Fading Memory — Roleplayer Guild

1) I am trying something new here; I will only be allowing the races listed below, and would prefer if everyone played a different race! Be civil, and let me know what you guys think of the races; I feel they represent what I want them to very well, and think they're thematic, fluffy, and appropriate without outright shattering the concept of relative balance. I created them all as an experiment in recapturing the fantastic-ness of Fantasy that I feel the 'balanced and average' races of traditional 5e have lost. This is purely my opinion, and my own efforts at seeing how the system will handle this sort of thing; as such, the stat shuffling of Tasha's Cauldron of Everything will not be allowed.

2) I would prefer if we didn't bother with Unearthed Arcana or any outside homebrew; I'm already changing a lot of the basework of the game myself, I don't want to muddy my musings with too many other ideas.

3) We're here to have a good time. Be decent folk.

4) Stats will be rolled; link me to the rolls; if, before racial modifiers, your total array adds to less than 72, you may reroll the entire array. 72 is the pre-racial Standard Array value, and I use this as a benchmark for this purpose. If you're fine with taking a less-than-average statistical array, power to you- I know I personally enjoy making things work- but I want everyone to have a chance to shine with the fancy new things I've done here.

5) If I have to make an on-the-fly call or rules arbitration, I'll keep a public facing note on Post 0 of the OOC to keep consistency in my rulings. If I decide to alter a ruling later on, I'll make it very clear what is being altered and why. Patch NotesTM

6) I don't do 'death saves'. I prefer my stories to be more heroic in nature, and as such I concocted this house rule amalgamation over the years:
-you will automatically 'stabilize' at 0 HP and be unconscious. Characters reduced to 0 HP in this way will simply gain a level of Exhaustion to represent taking injuries and needing time to recover. Being hit while already at 0 HP will make a creature suffer an additional level of Exhaustion; creatures trying to kill you may, indeed, try to repeatedly execute you!
-Being reduced to 0 by a Critical Hit, or a blow that would deal their maximum hit points in the negatives, will result in the Character suffering a Lasting Injury. You will roll twice on the chart and select an injury.
-The whole 'team' getting KO'd is not the end! This will result in a 'Campaign Failure' as opposed to a 'TPK', and instead of death something negative to the goals of the characters will occur.

Any exceptions to this will be clearly stated; death can still happen, I just don't like seeing a story derailed by a stray critical hit, or a case of bad dice.

7) I ordinarily use the Variant 'long rest' and 'slow natural healing' rules; for this game, I will be using the standard D&D 5e rest pacings [Short rest = 1 hour, long rest = 8 hours], but Slow Natural Healing will still be in effect; hit dice must be spent during long rests instead of a guaranteed full heal, and are regained as normal. I feel this compensates for my Death-And-Dying rules to keep pressure and tension high in combat.

8) Milestone levelling; cheers, we'll get there.

9) I let every race start with a feat. This is part of why I'm not allowing any variant humans besides the one listed below.

10) We will begin the game at level 3, but be absolutely blitzing our way through the low tiers. Your characters are competent adventurers at the get-go.

11) Spells and classes and subclasses and backgrounds from any officially published material will be permitted Except for the backgrounds offered by the Magic The Gathering Supplements; I just don't really prefer them, that is all.

12) I'm generally stingy with magic items. I don't know why, I don't know when, but this mindset has gripped me for my entirety of a career as a DM; in oldschool fantasy settings like I'm trying to emulate, magic items were often rarer but mattered significantly more, and I'd like to blame that for this. This is both a warning and a promise; magic items might be more rare than you're accustomed to, but I will still endeavor to capture those feelings of oldschool fantasy where finding the magic sword or encountering that mystical amulet are impactful and carry meaning.

13) I'm going to be giving 'Plot Points' a shot since the forum seems like the best place to test them, what with me having ample time to think about you folks' inclusions. I want this to be an immersive experience, and one that cultivates a creative and co-operative storytelling environment. Every player has 1 plot point. Plot points will be refreshed once everyone has spent theirs. To use a Plot Point, in your posts simply state something like [PLOT POINT USED] and then describe your addition to the scenes. These can be small plot twists like finding letters or maps, sudden traps that change your location within the same dungeon/region, the appearance of a particular creature, an NPC who needs help or has a task to be completed- I want you guys to feel free to incorporate these things in any meaningful and collaborative manner you want. Discussion is encouraged, as always, with the rest of the table- but ultimately your Plot Point is yours, and I ask that people respect each other's Plot Point decisions; if you feel that your idea for a Plot Point would be too much or too divisive with the group, discuss it with everyone! I want to use these as an experiment in collaborative storytelling.

This is how it'd go on a 'traditional' table and is still valid if you have an idea but don't feel comfortable taking direct control of its introduction;
GM: You adventure through the woods, only to be ambushed by bandits. Roll initiative... Alright, you guys have defeated the bandits, I assume you're going to go through their pockets?

Player 1: Yeah, do I need to roll anything?
Player 2: Wait a minute, I have an idea, I'd like to spend my plot point to say these guys were specifically waiting for us and have a letter on their bodies saying they were paid to kill us.
Player 1: Oh that's cool, yeah

GM: Alright sure, you find a letter on their bodies, and it says...

For our purposes, on the Guild, I want you all to feel free to take a little more control and collaborate with each other over things if you'd prefer. I'll keep control of the ultimate arching story and guide the narrative, but if you guys have specific in the moment things you think would deepen the story or be an interesting twist, feel free to do something like this and take a little more control for yourselves instead;

GM: You're ambushed by bandits in the woods, this is what is happening, roll initiative.

Player 1: [Plot Point], As initiative is rolled, I realize I recognize one of the bandits as a young woman from the town we just came through who I met at the tavern. She had asked me about our journey and I thought nothing of it, but this makes things very suspicious. I call out to the others; "Do not kill them, these are townsfolk!" as I draw my blade.

GM: Alright we can run with that, sounds good.

Either of these options are fine by me in stylistic choice, but are also not limiters in your possibilities. Maybe there's a secret door you discover in an ancient ruin, and who knows what's within (introduce the twist, let me control the outcome)? Or perhaps you open a chest and suddenly a flash of magic occurs and the party now finds themselves in a dark room with the chittering of spiders? (Introduce a trap, describe location transition; best to talk these over with the group, and I'll adjust the dungeon to now include the 'new' room the 'trap' teleported you to).

Other easy options are 'Someone from my past shows up with information', or 'Someone recognizes your character, they have a grudge', etc.

14) We're gonna be playing fast and loose with the 'grid'; with this Forum medium, I'll be leaning more heavily into Theater Of The Mind style combats and narratives. Feel free to keep a rough track of things like positioning and speeds, and i'll establish rough distances whenever needed, but for the most part we're roleplaying here with D&D 5e as the framework rather than doing a miniature wargame [though I do love those] this time around. Additionally, for the sake of ease, Initiative will be handled in a simple manner; Players roll, Monsters roll, whichever side rolls highest goes first. Specific initiative will not be tracked for the ease of forum timings; players can act in any order they wish when it is Team PC Initiative, and the monsters will also act in whatever order they wish when it is Team Monster initiative. This will create some slight skew in some situations, but in broad strokes this will keep our game moving swiftly through mechanically dense scenes like fights.

15) I think it'll be neat to try and track encumbrance for once in my life, but if this turns out to be an utter drag we'll ditch this specific rule with haste and go back to the usual 'let's just be reasonable' mindset.

*If anyone decides to try and play an Artificer, I'll probably allow it and just rename the class 'Zephyrsmith'*

"Oh! Aesithas! Glorious land of the Dales and Lakes, glorious land of the Nimbus and Everbloom, glorious land of the Two-Faced Gods! Aesithas! Beacon of the land! Stalwart against the Shadow of the Lands Beyond! Long may she reign! Long may she stand resolute! Long live Aesithas!"

One thousand years ago, the Lord of Shadows- the eternal foe of Aesithas, the Conqueror of the Lands Beyond- waged an incursion into the lands of Aesithas. Its disparate tribes fell under the mighty boot of the fel sorcerer and his mighty creations, but a band of heroes gathered their courage and plunged into the heart of the Lands Beyond;

The Mighty Du'Eld, whose footsteps shook the earth.
The Cunning O'Sovoka, whose betrayal, though great, saved us all.
The Fierce Tyrania, whose savagery tamed the Lands Beyond.
The Swift Zentar, whose devotion was unmatched.
The Humble Aratea, whose charms stalled even the Lord of Shadows' own hand.
And, finally, Braedan, Prince of the Dale, without whom the Party would never have gathered.

So Speaks the Tale of Prospero The Muse

To recount the gathering of the Party is to recount the History of Aesithas in full; shall I spare you the long form of it? I thought not! Shall I get to the excitement of the task? First came Braedan, princely- but youthful and filled with terrible purpose. The Lord of Shadow had tormented the Dale lands his entire life, and taking the ancestral Blade of the Dales in hand he set forth to put an end to the sorcerer once and for all.

Battle was met at the Mouth of the Dale, where the Badlands begin and where the River Dale intersects the Mountain Road. The forces of the Sorcerer were powered by foul magics- the Men of the Dale could not stand for long against their might, and as Braedan dueled the Sorcerer's lieutenant, the dreaded Dykto, amidst the chaos his people fell like wheat before the scythe. Seeing the slaughter of his people, Prince Braedan's spirit broke- and with it, the Blade of the Dales. Dykto struck mightily with his ensorcelled blade, cleaving through the fabled sword and the young Prince alike- and Braedan was thought lost to the flowing waters of the River Dale. It was a black day, the day the Lord of Shadow truly ruled our lands.

But Braedan, broken in spirit and ruined in body as he may be, was not yet abandoned by the Gods. Wise Veratul breathed life into his body, whilst Noffe calmed the waters. Renyo shrouded him in shadows and guarded his form as he drifted along, and Olst prepared The Storied Road. Hruk and Hyra, inseparable as ever, waited personally for him upon the river's bank.

Braedan washed ashore, alive but feeble, awake but barely, as the voices of the Two-Faced Gods washed over him. Finally, at last, he could make sense of the Terrible Purpose that had plagued him. He learned that while he could not have stopped Dykto, nor have hoped to face the Sorcerer, that the Blade of the Dale could be re-forged. That Hope could be restored. That all was not lost. The path was dangerous, but instilled with the knowledge of what must be done, Braedan rose and wandered the wood of the southlands, half dead and with a broken blade, but with vigor in his heart.

Who can say what happened to him in those weeks? Who can say how he survived alone in that Dark Wood, filled with the Lord of Shadow's beasts? All that can be said is that he survived, regained his strength, and though doubt never left his mind, he did not give in to despair. He knew deep within that there was hope, so long as he lived.

It was Aratea who found him next- Princess of the Wooden Ones, avatar of the Everbloom, a most modest nymph of the forest folk. In truth it is said her splendor outshone that of the morning sun, that her song could still the wind, and that her laugh could bring the dead back to life- but to the Prince at this time, all she was to him was the first friend he'd had in a lifetime.

It did not take much convincing to assure Aratea of his quest; the Everbloom, powerful as it was, could not hope to elude the Lord of Shadow forever. The Forest was dark, filled with peril, but Aratea knew the secret paths and the safe roads. Aratea could speak to the beasts, and they to her, and in this way the Prince of the Dale and the Princess of the Wood continued the journey.

The next to join their party was O'Sovoka, a most accursed name these days- but back then, she was the most respected of her kind for she courted Renyo, the God of Light and Dark, and knew many great secrets- even Renyo's True Name, the name of Light itself... Though she had promised to never use it, for it was Renyo's great weakness.

It is fortunate for us all that she did, though her kin suffer for it to this day.

O'Sovoka claimed to already know of Aratea and Braedan before they even introduced themselves, having approached them in the night. Wary as the duo were, O'Sovoka's reputation preceded her and they were swift to trust her for their need of her knowledge and magics were great. The Zephyrites had secluded themselves in their Sky Homes, and without the blessing of the Old Nimbus their quest would be for naught.

Of course O'Sovoka knew of forgotten paths, secret wonders of Zephyrite make, that could get the land-locked up high unto the kingdom of Clouds- and while these secrets are lost to time, or perhaps hidden away once again by the Zephyrites themselves, let it be known that O'Sovoka knew of them then, and this was most important.

On great contraptions of Zephyrite cunning did Aratea, O'Sovoka, and the Prince Braedan, soar into the air- but the Lord of Shadows was cunning too, and his servants watched the skies for the Old Nimbus was as ancient as he, and though the Nimbus' power has faded, the Sorcerer had much to fear from the skies. So it was that as the Party climbed towards the Kingdom of Clouds, so too did rise the handcrafted monstrosities of Dykto; the terrible Tralaya.

Hundreds of Tralaya- nay, thousands indeed if they overwhelmed O'Sovoka's powerful spells and Aratea's beguiling charms!- swarmed upon the Party and all seemed as if it would be lost once again. It is fortunate for us, and for Braedan, that the fabled Zentar was watching for a sign below. Zentar alone was watching from the Kingdom of Clouds, for all his kin had given up on the lands below- but Zentar's heart could not abandon those suffering beneath, and it is this devotion to all of Aesithas why we remember him today.

Zentar struck like lightning, his movements impossible to witness, but with bow in hand and lightning in his heart he scattered the Tralaya and ushered our heroes to safety.

The Old Nimbus surged at their arrival, a power of old rousing in the great cloud at the arrival of the Prince of the Dale, and after they recounted their plight the next step on their path was revealed;

"To make the Blade of the Dale anew, we must rouse the Mighty Du'Eld!" The Nimbus spoke. "For it was he who forged it first, and he who knows it best!"

The Old Nimbus raged in the skies, gathering all lesser clouds to itself, and with his power amassed thus, a mighty bolt arced through the sky and struck down upon the highest peak of the Shield Mountains. When the flash cleared Braedan's eyes, he could see that the mountain cap had been torn asunder.

"Du'Eld has slumbered too long! Venture there, seek his aid, and spare Aesithas the presence of the foul Lord of Shadows!"

Zentar joined them from this point on, the power of the Old Nimbus instilled within him, and they feared not the terrible Tralaya anymore. They descended from the Kingdom of Clouds down towards the shattered peak of the Shield Mountains, only to fall into the grip of terror.

Down below, already amassed at the edges of the newly formed opening, were more of the Sorcerer's creations- and there, at that place of destiny, Braedan's eyes fell upon the form of Dykto once more. The forces of the Shadow were already pouring molten lead and oil into the mountain top and working tirelessly to seal it away once more. Braedan and Zentar rose to rush into battle, but O'Sovoka and Aratea calmed the battle lust in their hearts.

O'Sovoka cast her gaze below, to the foot of the mountain, and there it was that she saw the Kin of Du'Eld in chains, enslaved, toiling away at the foot of the mountain and her cleverness spawned forth a plan.

"Let us free the Kin, tell them of the Old Nimbus' blessing, and with their hope restored we can tip the scales and rouse Du'Eld!"

And so she spoke, so they did.

The wrath of the Kin of Du'Eld is legendary, and with their Hope rekindled at the thought of awakening the mighty Du'Eld their chains shattered like glass, their captors fled underfoot, and Braedan, Aratea, O'Sovoka, and Zentar lead the charge. Battle was fiercely fought up to the peak of the mountain, and it all came to a head when the dreaded Dykto took the field, riding atop one of the foul beasts known as the Byrlua. The creature's many heads each spit forth death of many kinds- poisons, fire, frost, and even the deathly touch of Dykto himself- but the party did not waver. Emboldened by such brave and courageous allies, Braedan drew the shattered Blade of the Dale and sallied forth to once again cross blades with Dykto.

Their battle raged for a day and a night. Aratea fell first into stillness, the coldness gripping her dearly. Then Zentar, struck from the sky by a mystical blast of Dykto's power. O'Sovoka is said to have fallen at the break of dawn, the sun's radiance blinding her temporarily- and as each companion fell, Braedan fought like a man possessed. The Byrlua fell, and with its collapse Dykto was thrown to the precipice of the Mountain Cap's Sundering.

Braedan raised the broken blade to strike Dykto down, but pity gripped his heart as he gazed upon the wretched form of the Dread Lieutenant. In his moment of hesitation, Dykto struck with a hidden blade, ensorcelled with his foul, deathly, touch. Braedan met the blade with his own, and the sound of both blades shattering at the touch was as silent as the sound of snow falling. A silence so utterly powerful, that the mountain began to shake- and Dykto, screaming, fell within.

Thus Du'Eld was roused, the final destruction of the Blade of the Dale rousing him from his great slumber. First he yawned. Then a cry of surprise. Finally the world shook as he sang from deep within his throat and climbed from within the mountain, his hands the size of houses, his arms wider than the roads, his body surging up into the clouds, and finally he stood astride the Shield Mountains, each foot on separate peaks, and cried out in sorrow.

For up on high, he could see Aesithas burning and the rot of the Lord of Shadow upon it.

He shrank down to the size of Braedan and embraced him like a brother, and was told of the quest. Taking the hilt of the blade in hand, Du'Eld worked tirelessly for a week with no rest, his strength awakening the ancient forges of the Kin Delves. As hammer struck anvil, the roots of the Everbloom grew through the stones of the mountain and embraced the anvil and a bolt of lightning struck through the sundered mountaintop and struck the hammer, and when next Du'Eld struck the blade Braeden felt his Terrible Purpose give way to the feeling of Renewed Destiny.

The Blade of the Dale was forged anew, and in the divine flash of Du'Eld's forge, he could see the shadows of the gods standing beside him. It is said that the Shadow of Renyo was embracing O'Sovoka and whispering in her ear, but lovers deserve privacy for their whispered words even in story and I will not tell you what she was told.

At last the Blade was reforged. Dykto was defeated. Du'Eld carried them forth from the mountains, and into the Badlands they went. This place was the stuff of nightmares to Braedan and Aratea, though Zentar and O'Sovoka handled it well. A far cry from the lush and fertile lands they called home, the Prince and Princess struggled to comprehend how the Noble Behemoths could call this place home. How anyone would see this place as somewhere worth defending.

Alas, the Behemoths of legend, and the Behemoths we know now, were not the Behemoths that the party encountered on their journey. Decades of battling the Lord of Shadow had thinned their numbers, and savagery had gripped their people. It was only through the undying might of Du'Eld that they managed to traverse the nights in safety, high upon his shoulders and safe from the monsters down below.

Tyrania, fiercest of all Behemoths, had learned of a giant man in her lands. Tenuously she had made peace with the Lord of Shadow, and though she detested him and all his creations, she was permitted to rule the Badlands and protect her people. She was tasked by her treacherous master to stop them, and so she personally went on the hunt.

She came in the night, catching Du'Eld by surprise, and her attack left him blinded and stumbling. Slowly the mighty Du'Eld toppled, cradling his companions in his arms, as Tyrania's assault brought him low- and, at last, in the aftermath of Du'Eld's collapse Tyrania came to face Aratea, O'Sovoka, Zentar, and Braedan. One by one they fell under her shadowy assault, until at last Braedan drew forth the Blade of the Dale.

It shone like a ray of sunlight, piercing through the deep gloom that had resided over the Badlands, and the sight of the fabled blade brought Tyrania to tears. She wept, oh how she wept, and wherever her tears fell the earth was stained forevermore. She decried the dark sorcerer, decried the way of things, and yearned once more for the times before, when her people were free. She pledged herself to the Blade of the Dale, as her ancestors had, but did not stop weeping until Du'Eld rose up, laughing and gay, as if he'd never been hurt. At last the full party was formed. At last, destiny could be fulfilled.

Nobody knows what happened in the Lands Beyond. Nobody knows what happened to Aratea or Braedan, where Du'Eld the Mighty now slumbers, what became of Zentar or Tyrania- but all know that O'Sovoka, in those lands of darkness beyond the safety of Aesithas' Shield Mountains, called upon Renyo in a time of need. She broke her promise, and while the Shadow of the Sorcerer receded from Aesithas, all Noctem suffered a dread curse on that day.

Our heroes had succeeded, but the cost was most dear; Only the Blade of the Dale returned home from the Lands Beyond, and it lies now where it was found one thousand years ago at the border of the Badlands and the Lands Beyond, where the light of our realm meets the darkness of that without.

We are cautioned, however, to always be wary... For in the darkness, a thousand years is like the blink of an eye...

Oh? You've heard stories about the fall of our mighty heroes? The Bane of Du'Eld? The Shackling of Tyrania? The Freezing of the Everbloom? True, there are stories- many, many, stories that try to explain what happened in the Lands Beyond... But you won't hear any of them from Prospero. I only know one story, after all, and it's the story of Aesithas.

One thousand years of peace have reigned over Aesithas. A gilded age, whose splendor and justice have given way to the blackened rot beneath. One thousand years of peace has given way to idle lords, forgotten vows, broken promises, and the growing shadow of danger from the Lands Beyond. 

Where once watchful eyes kept a vigil outwards, there is now dissent and unrest within; the roads are ill travelled and overgrown, towns and villages are forgotten and isolated, the King of the Dale has been absent for decades, and old maps can no longer be trusted. Bandits have appeared, pirates scouring the rivers, and the tribes, once united, have fallen apart in their disinterest and the rising unrest of their homes. Old maps can no longer be trusted; the lands are foreign to those who live within.

But there are few who still watch. Few still who fear the old foe, the Lord of Shadow, and fear that today's unrest is the slow moving hand of the Fel Sorcerer at work. Is Aesithas truly unravelling itself, or are the shadows of the Lands Beyond seeping through unseen cracks?

There are those who have travelled to the edge of the Badlands, where the Shadows of Beyond press in on the Light of Aesithas, following the Storied Road and the Journey of Du'Eld, and seen the Blade of the Dale...

And the words they whisper are that the blade has grown dull.

The Two-Faced Gods of Aesithas

The Two-Faced Gods of Aesithas are so named because each represents their own opposite. Each is seen as a protector and caretaker, and enforcer and punisher, in their own right. Each is seen as both man and woman interchangeably, and there is no designated hierarchy amongst them. The only distinctive relationship the Gods share with one another is that of Hyra and Hruk, who are always spoken of as a pair, in the manner of siblings, as their purposes are so utterly intertwined.

Each of the Two-Faced Gods are believed to have specific personality traits and goals, but ultimately to want the protection of the Lands of Light known as Aesithas.

Order + Chaos - Olst
Olst represents Order and Chaos, alike. Churches built to Olst differ from one another greatly; some are places of law and tradition, while others are celebration halls and centers of carousing, and almost everyone in Aesithas pays homage to Olst in some form. He is both the iron hand of the King upholding Law, and the spine chill that warns the thief of danger. Olst is seen as the forger of paths and the weaver of fates.

Life + Death - Veratul
Veratul, wise and dreaded, the beginning and the end of all things. Often symbolized with rings or ciclets, Veratul is praised and cursed in equal measure. New born children are annointed with Veratul's blessings in their ears, and funerals are conducted with the dread knowledge that Veratul has passed through this place and taken a life. Veratul is seen as the balancing of scales, and the cycle of life.

Nature + The Forge - Noffe
Noffe is held in a mysterious regard by most folk, the placement of this deity bewildering to them. Noffe's presence is felt both in the deep wood, far from where any house can be seen, and in the deep Kin Delves where their ancestral forges bellow forth thick smoke. The babbling of the brook is Noffe's song, and the striking of the hammer is Noffe's shout. The tenderness of grass underfoot is Noffe's compassion, and the strength of cold iron is Noffe's wrath. Noffe is seen as a reminder to experience many things.

Hyra and Hruk; War, Peace, Knowledge, and Trickery
This duo is inseparable in description and iconography. Distinct and unique entities, to be sure, but ideals that are most powerful in the hearts of the people of Aesithas. Hyra, the deity of Knowledge and Falsehoods, is said to always offer two choices, or two facts, whenever their advice is offered- and Hruk does the same. It is up to the listener to determine where truth lies, and which path leads to war.

Dark + Light - Renyo, the Absent
Renyo, once the most active of the Two-Faced Gods, is now the most absent. The calling of Renyo's true name one thousand years ago to dispel the Lord of Shadows appears to have angered, or even saddened, the deity into such despair that Renyo no longer walks among the people of Aesithas. The rising sun is Renyo's blessing, and the light of the moon is the whisper that Renyo is still watching; the Darkness of the New Moon and the long shadows of twilight are Renyo's warning that danger must never be forgotten.

The Great Beings of Aesithas
The Everbloom - The first of all plants, the progenitor of the Wooden Ones, and the metaphorical heart of the Southland Deepwood. The Everbloom is said to touch all plants in Aesithas, and it is venerated by those who cultivate or work the earth, as well as the Wooden Ones. Legend tells of its immense sway over the hearts of those who see it, and that none who have ever laid eyes upon it could ever wish it harm. It is the de facto ruler of the Wooden Ones, and oversees the sanctity of the Natural Places of Aesithas.

The Old Nimbus - The Oldest Being of Aesithas, the Old Nimbus has presided over the Cloud Kingdom since time immemorial. Legends tell of its wrath and anger, and how once, long ago, it could singly repel the Lord of Shadows with its magics- but that was long ago, and the Old Nimbus is fading. Where once its rolling visage could be seen over all of Aesithas when its wrath is earned, it now dwindles in size and activity- and the Zephyrites appear to be fading with it.

Du'Eld The Undying - The ancestor-progenitor of the Kin of Du'Eld, this figure is said to be Aesithas' greatest hero. Once a normal Dale-man, Du'Eld is said to have gone on a legendary journey where he was repeatedly tested and trialed by the Two-Faced Gods, and by overcoming their herculean tasks he was rewarded with his seemingly ineffable status and immense power. He has been missing these thousand years, his whereabouts unknown- though the Kin believe him to be alive and well, wherever he is.

D&D 5e features a series of feats that enhance your experience with a chosen damage type. Crusher, Slasher, and Piercer. Frankly, I think these are dumb to take as feats- so instead of leaving the relevant abilities I like delegated to a feat, I'm making them 'critical effects' on their respective weapon types a-la Pathfinder 2e.

Slasher - When you score a critical hit that deals slashing damage to a creature, you grievously wound it. Until the start of your next turn, the target has disadvantage on all attack rolls.

Piercer - When you score a critical hit that deals piercing damage to a creature, you can roll one additional damage die when determining the extra piercing damage the target takes.

Crusher - When you score a critical hit that deals bludgeoning damage to a creature, attack rolls against that creature are made with advantage until the start of your next turn.

Zephyrsmithing and Zephyr weapons
There are unique variants of all weapons traditionally listed known as 'Zephyr Weapons'. These are the unique craft of the Zephyrites, whose diminutive size and unique capabilities require them to specialize their equipment for their own use. Zephyr weapons are often lighter and easier to wield than their mundane counterparts, but differ slightly in other ways as well.

A well known Zephyr Weapon is the Zephyr Crossbow, a powerful tool that is strangely easy to handle. As these weapons appear in the game, I will keep track of them and showcase their differences here:

Zephyr Crossbow - 2 LBS - 2d4 Piercing Damage - Ammunition (100/400), Two Handed, SPECIAL (Bolt Mechanism; this weapon may fire four bolts before needing to reload as an Action)
The Zephyr Crossbow is the standard weapon of the Cloud Guard, whose immense speed and deadly aim turn this weapon into a hail of fire. This crossbow little resembles the traditional variant wielded by the Dale Folk, as it does away with the cross-section and string to instead house four 'barrels' which must be loaded delicately with bolts. The firing mechanism of this weapon is tied to the runic inscriptions of Wind within it, meaning that it can be fired rapidly without having to load or prime like other Crossbows.

The Craft of Du'Eld
Du'Eld the Undying is the famed blacksmith of the Blade of the Dale, whose mastery of the forge is the stuff of legend; his kin continue this legacy of masterful craftsmanship, and weapons and armor forged in the depths of the Kin Delves outshine their mundane counterparts. Du'Eld was known to have forged magic into his blades, and with the blessings of the Everbloom and Old Nimbus was able to create the fabled Blade of the Dale; such wondrous craftsmanship has not been seen in the thousand years since the Lord of Shadow's invasion, but the work of the Kin is not to be dismissed nontheless!

The highest masters of the Craft of Du'Eld are referred to as 'Magyckers', for they attempt to harness the legendary mystical arts taught to Du'Eld over the art of Smithing.

One notable unique weapon that is well known across Aesithas is the Kin Blade, a unique weapon designed to accommodate the physiology of the Kin of Du'Eld; Any additional Crafts of the Kin discovered will be listed below;
Kin Blade (Martial Weapon) - 20 lBS - 1d12 Slashing Damage - Two Handed, Heavy, SPECIAL (One handed while Large), Craft of the Kin (Mastercrafted)
This blade is a veritable mass of masterfully crafted iron, worked into a long, heavy, blade that comes to a singular edge on one side. The blade is even in thickness along its length, save for a place on the blunted edge near the midsection where a secondary hilt has been placed into the blade to permit a Medium Creature to wield it in a more comfortable and versatile manner; when a Large creature wields the blade, the long and heavy handle protruding from the base of the blade is plenty capable of supporting the weight.

The Kin of Du'Eld

The Kin of Du'Eld are a proud people, hailing from their mountain homes known as the Kin Delves. The Shield Mountains of Aesithas have historically been that of the people of Du'Eld's ancestry, though small barrow halls can be found in tall hills across the country. Their culture is that of gallantry and glory, but also compassion and kindness- though Kin pushed to desperation and evil are capable of ruthlessness and cruelty beyond all others. Their immense toughness, heroic ancestry, and great size instill them with an indomitable mindset, and whether for good or ill, a Kin as an ally is one of the greatest things someone could ever want.

They are physiologically similar to the Humans of Aesithas, but their bodies possess an uncanny rotundity until they achieve a Large stature. As Small creatures their arms and legs almost seem too small for their bodies, but they make due with a bouncing and rolling gait to compensate. As Medium creatures, their proportions normalize, but their bodies, irrespective of personal weight, possess a great mass of flesh that seems stretched and saggy- almost as if they are wearing sacks upon their bodies. It is only when they achieve a Large stature that their bodies stretch out to fill their proper portions in full, and they resemble chiseled stone artistry of personage; Softness and rotundity becomes replaced by firmness, stone-like skin, and muscles as taut as iron.

Age - The Kin of Du'Eld age like Humans, but experience a significantly longer middle-aged period. Their overall lifespan is the same as that of a Human, the Kin appear to stop aging in their twenties, until suddenly in their eighties the years catch up with them.

+4 Constitution, +1 to other stat of choice. Constitution maximum increased to 24. 
Size directly related to Constitution Stat; 1-13 = Small, 14-19 = Medium, 20+ = Large. 
Health Regeneration scales to Size; Small = 1/turn, Medium = 2/Turn, Large = 3/Turn.

Speed - 30

The Legacy of Du'Eld - Proficiency with Blacksmithing Tools.

'The Form of Du’Eld' - Advantage on saving throws against any magics that would alter your shape. Cannot voluntarily be polymorphed or altered in any way, such as from an Alter Self spell.

‘The Bane of Du’Eld’ - You are vulnerable to Poison Damage and have disadvantage on saving throws against Poison.

'The Shield of Du’Eld' - Once per long rest as a Reaction, gain damage reduction equal to your proficiency modifier for 1 minute against all damage types.

FEAT - 'The Might of Du’Eld' - This Character has become a paragon of Du’Eld’s Legacy; the world shakes at their steps and their foes struggle to withstand their might.
Prerequisite - Complete the Journey of Du’Eld. 
SPECIAL: Granted immediately upon completion as a special feat.

Once per long rest, For one minute as a bonus action, Enlarge yourself to one size category larger than you currently are. While enlarged in this way, deal additional damage on your melee attacks equal to your constitution modifier

Noctem
Noctem, often referred to as the Night Children in story or as a passing remark, are a strange people who often travel alone, or in small family units, making their existences as travelling peddlers or storytellers. It is widely known that the Noctem know many things, but this knowledge takes a lifetime to accumulate! Generations of stories and knowledge cycle through the Conference of Minds, and young Noctem often struggle to keep up with the wandering dialogue and don't possess the context clues of discussion that their elders do, which can lead to frustrations both within and without Noctem society. Most Noctem have bits and pieces of larger pieces of information, but cannot truly connect the dots, so to speak, without the aid of the Conference.

While generally good and well meaning peoples, some Noctem can abuse their access to information and enhanced mental capabilities to abuse the other races; spinning webs of lies, concocting mercantile deceptions, muddying up family histories, and all manner of unpleasantness has soured many people's perceptions of the Noctem. In short, for as good as the majority try to be, a few sour apples have spoiled the bunch, and all Noctem wander in their nomadic family units to avoid raising suspicions in any one area.

Physically, Noctem are long limbed and spindly creatures with thin frames and short bodies. Their skin tones range from Alabaster to Obsidian, but manage to avoid all the ordinary human skin tones inbetween. Their hair tends to be fair and soft, and their eyes are black voids with small white pupils deep within. Their arms and legs are long, making up most of their body weight and length, and as they progress in age their joints have a tendency to pop and crack in excess. Many associate their appearance to spiders, with their long limbed steps, delicate movements, and mesmerizing eyes.

Age - Noctem live very short lives, achieving adulthood at the age of eight after a rapid period of growth in childhood. They are fully capable at that age due to the Conference of Minds sharing with the youth's of the race the past experiences of parents and ancestors, making their children, even before their sudden growth to adult sizes, eerily mature and knowledgable of the ways of the world. Noctem toddlers have been known to hold full conversations with passing priesthood or nobility on intense matters of theocracy and politics, which further alienates the race from the others of Aesithas. Noctem, typically, do not live beyond the age of Fourty.

+2 Intelligence. Intelligence cap raised to 22.
+1 to two different stats of choice.

size - Medium
Speed - 30

Wandering Story-Seekers - Gain Proficiency in Performance and History.

'The Ever Waking' - Noctem do not sleep. Instead, they enter a trance nand require only 4 hours to complete a Long Rest. While in this trance they are incapacitated, blind, and deaf, but can be roused by touch. Noctem cannot be put to sleep by magical means. While in this trance they commune with others of their kind in a unique demiplane shared by all Noctem called 'The Conference of Minds'. This allows all Noctem to share in information, though the communal dialogue is ever shifting and no one topic is discussed or weighed for long.

'The Conference of Minds' - During a Long Rest and while visiting the Conference of Minds, a Noctem may draw upon the life experiences and insights of their kin. Until the end of their next Long Rest, a Noctem may choose a Class Feature (But may not designate a Subclass) of another class that they meet the multiclass and Level requirements for and gain its benefits. Spellcasting cannot be gained in this way, and if an ability requires a resource or scales with class level, use your proficiency bonus in place of the class level. Ex; For Unarmored Movement, a level 17 Noctem would be considered a level 6 monk because of their proficiency bonus of 6. Similarly if they gained Rage instead, they would be considered a level 6 barbarian for the rage table. 

Superior Darkvision - 120 feet; Greyscale

'Abandoned by the Light' - Due to a curse from a deity slighted by the (in)famous Noctem Scholar O'Sovoka, Noctem are vulnerable to Radiant Damage and may only be resurrected by a spell of 5th level or higher.

FEAT - The Knower of Secrets - This Character has become a pillar of the Conference of Minds, and is central to many discussions or important events to the point they may guide and probe the Conference more deliberately.
Prerequisite - Share a 'Great Secret' with the Conference. 
SPECIAL: Granted immediately upon completion as a special feat.

A number of times per month equal to your proficiency modifier, you may query the conference during a Long Rest as if casting Legend Lore.

Behemoths

The Behemoths of the Badlands are towering beastfolk, quadruped but chimeric in nature; their forms shift and change to face the threats of their hostile lands, but they thrive there on the fringe of Aesithas' lands. They are the first line of defense against the threats of the Land Beyond, and though their history is marred by savage tendencies and a yearning to return to a feral nature that stirs the blood, they have a noble heritage of sacrifice and goodwill. There are those who rebel against this society, claiming that they are the apex predators over all, and that those who hide behind walls or in suits of metal should be culled as weak- but the greater tribal society of Behemoths works to keep this rebellious element subdued.

Behemoths resemble any number of great beasts, though their warping physiology means that their superficial characteristics are of little use as identifying qualities. A Behemoth with massive forelimbs one day may have a heavy chitin shell and a row of spine banks the next- but they will always be able to be identified by their unique color patterns and core physical qualities such as height, width, facial appearances, and general dimensions.

Age - Behemoths are born like Humans, and age quickly into competency and survivability, but are considered youths for many years. They are not allowed to wander alone or hunt until they are ten years old, and are not considered adults until 20. They do not often get to live to their full life span, but the oldest Behemoths known of have reached the age of sixty.

+4 Strength. Strength cap increased to 24.
+1 to a different stat of choice.

Size - Large
Speed - 40 feet

Darkvsion - 60 feet.

Keen Senses (smell)

Tyrania’s Heirs - Proficient in Survival.

Quadruped Form - Behemoths are quadruped beasts, and as such cannot hold or wield equipment. Armor can be crafted for them but they require assistance to don or doff it, and it faces increased costs similar to barding.

Warriors of tooth and claw - While incapable of wielding weapons, Behemoth bodies are natural tools of hunting and battle; spines, claws, bludgeoning limbs, and vicious fangs adorn these people. During a short rest, Behemoths can alter their physiologies to approximate up to two pieces of equipment they are proficient with. Ranged weapons without the Thrown property may not be approximated in this way. Heavy and Two Handed equipment require both 'Slots' of this ability. If the Behemoth is proficient with Shields, they may manifest one in the place of another piece of equipment and gain the benefit listed under Natural Armor. 

Ex; a Behemoth Fighter may manifest a Greatsword (Bladed forelimbs, 'whole body', 'massive horns', etc), OR a Spine Tail (Javelin) and Wicked Fangs (Warpick), OR Razor Claws (Longsword) and a Hardened Crest (Shield) as a few examples. If you create a Thrown weapon such as a Javelin, you are assumed to have virtually unlimited numbers of them as your body produces additional spines, spikes, teeth, or whatever you are flavoring your ranged attack as

Natural Armor - A Behemoth’s natural armor class depends on their proficiencies and can be changed at the end of a Long Rest. This represents scales, toughened hide, padded fur, chitinous growths, etcetera.
Light Armor - 12+ Dex
Medium - 14+Dex (2 max)
Heavy - 16 (disadvantage Stealth)
Shield - +2 AC

Note on attuning to magic items: When a Behemoth Attunes to a magic item, it is absorbed into their body and the ability becomes innate. When attuning to weapons and armor, they gain the option of approximating those specific pieces of equipment

Tyrania’s Leap - a number of times per short rest equal to your proficiency modifier, as an Action, you may leap a distance of up to twice your strength statistic.

Prehensile Tail - a Behemoth’s tail may be used to do things such as Open Doors, Hold Keys, Administer Potions, but may not be used to attack or wield equipment besides approximation via Natural Weapons. Additionally, the Prehensile Tail may be used to utilize Tools that the Behemoth is proficient with.

Arcane Conduit - if a Behemoth has the Spellcasting feature, they may use one of their Natural Weapon approximations to approximate either an Arcane Focus or a Component Pouch. An Arcane Focus takes the form of an obviously mystical approximation; Crystalline horns, glowing orbs along the spine or on the chest, etc.

The Shackling of Tyrania - Behemoths have disadvantage on Saving Throws to resist Restrain or Hold type magical effects

FEAT - Apex Predator - Following in the Legacy of Tyrania, this Behemoth has hunted a Great Beast of the Lands Beyond and gained immense prowess as a hunter.
Prerequisite - Hunt a Great Beast. 
SPECIAL: granted immediately upon completion.

You can tell when a creature is below half hit points. In addition, when attacking a creature below half hit points, you deal additional damage equal to your proficiency modifier. Your critical threat range is increased by 1 (I.E 20 becomes 19-20).

Humans - The Dale Folk
Humans. We are these. We know what these are.

+1 to all statistics. Additionally, +1 to a stat of choice.

Versatile Skills - Proficiency with three skills or tools of choice.

Inner Strength - Humans are not the most powerful of race in the land, but they have a tenacity that astounds those who travel with them. A number of times per long rest equal to their proficiency modifier, a Human may expend a hit die and give themselves advantage on any D20 roll.

Conduit of the Gods - Humans may attune to 5 magical items instead of the normal 3.

FEAT - The Legacy of the Dales - The resolve of some humans is truly incomprehensible, their tenacity to fight beyond their means unfathomable to the other Races. This person has exhibited these traits, and honored the ancient heroes of humanity with their actions.

Prerequisite - Journey the Storied Road.
SPECIAL - Granted immediately upon completion.

Inner Strength is no longer limited by your proficiency modifier; you may spend your hit dice so long as you have one to spend.

Zephyrites

Rambunctious and wily, the Zephyrites are quick of wit and even faster in the air- though, admittedly, they do bumble on their feet! These peoples are the spawn of the Old Nimbus, regularly spawned into existence as drifting cloud banks that separate into a dozen Zephyrites once they've incubated for long enough. These cloud banks, called 'Pods', are fiercely protected and corralled within the Cloud Kingdom's rolling walls- though some do escape and drift away from time to time. Zephyrites who spawn within the walls of the Cloud Kingdom are an orderly, if frantic, people who value giving things the proper consideration and put their skills to use learning the ways of the Old Nimbus. Those who drift away from this ancestral home often return to it across their lives, but struggle to fit in and are more chaotic and selfish than their communal counterparts.

The bodies of Zephyrites are malleable within humanoid constraints, and gender is a decision rather than hard defined concept. Their forms are cloudlike, substantial but soft, and at a glance they can often resemble cotton balls or snowmen when they aren't focusing on their forms. While they are malleable, each Zephyrite has a unique quirk to them that makes them identifiable regardless of their situational form mutations; Their faces stay the same no matter what, and their eyes are a unique glowing hue that crackles like lightning. Many find their shifting forms odd to behold, and struggle to discern the Zephyrites from one another until much time has been taken to familiarize oneself with them. Because of this, many Zephyrites take a common name in the form of the color of their eyes as well as their traditional names. For example, Zentar was often called 'Little Blue' for his eyes matched the spark of the Old Nimbus.

Zephyrites consider themselves siblings with all 11 of their 'Pod' mates.

Age - Zephyrites are incubated for a period of time of one year, after which they spawn fully formed as adults with a full comprehension of themselves and their bodies- though this initial period after their Spawning is highly influential in their personality and philosophical tendencies. Zephyrites live long lives, able to survive for centuries before dwindling away.

+4 Dexterity. +1 to other stat of choice. Dex cap raised to 24.

Size - Small
Speed - 25
Fly (Hover) - 40

The Rune of Wind - Zephyrites may hold their breath indefinitely. They know the Gust cantrip. At level 5 they know the Gust of Wind spell and may cast it once without expending a spell slot. At level 11 they know the Control Winds spell and may cast it once without expending a spell slot. At level 17 they know the Investiture of Wind spell and may cast it once without expending a spell slot. Charisma is the spellcasting modifier for these racial castings. They recharge on a Long Rest.

Cloudcraft innovators - Proficiency in Tinker’s Tools and Cartographer’s Tools. You may spend an hour working with a cloud to write a message in the sky as if with the ‘skywrite’ spell.

Zephyrite Weapon Training - You are proficient with all 'Zephyr' weapons.

The Spark of the Old Nimbus - twice per long rest, you may imbue Lightning into your attacks for one minute. Whenever you hit a target with an attack, they suffer additional Lightning damage equal to your proficiency modifier.

The Fall of Zentar and the Fading of the Old Nimbus - Zephyrites are Vulnerable to Falling Damage and have one less hit point per level.

FEAT - Zentar’s Stormcloud - The ultimate power of the Zephyrite peoples, Zentar was renowned for his immense speed and the ceaseless surges of electricity that broiled within his body.
Prerequisite - Receive the blessing of the Old Nimbus!
SPECIAL - Granted immediately upon completion.

You are Resistant to Lightning and Thunder damage.

Your Fly speed increases by 20 feet.

You no longer provoke opportunity attacks when you Dash.

Enemies who start their turn, or first enter a space during a turn, within 10 feet of you must make a dexterity saving throw or take Lightning damage equal to your Proficiency Modifier. The DC for this saving throw is the same as those for your Rune of Wind feature. A creature cannot suffer this effect more than once per turn.

The Wooden Ones

The Offspring of the Everbloom, the Wooden Ones come in many humanoid shapes. They are formed for their tasks by the Everbloom, and once constructed their forms are set- unlike the soft and malleable Zephyrites. Some are more feral looking and bestial, clawed hands with long, thick, tendrils of vine-hair and heavy set trunks for legs- whilst others, like the famed Aratea, were soft, feminine, made of flower petals and the fibers of gentle plants. There does not seem to be a standard of identifiable traits amongst them beside their wooden construction and the vibrancy of their color pallets; some Wooden Ones have been known to be heavy, tree-resembling, humanoid shapes, while others can appear to be a lithe figure of intertwined vine.

They are an exceptionally mentally capable people, natural diplomats and possessed of a propensity to study the Everbloom's magical secrets, but the Wooden Ones are no slouches when it comes to defending their wood, or protecting themselves on journeys in more physical means. They are sprouted either by the Everbloom's occasional seedings, by the union of two Wooden Ones, or by the union of a Wooden One and an Outsider- though the latter is rare, for few outsiders truly get to know a Wooden One to earn their favor. All offspring of Wooden Ones are also Wooden Ones, which has created schisms in the past where marriages may otherwise have gone through. In the Tale of Prospero, many believe that the Princess Aratea and the Prince Braedan were lovers and that if they had returned from their journey the Dale Folk and Wooden Ones would have united at last.

Age - Wooden Ones take many years to sprout and grow, and it is entirely possible that a Human parent of one may not live to see their child take their first steps. The seeding time is variable, but most often takes somewhere between 10 to 20 years before the infantile Wooden One is born, and from that point they grow at a rate similar to Humans, but seem to stop aging when they reach the physical age of 50. From that point forth, they, by all accounts, are immortal.

Wisdom +2. Wisdom Cap increased to 22.
Charisma +2. Charisma cap increased to 22.
+1 to a different stat of choice.

Size - Medium
Speed - 30

One With Nature - You have Climb and Swim speeds equal to your walking speed.

Forest Construct - You do not need to eat, drink, or breathe to survive. Through sounds and gestures, you can communicate simple ideas with Beasts.

Warden of the Heartlands - You are proficient with the Animal Handling skill and the Nature skill.

The Blessings of Water - While it is raining or you have access to a large body of water such as a river or lake and are standing or submerged in it, you may spend Hit Dice as an action to regain hit points. Add your proficiency modifier to hit die expended in this way.

The Warmth of the Sun - While you are in direct Sunlight, your Move Speed is increased by 10.

The Tendrils of the Everbloom - You may, as a bonus action, touch a tree and travel through its root systems and emerge from another tree within 60 feet of the one you touched. You may do this a number of times per long rest equal to your proficiency modifier.

Everbloom's Fabled Freezing - You are vulnerable to Cold Damage; in addition, your movement speed is reduced by 10 until the end of your next turn whenever you take cold damage. This may stack to a movement speed of 0.

FEAT - Everbloom's Resplendance - The Humble Everbloom, powerful as it may be, has won more allies with its beauty and splendor than with displays of mystical might.

Prerequisite - Receive the Blessing of the Everbloom
SPECIAL - Granted immediately upon completion

You may add either your wisdom or your charisma to your initiative rolls.

As a Reaction you may add either your wisdom or your charisma to your armor class against an attacker who can see you. You may do this a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier per long rest.

As a Reaction, you may add your Wisdom Modifier to a Charisma Saving Throw, or your Charisma modifier to a Wisdom Saving Throw, a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier per long rest.

You may add your Wisdom modifier to any Charisma skill checks you make.

In broad strokes people can be named whatever, but I do have some conventions if people are interested. By no means is it required to follow these;

Noctem Names tend to be apostrophe based with O and E as an initiator representing feminine; O’Sovoka. E’Lellyr. O’Okosa. Etc. masculine tends towards A and I; A’Soros. I’Rideta. U and Y are for Neuter, and they often take Stage Names; Prospero The Muse is a Noctem.

Behemoths have simple names that are often plays on words with other meanings. Tyrania, Tyranar for example off the word Tyrant. Nobili and Nobu a spin on noble, etc. sometimes they take a direct word that they feel they represent; Power, Strength, Grace. Their names can be varied but try to focus on meaning in convention. They consider it the first step in being respected to have a good name.

The Kin of Du’Eld follow a whimsical convention of slapping two monosyllabic sounds next to each other with a hyphen or apostrophe. Du’Eld. Bo-Hur. Yen’Ka. Vo’Tur. Hra-Sho. There seems to be no distinction between masculine and feminine names.

The Dale Folk use antiquated old english style names.

The Zephyrites take a common name based on their color, but their true names are often complex words hard to pronounce featuring little used letters like Z, X, and Q. Zentar, Quizzya, Xonyz, Qerys, Zaroq, Xixxy, etc. no distinction for gender as it’s a personal choice for them.

The Wooden Ones follow pure whim; some use names of deeper heritage and significance like an ancestor or following the customs of a non Wooden One parent, while others take names following the example of the Everbloom that are reflected in nature. Brook, Babble, Seralyssa, Boulder, Soft-moss, Iskander, driftwood, etc.

In the interest of simplicity, I will be narrowing things down and really keeping it light in this regard. Almost all the races will speak the 'Common' tongue; The Dale Tongue (Common). It's the language of the Humans, the most plentiful and bountiful of the peoples.

The Kin of Du'Eld originate from the Dale Folk through Du'Eld, thus the Dale Tongue is their native language as well.

The Zephyrites speak Primordial, the tongue of the Old Nimbus, but often learn Common as well. (Zephyrites gain 'Primordial' as a Language)

The Noctem speak Noctish, which is a language that is expressed heavily through their long limbed and fingered gestures and motions- functionally a kind of sign language assisted by vocalized intonations-- but they usually know multiple languages, including Common. (Noctem gain 'Noctish' as a Language)

The Wooden Ones's native tongue is Sylvan, the tongue of the Everbloom, but they tend to live such long lives they eventually learn the other tongues of Aesithas. (Wooden Ones gain Sylvan as a Language)

The Behemoths learn the Dale Tongue to maintain relations with the rest of Aesithas, but their native communication with one another relies as much on pheromone and scent as it does expression and sound. Behemoths may communicate emotions nonverbally so long as they can smell one another, and express limited basic ideas without speech whatsoever. For example, they can express 'fear' without any indication besides feeling it, and with certain gestures of their tail or ears they can express 'we should flee' without ever saying a word- it's just that only other Behemoths will comprehend this, and it makes Behemoth communication with other races often a slow process as they try to express themselves verbally. (Behemoths gain 'Behemoth Speech' as a Language).

It is worth noting that remarkably few individuals in Aesithas are literate. Few Dale Folk can read or write outside the clergy, nobility, or merchant classes, and while most Noctish can read/write there is no written form of their native tongue so they are forced to use the Dale Tongue for their written word. The Kin, Behemoths, and Wooden Ones have little need for the written word in their societies besides as a means to deal with the influential and powerful amongst the Dale Folk societies. Zephyrites are usually literate, but those whose Pods drift away from the Cloud Kingdom can struggle to learn if not taught in their highly formative youth.

Howdy everyone, welcome to Aesithas. 

Aesithas is a land of peace gone wrong; lords are largely absentee, the lands have overgrown and become untamed, towns and villages have become isolated and forgotten, and the tribes of Aesithas have become distant, disparate, and rife with internal strife. Where once an alliance of the tribes repelled a great evil and produced fantastic heroes, there is now a land of ignorance and fear that is trapped by borders of shadow and sea. The ancient enemy is forgotten, the Lord of Shadow second to the struggles of the day, and those with the luxury of seeing past tomorrow are few and far between.

The Dale Folk

The last few decades have been most unkind to the Dale Folk. A king's sudden, disastrous, death coupled with a seemingly unprepared princess assuming the throne has lead to a weakening of the union. Cities stand alone, relying on petty lords and mayors for guidance, and the Clergy where those other authority figures cannot be found. 

Outlying villages and towns are forgotten or abandoned, and any city without walls is under threat of the growing banditry and piracy of the land. People are desperate. Coin is scarce. The harvests are poor. Lords horde their wealth and resources, hiding behind palisades and walls, whilst the peasantry outside suffer and grow ever more angry.

Princess of the Dale, Mildred The Unready, rules from the capital of the Dale; the once fair city of Fenhall. Her rule has been punctuated by disaster after disaster; the sudden death of her father in a hunting accident, the decimation of the Palace Guard during a brief Pretender Uprising, and an apparent nervous breakdown during audience with the lesser lords over the matter of food, have entirely eroded any authority she may have had over the Dale Folk.  Her title is an empty one, and her authority rings hollow- but Fenhall is the safest of cities, and while she wears the crown the dwindling Palace Guard still obey her orders...

The Badlands
The arid lands of the western fringe of Aesithas, framed distantly on the north and south sides by a break in the Shield Mountains and to the east by the uncertain border of the lands of the Dale, is experiencing another repeat in its long and bloody history. Their long vigil has grown weary, their unification weakening as the centuries wax on, and their attentiveness to the shadowy border beyond the Blade of the Dale has grown lax.

The strength of the ruling tribe, the vaunted tribe of Tyrania herself, the Silver Claw tribe is waning. More and more frequently Behemoths disregard the current leader, Angryn Ironhide, and cite the Old Ways as the Right Ways. In short, the Behemoths are in a slowly escalating cold war, and while they delicately maneuver around each other and posture for power and authority, their vigil over the Lands Beyond has weakened.

Monsters slip through their lands. Invade the Dale, spread to the Heartlands and Deepwood, find dark places to hide. The Silver Claw is stretched thin, unable to police the border properly, and all the while Tyrania's Oath to the Blade of Dale is slowly being forgotten...

The Kin Delves and the Shield Mountains
The Kin are a proud people, they disdain asking for help in all matters- and this attitude has made them an isolated people in the last few centuries. Where once the Kin wandered the lands offering aid to all, these wandering parties of heroes and volunteers have become a rare sight. The Kin Delves suffer in their high mountain homes; the forges have grown cold, plague spreads through the mountain tops, and the pilgrimage known as the Journey of Du'Eld has become so perilous that few who attempt it have returned.

The Mountain roads are unkempt and ill maintained, becoming outright dangerous in many places along their steep climb to the Kin Delves. The frosted peaks spread ever lower on the mountaintops, and where once forested plateaus were places of luxury, there are now frozen over forests populated only by the silence of deep snow and the quiet threat of hidden monstrosities.

The Greatest of Kin Delves, the ancient home of Du'Eld, known as Prathe struggles to keep its Forge lit. No matter how much kindling is used, or how many Kin pump the bellows, the Hearth Forge sputters and struggles to temper ore. The Kin warriors, while indomitable and mighty, are spread thin trying to keep their mines in operation and their peoples protected.

The lesser Kin Delves have already been extinguished, and their people have chosen either to wander the lands and to flee the rise of plague, or to seal their homes and slumber until help arrives in a slow, rotting, isolation. The Lands of Aesithas have been without the aid of a unified Kin expedition for many years- only the occasional solitary hero goes wandering...

The Cloud Kingdom
The mighty kingdom of clouds, home of the Zephyrites, the wandering Castle of Storms, has become stationary and isolated over the Eastern border of Aesithas where the sea meets the craggy cliffs of the Dale Lands. The ocean surges below, strong winds billowing into the Castle of Storms as the Zephyrites turn to desperation.

The Old Nimbus is fading, and has been for thousands of years now- but the Zephyrite efforts to sustain the elder being have finally turned towards trying to harness the powers of the sea. Many a powerful storm is born in this area of Aesithas, and the Zephyrites are capturing those rolling stomclouds and guiding them into the Cloud Kingdom to feed the Old Nimbus. Drought plagues the eastern lands because of this, but the Zephyrites swear recompense- if only they can revive the Old Nimbus.

Most Zephyrites are dedicated to this cause- but there are few who still travel in search of other answers, or to try and aid those less fortunate than themselves- and on top of it all, more and more Pods go drifting away in the wake of the captured storm clouds. More and more Zephyrites are growing wild and chaotic in the lands of Aesithas...

The Wandering Noctem
One thousand years is a long time to be Cursed. Many Noctem, though understanding of O'Sovoka's decision so long ago, are so far detached from the time of its happening that only an ancestral comprehension of the circumstances remain within the Conference of Minds. Young Noctem may be bitter about their irritation in the sun, while others have dedicated themselves to the task of trying to regain the favor of Renyo and atone for their ancestor's sin.

The Noctem always suffered suspicions from the other races, but as of late those suspicions have become fueled by individual suffering and the rising fear of one's own neighbors in the lands. Strangers who wander are mistrusted inherently, especially those who wander alone in these dangerous times. Noctem are forced to travel in groups if they wish to peddle wares or perform for coin, and those in search of information are often rebuked by all but the most stable of towns. This has made life dangerous for the Noctem, and in recent years small shanty towns of their strange tents and lodgings have been making semi-permanent residency on the sides of the walled Dale Towns for safety.

The search for a cure to their curse has been fruitless thus far; even the priesthood dedicated to Renyo have been of little help, except for legends and hearsay- but those are the lifeblood of the Noctish people and they do not give up hope easily while threads of a mystery remain. A few Heroes still wander, a few willing to brave bandit and beast alike if it means scrounging for scraps of information. There are more and more ruins to explore, more and more abandoned towns to archive, and if the Noctem don't keep track of the history of Aesithas as it happens, who will?

The Heartlands, Southland Deepwood, and the Quiet Places
The Wooden Ones hold many places to be theirs, the most significant of which are the Heartlands of the Dale and the Southland Deepwood. 

The Heartlands lie alongside the high ridge of the southern edge of the Dale, a verdant forest sprouts and was once tended by the Wooden Ones in a gentle fashion- but a Rot has set in there, decay gripping a place that was once fertile and wholesome and warping it into a shadowy place tainted by a vile taste in the air. The Wooden Ones who lived there have cut off contact with the rest of the world, and there is a dissonance in the dialogue of the Everbloom- the Heartlands are utterly abandoned, and those who enter rarely return.

This deep forest is separated from the Southland Deepwood by a great expanse of rolling hills and grassland plains, irrigated by the widening of the Great River Dale as it travels southward into the Deepwood. This place has become home to many bandit hideouts as well as the delves of dread creatures who have slipped through the Badlands- and these hostile entities have, in this indirect way, cut the Wooden Ones off from the rest of Aesithas and diminished their presence meaningfully.

The Southland Deepwood remains staunchly protected and guided by the Everbloom and the bulk of Wooden Ones, though regular expeditions are sent ranging to check on the Quiet Places of the lands. Sometimes even a solitary Wooden One will take it upon themselves to go and check on a place that holds sentimental value, or find themselves suddenly driven by the desire to see a new piece of nature- it is simply the way of things.

The Everbloom's wood was once overrun with the Lord of Shadow's terrible creatures one thousand years ago, and it has done all it can to keep the dangers out of its wood these days. Word has spread that if you can just make it across the Hills and to the Wood, safety is there within... Many folk seeking refuge attempt the journey. Few make it.

A lone rider galloped into town at the break of dawn, his hood high over his head and shielding his features. The horse he was upon was breathing hard, ragged, breaths as sweat poured off its heaving flanks in a small torrent to the thirsty ground below. The Smith watched this newcomer warily, pausing in the task of straightening out the thick, freshly quenched, nail he held in tongs to the anvil.

"Get inside." He gruffly spat over his shoulder to the boy- nay, young man, nearly fully grown- at his back. The Boy, for he would stay a boy for many years yet until a beard had fully grown or he had finally decided to punch his father, dutifully nodded- but with curiosity cast his gaze to the strange rider as he slowed his gait and delayed his exit.

The rider dismounted heavily- the heavy sound and subtle glint of a mail-laden gauntlet and plated boots belying his simple appearance. Indeed, as he brushed the horse down the wind caught his cloak and it billowed open about him to reveal the worn iron cuirass and mail hauberk he wore. The tabard beneath bore the colors of the Royal Family of the Dale.

The Smith grimaced and called out;

"We don't have any business with Fenhall in these parts, and we won't be having any of your business either."

his words rang out into the quiet morning air, carrying a bitterness and accusation that went unspoken. The man did not respond yet, merely finished adjusting the saddle upon his horse and setting the feed bag to its mouth. Finally he pulled his hood back, a flare of red hair upon his head contrasting the deep green of his cloak heavily and giving him a striking visage. The Smith's words had roused the early morning rabble of the village- the kind who have nothing better to do than to listen in on other people's business- and this was the perfect excuse for windows to open, for doors to be propped upon, and for a communal hatred to heap itself onto the man.

"The Princess issues a Summons." He finally called out, his voice cracked and parched. Clearing his throat, he tried again, this time his voice stronger. "The Princess issues a Summons. All who wish to see the Dales restored, all who still believe in the sanctity of Aesithas, all who still avow and worship the Two-Faced Gods and believe the stories of old, are called to Fenhall. Princess Mildred seeks an audience with those who wish for better days, those who wish for more to life than this suffering."

As he finished speaking, a rotten cabbage struck him upon his cloak and a stone clipped his horse. Whirling about, he produced a crossbow from beneath his cloak and cautioned off any further hostilities by show of force.

"I will not overstay, good people, I can see I am not wanted here. My message is sent- let me be on my way in peace, I beg of you."

Placated and forewarned all at once, The Smith set his hammer and tongs down and stepped forth to wave the stranger away.

"Get! Get on from here, lest you bring that Witch's Curse to our homes! Get!"

And yet, behind him, The Boy had stopped. He'd listened. He'd heard. His eyes were bright- Adventurers. Heroes. A chance to better their lives? Anything was better than another day here, at the forge. As the man concealed his crossbow once more and pulled his hood up, The Boy strode forth and pushed past his father- hastening his steps to avoid the grabbing hand that reached for him.

"Ser-"

"I thought you might." The man chuckled from within his hood. "Come, we can talk on the road. Word will spread."

"My name is Tomas."

"A good name, lad. A good name."

And so it is all across the land, emissaries and knights of the royal family of the Dale spread their message- a Summons to Fenhall, for all who hold Aesithas dear and wish to try and restore Hope. A summons for Heroes, from the Accursed Princess of the Dale...

Perhaps it is the hand of Olst, guiding things to Destiny.

I like Mythweavers, I like being able to see the details on The Guild, I like a lot of things- but so long as the information is clear I don't mind how you present it to me. If I can easily reference and check your things, that's all I ask.

Backstory expectations are minimal; tell me who you are, give me a brief description of your life, and tell me how you heard the summons to Fenhall and began your journey there.

Larger backstories are welcome; I always try to incorporate information, people, places, etc, that people describe in my games.

My expectations are that your characters are people who want to go on an adventure, possibly try to save the realm, help people, and are willing to face grave dangers to do it. This is a Heroic Old Fantasy style genre, and I intend to break my own mold and even put dungeons and ruins and all manner of classical things in this game. 

There is no Map. Feel free to doodle your own and share it with us! I don't want to be constrained by a hard set map, but if it helps you guys keep track of locations and directions I encourage you to at least keep some notes. The lands of Aesithas are forgotten and dangerous- and the Lands Beyond are utterly unknown.

Let's all have a good time.

"O, The Storied Road, the magnum opus of Olst, the fabled path of Prince Braedan. Let it be known to all that The Storied Road is now part of Aesithas, not merely a histry to be retold- but a path to be lived again and again, the pilgrimage of Braedan there for all to behold, for all the Dale Folk to experience, for all of Aesithas to benefit of. Let the story of Braedan and his Fated Path remind us all that even when Hope is lost and darkness surrounds, that the greatest Light the Two-Faced Gods ever bestowed upon Aesithas comes from deep within."
-The words of Prospero The Muse

The proper 'story' of the Storied Road can be seen in 'Aesithas, a Primer' under the heading 'The Tale of Prospero The Muse'. It is the journey taken by Prince Braedan of the Dale that resulted in the banishment of the Lord of Shadow back to the Lands Beyond with the assistance of O'Sovoka, Zentar, Tyrania, Aratea, and Du'Eld. Many people, especially those of the Dale Folk, attempt to follow the journey, or at least pilgrimage to the locations of import held within the story;

Fenhall, to journey the length of the River Dale and reach the Altar of Olst; a solitary dais dedicated to Olst raised at the site said to be where Braedan emerged from the River Dale.

The Southland Deepwood, to meet the Everbloom. The Wooden Ones have constructed an Altar of Noffe, said to be in the image of Aratea, Princess of the Everbloom, at a place said to be cherished by Braedan and Aratea.

Northward and Eastward, following the Guidance of O'Sovoka, towards the Sea. Somewhere upon the coast of Aesithas there is a quiet place where the sea has carved into a cliffside and ancient Zephyrites built within; it is said that this place holds O'Sovoka's quiet prayers to Renyo forever in the air.

The Cloud Kingdom and the Shield Mountains are next; the halls of the Storm Keep and Prathe each bearing an altar. Prathe houses the Altar of Hyra, a lesson to be wise lest their might be misued, and the Storm Keep of the Old Nimbus houses the altar of Hruk, a reminder not to blind themselves to the outside world in the hopes of selfish peace.

And finally, at the edge of the Badlands, where the Blade of the Dale rests within an altar of stone, the circular symbol of Veratul has been carved. It is there that the heroes of Aesithas were last seen, and it is there that Aesithas' life began anew.

"Lo! Du'Eld the Undying, the Mighty, The Greatest of all Heroes! But forget not his origins- his story- the reason for his greatness. Let not his name rise to the high heavens where it might challenge the Two-Faced Gods, let not his name rise so far that it become unattainable to all- Du'Eld is a lesson that the weak may rise, that the mighty may be humble, and that heroes can come from strange places."
-The Words of Prospero the Muse

The Journey of Du'Eld is the oldest story in all of Aesithas; before Du'Eld we merely had history. The story begins with a young man and a village remembered as Ford-Upon-The-Dale- or, as we know it today, Forddle. Forddle lies to the far North, near to the origin spring of the River Dale in the distant Shield Mountains.

The birth of Du'Eld went unheralded, for none at the time could have known what his destiny was and what role he would end up playing- he was born as Cynebald of Ford-Upon-The-Dale, and so it is fitting that we call him thus for now; he did not become Du'Eld until much later in life. It is said that on the day of his birth the Everbloom first planted Aratea into the ground, that the Badlands were first united under one tribe, and that the Dales had crowned her first king- but none of that has anything to do with Cynebald.

Cynebald was a rowdy child, but considerate and kind. He volunteered to join his father in the fields. He was dutiful and reverent to his mother. He was a friend to all, and any traveler who came to Forddle was soon his companion for life. Above all else, Cynebald loved to sing and there was not a day where his voice was not heard raised in song in harmony with the gentle ebbing of the River Dale.

Aesithas was a land of peace then, true peace, with the borders secure and the lands prosperous. Cynebald grew up in a land that kept his hands soft and his heart light... But if that were true for his whole life, we would not have Du'Eld today! Alas! That poor boy faced tragedy, but upon this tragedy came the breath of the gods to carry him forth.

For upon the fifteenth day of his naming, doom was writ upon Aesithas. The Lord of Shadow, now-named Conqueror of the Lands Beyond, had reached our borders. Who knows what used to exist beyond the Badlands? Who knows what the name of those mountains was before they became our shield? Who knows what graces of the light were lost to the fel sorcerer? Oh how these questions plague me!

Tralaya came over the Shield Mountains, whilst Byrlua and Julanyo broke themselves upon the Badlands, and from the sea swarmed the grasping tendrils of the Cheyran. The Great Enemy came upon Aesithas like the crack of a whip, and our peoples were scattered...

But in Forddle, massacre was wrought. Tralaya swarmed down the river and devoured all they came across. There, upon the riverbank, singing gay as always, was Cynebald. There, rushing to his side, was his mother. There, fighting in the field, was his father. Seeing the Death coming his way, Cynebald threw his mother into the river- and himself into the Tralaya, arms spread, a sacrifice.

O, to know what we know now, to know the very Gods themselves were gazing upon us! To know that fair Veratul, blessed Veratul, was gazing upon Cynebald at that time! I would give anything to have witnessed what happened next myself;

For, Veratul in her great might, took pity upon Cynebald. Even as the flesh was torn from his body, life did not leave his form. Though he suffered, he did not die. Though his father perished, he yet lived. Though his mother was swept away by the River Dale, never to be seen again, Cynebald was rooted as chained to the ground- and with increasing fury his blows brought the Tralaya down as they swarmed upon him, until, at last, all that was left was Cynebald standing upon a hill of feather and bone.

It was on that day, seeing smoke rising from the horizons of his home, with his body healing faster than the terrible beaks and teeth of the Tralaya could pierce his flesh, that Cynebald wept and grieved. It is said that he did not move for one week, save to bury those whose bodies still remained. When, at last, the dawn broke upon the eighth day, Cynebald sang to the world;

"Cyn-e-bald of Ford-dle
Has died up-on this day!
Ris-ing now inst-ead
Du'Eld, he takes this name!"

And so it was that Aesithas was reminded of the lesson of sacrifice and selflessness.

Thus Du'Eld, reborn under Veratul, traveled. He set out from Forddle to journey southward, fearing for the Kindgom of the Dale...

Lo, the tale is long!...

The Journey of Du'Eld follows six key events during the first invasion of the Lord of Shadow, detailing the path that Du'Eld took and the tasks he was faced with or rewarded for by the Gods. Many Kin of Du'Eld travel this journey's path to pay homage to their ancestor and strengthen their blood-tie to the great Hero.

Ford-Upon-The-Dale (Forddle) - The First Step in the Journey of Du'Eld, this village lies to the far north near the spring of the River Dale, where the river descends from the mountains and into the Lands of Aesithas. Du'Eld learned of Sacrifice here, and gained acknowledgement by Veratul.

Fenhall - The Second Step on the Journey of Du'Eld, this is where Du'Eld learned the lesson of humility as well as the arts of the warrior. Though undying and chosen by Veratul he was mistrusted and misunderstood at first, feared to be the second coming of Dread Dykto. Du'Eld had to lower himself down and be humble to earn respect, for he could not demand it of the newly crowned King of the Dale. Olst rewarded this deference to the Crown by strengthening Du'Eld's own authority, imparting upon him the ability to Lead Men.

The Spire of Dykto - The Third Step in the Journey of Du'Eld is a lonely tower in the midst of the Badlands, constructed by the Dreaded Dykto to be the command station of the invasion force he lead to Aesithas. It stands to this day, impossible to topple due to the enchantments upon its obsidian construction, and foul magics seep off it into the surrounding area. It was here that Du'Eld learned of treachery and deceit, and of the necessity of Mercy; Hyra and Hruk visited Du'Eld as he recovered from an ensorcelled wound caused by Dykto's Deathly Touch, rescued by a savage Behemoth he had spared in a duel before.

The Heartlands - The Fourth Step on the Journey of Du'Eld lies at the core of Aesithas, the aptly named Heartlands, where Du'Eld teaches us the lesson of Temperance and Duty. Noffe had grown weary of seeing Du'Eld aided singly by the other Gods, and sought to trap the Hero in a snare to show the folly of this plan; as Du'Eld travelled through the Heartlands, recovered from Dykto's deathly touch, he found himself tempted from the path and isolated from the King of the Dale. In this strange place he was heaped upon by feasts of the forest and the bounties of the land, riches and vittles beyond comprehension being bestowed upon him and luring him deeper into the wood; but Du'Eld stopped somewhere before being trapped fully within the heart of the wood. Du'Eld turned back, refused these temptations, for his Home was in danger. Shocked by such refusal of luxury and bounty, Noffe appeared in the form of Du'Eld and embraced him. As they walked back to the King and the Host, Noffe taught Du'Eld all there was to be taught on the art of Smithing.

Prathe - The final step on the Journey of Du'Eld is the Largest of the Kin Delves, the home of Du'Eld, carved by his own hand into the greatest of the Shield Mountains. It is here that Du'Eld began to forge a blade mighty enough to protect the realms, putting Noffe's secrets to work as the heat deep within the mountain fueled his forge and his tireless muscles worked the iron. He was joined by a strange Noctem, who later revealed himself to be Renyo upon the blade's completion. Learning that Du'Eld intended to gift the blade to the King of the Dales rather than wield it himself, Renyo placed his hands upon the blade; from that moment forth, the Blade of the Dales was forged- and from within, it shone as bright as the dawn's first light. This part of the story teaches one to rely upon others and that comradery overcomes threats, not the power of a single person.
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The Final Flame of a Fiery Bird

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