BW PDF - Midnight Campaign

Adventuring Hook: The Leandari are a reclusive people becausethe mountains are dangerous. If the ever-present rocs do not eatthem, there are monsters from all climates who are just as eagerto hunt careless mortals. The mountains do, however, play hometo many rare components useful for crafting objects of power,both in the native monsters and the rare plants and elementsfound among the high peaks.The Zhelsky MinesPOPULATION LANGUAGE RACES100,000 Desre, Zhelsky Dialect Human, AnyPolitical StructureKingdomThe mines in the deep reaches of the Leandarimountains are very mineral-rich, so much so that thesouthern reaches of these deep mountains have beenmined extensively by the people of Zhelsky, to thepoint where there are tunnels and caves networkingthese segments for more than fifty miles. The peopleof Zhelsky live largely underground, surviving by eatingvarious mushrooms and imported food, usually in theform of jerky and other heavily preserved fare.They have very well-developed mechanical skills,having invented a variety of weapons and technologies,but they keep this technology to themselves, and use itto explore the caves and deep caves that they encounterin their mining expeditions. These caves and mines arelargely closed to outsiders, but their trading city is not.This trading city is a large cavern with many buildingsset up to do business with outsiders, particularlyKardans and the Manchesty clan of the Ethean.Adventuring Hook: Zhelsky mechanical devices are valuable, butclosely guarded from outsiders. Some even say they learned theirtechniques from studying deep ruins of the Kah’Seh. The deepmines can be dangerous places, home to monsters, and Zhelskyminers will pay well to have them cleared, if they can trust theadventurers to do their job without stealing from them.ORGANIZATIONS OF THE NORTHThe Order of the Silver Talon: Although they areloyal to Pelediem, this secret society operates in allof the northern nations and sometimes beyond,Furthering the interests of Pelediem and their owninfluence. Their primary purpose is to monitor andcontain the chaos of Kardan, keeping it from affectingthe workings of Pelediem. The members of theOrder are recruited for their superb talents and fortheir zealousness in maintaining the ideals on whichPelediem was founded. They are ruthless againstboth corruption and evil.The InterI: Currently, their ranks consist of only ahandful of mages, maybe two-score in total, butthe Interi are hand-picked from the most talented,most intelligent, and most ethical mages in the world.It is said that the original Interi were appointed by theColossal Elders themselves, as keepers of secrets andprotectors of the world. Their task is to keep themore dangerous arcane knowledge from the world.Since their massacre at the beginning of the last age,the interi have had a more difficult time keeping thistask. Events like the outbreak of Necromancy in theSeven Southern Kingdoms are points of failure forthe Interi.The Society of the Emerald Flame: This organization is anelite group of wealthy, talented individuals, identifiableby a jade ring that they are given at their initiation.They are a corrupt and self-serving society dedicatedto maintaining and increasing the power-base of theirown members, and are not afraid of killing othersfor their secrets. Their trademark, and possibly theorigin of their initial society, is knowledge of a secretchemical powder, capable of producing great forcefor just a tiny spark. Each of them carries a smallderringer, a weapon capable of producing a singleshot bullet and a great burst of green flame.Firing this weapon is a last resort, as it destroys thecasing, making it unusable and making it’s secretsuntraceable, but the blast is exceedingly powerful.Full-time agents are known for wearing bright goldand green clothing.House Laer: House Laer is a powerful noble house,based in Kardan, and they have a measure of influenceover the politics of that and other northern countries.Unbeknownst to most, however, the house is actuallythe home to a small family of very powerful vampires,who use their supernatural strength and longevityto outlast kings and countries and keep the strengthof their family. Their home has the appearance of asimple estate, but is exceedingly well defended and fullof wealth.165