The Circle of Nine

In the known world there are Nine Great Pillars, places of great natural power, and these are held by the Circle. These are the pillars upon which the world was built, so says the ancient lore. It is in these sacred places where the Circle draws its timeless knowledge and power.

In each of these places is a god, a spirit of great power who lends itself to the Circle. The god and his minions guard the place from intrusion, and would present a credible challenge to all but the most concerted imperial invasions. Of course, those in danger of invasion are guarded fiercely by the Ancient Protectors.

In each sacred grove are two portals, each leading to another grove, if one can activate them. The network of portals forms a circle, thus, the Circle of Nine.

The Nine Pillars:

• Highmoon, in Dacia
• Hearthhome, in Suria
• The Great Grove, in Astlund
• Gods' Peak, in Narnia
• Lake Mi'astra'iel, in the Enchanted Forest
• The Sunrock, in Thurga
• The Ivory Tower, in Veria
• The Shadowtop, in Eberdein
• The Great Volcano, in Loretan

The Lost Pillar

• The Shifting Dune, in Rasturia

Highmoon

In the northernmost reaches of Dacia, far up into the mountains, lies a secluded, evergreen grove, a place of untouched natural beauty. Winter wolves guard the grove from intrusion by all who come not in a peaceful spirit. The moon always lights the grove, no matter what clouds may rise.

The god of Highmoon is a great wolf by the name of Aurkrenjax, or the Great Northern Wind. He is wise and powerful, a free spirit unfettered by compunction or morality. His wrath is terrible, and he kills without mercy when angered, but he is a good ally if one can befriend him.

Portals in Highmoon lead to the Great Grove and Lake Mi'astra'iel.

Hearthhome

In a golden valley near the coast of Suria, in the windswept plains of Eastfall, Hearthhome provides shelter to those who know of its existence. It is one of the least obvious places of power?it might be some human family's farm if not for the protectors?but is powerful just the same.

The god of Hearthome is Angalhardra, the Loving Hand, in the unassuming form of a dire rabbit. She is compassionate and empathetic, seeking to understand and soothe the woes of peaceful travelers. Magical rabbits suffuse her grove, and woe betide those who threaten the land, for their wrath is legendary.

Portals in Hearthhome lead to the Ivory Tower and Shadowtop.

The Great Grove

This circle of nine great trees stands defiant against the decay of the Astlund forests. The massive, red trunks shadow the needle-covered ground, and all who dare to tread beneath them risk awaking a sleeping giant.

Brown bears protect the grove, and the god Orburhom, the Sleeping Giant, guards against the most dire threats. While she sleeps, peaceful travelers hear her dreams, and learn from her ageless wisdom. The great bear rarely awakens, but when she does, her wrath knows no bounds.

Portals in the Great Grove lead to Highmoon and Gods' Peak.

Gods' Peak

On the craggy summit of Mt. Eyrjal, amidst the ice and storms, is the mountain retreat of the Wanderer God. It can be reached only by traveling the arduous Gods' Road, which leads up the mountain to a series of ancient temples. The old Narnian gods were once worshipped here, though their resplendent halls are now ruins, gouged and scorched by Armored Knights.

The Wanderer God is one of those ancient gods; He Who Wanders, known to some as Zurnnveist, appears as an old man, shrouded in a cloak, who leans on an old staff. His long, white beard tells of his great age, and he has the wisdom to match. He is a keeper of lore, a chronicler of history since the beginning. His grove is protected by rams, and he has very occasionally taken such form himself.

Portals in the Gods' Peak lead to the Great Grove and the Sunrock.

The Sunrock

In the rolling plains of Thurga, a great, red rock juts into the sky, to look over the distant sea, jungle, and mountains; it lies at the figurative center of the land. In this place where wild beasts lair, the Mountain King makes his domain.

The great lion Embiturkhan guards this pillar, with a pride of lions. He speaks with authority and a rigid moral code. To peaceful travelers he offers brief shelter, and bids them hurry to their destination, for Thurga cannot long abide the touch of man. He among Gods of the Nine seems to care for his greater domain.

Portals in the Sunrock lead to Gods' Peak and the Great Volcano.

The Ivory Tower

Perhaps the strangest of pillars, this is a tall, spindly tower in the city of Veria which has stood since before men measured time. They use its lower floors now as showcase for human wonders, but in its upper reaches, it houses a sacred grove. A chamber caps the tower, and is open to the high winds of the Sea of Dragons.

The Winged Mother comes to this tower when peaceful travelers make its shelter. The great, winged serpent Ada'huatl is an esoteric and fickle goddess, said to be the goddess of Dragons. Other winged serpents guard the tower only when it is threatened or when she makes her presence known; this is usually invisible to the townsfolk below.

Portals in the Ivory Tower lead to Hearthhome and Shadowtop.

Lake Mi'astra'iel

In the Enchanted Forest, thick with exotic flora and fauna, this pristine lake awes the most savage of souls into peace and tranquility. An old elvish temple stands watch, erected in Time Before Man, and elves of the wood still guard it.

The Lady of the Lake guards this place, aided by rainbow-finned fish. Anyahue speaks desperately of the misery that shall befall the lands, and decries the evil of the Empire. She alone dreams of a peaceful society of men, the breaking of the Cycle, but her word is silenced by the elf guardians who wish men to destroy themselves.

Portals in Lake Mi'astra'iel lead to Highmoon and the Great Volcano.

Shadowtop

The dark forest of Eberdein, with its ancient, untouched dusk oak trees, is a mysterious and dangerous place. In the grove of Shadowtop, the blunted top of a wide tree flanked by a circle of taller trees, ancient forces swell.

Great spiders protect all the forest, and the greatest guard Shadowtop. Exearhob, the Webspinner, is the goddess of the grove. She and her dark elves have something different in mind for the future of the Known World, something that involves neither a primordial wasteland nor a peaceful society of men. She won't say what it is, only that it draws ever closer as events unfold.

Portals in Shadowtop lead to the Ivory Tower and Hearthome.

The Great Volcano

At the center of the Whitecap Mountains, the sleeping volcano of Loretan overlooks Lore City. The ash-covered peaks tell of the mountains' fiery heritage, but most folks assume the Great Volcano is long dead, or never existed at all.

Hsatheth, the Auld Ember, longs for the return of the dragons. His rage at humanity has boiled and the pressure of the volcano is building. More so than any, the Auld Ember wishes for a fiery end to humanity and a return to the primordial wilderness. Salamanders guard the volcano and care little for peaceful travelers.

Portals in the Great Volcano lead to Lake Mi'astra'iel and the Sunrock.

The Shifting Dune, the Lost Pillar

This is indeed a place of power, though whether it is a lost pillar remains the subject of much debate. If it is a pillar, why are there no portals to it? All other pillars are constant in location, but this one moves. In any case, it is undeniably a place of power, if it can be found and reached.

The shifting dune is a place in the sands of Rasturia that only the wisest can see. Legend has it that it is always the furthest and most difficult path, though only the unwise seem to propagate that legend. It has been visited by most of the elder druids, to little purpose.

Purple worms guard the grove; it is unknown if there is a god of this pillar. Most druids believe this pillar contains only one portal, which leads directly to Gaia's tomb and the birthplace of the Dragons.