A traditional song of the Nomads and Freemen of the Western Badlands

Kharvil Vrayn is the name, and I rode on the Verdant Plain
Til all the war machines came and ruined all the grain
In the year of Widows' Cries, we were hungry, we were barely alive
I took the road to Yexyd that fell
It was a time I remember, oh so well

The night they burnt Free Yexed down
And the cinders were stingin'
The night they burnt Free Yexed down
And the refugees were singing'
They wept "Za, Za, Za..."

Back with my Woman in High Skree and one day she called to me
"Kharvil, quick, come see, there goes Warlord Arzhee"
Now I don't mind, I'm huntin Vrood
And I don't care if the silvers no good
Just take what you need and leave the rest
But they never should have taken the very best

The night they burnt Free Yexed down
And the cinders were stingin'
The night they burnt Free Yexed down
And the refugees were singing'
They wept "Za, Za, Za..."

Like my father before me, I will roam the land
And like my brother above me, who took a Freeman stand
He was eighteen, proud and brave, but the Autarch put him on a stake
I swear by the blood below my feet
You can't raise a Vrayn back up when he's in defeat

The night they burnt Free Yexed down
And the cinders were stingin'
The night they burnt Free Yexed down
And the refugees were singing'
They wept "Za, Za, Za..."

Tuesday Tyrant - Darath Ymph

Blame Jack Vance and Encounter Critical...

Roughly twenty years ago he emerged from the wastes of the Greater Glow, followed by his henchmen and soldiers, and began a campaign to bring the Western Badlands under his iron heel.

Darath Ymph, The Deranged Tyrant, a strategic and tactical genius of great vanity who is the de facto ruler of the Western Badlands and who aims to conquer the known civilized lands and make himself Autarch.

Darath Ymph, a tall Hyperborean of patrician aspect and possessing an impressive black mustache, clad either in his sinister black war harness or in foppish finery of lilac, mauve, lavender, teal, and similar hues. Darath Ymph, a master of fencing who has no qualms personally slaying those who have displeased him with the red energy blade of his Phasic foil.

Served by his Vizir, the lich Sorcerer Gelgethea, and his fanatically devoted army: the reanimated Skeletroopers; the psychic slime warriors in their black exo-suits; his elite Andorian battleguard; and many others eccentric and fierce of aspect.

His throne is Skullstone Skyisland, which hovers miles above the Glow Pit, his servitors flying out in gleaming chrome skull-shaped sky vessels to do his bidding and enforce his will over the Western Badlands.

Located deep in the bowels of Skullstone Skyisland is a labyrinthine complex of tunnels and chambers, known as "The Proving Pits of the Deranged Tyrant," where those who seek the favor of Darath Ymph prove their mettle with blade, spell or stealth. These Proving Pits are said to have several connections to the pan-dimensional meta-dungeon "The Black Ziggurat."

The Next Planet Algol Region "The Western Badlands"

Previously a "Weird Western" setting I used for 4th-edition D&D, the Western Badlands features more radioactive wastelands, more robots and more science fiction inspired content in general. As well as Sorcerers, Swordsmen, Demons, Treasure, Dungeons and et cetera. Influenced by Hiero's Journey, The Iron Council, The Dark Tower series and westerns in addition to the regular suspects. I have 151+ locations "roughed out" with a line or two of information, next order of business is a proper hexmap...