Champion's District's representative nobles are the Lorchesters, old blood who have been established in Sasserine nearly from the city's foundation. The family's patriarch, Neldrak Lorchester, is generally though to be a bit too scheming for his own good. The Lorchesters have recently clashed with the Cudgel District's Taskerhill family over ownership of Thunder River Lumber. Closer to home, they've been at odds with another Champion's District noble family, the Toregsons. Rumors hold that the source of the conflict between the Lorchesters and the Toregsons has something to do with the Smith's Guild.
Also of note in the Champion's District is the Scarlet Embassy.This relatively new structure os the home of one Anteki Alresian, an ambassador to the sinister and (some would say) untrustworthy Scarlet Brotherhood. Anteki's presence in the city, and in Champion's District, has been nothing but positive on the surface - he's donated a fair amount of resources to public works, and the Embassy has an open door policy for visitors. Still, rumors abound that the Embassy is nothing more than a front used by the Scarlet Brotherhood to lull Sasserine into a false sense of security for a Brotherhood assault from the sea.
Gladiatorial Challenges
The Sasserine Arena is one of the most popular entertainment venues in Sasserine. Fights are scheduled at minimum once per week by an organization of mercenaries, hunters, and explorers known as Zelkarune's Horns. Fights in the Sasserine Arena are generally not to the death, but are often used to settle debts or conflicts between people or organizations. At other times, Zelkarune's Horns sponsor what are known as "Dragon Challenges", in which local heroes and mercenaries fight against dangerous creatures. The Horns are said to be preparing a yearly event that pits numerous teams of gladiators against each other, modeled after the world-famous "Champion's Games" held yearly in the Free City of Greyhawk far to the north, although they have yet to announce a date for the first competition.
City Watch
The Champion's Watch are the most militant of the seven watches. Their members patrol the streets of Champion's District in full uniform on regular schedules; their presence in the district is as much for show as for law enforcement. Members of the Watch are expected to take part in Arena events monthly, with any winnings being split with the church of Kord. The Champion's Watch looks down (literally and figuratively) on the Shadowshore Watch, regarding them as little better than the criminals they know populate that district. Of the seven watches, the Champion's Watch comprises the most loyal and incorruptible members; their high pay and moral render internal corruption all but unknown.
Citizens
If you're from Champion's District, you may belong to a minor noble family, and have probably been to the Sasserine Arena several times. You might know someone who has fought in the arena, and you may have desires to test your mettle there someday. Alternately, you may be interested in exploring the Amedio Jungle to try to gather trophies (living or dead) for Zelkarune's Horns. If you're of a less martial bent but still hail from this district, perhaps you have some ties to the Scarlet Embassy. Although it's unlikely you're fully a member of the Scarlet Brotherhood, the Embassy has been known to accept locals as agents or apprentices from time to time. You likely worship Kord, or possibly St. Cuthbert. If you worship Wee Jas, you keep your faith personal and close to your chest.
Arena Blood [General]
The blood of an Arena champion flows in your veins, giving you a thirst for glory and a drive to succeed.
District: Champion's
Benefit: You get a +2 bonus on Intimidate skill checks. In addition, whenever you successfully demoralize an opponent using the Intimidate skill during combat you are immediately healed of 1d4 points of nonlethal damage.
You also gain a +2 morale bonus on grapple checks, sunder attempts, trip attempts, bull rush attempts, and disarm attempts if you are aware of any noncombatants observing a fight you are participating in.
Steadfast Loyalty [General]
Self control and discipline are the birthright of many who grow up in Champion's District, and you strive to uphold these ideals.
District: Champion's
Benefit: You get a +2 bonus on Will saving throws against charm, compulsion, and fear effects. In addition, if you have the Leadership feat, your leadership score increases by +1.
The Scarlet Brotherhood
Background, Goals, and Dreams: The Scarlet Brotherhood is a society of fighting monks, rogues, and assassins dedicated to rebuilding the Ancient Suel Empire on the backs of their racial and cultural inferiors. The Brotherhood traces its history more than a thousand years, when the great human Suloise Empire stood at the zenith of five millennia of cultural accomplishment. The society survived the empire's conflagration in the devastating Rain of Colorless Fire, migrating east across the continent and settling in the forbidding Tilvanot Peninsula. Since that disaster, the Brotherhood has schemed in secret to preserve the culture and way of life of the Suel Imperium. In a recent continental war the Brotherhood struck from the shadows to conquer several maritime nations, including the Sea Princes who once held Sasserine. As a result Brotherhood agents are tolerated - barely - in the city, where they focus on issues of trade and exploration and claim interest in working with - rather than against - the citizens.
Enemies and Allies: Members of the Scarlet Brotherhood present themselves to the outside world as contemplative advisers and martial artists. The organization's monopoly of Oerik's southeastern seas gives them considerable economic influence, and their colonial outposts reach as far as the southwest of Hepmonaland and deep into the Vohoun Ocean. Outside their expanding empire their members are considered spies and must live in hiding.
Members: With almost no exceptions, members must be humans of Suel extraction. The Brotherhood occasionally dupes members of other races into acting as their catspaws, but seldom allows those of unpure lineage to join the organization. Members may worship only Suel deities such as Kord and Wee Jas.
Type: Government (racial)
Scale: 16 Multicontinental/Empire
Title, Benefits, and Duties: Most Brotherhood agents fall into three varieties. Cousins are generally rogues or cutpurses - folk who travel in shadow and who have the social skills necessary to support the Brotherhood's agenda in the outside world. Those who serve primarily to assassinate the enemies of the order are known as uncles and aunts, with elder assassins sometimes called foster uncles or foster aunts. Monks, who form the backbone of the society, are referred to as brothers and sisters or, in the case of elders, fathers and mothers. Other members use military ranks or lesser designations.
Executive Powers: Assassinate, Harvest, Law, Shadow War, Terrorize
Zelkarune's Horns
Background, Goals, and Dreams: Made up of barbarians, gladiators, and other skilled warriors, Zelkarune's Horns is a popular organization. Based around the Sasserine Arena in the Champion's District, this group manages and organizes all of its events. In addition, the group also funds numerous hunts and expeditions to gather new creatures for the arena or simply as trophies for the walls of its adjoining hall. Due in large part to its reputation, this group is also the largest mercenary company in all of Sasserine. Members are often hired by noble houses, wealthy individuals, and even other affiliations to take on dangerous tasks.
Members of Zelkarune's Horns pride themselves in their combat prowess, and spend a great deal of their time practicing and sparring with one another. When out on a hunt, members are always on the lookout for some formidable beast to match up against and prove their skill. While many of the bouts and gladiatorial matches hosted by the group are to generate revenue, Zasker Grankus, the group's leader, honestly enjoys entertaining the people of Sasseerine. Zasker, commonly knows as the "reformed barbarian", is a charismatic fellow and able leader. He spends most of his days talking to members about current problems and scheduling upcoming events.
Enemies and Allies: While no other organization considers Zelkarune's Horns its enemy, many of the other more polite groups treat its members with disdain.
Members: Zelkarune's Horns is open to members of any class, although barbarians, fighters, and rangers make up the bulk of the membership. A number of clerics of Kord, monks, and even a few arcane spellcasters can also be found on the roster.
Type: Fighting Company
Scale: 6 (city)
Affiliation Score Criteria: To join Zelkarune's Horns you must pay an initiation fee of 10 gp and fight one match in the arena (nonlethal, of course). Members of nonmartial classes might find that this affiliation has little to offer them.
Titles, Benefits and Duties: As you advance in Zelkarune's Horns, you are expected to fight greater foes and recover more powerful monsters for the arena. At the same time, you are given special training and a stipend.
Executive Powers: Holiday, Plunder, Raid
Notable NPCs
Anteki Alresian (human male): Anteki is an ambassador from the sinister Scarlet Brotherhood. He maintains a civil and even respectable veneer, but many suspect him of having ulterior motives in Sasserine.
Neldrak Lorchester (human male): Lord of Lorchester Manor and representative of Champion's District on the Dawn Council. Neldrak has a reputation of being canny and scheming.
Tormagal Gred (human male): Tormagal, a no-nonsense and humorless man, is the high priest of the church of Kord.
Urik Toregson (human male): Master of Toregson Manor and owner of the Smith's Guildhall in Merchant District, Urik is a popular figure who's made a name for himself in staged fights at the Arena.
Zasker Grankus (human male): A likeable (if intimidating) one-time barbarian, Zasker runs the group of hunters and mercenaries known as Zelkarune's Horns.
Champion's District Locations
- Six Swords Tavern
- Rumblegut's (tavern/inn)
- Sasserine Sendings (messenger service)
- Lorchester Manor (district representative)
- Zelkarune's Hall (museum and adjunct to Arena)
- Redwall Stable
- Sasserine Arena
- The Trophy Hunter (curio shop)
- Moneylender's Guildhall
- Gladiator's Best (fine weapons)
- Toregson Manor (minor noble)
- The Tipsy Troglodyte (tavern)
- Three Dwarves Digging (tavern/gaming hall)
- Champion's Corner Stable
- Aunt Kylie's (brothel)
- Lanternlighter's Guildhall
- Champion's Garrison
- Museum of Mayhem (museum of Arena battles)
- Shrine of Norebo (god of gambling)
- House of Kord (district church)
- Shrine of Llerg (god of beasts and strength)
- Fendal's Pets (exotic pets and guard beasts)
- Liomar's Links (fine chainmail products)
- Vildivar's (bows, arrows, ranged weapons)
- Bee in the Bottle (potions)
- Kord's Quencher (tavern)
- The Catapulter (tavern/gaming hall)
- Champion's Lighthouse
- The Hidden Vortex (fortune teller)
- Snaver's Kennel (animal trainer)
- Spells for Swords (magic shop)
- Kord's Market (general goods, weapons, armor, metalwork)
- Scarlet Embassy
- Shrine of Kelanen (god of swords)
Kelanen
(The Prince of Swords)
N hero-deity of swords, sword skills, and balance
Possibly the most popular hero-deity in the Flanaess, Kelanen's symbol is nine swords arrayed in a star shape, points outward. Kelanen is traditionally depicted as a fair-skinned human male bearing a silvery scar on the right side of his face, though he can appear in any humanoid form. His true form is slender and sinewy, just under six feet in height. He wears elven chainmail and prefers garments of gray or blue-gray, wearing ornaments of silver or platinum. Kelanen is always accompanied by his intelligent swords, Swiftdoom and Sureguard. Kelanen temporarily allied himself with Zagig Yragerne, Keoghtom, and Murlynd in order to bring Iuz beneath Castle Greyhawk, and therefore bears Iuz's eternal enmity. Kelanen has no real friends or confidants, however, apart from his swords.
Domains: Travel, War
Weapons: swords
Kord
(The Brawler)
CG intermediate god of athletics, sport, brawling, strength, and courage
Kord is an incredibly powerful Suel god, second only to his grandfather, Lendor. Son of Phaulkon and Syrul, he is shown as a hugely muscular man with red hair and beard, wearing dragonhhide gauntlets (white), boots (blue), and fighting girdle (red); these items form his holy symbol, although a star composed of spears and maces is popular. He fights with his intelligent dragon-slaying greatsword Kelmar, and when wounded he often enters a blood rage so intense only Lendor can control him when he succumbs; because of this, a cleric of Kord will always defer to a ranking cleric of Lendor. He is reputed to have dallied with beautiful humans, elves, or even giants, and tales are told of the great heroes who are born of such liaisons.
Domains: Chaos, Good, Luck, Strength
Weapon: greatsword
Llerg
(Great Bear, Animal Fang, Strongest Serpent, God of Force)
CN lesser god of beasts and strength
The most uncivilized god in the Suel pantheon, Llerg ignores most other gods, seeing them as too civilized, but has a friendly rivalry with Kord and a hatred for Telchur. He is shown as a strong, shaggy man wearing furs and a fighting girdle or as a great bear, snake, or alligator. These animals are sacred to him, and they are his three holy symbols. He fights with a broadsword or in one of his animal forms and may be the ancestor of the original dire bears, dire alligators, and giant snakes. He is popular among the jungle savages, who call him Hlerg.
Domains: Animal, Chaos, Competition, Strength
Weapons: battleaxe, longsword
Norebo
(God of Gambles)
CN lesser god of luck, gambling, and risks
Norebo is one of the more popular Suel gods, known for his willingness to make a bet on anything and his fondness for dice games; his symbol (a pair of eight-sided dice) stems from this. He has been paired with most of the female members of his pantheon, but has been linked to Wee Jas for the past one thousand years despite their alignment differences. He particularly despises Ralishaz for giving gambling and risks a bad name. Norebo is shown as a man of average height, weight, and features, but can ssume animal forms, especially when he wishes to be hidden.
Domains: Chaos, Trickery, Luck
Weapon: Dagger
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