This is the first in a series of limited scope campaigns set in the world of Mythia. These campaigns will take placce in and around the time period of the original Tides of Destiny campaign. Shadows of Darkness is set in the forest of Fallia, 30 years after Elshon.s defeat of the Master of the Darkness as the elves are still gravely troubled by monsters and other dangerous phenomenon within the deep forest.

...We are the stewards of the land.

...Our life's work is to restore the natural beauty to the ravaged lands.

...When the other races were still recovering from the Great War we were already cleansing the land of the foul remnants left behind by the Ancients.

...When the demon lords enslaved the Young Races we continued our work despite their destructive actions.

...After the demon lords were defeated we sealed the forest to protect the others from the corruption left behind by Ashe.

...The corruption has been contained and reduced through the cost of many elven lives.

...Today we face a new threat and the forest is once again sealed for the protection of the others.

The forest of Fallia covers a vast stretch of the Homelands, from east to west 1,000 leagues across and from north to south 500 leagues deep. Numerous species of tree and countless shrubbery and other ground cover conceal the secrets of the forest from prying eyes. The great Starlight River runs from the Markill Mountains through the heart of the forest to Emerald Waters and then branches off to form the Starlight Waterway, a system of lakes, streams and rivers that runs throughout northern Fallia.

The outer boundary of the forest is made up of smaller trees used in sustainable harvest methods to provide lumber and finished products for export?this is as far as most outsiders go in the forest. Past the outer boundary the trees grow larger and larger until in the very heart of the forest a few of the trees reach heights of over 200 paces.

Natural springs and groves abound throughout the forest providing breaks in the forest canopy to allow smaller plants to flourish on the forest floor. In some areas of the forest the breaks in the canopy are few and far between causing the forest floor to be shaded almost the entire time; unusual plant and animals are found in these areas..

The most striking geographical features of the forest are the Ashen areas. These regions are wastelands, devoid of all life and spirit. The demon lord Ashe, who drained every bit of living energy from the land to fuel his malevolent powers, caused the destruction in these areas. Restoring these areas to their former beauty is the goal of every elf but the Ashen areas are extremely resistant to any change and the restoration process advances slowly. See the section on Ashen areas for more detailed information.

The base unit of elven social structure is the family from there to the community from there to the nation.

Elven families can be quite large if the extended families and the multiple generations alive at the same time are taken into account but most are formed from a core parent and child relationship who recognize multiple grandparents, aunts, uncles and numerous cousins.

There are three distinct types of elven communities; tra'daeis, shek'daeis and ren'daeis. The tra'daeis are the trading villages positioned at strategic points in the outer boundary of the forest; these are the only elves who regularly have contact with the outside races. The shek'daeis are all the small villages scattered throughout the sylvan proper and are home to the craftsmen and food gatherers that support the elves of Fallia. The ren'daeis are the communities that have sprung up as a result of the restoration activities on the Ashen areas; these communities rely on the other two to support them in their efforts.

Ra'sho, the elven capital, is unique in that it combines the aspects of the tra'daeis, shek'daeis and ren?daeis into one large community. Set on the shore of the Emerald Waters, Ra'sho, is the heart and soul of Fallia from where the elven king and queen rule their people from the Emerald Throne.

The king and queen guide the future of their people with aid of an advisory council. The comprised of an elder selected from village who represents his or her own villages needs to the Throne. The ren?daeis hold slightly more influence than the other community types but the welfare of the nation as a whole is considered before the welfare of an individual or their community.

The advisory council chooses the king and queen from a select group of elven families whose main purpose is to groom their children for leadership positions. The royal marriage is arranged by the council for the greater good of the elven people.

The Emerald Throne is a throne in name only. It is in fact a living tree that has been molded into a magnificent palace through the efforts of many generations of druids. The name comes from the fact that the tree palace is always vibrantly healthy and seems to glow with a greenish inner light.

Egalitarian sharing society where the gain of the whole is more important than the gain of the individual

Average apprenticeship is at lest 10 years although some gifted individuals progress faster than others. During the apprenticeship there are several breaks, each usually lasting a year, in which the apprentice takes time off from the formal schooling to reflect on what she has learned and apply that knowledge to the real world. When the apprentice returns to school she must is required to demonstrate what she has learned in order to advance any further in her formal training.

Arak Riders: Elven cavalry mounted on giant wolf spiders called Araks. The Araks have been tamed by the elves and are fiercely loyal but not terribly intelligent(about the same as a dog). Arak Riders are strapped to their mounts to prevent them from falling off and typically use short bows or other small missile weapons:daggers, knives, throwing spikes, hatchets or javelins. Arak Riders wear a "grapnel gun" on one of their wrists, this will fire a 50' strand of spider silk.. The grapnel is most often used to stop a fall if they should become separated off their mount;the grapnel can only be used once before reloading, the silk must be taken from an Arak and is only good for one week after harvesting.

Dragonettes: Elven cavalry mounted on large lizard-like creatures called Dragon'ei. The dragon'ei's lizard body is the size of horse with a tail half again as long and has iridescent insect wings sprouting from shoulders. Dragon'ei are somewhat independent and intelligent(about the same as a cat). Dragonettes use powerful crossbows and spears; usually two crossbows are carried and after both are fired the dragonnette retreats to a safe distance to reload both weapons.

High Wardens: The High Wardens were founded by the mountain elf priest of Ansenii, Kiilarrea'. Kiilarrea' believed that a warrior should always strike first and hardest in any confrontation, whether it be physical or mental. His personally designed weapon, the Venglais, was the ultimate representation of this strategy. The Venglais combined the versatility of a staff with the destructive power of a blade in one elegant weapon. The High Wardens accept any elf that shows prowess in battle and unyielding determination to succeed at any cost.

Sestelle? Knights: These Knights were founded by Sheristaa', one of the most influential priests of Sho that Fallia has ever known. Sheristaa' led a peaceful way of life but recognized that the world was a dangerous place. Through this philosophy she developed a style of fighting designed around a simple shaft of wood, the Saa', that combined high levels of defense with devastating attacks for when the situation demanded it. The vast majority of Sestelle' Knights are not priests but their philosophy is closely linked with the priesthood of Sho'.

Windrunner Rangers: It is said that elves are the best woodsmen in the world, compared to Windrunners other elves seem like boulders crashing down a mountain. These elves form the vanguard of any elven strike force. Moving unseen through almost any terrain not just forests, striking from unexpected directions and disappearing again before they can be attacked. It is said that unless a Windrunner wants you to know he is there you will not be aware of him. The Windrunner's primary charge is to guard the Eshan Rift where it is said the Demon Lord Ashe was destroyed?strange things sometimes rise up out of the rift.

Silent Runners: These shy deer shamans spend most of their lives in seclusion, watching and helping others when needed and then disappearing back into the forest depths.

Sky Eyes: Bold and arrogant falcon warrior-shamans who patrol the upper reaches of the canopy, rarely deigning to set foot on the ground.

Starlight Watchers: Curious and friendly otter shamans that patrol the starlight waters, serving as guides and messengers for the Emerald Throne.

The Pack: Fierce and gregarious wolf warrior-shamans who rove throughout the forest serving the will of the Emerald Throne.

Artificers: Organized group of Enchanters and like minded Magi who study artifacts and attempt to create their own.

Druid's Circle: Assembly of Druids dedicated to restoring the true beauty of the forest and protecting it from inside and outside threats. The most influential group second only to the council of elders.

Pathfinders: Loose fraternity of Guides who patrol the forest seemingly at whim.

Sorceror's Guild: Highly structured, like every other Sorceror's Guild, college of arrogant wizards who believe they should be in charge of restoring the Ashen Area instead of the Druid's Circle.

Avenging Guardians: Recently developed, more militant, version of Righteous Guardians. A hybrid Ansenii/Sho' priesthood whose beliefs center on avenging crimes against Sho' by destroying the offender. This group never acts proactively but once they are made aware of a crime, they are relentless. The priesthood of Sho' is slightly embarrassed by the actions of the Avenging Guardians and would like them to use less violence. The priesthood of Ansenii is amused by their actions and believe that they will fully join Ansenii as time goes by.

Celestial Bards: Divinely inspired musicians, poets and signers who use their skills to assist and heal others.

Monk of Maeder: See Order of Maeder.

Order of the Dove: Totally pacifistic priests of Sho'.

Righteous Guardians: Priestly sect established by Elshon Caelison that has continued after his death. Righteous Guardians are devoted to seeking out and destroying undead, demons and other abominations that do not possess the spark of life.

Most elves worship Sho' or Binsus, but recently the number of Ansenii followers has increased.

Arak

Dragon'ei

Elven Cat

Elven Horse

Forest Wyrm

Dragon

Monsters still in the deep forest make travel dangerous except along the patrolled roads and those are even attacked some times.

Kailin's Heart has helped the Ashen areas recover quicker and easier; all but the worst should be well on their way to recovery in 2 or 3 generations.

Druid's Circle has begun to shape a safe "branchway" through the canopy of the deep forest.

This is a very race specific campaign and the starting character point packages reflect this.

DX+1, IQ+1, Alertness 1, Attractive Appearance, Silence 1, Extended Lifespan 1,

Longevity, Night Vision

Sense of Duty Nature, Intolerance(Changed Ones)

Elven Skills: Each elf is taught a general body of knowledge. To reflect this an elven character is required to spend at least 10 points in the following group of skills, skills are listed in order of importance.

Forest Elf: Naturalist, First Aid, Survival (Forest), Orienteering, and Climbing.

Mountain Elf: Tactics, Hiking, Survival (Mountains), Orienteering and Climbing.

Sea Elf: Sailor, Seamanship, Survival (Island), Navigation and Climbing.

DX+1, Extended Lifespan

+3 DX, +1 IQ, Chameleon 3, Hyperactive, Night Vision, Silence 3, Super Running 1,

Prehensile Tail(No Physical Attack)

-3 ST, -2 Hit Points, Curious 1, Impulsive, Inconvenient Small Size, Increased Life Support

Easily Startled (quirk)

+3 St, +2 HT, Alertness 2, Animal Empathy, Infravision, Silence 2

-1 IQ, Berserk, Inconvenient Large Size, Sense of Duty Nature, Shyness 2

All other races 50 points

You will not be allowed to play unless you have a character background.

I would rather you develop your background before you even try to figure out where to put the points. Any disadvantage found in the book must be cleared with me before you take it?I would like to pick your disadvantages based of what you have in your character background.