The Pact Primeval

Lands: Primarily the Hinterlands

Races: Elf (Wood), Gnome (Forest), Gnome (Rock), Half-Elf, Halfling (Lightfoot), Halfling (Stout), Human, Orc

Outside of civilized area, a loosely organized group of bards, druids, and elves remember the old ways that predated even the Empire.  Followers of the ancient ones, the Archfey they believe built the world, they remain on the outskirts of the world, vigilant for threats from the South.

History

Never numerous (at least in the times of men) and often at odds with all civilized people (who they view as worshipers of base forces), the force of the Pact Primeval are spread quite thin, and have for generations been fighting a losing battle against the Old Ways.  Nearly wiped out a thousand years ago by the forces of the Empire and its Mysteries, they waged a series of conflicts against the dwarves of the Ap’Dwardok in order to survive.  The conflict made them both unable to resist the Darkane Incursion

Goals

• Maintain the tales of the old ways, so that they do not perish.
• Push back against the forces of Darkane.
• Atone for the crimes against the Dwarvish people and stand fast against the orcs.

Key Individuals

• Ephria the Beloved: The hierophant of the Pact Primeval and the one true authority in the Hinterlands.
• Skarverran Berg: A half-elf (an extreme rarity in Haylene) who has defended the hinterlands for over a century.
• Flewlynn of Tulone: A well-traveled bard who is the only link between the forces of the pact and “civilized lands.
• Rawls the Green: This adventurer, known for his copper-green hair, was responsible for some of the great wars prior to the Great Conflagration
• Quentin the Dreamer: The primary messenger that the pact uses to communicate across the Hinterlands.

Rank and Associated Abilities

Associated Subclasses Bard (College of Glamour), Druid (Circle of Dreams), Paladin (Oath of the Ancients), Ranger (Primeval Guardian), Warlock (Archfey)

• First Order (Rank 1): Bardic, druidic, paladin, ranger, and warlock training available (required for 1st level of warlock, 2nd level of druid, and 3rd level of bard, paladin, or ranger).
• Second Order (Rank 2): Druidic, paladin, ranger, and warlock training available (required for 5th level of ranger, 6th level of druid or warlock, and 7th level of paladin).
• Third Order (Rank 3): Bardic or ranger training available (required for 6th level of bard or 7th level of ranger)
• Fourth Order (Rank4): Druid, paladin, ranger, and warlock training available (required for 10th level of druid or warlock, 11th level of ranger, or 15th level of paladin).  Currently, there are no Fourth Order paladins or warlocks.
• Fifth Order (Rank 5): Bardic, druidic, paladin, ranger, and warlock training available (required for 14th level of bard, druid or warlock, 15th level of ranger, and 20th level of paladin).  Currently, there are no Fifth Order druids, or warlocks

Heroes of the Empire

The Heroes of the Empire

Lands: The Imperial City, the Heartlands

Races: Aasimar, Human, Tiefling

The Heroes of the Empire are the collective names for the nobles of the old Empire.  These are the individuals who held positions, either in courts, or private lands beyond the city (or both).  In recent days, their numbers have dropped, such that most cities beyond the walls of Rhysone are run by guildsmen of the Keepers Guild.

Note: while the ranks of all factions are only loosely correlated with the abilities of certain subclasses (with a particular rank being a prerequisite for certain levels, not the other way around), this is particularly of note for the Heroes of the Empire.  The Rhysonian nobility is fallen and a shadow of its former self: there are very, very few holy warriors of true power left.  

History

Before the Great Conflagration, and even up until the days of the Reckoning, the nobility of Rhysone was known for their prowess in battle as much as for their constant scheming against each other.  Now, of course,  they are known only for the latter.

Goals

• Every noble has but one goal… gain power for his or her family.  The ideals of the Empire have largely fallen to the wayside.

Key Individuals

• Count Sambrun Corringbyrd: A cunning, if somewhat detached man, who opposes the unchecked power of the priests of the mysteries.
• Countess  Inga Winding: The leader of House Windling and a hero to the people, Countess Inga is the most likely to gain the support to be named Duke (and thus open ruler of the Imperial City)
• Count Wendall Ironcrown: The greatest arcanist in the Imperial City is this aging man who none the less has managed to make his family into a force to be reckoned with.

Rank and Associated Abilities

Associated Subclasses Paladin (Oath of Devotion), Sorcerer (Favored Soul)

• Lord/Lady (Rank 1): Paladin or sorcerer training available (required for 1st level of sorcerer or 3rd level of paladin).
• Baron/Baroness (Rank 2): Paladin training available (required for 7th level of paladin).
• Count/Countess (Rank 3): Sorcerer training available (required for 6th level sorcerer).  Currently, there are only three Counts.
• Duke/Duchess (Rank4): Paladin or sorcerer training available (required for 14th level of sorcerer or 15th level of paladin).  Currently, there are no dukes.
• Emperor (Rank 5): Paladin or sorcerer training available (required for 18th level of sorcerer or 20th level of paladin).  At any time, there could only be one Emperor.

The Four Towers

Lands: The Imperial City, Prydain, the Hinterlands

Races: Elf (High), Half-Elf, Human

The only source of wizardry outside of the Prydain, and one of the few places of the holy outside the Mysteries, the Four Towers have long represented hope for the good people of Haylene.  However, in recent times, they have fallen far from their once powerful state, and today only one of the Four Towers can truly claim an archmage.  Organized along four cultural lines, each of the towers was led by the Loremasters, and served by an order of holy warriors:

• The Northern Tower, in Prydain, was served by the Akadi Archers (arcane archers).  Unfortunately, the Loremaster of the North was slain over a century ago by the Red Witch of the Western Tower.
• The Eastern Tower, in the Imperial City, has always operated in hiding from the mysteries, protected by the Knights of the Whetted Blade (paladins with an oath of vengeance).  The Loremaster of the East, Valketha, is the last Loremasters in their tower.
• The Western Tower lost it’s Loremaster, Talecka, to the Red Witch (who was once her apprentice). The Red Witch is technically the Loremaster of the West, but no longer dwells in the Tower.  The Horizon Walkers of the West… the handful of planar guides who have always defended the Tower, now serve a lesser mage.
• The Southern Tower was overrun hundreds of years ago prior to the Great Conflagration, but the Warriors of the Wode (ancestral guardians) kept faith and eventually reclaimed the tower.  The Dundrarch, the Heirophant of the southern druids, came to live there in more recent times, and today, the Southern Tower operates independently.

History

Originally, the Towers were built by an alliance of humans and elves, who both risked their lives as traitors to defend against the growing perils that afflicted Haylene.  Over the years, their power waxed and waned, although the loss of the Southern Tower nearly crippled the faction, and the actions of the Red Witch essentially ended it.  Today, they maintain their missions separately, but only the Eastern Tower is able to follow its charter, although the Southern Tower is a formidable force to itself.

Goals

• The Four Towers were established to combat planar incursions into the world of Haylene.  
• The primary concern of the Towers is the land of Darkane and the perils of the Underdark.

Key Individuals

• Valketha, Loremaster of the Eastern Tower: The last true Loremaster, and historically one of the least powerful, Valketha is part of an effort to keep the flame of the East alive.
• The Red Witch of the Western Tower: Reviled for her part in the Reckoning, the Red Witch has reformed and attempts to make amends for her misdeeds.
• The Dundrarch: A powerful opponent of Darkane, the Dundrach is believed to be a hereditary position
• Ophalia, Caretaker of the West: The surviving wizard of the Western Tower, she tries to care for her walkers
• Edgerrin the Well-Traveled: The leader of the Horizon Walkers.
• Allyn Lackland: The leader of the Knights of the Whetted Blade
• Shema of Tulone: The Dundrach’s daughter, and heir to the position.

Rank and Associated Abilities

Associated Subclasses Barbarian (Ancestral Guardian), Druid (Circle of the Land), Fighter (Arcane Archer), Paladin (Oath of Vengeance), Ranger (Horizon Walker), Wizard (Loremaster)

• Apprentice (Rank 1): Barbarian, druid, fighter, paladin, ranger or wizard training available (required for 2nd level of druid or wizard or 3rd level of barbarian, fighter, paladin, or ranger).
• Learned (Rank 2): Barbarian, fighter, paladin or ranger training available (required for 5th level of ranger, 6th level of barbarian or 7th level of fighter or paladin).
• Walker (Rank 3): Barbarian, druid, fighter, ranger or wizard training available (required for 6th level of druid or wizard, 7th level for ranger, or 10th level barbarian or fighter).
• Initiated (Rank4): Barbarian, druid, fighter, paladin, ranger or wizard training available (required for 10th level of druid or wizard, 11th level of ranger, 14th level of barbarian, 15th level of  fighter or paladin). All individuals with this rank are listed above.
• Master (Rank 5): Druid or wizard training available (required for 14th level of druid or wizard).  At any time, there could only be four Masters, right now there are only three.