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Puppermaster
These wandering performers entertain crowds and confound their enemies with a customizable puppet known as an "automaton." Puppetmasters can also fall back on hand-to-hand fighting skills that utilize the flexible movements of their art.
Trolls
These massive beastmen make their homes around Mount Zhayolm. The Trolls originally inhabited the precipitous mountain ranges that lie in the center of the Aradjiah continent. However, through the generations, ranks of Trolls made use of their brawn and courage to join the Gigas from the north and the Mithra from the south in the mercenary trade. The Trolls' ancestors served as a mercenary unit in the Imperial Army, and were afterwards hired by the Moblins. The reasons for their move to Mount Zhayolm are debatable, but they were able to maintain autonomy over their mercenary lands (also known as Halvung Territory) by paying tribute to the Empire until the conflict for the Astral Candescence began. Thanks to the Moblins' generous technological offerings, the Troll mercenaries now possess equipment superior to that of the other Near Eastern beastmen, including naphtha-powered incendiary weapons and mass-produced cast metal helmets. According to rumor, the Trolls also undergo anatomy-enhancing surgical operations in order to survive in the harshest of environments. Their might and hostility towards Aht Urhgan make the Trolls the Imperial capital's greatest threat.
Cerberus
This unearthly three-headed beast prowls the tunnels of Halvung. According to legend, Cerberus is the watchdog that guards the gates of the underworld. It is said that any who manage to escape will be hunted until Cerberus sends them back to his shadowy realm. However, the Cerberus of Halvung was discovered buried in igneous rock during a construction project. The beast went on a rampage until the mercenary chief managed to tame him. Although Cerberus is faithful to his master, one of his heads is continually afflicted with a craving, which puts the beast in a constant foul mood. In his endless rage, Cerberus spews toxic flames without cease or concern for surroundings, resulting in many hapless tragedies. It is for this reason that even the menacing Troll mercenaries are said to cover their ears and shiver in fear when the jarring roar of Cerberus echoes through the tunnels.
Black Puddings
Also known as "flan," black pudding is one of the few varieties of natural wildlife left on Mount Zhayolm. Although their bodies are pliable and gelatinous, black puddings also possess large, sharp eyes used in searching out prey, and a flexible mouth filled with fangs. Despite their outward appearance, black puddings are also known for being highly intelligent, and reports of flan using extraordinarily powerful magic are not uncommon. However, they are unskilled in suppressing their emotions, and a flan's mood tends to have an enormous effect on its actions. Black puddings live in groups that seem to be connected in some inexplicable manner...or so it is said, but not much is currently known due to the dangers of researching such formidable creatures.
Mount Zhaylom
Found across the ocean from Cape Mazklah, beyond the Sicklemoon Straits, Mount Zhayolm is an active twin volcano that rises from the islands of Vozold and Zazalda. Home to the Troll Mercenaries, the Halvung Territory was once recognized by Aht Urhgan as an independent state of the Empire. The constant rain of volcanic ash combined with occasional emissions of sulfuric gas have created a wasteland almost completely devoid of plant and animal life--an inhospitable land that saw very few travelers before the emergence of the Astral Candescence and the ensuing struggle.
Halvung
Surrounding the base of Mount Zhayolm, the city of Halvung is a military fortification built by the Troll Mercenaries. While defensive foundations and mercenary barracks constructed from heat-resistant materials can be found above the surface, the bulk of Halvung is concentrated underground. The subterranean complex is favored by the mercenaries' employers--a faction of Moblins that splintered from Movalpolos in the distant past. The design of Halvung was based on the mobile homeland of the Moblins, with several modifications to allow for the towering frames of the Trolls.
The location of Halvung also brings other benefits--cast metal and jewelry crafted using the abundant geothermal energy of the volcano provide a valuable source of black market income.
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