DM's Guide to Aerond

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<div class='cover-header'>DM's GUIDE to AEROND</div>

<div class='cover-footer'>Run adventures in your new favorite campaign setting with this guidebook for the world's greatest roleplaying game</div>

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# Credits
___
This book was made with [GM Binder](https://www.gmbinder.com/).
___
All of the maps were made with GIMP or hand-drawn
___
- **Lead Designer:** Me
- **Editor:** Me
___
- **Cover Illustrator:** Louwrens Hanedoes and Herman Frederik Carel
- **Interior Illustrators:** Albert Bierstadt, Hubert Robert, Marie-Ferdinand de Dartein, George Inness, William Frerichs, Alastair Rae
- **Cartographer:** Me
___
- **Thanks to:** Gary Gygax, for creating the world's greatest roleplaying game, the current team for that game, Matt Mercer, who created the Tal'Dorei campaign setting, which I ~~stole from~~ used as inspiration for this book, [AeronDrake](https://www.reddit.com/user/aerondrake), who I learned most of my Homebrewery/GMBinder skills from, and anyone on Reddit (or the greater Internet) who helped create this book.

##### On the Cover
___
In this painting by Louwrens Hanedoes and Herman Frederik Carel, travelers along the High Trail stop to rest near the ruins of the Bala ten Kate, the ruin of the castle of the Kate family, who are now important nobles in the port city of Bellmar. The trail is close to the same path the family and the other survivors of the attack took after the battle.

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What does that mean on the back of the book? **Ar léc, ala Cágha gál am sínádá amn áan-bále.**. Well, it means "**I say, shall the great gods protect you forever**" in Ést Cálann Hárá (East Call-ann Har-ah), or Old Common.
___
Pronunciation: **Ar leck, ala cághuh gál am shy-nádá amn ah-aan--ballyeh**.

An **a** without an accent in pronounced like *ban**a**na*. With an accent, it is pronounced like *b**a**ll*. The gh in Cágha is pronounced like *ch* in the Scottish word lo**ch**.

<div style='position:absolute; top:421px; left:427px; width:344px; font-size:8pt'

<span>

*Disclaimer: Not all gemstones (and pearls) in Aerond are to be trusted. They have been known to explode, melt, turn into coal, turn into shrubbery, cause demonic possesion, cast the* fireball *spell, turn into large beetles, defeat a god-hating cult and/or rain down heavenly fire on all who oppose the Lord of Light and Darkness, and end all life as we know it.*

</span>
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# Contents
</div>

- ### [<span>3</span><span>Map of Aerond</span>](#p4)
 - ### [<span>5</span><span>Introduction</span>](#p6)
 - ### [<span>6</span><span>Chapter 1: The Land of Aerond</span>](#p7)
 - #### [<span>6</span><span>History</span>](#p7)
 - #### [<span>6</span><span>The World Today</span>](#p10)
 - ### [<span>6</span><span>Chapter 2: Races</span>](#p11)
 - #### [<span>6</span><span>New Races</span>](#p11)
 - [<span>6</span><span>Bird-men</span>](#p11)
 - [<span>6</span><span>Seafolk</span>](#p12)
 - [<span>6</span><span>Burrowers</span>](#p13)
 - [<span>6</span><span>Infernos</span>](#p13)
 - #### [<span>6</span><span>Old Races</span>](#p14)
 - [<span>6</span><span>Humans</span>](#p14)
 - [<span>6</span><span>Elves</span>](#p14)
 - [<span>6</span><span>Dwarves</span>](#p14)
 - [<span>6</span><span>Halflings and Gnomes</span>](#p14)
 - ### [<span>13</span><span>Chapter 3: Kingdoms</span>](#p15)
 - #### [<span>?</span><span>Albar</span>](#p)
 - #### [<span>?</span><span>Amnara</span>](#p)
 - #### [<span>?</span><span>Baramor</span>](#p)
 - #### [<span>?</span><span>Belmare</span>](#p)
 - #### [<span>?</span><span>Calamar</span>](#p)
 - #### [<span>?</span><span>Egea</span>](#p)
 - #### [<span>?</span><span>Je'akka</span>](#p)
 - #### [<span>?</span><span>Scaere</span>](#p)
 - ### [<span>?</span><span>Chapter 4: The Multiverse</span>](#p)
</div>

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# Introduction

W                       A                                        H 
<br>
have a fine time in this land of mine. I am the creator of this world, and I am pleased to say that the one and only Glynfir Moonshadow has found his way to Earth and helped me write and edit this book, as well as giving comments when he finds it necessary and correcting the errors he says are mine.

This book is a guide to the lands of the eight kingdoms of the Sovereign Order, a region commonly referred to as Aerond, although two of the kingdoms are in Ke-Arpi, the neighboring continent.

<div style='position:absolute; bottom:946px; left:143px; width:344px; font-size:7.5pt'><span>
ELCOME TO      EROND, ADVENTURER!      OPE YOU
</span></div>

### The Sovereign Order

The six kingdoms of Aerond join with two Ke-Arpean realms to create the Sovereign Order, an alliance between the eight most powerful kingdoms in the world. Because their political and religious beliefs differ greatly, the Order is more for making trades and bargains than actually uniting the eight kingdoms.

#### Albar

Albar is a warmer region in the South, of expansive plains and rolling hills, as well as dense jungles in the far southwest. There are also two Albarian colonies in Je'akka, Barrim and Marn.

Albar is ruled by a King and Queen, and the many provinces (and colonies) are ruled by Dukes and Duchesses. Albar has been allied with Belmare for dozens of years, although they don't agree on everything.

#### Amnara

Amnara is a kingdom off the coast of Belmare and Baramor, enveloping the Stone Islands, the Naja Marave islands, and the Forgotten Isles, as well as many smaller peninsulas and lone islands in the area. The islands go from forests and mountains to deserts and jungles, and many different languages are spoken, although Old Common is the main one.

The land is ruled by one King, and the King's sons, the princes, each rule one region of the kingdom. When a new king is crowned, the princes are replaced by his sons either when the new prince turns 18, or when the old prince dies.

#### Baramor

Baramor is a kingdom that seems to be heading towards a revolution, with the king defending the slaver guilds and allegedly working with the dragons of the Ash Mountains. The kings of Baramor and Albar are openly against the king of Baramor.

#### Belmare

Being the head of the Sovereign Order and often called the greatest kingdom in Aerond, Belmare is a very important place. Its capital is Havast, one of the most technologically and socially advanced cities in Aerond, maybe the world.

The kingdom is split into counties. The entire realm is ruled by the High King, and each county (except for Shald, where the King lives) is ruled by a Lord, who is also a member of the King's Board of Advisors.

#### Calamar

Calamar is a desert nation in Ke-Arpi ruled by one Emperor. Many rare items, especially magical components, can be found here, but it is dangerous, because magic is restricted to the Emperor and the Royal Families.

#### Egea

A small, peaceful kingdom with great soil, Egea is often called the farming capital of the world. The land is ruled by a king, who is chosen from twelve families by popular vote.

Almost everything that can be grown is farmed in Egea, and everything that can be exported is sold to the seven other kingdoms of the Sovereign Order.

#### Je'akka

Je'akka is a mostly lawless jungle land ruled by four city-states: Ghini, Dunru, Garama, and Nyala. It is also home to the Albarian colonies of Barrim and Marn. The center of the continent is dominated by the Firestorm Peaks, a great mountain range containing three massive volcanoes.

The land is also famed for its exotic creatures and peoples, and its ancient ruins. It is said that what remains of one of the first human cities is buried deep in the jungle.

#### Scaere

Scaere is a large kingdom in the North that is very rich in magic. Wizardry is taught in schools, magical healing is commonplace, and people get around in wagons pulled by elemental power, magical airships, and the Lightning Rail - a train powered by elemental magic (and a name I stole shamelessly from Eberron).

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<span>

######      This book is surprisingly     accurate for a human. <br>  The somewhat low amount of errors will be corrected in my notes. Although I did help write it... <br>        - Glynfir Moonshadow

</span>
</div>

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Chapter One: The Land of Aerond

</div>

T       DM     G               A              W
<br>
Well, DM means Dun... wait. I'm not allowed to say what it means (for legal reasons). Well, just look it up in the Pla... wait. Still can't say that. Copyright laws are f... probably shouldn't say that either.

Well, I bet that you know what DM means, and if not, I *am* allowed to say something which means basically the same thing. Game Master. Just google that and you'll see.

Anyway, this book is a guide to. . .guess where. Hint: it's in the title. *Aerond.* Do you know what, where, or why Aerond is? I bet you don't. The purpose of this book is to tell you.

And this leads to...

HE              'S      UIDE TO      EROND.       HAT DOES THAT MEAN?

</span>
</div>

## History

Don't worry, it's not a history textbook. That's because it's not boring, and you don't have to read it.

### Early History
**~7000 BR to 0 AB**

Much of the ancient history is not actual facts as much as myth.

#### The Creation of the World
**Around 7000 BR**

The true story of the start of the world is disputed, but most sages and researchers agree on this model.

The first god, called the Ancient One, created the four elemental gods, who each created their elemental planes and the elemental races, the first people in the universe. He then created four more gods: of war and knowledge, and of law and chaos. The elemental people warred over "control" of these gods for thousands of years.

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> ##### The Elemental Races
>
>The first races of the world are know known as the Bird-men, Seafolk, Burrowers, and Infernos. These races are in the *Character Options* section.

#### The Age of Man
**Around 4000 BR**

The Ancient One knew that his time was over, and his death was coming. When he died, he cast his body into the void between the Elemental Planes, and it transformed into a world, where the power of the elemental planes created life.

In the Elemental Planes, the occasional relationships between different races sometimes led to children. The offspring of two different elemental races had lesser powers, but the offspring of all four had nothing elemental about them. These were the humans. They left the Elemental Planes for the new world, the Material Plane. Here, they built kingdoms, fought wars, and made history.

#### The Chaos Storm
**Around 3000 BR**

A thousand years after Man had left for the Material Plane, the elemental races were becoming more peaceful. Their wars were coming to an end, and they were starting to trade between the four planes.

Then, because something bad had to happen, a great storm of chaotic elemental power forced them to abandon their homes and head to the Material Plane. There, they lived in relative peace with the humans and each other, although they were still very separated. They built great kingdoms, the ruins of which can still be found today.

###### Don't start thinking <br> that the world is the <br> shape of a person. Stop thinking about what the world's tallest mountain really is. It's a normal sphere. Don't be like that.

</span>
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> ##### Time in Aerond
>
> The calendar most used in Aerond is the Calendar of the High King. It is split into 12 months of 30 to 33 days. There are no names for the specific days of the week, or even weeks at all, so the day of the month is used.
> 
> Every four years, an additional day is added at the start of the year. This day, called Leyran, isn't part of any month.
>
> | Common Name | Days | Plane |
> |:-|:-|:-|:-|
> | Wilnemar | 30 | The Wildlands |
> | Rinemar | 30 | The Ringworlds |
> | Gordamarr | 32 | The Godlands |
> | Silvmar | 30 | The Silver Peaks |
> | Metramar | 30 | The Great City |
> | Labaramn | 31 | The Labyrinth |
> | Incanar | 30 | The Prison Plane |
> | Heleanar | 30 | Hell |
> | Dakinarr | 31 | The Dark Lands |
> | Abynar | 30 | The Abyss |
> | Temenar | 30 | Stormfront |
> | Sechramn | 31 | Blackwater |
>
> The months are based on the alignment of the planes, as shown in the third column. A new month starts when the Material Plane is aligned with a new plane. 
>
> ___
> Years are measured starting at the birth of Toven. The age is called After Birth, or AB. The current age began at 492 AB, and the current year is 1128 AB.
> 
> The years before Toven are called Before Rise (before the rise of Toven), or BR. The world was said to be created around 7000 BR, and man became prominent around 4000 BR.
>
> ___
> ##### Important Holidays
> 
> **Leyran.** Leyran is a day of celebration and renewal. The past is remembered, and the future is brought in. Every culture has different traditions, but they all have something. 
> <br>
> **Toven's Day.** 
> <br>
> **Avenyr (Adventurer's Day).** Avenyr celebrates the day that Toven's adventurers found the Pearl of the Gods and restored the original deities to power. Pearls are often worn on this day, and adventurers are given gifts and blessings.

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#### The Birth of Magic
**0 AB**

Before he had died, the Ancient One was creating a new god. When he died, that god, Toven, was stuck, slowly gaining power. Eventually, he was able to burst out of the earth, causing an explosion of raw magical power. This destructive force flattened the kingdoms of the Men and Elementals, and created the Arcane Fissures, or Qu'ennir, which leak magical power into the world.

Toven, the new god, created two new races on each continent. Elves and Dwarves on Aerond, Tabaxi and Lizardfolk on Ke-Arpi, and Halflings and Gnomes on Annam.

The destruction of their world and the end of the Chaos Storm led the Elementals to retreat back to the Elemental Planes, although a few stayed in isolated communities on the Material.

### The Age of Corruption
**0 to 492 AB**

The humans were angry that these new races had taken over their world. Some of them were peaceful, and tried to rebuild their kingdoms. Some of them went to war with the new races. Some of them blamed Toven, saying that he actually destroyed their world.

#### Attemps at Rebuilding
**0 to around 200 AB**

Some people made alliances with the Dwarves, and they helped build the city of Havast. In exchange, the humans gave the Dwarves a language. This is why Dwarvish is very similar to Old Common.

The Elves had no help creating a language, which is why Elvish has been overly complicated to this day.

#### The War on Elves and Dwarves
**Around 100 to 200 AB**

Many people on Aerond joined together to create the Blood Order, an army that aspires to destroy "lesser" races and become the leaders of the new world. They took Belmare and Albar, and claimed Havast as their capitol. Many elves and dwarves were taken as slaves, and they built many of the cities in this region.

A few years later, they took over much of Albar, and captured even more Elvish and Dwarvish slaves.

###### Like the Germans?

</span>
</div>

#### The Start of the Black Ages
**231 to 492 AB**

A few members of the Blood Order thought that more could be done to end the Arcane Age. They found the caverns under Mount Scara, which they renamed Mount Godless, and they build their temple

Dwarvish and Elvish slaves carved into the mountain, and the temple of the cult was created. Their plan was to banish Toven, who they saw as an evil deity.

The cult sacrificed hundreds of Dwarves and Elves, preparing a

The consequence of the banishing of the gods was the creation of new ones. The ritual opened a tear in the universe, which let beings from the Border Realm enter the land of the gods. These new gods created monsters, at first just demons and devils. Over time, though, they created many more.

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Many members of the Blood Order started worshipping these new gods. War broke out between the humans, as is did between gods in the heavens. Worshippers of any given god killed anyone else, but hated those who still supported the old gods the most.

#### The End of the Black Ages
**Around 450 to 477 AB**

For dozens of years, people warred for no good reason, and the newly rebuilt world was brought back down to where it started. Only a few people were peaceful, and they had to hide to stay alive.

Whether through extreme carefulness or pure luck, these people built a city, called Torrest, in the spot where three arcane fissures meet. This city was rich in magic, which, along with the mountains, was their only defense from the outside world.

Due to a minor miscalculation, a group of four adventurers ended up in the place of the soul of Toven, and he was set free in the world.

Toven made a deal with the god of traps and puzzles, Gworeakh, and he created The Pearl of the Gods, which had the power to restore the old deities to power. Unfortunately, it was put in a massive dungeon, which Toven was unable to enter. Toven sent letters to any adventurers he thought capable of finding the Pearl, and eventually, a party made it through the dungeon, found the pearl, and restored the old gods to power.

### The Current Age
**Beginning 492 AB**

The current age is often called the Age of Peace, because, although it isn't completely peaceful, it is better than ever compared to the past. The seven races of the world live in peace, and the monsters have retreated into the wilderness.

#### The Destruction of Annam
**502 AB**

Whether it was caused by a failed experiment or magical catastrophe, or something more sinister, something happened to Annam, the peaceful home of the halflings and gnomes, bringing the whole island under the sea.

The sinking was said to take about a week, giving many halflings and gnomes time to escape. A few dozen ships arrived in eastern Annam and Calamar, causing a large gnome and halfling polulation to sprout up there. One ship also arrived in Belmare, creating County Annam.

Annam was in the Hardic Sea, to the east of Amnara. Sailors report seeing ships full of strange creatures, which supports the popular theory that Toven created many races besides the ones of Annam in the region.

#### The Earthquake of 565
**14 Jielna, 565 AB**

Less than 50 years ago, a massive earthquake shook all of Aerond, causing damage all across the continent, and massive waves all across the world. The most severe damage happened along the arcane fissures, especially in the Rift, the spot where Toven actually rose. Many sages are saying that the earthquakes are a sort of backlash of the rising of this god.

The earthquake also caused magic to act very strange and unpredictable for about a month after it, and magic items and other types of permanent magic were troublesome, or even unusable, for even longer.

This earthquake occured 565 years after the rise of Toven, and since then, it has been 563 years. Sages have openly said that another one is coming, and people are preparing for it, although it is supposed to be less powerful than the last.

#### The Monster Resurgence
**732-733 AB**

For about twenty years, monsters had become almost completely separate from the civilized world, and then, one day, they all came back. Orcs and goblins warred with the civilized races, gnolls went on rampages, dragons flew freely in the sky, and giants shook the earth once again. Then, almost a year later, it all stopped as suddenly as it had started.

This didn't only happen in Aerond. All across the world, monsters went berserk for almost a year, and then it all stopped. The best guess of why is that one of the gods of the Black Ages found its way back, and began planning the destruction of the world. The sudden stop could have been caused by the death of this god, probably at the hands of one of the true nine deities.

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# The World Today

## War is Coming

Je'akka is being colonized by Albar. Most nations don't support the government and laws of Calamar. Scaere is keeping its magic to itself. The king of Baramor is becoming more and more corrupt. To state it simply, war is coming.

### Playing After the War

If you want to play in a campaign that occurs *after* the war, think about what it caused. Who was victorious? Were any alliances forged or broken? What is the world like now? Is the Sovereign Order still together?

The most likely victors are Scaere, because of their magic, or Albar and Belmare, because of their technology and just their large area. If their alliance ended, though, it would become less likely.

Perhaps, if any nations remained in the Order, they would join together against the

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Chapter Two: Races

</div>

The land of Aerond has four new race options for your characters: Bird-men, Seafolk, Burrowers, and Infernos.

This section also details how the existing races fit into the world, where they live, and their relations with the rest of the world

# Bird-man

S                                                                        M <br> *Darien thought she was dead for sure. Then these wings grew out of her, just broke through the back of her shirt. I thought it was some kind of magic, a spell, but now you're tellin' me she must've been a– what was it– Ij’anis. Bird-man. Well, I guess she was a bird-woman. Anyway, he said that they were around back before even the humans were. One of the first races. Don't know what one of them was doing around Havast, though.*

<span>
HE JUST JUMPED OUT OF THE TOWER!        E AN'
</span>
</div>

Bird-men, or Ij'anis-ji (eej-YAHN-ees jee; the s makes an *s* sound) were one of the first races, native to the Elemental Plane of Air. Over time, they spread to the Material Plane, and a few of them still live there, in hidden colonies on the highest mountains.

### Life in the Clouds

The homes of bird-men can be found on the tops of mountains, in the branches of massive trees, and even on floating islands. They like to have direct access to the sky, so they often leave openings to the outside.

The homes they build are usually rudimentary at best, often resembling a large bird's nest. They collect scraps and trash and construct a house somewhere high. However, when they have time to build a permanent settlement, their building is amazing.

They don't always build houses, though. A mansion on a floating island? An abandoned tower? They live anywhere that fits their idea of a home, and make a few modifications to make it better for them. They often remove doors, and even walls, on the inside of a building.

Sometimes a clan or family of bird-men steals an airship. They are good at figuring out how things work, and an airship is the perfect home for their kind.

### Ancient Origins

Bird-men hail from the Elemental Plane of Air, before the age of humans. They always have an inner desire to see their home, Ijali, one of the greatest cities of the multiverse. Getting there won't be a problem, for, as the poets say, no birds and no men, but all bird-men, can find the way to Ijali.

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The floating city of Ijali is built into a massive cloud, which, through ancient divine magic, is solid. The surface is what you might imagine a cloud to be, soft and bouncy. If you pull of a bit, it turns into a wisp of steam and disappears.

Ijali, and the central palace, Ijaki, is a sight that everyone deserves to see. Many wizards live there, because a wisp of cloud is required in many ancient rituals, as well as breezeleaf, a magical plant that grows in the city.

### Bird-Like Features

The body of an Ij'anis is different than that of a human. They often have patches of feathers on their lower legs, and they have the feet of a bird. They also have pure yellow or brown eyes and large pupils. When they grow their wings out, their bird features become more pronounced, growing bigger eyes, feathers on more of their bodies, and rarely, a full bird head and feathers covering the body.

### Bird-Man Names

Ij'anis-ji have Auran names, which have smooth and flowing sounds, like the wind. Ke-Arpean is descended from this language, and it has many similar sounds. They have a short first name and an often longer family name. They don't use gender-specific names, so you could use any of them for anyone.
___
- **First Names:** Aani, Asan, Baosa, I'aka, Iji, Jirya, Kiaya, Naqua, Quaal, Saliji, Uuna
- **Family Names:** Aasij'in, Ajaqan, De'ala, Ijikasa, Jan'aki, Kintiri, Rasika, Saa'ori

### Bird-Man Traits

Your bird-man character has the following traits.

***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.

***Age.*** I'janis-ji mature slightly faster than humans, considered an adult at 16, but live to around 250 years.

***Alignment.*** Bird-men are usually chaotic, but neutral or lawful isn't too uncommon. They aren't inherently good, but aren't drawn to evil, either.

***Size.*** Bird-men are similar to the size of humans, but often more slender. Your size is Medium.

***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

***Wings.*** As a bonus action, you can cause wings to grow out of your back, giving you a flying speed of 60 feet. If you don't fly for a minute, they shrink back into you.

***Languages.*** You can speak, read, and write Common and Auran.

***Out of your element.*** If you go 24 hours without flying in a large open space, preferably the sky, you gain a level of exhaustion, which can't be removed until you do so again. You can only gain one level of exhaustion with this feature.

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<span>

######  I've never  really <br> understood these bird-people. But a bit of breezeleaf is the best thing I've smoked since Ghini.

</span>
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# Seafolk

S <br> *a long time. Her hair was pure black, she had the face of an angel, and, whether you believe me or not, the tail of a fish in the place of her legs. She just washed up on the beach one day, half-conscious, and asked if I had any apples. Like they weren't gonna be there tomorrow! I got her a basket of apples, and she grabbed one and dove back into the sea.*

<span>
HE WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING I'D SEEN IN
</span>
</div>

Seafolk, or Hár ana Múr, are another of the four elemental races. Native to the Material Plane of Water, Seafolk prefer the ocean, or other large bodies of water, to land.

### Life Underwater

Seafolk live in underwater caves and sunken ships, preferably in the ocean, but any body of water will do.

### Seafolk Traits

Your seafolk character has the following traits.

***Ability Score Increase.*** Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.

***Age.*** Seafolk mature slightly faster than humans, considered an adult at 16, but live to around 250 years.

***Alignment.*** Seafolk are usually chaotic, but neutral or lawful isn't too uncommon. They aren't inherently good, but aren't drawn to evil, either.

***Size.*** Seafolk are similar to the size of humans, but often more slender. Your size is Medium.

***Speed.*** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

***Fish Tail.*** As a bonus action, you can cause your legs to transform into a fish tail, giving you a swimming speed of 60 feet. If you leave the water, they grow back into legs.

***Languages.*** You can speak, read, and write Common and Auran.

***Out of your element.*** If you go 24 hours without swimming, you gain a level of exhaustion, which can't be removed until you do so again. You can only gain one level of exhaustion with this feature.

\columnbreak

> ##### Out of your Element Variant
>
> If you play in a roleplay-heavy group, you can use this variant option for your  Out of your Element feature.
>
> ***Out of your Element.*** If you go 24 hours without flying/swimming/being underground, you gain a flaw from the appropriate madness table below, which can't be removed until you do so again.
> | d4  | Flaw (Bird-Men) |
> |:-:|:-|
> |  1  | "Why did I use to like these people? They brought me here!" |
> |  2  | "There's no point in living any longer. I'll never see the sky again." |
> |  3  | "I'll try to fly anywhere I can spread my wings, and I won't do anything else." |
> |  4  | I actually like it away from the sky. I'm never going outside again. |
>
>| d4  | Flaw (Seafolk) |
> |:-:|:-|
> |  1  | "Why did I use to like these people? They brought out of the water!" |
> |  2  | "There's no point in living any longer. I'll never see the ocean again." |
> |  3  | "I'll try to swim in anything I can swim in, and I won't do anything else." |
> |  4  | I actually like it away from the ocean. I'm never touching water again (except to drink, of course). |
>
>| d4  | Flaw (Burrowers) |
> |:-:|:-|
> |  1  | "Why did I use to like these people? They brought me here!" |
> |  2  | "There's no point in living any longer. I'll never be underground again." |
> |  3  | "I'll try to burrow in any material, and I won't do anything else." |
> |  4  | I actually like it on the surface. I'm never going underground again. |
>
> If you choose this option for your character, make sure you roleplay the madness well. 
>
> A *calm emotions* spell will remove this madness for an hour. A *greater restoration* spell will remove it for 24 hours.

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# Burrower

\pagebreak

# Inferno

I <br> *tavern. I didn't trust him from the start, with those burnin' eyes, but I had no idea what he could do. He was in an argument with a dwarf, and it seemed like it was leadin' to a fight. I was watching from behind the counter, making sure it didn't go too far, and he seemed to be glowing with anger. Really glowin', like a fire. I started walking over to settle it, and all I remember after that is wakin' up on the ground with half of my tavern on fire. And he didn't even pay for his ale.*

<span>
'LL NEVER LET ANOTHER ONE OF THEM INTO MY
</span>
</div>

Infernos, or Beln Dara/Bel tin Dara are the elemental race native to the Elemental Plane of Fire. They are the most unique of the four races, because fire is less of a physical thing and more of a force, of life, death, and rebirth. Most people don't trust them, for they are known for causing destruction.

\pagebreakNum

# Humans

___

The humans were the first race to inhabit the world (or were they?), and they are spread all across the globe. Most of the world's "official" kingdoms are mainly human, but Dwarves and Elves live in forests and mountains that the humans have not yet settled, with their own seperate nations, even if they are technically within a human kingdom.

Humans are present in almost all of the world, so the race is avaliable for pretty much every game. However, humans may have very different cultures in some parts of the world.

### Human Names

##### Amnara

___
- **Male Names:** 
- **Female Names:**
- **Surnames:**

##### Belmare and Albar

___
- **Male Names:** Alexander, Callen, Charles, Christopher, Darien, Francis, Halmar, Henry, William
- **Female Names:** Elina, Elizabeth, Kila
- **Surnames:**

# Elves

___

The elves of Aerond live in the forests, jungles, mountains, and oceans, far from the civilized world. They have no regard for human kingdoms, claiming land that is officially human-owned for their kingdoms.

### High Elves

The High Elves, or Seleor Aerin, live in cities built into mountains,

### Wood Elves

The Wood Elves, or Teanor Aerin,

#### Jungle Elves

The Jungle Elves are much like wood elves, but are often more chaotic (somehow), less civilized (but not too much), and, of course, they live in the jungle. They are called Teargim Aerin in Elvish.

### Dark Elves

The Dark Elves, or Gúrth Aerin, a

### Sea Elves

#### Island Elves

# Dwarves

___

\pagebreakNum

# Halflings and Gnomes

I <br> *folk. My town in right on the border of New Annam, so those gnomes and halflings come through here often. They're similar in some ways, with their love of everything they do, but they are also very different. Gnomes are always working on something, this whatsamajigger and that doodad, and halflings are simple folk, taking care of their gardens and their houses. The advantage is great food from County Annam, and useful, if strange, things from County Savior.*

<span>
'D SAY IT'S QUITE NICE, LIVING NEAR THE LITTLE
</span>
</div>

The halflings and gnomes came from the island of Annam in the Hardic Sea. Many of them live in Amnara, especially in the Shortstack Islands, named by the men who discovered the 3-4 foot tall men, who they called "shortstacks".

There is also a large halfling and gnome population in New Annam, a part of Belmare settled when the ship *Savior* landed there. Most of the halflings live in County Annam, and most of the gnomes live in County Savior, but it is generally seen as shared between them.

Also, small villages of the little folk exist throughout Aerond, often somewhat hidden away from the rest of the world.

### Halfling Villages

Most halflings live in small villages in the countryside, with a busy town center and a mile or two of farms around it. They live in all kinds of homes, as long as they are cozy. Many are built into the sides of hills. Some are even built completely underground, with a trapdoor to enter. Some are built in the branches of sturdy trees. Halflings have lived in tall towers. Their homes have been built in the middle of rivers, with wooden poles holding them up, or behind waterfalls, or with hidden entrances inside of caves. And a few have even been seen in houses built on flat ground, with straight walls and a slanted roof!

Their town centers consist of many market stands, as well as sheds to store goods. Unlike most people, halflings count weeks, and the town center is full of people every weekday. Even when the market is closed, most main roads lead through the town center, so it's still busy, if not bustling.

### Gnomish Communities

Gnomes live in small villages or towns, often concealed with either technology, illusions, or a combination of the two. They are often underground, but still in large caverns with open entrances, so they still get sunlight.

### The Shortstack Islands

The main inhabitants of the Shortstack Islands are the "shortstacks", but there is also a well-sized human population, especially on ______. There are also a few of the other races from the Hardic Sea, mainly the Giant-men (sometimes called One-and-a-Halflings), although there aren't very many of any of them.

### New Annam

Although it's technically a part of Belmare, most people think of New Annam as a seperate nation. For reasons that nobody really remembers, it is split into the halfling-majority County Annam and gnome-filled County Savior, but they consider it to be shared between them.

### Halfling and Gnomish Names

Halflings use some names taken from Belmare, some from things such as flowers or animals, and some from their language. Their surnames are usally a combination of two words, such as Blastracket or Underbrook, sometimes in the Halfling tongue, such as Finnagund (Waterhole) or Belador (Burrrowfoot). They occasionally use one-word names, such as Rumble or Tennem (Wise), or made-up names or names with no known origin or meaning, such as Bundy or Poppen.

___
Gnomes are often given one or two Halfling names at birth, and throughout their live they gain many more nicknames (the record for most names was 144, reached by a gnome who was known to non-gnomes as Nettin "Tall Ned" Bumbalow). All of them have some sort of meaning or story behind them, which other gnomes seem to understand without explanation. Their surnames are passed down through the family, and were originally created to be fun to pronounce.

\pagebreakNum

##### Halfling Names

___
- **Male Names:** Badger, Berry, Bill, Charlie, Dundo, Ford, Guntram, Harry, Jerry, Meldo, Minty, Ross, Sam, Tim (Timothy), Tom, Will (William)
- **Female Names:** Anna, (Annabelle) Barbara, Cherry, Daisy, Emma, Eorym, Jane, Katherine, Lavender, Mary, May, Melna, Rose (Rosamund), Sarah, Scarlet
- **Surnames:** Belador, Blastracket, Bundy, Fillbottle, Finnagund, High-hill, Poppen, Rumble, Runsupper, Tennem, Underbrook

##### Gnome Names

___
- **Nicknames:** Ape, Chuck, Daffy, Fundie, Grey, Hen-held, Inja, Keelin, Lard, Muffin, Nellie, Opal, Puff, Redrum, Sellshark, Tiddle, Veel, Waterwheel, Yeller, Zoo
- **Surnames:** Anders, Bonnien, Derry, Fargo, Huffler, Lintrenner, Marr, Putterin, Shellin, Tepplin, Tippentop

\pagebreakNum

Chapter Three: Kingdoms

</div>

There are many kingdoms in Aerond: Belmare, Albar, Egea, Scaere, Baramor, and Amnara, as well as Calamar and Je'akka in Ke-Arpi. Ranging from dictatorships to magiocracies, and deserts to jungles, the eight realms are more than enough for a lifetime of roleplaying, and they are only a fraction of the world.

This part of the book gives you a detailed description of each kingdom, its history and government, important people and locations, cities and towns, and everything else you need to know.

\pagebreakNum

# Amnara

Amnara encompasses the Stone Islands and most of the smaller islands in that region. It is the only human kingdom to still speak Old Common, although many other languages are used as well. The kingdom mostly stays out of the affairs of other nations, and seems to be heading towards leaving the Sovereign Order.

The island's king lives on Inishaln, and his three eldest sons, the princes, are each in charge of one of the three territories: King's Territory, Labyrinth Territory, and Southern Territory. When a new king is crowned, his sons replace the old princes when they turn 18, or if the previous prince dies before then. If the king doesn't have three sons, the king chooses a duke (or dukes) to take the spot of the prince(s) temporarily.

The current king is Alaba Torann, and the princes are Alaba Torann II and Abares Torran. The duke is Edaran Kate.

## The Islands of Amnara

There are many islands that make up the kingdom of Amnara, including the Stone Islands, the Naja Marave Islands, and the Forgotten Isles. This section is split into territories.

### King's Territory

**Prince Alaba Torann II**

King's Territory includes the Stone Islands (Inisherrin, Inishruun, and Inishaln), Írmjürkal (Ír Múrcal - Northern Reaches), and

#### Inisherrin

The first and largest of the Stone Islands is Inisea Érin (inish eerin), often called Inisherrin by non-natives.

\columnbreak

#### Inishruun

The second-biggest island is Inisea Arún (inish aroon, a as in ban**a**na), called Inishruun by many non-natives.

#### Inishaln

The smallest of the Stone Islands is Inisea Álná (inish allna), the tiny island where the king resides. It is called Inishaln by non-natives.

#### Irmjürkal

Far to the north of the Stone Islands, Irmjürkal is a cold, snowy island, a  bigger than Inisherrin.

### Labyrinth Territory

**Prince Abares Torann**

To the east of King's Territory, Labyrinth Territory includes the Naja Marave islands (Nadhál Múrébha - Labyrinth Currents), the Aran Archipelago (Arún - Small), and the Shortstack Islands of the halflings and gnomes.

#### The Naja Marave Islands

### Southern Territory

**Duke Albaran Kate**

### Other Islands

#### The Forgotten Isles

Isla Nabliar (Isále ann Nábh Lár - Isle of Forgotten Beasts) and Isla Sarnov (Isále ann Sár Nábh - Isle of the Lost Forge) make up the Forgotten Islands, home of creatures otherwise heard of only in ancient tales and myths. The only humanoid

\pagebreakNum

# Belmare

Belmare is a large kingdom in central Aerond. Its borders are the Ash Mountains to the East and the Marne and Sarrian rivers to the West. The capital city is Havast, located in County Shald at the tip of the Belmian Peninsula. Havast is an important city for other reasons, however, being the heart of technology and trade in the region.

### The Political System of Belmare

The Kingdom of Belmare is ruled by one High King, who lives in Havast. The counties are all ruled by Lords, who live in the respective capitals and make up the King's Board of Advisors. They have little true power, since they can only do anything if every member of the board agrees, but they help the King with any decisions he has to make.

The title of King is passed down to a son of the King chosen by the Board of Advisors. If the king has no sons, one of his brothers is chosen by the Board. If he has no brothers, his eldest daughter is in power until she can find a suitable husband. If the king has no children, then the highest-ranking member of the Board becomes King.

The current King is Alexander Baeren and the queen is Elia Reann-Baeren.

## Counties

#### Shald

**King Alexander Baeren**

County Shald is the only county without a member of the King's Board of Advisors, because the King lives there. The county is on the tip of the Belmian Peninsula, and its border is marked by the Shald River and King's River.

#### Annam

**Lord Rossen Finnagund**

County Annam is the Halfling side of New Annam, the part of Belmare inhabited by the halflings and gnomes that came from Annam on the ship *Savior*.

#### Savior

**Lady Nyli Gooden Timbers**

County Savior is named for the ship that brought the gnomes and halflings to Belmare. It is also part of New Annam, but is inhabited by more gnomes than halflings.

#### Marne

**Lord Halar Daynam**

County Marne is one of the three counties on the Western border of Belmare, bordered by the Marne River in the west and the

#### Sarran

**Lady Talya Mein**

County Sarran is

#### Gulf

**Lord Garian Is'lakar**

County Gulf is bordered in the West by the Gulf of Albar

\pagebreakNum

## Towns and Cities

### Havast

Havast is definitely the biggest city in Belmare, and one of the biggest in Aerond.

Havast is split into three sections. The first is Lower Havast, which is where all of the commoners, urchins, and many visitors live. Secondly, Upper Havast is literally "Upper Havast", being built twenty feet higher than the lower level. It is the home of the upper class and nobles, including the King. Lastly, there is the port, which can be accessed from either level. The port is where ships arrive and depart, and it also contains many inns and taverns where the people arriving often sleep.

The city is surrounded by a stone wall about ten feet high, with a large gate directly opposite the side touching the water. If you go through the gate, you would see a busy street going through the middle of the city. The street goes through a tunnel below the upper level of the city and directly to the port.

I'll tell you about the lower level first. As you may have guessed, the main street goes through Lower Havast. Lower Havast is the sort of place where you would never see a noble unless he was collecting taxes (which they only do once a year because it's so much trouble) or arresting someone (which the guards would take care of unless the king wanted to make a big deal about it).

In Lower Havast it's easy to get a drink when you need one. To get a *good* one will be a bit more of a walk, but still, good taverns are a common thing there. I would recommend asking a few people. They tend to know their way around the city.

The wall around the lower level is not kept up very well, so it's easy to sneak into the city without the guards noticing. In one part, a section of the wall about twenty feet long is completely collapsed.

Now to Upper Havast. The upper level of the city looks much better than the lower. Perhaps it's the lack of people sleeping in alleys and in doorways, or perhaps it's the wall. Even though it's only about five feet tall, the wall is in much better quality than that of Lower Havast, as I believe most walls are. It's also just fancier than the lower section of the city, with gigantic fountains, beautiful trees everywhere, and, of course, a castle, right in the middle. The castle, although it's not that wide, is four stories tall, and it has pretty tall stories, too. You can see it from miles away, as I know from often traveling to and from Havast on my many adventures.

The third part of the city is the port, which is my favorite section, and probably will be yours, too, because it's not a mess, and it's not filled with annoying rich people (although there are some).

As you leave the tunnel, the first things you'll see are probably the ships. There's always at least least a dozen ships in the Havast port, usually more. Once I even saw a Dwarven warship stopping for rest and ale. The port also has a few buildings of its own, mostly taverns and inns, but there are some shops who's owners chose the port because they though people getting off of or onto the ships might want to get something before they leave, or when they arrive.

\columnbreak

\pagebreakNum

## Important Places

### The Ash Mountains

The Ash Mountains in southeastern Belmare are named for their grey color. There are many trails through the mountains, since they block both the Belmian Peninsula and the lands to the east, although none of the trails are completely safe.

#### The High Mountain Trail

The High Mountain Trail is the safest and most used trail through the ash mountains. It goes from the village of Hamtil on the Western side to the Great Arch on the East. The biggest danger of the trail is not the trip through the mountains, but the short time that the High Trail goes through the Gallay Forest, a known home of giant spiders.

The trail starts at the crossroads at Hamtil, where the High Trail and the Eastern Trade Route meet it. Later, the Ashen Way curves off to the North.

On the other end is the Great Arch, a massive Dwarven tunnel built through a mountain formation completely blocking the last stretch of the trail, sometimes called the Earthen Wall. Originally, travelers passed through a long cave system, although the collapse of the cave caused by the Earthquake of 564 closed the trail for many years.

You must pay a fee to go through the Great Arch, which, although the prices sometimes change, is usually around 1 gold for travelers on foot and 2 gold for wagons.

#### The Ashen Way

The Ashen Way is the second most used of the Ash Mountains trails, splitting off from the High Mountain Trail in the Gallay Forest. It is somewhat dangerous, because it passes through a few small caves and near many cliffs. Occasional rockslides block the path, and a few collapsed caves have led to many undesirable detours, the most notable of which being a stretch of road no more than 10 feet across, with steep cliffs on each side. Fortunately, fences were built on each side many years ago.

Since tax money isn't used to improve the quality of the road, there is no toll. However, many people hire guards to protect them from the dangers of the mountains, which can sometimes cost more.

### The

\pagebreakNum

# Je'akka

Je'akka (jay-hakkah) is more of a region than a kingdom, containing four distinct city-states: Ghini, Talis, Korai, and Nyala. In the North there are two Albarian colonies, Barrim and Marn. The rest of the region is a mostly lawless jungle land, with the Firestorm Peaks, a mountain range containing three great volcanoes, at its center.

The jungle is famed for its exotic peoples and rare creatures, as well as the ancient ruins. The remains of some of the first human cities are buried in the jungle.

## Ghini

## Dunru

## Garama

## Nyala

\pagebreakNum

Chapter Four: The Multiverse

</div>

The Material and Elemental Planes aren't the only parts of the multiverse. The Feywild and Shadowfell, as well as the Ethereal Plane, are a few more, and are still only part of the Inner Planes. There are 12 Outer Planes, the Inner World, and the Border Realm, and these are only parts of *this* multiverse. Many other multiverses can be reached from Mount Otherworld.

## The Outer Planes

##### The Outer Planes

### The Godlands

The godlands are the home of everything good, and the enemy of anything evil. Being build in the clouds, the great city of the gods is a beautiful destination for anyone of a good alignment.

### The Silver Peaks

The Silver Peaks are two mountains that rise out of the Shining Sea, where spectral ships arrive and depart daily. The plane is made up of seven layers, each of which is built onto a great sheet of silver stretching between the two mountains. Only the purest souls can make it to the seventh level, but those who have say it is truly worth it.

### The Great City

The Great City is a planet-spanning city neatly organized into pleasing geometric shapes. Almost everything is sold in this city, and you can find what you want, with enough searching. The Half-Pint Inn, which is often called the best tavern in the multiverse, also exists in this plane.

### The Labyrinth

The Labyrinth is a great maze of bronze and steel. It changes itself according to a complex pattern, which has still not been decoded, making it even more confusing.

There are many "civilized" areas of the plane, where the maze gives way to great fields of bronze, with perfectly planned cities made of many types of metal. There is also the exact opposite: the "wilderness" of this plane is home to many clockwork beasts - and the occasional minotaur.

### The Prison Plane

Carceri ripoff.

### Hell

Two sides - one cold, one hot. Gets worse the farther in you go into either.

### The Dark Lands

Pure evil.

### The Abyss

The Abyss.

### The Stormfront

Storms and wilderness.

### Blackwater

Different civilizations around a constantly changing sea of black and gray water.

### The Wildlands

Wilderness

### The Ringworlds

Three ring-worlds: the city, wild, and sea.

## The Inner World

### The Clockwork Kingdom

### The Underworld

### Limbo

### The Overworld

\pagebreakNum

# Appendix A: Gods of Durheas

## The Nine Gods

</div>

Cleric domains:  **Arcana**, **Death**, **Forge**, **Grave**, **Knowledge**, **Life**, **Light**, **Nature**, **Tempest**, **Trickery**, and **War**.
___
UA cleric domains: **Ambition**, **City**, **Protection**, **Strength**, and **Solidarity**.

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# Appendix B: Easter Eggs

If you didn't know already, there are a few easter eggs hidden around the book. They could be anywhere: in the pages, the text, or  even here! If you find all 10? of them, good job. I can't give a prize, because you can't really prove it, but good job.

A list of all easter eggs is below.

The first one is simple. Did you notice that Aerond and AeronDrake sound similar? AeronDrake is the Redditor I learned most of my GMBindering from. It's not really a tribute to Draco, but I couldn't come up with a better name, and it's a bit too late to change it now.
2. In the Contents page, the On the Cover section mentions the Bala ten Kate. The cover picture was painted by Louwrens Hanedoes and Herman Frederik Carel. The full name of Herman Frederik Carel is Herman Frederik Carel ten Kate.
3. *Spoiler for Cult of the Nine Eyes:* Also on the contents page, the Disclaimer mentions that gemstones have been known to *defeat a god-hating cult and/or rain down heavenly fire on all who oppose the Lord of Light and Darkness*. This is a reference to The Cult of the Nine Eyes, where Toven, also called the Lord of Light and Darkness, created a gem that could destroy the evil cult, who actually did oppose him.
4. On page 7, there is a comment from Glynfir Moonshadow on the Blood Order, who wants to destroy the "lesser" races, saying "Like the Germans?". In Stranger Things, Steve says the same thing while talking about the Mind Flayer, mistaking the Germans for the Nazis. Also, the Blood Order was the name of one of the most prestigious decorations of the Nazi party.
5. The painting on page 17 is actually a photograph that has been edited to look like a painting. Because of legal reasons, I have to give you the edited image. [Here](https://www.gmbinder.com/images/OhEnPS8.jpg). This is available under the Creative Commons [Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en) license.
*/

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Your new favorite

campaign setting

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 Why is the Gallay Forest so dangerous? Why did everyone start killing each other for a hundred years or so? How many times has this continent been ruined again? What are you doing in my swamp? All of these and many more are questions that are answered within these pages.
 
 The DM's Guide to Aerond gives you more knowledge than you've ever had on your new favorite campaign setting, including new monsters, items, races, maps, and detailed guides to every part of the continent, as well as plot hooks and adventure ideas for dozens of locations.
 
 Ar léc, ala Cágha gál am sínádá amn áan-bále.
 
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 If you want to run a game in Aerond, *the Cult of the Nine Eyes* is the perfect adventure for you.
 
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 [WWW.GMBINDER.COM](https://www.gmbinder.com)
 
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