The Campaign Builder's Guild

[ic]"Legend tells that long ago, great monsters terrorized the lands, until one came who could turn the forces of nature to his will: whip up winds and rains, cause the earth to shake and fire to fall from the sky. His name has been lost to the ages, but he was the Chosen of Taranis the thunderer. It is said that he freed the lands from the terrors. But up against Magleoth the Undying, a horrific undead intelligence and a being of disease and decay, he met his greatest foe. He destroyed the creature, but at great cost. He had contracted an incurable illness that cause his very body to decay and dissolve. The greatest healers in creation could only slow the progress of the disease. But this god among men devised a means to preserve himself: He invented a machine, powered by lightning, that could all but halt the rotting sickness that ravaged him. He took it to the top of Thunderhead Peak, even to the former castle of the enemy who laid this illness on him, and he built himself into it. The castle was rebuilt and he named it Tempestwatch Citadel."

"That's the Hall of the Storm King! But..."

"And there he remains, to this very day, through countless generations. The Hero of ages past became our immortal ruler. He is our ever watchful protector."[/ic]
[ooc]Made this to go along with map for one of the contests over on Cartographer's Guild.  The map is based off a stock "blob" that everyone works with.  Instead of this being its own setting, and giving me a lot more stuff to work on, whatever I happen to think of while doing the contest will end up here, and then the whole thing will probably get attached to Camulus, which is pretty "Kitchen Sink" already.  In that case, these islands would most likely be located in the ocean west of Altistrad.  For the record, the map is still a work in progress, and will be updated as the contest progresses.[/ooc]
(http://www.cartographersguild.com/attachments/current-lite-mapping-challenge/57094d1377200964-august-sept-2013-lite-challenge-glorious-dominion-immortal-storm-king-contest-map.jpg)

It is true that the "god-man" invented this machine, and it is true that he inhabits it to this day, staving off his devastating infection. However, the Immortal Storm King is not all he appears. Over the millenia, his body has been almost completely destroyed by the ravages of time and disease. He has become synonymous with the machine that preserves the semblance of life he has left. It preserves his intelligence, which has drifted through the centuries from the keen and noble instrument it once was into deepening paranoia and madness.

A handful of Barons rule in his name, but the Storm King is now little more than a figurehead, given to deranged ramblings and violent mood swings. The heads of state manipulate him and cajole him as suits their purpose, attempting to gain more influence and power for themselves. Much of what he is told is lies, and on some level he knows this. It is a fact that feeds his insanity. He is left in place, as his machine has been tied into the defenses of the citadel, and he is the source of many of the conveniences of life here. Indeed, he still possesses the power to strike dead any who would seek to destroy him. So the Barons lie, and keep him in the dark on the true proceedings in "his dominion" leaving them free to rule as they please.

In truth, despite the delusions held by the Storm King, the empire has crumbled. The Barons here hold the southern lands in a loose federation, but all lands to the North and the West have slipped beyond their control. Nevertheless, the myth of the glorious empire is spread throughout the lands as a form of propaganda, as is the myth that The Storm King remains their Omnipotent Benefactor.

Stormshade Vale: Part of the dominion, named for the fact that the Storm King's magic keeps the skies perpetually stormy.   The people in this valley cultivate swaths of Ivy on the sides of the hills for the simple purpose that is helps prevent landslides given the degree of water saturation.  Ducts and channels have been erected to help control the amount of water, but the Vale is still prone to flooding, and most dwellings are therefore built on raised platforms.

Tempestwatch Citadel: The Hall of the Storm King is located here in the City-Fortress atop Mount Thunderhead.  The Storm King's magic keeps the air here in constant turmoil, as the lightning storms are needed to power the city, which has functioning street-lamps, and city-wide communications systems, as well as heat.  In times of crisis, however, lights and heat are often diverted to power the electrified fortifications and Thundercannons.  The workings of the castle, however extend deep into the mountain itself, were the mad king's mad derro servants toil away at new inventions and more gruesome weapons, while maintaining a complex series of tunnels and secret passages for harrowing attackers.  The Mountain is also the seasonal home of a nomadic tribe of Fyrs and the goats they herd.

The Warrens of Megac: This hillsome region plays host to some hundred thousand of ratfolk who have been driven out of the "civilized" baronies of the Dominion.  With nowhere else to go, the ratfolk carved out homes in the hollows of the hills, making a living of ambushing travelers, and raiding the towns that were once their homes.

QuoteHe is left in place, as his machine has been tied into the defenses of the citadel, and he is the source of many of the conveniences of life here.

This bit here really interests me. How far does the Storm King's influence go? What kind of conveniences does he provide?  Is he running water? Power? Gas? Rails? Pneumatic-tube based mail? Is he aware of his influence? If it extends to portions of the empire that he no longer controls, does he still provide conveniences there? Is he vaguely aware that he is being lied to because he can no longer "feel" those portions of his empire?

Quote from: beejazz

QuoteHe is left in place, as his machine has been tied into the defenses of the citadel, and he is the source of many of the conveniences of life here.

This bit here really interests me. How far does the Storm King's influence go? What kind of conveniences does he provide?  Is he running water? Power? Gas? Rails? Pneumatic-tube based mail? Is he aware of his influence? If it extends to portions of the empire that he no longer controls, does he still provide conveniences there? Is he vaguely aware that he is being lied to because he can no longer "feel" those portions of his empire?

The Storm King functions essentially as a massive generator and power plant with personality that is increasingly disembodied.  He is able to provide electric lighting and heat, operate pumps and filtration systems to provide fresh water throughout the city-castle, which he controls pretty much directly.  He does not personally engage with the rest of his empire in the same way, though variations on his devices have been made to provide similar power throughout the empire.   At least that is my current take on it.  I might change my mind.

(http://www.cartographersguild.com/attachments/current-lite-mapping-challenge/57474d1378432429-august-sept-2013-lite-challenge-glorious-dominion-immortal-storm-king-storm-king.jpg)

Dhro'Khan, Isle of Serpents: An island of harsh, jagged peaks, surrounded by miles of dense jungle, Dhro'Khan is untouched by civilization as we know it. Two conflicting races of serpentine monsters compete for rule of the island. One tribe is the Onphae'ssar, a tribe of Yuan Ti led by priests of their dark elder god; the other the Shai'Dissia, a collective of Naga Sorcerers. Each lays claim to the island by right of birth, claiming to be descended from a great dragon that once resided here. The two's hatred of each other is matched only by their mutual terror and loathing at the Garudae that are native here. This enmity with the winged outsiders who perch atop the crags of a mountain whose name is unpronounceable to human tongues. Those who have seen it call it the Fellspire.

The Onphae'ssar: Yuan Ti priests conduct fell rituals in the southern jungles of Dhro'Khan, amid the ziggurats that form their temples.  They are matriarchal and elitist, with a number of breeding pits, where the young must fight for survival from an early age, weeding out weaknesses.

The Shai'Dissia: These sorcerous snakes gather together in communes to achieve their ends, conspiring against their cousins in the south, and most especially against the Garudae, whom they hate above all others.  They are ruthless and clever, and fond of creating traps, and magic of deceit and illusion.

(http://www.cartographersguild.com/attachments/current-lite-mapping-challenge/57668d1378870406-august-sept-2013-lite-challenge-glorious-dominion-immortal-storm-king-storm-king-2.jpg)

The shields/coats of arms were initially going to show every major power center, but I think that will be too much.  The two highest & furthest right will probably therefore be eliminated.  The remaining ones will stay & be colored in.  They represent the baronies that make up the remains of the empire.

The northwestern peninsula will be more densely forested, and is a land of cliffs and waterfalls.  The Wayang people here were less technologically advanced before the empire, loving the darkness of their thick tree canopy, and were subjugated by the advanced magic and lightning of their conquerers.  As the empire collapsed they threw off their masters and destroyed the lightning machines they so hated.  The wayang regained their independence, though now with some advanced weaponry, these tribal regions can compete against each other with more efficient violence, making their homes among the crumbling ruins of imperial fortresses as the depleted forests slowly renew.

The northeastern peninsula has two primary regions: the centrally-located Free Cities, composed of independent city-states with a variety of political structures.  These often trade, compete, ally, and go to war with each other on a regular basis in ever-changing permutations.  Across the land-bridge called The Neck lie the Northronds (who I have not decided much about).