Characters of Cimmeria: Aeëtes

May 24, 2022June 7, 2022 Mister Ed Classics, Dungeons and Dragons, Writing Aeetes, Anajakaze, campaign, Cimmeria, Colchis, D&D, Demeter, Dnd, dragon, Game, Hades, Jevaninada, roleplaying, world

Aeëtes as pictured in the 1963 film, *Jason and the Argonauts*

King Aeëtes was the son of the sun Titan, Helios, and the Oceanid, Perseis. Aeëtes founded his city, Colchis, during the Golden Age of Man before the Titans fell. King Aeëtes lived a long time due to his godly blood and due to the magic spells of his daughter, Medea. When she abandoned him, Aeëtes turned to dark magic himself to extend his life. He became an undead monster, hunted by Hades. Throughout history Aeëtes seemed to be on the wrong side of every war. This eventually resulted in his death during the First Alliance War.

During the Heroic Age, King Aeëtes was gifted the Golden Fleece. He displayed it on a tree in his castle grove, guarded by a fierce dragon. Travelers came from across the world to see and to attempt to steal the Golden Fleece. Eventually Jason and the Argonauts succeeded with the help of Aeëtes’s daughter, Medea. She prevented Aeëtes from pursuing the Argonauts by cutting her brother, Absyrtus, into pieces and discarding them as they failed away. King Aeëtes stopped to gather his son’s corpse, allowing the thieves to escape.

After his son’s murder and the theft of his city’s prized possession Aeëtes panicked and immediately sought out a way to extend his natural life. He found his answer in undeath. Aeëtes forced the city magician to transform him into a Curst. With eternity on his side, Aeëtes studied as many magical tomes as he could get his hands on in order to increase his inhumane might. He later had his eternal power increased by having himself spellstitched.

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The Days of Kruk-Ma-Kali Part 13

August 23, 2021August 23, 2021 Mister Ed Dungeons and Dragons, Writing alliance, Amalius, campaign, Cimmeria, D&D, Dungeons and Dragons, Game, goblin, Hades, Hektor, hobgoblin, Jevaninada, Kruk-Ma-Kali, psion, roleplaying, Sahuagin, Terroc, Xoria

Previous: The Days of Kruk-Ma-Kali Part 12

Kruk-Ma-Kali’s tomb was eventually found and raided by the Second Alliance. The Alliance members sought Kharad-khor, having heard rumors of its magical power to win battles. The traps and creatures of the tomb were defeated by Tagenadi, Torin, Amalius, Aldarian, and Terroc. At the end Terroc claimed the sword and revealed himself as a secret agent of the dragovinians. With Kharad-khor in hand he teleported away to the Xorians.

King Jevaninada II had hoped to use Kharad-khor in the same manner that the Second Alliance had, as a weapon of war. Unfortunately, the spirit of Kruk-Ma-Kali was impossible to reason with. The hobgoblin ghost would be wielded by a hobgoblin or by no one. Frustrated by the sword’s obstinance, Jevaninada threw it into the Caspian Sea. Jevaninada assumed that no one would never see the sword again as it sunk to the bottom of the sea floor, but even in the water there are creatures that can wield swords.

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Cimmerian Timeline Part 28

August 19, 2020July 27, 2021 Mister Ed Classics, Dungeons and Dragons, Writing Aeetes, Albirnon, Amalgami, Amazon, artifact, Ashabodai, Atreides, Bavastatner, campaign, Cimmeria, Cogard, D&D, Dradelden, dragon, Dragovinian, dwarf, elf, Fierce Axe, Hephaestus, Jevaninada, Jord, Karnafaust, orc, Shortrastor, timeline, world, Xoria

Previous: Cimmerian Timeline Part 27

1091BCE: Hephaestus presented Karnafaust with a gift, the Fierce Axe of Dwavish Lords. With the Axe came a promise, that the dwarves were Hephaestus’s favorite people, even beyond death. King Karnafaust adopted the Axe as a symbol of his right to rule.

1045BCE: With Karnafaust’s death the Fierce Axe of Dwarvish Lords passed to Cogard. The Dwarven Regency Council held the Axe to Cogard came of age, just as they held his governmental powers.

996BCE: King Cogard turned 50 and came of age. He was coronated, but the Dwarven Regency Council did not relinquish governmental control to their designated sovereign. Cogard received the Fierce Axe of Dwarvish Lords at his coronation.

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The Fierce Axe of Dwarvish Lords

August 16, 2020July 27, 2021 Mister Ed Classics, Dungeons and Dragons, Writing Amalgami, artifact, Ashabodai, Athena, Atreides, campaign, Cimmeria, Cogard, D&D, Dainlin, Deekgaon, Dragovinian, dwarf, Fierce Axe, Grave, Jevaninada, Karnafaust, Phoenix, Sandil, Tarigananata, Torin, Torngar, world, Xoria

Karnafaust held the Fierce Axe until his death in 1046BCE. The Axe passed to his swaddling nephew, Cogard. As the boy had just been born, the Axe was entrusted to the Dwarven Council. The Axe was wielded by the head of the council, not as a weapon, but as a symbol of the infant king’s authority. When Cogard was coronated he took the Fierce Axe as his birthright. The Axe’s presence provided a boost to Cogard’s popularity as he toured the Dwarven lands before returning to peacefully oust the Dwarven Council from power.

King Cogard used the Axe during the Dragon War, slaying many of the lesser dragons with it. Cogard also had a tendency to execute traitors of the other Conclave races using the Fierce Axe. Treasonous dwarves were killed by Cogard’s executioner instead.

The Fierce Axe was lost during the Dwarven Civil War. The dwarves claim that the Axe abandoned the people as it could only be used by a united dwarven race. Others say it was simply hidden by a group who didn’t want it used as a bargaining piece in the conflict between Cogard’s sons.

It was many centuries before the Fierce Axe of Dwarvish Lords resurfaced. Atreides was a dwarf aiding Princess Tarigananata’s claim to the throne in the First Alliance War. He had a vision that led him to the Fierce Axe’s hiding place. He slew a giant guarding the weapon and claimed it for the dwarven race. Before returning the Axe to his king, Atreides took it into battle with the Xorian Rage, Grave. Amalgami took the Axe and gave it to the Xorians when he negotiated his personal surrender. The Axe would linger in the Xorian Museum of Power for two more decades.

When the dragovinians rose to power, Jevaninada II had to renew alliances with the vassals within the Xorian Empire. He used the Fierce Axe to bribe the new Amazon Queen Ashabodai. She wielded the Axe for the initial push into Eastern Cimmeria.

The Hill Dwarves came to the assistance of the Alliance at the Battle of Phoenix. When the dragovinians assaulted the city, Torin came face to face with Ashabodai. Athena possessed Torin and with the help of his goddess and his friends, they defeated Ashabodai and reclaimed the Fierce Axe for the dwarvish people.

Torin gave the Fierce Axe of Dwarvish Lords to King Dainlin of the Hill Dwarves. Dainlin used the Fierce Axe to call for a meeting of the four Dwarven Kings. The meeting would decide which of the four would take his place as High King over all the Dwarves. Dainlin supported Torngar on the condition that Torngar join the Second Alliance. Sandil supported Torngar as well. Deekgaon refused to provide his support until Torngar named him general of all dwarven armies.

With decision finalized, Torngar became High King of the Dwarves. He wields the Fierce Axe of Dwarvish Lords and rules over a united Dwarvish nation once again.

Characters of Cimmeria: Gregor

May 22, 2017July 25, 2021 Mister Ed Dungeons and Dragons, Writing arena, campaign, Cimmeria, Dnd, Dragovinian, Dungeons and Dragons, Enforcer, fighter, Game, Gregor, Jevaninada, Korjak, leader, orc, PC, prophecy, rebel, roleplaying, Sivirdm, Stanton, Wu

Gregor

Gregor is one of the four dragovinian Enforcers restored to his mortal form by Apollo. He traveled with Sivirdm, Stanton, Wu, and Sergeant Korjak to recover the four missing pieces of the Druid’s Prophecy for the Rebellion. During this journey Gregor proved to be a ferocious combatant, but often attempted to solve problems with diplomacy rather than violence. After recovering the Prophecy pieces Gregor and his companions parted ways with the Rebellion. They traveled into the east to reunite the orc tribes. Continue reading →

Characters of Cimmeria: Jittehalong

September 8, 2016July 24, 2021 Mister Ed Dungeons and Dragons, Writing alliance, Amazon, Ashabodai, campaign, character, Cimmeria, Dnd, Dradelden, Dragovinian, Dungeons and Dragons, Game, Jevaninada, Jittehalong, ogre, roleplaying, world, Xoria

Jittehalong is the current Queen of the Amazons and vassal of King Jevaninada II. Queen Jittehalong is a warrior of great power and strength, worthy of recognition by the gift of dragovinian immortality, but she has rejected this offer time and time again. Many Xorians worry that this is a sign that Jittehalong harbors feelings of resentment towards King Jevaninada. In spite of these concerns, Jittehalong remains loyal to her liege.

Jittehalong’s mother, Tiatha, lived on a farm at the Continue reading →

Characters of Cimmeria: Darudanano

August 29, 2016July 24, 2021 Mister Ed Dungeons and Dragons, Writing campaign, Cimmeria, Darudanano, Devanane, Dnd, Dragovinian, Dungeons and Dragons, Game, Jevaninada, roleplaying, Tagenadi, Xoria

When searching for Dungeons and Dragons character images sometimes I find something that has the right feel, but ultimately looks nothing like the character. Darudanano is a dragovinian who wears extended brass claws and has a floating shield that follows him around. He is not a human with a curved blade. But the image still felt right to me and I have used it to represent Darudanano ever since.

Darudanano

The elder brother of Tagenadi, Darudanano entered the military at a young age. Tagenadi often looked up to this older brother and dreamed of joining up after him. Daru spoke against Tagu’s joining, but his little brother did anyways. Tagenadi turned a blind eye to the war crimes of the Xorians while Darudanano saw theses acts as… necessary. Daru’s best friend, Devanane, absolutely reveled in his ability to rape and pillage the women and homes of those the Xorian army defeated.

With the success of their families, soon Daru and Devanane were slated to be fragovinianized. Tagenadi supported it, but Daru was reluctant. After the process, Daru and Deva came home changed. They were excessively cruel to the non-dragovinians in Daru’s family. Tagenadi realized his error and arranged for his parents and sister, Tanarenena, to be taken out of the country. Unfortunately the plan failed. Tagu and his parents were captured. Daru and Deva smirked at Tagu’s weakness as he was taken off to his sentencing.

Since his separation from his family, Daru has risen swiftly through the ranks of the enforcers. He now commands a seat in the King’s own combat group. Darudanano’s fighting style allows him to protect King Jevaninada II from nearly all attacks, either taking the blows himself or even turning strikes back against a foe. On the offensive, Daru uses a set of brass talons to strengthen his own dragovinian claws. He attacks with speed and power, draining his enemy’s energy with every successful blow.

-GoCorral

Characters of Cimmeria: Ashabodai

July 25, 2016July 24, 2021 Mister Ed Classics, Dungeons and Dragons, Writing agoge, Amazon, Anajakaze, Ashabodai, Blendegad, campaign, character, Cimmeria, D&D, Dnd, Dradelden, Dragovinian, Dungeons and Dragons, dwarf, elf, Fierce Axe, Game, Jevaninada, Jittehalong, Logan, Phoenix, roleplaying, Xoria

Ashabodai was Queen of the Amazons and a powerful dragovinian in the Xorian Empire. After the previous Queen Anajakaze died, Ashabodai ascended the throne by besting her competitors through skill of arms as is tradition. She played the subordinate matriarch to King Jevaninada II during her reign, rarely challenging out or contradicting him. During the Second Alliance War she led her Amazon warriors against the soldiers of the Alliance. Ashabodai perished during the Battle of Phoenix at the hands of Logan the Warlock. She was succeeded by Queen Jittehalong, who is not a dragovinian but still serves the Xorian King.

Ashabodai was born to an Amazon of noble bearing during the reign of Queen Anajakaze Continue reading →

Characters of Cimmeria: Jevaninada II

July 4, 2016July 24, 2021 Mister Ed Dungeons and Dragons, Writing alliance, Anajakaze, BBEG, Blendegad, campaign, Cimmeria, conquer, D&D, Dnd, dragon, Dragovinian, Dungeons and Dragons, feminism, Game, invasion, Jevaninada, king, Queen, regent, roleplaying, vampire, villain, War, world, Wrath, Xoria

Time to talk about the BBEG (Big Bad Evil Guy), King Jevaninada II, leader of the evil Xorians and first of the draconic vampire dragovinians.

King Jevaninada II leads the Xorian people both as their monarch and as the living avatar of Blendegad’s divine might. Jevaninada II grew up under the feminist regency of his mother, Queen Anajakaze. Blendegad attacked and turned Jev into a dragovinian on the same night that he became King. Jevaninada spent twenty years undoing his mother’s reforms and spreading his condition to those he deemed worthy within Xoria. Over the last five years, King Jevaninada led an invasion into Eastern Cimmeria against the Second Alliance. Continue reading →

Characters of Cimmeria: King Jevaninada the First

May 16, 2016May 15, 2016 Mister Ed Dungeons and Dragons, Writing Aeetes, alliance, Amalgami, Amazon, Anajakaze, Andreiya, Antapike, Archidamus, Artemis, campaign, Cimmeria, Colchis, D&D, Dnd, Dradelden, Dungeons and Dragons, Ephesus, Game, greek, history, Jevaninada, Makotako, marriage, Nox, Prusu, Rages, roleplaying, Royal, Semanarie, Sparta, Tarigananata, War, world, Xoria

Today we take a short departure for the heroes of the Dragon War and focus on Jevaninada the First, the villain of a previous campaign I ran in Cimmeria. King Jev was a bit of wish fulfillment on my part for where I wanted my first D&D character, Anxe, to end up if I played him all the way to level 20. I gave Jev a whole kingdom, sweet loot, and an angel for a wife. Might not have been the most mature thing, but I was in high school when I created this character…

Jevaninada I

King Jevaninada the First set Xoria on a path of rapid expansion that has continued to this day. His personal magnetism and cunning manipulation of the Xorian nobles allowed him to discredit his sister’s claim to the throne. With her out of way Jevaninada built an unshakable power base for his invasions into the surrounding lands of Xoria. A well-timed marriage to Anajakaze, Queen of the Amazons and daughter of Zeus, ended the war between Xoria and Amazonia. As if the combined might of the two militaristic cultures wasn’t enough, Jev also commanded a mysterious group of powerful warriors known as the Seven Rages. Jev planned to conquer Cimmeria in its entirety, but his plans were cut short by the mercenaries his sister hired to oppose him. Jevaninada the First was slain at the Battle of Danar’s River. Queen Anajakaze carried on his dream of conquering Cimmeria and after her, his son, Jevaninada the Second.

Jevaninada was born the first prince of Xoria in 478 BCE to his father, King Demotinira, and his mother, Queen Biiratofara. The Queen died in child birth, leaving Demotinira with Jev and his older sister, Tarigananata, as the only surviving members of the royal family. Jev was raised by his Greek wetnurse, Andreiya, while his father attended matters of state such as warring with the Amazons and supplying the new Xorian colony of Petar. Andreiya was an Ionian Greek priestess of Artemis at Ephesus before she was enslaved and sold to the Xorian royal family. She tended the library at Ephesus and had read and copied many books prior to her captivity. She passed this knowledge onto the young prince as he was brought up. There was nary a topic that Jevaninada did not know something about.

When Jevaninada was not studying with Andreiya he learned martial arts with his instructor, General Antapike. The general used a spear when teaching, augmenting his already superior reach. Jev learned to close the gap with speed and trickery. Additionally he learned warcraft from Antapike and his father while observing their war councils before their numerous battles with the Amazons.

Jev’s final teacher was brought about by his father’s neglect. Demotinira believed a Spartan lifestyle bereft of comforts would develop sympathetic feeling in his children for their subjects. this worked for Tarigananata. She developed a natural love for the people of Xoria. Jevaninada reacted… differently. Lacking the luxuries he felt he deserved, Jev turned to theft. He stole jewelery, fine weapons, and elaborate toys from visitors to the castle. When Jev was taken on trips outside the castle he always managed to sneak something back in with him, be it a gold necklace or only a sweet bun. His father ordered Jev’s bodyguards to put a stop to it. The prince only learned which guards could be bribed and which he could hide from.

As Demotinira grew old he made it clear that Princess Tarigananata was his heir. She was the first born and she was a kinder, more generous person. Demotinira wanted a virtuous kingdom to follow his death. Jev’s father died when the prince was 20 years old. At that point Jev had already set his plans in motion to disinherit his sister.

Jevaninada had many friends at court. He convinced the nobles to forestall Princess Tari’s coronation until after consulting the Oracle at Delphi, the Oracle which he had already bribed to reveal a prophecy to his liking. The Oracle returned a prediction that Tarigananata would loose a terrible demon into Xoria twenty years after her father’s death. Jevaninada had her arrested and supposedly executed. In fact, she was saved by General Antapike who had realized Jevaninada’s trickery even if he could not prove it. The General and the Princess fled Xoria while Jevaninada was crowned King Jevaninada the First.

After stealing the throne, Jev was quick to restart war with the nearby Amazons of Dradelden. Half a decade of war proved indecisive until Jev disguised his army as slaves and snuck into Dradelden along with them. A chaotic melee broke out between the Xorian and Amazon troops while Jev sought out the Amazon Queen. After a day and a night of fighting King Jevaninada and Queen Anajakaze emerged together and declared an end to hostilities. From that moment on Xorian and Amazon would work together. Combat stopped and a magical spell initiated an orgy between the previously adversarial parties. King and Queen were soon married with seven strange warriors in attendance. These warriors would come to be known as the Seven Rages.

King Jevaninada used the combined strength of the Xorian army, the Amazon warriors, and the Seven Rages to conquer Makotako, Semanarie, and Colchis. King Aeetes of Colchis was cast into magical servitude, forced to serve Jevaninada as a lord against his will. Meanwhile, Princess Tarigananata had gathered allies of her own.

Nineteen years after King Demotinira’s death, his daughter struck against Jevaninada in a three pronged assault. She led an attack from the east along with Leopold Anigama, Atreides, Salzar, King Archidamus II of Sparta, King Willard of Aractrash, and Amalgami of Phoenix. In the south, Duke Prusu’s city of Jeutontic revolted and the Persian Satrap Orontes invaded. In the west, Tari had freed Aeetes from his the King’s binding magicks. Aeetes led a revolt as well.

King Jevaninada met the eastern attack himself at Danar’s River. Tari’s forces used magic to halt the river’s flow while they crossed and collided with the King’s waiting army. Jevaninada may have prevailed, but the war mage, Salzar, used forbidden destructive magic to kill the king and decimate his army. The Xorian loyalists lost the battle and Jevaninada’s body was taken by the rebels.

Queen Anajakaze ruled on in King Jevaninada’s stead, only recently pregnant with their first child after over a decade of marriage. Jevaninada’s spirit slept fitfully, but when resurrection was attempted upon his ransomed body he chose to remain in the afterlife rather than return to lead his country through the war. Queen Anajakaze’s regency for her unborn son would continue until her death twenty years later.

-GoCorral