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COMING SOON
Meet the players
What the characters know on day one
THIS IS THE HANDOUT I MAILED TO THE PLAYERS IN MY GAME
Player Introduction to the Ironguard Keep Campaign
Ready to die, bitches?
This is my version of Keep on the Borderlands, done right. With verisimilitude. It’s placed in a real setting, and things are happening in that setting, regardless of whether the PC’s exist or not. The PC’s have a chance to interact with the world, and as they get more powerful, they can make a significant impact on it.
This is a sandbox, not a railroad. We’ll start off with session zero where you roll up characters, give me some idea of their background and where they come from, and what their goals and motivations are.
In order to make those choices meaningful ones, it is important to read the handouts in the folder I gave you. You need to understand the culture you exist in. There are norms of behavior your PC’s will be expected to understand. That way, if you choose to break them, you understand the consequences.
After a group session zero, we will do a session zero point five. It’s a one-on-one session with me, so that you get some experience, maybe some money, perhaps some contacts and maybe a plot hook or rumor or two. Mostly though, it’s a way to kick the tires on your PC and the Roll20 character sheet.
After that, we will start with you all on the road, headed to the keep together. This will be the true first session.
The Past is Prologue
Bits of the setting are scattered throughout the PHB, because to me the rules of my game are intrinsically tied to the setting they take place it. This is a continuation of my old 5e campaign that I ran for almost 5 years, as well as the 2e campaign that lasted about 2 years. Things happened in those campaigns that shaped the world.
Then 1000 years passed, and the world went to war and broke apart. This campaign takes place about 2000 years after the 2e campaign ended. The world is emerging from a 1000 year dark age.
Setting
This was originally set in the Forgotten Realms, but I only used the 1e AD&D gray box version, then I altered and changed much of it, then I broke it a few times. I realized I needed to make my own world if I ever wanted to publish it someday, so that is what this setting is.
The world has three moons. One is red, one white. The last one, the smallest and newest, is dark gray and irregularly shaped. It is also the closest to the world. Due to this moon’s influence and orbit, the world has a very unique tidal situation. Every 21 years, for a period of a couple of years, the oceans are settled enough to have intercontinental travel in ships. Outside of that period, intercontinental trade is impossible. Everyone is relegated to travel and trade via coastal routes. If a ship goes more than 10-15 miles from the shore, it is destroyed by the sea. In a couple of years, the waves will subside enough to allow intercontinental travel. It is a time that all people on all continents prepare for. It’s a time of war, conquest, and trade.
There are several continents in the world. Glanden, to the east of Turith, is where the Debane primarily reside. Drevar to the south is mostly Vandians. Morvon in the far south is mostly desolate plains, former home of all of the Koryon. It is also the land of the Giant Kingdom, and of the largest Dwarven Kingdom. They despise each other, with the Dwarves worshipping the Gods and the Giants worshiping Mother. Lastly, you live on Vansen. Due east of you is Turith. It used to be one continent named after your people, the Pelentor. It broke apart 1000 years ago. Much of it sunk beneath the waves.
(Of note: The southern arctic lands are populated by the descendants of the Hune and have reverted technologically to the bronze age. They worship strange gods.)
Both Vansen and Turith share the same culture, but do not share the same gods.
The people of Turith worship Mother. She is the spirit of the planet, basically. Her worshippers are led by Druids, protected by Rangers. Hunters seek out and destroy enemies of Mother, as described in the PHB.
Vansen is a land led and populated by those who worship the Gods.
I cannot stress enough how much these two groups hate each other. This is a worldwide thing. It is the underlying core dynamic of the game system, the world, and the campaign you are in.
You will never see a Ranger or Druid adventuring with a Paladin or Cleric. They are kill on sight to each other.
As such, your class options as Pelentor of Vansen cannot include the classes who worship Mother. Heretics are put to death in the most painful manner possible.
For anyone playing a Cleric: if you want to play a Priest in the world, let me know. I’ve detailed one, the God of Merchants. But any others I will be making up. Keep in mind that Priests of lesser gods or demigods are limited in the levels of spells they can give to their priests.
Vansen and the Surrounding Areas
Thessalia is ruled by an Iron Templar named Tonsur, a Holy Warrior of Kor, God of battle, military discipline, order. He itches to take the fight to….someone. He is utterly frustrated by the threats from all directions. He rules Heliona and Theodora. In exchange for Thessalia’s help in repairing the two towns, his grandfather installed two sons to run the cities, and had their line swear fealty to the lord of Thessalia. His cousins do what he says, due to the oath, the threat of losing his protection, and because they have no other choice, really.
Pyranthea is ruled by the Archcleric of the pantheon for the continent, Kelsen. He is old, and an Elf. So, he has seen more than damn near anyone. His grandfather fought in the Godswar. Pyranthea is the strongest and most well-fortified city in the lands. It is strong enough that the Blackthorn never bother attacking anymore. It’s also the center of trade for the continent. Everything passes through there.
Vesperia has grown since the sack of Marcellion. Anyone who survived ended up there. Vesperia made any refugee who could swing a sword a soldier as the price of admission for themselves and their families. As a result, there are many Marcs, as they call themselves, who are well trained, and are itching for revenge. They are a force filled with hate and a thirst for vengeance. They know an assault into the Blackthorn would be suicidal, but they really want to take Stonekeep. If Stonekeep falls, no more attacks can come from Turith. They would not be able to cross.
Laconium and Corinthara share this opinion.
Laconium is the city that best preserves the arts and culture of the people. Their ruling line has always supported the arts in all ways. Perhaps not coincidentally, they have the premier Mage school in all the lands. 75% of all mages trained there. Even though they are on the coast, they are high up on the edge of a cliff, so they have no ports. The cliff extends 6-7 miles in either direction of various heights, peaking at 850 feet above sea level at Laconium. As a result, they are the least attacked city of Vansen
Corinthara is the newest city and the smallest. It was set up as a place to build Ironguard from and exists as a place to process the iron pulled from the Fangs. It has some of the best smiths in all the lands. They produce armor and weapons to equip the next assault on Stonekeep that they hope is coming. Corinthara also has the best deepwater harbor in the lands. They are building a large war fleet, based on a new design by their finest shipwright, Madix the Red.
The isle of Lendalar is populated by elves, and worship Mother. They are allies with Turith. The island is inaccessible by sea except for the sea change every 21 years.
The Pine Barrens is a rocky land of pine trees. The rocky soil is not great for farming, and it is used mostly as a stopover point for ships. The island is inaccessible by sea except for during the sea change every 21 years.
Blood Island is a place of vast natural resources and wealth. It is also the most dangerous land in the world. There are creatures there that are seen nowhere else. Also, in the center of the island is a massive pyramid. None know what it is used for, but it lights up at night. No one has ever come back from there to tell the tale. Vansen has a permanent outpost set up on the island to the SW, and Turtih has one set up on the NE. The smaller islands are close enough to Blood Island that ships can go back and forth. However, due to the distance of all three islands from the main continents, the people of each small island are cut off from their people for 21 years at a time.
Stonekeep Island is the most important bit of land on the map. A combination of closeness to Turith and Vansen, and the fact that it is sheltered from the main ocean waves and currents, means that it can be travelled to by people from each continent. Whoever controls Stonekeep Island can launch attacks on the other continent. The Pelentor of Vansen, your people, lost Stonekeep 200 years ago to those of Turith, and have been paying the price ever since.
Blackthorn Forest and Blackthorn Deeps are where the Blackthorn Barbarians come from. They are savage, 7 ½ feet tall, with 6 fingers and toes. They call themselves the Dread Wolves, and have dark brown hair, black skin, pale white eyes. No facial hair. It is also rumored that a large Elven community is somewhere in the Deeps, but they have never come out to raid the cities or villages of your people.
The Goblin Hills are infested with…you guessed it…Goblins. And a smattering of other humanoids. Ther is a large Hobgoblin city in it as well as an ancient Green Dragon.
The Northern Fangs have a few Gods-worshipping Dwarven settlements who largely keep to themselves and only come out to trade once every few years. There is also a large Orcish kingdom in there…along with Lions and Tigers and Bears and Dragons and Giants Oh My! There is also rumor of a lost city somewhere in the mountains, along with all the wealth, cultural artifacts, technology, and magic that existed in the old days. It is believed that finding the city will provide Vansen with the power to finally defeat Turith once and for all.
The Southern Fangs are less dangerous than the Northern Fangs, and their mines are largely depleted. All that is left is standard mountain dwelling monsters, and a few dozen halfling and gnomish settlements in the foothills surrounding them.
Elves and Half Elves are the rarest of the rare in Vansen. Most chose the side of mother in the wars, and either live in Lendalar or Turith. Those that remained in Vansen are most definitely followers of the Gods, and are overly outwardly pious because of the suspicions people have about all members of their races.
Dwarves are not as rare, and mostly live in the cities, working as smiths and brewers. Those in each city all tend to come from the same clans. They stick together for mutual protection and shared cultural reasons.
Half Orcs are considered to be savages, the product of rape, and are killed on sight in Vansen.
The Koryon Barbarians, the culture that all Barbarian PC’s come from, are scattered throughout the lands. There is a large group of them in the lands around Ironguard Keep. They are all Elath and are viewed as savages by the Vansen. However, there is a sort of loose truce between the Koryon and the Pelentor. Mostly because they fight in such an unorthodox way that the Pelentor have yet to figure out how to kill them all off. It is too costly in terms of manpower and resources. Plus, they hate humanoids as much as the Pelentor and are useful for killing those that wander into the outskirts of the Pelentor lands.
There are Elath who are “civilized” in that they live in Pelentor cities. However, they are regarded by the Pelentor as a lesser people, and by the Koryon as tamed lapdogs to the Koryon Wolves. They are most often slaves or the freed descendants of slaves. Many have tried to join the Koryon but all were rejected. You need to be raised a Koryon. It is not a culture you can join as an adult and be a part of their people.
Most Debane in the lands are slaves or freed descendants of former slaves. Hune form usually live as scholars, sages, artisans, priests and mages, and have gained a measure of respect from the Pelentor. There are many Vandians in the lands who mostly act as merchants and traders. They are looked down on by the Pelentor but are needed. Trade with Drevar is more important to Vansen than they care to admit.
History
1000 years ago: Big war, lands were fractured, Mage Lord, Lord of the Wild Hunt, the God Prince and her Hellspawn mother were all killed. The Gods won.
500 years ago: The cities you see on the map were pretty well established.
300 years ago: Blackthorn Barbarians, formerly only a danger if you entered their forest or the Deeps, began raiding cities. They steal women and young children, kill all men with any fighting ability, including any boys age 11 or so and up.
Cities had to be fortified.
250 years ago: Goblins, always a threat, seeing weakness, decided it was time to raid from the North.
200 years ago: Vansen lost Stonekeep Island for the first time ever. It was the last time they held it.
150 years ago: The mines in the southern part of the Northern Fangs, and the northern part of the Southern Fangs were depleted. More mines found to the north. Construction begins on Greywatch and Ironguard as places to protect the mining in the area.
The inner cities handle Greywatch, the coastal cities handle Ironguard. They take the fight to the humanoids of the area, especially the goblins, who are waiting for their mythical king Gum Gum to come back and pull the Axe of Fire from the Blackstone. They also run patrols in the area and man forts near some of the mines.
100 years ago: Stonekeep launched attacks on Heliona and Theodara for the first time. They sailed their ships around the northern coast, presumably, and attacked both cities. They were unprepared for attacks from the sea, having only fought off attacks from the Blackthorn barbarians. Their outer walls were strong, but their defenses against sea attacks were weak. Somehow, they must have coordinated with the Blackthorn barbarians, because they attacked at the same time. The inner gates to the cities were lowered from the inside and they were pillaged. Thousands were killed, thousands taken hostage. Both cities suffered greatly, they were half burned to the ground.
What’s worse is that hundreds of Blackthorn were seen headed north, into the Goblin Hills. They have since increased their numbers there and are working with the Goblins to attack Greywatch regularly.
Thessalia asserted its dominance over the inner cities, since it has never suffered attacks from the Blackthorn. It is in good shape. It also grew due to an influx of refugees, many of whom were sent to Greywatch.
75 years ago: Stonekeep and the Blackthorn attacked and utterly sacked Marcellion. The city itself and the surrounding villages and towns no longer exists. What remained of the city was turned into a massive fortress along the lines of Ironguard, to protect against the Blackthorn.
Current day rumors and events: A large gathering has been called by Archcleric Kelsen. All rulers, their top advisers, rich merchants, powerful mages, adventuring groups---basically everybody who is anybody with power is there. The purpose of the meeting is to figure out what to do. Most are pushing for an assault on Stonekeep…soon. It’s existential. They want Tonsur to lead it. The meeting happens in 4 weeks, midsummer. For the first time, Ironguard was assaulted by a large force of goblins assisted by Blackthorn. It happened a few months ago. That explains why it’s been quiet around Greywatch lately.
Calendar
380 days in the year. 19 months, one for each God. 20 days per month.
Day 1 Month 1 is the day after midwinter.
Dates are referred to as “first day of Gondala” in the year X.
Current year is 997.
997 years after the Gods and their peoples declared final victory over the forces of Mother. The Magelord and his allies were killed some time before that.