CYNSWYR ARIENSYN 1

he ring of standing stones perched on a high cliff overlooking

Sholos largest bay are called the Warriors of Sholo by the
few outsiders to have visited them. To the clans of the
Nolgind they, and the complex of stone rooms and
cylindrical towers built in and on the cliffs below, are
Cynswyr Ariensyn, The Ancient Pledge. In the dialect of
the mainland Kubora, Cynswyr Ariensyn translates as The Promise of Fear.
What is certain is that no Kuboran hand carved the Warriors or built the
structures they guard.

The Crones Path

A path runs from the clanhouse of
Sholengor to Cynswyr Ariensyn, nearly 2
leagues to the north east.
It winds through scrubby woodlands
before fording a river the Sholen call
Heneryne as its estuary is rich in fish in
season. From there the path skirts
beaches and dunes and crosses two low
wooded headlands to reach a second
river that spreads its waters across a
broad sandy inlet.
From there it rises steeply and
approaches within a few paces of the cliff
edge. Then it continues along a wind
scoured cliff top where a very few trees
cling to life.
Finally the path climbs to the highest
headland where the trees give way to
bleak heathland. There the Warriors sit
forever scanning the bay below.

ORIGINS & HISTORY

Though it is the ring of standing stones that have attracted the attention
of Ivinian and Orbaalese whalers in search of a landmark, Cynswyr
Ariensyn encompasses both the Warriors and the structures on the cliffs
below. Together they constitute evidence of the ancient habitation of the
Afarezirs.
The eleven Warriors are named for the rough likenesses of a standing
man carved into each stone. They are older than the ring of stones erected
on Movel Island in imitation. They may even pre-date the stone structures
that sit on the series of broad cliff ledges that step down to the sea more
than 100 feet below.
Most Nolgind avoid the site and never descend to the complex below
the standing stones. Only clan Sholens Crone is a regular visitor. She is
tasked with ensuring the place is honoured every winter solstice. At that
time she places offerings at the feet of each stone to sustain them for
another year and prays to Heneryne that the Spring comes quickly. If the
previous year has been particularly hard then other clans, suspicious of the
place and its reputation, will send gifts to be offered on their behalf.
Anyone may claim sanctuary within the ring of standing stones until the
time of the next full moon. Few are brave enough to take advantage of this,
fearing to spend even one night in this haunting, and perhaps haunted,
place.
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Sholen children are brought here as soon

as they can walk to pay their respects to
the Warriors. While the walk can be a
pleasant excursion parents plan for the
return to be well before dusk. Then the
bent and twisted trees truly resemble the
dead crones whose spirits are said to
inhabit them.

WRITER
Alun Rees
MAPS
Alun Rees
CONTRIBUTORS
Andy Gibson
Neil Thompson
Anders Bersten
Playtesters at IviniaCon 3
The Harnwriter Group

A. Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games Inc., 2011

CYNSWYR ARIENSYN 2
LOCAL MAP KEY
1 The Warriors of Sholo

Though very old and weathered ten of the stones have the recognisable
likenesses of warriors carved into their surface. The eleventh stone still has
some signs of carving but any figure has been obliterated; whether by wind
and rain, human hand, or some other agency, is unclear.
A carved stairway descends from the cliff top to the ledges below.
Though weathered and often slick with sea spray the stairs can be traversed
with care.

2 The Upper Terrace

A few steps lead down into these interlinked rooms. Barely four feet of
their thick stone walls remain but they are unlike any stone used in the
construction of Nolgind clanhouses. The Nolgind typically salvage stone
from their islands rocky shores, but the stone of these rooms still show
signs of being quite precisely dressed. There are a lot of stone blocks
scattered around, and within, the structures that suggest they may have
originally boasted at least 6 feet of headroom. There is no way to know
how they were roofed of if they were.

3 The Middle Terrace

The upper and middle terraces are linked by two exposed but broad
stairways cut into the cliff face which are themselves connected by a
slippery ledge over the sea below. The stone-built structures here are not
linked together but the volume of rubble suggests they originally had higher
walls than those on the terrace above. Even today the walls, where they
still stand, rise 6 feet from their sunken floors.

4 The Lower Terrace

The final terrace is reached by another stairway, this time cut into the
solid rock of the cliff itself and therefore shielded from the sea below. The
terrace is also sheltered by the surrounding cliffs. A further stair leads down
into the surf and at low tide it might be possible to follow it to further ledges
and structures to the south. The structure built here has survived much
more completely. Though the terrace is still cluttered with rubble the
cylindrical tower rises nearly 20 feet above the terrace. It narrows a little as
it rises and is open to the elements above. A shallow stair is built into the
inside wall leading up to what appears to be a natural fissure in the cliff face.

5 The Hidden Chamber

There are steps cut into the floor of the fissure that runs into the cliff
face. It rises 5 feet before descending more steeply into a roughly hemispherical chamber carved into the rock. The chamber walls shows signs of
the same skill in stone working that are hinted at in the complex of
structures outside. The 11 niches carved into the walls of the chamber are,
though, much cruder, appearing to be natural fissures in the rock which
have been crudely excavated to make them larger. They are quite regularly
spaced around the chamber but are at varying heights above the level floor.
In each of 10 of the niches stands a wooden figure formed from driftwood in a very primitive style. The largest is about 3 feet high and their
sheltered location has preserved some of the colour with which they were
once stained. The chamber is otherwise empty except for the ancient bones
of a man, what might have been a stone axe similar to those of the Nolgind,
and some fragments of wood which might once have been an eleventh
figure.
A. Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games Inc., 2011

The Tale of Falor the Tall

The Sholen Kubora link Cynswyr
Ariensyn to the Tale of Falar the Tall, a
hero who travelled through the islands
challenging each clan to test him with
their champion. Defeating them in turn
he bound the challengers into a sacred
warband sworn to protect all Nolgind.
When he came to Sholo Island he
defeated the final champion. But then, as
the warband was marching back to its
boats to commence its guardianship of
the islands, a blind youth appeared and
challenged Falor. The hero offered the
youth a choice from among his own
weapons saying he would face him
empty handed out of pity. The youth
accepted the choice of weapon but
refused them all in favour of knowledge,
if you have the courage to face it.
Intrigued, and impressed by the youths
nerve, Falor agreed. He and his sworn
brothers followed the young man to a
desolate beach where they found a
carefully carved driftwood figure for
every warrior. The figures were clearly
characters from each clans history.
With these I show you that I know as
much of your clans as you know
yourselves, now follow me again.
Carrying the carvings the warriors
walked to a high headland overlooking a
bay where, using words that each clan
claimed Kadag has spoken to them alone,
the youth convinced Falor that even a
blind boy knew more of Kadags wisdom
than the greatest warrior. He ended his
oration with a phrase of Kadags wisdom
known to every clan but understood by
none of them: When you have
conquered these islands you must show
your courage by each finding a seat in
the dark of stone.
With his sightless eyes settling on each
warrior in turn the youth claimed each
carving is in the image of a founder of
your clan; follow me and I will show you
where they can be seated as Kadag
commanded.
The youth led the warriors beneath the
earth where they seated the carvings in
the deep of stone, fulfilling Kadags wish.
Then, returning to the surface in triumph,
the rising sun turned each to a warrior of
stone as eternal guardians of the place.
What happened to the youth is unknown
but the Sholen have since been known
for their great knowledge and their power
to overcome force with words.

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CYNSWYR ARIENSYN 3

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A. Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games Inc., 2011

CYNSWYR ARIENSYN 4

A. Rees, N. Robin Crossby & Columbia Games Inc., 2011

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