Tidings from the Sunset Realm

Antissa Siege lifted
In a miraculous turn of events, Divine Intervention on behalf of High Ecclesiarch Terenas Vayder, most devout servant of Bahamut, has resulted in the end of the Siege of Antissa. Gruemar, Voice of Bahamut, a magnificent dragon of the golden variety, appeared and the Elven besiegers were scattered. Elven skirmishers remain, however, and harass the surrounding countryside.

Iron once more flows on the Emperor's Road
Ferrek Hammerhold, leader of Irongard, has resumed mining iron in that ancient Dwarven citadel. Iron ore once more makes its way down from the Hellmouth Mountains to the towns and cities along the Emperor's Road. Antissa's Artificer Guild has already commissioned a large supply and the iron price has started to fall back to pre-scarcity levels.

Walking dead on the shores of the New Sea
The mysterious undead epidemic has reached the southern shores of the New Sea. Shambling ghouls and zombies have been sighted on the cliffs and beaches south of the Pirate Isles. King Kenneth of Antissa has called for adventurers to investigate the cause of the dead rising in these parts.

Tartaros Draekonys Bounties
The Dragon Hunters of the Tartaros Draekonys have put out bounties directed at known and individual dragons of golden, silver and other metallic colors. In Aurora, rewards have been promised to adventurers that bring the heads of a Gold Dragon by the name of Aurulus, and a Silver Dragon by the name of Heart, to the improvised headquarters of Sevil Artorius. In the eastern lands of Old Turath and the North, massive hunting parties track spoor of metallic dragons. Why specifically dragons of the metallic kind are targeted is unknown.

Tarrasque sighting in Sjikah lands
Refugees fleeing the living dead bring news that the dread abomination, the Tarrasque, has been sighted in the southern sands of the Sjikah Republic, on a course for Niveneh. Whether this is linked with the emergence of the walking dead in that land remains the subject of arcane debate.

Peoples of the Westerrealm

Although humanity is widespread and the most multitudinous race in the Westerrealm (being primarily of an olive complexion with dark hair, but other skin-tones and haircolours are prevalent as well), it shares the land with a number of nonhuman peoples, recounted here:

Elves
Descendants of their space-faring precursors, the Elves of the Westerrealm are similar to their eastern brethren, the houses that migrated away from the cradle of civilization. In addition, the direct heirs of the Eldar (star-people, in the Elvish tongue), called Nimbus Elves call the Westerrealm home. They make their abode in starlit forests and on mountaintops, hidden by the luminous stars of heaven.

Smallfolk: Dwarves, Halflings and Gnomes
Unlike in the eastern realms, the peoples of dwarves, halflings and gnomes are considered to share a common ancestry here in the Westerrealm, having differentiated on their migratory trail to the land of the rising sun. In contrast to their eastern cousins, the smallfolk of the Westerrealm are not particularly known for their underground existences. They live among Men all across the land, although some stick to the "Old Ways" and live in isolated cabins that hold a single dwarf family. All around, they are less inclined to warfare and fighting than the eastern clans and more industrious and mercantile.
[Author's note: I am considering making the Dwarves of Azurth available as a PC race.]

Smallfolk that take up a life of wandering, either by land or by river, are known as "halflings", for they are always "half-there", always their eyes on the horizon. The smallfolk that live in forests - be they enchanted or not - are known as gnomes. All are known for wearing pointy red caps.

Animalfolk
Called "Therion" in the old tongue, Animalfolk are the second largest population group in the Westerrealm. Some sages even say that the Animalfolk were here before Men or even the Eldar. Not naturally inclined to build cities and civilizations, the Animalfolk live in the cities of Mankind and are differentiated into various animal types, the most common of which include:

• Birdfolk
• Bullfolk
• Catfolk
• Dogfolk
• Frogfolk
• Rabbitfolk
• Ravenfolk
• Turtlefolk

Orcs
Common folktales claim that the brown, savage folk known as orcs were once Eldar seduced to evil by dark gods. And for sure, time out of human records, they have been a plague upon the lands of the Westerrealm. Whatever their origin, there is great emnity between the races of orcs on one side and the elves and smallfolk on the other.

Dragonborn
In the days of the Dragon Empire, the race of the dragonborn were the favored warriors, stewards and sages of the Great Dragons. With the fall of that empire, its society and organization collapsed as well and the dragonborn clans took to a life of wandering the Westerrealm. Nowadays, they are a rare sight indeed and only scattered warbands of them remain.

Tieflings
Common in the lands conquered by Phaeton, the Morninglord, tieflings carry a bit of otherworldly blood. They aren't shunned in the Westerrealm like they are in the eastern kingdoms, yet the palpable taste of ash and vinegar makes even the most hardy Burgundy adventurer squeamish at times.

Undulating Burgundy Marches: First Map!

Click me, ye explorer!

For a first experiment in hand-drawn mapmaking, I haven't disappointed myself! This map of the Burgundy Marches was sketched by hand with pencil. The labels have been added with typing in Paint. I have ordered inking pens so an inked-up and technicolor version of the map will follow. But for now, explorers of the Marches must make do with this prototype.

I am particularly satisfied with how Mt. Snowpeak and Rusty Lake turned out. I'll have to practice making an icon of a classical Greek-styled temple for the Library of Omnibus. The rest is an okay start.

Still left to consider are the paths that adventurers can traverse in the Marches. The whole seems rather "this forest goes here, these mountains go here"-cobbled together. And it is. I would like my maps to have a bit more intelligence to them.

The Syndicality of Nymma

Ostensibly led by the Commissioner of the King (though which king is a matter of debate and frequently changes as the tides of the Whatsitabout War shift), the town of Nymma is essentially a syndicalist commune. This has provided the townspeople with great zest and energy, sorely needed on the marcher frontier, but has led to a number of ineffective policies. The local Guild of Thieves and Bankers (aren’t they the same thing?) has taken advantage of this political vacuum in order to create various racketeering and ponzi schemes, though a recent economic downturn means hardship also for the Guild.

Though originating as a feudal town under a noble line in the days of the Dragon Empire, Nymma has come a long way since then. Princess Ruby is the sole remaining heir of that noble line but owns no land and has no legal authority. The actual governing of the town lies in the hands of an ever-changing and eclectic number of cabals, coteries and factions, the most numerous, most powerful and richest of which is the aforementioned Guild of Thieves and Bankers. However, the communo-anarchic nature of politics in Nymma being what they are, this doesn't mean the Guild actually sets the course of things in town. Other power groups are the Collective of Magi (a socialist but deeply divided group of wizards, sorcerers and warlocks), the Union of Independent Contractors (a network of mercenaries, torchbearers and down-and-out adventurers) and the Scarlet Swords (the Nymma town guard). Curiously, the coteries that run the Raad (town council) and the Hof (the courts) wield no serious power at all, being mired in debates about public representation and the subject of dikastocracy.

Nymma’s largest building is its Great Stained Glass-Domed Temple with two towers flanking its entrance, originally dedicated to the ancestral gods of the area. In recent decades, increasingly arcane influences have entered the temple, with spirits, petty godlings (such as the fickle Dice Gods) and nascent demigods in pursuit, including a cult of the Beer God led by that high priest, titled the Magister Carceri et Sub Terra Exsulto. This cult of the Beer God has become increasingly popular for its annual Totem-rites wherein supplicants dress up as various and sundry animals and personages for three days of alcoholic festivities, after which the Beer God will sulk and disappear for forty days.

The syndicality has largely been kept out of the Whatsitabout War, though not for lack of trying from outside sources. Even now, a Luminous Legion of Phaeton the Morninglord besieges the town from their camp on the neighboring hill. But the sheer strangeness of Nymma has so far thwarted any attempt at invasion. From Nymma out, young adventurous types defy the Legion and venture out into the Marches in search of artifacts from folklore and mythic danger.

Religion in the Undulating Burgundy Marches

Priest: "What do we say to the God of Beer?"
Worshipers: "Bring me another one!"
- Ritual Prayer to Qorn

"Beer for the Beer God!"
- A common toast

Faith in the Undulating Burgundy Marches is, as it turns out, a strange thing.

For the better part of human history, the Westerrealm has held to a pantheon of common gods. The people lived in awe of names such as Boccob, Incabulos, Ehlonna and Ralishaz. Temples were founded for these great and luminous beings all across the land. Over time, other faiths such as those of Kord, the Stormlord, and Istus, Lady of Our Fate, were introduced from foreign eastern nations. The large temples and organised religious organisations of the Westerrealm are each dedicated to one of these common and widespread deities.

For every common deity, however, the Westerrealm is home to a demigod upstart, forgotten godling, pretentious nature-spirit or free-roaming sentient concept. Some of these wayward divinities stay around long enough to gain a foothold in civilization and expand their body of worshipers. Others are discarded, fused as aspects with common deities or mutated into entirely new concepts.

Three of these divinities with a large presence in the Undulating Burgundy Marches are described here:


Qorn, the Beer God
A divinity of uncertain origin. Some say he is an outcast agricultural deity, washed up in the Marches and taken to nursing his woes over fine craft beer. Others claim Qorn is the collective guzzling mirth of taverngoers everywhere in the Westerrealm. A select sect holds the Beer God to have once been a mortal man, an adventurer, a hero even, whose mirth and whose sorrow were both so large that the ale he consumed took on magical qualities which propelled him to demigodhood. But that is surely false, heretical and unholy. Debates over Qorn's nature are always accompanied by large amounts of fermented drink, bawdy songs, jokes, and emotional arguments and last well past midnight. These theological discussions almost always end in a fistfight with an inconclusive outcome, after which the combatants will fall into each other's arms and proclaim eternal brotherhood. "Beer for the Beer God!" is then shouted.

Whatever Qorn's origin, no one can dispute his influence in the Undulating Burgundy Marches. The Commissioner of the King is a known adept of the God of Beer, as are many adventuring types undertaking doomed expeditions to Snow Mountain or the Out-of-Place Jungle. His cult at the Great Stained Glass-Domed Temple is one of the largest and the annual festival in his name, wherein supplicants dress up as various and sundry animals and personages for three days of alcoholic festivities, after which the Beer God will sulk and disappear for forty days, is the grandest in town.


Lady Death
The east has Nerull, the south has the Raven Queen, the Marches have Lady Death. As in every culture, the peoples of the northwestern Westerrealm, of which the Undulating Burgundy Marches are part, have an anthropomorphic conception of Death. In contrast to the reaper dreaded in the eastern lands, or the indifferent cold god of the south, Lady Death is a caring and merciful deity. Her embrace is warm and the release into her halls is, in the Wyld-infected, volatile areas of the Marches, sometimes considered a natural and accepted part of life. She is depicted as a robed, skull-faced woman but she can also appear as a beautiful female of the same species as the viewer.


The Dice Gods
Perhaps owing to the large influx of scallywags, outcasts, explorers and mercenaries into the Undulating Burgundy Marches, this godhead has increased in attention in recent years. These fickle gods of fate are said to be the masters of destiny of all, perhaps even guiding the Cosmic Flail Snail on its slithering path. Portrayed as seven polyhedral stones in the Great Stained Glass-Domed Temple, the Dice Gods are not actively worshiped or named, but as every soul knows their role in this great cosmic game, offerings are left at their altar all the same. Even priests dedicated to the great deities and other minor godlings know to offer some myrrh or incense to the mighty polyhedral set.

Except for the priests of Boccob. They don't care.

Circumstances of the Westerrealm

Like any land, the Westerrealm is beset by current events and affairs foreign and domestic. Here are a few that are raging around the lands, including the Undulating Burgundy Marches:

The Octarine Malady
Originating with some malign, Wyld-born pest, the disease known as the Octarine Malady has spread around the Westerrealm, claiming the lives of thousands. Named after that infamous yet not directly visible color of magic, the Octarine Malady first manifests as a dull sparkle of the aura. Symptoms thereafter include coughing up fairy dust, weakness and exhaustion, octarine warts and finally one of the following effects:

1d6
1 Spoons and other metal implements around the victim start bending.
2 Victim is cut in half by magic, accumulating levels of exhaustion until death sets in.
3 Instead of coughing up fairy dust, victim starts coughing up sharp knives, daggers and finally a sword previously swallowed by a minor stage magician, killing the victim on the spot.
4 Victim disappears, subject to a plane shift spell with a random destination.
5 Victim is polymorphed into a white rabbit.
6 Victim is polymorphed into 1d6 white pigeons. Can only be polymorphed back if all pigeons are brought back together.


The Whatsitabout War
Everyone knows there's a war on out there. For the better part of a century, kings and princes have been fighting each other, sending armies and warbands against their rivals. All know its catastrophic scope as entire principalities have been wiped off the map since the beginning of the conflict. No one knows the reasons or inciting incident of the war, however, giving rise to the moniker of this decades-long conflict.


The Ecclesiarchy and Counter-Ecclesiarchy
Religious and theological disputes have reached a boiling point in recent years, as the temples that have stood for a millennium now suffer challenge and controversy. Various sects have branched off from their main temple organisations and an entire Counter-Ecclesiarchy has set up shop rivalling the old ways of the established ecclesiarchies.


Rediscovered Magical Arts
A veritable rebirth of the magical arts of the Old Empires is underway in the Southlands, as ancient theories and techniques are "discovered" in abandoned ruins in areas under occupation by the Luminous Legion. This has given rise to an economic and magical expansion in these lands affected by the arcanological rebirth. A class of Simulacrum-men, called this manner for their efforts in copying the arts of the ancients, has emerged in the southern cities, patronized by rich merchants and princes. Of course, in most of the lands of the Westerrealm, where the magical energies of the Wyld are volatile, these rediscovered arcane arts invariably lead to chaos and mayhem.

Highlights of the Undulating Burgundy Marches

A region of the Westerrealm with a pleasant, temperate but warm climate, teeming with magic, the Undulating Burgundy Marches are a must-see for every self-respecting worldly adventuring-type. Swathed in red, orange, gold and brown colors - the colors of autumn - low, rolling hills from which the region takes its name are topped by picturesque villages, composed of white stone houses supported by large black wooden beams. The Rusty River, so named for the Rusty Lake it empties into, babbles and meanders through the dells. Packed between the hills and watered by the river lies an alarming and magical variety of geographical terrain types. Here, presented for the first time, are some of the highlights of the Undulating Burgundy Marches:

Great Library of Omnibus
Forgotten by all but a handful of sages and scholars of the arcane stands the Great Library of the fallen Dragon Empire. This gem, tended by Omnibus, the highly intelligent and wise owlbear librarian, the Great Library is a magical demesne. Fey creatures, ancient spirits and fell monstrosities roam its halls, warding against intruders. But for those that dare brave the dusty corridors, great knowledge can be uncovered. And in the Marches, where conviction shapes the surrounding lands to one’s whim, knowledge is power…

The Out-of-Place Jungle
Likely ported here from another place, time, or dimension, perhaps in order to colonize the area but prevent arduous voyages, the Out-of-Place Jungle has stood in its current location since before living memory. It is inhabited by friendly red-capped gnomes living in mushroom houses and by bands of carnivorous halflings. The major menaces in this area are the giant prehistoric reptiles that thunder through the jungle, and the malign and infectious purple goblinoids, whose bite turns a victim in a murderous, volatile, goblinoid itself. The King of the Jungle is a godling girallon by the name of Zarkan, who holds as domain a ruined, exotic temple complex in the heart of the jungle. Phaeton’s Luminous Legion has made a makeshift camp out here but the Legion is out of its depth. Golden-skinned vampires also have taken interest in the region.

Snow Mountain
A rocky mountain, alone in the rolling lands, snow-capped and inhabited by the evil Snow Goons and their undead minions. The mountain itself is a curiosity, as geological conditions give no cause for the formation of such a peak here in the Marches. Its inhabitants are even more curious. Aside from the aforementioned Goons, Snow Mountain is inhabited by hermit werewolves, a spiritually enlightened stone giant, a lecherous young silver dragon ski-instructor and a pack of saber-toothed tigers.

Rusty Lake
Contrary to popular belief, the rust-brown color of this lake's water is not caused by magical means or the volatility of the arcane Wyld energies in the Marches. The lakebed is composed of exposed iron deposits, and oxidation of these deposits grants the lake its defining characteristic. The lakebed's iron has given birth to a culture of metal-loving gothic mermaids, who spend their time luring insecure male townsfolk to their watery doom.

The Fens
An area of marshy swampland surrounds the Rusty River here, teeming with life and holding a few of the most stunningly beautiful locations in the Marches. Of course, the Fens are also the swamping grounds of the local coven of hags. It is unwise to travel in the Fens at night: one's soul could easily wind up in a bag to be traded on the Lower Planes by morning. A number of witches make their home in the Fens as well.

The Hinterlands
In some places where vegetation is scarce, the sun beats down on the land relentlessly. The Hinterlands, an expanse of flat, arid plain, north of the Marches, is such a place. Murderous cacti and venomous insects are the native life here. Folks would avoid this area altogether if it weren't for Dragonboulder Keep smack dab in the middle of the Hinterlands. The ancient castle was the demesne of the ruler of the Burgundy Marches in the time of the Dragon Empire. The Dragon Knight that was the master of the Keep, here at the edge of the world, simply vanished one day and none have been able to determine whence. His dragon, a rare specimen of the orange variety, is known to have remained in the area and is presumably in hibernation nearby, along with, one can assume, a sizable treasure hoard.

Gloomy Forest
As far as gloomy forests go, Gloomy Forest is perhaps the gloomiest of all. Glowing a sickly blue-green color at night, as all manner of ghosts, spectres, fey and unnatural things come out of the woodwork, it is a place best avoided. The local gloom elf community is a trading partner of the human towns in the Marches, their ghost wine fetching a high price as far south as Palladium.

Burgundy Bestiary: Snow Goons

Having invaded from the ice-swept, boreal reaches, the dreaded Snow Goons threaten all living species. Bringing unimaginable cold and never-ending snowball battles in their wake, their arrival threatens to bring civilization to a halt. Their origin as of yet is a mystery, yet they command mastery over the soulless, corporeal undead. A connection with the metaphysical incarnation of that skeletal wraith, Death, has not been ruled out by the theologians of the Great Stained-Glass Domed Temple.

Cold Life: The Snow Goons are a mystery. Auguries and slugreadings (where philosophers seek to glean truth by consuming gastropods in the hopes of connecting with the Great Cosmic Flail Snail) have thus far only yielded the fact that the Snow Goons comprise "a different kind of life".
The Walking Dead: For reasons similarly unknown, Snow Goons seem to have mastery over the most primitive forms of undead (skeletons and zombies), often using these as shock troops while raining snowy death from afar. Those slain in the vincinity of the Snow Goons soon rise as zombies themselves.
Snowy Warriors: A party (1d4+2) of Snow Goons, once stripped of their undead entourage, is no cakewalk. They are perfectly capable of defending themselves. They are resistant to attacks made with mundane weapons but, as creatures of the arcane, are susceptible to magic. Therein lies mankind's chance, but their possible demise as well, as using magic stirs the Arcane even more, increasing the strength of unnatural forces.


SNOW GOON
Medium elemental, chaotic neutral
AC: 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 53 (7d8+21)
Speed: 25 ft. (icewalk)

Str 14 (+2), Dex 12 (+1), Con 17 (+3), Int 16 (+3), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 11 (+0)

Skills: Stealth +4
Saves: Constitution +6, Charisma +3
Senses: Darkvision 120 ft.
Languages: Auran, understands Common

Damage Resistances: fire, lightning
Damage Vulnerabilities: magic and attacks with magical weapons
Damage Immunities: cold, poison, bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical weapons
Condition Immunities: poisoned

Cold Service. A humanoid slain by the Snow Goon rises as a zombie under the Snow Goon's control as soon as the sun sets (immediately if it is night).

ACTIONS

Cold Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (3d8+6) cold damage.
Snowball. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 40/80 ft., one target. Hit: 26 (4d8+8) cold damage.

Burgundy Bestiary: Purple Goblin

In the wet, hot expanse of the Out-of-Place Jungle, in the Undulating Burgundy Marches of the Westerrealm, a vicious menace stalks the land. Of nasty and mischievous demeanor, these Purple Goblins are a threat to all orderly and weal-loving types in the jungle. Furthermore, they seem to propagate in a remarkable manner: any small- or medium-sized humanoid bitten by a purple goblin turns into one.

Gnap! The first sign a gang (1d4+6) of purple goblins is near is the distinctive "Gnap!"-sound they make. Seeming frivolous at first, the gnapping increases as the purple goblins spy their prey, swelling to a cacaphony of shrill shrieks.
Destructive Menaces: Purple goblins are even more destructive than their greenskinned cousins. They have literally no regard for anything else than spreading havoc and mischief. A gang of purple goblins can overrun a town in no-time, infecting the inhabitants with their condition spreading like wildfire.
Bzzt!-disease: The source of the purple goblin-condition has been traced by arcane and astral sagelike types to be the "Bzzt!-fly", an as yet undiscovered species of tropical insect. The disease, once it gets hold of a humanoid of up to normal human size, rapidly transforms the subject into a purple goblin (or hobgoblin, for larger varieties). After failing the first saving throw, symptoms will start the following round, leaving the target prone and incapacitated on the ground. A gruelling transformation will begin, lasting 1d6 rounds after which the target stands up as a purple goblin, emitting a loud "Gnap!". A cure for the disease has not yet been determined, although it is expected the usual magical means of removing these kinds of conditions would work.


PURPLE GOBLIN
Small humanoid (goblinoid), neutral evil
AC: 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 13 (4d6)
Speed: 35 ft.

Str 8 (-1), Dex 16 (+3), Con 10 (+0), Int 8 (-1), Wis 11 (+0), Cha 8 (-1)

Skills: Acrobatics +7
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages: Gnap!
Challenge: 1/4 (50 XP)

Pounce Attack: The purple goblin can jump attack as a bonus action by making an opposed Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. Success grants the purple goblin advantage on its next bite attack.

ACTIONS
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4+3) piercing damage and the target must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be infected by the Bzzt!-disease.

A map of the West.

As drawn by the Cartographer's Guild of the Southwest. High-level overview of the Westerrealm.

The Cosmic Flail Snail

It is known for a fact that the Westerrealm is borne through the sea of stars on the back of the great Cosmic Flail Snail. Eternally crawling across the celestial void, leaving a trail of slimy cosmic truths in its wake, Great Gary (for that is the name given to the Cosmic Flail Snail by theologians and philosophers) knows what lies in store for the world. Attempts to divine this great prophecy from the mind of Great Gary by the use of snail-derived psychotropic drugs have so far failed.

Great Gary, the World-Bearing Cosmic Flail Snail (image by Jeff Rients)

Welcome to the Weird

This clicked into my head yesterday, as a setting idea for my Western Oerik setting, and a radical departure of Sword 'n' Sorcery-style standard fantasy settings:

From the North, vicious Snow Goons and their ghoul hordes threaten existence. From the South, the Celestial, Phaeton the Morninglord stretches forth his luminous hands to increase his writ. The Westerrealm is caught in the middle of this historic clash of forces, while princes, kings and priests vie for ideological supremacy in an attempt to change the discourse. Power-mad wizards and zealous clerics frazzle the threads of the Astral lattice that drapes the Westerrealm in splendor, awakening petty godlings long thought gone and stirring the elder Space Elves from their cocooning slumber.

Welcome to the Westerrealm, welcome to the Weird.

(Liberally inspired by Chris Kutalik's Hill Cantons and Trey Causey's Land of Azurth.)

Snow Goons

Phaeton the Morninglord, Rogue Space Angel

Frazzled Astral Lattice

Cocooning Space Elf

Mordenkainen, Rary and Tenser

An interesting question came up on Canonfire. Why would Mordenkainen allow Rary to continue to consolidate his Empire of the Bright Lands without interference?

To recap: in the World of Greyhawk, Mordenkainen is the leader of the Circle of Eight, a group of wizard Illuminati. They pull the magical and political strings behind the scenes in order to preserve a balance of power across the continent of The Flanaess, ensuring neither the forces of Good nor Evil gain the upper hand. Mordenkainen himself, furthermore, holds to an arcane philosophy known as the Balance, a True Neutral view of the cosmos in which, in order for magic to flow unhindered, a balance must exist between the metaphysical forces that make up the multiverse (see also Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes or my own thoughts on the matter). Rary and Tenser are both former members of the Circle, Rary having betrayed the Circle and murdered Tenser. After Rary's betrayal, he fled to the Bright Desert south of the City of Greyhawk to set up his own domain. Tenser meanwhile, was brought back to life by a party of adventurers to pursue the cause of Good.

So the three wizards no longer hold allegiance to one another, one is devoted to Good, one to Evil, one to Neutrality. Why is it that there is no great magical battle between two or even all three wizards?

The answer, I guess, lies in motive. Mordenkainen is a powerful archmage but not as powerful as Rary, who has always been described as surpassing Mordenkainen in arcane might. Sure, Mordenkainen can manipulate events and entire adventuring parties to oppose Rary, but for the moment, Rary serves his purposes. In Rary the Traitor, is is stated that the self-styled Emperor of the Bright Lands seeks to find an artifact known as the Scorpion Crown. Later in the Living Greyhawk-campaign, this becomes an entire quest-line. Rary seeks to find the Crown in order to destroy it and return the Bright Desert to a green land. Furthermore, the Crown is a link to the Dark God Tharizdun, who seeks to unravel magic and unmake the multiverse - a goal that Mordenkainen opposes. Finding and destroying the Scorpion Crown weakens Tharizdun's links to Oerth. Therefore, Mordenkainen allows Rary to pursue these ends.

Tenser, meanwhile, knows that Rary is more powerful and better supported than he is. Rary controls various desert tribes and Paynim nomads. He prefers to work through underlings, like his paladin ally Karistyne. In the adventure arc "Blight on Bright Sands", he does just that - let Karistyne hire adventurers to oppose Rary and destroy the means to unmake the Scorpion Crown.

It is interesting to consider the implications of three archmages playing a game of cosmic, arcane chess against each other and with what motives and what this means for adventures in the World of Greyhawk.

5E Domain Game

The players in my Sunset Realm campaign recently reached 10th level and have acquired some fame. They restored the flow of iron ore to the civilized lands and have gained the favor of nobles and kings.

Being a fan of strategic-level play and domain management, I crafted a homebrew set of domain game rules.

Note: Wyld and Temple ratings correspond directly to my Magic in the Sunset Realm rules, so consider that an optional rule.


Fiefs and Followers
Adventurers can opt to found a fief. A fief (domain, province) is a single 48-mile hexagon on the map, controlled by a character. Fiefs are ruled from a holding, either a keep, castle, tower or similar building. Fiefs can be either granted (by a king or lord), conquered, or cleared (in the case of an unclaimed wilderness hex). Fiefs can be held by more than one character, and many adventuring parties share a fief, each member establishing a holding within it.

Fiefs are statted as follows:

Level: an overall measure of population, development and prosperity. A fief’s level is the most important factor. A fief’s population can roughly be determined by squaring its level and multiplying it by 1,000. Most fiefs fall into the level 1-5 range. Only heavily developed areas exceed this range. There is no upper limit to the development of a fief.

Example: Antissa is a level 7 fief. It’s population can roughly be calculated as 7x7, multiplying by 1,000 for 42,000 citizens.

A fief’s level is important when factoring income, as outlined below.

Wyld: A fief’s Wyld rating is a rough measure of its raw arcane background power. The Wyld rating is determined by dominant terrain within a fief as follows:

Badlands/Desert – 3
Hills/Plains – 5
Light Forest – 7
Mountains – 7
Coast – 7
Heavy Forest – 8
High Mountains – 8
Marsh/Swamp – 8

For every level of development of a fief, the Wyld rating is lowered by 1 as the spread of civilization blocks the flow of arcane power through the land. The Wyld rating is directly translated into the maximum spell level that can be cast by bards, eldritch knights, arcane tricksters, sorcerers, warlocks and wizards within the fief.

Note: Elven settlements do not hamper the flow of arcane energy throughout the land. Their architecture allows the Wyld to flow unhindered.

Example: the harbor of Oronis lies near the coast. It is however a fief developed to level 3, lowering the Wyld rating of the area by the same amount. The Wyld rating of Oronis and surrounding area is therefore 4, allowing a maximum of level 4 spells to be cast by arcane spellcasters.
The domain of Arbor, within Arbor Forest, is a level 3 fief. But because it is a Wood Elven settlement, its development does not hamper the flow of arcane magic. Its Wyld rating thus remains 7.

Temple: A fief’s Temple rating is an abstraction of its religious devotion, measured in devoted souls, faithful congregations and religious buildings. A fief’s Temple rating can never be higher than its level. A fief’s Temple rating corresponds directly to the maximum level of spells that clerics, druids, paladins and rangers can cast.

Example: Antissa is home to the Celestial Mountain, a center for religious worship throughout the Alliance. It has invested heavily in religious institutions and boasts a devout population. Antissa’s Temple rating is 7, maximally developed, and therefore allows the casting of level 7 divine spells.

Contentment: An abstract measure of the population’s general attitude towards its rulers, contentment has three stages:

Friendly: the population is generally supportive of its government.
Indifferent: there are complaints, but at least the government is trusted to provide protection and vital services.
Hostile: there is widespread unrest, the population is one step short of open rebellion.

If contentment drops below Hostile, the fief is considered in open rebellion and provides no income or troops for its holder.

A fief’s contentment level can be influenced by the actions of its ruler(s). Charismatic rulers often have an easier time than uncharismatic ones to retain their population’s favor. Contentment can be increased by a month’s long campaign, requiring large amounts of money, public works or the staging of spectacles. Alternatively, the fief’s holder can quell the unrest by the deployment of troops. The ruler makes a Charisma check at the end of the month (modified for a particular skill, with a DC set by the DM based on the contribution made by the ruler). If the check is successful, contentment rises by one step.

Example: Aurora generally has an Indifferent attitude to its rulers, being a metropolis recently resettled with a frontier mentality. Recent events have spread unrest among the population, and its contentment has become Hostile. Aurora’s ruler, the Warforged known as the Primary, seeks to quell the unrest and institutes a strict regime of zero tolerance. After a month of cracking down on unrest, the Primary makes a Charisma (Intimidation) check to try and raise Aurora’s contentment back to Indifferent.


Fief income
All fiefs not in rebellion against their rulers provide income to their holders. At the end of a month, a fief’s holder can choose to levy tax on his fief. He can choose either light, moderate or heavy taxation. The severity of a levy determines the size of the dice to be rolled, the fief’s level determines the amount of dice rolled, 1 per level.

Light d4
Moderate d6
Heavy d12

The total rolled, multiplied by 100, is the amount of gold collected that month.

Levying moderate taxes reduces the fief’s Contentment one level. Levying heavy taxes reduces Contentment two stages. Choosing to forego taxation raises the fief’s Contentment level by one stage.

Example: Antissa, a level 7 fief, needs to pay for wartime expenses against marauding elves. King Kenneth levies a moderate tax, rolling 7d6 to determine income. He rolls a total of 27, thereby collecting 2,700 gp for the treasury but incurring the ire of the population. Antissa’s normally Friendly population becomes Indifferent.

 
Followers
Any adventurer with a holding in a fief that has reached 9th level in a single class attracts followers, as per the following table:

Barbarian 1d4+1 x10 tribal warriors
Bard 1 special (determined by DM), 1d6 scouts
Cleric 2d6 acolytes, 1d4+1 x10 guards
Druid 1 druid, 2d6 scouts
Fighter 2d6 veterans, 2d4+2 x10 guards
Monk 2d6 martial arts adeptsVGTM
Mystic 2d4 special (determined by DM)
Paladin 1 special (determined by DM), 2d4 knights
Ranger 1d4+1 x10 scouts
Rogue 2d6 spies
Sorcerer 2d6 apprentice wizardsVGTM
Warlock 1d3 special (determined by DM)
Wizard 2d6 apprentice wizardsVGTM

Followers require upkeep consisting of 2 gold pieces per day, in addition to lifestyle costs.

5E Henchmen rules

I rather like the D&D Essentials Kit's take on Sidekicks. The Essentials Kit uses sidekick-rules to provide a way in which the game can be experiences one-on-one. But there is no limitation on a party of adventurers enlisting sidekicks.

In my Sunset Realm campaign, I use the Essentials sidekick rules as a modern interpretation of the old 1E/Basic Henchmen rules. For that to function, use the rules from the Essentials Kit on sidekicks (or the Unearthed Arcana version, for more variety) and consider the following:

All adventurers, being gifted with dangerous allure, are able to enlist Henchmen to their cause. Henchmen are confidantes, lieutenants, aides and apprentices. An adventurer can retain one henchman without penalty. Each additional henchmen brings a cumulative -2 penalty to Loyalty for all henchmen. The maximum number of henchmen an adventurer can retain is equal to 1+Charisma modifier (minimum 1). Henchmen are controlled by players, unless the DM intervenes or decides otherwise.

Henchmen come in three classes: Experts, Spellcasters and Warriors. Henchmen earn XP just as Player Characters do and level up just as PC’s do.

Retainer: Henchmen don’t join adventurers out of charity. They require attention from the PC they are loyal to, as well as a daily stipend of gold pieces equal to its level and lifestyle costs. To increase loyalty, PCs can choose to dole out shares of treasure gained from adventures.

Loyalty: A henchman’s loyalty is a score ranging from 1 to 20. A henchman’s maximum loyalty score is equal to the Charisma score of the retaining PC. Loyalty normally fluctuates by 1d4 up or down, according to the PC’s treatment of the henchman. If the PC helps the henchmen attain a goal related to its ideal or bond, loyalty increases by 1d4. If the PC works counter to the henchman’s bond or ideal, loyalty drops by 1d4. If the henchman is treated badly or dismissively by the retaining PC, loyalty drops by 2d4. If the Loyalty score reaches 0, the henchman abandons the PC. When loyalty is 10 or above, the henchman goes above and beyond the call of duty in service to the PC. Starting Loyalty is half the PC’s Charisma.

Example: Ferrek has a Charisma score of 15. The maximum loyalty of his henchman Pluck is therefore 15. When he hires Pluck, the henchman’s score is 7. Pluck’s ideal is freedom. Whenever Ferrek helps Pluck to feel free or free others, Pluck’s loyalty increases by 1d4, to a maximum of 15.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments!

Old-school style XP in D&D 5E

Beedo at Dreams in the Lich House has unleashed a debate on the XP-system of 5th Edition D&D. In his post, he riles against the Adventurer's League system of using milestone XP (and in my opinion, rightly so). But he considers 5th Edition's main system of earning XP via defeating foes in combat a fail also. And I agree.

Since stumbling on the OSR years ago, I have become enamored of old school play style, if not the systems. Whereas AD&D 2nd Edition brings fond memories to my brain, I have never blayed OD&D or any B/X variants. I thoroughly enjoy 5th Edition and, more importantly, my players do as well. But gaining XP only through combat is simplistic and promotes the wrong kind of problem-solving.

At my table, I expect my players to be clever, to avoid combat. I believe the XP-system of a game should reflect the in-game goals. Therefore, in my campaign, I award XP as follows:

Experience
Adventurers gain Experience Points (XP) by gathering forgotten treasures from dark dungeons. For every gold piece (gp) of value that an adventurers brings back to civilization he gains 1 XP. Experience is awarded when PC's return to their home base.

Adventurers also gain XP by committing the following acts:

- saving captured innocents from harm: XP value of defeated foe(s)
- defeating evil priests or sorcerers: XP value of defeated foe(s)
- disrupt vile rituals: XP value of defeated foe(s)
- killing aberrations or undead: XP value of defeated foe(s)
- eliminate conspiracies: XP value of defeated mastermind
- mapping the world: gp value of map in XP (125 gp/30 mile hex)
- mapping dungeons: gp value of map in XP (25 - 6600 gp)

Individual adventurers can gain XP by committing the following acts:

- win a duel: XP value of defeated foe
- end a personal vendetta: XP value of defeated foe
- providing a service for one's mentor: variable
- achieve a short term goal: 50 XP/level
- achieve a long term goal: 150 XP/level
- eliminate an obstacle to a personal goal: XP value of defeated obstacle/foewijderde obstakel

Inspiration

In addition to Experience, adventurers are awarded Inspiration for the following acts:

- accepting a duel

- taunt an enemy with words

- carousing

- a stylish move in combat

- a surprising moment in the game

This system is not perfect, but it reflects my personal preferences and promotes an old school, adventurous approach in the players.

What system for XP do you use?

And now for the News from the Sunset Realm

The Sands Are Alive With The Living Dead!
All over the Zaar, the dead have been returning to life. Corpses both fresh and old have started to traipse about since a few weeks. The source of this mysterious reanimation as yet remains unknown.

A change of course at the Cartographer's Guild
It has come to light that the chief cartographer at the Cartographer's Guild has not been doing a good job. His charts are a mess and increasing mismanagement of guild members has irked the ire of traders, generals and adventurers alike. A new head cartographer has been instated and he has immediately set out to correct his forebear's mistakes.

Infestation at Ironguard eradicated
In the turn of a moon, a hardy party of adventurers has cleared the infested depths of Ironguard from all manner of monstrous vermin. Aberrations, fiends and iron-eating monstrosities were reported to have inhabited the depths, blocking the flow of iron from the realm's major source. A mountain dwarf by name of Ferrek Hammerhold has claimed the mountain and has promised to resume the production of iron on short notice.