Les Historias de Esilias

Vaelin Caleastros, 1397

~Introduction~
Your most illustrious author of this document has been collecting evidence from all corners of
the known world to compile the assortment of information topics laid before you. May it, by the
grace of Her Majesty the Queen, bring knowledge and understanding for all humans of the three
great kingdoms; Kanova, Baltain, and Buccia.

Table of Contents
Leviathans (whales) - 2
Organic Magic -2
The Shattered Lands- 3
Kadushan Dark Wood - 4
The Wailer and its crew - 6
Gilgesh and Religion of the Aqambe- 7
Asterlan and the Kingdom of Kanova- 8
Dilandril Bonabo (The Perfumer) - 9
Tymiric Calendar- 10
The Hand, Sigel of Kanova– 11
Scalhi Torossi – 12
Vineska, Sword Dancer of Kanova - 13
Deserts of Oshala - 14
Baltain and Bastiland- 15
Buccia and the Oshear Occupation- 16
Half-Bloods and Seafolk - 16
The First Colonial War- 17
Full-bloods, Half-bloods, and Pure-bloods- 18
Smoked Pesch, the Colonial Drug – 18
The Old Gods- 19
Queen’s Crown and the Drowned City- 20
Ruslain Barsukov, Captain of the Guard- 20
The Hall of Giants in Asterlan- 21
Eyes of the Queen- 22
Well of the Half-Bloods- 22
Blood Witch of Whesnook -23
Sadana and Svald Sangrun -24
Korva, Morca, & Shena - 25
Vision Powders - 25
 The Histories of Shandmar 2

Observations and Notes:

~A Brief Introduction to Leviathans (whales)
 There exists within the unobtainable and obscure fathoms of the deep-water many
variations of the dreaded leviathan, which vary in size, inherent ability, and number.
Following are the most notable and well-known among the leviathans;
1) Widows: These human-sized beasts possess four sets of jaws that lock in place through
a complex network of bones and ligaments once the prey is caught. They also are feared
by all who venture beyond the shallows for they propel themselves out of the water and
glide with their wing-like fins while emanating a sound eerily similar to a sobbing
woman.
2) Chargers: These beasts usually grew to surpass the average length of most seafaring
vehicles and use their massive extended forehead bone to ram and splinter ships to
pieces. The only warning given prior to an attack is the faint sound of children laughing,
which is produced by the wind channeled through the holes and lattice of the creature’s
forehead.
3) Collectors: These massive sea monsters used their enormous arms and thousands of
tentacles to pull ships downward to the ocean’s bottom. It is understood that each
Collector possesses a unique “garden” on the ocean floor, which is composed of ships,
lighthouses, and anything else within the Collectors reach.
 One interesting aspect of this beast is that all but four are infertile. These “mothers”, as
they are often referred to by the seafolk, have rarely been witnessed by a human eye, but
the few existing accounts describe these beasts as living aquatic islands that dwarf even
the largest naval armada ever assembled.
 According to all gathered evidence over the generations and records of various ship logs,
leviathans are believed to be immortal beings, which only perish under violent conflict
and/or disease.

~A Brief Introduction to Organic Magic

 Organic magic, or blood magic, is defined by the Valounce Academy of Spiritual Science
as “a crude method of physically obtaining raw organic energy as the effective cost in
exchange with spiritual forces in the purchasing of partial illusions and/or reality
alterations”. This definition, of course, is in constant revision as new discoveries are
made and recorded in an official capacity.
 The field of “organic magic” is largely seen as “primitive” and only practiced by isolated
tribal groups and those of barbaric nature, but it persists within the lower classes or the
blossoming nation-states as a means of spellcasting within a largely illiterate and
uneducated populace; an issue for the academics and those of the upper/middle class.
 Some basic guidelines that can be surveyed when practicing organ magic are as follows:
1) Eye(s): This simple and easily obtainable organ offers immense power and is crucial
in most complex organ magic. One can use the harvested eyes as a means of viewing the
 The Histories of Shandmar 3

last known images of someone’s life before death, obtaining an additional perspective in
which to view the reality around one’s self, and/or affecting the weather in terms of rain.
2) Tongue: With this a spellcaster can obtain the ability to speak in the voice of the
original owner of the organ, speak a language unknown to the spellcaster, and/or speak
with the recently deceased person in which the tongue originated.
3) Face (skin): This overlooked organ allows the spellcaster to change his/her identity
into that of the person whose skin was removed, allows the spellcaster to heal minor
wounds, and/or offers a minor shield from lesser cuts, scrapes, and burns.
4) Liver: Spellcasters have been known to use this organ when counteracting the effects
of various toxins and/or inducing certain mental and/or physical effects on an individual.
5) Brain: This major organ is one of the most difficult to use in spells, but, when used
correctly, allows the spellcaster to intercept the thoughts of certain individuals, control
the bodies of the dead, and/or revealing memories in a person’s former life.
6) Hand(s): With these a spellcaster can animate the hand(s) in order to have it do the
spellcaster’s bidding if within reason.
 Note that the few examples given previously are only a small selection of the possible
outcomes of organ magic and, since it is not a continuously pursued academic study, little
about this rudimentary, rustic practice of magic is accurately recorded and proven with
experimental regularity.

~A Brief Introduction to The Shattered Lands

 The rather remote region of the seafarer’s map located in the seas south and east of the
Oshala that is composed of thousands of islands ranging in size and elevation type is
commonly referred to, by both academics and laymen alike, as the “Shattered Lands”,
though the indigenous peoples of this massive island chain call it Salimajhdran, which
loosely translates from the tribe tongue as “Great Fires” or “Life Stone”.
 No unifying governmental structure exists in this region, though evidence discovered
throughout a majority of the islands leads researchers to assume that there once was an
ancient civilization that spanned all of the main islands in the chain, but it subsequently
collapsed for some unknown reason and left the populace socially fractured and divided
within clan/tribe groups that have grown more and more diverse from one another as time
has passed.
 The three major tribes that exist or existed with the Shattered Lands are as follows,
though keep in mind that there are countless others that inhabit these islands alone side
these given here:
1) Aqambe: This tribe is often associated with the parasitic tattoos, which physically
distinguish them from amongst the other indigenous groups inhabiting the islands. The
Aqambe are renowned warriors and skilled fishermen, who possess a strong connection
with the sea and the creatures therein dwell. It should also be noted that this tribe is
 The Histories of Shandmar 4

believed to be extinct due to their hostility toward outsiders, which immediately set them
at conflict against the colonial ambitions of the blossoming nation-states on the continent.
2) Muoatu: This peaceful tribe lives in the rocky spire islands that are more vertical than
horizontal in structure and largely exist as semi-nomadic herdsmen of the shaggy haired
island goats, which traverse this difficult environment with seamless ease. The members
of this tribe are known for their ability to scale even the most difficult to climb surfaces
and tend to be at an average of nine feet in height, which, combined with their shaggy
cloaks of various vibrant colors (an effect produced from the multi-colored clay of the
islands) and their coral embroidered goat bone headdresses, made the first explorers of
the region to assume the Muoatu as a race of barbaric giant. Most Muoatu today still
maintain their traditional way of life, but, due to their physical size and ability, many of
the younger men have been forcefully inducted into the army and into forced labor,
which has left a generational void in the Muoatu society and has caused the tribe to dress
their male children as girls in order to protect them from foreigners.
3) Bomdakatka: This tribe claims their ancestral origin from the “White Mountains” or
clouds and these fierce warriors are the traditional enemy of the Aqambe tribe as well as
countless other minor tribes in the region which they enslave and consume. Being
masters of organic magic, this tribe wields supernatural methods of warfare, which, in
return, fuels their continued use of organic magic. The Bomdakatka are often seen
completely naked and covered in designs of white and blue paint and tend to craft all
their tools out of human bones and body parts. During the first expeditions into this
region by foreign powers, many used the Bomdakatka as a means of suppressing Aqambe
resistance, though, once the Aqambe tribe was silence, the Bomdakatka were then sought
out and hunted to extinction, but this has been a long and bloody engagement that persists
to this very day.

~A Brief Introduction to the Kadushan Dark Wood

 Originally existing as a small fishing village built on tall wooden stilts and cradled
against the various rock formations around the strait area, Kadushan’s first inhabitants
rarely ventured too far into the hostile mainland and the thick jungle with its foreboding
darkness. It was not until several hundred years later when explorers under the Empire of
Tymir arrived from the west on large wooden leviathans driven by the winds and brought
with them the natural intentions of a more technologically advanced civilization with a
thirst for conquest. The Tymiric peoples quickly overcame the indigenous population of
the region and very little of their former existence persist to this day besides several place
names and the words for certain local plants and animal life that the Tymiric tongue
adopted and assimilated into its growing repertoire of colonial expression. It was during
this period in Kadushan’s history when the jungle began to be tamed.
 The Histories of Shandmar 5

 The Dark Wood, as it is locally referred, gained its name from those who have dared to
enter it for, once under the billowing canopy of the mountainous trees and tangled
cobweb of vines, the day fades quickly and surrenders to an impenetrable starless and
unceasing night.
 The methods of taming the Dark Wood surrounding Kadushan and continuously
threatening its outskirts and mainland districts have remained largely unchanged since the
days of first Tymiric settlement. These methods include all of the following:
1) Controlled Burns: The traditional method of prevention is controlled burns, which
occur nightly on the far borders of Kadushan and usually take place near the containment
walls and trenches; this practice offers a characteristic glow to the outskirts of the city
proper and clearly identify the end of civilization and the beginning of the unconquerable
nature beyond. A select group of specialized city guard is also deployed daily beneath the
city to monitor and prevent the spread of the Dark Wood’s deepest roots.
2) Containment Walls: Along with support trenches to prevent and expose the
underground extension of many pernicious and hardy plants, containment walls were
erected in order to physically block and deter further growth toward settled regions,
though this method required continuous surveillance and maintenance, for, once the night
closes in, the Dark Wood extends its reach to topple the walls and pierce through the
trenches.
3) Poison Sand: This more controversial method is implemented in serve cases where
the topsoil is poisoned in a certain area in order to prevent the spread of the jungle, but
some who live on the outskirts of the city have been known to be born with increased
rates of deformities and often die in their youth due to an unknown genetic disease that
persist to this very day. This disease essentially causes the inflicted to lose moisture in
their skin, which then becomes dry and cracks until their bodies are covered in raw,
bleeding flesh at which point most contract an infection that inevitably kills them.
 Several notably dangerous creatures (excluding the countless plant species) that dwell
within the Dark Wood are listed as follows:
1) Thin Men: These man-like creatures covered in red hair and standing at roughly twice
the size of the average man, walk on two legs, and are the only creature in the jungle that
has been known to enter the city at night and have been accused by locals of kidnapping
children and raping young girls to death in back alleys. These Thin Men are also highly
skilled in jumping due to their abnormally long, powerful legs, which is also their
primary means of traversing the environment of the Dark Wood and the rooftops of
Kadushan.
2) Carvers: These tiny, potbellied bipedal creatures tend to congregate in large bands or
colonies like insects within the exposed roots of tall Dark Wood trees. They get their
name from the strange wooden mask which that carve with their claws and wear over
their faces. Beyond this fact, they are also greatly feared for many explorers and hunters
 The Histories of Shandmar 6

have had their bodies “carved” up by these little beasts to be worn as headdresses in place
of the usual wooden masks.
3) Gardener: This colossal six-legged, shaggy haired beast is rarely seen, but often heard
due to the loud gurgling moans they emanate as they sleep, suspended from the tree tops
like giant fury cocoons. They have also been known to cultivate the soil with their tusks
and plant seeds with their long snouts while also continuing to maintain their “gardens”
with vigilance. Being solitary creatures, any lifeform that intrudes on their chosen plot of
jungle awakens the Gardner from its slumber in the canopy and the intruder is
furthermore eaten and thus used to fertilize the soil.

~A Brief Introduction to The Wailer and its crew

 The Wailer was originally called Buachailok and was a Kanovean warship that prowled
the river lands raiding coastal settlements and boarding ships that happened to venture
within sail’s reach. During the Kanovean Civil War, as detailed in the dramatic tragedy
“Rivers of Blood” by Vaelin Caleastros, Queen Moroana of Kanova employed pirates to
aid in crippling the navy of her uncle, Lord Edinos, and relieve the siege on the City of
Phelitassos, which had been ongoing for roughly a decade. Bhal and Nor Thrain were
both present during final years of the war and fought valiantly to defeat Lord Edinos from
dethroning the young Queen Moroana, though Nor Thrain was severely wounded from a
fall that left him crippled and blind. Following the war, Bhal was awarded the Buachailok
as a prize for his efforts in ending the conflict, which, now a captain of his own ship,
allowed him to flee the life of piracy and adopt the noble trade of whaling. From which
the new name derives directly from the collage of Charge and Widow skulls that decorate
the hull and emit a wailing that attracts the beasts of the deep. It should be noted that Nor
Thrain accompanied Bhal at first as a carver for the new whaling ship, but quickly grew
fonder of the land and so used his remaining funds to establish a meager shop, “Inherent
Purpose”, near Breakwater in Kadushan, where he carves elaborate trinkets and jewelry
out of whale bone.
 The Buachailok was repurposed to adapt to the requirements of the whaling trade, which
included some major alterations to the orlop and the lower hold to accommodate a
massive containment area that is well insulated and kept at a constant temperature to
reduce spoilage and maintain the integrity of the catch. Also, a boiler was installed to
enable the conversion of heavy leviathan flesh into light weight oils, which helps cut
back on space consumption in the hold and decreased speed during travel. Beyond this
four smaller boats where installed, two along each side, and a massive crane was
constructed in order to hoist the leviathans from the water for easier dismemberment.
Being a warship initially, The Wailer naturally was well suited with speed, reinforced
bulkheads, and roughly thirty cannons of various sizes in order to battle anything
emerging from the deep. One last notable change was the bowsprit, which used to simply
be coated in iron plates for ramming enemy vessels, but Bhal had it reshaped and carved
 The Histories of Shandmar 7

in the visage of Queen Moroana herself unclothed and brandishing a harpoon and
surrounded by a battlement of Charger teeth and Widow jaws. The new Queen seemed to
allow such an occurrence for reasons unknown to most and this also caused any sailor
from Kanova to recognize The Wailer as “The Queen Wailer” instead.
 Many have served on The Wailer over the years, but many only commit to one seasons,
which lasts roughly between three and four years. Among the permanent crew members
that remain with the ship through all seasons of the hunt are those following:
1) Marick: Found embedded and half-dead within the esophagus of a Charger, Marick
quickly became to be one of Bhal’s closest allies and assumed the role of “blubber
cutter”, which entails the dangerous work of dissecting the massive body of the leviathan
as it is suspended of one side of the ship. Not much is known of Marick’s past or the
exact reasons why he ended up being consumed by a leviathan, but various mutterings
made during his sleep tend to lean toward the involvement of some seaweed princess and
a sorcerer in a tower of light, though none of the crew pay much attention to such
babbling nonsense besides jests to pass the lonely hours on watch.
2) Galisch: Originally an escaped prisoner turned pirate, Galisch was born on Valounce,
a small island kingdom near Kanova to the southwest. He knew Bhal for years as they
served under the same pirate captain, Nor Thrain. Galisch is also Bhal’s most trusted
among the crew and the only other person besides Bhal who can speak the Common
Tongue of the Shattered Lands.
3) Frienzil: Hailing from a long linage of Kadushani whalers, Frienzil is foremost a
businessman and tradesman with little time for drink, whores, and excessively dangerous
situations excluding whaling itself. He manages the finances of every expedition and
does a majority of the headhunting for talented crewmembers for the upcoming voyages.
Frienzil is also faithfully married, has three sons, and a minor estate with a vineyard that
his wife inherited from her father, Yomaz Crupas, who was a famous court painter for the
government and merchant elite of Kadushan.

~A Brief Introduction to Gilgesh and Religion of the Aqambe

 Long ago, as it is told in the Shattered Lands, all of the life, both the fire islands in the
sky ocean and the islands of the ocean below, were once one entity and composed a
complete version of reality; all past, present, and future existed simultaneously. But, in
opposition to the Fire of Life, the Great Fish, Gilgesh, emerged from the darkness and
swallowed the fire, which burned him and caused him to vomit up the stars and the
islands of the world as his body was engulfed in flames, thus creating the largest star by
both night and day. At some unknown moment in the future, when the fire is
extinguished and Gilgesh is freed, he will continue to devour all of existence and
darkness will wash like a tidal wave over everything and the leviathan inherit the endless
waves unhindered by land and the lances of men.
 The Histories of Shandmar 8

 The practice of “praying” to Gilgesh is understood by the Aqambe as a means of singing

him a lullaby in order to prolong his slumber rather than praise him or his children, which
is also why the Aqambe have for so long hunted the leviathans. They believe that their
prayers are at odds with the cries of his offspring, which gleefully await the moment he
awakens, so, in an attempt to prevent the Fire of Life from being snuffed out, they sing
lullabies and wage war against the beasts of the sea.
 Many scholars have viewed this primitive “creation myth” as a semi-historical metaphor
for the collapse of the lost civilization that once ruled over the Shattered Lands, but a few
believe this story to hold a more geological origin. The Shattered Lands are loosely
located around the largest underwater volcano yet discovered and evidence collected
from historical records around the Known Word relate a three year period of twilight,
which darkened the skies and caused massive disruption to the seasons. With this in
mind, along with the geographical similarities among the islands located in the region,
some scholars assume that this mighty volcano must have erupted centuries prior and
caused a large landmass to be completely reshaped into a haphazard conglomeration of
disconnected pieces of land; hills, cliffs, and canyons.

~A Brief Introduction to Asterlan and the Kingdom of Kanova

 In the beginning, Asterlan, the Land of the Rivers, was inhabited by two separate tribes;
the red-haired Fairmosi, who weaved the flowers along the riverbanks, and the white-
haired Tormaska, who dwelled among the pierced clouds (snowcapped mountains) and
carved the heads of giants into the stone, who, according to local legend, still live in the
deep gorges that intersect the mountains and descend to lengths unobtainable by man.
Some nine-hundred years ago, around the rise of the Tymiric Empire, Asterlan underwent
an invasion from the island of Valounce, which bred some of the finest sailors and naval
engineers of the time. The invaders from Valounce were led by King Darimer, who
sought to control the futile river lands of Asterlan for his people, who subsisted on an arid
island that could scarcely provide for the growing population that was in part produced
by the societal structure of Valounce, which allowed for legitimized wives to be made of
slaves and their offspring that were obtained in time of battle. Some modern researchers
of old Valounce culture and history reveal that the island was founded in ancient times by
shipwrecked sailors seeking the expansion of the Tymir Empire and the establishment of
colonies, who, being all male, required the acquisition of women through subjugation of
the local settlements and this tradition remained despite its lack in necessity during future
years. Returning to Darimer, the Valounce army conquered the Fairmosi and, over
generations, built the modern kingdom known as Kanova, while the Tormaska remain a
semi-nomadic tribe in the mountains that continue to resist the rule of any unified
Asterlan. It is important to note however that the link between Kanova and Valounce
only remains as a monarchical one with both families related by blood and intermarriage
while both kingdoms maintain independent cultures, beliefs, and language; Fairmosi
 The Histories of Shandmar 9

being a language closer related to that of the Tormaska peoples and the language of the
Valounce peoples being closer to that of the peoples of Carnuum.
 Overtime, Kanova has become extremely wealthy off its trade in luxury textiles, dyes,
and distilled herbal liquors, while maintaining a long artistic and musical tradition that
have flourished greatly over the past decade following the end of the Civil War.
Countless court painters and musicians received their training at the Art Guild located on
the flowery banks of the mighty Dhramos River that meanders like a crystal ribbon lacing
the highlands of the north to the walled City of Phelitassos that controls the vital water
network near The Hand, an area named for its likeness to a human hand with the
Dhramos being the wrist, Phelitassos being the palm, and the various tributaries being the
many fingers. It is also important to note the wealth of fertile farmland, which provides
and overabundance of food for Kanova that also for a steady trade with neighboring
Valounce and the rich mineral deposits located in the mountainous region in the north of
Asterlan that have offered, with difficult due to the hostilities of the Tormaska, sufficient
copper iron, niter for the manufacturing of bladed weapons, armor, and firearms.
 Queen Moroana, daughter to King Roan of Phelitassos and the Lord of all Kanova,
presently rules over the kingdom with an iron grip after successfully winning a nineteen
year long civil war against her uncle, Lord Edinos, who sought vengeance against his
niece after she orchestrated a coup that resulted in the death of the entire royal family
besides Moroana herself. Being only fourteen at the outbreak of the war, she grew into
adulthood under the harshest of circumstances for a young noblewoman, though she was
more than able to meet the demands of her position and commanded her soldiers just as
well as any man whom once held her throne.

~A Brief Introduction to Dilandril Bonabo (The Perfumer)

 Born the son of a prostitute and raised in the private chambers of the Lion’s Paw,
Dilandril was remarkably intelligent and gifted at a young age, a fact that pleased his
mother greatly as she often called him the joy of her life and the sole measure in which
her heart keeps rhythm. Ill fortune struck them both when, at the age of six, his mother
developed the plague of the Dark Wood and he watched as his mother’s skin pealed from
her body and she cried in agony as no amount of bandages could cease the bleeding that
appeared to seep from every inch of her body. Eventually, after roughly three weeks, she
died from an infection that swelled her brain and caused her to suffer a seizure in which
she choked, clawing at her throat while writhing in her own blood.
 For the next ten years, Dilandril lived in the now abandoned and partially demolished
orphanage on the outskirts of Kadushan. Here, among the forgotten wretches of the cities
lowest caste, he learned how to gamble, steal, and, most importantly, survive. After
growing to adulthood, Dilandril quickly became a leader in the black-market smuggling
of drugs in and through the ports of Kadushan, which, along with the bribery of high-
ranking officials in the Kadushani government, built him an empire of wealth and
 The Histories of Shandmar 10

influence that remains to this day. Thought his entire criminal empire is neatly disguised
under the vail of his massive estate and perfume business from which he embezzles all of
his earnings in dirty currency and unclean business transactions. It is also from where the
common saying among the criminal class derives, “a perfume to hide the scent of blood”.
 After achieving his status in society and accumulating enormous amounts of wealth, he
devoted his life to helping the underprivileged lower caste in society by funding health
research that led to advances in fighting illness with a focus on curing the Dark Wood
plague and infrastructure programs that built near orphanages and homes for families.
Though, while giving much back to the community he miraculously escaped, Dilandril
has acquired an exquisite taste for the riches of his status; such as fine food and drink,
rare and antique works of art from around Shandmar, and, most of all, lavish parties filled
with interesting guests, live music, and clinking glasses of the most expensive bubbly
ήierfluer liquor from the mountain valley of Luttaman on the Isle of Asterlan.
 Dilandril and Bhal met early during Bhal’s transition from piracy into the whaling trade.
Desperately requiring funding to obtain the crew and materials for his first major voyage,
Bhal sought the generous investment of Sir Dilandril Bonabo, who only required Bhal to
ferry certain unmarked cargo from very specific ports on very specific days, which the
tribesman reluctantly did with unparalleled success. This success landed him in
Dilandril’s personal favor and it is also how Bhal has been able to remain financially and
operationally independent despite the growing number of shipping companies and other
business conglomerates emerging in ports around the Known World.

~A Brief Introduction to the Tymir Calendar

 During the first season following the consolidation of the Tymiric Empire, the God
Emperor Ephelaton established a standard calendar for all realms under his vast, far-
reaching control, which began at the crucial moment of victory over the Oshear from the
desert land of Oshala. Following the collapse of Tymir around the year 657 due to plague
and internal power struggles, the Tymiric Calendar continued to be the common measure
of time in Valounce and Kanova, but fell to the wayside in most other regions as they
developed from differing traditions and strove to distance themselves from the memory
of Tymir. Also, many failed to acknowledge the importance of an annual measurement
system that celebrated a now extinct dynasty that oppressed thousands under their
command. The reasons why it is maintained as the primary legal and religious form of
celestial measurement in Valounce and Kanova is due to the proud legacy the ruling
classes of Valounce and Kanova share with that of the Ancient God Emperors of Tymir,
which further legitimizes their claims for their high positions in society and bestows upon
their thrones the great honor of inheriting the rightful title of the New Tymiric Empire.
 The calendar itself is written in circular fashion and contains a complex system of
symbols to denote specific social, seasonal, and religious events in history. The calendar
contains approximately 279 days with six separate months each including roughly 46
 The Histories of Shandmar 11

days with one extra, none seasonally affiliated day added between each two months. This
extra day (three in total) are religious holidays that are observed by everyone in society,
regardless of social rank or economic class.
 The three religious days are listed and detailed as follows:
1) Bashtlat: The Festival of Birth and Harvest, Bashtlat occurs between the sister months
of waning summer. During this time community feasts and celebrations are held in the
squares of every settlement and elections in local government take place. It should also
be noted that the ancient practice of ritual tree burning during Bashtlat was adopted from
this old Tymiric festival in other parts of Shandmar such as Kadushan.
2) Vlen Wynek: The Festival of Family and the Hearth, Vlen Wynek comes once a year
between the twin brother months of the storm; a time when the Gods slumber and leave
the world to become prey to the evil spirits. Traditionally, warfare is discouraged during
this time of year due to the harsh seas and inclement weather, but, during the Kanovean
Civil War, these practices were left unheeded, which caused many to believe the young
Queen Moroana to be of unsound mind and in opposition to the Gods.
3) Dren Dhebi: The Festival of Love in Gods and Men, Dren Dhebi takes place on the
day betwixt the embracing lovers, the months of spring. It is tradition in Valounce and
Kanova that matrimonial ceremonies take place during this time to be better blessed by
the Gods who ordained this time of year for the conception of man.

~A Brief Introduction to The Hand, Sigel of Kanova

 The Hand of Kanova, or the Sigel of Kanova, portrays various physical and spiritual
attributes related to Kanovean nationality and pride. This rectangular flag with a tapered
swallow-tailed pennant toward the fly end of the tapestry is largely amber red with a
white floral design encompassing a majority of the middle section that is then overlaid
with a blue hand. It should also be stated that this flag design was adopted upon Queen
Moroana’s personal request quickly following the conclusion of the Civil War as a means
of repairing national pride and strengthening unity among the people of Kanova.
 Some information concerning the various parts of the composition are listed as follows:
1) The Hand: This detail represents the seat of power for Kanova, which is Phelitassos,
and the major waterway of the same name.
2) The Color Blue: The blue color of the hand unmistakably resembles the fertility of the
land and its countless rivers, lakes, and streams. These same bodies of water are the
reason why Kanova has never fallen to foreign invasion since the years of King Darimer
and why Queen Moroana ultimately defeated Lord Edinos.
3) The Floral Pattern: This clearly represents the great variety of flowers that bloom in
every season along the rivers of Asterlan. It can also be understood as a symbol of
fertility and as an emblem of the Fairmosi peoples, from whom most modern day
Kanoveans claim their inheritance.
 The Histories of Shandmar 12

4) The Color White: White is the color of purity and, in company with the floral motif,
this aspect of the composition can be understood to represent the virginity and chaste
nature of Queen Moroana, though this is purely for public display and not accurate
according to private inquiries on the young sovereign’s love life.
5) The Color Amber Red: This important backdrop of the composition represents the
earth and Asterlan itself, for the soil on this landmass tends to be composed of a warm
amber red, which is believed to be the primary reason for the land’s abundant crop yield.
It should be noted that many have attempted to transplant this soil to other islands and
continents in Shandmar, but the soil, once removed, turns a sickly grey and becomes too
loose to sustain even the heartiest of plant roots.

~A Brief Introduction to Scalhi Torossi

 Jalhota was only fourteen years of age when she was “betrothed” to Miero Hassval; a
Valounce merchant who gallantly ventured southwest, through gale and unfriendly
waters, to the Shattered Lands in search of the alleged profitable spice trade, but, after
milling about with the local fair, retired to port with a three-month pregnant Aqambe girl.
Promising her the bounties of a vast kingdom that he held no claim and did not actually
exist to the extent of his embellished narration, Miero deceived the young and lovely
Jalhota into his seaside cabin at night and persuaded her to allow his advances despite her
better judgement. He relished in her amber, sunbaked flesh and the tangles of dark hair
that descended down her back like a storm cloud passing through the sky on a sunny day.
After several months of this occurring about once every five days or so, Jalhota noticed
that she was spared her donation of blood to quench the thirst of Gilgesh and realized that
she was bearing the child of this foreign “nobleman”. Fearing the wrath of the elders in
her village, Jalhota begged Miero to flee with her and marry her as a proper woman,
which Miero agreed while drunk with seething lust for her almond-colored, supple
breasts and gracefully fleshy curves. And thus, for a moment, she was the happiest girl
that these histories have ever noted to historical memory.
 It was not soon after they arrived to Kadushan that Miero abandoned Jalhota at a dingy
portside inn, The Clever Kelpie, within the Breakwater District while bursting with child
and without any currency to cover her room and board. After being thrown out on the
streets, Jalhota was fortunate enough to find shelter in one of the communal residencies
established by Dilandril Bonabo. It was here, in a crowded room with little to no natural
light and surrounded by dirty faces of varying hue and shade, that Scalhi was born in the
autumn of 1374. It should also be noted that she was given the surname of Torossi, which
translates from Valoun as “sea-born”.
 Scalhi spent the first ten years of her life aiding her mother and the countless other
mothers in the community with sowing, gardening, and basket weaving. During the
evening, as the sun nestled amongst the waves, Jalhota told Scalhi the sacred stories of
 The Histories of Shandmar 13

her people and taught her their tongue, which caused Scalhi to spend countless nights
dreaming of the many isles that once were whole.
 During the winter of 1385, Jalhota was stabbed to death by two young males in the
market during an armed robbery, which she resisted by preventing one of the assailants
from escaping the crime scene. Following Jalhota’s death, Scalhi worked twice as hard to
earn her keep in the communal residency and eventually led her to preforming music on
the street and in taverns during the evening.
 As is the natural order that dilutes our blood with fate, Scalhi was roughly fourteen when
she met Bhal at The Clever Kelpie; he was drinking from a bottle of ήierfluer liquor near
the bar while she was positioned on a ramshackle stage as she performed traditional folk
songs taught to her by her mother. As the night drew on and the crowd thinned, Scalhi
and Bhal never once parted by way of their shared steady glaze and, following the last
string thus strummed, the two sought familiarity within every crease of the other’s
embrace until the sun climbed above the window frame and peered into the small, dusty
room. After that night, Bhal purchased a proper residence for Scalhi and supplied her
with enough coin to keep her cared for and, upon every return from a long voyage, he
found warmth in her bed.

~A Brief Introduction to Vineska, Sword Dancer of Kanova

 The youngest son of Lord Edinos, Vineska was instructed at an early age in philosophy,
poetry, and the histories by the author of this manuscript, Vaelin Caleastros, and was
drilled in military exercises daily under the supervision of Drygos, the Sword Dancer of
Buccia. He was also taught to perform with expert skill upon horseback and was
instructed in the practice of military strategy, which all combined in a premeditated
attempt by Lord Edinos in molding his youngest son to ultimately become his successor;
a wish that would be fulfilled as Vineska’s three older brothers all perished in battle.
 Upon proving himself in countless battles between the ages of sixteen and eighteen,
Vineska was awarded the position of Calvary General and commanded an elite force of
hussars and support troops with several artillery units. His personal army, The Black
Wings, was undefeated on the field during the Kanovean Civil War and nearly won the
conflict altogether during the field winter campaign when Queen Moroana’s corsairs
were unable to properly navigate the rivers of Asterlan due to the thick layer of ice that
developed. It was during this time that the walls of Phelitassos fell and battle spilled into
the streets of this great city, but, right when all seemed lost, an unknown assassin
murdered Lord Edinos and cast his body from a bell tower on parapet. Then, without
former warning, Vineska suddenly ordered his armies to cease the siege of the city and
return to their camps, which they, for the most part, obeyed. The events that occurred
were preplanned and orchestrated by the Queen, Vineska, and several other unnamed
persons, which is another story entirely and can be found among the lyrical passages of
“Rivers of Blood”.
 The Histories of Shandmar 14

 After the Civil War, Vineska was pardoned by Queen Moroana and, under the condition
that he swore fealty to his lady, was given direct authority over the Kanovean Eastern
military command, which formerly belonged to his father, Lord Edinos. Many council
members in the Court of Phelitassos urged the Queen against such an act of forgiveness
since it would essentially return the power dynamic of Kanova to what it had been prior
to the outbreak of war, but Moroana saw her cousin as a means of expanding her
dominion without having to risk her public image and instead could focus on solidify her
monarchical control over Kanova. Giving him free region over the armed forces and
granting him a portion of all the lands and spoils earned through his conquests, Vineska
launched a surprise invasion of Oshala to the west with aims of liberating the former
Kingdom of Buccia from Oshear occupation. This conflict is presently ongoing and will
be detailed in this manuscript as the events unfold before me while I monitor the situation
from my tent along the frontlines.

~A Brief Introduction to the Deserts of Oshala

 Much of the history of Oshala is shrouded in mystery due to the isolationist attitudes of
the Oshear for countless generations following their independence from the Tymir
Empire. One thing that is well known about Oshala is that it is home to giant beasts that
roam the desert land and some of these great beasts are home to some of the Oshear’s
largest cities. It should also be noted that, deriving from the translated manuscripts found
in the ruins from Tymir structures, Oshala is home to vast populations of Full-Bloods and
Half-Bloods with some that can fly and others that can use a form of magic that is
unknown to human realm. The manuscripts also tell of a vast green land beyond the veil
that surrounds Shandmar, but these have been understood as legends rather than fact, for
the Tymir were found of whimsical poetry and the such.
 Over the years since the fall of Tymir, many explorers and adventures attempted to chart
the deserts of Oshala, but only a handful have returned and have told stories of sprawling
cities that dwarf even the City of Phelitassos and tales of culture far more advanced than
our own. One man in particular claimed that the Oshear crafted machines powered by
sounds that could fly through the air and along the ground. He said that their entire
civilization was built on these mechanisms, but, when asked to reconstruct any of the
machines that he saw, the man was simply on able to replicate any of the designs. It
should comfort the reader to realize that none of these claims can be proven with ancient
texts or even by the few Azakar that have drifted down into the markets of Liathar,
Whesnook, and Pulintzen.
 In recent years, some information of modern Oshala has come to our knowledge due to
the survivors of the invasion of Buccia. For instance, the Oshear are said to be taller than
normal men and possess greater strength as well. They are bronze in complexion, wear
their dark hair in long intricate braids, and grow long horns on their head. Also, they wear
 The Histories of Shandmar 15

ornate silks that appear to give them flight when they produce certain sounds and wear
masks made of colored glass that depict the faces of beasts rather than men.

~ A Brief Introduction to Baltain and Bastiland

 Baltain is the largest human kingdom in the Known World and has quickly become a
dominating force militarily and economically as the people of Baltain have stretched their
control far and wide. It was early on that Baltain was consolidated by a single ruler
following the fall of the Tymir Empire, which has given the Emperors of Baltain ample
time to solidify control over their domain. Baltain was traditionally ruled by five different
warring tribes that all resisted Tymiric rule and fought for over five-hundred years
against the Empire’s expansion into their lands. This consolidation of power by Baltain’s
Emperor, however, accompanied by the fact that Baltain sits on the richest land in terms
of timber and mineral wealth, has helped accelerate expansion over the past few hundred
years. Baltain possesses the largest naval fleet, it is the most populace of the three human
kingdoms, and has begun developing industrial production due in large part to their
exploitation of slave labor and increase in large scale cultivation of leviathan milk. It
should be noted that leviathan milk, the thick pink gelatin in a leviathan’s hump, is the
best substance for fueling industrial furnaces and can reach a heat unobtainable through
the use of other combustibles. Several important achievements of Baltain’s industrial
embrace are the invention of leviathan fuel rifles, hot air balloons, and the production of
complex metals.
 Bastiland is the jewel of Imperial Baltain expansion toward Salimajhdran and reveals the
Emperor’s desire to eventually engulf the remains of Old Tymir. A vision that is so fierce
in the mind of Emperor Hjavor that it has been told by former courtesans of the palace
that he is almost obsessed with the notion. To avoid the issue of assigning a colonial
governor that the Emperor could not trust, Hjavor appointed his eldest son, Prince Namir,
to govern the colony of Bastiland as its sole sovereign. It has been said that Prince Namir
reflects his father’s ambitions in many ways and wishes to expand Baltain control over all
the islands of Salimajhdran and the untamed mainland. Prince Namir is also said to be
highly interested in the ancient magic practices of the tribal populations in the region and
the historical links between these practices and those of the Tymir Empire. In possible
relation to this, it should be noted that recent years have seen a steady increase of Baltain
military presence in the Grave of Old Tymir and the White Mountains.
 For several years, the merchant lords of the Republic of Kadushan and the Royal Family
of Baltain have created a lasting intermarriage alliance. This alliance has created
increased difficulty for Kanova to sustain naval control between Asterlan and the Isle of
Moroana and prevent economic manipulation by the merchant banks of Kadushan. Many
believe that Queen Moroana’s endorsement of the war of liberation on behalf of Buccia
was a reaction heavily influenced by the alliance between Baltain and Kadushan, which is
 The Histories of Shandmar 16

projected to become irreversible as whispers are hinting at a possible annexation of

Kadushan and the merchant banks by Baltain.

~ A Brief Introduction to Buccia and the Oshear Occupation

 Buccia was the first purely human kingdom to be established after the fall of the Tymir
Empire and experienced an era of prosperity following the reign of their fourth king,
Salywen the Great. It was during Salywen’s reign that the people of Buccia expanded
their small peninsular kingdom into a vast maritime empire that spanned the Known
World. The Buccians, being expert sailors, traditionally established island settlements
and trading ports from Salimajhdran to the northern shore of the Kadushan isthmus, in
order to profit off the trade and exotic items in local regions. It should be noted that the
city of Sierno on the Isle of Chrainca is the oldest of the colonies established in Southern
Salimajhdran and existed long before the unification of Baltain.
 During the reign of the seventh king, Liethos the Wise, the Oshear, who were the natural
enemies of the Buccians, began a series of wars that last for the next four hundred years.
This long and drawn out conflict would eventually be named by historians as the Serpent
Wars due to two essential features of the wars; one was that both the houses of Oshear
and of Buccia possess a banner portraying the ancient sky serpents of the Tymir and the
other was that the conflict was localized along the Great Cahrini River, which coils from
the deserts of Oshala down into the Peninsula of Buccia. Slowly, over generations, the
Kingdom of Buccia gradually ceded land and found itself cornered along the sea with
King Salywen III, the last king of Buccia, commanding his people from the floating
island city of Esili to flee to the remaining colonies as King and his most loyal soldiers
fought the invaders for every single island and every bridge until the last island fell to the
Oshear. History is uncertain of what happened to King Salywen III following the fall of
Esili, but various stories have circulated by self-proclaimed survivors of the siege that the
Oshear took him prisoner to the Twelve Towers at the source of the Cahrini River,
though this information has not been validated.
 Following the Serpent Wars, the Peninsula of Buccia and its remaining inhabitants were
absorbed into the dominion of Oshala for the next seven decades before Vineska of
Kanova led an army to the peninsula with the goal of liberating the fallen human
kingdom from the Oshear. During these seven decades, however, the people of Buccia
that escaped to the colonies, and those who originally dwelled there, continued the
Buccia way of life with a form of semi-independence from one another, though they
continued to be united by the hope of someday returning to their homeland.

~A Brief Introduction to Half-Bloods and Seafolk

 Long ago, during the years of the Tymir Empire, there existed hundreds of various forms
of mankind; some lived beneath the waves and tamed the mighty leviathans, some
dwelled deep beneath the earth in massive caverns where they carved their sprawling
 The Histories of Shandmar 17

cities, and some flew through the air and lived in hollow trees. Regrettably most of these
forms of man have perished either to warfare or strict methods of extermination by rival
forms of man for reasons being either more numerous or more industrious in their
capacity for waging war. This gradual exchange of power bestowed upon the air
breathing and earth walking man an almost singular distinction as the only form of man
or, more simply, the purest form of man.
 During the process of exterminating many of these forms of mankind, unnatural acts of
inbreeding were permitted for generations, which produced many half-blood populations
throughout the kingdoms of the air breathing and earth walking man. It should also be
noted that half-bloods, though possessing a likeness to other men, often inherit abilities
from their unnatural birth, which could include the ability to breathe under water, see in
the darkness, or even communicate with less beings such as animals and plants. Some
more notable and infamous populations of half-bloods within the Known World are
located within the tribes of the Shattered Lands, the Tormaska of Asterlan, and those
within the region of Oshala.
 It is true, however, that many forms of man still linger in unmarked sections of the
seafarer’s maps or in places unobtainable by the air breathing and earth walking man.
One such form of man, commonly referred to by laymen as the seafolk, often disguise
themselves as normal men and women through adaptive pheromones to live among us
wherever water is close by. Because of this, countless half-blood populations have been
formed over the past few centuries, which has caused a drastic increase in the oppression
of both half-bloods and discovered seafolk.

~A Brief Introduction to the First Colonial War

 The war that waged between the colonies of Baltain and Kanova was fought during the
Kanovean Civil War, which was largely an attempt by Imperial Baltain to claim
dominance over Southwestern Salimajhdran. Being somewhat isolated and underprepared
due to the events occurring back on Asterlan, the Kanovean soldiers alongside the
colonist fought the Imperial forces of Baltain with farming equipment, fishing boats, and
weapons crafted from whatever was readily available. As valent as the Kanovean
colonists were, they were eventually beaten back and forced behind the walls of Malontae
and within the fortress at the head of Queen’s Crown. It was here that the conflict lasted
for roughly thirteen months of military blockade, gradual starvation, and the spread of
illness until aid came from Baron Djoer of Pulintzen, who raided the Baltain ports of
Ellisted and Dolenstad with a mixed force of Aqambe, Vlenguard miners, Half-Bloods
from the ghetto, and warriors of fortune from Kadushan. This ragtag assemblage of
troops quickly turned the tide of the war and, within three months, the colonial forces of
Baltain were suing for peace, which was also in part due to the fact that the Civil War in
Kanova was resolved unexpectedly with the death of Lord Edinos and now the full force
of the Kanovean military could fully support the colonies that had been under siege.
 The Histories of Shandmar 18

 Following the resolution of the Civil War, Imperial Baltain paid reparations to both
Kanova and the Baron of Pulintzen, which was a substantial sum worth three quarters of
the Emperor of Baltain’s annual income. This massive destruction and the one-sided
peace agreement created lasting resentment between Kanova and Baltain, which has
made an uneasy relationship that could reignite into war with the right spark.

~A Brief Introduction to Full-bloods, Half-bloods, and Pure-bloods (Terminology)

 Since the times of Tymir Empire, three terms have been used in the Know World to
describe the various renditions of the human condition; Full-Bloods, Half-Bloods, and
Pure-Bloods. Each of these terms is described as follows:
1) Full-Bloods: This term refers to any form of man that does not contain any lineage to
the air breathing and earth walking form of man. It should be noted that all other forms of
mankind do not refer to themselves as Full-Bloods and do not recognized human
dominion over the Known World despite the success humanity has achieved in
subjugating all other forms of man.
2) Half-Bloods: This term refers to any form of man that contains a mixed lineage with
the air breathing and earth walking form of man. These forms of mankind tend to be
outcasts by Full-Bloods and Pure-Bloods alike.
3) Pure-Bloods: This term refers to the air breathing and earth walking form of man that
has become known as “human”. This term was first used by the Tymir during the Golden
Age of their empire.

~A Brief Introduction to Smoked Pesch, the Colonial Drug

 Since ancient times the seafolk, or Asarai, cultivated the ocean bottom for the benefit of a
variety of marine life that the Asarai found favorable. One such lifeform was the pesch, a
small crustacean that scuttles along the ocean floor and consumes the dead and decaying
material that collect along the bottom. Once consumed the organic material would be
converted within the pesch into a dark feathery material that if ingested in some manner
can cause intense hallucinations. The Asarai would apply the use of hot water vents to
boil the pesch into a salve that could be applied to the skin in order to relieve pain and
sooth mental trauma.
 Overtime, with the evolution of half-bloods of both human and Asarai origin, Pesch were
discovered to have another purpose besides those strictly medicinal. Half-bloods combed
the deep waters with long, wooden rake-nets for pesch, which they then caught, collected,
and dried in the sun before selling them to merchant sailors and pirates alike. The dried
pesch were then smoked by creating a small incision at the base of the bulbous stomach,
torched at the oozing opening, and then, as the smoke forced the pesch’s jaws apart, the
smoke was inhaled by an individual. This act was commonly called kissing the pesch or
taking a breath. It is important to note that high-class individuals within colonial society
often prefer to have the pesch gutted and the entrails dried and cut into strips to be
 The Histories of Shandmar 19

smoked through a pipe, though it has been proven through experience that this method of
cultivation loses much of the flavor and fresh oils.
 Kissing the pesch has become such a popular activity among the colonials where large
populations of half-bloods dwell that various authorities have been increasing there
concern over the practice. Some jurisdictions have even went as far as the incriminate
those who deal in the trade or use of smoked pesch, but this has done little to quell the
trade and only forced more illicit organizations to grow in prominence. It should be
noted, however, that some studies from the Valta Academy have shown a connection
between smoking pesch and the colonial disease known as the black tongue plague,
though there is much skepticism among scholars if this connection is anything more than
coincidence.

~A Brief Introduction to the Old Gods

 Long ago, before the words of men were inscribed on stone, the world was dominated by
greater beings that dwelled beneath the soil and the waves and behind the vail of clouded
sky. These beings of immense power controlled the minds of men through whispers of
the mind and shadows in the eye. They would influence great leaders to build vast
empires just to destroy them by corrupting the minds of those same leaders. This cycle of
growth and destruction existed for countless generations until the Tymir Empire, which
found God in the form of a man and thus rejected the Old Gods. This decision provoked a
long conflict between the Tymir Empire and the God, Hamahai, which eventually led to
the death of Hamahai at the cost of hundreds of thousands of lives and the loss of
countless Tymir cities built in the land of modern day Oshala. Many of the facts
surrounding these years and the conflict with Hamahai have become shrouded in the
corrupting nature of time and the loss of archival access due to their inconvenient
location at the Great Library of Mhenavah along the Cahrini River in Oshala, but
evidence of Hamahai’s mountainous body still remain to this day through the city of
Mhenavah itself. When Hamahai perished in the plains of Central Oshala, its great body
became the material in which Mhenavah was constructed and it has been said that the
Dresga River has been sourced o the fatal wound still seeping from Hamahai’s stomach.
 So many years have passed since the death of Hamahai and no evidence of the Old Gods
has been observed or recorded in roughly half a century. Most people have forgotten of
these ancient ones, though several radical scholars have begun to believe that there must
exist some alternative dimension to ours in which the Old Gods traverse, but this idea is
solely based upon ancient oral traditions of the Azakar; a nomadic peoples who sail the
slithering sand waves of southern Oshala, but hold no relation to the corrupt half-blooded
Oshear. The Azakar, due to their traditional nomadic nature, have avoided mostly all
conflicts over the past century resulting in little changed to their resilient culture, which
resembles an almost perfect likeness to itself during the days of Tymir, so their lyrical
recitations of the reflective world offer scholars a great mystery. Is it evidence of multiple
 The Histories of Shandmar 20

layers to our world or is it simply fantastical narratives intended to entertain children in a

place where the land offers little physical differentiation?

~A Brief Introduction to Queen’s Crown and the Drowned City

 Queen’s Crown originally began as a Kanovean military fort and naval base called
Crupas Point that was constructed on a stone spire that was intended to solidify Kanovean
control of the Northern Sea Passage along the Eastern Salimajhdran coast. Over time, as
Kanoveans fled to the colonies in search of a better life or to escape the brewing Civil
War that began to engulf the entirety of Asterlan, Crupas Point began to expand beyond
the capacity of the available land, which resulted in the creation of manmade islands that
were connected by bridges over tightly woven canals. At this same time thousands of
half-blood refugees were driven from the Isle of Flendivel and Isle of Bastiland and
found the lower depths of the islands jutting from Crupas Point as the only safe place to
settle, which, over time, has become known as a lawless place called the Drowned City.
In terms of proper names, Crupas Point was rechristened Queen’s Crown following the
resolution of the Kanovean Civil War in honor of Queen Moroana.
 The governmental structure of Queen’s Crown has been closely tied to the Kanovean
military and traditionally was run like an enemy occupied territory, but, following the
revolt of 1312, the ruling structure compensated for the growing desire by the people to
claim ownership in their leadership. The position of Overseers was created as an elected
official by all pure-blood Kanoveans. The position was devised with an annual term limit
with elections to be held the morning of the festival of Bashtlat. Overseers generally
operated as intermediaries between the citizens of Queen’s Crown and the military
commanders stationed at the fort on Crupas Point, but they still held the power to pass
ordinances and impose city taxes on imported goods, heads per family, and on estates,
though most of the tax burden was passed down to the half-blood population in the
Drowned City and was enforced by the city guard.
 After the invasion of Oshala, Queen’s Crown has become an essential staging point for
Kanovean soldiers on their way north to the Peninsula of Buccia. Recent years have seen
the population of Queen’s Crown triple in size as new communities of house boats clog
the canals and dwellings built on exposed portions of sunken ships have become a
mainstay for the locals. With this influx of population, the city officials struggled to
maintain order as gambling joints, the sale of pesch, and sex traffic increased faster than
the city guard could carry out the Overseer’s commanders. An illegal human organ
market would be closed down by the guard one day and an animal fighting ring would
open up the next day in the same building.

~A Brief Introduction to Ruslain Barsukov, Captain of the Guard

 Ruslain was born to the once wealthy and influential Barsukov family of Valounce and
watched from a young age as his family’s status gradually declined in high society. After
 The Histories of Shandmar 21

the death of his father during the Kanovean Civil War, however, the Barsukov family fell
into even greater despair as the now merger estate was further divided by Ruslain’s three
elder brothers, which left young Ruslain with a pitiful inheritance. It was during this time
that Ruslain’s mother sent him to the colonial capital of Malontae where he was to meet
and train under his uncle Bolki, who was the leading researcher in non-human
civilizations at the Valta Academy. It should be noted that the Valta Academy is the
largest and most renowned campus of academic studies outside of Asterlan and Valounce
and is house to the leading collection of Tymir and Full-Blood artifacts in the entire
Known World.
 During his training, Ruslain became fascinated with the Old Gods and the ancient
practices that were involved with their worship. It was this fascination that drove him to
depart on a private expedition of the mainland in search for a fabled temple that existed
deep within the Western Expanse. Traveling for several months to Whesnook and
through the Dresga Riverlands, Ruslain made it to the darkwood of the Expanse and hired
a local Aqambe name Thoma to be his guide and interpreter once reaching the temple
grounds. Under the darkwood canopy, Ruslain and Thoma quickly lost track of time and
appeared to be lost forever in the lingering darkness of the forest, but, just when all hope
was nearly lost, Ruslain witnessed a vision in the form of strange voice in a foreign
tongue that beckoned him. Upon following the voice, which grew louder and louder with
every footfall, the two men emerged into the light of day and knelt before the great
temple. It should also be noted that as suddenly as the voice began speaking, it suddenly
fell quiet as soon as Ruslain was out of the darkwood, but this voice would return again
the night the Overseer of Queen’s Crown was murdered.
 After the First Colonial War broke with the invasion of the Kanovean colonies by Baltain
forces, Ruslain was stranded in Pulintzen without any means of returning the Academy,
but by chance he met a hunter of men and beast by the name of Orid, who offered him an
opportunity to repay the Baltain with blood and a place on his ship. The Baron Djoer of
Pulintzen led raids against Baltain ports and fortifications along the coastline with
Ruslain fighting bravely on the front lines of battle. Following the surrender of Baltain,
Ruslain was offered a position as Captain of the Queen’s Crown Guard for his valor
during the conflict where he remains to this day.

~A Brief Introduction to The Hall of Giants in Asterlan

 Long ago, before any form of mankind dwelled on the land, amongst the clouds, or
beneath the waves, an even older form of life flourished deep within the cold windswept
mountains of Asterlan. These ancient ones were present during the time of creation and
tended to the foundations of the earth, so that the world may be suspended above the
horizon and not swallowed by the darkness underneath. Following the birth of humanity
from the Shandmar Cradle, the ancient ones nurtured the fledgling life and taught it
language, but was repaid with death as humanity attempted to subdue and master the
 The Histories of Shandmar 22

world around it. The ancient ones fled deeper into the mountains of Asterlan and soon
became a distant and very vague memory.
 Throughout the ages, the local Tormaska have described these giants of the highlands as
massive beasts with the resemblance of living earth with moss and various tangles of
vine-like vegetation thriving on their colossal bodies. It has also been told that they flesh
like stone and long curling tusks made of a substance similar to that of diamond. The
giants often walk on four limbs, which are their hooved legs and clawed hands, though
they have been told to stand on their hind legs when viewed from a distant mountain
summit along the icy slopes.
 The Hall of the Giants is a legend to most, but, for the Tormaska elders, it is as real as the
ground at one’s feet or the air one breathes. It is here, as it is told, that the giants feast in
great celebration of the work they have done in maintaining the foundation of the world.
They wrestle, tell stories, and dance within their great hall carved of stone and lighted by
liquid pools of magma where they also bathe. Legend also tells of an immense treasure of
the finest gems that have been collected by the giants to adorn their great hall in a
splendid array of vibrant colors of reflected light. It should also be noted that there has
never been a man or woman to reach the Hall of Giants, so all of this is purely
speculation, of course, though countless explorers and prospectors have attempted
throughout the generations.

~A Brief Introduction to the Eyes of the Queen

 When Queen Moroana ascended the throne during the war, she brought into her service a
number of masked strangers that had mysteriously arrived from the northern sea and
quickly became her closest advisers during the conflict. After which, the mysterious
twelve-fingered strangers became known as the Eyes of the Queen and were present in
the administrative bodies throughout the kingdom and overseas holdings. The Eyes of the
Queen are common knowledge to layman and nobles alike within Kanova and are
understood as not exactly human in origin. It has also been told that it is through them
that Queen Moroana can remain in direct contact with distant parts of her territory by
bearing witness to all any individual member of the Eyes of the Queen heard or visually
observed. This has been seen as either a practice of unknown magic or some method of
psychic connection shared between all of the Eyes of the Queen. What is their goal? Why
did they come here? And why are they helping our righteous sovereign? These are
important questions that yet remain unanswered.

~A Brief Introduction to the Well of the Half-Bloods

 During the Tymiric Empire, there existed a vast city of unknown name near the present
day location of Queen’s Crown. This sprawling metropolitan area eventually sank below
the waves after a cataclysmic event that occurred sometime after the decline of the
Empire and was for many generations forgotten. After the construction of the Drowned
 The Histories of Shandmar 23

City, however, the lost city was once again uncovered by the growing number of half-
bloods that quickly began to resettle amongst the ruins. The central location of settlement
became known as the Well for its cavernous cylinder shape that reseeded several hundred
feet below toward a segment of the old city. The Well itself was once used by the
Tymiric peoples as a structure to house leviathans during the process of taming and
remnants of these old days can be witnessed in the countless leviathan bones that litter
the bottom of the Well.
 The Well of the Half-Bloods is divided into quarters with each quarter controlled by a
different faction. The various factions are named after heroes of Asarai legend, which
include the Olong, named after Olonga the Unbreakable, the Ahmasin, named after
Ahmasina the Pious, the Coostra, named after Coostrak of the Rift, and the Nalanki,
named after the Goddess Nalan. These four factions have dominated society within the
Drowned City and have crafted an economic and political microcosm separate than that
of Queen’s Crown where the laws of the colony held no sway. In terms of operations
throughout the Drowned City, the Olong control much of the weapons trade, the Ahmasin
dominate the trade of deep sea narcotics and stimulants, the Coostra control the detention
of the Bottom Feeders, and the Nalanki have succeeded in cornering the distribution of
food and medication throughout the Well.

~A Brief Introduction to the Blood Witch of Whesnook

 The name of the young colonial woman who was taken hostage by the Bomdakatka war
party roughly three hundred years prior to this present date remains yet another mystery
despite her legend persisting in the bedtime stories of every young child and the uneasy
recollections between close friends on their way home after a night at the local tavern.
The Blood Witch of Whesnook, as she is most commonly called, was taken hostage and
suffered to witness her entire family being gutted for the purposes of organ harvesting.
Her own eyes, it has been said, were gouged out for the same reason, though, unlike the
rest of her kin, she was spared and kept as a prisoner to bear children for the braves.
However, she quickly earned the affection of the Elder Witch in the clan, who adopted
her as her own and taught her the sacred ways of her people, which made the young
woman feared throughout the clan and entire tribe.
 Much of her time among the clan is largely unknown due to poor availability of tribal
sources and the lack of proper historical records originating from the early years of the
colonies. Though countless tales have survived those years from the victims that
happened to escape the Witch’s reign of terror across the Dresga Riverlands. Close to
eighty-seven known settlements were torched and a majority of their inhabitants
harvested for organic material. The best known record during this time derives from the
Baltain military documents pertaining to the campaign launched with the directive of
eliminating the Blood Witch and reestablishing control of the Riverlands, but their
attempts were futile and resulted in the death of rough 260,000 Baltain troops.
 The Histories of Shandmar 24

 Many attempts were committed by private citizens and local officials alike, however, all
these attempts earned fruitless results as deaths, disappearances, and sightings have
continued for generations, though gradually becoming more distant and less severe.
Many believe she died a long time ago and the violent acts associated with her name are
nothing but individuals of questionable sanity attempting to achieve grandeur for
themselves through their careless acts of mimicry. It has been said by those who have
dwelled in the darkest recesses of all four kingdoms that the stories are true and the Blood
Witch lives and is simply biding her time for the right moment to unleash chaos upon the
people of the colonies once again.

~A Brief Introduction to Sadana and Svald Sangrun

 Sadana was born to a poor maid of the Wachem clan who worked on a pleasure barge
that was docked in the port of Ellisted and spent her youth cleaning dishes and washing
soiled linen until she eventually ran away and caught transport to Malontae. In the largest
city of the colonies, Sadana got involved in the unlicensed sale of pesch in order to pay
for room and board at a small tavern where she would spend her nights debating with
students of the Valta Academy, drinking heavily, and sleeping with countless of these
students whom she often coerced into allowing her to access the vast library at the
academy. It was here among the towers of books where Sadana truly found herself and
spent many years pouring over the seemingly endless pages of text pertaining to the fall
of Tymir, the union of Baltain, and the Witch of Whesnook. Also, as fate may have it, she
met the love of her life one day while searching the stacks for a specific document on
Slaydin tree masters when she became acquainted with a young man in charge of dusting
and cataloging the entire library. She loved him, it has been said, because he was the only
man not afraid of her when she threatened to physically beat him if he would not help her
find the material she was searching for.
 After only two weeks of steamy romance, the two wedded in the Kanovean tradition and
combined their meager sums to purchase a small boat and travel all of Esilias. The pair
traveled with their children to the Nemem Ice Drifts north of Dulnoth and to the gardens
of Carnuum and everywhere in-between until age began to seep into their bones like a
ship taking on water. After four decades at sea, Sadana and Svald planted their roots in
Queen’s Crown and opened a bookstore, which was their dream for many years.
However, as their children moved away and their two sons perished during the colonial
war, Sadana and Svald began to feel as if the world was leaving them behind and the only
memory of the world they knew existed solely in the books of their youth, which they
collected and cherished until a mysterious party of travelers came out of the noonday sun
and into their lives forever.
 The Histories of Shandmar 25

~A Brief Introduction to Korva, Morca, & Shena

 Korva is the smallest unit of the common currency which is exchanged throughout Esilias
and equates roughly to one loaf of bread. This value was established during the Tymiric
Era in order to standardize the imperial currency according to physical standards relative
to common life while also establishing a means for all laboring persons to possess to
ability to afford bread after a day’s work. Korva is commonly shaped in small bronze
circles pierced to produce a ring-like disc, which allows for the tying of multiple pieces
of Korva on one string or strap to be then tied to one’s belt or satchel. Five Korva pieces
equates to one Morca.
 Morca is the middle unit of the common currency which is exchanged throughout Esilias
and equates to the price of lodging for one week’s time, which was also established
during the Tymiric Era in order to maintain a standard living that could be achieved by all
laborers in the empire. Morca are slightly larger than Korva and are in a rectangular
shape rather than a circle, but maintains the central hole for the ability to tie the
currencies along one continuous strand. Additionally, Morca are composed of silver and
five Morca pieces equates to one Shena.
 Shena is the largest unit of common currency which is exchanged throughout Esilias and
equates to the price of securing passage on a ship for a one-way voyage from Tehamed to
Zanalos Iles. This value was also established during the latter part of the Tymiric Empire
when seafaring became more and more essential to economic growth and military
stability. Shena are triangular and composed of gold, but also have a hole in the center
much like Korva and Morca pieces.

~A Brief Introduction to Vision Powders

 The ancient practice of enshrining certain knowledge within ingestible material through
magically means was largely forgotten for several centuries following the fall of the
Tymiric Empire. However, after an archeological expedition in the southern isles of the
Shattered Lands uncovered partial blueprints for the practice, researchers have devised a
means of reestablishing this practice.