Speeddemon87
2019-02-20, 07:00 PM
Hi, this is a campaign journal about a 3.5 campaign I started a while back. The setting is an original one of my making and the party is a mix of experienced, new, and still relatively new players. I hope everyone reading enjoys. If you have any questions, please ask them, but if you think you're going to discuss anything spoilery, please send me a PM, so as to not reveal anything too early to my players who might read this thread.
- Jorvaskyr: A dwarf ‘Muscle Wizard’. A brawny individual focused on fighting to the exception of most other things. Very competitive young dwarf (62). Adventured alongside his two brothers before this having left their abusive home together in search of adventure, but the other two gave up the lifestyle after encountering severe danger on their journey.
- Verge: Dwarven knight from Grandelia. A skilled, if aged warrior (299), he helped fight in many of the wars around Grandelia’s formation. He left the blade behind for a few years, but has felt the call to adventure once more.
- Zoe: Silverbrow human bard. She’s a young girl (14) that’s had to leave her home and flee under circumstances she’d rather not divulge. She’s used her natural musical talents to earn her living as she travelled, picking up some other skills like archery along the way thanks to the kindness of strangers.
- Zaffrin: A human gifted with Psionic power in a world that shuns those like him. An orphan that’s faced tragedy at every turn of his life, he’s become bitter and prone to drinking even as a spark within him still wants to do good where he can. Has a bitter and long rivalry with a pirate captain that’s plagued him over the years (30).
- Westin: A human from the desert of Leaverin, practiced martial artist and practitioner of the sublime way. He’s a former vigilante that left his home after losing his friends to treachery. He studied with his master to improve his martial techniques, but lost his left arm in a terrible accident. He left to go on his own way as he tries to deal with the darkness within him (24).
- Aerin: Half-orc druid born in the east of Laeverin. Aerin is still a naïve, optimistic, young man (16) looking to find out more about the world but also recognizing that there is negativity and conflict between people as well. Wants to end racism and bring about peace and understanding.
- Lady Mistsplitter: A human barbarian. This young girl (14) lost her parents to mysterious circumstances and then her uncle that raised her afterwards. With no one else to turn to she learned from the wilderness and has grown skilled at surviving there, drawing on her anger and desperation to grant her strength to conquer even the fiercest predators that have attacked her or others. (She doesn't join for the first couple of session due to the player not being able to make it)
The party is on the edge of Leaverin, the largest country on the continent of Andulf. Leaverin is made up of 25 different regions/provinces and ruled by a council formed of the governors of those regions and a few important others. The region the game starts in is called Flagpoint, and it boarders Solace, the large thoecratic city state inbetween Laeverin and Grandellia, the other large country on the continent. Grandellia used to be a bunch of different city states and small countries until Robert (now Emperor Robert) with the help of many gold dragons took them over in a grand crusade that began a couple of decades ago and ended a few years ago. Flagpoint is on the western side of a mountain range that splits the rest of Laeverin off from the west and curves around to serve as a makeshift boarder between Laeverin and the desolate Badlands to the North.
The gods in this world are different as well. There are a few racial gods of some common races, but their domains tend to be more restricted and the other gods are based around elements of nature/the universe. There are 8 major gods. It was thought that there were more gods until recently(ish), but it turns out that many of these gods are actually Aspects of the same entities, with many overlapping domains, but with a few unique to each aspect. The Alignments of these Aspects can also be quite different from even other Aspects of the same. Most people pray to many aspects, but anyone devoted enough to join the Clergy or a cult (the line between which can oft be blurred), tends to devote themselves to greater understanding and connection with a single Aspect.
- Sol, god of the Sun
o Sol Invictus; Neutral Good god of the Sun, War, Strength, and Courage
o Pure Radiance; Lawful Evil goddess of the Sun, Domination, Strength, and Glory
o Skar; True Neutral god of the Sun, Force, Strength, and Purification
- Lune, god of the moon
o The Luminous Three; Neutral Good goddesses of the Moon, Ocean, Mysticism, and Madness
o Shaiya of the Black Night; Lawful Neutral goddess of the Moon, Mentalism, Dreams, and Spells
o Ducian; Neutral Good god of the Moon, Planning, Oracle, and Mind
- The Verdant Lord, god of wood and plants
o Woad; True Neutral god of Plants, Retribution, Craft, and Knowledge
o Huntmaster; Chaotic Neutral god of Plants, Hunger, Animals, and Competition
o Vivra; True Neutral goddess of Plants, Renewal, Animals, and Pestilence
- Absence, god of nothingness
o Void-Consuming-All; Chaotic Evil god of Darkness, Destruction, Gluttony, and Hunger
o [ ]; god of Darkness, Protection, Portals, and Sloth
- Matran, god of earth and minerals
o Terra Firma; Lawful Neutral goddess of Earth, Metal, Craft, and Creation
o Gaea; Lawful Neutral goddess of Earth, Metal, Metal, Creation, and Caverns
o Cragor; Neutral Evil god of Earth, Caverns, Tyranny, and Fate
- Whorl, god of water
o Taren; True Neutral god of Water, Luck, Cold, and Healing
o Ocruna; Chaotic Good goddess of Water, Travel, Ocean, and Trade
o Phadra the Churning Abyss; Chaotic Evil goddess of Water, Storm, Ocean, and Hatred
- Wandering Breeze, god of wind
o Luft; True Neutral god of Air, Travel, Freedom, and Community
o Zephyr; Chaotic Neutral god of Air, Celerity, Freedom, and Liberation
o Maelstrom; Chaotic Evil goddess of Air, Storm, Windstorm, and Wrath
- Pyre, god of fire
o Smoff; True Neutral goddess of Fire, Destruction, Trickery, and Charm
o Hart; Neutral Good goddess of Fire, Protection, Community, and Knowledge
Continent of Andulf:
Laeverin, the largest nation on the planet. That claim is only somewhat debatable while their size and diversity is not. Laeverin is a country that covers from the large town of Flagpoint which lies just west of the Westspire Mountains to the floating cities on the south-east coast near Duskshore. Flagpoint is where the adventure begins, though you may have come from different places, even different countries before arriving there. Laeverin is a country that seems more like a mishmash of different states forced together under one broad banner. Even amidst the relative autonomy and cultural differences the provinces/regions that make up the nation have, they do still all ultimately bow to the High Council of Thirty and most everyone in Laeverin appreciates the economic benefits from their vast trading network. Flagpoint is often seen as the boonies by the rest of the nation, but they know themselves as good, hardworking people and if their practicality doesn’t fit with the latest noble fashion trends, they’re better off without it. Flagpoint is called such due to the spread of the town and it’s outskirts as well as the long stretch of rich farmland they have off to the side, right inbetween the mountains and Crumbling Canyon. The Canyon to the south and the Sinister Swamp (locals of the swamp feel that this naming is a little harsh) to the north tend to cut off access to Flagpoint, save from directly to the further west where lies Solace.
Solace is a megalopolis that is incredibly large for a city, but fairly small for a nation, especially given how it’s situated right between Grandellia and Laeverin, two of the largest nations in the world. Solace has a few advantages there in that it’s been around since before the recent and drastic creation/expansion of Grandellia and that it is the world’s foremost center of all things religious. It’s a theocracy that has long gathered and accepted different religions under it’s boarders, both to study their works contained there on their pilgrimages and for many to settle in and try to spread the word of their faith. Clerics, Druids, Chosen Ones, scholars, and even lowly priests, pretty much everyone interested in the divine workings of the world has been Solace at some point in their lives. Solace has several common folk and workers to help support the nation (though even they will likely have more religious knowledge than similar people in other nations), but a lot of the advancements and support given to the nation comes from the massive amount of magically gifted people within the nation. The rules of the nation are very different from those in other nations. For instance, murder is not illegal, though it does come with a prohibitively expensive fine. Destruction of any religious text however will get you tortured, sentenced to death, and possibly worse after that depending on the severity of the work destroyed (it’s due to this law that many arcanely gifted will also come to the city, having claimed most scrolls of arcane knowledge to be ‘religious texts’ to be studied).
Vastly more expansive sits the seemingly ever-growing nation of Grandellia, ruled by Emperor Robert. Robert was born to a simple farming family, but within him burned a desire to explore the wide world around him and bring aid to those in need. As a young adventurer he gathered a group of companions and set out on his journey. He achieved what he set out to do but found it to be lacking. The desert was ruled by savages, tribes of monsters lurked about every corner, and when the various kingdoms that dotted the west weren’t declaring war on each other they were engulfed in civil strife, to say nothing of the bandits that set upon travellers in the area. He brought some change about as an adventurer but didn’t feel it was nearly enough. With powerful magic items gained on his journey and the loyalty earned from the noblest of Gold dragons, Robert engaged in a grand and sweeping crusade, taking over Grandellia and then sweeping outwards, to bring all other nations within the west under his banner. As he won battle after battle, more like-minded fighters heard of his quest and joined his banner, his army swelling in size. It has been a long twenty years with many wars, but the vast majority of the Western half of the continent of Andulf has been brought into the fold of his peaceful and prosperous Empire… At least that’s what’s said in Grandellia, people in Laeverin question some of the actions of this paladin. It’s always been bad there, but was all that destruction truly necessary, did Robert have to crush the cultures that were once there so thoroughly to bring peace? What isn’t in doubt is the strength of his empire, even as expansive as it is. Many more dragons, mostly gold, but several of different colors as well now make their homes in the empire and help serve to keep it safe from monsters and other threats. Robert is in his fifties now, but is still quite active as Emperor not content to just lounge in his capital but actively visiting every major city every few days or weeks, and even checking in on the more rural locations every couple of months.
Cities
As expected of Laeverin with it’s Council of Thirty it has… 25 different regions (and the regional minister of each does get a vote on the Council, the remaining 5 seats doled out to a handful of other prominent individuals in the nation. The capital, Xanbar, is located in the central region unimaginatively named Central. The capital is the largest city in the nation, almost bordering on being a megalopolis, reaching very close to the next largest city and connected to the Deep Dark region by a shaft that goes straight down ten miles.
The capital of Grandellia is actually a bit smaller than the largest cities of the nation. Given the Emperor’s propensity for travel and his desire to not get too entrenched and caught up in the politics of one area in his nation over the others, he’s purposefully kept Drastrx’s growth in check. Still, militarily and trade wise this city is quite important due to all of the roads that connect it to the other cities in the nation, so he’s had to up the city’s size up a little bit from what it was since he conquered it, if only to make sure that it could support the dragons and armies stationed there to protect it. Overall, that and the people that naturally flock to him have led to it still being a fairly large city, but the title of largest goes to Heldren, located just South of the large Pernarth desert. Heldren was one of the old capitals that surrendered quickly, and has grown quite a bit since then, the new culture and Grandellian way of life mixing with the old now conquered nation.
Zoe comes from Pendar, a small town to the South-East of Grandellia, relatively near the coast.
Since Solace is a city state, it’s capital is itself.
The Sublime Way
While there are many warriors brave and bold, sly and cunning, there are certain people who seek a more elegant path. They practice and channel their strikes and footwork into the exact patterns that make up the Sublime Way. These martial artists range from the barest of novices to the highest of grandmasters, but all are bound by the Sublime Way and their drive to further their martial skill. Some fighters consider their practices to be showy, impractical skills, but over the centuries it’s become apparent that these skills are indeed effective in battle. Though, this is not to say that more simplistic warriors don’t have their place, more than one overconfident martial adept has found their life ended by the sheer strength of a raging barbarian. Martial adepts are, as a rule, constantly testing themselves as they seek to perfect their discipline, so it’s not uncommon to find one challenging another to a duel as a way of betterment. These duels can be non-lethal, but it’s hardly uncommon for them to end in the death of one or both combatants. Combatants can ask to have the duel remain non-lethal, though this is considered a slight sign of cowardice. As lethal as most duels are, it’s considered quite poor form to finish off an opponent after they have been downed or surrendered.
While practitioners of every stripe can be found all over the continent there are some major schools that tend to influence the majority of disciples to be found within a region. In Laeverin there are many monasteries and schools dotted across the country teaching a vast array of different techniques, and as such Swordsages, the most versatile of the practitioners of the Sublime Way tend to be found in Laeverin. The greatest of these schools is the Eye of the Sky. Though Reshar, the rumored first disciple of the Sublime Way, has had his birthplace and first school lost to battles and the ravages of time, the Eye is where it’s said he first began training as a martial adept. While this claim may or may not be true, there is no denying the greatest of martial adepts in all of Laeverin have come from there, or at least have gone there at some point to rise to the level they have. The Eye serves as the home of the Exalted Grandmaster, the title bestowed upon the greatest warrior of the generation. The Eye also serves as the first point of defence against the monstrosities and horrors that lurk in the badlands beyond the northern mountains. Laeverin as a whole is a culture that has long been steeped in Martial Lore and practices, making the warriors that walk the Sublime Path if not a common sight on the streets of its cities, then hardly an uncommon one.
Solace is, unsurprisingly given the deep theological nature of the place, home to some of the mightiest Crusaders. Crusaders are less likely to devote themselves to a single god than to an ideal, but the nature of that devotion still mixes their internal energies with that of the external divine to create their techniques. Crusaders are often mistaken by common folk for paladins or battle-hardened clerics at first glance (and there are a fair few that combine these different forms of devotion), but to any other practitioner of the Sublime Way, their movements quickly reveal themselves in battle.
Grandellia has a few scattered schools, but overall has been lacking compared to their eastern neighbours. In recent years Emperor Robert has been working on making a grand school of elite soldiers to bolster his armies with precise techniques. Which he did manage to do, producing far more Warblades than there had been at Shining Point Imperial Academy… unfortunately the rivalries and unchecked egos of the students and teachers there were leading to an overall decline in the number of Warblades throughout the land. As such, Robert banned duelling of all sorts within his kingdom, and only allowed strictly non-lethal bouts under close observation at the academies he controlled. This is one of the few unpopular decisions he’s made. While most of the populace doesn’t have too much of an issue with this, the practitioners of the Sublime Way are appalled at this, especially since they consider the Emperor to be a basic dabbler in the arts at best. Still, the decision isn’t likely to be overturned anytime soon and is staunchly supported by his daughter, General Dralia, a rather accomplished Warblade, so most of the remaining warriors have grumblingly accepted this.
Arcana & Whatnot:
Just as divine magic is often discussed and practiced, so too is arcane magic across the continent. Andulf’s closest arcane comparison to Solace would be the Grand Library of Wextra, located in Laeverin’s capital. It’s obviously not quite as large as Solace, but it is still a massive repository on all things arcane and more. Access is restricted to the public, with the highest levels of it being ever more restricted to the point that it’s rumored that less than 5 people on continent have access to the highest levels. In Grandellia the wizards that don’t come from their battle schools to serve in the army often come across magic through the ancient papers kept stored in hidden vaults and cursed crypts that have been made in ages past only to be rediscovered now. Sorcerers are a sight more common in Grandellia than anywhere else, often suspected because of the slightly larger than average dragon population.
While understanding the universe to a greater degree can often grant greater levels of personal power, this only occasionally the goal of an arcanist. Eternal life, crafting powerful magical tools, knowledge of the deepest secrets, making an easy living, or even simply bringing joy to others, these and many more are reasons as to why one casts spells. And that’s just for those who study, plenty of arcanists just happen to be innately gifted, whether by virtue of blood or some other factor. Much of the ‘whatnot’ group are those who have other, non-divine means of using magic and tend to get lumped in with the other arcanists when discussed by the average person.
This diversity leads to magic users being both more solitary and more connected than Martial Adepts or the Divinely inspired. Towers and shacks are scattered across the continent as mages have sequestered themselves away from society for one reason or another and even those less solitary may never seek out others gifted in the magical arts, adventuring or simply living their life in some other way, often not needing any instruction or tools to improve themselves. Still these schools and communities exist for the fact that people are often scared and desire greater protection in numbers. These schools often located in the center of cities give them a great degree of protection from the threats that can roam the land. Plus, money for their services and adoration of their gifts by the common folk are easier to get with large groups of people and a wide net of connections that can be formed in such places.
Psion who?
There have been many mentions to powers divine, arcane, and even references to the mystical powers of the soul, channeled or empowered in some way. However, the same has not been said for the power of the mind. This is because those gifted with the power of the mind tend to die, violently. Some claim that they are simply signs of ill omen, others cite their similarities with psionic Abominations, and more beside claim that some vast conspiracy has them marked for death. Whatever the reason, psionics are a very rarely occurring power and one that is mostly unknown and mistrusted to most people of the world. Psionic items are likewise, far harder to acquire as very few people gifted with psionics have the time or inclination to make them, and this scarcity is even greater when it comes to the most powerful of psionic items as so few psionically talented ever live to reach that potential, let alone then make anything specific with their powers.
Races of Andulf:
Andulf has been host to a wide array of species for many millennia, and that list has only grown with immigrants from other continents, particularly the Orcish refugees from Fursh and the various travellers and tourists from Goldar (any inhabitants from Zanzibar that manage to make it past the vicious storms that cover the Phadrian Ocean are likely undead monstrosities looking to prey upon Andulf and get swiftly turned back/destroyed by the order of Sol). As cities have grown and become more prominent in this era, beginning to become more stable features on the landscape the culture has become more cosmopolitan. Some elves and dwarves still recommend that they should stick to their ‘traditional values’, but many of the younger generations are moving to the cities and taking roles that would have been quite uncommon a century or two ago. Aged artisans and craftspeople pass away now with no one left to pass their skills onto, and there is worry that without a strong cultural support even the gods of these races may fade, belief and devotion lost to ‘innovation’. Humans and their various subtypes like Illumians and Azurin probably make up the most common of the civilized races, though they hardly make up the majority of the population in most places. Halflings are almost as common as humans and at least as diverse. Gnomes have long been arcane pioneers, but beyond that many of them find the size and haste of city life to be off-putting, preferring to stay in towns and villages instead. Half-breeds are quite common, and the growing mix of races has led to the birth of more mongrelfolk and them starting to make their own communities.
Then there are the more ‘fringe’ races that live on the outskirts to completely beyond what most consider ‘civilized society’. They also generally take great umbrage at being referred to as such. As any Raptoran would let someone know, just because their culture is different, and they can and do live in areas where others can’t doesn’t make them lesser by any means. Of the orcish refugees those that don’t find the city life to be what they want tend to go out here or even farther away from the cities, along with many kobolds, goblins, lizardfolk, and other creatures that don’t quite fit with society. There is a fair amount of racism and discrimination towards these races from the city folk… which is due in large part to vicious tribes and bandits that often attack the smaller villages being composed mostly of these races. There are plenty of communities that showcase how crafty kobolds can be, or the ingenuity of goblin alchemists, but also several cases where they’ve formed warbands and viciously attacked and ransacked villages and even some towns on rare occasion. Often, they aren’t the leaders of this, pressed into service by they’re larger, more powerful and monstrous kin, but that doesn’t change the views that have formed regarding them.
Before mentioning those that almost always do truly fall into the category of monsters, is the topic of dragons. Dragons are an ancient race and have history and even living memory stretching back to before even the first farms that would make up Laeverin, possibly to even the civilizations before that. Dragons may influence the lives of lesser creatures, but generally they stick to themselves and play their own games. Individually a dragon may decide to help or hinder people, organizations or even cities, but as a whole draconic culture has been quite removed from humanoid society (and for more reasons than just their feelings of superiority, they often thrive in locations that humanoids would need much magic just to barely live). At least, it has been removed until recently. Grandellia has gathered many dragons, mostly gold but plenty of other colors as well, and they’ve begun actually helping out and turning the nation into a formidable force. The armies of Grandellia have gained many humanoids as Emperor Robert’s conquest grew, but it’s dragons are still what makes it the force to be reckoned with today.
Finally, there are the monsters. The things that go bump in the night, that which threatens good honest people for no reason beyond hunger and/or sick amusement. Most undead are thrown into this category, and many of them will freely prey on any living thing they can find. Often times they can quickly create new spawn which prevents them from ever being fully stamped out (along with the folly of foolish people seeking to control or use them), but whenever they are found in civilized places, they are quickly destroyed (save for those horrifying occasions when they destroy the city first). Giantkind, abominations, magical beasts ranging from Basilisks to Ythraks, demons, and most monstrous humanoids, these are the enemies of the nations. The wilderness can be a cruel and unforgiving place, and even the bastions of humanoids can crumble before their evil strength. For all the powerful heroes gathered together between all the nations of Andulf, they could not stand up to the combined might of the monsters lurking within the dark corners of the civilized nations and roaming freely in the Badlands. Luckily, they are not united, the monsters often fighting against each other as much as the humanoids. The closest they came to uniting was when Emperor Robert defeated the Troll King during his crusades. The Troll King fled with what was left of his army to the Sinister Swamp, and many more monsters have taken refuge there. Of the ones who haven’t fed from Grandellia, Robert has been trying some programs out to help ‘habilitate’ these monsters, introduce them properly into society and (most importantly) get them to commit their strength into defending humanity rather than trying to hurt it. These programs have been limited thus far but seem to be a success for now.
The first session begins in classic style, in a tavern. The Bubbling Cauldron is a relatively well frequented inn in the city of Flagpoint, the last region of Leaverin bordering Solace and nearby the newly founded nation of Grandellia. The peaceful night is soon disrupted by a man (Bob) rushing down the stairs, and in his haste to leave, bumping into another patron and nearly getting into a fight. The PCs are starting to get embroiled in the conflict as well, but one patron involved uses a Color Spray spell to knock Bob and the other one out while Verge helps talk anyone else who was about to get involved down. Things look like they’ll return to how they were when a few seconds later Bob’s body blows up suddenly, inciting far greater pandemonium.
The bar erupts into a panic, several patrons trying to leave, others trying to stop anyone or certain people from leaving and a whole bunch of fighting breaking out amidst random groups. Jorvaskyr gets into a fight with an Orc swordsage (Vosk), landing a good hit on the orc, but getting overpowered by the Vosk’s martial maneuvers. Aerin healed him from unconsciousness, which prompted him to search around for the Orc wanting to fight again, but not managing to as his foe had already left. A woman transformed into a rat before their very eyes and ran off as well. Westin, Verge, and Zaffrin got into a fight with a sneaky goblin alchemist (Maya), Zaffrin eventually entangling her with ectoplasm before she could go invisible again and escape, but not before she managed to poison him and knock him unconscious. Westin fought a vicious battle against a lone commoner with a chair as that commoner critically hit a truly unreasonable amount of time. Aerin talked to a depressed man who was upset that his night had been ruined, mentioned something about wanting ‘one last good night’ before tossing all of his money (50 gold) at Aerin before leaving. Zoe ran around, attempted to loot the exploded bodies, nearly hurled, and quickly used prestidigitation on herself before the cops entered. Also during this time Zaffrin insulted a Zoe a bit for being an orphan, somehow able to tell just on sight that she was one. A Star Elf named Verandra helped stop a warlock that had been causing problems and panicking which resulted in him eldritch blasting people.
The police showed up and rounded up everyone for questioning, the PCs in the last group along with the goblin and Verendra. Zaffrin wakes up and makes nice with everyone (he had previously said some rather hurtful or annoying things at the bar which had been a result of his drunkenness) offering them some fruit his cloak could create. Officer Burke introduces himself and says he’ll be leading the investigation until Detective Mara Onyx gets back up from the coast on her fishing trip. The ‘statements’ involve much talking over each other and the npcs, but he eventually gets a semi-coherent picture from them and during his questioning he reveals that there was another death that night, a murder that had happened up on the second floor. With the only possible witness/suspect exploded, the police don’t have many leads and they ask them not to leave town in case they have any further questions. Zaffrin made a connection with Verendra who subtly hinted that she has psionic powers like he does and invited him to meet up with her if he wanted to learn more about his abilities.
The session ended there with the PCs finding another inn, the Leaky Cauldron and rest there for the night (excepting Aerin who elected to ‘pitch a tent’ in the forest at the edge of town. He offered to do so with a stranger, which combined with some other lines has led party members to joke about the accidental innuendo he would say). They decided they had to get down to the bottom of this and agreed to investigate together in the morning, looking into some of the people that were suspicious or who got away before the cops came.
A good introductory session, with a rather chaotic combat flow, that while somewhat distracting, didn’t feel incorrect given the situation. The party didn’t have a name or much connectedness yet, but they had a unifying goal they could all get behind and that would carry them through for the next few sessions. Many of the players were new, or at least new to their characters, so many powers and abilities remained unused or forgotten, not that the need was ever too dire.
- Jorvaskyr: A dwarf ‘Muscle Wizard’. A brawny individual focused on fighting to the exception of most other things. Very competitive young dwarf (62). Adventured alongside his two brothers before this having left their abusive home together in search of adventure, but the other two gave up the lifestyle after encountering severe danger on their journey.
- Verge: Dwarven knight from Grandelia. A skilled, if aged warrior (299), he helped fight in many of the wars around Grandelia’s formation. He left the blade behind for a few years, but has felt the call to adventure once more.
- Zoe: Silverbrow human bard. She’s a young girl (14) that’s had to leave her home and flee under circumstances she’d rather not divulge. She’s used her natural musical talents to earn her living as she travelled, picking up some other skills like archery along the way thanks to the kindness of strangers.
- Zaffrin: A human gifted with Psionic power in a world that shuns those like him. An orphan that’s faced tragedy at every turn of his life, he’s become bitter and prone to drinking even as a spark within him still wants to do good where he can. Has a bitter and long rivalry with a pirate captain that’s plagued him over the years (30).
- Westin: A human from the desert of Leaverin, practiced martial artist and practitioner of the sublime way. He’s a former vigilante that left his home after losing his friends to treachery. He studied with his master to improve his martial techniques, but lost his left arm in a terrible accident. He left to go on his own way as he tries to deal with the darkness within him (24).
- Aerin: Half-orc druid born in the east of Laeverin. Aerin is still a naïve, optimistic, young man (16) looking to find out more about the world but also recognizing that there is negativity and conflict between people as well. Wants to end racism and bring about peace and understanding.
- Lady Mistsplitter: A human barbarian. This young girl (14) lost her parents to mysterious circumstances and then her uncle that raised her afterwards. With no one else to turn to she learned from the wilderness and has grown skilled at surviving there, drawing on her anger and desperation to grant her strength to conquer even the fiercest predators that have attacked her or others. (She doesn't join for the first couple of session due to the player not being able to make it)
The party is on the edge of Leaverin, the largest country on the continent of Andulf. Leaverin is made up of 25 different regions/provinces and ruled by a council formed of the governors of those regions and a few important others. The region the game starts in is called Flagpoint, and it boarders Solace, the large thoecratic city state inbetween Laeverin and Grandellia, the other large country on the continent. Grandellia used to be a bunch of different city states and small countries until Robert (now Emperor Robert) with the help of many gold dragons took them over in a grand crusade that began a couple of decades ago and ended a few years ago. Flagpoint is on the western side of a mountain range that splits the rest of Laeverin off from the west and curves around to serve as a makeshift boarder between Laeverin and the desolate Badlands to the North.
The gods in this world are different as well. There are a few racial gods of some common races, but their domains tend to be more restricted and the other gods are based around elements of nature/the universe. There are 8 major gods. It was thought that there were more gods until recently(ish), but it turns out that many of these gods are actually Aspects of the same entities, with many overlapping domains, but with a few unique to each aspect. The Alignments of these Aspects can also be quite different from even other Aspects of the same. Most people pray to many aspects, but anyone devoted enough to join the Clergy or a cult (the line between which can oft be blurred), tends to devote themselves to greater understanding and connection with a single Aspect.
- Sol, god of the Sun
o Sol Invictus; Neutral Good god of the Sun, War, Strength, and Courage
o Pure Radiance; Lawful Evil goddess of the Sun, Domination, Strength, and Glory
o Skar; True Neutral god of the Sun, Force, Strength, and Purification
- Lune, god of the moon
o The Luminous Three; Neutral Good goddesses of the Moon, Ocean, Mysticism, and Madness
o Shaiya of the Black Night; Lawful Neutral goddess of the Moon, Mentalism, Dreams, and Spells
o Ducian; Neutral Good god of the Moon, Planning, Oracle, and Mind
- The Verdant Lord, god of wood and plants
o Woad; True Neutral god of Plants, Retribution, Craft, and Knowledge
o Huntmaster; Chaotic Neutral god of Plants, Hunger, Animals, and Competition
o Vivra; True Neutral goddess of Plants, Renewal, Animals, and Pestilence
- Absence, god of nothingness
o Void-Consuming-All; Chaotic Evil god of Darkness, Destruction, Gluttony, and Hunger
o [ ]; god of Darkness, Protection, Portals, and Sloth
- Matran, god of earth and minerals
o Terra Firma; Lawful Neutral goddess of Earth, Metal, Craft, and Creation
o Gaea; Lawful Neutral goddess of Earth, Metal, Metal, Creation, and Caverns
o Cragor; Neutral Evil god of Earth, Caverns, Tyranny, and Fate
- Whorl, god of water
o Taren; True Neutral god of Water, Luck, Cold, and Healing
o Ocruna; Chaotic Good goddess of Water, Travel, Ocean, and Trade
o Phadra the Churning Abyss; Chaotic Evil goddess of Water, Storm, Ocean, and Hatred
- Wandering Breeze, god of wind
o Luft; True Neutral god of Air, Travel, Freedom, and Community
o Zephyr; Chaotic Neutral god of Air, Celerity, Freedom, and Liberation
o Maelstrom; Chaotic Evil goddess of Air, Storm, Windstorm, and Wrath
- Pyre, god of fire
o Smoff; True Neutral goddess of Fire, Destruction, Trickery, and Charm
o Hart; Neutral Good goddess of Fire, Protection, Community, and Knowledge
Continent of Andulf:
Laeverin, the largest nation on the planet. That claim is only somewhat debatable while their size and diversity is not. Laeverin is a country that covers from the large town of Flagpoint which lies just west of the Westspire Mountains to the floating cities on the south-east coast near Duskshore. Flagpoint is where the adventure begins, though you may have come from different places, even different countries before arriving there. Laeverin is a country that seems more like a mishmash of different states forced together under one broad banner. Even amidst the relative autonomy and cultural differences the provinces/regions that make up the nation have, they do still all ultimately bow to the High Council of Thirty and most everyone in Laeverin appreciates the economic benefits from their vast trading network. Flagpoint is often seen as the boonies by the rest of the nation, but they know themselves as good, hardworking people and if their practicality doesn’t fit with the latest noble fashion trends, they’re better off without it. Flagpoint is called such due to the spread of the town and it’s outskirts as well as the long stretch of rich farmland they have off to the side, right inbetween the mountains and Crumbling Canyon. The Canyon to the south and the Sinister Swamp (locals of the swamp feel that this naming is a little harsh) to the north tend to cut off access to Flagpoint, save from directly to the further west where lies Solace.
Solace is a megalopolis that is incredibly large for a city, but fairly small for a nation, especially given how it’s situated right between Grandellia and Laeverin, two of the largest nations in the world. Solace has a few advantages there in that it’s been around since before the recent and drastic creation/expansion of Grandellia and that it is the world’s foremost center of all things religious. It’s a theocracy that has long gathered and accepted different religions under it’s boarders, both to study their works contained there on their pilgrimages and for many to settle in and try to spread the word of their faith. Clerics, Druids, Chosen Ones, scholars, and even lowly priests, pretty much everyone interested in the divine workings of the world has been Solace at some point in their lives. Solace has several common folk and workers to help support the nation (though even they will likely have more religious knowledge than similar people in other nations), but a lot of the advancements and support given to the nation comes from the massive amount of magically gifted people within the nation. The rules of the nation are very different from those in other nations. For instance, murder is not illegal, though it does come with a prohibitively expensive fine. Destruction of any religious text however will get you tortured, sentenced to death, and possibly worse after that depending on the severity of the work destroyed (it’s due to this law that many arcanely gifted will also come to the city, having claimed most scrolls of arcane knowledge to be ‘religious texts’ to be studied).
Vastly more expansive sits the seemingly ever-growing nation of Grandellia, ruled by Emperor Robert. Robert was born to a simple farming family, but within him burned a desire to explore the wide world around him and bring aid to those in need. As a young adventurer he gathered a group of companions and set out on his journey. He achieved what he set out to do but found it to be lacking. The desert was ruled by savages, tribes of monsters lurked about every corner, and when the various kingdoms that dotted the west weren’t declaring war on each other they were engulfed in civil strife, to say nothing of the bandits that set upon travellers in the area. He brought some change about as an adventurer but didn’t feel it was nearly enough. With powerful magic items gained on his journey and the loyalty earned from the noblest of Gold dragons, Robert engaged in a grand and sweeping crusade, taking over Grandellia and then sweeping outwards, to bring all other nations within the west under his banner. As he won battle after battle, more like-minded fighters heard of his quest and joined his banner, his army swelling in size. It has been a long twenty years with many wars, but the vast majority of the Western half of the continent of Andulf has been brought into the fold of his peaceful and prosperous Empire… At least that’s what’s said in Grandellia, people in Laeverin question some of the actions of this paladin. It’s always been bad there, but was all that destruction truly necessary, did Robert have to crush the cultures that were once there so thoroughly to bring peace? What isn’t in doubt is the strength of his empire, even as expansive as it is. Many more dragons, mostly gold, but several of different colors as well now make their homes in the empire and help serve to keep it safe from monsters and other threats. Robert is in his fifties now, but is still quite active as Emperor not content to just lounge in his capital but actively visiting every major city every few days or weeks, and even checking in on the more rural locations every couple of months.
Cities
As expected of Laeverin with it’s Council of Thirty it has… 25 different regions (and the regional minister of each does get a vote on the Council, the remaining 5 seats doled out to a handful of other prominent individuals in the nation. The capital, Xanbar, is located in the central region unimaginatively named Central. The capital is the largest city in the nation, almost bordering on being a megalopolis, reaching very close to the next largest city and connected to the Deep Dark region by a shaft that goes straight down ten miles.
The capital of Grandellia is actually a bit smaller than the largest cities of the nation. Given the Emperor’s propensity for travel and his desire to not get too entrenched and caught up in the politics of one area in his nation over the others, he’s purposefully kept Drastrx’s growth in check. Still, militarily and trade wise this city is quite important due to all of the roads that connect it to the other cities in the nation, so he’s had to up the city’s size up a little bit from what it was since he conquered it, if only to make sure that it could support the dragons and armies stationed there to protect it. Overall, that and the people that naturally flock to him have led to it still being a fairly large city, but the title of largest goes to Heldren, located just South of the large Pernarth desert. Heldren was one of the old capitals that surrendered quickly, and has grown quite a bit since then, the new culture and Grandellian way of life mixing with the old now conquered nation.
Zoe comes from Pendar, a small town to the South-East of Grandellia, relatively near the coast.
Since Solace is a city state, it’s capital is itself.
The Sublime Way
While there are many warriors brave and bold, sly and cunning, there are certain people who seek a more elegant path. They practice and channel their strikes and footwork into the exact patterns that make up the Sublime Way. These martial artists range from the barest of novices to the highest of grandmasters, but all are bound by the Sublime Way and their drive to further their martial skill. Some fighters consider their practices to be showy, impractical skills, but over the centuries it’s become apparent that these skills are indeed effective in battle. Though, this is not to say that more simplistic warriors don’t have their place, more than one overconfident martial adept has found their life ended by the sheer strength of a raging barbarian. Martial adepts are, as a rule, constantly testing themselves as they seek to perfect their discipline, so it’s not uncommon to find one challenging another to a duel as a way of betterment. These duels can be non-lethal, but it’s hardly uncommon for them to end in the death of one or both combatants. Combatants can ask to have the duel remain non-lethal, though this is considered a slight sign of cowardice. As lethal as most duels are, it’s considered quite poor form to finish off an opponent after they have been downed or surrendered.
While practitioners of every stripe can be found all over the continent there are some major schools that tend to influence the majority of disciples to be found within a region. In Laeverin there are many monasteries and schools dotted across the country teaching a vast array of different techniques, and as such Swordsages, the most versatile of the practitioners of the Sublime Way tend to be found in Laeverin. The greatest of these schools is the Eye of the Sky. Though Reshar, the rumored first disciple of the Sublime Way, has had his birthplace and first school lost to battles and the ravages of time, the Eye is where it’s said he first began training as a martial adept. While this claim may or may not be true, there is no denying the greatest of martial adepts in all of Laeverin have come from there, or at least have gone there at some point to rise to the level they have. The Eye serves as the home of the Exalted Grandmaster, the title bestowed upon the greatest warrior of the generation. The Eye also serves as the first point of defence against the monstrosities and horrors that lurk in the badlands beyond the northern mountains. Laeverin as a whole is a culture that has long been steeped in Martial Lore and practices, making the warriors that walk the Sublime Path if not a common sight on the streets of its cities, then hardly an uncommon one.
Solace is, unsurprisingly given the deep theological nature of the place, home to some of the mightiest Crusaders. Crusaders are less likely to devote themselves to a single god than to an ideal, but the nature of that devotion still mixes their internal energies with that of the external divine to create their techniques. Crusaders are often mistaken by common folk for paladins or battle-hardened clerics at first glance (and there are a fair few that combine these different forms of devotion), but to any other practitioner of the Sublime Way, their movements quickly reveal themselves in battle.
Grandellia has a few scattered schools, but overall has been lacking compared to their eastern neighbours. In recent years Emperor Robert has been working on making a grand school of elite soldiers to bolster his armies with precise techniques. Which he did manage to do, producing far more Warblades than there had been at Shining Point Imperial Academy… unfortunately the rivalries and unchecked egos of the students and teachers there were leading to an overall decline in the number of Warblades throughout the land. As such, Robert banned duelling of all sorts within his kingdom, and only allowed strictly non-lethal bouts under close observation at the academies he controlled. This is one of the few unpopular decisions he’s made. While most of the populace doesn’t have too much of an issue with this, the practitioners of the Sublime Way are appalled at this, especially since they consider the Emperor to be a basic dabbler in the arts at best. Still, the decision isn’t likely to be overturned anytime soon and is staunchly supported by his daughter, General Dralia, a rather accomplished Warblade, so most of the remaining warriors have grumblingly accepted this.
Arcana & Whatnot:
Just as divine magic is often discussed and practiced, so too is arcane magic across the continent. Andulf’s closest arcane comparison to Solace would be the Grand Library of Wextra, located in Laeverin’s capital. It’s obviously not quite as large as Solace, but it is still a massive repository on all things arcane and more. Access is restricted to the public, with the highest levels of it being ever more restricted to the point that it’s rumored that less than 5 people on continent have access to the highest levels. In Grandellia the wizards that don’t come from their battle schools to serve in the army often come across magic through the ancient papers kept stored in hidden vaults and cursed crypts that have been made in ages past only to be rediscovered now. Sorcerers are a sight more common in Grandellia than anywhere else, often suspected because of the slightly larger than average dragon population.
While understanding the universe to a greater degree can often grant greater levels of personal power, this only occasionally the goal of an arcanist. Eternal life, crafting powerful magical tools, knowledge of the deepest secrets, making an easy living, or even simply bringing joy to others, these and many more are reasons as to why one casts spells. And that’s just for those who study, plenty of arcanists just happen to be innately gifted, whether by virtue of blood or some other factor. Much of the ‘whatnot’ group are those who have other, non-divine means of using magic and tend to get lumped in with the other arcanists when discussed by the average person.
This diversity leads to magic users being both more solitary and more connected than Martial Adepts or the Divinely inspired. Towers and shacks are scattered across the continent as mages have sequestered themselves away from society for one reason or another and even those less solitary may never seek out others gifted in the magical arts, adventuring or simply living their life in some other way, often not needing any instruction or tools to improve themselves. Still these schools and communities exist for the fact that people are often scared and desire greater protection in numbers. These schools often located in the center of cities give them a great degree of protection from the threats that can roam the land. Plus, money for their services and adoration of their gifts by the common folk are easier to get with large groups of people and a wide net of connections that can be formed in such places.
Psion who?
There have been many mentions to powers divine, arcane, and even references to the mystical powers of the soul, channeled or empowered in some way. However, the same has not been said for the power of the mind. This is because those gifted with the power of the mind tend to die, violently. Some claim that they are simply signs of ill omen, others cite their similarities with psionic Abominations, and more beside claim that some vast conspiracy has them marked for death. Whatever the reason, psionics are a very rarely occurring power and one that is mostly unknown and mistrusted to most people of the world. Psionic items are likewise, far harder to acquire as very few people gifted with psionics have the time or inclination to make them, and this scarcity is even greater when it comes to the most powerful of psionic items as so few psionically talented ever live to reach that potential, let alone then make anything specific with their powers.
Races of Andulf:
Andulf has been host to a wide array of species for many millennia, and that list has only grown with immigrants from other continents, particularly the Orcish refugees from Fursh and the various travellers and tourists from Goldar (any inhabitants from Zanzibar that manage to make it past the vicious storms that cover the Phadrian Ocean are likely undead monstrosities looking to prey upon Andulf and get swiftly turned back/destroyed by the order of Sol). As cities have grown and become more prominent in this era, beginning to become more stable features on the landscape the culture has become more cosmopolitan. Some elves and dwarves still recommend that they should stick to their ‘traditional values’, but many of the younger generations are moving to the cities and taking roles that would have been quite uncommon a century or two ago. Aged artisans and craftspeople pass away now with no one left to pass their skills onto, and there is worry that without a strong cultural support even the gods of these races may fade, belief and devotion lost to ‘innovation’. Humans and their various subtypes like Illumians and Azurin probably make up the most common of the civilized races, though they hardly make up the majority of the population in most places. Halflings are almost as common as humans and at least as diverse. Gnomes have long been arcane pioneers, but beyond that many of them find the size and haste of city life to be off-putting, preferring to stay in towns and villages instead. Half-breeds are quite common, and the growing mix of races has led to the birth of more mongrelfolk and them starting to make their own communities.
Then there are the more ‘fringe’ races that live on the outskirts to completely beyond what most consider ‘civilized society’. They also generally take great umbrage at being referred to as such. As any Raptoran would let someone know, just because their culture is different, and they can and do live in areas where others can’t doesn’t make them lesser by any means. Of the orcish refugees those that don’t find the city life to be what they want tend to go out here or even farther away from the cities, along with many kobolds, goblins, lizardfolk, and other creatures that don’t quite fit with society. There is a fair amount of racism and discrimination towards these races from the city folk… which is due in large part to vicious tribes and bandits that often attack the smaller villages being composed mostly of these races. There are plenty of communities that showcase how crafty kobolds can be, or the ingenuity of goblin alchemists, but also several cases where they’ve formed warbands and viciously attacked and ransacked villages and even some towns on rare occasion. Often, they aren’t the leaders of this, pressed into service by they’re larger, more powerful and monstrous kin, but that doesn’t change the views that have formed regarding them.
Before mentioning those that almost always do truly fall into the category of monsters, is the topic of dragons. Dragons are an ancient race and have history and even living memory stretching back to before even the first farms that would make up Laeverin, possibly to even the civilizations before that. Dragons may influence the lives of lesser creatures, but generally they stick to themselves and play their own games. Individually a dragon may decide to help or hinder people, organizations or even cities, but as a whole draconic culture has been quite removed from humanoid society (and for more reasons than just their feelings of superiority, they often thrive in locations that humanoids would need much magic just to barely live). At least, it has been removed until recently. Grandellia has gathered many dragons, mostly gold but plenty of other colors as well, and they’ve begun actually helping out and turning the nation into a formidable force. The armies of Grandellia have gained many humanoids as Emperor Robert’s conquest grew, but it’s dragons are still what makes it the force to be reckoned with today.
Finally, there are the monsters. The things that go bump in the night, that which threatens good honest people for no reason beyond hunger and/or sick amusement. Most undead are thrown into this category, and many of them will freely prey on any living thing they can find. Often times they can quickly create new spawn which prevents them from ever being fully stamped out (along with the folly of foolish people seeking to control or use them), but whenever they are found in civilized places, they are quickly destroyed (save for those horrifying occasions when they destroy the city first). Giantkind, abominations, magical beasts ranging from Basilisks to Ythraks, demons, and most monstrous humanoids, these are the enemies of the nations. The wilderness can be a cruel and unforgiving place, and even the bastions of humanoids can crumble before their evil strength. For all the powerful heroes gathered together between all the nations of Andulf, they could not stand up to the combined might of the monsters lurking within the dark corners of the civilized nations and roaming freely in the Badlands. Luckily, they are not united, the monsters often fighting against each other as much as the humanoids. The closest they came to uniting was when Emperor Robert defeated the Troll King during his crusades. The Troll King fled with what was left of his army to the Sinister Swamp, and many more monsters have taken refuge there. Of the ones who haven’t fed from Grandellia, Robert has been trying some programs out to help ‘habilitate’ these monsters, introduce them properly into society and (most importantly) get them to commit their strength into defending humanity rather than trying to hurt it. These programs have been limited thus far but seem to be a success for now.
The first session begins in classic style, in a tavern. The Bubbling Cauldron is a relatively well frequented inn in the city of Flagpoint, the last region of Leaverin bordering Solace and nearby the newly founded nation of Grandellia. The peaceful night is soon disrupted by a man (Bob) rushing down the stairs, and in his haste to leave, bumping into another patron and nearly getting into a fight. The PCs are starting to get embroiled in the conflict as well, but one patron involved uses a Color Spray spell to knock Bob and the other one out while Verge helps talk anyone else who was about to get involved down. Things look like they’ll return to how they were when a few seconds later Bob’s body blows up suddenly, inciting far greater pandemonium.
The bar erupts into a panic, several patrons trying to leave, others trying to stop anyone or certain people from leaving and a whole bunch of fighting breaking out amidst random groups. Jorvaskyr gets into a fight with an Orc swordsage (Vosk), landing a good hit on the orc, but getting overpowered by the Vosk’s martial maneuvers. Aerin healed him from unconsciousness, which prompted him to search around for the Orc wanting to fight again, but not managing to as his foe had already left. A woman transformed into a rat before their very eyes and ran off as well. Westin, Verge, and Zaffrin got into a fight with a sneaky goblin alchemist (Maya), Zaffrin eventually entangling her with ectoplasm before she could go invisible again and escape, but not before she managed to poison him and knock him unconscious. Westin fought a vicious battle against a lone commoner with a chair as that commoner critically hit a truly unreasonable amount of time. Aerin talked to a depressed man who was upset that his night had been ruined, mentioned something about wanting ‘one last good night’ before tossing all of his money (50 gold) at Aerin before leaving. Zoe ran around, attempted to loot the exploded bodies, nearly hurled, and quickly used prestidigitation on herself before the cops entered. Also during this time Zaffrin insulted a Zoe a bit for being an orphan, somehow able to tell just on sight that she was one. A Star Elf named Verandra helped stop a warlock that had been causing problems and panicking which resulted in him eldritch blasting people.
The police showed up and rounded up everyone for questioning, the PCs in the last group along with the goblin and Verendra. Zaffrin wakes up and makes nice with everyone (he had previously said some rather hurtful or annoying things at the bar which had been a result of his drunkenness) offering them some fruit his cloak could create. Officer Burke introduces himself and says he’ll be leading the investigation until Detective Mara Onyx gets back up from the coast on her fishing trip. The ‘statements’ involve much talking over each other and the npcs, but he eventually gets a semi-coherent picture from them and during his questioning he reveals that there was another death that night, a murder that had happened up on the second floor. With the only possible witness/suspect exploded, the police don’t have many leads and they ask them not to leave town in case they have any further questions. Zaffrin made a connection with Verendra who subtly hinted that she has psionic powers like he does and invited him to meet up with her if he wanted to learn more about his abilities.
The session ended there with the PCs finding another inn, the Leaky Cauldron and rest there for the night (excepting Aerin who elected to ‘pitch a tent’ in the forest at the edge of town. He offered to do so with a stranger, which combined with some other lines has led party members to joke about the accidental innuendo he would say). They decided they had to get down to the bottom of this and agreed to investigate together in the morning, looking into some of the people that were suspicious or who got away before the cops came.
A good introductory session, with a rather chaotic combat flow, that while somewhat distracting, didn’t feel incorrect given the situation. The party didn’t have a name or much connectedness yet, but they had a unifying goal they could all get behind and that would carry them through for the next few sessions. Many of the players were new, or at least new to their characters, so many powers and abilities remained unused or forgotten, not that the need was ever too dire.