The Sons of the Storm website has been updated with new artwork from Diablo III, and the full artwork used in the cover of Jaina Proudmoore, Tides of War. There are some interesting ones that might be used in the Diablo III expansion — for example Skovos Isles.

The Skovos artwork suggests some buildings are underwater. The isle sinks slowly every year, thus new buildings are built on top of the old ones. Skovos is an archipelago (group of scattered islands), habitat of the Amazons.

    Amazon History

    The Amazons are women warriors who hail from a group of islands in the Twin Seas, near the border of the Great Ocean. Only the permanently snow-covered peak of Mount Karcheus breaks the expanses of lush forests on the islands.

    The Amazon people are a relatively isolated culture. Adapting over the centuries to their tropical milieu, they have built magnificent cities in the forest canopy. These cities are an architectural phenomenon and a source of great pride to the Amazon people. They do not follow the teachings of the Zakarum, but instead practice a polytheistic religion that adheres to the strict principles of Order. Their oracles long ago predicted the Dark Exile, and they have been preparing to combat it ever since. Amazons regard the destruction of the Three Prime Evils as their destiny, ushering in a new era when mortal men and women can at long last take their rightful place in the universe, no longer merely playthings for the beings of the Outer Realms.

    The Amazons are a seafaring people, one of the first to have made trade contact with both the Kingdoms of the West and with Kejhistan in the East. Their prominence in the world’s trade establishment has afforded their warriors the reputation they currently enjoy as cunning strategists and skilled combatants. They are much sought after as mercenaries, being both expert soldiers as well as extremely loyal – as long as the assignment does not conflict with their strict sense of ethics.

    Their pantheon of gods consists of a well-defined hierarchy, each member upholding some segment of the balance of Order. It is this strong sense of order that drives the Amazon people to achieve greatness in even the smallest of their endeavors. Their prime deity is Athulua who, with her consort, Kethryes, rules over the seasons and the weather. Under these Goddesses are a wide assortment of lesser deities, each responsible for his or her own sphere of influence among the Amazon people’s daily life. The Amazons believe this pantheon is the remnant of the original inhabitants that settled the islands centuries ago. According to ancient records, they share the same names as these gods, although aspects of their personalities seem to have evolved over the centuries.

    In the Amazon culture, only the women serve as warriors, their intrinsic superior dexterity and lithe body structures are better suited to combat in the dense rainforest environs of the islands. Their society is far from stratified, however, as men are responsible for any number of positions in the community, government, and clergy, as well as merchant and agricultural occupations.

InKarnate

In addition, Glenn “Raneman” Rane started a Kickstarter to develop a digital tabletop game titled InKarnate for web browsers and mobile devices. Sounds like an interesting project.