Shadow World

Shadow World is a high-fantasy campaign setting situated on the fictional planet of Kulthea. Originally produced for the Rolemaster role-playing game system, the setting was initially owned by Iron Crown Enterprises (often referred to as I.C.E.). It is currently owned and maintained by the primary author of the setting, Terry K. Amthor of Eidolon Studio though I.C.E. maintains copyrights over some material. The setting blends traditional fantasy elements, such as elves, dwarves, magic, etc., with science fiction, including such elements as space and time travel, and, to a degree, futuristic technology.

Themes

Shadow World deals with a number of topics, including the path of the hero, relatively normal people being caught up in events much larger than themselves, and the interplay of religion, racism, sexism, and homophobia as tools of social control.

The Universe

Kulthea is the seventh planet (of 13) in its solar system. The order of planets is as follows: Kuluth, Rhogan, Thasia, Ithaneus, Nemeris, Kulthea, Liis, Ombari, Shiron, Xio, Atalan, Deisa, and Ianoris. Kulthea's solar orbit takes 350 days.

Five moons orbit Kulthea. Orhan is the largest (it can be seen in full daylight) and circles Kulthea in 70 days. This moon is very important to peoples and cultures of Kulthea, and is home to the Lords of Orhan. Many calendrical systems are based on Orhan's movement through the sky. Varin is the second largest moon, and is orange in color. With its polar orbit and red color, Charon, the third moon and home to the Dark Gods, is greatly feared. The waxing of Charon, as well as the time when it reaches its zenith, are considered by many cultures to be a period of ill omen. Also, conjunctions of Charon and Orhan can disturb Essænce Flows on Kulthea (see below), causing havoc to the planet's weather and general climatic stability. Mikori is the final moon that orbits Kulthea while Tlilok, counted among the five Kulthean moons, is technically a satellite of Orhan.

Geography

Most of Kulthea's written history concerns that which occurs on the planet's western Hemisphere. This is mainly because the eastern half of the planet has been cloaked behind an impenetrable magical barrier for thousands of years, and remains for the most part a mystery. Dominated by water, the majority of lands in the west consist of fractured islands. A few land masses are large enough to be considered continents. Two of the most heavily documented continents thus far are Emer and Jaiman. Including these two continents, the western hemisphere contains 14 continents or, more appropriately, aggregations of fractured islands. Some of the more important ones with sizable landmasses include Agyra, Falias, Folenn, and Thuul.

Races

Religion & Gods

The deities of Kulthea are generally divided into two spheres: the Lords of Orhan, which are considered good by most human societies, and the Dark Gods of Charon, regarded by most as evil and chaotic. As their names imply, they reside on the moon after which they are named. A number of organized religions worship the Lords of Orhan, either as whole (i.e., the entire pantheon), or according to individual Lords. Uncountable informal cults, sects, and other groups also worship them. Their prevalence and visibility will vary according to geographic, racial, cultural, and/or political context. Religious organizations dedicated to the Dark Gods of Charon certainly exist, and are quite prevalent, but they are much less visible than their good counterparts and generally exist among the underground. As with the Lords of Orhan, an unknowable number of formal and informal cults also worship the dark Gods.

Additionally, some regions give rise to Local Gods, whose power extends only as far as their sphere of worship.

History

The history of Kulthea is a convoluted and violent one characterized by the cyclical rising and destruction of countless races, kingdoms, and empires. Local wars are common as competing polities vie with one another for resources, people, tribute, or ideological reasons. Vast global conflicts have been fought between the powers of Light and Darkness, and each one has marked the transition from one Era to the next. These wars have nearly destroyed the planet, laying waste to entire continents and leading to millennia of cultural and political stagnation. Kulthea's history is divided into three eras.

The "current date" of the campaign (i.e., the date to which recently published material refers) is 6054 of the Third Era. It should be noted that this date has changed, as early versions of the Master Atlas and supplementary materials dated to T.E. 6050. The more recent versions of the Atlas add material to the overall chronology up through T.E. 6054.

First Era

The First Era of Ire is vastly long and concerns the history of the Althan race and the rise of the "K'ta'viiri". Little is known about this latter group, and it is unknown whether or not they were a specific race, sub-group, faction, or ruling lineage of the Altha. They are known to have led to the Altha and established an interstellar empire that encompassed nearly a quarter of the galaxy. However, they became increasing corrupt and, led by the Empress Kadæna, create an artifact of unsurpassed power: the "Shadowstone". A rebellion, led by Kadæna's cousin Lord Ûtha (who leads the "Duskwalkers"), challenges Kadæna and her empire. Wielding the "Soulsword", Ûtha slays Kadæna but dies himself. The rebellion, which occurred approximately 112,000 years before the present, destroys the Althan Empire, nearly all of the K'ta'viiri, and lays waste to Kulthea (nearly all life on the planet was killed). The planet would descend into a 100,000 year long period of regrowth referred to as the Interregnum, also known as the Long Night.

Little is known about the Interregnum other than minor references concerning the rise of two empires, the "Jinteni" and the "Wôrim" in southwest Emer and Gaalt, respectively, who war constantly with the elven realms of the distant east. Both succumb to famine, disease, and natural disasters (as well as warfare) and disappear approximately 5,000 years before the beginning of the Second Era.

econd Era

The Second Age of Ire begins with the founding of the College of Loremasters on the secret isle of Karilôn by three individuals: Kirin T'thaan, Ilmaris Terisonen, and Andraax, all believed to be Iylari Elves. The purpose of the Loremasters is to gather knowledge and to disseminate it among the free peoples for the advancement of civilization. One of their first tasks is to create reliable calendar based on the phases of the moon Orhan. Following this, history is more accurately recorded according to “Loremaster Reckoning.”

One of the first empires to rise out of the ashes of the Interregnum is that formed by the Masters of Emer in central Hæstra. The Masters are a cabal of six Titans who, making their home on the Isle of Votania in southern Hæstra, decide in S.E. 800 that order needs to be restored to the region. By S.E. 1000, their servants begin by driving out garks and lugrôki from Hæstra, but people of the Shay race begin to flee as well (to Jaiman). They are replaced by the Masters’ favored race, the Laan, who settle the now-vacant land and begin to build strong yet beautiful cities. While their empire began in Hæstra, by S.E. 1230 they have conquered all of the Emer.

Through several millennia of stability, the Masters rule Emer, in many areas worship as gods (though they are not). Discord, in the form of internal conflict among the Masters’, takes root around S.E. 3000 and over the next several thousand years the Empire decays as revolts and invasion wrack it from all sides. It recedes until only Hæstra is held and by S.E. 5000, their empire is no more.

On Jaiman, the Zori (related to the Laan) begin to consolidate and centralize a kingdom in Tanara. When the Shay, fleeing the Masters of Emer, arrive, they are subjugated by the Zori and transformed into a serving underclass that become locally known as the Jameri. The Zor kingdom exists for several millennia, but was eventually destroyed in an unknown cataclysm at the end of the 4th millennium. Today, the former central region of the kingdom of Zor is a wasteland.

Around S.E. 3400, Lorgalis the White builds a citadel on Ulor in western Jaiman. This mysterious servant of the Unlife, his origins a secret, establishes a realm that immediately begins to attract lugrôki and trogli. Following the domination of Ulor, Lorgalis expands southwards into and conquering Ly-Aran. His expansion is stopped only by the assistance of Andraax and the smith Tethior, who forged powerful artifacts imbued with the raw Essænnce (the Six Crowns) to help the free kingdoms, including Zor and Rhakhaan.

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last =Amthor
first =Terry
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title =Eidolon and Sel-Kai City
publisher =Iron Crown Enterprises
date =1992
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pages = 158
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isbn =
*cite book
last =Amthor
first =Terry
authorlink =Terry Amthor
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title =Emer Book I: Hæstra and the History of the Emerian Empire
publisher =Eidolon Studios
date =1997
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pages = 132
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isbn =
*cite book
last =Amthor
first =Terry
authorlink =Terry Amthor
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title =Emer Book II: The Northeast
publisher =Eidolon Studios
date =1999
location =
pages = 132
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isbn = 1-883716-14-4
*cite book
last =Amthor
first =Terry
authorlink =Terry Amthor
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title =Haalkitaine and the Imperial Court of Rhakhaan
publisher =Eidolon Studio
date =1998
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pages = 132
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isbn = 1-883716-13-6
*cite book
last =Amthor
first =Terry
authorlink =Terry Amthor
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title =Jaiman: Land of Twilight
publisher =Iron Crown Enterprises
date =1989
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pages = 96
url =
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isbn = 1-55806-077-4
*cite book
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first =Kevin
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title =Norek: Intrigue in a City-State of Jaiman
publisher =Iron Crown Enterprises
date =1990
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pages = 80
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isbn = 1-55806-130-4
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first =Terry
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title =Powers of Light and Darkness
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date =2003
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isbn = 1-55806-597-0
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first =Terry
authorlink =Terry Amthor
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title =Shadow World Master Atlas, 1st Edition
publisher =Iron Crown Enterprises
date =1989
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isbn = 1-55806-025-1
*Shadow World Master Atlas, 2nd Edition
*Shadow World Master Atlas, 3rd Edition (TKA & ICE 1998)
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title =Shadow World Master Atlas, 4th Edition
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*Kane, Thomas M. "You Can't Get There From Here... Until Now." "Vortext" Spring 1991. Emeryville, CA: Vortext Publishing, 1991.

ee also

*List of locations on Kulthea
*List of Shadow World races

External links

* [http://www.eidolonstudio.com Eidolon Studio]
* [http://www.ironcrown.com/ Iron Crown Enterprises] - Their [http://www.ironcrown.com/ICEforums/index.php community forum] contains a Shadow World section.
* [http://www.ironcrown.com/ICEforums/index.php?action=tpmod;dl=item234 The Shadow World Primer]
* [http://www.vampyreweb.com/rpg/jsw/ Jaiman Source Web]
* [http://nomikos.vroomfogle.com/ The Nomikos Library and Shadow World Timeline Project]