This should be finished now, bar the shouting.
Event: The Casting Out of the Umbragen[spoiler]As the legends go, the First Ones created Caen, the City of Light, for all of the drow to inhabit. A place of wonder and technological and magical marvel, it was truly a paradise. For many centuries, the drow and those who would become the
umbragen lived in peace with each other, the former pursuing their goals of unification and advancement, and the latter experimenting with shadows and other powers. As the city grew greater and greater, the Houses of Caen grew to squabbling and disagreement, as well as constantly trying to outdo each other. The two great faiths of Vulkoor and the Church of Umbra quickly joined in, serving as a rallying point for the drow and the shadow-born, who began to call themselves
umbragen.
From among the
umbragen arose a champion, who called himself Kren, or Holy Kren as he rapidly became known. Charismatic and intelligent, he claimed that he was the last remaining First One, and that he would lead the
umbragen to their true position as leaders of Caen, as the First Ones had promised them. He played up every slight and insult committed by the drow against the
umbragen, convincing them that they were being persecuted and oppressed (whether this is actually true or not is hard to ascertain anymore). As time wore on, the conflict became so entrenched that the two sides no longer knew why they fought. Only Kren, unaging and eternal, knew the truth, and continued to lead the
umbragen, together with the Church of Umbra. Those closest to him, mainly males, mistreated by
umbragen and drow society both, began to call themselves the Brotherhood of Nul, and they built an organization of fanatics and malcontents into a powerful fighting army, preaching unity through strength, peace through power.
It was only a matter of time before such an explosive philosophy led to open conflict within Caen, and the advancement of both sides in terms of magic and technology, as well as their entrenched hatred, became so major as to make this conflict brutal and brief. Unfortunately, the drow, with better equipment, funding and more widespread support, defeated the
umbragen, and forced them to inhabit the caverns beneath Caen, driving out or killing all
umbragen that remained.
For several centuries, the drow and
umbragen have lived in a state of constant war, each seeking to rule Caen as supreme. While the leadership of the
umbragen comes largely from the Church of Umbra and the Brotherhood of Nul, the drow have started the Caen Defence Initiative (or CDI), with the support of Vulkoor's faithful. This conflict does not appear to have any end in sight, as the initial advantage enjoyed by the CDI has been overcome by the Brotherhood's discovery of magicite and the related technologies that it has spawned.[/spoiler]
NPC: Holy Kren[spoiler]The First Ones who built Caen are a great mystery, and none have been seen or heard of for many centuries. Thus, when a male
umbragen calling himself Kren appeared seemingly out of total obscurity, proclaiming his First One status, many sat up and noticed. Despite considerable outrage at his statements, and the general surprise that a male could be so bold, many started to believe him more when he showed amazing insight and knowledge, especially about the magical machines that kept Caen functioning, despite nobody truly knowing how they worked.
Kren preached a surprising creed. He claimed that the
umbragen were the true descendants of the First Ones, and that they were being oppressed by the usurper drow, who were nothing but lesser specimens, fit only for service. Although he counselled against violent actions, he claimed that peace could only come through power, and unity through personal strength. His creed, surprisingly similar to that of the Church of Umbra, was also gender-neutral, as welcoming of females as of males. Once the Brotherhood of Nul became established, Kren continued to preach and expound his philosophies to anyone who wanted to listen, and his messages led to the
umbragen becoming more bold in their actions against the drow, eventually leading to the war that would lead to them being cast down and establishing Urcaen.
Although he was believed dead at least three times, Kren always returns, seemingly stronger than ever. Many who have been in his presence claim that he radiates a presence so strong that all that stand before him can only kneel and weep. He rarely deals with anyone directly anymore, preferring to pass down messages through his Inner Circle. As a result, very few people have actually
seen Kren, and even fewer have spoken to him personally. At the same time, this does not blunt the faith of the Brotherhood in his leadership, with a few even worshiping him as a god. While Kren has never responded to such things, the Brotherhood was able to benefit considerably from his leadership, often gaining insights into Caen, magic and technology that had initially been claimed as impossible.
Kren's goal in the present moment appears to be to reclaim Caen. he has claimed many times that once the drow are driven out of Caen, the First Ones will return. Whether this is a myth or not is hard to prove, but this message is proof enough for the Brotherhood.[/spoiler]
NPC: Reverent Mother Priestess Ellara[spoiler]As with all that hold the title of Reverent Mother Priestess, Ellara is a ruthless and powerful matriarch of the Church, with experience of battle against their enemies and the power of scorpions at her command. She is often seen carrying her bladed whip, which she uses to discipline wayward Church acolytes, the many slaves she is in charge of, or simply anyone who acts in a way she doesn't approve of. Some joke that she also uses this whip in her bedroom, but those caught making such jokes in her presence aren't heard from again.
It is believed that Ellara's uncompromising and brutal attitude comes from the fact that she is from House Codiac, and thus, has more to prove to those around her than any other priestess. While this is a long-standing rumour, the remnants of House Codiac have never claimed her as her own, and she claims allegiance to no House (and truthfully, none of them want her). Likewise, the Brotherhood of Nul have few dealings with her, believing it best to keep her at arm's length if possible. That said, she has worked together with the Brotherhood several times, and is believed to have met Holy Kren at least once in her life.
Ellara is currently believed to be researching ways to prolong her life. Whether this will be through lichdom, magicite-based life-prolonging infusions or something even more drastic, everyone at the Church, and in Urcaen more generally, fears that she might become even more cranky and sadistic as a result.[/spoiler]
Organization: The Brotherhood of Nul[spoiler]In both drow and (ironically)
umbragen society, males are frequently treated very poorly. Seen as second-class citizens at best by their female employers, rulers and mistresses (in the very literal sense of the term), if not as outright useless for anything other than sex, cooking and cleaning, they were one of the most discontented groups in Caen before the
umbragen were cast out. The Church of Umbra made this no easier, as they declared that only females were fit for the priesthood, and that males should accept their subservient position in society, as Umbra had willed it. However, with the rise of Holy Kren, many males saw that they could indeed aspire to a position of strength and success, as even the Church could not afford to ignore him. Many
umbragen males followed Kren, seeing him as an inspiration and a strong individual, whose life was one to be emulated. His status as a First One (allegedly, at least) also made them believe that he was truly their salvation and strength.
This led twelve males to, one day, decide to become an order dedicated to Kren in everything. Naming themselves the Brotherhood of Nul, they sought to be the eyes, ears and hands of Kren, working his will and obeying him in everything. Fanatically devoted, they took for their symbol the scorpion, a symbol of the Church of Umbra that had been denied to them. They became an inner circle for Kren, who found their devotion useful and a great piece of recruiting propaganda. What he had not expected is that the Brotherhood would grow - rapidly. Before too long, it was an organization that had hundreds, then thousands, then tens of thousands of members, with its own structure, organization and military wing. Although males were (and still are) the majority of its members, seeing its power, many females also decided to join it. By the time of the war between the drow and the
umbragen, the Brotherhood had a trained military, a research wing, a spiritual corps and over a hundred thousand members under its banner.
When the
umbragen were cast out, the Brotherhood of Nul moved rapidly to establish ideological dominance over the outcasts. Although the Church of Umbra could not be swayed over completely, the two organizations decided to bury their hatchets and work together to try and establish a better world for the
umbragen. The Brotherhood relinquished most of its spiritual wing (although many individuals revere Kren all the same), and instead became a military and research organization, with the spiritual aspects of it taken on by the Church of Umbra. While this has meant that their membership is now almost exactly split between males and females, several of the higher-ranking officers within the organization feel that it no longer is the same organization that it was when it was founded - in a worse sense.
The Brotherhood's research wing in particular has produced considerable technological advances in both military and non-military fields, and it continues to be a desired location for many in Urcaen with an inclination towards the magical or technological arts. Its military is the main defence force for Urcaen, and also serves as its police and intelligence agencies. Additionally, the Brotherhood continues to be led and protected by Holy Kren, who, despite apparent deaths three times, returns every time to continue to lead them into the future.
The symbol of the Brotherhood is
a scorpion tail. Its members often use "Kain lives!" as a battlecry or statement of relief or success.[/spoiler]
Organization: The Church of Umbra[spoiler]In the ancient history of Caen, there have traditionally been two churches for two species: Vulkoor for the drow, and the Church of Umbra for the
umbragen. Unlike the faith of Vulkoor, which stresses belonging and strength in numbers, the Church of Umbra instead emphasized individual achievement and strength, as well as becoming even more militant in its mistreatment and denunciation of the 'evils' of males. While they had adopted the scorpion symbology of Volkoor, the Church of Umbra stressed the scorpion's strong and predatory nature, as well as its ability to overwhelm even the strongest enemy with its poison. The Church thus stresses flexibility, adaptability and individual power rather than the protection of the group. Due to its close relationship with the
umbragen, it also emphasizes shadows and the use of illusion magic, as this is something to which they are naturally drawn.
While it had previously clashed with the Brotherhood of Nul, the two now exist in an uneasy relationship. While the Church finds the near-deity-like status of Kren to many of the members of the Brotherhood to be uncomfortable, since they now handle all of the spiritual needs of the community of the Brotherhood, they mostly allow this to slide. Due to being one of the three great forces in the community of
umbragen (the other two being Houses and the Brotherhood), they believe they can afford to let a little slide for the sake of defeating the drow of Caen that cast them out alongside the
umbragen. That being said, however, every member of the Brotherhood turned away from Kren is seen as a victory.
The teachings of the Church are that you can only rely on yourself. Those who rely on others are weak, and do not deserve any status or object they haven't the strength to keep or maintain. It also teaches that force multipliers and overwhelming power are the best way to address a problem, and that 'honourable' warfare is an illusion. Lastly, the Church venerates scorpions as a symbol of its ideal, using them both symbolically and literally in many of their rituals and prayers. The Church has a low opinion of males, claiming them to be weak of moral character, incapable of effective rational thought, and generally a danger if not kept properly controlled - which the matriarchial society of the
umbragen is more than happy to accept.
The Church of Umbra is a greater deity, providing the Destiny, Illusion, Scorpion, Strength and Trickery. Their favoured weapon is the short sword.[/spoiler]
Organization: Hand of Nul Scorpion Riders[spoiler]The Hand of Nul Scorpion Riders are some of the most elite units of soldiers that the Brotherhood of Nod commands. Chosen for their intellect rather than their brute strength, Scorpion Riders are trained rigorously, and have to find, capture and train their own monstrous scorpion mounts before they can be considered true members. They are organized into small units, and are a terror on the battlefield, as well as being effective spies and assassins, thanks to their unusual training.[/spoiler]
Organization: House Drannar[spoiler]Of all the Houses, House Drannar is perhaps the most powerful of all in recent history. Being mostly concerned with producing magic users and priestesses, House Drannar wields incredible magical resources, and is immensely wealthy through the sale and hire of such services. They also have substantial stakes in racing animals of all kinds, but it is considered to be a secondary business at best recently by the elder matrons of the House.[/spoiler]
Organization: House Codiac[spoiler]House Codiac is a cursed House, having been destroyed almost entirely by turning away from the worship of the Church of Umbra. It is believed that their members trafficked with devils, and swore allegiance to them. This, in turn, gave them their dominant position for over a hundred years in all of Urcaen's affairs. However, once their choice of patrons was discovered, it did not take long for the Church of Umbra to galvanize the other Houses, keen to get at House Codiac's great wealth, into destroying it.
Little remains of the House now, although its greatest families are attempting to rebuild it from the ashes, currently by dealing with various kinds of edible fungi and mosses.[/spoiler]
Phenomenon: Magicite[spoiler]When the
umbragen were first cast out of Caen and doomed to the caverns below, they considered themselves cursed, and the Church of Umbra to have failed them. However, it did not take them long to realise that their new home housed untold mineral wealth - gold, iron ore, adamantine, mithral, and other precious metals were abundant, with the waste of Caen pooling down into the underground lakes and forming deposits of precious metals on their bottom. However, the greatest discovery made by the explorer teams, initially headed by the Church, but subsequently by the Brotherhood, was magicite, the discovery of which revolutionised the way the
umbragen lived and propelling them into a new age of power and strength.
Magicite appears as a light blue crystal, often forming deposits around other minerals (though adamantine is the exception to this). It is unusual for several reasons - firstly, it has the capacity to grow. Just a small shard of magicite planted near any kind of mineral deposits, no matter how scarce, will soon begin to grow more of itself, the rate being dependent on how much mineral is present. As this means it can be cultivated, planting and fertilisation (by use of leftover metal or tainted water) of magicite is a common activity in Urcaen, with whole caves set aside for this purpose. Secondly, magicite has powerful magical and mutagenic properties. It can serve as fuel for powerful spells and arcane machineries, as well as items of power, and its effects on living flesh, while horrifying, can produce incredible results. Many, if not most, of the inventions and discoveries of the Brotherhood of Nul can be attributed in whole or in part to magicite-based research, and new applications for this wonder-mineral are being found all the time. Thirdly, magicite is a deadly toxin with few treatments that are effective for those unfortunate enough to be poisoned with it. It is this combination of qualities that makes magicite so attractive to the
umbragen, and the city of Urcaen is practically built on magicite, relying on it for almost everything.
Magicite is usually handled only with adamantine-threaded gloves and while wearing a gasmask, as exposure to magicite can be dangerous. It can only be stored in adamantine containers, as it quickly leeches the minerals from anything else it is encased in. The effects of magicite on living tissue are horrendous, dying the skin and eyes blue, producing horrible scarring, nausea, vomiting, internal bleeding, fevers and eventual death. It can also have powerful mutagenic properties, granting magical or psionic ability, new limbs, and even stranger effects. Magicite is highly brittle, and even a gentle touch can cause some of it to flake off and become inhalable dust. As a result, the most dangerous task to do with magicite (its mining) is done by undead or slaves too useless for anything else.
While the true number of inventions that came from magicite is hard to give number or name to, one of the most famous is Urcaen Pitch.[/spoiler]
Phenomenon: Urcaen Pitch[spoiler]Urcaen contains substantial industry, but due to being underground, the smoke and fumes from these industries, many of which rely on magicite, toxic chemicals, acids or worse things, must be discharged somewhere, and the limited air of the cave complexes that house it is not a wise choice. The Great Underground Sea, with its portal to one of Thelanis' great oceans at its bottom, provided a place to discharge such effluent, and portals to Dolurrh and Xoriat proved another outlet, but these grew too excessive or too dangerous respectively. The Brotherhood of Nul, as ever willing to make further inroads on
umbragen society, set their mage-scientists to work, who quickly discovered that passing such vapours through water that had been 'seasoned' with magicite dust, produced a thick, pitch-like substance. As the water-to-vapours ratio was very positive (around 1:1000, depending on the composition of the smoke and fumes), this was seen as a miraculous process, and it is now used to keep the air and water of Urcaen cleaner than ever before. The Brotherhood of Nul is all-too-happy to collect this highly toxic and disgusting waste, claiming to be doing a service to the community.
However, the Brotherhood have many uses for this material, which they named Urcaen Pitch. It is highly volatile, and can burn in the absence of air, as well as when doused with water. It burns at a very high temperature, which makes it hot enough to fuel forges and metal furnaces, and can cause almost anything metallic to amalgamate with it, producing new materials of unusual quality. The full range of uses for this material is only beginning to be discovered, and for now, the more polluting and dangerous industries spring up to fuel Urcaen's war effort, the better.[/spoiler]
Place: Urcaen, City of Darkness[spoiler]Urcaen is built in a complex system of caverns that lie not far from the city of Caen. The caves used to lead all the way to Caen, but since the banishment of the
umbragen, these caves have been either flooded or sealed. At the same time, Urcaen maintains several secret points of access to the surface, for espionage and raids, with plans for a large-scale invasion.
Urcaen is a huge industrial mass of buildings, with a population of many millions. More strictly an empire than a city, its lack of space has forced conurbation at a huge pace. While the cave complexes are vast, they are also limited in space, and it may soon come to the point that there is no further space in the great city.
While it is a lightless place, it is full of industry and unusual craftsmanship, and received interplanar traders through several specially-made portals to give them goods that are scarce below-ground, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and other things that are scarce beneath the earth. In return, they trade minerals, as well as the many products that they can make. Magicite, being a strategic resource, is never traded for any reason.[/spoiler]
Place: Caen, City of the Light[spoiler]Built by the First Ones many centuries ago, Caen is not a city as much as it is an empire, ruled by the drow. The city itself is extremely ancient, and many of the technologies and magics that power it are no longer understood by those who dwell there. At the same time, this is a considerable advantage in the jungles of Xen'drik, and thus, the city's population is quite sizeable, possibly approaching a million or more drow.
The city itself is situated inland, near a river. It is at the centre of an empire of drow, which covers a large area of Xen'drik. With a society that emphasizes group membership and work for the community, the settlements that comprise it are strong and well-defended, but tend to be small. The city of Caen, however, is mighty indeed, protected as it is by the CDI, a powerful and magically-capable organization.
The city itself largely trades in information and magical services, trading it for food from the rest of the empire and the few settlements on Xen'drik. Many wonders can be found within its walls, although the slow-burning war against Urcaen has seen a much larger amount of soldiers and weapons on its streets in recent years.[/spoiler]
