Nezrak’s World Notes: This world was designed for use with In Darkest Warrens from Trollish Delver Games, and its supplements The Adventurer's Guide to Excavation and Plunder and Magnificent Artefacts.
This world was made, or rather remade, for the evil priest Nezrak by his god. His god is referred to only as “Yervaar” which means “the Master” –its name is never spoken.
Nezrak dwells at his temple Khyelom Ner Gohem in the midst of the continent, defended by the wall of mountains Nul Derin. The mountains are held by his most trusted servants, the Dragonkin. The dragonkin alone possess the gift of taking the dragons of the mountains as their steeds; from these dragonriders are chosen Nezrak’s most feared cohorts and his most trusted governors, the satraps (zadalayabah). Beneath them are the tyrants of the towns (dylammozoy), who are often either halforc warriors or human warlocks, worshippers of Yervaar.
Beneath the mountains lie the Warlock Warrens, the seat of Nezrak’s powers, where the dragons are bred in their dens and the warlocks are trained in the service of Yervaar and sent out to serve as Nezrak’s agents in the outer world.
Note on the Dragonkin: The women of the dragonkin customarily stay in the dragon dens, hatching, raising and training the dragons. It is said the dragons are fed human flesh to make them fierce – by nature they may not be so vicious. A young dragonkin woman is called a “Dragon-daughter” and assigned a dragon egg to hatch by the heat of her own body, after which she raises and trains the dragon. Once she has successfully trained her first dragon, she is called a “Dragon-sister.” An older woman who has raised several dragons is known as a “Dragon-mother.” The dragon-mothers are deeply respected among their own people and feared by all others outside the kindred. The “Dragon-mothers” not only supervise the raising of dragons by the dragonkin women, but also the training of young dragonkin boys until they reach an age to be assigned their own dragons. The mothers decide whether each youth is worthy of being assigned a dragon, and if so, which dragon it will be. By no means all dragonkin boys are found worthy; the fate of the rest is dark. By custom, the dragonkin youth who is assigned a Dragonsister’s first dragon also becomes the mate of the Dragonsister, though that may not always be true. Once a dragonkin male has been assigned his dragon, he leaves the dragon dens and moves to the dragon aeries higher in the mountains, where he and his dragon are trained by the veteran dragonriders in the ways of dragon riding and dragon war.  Fully trained dragonriders may be sent out to serve as satraps and other high officers of Nezrak’s empire, or they may stay in the aeries to serve in the dragonrider guard which is Nezrak’s surest defense. Veterans from both services become the masters who train new riders.
The great river Naul Kythloz flows from the mountain wall to the southern sea, ending in the marshes of Vear Nalez along the southern coast. Before the rise of Nezrak, the Vear Nalez was the site of the great city Nekaro-boryz, the capital of the greatest kingdom of its time. This city was utterly thrown down when Nezrak’s Master remade the world, and its ruins buried in the marshes are still explored by adventurers seeking its lost secrets.
Nezrak rules the main continent save for the Freewood held by the human rangers and the elves in the northeast (and some ports on the northeast coast, see below). The humans live in beautifully carved wooden halls in palisaded villages on the fringes of the woods; the elves dwell deep in the forests and have trained the trees themselves to form their houses and citadels. Some mages and priests dwell in the Freewood. Most mages are elvish, while most priests are human and serve the kinder nature spirits.
Note: Gods of the Free Peoples:
Halbol Lord of the Forest, worshipped chiefly by the elves and by some human rangers and free barbarians in the Freewood. Offerings: nuts, fruits, and well-carved wood.
Nelgul: Lord of Roads, god of merchants, rogues, treasure-hunters, mages and others who live by their wits. Offerings: coins (usually given to charity), skillfully worked metals, jewels and shares of plunder gained by wit rather than force.
Yalsol: Lord of the Battlefield worshipped by warriors, some rangers, and some barbarians who have turned to the free side. Offerings: trophies of honorably won weapons and armor, especially those taken from champions of the foe.
Meboz: Lord of the Sea worshipped by seagoing merchants and sailors of the naval patrols which protect the isles and their sea-bourne commerce from the sea-reavers and corsairs. Offerings: fish and other sea creatures, pears, coral and other sea jewels, also trophies taken in honorable naval war, especially the rams of galleys.
Gumoma, Lady of the Fields, plant, animal and human fertility. Worshipped by farmers and by women. Offerings: grains, raw or baked, grapes and other cultivated plants, wine and beer, honey and mead, also meats which are then shared at feasts.
Tyayima: Lady of the Hunt and of wild animals. Worshipped by some rangers and young women, especially women who choose to go out as warriors or rangers.  Offerings: venison and other meats taken in the hunt, furs, hides and leathers.
Halgoz Gylyoz: The High God above all gods is said to be the ultimate Maker and Ruler of the World, but this God rarely intervenes in the affairs of mortals.
In the northwest lies the Foewood where the barbarians dwell. They are Nezrak’s allies, though not his slaves. Of their own choice, they raid constantly against the men and elves of the Freewood, who raid the Foewood in return. Most are warriors, though some are warlocks, rogues or assassins. The warlocks serve as the priests of their bloody gods.
The barbarians live in villages of log houses, mostly plain, but the chieftains’ halls elaborately carved with scenes of battle and sacrifice. They sacrifice captives by various means according to the customs of their tribes, some cutting off their heads and preserving the skulls as offerings at the temples of one of their gods, some carving the blood-eagle on their backs or hanging them in a whole forest of gallows-trees dedicated to one of their gods.
Very rarely a barbarian youth will renounce the bloody ways of his/her people and join the free folk, fighting alongside the rangers and elves.
Note: Gods of the Barbarians:
Tolvar the Tormented: Pain is the price of wisdom. He was hanged and pierced with a spear to win wisdom. He is worshipped chiefly by warlocks. His sacrifices are hanged men.
Vod the Slayer: God of war: honor is won only by war; worshipped by male barbarians and by some warriors of the Foe side, who are often half-orcs. His sacrifices are the heads of men taken in battle, especially champions of the free side.
Limmodh: Lord of Lightning. Master of stormy skies. He is worshipped by male barbarians and some treasure-hunters, thieves and rogues, for he is a god of smiths as well as warriors. His sacrifices are men with the blood eagle carved on their backs.
Greyfa consort of Torvar, mother of sorr0ws, goddess of crones, women dying in chlidbirth, children stillborn or dying young, giver of poison and other dangerous knowledge. Worshipped by female warlocks and mages on the side of the foe. Her sacrifices are women drowned or poisoned.
Vizhla Consort of Limmodh, the warweaver, inciter of quarrels, who weaves the fate of wars on the loom strung with the guts of men, also goddess of the beauty that maddens, inciting lust, jealousy and ravishment of captives. Her maidens take the souls of dead champions to join the eternally warring warbands of Vod and Limmodh (and herself). Worshipped by barbarian women, especially warriors. Her sacrifices are limbs or private parts of slain male warriors.
Note: The Gods of the Barbarians became much darker figures after Nezrak’s God remade the world. Before the catastrophe, they were kinder, sometimes stern but always just. Torval was god of men’s wisdom, Vod of honorable war, Limmodh of smiths, Greyfa of women’s wisdom, Vizhla of love.
The Northwest Coast: On this coast there are towns subject to the Barbarians which serve as home ports for Barbarian sea-reavers who ravage the Free Isles (especially the West Isle and small isles near it) to take loot and especially slaves whom they sell to the lords of the wide lands south of the Orc Hills to work their broad fields. In return they take grain and iron from which to forge their own weapons and armor (they do not trust the work of other smiths). The chief port of the sea-reavers is Kernomd.
Another of their ports is Yargnaal. Off the northwest coast is North Isle, disputed between the sea-reavers and Free Isles. It is presently held by the sea-reavers, though it was once an outpost of the Free Isles.
Between the Northwest Coast of the sea-reavers and the southern lands of Nezrak’s vassals lie what are now known as the western range of the Orc Hills (Naedrin Ylgeh). In ancient days before the rise of Nezrak, the caverns beneath these hills were the ancestral home of the dwarves, the Danas Mayimoyeh or Dwarven Deeps. With the rise of Nezrak, the orcs and other foul creatures in his service overran the deeps; the remaining dwarves fled to their kindred in the mountains in the Free Isles, but daring dwarves and their allies still risk returning to the Deeps in search of ancient dwarven treasures and lore, especially secrets of smithcraft believed to have been lost long ago.
The cities along the southern coast of the continent are inhabited by humans who are reluctant vassals of Nezrak. His agents among them are warlocks, rogues and assassins, or sometimes more conventional warriors or mages.  Many of the warriors, assassins and thieves who serve him are half-orcs.
Some of the other human or Halfling rogues or treasure hunters in the cities are actually opposed to his rule and secretly resist him as much as they can with aid from the southern isles. Most of the people are simple artisans of the cities and peasants in the countryside who pay his taxes but feel no love for him.
Yoolmai is a city of the southwest coat, chiefly a fishing port, but also suspected of a smuggling trade with the southern isles. Sometimes the smugglers bring in southerners who support the resistance to Nezrak. The rulers in Yoolmai are a vicious garrison of halforc warriors fiercely loyal to Nezrak, who ruthlessly torture and kill anyone they believe to be against him. The cities of the southeast coast (such as Vazazpazk and Chamoy) support corsairs who raid the Free Isles, especially the East Isle, and harass the sea traffic between the Free Isles and the Free Ports of the northeast (below). The corsairs are chiefly seagoing rogues.
Bardamal was once the chief city of the southern plains and the seat of Nezrak’s satrap of the southeast plains. Some two centuries ago, several of the southern towns led by Yoolmai revolted against Nexrak’s rule. With aid from the Free Isles, they marched inland, took Bardamal, and slew the satrap. Nezrak sent forth every dragonrider he had and legions of orcs and halforcs, reinforced by Barbarian allies. They brutally crushed the revolt and slaughtered its supporters in the southern towns.  Bardamal was reduced to a poor village, though nearby there remain ruins of the former city which are rumored to contain strange and dangerous monsters and rare treasures.
The city of Vazazpazk (often called Vazaz) on the southern coast east of Yoolmai was formerly the jealous junior rival of Yoolmai, which was then the greatest city on that coast; it followed Yoomai into the great revolt, but at the height of the war when Nezrak’s avenging army went forth to crush the rebels, Vazaz betrayed the revolt, submitted to Nezrak and sent its fleet against the remaining rebels.  Thenceforth Vazaz prospered by the favor of Nezrak, while Yoolmai decayed. Although the rulers of Vazaz are loyal to Nezrak, by no means all the people of the city share this loyalty. Some are still secretly allied to the Free Isles, while others serve only their own interests.
 Outside the cities in the south there are wide landed estates held by the lords loyal to Nezrak, who take oppressive shares of the peasants’ crops. Many of the estates are now worked by slaves bought by the lords from the sea-reavers or the corsairs.
The Northeast Coast:  On this coast there are free towns allied with the Freewood and trading forest and local goods (honey, wax, furs, leather, wood) to the Free Isles for the goods made in the isles (metalwork, armor, weapons, tools, also cloth, spices, etc.) These towns are subject to attacks by Nezrak’s forces from without and within; some towns have been taken and retaken several times. The chief (and most disputed) of these ports is Bemdoyagmi (usually called simply Bemdo).
The Southeast coast: The Southeast coast is held by the Corsairs who serve Nezrak and raid the Free ships plying between Bemdo and the Isles, especially East Isle.  The chief Corsair port is Chamoy, where the corsairs often auction their loot and the captives taken for slaves. At times, the corsairs have taken Bemdo and held it for years; though it is free now, the corsairs still plot to regain it.
Note: the Halforcs of Nezrak’s world call themselves the Spawn of Lugbazh. According to the half-orc legend, in ancient days long before the rise of Nezrak, Lugbazh ruled in the mountains and hills across the midst of the mainland. His warriors brought him many human concubines, on whom he fathered the half-orcs. (In reality, many half-orcs are descendants of unions between lesser orcs and humans, but they all claim Lugbazh as their forefather. ) The labyrinth of orc-tunnels beneath the eastern Orc Hills (Naedrin Ylgeh) is still known as Lugbazh’s Lair, though the orcs now share it with many other fell creatures.
Note: Niktor the mage dwells in his lonely tower on the island of the same name north of the continent. He is said to be the only mage from the times before to survive the rise of Nezrak. He is believed to be of elvish blood, as he seems to age very slowly, though he now appears to be a very old man with a long grey beard dressed in robes of blue (when abroad) or of grey (when at home), proclaiming his neutrality between Nezrak (whose warlocks wear black robes when appearing openly), and the Free Folk (whose mages wear pure white robes when appearing openly).
Niktor’s pupils are the only fully trained mages save for the warlocks in Nezrak’s service trained in the Warlock Warrens and the mages of the Free Folk trained in the Arcane Academy in West Isle. There are also some hedge mages who may be self-trained or taught by older unauthorized mages. Since Nezrak hates and fears any strong magic save his own, Niktor is compelled to an unacknowledged alliance with the Free Folk, though he refuses to use his full powers on their behalf. Some of the Free Folk call him Niktor Coldheart on this account.
The islands south of Nezrak’s continent are free of Nezrak’s rule, and their peoples wage constant war against his minions.(The islands are called the Yeruthoy Mezoy or Free Isles). In the mountains of the isles dwell dwarves; the coasts are largely peopled by humans with some halflings and elves. They are warriors, priests of other gods than Nezrak’s Master, mages and some rogues, storytellers and treasure hunters (the last chiefly Halflings). The common folk are fishermen, artisans and traders in the towns, and peasants with small farms in the (scanty) countryside. As the farms are small, the farmers work hard to gain the richest harvests they can. Fortunately, the climate of the islands is mild, with needed but not excessive rain, so the farmers are able to grow enough food to support the islanders.
Note: Dwarven Defenses: The independence of the isles has been maintained chiefly because the dwarves (who dwelt in the mountains of the isles since before the rise of Nezrak) have constructed gigantic balistae which are set within deep embrasures guarding the gates of their mountain halls.  These are the only known successful defenses against Nezrak’s dragon-riders. When Nezrak’s legions overran the continent, the dwarves welcomed fugitives from all the Free Peoples into their halls, and there they stayed until the dragon-riders learned the futility of attacking the mountains. Over time, the other peoples have been able to extend their settlements beyond the mountains, building towers set with ballistae to hold off the dragons. These are not as secure defenses as the original mountain halls, but they are good enough to hold off occasional dragon raids. Nezrak has not launched a full-scale attack on the isles for centuries. The last one was his attempt at revenge for the Free Isles’ support of the rebellion two hundred years ago, a vicious assault which drove more folk back to the shelter of the dwarven halls until it was bloodily beaten off.
There is a High King of the Isles (Yalkom Mezoyeh) and there are kings of the two main isles (East Isle and West Isle), as well as a Lord of the smaller Mid Isle that lies between them. The High King rules with advice of the Council of the Isles (Vouroz Mezoyeh), which has members elected from each of the towns and from the free tenants who work the fields outside the towns.  There are also members chosen from the other orders (mages, warriors, priests, etc.) The free tenants pay dues to support the orders who in return defend them. Children of the free tenants usually become free tenants and children of the other orders usually become members of the other orders, but children of free tenants who have the talent to join the orders are eligible to receive the training and do so, while children of the orders who wish to become free tenants may also do so (usually by marrying an heir or heiress of a free tenant so they inherit land to work – the free tenants rarely sell their land outright).
Northwest of the main isles lies Far Isle,  where only a few folk dwell, though they come from all the Free Peoples (humans, elves, halflings and dwarves).  Far Isle sometimes serves as a way-port for those going from the Free Isles to the mainland, particularly adventurers seeking to enter the Dwarven Deeps and retrieve lost dwarven treasures.  The permanent inhabitants of Far Isle elect their own Speaker who rules over them insofar as rule is needed and represents them in the Council of the Isles (though the speaker only troubles to attend when matters of concern to Far Isle are discussed).
Mages of the Free Isles are trained in the Arcane Academy on the West Isle, and Priests of the Free Isles are taught in the Sacred Studium on the East Isle. Warriors are trained as sworn armsmen (or armswomen)  to veteran warriors.  Mages wear pure white robes. Priests wear white robes with borders of different colors depending on the god or goddess they serve, green for Halbol, gold (yellow) for Nelgul, red for Yalsol, blue for Meboz, brown for Gumoma, tawny (orange) for Tyayima. The high king and his chosen guards wear surcoats of green and blue with a white heraldic galley (pictured below). Other Free Warriors wear surcoats of their own personal arms, or those of the warrior to whom they are sworn.


South of the isles it is said the seas grow boiling hot, and no humans or other free peoples have sailed there or found any lands beyond. It is rumored that dragonriders in Nezrak’s service have flown beyond the boiling seas, but whatever they have found has never been revealed to the Free Peoples.