Post by Doctor Atomic on Dec 28, 2013 12:35:30 GMT -8
The Sky Kings Campaign
The world of Magradore is one of floating castles and cities, flying ships, and islands and continents separated by vast gulfs of empty air. It was built by capricious gods long ago and defies rational explanation in many ways. The world is home to many types of beings and creatures but is dominated by only a few cultures. By far the most numerous are the humans of the Hamask Empire. The others are the Fey Court (elves and other fey beings), Almesine (the frostborn), and the Red Crow Tribe (orcs and goblins). There is a rumoured Queen of the Dead, said to be lurking in the southern swamps, but beyond the rumour nothing is known for sure.
The player characters come from Jendar, the western kingdom and part of the Empire, having lived all their lives in the Barony of Ballistrae; a fragment of land floating in the sky. There they learned the magic and or skills that set them apart from their neighbours.
Culture
Human culture is similar to the late 18th century (roughly from the Revolutionary War to Napoleon, as well as corresponding Arabic and Oriental examples). Mostly people have at least rudimentary literacy and the ability to add and subtract, even serfs and slaves.
Arcane Technology
While old fashioned enchanted items do exist, the modern magical technology that is used by the elite cultures like the Empire provide advanced weapons, armour, and equipment that give the user an edge against primitive opponents. This arcane technology is the product of powerful industrial enchantments and cannot be produced by individuals or any sort of cottage industry. Once a weapon or other item gets larger than man portable the cost rises significantly.
Sky Ships
The enchantments required to create a flying ship become extremely expensive once they get larger than skiffs or sloops, and most larger craft are owned by emperors or kings. In addition, they are fragile when exposed to artillery fire.
Religion
The world of Magradore was created by a group of gods who once walked in the world but they left this world for a better place after the War of the Gods and are now only a remote and abstract memory for the world. There are no organized religions and almost no monuments to the gods.
Languages
Common (aka Systemel): spoken by humans and many non-humans
Archaic Systemel
Seddaray (archaic and out of use generally)
Infernal
Celestial
Fey: spoken by elves, centaurs, dryads, pixies, satyrs, etc
Foulspeech: spoken by orcs, goblins, trolls, ogres, etc
Wyrmtongue: spoken by dragons
Dwarvish: spoken by dwarves (this is one of the few racial languages)
The Barony of Ballindrae
Ballindrae is a fragment about 200 miles by 120 miles and claimed by Jendar. Baron Rupio Drand rules the fragment from his castle in Gryndyn, the main town. Farming and mining are the primary occupations of this fragment.
The Characters
All characters were orphaned in attacks by Sky Pirates or Reavers and have been raised and educated in the Barons household and then trained in those special skills and disciplines for which they showed an aptitude. At the beginning of the campaign they have reached a basic level of proficiency and are being sent out into to serve the Barony under the command of Alin Phothe, the Captain of Milita.
The player characters are well known in the Barony as they have demonstrated generally superior wit, luck, and ability from childhood and are local celebrities of a sort.
The Game
The campaign will be using the Evolved Arcana rules, essentially D&D 3.5 with completely different magic using classes. A word .doc version of the rules will be available for download.
The world of Magradore is one of floating castles and cities, flying ships, and islands and continents separated by vast gulfs of empty air. It was built by capricious gods long ago and defies rational explanation in many ways. The world is home to many types of beings and creatures but is dominated by only a few cultures. By far the most numerous are the humans of the Hamask Empire. The others are the Fey Court (elves and other fey beings), Almesine (the frostborn), and the Red Crow Tribe (orcs and goblins). There is a rumoured Queen of the Dead, said to be lurking in the southern swamps, but beyond the rumour nothing is known for sure.
The player characters come from Jendar, the western kingdom and part of the Empire, having lived all their lives in the Barony of Ballistrae; a fragment of land floating in the sky. There they learned the magic and or skills that set them apart from their neighbours.
Culture
Human culture is similar to the late 18th century (roughly from the Revolutionary War to Napoleon, as well as corresponding Arabic and Oriental examples). Mostly people have at least rudimentary literacy and the ability to add and subtract, even serfs and slaves.
Arcane Technology
While old fashioned enchanted items do exist, the modern magical technology that is used by the elite cultures like the Empire provide advanced weapons, armour, and equipment that give the user an edge against primitive opponents. This arcane technology is the product of powerful industrial enchantments and cannot be produced by individuals or any sort of cottage industry. Once a weapon or other item gets larger than man portable the cost rises significantly.
Sky Ships
The enchantments required to create a flying ship become extremely expensive once they get larger than skiffs or sloops, and most larger craft are owned by emperors or kings. In addition, they are fragile when exposed to artillery fire.
Religion
The world of Magradore was created by a group of gods who once walked in the world but they left this world for a better place after the War of the Gods and are now only a remote and abstract memory for the world. There are no organized religions and almost no monuments to the gods.
Languages
Common (aka Systemel): spoken by humans and many non-humans
Archaic Systemel
Seddaray (archaic and out of use generally)
Infernal
Celestial
Fey: spoken by elves, centaurs, dryads, pixies, satyrs, etc
Foulspeech: spoken by orcs, goblins, trolls, ogres, etc
Wyrmtongue: spoken by dragons
Dwarvish: spoken by dwarves (this is one of the few racial languages)
The Barony of Ballindrae
Ballindrae is a fragment about 200 miles by 120 miles and claimed by Jendar. Baron Rupio Drand rules the fragment from his castle in Gryndyn, the main town. Farming and mining are the primary occupations of this fragment.
The Characters
All characters were orphaned in attacks by Sky Pirates or Reavers and have been raised and educated in the Barons household and then trained in those special skills and disciplines for which they showed an aptitude. At the beginning of the campaign they have reached a basic level of proficiency and are being sent out into to serve the Barony under the command of Alin Phothe, the Captain of Milita.
The player characters are well known in the Barony as they have demonstrated generally superior wit, luck, and ability from childhood and are local celebrities of a sort.
The Game
The campaign will be using the Evolved Arcana rules, essentially D&D 3.5 with completely different magic using classes. A word .doc version of the rules will be available for download.