Historical Cimmeria

June 14, 2021June 14, 2021 Mister Ed Classics, Dungeons and Dragons, Writing Assyria, campaign, Cimmeria, D&D, greek, Herodotus, history, Kruk-Ma-Kali, myth, world, Xoria

I write a lot of stuff about my D&D campaign world which I’ve dubbed Cimmeria. I’ve plopped the Greek Pantheon of gods into Cimmeria to use. Its easy for my players and me to remember which god is which and there’s a deep reservoir of myths to aid storytelling. Most of you probably already know these things from reading my blog. What you might not’ve known is that Cimmeria was a place attested to in The Histories of Herodotus and a few other early histories. Whether that makes the place “real” or not is probably up to how trustworthy you consider those sources. Regardless, there is some historical justification for why the geographical region of my D&D campaign world is called Cimmeria.

The historical Cimmerians are described in the Assyrian archives from about 700-600BCE. They engaged in a number of border skirmishes with the Assyrians and other ethnic groups around the northern coast of the Black Sea. After 600BCE they disappear from the historical record. It is likely that after a particularly harsh defeat by the Assyrians that the Cimmerians were assimilated into one of the other cultures in the area. As they sought protection from that stronger group they ceased to be a distinct people.

I’d like to incorporate the historical events into my campaign world. The dates are a little uncertain with different historians using different dates. I’ve decided to use the estimates provided in The Landmark Herodotus. The rough events are detailed below. I’ll need to incorporate them into the story, but that will have to wait until after I’m done with The Days of Kruk-Ma-Kali and have gotten a decent way into the Time of Prosperity period. Basically, I want to finish everything else in my campaign world up to 600BCE and then wedge in the historical events however they fit. Probably as the early history of the Xorian Kingdom.

So here are the historical events for Cimmeria with the dates I’ve decided to plop on them.

714BCE: Suicide of Rusas I of Urartu, after defeat by both the Assyrians and Cimmerians.

705BCE: Sargon II of Assyria died on an expedition against the Cimmerians.

695BCE: Cimmerians destroyed Phrygia. Death of king Midas.

679BCE: Cimmerians invaded under King Teushpa. Assyrians led by Esarhaddon defeated Cimmeria and incorporated a Cimmeria unit into army.

676-674BCE: Cimmerians invaded and destroyed Phrygia, and reached Paphlagonia.

669BCE: Attacked Lydia.

660BCE: Teushpa died, but his son Lygdamis was even more aggressive. Gyges asked for Assyrian aid.

657BCE: Gyges defeated Cimmeria.

651BCE: Cimmeria civil war. Tomb along Don River.

644BCE: Cimmerians pressured out by Amazons, captured Sardis and killed Gyges.

640BCE: Failed attack on Assyrian turkey and death of Cimmeria King Lygdamis. Succeeded by King Sandakhshatra.

626BCE: Lydian Alyattes defeated Cimmerians.

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.

Continue reading →

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: Tagenadi Part 1

June 26, 2017July 25, 2021 Mister Ed Dungeons and Dragons, Writing alliance, campaign, character, Cimmeria, D&D, Darudanano, Devanane, Dnd, Dragovinian, Dungeons and Dragons, Game, PC, rebel, roleplaying, Stanton, Tagenadi, Tanaranena, Tome of Battle, Xoria

Tagenadi

Tagenadi is an undead Council member of the Second Alliance and a melee fighter without peer. He joined the Alliance while still mortal, but became trapped in Erebos while searching for artifacts for the Council. In Erebos, he made a deal with Hades and returned to life as a servant of the Underworld. Tagenadi has always identified with the Exiles and maintains a strong friendship with Amalius. He has broken free from his servitude to Hades, but his undead state remains. Continue reading →

Characters of Cimmeria: Salzar

June 20, 2017July 25, 2021 Mister Ed Dungeons and Dragons, Writing alliance, Amalgami, battle, campaign, Cimmeria, crime, D&D, Dnd, Dungeons and Dragons, Game, Golden Covenant, Greshendale, Mage, magic, PC, roleplaying, Salzar, sorcerer, Tarigananata, War, wizard, Xoria

Salzar

Salzar was a Grey Elf warmage. He played a pivotal role in the First Alliance War as an organizer of the Alliance. It was on his urging that the Alliance broke the Golden Covenant that forbade the use of large-scale destructive magic against living targets. Salzar’s actions allowed the Xorians to retaliate and he became a war criminal. Amalgami the Betrayer, fearing that he would be blamed for Salzar’s actions, murdered his companion. Salzar’s life ended prematurely and the First Alliance crumbled soon afterward. Continue reading →

Characters of Cimmeria: Korjak

May 29, 2017July 25, 2021 Mister Ed Dungeons and Dragons, Writing Baldr, campaign, champion, character, Cimmeria, Dnd, Druid, Dungeons and Dragons, Game, god, Gregor, Korjak, Nordic, orc, PC, possession, roleplaying, world, Xoria

Korjak

Korjak is a half-orc and is the vessel for the Nordic god, Baldr. Korjak was a Lieutenant in the Rebellion army and he nominally led the four dragovinian mortals, Gregor, Sivirdm, Stanton, and Wu, during their quest to reclaim the lost pieces of the Druid’s Prophecy. He grew to like his traveling companions more than the Rebellion leadership. After the completion of their quest he resigned his command and left with Gregor and the others to reunite the orc tribes in the east. Continue reading →

Characters of Cimmeria: Preta

February 27, 2017July 25, 2021 Mister Ed Dungeons and Dragons, Writing alliance, Aractrash, Artaxerxes, Ballard, Bradel Fields, Cimmeria, Dnd, Dungeons and Dragons, exile, Game, Hektor, magic, PC, Persia, Preta, roleplaying, Shez, Staynard, wizard, Xerxes, Xoria

This one is a PC created by one of my players with the screen-name, Ozymandias. While Ozymandias designed Preta mechanically and ran him during the events of the campaign, I was the one who came up with his backstory as an exiled Persian Prince.

preta

Preta is a Persian Prince, the Arch-Wizard of Aractrash, and a circle magic master. He is the son of Xerxes II and the true-born heir to the throne of Persia. He was a member of the Second Alliance involved in many of the Council’s most discussions and missions. Preta used lethal force during on a riot in Bradel Fields and was arrested. He fled the Alliance and took Hektor’s spot as the Arch-Wizard of Aractrash. Continue reading →

Characters of Cimmeria: Amalius Halkias

February 20, 2017July 25, 2021 Mister Ed Dungeons and Dragons, Writing Aldarian, alliance, Amalgami, Amalganus, Amalius, Bavastatner, Bradel Fields, campaign, Cimmeria, Danar, Davonisi, Devanane, Dnd, Dungeons and Dragons, Eathirilu, Game, Hektor, Invernix, Jipangu, Krodius, Lady Li, PC, psion, roleplaying, Tagenadi, Terroc, Torin, War, Xoria

amalius2

Amalius Halkias is a controversial figure in the Second Alliance and a powerful psion proficient in telepathy, hypercognition, time manipulation, and elemental magic. His father, Amalganus, founded the Second Alliance, and Amalius followed his father’s footsteps to become a member of the Alliance Council. He was subsequently ostracized from the Alliance once it was discovered that he was an unwilling Xorian spy and the descendant of Amalgami, the same man who had betrayed the First Alliance and left it to ruin. Amalius managed to repair his reputation by striking a deal with Hades to resurrect thousands of Alliance soldiers, but his relationship with some of the other Alliance Council members is still rocky. 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