ARMY BOOK • TEMPLE

T
he Temple is aware of how close the end of
the world is. It knows the duties it must
perform for the mortals of Aarklash.
It knows that the gods worshipped by most peoples
are bogus icons and perfidious magical creatures
who abuse the gullibility of mortals. These
soldiers are at the heart of a merciless
struggle to save the people of Aarklash
and bring them into Merin’s Light. They
have chosen a symbol that resembles
their mission: the Griffin.

“CREATION IS CORRUPT NOT ONLY BY THE PRINCIPLE

OF DARKNESS, BUT ALSO BY THE FAULTS OF MORTALS”

The Army Book: Temple is a supplement – Codex of Merin

for Confrontation: the Age of the Rag’narok.
It contains everything you need to play
with or battle against the Temple (Griffin):
• Exclusive information about the history
and culture of Akkylannie;
• The army rules for four factions of the Temple;
• The story and rules of many Incarnates,
including exclusive characters;
• The game rules for every category of troops
available to the Temple, as well as generic
artifacts, miracles and spells;
• New distinctive features and trades
for the tactical role playing game Cadwallon.

Confrontation: the Age of the Rag’narok is necessary to use

the rules found in this book. Miniatures, terrain elements,
dice, tape measure and template sold separately. ARMY BOOK
Editor price: 15 € / $ 15
ISBN : 978-2-915556-80-3

w w w. r ac k h a m . f r
w w w.c on f ront at ion . f r
 EDITORIAL AND ARTISTIC
DIRECTOR
Jean Bey
STUDIO DIRECTOR
Philippe Chartier
EDITORIAL MANAGER
Sébastien Célerin

TABLE OF CONTENT
DESIGNERS-WRITERS
Arnaud Cuidet, Collin Kelly,
Jean-Baptiste Lullien

TABLE OF CONTENT
and Nicolas Raoult
EDITION SECRETARY
Hélène Henry
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
GRAPHIC ARTISTS
Matthias Haddad and Mathieu Harlaut PART I : UNIVERSE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
ICONOGRAPHERS Templars of Akkylannie. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 1
Gwendal Geoff roy and Pascal Petit The history of the Temple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
ILLUSTRATORS PART II : THE ORDER OF THE TEMPLE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Paul Bonner, Nicolas Fructus, Édouard Raising an army . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Guiton, Florent Maudoux, Paolo Pa- Abel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
rente, Didier Poli et Kevin Walker. Temple of the North . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
SCULPTORS Temple of the South . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Benoît Cosse, Yannick Fusier, Sébastien Temple of the West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Labro, Nicolas N’Guyen, Stéphane Temple of the East . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
N’Guyen Van Gioi, Elfried Perochon,
Fusilier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Stéphane Simon and Rafal Zelazo.
Spearman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
MINIATURES PAINTERS
Demon Hunter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Valentin Boucher, Vincent Fontaine,
Templar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Xavier Giacomin, Arnaud Gironne and
Executioner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Martin Grandbarbe.
Praetorian Guard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
PHOTOGRAPHER
Redemption rider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Jean-Baptiste Guiton
Cannon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
TRANSLATOR
Griffin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Collin Kelly
SPECIAL THANKS TO PART III : APPENDIXES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Jez Fairclough, Jon Finn, Grant Hill Travel journal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
and Kenton Sheppard Cadwallon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

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 INTRODUCTION
“The only answer is, ‘Yes, master!’” Armies of the Rag’narok presents the factions of the Or-
der of the Temple, their forces, their weaknesses, their leaders
and special troops. This section also describes the Incarnates
of the Order of the Temple: their characteristics, their story,
their special abilities and their artifacts.
Travel journal is a collection of rituals and communions
shared by Incarnates as well as artifacts famous across Cre-
ation.
Finally the Cadwallon section describes in detail the culture
of the Griffin: new distinctive features, new cultural profiles,
2 new trades etc. for the tactical role playing game Cadwallon.
INTRODUCTION

ORDER OF THE TEMPLE

Headquarters: The Supreme Temple, in Arcavia.

Leader: Grand master Proteüs.
Totem: Griffin.
The Order of the Temple is aware of how close the end of the Alliance or alignment: Ways of Light.
world is. It knows the duties it must perform for the mortals of Factions: Temple of the East, Temple of the North, Tem-
Aarklash. It knows that the gods worshipped by most peoples ple of the South and Temple of the West.
are bogus icons and perfidious magical creatures who abuse Mortal enemies: Ophidian alliance, the Empire of
the gullibility of mortals. These soldiers are at the heart of a Syharhalna and the Limbos of Acheron.
merciless struggle to save the people of Aarklash and bring
them into Merin’s Light. They have chosen a symbol that re-
sembles their mission: the Griffin, as it combines the determi-
nation of the lion and the vigilance of the bird of prey.
The Order of the Temple governs four protectorates scattered
across Aarklash: the Ivory Dunes, part of the Bran-Ô-Kor, the
Plain of Tears and an enclave in the Barhan city of Icquor. Each
of these territories is governed by a templar commander who
answers only to the grand master of the Temple and to the Em-
peror. However, each commandery includes a chapel of Merin
and a priest appointed by the pope. The Order of the Temple
still has to deal with the official church of Akkylannie.
The Order of the Temple is famous for the fanaticism
and ardor of its soldiers, the divine power of its priests and
the accuracy of the fusiliers. Guided by their faith in Merin,
the brothers of the Temple never give up. They are aided by
powerful Incarnates, instruments of a divine force deter- ORIGINS
mined to see Light spread across Aarklash. Each victory for Original country: Akkylannie (Empire of).
the Temple is a new stone added to the building of a collective Language: Akkylannian.
dream: one god, one empire.
You will find in this publication every element you will need COMPANIES
to play a company of the Order of the Temple. Gift of the Griffin: The Griffin player places one of
Universe explains how the templars understand the his cards in reserve before constituting the activation
Rag’narok. You will also find a short summary of the history sequence. This reserve replaces the one he is normally
of this army as well as a presentation of its territory. allowed.
The Troops chapter presents all the fighters available, from Magicians’ primary element: Light.
the modest regular to the most powerful warriors from the Cult of the faithful: Merin, the One God.
elite troops, without forgetting war machines and creatures.
 FIRST PART

UNIVERSE
3

TEMPLARS OF AKKYLANNIE
 TEMPLARS OF
AKKYLANNIE

4
UNIVERSE

To be a templar means one needs to be truly Akkylannian: burning of books and many people being burnt at the stake.
a loyal servant of Merin and an instrument working towards But those times are now over in Akkylannie.
the rise of a new Creation. It means belonging to the most Finally, Akkylannians are proud of their State: the Empire of
civilized and organized people on Aarklash. Akkylannie is the only government on Aarklash to be so orga-
In Akkylannie children are instructed by the Church from a nized and structured. It is the only country whose existence
very young age; they go to church at least once a week to learn to and legitimacy exists beyond its leader. It is the only country
read and write. Shortly before adulthood, every male Akkylan- where the servants of the nation are appointed into office re-
nian has to serve in the army for five years as a conscript. This gardless of their social class. For the enemies of the Empire,
conscription makes the imperial army one of the most powerful there is no point trying to behead the country: the Empire ex-
armies on Aarklash. It guarantees that every Akkylannian gets to ists beyond the individuals who serve it. The country is forever
serve his god. It also allows the various layers of society to mingle indestructible. However, the downside to this is the country’s
and mix regardless of the conscripts’ background. Conscription complex hierarchy and tentacular administration. Even the
is the mortar of the Akkylannian nation and makes this people most modest craftsman will need to file heaps and heaps of
one of the most enlightened and well-read on Aarklash. paperwork before being allowed to open a stall!
Akkylannians are very proud of their craftsmen. Their ar- Among this united and fervent people, the templars con-
mor and weapons are true masterpieces, deadly efficient and stitute a military and spiritual elite. They are not only there
remarkably beautiful. Such excellence is only possible because to defend Akkylannie and to pray to Merin, they also fight at
of the quality of the ore mines of the Akhylahn Mountains. the four corners of Aarklash against the servants of Darkness.
Powerful corporate guilds make sure this precious expertise Blind obedience to the holy scriptures and to those working
is passed on correctly. for the church is not enough for them. Every day they ques-
Nonetheless, being Akkylannian also means believing in tion their own ethics to make sure they are still worthy of the
Merin. As a monotheist empire, Akkylannie shows a differ- perfection of the new Creation. It is not their mission to mas-
ent face compared to other nations of Aarklash: on holidays sacre those who don’t hear the message. However, they are
everyone stops working. And during religious celebrations the ready to defend the future Merin has in mind for them against
streets of every city, town or village are filled with shouts of joy. any threat. Having themselves the souls of pilgrims they are
The Akkylannians’ fervor is equaled only by their ambition: all very respectful, especially the templars of the West, of the
they are firmly set on converting all the mortals of Aarklash in order’s creed of hospitality. The doors of their lodges and com-
order to save them! This led to numerous excesses, such as the manderies are open to everyone with good intentions.
 The templars are proud of their exper-
tise, no matter how much sacrifice is in-
volved. They are glad to bear the word of
Merin everywhere on Aarklash to serve Djaran

TEMPLARS OF AKKYLANNIE
as an example to the peoples of the Ways
of Light. Their engagement and convic- Denda
Cartho Carthag
tion is so high that in the heat of battle
they reach a form of trance. They be- Fero
come formidable warriors, transcended
by divine anger. To the Templars, their
war fury is a godsend from Merin.

Arcavia

THE EMPIRE OF AKKYLANNIE 5

Totem: Griffin.
Luonercus
Country: Akkylannie.
People: The Akkylannians.
Kylaë
Nation: The Empire of Akkylannie.
Language: Akkylannian.
Capital: Arcavia.
Alliance: The Ways of Light.
Allies: Dragon, Lion, Boar and
Sphinx.
Cult: Merin.
Magicians’ primary element: Fire.

CHRONOLOGY OF THE TEMPLE

571 Revelation of Arcavius.
573 Foundation of the Empire of Akkylannie.
676 Heresy of Dirz.
677 First Crusade (Syharhalna).
994 Second Crusade (Bran-Ô-Kor).
1 003 Invasion of Akkylannie by the Devourers.
1 004 Empire of Syharhalna offensive.
1 005 Battle of Arcavia, death of Emperor
Octavius IX.
1 009 Battle of the Braziers, selection of the new
imperial leaders.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M

a b c d e f g h i j k l m
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

n o p q r s t u v w x y z
 ls
in ce the m or ta
er in shal l conv

C r e a t i on X
it hf μ l of M
and m ak e
w
fa
e
T he

e n
μlt of Mer in
h μt
μ thhoorriittyy of the ccμ
of the aμ
a μgghhtt to
μ
he y ooμ
T ptt,, no t on ly
by fa lse gods. T
[ re at ion is co
rrμ μp
th em re je ct thei r go d and the
s, b bμμt
μt e trμ μee
e of Darkn es w er of the on
the Pr in ci pl pr ov e the po

6
C
On ce Mer in
al so be ca μ
ha d co
μssee of m or ta ls.
m pl et ed hi s Cr ea
He be st ow ed
ti on he
μp
μ poonn
d
dμ
go
μp
μ pl
dl
liicciittyy of thos
y th ro
e w ho at te m pt
ne. T he y shal l
to
awak e the cons
μ
μs s μr
μ rp
ci
p His
en ce of

pμ
p μ la te d it wit h m or ta ls. es s. ev er y pe ople. μgghhtt to re m
μ
ai n
po
fr ee do m an d se lf- aw ar en
fa it hf μ l of Mer in ooμ ch
of T he ess. Wit h ea
them the gi f ts fe ll fa ce of Darkn
UNIVERSE

k, H e to ok so m e re st and la nt in th e ip
μssttiinngg His wor vigi ea t, the gr
μ
T rrμ vi ne se rvan ts h ev er y he ar tb
As he sle pt, form er di ri se of Lahn, wit ov er Aa rk la sh
. nddeedd
asle ep
ls’ de vo ti on and foμ μn
D ar k pr in ci pl e tigh te ns
di ve rt ed the
m or ta of the it h. It is
ls w ho had the fla m e of fa
cμ
c μ lt s. W he n the m or ta an d th re at en s to chok e th e ag en ts
he re ti ca l ntt dow n
st op them, to hhμμn
μ
it hf μ l to M er in tr ied to th e Ak ky la nn ia ns’ ta sk re μssee the
μ
ffμ
re m ai ned fa
m e ri ttμ μaall and
μ it e those w ho
pe rf or m ed a grμ μeessoom
of D ar kn ess and to sm
the he re ti cs e. On e.
s in to ex is te nc m essage of the pr epar e for
the
μgghhtt Darkn es
μ
br ooμ pe rf ec tl y aware Mer in shal l
r bl in d to th is, he fa it hf μ l of ti on
ve T a pe rf ec t na
Mer in was ne or k. U nf or ttμ μn
μ naatteellyy,, by form in g
fe ct in H is w ne w Cr ea ti on as on ,
of ever y la st de μcchh
μ rn ed by re
re ad ov er Crea tion so m pe op le wil l be go ve
read y sp w he re r kn ow hhμ μn
μ ng r
er
ge
the Evil had al in g aboμ μtt it. μ la ti on shal l ne ve
μl d
ld do no th th e po pμ
p l
that the On e Go
d co w he re e fa it hf μl wil
er in ga ve m or ta ls on e la st e w is e, th e m ag es and th
in g, M and th good of al l.
Gr ea tl y forg iv He chose m e r the gr ea te r
fo re de st ro yi ng Cr ea ti on. w or k in ha rm on y fo the w hole
chan ce be ht and in to this ta sk, then
ta ls ba ck in to His Lig Sh o μlldd on e man fa il in wil l drag
μiiddee m or s
to ggμ μ te rr if yi ng. pse. Darkn es
S μc
μ chh a ta sk is e is doom ed to colla
the ne w Cr ea ti on . ed if ic l vo . Merin
id
e m or ta l ki nd.
On ly w e
in to an absollμ μttee and et er na
μ
sa ve th Cr ea ti on kn ess
Ye t on ly w e m
ay wil l is oc ea n of Dar
ta l ki nd . T he n Aa rk la sh m se lf w il l be drowned in th
m or hi .
shal l sa ve the l be ex ti ng μ μiisshheedd forever
nt ba ck to the void. e an d hi s fla m e wil veess to be p pμμrree,,
μ
be se
pμ
p μr
μ ngg fi re.
riiffyyiin
H
e to show oμ μrrsseellv
μs
μ see of hi s if w e ar μssee
Mer in shal l m
ak e a Ye t, e able to μ
ro y H is w ork to al low an d de te rm in ed; if w e ar
st edd
is de te rm in ed
to de μn
μ niitte es of the fa lse
on to co m e to de fe at the li
se cond Cr ea ti consci en ce to
μrree an d lμ
l μm
μ m in o μs
μ s o
oμμr
μ r take shape in
pμ
p μ
the pr ev ioμ μss.. de sign s wil l
th e as he s of go ds, then Mer in’s
li fe fr om an, the m aj es
ti c
ai ri es of Al ah His cr ea ti on. μlf the R ea lm
s,
T he sw ee t pr ra bl e fo re st wil l en ggμ
th e Ak hy la hn , th e ve ne
A gi ga nt ic sa cr ed fi re Aa rk la sh .
μm
μ
ssμ m m it s of fore ve r, en ts and
er yt hi ng wil l be lost th e he av en s, the El em al l be
ev li ev er s sh
of Lan ev er: ngg fi re of a
μrriiffyyiin
μ Lig ht, the be
va ni sh in the p pμ Pr ot ec ted by nddeerr the
de st in ed to
ta ls wil l li ve
in Cr ea ti on, μ μn
he re al l m or ve d an d ta ke n to the ne w
w sa
ne w Cr ea ti on li es μ μp poonn the
es of Mer in.
T hi s gr av e re spon sibi li ty s be ne vole nt ey w he re m or tals
pe ac e. ia n, μn
μ it
ni te d
ed to hi
y sh al l then begi n
ky la nn hi st or
μllddeerrss of ev er
y Ak
μtt al so
A ne w of the On e god.
shooμ
th ei r em pi re, b bμμ
ve m er ri ly μn
μ nddeerr the ga ze
it h, in wil l li
br ot he rs in fa
in this tr ia l.
WHAT MY FATHER
USED TO SAY
Who are we?

TEMPLARS OF AKKYLANNIE
We are the chosen people of Merin, descended from
the disciples of Arcavius.

What are our qualities?

We are aware that the other gods are only impostors and
that Merin shall soon bring forth the new Creation. We
have faith in His word. We have developed a government,
a technology and an army like no other on Aarklash.

What is important in life?

To respect the word of Merin and spread it on Aark-
lash.
To obey the laws of the Empire and serve under the
Imperial flag.
7
To save the people of Aarklash by guiding them on
the ways of Light.

What makes us better?

Our faith in Merin guides our arm in combat.
Our conscription system makes us a united people
where the rich fight alongside the poor.
The hospitality we show towards other peoples makes
us an example to be followed.

What is good?
To destroy false gods and send their cults back to the
void.
Merin teaches us the importance of authority, the taste
for scientific discovery and spiritual self-awareness.
To convert other peoples and guide them into the
Light.

What is evil?
To worship another god.
To refuse to fight for the sake of the new Creation or
to do so half-heartedly. What lies beyond death?
To be doubtful of one’s commander. Those who are faithful are allowed to remain by Merin’s
side until the rise of the new Creation; the souls of the heretics
Where does Creation come from? are lost forever in the Realms of Darkness.
Merin made Creation at the dawn of time. He is the origin,
He is the whole. Soon He shall destroy Creation to rebuild it What is the meaning of life?
anew, cleansed of mortals’ sins. We should be living in felicity under the benevolent gaze
of Merin. Yet, because some mortals have chosen to worship
Where do we come from? false gods, we ought to fight for the rise of a new Creation.
We are the descendants of former Barhans, who are former Only then shall we be allowed to taste eternal bliss with those
Kelts themselves. The Kelts came from a faraway island. In the who have joined us in our faith.
beginning, we were but void, and Merin gave life to us.
Why can we use magic?
Why do we die? Creation is the work of Merin. It is complex and made up of
Life is like a flame. The more vivid the light, the faster the thousands of different aspects. Those who perceive the work
candle burns. Merin calls us back to His side once we have of Merin are able to correct or alter this masterpiece to a cer-
completed our task on Aarklash. tain extent
 I have heard of other powers, what about…

Light? Light radiates from Merin. It guides mortals in their

struggle for a new Creation. We are the only ones aware of its
true meaning.
Destiny? The peoples of the paths of Destiny are those who
have chosen neither Light nor Darkness. There is still hope for
them, but much less than for the peoples of Light.
Darkness? Darkness was not created by Merin. It was born
when sinful mortals, worshipping false gods, performed a
deviant ritual.
The four Elements? They were created by Merin to build
Creation.
Yllia? Yllia is but a celestial body among many others. Only
the madness of mortals has made it a goddess.
The other gods? They are angels or powerful magical crea-
8 tures who only pretend to be gods.
UNIVERSE

Elemental sihirs? Sihirs are magical creatures created by

Merin. Some still obey him; others have betrayed him.
Incarnates? We don’t know much of this notion. Incar-
nates are champions of Merin or of the false gods. Those who
obey the false gods are far less powerful than the servants of
Why can we use divination? the One God.
We are not alone in our struggle for the new Creation. Me- Immortals? They are angels created by Merin or abomina-
rin bestows upon us His help when we show ourselves worthy tions created by Darkness.
of it. Our priests know how to formulate the prayers that en- Elemental Realms? They were created by Merin at the
courage Him to lend us His assistance. dawn of time. They are the source of the Elements supporting
Creation. The Realm of Fire is the oldest of these Realms.
What are our holy scriptures? Unfinished Realms? After having completed Creation,
The Codex of Merin was written during the foundation of Merin rested. He left us free to steer our lives. The Unfinished
Akkylannie by Arcavius. It was later completed by the Church. Realms are an opportunity to express these gifts to Merin.
It contains everything we need to know concerning the ori- What is the Rag’narok?
gins of Creation, the revelation of Arcavius and the teachings Merin revealed His design to Arcavius: Creation is a spoiled
of Merin. There are two versions: the great codex, so large that fruit; it ought to be destroyed. The Rag’narok is the end of
a single man cannot lift it. Each cathedral and every regiment Creation as we know it today. The Rag’narok shall end with the
owns a copy. The traditional abridged codex is only a few hun- destruction of Creation and the migration of Merin’s believers
dred pages long and every priest owns one. to a new and wholesome Creation.
PROTECTORATES The temple itself is under siege from the wolfen. Built in the
middle of the swamps, its austere fortifications are overlooked
OF THE TEMPLE by an ominous keep, called the “Crow tower” because of the
commander’s tamed birds.

TEMPLARS OF AKKYLANNIE
The mission of the Temple has always been to spread the
faith of Merin and the ideals of Light across Aarklash. The •The protectorate of the West is in fact a district of the
brothers of the Order have traversed the entire continent. Barhan city of Icquor. The templars living there shelter and
They have founded countless small commanderies, often to care for the poor of the city, as well as the wounded of the
the local populations’ surprise. In four strategic points they Ways of Light on their way back from the front.
have built great fortresses, the four cardinal temples, which The temple itself looks more like a monastery than a military
also used as rallying points for every pilgrim of Merin. barracks; and it still runs the old dispensary, a library and a print-
Recently these commanderies had to extend their military er’s workshop. It is as much a place of knowledge as it is a strong-
and political influence beyond their walls. By building forti- hold, and the presence of the templars is much appreciated in the
fications and watchtowers around the fortresses, they have barony and across the Kingdom. It is also the venue for jousting
favored the settlement of pilgrims in these areas. Terrible bat- tournaments between templar riders and knights of Alahan.
tles have taken place in the immediate surroundings of these
protectorates, but the monarchs of Aarklash were forced to • The protectorate of the South is only sand and stone.
acknowledge the sovereignty of the Temple over these lands. The templars fight there every day to keep the Syhar at bay. No
other Akkylannian lives there. The templars have built their
9
• The protectorate of the North is surrounded by unwel- temple there and erected fortifications around the few sur-
coming plains and constantly overcast wooded marshlands. rounding oasis, strategic points in the scorching Ivory dunes.
Many pilgrims still chose to settle there, determined to colo- Water can become so hard to find there that it is sometimes
nize these lands at the crossroads of Aarklash. Such a gamble called “blue gold”.
has proven particularly hazardous. Today, the protectorate is The temple itself bears the scars of the last Syhar offensive,
almost entirely occupied by enemy armies: those of the Hy- the Dance of the Scorpion, and templars are working day and
ena, the Wolf and the Scorpion. The many watchtowers are night to repair its white stone fortifications.
still not enough to protect the remaining villages.
• The protectorate of the
East encompasses a large part of
the area’s many canyons. Exalted
by the now confirmed presence
of Arcavius’ tomb, thousands
and thousands of pilgrims travel
there and their encampments
bloom around the temple.
The temple itself, almost
entirely destroyed during the
Dance of the Scorpion, was re-
built incredibly quickly with the
aid of all the pilgrims living in
the protectorate. So once again
the white walls of the fortress
overlook the desert, its artillery
guns and towers ready for war.

THE PROTECTORATES
Empire of Akkylannie
(Supreme temple)
Protectorate of the
North (Temple of the
North)
Protectorate of the
Ivory dunes (Temple of
the South)
Protectorate of the East
(Temple of the East)
Protectorate of the West
(Temple of the West)
 THE HISTORY OF THE TEMPLE

10
UNIVERSE

The history of the Temple overlaps that of the cult of Merin,

CHRONOLOGY OF THE TEMPLE
which gave life to the Empire of Akkylannie. It begins with
the revelation of Arcavius and continues with the spread of 571 Revelation of Arcavius
the religion. It stutters when faith is in danger, darkens as fer- 572 Meeting between Heïan and Arcavius
vor dwindles, shines once again when the people of Akkylan- 573 First battle of Arcavia, foundation of
nie rediscover their faith and is reborn from its ashes like the Akkylannie
soaring phoenix. 575 First battle of Carthag-Fero
585 Battle of the Last Raiders and pacification of
Akkylannie
Foundation of the Order of the Temple
602 Foundation of the actual Temple of the North
675 First battle of Kaïber
676 Heresy of Dirz, foundation of the Inquisition
677 First crusade
679 Battle of Dawn
680 Foundation of the actual Temple of the South
710 Foundation of the actual Temple of the West
THE PROPHET ARCAVIUS 994 Second crusade
995 Foundation of the actual Temple of the East
The history of Aarklash begins in Barhan territory, in the Battle of the Marauders
barony of Laverne, a century and a half after the foundation 998 Sack of Kylaë
of the Kingdom of Alahan. Arcavius de Sabran was already a 1000 Battle of the Old Wall
middle-aged man. He was a famous baron who had managed 1003 Shurat lands in Akkylannie
to finish building the fortresses north of Alahan, thanks to his 1004 Battle of the Ivory Dunes
military skills and leadership qualities. Yet he aspired to some 1004 Battle of the Mourners Gorge
peace at last, and felt his world was about to change, without 1004 Battle of the Temple of the South, fall of the
knowing exactly how. Temple of the East
One evening, after a meeting with other barons, Arcavius 1005 Battle of Arcavia
took his time to wander through the forest. There an angel of 1007 Return of Arkhos
fire appeared before him and spoke: “You are the chosen one, 1008 The Black Day
you have been chosen by Merin. You have inherited His con- 1009 Battle of the Braziers
science; may it be your reward and your burden.”
 The angel then revealed many secrets concerning Creation including the Akhylahn Mountains and the land beyond.
and Aarklash in particular. After this encounter with the god’s Arcavius took to the road again. A new follower had joined
envoy, Arcavius became an Incarnate. him: Kelgar of Kallienne.
Shaken by these events, he made it back to his castle. For The pilgrims left for the peninsula beyond the Akhylahn

THE HISTORY OF THE TEMPLE

a whole week, he checked the scriptures of any human civi- mountains. Halfway there, Arcavius entrusted Jen with the
lization that shared the ideal of the Ways of Light, as well as conduct of the convoy while he followed another road alone,
the work of the scientists of Tir-Nâ-Bor, to verify the igneous to meditate. He could feel the end of the journey approaching
angel’s words. On the seventh day, he gained the certainty that and was realizing that the fate of his followers was about to
the angel had spoken the truth. Arcavius had to admit that all be sealed. Soon they would no longer be simple pilgrims, but
these cults shared similarities that could only be explained in the founders of a new society. Although Arcavius was ready to
one way: these peoples had been in fact worshiping a single become their spiritual leader, he did not wish to be in charge
god, Merin, under different names. Confirmed in his quest, of their worldly lives. With doubt gnawing at his soul, he wan-
Arcavius was rewarded by Merin and experienced his sec- dered aimlessly for over a day and a half, until he reached a
ond Incarnation. Aware of his role and his responsibility, he riverside where he met a fabulous creature: a griffin. The hawk
realized the task lying in front of him: unifying the different eyes of the half-bird half-lion beast scrutinized him for a while
peoples into one faith, belief in Merin. before it eventually took off. Everything became clear in Ar-
That day Arcavius made a great public speech. He shared cavius’ mind. Just like the griffin, Arcavius’ new nation was
the revelations of the angel concerning the genesis of to combine the strength of the lion and the vigilance of the
Creation by Merin. He invited the crowd to follow him for bird of prey: a strong secular leader and a vigilant spiritual
11
the glory of the One God: only those who prayed to Him guide. He tore his Elixir in half: the Fire of Merin and the Eye
would be allowed into the new Creation. Some servants fol- of Merin. Only a few instants after this terrible trial Arcavius
lowed Arcavius, and with them Jen, his faithful squire, Ze- was found by Honorius who had followed him from a safe dis-
lios, his best friend, Karl, his chamberlain, and Honorinus, tance. Thanks to the Eye of Merin Arcavius knew his son was
his eldest son. Neither the supplications of his family, nor his worthy of the Fire of Merin and gave it to him.
lordship could prevent Arcavius
from leaving. The prophet and his
entourage became beggars and
571-585 • ARCAVIUS’ EXODUS
pilgrims that exact same day.
Arcavius’ journey, “the march
of the blazing”, led the pilgrims
across Alahan. Piece by piece, Laverne
Arcavius sold his knight’s armor
to pay for his journey and he pur- First battle of
chased a book to write down the Carthag Fero
(575)
revelations of the angel of fire: the
Codex of Merin.
Along his voyage Arcavius ral-
lied many Barhans to his cause.
After only a few months his dis-
ciples already numbered in the
thousands. Arcavius reached the First battle of
gates of the capital of Alahan in d’Arcavia
Kallienne. He was arrested and (573)
imprisoned by Baron Kelgar de
Battle of the
Kallienne. However, after reading Kallienne last raiders
the Codex of Merin, the baron (585)
appealed to King Heïan to meet
Arcavius to allow him to plead
his cause. Arcavius spoke for
hours with the king. An angel of
Light then intervened to give its
divine blessing to Arcavius’ quest.
Convinced by the angel’s appear-
ance, the king freed the prophet
and gave him somewhere to set-
tle with his followers. He offered
lands abandoned by the crown,
 Arcavius and Honorius returned to the convoy and guided
THE FIRST BATTLE OF ARCAVIA
their “people” towards the peninsula. When Arcavius told of
his encounter with the griffin, his followers saw it as a good An 573, site of the future Arcavia (province of Arcavia)
omen. Adopting this symbol, they painted griffins on their
shields and standards. The travelers they met soon came to The goblins attacked the Griffins in the early hours of mor-
call them the “Griffins”. An army of legend was born! ning. Fortunately, Honorius had posted sentinels: the alert
was raised just in time. When the Griffins rushed out of
their houses, weapons in hand, the goblins were already
THE LAND OF THE SUN upon them. It was less a battle than bloody chaos. The raiders
made no distinction between women, children or warriors.
When the Griffins arrived in the peninsula they discovered Brandishing his sword high above his head, Honorius kept
that it was still wild and wider than the Barhan texts had in- cheering the Griffins forth. He eventually managed to or-
dicated. It was inhabited by many warlike factions: human ganize the defenses and called several decisive counter at-
clans, greedy goblin colonies or adventurous dwarven trading tacks. Soon all the warriors had gathered their families in a
posts. At first Arcavius and his followers simply avoided the single place. They then went on to methodically slaughter
most warlike bands and traded with the most peaceful, such the unruly goblin raiders, who broke again and again in
12 as the dwarves. However, by avoiding any kind of conflict, the uneven waves against a wall of steel and faith.
Griffins never found anywhere to settle. They carried on jour-
UNIVERSE

neying to the north of the peninsula, hoping to find a more

welcoming land there. finished the fortifications. The day of the first official mass Arca-
Arcavius’ followers discovered a region of fertile plains and vius had a vision and locked himself away to meditate. When he
wide forests, irrigated by a majestic river. Under the orders of came back among his people, he showed them maps and techni-
Honorius they built their town there and began erecting the cal drawings of fabulous inventions: Merin had sent him the tools
first fortifications in the forest by the riverside. Unfortunately, to make Arcavia the most prosperous city on Aarklash!
the goblin raiders operating in the area did not appreciate see-
ing such a stronghold being built on their territory. Only
days after the Griffins had settled the goblins struck
the community hard. But the Griffins were deter-
mined and united by their faith. Not one of them
stood down: this land would be the cradle of their
nation…or its grave. The battle for the future
Arcavia sealed the sense of belonging that
still unites the people of Akkylannie

Through this victory the Griffins earned the

respect of the neighboring communities. They
were then able to found their first town, which
was called Arcavia in honor of their prophet.
They built the first temple of Merin and

Thanks to these inventions Arcavia prospered. The Grif-

fins thrived and extended their influence, even if it sometimes
meant having to take to the battlefield. They converted a
great number of humans and dwarves living in the area. Soon
they had become so many that some of them set out towards
the north of the peninsula, following the trails used by the
dwarven settlers only years before.
On the northern coast of the peninsula they found more
dwarves. They tried to convert them, but the only answer
they were given by these dwarves was the sharp edge of
their blades. At dawn, after some fierce fighting, the faith-
ful of Merin were the only ones left alive. They seized
control of the site and founded their second city: Car-
thag-Fero.
 After the foundation of Carthag-Fero, more com- THE FIRST BATTLE OF CARTHAG-FERO
munities of Merin were founded. It became neces-
sary for the Griffins to form a government. Arcavius, 575, site of the future Carthag-Fero (province of Carthag-
Honorius and their early companions gathered to de- Fero)

THE HISTORY OF THE TEMPLE

termine the foundations of the Empire of Merin. The
prophet then had a new vision: a phoenix flying west. On the evening of the Griffins’ arrival the dwarven settlers gath-
This igneous creature was certainly a message from ered and discussed how to welcome their new neighbors. Soon
Merin. Arcavius understood that it was time to take tension rose in the small community. Some Griffins tried to step
to the road again. in to ease the fears of the dwarves, but it only made things worse.
So the Empire of Akkylannie was founded. In gen- The dwarves and the Griffins started scuffling and soon weapons
eral celebration, Honorius became the first emperor, were unsheathed. Within minutes, the small community sank into
in charge of secular power. The Church, the religious war.
power, was to be led by a council of priests. The same day Following Honorius’ example during the Battle of Arcavia, the
Arcavius announced he was leaving on a new pilgrim- Griffins regrouped and closed off the streets to channel the ag-
age, in order to rally more believers all over the conti- gressors and eliminate them one by one. The losses were heavy on
nent. He left with a handful of followers, including Jen. both sides, due to dwarven stubbornness, and no-one was willing
to negotiate anymore. The Griffins massacred their enemies.
During Arcavius’ absence, Honorius undertook
many projects and showed both courage and dar-
13
ing. His decisions soon made the new empire even
more prosperous. Honorius signed treaties with the
other peoples of the Ways of Light, but also with the
dwarves of Tir-Nâ-Bor, despite the Battle of Carthag-
Fero. The Fire of Merin gave him incredible charisma,
which allowed him to overcome any reluctance. Fur-
thermore, the dwarves appreciated the Akkylannians
for the rigor and expertise of their craftsmen. Even
the mysterious Cynwäll managed to get along with
the Akkylannians. They considered the humans as
turbulent children and hoped to bring them “into the
Light” through their example and wisdom.

THE BATTLE OF THE LAST RAIDERS

585, the coasts of Akkylannie (province of

Arcavia)

For several months, Karl and Kelgar had been

hunting down the last bands of raiders that were
still terrorizing Akkylannie. The last goblin, bar-
barian and dwarven warlords had assembled un-
der a single banner and made their last stand for
survival. Little by little, they were driven towards
the eastern shores of the peninsula. There, the
landscape allowed them to conduct limited but
violent guerrilla operations.

However, the iron discipline and the methodical

strategies organized by Karl and Kelgar brought
the raiders to their knees. Relentlessly, the Ak-
kylannians covered the area, pushing the bandits
further back each time. Eventually the raiders
had to start building makeshift ships to flee the
peninsula. Karl attacked the boat yard, pushing
the raiders out towards the Fangs of Fire, where
they began a new existence as pirates.
 The success of Honorius was the same in-
side the country as it was outside: he fixed
the borders of the empire and eliminated
the bands of raiders one by one. By the tenth
anniversary of his reign, after the Battle of
the Last Raiders, the whole peninsula had
been pacified. A new age opened before the
Empire of Akkylannie and patriotic mo-
mentum seized every Akkylannian.

THE GRIFFIN TAKES

OFF
Once the peninsula was pacified, the Em-
14 pire of Akkylannie transformed to adopt its
modern shape. Its institutions were formal-
UNIVERSE

ized. Zelios studied the inventions of Arca-

vius, his best friend, and trained the alche-
mists of Merin. Karl was given the Chair of
Foreign Affairs. The task was significant: he
was to rally all of Aarklash to the flame of
Merin. To assist him, he founded the Order
of the Temple. Kelgar was put in charge of
Internal Affairs, which included enforcing
public order in Akkylannie and keeping an
eye out for traitors and spies.
In the meantime, Arcavius and Jen had
been journeying on and on. Without the
Fire of Merin the prophet proved unable to
convert new believers. However, during his
travels, he trained Jen to succeed him and re-
ceive the Eye of Merin. During a communion,

Arcavius entrusted Jen with the Elixir. Jen was transformed

THE FIRST BATTLE OF KAÏBER forever. Jen now craved power. Not only did he want spiri-
tual power, he also wanted to lead the Akkylannians for the
675, Kaïber Pass (barony of Daneran)
greater glory of Merin… and himself. Arcavius on the other
hand was in no way able to lead Akkylannie anymore; he had
The fi rst Battle of Kaïber was fought by the host of Mage-
lost all mystical powers and his faith blurred his judgment.
baron Shaon d’A llmoon and Knight Lord Tharn, as well the
As the pilgrims wandered deeper and deeper into the
4th century of Akkylannie, under the command of Cen-
Bran-Ô-Kor, Arcavius realized he had lost his powers and
turion Viriis. Supported by the dragons of Laroq, who had
sank into despair. Tension rose between him and Jen. De-
been awakened by the commotion of battle, the troops of
spite how ambitious he might have been, Jen truly wanted
Light managed to prevent Feyd Mantis, Rhea de Brisis and
to raise the spirits of his mentor. But he had neither the
the fallen immortal Sariel from getting out of the Cursed
strength nor the means. Finally, Arcavius and Jen had one
Barony with their army of living dead. The Acheronians were
argument too many. During a stop in a cave in the Bran-Ô-
forced to retreat just as the reinforcements of Light, led by
Kor, Jen murdered Arcavius in his sleep. In 590 Jen made it
King Michaellis, arrived.
back to Arcavia alone, bearing in him the Eye of Merin. He
However, the king did not have time to capture the pass: the
told that he and Arcavius had been captured by servants of
Acheronians came back stronger than ever. The trinity of the
Darkness. He added that Arcavius had died at the hands of
Abyss and Kaïan Draghost had joined the army of the Cursed
their jailers and that he had been the only one who man-
Barony. The battle was terrifying. Vimras Maloth, a venerable
aged to escape. When Honorius raised an army to avenge
dragon of Lanever, fell under the blows of Draghost. The king
his father, Jen claimed that their jail was protected by spells
of Alahan owed his survival only to the heroic sacrifice of his
of Darkness, and that he would be unable to tell in which
people.
country he had been held captive. No-one doubted his word.
Honorius felt the Eye of Merin on Jen;
he appointed him pope of Akkylan-
nie and reformed the Church to give
him more power, since it was now

THE HISTORY OF THE TEMPLE

led by one of Merin’s chosen ones.
Nevertheless, Karl remained suspi-
cious. He reformed the Temple in
secret and prepared to fight the ex-
cesses of the Church.
Honorius and Jen prepared their
successors: the council of priests set
up by Arcavius would choose a pope
worthy of the Eye of Merin. The pope
would then use his power to find the
one capable of bearing the Fire of
Merin and make him the Emperor.
However, the council of priests
never managed to agree on some-
one to bear the Eye of Merin. Its
15
choice was political in the end: after
Jen died, the Eye became a relic that
the priests hid in the crypt under
the cathedral of Arcavius, in Arca-
via. Without the power of the Eye,
successive popes were unable to find
emperors capable of withstanding
the Fire of Merin. The emperors died
quickly, consumed by the relic, and
were unable to impose themselves
against the popes, who became the
true masters of Akkylannie.
Nonetheless, the Empire of Ak-
kylannie thrived after the death of
Arcavius’ first followers. The popula-
tion was still united by the same pa-
triotism and the country developed
quickly. Contingents were sent across
the continent to find Arcavius’ tomb.

The Ways of Light were soon in need of Akkylannie’s

help. The Order of the Black Togas had stepped out of the
shadows and the barony of Acheron had seceded from
the rest of the kingdom of Alahan. The baron of All-
moon, a repentant Black Toga, raised an army to fight the
Meanders of Darkness. Yet he knew that he could not
do it alone; he sent an angel of Light to warn Centurion
Viriis, whose company had been searching for Arcavius’
tomb in the Behemoth. The Akkylannian commander
did not hesitate for a second. He rushed his soldiers into
an exhausting forced march. The Griffins dashed through
the passes and valleys and made it to Kaïber Pass in time
to fight alongside the Kingdom of Alahan. This battle was
known as the Battle of Kaïber, the first great battle of the
Order of the Temple. It was a military victory, but it led to
a political disaster: the Order of the Temple sent almost all
its men to Kaïber to build the impregnable fortress, thus
effectively handing Akkylannie over to the Inquisition.
 When the templars returned from Kaïber, they found their
country had changed completely. The heresy of Dirz had
spread and the Inquisition had fought back by burning thou-
sands of people who had been declared heretics. The templars
were horrified. They protested and appealed to the emperor,
but the Inquisition was just too powerful. The Pope ordered
the Temple to hand over its best men to create the Templars
of the Inquisition.
Fearing civil war, Emperor Octavius II instituted conscrip-
tion, the new melting pot of Akkylannian patriotism. Thus
he created the imperial army and gave it the responsibility
of enforcing law and order. In fear of being overtaken by this
new force, the Inquisition maneuvered. It managed to have
a cardinal lead the imperial army and created the office of
Prelate General of the Armies. Soon after, and for no obvi-
ous reason, the Cynwäll offered a fi rearm to the emperor.
16 Scholars studied it and discovered the secret of gunpowder.
Their powder was coarse compared to that used by the Cyn-
UNIVERSE

wäll, but it was easy to produce. The fusilier corps was cre-
ated and attached to the imperial army and civilian peace
was secured. Gunpowder also became a source of revenue
for Akkylannie as it established a profitable trade with the
Kingdom of Alahan. It is only centuries later that the guild
of Architects of Cadwallon has put an end to this lucrative
monopoly.

THE FALL OF DJARAN

677, Djaran (Syharhalna)

In the early morning the first Akkylannian

ships arrived within sight of the coast. Scouts
were sent out. They easily spotted Djaran, a for-
tified encampment. But suddenly tigers leaped
out from the desert and massacred them.
Without any news, and in a hurry to land, Com-
mander Daéran led his fleet to the same beach.
He found it occupied by swarms of tigers and
nightmarish creatures hidden there by the Syhar.
For the whole morning the Akkylannians fought
wave after wave of clones. Many good fighters
were lost trying to establish a beachhead. But
the ferocity of the Syhar creatures denied their
every attempt. In a final desperate effort, Daéran
ordered an escape towards Djaran.
The templars rushed head on. They had to
fight the people holding the city, with clones
still gnashing at their heels. However, thanks
to both some carefully targeted artillery fire
from the battleships and the templars war
fury, Daéryn’s men eventually gained control
of Djaran. Having finally found themselves a
defensive position to fight from, the Akkylan-
nians turned the battle around and massacred
the clones controlling the beach.
THE CRUSADES THE BATTLE OF DAWN

The situation had stabilized in Akkylannie, but there were 679, Danakil (Syharhalna)
still two crises to deal with: the constant tension between the

THE HISTORY OF THE TEMPLE

Temple and the Inquisition, and the flight of Dirz to the Syhar- As soon as he arrived within sight of Danakil, Daéryn
halna. Hitting two birds with one stone, the pope invited the understood that there was no way he could overthrow
emperor to declare a crusade, in order to bring an end to the Danakil in one day. Faithful to his duty, he besieged the
heresy of Dirz and to conquer the Syharhalna. stronghold, right there in the middle of the desert, thou-
The Temple was put in charge of organizing this crusade sands of kilometers away from his homeland. The Ak-
since its lodges, scattered across Aarklash, gave it good knowl- kylannians attacked the fortress everyday, hoping, against
edge of the terrain. However, this maneuver had also been de- all odds, to attrit the defenders and empty the stronghold.
vised to channel the Temple’s patriotic ardor. As unbelievable as it may seem, the templars’ determina-
Commander Daéryn, of the Temple of the South, was cho- tion earned them the upper hand: after several months of
sen to command the invasion: his temple had a large navy at siege, Danakil’s reserves were exhausted. Its commander,
hand, indispensable to land troops in the Syharhalna. The Genariah, found himself forced to open the doors.
Kingdom of Alahan also entrusted Akkylannie with many Capitulation was declared to take place at dawn. But as
ships to assist it in the crusade. he handed the keys of the fortress to the victor, Genariah
drew a hidden blade and beheaded Daéryn. He then led
an invincible offensive of clone troops gorged with mu- 17
tagenics.
The other heroes of Danakil, infiltrated behind enemy
lines, rushed out from hiding and massacred the templar
leaders. Within hours the forces of Daéryn were annihi-
Battle of lated. The sands of the Ivory Dunes had turned crimson
the Marauders red by noon.
(995)
During this seaborne expedition the
templars fought many perils. The Sy-
hars spread a plague epidemic amongst
the men and sent monsters of the deep,
called kraken, to sink their ships. Tired,
Battle sick and sometimes demoralized, the
of Dawn templars still had to fight waves of
Second (679) clones when they landed near Djaran.
crusade
(995-998) Safe inside Djaran, Daéryn organized
Fall of the methodical pacification of the en-
Carthag Djaran tire region, as Karl had done to rid Ak-
Fero (677) kylannie of the raiders. Unfortunately,
the desert itself was a deadly trap: the
heat killed just as many templars as the
clones, and the sand performed mar-
vels concealing the impious laborato-
ries. And with no other known town
between Djaran and Shamir, far to the
West, the Army of the Griffin could
make no progress in this hostile desert.
The templars were stuck in Djaran.
The First crusade found itself wast-
ing its forces for several years, until one
day Daéryn heard a report concerning
Kylae a Syhar fortress being built nearby. He
First knew he had to act quickly. He mus-
crusade tered all his templars and marched
(677-710)
them out into the desert. Harassed by
677-998 • THE CRUSADES alchemical beasts and deceived by the
technomancers’ magical mirages, the
 childhood friend of King Gorgyn of Alahan. When he heard
that mystics had located the tomb of Arcavius somewhere in
the Bran-Ô-Kor, he immediately decided to organize a new
crusade. The Inquisition was not opposed to it, seeing a further
opportunity to keep even more templars out of their way.
Commander Arkhos, the most virtuous and famous tem-
plar commander, was chosen to lead this crusade. The entire
Order of the Temple was mobilized behind him: the templars
hoped to find a relic, a teaching or some other clue in the tomb
that would help put an end to the Inquisition’s rule of terror.
Once in the hostile canyons of the Bran-Ô-Kor, Arkhos built
a fortress. This fortress was to serve as an operational base for
many archeological expeditions. The research was hampered
by the orcs living in the area. One of them in particular, Avan-
gorok, kept harassing the researchers and pilgrims. Instead of
combing out the canyons like his predecessors, Arkhos chose
18 to send small scouting parties of templars and legionnaires of
repentance, rogues who had been given a second chance by
UNIVERSE

the Temple. In this way he was able to locate Avangorok’s lair

and attack him directly. The Battle of the Marauders weakened
the orcs long enough to allow Arkhos to further reinforce his
position and establish a solid bridgehead in the Bran-Ô-Kor.
He was then able to finish building the fortress that became
the Temple of the East. He then dedicated himself entirely to
finding Arcavius’ tomb.

THE BATTLE OF THE MARAUDERS

995, Blood Defile (Bran-Ô-Kor)

Avangorok and his orcs had settled in a network of nar-

row gorges and gullies. They knew the caves like the backs
of their hands and had dug tunnels to connect the gorges.
Each encampment sheltered only a handful of raiders, but
Akkylannians eventually made it through the Ivory Dunes together they formed an army.
to within sight of Danakil. The construction of the fortress During the night, Arkhos maneuvered his troops into po-
was well advanced; Daéryn’s chances were scant. The com- sition. He had spotted the network of encampments, but
mander split his contingent in two: he led the fi rst half to- knew nothing of the underground tunnels. His first as-
wards Danakil to keep the Syhar busy. The other half was to sault was a success but the orcs did not panic. Avangorok
begin the construction of a fortress on the other side of the reorganized his troops and used the tunnels to outflank
Ivory Dunes. the templars.
As the early rays of Lahn hit the top of the gorges, inde-
Daéryn never made it back; but thanks to his sacrifice, the scribable chaos reigned down in the defiles. The templars
fortress of Light was finished in time. The successor of Daéryn fought back to back against orcs who seemed to keep ap-
made it the new Temple of the South and carried on the cru- pearing from nowhere, but no templars fled or surren-
sade from this fortress. dered.
Impressed by such determination, Avangorok charged
In the meanwhile, back in Akkylannie, the Church was en- into the mêlée, seeking out the enemy commander. Ark-
forcing its hegemony. Over the centuries the emperors had hos answered the challenge, but the commanders were of
become more and more submissive and the stakes had been equal strength. They fought for hours. Avangorok realized
burning more and more often. The inquisitors had become bo- there was no way he would drive back the Akkylannians.
geymen. The Empire of Akkylannie frightened even its allies. The only choice he had was to kill every templar, and he
Yet the spark of hope began to shine again: Octavius IX was knew that many precious orc lives would be wasted in
not an emperor like the others. He was determined to bring the process. He eventually chose to leave the gorge to the
Akkylannie back into the Light. Notably, he relied on Proteüs Akkylannians. Relieved to see his men live another day,
– commander of the South who became the grand master of Arkhos did not pursue the orcs.
the Temple – and Tarkhyn – commander of the West and
 THE HISTORY OF THE TEMPLE
19

THE RAG’NAROK ARKHOS’ TRIUMPH

The Akkylannians, and more particularly the templars of 1007, Temple of the East (protectorate of the East)
the East and the South, were the first to witness the beginning
of the Rag’narok. In 1000, while Arh-Tolth was waking in his
After his defeat, Arkhos found refuge with the orcs of the
chamber deep under the Second Shamir, thousands of clones
marched out of the desert and crossed the Ivory Dunes, deter- Bran-Ô-Kor while Claudia Nessalith, commander of the
mined to conquer Aarklash. Syhar garrison, despoiled the Temple of the East. Arkhos
Thanks to the skills of Arkhos and those of Commander took part in the ritual trials to appoint the Kal-Raïk, the
Sered of the Temple of the South, the first Syhar offensives great leader of the orcs. He failed to win but gained the re-
were contained. But the cost was high. Nonetheless, the two spect of the orcs. He even forged an alliance with Shaka-
commanders were convinced that the two Akkylannian for- Morkhaï, the new Kal-Raïk.
tresses would hold out against the tide of clones. In a certain Accompanied by his surviving Templars, his sister Mirà
sense they were right. During the following four years the
and his new orc allies, Arkhos returned to the Temple of
Syhar offensive was bogged down and turned into a war of
position in the Ivory Dunes. Such unexpected resistance infu- the East. Believing she was facing only a rogue band of orcs,
riated the Syhar commanders. Yet it allowed them to test the Nessalith relied on the temple’s fortifications. But Arkhos
defenses of Light and prepare a new invasion plan, starting pointed out the weaknesses in the walls to the orcs.
further north of Aarklash: the Dance of the Scorpion. Shaka-Morkhaï gave the order to attack. The clones’ first
Akkylannie was facing Darkness on all fronts. Many Ak- line of defense was shattered with the first charge. The
kylannians died with the soldiers of the Alliance of Light dur- templars quickly took the fighting inside their former gar-
ing the second Battle of Kaïber. rison, discreetly supported by Mirà and some troops of
In 1003 the disciples of the Hyena, led by Shurat, stormed
the Inquisition who had joined her. Alone against Shaka-
through the Protectorate of the North, the Migol Sea and landed
in Akkylannie. For several long years they ravaged the country. Morkhaï and Arkhos, Nessalith knew she didn’t stand a
The emperor eventually had to sacrifice himself to rout Shurat chance. She sounded the retreat and left the Temple of the
and allow the Akkylannians to repel the Devourer invasion. East to its legitimate owner.
In the desert of the Syharhalna the Syhar began the Dance Arkhos wished to pursue Nessalith’s troops, who were
of the Scorpion. Masses of clones attacked in the Ivory Dunes heading west towards Razheem’s hordes. The orcs refused
and maneuvered through the Mourners Gorge to wheel to rescue the dwarves, against whom they held a lasting
around behind Akkylannian defenses. The Temple of the grudge. Forced to change his plans, Arkhos left to break
South was under siege and the Temple of the East fell under
the siege of the Temple of the South.
the attacks of Razheem, the Scorpion commander.
 1000 - ? • THE RAG’NAROK Akkylannie had many other fronts to deal
with: the Ophidian alliance had settled in the
Fangs of Fire, right under the Empire’s nose,
and maintained constant pressure on the
Arkhos’ navy and the Akkylannians coastline. The
Triumph death of Emperor Octavius IX (see Army
(1007) Book: Inquisition) and the rise to power
The Black Day of the pope continued to cause conflicts in
(1008)
Akkylannie. Then the Embrace of Dark-
ness tightened. The Acheronians launched
lightning raids through portals of Darkness
opened across the country. Akkylannie still
managed to repel them, but found itself on
the brink of self-destruction.

20
UNIVERSE

Battle
of the Braziers
(1008)
Arcavia

In 1008 wolfen armies came marching

from the north and pushed aside the Devour-
ers who had been harassing the Temple of the
North for more than five years. There were so
many wolfen on the plains that the templars
could not believe their eyes. They were led
by Asgarh, the terrifying living legend. Thur-
bard even believed the end had come. But
the Temple of the North held on. With the
announcement of his victory, faith in Merin
reached heights never achieved before.
Then the clones made their way through
the Ægis, sowing death and destruction THE BLACK DAY
in the homeland of the dwarves of Tir-
1008, Temple of the North (protectorate of the North)
Nâ-Bor, allies of Akkylannie. Despite the
coordinated efforts of Proteüs, the grand
The weather is never better than bad around the Temple of the North. But that
master of the Temple, Sered and Arkhos,
dawn the clouds were particularly dark. Freezing rain was falling on the Pro-
no reinforcements were sent to them:
tectorate of the North. The templars who saw the first wolfen stepping out of
Akkylannie was already burning.
the forest of Caer Laern, thought their minds were playing tricks on them. As
It took some time before Arkhos allied
Asgarh’s horde spread out, more and more wolfen appeared. The temple was
with the orcs and won back the Temple
about to endure the darkest hour of its existence.
of the East from the Syhar. At the same
Asgarh called the first assault. The wolfen wave was broken by the temple’s ar-
time, Cardinal Aerth, Prelate General
tillery and the fury of the Akkylannians, but this allowed Asgarh to measure
of the Armies, helped the dwarves save
Thurbard’s defenses.
their capital fortress and the Inquisition
The old commander had no intention of giving Asgarh the time to prepare his next
sent troops to win back Ogh-Hen-Kir.
attack. With his Black Guard on his heels, covered by the Akkylannian cannons,
The Republic of Tir-Nâ-Bor sided with
he performed a sortie to catch the Wolfen off guard. The maneuver was bold, but
the Ways of Light and Akkylannie re-
Thurbard struck too hard and too fast for the Wolfen to react. He immediately fell
gained control of the Protectorates of
back behind the high walls of the temple, now safe from wolfen assaults.
the South and the East.
THE GRIFFIN REBORN FROM In Akkylannie the choice of a representative tore open some
old wounds. Pope Innocent wanted to send Ædhann Orphe-
ITS ASHES lion, Inquisitor General. Proteüs stood against this decision,
which served only to reinforce the pope’s power. Leading the

THE HISTORY OF THE TEMPLE

Soon after the Black Day the Rag’narok entered a less violent imperial army, Aerth was worried by Orphelion’s lack of toler-
phase. The Syhar advance had been stopped in the Protector- ance during the negotiations.
ate of the North, notably thanks to the presence of the Wolfen. Tensions between the Inquisition, the Order of the Temple
Akkylannian borders were threatened no more. And yet the and the imperial army reached a critical level. The matter of
specter of war still loomed over Aaklash. Every nation was succession soon landed on the table: the pope was supposed
exhausted by the last five years of uninterrupted conflict, and to hand his provisional secular powers to the next holder of
Creation itself had suffered greatly from the sheer quantities of the Fire of Merin. During the debates the grand master of the
mystical energy unleashed. A great assembly was to be held in Temple, Proteüs, made several faux pas. He was convinced
Cadwallon to give the monarchs of Aarklash a chance to ne- the pope had seen through his game, but nothing happened:
gotiate. The time for war was over for everyone, it was now the the grand master realized that the pope did not have the Eye
time for struggles for influence and covert confrontations. of Merin in him. Finally, to ease the tension, Innocent con-
sented to send Aerth instead of Orphelion.
In Cadwallon, Aerth negotiated the rec-
ognition of the protectorate of the Temple
and convinced the dwarves of Tir-Nâ-Bor
21
to sign further treaties of alliance with the
Kingdom of Alahan and the Republic of
Lanever. Proteüs took the opportunity to
arrange a meeting between Aerth and Mirà.
Aerth was enthralled by the young women,
wielder of Hauteclaire and holder of the truth
concerning Arcavius’ death. Mirà revealed
to Aerth that Innocent did not have the Eye
of Merin, confirming the cardinal’s doubts.
After this interview, a secret alliance was
forged between the imperial army and the
Order of the Temple. Back in Akkylannie,
Aerth kept writing to Proteüs through the
intermediary of the Lodge of Hod, a secret
lodge of the Order. The two men planned a
coup and actively sought the bearers of the
Fire and the Eye of Merin. Unfortunately,
they ran out of time to find them, as the In-
quisition grew more and more suspicious of
them. With little time at hand, Aerth and
Proteüs put their plan into action.
Under the pretext of giving them new or-
ders, Proteüs summoned Arkhos and Sered
to Arcavia. The two commanders were ac-
companied by their personal guards, as well
as many orcs who had allegedly come to seal
a pact of alliance with Akkylannie. The In-
quisition realized the danger and organized
its defenses, but Aerth, as Prelate General of
the Armies, ordered the Griffin execution-
ers to assassinate the religious leaders they
were in charge of protecting. The disorder
caused in the ranks of the Church allowed
the commanders to reach the gates of Arca-
via. With nothing more he could do, Inquis-
itor Eschelius met them under the city wall
and denied them entrance. And so began
the Battle of the Braziers.
 THE BATTLE OF THE BRAZIERS To help the application of these reforms,
the emperor and the pope worked together,
1009, Arcavia (province of Arcavia) as Arcavius would have wanted it. They
regularly called upon Aerth, Proteüs and
For several days, a game of shadows had been taking place in Arcavia. The Eschelius. It was decided that the imperial
Lodge of Hod was standing by, ready to strike all over Arcavia, and the in- army would dedicate itself to rebuilding the
quisitors were on the war path. When Eschelius refused to let Arkhos and country and enforcing law and order in the
Sered through, the whole city took ablaze. four provinces. The Temple would become
Although they knew the fortifications of the city by heart and despite the the spearhead of Akkylannie everywhere on
help of the orcs, Arkhos and Sered were unable to get past Eschelius’ posi- Aarklash. All were to behave with benevo-
tions. In the meantime, the purifiers of the Lodge of Hod fought the Dark- lence and fairness, since the Griffin was part
ness hunters in every street. Inquisitor Saphon eliminated the felonious of the Alliance of Light. On the other hand,
leaders, one after the other. After a fierce hunt, he executed Masselius, the Inquisition and the Lodge of Hod (see
commander of the Lodge of Hod. Stricken with grief, his fi rst lieutenant, Hybrid) were to be the agents of the Fire
Ambrosius, took his place and Mirà stepped in to face her worst enemy. of Merin. Although guided by the ideals
While everything seemed lost for the insurgents, Aerth threw the imperial army of Light, they would be able to show great
22 into the battle. The conscripts swarmed the streets, protected by the fusiliers. severity and would stop at nothing to serve
Caught between the hammer and the anvil, Eschelius was forced to retreat and the Empire. These two institutions were
UNIVERSE

the Temple rushed into this fresh breach. Exalted by this first victory, Sered chal- modified to better adapt to their new mis-
lenged Eschelius to a duel. Arkhos marched on the cathedral of Arcavius and sions. And in order to avoid all power rest-
Mirà fought Saphon. All night, the power of Merin and that of the Elements were ing in the hands of one man, the Order of
unleashed on the city. Fires broke out across the city. Some claimed to have seen the Temple and the Inquisition were given
through the thick smoke the image of a bright phoenix soaring above Arcavia. reinforced autonomy so that they became
As morning broke, Eschelius was lying on the ground, mortally wounded. almost independent armies.
Saphon had been taken prisoner and Arkhos had made it into the cathedral. The allies of Akkylannie were relieved by
Proteüs revealed himself, convinced that Mirà was about to be crowned. these rearrangements. On the other hand,
But suddenly, two unknown men shrouded in fire appeared. The Battle of its enemies are growing worried. Confident
the Braziers was over. about its future, the Temple is more danger-
ous than ever.

Inside the cathedral of Arcavius, Proteüs wanted to capture

the two strangers, but Aerth and Mirà prevented him from
doing so: whoever they were, they bore the Fire and the Eye
of Merin. They had been secretly guided through the battle by
Melkion, a powerful magician touched by the grace of Merin.
In an attempt to re-establish his authority, the pope ordered
the insurgents to surrender. The conscripts and civilians pres-
ent did not know what to think or do. Mirà took off her mask
and, in a mystic trance, she revealed the truth and secrets con-
cerning the death of Arcavius. After the trance Mirà and Am-
brosius spoke with the same voice, that of Merin. Eschelius,
who had miraculously recovered from his wounds, recognized
the truth in this voice and the two strangers were enthroned.
Demetrius I became the new emperor of Akkylannie and a
new pope, Antoninus, was chosen.
Over the following months, the Empire of Akkylannie went
through many major changes. All the Akkylannian heroes who
had taken part in the Battle of the Braziers were given amnesty.
Ambrosius was given command of the Lodge of Hod and Esche-
lius became Inquisitor General of Akkylannie. Emperor Deme-
trius I, carried by the Fire of Merin, renovated imperial institu-
tions fervor worthy of Arcavius. Pope Antoninus was aware of
how wrong the Inquisition had been: the Griffin had to remain
worthy of Light; torture and burning people were to remain the
last resort. Though the Inquisition remained ready to do the dirty
work for the greater good of the Alliance of Light, the Church
was no longer to terrorize a nation entirely devoted to Merin.
 THE ORDER OF THE TEMPLE
23

SECOND PART

THE ORDER
OF THE TEMPLE
The companies of the Order of
the Temple are probably the best
organized on Aarklash. Disciplined
and well equipped, Akkylannians
wage war like no other people on the
continent. They never step down in
the face of adversity and, thanks to
imperial conscription, they can send
large numbers of efficient soldiers to
battle. And when numbers are not
enough, the Akkylannians bring
out the big guns and call upon the
powers of Merin to accomplish the
prophecy of the One God.
 RAISING AN ARMY
During a game each player controls a company. Like a true The “Cost of a unit” table gives its value (in army points or
medieval army this company is composed of several smaller A.P.) depending on the number of fighters, its equipment op-
groups called banners. Banners are then divided again into tions and its potential special fighters.
units. During this preparatory phase, each player chooses his
units to build banners that conform to the strategies of the Unit composition
chosen people. These choices are written down on the com-
pany sheet (see Appendixes). • Category: Indicates the unit’s nature (and Rank). This in-
Once the player has chosen his units, he determines their formation is used to respect the order of the banner.
number of fighters and composition. A unit can only include • Numbers: Indicates the unit’s standard and maximum
one Incarnate. number of fighters.
24 The Incarnate with the highest Authority is the Com- • Equipment: This is included in the unit’s cost. With the
mander of the company. If there are several eligible Incarnates, exception of Incarnates, all of the unit’s fighters are equipped
THE ORDER OF THE TEMPLE

the player chooses the Commander among them. A company in this manner.
must include at least one Incarnate to lead it. • Special fighters: Indicates the nature of the special fi-
ghters that the unit may include. Each special fighter replaces
one of the unit’s standard fighters at the cost indicated in the
ORDER OF THE BANNERS table. The number of special fighters allowed per unit is indi-
cated in the “Cost of a unit” table.
Each army is built according to a precise hierarchy: the or-
der of the banners. “Cost of a unit” table
The order of the banners is presented as a list of five slots.
Each slot is optional, except for the one marked with a “!”, • Standard and maximum number of fighters: For
which is a compulsory slot. Each slot indicates the unit’s Ca- each kind of unit, a table gives the A.P. value of a unit inclu-
tegory (infantry , cavalry , creatures , war machines ding the standard number of fighters and the maximum num-
or titan ), along with their Rank in parenthesis. ber of fighters. This table also indicates the number of special
A banner is complete when all five slots are filled. Each slot fighters allowed.
can only be filled once per banner. • Extra fighter: This value indicates the cost in A.P. for
A company can include an unlimited number of banners. each fighter that may be added to the standard unit.
A new banner can only be created if the previous ones have
been completed.

• Infantry unit ( )!
• Infantry unit ( / )
• Infantry unit ( / )
• Cavalry unit or War machine unit ( / /
)/
• War machine unit or Titan unit /

!: Priority slot. This needs to be filled first.

UNITS
In this section the Order of the Temple units are reviewed.
Each unit is described under its designation. A few paragraphs
then present its story, its tactical deployment and the techni-
cal information needed to play the unit.
The composition of a unit gives its potential number of fi-
ghters, from standard to maximum, as well as the number of
special fighters available.
THE ARMY OF THE TEMPLE half of his plan came together, yet it was enough to satisfy
him. Proteüs does not seek power; he only wants Akkylannie
Templars are gathered in companies under the totem of to be the land of virtue it was always supposed to be. Almost
the Griffin. They serve one of the most powerful nations of supernaturally good, he shines with inner light. Righteous
Aarklash. They have sent troops to the four corners of the con- and fair, he has an excellent reputation even with King Gor-
tinent and established several protectorates. Some claim that gyn of Alahan. Th is explains why he was not charged with
Lahn never sets on the Empire of Akkylannie. And everywhere treason. The new leaders left him in charge of the Temple.
Akkylannians live the templars are there to protect them! He kept his title and the symbol of his office: a shield bearing
a glowing red cross.

RAISING AN ARMY
organization
The Order of the Temple entertains relatively cordial rela-
Just like the imperial administration and the imperial tions with the imperial army. The trust once shared between
army, the army of the Order of the Temple is one of the best Proteüs and Octavius IX smoothes out the few issues that
organized institutions on Aarklash. Staunch faith and iron arise, and the good will of Cardinal Aerth, Prelate general of
discipline allow the units of the temple to move in complex the armies, takes care of the rest. The Temple never hesitates
combat formations and perform maneuvers impossible for to come to the rescue of imperial companies, and imperial
armies with less training. Finally, templars are all brothers, commanders never refuse to “lend” their conscripts to the
with no rank and no hierarchy – except for the comman- templars. The relations between the Order of the Temple
ders. Leadership is awarded to the most deserving, without and the Inquisition are unfortunately quite the opposite. The
25
any consideration of social origins. The rule of the Temple is schism that split these two institutions is as sore as ever. The
the templars’ body of laws and is based on values dear to the veiled struggle sometimes gets out of hand and ends in ar-
order: merit, honor and brotherhood. med confl ict; the commanders of both sides are only waiting
Founded by Karl, one of the fi rst companions of Arcavius, for a good excuse to take it out on their eternal rivals.
the Order of the Temple was originally called the “Chair of
Foreign Affairs”. From very early on, the Akkylannians un- The cardinal temples
dertook the task of spreading their faith beyond their territory
to save Creation. Th is is the main reason for the existence of The player can affi liate his company to one of the four fac-
this religious order of soldier pilgrims, who will travel across tions presented hereafter. He then pays the cost of the faction
Aarklash to share the holy word. The Order of the Temple is ability for each fighter in his company. The latter can include
also in charge of the protection of pilgrims on the roads of only fighters (troops and Incarnates) whose description in-
Aarklash. It is only much later that the Order of the Temple dicates that they are either part of this faction or part of no
became the keeper of the Treasure, when its knowledge of faction at all.
the routes and its martial feats made it the ideal candidate Unless mentioned otherwise, a company that is not affi lia-
for this office. However, Karl had also given the Temple a se- ted to any faction can use any profile.
cret mission, passed down from one supreme commander The description of each faction includes information descri-
to the next: keeping an eye on the Church and maintaining bing the universe of Aarklash, which also constitutes gaming
enough insight to protect Akkylannie, even against itself. indications:
Thus the Order of the Temple owes allegiance directly to
the Emperor and not the Pope. It is composed of four cardi- Master: Leader of the faction.
nal temples, one for every cardinal point, towards which it Favorite allies: Armies to which the faction may ally.
must spread the Akkylannian faith, and the fi fth Supreme
temple, which coordinates the whole. In the beginning, each Each description also includes an insert indicating the rules
temple was based in Akkylannie. However, with the expan- reserved to this faction.
sion of the Empire the temples migrated beyond the Empi- Advantage: A company of this faction benefits from the
re’s original borders. They formed protectorates all across advantage indicated here.
Aarklash. There are also many lodges, composed of smaller Disadvantage: A company of this faction suffers the di-
groups of brothers, which are outside the authority of the sadvantage indicated here.
cardinal temples and answer only to the Supreme temple. Order of the banners: A company of this faction must
According to rumors, the lodge of Hod is a secret service of respect this order of the banners.
the Temple.
Proteüs is the Supreme commander of the Order of the The gift of the griffin
Temple. Th is former Commander of the Temple of the South
was trusted by Emperor Octavius IX, which explains why The Griffin player places one of his cards in reserve before
Proteüs was reluctant to betray him to save Akkylannie from constituting the activation sequence. This reserve replaces the
the stakes. Proteüs organized the rebellion of Arkhos and one he is normally allowed.
Sered, and secretly guided Mirà, preparing her to become
the avatar of Merin and the Empress of Akkylannie. Only
 Once trained to fight,
Abel was sent to battle
in the desert of the Syha-
rhalna. His company was
to meet the Scorpion for
a particularly dangerous,
but crucial, battle. Abel
had no doubts about the
fact that his superiors had
sent him there to get rid of
him once and for all. He
was boiling with anger.
All along the journey to
get there, he swore to sur-
vive to serve Merin and
avenge himself.
26 In battle Abel’s company accomplished numerous feats of
arms. The troops of the Scorpion were slowly losing ground,
THE ORDER OF THE TEMPLE

and Abel took the conscripts accompanying him further

forward each time. He felt complete each time the warm
blood of his enemies gushed on his face. Letting this feeling
take hold of him, he hunted down the routing clones. The rest
of the company did not follow him and Abel’s unit found itself
isolated against hordes of clones. The unit was cut to pieces;
Abel and the survivors were captured.
Abel and his unlucky companions were transferred to a la-
boratory lost in the desert. In these underground tunnels of
stone and steel his men were subjected to gruesome experien-
ces mixing technology and mystical powers. Feeling remorse-
ful, haunted by the screams of pain that reached his cell, Abel
even contemplated death for himself. Desperate, he started
ABEL praying to Merin. It is then he found in his faith the strength
to survive.
“Under my command, everyone fights. Fail me and I’ll be Eventually it came his turn to be led to the depths of the
taking personal care of you.” laboratory. The clones tied him to a table and a Syhar Omni-
mancer walked in. When he felt the Dark mana around him,
Incarnation Abel was overwhelmed with the anger that had been simme-
ring within him for so long. His rage boosted his strength ten-
Abel is part of the legions of anonymous servants working fold: he broke free from his chains and leaped onto his jailers.
for the glory of Akkylannie. However, his devotion and his The clones died quickly at the hands of the young conscript.
ardor make him an unusual soldier, an example for all cons- Abel then turned to the terrified Omnimancer. Carefully and
cripts and a formidable fighter, merciless with the enemies of without mercy, he tied the Syhar to the table and tortured him
the Empire. using his own instruments.
Abel spent his childhood in a small village. His education
was strict: the priests taught him to respect Merin and the
necessity to fight the enemies of the One God. He also learned ABEL
how lucky the Akkylannians were to live in such a modern
empire.
Abel, convinced and ready to serve his god, was glad to join
the ranks of the imperial conscripts. More than anything else 10 5 7 5 3
he was willing to demonstrate his thanks for the quality of
Akkylannian life he benefited from.
But instead of the glorious battle he had imagined, Abel
realized that it was all exhausting training sessions and never- 2 5 5
ending sermons. Several times the young man was sanctioned
- - -
for his impetuosity. Soon his disappointment and frustration
gathered into cold anger.
 Once his anger was quenched, Abel left the experiment Abel now does everything he can to remain anonymous. All
room and freed his companions. When all the survivors of he ever wished to be was a simple servant of Merin like many
his unit were freed, he led them to the surface. The survivors others. However, his powers and anger make him stand out,
marched across the desert and finally reached their company’s and Abel sometimes accepts the responsibility of leadership
camp. in the name of Merin. The Emperor and the Pope may have
Back among his kind, Abel was celebrated as a hero by the changed, and the Temple and the Inquisition might still be
troops. But it did not take long before he was sanctioned by fighting; but the Empire of Akkylannie is still standing and
the officers: he had disobeyed strict orders and was held res- Abel will always be there to serve it. Anyone standing in his
ponsible for his unit being captured. His bravery and his mi- way better beware!

RAISING AN ARMY
raculous return were all that prevented him from being exe-
cuted. After a few weeks in a cell, he was returned to his unit Tactics
and sent back to fight.
Everything seemed to be back to the old ways, but Abel had Protected by his shield and his plate armor, Abel can stand
changed: in the fury of battle, he had become insensitive to firm against many enemy assaults. He is perfect for backing up
pain. Besides, he was regularly overwhelmed by terrifying fits a Rank 2 Commander, leading an assault or holding an objec-
of anger that rendered him able to hack even his toughest ene- tive. Abel earns the enemy very few Elixir points when he is
mies in two. Although he was no longer a leader, conscripts eliminated by an Incarnate, so he can easily be sacrificed. Af-
would follow him and obey him almost instinctively. He at- ter all, he likes to be on the frontline! Equipped with Chastise-
tributed these gifts to Merin and was reassured that the One ment, he increases the lifespan of his whole unit and makes
27
God approved of his conduct. From that moment on, Abel sure they will survive even the deadliest fights.
never hesitated to publicly object to his superiors’ orders whe-
never he believed them to be stupid. Each time he would end Unit formation
up in a cell, but it did not bother him since Merin was looking
over him. Abel can join any spearman unit. He doesn’t replace a
After his conscription ended, Abel chose to stay in the im- spearman, but is added to the fighters already there. His cost
perial army. His temperament and his torments drove him is added to that of the unit.
to dedicate his life to combat. He served the Empire on every Abel is not associated with any Griffin faction. Being a sol-
front, fighting at the four corners of Aarklash against almost dier of the imperial army, he may serve on any front, under
every people on the continent. Over the years, he lost some any banner. No matter who gives the orders, it is all about the
of his brothers in arms and saw others grow old and leave fighting!
the army. But curiously enough he never seemed to age. Not
trusting in officers, he decided to keep his strange gift to Recruiting the Incarnate
himself. Besides, his shaven head and his battle worn featu-
res made it difficult to appreciate how old he actually was. Abel: 160 A.P.
He used his fits of anger to get regularly transferred. No one Resurrection/Duel: 3 Elixir points.
ever spent enough time fighting with him to notice anything
unusual. Attributes
Th is supernatural power worried Abel, who sought deeper
and deeper refuge in his adoration of Merin and the fury of Abel has 1 point to purchase his artifacts.
battle. One day his company was issued orders to protect a Chastisement (1): When he is equipped with this artifact,
temple of pilgrims against hordes of orcs, Abel found a way Abel is a faithful of the cult of Merin with Fervor 4. He can
to merge both obsessions. Greatly outnumbered, the cons- call the “Divine healing” miracle just before the resolution of a
cripts and the templars were forced to fall back inside the Strength test taken against his unit: the unit gains the “Heal”
temple itself. Abel struck down an orc with such strength ability for the following test. The player can attempt to save
that his blade fi nally shattered. Disarmed, he sought a new one or more members of his unit just after they have suffered
weapon. His gaze fell upon the relic of the temple: a sword a Strength test. He must then say a short prayer, loudly and
once owned by a priest of Merin, possibly Arcavius himself. clearly, to Merin. He rolls one die for every damage point in-
Convinced he was the champion of the Igneous God, Abel flicted to the fighters in the unit. Each « 5 » or « 6 » cancels a
grabbed the sword and carried on fighting. The orcs were damage point.
about to win. The idea of seeing the temple desecrated and
the pilgrims massacred threw Abel into a state of anger he Feat: Aura of torment
had never experience before. He then began to feel divine
power flowing through him. The Akkylannians with him For 1 Elixir point, failures obtained on Abel’s Strength tests
saw in him a manifestation of the Igneous God. Their faith, can be re-rolled once more until the end of the round. This
channeled by the sword, allowed Abel to unleash the power feat can only be used once per round.
of Merin upon the orcs. After the battle, he kept the sword
and named it “Chastisement”.
 TEMPLE OF THE NORTH
Headquarters: Avagddu, south of Caer Laen. The templars who live there resemble their stronghold: dark
Master: Thurbard, templar commander. and unyielding. They fight against the demons, storming their
Common allies: the Kingdom of Alahan, the Republic of dens of evil like the wind and resisting with the resolution
Lanever and the Republic of Tir-Nâ-Bor. of stone. This does not mean they are bloodthirsty. On
the contrary, they are sincerely devoted to protecting
The mission of the Temple of the North is to the pilgrims and settlers; so much so that they are
convert and pacify the barbarian lands in the transfigured by the presence of priests and faith-
northern parts of Aarklash. The Temple is ful. However, the shadow of their ghastly
constantly fighting against the Devourers reputation hangs over them, notably be-
who have returned to regain control of cause of the commander’s black guard,
28 the cradle of their society, the forest honorable but terrifying fighters.
of Caer Laen. Life in the Temple The brothers of the North are
THE ORDRE OF THE TEMPLE

of the North is far from sweet: so savage they rush into battle
the Devourers show no mercy waving their swords above their
and neither does the climate. heads, ever ready to strike.
When it is not raining it is snowing; A commander of the North is not
and blasting winds blow all year round. the kind to avoid engaging the enemy, yet
Fortified watchtowers are scattered across he will need to be level headed and acknowl-
the protectorate, and frequent patrols keep edge that war can only be won at the cost of lives.
an eye on the borders. Regularly ambushed, He is bold and will not hesitate to send his units to
the templars have to fight everyday. Reassured by the strike at the heart of enemy companies. Galvanized by
presence of the Temple and emboldened by the absence faith, a unit of templars is worth two of any other and will
of indigenous inhabitants, more and more settlers move to never waver, no matter how isolated it is. Relying on the qual-
the protectorate, adding to the responsibilities weighing on ity of his men, the commander can organize daring strategies
Thurbard’s shoulders. and make sure the enemy is kept on his toes.

Kar-An-Tyr PLAYING THE TEMPLE OF THE NORTH

Only the order of the banners of the Temple of the North

benefit from the advantage and disadvantage below.
Dun Scaith Naël-Tarn
Kâ-In-Ar Temple of the North advantage: Once per round the
player may choose not to activate a unit whose card has
just been revealed. (The card revealed is considered as
having been played.) Instead, he activates a unit whose
card has already been played.

Temple of the North disadvantage: An activated unit

whose fighters do not have ranged weapons must attempt
to assault an enemy unit (even if they are obviously too far).

Order of the banners:

• Infantry unit ( / )!
• Infantry unit ( / )
• Cavalry unit or Infantry unit / ( / )
• War machine unit
• War machine unit or Titan unit /
Denda
Luishana Cartho ! Priority slot. It must always be picked first.
THURBARD
“Do what I tell you to and it’ll all be fine.”

Incarnation

TEMPLE OF THE NORTH

Commander Thurbard is an old soldier for whom war holds
no more surprises. He is fondly called “The Elder” by other
templars. Demanding with his men, he is merciless with his
enemies. This dark figure watches over the protectorate of the
North and serves the ideals of Light and the Empire without
ever wavering.
Thurbard was born in a small mining village in the Ak-
khylahn Mountains. There were no rules or laws there; the
chief of the village was simply the eldest man alive. So as he
was taught the ways of Merin, he imagined the Igneous God
as a benevolent father figure. After his conscription, he de- “the elder”. The dwarves of Tir-Nâ-Bor showed respect for the
cided to join those who seemed the most able to spread the commander’s rigor and discipline. This shared esteem was the
good word: the brothers of the Temple. mortar of a solid friendship between the Temple of the North
29
Having been brought up in some of the harshest conditions, and the Republic of Tir-Nâ-Bor.
the fervent and obedient Thurbard easily found his place in Then one day Mirà stole Hauteclaire, the sword entrusted
the Order. Nonetheless, he remained a loner who preferred to Thurbard to safeguard. As he returned to the Temple the
the simplicity of village life. Dark and merciless, he was sent commander was devastated: he feared for his daughter’s safety
to the protectorate of the North where only the toughest tem- and considered he had failed in his duties as a father and as
plars could survive. a templar. He went into isolation in the great tower and left
The long hours spent on watch did not bother him, and his the management of the fortress to his loyal lieutenants. A few
isolation protected him from the grief of losing his brothers in days later, he was informed that one of his temple’s compa-
battle. His calm in combat saved his unit on several occasions. nies had been encircled by Devourers. If nothing was done
His commander entrusted him with more and more responsi- these templars were as good as dead. It was only a matter of
bilities all the time, until he eventually made him his spiritual days. Something urged Thurbard to intervene. He rode out
son. This is how one day Thurbard found himself Commander for the battlefield with his black guard. His lieutenants tried
of the Temple of the North in his early twenties. to dissuade him in vain. Once he arrived on the battlefield,
The young commander could now enforce Merin’s author- the commander witnessed the templars being massacred. The
ity over the protectorate of Avagddu. However, he took no deep angst that had built inside him on the journey suddenly
pride or joy in it. Quickly he realized this was due to his isola- turned into cold and terrible anger. He led the first charge,
tion. He had never sought friendship, but whenever he saw the surrendering to the sacred fury of the templars. Confident in
younger templars enter the fortress, he longed to teach them his power and his legitimacy as a father, he backed away from
everything he knew. Yet he was aware that the distance he had no mêlée and stepped down in front of no enemy. He tended
establish was what guaranteed the quality of his work, and he the wounded and led the battle with patriarchal authority. His
was not willing to put that in jeopardy. incarnation filled him with renewed strength. He felt twenty
Following the advice of the chaplain of the fortress, he took years younger inside. Faced with such divine power, the De-
an orphan under his protection, the young Arkhos. He tried vourers fell back and the templars made their way back to the
to educate him to the best of his abilities. One day Thurbard fortress.
and Arkhos got separated during a Drune attack on a village Over the following year Thurbard came to accept the affec-
they were visiting. Thurbard believed he had died and was tion he owed to his brothers. However, he did his best to hide
overcome with incredible sorrow and shame. When the youth it under layers of roughness: the templars of the North are
was eventually found a few hours later, Thurbard swore never tough and it takes an iron grip to get them to obey.
to give up on those he was in charge of again. One day a message from Proteüs revealed that his daughter
When Arkhos became a man, Thurbard felt sadness creep was in good hands. Trusting the authority of the grand master,
up on him once again. He adopted a young girl called Mirà. Thurbard admitted that his daughter no longer needed him
To avoid the same problems he had with Arkhos, he forbade and returned to his duties.
her from any form of military education. This was in vain: no- Then came the rise of Shurat. Hordes of Devourers blitzed
tably because of Arkhos’ influence, Mirà developed a passion through the protectorate and nothing Thurbard did could stop
for war and combat. them. A stinging blow on Thurbard. To prevent such a disas-
Around the same time, Thurbard established his first for- ter from ever happening again, the commander besieged Caer
mal relations with the dwarves of Tir-Nâ-Bor. He appreciated Laern. Angered by the atrocities perpetrated by the Devour-
the fact that among them the oldest was naturally the leader, ers, the templars fought with twice as much ardor as usual and
 inflicted some dire losses on the disciples of the Beast. Protect- Recruiting the Incarnate
ing his protectorate with faultless rigor, Thurbard managed to
defend his borders against any further invasion. Thurbard:
Yet when the wolfen came knocking at his gates he thought 205 A.P. (Infantry),
his day had come. But he did not give up: using all his strate- 360 A.P. (Heavy cavalry)
gic skills, he managed to outmaneuver the wolfen and routed Resurrection/Duel:
them. The Elder remained the only commander whose for- 4 Elixir points(Infantry),
tress was not broken into during these difficult years. 7 Elixir points (Heavy cavalry).
Thurbard did not take part in the Battle of the Braziers. War fury: Failures on Hand
Having little interest in politics, he accepted the new em- to hand Attack tests have to
peror and the new pope, satisfied to see the Fire and the Eye of be re-rolled once more.
Merin active again. But above all, he was impressed by the Strategist: The fighter’s Au-
heroic feats of his children and by the divine grace that had thority oppositions are re-
been bestowed upon Mirà. solved rolling one bonus die.
Proud of his adopted children, attentive to his subordinates The player keeps the best.
and protégés, Thurbard rules over the protectorate of the
30 North like a good father. Stern but fair, he manages his fortress Attributes
with flawless rigor and authority. The commander knows that
THE ORDRE OF THE TEMPLE

these first years may have shaken Akkylannie, but the worst is Thurbard has 1 point to spend on artifacts.
still to come. He simply hopes that on the day he meets Merin,
one of his “children” will carry on his work… Seal of the Temple (1): Each templar commander has his own
seal, a symbol of his authority. It is used to authenticate letters and
Strategy orders, notably when a company needs to be raised. It allows him
to request the help of another commander of the Temple.
Thurbard is an excellent commander and a skilled fighter. When Thurbard has this artifact, his company can include a unit
It would be wise to keep him a little behind the front line, in whose Rank does not correspond to the order of the banners.
order to avoid losing such a tactical advantage in an unwanted
mêlée. However, if Thurbard’s troops are in danger, do not Seal of the patriarch (1): To thank him for the attach-
hesitate to send him forth and make the most of his excellent ment their commander has for them, the templars of the
hand to hand fighting skills. Usually Thurbard’s authority is North presented him with a special insignia as a testimony to
such that the activation sequence becomes a weapon for the their gratitude. The tacit pact this seal guarantees gives him
commander. It should be used to pick the fights that need to strange magical powers.
be fought and those that should be avoided. Thurbard is not When Thurbard’s unit wants to assault a unit already engaged
just a brute, he is also a strategist! by templars of the North, its Movement increases 5 points.

Unit formation Feat: Divine edict

Thurbard on foot can join any templar unit. Thurbard The player spends 1 Elixir point. Until the end of the round
mounted can join any redemption rider unit.He doesn’t re- Thurbard’s Courage tests and Authority oppositions, and
place a templar, or a rider but is added to the fighters already those of the fighters benefiting from his leadership, are re-
there. His cost is added to that of the unit. solved rolling another bonus die.

THURBARD THURBARD

10 5 7 5 5 15 5 7 7 5

2 5 5 3 5 6
- - - - - -
SEVERIAN Realizing his company was about to be torn to pieces, Seve-
rian crossed the battlefield to reach his commander and tried,
“You think you’re tough? Let me show you tough…” in vain, to help him pull himself together. Severian knocked
him out with a punch, raised the standard and took leadership
of the company.
Incarnation Following the victory, Severian was arrested and brought

TEMPLE OF THE NORTH

before the general staff of Kaïber. There he pleaded his cause
Severian is one of those ordinary men with an extraordi- with fervor. He spoke of courage, honor and virtue with a
nary destiny. He is the greatest proof that Light can shine in strange light shining in his eye. Before the end of his speech,
the heart of anyone and make them heroes. Severian certainly Severian had been incarnated, and the generals of Light were
doesn’t consider himself as such, he is only doing his duty, de- convinced of the rightfulness of his actions. He was immedi-
livering justice in the name of Merin. ately made a templar and presented with the sword and armor
Severian was born and lived most of his life in Denda-Car- of his new office. However, he chose to keep the broken sword
tho. Poor and wretched, he soon strayed from Merin as he of the templar commander, so that he would never forget his
involved himself in smuggling between Akkylannie and Ala- duty. The strength of his engagement was such that the sword
han. He soon became a figure of the lower city of Denda-Car- glowed for a second. All the onlookers saw in it a manifesta-
tho. Strong and loud-mouthed, he terrified the other rogues tion of Light. Guided by his ideals and letting go of his criminal
and would ridicule anyone representing any form of authority. life, Severian named his sword “Vigilante”. Pragmatic, he still
Yet he was disgusted by something inside him, but saw no way accepted the sword the Temple offered him and developed a
31
of escaping this vicious circle. Merin offered him salvation, flamboyant two weapon fighting style.
through the work of imperial magistrates. During his arrest
Severian lost an eye and his freedom. The sentence was severe:
he was to spend the next thirty years in a penitentiary.
In jail he became the leader of the prisoners and made him-
self as comfortable as he could in such circumstances. But
captivity was unbearable to him. When a templar offered him
the opportunity to join the legions of repentants, he accepted
immediately.
Along with other prisoners of Denda-Cartho, Severian
was shipped to the Syharhalna. In the city of Djaran he was
trained to wield weapons and taught to read from the Codex
of Merin. He soon imposed himself as an able leader and an
efficient soldier. Yet several times he attempted to run away,
injuring his templar guards. The rules of the Temple would
have seen him executed, but the need for able leaders and
quality fighters saved his neck.
Sent to the frontline, Severian fought the best he could, but
the Rag’narok wasn’t like a bar brawl. He witnessed the tem-
plars in action: courageous, fanatical and furious with anger.
The prowess of his jailers acted as a revelation for him. He un-
derstood that everything he had been told about Merin was
true: the powers he bestowed upon his faithful, the lawfulness
of the Empire’s mission, the imperious necessity to die for the
sake of one’s mission.
After that Severian never tried to escape again. He was still
headstrong and still bucked at authority and orders, but he
was now a loyal servant of Merin. He now understood that
Merin’s cause was not simply to spread the law and order of
the Empire of Akkylannie everywhere on Aarklash. It was
also about building a new and fair Creation where everyone
could live happily.
During a battle at Kaïber, the commander leading Severian’s
company was struggling to keep his wits against the hordes of
living dead. When the magicians of Acheron used Darkness to
terrify the templars, the commander’s morale collapsed. The
orders he issued were incoherent and he had obviously lost
the will to fight, to such a point that he broke his own sword.
 Strategy
Severian is an excellent fighter; his two weapons give him
greater striking power, and the powers of Vigilante are partic-
ularly efficient. Depending on the powers chosen during com-
pany building, Severian is almost always guaranteed to hit his
opponent or to inflict considerable damage. Either way, he is a
very dangerous fighter, especially against enemy regulars!

Unit formation
Severian can join any templar unit. He doesn’t replace a
templar, but is added to the fighters already there. His cost is
added to that of the unit.

After a few months, the charisma and stubbornness of Se- Recruiting the Incarnate
32 verian led him to be appointed templar commander. Unfor-
tunately, his qualities were only equaled by the amount of ir- Severian: 210 A.P.
THE ORDRE OF THE TEMPLE

ritation he caused his superiors, and he found himself regularly Resurrection/Duel: 4 Elixir points.
transferred from one Temple to the next. This is how he found War fury: Failures on Hand to hand Attack tests have to be
himself in the Temple of the South at the beginning of the re-rolled once more.
Dance of the Scorpion. He fought in the Ivory dunes and the
gorge of Mourners. While Razheem’s troops were rushing to Attributes
the west, Sered “volunteered” Severian to pursue the Scorpion
general. Severian knew he owed this honor as much to his skill Severian has 2 points to spend on artifacts and the powers
as to the size of his mouth. He readily accepted the responsibil- of Vigilante.
ity and led his company to rescue the dwarves of Tir-Nâ-Bor.
In Ogh-Hen-Kir, Severian fought both the molochs and the Vigilante/Arm of justice (1): Failures on Severian’s Hand
clones. He refused to hand the inhabitants of the city to the to hand Attack tests may be re-rolled once more.
Syhar alchemical beasts. However, defeat was unavoidable, Vigilante/Lex Talionis (1): Severian gains the “Counter
and he was eventually forced to abandon the city to warn the attack” ability: he gets one combat die for each failure ob-
Empire of Akkylannie. He led a desperate assault toward the tained by his enemy in the Hand to hand Attack test against
harbor where he managed to embark with his men. him. If he is not eliminated, he uses these dice once the
In Akkylannie, the templar found his country and home enemy’s attacks have been resolved, as if his unit had been
city devastated by Shurat’s Devourers. Mad with fury, he en- activated.
gaged the enemy as often as possible as his company made its Vigilante/Saint anger (1): Severian may use War Fury to
way toward Arcavia. He arrived in the capital just in time to re-roll failures on bonus dice.
witness the death of Octavius IX. He delivered his message to
Proteüs and returned to battle, participating in the battle to Feat: Moment of bravery
take back Denda-Cartho and in the landing at Ogh-Hen-Kir.
However, his anger did not abate. He still hadn’t found the The player spends 1 Elixir point when Severian takes a test.
Devourer who had sacked the city of his birth. While Ak- For this test, Severian’s Courage is added to the action value.
kylannian institutions were being reorganized, Severian asked
to be transferred to the Temple of the North, standing tall in
the face of Caer Laen. Since he had taken part in every battle
of the Dance of the Scorpion, Thurbard agreed to give him a SEVERIAN
second chance, though he warned him that no breach of his
authority would be tolerated. Severian accepted. He was there
to avenge his city.
Severian and his company now stationed in the Temple of 10 3 7 6 3
the North. They stand against the wolfen and the Devourers
everyday in the marshes south of Caer Maed. Severian’s anger
has eased slightly, but the outrages suffered by Akkylannie are
still fresh in his mind. His skills are such that Thurbard keeps 3 5 5
him in his ranks, despite the excesses he has already commit-
- - -
ted. As long as the wild whelp doesn’t try to knock the old
watchdog out...
 TEMPLE OF THE SOUTH
Headquarters: The Syharhalna. pride in serving the First Crusade and by the insult of the sack-

TEMPLE OF THE SOUTH

Master: Sered, templar commander. ing of Kylaë. The Temple of the South is also supported by the
Common allies: The Kingdom of Alahan, the Republic of treasure of the Temple of the South, which is continuously fed by
Lanever and the Republic of Tir-Nâ-Bor. the great Griffin navy sailing the seas of Aarklash and beyond.
Over the years, the templars of the South have developed
Originally located in Kylaë, the Temple of the South guerrilla techniques particularly suited to the war of at-
has quickly become a naval power on the Migol Sea. trition fought against the Syhars.
Thus, when the First crusade was organized, lo- To win a battle a commander of the Temple
gistics were left to the Temple of the South of the South will rely on speed and mo-
because of its seafaring experience and bility. He strikes from the reverse slope
countless resources. After capturing of the dunes and retreats there before
Djaran, the templars of the South es- the enemy gets a chance to reorga-
tablished their fortress and their nize. He harasses his opponent
33
protectorate among the Ivory with his scouts and fusiliers
dunes, facing the Empire of before calling a cavalry charge.
the Syharhalna. In reprisal, the He never gets bogged down
Syhars sacked Kylaë. This battle in mêlées and always keeps his
was one of the most shameful de- company on the move, to make sure
feats ever suffered by the Griffin. The he will be able to call a series of devas-
Temple of the South resisted heroically tating charges. And if this is not enough,
during the Dance of the Scorpion. It is as he will send in the heroes of the Temple of the
ready as ever to take the war beyond the South, famous across Aarklash: Sered and Kyrus.
Ivory dunes! Since the Dance of the Scorpion, these two cham-
The warriors of the Temple of the South are casting pions have become demi-gods to the templars of the
themselves body and soul into the battle against the Empire South, to a point where they cannot imagine themselves in
of the Syharhalna. Their determination is heightened by their battle without them fighting alongside.

PLAYING THE TEMPLE OF THE SOUTH

Only the order of the banners of the Temple of the South Ogh-Hen-Kir
benefits from the advantage and disadvantage below.
Danakil
Temple of the South advantage: Each of the compa- Kashem Tenseth
ny’s Incarnates gains 2 extra points to purchase artifacts,
rituals and communions.
Djaran

Temple of the South disadvantage: The company is Inuka

defeated if all of its Incarnates are eliminated. Ishmir

Order of the banners:

• Infantry unit ( / )!
• Infantry unit ( / )
• Cavalry unit or Infantry unit / ( / )
• Cavalry unit ( / )
• War machine unit or Titan unit /

! Priority slot. It must always be picked first.

 SERED
“You’re already dead, you just haven’t real-
ized yet…”

Incarnation
His steel-blue eyes gazing upon the sandy hori-
zon, Sered is a stranger among mortals. His faith
skills place him on the fringes of humanity. He is
the sole bearer of the burden of terrible revelations.
Custodian of the unyielding values of Akkylannie
and Light, Sered fights on the front line against
Darkness. He does’nt care about danger for he has
already foreseen his own death…
Sered was born in the desert of the Syharhalna,
34 near Kashem. He joined the brothers of the Tem-
ple of the South and undertook the harsh training
THE ORDRE OF THE TEMPLE

of the warriors of the order. From very early on he

demonstrated an exceptional amount of intelli-
gence and cunning.
Not long after his acceptance as a brother, he
returned to his village on patrol duty. He found
the place devastated, and, among the debris, he
found the entrance to a Hybrid laboratory. Below
ground level, Sered was forced to fight clones of
his own family. Anger took over him and, with
the assistance of his brothers from the temple, he
massacred the inhabitants of the complex. Drunk
on anger, he swore on the Codex of Merin that
he would not rest as long as there were still Sy-
har to kill. His fervor had reached such heights that when he of the Syharhalna. Despite his young age, he was already well
returned to the temple Sered was appointed chaplain. versed in military strategy. On top of that, his mystic powers
A few months later he was the sole survivor of a particularly had proven exceptional – even for an Akkylannian.
vicious battle against the Syhar. He wandered in the desert Over the following years Sered fought many battles against
for days before he eventually collapsed of exhaustion. He was the Syhar of Danakil, and more particularly against Sasia Sa-
saved by angels of Light who carried him through a portal. maris, the Desert Rose. From their very first encounter, both
In the Realm of the shining sun, Sered underwent a terrify- Incarnates felt tied to each other by a disturbing bond. Even
ing ritual. The angels forced him to drink potions of Light and when one of them had the upper hand on the other, he or she
relentlessly put his willpower to the test. The templar was in- never had the strength within them to deal the final blow. Yet
carnated and given the rare opportunity to witness the day of neither of them confessed it. Nonetheless, one day, the Desert
his death: he was to fall during a battle in the desert against Rose sent a gift to Sered: a clone of herself. The templar could
the Scorpion; he would be bearing the seal of the Temple of not accept such a present and entrusted the young woman to
the South and unleashing the ire of Merin against the minions the lodge of Hod.
of Darkness. When he awoke, Sered was aware of the future. Quite a while later, as he rode to the Temple of the East,
Without a word, the angels of Light carried him back to Aark- Sered had a vision of Akkylannie’s burning anger and ruth-
lash. less intolerance working for Darkness. He arranged to meet
Sered made it back to the temple, in rags but clutching the Arkhos the following morning. He understood that the com-
Emblem of felicity. He was taken care of by Aerth who had mander intended to overthrow the Inquisition and chose to
come to make sure the defeat of the commandery did not jeop- become his accomplice. The same night he dreamt of a fire-
ardize the rest of the crusade. The prelate instinctively knew bird soaring above Arcavia.
Sered had survived a particularly powerful mystical experi- He triggered the plan devised by Arkhos, after he had used
ence. He arranged an interview between Sered and Proteüs, the conflict with Danakil to prepare his troops. This explains
who was Commander of the South at the time. Only months why he did not take the same degree of risk to defeat Danakil
later, Proteüs became Grand master of the Order of the Tem- as his predecessors: not only was the enterprise particularly
ple and nominated Sered to take his place: native of the desert, hazardous, but this lasting conflict allowed him to train his
the faithful ought to be the one to keep a keen eye on the sand troops safe from the eyes of any unwanted onlookers.
 Then came the Dance of the Scorpion, and Sered’s most ter- to fuel his communions.
rible battles. Swept away by a tidal wave of clones, the Temple Sered is a powerful
of the South held out as long as it possibly could. Several times fighter: the commander
the Commander fought the Desert Rose. He attempted nu- should have no scruples
merous times to break the siege in vain. The few messengers about sending him to the
who made it past the clone lines only returned with news of front line to smite the
further defeats. His men’s morale was at an all time low. But enemy with the power

TEMPLE OF THE SOUTH

Sered never lost hope. When Arkhos came marching from the of Merin. He is the ideal
North to break the siege, Sered wasn’t even surprised: he had mage hunter, since one of
already seen this future. his artifacts protects him
After the Dance of the Scorpion, Sered was summoned against mystic effects.
by Proteüs. He left with his best men for Arcavia. There he
fought the Battle of the Braziers and challenged the champion Unit formation
of the Inquisition, Echelius. Against the destructive fire of the
inquisitor, Sered used the light of his faith. Several times he Sered can join any templar unit. He doesn’t replace a tem-
sowed doubt in his opponent’s mind, but Echelius’s loyalty to plar, but is added to the fighters already there. His cost is added
the Inquisition was just too strong: he only backed away when to that of the unit.
Aerth’s conscripts eventually outflanked him. After the vic-
tory, Sered simply made sure law and order were still enforced Recruiting the Incarnate 35
in the city streets. He did not need to assist in the events tak-
ing place in the cathedral: he had already seen the outcome. Sered: 265 A.P.
After the Battle of the Braziers, Sered returned to protect Resurrection/Duel: 5 Elixir points.
the Temple of the South against the Syhar. His dreams show Strategist: The fighter’s Authority oppositions are resolved
him Akkylannie is shrouded in Darkness no more. He was rolling one bonus die. The player keeps the best.
aware that a page had been irrevocably turned in his country’s War fury: Failures on Hand to hand Attack tests have to be
history. However, he is worried by the fact that he is unable to re-rolled once more.
see the future as clearly as before, as if the latest events held
far too many possible futures. Even his death does not seem Attributes
as unavoidable anymore. Despites these doubts, Sered firmly
intends to honor his oath. As the devoted servant of Light and Sered has 1 point to spend on artifacts and communions.
the Griffin, he will fight against Darkness and the enemies Sered is a faithful of Merin who masters the Creation and
of his people until he falls. The weakening of his divinatory Destruction aspects.
powers ring like a warning: the fate of Aarklash is being deter- Emblem of felicity (1): Sered has kept the artifact given to
mined. Aware that the worst still lies ahead, Sered doubles his him by the angels of Light. It is sometimes possible to see hints
efforts in battle to turn every fight into a victory! of their silhouettes hovering above the commander. With this
artifact he gains the “Insensitive” ability: when a unit contain-
Strategy ing an Insensitive is targeted by a miracle, a spell, a commu-
nion or a ritual, the player chooses if it is affected or not.
Sered is an Incarnate who has several faces: he is a hand to Pillar of severity (1): Sered was presented the hammer
hand fighter, a commander and a faithful. To make the most of of Zelios by Aerth himself, who had found it near Luonercus.
all this potential, he needs a proper escort: his unit needs to be Thus equipped he must avenge the memory of Zelios, he who
as big as possible and powerful enough to sustain the efforts inspired the works of Dirz. Failures on Sered’s Hand to hand
Sered demands of them. This Incarnate also needs his men Strength tests may be re-rolled once more.
Seal of the Temple (1): Each templar commander has his
own seal, a symbol of his authority. It is used to authenticate
SERED letters and orders, notably when a company needs to be raised.
It allows him to request the help of another commander of the
Temple.
When Sered has this artifact, his company can include a unit
10 3 7 5 3 6 whose Rank does not correspond to the order of the banners.

Feat: Divine edict

2 5 7 The player spends 1 Elixir point. Until the end of the round
Sered’s Courage tests and Authority oppositions, and those of
- - -
the fighters benefiting from his leadership, are resolved rolling
another bonus die.
 KYRUS He hit the Drune enemies so hard he even broke his blade.
Without a second glance, he cast away the shattered sword
“Do not attempt to kill the messenger…” and sharply tugged a flail from an enemy’s hand. Swinging the
weapon high and low, he kept on fighting; smashing the heads
Incarnation of the enemies surrounding him. He felt possessed by a di-
vine trance, divine anger he attributed to Merin. Blinded by
Kyrus is an unusual templar with a shady character and in- his rage and unable to distinguish friend from foe, he struck
famous for his murderous fits of fury. His office as messenger whatever stepped within reach. Soon he found himself fight-
of the Temple seems tailor made for this loner. Yet one should ing on a pile of corpses, his body covered in gaping wounds. It
not believe that this templar relies on deception or cunning: was there, standing on the dead, that he was incarnated and
Kyrus is a warrior, who reveals his full potential in combat, some of his power soaked into the flail he was swinging. The
steeped in the pain of heretics! terrified Drune survivors fled. Unfortunately, Kyrus’ satisfac-
Easily angered since he was a child, time did nothing to tion was short lived: when he turned to his peers, he realized
help. It became a recurring problem in his life, a problem for he terrified them just as much. The shame overcame him so
his parents and for local conscripts: not only was Kyrus quick strongly that every ounce of strength left his body and Kyrus
tempered, he was also very strong. During his conscription, fell unconscious.
36 he proved to be an able but troublesome soldier. Faced with When he woke, he was tried by his brothers. He had won
such fits of fury and excessive zeal, his instructor came to the the battle almost single-handedly, but he had also killed those
THE ORDRE OF THE TEMPLE

conclusion that the only place for this troublemaker was in the who had fought by his side. A possible transfer to the Lodge
Order of the Temple. of Hod was even discussed, but Kyrus’ combat style did not fit
When he met the austere and confident templars, Kyrus with the subtlety and discretion required from the brothers
was so impressed he behaved exceptionally calmly. This con- of the Lodge. Kyrus was therefore appointed messenger of the
vinced the instructor of the imperial army that he had been Temple. The young man was to operate alone on the roads of
right and insisted that the templars should take Kyrus. And so Aarklash; where there was no risk of him hurting anyone he
Kyrus entered the order and began the painstaking training of didn’t intend to. Some even felt pity for those who would at-
the templar brothers. tempt to intercept him!
He did so gladly since his anger had found a legal way of Over the following months Kyrus carried out his missions
expressing itself. Among the templars, his bursts of fury with a great amount of zeal. He understood perfectly how
were perceived as a mark of fervor, which fulfilled Kyrus merciful the Order had been towards him. Over time the
and encouraged him to get involved
in the brotherhood of the Order. Thus
he was able to hold back his anger
and unleash it only in battle where it
was authorized. His fits of anger grew
only more violent. However, in his
everyday life Kyrus learned to master
himself and spoke less and less. This
worried his brothers in arms a little, but
the Temple did have its share of former
criminals and adventurers; Kyrus even-
tually found his place.
However, the fire burning in him had
not been extinguished; the embers were
still glowing brightly. During a particu-
larly violent battle in the protectorate
of the North, the templar let loose the
anger he had been holding inside all
these years. The Drune had breached
the Temple’s positions and Kyrus’ unit
was caught off guard. Moreover if his
unit fell, the fortifications of the Temple
would be invaded by a swarm of can-
nibals. The templar had to find within
himself the strength to drive back the
aggressors. He let years and years of
restrained anger burst free, eclipsing
the war fury of his brothers in arms.
shame he felt following his incarnation eased a little. With no his brothers in arms. He knows
templar eyes to judge him, Kyrus relieved the destructive fury how lenient the Order of the
within him a few times, finding a form of mystical fulfillment Temple has already been with
in slaughtering the enemies of the Temple. And as long as he him, and that another disas-
made it back to the Temple in one piece, the commanders of ter would not be excused this
the Temple did not care about the bodies left in Kyrus’ wake. time. Tormented and lonely,
When the Dance of the Scorpion began, Kyrus was Kyrus is still a valorous warrior

TEMPLE OF THE SOUTH

called upon many times by the Temple. During the fighting for the Temple, a hero
whole year of 1004, he maintained the communica- whose mere shadow sends a
tions between the Temple of the South and that of the chill down the spines of the en-
East, traveling through canyons no horse could traverse. emies of Akkylannie!
To protect him from Syhar scouts, the commanders
decided to integrate Kyrus into a company. Several times, the war Strategy
fury of the messenger caused the accidental death of brothers
in arms. However, the survivors never reported such events, Kyrus is a formidable fighter, the dream candidate to send
aware that without him they would have probably all died. out to hold an objective in storming winds. However, you
When the situation became worse for the Order of the should not be afraid of seeing his unit getting decimated, since
Temple, Kyrus took control of what was left of his company fights involving Kyrus are bound to end with losses on both
and led his men into the desert. From the relative safety of sides! To make the best of his qualities and defects, he must
37
the desert, he led fierce guerrilla operations against the Syhar. be engaged in the most desperate mêlées, sent to the foremost
He might have carried messages before, but now he was de- objectives. It is deep inside enemy lines that Kyrus performs
livering death. With his men, he survived by ambushing and best.
destroying Syhar supply caravans, taking no prisoners, leav-
ing no survivors. Until one day, he fell upon the rear guard of Unit formation
Claudia Nessalith’s retreating convoy, following her defeat at
the Temple of the East. Thus informed of Arkhos’ return, he Kyrus can join any templar unit. He doesn’t replace a tem-
offered to rally to him and helped put an end to the siege of the plar, but is added to the fighters already there. His cost is added
Temple of the South. to that of the unit.
After the Dance of the Scorpion and the Battle of the Bra-
ziers, Kyrus was left with no official posting. His case was Recruiting the Incarnate
considered by Arkhos, the last commander for whom he had
fought. The righteousness of the commander did not combine Kyrus: 195 A.P.
well with the messenger’s shady reputation. Kyrus did noth- Resurrection/Duel: 4 Elixir points.
ing to help: he could not stand Arkhos’ stuck-up tone and his Savage: Each or obtained on a Hand to hand Strength
moralizing speeches. test generates a bonus die.
Fortunately for Kyrus, Sered notified Arkhos that he was War fury: Failures on Hand to hand Attack tests have to be
lacking able men for reconnaissance missions in the Ivory re-rolled once more.
Dunes. So Kyrus was transferred to the Temple of the South
and issued the most dangerous missions. Attributes
Kyrus now knows that he no longer belongs to the Temple.
But he hasn’t yet found a better refuge for the raging fire burn- Kyrus has 1 point to spend on artifacts or one of the other
ing in him. So he unleashes it on his enemies, quenching his powers of the Fatal flail.
anger with their deaths and defeats, and does his best to spare
Fatal flail/Supreme anger (1): Once per activation Kyrus
can use the powers of the Fatal flail. All the fighters within 3
KYRIUS cm of Kyrus suffer a Strength test whose action value is equal
to Kyrus’ Strength.
Fatal flail/Blood thirst (1): Kyrus gains the Implacable abil-
ity: after performing an assault, if Kyrus is still in contact with
10 3 7 5 3 enemies he resolves a new combat. He no longer gets the bonus
for charging. This ability can only be used once per round.

Feat: Aura of torment

2 5 9
For one Elixir point, failures on Kyrus’ Strength tests can be
- - -
re-rolled once more until the end of the round. This feat can
only be used once per round.
 TEMPLE OF THE WEST
Headquarters: The city of Icquor. matter their origins. The fortress also breeds Barhan steeds in
Master: Tarkhyn, templar commander. its stables, much to the enjoyment of those riders transferred to
Common allies: The Kingdom of Alahan, the Republic of the West!
Lanever and the Republic of Tir-Nâ-Bor. The templars of the West have benefited from the mystic
teachings of the Barhan and have become talented magi-
After the first Battle of Kaïber and the rise of Scaë- cians. The amount of knowledge recorded by the cur-
lin in the forest of Ashinân, the Order of the Temple rent commander, Tarkhyn, has allowed them to
believed it was necessary to reinforce its military access the secrets of theurgy. Besides the latter
presence in the Kingdom of Alahan. The is also an accomplished strategist, capable
Temple of the West was chosen for this of understanding a battle thoroughly,
38 mission. A new fortress of the Temple even at the heart the fighting. Alas,
was built in the city of Icquor, with Tarkhyn sometimes gets caught up
THE ORDRE OF THE TEMPLE

the permission of the Barhans. in his strategic meditations and

The commander of the West his fondness of magic.
later moved his headquarters A commander of the West
there. This position allows Ak- has two weapons to win a battle:
kylannie to protect Alahan and strategy and magic. He will be sure
Lanever while remaining within reach to eliminate enemy mystics as quickly
of Ashinân and the Behemoth, two re- as possible to secure his magical suprem-
gions watched carefully by Light. As a result acy. Once this is done, he will cast a storm
of the treaties between Akkylannie and Alahan, of mana on his now defenseless opponents. He
relations between the local baron and the com- may have to keep his mystic units under close pro-
mander have always been cordial and they have always tection until the climax of the battle, where their final
watched each other’s back. The headquarters, built over a assault will be needed. But they may also be used to lure
former hospice, grants asylum to all those who request it, no enemy units into a deadly trap.

PLAYING THE TEMPLE OF THE WEST

Only the order of the banners of the Temple of the West

Laroq benefits from the advantage and disadvantage below.

Temple of the West advantage: During company buil-

Icquor ding the player may choose to change all his mystic figh-
ters into magicians. They have Energy 3. They can cast the
“Fire of Merin” spell. When their unit resolves a Strength
test, the magician spends 5 mana points to re-roll failures
once more.
Kallienne
Temple of the West disadvantage: The Gift of the
Acheron Griffin can only be used if the chosen card corresponds
to a unit that includes at least one magician.

Kaïber Order of the banners:

• Cavalry unit ( / / ) !
• Infantry unit ( / )
• Infantry unit ( )
Daneran • Infantry unit ( / )
• War machine unit or titan unit /

! Priority slot. It must always be picked first.

TARKHYN
“A battle is not won with weapons
but with the mind.”

Incarnation

TEMPLE OF THE WEST

Tarkhyn is a middle-aged commander.
Wise and sensible, he always plans things
out before he acts and only gets angry
when needed. His calm nature and his
interest in magic make him stand out
among other members of the Temple.
Nevertheless, all those who have met
him can testify to his valor and his at-
tachment to the ideals of Light.
Being the son of an Akkylannian am-
bassador and an elven lady, regulus of
Lanever, he was raised in Alahan as his
39
father was transferred there from Lanever
soon after Tarkhyn’s birth. He spent the
early years of his life at the King’s court in
Kallienne. Curious by nature, he would
explore areas of the palace he was not al-
lowed to visit. This is how he met another
young boy, Prince Gorgyn. The pair soon
became friends. They shared the same
idealism and a fierce will to fight for the
sake of Light.
When he reached adulthood, Tarkhyn
returned to Akkylannie to complete his
conscription. After the initial training
period, the young man was sent to join
the First crusade where he fought along
side the templars. Still young, Tarkhyn was impressed by the who welcomed the commander. Through the course of these
valor and the knowledge of these soldiers. He was also seduced interviews, Tarkhyn learned to appreciate the intelligence of
by the esoteric tradition of the Temple. After his conscription, the first lady of the kingdom. She was not insensitive herself to
he chose to join the Order. the wits of the commander. After several months, it was her
The young man endured the tough training of the Temple, Tarkhyn visited more than his old friend. Taking the opportu-
motivated by the religious lessons the newest recruits were nity of a stroll in the palace gardens, he confessed the feelings
given after military classes. He was remarkably intelligent, he had for her and became her lover for the following years.
and the templars did not hesitate to trust him with respon- Trys the Divine had all the qualities to make a man happy.
sibilities. After a few years, the Order of the Temple put him Tarkhyn was so fond of her it almost became an obsession.
in command of a lodge and, as he grew more mature, he was Yet something troubled him. With each encounter, as he em-
summoned by the grand master of the Temple. The com- braced her, he attempted to pierce the true personality of Trys.
mander of the West had just been called back to Merin only He asked trick questions, tried to catch her off guard acting
days before. Tarkhyn had good relations with the Barhans and oddly. He was playing a dangerous game since this affair could
the Cynwäll; he became the new commander of the Temple of have been considered a casus belli.
the West and traveled across half of the continent to Icquor. Eventually when one day he questioned her about her con-
When he was officially presented to the crown of Alahan, nections to a family of barons, the Montvert, Trys the divine
Tarkhyn reunited with his childhood friend. Gorgyn was now understood what Tarkhyn was after. She chose to give him the
the King of Alahan, and married to Trys the Divine. Now whole truth: she was a Chronicler – part of a group of highly
an unofficial ambassador, Tarkhyn discussed the Alliance trained mystics and historians – and despite her appreciation
of Light and the mystical implications of war with the king. of the ideals of Light, her responsibilities forced her to keep her
These conversations gave him the taste for magic. Although distances. Tarkhyn bombarded her with questions and Trys
he was unable to cast spells, he started studying the mystic answered every last one of them. All this occult knowledge
lores. Whenever Gorgyn was absent, it was Trys the Divine and the esoteric implications caught Tarkhyn’s imagination
 and caused his incarnation. The commander was gifted with the whole battle. It is only once endangered by enemies who
great intelligence. He put an end to his relations with the come too close that he should be used in mêlée. By alternating
queen, who sensibly accepted. He kept her status as a Chroni- magic and hand to hand fighting, Tarkhyn keeps surprising
cler a secret, as he was just as guilty as she was. his opponent and, finally, wins the battle!
Invested with this new awerness, Tarkhyn locked himself
up in his apartments and began studying. He did some dar- Unit formation
ing interdisciplinary studies of religions, paths of magic, cul-
tures… He became more and more involved in the learning of Tarkhyn can join any templar unit. He doesn’t replace a
magic and soon became able to use theurgy and hermetism. templar, but is added to the fighters already there. His cost is
He never seemed to be able to learn enough: he thoroughly added to that of the unit.
studied military history and fed his obsession for strategy but
was never satisfied. Recruiting the Incarnate
When the Rag’narok broke out, Tarkhyn put in place an effi-
cient surveillance system of the Barhan and Cynwäll borders. Tarkhyn: 250 A.P.
He taught magic to many brothers under his command. For Resurrection/Duel: 5 Elixir points.
Tarkhyn, war was like a game of chess. He had a large map Strategist: The fighter’s Authority oppositions are resolved
40 of the region pinned in his quarters, where he recorded the rolling one bonus die. The player keeps the best.
developments of the battles being fought. War fury: Failures on Hand to hand Attack tests have to be
THE ORDRE OF THE TEMPLE

During war councils, he would frighten his lieutenants with re-rolled once more.
his ability to mentally plan any possible scenario. But the deci-
sions of the “Wise” always proved to be pretty accurate. Attributes
When Acheron tightened the embrace of Darkness, Tarkhyn
took an active part in the defense of Alahan. It appeared he Tarkhyn has 1 point to spend on artifacts and rituals.
was able to anticipate more or less when and where the gates Tarkhyn is a magician of theurgy who masters the Elements
of Darkness would be opened. He even managed to take the of Fire and Light.
fighting into the magical realms several times.
When the threat of Darkness declined, Proteüs did not need Seal of the Temple (1): Each templar commander has his
to spell things out to Tarkhyn about the coup in preparation. own seal, a symbol of his authority. It is used to authenticate
Later Tarkhyn would pull a few strings with King Gorgyn to letters and orders, notably when a company needs to be raised.
make sure Alahan supported the new pope and the new em- It allows him to request the help of another commander of the
peror. Witnessing the obvious reorganization of Akkylannian Temple.
institutions, he chose to renovate the Temple of the West: When Tarkhyn has this artifact, his company can include
magic was to play a more prominent role in the coming battles a unit whose Rank does not correspond to the order of the
of the Rag’narok. banners.
He then found out that Melkion was seeking to tighten the
bonds between Alahan and Akkylannie. He asked him to Feat: Divine edict
join his temple, and the mystic moved to the commandery
of Icquor. The player spends 1 Elixir point. Until the end of the round
He is a man who almost never lived in the country for Tarkhyn’s Courage tests and Authority oppositions, and those
which he fights; the same country that is undergoing some of the fighters benefiting from his leadership, are resolved roll-
of the major changes in its history. And yet Tarkhyn remains ing another bonus die.
level headed and loyal. He knows that his presence in Icquor,
half way between Akkylannie and Lanever, has a major role
to play in the alliance of Light. The reputation of Akkylan-
nie depends on his decisions; he must prove irreproachable.
Therefore he supports the Cynwäll and the Barhans whenever TARKHYN
he can, while trying to keep in mind the larger picture of the
Rag’narok. Some great tests await him, and his mind will be
his best weapon…
10 5 7 5 3 5
Strategy
To the formidable fighting skills common to every com-
mander of the Temple, Tarkhyn adds the potential to cast 2 5 5
spells. All at once warrior and magician, he must make the
- - -
most of both depending on the situation. His rituals are chiefly
used to strike the enemy from range or to change the course of
MELKION During his long years spent studying, Melkion didn’t learn
to master just Fire. Since this Element is closely linked to the
“Stray from the warmth of Light and you will burn in nature of Merin and his angels, he furthered his religious
Fire.” studies. He gained the conviction that magic and divination
were intricately connected.
Incarnation Then came the time for Melkion to serve the Church to which
he already owed so much. He joined the Inquisition, in order to use

TEMPLE OF THE WEST

Melkion the Flamboyant is a powerful magician and a sage his mystic knowledge to serve the cause of the Empire. He traveled
versed in the mystic secrets of Creation. Guardian of a sacred to Alahan and studied the secrets of Light; he even became able to
phoenix, he is a keen defender of the ideals of Akkylannie and summon its power and learned to cast spells of hermetism.
Light. He doesn’t merely study spellbooks; he also goes to bat- Finally ready, Melkion returned to fight against Darkness. How-
tle armed with the spells he has learned over his life. ever, his mastery of Light had come with a new understanding of
Creation, Aarklash and the Empire. Having soaked himself in the
From the very beginning of his conscription, Melkion was ideals of the Luminous principle, he realized the brutality of the
interested in magic, intrigued by the teaching of Merin. He Inquisition and understood how deeply perverted it was. He knew
joined a religious university. Soon he showed particular affini- he would need the guidance of some higher spiritual being. He
ties with Fire, as well as a certain interest for the purification researched in the holy scriptures and the spellbooks of theurgy
of Creation and the battles awaiting the Empire across Aark- and came to the conclusion that he ought to find a sacred phoenix,
lash. So he became a magician of theurgy. similar to the one that had guided Arcavius centuries ago.
41
Melkion departed for the archipelago of the Fangs
of Fire. There he discovered a portal to a Realm of
Fire. Melkion was aware of the danger, but, believ-
ing he had no other choice, he stepped through the
threshold in the name of the Empire and Light.
Once in the magic Realm, he overcame many perils:
flaming comets, magic volcanoes, igneous creatures.
He eventually met friendly creatures who agreed to
direct him to where he could find a phoenix. Mel-
kion followed his route. He eventually found the
firebird’s nest, but it was being attacked by Ophid-
ians. The phoenix appeared seriously wounded.
Melkion threw himself into the battle. After
several minutes of intense spell casting and expert
sword fighting, the exhausted Melkion had to dig
deep into his knowledge and convictions to keep his
sword level. On the brink of death, he saw the fire-
bird soar into the burning heavens of the magical
Realm. He suddenly realized that the flaming halo
surrounding the sacred bird held the secret link be-
tween Fire and Light, between faith and mana. As
he discovered he was able to decipher these mys-
tic truths, he was incarnated and, with renewed
strength, he drove back his enemies. Once they had
fled, the phoenix came to rest on his shoulder; and
from that day it has never left Melkion.
Back on Aarklash, Melkion requested to be al-
lowed to retire from the Inquisition, and he settled
in the Fangs of Fire. There he studied the inter-
actions between magic and divination. He also
strengthened the bond he shared with the phoenix.
He understood that their meeting had not been en-
tirely coincidental: he had been chosen by Merin
and the phoenix had been the messenger.
Melkion eventually returned to fight Darkness
one more time. Known as the guardian of a sacred
phoenix, he was gladly welcomed by all Akkylan-
nian companies. He found himself fighting at the
 four corners of Aarklash, protecting the Empire of Akkylan- once the enemy has come too close. A unit including Melkion
nie and enforcing the principles of the Alliance of Light. Yet he is therefore ideally placed near fusiliers. From there, Melkion
felt powerless against the brutality of the Inquisition and was can use his spells while providing relative protection to the
ashamed to see the Empire stray from the benevolence of Light. fusiliers.
His despair reached its sorest point during the Internal Crusade.
Not only was Melkion unable to do anything to stop Shurat’s ad- Unit formation
vance, but the death of Octavius IX shook him terribly: follow-
ing his sacrifice, a giant phoenix rose into the skies of Arcavia Melkion can join any infantry unit. He doesn’t replace a
from where the Emperor stood. At the same moment Melkion’s fighter, but is added to the fighters already there. His cost is
bird was struck with terrible faintness. added to that of the unit.
Over the following months, Melkion did everything he
could to heal his phoenix and to be helpful to Akkylannians Recruiting the Incarnate
across the land. Eventually, the sacred bird shared with him
a vision of two men lost in a great city. Melkion recognized Melkion: 235 A.P.
Arcavia; he immediately made for the capital city. He got there Resurrection/Duel: 5 Elixir points.
only hours before Arkhos and Sered. Amidst the fighting, he Focus: Each time a magician with Focus performs an En-
42 found one of the men of his vision, Antoninus, and understood ergy test he rolls an additional number of dice equal to his
that this man had the Eye of Merin. Melkion encouraged the Energy value. These are not bonus dice, so they can be re-
THE ORDRE OF THE TEMPLE

young man to use it. Thus, they were able to locate Demetrius, rolled.
the bearer of the Fire of Merin. Surrounded by the inferno and
fighting of the Battle of the Braziers, Melkion did his best to Attributes
teach these men everything they needed to know to take up
their office. He then had them escorted to the cathedral of Ar- Melkion has 2 points to spend on artifacts and rituals.
cavius. His phoenix seemed to have recovered its strength and Melkion is a magician of theurgy who masters the Elements
the magician trusted the heroes who held the great temple. of Fire and Light.
Melkion retired to allow his phoenix to heal completely. He Sacred phoenix/mystic power (1): Melkion shares a
observed from the safety of his retirement all the changes that symbiotic relationship with his sacred phoenix. Essentially
were happening in Akkylannie and he was glad to have played magical, this elemental creature shares its mystic power with
his part. Once the phoenix had fully recovered, Melkion re- the magician. With this artifact, Melkion gains one value 3
turned once again to the capital and was allowed a hearing ritual.
with the emperor and the pope. He had a long interview with Sacred phoenix/mystic fervor (1): Just as when they first
both. Faithful to his ideals he convinced them to tighten the met, Melkion can read in the flames of the pheonix the secrets
ties with the other peoples of Light. connecting magic and divination. When equipped with this
As he left Arcavia, Melkion decided to do his part. He left for artifact, Melkion can cancel miracles with mana points.
Alahan hoping to find an official posting in direct contact with
Barhan institutions. After several weeks, he was contacted by Feat: Divine edict
Tarkhyn, who sought to increase the extent of mystic arts in
the Temple of the West’s strategies. Aware of the connections The player spends 1 Elixir point. Until the end of the round
the commander shared with the crown of Alahan, Melkion Melkion’s Courage tests and Authority oppositions, and those
accepted and took residence in the fortress of Icquor. of the fighters benefiting from his leadership, are resolved roll-
After having been through so much, Melkion is convinced ing another bonus die.
that the Akkylannians need to take their place among the al-
lies of the Ways of Light. He knows the latter are bound to
understand the teachings of Merin someday and on that day
they will all rally the One God. Proud to have participated to
the rebirth of Akkylannie, he is now more determined than MELKION
ever to fight its enemies . He still needs to find his place in the
Temple, but he has no doubt that he will be accepted some-
time, since all Akkylannians are united by their shared faith.
10 3 7 5 3 5
Strategy
Melkion is an outstanding magician with solid fighting
skills thanks to his equipment. However, it would be a shame 2 5 7
to bog him down in endless mêlées. He is far more efficient
- - -
away from the fighting, somewhere he can demonstrate the
power of Fire and Light. His fighting skill should only be used
 TEMPLE OF THE EAST
Headquarters: Bran-Ô-Kor. the hands of the enemy. Deeply shaken by the Dance of the
Master: Arkhos, templar commander. Scorpion and by the Battle of the Braziers, they find renewed

TEMPLE OF THE EAST

Common allies: The Kingdom of Alahan, the Republic strength in the bright new face of Akkylannie today. The
of Tir-Nâ-Bor and the Tribe of the Tree-spirit. feeling is spreading: the orcs who chose to remain in the
region do not hesitate to join them whenever the Bran-
The mission of the Temple of the East is to pro- Ô-Kor is in danger. The templars appreciate their
tect pilgrims and the tomb of Arcavius, which valuable help, since the narrow canyons often
has finally been found. The protectorate of prevent the Temple of the East from deploy-
the East spreads around the tomb, in the ing war machines units. Unfortunately
canyons of the Bran-Ô-Kor. This ter- the dwarves are hardly ever willing to
ritory welcomes so many pilgrims help the commander; they still hold
and believers that Commander a grudge against the orcs who re-
Arkhos is having a hard time fused to help them during the
43
guaranteeing the security of Dance of the Scorpion.
the whole population with A commander of the Tem-
the limited number of fight- ple of the East knows that his best
ers he has at his disposal. How- weapon is the heart and spirit of his
ever, the continuous flow of pilgrims men. He will deploy as many chaplains
allows the Temple to recruit ever more as possible and use divination to shock
soldiers to rebuild the ranks of the com- his opponent. For an extra element of sur-
mandery. The templars of the East are aware prise, he can count on the orcs’ assistance, prefer-
that their mission is of the utmost importance. ably a unit that has abilities to which the templars do
Their shared faith is heightened by the presence of not have access. However, the strategies of the Temple
Arcavius’ tomb. The brothers of the East are so close-knit of the East don’t rely on cunning alone: when the assault is
that they would rather die than leave one of their own in sounded, the templars are always ready!

PLAYING THE TEMPLE OF THE EAST

Only the order of the banners of the Temple of the East

benefits from the advantage and disadvantage below.

Advantage of the Temple of the East: When it is acti-

vated, a unit can transfer some or all of its faith points to
the other units of the company.

Disadvantage of the Temple of the East: A unit which

loses one or more members as a result of a disengagement Gerikan
is eliminated.

Order of the banners:

• Infantry unit ( )! Lor-An-Kor
• Infantry unit ( / )
• Infantry unit ( / ) Kal-Nam
• Infantry unit ( / )
• Cavalry unit or Titan unit ( )/

! Priority slot. It must always be picked first.

 ARKHOS
“Faith without virtue is but the ruins of the
soul”

Incarnation
Commander Arkhos is a brave and charismatic
warlord. He is convinced that his faith in Merin
will allow him to save Creation and lead all mor-
tals into a new golden age. In order to show him-
self worthy of his god, he needs to be irreproach-
able and virtuous. He is as demanding with his
men as he is with himself.
Arkhos never knew his parents; he was raised
in a religious orphanage. As a very young boy he
44 was adopted by Commander Thurbard, who was
seeking a spiritual son. Thurbard brought him
THE ORDRE OF THE TEMPLE

back to the Temple of the North and began train-

ing him to become a Templar. Arkhos quietly at-
tended every lesson. He learned to appreciate the
discipline and moral uprightness of the rule of
the temple.
Studious and brave, Arkhos soon grew to be-
come a templar. In order to avoid the tempta-
tion of using his adoptive father’s influence, he
requested to be transferred to the Temple of the
East. There he served Akkylannie by fighting
against the pirates in the Fangs of Fire. He often
traveled back to visit his father and met Mirà, who
had also been adopted by Thurbard. He refused to
teach her to fight but told the captivated child all
about his battles and adventures. Arkhos sought
to give the young girl a perfect sense of ethics.
Arkhos’ principles were soon put to the test.
During an inspection of the penitentiary of the
Fangs of Fire, Arkhos was exasperated by the ar-
rogance shown by the inquisitors and disgusted by
the way inmates were treated. He never got the opportunity to ready to take blows for his men, ever faithful to his promises,
express his views: a flotilla of pirate longboats was approach- Arkhos quickly became the most popular commander in Ak-
ing the penitentiary. The battle was going badly for those de- kylannie. Yet he was unable to rest as long as he knew what the
fending the prison; the inquisitors decided to massacre the Inquisition was putting his country through.
prisoners, no matter if they were insurgents or not. Arkhos Arkhos found salvation when the Second Crusade was
stood in their way. He offered complete amnesty for prisoners declared. Proteüs explained to him how the discovery of the
that chose to join him. His speech was full of fervor and he ra- tomb of Arcavius would change the spiritual, and therefore
diated righteousness. It was there, standing in the prison yard, political, face of the Empire. Being one of the most famous
carried by his faith, that Arkhos was incarnated. Fascinated commanders, the templars would rise with Arkhos and fight
by the charisma of this new hero, the prisoners joined him en anyone standing in their way. Arkhos understood the mes-
masse as the irritated Inquisition looked on. Now reinforced, sage: the tomb of Arcavius could bring down the Inquisition.
the defenders of the penitentiary drove back the assailants. He left for the Bran-Ô-Kor full of hope and, indeed, the whole
Arkhos’ victory saved him from prosecution. However, since Order of the Temple set out with him.
that day, Arkhos and the Inquisition have hated each other Once in the Bran-Ô-Kor, Arkhos survived the hostile en-
fiercely. Arkhos met Proteüs and the two templars talked for vironment of the country, built a fortress and managed to
a long while. Arkhos’ morale righteousness and his scorn for become accepted by the orcs. After all, the orcs might have
the methods of the Inquisition impressed the grand master of been praying to the same god as him without knowing it. So
the Order. When the commander of the East retired, Arkhos he managed to earn the respect of the Sarkaï and Avangorok,
was appointed to replace him. Always on the frontline and whom he had fought before.
 Unfortunately, on the other hand, the search for the tomb line, it is not up to him to engage the enemy’s main forces. It
wasn’t making any progress. Arkhos was struggling against is wiser to keep him in support to rescue his templar brothers
the Inquisition, as it kept spying on him and working against when they are in danger.
him. His hatred for the Inquisition only grew. He decided to
prepare a coup to overthrow the Inquisition and hand back Unit formation
the emperor his legitimate powers. At the same time, he met
Commander Sered with whom he cooperated in the war Arkhos can join any templar unit. He doesn’t replace a
against the Syhar. This templar shared the same views as Ark- templar, but is added to the fighters already there. His cost is

TEMPLE OF THE EAST

hos. And so they joined forces to prepare their betrayal. added to that of the unit.
Around that time Mirà resurfaced in Arkhos’ life. She had
stolen Hauteclaire and fled from Thurbard. The commander Recruiting the Incarnate
tried in vain to convince his “sister” to hand herself in. He just
could not see himself delivering her to the Inquisition. Mirà Arkhos: 230 A.P.
never gave him the time to find a third solution: she left and Resurrection/Duel: 5 Elixir points.
set off alone into this hostile country. When Arkhos found her War fury: Failures on Hand to hand Attack tests have to be
in the canyons, half dead, she claimed to have found Arcavius’ re-rolled once more.
tomb. Arkhos chose to entrust her to Proteüs. He was left with Strategist: The fighter’s Authority oppositions are resolved
no news of his “sister” for a while, but he trusted the grand mas- rolling one bonus die. The player keeps the best.
ter. When Saphon came knocking at the Temple of the East,
45
demanding Mirà be handed over to him, Arkos co-operated as Attributes
little as possible. He was relieved when the hero of the Inquisi-
tion was forced to leave without any further information. Arkhos has 1 point to spend on artifacts.
A few years later, Arkhos and Sered were ready. But the
Scorpion had begun to dance. Driven away from his temple by Seal of the Temple (1):
Razheem’s offensive, Arkhos was forced to ask for Avangorok’s Each templar commander
help. He then decided to visit Jackal’s Den, where the orcs has his own seal, a symbol of
where holding a ritual trial to find a new leader for themselves. his authority. It is used to au-
His goal had never been to win, but to demonstrate his valor thenticate letters and orders,
to the orcs. With the unexpected help of his sister, who had notably when a company
returned behind the mask of Misericord, Arkhos managed to needs to be raised. It allows
negotiate an alliance with the orcs. He was proud to discover him to request the help of
that the heroine celebrated by the templars under the name of another commander of the
Misericord was none other than his younger sister. With the Temple.
combined assistance of Mirà and the orcs, Arkhos won back When Arkhos has this
his temple, mustered his troops and pacified his protectorate. artifact, his company can
Arkhos had barely completed this task when Proteüs sum- include a unit whose Rank
moned him to Arcavia: the time had come to overthrow the does not correspond to the
Inquisition. Determined to bring the Empire back towards order of the banners.
Light, no matter what it cost, Arkhos fought with great ar-
dor during the Battle of the Braziers. He was glad to serve his Feat: Moment of bravery
country and to see his sister become Merin’s chosen one.
Arkhos is proud of being Akkylannian and a templar. De- The player spends 1 Elixir point when Arkhos takes a test.
fender of the faith of Merin and keeper of the virtues of Light, For this test, Arkhos’ Courage is added to the action value.
he fights with fervor, ready to give up his life for his ideals.
His courage and valor inspire his brother templars. Some Ak-
kylannians reproach him for his friendship with the orcs and ARKHOS
refuse to trust him. Yet he treats his brothers fairly, convinced
that one day they will come back towards the Light.

Strategy 10 3 7 6 3

Arkhos is a dream commander for a company of the Order

of the Temple. He comes with the ideal combination of pow-
erful hand to hand combat skills and the “Strategist” ability. 3 5 5
He remains human nonetheless. He will only be able to defeat
- - -
his most powerful enemies if his company has a decent Elixir
pool to support him. Although he should fight on the front-
 A few years later, Commander Thurbard vis-
ited the orphanage. He was immediately moved
by Mirà, without being able to point out why.
Though she was shy and remote, the young girl
had eyes that could burn the soul and a voice
that would make an agnostic believe. Thurbard
took Mirà with him to the Temple of the North
and began her maiden’s education.
However, Mirà railed at any attempt to
make her into a proper lady. Instead, she was
fascinated by the templars of the fortress and
the tales of their battles. Worried at first,
Thurbard eventually admitted that he had
adopted a second son; and allowed Mirà to
learn the art of fighting from the templars of
the North.
46 The young girl still attended all the religious
ceremonies every day; she even stood in for the
THE ORDRE OF THE TEMPLE

chaplain several times. Whenever her brother

came to visit her in the North, Mirà would lis-
ten to him for hours. She appreciated Arkhos’
sense of justice and his devotion to Merin. She
absorbed every detail of her older brother’s
tales: the battles fought in the name of Merin
and the ceremonies in Arcavia.
Mirà was already a young woman the
day Thurbard was summoned to escort the
sword of Arcavius from Arcavia to the Tem-
ple of the East, to help in the search for the
tomb. Longing to participate in a military
operation, Mirà convinced her father to let
her come along. The young woman traveled
in arms and armor alongside the brothers.
When the sword was handed to Thurbard,
a strange sensation took hold of Mirà. Dur-
MIRÀ ing the entire journey, each night she would hear voices and
shouts. The torment didn’t stop in daytime either, as the whis-
“Merin spoke to me; you need to believe me!” pering went on and on; the sword was calling her. Merin was
talking to her. She understood that the Empire was in danger
Incarnation and realized that she was the only one who could save it; but
this meant she had to get hold of the sword.
Mirà, who many know as Misericord, is one of the most Carried by a mystic trance, Mirà walked over to the chest
mysterious Akkylannian heroes. Devoted body and soul to holding the sword. She shoved the templars guarding it so
Merin and her people, her courage and faith allowed her to hard they fell unconscious. Even Thurbard didn’t have the
defeat Darkness on her own and change the face of the Em- strength to stop her. When Mirà grabbed the sword, she heard
pire. its name: Hauteclaire. Mirà was incarnated at that moment as
Mirà was born to a poverty stricken Akkylannian family. she took her destiny into her own hands along with the sword.
Immediately after her birth she was abandoned in front of a She projected a wave of fire that knocked all the templars to
church. Fostered by the nuns, she was raised with the utmost the ground. Shocked by her magical awakening and still ha-
respect for the Codex of Merin. Very early on she dedicated rassed by the voices, Mirà made for the canyons.
herself to prayer, seeking in faith the love she was never al- For several days, she wandered the canyons of Bran-Ô-Kor
lowed. She needed to find a meaning to a life which had started without knowing where to go. The voices had gone silent, but
off so badly. The priests sought a guardian who could exalt the the thirst and hunger made her hallucinate. Half conscious,
formidable fervor of this child. This caught the attention of she fought against orcs, monsters and finally against the man
Proteüs, who met the priests. They told him everything they sent after her by the Inquisition: Saphon. Exhausted and being
knew, and Proteüs took control of Mirà’s destiny, without the tracked down relentlessly, she was eventually forced to seek
child knowing it. refuge at the Temple of the East.
 There she had to convince her brother not to turn her in.
She tried to tell him what she had gone through but Arkhos MIRÀ
just could not believe her. After a few weeks, she had recov-
ered some of her health and felt ready to face Thurbard. Yet
she never got the chance to do it; during a patrol, she saw a
light burning down in the canyons, like a bush fire. The same 10 3 6 6 3 6
night, the voices were back.
This time, Mirà did not hesitate and left the temple. She tried

TEMPLE OF THE EAST

to find the burning canyon, but she got lost. She met a group
of orcs who affectionately took her in and introduced her to 2 5 7
their shaman. Mirà was given a ritual herb called shaker-ô-sar
- - -
to eat. When she left the orcs, she was no longer walking on
Aarklash but in the Country of the Long Sun.
In this magical Realm, she wandered in an exact replica of
the Bran-Ô-Kor. She fought a shadow of herself, the final rem- Unit formation
nant of her human self who still sought to live a normal life.
Then she found Arcavius’ tomb where she witnessed the final Mirà can join any templar unit. She doesn’t replace a tem-
moments of the prophet’s life and his assassination by Jen, the plar, but is added to the fighters already there. Her cost is
first pope of Akkylannie. Mirà understood where the danger added to that of the unit.
47
lied for the Empire: the threat came from the Church. This
realization triggered her second incarnation and her return to
Aarklash. Recruiting the Incarnate
Mirà was found lying unconscious in a canyon by Arkhos’
templars. When she awoke, she told her brother what she had Mirà: 245 A.P.
seen. The implications were such that the commander called Resurrection/Duel: 5 Elixir points.
upon Proteüs’ authority. The grand master of the Temple had War fury: Failures on Hand to hand Attack tests have to be
Mirà transported to Arcavia in utmost secrecy and ques- re-rolled once more.
tioned her. He believed her and congratulated her for finding
the prophet’s tomb. Since she was the bearer of the subversive
truth and the one who stole the sword of Arcavius, Mirà had
no other choice but to go into hiding with the lodge of Hod,
like so many other pariahs. It was there that she took on the
name of “Misericord”. During the time between the moment
when she witnessed the murder of Arcavius and her entry into
the lodge of Hod, Mirà fought many battles by her brother’s
side. The cause of the Temples appears more important then Attributes
ever, since only the Order can keep Akkylannie in the Light.
Deep inside she knows she is more than a warrior or a faith- Mirà has 2 points to spend on artifacts and communions.
ful. These visions make her the herald of Merin on Aarklash. Mirà is a faithful of the cult of Merin. She masters the as-
She takes no pride in it, just the awareness that the future of pects of Alteration and Destruction.
Creation lies on her shoulders! Hauteclaire/Divine design (1): Resurrecting Mirà costs
2 Elixir points.
Strategy Hauteclaire/Fire of Merin (1): Hauteclaire’s blade burns
bright. Failures on Mirà’s Hand to hand Strength tests may be
Mirà is a powerful hand re-rolled once more
to hand fighter. Her skills Hauteclaire/Justice of Fire (2): Hauteclaire triggers a
as a templar and her In- wave of magical flames. During her activation, once per round,
carnate status allow her to Mirà can inflict a Strength test whose action value is equal to
stand up to most units and her Fervor on all enemy fighters in contact with her unit.
fight creatures or enemy
Incarnates. In addition, she Feat: Divine edict
has access to the powers of
faith. This should not pre- The player spends 1 Elixir point. Until the end of the round
vent her from getting into Mirà gains the “Strategist” ability: the fighter’s Authority op-
a fight: with communions positions are resolved rolling one bonus die. The player keeps
that will help her in mêlée the best.
she will become invincible.
 FUSILIER
“Front row kneel! Front and second row level rifles! Third Fusiliers are highly trained professionals who demonstrate
and forth row reload! In the most glorious name of Merin, the almightiness of the Igneous God every day. They are
fire!” equipped with a powerful Akkylannian rifle, and that is all
– Military battlechant. they need. Their salvoes are so accurate, powerful and efficient
that they have no need for heavy armor or cumbersome mêlée
weapons.

STRATEGY
48 In battle, fusiliers weaken the enemy before he gets into
hand to hand combat and finish off those who try to flee from
INFANTRY

mêlées. A daring Commander will deploy them on the front-

line for maximum accuracy and use them as bait. However, it
is wiser to position them on high ground at the rear to get the
best possible lines of sight.

UNIT
COMPOSITION
Category: Infantry
(Rank 1).
Numbers: 8 to 12.
Equipment: Rifle.
Special fighters: None.

COST OF FUSILIER UNIT

Standard Maximum
Composition Extra fighter
number (1) number (2)
Standard 375 550 + 50
(1): 8 fusiliers. (2): 12 fusiliers.

FUSILIER

10 3 3 3

1 3 3
1 7 6
 SPEARMAN
“Hold that spear straight and the only way your enemy
will be able to get to you will be to run that spear through
SPEARMAN
his own body...”
– Thurbard’s advice to a spearman.

Most spearmen are conscripts who have chosen to serve

10 5 7 3

INFANTRY
Akkylannie after their conscription has finished. The others
are former criminals whom the Temple has offered a chance
to redeem themselves. The first receive extra training while
the latter can only rely on what they learned as outlaws. The
1 5 5
army hands these experienced fighters a new weapon, the
spear. Thanks to this weapon, spearmen cut down enemy - - -
ranks while keeping out of their reach.
49

STRATEGY
Using the reach of their weapons spearmen can keep dan-
gerous enemies at bay. They accompany elite units and support
them at the heart of the most terrible battles: lined up cor-
rectly the spearmen in the second row get to strike enemies at
the same time as the front rank. When deployed at their maxi-
mum number of fighters they can threaten even elite enemy
troops. Just what you would expect of professional soldiers!

UNIT COMPOSITION
Category: Infantry (Rank 1).
Numbers: 8 to 15.
Equipment: Heavy armor, spear, shield.
Special fighters: Cleric, musician and standard bearer.
Spear: A fighter with a spear can attack enemies he is in
contact with and those within 3 cm of him. SPECIAL FIGHTERS
Cleric (Faith 4): A cleric can call the “Divine healing”
miracle before a Strength test is taken against his unit. The
COST OF A SPEARMAN UNIT unit gains the “Heal” ability for the following Strength test:
Standard Maximum
the player can try to save one or several members of his unit
Composition Extra fighter just after they have suffered a Strength test. He must then say
number (1) number (2)
a short prayer, loudly and clearly, to Merin. He rolls one die for
Standard 400 750 + 50
every damage point inflicted to the fighters in the unit. Each
1 special or cancels a damage point. This miracle costs 5 faith
fighter
425 775 + 50
points.
2 special Musician: If the musician’s unit is in close formation, it can
fighters
450 800 + 50
use the “Tortoise formation!” tactic: the result required for At-
3 special tack tests taken against the unit is read one column to the left
fighters
475 825 + 50
on the resolution table.
(1): 8 spearmen including 0 to 1 standard bearer, 0 to 1 musician Standard bearer: All the fighters in the unit gain a 2 points
and 0 to 1 mystic fighter.
(2): 15 spearmen including 0 to 1 standard bearer, 0 to 1 musician
bonus on their Courage.
and 0 to 1 mystic fighter.
 DEMON HUNTER
“If they fulfill their mission, I’m happy. If they get slaugh-
tered, I’m still happy...”
DEMON HUNTER
– An anonymous templar.

The demon hunters are

agents of the Inquisition,
10 3 3 3
trained to track down crea-
tures from the Realms of
Darkness. They usually
travel across Aarklash look-
50 1 5 5
ing for these monsters.
The new emperor and new 1 3 4
INFANTRY

pope have decided that the

Temple and the Inquisition
should collaborate. Besides,
the Temple needs scouting ABILITIES
units to keep an eye on en-
emy movements and strike Scout: When the company begins the game in a deploy-
behind enemy lines. Demon ment zone, units composed entirely of fighters with the Scout
hunters are therefore deployed in Temple companies. Unfor- ability can be deployed anywhere on the battlefield as long as
tunately, old grudges are not that easy to forget, and co-opera- they are not in contact with the enemy.
tion is not always smooth...

STRATEGY
The strength of demon hunters is their ability to be deployed
anywhere on the battlefield. However, the Commander needs
to be careful not to get carried away: too far from their army to
be rescued and the demon hunters might be overwhelmed by
the enemy. This sacrifice might still be worth it as long as they
have already taken care of a remote and particularly trouble-
some foe: war machine, marksman unit, etc. Demon hunters
can also be deployed in the middle of the battlefield as bait
while they fall back shooting at their enemies.

UNIT COMPOSITION
Category: Infantry (Rank 2).
Numbers: 6.
Equipment: Sword and pistol.
Special fighters: None.

COST OF A DEMON HUNTER UNIT

Composition Standard number (1)
Standard 300
(1): 6 demon hunters.
 TEMPLAR
“Here at the Temple we are all brothers. We leave no one ABILITIES
behind.”
– Severian speaking to some younger brothers. War fury: Failures on Hand to hand Attack tests have to be
re-rolled once more.
Templars are Akkylan-
nians so fervent they have
SPECIAL FIGHTERS

INFANTRY
chosen to spread the word
of Merin across Aarklash.
Monks, pilgrims and sol- Chaplain (Faith 4): The chaplain can call an “Aveng-
diers, these men are aware ing arm of Merin” miracle before resolving a Hand to hand
that without justice faith is Strength test. The test benefits from the “Sacred weapon” ef-
nothing. In battle they burn fect: the result required for the unit’s Hand to hand Strength
with divine anger, leaving tests is read one column to the right on the resolution table.
51
no doubt about their fervor. This miracle costs 5 faith points.
Possessed with this fury and Musician: The musician’s unit can use the “Revenge!” tac-
well equipped, the templars tic: after performing an assault, the fighters still in contact
are formidable warriors. with enemies resolve a new combat. They no longer get the
bonus for charging. This ability can only be used once per
round.
STRATEGY Standard bearer: All the fighters in the unit gain a 2 points
bonus on their Courage.
The templars are shock troops, used to break the enemy
wherever he believes he is strong. A shrewd Commander
will keep them in reserve to strike in the right place. Once TEMPLAR
engaged, templars will only stop fighting once the enemy is
eliminated. They are particularly efficient against opponents
who are able to defend themselves but who have little protec-
tion. Although heavy armor is not that tough a nut to crack 10 5 7 3
for templars either!

UNIT COMPOSITION 1 5 5
Category: Infantry (Rank 2). - - -
Numbers: 6 to 9.
Equipment: Heavy armor, sword, shield.
Special fighters: Chaplain, musician and standard bearer.
COST OF A TEMPLAR UNIT
Standard Maximum
Composition Extra fighter
number (1) number (2)
Standard 300 450 + 50
1 special
fighter
325 475 + 50
2 special
fighters
350 500 + 50
3 special
fighters
375 525 + 50
(1): 6 templars including 0 to 1 standard bearer, 0 to 1 musician
and 0 to 1 mystic fighter.
(2): 9 templars including 0 to 1 standard bearer, 0 to 1 musician
and 0 to 1 mystic fighter.
 EXECUTIONER
“I am but a servant of Merin” ABILITIES
– An executioner about to fulfill his mission.
Assassin: +, and
Executioners are monks who lead a double life: scholars results are read as +
by day, assassins by night. Th is army corps, created by the for Hand to hand Strength
Empire, is the fi nal resort of Akkylannian diplomacy. All ex- tests.
ecutioners are orphans, trained from childhood by scholars
or repentant criminals connected to the Emperor. Each dig- Fierce: When the fighter
nitary of the Empire is accompanied by one of them, and loses his last health point,
when the need arises they join the templars in battle! he is not eliminated imme-
52 diately. He is only removed
from the battlefield at the end
STRATEGY
INFANTRY

of the phase.

As it may be guessed from their name, executioners are

there to eliminate the enemy’s most troublesome fighters.
Their priority targets are in descending order: the Com-
mander, Incarnates, enemy mystics. Although particularly
deadly, executioners cannot overcome large units. Their acti-
vation needs to be carefully planned in order to avoid getting
them into a tough spot.

UNIT COMPOSITION
Category: Infantry (Rank 3).
Numbers: 4.
Equipment: Light armor, two single handed weapons.
Special fighters: None.

EXECUTIONER

10 5 4 5

2 7 5
- - -

COST OF AN EXECUTIONER UNIT

Composition Standard number (1)
Standard 325
(1): 4 executioners.
 PRAETORIAN GUARD
“Through fire, through steel!” ABILITIES
– Motto of the praetorian guard.
Hyperian: The Courage tests of a unit including a Hyperian
fighter are automatically successful. In addition, the unit’s Courage
value is considered as a Fear value by frightening fighters.
Master strike: If at least one member of the unit does not

INFANTRY
move during its activation, the fighter adds his Attack to his
Strength on Hand to hand Strength tests.

SPECIAL FIGHTERS
Exorcist (Faith 6): The exorcist can call a “Mystic purge”
53
miracle on a unit engaged with his own: the player chooses
one of the targeted unit’s abilities, which is lost until the next
control phase. This miracle costs 5 faith points.
Musician: During company building, the unit can include
Praetorian guards are the greatest warriors of Akkylannie, se- any Incarnate. Besides it can use the “Guards!” tactic: once per
lected from every army corps. Few in number, they are assigned round the player can make one of the unit’s fighters to swap
to the protection of the Empire’s dignitaries: civil servants, places with the Incarnate.
priests or Temple commanders. Trained harder than any other, Standard bearer: All the fighters in the unit gain a 2 points
devoted body and soul to Merin and Light, they fight with al- bonus on their Courage.
most supernatural energy. Their conviction and courage are so
strong that they can manage feats of arms comparable to those
of Incarnates. PRAETORIAN GUARD

STRATEGY
10 3 9 5
On the battlefield, praetorian guards escort the Command-
er’s unit. If the battle turns bad, they engage the most dan-
gerous of the enemy’s units. If the battle is going as planned,
the Commander might send them to finish off the enemy. 1 5 9
In any case, the target of the praetorians ought to be picked
with care: these fighters are far too precious to be wasted in - - -
mêlées where spearmen would have done the trick. So most of
the time they will engage frightening or particularly resilient
fighters. COST OF A PRAETORIAN GUARD UNIT
Standard Maximum
Composition Extra fighter
number (1) number (2)
UNIT COMPOSITION Standard 300 550 + 85
Category: Infantry 1 special
fighter
325 575 + 85
(Rank 3).
Numbers: 4 to 7. 2 special
fighters
350 600 + 85
Equipment: Heavy armor,
two handed sword. 3 special
fighters
375 625 + 85
Special fighters: Exorcist,
musician and standard (1): 4 praetorian guards including 0 to 1 standard bearer, 0 to 1 musician
and 0 to 1 mystic fighter.
bearer. (2): 7 praetorian guards including 0 to 1 standard bearer, 0 to 1 musician
and 0 to 1 mystic fighter.
 REDEMPTION
RIDER
“Charge!”

Redemption riders are the heavy cavalry of the Order of the

Temple. These templars are carefully selected for their riding
skills. Armed and protected with the best steel available from
Akkylannian forges, they bring chastisement anywhere their
destriers carry them. When they charge, the earth shakes and
54 it is almost as if Merin rides with them!
CAVALRY

STRATEGY
Many Akkylannian generals send these elite riders out to
the front line after the fusiliers’ first salvo, to break enemy
morale. Their armor is so tough nothing seems to be able to
stop them. Others will keep them in reserve to strike when
the time is right. Redemption riders are the image of Merin’s
justice: glorious and merciless!

UNIT COMPOSITION
REDEMPTION RIDER
Category: Heavy cavalry (Rank 2).
Numbers: 3 to 5.
Equipment: Heavy armor, sword, cavalry lance, heater
shield. 15 5 7 5

Special fighters: Musician and standard bearer.

Lance: A fighter with a lance can attack enemies he is in
contact with and those within 3 cm of him.
2 5 6
- - -
ABILITIES
War fury: Failures on Hand to hand Attack tests have to be
re-rolled once more. COST OF REDEMPTION RIDER UNIT
Standard Maximum
Composition Extra fighter
number (1) number (2)
SPECIAL FIGHTERS Standard 525 875 + 175
1 special
Musician: If the musician’s unit is in close formation, it can fighter
550 900 + 175
use the “Trampling!” tactic: when it moves, the unit can ignore
2 special
one enemy unit with fewer members than its own. fighters
575 925 + 175
Standard bearer: All the fighters in the unit gain a 2 points
(1): 3 redemption riders including: 0 to 1 standard bearer
bonus on their Courage. and 0 to 1 musician.
(2): 5 redemption riders including: 0 to 1 standard bearer
and 0 to 1 musician.
 CANNON
“A cannon’s like a woman: treat her good, and you’ll live
happily. Neglect her and you’ll suffer a thousand horrible CANNON
deaths...”
– An anonymous gunner.

WAR MACHINE
Cannons are without doubt the best artillery pieces available 0 - 10 -
on Aarklash. Powerful, tough and accurate, they can destroy
almost anything man-made. Those in charge of such guns are
learned in arts and arithmetic: using such an engine of death
is more than science, some would say almost it is art... - - -
1 9 14
STRATEGY 55

A cannon is meant to be
placed as far away as pos-
sible from the fighting, on
CANNON (CREWMAN)
high ground when avail-
able. If the company has
the resources, it is better
10 3 6 3
to assign it an escort unit
since the cannon ought to
be the first target for enemy
scouts. Once the artillery is
secured, you will need to pick your targets carefully. The can- 1 3 3
non is so powerful it can hit any target on the battlefield, no 1 3 4
matter how far away it is. It is therefore wise to use it to either
eliminate fighters too far to be caught in hand to hand combat
or those too tough for the rest of the company to take care of.
UNIT COMPOSITION
SPECIAL RULES Category: War machine.
Numbers: 4.
• Movement: The cannon cannot be moved. The fighters
Standard equipment: Medium armor, cannon, pistol.
of the unit can still move around the machine – as long as
Special fighters: None.
their Movement allows them to.
• Engagement: The cannon does not represent a threat
in contact. It cannot engage enemies; but it can be en-
gaged by them. Any fighters who disengage from it are
ABILITIES
not eliminated.
Perforating shot: Perforating shots can eliminate more
• Shooting at the unit: The cannon doesn’t suffer any
enemies than there are shooters.
damage points from a ranged attack or mystical effect tar-
Fixed artillery: When the cannon is fired, the player rolls
geted at the unit as long as there is still a crewman in its
as many dice as the value indicated on the “Cannon” card mul-
unit. Excess damage points are ignored.
tiplied by the number of crewmen.
• Shooting at the war machine: It is possible to target
the cannon specifically with a ranged attack or a mystical
effect. Excess damage points are ignored by the crew.
• Crew: The cannon’s crewmen are fighters whose pro- COST OF A CANNON UNIT
file name is “Cannon”. Only these crewmen can use it to Composition Standard number (1)
attack from range. Standard 350
• Incarnates: Incarnates cannot join a cannon unit.
(1): 1 cannon + 3 crewmen
 GRIFFIN
“Disciplined, well equipped, the Akkylannians have cho-
sen a symbol to inspire them: the Griffin, the determina-
tion of the Lion and the vigilance of the bird of prey.”
– The Codex of Merin.

Griffi ns are fabulous creatures that live around the

Akhylahn mountain range. These majestic predators were
born from the symbiosis between emanations of elemental
Fire and local beasts. Despite their magical nature, they are
not immortal.
56 Griffins usually keep away from humans, but they never
hesitate to attack when their territory is under threat. Ak-
TITAN

kylannians are an exception however: ever since the mystic

encounter between Arcavius and a griffin, the people of Me-
rin and these noble creatures have lived in harmony.
Although griffins might not be considered intelligent in
a human sense, their keen instincts and magical perception
place them somewhere between animals and humans. TITANIC ABILITIES
Sweep: The player designates an enemy unit in contact
STRATEGY with the griffin. The fighters in the targeted unit each suffer
a Strength test whose action value is 6. The fighters closest to
Each griffi n is a precious ally of the Order of the Temple. the griffin are eliminated first.
Alone it is worth an entire unit and is well able to challenge Diving charge: The griffin performs an assault, which
enemy Incarnates. It can be used as a mobile fortification, is automatically considered a charge. The griffin gains the
as it stands like rock against enemy assaults. Its speed and “Charging Strength” ability: when the fighter charges he adds
endurance help it cross the battlefield to capture objectives his Attack to his Strength to resolve Hand to hand Strength
without fear of enemy retaliation. A bold Commander will tests.
use it as flying cavalry, striking wherever enemy forces need Roar: An enemy unit located within 15 cm of the griffin
to be broken. suffers a Courage test whose difficulty is equal to the griffin’s
Fear. If it fails the test, the unit is in Rout.

UNIT COMPOSITION
GRIFFIN
Category: Titan.
Numbers: 1.
Equipment: None.
Special fighters: None. 15 5 10 7

ABILITIES
4 7 10
Flight: When he moves, the fighter ignores obstacles and
miniatures. Units with Flight are always in scattered formation. - - -

Steadfast: When in combat against this fighter, enemies

never get the bonus for charging. COST OF A GRIFFIN UNIT
This ability has no effect against fighters with the “Brutal”
Composition Standard number (1)
ability.
Standard 550
(1): 1 griffin.
 THIRD PART

APPENDIXES

APPENDIXES
57
 TRAVEL JOURNAL
Despite its young age, the Empire of this prestige, and the warriors who are
Akkylannie has already gathered many entrusted with them would give up their
mystical treasures. Merin is generous lives rather than see them fall into enemy
with gifts and miracles and the faith hands. This is even truer for the two relics
animating the magicians allows them of the Temple: the Supreme armor of the
to formulate many spells. The artifacts, Griffin and the Codex of Arcavius.
spellbooks and litanies of Akkylannie The value of each artifact is indicated
are carefully stored in temples, churches in parentheses.
and garrisons. But when the time for Battle censer (1): The Power of the
battle comes, the Incarnates bring them Incarnate’s unit is always considered to
58 out for the glory of the One God! be greater than that of the assaulted unit
Artifacts, rituals and communions when it charges.
APPENDIXES

can be purchased by Incarnates during Codex of Merin (1): If it includes

company building. Each Incarnate a faithful, the Incarnate’s unit gains 5
has a number of points indicated extra faith points each round.
in his description. Rank 3 artifacts, Consecrated pistols (1): The
communions and rituals are unique; Incarnate’s shots benefit from the
they can only be given to one Incarnate “Sacred weapon” effect: when resolving
in the company. a Strength test the result required on
the test is read one column to the right
on the resolution table.
ARTIFACTS Cross of the Griffin (1): The Incar-
nate’s unit gains the “Bravery” ability:
“The codex in one hand, a sword in the failures on Courage tests are re-rolled
other.” once more.
– Motto of the chaplains of the Temple. Imperial seal (1): The Incarnate’s Au-
thority oppositions are resolved rolling
Artifacts are military and ceremonial one bonus die. The player keeps the best.
items invested with the faith of their Ashes of Kelgar (2): The use of the
owner. These items become sacred in the Ashes of Kelgar is announced once per
eyes of the Akkylannians and are the cen- round, during the Incarnate’s activa-
ter of a lot of attention. It is not uncom- tion. The Incarnate successfully casts a
mon for these artifacts to play a role in “Column of fire” ritual, even if he is not
religious ceremonies or to generate their a magician. No mana points are spent.
own cult. Even in combat they retain This ritual cannot be countered.

Blazing icon (2): The Incarnate’s

unit automatically succeeds its Courage
tests.
Scepter of submission (2): The In-
carnate’s Courage value becomes a Fear
value.
Codex of Arcavius (3): The Incar-
nate gains one value 1 communion, one
value 2 communion and one value 3
communion.
Supreme armor of the Griffin (3):
Strength tests taken against the Incar-
nate are always challenges .
SPELLBOOK Strategic awareness
“Will you bear the Light of my inner Path: Theurgy. Element: Light.
fire?” Value: 1. Mana : 5.
– Melkion. Difficulty: 5. Target: Incarnate.
Rituals are the work of monks devoted
Duration: Special.
body and soul to the understanding of
the Fire of Merin. This principle, both If the Incarnate’s Authority is used to
destructive and creative, is the ideal tool resolve the Authority opposition for the

TRAVEL JOURNAL
for the One God to destroy Creation and coming round, the player rolls bonus die
rebuild it anew. It is also the inner fire and keeps the best.
of faith that allows these men to over-
come their fear and share their courage. Wall of fl ames
The sages of the Temple also study Light,
since they are convinced that the work of Path: Theurgy. Element: Fire.
Merin has no other goal but the good for- Value: 1. Mana : 5.
tune of all mortals and, because of this, Difficulty: 5. Target: Special.
they are proud to be part of the Ways
Duration: Round. 59
of Light. No matter which element they
use, the templars rain mana down upon The player puts a spare card face
their enemies to defeat them! down on the battlefield somewhere the
However, mastery of the Elements is magician can see. It cannot be placed
not an end of its own for the scholars of on a unit. This card represents a wall of
the order. The understanding of magic flames. It cannot be crossed in any way
allows them to comprehend the esoteric and it blocks lines of sight.
reality of Creation. The magicians of the
Temple set out for the magical Realms, Will of Merin
where they meet fabulous creatures and
mighty opponents. And who knows, one Path: Theurgy. Element: Light.
day they may find Merin’s haven. Value: 1. Mana : 10.
Difficulty: 5. Target: Unit.
Burn of steel Duration: Round.

Path: Theurgy. Element: Fire. The targeted unit gains the “Bravery” Divine protection
Value: 1. Mana : 10. ability: failures on the unit’s Courage
Difficulty: 5. Target: Unit. tests are re-rolled once more. Path: Theurgy. Element: Light.
Duration: Round. Value: 2. Mana : 15.
Difficulty: 7. Target: Unit.
When a fighter in the targeted unit
Duration: Round.
rolls a Strength test, the result required
is read one column to the right on the The fighters in the targeted unit gain
resolution table. the “Sacred armor” equipment: the re-
sult required for Strength tests taken
Fireball against them is read one column to the
Cleansing fire left on the resolution table.
Path: Theurgy. Element: Fire.
Value: 1. Mana : 10. Path: Theurgy. Element: Fire. Pillar of fire
Difficulty: 5. Target: Unit. Value: 2. Mana : 15.
Duration: Instantaneous. Difficulty: 7. Target: Unit. Path: Theurgy. Element: Fire.
Duration: Instantaneous. Value: 2. Mana : 15.
The fighters in the targeted unit each Difficulty: 7. Target: Unit.
suffer a Strength test whose action value The fighters in the targeted unit suf-
Duration: Instantaneous.
is equal to 4. The fighters closest to the fer a Strength test whose action value
caster are eliminated first. is equal to 4. Any mystic effects being The fighters in the targeted unit each
applied to this unit are dispelled. The suffer a Strength test whose action value
fighters closest to the caster are elimi- is equal to 6. The fighters closest to the
nated first. caster are eliminated first.
 Divine light LITANIES Avenging arm of Merin

Path: Theurgy. Element: Light. “Merin is the creator, the purifier and Cult: Merin Aspect: Destruction
Value: 3. Mana : 20. the destroyer. Neither male nor female, Value: 1. Faith: 10.
Difficulty: 9. Target: Company. since He alone knows perfection.” Difficulty: 5. Target: Unit.
– Codex de Merin.
Duration: Round. Duration: Round.
All of the targeted company’s fighters The faith of the Templars is relent- The fighters in the targeted unit gain
become valiant. Any Courage tests they lessly exalted by the pilgrimages they the “Sacred weapon” equipment: the
are required to take are automatically undertake and the relics they are en- result required on this round’s Hand
successful. trusted with. Away from their home- to hand Strength tests is read one col-
land, they cherish their faith as their umn to the right on the resolution table.
Meteors most precious treasure. It is therefore
hardly surprising to fi nd large num- Divine hospice
Path: Theurgy. Element: Fire. bers of warrior monks in the Order of
Value: 3. Mana : 20. the Temple. Th is tendency is even en- Cult: Merin Aspect: Creation
60 couraged by commanders, who need
Difficulty: 9. Target: Unit. Value: 1. Faith: 10.
Merin’s miracles to defeat the enemy as Difficulty: 5. Cible : Unit.
Duration: Round.
APPENDIXES

well as convert the peoples they meet.

Duration: Round.
The fighters in the targeted unit suf- When they are too old to fight these
fer a Strength test whose action value is warrior monks go into retirement and The unit’s fighters gain the “Regen-
equal to 8. The survivors are grounded: study the Holy Scriptures in a scripto- eration” ability: the player rolls as many
when they are next activated they will rium. Thus, even away from the battle- dice as there are damage points inflicted
not be able to do anything other than field, they still serve their order and on the fighters capable of regenerating,
stand up. The fighters closest to the their god. just before removing the losses. Each
caster are eliminated first. or cancels a damage point

The most erudite among them are

approaching a secret at the heart of
the Rag’narok: the Igneous God is none
other than Conscience, one of the gods
born at the Dawn of Creation. Loyal to
its divine genitor, Conscience protects
Creation from the other gods, notably
Desire, and seeks to perfect the work
of Whole. It sees the destruction of the
current Creation as the ultimate resort
to rid itself of the gods who oppose it
and its vision of the designs of Whole.
Little by little, Conscience is slowly
imagining itself in Whole’s place. No
one can predict what it will do once it
has won the Rag’narok... or lost it.
Divine ire

Cult: Merin Aspect: Destruction

Value: 1. Faith: 10.
Difficulty: 5. Target: Unit.
Duration: Round.
The fighters in the targeted unit suffer
as many damage points as they inflict.

TRAVEL JOURNAL
The losses are removed by the player
whose company called this communion.

Revenge of the Temple

Cult: Merin Aspect: Destruction

Value: 1. Faith: 10.
Difficulty: 5. Target: Unit.
Duration: Round. 61
The fighters in the unit gain the
“Master strike” ability: if at least one of
its members has not moved during the
unit’s activation, the fighters add their
Attack to their Strength for this round’s
Hand to hand Strength tests.

Divine messenger Divine leadership

Cult: Merin Aspect: Alteration Cult: Merin Aspect: Alteration

Sentence of the Value: 2. Faith: 5. Value: 3. Faith: 10.
condemned Difficulty : 7. Target: Company. Difficulty: 5. Target: Unité.
Duration: Round. Duration: Round.
Cult: Merin Aspect: Alteration
Value: 1. Faith: 5. The player can redistribute the faith For the next round, the player’s cards
Difficulty: 5. Target: Unit. points among the faith pools of his units will not be included in the activation se-
containing faithful fighters. quence. He will activate the units in the
Duration: Round.
order he wishes.
The shots of the targeted unit are not Shield of Merin
affected by the interference rule. Merin’s blessing
Cult: Merin Aspect: Creation
Burning of the infidels Value: 2. Faith: 10. Cult: Merin Aspect: Creation
Difficulty: 7. Target: Unit. Value: 3. Faith: 15.
Cult: Merin Aspect: Destruction Duration: Round. Difficulty: 9. Target: Unit.
Value: 2. Faith: 10. Duration: Round.
Difficulty: 7. Target: Fighter. The fighters in the targeted unit gain the
“Insensitive” ability: when a unit contain- The result required for Strength tests
Duration: Instantaneous.
ing an Insensitive fighter is targeted by a taken against the unit is read as .
The targeted fighter suffers a Strength miracle, a spell, a communion or a ritual,
test whose action value is 10. the player chooses if it is affected or not.
 CADWALLON
Distinctive feature Man of letters (Passive)
Thanks to the invention of the print-
The distinctive features presented ing press, the character has had access
here are closely connected to the culture to many books, which has allowed him
of the Griffin of Light. They are reserved to learn a great deal about a variety of
to characters of this culture. They can subjects. He is considered as having at
be gained during character creation or least one level in the following fields of
through experience. knowledge:
• Administration (all);
Gift of the Griffin (passive) • Art (all);
62 The character was trained to endure • Culture (all);
the military discipline of the Temple. • History (all).
APPENDIXES

The player may put one die aside during Obligation: The character needs to
the declaration phase, when he is sup- have access to a library to help refresh
posed to split his dice into AP and RP. his memory.
At the end of this phase, he gets to place
the remaining die in either pool. Pilgrim (Passive)
Gift of the Griffin can only be chosen Over the many years of pilgrimage or
during character creation, by human military expeditions, the character has
Griffin of Light culture characters. traveled almost everywhere on Aark-
It is always a feat. lash. He is considered as having at least
The fervor of the templars has urged one level one in the following fields of
them to travel all over Aarklash. Their Imperial craftsman (Passive) knowledge:
steps have led some of them to the Free The character has learnt his trade in • Region (all);
City. Most of the exiled of the Griffin an Akkylannian forge. He gains a bo- • Cult (all);
who live in Cadwallon work for the em- nus die on Assemble/SLE tests when • Culture (all);
bassy or are stationed in Fort Griffin. he builds one of the following inven- • Language (all).
The others are stray sheep running from tions: Obligation: The character must hold
the Inquisition or simply trying to forget • Conscript armor, templar armor or an item connected to the knowledge he
the austerity of Merin. praetorian guard armor; wants to use, probably a souvenir of his
• Sword, spear, cavalry lance, mace; journey.
• Rifle or Griffin rifle;
CREATING A FREE • Pistol or Griffin pistol. Trades
Obligation: Any manpower involved
LEAGUER must be Akkylannian. The trades presented here are repre-
sentative of the culture of the Griffin of
This chapter presents new elements GRIFFIN OF LIGHT Light. They are reserved to characters
to create a character of the Temple. It PUGnacity + 1 coming from that culture. They can
doesn’t change the rules presented in the SLEight - be gained during character creation or
Players handbook for Cadwallon, unless through experience.
STYle -
it is mentioned otherwise. Some trades can be used to represent
OPPortunism - professions or typical troops of the Grif-
The Griffin of Light SUBtlety - fin of Light:
• The soldier (see Players handbook,
DIScipline + 1
The Griffin of Light is composed of the p.145) to create a praetorian guard;
Command/DIS
humans and dwarves who were molded Cultural ability Survive/OPP • The shooter (see Players handbook,
by the military and esoteric traditions of Slash/PUG p.145) to create a fusilier;
the Order of the Temple. The character Knowledge Cult (Merin) • The missionary (see Players hand-
was born or has lived with pilgrims or book, p.151) can also be a pilgrim
Distinctive feature Gift of the Griffi n
the Templars themselves before moving traveling across Aarklash.
to Cadwallon. Cultural contact CY, GR, LI, NA
Exploration trade: Interaction trade:
Messenger of the Temple Diplomat
To guarantee proper coordination The Temple doesn’t send just war-
and good circulation of information, riors beyond the borders of Akkylannie:
the Temple needs fast and trustworthy many well-read people bear the word of
messengers. These adventurers are fierce Merin throughout the continent. Hav-
fighters and when it comes to crossing ing mastered the art of negotiation and
borders unhurt, they are unrivalled. compromise, these diplomats sometimes
free themselves from the shackles of the

TRAVEL JOURNAL
Rank 1: Analyze/DIS, Survive/OPP, Akkylannian state and move to the Free
Slash/PUG, choose one knowledge. City.
Rank 2: Ride/STY, Look out/DIS,
Crook/OPP. Rank 1: Analyze/DIS, Crook/OPP,
Rank 3: Identify/SUB, Parry/STY. Identify/SUB, choose one knowledge.
Rank 4: Hide/OPP, Feint/SLE, Rank 2: Argue/SUB, Confound/DIS,
choose one knowledge. Feint/SLE.
Rank 5: Memorization. The charac- Rank 3: Cypher/SUB, choose one
ter is able to memorize a page-long mes- knowledge.
sage. Apart from the person who the Rank 4: Search/DIS, Barter/SUB,
63
message is supposed to be delivered to, choose one knowledge.
no-one can force him to reveal it, except Rank 5: Immunity. Instead of a
through mystical means. reaction, the player can cancel an action
Rank 6: Disguise/STY, choose one targeting his character. He must then
knowledge. spend as many dice from his RP has his
Equipment: Templar armor, pouch, opponent has spent for this action.
sword, rations (x 5), worn close, 25 duc- Rank 6: Conceal/OPP, choose one
ats and (3) shield. Confrontation trade: Templar knowledge.
Templars are the armed forces of the Equipment : Attires (x 2), purse,
Confrontation trade: Temple. Travelers, warriors and men of calligraphy utensils, 100 ducats and (3)
Executioner faith, the flame of fervor burns within safe-conduct (see Equipment below).
The much feared executioners are them. But when the flame goes out, these
legendary assassins. However, not all failed templars have no other choice but
are killing machines. The education to run in shame. Some of them make it to
they receive gives them enough free Cadwallon, in pursuit of a quest only they
will to take the decision to desert. These understand. Even those who have strayed
free leaguers are among the greatest from Merin cannot deny their training
defenders of Cadwallon. and the way they behave.

Rank 1: Intimidate/PUG, Hide/OPP, Rank 1: Charge/PUG, Endure/PUG,

Slash/PUG, choose one knowledge. Slash/PUG, Faction (Temple).
Rank 2: Dodge/OPP, Climb/SLE, Look Rank 2: Force/PUG, Intimidate/PUG,
out/DIS. Survive/OPP.
Rank 3: Poison/SUB, Stunt/SLE. Rank 3: Command/DIS, Cult (Me-
Rank 4: Feint/SLE, Hunt/OPP, choose rin).
one knowledge. Rank 4: Ride/STY, Parry/STY, choose
Rank 5: Execution. By spending one one knowledge.
die from his AP, the character may ig- Rank 5: Tortoise formation. The char-
nore the Protection of an enemy caught acter can benefit from the effect of a con-
off guard. frontation reaction of an adjacent ally,
Rank 6: Disguise/STY, Conceal/ and vice versa.
OPP. Rank 6: Argue/SUB, Strategy.
Equipment : Fine quality reinforced Équipement : Templar armor, pouch,
leather armor, sword (x2), mask, worn sword, rations (x 5), worn clothes, 25 duc-
clothes, 25 Ducats and (3) murderer’s ats and (3) codex of Merin (see Equip-
tear (x 5). ment below).
 INCANTATION DIVINATION Sentence of the
condemned
The following spells are part of the The following miracles are part of the
path of theurgy. They are usually only litanies of Merin, they are among those Fervor: 3
taught to Akkylannians. But in Cad- that still work in Cadwallon (see Players Difficulty: 5 (A)
wallon, one will always find someone handbook p.306). They are called by tem- Target: Character.
to teach them for the right amount of plars who have fled the Temple but not Range: 0
gold. forgotten Merin! Duration: 2 rounds.
When he performs a shot, the affected
Burn of steel Avenging arm of Merin character ignores any compulsory wa-
gers and any positive modifiers of his
Cost: 2 Fervor: 3 target’s DEFense.
Difficulty: 5 Difficulty: 5 (A)
Target: Object. Target: Character.
Range: 8 squares. Range: 0 EQUIPMENT
Duration: 2 rounds. Duration: 2 rounds.
64 When an attack is performed using The target’s weapon becomes sacred. Codex of Merin: The codex is
the object targeted, the Protection of For each Damage roll inflicted with the blessed by a priest of Merin. It gives one
APPENDIXES

the character attacked is reduced by sacred weapon, the worst die rolled is extra TF point to every faithful of Merin
(1 + wagers). added to the final result. on the gameboard per round.

Divine light Divine command Battle censer: The bearer’s DEFense

is increased 1 point.
Cost: 10 Fervor: 7
Difficulty: 9 Difficulty: 9 (A) Safe-conduct: Th is nominative
Target: 3 squares. Target: 3 squares. document certifies that the bearer is
Range: 0 Range: 0 a citizen of the Empire of Akkylannie.
Duration: 5 rounds. Duration: 5 rounds. It allows the owner to obtain the help
The player chooses which characters The player chooses which characters of the imperial authorities, notably
in the area of effect are affected. Those in the area of effect are affected. Dur- asylum at the embassy. It is only pro-
who benefit from the spell are insensi- ing the declaration phase, the affected vided to people who can prove their
tive to fear and are rallied if they were characters split their dice whenever citizenship. It is possible to obtain a
already frightened. they want. If several characters want to fake for 250 ducats. The sentence for
split their dice at the same time, use the those caught using a fake safe-conduct
Divine protection usual rules to break the tie. is death.

Cost: 5
Difficulty: 7 ARTICLE ORIGIN LEGALITY AVAILABILITY WEIGHT PRICE
Target: 3 squares. Pilgrim’s staff GR Yes 2 2 kg 2D
Range: 10 squares. Pouch (5 kg) GR Yes 4 - 1D
Duration: 5 rounds. Duster GR Yes 6 2 kg 10 D
The armor of the characters located
Walking shoes GR Yes 3 1 kg 5D
in the area of effect becomes sacred. For
Codex of Merin GR Yes 10 1 kg 50 D
each Damage roll inflicted on the bearer
of a sacred armor, the best die rolled is ig- Battle censer GR Yes 6 1 kg 25 D
nored before determining the final result. Safe conduct GR Special 10 - Special

A RTICLE PRO MOD SIZE ORIGIN LEGALITY AVAILABILITY WEIGHT PRICE

Conscript armor 6 -2 3 GR No 10 20 kg 250 D
Praetorian armor 7 -1 3 GR No 10 20 kg 500 D
Templar armor 6 -1 3 GR No 10 20 kg 200 D

ARTICLE POW FRE RANGE REL SIZE CONC ORIGIN LEGALITY AVAILABILITY Weight Price
Griffi n rifle 6 1 10/20/30 3 3 -2 GR No 8 2 kg 100 D
Griffi n pistol 6 1 4/6/8 3 2 0 GR Yes 8 5 kg 50 D