Airwalkrr's Shatterscape OOC (D&D 3.5)

[arcanaman]

Lestrivius Hand of Devils
Lestrivius is a male elf wizard who became impatient with his studies and broke the Arcana compact to delve into the unknown and forrbidden magic of devils Summoning forth an imp to help him in his quest. Rumor traveled quickly and his fellow students saw there classmate change and master things more quickly which even the brightest students struggled on. The lorekeepers and Adminstrators at the school took notice. Were they found he had broken the Arcana Compact he was not only expelled from the school but banished from the Vale forever.

The Vale
A large copse of dark wood west of the Dyvvan river near west fork the local humans believe that wood is haunted but elves have lived in this place since before the end of the age of dream when they were at their height much life in the vale has stayed the same way since before the end of the dreamer they still keep there compact to use and develop benevolent spells to not summon or use corruptful entites to fuel their power and hurt the land

 

[GlassEye]

Hmmm... if Fenris, GlassEye, and hafrogman are in I think I would like to throw my hat into the ring also. Ideas pending...

Hey, DT, good to see ya here! I eagerly await the goodness you'll bring to the creation.

 

[airwalkrr]

GlassEye, re: the Caernite Scholars and the Illene Mystics, more excellence. NPCs and adventure hooks are acceptable as long you keep them regional in scope. Detailing a local noble or innkeeper is fine. Will toss "Body of Law, Seeds of Chaos" into the bag. Any idea for a world name to go with the setting?

Welcome, Deuce Traveler. We've already got some chickens in the pot, but feel free to toss a few more in.

Arcanaman, the background on Lestrivius begs details that could be very interesting to hear more on. What is the origin of the Arcana Compact? Which school did Lestrivius study at? Since you imply these are details unique to your character's society, possibly the elves of the Vale, feel free to come up with them on your own time. I like the sound of it so far!

 

[Deuce Traveler]

I did something on the elves, and plan to work the goblins, gnomes, and halflings in a similar vein:


The time of the Dreamer did not just effect the minds of individual humans, but it sundered entire races.

The elves of the enchanted forests seemed least affected by the Dreamer, since they do not rest or dream like many of the other races. However, there are strange rumors among men and half-elves that the Dreamer somehow touched several prominent elven sorcerers in their waking hours, finding slivers of dark perversities in their most guarded thoughts and enhancing them. These elves, it is said, began to twist ancient groves away from their kin and perform dark experiments in the deepest of caves until they were discovered by their shocked families. Perhaps they warred upon discovery, or perhaps they were simply banished, but either way they were not allowed to return to sun-lit, enchanted forests and caring society. It is said that they were cursed with the name drow, which means twisted in elven, but non-elves who bring up the subject are looked at with angry eye, stopping all chance at further conversation in regards to the topic.

 

[arcanaman]

Arcanaman[/B], the background on Lestrivius begs details that could be very interesting to hear more on. What is the origin of the Arcana Compact? Which school did Lestrivius study at? Since you imply these are details unique to your character's society, possibly the elves of the Vale, feel free to come up with them on your own time. I like the sound of it so far!

Arcana Compact: Is a written agreement with the benevolent gods of magic and the elves in return for arcane magic they refrain from using baleful and corrupt spells which in there basic nature are evil that hurt the dreamers creation the pact is dead since the foundation of necromancy but the elves of the vale still uphold the principles within the document.
Ilreyne University: Ilyrene is a small village within the Vale but happens to be an important center of magical learning. The most important archmages of the elves hold council and apprentice hear and if one is hoping to learn anything other than cantrips they have to at some point come here for study

 

[airwalkrr]

Deuce Traveler, we now have an origin for the drow in our world. I like it.

Arcanaman, I have a few questions. First, does the Arcana Compact only applies to spells with the Evil descriptor? Second, for a small village to be where the most important elven archmages take council must make it special indeed. Archmages, after all, are characters of 14th-level and higher. Why would they hold council in such a small community? Finally, you mention that this is where people must go to learn more than the simplest of spells. Do you mean elves or everyone? Certainly there are other ways to learn magic in this world. However, it could be a very well known and common place to learn magic.

 

[arcanaman]

Evil, demonic,diabloic, Conjuration(evil), and Necromancy
evocation is let off slightly after all one may need to protect themselves but this document is no longer binding after necromancy was founded

Ilreyne is an elven magic center a traditional seat of power perhaps a remnant of the vast elven empire during the age of dreams the elves are fond of places like Ilreyne where the magic of a bygone era hangs heavy in the air and their history is so present

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Thanks, airwalkrr.

Continued from above...

The gnomes were always sensitive to Dream, and when the time of the Dreamer came they adopted rather than become twisted like so many others. Their entire race became like conduits of the Dream plane and they were able to form their own imaginings into substance. Now every gnome can exert a taxing effort in order to create minor illusions, such as lights that dance in midair. Many gnomes now suffer forms of mania or autism, some minor while others show extreme, detrimental symptoms. Mania-inspired gnomes usually end up acting as travelling minstrels or showmen, thrilling in a chaotic, emotionally-charged life. Gnomes with minor autism often seem emotionally detached, but are excellent engineers and tinkers-- it is said they dream of gears and mathematics.

Several halfling clans had a shared dream, which was so intense that they packed up their most precious belongings and left their shires forever. The current generation of halflings will not say what their ancestors saw, and whether it was a nightmare or prophecy. Perhaps they were never told by the older generations, or perhaps the dream was never fully recalled since their waking as it is said that even the short folk do not comprehend their desire to push ever onwards. Whatever the reason, these cursed halflings now live as travelling gypsies, earning a living through hook or crook while avoiding their homelands in their journeys. Their paths are random, meaning that a halfling encampment might spring up and settle in from anywhere to a night to a few years. In a similar fashion to their gnomish cousins, these gypsies often have slight behavioral quirks that are not detected until a halfling is befriended. Often these take the form of minor compulsions such as a desire to collect round, red pebbles or hum a tune repeatedly. Halfling gypsies are one of the few groups that has members willing to dare the nights of Naravan in the hopes to stealthily swipe valuables when the city folk least expect.

The goblins were always a savage, brutish race, but centuries ago they did boast a primitive civilization. They were talented in stone cutting, and created a series of now-crumbling ancient towers across the more sparse locations of the known world. The purpose of these diverse structures is generally unknown, except that they served as meeting points for the various shamans that once ruled the race. When the Dreamer came the goblins natural tendency towards barbarism was augmented and focused inward except among many of the more powerful shamans. It was one goblin shaman, the legendary dwarf-slayer Ghrist Yon, that eventually decided to try to save his people through his and his assistants combined magics. The twelve and one goblins climbed to the top of the greatest of the towers, a red-bricked cylinder that ended in the shape of a four-fingered claw. When the enchantment was finished the thirteen goblins were found in a comatose state that all eventually died from. Somehow their magic did save the goblin race, for the remaining clans ceased their self-inflicted genocide induced by the Dreamer. Still, the barbarism and insane desire to pillage and murder stayed strong but was focused externally while the goblin civilization never fully recovered. It is said the remaining madness comes from the fact that goblins have somehow lost the ability to dream at all. The location of the Tower of Ghrist Yon has also been lost in the chaos of the new goblin era.

 

[airwalkrr]

That is a little more clear, arcanaman, but I still don't entirely understand what you mean when you say "necromancy was founded." We're operating under the core rule assumption that the eight schools of magic have always existed, even if they haven't always been recognized as formal schools of magic.

More good ideas, Deuce Traveler. I especially like the ideas behind the gnomes and their knack for illusory magic. An alleged tie-in between illusions and dreams is an interesting angle.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Thanks again! I will either go with a CN halfling gypsy rogue with a quirky fondness for tall women or a war-weary LG human paladin from a nearly extinct order associated with the Arm of Luthes if and when this game gets going. I'll try to fill holes in character composition. If we lack a cleric, I can also write up one of those character classes that cast cleric spells through a spellbook (name escapes me).