FJOUL:
This is a rectangular continent in the northern temperate zone, set on a north/south axis. Its northern half has been claimed by the enroaching ice, which has been stopped by the Wall, a great blocky ridge of rock running east and west clear across the continents middle. South of the Wall are the nearly barren and continually windswept Howling Plains; south of them the terrain becomes more rugged, culminating in the much tunneled Iron Mountains which dominate the strand linking Fjoul with Bext.
Sapient life on Fjoul includes the tirrextian humans of the continents eastern coast, and the gibberlings and gnomes of the south. Other creatures found here are leucrotta (who stand at the top of the food chain on the Howling Plains), along with various herd animals such as horses, buffalo, and sheep. Plant life throughout much of the continent is limited to a few species of tough grass and a few patches of brush; trees are found only in isolated groves here and there.
TIRREXT:
This dour land of fatalistic religious fanatics dominates much of eastern Fjoul, extending from the Wall in the north to the foothills of the Iron Mountains in the south, though at no point does it extend more than a few hundred miles inland.
Of old, Tirrext was ruled by an apocalyptic cult which viewed tirrextia as a realm and people chosen by the gods, who would bodily transport the tirrextians into paradise as the rest of the world was destroyed by the armies of darkness. As the Final War began, the Tirrextian clergy, convinced that this was indeed the prophesied `end-times', opened portals to the Abyss, conjured hordes of Tanar'ri, and sent them out to destroy the surrounding nations of `infidels', all the while convinced that their gods would intervene and save their chosen people. Instead, they were slaughtered along with most of the rest of the planets inhabitants. But not all of them. As their fellow citizens fell in droves and the promised ascent into paradise failed to happen, some tirrextians, fearing for their lives, sought refuge in well warded sanctuaries such as the `Grand Cathedral' and `Hill of the Three'.
These survivors - no more than a thousand or so - emerged from their warded sanctuaries to find a world in ruin and a nation slaughtered. Being who and what they were, they took refuge in their religion, which in light of the catastrophe, adopted a new doctrine: the tirrextians ascent to paradise had failed - because they (the survivors) had cowered behind wards and spells instead of standing by the rest of their people. The gods expected total commitment, not some doing this and others doing that. Their failure had ruined everything. Clearly, penance was called for. Penace that would last generations.
In the centuries that followed, this doctrine of perpetual atonement and penace have become central facets of tirrextian life. There are restrictions on what one may wear - bright colored or otherwise `frivolous' clothing is sinfull, as is food that is spicy or sweet. Common injuries and ailments are to be endured: they are sent by the gods as punishment for individuals failing to hold up this or that ritualistic legalism (nobody can ever follow all of the laws).
Legalistic hairsplitting and tannar'ri influence has caused the tirrextian faith to splinter down through the centuries since the Final War. Twice, these factions have clashed in religious civil wars; one of which saw a third of the populace slain and a second which resulted in many fleeing southwards to Bext, where they founded a state in exile. Later, Tirrext (under tannar'ri infuence) launched an invasion of Bext to reclaim its wayward citizens, only to unite almost the whole of that continent against them.
About thirty years ago, Tirrext was subject to an unwelcome influx of newcomers - the Invaders, who made themselves a major factor in tirrextian society after staging a nearly bloodless coup. While some tirrextians were outraged, many, if not most accepted the Invaders takeover as simply one more calamity inflicted upon them by the gods. For their part, the Invaders confined themselves to basic administration and policing, rather than attempt to restructure tirrextian society and embroil themselves in a pointless religious civil war that would divert time and resources away from their all important project of scouring Golgotha's ruins for secrets and magical trinkets. However, this relentless pursuit of the past may bring about the Invaders downfall - certain of the tanar'ri of the `lost' city of Retix recently decided they'd had enough of the Invaders poking and prying about, and launched a campaign of their own against the Invaders.
Physically, tirrextians are humans, a bit taller than normal (some are nearly seven foot tall), but with almost skeletal frames. Their skin is a sort of dusky tan; their hair is usually black or dark brown, though there are a few blonds and redheads. Blond haired tirrextians are regarded by their fellows as decadent or potentially decadent; while redheads are seen as potential troublemakers. Public emotion is frowned upon as sinfull or potentially sinfull. Clothing is simple in the extreme, wooden soled leather boots, wool pants and shirts with a long cloak for warmth. Most tirrextians are farmers or fishermen, living in austere longhouses in small coastal or riverside villages.
In game terms, many tirrextians have fewer than normal hit points, this owing to the tirrextian habits of fasting (leading to malnutrition) and refusing treatment for injuries (which are often seen as punishment sent by the gods for the persons violation of some religious edict or other).
Tirrextians speak, read, and write a language distinct from the other peoples of this planet. Their names tend to emphasize various religious values: such names as Penace, Vigil, Will, and Truth are common among males, while Faith, Hope, Charity, and Purity are typical among females. Surnames are not used (that indicates pride of family, a `sin' in tirrextian eyes). While it was once a common practice among the tirrextians to use the names of past religious heroes, this is no longer done (except for a few priests) - modern tirrextians, it is deemed, are not sufficiently worthy for such names.
Failure to conform to any part of the legalistic code of Tirrext is a `sin', an affront to the gods, and must be attoned for through some form of penace - fasting, menial servitude, ect. There are numerous religious holidays on the tirrextian calander, but few of these holidays are pleasant occasions; most involve prolonged public confessions, hour upon hour of singing repetitious chants, and more hours spent listening to degratory sermons.
Cities of Tirrext:
Retix:
At one time, this was a major city of Tirrext, second in importance only to the capitol. Being north of the Wall, Retix was engulfed by the ice centuries ago - but it hasn't been crushed flat as happened to other cities so swallowed. Instead, the ice forms a great inverted cup, surrounding Retix on all sides. This is no accident, but was a deliberate act undertaken by Retix's current inhabitants to preserve their base of operations and link home - these days Retix is a tanar'ri stronghold, home to several thousand fiends, plus human and drow servitors. At the cities center is a hundred foot wide pit whose bottom emits an evil orange glow: the portal to the Abyss. Surrounding it is a ring of twisted palaces, each home to a powerfull true tanar'ri, each representing the interests of a different lord or lady of the Abyss. The rest of the city is a sort of `no-mans-land', now dominated by this abyssal faction, now by that. Intrigue, feuds, treachery, coups, and the like are common.
Iterix:
This half ruined metropolis on Fjouls eastern coast, once a minor Tirrextian seaport, has been taken over by the Invaders as their base of operations for `investigating' (looting) Fjoul, who see Iterix as almost the only `civilized' location on the continent. However, several of the local mercenaries recruited by the Invaders are actually cambions or shapechanged tanar'ri, and several succubi and alu-fiends are wielding considerable influence as the mistresses of prominent Invader subcommanders.
Ijaxit:
This rather boring town of fishermen is dominated by a huge stone post, topped by a glowing multicolored crystal. The tanar'ri avoid the town, disliking the energies emitted by the crystal.
HOWLING PLAINS:
A realm of wind and dust and scattered grass, roamed by near skeletal herd animals preyed upon by gibberlings and a dwindling handfull of monstrosities spawned by the Final War and its aftermath - that is the sum and substance of the Howling Plains. There are relatively few ruined cities here; prior to the Final War, the plains inhabitants appear to have been quasi nomadic ranchers. The plains seem to be growing colder and less hospitable by the decade; more and more of the bands of gibberlings infesting the hills along its southern borders are migrating southwards.
Quol:
One of the few ruined cities of any size on the plain, this sprawling metropolis - reached by a crumbling stone paved road striking due north from Groenpak - is of religious signifigance to the tirrextians and also seems to be a gathering point for gibberlings. In recent decades, one of the companies of the Green Legion has established a base of operations here.
GROENPAK:
This gnomish realm dominates the southwestern corner of Fjoul, just north of the ismuth linking this continent with Bext. It is a realm of hills and brush and tiny groves of trees, with mountainous terrain in the south.
To well traveled outside observers, the gnomes of Groenpak appear to have much in common with the tinker gnomes of Kyrnnspace: they have lifequests, a definite mechanistic inclination (having progressed as far as steam engines, gliders, and rudimentary electrical devices), and like Krynn's gnomes, Groenpaks gnomes have an appalling lack of common sense. Even their chief diety bears a striking resemblance to Krynns Reorx. Indeed, so many are the parallels that many conclude Groenpak must have been founded by early tinker gnome explorers. However, such explorers must have left Krynnspace early indeed; Groenpaks recorded history extends back over two millenia prior to the Final War.
Groenpak is divided into a hundred plus clans, each dedicated to (and named after) a specific function: the Carter clan, the Delver Clan, the Farmer clan, and so on; the whole of which is sort of `cross indexed' with a tinker gnome committee/guild structure. The result, predictably, is a mess.
Most of Groenpaks gnomes have little talent for or interest in magic; traditionally there are only three smallish clans of mages. Gnomes belonging to these clans are effectively unlimited in how far they can advance as mages; Gnomes belonging to other clans seem unable to progress past 4th level.
The clergy of Groenpak are also hereditary; while all gnomes belonging to clerical clans are considered priests, not all of them are spellcasters (true spellcasting gnome priests are rare). Occasionally, some particularly devout gnome from another clan will be `adopted' into a priestly clan; but while these gnomes can become spellcasting priests, they are relegated to the lower ranks of the clergy, and in any event never advance past 4th level as spellcasters.
Groenpak (The Last Mountain):
This extinct volcano is the northernmost of the Iron Mountains. It stands apart from the rest of the range, rising like a solitary giant amongst dwarves from a clutch of low foothills. Besides some five thousand gnomes, the much tunneled interior of the Last Mountain is home to a thousand or so dwarves, humans, mongrelmen, and renegade drow. The Invaders are aware of Groenpak, and even have a few people here, but seem deeply uncertain what to do with the place; as a result they pretty much leave it alone.
A railway links Groenpak with a spelljamming base and minor seaport some dozen odd miles to the northwest and with the Pipe some eighty plus miles to the south. A excellent stone paved road runs due south from Groenpak, connecting it with the Pipe and continuing on into Bext, where it intersects the Wild Road.
Flyandfloat:
Consisting of a few wharves and large barn like structures along the shore of an isolated lake next to the coast, Flyandfloat is among the few `free' spelljammer ports on the planet. Gnomish spelljammers arrive or depart from here every few months, but there is little in the way of accomodations or services.
The Pipe:
This is a forty mile long cavern beneath the ismuth linking Fjoul and Bext, half flooded with water and navigable to medium sized sailing vessels.
