The Bright Sands beckon

Rary the Archmage, Rary the Traitor. 

When my brother introduced me to AD&D, he lended me the campaign materials he had collected. These consisted of the old 2nd Edition Greyhawk Boxed sets, accompanied by Sargent-era sourcebooks. One of those was Rary the Traitor. 

At the time, I didn't "get" Rary. A powerful wizard who for no reason at all betrayed his friends and allies, even murdering two of them and setting up his own empire for the evulz? No. Sure, the World of Greyhawk is filled with megalomaniacal villains, but at least Iuz the Old and the Scarlet Brotherhood were interesting. Rary was just... lame, I guess.

Until I discovered the amount of lore produced for the Living Greyhawk storyline Blight On Bright Sands. Suddenly, Rary became a well-intentioned extremist. His nemeses misguided. The goal of the story arc, salvation for an ancient kingdom and thwarting the machinations of a dark god. 

Yesterday, I mentioned that my next campaign must be set in the Flanaess. Now, I have my master villain and my sandbox.

Coming Home

While creating the ARCANA setting, something clicked. I was looking for a way to justify all the spells and magic items named after major NPC's. Then I stumbled upon Greyhawk Grognard's version of Western Oerik (the lands beyond the Greyhawk setting) and then it dawned on me: what if, instead of developing an entire new world, I'd use the undeveloped lands west of the Flanaess as the setting for Aurora, Palladium and the magical races and places I designed? It would explain why Floating Disc is named after Tenser and the Iron Flask bears the name of Tuerny the Merciless.

In doing so, I started reading up on Greyhawk again, the first AD&D setting I DM'ed and I immediately fell in love all over again. Since then, I have reread the Greyhawk sourcebooks I own, researched online, joined Canonfire and perused the enormous catalogue of adventures developed for the Living Greyhawk campaign.

I will continue to develop the lands of Aurora and Palladium, this time in Western Oerik. But my next campaign has to be set in the Flanaess.

I made a thing!

The Trader Rogue Subclass has been altered and is now for sale on DM's Guild. It is my first officially published title on DM's Guild and I expect more to follow.

Get it here!

Greyhawk, Birthright, The Balance and the Old Faith

When searching the blogosphere on what makes the World of Greyhawk unique as a setting, sometimes the answer "militant neutrality" is given. See this thread and here as examples. In the EN World thread, this passage in particular summarizes it best:

Greyhawk is not concerned with the triumph of good over evil. The very nature of the evils loose on Oerth makes such triumphs fleeting at best. Greyhawk endures evil and circumvents it. It does not defeat it.

And:

Perhaps accounting for all of this, Oerth has strong and active neutrally aligned forces, working to preserve a balance between good and evil. While hardly organized, these forces nonetheless manage to be quite effective. The Circle of Eight, mighty wizards all, seeks a middle path. Istus, the divine Lady of Fate, tests all but favors none. Druids are a quiet but ever present presence. Indeed, many of Greyhawk's deities reflect a distinct neutral bent.

In Gygax's Gord novels, the hero is heralded as Champion of Neutrality. And other protagonists are all of a distinctively neutral bent. What is more, Mordenkainen, Gygax' original Player Character, is an active proponent of the Balance and leader of the Circle of Eight. The demigod Zagyg, Gygax' author avatar in the infamous Castle Greyhawk, is Chaotic Neutral and serves Boccob, the god of magic and non-interventionism.

Erik Mona, in Living Greyhawk #0, describes Mordenkainen's militant neutrality as follows:

Mordenkainen's view of "enforced neutrality" is not a tit-for-tat equality but rather a detailed theoretical philosophy derived from decades of arcane research. He has fought ardently for the forces of Good, most recently during the Greyhawk Wars, but just as often has worked on darker plots to achieve his ends.

Ever since reading that quote, I wondered what this theoretical philosophy composed of arcane research would be. As I am preparing to shift my campaign over to Oerth after completing my current campaign in the Sunset Realm, my attention was drawn to this conundrum.

I have concluded that, in *my* Greyhawk, the Balance propagated by both Beory and Boccob is one and the same: a balance of nature and natural forces, neither good nor evil, necessary for the flow of lifeforce and arcane magic. Mordenkainen's arcane research delved into ley lines, arcane energy and the necessity for not one civilizing power to gain dominance, for the development of civilization on a grand scale would limit the flow of arcane energy. The druids of the Old Lore agree with this basic insight, but disapprove of the sole focus on arcane magic, rather taking the perspective that all natural life must flow unopposed by civilization.

What do you think is at the foundation of Mordenkainen's philosophy? And why do the Druidic Hierophants disagree with him? I would love to read your views in the comments!

Once more into the breach

Greetings!

So the past two months have been slow. Combination of beginning a new job and a second baby being born. But my werewithal to our roleplaying hobby has not faltered! This blog is not dead, expect more content soon (if intermittent).

Parley between a Gold Dragon and two Elves

"A dragon! An ancient one, by the looks of it. Gold." Prince Leolar's eyes went wide. Although he had seen dragons before in his years, even fought and survived them, never before did he witness as magnificent a creature as now descended from the twilit sky amidst the Elven forces. All around him, the Elven Citizen Guards threw down their polearms and shields as they fled in terror from the great golden foe. Leolar felt his legs beginning to quiver, an acid taste at the back of his mouth. His shield slipped from his grasp. He became aware of a warm feeling in his groin area.

"Don't worry, its perfectly natural, it could happen to anybody." The voice was cool, distant. The voice of his Queen, his Lady, Ylsandre of the Ageless Ashtree. Leolar didn't know if the comment was referencing him wetting his breeches or their men fleeing the field.

The dragon landed ahead of them, generating a gale that threw the Elven siege engines on their sides. When it landed, it crouched low to the ground, flattening its wings. But then it rose, sitting back on two feet and uncoiling, like a great golden serpent spreading the dawn. The red twilight sunlight gleamed on the golden scales of the dragon. Its eyes blazed with an azure light. Golden radiance filled the fields around Antissa, a feeling equal measures serenity and dread spread from the dragon. As fear of the dragon and panic spread throughout the besieging Elven forces, Leolar felt increasingly lonely.

"It seems we are not left a choice," Queen Ylsandre said. Her violet eyes gazed adamantly upon the gold dragon. "We should..."

A roar boomed, echoing off the walls of Antissa, the dragon, finally announcing its presence.

"GREETINGS, MORTALS. I HAVE BEEN SENT BY HE WHO JUDGES. MY NAME IS GRUEMAR, I AM THE VOICE. AND I HAVE ONE REQUEST. WITHDRAW. CONCEDE TO THIS REQUEST, OR SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES."

Leolar found it increasingly hard to swallow. "What should we do?" The possibility of defeat hadn't entered his mind when they encircled Antissa, home of the hated humans that left the Elven people to rot. But now...

Ylsandre answered. "What else can we do? We should give noble Gruemar what he wants. After all, he is an emissary of the gods. I will offer myself up as hostage."

That took Leolar aback. "Hostage? But you are of the old blood! What about..." Ylsandre interrupted him.

"Indeed I am. But it will secure free passage for our kin. And as one door closes, other doors may open." Ylsandre, Queen of the Ageless Ashtree, strode forward into reach of Gruemar the Voice of Bahamut, the imposing ancient Gold Dragon. Leolar found his shield, preparing for a new journey.

Missives from the Sunset Realm

News on the streets of Aurora:

Pillars of Skulls rise in the deserts
In the southern desert known as the Zaar, caravans have reported construction on massive pillars composed of skulls. Attempts at interaction with the construction crews have all met with sullen silence. The purpose of the horrific edifices has yet to be unveiled. Rumours in the cities of the Sjikah Republic all point to a directive from Niveneh. Arkhon Akhemen remains silent on the matter however.

Iron Circle joins Minos army
The Iron Circle mercenary group, operating out of the Forbidden Valley, has joined forces with the minotaur Elite Guard of Minos. The army is currently marching south toward Antissa in order to lift the siege of that beleaguered city. At its current pace, the army is expected to arrive at Antissa's walls in about a moon's time.

Races of ARCANA - part 2

Continuing from this earlier post, lore of the Player Character Races of ARCANA.

D&D, over its various editions, has always had a large cast of anthropomorphic animals: Gnolls, Sahuagin, Bugbears, Lizardfolk, Bullywug. In the past, with my interest firmly fixed on grimdark or sword & sorcery worldbuilding, I rarely found much use for these types of races, even as monstrous foes.

However, since Arcana is meant to be inspired by saturday morning cartoons and animalfolk inhabit the Western Kingdoms alongside Humans, Elves and Dwarves, the various anthropomorphic races in the Monster Manual and other sources can be reskinned as follows:

Aarakocra: These birdfolk can take the shape of various avian species, such as eagles or owls.
Bugbears: The bearfolk of Arcana are strong but can also be stealthy. They are as likely to take up axes and hammers in war, as they are innocent or adventurous.
Bullywugs: The frogfolk inhabit rivers, marshes and wetlands.
Giff: The hippofolk are a culture of distinguished and martial people, inhabiting southern regions.
Gnolls: These hyenafolk are often predatorial and carrion-eaters.
Kenku: The ravenfolk are a disctinct species of birdfolk, drawn to urban locations.
Kuo-Toa: The fishfolk of the seas are drawn to dark arts.
Lizardfolk: These savage reptilefolk live peaceful lives in swampy areas.
Loxodon: The elephantfolk of the distant South and East are rarely seen in the Western Kingdoms.
Minotaur: The bullfolk are strong and have a martial culture.
Neogi: These spiderfolk are feared throughout the Western Kingdoms as merchants of death and slavers.
Sahuagin: The sharkfolk of the seas and oceans, often at war with the fishfolk but possessed of an advanced culture.
Tabaxi: In most urban areas of the Western Kingdoms, these catfolk can be found.
Thri-Kreen: Relatively rare, these insectfolk mostly inhabit the deserts to the East.
Tortle: The turtlefolk lead mostly nomadic and lone lives.
Yuan-Ti: Heirs of an old empire, the snakefolk are oftentimes portrayed as evil.


Missing from this list are a few standard anthropomorphic animals:

• Wolfmen
• Foxfolk
• Lionfolk
• Rabbitfolk
• Tigerfolk
• Boarfolk
• Dogfolk

Expect these races to appear in a future post.

Races of ARCANA - part 1

Lore of the Player Character Races in the World of ARCANA

Elves
The Elves of Arcana are not native to the world. They are Eldar – Starborn in their language – and they came from another world in the Dark Beyond. That world was consumed by the Voidstar, which the Eldar call Tharizdun, an abomination of their own making. Through the misuse of the magic of their Sun, it was warped into the Voidstar. Now, the Elves on Arcana are the only remnant of their once proud starfaring race – and determined to not repeat the mistakes of the past. Mostly.
Half-Elves are prominent in one of the Western Kingdoms, where the Human knights and nobles usurped a High Elven citadel in order to secure its magic. It has given rise to a large number of Half-Elves. The Humans are still searching for the secret magic.

Dwarves
The Dwarves of Arcana were, according to their myths, created by the Lord of Fire and Forge. The Dwarven Kings are celebrated as freedom fighters and just rulers that successfully freed their people from captivity by the Elves after the War in Heaven.


Halflings
No one actually knows where Halflings came from. They have no recognized homeland, no creation myth, no kingdom and no culture. They are universally recognized as roamers and wanderers – appropriating anything yet denying responsibility for everything. Their secretive past is the object of many Halfling adventures.


Gnomes
As the Eldar spread out across Arcana and established their magical empire, they found many fey nature spirits. Determined to never repeat the mistakes of the past and to work in harmony with nature, the Eldar befriended these spirits. Through friendship, through association and magic, these fey took on more stable form and became the Gnomes.


Orcs and Half-Orcs
Arcana’s Orcs were created by Phaeton from Elves. Their hatred of Elvenkind is in the blood and they represent everything the Elves fight against: brutality, aggression, barbarism. Even so, two generations ago, the Western Kingdoms recruited Orcs massively as labor for their great public works and tilling the fields. As a consequence, there are Orc ghettoes in large cities. Half-Orcs are looked upon as second- or third-generation immigrants. The salvation of Orc-kind and their Half-Orc descendants from the bonds of Phaeton, however, does lie in the cities of the humans. Only through redemption can they wrest themselves free from the bonds of savagery.


Tieflings
Phaeton's corruption did not stop with the Orcs and Goblins. A Human tribe was seduced to the side of Fire by the Lightbringer's schemes. Before the days of the Dragon Empire, this tribe, infused with Infernal blood, dominated an ancient kingdom. Nowadays, the Tieflings are scattered across Arcana.


Dragonborn
Created from Dragon eggs in the time of the Dragon Empire, the Dragonborn are the favored sons and daughters of Dragonkind. Together with humanity, they dominated the world in the time of the last great empire. Now their kind can be found anywhere in the Western Kingdoms.

The Siege of Antissa part 4 - The Forces Entrench Themselves

As weeks pass in my Sunset Realm game, the siege of Antissa, its freest city, continues.

To remind you, dear reader, of the situation: the High Elves of Silvanor Forest were driven out of their home cities of Benerel Nodel and Benerel Adon. For some reason, they hold humanity to blame and have therefore marched on the most nearby human capital: Antissa.

As they arrived and settled in, the King of Antissa, King Kenneth, sallied forth and claimed first blood.

Now, the siege has dragged on for another two weeks.

I have been using the War Machine rules to adjudicate the siege.

The Second Week
In the siege's second week, the Elves see their food supply diminished. They can only last this and next week and will have to force a decision in the fourth week of the siege. Antissa, meanwhile, still has enough food supplies for 65 weeks and can afford to sit out the Elves' attacks.

Still being outgunned by Antissa's siege defenses, the Elves choose to have another round of siege engine construction. Evander orders the construction of three trebuchets, further boosting the BR of his force by +36.

Kenneth, flush with his first victory, orders another round of harrassments. Rolling 1d100, Kenneth gets a result of 97, for a total of 267. Evander rolls 71 for a total of 231 - another win for Antissa. Looking up the difference in the Battle Results Table, a 36 gives the following:

Casualties: 2% for the Winner, 4% for the Loser
Fatigue: Moderate Fatigue for the Winner, Serious Fatigue for the Loser

As such, the Elves' active battle roster is reduced to 3,800 battle-ready elves and seriously fatigued. After 1 day (I rolled a 1 on 1d4), the Elves become moderately fatigued, which they remain for three days. After a week, the Elves are again restored to their normal strength.

Antissa's forces have been reduced from 6,100 to 5,980, all of whom are moderately fatigued. Two days later, their fatigue vanishes.

The Third Week
The Elves, seeing their food supplies dwindle, decide to bombard Antissa. Evander has four heavy catapults (+32) and three trebuchets (+36) for a total BR of 228. Antissa has a siege engine BR of 195.

When bombarding, the result of the week are determined by rolling 1d10 and multiplying the result by 10. That yields the number of hit dice as casualties as a percentage of the BR.

Evander rolls an 8, causing 80% of 228 = 182 civilian casualties.
King Kenneth rolls a 7, causing 70% of 195 = 136 elven casualties.

At the end of the third week of the siege, the Elves have suffered 236 casualties with another 100 wounded. The forces of Antissa have suffered 60 casualties with another 60 wounded, and another 136 civilian casualties.

Divine Intervention
High Ecclesiarch Terenas continues to pray for Divine Intervention during the second and third week of the siege. . His prayers are finally heard just three days before the end of the third week, after the first wave of bombardment has taken place. Bahamut, Terenas' patron deity, sends one of seven great gold dragons that serve him to negotiate a truce. Gruemar the Voice, a massive and ancient gold dragon, descends from the heavens amidst the Elven forces and negotiates for a peaceful end to the siege. The end-result of this negotiation has yet to be determined.

Necro Elves

Reskinned Drow. Because who needs another Drizzt?

All sages and Wizards and all high-up Priests in the Ecclesiarchy know that the Elves came from the stars. In sleek silver ships they fled the destruction of their Homeworld, which was destroyed by the dark cosmic entity called the Voidstar.

A closely guarded secret by the Elves is that the Voidstar - which in their language is called Tharizdun - was actually created by the Elven forebears themselves. Their misuse of arcane magic backfired and mutated the sun of their homeworld into an eldritch abomination, sucking up billions of Elven souls.

As the Elves created their magical empire in what are now the Western Kingdoms, their leaders swore off the old ways of their Homeworld that gave rise to Tharizdun and agreed to work in harmony with the magical energies of Arcana. A few of them, appalled at the casting aside of millennia of Eldar tradition, grew resentful and searched for ways to bring back the souls of the brilliant artists, mages, architects and leaders of their Homeworld.

Turning to magic forbidden by the Eldar leaders, these Elves found ways of reincarnating the souls devoured by Tharizdun in new bodies, birthed on Arcana. However, the bodies in which these souls reincarnated were markedly different from their parents or their past lives. They became jet black, a permanent reminder of the time spent by their soul in oblivion.

At first, these dark children were frowned upon but allowed to grow up in Eldar lands. As their numbers increased however, tensions brewed until it blossomed into a full civil war between the High Elves and the Dark Elves.

The day was won by the High Elves.  Enclaves of Dark Elves survive, developing a culture of their own. A culture devoted to death, art, architecture and poetry.

Unknown to almost everyone, the Dark Elven birthing process - drawing souls away from the Voidstar - is drawing that very abomination closer to Arcana every day.

Mythology of Arcana

Here are recounted the various creation myths and divine legends of Arcana. Of course they are all wrong, as sure as they are all right.

Creation of the World – as proclaimed by Dragonborn

Before time began, there were two Dragons. One was called the Chromatic Dragon, the other was called the Platinum Dragon. The Chromatic Dragon was a being of frightening arcane power. The Platinum Dragon was a serene and divine celestial being.

They were siblings, mates and enemies, exemplifying all life that ever would be. In her greed, the Chromatic Dragon sought to steal all knowledge from the Platinum Dragon. In his arrogance, the Platinum Dragon sought to dominate the Chromatic Dragon.

Their fight lasted for eons and sparks that flew and burned the Platinum Dragon became the stars. The claw marks in the hide of the Chromatic Dragon became the clefts and gorges and rivers.

In time, the two Primordial Dragons fought to a stalemate. The Platinum Dragon bound the Chromatic Dragon underneath him. The Platinum color became the light of the daytime sky, the fiery sparks from their battle became the stars. The Chromatic Dragon was bound to the earth. That is why arcane energy courses through the planet and the nature of mortal existence is Evil. All good and guidance comes from above, from the daylit sky and from the ten thousand stars.

The Dragons are the true children of these Primordial beings and the rightful masters of the World.

Creation of the World – as told by the Giants

The World was a dark and chaotic rock until the Star Titans, who each blazed with the light of a sun, came out of the Dark Beyond and created Order.  The Titans tamed the wild monsters and established civilization. The Titans eventually left their children, the First Giants, in charge of the Ordered World. Over time however, the First Giants, without the guidance from the Star Titans, fell into decline and internecine strife. In the end, the mighty magical civilization of the Giants broke down into barbarism and different clans and their Order was broken.

Creation of the World – as told by the Elves

According to the Elves, the Gods or Dragons or Titans had nothing to do with the shaping of the World. Natural, rational laws govern the universe and the forming of the world from cosmic dust over a process of billions of years can be rationally explained. The World was not created, it was discovered. The forebears of the Elves came from the stars to Arcana in silver vessels. There, they established an enormous magical empire in the region that now holds the Western Kingdoms. In time, they uplifted the Nine Human Tribes to civilization. As the human realms grew, the civilization of the Elves declined, their magical empire collapsed. Some of the Elven High Mages that taught humans magic are still remembered as Gods by them – Osiris, Zeus, Mannus.

Creation of the World – as recounted by the Dwarves

The World was created as an Anvil by the great Lord of Fire and Forging. His first few attempts at forging life were flawed – misshapen Goblins, foul Orcs and hideous Trolls - but the Dwarves are the Lord of Fire’s  greatest creation. His celestial servants however, were jealous of his skill and favored the other, lesser races – Elves, Humans. These celestials imprisoned the Lord of Fire in a vault constructed from the cold of the Void. Fiery Dwarven kings took up their fireforged swords and armor and spears but were stymied by the arrogant Elves and stunted Humans. The great Dwarven kings of old were conquered and enslaved. But the Dwarven people, blazing with the fire of the forge and the light of their Lord, were not so easily cowed. They learned to use the tools given to them by their oppressors – hammers, axes – and wrested their freedom from the chains.

Creation of the World – the Halflings

“The shaping of the World? Who cares!? There’s a shiny object there, let’s go study it and … Oooh! What’s this?”

Creation of the World  as written in the Doctrine of the Ecclesiarchical Church of the Radiant Spirit

IN THE BEGINNING – the world was dark and formless, until the Radiant Spirit brought light to the realm and tamed the seas and shaped the land. The Spirit placed the sun in the daylit sky and the stars in the nightsky. The darkness was bound beneath the earth and order was brought to the land.

The Radiant Spirit created life on Arcana, plant life, beasts. Finally, the Spirit created the pinnacle of Creation: Humans.

But one of his angels grew jealous of his master. His most skilled servant, Phaeton, strove to create life in his own image. The rebellious angel forged humanoid life but could not match the perfection of the Radiant Spirit. For his sin, the Spirit cast Phaeton out of the Heavens.

The evil Phaeton, cast out of his home, gathered fiendish allies and created other forms of life. Dragons, monstrosities and evil races such as Orcs and Goblins. A terrible war raged in Heaven and on Arcana – as above so below.

In the end, the forces of Good triumphed over Evil. The victorious Humans established the Empire as the temporal authority of Arcana and the Church as its spiritual guide.

Locations of Note in the Western Kingdoms

Being a guide to places both frightful and wondrous in the lands of Good.

Blackskull Castle, eldritch place of power dating back to before the time of Aurora. The Totems of Blackskull are fabulous items of power held in its halls. Legends tell that if the Arcana Crystals are ever united in the depths of Blackskull Castle, their owner will be elevated to godhood.

Enchanted Forest, woodland home to the Elves, one gets easily lost.

Forge Mountain, volcano and home of Dwarves.

Great-Grandfather Oak, the oldest tree in the Enchanted Forest

Great Lake, largest body of water in the vicinity of Palladium.

Mushroom Forest, a stretch of giant fungi.

Palladium, mightiest of the Western Kingdoms espousing freedom and democracy.

Shadow Veil, the curtain of black smoke that forms the border between the Western Kingdoms and the Undying Empire.

The Western Kingdoms of ARCANA

Risen from the ashes of the fall of the old empire, the Western Kingdoms are bastions of good in the World of ARCANA. It is a land reminiscent of Grundo or the Land of Ooo.

The folk of the Western Kingdoms are mostly pleasant, hardworking people. The kings and queens are wise and just (even if occasionally assisted by scheming ministers and plotting priests). The weather (magically controlled) is fair and monsters and threats are contained by patrols and knights.

The mightiest of these are the Knights of Palladium, the strongest of the Western Kingdoms.

The land is home to magical creatures and contains many wondrous locations. Adventurers operating out of Palladium regularly scout out these locations and unearth secrets and treasures of the ancients.

The Western Kingdoms are home to a diverse mix of human ancestries. Wandering the streets of Palladium you can meet Volcae, Qahtani, Valar, Aurorans and Teutons, in addition to the other races such as Elves, Dwarves and Animalfolk.

Tone and Style in RPGs

Over at Monsters and Manuals, this post continues to spark discussion. It is a post about the setting of the D&D game as "Straight Man". In other words: players bring more than enough antics to the table, there is no need to interject levity and humor in the setting.

Trey over at the Sorcerer's Skull disagrees. And I have found that I don't enjoy seriousness and grimdark as I once did. In order to provide a fun game for my friends and family, I've decided to turn a page on a new chapter and let new inspiration guide my creation.

When I was young, my Saturday mornings were filled with action packed animated adventures. The adventures of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, The Transformers, Legend of Zelda and Thundercats are all near and dear memories of my childhood. So when I was looking for inspiration to make my game more kid-friendly (and direct it away from brain-eating zombies) I naturally struck on these memories.

The World of Arcana is the theatre of a classic struggle of noble heroes versus tyrannical villains. The Knights of Palladium struggle against the mindless hordes of the Undying Emperor. Dividing the Western Kingdoms, bastions of light, and the evil Eastern Empire, is the Shadow Veil, a dark curtain of smoke. But other threats lurk. Beneath the earth in Sub-Arcana, Queen Chroma, Mother of Monsters, spawns vile monstrosities. To the south, in the jungles of Savagar, the Elven sect called Oberon's Children plots revenge against the humans that drove them from their ancient glades. And to the far east, the mysterious Enlightened make plans for world domination. All the while, an ancient force of evil, frozen in the far north, plots and schemes to collect the powerful Arcana Crystals that promise power and divinity.

I seek to make this world not another Tolkienesque, Realmsian high fantasy setting. I try to hew close to the saturday morning cartoons that inspired Arcana.

ARCANA Adventures

Stuff I am working on for my new setting, potentially available for my family game. The setting includes elements that I have developed in stories over the last twenty years. 

"The World of ARCANA was once a realm of magic, peace and progress. Great artifacts were fashioned from the magical substance of Arcanite. Guarded by the Dragon Knights, the Emperor reigned just and wise. Until, one fateful day, the Emperor was betrayed. The Dragons vanished, and all magical progress was lost to history. Now, the Western Kingdoms remain free while the Eastern Empire toils under the weight of the evil Undying Emperor. The Knights of Palladium now wage a continuing battle to contain the mindless hordes of the Undying Emperor."

The Western Kingdoms are bastions of Good, protected by faithful knights and shielded by divine power. Palladium is its mightiest city, a center of commerce and diplomacy. The Eastern Empire is a realm of Evil. The old Imperial capital of Aurora now lies perpetually shrouded beneath dark clouds and thunderstorms. Separating the east and west is the Shadow Veil, a dark curtain of smoke and death.

The Western Kingdoms are bounded to the west by the great Sea of Storms. To the south lies the secretive continent of Savagar, with its stark deserts and primal jungles. Beyond the Eastern Empire lie the lands of Yang, where the Enlightened hold sway. Far to the north lies the Hidden City, where an ancient force of Evil is imprisoned in ice.

Shaping the Campaign Premise

Although I love working on the Draconis setting and I am pleased with the progress so far, something began to feel off in the last two weeks. Yesterday, I finally knew what that was: the world is just too gritty.

Now don't get me wrong, I love me some Dark Sun, some Walking Dead, some Game of Thrones and Warhammer 40K. Yet for a world I am building potentially for my children later to game in, hordes of redskinned undead ready to devour your fighter if you misstep doen't feel right.

So I am reframing that bit. As a matter of fact, I'm chucking various elements from the setting, including the name. Out are the Plaguelands, the Red Death, The Keep and the term Bloodstone. Things I keep:

• Elves from Outer Space;
• Magic of the Land;
• the Power of Faith;
• Dragon Knights;
• The personalities of the Keep;

Join me in a few days as I turn the page on a new chapter in campaign design.

Draconis Blog Index

As work on the setting continues, here are all posts pertaining to the first iteration: Draconis.

Setting Information
Short Description
Rules of Magic

Places
The Plaguelands
The Keep

Monsters
The Red Dead

Player Resources
The Trader Rogue Archetype
Player Handout

History and Mythology of Draconis
Early History
Fall of the Empire

Draconis Player Handout

So I've compiled a document for new players that enter the Draconis campaign. It's a sort of Setting Bible slash Player's Handout. And instead of listing dates and timelines and dreary histories, I've opted to show, not tell.

Curious yet?

Click ye here.

The (Walking) Red Dead

The Red Death originating out of Aurora quickly spread to the surrounding, prosperous cities of the south. Those infected with the plague who managed to travel from Aurora to its neighboring settlements spread the infection. In a matter of months, the southlands as well as the heartlands of the Empire of Draconis were overrun with walking dead.

When infected, a victim of the Scarlet Plague suffers from a sickening fever. Within hours, the victim dies of the infection. A victim's skin turns unnaturally red (hence the name of the disease). A short time later, which can be minutes or hours, the deceased victim reopens its eyes, now shining with a crimson light, to spread the infection further.

RED DEAD
Medium humanoid (undead), unaligned

Armor Class 8
Hit Points 9 (2d8)
Speed 20 ft.

STR     DEX     CON     INT  WIS  CHA
11 (+0) 6 (-2)    10 (+0)  7 (-2) 8 (-1) 6 (-2)

Damage Immunities necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 9
Languages understands the languages it spoke in life but can't speak
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Strength in Numbers. The Red Dead has advantage on attack rolls when adjacent to another Red Dead.

ACTIONS
Grapple. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, contested by the targets Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. Target is grappled if attack succeeds. The target can escape the grapple on its turn by succeeding another contested check.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d6) piercing damage. The target contracts the Red Death. Every hour, the target must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution save or suffer one level of exhaustion. The Red Death can only be cured by magical means such as Lesser Restoration or Remove Curse. A victim dying of the Red Death rises 1d4 hours later as a Red Dead.

ENVIRONMENT
All

A Trader subclass for 5E

In the deserts of Athas, the setting of Dark Sun, great merchant houses ferry the goods needed to survive from city to city. The characters that serve a key purpose in these merchant houses are the Dune Traders. 

In the post-fall wilderness of Draconis, trading goods between communities has become essential to survival. In the Plaguelands, the powerful faction known as The Guild is only just now emerging on the forefront. With a strong presence in Trade Town, the Guild is a key organization in the supply, survival and travel needs of the communities of the Plaguelands. With dozens of thieves, assassins and vagabonds in its employ, it is also a network of less reputable individuals. None are so valued however as the Traders. 

TRADER is an archetype for the 5th Edition Rogue class. Traders are rogues that specialize in merchandise, profit, social contacts and negotiation. Without Traders, the economy of the post-apocalyptic wilderness communities would quickly collapse. They provide a strong network of tightening economic dependency between the communities. As a Trader, you quickly grow into an economic linchpin of your party.

Bonus Proficiencies

At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in two skills or artisan's tools of the following list: Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion and Calligrapher's Supplies, Cartographer's Tools or Jeweler's Tools.

Fast Talk

At 3rd level, you gain the ability as a bonus action on your turn, to make a Charisma (Persuasion) or (Deception) check, opposed by the target's Wisdom (Insight) to talk your way out of sticky situations. You can use your fast talk in bargaining situations or to gain advantage on your next attack roll.

Trade Tongue

At 9th level, you learn two additional languages. You are implied to have learned these languages in your career as a trader. They can be common as well as exotic languages.

Exceptional Contact

During your adventures, you have made contacts with various communities and organizations. At 13th level, one of these contacts - either a warlord or guild leader or community leader - develops into an exceptionally strong ally. At any time, you can invoke this ally's aid in a situation. For all intents and purposes, the ally acts as if under the influence of Charm Person. 

Leverage

At 17th level, your contacts, trading partners, personal standing and credit and personal wealth are such that you can immediately procure any service (including spellcasting services, as per the PHB's chapter on Equipment) you want. In addition, you can maintain an aristocratic lifestyle at no cost and suffer no expense for food, drink and lodging.

Plaguelands Map

The Keep sits square in the middle of the area called "The Plaguelands", a region swarming with Red Dead.

1 Hex = 6 miles

The Keep

Over the years, the survivors of the Red Death banded together into close-knit communities and even New Kingdoms rising out of the ashes of the old. The survivor-community of the Keep is led by Samira (9th level Cleric of Life), a Qahtani woman in her early fifties and original founder of the community in the wake of the Red Death. The authorities of the Keep are in fact all retired adventurers. Samira is the wisest and most charismatic of the bunch and their leader. Samira is unmarried but has in the past had romantic feelings for Roland, her second in command. She is still fit and beautiful for a woman her age. She has coffee-colored skin and mesmerizing green eyes. In conversation, she always pauses for a few seconds before speaking herself.

Roland (8th level Fighter Champion) is Samira’s primary field captain. He has salt and pepper hair and beard and an easy smile. Roland has a war story for every occasion and enjoys showing young explorers the ropes. Roland leads the wilderness patrols together with his lieutenant Tembe, a Qahtani (5th level Fighter Champion) and serjeant Amy (3rd level Ranger).

Tembe and his father were part of the second wave of survivors to enter the Keep. The elder Alqubulahni has since passed away and Tembe strives to live up to his father’s legacy. The young Alqubulahni is black-skinned and beautiful and remarkably perceptive for someone of his strength. Tembe likes to point out small details.

Amy is a woman in her early thirties with auburn hair and one hazel eye. Her left eye was stabbed out in a fight with some red ghouls and she has covered the socket with an eyepatch ever since. She always speaks in a soft, husky voice and is prone to understatements. She also gets most of her calories from alcohol and when she’s not on patrol, she is a visitor of the Saddled Dragon Inn. Amy was born in the Keep and is Rodrick’s daughter. Her mother died in childbirth and Amy practically spent her teenage years alone in the Keep or secretly sneaking outside through the Dragon Egress.

Allison (5th level Dragonblood Sorcerer) provides arcane support. Her arms, legs, shoulders and back are covered with small silver scales. Her hair is also silver and she likes to sway and twirl when idle. Allison is very energetic and interested in other persons. Allison came to the Keep only a few months ago and fell under Samira’s sway. She decided to stay and is loyal to Samira, if somewhat impulsive.

The patrol is further composed of 4 1st level Fighters (Sharon, Alex, Mark and Jessica) and 24 Town Guards. Patrols are typically armed and armored with plate mail, shield, lance, flail and longsword for all Fighters and scale mail, shield, light crossbows and a hand weapon (1d6) for town guards. Samira, Roland, Tembe, Amy and Allison all have magical and/or Bloodsteel items.

The Elven wizard Arasil (10th level) has a tower in the Keep but he is seldom present (1 in 6 chance every week), choosing instead his abode in the forest. He is reluctant in taking on apprentices but every once in a while sees the potential in someone of great intellect or charisma. Arasil’s appearance is unkempt and he dresses in dirty robes. He nevertheless has an indiscernible magnetism about him. He speaks in complex sentences and is not afraid to show his intelligence. His abode on the border of the marsh provides him with arcane power. Over the centuries, Arasil has forgotten more than most young humans have experienced.

The Keep is home to a community of about 100 survivors, half of whom can be called on to serve as Town Guards. They live in about twenty small dwellings, some in tents, within the walls of the Keep. The Keep is also a hotbed of trade and scavenging or adventuring, so no less than three inns can be found within its walls. One of its inns, The Saddled Dragon, is particularly adventurer-friendly and is source of tales and rumours.

Instead of various stores, the Keep has a trading post at its center around which essential services are provided. Being a community which relies on physical might for protection, it has a specialized armorer, Rodrick, as well as a blacksmith, Robert.

Rodrick, is an old man who in the days of the Empire was well-versed in the working of Bloodsteel. Though the Keep’s current facilities are insufficient to forge the magical metal from Bloodstone, Rodrick recognizes Bloodsteel on sight and is able to reforge items made from the stuff. He is a font of knowledge about mining, smithing, armor and metallurgy and is eager to pass on his knowledge, if only an able apprentice could be found. Rodrick is barrel-chested and muscled and despite his age still exudes strength. He is fond of bawd tales but very protective of his daughter Amy.

Robert, the blacksmith, is also broad of build. He shaves his pate but has grown a thick red beard. Robert isn’t much of a talker but he laughs (“HAR HAR!”) loudly at Rodrick’s tales. Robert was born in the Keep.

The trading post and surrounding market provide all the equipment found in the D&D Starter Set equipment list except for animals. These are so valuable that they are not for sale. Furthermore, as gold and silver were the coin of the old realm, barter is the method of purchase. Samira’s old adventuring comrade Durin (9th level Dwarven Rogue Thief) runs the trading post. As the center of trade of the Keep and its surrounding lands, Durin hears many tales and can provide adventurers with a large assortment of rumours and tips. He is still in his prime and has rough dark looks.

The Saddled Dragon Inn owes its name to its central characteristic: the saddle used by the Keep’s Dragonlord master in the days of the Empire. The huge saddle acts as the table reserved for regular patrons of the inn’s common room, as well as its proprietor Martin. The inn building itself served as the abode of the Keep’s Dragon in the old days and is very lofty and spacious with enormous double doors providing entrance.

One of Martin’s patrons, Prince Thelion of Vala, is the heir of one of the southern New Kingdoms. He has come to the Keep a few weeks ago, alone, to find resources to support and build his kingdom. He claims his party was lost in his time in the wilderness or felled by the undead.

The Keep was founded by a female Wizard Lord of Draconis utilizing a powerful spell of the tenth grade – Magical Fortress. As such, its walls, central keep and church appear as if carved from a single rock. That measure of power, however, demands an enormous amount of magic as the plains surrounding the Keep provide only the means to power spells of up to the fifth grade. That means that there is either a defunct ley line somewhere nearby, or that the Wizard Lord or her accompanying dragon utilized powerful artifacts in the Keep’s construction. The Keep has a powerful ward on it that keeps undead from entering its premises.

Finally, the Keep boasts a small Church, serviced by Samira and half a dozen acolytes. One of the PCs can be Samira’s apprentice.

The Defiance of the Dragons and the Red Death

Continuing the history of Draconis

The Empire of the Dragonlords did not last. Reigning from Dragonback out of Aurora, the realm of Draconis prospered. But with the settlement and development of the continent, the land's natural magic was diminished. In time, Aurora's lords and wizards grew entirely dependent on their Dragon allies and the mineral known as Bloodstone.

Natural Bloodstone deposits amplify the flow of magic around them but when mined, the mineral can be forged into Bloodsteel, the key material of magical armor, weapons, and wondrous items. The armies of Draconis came to depend on their Bloodsteel equipment and the mined Bloodstone was used as the foundation of magical knowledge throughout the realm.

The advance of civilization and its accompanying disruption of the natural flow of magic, as well as the ruthless mining and exploitation of Bloodstone came to anger the Dragons. A rift grew between the humans of Aurora and the Dragons, culminating in what scholars now term "The Defiance of the Dragons".

Within one week, all Dragons on Draconis left their human companions and went into hiding in places unknown. High-level magical research ground to a halt and many of the realm's more advanced spells failed. Aurora's most gifted arcane talent, a man known as Aenarys, sought a way to continue the magical advancement of the Empire and he turned his research to Bloodstone.

For years Aenarys toiled in his laboratories. Researching draconic lore and experimenting with Bloodstone. On one fateful day, however, his experiments backfired and a crimson mist rose up from his arcane spire. Within minutes, the entire holy city of Aurora was blanketed in the red haze. Victims exposed to the mist died within moments. Only those strongest of will or body were able to escape its grasp. Those that died from inhaling the crimson vapor rose again as ghouls, their skin taking on a red hue and their eyes shining with an unnatural red light.

The mist slowly dispersed throughout the realm. The malady that gripped Draconis came to be known as the Red Death as thousands died and rose again as red-eyed, red-hued ghouls. The southern cities were the first to fall. Over the course of three years, the Red Death spread across the continent. Major population centers were depopulated and evacuated. The only respite came from the Church, whose clerics and paladins were able to turn and destroy the undead. Towns and cities where the Church was strongest were able to hold out untill the plague had run its course. Population centers without powerful priests were doomed. Many people fled into the countryside and organized themselves into warbands.

A generation has passed since the Red Death. Aurora has become an abandoned husk. The Empire of Draconis has fallen. Many cities are battlefields between the undead and the living. The wilderness teems with warbands and lawless rovers. Here and there, palisaded communities of survivors led by priests or warlords eke out a living in the countryside.

Amidst all this anarchy, rumours circulate that the Dragons have returned...

Empire of the Dragonlords

From the history books of the Loremasters of Draconis:

It is no secret that the ancient tribes of Mankind learned the ways of magic from otherworldly beings. Under the guidance of the Eldar, the Men of Aurora prospered. Great towers and palaces were raised unto the skies, shaped by the magic power of the land. The Eldar were wise in the ways of magic and arcane knowledge, including the mightiest of spells, was at its height in those early days of Empire.

Men being men, however, desired ever greater power. And even the mightiest of spells, of the ninth and tenth grade, were not enough to satisfy these desires. So men sought out the original sorcerers of the Earth - the Dragons.

Over decades, the wizard-lords of the Empire fought and subjugated the mighty Dragons. Eventually, an accord was reached by the more orderly Dragons and the wizard-lords of the Realm. The Empire of Draconis entered a new phase of expansion as Man and Dragon entered into an arcane alliance.

The Eldar, seeing their strict teachings disregarded and forgotten, fought against these Dragonlords but to no avail. The power of the Eldar was broken and the Dragonlords reigned supreme. The Dragonmen, children of the Dragons, established themselves within the borders of Mankind. The Empire of Draconis expanded to encompass the entire continent. Expeditions on dragonback established footholds on the eastern continent of the Enlightened, as well as on the continent to the south, the ancestral birthplace of Mankind.

The Eldar, broken and on the run, fled into the forests and glades, the hidden and secret places of the Earth. There, those that still upheld the arcane mysteries developed as the High Elves. The Eldar that abandoned the magical ways and embraced their lives in the wilderness became Wood Elves.

The Empire of Draconis, with Aurora as its capital, grew and prospered for centuries. But without the guidance of the Elves, Man's cities choked and blocked the natural flow of magic across the land. The Men of Aurora grew dependent solely on their bond with the Dragons, their magical knowledge slowly fading. As long as that bond lasted, the Empire thrived. But that bond, as all things, came to an end - as did the Empire.

The Siege of Antissa part 3 - Opening Moves

Prince Evander, his nephew Prince Leolar and the Duchess Ylsandre have drawn up their forces outside of the City of Antissa, capital of the Alliance, demanding forceful entrance. Inside of Antissa's walls, King Kenneth has shored up his defenses. Thousands of citizen-soldiers stand ready to defend their home. At the start of the first week of the siege, each party's actions are as follows:

Antissa (BR 170)
Though Antissa is a large city, high-level wizards and sorcerers are rare. Only 1 in 128.000 attains that level and Antissa's archmage Tenser is missing. The city is therefore unable to teleport in food at the moment. The city does have access to the priests of the Celestial Mountain, five of whom are able to provide food daily to a total of 75 people. In addition, High Ecclesiarch Terenas Vayder is able to provide for 120 people each day and will pray for Divine Intervention from Bahamut. Antissa has prepared six months of food for storage (7,2 million units) and Kenneth immediately rations that to food once per 3 days for commoners. Soldiers get a full allotment each day. Water can be supplied from the springs beneath the Celestial Mountain. In total, Antissa loses 108,600 food units each week. At this rate, Kenneth can hold Antissa for 66 weeks - more than a year!

In terms of siege actions, Kenneth chooses to Harras the Elven forces.

High Elves (BR 160)
The Elves have just arrived on the field of battle, without siege engines and with only meager supplies. They currently have enough food to feed their numbers for two weeks. In their first day, the Elves scour the countryside to extend their stores for an additional week. During the rest of the week, four heavy catapults (+8 BR) are constructed.

The first week of the siege
Though Terenas prays for Divine Intervention each wake, his prayers go unanswered.
Kenneth's harrasment of Evander's forces results in the first skirmish of the siege. Kenneth rolls a 19 on a d100 for a total Battle Result of 170+19 = 189. Evander rolls a 25 for a total of 185. Kenneth has caught the Elves while they were still settling in!

But his succes is only marginal. 20 Elves are killed, another 20 wounded. 3,960 battle-ready Elves, under the command of three formidable spellcasters, still remain...

The Siege of Antissa part 2 - Defenses and Siege Engines

Basic D&D's War Machine had an addendum rules set called Siege Machine, developed specially for sieges. Using the Siege Machine rules, we will further chart the course of the Siege of Antissa.

Defenses
Antissa is an old city-state and has survived multiple extended wars, magical conflicts and even divine intervention. Its defenses are formidable and consist of the following:

- 4 cannons* +12 BR
- 3 trebuchets +12 BR
- 8 ballistas +2 BR
- in stronghold +50 BR

Each weapon has enough ammunition for a year's worth. King Kenneth is not a risk taker.

Furthermore, Antissa's army outnumbers Silvanor's army 1,5 to 1, yielding an additional +15 BR. Furthermore, Antissa is defending its own domain and receives a +10 BR for morale.

*In the original Siege Machine rules, cannons were not listed. In my campaign, cannons are very real. Comparing the 5E statistics on page 255 of the DMG yields the cannon as dealing the same amount of damage as a trbuchet. In Siege Machine, a trebuchet gives a +12 BR, therefore, the cannons give a +12 BR each.

Elven siege equipment
The High Elves of Silvanor are only fresh out of a home and have hurried to their former-ally. In their hurry, the forces of Evander have not yet been able to construct siege engines.
The Elves additionally receive a +10 bonus for their superior quality against Antissa's citizen army.


Final Notes
As Prince Evander arrives at Antissa's gates, the Battle Ratings of both forces stand as follows:

Antissa: 170
Silvanor: 160

The Siege of Antissa part 1 - Mustering the Forces

As described in my last post, I will attempt to convert Basic D&D's War Machine rules to the Sunset Realm. The capital city of Antissa is under siege by High Elven forces who are pissed at the loss of their homeland. As the PCs are currently far away, investigating a dark tower and having been warned by Antissa patrols not to come near the city, the siege is happening mostly offscreen. And though I love miniature battles, playing solitary is not one of my hobbies. Therefore I turn to War Machine to determine the fate of Antissa and the High Elves.

The strength of forces in War Machine is determined by calculating the Battle Rating (BR) of a troop. The Battle Rating is determined by a number of factors: leadership, experience, training, equipment and special circumstances.

Antissa
Antissa's army is composed of a force of trained citizens (4,500), the Red Guard (1,500) and the King's Pistoliers (100). In addition, King Kenneth commands four airships and possesses a few formidable cannons on the city walls.

Leadership: the determining factors in leadership are the commander's level and his Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma modifiers. In the case of Antissa, King Kenneth himself is a capable war leader, a 9th level Paladin. His Intelligence is 13, his Wisdom 11 and his Charisma 17. Antissa's leadership factor is 13.

Experience is factored by both the average level of the officers in the force as well as the level of the troops. Most officers (whether knights or veterans, both out of the 5E Monster Manual) still have a +2 proficiency bonus, implying that their level cannot be higher than 4. Considering Antissa's martial tradition and excellent training facilities, let's state that the average officer level is 4. Multiplying by 3 as per the War Machine rules gives us a rating of 12.
For the troops, the average level must be multiplied by 2 to calculate the rating. Antissa's army is well trained but not exceptional.  Let's set the average level at 2 to get a rating of 4.
In addition to these factors, a +1 is added for every battle won in the last 10 years and a -1 is factored in for every battle lost in that same time. In my campaign, during the War with Aurora a few years ago, Antissa's army lost the first battle but won the siege and the ensuing field battle. For these experiences, a total of +1 is added to the experience battle rating for a total of 17.

Training: for every week spent in training the last year, +1 may be added to the factor, up to a maximum of 20. Antissa's army is highly disciplined so may apply the full +20 to the battle factor. For every week that the commander trains with the army, an additional +1 may be added up to a +20. King Kenneth is a capable war leader, yet his royal duties prevent him from spending a full training regimen with his armies. He spends one week every moon with his troops, providing a +12 to the battle factor. An additional +1 may be gained for every month the troops as a whole are on duty and not in their homes or forts. As Antissa's army is a citizen army, this factor does not apply. Antissa's total training factor is 32.

Equipment: the quality of equipment determines the last major part of the battle factor. Average quality equipment provides 5, good quality 10 (double the base cost), excellent quality (triple the base cost) 15. Antissa is a rich kingdom and has a well-maintained armory, yet also suffers from the iron shortage that grips the land. As such, the equipment factor is "only" 5.

Adding all these numbers yields a Basic Force Rating of 67, which reads as "Fair" on the Troop Class Table.


The besieging High Elves
The 4,000 strong High Elven army is commanded by Prince Evander, seconded by Prince Leolar and Duchess Ylsandre (King Kenneth's grandmother). Evander is 11th level Fighter/Wizard with Int 20, Wis 11, Cha 14. Leolar is a 9th level Eldritch Knight and Ylsandre is a 9th level Wizard (Enchantress). The Elven leadership factor is 18, +4 for two level 9+ officers for a total of 22.

The High Elven forces are slightly more experienced in matters of war than their human opponents, having held the glades of Silvanor against goblins, monsters and other scum for centuries. Let's set the officers' average experience level at 6 (for 18) and the average troop level at 4 (for 8). For all their experience, the Elves haven't had to fight in a major battle for decades so they gain no additional bonus or penalty. Their experience factor is 26.

The Elves are rigorous soldiers and martial training is part of their routine. As such, both the troops and their leader Prince Evander train regularly and gain the full +40 bonus to the battle factor. They have been fighting together for a month in the field now, for a +1 bonus. The Elven training factor is 41.

Taking care of your ancestral weapons and armor is part of the High Elven martial training. As such, the Elves are in possession of "good" quality weaponry for a factor of 10.

Special: in War Machine, certain troops gain a bonus to the battle factor depending on ancestry. Dwarves and Elves receive an additional 15 points to the battle factor. Monsters with certain special abilities (such as spectres, dragons, etc) gain an additional 2 points. As an Elven army, Evander's forces gain 15 points.

Adding all these numbers yields a Basic Force Rating of 114, a quality of "Excellent" on the Troop Class Table.


Determining the final Battle Rating (BR)
War Machine further accounts for force composition by adding 1/10th of the Basic Force Rating to the Battle Rating every time one of the following statements is true. For ease of reference, I have copied the statements here to account for both Antissa's and Evander's armies.

Mounted:
a. 20% or more of the force is mounted. (Antissa Y/Elves N)
b. 40% or more of the force is mounted. (Antissa N/Elves N)
Missiles:
c. 20% or more of the force can use missile fire. (Antissa Y/Elves Y)
d. 20% or more of the force has a missile fire range of 100' or more. (Antissa Y/Elves Y)
Magical:
c. 5% or more of the force is equipped with magical abilities. (Antissa N/Elves N)
f. 20% or more of the force is equipped with magical abilities. (Antissa N/Elves N)
g. 100% of the force is equipped with magical abilities. (Antissa N/Elves N)
Spells:
h. 5% or more of the force can cast spells. (Antissa N/Elves Y)
i. 30% or more of the force can cast spells. (Antissa N/Elves N)
Flying:
j. 1% or more of the force can fly. (Antissa Y/Elves N)
k. 20% or more of the force can fly. (Antissa N/Elves N)
Speed:
l. The force has an average movement rate of 35' per round (or more). (Antissa N/Elves N)

Antissa can add 4 times its BR bonus of 7 for a total Battle Rating of 95.
The Elves can add 3 times their BR bonus of 12 for a total Battle Rating of 150.

Join me next time, as we consider Antissa's defenses and the siege engines of the High Elves.

Sunset Realm War Machines

With the siege of Antissa, it is time to turn our thoughts to that stickiest of options in D&D: mass combat.

Over the years, many systems have attempted tot encapsulate D&D mass combat. The original version of Dungeons & Dragons evolved out of Chainmail. During the AD&D-era, Battlesystem provided a system to simulate fantasy battles with either cardboard counters or miniatures. For the parallel Basic D&D-line, the system of War Machine was invented, wherein DMs could simulate strategic warfare on a large scale. For the Birthright Campaign Setting, a system using army cards was designed to quickly fight battles between competing domains. In the 2000's, a skirmish game once again under the name of Chainmail was released and that evolved into the D&D Miniatures Game. None of the systems stuck and D&D eventually remained the sole territory of small parties of adventurers fighting for high stakes. Yet the desire of many DMs remains to run large-scale, epic battles in the vein of Game of Thrones.

All these systems sought to solve the puzzle by presenting only a piece of it. Perhaps the key to running a D&D campaign involving epic battles across the entire continent is modularity. Perhaps by combining different systems, we can provide the experience we seek. When determining the results of a battle offscreen, away from the current area visited by the players, we can use War Machine. When the PCs are directing the strategy of a kingdom yet remain aloof from the battles themselves, we can use the army card system of Birthright. And when the PCs are in the thick of it, on the front lines, we can take a page from Battlesystem and duke it out, miniature army for miniature army.

As for Antissa, the PCs are currently far to the south of the city, investigating a mysterious tower. To resolve the siege (if it can be resolved at all, considering Antissa's capacity to teleport in supplies) I will defer to War Machine and attempt to adapt it to 5E.

Disasters and tribulations

And now more news from the Sunset Realm...

Storm floods Aurora wards
A terrible storm swept in from the west in the first week of Undecimbyr, flooding the Harbor Ward and the slums known as the Shackles. Hundreds of shacks and huts were washed into the New Sea and hundreds, maybe thousands of inhabitants have gone missing. In the Harbor, ships crashed into the docks and buildings were damaged. Thousands of gold pieces worth of goods were washed away. The Primary has enacted emergency protocols throughout the city, tightening security and doubling the warforged patrols.

Antissa besieged
On Undecimbyr 14, Antissa awoke to find an Elven army on its doorstep, surrounding the city on all sides, leaving only the Celestial Mountain as formidable redoubt. The intentions and motivations of the Elven forces are unknown and diplomatic efforts on behalf of High Ecclesiarch Terenas Vayder have so far failed. Antissa is known as a city of the arcane arts, it can therefore be assumed that the authorities are able to teleport in supplies.

More News from the Sunset Realm

Tartaros Draekonys Guildhall Burned Down
The central guildhall of that auspicious dragonhunter guild, the Tartaros Draekonys, has been affected by an explosion. Its offices have been burned down and there are two dozen guildmembers missing. The Aurora Watch has started an investigation into these events. Word on the street is that the rebel known as Lady Heart is behind this terrorist attack.

Aurora Bazaar Flooded With Iron
With iron prices at a record high, opportunistic adventurers have dumped all their steel and iron on the Aurora market, destabilizing the local economy. Hundreds of thousands of gold pieces worth of iron and gold were exchanged. The Steel Bank and the Trading Guild, market watchdogs, are not amused and are taking steps to rectify the imbalance.