The heavens are far more important and interesting. We must study the stars,those which wander and those which are fixed, to properly understand Astrology. The sun travels once around Oerth in 360 days, visiting the 12 Lairs of the Zodiac in an appointed round which never varies. The Great Moon (Luna) waxes and wanes in fixed cycles of 28 days each, upon which our months are based; while the Handmaiden ( Celene the small aquamarine satellite) follows a path which shows Her in full beauty but four times each year, thus showing us the time for our Festivals. When both Mistress and Handmaiden are full, things of great portent are likely to occur, depending upon the positions of the five wandering stars in the Lairs, naturally. The constellation of the Spider, called Mhoghedian, has recently come into ascendancy and is thought to represent the power of the Dark One, Vecna, Queen of Secrets. When the Red Star, which normally appears in the sky during summer months crosses into this constellation it is seen as a portent of evil plans and designed in the making. For complete details of Astrology, we recomend the reader to such texts as Selvor the Elder's Secrets of Ye Sky Revealed or Yestro Bilnigd's Astrology, Divinity, And Mankind.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF EASTERN OERIK BEFORE THE DARK TIMES
When the Invoked Devastation came upon the Baklunish, their own magi brought down the Rain of Colorless Fire in a last terrible curse, and this so affected the Suloise Empire as to cause it to become the Sea of Dust. Migrating bands began settling the eastern portion of the Oerik Mainly children were deposited in the region near the Aerdi Sea. Although they had lost the knowledge and power of their former civilization, they none-the-less quickly became strong hunter-gatherer tribes. These tribesmen were hardy and capable hunters but not particularly warlike, and their small and scattered groups made no appreciable civilizing effect.
At the same time, the suel peoples, mainly fleeing from the war, moved east and northwards through the Pass of the southern Crystalmist Mountains (now known as the Hellfurnaces ) and spread out in all directions. The majority of the Suelites were pushed to the extreme south, into the Amedio Jungle, the Tilvanot Peninsula, the Duxchan Islands, and even as far as across the narrow Tilva Straight into Hepmonaland.
The fierce Oeridian tribes likewise moved east, as they migrated out of what is know known as the plains of the paynyms and southern Ket and radiated outward south and east. For two centuries the Oerid and Balkuni battled each other and the fragmenting humanoid hordes for possession of the central area of the Flanaess, incidentally engaging the Flannish and demi-humans. The success of the Balcuni domination of so much of the Flanaess was in part due to their friendliness to- demi-human peoples of the area - dwur, noniz, hob-niz, olve - and their co-operation greatly strengthened the Balcuni. The willingness of the Flanae to join forces with the Balcuni armies as well as train them and provide strategic advisors proved to be a considerable factor. Perhaps the biggest asset the Balcuni had, however, was the vileness of the Oerdians - for the majority lied, stole, slew, and enslaved whenever they had inclination and opportunity. There were exceptions, of course, such as the Houses of Rhola and Neheli - late migrants who settled and held the Sheldomar valley. In a few places the two racial stocks intermixed - notably the Sheldomar Valley where, except for the Hold of the Sea Princes, the peoples of the Kingdom of Keoland, Gran March, and nearby petty lands are mixed Oerid/Balcuni. To the far north, four of the strongest and fiercest clans managed to retain large stretches of ground and hold the northern plains to maintain their small states against all comers - the Fruztii, the Shcnai, the Chybyk and the stonefist.
The strongest tribe of the Balcuni, the Aerdi, settled the rich fields east of the Nyr Dyv and there founded the Kingdom of Aerdy, eventually to be renamed the Great Kingdom. After several decades of increasing growth, power, and prestige, Aerdy embarked upon a series of conquests, the greatest of which was the defeat of the Nyrondal cavalry squadrons at the Battle of a Fortnight' s Length. Thereafter, Aerdy was known as the Great Kingdom, whose monarch held sway from the Sunncli swamplands in the south, westward to the Nyr Dyv, and from thence northwards through the Shield Lands and beyond the Tenh. The writ of the Overking of Imperial Aerdi eventually extended to Furyondy and Voll (now Veluna), across the northern prairies as far as Perrenland. For three centuries the Aerdy held a vast empire which fluctuated in extent but little, until after the third Celestial House (dynasty) when the borders began to close in upon the original territory of the Aerdi.
Mixed Oerid-Baklunish nomad bands had gradually moved into and laid claim to the steppe lands beyond the Yatil range, pushing eastwards as far as the Griff Mountains. Border skirmishing with the southern nations went on as these wild horsemen pushed into the Flanaess. Perhaps the civilized states could have stopped their eastward progress had they not been busy fighting with the Aerdi for their independence. Perranders, Veluntans, Furyondians, and Tenhas achieved success, establishing independent status one after the other in a series of minor but bloody wars. The House of Rax, ruling Aerdi dynasty, was at the time sundered by an internal feud, and the junior branch, then known as Nyrond, declared its lands free of the rule of the reigning Overking and sovereign. The senior branch of the House of Rax, weakened by the warfare in the rebellious provinces and a religious civil war at home, was powerless to prevent the move. Determined nonetheless to bring the juniors to their knees, a large force was gathered to suppress the newly independent kingdom, when a coalition of Fruzt, Schna, and mercenary barbarians mounted a major foray into the Aerdian North Province. The Overking swung his massed army northeast, and soon the invaders were crushed, but the cost in men and materiel was high, and the end of the campaigning season arrived before any further action could be taken. Nyrond marshalled its men and grew in strength, so that the following year saw only skirmishes and feints, and Nyrond was effectively a separate and distinct state, violently hostile to its eastern neighbor, and ready to aid any of its foes. It was at this time that the evil began to grow within the rulers of the Great Kingdom. The House of Rax became decadent, its policies ineffectual and aimed at appeasement. The powerful noble houses took this as their cue to set up palatinate-like states, and rule their fiefs as if they were independent kingdoms.
The last heir of the House of Rax fell to assassination during the Turmoil Between Crowns. When the demon-serving House of Naelax ascended to the Malachite Throne, the whole of the South Province refused to swear loyalty, and they joined the Iron League. This rebellion was handily crushed by companies of demon troops summoned by the Overking. The Iron Leaugue pact with the Free City of Irongate, the Szek of Onnwal, and the Lord of the Isles certainly gave the League a strong bargaining position. It assured its status by enabling the confederation to negotiate a treaty of mutual protection between League states and the Kingdom of Nyrond. This treaty remains in force to this day.
Consensus of opinion holds that all of the Overkings who have ruled from the Malachite throne since circa 450 CY (the fine of the House of Naelax) are insane or demon-ridden or both. Evil is in the ascendancy everywhere in the Flanaess, while the Great Kingdom revels in debauchery. Tribes of vicious humanoids have banded together and rule whole areas - Bone March, luz (certainly under the leadership of humans), the Pornal. The Bandit Kingdoms wax stronger, while thieves, assassins and orders of evil clerics assume the rulership of city and state alike.
There is hope, of course, for Nyrond is not lost to evil. Furyondy and Veluna in the central Flanaess are strong in the cause of justice and good. Although the demi-humans have avoided general involvement in human wars, the formation of the demi-human principalities of Celene and Ulek highlights the fact that they will resist invasion from the humans inhabiting a state. They react as one when a realm becomes oppressive and/or evil: they either make their own territory separate from the surrounding land and unhealthy for intruders, or they remove to an area more suitable to their ethos. Human and demi-human alliances on a large scale are now out of the question due to a long bloody history between the races.
The Battle of Emridy Meadows ran counter to this isolationist trend. Contingents of men-at-arms and cavalry from Furyondy and Veluna, together with a force of dwarves from the Lortmils, gnomes from the Kron Hills, and an army of elven archers and spearmen fought together against a vast horde of humanoids (orcs, gnolls, and ogres predominantly) and evil men. The opposing forces met on the grassy fields south of the Velverdyva river several leagues below the city of Verbobonc. The allied forces were closing upon the stronghold of the evil creatures, a huge, walled fortress known as the Temple of Elemental Evil, not far from the unfortunate village of Hommlet, when elven scouts reported that a huge army was approaching from the south. The Marshall of Furyondy, leader of the combined forces, ordered a withdrawal northward position scouted earlier. Light cavalry skirmishes were sent out to screw withdrawal, and no real fighting took place that day. When the horde of evil creatures marched forth next dawn they were confronted by the ranks of the allied army. The pikes of Furyondy and Veluna were arrayed so that their flank was secured by the Velverdyva, in the center were the banners of horse, and on the allied left were deployed bands of dwarves and gnomes, with a few units of elven archers placed in the intervals between. The humanoids fell immediately upon the left, while the men in the evil ranks rode to engage the center and right. The hordes of orcs, gnolls, and ogres thrust aside their hated foes and rushed to encircle the balance of the allied army. Thus the fatal trap was sprung, for the whole allied army pivoted, squadrons of knights driving into the rear of the onrushing horde of evil, and squares of elves emerging from the Gnarley Forest on the left to seal the pocket. Trapped in a pocket, with the bend of the Velverdyva at their backs, and the human and demi-human army forming the chord of the arc, the packed mass of evil humans and humanoids fought hopelessly. After the great slaughter inflicted, the army went on to besiege the Temple of Elemental Evil, and it fell in a fortnight. The Demoness Tsuggtmoy (or Zuggtmoy) was imprisoned in the ruins of the place, with special wards to prevent her escape. Only a few of the wicked leaders of the Temple managed to escape, and it is suspected that these individuals were responsible for the subsequent kidnapping and total disappearance of the Prince Furyondy while he was still a young man. He was returned to power by the Champions of Sophora years later.
The Prince, betrothed to the daughter of the Plar of Veluna, and serving Provost of that state, as well as Marshall of Furyondy, was of key importance to the forces of good. Upon his marriage to Jolene of Veluna, the two states would have become a joint entity, the Archcleric ruling in matters spiritual, and the Prince ascending the throne and becoming King, would rule in matters temporal. The state, with demi-human alliances, would certainly wage continual war with evil nations, and the previous results boded ill for opponents.
Just prior to the Dark Times, the state of affairs in the Flanaess is confused indeed. Humankind fragmented into isolationist realms, indifferent nations, evil lands, and states striving for good. The Baklunish countries in the northwest are more powerful. Nomads, bandits, and barbarians raid southwards every spring and summer. Humanoid enclaves are strongly established and scattered throughout the continent, and wicked insanity rules in the Great Kingdom. The eventual result of this can not be foretold.
Most scholars agree that only five of the countless dialects of Eastern Oerik we or are spoken by enough people to be properly called languages. These are:
Ancient Baklunish: The direct ancestor of the Aerdian toungue an indirect grandparent of the Common tongue, Baklunish nevertheless bears its offspring little resemblance; this is to be expected after nearly a millenium of change, however. Like Suloise, it is rarely spoke even among the few scholars who know it; rather, it exists in its written state for the sake of those who would delve into the surviving arcane tomes of the Baklunish peoples.
Hachdeshani: This language is a direct decendant of a mixture of Suloise and Ancient Baklunish mixed with draconic and its own unique influences. It is the spoken language of the humans in the Sea of Dust. Because of the nature of the humans in the seas of dust, toungues and similar spells tend not to function to translate the language as it is usually spoken under and into magic shell. It is a difficult language to learn and often references things unique to the desert.
Aerdian: A direct decendant of Ancient Baklunish. the language underwent considerable change from its parent toungue after the Invoked Devistation and the years immediately following it.
Flan: Doubtless the oldest language still spoken, it predates the appearance of humans in the Flaness. It was originally spoken by the demi humans and humanoids that occupied the eastern portions of the continent before the humans. The Tenha and some Rel Mordians still speak Flan, albeit a time-corrupted version of the language that once was widespread throughout the Flanaess. A stagnant language, it is difficult to translate modern concepts into Flan.
Old Oeridian: A younger language, Oeridian was totally free of outside influences until a few centuries ago. As a result, its linguistic components are unique and translation into any language except Common is all but impossible. This language is still spoken by the barbarians in the north.
Common:(Nyrundian) A combination of the dialect of Aerdian spoken in the Great Kingdom, Flan and to some extent, Old Oeridian, forms the basis of this new, widely used tongue. Virtually anyone who crosses national boundaries must learn at least a smattering of Common or be greatly handicapped. It is frequently the case that translations from one language to another must be first converted into Common an then translated into the desired language. This is possible because of the universality of Common's roots.
Ketian: This language was formed from a dialect of Old Oerdian and Flan. It also has significant influences from the language spoken by the Ketian Gods.