Common Characters
- Doravin: A general introduction to the Doravin written by Daf.
- Eelail: Dargon's equivalent of "elves".
- Shadow Boys: A loose society of homeless children who live on the streets of Dargon.
- Cyruzhian Monks: A Stevenic sect that is dominant in the Barony of Fennell (in Duchy Dargon). It is known best for the order of monks that follow its tenets. Unlike many other Stevenic sects, Cyruzhians value chastity (celibacy among clergy) and though tolerant of other religions, view their own as the "true" faith.
Recurrent Characters
- Anarr: A learned but arrogant and vain magician who has used his abilities to extend his life over 160 years. Confronted on his deathbed with mysteries beyond his belief, in 1010 he was granted renewed youth. Before he became a mage, Anarr served as a battle captain to Duke Valeran Northfield in the Great Houses War.
- Sian Allyn: A single woman who has taken in a number of street children.
- Levy Barel: Blacksmith and engineer by trade, adventurer by avocation, he learned the secret of making stainless steel from Sarah.
- Luthias Connall: The cousin of Duke Dargon. Granted the County of Connall after the deaths of his father and twin brother. His wife Myrande is also known as Sable.
- Corambis: A sage who tells fortunes in the marketplace. He has a young assistant named Thuna, and is friends with another fortune-teller named Dyann Taishent.
- Clifton Dargon II: Current Duke of Dargon. Born 987 B.Y. Married Lauren Equiville in 1013 and had a daughter shortly thereafter. Sustained a crippling injury (loss of his arm) in the Baranur-Beinison War. Received a ceremonial sword of a silvery metal that would not rust.
- Parris Dargon: Ambitious second cousin of Duke Clifton Dargon , who believes he is the rightful duke of Dargon.
- Jahlena: Partner to Jamis. She is a partial owner of the Shattered Spear. She is a very large, muscular woman. Jahlena takes care of keeping the Spear running smoothly in its day to day operations. She also is the bouncer at the Spear.
- Kalen Darklen: A lieutenant in the town guard, Kalen is second in command to Captain Koren.
- Marcellon Equiville: High Mage and Royal Physician to King Haralan Tallirhan; father of Lauren Dargon. Birth Date: 7 Seber, 957 Description: A tall, lean man who sports staight, black hair and a goatee beard. His eyes are a shocking dark blue. Although 56 years old in the year 1013, he looks to be about 30.
- Mon-Haddar: A wizard from the Sanctuary. Traveled south to see Pudlong's beanstalk. Stole the magic bean from Pudlong in an unsuccessful attempt to gain its power.
- Aleksandr Heahun: Son of Sir Harbid Heahun, a Baranurian Knight. He has flame-red hair and was born around 1000 B.Y.
- Adrunian Koren: The captain of Dargon's town guard.
- Nila: A silversmith and exile from the faraway western land of Farevlin.
- Lev Roise: Son of Bel Roise. Aspires to be a monk in the order of Cyruzhians. Currently a novice in the order.
- Simon Salamagundi: A retired sailor who sells his well-known fish stew from a cart down at the docks. Simon has a little pet monkey named Skeebo.
- Haralan Tallirhan: Current king of Baranur; has at least one son (Kalien).
Familiar Places
- Spirit's Haven: A fine inn located in Dargon, owned by Darla Thysler, commonly known as May.
- Shattered Spear: A very seedy inn in Dargon, owned by the infamous Jahlena.
- Kenna: A newly-founded town located some ways upriver from Dargon.
- Fennell: A barony in the duchy of Dargon.
- Tench: A very small village that lies on the road between Dargon and the rest of the kingdom.
- Darst Range: A mountain range that runs southeast through the duchies of Dargon and Arvalia.
- Baranur: The large kingdom in the northern part of the continent of Cherisk. It is currently ruled by King Haralan Tallirhan to whom Clifton Dargon owes fealty.
- Magnus: Capital and largest city of the Kingdom of Baranur. It is located at the head of navigation of the mighty Laraka River.
- Gateway: A small town based around a fortress that was designed to defend the upper Laraka.
- Port Sevlyn: A town on the Laraka that was nearly destroyed in the war.
- Sharks' Cove: A rough and seedy port town at the mouth of the Laraka.
- Makdiar: The name of the world Dargon is a part of.
- Nochturon: One of the two moons of Makdiar. The other moon, Celene, is not visible from Dargon.
Conflicts in the World of Makdiar
The world of the Dargon Project is a fairly tolerant, peaceable place. That's not to say there are not conflicts or forces which actively seek its destruction or plain ol' pain and suffering. Below are listed some of the existing points of conflict in the world. Feel free to suggest new ones or expand upon an existing topic by posting to the DargonZine Forums.
Evil Parts of Religions
The world of Dargon has several religions, many of whom have balancing forces of good and evil. Priests or followers of these religions have been known to engage in underhanded tactics to overthrow or sabotage governments, retrieve lost religious artifacts, or simply crush the followers of the good components. Below are listed the religion and its evil or bad components:
Bloody Hand of Sageeza A group of radicals who believe that those who are not like them -- in particular, the gypsies -- should be exterminated. Following the obscure, ancient god Sageeza, they are constantly on the lookout for ways to discredit, injure, or even kill any and every gypsy they can find.
It has been proposed that the leader of the Bloody Hand is a follower who is possessed (either partially or fully is unknown) by a demon who uses the leader as their tool to achieve their goals. When a particular leader dies, the demon chooses a new leader from his or her group of followers.
Olean Pantheon
- Saren: God of Suffering.
- Prince Rise'er, ruler of Gil-Pa'en: A dead Prince who is said torments other mortals in the pits of Gil-Pa'en. Rise'er was eternally damned for the rape, murder, and cannibalism of thousands of peasants during the early years of the Fretheod Empire.
- Exiles: fallen seraphim from Lordsrealm that inhabit the Netherealm.
Manifest Pantheon
- Eilli-Syk: A god known as the taker of life. He believes that by eradicating human life, all the gods will be reunited with the All-Creator.
- Arom-Nok: Responsible for plagues and suffering.
- Kessra-Nik: Responsible for war and fighting.
- Balen-Ruk: Responsible for thievery and deceit.
Beinison Pantheon
- Gaoth: God of Chaos, brother to Gow
- Gow: God of War
- Amante: God of Thieves and Assassins
- Erida: Goddess of Death
Groups that Cause Conflict
- Beinison Empire: Baranur is bordered on the south by Beinison, Comarr, and Lederia. While relations with Comarr and Lederia are presumed to be cordial, Baranur's relations with Beinison have always been tense. It conquered a portion of Baranur (the duchy of Pyridain) in 1014 B.Y. during the Baranur-Beinison War. Some residents fled to a small territory dubbed Nulain on the southern border of the Duchy of Dargon. Doubtless, some families were separated during the war, either by choice (think brother vs. brother) or by circumstance. Some families in Pyridain could potentially continue to fight the occupying Beinisons, while tensions along the new border baronies always remain high.
- Ealail: An indigenous people conquered by the Fretheod thousands of years ago. They continue to live in small pockets in the Baranurian wilderness, shunning human contact and hiding their settlements via magic. They are generally considered mysterious and dangerous as they still view themselves as rightful holders of the land. An ancient output of the Ealail, Gor Gariner, is a mountain that is part of the Darst range near Kenna. One of the last great battles between the Ealail and the Fretheod took place on the slopes of Gor Gariner. While believed to be abandoned, the mountain is avoided by all travelers as it is considered to be bad luck and may have remnants of powerful magic floating about it.
Evil People
There are numerous examples of conflicts between families in the world of Dargon. Some families ally themselves with evil gods/forces, but others simply covet each others' lands, wealth, or status. There have also been evil priests, evil wizards, or simply independent rogues that look to waylay the unprepared traveler or merchant caravan.
- Parris Dargon: Cousin to Lord Clifton Dargon, he believes himself rightful ruler of Dargon. He has been known to plot to overthrow the duchy.
- Castigales: Both baron and baroness ally themselves with priests of Amante, the Beinison god of thieves and assassins.
- Claywall: A barony in the northern duchy of Dargon that has conflicts with surrounding baronies.
- Mon-Taerleor: An evil wizard killed at the close of the Baranur-Beinison war. It is unknown if members of his family or magical brotherhood seek revenge against the Royal Physician Marcellon Equiville or Marcellon's family.
- Mon-Haddar: Another bad-blood wizard who tried to steal magic beans from a farmer called Pudlong.
- Highwaymen: A general group of rogues that pester travelers or merchant caravans. There are many groups of highwaymen that consist of thieves, outlaws, or simply bad people.
Evil Objects
- Codex Araltakonia: A book of evil magic penned by the legendary Mystics.
Eye of Amante: A jewel stolen from a sacred statue of Amante in Beinison. It shattered in 1015 B.Y. after having been attempted to be used, but appeared in a ring that caused Pythia Castigale to go mad. All who come in contact with pieces of the Eye of Amante go insane.
- Statue of Gow: The last remaining statue to feature the face of the Beinison War God, it caused catastrophe after catastrophe in the nearby settlement of Northern Hope until it was warded and dropped into the ocean off the coast of Dargon. That region is since known as a place of ill luck by sailors.