Doc's new Setting

[doc]

I'm really enjoying D@D, having been running it for the past few weeks. I'll be posting some stuff on my D@D game here. Let me know what sort of things you want to see. Keep in mind that a lot of it I am making up as I go along.

To start with, here's some beasties that are pretty common in my game. I'll get into the player character races later. Suffice it to say that the biggest human kingdom is a militant empire where women and non-humans have little rights. Dwarves are grim barbarians who follow a pantheon of gods long abandoned by humanity. Halflings are a secretive race of faerie called from another realm to act as assassins. Oh, and the elves are the bad guys!

And now...

Centaurs

Hit Dice: 4
Hit Points: 16
Armor Class: 4
Move: 150/180
Alignment: Selfish

Centaurs roam the Death Lands and the barbaric Fading Realm to it’s North. They are cruel, even amongst their own kind, and delight in the capture and torture of anybody not of their clan whom they find in their territory. A centaur leader survives only for as long as he can keep a rival’s spear from his guts. They wear no armor, considering it a sign of weakness, but their thick hide offers them good protection. They move quickly, and can dash at a move rate of 180 thrice daily.

Centaurs are larger than Men, their equine parts thick with muscle and their human parts powerful. Their faces are broad and ugly, with heavy jaws and red eyes. They favor the spear as both a melee and missile weapon.

Changelings

Hit Dice: 3
Hit Points: 9
Armor Class : Variable
Move: 120
Alignment: Chaotic

A race of spies and assassins, changelings can alter their form to assume the appearance of humans or near-humans as long as they maintain concentration. They can use the thievery and assassination skills as a 6th level thief-assassin. Many changelings have insinuated themselves into human society, manipulating the events of civilization to suit their needs, or else waiting for years or decades strike an unsuspecting target at the exact moment to fulfill a contract.

In their natural forms, changelings are slender and delicate appearing humanoids, with androgynous features, pale skin, and absolutely no hair on their heads or bodies. They speak amongst themselves through telepathy and are never without a hidden weapon.

Green Men

Hit Dice: 7
Hit Points: 25
Armor Class: 4
Move: 150
Alignment: Selfish

The horrific Green Men are towering monstrosities that find humor in violence and relish the taste of manflesh. They gather most often in abandoned cities, for they know little of crafting anything of their own except for weapons, and regularly raid caravans and small parties for slaves and food (often interchangeable).

Green Men stand between 9-12 feet tall, with large eyes, protruding tusks, and four powerful arms. Due to their great strength and extra limbs, they gain an additional attack immediately following their first, It is common for them to fight with a great sword and two smaller blades at the same time.

Lion Men

Hit Dice: 8
Hit Points: 28
Armor Class: 7 (due to quickness)
Movement: 150
Alignment: Lawful

Lion Men hail from the vast tracts of mountains to the South of Zandaria. They are strong and fierce, but of generally noble bearing, sometimes willing to lend aid to those who cross their path. They are a race in decline, and no more than a single Lion Man will be encountered at a time. Anybody who hears the roar of a Lion Man must make an immediate save vs. Wisdom or be rooted to the spot for that round.

Lion Men stand some 7-8 feet tall, with tawny skin, leonine features, and thick manes. They never wear armor except for the hides of beasts that they have slain by hand. Lion Men will use human weaponry if need be, but greatly prefer their own powerful claws.

Ogres

Hit Dice: 10
Hit Points: 35
Armor Class: 9 (Plate armor and stony hide)
Move: 100
Alignment: Selfish

Ogres are remnants of a far older time. Brutal, primordial creatures, ogres exist for no other reason than to cause bloodshed and suffering. They can be found in the most remote and darkest corners of the world. Most citizens of the Tirian Empire will only see an ogre in the blood pits, encased in heavy armor and tearing shrieking gladiators limb from limb.

Ogres stand some nine feet tall and weigh over 500 lbs. of bone and muscle. Their flesh is jet black and as hard as iron. They are mightily armored and wield the largest, heaviest weapons available. Ogres are highly resistant to magic, having been created to slaughter angels at the dawn of time, and any spell has an 80% chance of not affecting them.

Orcs

Hit Dice: 2-5
Hit points: 6-25
Armor Class: Variable
Move: 120
Alignment: Selfish

Ages past, when the elves left the human lands after decades of war to return to their citadels across the sea, they left behind their outcasts: the weak, the fallen, the mad, and the failed, trapped within the Death Lands. Over the centuries the accursed elves changed and grew bestial and savage. They renamed themselves “orrac,” an elf word meaning “fury,” and in time escaped from their poisonous realm to freely roam the lands of Men.

Once elves, the orcs are now something else entirely. Their bodies hard and ropey, their features feral and savage with yellow eyes and gnashing fangs. They hate all life with a seething rage, but none so much as elf-kind. Against their accursed betrayers they attack as if they were two hit dice higher than they actually are, and never accept an elf’s surrender. Orcs are completely without fear. They simply cannot feel it, even through magic or the presence of a god, it having long since been eradicated from their spirits through rage and vengeance.

Serpent Men

Hit Dice: 5
Hit Points: 15
Armor Class: 4 (scales and natural quickness)
Move: 150
Alignment: Selfish

The serpent men were the masters of the world long before Men or even Elves came to the fore. They built great cities made of the bones of the earth that have been reduced to dreams and ashes for many millennia now. The serpent men still exist in the secret places of the world, watching intently and plotting their eventual return.

Serpent men are slender and agile, their hairless bodies covered in ornate patterns of smooth scales. They favor elaborate robes and archaic clothing, although wear armor when they absolutely must. Serpent men are wise in the ways of magic and are often spell casters of levels 3-7.

Skeletons (The Mordant Legion)

Hit Dice: 3
Hit Points: 12
Armor Class: 6
Move: 120
Alignment: Selfish

In the turbulent Second Age of the Tirian Empire, no legion fought and conquered with more fervor than the Ninth Legion Oathbound. They razed vast tracts of civilization and toppled ancient kingdoms into barbarism in the name of their great kings. It wasn’t until they faced the sorcerers of Delev Naar that they learned how frail they were in their own mortality. The entire legion was snuffed out within a single hour.

Five hundred years later, the soldiers still exist as the Mordant Legion, shackled to unlife by the powerful necromancers of the Death Lands. Beneath their ancient armor their bones gleam stark white, their eye sockets empty yet aware. Unlike other skeletons, the Mordant Legion will be encountered in unit formations of 2-12. Grim and implacable, their opponents must make a saving roll upon seeing them advance or flee in terror for 1d6 rounds. Even those who make their save must fight at -1 HD due to the horror seeping into their bones as the Legion closes in silently.

-Doc

[Deleted]

good stuff, Doc. Me likey the serpent men and the mordant legion, I may have to find a place for them in my Zothique campaign...

[aldarron]

Ditto that. Actually, I think all your monsters are awesome. Would like to hear about how many classes you are using and if you have added any spells from D&D or elswhere. Sounds like a really cool campaign.

[doc]

A (Very) Brief Gazetteer

The world once called Arth boasts three major continents. On the middle-sized continent can be found the lands of Man. The primary culture existing on the continent is the Tirian Empire. Originally a small fishing village on the Southernmost tip of the continent, Tir expanded at a rapid rate through the centuries by making trade treaties with other cities and slowly taking over the cities over the course of decades. As Tir became larger, it’s kings turned to open warfare to continue to expand it’s boundaries. Over time, the Tirain Empire grew to encompass nearly a half of the continent. To the Northeast there exists an uneasy truce between the Empire and the barbarians of the Fading Realms. To the Southeast lay the Death Lands that even the mighty Tirian Empire is loathe to venture into. (More information on the Tirian Empire coming soon)

The Death Lands were once the realms of Elf kind when the cruel immortals came to the continent to claim the human lands for their own. Centuries of necromancy, dark magic, and bloody battles have decimated the landscape. The skies here are grey and the air is always chill. The fortress citadels of the elves are long abandoned, but ghastly things still inhabit the ruins. Orcs call the Death Lands home, as do centaurs and roaming bands of green men. There is no hope to be found in the Death Lands; only despair, dread, and entropy.

To the North of the Death Lands lays a vast tract of territory that was once home to proud kingdoms and baronies that refused to bend their knee to the Tirian Empire. Centuries in the past the Empire sent their legions to crush their foes, tearing down monarchies and annihilating civilizations that had been bastions of honor, wisdom, and learning for a thousand years. And still, the men of these shattered kingdoms refused to give in. Their noble heritage now ground into dust, the men and women have changed into a fierce and barbaric folk who shun anything not relating to survival and the defense of their lands, now called the Fading Realms.

To the North of the Fading Realms sits grim and forbidding peninsula Aeslund, home to the Dwarven Host. Aeslund is a land of severe Winters and troll-haunted mountains where the Tirian Empire has yet to obtain a foothold. The dwarves have lived here for centuries before even humans set foot on the shores of the continent, but it has only been within the past five hundred years that they have left their deep caves and iron mountains to dwell beneath the two suns. The dwarves worship an ancient family of gods long forgotten by their human followers, headed by the wise Odin and his fiery offspring Thor. The dwarf clans are allies with the folk of the Fading Realms.

Far East from the Fading Realms is fair Zandaria, a city-state of such beauty and grace that even the elves shied away from despoiling it’s gates. Zandaria sprawls out in concentric circles surrounding the palace of the Radiant King, a city of gleaming towers and ancient turrets far removed from the rest of the continent. The folk of Zandaria are scholars and scientists, searching ever deeper for the secrets of life. They are slender and fair featured, and often possess strangely hued skin. Zandaria remains insular, wanting nothing to do with the wars and conquest that have swept up the rest of the land. Their gates are protected by ancient magic and strange technology should anybody seek to take their great civilization.

Located to the South of Zandaria and East of the Death Lands there looms the Spines, a vast region of black mountains that covers nearly a thousand square miles. It is virtually impossible to pass through the mountains by foot, and countless thousands have lost their lives attempting to do so. Dangerous things lair within the ebon peaks; things far beyond the imagination of Men. Located within the middle of the Spines is a great gaping hole over a mile in diameter that seems to possess a hypnotic effect upon those who see it. In days past, this area, known simply as The Hole of Arth, was used by bleak cabals of druids to make human sacrifices to a demon at the center of the earth to keep him from rising and destroying the world.

More to come.

Doc

[thorswulf]

Great stuff Doc! Are the Mordant Legion anything like the old Acheron Legion miniatures made by McEwan miniatures? Just curious, they sound similar. Your background for the Orcs is a refreshing twist on an old favorite!

[doc]

Thanks for the positive comments!

To answer your questions:

Right now I'm using the classes from the D@D book; all of them, not just the wizard and fighter. I haven't included any new spells as of yet, but then again the characters really haven't fought any sorcery using enemies yet. What I want to do eventually is to come up with racial magic. That is, types of magic and spells that are unique to each race. Elves shouldn'y use the same types of magic as humans, and humans shouldn't have magic similar to dwarves, etc.

While I hadn't heard of the Acheron Legion I googled 'em and it looks like a pretty close match indeed.

In almost all fantasy games, orcs hate elves. Yet it's never really clear as to why (except the whole 'elves revere life, orcs revere death' thing). So I wanted to come up with a an actual reason that made sense in my game.

When I get some time I will add more posts here, including more information on the Tirian Empire and some interesting NPCs and PCs. And then a few of the special groups or orders of the world.

Doc

[aldarron]

Jun 7, 2010 15:03:58 GMT -6 doc said:

What I want to do eventually is to come up with racial magic. That is, types of magic and spells that are unique to each race. Elves shouldn'y use the same types of magic as humans, and humans shouldn't have magic similar to dwarves, etc.

Do you have AIF Doc? 'Cause that's close to what Arneson and Snider did, creating a specific list of songs for elves and and a list of runes used by dwarves or elves Dwarf magic is somewhat limited and focused on two seperate paths.

[doc]

I was never able to track down a copy of AIF for a reasonable price, though I did look for several years.

I think different races would approach magic diferently. Elf magic would center on glamour and enchantment, while dwarf magic would be more concerned with creation and forging great items. Human magic would be more like personal enhancement, with ther ability to throw fireballs, fly and the like. Hobbit magic would aid in subterfuge and staying alive in a dangerous world.

Doc

[doc]

As promised, here is some more information about the largest area in my game; the land where the PC’s start off in and where most of their early adventures will take place.

If the empire strikes you as being a little similar to Imperial Rome, I assure you that it is completely on purpose. The Tirian Empire is based on Imperial Rome and a small bit of John Norman’s Gor. I like basing fantasy cultures (particularly in sword & sorcery flavored games) on real world history as it tends not only to add a bit of authenticity, but also allows the players to have an immediate point of reference. Further, the dwarf culture of Aeslund is obviously based on the Vikings, the city of Zandaria has similarities to Renaissance Italy, and the enigmatic Southern continent is inspired by Egyptian Africa.

So, without further ado….


THE TIRIAN EMPIRE


What would one day become the largest empire the world of Arth would ever see began nearly a thousand years ago as the tiny fishing village of Tir located on the Western tip of the continent. The original inhabitants were farmers and peasants searching for a better way of life following three seasons of desperate famine. In Tir they put aside their farming tools and became fishermen. In time, others came to Tir to trade supplies and silver for the delicious fish that was a pleasant alternative to common chicken and beef.

Within a few generations, Tir found it necessary to develop a warrior caste, mostly to defend itself from pirates and raiders. A fortress was formed and mercenaries hired. Eventually the hired defenders developed roots in the fishing village and gave birth to future generations of swordsmen and archers.

Tir eventually began sending out envoys to other towns and cities, establishing trade routes and merchant houses. By this time, Tir was a small city and due to it’s influx of military trained citizens it was also becoming known for it’s metal working and high quality weapons. The merchant houses of Tir invariably became major players in the politics of whatever city they had established bases in, often working their way into positions of legitimate power. Over time, Tirian soldiers would arrive to protect and enforce the merchants and politicians. Eventually many cities became vassals of Tir without even realizing that it was happening, realizing too late that the foreign politicians and their military forces had become the true power in the city. Within three hundred years, Tir had gone from an impoverished fishing village to a small fledgling empire consisting of dozens of city states.

Then came the elves.

In the year 919, the elves came from across the sea to take back the lands that they held as their birthright. With them they brought devastating magic and monsters that had long been held as myth and nightmare. Entrenching themselves within the central part of the continent, the elves hammered the great states and kingdoms around them, seeking to exterminate the lowly apes once and for all.

The Tirian Empire saw not only a chance for military glory, but also the opportunity to expand their empire to formerly unknown dimensions. The vaunted Iron Legion sent out thousands of troops to all corners of the human lands, offering aid and might in return for their own rule by martial law until the elves were eradicated. Only the ancient kingdoms of the North and their Dwarf allies turned the empire down.

For nearly a century there was bitter war. Lives were lost in the tens of millions. Men and their allies, the somber dwarves and, to a lesser extent, the mercurial gnomes, stood against the elfish war machine in vain. While the elves were seemingly unbeatable, the Iron Legion and the armies under their command were able to prevent the elves from encroaching too deeply within human civilization. Then, one day, the elves simply vanished and returned to their home across the sea with no apparent reason. The war was over seemingly at a whim.

The Empire, though, was loathe to leave the areas they had commanded and relinquish it’s new power. By that time most of the other armies of Man had been decimated and the Tirian Empire and it’s Iron Legion were able to force most lands into signing treaties with them, basically stating that the Empire was allowed to keep it’s armies and forces in the occupied lands just in case the elves ever returned. The elves were gone, but at the price of freedom across the continent.

At this point, the Tirian Empire covers nearly half the continent, with embassies in hundreds of controlled towns, villages, cities, and former baronies. They maintain a strong military presence even in the far corners of the Empire. While most lands are allowed to govern themselves much as they had before the human-elf wars, the true power lays in the hands of the King of Tir who has the right to abolish any law, ruler, or government that he sees fit.

THE RULERS OF THE TIRIAN EMPIRE

In it’s earliest days, Tir was ruled by a simple council of the wisest and most experienced fishermen in the area. Over time the government changed to reflect the rise of mercantilism and the government was formed of rulers of the more prominent merchant houses. When Tir began establishing footholds in other areas, an envoy was picked from each new city or town to report to the council at Tir.

By the year 889, power had been seized by Alaric the First, a member of a military family who had led several successful campaigns against uprisings. He declared himself First Emperor of the Tirian Empire and greatly stripped down the then-sprawling assortment of councilmen, provincial governors, foreign envoys, merchant princes, elected officials, and hereditary rulers to fifty men who were named Land Masters over specific areas of the empire, all of whom were directly responsible for the stability and resources of their areas to Emperor Alaric himself.

In the waning days of Alaric’s reign, the war against the elves threw the land into chaos. Alaric’s son took up his sword against the enemy, as did his son, grandson, and great-grandson. By the time the elves had fled, the house of Alaric had become well-schooled in the myriad arts of warfare and control.

In the current day, Deithion the Second, the ninth emperor of the Tiran Empire holds the throne. Deithion is young and charismatic, holding the love of most of his people and establishing new routes of trade and possible peace towards the folk of the Fading Realms, Zandaria, and the god-kings of the strange Southern continent.

Deithion is currently opposed by Corvus, a general in the Iron Legion who has grown angry and resentful over Deithion’s overtures of peace towards those he feels should cower in fear from the mighty Tirian war machine. Corvus and his followers, thousands strong, have commandeered the Southern part of the empire where the infamous Black Knight of Tir has sent emissaries to the Southern continent to gain allies to strike against Deithion.

THE IRON LEGION

Beginning as bands of mercenaries and sell-swords in the early days of the empire, the Iron Legion has become the symbol of Tir across the world. Numbering in the tens of thousands, the legion prides itself on keeping the peace throughout all the human lands, by force if need be, in the glorious name of the emperor. They show no fear and give no quarter in combat. They are immediately recognized by their black breastplates, long tipped spears, and thrusting swords. Their credo is “Live for Death; Die for Life,” and they prize loyalty, courage, ruthlessness, and honor.

There is a strange mysticism within the legion, each individual units having their own rituals that bond members to each other, instilling loyalty and overcoming fear as they stand beside their brethren. Many soldiers sport intricate tattoos that are meaningless to anybody but another legionnaire. Even when mustered out of the service, many former legionnaires act as auxiliary troops or camp supporters, loyal to the legion to the end.

MAGIC IN THE EMPIRE

In the Tirian Empire, magic is generally regarded as simply another tool used for conquest. There are relatively few, and all wizards are licensed by the empire and must swear a blood oath to the king and to Tir. Any unlicensed wizards are given the option to either get on board or face execution. There are few wizards in Tir beyond 6th level, as the empire is more of a martial state than an arcane one. Spellcasters are not allowed to be part of the Iron Legion, although they are frequently placed on loan to the military for certain missions or projects. The greatest wizard in the empire, known simply as The Magus, answers to no man or law but the king. Other wizards are expected to be more tractable, however.

RELIGION

The people of the Tirian Empire worship a god called Dagon. In Tir’s earliest days, Dagon was a god of fishing, the seas, and prosperity, and was portrayed as a giant carp. As the empire grew and became more military focused, so did their image of their god. Over the centuries Dagon became a god of conquest and authority, safeguarding the men of Tir from the enemies that surrounded them.

Dagon is represented as a powerful warrior clad in the armor of Tir with his face concealed by a golden helm topped with a fin crest. He carries the symbols of a fisherman, a trident and harpoon, in their military forms. Dagon is knows as The Silent God, as he never speaks directly, but instead makes his wishes known to his priests through prophetic dreams.

WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN THE EMPIRE

The Tirian Empire is strictly male dominated with women holding no real power. Women are judged as being unable to make life-or-death decisions or to take part in military programs, and are considered the property of the male head of their family. A woman venturing alone in public must be able to produce documented proof of their identity and family. A woman not able to produce such documentation is considered fair game to be taken as property by any man who wishes to lay claim to her.

A very few women, usually those foreign born, are able to force the empire into accepting them due to their individual power or charisma. Female mercenaries, while looked down upon, will be paid the same rates as their male counterparts if they succeed. Since wizards are generally not considered to be true humans, their gender tends to be of little concern to most people. Female assassins tend to be in great demand, as women are generally considered to be helpless and thus able to get closer to a prominent target by making him lower his guard at a crucial moment.

Be she a slave or a member of a family, the fate of most women in the empire is to produce male children. Female children are kept in the home to be brought up by the women of the household. Male children are taken from their mothers at the age of six and given tests to determine their aptitude, be it military, political, arcane, religious, or even to learn the dark arts of the assassin. Male children who fail all aptitudes are left to their own devices to become useful members of the empire, many of them becoming apprenticed to business owners and tradesmen. Far more, however, slip through the cracks and become part of the Tirian underworld of thieves, assassins, rogues, and cutthroats, all seeking to rise from their desperate situation by any means necessary.

AREAS OF INTEREST

The Tirian Empire has many dozens of holdings, from tiny hamlets to great city-states, all under the auspices of Emperor Deithion and his council of fifty. Many of these places are common enough and deserve no real elaboration. Some of the more interesting holdings include:

Ere’Nor: Perched near a lake in the central part of the empire, Ere’Nor is a medium sized merchant town known for it’s wines and reputation as a central spot on many trade routes. It is ruled by a local baron who reports directly to one of the emperor’s land masters. What most citizens of the Empire don’t have a clue about is that this seemingly innocuous town has the largest and most notorious black market in the human lands and is the home of the dreaded Assassin’s Guild. Outsiders are watched closely.

Golgotha: Located in the Eastern part of the empire, Golgotha is known as The Glittering City due to it’s centuries of extravagance and decadence. In spite of their great reputation as a wealthy and well-protected merchant city they were easily overrun and taken over by the Tirians. Now the arrogant nobles and princes of Golgotha must abandon their pagan gods and hedonism to support toe ever growing empire. There is always civil unrest in Golgotha, although they are too afraid of retribution to ever make a move.

Kaelvan: Located in the Northwestern part of the empire, Kaelvan is home to a barbaric and feral race of warriors who are unable to feel fear. They are less ruled over by their Tirian masters then they are contained. The towns of Kaelvan are primitive works of wood and hide. The Kael willingly follow their warlike masters, as they love nothing more than conflict, but their uncontrollable nature prevents them from service in the Iron Legion. Not that they really care.

Khanokh: The oldest known human city, Khanokh, located in the Eastern part of the empire, is ancient beyond words. A massive, sprawling metropolis where newer buildings and cultures are built upon the ruins of the old. It is ruled by seventeen Great Houses, all whom chafe under the command of their Tirian masters. Besides the seventeen houses, Khanokh is home to over one million desperate, dirt poor souls who steal, fight, and kill daily to scratch out a living within the immense slums of humanity’s first city.

Tir: The heart of the empire, Tir has gone from a tiny village to a large walled city sitting on the Western coast of the empire. The people of Tir are proud of their empire and it’s accomplishments, and believe that they are the only thing standing between civilization and world chaos. Tir is a great city in every meaning of the word, with universities, academies of science, and debating halls coexisting with gladiator pits and military fortresses.

Ying Ko: A small city-state ruled by sorcerers, Ying Ko is located in the Southeastern part of the empire. It is a dark and dreary lace, known for it’s black turrets and obsidian vaults. The Magus rules Ying Ko through the fear of retribution when he is not at the call of the Emperor. Before the coming of the Empire, no non-sorcerer had set foot in Yhing Ko for five hundred years. Needless to say, they are not pleased.

THE CURRENT SITUATION

The Tirian Empire, under the rule of the firebrand Emperor Deithion, is experiencing a state of change. Deithion has opened the proverbial doors of his empire and is encouraging peace and trade with those who have been the enemies of the empire for centuries. Most of the citizens are skittish over these new changes, but excited. Very few have ever seen a dwarf, an outlander, or an envoy from the Southern Continent, let alone a woman wearing armor and brandishing steel. Many of the Iron Legion chafe at the idea of having to play nice with ancestral enemies and pray in their hearts that their clever young king is only setting a trap for his foemen.

This is where the player characters entered. Some were citizens of the empire. Others were grim dwarves or strange Halflings (a race so rarely seen they are not considered to be real). Still others were foreign mercenaries seeking their fortune in this oppressive but very prosperous empire. One was a female outlaw returning to the homeland that had ordered her execution when she was thirteen years old to search for her missing sister. What will befall them? Who will live? Who will perish? Who will become legends?

Stay tuned.

Next up; some NPCs.

Doc