I enjoyed the Mandrill. The idea of spirit lice on the shaman is very good. I can picture the baboon shaman now having his fetch pick spirit lice from his spiritual fur. Given that shamans are supposed to be surrounded constantly by spirits, this seems like a great answer. Probably all low power spirits from the Frontier Region which constantly irritate a shaman trying to concentrate on other tasks. I guess we know what the apprentice shamans are going to spend their time doing.
I liked this idea alot. Perhaps Zarkos calls or summons some of his ancient allies to return to the ancient water path when all the water creatures swam up and over the land. In particular, I like the narwhal (which has a solitary horn if I remember correctly). Good chance for PC's to think they've seen a unicorn.
Thinking about the river valley led me to wonder about the annual lifecycle of the Arcos River. This is what I picture:
Seaseason--snow melts in Balazar, Rockwood Mountains, and Imther Mountains all flow into the Elf Sea; snow melts in Garsting, Elder Wilds, and Jord Mountains all flow into the Arcos Valley; combined with Seaseason rains, the banks of the rivers overflow tremendously, as does the shore of the Elf Sea; given that the Arcos was never tamed (unlike the Oslir), a tremendous flood occurs on an annual basis throughout the Arcos Valley making traffic across the river or upriver virtually impossible without river magics; the heaviness of the flooding has also kept river cities from developing as they have along the Oslir.
Fireseason--the floods recede leaving great silt deposits along the Arcos Valley and along the Elf Sea shore (particularly along the south coast which is tending to advance northward); the silts do not stay along the Balazar rivers though, so this land is not as fertile; cross river and upriver traffic is possible, but the horse nomads can also enter the lands more freely at this point; extensive reed marshes are found along the rivers and in small, stagnant pools with extensive insect life; fish are harvested extensively while the grains grow in the fields.
Earthseason--the rivers reach their lowest point at the start of this season, but increasing rainfall late in the season, particularly in Balazar, raise the water levels again; fishing tails off as the grain is harvested; harvests from Garsting and Jarst move up and down river; the cities are at their largest as traders converge to exchange goods.
Darkseason--the Balazaring rivers freeze over though only the banks of the Elf Sea and the Arcos freeze; the river currents are weakest, so this is a common time for White Sea creatures to find their way upriver; the cities provide shelter and food supplies (grain and fish), as well as defense against ranging trolls (who overrun the Ezarcos region regularly) or nomads (who overrun the Redlands more frequently again).
Stormseason--winter storms blast the region and stir up the wrath of Zarkos within the Elf Sea and along the Arcos Valley; travel on the water is increasingly dangerous and the ice is often hazardous (though less so than it was in the centuries before the Red Goddess); hunger, cold, and dampness are common factors through this season.
Cities--the old maps of the Lunar Empire in Dragon Pass/WF show two cities along the Arcos Valley, Poralals (the southern of the two borders the Garsting region) and Darjeeb (the northern of the two lies within Jarst). I envision two more city/forts south of Poralals (all three independent from Garsting and somewhat mimicking the Dara Happan Tripolis), one of which lies near the outflow from the Elf Sea and is the closest thing to a deep water port. Parts of these cities are swept away in floods each year so the character of the cities is dynamic. Some parts are built on stilts, while other pieces take advantage of local hills (with appropriate references to earthmother and long-legged marsh bird deities).
Any thoughts?
Harald
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