An Epic

A Short Explanation and History of Farland

What is Farland?

Farland is a campaign setting for Dungeons & Dragons®, a roleplaying game. Specifically, it is a continent on a larger world called Núrion. This small continent is home to Elves, a tall and mysterious race; dwarves, a race of miners and craftsmen; humans, a flexible and prodigious race; and dark folk, creatures of shadows and evil. Farland is important, however, because it is the focus of a war for liberation. Currently half of the continent is ruled by the Seven Lords of Sin, fell creatures who rule with an iron fist on behalf of a more mysterious being, the Dweller in the icy and evil Wintervale. Farland consists of six human kingdoms and one Dwarven kingdom. The three westernmost human kingdoms have been liberated but are tottering on the brink of invasion, while the four easternmost kingdoms are still under the yolk of this oppressive evil regime. This site details the kingdoms, places, personages, and events of Farland and the wars for liberation. The history of this conflict begins many years ago:

Brief Historical Summary of Farland

The Elhil or Elves awoke first, in twilight, and wandered free for many years. The dwarves and other early races were born soon after, and by the whim of the gods, strife followed on their heels. Fantastic wars were waged during the Age of the Immortals, long before the first barbarous men ever walked the earth. But soon the Age of Men began when the original human kingdom Aelfar, now called the Ancient, arose in the East. Borrowing the learning of the demi-humans, this kingdom quickly rose to glory. Alas, it was not to continue.

The untimely fall of Aelfar resulted in the birth of five human tribes, which eventually went on to found the five human kingdoms, namely Kelerak, Daven the First, Zeland, Orland, and Farland the Great, from which the continent takes its name. Kale was established later, and her Kings are of the blood of Daven. Long did these Kingdoms dominate the land, fighting among themselves yet ever stemming the tide of evil.

The continent of Farland takes its name from Farland, the greatest kingdom within its borders. The kingdom of Farland was once the foundation of the Far Empire, but after the legendary Wars of Sorrow, Farland lost its grip on the other kingdoms. It never, however, lost its stature as the most powerful kingdom, for right up until the Dark Conquest, over 350 years ago, every Kingdom in the realm acknowledged Farland's might, either openly with tribute or by alliance.

Unfortunately, a dark power has existed since the beginning of time: Vornoth, the Walker in Darkness. This Vornoth, who should not be named, is the God of evil. As such, in the primordial beginnings of history, legends say, he recruited a being to be his emissary in the world. This being has been known from time immemorial as the Dweller in the Wintervale, or simply the Dweller. Throughout the endless march of years, the Dweller has had its evil hand in many things. Indeed it is whispered that the Wintervale was responsible for the beginnings of the Wars of Sorrow and the end of the Mighty Far Empire.

But the tragedy does not end there. For in due time, unsuccessful in its other evil endeavors, the Dweller began slowly and insidiously to formulate the scheme to end all schemes, a plan that would spell near doom for all of Farland. Using some secret ritual or artifact, it recruited seven personages, seven different beings to represent each of the Seven Deadly Sins. These creatures each came from a different race, and each seemed to be the sin personified that they were chosen to represent. The Dweller called them the Seven Deadly Lords, or the Seven Lords of Sin. The sins represented were: Pride, Lust, Gluttony, Envy, Sloth, Greed, and Wrath. The Lord of Wrath stood as Captain and Lord of the other six. With these evil beings each commanding a portion of its armies, as well as bringing their own resources to bear, the Dweller initiated a Blitzkrieg attack on the kingdoms of Farland.

The last to fall was Farland herself, but in time she too fell. The Lord of Pride was set to rule Kale, the Lord of Lust ruled Kelerak, the Lord of Gluttony Daven, the Lord of Envy Orland, the Lord of Sloth Zeland, the Lord of Greed ruled the Dwarf Kingdom of Wawmar, and the mysterious Lord of Wrath himself was set to rule the Kingdom of Farland. And so for more than 350 years the land was locked in the evil grip of the Dark Occupation and the populace were chattel.

But over time the Lords grew lax from lack of resistance. Then, with little warning, goodness stirred in the West when a band of heroes led by Valanduil the Elf and Bartarius the barbarian were able miraculously to slay Thuldin the Fallen, the Dwarf Lord of Pride, and free Kale. They then proceeded to slay and banish the demonic Brathelathor, the Lord of Lust, and free Kelerak. They even managed to destroy Saithith the vampire, the Lord of Gluttony, thus freeing Daven, but there their luck ended and they were sundered to the four winds by the forces of the Lord of Envy. Thus, as of the year 8170 Farland Reckoning, the continent is divided, with Kale, Kelerak, and Daven free in the West while Zeland, Orland, Wawmar, and Farland remain under the Dark Occupation in the East. Indeed, it is whispered that the armies of the Lords are massing at the command of the Dweller, poised to retake the lands they have lost to the paltry Forces of Light.

Farland is just emerging from a "dark ages" period wherein the Lords of Sin have controlled almost all of the history that has been dispensed to humans. Although the history of Farland has been kept by the Elves for over 20,000 years, humans have only kept history for less than 9000, and most of that knowledge has been lost during the Dark Occupation. What is detailed above is a skeleton outline of what most players will know when they begin the game. A more detailed timeline can be found here.

A Note on Reckoning of Time

Men started recording history in the year one F.R. (Farland Reckoning). Some claim that they did record history earlier, and in more detail than the records that are currently available, but those records were lost with the fall of forgotten Aelfar. Thus the only human records currently available were recorded by Farland upon the kingdom's founding. The previous years have been speculated upon and pieced together by Farlandish scholars and scribes with help from the Elves (mostly King Meningol). This history is almost agreed upon as being correct.

Elves have kept an historical record from before the year 1 F.R. Elves mark their reckoning with an E.R. (Elhil Reckoning) or an E.D. (Elhil Documenting), and records from this time denote the period before the time of the ascendancy of man from relative barbarity. While the Elves were willing to help Farland piece together the history of what they call "The Age of Man," they feel that the history of the "Age of the Elhil," what humans call the "Age of the Immortals" is the province of the Elves.

Most articles on this site are set in the year 8170 F.R., unless otherwise specified. While Farlandish reckoning is the standard method of measuring time, different kingdoms have their own personal measurements. What follows is a chart of the current year, depending on who is measuring it.

©2008   S. Baker