"The ancient city of Tolos sits on the northern bank of the Widow's Tears, itself the northern fork of the delta of the great Etrusceia river. Through it runs the lesser Magennon river, which, being too shallow for most heavy ships, is mainly used for drinking water. There are three main roads through the city (west, east, and north), along which are the only densely inhabited parts of the city, barring the coast."

"Founded over a thousand years ago, the city's influence grew rapidly. War with the sprawling elven Kedenneid kingdom was inevitable, however, and after a long, grueling conflict, the Tolosi proved victorious. Despite this, the Tolosi Emperors proved both wise and merciful, not only sparing the elves, but assimilating them into the Empire as administrators, priests, and generals. A duality of power emerged, where the high nobility and the Emperor himself were human, and the elves served them and the Empire as nobles. This system of tolerance remains in place to this day."

"Eventually, however, the city began to decline, even before the Empire began showing signs of weakness. Cadius's Plague of 3387 is said to have killed a third of the city's population, and the civil war between 3391 and 3398 saw the great city be sacked no less than four times as it changed hands. When the Great Foe, Oromis, took the city by the sword in 3401, the city was essentially empty."

"Under the rule of the Etruscans, the city has recovered somewhat, though not much. Visitors tell of a city of ruins, and a sharp contrast between the opulence of the nobility, residing in the heart of the city, and the destitution of the common people, who scrounge a living however they can, wherever they can."

"A friend of mine visited the city no more than two years past. Here is a map of the city he has made, as it was when he was there:"


Grey: Areas of the city lost to ruin. Though one can still find inhabitants here and there, most find these areas too inhospitable to live there.
Dark Grey: The remnants of the once-great Imertian Walls, which now in some places stand no taller than a man.
Red: The populated parts of the city.
Cyan: The docks, through which the city gets what little trade it does. Walled off from the rest of the city, this area is a sad sight indeed, filled with ramshackle shacks, inhabited by scum and criminals.
Yellow: The so-called Holy Quarter, a walled and fortified section of the city home to the Prophet, and the mansions, temples, and crypts which he owns.

Name: Brother Aksel Dehli

Nationality: ¾ Tolosi Human, ¼ Tolosi Elf

Occupation: Monk of the Tolosi Pantheon

Religion: Tolosi Pantheon

Appearance and Personality: Aksel is a good looking young man with fine blonde hair and gentle, elegant facial features. Being of mixed heritage, Aksel has an exotic look, ears slightly pointed and eyes a fusion sharp blues and greens. He is lean but not lanky, standing just under six feet tall. Though not especially muscular, Aksel's body is athletic and capable.

Aksel is a kind man with a strong conscience. His dominating emotions are humility and faithfulness. Loyalty has never been a problem for him, and, although not much of a brawler, he has always made himself known in any fight to protect the ones he loves. He feels love passionately, and the heavy personal loss he has experienced has taught him to value everything in his life presently. Aksel devotes himself to his every endeavor wholeheartedly from his dedication to the Tolosi Pantheon to his determination in mastering the fishing rod. He is kind if not charismatic, not born to lead, but valuable by anyone's side.

Biography: Albin Avalusk was an elven nobleman, well connected and respected across the entire Empire of Tolos, but especially in his home in Bucephal. Never did Albin appear to put a single foot wrong, and, as it always seems to do, suspicion and malice began to grow out of Albin's envious peers. Soon, efforts were made to uncover any bit of indiscretion from Albin's past or present. It was one such indiscretion that uncovered the powerful elf's one flaw, that of the heart. Albin Avalusk lost everything he had painstakingly built his entire life once his relationship with a certain human woman was made public. Instead of giving up his heart's desire to save his livelihood, Albin absconded to the Kingdom of the Nerwains with his new wife, Britta. Albin and Britta were able to build a new life for themselves – a simpler one. They even gave birth to a lovely daughter, Ina. Living in this sparsely populated new land amongst hardy foresters and herders, the family of three – now living under the surname Dehli – the family took care not to make any new enemies; however, discrimination followed them here as well.

The Nerwains were an ordinary folk, accustomed to their normal lives and uncomfortable with change. A new family consisting of an elf and a half constituted change. The family's house was stormed, the parents slain and the adolescent daughter despoiled. Ina Dehli was left to die amongst her parents corpses, but under the veil of death, new life was forged. Ina took pregnant, birthing a son, Aksel. Aksel was raised as a healthy child, understanding the implications of his mixed heritage and respecting the elven culture of his grandfather. So enamored was he with his elven blood, Aksel decided to relocate back to the the Empire of Tolos and dedicate his life to the Tolosi pantheon. He was Brother Aksel Dehli, an unassuming, humble man whose faith was strong despite his genetic limitations – the human in him.

Though once again, the Avalusks looked to recreate themselves and live in peace, their past followed them. Aksel was honest about his past only to his brothers, but his faith in them was not returned. News reached the very same members of the elven aristocracy – now old and living fat on their lifetime of luxury – that had conspired to drive Albin and Britta out of Bucephal. Fearing retribution from their returned son, the nobles moved to eliminate the last of the Avalusk family. Aksel and his mother were assaulted in the streets in plain daylight. Assassins murdered Ina before her son's eyes, and not a single passerby stopped to help. Unable to do anything to protect his mother, it was all that Aksel could do to flee back to Etruscia. Yet unable to escape his elven persecutors, Aksel arrived in Tolos to find that they had preceded him. Tolosi attackers stabbed him and left him to die in the streets. Before he could bleed out, however, Askel was arrested and thrown into a jail in the Holy Quarter. Wounded, struck by the reality of his loss, the young monk sits in the dungeon, unaware of the workings behind the scenes, powerful allies presently unknown.

Magical Artefact(s): [not yet in possession] A stone ring, shaped from a Sila Stone, with the ability to power in any form – from heat to electricity to physical force – and release it twofold upon impact.

Motivation: Looking to sort through his disillusionment with his Tolosi religion and mixed heritage. Trying to find his place in the world as a mutt, an undesired by both humans and elves.

Name: Sir Kohl Walesa

Nationality: Etruscan Human

Occupation: Knight-Captain of the Zantyric Order

Religion: Etruscian

Appearance and Personality: Kohl has pale skin and sunken, sallow eyes the color of charcoal. He has high cheekbones and a pointy chin and nose. Though not extremely attractive by any means, an air of wealth and fine breeding clings to him like musky perfume on a whore. He keeps his umber colored hair long but pulled tight into a bun. From years of stern training, Kohl's tall body is covered in lean, corded muscles.

Kohl is pompous and arrogant, and he respects nothing but power and wealth. He can be rude, but is mainly tactful. When harm is meant, however, the knight makes is clear, his mastery of language only thinly veiling insult. Though it makes him few friends, Kohl's confidence and competence produces many allies. He is a devout Etruscan, often seen praying and worshipping.

Biography: Raised in a wealthy family wholly obsessed with maintaining the purity and power of their bloodline, Kohl has known privilege his entire life. He is not a racist, but surely an elitist. It was not hatred of elves that drove him into the Zantyric Order, but his confidence and total belief in his superiority over the long eared enemy elevated him quickly in the knights' ranks.

He is young still, but, thanks in part to his proficiency with the sword and lance, and mainly due to to his and his father's proficiency with politicking, Kohl rose to the rank of Knight-Captain over a few more experienced and expected. Throughout his entire life, nothing has ever hinted to Kohl or his family that there was any possible thing standing between him and his goal of eventually becoming the Grandmaster to finally stamp out the Tolosi Empire and its false Pantheon.

Magical Artefact(s): None

Motivation: Driven by his zealous righteousness to win the Holy War against the Tolosi Empire.