The Unknown East

"Verily it was in the Eastlands, beyond those savage mountains called the ragged pillars, that I would find many strange adventures. Aye, enough to fill several volumes — or a lifetime."
— From the journals of Duke Avan Astran of Vilmir

Twenty thousand years ago Grome and Straasha waged a mighty war. In the wake of their struggles continents would rise and oceans were formed. The battle fields were strewn with islands and small seas. Thus the world was shaped.

Twelve thousand years ago the Melnibone people rose up waged a bloody civil war against their Menastrai brothers. These break away followers of Chaos slaughtered the Menastrai forces and laid siege to their capitol city. The Menastrai were faced with certain destruction and subjugation at the hands of their enemy. But when all seemed lost, they summoned up ancient sorceries and fled beyond the Ragged Pillars into the Unknown East. When the gates fell, the Chaotic warriors entered an empty city. Their foes had vanished. The city was lotted, burned to the ground, and forgotten.

In the East, the followers of Balance once again rebuilt their magnificent cities and beautiful kingdoms. Their priests sang cities into existence, and all but the most benevolent of magics faded into history. The Menastrai forgot the arts of war and lived in peace with all those around them. 6000 years of peace and prosperity passed.

Then their old enemies, Melniboné found them again. Dragon venom, sword, and the corrupted magic slaughtered millions of peace loving people in an effort to stamp out the dreams of Balance once and for all. Shimmering cities were reduced to rubble. The Menastrai surrendered and accepted Melnibonéan Rule, while secretly worshipping the Balance. The Bright Empire looted the land, and set up a government to bleed the Eastern Lands of their riches. The Menastrai people waited for Balance to re-assert itself.

When the Dharzi rose up and began defeating the Melnibonéans at their own game, the Bright Empire hurriedly brought it's troops home to Melniboné to fend off the Dharzi forces. One by one the Young Kingdoms found themselves unoccupied and independent. In the six hundred years that have now passed, the Eastern Lands once again prosper under the powers of Balance. Once again, they live in peace out of sight from the Western world.

THE UNKNOWN EAST provides clues and details for that area of the Northern Continent dubbed The Unmapped East. It lies across the Sighing Desert from Kaarlak, the last abode of Elric and his wife Zarozinia. Each nation is given a chapter that reveals the background and politics of that nation as well as important points and notes on magic for that land.

This sourcebook (and all our others) is set about one year before the events in Elric of Melniboné. Terarn Gashtek has not begun his plan to conquer the Unknown East and Moonglum has not yet ventured into the Young Kingdoms.

Background

• The Eastern Lands
• Eastern Cults
• Eastern Adventurers
• Eastern Magic
• Unknown Kingdoms Digest

Adventures

• 5 Mini Scenarios
• The Eastward Urge — an Introductory scenario for Young Kingdom Adventurers visiting the Unknown East
• Eastlander Character Sheet