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Saints and Scoundrels of the Great Crater
Al-Nahmi, shaman of Thanatos and chief of Tombstone. (Th 14/Sh 9; Th 9Sh- S 15, I 10, W 16, D 9, Cn 17, Ch 13)
Shortly after Thar led his legions out of the Broken Lands, in caverns far below, the thouls stirred. Driven by their shaman, Al-Nahmi, they roused themselves from their centuries of idleness and followed in the wake of the orc-king's legions. Though normally despised by other humanoids, the thouls were welcomed as comrades in arms against the hated Glantrians.
Al-Nahmi led her people to the abandoned town of Lizzieni, where they remain to this day. There they prosper in the caverns and undead haunted hills of the former Principality of Caurenze.
She is a follower of Thanatos, and seeks to spread his entropic ways among the surface world. She has few ties with any of the other humanoid leaders, save for the two goblin princes, Wart and Throng, who have made overtures of alliance with her recently.
Blackie, Henchman of Ohr'r. (Bu 12/W 3; Bu 9F- S 15, I 12, W 9, D 18, Cn 10, Ch 8).
Ohr'rs right hand bugbear is descended from a group of Ursus Bipedis Oriensis that were brought to Glantri many years ago at the behest of one of its nobles. Blackie (whose name, translated from Ochalean means, literally "Black Death"- Blackie is his nickname), served as a slave laborer in the gold mines of Belcadiz until the invasion of Glantri, when he and many of his kinsmen freed themselves and joined their humanoid cousins in their raids.
Since then, the enigmatic figure has risen to prominence amongst the bugbears of Ohr'r. The tall, wiry, black and white bugbear cuts an exotic picture even amongst his kin, and the rumors of his mysterious mystical practices are often whispered about in hushed tones in the bars of Ohr'r. The legend of his singlehandedly (and weaponlessly) taking down a Glantrian patrol during the war only add to his mystique.
Blackie handles administrative duties for Constable Ohr'r (such as they are among humanoids), and seems to be ever present at his chief's side. It is supposed that Ohr'r is grooming him to be his successor, rather than one of the chief's many lazy whelps. Regardless of the truth of this rumor, there is little doubt but that Blackie will be the next leader of Ohr'r. He has already permanently removed a number of upstarts who would be king- without the knowledge of Constable Ohr'r.
Broknag the Sly, Advisor to Prince Kol, cleric of Wogar. (Go 10/8; Go 10T/8Sh- see PWA 1012)
Broknag wormed his way into Kol's graces by presenting the kobold with Ludwig von Hendriks, his current military advisor. Since then, the goblin has used his influence to garner arcane secrets for himself, notably by taking control of the late Prince Volospin Aendyr's ruined manor. He has also attempted (unsuccessfully thus far) to worm his way into various legitimate sorceror's guilds and organizations in Glantri. He hopes to utilize such magical knowledge to advance the cause of the humanoids of the Great Crater, or at least help put them on a more equal footing with the rest of Glantri.
Broknag is strongly dedicated to the humanoids of the Great Crater and to Kol (in that order), and thus is greatly disturbed by rumors he has heard about the Black Eagle's discontent with the current state of affairs...
Bruun Halfwit, son of Kano Arrow's Whisper, (aka Simm of the Grasping Dark). (Go C25; Go P17 of Thanatos- S 13, D 8, Cn 14, I 8 (13), W 6 (18), Ch 10 (12). Statistics in parentheses are those of Simm in Bruun's body. Note that Simm is unique in his ability to surpass Goblin racial level limitations, and should be treated exactly as a human cleric/priest.)
Like his father, Kano Arrow's Whisper, Bruun is a hulking figure of a goblin. As a child, he often came to the aid of his cousin, Throng Cracktooth, when the other goblins would taunt and beat him. Between Bruun's might and Throng's brains, no task seemed beyond the two goblins, and they quickly rose to positions of influence in their horde.
Their relationship was such that, upon Throng's delvings into the secrets of their fathers, Bruun happily and heedlessly followed his cousin into what would ultimately be their ignominious end.
The Immortal Thanatos, intrigued by the cousin's investigations, Magic Jarred the souls of his deceased servants, the Blood Brethren (see HWA1-3) into the bodies of the two young goblins. Then he released his minions into Glantri, to wreak chaos and misery upon that hated land.
Currently the cleric Simm of the Grasping Dark possesses the body of Bruun. Together with his brother Koresh Teyd, he works to usurp the rulership of the humanoids of the Great Crater from its current batch of leaders. To this end, Simm has made contact with Al-Nahmi and her thouls, also followers of Thanatos. He also uses his powers and influence as Bruun Halfwit to convince the Goblinians that the time of Doth is past, and that new blood is needed to restore the goblins to their glory. He has noted, with wary eyes, Koresh Teyd's interest in the affairs of the Magocracy of Glantri.
Chokk Trollgrinder, Chief of the Ogrelords. (Og 9; Og 9F- S18, I 9, W 7, D 12, Cn 16, Ch 9).
Originally from the Orclands, Chokk left to join the Legion while still a youth, eventually becoming one of Thar's right hand men. When his former commander deserted his troops, he loyally gave his allegiance to the apparent successor, Prince Kol. His soldierly discipline served him in good stead when he was selected to serve with the Black Eagle in training Kol's horde. The Black Eagle was so impressed with the ogre that he suggested Chokk be chosen to whip the unruly hordes of the eastern hills into shape. Kol agreed and, with some assistance from the Prince and his military advisor, Chokk became chief of the new tribe of the Ogrelords.
Chokk maintains regular diplomatic contact with Kol, to whom he has sworn his allegiance. As long as Kol remains in power, the kobold will have the services of the unambitious ogre. The ogre's control over the hodgepodge of hordes he commands is threatened by the denizens of New Threat, and he has appealed to Kol for assistance. He doesn't care overmuch for the Black Eagle, whom he resents losing command of the legion to.
Doth, King of Goblinia. (Go 15; Go 8- see GAZ10)
Doth was overjoyed at the death of his wife, Yazar, in 1010 AC- especially since it was the first assassination attempt to succeed against her bombastic majesty! He didn't have long to gloat, however, as his tribe fell to the military might of Kol's hordes shortly thereafter. Even the eventual capitulation to the kobold's rule by his hated rival Thar couldn't please Doth for long.
Since then, the goblin king has brooded in his cavernous home, taking out his frustrations on his subjects and his orcish neighbors. His advisors resent him and feel he is responsible for their current plight, as the loss of Yazar's military genius was devastating to their war with the kobolds. Still fearful of their liege's rage, however, they simply content themselves to wait for the old goblin's impending death.
Giovanni di Malapietra, 2nd Circle Earth Elementalist. (Wraith, HD 9**/9MU)
Brother to Innocenti di Malapietra, Giovanni was slain during the events of the Great War. Like many of the inhabitants of the region impacted by the meteor, he arose from death, his malignant spirit returning in the form of a powerful wraith. Still endowed with his magical abilities, he quickly gathered an army of undead to his side, and attacked Manor Sirecchia, where his hated brother still lived, unaffected by the meteor.
Though his army was destroyed- along with a number of his undead relatives enlisted to his cause-the attack was sufficient to drain much of Innocenti's strength and drive him further towards madness. The vengeful Giovanni would have rallied another strike, but for the misfortune of crossing paths with the thoul shamaness Al-Nahmi. Her clerical abilities enabled her to control the wraith, and he currently serves the thouls in Tombstone, often using his Earth Elementalist abilities to expand and modify their subterranean homes.
He senses that Al-Nahmi is barely able to hold him in check, and constantly plots for the day when her control over him slips. That, and a desire to destroy Innocenti di Malapietra are all that drive this evil undead.
Gorgath, the bargda ruler of New Threat. (16 HD Bargda- see Creature Catalog)
Though larger and more ferocious than most of his kind, Gorgath shares his race's hatred of almost everything not bargda. He led his people down from their mountainous homes when the meteor impacted, determined that humans had caused the disaster. They took their revenge on the elvish viscounty of Nathrat, then joined in the raiding of Thar's humanoids. Since then, they have consolidated their control over their lowland homes, and brought giantish hordes in the area under their wing. Now they carry out a reign of terror over the hills of southern Glantri, upon both human and humanoid alike.
Meanwhile, Gorgath hopes to include the ogrish races (and perhaps the trolls) in his dominion, and eventually carry out his schemes of revenge and destruction against the entire Glantrian populace.
Innocenti di Malapietra, Viscount of Sirecchia, High Master of Earth Elementals, Former Prince of Caurenze and Viceroy of Ylourgne. (MU 17; H 13W- see GAZ3, PWA 1010-1012, G:KoM)
Thought dead following the impact of the meteor in 1006 AC, the former Prince of Caurenze resurfaced years later, as he aided the sinister Dolores Hillsbury in a plot to assassinate Prince Jaggar's wife. Though his title of Viscount was restored to him, his influence was a mere fraction of what it once was. That, combined with hauntings Sirecchia Manor by his deceased relatives, has driven the already paranoid Innocenti into the depths of madness. Today, he rarely ventures forth from his home, even to participate in Parliamentary procedures. It is only a matter of time before he does something rash...
Jaervosz Dustyboots, former Sheriff of Seashire. (Hf 8; Hf 8F/9T- see GAZ8, PWA 1010-1012, Joshuan's Almanac)
Jaervosz Dustyboots, a longtime foe of the Black Eagle Baron, has come to the lands of the Great Crater in hopes of bringing von Hendriks to justice. Having abandoned his title of Sheriff, he acts without the legal jurisdiction of the Five Shires, but with his people's hopes and support nevertheless. He has recently taken up with Qenildor Erewan, with whom he has discovered a common, if not entirely identical, purpose. Both men see the Black Eagle as a key figure in the humanoids' organization, and are working together to achieve their goals. At the same time, the two are becoming fast friends, seeing qualities in one another that are very similar.
Khorguul, chieftainess of Orcus Dominicus. (Or 12; Or 9F- S 14, D 14, Cn 11, I 13, W 9, Ch 17.)
Khorguul nurses a strong hatred towards her distant relative, Thar. He killed her father during his bid for rulership of Orcus Rex, back in the Orcwars of 975 AC. In the years since then, she has grown to a position of power in the tribe, plans for revenge everpresent in her mind. When Thar bowed down before Kol in 1010 AC, the much impressed Khorguul offered her assistance and that of her horde to the kobold. The two of them worked to gradually dominate the other hordes in the region, and Khorguul rose to become the chieftain of the entire (renamed) tribe of Orcus Dominicus.
She is wholly loyal to Prince Kol, and between his kobolds and her orcs, the two have managed to keep the hordes of the Great Crater in some degree of control. She has heard of Thar's efforts to the far east, and keeps a watch for the day when he might return...
Kol XIV, Prince of New Kolland, Viscount of Blackstone, Viceroy of the Great Crater, King of the tribes of South Monsterland, High Doge of Kol. (Ko 26/ Wo 5; Ko 7Wd- see GAZ10, PWA 1010-1012, Joshuan's Almanac, G:KoM)
The ambitious Kol managed to attain his current status due to the influence of powerful allies, but the tenuous nature of those alliances are beginning to show. His chief ally, Dolores Hillsbury (aka the Night Dragon, Synn) has begun to lose her sway in the political arenas of Glantri, and his advisors- notably the Black Eagle- are starting to play out their own agendas... which may or may not involve the kobold ruler. Thus far, his charismatic presence and position with the Council of Princes has allowed him to keep hold of his power, but that may not be enough. Unlike his predecessor, King Thar, Kol doesn't have the dominating personality that can keep other humanoid leaders in line. Together with his friend General Zar (and later with the Black Eagle) Kol's charismatic wheedling combined with his allies' military might was enough to influence the humanoids. Without the Black Eagle's strength, Kol may find himself gobbled up by the hordes he rules.
He maintains diplomatic ties with most of the humanoids of the Great Crater region, and despises those that refuse to acknowledge his authority. He recently hit upon the tactic of issuing bounties on the heads of his rivals- under the guise of legal 'hunting licenses' for adventurers. He is well aware of the Black Eagle's superiority complex, and is not blind to Ludwig's practice of hiring human officers to command the legion.
Ludwig von Hendriks, the Black Eagle, Military Advisor to Prince Kol, Commander of the Legion. (F 16; 13F- see GAZ1, PWA 1010-1012, Joshuan's Almanac, G:KoM)
The former Karameikan baron has been hiding out in the Great Crater since 1011 AC, when he was rescued from the Five Shires by Broknag the Sly. Since that time, he has used his keen military mind (he worked with numerous humanoid hordes during his reign as a Karameikan baron) and contacts to train and supply the humanoid hordes of the Great Crater. Though far from the most efficient fighting force, they have benefited greatly from his leadership- most notably the well disciplined (for humanoids) kobolds. His efforts have been helped by the aid of his lieutenants, most veterans of Thar's Legion.
He chafes under the rule of Prince Kol, however, viewing the kobold and his humanoids as inferior beings. The loss of his barony in Karameikos, combined with his current state, has severely embittered the man; the fact that non-magic users cannot achieve nobility in Glantri has only strengthened this feeling.
Following his efforts during the Glantri-Ethengar war, he has achieved a notoriety among the Glantrian populace, and a degree of hero worship. He has recently been approached by the Followers of the Claymore, an underground movement decrying the magocracy. What ends he hopes to achieve by an alliance with them is unclear, but with the Black Eagle's reputation for double-dealing and treachery, it can't be good.
Morphail Gorevitch-Woszlany, Prince of Boldavia, Baron of Igorov, Viceroy of Tchernovodsk, High Master of Necromancy. (M 28 and Nosferatu; H 19W(n)- see GAZ3, PWA 1010- 1012, Joshuan's Almanac, G:KoM)
The dread lord of Boldavia has taken an interest in the region of the Great Crater, though he has kept it hidden, using his usual subtlety. Ever since the events of the war, the region south of Glantri has been ripe with necromantic activity- an area that the nosferatu noble sees as his domain of control alone!
For the moment, Morphail simply observes events in the area, not interfering. He views the undead-hungry thouls as a source of possible irritation for him, though a minor one. Mostly, he sees the area as a possible place for his expansionistic tendencies. More undead nobles under his control would help him consolidate his silent reign on Glantrian power... if only something could be done about all the clerics down there...
Ohr'r, Constable of Ohr'r. (Bu 16; Bu 10- see GAZ10)
The aging Ohr'r has taken to his new roles as constable and guildmaster of the Ohr'r branch of the Fellowship of the Pouch as if born to them. He spends most of his time counting through his enormous profits, and leaving the delegation of leadership to his assistant, Blackie. His only real concern is why his good friend, Prince Jaggar von Drachenfels, refuses to return any of his messages (Jaggar was instrumental in gaining Ohr'r his position as leader of the tribe of Bugburbia).
Qenildor Erewan, Baron of Celedyl. (E10;E 9F/10W- see GAZ3, G:KoM)
Sire Qenildor Erewan is the newest member of the Glantrian nobility, having been awarded a barony in late 1015 AC. Located on the site of the former Camp Huledain, Qenildor named his barony after his long lost father, Celedrin. Ever since his father's disappearance during a raid into the Broken Lands, Qenildor has nursed a hatred for the humanoids. His feelings have grown ever stronger in recent years, as his people suffered the most under the humanoid raids of 1007 AC.
After fighting them as a renegade for years, he has finally decided to try fighting them within the confines of Glantrian law as well, by using his baronial influence. Unusually impatient for an elf, he is attempting to take a longer term view of things. Doubtless his burgeoning friendship with the halfling Jaervosz Dustyboots is coloring his attitude.
Throng Cracktooth, son of Udan Axe-Thrower, grandson of Yazar (aka Koresh Teyd). (Goblin MU25; Goblin W/Nec 17- S 8, D 13, Cn 7, I 14 (18), W 12 (13), Ch 9 (10). Statistics in parentheses apply to Koresh Teyd in Throng's body. Note that Throng/Koresh is unique in his ability to surpass normal goblin racial level limitations- to progress as a wizard at all, in fact- and should be treated in all ways as a human magic user of the same level.)
Prince Throng shares the canniness of his father, Udan Axe-Thrower. The slightly built young goblin was often beaten by his peers, one such incident resulting in the broken tusk that earned him his epithet. Throng studied all he could of his legendary father's illustrious (if short lived) exploits amongst the goblins of the Broken Lands. His interest was only heightened upon the advent of the migration to Glantri, the last known location of his father (see HWA1: Nightwail). Making contact with friends of his father's, he began the journey down a long, dark path that would ultimately claim his very soul.
Dark investigations carried out by Throng and his cousin, Bruun, resulted in the Immortal Thanatos capturing their souls and replacing them with the reincarnated spirits of his greatest living servants. the Blood Brethren. Much as their fathers before them, Throng and his cousin were doomed to be pawns of a much greater evil.
Today, Throng is wholly possessed by the spirit of Koresh Teyd, also known as the Nightkiller. A powerful mage, Koresh Teyd is slowly using his powers and charisma to undermine King Doth's authority amongst Goblinians, so that he and his brother Simm can take control of the goblins (and ultimately, the humanoids) of the Great Crater, and issue in a new reign of terror in the Known World.
King Doth hardly suspects the weakly Throng capable of such a feat, and thus Koresh Teyd's work proceeds apace. Seeing the wokan Kol acknowledged as a legal ruler in Glantri, the more powerful Nightkiller is intrigued by the possibility of attaining his own dominion in the Principalities. Such an event would undoubtedly cause friction between himself and his cleric brother, Simm...
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