*********************THIS IS NOT A TYPICAL D&D GAME*****************************
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS GAME MAKES USE OF THE LEADERSHIP AND LANDLORD FEATS! CHARACTERS WILL BEGIN THE GAME WITH THEIR OWN STRONGHOLDS AND POSSIBLY FACTIONS!
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Empires and Kingdoms:
A History of Darilon:
The game takes place on the planet of Loeson (low-E-sun). Which, 5000 years ago was ruled by a race of elves called the High-Elves. The heart of their power was magic. The High-Elves were the sole keepers of the arcane, and they mercilessly hunted any not of their race that showed even the slightest aptitude for the arts. For centuries their magic allowed their cities to grow. Magnificent structures with floating towers, mystically powered fountains and lamps. Everywhere one looked, they saw evidence of the vast arcane might of the High-Elves. However their draw on the very fabric of life grew beyond what it could sustain, and the planet lashed out at them. The planet rotated on its axis ninety degrees; The Shift. The geologic upheaval was indescribable. Entire chains of mountains exploded under the strain of the pressure built suddenly beneath them. Polar ice caps melted, storms ravaged the planet for over a century. Once lush lands teeming with life dried up and died as the planet took on some sort of normalcy. The High-Elves, relying on their magic so heavily in the past; were unable to adapt without their abilities. More, scattered as they were so far across the planet, they were unable to form cohesive pockets of populations large enough to weather the changes around them, and they died out as their cities tumbled into dust.
In the coming centuries and millenia, humans, with their incredible ability to adapt to change and master even the most obtuse knowledge, because the dominant species. Scholars among them unearthed small trinkets of the High-Elves, and slowly, with the fabric of life restored, magic returned to Loeson. The continents were divided as you would expect. The dwarves burrowed deep into the mountains, the elves took to vast forests, orcs and the other humanoids took up residence where they could, and the humans, as humans do, took everything else...
Jarlidon is the continent the game will explore most heavily for now what lies below is a description and map of the continent.
The world is divided, like all worlds, into continents and oceans. Please note the map of the continent at the bottom of this post.
The Northern Kingdoms: This is a loose, at best, affiliation of barbaric warlords, jarls, and kings opposed entirely against the encroachment of the Empire of Demenia. Of course, their constant raids, and sacking of Demenian towns across the border does not help the situation any. These lands are rough and hard. Mountainous terrain, deep fjords and bitterly cold. The people of the Northern Kingdoms are a hardy lot with fair skin and hair. They have capable sorcerers and learned scholars in their midsts, but these are few and far between. The Northern Kingdoms is a land of practicality, and in a place where hardship is the law of the land; nothing is more practical than brute strength. Travelers not wearing Demenian clothing or bearing their standards can expect wary hospitality at best. Those who obviously appear to be Demenian can expect war on sight.
The Republic of the Magi: The Repbulic, as its name inclines, is ruled by a strict magocracy. Bordered as they are by mountains and the ocean they are reclusive and distrustful as a general rule since travelers are a rare sight. The mountains to the west are almost impassable in the best of conditions, suicidal in winter, and dangerous at best without a guide any time of year. Guides going back and forth exact exorbitant sums for their work, and merchants are happy to pay to reach the rich markets of Magelock. Magelock is the place to purchase and barter magical items. Nearly anything can be found here, and if it cannot then someone who knows where to find it can be found here. Relations with Demenians are strained as the Empire was once under the rule of the Republic, and that war is still fresh in the minds of many Republicans. Republicans are typically tall and slender, though those without magical ability tend to be harder and bred for manual labor. The small islands off the coast of the Republic are rumored to be the main temple of a highly feared cult of assassins worshiping Grenshala, the Goddess of Death.
The Kingdom of Lower Lete: Or, the True, as Lower Letians refer to their lands. This is due to a split that occurred between the largest and most powerful clans of humans seven hundred years ago. Now, the remaining people of those clans occupy Lower Lete, and Lete, and the two are bitter rivals and enemies. War is a thing of normality between the two kingdoms, and their respective borders are almost always contested and dangerous places for anyone flying the wrong standard. And the wrong standard is determined by the hour with whatever army has the field at the moment. Lower Lete boasts the largest navy in Jarlidon and therefore has the most off-continent dealings with other nations. Their ports are a spectacle of commerce and grand ships. The capitol city of Blackheart Keep boasts a huge port guarded by large chains that span the length of the harbor and the mouth of the Great River (the large river running the length of the continent). True Letians are typically olive skinned, with body types running the gamut. Almost all of them share a love of the sea and many have spent some time on at least a fishing boat.
The Dwarven Kingdoms: The dwarves are a fierce and reclusive race whose allegiance and goods are highly sought after by the Empire of Demenia and Lete. Their mountain halls are sprawling testaments to dwarvish skill and craftsmanship, some of which even survived The Shift and are still in use. They are what you would typically expect of dwarves. Not very trusting, skeptical, and would prefer to settle disputes with a good honest fight. The Iron Mountains they call home are pocked by their massive dwellings and dotted with monuments to their fallen leaders and champions. Winters here are brutal. The peaks are always covered in snow, and the only time when travel is safe through the majority of the range is during the summer after the spring run off. It is always cold here, and many an unprepared would be adventurer has perished in the bitter cold on the mountains. The mountains are also home to...other races, strange and deadly creatures who occupy ruins long forgotten by even the long lived dwarves.
Courts of the Elven Lords: The High-Elves have fallen mightily, but not all of them perished. Their descendants occupy the forests, jungles, and woodlands of the land in loose tribes. However, the Tottori Isthmus is where the elves most closely resemble their ancestors. Magic is alive and well here, but things have changed. These elves focus on living in harmony with the world around them, and aside from a few notable exceptions, most of their cities are built into and on the gigantic trees that fill the forest. The elves are powerful archers, and their small, but fierce armies, are filled with them. They are also masters of the hunt. They are distrustful of humans, but opinions vary and a traveler is just as likely to be welcomed into an Inn as escorted back to the edge of the forest by armed guards. However there are places where humans not only visit, but live among the elves. Those few cities mentioned earlier, Kagoshima being chief among them, are bastions of tolerance and hospitality... The trouble simply lies in getting there, and that seems to be how the elves like it. Ruled by several Courts the forest is broken into an ever shifting organization of tribes, clans, and armies. However the cities are ruled by one family, and the others tend to follow its lead. Currently Empress Shiori is the matriarch and is very well respected and liked by those that chose to follow her.
The Kingdom of Lete: Ruled by King Thorin Redheart, Lete is a land of sturdy, hard working people and knowledgeable scholars. Magic made its second return to the world here lead by the Wizard Artagos, who is on loan to the fledgling Demenian Empire. Letians are proud people, who prefer hard work over scholarly pursuits, but their studious people are some of the brightest in the land. Trade is a huge part of Letian life, and even with all the war between Lete and Lower Lete the two manage to stay trading partners for civilian goods. Lete was also the first Kingdom to deploy a battalion of soldiers equipped with the tek-rifle; a magically powered weapon of great range and power. To date, The Kings Hammer, is the only battalion of soldiers in the Kingdom with access to tech-rifles and being assigned to that unit is practically a guarantee of long, arduous training, and being sent to the front lines to fight for the Kingdom. Many Letians, the King included, prefer cold, hard steel in their hands and their soldiers are some of the fiercest in Jarlidon.
The Empire of Demenia: The Empire of Demenia is made up of newly freed rebels and slaves of the Republic of the Magi. Its Emperor was sent by King Thorin to help their new allies break from the Republic, and without Letian intervention the rebellion would have failed. However, the rebellion leader Fenix of Coldara, felt he was grievously insulted when King Thorin refused to allow Fenix to marry his youngest daughter, Valia Redheart. As an act of retribution Fenix had the girl assassinated and had intended for several others to meet the same fate. The plot failed, and Vulcan Kerendas, the General who led Thorin's troops against the Republic on behalf of the rebels, was sent back in... This time, to conquer. Once word of Fenix's actions became common knowledge, Vulcan arranged an easy transition into power. Offering capable and respected men baronies, duchies, and other titles if they swore fealty to Thorin. When they refused, they were informed that King Thorin would with draw his troops from their lands. To the newly appointed rulers this meant immediately being at war with the Republic, a war they could not hope to win. Being men of learning and reason; nearly all of the lords agreed. Vulcan returned to the Kingdom and was wed to Thorin's eldest daughter, Katelyn, who he had been courting. As a gift, Thorin gave Vulcan his newly acquired lands and declared Vulcan King of Demenia. Vulcan, took the title of Emperor, and chose to let the lords maintain their promised autonomy. This history has given rise to a population used to struggle and hardship. Magic is well respected and shared here as a result of their dealings with the Republic, but honest hard work continues to be the back bone of Demenian society. Given how they were held down for so long Demenians tend to be guarded but welcoming of travelers from all parts of the continent, and all the major kingdoms have an embassy in Demenia City. Lately, in the last two years, Vulcan has gone about changing the nature of how the Empire makes war. It is now comprised of a large traditional Army, a small navy of barges and ships capable of quickly navigating the Great River to protect Demenian trade interests, and the two newest additions, The Legion, and the Armada. The Legion is a small (but growing) organization of soldiers who wield tek-rifles as their primary weapon. The Air Armada comprises three ships armed with large tek-siege weapons and the ability to deploy troops quickly. There are currently two more being built in the armadas huge proving grounds to the west of Demenia City. This is being met with mixed feelings by Demenians, but they have to admit, Vulcan and the magic he heralds as "the dawn of a new age" has made life better and safer for the Empire.
Teknology v. Technology: This distinction is important to understanding the setting. Teknology is the magic-powered items of the Empire of Demenia and Lete. These items are powered using reverse "engineered" relics of the High-Elves, something that has been met with great skepticism by all those that have heard about it and know the history of that mystical race and the consequences of their dependence on magic. Technology is normal item evolution. The bone knife gave way to the sword, the sling to the bow, etc... Currently tek items are extremely expensive and very hard to come by as the Empire's Magus Guild in charge of research has not perfected a way to mass-produce the enchanted gems necessary to power these items on a large scale, and surrounded by potential enemies, the Empire is loath to let a piece slip out of its grasp. Add to that, items found in treasure hordes and scattered across fields of battle are likely to be damaged and unstable. In game terms theres a 20-40% chance that it will explode doing damage ranging from 1d4, to 10d10+30 depending on the item and the state its found in. See chart below:
Item--------------------------DAMAGE* Eternal Light-------------1d4/1d4+5/1d4+10 Tek-Rifle----------------2d6/3d6+10/6d6+10 Airship Part--------10d10+10/10d10+20/10d10+30
Damage is determined by item condition. Condition comes in five flavors: Undamaged, which will work properly and will only fail on a critical fail (natural 1). Minor damage, which will fail 20% of the time. Moderate damage which will fail 30% of the time. Major damage fails 40% of the time, and lastly, Severe damage, in which case it will fail if used at all. Critical failure on a damaged item automatically results in the highest damage category that item. I.E. You use a Tek-Rifle with minor damage and roll a natural one, it explodes dealing 6d6+10 damage.
Stats: 4d6 drop lowest, reroll 1s and max Hit Points Alignment: LG, NG, LN, or TN thats it. Classes: Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Hexblade, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Warmage, or Wizard (including Specialist Wizards), Ninja and Samurai (full Elf characters only); Only 3 classes Max, and no Prestige Classes until 12th level Resources: 3.5 Player's Guide, DM Guide, & Complete Series (based on your primary class); Ninja and Samurai classes from Complete Warrior Starting Lvl: 10th Starting GP: 125,000 (with no more then 50K on any single item, +5 enhancement bonus on Weapons or Armor, and items can only come from the DMG, The complete series based on your primary class, and anything you can make with your own Item Creation FEATs.) For the purposes of creating your own items, you have an additional 500 exp.
Free: Leadership & Landlord (75,000 to build your stronghold with)
Additional Notes: All characters are some form of aristocracy or land owners. They will begin play with their own stronghold and a village that has grown up around the stronghold. The village is not necessarily loyal, but the followers from the Leadership FEAT are.
Cohorts are not as bad-ass as the main characters. They get the typical gold allotment for a character of their level.
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