Rise of the Feydream
Jasir leapt from building to building along a street lined with great, spells cast elsewhere in Andorna. These are the spells that hold together the
twisting trees. His cloak blended in with the green and grey of his
surroundings, and he deftly flitted from shadow to shadow with a grace known
only to the fey. He held his crossbow comfortably in his hand, confident in his
skill. Bandol would not live to see tomorrow.
Jasir looked to his left down Kadrin Avenue, and saw a gathering of
people in the square. Staring across the street, he concentrated for a moment,
and disappeared, reappearing where he had been staring. He continued
stealthily down the street until he was a mere thirty feet from the gathering. A
man stood on a dais in front of the group, and he was speaking, his voice
strong, resonating with a sense of certainty and righteousness.
“How long will we permit these traitors to scheme in our midst? Our
grandfathers suffered at the hands of these very same people, and yet they
live among us, plotting our demise! We must act now, before they strike again.
Join me, my brothers, for the glory of great Rhizzia!”
Jasir, shrouded in shadow, pulled a bolt out of the pouch on his belt.
He placed the bolt in the crossbow and pulled the string back, hearing it click
as it locked into position. Suddenly, he heard the sound of another crossbow
being cocked behind him. He tried to spin around, but he was too late. The last
thing he heard was the dull thud of a crossbow bolt entering his skull.
The city of Rhizzia is a place of wealth, power, and knowledge. Ships
come and go at all hours, each ship bringing more wealth in, and taking more
goods out. Great towers rise into the sky, flags wave gallantly upon the walls,
and the streets teem with thousands going about their business.
Rhizzia’s greatness is in its location, for it lies between two worlds.
Long ago, great mages cast a spell to bring Rhizzia into the Feywild. Today,
Rhizzia exists on both planes simultaneously, its north gate connecting to the
Feywild, its south gate to the Natural World. The mages of the city draw on
the power of the Feywild to cast powerful spells, far more powerful than
mighty Rhizzian Greatships, the backbone of Rhizzian power.
A hundred years ago, however, everything changed. An eladrin lord,
Ghanaelis, decided that humans would not be suffered to rule anywhere in
the Realm of Faerie, and he assembled an alliance of fey to attack the city. On
a cold winter night, the army of the fey began its assault. Ghanaelis himself
rode through the city, slaughtering as he went, as a legion of deadly eladrin
soldiers wrought systematic destruction throughout Rhizzia. Fey creatures of
all sorts joined the battle, bringing death to the human trespassers. The many
eladrin inhabitants of the city turned on each other, some supporting
Ghanaelis, and others supporting the humans of Rhizzia in their desperate
defense.
After a month of vicious fighting, the people of the city drove out the
attackers, but much was lost. A third of the city had been ruined by powerful
arcane magic, and as much as half the population had been wiped out. The
eladrin who had once dwelt with the humans peacefully were now seen as
potential traitors, even those who had fought beside the humans in their time
of trouble. These same eladrin, however, were also seen as traitors by the
eladrin of the Feywild. Trapped in a city that hated them, the eladrin were
forced to move into ghettos, and suffered much persecution at the hands of
humans.
Today, an uneasy peace exists between the people of Rhizzia and the
surrounding eladrin lands. Rhizzia continues to produce tremendous amounts
of wealth as the world’s dominant trading power, but whole sections of the
city remain in ruins, still crackling with the power that was once unleashed
into the city by Ghanaelis and his warmages. Though the ghettos have been
largely abolished, tensions run high between the humans and the eladrin, and
though many humans treat the eladrin as equals, there are still many who see
the eladrin as treacherous scum.
 Key Information the most powerful of all the guilds and their money and influence is critical for
anyone hoping to win a senate seat. Additionally, the merchants often employ
Rhizzia is the largest city in Andorna, with a population of about
mercenaries to protect their mercantile interests throughout the world, using
120,000. The majority of these people work as guild craftsmen, making the
their money to secure their position as wealthy traders, and ensure that trade
trade goods that are shipped overseas to the world outside of Rhizzia. Many
will continue in ways that are conducive to their success.
of the goods produced rely on magical techniques for their creation, and many
There are also a number of clans within the city. These clans have no
laborers in Rhizzia know the magical techniques necessary to practice a
official power, but many of them exercise great power behind the scenes in
profitable trade. The majority of the population is human, but a large eladrin
the city. Two clans have dedicated themselves to the protection of eladrin
minority exists within the city, and many other races are represented in small
within the city, while a human clan has dedicated itself to ridding the city of all
numbers. The city is supported by the countryside surrounding it in the
things fey.
natural world, and farms for miles around provide the food that sustains the
massive city. Rhizzia exercises control over a number of villages and fortresses
Government Detail
near it on the Isle, and maintains a standing army that protects the city from
The Senate elects from its ranks a Supreme Councilor, who acts as
various threats, including threats from the Feywild and threats from the
the chief executive of Rhizzia. A new Supreme Councilor is elected every three
feudal kingdoms that control most of the Isle.
years. The current Supreme Councilor is Eldrich Gording, a former merchant.
The magic of the Feywild permeates the city, and people born within
His family still runs a powerful merchant company, and he is active in
Rhizzia often have small amounts of innate magical power. Trees and other
supporting the mercantile interests of Rhizzia, especially when his own family
plants grow all through the city, twisting around buildings and across streets,
is involved. The seven great guilds are the Merchants Guild, the Blacksmiths
sometimes helping hold buildings up. Some structures are obviously magical
Guild, the Clothworkers Guild, the Alchemists Guild, the Shipbuilders Guild,
in nature, bending and twisting in impossible ways. The city of Rhizzia is in
the Artisans Guild, and the Engravers Guild.
tune with the forces of nature and magic, much more so than any other
human city.
Clan Detail
Rhizzia is governed by a senate of 125 people. The senators are
These are the most important clans in Rhizzia, but are not the only
elected by the city as a whole, and not by particular districts within the city.
clans. Some of these clans have broad popular support, and operate openly
Senators are elected for life terms, and elections are only held when a senator
while others prefer operate through secrecy.
dies or retires. Also important within the city are the guilds. The guilds
represent the workers of specific trades within the city. There are many guilds,
Estwin Clan: The Estwin clan was founded in 1181 CA by Kasta Estwin. It was
but seven of them are especially important. Each of the seven great guilds
founded to protect the lowest workers of the city from oppression. The clan
seats a representative on the guild council, a powerful body that exerts great
continues that work to this day, helping the weak when it can, and working
influence on elections within the city. Whenever a senatorial election is held,
against the powerful when necessary. The current leader of the clan is Tonnal
it is up to the council to nominate the three candidates that are then chosen
Donoret, a human priest of Pelor who is known to be sympathetic to the
between by the voting public.
eladrin of the city.
The merchants are the wealthiest people within the city, and they
use their wealth to exercise control over the workings of Rhizzia. Their guild is
Ezarra Clan: The Ezarra Clan was founded by the Ezzara family in 603 CA. The
Ezarra family was, and still is today, a powerful noble family. The Ezarra family
holds much of the land surrounding the city. The Ezarra Clan believes that
Rhizzia is destined for greatness, and believes that the city should conquer all
that it can in order to bring civilization to a barbaric world. To this end, the
Ezarra family employs a significant mercenary army, and operates several
forts surrounding Rhizzia in both the Feywild and the Natural World. Many
times, the Ezarran army has saved the city from defeat, and for this the
Ezarran name is honored by many people of the city. The current leader of the
Ezarra clan is Duke Danis Ezarra, an austere and disciplined man who prefers
the military life to the civilian life.
Amastacia Clan: the Amastacia Clan was founded only eighty years ago, and
was the first clan formed to protect the eladrin of the city from human
persecution. The founder was an eladrin named Fereveth Amastacia, and he
believed that his duty was to protect the eladrin of the city at any cost. He
died fifteen years ago, and his son, Ossivath Amastacia, is the current leader
of the clan. Ossivath is always plotting to increase his own power within the
city, and is willing to use violence and fear tactics when necessary to get what
he wants.
Durinas Clan: The Durinas Clan is a splinter group of the Amastacia Clan that
broke off forty-three years ago. The leader of the Durinas Clan, Kelleren
Durinas was a close friend of Fereveth Amastacia, and helped Amastacia
found the clan. However, the two had a falling out, and Durinas formed his
own clan in 1482. Durinas is steadfast in his defense of the eladrin, but refuses
to use violence unless he feels it is absolutely necessary.
The Feyslayers: The Feyslayers clan has been operating since several years
after the end of the Fey War. The group does everything within its power to
try and force the eladrin out of the city. The Feyslayers operate behind a veil
of secrecy, and though some of the group’s leaders are open about what they
do, much of the clan hides its identity from the public.
The Grey Knights: The Grey Knights are a group of citizens who have sworn to
do whatever it takes to keep order within the city. They are all sworn to
secrecy, and though many know of the group’s existence, few know anyone
who is in the group, and none know who leads the group.
Order of the Crescent Flame: The Order of the Crescent Flame is a group of
arcane practitioners that research new spells and educate young wizards.
They posses the greatest library in the city, and the scholars there are
considered to be the greatest scholars in all of Andorna. The current head
mage is the human Perrin Norfall, who mainly stays out of the politics of the
city as much as he can, doing only what is necessary to secure the freedom of
his Order.
Religion in Rhizzia
All the major deities have followers in Rhizzia. However, several
deities have greater influence than others within the city.
Erathis: The most popular deity in Rhizzia, Erathis is viewed as the protector of
the city. The Temple of the Imperial Lady is the largest temple in Rhizzia, and
attracts thousands of worshipers each day.
Corellon: Many people of the city revere Corellon, especially the eladrin.
Many humans in the city, because of their connection to the Feywild, also feel
a kinship with the god of the fey. However, many of the humans who bear a
grudge against the fey are also suspicious of Corellon, and encourage others
to stay away from what they see as the temple of their enemy. His temple, the
Temple of the Arcane Star, is a masterpiece of arcane architecture that
combines trees and white stone into a great structure that seems to twist
about itself impossibly.
Bane: Rhizzia often has to deal with military threats, and on many occasions in
its history has come close to defeat. A significant number of people in the city
believe that following Bane is the surest way to preserve Rhizzia against
outside threats. His temple, the Temple of the Lord of Order, attracts a large
crowd of worshipers, even though many followers of the other deities frown
on the worship of Bane.
Bahamut: The Platinum Dragon is worshipped within Rhizzia as the defender
of the righteous and destroyer of the wicked. Many followers of Bahamut say
that the city must do away with its petty grudge against the fey, because there
is true evil within the world that all people must work together to fight. The
Temple of the Platinum Protector is very popular among the poor and
downtrodden of the city, as well as the righteous defenders of the weak.
Character Backgrounds
This is a collection of character background ideas that you can use to
help flesh out your character within the Rhizzian context. Also consider the
background elements in PHB 2 when creating your character, and feel free to
make-up your own background elements. Whatever you do, have a reason for
why your character is in Rhizzia, and have a motivation for adventuring.
Guildworker Background: What trade did you practice? How long did you
practice that trade? Does your whole family practice that trade, or are you the
only one? Are you still loyal to your guild? As a guildworker, you may have
knowledge of a particular sort of magical production technique.
Organization Agent Background: What organization did you work for? What
did you do? Do you still work for this organization? Did you work for money,
or because you believed in the organization? Do you still believe in the
organization? Was the organization a guild, clan, or something else? Do you
still have contacts within the organization? Do you have enemies you made
during your time as an agent?
Noble Background: You may have been born into wealth within the city, or
you may have been born in a feudal land family in the lands outside the city.
Do you have any contacts that may still prove useful? Who are the enemies
and allies of your family? Are you estranged from your family, or still in touch?
Are you acting as an agent of your family?

Military Background: You may have served in the Rhizzian military, you may
have served in one of the clan armies, or you may have served as a freelance
mercenary, possibly protecting merchant ships on their journeys. Do you still
have any friends or contacts within a military organization? Do you have any
enemies you made during your time in the military?

Merchant Background: Did you work as a sailor, shipping goods across the
world? Or were you born into a wealthy merchant family that funded many
ships? With a merchant background, you may have knowledge of much of the
world, and you may come from a family with considerable wealth.