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.

• Paris Dargon: Cousin to Lord Clifton Dargon, he and his family believe themselves rightful rulers of the Duchy of Dargon. He has been known to plot to overthrow the throne.
• 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.