The first "Undead"

Baal and Berox were rescued by Baphomet and brought to Eldahar from their nameless Homeworld many thousands of years ago. Arriving inside Eldahar's Heartstone the two strange creatures found the only thing they could sustain themselves on was raw essence or spirit - the purest of which proved to be the "Living Spark" of other entities (A.K.A the soul).

Baal and Berox appear as huge 40' across amorphous black gelatinous blobs. Covered on their slick, glossy surfaces with hundreds of spherical lumps they can be likened to giant living brains, oozing at a crawl from place to place with no obvious ways of perception of defense.

But Baal and Berox are vicious in their nature. They are both ageless and live eternally to eat and only eat, possessing no desire for power or conquest. What is most horrible about them is just how ravenous their hunger is.

Abilities
Baal and Berox surround themselves with the bones and rotting flesh of their victims. All the souls the creatures eat are trapped inside and slowly consumed (often over a period of hundreds of years). Because the creatures "trap" and eat the souls, anyone killed by Baal or Berox will not go to Elondil or Daig, being truly damned and removed from existence.

Baal and Berox can generate 1d10 lesser undead every 10 seconds (up to 1000 in total). Both creatures completely control the undead (yes all 1000) and as such, all the undead, zombies, skeletons, ghasts, creeping flesh etc. cannot be turned, banished or dispelled, making them extremely dangerous. Furthermore as quick as the undead are slain, as long as Berox or Baal have enough raw material in the area, more can be animated.

Baal and Berox both have 1000 POW in an outer shield of trapped, digestible souls. This must be blasted through or cut through to reach the inner 10'x10' core containing the Heart / Brain of the creatures. A strike to the bare brain will slay it and release all the trapped souls. (*Note - anyone in the area when one of these creatures dies will see and feel souls escaping which could prove interesting, i.e. memories, experiences, possible possession / raise dead situations could occur). 

Both Berox and Baal perceive in 360 degrees through the POW of the trapped souls. They can both sense life in an 80 foot radius with 99% certainty and a SEN of 40. Anyone slain in the proximity of Baal or Berox (within 40') has to resist vs 20th level Soul snare or have their soul devoured.

Spawn of the Undead
It has been surmised that Berox and Baal started the whole "Undead" ball rolling way back in the Titan wars. Before they arrived on Eldahar the Dragon's hadn't explored the "spark of life" in any way. Because of Berox and Baal, Baphomet and his other Dragon Kin "discovered" and "defined" the Soul and Spirit.

Locations Circa 2600
Berox - Trapped in a pit underneath the Sulin plain in Esium. Starved of Souls for over a thousand years, Berox had lost most of its power and shrunk in size to only 20' by 20'.

Baal - On the edge of the Dark Lake - Ave Thenox itself, waiting like a spider for the countless evil souls destined for the Dark Lake to fall within its reach. Bloated and immensely powerful, Baal surrounded itself with literally thousands of skeletons.

It's people and customs

As detailed in the Chronicles of Kryll.
Southernmost country of the continent of SÛL.

Download sample map 1, 91k.

The King's soldiers wear bright red tunics, with a black under doublet, bare legs with boots or sandals.
Serving under the King and Crown of Bandai there are the three Dukes of Northern, Central and Southern Bandai.

Duke Wintamore of the North, sometimes called the "Gray Fox of Blood Helm pass", lives in Castle Storm Sky and is 44 years old.  He commands all the Northern Barons, being an imposing 6'2" tall (large for a Bandaithian)', he rides a black destrier from the East and his soldiers wear black helmets and black cloaks bearing the emblem of Wintamore; a red sword up thrust through turbulent clouds.
The Duke is interested in all forms of contests and in the flight of birds and other similar animals. He believes his great uncle Gerungan Wintamore could fly whilst holding the family's Sword. Another of his hobbies is pitting the Barons under him against one another, practicing his hand at dirty tactics and politics. Not liked by the majority of people, he is said to be bringing disgrace to the name of Wintamore.

Duke Pastradis of Central Bandai is a particularly small man who lives in Castle WhiteStone. WhiteStone castle is a historical monument because it has been besieged and attacked no less then three hundred times. It's stout walls and ramparts, as well as inner keep and tall imposing towers have managed to repel invaders and enemies of the Duke's family for generations. It originally belonged to another family and some say another before that, but what became of them, no one can remember.
Pastradis is a small scared man who never leaves the protection of his castle unless at the King's decree. He believes everyone is out to kill him and therefore wastes away in the vast empty halls of the once mighty fortress.
He has three sons, Miriad, Tathalos and Sirian. Miriad is just as weak willed and paranoid as his father. Sirian has been banished from the Dukes land, never to return and Tathalos has vanished, killed by an assassin if Pastradis is to be believed.
His emblem is of a White tower or white crested eagle. His soldiers wear white cloaks or sometimes white helms with headbands / scarfs.

Duke Kilorian of Southern Bandai lives in Castle Dark Water.  He is aged approximately 40 and stands 5'11'' with a scar running down the left side of his face. He is blind in his right eye, wearing a band the wound. He is stout, overbearing and the most warrior like of the three Dukes. The eye wound was received during a fight with a Ptazaron in his childhood, caused by a passing stranger stirring up the nest. He still searches for this man.
His emblem is a black helmet or single black plume. His associates say that he sees better now than before, and that nothing can escape his bitter gaze.
He has no remaining family and no children to continue his line.
 
 

Trigs
Hairy black upright humanoids, very primitive. Hunt in packs and wander across open land.

Ogrim
Large humanoids, animal intelligence. Standing from 8' to up to 12' tall. Found out in the wilderness or in mountain retreats.

Ptazarons
Giant black bat like birds that are intelligent and have a form of primitive society akin to ants. They hunt in large wings and are found nesting in high up places.

Draifa
The Draifus beast is larger than a heavy war-horse and shaggy like a woolly mammoth. It is fast, deadly and comes from Senragor where the Orn use them as mounts.

Death Dogs or Dire Wolves
These large wolves, the size of a small pony, or larger, have broad shoulders, a black mane and a hairless rat like tail. Their eyes glow and their stamina is often remarked upon. They prowl the wastelands of Bandai and extend as far as Um Ragor, but with different body variations. Sometimes used as tracking dogs by powerful trainers.

Draigons - 'Dragon'
Found in Koran. Ridden by Dragon Riders. Draigons come in different colors and the highest color is gold - meaning Queen. The most violent being Black - meaning Warrior.

Notules
Life draining black creatures, like a sheet of parchment that flutters through the night and enters a human or animal host by an orifice.

Alzabu
A dog like creature that feasts upon a freshly dead human body. Before the spirit is claimed by Viol, it steals the person's memories, using its power of imitating speach to lure the dead person's relatives to dinner.

"The Gods of Tarot"

7 mishapen and hideously deformed giants from the World of Tarot, the Ice Lords of Balsharel led a campaign across 11 worlds conquering all life and bringing eternal Winter in their wake.

Balsharel - the place ;-
In the far north of Urth lies an ancient city - The Lost city of Balsharel. Legends speak of the 12 Fallen Eves who fell to Urth becoming standing stones of such height and depth that they reached from Heaven down to the World's heart. This place, called "The place of the moon" by the local tribes of Tarot also serves as a graveyard for all the Worlds the Ice Giant's conquered.

The Steam Ship - "Ice wind."
Buried under snow and ice, it's front end only partially exposed, the great steam ship "Ice Wind" is all that remains of the world Hellas. Brought to Urth by the Ice Giant Ilcahnak, the Ice wind is but one of over a 100 huge trophies scattered in and around Balsharel.

The Tribe of Tarot ;-
Plucked from their conquered home world of Tarot for the amusement of the Ice Giants, the Tribe of Tarot lived near Balsharel for many years. When "The Deliverer" - Kaine Orgath came unto them they accepted him as their leader and followed him south into more warmer and prosperous climes. They followed "Daya" the Earth mother, "Kublai" the damned and "Ektra" the sky god.

The Elder Herd relate back to the days of the Wise Stallion and Wise Mare, to the early days on Eldahar when most of the land remained unclaimed and blessed.

When man threatened the sanctity of the herd, Ischandi the Wise decided to dedicate his time to its preservation. He invited many of the herd into his northern wastes, creating hidden temperate havens for them to roam untroubled and free.

Abilities of the Elder Herd
Horses of the Elder Herd live longer than any other (approximately five times as long). They are nearly always beautiful creatures of the finest breed and health with rich coats of vibrant color.

Elder Horses are descended from the Wise Stallion Torran and his Wise Mare Mercy. They all possess the "Gift of the Horn" - an invisible, spiritual horn that grants them wondrous powers.

Because of the spiritual horn, Elder Horses can speak mind to mind not only to each other but to any living creature. Because of the horn anything alive immediately understands them and vice versa as the horn is a form of universal translator of mental thoughts.

In addition to this ability, most horses in the Elder Herd possess the power short range teleportation while others can levitate themselves to fly at great speeds.

All the horses of the Elder Herd are unique in that they each possess differing abilities. Some of them are detailed below.

Some of the Elder Herd down through the years
 
 

Secret agenda's - None really other than making a lot of money, corrupting the innocent and bad mouthing the White Chapter.
The Chapter never really made it big in Esia (because of the White Chapter) but did manage to corrupt most of Yarili.
Carthaze Dark built his Black Tower in the Caermaagin swamp (south eastern Yarili).
From 2100 onwards, the Chapter moved its headquarters to the Yarilian Town of Osk.
 
 

For more information concerning people similar to the Black Chapter - read Katherine Kerr.

In 2586 Brilaniel was exiled from the Wood of the Moon in Daas for suspected murder. Unable to prove his innocence and faced with iminent punishment he chose instead to flee the forest and never return.
From 2590 to 2600 Brilaniel traveled across the length and breadth of Esium trying to come to terms with humans and their ways. Putting on a brave front and smile he actually managed to come across as jovial and carefree.

In his heart though, Brilaniel always sought pain. He would approach danger with the detachment of someone willing to die but lured back to life at the last moment. Fascinated by things of beauty like paintings, statues or buildings he made it his goal to see every great site in Esium.

Appearance ;- Ring mail armor, green cloak and hood, wooden greaves and conical pot helm.
Items ;- Ring of Translocation. Bril's only item and his most useful. This magical ring had a maximum of 8 charges when he inherited it from his mother Tillia. When actived (cost of 1 charge) it would randomly teleport Bril 1d100 miles in any direction.
 
 

Bûggabun are fearsome humanoids standing at least 6'5" tall but more often than not between 7 and 8'. They are essentially bear men, with bear-like heads and hairy bodies. Their hands are clawed but able to wield weapons and do up buttons, but not sew or pick locks.

Ranging in color from black through to dark red, they have their own Gutteral tongue and society. Frequenting out of the way places like the Catacombs of Esia or the Diamond hills of Lanth, Bûggabun don't exist in large numbers. Eldahar probably only has about 10,000 of them, scattered throughout several different countries. They will mingle with humans and hire themselves out as bodyguards or henchmen in return for food, drink (beer) and bright objects. Most are loyal when on their own but in groups tend to suffer from poor morale - a racial tendancy to flee.

When going into battle they rely on roars and ferocious appearance. Even if they do eventually run away, thirty 8' tall bear headed creatures charging at you, roaring their heads off and waving immense swords does have an effect.

See Alfar for a similar (if not the same) race.

Typical stats ;-

STR 18 - 26, SIZ 19 - 22, CON 18 - 26, DBON 1d6+1 (1d10+1) to 3d4 (4d6)
MHP 46 - 62 max. AP 2 Natural fur (AP 4 vs impact dmg)