I borrow liberally from other fantasy settings and history and don’t claim originality for anything. I can’t give credit for everything that has influenced me, but I’m sure if you are familiar you will notice the influence of the Dragonlance and Dark Sun settings as well as uncountable other novels, stories, and video games (Final Fantasy is another big influence). We can work together to adjust the setting to accommodate whatever style of play the group desires. I hope this is enough information to begin to think about your character.
Character Creation
Character Creation
Your character is a member of the Circle of Orin, an adventuring company. Adventuring companies, in the city-state of Nendalem where you will begin, are semi-private organizations which are part mercenary firm and part civic militia. Such companies, to operate legally, must have a royal charter, usually granted for some service to the realm, much like a knighthood. Orin is a relatively young company, and as such has only two “generations” so far, the founding generation (led by Haroran, a human ranger) and your characters. Orin’s service to the realm was the capture of a particulary odious bandit lord who was encroaching on the eastern border of Nendalem and extracting road tolls (taxation is a prerogative of the Queen). As part of your background story, you must figure out why Haroran chose (saved? recruited?) your character, and what personal debt you have to him.
Since adventuring companies often serve as a home for outcasts, you are not limited to human characters, though Nendalem is a human kingdom. If uncertain, I would recommend selecting one of the classic Dungeons & Dragons races (human, elf, half-elf, dwarf) and classes (fighter, rogue, cleric, wizard). Please no dragonborn, they annoy me. Races and classes from other source books may be appropriate as well, but please consult with me, so that I can think about how your character will fit into the setting.
Metagaming
Since adventuring companies often serve as a home for outcasts, you are not limited to human characters, though Nendalem is a human kingdom. If uncertain, I would recommend selecting one of the classic Dungeons & Dragons races (human, elf, half-elf, dwarf) and classes (fighter, rogue, cleric, wizard). Please no dragonborn, they annoy me. Races and classes from other source books may be appropriate as well, but please consult with me, so that I can think about how your character will fit into the setting.
Metagaming
Though it is sometimes unrealistic, I require that the party stay together and make decisions as a group. Alternating between multiple subgroups during a session is neither time efficient nor fun for the players not currently active. Fighting between player characters is also not allowed.
Style
Style
Campaign style varies between high-fantasy in the wilder lands to Prussian splendor in the cities. Firearms exist for flavor, follow the rules for crossbows, and can be used by any classes that can use simple ranged weapons (pistols are as hand crossbows, rifles are as crossbows). Other firearms exist, but are not common.
Conventions
Conventions
Wanted board: Every city or town of even moderate size has a “wanted board” where local authorities and private citizens post post bills for services desired. Major criminals usually have rewards posted, as do merchants who need bodyguards and other services for hire. The wanted board can be a good source of discretionary quests and news.
History & Setting
Ages ago, fueled by destructive magic, war reduced many lands to ash and desert. People turned against the wizards and it became unsafe to become a magic user. The great wizards, seeing the danger to their art, formed a council and decreed that any wizard beyond the rank of apprentice would need to follow the laws of wizardry, the first of which was that magic was not to be used in the service of war. Though inexact, this convention has largely prevented the large scale magical devastation of the past wars, and over time magic has receded to the edges of society. The archmage, the highest ranking wizard on the council, primus inter pares, has served as the arbiter of magical law until the post went vacant during the rise of Anjaeral.
150 years ago an unknown elven commander named Anjaeral arose in the deep forest. Expelled by the elves for fomenting discord and strife, he gathered to himself an elite group of warriors and set about to conquer the known lands, previously hopelessly divided. Anjaeral’s empire is more of a loose confederation of tribute states which submit to having Imperial Garrisons stationed on their lands and pay taxes, but otherwise are left mostly to govern themselves. Styling himself as “The Lord of Peace” Anjaeral has also flouted the conventions against war magic, calling his mages servants of peace and putting them at the disposal of the high council of wizards to hunt down rebel sorcerers and compel them to submit to the laws of magic. Though Anjaeral’s soldiers do not openly use destructive magic, wizards do wear his standards and unsubstantiated tales circulate of great destructive magics being used once again on the field of battle. Anjaeral, being a young elf-lord, is expected to reign for hundreds if not thousands of years, assuming he is not defeated on the field of battle. This is a new experience for the world, as elves have not in the past overcome their sylvan natures to become rulers outside of their forests.
Anjaeral’s capital, however, is far away. Your story begins in the Kingdom of Nendalem, a small but populous human realm. The unruled lands of Urndach separate the kingdom of Nendalem in the West from the Principalities of Seath in the East. Both of these states are imperial tributaries and host Imperial Garrisons. Urndach is a politically unstable area where human warlords struggle for power and influence with humanoid tribes. Bordering Nendalem and Urndach to the North is Riticoria, ruled by the elusive and ancient lord Riticoris. Riticoris has ruled for hundreds of years and is now officially a rebel, as he has never submitted to Anjaeral and expelled the first Imperial Garrison sent to Riticoria 150 years ago during the unification. Riticoria is known as a rich and productive land and without Riticorian grain, Nendalem would starve. The Principalities of Seath is an oligarchy that, were it not struggling internally with itself, would almost certainly be in the ascendant over both Urndach and Nendalem. The families and princes of Seath spend almost as much effort and resources in internal power struggles as they do in competition with Nendalem to the West.
150 years ago an unknown elven commander named Anjaeral arose in the deep forest. Expelled by the elves for fomenting discord and strife, he gathered to himself an elite group of warriors and set about to conquer the known lands, previously hopelessly divided. Anjaeral’s empire is more of a loose confederation of tribute states which submit to having Imperial Garrisons stationed on their lands and pay taxes, but otherwise are left mostly to govern themselves. Styling himself as “The Lord of Peace” Anjaeral has also flouted the conventions against war magic, calling his mages servants of peace and putting them at the disposal of the high council of wizards to hunt down rebel sorcerers and compel them to submit to the laws of magic. Though Anjaeral’s soldiers do not openly use destructive magic, wizards do wear his standards and unsubstantiated tales circulate of great destructive magics being used once again on the field of battle. Anjaeral, being a young elf-lord, is expected to reign for hundreds if not thousands of years, assuming he is not defeated on the field of battle. This is a new experience for the world, as elves have not in the past overcome their sylvan natures to become rulers outside of their forests.
Anjaeral’s capital, however, is far away. Your story begins in the Kingdom of Nendalem, a small but populous human realm. The unruled lands of Urndach separate the kingdom of Nendalem in the West from the Principalities of Seath in the East. Both of these states are imperial tributaries and host Imperial Garrisons. Urndach is a politically unstable area where human warlords struggle for power and influence with humanoid tribes. Bordering Nendalem and Urndach to the North is Riticoria, ruled by the elusive and ancient lord Riticoris. Riticoris has ruled for hundreds of years and is now officially a rebel, as he has never submitted to Anjaeral and expelled the first Imperial Garrison sent to Riticoria 150 years ago during the unification. Riticoria is known as a rich and productive land and without Riticorian grain, Nendalem would starve. The Principalities of Seath is an oligarchy that, were it not struggling internally with itself, would almost certainly be in the ascendant over both Urndach and Nendalem. The families and princes of Seath spend almost as much effort and resources in internal power struggles as they do in competition with Nendalem to the West.
