"...[name] stood in the [name2] Hall, a hundred peers watching from the galleys above. She called her Provider's name, and all could feel the power she commanded. [name3] summoned his wards, but all that watched knew his efforts were in vain. The next name she offered was his, and the misery of [name3] was legend."

translated from Dekàlan fragment
found in ruined Ildûn

Oth (Old Empire)

• Overview
• Landmarks
• People
• History

The City-State of Oth (Nor Kalas Oth) sits along the northern border of the Old Empire.  The state is a temperate forested region wedged between the towering Tor'n Evalshat to the west and the Dekàlan Sea to the east.  Since the Time of Empire, the southern arm of this land has fractured into a number of coastal kingdoms (i.e. Dragàllas, Kalthoram, etc.).  Although each kingdom maintains the right of its own sovereignty, they do so only at the whim of the Iron Throne.

 In ages gone, the people of this state constructed and manned a massive wall that separated the lands of Uren from those of the Elve.  Though the gesture was unmistakeable, it did nothing to heal relations between the Empire and the Elve hosts to the north.  The region has always been plagued by warfare since the arrival of the Dekàlans in 415 HK, to the Othelve War of 681 HK, and the ruinous Second Acentran-Dekàlan War six hundred years later.  Today, the region stirs from age-old decay.  What was originally settled as an outpost state, may steer the course of future events.

Northern Oth is bordered by the Northwoods, an ancient stand of hardwoods that was once the empire's border, the end of the "civilized" world.  The forest is an invaluable resource for the City, providing endless quantities of lumber and game.  It is also a source of dread for the people, harboring all forms of mystery and creatures that prey on the wayward.

Oth's western edges are marred by the Black and Fractured rocky hills.  The priest of Roth tell that the faithful were brought to this place in ancient times because of the land's abundant mineral resources so that the Temple could be built according to the god's plan.  The surrounding hills have produced the richest ore mines in the known world, and now lay riddled deep with tunnels and mines.  It is told that many of the mines were spent and abandoned long before the first High Lord was crowned.  Others claim that the oldest mines are not human mines at all, and that the area was picked-over long before the Roth faithful claimed the hills as their own by providence.

Landmarks

Graves of Darad...

People

At one time in the distant past, there may have been some characteristic that defined a man or woman as natives of the City of Oth or the areas surrounding.  If that is true, it is true no longer.  The City is an amalgamation of races, ethnicities, and cultures, all brought to this unfortunate place and stirred into one undefineable mass.  Add several centuries of blending to this recipe with the ocassional newcomers sprinkled into the mix, and you are left with the City as it currently exists.

Although it is impossible to discern what people might have be the true natives of the brooding city, it is possible to identify other races and people that have arrived over the centuries and managed to retain some cultural and racial identity.  These people are without exception, minorities.

The Noth are typically a slender long-limbed and dark-skinned people, with a rolling language unlike most others.  The dissimilarity of the language suggests that their native homeland is far removed from Oth.  Noth children are quiet by tradition, disallowed from speaking in public until the time of adulthood.

The Paldan are a tan-skinned people believed to have arrived from the distant East.  Their hair and eyes are generally dark and their size is unremarkable.  Older Paldan are stereotypically overweight.  The men traditionally grow bald early while women proudly fashion their long dark tresses into elaborate weaves.

History (Pre-Dekàlan)

The date of Oth's founding is something of a mystery, shrouded in the annals of the Temple of Roth and Dekàlan pre-history.  The first pilgrims of Roth are believed to have arrived at Nyr Platan around 230 HK.  According to the religious history, the priests of Roth were led to this mineral-rich area by divine guidance.  They found an ancient forest and hills and mountains laden with iron and precious metals.  There are some early tales of battle between these pilgrims and the natives of the area, but the stories are sketchy and the original inhabitants' identities lost.  Perhaps the most compelling element of this history is that there is little and conflicting mention as to whence the pilgrims came.  There are some that believe they were pushed Northward by the Empire's expansion, while others believe it more likely that they came from the East, and areas later known as Acentra.

The pilgrims' first duty was to build a temple and workshop for their deity.  High Priest Tuszum II, the earliest named cleric of the the Roth religion, is credited with receieving the plans for the temple via divine instruction.  Building began in earnest.  After some time the First Temple was completed.  The First Temple is not believed to have stood long, and was soon destroyed by fire.  The Second Temple was built from stone, but later destroyed by earthquake.  The stone foundations of this temple remain at the heart of the current structure.  These destruction of these temples was not viewed as retribution but rather Roth's urging toward construction of a more worthy temple.  Many years would pass before construction of the Third Temple was resumed.  In the late 5th century HK, the surrounding hills and mountains were honeycombed with mines, and the landscape erupted with large foundries and furnaces.  It was during this time that the god's name was changed (or revealed to be) Roth, meaning "Iron God" in their pre-Dekàlan tongue.  The name "Oth" is a variation of this, meaning Iron, or City of Iron.

According to the Skoru Dyazan, a record compiled by the historian Dorom the Elder, the Empire first arrived at Oth in 412 HK, having heard tales of a mountain of iron being built there.

"The iron mountain stands at the center of this north city, dwarfing all buildings scattered at its base.  The people of the city work tirelessly on its construction, hauling massive iron sheet and beams up the long wooden ramps with the aid of large oxen.  Each piece is set in place with a prayer.  The roads leading from the surrounding hills are lined with iron-laden wagons carrying an endless supply of materials to the builders of this wonder.  It is my guess that they will level every hill before their mountain is half-built."

  These emissaries were greeted by a High Priest, whose name has been removed from the history.  The ambassadors met with representatives of the Temple and being amazed by the works they found, offered on behalf of the High King that Oth be accepted into the Empire.  The High Priest is recorded to have refused this "offer" as it would require the establishment of a government centered around a High Lord, removing power from the Temple.  The ambasaadors left and the Temple prepared for war.

The remaining history is difficult to distill from the accounts of Durum the Elder.  Durum was a historian, assigned to the armies of Ruun, so his accounts often drift into exaggeration.  This problem is compounded by the fact that the original history is guarded by the priests of Irul-Ruun somewhere at the heart of Wyrthyr Tor in Ummon.  The accounts of Durum the Elder are considered sacred by that cult.  Durum describes several exchanges of fighting between the landed army and the followers of Roth.  The fighting does not end by his accounting until Ruun's army marches North from Taldàna and captures Oth.  Important to the Irul-Ruun faith, is the account that Ruun did not accept the surrender of the High Priest when it was offered preferring instead to continue the fight until the priest and his officers were captured and killed.  Each minor cleric of the Roth faith were taken to an area South of the city.  There they were given the choice of accepting the new faith or perishing by dagger point.  Those that would not pledge allegiance to the Empire and new faith were stabbed and thrown to the shoreline rocks below.  This place came to be known as Dagger Peninsula.  A stone still stands at this spot commemorating the acceptance of Roth into the Dekàlan pantheon, and his ascendancy to greater status.

History (Dekàlan)

Construction ceased on the Third Temple for the remainder of the First Expansion.  All efforts were concentrated instead on the construction of weapons and warships.  When High King Lordrun I died in 432 HK, the people of Oth returned to the holy work of completing the Third Temple.  In 744 AR, the High Queen sailed to Oth to be present for the Temple's completion.  This would be the first and last High King or Queen to visit the northern city-state in that capacity.

By the end of the 6th century AR, Oth had become a busy trading port doing extensive business with merchants from all reaches of Acentra and the formidable northlands.  The city became very prosperous in the years to follow and attracted many merchants and craftsmen from overseas.  In 680 HK, the High Priest Duruun decreed that no apprenticeships should be granted except to the Temple faithful.  Furthermore, all skilled labors were holy observances, and any non-faithful found practicing these pursuits within the city were to be charged with heresy.  The High Lord of Oth readily enforced this decree, which had answered the growing concern that many skilled artisans were returning to their non-Dekàlan homelands armed with valuable knowledge.  In Vulune 680 HK, further killings were held at the Dagger Peninsula where a prison had been erected circa 480 HK.  News of the massacre spread swiftly along the shipping lanes, but ambassadors arriving in Oth and Lanàdus were turned away.  Word soon reached the Elve Leyrdryel that several of their brethren had been killed at Oth for not accepting the Human god, Roth.  Human merchants were rounded-up in all Elve towns and ports for slaughter.  Newly crowned King Endmun IV of Oth (cr 681-703 HK) retaliated with the Order of Avarlin in 681 HK which sent a small fleet of Dekàlan warships to the small trading port.  The soldiers burned the town to the ground and dozens more Elve were killed.  Oth was soon embroiled in the three year Othelve War.  The Elve suffered terrible loses losing foothold back to the Run Telabra.  The Elve refused to surrender the river border, fighting to defend the line at great cost.

There are many questions surrounding this early war.  Many historians and scholars do not believe the Othic army had the ability to confront the Elve alone.  Although there is no record of aid from Ummon or other city-states during the conflict, it is believed that the Elve strategies and defenses were betrayed by the Dwurden.  The Dwurden were old enemies of the Elve, and knew much about their strongholds and weaknesses.  Though no records exist to suggest that the Dwurden provided troops to the cause, it is widely believed that they offered strategic assistance against their old enemies.  Regardless, having reached the Run Telabra the Dekàlans ceased their campaign against the Elve and began the long work of establishing new defenses.  The next years were spent constructing borderland keeps, and eventually Duruun's Wall.  The loss of the Northwoods area would not be forgotten by the Elve.  This early precursory war gave the Elve valuable insight into Dekàlan magic and military.  They would not engage the Empire so blindly again.  Modern scholars credit the Elve lessons in defeat from this early war with the victory over Dekàlas during the End War (circa 1246 HK), some five centuries later.

History (Post-Dekàlan)

The Occupation, 1-55 DR 1 DR 4/2856 (Oth) Elve governor rules the City of Oth 12 4/2867 (Oth) Roth visitation to Nazerus, grants plans for the Machine 28 4/2883 (Oth) The Wheel appears and remains over City of Oth 46 4/2901 (Oth) Occupying Elve leave City of Oth 47 4/2902 (Oth) 2nd House of Zyan becomes 4th Othic dynasty 55 4/2910 (Oth) Occupying Acentran are killed, banished or imprisoned 55 4/2910 (Oth) Fire of Dagwurdunjun 55 4/2910 (Oth) High Lord Dryryn Zyan claims Iron Throne First Reconstruction, 55-129 DR 55 4/2910 (Oth) City of Oth rebuilt from half century of occupation First Renaissance, 130-221 DR 167 4/3022 (Oth) Egrum's "The Othic Word" illustrates [Old Othic] as proper evolution of Dekàlan 198 4/3053 (Oth) Jzar the Mad dies ca. 200 -- (Oth) Othic sirkùli raze Jzar's Tower Time of Calamities, 211-240 DR 221 4/3076 (Oth) Earthquake hits Oth, diverting Run Dul into crevice from Temple Gate to Kre Dùlnar, fire destroys much of city Second Reconstruction, 221-390 DR 221 4/3076 (Oth) City of Oth rebuilding begins 238 4/3093 (Oth) Zyan dynasty ends in Oth 243 4/3098 (Oth) 1st House of Rott becomes 5th Othic dynasty 274 4/3129 (Oth) Movable-type press invented, first newspaper produced Second Renaissance, 391-509 DR 403 4/3258 (Oth) Pathic priests given access to Iron Library, begin lore exchange Time of Shadows, 510-present DR 510 4/3365 (Oth) Elve spy found in Oth, tortured and executed 637 4/3492 (Oth) The Kudom War re-establishes the crown's rule in Oth 648 4/3503 (Oth) Northwood Urdari armies begin long series of attacks 652 4/3507 (Oth) Aren Zarad found in Oth, tortured and executed by Foulstern 652 4/3507 (Oth) High Lord Edgur III musters Army of Nor Kalas Oth The Empire War, 653-present DR 653 4/3508 (Oth/Urd) Battle of the Northwoods (Ot), Urdari forced into hills 653 4/3508 (Elv/Oth) Third Battle of Avarlin

City of Oth

The City of Oth is the crown and soul of Nor Kalas Oth.  A sprawling grime-coated stone metropolis, the crowded port city has stood upon the ship-devouring Kre Dùlnar long before the rise and fall of the Old Empire.  Previously named Ezir by indigenous people of this region, the City of Iron has been rebuilt many times over the centuries, forming a labyrinth of dark layers deep beneath the present streets.  Fed by two rivers, supported by a bountiful ring of farmlands and kept working by an advanced system of sewers, plumbing and oil works, the city boasts a population of almost 300,000 people; one of the most populous cities in the World of Teréth End.

Areas:  The Barrens, Kyard, Kreyard, Lower Streets, Narmurth, Naryard, North Wall, Prayard, Runyard, Southswall, Sulyard

Terazya

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Areas:  

Taddas Ru

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Areas:  

Irclunne

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Areas:  

Northfields

North of the City of Oth is a verdant crescent of farmland known as the Northfields.  Despite its relative size to the city, the Northfields provide much of the produce needed to sustain the area's enormous population.  Those towns that exist on the border of North Wall are traditionally considered part of the Northfields if they are rural in nature.  The lower half of Truden is an exception to this guideline.

Areas:  Farren, Woodkeep, Truden, Aenth, Denem, Tavra, Jorast

Elmark

The Elmark is one of the oldest Uren inhabited areas with the city-state of Oth.  It is here that many of the original inhabitants of the area settled.  Today, the region is traditionally divided into two sections, the Ghûlwood and the Platan Peninsula.  The northern reaches of the Elmark are lawless, doubtless influenced by neighboring Genter and the Southswall.  The southern Elmark is more civilized than is northern neighbors but is threatened by the Theocracy of Danok and the New Kingdoms.

Areas:  Hanat, Oddon, Portage, Warlen, Irtithshal, Tuzan, Nalwol, Oalmere, Porron

Morenside

The Morenside lies west of the Runyard.  Its towns lie cradled in the craggy Moren Burdrul along streams that cascade down from the Tor'n Evalshat.  The communities here were built for the miners that burrowed tunnels throughout the black stone beneath these lifeless hills.

Areas:  Vullinshrith, Rhymer, Tulgulth, Dalus, Eironhold, Skurn

Genter

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Areas:  

Loston

The Town of Loston lies on the edge of Nularya Lun, an Uren-made lake in the southern Northwoods.  

Areas:  

Attyroth

The forbidden island of Attyroth...

Areas:  

Navigation

Index
Teréthor
North Coast
Oth

Places

Adashart Kdar
Candan
Cenotaph
Dagwurdunjun
Dreg's Brewery
Erhet
Kry Shurulm
Kyrm Oryroth
Lower Streets
Northfields
Oddon
Portage
Southswall
Toch's Square
Vullinshrith
Wesridge

Oth: Dyn I, House 1
House Jurn

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Oth: Dyn II, House 1
House Kar-Tharûn

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Oth: Dyn III, House 1
House Skarçard

Zir'a II (630-637)
Endmun II (637-651)
Endmun III (651-658)
Karan I (658-681)
Endmun IV (681-703)
Sharn I (703-747)
Ettikus I (747-769)
Sordon I (769-792)
Karan II (792-816)
Ettikus II (816-837)
Nâran I (837-852)
Dirama I (852-861)
Valanya I (861-879)
Valanya II (861-892)
Davan I (892-895)
Davan II (895-972)
Orvud I (972-974)
Nolda II (974-986)
Orvud II (986-998)
Sharn II (998-1004)
Valanya III (1004-1037)
Orvud III (1037-1067)
Zir'a III (1067-1121)

Oth: Dyn IV, House 2
House Zyan

Dryryn I (55-68)
Edgur I (68-70)
Esulle I (70-76)
Aradda I (76-102)
Orvud V (102-111)
Orvud VI (111-124)
Verus I (124-143)
Azalla I (143-181)
Orvud VII (181-194)
Eldin I (194-238)

Oth: Dyn V, House 1
House Rott

Hela I (243-270)
Cyrys I (270-303)
Mothrim I (303-349)
Hela II (349-355)
Nuala I (355-382)
Azra I (382-389)
Ilarya I (389-420)
Adarran I (420-440)
Drezen I (440-466)
Adarran II (466-471)
Edgur II (471-489)
Orvud VIII (489-514)
Adarran III (514-568)
Astyral I (568-575)
Astyral II (575-585)
Adarran IV (585-617)
Edgur III (617-now)

Geography

The Gazetteer details the following regions:

Emer (The Lost Isle)
Lyrast (Ancient Land)
Tasserus (Wild Lands)
Terèthor (Uncharted Land)
Vulmura (Middle Lands)
Great Seas
Wonders of the World

The Cosmography details more "distant" locations:

Zarátam
Moons
Ethereal
Nether
Outside Lands