House Olath’Rah – GM’s Guide

Introduction: The following is a Game Master guide to the House Olath’Rah and the
Island of Oloth.

Time Line
May need to be adjusted for accuracy on over-all campaign time-line. This is done
according to the Olothian calendar. Rivvin Drasv (common year) versus Draeval P’los
(time before).

95 DP (Draeval P’los) - Casian Darkhands, a human generalist mage and apprentice to

the necromancer Sorek, discovers a desolate island amidst the thousands of islands of
Vardis. The island is covered in a grayish volcanic ash, with two live and very active
volcanoes pumping ash and noxious fumes into the air every year. While Aleria
flounders in the coming cataclysm Casian imports a number of monstrous humanoids to
this island at the bequest of Sorek. There he begins a breeding program to make them
stronger and able to thrive in the harsh environment.

50 DP – With the cataclysm of the known world happening, thousands flee to the island
chain of Vardis. Casian and Sorek welcome many of the most brilliant (and evil) minds
of both the human and elvish world. A number of drow elves, outcasts from their
underground cities and followers of Sorek’s vision for a male dominated drow society,
also flock to Casian’s island. With the help of Sorek Casian establishes a large undead
army to police the new island-nation and keep the new inhabitants firmly under the
control of Casian and Sorek.

15 DP – As the former world begins to melt around them the newly formed island-nation
is solidified under the control of Casian and Sorek. They form the council of 13, which
includes the 13 most powerful sorcerers and magic-users in the island. Casian heads this
council and adopts the title “the 13th”. The council quickly moves to consolidate power
and build it’s nation’s strength. Casian and Flirona of Tork, a female drow elf refuge
who had fallen out of Lolth’s favor, marry. Flirona is one of the council of 13 and
together they control the council with an iron fist.

1 RD (Rivvin Drasv) – With the fall of the former world and the rise of the Vardis Island
chain as the refuge of the civilized world, the council of 13 declares a new age, the Age
of Rivvin Drasv. They name their island-nation Oloth after the drow word for Darkness.
The offspring of Flirona and Casian found House Olath’Rah, meaning Dark Hand. Over
the years the offspring of other council members will mix with those of Flirona and
Casian strengthening house Olath’Rah.

102 RD – Over the past two centuries the humans and elves on Oloth have intermarried.
Research by Casian and the council of 13 into the properties of the ever present ash
permeating the island of Oloth concluded that the ash was charged with power from deep
within the planet’s core. Over time the mixture of elves and humans with the power from
the ash created the beginnings of a distinct race. Encouraged by the council of 13, this
new race continued to grow and thrive. Casian Darkhands, the founding patriarch of
House Olath’Rah dies. He is buried in the family vaults deep beneath the city of Faer
Che’el, the capital city of Oloth.

310 RD – The human race on the island of Oloth has all but disappeared. While the elves
have diminished in numbers, the half-breed children of the elves and humans have
thrived. Now a distinct race all to their own, they are given the name Ash Elves due to
the effects of the ever present ash on their birth characteristics. The Ash Elves quickly
become the dominant social caste of Oloth society. The monstrous humanoids, such as
orcs, goblins, and kobolds, make up the remainder of organized Oloth society. Disquiet
between the groups is crushed quickly by the council of 13. Flirona, the founding
matriarch of House Olath’Rah dies, some say of a broken heart. She is buried beside her
husband deep within the catacombs of Faer Che’el.

360 RD – As magic continues to become scarcer and scarcer throughout Vardis, the
council of 13 realize that even amongst their own population the magic force has been
dwindling. Seera, grand-daughter of Casian and Flirona, heads up the council of 13 as
“the 13th.” Seeing the dwindling magic throughout Vardis and evening the dwindling
power of the council of 13th itself she attempts to contact her grandfather’s old master,
Sorek. Sorek instructs her to build the College of Sorcery to preserve the ancient arts of
magic. He, also, promises that House Olath’Rah is destined for greatness and the Ash
Elves will eventually rule all of Vardis. He instructs her to begin building temples to the
unnamed one, which in reality is himself in a bid to become immortal.

370 RD – 500 RD – Numerous wars break out between the civilized islands of Vardis.
Most followers of Geb are incensed at the blasphemous temples being dedicated to the
unnamed one. For over two hundred years wars rage across the islands. It is during this
time that two legendary battles occur. The first in 415 RD is led by Tallio De’sepi from
House Tros. Tros has by far the largest and most sophisticated navy of all the ruling
houses. However, when the fleet led by Tallio crosses in towards Oloth the volcano
Streea suddenly erupts dumping lava into the southeast shore of Oloth and boiling
Tallio’s fleet alive. The second attempt is by Tallio’s son, Klye in 450 RD at the bequest
of House Tos in order to force House Olath’Rah into submission on a trade agreement.
Once again, just as the fleet pulls into harbor Streea1 erupts again boiling Klye and his
fleet alive. The citizens of Oloth look to their unnamed god as the source of this divine
intervention and the legend of Oloth’s dark god grows. Temples sprout up in all major
cities and in most communities.

1
Sorek, indeed, did have something to do with both occasions. Utilizing crystals of necromantic magic he
had specially created for the council of 13, he had instructed “the 13 th” to deposit the crystal in the nearest
volcano to the invading fleet. The energy released into the volcano stimulated the magma below it’s
surface to rise and gush upwards, prompting a premature eruption of the volcano. Only the 13 th and Sorek
knew the truth of this, having kept it even from the other members of the council of 13.
501 RD – With the legend of Oloth’s invincibility in defense growing, the other houses
begin to withdraw from sending troop to try and conquer the island. Most islands outlaw
the worship of the unnamed god of Oloth, the penalty being death. House Olath’Rah
continues to build its power. Its experiments in breeding various monstrous humanoids
results in several specific species native only to the island of ash.

550 RD – As the magic continues to dwindle throughout the world, the council of 13
attempt to slow its decline in Oloth. More and more the powers of the new members of
the council of 13 is weaker than the preceding generation. While the council works
through the college of sorcery to slow the decline, every century weakens the power of
the following generation. Worship of the unnamed one grows in response to this.
Slowly, as Sorek gains followers he increases his power. In response he continues to
send tiny pieces of magic to House Olath’Rah in order to spur on greater belief in his
deitification.

610 RD – As Vardis remains in an uneasy peace, the ruling houses begin to look towards
the past. Realizing that ever more power awaits for them in the legendary lands of past
empires, they commission fleets to explore. Few return. Sorek grows in power and is
able to summon the dead to aid house Olath’Rah. The council of 13 begin to organize
their students from the college of sorcery into a legion of battle-mages. Clerics of the
unnamed one are given the power to raise the dead from their graves into a form of half-
life.2

620 RD – The present time.

Magic in Oloth
Much has been written on magic in Vardis. Magic overall is declining in the world,
drained off in an ancient cataclysm. On Oloth, the island of ash, the ruling house,
Olath’Rah have attempted to stem the collapse of magic. The only known College of
Sorcery in all the islands, although perhaps not the only, House Olath’Rah works to store
the knowledge of ancient times.

Abandoning magic as was practiced eons ago, the sorcerers of Oloth use focus crystals of
specially prepared necromantic energy to cast their spells. Only those born with the
innate talent for understanding and being able to use magic (ie. Sorcerers) are able to cast
spells. The focus crystals are created in a dark ceremony in which the life of a sentient
being is drained and infused with specially treated ash from the mouth of either the
volcanos Chath or Streea into a precious gem. (100 gold piece value or greater)

2
Sorek has developed a procedure which utilizes necromantic energy gained from a gruesome sacrificial
ceremony and infused with the ash from the Island of Oloth. Fashioning this energy into gems, his
“clerics” are able to animate dead, although not nearly at the level wizards were able to do so in the ancient
past. More information will be developed on this and other processes.
While allowing for the casting of spells, the power is dampened considerably. However,
magic over-all has decreased to such a level that without the aid of these crystals much of
the truly powerful magic would be lost.

Game Terms:

Sorcerers are the only non-divine magic using class left. They get 1/4th the castable
spells per day as is listed in the player’s handbook. Also, their castable spells per day
rate stops at 5th level. This is without focus crystals or other means. Known spells per
level remain at per Player Handbook standards.

With focus crystals – each focus crystal grants the user the additional castble spell levels
as it has power points. Example:

Focus Crystal has a 5 power rating. This would allow the sorcerer to cast either 5 level 1
spells, 10 cantrips (1 cantrip = .5 level spell), 1 2nd level spell and 1 3rd level spell, 1 5th
level spell, etc.

Focus Crystals

Description: A focus crystal is a precious gem, infused with necromantic power and the
ash from the mouth of either the volcanos Chath or Streea on the Island of Oloth. The
gem radiates both an aura of evil and an aura of negative energy. If one looks closely at
the gem, the soul of the sacrificed can be seen trapped inside the prism.

Creation Process: The creation of a focus crystal is an extremely evil act. It requires a
terrible ceremony in which living creatures are sacrificed to infuse their energy into the
crystal mixed with the ash from the volcanoes Chath or Streea. Creation guidelines are
below:

Focus Crystal Power Points Gold Piece Value of Gem Level of Creatures
sacrificed3
1 100 1
3 450 5
5 850 8
10 2500 22

3
Level of creature is the total HD of all creatures sacrificed in the ceremony. More than one creature can
be sacrificed.