Warlock Harbour

The island off the coast of the Barony of Luthien is actually called Kellix Island, but because Warlock Harbour is the most famous thing about it, some call it Warlock Island.
Kellix island has a population of goats (2HD herd animals), wild boar, oversized wildcats (same stats as mountain lions but looking more like lynxes or bobcats) and a colony of gnomes who avoid larger folk such as humans. The terrain is hilly and rocky with many short trees and shrubs, and patches of grass on the relatively flat areas.

Warlock Harbour was built in BY1221 by Daclune the Archmage at the request of Fernandis, Duke of Teiglin. The central part, the Repairing Dock, is surrounded by three towers. At the top of each tower is a gem that projects a magical beam onto any ship that is left in the repairing dock. The gems' effects are Woodform, Clothform and Ropeform respectively, and the enchantments were such that the gems required only a minimum of concentration and instruction to repair damaged ships.

Only a mid-level mage would be required to activate and control the repairing magic - in the beginning Daclune would leave this to his apprentices, but later the dukes would appoint succesive "Warlocks of the Harbour", hence the name of the place. The harbour was of great important to the Duchy and of note to the Toutus Empire - it was a very quick way of repairing ships damaged in battle or storms, and both the navy and merchants appreciated this. The Duke took the opportunity to charge a fee to anyone else seeking to repair their ship in Warlock Harbour, and it was a source of steady income until war broke out.

During the wars it was attacked and sacked by a force of marines from Telthus. Several ships in the harbour were sunk, the garrison was defeated, and the gems from each tower were seized and put onto the Telthian ship. However, they did not get far, as the mage who had been the warlock of the harbour emerged from hiding as the enemy ship left, and first cast a fireball into the rigging, setting the sails and mast on fire. Then he conjured a water elemental which promptly sank the Telthian ship not far from the mouth of the harbour, with the gems onboard.

The harbour has been abandoned since the wars, and one scouting mission revealed that the harbour had been taken over by gnolls, while in the waters of the harbour the shipwrecks, both Toutian and Telthian, are said to be infested with undead sailors. Retrieving the gems from the sunken ship (and finding the right sunken ship) is not going to be easy, especially if there is no magical way of breathing underwater.

Both the King of Teiglin and the Baron of Luthien would like to see the harbour restored to its former glory and usefulness, and would look kindly upon anyone who did so. There is the problem that both assume that the harbour would come under their own direct control, but that is for the rulers to decide.

Chaos Cults in Kaelaross

Who would want to join the forces of Chaos, the hordes of monsters that threaten humanity with enslavement and extinction? The simple answer is the mad, the desperate, the greedy and the sociopathic - these are the sorts of humans and demihumans who actively embrace the worship of the Chaos gods. The Chaos Gods offer rewards of sorts, but few sane people would accept the terrible price that goes with them. The Chaos gods have been known to offer power, fighting prowess, forbidden magical lore, influence over others and wealth, but in exchange for their new followers' souls and even their humanity.

The worship of Chaos gods was generally outlawed in civilised lands before the Wars between the Empires. Today it is still outlawed where there is any law, but most of the world of Kaelaross has fallen into ruin and anarchy - not only is there no authority to stamp out chaos worship, but the very desolation and collapse of lawful civilisation has encouraged and hastened the re-emergence and rise of Chaos cults.

Chaos cultists usually follow one of the deities of Chaos, but there are some who worship Chaos as a whole philosophy and do not focus on any one specific deity. The philosophy of each chaos god will often determine how their followers operate.

Since they are outlawed, the chaos cultists practice their degenerate worship either in secret within civilised lands, or in the ruins or wilderness far from lawful authority. Those who operate within civilised lands can be very subtle and cunning, quietly extending their influence and recruiting members within towns and cities. Those who dwell outside of civilization will act as barbaric warlords where might makes right, the strong prosper and the weak are enslaved or killed.

The Red Hand is a prime example of a chaos cult within civilisation. It has several branches within the Kingdom of Teiglin that are mentioned in the descriptions of towns and baronies, but there are probably other branches and agents not mentioned. Somewhere in between the two types is White Stag Keep - the chaos cultists of Havoc there infiltrated a legitimate order of clerics and then overthrew them, becoming open worshipers of chaos in the process. They now control the keep and are too far away from the forces of Law to be ousted.

The relations between chaos cultists and the chaotic creatures that came through the Chaos Portals during the Summoning is very variable. Sometimes the monsters will attack and kill cultists as they would with any other humans or demihumans. At other times arrangements or bargains can be made - intelligent creatures will act as guards or enforcers in return for wealth or food. Chaos Cultists are sometimes dominated by powerful creatures of Chaos (such as vampires, medusae, chaotic dragons and fire or frost giants) who treat them as expendable slaves. Occasionally a chaos god will grant their followers, particularly the leaders of cults, control (or at least influence) over useful chaotic creatures.

Chaos cults always involve one or more cleric - like other deities, the Chaos gods appoint clerics as their emmissaries and intermediaries to mortals. These clerics of chaos are occasionally granted special spells that they can learn in place of standard clerical spells, but this is on a case-by-case basis (so chaotic cleric player characters should not automatically expect these spells). Other classes are found as well - fighters, magic-users, thieves and demihumans can all serve the gods of Chaos one way or another. Magic-users are sometimes guided towards grimoires of foul magics, and this can be a powerful lure to bring otherwise sensible wizards under the influence of Chaos - ambition and power can overrule common sense and decency in more magic-users than you might think. Thieves are, by their nature, unlikely to care for law or order - a chaos cult may well offer a thief a refuge from zealous watchmen and the cult won't care that the thief had just killed someone in a robbery - they will still offer healing and support in return for the thief's quiet loyalty. Fighters can be persuaded to aid the forces of Chaos with the offer of chaotically aligned magical weapons and armour that will make the fighter an unstoppable warrior. And many fighters acquire a taste for killing, and the chaos cult offers them a motive to kill.

A History of the Godsblood Strait

This entry refers to the map of the Godsblood Straits.
The Urdus Ismuth was colonised by settlers from the Toutus Empire about 820 BY and the town of Urdus was founded soon afterwards. There were clashes with indigenous humanoids and demihumans as the humans of Toutus took over the rich plains that would form fertile farmlands. 

Gnolls and orcs were slaughtered, with only a few survivors fleeing to the Talloak forest to the north. They have never been removed from the Talloak forest, and from those early days, through the height of the Toutus Empire, the Wars Between the Empires, The Summoning and the present day (1610 BY) the north of the region has fended off orc and gnoll raids and banditry. 

The dwarves of the Ten Peaks were treated with a little more respect - they were conquered but not slaughtered by the Toutian troops. For the first two hundred years they had to pay fealty to the Duke of Urdus. However, in 1050 BY the Duke of Urdus treated the dwarves so badly that they revolted. They fought and defeated several human armies sent by the Duke. Then the Emperor of Toutus sent several legions of his own Imperial Army and beseiged all ten clans simultaneously. Rather than fight to the death, the dwarves offered surrender as long as they swore loyalty to the Emperor himself and did not have to answer to the Duke of Urdus. The Emperor Justinius IV himself came along and visited each of the ten clans, accepting their allegience and also requiring them to provide troops and weapons for his army. 

The Duchy of Urdus developed and grew, and by the start of the Wars between the Empires, the duchy boasted a number of impressive trading ports - Harielport, Maquosmouth, Ermish and  Aerisport. These not only traded within the Toutus Empire, they also received ships from other Empires, particularly Bellenos, while inter-imperial relations were good. The relations turned bad in a big way in 1550 BY. 

During the Wars Between the Empires, the Duchy of Urdus was hit hard several times - the city of Maquosmouth was besieged and sacked by Bellenosian troops, the town of Ermish was sacked when enemy ships from Bursia sailed straight into the port and unloaded Bursian troops straight into the heart of the town, the capital Urdus was beseiged, though this was relieved by a column of Toutian Imperial Army troops. The town of Harielport was attacked and almost flattened by rampaging elementals summoned by war-wizards of Bursia. The wars between the Empires was also a major drain on manpower and production - a lot of the food produced in the Duchy of Urdus and the metal from the dwarves of the Ten Peaks went straight to the war effort, impoverishing the normally wealthy region. Tragic and bloody though these wars were, they paled in significance compared to the wrath of a God of Chaos. 

Whereas Teiglin lost its capital when Bhael briefly appeared and created a Chaos Portal, during the initial phase of the Summoning, Bhael created three Chaos Portals in the Duchy of Urdus - one in Urdus itself, one in Aerisport and one in Maquosmouth. These were the major population and trade centres of Urdus - maximum disruption with just three Chaos Portals. This would have brought the Duchy of Urdus close to collapse.

The second part of the Summoning was the battle between the three gods - the Chaos god Bhael on the one hand, and two gods of Law, Adonor and Rhondus on the other trying to stop his apocalyptic rampage. During this titanic battle Bhael appeared about a mile above the city of Urdus. Adonor and Rhondus caught up with him there and they battled there for three hours before Bhael teleported to somewhere else in Kaelaross and the two gods of Law followed him. The effects of the battle ripped apart the very land over which they fought. The City of Urdus, the town of Ermish and much of the land of the Isthmus was pushed beneath the sea, and the waves came crashing over the towns, farmland and thousands of helpless people. 

Like some sort of tectonic seasaw, as the isthmus sank, the Island of Lost Souls and the Godsblood Hills were both pushed up out of the sea, with whales, sharks, shoals of fish and one hapless dragon turtle all being stranded on newly created land. 

The City of Aerisport, already infested with Chaotic monsters from the Chaos Portal, became landlocked, and its inhabitants quickly fled eastwards.

The town of Maquosmouth was abandoned to the forces of Chaos, although physically not as damaged or geographically altered as Aerisport. 

A tidal wave hit Sterin Island, causing death and damage to the village of Estian. 

In the wake of this cataclysm, the survivors of Urdus tried to find shelter where they could and to rebuild as best they knew how.
The Barony of Sterin, hit hard by the tidalwave, but mostly unaffected by chaotic monsters, has become independent, and is one of the safer areas in the region.
The town of Ironmarket, previously a trading post with the dwarves, has become the centre of humanity in the west of the region. To defend against chaotic monsters and the resurgent threat of humanoids of the Talloak forest, a string of forts has been constructed since the Summoning, each named after a lawful deity. These forts are still being improved and developed, but the arc they form is considered the current line of defence against the chaotic hordes from the chaos portals.
The dwarves of the Confederacy of the Ten Peaks now find themselves as the most powerful nation in the area. Some feel they should exercise their new power, and make Ironmarket a vassal, a reversal of fortune for dwarves and humans.
The coastal region on the east side of the straits are now abandoned to the forces of Chaos until the humans and dwarves can work out how to close the Chaos Portals created by Bhael.
The west side of the straits have also been abandoned. The ruined town of Harielport and Seaview Keep were previously on the border between Urdus and Teiglin - now nobody except monsters of chaos from Erkhart claim them.

Towns and Baronies of Teiglin - Stelmit and Tredgor

See the map of Teiglin for the context of this post

Stelmit

Stelmit Barony is unusual in that there are more dwarves than humans (11,000 inhabitants, of which 8500 are dwarves and 2000 humans). The barony is mostly covered by the Voina Hills, with only the southern edge and the Wirrian valley being flat. Most humans are found around the Wirrian Riiver or the coast and help the dwarves with exporting minerals and importing food.

Stelmit Town (pop 5000) is mostly above ground but is built on top of a network of mines. A number of dwarves have chosen to live underground in the mines though within easy reach of the shops and market above. The Stelmit Market is renowned for the high quality arms and armour on sale, and this attracts merchants, soldiers, knights and adventurers from across Teiglin.

Oldship (pop 550) is a fishing village and modest trading port on the north coast. It has recently suffered a number of raids from pirates, so the villagers are building defences as well as looking for volunteers to help against further attacks.

The Voina Hills are rich in minerals of all sorts, with iron and copper being the most common. Before the rise of the Toutus Empire the Voina hills were populated by orcs ruled by a powerful and mysterious mastermind. Ruins of orcish strongholds can still be found in the hills. Although there are no known orcs in the hills above ground, every now and then an underground pocket of them are discovered by mining dwarves.

Tredgor

Tredgor Barony is considered to be rural and quite backward. It does not have the large populations or economic drive of other baronies, but its folk are known to be tough and practical, and Tredgor Barony has produced good soldiers and successful adventurers. Tredgor Barony has a population of 16,000, of whom 1600 are elves, 1600 are dwarves and 1000 halflings - the rest are humans.

Tredgor Town (population 5100) is a fishing and trading port on the mouth of Mussel Bay – some consider it to be the only noteworthy place in the Barony. Some traders and adventurers use it as the starting point for voyages north up the coast of Toutus. Until recently there had been an infestation of wererats and giant rats, but these are believed to have been eradicated.

The Ironhammer Hills are home to scattered dwarven and human mining settlements. There are also reports of chaotic clerics teaming up with kobolds to attack the mines and settlements. There have certainly been zombies and skeletons wandering the Ironhammer Hills, and kobolds countermining and attacking dwarf miners but there is no proof yet that the two are connected.

Werden Marsh is home to a volatile family of lizardmen who occasionally attack those who enter their territory, but sometimes leave travelers alone. There are also plenty of giant lizards, giant toads and snakes in the marsh. However, brave wanderers have brought back rare herbs and flowers from the swamp, so alchemists, healers and chefs are all willing to pay for adventurers to go into the swamp to find these rare ingredients.

The Quasland Woods are an area of tension and conflict between humans and elves, as the timber is much needed for building and fuel but the elves hate to see their beloved forest being destroyed by uncaring humans. The Quasland woods include a number of bands of pixies and sprites, and these have joined the elves in harassing the wood-cutting humans in non-violent ways - turning their axeheads from steel into cheese, causing the wheels of their carts to fall off, spooking the mules that carry the timber and changing the beer the woodcutters carry into neat liquor, causing much drunkeness.

The Godsblood Straits: Map and overview

Immediately to the east of the Kingdom of Teiglin is the Godsblood Straits, a channel formed 50 years ago during the Summoning. This area suffered cataclysmic disruption and transformation within a matter of hours as the avatars of three gods fought with all their might above the city of Urdus.
- The isthmus that connected Teiglin to the rest of the continent/empire of Toutus sank beneath the waves, drowning thousands of people.
- Bhael also created a number of Chaos Portals in the region, unleashing a flood of chaotic monsters, similar to the situation in Erkhart, Teiglin's capital
- A chunk of sea bed on the south of the isthmus was pushed up to form a mountainous island - the Island of Lost Souls
- The coastline to the northeast of the isthmus was pushed up and wracked to form the Godsblood Hills.
- The Duchy of Urdus, which had occupied the isthmus and the surrounding area ceased to be a political entity, and the surviving populations have made their own fate
- the forest at the eastern end of the isthmus has been partially flooded, turning it into a saltwater swamp, known as the Salty Forest.
- The River Rancor, which had met the sea at Aerisport, shifted its course and now flows into the sea next to the fishing village of Faranil

There are survivors though, and they are tough and resourceful:
The Sterin Barony, an island barony to the south of the Godsblood Straits, has survived and is now an independent realm (though a small one)
The town of Ironmarket in between the dwarven realm and the Godsblood Strait has become a bastion of humanity and turned into a city.
A number of forts and villages now surround Ironport, protecting it from threats to the west. 
The Confederacy of the Ten Peaks is the most powerful realm in the region - an alliance of 10 dwarven clans in the hills and mountains to the east of the Godsblood Straits. Militarily and economically they are relatively undamaged, and only disagreements between the clans stops them from dominating the area.

There are also wilderness areas, mostly unaffected by the disasters of recent times.
The Talloak Forest has stood for centuries just to the north.
The Howling Forest is in the southeast and is reputed to be hunting grounds for wolves and werewolves
Elkhorn Island is immediately north of the actual straits.

Appreciation of Free Resources

In Mythmere's Blog today he has talked about showing appreciation for free RPG resources. Meanwhile -C at Hack & Slash talks about deciding to charge for his stuff because folks have been downloading his hard work and not even bothering to say thank you.

I will admit that I can be quite blase' about the effort some of us bloggers put into our blogs and other pieces of work, but these posts have really struck a chord in me.

My favourite free resources include:
The free downloads at Dragonsfoot - they have a host of free stuff for a wide range of editions. Although I can find their forums a bit outspoken, that does not diminish the quality of work that is posted there.
Goblinoid Games has produced free pdfs of its games, notably Labyrinth Lord (which got me back into Basic D&D) and Mutant Future.
Two of my favourite worlds are discussed in great detail in Canonfire (for Greyhawk) and Candlekeep (for Forgotten Realms).
There are some free magazines out there, most notably Encounter and Dyson's Dodecahedron.
Although I have not seen any activity there for several years, the Vaults of Pandius still holds a huge amount of info,  a lot of which can be borrowed for your own campaign.
The forums that discuss D&D in its various forms often have some good stuff posted straight onto the boards. Quite often there will be dedicated areas for creative stuff rather than discussions and opinions, such as the Goblinoid Games Open Workshop.  
As for the stuff on blogs - you need only take a look at Cyclopeatrons's list of OSR blogs to realise the huge output of the OSR blogosphere. Some of it is opinions and discussions (which I usually don't get involved with) but a lot of it is damn good stuff.
So if you enjoy using this sort of RPG material, by all means do so. But please show a bit of manners and say thank you.

Optional Class - The Halfling Defender



Requirements: Str 9+, Dex 9+

Alignment: Always Lawful

Armour: Any + Shield

Weapons: Any one-handed melee weapon except lance, plus any missile weapon except longbow and heavy crossbow

Furthermore, the following weapons cannot be used with just one hand by halfling defenders. In effect these become two-handed weapons: Spear, Longsword, Bastard Sword, Mace, Warhammer, Trident

Racial Abilities: As halflings, halfling defenders have the following abilities:

            +1 to initiative

            -2 to AC vs large opponents.

Class Abilities:

At 1^st level, halfling defenders can set spears against charging opponents as fighters do. Spears are still 2-handed weapons for halflings using this ability.

At 2^nd level, halfling defenders can use spells in a way similar to clerics.

At 3^rd level halfling defenders can turn undead as if clerics of 2 levels lower.

The halfling defender's spell list is smaller than normal clerics and progression is slower, but this is offset by the halfling defender’s wider range of weapons, including potent missile weapons, making the halfling defender not so much a halfling cleric as a halfling fighter/cleric.

Note that Cure Moderate Wounds functions as Cure Light Wounds but heals 2d6+2 damage.

Description:

Halfling defenders are the doughty protectors of halfling communities, as well as the healers of sick and injured halflings. They have some commonality with human and dwarven clerics, and some taller folk mistakenly call them halfling clerics. However, halfling defenders rarely form or join organised religion; instead they follow the philosophy of Law in an informal but sincere way.

Halfling defenders are happy to ally with other races and classes – they find dwarves easiest to get on with, but can also work with humans and elves. Among humans, lawful fighters and clerics have the most in common with halfling defenders, and some defenders attach themselves to human churches of lawful gods.

Should a halfling defender cease to follow the path of Law, and unrepentantly behave in an evil or chaotic way, they lose their spells and the ability to turn undead. They retain all their fighter-like weapon training and skills (THAC0 and hit points stay the same).

Rulers of Teiglin part 3

Blorinor Highhelm, Chieftain of the Dwarves of Stelmit, Baron of Stelmit
8th level Dwarf Warrior, alignment Lawful, age 105, gender male
Str 14, Int 12, Wis 10, Dex 10, Con 16,  Cha 12
AC -1, Move 60', hp 61, THAC0 9, Att 1 warhammer for 1d6+3,
Equipment: Plate Mail +2, Warhammer +2, Shield +1 +3 vs missiles, Ring of Regeneration.
Blorinor is one of the more aggressive and gung-ho leaders in Teiglin. He is frequently pushing for more action against the forces of Chaos, including another attempt to capture Erkhart. Although he can seem annoying to those barons on the borderlands, at least Blorinor is  willing to put his money, or at least his troops, where his mouth is. He often sends companies of 50 dwarf warriors into the Borderlands and other trouble spots to assist in the defence of Teiglin.
Description: Blorinor is 4'2", with a black beard woven into 3 plaits, ruddy complexion and a scar running down the left side of his face from the corner of his eye to the lower edge of his left ear. His voice is loud and booming, even when he is supposed to be quiet (think of a shortened Brian Blessed).


Corminius Twiceslain, Baron of Alvenir
7th level magic user, alignment Lawful, age 44, gender male
Str 7, Int 17, Wis 12, Dex 10, Con 14, Cha 10
Equipment: Bracers of Armour AC 5, Wand of Magic Missiles, Ring of Protection +2, Silver dagger
Spells: Detect Magic, Read Magic, Charm Person, Locate Object, Web, Water Breathing, Fly, Wall of Ice
Corminius is not popular among the other barons as he came to power by tutoring King Thestor in the magical arts. As far as other barons are concerned he is a jumped-up hedge wizard, not a true nobleman. However, Corminius seems to have risen above this and taken his baronial duties seriously. Corminius believes that magic and magic-users could contribute more to the kingdom of Teiglin and seeks to demonstrate this. Corminius has a specific interest in the borderlands and lands of Chaos, namely that he wants to locate and retrieve as many lost spellbooks as possible, especially those with unique spells written in them. One thing that Corminius is ashamed of is his phobia of large bodies of water - he refuses to get into boats or ships, and will always keep a safe distance from sea shores or river banks. He also always has a Water Breathing spell memorised just in case he falls into water.
Description: Corminius is 5'2", weighs 110lb and eschews the hackneyed wizards' robes for those of a wealthy merchant. He has pale skin, long dark hair pulled back into a ponytail.


Deserain of Rhondus, Sheriff of Thaldion
7th level cleric, alignment Lawful, age 50, gender female
Str 11, Int 14, Wis 17, Dex 10, Con 10, Cha 14
Equipment: Plate Mail +2, Mace +2, Shield +1, +2 vs missiles
Spells: CLW x2, Light x2, Bless, Hold Person, Speak with Animals, Cure Disease, Dispel Magic, Detect Lie
Deserain has been appointed the Sheriff of Thaldion by King Thestor. She is responsible for the running of the Barony of Thaldion which traditionally has been the King's own barony. She also happens to be the bishopess of Rhondus in Thaldion which has made some wonder whether it is sensible to let religious figures become political figures as well. However, she has managed to keep the two duties separate, and has not used her position of Sheriff to promote the church of Rhondus. She has proved herself to be a capable administrator. As a cleric of Rhondus (lawful god of defence and the home), Deserain is supportive of Garriol in Bauglir, but she has little patience for Delphinius whom she considers a poser and arrogant fool.
Description: Deserain is 5'0", 170lb and quite rotund. She has iron-gray hair tied up into a bun, and has a wide, wrinkly face that is not exactly beautiful but has a commanding, powerful quality to it. She does not often wear her armour, but wears her clerical cassock with her sheriff's chains of office along side her holy symbol unless she is expecting trouble.

See also
Rulers of Teiglin part 1
Rulers of Teiglin part 2

Deities of Kaelaross part 2

Chelmor, Lawful god of Culture, Reason and Peace
Symbol: Pale grey owl
Chelmor is popular among those who would rather have a quiet life and prefer diplomacy and compromise to violent confrontation. Many citizens and housewives follow Chelmor, as well as diplomats and those dealing with awkward people. During the Wars between the Empires, the Church of Chelmor was swelled with conscientious objectors, pacifists and those who were just tired and fed up with the violence, destruction and grief. Since the collapse of the Empires and the overrunning of land by creatures of Chaos, he has waned in popularity as townsfolk and peasants cannot negotiate with ogres, dragons or undead.

Sturnornel, Lawful goddess of agriculture, food and hard work
Symbol: Yellow Wheatsheaf
Sturnornel is the goddess of the commoner, who is more concerned about growing enough foood and earning a living than adventures or other such mischief. She is popular throughout rural communities and also among labourers and artisans in towns.
Sturnornel has become more popular in areas where food is scarce and starvation is a real danger.

Khazep, Neutral god of power, magic, knowledge and authority
Symbol: Blue Staff with pink aura
All magic users and elves have at least a passing respect for Khazep, god of magic, and many hold him as their patron deity. Khazep was especially popular in the Empire of Telthus. Khazep is not so much interested in ethical use of magic so much as ensuring that magic remains a powerful and useful tool.
Similarly with his aspect of god of authority, Khazep does not worry much about ethical use of political and social power so much as ensuring stability and effective rulership, even if it may seem harsh to subjects.
As it was magic-users who summoned Bhael into the world, the common people dislike and distrust Khazep. This is further compounded by the Wars between the Empires, where many of the rulers and generals who commanded during the wars were followers of Khazep, or at least paid respect to him, only for the end result being the total collapse of Imperial authority and much regional authority.

Nemesis, Neutral Goddess of Fate, Necessity and Death
Symbol: Black crossed scythes
Nemesis is the goddess of endings and eventuality. She is revered by those who deal with death as a natural process, as those who have grim but necessary tasks to do. Undertakers and those who work in hospices often revere her, but her worshippers sometimes clash with those of Sestarna, because of the philosophical and ethical differences over dealing with those who are seriously injured or gravely ill.

Hernas, Chaotic Goddess of Decadence and forbidden pleasures. 
Symbol: Bright red lips and protruding pink tongue
Hernas is a subtle and dangerous goddess who initially seems harmless and fun. However, she will lure her worshippers deeper into depravity and abuse. Hernas constantly mocks the lawful goddess Eldara for being too restrained and high-minded in her ideas of love and pleasure. Whores, pimps and various deviants will worship Hernas, but few monsters are interested in her.

Pelepton, Chaotic God of Ambition, Greed, Treachery and Cheating
Symbol: Purse of gold coins
Pelepton is a quintessentially sociopathic thief who seeks to take whatever he can however he can, usually by stealth and deception. His followers are similar, and include burglars, con-men, doppelgangers, corrupt politicians and crooked merchants. Cynicism, greed and deceit are the watchwords of this god of chaos. Pelepton is popular among members of the Red Hand chaos cult, as his beliefs and attitude match those of most of the leaders of the Red Hand.

See also:
Deities of Kaelaross part 1
Deities of Kaelaross part 3

Kaelaross, the Keep on the Borderlands and Points of Light

The original inspiration for Kaelaross was from the first few pages of B2: The Keep on the Borderlands. The idea of humanity and its allies battling for survival against the forces of Chaos was too cool to resist!

Background

The Realm of Mankind is narrow and constricted. Always the forces of Chaos press upon its borders, seeking to enslave its population, rape its riches and steal its treasures. If it were not for a stout few, many in the Realm would indeed fall prey to the evil that surrounds them. Yet, there are always certain exceptional and brave members of humanity, as well as similar individuals among its allies - dwarves, elves and halflings - who rise above the common level and join battle to stave off the darkness which would otherwise overwhelm the land. Bold adventurers from the Realm set off for the Borderlands to seek their fortune. It is these adventurers who, providing they survive the challenge, carry the battle to the enemy. Such adventurers meet the forces of Chaos in a testing ground where only the fittest will return to tell their tale. Here, these individuals will become skilled in their profession, be it fighter or magic-user, cleric or thief. They will be tried in the fire of combat, those who return hardened and more fit. True, some few who do survive the process will turn from Law and good and serve the masters of Chaos, but most will remain faithful and ready to fight Chaos wherever it threatens to infect the Realm.

In fact, I have incorporated B2: the Keep on the Borderlands into Kaelaross as Castellan Keep, the eastmost outpost of Teiglin in its borderlands.

There was a trend in 2nd Edition AD&D to move away from simple, hack-and-slash settings to much more complex, intelligent and subtle settings, where civilization was the norm, and savage, chaotic realms were few and far-between. The Forgotten Realms springs to mind, as does Birthright. Although interesting and good in its own way, it was not quite what I was looking for.

I admit I have not played any 4th Edition D&D, but I can still borrow stuff from it. The most interesting bit about 4th Edition was not in the rulebooks, but a posting during its design and development by Richard Baker about the Points of Light concept for the default setting. This post harkened right back to the background to the Keep on the Borderlands and explained a number of things I had intuitively felt but not said out loud.

Having said that, I think that Kaelaross is actually toned down from Rich Baker's Points of Light, and things are not quite as harsh as he imagines. There are areas that are grey rather than completely dark - much of the current Kingdom of Teiglin is relatively safe (although in D&D that is not reassuring - almost any wilderness is relatively safe compared to some of the realms of chaos where red dragons dominate tribes of orcs and powerful wizards casually disintegrate passers-by).

Nonetheless, when I created Kaelaross, I wanted a reason for large areas to be overrun by Chaos, and for the realms of men to have collapsed or at least retreated, leaving lots of ruined cities. Hence the Wars between the Empires and the Summoning of Bhael. The perfect recipe for a D&D sandbox campaign? Not for everyone, but it was what I wanted, and I'm still happy with it.