Barsaive is a diverse land. Comprised primarily of lowland plains and forests, dotted with mountainous areas, it is rich in resources both mundane and magical. The land contains a great deal of forest areas. The largest forest is The Bloodwood in the north, home of the Blood Elves. The wooded areas of central Barsaive are comprised of jungles, the largest two being the Liaj jungle to the west and the Servos jungle to the east. The Serpent River extends from the far northwest of Barsaive to the east at Lake Ban and then to the Mist Swamps in the south, its banks consisting of rich, fertile land. Almost directly north of the Servos jungle are the Throal Mountains, seat of the Kingdom of Throal and home to a large portion of Barsaive's population. The Badlands, the Poison Forest, and The Wastes represent the corrupted areas that are mostly uninhabitable.
Where is your character from?
Who is his/her family, how does he/she feel about them?
What areas does he/she dislike, where would he/she never go?
What is his/her favorite/preferred...
terrain?
territory?
climate?
Magic
Magicians use magic to directly influence the world around them. They form astral constructs called Spell Matrices which not only take on the shape of the desired spells pattern thus allowing the spell to be cast, but also protect the spell's caster from the corrupted energies of astral space and hide the magician's actions from astral detection. Some spells are simple enough that the magician need only draw power through the matrix to cast the spell; others require him/her to add Threads to the base pattern to temporarily empower the magic before casting.
What power does your character wish to possess?
What fascinates him/her?
What does your character consider ordinary?
The Horrors
During the time known as The Scourge, terrible astral creatures called Horrors magically crossed over from their nether realms into the world. According to ancient legend, the Horrors cross over when the magical aura of the world waxes to its highest state and retreat as the aura wanes again until none remain, a process that takes centuries. During the last Scourge, however, as the Namegivers huddled in elementally-enhanced fortresses known as Kaers, the magical aura mysteriously stabilized allowing many Horrors to remain. During the height of the magical aura, the Horrors penetrated many Kaers killing and tormenting the inhabitants within, feeding off the pain and suffering. No one knows the true nature of these astral creatures, only that they are incredibly powerful, they corrupt what they touch in both this plane and the astral plane, and that they grow strong from torturing, destroying, and consuming the inhabitants of this world. Their legacy, the corrupted wastes of Barsaive are left for Earthdawn's heroes to face, and their ravages continue under the lessened magical aura.
What does your character hate?
What does your character fear?
Throal and Thera
The nation known as Thera was indirectly formed because of The Scourge. Elianar Messias, an outcast of the Elven Court, first discovered the significance of six ancient tomes called the Books of Harrow and died in the effort. Kearos Navarim continued Messias' studies, founding the island nation Nehr'esham, which would one day become Thera, for the purpose of gathering magicians, scholars, and knowledge. The nation became not only a center for scholarship and magical power, but also trade and then military might. The design of wards and kaers to repel the Horrors gave the bargaining chip needed to establish dominance over many nations and much of Barsaive. The nation of Thera has changed drastically from its founder's ideals.
The nation of Throal gained its power because of Thera. The Theran Overseer Kern Fallo used the existing Dwarven Administration to carry out his policies in Barsaive. The dwarves used this period to gain an important foothold in the politics of the region. They are viewed almost as positively as the Therans are negatively and Dwarven became the common tongue. During the Scourge, the nation of Throal envisioned a better world than one dominated by Thera .
After the Scourge, two powers emerged. The nation of Throal is based on Dwarven concepts of freedom and trade. The Theran Empire is based on superiority and hunger for power.
What is your character's view of politics?
What political or social groups does your character:
Belong to?
Admire or Respect?
Hate or Dislike?
The Passions
Passions are believed to the powerful manifestations of
the emotions of Namegivers. There are many Passions, each one embodied
by certain ideals and followed by their respective Questors, men and
women who seek to serve their sponsering Passion, upholding his or her
ideals and possessing special abilities to do so. In general, Passions
are looked on favorably and their questors are respected, as the
ideals they represent are basically helpful or desirable. There are some evil
ones, called the Mad Passions because they were driven
insane during the Scourge. These Passions serve twisted mockeries of the
ideals they once fostered but still have their own Questors.
What are your character's ideals, what does your character believe?
Rank the following:
_____ Ambition (Chorrolis)
_____ Skill (Astendar)
_____ Compassion (Garlen/Mynbruje)
_____ Enthusiasm (Floranuus)
_____ Freedom (Lochost)
_____ Industriousness (Upandal)
_____ Justice (Mynbruje)
_____ Love (Astendar)
_____ Truth (Mynbruje)
Adventuring
An adventurer often uncovers the past in attempting to better the present. The Hero draws on the power of artifacts and legends of the ages, building upon the names of those that have gone before. The creation of legend is intertwined with the discovery of ancient legends. By uncovering and studying age-old heroes, modern ones learn about and strengthen their own legends.
A hero finding lost or hidden treasures benefits in many ways. The discovery and use of the treasure teaches valuable lessons and makes the hero legitimate in the eyes of the populace. More importantly, it provides a link to the past, to the patterns and magical forces the legends used in ages before. The knowledge granted provides a model to follow and the power gained provides a means to continue the search.
What does your character value?
What does your character desire?
What will your character do anything for?
What would your character be willing to sacrifice?
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