Northern Barbarian War.

The Narians

A group of people that live north east of the Oerdian contenent across the seas.

Narian have contact and trade with the Horned Society. Much of their trade deals with the exchange of foodstuffs and human slaves from Oerth for the importation of humanoids such as gnolls and orcs from lands outside of the plane of greyhawk.

The Narians practice a great deal of magic - mostly related to necromancy or mind control. They have many soul related magics as well. The Narians are known to the Horned Society for their great magical ghost ships able to traverse the close ethereal as well as the water. the Narians also have some dealings with the giants to the north - primarily for unique spell components such as Yeti parts, strange ores and gems, and a host of bloods from unique creatures.

These form some of the basis for their magical spells. The Narians are humans with black skin and generally blond or red hair. They have their own language as well as posses several magics which allow them understanding of other speech. The Narians generally worship demonic gods which often demand human sacrifice which the Narians get from piracy on this or other shadows. The Narians have little contact with the Oerdian continent except for the Horned Society, the Giants, and now the barbarians.

In the spring of this last year, a great storm blew a Narian ship carrying their Princess into the northern shores of the hold of the stonefist. The storm hit while the Princess was in the depths of a will contest with a powerfull spirit she was summoning (as only her royal line are allowed to do). The storm interfered with the contest and the creature was loosed - nearly ravaging her and destrying the ship. The princess was separated from the ship. Unconcious, and near drowned, the woman was found ashore by stonefist barbarians hunting in the area. She was taken back to their camp.

The barbarians had never seen a woman with black skin, let alone one with brilliant red hair. She was beautiful as well. Many clansmen thought she was tainted and cursed. They could see the taint flowed weakly in her blood. They debated weather to kill her there or nurse her to health. Some thought it was the taint that held her in a coma and was the reason why she was sick. The clan leader however would not see a woman killed unconcious so they were ordered to nurse her to health. The clan chief, stunned by her beauty, and driven by his own curiosity took great interest in her well being. It came to pass that she eventually awoke. She was very weak and teatered on the brink of death. She could summon no memory of who she was or how she got there. Perhaps the struggle with the demonic spirit had shattered her mind or had stolen her memories. She spent time with the barbarian clan chief and within a short time they fell in love. Within a short time he had decided to take her as his bride and she had decided to bond with him.

It took some time for the Narians to learn what had happened to the Princess's ship. Magic was employed to learn of her whereabouts but it had failed to penetrate the barbarian chiefs inner hall where she was kept. As time went on, the Queen employed higher powers until eventually the princesses location was learned. Magic and even demon servant were unable to retrieve the Princess, so a three Narian warships were sent accross the sea to retrieve her.

The unrest of the barbarians over the girl was quelled for a time as they saw great tainted demons try to come and take her. Many clansman died protecting the new bride of the clan chief but it did serve to solidify their loyalty to her and their chief. When the Warships were spotted on the horizon, laiden with tainted magics, clansmen at the shores were roused ready for combat. When the ship set ashore and the dark skinned crew summoned tainted magics and evil demons against the barbarian horde, battle ensued. The supperior numbers on the warships eventually took the battlefield and claimed the shore. Forces were sent inward to get the Princess. Even before the reason for the Narnian invasion was known, word was being sent accross the clans of the battle and the barbarians prepared for more. Word eventually reached Saviord, that peoples the skin color of his bride had invaded. He and his bride rode hard to meet them. Saviord was eager to meet the poeples of his wife even though she seamed reticent to learn of her past. When the clan chief and the Narian army met, it was a disaster. Saviord greeted them arms wide and welcomed in the Narians. The Narians however, were sickened at the thought of their princess betroathed to a savage and loosed sorcery and demons to reclaim her. Saviord would not allow them to take his wife away and battle ensued. Both armies were sizable. Blood was shed on both sides in vast amounts. The imperial Narian witches finally formed coven and loosed great magics to destroy the barbarians. In this moment, in a fit of emotion, the Princess remembered some of her art and loosed ancient bloodline magics to devestate the invading force. Saviord's superior warriorcraft, and that of the horde then broke the invasion and repulsed it. The Narian invasion was repulsed. Saviord allowed one ship to leave, to return with message that his princess would remain here as his wife.

So begins the war with the Narians. The send ships and forces to recover their Princes. So also begins striff among the barbarians. Many clansman saw the release of taint by the clan chiefs bride and were abhored by it. They too demand the forfet of his bride but Saviord will not allow it. He demands the right of chief of chiefs and calls the Barbarian Horde. Trouble is brewing among the clansmen and their are hints of civil strife.

For DM only:

***The war over the bride of Saviord leads to civil war amongst the clansman. Several clans break away from saviords rule and go back to the splintered bickering of old. The Narians however continue their war. Saviords fighting ability and his hordes fair very well and drag the war out past what one might have expected. The Narians however manage to invade a good portion of the upper continent and then capture Saviord and his bride. With the princess back in Naria, the Empress is able to rekindle the princess's memories of who she was. She gets her old very evil personality back as well as all the knowledge of her magecraft which she uses as much as possible. She is however Bonded to Saviord and she cannot undo the bond. The bond was set when she truelly loved him. The bond is akin to that which elves can make with their loved one. The capture of Saviord and the Princess unites the barbarians for a time, and the war is then taken to the lands of Naria with te barbarians no trying to free the captured Saviord. No doubt at this time, other churches will want to get involved int the war (Tiamat - its an ocean war), Anshar's clerics will be interested in the Narian spirit magics, a Narian weather artifact will gain the interest of the clerics of Ninurta and Kishars clerics would be interested in mapping a new continent. Unity among these factions in the theocracy may afford a different balance of power.

This war marks the entrance of the Narians into the campaign and reveals a culture that deals accross shadow. The Narians are a great seafaring culture and are responsible for the transportation of many humanoids accross shadows. The Narian Imperial Archmage is pretty intense (circa 24th lvl) with a coterie to boot. The Narians are humans with some drow blood in them.