Introduction
 The seat of civilizations forgotten by most modern empires, Varisia’s history is etched upon the stones of its innumerable ruins. Few know what mysterious people once ruled these lands, their towering monuments and incredible architectural feats the sole records of an age of power and wonder. Yet, ask the
native Varisians of the past and the monoliths that litter their land and only the cold dread in their eyes will answer.
Nearly 300 years ago, Cheliax founded the colony of Korvosa in the supposedly cursed wilderness between its northern provinces and the Lands of the Linnorm Kings. A century of bloody war with the native barbarians, the Shoanti, followed, culminating in southeastern Varisia falling to Chelish rule. Soon after, colonists and adventure seekers of all persuasions came to populate the newly tamed land. Yet, the deeper foreigners trod inland, the greater the mysteries they discovered: endless walls of carved earth, titanic monoliths, and writings no sage recognized. While many viewed these idols and obelisks as evidence of the land’s cursed reputation these oddities did little to halt Cheliax’s imperialistic march.. A century ago, the death of Cheliax’s god Aroden fractured not just the country’s domestic holdings but indefinitely severed its links to numerous colonies, including those in Varisia. Korvosa, the oldest and largest of Varisia's cities, made overtures of fealty to Cheliax’s diabolical new Magistrix—overtures which went ignored. Abandoned, discord erupted in the city between traditionalists to the dead Chelish theocracy and revolutionaries eager to embrace Cheliax’s new rule. Realizing that infighting would doom all they had accomplished, many of the traditionalists left Korvosa, migrating west and ultimately founding the city of Magnimar. Today, both Korvosa and Magnimar fancy themselves the center of culture in Varisia. Both cities have birthed or claimed numerous vassal townships in the surrounding lands. Other races have also come as well, integrating with the human populace or claiming their own territories.
The natives of the land also remember a time when Varisia was theirs alone and swear the land will once again be theirs.
And, alien and now largely ignored, the monuments of an ancient era look on… biding their time. The GM, Players, and CharactersRise of the Rune Lords is GM'd by Mark
The ChroniclesThe LandVarisiaA rocky land that slopes from the high Kodar Mountains in the north to the drenched fens of the south, Varisia is a realm sculpted from stone. Yet between the mountain ranges that carve the region, wildly disparate and vibrant lands flourish. |
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