AGE OF TOWERS (Low fantasy/Swords and sandals) The world is
now dominated by human culture, with Dwarves, Elves and other races fighting a
losing battle to retain their own traditions. Magic still exists but is less
powerful; wars are now won by armies, not competing wizards. The fortress of
Calesh is now part of the largest city in the known world; other cities of the
more magical races are wiped off the map, left to become ruins. The Age
officially ends when the Dwarven Kingdoms are defeated, wiping out the last of
the magical societies. From the defeated Kingdoms, however, the Empire learns
the secrets of technology, ushering in a renaissance.
1) Territory of Shemeld: A sovereign state
of the Calshani Empire, Shemeld is still culturally unique, but now under
Imperial rule. While some lords stage independent rebellions, without a single
banner to unify under, the Empire crushes them easily. From Shemeld the Empire
continues its war against ‘superstition and fear’; namely the Dwarven mines,
Elfin forests, and the waning Dragon shrines in the mountains. Because of its
place in the forefront of war, Shemeld is home to Imperial smithies; swords and
armour for the legions are produced, usually to oppress the townsfolk who made
them.
2) The Last of the Dream: To say the
alliance of elves, dwarves, goblins and other races is tenuous is a gross
understatement. Centuries of grudges and feuding mean no race can adequately
oppose the unified forces of the Empire. Charismatic warlords and sorcerers are
hailed as ‘the Last Dragonblood’, but are just as quickly usurped or
assassinated; sometimes by the Empire, sometimes by other races who’d sooner be
leaderless than support an ancient enemy. While some humans still look to the
old powers for guidance, more become disillusioned with fading magic, and turn
to the ever-growing Empire instead.
3) The Calshani Empire: Dating back to the
Age of Dreams (Which they claim to have ended when they awoke Unelma), the
Calshan family are powerful nobles, and every Kingdom in the Age of Towers has
some Calshani blood in their leaders. Some are benevolent leaders, far more are
tyrants, and family feuds often turn into wars of succession. The dwarves and
elves, both enemies against the Calshani Empire, claim that Unelma will return
once all the descendants of Calsharon are dead. Of course, dwarves and elves
will believe anything if it gets them their Dragon God back.
4) War of the Bastard: The most brutal war
in the Age of Towers. When an exiled king returned to his throne, he did so
with an illegitimate son. Jonah the Bastard was given lordship over a remote
territory; his father married into nobility. When the king died, Jonah made a
claim for the throne, despite being unpopular in his father’s homeland. Nobility
backed the young Prince Erolph, and regents ruled till he was of age. While
Jonah was unpopular at court, he had several allies elsewhere, and thus began a
long, brutal war that saw the Kingdom ultimately dissolved.
5) A
temple sits in the heart of a thick jungle. The locals speak of an ancient
terror within. Traps fill the corridors, and within the inner sanctum is a
large treasure chest. Surrounding the chest are several skeletons of various
races, all with their hands severed at the wrist. On the chest’s lid is written
‘Hands off’.
6) An
elf, a dwarf and a human walk into a bar…
7) “You
can tell a lot about your enemy by their arrows.” said Imp, “Copper headed
ones, that’s bandits, or Dreamer save you the elves. Iron headed ones, that’s
town guards, and they only fire them if they can get them back; they have to
pay for ammunition.” He snatched an arrow from the air as we ran, “Steel
heads!” he said triumphantly, “with a smith’s mark and everything! Be proud,
master; someone rich wants us dead
for a change.”
8) She
got into the bath, wincing at the cold water. How anyone could stay clean this
far north was a miracle to her. Still, she couldn’t attend a grand ball covered
in the blood of its host.
9) It’s tradition among the Salthiri clan that
lordship is earned, not inherited. Their symbols of office must be pried from
the cold, dead hands of their former leader; this makes their crown and sceptre
scarred with chisel marks and blade strikes, and no amount of rich cloth and
fur can patch the dagger holes in their royal cloak. Salthiri nobles look to
raise strong, dauntless children; the kind fearless enough to commit
familicide, but strong enough to resist it in turn.
10) The
messenger stammered, knowing who he was addressing. The Kilmourne family had a
long history of vengeance, starting with the poor fool who gave them bad news.
Lord Tobias was already stroking the handle of his axe.
“Your brother’s forces…” he said, not taking his eyes from the axe, “…met with the Emperor’s. They are now at peace.”
Lord Tobias laughed, forgetting his axe and raising his arms in celebration. The messenger breathed a sigh of relief. Hopefully he could buy a fast horse before Tobias worked out the metaphor.
“Your brother’s forces…” he said, not taking his eyes from the axe, “…met with the Emperor’s. They are now at peace.”
Lord Tobias laughed, forgetting his axe and raising his arms in celebration. The messenger breathed a sigh of relief. Hopefully he could buy a fast horse before Tobias worked out the metaphor.
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