“…so many towers, my son, each with siege weapons prepared to defend the city from perceived enemies. Within the walls of Kro Terlep, the explicit caste system of Shar was everywhere; slaves, goblinoids, and citizens of lesser and greater means, all mixed together like a bizarre and harrowing beehive of Bralm. Never have I felt the colour of my skin was a mark of inferiority like…” — Excerpt of a journal found in the wreckage of the merchant xebec Mystic Glory in the Gearnat Strait.
The nation of Shar comprises the whole of the Tilvanot Peninsula and is a land of unknowns to the majority of the Flanaess’ nations. The subtropical climate makes it an uncomfortable land to reside in unless one’s societal value warrants a station on the temperate Okalasma Plateau. For those of Suloise blood and adherence to the tenets of the Brotherhood of the Scarlet Sign, Shar is uniquely suited to campaigns of Law and Order and the preservation of the Suel race and culture. It is a land of strict structure and everything is distinctly defined as superior or inferior; there are no grey areas to hide behind…for long.
Country Specific Resources:
The Scarlet Brotherhood (TSR11374, 1999), by Sean K. Reynolds
Polyhedron #165/Dungeon #106: “Beasts of the Scarlet Brotherhood”.
Fate of Istus
Adventures in this country include:
- Thematically all potential scenarios in Shar must be framed upon the anthropological study of a nation of people believing, unwaveringly, that their culture and their race is superior to all other cultures and races. While the nations of Oerik see the Shari as “evil”, the Shari know their beliefs to be just, righteous, and beneficial to all people.
- The dynamic of the Scarlet Brotherhood's tiered hierarchy of monks, assassins, and rogues and how it develops members within Shar for their eventual assignment to the other nations.
- Cultural exploration of the Shari society, in particular the various Offices (Obedience, Purity, etc.), and how deviations from the cultural norm are handled within and between Offices.
- Putting down unrest among the thralls; whether human, dwarf, orc, goblinoid, or bredthrall.
- Spying and espionage is the lifeblood of the Shari, be it on your subcitizen neighbours, outlander traffic in Ekul or Kro Terlep, or your own Office’s leadership.
- Hunting down illegal breeding; the Suel will be strong by design, not by whimsical love.
- Engineering bredthrall races through the Office of Sorcery & Thralls and testing them.
- Acting as crew upon slaver/merchant vessel with calls of port in Hepmonaland, the Olman Islands, the Pomarj, or the Amedio.
- A group of foreigners, under false premises (merchants or Suloise-blooded recruits), have arrived in Kro Terlep with the intent of integrating into Shari society to spy on the grand master spies themselves, perhaps even getting to the seat of power in Hesuel Ilshar.
Adventures in nearby areas include:
- Hepmonaland, the Olmans, and Amedio regions can be reached from this country.
- The Vast Swamp with its well-known landmarks (Tomb of Horrors, Wastri’s temple).
- To a dedicated agent of the Scarlet Brotherhood, all of Oerik is a potential adventure of information gathering and preparing the world for the Suloise Ascension.
The Tilvanot Peninsula is a land worthy of exploration for those ambitious DMs that seek challenging cultural context and have mature, organized players that can fall in line with the Lawful tenets of the Brotherhood of the Scarlet Sign. Individualism and empathy will make for a short career for any character born in Shar. Running a group of foreign agents attempting to penetrate the Tilvanot Peninsula’s mysteries is the ultimate challenge campaign, as none have survived to relate their deeds aside from making Shar’s internal spy network even stronger. _________________ Richard Di Ioia (aka Longetalos)
Last edited by Longetalos on Tue Sep 15, 2020 10:13 am; edited 1 time in total
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