Kingdoms of Kalamar - fill me in please

[BlueBlackRed]

There are so many D&D campaigns out there now and I'm too cheap to spend that much money on just a chance.

Right now my eye has turned to the Kingdoms of Kalamar D&D game.

What is it?

What's it about?

Is it a traditional high-fantasy type of game along the lines of Forgotten Realms and the like?

Does it have any screwy rules or messed up settings? (For example I despise the whole Eberron "thing".)

In other words, please give me the jist of it all.

Thanks!

 

[Nightfall]

Gist this:

It's a world where all Kenzer does is make a few sourcebooks and some modules...and nothing really happens unless it happens in your campaign.

In other words, it's pretty dull to me. But others like it.

 

[Prince of Happiness]

Gist this:

It's a world where all Kenzer does is make a few sourcebooks and some modules...and nothing really happens unless it happens in your campaign.

In other words, it's pretty dull to me. But others like it.

Whatever.

KoK is a very well detailed setting that also manages to give substantial "wiggle" room to do what you want to do, without some crappy metaplot and mega NPCs to gum everything up. I would say, for me it would be more like Greyhawk with a lot more...stuff to pick and choose from. Your characters and your campaign are the main focal point of the setting. If you want detail on orcs, pick up the "Fury In the Wastelands" book, or "Strength and Honor" for the hobgoblins. Geanavue city supplement is even written by Ed Greenwood, so if you dig FR, that might be something to check out.

 

[BaldHero]

The setting is made up of detailed cultures, realistic environments, and history that is both believable and interesting. No real fantastic ideas or concepts. Pretty low key stuff, what would seem possible without having to put out new rules or prestige classes to back up a cool new idea.
There is no metaplot for the campaign, so there is no need to keep buying supplements to find out what all the npcs did this month, or what the gods did this year. The heroes are the focus of plot, and are expected to be exceptional. There are no iconic super characters waiting to swoop in and save the world.
I like it since it is doesnt seem to be a mixture of everything under the sun.
I have run a campign in the same setting now for three years. My only complaint is that sometimes some of the races seem as though they are bland, and do not have the same flavor that the human cultures have, but i suspect that has more to do with licensing requirements than the settings design.

 

[wingsandsword]

Before 3rd Edition, Kingdoms of Kalamar was a generic, system-free fantasy setting from KenzerCo, it was advertised in old Knights of the Dinner Table issues well before it's current incarnation as this system-free setting.

When 3rd Edition came out, KenzerCo bought the license to use the D&D trademark instead of just the d20 licence for the name recognition for their game setting. I remember being at a KenzerCo seminar at Gen Con 2003 when someone asked why they bought a D&D license instead of d20. Their answer was simple. "How many of your mothers have ever heard of d20? (almost nobody raises their hand) "How many of your mothers have ever heard of D&D"? (just about everybody raises their hand). So they paid a small fortune for the D&D name recognition.

From what I have seen, and looked at it at my FLGS, the Kingdoms of Kalamar core book looks like the exact same system-free rulebook it originally was, with the D&D name added to the cover. There are virtually no game mechanics or game rules anywhere in the core book, not even things as fundamental as domains and favored weapons for the deities (I think they released that as a web enhancement after fan outcry). They later released a "Players Guide" which had world-specific game material. It looks pretty dull and flavorless, to be honest, like they made a generic fantasy world but didn't have a specific angle to put on it.

Kingdoms of Kalamar appears to be just another European-themed fantasy setting, like Greyhawk, Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms or Birthright. It looks a little grittier and lower-magic than some, but doesn't seem to have any big quirks that make it feel less like D&D like Eberron does (some people may like it, but sentient golem PC's and a city of skyscrapers are just the start of the stuff that turns me off of it).

 

[der_kluge]

You know, I borrowed KoK from a friend of mine, and I just couldn't read it. I tried. It reads like stereo instructions.

 

[GrimJesta]

Hey folks. I usually only chime in for threads about Kalamar (or Earthdawn), I know. And instead of my own words Ill grab what this dude Oghma wrote a while back. It basically says what I want to say only better:

0ghma says:
This questions frequently appears on the boards, so I’m going to take a stab at answering it. Of course, you can always link to Dave Kenzer’s essay, but he’s telling why you should buy his product, and eloquently so. I have no stake in Kalamar financially, so here is my perspective. There are other good opinions on other threads, because of the frequency of this question.

First, however, let me start by telling you a little about me as a DnD gamer. I’ve been playing DnD since 1977. I’ve played a smattering of settings from Greyhawk to Forgotten Realms, not going too far into the more esoteric settings like Maztica, and playing a lot of home-brews both as DM and as a player. I played 1st edition through the publishing of 2nd edition DnD, and jumped to 3e as soon as it came out. I’ve played other RPG’s, notably GURPS, but have generally preferred DnD. As a DM I generally like medium magic campaigns that are more low- than high-fantasy, though I enjoy epic campaigns. (Epic in the sense that the players actiosn can save/destroy the world). I like campaigns that matter.

About a year ago, I started looking for a new setting to play in, having played too much in Greyhawk, and though I like the detail of Forgotten Realms, I’m uncomfortable with the high power/magic level of the NPC’s. I looked around a lot before settling on Kalamar. My review of settings got truncated, though, when I found Kalamar, because I started focusing on it to the exclusion of others.

The first thing I noticed about Kalamar was how it treated the gods and religion. Kalamar gives a pantheon which is worshipped by all races. There are no demi-human gods, so while the pantheon is large, it’s only one pantheon. Many settings give you their pantheon plus a pantheon for each of 5-8 races, sometimes sub-races too. That’s a lot of gods. Kalamar’s creation story is consistent and well-outlined. (I’ll return to consistent and well-outlined, as this is a theme of Kalamar).

Kalamar’s detail on religion is impressive. You get what different cultures call each god, you know how the clergy worship them, you know what gods are allied and opposed, and clerics get abilities which are unique to each god without destroying the cleric class as a whole. It’s consistent and well-outlined.

Next I went on to the setting itself. The setting is detailed without being directive. You are not told how to run the world, you are given the setting as your canvas. Kalamar has the countries, races, history and geography of the world of Tellene well-described and with an internal logic to it that is rare in a published setting. Again, it’s consistent and well-outlined.

Human sub-races are enthologically explained, without giving in-game bonuses to different races. Humans are all the same under the skin. Many human Earth cultures are mirrored, from the Fhokki (northern barbarians) to the Svimohzians (African cultures), which gives a comfort level for many players. It doesn’t get “out-there” with races like genasi and half-celestials. To me this is a good thing. I’d like to decide whether I’m going to allow a race with a higher ECL than one, not be told it’s an integral part of the setting. It allows for psionics without requiring it. (The golden halflings’ favored class is psion, but I house-ruled it in my campaign to be bard because I don’t want psionics).

The geography and the history of Kalamar are so well intertwined you begin to realize how weak other settings are in this respect. Knowledge of how terrain affects culture helps a DM get a grasp on the setting and there are no geographic oddities, such as a desert plunked in the middle of a swamp. If you decide to purchase the Kalamar Atlas, you find it’s even more detailed, with helpful appendices and charts. The world of Telllene makes sense.

The Kalamar Players’ Guide adds classes unique to Kalamar and further details the setting from a players’ perspective. It adds spells and further details how religion is played in Kalamar. It details the Channel Positive Energy feat, which allows a cleric to use a turn attempt to do a deity-specific effect, which I think is very cool. There are prestige classes and more in-depth descriptions of the races.

I am disappointed with some things about Kalamar. There are times when some errors creep in to the published versions that surprise me. They forgot a domains chart for the gods in the Campaign settings book. It was in the text, so you could read each god and find each domain, but there wasn’t a handy chart. The races detailed in the Player’s guide leave out some abilities which appear to be assumed. (Elves’ use of bow and sword, for example.) Many publishers have this problem; it’s not unique to Kenzer. However, this concern is offset by what is perhaps the best part of the Kalamar setting.

The Kenzerco Kalamar boards.

This group of Kalamar users is knowledgeable, friendly, funny, and helpful. They are the best reviewers of Kenzer’s Kalamar products, and they are quick to find inconsistencies. Once found, Kenzer responds amazingly quickly, sometimes within a few minutes. The aforementioned domains list was up within a week of publication. It is an astounding example of a shared love of a setting by the publisher and it’s users. It is as important to me as the quality of the setting. I can post questions about an adventure and be directed to a compiled list of comments by those who have run it, what happened in it, and how they administrated certain events. Rules clarifications and good-natured debate add immeasurable to the enjoyment I get out of the setting.

I chose Kalamar because it’s well-outlined yet not too detailed. It lets me run the campaign I want, and it will let you run the campaign you want, even though they may be different. It’s well-supported, with source books and adventures coming out at least every month. Updates, errata, and revisions are done quickly. Players have input into the publishing process and what their needs as Kalamar users are.

Welcome to Kalamar!

Amen.

Apparently you either love the setting or hate it. And it is rather far from a standard European setting and more like Bronze Age ganing, as Kalamar is basically Rome...


-=Grim=-

 

[Desdichado]

Kalamar is great if you're all about history, realistic linguistics, ethnicities and cultures. Of course, to many, that kind of stuff is what you have to read in school and therefore don't enjoy it.

Me, on the other hand, who bought In Search of the Indo-Europeans because I read it so much for fun, think that Kalamar is a breath of fresh air in many ways. Sure it's traditional, but it's traditional done right and thorough. Also, high level NPCs are like 10th level or so, so you don't get that epic level ridiculousness that other settings struggle so hard to make logical.

I think logical is a good buzzword for Kalamar. It's a bit like Greyhawk, only a lot more logical.

 

[Brennin Magalus]

When 3rd Edition came out, KenzerCo bought the license to use the D&D trademark instead of just the d20 licence for the name recognition for their game setting. I remember being at a KenzerCo seminar at Gen Con 2003 when someone asked why they bought a D&D license instead of d20. Their answer was simple. "How many of your mothers have ever heard of d20? (almost nobody raises their hand) "How many of your mothers have ever heard of D&D"? (just about everybody raises their hand). So they paid a small fortune for the D&D name recognition.

Kenzer did not "buy" the license (unless the threat of litigation is a form of payment).

 

[Mark Plemmons]

There are so many D&D campaigns out there now and I'm too cheap to spend that much money on just a chance.

Right now my eye has turned to the Kingdoms of Kalamar D&D game.
What is it?
What's it about?
Is it a traditional high-fantasy type of game along the lines of Forgotten Realms and the like?
Does it have any screwy rules or messed up settings? (For example I despise the whole Eberron "thing".)
In other words, please give me the jist of it all.

Thanks!

I think I can do that.

Well, your best bet is to look at all the info at http://www.kenzerco.com/rpg/kalamar/index.php and ask on our discussion forums.

However, I do have some highlights, frequently asked questions and such below...

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HIGHLIGHTS

What are some of the highlights of the Kingdoms of Kalamar campaign setting?

1. A logical, realistic topography. Deserts, mountains, rivers, lakes and forest are all where they belong.

2. A setting driven by the actions of ordinary men. Thus even a low-level PC can have a profound effect on the world and shape the history with his actions.

3. The wide variety of races have an extensively detailed history and background, starting from their original migration to the main continent and continuing through the present year. This makes character background easy and interesting to create.

4. The political entities have a similarly detailed background history. Each governmental body is fully described with their history of war and peace. Thus it is easy to work large military and political conflicts into your campaign.

5. The world of Tellene contains every type of terrain or obstacle you could desire, and thus a wide variety of locations in which to base your campaign.

6. The setting is neither under-populated nor over-populated. Monsters and fantastical creatures exist, but they are not so numerous that they begin tripping over each other.
7. Nothing happens without a logical reason. The explanation is never "that’s just the way it is," or "it's magic – it doesn't have to make sense."

8. The Kingdoms of Kalamar is an extensively supported campaign setting. Currently, we have the campaign setting (the history book of all the lands) and the Player's Guide, plus two more optional core products (such as a 24-panel Dungeon Master's Screen), 12 adventure modules, 14 supplements (including an incredibly detailed, realistic-looking Atlas; plus Elves and Bugbears arriving in a couple of weeks), 2 Living (tournament) products, fonts, and many more products on the way.

9. The book contains a large, full color map and hex overlay to accurately measure distance and travel time.

10. Kalamar is an official Dungeons and Dragons product, not d20, and therefore is official third edition material, like D&D product from Wizards of the Coast. As well as being edited and reviewed by Kenzer and Company staff, all art and text is also reviewed by WotC in several stages to ensure compatibility.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. What is the setting [Kalamar] like? What makes it unique?

A. Kingdoms of Kalamar is a medieval fantasy setting fundamentally based on realism. It's recent history encompasses the proliferation of 6 human races (subraces really, they're all human) throughout the world of Tellene. It also includes all the standard fantasy races of D&D like elves and dwarves and a few new ones unique to Kalamar like half-hobgoblins. In fact, full blooded hobgoblins are also a prevalent civilized race with their own independent kingdoms. The most advanced societies use steel including plate armor, and can fashion complex siege weapons. Less advanced groups may still be using bronze or even stone tools. There is no gunpowder. But then again, who needs gun powder when you've got magic? Magic exists and has certainly influenced the history of the world but Wizards and sorcerers are not overly common and common people accept most unusual and seemingly inexplicable events as the work of one of the gods rather than arcane magic. In smaller communities, the townsfolk easily confuse wizards and especially sorcerers with clerics, and arcane spells may be misconstrued as miracles or portents of the gods. In fact, the pantheon of deities is one of the aspects of Kalamar that make it unique. Merely reading through the pantheon of Kalamaran deities will give players and Dungeon Masters alike inspiration for untold gaming sessions and adventures.

Q. How is the campaign setting sourcebook different from the previous Kalamar box set from years back?

A. The new campaign setting supplement has about 50% more material. Nearly every city on the map has been added to, the art has been updated, and the overall presentation is much slicker with a 272 page hardcover book format. There are also a few new goodies like new spells, new armor types, reworked rune sets and languages, new races for player characters, and much more.

The maps are about the same size, but they're a bit brighter, with some minor modifications. They include a compass rose and legend as well as a few other nifty features. And at 272 pages, the book weighs in much heavier than the 188 pages from the last edition. In any case, we think this product is a great buy. We've added so much and after seven years, we only inched the price up $5.

Q. What does ‘based on realism’ mean? How is Kalamar different from the Forgotten Realms?

A. Based on realism means that the geography, climate and political interactions follow logical patterns based on previous events. Kalamar is not as dramatically low on magic as Harn was but most inhabitants of the world aren’t exposed to magic on a routine basis. This lets DMs tailor the world to their own magic taste. Its easy to sprinkle in more magic if that’s the way you like to play but it can be more difficult to take magic out if an entire society or town is based on some magical element. Realism also means that the world was built from the bottom up. We considered plate tectonics, placed mountains based on that, set weather patters and bodies of water, defined migration patterns of early inhabitants and eventually developed the modern societies all in a logical progression. We can contrast this with Forgotten Realms or Greyhawk. My understanding of these settings is that they were based on D&D campaigns of Gary Gygax and Ed Greenwood. The players probably started somewhere and the world grew out from there as the DMs needed to fill in the details. This type of top down world is fine if that’s the way you want to play but it can lead to some logical inconsistencies. For example, Kalamar has six human races, each with their own language. Thus, each place that race populates should be named in the language of the people who live there. An exception to this would be if the place was conquered. Then the place name will likely be renamed by the victors.

Q. What about changes in terms of terms of politics, geography and monster ecology, etc?

A. The politics of the setting haven’t changed greatly. This is primarily because we don't advance the timeline. However, we’ve detailed many more of the cities. This brings with it a whole slew of subplots of regional politics as they relate to the larger politics of the different nations and regions. There are also several new independent cities (particularly in the Reanaaria Bay area) that add possibilities for subplots to the overall politics of the region. The geography is essentially the same as before, although we did some work on the map to make it stand out even more. The monster ecology was intentionally pretty loose in the earlier editions of Kalamar books. This was done so we could focus on the interactions of the people of the world and let individual gamemasters determine how to sprinkle the world with monsters to suit their own campaign. But with each new release that supports the core book, fans will see more and more specifics on what monsters inhabit different regions. Such as the supplement Dangerous Denizens: the Monsters of Tellene.

Q. What about the sun? Moon, planets, etc?

A. Tellene's sun is yellow, much like Earth's. Here is an excerpt from the book on celestial bodies:

"Orbiting Tellene are three moons: Diadolai (Elven Moon), Pelselond (Big Star) and Veshemo (Mother Above). Diadolai is the smallest of the three moons and is reddish-pink in color. It is on an 80 day cycle from full moon to full moon. For most of the 80 day period, however, Diadolai does not appear in the nighttime sky. Because of its size (about 1/3 the size of Veshemo), Diadolai does not give off much light, even when full. The elves believe Diadolai to be the home of the gods.

Pelselond is a small moon as well, appearing only slightly larger than Diadolai. Pelselond’s full moon cycle is approximately 34 days and it usually appears white or off-white in color. Pelselond has an elliptic orbit and therefore, appears to be moving at varying speeds across the sky.

Veshemo is the largest of the three moons and occasionally eclipses the other moons from view. It is on a 28 day cycle, which is the basis for the calendar that most of Tellene uses. On the 14th of every month Veshemo is full; but being pale yellow in color, Veshemo gives off only slightly more light than Pelselond.

Every 280 years the three moons are aligned and full simultaneously. This event is recognized, but not necessarily celebrated, by almost every religion on Tellene. Veshemo and Diadolai are full together on various days in a 20 year cycle. Veshemo and Pelselond as well as Pelselond and Diadolai are full together at least once per year. Veshemo, Pelselond and Diadolai align or are full concurrently once every few years in a 40 year cycle. Two of the moons are in alignment several times a year.

The Brightstar: Another star exists only about half a light year away from Tellene’s. It is a double star with its twin being a black hole. The two rotate around each other so this very bright star slowly disappears and then reappears. Some hold that the two stars influence good and evil. While the Brightstar shines goodwill prospers, but when it dims, evil reigns supreme."

The chapter on celestial bodies also details 30 constellations (with art) among other celestial features.

=============

THE LANDS OF TELLENE

The most well-known of the six prominent nations (Brandobia, Kalamar, Reanaaria Bay, the Svimohzish Isle, the Wild Lands, and the Young Kingdoms) is Kalamar, from which the setting takes its name.

Brandobia: The fractured nations of Brandobia are little more than three would-be empires that share a common history. A Brandobian king bore triplet sons who quarreled over rights to the throne after their father’s death. The kingdom didn’t survive the dispute and instead fractured into three sovereign nations: Condol, Eldor and Mendarn.

Kalamar: As a nation, Kalamar has its roots in peace and prosperous co-existence of humans and non-humans. Over time, fragments of the Kingdom sued for independence one by one. Today, the Kalamaran Empire sits in the middle of a barely controlled collection of nations consisting of the Kingdom of Kalamar, the Kingdom of Basir, the lands of Tarisato, the Duchy of Dodera and the Kingdom of Tokis.

The Young Kingdoms: The history of the Young Kingdoms may be the most tumultous of all the many lands of Tellene. Almost 500 years ago, the Kalamar Emperor Kolokar divided the former Eastern Brandobia into independent territories under the Kalamaran flag. Time, distance and ineffectual rule eventually lead to these Young Kingdoms declaring (and maintaining) independence one by one.

The Wild Lands: The great Wild Lands are collectively home to many offshoots of the Fhokki people. Though the Fhokki are a hardy bunch of survivors, theirs is a sad tale of the splintered lineage of a wandering people. The Torakkis, the Targgas, the Drhokker and the Skarrns -- are all splinter groups from the original Fhokki tribe. Yet there is much distrust among the tribes which at best is mere suspicion and at worst is open hostility.

Svimohzia: All the roads of human history eventually lead backward through time to the Svimohzish Isle, the cradle of Tellene civilization. All the ancestors of all of the ruling empires migrated from this exotic southern land. Eventually war broke out with the hobgoblins of Ul-Karg. The physical and economic toils of war took their toll and the kingdom splintered. The three former holdings of Meznamish gained their independence and Ahznomahn later emerged as the economic power.

Reanaaria Bay: The lands surrounding Reanaaria Bay are not a unified nation, though all share roots back to a common ancestry. In ancient times, the early Reanaarese traveled through what is now southern Kalamar, following the migration patterns of the game they hunted. Today, the original settlements are now independent city-states governed by a single ruler or king.

=============

INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATIONS

Amid the populace of Tellene operate several independent organizations. These groups have specialized (and often illegal) goals that range from preparing for the return of the Creator to world domination. Typically, their influence on society varies with the strength of the local government. While many of these groups interact with religious organizations and may have similar goals, they are unaffiliated with the churches of Tellene.

The Blackfoot Society
The Blackfoot Society is a loose-knit group of anti-monarchists. They dispute the popularly held belief that royal families have the divine right to rule. The Society's goal is the overthrow of all monarchies, whether oppressive or benevolent. The Society enjoys its largest support in the Kalamaran Empire, Eldor, Meznamish and Shynabath. Even in countries where the regime is especially oppressive, and the environment is ripe for dissent, the Blackfoot Society has been unable to foster much of an uprising, largely due to weak and ineffective leadership.

The Secret Network of the Blue Salamander
The largest secular organization on Tellene, the Secret Network of the Blue Salamander has as its goal nothing less than world domination. The Network regularly infiltrates governments and guilds, rising to positions of power through skullduggery, ranging from blackmail to assassination. Its agents come from all levels of society, from servants and laborers to Guildmasters and nobles. The Network's members are also active in military insurrections, piracy, and terrorism in nearly every region of Tellene.

Brotherhood of the Broken Chain
A relatively new, but quickly growing organization, the Brotherhood is dedicated to the elimination of slavery on Tellene. Either by fomenting and aiding rebellions among slaves, or ambushing caravans of slave-traders, they have freed many captives, and also added to their organization's strength and numbers. As a last resort, the brotherhood will purchase slaves for the sole purpose of freeing them. But in all cases they would prefer to deny any profit to slave merchants.

The Disciples of Avrynner
Dedicated to the father of modern psionics, this secret society exists to foster contacts between those gifted with psionic abilities on Tellene. Because membership in the society is based solely on whether one is gifted with psionic abilities, the group does not really have a set "agenda." Its goals do include opposing those bent on eliminating or enslaving psionicists, such as illithids.

Disciples of the Creator
After the Creator disappeared, her temples, shrines and altars were desecrated, burned and destroyed by agents of those who opposed her. Her priests and followers were hunted down and sacrificed to other gods. The few believers that escaped these purges kept their faith alive in secret, passing the faith down to their children, cautiously recruiting new followers and awaiting the creator's return. They continue to do so.

The Golden Alliance
The largest merchant's guild on Tellene, the Golden Alliance seeks to dominate and control all trading in all areas. Its members disregard ethics completely, even financing brigand activity and piracy to weaken other guilds. They have also secured, through lucrative deals and outright bribery, the protection and advocacy of many high-ranking public officials, although their political philosophy really amounts to the idea that trade should be unfettered by both laws and taxation in the quest for ever-higher profits.

Guardians of the Hidden Flame
The Guardians are a clandestine group of Kalamaran dissidents loyal to the Inakas Dynasty, and a thorn in the side of the Bakar family, current rulers of the Empire. They fund and train groups of seasoned freedom fighters for guerilla strikes against the Empire. They also preach opposition to Emperor Kabori's regime, and in the past have tried to encourage peasant uprisings. Very little is known about the actual activities of the Guardians, but they have for centuries remained stalwart in both their opposition and their efforts.

Sentinels of the True Way
Mainly Fhokki in membership, with some halflings and dwarves, this group is dedicated to the elimination of magic and a return to a simpler way of life. They seek to destroy magic items and creatures, and tend to be distrustful of priests, druids, rangers, bards and paladins.

Vessels of Man
Founded by a disillusioned Basiran cleric, the Vessels of Man are dedicated to the elimination of godly influence on Tellene. They are fairly few in number, and believe that to deny the gods power, the clerics who spread their faiths must be destroyed. Merelor, their founder and leader, is hunted, and is very rarely seen. He now surrounds himself with a small, intensely dedicated and extremely competent group of followers.

Pirates
Piracy is fairly common on the seas of Tellene, both in the form privateers and buccaneers, who are sanctioned by a specific country in return for a percentage of their booty, and independent outlaws who operate without even that thin veil of legitimacy. There are pirates of nearly all races and from all regions on the crews of these ships.

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GODS OF TELLENE

The world of Tellene, like all other places, did not always exist. It is believed that the Creator, a being of enormous power and intellect, developed the universe for her own amusement. Finding the newly created cosmos wondrous yet unsatisfying, she brought forth from her fingertips life forms to inhabit the various planes of existence.

A total of fifty-four gods, each portraying a specific characteristic or related characteristics of the Creator, from life and truth to death and deceit, were brought into existence to govern the cosmos under the watchful eye of the Creator. In order to serve the needs of her children, she also fabricated various species of creatures: dragons, dwarves, elves, primitive races, insects and all creatures in-between. The gods gathered periodically to discuss the state of events on their different planes and the Creator assigned further responsibilities. This system worked effectively for many eons.

However, intelligent individuals, especially gods, are prone to feel indignant toward authority and the limitations that come with being inferior; and the chaotic gods began to resent the control the Creator had over them. It was with this in mind that several deities, led by the Confuser of Ways, formed a plan for the demise of the Supreme One.

The Creator, of course, learned of their scheme, but she was intrigued. She allowed their plan to continue, and created the illusion of her demise by allowing her essence to be trapped in a crystal shard. Fearing that the destruction of the shard would mean an end to all existence, the culprits secreted the shard in a well-guarded fortress on a distant plane. Shortly thereafter, the Corruptor and the Confuser of Ways conjured false evidence linking the Overlord to the apparent death of the Creator. This situation infuriated all the good deities and they immediately formed a coalition to bring the flabbergasted Overlord to justice.

With the Creator apparently absent, opposing gods immediately tried to destroy one another; law fought chaos, good fought evil and the neutral gods tried to hold the cosmos together. The ensuing mayhem shook the planes and resulted in the death of eleven deities. However, just as the Overlord was about to be the next god slain, the Lord of Silver Linings called upon the Riftmaster to magically whisk the Overlord away into captivity on Tellene. All other deities believed him to be dead.

The conflict continued until a wondrous evolution took place. To the delight of the gods, various races, including humans, began to evolve on Tellene. The attention of the deities was quickly diverted to Tellene. They watched in wonder and amusement as the rapidly advancing races spread their influence across the planet.

Since the gods found that their power grew in proportion the number of worshippers they attracted, each god competed for the right to make worshippers of the new races. Old disputes quickly rekindled and the gods were once again at odds with each other. This time, however, the gods decided to fight one another through their worshippers because they feared personal destruction as witnessed in prior battles. The Creator now sits silently amused, watching the events on Tellene unfold under the manipulation of the deities she created.

Unlike the Creator, the remaining gods are not omnipotent. Within their spheres of influence they are dominant, but they can be bested in other areas. All gods have the ability to take any form they wish. This includes different races, sexes, sizes and shapes. Their can, of course, alter their form to fit any given situation; however, most gods, when associating with mortals, will choose a form similar to that of their audience. Gods can even impersonate one another, although this tends to inspire harsh retaliation from the deity imitated.

The appearance of a deity on Tellene is an uncommon occurrence; they prefer to manipulate events through their clerics and followers. Their ultimate goal is to gain new followers and continue to influence current ones. A god’s power is directly related to the number of followers gained and the prevalence of the god’s spheres of influence. Therefore, the gods always strive to spread their power by gaining followers and clerics.

In most religions of Tellene, there is a distinct difference between levels within the clergy and experience level. Typically, a cleric gains adventuring experience by using skills and overcoming foes. This does not necessarily mean that the cleric has advanced within the hierarchy of the church organization. Responsibilities such as performing rituals, sacrifices, converting followers and serving the needs of the church are generally looked upon more favorably by the deity and church leaders. A cleric who effectively serves the needs of the church will be more respected within the clergy than a cleric who adventures for personal gain.

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