Title: Dammerdall
Creator: RavenoftheBlack
Status: Public
Dammerdall is a wild and superstitious world. Much of the plane is still choked in wilderness, from untamed forests to treacherous mountains and canyons. Civilization exists by stringing the few major settlements together with a rudimentary system of roads that are often poorly guarded and frequently beset by bandits and cutthroats. Civilization is expanding, however, and although the wilderness keeps the walled cities of Dammerdall separated, numerous cities have sprung up, walling themselves against the wilds beyond.
Terrain
==Terrain==
The terrain of Dammerdall is dominated by wild, old-growth forests and mountain ranges of varying sizes. The bulk of the known lands of Dammerdall is centered in a single area, which is surrounded on three sides by forested mountains that, unlike those found throughout Dammerdall, are considered completely impassable. To the north, Dammerdall is bordered by two large seas, the Barreth Sea to the northeast and the Mist Shawl to the northwest. It is known that other kingdoms exist beyond these seas, but little is known about them beyond the trade done in the northern port cities.
The lands of Dammerdall are also served by four major rivers that flow from the mountains northward and into the seas. The Lion's Roar, or the Roar, is the westernmost river. It flows northward past Idunnasburg in the southwest past Parfum in the northwest and then into the Mist Shawl. East of the Lion's Roar, near the center of Dammerdall, the Serpent River flows northwest out of the central mountain range called the Iberstall. At the foot of the mountains and the beginning of the river is the city of Wurzelberg, and, at the Serpent's delta as it opens into the Mist Shawl, is the port city of Kaseburg.
In the southeast, the Himmel River flows northwest, but then curves back south into the lowland valleys that disappear into the border wilderness. Inside the river's turn is the city of Weide, the only major city in the southeast of Dammerdall. In the northeast, the Duft River flows out of the borderland mountains, before splitting in two, forming the Major Duft to the north and the Minor Duft to the south before re-combining shortly before emptying into the Barreth Sea.
The terrain of Dammerdall is dominated by wild, old-growth forests and mountain ranges of varying sizes. The bulk of the known lands of Dammerdall is centered in a single area, which is surrounded on three sides by forested mountains that, unlike those found throughout Dammerdall, are considered completely impassable. To the north, Dammerdall is bordered by two large seas, the Barreth Sea to the northeast and the Mist Shawl to the northwest. It is known that other kingdoms exist beyond these seas, but little is known about them beyond the trade done in the northern port cities.
The lands of Dammerdall are also served by four major rivers that flow from the mountains northward and into the seas. The Lion's Roar, or the Roar, is the westernmost river. It flows northward past Idunnasburg in the southwest past Parfum in the northwest and then into the Mist Shawl. East of the Lion's Roar, near the center of Dammerdall, the Serpent River flows northwest out of the central mountain range called the Iberstall. At the foot of the mountains and the beginning of the river is the city of Wurzelberg, and, at the Serpent's delta as it opens into the Mist Shawl, is the port city of Kaseburg.
In the southeast, the Himmel River flows northwest, but then curves back south into the lowland valleys that disappear into the border wilderness. Inside the river's turn is the city of Weide, the only major city in the southeast of Dammerdall. In the northeast, the Duft River flows out of the borderland mountains, before splitting in two, forming the Major Duft to the north and the Minor Duft to the south before re-combining shortly before emptying into the Barreth Sea.
Cities
==Cities==
Dammerdall technically has a king. However, nobody seems to know where he lives, or even what he looks like. He has a home in each of the seven major cities of Dammerdall, and each of the cities believes he makes his permanent home in a different one. Occasionally, a King's Procession will enter one of the major cities, invariably containing either a magnificent carriage or protected litter, but few who are living have ever even claimed to have seen the king. The highest officials of the Clergy claim to have met with the king occasionally, but none of these reports have ever been verified.
Seeing as how the king has little to no direct involvement in day to day life on Dammerdall, the kingdom itself is, at best, loosely confederated. There are seven major cities in Dammerdall, the only seven with the size, population, and military might to lay claim to significant portions of the kingdom. While open warfare between the Great Cities is rare, so too is cooperation. All minor cities, townships, and villages ostensibly owe fealty and taxes to one of the major Cities, although with the wilds being what they are, they are not always able to collect, and sometimes cities will switch allegiance, particularly if they happen to be along the already ill-defined borders.
===Algentang===
Algentang is both the easternmost, and northernmost, of the major cities. Located just beyond the boundaries of the Immerlich marshlands, Algentang is one of the richest port cities on the Barreth Sea. It is located on the coast of a bay that is treacherous and littered with underwater rocks, which is the only reason foreign traders ever choose to bypass Algentang for the easier but much more distant city of Moransel. But for some captains, saving a few extra days of sailing is worth the risk of capsizing in Algentang Bay.
The territory claimed by Algentang extends from the coast of the Barreth Sea south to the Duft River. Algentang lays claim to the area between the Major Duft and the Minor Duft, although this area is highly contested and frequently claimed by Weide to the south. There are only a few walled cities between the rivers, but numerous small towns and plenty of fertile farmland, with the wilderness relatively tame there.
Algentang is generally the most devout of all of the seven territories to the Church of the Holy Catharsis. It is home to the Cathedral of the Arch, considered the greatest and holiest of all of Dammerdall's churches and cathedrals. Not surprisingly, political control over the city and, by extension, the territory, has over the years fallen out of the hands of the nobility and into the hands of the Clergy. The political leader of Algentang is the Archbishop of Algentang, a man named Exander Holt.
The Patron Saint of Algentang is St. Leinhard.
===Idunnasburg===
Idunnasburg sits in the center of the Crimson Duchy, the southwestern territory of Dammerdall. The city sits along the Lion's Roar river, and because of this geographically significant trade route, Idunnasburg grew into the largest and most powerful city in the Duchy. Idunnasburg considers itself a free city. Although the city is directly ruled by Duke Marco, who occupies the Weeping Palace in the city, the Duke generally doesn't interfere in the dealings of the town, and laws in the city are generally fairly lax.
Idunnasburg and the major city of Parfum are relatively close geographically, and so contentions over their common borders are frequent. Typically, the Crimson Duchy is aggressive in its northern push, and controls up to within a hundred miles from Parfum, although at times they are pushed to only within two hundred and fifty. They also control lands on both banks of the Roar, all the way to the western slopes of the Ruckgrat Mountains, which forms the border between the Crimson Duchy and the lands of Wurzelberg.
The Crimson Duchy, and Idunnasburg specifically, are the least religious of all of the cities and territories, although the Church of the Holy Catharsis is still considered the norm there. It is one of only two major cities that does not contain a Great Cathedral. Instead, the Church conducts its services from a large but otherwise ordinary church dedicated to St. Beatrix, the Patron Saint of Idunnasburg. Consequently, the Church has relatively little political power in this region of Dammerdall.
===Kaseburg===
Kaseburg is the primary port city on the Mist Shawl, because anyone hoping to trade with Dammerdall from the northwestern sea has only two choices, Kaseburg or Parfum, and Parfum is hundreds of miles upriver. Some choose to take that path, but most foreign traders choose to trade with Kaseburg, making it the richest city in all of Dammerdall. The city also houses the head office of both the Nebel House and the Allein League, two of the three most powerful Reputation Bank houses in the kingdom.
Kaseburg controls the smallest territory in Dammerdall, extending only a few hundred miles west and south, and even less east. Kaseburg and another major city, Moransel, are less than three days' ride from one another, by far the closest of any of the major cities. Fortunately, realizing the risk open war would be with someone so close, Kaseburg and Moransel enjoy the least contested border in the land. Moransel, possessing much more lands inland than Kaseburg, gave up their claim to the northern peninsula, which now belongs solely to Kaseburg.
Perhaps owing to the unparalleled wealth flowing through the city, Kaseburg, like Idunnasburg, is not particularly devout to the ways of the Church of the Holy Catharsis. Although it is assumed that humans are members of the Church, and revelations otherwise are often met with surprise, the city and the territory is not overly influenced by the Church. Also like Idunnasburg, Kaseburg has no Great Cathedral, and instead uses the Church of St. Niklas, the Patron Saint of Kaseburg. Kaseburg is ruled by an elected governor, a position currently held by Governess Silke Speyer.
===Moransel===
Moransel is a major port city located on the far western coast of the Barreth Sea in the northeast. The city is located just a short distance away from Kaseburg, and although it controls very little land to the west or the north of the city, it controls a great deal of land south and east. Everything from the coast down to a small tributary of the Serpent River called the Tongue, and eastward to the banks of the Duft is all controlled by Moransel. Most of the heartland of Dammerdall is in their possession.
The port of Moransel, while much further than Algentang, is an attractive port to foreign traders because of the easy approach. Algentang is only accessible to seafaring traders via a treacherous and rocky bay, whereas Moransel is clear sailing all the way into port. Because of this, Moransel gets a steady stream of trade items in, although these tend to be lower priced, safer goods than those which chose to risk Algentang.
The city, and by extension, the territory, of Moransel is ruled by the Barony of Moransel. The current holder of the title is Baron Thorsten, a man who is constantly praising his own devoutness to the Church of the Holy Catharsis, but about whom numerous rumors abound. Some of these rumors are as simple as extra-marital relationships with any number of people, including Governess Speyer of Kaseburg, all the way to demon worship and witchcraft. None would dare accuse him openly, however.
The city of Moransel is home to one of the five Great Cathedrals of Dammerdall, the Cathedral of the Chapel. Within, homage is paid to the thirteen Saints of the Chapel, the third supernal tier of Saints. The highest place of honor within is the Shrine of St. Kunhild, the Patron Saint of Moransel. The Bishop of Moransel has a place on Baron Thorsten's council, although it is unknown how much influence she actually has with him.
=== Parfum===
The westernmost of the great cities in Dammerdall, Parfum sits alongside the Roar, about two thirds of the way between Idunnasburg and the coast of the Mist Shawl. Parfum lies on the western bank of the river. On the eastern bank, for dozens of miles in either direction, the sheer cliffs of the Schwarzeturm Mountains tower above. Parfum controls relatively little land southward, depending on how much land Idunnasburg is holding at any given time, but controls everything north to the coast, northeast to the edge of Kaseburg's territory, and everything east of the river to the Titan Wealds, which mark their border with Wurzelberg.
Parfum is a very devout city and territory, and its people often resent being situated between two of the least devout territories in Dammerdall, Idunnasburg and Kaseburg. To help combat the rise in the number of those who would forsake the Church, Pafum became the home of the Paladins of the Veil, a military order of the Church dedicated to hunting down and destroying heretics, particularly those who engaged in witchcraft. In return for help in building their headquarters in Parfum, the Paladins of the Veil agreed to help bolster the city's defenses in case of an attack.
Parfum is ruled by the Counts and Countesses of the ancient noble members of the Brandt family. The current leader is Countess Tanja Brandt. The city of Parfum is also home to the Cathedral of the Balcony, one of the five Great Cathedrals of Dammerdall, where the ten Saints of the Balcony, the second supernal tier, are honored. Parfum also has another great church, although not one of the Great Cathedrals. It is the Church of St. Eilica, the Patron Saint of Parfum.
===Weide===
Weide is located in the southeast of Dammerdall, surrounded on three sides by the bend in the Himmel River. Weide is the only great city in the southeast, and it controls more land than any other territory. However, much of that land is uncultivated and sparsely populated, so they are rarely able to muster significant forces. Weide controls everything south of the Minor Duft River and west to the Gespalten Gorge, which serves as a border between Weide and Wurzelberg.
Weide is ruled by an elected council of seven people. Three of these people are elected from the general populous of the territory, two are elected from the nobility of the territory, and one is appointed by the Clergy. The seventh member is chosen by the Council itself, and can be anybody within the territory, whether commoner, noble, or Clergy. This seventh member is the Speaker, whose duty it is to address the populous and explain the Council's decisions. The current speaker of the Council is Anke Roth, a respected local merchant in the city of Weide.
Weide is fairly devout, and houses one of the Great Cathedrals, the Cathedral of the Dormitory. In it, the twenty Saints of the Dormitory, the fourth supernal tier, are celebrated and honored. Weide also houses the Church of St. Katrina, who is the Patron Saint of Weide.
===Wurzelberg===
Wurzelberg is the central-most major city in Dammerdall. It controls large swaths of central Dammerdall, as well as a relatively thin strip of land extending to the southern border mountains. Much of Wurzelberg's southern territory is mountainous and rugged, whereas much of the rest of the territory is forested and rugged. The people of Wurzelberg, not surprisingly, are a rugged bunch themselves. Warlike and aggressive, they constantly test the boundaries of their numerous bordering nations, but their limited population makes it difficult for them to take any land from their neighbors.
Although the people of Wurzelberg are fairly devout to the Church of the Holy Catharsis, they are also fiercely independent people. Their ruler is a man named Wolfgang, who, despite the accepted knowledge that Dammerdall has a king, insists on being called a king himself. The people of Wurzelberg honor the demands of King Wolfgang, because as a warrior and a leader, he has proven himself to be without peer in the territory.
Despite the independent nature of the people of Wurzelberg, most are still church-going and devout. The city of Wurzelberg is home to one of the five Great Cathedrals, the Cathedral of the Entryway. There, the people of the territory honor the twenty-seven Saints of the Entryway, the fifth and final supernal tier. The people of Wurzelberg consider it an honor to house the Cathedral, which houses the least known and least popular saints in the Church of the Holy Catharsis. These saints are the patrons of the sick, the invalid, and the lowest professions, but the people have taken this as a mark of pride, so much so that even St. Diepold, Patron Saint of Wurzelberg and a saint of the Chapel, the third supernal tier, doesn't even have a Church in the city.
Dammerdall technically has a king. However, nobody seems to know where he lives, or even what he looks like. He has a home in each of the seven major cities of Dammerdall, and each of the cities believes he makes his permanent home in a different one. Occasionally, a King's Procession will enter one of the major cities, invariably containing either a magnificent carriage or protected litter, but few who are living have ever even claimed to have seen the king. The highest officials of the Clergy claim to have met with the king occasionally, but none of these reports have ever been verified.
Seeing as how the king has little to no direct involvement in day to day life on Dammerdall, the kingdom itself is, at best, loosely confederated. There are seven major cities in Dammerdall, the only seven with the size, population, and military might to lay claim to significant portions of the kingdom. While open warfare between the Great Cities is rare, so too is cooperation. All minor cities, townships, and villages ostensibly owe fealty and taxes to one of the major Cities, although with the wilds being what they are, they are not always able to collect, and sometimes cities will switch allegiance, particularly if they happen to be along the already ill-defined borders.
===Algentang===
Algentang is both the easternmost, and northernmost, of the major cities. Located just beyond the boundaries of the Immerlich marshlands, Algentang is one of the richest port cities on the Barreth Sea. It is located on the coast of a bay that is treacherous and littered with underwater rocks, which is the only reason foreign traders ever choose to bypass Algentang for the easier but much more distant city of Moransel. But for some captains, saving a few extra days of sailing is worth the risk of capsizing in Algentang Bay.
The territory claimed by Algentang extends from the coast of the Barreth Sea south to the Duft River. Algentang lays claim to the area between the Major Duft and the Minor Duft, although this area is highly contested and frequently claimed by Weide to the south. There are only a few walled cities between the rivers, but numerous small towns and plenty of fertile farmland, with the wilderness relatively tame there.
Algentang is generally the most devout of all of the seven territories to the Church of the Holy Catharsis. It is home to the Cathedral of the Arch, considered the greatest and holiest of all of Dammerdall's churches and cathedrals. Not surprisingly, political control over the city and, by extension, the territory, has over the years fallen out of the hands of the nobility and into the hands of the Clergy. The political leader of Algentang is the Archbishop of Algentang, a man named Exander Holt.
The Patron Saint of Algentang is St. Leinhard.
===Idunnasburg===
Idunnasburg sits in the center of the Crimson Duchy, the southwestern territory of Dammerdall. The city sits along the Lion's Roar river, and because of this geographically significant trade route, Idunnasburg grew into the largest and most powerful city in the Duchy. Idunnasburg considers itself a free city. Although the city is directly ruled by Duke Marco, who occupies the Weeping Palace in the city, the Duke generally doesn't interfere in the dealings of the town, and laws in the city are generally fairly lax.
Idunnasburg and the major city of Parfum are relatively close geographically, and so contentions over their common borders are frequent. Typically, the Crimson Duchy is aggressive in its northern push, and controls up to within a hundred miles from Parfum, although at times they are pushed to only within two hundred and fifty. They also control lands on both banks of the Roar, all the way to the western slopes of the Ruckgrat Mountains, which forms the border between the Crimson Duchy and the lands of Wurzelberg.
The Crimson Duchy, and Idunnasburg specifically, are the least religious of all of the cities and territories, although the Church of the Holy Catharsis is still considered the norm there. It is one of only two major cities that does not contain a Great Cathedral. Instead, the Church conducts its services from a large but otherwise ordinary church dedicated to St. Beatrix, the Patron Saint of Idunnasburg. Consequently, the Church has relatively little political power in this region of Dammerdall.
===Kaseburg===
Kaseburg is the primary port city on the Mist Shawl, because anyone hoping to trade with Dammerdall from the northwestern sea has only two choices, Kaseburg or Parfum, and Parfum is hundreds of miles upriver. Some choose to take that path, but most foreign traders choose to trade with Kaseburg, making it the richest city in all of Dammerdall. The city also houses the head office of both the Nebel House and the Allein League, two of the three most powerful Reputation Bank houses in the kingdom.
Kaseburg controls the smallest territory in Dammerdall, extending only a few hundred miles west and south, and even less east. Kaseburg and another major city, Moransel, are less than three days' ride from one another, by far the closest of any of the major cities. Fortunately, realizing the risk open war would be with someone so close, Kaseburg and Moransel enjoy the least contested border in the land. Moransel, possessing much more lands inland than Kaseburg, gave up their claim to the northern peninsula, which now belongs solely to Kaseburg.
Perhaps owing to the unparalleled wealth flowing through the city, Kaseburg, like Idunnasburg, is not particularly devout to the ways of the Church of the Holy Catharsis. Although it is assumed that humans are members of the Church, and revelations otherwise are often met with surprise, the city and the territory is not overly influenced by the Church. Also like Idunnasburg, Kaseburg has no Great Cathedral, and instead uses the Church of St. Niklas, the Patron Saint of Kaseburg. Kaseburg is ruled by an elected governor, a position currently held by Governess Silke Speyer.
===Moransel===
Moransel is a major port city located on the far western coast of the Barreth Sea in the northeast. The city is located just a short distance away from Kaseburg, and although it controls very little land to the west or the north of the city, it controls a great deal of land south and east. Everything from the coast down to a small tributary of the Serpent River called the Tongue, and eastward to the banks of the Duft is all controlled by Moransel. Most of the heartland of Dammerdall is in their possession.
The port of Moransel, while much further than Algentang, is an attractive port to foreign traders because of the easy approach. Algentang is only accessible to seafaring traders via a treacherous and rocky bay, whereas Moransel is clear sailing all the way into port. Because of this, Moransel gets a steady stream of trade items in, although these tend to be lower priced, safer goods than those which chose to risk Algentang.
The city, and by extension, the territory, of Moransel is ruled by the Barony of Moransel. The current holder of the title is Baron Thorsten, a man who is constantly praising his own devoutness to the Church of the Holy Catharsis, but about whom numerous rumors abound. Some of these rumors are as simple as extra-marital relationships with any number of people, including Governess Speyer of Kaseburg, all the way to demon worship and witchcraft. None would dare accuse him openly, however.
The city of Moransel is home to one of the five Great Cathedrals of Dammerdall, the Cathedral of the Chapel. Within, homage is paid to the thirteen Saints of the Chapel, the third supernal tier of Saints. The highest place of honor within is the Shrine of St. Kunhild, the Patron Saint of Moransel. The Bishop of Moransel has a place on Baron Thorsten's council, although it is unknown how much influence she actually has with him.
=== Parfum===
The westernmost of the great cities in Dammerdall, Parfum sits alongside the Roar, about two thirds of the way between Idunnasburg and the coast of the Mist Shawl. Parfum lies on the western bank of the river. On the eastern bank, for dozens of miles in either direction, the sheer cliffs of the Schwarzeturm Mountains tower above. Parfum controls relatively little land southward, depending on how much land Idunnasburg is holding at any given time, but controls everything north to the coast, northeast to the edge of Kaseburg's territory, and everything east of the river to the Titan Wealds, which mark their border with Wurzelberg.
Parfum is a very devout city and territory, and its people often resent being situated between two of the least devout territories in Dammerdall, Idunnasburg and Kaseburg. To help combat the rise in the number of those who would forsake the Church, Pafum became the home of the Paladins of the Veil, a military order of the Church dedicated to hunting down and destroying heretics, particularly those who engaged in witchcraft. In return for help in building their headquarters in Parfum, the Paladins of the Veil agreed to help bolster the city's defenses in case of an attack.
Parfum is ruled by the Counts and Countesses of the ancient noble members of the Brandt family. The current leader is Countess Tanja Brandt. The city of Parfum is also home to the Cathedral of the Balcony, one of the five Great Cathedrals of Dammerdall, where the ten Saints of the Balcony, the second supernal tier, are honored. Parfum also has another great church, although not one of the Great Cathedrals. It is the Church of St. Eilica, the Patron Saint of Parfum.
===Weide===
Weide is located in the southeast of Dammerdall, surrounded on three sides by the bend in the Himmel River. Weide is the only great city in the southeast, and it controls more land than any other territory. However, much of that land is uncultivated and sparsely populated, so they are rarely able to muster significant forces. Weide controls everything south of the Minor Duft River and west to the Gespalten Gorge, which serves as a border between Weide and Wurzelberg.
Weide is ruled by an elected council of seven people. Three of these people are elected from the general populous of the territory, two are elected from the nobility of the territory, and one is appointed by the Clergy. The seventh member is chosen by the Council itself, and can be anybody within the territory, whether commoner, noble, or Clergy. This seventh member is the Speaker, whose duty it is to address the populous and explain the Council's decisions. The current speaker of the Council is Anke Roth, a respected local merchant in the city of Weide.
Weide is fairly devout, and houses one of the Great Cathedrals, the Cathedral of the Dormitory. In it, the twenty Saints of the Dormitory, the fourth supernal tier, are celebrated and honored. Weide also houses the Church of St. Katrina, who is the Patron Saint of Weide.
===Wurzelberg===
Wurzelberg is the central-most major city in Dammerdall. It controls large swaths of central Dammerdall, as well as a relatively thin strip of land extending to the southern border mountains. Much of Wurzelberg's southern territory is mountainous and rugged, whereas much of the rest of the territory is forested and rugged. The people of Wurzelberg, not surprisingly, are a rugged bunch themselves. Warlike and aggressive, they constantly test the boundaries of their numerous bordering nations, but their limited population makes it difficult for them to take any land from their neighbors.
Although the people of Wurzelberg are fairly devout to the Church of the Holy Catharsis, they are also fiercely independent people. Their ruler is a man named Wolfgang, who, despite the accepted knowledge that Dammerdall has a king, insists on being called a king himself. The people of Wurzelberg honor the demands of King Wolfgang, because as a warrior and a leader, he has proven himself to be without peer in the territory.
Despite the independent nature of the people of Wurzelberg, most are still church-going and devout. The city of Wurzelberg is home to one of the five Great Cathedrals, the Cathedral of the Entryway. There, the people of the territory honor the twenty-seven Saints of the Entryway, the fifth and final supernal tier. The people of Wurzelberg consider it an honor to house the Cathedral, which houses the least known and least popular saints in the Church of the Holy Catharsis. These saints are the patrons of the sick, the invalid, and the lowest professions, but the people have taken this as a mark of pride, so much so that even St. Diepold, Patron Saint of Wurzelberg and a saint of the Chapel, the third supernal tier, doesn't even have a Church in the city.
Races
==Races==
The sapient races of Dammerdall are not, ultimately, particularly diverse. Humans make up the vast majority of the civilized population of the plane, and every city in the kingdom is overwhelmingly human. The Church of the Holy Catharsis is entirely human, viewing all other races as inherently evil and demonic. The nobility, also, is comprised solely of humans, who consider it undignified at best and unholy at worst to consort with other races for anything other than trade.
The lower classes of humanity still maintain such prejudices because of the overwhelming influence of the Church, but are far more likely to overlook or downright reject such opinions, particularly if there is a profit to be had. Tradesmen and merchants, for instance, rarely balk at the thought of doing business with them, and bandits will often welcome them willingly into their folds. In some of the more open cities, like Idunnasburg or Kaseburg, other races can occasionally make a living in the marketplace or even in the trade guilds, but in more devout cities, such acceptance is exceedingly rare.
===Dwarves===
The most common of non-human races in Dammerdall are the dwarves. Most of the dwarves live in the deep mountains or in the mines which litter the kingdom, but some venture into the cities and towns to work as laborers or craftsman. Occasionally, some will be found among the travelling trade caravans, or in bandit troupes who prize their brute strength. Many dwarves, however, are hot-headed, volatile and bitter, because they once ruled the vast underground kingdoms, but humans have cost them much of their old homes by mining and cultivating the mountains, as well as siding with the kobolds, whom the dwarves traditionally enslaved.
Between their use of slavery and savage force, and their mastery of fire and earth-based magic, dwarves are frequently demonized by the Church, and are often targets for the Paladins of the Veil. Although the Paladins will rarely risk venturing into the dark places where dwarves make their traditional homes, they will strike at most dwarves found on the surface, unless that dwarf has gained a reasonable Reputation as a worker within a city.
===Kobolds===
Kobolds are short, scrawny figures that vaguely resemble humans and dwarves, but are completely covered in a greenish fur that helps them survive the cold of the deep mountain tunnels. Kobolds are severely averse to light, and will only venture out to the surface if desperate, and even then, only in the darkest nights. Kobolds are quick and agile, but relatively weak and not particularly intelligent, and have little to no military potential.
For countless centuries, kobolds were used as slaves to the dwarves, who tortured them endlessly and forced them to help dig ever deeper tunnels and cavernous stone halls. When humans began to dig mines that intersected the dwarven tunnels, the kobolds attempted to ask the humans for help. Eventually, after learning of their slavery, the humans agreed. The conflict never escalated into full-blown war, because the dwarves were relatively few in number, and the humans could not be successful deep underground, but humans sided with kobolds whenever they could, freeing many of their numbers. Now, kobolds live mostly in the mines and the tunnels near them, while the dwarves have retreated mostly to the mountains.
===Elves===
Elves are the only other creature in Dammerdall that even attempt to live with the humans, although many of them consider humans as either unforgivably inferior or simply too dangerous. They will, however, trade with the humans, particularly for workable metal like brass, iron or steel. Humans’ perceptions of the elves run the gamut from thinking they are beautiful, almost angelic creatures to believing they are demons themselves, or at the very least in league with them.
There are two primary groups of Elves known to Dammerdall. The first are the Waldblut Elves, those who live on the Dammerdall mainland in the forested wilderness. The Waldblut Elves are savage and territorial, but exceedingly small in number. They will occasionally attack humans if they catch them in small groups, but usually stay their hand for fear of violent retaliation. The other type of elf in Dammerdall are the Meerblut Elves, who live on the islands in the Barreth Sea, and perhaps beyond. These elves are usually treated with much more respect than the Waldblut Elves, usually only coming to the mainland with lucrative trading proposals.
While the Elves typically worship a different pantheon of gods, there is a splinter group of Waldblut Elves who have adopted a form of the Church of the Holy Catharsis. The true Church rejects this splinter as a perversion, but the Cathartic Elves, as they term themselves, hold to all the tenets of the Church of the Holy Catharsis, except for those regarding the inherent evil of non-human races.
===Ogres===
The Ogres of Dammerdall are a rare, and deadly, sight. They lurk mostly in the deepest swamps or occasionally along uncultivated river banks. Ogres are intelligent and capable of speech, although this is unknown to most of the human population, because few humans ever survive an encounter with one. Ogres are nearly always aggressive against anyone who enters their lands, although in extremely rare cases, some of the Waldblut Elves have managed to befriend Ogres and earn their allegiance.
Ogres are particularly fond of eating humans, and will occasionally raid villages that are too near their swamps for victims. However, the opposite is also true, and many of the nobles of Dammerdall find Ogre meat a rich delicacy. Some even believe that the meat imbues magical or supernatural powers. The Clergy of the Church of the Holy Catharsis has condemned such practices, as they preach that it is akin to consorting with the demons. This condemnation does not stop everyone, however.
===Schrat===
One of the rarest encounters a wanderer in Dammerdall can have is with the mysterious Schrat. There is significant debate amongst scholars, Clergy and the general populace about what the Schrat actually are. Some maintain that they were spirits of nature given a solid form. Others claim that they are elementals, crafted by some magical hand. Still others claim that they are some form of treefolk. No consensus can be reached, and even those few who have encountered them and survived can shed little light on the subject.
The primary reason no consensus can be reached is because all three explanations are true. Although the people of Dammerdall apply the term Schrat to nearly any mysterious force encountered in the woods or on the water, all three iterations of these nature creatures exist. Elementals of the forest and the water exist throughout the wilderness and occasionally off the coast, and even fire elementals exist in the deep caverns and tunnels below Dammerdall. Walking trees also inhabit the forest, and have taken on many of the behaviors of the other Schrat, and nature spirits in physical form exist in woods and streams.
Schrat are usually curious of humans who happen upon them, and occasionally aggressive. Very rarely, they have been known to intervene on behalf of a victim of some sort of violence or misfortune.
===Angels, Demons, and Dragons===
Supernatural creatures are not unknown to Dammerdall. Angels have, on rare occasions, visited the faithful of the Church of the Holy Catharsis, and protected them from danger. The Church maintains that these angels are instruments of divine will created and sent by the gods when the saints intervene on a mortal’s behalf. Non-Clergy academics, however, suggest that Angels are the result of spellcraft accessed by the magical energies inherent in saintly worship, which they claim is a rudimentary and accidental form of magic.
Demons are creatures of malevolence and evil. They are diametrically opposed to the Church of the Holy Catharsis, and do anything in their power to tempt mortals away from it. Demons often enter into contracts with mortals, giving them dark magical powers in exchange for obedience. Demons rarely manifest themselves on Dammerdall physically, although demonic sightings are a bit more common than angelic ones.
Dragons, though also rare, are the most common of the supernatural beings on Dammerdall. They live in high mountain peaks, occasionally in the interior ranges of the kingdom, but more commonly in the border ranges. The dragons of Dammerdall are intelligent and able to speak, although whether or not they are willing to is another issue. Dragons have been known to scorch entire areas, hunting humans and animals alike. Dragons are well known to horde gold, although where they obtain it is a mystery. If anyone knows the answer, they are either not speaking, or they are already dead.
===Gargoyles===
The strangest, most bizarre, most illogical creatures roaming the Dammerdall landscape are the Gargoyles. Gargoyles have the ashen-gray skin and grotesque features of demons, and yet possess the wings of angels. Also, their actions are perplexing, as they sometimes attack humans and attempt to kill them, and at others arrive to protect the innocent. Some academics have theorized that Gargoyles are, in fact, some sort of hybrid between angels and demons. The Clergy denounces this theory as heresy, and insists that Gargoyles are demonic creations meant to mock the angels. The most outspoken against the Church even go as far as suggesting that Gargoyles are the children of angel/demon matings.
Whatever their origins, Gargoyles are unquestionably intelligent. Those fortunate few who have been on the receiving end of their mercy had claimed to conversed with the creatures afterward, most receiving directions to the nearest settlement. Conversely, some travelers have claimed to be taunted by voices hovering overhead in the dark of night. Gargoyle sightings are few and far between, but as they only seem to appear to cause trouble or save someone from it, they are generally considered bad omens.
===Tatzelwurm===
One of the strangest and most unique creatures on the plane of Dammerdall are the Tatzelwurms. They are long, serpentine reptiles with a long tail and two front limbs, but no hind limbs. They are not sapient, but they are extremely clever and dangerous. The Tatzelwurms are most commonly found in mountainous regions near water, such as mountain streams or springs. However, they are also found in deep forests near water, or in rivers and swamps. Their forelimbs are extremely strong, and they can climb trees and scale rocks with ease. Their long tails can be used as a whip, and are quite quick.
Tatzelwurms are extremely poisonous. Most species have a venomous bite, some have a poisonous barb on their tail, and a few species even spit poison. This makes them some of the deadliest natural predators on the plane. It also makes them a sought-after commodity for alchemists and poisoners, as the lizards are the source of the most potent poison on the plane. Few, however, survive long enough to use what they harvest.
The sapient races of Dammerdall are not, ultimately, particularly diverse. Humans make up the vast majority of the civilized population of the plane, and every city in the kingdom is overwhelmingly human. The Church of the Holy Catharsis is entirely human, viewing all other races as inherently evil and demonic. The nobility, also, is comprised solely of humans, who consider it undignified at best and unholy at worst to consort with other races for anything other than trade.
The lower classes of humanity still maintain such prejudices because of the overwhelming influence of the Church, but are far more likely to overlook or downright reject such opinions, particularly if there is a profit to be had. Tradesmen and merchants, for instance, rarely balk at the thought of doing business with them, and bandits will often welcome them willingly into their folds. In some of the more open cities, like Idunnasburg or Kaseburg, other races can occasionally make a living in the marketplace or even in the trade guilds, but in more devout cities, such acceptance is exceedingly rare.
===Dwarves===
The most common of non-human races in Dammerdall are the dwarves. Most of the dwarves live in the deep mountains or in the mines which litter the kingdom, but some venture into the cities and towns to work as laborers or craftsman. Occasionally, some will be found among the travelling trade caravans, or in bandit troupes who prize their brute strength. Many dwarves, however, are hot-headed, volatile and bitter, because they once ruled the vast underground kingdoms, but humans have cost them much of their old homes by mining and cultivating the mountains, as well as siding with the kobolds, whom the dwarves traditionally enslaved.
Between their use of slavery and savage force, and their mastery of fire and earth-based magic, dwarves are frequently demonized by the Church, and are often targets for the Paladins of the Veil. Although the Paladins will rarely risk venturing into the dark places where dwarves make their traditional homes, they will strike at most dwarves found on the surface, unless that dwarf has gained a reasonable Reputation as a worker within a city.
===Kobolds===
Kobolds are short, scrawny figures that vaguely resemble humans and dwarves, but are completely covered in a greenish fur that helps them survive the cold of the deep mountain tunnels. Kobolds are severely averse to light, and will only venture out to the surface if desperate, and even then, only in the darkest nights. Kobolds are quick and agile, but relatively weak and not particularly intelligent, and have little to no military potential.
For countless centuries, kobolds were used as slaves to the dwarves, who tortured them endlessly and forced them to help dig ever deeper tunnels and cavernous stone halls. When humans began to dig mines that intersected the dwarven tunnels, the kobolds attempted to ask the humans for help. Eventually, after learning of their slavery, the humans agreed. The conflict never escalated into full-blown war, because the dwarves were relatively few in number, and the humans could not be successful deep underground, but humans sided with kobolds whenever they could, freeing many of their numbers. Now, kobolds live mostly in the mines and the tunnels near them, while the dwarves have retreated mostly to the mountains.
===Elves===
Elves are the only other creature in Dammerdall that even attempt to live with the humans, although many of them consider humans as either unforgivably inferior or simply too dangerous. They will, however, trade with the humans, particularly for workable metal like brass, iron or steel. Humans’ perceptions of the elves run the gamut from thinking they are beautiful, almost angelic creatures to believing they are demons themselves, or at the very least in league with them.
There are two primary groups of Elves known to Dammerdall. The first are the Waldblut Elves, those who live on the Dammerdall mainland in the forested wilderness. The Waldblut Elves are savage and territorial, but exceedingly small in number. They will occasionally attack humans if they catch them in small groups, but usually stay their hand for fear of violent retaliation. The other type of elf in Dammerdall are the Meerblut Elves, who live on the islands in the Barreth Sea, and perhaps beyond. These elves are usually treated with much more respect than the Waldblut Elves, usually only coming to the mainland with lucrative trading proposals.
While the Elves typically worship a different pantheon of gods, there is a splinter group of Waldblut Elves who have adopted a form of the Church of the Holy Catharsis. The true Church rejects this splinter as a perversion, but the Cathartic Elves, as they term themselves, hold to all the tenets of the Church of the Holy Catharsis, except for those regarding the inherent evil of non-human races.
===Ogres===
The Ogres of Dammerdall are a rare, and deadly, sight. They lurk mostly in the deepest swamps or occasionally along uncultivated river banks. Ogres are intelligent and capable of speech, although this is unknown to most of the human population, because few humans ever survive an encounter with one. Ogres are nearly always aggressive against anyone who enters their lands, although in extremely rare cases, some of the Waldblut Elves have managed to befriend Ogres and earn their allegiance.
Ogres are particularly fond of eating humans, and will occasionally raid villages that are too near their swamps for victims. However, the opposite is also true, and many of the nobles of Dammerdall find Ogre meat a rich delicacy. Some even believe that the meat imbues magical or supernatural powers. The Clergy of the Church of the Holy Catharsis has condemned such practices, as they preach that it is akin to consorting with the demons. This condemnation does not stop everyone, however.
===Schrat===
One of the rarest encounters a wanderer in Dammerdall can have is with the mysterious Schrat. There is significant debate amongst scholars, Clergy and the general populace about what the Schrat actually are. Some maintain that they were spirits of nature given a solid form. Others claim that they are elementals, crafted by some magical hand. Still others claim that they are some form of treefolk. No consensus can be reached, and even those few who have encountered them and survived can shed little light on the subject.
The primary reason no consensus can be reached is because all three explanations are true. Although the people of Dammerdall apply the term Schrat to nearly any mysterious force encountered in the woods or on the water, all three iterations of these nature creatures exist. Elementals of the forest and the water exist throughout the wilderness and occasionally off the coast, and even fire elementals exist in the deep caverns and tunnels below Dammerdall. Walking trees also inhabit the forest, and have taken on many of the behaviors of the other Schrat, and nature spirits in physical form exist in woods and streams.
Schrat are usually curious of humans who happen upon them, and occasionally aggressive. Very rarely, they have been known to intervene on behalf of a victim of some sort of violence or misfortune.
===Angels, Demons, and Dragons===
Supernatural creatures are not unknown to Dammerdall. Angels have, on rare occasions, visited the faithful of the Church of the Holy Catharsis, and protected them from danger. The Church maintains that these angels are instruments of divine will created and sent by the gods when the saints intervene on a mortal’s behalf. Non-Clergy academics, however, suggest that Angels are the result of spellcraft accessed by the magical energies inherent in saintly worship, which they claim is a rudimentary and accidental form of magic.
Demons are creatures of malevolence and evil. They are diametrically opposed to the Church of the Holy Catharsis, and do anything in their power to tempt mortals away from it. Demons often enter into contracts with mortals, giving them dark magical powers in exchange for obedience. Demons rarely manifest themselves on Dammerdall physically, although demonic sightings are a bit more common than angelic ones.
Dragons, though also rare, are the most common of the supernatural beings on Dammerdall. They live in high mountain peaks, occasionally in the interior ranges of the kingdom, but more commonly in the border ranges. The dragons of Dammerdall are intelligent and able to speak, although whether or not they are willing to is another issue. Dragons have been known to scorch entire areas, hunting humans and animals alike. Dragons are well known to horde gold, although where they obtain it is a mystery. If anyone knows the answer, they are either not speaking, or they are already dead.
===Gargoyles===
The strangest, most bizarre, most illogical creatures roaming the Dammerdall landscape are the Gargoyles. Gargoyles have the ashen-gray skin and grotesque features of demons, and yet possess the wings of angels. Also, their actions are perplexing, as they sometimes attack humans and attempt to kill them, and at others arrive to protect the innocent. Some academics have theorized that Gargoyles are, in fact, some sort of hybrid between angels and demons. The Clergy denounces this theory as heresy, and insists that Gargoyles are demonic creations meant to mock the angels. The most outspoken against the Church even go as far as suggesting that Gargoyles are the children of angel/demon matings.
Whatever their origins, Gargoyles are unquestionably intelligent. Those fortunate few who have been on the receiving end of their mercy had claimed to conversed with the creatures afterward, most receiving directions to the nearest settlement. Conversely, some travelers have claimed to be taunted by voices hovering overhead in the dark of night. Gargoyle sightings are few and far between, but as they only seem to appear to cause trouble or save someone from it, they are generally considered bad omens.
===Tatzelwurm===
One of the strangest and most unique creatures on the plane of Dammerdall are the Tatzelwurms. They are long, serpentine reptiles with a long tail and two front limbs, but no hind limbs. They are not sapient, but they are extremely clever and dangerous. The Tatzelwurms are most commonly found in mountainous regions near water, such as mountain streams or springs. However, they are also found in deep forests near water, or in rivers and swamps. Their forelimbs are extremely strong, and they can climb trees and scale rocks with ease. Their long tails can be used as a whip, and are quite quick.
Tatzelwurms are extremely poisonous. Most species have a venomous bite, some have a poisonous barb on their tail, and a few species even spit poison. This makes them some of the deadliest natural predators on the plane. It also makes them a sought-after commodity for alchemists and poisoners, as the lizards are the source of the most potent poison on the plane. Few, however, survive long enough to use what they harvest.
Culture
==The Church of the Holy Catharsis==
The dominant religion on Dammerdall is the Church of the Holy Catharsis. So prevalent is this religion that there is a church in every city, every town, and every village in the kingdom, often many more than one, if the population can support it. Most humans in Dammerdall are born into the Church, and it is simply a cultural expectation that they will start contributing to the Tithe once they come of age. The concept of devotion to the Church and the necessity of the Tithe is so ingrained in the population that oftentimes even bandits and cutthroats will give a portion of their ill-gotten gains to the Church out of superstitious fear.
The Church of the Holy Catharsis worship the gods of the Palace Parthenon, although ironically, little is known about the gods themselves. The Church considers mortals to be too far beneath the gods to be worthy of knowledge or understanding of them. Throughout history, though, the gods have blessed a select few with a Catharsis, a sudden, freeing understanding of the gods and their works. These people have become the holiest of figures in the Church, and they are prayed to, almost deified, in the eyes of the populous. It is believed that these souls are a step closer to the gods, and therefore might act as an intermediate between mortals and gods. Collectively, they are known as the Seventy-Seven Saints.
===The Seventy-Seven Saints===
At any given time, the Church of the Holy Catharsis recognizes seventy-seven mortals who, during their lives, were blessed by the gods. These Saints have since died and ascended to the Heavens, where they continue to serve the gods. However, their spirits still maintain their connection to the people of Dammerdall and those who are devout to the Church. The Saints may be prayed to, and, with luck and divine favor, they may beseech the gods to interfere on the mortal’s behalf. This is what the Church believes.
The Seventy-Seven Saints are divided and categorized into five supernal tiers. The highest and most revered tier is known as the Arch, and is occupied by the seven most honored Saints, each of whom is celebrated by a week-long feast each year. The secondary tier is called the Balcony, which holds ten more Saints, each honored with feasts of five days. The third tier is the Chapel, containing thirteen Saints, each honored with a three-day feast. Seven of the Saints of the Chapel are the Patron Saints of the seven great cities of Dammerdall, and each of those cities honors their own patron with an extra day of feasting. The fourth tier is the Dormitory, comprised of twenty Saints, each with two-day feasts, and the final tier is the Entryway, comprised of the remaining twenty-seven Saints, each with a one-day honorary feast.
Each of the Seventy-Seven Saints is the Patron of something. Some, like the Saints of the Chapel, are patrons of places, like the seven great cities, or of specific types of regions, like forests. Others, like the Saints of the Arch and Saints of the Balcony, are patrons of concepts, like Mercy, Wisdom, or Justice. Still others, like Saints of the Dormitory and Saints of the Entryway, are patrons of professions or conditions, like patrons of soldiers, students, orphans, or the blind. Knowledge of the Seventy-Seven Saints, what they are patrons of, and the calendar of their feasts is considered basic education on Dammerdall, although most people tend to forget the details of the Saints of the Entryway, owing to their comparative unimportance.
=== Paladins of the Veil===
The Paladins of the Veil are a military order of the Church of the Holy Catharsis centered in the great city of Parfum. The order was created in an effort to stem the rising tide of witchcraft and demonic activity in Dammerdall. The order was supported and partially funded by Tanja Brandt, the Countess of Parfum, and she supports their activities throughout her territory. The Paladins, in turn, often act as the Countess’s private military force, even if their targets are not, necessarily, demonic.
The Paladins of the Veil are so named because of the unique shawled helms they wear, which resemble a mourner’s veil. For the rest of their intimidating attire, they wear full plate mail armor bedecked in white and emblazoned with the Church’s symbol, a stylized figure of a palace. The Paladins are charged with hunting down every vile creature that the Church has deemed evil, which is a considerable number of things.
==Reputation Banks==
The world of Dammerdall runs on Reputation. Nothing is done outside of the wilderness without impacting Reputation. A person’s Reputation determines where they can and cannot stay, what they can and cannot purchase, and how much they must pay for goods and services. A person’s Reputation is a permanent fixture of their identity, and nearly everything that person does potentially affects their Reputation.
Because of this facet of Dammerdalli culture, some of the most powerful people in the kingdom are the Reputation Bankers. The Reputation Banks are charged with tracking the Reputation of everyone in Dammerdall, and issuing Letters of Reference that indicate a given person’s current Reputation. The banks are well-paid for this service, as it takes considerable communication and expense to maintain current files on everyone.Although no one would ever accuse them in public for fear of having their Reputation tarnished, it is a poorly kept secret that the bankers are not immune to corruption, and the right amount of gold can drastically improve your Reputation if placed properly.
There are three primary Reputation Banking Houses in Dammerdall. The Nebel House and the Allein League are both centered out of the port city of Kaseburg, and the Heilkunde House is centered in Moransel. All three houses have offices in nearly every city in Dammerdall, and which one a person goes to is a matter of choice. Each will honor the Letters of the others, although the fee is typically much larger to evaluate, update or change the Letters of another house. Some branches are so vindictive against the other houses that they have been known to subtly alter Letters in significantly disadvantageous ways. And because large segments of the population of Dammerdall cannot read or write, the victims rarely learn of the change until it is too late.
Owing to the cultural importance of Reputation and the Letters of Reference, there is a significant black market for forged documents. Because of this, there are few crimes in Dammerdall considered worse than carrying forged papers. A person who claims to have no Reputation whatsoever is usually looked down upon even more than someone with a bad Reputation, because it indicates that they are hiding their Rep, as it is often called colloquially. Few people come across as more suspicious than someone without a Rep. The people of Dammerdall have a number of derogatory names for those without Rep, the most common of which is a "Nought."
The dominant religion on Dammerdall is the Church of the Holy Catharsis. So prevalent is this religion that there is a church in every city, every town, and every village in the kingdom, often many more than one, if the population can support it. Most humans in Dammerdall are born into the Church, and it is simply a cultural expectation that they will start contributing to the Tithe once they come of age. The concept of devotion to the Church and the necessity of the Tithe is so ingrained in the population that oftentimes even bandits and cutthroats will give a portion of their ill-gotten gains to the Church out of superstitious fear.
The Church of the Holy Catharsis worship the gods of the Palace Parthenon, although ironically, little is known about the gods themselves. The Church considers mortals to be too far beneath the gods to be worthy of knowledge or understanding of them. Throughout history, though, the gods have blessed a select few with a Catharsis, a sudden, freeing understanding of the gods and their works. These people have become the holiest of figures in the Church, and they are prayed to, almost deified, in the eyes of the populous. It is believed that these souls are a step closer to the gods, and therefore might act as an intermediate between mortals and gods. Collectively, they are known as the Seventy-Seven Saints.
===The Seventy-Seven Saints===
At any given time, the Church of the Holy Catharsis recognizes seventy-seven mortals who, during their lives, were blessed by the gods. These Saints have since died and ascended to the Heavens, where they continue to serve the gods. However, their spirits still maintain their connection to the people of Dammerdall and those who are devout to the Church. The Saints may be prayed to, and, with luck and divine favor, they may beseech the gods to interfere on the mortal’s behalf. This is what the Church believes.
The Seventy-Seven Saints are divided and categorized into five supernal tiers. The highest and most revered tier is known as the Arch, and is occupied by the seven most honored Saints, each of whom is celebrated by a week-long feast each year. The secondary tier is called the Balcony, which holds ten more Saints, each honored with feasts of five days. The third tier is the Chapel, containing thirteen Saints, each honored with a three-day feast. Seven of the Saints of the Chapel are the Patron Saints of the seven great cities of Dammerdall, and each of those cities honors their own patron with an extra day of feasting. The fourth tier is the Dormitory, comprised of twenty Saints, each with two-day feasts, and the final tier is the Entryway, comprised of the remaining twenty-seven Saints, each with a one-day honorary feast.
Each of the Seventy-Seven Saints is the Patron of something. Some, like the Saints of the Chapel, are patrons of places, like the seven great cities, or of specific types of regions, like forests. Others, like the Saints of the Arch and Saints of the Balcony, are patrons of concepts, like Mercy, Wisdom, or Justice. Still others, like Saints of the Dormitory and Saints of the Entryway, are patrons of professions or conditions, like patrons of soldiers, students, orphans, or the blind. Knowledge of the Seventy-Seven Saints, what they are patrons of, and the calendar of their feasts is considered basic education on Dammerdall, although most people tend to forget the details of the Saints of the Entryway, owing to their comparative unimportance.
=== Paladins of the Veil===
The Paladins of the Veil are a military order of the Church of the Holy Catharsis centered in the great city of Parfum. The order was created in an effort to stem the rising tide of witchcraft and demonic activity in Dammerdall. The order was supported and partially funded by Tanja Brandt, the Countess of Parfum, and she supports their activities throughout her territory. The Paladins, in turn, often act as the Countess’s private military force, even if their targets are not, necessarily, demonic.
The Paladins of the Veil are so named because of the unique shawled helms they wear, which resemble a mourner’s veil. For the rest of their intimidating attire, they wear full plate mail armor bedecked in white and emblazoned with the Church’s symbol, a stylized figure of a palace. The Paladins are charged with hunting down every vile creature that the Church has deemed evil, which is a considerable number of things.
==Reputation Banks==
The world of Dammerdall runs on Reputation. Nothing is done outside of the wilderness without impacting Reputation. A person’s Reputation determines where they can and cannot stay, what they can and cannot purchase, and how much they must pay for goods and services. A person’s Reputation is a permanent fixture of their identity, and nearly everything that person does potentially affects their Reputation.
Because of this facet of Dammerdalli culture, some of the most powerful people in the kingdom are the Reputation Bankers. The Reputation Banks are charged with tracking the Reputation of everyone in Dammerdall, and issuing Letters of Reference that indicate a given person’s current Reputation. The banks are well-paid for this service, as it takes considerable communication and expense to maintain current files on everyone.Although no one would ever accuse them in public for fear of having their Reputation tarnished, it is a poorly kept secret that the bankers are not immune to corruption, and the right amount of gold can drastically improve your Reputation if placed properly.
There are three primary Reputation Banking Houses in Dammerdall. The Nebel House and the Allein League are both centered out of the port city of Kaseburg, and the Heilkunde House is centered in Moransel. All three houses have offices in nearly every city in Dammerdall, and which one a person goes to is a matter of choice. Each will honor the Letters of the others, although the fee is typically much larger to evaluate, update or change the Letters of another house. Some branches are so vindictive against the other houses that they have been known to subtly alter Letters in significantly disadvantageous ways. And because large segments of the population of Dammerdall cannot read or write, the victims rarely learn of the change until it is too late.
Owing to the cultural importance of Reputation and the Letters of Reference, there is a significant black market for forged documents. Because of this, there are few crimes in Dammerdall considered worse than carrying forged papers. A person who claims to have no Reputation whatsoever is usually looked down upon even more than someone with a bad Reputation, because it indicates that they are hiding their Rep, as it is often called colloquially. Few people come across as more suspicious than someone without a Rep. The people of Dammerdall have a number of derogatory names for those without Rep, the most common of which is a "Nought."