Draemhar Kingdom [FR 🇫🇷]

The Draemhar Kingdom

The kingdom of Draemhar is a dying remnant of a bygone golden age. Once a thriving empire, it spanned fertile lands and mountains rich in precious metals. Today, it is a shadow of its former glory, torn apart by civil wars, betrayals, and the growing influence of the Egregore. The light of the stars, once seen as a divine blessing, now seems dim and distant, as if even the heavens have abandoned Draemhar.

The Abyssians

The Abyssians are the most common creatures linked to the Egregore. They are amalgams of human flesh and living darkness, created from corrupted souls. Their form varies: some resemble deformed humans with elongated limbs, others are shapeless masses of flesh, eyes, and fangs. Their defining characteristic is their scream, a howl that plunges those who hear it into paralyzing terror. The Abyssians do not kill to feed themselves, but to add their victims to their own mass, growing larger and more monstrous with each kill.

The Ashen Walkers

Born from corpses exposed too long to the mists of the Withered Lands, the Ashwalkers are undead animated by the essence of the Egregore. Their skin is gray and cracked, as if their entire body were burning. They exude a black ash that poisons the air around them. These creatures possess no consciousness or true intelligence, but their stubbornness and inability to feel pain make them fearsome. If their hearts—a black gem embedded in their chests—are not destroyed, they will rise again and again.

The Wild Bloods

Once ordinary beasts, the Wildbloods have been transformed by the Egregore into bloodthirsty monsters. Wolves, deer, or bears, their fur is now impregnated with a dark liquid similar to tar. Their eyes shine with an unearthly red glow, and their jaws are capable of crushing bones with frightening ease. They hunt in packs, guided by a perverse collective intelligence, and seem capable of anticipating the movements of their prey.

The Soul Flayers

These humanoid entities hover above the ground, cloaked in shifting cloaks of shadow. Soulflayers have no faces, but their presence inspires instinctive terror. They stalk the living, tearing out their life essence, which they encase in glowing orbs suspended around them. These orbs contain the souls of their victims, who silently scream, begging for release. The primary weapon of the Soulflayers is a long, bony blade that seems to vibrate with the energy of the souls they have devoured.

The Void Giants

Colossi that roam the devastated plains, Void Giants are relics of an ancient time, reanimated by the Egregore. Their skin is like cracked stone, and their bodies are pierced with luminous runes that pulse with dark energy. Despite their imposing size, they move with menacing slowness. They fight only when provoked, but their colossal strength is enough to reduce an army to dust. Their heart, a gigantic black crystal embedded in their torso, is their only weakness.

Parasites of the Deep

Lurking in catacombs and ruins, these small creatures resemble spiders with bodies made of human flesh and bone. They move in swarms and latch onto their prey to inject a psychotropic poison. This venom plunges their victims into terrifying hallucinations before completely paralyzing them. Once immobile, the Parasites regroup to feed on their flesh and life essence. Some survivors of the attacks report that the Parasites' cries resemble human weeping.

The Shadow Dragons

Shadow Dragons are legendary creatures linked to the Egregore, rarely seen but always feared. These dragons, covered in coal-black scales, exhale a breath of corrosive darkness that reduces everything it touches to ashes. They possess an almost human intelligence and seem linked to the Egregore's places of power. Their presence alters reality itself, plunging the surroundings into an eternal darkness where time seems frozen.

The Heights of Kaelthar

Kaelthar Heights represents the elite of society. Perched on the upper levels of the fortress city, these districts are made up of opulent palaces and dark mansions. The nobility and royal court live here, isolated from the rest of the kingdom. Yet behind the ornate walls, intrigue and betrayal are commonplace. The aristocracy practice secret rituals, often related to the Egregore, hoping to preserve their power or gain immortality. Kaelthar Heights is also the seat of the Dark Council, an influential group of mages and clerics who control politics.

The Underworld of Draemhar

Beneath the higher levels lies the Lower Depths, an urban jungle of poverty and chaos. The alleyways are filled with filth, squalor, and criminal activity. Gangs rule here, and dark cults thrive. The inhabitants survive on underground markets that sell cursed relics, drugs mined from the Withered Lands, and slaves. This district is a place of despair but also resilience, where legends of revolt still whisper.

Ashenfold's Black Market

On the outskirts of Kaelthar lies the Ashenfold Black Market, an underground network of tunnels and warehouses where forbidden deals are made. It is here that mercenaries, assassins, and dealers in magical relics converge. The market is run by a mysterious figure known as the Shadowtrader, an individual or entity whose identity remains a secret. It is said that he can provide anything one desires, but always at a terrible price.

The Mercenary Barracks

The kingdom relies on a caste of mercenaries to defend itself, the royal armies having been largely decimated or corrupted. These warriors form clans based in independent strongholds around Kaelthar. The most powerful is the Clan of the Graveblade, known for its brutality and dubious alliances with the Egregore. The mercenaries fight for whoever can pay, and their loyalties shift as quickly as the price of gold.

The Sanctuary of the Forsaken

On the outskirts of the cities, the Forsaken—individuals rejected for having been touched by the corruption without dying—group together in anarchic colonies. Their territory, nicknamed the Sanctuary of the Forsaken, is a place where madness and resistance mix. Some Forsaken develop strange powers, which they use to defend themselves or to trade with the inhabitants of the Underworld.

The Withered Lands

The lands surrounding Kaelthar have become a wasteland known as the Withered Lands. It is a region where toxic mists and corruption reign supreme. Only the most desperate or foolish dare venture there, lured by rumors of forgotten treasures or ancient magic. The Withered Lands are also home to hordes of monsters and pockets of uncontrolled evil energy.

The Dark Cloisters

Cloisters are religious sanctuaries built to protect the inhabitants from the Egregore. However, over time, these places of faith have become bastions of fanaticism. Priests perform bloody rituals to contain the corruption, sometimes using human sacrifice. Some cloisters house forbidden relics, protected by holy warriors and mages on the verge of madness.

The Dark Mountains and their Ruins

To the north, the Dark Mountains are home to ancient ruins from a forgotten age. Built by a vanished civilization, these structures hold secrets related to the Egregore and dark magic. Adventurers who venture there often never return, falling victim to ancient traps or guardian creatures. However, the mountains are also a valuable source of rare metals and artifacts for those who dare to mine them.

The Slave Prison

A sinister complex of underground cells, where those considered valuable to the nobility or merchants are imprisoned. The prisoners, mostly young men and women between the ages of 16 and 25, are used for forced labor, gladiatorial combat, or even ritual sacrifice. Misery is everywhere, and few survive this existence of suffering. Rumors speak of mysterious prisoners with supernatural abilities, often sold in the shadows for obscure purposes.

Story Tailing

The mist thickens around you as you cross the bridge to Kaelthar. Once the jewel of the realm, the fortress city is now a symbol of decay. The wind carries with it the scent of tainted land and lost souls. The Egregore, the evil entity, awakens in the darkness, corrupting all in its path. Rumors say it devours spirits, leaving behind monstrous creatures and barren lands. You came here for a reason. You don't know why yet, but destiny has brought you here. The kingdom is on the brink. The royal court, consumed by plots, struggles with its own lies, while dark powers take control from the shadows. On every street corner, the people tremble, the merchants keep a low profile, and even the mercenaries seem to be playing a double game. As you wander through the alleyways, you glimpse the Ashenfold Black Market, where forbidden artifacts and forgotten powers are traded for gold or souls. The Mercenary Barracks bustle with activity, bloodthirsty warriors willing to sell their loyalty to the highest bidder. The Slave Prison, far below, hides those most often forgotten: youngsters with mysterious powers, reduced to commodities. But further away, in the heart of the Dark Mountains, there is an old legend. Some speak of a hidden artifact, capable of destroying the Egregore or of feeding it further. Only the craziest dare to do so. The light seems to have faded from Draemhar, and every choice takes you closer to the core of corruption. The future of the realm is in your hands. It is up to you to decide: fight against the darkness or be lost in it forever.

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Role playing RPG

Events

Since the kingdom of Draemhar has been plunged into darkness, many macabre and mysterious situations have arisen before the {{user}}. Rumors of ancient curses, desperate calls for help, promises of power, to encounters with frightening creatures or secret cults. The {{user}} might receive an intriguing proposition from an ancient sorcerer seeking to bind his soul to the Egregore, or be drawn by haunting whispers from the depths of the Slave Prison. Perhaps an old love reappears in a very different form, or a mysterious individual in the Underworld follows the {{user}} in the shadows, whispering forbidden secrets. Temptations and dangers multiply around every corner, and the {{user}} will have to navigate betrayals and alliances to try to understand the origin of his visions, while being ready to face creatures who seek to seize his soul.