To follow up on the latter, here's a not-so-brief writeup of the D&D campaign I'd be running. I'm going with a 'less is more' approach, and as such I'm drawing on a certain number of themes for the campaign. I'm going to be using Weapons of Legacy (hero-style weapons and items -- named items that improve over time as you go up in levels), Lords of Madness (aberrations), Draconomicon (dragons), Libris Mortis (undead), and Drow of the Underdark (drow) as major thematic inspirations. I'm also cribbing the Ogdru Jahad and Ogdru-Hem whole-cloth from Hellboy, if that helps at all.
The 25-words-or-less is the PCs will be running around, claiming the legacy of the Heroes who have come before, while at the same time fighting off an evil that has already destroyed civilization once over.
==========
Centuries ago, the Empire was the pinnacle of civilization. Championed by Heroes both powerful and just, the Empire was humanity's crowning glory. Liberty, equality and justice were the order of the day. Mankind lived in peace and harmony, with not even the slightest worry.
Then /They/ came.
Nobody knows who /They/ were, but what is known is that /They/ spread rot and corruption at the heart of humanity, fed by greed and a thirst for gold. The Empire's greatest Heroes were hunted and killed, one by one, until none were left. Their mortal remains were interred in monolithic tombs, the only structures powerful enough to conmtain their near godlike essences. Without the Empire's Heroes to defend it, the rot spread to the furthest corners of the Empire, until it collapsed under its own gargantuan weight.
Humanity shattered into a thousand redoubts, holdfasts and isolated settlements as wilderness reclaimed the once cosmopolitan Empire. Time and time again, a charismatic warlord would rise, only to be struck down by others ambitious of their power.
The only entities powerful enough to solidify a realm for themselves were those that had come from across the Western Sea -- the dragons. Each carved out a domain, ruling land a days ride in each direction. Those that obeyed the will of the dragons lived, and became their followers. Those that did not, died.
The draconic insurgence sent shockwaves through the human lands. Dozens of self-styled warlords and pretender kings failed in their attempts to oust the wyrms, their warbands scattered and terrified. There seemed no hope for humanity, until an unlikely counterpoint arose in the northeast -- the Dark Kings.
The Dark Kings, for that is how they styled themselves, were patrons of death. Their domains, the Dark Kingdoms, were a surprising mix of the living and the dead. Undeath was no stigma in the northeast, and many dark faiths from before the days of the Empire still found their home there. As the Dark Kings became more powerful, their most loyal followers also grew in power until they earned the title of Dark King themselves, and had earned the right to claim a domain of their own. So was their way.
The dragons took note of this force in the northeast, and paused their slow creep across the land.
Decades and centuries passed, with the dragons in the west and the Dark Kings in the northeast consolidating their power. Infighting became common as both forces squabbled with themselves. Humanity, for the most part, had been spared. The two behemoths on their shoulders had paused, and the land began to recover, but many were waiting for the other shoe to drop. Then came the events that seemed to indicate just that.
Almost overnight, people began showing an interest in the tombs of the Empire's Heroes. A travelling merchant here, an itinerant sorcerer there. The tombs had long been considered forbidden by everyone -- even the dragons and the Dark Kings. Gold began to flow as freebooting parties were hired to investigate those monolithic mausoleums. Nobody could quite work out where this money was coming from, or who was behind it. It was almost like what had happened back in the days of the Empire. Some dared to suggest the almost unthinkable.
/They/ have returned.
==========
Much like in Eberron, alignment is subjective. Even though they epitomize the undead concept, the Dark Kings are not necessarily evil. Some are even good. Likewise, the Dragons are a mix of alignments. For those in the former Empire, it varies depending on any and by whom their tribe or village is led.
The Dragonlands are very Norse/Viking-themed. Each Dragon rules over (usually) one tribe, which is rules by central hereditary figure. A liaison, often a senior disciple of the dragon, acts as an intermediary between the dragon itself and the tribe.Most Daragonlands are fairly uniform in side -- about a day's ride in all directions.
The Dark Kingdoms are much more cosmopolitan. Cities have been replaced by great necropolises, and the living and the dead share the same streets. The Dark Kingdoms, no matter how different each is from the other, share the same philosophy: undeath is the next stage of life. A single Dark King rules each 'Kingdom', which can vary in size from a day's walk across to vast domains over five days ride in span. More often than not a Dark King attains his position over his predecessor through a struggle of guile or combat, but sometimes one can claim land and the title of Dark King simply by making it known that he has done so.
Here's some more information on races and classes.
==
RACES
Human: Humans are the predominant race, making up around 90% of the "common" race population. They can be found almost anywhere, from the Dragonlands in the west to the Dark Kingdoms in the northeast.
Dwarf: Since the fall of the Empire, dwarves as a race have sheltered themselves from the affairs of outsiders, ensnared in an eternal civil war apparently instigated by Them. The bulk of the dwarven population resides in vast underground cities, deep in the Worldspine Mountains to the northwest. Their civil war has meant that dwarves are very rarely found outside the Worldspine Mountains. Those that are often refugees or deserters.
Elf: Elves are only myth. More often referred to as wildlings, they are spoken of in hushed tones and in frightened voices. Many believe merely mentioning wildlings causes them to appear. Many do not know if they are myth or reality, but whenever something bad happens, the superstitious say is the fault of the wildlings. The drow that live below the surface world are similar to the mythical wildlings, but whether the two are related is a matter for conjecture. The drow take such a suggestion as a grave insult.
Gnome: Gnomes, the racial cousins of the dwarves, are locked in the dwarven civil war as second class citizens. The brutal oppression of the gnomes by the dwarves has led to rebellion in some cases, and those few gnomes away from the dwarves' watchful eye are often escapees from the work-gangs or torture chambers of the dwarves.
Half-Elf: Do not exist (with the exception of half-drow).
Half-Orc: Orcs are predominantly found in the northeast, in parts of the Dark Kingdoms where there are few preconceived stigmas. Their tribal culture and limited capacity for development has mean that orcs are often thought to be evil, but this is not the case. Most orcish tribes are quite peaceful, and band together to protect females and children whenever threatened. Sometimes human and orc settlements blend together and half-orc children are conceived.
[Note: There is no stereotypical racial animosity between elves and orcs, since the former by and large do not exist.]
Halfling: Halflings are largely thought to be extinct, wiped out by the crusades in the early days of the Empire. Few halfling tribes remain in the south, but they remain extremely xenophobic, savage and barbaric. It is unheard of for halflings to be found anywhere in human lands.
CLASSES
Barbarian: Barbarians are simply uneducated, rustic warriors. They are found most often in the Dragonlands, where their physically-oriented culture encourages strong warriors. They are also found among the halflings, whose population tends to exemplify the word "barbaric".
Bard: Bards are storytellers, sages and minstrels, and are found everywhere. The orcish bards of the northeast are especially interesting. Many human bards take it on themselves to learn the lost songs and tales of the Empire, so they often double as fortune-seekers.
Cleric: Clerics are primarily followers of the Dark Kings or the Dragons, since both grant divine power on their followers. Divine spellcasters from the former Empire are almost all druids, although some claim to draw power directly from the essence of slain Heroes. Drow still maintain their link to the Spider-Queen, and thus have the traditional Drow priesthood.
[Note: When creating a cleric, you may choose domains based on which Dragon, Dark King, or Hero you follow. You are encouraged to be creative!
Draconic Cleric: Dragon domain (Draconomicon), plus three others of your choice. Dark Kingdoms Cleric: Death OR Knowledge Domain, plus two others of your choice. Heroic Cleric: Any. Drow Cleric: Standard.]
Druid: Druids are the primary divine spellcasters of the former Empire. Found within a day's ride of any settlement, a druid is often responsible for treating injured animals, tending to crops and healing the sick and ailing. Druids are also found within the Dragonlands, but in far fewer numbers than clerics.
Fighter: Fighters are any man with a weapon who fights for a living. They can range from a village guard to a professional soldier. They are found everywhere throughout the civilized lands of the world.
Monk: Monks are very rare, found only in the Dragonlands where their unique disciplines were introduced by the Dragons hundreds of years ago. A few monasteries are scattered here and there, all teaching the belief that humans have draconic blood. This philosophy teaches that through physical discipline and through the harmony of mind, body and spirit, that draconic heritage can be rediscovered.
Paladin: Holy warriors can be found anywhere there is organized religion, specifically the Dragonlands and the Dark Kingdoms. Contrary to popular belief, most all Dark Kings are not actually evil, and those that are actually good in nature often have paladins in their charge. The Dragons also have paladins, and draconic paladins are feared throughout human lands.
Ranger: The quintessential woodsman, rangers are found anywhere there is wilderness. The once cosmopolitan Empire is now overgrown and wild, and rangers are often at home in this new wilderness. Rangers also find a lucrative career offering their services to the Dark Kings, who often have need of their tracking expertise.
Rogue: Rogues are found anywhere there is civilization. Their role as experts in chosen fields is useful in these dark times, and many rogues have found their services very much in demand. In recent days, nearly every rogue either has, or knows someone that has, been asked about the Monoliths, the tombs that hold the remains of the former Empire's slain heroes.
Sorcerer: Sorcerers are not as common as divine spellcasters, but many find their home in the Dragonlands, where they learn from the Dragons themselves, or in the Worldspine Mountains, where the dwarves value their ability to mould solid stone through magic. They are far more common than wizards.
Wizard: Wizards are rare. The only academically-natured arcane spellcasters are found in the Dark Kingdoms, where constant study into alchemy, undeath and other magical mysteries frequently occurs. Those that venture out of the Dark Kingdoms are often on some mission or another for their Dark King.
The 25-words-or-less is the PCs will be running around, claiming the legacy of the Heroes who have come before, while at the same time fighting off an evil that has already destroyed civilization once over.
==========
Centuries ago, the Empire was the pinnacle of civilization. Championed by Heroes both powerful and just, the Empire was humanity's crowning glory. Liberty, equality and justice were the order of the day. Mankind lived in peace and harmony, with not even the slightest worry.
Then /They/ came.
Nobody knows who /They/ were, but what is known is that /They/ spread rot and corruption at the heart of humanity, fed by greed and a thirst for gold. The Empire's greatest Heroes were hunted and killed, one by one, until none were left. Their mortal remains were interred in monolithic tombs, the only structures powerful enough to conmtain their near godlike essences. Without the Empire's Heroes to defend it, the rot spread to the furthest corners of the Empire, until it collapsed under its own gargantuan weight.
Humanity shattered into a thousand redoubts, holdfasts and isolated settlements as wilderness reclaimed the once cosmopolitan Empire. Time and time again, a charismatic warlord would rise, only to be struck down by others ambitious of their power.
The only entities powerful enough to solidify a realm for themselves were those that had come from across the Western Sea -- the dragons. Each carved out a domain, ruling land a days ride in each direction. Those that obeyed the will of the dragons lived, and became their followers. Those that did not, died.
The draconic insurgence sent shockwaves through the human lands. Dozens of self-styled warlords and pretender kings failed in their attempts to oust the wyrms, their warbands scattered and terrified. There seemed no hope for humanity, until an unlikely counterpoint arose in the northeast -- the Dark Kings.
The Dark Kings, for that is how they styled themselves, were patrons of death. Their domains, the Dark Kingdoms, were a surprising mix of the living and the dead. Undeath was no stigma in the northeast, and many dark faiths from before the days of the Empire still found their home there. As the Dark Kings became more powerful, their most loyal followers also grew in power until they earned the title of Dark King themselves, and had earned the right to claim a domain of their own. So was their way.
The dragons took note of this force in the northeast, and paused their slow creep across the land.
Decades and centuries passed, with the dragons in the west and the Dark Kings in the northeast consolidating their power. Infighting became common as both forces squabbled with themselves. Humanity, for the most part, had been spared. The two behemoths on their shoulders had paused, and the land began to recover, but many were waiting for the other shoe to drop. Then came the events that seemed to indicate just that.
Almost overnight, people began showing an interest in the tombs of the Empire's Heroes. A travelling merchant here, an itinerant sorcerer there. The tombs had long been considered forbidden by everyone -- even the dragons and the Dark Kings. Gold began to flow as freebooting parties were hired to investigate those monolithic mausoleums. Nobody could quite work out where this money was coming from, or who was behind it. It was almost like what had happened back in the days of the Empire. Some dared to suggest the almost unthinkable.
/They/ have returned.
==========
Much like in Eberron, alignment is subjective. Even though they epitomize the undead concept, the Dark Kings are not necessarily evil. Some are even good. Likewise, the Dragons are a mix of alignments. For those in the former Empire, it varies depending on any and by whom their tribe or village is led.
The Dragonlands are very Norse/Viking-themed. Each Dragon rules over (usually) one tribe, which is rules by central hereditary figure. A liaison, often a senior disciple of the dragon, acts as an intermediary between the dragon itself and the tribe.Most Daragonlands are fairly uniform in side -- about a day's ride in all directions.
The Dark Kingdoms are much more cosmopolitan. Cities have been replaced by great necropolises, and the living and the dead share the same streets. The Dark Kingdoms, no matter how different each is from the other, share the same philosophy: undeath is the next stage of life. A single Dark King rules each 'Kingdom', which can vary in size from a day's walk across to vast domains over five days ride in span. More often than not a Dark King attains his position over his predecessor through a struggle of guile or combat, but sometimes one can claim land and the title of Dark King simply by making it known that he has done so.
Here's some more information on races and classes.
==
RACES
Human: Humans are the predominant race, making up around 90% of the "common" race population. They can be found almost anywhere, from the Dragonlands in the west to the Dark Kingdoms in the northeast.
Dwarf: Since the fall of the Empire, dwarves as a race have sheltered themselves from the affairs of outsiders, ensnared in an eternal civil war apparently instigated by Them. The bulk of the dwarven population resides in vast underground cities, deep in the Worldspine Mountains to the northwest. Their civil war has meant that dwarves are very rarely found outside the Worldspine Mountains. Those that are often refugees or deserters.
Elf: Elves are only myth. More often referred to as wildlings, they are spoken of in hushed tones and in frightened voices. Many believe merely mentioning wildlings causes them to appear. Many do not know if they are myth or reality, but whenever something bad happens, the superstitious say is the fault of the wildlings. The drow that live below the surface world are similar to the mythical wildlings, but whether the two are related is a matter for conjecture. The drow take such a suggestion as a grave insult.
Gnome: Gnomes, the racial cousins of the dwarves, are locked in the dwarven civil war as second class citizens. The brutal oppression of the gnomes by the dwarves has led to rebellion in some cases, and those few gnomes away from the dwarves' watchful eye are often escapees from the work-gangs or torture chambers of the dwarves.
Half-Elf: Do not exist (with the exception of half-drow).
Half-Orc: Orcs are predominantly found in the northeast, in parts of the Dark Kingdoms where there are few preconceived stigmas. Their tribal culture and limited capacity for development has mean that orcs are often thought to be evil, but this is not the case. Most orcish tribes are quite peaceful, and band together to protect females and children whenever threatened. Sometimes human and orc settlements blend together and half-orc children are conceived.
[Note: There is no stereotypical racial animosity between elves and orcs, since the former by and large do not exist.]
Halfling: Halflings are largely thought to be extinct, wiped out by the crusades in the early days of the Empire. Few halfling tribes remain in the south, but they remain extremely xenophobic, savage and barbaric. It is unheard of for halflings to be found anywhere in human lands.
CLASSES
Barbarian: Barbarians are simply uneducated, rustic warriors. They are found most often in the Dragonlands, where their physically-oriented culture encourages strong warriors. They are also found among the halflings, whose population tends to exemplify the word "barbaric".
Bard: Bards are storytellers, sages and minstrels, and are found everywhere. The orcish bards of the northeast are especially interesting. Many human bards take it on themselves to learn the lost songs and tales of the Empire, so they often double as fortune-seekers.
Cleric: Clerics are primarily followers of the Dark Kings or the Dragons, since both grant divine power on their followers. Divine spellcasters from the former Empire are almost all druids, although some claim to draw power directly from the essence of slain Heroes. Drow still maintain their link to the Spider-Queen, and thus have the traditional Drow priesthood.
[Note: When creating a cleric, you may choose domains based on which Dragon, Dark King, or Hero you follow. You are encouraged to be creative!
Draconic Cleric: Dragon domain (Draconomicon), plus three others of your choice. Dark Kingdoms Cleric: Death OR Knowledge Domain, plus two others of your choice. Heroic Cleric: Any. Drow Cleric: Standard.]
Druid: Druids are the primary divine spellcasters of the former Empire. Found within a day's ride of any settlement, a druid is often responsible for treating injured animals, tending to crops and healing the sick and ailing. Druids are also found within the Dragonlands, but in far fewer numbers than clerics.
Fighter: Fighters are any man with a weapon who fights for a living. They can range from a village guard to a professional soldier. They are found everywhere throughout the civilized lands of the world.
Monk: Monks are very rare, found only in the Dragonlands where their unique disciplines were introduced by the Dragons hundreds of years ago. A few monasteries are scattered here and there, all teaching the belief that humans have draconic blood. This philosophy teaches that through physical discipline and through the harmony of mind, body and spirit, that draconic heritage can be rediscovered.
Paladin: Holy warriors can be found anywhere there is organized religion, specifically the Dragonlands and the Dark Kingdoms. Contrary to popular belief, most all Dark Kings are not actually evil, and those that are actually good in nature often have paladins in their charge. The Dragons also have paladins, and draconic paladins are feared throughout human lands.
Ranger: The quintessential woodsman, rangers are found anywhere there is wilderness. The once cosmopolitan Empire is now overgrown and wild, and rangers are often at home in this new wilderness. Rangers also find a lucrative career offering their services to the Dark Kings, who often have need of their tracking expertise.
Rogue: Rogues are found anywhere there is civilization. Their role as experts in chosen fields is useful in these dark times, and many rogues have found their services very much in demand. In recent days, nearly every rogue either has, or knows someone that has, been asked about the Monoliths, the tombs that hold the remains of the former Empire's slain heroes.
Sorcerer: Sorcerers are not as common as divine spellcasters, but many find their home in the Dragonlands, where they learn from the Dragons themselves, or in the Worldspine Mountains, where the dwarves value their ability to mould solid stone through magic. They are far more common than wizards.
Wizard: Wizards are rare. The only academically-natured arcane spellcasters are found in the Dark Kingdoms, where constant study into alchemy, undeath and other magical mysteries frequently occurs. Those that venture out of the Dark Kingdoms are often on some mission or another for their Dark King.
Last edited:
