the PDF - Lions of Lantia

Lions
Guidebook
C O N T E N T S
1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................................ 3
WHAT IS LIVE ROLEPLAYING? ......................................................................................................................................... 3
WHAT IS THE LORIEN TRUST? ........................................................................................................................................ 3
2. THE CAMPAIGN ........................................................................................................................................................ 3
THE HISTORY OF THE HEARTLANDS ............................................................................................................................... 3
THE HISTORY OF THE LIONS ........................................................................................................................................... 5
LIONS OF ALBION ........................................................................................................................................................... 5
LIONS OF AVALON .......................................................................................................................................................... 6
LIONS OF LANTIA............................................................................................................................................................ 8
GEOGRAPHY ................................................................................................................................................................... 9
ECOLOGY ...................................................................................................................................................................... 11
3. LEADERS OF THE LIONS ...................................................................................................................................... 12
OTHER NOTABLE LIONS OF HISTORY ........................................................................................................................... 13
A GALLERY OF ROGUES ............................................................................................................................................... 16
ENEMIES OF THE LIONS ................................................................................................................................................. 16
4. THE CURRENT LIONS PEOPLE ........................................................................................................................... 19
CULTURE ...................................................................................................................................................................... 19
SOCIETY ....................................................................................................................................................................... 19
FAITH AND ANCESTORS ................................................................................................................................................ 20
5. PLAYING A LIONS CHARACTER ........................................................................................................................ 22
CREATING A CHARACTER ............................................................................................................................................. 22
ROLEPLAYING IN THE FACTION .................................................................................................................................... 24
CHARACTER PROGRESSION........................................................................................................................................... 26
Credits
Edited and Produced by Allen Stroud
With contributions from:
Marianne Wells, Daniel Williams, Fergal O‟Brien
Gareth Marklew, Russ Phillips, Derek Mccallister
Colin Blairs, Aoife O‟Connor, Tim Packer,
Emma Cunliffe, Aoife Brown, Gav Folens,
Ian Mcneil, Kirsten Williams, John Keech and Chris Cunliffe
Illustrations by Eoin Salley & Bruce Myers.
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1. Introduction
Welcome to the Lions of Lantia sourcebook for the Lorien Trust live role-playing
game. This booklet is designed to give you as much general information as
possible about the Lions faction in the Lorien Trust game world of Erdreja. Whilst
the majority of information in this booklet is in character knowledge, none of it is
privileged or secret. Its purpose is to give you ideas for a character that you may
want to play in the faction.
What is live roleplaying?
In its most basic form, Live Role-play is the art of portraying a fictional character of
your choice in a story come to life. It encourages people to work together in
character, and interact with one another in a form of free flowing theatre. Your
character‟s attributes and personality are chosen by you.
What is the Lorien Trust?
In 1992, the Lorien Trust held a festival live roleplaying weekend called “The
Gathering” on the August bank holiday weekend. Since then, the event has evolved
into an entire campaign set in the fantasy fictional world of Erdreja.
The Lorien Trust runs four events during the summer season from May to August.
These are attended by thousands of players each year. The Lions Faction is one of
ten factions that attend these events.
2. The Campaign
Erdreja is a world where the sword rules and use of sorcery is power. Gunpowder
does not exist within this world. Alchemy is the most advanced science and magic
is used instead of technology for almost everything else.
The campaign is set mainly within this fantasy world, specifically within the
Heartlands. This area consists of the countries of Albion, Caledonia, Cymrja, Erin,
Estragales, Lyonesse, Norsca, Orkneyjar and Teutonia. Also included are the
islands of Lantia, the Underdark realm of the Tarantulas, Aegyptus, Maurabia and
the Unicorns home, the islands of Mauritania.
There are other lands and Factions from which characters have travelled, but the
Campaign deals mostly with events taking place in and around the Heartlands.
The history detailed here is imparted to give you a sense of the game‟s past and
perhaps inspire some ideas for a character that you may want to play. Of course, if
you want to play a character that is ignorant of any of the background mentioned
here, you are perfectly entitled to do so.
The History of the Heartlands
The elder races lived long and prosperous lives on the world of Erdreja. Elves,
Dwarves and Fairy folk all lived in relative peace for millennia. When the younger
races came to the world this peace was shattered, within a few centuries of their
arrival, the race wars began and many thousands of lives were lost within just a few
decades.
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During the wars, the younger races developed a device that was powered by the
magic used by the elder races, this caused them to age quickly and die. To counter
the device, they performed a mighty ritual depriving everyone of any knowledge of
Incantation magic. The remaining memories were kept by the Drow who made their
home beneath the surface of the world. They discovered that the miles of solid rock
between them and the device meant that they could continue to use Incantation
magic.
The Founding
The banishing of Incantation was one of the last, desperate acts of the elder races.
The Fairy folk had retreated to the unseen court, the Dwarves and their kin had
retreated to the mountain halls and only the Elves were left to fight the younger
races. Kingdom by kingdom, they were gradually overrun and pushed eastwards
where they made a final stand.
Over a thousand years ago, the last Elven army was defeated by the younger races
at Obsidia. The few remaining Elven lords took the last of their people into hiding.
The wars were finally over and the younger races stood victorious. Cities were built
and a great civilisation was created. Tebron, the greatest warlord of the humans
was declared Emperor and ruled from the great city of Tebronia that bore his name.
The empire was founded the day that Tebron first sat upon his imperial throne and
the calendar began anew with the first year AF (After Founding). After the first
Emperor‟s death the capital was re-named Malkarn and it remained so until its
destruction.
The Elemental Colleges as guardians of the Empires knowledge created a Great
Library in the north. This was built on the ruins of an Elven city once renown for its
collection of learning. The city of Norhault grew up around this library which
became the greatest seat of learning in the known world. The library was formally
opened one year to the day that Tebron was crowned, the first day of January in
the year 1 AF. For several centuries the Empire prospered, and peace returned to
the lands.
The Cataclysm of Water
Just before 500 AF a great cataclysm took place. A mighty ritual was being
performed in the capital‟s great ritual circle to bring rain to the drought stricken
southern farms. Unknown agents disrupted the ritual and released all of the magic
within the circle. This uncontrolled power flowed to every other known ritual circle,
shattering many and killing hundreds of people. Violent earthquakes rocked the
land, mountains were smashed and the city was dragged beneath the waves as the
whole of the Imperial Heartlands sunk. The waters of the great seas rushed in to
separate forever the northern and southern continents. Albion, Erin and Western
Norsca (now Orkneyjar) became islands as the land around them disappeared and
the seas flooded in. Whole communities died, including the ruling Emperor and his
entire family along with most of the ruling lords of the Empire, who had gathered in
the capital for a celebration.
The end of the Empire began a period of almost six hundred years of war between
the remaining nobles over who would rule the new lands. It soon became apparent
that no-one could achieve total victory. The Empire was gone forever and instead
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the Heartland countries became small independent nations. They were ruled over
by lord generals, who remained continuously at war with each other over the
borders of the disputed lands.
The Gathering Treaty
In 1091 AF the last battle for the city of Norhault was fought and the Lord General
of Caledonia recaptured it. This was also the year of the formation of the Grand
Council. After much discussion amongst the people of the Heartlands most agreed
that they had fought their last war, and looked forward to a new age of peace.
In the discussions of the Grand Council, the Gathering Treaty was drawn up and
signed by all the Lord Generals of the Heartlands. The treaty stated, and still states
that representatives of the Factions (the Grand Council) would discuss disputes in a
civilised manner. Should a dispute not be resolved by talks then, at an annual
Gathering, representative forces of the disputing Factions would fight a battle under
a magical ritual of peace. This ritual would allow combatants to subdue but not kill
each other. The victory conditions for these battles would be determined before the
combat took place.
The Cataclysm of Fire
In 1106, another great tumult rocked Erdreja as the magical forces of six hundred
years sought to re-align themselves. The world was burned and forged anew,
causing substantial change to its geography. For some, this cataclysm caused little
discomfort and they watched as the world altered around them. For others of a
more magical nature, the change was painful and left them scarred in its wake.
The Present
To this day, the Factions of the Heartlands still hold to the ideals of the Gathering
Treaty. The original document, has undergone revision, Leaders have come and
gone, Nations have fallen, and new kingdoms risen from the ashes. Yet still the
principles and agreement of peace remains.
The History of the Lions
The Lions are one of ten factions that attend the Gathering of nations. Their specific
history is detailed below.
Lions of Albion
Albion was united as the nation of the Lions in the late 1080s under King Elias
Karlennon (senior), and seemed to spend most of its time raiding the neighbouring
countries of Caledonia and Cymria. Elias hosted the first ever Gathering of Nations,
at which he was promptly murdered. Lord General Corvus Corvidae took over,
though not immediately as king.
When he did declare himself as King, Elias' widow - Elspeth Karlennon - disputed
Corvus' right to kingship. Half the Lions followed Corvus, while half followed Elspeth
and declared themselves as an independent faction, the Harts. For a time the Harts
ruled southern Albion while the Lions had the Northern part, but this was
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unworkable and so there was to
be an honour battle in 1096 to
decide which faction would rule
Albion. Before this, it was
discovered that Corvus and his
wife Roxanne had made a pact
with Golgymoth for the powers of
Dark Incantation. Immediately,
Corvus was deposed from the
remains of his kingdom.
Leaderless, the Lions went to the
Gathering of 1096 under the
stewardship of Jadvor Erland.
The boiling resentment between
Lions and Harts boiled over when
the Harts summoned up the
seven swords of Wayland that
had been distributed between
both factions. Jadvor led his
people into the Harts camp and
surrounded its command tent,
capturing the entire command.
No-one knows what words
passed between Jadvor and
Elspeth Karlennon, but
something persuaded the leader
of the Lions to withdraw and lead
his people back to camp.
The next morning, the
outnumbered Lions lost the battle
for Albion and became homeless.
They were saved from this by
Jadvor‟s second, Silver who
claimed to be a dragon and had
learned of a secret way amongst
the mists into the Vale of Avalon.
Map of Albion
A small party followed this route and the Ancestor St. Cuthbert to make contact with
the strange peoples who lived there. A friendship was made and a bargain struck
and so the Lions went in exile to the long-lost demi-plane of Avalon.
Lions of Avalon
Avalon used to be connected to Erdreja, until the legendary King Arthur closed the
paths between the planes about five hundred years ago. Only a few remembered
the magical path through the mists. Since that time, the Avalonians had been living
entirely separately from Erdreja.
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Generally people in an area
would unite as a tribe or cause,
under a common banner to
survive against incursions of
Chaos Demons. Areas such as
Fulcrum remained inviolate for
several centuries and the Drow
of Avalon - who were
patriarchical and unconnected
with the Tarantulas - lived
independently. Avalon had a
small coastline comparative to its
size; so many people lived far
inland. No unliving could exist in
Avalon and any who went there
were destroyed.
Map of Avalon by geography.
When the Lions arrived from
Albion, the ritual circle path to
Erdreja reopened and people
could travel freely between each
land. Somehow, Roxanne and
Corvus returned to become
demons and assumed control of
the chaos demons of Avalon,
now called the Raven host. These creatures fought against the Lions until an
ancient barrier was renewed at „Valinor Kai‟; so named for the two Lions who
sacrificed their lives to empower it and trap them away from Avalon.
Unfortunately opening the paths back to
Erdreja also re-opened a path for the Nosta
Kar to return. They were a gold skinned
people from the ancient past who set about
attacking and re-conquering Avalon. Though
the Lions won many battles, notably at Eagg
Isle, they were gradually pushed back. The
Nosta Kar built a reputation for committing
atrocities during the war and for their ability
to point-to-point teleport large numbers of
troops.
Sacrificing his life, Prince Bishop Hatfield
dropped the Valinor Kai barrier to try to get
the Raven host to attack the Nosta Kar, but
even this wasn't enough.
Map of Avalon by Barony.
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In another misguided attempt to halt the invasion, the lich, Durith (Former Lion and
head of the Incantors Guild) brought wraiths into Avalon‟s ritual circles and
poisoned hundreds with a deadly necromantic gas known as the breath of Maar.
After many desperate battles, the Lions finally defeated the invaders, killing all of
the Nosta Kar generals. Celebrations were shortllved, however, for the very next
morning, a messenger brought word that a new Nosta Kar host had arrived which
out-numbered the Lions' forces. With heavy hearts the faction decided that, to
survive, they would have to leave their homes once more. Seven quests were
undertaken to wake the Sleepers whose dreams had shaped the land, and, with
their waking, the ties that bound Avalon to Erdreja were broken. Ancient magics
sent one fragment of Avalon, Holy Isle, with the Lions upon it, through the void, to
Erdreja.
Tied as he was to the land, King Rhino could not leave with his faction, and so he
selected, from many volunteers, six others to remain with him. Together the seven
- who became known as the Gateguard, tried to hold back the Nosta Kar, to prevent
them from following the Lions to Edreja. This proved successful for a time, until
finally they found a way through. Rhino led his small band of warriors ahead of the
host and gathered a force of all of the Factions to defeat the Nosta Kar at the
Gathering of 1102, where he perished. After this, the paths were closed and Avalon
was destroyed by the Cataclysm. It now exists only as an ancestor and as a
memory.
Lions of Lantia
Lantia is a ring of floating islands in the south of Erdreja which came to the surface
when Holy Isle landed. They lie south and east of the Heartlands of Edreja, east of
the Spine of Tebron, the northern part of which is known as The Empire or Eagle
Isles.
When Holy Isle landed in Erdreja it landed in Lantia, and caused a tidal wave,
pinning one island underneath it. Traditionally a warm Mediterranean realm, Lantia
was cursed by the Winter King, Mal the Dark One, with having the same kind of
weather as Avalon.
The Lions arrived in Lantia early in the year 1101. They quickly mapped the newly
risen Lantian ring and established themselves as the new government of the
ancient kingdom. Gradually as they grew accustomed to the land, they found out
more and more about its past.
During the last but one cataclysm, the Lantians foresaw that the islands would sink
and so used a time-based ritual to freeze themselves in Time Chambers under
each island and protect the Isles as they sank below the waves. However, when the
Lions found them, they discovered that anyone who was removed instantly aged
the five hundred or so years between then and now, and so most of the survivors
remained trapped within. The Conclave – an order of Elder race wizards, blew all of
the time chambers up before the faction figured out how to rescue the occupants,
just before the last Cataclysm in 1106.
One of the greatest threats faced by the Lions since landing on Lantia was Xivental,
the Drakken of Oblivion. He spent several years tormenting the Lions, especially
the Sirene, a group of women that dedicate themselves to helping to maintain the
vital balance of Lantia. He was eventually defeated by the combined forces of the
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Heartlands at the Spring Moot of 1110 when he created a great construct that he
then inhabited.
In 1111, Time Elementals used their power over time in order to capture the island
of Emerix and kidnapped Princess Lenia Navarre Maconnell, wife to King Hengist.
The Lions managed to retrieve her, however she had been through much and most
of her remaining time had been stolen. King Hengist passed across the shard of
Avalon that he held, and with it all of his remaining life so that she might live. When
he died, but one day later, she took his place and became Queen.
In 1113, the demon overlord of Illusion, Tatalus arrived on Lantian soil with the
claimed intention of destroying all Lantian citizens and controlling the islands of
Lantia for his own ends. Currently he holds the islands of Azurlon and Orlagnon,
and Akamon in under threat.
Geography
Lantia is a single nation made up from a series of thirteen major - and several minor
- islands. Lantian legend has it that the twelve major islands each carry an
alignment and that together, with the central island, they form some kind of
balance. The extent of 'truth' in this myth has yet to be established for sure.
However, there is much about the islands that is unknown in all regards.
Map of Lantia – pre 1106 cataclysm.
All the islands have an associated gemstone, ancestor-like being called a Drakken,
Wonder and aspect (e.g. fortune, duty, war, etc) associated with them and the
effects of these are hotly debated. Each isle also had a mystical reflection called an
Orst, with its own inhabitants.
Since the cataclysm of 1106, the geography of Lantia has changed significantly and
the Lions are currently engaged in re-charting the islands.
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Holy Isle/Lapis Lazuli - The last remnant of Avalon in Erdreja, Holy Isle bears upon
it Camelot the same Camelot that was the seat of King Arthur and the Knights of
the Round Table. Holy Isle stood as the heart of Avalon and all that Avalon stood
for. Now it lies at the heart of the Lantian Islands and is where the government of
the Lion‟s Nation takes place. In 1106, Holy Isle merged with the island that it
landed on, Lapis Lazuli. It is now known by both names. The Circle of Hope on Holy
Isle faded away and was replaced by the Circle of Balance.
Pardulon - The central island of the northern line, Pardulon has a central spine of
hills running from the southwest coast to the northeast coast. There is also
extensive forestland in the north and five major rivers run across it. Lantian myth
has Pardulon associated with the essence of Creation and also with the peridot
gemstone.
Orlagnon - Orlagnon lies just to the east of Pardulon. Known as the Island of
Peace, Orlagnon is also associated with the opal gemstone.
Azurlon - Southeast of Orlagnon is Azurlon. Azurlon is associated with the notion of
Assurance and with the aquamarine gemstone.
Akamon - Along with Sammarix, Akamon is the easternmost island of the chain.
Just to the south of Akamon is the smaller island of Oriental. Lantian myth
associates Akamon with the amethyst gemstone and also with the trait of Service.
Sammarix - Apparently marked by the trait of Indifference, Sammarix is a
mountainous island. The island is also associated with the sapphire gemstone.
Emmerix - Emmerix lies in the southeast of Lantia and is the Island of Pain. Its
associated gemstone is the emerald.
Ontarix - A large plateau of land marks Ontarix as good for farming. However, less
welcoming is the Lantian myth that links it to Destruction and onyx.
Gallathrix - Known as the Island of War, Gallathrix has indications of volcanoes
upon it. However, the hot springs and garnet gemstones may calm anxieties.
Rysarius - This forested island with its inland lakes is a tranquil enough place for
reflection that the Lantian myth that links it to the trait of Knowledge is quite
understandable. The associated gemstone here is the ruby.
Tamarus - With low-lying land, Tamarus was known for its plains, salt marshes,
lakes, and plateau of grassland. Since the cataclysm is has become a mix of desert
and jungle. It is known for the topaz gemstone and the trait of duty.
Ceryphus - Covered by forest, Ceryphus - the Isle of Fortune is the north eastern
island of the chain. The large forests on Ceryphus come from The Green, the
sacred forest-home-ancestor of the Soul Elves who brought it with them from
Avalon and released it onto Ceryphus. The gemstone associated with it is citrine.
Andulus - Lying to the east of Ceryphus, Andulus is known as the Isle of Justice
and is associated with the amber gemstone. Legend has it that a Scouts Guild
expedition landed on this Island once and met a grim fate for reasons unknown.
Amnor – Not originally a part of Lantia, when Xivental was defeated and his island
sank, Amnor moved with the ring and became a part of the Balance. It is known as
the Isle of Freedom and is associated with the agate gemstone. An ancient land
that still holds a people that fought and died for their freedom against the Calebii.
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Map of Lantia – post 1106 cataclysm
The islands recently changed geography as the Cataclysm of Fire had the side
effect of merging the Orst reflection of the islands with the real world, thus making
most islands many times the size they used to be. Since this time, a lot of the land
has remained unexplored and a number of islands still do not have working ritual
circles.
Arrackesh
Some distance away in the island chain of the Spine of Tebron, Arrackesh has
been an allied territory to the Lions in the past. It was ruled by a Countess of the
House of Varus and many of her subjects spent time in Lantia. The population of
Arrackesh was destroyed by the Akari.
In recent times, the Scout‟s and Healer‟s Guilds noted that members of the
University of Pattern Perfection had taken up residence on this island. In order to
combat this menace, the Balrog was sent to the island, which devastated it. In order
to attempt to cleanse the land of the poison that the creature brought, a team was
sent comprised of those from many different factions and guilds. However, the
damage was too great and the hurt done to Erdreja too severe to be cleaned or
mended, so it was destroyed by Erdreja herself.
Ecology
Living underneath the islands of Lantia, there used to be a sentient race of aquatic
beings called Frithin, but these died out in recent times. There are subterranean
humanoids known as Morlocks living underground in some of the islands, which are
rarely seen but quite dangerous. The Breed - human-animal hybrids - or the
inhabitants of Orst are also present and are known to attack unwary travellers in
some areas.
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3. Leaders of the Lions
Year
Leader
Seconds
1092 – 1096
Corvus Corvidae & Roxanne
Corvidae (proclaimed himself King
in 1095).
Edmund Addernoir
Jadvor Erland
Elspeth Karlennon
1096
1096
1097-1100
Rhino Khazad Rex
(Crowned King of Avalon in 1098).
1101-1104
Queen Sapphire Khazad Rex
(Crowned Queen of Lantia in
1101).
1105-1108
Queen Tope Shoshoni
1109- 1112
King Hengist Macconell
Jadvor Erland
Silver “The Dragon”
Bartax High Priest of Mithras
1097
Prince Bishop William Hatfield
Lady Josephine
1098
Prince Bishop William Hatfield
Ivan Shoshoni
1100
Ivan Shoshoni
Sapphire Khazad Rex (Wife of
Rhino).
1101
Crown Prince Ivan Shoshoni
Prince Magnus Gallowglass
1102
Crown Prince Mog
Princess Alyssa Darkendale
1103
Crown Princess Tope Shoshoni
Prince Bison
1104
Crown Princess Tope Shoshoni
Prince Tremayne
1105
Crown Prince Tremayne
Prince Hengist Macconell
1106
Crown Prince Tremayne
Prince Hengist Macconell
1107
Crown Prince Hengist Macconell
Prince Seraphim Darkendale
1108
Crown Prince Hengist Macconell
Prince Seraphim Darkendale
1109
Crown Prince Seraphim Darkendale
Prince Megiddo Stone
1110
Crown Prince Seraphim Darkendale
Princess Lenia Navarre
1111
Crown Princess Lenia Navarre
Prince Caileb Neverwinter
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1113 –
present
Queen Lenia Navarre
1112
Crown Prince Caileb Neverwinter
Prince Nethaniel Huntington
1113
Crown Prince Caileb Neverwinter
1114
Crown Prince Caileb Neverwinter
Other Notable Lions of History
It is a rare few whose names echo in the halls of history for Lantia. The annals of
Kings and Queens are always those that are remembered, yet there are also some
whose memory shines as part of the identity of a people and who epitomise what it
is to be a Lion.
Lemming
A Lion whose ability to cause trouble was matched only by his ability to inspire
others to cause it with him. In his lifetime he was leaderof House Demetus,
Huntmaster of the Children of Malar, a honoured clansmen of the Bears, a faction
ambassador, military General and member of a great many other groups in the
Lions. Passionate in his beliefs and never slow to act, on numerous occasions he
turned down positions of high office, before eventually accepting the role of Prince
Bishop. Stories of his heroic deeds (some of them true) spread far and wide,
before he was murdered whilst working on a project that he hoped would bring
peace to Edreja - the creation of a new Gathering Treaty.
Orpheus
An enigmatic warrior priest of Mithras, hailing from a strange island in the middle of
the Spine of Tebron, Orpheus became Lord Justicar of the One and Knight
Marshall of the Lions. He led the faction to several victories making best use of the
warriors available to him. Never shy of responsibility or admitting when he was
wrong, he won the respect of many with the personal touch he brought to the post.
Orpheus met his end as he had lived, making a military decision to draw off a force
of enemies alone so that others could survive and escape.
Burton Schwartz
A former member of House Soulsplitter and a Knight Captain, Burton Schwartz left
with the group when they chose to leave the faction. He quickly regretted his
decision and came back to the faction. When the helm of the Achillean required a
candidate to become the Wonder of War, Burton stepped forward, seeing this as a
chance to redeem himself in the eyes of the Faction. Each year, someone is
needed to step forward and accept the burden of the helm. After his year as the
Lantia‟s champion, as with all mortals, Burton‟s body could no longer contain the
power of the wonder and he died in the arms of his wife. The entire faction lined up
as an honour guard to his transport by the Elysium to the halls of the Ancestors.
Reaver
A former Lord Justicar of the One. Reaver was one of the first Avalonians that the
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Lions met when they left Albion. He served in King Rhino‟s council in several
positions before electing to leave the faction and apprentice to Lasha the Master of
Fire. A close friend of King Hengist, Reaver often returns to his people and remains
strongly tied to the followers of Mithras and Malar.
Robin Ashwine
Scholar, bard and a great many other things besides. Robin remains a well known
name amongst the Lions for the sheer amount of collated history and other
documents that she was able to produce. A member of House Demetus she
became known as “The Plucky Lass”. A tavern was named in her honour and
remains one of the most popular in Lantia to this day.
Alvin deBeers
Grand Master of the Celestial Knights (now known as the Order of Celestial), Alvin
deBeers died in 1103 at the hands of Akhnaten, a powerful unliving creature, whilst
on Jackal lands. Initially a prominent healer in the Lions, when the healing power of
the Plane of Life was used to hurt the Nosta Kar, Alvin was unable to reconcile
himself to the idea of healing being used to harm. He renounced his link to the
Place of Life and devoted himself to the following of Celestial, eventually becoming
High Incantor of the Lions. A kind and noble man, his moral leadership inspired the
Faction, and helped ensure that it stayed true to its ideals of Truth, Honour and
Justice.
Sir Meggido Hyskus
Sir Meggido was a Void Lancer and member of the Prince Bishop‟s men. A gruff
exterior hid a brave and caring man, his talents leading him to become Prince of
Lantia. After stepping down from the throne, he repeatedly turned down the honour
of becoming Prince Bishop, eventually becoming Knight General of the Lions
military. Always the last to leave a battle, he died in the Orlagnon massacre at the
hands of Tatalus
Sir Nethaniel Huntington, Prince of Lantia
Sir Nethaniel was a Knight of the Order of Celestial and led the Lions military as
Knight Marshall for several years. One of the few to survive the job, his nobility and
bravery were noted and he became Prince in 1112, only to die a month later with so
many on Arrackesh. His death ensured that many of the heroes of Erdreja in that
unwinnable battle would survive.
Seraphim Aldain-Darkendale
A prominent member of House Darkendale, Seraphim stood for what was right,
even when it brought him into direct conflict with King Hengist. Seraphim was a
Crown Prince of the Lions and was an instrumental part of restoring the corrupted
Sammeal to become the Archon of Good. Always first into the fray, part of his
dedication to his Ancestor Rhino, he was killed by the demon overlord Tatalus
during the Orlagnon massacre.
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Sir Sheyna Darkleaf
Sheyna was the widow of Benedict Darkendale and was branded a traitor when he
came back to haunt the Lions as a lich. Despite this, she became the High Healer
of the faction and was a Huntmaster of the Children of Malar. Always steadfast in
the defence of her faction and her pack, Sheyna was an important part of the work
performed by the Regulators for many years. Sheyna sacrificed herself in order to
allow Lions to survive the massacre on Orlagnon by Tatalus.
Sir Elrood Brond
Another famously grumpy Lion, Elrood was probably the greatest High Healer in the
history of the Faction. A no nonsense but stalwart member of the Order of Celestial,
the work he put into making the Lions healers the best on Erdreja still lives on after
his death. His guide to the healing arts is still used by the Healers Guild and the
Lions. He was murdered at the orders of the crimelord known as “M”.
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A Gallery of Rogues
“We're the Lions. We believe in truth, honour and justice.
That doesn't mean we have to be nice.” - Crown Prince
Mog.
Some Lions earned their place in history through
their notoriety. There names echo in history for
their crimes or offences against their people.
Vixen
Child of Malar and staunch member of the Scouts
Guild, whose loyalty to her people became
clouded when she was found to have murdered
several Lions including Benedict Darkendale. She was sentenced to exile and died
some years later.
Father Hackerty & George Brigandine
Members of the Avalonian Royal Siege Engineers, they were executed for the
murder of Simon Franks of the One. They did this to gain the favour of Sengool the
sorcerer who had promised them power and knowledge.
Palinor & Balick
Both members of the Mirror Shield. They were executed for the murder of High
Ambassador Ki‟ana, who they kidnapped from the bar at the Gathering of 1105.
Parmenian of the One
Loyal beyond question, to his master Reaver, Parmenian confessed to the murder
of Gan; a member of Gallahad‟s Lancers. Tried by his people, he was allowed to
live, but died by being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Enemies of the Lions
After the Lions arrived in Lantia, a good number of enemies old and new gathered
against them.
The Nosta Kar
Old enemies from the Lions‟ days in Avalon, the Nosta Kar‟s leader – the
Progenitor was defeated by an alliance of all of the factions in 1102. However, they
retain links to several ancient sites in Erdreja, most notably places in the Jackal
lands of Aegyptus. The Lions maintain a vigilant watch against their return.
Sengool the Sorcerer
Sengool was either a genius or madman from old Lantia who opposed the Lions.
He allied with Benedict Darkendale and created the Breed people and animals
merged together using magic and surgery. Sengool died in mysterious
circumstances, and is now venerated by the breed as an ancestor; the
Fathermaker.
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Thrydwulf
A bard who used his persuasive powers to turn the citizens of Lantia against the
Lions crown using propaganda and spells. Thyrdwulf founded the Cult of the Beast.
He was defeated and during the reign of King Hengist Macconell.
XIV
The fourteenth, the forgotten one of the Draken. He was an ancient 'ancestor' of
Lantia, imprisoned by his brethren. He was defeated at the Spring Moot of 1110
after spending years tormenting the faction.
The Akari
An alliance of Undead and Fae, who threatened to destroy the nations of the
Heartlands in the wake of the last Cataclysm. They tainted the lands they
conquered to make the dead arise as their unliving minions. Their power was
broken in 1109.
Benedict Darkendale
A prominent Lion of Queen Sapphire‟s era, he was captured by Chaos Demons at
the fall of the Barrier of Valinor Kai in 1099 and inflicted with a fatal wound that
wouldn‟t heal. He was murdered by Vixen and raised as Undead to plague the
faction as he pitted his wits against his people, including his widow. He was finally
defeated in 1105 when the Unliving army he had raised on Orlagnon was defeated
by a force of Lions led by Queen Tope.
The Kallisto Company
A merchant company specialising the dealing of purpose bred slaves and
enhanced soldiers, the Kallisto company operate from offices in Erin (lands of the
Dragons faction). They believe King Hengist of the Lions owes them a debt for the
„work‟ they did in breeding Morbo. They were eventually defeated when the Lions
were able to free their ancestor, Kallisto, from their bonds, thus breaking their
power.
Elementals of Destruction
A group of Time Elementals that had been imprisoned by the Court of Orst many
years ago escaped and tried to take their revenge upon the Lions as new residents
of Lantia and members of the Court. They kidnapped Lenia, wife of King Hengist in
1112, although the Lions managed to conduct a ritual to retrieve her. They were
defeated in 1112 but not before causing the death of Knight General Néantog.
Tatalus
A demon overlord of illusion, Tatalus was linked to the Elysium, before he broke
free of it. He has a contract with another powerful demon called Mind, and current
controls two islands which he is trying to turn into demonic planes. His motives are
currently unknown.
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4. The Current Lions People
The Lions faction is one of ten player "factions" currently active within the system.
Each faction can generally be seen as drawing its background from one or more
historical civilisations - in the case of the Lions, this was originally heavily Arthurian.
More recently the faction has planted its roots in Roman and Greek influences,
though there is no pressure on new players, characters or groups to rigidly exist
within this genre.
There are many established groups in the Lions drawing their own background from
inside and outside of the faction‟s history.
Culture
Ask a dozen Lions what it means to be a Lion and - while the responses may be
similar in several cases - they will also be different. Some will tell you that it is about
virtue and doing the right thing, no matter the cost. Others will tell you that it is
about loyalty and standing by those closest to you, no matter what. Yet more may
say that it is about the moment and living each day and night to the full.
Some Lions will walk with nobility and pride. They will live their life by the principles
handed down from those that have gone before and will live and die by their beliefs.
Some Lions will stalk with a feral streak and wild nature. They will live their life by
their wits and their strength and fight and act with ferocity to defend themselves or
their pride.
For the Lions believe in freedom and freedom contains all of these things. It is why
the Lions fought against the controlling Nosta-Kar and the chaotic Raven host. It is
why the Lions are prepared to take a stand against anyone who threatens that
freedom, be it bandit, cultist, demon, army or even - on more than one occasion Ancestor.
Such freedom can be a dangerous thing though, and there are times when it has
appeared that there is no one the Lions would rather fight than one another,
however do not let that deceive you. For if you start a fight with one Lion, you start
a fight with them all.
No Lion Stands Alone.
The Lions are a people who remember their past through stories and through
songs. In the darkest times these were all they had to hold on to. They also keep
robust records of their dead and their history.
Society
Since the days of Rhino, the leadership of the Lions has operated in a relationship
between the King or Queen and their feudal lords that later became a Council. As
the Lions settled into Lantia, this Council changed and adapted to face the new
responsibilities and challenges of governing the island kingdom.
The Lions people have gradually evolved a government of meritocracy. The
principle behind this is that individuals who demonstrate their strengths are picked
to take up positions of responsibility.
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Laws
Lions law is detailed and meticulously kept so as to try to ensure justice throughout
the lands of Lantia. It stems from the judgements of King Rhino Khazad Rex of
Avalon and has gradually evolved through precedent as each subsequent ruler of
the people has added their own judgements to his. Rhino‟s judgment was that the
spirit of the law is more important than the letter, and this point remains central to
its tenets.
Undead
The customs of Lantia do not permit Undead to walk amidst the people. There is
actually no law against undead, but the means of creating them is illegal. Undead
are expected to obey Lions laws, but have no rights themselves. This tradition
stems from the days of Avalon in which the land itself would not accept undead
outside of the ritual circles.
Faith and Ancestors
There are many differing faiths and Ancestors
amongst the Lions. Some derive from
groups; others have passed between different
peoples, whilst others still are Ancestors
made from the love, belief and loyalty of those
who could not let go of their friends. It is a
rare Lion who is remembered as an Ancestor
and becomes a faith of their people.
The list of different Ancestors in the Lions is long and detailed, yet this stands as a
testimony to the importance of faith amongst the people. Some notable ones are
mentioned below:
Rhino and Avalon
The late king of the Lions and the land he was king of are revered by some who
hold its memory as dear and precious in their hearts.
The Pantheon of the Palatinate
The Prince Bishop‟s Men are a strong and respected group in the Lions faction.
They have a detailed pantheon of ancestors dating back to the days of their
founding.
Celestial
Celestial, lived as a mortal in the early 1090s until killed on a mission to the Lake Of
Tears. The Order of Celestial is so named for their dedication to him as an
Ancestor.
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Malar
Ancestor of the wild and the hunt, Malar
attracts followers who would seek to
better know the animal within
themselves. His Children learn the ways
of nature, and that it can be both kind
and cruel to the unwary.
Mithras
Many groups in the Lions have taken up the faith of Mithras. Brother to Malar, he is
seen as the patron of soldiers and stories of battle.
Should you wish to know more about any particular faith ask a Lion, most are
happy to tell you of their Ancestors.
Paragon
An ancient Ancestor that was recently released from his imprisonment by the Lions.
He tries to help people to become the best that they can be, pushing them to excel
at their chosen skill or profession. His worship is based in the desert of Tamarus.
Norse Ancestors
Several individuals and groups residing in the Lions originate from the lands of
Norsca and revere the Norse pantheon. Names such as Odin, and Freya are now
spoken with the same respect as the older faiths of the Lions.
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5. Playing a Lions Character
As mentioned before, there is no specific „look‟ to playing a Lion character in the
Lorien Trust game system. Many groups in the faction have tabard uniforms, but
many do not. The characters within the faction are generally good in their outlook
on life and welcoming of all creature types and all abilities.
The central ideas of “No Lion Stands Alone” and meritocracy are of chief
importance to the faction.
Creating a Character
Creating a character to play in the Lions is a straightforward process. One way of
creating a character to play in the Lorien Trust live roleplaying system is to ask
yourself some questions about what you want.
What would you like to be?
Answering this question in part gives you a general framework from which to build
your character – a character concept. A concept simply put, is a definition of who or
what your character is. There is a broad scope for character ideas in the game, so
let your imagination run wild.
Where did you come from?
A good way to flesh out a concept is to think about what your character did before
entering play. The history of the faction as outlined in this booklet may give you
some ideas as to where your could fit into the background of the faction. This
should give you some ideas and you could use the information to sketch out a
character background. The Lions plot team are always interested in background
ideas. You can email them at plot@lionsfaction.co.uk. It‟s always a good idea if you
draft something that ties into the history of the faction to check with the faction plot
team as they can make sure it all fits together.
If you are going as a group to the events, then you may wish to develop a linked
background for your characters. The history of the faction as outlined in this booklet
may give you some ideas as to where your characters could fit into the background
of the faction.
What type of creature are you?
This question can be answered by reading the creature section on the Lorien Trust
website. Your choice of creature may effect your decisions on your costume or the
makeup that you need.
What is your profession?
Often characters are defined by their trade, and by applying some thought to this,
you might develop a better idea of what you‟d like to play. However, it is important
to remember that your idea of a profession does not define your character on its
own. The primary requirement is the enthusiasm you bring during play.
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What skills do you have?
The rules for the Lorien Trust live roleplaying game can be found at
http://www.lorientrust.com
You are given sixteen character points to spend on a variety of basic skills
Character Skills
Weapon Skills
Cost
Armour Skills
Cost
Ambidexterity
2
Body Development ½
4/8
Large Weapon Use
2
Light Armour Use
2
Projectile Weapon
4
Medium Armour Use
3
Shield Use
2
Heavy Armour Use
4
Missile Weapon Use
1
Magic Skills
Cost
Lore Skills
Cost
Healing 1/2
4/8
Potion Lore
3
Incantation 1/2
4/8
Poison Lore
4
Spellcasting 1/2
4/8
Cartography
1
Ritual Magic 1/2/3
2/4/6
Sense Magic
1
Contribute
1
Evaluate
1
Power 1/2/3/4
2/4/6/8
Recognise Forgery
1
Invocation
3
Physician
2
Bind Wounds
1
You can find out more about what each of these skills can do from the Lorien Trust
website.
You can choose basic skills from the lists that best fit your ideas. However bear in
mind that the choices of skills you make can define your role within a group or
identify which part of the faction you want to spend a lot of your time roleplaying in.
If you want to play a warrior character, you may end up being a part of the Lions
Military, if you elect to play a ritualist, you may choose to join the Lions Ritual
Conclave.
Your basic skills will also determine the options of improvement that you will have in
the future. See the Lorien Trust website for more details on occupational skills and
character advancement.
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What sort of costume should I wear?
That‟s up to you. The setting for Lorien Trust events is broadly medieval fantasy,
yet within this characters are known to wear costume based on all sorts of historical
periods from the Bronze Age through to the Renaissance. You can find all sorts of
costume suppliers on the internet depending on what sort of outfit you are looking
for. There are also a wide variety of costume and weapon manufacturers who
attend Lorien Trust events.
The Lions maintain a Flickr account (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lionsfaction/) that
may give you some further ideas on what sort of thing would work for you.
What events would you like to attend?
The Lions faction runs two of its own „parliament‟ events a year and has a camp
amongst the other nine factions at the main Lorien Trust events. You can find the
details of how to book for the main events from the Lorien Trust website. You can
book for a Lions Parliament through the Lions Faction website –
http://www.lionsfaction.co.uk
When you have booked for either type of event, you will receive some confirmation
from the organisers and your character details will be printed onto a small A7
character card.
Roleplaying in the Faction
Whatever event you elect to attend with the Lions faction, you‟ll likely want to set up
all of your camp or sleeping gear first. The Lorien Trust Rulebook gives more
information about other things you may need to be aware of. After that, you can get
into kit and head into the in character (IC) area.
Players in live roleplaying games try to stay in character as much as they possibly
can. This allows everyone to get into the experience of the event. Once you‟ve
started playing, you‟ll find you get to know more people by their in character names
than their out of character ones.
If you need to drop out of character (OOC) accepted method of showing this is to
stick an index finger in the air. This makes it clear that you are no longer roleplaying
for a moment and avoids confusion. However, you should only do this if
absolutely necessary. For the purposes of the game, if you are in an in character
area, you are considered to be in character and the finger in the air is meant to be
used for OOC safety reasons or at the discretion of a ref only.
The Crowns and Council will have a command area for you to find them in. This is
either a hall or a large tent. From here you can find out about who is responsible for
the different parts of the faction. This may help you when you are looking to get
involved with particular things.
Many groups will also have their own spaces as well. Some even set up their own
camps. It‟s polite to wait to be invited in to their areas, but you‟ll find they are all
very welcoming.
The faction will have regular musters during the event where important news and
information is relayed to everyone. These musters are led by the Crowns and
Council, but you will find other individuals join in with their views and opinions. You
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should feel free to do the same.
Fire Regulations and Security
At main events, there will be an appointed security person in each faction camp.
You should take a look at the event regulations to ensure you are complying with
them. Camps are arranged carefully for easy ambulance access and tents need to
be spaced apart. You can find more details on the Lorien Trust website –
http://www.lorientrust.com
At Lion‟s sanctioned events, the event regulations will be sent to you in an event
booklet after you book.
The Gate
At Lorien Trust main events, the faction camps are ringed with a rope to determine
the faction‟s „wall‟. The way into and out of every camp is fixed as a „gate‟. Some
factions build an actual gate to cross this gap. Everyone in the Lions tries to do a
shift on the gate. It‟s a good way of meeting new people and getting to know
everyone as most people have to make use of it throughout the event.
Spells and Powercards
At Lorien Trust events, powercards are used for casting spells. You use a number
for each spell you elect to cast (see the rules on the website for details). If
powercards are used, please do not litter them on the ground.
The Guilds
Another way to get involved in the game is to join a guild. Guilds offer all sorts of
different opportunities for players and factions always need people to be members
of the Guilds as they provide a way to gain access to special skills and find out
what‟s going on in other factions.
The Lions have masters for each of the Guilds. These are specialists who have
learned advanced abilities from the guildleaders and are responsible for all of the
members of their guild from the faction. If you want to become a member, they can
introduce you to the right people and get you signed up.
Guild membership requires a small fee. Make sure you take some silver with you.
Rituals
Ritual Magic is useful at Lions events and at Lorien Trust main events. At most of
the main events, the setup crew will construct a performance stage for rituals. This
will have a full sound system and lighting rig.
Taking the skill Contribute to Ritual is a good way of getting involved and makes
you a ritual contributor. At Lorien Trust main events, each of the factions gets an
allocation of rituals. These are 15-20 minute performances where a ritualist leads a
group of contributors in a ceremony to make or renew a magical item, empower an
individual or use the gathered magic in some other way.
If you want to be a ritualist, you need to be aware that it takes quite a bit of
organising. The allocated ritual slots are randomly assigned for their times, so you
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need to be prepared to organise your team for the time you are given. You also
need to be aware that characters involved in your ritual will have other priorities on
their time. If you are lucky enough to have a group around who will support your
work, you need to make use of this to ensure you have enough people who know
what they are doing and available at the right times.
Watching a few rituals done by other ritualists is a really good idea. This will help
you see how they cope with the different challenges of using a ritual circle.
It is also worth chatting to other ritualists and experienced contributors about what
powers are appropriate to call on for what you are attempting to do. So, if you
chose to call upon a particular ancestor (see section on faiths), you would want to
get the right one. Asking Malar to help you enchant a piece of heavy armour is
unlikely to work for example. The Watchers can also help you. They are the ritual
markers, but are always happy to take time to offer advice to new ritualists.
Character Progression
After your first event you‟ll have met lots of new people and hopefully had a great
time. If you want to continue with your character, you may want to book for another
event and carry on your roleplaying.
The Lions faction website hosts a private forum where the other players discuss
issues relating to the faction in character. Once you have played an event as a
Lion, you can sign up for membership.
You can find the faction forums here: http://forums.lionsfaction.co.uk
We also have a faction Facebook group, which you can find at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2429296133/
There are out of character sections as well so you can get advice on parts of the
game system from other players.
There are a variety of faction positions and duties required for characters
throughout the campaign, so you may elect to join one of the various departments.
Crowns and Council are always on the look out for characters that have the
potential to fill factional offices. Similar opportunities may arise in the Guilds.
The positions of the three Crowns are held by NPCs - volunteers selected by the
Lorien Trust to fill those roles. As such, players aspiring to such positions may be
disappointed (although there's no reason why characters should not have such
aspirations).
People’s Day
On the Sunday of the Gathering, the Lions have a tradition of raffling the important
positions in the faction to any Lions who have bought a ticket. The People‟s Day
lottery provides money for the faction and is a excellent opportunity for new
characters to see what it‟s like to run the faction.
Learning New Skills
You will receive occupational skill points (OSPs) for each event that you book for.
The number of OSPs will depend on how many events you elect to book. You gain
one OSP for every Lions event you attend and ten for every main event.
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OSPs can be spent on learning occupational skills for your character. These can be
learned from the faction or through a guild.
You can learn up to four new occupational skills a year.
For more information on occupational skills, take a look at the section on the Lorien
Trust website: http://www.lorientrust.com
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