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Created by Greg Lambert and Franklin Mills
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This work is dedicated to the many artists, patrons, and supporters who helped bring the
Chronicles of Aeres to the page, and to anyone working to keep the spirit of fantasy alive.
Notice of Open Game Content: This work is provided under the Open Game License (Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, LLC.) and it contains content
authorized for use by said license, drawn from the System Reference Document for 5th Edition (System Reference Document 5.1
Copyright 2016, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.), including the allowed names and usages of gameplay and storytelling elements, rules, races, classes, skills,
monsters, spells, items, and abilities which can be found within that document.
The Chronicles of Aeres is © Greg Lambert and Franklin Mills, 2021. All Rights Reserved.
All characters and other entities appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, dead or alive, or other real-life entities, past or
present, is purely coincidental.
Table of Contents
World Map:...........................................4 The Draemyr......................................125 The Northern Lands.......................296
The Drauglir.......................................131 Irilon...............................................296
Introduction to the Setting The Hinterfolk....................................134 Ketilseyr..........................................301
The Wanderlings................................139 Dryrest............................................302
Chapter 1:.............................................7
The Wilderkind.................................143 Grimgril..........................................303
The History of Aeres..............................7
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The Gladefolk....................................144 The Tombspire................................303
Contents Overview................................8
The Rattevir........................................149 Soruban..........................................304
The Present Day.....................................9
The Ravenvir.......................................153 The Shattered Fields......................306
Remnants of a Tyrant’s Grasp..............10
The Argent Draconvir.........................157 Stonestrand Bridge........................306
Knights of Justice & Honor..................10
The Tainted Draconvir........................164 Gruncrist Forest..............................309
Timeline Summary of Aeres..............12
Rokdraemyr....................................310
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The Ephemeral Eon.............................14 Class and Background Options
Tolgamyr’s Sanctum........................311
The Immortal Age...............................15 Chapter 4:.........................................169
Jarnvidyr.........................................313
The Age of Mysticism..........................16 Class Considerations .........................169
The Rainbow Bridge........................314
The Scouring of Essence.....................17 The Witch..........................................172
The Western Wilds.........................315
The Dragons of Strife..........................20 The Alchemist....................................189
Stormbarrens of Saradin.................315
The Heroic Age...................................24 The Dreamcaller.................................203
Shrine of the Black Serpent.............316
The Return of Darkness.......................26 Aeres Background Options...............215
Remnants of Saradin’s Pass.............317
An Age of Steel and Sorrow................32
Volgrist...........................................317
The Present Age of Dragonfire...........39
Themes and Adventures in Aeres.........41
Allies and Enemies Thuldruun.......................................319
Chapter 5:.........................................225 Shadowcrest...................................320
The Nature of Magic in Aeres Fragments of Light and Shadow........225
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Chapter 2:...........................................47 The Vulgraks ......................................226
Mystery of Aether.................................47 The Wilderguard................................229
Harnessing Aether...............................49 Cult of the Black Rose.......................234
The Aetheric Sphere............................49 Lancathir............................................237
Utilizing Aether....................................51 The Witchfinder Duty........................240
Bandelbron....................................322
Ruin of Five Skulls...........................323
Vindirtris.........................................324
Bleakrock Pass................................325
Runefrost........................................325
Astreas and Other Realms............326
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The Immordran...................................52 Elfs of Larendane...............................243 Fool’s Landing.................................326
Eros..................................................54 The Watchers of the Wild....................247 Naraczaman...................................326
Karadas...............................................56 Order of the Silver Flame...................253 Peak of Sorrow................................326
Lornifas.............................................58 Reverie of the World Tree..................257 Mostmora.......................................327
Ardrisyr..............................................60 Great Houses of Irilon........................260 Blysvar............................................328
Tolgamyr............................................63 Aeres Bestiary..................................267 Huldrafar.........................................330
Brena.................................................64 Cultists ..............................................268 Artifacts of Aeres..........................332
Gipta.................................................66 Draconvir Overlords..........................269 Potions...........................................332
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The History of Aeres
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Aeres is a new setting for your adventurous 5th
Edition campaign. The Chronicles of Aeres, the title
of this book, represent the histories, mythologies,
heroes, villains, and struggles of this mystical realm,
the details of which you’ll find within these pages.
Aeres is a land that hearkens back to a classical
age of fantasy—an age of larger-than-life heroes,
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true, but also a time when hapless farmhands and
folksy Hobbits were coaxed into adventure by wiz-
ards, prophecies, and promises of magical treasure.
For those who seek their fortune in this realm, the
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result is often peril and adventure—but just as often
beauty and charm. It’s a land awash with magic and
magical creatures great and small, folkloric figures
and icons from legend; all normal and common-
place to some folk, yet still distant and mysterious
to others. In Aeres, your next door neighbor could
be a talking fox, while a unicorn remains your closest
comrade. Dragons the size of mountains spawn eter-
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uncover secret chambers and underground halls, sometimes speaks to you more strongly than the
and encounter dragons, goblins, and all manner of present, and if you refuse to set aside the nostal-
strange and terrifying creatures in the dark places gia, excitement, and enchantment of all the classic
of the world. Aeres is also a setting beset by the fantasy stories and films you grew up with, then
looming threat of monolithic evil. It’s a land that all you’re definitely not alone. With Aeres, we wanted
too recently found its way out of the wicked thrall of to take old-school fantasy sensibilities and smash
a dark lord, only to fall into the clutches of a tyrant them headlong into the framework of a modern 5th
king; it’s a continent seemingly constantly thrust into Edition world. Regardless if you’re a jaded player
epic dangers that require the aid of adventurers and straight from the “Old School Renaissance” look-
Game Masters like yourselves to resolve. ing for heroic adventure, or a brand new player
If all this is familiar to you, it should be. These enthralled by the interactive experience of modern
themes are endemic to modern fantasy games and tabletop RPGs, hopefully Aeres contains something
stories and have been for decades. But if the past that can spark your imagination.
Aeres History 7
The Contents of the Chronicles of Aeres
This book contains all of the options and guide-
lines necessary to create a character firmly rooted in May the shadows retreat from you, dear friend
the storybook atmosphere of the realm. You’ll find and reader!
new twists on familiar races, new classes rooted in I take it that if you’re holding this tome in your
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lore and legend, epic gods, dangerous beasts, and hands that you know nothing or very little about
enough lore to populate nearly any scale of adven- this land, which we call Aeres, a land of forests
ture—along with a few introductory quests to help and fables big and small. You wouldn’t know
your mythical campaign flourish. that the word itself, “Aeres,” is the oldest word
for “aether” that we know; aether being the
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Chapter 1 contains an overview of the setting, the mysterious and barely fathomable miasma which
rough status of the world as it stands today, followed empowers magic. And there’s much magic within
by a more thorough history of the realm and the Aeres indeed, I can tell you that! Nor would you
major events that have shaped it. At the end of this likely guess that most of these chronicles were
chapter, you’ll find information about the various recorded by someone who’s not human, not like
types of adventures and story themes one might be yourself—but don’t be alarmed! There’s a great
able to expect within Aeres as a setting. deal of history surrounding the men and women
Chapter 2 describes the force of aether—the of humanity within these archives, so I’m sure
essence of magic in Aeres—and the Immordran, the you’ll find yourself quite at home, and perhaps
eternal pantheon of Aeres gods, along with what these pages can open your eyes to the mystical
these things mean to the people of the realm.
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Chapter 3 provides a complete guide to all eigh-
teen intelligent races and cultures on Aeres, replete
with gameplay options and roleplaying elements.
This chapter is the beginning of how to bring your
world of folk like us, beyond the borders of the
mundane! Many of us rats were like you once,
after all; and the legacy of Aeres’ history is abun-
dant with curses and transformations, strange
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magicians and heroes in shining armor, noble
own folkloric character to life within the realm. kings and queens, and the small, humble folk
Chapter 4 offers new Aeres-specific character alike, of which there are many. So please: if your
classes and backgrounds to help flesh out your hero- intent is to delve into both the peril and enchant-
ic adventurer even further. ment of this realm, then let me put an end to my
Chapter 5 presents all of the notable organiza- prattling, and allow you to read on. Adventure
tions, characters, and monsters one might hear awaits!
about or even meet across Aeres. These are the ~Ferric Willow-Whisker
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8 Aeres History
Aeres is a relatively young realm. The gods them- important, and they’ll be further explored not only in
selves walked the mortal coil of the world less than the realm’s history, but also referenced in the index
a few hundred years ago after all, and although at the very end of the handbook.
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This land has a heady history involving the birth are able to finally start enjoying their lives, some
of titans, the creation of mortals, the rise and fall of new tragedy suddenly befalls this typically bright
empires, and the coming and going of enormous and cheerful realm. The current age of Aeres, which
dragons and dark creatures. Many of the lurid details scholars would say is a return to the erstwhile “Age
of the characters and events of Aeres are contained of Mysticism” (but which most folk refer to as the
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only within the past 100 years or so—during the He- Age of Dragonfire,) is an age of hope and peaceful
roic Age and beyond—where adventurers and cho- recovery, but also restlessness and foreboding, as
sen ones clashed against dark lords and evil kings. not all of the wickedness of the land has been strick-
If you want a full grasp on the history of Aer- en away completely (at least, not yet).
es and all of the major events that have played For an entire season, the kingdoms of Aeres have
a role in shaping it, then you should probably been celebrating the defeat of the horrible Drag-
scour this entire chapter. If you only want to gain on of Darkness, a titanic beast which might have
a general understanding of the realm’s major spelled doom for the realms, were it not for the
concepts and want to dive straight into charac- actions of a few intrepid adventurers. A small group
ter creation and adventure-crafting, then we’d of heroes recently found a way to awaken the Silver
recommend reading about the present realm in
the next section, and then consulting the Aeres
summary timeline directly afterward. The end of e
chapter 1 presents additional themes and ideas for
Champion Saeyos, the oath-sworn protector dragon
of Aeres. Saeyos destroyed the Dragon of Darkness,
whose broken shell now lies festering beneath the
waves of the eastern Sea of Urabor. Now, the Silver
Champion lords over the divine forest of Jarnvidyr
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creating adventures within the setting as well. Every-
thing in-between is steep lore that contains detail to the north, at the site where the World Tree of
which might be useful in understanding the world, Aeres once stood in ancient times.
but memorizing it shouldn’t be a strict requirement The band of unlikely heroes who ushered in these
for questing in Aeres. Any emboldened names are events (to be expounded upon further in this chap-
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Aeres History 9
ter) have all gone their separate ways, and Aeres play host to humans, elfs, dwarfs, and even forestfolk
finds herself at a crossroads of sorts, where the rem- and demihumans of all shapes and sizes. Its pure
nants of power-hungry kingdoms and mystical races marble spires tower to the sun in glory, and within
have started to emerge from the shadows once the magnificent be-columned palace of the city, the
more to make their impact on the face of the world. Council of the Silver Flame maintains a watchful
Across Aeres, green life and lush tranquility has presence with justice and temperance. Led by the
started to burgeon, as the creeping malfeasance and stalwart draconvir knight Theodric the Virtuous and
corruption spread by the Dragon of Darkness and supported by the Watchers of the Wild (a once
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his followers is at last beginning to wane and dissi- secretive group of rebels who sheltered magical folk
pate. Aether, a magical miasma that permeates this during Lancathir’s reign,) the council upholds the
land, has also once again started to snake and crawl Old Code, an ancient oath of chivalry, compassion,
through the lowlands and crevices of Aeres, sowing and kingly stewardship; and they’ve kept a close
enchantment and mystery in its wake (you’ll find out eye on the folk of Irilon indeed. Although there’s
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much more about aether soon enough). no imminent threat of war (yet,) the good people of
Taldorius have vowed to never again tolerate the evil
Remnants of a Tyrant's Grasp of Lancathir’s decrees.
Beyond Taldorius and Irilon, the longer-lived races
Within the mist-laden countryside, we now see continue to carve out their own legacies from the
several mortal powers emerging to lay claim in wilderness of Aeres. South of the great city of men
sovereignty over various parts of the realm. The lies the argent forest of Larendane, primordial home
first and most troubling kingdom to unfurl its wings to the Elfs of Silverleaf, who were once staunch
is the human country of Hesmoor, the heart of allies of Lancathir before he turned to wickedness
which lies nearly squarely in the center of Aeres in and forced their Queen, Arthana of Larendane, to
10 Aeres History
their members have been spotted with increasing
frequency as of late, even walking openly in the city
of Taldorius. Strange portents and rumors follow the
Twilight Elfs wherever they go, and there’s been talk
of darkness gathering abroad.
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elements to the Twilight Elfs or any other seem-
ingly frightening race for that matter (like we rats,)
it’s important to note that most of the evil of Aer-
es has traditionally beset us from without, rather
than within. I’m not saying our kingdoms have no
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record of strife... far from it! Only that most Aeres
folk are good at heart. Except goblins. Never trust
a goblin!
~Ferric Willow-Whisker
Elfen forests and cities of men are far from the only
bastions of two-legged folk on Aeres. Far north of
Irilon, the indomitable mystical forest of Gruncrist
ic; some say the very roots of the World Tree lie
hidden under the earth protected by a mystical race
of kobolds. And all across the wilderness, one might
stumble across a procession of fair halfling folk, wan-
derlings who travel the land wherever their fortunes
might lead them.
So far you’ve read mention of gods, dragons, dark
lords, and more. Continue exploring this chapter to
learn about the entire history of Aeres and the part
all of these creatures play in shaping the present
course of the realm.
Ancient Eras
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rock. Swirling storms of of aether took shape sessed with the auspic-
cosmic aether—an un- A massive World Tree into the god-like titans es of creation, sum-
fathomable mystical mi- took root in the northern of Aeres, the Immor- moned forth the mortal
asma—coalesced across forests, spawned from dran, who walked the races of the world. Eros,
the world, forming the pure magic. The World world with physical chimeric titan of the
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skies, mountains, fields, Tree, called Laedrethor, forms. sun, created the first
and waters. empowered the very race on Aeres; these
essence of life on Aeres Nine Immordran were were heroic humans
Afterward, the aether for centuries. born in various domains called the Erosir. Many
winds took the shape across Aeres, one right other races would
of trees, flowers, and after another. follow.
everything green, along
Timeline
Blysvar using a gargan- Saeyos.
tuan apocalyptic drag-
on called Kalkuriath. Saeyos destroyed the
Summary of
Dragon of Darkness
They also command- after an epic battle. Af-
ed foul dragon-like terward, the paladins of
minions called dra- the Erosir used Saeyos’s
Aeres
convir who kidnapped power to transform
innocents from across themselves into Argent
Aeres to be drained of Draconvir; they used
their aetherian essenc- their draconic might
es. to defeat the Vulgraks
once and for all.
Modern Eras
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realm entered an age the Witch Lord or the of Estera to play the
of peace and prosperity Wicked One, summoned Immordran’s ancient
once again, and the se- a vast army of monsters Dragon Song.
crets of the Immordran to waylay the good lands
were rediscovered. of Aeres. Every kingdom These heroes, most no-
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fell under attack by gob- tably a hinterfolk named
Despite their loss, the lins, wights, ettins, ogres, Accaris, gathered at the
Dark Emperors had and more. Peak of Sorrow in the
attracted many acolytes west after much hard-
skilled in black magic. Guided by an archmage ship, and they destroyed
One of these wizards named Balcanur, a group Olhogim with the flute’s
was named Olhogim, of heroes were fated to power.
embark on a quest to
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The Age of Sorrow
and the Return of Dragonfire:
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Year 1103 to the current time
Lancathir, hero of the Soon after thwarting Saeyos. Accaris sacri-
war against Olhogim, Lancathir’s edict from the ficed his life to complete
gathered many follow- shadows, the Watchers this task.
ers, and he traveled to uncovered a conspiracy
the south to build the to resurrect the Drag- Saeyos defeated Kalkuri-
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great city of Taldorius. on of Darkness, being ath once again, and the
He reigned with peace fomented by the Witch realm was finally able to
for awhile, but after six Lord from behind the rest at last.
decades, he became scenes.
corrupt. The Watchers of the
The Witch Lord had been Wild and the Council of
His empire enacted the using Lancathir to siphon the Silver Flame, an an-
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Edict of Steel, banning aether from magical cient order of the Silver
all use of magic in the creatures in order to em- Dragon, now command
realm. Most magicians power the artifact sword Taldorius and the sur-
and magical folk were Danturial, so that the rounding provinces with
imprisoned or killed. brainwashed Lancathir benevolent leadership.
could use it to conjure
The old heroes of the the Dragon of Darkness. The world of Aeres
last age resisted Lan- has entered an age of
cathir by forming the In response to Kalkuri- uneasy peace which
Watchers of the Wild, an ath’s rise, the last living malevolent villains could
underground rebellion Immordran, Tolgamyr, threaten at any moment.
operating from within sent the aging Accaris Luckily, heroes like you
the confines of Tal- of Undertree with the exist to protect the
dorius. flute of Estera to awaken realm.
The Ephemeral Eon northern lands of what would much later be known
as Jarnvidyr, a tremendous gust of aether twisted
across the newly born woodlands and took root in
The story of Aeres begins in a time shrouded by the bedrock of the world. From this leyline, a bastion
ephemeral mist in an age of wonder and mystery. of life and mysticism sprouted, thrusting its splendor
Before any human or elf walked across the face of high above the treetops. This monolithic guardian
Aeres, the world was a vast darkened landscape snaked its ensorcelled roots into the deep earth,
engulfed by swirling, violent storms. But these bursting the land all around with enchantment; the
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weren’t storms of water and wind: the entire surface towering timber would be called Laedrethor, which
of the world itself was a whirlwind of Aether, the is another name in Old Erosiryn for the World Tree,
very breath of life from which the power of cre- the pulsing heart of the wilderness itself. Its leaves,
ation flows forth. Under any normal circumstance, silver and gold, shimmered brilliantly under the sun,
aether is almost always completely invisible, but in beacons of life for every creature on Aeres.
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its strongest and most potent form, it appears as a Despite the appearance of the World Tree and the
glowing, pulsating white mist, incandescent like a beauty of the forests and wilds, the drama of this
nebula of stars streaking across the night sky, racing age was far from over. As the tumultuous aether-
against itself in layers upon layers of light. In such a stream poured down into the valleys and forests
condition, the magic of this mist is so strong that it from the firmament, it began to coalesce into other-
begins to coalesce into cosmic forms, ushering forth worldly creatures, aether-born beings that appeared
semblances of creation from its own will. briefly and then vanished as quickly as they came. It
Not even the gods themselves would be able to was as if Aeres herself was testing the conviction of
tell you the true origin or nature of this force, but the order against chaos, shaping and reshaping creation
oldest scholars of Aeres contend that in this Ephem- over and over again, perfecting its procession with
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eral Eon, aether began to cool and re-form, birthing
all of the elements that comprise the nature of the
land: the waters, the skies, lightning and the shad-
ows it casts; fire, smoke, magma, and all the funda-
each cycle until at last, the aether began to solidify,
taking on the shape of pulsing hearts, rushing blood,
and sinewy flesh. At the end of the Ephemeral Eon,
the beasts of the earth and the waters rushed forth
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mental aspects of the world as we know it. into the world, magnificent and untamed.
From the chaos of these swirling aether-storms, And thus, the magnificent garden of Aeres, still
the mortal face of Aeres took shape. The aether engulfed in a mysterious haze of aether and magic,
wind blanketed the stones of the mountains and took its final form. The world itself had been born,
the rocks of the fields, setting against the world and the cycle of life and death had been decided
countless seeds of life which bloomed forth into through the eternal will of aether and its power.
the vibrant colors of plants, flowers, grass, and
trees; Aeres herself grew verdant and lush in that
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14 Aeres History
The Immortal Age
For thousands of years, the lush landscape of Aeres
dwelled in tranquility, pristine and full of life and
magic. The land was a dominion of beasts—animals
of every shape and size, most of which still subsist
in some form or another even to this day; but there
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were yet no creatures of wisdom to enact their own
wills upon the land. That is, until the Immortal Age,
the golden age of creation.
Although the violent aether storms had long
abated, clouds of that quintessence still meandered
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across the world, filling every empty space and
growing more concentrated by the century.
What remained of the swirling primordial aether
of Aeres slowly started to fuse and unify, as the one
verifiable rule of magical essence is that it always
attracts more of itself. Eventually the coalescing
miasma of aether on Aeres grew into bodies so
concentrated and potent that they began to actually
take on physical forms. Over hundreds of years, this
magical essence materialized into beings far greater
and more powerful than any of the mortal beasts
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that already walked the face of Aeres. These were
the Immordran, creatures teaming with magical and
spiritual energy, fierce and uncontrollable, but also
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full of grace and eternal wisdom. Mortal races would
call these titans “gods:” an apt designation, for
these immortal entities were born with an indomita-
ble will to create life from the void, and their cre-
ation songs would echo outward through the eons
forever. You’ll learn much more about the Immordran
of Aeres in the following chapter, since their charac-
teristics and personalities are far too much for this
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Aeres History 15
The Age of Mysticism Light,) the earliest humans of the realm were by far
the most indomitable of Aeres’ races. They held
Erosiryn chronicles within their hearts an essence of incorruptible spirit
and a will to power that would quickly dominate
Year 0 – circa 1000 the sprawling fields of the northern lands. These
humans were long-lived and heroic, and taking the
Every Immordran only desires for their children to namesake of their Immordran father, they called
prosper and grow stronger. This passion, inherent themselves the Erosir. Under the command of just
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to the titans of Aeres and inseparable from their and noble monarchs who rose to lead their people
being, urged the Immordran to share with the mortal with compassion, the oldest bloodline of Eros built
folk of Aeres the riddles of the world: how to com- marble-spired castles, palaces, and solemn shrines
mand aether, the secrets of the forge, the lessons of to their heroes all over those lands. Their most glori-
ous city was called Irilon, and it rests even to this day
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cultivation, the nature of alchemy and the interaction
between living beings and inanimate objects, and on a towering plateau overlooking the River Oryn,
even the auspices of fate itself. touched by the sun. Other human folk took root in
With this wisdom, the fair races of the world began the plains south of the northern forest of Gruncrist,
to wander from their homes in exploration, uncov- and they founded the kingdoms of Jaermoor and
ering rune-stones of Immordran power and delving Hesmoor, twin sisters under the bright and airy skies
the secrets of ethereal magic in nearly every corner of the north. Although the grandeur of the human
of the realm. After the mortal kingdoms of Aeres kingdoms ascended skyward during this age, and
began to take hold, the entire realm blossomed with the foundations of their dominion were sown across
spectacle, wonder, and imagination on the behalf an enormous portion of Aeres, they were still fast
friends with the other mystical folk who had made
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of these bright-eyed creatures. In much later chron-
icles, scholars would call this the Age of Mysticism;
every land hearkens back to its golden era of peace
and prosperity, and for Aeres, this millennium
marked that time.
themselves known: the elfs, dwarfs, gnomes, and
others. The human kings didn’t call themselves em-
perors in those days, and human lands shared their
wealth and plenty with all of their neighbors, great
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Being the first of the aetherborn populations to and small. This helped the other races of the world
emerge on the face of Aeres, molded directly from to unfold their own destinies, forging paths of fate
the blood of the chimeric god Eros (the Bastion of that would inform their folkways even to this day.
The elfs of the Silverleaf Forest—being children
of Ardrisyr—mostly kept to themselves in those
shadowy woods, the breadth of which stretched far
across the southern spear-tip of the continent (those
lands and the forests within them are called Laren-
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The Scouring of
Just as the Twilight Elfs left the domain of Laren-
dane fractured, so did the dwarfs of Soruban see a
schism within their kingdom. The Old White-beard-
Essence
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ed King of the Vaults, mighty Droklir, also a rune-
master among the dwarfs, had grown weary of
their hedonistic mead-drinking and ring-forging,
and along with his brothers in arms, he set out one
Erosiryn chronicles
night to champion the cause of wisdom-seeking. Year 1000 – 1010
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Over the same expanse of time as the Twilight Elfs
lorded over Thuldruun, the Frost Dwarfs drifted west It began as a vision of doom which appeared in the
and northward, settling in the snowy highlands of fevered dreams of folk on the outskirts of the land,
Bandelbron. There they began to hone their mas- far away from the cities of men and elfs. In gloomy
tery of war-waging and weapon-crafting, but also villages and hamlets, places easily exploitable and
the mysteries of aether and how to wield it, becom- mostly unknown to the rest of the world, hapless
ing skilled in the ways of elemental evocation. Seen masses awoke from nightmares of monstrous,
as half-crazed by their mountain-dwelling cousins, cackling fiends, black-beaked creatures towering
those ice-bearded dwarfs grew isolated and wilder over them with outstretched claws. The small folk—
over time, to the point where they became intoler-
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ant of not just interlopers, but any outsiders at all
(except on occasion their former hall-fellows).
Aeres History 17
gnomes and kobolds—were more sensitive to such Doom on Black Wings
visions than other Aeres races, and so they would
suffer the most in the coming age. Many of these
innocents fell into what the old chronicles describe
as a deep, unbreakable trance. Like sleepwalkers,
they left their homes wide-eyed and silent, wander-
ing into the shadowy night where they were spirited
away, never to be seen again. Men, women, and
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even children fell victim to this dark mesmerism. At
first, lords and governors blamed the disappearanc-
es on wolves, rabid forest creatures, or worse. After
all, basilisks and ettins weren’t unknown in those
days, wandering the wilderness in search of fresh
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meat to drag back to their lairs; although their num-
bers were much too infrequent to account for the
sheer breadth of this phenomenon. The nightmares
proceeded for months, and nearly every distant
village came under the wicked spell, until local wise-
folk and wizards grew keen enough to watch in wait
for these sleepwalkers and ambush what horror had
been coming for them in the night.
Reports began to pour into the cities of vicious,
bat-winged behemoths swooping down in the night
e
to flit away with entranced prey. Often, witnesses
were too frightened to speak of it, but the men of
Irilon heard tale that these creatures took the shape
of twisted, black-scaled wraiths, almost with the
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forms of dragons, gleaming with grisly fangs and
claws and always filled with glee at the satisfaction
of their cruelty. Every kingdom dispatched warriors
to the countryside to dispel this evil, but no mat-
ter how many men-at-arms they sent, their efforts
were to no avail. It was said that blades and arrows
deflected from the creatures’ hides like chaff against
a stone wall, and mighty magic spells vanished into
m
thin air before the monsters could suffer harm from The Dragon of Darkness appeared belching blood-red
them. fire as he trundled through the sky towards the west,
After a short time, the entire realm became par- filling the sky with acrid smoke that blotted out the
alyzed with fear at these happenings, to the point moon and stars. The citizens of Irilon awoke in the night
where most strong-headed villagers fled their homes to find their fields awash with flame, their villages and
for the fortresses of their kings and queens. The towns blasted to shreds; and above the destruction, the
entire realm seemed under siege, and thousands shadow of tremendous wings stretching across the land
Sa
of inhabitants disappeared from the wider country- from east to west, filling nearly the entire horizon.
side, leaving farmlands and watermills to fall into He was a beast that seemingly dwelled in a whirlwind
ruin. After only a few short seasons, the threat of of shadow, an incredibly monstrous serpent who made
famine crept into civilized realms, and heavy sorrow the seldom-seen mountain drakes of Aeres seem like liz-
weighed down upon the people. Even worse, the ards by comparison. The Dragon of Darkness (whom the
Immordran were seemingly unwary of the disaster half-dragon creatures would cackle the name of Kalkuri-
and didn’t bother to intervene, as they were still only ath in their alien tongue, presumably meaning “One
watching the mortal lands in dream, away in their Born From Ash,”) possessed pitch black scales the size
distant dominions; that is, until the Dragon of Dark- of boat frames and onyx claws as long as pine trees. Not
ness came. By then, it was nearly too late. even ten thousand archers could have pierced his hide.
As far as the Erosir could ascertain, the indestructible
beast spelled doom not just for their kingdom, but for
all of Aeres. Old rumors say even the king himself wept
18 Aeres History
at the sight of the monster on the horizon. acquired from their countless victims).
And yet, after a dreadful night of catastrophe in They were both sorcerers and conquerors, wield-
the north, the dragon seemed content to circle the ing terrible magic which they channeled from
sky above Irilon, only feigning to attack; after all, his onyx-tipped scepters and controlling vicious min-
masters were well on their way, and they were anx- ions using the power of will alone. Few mortal folk
ious to survey their new dominion in all of its aether- would set eyes upon the Dark Emperors and live to
rich splendor. tell the tale, for nearly none of the victims who were
No record exists to describe the path from whence spirited away to Blysvar managed to escape, and
e
they appeared, the Vulgraks, the Dark Emperors; anyone who did escape quickly found their way into
but it’s vaguely assumed that they materialized from the draconvir’s savage clutches. Furthermore, the
the space between the stars and the shadow, a dark tyrants occasionally found allies among the very
void within which the power of even the Immordan people whom they were set to destroy. Wizards and
couldn’t touch. They certainly weren’t born of the witches who practiced the more shadowy aspects
fil
gods, nor did they emerge from the swirling aether of magic were invariably drawn to these creatures,
of the land in the Ephemeral Eon. The Vulgraks were finding kinship in their utter obsession with twisted
totally apart from Aeres herself. Thus Gipta, in her mystical power and the dark arts.
infinite wisdom, with the very threads of fate whis- The Vulgraks, realizing the advantage in keeping
pering their destinies to her, was unable to foresee the company of traitors from the western lands,
their coming; and Aeolas, master of dreams, found welcomed these acolytes with open talons, and they
no happenstance mention of these tyrants within his often charged them with assisting the procession of
eternal library. abominable magical experiments in the dungeons
deep under Blysvar. One of their most gifted stu-
The Corruption of the Ages dents was an occultist by the name of Olhogim, a
Aeres History 19
druun (though not a Twilight Elf himself). and it would plant a seed of distrust that would fes-
Olhogim served the Vulgraks for years, but in time ter between humans and the other races of Aeres for
he came to hate his new masters, for they were generations to come.
loathe to share their secrets, and his infatuation with
The Dragons of
the art of siphoning living essence was insatiable.
The Dark Emperors were careful to keep their most
talented acolytes at arm’s reach to avoid fomenting
potential usurpers within their midst. Little did they
Strife
e
know that they were harboring the most dangerous
dark magician in the history of Aeres.
Erosiryn chronicles
The Fall of Heroes Year 1010 – 1021
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After a millennium of peace in the Age of Mysticism, Eros was the only Immordran whose magical pow-
the first envoy of the Vulgraks, a loathsome bureau- er extended into the realms of warfare, but as he
crat who called himself Tirograk, appeared on the watched the Dragon of Darkness circle Irilon from
very marble steps of the city of Irilon, and he was ac- his rocky sanctuary atop Soruban, and as the huge
companied by hundreds upon hundreds of foul crea- clouds of black smoke from the burning northern
tures and minions who had waltzed utterly uncon- fields started to blot out the sun, the chimeric titan
tested through the lands blackened by the Dragon knew he was no match for this mountain-sized
of Darkness (a sprawling wasteland of ash and death monster. Even if every Immordran somehow found a
that locals would call the Shattered Fields). way to gather and assault the dragon, the serpent’s
20 Aeres History
Wasting no time, Eros sang out his immortal dirge, mightiest magical ritual in the history of Aeres. With
only the second instance that Aeres had heard its each passing day, more of each Immordran’s eternal
reverberation resound through every forest and ev- strength flowed into the harmony of their poem, an
ery dale, striking a holy chord to summon the other immortal song with the power to vibrate the very
Immordran. The Dark Emperors knew nothing of this strings of fate; the otherworldly music ensorcelled
music, and luckily suspected nothing. As Tirograk the trunk of the World Tree with unimaginable
began to disperse his monsters to lord over the magic. Nearly halfway through this process, the
lands around Irilon in fiendish command, the gods dynamism of the Dragon Song became so potent
e
crept from their hiding places and made way for the that the gods themselves began to de-materialize.
northern forest of Jarnvidyr, the site of the immortal Being creatures with flesh comprised almost entirely
World Tree which stood over Aeres. Even those who of pure aether in concentrated form, the Immordran
dwelled within the aetheric sphere, Aeolas and Or- lost themselves to the music quite literally, and their
thrak, abandoned their dreamlike menagerie to join essences began to slip away, enchanting the World
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their brothers and sisters in desperation. Tree itself.
As they proceeded into the wood, the Immordran As the song’s final melody drifted through the
set upon the crystalline river of Gruncrist a bridge of trees of Jarnvidyr, suddenly, in a spectacular burst of
mystical nature inlaid with glimmering rune-words, white light so intense that the folk of Irilon could see
a Rainbow Bridge that would allow no fiend or foe it, the World Tree shifted and metamorphosed. Its
to pass into the northern sanctum of the World Tree; leaves became scales, its branches became bones;
and they bade gentle Tolgamyr, Lord of Beasts, to its roots turned to veins, and the bark of its trunk
guard the bridge valiantly while they performed their softened into flesh; and at last, the wind between
magic. (Thus, Tolgamyr would remain behind after its boughs swirled inward, alighting as an eternal
this age as the only living god left in the world.) silver flame. From within this purifying light, the
e
Sequestered in the glowing heart of the wood, for
nearly a fortnight the Immordran dwelled at the base
of Laedrethor pouring their magic outward into the
Immordran vanished from sight, but what rose in
their absence was their ultimate creation, a beast
that contained all of their essences merged into a
single heart: a protector with the power to destroy
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the Dragon of Darkness and save the realm. And
thus, the mighty Silver Champion, the immortal
dragon Laedrethor, was born into metallic splendor.
The Immordran, released of their flesh-sewn forms,
fell back into the sphere of aether that lies behind
the veil of the mortal realm. Their essences were still
held together by unbreakable willpower, and they
were still fully themselves, even carrying the same
m
Aeres History 21
Battle of the Ages greatest breath of platinum flame, letting it cascade
across the ripples of the aetheric sphere to consume
In a crash of noise like a explosive thunderclap, the Kalkuriath’s spirit. With his own flame extinguished,
Silver Dragon and the Dragon of Darkness collided the Dragon of Darkness fell limp and lifeless across
in the center of the sky over Aeres, nearly a mile the horizon, crashing into the soft bedrock of the
above a rolling field east of Irilon (the home of the western plain; the entire realm trembled with an
Jaermoorians in those days). Their melee echoed earthquake in his descent, and the final burst of his
out in a cacophony of explosions, roars, and buffet- fire ripped across those lands, consuming the desert
e
ing wings so intense that it could shatter glass nearly with ash and soot. At this, Saeyos roared his triumph
a hundred miles away. The Silver Lord’s unstoppable so loudly that every man, woman, and child on the
white flame rocketed across the sky, searing the face of Aeres could hear it, and they celebrated in
land below and cascading across Kalkuriath’s twisted resound at his victory.
The Vulgraks, watching completely astonished
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form. The wrathful Dragon of Darkness responded
with his own torrent of flame and a swift slash of from their dark tower at this display of incredible
claws which tore Saeyos’ flank, sending platinum power, at first bemoaned the loss of their dreadful
scales raining down to the world below. How long eidolon; but they were undeterred. As punishment
they battled, none can now say; the elfs claim it was for this transgression, they decided the fate of Aeres
an entire winter, while the plainsmen around the in a heartbeat: one of total extermination. If the
battlefield recorded that it lasted only until dawn. Dragon of Darkness couldn’t do it, then perhaps the
Nevertheless, the two dragons exchanged blows of draconvir and the Vulgraks’ other countless minions
massive force and ferocity until their energy was all could. What they had deemed as temperate ruler-
but completely spent. ship of the realm (despite its horrifying consequenc-
es for every other soul on Aeres) was immediately
e
The Silver Champion proved stronger, as he had
the power of virtue on his side, and the will of all
the peaceful folk of Aeres swelled under his wings,
lending him aetherian might. With an unparalleled
starburst of purifying light, Saeyos let loose his
cast aside. The Dark Emperors would drink the living
essence of every living person on the continent,
and then they would lord over the entire land with
impunity.
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Grievously wounded and depleted of the arcane
silver flame that allowed him to soar through the sky,
the mighty Saeyos was forced to retreat to the north.
He settled at the empty cairn of the old World Tree,
his birthplace; it was a glade brimming with eter-
nal magic which would allow him to slowly recover.
Although he had defeated Kalkuriath, the war for the
fate of Aeres was far from over.
m
e
every half-dragon beast that fell from elfen arrows, nance and resilience, and with their newfound might,
three Silverleaf warriors would sacrifice their lives; for they could vanquish the Vulgraks once and for all.
every goblin punctured by a peasant’s pitchfork, ten At the expense of their humanity, nearly every
more would arise in the darkness. The terror seemed single Erosiryn champion accepted the dragon’s
to have no end. offer, and the Council of the Silver Flame was born,
fil
with the aforementioned Lord Theodric at its helm.
Scions of the Silver Dragon The Argent Draconvir rode immediately to Irilon,
slashing through mounds of twisted Vulgrak min-
In the midst of this catastrophe, King Brioras’s forlorn ions along the way; legends say that the band of
council of knights at Irilon convened in desperation. champions crushed nearly a thousand goblins and
With seemingly nothing they could do to combat dragon-beasts in the Shattered Fields, leaving a vast
the Vulgraks and their armies, they were left with procession of destruction in their path. The drag-
only one hope: the Silver Dragon who lay wounded on-knights could unleash torrents of searing silver
far in the north. Not knowing if they could possibly flame not unlike that of Saeyos himself, and with
draconic plates protecting them, pitiful goblin spears
rejuvenate the beast with magic or even uncover
e
some secret power at the shrine of the World Tree,
the king dispatched nearly one hundred of his finest
paladins, sorcerers, and men-at-arms—the Council
of Steel—to beseech Saeyos in Jarnvidyr; and thus,
and arrows, normally deadly against men-at-arms if
brandished in mass numbers, were next to useless
against them.
King Brioras and Queen Britheva welcomed back
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that very night, these brave warriors set forth to the these ascendant heroes, and the people rejoiced
hidden wood, narrowly dodging draconvir warbands at their coming, for finally the end of the long and
as they went. Included among them was the king’s devastating war was at last on the horizon. Wast-
right hand, Lord Theodric the Virtuous, a valiant ing no time, the king dispatched the high council
swordsman and a key hero of Aeres in the coming outward along with the best of his remaining riders
years. and swordsmen; led by the nearly unstoppable
Deep in the forest beyond the glades of the dragon-knights, the warriors of Irilon rampaged
wilderkind, the pilgrims discovered Tolgamyr’s glade through the besieging forces that surrounded the
m
before the Rainbow Bridge. Understanding the des- city. In a matter of weeks, they routed ten thousand
peration of these heroes in their plight to save Aer- of the Vulgraks’ beasts and freed dozens of villages
es, the Lord of Beasts ferried them across, and they and hamlets which were under the thrall of twist-
were soon met by the spectacular form of Saeyos ed draconvir slavemasters. More importantly, with
himself, nurturing his wounds restlessly at the shrine. their holy fire, the dragon-knights could sever the
Now, the Silver Dragon was (and still is) a guardian dark leylines of power dotting the land, the strange
filled with strength and authority, but also wisdom shrine-portals from which the Vulgraks summoned
Sa
and kindness; after all, his essence was comprised of their minions, leaving the dark armies without rein-
nearly every Immordran, and he was just as desper- forcement. At the arrival of these valiant forces, the
ate to rescue the realm from this evil as the men of battered armies of elfs and dwarfs rallied and broke
Irilon. Yet, in his dire state, the dragon’s power was free of their imprisoned fortresses, joining the Erosir
drained; his platinum ichor meandered outward into on the field of battle. For nearly three winters, the
the mist of the glade, seeping into the earth, and forces of Aeres swept across the land from east to
although at any other time the dragon’s magical west, routing out Goblin Kings and their filthy battal-
might would have been marvelous indeed, there in ions, and dragging foul draconvir from the sky to be
Jarnvidyr, he could offer these heroes only one path. summarily judged.
As the council gathered in the glade before Lae-
drethor, the dragon proposed a clever but harrowing
solution. To defeat the Vulgraks’ vicious draconvir,
the men of Irilon would need to summon draconvir
Aeres History 23
Light Prevails
The Vulgraks and their followers, watching from their
enchanted tower as their plans slowly came to ruin,
howled their frustration nightly and bitterly fought
with one another at who might have been to blame
for their failure. They were losing everything; and the
Dark Emperors themselves, having depleted their
e
stores of siphoned aetherian essence, were slowly
but surely no longer able to maintain the magical
fiber of their immortal forms. They began to age and
decay, turning sunken and decrepit.
The Erosir knew that the time to strike was upon
fil
them. In mighty longboats built in haste on the
shores of Tristanvar, a stout alliance of Aeres cham-
pions, which even included King Brioras of Irilon
himself, sailed forth to assault the blasted wastes of
the east. In a short time, these good forces tram-
pled across the land uncontested and arrived at the
twisted gates of Blysvar, the Dark Fortress of Mys-
tery. The Vulgraks’ dozen or so acolytes and wizards
who commanded their dungeons (including the
young Olhogim) fled into the underground, leaving
their masters unprotected, trapped in a mortal-
e
ly weakened state. Knights of the Council of the
Silver Flame quickly breached the upper chambers,
confronting the frail and dilapidated Dark Emper-
pl
ors themselves. In that final twilight hour, at the bestowed upon the strongest warriors of Irilon the
realization of their doom, it’s said that the monsters quintessence of draconic might, Saeyos remained
screeched with terror so loudly that folk across the distant from the affairs of the mortal kingdoms, con-
sea could hear its otherworldly echo. With enchant- tent to allow the Council of the Silver Flame to ham-
ed steel, the dragon-knights laid low the Vulgraks at mer out their own form of leadership (which they
the seat of their power. The Scouring of Essence had would soon dispense to nearly the entire realm).
at last drawn to a close. The Argent Draconvir, finding themselves the
the predominance of the terrible Vulgraks, began The elfs, dwarfs, gnomes, and other races ven-
to unfold its mysticism once again. At the start of tured back into their own lands, and they were privy
the age, the Silver Champion Saeyos remained at henceforth only in their own laws and traditions;
his golden nesting place in the very spot where the but the human kingdoms were vast in the north,
World Tree once stood. Although his violent power and the high council of Irilon required something
remained unmatched by any force on the face of more than mere willpower to lead Aeres into a new
Aeres, the good dragon was actually a creature of in- golden age. Toward this end, in the short years that
tense wisdom and gentle temperament; his purpose followed the defeat of the Vulgraks, the council of
was never to rule or command any of the mortal folk knights traveled once again to Jarnvidyr to consult
of Aeres, but only to ensure that such primordial evil with Laedrethor in his eternal wisdom.
as the Dark Emperors could never again take hold With the help of the dragon himself, the most
upon the living face of the world. Having already idealistic of these scions gathered there beyond the
Rainbow Bridge and built a lofty stone shrine
24 Aeres History
at the foot of the crystal spring which whispered land from north to south, upholding the piety of
upwards from the roots of the World Tree. North of Aeres virtues for years to come. Peace and prosper-
the shrine, this dragon vigil also erected a simple ity reigned once more even beyond the passing of
village far apart from the vices of the civilized realms the wise king Brioras, who left his kingdom to his
of men; and there they vowed to uphold the virtues son Haelmanir, a stoic warrior wielding an enchant-
of Aeres herself. They codified their disciplines into ed blade called Danturial (a blade which holds the
a new pact containing the most ancient Erosiryn hallowed destiny of the Erosiryn kingdom). The elder
wisdom with the immortal guidance of Saeyos. They Queen Britheva would rule until Haelmanir came of
e
called it the Platinum Oath, which would in more old age before gracefully stepping from the throne.
recent decades merely be referred to as the “Old
Code.” The Code was a lengthy chronicle written
in Old Erosiryn, part poem, part diatribe, and part The Dragon Slumbers
treatise, which outlined commandments for knights
fil
and kings to stride forth and rule with both honor After a number of years, healed from the wounds
and humility. Even to this day, the dragon-knights of he suffered battling Kalkuriath and satisfied that the
the north dwell solemnly on the oath, upholding its realm was at last at peace, the Silver Dragon Saeyos
virtues throughout the ages. A small section of the departed for the misty mountain of Mostmora far
Old Code, describing the charges expected of any to the southwest. There he would dwell underneath
follower of Laedrethor, the Silver Champion: the old caverns of Aeres, slumbering for an age so
as not the deplete his aetherian energy. After his
departure, all across Aeres, the misty presence of
In solemn vigil shall ye followers of the mighty aether began to return, since the Dark Emperors
Saeyos, whose wings shelter all of Aeres wheth- no longer existed to eerily siphon it from the land
er asleep or awake, and whose breath banishes
darkness and wickedness from every recess
of this realm, swear allegiance to these oaths
withholding no fealty to them lest honor be di-
vested of thee, so that true righteousness shall
e and its people. As wisemen and scholars unearthed
more secrets of aether, they soon came in contact
with the bygone Immordran, who still dwelled very
much alive beyond the veil of the visible world. The
old titans of Aeres began to seek communion with
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ever persist across the face of the world: wisdom-seekers through séance and ritual, and they
started to make their presences known with mystical
Thou shalt be everywhere and always the signs and portents, in nearly every instance leading
champion of the right and the good against mortal mystics to even greater understanding of the
injustice and evil. enigma of magic itself.
When called upon, thou shalt defend and The Heroic Age would last nearly a century, and
protect the weak and the destitute with all during its extent, nearly every kingdom on Aeres
one’s strength, even unto death.
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Aeres History 25
The Return he conducted strange rituals at his shrine, evoking
stygian magic that was never meant to be wielded
of Darkness
by mortal hands. The arcane power of the Vulgraks
gradually began to twist and deform not just his ap-
pearance, but his very spirit, turning him into an un-
Erosiryn chronicles dying monster barely connected to the mortal world.
e
in twilight robes with sickly moss-colored flesh and
As mentioned earlier, while the rest of Aeres started grasping, bony fingers, which were said to reach
to get on with their lives, far in the east beyond the out to the sleeping folk of Aeres in their nightmares.
broken black castle of Blysvar, new shadows began Even worse, through portents and dream travels, he
to stir; for although the Vulgraks themselves had appeared in visions to call the most depraved minds
fil
been slain, their twisted followers and necromantic of Aeres to his domain. And thus, Olhogim drew a
acolytes had fled in the cover of night to the sur- small legion of followers to enact his wickedness in
rounding wastelands. The greatest of these aco-
lytes was called Olhogim, an
alchemist and thaumaturgist
who had assisted the Vulgraks
in developing the process by
which living creatures could
be deprived of their aetherian
essences, transforming them
into bloodthirsty, primitive
creatures (which the good folk
of Aeres had called goblins in
the old days).
For decades, Olhogim wait-
e
pl
ed deep in a murky swamp be-
yond the haze of the peak of
Naraczaman. At the top of his
cursed tower, far beyond the
watchful eyes of the Council of
the Silver Flame and the other
good folk of Aeres, Olhogim
m
e
his way beyond the goblins barricades, narrowly
escaping to the west (and Aeres would later be glad
The Witch Lord’s ultimate goal must have been that he did).
nothing less than to continue the Vulgraks’ legacy, Despite Theodric’s escape, the greatest bastion of
waging a dark war of destruction against the green light on Aeres had been snuffed out. The Council’s
fil
lands of Aeres and siphoning away aether wherever warcries had gone silent, and the West was left to
he could find it to fuel his insatiable lust for magical face its doom alone. Luckily, unlike when the Dark
power. He took a careful cue from his old masters’ Emperors appeared, the Maiden of Fate (the Im-
tactics. Rather than invade the northern lands openly mordran Gipta) was able to prophecy the coming
at first, Olhogim allowed his seething shadow to
creep into the land slowly and quietly. A small village
on the outskirts of Hesmoor would come under at-
tack by a band of ravenous goblins. A group of elfen
scouts would be waylaid by hissing banshees in the
dark corners of the silverwood. The Witch Lord’s
e
forces materialized from murky caverns, abandoned
mines, festering swamps, and misty mountains,
lurking, slithering, and stealing away in the night. For
many years this continued as Olhogim himself grew
in power at the Peak of Sorrow. His monsters and
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followers always seemed to seek magical treasure
and enchanted trinkets, a prize for their murder,
and their presence grew bolder and more danger-
ous almost by the day, until eventually the gates of
Irilon and Esrendel were hounded nightly by deadly
beasts, and the dwarfs of Soruban were forced to
scythe away swarms of goblins from their halls.
m
e
Lord’s darkness was beginning to swell uncontrolla- trails to the icy pass of Bandelbron. On the way to
bly in the mortal lands of Aeres, Balcanur was able the north, perhaps in submission to fate itself, they
to harness this knowledge and intervene. In that old also gathered a wayward warrior of the dwarfs into
tome, the wizard learned of the riddle of Estera, the their quest, Rengathulorn of the Hills (whom often
greatest spell of Aeres, and one which could prove just goes by Rengath). He would remain a hearty
fil
to be the Witch Lord’s undoing. and steadfast companion not just of the quest to fell
As mentioned earlier in the history of the Dragons the Witch Lord, but also for many heroics of Aeres to
of Strife, the Immordran empowered the World Tree come.
to take the shape of Saeyos by playing an incompre- On the morning before he left to collect Acca-
hensibly magical song of life, which was called Es- ris, Balcanur had dispatched a warning to the high
tera. Before they disappeared from the material side king of Irilon about the song and its keymaster; in
of the world, the gods left in Tolgamyr’s charge an solemn response to this portent, the old king had
enchanted flute, one which echoed with the rever- dispatched his son Lancathir, the sole heir to the
berations of that song; the last vestige of the Immor- throne of the Erosir, to retrieve the holy instrument
dran’s presence on face of the realm. Should Aeres from the enchanted glade at Gruncrist Forest, and
require the unfathomable power of that immortal
A Drawing of Champions
e
song once more, the Lord of Beasts would unearth
then return to meet Accaris and his charge before
the Witch Lord could overwhelm the city’s protec-
torate. The noble prince Lancathir was perhaps the
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Now, at the time of the Witch Lord’s coming, the
hinterfolk, or halflings as some call them, were
quite content to settle peacefully in the untouched
lowlands west of Bandelbron, in fact close to the
sea and in almost total isolation from the rest of the
realm. It was no coincidence that Gipta selected her
m
28 Aeres History
most powerful swordsman in the entire realm, and Meanwhile, Accaris and his company attended
he wielded the fabled Blade of Honor Danturial, an council with the king, and they were joined by more
ancient claymore from the time of King Beorin. With brave heroes who had traveled far at Balcanur’s
a band of battered and war-weary knights by his urgent summons to protect the realm: Lonius of
side, Lancathir rode forth to the wood to seek the Larendane, a cunning and wild elf-archer of Silver-
council of Tolgamyr, hoping against hope that the leaf, and the Champion of the Age, Kaerodar, who
hour of his journey wasn’t too late. was also called Blondar, the strongest barbarian of
In the time it took to recover the artifact from the tribes of Astreas; at dire risk to their lives, they
e
Tolgamyr’s glade, the Witch Lord had unleashed the had both made their way to the castle. Now with
full atrocity of his armies upon the unsuspecting folk the flute in hand and a band of the land’s greatest
of Aeres. On black skull-ships sailed thousands of heroes assembled, their last step would be to make
goblins and their orcish commanders, along with ev- their way to the east... but they faced fierce opposi-
ery ghoul and dead-eyed skeleton that Olhogim had tion. Although he was a powerful magician, Balcanur
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agglomerated in the wastelands of Astreas; all of himself was too frail to travel with the company of
them poured in legion out from the eastern shores Accaris. He bestowed upon the heroes as many mys-
of the realm. tical tinctures and enchantments as he could muster,
Like a sea of death and decay, they washed over and then he cloistered himself away at the highest
the land, scorching and tearing down everything tower of Irilon to watch and wait for their return.
good and green in those once-verdant fields, which With the city surrounded, Accaris and his com-
were even then only beginning to recover from panions (save for the noble dragon-knight Theodric,
Kalkuriath’s flames. still nursing his grievous wounds from the Council’s
direct attack on the Witch Lord,) had little choice but
to ride out with Haelmanir to force their way through
The woods were pitch dark, not like they
who was also a rat; his expression was one of ing to ford the ancient bridge itself, only to be met
terror and resolve. The goblins never had a by the steel-tipped pikes of Irilon. Every warrior
clue that we were coming for them. And from there would wade into the melee soaked with blood,
the darkness we struck, along with many other sweat, and ash.
beasts, all across the forest the sounds of Yet, the Witch Lord’s wicked command was nearly
bloodshed and violence rang out. We had no too much for the forces of good to withstand. As
weapons. Only teeth and claws, as sharp now King Haelmanir himself charged ahead of his men
as they were then; and we rended them. We
Sa
Aeres History 29