Setting
The Dessarin Valley will be adopted wholesale into Monvesia with a few changes. As the rivers of "independent Cuorria" have not yet been named, calling the northernmost in Montaigne the Dessarin (which has a French-like sound) is more than appropriate. Most of the other names will also remain. |
| Western Cuorria (48 mi/hex) |
- The scale of the valley map is reduced to 3 miles per hex, putting the towns roughly 7 - 9 hours [of lightly encumbered travel] travel apart--about a day's journey. This matches the scale of my earlier campaign, and makes the Dessarin Valley a little smaller than the Kliemland.
- The scale of the Red Larch Surroundings map is equivalently reduced to roughly 1/2 mile per hex
- With this change, the map covers the only north-south flowing river segment in Montaigne (see above)
- The cities of Waterdeep and Neverwinter are replaced as follows:
- 3 days journey down-river from Amphail is the city of Alouse, capital of Montaigne
- 3 days journey up-river of Trexabris ("Triboar") is the city of Nunce [which stands in for both Neverwinter and Mirabar]
- The Sword Mountains, Dessarin Hills, Sumber Hills, and Forlorn Hills are all part of the larger Tjakeer Highlands that form the border with the Pridelands
- The Uthgardt elk clan is replaced by a small pride of Rakasta, who claim the region as part of the Tjakeer, and therefore Rakasta territory.
- The designation of "Sword Mountains" is very appropriate, as as ore mined from Tjakee is used to make qrisjarr.
- The High Forest is a region still inhabited by Haltia elves, who generally do not recognize human nations of boundaries and can still be found living in such pockets throughout Cuorria. These elves do not seek to rebuild an empire of old.
The Monvesian Cults
The elemental cults are dedicated to the Cosmic Marches and their rulers--the titular princes of the apocalypse. The constellations that represent four of these Marches form a cross in the sky surrounding the star Oblivion. The cults of these four Marches are those of Elemental Evil:- Cult of the Howling Hatred
- Dis, March of Temptation
- the Grapes (ecliptic)
- Cult of the Eternal Flame
- Gehenna, March of Torment
- the Pyre (antarctic circle)
- Cult of the Black Earth
- Stygia, March of Destruction
- the Tower (ecliptic)
- Cult of the Crushing Wave [as Crushing Rapids]
- Tartarus, March of Enmity
- the Beast (arctic circle)
It is from these Marches, not the elemental planes, that the cults draw their power.
Princes of Elemental Evil
While Monvesia embraces a six elemental cosmology, there are only four Princes of Elemental Evil--which represent the "uncanny" side of the four elements of the elfish worldview. These princes act as the aeons of their respective Cosmic Marches. They were once common elementals that became elevated to a state similar to sainthood after each merged its essence with that of a void elemental.
Eight other elemental princes also exist in the cosmology of Monvesia, equal in power and authority to the princes of the Apocalypse: four princes of Elemental Good and four princes of Elemental Neutrality. These do not play a part in this story, but are equal in power to those described in Princes of the Apocalypse.
Factions in Montaigne
The factions at play in the Dessarin Valley of Monaigne mimic the core five. While other Pracian factions may have a presence here, these five are the most interested in the elemental cults.
- Fellows at the University of Alouse replace the Harpers
- Knights sworn to the King of Montaigne replace the Lords' Alliance (as a secular order of crusaders)
- The Lyncasta replace the Emerald Enclave; the primary members in this region are rakasta and elves
- Montaignese League of Ninety-Nine replaces the Zhentarim
- Crusaders of the Universal Order of Luminous Affect replaces the Order of the Gauntlet
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