Fragment Lore - Rynne:
Copyright 1997 Shawn Williamson and other identified in the text.
The largest of all known fragments Rynne is about 2000 miles
long (North-South) and about 1100 miles wide (East-West).
Rynne has 20 Independent nations. The Kingdom of Caid,
Tarlan, Farlan, Mir Woodds, Raddan Woods, Plains of Wren, Milan,
Quy, Althizar, Uland, Ruins of Mon, Gaelic, Ulm, Grolan, Erthos,
The Wild Coast, The Crystal Desert, Lanth, The Republic of Sothan,
and Hirm. A quasi nation, the Island of Flen, lies in the center
of the Ythan, one of the last oceans.
Rynne has 10 smaller fragments orbiting near it. They are:
Sothig, Xarposteg, Yulena, Rahor, Sodeg, Jevquirpt, Jopot, Quok,
Merla, and Barlen. These "satelite fragments" make up the major
trade with Rynne. With the exception of Barlen, each has it's own
product that it trades with each other and the Nations of Rynne.
They are "nearby" in the sense that they are about a week's journey
from Rynne. Barlen is used as a prison fragment by the Holy
Nations.
Like most fragments, Rynne rotates one revolution per 24
hours. Because of its large size and speed of rotation,
Dragonships can only dock at two places. On the West axis is the
Crystall Desert. The Shieks of the desert require very high port
fees from any ship that docks there, but never question the
products brought in. On the East axis is Quy, one of the three
Holy Nations. Docking is free, but all ships are searched for
"Forbiden Material" - anything they believe to be inherently evil.
The Nations of Rynne:
Uland, Althizar and Quy make up the Holy Nations. They fight
a constant battle against the creatures of Galic, the nation of
evil humanoids. The three nations are neary identicle in pupose
and government.
The rulers of each nation is a high level paladin. In fact,
the three rulers are brothers: Bartle, Graham, and Montfort. They
are each the ruler of their order of Knighthood. The Knights are
likened to the Paladins of old. They have all the Paladin
abilities and more. Their god, Vaestrael, also grants them spell
abilites begining from 1st level. They may cast spells as a cleric
of the same level, but are granted spells on a weekly basis instead
of a daily basis.
Uland is farthest south and closest to Galic. It is ruled by
Bartle. Althizar is in the middle and is ruled by Montfort. Quy
is at the top. It controls one of the two Dragonship ports of Rynne
and is ruled by Graham. The port is free and allows anyone to dock
there, but all ships are searched for forbidden (evil) material.
Galic - The Dread Land. It is the refuge of evil and
villainy. It lies on the southern tip of Rynne. The Galian
mountain range is its primary protection and border. Few humans
live here. It is mostly Orcs, Knolls, Ogres, and the like. It is
the only nation on Rynne that allows slavery. The slaves are
usually captured knights of the Holy Nations. There is not set
government. Whoever is strongest rules.
Republic of Sothan. Its capital is the City of Light. It
has one of the most highly developed and respected mage's guilds in
all the fragments.
Sothan's emperor is the monk Merlok, one of the 13 known Grand
Master of Flowers. He requires all mages to dedicate one day of
the month to public service. Clerics are forbidden from receiving
money on this public service day for their healing. Many of the
religions were outragged at having to heal and cure non-worshipers.
The tension eased when the White Hand clerics set up a temple. The
Hand clerics are forbidden by their religion to turn away any who
needs their help.
Thanks to the policy of community service, the streets of the
City of Light have continual light street lamps so that when Rynne
is rotated away from the sun there will always be light. Many
other magical wonders are in place for helping the needy and making
life easier.
Kingdom of Caid - The Nation for Mercenaries. Caid hires out
its soldiers to anyone who will pay the price. They will not get
involved in the Holy war between the Holy Nations and Galic. The
Holy Nations have threatened war with Caid if send any help to
Galic.
Raddan and Mir - A large forest in the North is split down the
middle into these two nations. This forest is the outpost of the
Elves. Different political views caused a split that formed these
two nations. In Raddan lives Grandma Kuno, the oldest living elf.
She is 2,238 years old. She actually remembers when the world was
whole. Furthermore she alone can claim to having met the
Necromancer when she was very young. She says that he was a very
nice man and finds it hard to believe he was capable of causing the
Shattering. She says she has forgotten what his real name was.
The Crystal Desert is the homeland of the Sheiks. They are
also known as Thri-Kreen, the Mantis people. The Sheiks control
one of the two Dragonship ports of Rynne. They charge a high port
fee for any ship docking on Rynne, but never examine the cargo.
Many illegal products have came to Rynne through the Crystal
Desert.
The Crystal Desert has had many sightings of Air Elementals
and Djinni. An Elemental mage or two are reported to live in the
secluded desert.
Lanth - It is a largely undeveloped, wooded, and hilly land
ruled by a plutocracy of 14 Overlords in a fuedal system
supported by the labor of 75% of the population who are
their chattels. There are five free towns that each host a fair
each year in a different place in Lanth, attracting merchants
from neighboring nations and a large contingent from the
Crystal Desert (on Lanth's southern border. Religion is
plural and not influential in politics or the economy. The
Servants have several bases of operation and serve as guides
to merchants and protectors of the large unspoiled
wilderness. It is at peace with all its bordering neighbors.
More about Lanth By Teresa Shannon
Erthos is a poor nation sparsely populated with tough mountain tribes
organized into a clan system. They trade small hand crafts to Lanth, feud
with each other, and have occaisional problems with the Wild Coast.
The climate is dry and mostly desert but the country is divided by a
spine of low mountains from Lanth to Ulm called the Spine of Tlillit and
home to most of the populace. There are three towns which evolved
around springs but the rest of the land depends on carved cisterns to
catch water for the first two months of the year. Religion is largely
animistic and the people are consumed with the growth of their personal
clan and clan honor.
There is no centralized government or army in Erthos, nor are there
magic users. The towns and land is accessible through a system of
roads criss-crossing the spine and allowing for trade with outsiders.
More about Erthos By Teresa Shannon
The Ruins of Mon was once known as the Plains of Mon. It was
a forth Holy Nation. About 50 years ago troops from Galic stormed
down the mountains and destroyed nearly everyting. This was the
begining of the Holy War. The few humans who survived fled to the
other Holy Lands.
The Ruins of Mon is now only a battle site. No one lives in
Mon. The Holy Nations and Galic often meet in the Ruins of Mon for
continued battles.
Grolan is a self-ruling socialistic government consisting of
many dispursed farming communities. The peoples are sometimes
considered radicals by the citizens of other countries. The Grolans
don't believe in a central government. They believe that each individual
should rule his/her own life and do anything they wish, as long as it
does not interfere with the wishes of others. They do band into small
community-based mini governments that protects the good of the community.
Although this sounds like a chaotic arrangement, it actually
works quite well.
The Grolans meet occasionally in a "Moot" to set rules for their
communities to follow. Individual communities often have a Moot once a
month to discuss business. Once per year each community sends a
representative to a large Main Moot to discuss country-wide concerns.
(Usually the effects of a draught, or poor growing conditions, or to
compare community rules.) After every Moot is a feast and a dance or some
other grand social event to encourage attendance.
Although they are bordered to the South by the Galian mountain range,
they have never had a problem with the evil humanoids of Galic. The
dwarves of Dregan 'Bra have successfully kept the passes closed to the
scurges of Galic so far.
The Wild Coast of Rynne, aka The Pirate Coast
By Oliver <102774.2044@CompuServe.COM>
The Wild Coast of Rynne is aptly named for it's ragged
coastline and the destructive waves that crash onto it everyday.
The inhabitants of this land are a rugged lot, made up mostly of
seafaring pirates that prey on ships sailing on the Ythan Sea,
and on the coastal settlements of Althizar and Erthos.
Occasionally, the various clans of pirates have been known to
join together in a war band known as the Scimitar Council, in
order to launch attacks against the Holy Nations, and sometimes
even Galic for the riches that are ever present in the cities.
It is only the fact that the Holy Nations and Galic are at war
with each other that the Pirates of the Wild Coast have not been
attacked by a sizable force from either side yet.
Countries yet to be described:
Farlan
Tarlan
Hirm
Ulm
Milan
Plains of Wren
Other Features of Rynne:
Mount Ghandor is the highest peak on any fragment. It is part
of the Galian Mountain Range. It lies between Galic and The Ruins
of Mon.
Dregan 'Bra. This mountian is also part of the Galiean
Mountain Range. It lies between Grolan and Galic. Its underground
tunnels and caverns was once the proud home of many thousands of
Dwarves who called it LastHome. They have since offended their god
and are now nearly extinct. Fewer and fewer dwarves are born each
year. Their tunels are slowly being abandoned and taken over by
the Underdark denizens of Galic. This has troubled the rulers of
the Holy Nations. If Galic gains total control of it they will
have a very mighty fortress.
A map of Rynne.