Return to the Therran Geography Page
Introduction
The premiere sentient race of the northeastern tip of the Coatlizin Jungle, as well as the land of Aladur, is the killoren, a group of fey native to the region. They are a race that is intimately connected with the land, due to the circumstances of their creation, and in many respects they serve as the "elves" of the land.
What is presented in this document is what PCs would know of the killoren after having lived amongst them for several months. It is also useful as background information detailing what a killoren PC would know about his people and his homeland.
Because this document presents PC-oriented material, it is not meant to be inclusive or exhaustive. In addition, deliberate myths, errors, and falsehoods may be built into this document to reflect legends, facts that are unknown or purposefully hidden, and the like. In addition, this document reflects the attitude and situation of the killoren before the PCs arrive in the land. Events that occur with the PCs may (and likely will) change some of the below (especially with regard to the killoren attitude towards humans).
The killoren of Sazhansiir are closely based on the killoren presented in the D&D book Races of the Wild. This document does not intend to reiterate the rules and text about the killoren contained in that book. Instead, this document will expand on the official text, put the race into the context of the Sazhansiir setting, and point out any discrepancies between the official text and the killoren of Sazhansiir.
A knowledge of general Sazhansiir history will be useful in understanding parts of this document.
Contents
The contents of this document include:
Origin:
The origin of the killoren
Society: The organization of killoren
society
Technology: The advances and
capabilities of the killoren
Commerce: The trades and commerce
of the killoren
Outlook: The worldview of the killoren
Relations: Killoren relations
with other races and creatures
Culture: Language and culture of
the killoren
Biology: Physical traits of the
killoren
Aladur: The land of the killoren
PC Information: killoren PCs and
other game-related items
The killoren race seems to be fairly new to Sazhansiir. There are no known records of their presence before the time that their own creation myths point to as the birth of their race. Similarly, the killoren have no lore of their own that exceeds this timeframe.
The Aladur region was, before the Creation Blast, a wild and unsettled land, and the Lake of Refuge at its center (known as Lake Ithaminoine [ith-am-IN-oh-eene] in Aquan) was inhabited by a powerful and benign water spirit named Talinwique [tahl-in-WI-kwhe], who named the Lady of Rivers (known to the Azotchlan as Chalchihuitlicue [chal-CHEE-hweet-lee-CUE-eh]) as her mother.
When Okoth and his volunteer army marched south with a creation cyst to annihilate the Serpent Empire, he passed through lands that he had seen many times before, but always as a sarrukh and never as one whose eyes had been open to beauty and truth. This time, traveling the beautiful lands of the Lake Tir region and the lake that now bears the name Poison Lake, he saw the wonders of the land with eyes anew and its beauty moved him. He knew that the blast unleashed by the creation cyst was likely to decimate this land, and although he had no way to shield the land from the blast, he felt he should at least attempt to save the spirits of the land and the many lakes, rivers, and streams that were in the area. And so, at great risk, he informed the six most powerful and trustworthy of the spirits of his plan and swore them to great oaths of secrecy and instructed them to go to the "land in the bosom of the mountains".
These spirits were:
Hlavanaque [hlah-vah-NAH-kwhe],
a female water spirit of immense beauty
Elfirmashil [ell-FEAR-mah-shill], a male spirit of the earth known
for his love of rocks and boulders
Adzdanaque [adz-dahn-AH-kwhe], a male water spirit of tempestuous
nature
Medinyrinque [med-in-EAR-in-kwhe], a male water spirit of meditative
and self-reflective nature
Trifaninilique [triff-ahn-in-ILL-in-kwhe], a female water spirit
strong in lore
Klajyrmyshil [klah-JEER-my-shill], a female earth spirit who loves
trees and plants
The spirits left with heavy hearts and arrived in Aladur and found the Lake of Refuge. After speaking with Talinwique and pleading their case to her, they immersed themselves within. And Talinwique bade them to descend to the deepest portion of the Lake, and there to take shelter in a spiritual refuge accessible by a mystic crossroads of nature magic that was at the bottom of the Lake. For only by so sheltering themselves from the blast could the spirits hope to not perish. The danger to the spirits was not physical, for Aladur itself was shielded and distant enough to avoid the main effects of the blast, but rather psychic, for the spirits were all intimately attached to their lands, and devastation of their lands and waters would corrupt, destroy, or drive them mad just as surely as if they had remained in the blast itself. Only by taking refuge in the mystical realm accessed at the bottom of the Lake could they withstand the psychic shock of the loss of their lands and endure.
The blast did not harm Aladur, but even in their refuge, the devastation of their lands and waters affected the collected spirits and filled them with anger and frustration and a desire to protect what was now their refuge and new home. This desire, mingled with some of the creative essences of the blast that did manage to waft their way over the mountains and into the land, caused the birth of the killoren, who are a people directly descended from the land of Aladur itself and imbued with the spark of sentience by the collective will of the spirits that have taken refuge there. Such a feat was unique, for in general only divine beings of godly stature can create new sentient life whole cloth. But the circumstances of so many spirits collected together in one place, their extreme psychic turmoil, and the collateral effects of the Creation Blast all combined to allow this to occur.
The killoren have, in the seven centuries since their creation, propagated and prospered so that they can truly be said to be the caretakers and guardians of the land of Aladur and the nearby portion of the Coatlizin Jungle that is cradled between Mallar's Peaks and the Lake of Refuge.
For many long decades, the spirits huddled at the bottom of the Lake of Refuge could not stand to emerge into the world again, for their loss was too traumatic, and even emerging to the bottom of the Lake was too much, as they could sense, taste, and feel the lingering distress and death of their old lands even across such vast distances. And so they remained in hiding. But this, too, was no solution, for such spirits thrive on the land and sun and air and cannot remain forever locked in hiding, removed from the world of which they are an inherent part. And so Talinwique and the killoren developed the ritual of Erytimbre (Marriage of Nature) which in essence married a worthy killoren with one of the hidden spirits.
This ritual marriage serves to divert much of the psychic bond that the spirits still hold with their devastated lands. Instead, much (but not all...for if the bond were fully severed they would die) of the bond is redirected to bond with their killoren spouse, and through that bond, an indirect bond with the land of Aladur or the Lake of Refuge itself. In this way, the orphaned spirits become somewhat tied to the healthy and prospering land of Aladur.
Because killoren are effectively immortal (though having been created 700 years ago there is no empirical evidence to this effect, they simply stop aging at about 100 years of age), these marriages to the spirits are permanent and long-lived (which is perfect for the immortal spirits). The only time a new marriage must be made is when a spouse dies due to unnatural causes (accidents, beasts, what have you). As such, these marriages are important and rare events, and the choice of a spouse is a long and arduous process that includes rigourous tests amongst the killoren candidates. In the history of the killoren, other than the initial marriages that took place over 600 years ago, only 4 marriages have taken place, the latest to the spirit Hlavanque, whose former spouse was slain by a dread enemy of the killoren named Ambacras (Most Dangerous in the killoren tongue).
The killoren are grouped into a somewhat informal society. Being a homogenous race as far as culture, geographical proximity, history, and most other aspects, killoren form a highly cohesive grouping. There are no nations or formal subdivisions amongst the killoren. Even with regard to trades and crafts, the fact that every killoren can manifest different aspects of nature means that any and all killoren are able to function in a variety of societal roles. A killoren who needs to hunt will not generally seek to find a hunter, but will manifest the aspect of the hunter and go out hunting himself. A killoren who needs to research an item of nature will not generally turn to a killoren sage or scholar, but will manifest the aspect of the ancient and research the item himself. Of course, in times of extremis or if a given task proves too daunting, then killoren will wisely turn to experts and other killoren who are better able to handle the situation or complete the task.
As such, this cohesion and self-reliance means that the killoren do not have a formal power structure. This also means that most killoren are Chaotic-aligned (though in Therra, this means much less than in other D&D worlds).
The killoren tend to be organized around settlements. Settlements are simply areas where a number of killoren have, for reasons of convenience, geography, mutual protection, or what have you, chosen to live in close proximity to one another. In such settlements, the eldest and most advanced killoren tend to rule, and this rule is generally by the unspoken consensus of the settlement members. Where two such members are roughly equal in age and advancement, druids tend to command more respect and therefore more power than other classes. Where two members are still roughly equal, they tend to make decisions jointly.
While this somewhat organic arrangement might seem haphazard and prone to either indecision or internecine conflict, both are rare amongst the killoren. Observers who live amongst the killoren might conclude that there is a sort of subconscious hive-mind mentality at work amongst the killoren. This is not entirely out of the question, as the killoren all share a profound and intimate connection with the land and this shared connection could result in a mild form of group-think. Whatever the reason, conflicts amongst the killoren are quite rare, and it is easy for the killoren to rouse and join together to complete a task or respond to a situation.
Most killoren settlements are home to a few dozen killoren. These tend to be located in copses set amongst the inner portion of the moors of Aladur, surrounding the Lake of Refuge. Such settlements are almost always fashioned from living trees. The killoren have had the lore, even from the beginning of their history, to cause trees to grow into shapes that suit their purposes. For dwellings, such trees usually fold one side of their trunk inward, forming a concavity that almost closes in on itself. This almost closed crescent-shaped trunk forms the interior of the dwelling. In larger trees, some of the lower branches can grow thick enough that they completely fold over on themselves and form a living hollow tube into which the killoren can crawl or even walk. Such tubes end in small living spaces or, in the case of the most massive trees, lead to small natural indentations in the inner facing bark of the tree that serve as "rooms" to live in.
Where no such suitable trees are available, the killoren are apt to lair in dugouts in the ground topped by fallen branches.
Despite the decentralized nature of the killoren, their society does have a center. The settlement of Ilywtrimbre-etel [ill-ew-TIM-bray EH-tell] (literally, "meeting of the most sacred") sits hard by the short of the Lake of Refuge, along its northwestern tip. The settlement is centered on a massive cypress tree that thrusts up from a jagged outcropping of rock that overlooks the Lake of Refuge.
|
|
The tree is surrounded by 100 ft high stone walls that form a triangular bastion, and within the walls is a ground of green grasses a mere 25 ft below the top of the walls that houses various buildings fashioned from the still living roots of the great cypress. A massive stone gate on the tip of the bastion that faces north towards the Lake allows egress into the settlement.
The cypress itself, which is known as The Urythilimb [you-RITH-ill-limb] (or "main tree") houses most of the settlement, and though it is living, the killoren have somehow managed to have the tree fold and shape its trunk and branches to allow access within the tree, which is well over 600 ft in height and 50 ft in diameter at its base. Within the massive hollow trunk are ladders and staircases fashioned of vines and rope that wind up the great spiral and enter various holes leading to the hollow interiors of branches.
The settlement houses over 500 killoren. These are led by the three Most Sacred Elders, who date back to the original birth of the killoren out of the Creation Blast.
At the tip of the promontory overlooking the lake is a sacred ceremonial site used by the killoren for the ritual of Erytimbre as well as othe rimportant ceremonies. Here stands a stone plinth carved with scenes of the devastation of the Creation Blast and the spirits of land and water fleeing to Aladur to join with the killoren, who are represented as having sprouted from the ground itself.
The plinth is about 12 ft tall and about 3 ft to each of its four sides. Set before the plinth is a large concave bowl cut into the stone of the promontory. This bowl is filled with still water that seems to have strange swirls of silver and gold rippling through it.
The Most Sacred Elders are:
Awarentimbel [ah-WAR-en-tim-bell] (NG, Female druid /hierophant), one of the few killoren showing any signs of age, dressed in a robe of thin hide and woven grasses and reeds and wearing a laurel of flowers, she holds a gnarled staff in her hands and has a look of piercing wisdom and consideration.
Erybrumettig [air-ee-BROOM-eh-tig] (CG, Male druid), a tall killoren, over 6 ft tall and quite lanky, bedecked in a brown robe with hundred of small amber pieces sewn at the hems and with a staff of white bone in his hand and a circlet of copper and turquoise on his brow. His forehead seems constantly furrowed as if in thought or as if always judging what he sees and hears.
Kyrphanitemb [kir-FAN-i-temb] (N, Male ranger/scout), seeming to be the youngest of the three, with piercing eyes and a face that is somewhat pinched. He is dressed in leafweave armour and has a large wooden haft with a sharp, blue crystal axe blade set into it.
The Most Sacred Elders hold court in a grand audience chamber situated about 200 ft up the inside of the trunk, where the main trunk makes its first branchings. The chamber is easily 40 ft in diameter and the ceiling rises to a conical point some 50 ft overhead. Glowing veins of sap decorate the walls and ceiling of the place, and flecks of amber provide a golden starscape for the room. At one end sits three seats formed of branches that have grown through the floor, and leaves and flowers sprout from these branches as would jewels on a more mundane throne.
The killoren, like most of the non-human and non-Scaled Ones of Sazhansiir, are primitive technologically. This does not mean to imply that the killoren are simple-minded. They are, in fact, as clever and intelligent as humans. However, their attunement to the land and reverence for all things natural has resulted in a society that has not sought to improve upon nature, and this means that the killoren tend to live a very natural existence.
The killoren do forge metal and use it occasionally for their weaponry, but this is limited to arrow heads and spear tips, and even then they tend to use other materials (see below). Killoren warfare inevitably involves small-scale geurilla tactics, and in fact the killoren have never fought a set piece battle against any foe. As such, they use almost exclusively light armour, though the warriors amongst them do wear medium armour from time to time. All killoren armour is non-metallic; not from any prohibition (except for the druids) but simply because they prefer to clad themselves in more natural armour made from leather, hides, or leave and bark. The killoren have perfected the art of crafting bark, wood, and leafeweave armour to an extent that matches the elves of Jerranq. They do not have the lore or the inclination to craft metal armour of any sort, nor of exotic substitutes such as chitin armour or dragonscale armour and the like.
For weaponry, the killoren use spears and bows primarily. Slings are also used from time to time, and on occasion they form daggers and axes from hardened and sharpened tree sap. Such sap is often used even for arrow heads and spear tips, though metal arrowheads and speartips are also used.
The killoren do not have much knowledge in the way of architecture and engineering. They build few structures, and those they do build tend to be primitive dugouts. The exception to this is the massive set of stone walls and gate of Ilywtrimbre-etel, but examination of the structure there reveals that it is likely that the killoren called upon supernatural or extraplanar aid for such a feat. Even so, the wall is crude, though stable, and is comprised of large round boulders mortared together. The killoren themselves simply say that the earth itself aided them in raising the walls and forming the gate.
The killoren are masters of the lore of treewrighting, which is the ability to form living trees into structures and furnishings. This is a long and painstaking process, even when the growth of such plants is accelerated by magical and ritual means. Treewrighting is almost an inbred capability amongst the killoren, in that while the lore and craft have to be taught and learned, it seems to come easily and naturally to the killoren and uses methods that do not seem to be teachable to other races. Master treewrights are much respected amongst the killoren.
Similarly, the killoren are adept at utilizing sap and bark and other natural materials in unusual ways. The sap they sing to and harden into weaponry is an example of this. They also use a special sap to harden around an object they need to preserve from spoilage and this sap will keep the item fresh for years at a time.
Magically, the killoren are quite limited. Again, however, this does not seem to be from any lack of ability, but rather because they are satisfied with the magic they possess. This magic is druidic magic, and includes ranger magic as well. Druids are the mages and priests of the killoren and serve both functions, as healers, sages, and combat mages. The killoren craft magic items, including potions, scrolls (on tree bark), and weapons and armour, as well as wondrous items. Such items are, obviously, exclusively limited to those that can be crafted by druids or rangers.
The killoren do not ride beasts of any sort, nor do they keep beasts, either as workbeasts or as food. Occasionally a killoren will tame a small animal as a pet, and killoren druids and rangers have animal companions.
The killoren do not farm. They are hunters and gatherers and seek to catch or claim only what they need. As the land of Aladur is not subject to famine or large variations in weather, and as the population of killoren is small compared to the vast area of Aladur, the killoren are able to prosper without domestication and agriculture using their innate abilities and connection with the land.
The killoren have no tradition of arcane magic. This is not to say that they view such magic as anathema or corruptive in any way, and arguably, as fey, they could become sorcerers, they simply don't seem to want or need to learn it, regarding their own druidic and ranger magic as sufficient for their needs and suitable to their natures.
Like most technologically primitive societies, the killoren rely primarily on a barter system. Because of this, and because of their inherent natures, the killoren do not tend to specialize in crafts and trades as much as other races. This is not to say that the killoren do not have their alchemists and weaponmakers and treewrights, but since most killoren are expected to be able to be somewhat self-sufficient and capable of providing their own basic needs, the need for such specialists is not as prevalent as in other societies. Those specialists that are present are almost exclusively resident at the settlement of Ilywtrimbre-etel.
The killoren value jewelry for its aesthetic value. Similarly they value gold and silver and copper for the same reasons. Because they do not conduct much trade with outside races, they do not really value coins as a medium of exchange, although they certainly understand that others do and the concept of coinage is not completely foreign to them. But most killoren would view a gold piece not as a coin or medium of exchange in and of itself, but rather a convenient pellet of gold that could one day be melted down and fashioned, with other such pellets, into a pretty jewel to wear or trade.
A killoren would almost never think to reward someone with coinage. That would be akin to giving someone a lump of gold as a wedding gift...it would have value but not be appropriate. As such, rewards are given in the form of magic items or, when the reward is smaller, valuable herbs, pleasing spices, or gems or jewerly.
The killoren import very little into their land and export just as little. Almost every material used by the killoren is made from raw materials found in Aladur or the nearby jungle or foothills of the Serpent's Tongue mountains and is crafted by killoren for use by killoren.
When utilizing raw materials, the killoren do so in a way that impacts the land the least. When hunting they are careful to only cull the weak and to avoid taking the young or the pregnant. They only use fallen branches for their wood material, and when they work metal or take gems it is with exposed veins (whether subterranean or not) or meteoric iron.
The killoren are a very insular people. They care only about the land of Aladur, of which they were born to be the protectors and caretakers. Little outside of the land concerns them and, as such, they have almost no knowledge of these lands. The killoren do often hunt into the portion of the Coatlizin Jungle flanked by Mallar's Peaks and Aladur, but otherwise the focus of their lives and existence is entirely their own land.
The killoren are generally a genial and easy-going people, especially with regard to their own kind. They are obviously quite in tune with nature and respect and revere all things natural and all things pertaining to nature. A killoren is apt to pause and drink in a beautiful vista or a serene glade and if nothing is pressing possibly remain there for days absorbing the ambiance of the place.
With regard to alignment, most killoren are Chaotic Good. The vast majority of the remainder are Neutral Good or Neutral. The killoren have a deep and abiding repsect for life and only seek to take the life of those who represent a threat to the killoren or to the land itself.
Although long-lived, the killoren are by no means lazy. In fact, they mature to adulthood in a mere 10 years, which they veiw as a sign that they have a job to do protecting the land and they should be quite vigilant in doing so.
The killoren bear enmity to both humans (whom they call "Children of the Destroyer") and Scaled Ones. The Creation Blast that formed them also gave them insight into the destructive nature of both of these races, and the killoren, having seen firsthand the damage the Blast did to the spirits of those lands, are loathe to allow the same thing to happen to Aladur. The killoren understand that the Scaled Ones are evil, and that they precipitated the need for the Creation Blast. Nevertheless, they do not agree that the Blast should have been set off and they point out that Okoth (whom they call "The Destroyer") did not ask permission to do so of the refugee spirits. He simply informed them what was about to happen and then devastated almost a sixth of the continent. As Okoth did what he did to protect the humans, and as the humans themselves started the war against the Scaled Ones (albeit for justifiable reason), the killoren bear no goodwill towards humans. In addition, the fact that the humans have still more Creation Cysts in their possession, and the fact that humans routinely chop down trees and mine the land also lends to their distrust of humans. This attitude towards humans manifests as a desire by the killoren to have themselves and their land entirely free of humans and their influence. Humans are not allowed into Aladur and are not allowed to harvest the trees from the portion of the jungle they claim. In the past, those few humans who have been encountered by the killoren have been asked to leave or driven off.
The Scaled Ones are also not welcome in Aladur, and the killoren take a far more aggressive approach to the Scaled Ones than they do to humans. While humans are to be distrusted and feared, Scaled Ones are to be despised and slain or driven off. While the killoren do not leave their own lands, in theory a killoren outside of Aladur who met a human would simply seek to avoid the human. Such a killoren who met a Scaled One would actively seek to hunt down and kill the Scaled One.
Despite the above, the Scaled Ones rarely penetrate into Aladur, and as such the killoren have been little bothered by them. Because of this, while the killoren revile the Scaled Ones, they do not exhibit the paranoia that the Azotchtlan exhibit with regard to the yuan-ti and their ilk. Most killoren have never even seen a Scaled One in person.
The killoren have almost no dealings with any outside races. The exception to this is the raptorans who dwell in the cliffs and aeries of the Serpent's Tongue mountains. These rapotorans occasionally come and trade with the killoren, and bring news of the outside world to the elders. Such trade missions are fairly uncommon, perhaps occurring once or twice a year, but that represents the most interaction the killoren routinely have with other races that are not native to Aladur.
The killoren do deal with other native races, of course. The significant sentient races that share the killoren land include spark lashers, needlefolk, gambol, and the andrycle [an-DRY-clay] (which the Azotchtla call the ahuizotl). Spark lashers are regarded as a dangerous nuisance and the killoren simply ignore them when possible.
Needlefolk and gambol are considered natural inhabitants of the jungles, though the latter are recognized as dangerous and avoided. The needlefolk seem only to care about the gambol, and relations with the plant people are polite.
The andrycle are an enemy of the killoren. In fact, they are their most pervasive and longtime enemy. The andrycle were present in Aladur before the killoren were created, but the killoren regard them as aberrations and unnatural evil beings...perversions of nature. The hatred between these two races is constant and unremitting, though such conflict is always on a small scale, a small group of andrycle attacking a small settlement of killoren, or a hunting band of killoren tracking and slaying an andrycle.
The killoren speak Sazhan, which is basically a language of the land of Sazhansiir itself, much in the same way that Sylvan is the language of the land of Jerranq. In fact, Sazhan is very much akin to Sylvan, the latter of which is an aglomeration of Aquan, Auran, Ignan, and Terran with a tiny bit of Draconic thrown in. Sazhan is also an aglomeration of the four elemental languages (with no elements of Draconic) but in an entirely different mode than Sylvan. A speaker of Sylvan who hears Sazhan will recognize some familiar sounding word roots but will not be able to understand it (and vice versa).
Many killoren also learn the one or more of the elemental languages. The killoren druids have no tradition of a special Druidic language as is present in Jerranq.
The killoren have an egalitarian society. Males and females occupy gender roles without prejudice to their gender, but influenced by the fact that males are somewhat larger and stronger physically than females. As such, killoren warriors tend to be male, but any given leadership position is just as likely to be held by a female as a male.
The killoren have a sense of private property with regard to possessions and dwelling, but not land. There is also no dynastic tradition amongst a people that may be immortal. When a killoren dies, the local elder divides up his possessions as he deems fit.
Killoren do not marry amongst themselves, though they do marry the six refugee spirits as mentioned previously. But amongst the killoren, the idea of an eternal pairing is rather daunting and although two given killoren can become longtime friends, there is no formal concept of marriage in this regard. Killoren have sexual relations and such relations produce offspring. Offspring are initially the responsibility of the parents, who are expected to raise the child, and this does cause a domestic situation akin to marriage for 10 years until the child is grown, but at the initiation of the child into maturity, such a couple is likely to part amicably.
The killoren are not vegetarians, though much of their diet does consist of gathered berries, wild vegetables, and nuts, supplemented by hunted meat and game. They brew potent liquors from the sap of certain trees and mixed with various herbs and spices.
The killoren enjoy song, and since they are immortal, they find very little need to put things into writing, even despite the fact that they do have a written form of Sazhan (which is a system of their own devising, and even a speaker of Sazhan would not be able to read killoren Sazhan without training). Because they do not die naturally, the killoren have kept to an oral tradition, and songs are the primary means of transmitting this oral tradition. Because of this affinity for song, the killoren often weave singing into their practical magic and treewrighting.
While they have a profound singing tradition, the killoren do not fashion or play instruments. They are familiar with the flutes of the raptorans, but to them the only appropriate instrument is the one given to them by the land...their own voices, and many killoren are proficient singers.
Killoren are believed to be immortal. The killoren themselves don't seem to be much concerned with whether they are or are not, but do believe that as caretakers of the land, they will persist as long as the health of the land does. A few believe that a day may come when the land is safe from the Scaled Ones, humans, and the creation cysts and then they may leave the earth and go to a place of eternal reward.
It is true that there are killoren alive who remember the day of creation of their species. These elders claim that they were born as killoren babes and nursed by the refugee spirits and Talinwique for a decade until they came of age and began the killoren race. The killoren claim that there were seven of them born that first day, one for each spirit to nurture. Of these, two have died of unnatural causes, and one has disappeared and has not been seen or heard of for over two centuries. The remaining four dwell in Aladur, with two, Awarentimbel and Erybrumettig serving as two of the three Most Sacred Elders and the remaining two serving as Erytimbre to the spirits.
Most killoren, once they reach 10 years of age and adulthood, show little sign of aging through the centuries. Awarentimbel does show some aging, but given the fact that her fellow Most Sacred Elder, Erybrumettig, does not, has led some to believe that she underwent some sort of trial or tribulation that aged her unnaturally.
Killoren can procreate and give birth throughout their lives after attainting adulthood, and there is no established upper limit to their age of fertility. That said, the killoren are not a prolific race, for they understand the strains and pressures overpopulation would place on their valued lifestyle and the environment. The average killoren female is likely to give birth to a single child during her lifetime. Two or three children are rare, and larger numbers of progeny are almost unheard of. Given, however, the fact that the killoren are open and casual with sexual relations, it is believed that the killoren either are in tune with their own bodies enough to regulate their own fertility, or they are adept at herbal contraception...or both.
Being fey, killoren are in theory capable of becoming sorcerers. However, they have absolutely no tradition of arcane magic.
While, according to Races of the Wild, killoren suffer unease around cold iron items due to their fey nature, no killoren has yet encountered cold iron and so this unease is as yet unproven.
The killoren have a tangible link to the land of Aladur, which grants them many of their abilities and constantly colours their actions and outlook on life. To the killoren, this link is their life...their very being. It defines who they are.
Because of this mystic link, the killoren do not leave their lands. Ever. At least not by choice. They fear that should they leave their lands, this link might sever, whether suddenly or by attenuation over time. This is also why killoren will not travel to other planes, including, for example, the mystic realm of Gyrmashil, the spirit of Aladur.
In their relatively short history, a few killoren have been banished from the land of Aladur. Most of these end up living in the Coatlizin Jungle, in or on the verges of land that is nominally tied to Gyrmashil. But it is known that a few have left Aladur entirely. Those banished are severed of their ties to the land in a ceremony conducted at the same place that the Erytimbre ceremony takes place, high on the promontory of Ilywtrimbre-etel. They are then escorted to the fringes of Aladur and ordered never to return under pain of death. No such killoren have been heard from since, and it is not known whether they have perished from the severing of their link to the land or whether they dwell still somewhere removed from Aladur. In fact, some killoren surmise that such individuals would age and die like mortal creatures.
Below is a large scale map of Aladur.
Descriptions of the labelled items are set forth below in alphabetical order. Purple areas represent significant swampland. Elevation contours represent 2,000 ft of elevation.
 |
Abanshtimthyr [ah-bansh-TIM-theer] River:
This river flows down off of the higher jungle ridges that predominate the Coatlizin Jungle due west of the Lake of Refuge. As such the river is swift flowing until it reaches within about 75 miles of the Lake of Refuge, whereupon it reaches an area of flat dispersed land and forms the swamps and bogs that flank it and the Pervamthilim River to the south.
Agulm [ah-GOOLM] Canyon:
The jungle to the south and west of Aladur is perched on highlands that slowly descend as the jungle works its way to the north. At this point, the highlands are cleft by a massive canyon. The canyon is centered by a steep gorge that varies in width from 2-5 miles and in depth from 500-1000 ft. Beyond the gorge, the canyon widens and ascends to the level of the jungle highlands, and is as wide as 15 miles. The canyon slopes are heavily jungled, but the gorge is too rocky and sheer for that, though the gorge bottom, through which the Feathered River flows, can be choked with plants on either side of the river. As the river flows south, the canyon becomes taller and steeper until it reaches the crest of the jungle highlands many miles to the west, upon which time the canyon progressively shallows until it fades away in the depths of the jungle. The canyon begins at the southwestern tip of the Lake of Refuge. Here, the canyon is not as deep, but the floor begins to descend and the gorge walls begin to rise as it descends.
There are no known bridges across the canyon (or the gorge) anywhere within Aladur or the jungle portion shown on the map above.
Althinque [all-THIN-kway] River:
This small jungle river is rarely over 30 ft wide and is rather placid and slow flowing. The river teams with brightly coloured tropical fish, some of which are edible and a few of which are highly toxic. The river and the jungle ponds and pools nearby are known to be favourite haunts of the ahuizotls. After draining into Lake Althinque, the river continues until it flows into the Gyrmathimbthyr River.
Cafthyr [KAFF-theer] River:
The killoren give this name to what is actually two rivers, that which flows from the southernmost Cathin Lake and that which flows from Lake Indyrinque. The killoren claim this is so because a single spirit rules both "rivers", and if they need to specifically refer to one stretch or the other, they refer to North Cafthyr (from Cathin Lake to the juncture), East Cafthyr (from Indyrinque to the juncture), or South Cafthyr (from the juncture to the Lake of Refuge). The river is unremarkable, except for the waterfowl that congregate at certain times of year along the South Cafthyr stretch.
Canthin [CAN-thin] Lakes:
This pair of lakes sits amidst the largest region of swamps and moors in Aladur. The lakes are said to be the demense of a pair of twin water spirits who are under the effects of a curse such that one twin is always maniacally evil and the other devoutely good, but these dispositions change from twin to twin at apparently random intervals. Because of the unpredictable nature of the spirits of the lakes, the killoren tend to stay away from the region, except at great need. The killoren say that this curse predates their arrival and they claim to have no knowledge as to its origins.
The flora and fauna of each lake tends to mirror the disposition of its spirit, and those of the evil spirit can be quite dangerous and often have a fiendish cast to their natures. Similarly, the flora and fauna of the goodly spirit often have a celestial cast to their natures. It is believed that, in general, the spirits' natures switch on the order of years, though some claims for monthly and even weekly switches have been rumoured.
Cistherin-etel [siss-THER-in EH-tel]:
The second largest settlement in Aladur, Cistherin-etel houses around 350 killoren. The settlement is known for its hunters, scouts, and rangers, and although most killoren can serve admirably as all three, those of Cistherin-etel are known to excel in such matters.
Coldymthir [coal-DIME-theer] River :
The Coldymthir tumbles down from the heights of the Serpent's Tongue in a series of spectacular falls and rapids before meandering through the foothills of the mountains and making its way to the Lake of Refuge. The river's width varies seasonally with the runoff from the high peaks, but is always at least 40-50 ft wide and fairly swiftly flowing. The river is well stocked with fish, including a salmon-like species called an Orange Dart for its bright orange colour and long, slender build. The killoren of Irmond-etel often tie rafts in the middle of the river and use spears to snare the Orange Darts, whose scales are used in the making of an orange dye. In the spring, the darts spawn upstream, and the killoren do not take the fish during this season. However, during the late summer and throughout fall the fish swim from their high spawning grounds down to the Lake of Refuge, and it is during this time that the fish are taken.
Demrimtumthir [dem-RIM-tum-theer] River:
Flowing into Aladur from the south, this river joins Lake Sumpir and then emerges from it to wend its way through the southern swamps of Aladur before emptying into the Lake of Refuge. The river varies in width according to the season, but is fairly deep and so placid as well and is navigable up to Lake Sumpir, though in the final leg of its journey from Sumpir to the Lake of Refuge it is choked with swamp plants and splits into many subflows and can be treacherous to navigate.
Dinvern-etel [DIN-vayrn EH-tell]:
The population of this settlement varies from 150-200 killoren, with the largest number occurring during the glider mating season in late winter and early spring when the gliders of Lake Indyrinque are active and on the surface. The settlement boasts the most accomplished preparers and weavers of glider silk.
Divonthymb [deev-ON-thimb] River:
A small jungle river that is a tributary of the might Rainbow River, it forms into a vast wetlands marsh between the time it emerges from the jungle and it meets with the Rainbow River. In this marshland the Divonthymb is fed by various small creeks and springs. There are known to be several colonies of hydras in this wetlands area, likely migrated down from the north into Aladur.
Emrymtumbir [em-RIME-toom-beer] River:
Flowing down from the Serpent's Tongue Mountains, this small but swift river plinges headlong into the southern Aladur swamps before making its more serene way to the Lake of Refuge by way of a watercourse that splits into deltas as it nears the central lake. In the spring, the river is almost uncrossable until it reaches the swamps, and there are no bridges anywhere along its length.
Feathered River:
This large river bears the name given to it by the Azotchtla. To the killoren, it is called the Isembyrthyr [iss-EMB-eer-theer]. The river is the only significant body of water that flows out of Aladur, most of the land being essentially a massive drain for the region's watershed. The river flows through a large canyon that cuts through the jungle highlands and makes its way steadily through the Coatlizin Jungle for hundreds and hundreds of miles, gathering countless tributaries, before emptying in the bay of Lower Valast. In Aladur the river is quite wide and generally placid except for areas in the canyon where rapids or falls are present. Many killoren songs make an analogy of a sense of loss to this river, for it carries the waters of the Lake of Refuge away from the killoren.
Fyrthumbryr [fear-THUM-breer] River:
This jungle river emerges from the eaves of the Coatlizin and quickly forms the marshes that encompass the Cathin Lakes. Technically, the stretch of river between the twin lakes is also part of this river, although the killoren refer to that stretch as the "Twin Way". The river is fairly placid and not all that wide, but is quite deep.
Gelbamthimbir [gell-BAM-thimb-eer] River:
This river flows into Aladur from the south and into Lake Sumpir, entering only the very edge of the Coatlizin Jungle.The river brings frogs and a freshwater shrimp into Lake Sumpir, and these creatures are commonly found in or near the river's banks.
Gyrmathimbthyr [geer-MAH-thimb-theer] River:
This river holds a special place in the hearts of the killoren simply because it is the river that flows past their main settlement of Ilywtimbre-etel. As such, the river's babbling and forthing has inspired many a killoren song in its honour, and the killoren revere the river spirit, whom they say dwells at the mouth of the river and is a daughter of Talinwique, the great spirit of the Lake of Refuge. The river is wide and gentle and forms the main waterway through the northwestern swamplands and is navigable well into the jungle.
Haunted Cave:
There are many caves in this region, but one large one is known by the killoren to be haunted by an evil presence. The killoren do not know what the presence is, but commune with nature spells have revealed that it exists and is responsible for the occasional undead creature that has been seen in the area. Killoren expeditions have entered the cave and report a fairly vast network of caverns, some inhabited by vile undead, but the expeditions that pressed deeply into the caves have never returned. The killoren now avoid the area.
Ilyweithyr [ill-ee-WAY-theer] River:
This tributary of the Gyrmathimbthyr River emerges from the jungle to help form the vast swampland of northwestern Aladur. The river is placid and somewhat wide for a jungle river, varying from 60-100 ft in width. This river is also known as "Frog River" due to the many types of normal and giant frogs that dwell along its banks, including several highly poisonous varieties in the jungle area. Some killoren learned about such things hunt these poisonous frogs to brew medicines, poisons, and even to help craft certain magic items.
Ilywtimbre-etel [ill-ew-TIM-bray EH-tell]:
The main settlement of the killoren, it has been detailed previously in this document. Suffice to say that it is the only walled settlement in the land of Aladur, and its great tree is the largest tree in the land. Some 500 killoren dwell here, the most of any settlement in Aladur, foremost amongst them the three Most Sacred Elders. It is just outside of this settlement that the ceremony of marriage between the killoren and the refugee spirits takes place.
Irmondrin [ear-MON-drin] Peak:
The mighty Irmondrin is a large, tall volcano, towering some 9,500 ft above the Lake of Refuge. The volcano is active, and often rumblings emanate from the mountain and a great plume of smoke rises into the air. That said, the killoren cannot recall a time in their history that the volcano has actually erupted, but admittedly their history is too short to rule out such a possibility. Not much is known by the killoren of the volcano, since they prefer to remain in their own lowlands, but the raptorans have told tales of strange fire creatures that dwell in or near the volcano crater.
Irmondrin [eer-MON-drin] River:
This small river flows from the mighty Irmondrin Peak down to form a tributary of the Coldymthir River, which it meets at Irmond-etel. The river is quite warm at its source from thermal activity from Irmondrin Peak, but cools down rapidly as it makes its way to the lowlands, though never quite ridding itself of its sulphury taste until it mixes with the Coldymthir. It is known by the killoren that this river is a good place to search for gems, crystals, and even precious metals that have washed down from the peak above, and the killoren of Irmond-etel pan for precious metals and sift for gems at the end of the river.
Irmond-etel [EER-mond Eh-tell]:
The 250 or so killoren of Irmond-etel are tied most closely to the element of earth and many of them speak Terran. These killoren often pan for metals and gems in the Irmondrin River. The killoren here are also about the closest thing to mariners amongst the killoren, in that they build rafts which they tie off to trees or boulders at both banks of the Coldymthir River and then, standing on the relatively stable platform, spear the Orange Darts that swim down the river. The time of the first Orange Dart seen swimming downriver is a festival and the cause of much revelry and celebration amongst the inhabitants.
Irtyring [EER-tie-ring] Forest:
Simply an extension of the Coatlizin Jungle, this forest is similar to the jungle in most respects, except perhaps it is a little less wild due to its location amidst Aladur. There are more than a few small killoren settlements within the eaves of the forest.
Lake Althinque [all-THIN-kwe]:
This long lake is quite placid and deep, with great stretches of tall reeds and forests of watershore plants growing to tremendous heights. The lake is also known to be a favourite haunt of the ahuizotls, who hunt the killoren for food and sport.
Lake Indyrinque [in-deer-IN-kwe]:
A large, deep lake fed by subterranean sources, it is home to a large variety of fish, including a freshwater flying fish known as a "glider". These gliders do not grow more than 2 feet in length, but their fin-wings are quite large and the webbing between the ribs of the fin-wings can be dried, cured, and woven into a silk-like material that the killoren use in the same way silk is used in other parts of the world. Because gliders normally dwell deep in the depths of the lake and only emerge to glide during mating season, glider silk is rare and not in widespread use amongst the killoren. The folk of Dinvern-etel have the most mastery of catching and making glider silk.
Lake of Refuge:
The history of the Lake of Refuge is dealt with previously in this document. Suffice to say that the lake is the center of existence for the killoren, a spiritual center of gravity in the same way the lake is physically the drain for the entire land. The lake is massive, on the order of a small inland sea, though it is entirely freshwater. The lake is quite deep, being some 500 ft deep in its center, and within those very depths is the gate to the Realm of Gyrmashil, the spirit of Aladur. The killoren revere the lake, and its spirit, Talinwique. Despite their reverence, they never sail on the lake, though the druids of the killoren often wildshape into aquatic form and swim its surface or its depths. The lake is known to harbour cryptclidi (a form of acquiatic dinousaur) as well as giant gar and monstrous crayfish along its banks. What other strange creatures might exist in its depths is impossible to say. Orange Darts are also present, though they spend the winter months deep underwater in the middle of the lake and so are rarely seen by the killoren here.
The lake is large enough that it experiences its own small tides and during inclement weather can become quite rough and storm-tossed.
Lake Sumpir [SOOM-peer]:
This small lake is notable for the large frog population, including monstrous varieties, and a freshwater shrimp that can be found here. This shrimp is quite tasty, and the killoren from Cistherin-etel often make trips to the lake to catch these creatures. The lake is also known for the variety of potent herbs and roots that grow along its banks, and killoren druids and those interested in alchemy often come to gather rare ingredients.
Methybythir [meth-eye-BYE-theer] River:
This large river tumbles from the eastern mountains in a series of falls and rapids and enters the southern swamps before reaching the Lake of Refuge at the settlement of Cistherin-etel. The river is quite wide and, except for during the spring runoff, somewhat placid, though even in Aladur proper there are a great many rapids and falls to make navigation treacherous.
Oskelm-etel [OH-skelm EH-tell]:
The settlement of Oskelm-etel is the most warlike of all of the killoren settlements, for it is closest to the edge of the Coatlizin Jungle and has the most contact with the hated ahuizotls, many of which lair in the bogs and pools surrounding Lake Althinque. Many of the most accomplished killoren fighters and warriors hail from this settlement of approximately 200 killoren.
Pervamthilim [pair-VAHM-thill-eem] River:
Along with the Abanshtimthyr River, this river forms the western marshlands of Aladur. The river comes out of the jungle highlands of the west, and as such is fairly swift and non-navigable until it reaches the marshlands.
Rainbow River:
This is the name given to the river by the Azotchtla, and the origins of that name are not known. To the killoren it is known as Vastalymque [vahst-all-IM-kwe]. This is the largest river in Aladur, measuring as wide as 300-400 ft at some points. Because of its width, the river is quite placid and navigable, although the killoren do not build rafts or boats (with the exception of the tied down raft-like platforms used by the spear fishermen of Irmond-etel). The river is home to many fish of different types, including some giant specimens of gar and crayfish.
Strange Ruins:
Set on a gentle spur of Irmondrin Peak is a set of bizarre ruins, made of stone but evidencing remnants of structures and architecture clearly beyond the ken of the killoren. The killoren do not approach the place as a rule, simply due to its strangeness, and the killoren elders have warned that at some time in the distant past some sort of people or race dwelt there but are now gone and that the place may be accursed. Many killoren believe this race was destroyed by the land of Aladur itself long before the killoren arrived.
Waquinthyr [wah-KWIN-theer] River:
This small river is a tributary of the Abanshtimthyr River and does not, itself, ever emerge from the jungle vastness. As such, it is of little importance to the killoren, The killoren use it is a marker for the boundary of their patrols and hunting activity. Coming off of the jungle highlands to the west of Aladur, it is swiftly flowing.
Weryring [where-EYE-ring] Forest:
This small forest is an extension of the Coatlizin Jungle and home to many scattered killoren settlements.
Killoren are available as player characters, and they operate precisely like the writeup in Races of the Wild. Of course, what might seem to be the biggest impediment to playing a PC killoren is their link to the land. But despite the importance the killoren place on this link, it is merely a metaphysical link and it has no in game effects. Even the supposition that killoren who have their links severed might grow old and die is, in actuality, incorrect, though no killoren knows this at this time.
A killoren can leave Aladur for centuries, travel to other planes, or what have you and suffer no in game effects. Yes, his tie to Aladur will fade and eventually be severed, but clearly the actual abilities of the killoren, even if they have originated from their ties to the land, are internalized. Perhaps such abilities are absorbed through the link during childhood and by the time a killoren is an adult he has absorbed enough of the essence of the land to sustain his killoren abilities forever. Or perhaps such abilities are hereditary. As no known killoren has been born outside of Aladur, this is unknown.
A killoren whose tie to the land of Aladur is severed will experience a loss. But this will be an emotional one. He will also be cut off from some of the communal rituals (like the ability to treewright and the like) enacted by the killoren. But the emotional loss of the link can be smoothed over time just as the loss of a loved one can be blunted over time, though never forgotten. For such a killoren, there will always be a hole in his heart and his soul where the link used to be, but life can go on.
So it is certainly physically possible to play a killoren who adventures and wanders with the PCs. Such a killoren would be an immense aberration amongst the killoren, but it is possible, and the actions of the PCs when they meet the killoren could be sufficient to convince one or more to accompany them and risk losing their beloved link. Or perhaps a hot-headed young killoren is convinced that the killoren cannot live in isolation any longer and must deal with the outside world. Or perhaps a killoren simply gets wanderlust after hearing tales of the wonders of the world at large. Rather than be an impediment, the lost link can be a character device to use.
Killoren can be sorcerers, though just because they have the magic in their blood to be one does not mean they can just start taking sorcerer levels, even with training in the arcane arts by a wizard. In fact, a wizard cannot teach someone to be a sorcerer. Sorcery would have to arise over a long period of usage of arcane magic, as the usual progression is sorcery to wizardry, not the other way around. Otherwise, it would take intense training by another sorcerer to teach sorcery to a killoren, and the Scaled Ones are not much forthcoming in this regard.
Aside from the issue of arcane magic, their favoured class is druid and their other common classes are rangers, fighters, and warriors. The killoran have absolutely no tradition of clerical worship and a killoren cleric would have to somehow pick the class up from training outside of Aladur. Similarly, there are no killoren favoured souls because no killoren worships any god. That said, it would, in theory, be possible for a killoren to become a favoured soul by worshipping a deity and eventually being blessed thereby. Such a killoren would have to have been inculcated in the worship of deities outside of Aladur.