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The Sun, gave meaning to existence by granting the gift of Light. His golden Light reached out to illuminate the Earth.

The Earth, mother of Making, basked in the Light of the Sun and grew strong. But the Sun didn’t shine on all of Her – half of the Earth shared the darkness with the Moon.

The Moon hung in the dead of night and talked to the Earth. It was the talk of Being, of wondering who they were and what they were doing.

The Sun also talked to the Earth, but it talked of Learning, and of all the things his Light revealed.

The Earth was a good listener and found the company welcome while she created. The Earth found no end to her urge to make things and would keep her hands constantly busy while listening to the Sun and the Moon. Nothing was too big or too small for the Earth to make.

Talking to the Earth, the Sun learned of the Moon and the Moon learned of the Sun. The Sun and Moon both wanted to talk with each other, but the Earth stood in the way, too heavy with Creation to move.

The Sun wanted to see the Moon so that He might gain the knowledge that lay in the dark. Darkness was the scourge of the Sun because it obscured Learning.

The Moon had a different reason – She was jealous. Jealous that the Sun could see everything, while she saw things only in her dreams. Jealous that the Earth could feel the Sun’s warming glow, while she lived in the cold and dark.

The Sun proposed a plan. The Moon and the Sun would each give up a piece of themselves to the Earth. In this way, they could meet each other. The Earth and the Moon thought this to be a fine idea.

These were the First Children. They were not as successful as the Earth, Sun, and Moon had hoped.
The Earth’s Children, animals and plants, wandered mindless and soulless across creation.

The Sun’s Children, the Mists, lost in their thoughts, did nothing. In time they were destroyed by the Earth’s Children.

The Moon’s Children, elementals, drifted ethereally, fruitlessly seeking the bodies and thoughts of the others.

Each of the First Children was Incomplete.

So the Earth, Sun, and Moon combined their efforts to make the Second Children.

The Sun and Earth each took a bit of what was left of their first Children and a bit of what was left in the Moon’s first Children and created beings with substance, tempered by mind and driven by spirit. These Children included fantastic creatures, such as dragons, giants, and greymyr, and the Elder races, including the Dwarves and the Sylvan.

The Moon also made Second Children, but – selfish as ever – used much larger portions of herself than of Earth or Sun. Among these children were hideous demons and the people now referred to as the Ancients.

As time passed, the Moon’s Second Children roamed the Earth, outpacing all around them with their fervor and zest. They built cities and rose to tame the other Children.

The Sun and Earth wondered what happened to the original plan of their Children meeting and talking to share ideas and company. And when the Sun and Earth looked in on the Children, they were surprised to learn that the Moon’s burning jealousy had been passed on to her Children – and that their power now rivaled that of their parents.

This worried the Sun and Earth, but they had waited too long. The Moon’s Children had devised a way to give to their Mother what she had always desired: Light.

Reaching to the land of Shadow, which is Dark where here is Light, and Light where here is Dark, they stole part of the glowing moon and brought it to our own realm.

Terrible things came with this shadowy Light: creatures that mimicked the noble creations of the Sun and Earth in horrible ways.

This was too much for the Sun and Earth. They called for the Moon to take back her Children.

The Moon, half Dark and half Light, loved her Children for what they had done, but she understood that they couldn’t continue walking the World.

The Moon cried for her Children, but did as she was asked and took them from the World. She blessed them by hanging them in the night sky with her, as stars to keep her company in the dark loneliness of night. But she kept 12 of her Children shielded from the Sun and Earth so that at least some of them might partake in the joy of living.

Still, the terrible destruction from land of Shadow wracked the World, destroying most of the Second Children, and tainting those that remained.

So after the catastrophe of the Second Children, the Sun and Earth worked without the Moon to create the Third Children, who include Humans, Thoom, and the People.

When you enter the world of Clan Lord, you’ll walk through a series of rooms that will let you choose what your character is like, from your gender to your hair color.

These things will affect how you look, but they won’t affect how you progress or your future options. More difficult decisions, like what you want to do with your life, are put off until later.

NPCs

The characters who talk to you in these rooms are what we call “NPCs,” for Non-Player Characters. They’re basically robots. They just say the same things, over and over, day in, day out, forever. They look like people, but don’t bother talking to them – they’re not listening.

As a rule, people you meet who have a light blue box around their names are NPCs. They do and say different things. For the most part, if you bump into them, they’ll do their thing or tell you what they do.

The Next Steps

After your character is out in the world, talk to the people you meet. Most people are happy to help new exiles find their way around, and choose a race and profession.

There are many different peoples in the world of Clan Lord. While the races have different looks and characteristics, the difference between individuals is much greater than the difference between races. And while many races are inclined toward separatism from the others, the circumstances of exile have largely caused communities to form without regard to race.

Humans

Humans encompass a variety of shapes, sizes and colors that is almost as diverse as the races are from each other. Contrast the brutish Nordislanders of the north, the olive skinned folk of the inner lands, and the dark-skinned mountain folk of the Sword of the World mountains.

Humans are far and away the most numerous of the races, and there exist humans who excel in any given category of expertise.

Only the Thoom live as happily with other races as do the Humans, and none are so well-known for travel and trade.

Dwarves

Dwarves are short, squat, and powerfully built. They are well known for short patience, hard drinking, and fierce loyalty.

Though primarily thought of as an underground race, Dwarves have contributed much more than mining. The pragmatic wisdom of dwarven priests makes them popular with those looking for advice, and Dwarven engineers are even more in demand. All Dwarves belong to one of 11 Families.

There are rumors of Dwarves that escaped the armies of Emperor Mobius, now living deep under the Sword of the World mountains.

Ghorak Zo

Ghorak Zo are the largest and the most aggressive of the races. Their strong warrior tradition sneers at mysticism and defense, believing that the best way to deal with an enemy is to kill it before it kills you.

They first appeared on the Western Continent only 300 years ago. An entire army of them emerged from the Sword of the World mountains to wage war on the Ascendancy. Their success was cut short only by Emperor Mobius’s indestructible army of Dark Sentinels.

Stories say that the Zo used magical gates, long thought to be destroyed, to come to this continent. Mobius tried to locate these gates so that he might use them for his own purposes, but the retreating Ghorak Zo destroyed them. The Emperor then charged the Zo remaining on the continent with the defense of the Ascendancy. Since then, they have acted as an addition to the Ascendancy forces. The human city of Mountain’s Reach was given to the Ghorak Zo by the Emperor for them to make their home in – the humans protested angrily, but were forced to bow to the will of the Ascendancy.

Zo average around seven feet tall, and have brown leathery skin and dark hair. Their great strength and agility makes them a match for any of the races in combat.

Sylvan

Most Sylvan (also commonly called “elves”) that interact with other races are Grey Elves – not so much a separate race, but a distinction for those that have adopted many human ways. More rare are the “Deep Elves,” who avoid interracial contact altogether. Grey Elves have coexisted with other races for centuries, but still prefer rural settings to cities. Sylvan look like short, thin humans.

Halflings

Halflings have an odd way of escaping notice, until, somehow, one of them rises up to change the history of the world by an innocent-seeming action. For example, Jumblie Short-toe’s obsession with food kept him from delivering the Unification Decree to “the People,” and may have prevented a third Unification War.

The People

Other races often call them Cats, but this proud race refer to themselves only as “The People.” They range from five to six feet tall, have a long tail, and are covered with short, dense fur. The patterns of color on their hair is important, at least to the People back on the continent under the Ascendancy. The different markings denote the class and the social status that the person is most likely to take in life. The People’s nation is in the northwestern valleys, and resisted the first two Human Unification Wars with relative ease. It was the might of Mobius’ vast armies that eventually crushed the People’s nation. Since then, the People have always struggled to find a way to remove themselves from his rule.

The contributions of the People have been great and varied. Though their society is rigid, feudal, and dynastic, they are famed for their art and dance.

Thoom

The sailors and philosophers of the world, the Thoom intermingle freely with the other races. The Thoom, named for the noise they make when they inflate their throat sacs, average about five feet in height and have large, widely-spaced eyes. Their skin is slack and wrinkled and is usually dark brown or green. Thoom have always participated quite a bit in the establishments of learning. In early history they were bloodlessly conquered during the first Human Unification. Many Thoom are scholars or sailors.

Your character will begin Clan Lord life as an exile – basically an ordinary person with no special training or abilities. Over time, however, you can earn your way into one of the Guilds, which can teach you tricks and techniques not available to the general public.

Fighters

If you’re a Fighter, you’re a member of the most important group of exiles. Fighters are the hands, the muscle, the strength of the community. A skilled warrior can defend himself against seemingly impossible odds, can explore areas others would not dare, and slay beasts of fearsome strength.

Without Fighters, civilization would be overrun and destroyed.

While Fighters’ strength is in their body, some of the techniques that come from advanced martial training seem to border on the magical.

Healers

If you’re a Healer, you’re a member of the most important group of exiles. Healers are the compassion, the heart, the soul of the community. A skilled Healer can revive the wounded, strengthen the living, and even raise the dead.

Without Healers, civilization would decay and collapse.

While Healers’ strength is in their spirit, they can eventually learn magical techniques that have little to do with health.

Mystics

If you’re a Mystic, you’re a member of the most important group of exiles. Mystics are the brains, the head, the mind of the community. A skilled Mystic can communicate over long distances, gather information magically, and cloud the minds of enemies.

Without Mystics, civilization would lose its cohesion and disintegrate.

While Mystics’ strength is in their mind, their abilities can extend and affect other realms of power.

Other guilds

Eventually, it may be possible for renowned members of one Guild to quit and join a more advanced and specialized Guild. You’ll have to learn about these on your own.

These are the words of Hulapop, a famed Thoom naturalist who was one of the first exiled to the Lok’ Groton islands. Hulapop never returned from his last expedition.

A rough bestiary of the Lok’ Groton island chain

Exiled though I am, I continue to study the fauna and flora that surrounds me. The Mad One’s servant may have removed me from my friends and family, but he can’t take me from my home. As long as there is untamed land and uncharted water, I’ll always have a home.

Upon coming to the islands early in the year 518, it was even more unsettled then than today. The Lok’ Groton island chain is made up of 12 islands mostly forested with pines, oaks, and other Northern trees. The islands have relatively mild weather, generally being somewhat cool at all times.

The small city known today as Puddlesby Puddleby had but a few huts. An interesting name, Puddleby; apparently poor planning had set most of these huts in a local low point, causing large puddles to form.

At that time, only a small wooden wall had been constructed to keep out the wildlife. It was quite exciting! The wooden wall offered little protection from the hungry creatures that surrounded the small village. A constant influx of new arrivals was the only thing that kept this small refuge of civilization from being destroyed completely overrun.

My experience as a scout and scholar of the wild areas quickly made me the local expert concerning the wildlife. With the help of other brave souls who felt more at home in the wilds then than in the village, we set out to study the different creatures that roamed the islands.

The largest island of the chain has diverse terrain. In addition to the forest, it has a large wet marshy area, several rocky areas near the cliffs, and some dead volcanic peaks as well.

I will list and categorize the creatures found on these islands. I hope this will prove be an aid to future exiles.

Vermine

Ferocious weasel creatures, ranging from two feet long to some rumored to be as large as a Ghorak Zo. Their incredibly high rate of activity seems to make them constantly hungry. Alone, these creatures are dangerous, but their incredible breeding rate makes them a terrible menace. Furthermore, they are often difficult to spot until their jaws are almost latched around one’s throat.

Rock lizards

These “rockodiles” have much in common with the crocodiles known back in the Ascendancy. They average about 8’ long, have tough, leathery rock-hard skin, and powerful jaws filled with teeth. The rock lizard’s skin acts to hide them in amongst the rocks, often only visible when they move to strike.

Rock lobsters

2' to 3' long, these crustaceans spend much of their time on land. Their hard shell makes it difficult to hurt them, and when their pincers clamp on it’s nearly impossible to get free.

Water lizards

Another relation to the crocodiles, these great lizards are found in the Great Marsh, and are colored more like those surroundings. Their skin is not as tough as that of the Rockodile, but they may be even more ferocious. As with the rock lizards, these creatures generally are hidden from sight until they spring out of the water to attack.

Winged snakes

Generally, these creatures stay in the trees and are content to eat small rodents and fish. No one is sure what sets them off to attack larger targets, but it happens fairly often. Flying down from their nesting trees, the snakes swarm their target and devour it.

Leeches

Don’t assume these leeches are similar to the ones back at your home. These marsh dwelling leeches are about 6" long and have a knack for finding their way through armor and other coverings to fasten on and draw blood into their bloated bodies. One of the most terrible things is that in killing them, you release the blood in the water... it doesn’t take long for the other marsh denizens to be attracted by the blood.

Meshra

One of the more intelligent creatures that make a home in the marsh, these cunning amphibians stand around five feet tall. They have claws, sharp teeth and wiry strength. They dine on anything that enters their domain and have been known to slip on to the docks and feast on unwary victims. Attempts have been made to communicate with them, but all have failed.

Rumors abound that these, along with the Orga, might be some of the “tainted” creatures that the sylvan folk tell stories about. Meshra have been seen in green and brown varieties. The green are the more common, seeming to act as hunters. The brown ones are found near deep fresh water spots, and don’t roam much, though they will attack anyone on sight. The fury of the brown Meshra seems to indicate a sort of protectiveness. Perhaps the brown protect their breeding places.

Orga

A primitive tribal creature standing around 6’ tall with a large single eye in their head. These creatures have a spoken language, and sometimes use weapons. Several tribes of them exist on the main island, but have been driven out of the vicinity of Puddleby. Some desperate people have tried to trade with the Orga, but most of them end up strung out on a rock, feeding winged snakes and gulls. So far, the defenders of Puddleby have been able to hold off any attacks that the Orga have made on the town, but the Orga seem to grow more aggressive as time goes by.

Cougars

One of the more familiar creatures that live on the islands, the cougars that roam the forests of the islands are larger and more aggressive then than the usual. As all Like many of the creatures on the islands, they seem to be perpetually hunting for food and are not fussy about what it is they eat. The cougars often leap, bowl their prey to the ground, and then rend them with their back claws, shredding armor and flesh.

Creatures of the Night

Of all the denizens of the islands, I understand these the least. The only thing that seems certain about these is the fact that they hunger for the spirit of others. The sylvan call these creatures the Undine, which translates roughly to “Ones who won’t die.”

The Greater Undine seem to have the affect of causing lesser Undine to awaken around them. In corrupted areas, you’ll often find the buried remains of people long dead clawing their way out of the earth.

Skeletals

A lower class of Undine, and far too common, skeletals possess no vital organs to pierce, no skin to slash, and do not bleed. In short, they are quite difficult to destroy, requiring that you completely crush all of their bones. Skeletals are created when a Greater Undine causes the aged bodies of the dead to arise rise from their graves.

Walking Corpses

Lesser Undine, Corpses are created when a Greater Undine animates recently dead creatures. Stronger and tougher then than skeletals, they are very dangerous. Even more so if you mistake them for being alive.

Detached Spirits

Spirits with seemingly no mind or body, they are capable of causing great pain by their chilling touch. They are little affected by material attacks and often best dealt with by avoiding them. Unfortunately, these seem to be Greater Undine... and avoiding them only gives more time for their corrupting influence to spread.

Hunting is a popular pastime with exiles, for a wide variety of reasons.

• Some hunt solely to improve their fighting skills. Practice makes perfect.

• Some hunt to recover valuable essences or skins. Many monsters are valuable.

• Some hunt to recover treasure. Some monsters carry valuable artifacts on them.

• Some hunt creatures with a bounty. Sometimes other exiles will put a price on a creature’s head in an effort to reduce its numbers or exterminate them altogether.

• Some hunt simply to keep the population of creatures in check. Without constant battle, the population of Puddleby would soon be overrun.

• Some hunt only incidentally, while pursuing another agenda, like exploration, acquisition, or rescue.

Hunting, like most other activities on these dangerous islands, is best done with a group – wandering off alone is a good way to end up dead.

In your old home in the Ascendancy, most things were thoroughly explored and mapped. In the Lok’ Groton island chain that is far from true. Many areas are unexplored or close to it, and those with a working knowledge of how to get around in the world are in high-demand.

There are hidden paths, artifacts, and regions. If you search, it’s not impossible you’ll find something completely new.

Discoveries are not restricted to the most distant regions, either. Sometimes people will discover something that has been nearly underfoot for years. For example, the abandoned well in Puddleby lay unused for nearly a decade before someone ventured into it to discover the extensive caverns beneath.

It’s possible to make considerable progress in your field without ever leaving town, if that is what you enjoy.

Some spellcasters spend time researching new spells, combining various herbs and magical essences looking for a new effect.

Some people go to the Puddleby schools to improve their Mind, Body, and Spirit before ever venturing out of town.

Some train with various Masters to improve their skills over time.

Most, however, use studying as a complement to other activities, not a replacement for them.

You may hear news from time to time of someone falling in battle in a far-off place. Sometimes entire groups of people will fall. These people are likely to be appreciative to those who come to their aid.

Rescues usually require organized effort from several people. Single-handed rescues often end up just adding to the number of people in need of help. Gather forces sufficient to the task before undertaking a rescue.

Though every newcomer is stripped of all possessions before arriving at the Lok’ Groton islands, it is possible to garner great wealth as an exile.

The islands abound with various artifacts and treasures, and ships regularly bring cash to exchange with the locals for such items.

Some creatures may carry treasure, or magical essences can be extracted from their corpses, or they can be skinned for valuable furs.

Some areas may grow herbs that are valuable to magicians for creating items or spells.

Some areas may offer resources like wood or stone that are in demand for building, maintaining, or improving the town.

Some exiles may pay others to perform various tasks for them – generally tasks too difficult, tedious, or dangerous for them to accomplish themselves.

Once you’ve acquired money, you might be the one buying items for your own (or your friends’) use.

Any adventure with a goal can be called a Quest. Some are simple, like finding the weapon shop and buying a better weapon. Some are outlandishly complex, even impossible – like overthrowing the Emperor.

Some quests – like gathering materials for a new building in Puddleby – can be done over and over. Others – like earning the Orga Bane award – can be done only once.

You’ll find that completing a quest will often open up a chance for an adventure not previously available.

Quests are not generally assigned to you by some artificial taskmaster. There are many opportunities for adventure available in the world of Clan Lord, but you’ll have to keep your eyes open for them.

From time to time, there might be special, one time events in the world of Clan Lord. For example, a merchant might come to town selling a special item from a far-off land. Or a powerful warrior might organize a tournament to test the skills of the populace.

You’ll hear about some events weeks or more in advance, but others will come as a complete surprise. They might be large or small, and they can happen at any time, day or night.

(In general, events will not happen during “peak hours,” between 6 and 9 Pacific Time, because that could overload Clan Lord’s busy servers.)

Some events might be for everybody, but others might be targeted at specific groups. If something happens that is only for Humans, and you’re a Halfling, don’t worry about it – there will eventually be events in which you can participate.