The Dark Grimoire: An interactive roleplaying community

Commerce is very much alive in Dundee. It is primarily an agricultural center, and traders can often be seen hauling grain on the forest path to Milltown. Besides the substantial income from farming, Dundee makes a healthy profit selling equipment to young adventurers, who often train in the surrounding plains and swamp. Dundee has focused much of their public areas to providing hospitality to those new to Valorn.

Dundee was much larger in earlier times. Rabid animal attacks decimated the population in the northern half of the town, and few have settled back in that area. Other residents left when the Order of the Iron Knights started to disband. IRN's castle now sits almost abandoned near Dundee's northern border. Recently, citizens have complained of strange smells coming from the sewers, and have glimpsed gigantic rats the size of large dogs. What this all means for the small town is unknown…

About ten years ago, Milltown built sturdy walls on both the northern and southern edges of town. This has allowed them to hold back the desert and forest creatures that used to prey upon the citizenry. Because of this, citizens of less safe regions have begun to flock to Milltown, creating an overabundance of merchants and other townsfolk. Thankfully, the food supply from Dundee to the south continues to exceed need.

Those looking for battle around Milltown can venture north, south, or west. The forest to the south is a constant battleground, as citizen soldiers from both Dundee and Milltown attempt to cleanse the woods of rabid animals and forest bandits. The desert to the north is home to fearsome creatures… and rumors of gangs of gigantic demons in the dunes are sometimes heard. The area west of town used to be farmland, but is now home to some sort of evil haunting presence.

The people of Caernivale are the most guarded in all of Valorn... which explains why they live in an unreachable town on the far side of a gigantic mountain range. Most visitors who do manage to make the trip are disappointed to find that a majority of the town is closed off to outsiders. A capable and sneaky rogue, though, could probably find a way around the town's security measures. For most citizens of Valorn, the closest they will ever get to Caernivale is to hear the distant but daily explosion of the town's enormous cannon, which is mostly used as a fast mode of transportation.

If there is a center of power for Valorn, it is most likely Ryndall. The city is home to the most powerful enchanters in the land, and produces some of the most feared weaponry. There is a rift between the magic-using enchanters and the minority population of non-magic warriors and rogues, but no violence has ever erupted, as both factions tend to keep to their own parts of the city.

Ryndall is ruled by a powerful and mysterious group of Enchanters. There is not even a known name for this group, although some call them "The Order" or "The Council". The one member of the group who interacts with the citizenry, Azeraphel, will give little information about his group or himself. It is not even known if Azeraphel is the head of the group, or merely a messenger. Regardless, he is the voice of the most dangerous rulers in Valorn, and is listened to very carefully.

Branishor is ruled by the Clerics. Generally, they are known as fair and just rulers, although taxes to support the temple are quite high. Branishor is largely self sufficient. They grow their own crops in the fields to the north, and can get plenty of wood and game from the woods to the east. Branishor also sends constant shipments of supplies to Fartown, although not all of them manage to get through.

The culture of the Rock Giants is something of a mystery, and many strange things can be found in their mountain home. Their love of drink, though, gives them something of a mutual understanding with their little fleshy friends from the flatlands, and the Altitan Inns are commonly packed with both rock and man. The only thing that keeps the mountain town from being a complete joy is the fortress of Balthazar, which can be seen towering over the forest in the valley below.

Gunthield spends his time helping where he can in the fight against the demons, but he is just one legendary hero in a land overflowing with monsters. His tired visage and deliberate speech are well known in Valorn.

Other major Iron Knights include Macleon, an expert swordsman and the Iron Knights recruiter, Pestus in Dundee, Arturion, a master smith, and High Queen Cordelia. Since the Iron Knights emerged from secrecy, they began recruiting new members. First among them was Islander the Demon Slayer who was known also as the Blademaster.

Shaerih is not a public figure, a leader, or a political force in Valorn, but she is widely respected because of her abilities and knowledge. She has the somewhat odd distinction of being both the most well-known rogue in all of Valorn, as well as the least seen.

Ancient Valorian mythology tells of a continent that exists on some other plain of existence. This is said to be N'rolav, the Dark Valorn, where massive Demons run rampant, and an evil presence rules. The idea that Balthazar is somehow in touch with, or even possessed by, this mythological dark power has gained a following among the more paranoid of Valorn's population. What else can explain his near impossible powers? And, more importantly, does this dark mirror world exist?

Recently, adventurers have reported that Balthazar once again roams the towns and wilds of Valorn. The rulers of Ryndall are strangely silent on this matter, despite proof of several assaults on the towns of Valorn by Balthazar's demon hordes. The mighty Demon Lord has even taken to kidnapping adventurers for his own evil pleasures, playing with them like rats in his fortress maze. Still, something must be keeping the dark being at bay. If he had his full power available to him, would he not simply destroy the unprepared population of Valorn?

There is much popular lore about the Demon Lord and his menacing antics. In fact, nearly 97% of the population of Valorn claims that Balthazar has personally and intentionally, at some point, come into their home/cave/tree/hole in the ground/tent, with the sole intent of slaughtering their entire family/clan/tribe/korungaball team/support group/posse, inexplicably leaving that one person as the sole survivor. The chances of the vast majority of these tales being true, however, are not high. Balthazar tends to let his massive, endless armies do most of this type of dirty work, and, due to his imposing figure, is unable to fit into most caves and tents anyway.