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Midhaven... a stretch of roving hills, country woods, spectacular mountain ranges, and lovely glades. But it is also a place of barrows and dens of Goblins, Gnolls, and Kolbolds; nomadic Giants, and ancient Dragons from a different age.

The current age of Midhaven has been labeled the Silver Age by scholars, and it's beginning is accepted as the point when Arcadia DeShields founded his self-named kingdom. This brought about an age of prosperity and ended a time of strife and struggle that is known as the Age of Heroes that came before. During the previous age, many great heroes appeared to combat a land that had declined greatly and suffered from economical and moral lack. It was dark age of lost knowledge and desperate people under tyranny and fear. During that time, many battles were fought and the efforts of great leaders and adventurers brought forth an era where civility, scholarship, and honour could thrive. Arcadia is but one of the many who are recongized for bringing about this age, although some may consider him the greatest. Despite this Silver Age, there is still a need for hardy adventurers as the peoples and kingdoms grow and adjust to the new times. Not all villages are protected, nor are all those in power free of corruption.

The Kingdoms



The cities and kingdoms give Midhaven it's character. Across the continent, there are many sovern kingdoms, city-state structures, united nations, thanedoms, and clans that each play it's role in the area surrounding it.
Arcadia is a bold, proud Kingdom that holds its roots with the great hero of the same name. The DeShields line retains the spirit of it's founder and the kingdom is still ran according to his ideals. Among the nobles and highborn that help run the spreading jewel of civilization, members of the ancient Druidic traditions hold place as guides and advisors, so that such a sprawl may not become a burden to the rich land and beauitful country around it. Arisen from the former city Destalia, the city itself is regaining much of the history lost from its previous tyranical rule. A renown source of arts, learning, and valliant knights; the land of Arcadia is held in high regard.

The Karsk Nation is a loosely united group of city-states, fiefdoms, and clan traditions. They hold their lands in northeastern corner of the continent against the might of AverKrak- an Orcish throng. The people of Karsk are thus a hardy, fierce, independant culture united in the Heroic Age by Yohann the Barbarian King. The Pride of the Karsk cannot be broken, it is said, and they have earned a place of friendship with the Dwarves of the surrounding mountains and the noble kingdom of Arcadia. Excelling at sea exploration and trade as well as hunter-gathering and mining, the people of Karsk have a rich and diverse culture. They are known as fierce warriors, great smiths, and fine brewers.

The Bakeld Thanedom holds the Bakeld mountains north of Arcadia, and west of Karsk. They are a dwarven Thanedom with a rich history. Few have such a long and proud history as the Dwarves, and the Bakeld Thanedom is seen as the jewel of that history in this Age. Though some of the halls within the mountain range have fallen in the Dark and Heroic Ages, there are citidels and keeps within the stone that the dwarves claim to have never lost a battle. Certainly, there must be some degree of truth to this, as the age of stone does not lie. Some areas in the great Thanedom are older than even the dwarves' own recollection, as much of the history was lost in wars and darkness.

AverKrak is neither a unified Nation nor a Kingdom. It is a chaotic horde of Orcs and their kin that grip the steppes and fields north of the Bakeld mountains. Few humans have ever seen their barbaric culture enough to understand it. Yet cities of a sort do dot the near wasteland, and great orcish campaigns against the neighboring kingdoms have brought ruination to many.

Berathia is a noble Kingdom with a strong knightly tradition. They are models of chivilry and art.

Sya is a matriarch nation that holds the arts of Magic in high estime. Their Queendom is famous for powerful Sorceress among the ruling line.

Stonehaven and the Glen is a pleasant little gnomish community, with the Glen above them being shared by many races. The rolling green hills and rich wooded valleys have provided excellent farming villiages and a free-spirited people. The underrealm of rock where the city of Stonehaven lies is a marvel of gnomish ingeniuty and creativity. It is a remarkably beautiful land, above and below, where evil and tyrany hold no grip.

Exis is at the center of it all- a wonderous trade city that has stood for many years. All manner of people can be found, and the powerful Guilds all have some sort of influence in the busy streets. Many travel to Exis to try to achieve fame and reputation. Noble houses provide constant gossip and plotting, secrets upon secrets among the prestigous keep bounty hunters and adventurers well fed, and crime certainly pays well in Exis. The local Guilds can be as bad as the nobles, and nothing seems static in the largest trade city of the world.

Stormrock Keep is possibly the oldest existing castle in Midhaven (other than Exis, perhaps), although it's great history has been for the most part lost to the ages. Nestled in the Mountains of the Narrhazun, it's name comes from it's frequent storms.

Illnethar or the Elvenhame Forests holds a sparce population of elves. The beauty of the serene forests and the nearby Emerald Coast give the countryside a legendary wonder. Lunallia is a small kingdom on the shores of the Lune- a great lake south of the Elvenhame. Dedicated to the Goddess Luna, many elves and humans wander there to answer the call to the Goddess.

The Traditions


The Gods and Powers

Elkai or the Helping Hand is a Goddess of Healing, Protection, Good, and War. To defend your homeland and that which you believe in, to raise a sword in aid of another is the aspect of Battle she represents. But also, to use your skills for the benefit of others is her doctrine.

Luna the Gentle Handed Goddess is the patron mother of the elves, as well as the Lady of the Moon. Her domains are Healing, Protection, Good, and Magic.

Jevron is the Father of the Dwarves, Old Man of the Mountain, and a Lord of the Earth. He is often depicted as a majestic Dwarf with a long, black beard or an eldarly yet vigorous old human with a sagely beard. The domains of Jevron are Earth, Good, Protection, and Law.
Gahern the Terrible Master is the opposite of Elkai. He is a master of Vengance, Anger, and Hatred. The bloody War God is a demanding lord, hence his title. The domains are War, Evil, Destruction, and Death.

Hope Bringer, Morning Lord, the Renewer... all names for the God of the Dawn. The Holy order of the Rising Sun holds temples all over the land in an effort to inspire courage and hope in all good kind.

Lady of the Three, the Fates, and Lady Luck- all names of a Goddess that is held in honor and worshiped in many ways. Some believe in the powers of Destiny and Fate, trying to divine the course of time; while others keep a holy symbol around their neck and pray for good luck. Not even priests who call upon her power can agree on her nature- have events been set into motion as part of a destined plan, or is the Lady of Luck truly fickle and casts fortune and ill as capriciously as she pleases?

Ise is the Goddess of Passions, the worker of the Muses, she of the infinate inspirations. Hers is the realm of sex and lust, of poetic romance and world-shattering love... or so they say. Her temples, and her worshipers are very few and far between. Few doubt she exists, for who can truly deny the pull of passion when it grips?

There are other, lesser Gods as well as those that have been forgotten. When the time comes, their secrets shall too be revealed.

The Midhaven Calendar

Adopted from Druidic and Elven calenders developed from ancient times, the Midhaven Calender is the standard for all of the Kingdoms. The main difference between our own Lunar calender and the Midhaven calender is the names of days and months. This is a tool I first started using to get the players to feel like they really are in that distant land, and I find that it has helped with many other areas of my world development. First of all, the changes are relatively minor and take a little getting used to. A month, for example, is called a "moonith". Each moonith has two titles. The second title is usually made by adding "ith" to the end. This title is used to say "the moonith of..." For example, January is Whint. So one might say the fifth day of Whint, or refer to the moonith as a whole as Whintith. To speak colloquial Midhaven, though, it's not nessisary to distinguish between the two. In the Silver(current) Age, the names are used almost synominously. It really become simply a matter of personal preference. In other words, whatever you think sounds better or you can remember easier.

The names of the Mooniths and the days of the week are as follows:

MonthMoonith Name"The Moonith of"
JanuaryWhintWhintith
FebuaryBreaBreith
MarchAqueAqith
AprilAvreAvrith
MayFloreFlorith
JuneJosJosith
JulySumriSumrith
AugustAugreAugith
SeptemberHaveHavith
OctoberOssOssith
NovemberVereVerith
DecemberDespierDespith
WeekdayDruidic nameDay of...
MondayLundayDay of Lune
TuesdayLifdayDay of Life
WednesdayWindsdayDay of the Winds
ThursdayThundayDay of Thunder
FridayFirdayDay of Fire
SaterdayMystredayDay of Magic
SundayStondayDay of the Earth and Stone
Holydays include the Festival of Bloom- 3rd Life day in Forith; and the Solstace and the Equinox(same as our calendar). Each Kingdom or tradition may hold other days in worship or reverence. Arcadia, for example, would hold a knightly tournament in Avre to celebrate the Founding of their Kingdom. The Karsk nation would have a harvest festival in Ossith or a day of warrior recognition, testing, and honor in Despith.