Aeriador - The Year of the Veil, Second Age 1611

Aeriador, Campaign II

Date: The Year of the Veil, 1611 in the Second Age of Annûn

The Adventure begins on 3 Rethe (March) in the town of Wolf's Ear.  

Eorhanian Calendar (used in Eorhan and Henneth Sonnûn, the primary calendar of the Grey Havens)

This calendar was derived from the sages of Eorahn and later adopted by the Grey Havens for shipping and planning of crops.
As a note, this is fully plagiarized from Middle Earth's Shire-Reckoning Calendar.

Month Names

Afteryule (January)
Solmath (February)
Rethe (March)
Astron (April)
Thrimidge (May)
Forelithe (June)
Afterlithe (July)
Wedmath (August)
Halimath (September)
Winterlilth (October)
Blotmath (November)
Foreyule (December)

The Current Age: The Grey Havens and Dol Amroth

In the year 1611 of the Second Age, the realm of Aeriador stands much as it did in the days of the Seekers, in the year 929 of the Second Age. Time has worn softly upon the land; towns have risen and fallen, kings have ruled and faded into memory, yet the old borders endure. The hills, rivers, and coastlines remain familiar to those who walk the long road of history.

The Grey Havens remains the chief city of Henneth Sonnûn, now ruled by the Church of Zemira. Upon the high dais of marble and silver sits the High Priestess of Zemira, the theocratic-monarch and leader of the Church, the Grey Havens, and all of Henneth Sonnûn. Hers is among the greatest thrones in all Annûn, her word carrying across the seas and courts of the age. The Havens gleam with piety and power, a theocratic beacon rising from the western coast.

To the north of the Grey Havens lies Eorahn, the land of the horse-lords, where the plains stretch wide beneath endless skies. Their steeds are the finest in all Aeriador—swift as storms and fierce as flame. There, among rolling grasses, stand the lesser kingdoms of Helmforth, Eorndale, Ridderstead, and Aldemar, each ruled by its own king, yet all bow in respect to the High King of Eorndale, first among peers. The Eorahn are proud and steadfast, bound by ancient blood and by the bond between rider and steed. They are a tall, proud, and noble people, descended from the Danemar more than a thousand years ago.

To the east of the Grey Havens, Sandpoint has waned as Magnimar has waxed, and many of its folk have journeyed westward to the Grey Havens in search of richer fortunes.

Dol Amroth endures as a citadel of knowledge. Its white towers rise above a harbor ever thronged with ships, and within its marble halls dwell scholars, mages, and clerics of every order. The city holds the greatest library in Annûn, and one of the last true schools of wizardry. There reigns the immortal Empress Aerena, daughter of the gods, who rules with unchallenged authority. At her side stands Lord Iraborn, divine-born and revered, whose very presence inspires awe among the Amrothian courts. Under their reign the peninsula has flourished; new towns gleam upon the headlands, trade flows unceasing through the harbors, and the realm prospers as never before. The Empresses’ reach now extends north and encompasses all the lands south of the Grey Mountiains, to as far north as Arnor, and westward to the Sea of Harad, encompassing even as far as the Iron Hills. Though protected by her vassal kingdoms, the dwarves of the Iron Hills and the Tel'Lasien elves of the Elder Forest under the rule of Aeredhel, both remain sovereign and not subject to the authority of the Empress, by her agreement.

Beyond the Nyborian Mountains, the dark realm of Rhune remains—a brooding threat behind stone and snow. For now, the powers of Henneth Sonnûn and Dol Amroth holds them at bay, but all remember that silence beyond the mountains is rarely peace.

The Great Silence

Second Age 930, The Year of Ascension. Since SA 930, none among elves nor men have heard or seen the Gods. They have ceased to speak or appear to the people of Aeriador. The Year of Ascension is the year the Six, Selene, and Mielikki all ascended to true godhood. They left Aeriador in the capable hands of their children, Aerena, Melina, Mira, Iraborn, and Aeredhel, and they have not been heard from since. In that time, the faith of Zemira grew and her Church became powerful, especially in Henneth Sonnûn. The faith of Celeborn grew in both Angmar and in Gondolin as the faith of Celeborn replaced the Church of Tyr, due in large part to the efforts of King Turin Turandal. The faithful of Zemira spread word that the gods had ascended and would continue to protect Aeriador from their heavenly realm. Despite the silence, clerics continued to receive their spells and their prayers were often answered. 

The Year of Lost Shores, Second Age 1590

In the year SA 1590, the Great Silence was disrupted by the mysterious event where the island of the elves, Arvandor, the combined and joint kingdoms of the Tel'Celion (Silver) and the Tel'Laurien (Gold) elves, vanished. The island ceased to exist in the Isylean Ocean, and in its place a dense and mystical fog remained. The island was already far removed from the continent of Annûn, but its presence was a comfort to many kingdoms knowing the combined might of the Silver and Gold elves could descend upon Annûn aiding in the next Great battle, if it ever came. But now, the island had vanished. The elves had vanished. No one had answers. This event greatly distressed Aeredhel, Queen of the Tel'Lasien elves of the Elder Forest. King Lenwe, High King of the Tel'Uinaen (Grey elves) and the Gelmar islands, sent word to Aeredhel, Aerena, Iraborn, Ithryn, Goldmoon, and many other leaders among the elves, to convene in Gelmar to find answers. This was 21 years ago from present day (SA 1611), and few know what happened at that meeting.

Of the Seekers 

Second Age 929 has gone down in history as The Year of Divine Concord, the year the gods worked together and combined their powers to defeat Lamashtu. The Seekers have been immortalized by their deeds in aiding in the defeat of Lamashtu and in single handedly defeating the servants of Rovagug. Now remembered mostly in songs and stories, the memories of the Seekers is beginning to fade. They are still known to many simply as saviors and legends, and their deeds have been embellished over the centuries. There are some elven sages who remember accurately, and they have recorded the truth in books and scrolls, and keep the stories alive in poems and songs.

King Turin Turandal, longest reigning monarch of Gondolin and Henneth Annûn, lived for 229 years and reigned for 199 years. He is now remembered as one of the strongest and greatest paladins of the Danemar in service to Celeborn and Zemira and one of the greatest warriors ever in the Second Age of Aeriador. In the year SA 1132, King Turin died, and it is said that he was surrounded by his great family, and his friends Ithryn Emrais, Aerena Nightstar, Iraborn, Melina, and Mira Alathlis all stood by his bed when he passed. On his dying bed Turin said with his last breath, “I have kept the Light of the Aratar, the Flame of Zemira, but my now light is extinguished. I die and go to the great halls of my forefathers,” and as his eyes closed Ithryn said, “My friend, legends never die. Your light will live in all of us.” He is regarded as one of the greatest kings of Gondolin, and his family line continues to this day to rule in Gondolin. Even now, in the year 1611, the Royal family of Gondolin, directly descended from Turin Turandal, is in great alliance with the Grey Havens, Celwynvian, and Azurespire, and this alliance has kept evil at bay for centuries.

The mysterious and mighty Idhassi Silvertongue, leader of the Cat’s Claw thieves guild in Dol Amroth, and member of the Seekers, disappeared without trace. For many years she led the Cat's Claw thieves guild in Dol Amroth, amassing significant, but unsubstantiated wealth. Through her friendship with Aerena, she found great freedom to do as she pleased in Dol Amroth without consequence. Their friendship endured for many years but over time they spoke less and less frequently. By the year SA 1080, Aerena no longer heard from Idhassi, and even with her powerful magic she was not able to find her. Aerena is not convinced that Idhassi simply died alone somewhere, and she is certain no one killed her. To Aerena, the disappearance of Idhassi remains a mystery to be solved. The Cat's Claw thieves guild did not survive the disappearance of Idhassi, and with her friend gone, Aerena and Iraborn dismantled and eliminated the thieves guild. One thing they could not find is the vast treasure that Idhassi had hidden.

Aerena has become both feared and respected. All have heard of her and none dare to confront her. She is known as a master of the mind, the greatest psion Aeriador has ever known. She also is a powerful mage and swordsman, and it is said only Iraborn can best her in single combat, but only if Aerena restrains her powers of the mind. She has become a powerful ruler, the Queen of Dol Amroth. In the year SA 1611 Aerena is highly influential and continues to be Queen of Dol Amroth. It is unknown if Aerena has contacted her parents since the Great Silence.

Iraborn has been by Aerena’s side for all the centuries since SA 929. His wisdom and strength guide Aerena as Queen, and Dol Amroth is better for his presence. With Iraborn and Aerena, Dol Amroth has become the greatest bastion of academia and martial skills in Annûn.  Dol Amroth, more so than any other city in Annûn, recognizes the Seekers as the saviors of the world in the Year of the Divine Concord, and this is due to the efforts of Aerena and Iraborn to keep their history alive. Iraborn is the only child of Zemira and Celeborn that remains in Aeriador. In the year SA 1611, Iraborn rules by Aerena’s side in Dol Amroth and is considered greatest in strength of all the Children of Aeriador. It is unknown if Iraborn has contacted either of his parents since the Great Silence, or if he knows the whereabouts of his sisters Melina and Mira.

Ithryn Emrais served as the Great Druid of the North for slightly more than ten years before becoming the Grand Druid after Reidoth finally stepped down.  He then served as Grand Druid for another twenty years and relinquished the seat to become a Hierophant in the Cabal and serve Aeriador from the Isle of Cel. He and Shadowmoon were inseparable, and she accompanied him on nearly all of his adventures and the more diplomatic missions. They spent many years wandering the lands of Aeriador aiding the free peoples. They aided the Tel’Lasien elves in their continued fight against demonkind that never seemed to fully disappear.  Their friendship with Aeredhel grew considerably, and Ithryn became a champion for the Tel’Lasien elves, the Tel’Celion elves of Celwynvian, the Tel’Uinaen elves of Gelmar, and even the dwarves of the Iron Hills. Ithryn has become one of the most widely known members of the Seekers due to his vast travels and aid given to others. He is renowned for his wisdom, and due to the legends of his deeds and his great strength, he is often considered the greatest living warrior in Annûn, and bested in strength only by Iraborn of Dol Amroth.

In the current year of 1611, only Aerena, Iraborn, and Ithryn remain of the Seekers. 

The Aetherial Confluence

The latest mystery in Aeriador is the great Aetherial Confluence, as it is called in Dol Amroth. The source or origin of this phenomena is unknown, seemingly to all. It appears as a great, deep red ribbon of energy in the sky, similar to an aurora. The ribbons of energy flow lazily across the sky in multiple colors, but primarily deep reds and crimson, but also in azure blues, emerald greens and deep amber yellows. The lights are dimly visible during the day but are bright at night, illuminating clouds with an eerie glow. When the lights first appeared, they did so in a burst of energy that spread across the sky in red lightning like fingers of energy, spreading from pole to pole. Only those that are north of Henneth Annun could have directly observed the burst of energy, but all would have seen the fingers of red lightning rippling across the sky that lasted for minutes before fading away. Then the energy at the northern pole being it's slow migration south.

Sages, philosophers, prophets, those of great faith, and others of great arcane ability, all have speculated on the cause of the lights, and in Annûn most called the lights The Skyveil in the common tongue. In the Grey Havens they were known as The Dawning Veil. In Dol Amroth they are known as The Aetherial Confluence by the educated, while the majority of Amrothians simply called it the Crown of Aerendyl. To the elves, it is called Ilúmeryn Falassë – “Sea of Lights”.

The Aetherial Confluence first appeared on the first day of the year 1611 and has slowly moved across the sky. Having only been observed for a couple of months, little is known about this veil, or ribbons of energy in the sky. What is known is that it is slowly moving across the sky and is present during both the day and the night, though dimly visible in the day and relatively bright at night.  At night, the stars appear to have moved in their places on the northeastern side of the veil, as if the sky itself has shifted or changed causing some to speculate the veil is a mirror into another dimension. The veil is also known to alter the properties of magic, seemingly randomly. It has been shown to greatly enhance, diminish, or completely change magic when cast or used near the veil. Objects and people have changed shape or simply vanished having been randomly teleported many miles away. These are the things most commonly known about the veil, but there may be other observations of the veil that can be learned with research and investigation. It is known to some, especially in Dol Amroth, that certain mages are attempting to harness the power of the veil, to control it, or to enhance and empower their magic. So far, none have been overly successful, some have lost their minds, or worse, their lives. 

Latest Rumors from the North

• The Tel'Celion elves of Celwynvian and the Tel'Uinaen elves of Gelmar are building ships and sending elves in search of Arvandor. The ships are supposedly being built on the northern shores of Aered Bruien and the shores near Calanost of the island of Tol Galan of Gelmar.

Rumors Heard in the Taverns of Wolf's Ear

• The Magister, a powerful mage that takes residence in the tall tower at Lady's Light, and his elven apprentice, are attempting to control the magic of the Skyveil. Reasons yet unknown.
• A group of Red Wizards and Black Clerics of Rhune have been seen in or around the Wolf's Ear area. Whispers of this information can be heard in taverns.