The Campaign Builder's Guild

[u]SERONA[/u]

Serona is a land at the brink of war. On the Continent, the Northern Kingdoms and banded together to break the blood gate and assault the Nabian Valley. The Nabian Empire stands well rooted in its valley to defend it. From the West, strange creatures, calling themselves 'Wanderers' have floated in and are integrating into the cultures. Their part in this is yet to be seen. From the East, there is relative peace, meaning that the daily body counts in the Orc and Dragon War have fallen to the triple digits again. The golden age that promised to break with the crowning of King Jerris the Wise now stands as a glass figure on the edge of a knifeblade, ready at any moment to tip into the abyss.

On the Arpeggio, the tribes and civilizations as numerous as the islands on which they sit prepare for yet another cataclysmic conflict. Swords are being forged, ships are being built, and the world readies itself for war.

Matters in the planes are also strained. The Eleven, once friendly rulers of all Serona, have begun to drift apart. Only to continued vigilance of St. Salasts is holding them together. If the Eleven should fall, the resulting shockwave of the interplanar war would send Serona reeling back to the Stone Age.

Only a thin balancing act is keeping Serona in one peice, and the men and women of Serona are left with a choice; maintain this delicate balance, or allow it to crumble into ruin? That is your choice as you go out into the world. If you remember nothing else from your schooling remember this; our hopes, our dreams, our prayers, are riding with you.

Make us proud.

High Bishop Yurrin
Adress to Graduating class of 3421
The Arcane Academy  

[As an aside, our main portal has a link to our intro thread titled "Rogue's Gallery]

So far, everything looks decent. Nothing really "pops" as to what the flavor or tone of the setting is, but I get the vibe of a traditional fantasy campaign-- nothing wrong with that (I have a fairly "standard" setting myself). You might want to take a look a few of the templates on other members' sites and on a few of the threads (particularly the sample ethos that can be found here) to help define your setting.

Keep up the work!

~Elven Doritos
Lord Protector

Quote from: Elven Doritos[As an aside, our main portal has a link to our intro thread titled "Rogue's Gallery]

So far, everything looks decent. Nothing really "pops" as to what the flavor or tone of the setting is, but I get the vibe of a traditional fantasy campaign-- nothing wrong with that (I have a fairly "standard" setting myself). You might want to take a look a few of the templates on other members' sites and on a few of the threads (particularly the sample ethos that can be found here) to help define your setting.

Keep up the work!

~Elven Doritos
Lord Protector

Thanks. I know it's fairly standard, and I kinda like it that way. Nothing too completely weird in this one, though there will be some odd crunch stuff running around concerning the temple later on.

Hello, I don't think I've seen you around.

Fressssssshhhhhhh meeeeeaaaaaat... *burps*

As Master Doritos said, it's a bit ambiguous thus far, but I look forward to seeing more.  As I am often reminded of, sometimes the generic fare is the most inspired, so this might turn into something quite ingenious.

Keep posting, and we'll see just where this thing leads us.

-Angel

Wanderers
Height: 5'10 +3d6 in.

Weight: 130  x1d4 lbs.

Age: 400-500 years

Maturity: 80

Base Speed: 40 ft.

Favored Class: Any

Alignment: Any non-lawful

Automatic Languages: None, 1.5 languages per point of INT bonus, rounded down.

Description: These nomadic and mysterious people seem to appear and dissapear throughout all the countries and kingdoms in Serona. No one knows where they came from, they never stay anywhere for very long, and they dissapear as mysteriously as they arrived. While they are in an area, however, they are friendly and personable. One odd trait of the Wanderers is that they appear to take on some traits of the dominant race wherever they stay, when with elves their ears become longer, with halflings they become shorter, their skin tone matches that of the locals, etc. However, even with these changes they could never pass as a member of that race without active disguises.

When not around a significant amount of people (20-50) they revert to their normal appearance; tall and lanky, with thick dolphin-like skin that can range in color from an ashen grey to a wood-colored brown. Their eyes have oddly large irises, which are always a bright green, blue, or grey regardless of the eye color of the local population that they are in.

Role in Society: The Wanderer's role in society is primarily one suited for adventure; the lifestyle allows them to explore new lands and the down-time of adventurers in cities is rarely longer than they would stay anyway. Those who prefer a less dangerous profession are often well suited for traders, sailors, explorers, spies, and diplomats.

Wanderers, despite their odd appearance, are welcomed in most every land with the exception of the Dwarves, whose reclusive ways are a blanket affair. They are especially welcomed by Elven kind, with whom they seem to have a special relationship.

Attributes:
+2 INT
+2 CON
-2 STR
-2 DEX

Wanderers are tough and intelligint, but lack in physical strength or dexterity.

If a wanderer is in the same location (usually within a 10-20 mile radius)  for 1d2 days, he gets a +2 on disguise checks to impersonate the dominant race in the area. This effect does not work on non-humanoids. In addition, should this character stay in that same area for more than 1d4 weeks, he is fatigued until he leaves the area. The fatigue immediately returns if the Wanderer does not stay away for at least one half the time he was there. These numbers are rolled at the creation of the character, and do not change.


(as an aside, how do you obtain links to certain posts in a thread?)

And for the first in a couple of organizations, I give you...

Keepers of the Flame

The Keepers of the Flame are an elusive and mysterious bunch, scorned and hunted in times of oppresion, encouraged and aided in times of prosperity. Their sole purpose is to archive and protect the many volumes of literature, opinions, and knowledge gained over the years; 'keeping the flame of knowledge alive', as their members call it.

History: The Keepers of the Flame were founded by Provost Malthazar the wizard nearly a thousand years ago. Unhappy with the censorship of the ruling body, he secretly hid banned works, volumes, and spells, so that their knowledge would not be lost to future generations. After his death, some of his former students discovered his work in the preservation of these works, and have continued to add to them, keeping banned and heretical knowledge ever since.

Most common people know little or nothing about the Keepers of the Flame, although they and their work is occasionally whispered of in places of learning, and openly hunted in the halls of dictators and overlords. (bardic knowledge check DC25, gather information DC 30)


Organization: The Keepers of the Flame maintain at least one guildhall in every major city, although whether public or secret depends on the current ruling body. Either way, the guildhalls are never advertised as such. In friendly environs, they are most often Libraries or small magic schools. In hostile cities, you can find them hiding out almost anywhere, from behind the local tavern to beneath the palace itself.

The guildhalls in each city collect and store information collected by the members until it reaches a certain point, at which time it is transferred to a regional guildhall in charge of several cities, and the information continues to move up the line until it reaches the Academy of the Flame, a location so secret that only ten people not inside its halls are allowed to know of it. The Keepers are otherwise a loose organization, with heirarchy either non-existant or only loosely hinted at.

Code of Conduct: There are only four rules for Keepers of the Flame, break any of these three, and a suitable punishment will most likely be given out by whoever that particular keeper works under, ranging from a slap on the wrist to severe beatings.

No Keeper of the Flame may knowlingly aid, allow, or otherwise enable those hostile to the organization to obtain untransferred information unless for the greater good.

A Keeper of the Flame may never give information pertaining to the identity or location of any of his fellow Keepers.

A Keeper of the Flame is in service for life. This third rule is not a strict one, only used as an excuse to conscript older and otherwise retired memebers back into service should the need arise.

A Keeper of the Flame must always, regardless of the time or circumstance, have at least one open flame in his house. This knowledge has helped many a Keeper evade capture by being able to always spot a safehouse, and it is also used to 'burn' the books they recover, transporting them instantly to the house of their superior. This effect does not just work on books, but also on a keeper of the flame.

ETHOS

Theme: A Classic Setting with some New twists.

In Serona, I've taken some of my favorite things from all the settings I've played. There are all your basic races, as well as some ebberron ones, and a few new ones besides. Anything you want to add in should mesh pretty well.

Tone: Epic quests for Average Joes

I've tried to make the setting friendly to beginning at low levels. There is a large chunk of civilization, so the PCs needn't stretch their wings until they want to, and the civilization gets steadily lesser until you reach hostile environs and barbarian tribes in the far reaches of the continent. This suits large story arcs that cover several levels, as there's a lot of room to roam.

Magic:

Magic is as prevalent or maybe more prevalent than in most campaigns, almost eberron-esque. There aren't any magical monorails yet, though there are rumors of steam-driven airships.

Any kind of advanced 'magical' technology is usually run by steam, with decanter's of endless water, heat metal, and chill metal magics as the controls.


Technology: Steam is King and Magic is his Queen

Like I said, most technologys are driven with steam, although usually this only means large warships and airships. Still, the potential is there for any manner of steam driven apparati.

Races of Serona
(incomplete, will eventually include at least one more custom race.)

Humans- Humans are the dominant race on Serona, cromprising most of the royalty and rulership across the world. At least in theory. After centuries of domination, human culture is on the decline as it absorbs more and more of the nuances and people of other races.

Elves- Elves in Serona are normally an extremely friendly race that have been on good relations with most of the human empires it encounters, mediating many of the wars between these empires. They usually allow nearly free movement through their forest kingdoms, although recent human encroachments on their generosity have seen the Elves retreat somewhat to their own devices.

Dwarves- These reclusive people are rarely seen outside of their own mountainous Theocracys. When they do appear in any significant numbers it is usually to go to war, something they do occasionally to rid their foothills of pesky upstart human settlements.
Some come out from their lands to Human Kingdoms, where even the least skilled among them can become incredibly wealthy as a smith or architect.

Halflings- The Halfling race has an immense populace for the little impact they have on daily leadership issues. They rarely if ever lead an area larger than their own town, easily assimilate into a larger government, and if left mostly alone make an excellent agricultural backbone to any kingdom.

Gnomes- Gnomes are the eccentric uncle to the rest of the races. Aloof and nomadic, they wander into every culture, filling niches with astounding readiness. Anything from sorcerors to fighters, gnomes are smart and adaptable enough for almost any of it.

Warforged- Created at Temples to St. Flaagrar, many warforged are designed for either service in wars or the church. Either way, they usually gain their freedom eventually, either after the war they were built for is over or the temple no longer needs them. They assimilate surprisingly well. Some continue fighting as mercenaries, adventurers, or bodyguards, while others continue their temple work as paladins or clerics. Older servants of the temple that are highly favored occasionally have the option of transferring their soul into a warforged body, and continue their life in that manner, though few ever take that course of action.

Wanderers- These nomadic and mysterious people seem to appear and dissapear throughout all the countries and kingdoms in Serona. No one knows where they came from, they never stay anywhere for very long, and they dissapear as mysteriously as they arrived. While they are in an area, however, they are friendly and personable.


Pantheon
(List of all the dieties, with their domains)

Tiranon-LG- This noble God of Honor and Valor is often portrayed as either a white knight or as a Golden Longsword. He is slow to anger, but does not tolerate fools or the dishonorable lightly. God of jousts, duels, and other honorable combat, his clerics and paladins are often the organizers of such events. Domains: Good, Strength.

Infaati-LG- Goddess of Law and Order, she is often the one to whom courthouses, jails, and other places of law are dedicated. She is also very jealous and protective of her worshippers, and she has gained repute as the goddess of protection because of that protection becoming evident on the material plane several times. Domains: Law, Protection.

Luminor-NG- The Sun God and the God of knowledge, he is said to have gifted writing and language to the first races on the material plane. Libraries, schools, and academies are almost exclusively dedicated in his honor. Domains: Sun, Knowledge.

Mira-CG- Goddess of Air, the winds, and of the healing arts, this gentle and peaceful Goddess has been known to join forces with Hidron on occasion to unleash devastating hurricanes on blasphemous and heathen coastal cities. Most hospitals have at least one cleric of her order working in it, although most healing is done by less divine means. Domains: Air, Healing.

St. Salasts-LN- 'The Great Scales', this God is better considered a force of nature. the God of Balance, he is the main force keeping peace between the rest of the Gods. This he does in person on the higher planes, and through his luck-infused agents on the material plane. Also the source of Arcane Magics, sorcerers and Wizards often find themselves inadvertently doing St. Salasts bidding. Domains: Luck, Magic.

Maral-N- The Goddess of all non-sentient life, most large cities have at least a small section of the city as forest to keep her pleased. Has been known to completely swallow unwary adventurers wandering through her sacred forests. Domains: Animal, Plant.

Hidron-CN- God of Water and Travel, this fickle God is seen as either a worn traveler or a pillar-like column of water, depending on which of his domains he is currently traveling. By proximity he is also the God of Commerce, his shrines and temples are often visited by traders and merchants across the land. Domains: Water, Travel.

Malkor-LE- God of Cruelty and Evil, this God is Tiranon's Twin, equal and opposite to him in almost every way. Of the evil deities, this one has the least real power, but holds the most sway. Domains: Evil, Trickery.

Mircanna-NE- Goddess of Death, Undeath, Disease, Pestilence, and Caves, where such things congregate and emanate from. This morbid figure appears cloaked in dark Blood red robes and carries a sickle when on the Material plane. Domains: Death, Earth.

Ooara-CE- The Goddess of Chaos, she is never seen on the material plane in any incarnation, but makes her presence known through floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and other destructive acts of nature. Domains: Chaos, Destruction.

St. Flaagrar-CE- The God of Fire and War, St. Flaagrar is attributed for creating the first warforged in the fiery core of the earth. He is also responsible for the first wars on the material plane, when he and his warforged army attempted to gain control of the entire plane. in the aftermath of that war, Warforged gained their sentience, although it is rumored that particularly powerful clerics of St. Flaagrar are attempting to re-create the original, non-sentient warforged of ages ago. Domains: Fire, War.