\newpage
The furthest reaches of a dead empire: Isurholm
The Werriadi Empire once had a small foothold along the southern coast of the lonely northern isle of Isurholm, but 800 years ago, the empire withdrew, leaving the land fractured between warlords, petty-kings, and invaders.
Once the Werriadi imperial capital on the island, Luden is now a town of rammed earth huts and wooden shacks among overgrown stone ruins and leaning wooden buildings on its once-glorious bridge. The land surrounding Luden, once known as Alfia Ludenensis by the Werriadi, is nominally under the domain of the Barony of Ludenesse, sworn to the Kingdom of Gewisse.
A short trip downriver from Luden, a causeway connects a tidal island to the mainland. There lies the infamous Nightwick Abbey. The Sword Brothers established the abbey 200 years ago, built with the wealth they stole during their holy campaigns around the Golden Gulf to the east. They sought to bring the same reign of religious terror to Isurholm, but they were eventually defeated by a coalition of lords. The abbey was deemed cursed and abandoned, but the treasures the Sword Brothers took must lie somewhere deep within.
Roads to the north lead to the mysterious Dolmenwood, technically part of the domain of the Duchy of Brackenwold, sworn to Gewisse. The land is “a swathe of tangled woods, fungus-encrusted glades, and foetid marsh on the wild borders of civilisation. Rife with intrigue, secrets, and magic, Dolmenwood draws travelers of adventurous spirit, daring them to venture within.”
Further west over the mountains is the Myrdoom. The breggles come from its foothills and the dwarrows from its depths. Here lie the remnants of the Otani kingdoms driven west.
To the west, Isurholm’s sister island, Ruislip, teems with strange monsters and legendary treasures yet to be uncovered. Attalanders raid the coasts of Ruislip constantly, and often stop off in Luden to spend their ill-gotten loot.
To learn more about the setting, refer to languages, religions, history, and geography.
Your Home Base
In Luden, there is a small stone structure inside a cellar behind a temple ruin. This is a Waypoint, an ancient technology from long before the Werriadi Empire. Instructions on the wall in the fifth floor describe how to use the waypoint to teleport to other similar waypoints on the island. The teleport function only teleports the user to other functioning waypoints. That is, they must be found before they can be linked.
Follow the link to a description of the Waypoint.
Currency
The most common denomination of currency is silver pennies (sp) from the Gewisse Royal Mint. Refer to Prices to see what a penny can get you. Any foreign or ancient currency or hacksilver will be communicated in terms of silver pennies.
Timing
The first session will take place on an agreed-upon day of the calendar. Refer to the calendar here (external link).