Bralspace:Spiral[expanded]

Spiral
Size C Spherical earthbody

Terrain:
        Spiral has two continents, though neither is named.  Each rings the
planet within its hemisphere (north or south), and is seperate from the
other by a large equatorial sea.  Seas at each pole further enhance the
"striped" appearence of the planet.  Each continent is marked by a series
of twisting, turning rivers which connect the equatorial ocean, Serekeros
("Blood Sea" in the Eledhel tongue) to the polar seas.
        The northern polar sea, Himgaer ("Cold Sea"), is often beset by
icebergs which drift down from a polar ice cap after it melts away in the
summer.  Earel ("Star Sea"), the southern polar sea, is a deep, clear blue
and at night the stars are reflected clearly in its depths, given it its
name. A mild sea, storms seldom mar its surface.
        Spiral has over fifty major rivers, a remarkable number for such a
small planet.  Most are of very similar, but two do stand out.  The Culsir
("Red River") flows across mud of an unsually bright hue, after floods or
thunderstorms the river itself takes the hue on for a day, at most.  The
Tatharsir ("Willow River") is shallow, slow, and wide.  Small islands
appear along it, and its banks are very marshy so that willows crowd the
banks all along its flow.  Its source is not a series of springs and lakes,
like most spiral rivers, but instead it arises out of the only swamp on the
planet, a rather dingy affair which is miserable in summer and winter both.


Climate and Weather:
        Spiral has a fairly standard weather pattern, four seasons, none of
which are particularly extreme.  Over all the temperature is on the cool
side,  going as high as 85 f or so and dropping in winter to 5 F.  Rain and
snow are sufficient, but not overly abundent.  The planet does tend towards
fog and mist, especially in the morning hours.  In general, the seasons are
harsher in the northern hemisphere, with hotter summers and colder winters.

Flora and Fauna:
        Spiral is home to a wide variety of typical terrestial plant life,
especially thouse typically found within mountainous, temperate regions.
Evergreen trees dominate, though oak and laurel are not completely unknown.
The planets soil is relatively fertile,  mosses, ferns, shrubs, and
grasses are plentiful.
        The Fauna tends to be on the normal side as well; deer of varying
sorts, moose, rabbits, groundhogs, fox, and wolves are some of the larger
mamals, while falcons and hawks dominate the skies.  The seas are poorly
explored beneath the waves,  but many species of fish have been taken by
fishermen.  Interestingly, there appear to be no sea mammals.
        Like most smaller planets, the number of indigenous "monsters"
species is small,  as it can support only a few.  The mountains hold the
majority of these creatures.  There, Bloodstingers (see DR #251) take the
role held on most planets by dragons, though they are smaller and less
intelligent then the great Wyrms.  Another danger in the mountains are
Shadow Panthers (see DR#251), relatives of Displacer Beasts who stalk
mountain deer and careless travellers.
        Sentient species are also present, of course.  Elves, humans,
dwarves, orcs, and goblins have all been present long enough to be
considered native.  Sprites and Lythari are also present, though in small
numbers.

History:
        Spiral was colonized in the year 3233 OC by a group of high elves
from Darnnanon led by a charismatic elven warrior-mage, Amian ("Swanlord").
Landing his fleet of swanships in a bay on the north shore of the southern
continent, Amian renamed his folowers the Eledhel ("Star Elves") in honor
of their origins.  On that bay he founded the first city of Spiral,
Anfalas, and his followers began a long tradition of working with nature to
establish their civilization.  Eventually other cities were founded and the
elves became farmers, fisherman, and craftsmen.  Amian took the planets
name as his family name and established House Spiral, from whom the
planet's rulers would be drawn in the future.
        When the elven colonists arrived, they found the planet was already
inhabited by goblin and orcish bands (most likely survivors from crashed
spelljammers).  These tribes were confined to the mountains and deepest
forests,  they attacked lone travellers and the occasional farmstead, but
were too few and ill-equipped to be a danger to the elves themselves.
        Aside from this minor nuisance Spiral was a happy, prosperous
world.  House Spiral produced wise leaders, who lacked the common elven
failing of overweening pride.  In 4011 OC they allowed hill dwarves of the
Delvar clan to settle on Spiral.  The Delvar clan established mines and a
stronghold in the mountains near the city of Naugost.  In 4057 OC, buoyed
by the success of dwarven immigration, humans were allowed to settle in
small groups.  All the humans and dwarves who came to Spiral swore fealty
to House Spiral, though they governed their communities according to their
own customs.  Within a century of the arrival of humans on Spiral a human
knightly order, the Company of the Chalice, had established Spiral as the
headquarters of their Spiralspace chapter.
        Spiral was always the focus for the Imperial Elven navy in this
sphere,  in fact elves have always termed the sphere "Spiralspace" and even
now do not use the more modern "Bralspace".  The Imperial Elven Fleet
headquarters for the sphere had long been the Crown of Correlon,  an elven
station orbiting Spiral made from 7 joined men-o-war.  The Sindiath Line
made regular stops at Spiral, and and House Spiral maintained a small,
defensive fleet of their own, ten Swanships.
        When Admiral Cirathorn of Aerlofalyn took command of the IEN
Spiralspace fleet the close cooperation between the IEN and House Spiral
collapsed. The Admiral was offended by House Spiral's open attitude towards
the dwarves and humans now inhabiting parts of the planet, and especially
offended that they had been permitted on an elven world at all.  Moreover,
he took the traditional IEN distrust of groundling elven realms to heart
and saw himself as the highest elven lord within the sphere, a feeling
House Spiral's current lord, Cuthalion, did not share.  After many
disagreements the Admiral shifted the bulk of the IEN Spiralspace fleet to
Bral, and broke off offical contact with Spiral.  House Spiral received
control of the Crown of Correlon as a result of a clause in the original
treaty between House Spiral and the IEN.
        The planet was conquered by the Scro Tarantula Fleet in 5043 OC
following a swift, brutal campaign.  The campaign was very successful, the
Scro even managed to prevent word of the conquest from spreading through
the sphere.  Since the later naval actions of that year,  which resulted in
the near destruction of the Tarantula fleet and the IEN Spiralspace fleet
Spiral has been the center of a vicious,  low intenisty conflict between
the humanoids, the natives of Spiral, and the IEN.
        Today, the elven, human, and dwarven natives of the planet have
been driven to the least hospitable regions.  Spiral's cities and towns are
now inhabited by goblins, orcs, and their slaves.  The Crown of Correlon
is now controlled by the Scro and used as their headquarters.  The Scro
maintain a small but disciplined fleet from this base,  and the humanoid
tribes of Spiral have small fleets of their own as well (no one is entirely
certain of the numbers).  The current Scro commander is apparently one
Admiral Dushgoi,  Prince Andru has negotiated a peace through him between
the Scro and the Rock.  The IEN is of course far from pleased,  but are
currently in no position to challenge this either legally or with force.

The Eledhel:
        The Eledhel are in game terms identical to High Elves in all
respects, culturally they are very similar as well. They are more friendly
with humans and dwarves then is typical, though they see themselves as the
natural leaders of the "goodly" races.  They have a deep reverence for
Spiral, and try to live in harmony with the planet's ecology.
        Though they worship the Seldarine, two minor members of that
pantheon have abnormally large followings among the Eledhel.  Sarula
Iliene, the Nixie Queen,  goddess of lakes, streams, and water magic is
very popular.  Though Spiral does not have a native nixie population,  the
planets many waterways make her worship only natural.  Alathrien Druanna,
The Rune Mistress, goddess of Runemagic and conjurations is the second
minor goddess of the Seldarine with an unusually large following on Spiral.
A sect of Totem-sisters (the kit from Elves of Evermeet; Totem-sisters use
rune magic much like runemasters from the _Vikings_ accessory or the
_Giantcraft_ accessory) are sworn to her service.
        The Eledhel make great use of magic.  For example, Spirit Warriors
were still grown here on occasion, until the scro conquest.  Travel between
cities was often accomplished by "Alquacir", or swanboats.  These craft are
fairly small,  helmless vessels enchanted to levitate and propeled forward
by the wind.
Cooshee (elven dogs), are common as companions, even familiars.  Many
Eledhel have some minor knowledge of magic.
        Eledhel follow many paths, often the restless or adventureous
joined the IEN, or Sindiath line.  They are renowned as bladesingers,
rangers, archers, mages, and Totem-sisters.

Cities:
Note: All populations are elves only and pre-Scro conquest
Southern Continent:
Anfalas ("Long Shore")[pop. 10,000]
        The capital of Spiral, this was a beautiful city with buildings
built from white marble and traced with gold and silver.  Temples to all
the Seldarine were here, as well as House Spiral's palace, Celeros ("Silver
Flame").  Barad Curu ("Tower of Skill"), an academy for elven scholars was
here as well,  making Anfalas the center for learning on Spiral.  The
fields beyond Anfalas were carefully farmed, and the port supported a small
fishing fleet.  The city was fairly cosmopolitan, as it received a great
deal of the spelljamming traffic coming to the planet.
        After the conquest, Anfalas is home to the primary scro groundside
port.  The buildings are dirty and chipped in many places, though their
inate beauty remains.  Three goblin tribes, the Red Skulls, the
Bonegnawers, and the Wolveskin live here now, serving under the boot of the
dominent orc tribe, the Black Eye.  The city houses many human slaves as
well. (When the planet was conquered, captured elves were sacrificed,
humans and dwarves were enslaved.)
        Anfalas was the traditional seat of House Spiral, but all the elven
noble houses had homes there.

Naugost ("Dwarven Fortress") [pop. 4,000]
        This small city, nestled between the ocean and the mountains on the
southern continent, was the port where the dwarves of Spiral brought their
wares for trade.  A large enclave of dwarven merchants and laborers [pop.
350] lived in harmony with their elven neighbors.  Because the forests to
the south east held the largest populations of goblins on Spiral, the city
was fortified, with a strong wall built by the Delvar clan.  Within, the
city was a unique blend of elven and dwarven architectural styles which
melded the indomitable foundations dwarven with elven balance and beauty.
        In the wake of the scro invasion very few elves remain alive within
the city, and the dwarves have been enslaved.  Orcs of the Slayer tribe now
control the city.
        The mountains to the south-west of the city (called Ered Telpe,
"Silver Mountains", by the elves, or Olmorndin, "Magic Peaks" by the
dwarves) are rich in silver, mithril, and some iron. Barak Ultok [pop.
1,000], the clan's stronghold, is deep in these mountains.  For six years
now goblins of the Speared Eye and Slashing Claw tribes as well as orcs of
the Black Blood tribe have beseiged this underground fortress with no
result.  Scro patrol vessels ensure no spelljammers contact the dwarves,
and the Delvar clan lacks the warriors to break the seige. Many wonder how
much longer their supplies can hold out.
        Naugost was traditionally ruled by the leader of House Zathereth

Caranbar ("Red home") [pop. 6,000]
        Named for the appeaance of the stone used for most of the
buildings, Caranbar is the second largest city on Spiral.  In design and
appearence the city is much like Anfalas (save for the red stone), and like
that city the fields surrounding the city are tilled by human and elven
farmers.  In many ways, Caranbar was the breadbasket of Spiral, producing
far more food then its population needed.
        Today, the Scro maintain a company of Marines (4th Company, 20th
Marines) in the city to keep the three orc tribes (Shattered Bone,
Headhunter, and Deathdealer) which garrison the city from slaughtering the
human slaves who are now forced to work the fields for their scro
conquerers.
        Caranbar was traditionally ruled by an elf of House Nuavel or House
Ruadar.

Northern Continent:
Culaglar ("Golden-Red Glory") [pop. 2000]
        This small city on the Culsir river is comprised predominately of
tree houses built among the massive redwoods which dominate the stretch of
the coast on the northern continent. Culaglar was the most isolated Spiral
city, as its residents tended to keep to themselves.  They made their
living in the traditional elven manner, living close off the land.  In many
ways Culaglar resembled a wood elf village more then a high elven city.
        Now, the city is virtually deserted, guarded only by the goblins of
the Horned tribe.  The few human slaves taken here were sent to Gilnole,
and none of the captured elves remain.
        Culaglar was traditionally ruled by House Or'Rusaris.

Gilnole ("Star Lore") [pop. 1500]
        This city, smallest of the cities on Spiral, was home to the
Noleithel ("Well of Knowledge"), a school for swordcraft and magic.  The
swordmasters of Noleithel were renowned for their skill, all bladesingers
trained here followed the way of Kirlhach ("leaping flame cut").  They
carry distinctive longswords marked on blade and pommell with carvings of
swans.  All the officers of Spiral's Swanship fleet were trained in
Gilnole.  Though the city was used to train warriors and mages, it was not
itself a fortress, and was as beautiful as any city on Spiral.
        The Order of the Chalice, a mostly human knightly order devoted to
eradicating evil from wildspace while searching always for a legendary
Chalice, had its Bralspace chapter headquarters in Gilnole, in a small keep
near the port.  They were conquered by the scro as well during the
invasion.
        The keep is now the headquarters of a company of Scro marines (3rd
Company, 20th Marines), who along with the orc Render tribe and the goblin
Dripping Dagger and Demon tribes garrison the city. The scro use Gilnole as
their headquarters on the northern continent.
        Gilnole was traditionally ruled by House Traim.

A very nice map of Spiral, drawn by Adam Miller and labeled by Paul
Westermeyer is available for those who ask, off list requests only.

Bibliography:
Dragon #251 "Dragons Bestiary:Missing Links"
Dragon #251 "Magic of the Seldarine"
Dragon #251 "By Any Other name" (some individual names)
SJR5 Rock of Bral
Spelljammer Boxed Set
Roger E. Moore _The Maelstrom's Eye_ Book 3 of the Cloakmaster Cycle
SJR 8 Space Lairs
1st Spelljammer MC Appendix
2nd Spelljammer MC Appendix
J.R.R. Tolkien, _The Silmarilion_ (names and language notes, inspiration)
Elaine Cunningham, _Evermeet, Island of the Elves_ (inspiration)
SJR1 Lost Ships
Champions of Mystara Boxed set (use the Elven Swan Ship stats for the Alquacir)
Elves of Evermeet
Complete Book of Elves
Demihuman Deities
FR11 Dwarves Deep

"We look on the same stars,  the sky is common,  the same world surrounds
us.  What difference does it make by what pains each seeks the truth?  We
can not attain to so great a secret by one road..."
Symmachus,  "Memorial on the Occasion of the Removal of the Altar of
Victory from the Senate House" (392 AD)

Paul Westermeyer,  westermeyer.3@???.edu
Phd Candidate, History, Ohio State
Adjunct Faculty, Humanities Department, Columbus State Community College