The World of Shatterdawn

Download:   The Word of Shatterdawn PDF

Download:   The Birthing of the World PDF

The world of Shatterdawn is comprised of five main islands known simply as the five great isles. These were once all part of a single continent that was broken apart when magic came to this world. There are also many tiny isles that make up the world and choke its seas.

Flacon’s Roost:  The largest trade city in the world, it is located in the middle of the Sleeping Sea, anything and everything can be found here for a price, it is the mixing pot for all the races and nations of Shatterdawn. It is ruled by the council of thirteen , made up of a member from each of the 13 most powerful guilds. It is a place, where some say “A man with a sword can find his fortune”. The grand city is almost a nation onto itself, boasting a massive navy of privateers and a large standing army of marines, any nation foolish enough to cross the city of falcons hand look forward to its sea going trade brought to a standstill.

Chas-Cor-Na:  (translated from elven means the Green Kingdoms) is ruled by the elven king Giskarr Grey Elm. These mystical isles are rife with magic and fey folk of every kind. The elves trade freely with all good folk of the world. Any good race is allowed on the isles. Most settlements are small (mostly hamlets and villages) tree settlements many feet above the ground, erected with through the use of magic so that they are grown in the great trees that cover the isles. They have few trading vessels (as they have little need to leave their home lands) and fewer war ships, but the few they have are great and powerful. Still the shores are always dotted with foreign trade vessels looking to procure fine elven crafted goods. (Coat of arms: A green tree on a grey field trimmed in gold.).

 Bahr-Ith:  Is the most powerful of the northern human kingdoms. Many longships used both for trading and war as well as many fat bellied cogs. It was once known as Bahr-Ithrelk before a bloody civil war divided the nation some fifty years ago, now an uneasy peace is had between Bahr-Ith and its sister nation Relk. It is ruled by the high king Harbin Flameblade also called the king red hand for his mighty flametongue long sword named “Coal’s Breath” that claimed him the throne. There are several large port towns as well as the small city that is now the capital known as Red Brand. (Coat of arms: A red sword on a white field, trimmed in crimson).

 Relk:  Is a small kingdom with powerful allies, they are on good terms with the dwarves of Iron Rune because of the aid they sent during the goblin wars even though they themselves were at war with Bahr-Ith. Relk was once a part of the greater nation of Bar-Ithrelk before a civil war severed the lands. The people of Relk have little interest with sea trading and so have little in way of a navy. They do most of their trading with the dwarves of Iron Rune as well as the ranger kingdom of Varnos. They have an uneasy truce with Bahr-Ith. The settlements are mostly small towns and villages as well as many hamlets. The folk of the Relklands are steppe farmers, herdsmen, and horsemen. Relk also has a thriving Halfling population in its lower lands as the little folk enjoy the easy ways of the Relkland people. They are ruled by the King Clovis Black Boar also known as “The Black Pig”. (Coat of arms: A black boars head on a yellow field trimmed in red).

 Varnos:   Is a realm of tough men living in a harsh land. The Ranger King Varick Halfmoon. Varick who is said to have elven blood in his ancestry was given the wild land that is now Varnos by King Clovis Black Boar of Relk after his many victories during the Bahr-Ithrelk civil war. Varick and many of the fighting men who knew only war carved the kingdom of Varnos from the wilderness. The settlements are more fortified border forts than villages because of the hard lands. Goblins and things much direr are a constant threat. Varnos is on good teams with the dwarves of Iron Rune but do not trade with Bahr-Ith as the old feelings run deep even some fifty years later. Varnos has no navy. (Coat of Arms: A white wolf on a green field.).

 The Wildlands:  Is an untamed wilderness of mountains and lush forest, overrun with all manner of foul beasts. It is rumored that tribes of wild elves live deep in the reaches of this land as well as many tribes of humanoids. Somewhere in its midst is lost city of Ebonstarr from the time of the ancients.

The Star Fall Isles:  A mysterious cluster of islands said to call the souls of those lost at sea. The waters around the isles are littered with the wrecks of many ships. Strange statues carved of black stone cover these rolling, rocky landforms. The statues creators are unknown. Legend has it that a powerful gate lies dormant somewhere among these mysterious isles.

Iron Rune:  Is all that remains of the once great kingdom of dwarves, that at one time covered most of the great isle. Years of bitter infighting over mining rights and blood feuds have left this once proud people barely able to hold what little lands they have. Still the craftsmen of Iron Rune are the most sought after in all of Shatterdawn. Many dwarves who did not agree with the current ruling clans claim left the country, some have immigrated to the human lands, others have taken to the seas and can be found selling their craft skills and expertise as far south as Menos and still others gave up all their love of gold and precious gemstones and returned to the rolling highlands in the Wildlands. These wild hill dwarves have formed themselves into mixed ragged clans and are some of the fiercest warriors in the world, showing up at battles to lend their axes to aid one side in one battle then turning around and fighting the same army they aided in the next battle for reasons known only to them. (Coat of Arms: A Black Axe on a white field).

 The Wyrm’s Tooth Isles:  A small kingdom exists on the largest of these strange magical isles. These people worship Dragons as living gods and pay homage to Cryx-Garr, out of fear and the want for power. It is said in an elder age these isles were where the great dragons held council and now each of the isles is home to an ancient wyrm. The tides of magic flow strangely and wizardry and sorcery are unpredictable. (Coat of Arms: A spiked five pointed star with each point of a different color (black, white, blue, green and red) on a smoke colored field).

 The Stone Lands:  A land of high mountains, rugged hills and stony deserts that is home to tribes of a barbaric race of giant kin said to have been the off spring of Stone Giants. These warriors are at constant odds with the beholder ruled Occullrithian Empire. Somehow these simple people have managed to keep the Beholders at bay for nearly two hundred years.

The Ocullrithian Empire:  A massive nation made up of sixteen city states each ruled by an Elder Overlord (beholder) reporting to the Emperor known only as The Eye. They wage a constant silent war using a massive network of spies, assassins and guilds to further extend their invisible powerbase across the known world. They are notorious for their slave markets, dark magic and treaties/trade agreements that at most times are so detailed that they fill volumes of tomes each. (Coat of Arms: A great single eye on a purple field).

The Onyx Kingdom of The Blackcrab Isles:  This small chain of islands is home to the most feared warriors in all of Shatterdawn. It is said that Black Myrmidons (named so for the black tower shields and shield wall tactics they employ) have no equal on land or sea. Stories tell that the god Valinar himself was the father of the first king and that his seed still runs deep in the men of the Blackcrabs. It is also said that one Black Myrmidon is the equal to any twenty warriors. Every man woman and child of the Blackcrabs is trained in the arts of battle nearly from birth. The now reigning king is Myfinn the Fell Hand. (Coat of Arms: A Black crab on a blood red field trimmed in black).

 Mar-tilla/ Menos The Dying Kingdoms:  One-hundred years ago these two nations were one until the use of massive amounts of necromantic power formed the lands of the dead a cancerous growth of un-life that continues to grow with each passing year. The two nations wage a constant war against the undead. It is said the dead do not rest and rise again if buried or left unattended for as little as one night’s time. Necromancy is a crime punishable by death and wizards and sorcerers are treated with suspicion. The national religion of both nations is Hume One-Eye. (Coat of Arms: Mar-tilla; a black raven on a bone white field, Menos; A white dove on a midnight blue field).

 The Lands of The Dead:  This blighted land is rife with the ruins of the once great nation of Martilla-menos. It is covered in blasted plains, festering bogs and twisted woodlands. Undead roam freely.

Illk:  Known as the sorcerer’s kingdom, magic is used in everyday life. One in every five people born in this kingdom has some sort of arcane power. They are hated by Mar-tilla and Menos just for their arcane abilities and their unbridled love of magic. Their armies are made up of War mages and legions of golems. (Coat of Arms: A green flaming orb on a bright orange field.).

Crebel:  This is the kingdom of gnomes, they are know throughout the world for their wondrous though sometimes deadly mechanical and magical invention, but mostly for their flying ships that wander the globe in search of trade goods or the latest in mechanical or magical advances. (Coat of Arms: Three golden gears on a brown field.).

 The Storm Claw Isles:  This small chain of islands also known as the empire of the golden people, is ruled by Emperor Pin Yow and his Yellow Dragon Samurai are said to be the most loyal and well trained fighting men in all the world. The constant storms keep these islands isolated for most of the year and only the bravest and most seasoned sea captains even attempt a trip to them. They are most noted for their advancements in learning, in both philosophy as well as the martial fighting arts. It is also noted that the most feared assassins in all of Shatterdawn hail from here known only as the Blue Orchid Ninja Clan. (Coat of Arms: A golden Dragon coiled around a Katana on a black field trimmed in blue).

 The Seaholm Isles:  This chain of islands is mostly unsettled and is the home to pirates and cutthroats. The only known settlements are large manmade floating towns, home to clans of sea going gypsies called the Vee-Darrie. The Vee-Darrie are a hot-blooded free-spirited folk, found of bright colors, strong drink and merry song that make their living by sea trading. It is said that Vee-Darrie blood is one quarter merchant, one quarter salt water, one quarter fire and one quarter pirate. The bravest merchant captains are most all Vee-Darrie, but so are the most dreaded pirates.

The Saunshuck:   Seven principalities make up the Saunshuck; each is ruled by one of the Merchant princes who are said to have the blood of the djinni. A land of genies and dervishes, were even a lowly thief is garbed in silk. It is the land of the painted cities, spiced wine and slaves. It is a land where jewels and gold flow freely and also where a man can loose his life by looking at the wrong woman or for a mere swallow of water.

The Aqua-Naught:  Also called the land of searing sands is a vast bleak land made up of several deserts as well as roll hardpan scrublands. Tribes of nomadic horse warriors live here beneath the burning sun, raiding into civilized lands only to disappear into the shifting sands.

The Jungles of Kish:  A land of dense tropical jungles filled with all manner of wildlife, here dwell tribes of cannibalistic headhunters amongst the ruins of long forgotten cities of an age long past, some say a strange race of snake people also live in the dark jungles of Kish.

The Blackfire Wastes:   A volcanic wasteland of acid pools, magma flows, sulfur pits and planes of ash. It is the land of the Fire Giants; also bands of humanoids dwell near the northern borders. It is said that the fabled Dragon’s Graveyard lies somewhere in this blasted realm.

Icen-Isk:  A frozen wilderness of mountains and forests populated by Frost Giants, White Dragons, Ice Cats and nomadic wildmen who eek out a bleak existence in a harsh land.

The Nevergreen Isles:   These icy floating rocks are home to small clans of frost dwarves who survive by raiding, sealing and whaling. They are as harsh and unforgiving as the isles on which they dwell. They are friend to none and any they meet they attempt to slay. It is said that a gate to the demi-plane of frost exists on one of the small isles in this cluster.

The Dark Mist Isles:  A mysterious chain of islands, where whole cities stand vacant. It is said that the Plane of Shadow has reclaimed these isles from the world. Shadows and Umbral creatures now dwell where once a race of men once ruled before the coming of magic.

 Xhan-Toss:  The land of eternal night is the kingdom of the dark elves (drow), this rugged land of jagged mountain ranges, festering swamps, vast fungus forest and razor-rock fields is one of the most inhospitable lands in all of Shatterdawn. The Drow through the use of dark magic have brought the harshness of the underdark to the surface world. Even the rays of the sun fear to shine across this foul land. The dark elves have the most feared navy in all the seas made up of sleek irondragon raiding vessels and massive black arcs powered by magic as well as tamed beasts. The dark elves raid the lands of goodly folk for slaves to be used in foul blood rituals or to add to their uncountable slave labor forces that toil away at tasks to menial for even the lowliest born drow to undertake. Life is cheap in the land of eternal night and only the constant backstabbing and infighting amongst the drow houses keeps them from conquering all of Shatterdawn. (Coat of Arms: Varies from house to house, most have black dragons, serpents or spiders and usually incorporate blood reds, dark purple, blues and black in the colors) .