Some notes and errata from your Dungeonmaster:
The Tanu, the psionic race native to Arkaela, are based on the Tanu aliens found in the novel series The Many Colored Land by author Julian May. I was obsessively into the series at the time and felt the race she presented screamed for conversion into an AD&D player-character race. Although Dragon Magazine presented an actual exploration of the Tanu as a PC race {the issue number has escaped me} and revamped the 1st edition psionic rules in Issue #78, this was long after the Tanu had made their way into our gaming scene, and we held onto our beloved jury-rigged race. Please note, though, that a comprehensive revamp into 2nd Edition Psionic format is being undertaken, as well as the slow creation of a racial add-on file for AD&D Core Rules CD-ROM users!
Also, since we had begun a full-fledged psionic campaign before the 2nd edition Skills and Powers conversion of the psionic system {see the Complete Psionics Handbook™ et al.}, converting favored characters into an all-new system was never done. In answer to the latter systems great design and widespread popularity, the Arkaela gameworld now offers the use of 1st edition psionic rules [including the Grand Arts and items found in Dragon #78], along with a complete rewrite to include added rule corrections and Psionic use found in the later Skills and Powers suppliments. Feel free to use either system; the first is simple, the second more complex.
Many ideas and disciplines/powers used by psionic monsters from the 2nd edition S&P rewrite were used to provide players with new and unknown critters with fearsome powers, but these home-rules are not presented here. Feel free to convert if you have to; use of 2nd edition S&P rules is encouraged for the Cthulan monsters that inhabit the sphere, which were rather weak as presented in the original Deities and Demigods™ tome. DMs are encouraged to be as devious as you can when using these beasts and deities for your own campaign.
Write-ups of these monsters, gods, and such can be found in the Spirits section hereafter.
The Arkaela: Players' History description has more complete historic setting details for DM's of a full Arkaela campaign to make known to their players.
The Tanu Handbook contains complete racial info for players, and is currently undergoing major revision to read exactly like currently published racial Handbooks! It's huge!
The Valiant section describes a new PC class, the warrior-monks of the Doomgiver faith.
The Cabalists section details the mage cabals who, led by ancient Old Ones' wizards brought back from oblivion, struggle to overthrow the Doomgiver & his servants.
The Spelljamming section contains a crystal sphere overview for Arkaelaspace, detailing the other worlds in the system.
The Grand Combat details the most high of Tanu holy Days.
Places of Note has details of many locations in an Arkaelan campaign, including Tanu colonies throughout the spheres. Most even have full color 3D renderings!
Ships & Helms describes the Tanu spelljamming vessels used by the Tanu Void Legion to explore {or conquer} as they spread throughout wildspace, and also gives you the secrets of the Tanu psi-helm. Much original artwork is included.
The
Weapons section describes Tanu items of Myth, the mighty arms wielded by great Tanu heroes.
Finally, the Credits and Links pages show our affiliations and links to other valuable Spelljamming and AD&D resources around the web.
Use of this gameworld setting in its entirety assumes a number of rather world-altering events have occurred:
The deities known as the Three Dark Gods, Andraxas, Drax, and Dorgon, have invaded and conquered the world of Greyhawk, dividing it up into the East, West, and North Kingdoms respectively. The only kingdom spared is the Freehold of Candlespire, the triangular section of western Furyondy nestled between the arms of the upper Att River. While for the most part life continues as normal for most of the nations there, all rulers ultimately answer to their Tanu overlords. Just before this war the Scarlet Brotherhood was for the most part scattered or killed, their place taken by a new monkish order of Tanu spies calling itself the Crimson Brothers. Like their Scarlet predecessors, these monks infiltrated many kingdoms prior to the invasion and assisted the Tanu with a 'Night of Long Knives' in which many leader-types were assassinated simultaneously.
The Norse apocalypse of Ragnaroc was also initiated by the Three Dark Gods. As in their own prophesy of this event the gods of Valhalla were defeated to the last man, and half of their plane was taken as wargeld. While the Norse gods have returned and dwell in what land was left to them, their power wanes.
The Vodoni Wars have occurred. As told in the module, the Neogi attempted to betray the Alliance, but Vulkaran was ultimately defeated, and as described elsewhere here, his empire divided by lot for exploration by the different allied races of the Known Spheres. What each has done with the sphere drawn is either up to the DM, or one can email me for who got what & what they might have done. J
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Andraxas, the deity of the three who takes the most interest in Dark Asgard, could be seen as the new Odin, though this other god still dwells, weakened, in the Norse portion of Valhalla. Andraxas currently travels disguised among his lands and people. The Archdevil Drax, who originally slew Tiamat {the Monster Manual version, not the goddess of Krynn}to achieve his godhood, joined in the plotting and subterfuge of the Lords of Hell and eventually replaced Asmodius as the ruler of the Hells. So entrenched is he in their poltitics now that he dwells in Nessus and is rarely seen. Dorgon, for his part, increased his power and eventually attacked the god Hades for rulership of that plane for his own. Despite his costly victory, the dark dreariness of the plane has taken its toll on him, and he, too, remains sequestered and rarely appears in the flesh on the Prime Material plane anymore.
Thanks again for your interest. Slonshal!