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Multiplayer Game Book

Sommerlund

A Mongoose Publishing Book

Published by Mongoose Publishing Limited52-54 Cricklade Road, Swindon SN2 8AF

With thanks to Jonathan Blake and all at Project Aon

‘Lone Wolf’ is a registered trade mark owned by Joe DeverAll Rights Reserved

This book is published subject to the condition that it shall not,by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or

otherwise be circulated without the publisher’s prior consentin any form or binding or cover other tan which it

is published and without a similar condition including thiscondition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

Printed and bound in the USA by Mongoose Publishing.

© Joe Dever 1984-2010

Written by Joe Dever and Darren PearceEdited by Matthew Sprange

Layout and Graphic Design by Will Chapman

Interior illustrations by Rich Longmore and Gill Pearce

Cover illustration by Nick Egberts

Proofreading by Charlotte Law

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ContentsIntroduction 3

History of Somerlund 5

The Geography of sommerlund 12

Holmgard 17

Toran 48

Tyso 68

Anskaven 83

The Southlund Marches 103

The Kirlundin Isles 113

Ruanon 122

Eshnar 135

Rulers of Sommerlund 138

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The lands of the Kai Lords are rugged and beautiful, with mountains and dales, rolling hills and wide open forests. The great Freylund forest that borders the Kai Monastery and the four great cities provides a picturesque vision to the onlooker, a vista that invokes safety and protection. It is true that Sommerlund has been visited time and time again by the tyranny of the Darklords and each attack has been more vicious than the last but the land and its people have prevailed and remained stalwart and strong.

The people of Sommerlund often make the claim that the sun shines much brighter in their land than anywhere else on Magnamund. Of course, it is a complete fallacy. It stems from their land being known throughout Magnamund as the Sun Realm and their good fortune lies in the fact that they are relatively free from the petty struggles and wars that mar so many other realms. The Sommlending enjoy a strong and long lasting friendship with Durenor and many other nations. Sommerlund is the ideal place for traders and merchants of all nationalities to do business and, since the King’s Border Rangers and Sommlending Knights patrol the roads, the trading caravans that use the highways have very little to fear from bandits and marauders. This cannot be said of most other nations. The Border Rangers keep an ever watchful eye upon the forests and the people feel safer just by knowing that the Kai Lords are maintaining their powerful vigil from their Monastery in the foothills of the Durncrag Mountains. They are always ready to fight the forces of darkness whenever the threat manifests itself.

Sommerlund is a land of high born nobles, wise scholars, gifted warriors, skilled artisans and hard working peasants. It has a feudal system that has worked well for many centuries. Sometimes it may appear too perfect to outsiders and many are given to suspect that something rotten lurks at the core of Sommerlund. In this instance, their fears are truly unjustified.

Chapter One :

IntroductionSa

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Sommerlund has four great cities. The two of most significance are Holmgard, the capital, and Toran, the seat of the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star. The two other grand cities are Tyso and Anskaven. Sommerlund also has numerous smaller towns, villages and hamlets. The most prominent of these is Ruanon, located in the remote southern province that bears the same name.

With a great deal of rich forest and fertile farmland, it is not surprising that the Sommerlund has developed a sound economy based upon its timber, minerals and fresh produce. Its farms are among the most productive in all of Magnamund. It also benefits from the plentiful supply of gold and iron ore that it mines in its southland territory of Ruanon. Sommerlund’s natural resources are further complimented by its talented and industrious citizens. They are, in the main, the loyal, trustworthy and grateful subjects of their benevolent King.

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Chapter Two : History of Somerlund

In MS 3072, 20 servants of the Dark God Naar appeared upon the lands of northern Magnamund. These were to become known as the Darklords of Helgedad and they laid claim to a vast and barren region of Northern Magnamund. They constructed eight massive city-fortresses within this blighted region that became known as the Darklands. The largest and most powerful of these city-fortresses was Helgedad and from this stronghold they set forth to unite the Drakkarim nations to their banner, enslaving them forever.

Vashna, the mightiest of all the Darklords, brought about a War of Desecration and was proclaimed Archlord of the Darklands in the year of MS 3192 Vashna’s power and treachery became legend. He set about subjugating and unifying all the lesser creatures of evil to the Darklords’ will and, ultimately, to utter subjugation by the Dark God Naar.

Vashna’s conquests were numerous and, save for one notable campaign in the year of MS 3434, they were all successful. They suffered unexpected defeat when they were pushed west beyond the Durncrag mountains by a hardy race of humans who were, in time, to become legend themselves. These people were the Sommlending. They had arrived upon the territory that they were to make their own, led by their first great king – Kian. Their victory over Vashna’s hordes cleared the land they called Sommerlund and lay the foundations of their future growth and prosperity.

Legend tells of how the Sommlending came from out of the Northern Void in ships made from oak, as yellow as the morning sun. Their arrival could not have come at a better time and, at King Braern I’s (King Kian’s successor) bidding, they established four great cities, which became known as Holmgard, Toran, Tyso and Anskaven. Each city, save Holmgard, would be ruled by a Baron who would keep a watchful eye on them and the surrounding lands, and make sure that the machinations of the Darklords were thwarted at every turn.

In MS 3520, Vashna’s rage at his defeat smouldered still. Hungry for revenge, he let loose his Helghast upon Sommerlund. These repeated

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attacks were launched over a 30 year period that became known as the Helghast Wars. The bitter conflict raged until the year MS 3550. The Helghast were defeated and the Sommlending survived due, in great part, to the efforts made by the Magicians Guild of Toran. This guild, more commonly known as the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star, used its great wisdom and arcane skills to overcome the forces of darkness and drive them back into the Darklands once more. Again Vashna tasted defeat and in a moment of dark fury, he vowed to use all his power to wipe Sommerlund from the face of Magnamund forever.

He called upon his creatures and allies in the Darklands and undertook the start of a long period of preparation that was to become known as the Black Muster. In MS 3785, a massive army was sent into Sommerlund with the express purpose of destroying the Sommlending and their land once and for all. The Darklands army met with the combined might of Sommerlund and its steadfast ally, Durenor. For 14 years, war raged between the Darklands and Sommerlund until, finally, the Sommlending and the Durenese broke Vashna’s main army at the Battle of Moytura (MS 3799). The shattered forces of the Darklords were harried and pursued all the way south to the edge of the Maakengorge, where King Ulnar I of Sommerlund faced Darklord Vashna in personal combat and was victorious, albeit at the cost of his own life. Wielding the divine power of the Sommerswerd, he destroyed Vashna and consigned his remains, as well as those of his forces, into the fathomless reaches of the Maakengorge, where they have remained imprisoned ever since.

It was during this time of victory that the Baron of Toran received a vision from the God Kai. Inspired by this vision, he set out upon a quest to find the Lorestones of Nyxator. These ancient gems held the secrets of the Magnakai, the advanced skills of the Kai Lords. The Elder Magi of Dessi accompanied him and in the year MS 3810, the Baron returned from his long quest a changed man. He took the name Sun Eagle, he built the now fabled Kai Monastery and he wrote the Book of the Magnakai. It became the repository of all the wisdom he had attained during his successful quest for the Lorestones.

Following Vashna’s defeat, the remaining Darklords turned their eyes away from Sommerlund and began to vie for power amongst each other. They feuded ceaselessly until one Darklord – Zagarna – defeated the opposition and emerged victorious from this treacherous infighting. Claiming victory, he declared himself the new Archlord of the Darklands and began gathering his servants and forming a plan to enact revenge

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