Introduction to

Liathen:

“A world torn apart by prejudice in which evil seeks dominion.”

Introduction to Liathen: Who are the heroes? What do they do? Threats, Conflicts and Villains: Nature of Magic: What’s different?

Who are the heroes?

There are many areas in Liathen from which heroes arise.  Chief among them is the Church of Cioreh, Goddess of Heroism.  A loosely knit organization, it serves as the first line of defense against the minions of Marist, the God of Evil.  Also working to further the cause of good are the misunderstood operatives of Spyder, a dragon who views information as his hoard. He uses his organization and information to counter what he perceives as a swell of evil in the world.

What do they do?

            Commonly, people who are looking to be heroes join the Church of Cioreh. Some, however, become heroes simply by chance.  Those seeking adventures might join a mercenary guild or become an agent of one of the many churches in Liathen.  The church of Elizar, Goddess of Knowledge, often hires people to explore ancient catacombs and temples to see what may be learned.  In the world of Liathen, Halflings are treated as second class citizens and forced to live in ghettos called “Holes.”  As a result, many heroic Halflings have taken to using music and poetry in an attempt to uplift the station of their people.

Threats, Conflicts and Villains:

The Dark God Marist is the biggest threat to the people of Liathen.  He seeks absolute dominion over the world and will not stop until he is worshipped by all and granted sovereignty by his fellow Deities. His followers further this cause using actions both overt and clandestine.  In recent years, Marist has granted some in his church control of the monstrous Akustoi.  The Akustoi are mindless creatures whose saliva causes convolutions in humanoids; earning them the nickname “Spitters” in many populations.

Prejudice is widespread in the world of Liathen due in large part to a lack of interaction between the races.  Humans, the world’s dominant race, view their fellow humanoids with mistrust, especially the Elves whom they see as frightening and dangerous due to the elven ability to wield magic without the consent of a God.  In one extreme case, The Black Claws use the guise of a mercenary group to cover-up their attempts at eradicating Elves throughout the Liathen.

Nature of Magic:

            Magic in Liathen centers on the Gods.  They grant powers to their followers in the form of magical items and spells, but these blessings are just as easily taken away if a follower displeases or defies her Deity.  Indeed, a magical sword granted its power by Xavran may work for one but be useless to others who worship another Deity over the God of War.

            Arcane magic, however, is rare.  Indeed, very few races have access to it.  The gnomes were able to wield it when they still walked the lands, but now the only remnants of their skill are found in the few relics they left behind.  Elves were blessed with the gift of pattern magic by the Sky God Laken. They use it to affect the physical properties of the world around them, as well as their own bodies.  They can also use it to unleash powerful energies against their foes.  This has cost them, however, as the other races now view them with mistrust.  Halflings have recently begun to demonstrate a talent for illusion magic, but it is unknown where they gained this ability.  Some claim to have learned it from a the mysterious Fire God, Winken.

What’s different?

In a long forgotten age, dragons terrorized Liathen. As a result, they were hunted to near extinction by Gods and men alike.  The few remaining dragons used their natural shape changing abilities to live in hiding among the various populations of the world.  A dragon who reveals his true nature to one of the other races is tracked down and killed by his brethren should they ever learn of his betrayal.

This hiding has caused many changes in dragons over the centuries.  The most significant of which is their hoards.  Dragons now hoard social power and control, rather than gold or jewels. The roguish Spyder, for example, hoards information.  Another dragon might view political influence as his hoard, working as an advisor to kings and nobles.  A third might run several guilds from behind the scenes.

Liathen created by: Brendan Mahan and Aaron Morse