Having far too much time on my hands, I decided to start a pathfinder campaign using roll20.
It features a wide world, several nations, history and secrets to be revealed, where high powered magic is not ubiquitous, except in the rare hands of elves ( no, you can't play one), but some beings exist with power akin to that of gods. But why spend time with such a brief description, when I can give you the original campaign introduction?
Welcome to the world of Dharati
The world
This is the continent of Dharati, land of conflict, danger and adventure where the destinies of beings of unimaginable power and those of common folks unfold together.
In this land, power is held mainly by sword and lance, wielded by the strongest and the bravest; magic has shaped the world , but wielding it is a difficult task few people can succeed in and even then the most powerful spells are unpredictable and unrealiable, requiring a special shade of madness and hubris to even try.
Few are the nations that populate the world: in the fertile western lands reside the great feudal kingdoms, in the western wastelands live the orcs in their roving tribes,held back only by a small confederacy of human nations in the southern cultivable lands, with the mountains separating the 3 parts of the continent populated by the dwarven clans. In the middle of all this sits the domain of the elven God-King, on his wooden throne, forbidden to anyone not of his kin.
This is the place where you live and the place where you will need to make a name for yourself, or fade into the forgetful oblivion of history. But don't fool yourself into thinking it will be easy or safe and always remember: luck aids the brave.
The races
four races populate Dharati: humans, dwarves, orcs and elves.half breeds are possible but rare among humans dwarves and orcs, but a child of an elf with another race only has traits of the non elven parent.
Humans
The most populous race in the continent, humans inhabit mostly fertile plains and light forests, shaping the land rather than adapting to it.They don't have any peculiar physical ability, compared to other races, but thanks to the availability of herbs, flowers and berries in their land they gained a reputation as capable alchemists and brewers of potions, aided also by their modest magical prowess. Most humans don't practice overt magic, due to the requirement of many years of study and effort to cast the most basic spells, but those who do can continue on the path considerably more easily than other races, although not as well as elves.
Humans have a varied culture, with a divide especially between the western lands and the confederacy; due to this, they also have a wide set of ethical beliefs and government forms.
Orcs
While nobody has ever tried to count the orcs, it is known that they are numerous and during their raids they can seem endless. They live in the eastern wastelands, always travelling trying to get the most from an harsh land. An harsh land breeds harsh people and so orcs are large, strong and violent. Their martial abilities are unmatched and only compensated by the lack of discipline, good weapons and magic. They live in nomad tribes, generally warring each other for resources or raiding the nearby richer lands, but occasionally a great chief manages to unite the tribes and launches large scale invasions remembered for centuries.
A peculiarity is an ability to heal faster than normal that has been observed in captives. Stories from battlefields also tell of orcs rising again to continue fighting after what would be fatal injuries in other humanoids.
Dwarves
Those short and stout creatures live primarily in their underground dwellings in the mountains of Dharati. They have a remarkable constitution, but they have little talent for magic, requiring decades for things an human could achieve in mere years. Having nearly abandoned magic, they turned to other ways to stay on par with other races, developing a way to enhance items without requiring a caster called runecraft. Their recipes are closely guarded, making the already secretive dwarves even more secluded and prone to conflicts between clans, generally resolved without open war. between the runed items and their overall great craftsmanship, dwarven clans are rich and engaged in proficuous trading.
Elves
Tall, pointy ears, with an aura of power surrounding them. They are by far the least numerous race, but by no means the least powerful and influential. An elf is a rare sight in the world, with even the biggest kingdoms hosting only an handful. Despite their rarity, they wield a great power and influence, since they are masters of magic in all its forms, none of them being anything less than a powerful caster; it is only for their scarce numbers that they don't dominate the world and in the past several nations( some even now) were ruled by elves, although their population remained mostly human or dwarven. The only exception to their rarity is the domain of the God-King, exclusive home for all the elves. Little is known about their society .
The nations
Human nations
Kingdom of Adalgard
A feudal kingdom united under king Baldric III Baldring, it was formed after the breakdown of the old elven nation of Elendor during the and derives its legitimacy from its claim as successor of the several smaller kingdoms that existed before elven rule.
Its economy is primarily based on agriculture , especially its prized wine production, but there are also commercial ties with the dwarven clan of Stonewart and the Confederacy.
While a monarchy, the power of the king isn't absolute and he requires the approval of the council of nobles to do actions such as raising taxes, declaring war and more; furthermore, the council needs to approve the successor after the death of a king, which has previously led to instability and civil wars.
Most of its army consists of levies from the many nobles of the realm, however there is a core of hardened, independent mercenary companies that can be called, if needed, to supplement the war efforts with great effect.
It has long standing tensions with the kingdom of Elendor, which still claims the whole eastern lands. It occasionally suffers from raids from orcs, but distance keeps it mostly safe. It has strong ties with the republic of Breda, created as part of a peace treaty with Elendor to act as a buffer.
Kingdom of Elendor
Declaring itself the only legal successor to old Elendor, this feudal kingdom claims legitimate rule over all the eastern lands.
Its economy is primarily agrarian, but there is also a lively export of prime timber for shipbuilding and construction. Most trade goes through clan Rocktooth or the rebublic of Breda.
The king has a near absolute power , helped in managing the vast territory by a permanent council appointed by the king himself. However, succession is elective rather than primogeniture, although the last several kings were of the same dynasty
It has long standing tensions with the kingdom of Adalgard, which it considers rebels. It has strong ties with the republic of Breda, created as part of a peace treaty with Adalgard.
Republic of Breda
The republic of Breda was created a couple of decades ago when after a lengthy war the kingdoms of Elendor and Adalgard created a buffer state in the west, rather than cede territory to the other.
While it lacks the land of its more powerul neighbors, it thrives on the trade generated by virtue of being the only neutral ground between the 2 rivals. It also has extremely capable shipwrights, thriving on the excellent timber imports from Elendor.
The republic is dominated by the city council of Breda and the prince-mayor, elected every 5 years. Due to the peculiar circumstances of its creation and its strategic position, both Elendor and Adalgard exert a strong influence on the local government.
Confederacy
Not an unitary state but rather a coalition of many states, the confederacy holds the only significant human foothold in the eastern lands.
the economy of most of its states is agrarian, but many specialize in mining and smithing, due to the necessities of almost constant warfare. It trades with all the other human kingdoms, although the strongest commercial ties are with Adalgard; there is also extensive trade with the Stonewart clan, importing msotly high quality weapon and armor.
Life here is dominated by the necessity of defending from the continuous orc raids, but as long as the frontier holds, the inner lands are as safe and calm as in the western kingdoms. It has excellent relations with the dwarven clans and the human kingdoms, since it is common opinions that were it to fall, orc raids would intensify against everyone else and their numbers would increase. It recently had diplomatic tensions with the kingdom of Elendor, but not so strong for ties to be cut.
Dwarven clans
Dwarves are divided between three great clans : Stonewart, rocktooth and granitespear. They have a relatively homogeneous culture, but they mistrust each other due to a constant fear of having their manufacturing techniques stolen.
The clans of Rocktooth and Stonewart , situated on the ridges between the eastern and western lands, are the ones with most contact with human civilization, while the Granitespear clan only trades to other dwarves through the gate of teeth, the passage dividing the northern wastelands from the southern wastelands.
A dwarven settlement is nearly invisible from the surface, presenting only an entrance and the occasional chimney or window; they mostly extend undergrounds for great lengths and depths, although humans generally aren't allowed beyond the shallowest levels, making their true extension unknown
Rocktooth and Stonewart get most of their food from trade with human nations, paying back with copious exports of tools, weapons, armor and gems. Granitespear somehow does without, likely using underground mushrooms or farming on their own.
Dwarven great clans are divided in several families, closely related, each holding considerable power.
In most cases the only ties to the surface world are commercial in nature, with dwarves uninterested in the petty squabbles outside their dwelling, with the possible exception for the occasional aid from Stonewart to the confederacy to contain the orcs.
Realm of the elven God-King
More a statement than a true name, this is the area which the elven God-King called for himself when he first sat on the wooden throne in the age of legends, never to be seen again out of its borders. What lies within is a mystery, since nobody except elves is allowed entry and everyone else who tried met twisting paths , phantasmagorical illusions, magical barriers or, most simply, disappeared.
It is considered the home land of elves and it is unknown how many live there.
The characters(spoiler: outdated by now)
You used to be in the retinue of Folcard Meroving, a baron from a minor family. All was going well, but he was old and without heirs. Last month he predictably died of old age and after a long discussion among heraldic experts from several claimants, the barony was assigned to Theodulf Meroving, a relatively close cousin. Theodulf however was already a landed noble, with his own court and retinue. After a brief assessment of his deceased relative's property, he had several now redundant men fired, including you. Many of the less ambitious returned to their native villages, helping their families in the farms, working as guards against pig thieves or other similar low key jobs. However, that is not the life for you. whereas for many this was an end, for you this is a new opportunity, the beginning of a great story.
Still, the future ahead of you is far from certain. What will you do? Will you swear fealty to another lord? Will you instead seek their support to start your own chartered mercenary company? or maybe something else entirely. Many paths lie ahead, but they all lead to one place: Sindeburg, the capital. With the Council currently assemble to deliberate on taxes and border tensions, all the important people in the kingdom are assembled in one place.
The city: Sindeburg
Sindbeurg, the city of crossroads, the fortress of the delta, the crown of the kingdom. While the first nickname might seem confusing, it should be remembered that the river it sits on spans nearly the whole kingdom, making it the primary mean of transportation, both for economic and military purposes.
The position at the mouth of the river is the reason this city grew to the importance it has today. Born as a serie of fortifications on the delta to protect the inland areas from pirates, it quickly grew from the trade and tolls. During the chaos following the rebellion which overthrew the elven rulers, Lord Baldric of Sindeburg used a fast and capable brown water fleet, plus his firm control of the river, to bring the whole river area under his control, founding the kingdom of Adalgard before Elendor could react and suppress the revolt.
Nowadays , while it still shows its origins as a fortress, with two tiers of walls and several keeps and watch towers scattered around, it is also the seat of political and economical power. Many nobles have homes in town, the most important merchants reside here, the king has its throne room in the castle and the council of nobles is held here; goods from all the kingdom arrive here for the benefit of smiths and crafters of all kinds, grapes are turned into wine and merchants export those products everywhere. In this rich and busy town lies the economic and political power of Adalgard and here come most people seeking to improve their condition.
Noble houses
As the retinue of a lord, however minor, you have familiarity with many noble families. The most important for you so far have been, obviously, House Meroving to which your lord belonged and the royal house
House Meroving
This is the house you used to work for. It tarces its origins to merovech, a commander in the army of Baldric I who was assigned a fief after the services given during the formation of Adalgard. It currently has many branches, but all its members are minor nobles with small fiefs. It is fairly known due to the fame of its founder, but it never ammassed neither wealth nor power.
House Baldring - Royal branch
This is the house of the ruling descendant of Baldric I, who formed the kingdom of Adalgard. This house holds enough lands and wields enough power to command respect from everyone else in the realm, regardless of its other titles; As kings however, all other houses in the realm are sworn to obey them. The current king, Baldric III, has been able to keep balance between the nobles of the realm and promoted peaceful developement, thanks to the peace treaty which he signed early in his reign, sanctioning the end of a long war against Elendor and the formation of the republic of Breda. Generally liked by everyone besides the most war loving vassals, he is aknowledged as one of the most successful kings of his line. He is also old and the question of succession is one of the most popular topic among nobles.
You skipped that, didn't you? well, too bad. But here is a recap of the adventures of the party so far:
The party arrived in Sindeburg , seeking employment. Exploring different alternatives, they decided to enter service of Lord Childesend Theudering, the merchant noble. Generally known as a good man, although not quite faithful to the formal customs of his class, he is a patron of the arts and avid collector of magic items of all kinds. His title is prestigeous, but his family lost most of its lands generations ago. He however used the little wealth he inherited to build an enormous merchant empire, becoming one of the most wealthiest people in the kingdom. However, being almost landless and without levy soldiers, many nobles look down on him. His military strength, rather than from armed peasant, comes from a select few highly skilled knights and mercenaries of all sorts in his service. Including the protagonists of this story.
At first, the party was sent to recover a stolen artifact, disappeared misteriously after arriving at the dock. After a few rounds of (possibly brutal) interrogation and a few coins to oil the wheels of information, the party was finally led to a warehouse outside the city, where they fought bandits, recovered the stolen goods and arrested the employees of a local winery.
Then, during some downtime, they decide to investigate the rumors on a beast in the forest, on which the town guard had a bounty. Tracking revealed immediately the presence of something big and strong in the forest. Teaming up with Luceria Solifer, a paladin of Sarenrae, they finally encounter a giant bear, followed by a cohort of wolves. the battle is hard, won with the price of a life. The bear flees and something odd is happening, as the wolves disappeared upon defeat, rather than leaving corpses. Indeed, the beast turns out to be an orc druid, escaped perhaps from a raid years earlier. He claims self defense, but no mercy is given to he who killed several.
Back to work for Theudering, the party is sent to protect a merchant ship with an important cargo, in light of news of a terrible pirate, always taking his prey in unnatural fog. They prepare, bringing alchemical fire and setting 60 longspears on the sides of the ship to repel boarders( really!). Not much later, the pirate attack indeed arrives. The wind stops and the fog engulfs the ship, while rowboats emerge and pirates start climbing. They were easily repelled, as they did not expect such an heavily armed guard and the party sets out to counterattack, stealing a rowboat and going toward the pirate ship, from which an eerie song comes. a fight ensues, first against the pirates, then against the captain, mightily strong and using thick fog as concealment. Despite wounds that would kill a common man, the heroes prevail and capture all the pirates. They find the source of the fog in a set of cages, with enslaved merfolks. They are freed, but wanting revenge they start brewing a storm intended to sink the pirate ship and all those on board. The captured pirates are recrutied to get on a rowboat and help escape, but due to betrayal of the captain, it takes way more than necessary and they almost miss the merchant ship who was coming to the rescue. Quick thinking from the party member left on that ship saves the rest by shooting a ballista bolt on a rope, nailing the rowboat and impaling the captain at the same time.
Arrived at the port in the confederacy, they are asked to deliver a crate to an elf wizard. Easy to do, but in the crate is the artifact from the first quest, requiring to be analyzed, and the wizard wants more than what is offered. He sends the party to capture a live orc to discover their plans. The party sets out to ambush an orc patrol, but is instead ambushed. The battle is hard, but they prevail, wounded and with many of their resources depleted. A dying orc however manages to open a cage, containing a monster known to the men of the confederacy as a Feral, an orc-like brute of large proportions and enormous strength and constitution. Fast enough to rech the party before they can get on the horses and flee, it almost manages to kill them all before it is slain. Against all chances, they survive and manage to interrogate a surviving orc using a collar provided by the elf, which extracts all the informations leaving the orc in a demented state (never said the elf was nice). Bad news: an invasion is going to strike the kingdoms of adalgard, elendor and Breda. The elf is relieved, as such a task will keep them off his tower for years, but you must prepare for war.
However, in such a time of turmoil, the individual talents of the party members are needed more than the whole and the old group is going to be disbanded.
You skipped that as well, I bet. Well, no matter. here is where we are now.
A massive Orc invasion, possibly the biggest since the time of legends, is going to strike your homeland and the near kindoms. Luceria Solifer, a paladin of Sarenrae who is part of the group who discovered the menace, is going to be sent to a meeting discussing an alliance between Elendor and Adalgard, old foes, plus the republic of Breda, against the incoming invasion. However, she needs support and an escort, and that is going to be your role. But that is not the end! with such dire events as those that are going to unfold, there is no rest for those who can wield sword and magic alike.
the party is currently working for, and I quote from the story recap, "Lord Childesend Theudering, the merchant noble. Generally known as a good man, although not quite faithful to the formal customs of his class, he is a patron of the arts and avid collector of magic items of all kinds. His title is prestigeous, but his family lost most of its lands generations ago. He however used the little wealth he inherited to build an enormous merchant empire, becoming one of the most wealthiest people in the kingdom. However, being almost landless and without levy soldiers, many nobles look down on him. His military strength, rather than from armed peasant, comes from a select few highly skilled knights and mercenaries of all sorts in his service. Including the protagonists of this story."
Now, on practical matters, here are the character creation rules, as they are at this moment
Characters must fit the world lore. Deviations and exotic choices must be consulted with DM first before you invest yourself into the idea.
Characters must reasonably be able to join the party.
You can use any official Paizo material, no 3rd party supplements.
All Paizo classes are allowed except Gunslinger (no guns in the world) and Summoners.
You can use default Pathfinder deities or design your own which will be subject to DM's approval.
No evil alignment at the start of campaign is allowed. Alignments will be flexible within reason.
Most core races are allowed with exceptions:
PC elves are not allowed due lore reasons. Half-elves do not exist in the world of Dharati.
Orcs and other savage races are just that: savages and not valid for PCs. Half-orcs are available, in almost all cases as a result of
"forceful reproduction imposed on raided populations", which carries its own social stigma.
Uncommon and exotic races like Aasimar and Ifrits are subject to DM's approval.
All characters start at level 5, using the standard wealth progression.
Ability scores are either to be rolled with 6x 4d6(drop lowest dice) and substitute the lowest score with a 16; alternatively you can use
high fantasy 20 point buy system. If you decide to take your chance with dice rolling, you have to stick with it unless DM decides
otherwise due extremely bad rolls.
HP must rolled in campaign chat on roll20.
High level spellcasting will have drawbacks that are is still being discussed. For time being spells have the following failure chances: level
6 - 20%, level 7 - 30%, level 8 - 40%, level 9 - 50%. This rule is a placeholder to make you aware that high level spellcasting WILL have
a houserule limiting factor.
Be mindful that the DM reserves the right to change, add, remove or simply remember additional rules.
Games are held on sunday 12:30 GMT and last usually for roughly 5 hours.
This is not what you would call the most serious and focused group of players, often spending significant time talking about things like eggplants and horse feed ( they ended up actually buying the eggplants. better than rations I guess).
However, the characters aren't silly, nor they are removed from the world. They must be real characters, they have a story, goals. We players may be silly and goofy, but the roleplay is real. Also as a warning: there are parts of the campaign full of actions, and parts, like the one beginning now, which have more talking and out of combat events.
player-character-class&level
Chosrau-Lady Luceria Solifer-level 5 paladin(variant multiclass oracle)
Paladin of Sarenrae and knight of Adalgard, she is a bastion of good.
She fights in shining armor and with a greatsword, showing great prowess and more than once defeating formidable foes of which she still brings scars from wounds which would have killed most other people. However, she never fights in anger, always trying to subdue rather than outright kill her foes.
Less known about her is her natural attunement with the plane of positive energy, a rare event granting her status and powers, but with drawbacks. (refluffed aasimar)
Naryar-Sigismund the fated-level 5 shaman
A shaman from the hill where ancestor worship substitute the divine religions, he is bound himself to a wind elemental before leaving his native land for the town
Drexav-Vittore -level 5 ranger(infiltrator)
Keen eye and expert in everything involving survival, in and out of the wilderness, he is one of the most loyal men in lord Theudering's employ. Much he has lost, but much he has to live for.
A_Crazy_Ninja-Theodoric-level 5 fighter
A mighty warrior in Lord theudering's retinue, his skill with greatsword and great strengthhas served the interests of his lord for years, matching those of more experienced men.
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Topic: Fortuna Favet Fortibus: Roll20 Pathfinder campaign looking for player [5/5] (Read 2674 times)