• NOW LIVE! Into the Woods--new character species, eerie monsters, and haunting villains to populate the woodlands of your D&D games.

Campaign setting for 4th edition: Outpost, the unknown world.

And yes, I'm just thinking out loud.

Okay, the world premise is based on the following points:
- Everything in the players handbook is the norm. The setting reflects the races, classes, and feel of 4th edition as much as possible out of the player's handbook.
- We allowed the Warforged in, since it was the first additional rule set for DnD4, and since they just fit in the setting well.
- The setting should allow the characters to become movers and shakers, actually having an effect on the world in a unique and permanent way.

OVERVIEW:
Outpost begins about 100 years before the characters are born, with a large, translucent, fortress appearing on a bluff in a fertile valley. Less then minutes later, hundreds, and then thousands of Tiefings, Warforged, and Dragonborn rush out of the keep, setting up a defensive circle of combatants that begin to slowly work their way out, and either chase off or kill creatures unwilling to clear out. Humans, dwarves, and halflings begin to move massive amounts of supplies, while elves setup lines behind the main guard with bow and spear. Over the course of an hour, thousands upon thousands pour out of the tiny keep, utterly dependent on the battle line that keeps out a constant barrage of monstrous predators while they work to make sure everything is brought through quickly. A few creatures make it through the lines, and are able to grab a single prize before they escape or are brought down.

Finally, Eladrin begin coming through, their numbers surrounding the human Imperial family who would rule, IF they could survive long enough to forge an empire.

And with the battle still raging, they back away from the phantom keep in their center, and watch as is seems to suddenly become more solid, cracking the stone under it and making the earth shake with it's final arrival.

And now, the REAL work begins, as the new Emperor gives his first command: "Fall back to the keep, one and all!"

---

It is now 100 years later, and the local valley now is firmly in the hands of Imperial Law. The city of HighHaven, based upon the exact spot the keep first landed, now can be seen from nearly every point of the valley, and a second city has been raised by the DragonBorn and is ruled by the the Mother-Goddess of the Dragonborn, Ralgarei.

Towns and villages are scattered across the Vale, and adventurers are constantly pushing back the Wilds for civilized expansion. Most people bairly know anything of the world they came from, and the Imperium, advised by the Eladrin, are constantly pushing for more and more resources for the Factory. There, the Warforged are manufactured in numbers so great they equal the living population of the Vale, and are the arms that lift the empire. Each one learning what it is to be alive, and slowly earning their individual way to the day they free themselves and become true citizens.

Tieflings, decendants of the first 'Chained Warriors' that rushed from the keep to fight for their right to live in the new world, must now live with the distrust and ire many reserve for them as near-monsters. Once human, their ancestors were criminals sentenced to death, and offered the chance to live geased and transformed into creatures of deadly aggression. Doomed to protect the citizens of the Imperium until death. Their children, though, while still having the traits of their parents, had no geas to control them, and often reacted poorly to people trying to treat them as their parents were treated.

---

Next up, some races!
 

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NOT ALL RACES ARE DONE!

Races

All races are played pretty much as seen in the Player's Handbook, with a few historical modifications. No modifications were made that change game mechanics, since this setting was made to properly use the player's handbook as written. The one exception is the Warforged, a race released in Dragon Magazine as a free download to everyone. Please go to WizardsoftheCoast.com to find and download this additional race.

DragonBorn
"All Hail Ralgarei! The Mother-Goddess of the Dragonborn, and the queen of Tal-Harch!"

The Dragonborn are an odd race, with a mostly unknown history, and a tendency towards being secretive. Upon coming through the WorldGate, they helped secure the Commons from natives along side the Chained Warrior Tieflings and Warforged, earning respect as capable combatants and aggressive predators. Partially due to thier constant effort, the city of HighHaven was made secure within a short decade, and by the time the outlaying fields were garrisoned, they had founded what would become Tal-Harch, the city of the Dragonborn. It was only then that the common folk found out what the Emporer and his Eladrin councelers knew from the beginning: The Dragonborn had brought an egg with them, and it was ready to hatch. They named this red dragon Ralgarei, and she grew quickly. Now, she is a full grown dragon, and while advised by her Dragonborn elders, she is quite capable of making her own decisions, and often does so. Her people worship her as queen, living goddess, and as a mother-figure of sorts, going so far as to bring thier children to her temple fortress in order to have them blessed by her priests. Nearly all Dragonborn worship Ralgarei, and while a few have worshipped other gods, it's seen as nearly an insult to Ralgarei by other Dragonborn. Insults to Ralgarei border on a cross between attacking one's parents and religion at the same time, easilly leading to violence.

Adventuring DragonBorn are common, since they often feel the need to prove themselves. What they want to prove themselves of can vary quite a bit from individual to individual, but often deal with honor, strength, and becomming worthy of thier dragon queen's blessing.

Dwarf
"Now, we'll be hold'in up OUR end of this bargain, just be sure'in you're do'in the same!"

'Coin Counters. Short Dealers. Mine Mongers. The dwarves have been given more insulting titles than they number in clans in the new world, and honestly do not understand why people think of them so. They offer reasonable service for the coin they ask, and expect only the same in return. From the first day coming through the WorldGate, they earned thier own way. They settled thier debts in full, defending the walls of HighHaven to the death when others retreated. They patrolled the fields of the halflings for nothing more than documents they could later exchange for food for thier house and clan. They never failed to honor the spirit and word of thier contracts, and even when others tried to cheat them, never took by force more than what was agreed to, plus a little for thier trouble in having to earn it twice.

Now, they are less clans, and more merchant houses. Some run mining consortiums, mining rich mineral veins found by lucky advenuring companies. Others take goods from place to place controlling major shipping routes and transport teams. Even with thier reputation of being 'money mad', dwarves are often looked to for work by other races, since dwarves pay employees with the same even hand they use to balance thier scales of debt with.

The Charnclan Bank is also the only goverment endorsed bank in existance, having it main vaults literally under HighHaven. While many offices exist in towns and central villages, they often only carry small amounts of coin, and usually deal in documents that can be traded for goods. Powerful clients can sometimes have them transport items to and from the main vaults, for a cost, of course.

Adventuring dwarves will often try to make deals for thier clan, attempting to better thier position within thier family by proving themselves as good earners. They will try to have much of thier loot shipped back to thier clanhall when possible, since uncounted wealth is worthless in thier eyes. 'It's not earning it's keep, unless it can be put to work' is a common dwarf saying.

Eladrin
"We all travel our own path, but some travel paths unseen by the common."

The enigmatic Eladrin are nearly a race of nobels. The Circle of Eladrin serve the Emperor as advisors, and have never disagreed publicly in the last hundred years.

Elf
"Ah! The freedom of the fields! The wonders of the wild! The bugbear sneaking up behind us with a heavy axe! Ain't life grand?"

Half-Elf
"Yeah, I'm half an elf. I'm also half a man. Either way, I'm a full me, and that's what you have to deal with."

Halfling
"My grandpaw always told me, 'The best breakfast was one you earned'... That's why I steal mine every day!"

Human
"People are people. Some may be scaly, small, or have pointy ears, but they're still people. That's why I don't trust 'em!"

Tiefling
"So what if I have horns? My grandfather may have been a Chained Warrior, but I'm just a guy trying to make a living."

Warforged
"Once, long ago, I may have been a crass, unfeeling machine. I am more, now. I would appreciate being treated that way, from this point forward."
 

Into the Woods

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