from the
humans. But they have invaded in force
before, and may yet do so again, so the local
knights are always alert for their presence.
Guardian Essences
As with any other large group of people in
Glorantha, there are multiple guardian
beings in the barony. Each of the villages has
its guardian, usually based at the parish
church or manor house. Talpul and Borsein
have potent guardians, aiding their knights
and wizards in battle. Guilds in Herelgem
have commoner-class guardians, dedicated to
their particular trades. There are also a few
dedicated to smaller groups, or raised for
particular purposes as the need arises. We list
the three most significant guardian essences
below.
Herel's Legacy
The barons of Herelgem keep the skull of
one of the wyverns originally slain by Herel
the Short as a family heirloom. A powerful
essence remains trapped within, sworn to the

service of the family, and protecting the
noble house from harm.
Method: Archetype
Form: A large, ancient wyvern skull.
Communication: Herel's Legacy communicates
silently with the rightful baron of Herelgem.
Functions:
I Awareness - See From Above
; Blessing - Resist Corruption
D Defence - Turn Aside Blade
The Wyvern Banner
Since the days of Herel the Short, the
knights of the barony have gone to war
under a banner bearing the wyvern emblem
of their liege. The elves captured the original
banner during the fall of Bormandy, but the
Count of Noyelle ordered that wizards
should enchant a new one when he re-
instituted the barony. The baronial army has
used it ever since.
Method: Emanation.
Form: The Wyvern Banner is a large decorative war
standard, depicting a black, rearing wyvern on a
field of gold with a red border.
Communication: The wyvern emblem on the banner
moves when it communicates with the leader.
Functions:
I Awareness - Seek Out Elves
; Blessing - Slashing Blade
D Defence - Phantom Wyvern-scale Barding
The Bow of Saint Orvar
Saint Orvar often hunted in the forests in
and around Herelgem, and the local bishop
obtained his bow after the saint's death. It is
enshrined within the cathedral, and acts the
focal point for the veneration of the
diocesan congregation. The magic of the
bow defends the whole of the barony, and
its people.
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Herelgem
Method: Archetype Reliquary
Form: A silver reliquary in the shape of a bow case,
decorated with hunting scenes and holy runes.
The case is locked and sealed with molten lead, so
that the bow itself is not visible.
Communication: The reliquary glows with an inner
light when the essence communicates with the
bishop or his representatives in the community.
Functions:
I Awareness - Sense Health of Fields
; Blessing - Aim True
D Defence - Ward Away Monstrous Beasts
The People
The barony has a population of around
twelve thousand men, women, and children.
In the countryside, most of the commoners
are peasant farmers, shepherds, or forest
swineherds. In the city, most commoners are
craftsmen, with the Guild of Coopers and
Joiners having the greatest influence. The
frontier nature of the barony also means
that many people supplement their incomes
by hunting in the light woodlands away from
the villages. Of course, the dietary laws of
the commoner caste prohibit many people
from hunting certain animals, but not
everyone observes the laws as conscientiously
as they might.
The baron has to provide 120 mounted
knights, forty men-at-arms and a hundred
archers as part of his feudal obligations to
the Count of Noyelle. While this is
considerably larger than his personal
household forces, by calling in all of the
feudal obligations of his own vassals, he can
easily muster a force of the required size.
Including the Church forces at Borsein and
Talpul, and a small reserve of knights too old
or infirm for regular duty, the total size of
the Baronial army is as given below.
Kingdom of the Flamesword
Military Resources of the Barony
Noble Knights 7 of the state of morale of his troops. He
Flamesword 38
Knights
Regular Knights 140
Men-at-arms 40
Squires 25
Military Reserve 15
Peasant Archers 100
Town Guard 40
Iron Blood 100
Adepts
The Church divides the barony into twelve
parishes, more or less based around the
various manorial villages. A bishop has
charge of the cathedral in the city, and
coordinates religious activity throughout the
barony, and parts of the neighbouring lands.
The bishop is responsible for the Bow of
Saint Orvar, which contains the community's
guardian essence. In addition to the Iron
Blood adepts at Talpul, there are always
some wizards of the other schools present in
the barony, either conducting research,
helping to advise the baron, bishop, or some
other local figure, or carrying out special
duties relevant to their school.
The noble house of Tuhnring has ruled
Herelgem since it became part of the County
of Noyelle. The house currently has around
sixty members, and includes a number of
male and female merchants as well as noble
knights trained in the arts of war.
Individuals of Note
Baron Ulgar Tuhnring
Position: Baron of Herelgem
Magic: Rokari Church
The baron is in his early sixties, and has
ruled Herelgem since his father died in 1600.
He is a fair but stern man, loyal to the Count
and determined to maintain the integrity of
his realm. He rarely deals with commoners
directly, except for a few powerful
individuals, such as the town guildmasters.
However, he does talk regularly with his
knights, albeit keeping them aware of his
Page 160
higher status. In this way, he keeps up to
date with happenings around his realm, and
distrusts Lord Hengan, who he regards as
overly grasping, and not a truly loyal servant
of the Crown. His primary concern is
defending the western frontier, although he
has so far resisted calls for punitive raids into
elven territory.
Lady Alida Tuhnring
Position: Baroness of Herelgem
Magic: Rokari Church
The daughter of a noble from Voi, Lady
Alida is almost as old as her husband is, and
has always loyally served at his side.
Although not an orderly, she is a supporter
of the Order of Saint Xemela, and of other
charities that she sees as serving God. Of
course, she has little contact with
commoners, but she is a friend of those who
help them, and will speak up on their behalf
with her husband, when necessary. She is
also, behind the scenes, the lead merchant
for the Tuhnring family, handling its
finances, and directing the menfolk to
suitable markets. Because she also enjoys the
full support of her husband the baron, she
has considerable resources at her disposal
when she chooses to exercise them.
Master Gelban
Position: Master of the Guild of Coopers &
Joiners
Magic: Rokari Church
The Guild of Coopers and Joiners is the
most influential in the city, and its master
serves as an unofficial leader for the
commoner class. Master Gelban is a
tradesman by training, but also has a knack
for politics, and understands how to deal
with the higher castes, getting his way while
still seeming to be deferent to their wishes.
As such he makes an effective spokesman for
his guild, on which much of the economy of
the city depends. Although he always puts
the interest of his own members first, he is
intelligent enough to realise that if all the
guilds and trades help each other, all will
benefit, and so frequently pleads the case for
others, from redsmiths to potters.
 Herelgem

Lord Hengan Klaas view than he does, saying that they must
Position: Sheriff of Bormandy follow their own consciences, and it would
Magic: Rokari Church; Orderly of Saint be wrong to interfere. Player heroes may
Mistandar wish to cultivate Lensoir as a useful ally, since
The King appointed Sir Hengan sheriff he performs most powerful rituals on behalf
eight years ago. He administers the shire of the barony, and wields the collective
court, and ensures that that the three barons magic of all its congregations.
within his shire send the correct taxes to the Mehner
King, and otherwise abide by the King's
Position: Advisor to the Baron
wishes. He has no direct authority over Baron
Magic: Rokari Church; Adept of the Lordly
Ulgar or the others, but wastes on time in
Advisors
reminding people of his privileged, royal,
Mehner is an observant and crafty man,
status. He lives at a royal castle in the barony
the eyes and ears of the Church within the
to the south, but visits Herelgem a few times
baron's castle. He is contemptuous of both
each year to ensure things are running
knights and commoners, whom he sees as
smoothly. He is a corrupt and venal man, and
below his status, but unctuous in dealing
many suspect that he is skimming money off
with nobles or senior Churchmen. He is not
the top of the royal taxes to line his own
particularly devout, but seeks to promote his
nest. Because of his sneering, supercilious
own position, and enjoy whatever luxuries
attitude, there are those who would be glad
he can earn. He advises the baron on
to find proof of such activities, but none has
religious matters, and uses his magic to
ever been forthcoming. The Narrator may
support the secular activities of the
wish to use Lord Hengan and his men as
household and its knights. He dislikes Master
ongoing rivals for the player heroes.
Tarbor, whose fanaticism he sees as
The Right Reverend Lensoir threatening his own comfortable sinecure.
Position: Bishop of Herelgem Sir Relbert Pflock
Magic: Rokari Liturgist; venerational
Position: Marshall of Bensoir
support from the diocese
Magic: Rokari Church; Orderly of Saint
The bishop of Herelgem leads the liturgists
Gerlant
throughout the diocese in their devotions,
Sir Relbert is a knight of great personal
and channels their pious support to the
prowess and piety. He leads the household of
Archbishop of Noyelle. He is a capable
flamesword knights at Bensoir. His men
administrator, but not a firebrand preacher,
respect him as both a fine warrior and a
and he is content to remain at his post,
moral leader. He spends much of his time at
rather than seek promotion to higher office.
Bensoir, but often visits the city to pay his
Lensoir was born in Tanisor, and attended a
respects to the baron and bishop, and to
seminary there, and often finds the ways of
keep abreast of the news of the day. He
Rindlanders of Herelgem somewhat uncouth.
supports Theoblanc's aims of reducing the
He deals primarily with the baron, and with
other saintly orders, although he is tolerant
his immediate subordinates, including Sir
of them for the time being. He and his men
Relbert and Master Tarbor. If any other
are always ready to help loyal subjects of the
visitors wish to see them, he will fob them
Crown in difficulty, and often hone their
off with the Dean of the Cathedral, unless
skills by hunting or patrolling through some
they have already proven their usefulness
of the wilder parts of the barony.
and importance to him. He puts the interests
of the Church ahead of those of the state,
when this is unavoidable, but he prefers to
have as little conflict as he can. At the same
time, he is unlikely to take any action against
other clergymen who take a more extremist

Page 161
Kingdom of the Flamesword
Sir Tanzer
Position: Captain of the Baronial Guard
Magic: Rokari Church; Noble Orderly of
Saint Gerlant
Sir Tanzer is the baron's nephew, who
chose to follow the path of knighthood. As a
member of the noble caste, he naturally
outranks all regular knights and was a
natural choice to command the castle
garrison. In the event of war, he would
become second-in-command of the Baronial
Army, and would likely take most military
decisions, since Baron Ulgar would wisely
defer to his greater experience. Sir Tanzer is
strict with the knights under his command,
and demands that they keep with regular
training and patrols. The elves are a constant
thorn in his side, and he has offered to send
a company of knights into the forests to
strike at their home. The baron has so far
rebuffed his offers, so Sir Tanzer is seeking
specialist Hasteraxi elf-fighters, whose
support he feels would strengthen his case.
Master Tarbor
Position: Master of the Talpul Chapter
Magic: Rokari Church; Adept of Iron Blood
The Master of the local chapter of the Iron
Blood School has no time for nonsense or for
personal comfort; he is a staunch supporter
of Theoblanc and the Inquisition, and will
not hesitate to make his views known to any
who will listen. He rules his chapter strictly,
and believes that living according to strict
rules strengthens character and encourages
obedience to Church dictates. Lacking in
personal charisma, he is unpopular with
many of the adepts of his chapter, who
would quite like to see him replaced. None
the less, he does allow adepts to assist others
throughout the barony, so long as they
conform to the rules of the school and of the
Church. When Theoblanc wishes to enforce
unpopular rules, it is likely he, rather than
the bishop, who will be at the forefront of
promoting them to the people of the
barony.
Page 162
The Baronial Campaign
A campaign based in the Barony of
Herelgem, or a similar setting, allows the
heroes to interact with Seshnelan politics on
a local level. It provides a range of different
settings, from the bustling town to the
smaller communities of the villages, to
adventuring in the true wilds beyond the
border. Heroes can interact with the baron,
the bishop, or other senior figures around
the area. With time and experience, they
may become influential enough to come to
the attention of higher authority, and move
their arena to the county or national level.
However, at the same time, it may be
difficult to involve commoner caste heroes in
such a campaign, at least at the outset. The
baron and bishop are unlikely to interact
much with most commoners, which limits
their political involvement. If the players of
commoner heroes are happy being 'retainers'
of higher caste heroes, that will not be a
problem, but otherwise, the player and
Narrator should work together to provide a
reason as to why this particular commoner is
more significant than most. Perhaps he has
already performed some great deed that has
brought him to the attention of the
authorities? Or perhaps he has some status
within the community, as Master Gelban
does, or at least close contacts with
somebody influential.
The default characters for a baronial
campaign would likely be a group of knights,
together with support wizards, and perhaps
some healers or merchant nobles. Knights
have a perfect reason to travel through the
barony, fighting monsters, bandits, or elven
raiders, or helping local communities with
their problems. Many groups of knights will
travel with a wizard for support, and even
Master Tarbor is likely to approve of such a
relationship, as it promotes the purpose of
his School. Knights are classically members of
the Cavalry Soldier occupation, but Infantry
Soldiers, Hunters, and Petty Nobles often fall
into the same category. Healers could belong
to any caste, and still have a reason to travel
with a band of knights - although their caste

will help determine their exact relationship
with the other heroes.
A barony is large enough that it could have
liturgists from almost any saintly order
within it, who would be able to recharge the
heroes' talismans. The Narrator should adjust
the presence of any orders in the barony to
fit the needs of his players, perhaps even
changing the affiliations of Borsein and
Talpul accordingly.
Of course, knightly hero bands are not the
only type of group that might find heroic
adventure in Herelgem. The Church might
send a band of wizards to research the area,
to scout out the hostile elves, or to assist the
baron. Entertainers are more likely to travel
through larger areas, in search of new
experiences, but they could settle down in
the barony for a while if there is a story
there worth learning about, or if the baron
decides to keep them on a retainer. Saintly
orders, especially Saint Xemela's, might send
a band of loyalists to the area to promote
their ideals, and these will naturally require
the support of friendly bodyguards or other
assistants.
Herelgem city is even large enough to
support a few professional thieves - although
it is quite likely that the hero band may be
the entire 'thieves' guild' of the town!
Similarly, witches might hide out in the
Nachswoud, or bandits in the hills,
challenging the established order in their
own ways.
Aaldor Manor
Aaldor is one of thirteen manorial villages
in the Barony of Herelgem. It lies near the
western boundary of the barony, close to the
haunted elven forests. Arable land surrounds
the village, before fading into light
woodland and pasture. Some small outlying
hamlets owe fealty to the manor, but they
have relatively insignificant populations.
The Village
The village proper consists of three earthen
streets in a rough Y-shape, each lined by
thatched wattle-and-daub cottages. A small
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Herelgem
stone church stands where the streets join,
with an area of common ground lying
behind it. The manor house stands at the
terminus of one street, while the others lead
off, through simple muddy tracks, to other
nearby villages.
The Commoners
Each cottage has its own small plot of land,
used as a garden for growing vegetables and
herbs. Fields lie around the village, divided
into multiple strips. Every farming family
owns a number of these strips, which they
use to grow wheat and rye. A third of the
strips belong to the manor, and the
commoners work them on behalf of Sir
Petrik as part of their feudal duty. Plough
oxen graze on the common, which also
serves as a communal meeting place and the
location of the village well.
Although most of the villagers grow crops,
there are also some swineherds, who watch
their charges as they forage in the wilder
land beyond the fields. They too, must give a
share of their produce to Sir Petrik, or lose
their homes and their livelihood. Because
they spend times away from the safety of the
village, theirs can be a dangerous job at
times, and one that their fellows often fail to
appreciate or reward. The smaller hamlets
have only minimal agricultural land, and the
inhabitants are mainly herdsmen, foresters
collecting lumber from the woodland, and
charcoal-burners.
The village also has its own smithy, and a
kiln for baking pottery. The lack of a good
stream precludes the construction of a water
mill, as is common in many other villages, so
a team of oxen turn the stone at the village
mill instead. The whole life of the village,
however, revolves around agriculture, and
everyone pitches in to help at harvest time.
All in all, around five hundred men, women,
and children live within the manor's
jurisdiction, although many, of course, do
not live within the village proper.
Kingdom of the Flamesword
The Manor House
Aaldor manor house is a large, stone,
building with a tiled roof, stables, and a
small walled courtyard. It has its own well
and granary, but naturally relies on the local
farmers to keep it stocked with food and
supplies. There is also an orchard, with apple
and pear trees. The manor house is well-
constructed, but not sufficiently to withstand
a determined siege.
The manor is home to an extended family
from the knight caste, lead by Sir Petrik. The
feudal levy for the manor is three mounted
knights, one man-at-arms and four archers.
Presently, Sir Petrik's family does indeed
contain exactly three mounted knights and a
single man-at-arms. If this number falls
further, and the baron were to call up a levy,
Sir Petrik would have to pay a scutage tax to
make up for the remainder, allowing the
baron to hire a replacement knight from
elsewhere. As it is, a military campaign may
require all male members of the family to
leave the village, leaving the stewardship in
the hands of their wives and daughters.
The Church
A small church stands near the centre of
the village. Like other Rokari churches, it is
roughly triangular in layout, with a tower to
one side from which a part-time acolyte calls
the faithful to prayer. It is a relatively simple
structure, with no glass in the windows, but
none the less sports a tiled roof and a carving
of the prophet Rokar inside the door. A
graveyard stands outside the village,
surrounded by a fence to keep animals out,
but otherwise largely unprotected. The vicar
has his own rectory, a small stone-walled
cottage with a thatched roof standing close
by the church. Being a member of the wizard
caste, he naturally lives alone, although the
acolyte provides for some of his personal
needs. Sir Petrik pays a tithe of goods to the
church, much of which goes to support the
vicar and provide for the maintenance of the
church buildings.
The parish employs three curates to assist
the vicar and conduct regular worship
ceremonies for the commoner caste. Being
Page 164
commoners themselves, they also help the
farmers in their labours from time to time,
and so are at least partially able to provide
for their own upkeep.
The Fourth Blessed Inscription of Saint
Iames
In the Aaldor parish church, a large stone
sits in the wall behind the arcarium, and
bears the inscription 'May True Light Shine
into the Darkness of Ignorance'. Saint Iames
commissioned and blessed this inscription for
a cathedral of Old Seshnela, and infused it
with his holy power. In the eighth century, it
was moved here to consecrate the original
church building at Aaldor, where it has
remained ever since.
Method: Emanation.
Form: A smooth slab of marble inscribed in an
archaic form of the Abiding Script.
Communication: The inscription communicated
silently with the vicar while he is at prayer, but
can also animate the doors, shutters, and other
mobile objects within the church, to warn the
villagers of danger.
Functions:
I Awareness - Sense Threat to the Common Man
; Blessing - Let Rye Flourish
D Defence - Ward Away Darkness
Individuals of Note
Sir Petrik Vanstuhl
Position: Holder of Aaldor Manor; knight
Magic: Rokari Church
Sir Petrik is the hereditary holder of Aaldor
manor. The then baron awarded Aaldor
Manor to the Vanstuhl family as a reward for
loyal service after it fell vacant nearly a
century ago. Sir Petrik is an older man, but
still capable of swinging a sword and riding
out to battle. He is both patriarch of his own
family, and the ruler of the manor. The
commoners of the manor largely respect him
for his fairness and justice, and he is about as
popular as any landed knight can be with his
peasants. Nonetheless, he is conscious of his
role in the affairs of the village, will brook
no disrespect, and deals firmly with anyone
who evades tax or necessary work without

good cause. He is a hospitable man, and
enjoys inviting guests to the manor to hear
tales of far-off regions.
In time of war, Sir Petrik has to join the
baron's army like any other knight, and
leaves the estates in the capable hands of his
daughter-in-law, Tienca. Even when the
menfolk are present, Tienca helps with much
of the stewardship of the manor, arranging
the accounts and distributing goods as
necessary. She has done this ever since Sir
Petrik's wife died three years ago, knowing
that at any time she could be called on to
administer the manor alone, including
dealing with the village Reeve and settling
disputes between squabbling peasants.
Reverend Araud
Position: Vicar of Aaldor Parish
Magic: Rokari Liturgist
Reverend Araud is a young wizard, only
recently appointed to administer the parish.
Being younger than the curates with whom
he serves, he is sometimes unsure of himself,
and he often relies on the advice of Sir
Petrik, or of other churchmen passing
through. If another wizard were to settle in
the parish, to conduct research or to assist
the knights in protecting the village, he
would be overjoyed. As it is, he remains the
only member of his caste in the village, and
has no deacons to assist him.
Curate Menavalt
Position: Church Curate and Lector
Magic: Rokari Church; Liturgist and Orderly
of the Plow
Menavalt is one of three curates serving in
the parish, and one of the few members of
the Order of the Plough. Although the magic
of the Order is useful to farmers, few have
the time or commitment to perform the full
duties required of an orderly, and instead
prefer to leave such things to specialists.
Unlike the other curates, who are simply
regular liturgists, Menavalt is always busy
with the work of his order, and he is often
the first member of the clergy that most
farmers turn to in a time of crisis. He is a
hard-working man, and not afraid to assist
the farmers with manual tasks if that is the
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Herelgem
only option available - he is not, after all, a
member of the wizard caste, and forbidden
from labouring.
Renleib
Position: Reeve of Aaldor village
Magic: Rokari Church, Orderly of the
Plough
The senior farmer in the village, and
effective leader of the commoners in the
parish, Renleib is a gruff man, who obtained
his position mainly through bullying the
other peasants into supporting him. He has
the largest cottage of any farmer, and the
most strips of farmland, making him
wealthier than any other local commoner
except Stoffel. He believes that this makes
him a natural leader for the community, and
clearly its most important member.
Fortunately, he does seem to get things
done, being able to negotiate effectively
with Sir Petrik when the peasants have
grievances that need airing.
Stoffel the Strong
Position: Redsmith
Magic: Rokari Church
The village redsmith makes tools and
implements from bronze for use by the rest
of the community. He makes ploughshares
for the farmers, horseshoes for the knights,
and simple tools for use by everyone. He is
no swordsmith, of course, so weapons and
armour must be bought in Herelgem city,
where such specialists exist. Stoffel is a large
man, the very image of a smith, and is very
popular in the village. He has no interest in
the politics that would come with being a
reeve, and his agricultural knowledge is
limited, making him unsuitable for that
position. Like all redsmiths, he knows a
number of common magic charms and spells
to help him forge bronze, passed down from
father to son through the generations.
Petje the Flaxen
Position: Healer
Magic: Rokari Church
Petje is the village healer, a middle-aged
woman past her prime, and sadly without
children. She has a well-kept herb garden
Kingdom of the Flamesword
next to her cottage, but even so, sometimes
she needs wilder or more magical herbs, and
must venture away from the village to collect
them. She is always available to the villagers
when they need her, and visits the manor
house when one of the Vanstuhl family falls
ill. She is concerned that nobody is available
to carry on her work once she becomes too
old to continue, and although this is
hopefully several years away yet, she would
like to find an apprentice soon.
The Manorial Campaign
In a campaign based around a single
manor, such as Aaldor, the heroes are the
leaders of their community, the people that
everyone turns to in a crisis. Instead of the
baron, or some other senior official, sending
them off on a mission to save the day, when
a problem rears its head, the heroes must
decide how to solve it themselves. The social
stratification of Seshnegi society, while
certainly not absent in a village, is less
apparent when there are no nobles or
bishops to interfere, and where the knights
must deal with commoners on a day-to-day
basis if they are to talk to anyone at all.
Many player heroes in such a campaign
might therefore be commoners themselves,
whether they be farmers, healers, peasant
archers, or Church curates. Others could be
the sons or brothers of Sir Petrik, the
Page 166
knightly heirs to his estate. Wizards could
assist Araud in his duties, and provide
magical support to the knights - since Aaldor
is a frontier region, it is rarely entirely safe
and may well have more magical and combat
support than other villages of similar size.
The moderate isolation of the setting can
provide freedom in other ways, too. If Sir
Petrik's daughter joins the Order of Saint
Erivies as a female knight, who is likely to
stop her, or treat her with disrespect?
Narrators wishing to run a 'Robin Hood' style
bandit campaign (see p. 146) may find that,
with a few minor alterations, Aaldor can be a
convenient safe haven. It only requires some
changes to the personalities (or
competences!) of Sir Petrik and Araud to
enable the heroes to melt back into the
village after a raid, taking up perfectly
respectable professions without the baronial
authorities being any the wiser.
Of course, for a campaign in which the
heroes rise from obscurity to fulfil earth-
shaking deeds, a setting such as Aaldor may
provide the perfect starting point. Lord
Hengen might well recognise the
achievements of a local band of heroes,
eventually granting them more power and
freedom of action, as the first stepping stone
to first national, and then worldwide,
prominence...

Voices of Seshnela
The Peasant
No, it's not a bad life at all. Why would you
think that? Sure, I'm not wealthy, and eating
off gold plates, and that... but who really
needs to? I've got a good roof over my head
- made it with my own hands, I did, so I know
it's going to hold. I've got my plot of land,
and the soil here's not bad, so most years I
get a decent crop in. Oh, yes, it's hard work, I
don't deny that. But don't tell me that where
you come from, the crops spring up out of
the soil on their own? Thought not.
So what else would I want, really? A
sword? What would I want a sword for?
Look, you carry a sword, that marks you out
as someone to attack. Bandits come round,
they see me with a sword, they're going to
think 'hey, he's got to be rich, plus, he'll
come for us if we don't get him first'. No
thanks! Besides, it's not as if I know how to
use the thing. I've got crops to grow, and
animals to look after, I haven't got time to
learn to use a sword. Leave that to the
knights; they've got all the time they like to
learn fighting. They can get themselves
stabbed and killed on my behalf, thank you
very much. I'm grateful that they do, because
I certainly don't want to get my bits lopped
off!
Oh, magic is it now? I know a few tricks
that help with the farming, if that's what
you're thinking. But real magic - there's the
curate down the village, he can cast that for
me, if I need it. And there's the Order of the
Plough helps out from time to time. What
else am I going to do? I don't need to look at
marks on bits of paper and have words pop
into my head. What do you mean, reading
isn't magic? Looks like it to me. And if you're
thinking of me flying or casting out demons,
or something, why should I want to?
Braudan, over in the next village, he had his
son taken away to become a wizard. Lives in
one of them big stone buildings now, I dare
say. And never sees any women... I don't see
that as an improvement, if you get my
meaning.
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Herelgem
Justice? I don't know why you think we
haven't got justice. Look, most things we can
sort out ourselves. Nobody minds that. If
there's a bigger problem... well, it probably
makes sense for someone outside to step in.
Someone not invested in it all. We've got
laws, and it's clear what they are, if you
break them, it's your own fault. All the lords
ask is obedience, and that's fair, because I
don't tell them how to raise crops, do I?
See, you're not really getting the picture
here. You should come down to the church
next Sabbath. See the whole community get
together. We're happy, more or less. Oh,
there's a few that grumble, but you'll get
that anywhere. And bad things happen,
because that's the way the world is. But, you
see, God is on our side. God makes
everything all right. When you're praying in
the Church, and you get that glimpse of
Solace, the feeling of that great majesty that
comes down from above, you know
everything is good. This is the way it's meant
to be. I don't want anarchy, and the wizards
fighting each other, like they do over in
Safelster. I want to raise my crops, and let my
betters worry about everything else. That's
how God made the world, and if only
everyone else behaved like us, and did as
they were told all the time, it would be a
better place, wouldn't it?
Kingdom of the Flamesword
The Noblewoman
Men... yes, well, dear, the thing you have
to understand about men is that they are not
terribly bright. What, dear? Oh, yes, of
course... God save the King! I'm not talking
about him - he's the King, that's an
exception. And, really, its not that men are
stupid, or anything, it's just that all the clever
ones become wizards. That sort of magic isn't
for us, though. True, if you really wanted to,
you could become a nun, but trust me, there
are good reasons not to. For most of us,
anyway. Wizards and nuns have to spend all
their time praying, which is terribly
important, but must get rather dull.
But where was I? Oh, yes, men. Like your
brothers, for instance. And, yes, even that
nice young knight who practices down in the
courtyard. You see, men are very good at
hitting things with big sticks from horseback.
And with swords, and all of that sort of
thing. And it is good that they are, because
fighting can get terribly messy. That's why
God made them strong, you see, so that they
can hit things. And men like hitting things,
on the whole. It gives them something to do,
and makes them useful to have around when
things go bad.
But, you see, in order to hit things
effectively, they need swords, and armour,
and horses, and so on. Not to mention nice
castles, like this one. Why, if we didn't have
those things, we'd be no better than beasts!
Like the trolls, or those highland barbarians
they have in distant lands. Which would be
simply frightful, wouldn't it? That's what
made this country great - men with armour,
and castles, and iron swords, driving out the
pagans and the monsters. But these things
aren't free. Swords don't grow on trees, and
neither do horses, and certainly not iron.
Yes, exactly. It all comes down to money.
Now, our peasants supply us with grain, and
worked goods, and they work to build our
castles. But they cannot do that sort of thing
on their own, because they are peasants.
Their job is to work, not to think too hard
about things. Somebody has to manage
them. Somebody has to make sure that what
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needs to get done, does get done, and done
properly.
Somebody needs to make sure that if the
peasants are helping build a castle, there are
still enough of them to till the fields, and
make sure we have enough food to eat.
Somebody has to make sure that all the
money doesn't go on tapestries, and so on,
and that there is enough left to make the
weapons, and the armour, and enough grain
to feed the horses, and so on. Managing
household finances - it's an important skill,
and men really are not much good at it.
Well, the wizards may be, but we certainly
wouldn't want them interfering in noble
matters. For one thing, they really don't
seem to understand the importance of
buying nice frocks to improve a
noblewoman's image. We do have to look
the part, after all, or it would all fall apart!
But that is what you have to learn. Men
are all very well, and people like your father
are very pleasant to have around when they
are not away hitting things. We need men,
of course we do, because they can worry
about the things we don't want to. But we
have to worry about the things that they
don't want to. Or they would come back
home and find themselves destitute! We are
not merchants - that would be unseemly. But
we do the trade deals, and we look after the
finances, and make sure everyone has the
goods they need. We facilitate. I expect even
the King listens to the Queen's advice.
Because he's one of the intelligent ones, you
see, and that's what intelligent men do:
listen to their wives.

The Preacher
It fills your bodies, soaking in through
every pore. It hangs about you like a dark
cloud, heavy and festering. It clogs your veins
and corrupts your thoughts, dragging you
down. It is like a thick, choking mud,
enveloping and suffusing you, drowning you
slowly, although you cannot feel it. What is
it's name? Sin, brothers and sisters; it's name
is sin!
The Otherworld that you glimpse every
week in your services is a place of purity and
rarified essence. Is our physical world like
this? No, it is not! The world around corrupts
us, seeps into us, contaminates our material
bodies. Take in too much, and you will be
too heavy to reach Solace - you will sink
down to the depths like a stone, floundering
in the seas of Hell.
Do not imbibe too much; drink in
moderation, and avoid those things that
disarray your thoughts and cloud your
judgment. Strong alcohol is the Devil's urine!
Yes it is, brothers and sisters - yes it is! For
when you are drunken, you lose all sense of
shame and decorum, and you fall rapidly into
sin without the slightest thought. What more
could the Devil want?
We have all seen the drunkard, as he reels
from the inn, puking in his own shame,
reeking of drink. Abusive and cursing,
obscene in his desires. That drunkard is a
sinner, and, in his pitiable state, he will seek
to drag you down further into sin with him.
Avoid him, harden your hearts against him,
reject and abuse him! Let him wallow in his
own crapulence, let him feel the shame and
ridicule that rightly belongs to those in his
state. And when he sobers up, abhor him,
and abuse him further, that he might see the
error of his ways.
And berate the innkeeper too, for he has
played a part in this, increasing his own sin
by allowing this to happen. For none can
escape the judgment of God, and to stand
and do nothing - worse still to feed the
sinner in his desires - is to condemn yourself.
And the drunkard in Hell shall wallow in
rivers of dung, filling his mouth and his
nostrils!
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Herelgem
Nor should you lust after the pleasures of
the flesh. For they are transient and worldly.
The true pleasure lies with God, in Solace up
above, the rarified realm that we reach
through the Church. That glory, that
magnificence, that absolute sense of purest
bliss, that is far greater and more worthy
than the brief thrill of touching naked flesh.
Do not let your eyes wander, for they will
drag your thoughts with them, and the sin
and corruption of your earthy natures will
rise within you, and tempt you to do more
than look, more than think. You will fall into
fornication, rutting like a beast in the fields,
no better than them, no better than a pig or
a filthy dog, unable forever to enter Solace.
Or worse yet, adultery, or philandery,
breaking the sacred vow before God that has
brought two people together. That vow is
for procreation, for continuing your name,
that future generations may exist to
venerate God. It protects us from the worst
of sin, yet even within the marriage bed, you
should remember that marriage is for duty,
not for pleasure. For take too much pleasure,
and you will fall into the trap of lust,
corrupting your thoughts and turning them
away from God, whether you wish it or not.
And you will sink into Hell, where slime-
ridden cockroaches shall gnaw upon your
privy member!”
Be upright, be obedient to God and
master! For God has instituted a divine order
for us to follow. Know your place in that
scheme, and never step outside it. Think not
that you are better than a knight, or a lord,
for they have your place, as you have yours.
If every man were a lord, there would be
anarchy, if every man were a knight, there
would be constant strife, and none to put
food on the table.
To step outside the bounds that God has
decreed for you is to invite destruction, to
break down the very foundations of society.
None would know where they stood, all
would be confusion and dismay! And this
begins with the tiniest of thoughts, for the
Devil is subtle, and sin creeps in slowly and
un-noticed.
So attend to your work, to the role that
God has decreed, and be obedient to those
Kingdom of the Flamesword
that must command your respect if we are to
survive. The disobedient, the traitors, the
breakers of caste laws, they have no
protection in the beyond, and their sin
weighs them down like the heaviest of
stones. They flounder in Hell, lost and alone
forever, their very innards ripped away from
them by burning hooks, dismembered as
they once dismembered society.
Page 170
Heed my warning! For every one among
you has sinned at some point, and will sin
again before they die. Know that sin for
what it is, be mindful of your fate, seek
confession and penance, do it now, before it
is too late! For tomorrow you may die in
some freak accident - yes, it happens, you
know that it does - and if you go unprepared
before God, it will be too late for regrets.
 Events & Quests

Events and Quests

Tournaments
Tournaments are major events in Seshnela, with knights and other visitors often travelling
from far around to attend. The local lord acts as host for the tournament, and provides the
necessary funding as well as the venue itself. The immediately visible purpose of a
tournament, of course, is for knights to compete in various tests of martial prowess. But they
are also opportunities for diplomacy, trade, and for showing off the wealth and prestige of
the sponsoring noble.
A Narrator can use tournaments as an introduction to Seshnela and its politics. Members of
all castes and professions are likely to have something to do, and scheming nobles and
churchmen alike may use events as opportunities to get together and put their plans into
motion. The tournament below is described in generic terms, so that it can be placed
anywhere in Seshnela, at any time suitable for your campaign. Nobles generally hold
tournaments between the months of Sementis and Aestival, when travel is easiest and the
harvest is not underway, but they could chose other times of the year for special reasons (such
as a favoured saint's holy day).
tournament grounds, where knights or
others may contact them.
Competitions The Joust
The four main events at a tournament are
The heralds draw up lists of knights to take
jousting, duelling, and the grand melee for
part in the jousts, as a straight knock-out
the knights, and an archery contest for
contest. Jousters wear their regular armour,
commoners. Player heroes may take part in
and use their regular horse and other
any of the events for which they are
equipment, but employ blunted lances to
qualified.
reduce the risk of injury to their opponents.
Registration Nonetheless, a number of serious injuries do
Knights arriving at the tournament are occur during jousting, and the healers' tent is
required to register with the heralds. Each always busy. Jousters can use defensive
knight must give his name, home, and the magic to strengthen armour, shields, and so
name of his liege lord. They must state forth, but may not use any spells that
whether they wish to enter for the joust, so enhance weapons or the force of their blows.
that the heralds can draw up a list of Only members of the knight or noble castes
opponents and a schedule for the contest. may participate in the joust.
The heralds pay little attention to The rules of Seshnelan jousting are simple.
commoners, but otherwise, anyone can A long fence divides the lists into two strips,
examine the list of the knights present at the and the jousters gallop towards each other
tournament, to see if there are any particular with couched lances, on opposite sides of the
allies or rivals present - perhaps to challenge fence. The objective is to strike your
them to a duel. Although the rules for most opponent with your lance hard enough to
of the events are straightforward, the knock him from his horse. If neither
heralds are responsible for upholding those opponent falls, both ready their weapons
that exist, and for making any rulings that again, and make repeated attempts until
might be required in the event of a dispute. there is a clear victor. If both jousters should
They maintain a small tent in the fall from their horses at the same time, one

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Kingdom of the Flamesword
may challenge the other to a duel with
blunted swords; otherwise they both
remount and continue with the joust.
Contest: Seshnelan Jousting
Appropriate Abilities: Lance Fighting.
Typical Modifiers and Augments: Strength of your
horse (bonus)
Resistance: Your opponent's Riding ability,
augmented by any defensive magic he may
have.
Complete Victory: You knock your opponent from
his horse, and he is too Injured to continue.
Major Victory: You Impair your opponent, and
knock him from his horse.
Minor or Marginal Victory: You Hurt your
opponent, and knock him from his horse.
Tie, or Marginal, or Minor Defeat: You fail to
dislodge your opponent.
Major Defeat: You are Hurt, and fail to dislodge
your opponent.
Complete Defeat: You are Impaired, and fail to
dislodge your opponent.
Notes: A joust consists of two Contests of Lance
Fighting versus Riding, one performed by each
jouster. Thus, it is quite possible for both, or
neither, of the contestants to fall from their
horses or suffer injury. Unless both jousters
receive a Complete Victory (and are thus unable
to remount or duel), the joust continues until
there is a clear winner. The rules for the
Fronelan Joust, preferred in Loskalm and parts
of Safelster, are quite different to those
described here.
Duels
Up until the final day of the tournament,
any knight may challenge another to a duel,
and arrange a convenient time with the
heralds. Duels are fought on foot, but the
choice of weapons belongs to the knight
who is challenged. Swords are naturally the
most common choice, but some knights
prefer choose axes, maces, or even flails.
Duels can be fought either to first blood, or
until one participant submits or falls
unconscious; the first option is by far the
most common, with more violent duels
usually being an indication of a real grudge
match. The person challenged does have the
right to refuse the duel, and nobles may
appoint a regular knight to fight on their
behalf. Few people take either option,
however, since they hint at cowardice or
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dishonour. The Narrator is within her rights
to impose a negative Reputation as a Flaw
for any character who consistently exercises
their right to avoid combat in this way.
The Archery Contest
Unlike the other main events of the
tournament, the archery contest is open only
to commoners, and there is no requirement
to register with the heralds, so long as one is
present and equipped when the contest
begins. The Seshnegi do not consider it as
dangerous, or as honourable, as personal
hand-to-hand combat, making it a suitable
skill for commoners, rather than knights.
Contestants fire six arrows into a circular
straw target, trying to get closer to the
centre than their competitors do. Narrators
may choose to resolve this as a Group
Contest of the competitors' respective
Archery abilities, or require each competitor
to match their Archery against the target's
resistance of 5W. In the latter case, the level
of victory is used to determine the winner
(for example, an archer who obtains a Major
Victory beats one who obtains only a Minor
Victory). In the event of a tie, the Narrator
can either require further contests,
representing a play-off, or take the margin
of victory into account (that is, how much
lower the archer's roll was than the
Narrator's resistance roll).
Most serious competitors in the archery
contest will have Archery abilities of
between 5W and 15W, with a few experts and
novices outside of those ranges. For the sake
of convenience, Narrators may choose to
assume that the bulk of the contestants have
no realistic chance of winning, and simply
play out the contests involving a small
number of the most skilled archers. The prize
for winning the contest is a moderate
monetary reward, and the admiration of
your peers.
The Grand Melee
The climax of the tournament is the Grand
Melee, which takes place on the final day.
While taking part the Grand Melee is not
strictly compulsory, every knight present and
physically fit does so, for this is the focal

point of the entire tournament. The host of
the tournament appoints a champion from
amongst his own knights, and an opponent
from amongst the visitors, each of whom
must form their own team. In practice, the
heralds will try to arrange the teams so that
they are of roughly equal size, in order to
make the Melee as exciting as possible. None
the less, player heroes may choose to
participate in either team, although they
should be aware that others may see the side
that they pick as a political decision, so that
an 'incorrect' choice might damage their
Relationships. For instance, if they are locals,
they should certainly side with their lord, and
if they are visitors they should select a side
that already includes their political allies, or
people with whom they wish to curry favour.
The Melee field is a large open space, with
four roped-off areas bounding the corners.
The two teams line up on horseback, fully
armed and armoured, at opposite ends of
the pitch. At a signal from the senior herald,
they begin what is little short of a pitched
battle. The rules forbid the use of missile
weapons or magic, but allow almost
anything else. Healers are on hand within
the roped-off areas, but can only help those
who manage to cross the ropes to reach
safety. Competitors may capture their
opponents by forcing them to submit, and
then removing them from the pitch. Such
captors are 'ransomed' by their respective
lords after the Melee, with monetary or
other rewards commensurate with their
status. The value of the 'ransoms' are also
lower if the captive is seriously injured, which
acts as a powerful incentive to the knights to
try and subdue each other, rather being too
bloodthirsty.
Other Events
A number of other events will take place
over the course of a tournament, besides the
competitions that are its ostensible purpose.
Some of these will be of especial interest to
non-knightly heroes.
The Opening Parade
Knights arrive at the tournament at least a
day in advance, giving them time to register
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Events & Quests
and set up their own tents and pavilions,
ready for the first events. By the first day of
the tournament proper, everyone should
have arrived and events begin in the
morning with the Opening Parade. Every
knight registered at the tournament must
attend, and parade past the stands where
the sponsoring noble and other important
dignitaries sit. Groups of knights from the
same feudal holding will be together, with
noble knights at the front, and members of
the warrior caste behind, in decreasing order
of importance and reputation. The heralds
determine each group's position in the
parade, with the most powerful and locally
favoured factions going first. However,
within each group, the knights determine
their position amongst themselves, or follow
the advice of their liege lord (if he is
present); naturally this leads to much
jockeying for status. Who is in favour, and
who is not? Who has performed great deeds
worthy of recognition, and who has done
little recently? The answers will be visible to
everyone, from nobles to commoners...
Knights also vie with another to look as
impressive as they can. While this does not
go to the extreme lengths practiced in
Loskalm, and some parts of Safelster, every
knight will want to wear their best armour,
and to have their horse and tack in its best
condition. Equally, regular knights must take
care not to outshine their noble
counterparts, for fear of giving grave
offense, and showing themselves to be poor
Rokari.
Each knight in the parade rides slowly past
the stands, waits for the heralds to call his
name and allegiance out for all to hear, then
dips his head and lance in obeisance to the
sponsoring lord and his family. They then
gather on the tournament field as a wizard
offers prayers, and enjoins a solemn vow on
all participants to respect the rules of the
tournament, not to engage in drunkenness
or debauchery, and to renew their loyalty to
God and King. Amidst much cheering and
celebration, the sponsor declares the
tournament open, and the knights retire to
their tents to prepare for the first
competitions.
Kingdom of the Flamesword
The Welcoming Feast
By tradition, the sponsoring lord holds a
huge feast for the visiting knights and nobles
on the first night of the tournament. At the
larger tournaments, there may be
insufficient room at the castle to hold all of
the guests, so either the less important
knights will not receive invitations, or the
lord will erect a pavilion by the tournament
grounds, and use that. In the former case, of
course, there will be much jockeying for
position, because of the inevitable social
cachet that comes from attending the lord.
The feast proceeds much like any other
major Seshnegi social function. Minstrels and
other entertainers keep the guests amused
and informed, while the castle servants ply
them with exotic foods and wine. This is a
good opportunity for meeting with nobles,
both local and visiting. It is also an excellent
time to meet members of the opposite sex,
and the older daughters of knights are likely
to be even more eager to attend than their
fathers are. Here they can meet heroic single
young knights, and perhaps even arrange
trysts in a less chaperoned location later on.
Much politicking goes on at feasts of this
sort, with nobles seeking alliances, and
scoping each other out to learn their true
objectives and plans.
The Fair
Every town in Seshnela holds at least an
annual fair where out-of-town merchants
and travellers can meet to hawk their wares.
Some have several each year, and a
tournament is always a good excuse for
another. Different noble houses, with their
respective merchants, will likely be attending
anyway, and people will come from far
around to see the spectacle, and hopefully to
buy goods that are not so readily available at
home. Local traders will also visit, selling
craft goods and materials produced in the
nearest town and surrounding countryside.
Inevitably, there will be a fee to pay to the
sponsoring noble, or perhaps to the local
guilds, in order to set up a stall, but it will
not be exorbitant, for everyone benefits
from encouraging traders to visit.
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A thriving market builds up just outside
the tournament field, occupied by traders'
tents and stalls. The market is busiest in the
evening, after the main events of the day
have finished and customers are least likely
to be elsewhere. Many of the customers will
naturally be knights; smiths and sellers of
riding tack may find themselves particularly
busy. But jewellers, sellers of fine fabrics, and
Tanisoran carpet and tapestry makers will
also have a ready market among knights,
noblemen, and their respective wives. Beer
tents and wine merchants will tend to the
thirsty, and, despite the best exhortations of
the wizards, many will become drunk and
rowdy as the evening wears on.
Minstrels also gather at tournaments,
which are good venues for meeting up and
exchanging news. During the day they watch
the contests, and keep an ear open for
gossip, gathering news to bear to the nation.
They may take commissions, as well, from
contestants eager to have their exploits
recounted abroad, or even to have a rival's
exploits downplayed or ignored. In the
evenings, minstrels find a ready audience,
visiting the castle to entertain the grandees,
or working down at the fair ground among
the masses.
All of this leads the door open for less
honest types to prosper as well. Cutpurses
stalk the market, becoming more numerous
as darkness begins to fall. And, while
merchants will take care to ensure that their
goods are secure, there will always be those
looking to take the opportunity to raid stalls
and tents, rather than castles or solid shops.
Guardsmen are likely to patrol the market,
but they will be responsive to the noble
merchants rather than the common traders,
so there is plenty of opportunity for mischief.
The Closing Ceremony
The final event of the tournament is a
gathering of all the knights still fit enough to
ride. There is no parade; the knights simply
assemble in groups according to their
allegiances. The sponsoring lord awards the
prize for the joust, which is usually some
valuable trinket, or even a minor magical

weapon or protective device. On the advice
of the heralds, he announces the winners of
the Melee, to general applause and
adulation from the crowd. A senior wizard
says a prayer to wish for continued good
fortune for the lord and contestants, and
then the lord declares the tournament at an
end. The knights will return to their homes
over the course of the next day, after a final
night of celebration and activity at the fair.
People at the Tournament
Here are a number of characters that
player heroes might encounter at a typical
tournament. We have left the details
deliberately vague so that they the Narrator
can insert them into her Seshnelan campaign
with minimal work. The Narrator can use
these characters as one-off encounters, or as
recurring antagonists for the players.
Sir Nemerac
Sir Nemerac is a knight who serves either
the same liege lord as the player heroes, or a
close ally. He is a young knight, from an
unremarkable family, and bored by the
constant rounds of patrols and guard duty.
Instead, he dreams of fame and glory, of
some great noble recognizing his potential
and rewarding him with the honours of
command. He sees the tournament as a first
step on the ladder, a chance to prove himself
against famous opponents, but he is
remarkably naive about the risks and
difficulties involved. For example, he is likely
to challenge other knights to duels without
any great thought for their personal skill and
his resulting chances of victory. He will be
desperate to make himself as visible as
possible, trying to get himself a good
position in the Opening Parade and the
Welcoming Feast. The player heroes might
choose to extricate him from the difficulties
he finds himself in, or they may face him as a
rival and antagonist, determined to
challenge them to prove his own superiority.
The Narrator may also find him useful if the
players fail to appreciate the importance of
social climbing, by having him attain some of
the rewards he craves while laissez-faire
heroes achieve little.
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Events & Quests
Keywords: Seshnegi 1W, Regular Cavalry
Soldier 5W.
Significant Abilities: Ambitious 5W, Lance
Combat 8W, Overconfident 19, Riding 9W.
Sir Rebard
Almost a professional jouster, Sir Rebard
tours Seshnela each year, travelling from
tournament to tournament. Only his status
as a noble knight, rather than a member of
the warrior caste, allows him to do this, for
he spends only half the year with his liege
lord (who is, of course, a close relative).
Rebard's fame has grown in the telling, and
he knows how to make good use of minstrels
to make himself known across the land.
When he arrives at a tournament, other
jousters often see him as 'the one to beat'.
He is aloof and dedicated, spending as much
time as he can at a tournament preparing for
the competition, and sizing up the
opposition. He admires the Loskalmi for their
devotion to tournaments and pageantry,
whilst denouncing them for their heretical
religious beliefs.
Keywords: Seshnegi 3W, Petty Noble 8W.
Significant Abilities: Competitive 10W,
Duelling 4W2, Honourable 5W, Lance Combat
2W3, Riding 5W3, Sword and Shield Combat
9W2.
Sir Turnvoldt
A prime example of the ideals of Seshnegi
chivalry, Sir Turnvoldt is a renowned leader
of men. He is personally courageous, and
never afraid to lead by example. A member
of the warrior caste, rather than a noble, he
serves as a captain in the Household of Great
Fire. He enters tournaments to prove the
superiority of the virtuous life of Saint
Gerlant, and to keep himself practiced in the
ways of battle. He excels in the Melee, where
he can help lead others to victory. A firm
believer in Rokari principles, he will be sure
to promote the virtuous path whenever
possible. The Narrator should emphasise how
much other knights look up to people like Sir
Turnvoldt, while at the same showing the
dichotomy between those virtues that player
heroes are likely to admire (such as courage
Kingdom of the Flamesword
and justice), and those that they may not
(such as misogyny and blind obedience).
Keywords: Seshnegi 5W, Regular Cavalry
Soldier 15W, Knight Adept of Saint Gerlant
17W.
Significant Abilities: Battlefield Tactics 6W2,
Broadsword Fighting 3W2, Commanding
Shout 19W, Flaming Sword 3W2, Promote
Rokari Justice 8W.
Sir Krietvoss
Not every knight is virtuous. Some fail to
live up the standards that the Rokari Church
sets for them, being lecherous, drinking too
much, or questioning the words of their
superiors. But others, like Sir Krietvoss, are
simply villainous. Like many other knights, Sir
Krietvoss craves recognition and glory, but
he does not wish to risk his own skin too
much in obtaining it. He is cunning, and
hides his tracks well. His silken voice and fine
words allow him to wheedle his way into the
good graces of nobles. The Narrator may find
it useful for him to have the protection of a
powerful opponent of the heroes' liege lord,
who can help to cover up his misdeeds. If
Krietvoss, or his protector, decide that the
heroes are a threat, he may spread false
rumours about them to damage their
reputation, sabotage their equipment, or
hobble their horses. If possible, he will use
servants to carry out his deeds, and disown
their actions if they anyone catches them. He
pays lip service to Rokari ideals, but in reality
cares only for his own skin and advancement.
Keywords: Seshnegi 17, Regular Cavalry
Soldier 7W.
Significant Abilities: Escape Justice 12W, Lie
Convincingly 5W, Manipulate Nobles 19,
Poltroon 15, Riding 10W, Sword and Shield
Fighting 10W, Underhanded 6W.
Sir Faloise
The Order of Saint Elleish is a legally
accepted saintly order in Seshnela, but its
social acceptance is much less widespread.
Most knights of the order stay beyond the
kingdom's borders, where the King has
charged them with claiming new lands from
the highland clans of Ralios. Sir Faloise is an
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exception, a rare example of a female knight
active in Seshnela. Like other knightly
members of her order, she uses the title 'sir',
rather the Fronelan word 'dame', with its
associations of heresy. Nonetheless, many
regular Seshnegi do regard the followers of
Elleish as little better than heretics, and Sir
Faloise faces significant obstacles in her
efforts to prove herself as good as any man.
The heralds are, however, obliged to register
her for any tournament she wishes to
compete in. She is seeking minstrels to help
spread word of her triumphs, and of her
devotion to God, seeking to keep her order
in good standing with the public.
Keywords: Seshnegi 17, Regular Cavalry
Soldier 10W, Adept of Saint Elleish 8W.
Significant Abilities: Brave 17W, Careful 18,
Determined 7W, Lance Combat 2W2, Riding
7W2, Sword and Shield Fighting 18W.
Plot Hooks
We provide three suggestions below for
incidents that could occur at a tournament.
The Narrator can use any or all of these to
create a tournament-based story. Each
introduces themes that will become more
prominent as the Hero Wars unfold in
Seshnela, and the Narrator can use them as
the springboard for a linked series of
adventures moulded to suit her own group.
The Black Knight
A knight arrives at the tournament who
refuses to give his name, or any details of his
home. He never removes his full-face pot
helm in public, and always appears dressed in
his full armour. His shield is painted plain
black, giving no indication of his allegiance.
After some consultation, the heralds agree
that the ancient rules of tournaments allow
such a knight to enter, so long as he can
correctly answer questions about the status
of knighthood and its religious ceremonies.
This sort of practice is more common in
Safelster, where people have always been
strange, but it is most unusual here in
Seshnela. The knight has to appear alone at
the Opening Parade, as he has no known

allegiance, and he obviously cannot attend
the Welcoming Feast.
Speculation is rife as to his identity and
motives. Why would a knight voluntarily
disguise himself? He cannot gain any
reputation from his deeds, since the minstrels
do not know who to credit them to. Is he a
criminal or disgraced knight seeking to
redeem himself, or to escape justice? Is he
under some magical curse not to reveal
himself lest some unspecified disaster occur?
Is he hideously disfigured? Or perhaps he is a
foreign knight, who intends to try to prove
the superiority of his heretical ways,
revealing himself only at the end of the
tournament? One thing is clear; he is a
skilled fighter and a dangerous opponent.
Certainly he can be no disguised commoner
somehow circumventing the heralds' tests as
some initially suspect, or he could not be
doing so well in the contests as he is.
If the heroes do not decide to investigate,
perhaps their liege orders them to learn the
truth. Whatever the truth, serious
consequences could follow from unveiling it.
If nothing else, the heroes could acquire a
new Enemy.
The Dissident Preacher
Because they are gathering places for so
many people, tournaments often attract the
attention of wandering wizards. Visitors can
often see them, preaching in market places,
or other suitable open areas, promoting their
own brand of Rokarism. At the tournament
the heroes are attending, one such preacher
seems to be enjoying particular success. He
begins by encouraging his listeners to focus
their minds on God, and to ignore other
distractions, lest they face the eternal
torments of Hell in the afterlife. As his tirade
continues, it steadily becomes clearer that
among the many 'distractions' he sees are
the saints and their orders. This being a
tournament, he focuses primarily upon the
martial saints; Josselyne, Hasterax, and
Zemuron. He approves, naturally, of Gerlant
and Iames, whose orders the Church has
successfully integrated with the mainstream.
He carefully avoids mention of Xemela,
perhaps aware that she is too popular to
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Events & Quests
criticise directly, but it is clear that he
disapproves of all other saints.
He is a skilled orator, and whips the crowd
up into joining his campaign. Most of the
listeners, after all, do not follow saints
directly, and have nothing to lose. If the
heroes do nothing to counter the campaign,
those who follow saints other than Gerlant,
Iames, or Xemela, will find themselves the
target of increasing ostracism and active
disapproval as the tournament progresses.
The noble sponsor is even considering
banning followers of the 'lesser' martial
saints from competing in future, although he
can do little about those that the heralds
have already accepted for this tournament. If
things get out of hand, on the final day of
the tournament, there will be an incident of
vandalism against a shrine or other symbol of
one of the saintly orders. Someone must
have used strong magic to disable or
overcome the guardian essence of the shrine
- but is it the preacher himself, or some other
wizard who has joined his cause? Will the
hostility between the mainstream Church
and the saintly orders continue unchecked in
this part of Seshnela, or will the heroes have
the bravery to put themselves in harm's way
to oppose it? Or will they join in themselves,
promoting Rokari fundamentalism, and
earning the enmity of powerful saintly
orders, at the same time as they receive
support from the local bishop and even the
Inquisition?
Under Investigation
The heroes discover a stranger searching
through their property. If they are visitors,
they may have a tent outside the
tournament grounds, and the stranger has
snuck in there - or their followers have
caught him trying to do so. If they are locals,
the stranger may even have broken into their
homes, or searched some other place that he
hopes to find their private possessions.
Doubtless the heroes will try to apprehend
the culprit, who proves to be a commoner
rather than some deadly knight or wizard. At
some point - during the fight, or in
subsequent interrogation, or even after
being imprisoned by the authorities,
Kingdom of the Flamesword
depending on the heroes' actions - the
intruder confesses that he is acting under the
instructions of the Inquisition. In fact, he is
one of their spies, a commoner employed to
seek out information on suspected heretics.
He implies that he is acting with the full
support of his employers, although, in
reality, they have not yet sanctioned any
criminal activity on his part.
The heroes immediately find themselves in
a dilemma. If they have captured the spy
without anyone else's knowledge, they have
to decide what to do with him. If not, they
may have to concoct explanations, or to deal
with suspicious authorities. Fortunately, only
this one spy has any information against
them, and all he has so far is hearsay. In his
eagerness to gather further information, and
collect a reward from the Inquisition, he has
moved too fast too quickly, and the heroes
may well have the opportunity to take
advantage of this.
The question is - where did this hearsay
come from? Has somebody been slandering
the heroes' good names, and if so, why? The
heroes must resolve the matter, and clear
their names before the Inquisition becomes
formally involved. If put in a tight situation,
the spy proves to be zealous, but to have no
interest in convicting the innocent. His search
uncovered nothing, and if they can convince
him of their innocence, and uncover the
truth, the heroes should be safe. Assuming,
that is, that they themselves were not overly
zealous in dealing with the intruder.
All of which may be slightly harder if they
actually are heretics...
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The Flamesword Quest
The quest of the flamesword is one of the
pivotal myths of the Order of Saint Gerlant.
It describes how he first gained the power to
wreathe his sword in fire, and used it to
strike at the followers of Nieby. Adepts of
the saint can undertake the quest to make
their swords burn at will, or to defeat
enemies analogous to the Nieby cult, such as
spreaders of disease or lies, or even demon-
worshippers in general. Naturally, it is easier
to identify some enemies with Nieby than
others, and the Narrator should consider this
when determining the effect of a successful
quest.
Main Character: Saint Gerlant. At this point in his
life, Gerlant is a noble knight, and not yet a king.
During the quest, he will face tests against the
four key virtues of the Order: Piety, Obedience,
Discipline, and Sternness.
Companions:
• Sir Merovar - a loyal companion of the saint,
known for his skill at riding.
• Father Danboldt - Gerlant's chaplain, a
wizard known for his wisdom and piety.
• Sister Sanarla - a Xemelan healer who joins
Gerlant on this quest to help strike at Nieby.
Supporters: Gerlant's household of knights, squires,
and servants provide a supporting role in the
myth.
Station 1 - the Plague House
In days of yore, a terrible plague ravaged the
land. No spell could heal it, and many
succumbed, commoner and noble alike. Then
priests came from the east, followers of the
false god Nieby, who alone bore the power to
bring succour to the plague's victims. Yet they
were few in number, and the plague was great,
so the good healers of the land established
plague houses to care for sufferers as best they
could.
It came to pass that Gerlant visited one such
house, and found it in disarray. The healers
were in despair, helpless in the face of a disease
they could not defeat. Many talked of turning to
the pagan path of Nieby, while others bemoaned
their fate and did nothing. But among them,
Gerlant found one healer, Sister Sanarla, who
saw in him their means of salvation. 'For this is
a true man of God', she thought, 'and God
would not abandon His people'.

As they enter the Gods War, the heroes
find themselves in a plague house, a large
building commandeered as a makeshift
hospital. Ravaged victims fill every pallet,
and even lie on the floor, so many are there.
Healers wander about listlessly, or sit sobbing
to themselves. Everywhere there is a miasma
of despair and hopelessness. The hero taking
the role of Sister Sanarla finds herself
separated from the others, and the heroes
must re-unite to continue the quest.
Contest: Ensure Gerlant and Sanarla Meet
before Succumbing to Despair
Appropriate Abilities: Disciplined, Stern (-5),
Optimistic (-5)
Typical Modifiers and Augments: Abilities that will
enable the heroes to search the plague house
quickly can augment the abilities above, but
they are not the focus of this challenge. Any
Flaws that reflect a particular fear of disease
will be a handicap!
Resistance: 10W2.
Tie or any Victory: Gerlant and Sanarla meet up
without difficulty.
Marginal, Minor, or Major Defeat: The terrible
suffering in the plague house affects the hero
deeply, and he suffers a -1, -3, or -6 penalty to
future stations because of his feelings of misery
and helplessness.
Complete Defeat: The hero collapses in a corner,
wails, and gnashes his teeth, being generally
useless to anyone. Even if the other heroes can
somehow force him to continue the quest with
them, he will be at -10 to all future stations.
Results & Side-Effects
The heroes can attempt to lift the spirits of
the other healers. This is not an essential part
of the quest, and is best accomplished using
Stern or Disciplined rather than, for example,
Sing Uplifting Song. The Narrator may
handle the contest as she feels appropriate,
depending on the heroes' approach. Success
might lift the spirits of a sponsoring
community, or lead to the successful hero
gaining the spell Get a Grip, Woman!
The plague has a 10W7 resistance to
healing. Furthermore, a successful cure will
direct the quest on a new and unpredictable
path, with all the dangers that that usually
involves.
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Events & Quests
Station 2 - the Fallen Chapel
Gerlant agreed to help the healers, and to
seek out the true source of the plague. He knew
that he must pray to God for guidance, but
there was no place of worship nearby. Sanarla
took Gerlant and his companions to an old
chapel, abandoned by the faithless healers.
Father Danboldt directed the knights in restoring
the chapel to a state fit for the worship of God.
When they had done, Gerlant kneeled in prayer.
God spoke unto Gerlant, and told him that the
followers of Nieby were themselves spreading
the disease, pretending to heal it in order to
spread their deceitful pagan religion among the
gullible. He commanded the saint to travel to
the Chasm of Fire, and hold his sword within it,
that he might learn to use the divine flame to
destroy the evil pagans and purge the world of
their defilement.
The heroes travel to the fallen chapel,
which they must then restore. Once they
have done so, Gerlant must pray for, and
receive, his instructions to continue the
quest.
Contest: Reconsecrate the Chapel
Appropriate Abilities: Pious, Doctrine of [Church]
(-5), Worship God (-5), Leader of Congregation
(-10)
Typical Modifiers and Augments: Work Hard for
Church, Pray Right for Right, and similar
abilities may all help to instil the proper
venerational attitude.
Resistance: 10W.
Any Victory: God is pleased with the heroes'
efforts, and answers Gerlant's prayer. Due to
his correctly pious actions, Gerlant receives a
bonus of +1, +3, +6, or +10 at Station 5,
depending on his level of victory.
Tie: God answers Gerlant's plea, but does not
grant him any additional bonus at Station 5.
Any Defeat: God is dissatisfied with the heroes'
lack of effort and dedication, and gives them
incomplete answers to their prayers. This will
make it difficult for them to find their way to
the Chasm of Fire and the Valley of Swords. The
heroes will encounter unexpected, random
encounters while travelling to or between
these locations, of a severity and/or frequency
dependant on their level of defeat.
Results & Side-Effects
The heroes learn the path to the Chasm of
Fire, and are able to continue in their quest,
buoyed up by their pious actions.
Kingdom of the Flamesword
Station 3 - the Chasm of Fire
Gerlant and his companions travelled to the
Chasm of Fire, as God had instructed them. A
mighty crack opened up in the ground before
them, and flames spewed forth into the
heavens. The fires were alive with divine
essences, yet they scorned the saint, and
refused to leave their home to aid him. But
Gerlant knew his duty and, drawing his sword,
plunged his arm into the flame to gather the
essences into his weapon. The essences
continued to scorn him, denouncing him as
unworthy, and seared the flesh of his arm and
the metal of his sword, until it became red-hot
and he could carry it no more. 'Go to the Valley
of Swords,' they cried, 'and bring us a weapon
worthy of our nature, for we will not inhabit cold
steel'. Sanarla healed the saint's arm, and the
companions went on their way.
If the heroes have succeeded at the earlier
station, they can proceed to the Chasm of
Fire without incident. Even standing nearby
makes everyone feel uncomfortably hot. The
heroes can see living beings dancing within
the flame - humanoid figures, salamanders,
and stranger shapes cavort as if bathing.
Gerlant must draw his sword, and plunge it
into the fire, up to at least his elbow. He
must withstand the pain long enough for the
blade to become red-hot, so that it falls from
his grasp into the chasm, and is lost.
This is a test of Obedience, not of
endurance, for Gerlant was doing as God had
commanded him, and heroes who wish to
follow his path must do the same. This is
why, even if a hero already knows the path
to the Valley of Swords as a result of some
earlier quest, he must not ignore this
potentially dangerous station, for to do so is
to disobey God. If a hero does so
nonetheless, apply penalties exactly as if they
had suffered a Complete Defeat at this
station, because to turn away is essentially to
suffer a Complete Defeat of their virtue of
Obedience.
Contest: Hold a Blade in the Chasm of Fire
Appropriate Abilities: Obedience, Disciplined (-5).
This is a divine flame, testing the hero, so
abilities such as Ignore Pain and Resist Fire are
at -5, even though they might appear more
appropriate to the contest than Obedience
alone.
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Typical Modifiers and Augments: Abilities to
ignore pain and fire can augment Obedience
without difficulty. Any abilities that reflect the
hero's determination to succeed may also be
relevant, such as his relationship to a
community that he intends the quest to aid.
Resistance: 5W3.
Any Victory: The hero holds the sword in the
flame until it becomes red-hot and he drops it.
He is Impaired due to the burns on his sword
arm, and has lost his sword, but he has won the
respect of the fire essences, who tell him how
to reach the Valley of Swords.
Tie or Marginal Defeat: The hero drops the sword
into the chasm too early. He is only Hurt by the
flame, but the fire essences are unimpressed,
and give him only partial information on the
path to the Valley of Swords. The heroes will
experience an additional, unpredictable
encounter on their way to the Valley.
Minor, Major, or Complete Defeat: The hero balks
at the flame, and either withdraws his arm
before it is Hurt, or is too uncertain to place it
inside at all. Either way, he retains the sword,
and receives nothing but scorn from the fire
essences. The heroes must find another way to
convince them, or find their own way to the
Valley, facing unknown dangers as they do so.
Results and Side-Effects
The hero taking the role of Gerlant
receives an injury, and loses his sword, but
learns the way to the Valley of Swords.
Sanarla has the opportunity to heal him of
the injury before they continue. Gerlant can,
of course, demand a sword from any of his
companions or supporters on the quest, since
this is perfectly reasonable behaviour for a
high-ranking Rokari. Attempts to bring spare
swords (or similarly large weapons) at the
beginning of the quest should fail, however,
so that at least somebody ends up disarmed,
or, at best, reduced to using a dagger.
Trying to find ways to avoid injury (such as
by simply throwing the sword into the
chasm) or to keep the sword rather than
losing it, will not impress the fire essences.
The hero may suffer less immediate
consequences, but he will experience
additional encounters on the way, and will
not receive the usual bonus for completing
the station.
A successful hero may gain a magical Resist
Fire ability for completing this station.

Random Encounters
Failure in the early stations of the
quest may lead to the heroes
experiencing extra encounters on the
way to the Chasm of Fire or the Valley of
Swords. Emphasise that the heroes are
unsure of the correct path, and are
taking a roundabout route through
uncertain terrain. The encounters they
face will probably be relevant to the
quest in some way, although they might
be completely unexpected. Common
opponents include trolls, Pelorians,
disease spirits, or demons from the
underworld. The difficulty of these
challenges, and the precise way to
defeat them, may vary from quest to
quest, and may depend on the behaviour
and level of success or defeat of the
heroes in the quest up to that point.
Station 4 - the Valley of
Swords
At the Valley of Swords, Gerlant and his
companions found a tumult of blades whirling
about, as if in a storm. Gerlant knew that the
fire essences would not condescend to inhabit a
blade of cold steel, so he sought out the one
blade among the hundreds that could make a
home for flame. He rode into the storm,
protected by Merovar and his other companions,
and seized the sword, taking it for his own.
The Valley of Swords is a barren gash in
the ground, with steep walls of dusty earth.
Nothing living stirs within the valley, and the
skies overhead are grey and leaden. Within
the valley hundreds upon hundreds of
swords dance, flying through the air of their
own accord. The blades are of every
imaginable kind, although all are
recognizably swords: broadswords, bastard
swords, stabbing shortswords, Fonritan
scimitars, fine fencing blades from Ralios,
crude chopping blades from Ramalia, and
exotic katanas from the distant East. The
heroes must identify the blade that best suits
the element of fire, but the myth does not
specify its exact appearance. It might be
made from red steel, or engraved with flame
patterns, or it might have a sinuous, fire-like
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Events & Quests
blade. Every time someone performs the
quest, it will differ in at least some
particulars, so the heroes must be careful to
use their judgment.
Once they have identified the right sword,
someone must capture it, and carry it from
the Valley. To do this, they must enter the
whirling blades, some of which will turn to
attack them, wielding themselves in combat.
Gerlant's companions come to the fore here,
for there are many swords, and the more
heroes to fend them off, the better. Almost
any reasonable approach has a chance of
working. The heroes could simply fight off
the swords by parrying with their own
weapons, but using speed to dodge them, or
employing some magic against them are
equally acceptable approaches. Remember
that, if everything has gone according to
plan, at least one of the questers no longer
has a sword of their own...
Results and Side-Effects
Gerlant gains a suitable sword to act as the
focus for the flame-bearing power.
Depending on his level of victory in whatever
contest the Narrator deems appropriate, this
may give a +1, +3, +6, or +10 bonus at
Station 5. Bad choices may invoke a similar
penalty, or the fire essences may reject them
out-of-hand. It is quite possible to
deliberately take a 'wrong' blade, and use it
for some other purpose, for the Valley of
Swords exists in other Malkioni myths as well
as this one. Of course, to gain a true
heroquesting benefit from such a blade
would require that the hero do something
other than return to the Chasm of Fire, and
changing myths in such a way is always
potentially dangerous.
Station 5 - Fire and Steel
Gerlant and his companions bore the sword to
the Chasm of Fire. Once again, Gerlant thrust
his sword-arm into the fire, but this time the
flame did not hurt him, and at once an essence
leapt into the blade. When he withdrew the
sword from the inferno, the fire raged along it,
leaping and crackling, and threatened to devour
everything around it, as fire will. But Gerlant
spoke to the essence, reminding it of its duty to
God, and demanded that it submit to his will as
Kingdom of the Flamesword
a champion of God. The fire subsided, and, from
that day forth, the saint was always able to call
on it whenever he wished.
The return to the Chasm should be easy,
for the travellers now know the correct path.
Once there, Gerlant must persuade one of
the fire essences to inhabit the sword, which
should be simple now that he has proven his
prowess. However, as soon as he withdraws
the sword from the fire, it begins to burn out
of control. The sword becomes too hot to
handle for long, and fire leaps from it to
anything nearby that is more flammable
than metal, making it dangerous for
everyone. The hero taking the role of
Gerlant must subdue the fire to his will if he
is to gain any useful benefit from the quest.
This may take the form of a HeroQuest
Challenge, but does not have to, depending
on the benefit sought by the questers.
Contest: Subdue the Fire
Appropriate Abilities: Stern, Pious (-5), Disciplined
(-10), Persuasion (-10)
Typical Modifiers and Augments: The hero may
use magic spells such as Commanding Shout to
sway the essence, or any abilities that might
reflect his command over fire.
Resistance: 10W4.
Any Victory: The fire essence submits to your will.
You may undertake a heroquest challenge to
gain flamesword powers, pitting yourself
against the essence. The sword gives a bonus of
+1, +3, +6, or +10 in the battle at Station 6,
depending on your level of victory.
Tie: The fire essence is tamed, but disobedient.
You may still undertake a heroquest challenge,
but the sword gives no bonus at Station 6.
Marginal or Minor Defeat: The fire essence refuses
to bow to your will, and continues to burn
things around it. It becomes a menace to
everyone nearby, including its own wielder!
You may not undertake a heroquest challenge.
You may still attempt station 6, but you must
use the sword to do so, and it will give a
penalty of -1 or -3 in battle, depending on your
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level of defeat, and may actively cause you
difficulties.
Major or Complete Defeat: The sword becomes
too hot and too dangerous to handle, its fire
burning totally out of control. You have failed
the quest.
Results & Side-Effects
A successful heroquest challenge at this
stage gives the hero the ability to use the
Flamesword spell at will. If that is the
intended object of the quest, the heroes may
end the quest at this point, their task
completed. If they intend to use the quest to
help defeat an enemy of their community,
however, they must proceed to Station 6,
which becomes the climactic confrontation.
Station 6 - the Smiting of Sin
Gerlant and hi companions then returned to
the plague house, where they lay in wait for the
followers of Nieby. Soon enough, the evil folk
appeared, proclaiming that they had come to
save all those who would abandon God from the
ravages of plague. Gerlant and the others leapt
up, denouncing their wicked pagan ways.
Gerlant's sword burned with holy flame, and the
evil ones could not stand against it, for all of
their magic crafts. The valiant knights slew
them to a man, and proclaimed that they would
fight against their kind for ever more.
In the final confrontation of the quest, the
heroes must face their enemy, and defeat
them in open conflict. Being evil magicians,
their main weapons are likely to be sinister
spells, but they will have no defence against
the heroes' flamesword abilities. Success at
this stage helps the heroes' community
against an enemy they have successfully
identified with Nieby, giving them in an
advantage in an upcoming battle or other
conflict. Defeat gives their opponents an
advantage, as well as forcing the heroes to
suffer all the usual consequences of
heroquest defeat.

Other Heroquests
The Deliverance from Mice
Source: The Life of Saint Xemela
Main Character: Saint Xemela
In the Grey Age, times were hard, and the
faithful had to struggle against the
vicissitudes of the world. Saint Xemela saw
the suffering of the people, and did as much
as she could to help relieve it. One day, a
group of villagers presented themselves at
the court and pleaded to the king to deliver
them from famine, for a great plague of
mice was devouring the grain in their stores,
so many that the cats could not catch them
all. The King would do nothing, for a mouse
was such a pitiable and weak creature that it
was beneath his dignity to command. The
knights laughed, for they would not fight
such a feeble creature. The wizards said the
mice were unclean, and if they killed them
from afar, their bodies would choke the
grain and bring further pestilence. So
Xemela resolved to deal with the problem
herself, for even famine was an ill she
desired to heal.
She traveled to meet the Mouse King, and
see why his children were eating so much of
the food that God's bounty had given to the
farmers. But the Mouse King lived in a great
lair of complex tunnels, and the Saint did not
know the path. First, she met the Dormouse,
but he was too slothful to help. Then she
met the Harvest Mouse, living high in his
woven home. She delivered the Harvest
Mouse from the Cat who had come to eat
him, and, in return, he told her the way
through the warrens to the lair of the Mouse
King.
Finally, she reached the court of the Mouse
King himself, and found him lying gorged
and bloated, his body stuffed with all the
grain he had eaten. She reminded him of his
duty before God, and his role in nature, but
he rejected her, demanding gift after gift in
return for leaving the humans alone. Xemela
knew that he would always demand more,
for it was in his nature to be avaricious, and
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Events & Quests
to take what was not his. So she bade her
followers prepare a great cheese, and lay it
outside the entrance to the Mouse King's
lair. The smell from the mighty cheese
wafted into the tunnels, until it reached the
nostrils of the greedy rodent. Hungry to steal
yet more from the humans, he waddled out
of his home, and began to gnaw upon the
cheese. By the time he had finished, the
Mouse King was so fat that he could no
longer squeeze into the tunnels of his home,
and he was forced to flee into the wilderness
to survive. In such a way did the Mouse
King's own greed and avarice bring about his
downfall.
When Xemela returned home, the mice
had gone from the granaries, and their
power over the peasants ended.
Malkion Turns the Waters
Away
Source: The Abiding Book
Main Character: Malkion the Prophet
One day, the waters rose and began to
flood the villages and towns of the faithful.
Their crops were drowned and their homes
destroyed, and they fled to the high ground,
where they cried out for deliverance from
their plight. Far away in his tower, Malkion
heard the pleas of the faithful, and set out to
restore the world to rights. He travelled over
the land, and heard many stories of the
rebellious actions of the waters across his
realm, and saved people where he could.
Eventually, he reached the edge of the
flooded land, where he encountered a great
ship sailing upon the waters. The crew of the
ship were waertagi, and unlike the others
Kingdom of the Flamesword
whom he had met, they praised the waters,
saying that their rise was a good thing, and
eased their travel and exploration. Malkion
rebuked them, reminding them of their
kinship to his human descendants, and
commanding that they bring forth the
powers of the water to face him.
This they did, but the powers of the waters
were more disrespectful still. They clamoured
that they should be free to do as they
wished, and that the Prophet could never
command them. They tried to drown him
with waves sent against the land, and
showered him with rain and waterspouts,
seeking to dishearten him and make him
look foolish and wet. Yet Malkion's power
was greater than theirs was. He called out to
the essences of the earth, reminding them
that it was their duty to pull things towards
them, and that it was in the nature of water
to drain away into the depths, not to rise up
over the land. Great hands of earth rose up
from the solid land beneath the waters, and
dragged the water powers down, wrestling
them until they rushed away from the sea.
Malkion commanded the water that
remained to return to its former course and
place, and the waters receded, so that they
dry land re-appeared once more.
The Three Obstacles to Labour
Source: The Theoblanc Papers
Main Character: Rokar the Prophet
As Rokar travelled the land, preaching his
message, he encountered many signs of the
moral malaise that afflicted the people of
Seshnela in those days. One time, he came to
a village in the north where the lord was
building a great castle. Yet the work
dragged on and on, for the peasants seemed
disinterested in toiling for the benefit of
their lord alone, as they saw it. The lord
beseeched them to work harder, explaining
that the new defences would be for the
benefit of all, yet all his words were for
naught.
When the Prophet came to the village, he
preached to the lord's family and his knights,
and they straight away saw the wisdom of
Page 184
his words. Yet the local wizards denied his
teachings, saying that every man should
work for their own salvation. This, Rokar
saw, was the reason that the peasants would
not work, for the ignorant wizards trapped
them with false images of Joy, and with false
promises of a better life in this world, rather
than the next, so that they forgot their true
duties. He faced up to the wizards, and
challenged them to a contest of words and
magic. His logic and craft defeated them,
and they fled abroad, into exile from that
land.
The following day, one third of the
peasants took up their mattocks and building
tools with gladness, praising God and the
prophet for opening their eyes. Yet it was
not enough. Rokar looked again at the
village, and saw that the less virtuous of the
peasants spent their evenings in drunken
debauchery, and were not fit to work on the
castle walls. So he went to the tavern, and
smashed up the barrels of strong beer,
rebuking the folk for their sinful ways. On
the next day, another third of the peasants
arrived for their work, suitably chastened
and eager to make amends. Yet it was still
not enough.
Rokar looked at the village a third time,
and saw that those who remained were
morally degenerate, and that sheer laziness
alone prevented them from working as hard
as their fellows did. He summoned forth the
Demon of Sloth, which drooled and yawned
as it flopped across the muddy streets, and
showed each of the men that this was the
true mirror of their souls. The demon
dragged down the laziest of its victims,
smothering them in its flabby folds, until all
the folk of the village united with Rokar to
fight vigorously against it, beating and
abusing it until it fled back to the
underworld and troubled them no more.
With that, having seen the error of their
ways made manifest before them, the last of
the villagers turned to their work joyously,
and were obedient to their lord from that
day forth.

The Battle of Arvan Hill
Source: The Iron Shepherd's Flock
Main Character: The Iron Shepherd
Many people threatened the followers of
Malkion during the time of the Fourth
Action. One group worshipped the wind and
the storm, for powerful wizards among them
had learned to control the weather, and
then claimed to be gods. These people, who
came from the east, were raiders and
bandits, with a fondness for sheep. One time
that they attacked, a powerful wizard
among them, named Vam Gam, summoned
winds so strong that his bandits rode upon
them, and flew out of the sky, attacking the
loyal warriors from above, and causing much
damage.
The Iron Shepherd resolved that he must
defeat these bandits. So he travelled to the
realm of wind himself, where the air moved
constantly, and winds buffeted everything.
He found there certain wind essences that
were rebellious, and scorned God, and he
bound them into a great sack, and bore
them back to his workshop. Next, he
travelled to the realm of Stasis, where the
pure runes dwelled. With due solemnity, he
bore away a brick of density.
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Events & Quests
Then he gathered the powers of his magic,
blowing the rebellious winds through great
bellows into his forge, and weaving cages of
protection to force the winds into pieces of
iron, which he shaped into hobbles. He
forged the hobbles on the brick of density,
beating down the winds' rebellion, and
holding them within with the power of
Stasis.
At last, he was ready, and gave the hobbles
to the soldiers of Malkion, that they might
prepare for the next raid. That raid came at
Arvan Hill, where Vam Gam and his bandits
had gathered to raid the lowlands. When the
evil folk flew towards them, the warriors
released the hobbles from their bags. The
winds within believed themselves free from
imprisonment at last, and rushed up to meet
their fellows, so that the hobbles wrapped
themselves around the legs of the storm folk.
The Iron Shepherd said a word, and the
powers of Stasis and density rose up, making
the hobbles heavier than iron, heavier than
lead, heavier than earth magic. The good
soldiers raised their spears into the air, and
the bandits came crashing down upon them,
falling helplessly from the sky, skewering
themselves upon the sharp points.
Thus did the Iron Shepherd show the
superiority of true magic over the false
powers of the storm people.
Kingdom of the Flamesword

Hero Bands of Seshnela

The Argent Lions The All Saints' Ring
There are some in the saintly Orders who
A hundred years ago, a Rokari hero fought
view the Church's increasing fanaticism and
against the trolls of Guhan, and against
single-mindedness with concern. They fear
various monsters and heretics in Ralios.
that Gerlant and Iames may soon be the only
When he died, his lord placed the hero's
permitted saints, depriving many of the
shield on display in his castle, as a reminder
route to salvation, and depriving the nation
of great deeds of adventure carried out in his
of strength through diversity. One group of
name. A few years ago, the lord's great
Xemelans has decided to do something
grandson conceived an idea to bolster his
about it. This small group has made
own image among his peers: he would forge
overtures to the other Orders that are under
a group of adventurers, who would fight
threat. They established the All Saints' Ring,
enemies of Seshnela in his name, and
a small organization of adepts from different
perform great deeds worthy of recognition
groups. The purpose of the Ring is to travel
by the minstrels. Naturally, he gave the old
Seshnela, showing common people and
hero's shield to the leader of this new group,
nobles alike the benefits of different orders
so that his deeds might serve as an
working together, and how their unique
inspiration. Since that time, they have
magic can be useful. They emphasise the
ventured into the wild lands beyond the
importance of unity; that we cannot have
border, into Fornoar, and Kanthor's Forest,
'One God, One Church' while devout and
as well as facing various menaces closer to
holy orders are set against one another. They
home. They compete in tournaments, and
believe that everyone should work together
work at times for their lord, but above all,
for the common good, and that the magic of
they seek adventure.
all true saints is necessary for the nation's
Membership: Knights are obviously central
future.
to this type of group, but can be of any order
Membership: Diversity is the point of this
or none, depending on the preferences of
particular group. Adepts from any group
the sponsoring lord. The group will also need
should be able to join. There can even be
wizards, especially those that can help in
representatives of Saints Gerlant and Iames,
wild or dangerous areas, such as the Iron
the two groups that are least under threat,
Blood School or Bardan's Book. Healers,
since this shows that the orders need not be
scholars, and hunters can all play their part,
foes of the likes of Xemela, Zemuron, or
and an entertainer to recount their glorious
Mistandar. The group may also accept
deeds is almost de rigueur!
wizards, although members of the
Skills Taught: Navigate Wilderness, Stay
Inquisition would clearly not be appropriate.
Alert
After all, some of the wizardry schools are
Typical Personality Traits: Adventurous,
just as much under threat as the saintly
Brave
orders, and they too, have unique magic and
Guardian: The Argent Lion Shield
benefits that they can bring.
I Awareness - Seek Out Foes
Skills Taught: Preach Unity, Understand
; Blessing - Inspire Others
Other Saints
D Defence - Shield Against Blows
Typical Personality Traits: Pious Diversity
Guardian: Morama Salerre
I Awareness - Sense Discord
; Blessing - Example to Others
D Defence - Defend as One

Page 186

The Quills of Light
The Prophets and the Saints have left many
relics and teachings across the world. During
their various ministries, they have travelled
to almost every corner of the world, and
imparted wisdom to those they have met,
performed miracles that may be unknown
elsewhere, and left behind relics infused
their divine power. It is only right that all of
this information, and all of these holy relics,
should be where it belongs, in the hands of
the Rokari Church. It must not rot away,
forgotten, in heretical or pagan lands. Many
groups seek to find and record such things,
and return them to the one true Church,
where they can be treated with the proper
respect.
One such group is the Quills of Light,
established by a school of scholarly wizards.
The Quills travel around Seshnela, gathering
tales of the saints, and recording the location
and use of holy relics and icons. But, more
importantly, they travel beyond, to the other
lands of the West, and even further afield,
where they hope to find yet new things to
add to their store of information. When they
discover holy relics in the hands of heretics or
non-Malkioni, they obtain them by any
means necessary, and return them to
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Events & Quests
Seshnela. When they discover items of great
power used by heretics or pagans, they often
try to capture those too, seeking either to
use them in a righteous cause, or, if that is
really not possible, to destroy or contain
them, so that no one else can make the
mistake of using them.
Membership: The leaders of the Quills are
wizard adepts, either from the Order of
Rokar Read Right, or perhaps from a Rokari
branch of the Humble Calligraphers. They are
the scholars who analyze the gathered
information, and decide what should happen
to any magical artefacts they obtain. But,
being scholars, they are not always best
suited to travelling in potentially hostile
lands, and perhaps stealing their enemies'
most treasured possessions. For this, they
need people who can fight, cast combat or
stealth magic, and who can sneak into places
unseen. Entertainers may help to provide
cover as they travel, and heralds are often
useful when dealing with foreigners, too.
Skills Taught: Know Foreign Sects, Identify
Holy Item
Typical Personality Traits: Devious, Inspired
Guardian: The Vitrified Eye of Saint [name]
I Awareness - Seek Holy Aura
; Blessing - Conceal Relic
D Defence - Avoid Magical Sight
Kingdom of the Flamesword
The Skull Wolves
The first Skull Wolves were outlaws,
peasants who rebelled against their lord.
They believed that his taxes were unfair, and
tried to repel his knights when they came to
collect. The knights responded brutally, and
many of the rebels fled into the wilderness
to escape justice. Normally, when such a
thing happens, the rebels die of starvation or
wild animal attacks, or the authorities catch
up with them. At best, they become pitiful
bandits, raiding just to stay alive. But these
rebels were fortunate; they encountered a
wolf daimone that haunted the hills, and
managed to befriend it. Not only were the
rebels able to survive, they became a potent
group, striking out at the authorities when
they could, then melting back into the hills.
Down the years, others have joined their
cause. In some respects, they are little better
than bandits, and certainly they could not be
described as wealthy. But they have a shared
hatred of feudal authority, and a distrust of
the Church that binds them together in a
Page 188
way that few true bandits can manage. Now,
perhaps, as the Hero Wars approach, they
will have the chance to make a real
difference to the future...
Membership: Hunters, warriors, and former
foot soldiers make up the core of the group.
But their hideout is large enough, and
concealed well enough to allow them a small
community, in which almost anyone might
live who has a grievance against the Rokari
system. Petty Nobles would likely be
inappropriate, and so would some of the
more mainstream schools and orders, but
most other character types would be
allowable, with a little ingenuity on the part
of the Narrator or players.
Skills Taught: Wilderness Survival, Hide
From Pursuers
Typical Personality Traits: Hate Seshnelan
Authority
Guardian: Agrash the Skull Wolf
I Awareness - Sniff Out Danger
; Blessing - Fight Like a Wolf
D Defence - Remain Unseen
 Cults

For the Glory of God

Not all saintly orders and wizardry schools are restricted to single sects, or found in
specific geographic localities. An organised Malkioni faith has existed for well over a
thousand years, creating a rich cultural heritage that can bring together even sects
that might disagree on other matters. This chapter explores many of the saintly
orders, wizardry schools, and other magical associations found in the wider West that
are not linked to the Rokari or other specific Churches.
visited him. The prophet told him that the
path ahead would be a difficult one, for the
Widespread Saintly Orders world was not yet ready to hear the truth.
A number of saintly orders maintain Only once he was free from his old bonds
branches throughout the West, largely could he lead others into righteousness. So
ignoring sect boundaries. Sometimes, like the saint stripped himself of his regalia of
Saint Xemela, this is due to their great and knighthood, renounced his oaths of fealty,
enduring popularity. Others, like Saint and travelled into Ralios with a few of his
Ongaring, are very early orders that have closest allies. There, Avlor founded an order
become simply too useful for any of the of like-minded people and taught them of
modern sects to do without. Still others, like the one true God. The old Church had
Saint Elleish, provide outlets for those whose become corrupt and had forgotten Malkion's
interests are slightly outside the usual message, he said, so that a new institution
Malkioni model and have managed to was needed to replace it.
prosper despite themselves. These latter are In 577, he infiltrated the cathedral of the
almost like small Churches themselves, archbishop of Seshnela and faced him in
although they tend to submit themselves to magical combat. He triumphed, thus
whatever local Church authority there may demonstrating the superiority of his beliefs,
be, for political protection. and then handed himself over to the
authorities for trial. The priests ordered him
Saint Avlor to recant, but the tortures they inflicted on
Patron Saint of Lost Causes him seemed not to harm him at all. Unwilling
to make a public martyr of their captive, the
Avlor was raised and trained as a knight in Seshnegi finally threw him into an oubliette
Old Seshnela. He constantly argued with the to die. Such was Avlor's holiness that he lived
local wizards, partly over their interpretation for a further three years, without the benefit
of doctrine, which he felt he understood of even the most meager supplies of food or
better than they, but mainly over their water during the final year.
failure to deal actively with the traces of The Order that he had founded continued
paganism still present at that time in to survive away from the interference of the
Seshnelan culture. Avlor insisted that there larger Church. At first its leaders believed
was only one God, and that any that the Return to Rightness vindicated their
accommodation with those of differing stand, but when the God Learners began to
beliefs was an affront to the true Creator. He abuse God's creation, the Avlorists turned
gained a small following among other against them and rebelled. The order was
knights, and was already headed for a finally crushed in 888, its last surviving
serious confrontation with the Church members executed as heretics. When the
authorities when he had his vision. God Learners themselves fell, a re-evaluation
As he struggled with how to reconcile the of the Avlorists began among the new
evident truth of his beliefs with his duties religious movements that followed them.
towards his liege and his Church, Malkion

Page 189
Kingdom of the Flamesword
Eventually, almost five centuries after his
martyrdom, Avlor was formally canonised,
and acknowledged as a saint sent to prepare
the way for the restoration of God's Church.
His suffering and that of his original
followers lead to his official adoption as the
patron saint of hopeless, yet righteous,
causes.
Abilities: Resilient.
Virtues: Ascetic, Fanatical
Scripture: The Life of Saint Avlor
a Common Blessings: Blessing Against Hunger,
Bless Mental Fortitude, Bless Physical Endurance,
Remain Chaste.
; Special Blessings: Avoid Despair, Blessing
Against Thirst, Ignore Discouragement, Induce
Modesty, Resist Scorn.
Z Curses: Curse Pagan, Curse Persecutor, Curse
Recusant.
Grimoires: Most members of the order have access
only to the spells in Triumph through Defeat,
while wizards can learn to use any of the order's
grimoires.
Z Triumph through Defeat (Attain Moral
Victory, Banish Gluttony, Banish Avarice, Banish
Lust, Banish Unseemly Pride Bless Sword, Feel My
Suffering, Fight On, Hide From Persecutors, Ignore
Page 190
Hunger, Ignore Thirst, Maintain Purity of Purpose,
Remain Pure, Resist Pain, Scorn Ungodly Magic,
Smite Heretic).
c The Book of Armour Against Despair (Banish
All Sensation, I Shall Not Be Moved, Strength of
Will, Scorn Injury, Survive Without Nourishment)
" The Book of Righteous Vengeance (Blast the
Unrighteous, Enhance Justified Guilt, Fight When
Beaten, Reflect Spell on Attacker, Sword to Cleave
the Heretic, Terrify the Ungodly, Transfer Own
Torment Onto the Guilty).
Icons and Images: Most depictions of the saint show
him as a wizard in plain gray robes and bearing a
sword, although some Loskalmi artists prefer to
portray him as a knight with a gray tabard. His
symbol is a mastiff.
Saint's Day: 2nd Fervidor, the anniversary of the
Saint's vision of his destiny.
Other Side: The Node of Lost Causes on the Saint
Plane is an empty, stone-lined pit with walls too
sheer to climb. The Portal of Power created by
Avlorist adepts is called a Pit of Adversity.
Disadvantages: Most Malkioni regard the Avlorists as
rather strange, since they tend to be overly
zealous by comparison with more normal folk.
Church and secular authorities tend to be wary of
them, unsure of where their final loyalties lie. The
attitude can range from suspicion to outright
persecution, not that the latter tends to bother
the Avlorists much, since they are used to that sort
of thing.

Saint Elleish
Patron of Independent Women
The daughter of a knight, Elleish was born
in Dawn Age Seshnela. In 408, the kingdom
became engaged in a civil war between the
loyal Malkioni and the wicked worshippers
of the devil-god Gbaji. As a loyal and pious
knight, Elleish's husband took part in many
battles against the unrighteous foe. In 411,
however, he was slain by a magical assault,
his remains so scattered that there was
insufficient remaining to effect a proper
burial.
When she heard the news, Elleish went
straight to her husband's liege lord to beg
the right to take his place in future conflicts.
Having grown up amongst knights, she had
secretly practiced with a sword in her youth,
and she soon demonstrated her ability to
fight as well as any man. In the end,
however, it was King Healwelf of Seshnela
himself who granted her wish, desperate for
anyone who could help him against his
increasingly powerful enemies.
Elleish distinguished herself in battle,
proving her bravery and dedication as well as
her skill at arms. She took part in the final
battle against Gbaji on Seshnelan soil, in 415
where she slew many enemy knights and
miraculously survived a number of magical
attacks by the priests of Gbaji. After the
battle, however, she declared that with the
enemy gone from Seshnela's borders, her
duty was completed, and she refused to take
part in Arkat's crusade in Ralios. Instead, she
laid down her arms and retired to a peaceful
life in her home city.
Even so, she continued to campaign for the
right for other women to follow her
example, and to take on tasks of rulership if
the situation required it. She insisted that
such women should always show the
greatest honour, that none would call their
virtue into question. They should take on
masculine functions only in dire
circumstances, and should not seek to usurp
the rightful position of men as the rulers of
society. After her death and canonisation,
her Order was established primarily as an
organisation of warrior knights, although
Page 191
Cults
she holds patronage over all women who
must act independently of men.
Entry Requirements: Standard, plus must be female.
Most members belong to, or at least claim
membership of, the Knight class, but Farmers,
Wizards, and Nobles are also accepted. Adepts of
Saint Elleish take a vow to lay down their
weapons when a particular specified threat has
passed. In present times, this has become largely
meaningless, however, since many followers select
a threat so vague (e.g. 'so long as pagans exist',
'so long as there is a need for warriors in the
world', etc.) that it can never reasonably be
expected to end.
Abilities: Ignore Foolish Men.
Virtues: Chaste, Independent, Strong Willed
Scripture: The Life of Saint Elleish
a Common Blessings: Avoid Pregnancy,
Maintain Resolve, Strength of a Man.
; Special Blessings: Bless Crossbow, Bless
Shield, Bless Sword, Distract Man, Look Helpless,
Persuade Men, Run Fast.
Z Curses: Curse Misogynist.
Grimoires:
s Feminine Strength (Lighten Armour, Escape
Attention, Make Men Wilt, Run in Armour, Speed
Arrow, Stand Fast, Strengthen Lance, Sword
Dance).
k Woman's Will (Acute Hearing, Dazzle
Opponent, Deflect Combat Spell, Disguise Gender,
Heal Magical Wound, Lighten Bronze, Lighten
Iron, Make Men Devoted, Move Unnoticed,
Restore Battered Armour, Speed Horse).
Icons and Images: Saint Elleish is depicted as a
muscular, yet attractive, woman in full plate
armour. Her symbol is a hind, which was her coat-
of-arms in life.
Saint's Day: 17th Turbidor, the anniversary of her first
battle.
Other Side: The Node of Independent Women, in the
Saint Plane, is a castle with rounded towers and
fluttering pennants overlooking a dank and
perilous wilderness. Portals of Power created by
adepts of Saint Elleish are called Green Passages.
Disadvantages: Most Malkioni Churches merely
tolerate, but do not generally approve of,
members of the Order. Loskalmi prefer Saint Kyria
as an outlet for martial tendencies among
women, while the Rokari try to keep the Order of
Elleish out on the Ralian frontier, away from the
God-fearing heartland of Seshnela. Individual
women in the Order will have to prove themselves
to outsiders, but may become highly respected if
they do.
Kingdom of the Flamesword

Saint Falerine Entry Requirements: Standard, plus must be female.

Few followers are Commoners, however, and the
Patron Saint of Noblewomen wives and daughters of Nobles make up the
greatest proportion of the Order in most regions.
When she heard Hrestol's message, Saint
Abilities: Inspire Man's Loyalty.
Falerine became one of his first converts. The
Virtues: Calm.
daughter of a minor noble at the Seshnelan
Scripture: The Life of Saint Falerine
court, her parents stubbornly refused to
acknowledge her new beliefs and arranged a Common Blessings: Graceful Dance,
Persuade Men, Pleasant Voice, Resist Disease
for her marriage to a cruel but wealthy noble
from the north of the kingdom. As she ; Special Blessings: Bless Jewelry, Calm
Tempers, Ease Pregnancy, Rapid Healing, Repair
reluctantly, but dutifully, prepared for her
Pottery, Soothing Touch.
wedding, she met a young convert by the
name of Jenerin, and fell in love. When Z Curses: Curse Unfaithful Husband.
Hrestol was exiled from his homeland, the Grimoire:
pair eloped together and accompanied the x The Book of Vital Power (Calm Husband,
prophet on his journey. Cure Plant Disease, Enhance Natural Healing,
Ensure Conception, Identify Disease, Make
Although often overlooked by Brithini and Flowers Bloom, Mellifluous Voice, Pacify Warrior,
other outsiders because of her sex, Falerine Purify Water, Resist Disease, Speak With Small
performed many miracles of regrowth, Furry Animals, Speak With Songbirds, Stop
causing wounds to heal over and plants to Bleeding).
bloom out of season. She could also converse Icons and Images: Saint Falerine is depicted as a
with wild animals, and bring calm and beautiful woman in fine clothing, often
accompanied by a squirrel, mouse, or other small
conciliation when tempers began to fray. She animal.
served as a perfect example of what women Saint's Day: 14th Sementis, the date of her marriage
could become under the new religion, a to Saint Jenerin.
capable and valued member of society useful Other Side: The Node of Noblewomen on the Saint
for more than just raising children. At the Plane is a pleasant manor house in picturesque
same time she was virtuous, and never gardens where squirrels frolic and songbirds
overstepped the bounds of decorum by flutter.
taking on a man's work.
Along with the other Companions, she was
absent when the Brithini came to arrest the
prophet, and it was partly her council that
prevented the others from futilely rushing to
his defence. After Hrestol's execution and
ascension, she convinced the Companions
that their work had only just begun and they
should carry on Hrestol's mission where he
had left off, bearing his word to all corners
of the world. She joined her husband on his
return to Seshnela, and found that her
parents had died and her former fiancé had
been killed in a battle with his neighbours.
Together, she and Jenerin established the
Church in Seshnela and worked hard to
ensure its survival. Despite her age, she bore
her husband a pair of healthy twins in the
year 37, who later served as conveners for
the First Ecclesiastical Council of Malkionism.

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Saint Hasterax
Patron Saint Against Elves
Hasterax began his career as an
unremarkable knight from southern Tarins
province of Loskalm. His family home lay in a
barony on the kingdom's border, and was
therefore frequently subject to raids from
the neighbouring elven nation of Erontree.
Understandably, the young Sir Hasterax grew
up with a distrust of the forest-dwellers, but
he acknowledged that Loskalm had other
enemies too, and nothing particularly singled
out the elves as the worst of those. That all
changed in 1199.
In that year, Hasterax returned home to
visit his young wife and their infant son, only
to discover that the perfidious elves had
raided the barony again, and that his family
were among the casualties. He had arrived
only days too late to protect them, and was
filled with sorrow and righteous anger. From
that day forth he dedicated himself utterly to
the fight against the inhuman foe, spending
his entire time either campaigning in
Erontree or preparing to do so.
Not only were his martial accomplishments
remarkable, but he was also divinely inspired
to compose grimoires of spells that others
could use to defend against elves or to do
them harm. His greatest feat was the
cleansing of an entire region of forest
equivalent to about two Loskalmi baronies
from the foul elven taint. This was achieved
through a magical heroquest in which he
slew the demonic spirits that protected the
forest, and sundering the magical bonds that
maintained the forest groves, causing their
dryads to wilt and die with no hope of
resurrection.
The elves struck back by summoning a
powerful forest demon and turning an great
swathe of woodland into a magical trap
designed specifically to drain the saint's
magical power and cut him off from all
sources of aid. Once they had sprung the
trap, the wicked elves loosed the demon and
supported it with a horde of their own
magicians and warriors. Even Hasterax's
prowess and sanctity could not stand against
such an infernal assault, yet the elves were
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unable to snare his soul for further torment
as it travelled directly to Solace.
As conflicts with the elves continued and
worsened over the following century, an
order of knights was created to follow
Hasterax's example and protect the people
from elven hostility. Their fanaticism and
devotion to the cause was unquestioned, and
yet lead many in the Church to question
whether their founder had truly been a
servant of God or inspired by a purely
personal vendetta. Knights of Hasterax
became equated in the popular mind with
single-minded hatred, a lack of respect for
true chivalry and a willingness to win no
matter what the cost, which damaged their
reputation further. Although these criticisms
have a germ of truth in them, the good that
the Order could do and its basically religious
nature eventually caused the Church to
relent and canonise the controversial saint.
Officially, no Church classes him as a martyr,
since he did not die specifically because of his
faith, although members of his Order will
strongly disagree with this opinion.
Entry Requirements: Must be a male member of the
Knight class. Being a raving fanatic helps, but is
not actually compulsory.
Abilities: Axe Combat, Forest Law.
Virtues: Hate Elves.
Scripture: The Life of Saint Hasterax
a Common Blessings: Bless Axe, Focus Hatred,
Intimidate Animals.
; Special Blessings: Bless Armour, Chop Down
Trees, Find Path, Resist Elven Magic.
Z Curses: Curse Elves, Curse Trees.
Grimoire:
^ The Book of Defoliation (Axe of Mighty
Chopping, Blast Arrows to Dust, Destroy Tree,
Ignite Wood, Remain Unseen to Elves, Resist
Forest Powers, Terrify Aldryami, Wilt
Undergrowth, Zealous Hatred).
Icons and Images: Hasterax is shown as a knight in
full armour and bearing an axe, standing beneath
a blazing tree, which also serves as his symbol.
Saint's Day: 24th Nex, the saint's birthday.
Other Side: The Tower of Purified Vegetation on the
Saint Plane looks out over a deathly quiet orchard
with trees arranged in geometrically perfect lines
and entirely clear of weeds or heavy
undergrowth.
Kingdom of the Flamesword
Disadvantages: Members must be prepared to kill
and root their foes out whenever possible, and
may not be members of any religious group, nor
swear any vow, that would limit their ability to do
so. Followers of Hasterax generally seek to
preserve the forests they protect, using their
powers of destruction only when unavoidable;
their aim is to purify forests for safe use by
loggers and other good people, not to destroy
them. Most other knights regard them as
psychotic and single minded;
characterisations are not entirely inaccurate.
Hasteraxi take a vow of vegetarianism, to show
their contempt for vegetable life.
Saint Herigian
Patron Saint of Ecclesiastical
Administration
An immortal Brithini sorcerer, Herigian was
a minor court functionary at Sog City, and
served in that capacity at Hrestol's trial,
where the sorcerer was charged overseeing
the execution. Herigian carried out his duties
under the law, and was thus one of the
witnesses present when Hrestol ascended
into Solace. Immediately he saw the
miraculous event, Herigian fell to his knees
and admitted his grave error, renouncing all
his former beliefs and converting fully to the
Hrestoli Way.
Overcome with guilt for his part in the
martyrdom of the prophet, the sorcerer
dedicated the remainder of his life to the
promotion of the new faith. Perhaps more
than any other single person, he helped
shape the structure of the Hrestoli Church. At
first he gathered like-minded people
together, and lead worship ceremonies in
secret locations, away from the prying eyes
of the Brithini authorities. During this period,
the saint and his immediate associates
established some of the earliest liturgical
formulae. As the religion spread through the
community at large, he was able to move
into the open, and arrange for the
construction of the first Church buildings. He
laid the ground rules for the profession of
wizard, as distinct from sorcerer. Unlike
many of his contemporaries, Herigian was
not a much of a missionary; he remained in
western Fronela and established the
institutions and base from which others
could go forth and convert heathens who
lived elsewhere. He died three years before
the First Ecclesiastical Council of Malkionism,
which selected his staunchest disciple to be
the first Ecclesiarch.
Entry Requirements: Must be a member of
the Wizard class, or a Loskalmi acolythist
(commoner class liturgist).
such Abilities: Church Administration, Read Abiding
Script, Write Abiding Script.
Virtues: Conscientious, Fastidious
Scripture: The Rule of Saint Herigian
a Common Blessings: Authoritative Aura,
Fervent Piety, Good Memory.
; Special Blessings: Bless Book, Bless
Ecclesiastical Robes, Bless Water, Ease Misplaced
Guilt.
Z Curse: Curse Brithini.
Grimoires:
a The Book of Sacerdotal Influence (Enhance
Memory, Inspiring Sermon, Preserve Church
Records, Protect Arcarium, Sanctify Ritual Items,
Sense Contrition, Shame Sinner, Share Revelation)
y The Book of Ecclesiastical Insight (Detect
Taint of Sin, Divine Truth, Find Consensus,
Navigate Essential World, Perfect Memory,
Reassure Parishioner, Strengthen Moral Resolve)
W The Book of Episcopal Governance
(Commanding Presence, Defend Self with the
Wrath of God, Enchant Silver ritual, Grant
Sanctuary, Lock Bookcase, Make Holy Item Blast
Thief, Sanctify Church, Strengthen Wooden
Barrier)
Icons and Images: The saint is depicted as an elderly
man in bishop's robes, carrying a crosier in one
hand, and often with other items of religious
regalia about his person. His symbol is a bishop's
crosier.
Saint's Day: Ascension day (7th Brumastide), the
anniversary of Herigian's conversion.
Other Side: The Episcopal Node on the Saint Plane is
a vast, echoing cathedral infused with a feeling of
profound solemnity. Portals of Power created by
adepts of Herigian are known as Ecumenical
Gateways.
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Saint Jenerin
Patron of Heralds
Jenerin was a junior wizard serving in the
Seshnelan court at the time of Hrestol's
vision. He was a scholar as much as a
magician, and was assigned to work in the
library, where he collected information
about the peoples and places of the world,
attempting to rebuild and update the
knowledge lost during the Darkness. He was
one of the earliest converts to the Hrestoli
way, which he hoped could become a
guiding light for all peoples. Shortly
thereafter, he met and fell in love with
another convert, named Falerine, who was
affianced to a faithless noble from the north.
When Hrestol was exiled, the two eloped
together and joined the prophet on his
travels.
His knowledge of other cultures and ability
to learn languages rapidly made Saint
Jenerin a valuable member of the
Companions, serving as an interpreter and
diplomat for the group during their time in
foreign lands He was always ready to reach
an accommodation with outsiders when he
could do so honourably, but willing to accept
hardship when that was the only reward for
sticking to his principles. When the prophet
visited Sog City, Saint Jenerin only narrowly
avoided capture by the authorities himself
and could do nothing but stand by as Hrestol
was martyred and ascended into Solace.
After the prophet's ascension, Jenerin
agreed to become a missionary to Seshnela,
bringing the word of Hrestol back to his
homeland. Although not obviously successful
during his lifetime, the work that he did
ensured that the next king of Seshnela was a
Hrestoli, after which the Church was
relatively secure from outside threats. He
also wrote the earliest rules of heraldry, for
which reason the Second Ecclesiastical
Council later declared him the patron saint
of heralds and diplomats.
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Entry Requirements: Members are all professional
heralds, with whatever restrictions their local
culture may place upon attaining that position.
Abilities: Heraldry, Read Abiding Script, Understand
Foreign Cultures, Write Abiding Script.
Virtues: Diplomatic, Impartial.
Scripture: The Life of Saint Jenerin
Common Blessings:Endure Hardship, Maintain
Clear Mind, Perceptiveness, Persuasiveness.
Special Blessings:Bless Document, Bless Lock, Bless
Manual Dexterity, Make Colored Ink, Oath of
Neutrality, Repair Document, Stay Alert.
Grimoires:
a Honour and Divinity (Arithmetic Calculation,
Avoid Combat, Determine Social Class, Find
Correct Document, Hear Me, Permanent Record,
Remain Impartial, Respect My Position, Speak Any
Western Tongue).
a The Book of Divine Heraldry (Determine
Ancestry, Dignified Aura, Perfect Memory, Restore
Document, Secret Communication, Secure Lock,
Tabulate Honour)
h The Book of Tongues (Golden Tongue, Heal
Discord, Impartiality, Omnilingual, Understand
Foreign Text)
Icons and Images: Saint Jenerin is usually depicted as
a young man in a herald's costume, although it is
doubtful that he ever actually wore such in real
life. His symbol is a white escutcheon inscribed
with a red triangle.
Saint's Day: 14th Aestival, the anniversary of the
saint's death.
Other Side: The Node of Heraldry on the Saint Plane
resembles a great hall decorated with numerous
bright heraldic tapestries and filled with racks of
scrolls and heraldic tomes. Portals of Power
created by heraldic adepts are called Emblazoned
Roundels of Opportunity.
Kingdom of the Flamesword
Saint Josselyne
Patron Saint of Defence
Josselyne was the eldest son of a powerful
Brithini talar (noble) who ruled a domain in
present-day Junora in the early first century.
The entire noble house converted to the
Malkioni Way after their first encounter with
missionaries only a few years after Hrestol's
martyrdom. They taught the new religion to
all the inhabitants their domains, who
eagerly converted en masse. The act
naturally brought condemnation from
neighbouring Brithini talars and Zzaburi, but
the military expertise of Josselyne's father,
Talar Mandol, discouraged them from taking
any direct action. When Mandol died in the
year 64 and Josselyne inherited his domain,
matters rapidly took a turn for the worse.
Believing that the young man could not
have the skill or magic to resist them
effectively, a coalition of the local talars was
formed to crush him and kill all his subjects
who would not renounce their faith. By
doing so, the Brithini hoped to make a
powerful example, and discourage any
further mass conversions in their area, as had
already happened further west (in present-
day Loskalm). However, they had badly
miscalculated, for the rebellious household
and their knights showed a dogged
determination never to surrender or to yield
any ground without exacting a terrible toll
on the invaders. As the fighting continued
through the year, at times literally house to
house through the villages, the Brithini five
times offered peace if only the defenders
would abandon the Malkioni Way. None did,
yet the Brithini felt they had no choice but to
press on, no matter what the cost, for they
could not back down once they had made
such threats.
The overwhelming superiority of numbers
on the Brithini side, combined with their
vastly superior resources made their victory
inevitable, no matter how hardly bought it
would be. At the last, they faced the final
few defenders, lead by Josselyne himself,
within the walls of the ancestral castle. As
they prepared themselves to face their
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doom, the defenders witnessed a miraculous
event. A vision of the martyred prophet
appeared in the air above the castle
battlements, and blessed all the defenders
with the certainty of Solace in Glory, not only
for themselves, but for all those Malkioni
who had been slain by the Brithini during
the year-long war. So persuasive was the
vision that four of the Brithini warriors
besieging the castle switched sides and
joined the defenders in their last hopeless
struggle.
In the years since, the story grew with the
telling, and the name of Josselyne became a
by-word for valiant resistance against
overwhelming odds, and for strength in the
face of adversity. Anyone may pray to him
for the strength to continue with their tasks,
while his Order is especially important to
those whose job is related to defence, such
as garrison troops or the builders of castles.
Members of his Order build their physical
strength up as a symbol of their inner will,
and to better wield weapons in the defence
of their fellows.
Entry Requirements: Must be a male member of the
Knight or Noble classes.
Abilities: Athletic, Strong.
Virtues: Determined, Energetic.
Scripture: The Life of Saint Josselyne
a Common Blessings: Ignore Distractions,
Resist Fatigue, Resist Fear, Strong Will
; Special Blessings: Bless Sword, Increase
Strength, Strengthen Armour.
Grimoire:
G The Book of Irresistible Strength (Banish
Fear, Fist of Steel, Hurl Heavy Stone, Ignore
Crippling Injury, Impede Invaders, Reinforce
Armour, Resist Magical Coercion, Strengthen
Sword Arm, Unbreakable Sword).
Icons and Images: Images of the saint depict him
wearing the heaviest armour of the period and
bearing a mighty broadsword in one hand and a
sturdy shield in the other.
Saint's Day: 5th Sementis, the anniversary of the
saint's martyrdom.
Other Side: The Fortress of Strength in the Saint
Plane is a cyclopean castle.
Disadvantages: Members of the Order take a vow
never to surrender to non-Malkioni, and must
always keep themselves in peak physical
condition.

Saint Ongaring
Patron Saint of Travellers
Saint Ongaring was born the younger son
of a minor nobleman in Old Seshnela. He was
always fleet of foot, and an excellent
horseman. As a youth, he took part in many
contests to demonstrate his prowess at
running and riding, and usually won. Against
the wishes of his Brithini parents, he
converted to the Hrestoli Way in the year 126
and became an active supporter of the early
Church in Seshnela. In those days,
communication between the various
branches of the Church was poor, with
missionary groups in particular being
extremely isolated from their headquarters.
Ongaring immediately saw a way to use his
abilities to help the Church, and spent most
of the remainder of his life on the road,
bearing messages from one church or
outpost to another. Although he was not an
active missionary himself, the assistance he
offered to those who were was undoubtedly
an important factor in the early growth of
Hrestolism in Old Seshnela.
Ongaring's longest journeys were his two
round trips from Frowal to Sog City,
undertaken in 134 and 141, in which he
helped to conciliate and coordinate between
the northern and southern factions of the
Church. However, he performed his most
famous miracle during a siege of a remote
mission in eastern Nolos by the pagan
Pendali. Without leaving the mission,
Ongaring was able to miraculously deliver a
message concerning the assault to a band of
loyal knights in Noloswal that he had met a
couple of months before. The knights
dutifully rode out to the mission and
delivered it, although it had been barely able
to hold out.
In 144, cruel pagans who hated the spread
of the Church through their land waylaid the
saint, and martyred him by crushing his legs
beneath a great boulder. Shortly thereafter,
an Order was founded to carry on his work.
While his most famous miracle has almost
never been duplicated, lesser magics to aid
messengers were soon adopted by the Order.
Given its basic nature, it was inevitable that
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the Order would spread throughout
Malkioni lands in a relatively short time.
Ongaringi travel between churches
throughout the West, often bearing
messages between rival sects, and all major
Malkioni faiths recognise the vital service
that they provide. They can be found almost
anywhere that Malkioni live, and are adept
at tolerating, and even living amongst,
variant creeds.
Entry Requirements: Standard. The great majority of
members belong to the Farmer and Knight classes.
Most members are also Liturgists, since they
frequently operate far from any home base, but
this is not compulsory.
Abilities: Abide by Foreign Doctrine, Hiking,
Memorise Message.
Virtues: Indefatigable, Open Minded, Truthful.
Scripture: The Life of Saint Ongaring
a Common Blessings: Bless Memory, Protect
Message, Strength of Purpose, Understand
Foreign Customs
; Special Blessings: Find Shelter, Know
Direction, Make Friends, Resist Interrogation, Run
Swiftly, Walk All Day.
Grimoire:
s The Book of Journeys (Dodge Attack, Find
Quickest Route, Ignore Fatigue, Increase Horse's
Stamina, Locate Self Geographically, Make
Writing Invisible, Run Like the Wind, Seal
Message, Speak [Western Language])
Icons and Images: The Saint is usually depicted in the
act of running, and always bears a sealed scroll
case.
Saint's Day: 20th Aestival, the anniversary of his most
famous miracle.
Other Side: The Node of Messengers on the Saint
Plane takes the form of a salubrious inn, with a
calming, homely ambience.
Kingdom of the Flamesword
Saint Talor
Patron Saint of Valor
Talor the Laughing Warrior, greatest
warrior of the kingdom of Akem, first proved
his heroic status by defeating Varganthar the
Unconquerable Knight, a barbarian leader
who had led his horde to the borders of the
kingdom. Feted as the saviour of the nation
and a devout Hrestoli, Talor was able to
teach other knights his insights, and to found
an important Order of Chivalry that was to
survive until the time of the God Learners.
His most important teaching was to
emphasise the importance of Joy in Hrestol's
message, and that, even in the midst of
bloodshed, knights should therefore retain a
sense of grim humour. Nothing sharpened
the joy that a man should take in being alive,
he taught, so much as the threat of having
that life taken away at any moment. By
remaining cheerful and finding happiness in
performing one's allotted task as a warrior, a
knight could bring themselves closer to God
and better able to appreciate his blessings.
Talor's next challenge was the insidious
heretical religious movement inspired by the
demon known as Gbaji the Deceiver. He
smote the Tarjinian bull, a foul monster
brought forth by the Fronelan leader of the
movement, the evil sorcerer Arinsor, and
brought the wrath of God down on the
heathen Telmori wolf-folk, such that they
were cursed forever after. Then he and his
knights drove Gbaji's forces from Fronela.
Knowing that God demanded nothing less
than the total eradication of the cult, Talor
led his forces east into Peloria and cleansed
that land of the taint, too.
Finally, Talor entered Gbaji's stronghold in
Dorastor at the same time as the Seshnelan
hero Arkat, and witnessed the demon's final
destruction. After this, Arkat turned wholly
to the ways of evil and darkness, and
established the Stygian Empire in Ralios. For
the remainder of his life, Talor warded the
darkness from Fronela, maintaining Akem as
a land of peace and joy rather than the dour
gloom that had fallen on the south.
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After his death, the people of Akem
celebrated Talor as their greatest hero and
saint, and his Order remained the single most
influential branch of the Fronelan church for
centuries to come. He became patron saint of
Akem, and later of both Junora and the
kingdom of Loskalm. Since the Ban, Saint
Siglat has become at least as influential to
the Idealist Church, although Talor remains
the premier saint in the some other Fronelan
Churches.
Entry Requirements: Must be a member of the
Knight or Noble classes.
Abilities: Find Happiness in Dark Times, Sword and
Shield Combat.
Virtues: Cheerful, Valorous.
Scripture: The Life of Saint Talor
a Common Blessings: Boost Morale, Cleansing
Laughter, Ignore Hardship, Work Without Rest.
; Special Blessings: Bless Armour, Bless Lance,
Bless Sword, Detect Chaos, Staunch Bleeding.
Grimoire:
q The Joy of Swords (Banish Despair, Cleaving
Sword, Demoralizing Laugh, Destroy Pagan
Shrine, Fight Without Rest, Piercing Lance, Run in
Armour, Shatter Barrier, Taunt Foe, Terrify
Heathen Spirit)
Icons and Images: Saint Talor is depicted as a burly
warrior with a full beard and a wide grin. He is
usually shown engaged in battle, or standing over
the bodies of fallen foes.
Saint's Day: 16th Messistide, the date on which the
saint slew Arinsor and closed the Gate of Banir.
Other Side: The Castle of Joyful Battle on the Saint
Plane is a great fortress always ringing with the
sound of laughter and manly merriment.

Saint Xemela
Patron Saint of Healers
The Hospital Order is one of the most
respected anywhere in the West. Saint
Xemela was the First Saint, who lived and
died before the Dawn, the Queen of
Seshnela who gave her life to save her
people from the Black Swelling. She is now
patron of all those who heal and cleanse,
sometimes at the expense of their own
health and lives. “What is a life, when the
soul is pure?” asked the saint.
The Hospital Order accepts members from
any Church, and its size and power give it the
political weight to work across Church
boundaries. The order consists of many
hospitals, each of them semi-autonomous,
although senior officials called 'Prelates' help
to coordinate their work across wide
geographic areas. Some hospitals are small,
with perhaps a dozen members, while others
have over a thousand chirurgeons,
apothecaries, and purificants. A Ministress
Prime heads each hospital.
The order encourages its members to know
as much healing magic as possible, so most
seek out common magic that heals. Although
members do not necessarily have to become
adepts, and study the grimoire of the Order,
advancement for those that do not is very
limited. Xemela's hospitallers work wonders
to heal the sick and the injured body and
soul, even at terrible cost to themselves, but
also keep up an unending stream of
improving advice and religious catechism.
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Entry Requirements: Be willing to dedicate your life
to others.
Abilities: Clean, First Aid, Work Hard.
Virtues: Pacifist, Pious, Self-Sacrificing.
Scripture: The Life of Saint Xemela
a Common Blessings: Bear Suffering,
Reconsecrate Talismans.
; Special Blessings: Bless Poultice, Bless
Sleeper, Cast Out Sickness, Cope with Pain, Keep
Surgical Tools Clean, Preserve Healing Herbs,
Prevent Spread of Disease, Speed Natural Healing.
Z Curses: Curse Plague-bringer.
.Grimoire:
l For Others (spells: Bring Merciful Sleep,
Endure Pain, Ignore Own Suffering, Preach Clean
Living, Sleep to Heal, Stay Awake, Take
Impairment onto Self, Take Injury onto Self, Take
Pain onto Self, Take Sickness onto Self).
Icons and Images: Xemela's iconography is always
the same; images show her as a serene, dark
haired woman in a white dress. Her symbol is a
nightingale.
Saint's Day: 6th Nex, the day on which Hrestol
delivered her soul to Solace.
Other Side: Saint Xemela's Node of Self-Sacrifice, is a
beautiful open park land dotted with trees and
flower beds.
Disadvantages: Hospitallers of Xemela must take an
oath never to knowingly harm another being with
a soul, spirit, or essence, and to heal others
whatever the personal cost.
Kingdom of the Flamesword
Saint Zemuron
Patron Saint Against Chaos
Zemuron was born as a member of the
noble class, the younger son of a minor
baron in what is now the county of
Antashire. However, he was not satisfied
with his life, and craved adventure and
excitement. With the support of his father,
he trained as a knight, and soon proved
himself to be one of the most accomplished
warriors of his generation. As a knight who
also knew the ways of the nobility, he was
given command of Castle Schlossburg on the
borders of Dilis, and took charge of the
defence against the chaos horrors that
crawled forth from that damned swamp.
In 567, the swamp spawned a new chaos
monstrosity that was more powerful than
anything seen since the days of the Gate of
Banir over a century before. A towering mass
of green tendrils with four blood red eyes
and three mismatched legs, Sulforg easily
slew all those knights that sallied forth to
attack it. Zemuron vowed to end the
creature's existence himself, and refused to
risk the lives of any others under his
command. His already renowned combat
skills supplemented with the most powerful
magics at his disposal, the monster none the
less defeated the noble knight, and he only
barely escaped with his life. Now unopposed,
Sulforg stomped forth from the marsh to lay
waste to the surrounding lands.
As he recovered from his injuries at the
castle, Zemuron's determination to defeat his
foe only grew stronger. But he knew that
mere force of arms could never overcome
such a beast, and so prayed to God for
guidance. Then, one day, all his remaining
wounds vanished, although he had appeared
crippled only the previous night. He
gathered all the knights of the castle
together, and fired with some unearthly
zeal, pledged them all to form a new Order
solely dedicated to the destruction of Chaos.
The new band rode out into the countryside
to confront Sulforg, and, suffused with
divine energy, caught the beast and sliced it
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into five pieces, each of which they
destroyed in a different manner.
As news of this incident spread, more and
more knights joined Zemuron's order and
became a powerful force for good within the
kingdom. Most importantly, the saint taught
them that to fight chaos, mere physical and
magical strength was not enough. Chaos can
manifest anywhere, and it must be fought
symbolically as well as literally to prevent it
gaining the upper hand in this world. Thus,
knights of Zemuron dedicate themselves to
ordered lives that emphasise the importance
of social rules and civilisation. They are
unfailingly polite, noted connoisseurs of all
manner of art, gourmet food and wine, yet
never drink or eat to excess, knowing that
drunkenness and lewd behaviour only
strengthen the more obvious forms of Chaos
elsewhere. Yet, well-mannered aesthetes
that they are, they also remain steadfast in
the face of danger, and are always ready to
risk life and limb to protect society from
anything which would destroy it.
Entry Requirements: Must be a member of the
Knight class.
Abilities: Connoisseur, Impeccable Manners, Remain
Sober.
Virtues: Fearless, Sophisticated, Unfailingly Polite.
Scripture: The Life of Saint Zemuron
a Common Blessings: Example to Others, Focus
Fury Against Chaos Alone, Maintain Polished
Armour, Maintain Polished Weapons, Resist
Crudity.
; Special Blessings: Bless Bow, Bless Shield,
Bless Sword, Bless Wine, Compose Poetry.
Z Curses: Curse Chaotic Foe.
Grimoire:
a The Book of Cosmic Law (Appear Immaculate,
Armour of Chivalry, Banish Lust, Cleanse Chaos
Taint, Immunity to Alcohol, Lance of Purity, Make
Others Sober Up, Razor Sword, Resist Acid, Resist
Chaos, Shame Boor)
Icons and Images: Saint Zemuron is depicted as a tall
man in polished iron armour, bearing a sword
that glows with an inner light.
Saint's Day: 5th Brumastide, the anniversary of the
slaying of Sulforg.
Other Side: The Node of Cosmic Warding on the
Saint Plane resembles the great hall of a castle
and is palatially decorated.

Widespread Wizardry Schools
A number of Schools of magic exist that
are not part of individual, specific Churches.
These widespread orders, have schools across
the West. Most, like the Humble
Calligraphers, make no theological
pronouncements; they are purely intended
for the teaching of spells, and therefore can
work alongside almost any sect. However,
there are some that are based around
particular philosophical beliefs of their own.
Such schools, however, are united by the
fact that they can, and do, work easily
alongside the established Churches.
Sometimes, their founders are even
considered saints, at least according to
theologians, although most do not have
liturgists and scriptures independent from
their grimoires. Like the widespread Saintly
Orders, these schools are associated with
many Churches, and usually avoid having a
central hierarchy that might challenge the
authority of ecclesiastical leaders.
The School of Saint Conwy
The Querying Scholars
Saint Conwy was a Brithini sorcerer who
lived in the area that is now Retrint in
Fronela, during the Dawn Age. He was an
early convert to the Hrestoli Way,
abandoning his old life the year after
Hrestol's martyrdom. Convinced that the new
Church needed a core of wizards to be
established as soon as possible if it was to
grow and spread, he began preaching
amongst his fellow Zzaburi to convert those
he could to the new faith. To the disgust of
many Brithini, he began to search through
many old grimoires, not to learn spells by
rote, as had been their only purpose for
centuries, but to seek ways to modify old
spells or to analyze their principles in order
to create wholly new ones.
Conwy taught that God had given
mankind a rational mind so that he could
inquire and ask questions rather than to
memorise formulae and logical arguments
that had been handed down from the
distant past. He argued that it was good to
question those in authority, even on such
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matters as the interpretation of ancient
scripture, because it was through the
medium of rational debate that the best
solutions could be arrived at, and because
old teachings must be accommodated to the
needs of a changing world. His followers still
practice these teachings, which can make
them unpopular with authority figures in
certain parts of the West. The Order
however, is too widespread among wizards
to quell entirely, and some leaders publicly
encourage such debate, even if, behind the
scenes, they seek to channel the debates into
areas that suit their own objectives.
Saint Conwy has so holy that he did not
age, and retained the physical appearance of
a man in his late twenties throughout his
adult life. He was also miraculously spared
from the magic of hostile Zzaburi on two
separate occasions, and demonstrated his
magic to be superior to theirs in many less
deadly situations too. His most famous deed
was a magical debate with the chief Zzaburi
of Southpoint, in which both sides attempted
to contact the node of pure Truth to
demonstrate the falsity of their opponent's
position. Both debaters vanished from the
magical circle, bodily assumed into the
Essence Planes. They returned with a great
fanfare of music that sounded from
nowhere. The chief Zzaburi acknowledged
defeat, but would not speak of what he had
seen or heard and hanged himself the
following night.
For these deeds among others, the Zzaburi
of Fronela conspired against him. They
invited him to another debate at the city of
Tarnwall, but instead of meeting him on
even terms for a rational discussion, a group
of twenty four sorcerers of great power
worked together to trap him with invisible
magical bonds. Even then, no spell they
could unleash upon him caused harm to the
saint. In desperation, they ordered a Brithini
soldier to stab him through the throat with a
sword, which mundane attack finally ended
his life.
Kingdom of the Flamesword

founder, Albrechtus the Unmoved. Their

Entry Requirements: Standard. black robes conceal inks, pens, vellum, and
Abilities: Public Speaking, Rhetoric. other tools of their trade. Individual adepts
Virtues: Insightful, Questioning, Tenacious. may be court scribes, wandering scriveners,
Grimoires: or live and work in a city.
Entry Requirements: Apprentices must already be
a The Abiding Book
literate in the Abiding Script.
h The Book of Dialog (Argument of Logic, Clear Abilities: Make
Inconspicuous.
Accurate Copy, Remain
Mind of Distractions, Confuse with Sophistry,
Divine Motives, Resist Godless Sorcery, Reverse Virtues: Discreet, Honest, Impartial, Secretive.
Spell Effect) Grimoires:
y The Book of New Wisdom (Analyze Document, a The Abiding Book
Detect Lies, Read Foreign Language, Reconstruct
Document, Understand Theorem, Verify
Y The Closed Scriptorium (Break Code,
Compare Documents, Create Code, Flawless
Document)
Calligraphy, Keep a Secret, Make Exact Copy,
Icons and Images: Conwy is depicted as a youthful Preserve Text, Protect Document, Quick Copy)
but bearded man in wizard's robes. His symbol is a
book inscribed with a truth rune.
Icons and Images: Images of Albrechtus show a man
in the regular robes of the school, with no special
Saint's Day: 11th Turbidor, the anniversary of the insignia, and carrying a number of books and
saint's martyrdom. scrolls. The symbol of the Calligraphers is a quill.
Other Side: The Scholastic Node on the Saint Plane Saint's Day: 11th Aestival, the anniversary of the
resembles a great academic debating chamber, founding of the school's first scriptorium.
panelled with wood. The Portal of Power crafted
by the followers of Conwy is called a Portal of
Other Side: The Quiet Duplicatory is the node that
Albrechtus inscribed on the Saint Plane, a great
Inquiry.
and silent library, with corridors that stretch on
Disadvantages: For obvious reasons, both for miles, lined by shelf upon shelf of scrolls and
mainstream ecclesiastical authorities and secular books. The portal of power created by adepts of
noble rulers tend to regard adepts of Saint Conwy the Humble Calligraphers is called a Illuminated
with suspicion. Their duty to constantly question Portal.
assumptions may make them enemies, and is sure
to prevent them from attaining any senior
Disadvantages: The Calligraphers depend on their
reputation for discretion and honesty.
position within Church hierarchies.
Jeopardizing this reflects on the entire order, and
so results in harsh punishment.
The Humble Calligraphers Y
The Adept Scribes
Scripture is central to the Malkioni, and the
Humble Calligraphers are one of the few
institutions to operate within both the
Rokari and Idealist Churches. In part, this is
because of their rigidly neutral stance:
members take a solemn oath never to repeat
or amend anything they write for others. It is
also a reflection of their power: bishops,
dukes, and merchant-princes alike depend
upon their services to transcribe documents,
to make and break codes, and to notarise
accounts and copies.
The Primary Scriptorium is located in Sog
City, near the University. Most major cities in
the West contain smaller scriptoria,
sometimes with as few as one or two adepts.
Members of the school cultivate an air of
grave indifference, modelled on that of their

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The School of Ouxey Entry Requirements: Standard.

Abilities: Observant, Remain Awake, Stay Alert.
The Patient Wizards
Virtues: Patient, Perceptive, Protective
Saint Ouxey was a young Zzaburi who lived Grimoires:
in Seshnela at the Dawn. Hrestol himself
a The Abiding Book
converted him to the true faith, and he
vowed to protect it to the best of his ability. I The Book of Eternal Vigilance (Detect Pagan
Magic, Enhance Sense of Smell, Locate Enemy,
As a magician rather than a warrior, he
Night Vision, Remote Hearing, Remote Viewing,
decided that the best way to fulfil his vow See Great Distance, See Minute Detail, Sensitive
would be through vigilance and patience. Hearing)
Threats, he knew, were inevitable, so all he c The Book of Waiting (Banish Exhaustion, Hold
had to do was to wait for them to show Item Fast, Ignore Pain, Ignore Tedium, Keep
themselves. Once they had materialised, Perishables Fresh, Instant Reflexes, Stay Fresh all
knights, or others with appropriate skills, Night)
could be warned and act to repel the danger. Icons and Images: Depictions of Saint Ouxey are
With this in mind, Ouxey researched variable, but the most common is that of a
middle-aged man in wizards' garb, standing with
powerful magics of vigilance and his arms folded, his eyes turned to the horizon.
wakefulness, and used them to stand guard His symbol is an eye.
over the prophet and his followers. It is said Saint's Day: 28th Aestival, the date of the saint's
that even when he slept, he kept his eyes death.
open. Other Side: The Node of Patience on the Saint Plane
When Hrestol went into exile, Ouxey is a circular stone room surrounded by windows
remained at his side as one of the Five looking out over a vast landscape from a
tremendous height. The Portal of Power created
Companions. When the prophet visited Sog by wizards of the School is called an Eye of
City, Ouxey warned him that danger Perception.
threatened, but Hrestol told him that his
holy mission was worth any risk. The saint's
watchfulness did not save the prophet, but
he was able to warn the other Companions
so that they avoided the Brithini sent to
arrest them, and did not share their teacher's
fate. After Hrestol's death and ascension into
Solace, Ouxey travelled as a missionary to
Seshnela, where he worked for six years
before travelling on to bring the faith to
Jrustela. Having established the Hrestoli Way
among the Jrusteli he served as their bishop
for the remainder of his life and died
peacefully at a great age, his tasks finally
over.
Ouxey is remembered as a missionary saint,
as might be expected, and is venerated
throughout Hrestoli lands as one of the Five
Companions. However, his principle role has
come to be associated with the legacy of
spells that he left for future generations and
with his superhuman patience. Wizards of his
Schools are dedicated to vigilance and
standing guard over the faithful.

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Kingdom of the Flamesword
The School of Raceen
The Artificers
Although born the son of a carpenter in
third century Fronela, Raceen had a
tremendous natural talent for magic. Unable
to join the wizardly class in his homeland,
because of his humble birth, he moved to
Sog City and established an Order of his own.
Initially, members of the Order were drawn
solely from the Farmer class, albeit mostly
tradesmen and others who had at least a
limited secular education.
Unfortunately for Raceen, the new Order
rapidly drew the attention and ire of the
Brithini overlords of the city. They could not
contemplate such a flagrant violation of
their laws, and so they destroyed the order
and captured its founder. Saint Raceen was
martyred by burning at the stake, but a
number of his followers escaped and fled
into the still disunited lands of Akem. There
they established new chapters, whose power
eventually forced their recognition by some
branches of the Church.
Today, the Loskalmi and Junorans
recognise Raceen as a saint, and have a
saintly Order dedicated to his name. The
Order of Wizardry that he founded,
however, has become much more
widespread, and is incorporated within many
different Churches. The Rokari, for example,
accept Raceen as a wizard who happened to
be born amongst farmers, rather than a true
member of the farmer caste somehow
promoted to the wizards. Such is perfectly
consistent with the way that the Rokari
recruit new wizards today (see page 34).
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Entry Requirements: The applicant must have, at at
least some point in their life, been a member of
the Farmer class. However, such a requirement is
glossed over by caste-based sects, such as the
Rokari (see above), and is essentially meaningless
for the Loskalmi.
Abilities: Craft Wood, Devise Mechanism, Widely
Read.
Virtues: Intuitive, Practical. Some sects also add
'Egalitarian'.
Grimoires:
a The Abiding Book
M The Book of Crafts (Craft Magical Device
ritual, Divine History of Object, Enchant Bronze
ritual, Enchant Silver ritual, Harden Wood,
Lighten Wood, Maintain Forge Without Fuel,
Mould Wood with Hands, Repair Mechanism,
Sharpen Edge)
a The Book of Virtuous Progress (Absorb
Information, Appear Immaculate, Authoritative
Voice, Enhance Manual Dexterity, Increase Spell
Range, Resist Heat, Resist Sorcery)
Icons and Images: Icons of Raceen show a young
wizard with a muscular build, his feet resting on a
block of wood (symbolizing his origin as a
carpenter). His symbol is a wooden hammer.
Saint's Day: 26th Aeror, the date of the saint's
martyrdom.
Other Side: Raceen's Workshop on the Founder
Plane is lined with shelves of magical
paraphernalia, and filled with the sounds of
honest labour. The portal of power created by the
Raceenites is called a Crafted Gateway.

The Urestes Academy
The Natural Philosophers
Four centuries after its foundation, the
true Malkioni way still faced a number of
challenges in Seshnela. The Brithini had
departed, but their legacy remained in the
form of Zzaburi sorcerous orders, while a
new mystical movement led by the false god
Nysalor was also gaining ground among the
common people. Among the many church
leaders who worried about this was a bishop
by the name of Urestes, and he determined
to regain the upper hand for the true faith.
Urestes concluded that, as God had created
the universe, there must be signs within it
that both proved He had done so, and that
He had a definite plan for His creation. By
studying the structure of the universe, it
would therefore be possible to better know
the mind of God and by this means disprove
at least some of the more outrageous
heresies such as those of the Zzaburi and
Nysalorans.
One of Urestes' earliest contributions was a
mathematical proof of the existence and
unitary nature of God, often cited by later
churchmen in attacks on the Arkati and
other henotheists. However, the bishop also
conducted much practical work, on which he
based his scheme of a properly religious
natural philosophy. His experiments stopped
far short of those later conducted by the God
Learners, because his respect for God and His
works was always paramount. However, he
found the hand of God - an active, caring
God - in every part of the world he looked,
and filled his notebooks with all manner of
observations and skilful deductions that
supported his beliefs.
Urestes taught that faith is nothing
without reason, and reason is nothing
without faith; the two must necessarily go
hand in hand. Any apparent contradictions
between the two were the result of
incomplete knowledge. Since God had
created the world, all sound logic must
necessarily point in that direction. The bishop
even sponsored a great debate in the city of
Old Noloswal, between himself and his
supporters on the one hand, and a group of
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Zzaburi philosophers on the other. Naturally,
his side was victorious, but similar debates
are still held to this day as a public means of
demonstrating the superiority of the
Malkioni Church over empty and godless
rationalism.
During the Second Age, many followers of
Urestes joined the God Learner movement,
failing to appreciate the inherent
contradictions between those beliefs and the
respect for nature shown by their founder.
Over the centuries since, the Academy has
struggled unsuccessfully to regain its former
high standing and to dispel the suspicion
that other churchmen naturally feel towards
it.
Entry Requirements: Standard.
Abilities: Debate, Mathematics, Natural Philosophy.
Virtues: Inquisitive, Rational
Grimoires:
a The Abiding Book
v The Hand of God (Analyse Magic, Bend Light,
Chill Metal, Enchant Copper ritual, Enhance
Gravity, Enhance Manual Dexterity, Heat Metal,
Improve Mechanism, Reduce Gravity, Summon
Lightning)
y The Rational Philosopher (Analyse Data, Convince
through Logic, Enhance Intellect, Enhance
Memory, Make Sound Carry, Mathematical
Intuition, Perceive Minute Detail, Predict
Behaviour of Physical System)
Icons and Images: St Urestes is depicted as an elderly
man in bishops robes decorated with geometrical
designs, and is typically shown preaching from a
lectern. His symbol is a scroll.
Saint's Day: 15th Frigidor, the anniversary of his great
debate against the Zzaburi.
Other Side: The Node of Natural Philosophy on the
Saint Plane is a vast library and laboratory,
teeming with scrolls and books. The Portal of
Power created by wizards of the Academy is called
a Transdimensional Passage.
Disadvantages: Because of the Academy's past
association with the God Learners, many in the
mainstream Church are wary of its activities,
failing to understand its basic philosophy, and
believing that its investigations may one day lead
to some great disaster. For this reasons, wizards of
the School may be the subject of discrimination of
fear in some quarters. The various henotheist and
Arkati Churches are particularly opposed to the
Academy, with its strong monotheist overtones.
Kingdom of the Flamesword

The Vonerin School the resulting confusion, the mob broke

through the gates and into the streets.
The Valiant Exorcists Vonerin himself, his power somehow
In 855, in response to the increasing unrest boosted to superhuman levels, faced down
in Loskalm, the Jrusteli forces occupying the the evil sorcerer Yarngor, and obliterated
city of Riverjoin on the Janube river were him utterly from the face of Glorantha.
withdrawn to the west. The deputy governor Entry Requirements: Standard.
of the city, however, a God Learner wizard Abilities: Undead Lore
by the name of Yarngor, refused to abandon Virtues: Resolved
his post, confident that the armies would Grimoires:
soon return. With a few loyal followers and a The Abiding Book
the aid of his own powerful magic, he was
able to retain control of the city from the
b The Book of Exorcism (Banish Ghost, Identify
Ghost, Heal Insanity, Lift Curse, Repel Skeleton,
gubernatorial palace so recently abandoned Repel Zombie, See Heathen Spirits, See Ghosts,
by his former commander. As it became clear Ward Away Demon)
that the troops were not going to return any t The Book of Final Death (Barrier Against Undead,
time soon, Yarngor began to build up his Burst of Sunlight, Enchant Silver ritual, Fight
military position with the use of dark magics Skeleton, Fight Zombie, Navigate Essence Planes,
to raise malevolent ghosts and undead Resist Heathen Magic, Strike Undead)
monsters to guard his palace, and eventually, Icons and Images: Vonerin is often shown in dark
robes, repelling skeletal or ghostly figures with his
to keep the populace in line.
staff. His symbol is a sunburst.
Vonerin was a wizard from a small city just
Festival Day: 9th Vernus, the day of the relief of
upstream from Riverjoin. He had initially Riverjoin.
trained as a God Learner, but had soon Other Side: The Node of True Death on the Saint
abandoned this path as a violation of God's Plane resembles a great funerary chapel. The
will for His world. When the God Learners Portal of Power created by Vonerin exorcists is
left his hometown, he was one of the called a Passage to the Beyond.
wizards who helped to rebuild some form of
religious authority to replace them, and he
denounced their wickedness and hubris at
every turn. To him, as to most other people
in the region, Yarngor was a symbol of all
that was wrong with the discredited
philosophy. So Vonerin determined to bring
him down.
The wizard began to research all forms of
magic that would help him against his dark
foe, and also prayed to God for guidance
and for the delivery of Yarngor's unwilling
subjects from their bondage. At last, in 858,
Vonerin's preaching allowed him to raise a
popular army of wizards, soldiers and
common people, drawn from throughout the
surrounding region, to assault the city of
Riverjoin. With the magical forces arrayed
against them, and without any experienced
tactical leaders, the cause should have been
hopeless. But the power of the wizards'
spells was miraculously enhanced, striking
down the evil spirits that guarded the city. In

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Sorcery Schools
True sorcerers stand outside the normal
structure of Malkioni society. Such people
are not true Malkioni, and practice magic
unfettered by the moral rules of that
religion. Some societies, such as the Brithini,
embrace such magic, but to most it is an evil
practice, best avoided. Elsewhere, such
sorcery schools are often secretive, and little
known to the outside world. Most describe
themselves as 'Zzaburi', following the
magical traditions established by Zzabur the
First Sorcerer during the Golden Age, which
focused on pure logic, rather than viewing
magic through the lens of religious
experience.

The Areeshkan School X

The Cartomancers
In ancient times, the peoples of the West
used many different methods of divination.
Most were imprecise systems, based on
erroneous pagan beliefs, such as cloud-
gazing, palmistry, or haruspicy. In the late
Dawn Age, the Fronelan wizard Areeshka
conducted research to determine the kernel
of truth within these techniques, and
establish a suitably logical method of
divination. Her researches resulted in the
creation of the Oracle Deck, a set of cards
marked with symbols and imagery arranged
according to numerological principles. She
established a school to teach the use of the
Deck, and other skills related to divination.
Although the School has since developed a
distinct philosophy that sets it apart from any
of the mainstream Malkioni sects, they
tolerate it because of its acceptance of the
Prophets, and it has established schools in
many cities. Although they might not admit
it, many rulers and officials seek the advice
of the Cartomancers before setting out on
major new undertakings. Nonetheless,
Cartomancers cannot predict exact outcomes,
but rather, simply advise as to the course of
action with the greatest likelihood of success,
or make cryptic predictions about the future.
Entry Requirements: Arithmetic 13.
Abilities: Craft Cards, Numerology.
Virtues: Discrete, Enigmatic, Logical.
Grimoires:
X The Art of Cartomancy (Deduce Personality,
Deduce Relationships, Interpret Vision, Predict
Auspicious Outcome, Predict Best Course of
Action, Predict Pitfall, See Destiny)
K The Strands of Destiny (Be Lucky, Curse With
Misfortune, Flawless Mathematical Calculation,
Prestidigitation, Transfer Luck)
Festival Day: 26th Vernus, the anniversary of the
founding of the School.
Other Side: Areeshka's node is a circular room,
decorated with bright carpets and tapestries, and
with the symbols of the Oracle Deck. The portal of
power created by the Areeshkan Order is called a
Spread of the Passage Beyond.
Disadvantages: All of the spells of the Art of
Cartomancy require the physical use of an Oracle
Deck, even if the Grimoire ability is being used
instead of the individual spell ability. However, in
this latter case, the deck needs not be a talisman
of the actual wizard performing the spell.

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Kingdom of the Flamesword
Bardan's Book
The Martial Wizards
Bardan was by turns a knight who refused
to fight except for a cause, a bishop who
spoke of peace but did not fear war, and an
adept who turned his magic into a means to
aid armies. He assembled many fragmentary
grimoires into two of his own: the Book of
Accuracy, and The Army Book. Armies prize
his wizards on the battlefield, both in
assisting their missile troops and in launching
magical missiles of their own. There are
several schools of Bookmen across the world,
from Loskalm to Esrolia. The largest are the
Russet Cross in Seshnela, and the
Deristophelian Order in Loskalm, each of
which employs several companies. A typical
company of Bookmen consists of six adepts
and around a dozen apprentices. They are
mercenary adepts who believe that magic is
a weapon, like any other.
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Entry Requirements: Members must have previous
military experience.
Churches: Any.
Abilities: Military History, Military Magic Tactics.
Virtues: Pragmatic, Warlike
Grimoires:
a The Abiding Book
t The Army Book (Augment Lance Strike, Augment
Sword Blow, Give Soldier Courage, Right Makes
Might, Stand Fast, Strengthen Armour,
Strengthen Shield)
s The Book of Accuracy (Augment Arrow Accuracy,
Augment Arrow Damage, Augment Arrow
Distance, Shoot Far and Deadly, Shoot Magic
Arrow)
Icons and Images: Bardan is depicted as a middle
aged man (his apparent age for most of his life) in
dark robes casting a magical spell, or, less
commonly, as a bishop holding a crossbow. His
symbol is a catapult.
Saint's Day: 1st Vernus, the anniversary of Bardan's
death.
Other Side: Bardan's Turret on the Founder Plane is a
node of keen invention and warlike passion with
many mighty siege engines pointed outwards into
the surrounding gloom. The portal of power
created by adepts of Bardan's Book is called a
Battle Circle.
Disadvantages: Dedication to war offends peaceful
peoples, so almost everyone dislikes and distrusts
the order - except their employers.

The Debaldan School
Lords of the Waters
The sea-faring waertagi founded the
Debaldan School, and established academies
in each of their ports. Over time, humans at
Sog City University shared knowledge of the
grimoire, copies were made, and now many
schools exist across the western and southern
Genertela. Every chapter is independent of
the rest. An adept of the Debaldan School
may be a member of any Church, but many
do not bother.
The Debaldan School provides magic to
clients that need water control. A typical
chapter has ten adepts, seventy apprentices,
and a couple hundred servants, taxpayers,
and other supporters. Traditional clothing
consists of flowing blue robes with glistening
quicksilver accoutrements.
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Cults
Entry Requirements: All adepts and apprentices must
be able to swim.
Churches: The School is not a part of any Church, but
the Ship of Life Church, and to a lesser extent, the
Loskalmi Idealists, tolerate its existence.
Abilities: Read Waertagi, Write Waertagi, Water
Lore
Virtues: Fascinated by Water, Proud
Grimoires:
w Beyond Aquatic Laws (Boil Water, Call Water
from Distant Source, Change Water to [Liquid],
Communicate with Water Being, Float and Sink,
Freeze Water, Hurt Foe from Here, Not Drown,
Purify Water)
s Debaldan Deeps (Bless Us Dry, Bless Us Wet, Curse
on Him, Curse on Them, Change Aluminum to
Quicksilver, Enchant Aluminum, Enchant
Quicksilver)
Icons and Images:. Icons of Debalda show a blue-
skinned man, typically stretching out his right
hand to command the powers of the water.
Saint's Day: 1st Vernus is the Day of the Deeps, when
the school teaches that the powers of water are at
their strongest.
Other Side: Debalda's node on the Saint Plane is the
Little Pier, constructed from a fragment of the
original Pier of Waertag. The Little Pier seems to
just out over and connect to several other nodes
of water power. The portal of power created by
Debaldan adepts is called a Nexus of Water.
Disadvantages: Debaldan adepts must always avoid
starting conflicts against air creatures. However,
since they see themselves as Lords of the Waters,
they are obligated to vanquish any sea being that
refuses to acknowledge their superiority.
Kingdom of the Flamesword
Hecretes the Previous
The Illusionists
When Sog City University was founded, it
was composed of eight colleges representing
the eight ancient orders of sorcery handed
down from the Kingdom of Logic. The
Brithini administration considered that these
were the only acceptable forms that sorcery
could take and opposed all attempts at
innovation. The sorcerer Hecretes was a
member of the Malvonian Order, which
specialised in defensive magics, but he
sought to go further, and to create new
spells that fitted with his own interests and
philosophical beliefs. As they had on
previous occasions, the University authorities
quashed his attempts to found a school, and
suppressed his work. Hecretes died in
obscurity, forced to return to more
traditional magics and with his notes for the
compilation of new grimoires under magical
lock and key in the Banned Books section of
the University library.
Two centuries later, when the Brithini held
merely titular positions in the University
hierarchy, a group of scholars chose to re-
evaluate the formerly banned work. So
impressed were they by the notes that they
found that they used them to complete the
grimoires which Hecretes had planned and
successfully established a new school to teach
them.
Modern members of the Order promote an
agnostic philosophy. They believe that the
nature of God is hidden behind so many
layers of confusion, mystery and illusion that
humans can never know whether He is
personal or impersonal. Furthermore, as the
success of so many different rival sects
demonstrates, they claim that, even if God is
personal, we can never know what He truly
wants. Thus all attempts to create a religion,
be they Malkioni, Zzaburi, or pagan, are
mere human creations based on the delusion
that we can know God, and none is more
inherently valid than any other. If God is
personal, they reason, worshipping in the
wrong manner might anger Him, whereas if
He is impersonal, it does not matter what we
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do. Therefore the safest course of action is
not to worship at all, and to concentrate our
minds on what we can prove. Since the
followers of Hecretes believe that all
sensation is potentially fallible, they hold
that only a few principles of basic logic are
demonstrably true and maintain a strong
scepticism about the ultimate truth of
everything else.
Members of the order wear yellow gowns
over their normal clothes, and wear a tall
black hat on formal occasions.
Entry Requirements: One or more artistic skills at 13.
Abilities: Appreciate Art, Compose Artwork, Debate,
Dexterous, Doubt Religion, Observant,
Thaumatology.
Virtues: Artistic, Incisive, Sceptical.
Grimoires:
R The Book of Doubt (Determine True
Motives, Dispel Magic, Induce Doubt, Penetrate
Illusion, Resist Wizardry, Resist Pagan Magic,
Stupefaction)
i The Book of Phantasm (Audible Illusion,
Create Light, Extinguish Light, Gustatory Illusion,
Make Illusion Move, Mask Own Features,
Olfactory Illusion, Sphere of Silence, Tangible
Illusion, Visible Illusion)
Icons and Images: No contemporary portraits of
Hecretes are known to have been made. He is
now usually depicted as a scholarly wizard in
middle age, holding a scroll, book, or crystal ball.
Festival Day: 14th Vernus. On this day, members of
the order at Sog City University play practical
jokes on other students, and perform humorous
skits on whatever topic strikes their fancy.
Sometimes these events spill out into the city, to
the irritation of the general populace.
Other Side: Hecretes' node on the Founder Plane is a
realm of shifting fog and unreliable sensations,
where nothing is as it seems. The portal of power
created by the adepts of Hecretes is called a Door
of Illusion.
Disadvantages: Because of their unusual beliefs,
adepts of this school are often treated with
suspicion or fear. Many regard them as little
different from the Brithini and their ilk.

Nerivon's School
The Impermanent Order
Nerivon was a Hrestoli wizard who lived in
Seshnela in the early Third Age. Like many
other wizards in those days, he focused his
attention on improving his magical ability,
rather than on sermons or ecclesiastical
duties. He became obsessed with the
essential impermanence of the universe; the
fact that so much of it would pass away, or
be changed into other things. Doubtless the
turmoil of those years, after the fall of the
Middle Sea Empire, but long before the re-
unification of Seshnela under Bailifes,
influenced his thinking. Anarchy and
disorder were all around, and old certainties
were crumbling - even the land itself had
changed. This obsession grew, until he
became convinced that nothing could be
permanent, and that even God Himself had
changed down the centuries. As a result, he
rejected the teachings of the Hrestoli Church,
and delved yet further into his studies of
magical transformation.
Eventually, the Church could stand it no
longer. The bishops ordered Nerivon to burn
his writings, and to enter a monastery where
the Abbott could keep a close eye on him. He
refused. The Church excommunicated him,
and he went into exile in Wenelia. There, at
last free from the religious institutions that
he had found so stifling, he was able to
continue his studies as never before.
Ironically, he ceased writing on his
theological disputes with the Church, which
he no longer considered important, and
turned full-time to developing his magical
skills. He established a School, which, in later
years, established branches elsewhere in the
West.
The followers of Nerivon devote
themselves to the study of change and
transmutation. Their power is in altering the
nature of things, and of harnessing entropy
to their own ends. Some see them as chaotic,
although few of the sorcerers take things to
such an extreme. Change is part of the
universe, they say, a natural facet of our
existence. Why not embrace it, and direct it
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Cults
to our own convenience, rather than
becoming its victim?
Entry Requirements: Standard.
Abilities: Challenge Tradition, Cope with Change,
Modify Routines.
Virtues: Dedicated, Flexible, Unconventional.
Grimoires:
s The Art of Transfiguration (Change Colour,
Change Earth to Mud, Enlarge Object, Induce
Floppiness, Make Flame Cold, Make Object
Slippery, Make Object Spiky, Mould Earth, Raise
Barrier, Reshape Own Limb, Shrink Object, Solidify
Water, Stiffen Object)
q The Impermanent World (Accelerate Decay,
Alter Perceptions, Blast Open Hole, Destroy Air,
Destroy Fire, Destroy Water, Dispel Magic, Find
Weak Spot, Promote Unconventional Thinking,
Tap Strength)
Secret: Reshape Self (The sorcerer is able to reshape
his entire body into any form that he pleases. He
cannot alter his total mass, nor gain magical
abilities or similar powers from the
transformation. He could, however, grow claws,
sprout additional eyes, or gain similar physical
attributes).
Icons and Images: The followers of Nerivon do not
depict their founder, as this would imply a
permanence of form or imagery which they reject.
Swirling runes and other patterns decorate their
robes and grimoires.
Festival Day: The leaders of the School determine the
date of the next festival day during the Holiday
rituals at the end of each year.
Other Side: In Nerivon's node on the Founder Plane
abstract patterns of magical energy are constantly
dissolving and reforming. The Portal of Power
created by sorcerers of the School is called a
Mutable Passage.
Disadvantages: None of the spells cast from The Art
of Transfiguration are permanent in effect, and it
is difficult to even predict how long they will last.
Many conservative Malkioni regard the followers
of Nerivon as chaotic, or potentially so, with all
the disadvantages for the sorcerers that that
prejudice entails.
Kingdom of the Flamesword
The Octahedral Spelunkers
Explorers Beneath
Jrusteli sorcerers established the
Geometrical School of Kedros during the
Dawn Age. It was devoted to the study of
abstruse mathematical magic, for its Founder
believed that the study of perfect
geometrical forms could allow humans to
also become perfect, and master the secrets
of the universe. Rontos was a young sorcerer
sent to the School by his parents to tame
what they saw as his radical and rebellious
personality. They hoped that the calming
environs of the School would allow him to
grow up into a respectable member of
Jrusteli society, but they were wrong.
Inducted into the School under the name
of Rontos Eight, the young sorcerer chafed at
the restrictions set upon him. He determined
to study practical magic, and would not
abide by the strict rules of the School. He
began to study crystals, manifest
representations of the abstract purity that
was the basis of the School's magic. As a
result, he fell out of favour with the School
authorities, something that his independent
streak only exacerbated. The Masters of the
School expelled him, and Rontos chose to
travel to Genertela to continue his studies.
He explored natural caves and mines across
the West, to improve his mastery of the
element of earth and gather more crystals
for his experiments. In later years, he
established the school of the Octahedral
Spelunkers, in what is now Jonatela.
The Spelunkers are much more active than
other sorcerers are, and are willing to wear
limited armour and carry weapons, since they
often travel into hostile areas, and care little
for the Malkioni caste laws. They frequently
explore dangerous areas, travelling beneath
the ground to find sources of crystals, and to
learn the secrets of the earth. Like other
sorcerers, the Malkioni have persecuted them
down the years, but they are experts at
finding deep or remote places to hide, and
their enemies have never succeeded in
extinguishing them. Sometimes the School
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vanishes for long periods - as happened
during much of the God Learner period - but
always it re-appears again, its members
seemingly having crawled up out of the
ground.
Entry Requirements: Candidates must be physically
fit, more so than is usually the case for academic
sorcerers.
Abilities: Athletic, Climb Rock Face, Crawl through
Tight Space, Geological Lore, Mining Lore, Pick
Axe Combat.
Virtues: Adventurous, Curious, Resilient.
Grimoires:
a The Abiding Book
u Crystalline Perfection (Bring Forth Crystalline
Beauty, Detect Magic Crystal, Empower Crystal,
Enchant Copper ritual, Extract [mineral] from
Rock, Find [mineral], Impervious Skin, Strengthen
Pickaxe, Strengthen Rock, Weaken Rock)
d The Deep World (Avoid Demon, Be One with the
Mineral, Breathe Stale Air, Conceal Passage,
Control Earth Elemental, Fall Without Injury, Find
the Underground Path, Hide from Dwarf, Light
the Darkness, Smite Troll, Summon Earth
Elemental)
Icons and Images: Statues and carvings of the School
founder are preferred over paintings and
tapestries. They show an armoured wizard, usually
holding or contemplating a crystalline structure.
The primary emblem of the School is an
octahedron.
Festival Day: 8th Brumastide, the eighth day of the
eighth month of the year.
Other Side: The Spelunkers' Node on the Founders'
Plane is a complex maze of subterranean tunnels,
full of the beauty of the deep earth. The Portal of
Power created by Octahedral Spelunkers is called
a Delving Passage.
Disadvantages: The fact that the Spelunkers are
trained in combat skills (albeit only with miners'
pickaxes) marks them out as different from
wizards or other sorcerers.

The School of Querto
The Alchemists
The School of Querto is now the most
respected alchemical school in the West and
maintains the world's single largest school of
alchemists at Sog City. It has influenced most
other alchemical Orders in Malkioni lands, in
one way or another. Originally restricted to
men only, the Order is currently much more
cosmopolitan in its makeup.
The school believes in the importance of
ritual as a means of training the mind to
understand and manipulate the laws which
compose God, and thus of performing
sorcery. It therefore has many ancient rituals
of its own, and mandates distinctive styles of
dress for its members. Members of the Order
must wear gray gowns over their other
clothes when on official business, with
trimming of various colours and patterns
depending on their exact status within the
order, and becoming more ornate as rank
increases. They also wear a three-cornered
hat; this is plain black for most members, but
decorated for the senior officers. On days
prescribed in their ancient calendars,
members of the Order gather at Sog City
University for a number of arcane ceremonial
activities, including the Procession of the
Widgets, and the Spurging of the Running-
breaks. Schools elsewhere carry out similar
activities. The meanings of some of these
ancient rites have been lost in the mists of
time, but they are still retained, because the
act of performing them is believed to be
important for its own sake.
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Cults
Entry Requirements: Must be an adult human or
waertagi, already literate in the Abiding Script
and able to pass a basic entrance exam (the
questions for which have not been changed for
centuries, so that learning them in advance is no
longer particularly difficult).
Abilities: Brew Acid, Brew Poison, Debate
Philosophy, Identify Chemical, Prepare Chemicals,
Read Alchemical Formulae.
Virtues: Disciplined, Hidebound, Intellectual.
Grimoires:
u The Book of Chimistrie (Analyze Chemical, Brew
Healing Potion ritual, Brew Magical Adhesive
ritual, Brew Potion of Insanity ritual, Disenchant
Bronze, Enchant Bronze ritual, Enchant
Quicksilver ritual, Enchant Tin ritual, Imbue Potion
With Spell ritual, Preserve Perishable Substance)
s The Book of Transmutation (Accelerate Human
Movement, Animate Bronze, Animate Stone,
Condense [vapour], Control Temperature of
Flame, Evaporate [liquid], Evoke Light, Evoke
Shadow, Soften Metal, Strengthen Metal, Weaken
Stone)
a The Rational Ritualist (Assess Magical Abilities,
Enhance Concentration ritual, Locate Prepared
Object, Resist Wizardry, Steady Hands, Tap
Willpower)
Icons and Images: Querto is depicted as an elderly
man with a long beard, in the full regalia of a
Dean of the Order, often with alchemical
apparatus visible in the background.
Festival Day: 25th Nex is High Trumblins, a day of
feasting that opens with the Examination of the
Trusses, and concludes with the ritual known as
the Exorbitant Concatenation of Necessity.
Other Side: Querto's node on the Founder Plane
takes the form of a vast laboratory, filled with all
manner of equipment and peculiar substances.
The portal of power created by adepts of Querto
is called a Symbolic Circle.
Kingdom of the Flamesword
Talara Ignia
The Fire Warlocks
In the wake of expulsion of the God
Learners from Loskalm, there was naturally a
great deal of theological confusion. How
much of what the God Learners had said, for
example about the Abiding Book, was true,
and how much was false? For most people
the agreement reached at King Gwainric's
General Synod of 891 provided the answer so
that the Immaculate Church quickly became
the almost universally accepted faith. But, in
the province of Jorri, a young sorceress
named Talara had already beaten King
Gwainric and his bishops to the mark.
Talara rejected entirely the teachings of
the God Learners and refused to recognise
any of their scriptures as genuinely holy. At
first she had turned to traditional Zzaburism
with its concepts of an impersonal God, but
she remained dissatisfied with the idea that
the soul ceased to exist upon death. She
went into seclusion and meditated upon the
role of God and the nature of the soul, and
returned with a new faith. Charismatic and
persuasive, she soon gathered a number of
disciples about her, and founded an School
of sorcery dedicated to continuing her work.
Talarans believe that God is remote, and
generally unreachable by humans. Such
'simple' practices as prayer and religious
ritual can have no effect, and God does not
care about the details of our activities.
Instead, they believe that we must each
strive to reach towards God, to reach a level
of understanding that will allow us to
imprint our individual souls on the Essence
Planes upon our death. Talarans believe that
the creation and manipulation of fire can
help humans along the path to God,
although they do not deny that other paths
also exist.
Talarans abjure prayer and all forms of
organised religious ritual. They do not
acknowledge any saints, and recognise their
own founder merely as a clever philosopher.
They also believe in rational and clear
thought, and in the efficacy of sorcery as a
means of manipulating the physical world.
Page 214
They also accept a fair proportion of the
Zzaburi accounts of mythic history and reject
most of the Malkioni credo.
The only school of the order is located at
the Orange College (Book of Glorious Joy, p.
125) on Fire Island, off the coast of Loskalm.
Unusually, not all members of the order are
sorcerers. Lay members support their
community with physical skills, but gain no
magical benefits beyond the protection of
the sorcerers they live amongst. The order is
lead by a Primus, who is elected by the
community as a whole on the death of his or
her predecessor.
Entry Requirements: The only requirement for entry
beyond the ability to become an adept or
apprentice, is that the candidate must profess
belief in the core tenets of Talaran philosophy
and reject formal Malkionism.
Abilities: Cook Food, Know Fire Island Geography,
Make Book, Make Fire, Meditation, Withstand
Heat
Virtues: Creative, Dynamic, Self Reliant
Grimoires:
a The Abiding Book
m The Book of Inner Flame (Command Fire
Elemental, Dismiss Fire Daimone, Dismiss Fire
Spirit, Dispel Fatigue, Enchant Gold, Flame
Divination, Navigate Adept Plane, Summon Fire
Elemental, Tap Perception)
. The Book of Outer Flame (Burning Hands, Heat
Air, Hypnotise with Fire, Ignite Fuel, Immunity to
Fire, Make Metal Glow, Mould Metal with Bare
Hands, Smite with Flame)
Icons and Images: Talara Ignia is portrayed as a
young woman with short-cut dark hair and
wearing orange and yellow robes, usually
wreathed in an aura of flame.
Festival Day: 8th Fervidor. The Talarans light great
bonfires on the evening following this day, which
is a time of great celebration.
Other Side: Talara Ignia's node consists of blazing
fire woven into abstract patterns and complex
geometrical shapes. The Portal of Power created
by the Talarans is called a Ring of Fire.
Disadvantages: The Order is largely isolated from the
rest of society, and requires its members to be
able to survive on their own. Members of the
Order active on the mainland not only risk the
suspicion of the locals, but also will have few
means for calling upon their Order for support.
None the less, the community is very tightly-knit
so that the full range of communal support is
available to members actually on the island.

Ulfrathgar
Lord of Necromancy
After the fall of Gbaji, many of his servitors
clung onto life, hidden in the dark places of
the world. The followers of Arkat sought
them out, and killed them when they could,
destroying all the tainted works of the
Deceiver that they could find. But others
were not so public-spirited. Ulfrathgar was a
sorcerer from Tanisor, a minor servant of the
Vampire Kings who had survived their
downfall. He went into hiding in the
highlands of Ralios, and began to plot
against the Malkioni. To this end he
plundered the secrets of Gbaji, seeking to
use the Deceiver's knowledge to aid his own
rise to power. He wrote two grimoires of
blasphemous spells, and taught them to his
apprentices. His schemes came to nothing,
but his apprentices lived on, and passed his
knowledge down to future generations.
There is no formal 'school' for
Ulfrathagar's teachings. His grimoires are
passed on in secret, from master to
apprentice, or are unearthed by sorcerers of
other schools who learn to use them for their
own ends. Many necromancers use them
alongside grimoires written by other dark
sorcerers, with the result that their magic is
rarely uniform or predictable. Ulfrathgar's
followers hide in secret places, concealing
their true allegiance, and his hideous cult has
enjoyed sporadic resurgences down the
centuries, whenever central authority is
weak.
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Cults
Entry Requirements: The ability to impress an
existing necromancer, or to decode a forbidden
grimoire.
Abilities: Demon Lore
Virtues: Callous, Immoral, Megalomaniacal,
Obsessive.
Grimoires:
G The Necromanticon (Animate Skeleton, Animate
Zombie, Command Skeleton, Command Zombie,
Conceal Location, Desecrate Grave, Find Corpse,
Preserve Corpse, Speak with the Dead, Tap
Vitality)
z The Pits of Hell (Bargain with Demon, Bind
[Demon], Curse with Sickness, Deceive Divination,
Find Path in Hell, Liquefy Flesh, Resist Blessing,
Resist Spell, Seal Pact, See Chaos Magic, Summon
[Demon], Summon Vermin, Survive in Hell, Throw
Back Curse)
Icons and Images: Necromancers have no interest in
depictions of their founder. On the rare occasions
Malkioni chose to portray Ulfrathgar, they show a
twisted, leering figure, the antithesis of the
virtuous wizard.
Festival Day: The night of 21st Aeror, known as Nadir
to the Rokari Church.
Other Side: Ulfrathgar's node lies in a sorcerous
region of Hell, not on the Founders' Plane. It takes
the form of a tower of human bones rising over a
landscape of blasted rock and geysers of fire. The
Portal of Power created by necromancers goes by
many names, such as Hell Gate, Portal of the
Damned, Pit of Corruption, and so forth.
Disadvantages: Everyone fears and hates
necromancers, as the worst of all sorcerers. Even
other sorcery schools scorn them as dangerous
madmen who damage them by association. Death
is the usual punishment for necromancers caught
by Malkioni authorities.
Kingdom of the Flamesword
The Zendamalthan Order
The Free Intellects
The Zendamalthan Order was one of the
eight original schools of sorcery in ancient
Danmalastan. As with the other seven, it was
named, not for its founder, but for the word
for its central concept in the ancient tongue.
As with the other seven orders, the
Zendamalthans survived through the perils
of the Darkness, and re-established their
order in the Grey Age shortly before the
Dawn.
In most parts of the world, the
Zendamalthan tradition waned as the
centuries passed, but in Sog City, they
managed to increase their presence as
Brithini influence over the University
declined. During the early Imperial Age, they
became the ruling college and took control
of all important posts within the University.
Their influence declined significantly during
the God Learner period, but still the Order
maintained its existence and held onto its old
traditions and philosophies. Although it
never recovered its former position, the
Zendamalthan Order was able to
significantly increase its status and size
within the University during the Ban, and is
now one of the larger colleges.
Unlike most other Zzaburi sorcerers, the
Zendamalthans believe in a personal God,
but one who is so vast that the mortal mind
can never comprehend Him fully. Thus, all
attempts at worship must be flawed and
incomplete. Since God is aware of this, it
follows that He cannot have commanded
mortals to worship Him, since they could
never do so correctly. Zendamalthans instead
hope to approach God more fully by
expanding their own minds and enhancing
their intellect and comprehension. While no
mortal can ever truly understand God, the
greater the powers of their mind, the more
they will be able to appreciate.
The Zendamalthan Order relies on the
natural talents of the mind to exert sorcerous
effects on the world. The grimoire of the
Order therefore contains no spells, only
methods of meditation and mental exercises
Page 216
through which the individual can enhance
their inherent sorcerous talents. Once the
student has mastered these skills, they will be
able to practice certain forms of sorcery that
have essentially the same effect as spell
casting.
Entry Requirements: Only the most intellectually
gifted are selected for membership. The candidate
must be literate in the Abiding Script and must
possess three academic skills (such as history,
literature, mathematics, etc.) to at least an ability
of 18.
Abilities: Cite obscure academic papers, Intelligent,
Meditation, Refute Theology, Use Library, Work
Long Hours
Virtues: Intellectual, Stoic, Unworldly
[rune] Zendamalthan Training Regimen (Analyze
Theorem, Banish Own Emotions, Enhance Own
Intelligence, Evaluate Human's Personality, Ignore
Distractions, Increase Own Lifespan, Levitate
Object, Levitate Self, Make Self Invisible, Probe
Human's Inner Thoughts, Project Astral Body,
Read Human's Surface Thoughts, Reduce
Emotions in Others, Shield Mind, Tap Intellect,
Tap Magical Strength, Tap Willpower, View
Remote Location)
Icons and Images: The runes of the School are its
only symbols.
Festival Day: 4th Holiday. On this day, a number of
prominent lectures are held at Sog City University,
culminating in the address of the University
Chancellor, who on this day alone leaves the
Brithini Citadel to deliver his annual lecture and
to confer degrees and doctorates upon
outstanding students.
Other Side: The Zendamalthan Node is a featureless
void lit by a diffuse glow. The Portal of Power
created by Zendamalthans is called a Psychic Gate.
Disadvantages: Members of the Order are generally
regarded as distant, even from other sorcerers,
and are too concerned with abstruse matters to
pay much attention to the mundane needs of
themselves or others. They start play with the flaw
Impractical 13.