World of RoE

The Ruins of Empire game is a BIRTHRIGHT game and uses the same setting that was published by TSR - with some modifications and numerous additions. This section is intended to describe the main differences between what we like to call 'vanilla' BR and Ruins of Empire. If you are looking for more general information about the Birthright setting I would suggest starting by reading through the BIRTHRIGHT boxed set. I contains everything you need to fully immerse yourself in the setting.

A world like our own

Ruins of Empire takes place in the region of Anuire on the island-continent of Cerilia on the world of Aebrynis. Anuire is pretty similar to the late medieval/early renaissance period in Western Europe - in terms of technology, size, climate, cultures etc. Cerilia is about the size of all of Europe and has cultures reminiscent of other European regions, as well as nonhuman ones. Aebrynis is an Earth-sized ball of rock with great oceans and continents resembling those of our own world, spinning through the cold void around a sun much like Sol. If you have only a minimum of knowledge of Earth in general and European history in particular you should have no problems coming to terms with the world of Ruins of Empire.

It is no coincidence that this setting appears somewhat similar to our own - it makes it all the easier to envision the setting and to make use of real-wold analogues and sources. For example, why invent an entirely new flora and fauna when our own is quite good enough? Just give it a slight twist and mission accomplished. Instead of making up new noble titles we reuse European ones, with a few twists. Same with heraldry. And so on. Still there ARE differences. Cerilia's gods are not our own. or does its geography or history match ours in anything but the broadest of senses. And there are elves and dwarves and goblins and dragons. And magic. So lets agree that Cerilia resembles reality, but it is not the same - it is its own reality.

Choice of Calendar

While Michaeline Reckoning is sometimes used by lower classes, Haelyn Count is still very much in favor in Anuire.

Priests, nobles, indeed anyone with even a modest education will favor HC over MR. Only in those areas where the Empire isn’t remembered fondly does one use the MR; which basically means the West Coast, Brechtür and the Rjurik lands.

The Khinasi use the Masetian reckoning, as they have always done.

The Ruins of Empire game always use Haelyn Count to track dates.

Gods and Religion

The Cerilian pantheon is exactly the same as in BR, but there are a number of additional demigods as well.

These demigods are generally worshiped within a very limited area (Lyesha the Dawn Goddess), are not known to the general public (Naylar the Slayer), have no established temple (Aégos the Strider) or have very narrow portfolios (Séren the Sage).

The old gods also have a place in the religious life in Cerilia, but not to a great extent. After Deismaar, the old gods slowly regained part of their power over a period of time spanning several centuries.

This was made possible by the prayers of the still faithful; in Old Aduria the people never forsook the gods of their ancestors. Now the old gods are active again, but they have yet to regain their full might.

They generally have but a very small following in Cerilia, being mostly confined to Old Aduria and some other remote regions.

Indeed, their death and resurrection not only deprived them of much of their power, but it also left them changed – Anduiras of today is a far cry from the Anduiras of old.

If you want to learn more about the gods of Cerilia there is a document called Gods and Followers in Chapter 6: Description in the Scion’s Handbook.

Gods of Anuire

Haelyn - By FAR the single most important god in Anuire. Widely worshiped by almost everyone; high and low alike.
Nesirie - The second most important god in Anuire. She is the wife of Haelyn, and often mentioned in that regard (but she has an important portfolio on her own). Its a good bet that anyone living close to the sea will be worshippers.
Cuiraécen - The son of Haelyn and Nesirie and the third most important god in Anuire. Apart from warriors praying for favor in battle, peasants and merchants pray to him for good weather
and/or rain.

Together the three make up the Holy Triumvirate.

Other important gods in Anuire are:

Avanalae (Avani) - Actually a pretty big god in the Eastern Marches. Elsewhere she is important mostly to farmers, who pray to her to send sun in good measure (but not too much).
Aeric (Erik) - Important in the north. Elsewhere worshiped mostly by farmers who pray for bounty and protection from dangerous wildlife.
Sarimie (Sera) - A pretty big deity in the Heartlands, where she is worshiped as a daity of good fortune. Elsewhere in Anuire she is worshiped by the growing middle class; merchants and guilders in particular.

Not-so important gods:

Ruonil - With the excepton of Medoere Ruornil is only associated with magic-workers and the moon and things associated with it.
Eloéle - Except for Mieres, Eloéle is usually mentioned (if at all) in conjunction with her mother.
Laerme - Not a big deity anywhere. Mostly associate with the classical arts and love within the bonds of marriage.

Those make up The Nine Gods of Anuire

Belinik - The Lord of Strife is not openly worshiped in Anuire; but it is no secret that warriors call out to him when the fear of battle come over them, or that scheming nobles ask his favor when embarking on a new plot.
Kriesha - Only know in the North; not worshiped per se, but rather placated in order to get mild winters and safety from wild beasts and monsters.

Henderon's Gods

Henderon, a simple fisherman/farmer from northern Dhoesone, might actually worship ALL the above gods.

Haelyn is important to him because he is the head of the gods and because Henderon is an Anuirean living close to Rjurik lands. So Henderon accords him great respect and honors his holy days; but Haelyn doesn't really play a big role in him everyday life. Nesire is far more important in his everyday life. Of course she is the wife of Haelyn and the matron mother of the pantheon, but more importantly she is the goddess of the sea. As a fisherman in a small boat upon the great northern ocean, Henderon is dependent upon her for protection and for granting him the bounty of the sea. Aéric is another major factor in his life - in addition to farming and fishing, Henderon hunts and traps in the forest, and the rest of the family helps with herding and gathering the wealth of the wild. So for bounty and protection...Aéric is a major figure that needs placating.

Cuiraécen is not an important god to Henderon; he is not a warrior. He does make offerings to him on holy days and prays for good weather when the storms come rolling in from the Sea of Storms. In the event that Rjurik raiders or worse come close, Henderon will pick up his bow and spear and join the militia. Then Cuiraécen becomes the focus of his world. To his great shame, when the orogs come raiding and the black fear burn in his gut, he silently cries out to Belinik for the strength to face the spawn of Azrai. And when he does, the fear goes away, to be replaced by the red rage that strips all reason and compassion from his heart.

Avanalae he prays to during the dark nights of winter; prays for the return of warm summer days. Kriesha is mentioned at the same time - begging here to spare his family the worst ravages of the long cold winter months. To a southerner it might seem strange that two gods so opposed should be included in the same prayers, but to Henderon it is the way of his ancestors. Ruornil isn't mentioned often, but when the Day of the Dead draws near all the villagers gather at the edge of a series of burial mounds to thank him for protecting them against the restless dead.

Sarimie he prays to before going to market to sell a little surplus produce, and maybe trade it for tools or cloth, maybe even some silvers or something nice for his daughters. Laerme is also important to hearth and family, so Henderon accords here great respect, but it is his wife that prays to her for good husbands and wives for the children. Eloéle is the least god in the life of Henderon, but he remembers to make a little offering to her while in town - both to keep thieves away and to ward against any domestic unrest...

That just about sums up Henderon's religious life...oh, he also offers little prayers to some of the Saints of the Triumvirate (it's not so common up north) or to the servants of Aéric, he honors his ancestors, he puts out small offerings to the fair folk at solstices and equinoxes...and sometimes, sometimes he goes to the dark cave only a few villagers know about, but what they do there no one else knows...

The Cerilian Land Bridge

There never was any land bridge between Aduria and Cerilia, except tens or perhaps hundreds of thousands of years ago, when the Sea of Storms finally broke through the barrier separating it and the Straits of Aerele.

Any legends about a land bridge are referring to this ancient, purely geological phenomenon. Perhaps the elves know something about it and the story got twisted in the telling by human bards.

Battle of Mount Deismaar

Likewise, Mount Deismaar never was completely destroyed, but still stands between Diemed and the City of Anuire.

Pilgrims flock to Diemed and the City of Aerele each year, to to start their ascent to this most holy of places. Very few go all the way to the top.

Physical proximity to Deismaar was an important factor for determining who got imbued with divine essence, but not the only one. Those embodying the gods’ ideals the most absorbed more power than other, less devoted creatures.

This means that some champions that were far from the battle also received bloodlines (although of lesser strength that had they been present).

The Old Blood

There are those who insist that there existed those who had a special bond with the land, long before the Battle of Mount Deismaar and the death of the Old Gods.

Whatever the truth of this, it does exist a small number of people who has the same connection to the land as scions do, yet have no discernible bloodlines. In the past, they have usually been discounted as elfbloods, but that might not be the whole truth behind this matter.

The Gorgon

The Gorgon dwelt in the Crown for centuries before Anuire becoming aware of him as something more than a minor nuisance.

In 624HC he tried to conquer Anuire, and almost succeeded. He was eventually beaten and forced to hide in Kal-Saitharak for many years, slowly rebuilding his strength but not daring show his ugly head again.

Not until the Empire’s power waned did he feel confident enough to renew his attacks. Only after he had slain Michael and the Empire had torn itself to pieces, did the Gorgon become the powerful regent he is today. He was certainly personally powerful long before that, but not as a regent.

Today, the Gorgon is legend throughout the lands bordering his realm, a figure used to spook children and whose name figures in curses and everyday phrases. “May the Gorgon take your black heart”, “If you don’t behave the Gorgon will take you”, and “As hard as the Gorgon’s butt” are examples of how his name is used.

Yet the Gorgon is also a very real political, magical, economical, and military power. His neighbors must be ever wary, for they never know when the Gorgon’s hordes may come rampaging across their borders.

Anuirean inheritance

Anuireans normally count only males when determining who has the right of inheritance, and even if there are only female children, they are not automatically eligible to become heirs, as male brothers to the late regent are considered to have a stronger claim than female offspring.

However, there are numerous exceptions to the above. In Aerenwe, the law recognizes only female heirs – a male may never be invested as the regent of Aerenwe. In Elinie, a realm ruled by Khinasi customs and laws, the regent is followed by whomever (of Daouta blood of course) he wants – usually, but not always, a favored child.

On the West Coast, females almost never rule realms – no woman has ever ruled Boeruine, and the very notion is unthinkable. There are also realms that do not favor either sex, like Roesone, who merely hold that the eldest trueborn child is heir apparent.

Anuirean names

Many Anuireans living in the 16th century Haelyn County have surnames. It is a tradition derived from the nobility, who have used their bloodline lineage as a surname almost since Deismaar. For example Heirl, Duke of Diemed, is known as Heirl Diem because he carries a bloodline handed down from the original Diem who fought at Deismaar.

Today even commoners may have surnames – most often related to their place of origin, their craft, a defining characteristic, or the name of their father (or renowned ancestor). Such names may become hereditary, so that Richard Baker of Gierlen – who is a baker living in Gierlen – might pass on his surname to his children, even if they are not bakers.

Other cultures have other naming conventions.