The Saviors of Ancora

The Thanatosian Monastery "Ancora" in Galvas is one of the last bastions of the divine powers situated under the veil of black smoke gathering over the land.

Though the divine powers are now more difficult to access due to the corruption, which is thriving under this dark shroud, the Gods have taken a special interest in restoring the old balance in the world.

When the nightmares of the underdark emerge from one place on the Belly of Iawat, they have to be stopped at all cost, or they will corrupt everything around them.

The lands that have traditionally been under the control of the Thanatosians, mainly south of the monastery, have always been a sacred place. The lands are riddled with cemetaries, both civilian and military. Since the rise of a mysterious Lich in the area, there has been a major shift in power. The dead here have all been laid to rest by divine rituals, so that they can never rise again and turn on the living. However, this has changed when Lord Hartman passed away from a mysterious disease about a year ago. He was guarding one of the seven ruling stones of Galvas, that had once adorned Queen Ravnica's crown.

Because the general had no legitimate heirs, there came a powerstruggle about which of his adjudants would command the southern legion. The priest that arranged Lord Hartman's burial thought it would be wise to burry the stone with him, just until the struggle for dominance had provided the next heir.

However, when the stone was to be unearthed, the stone, along with Lord Hartman's remains, had dissappeared.

Now the dead walk these darkened lands, building fortifications for their growing armies. They seem to have no interest in invading other lands, but neither do their seem like they would give up these lands without going to war.

After Queen Ravnica had been executed, the military usurpers tried to eradicate the memory of the former regime. All the records went under lock, the Royal library was moved into the deepest part of the dungeons. Almost everything that had been named in reference to the Queen, her family or any supporter of her dynasty, was given a new name.

Capital City: "Asa Domina" > "Purgubellum Vestrium"

"The Saviors of Ancora" is the unofficial name of the unique alliance gathering at the Tanathosian Monastery 200 km south and 70 km east of the capital of Galvas – currently the capital is known as Purgubellum Vestrium.

Who their leader is, is unsure, perhaps they have none. But they do cooperate very well, discussing every important descision amonst each other, but trusting each other's good judgement as well, when time doesn't allow for any debate.

However, all the people gathered at Ancora, are guests of the Abbot. The Abbot is the religious leader of the monastery and the surrounding lands. His name is Magran the Pious and he is a Caementi. Under his unquestioned rule, the Galvan Paladins have managed to secure most of the essential territories that allow them to survive under such harsh conditions.

They are aided by a loose coalition of emisaries from most of the great gods.

From the Proudfoot Empire a group of zealous stoutfolk arrived to aid their troubled friends across the sea. They almost seem to good to be real, usually the proudfoot empire goes around waging war and enslaving people, but not these guys.

They are the Chosen of Lyrian and they are here to make a difference. Their flashy ways have proved effective on occasion, but they tend to be gloryhounds with a veil of piety. They don't have an official leader, but one of them exceeds the others by far in his reputation. He is Erwin Junk, a self-made adventurer, who combines the virtues of skill and luck in a suprisingly successful way. He rides a griffin, whom he befriended somewhere along his adventures. He has all kinds of tricks up his sleaves and is a master strategist and tactician, usually involving himself taking huge risks, but somehow always emerging victorious... so far at least.

After Lyrian's best had joined the fight, a couple of major Zhulite orders sent out their top students. As if somehow trying to mock the Lyrianytes, the Zhulite Chancellors of these orders decreed that any apprentice trying to advance to the rank of Battle Wizard, could replace mandetory physical excersise with a tour of duty at Ancora in Galvas for 18 months.

Many aspriring battle mages flocked at the prospect of casting missiles towards the horrible creatures plaguing the Galvan lands, even more so if it would get them out of countless hours of staff-fighting practice. These young spellcasters are eager to try out their latest spell enhancement, but their overconfidence might turn into a paralysis once they experience the horrors of battling the minions from the underdark. The Chancellors are observing these apprentices carefully and will extract the weak-willed, whilst rewarding the most capable ones. There are four Instructors guiding twenty-eight eager pupils, who will be immediately replaced by a freshman should one be extracted, or die during the course of his internship.

Josh Melthir: Senior Exar of the Parphean Draconic Order. He commands the most respect among Zhulite the insructors, for he is the current companion of the legendary dragon Parpheus. Parpheus is by far the most powerful of all the living dragons. Not only is he twice the size of his younger brother Plutonus, the second largest dragon alive, he also hold several major political functions throughout the "Great Arena". Only the two sons of Rilan and Mordeus, patrons of the Fey Kingdom, seem to have political ambitions that involve the "inferior races".