The der Whurlitz Griffin riders are a tightly knit band of raiders that reside in the middle-eastern region of the Ribs. Their fortress is named Anthelcraig and is nearly impossible to approach except through the air. The Riders are bonded through blood, affection for their griffins, and a common goal of exacting revenge upon Nevros for their traitorous to the Empire—of which the Riders are the only surviving remnant. They are comprised solely of humans and are somewhat inbred, if not for the northern barbarians whom they trade and intermarry with. The Griffin Riders reside outside of Nevros within a highly fortified portion of the Ribs called Anthelcraig. As the griffin flies they are only one hundred twenty-five kilometers outside of the Nevros capital of Alden.

The Griffin Riders are never referred to as such, but either as “der Whurlitz’ Raiders” or “the Griffin Raiders”. They are spoken of with trepidation by all except those under the direct protection of a garrison or fortress. While they aren't considered evil, they are considered to be quite a nuisance.

Organization

Edgar der Whurlitz: is the current leader of the Riders, and bears the title of Duke der Whurlitz. In the event of his death his son Eustace will then bear the title of duke, and all the leadership of the riders.

The very mention of the word ‘dungeon’ brings to mind tales of the innumerable adventurous exploits that have been covered in the vague, spoken history, both recent and ancient, of Adylheim. Adventurers have been exploring, plundering, and conquering dungeons for untold eras.

The practice of Dungeon Keeping and the cult connected to it came about when a powerful wizard took it upon himself to find the holding place of the god Maadrth. Through the advice of the wisest and oldest beings in all the planes, as well as the use of enclosing spells to weaken the stone of the mountain, he was able to dig his way into the god’s prison. Once within the god’s relatively small sphere, the wizard was pounced upon, having bit off more than he could chew in an all powerful being. He was made to form a geis with Maadrth, lest he be crushed then and there. The god confessed that he was seeking the power of all true names and, with them, the power to break his chains.

The geis stipulated that the wizard and all of his future apprentices were to build their towers underground, rather than above the ground. Within the deepest layer of the underground tower, or dungeon, the wizard, who was henceforth to be known as a Dungeon Keeper, was to keep all of the true names that he collected. The wizard was also charged with taking the true names of all his apprentices, and keeping them from them. So long as the names were stored someplace deep underground, he would be given the power to use these names in spells, to draw upon the power of his subordinate Dungeon Keepers. To aid in the keeping of names from students, a powerful hex was gifted to the wizard, whereby a true name could be exchanged for a true name. The hex is a major part of the compact that must be formed between the Dungeon Keeper and his apprentice. It’s what binds the apprentice to the path of Dungeon Keeping, so that Maadrth’s will could be done.

Clothing

Most mages choose to dress themselves in robes expressive of their station in life, however, some choose to dress otherwise though this makes it harder to identify them as magi. The robes themselves may vary from the relatively simple robes of apprentices to the elaborate robes of true magi and according to local fashions. Experienced magi often have extensive protective spells woven into the fabric of their robes though, though it should be noted that there are very few spells which protect against physical harm, most hindering spells from having an effect on the wearer instead.

While hats, hoods and such are common among magi, they carry little by way of significance for them. There are several other items of clothing magi wear, but apart from the robes they rarely have any significance and are only rarely enchanted in any way.

Adylheim itself sprang from the fruits of warfare; the mountains and plains of the civilized world crafted by divine hands from the bones and skin of Primus himself. Their mortal offspring quickly followed in their steps. While the origins of warfare are obscured behind the mists of time, even the most ignorant peasants can describe the martial traditions of each kingdom. The earth-shaking charge of the Arameian knights. The countless banners of the Andragorian armies. The crazed axe-wielding Huscarls of Starkwater. Unfortunately for dreamy youths across Adylheim, most citizens will only perhaps wield a crudely crafted spear as part of the local militia. They might, however, engage in a form of combat just as old as warfare: unarmed combat. Blood sports are popular ways for the poor to pass their time and perhaps win a small purse. Nobles also occasionally engage in wrestling and sparring under the tutelage of trained masters. The more foppish do so for social glory. The martially inclined do so out of pragmatic necessity. Swords are left in armories and daggers lost in night time struggles. Arms and legs are always available and oft provide the last line of defense against an assassin.

Documenting every single unarmed martial art would be an impossible task. Each of the major schools detailed in this article have hundreds and perhaps even thousands of local variants and crass imitators. It should also be noted that a life dedicated to the pursuits of ‘unarmed’ combat rarely only encompass the unaided movements of the body. When fighting for survival—and in the dangerous world of Adylheim even the most innocuous fight can quickly turn fatal—most masters recognize the value of that special edge. Whether a lead weight clenched in a fist of a boxer or the drab disguises worn by Andragorian assassin matters little. What matters, when all is said and done, is victory.

The Grand Barony of Teslan is sandwiched between the two feuding fiefdoms of Starkwater and Arameia. The Grand Barons of Teslan have long been known for supporting the spread of knowledge, to the point where the capital has the most prestigious university in Adylheim.

System of Government

Teslan is run on system of a ruling council, where the four most powerful Barons (collectively known as the Grand Barons) and four of the most powerful Magi, known as the Lords Temporal and the Lords Magical respectively, convene and deliberate on important matters of policy. Usually one of the four Grand Barons is elected to lead the council for a set period, in which time he deals with most of the day to day affairs of ruling a fiefdom.

The Lords Temporal are usually selected from among the most powerful houses in a process which is not quite electoral, not quite by choice. Mostly those who manage to gain enough recognition will end up as the Lords Temporal for the time being. If a noble house were to lose significant standing within the noble community, their Lord Temporal would be quickly seized on by the next in line. The Lords Magical are selected via the University in Salen. They consist of the foremost among the mage lords of Teslan and are generally a more stable governmental party than the Lords Temporal.