The Vanae

Vanae are humans, or at least a subrace of humans. They are found predominantly in the Sorquos region and before the arrival of the Irryllian settlers there was the Vanae Empire, with various grand cities across the land. The largest and most important of these are marked on the campaign map in purple. The vanae were decadent and often amoral, keeping their bad behaviour in check just enough to allow their society to function. 

The Vanae culture had suffered several vicious civil wars prior to the Irryllian colonists. It seems that their arrival caused the final spasms that spelt the end of the Vanae Empire as a political entity. The surface cities were abandoned. However, the Vanae themselves have not gone extinct - although their numbers have declined since the rise of the city-states, there are still two main subcultures - the subterranean Vanae who now live underneath the ruined cities and the feral Vanae who have reverted to a tribal existence in the hills and forests. Neither subculture have friendly relations with the Irryllians or their city-states. The feral Vanae resort to banditry, little better than orcs and goblins. The subterranean Vanae fortify their dungeons and scheme and plot the downfall of those they consider responsible for the collapse of their mighty empire - the four city-states. Interestingly the feral Vanae and subterranean Vanae do not have much trust or love for each other either - Irryllian scholars believe that this may date back to schisms within the Vanae Empire before the Irryllians arrived, and the subterranean and feral Vanae are the descendents of those warring factions. 

At the height of their culture about 500 years ago the Vanae were very sophisticated and cultured, and also skilled wizards and sorcerers - they took great pride in their knowledge and power in arcane magic. Their deities were darker and less pleasant than the patron deities of Irryllia or even the barbarians of Estaar. Aristus was the chief deity and his corrupting influence infiltrated many aspects of Vanae life. Other deities include the brutal and bloody Croloxos and the restless and capricious Lorilia, Queen of the Oceans. This all meant that while Vanae culture was intelligent and structured, it was never benevolent, compassionate or forgiving. Many would say it had a distinct slant towards evil.  Their current descendents have perpetuated this attitude, especially those who have retreated underground. 

This can be seen in the company they keep - the feral Vanae often tame and control wild animals, including large predators such as brown bears and wolves that Irryllians consider too dangerous. The subterranean Vanae will have evil humanoids as slaves, mercenaries and labourers. Goblins and kobolds are particularly common as they respond better to discipline than the more chaotic orcs and gnolls. In addition the Vanae often dabble with summoning fiends from the Lower Planes, and also necromacy to create undead servants and soldiers. 

In physical appearance Vanae are humans, with pale skin and dark, usually black hair. They are slightly taller than average humans, typically over 5' 6" and often over 6'. Subterranean Vanae often dress in a manner similar to their illustrious ancestors with rich silks, leathers and fine-woven patterned cloth, while feral Vanae now tend to wear leather and wool. 

In terms of player characters, those of Vanae ancestry have +2 to Intelligence instead of the usual human choice of +2 to any one ability. Also instead of the initial bonus feat that human characters normally get, Vanae can instead have the ability to Read Magic at will. Both the ancient Vanae and the subterranean Vanae can read arcane sigils as easily and naturally as other characters can read common. The bonus skill ranks that humans get still apply. Vanae count as humans for purposes of creature type, are medium sized and move at human speeds. 

Famous Folk of Ironport #1: The City Council

Here are some of the VIPs and officials of Ironport who are involved with the City Council which efffectively runs Ironport. 

Lord Mayor Galvitus Harpethon 

Half-Elf male Fighter4/Aristocrat6 align LN
Str 12, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 16
Galvitus has been appointed Lord Mayor of Ironport by his superiors in the Irryllian Empire and he has dutifully obeyed. Although he dislikes the cold miserable climate, he does appreciate effectively being in charge of a whole city. He wants Ironport to be the best city-state in the region in all sorts of aspects - military, economic, cultural and aesthetic and he is open-minded about both threats and opportunities. He is quite dilligent about his administration and is at work most days. Most people are happy with his rule and in some ways he is quite popular, although others feel an Ironport native should have been appointed, rather than an  outsider shipped over from Irryllia.  
Appearance: Harpethon is a slim (120lb, 5'3"), handsome half-elf with short-cropped blond hair, fair skin and ears just pointed enough to indicate his heritage. He nearly always wears elegant town clothes befitting Irryllian nobility and the accoutrements of his office (chain and signet ring). He rarely openly carries weapons though he sometimes has a dagger down the inside of one of his boots if heading out into town. 

General Barristor 

Human male Fighter12, align LE
Str 16, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 13
General Barristor is gruff, stern and no-nonsense,and also something of a political hawk, always viewing situations from a military point of view. He is quick to view outside forces as threats to be countered, and also points out opportunities for using Ironport's army and navy to seize assets such as towns, natural resources and defensible locations. He is not particularly selfish or ambitious, but he can be ruthless both on the battlefield and in the council chambers when doing what he believes is best for Ironport. Barristor grew up in Ironport and progressed his way through the ranks of the city guard  to the top job of General, and he is quietly contemptuous of political appointees, including the current Lord Mayor. 
Appearance: Barristor is a burly man (5'11", 220lb, mostly muscle, only a little chubby) of 56 with a black trimmed beard and hair cut to army regulation length. He nearly always wears his plate armour with its Irryllian general's insignia as well as his broadsword which he seized as a trophy from a vanquished foe. 

Archbishop Sorrina Ormino 

Human female Cleric12, align LG
Str 8, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 14, Wis 18, Cha 15
Sorrina Ormino has been involved in the worship of Yussack since she was a young girl watching her father create pots out of raw clay and sell them to customers. She has always believed that trade and industry contribute more to society (particularly to Ironport) than sheer military force, and in this matter she often clashes with General Barristor who she sees as being quite brutal and aggressive. As the Archbishop of Yussack in Ironport, Sorrina voices two points of view in the city council - one is as a cleric of a major religion, bringing in some higher perspective on matters, and perhaps a bit of spiritual guidance. The other is as unofficial representative of the traders and craftsmen of the city who make up much of her congregation.  
Appearance: Ormino is a middle-aged matronly lady (5'3", 170lb, 50 years old) with black hair streaked with iron grey kept short in a bob and with piercing grey eyes behind wire spectacles (she is slightly short sighted). She walks with a slight limp and this is more obvious when she has to run.  She has a suit of chainmail and a warhammer in her office but she prefers cloth and silk vestments of a priestess of Yussack unless she is expecting trouble. She will often carry a staff that acts as a walking stick and a symbol of her office (it is adorned with Yussack's symbol). Some say the staff also has magical properties.

Chief Investigator Terrian Volno 

Elf male, Rogue4/Bard4/Wizard4, align LN
Str 9, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 15
As Chief Investigator, Terrian Volno has two major interests - crime in the city, and espionage. He has several dedicated teams of investigators working for him and he is always busy with possible threats and leads to be followed up. Terrian Volno is hard-working and takes his job very seriously, keeping the city safe both from foreign agents and local criminals.  He reports fully to Lord Mayor Harpethon and although he does also report to the city council (as well as sitting on it), he has been known to edit his reports to the council to omit certain sensitive matters - he does not entirely trust certain other council members. He is a results-oriented person, and he views magic, mundane stealth and careful talking to other people as all valid ways of finding out what he needs to know.  Some say he is overly suspicious and reserved, even a little paranoid, but he says that has kept him alive and doing his job. 
Appearance: Volno is a typical elf, thin and wiry (5'2", 110lb) with light brown hair and unusually for an elf a pencil moustache (some say he had a human grandparent). Although he dresses in smart town clothes, he usually wears leather armour underneath and also carries a rapier openly and several hidden daggers and a wand of sorts secreted down a boot. One of his pointed elfin ears has been badly mangled in a fight so he often has a hood up to hide this - perhaps out of vanity, or maybe so he is not so easily distinguished.   

Archmage Larrissia Silverstar 

Human female, Wizard17, align CG
Str 12, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 19, Wis 12, Cha 13
Larrissia Silverstar is the most powerful mage in the city that the council is aware of, and as such she has been invited on several occasions to sit at the council to offer advice on magical matters, although she is not a regular member. She is a mercurial free spirit, often doing things on a whim and dislikes the stern, strictly regulated atmosphere of city government. She has discouraged the council from making a mandatory register of spellcasters, but instead has built up an informal network of friends and colleagues who keep an eye on magical incidents in and around Ironport. She is friendly with Terrian Volno whom she shares an interest in magic, though she despises General Barristor. 
Appearance: Silverstar is a slim woman (5'5", 130lb) who, thanks to potions of longevity, is older than she looks (actually 56, appearing mid-30s). She has smooth straight auburn hair down to her shoulders and tends to dress in flowing dresses and robes that ladies of the court in Irryllia prefer. She often carries a staff enscribed with strange glowing runes - when someone tried to steal it, it gave them an electric shock. She also has other accessories that may be purely decorative or may have magical functions, such as a bejewelled platinum ring that some say holds a captive djinni. 

Judge Durni Grimhammer

Dwarf male, Cleric3/Paladin7, align LG
Str 13, Dex 11, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 17, Cha 15
Durni Grimhammer sits on the city council mainly because he is the chief judge, bringing his wisdom to bear on a wide range of cases, from murder trials to business disputes. He is also one of the senior figures of Mithros in the city and although Mithros does not have the same large congregation in the city as Yussack, it is good to have an alternative philosophical approach among the voices of the council. Despite having different patron deities, Grimhammer and Sorina Ormino agree on most matters and are quite friendly. Grimhammer is also the only dwarf on the city council and since Ironport has a substantial proportion of dwarves among its population, Grimhammer sometimes finds himself as an advocate of the dwarven residents. Despite the frequent animosity between elves and dwarves, Grimhammer gets on well with Terrian Volno, particularly on a professional level - both of them want to protect Ironport from crime and subversive influences: Grimhammer does so as the judge, Volno as a street-level investigator. Although he respects Barristor as a military officer, he is wary of Barristor's aggression and bullying attitude.  
Appearance: Durni Grimhammer is a typical dwarf, 4'2" tall, 160lb with tanned skin and reddish-brown hair and beard neatly combed and braided. He generally has a calm demeanour on his face and often is more approachable than most other dwarves. He nearly always wears mithril banded armour with a surcoat emblazoned with Mithros' symbol. He also carries a mace that is both symbolic and a viable weapon.