GOTHIC LORE: History and Game Content to instruct about the Gothic universe

[rafmc1989]

HISTORY OF GOTHIC & ARCANIA

For all the guys who are not aware of the Gothic series and Arcania, I post here some descriptions related to the game. Hence, before you start playing, you have a general idea of what the Gothic universe is...

Gothic

The first game of the franchise was released on March 15, 2001 in Germany, and on November 23, 2001 in North America.
The game takes place in a medieval fantasy world, in which humans are losing the war against the orcs. The hero, a young nameless man, is forced to work in the Penal Colony, because of his crimes. In order to continue the fight against the orcs, the king needs to extract magical ore and use it for weapons and armor. Every burglar, thief or criminal is sent in the Colony to work in the mines, by the king's order. To keep the prisoners inside, the king ordered 12 magicians to create a magical barrier over the colony. However, due to complications, the barrier trapped a much larger territory than originally intended, along with the 12 magicians and the king's forces. Thus the militia blocked inside soon lost control over the prisoners, and the king had no choice but to trade with the convicts. Soon after the convicts divided into several camps, one of which the Man can join in order to survive and advance the plot.

Gothic II

Gothic II is the second game in the Gothic franchise, released on November 23, 2002 in Germany, and October 29, 2003 in North America. It's the sequel to Gothic.
The game events continue the ones from the first Gothic - as the barrier was destroyed, many prisoners escaped; many of them headed to Khorinis with fake titles (since the militia started to search for the escaped convicts), and others remained in the mountains forming groups of bandits. But things aren't quite that good in Khorinis, as many thought - Xardas (the hero's mentor) informs him that a greater evil is now threatening the land - as The Sleeper was banished he made a last call to all his minions to gather in the Valley of Mines.

Gothic ll - Night of the Raven

Gothic II: Night of the Raven is the official expansion for Gothic II. It was released on August 22, 2003 in Germany, and on January 20, 2005 in North America as a part of the Gothic II Gold package.
The expansion introduces a new world to the game called Jharkendar which is located in the northeast of Khorinis. It is an ancient and deserted city, populated mostly by pirates and bandits.
The hero opens a portal to Jharkendar with the help of the Water Mages, and after getting there, discovers what threatens the island: Raven, a former ore baron in the Penal Colony who has sold his soul to Beliar, the god of darkness, and is hungry for power.

Gothic 3

Gothic 3 is the third game in the Gothic franchise, and the official sequel to Gothic II. It was released on October 13, 2006 in Europe, and on November 20, 2006 in North America.
The third part of the saga shows the hero and his friends sailing to Myrtana. After getting there, they discover that the continent has been overrun by orcs which have enslaved mankind. The hero also gets another hit, when he finds out from locals that Xardas, his mentor, is the one who helped the orcs with their evil scheme. Things will change later, when the hero discovers Xardas and finds out that he only helped the orcs for his own purpose. He quests the hero to retrieve some artifacts and kill the king which had imprisoned him in the Colony; after that, they (Xardas and the hero) went together through a portal into an unknown land.

Forsaken Gods

Gothic 3: Forsaken Gods is the official standalone expansion for Gothic 3. It was released on November 21, 2008 in Europe and North America.
Two years have passed since the hero and Xardas went into the Unknown Lands. From there, they were watching over Myrtana - which was destroyed by wars between the factions. The hero could stand no more, seeing that the land for which he almost gave his life for was destroyed, and decided to return. Xardas refused to let him go and tried to explain that eventually mankind will tire of war and peace will prevail. The angered hero refused to listen, and after a great battle which almost killed him, returned to Myrtana to unite it. Eventually the hero will crown himself the new king of Myrtana.

Arcania

Arcania was known as the fourth game in the Gothic franchise, which was released on October 12, 2010.
Arcania is the first game in the series which has a new hero. Also, it is the first game in the franchise which was released for two platforms: PC and Xbox 360. While delayed, the game was also released for PS3. The fourth game was also being developed by a different company, Spellbound Entertainment.
The events in Arcania continue directly from Forsaken Gods. Arcania will introduce players for the first time to the Southern Islands. 10 years have passed; the self-crowned king has turned rogue and has destroyed/overrun parts of the Southern Islands. A new hero arises, after he finds his hometown destroyed by the evil king. Great threats await the new hero as he quests for revenge.
He eventually discovers during his quest for revenge that it wasn't the king who destroyed his village but a rogue element in his army and finds out that he is the only one who can put an end to the demon that was tormenting the king. In the end, after receiving his revenge, the hero also puts an end to the demon's possession of Rhobar but it is then summoned by enemies that were long since thought to have been defeated, thereby setting the stage for a possible sequel.

Fall of Setarrif

Announced by Spellbound and JoWooD on December 9, 2010, Fall of Setarrif is the first standalone addon for Arcania: Gothic 4, which was released on October 25, 2011 for PC and May 31, 2013 for PS3 and Xbox 360.
Arcania: Fall of Setarrif ties up the loose ends of the main game's story and adds yet another chapter to the epic tale. After the demon that possessed King Robar III was exorcised, it made its way to Setarrif to find a new host. In Setarrif, which is cut off from the rest of the island, chaos and anarchy spread rapidly!
King Robar III is troubled by these developments and is afraid of losing the city and some of his companions, which are in Setarrif at that very moment. The nameless hero is therefore sent by the king and must journey to Setarrif… But he has no idea of what lies before him.


SOUNDTRACKS
Most music of the series was composed by a genial German musician/composer, Kai Rosenkranz. Namely, he wrote the game music for Gothic I, Gothic II, Gothic III, and Risen 1. His abilities created the right environment for the series, giving the game a unique "magical sensation".
Youtube Links to the soundtracks (Gothic I - II - III), content present in the game as well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6xW5cNXXDY


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAALlACa5PY


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgrgPqGoKk4

[paleologos]

A good start with this, well done.
I hope you post a few words about the history, the make up and the standing of each faction.

[rafmc1989]

Yeah sure, everything will pour here step by step... I just need to find the good info for each faction (namely translating stuff)... This thread will be like a teacher who gives a class to students, don't worry ahaha!

P.S. Tomorrow you'll have the first models to work with (I'll explain in detail what I want new in these units), just before I need a bit of time for finishing my new armors...

[rafmc1989]

Guys, new lore content so you get more familiar with the Gothic universe... (I know it may be a bit boring, but I suggest you to read it)

KINGDOM OF MYRTANA
Central Realms or the Old Empire were the first real human kingdom long before Rhobar II has conquered all the lands lying on the banks of the Sea of Myrtana. These fertile plains rich in lush forests scattered among acres of potent fields neighbor the cold and icy Nordmar in the north and the desert Hashishin realm of Varant in the south. The capitol of the Central Realms is located on the east shore, surrounded by towns and villages providing the empire with everything it needs.

Geography


The Kingdom is divided into two distinct regions, divided by a mountain range. The easternmost region is known as the seaside, stabbing deep into the sea, while the westernmost are the actual Central Realms. Regardless, the climate in Myrtana is temperate, with warm summers and cold winters, forming a transitional zone between the hot Varant and cold Nordmar.
The seaside has a well developed shoreline and mainly rests on an elevated mesa, created from thousands of years of water eroding the shore. The mesa itself is not flat as one would expect - it's riddled with terrain drops, hills and faults, naturally limiting the amount of agriculture in this region. Despite this, numerous farmers have established their farms in this region and cultivated crops on small fields, providing a small, but vital part of the food supply for the nearby Vengard, the capitol. The hub of agricultural infrastructure was Ardea, a small town which served as a trade point for merchants and farmers.

Another town in the vicinity was Cape Dun, a village that was the center of hunting activity for the eastern Myrtana. Hunters formed to core of the city's economy, in addition to lumberjacks and provided merchants with raw wood and animal trophies, which would later be processed in workshops of Vengard and neighboring cities.

However, the main city of the easternmost part of Myrtana was the capitol of the kingdom - Vengard. This marvelous city was one of the crucial parts of the kingdom economy, as the elite living within its safe walls required large amounts of food, raw materials, luxury items etc. to live. As such, Vengard provided much of the demand for the economy of the lands.

Vengard, Ardea and Cape Dun relied heavily on supplies from the Central Realms, most importantly food. The road to them led through mountain valleys of the range located directly in the center of the kingdom. The roads were not always safe, and several strongholds have been constructed controlling key transportation lanes - Gotha and Faring, with the latter also guarding one of the most important passages to Nordmar. Faring was a large fortress lying on a cliff, overseeing the valley below, with a small town constructed at the base of the cliff for merchants who established trade routes with Nordmar. The castle's presence made the valley a cul-de-sac killing zone tailored for royal mages and archers to kill any and all invading forces. Gotha was also a similarly impenetrable fortress, with another town built around the stronghold to cater for any traders stopping on their way to or from the Central Realms. In both cases, the invaders had to resort to unconventional warfare - Faring was conquered by destroying rune magic and Gotha was destroyed by a summoned demon.

The realms themselves were composed of a network of cities located in key valleys, as the realms had an extremely developed, mountainous terrain. However, the human colonized it utilizing every possible nook and cranny. The key city was Montera, which lay closest to the mountain passages and was the biggest supplier of food in the kingdom, with several farms growing crops and herding animals surrounding the city. It was of such a great importance, that a castle was erected along with protective city walls and a Temple of Innos constructed within it. The city continued to be a major supplier of food after it was conquered by the orcs. A similar city laid in a valley away from Montera. It was named Geldern and laid in a valley rich in resources, so naturally it became the center of the mining industry of Myrtana and provided raw materials ranging from sulphur through gold to raw ore for industries throughout the land. The business was extremely profitable, and Geldern grew, eventually becoming one of the biggest cities in the kingdom, even housing its very own temple of Innos.

To the north of Geldern laid Silden, a city similar to Cape Dun. It was positioned near a lake with a sunken paladin stronghold and based its economy on fishermen and hunters, being yet another source of food and animal trophies for industries throughout the kingdom.

To the south of Geldern, near a passage leading to Varant was Trelis a strategically placed fort whose sole role was defending and providing early warning in a case of an invasion from Varant, as was the case when Lukkor decided to invade Myrtana.


The Northern Orcs

History

It is currently unknow the history of their lives into the Orclands . All it is known is that a lot of orcs under Warlord Kan leaved the Orclands because the weather was extremly cold leaving the children and the wives there until they conquer Myrtana , and then they call them back .


They attacked the kingdom of Myrtana , and with the help of Xardas the Necromancer , they stole the magic power of the paladins and Myrtana was soon conquered by Orcs , the last standing city being Vengard , the capital , that with a powerful magic performed by the High Fire Magicians formed a magic barrier around the city to prevent the Orcs from entering it . However , some Orcs managed to get through the city when the barrier appeared and were closed in with the defenders . Soon , Kan managed to destroy the last rebelling Myrtanians with the help of the Hero , King Rhobar II being assasinated by Lee and the Nameless Hero .


Social ranks

The Slave - Ussualy a human or a Southern Orc , sometimes some Northern criminal , they work hard in the building/digging business of the Orcs , they were also a good trade between the Orcs and the Hashishin before they began a war . They are low social class that are not used in wars.

The Scout -A Northern Orc that scouts the enemy territory and give information about it , they have medium armour on them and heavy weapons.

The Warrior -An Orc that is the primary unit in the wars . They have plate armour just as strong as the paladins have , and heavy weapons .

The Elite Warrior - An experienced Orc Warrior , with armor even stronger than the normal Warrior and paladin , wielding heavy weapons .

The Shaman - An Orc preaching the word of Beliar , healing the ill and wounded Orc Warriors , a big rank in the Orcish society . Also , knowing magic .

The Commander/Noble-The highest rank in society after the King/Warlord commanding armies and ruling cities , that type of Orc has it's own army and city , in the times of war , taking the title of Commander.
The King/Warlord -The highest rank in the society , commanding all the armies , all the nobles , and ruling over the capital . In the times of war ,taking the title of Warlord.

Language

It is unknown what is their language , it is belived that they speak the Human language , or speak the same language as the Southern Orcs , naming their weapons just as the Southern cousins name them .

Factions

There are only two known factions at the moment in the Known Morgrad .Those factions are :The Orcish Kingdom of Myrtana , currently ruled by King Kan , at war with the Hashishin at the time when the Hero went to the Unknown Lands . Another faction is a horde which is fighting the Nordmarians in Nordmar .





N.B: Additional content about the other factions will pour step by step...

[rafmc1989]

Other lore content...

NORDMAR


Nordmar is the mountainous, northern region, locked in ice and covered in snow. To the north of Nordmar giant icebergs are located, where supposedly the Orcs originated, and from where they begun their invasion. Their families are most probably waiting there, for the return of their men with all the valuables they managed to conquer.

Geography

It is full of valleys, ridges and mountain chains that make the region almost impassable. Roads cannot be seen because of the snow covering them and there are many traps and abysses hidden under the snowcurtain. Climate is very cold, summers are mild and winters very harsh. Almost all the water, exept the sea, freezes during the winter time. Normally it's very foggy in the valleys, especially in the mornings.
High mountains made it impossible to establish a human presence near the shore of Nordmar. Therefore the west of Nordmar is not populated and humans are rarely there. The most populated area is the central part of Nordmar, were people divided into clans, build three larger inhabited areas. All of them are built on a place that is hard to access mainly because of the many dangerous beasts that would simply run and wreak havoc in the houses. So clans have build their dwellings on high hills surrounded by abysses and valleys usually connected to the world only with a bridge.
Wolf Clan lies in the south Nordmar, the Hammer Clan is the largest of all clans and is situated in the middle of Nordmar, controlling the ore mines. In the far north-west is situated Fire Clan. In the west there is also small but very important monastery of the Fire Mages. It is high in the mountains and it is hard to access.

Not many things grow in Nordmar mostly because of the harsh winters. Forests in Nordmar consist of conifers, mostly pine trees, and evergreen bushes. Regarding plants, a skilled alchemist will still be able to find some useful herbs, but nevertheless they are a rarity in Nordmar.
In Nordmar there are many different animals that have adapted to the cold climate. Ice Wolves are tougher than midland wolves and have denser fur. Same goes for Bisons and Ripper Beasts. Sabertooths also live in Nordmar.

Nordmarian Kin

Nordmarians are people living in Nordmar for almost a thousand years. Their uniting started centuries ago when they started to establish hunting settlements on the grounds of nowadays clans. In that days in Nordmar lived only hunters and traders. But when the orcs started a war and invaded Nordmar, a very strong anti-orc community rose. In all previously hunting camps larger settlements were constructed, forgers were creating large amounts of arms and warriors were trained into most fearsome fighters. That was the time when their difference in skills and interests were brought to light and so clans were established.

Wolf Clan remained mostly hunting settlement, they specialized in taming wolves. But they still need warriors, so called orc hunters to defend their clan. Hammer Clan is known for their smiths, who are the only that can forge weapons from pure magic ore. They are also the only clan that can melt such planks – they have their big ore mine and smelting place.

The Fire Clan is the only clan that worships Innos. They train best warriors that humans have seen. They are the ones that also served as mercenaries for the king in the First Orc War.

Their dwellings are normally made out of wood, only the main hall of the clan is built from stone. Heat is important so every house also has a lot of firewood nearby and a lot of furs are on the walls to keep the warmth inside.
Because of the cold farming isn't possible in the land of Nordmar, so Nordmarians normally eat meat only. They also drink a lot of booze, they brew one of the strongest alcoholic drinks Nordmar Noginfog.

Hunters wear clothes made from thick pelts to resist the cold. They are equiped with large bows that can penetrate beast's thick skin. They also wear tools for skinning animals. Warriors of the clans usually wear plate armour under wich also fur is applied so that warriors can resist cold. Some are equiped with a round metal shield and Nordmarian sword, other wear massive two-handed war axes that can penetrate orc heavy armor.

Economy
Goods that are traded between clans are usually hunting trophies, pelts, food and weaponery. Also firewood is very important for clans especially in winter time. Whole teams are sent in the woods to gather enough wood for the clan. Pelts are used mostly for clothing and armor and they are also used as carpets. Sabertooth teeth are used as very hard arrowheads. Hammer clan produces best weapons in the whole world thus being the centre of weapon trade in Nordmar. Centuries ago large amounts of magic ore was traded into midland so that Nordmarians could get goods from that part of the world. But conflict between Nordmar and king Rhobar worsened the relationship with the mainland and so trade between the two countries ceased.

[rafmc1989]

ONAR'S MERCENARIES
N.B. Here, the info available is a bit limited, hence I'll write according to everything I remember from Gothic II (the series chapter where they figure).

History
After the explosion of the Barrier in Gothic I, in the Valley of Mines, the situation got immediately chaotic and the S.Orcs tribes exploited these events to conquer new areas in the Valley and face directly the Royal forces of Myrtana for the control of the precious ore mines (i.e. "ore" in Gothic is the magical element)...

Many fighters deserted the kingdom as the situation was desperate and the Orcish troops too many. Hence, a large part of these scattered warriors were hired by the rich landlord Onar, who possesses most farms in the eastern area of the Khorinis Island. He was searching for good warriors in order to protect his farms and plantations from any kind of raid (might be the militiamen of the Kingdom, the Orcs or the wild animals of the caves nearby).

In Gothic II, the mercenaries work for the landowner Onar and protect his yard from the militia and collect the farm lease from the smaller farms. Mercenaries are quite strong fighters, who aren't averse to a little brawl. You can gain respect from many of them if you manage to beat them in a duel. Once you enter in the faction, you first receive their light armor made of leather, then as lon as you proceed in the game, you get their best armors made of tough iron and stone.

When the Dragons hit the Valley of Mines, a new corp of mercenaries is formed and hired by Onar: they are among the best warriors ever seen, their name is "Dragon-Hunters" (in the mod as well, they match the might of the Myrtanian Paladins, but theiy lack the magic power and spells which instead is known by the paladins of Rhobar).
In Gothic II, The dragon hunters are very good fighters as well but they're also huge swanks. These men came from the mountains to fight the dragons. However they aim for gold and fame for the most part. Dragon hunters don't give a damn about magic, they rather trust in real weapons as swords or bows (contrary to the Paladins, who instead exploit the arts of magic).
Their armor is extremely resistant, made of pure magic ore and reinforced with dragon scales (possibly, even stronger than the Paladin's armor).

The alignment of the Onar's mercs is not very clear, in Gothic II they seek independence and are always in search of money. They fight against the kingdom and the tribes of Orcs in the Valley of Mines, whereas they have good relations with the cultists of the Brotherhood of the Sleeper (one of the main faction in Gothic I).

In the game, their roster is extremely varied, esssentially they field from weak militiamen to the mighty dragon hunters, and have at disposal melee, pike, ranged and cavalry forces. Surely, an all-around army that adapts to any possible situations. Their weakness is the small starting position and the lack of intermediate troops, they switch from militia/medium mercs to the elite dragon-hunters. But the economy is strongs, the farms are rich and Onar too.

Their military leader is Lee, once a powerful Paladin loyal to Rhobar I. When Rhobar II took the power, he deserted the royal army and offered his services to Onar, becoming as a consequence the new leader of all mercenary groups in Khorinis. After Gothic II, their evolution is not known, most probably they sign a ceasefire with the kingdom and continue managing and enlarging their valuable farms.

[rafmc1989]

SOUTHERN ORCS

History
The Southern Orcs are first mentioned when they summoned The Sleeper. This deed had been done by 5 Shamen who gave their hearts in sacrifice.

Sleeper ripped their hearts from their chests and put them into storage, turning them Undead. At some point, Southern Orcs lived in an united community with the people of Jharkendar, and established contacts with the cruel Raven.

In Gothic I history, the Nameless Hero defeated the 5 Shamen and the Sleeper was banished by him. After that, the Barrier in the Valley of Mines fell and the prisoners in it ran away. But the Sleeper called all the tribes of Orcs to unite and attack the paladins and the militiamen that came to collect the Magic Ore in the Valley of Mines.
But their leader , Hosh-Pak was assasinated and Ur-Shak, a powerful Shaman, took the command of the Orcish armies. After the Hero went from the island of Khorinis, Ur-Shak conquered the Old Castle and later, even the port city of Khorinis was conquered by the Southern Orcs. This declared the loss of any royal possession of the kingdom on the island. It is unknown if the tribes split after that, or remained under the command of Ur-Shak.
Apparently, only the mercenary groups of Onar managed to resist their invasion, but the history about the S.Orcs ends with Gothic II - The Night of the Raven, nothing more is known after that chapter.

Social Ranks
The Orc sentinels - They are citizens , peaceful and without any type of armor on them.

The Hunters - They hunt some animals and shadowbeasts, they have light equipment and armour.

The Scouts -This type of Orc is scouting the enemy territories and have almost the same armor as the Warriors have.

The Warriors - This Orc is the basic soldier in the Southern Orcish wars against Myrtana. They have light armors and heavy weapons.
The Elite Warriors -An experienced type of Orcish warrior with a decent plate armour and swords, sometimes called Krush Varroks, those warriors are the Orcs' elite, very dangerous , being one of the best soldiers in the known Morgrad.

The Shaman -Some kind of priest, in the times of peace he leads the tribe and heals the sick Orcs , but also the wounded Orcs in the times of war. Some Shamans are goblin tribes leaders as well.

The Commander - He leads the Orcish troops to war.

The Colonel - He leads all the tribes, and contacts the Beliar avatars, taking orders from them.

Language

There are few things known in the Southern Orcish . It is unknown if it is simple , or complex , has a lot of nouns or verbs , but there are a few words known till now .

Some examples:

Gach-lug=Minecrawler/Minecrawler Warrior, Gach=huge insect, Khaz-Tak= Shadowbeast Horn, Khrotok=Alarm!, Krushak=Sleeper, Varrag=Shaman, Lug=Warrior, Tak=horn, Antak=hide, Orth=Troll, Orth-Antak=Troll hide , Khaz-Antak=Shadowbeast hide, Khaz=Shadowbeast, Krush=Weapon

Factions
There are a lot of tribes of Southern Orcs, but they are currently united into an Union of Tribes led by Ur-Shak. After the fall of Khorinis, it is likely that some S.Orcs tribes joined their Northern "cousins" in leading the invasion throughout the Myrtanian heartlands on the main continent.

[rafmc1989]

RAVEN's OLD CAMP (Beliar-sided criminals)

History
a) Colony of Khorinis
The Old Camp has been established first; it is biggest of all camps in a colony. Long ago it used to be a castle of one of royal vassals of the King who received quite good income of extraction of the magic ore for the King. Later, when the war with Orcs hit its high point, and Valley of the Mines has started to turn into a penal colony. Crowds of convicts-miners have started to lodge in vicinities of the old castle.

b) The Barrier
For some time people of the king maintained relative order in the colony, but all their efforts to maintain peace among the prisoners was crossed out by one event. The Barrier, and during the moment of its formation, convicts led by Gomez have arranged an uprising. Having taken advantage of their jailers’ confusion, who were not aware of King orders about the formation of the Barrier around the penal colony, prisoners have revolted and killed all of the Kings people. All armour, weapon and the main thing - authority, have instantly passed on to prisoners. With the prisoners as the main force within The Colony now, they took the Old Camp and thereby, the Old Mine (the main and only source of magical ore at that time). King Rhobar II had no choice but to negotiate with the convicts. It was for their common goodness, they were getting supplies as in food, weapons and armor while the outside world received the mined ore in exchange.

c) The Big Split-Up and Chaos
While the majority of the Colony was alright with the idea of living off the deliveries from the outside world, two big parties split up to pursue their escape plans. Half of the mages that created the barrier, the six Magicians of the Circle of Water took warriors who served as mercenaries and rogues with them to the west of the colony where they found a new mine, while Y'Berion, after receiving a vision from the Sleeper, took men with him to the temple ruins from the swamp. Now the water mages, mercenaries, rogues and scrapers known as the New Camp think that they can just detonate the barrier once they've scraped enough ore together, while the gurus, templars and novices known as the Brotherhood of the Sleeper, Sect Camp or Swamp Camp pray to their idol to set them free. The Old Camp had their own ranks aswell. While the Magicians of the Circle of Water left the camp, the Magicians of the Circle of Fire remained. The ore barons occupied the highest rank. Next in line to them were the guards, followed by the shadows. The diggers were the lowest, but also the most important, being the ore source of the whole camp.


Guilds
Ore Barons
The Ore Barons, led by Gomez and his right hand, Raven, control the Old Camp and thereby the whole ore trade. Apart from Gomez and Raven, the other Ore Barons are Bartholo and Gomez's bodyguards Scar and Arto.
- The power, in Gothic II - tNotR, is officially taken by the cruel Raven who sells his soul to the Dark god Beliar, and he receives the mighty "Beliar's Claw", a majestic two-handed weapons with magic enchantments and able to control people's minds. The Raven starts to plunder most of Jharkendar and his followers spread in the entire Mysterious Valley (=aka Jharkendar). Finally, the Raven will be defeated and killed by the Nameless Hero at the end of Gothic II - tNotR


Magicians of the Circle of Fire
The Magicians of the Circle of Fire are the spiritual and magical heart of the Old Camp, worshipping Innos, the God of Light. They contain their leader Corristo along with Torrez, Rodriguez, Drago, Damarok and Corristo's apprentice Milten. To become one of them, a shadow must impress Thorus and at the same time the other mages.


Guards
The guards, led by Thorus, are the main force of the Old Camp. Their duty is to protect the Ore Barons, the camp and the diggers from the camp and the mine. Unlike shadows, they stick together. They sleep in the inner ring, most of them sharing the room with few others. There are three guards in the outer ring that take protection money from the diggers on their districts:

• Fletcher, Nek (formerly) - the arena district
• Jackal - south gate
• Bloodwyn - north gate

To join them, a shadow must impress their leader, Thorus.

Shadows
The shadows are the quest carriers of the Old Camp. They receive missions from the Ore Barons and sometimes from the guards. Unlike guards, they are on their own. The shadows are led by Diego. He trusts Fingers, the most skillful among them, Sly, Whistler and the two merchants Dexter and Fisk. The shadows sleep in the outer ring. To join them, a digger must impress other shadows that will speak for him in front of Diego, and complete the Test of Faith.


Diggers
The diggers are the only unofficial guild of the Old Camp, and also the only guild where anybody can join. They are the base of the camp, working in the mines digging for ore, which they mainly trade for supplies with the higher ranks for goods from the outside world, thus the ore reaching the king. They can also choose to spend their ore to pay 10 nuggets to the guards as protection money. They sleep in the outer ring, in houses similar to the shadows'.

[rafmc1989]

Brotherhood of the Sleeper

The Brotherhood of the Sleeper was one of the three camps established under the Barrier in the Valley of Mines in Khorinis. Other people called it the sect camp, because it's members renounced the three gods and were worshiping only the Sleeper.

Established by the visionary Y'Berion after the Sleeper called upon him, the camp grew fast, mostly due to its main (and only) resource - the swampweed.
The camp's predominant color was green.

History
A young digger named Berion one day had a strange dream whilst sleeping in his hut in the Old Camp. A strange, god-like creature called upon him, revealing the location of an abandoned temple within the marshes in the eastern part of the Valley. Guided by the dream, Berion found the mighty temple and the swamp, along with what was to become the foundation of the new camp's economy. Along with Angar and Kalom, Berion, now assuming the title of Y', he slowly established a thriving community in the marsh, exchanging processed swampweed for tools and materials with other camps.

The camp prospered and grew in strength throughout the five years of its existence. Y'Berion decided to withdraw to the temple, leaving the matters of the camp to Cor Angar and Cor Kalom.

After five years, the turning point in the camp's history came - the great summoning of the Sleeper, made possible with help from a newly arrived convict, who provided much needed Minecrawler secretion for the ritual.


However, matters got out of hand, as the vision granted to the members of the Brotherhood resulted in a fatal injury to Y'Berion, who soon died. Angry at the failure, Cor Kalom left the swamp with a large number of Novices and Templars to seek out the Sleeper on his own, further weakening the already miserable spirit of the camp's dwellers.
Cor Angar was the sole remaining leader in the camp, and managed to keep the community together. However, the revelation that Sleeper was not the divine savior he was supposed to be hit him hard. However, realizing the stakes, Cor Angar did not protest when the hero revealed his intent to destroy the demon.
The Brotherhood fell apart when the Sleeper was banished from the world and the Barrier dissipated. Some of the sect members were killed by the newly arriving dragons the others were forced to obey the Undead Dragon as the Seekers , and it is certainly not impossible that the camp itself was leveled when the orcs arrived in Khorinis .
Hierarchy
The camp was organized into several distinct castes, each governed by specific laws.


Novices - The lowest ranking members of the Brotherhood were also its workforce. Sacrificing themselves for the Sleeper, their duties included menial work including swampweed and herb harvesting, praying to the Sleeper and gaining knowledge from the gurus.

The Novices bore no title and wore simple loincloths and short, knee-length sleeveless robes. The most skilled among them could enter the regiments of Apprentice Templars, nos as skilled as the Temple Guards, but still good fighters and fanatics of the Sleeper Cult.


Guru - The enlightened members of the Brotherhood who served their time and amassed enough knowledge were welcomed as Guru, those who knew. Their duties in the camp included overseeing work done by the Novices and teaching them. However, they were not limited to that only, as gurus also journeyed to other camps to spread the knowledge of the Sleeper and offer salvation and also sell processed swampweed joints, building up demand for the products of the Swamp Camp.

The guru bore the title Baal and wore long, sleeveless robes in the camp, but mostly preferring lighter, more comfortable novice clothes when working outside the camp.

Temple Guard - The defenders of the Brotherhood and one of the best fighters in the entire penal colony, the Templars wore heavy armors with loincloths and wielded double handed swords in combat. Each Templar had to endure years of sacrifice and self-discipline to be accepted into the Guard and exhibit total balance of spirit and body.

All Templars bore the title of Gor Na and wore loincloths on their heavy, ornamental armor.


Elders - Leaders of the Guru and Temple Guard differ from other members in responsibility. Each elder oversees the work and actions of other members of the circle, He leads and ensures that everything runs smoothly.

The elders bare the title of Cor.


Social conditions
The Brotherhood was very open, just and fair. The lowest class (Novices), compared to the lowest classes of the other two camps (Diggers and peasants) was living very luxurious life. Nobody was exploiting them and forcing them to work hard all the time giving them ore only enough for food. All that was expected from the novice is regular prayers and mostly non-physical work. Also the highest members of the camp weren't living a very rich only having what is necessary and Cor Kalom worked very hard in his alchemy lab. This, compared to the Old Camp's Ore barons (doing nothing and having everything), proves that the Brotherhood was very just and social differences were small.


Economy
The Swamp Camp produced only one thing - the swampweed. Swampweed required a lot of sunlight and moisture to proliferate and thus grew only on Brotherhood-controlled marshes. Attempts were made by New Camp members to start their own production and processing of the swampweed, but these attempts were quickly shut down by the Brotherhood, who didn't like their monopoly (and sole source of income) threatened.

The swampweed was a highly sought-after good in the colony, its relaxing qualities known far and wide. In return, the Swamp Camp could get anything from other camps. The demand for the weed was so high that even the continuously working weed mashers had trouble to keep up with the production ratio.


Trivia
Out of the three camps, the art of tattoo was most widespread in the swamp camp, with nearly every member possessing intricate tattoos on their bodies, even on their head. The temple that the camp was centered around bears similarity to the ruined city of Jharkendar.

[rafmc1989]

Hashishin

DESCRIPTION
Driven almost exclusively by the craving to earn, Hashishin are a mystery to other populations. Openly allied with the N.Orcs with whom they share adoration for Beliar, they capture the humans who have to flee and deliver them to the new Myrtana lords for a good price. The Hashishins are also known to fight cleverly and without fear (so much so that their allies fear them), and to trust only one another. By the time the Hashishin refined the one-handed combat style of the South Islands, creating a combat with two swords. Often, the two weapons were poisoned with a potion created by the rarest alchemists of Varant using the poison taken by the dangerous insects of the deserts, the Lizard tongues and the Bladders of Poison. The Hashishin's highest caste are the Dark Wizards and Zuben, the leader of their order, guides the entire population.

They live in various cities scattered in the Desert:

- Braga
- Ben Erai
- Lago
- Ben Sala
- Bakaresh
- Mora Sul
- Ishtar

Some Hashishin moved to Myrtana in the cities controlled by the Orcs: Cape-Dun, Silden, Geldern, Trelis and Faring.

HISTORY

The Hashishin (many centuries before the events of Gothic III) were one of the many nomadic tribes who mourned for the deserts of Varant with the sole purpose of gaining profits from the trade of any kind of thing, animal or slave. The Varant had several kings and sultans who ruled the different cities and often the nomadic tribes fought among themselves for the possession of the cities.

After a long time a young nomadic warrior of the Hashishin tribe, named Zuben, gained the trust of many warriors (including the old Mezir of the ruins of Mora Sul) and attacked the city of Ishtar, storming it and reclaiming what had kept for millennia : The Scepter of the Eternal Wanderer, symbol of the power of the dark God Beliar.

It was clear that Zuben was one of Beliar's chosen and so, with the help of many Hashishin warriors, he subordinated all the nomadic rulers who ruled the desert cities and became the uncontested Lord of all the Varant, making Hashishin a strong people, feared by most.

Later, the Hashishin made many wars not only against the nomads, but also against Myrtana, for this reason they were defeated several times and subjugated by the real armies led by Lord Lee and Lord Dominique, in the name of King Rhobar I.

They succeeded in defeating Myrtana during the orchestral war, which King Rhobar II was facing in Nordmar, but were again defeated by Lord Lee's troops, in the name of King Rhobar III, when he claimed the possession of the continent for him (Rhobar III --> aka the Nameless Hero when he gets the crown).

The Hashishins still remain rich merchants and skilled hunters, but from the Myrtanian conquest of Rhobar III they no longer have an army, and are not allowed to form new regiments. In Arcania, they are seldom cited, but a few of them appear in Stewark and Setarrif as merchants.

[rafmc1989]

NOMADS
N.B: Here the info is severely lacking on the web, hence I'll write according to all I remember.

History
The nomads are humans who have rebelled against the Hashishin slavery, and are therefore allied with the Water Wizards, living with them in Varant. Their continued hostility with the Hashishin, who has deprived them of the oases, near which they erected their cities, leads them to hide in improvised camps between desert dunes or wrecks of past civilizations in Varant, and for such reasons they also like contemplating and studying the ancient artifacts of these ancestors. They are an ancient people, and it is believed that they occupied the Varant many centuries before the arrival of the Hashishin.

NOTE: Water Wizards are actually members of the nomadic people. They are the armed "arm" of the Water Mages (namely they protect the Higher Circles of Water). They do not have a fixed location or a stronghold, instead they prefer wandering across the lands and fight all the enemies of the Water god Adanos, namely the servants of the Dark god Beliar. Whereas, their stand with the worshippers of Innos (the Fire god) is not known, most probably they trade but do not have heavenly relations.

Clans
The Nomads are grouped, in Gothic III, into several clans and they all collaborate to fight the Hashishin and free their ancient cities all around the deserts of Varant.
Their leaders, usually, do not reveal their true identity, yet some of the prominent figures of the clans are Shakyor and to a greater extent Vatras, although he works for the Onar mercenaries.
Their fate, in the series, is deeply influenced according to the choices made by the Nameless Hero. In turn, he will decide whether to finish them and kill all of their leaders, or help them and liberte some important Hashishin centres (that will be taken and restored by the Nomads).

Society
The Nomads are among the few civilizations that allow the same rights to women and men (cannot be said the same for Hashishin, Myrtana, Nordmar and the other factions on the Island of Khorinis), and they are generally a pacific people.
Their rmy is made up of three classes of warriors:
- The light Nomads (wearing the usual suits of the desert)
- The Medium Nomads (wearing suits reinforced with leather and other simple material)
- The Heavy Nomads (wearing lamellar coats below their vests, and quite good soldiers)
(N.B: the same classification is in the mod)

Their centres are rather small, usually oases and scattered camps, and their life is simple and genuine. They trade with the merchants in Varant, exchanging any kind of resources found in the open desert, and they have some contacts with the "rangers and druids" of the Wanderer people living in Myrtana (they also share the same god, both believing in Adanos).

After Gothic III their story ends, in Arcania they are never quoted and no one of their tribes figures in the game. Most probably, in case the Nameless Hero helps them reconquering the lands of their ancestors, they will continue to live together with the Hashishin and both civilizations will respond to the Myrtanian will imposed by Rhobar III (aka the N.H.).

[rafmc1989]

WANDERERS (Druidic Clans)
N.B: here there is no info at all on the web, so again I go with my personal knowledge.

History
The clans of the Wanderer people appear in Gothic III. They are a simplistic people, live in camps, outposts or simple centres. In Gothic III they support the Myrtanian ruler, Rhobar II, although they are not officially aligned with the royal power. Generally, their kin is rather disparsed all over Myrtana and do not hae a true leader. Instead, their clans are separately governed by local druids and chief rangers.

The Druids are the highest caste among the Wanderer people. They worship Adanos, although they do not share the altars and temples that are common within the people of the Nomads and the Onar mercs. Instead, they have their druidic "sacred places" where the priests get together and pray their Water god.
The Druids are the only mages who have the knowledge of mutating their "body", essentially they can take the form of wild animals for a certain period of time in order to escape any danger. Moreover, they live together with the wild beasts of the forests at the East of the kingdom, and can control their attitude (in a few case, they even went to battle with them in Gothic III).

Aprt from the Druids, the other big group is made up of the "rangers". Essentially, they are former soldiers of the Myrtanian kingdom who deserted the army when the N.Orcs launched their invasion in Myrtana. Most of there soldiers are expert marksmen and they prefer the usage of longbows, together with poisoned arrows and hatchets or short pikes for defense (in the game, the same classification takes place). The Clans are protected by these warriors who are the best of their kin. Together with them, the Wanderers have other clan protectors: namely, freemen and artisans who have received some warfare training and they prepare for war when the need comes.

Moreover, the Wanderers are usually joined by errant travelers who visit their camps to get healed by the powerful druids. The travelers are freelance mercenaries who prefer guerrilla tactics and they always try to fight the enemy at distance, before going to melee.

Fate
In Gothic III the survival of the Wanderers depends upon the choices made by the Nameless hero. He has two alternatives: 1) he get access to the clans and help their leaders fighting the invading orcs and killing their chieftains; 2) he chooses to give help to the Orc leaders and, finally, he detects and kills all druid leaders. After that, the wanderers get scattered and conquered by the Orcs.
In Arcania, there is no mentioning of them. Most probably, after the restoration of the kingdom (which gets the title of the "Old Empire"), the Wanderers are merged with the other populations living in Myrtana and their soldiers are granted access to the royal troops as good marksmen.

[rafmc1989]

THORNIARA DUKEDOM
Thorniara - the largest city on the island of Argaan. It was there, when he arrived in the South Island, THAT Rhobar III established his headquarters. The metropolis is located on the northern tip of the mainland.


HISTORY
Old records say that the town of Thorniara took its name from the name of one of the ancient kings who brought a terrible curse to the island of Argaan. However, it is possible that these are just rumors of local tales.

Thorniara was undetermined under the rulers of Setarrif. Even then, it was a thriving city, but with the expansion of the kingdom of Myrtana, the army of Rhobar II conquered several areas of Argaan and matched the leadership of the local factions in the entire island, in the name of the king (this prior to the Orcish advance in Myrtana). During the occupation, the city continued to develop, a magnificent arena in honor of Lord Dominique - the great paladin and Myrtanian hero during the battle for Argaan (not sure, but probably he fell in battle fighting the King of Setarrif and the Castellan of Silverlake).

After the death of Rhobar II, the heir of Myrtanian power on Argaan after the disintegration of the Myrtana kingdom, Lord Tronter, lost the battle with the new king Setarrif, Ethorn VI, for rule over the island. Thus all of Argaania and Thorniara were in the sovereign kingdom of Setarrif. After ten years, Rhobar III invaded Argaan again, attempting to rebuild the borders of the Myrtana kingdom. Thorniara's first prey was the inland Bastille, who quickly surrendered to the king's forces and King Myrtana made his temporary headquarters. He then sent two armies into the island. The first, commanded by General Lee, joined the siege of Setarrif. The second, commanded by Lord Hagen, was to overpower the Argaan forces concentrated in the castle of Silverlake. Only Rhobar guards and mercenaries coming from Stewark were left in the town.

During the battle in the thorny gorge, Lord Hagen had heard of Bloody Viper betrayal and attempted a coup against the king. Hagen and the best men immediately left the battlefield and rushed to the palace. In the meantime, an avalanche collapsed on the battlefield in the Bloody Valley, killing almost all of Hagen's paladins. At the same time the city began to darken, and fell in the Bloody Valley soldiers and paladins were raised from the dead and went to Thorniara, winning it almost entirely. They killed almost all the inhabitants, and the survivors forced them to barricade themselves in their homesteads. Only the castle still defended itself. The military district, on the other hand, was in the hands of the Blood Viper, whose leader, Drurhang, became a chieftain of the revolt by entering into a pact with the devil forces. Lord Hagen set out with his men to the bastion where Drurhang was stationed, but the mercenaries of the Bloody Viper, with the support of the invaders, surrounded the paladins, and Hagen was captured, as did Diego and Milten, who were trapped while attempting to reach the king. They are rescued by the nameless shepherd of Feshyr (the hero of the game Arcania), who in vengeance overcomes Drurhang and his best officers in Lord Dominique's great arena. The last step in the release of Thorniara and Rhobar from the curse was to set off the source of evil - the Dream Amulet - to the destination in the cloister monastery on the cliff. The Unknown took on this task, and after killing Xeshy and delivering the amulet to the destination, the curse stopped.

ArcaniA: Fall Setarrif --> History
After the curse was removed, the sun shone again over the city and the sky became clear as to the rest of Argaan. Rhobar III is constantly stationed in the city, bringing order and rebuilding it. Thorniara again became a lifeblood, and after the invaders did not even left a trace.

Probably after killing the Dreamer and completing the war on the island, Argaan was divided into two spheres of influence, and Thorniara remained under the rule of the Myrtana kingdom. Once again it has become one of the largest economic centers in the world, constantly developing.

Some descriptions
The city (Thorniara Bastille) is divided into seven different parts:
Shopping mall;
The poorest district;
Harbor
District of rich people
The palace-castle part of Rhobar III itself;
Military district with bastion and arena;
The temple district.

The Dukedom relies on the deployment of light militias for defense, whereas the "expeditioners" corps are sent to the front and used in offensive battles (N.B. we're creating the expeditioners right now, I'll preview them soon ). As elite corps, the same as Myrtana, Thorniara exploits the mighty and proudness of the paladins, and the best generals of Myrtana are sent to the island to complete the conquest.

[rafmc1989]

STEWARK
N.B. not much info available on the web... so again personal knowledge.
HISTORY
Stewark (town) is the capitol of the Stewark (the nation), and is the first major city that the protagonist (in Arcania game) arrives at.
The royal court is in havok after the Baron's brother, Hertan, has betrayed him. Hartan leads, with the moral support of the townspeople, a rebel force to usurp the throne. Liuven, the Baron's sister is also missing and wanted for treason, for reasons unknown to the most.

Main characters in Stewark

Winstan was guarding the southern part of Stewark. Diego sends Shepherd of Feshyr (aka the Unknown hero of Arcania) because the soldier had seen the entire incident between him and Mermund. Winstan from the very beginning is a nice and friendly to the hero, tells the Shepherd of Feshyr that he's working with rebels. He also says that they have Mermund. He gives the task to find Liuven - Renwick sisters and Herta. When Nameless does the job, he visits the hideout of the rebels in the old crypt, which lies near the city.

When the main character along with the rebels overthrow the current baron, is at the forefront of Stewark with Hertan. Winstan will then be standing in front of the inn owned by Ingor. He will thank Shepherd for what he did.
His fate is unknown. If the hero chooses to side with Renwick, Winstan will die. Otherwise, when Hertano comes to power, he probably continues to live in Stewark.

Renwick is the ruler of Stewark and brother of Herta and Liuven appearing in the game.
During ArcaniA, Renwick serves as the ruler of Stewark. His adviser and deputy aristocrat is Mermund. His brother and sister betrayed Renwick and incite his subordinates to rebel against him. To meet with Baron, Shepherd must prove that he is worthy. To do this he has to improve the situation in the city - including rescuing Mermund from rebel captivity . After that, Renwick gives Shepherd one of three armors and a shield with the emblem of the city and sends him with the documents to Castellan of Silverlake (Gawaan) to meet Gilthor. The hero can also assist the rebels and act against him. Then it turns out that the Baron works with Rhobar III. With the help of the hero Renwick is overthrown and sent to the dungeon. Its subsequent fate is decided by the people of Stewark (probably he dies in public execution).

Alignment & description
Stewark is officially neutral when Thorniara launches its conquest of the island of Argaan. The "Fortress-on-Rock" (aka Stewark) prefers to manage its countryside, trade with errant merchants and be defensive, without direct involvement in the ongoing war. Yet, the Sheperd of Feshyr discovers that Renwick has signed a secret alliance with Rhobar III (possibly, he feared to be conquered by the possessed king), so mercenaries and heavy soldiers of Stewark are sent to the Bastille of Thorniara after the battle in the Bloody Valley, when the Blood Viper tried to usurp the city and the power.
Stewarkian soldiers are "medieval-styled" and divided into three main classes:
- Commoners --> namely, freemen and artisans without warfare experience
- Militia forces --> compared to the other militiamen present in Arcania, the patrol troops of Stewark are better equipped and more prone to battle
- Knights Order --> the elite forces of Stewark. They wear solid integral plates (although not as strong as the armors of the paladins), and are divided into melee, ranged and mounted regiments.
(The same classification is in the game)

After the battle for Argaan is over, with Silverlake and Setarrif overrun by Tronter's paladins and expeditioners, most probably Stewark enters in the direct influence of the Dukedom, but it keeps its independence and a new baron is expected to be elected by the townfolk.



P.S.: just for curiosity, is there on TWC at least one guy who has ever played the Gothic series and Arcania???

[rafmc1989]

SETARRIF/SILVERLAKE (twin factions in Arcania)

Setarrif is the main and second largest city of the Islandof Argaan. The city was founded centuries ago and was the cultural center of the island until the arrival of Myrtanians. Under their rule, it was the administrative center of the island of Thorniara, which changed until the death of King Rhobar II. At that time the Setarrifian Ethorn VI stood up. And defeated the Myrtanian governor, he became the king of Argaan, and Setarriff became the capital of the kingdom again. While, his cousin Gavaan took leadership of the sister fortress of Silverlake, watching the borders of the newly established Argaanian dominion.

City description

Setarrif is the second largest city of Argaan. It was a beautiful city, built in a magnificent architectural style that had no place in the world anywhere. Circular buildings, probably built of marble, usually had gilded domed roofs. The palace in the south of the city was a majestic residence, a venerable residence of the royal family. The city was made up of about twenty beautiful buildings. The entire city was surrounded by a massive wall to protect it from the north and the south. In the suburbs, to the south of the city, there was an overhanging wall that was supposed to protect the city's facilities from the dangerous jungle.

Setarrif kingdom
Setarrif is undoubtedly one of the oldest human settlements in the world. It is remembered already in the time of the flowering of Jharkendhar culture. The city was founded by the first King, perhaps Ethorn I. It is known that the first Setarriphic kings were fighting with Jharkendar, but we do not know about the outcome of this war. According to monuments around the island, we can also assume that the Setarriphian kings had cultural and political influence over the whole of Argaan. In the old days, the kings of the Setarriff worshiped the Goddess, whose old temple was pilgrimage. In the end, however, the faith of Innos was promoted here, which is still worshiped here.
The same happened for Silverlake, they were professing their local deities, but at the end Innos followers spread all over the island.

Myrtanian domination
Over the centuries, a new, much more powerful enemy, on the continent of Setarriff, was the Myrtan kingdom. The first Myrtanian king Rhobar I, probably sent his fleet and army against the joined forces of Silverlake/Setarriff, led the invasion of the legendary paladin, Lord Dominique. Lord Dominique, after a bloody battle, conquered the South Islands and joined them to the Myrtanian Empire. Argaanian rulers have lost their royal title, but their government seems to have remained on the two cities themselves. The new administrative center of the island was then probably Thorniara, and the west of the island considerably spread under the Stewarkian rule. In the less-populated East, however, Setarrif retained its great political influence and its rulers were the most prominent enemy of the Myrtanian kings on the island.

The rebellion and liberation of the island
After many decades, there was finally an opportunity for the rebellion. The second King of Myrtana, Rhobar II was killed and civil war broke out in his kingdom. Myrtanian administrator of the island, Lord Tronter, became the real ruler of Argaan, and he could not count with help from the busy Myrtana. This was used by the new rulers of Setarriff/Silverlake, Ethorn VI and Lord Gavaan. They stood up against Tronter and gained support for the inhabitants of the island who longed for independence. In a great battle in the Blood Valley, the two cousins defeated Lord Tronter, and became rulers of Argaan. Setarrif became once again the capital of the Southern Isles and the Setarrifian dynasty gained prestige.

The fall of Setarriff
Ethorn VI and Gavaan could not enjoy the newly acquired power for a long time. Myrtana was once again unified by the new King of Myrtana, Rhobar III (aka the "NH"), who was much more powerful than his predecessors. He also started a new war with Argaan. Rhobar III, anyway, was possessed by a demon and remained helplessly sitting in Thorniara, whom he had conquered before. His best general, Lord Lee, has besieged first Silverlake and then Setarrif. The siege, which stretched for several long months, caused great damage to the two capitals. Myrtanians have even tried to land in the south of the city, but the Mages of Watershave prevented them from destroying their fleet in a sea storm. King Ethorn VI could even expel some people from the city to save valuable food and water supplies. In the city, both the Setarriffian, Thorus mercenaries and orcish tribes fought.

And just under Thorus's influence, King Ethorn organized a ritual that summoned the demon to the bodies of Rhobar III. Thorus and the Shaman Grosh, convinced the king that the demon would be fully in control and help them defeat the Myrtanian army in front of the walls. But the wrath of the demon turned against his masters. Setarriff became a victim of the demoniac raid, was destroyed, and his inhabitants mad, they were possessed by the demon itself. The King Ethorn VI asked help to Gavaan, but his cousin didn't manage to help him, so Ethorn was kidnapped and imprisoned in the volcano that exploded north of the city. In these bowels, the demon settled. Friends of Rhobar III were sent to the city to find out what was happening in the city. Finally, the nameless hero (the one of Arcania, aka the "shepherd") arrived in the city, defeating the demon. King Ethorn VI was liberated and finally began to negotiate with Rhobar III about the peace that was eventually closed. The agreement was that Rhobar III gained control fo the cities, but Gavaan and Ethorn were granted local authority.

Culture and landmarks
There are several beautiful and important sights in Setarrif. The center of the city and the most important administrative buildings will be without doubt the royal palace, located in the south of the city. To the south of the palace is Adanos Temple, the religious center of the island.
Whereas, Silverlake is more a military center, no places of extreme beauty, but many barracks and huts for soldiers.

Economy
The Argaanian Setarrif and Silverlake were rich centres, but their surroundings were not very suitable for agriculture. Setarrif was famous for producing silk and beautiful armor. There was also a mine near Silverlake, perhaps for gold, in which the slaves were hired. The only safe trade route was probably to drive north to Thorniara.

Population
Setarrif and Silverlake were probably relatively populous cities before the war. The royal family and its court were the supreme social classes. The Mages of Water, the Setarrifian Knights (elite of Setarrif) and the Silverlakian Guard Marshals (elite of Silverlake) were very much appreciated. Besides them, ordinary soldiers and citizens lived here. The slaves then worked in the mines.