Organizations

Army of Nerath

An army raised by Queen Yvonne Melissa Nerath in the Frostlands, named for the ancient army of the Old Silver Empire. Recruits heavily from the peasantry and lower middle class. The soldiers can often be encountered in the Frostlands patrolling the roads for monsters however they also maintain a presence in Frostlands cities, acting as a substitute for local city watch and guardsmen. They provide safety but also impose order.

In recent months the army had been expanding across The Frostlands and had encircled Cathedral, enacting a siege in all but name. The party had noted that this began shortly after Morphidel took control of Atheneum and pledged it to the Queen’s service.

Shortly after the defeat of the Red Mother, leading to the disorientation of the Ordo Sororal, the Army of Nerath broke through the Ministry’s defenses and launched a full assault to seize Cathedral and the Bishops. Though the Bishops were rescued by the party, Cathedral was destroyed in the battle leading to open war with the Knights-Errant of the so-called traitor Duke Arthur Ian Nerath.

Dwarven Council

An alliance of leaders from the prestigious Steelbeard, Goldharp, and Ironcliff clans formed in the Clifflands. Their stated interest is to “further the goals of Dwarvenkind across the Former Lands”. To date they have operated mostly like a trade union protecting the interests of the Ironcliff Mine, but they also heavily promote Dwarf culture and language in a way that is starting to draw lines between local Dwarves and other races.

The party has encountered Dwarves working on council business by land and sea who seem to be expanding the council’s area of influence.

During Garron’s brief tenure as King, the Party attended a single council meeting in the still under-construction palace and found them to be bitterly divided politically, providing a ripe environment for the machinations of the Shadow Hammerstones. Garron did his best to refuse involvement in any of their affairs, leaving much undecided.

Knights-Errant

Adventurers who swear allegiance to Grand Duke Arthur Ian Nerath are made his Knights-Errant and given the power to exert his will and authority. The Knights can often be encountered in the Highlands patrolling the roads for monsters however they also maintain a presence in Highlands cities, acting as a substitute for local sheriffs or other authority figures. They provide safety but also act as judge, jury and occasionally executioner in matters of justice.  

The Knights often bear the livery and insignia of Fallscourt, a single peak with a waterfall, the capital of the Grand Duke Arthur Ian Nerath.
In the Coastlands Arena, the party fought a friendly arena battle against some Knights led by Sir Eckhart.

When the Army of Nerath destroyed Cathedral, Duke Arthur Ian Nerath declared war and sent the Knights-Errant to defeat the Queen Yvonne Melissa Nerath. After weeks of stalemate, they somehow evaded the naval blockade in The Basin and landed en masse to attack Atheneum.

Ministry of the Pantheon

The formal name for the organization of the religion that worships the Pantheon of Gods and Goddesses of the Lands of Former Nerath. At the head of the organization are the five Bishops at Cathedral who each serve as an avatar of one of the Pantheon (excepting Thanaset, whose worship is forbidden). They lead services and interpret the will of the Pantheon for the people. Beneath them is an array of priests, clerics, and paladins who maintain the administration necessary for the Ministry to function and also to proselytize throughout the Former Lands. While temples can generally be found in every large settlement, Sunshrine, a second major centre of the religion has recently been established in the Sunlands to provide a centre of worship for those who cannot make the journey north.

Shortly after the defeat of the Red Mother, leading to the disorientation of the Ordo Sororal, the Army of Nerath broke through the Ministry’s defenses and launched a full assault to seize Cathedral and the Bishops. Though the Bishops were rescued by the party, Cathedral was destroyed in the battle.

Ordo Sororal

More commonly referred to as The Sisterhood, they are an order of warrior women unofficially in the service of the Ministry of the Pantheon. As the Ministry by its own dictates is to “bear no men under arms” they volunteer to serve as women as a loophole in that rule. They supposedly trace their origins to the crusaders who initially spread the religion of the Pantheon in defiance of the Silver God or One True God worshipped by the Silver Empire of Nerath. Traditionally they act as law enforcement in and around Cathedral, but since the banning of Thanaset worship they have been the driving force behind rooting out Thanaset’s cults. ‘Sisters’ can be easily recognized by their dyed-white clothing and hair.

After her exile from the order, the former Sister Constance described the leader of the order, the ‘Red Mother’, uncertain of exactly what sort of creature she or it actually was. She further speculated that the Red Mother had some level of persuasive mental influence on the Sisters.

The party and their allies fought a pitched battle at the secret temple of the sisters that led to the Red Mother withdrawing from the material plane. The sisters remaining at the temple have been left uncertain of their future, and word had reached them that the sisters fighting the siege near Cathedral have also been negatively affected by the angel’s absence.

Shortly afterward, the Army of Nerath broke through the Ministry’s defenses and launched a full assault that ultimately destroyed Cathedral and wiped out the order. Only Sister Mercy survived.

Queensguard

Drawn from the best of the Army of Nerath, this small but elite group serve as the bodyguard of Queen Yvonne Melissa Nerath and her court.

The party briefly spoke with Sildar Hallwinter, a member of the Queensguard at the Hoyle Estate in Coldfort.

Warriors of the Queensguard played key roles in the Battle of Cathedral.

Sacred Trust

A group of mercenaries who serve as a private security service for the wealthy and elite of Coldfort.

The party masqueraded as Sacred Trust soldiers to infiltrate the Hoyle Estate in Coldfort.

The party would repeat the trick defying Sacred Trust soldiers to infiltrate Stillsnow Manor to find the secret temple of the Ordo Sororal.

Shadows

Not truly an organization but not a race either, these marauding creatures have become a recurring threat in the wilderness of the Former Lands. Constantly shifting shadows that take on vaguely humanoid shapes and attack passers-by without warning. Most are savagely feral. However while it is not widely known, particularly powerful and intelligent ones can take on convincing forms of living breathing sentient creatures.

The party captured one for study at The University and discovered these creatures were actually composed of the souls of the dead. Unable to proceed into the afterlife, souls have been building up to a point where the ‘weight’ of hundreds of their presence allows them to push back into the material plane and re-manifest as mindless creatures bent on taking out their frustration on the living. When hundreds become thousands, they are able to maintain enough of a grip on their collective intelligence and power to manifest as a seemingly living creature, as was the case with Talia Hanneman and Morphidel, Professor Histories.

The party has learned that Thanaset has disappeared, presumably kidnapped, and so is unable to lead the dead to rest peacefully. They end up trapped in-between life and death, ultimately becoming the Shadows.

Silver Empire of Nerath

A millennia ago these lands were united under the Silver Empire of Nerath, but now all that is left of that order are distant memories. Principally ruled by Humans and Dwarves, the Old Empire is remembered as a golden age of magic and uncovered Nerathi artefacts to this day are often imbued with strange and sometimes dangerous powers. Ruins of the empire can be found all over but are particularly concentrated in the Eldwood in the Woodlands.

The party discovered a hidden Old Empire site under the Greykeep Ruins in The Flatlands that was the source of the crystalline curse afflicting the town of Whisperwood. The party recovered an artefact to break the curse and destroyed the site.

From “The History of the Silver Empire, by Professor Histories”:
“The Silver Empire was founded by warriors who came from a far off land to free the inhabitants of the continent from conquering Elves. The ruling dynasty of Emperors were from the Human family of Nerath, but were always accompanied by two Dwarven Consuls, one each from the Goldharp and Silverbeard bloodlines. They enforced law, order, and justice through their military strength and mandated the worship of the One True God or Silver God.

They ruled for a millennia, putting down the occasional rebellion or wars with the Elves from the east across the ocean. Eventually conflict outside the material plane between the Silver God and the Princes of Hell boiled over into the mortal world and their armies found themselves in regular conflict with Devils and Demons. It is from this period that the legends of the Silver Knights originate. These heroes form the basis for many modern fairy tales, the knights being universally courageous, wise, and strong.

Eventually the war came to a tipping point and the Empire launched a final invasion down the Long Road to Hell, backed by something they referred to as their 'Great Endeavour'. Nothing definite is recorded of the outcome, though certainly the very concept of Hell has been relegated to myth. However the Empire collapsed shortly after as well, resulting in a thousand year dark age that the continent is only now starting to recover from.”

Silver Knights

The fabled heroes of the Silver Empire of Nerath who play the star roles in fairy tales and epic sagas to this day. Supposedly they fought against the forces of evil with enchanted weapons and magical steeds, and are without exception brave, wise, and powerful.

The city of Northreach has recently been reorganized into districts named after the most famous of the Knights: Kaynil, Reialc, Onroc, Ruoan, Terfis, and Noskue.

The party eventually discovered that the Empire used the title Silver Knights to refer not just to particularly skilled warriors but in fact autonomous synthetic beings.

Trustworthy Shipping

An enterprise that spans the Former Lands, Trustworthy Shipping is a rapidly growing organization run by Phillipe. Its legitimate business interests involve moving cargo across the rim of The Basin, but its employees seem to be found wherever money can be made. In Atheneum, the party discovered that Roger was a powerful figure in the company and all but ran the company’s organization in the city’s docks.

Whisperwood Town Watch

A volunteer organization of farmers and workers who take up arms on shifts to defend the town of Whisperwood from local monsters and bandits. While not professional soldiers per se, the remote location of the town means they see a fair amount of combat and as such are unusually experienced and capable for ‘weekend warriors’.

The Watch is currently once again led by Gideon and his lieutenant Berg after the party sorted out a misunderstanding that led to Gideon’s temporary exile and turn to banditry.

White Circle

An insignia born by Sho’ran that seems to represent an unknown group.

Garron Hammerstone currently wields a finely made short sword he took from a defeated Hobgoblin that bears this insignia .

Zhentarim

An underground criminal organization that spans the Former Lands. While they do not actively advertise their presence and activities, they are often powerful enough to be unconcerned with local laws, if any, that would prevent their activities. These include protection rackets, trade and smuggling of illicit goods, sabotage, blackmail, trafficking of sentients, and more. Members of the organization often have snakes tattooed onto their collarbones and necks.

The party has had several hostile encounters with Zhentarim member Elhana Roywyn, a rogue of some renown. Of late, she has pledged some of the Zhentarim to Irwinyn Alser’s resistance movement in Atheneum.