Even before the Ancien Regime, House Kawlzen was the mediator between squabbles, always fair, always patient, always in the cause of peace. House Kawlzen was one of the charter members of the Ancien Regime, and strongly supported its inception. The Lords of House Kawlzen also made itself one of the testors of Emperors-to-be, to make sure that rash, arrogant, and violent mortals would never wield such power... this cause was often frustrated by the Lord 'ne Ashtaroth, who hated the benevolent Kawlzens, and this hatred was great enough even to make the Lords 'ne Kawlzen hate House Ashtaroth; though this hatred was kept buried deep within their hearts.
Then came the day when Knight Sir Robert 'ne Rush died, and all attempts to find a new emperor failed, which Djak 'ne Kawlzen, at that time the heir to his House, blamed upon Lord Ashtaroth. Fifty years into the War of the Houses, Djak's father died in an accident (actually assassinated by Terach), and Djak became Lord 'ne Kawlzen. Djak was able to keep his people out of the War for over a century, until his nemesis, Lord Ashtaroth, made his push for the throne. Even then, he and Djil made sacrifices for peace: allowing the armies of Ashtaroth to pass through their lands, allowing them to sweep over several other smaller Houses.
It was while the forces of Ashtaroth had encircled the city of Dragonfang in the south and were making ground towards the Bival Bridge that the young Pfa 'ne Diras first arrived at Kawlzen Manor. She couldn't have been more than 18, having taken the reins of House Diras two years earlier when her mother died, but she had great composure for one so young and mortal. She had already rallied the other Houses to defend the capital together from House Ashtaroth, and would now have House Kawlzen join her.
Needless to say, Djak and Djil were shocked by the idea of going to war. (though Djak could sometimes fly into a rage, his frustrations were always vent in a mental, brooding sort of manner, rather than physical destruction) However, the war wore on for several more months with Ashtaroth's armies surely gaining ground on the capital. Pfa continued to visit Djak and Djil, and finally they were convinced of the need to make the ultimate sacrifice for peace: to kill others in war.
So House Kawlzen armed itself for war: every person fit to fight carried an axe, armored in leather at best, and marched south to meet the hardened soldiers of Ashtaroth. A week later, after several days of forced marches, House Kawlzen came upon the northern flank of the Armies of Ashtaroth. Using surprise, House Kawlzen fell swiftly upon their enemies, who fled and died before them. The entire northern flank fled back through the hills to the Scarred Lands, and the rest of Ashtaroth's forces were unable to continue the offensive, and were crushed by the other Houses. House Kawlzen chased the northern flank all the way to the hills that separate the Scarred Lands from the rest of the empire. It was there, in the hills, that Djak and Djil went scouting for the remains of their enemies, and Djil was struck with an arrow, and fell to her death.
Djak rushed to her lifeless body, and carried it back to Baiville, the town in which Kawlzen Manor is situated, only to find that forces of Ashtaroth had razed the village, and his son, Dann, had only been able to save a few hundred of their people. The land was burned and cursed with the filth of Ashtaroth, and there was no place to bury Djil, so her body was placed in a state of suspended animation, that it might not rot until it was buried in holy ground.
Over the next several years, Pfa 'ne Diras married her younger sisters to the Kings of the Elves and Dwarves, securing their help against the remaining Houses. With Ukeuith's Boxes, she was able to vanquish the other Houses and proclaim herself Empress. Meanwhile, Djak slipped further and further into the grip of Insanity, and nothing Dann or Pfa could say would help him get better. Finally, one day he took the Axe of House Kawlzen and struck down his son, and buried him in unholy ground, cursing his spirit to wander the years. Pfa, realizing Djak was too dangerous to be allowed loose in the world, placed him in the Box, earning his eternal hatred.
Once the center for House Kawlzen, this town was removed, for the most part, from the war that raged. The House was blessed, it was thought, by Samaritan, and peace reigned.
However, in the later stages of the war, House Ashtaroth, through treachery, became inordinately powerful and made a bid for the imperial throne, crushing other Houses that got in its way. The Lady Pfa, by this time leader of House Diras, came to Baiville on several occasions to speak with the Lord Djak and Lady Djil. The Lord and Lady were convinced it was necessary to join in the struggle against House Ashtaroth, and House Kawlzen mobilized and departed from the beloved Baiville, leaving it under the care of Daniel 'ne Kawlzen (their son) and the Golden Rule of Sam till they could return.
House Kawlzen performed brilliantly in the war, and House Ashtaroth was defeated. However, as the enemy was being routed, Djak and Djil took to the peaks on a scouting mission. As they stopped to refresh themselves, an archer of House Ashtaroth fired at and struck Djil with an arrow, causing her to fall from the hill to her death. Djak went insane from grief, and disbanded his army on the spot, cursing Pfa 'ne Diras for the death of his Lady. But that was not all Djak would suffer...
Stumbling his way back to Baiville, he found the town in ruins and on fire. Forces of House Ashtaroth had attacked while he was away! Sam had protected his people as best he could, taking the lives all minions of Ashtaroth who killed people of the town. The only people left were the 200 or so who crowded for protection into the temple to Sam, the only building left untouched. Cursing his misfortune and loss, Djak slipped further and further into the grip of Insanity.
Several years later, Pfa began imprisoning the heads of other houses, but was going to spare House Kawlzen for Djak's services in the war. However, he still had not recovered, despite Pfa's and Daniel's attempts to console him. Finally, in a fit of rage one day, Djak took the Axe of House Kawlzen and struck down his son. Pfa then realized that Djak was too dangerous to be loose in society, and visited Baiville one last time, to put him in the box with the others. Enraged by this final treachery, Djak vowed vengeance....
This once peaceful town is torn by riots. All previous enforcers sent to this place that returned to the king alive were stark raving mad. Your mission: Quell the riots.
PC's adventure to the ancestral lands of House Kawlzen, find Baiville. They meet the Psycho Priests (descendants of House Kawlzen), led by Kunsaitis, who are a confused and insane lot. There the PC's will learn some of the history of this unfortunate House, and maybe understand that House Kawlzen wasn't all bad.
Djak's pet, a snow-white demon troll-bear named Yorick, wishes for his master to rest in peace with Djil and Daniel (Djak's long-deceased wife and son), and finally be free of the insanity. Yorick therefore attempts to kill the PC's, and when defeated, knows the PC's are worthy to set Djak free.
Yorick's disembodied head will then approach the PC's and set them to the mission of defeating the Insanity that grips Djak. The PC's will have to sever the Insanity's ties to Djak's mind, body, spirit, and emotion; at which point Djak will be able to die.
The Terach do not wish this to happen, however. In fact, they are currently holding Djak in an Asylum, attempting to channel the power of his hates and fears into some sort of "stress" which would bring about a biological change in a neuter female Terach and create a fertile Elder.
the trials: (each trial should take a run)
Djak murdered his son with the Axe of House Kawlzen.
Find and destroy Djak's axe in the forge in which it was created (the boiler room of the Asylum), so that Dann's soul can rest and Djak's rage will end.
Where is the axe hidden? They should be able to receive help from Daniel. PC's should find the Axe in the first run, and return it to the hearth in the Kawlzen ancestral home. The Axe should be destroyed after the Trial by Air.
The land around Baiville is cursed and poisoned by the filth of Ashtaroth. The land must be purified, to give a final resting place for House Kawlzen.
The PC's will travel to where Djil died, collect the soil upon which her blood was splilt, and bring it back to Baiville. This soil will provide a place for a proper burial of Djil (her body is in stasis in the Asylum). The hills where Djil died abound with the giant plants that poisoned the waters, except the spot where her blood fell to the ground.
This should be the second run, so that the PC's don't learn of the Terach too early.
Relive the siege of Baiville; the breaking of the people of House Kawlzen & Djak's spirit, the poisoning of the waters of Baiville.
The PC's must save the people of Baiville, who were the base of Djak's great spirit, by purifying the waters. The Terach poisoned the water in the war, and now the PC's will go destroy the source of the poison (a giant plant)
This should be the third run, as it will nicely introduce the Terach face to face.
Travel the dark recesses of Djak's mind, explore his childhood fears, the meeting and marrying of Djil, Daniel's birth, the war & Pfa's visits, Djil's death, the maiming of Baiville, Daniel's death, Pfa's final visit.
The PC's will have to try to counsel Djak through his troubles; they will appear to Djak at certain points in his life and have to reassure him of the decisions he makes.
This should be the last run, and the PC's will use the Axe of House Kawlzen to sever the grip of insanity on Djak. If the group that completes this trial does not destroy the Axe, a fifth run can be made to destroy the Axe or attempt to kill the last of the Terach.
Last Modified on September 19, 1997
ammulder@cs.princeton.edu