Setting
Campaign: Shadows Over Ealdwood
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The game is initially set in the country of Karelia, on the continent of Archaea.
Geography
Karelia is a cold, predominantly human country at the southern edge of the Archaean mainland, bordered by the Great Western Sea to the west and the Varangian Gulf to the south. Its diverse terrain spans rocky beaches, old-growth forest, and mist-covered bogs, in addition to hundreds of nearby islands.
Across the Varangian Gulf is the human country of Varangia, named for the Vaeringjar who live there. Varangia's frigid terrain includes mountains, glaciers, and deep coastal fjords.
The northern boundary of Karelia is defined by the Steinvalt Mountains, which is named for Steinvalt, the kingdom of the mountain dwarves. The Steinvalt Mountains stretch along the border between Karelia and Miravore, from the Great Western Sea to the Gulf Of Khaitan.
North of the Steinvalt Mountains is the elven country of Miravore (or as the elves call it, Miruvorenande, meaning roughly, "valley of sweet wine"). Its landscape is marked by wide beaches and dense, sprawling forests.
Vodni Brana
Vodni Brana was once a flourishing trading hub on the Pohranici River. The Blight, a terrible plague that killed four-fifths of Karelia, changed that. Trade on the road and the river dwindled to nothing, and many of the outlying buildings of Vodni Brana fell into disrepair.
A generation has gone by, and trade is slowly on the increase -- not to the level it was before the Blight (nowhere near), but enough to restore communication and friendly relations between Vodni Brana and the towns nearby.
Society
Folk
This game uses "folk" to refer to creatures which are intelligent and which form communities. There is a moral dimension to who is considered "folk" and who isn't -- havlin are folk, while goblins are not, even though goblins have language and form communities. (Goblins are black-hearted, selfish creatures, cruel and sadistic even among their own kind.)
The following folk are available for PCs.
- Corven (see Custom Folk), can be from anywhere
- Dwarf
- Hill Dwarf (PHB p.20), probably from the foothills of the Urtasvaara mountains
- Mountain Dwarf (PHB p.20), probably from the Urtasvaara Mountains
- Sea Dwarf (see Custom Folk), probably from the coast of the Great Western Sea
- Elf (note: elves never grow old or die from "natural causes")
- Grey Elf (see Custom Folk), probably from Miravore
- High Elf (PHB p. 23), probably from Miravore
- Ice Elf (see Custom Folk), probably from Silfurfryst, south of Varangia
- Wood Elf (PHB p.24), probably from the forests of Miravore
- Gnome (note: gnomes are half the height of havlins)
- Forest Gnome (PHB p.37), probably from the forest
- Rock Gnome (PHB p.37), probably from a town or city
- Havlin (note: "halfling" is considered pejorative)
- Lightfoot Havlin (PHB p.28), probably from a town or city, or Rivervale
- Stout Havlin (PHB p.28), probably from Rivervale, far to the north
- Human (note: don't use the standard "Human" race: they suck)
- Human, Karelian (see Custom Folk), probably from Karelia
- Human, Vaeringjar (see Custom Folk), probably from Varangia
- Variant Human (PHB p.31), can be from anywhere
- Lizardfolk (Volo p.111), probably from a swamp or bog
- Minotaur (see Custom Folk), probably from Symeria, very far to the northwest
- Zinjan (see Custom Folk), probably from Mrisinnia, very far to the north
PHB = Player's Handbook
MTOF = Mordenkainen's Tome Of Foes
Volo = Volo's Guide To_Monsters
You find this comparison of 5e races interesting.
Goblinoids
Goblinoids (or "gaurim", in their own language) are a little different in Archaea than they are in typical D&D games.
Each goblinoid type usually has parents of the same type, but this is not always so. A very well-fed goblin may have hobgoblin children, for example. Similarly, a nearly-starving ogre may have orc or even hobgoblin children.
Goblins
Goblins are the most common goblinoids. Goblins are short, scrawny bipeds, about the size of a havlin. They tend to be around three feet tall with large, flat heads and long ears. Their skin is leathery and green, often wrinkled and covered in tiny scars, warts, and scabs. Goblins grow little, if any, hair. They have red or yellow eyes over either a little pug nose or a long pointed nose, above a hideously wide mouth lined with sharp little teeth.
Goblins are black-hearted, selfish creatures. Individually weak, goblins gather in large -- sometimes overwhelming -- numbers. They are craven when confronted by a superior force, but sadistic when given the opportunity.
Hobgoblins
Hobgoblins are larger versions of goblins. They are nearly as tall as humans (around 5 feet tall), and have the same general features as their smaller kin: leathery green skin, long pointed ears, and a mouth full of nasty sharp teeth. Hobgoblins tend to have shorter legs and longer arms than their smaller kin, giving them an apelike gait. Hobgoblins are more likely to have hair on their heads and bodies than goblins, but many hobgoblins have little, if any, hair.
Hobgoblins bully the weak and despise being bossed around, but their love of carnage means they will fight for powerful masters if bloodshed and treasure are assured.
"Bugbear" is another name for a solitary hobgoblin.
Orcs
Orcs are large goblinoids, as tall or taller than most humans (6 or even 7 feet tall), with a broad frame and massive muscles. They have the same leathery green skin and red or yellow eyes as their smaller kin, but their arms and legs are of nearly human proportion. Their ears are pointed, but not as long as those of hobgoblins, and their lower jaw often has a pair of large upward-pointing tusks. Orcs are likely to have hair on their heads and bodies, but some orcs have little, if any, hair.
Orcs tend to be smarter than their smaller kin, but no less vicious. Orcs gather in tribes that satisfy their bloodlust by slaying any that stand against them.
Ogres
Ogres are the largest and rarest of goblinoids. The average ogre stands between 9 and 10 feet tall and weighs close to a thousand pounds. They have the same leathery green skin and red or yellow eyes as their smaller kin, and disproportionately long arms and short legs, similar to those of hobgoblins. Like orcs, their ears are pointed, but not as long as those of hobgoblins, and their lower jaw often has a pair of large upward-pointing tusks. Like hobgoblins, ogres are more likely to have hair on their heads and bodies than goblins, but many ogres have little, if any, hair.
Ogres are notoriously dim-witted, unable to count to 10 even while looking at their fingers. They are also infamously foul tempered. They delight in crushing smaller creatures who annoy them, or just for the fun of it. Most ogres are solitary, if given the choice.
"Cave troll" is another name for an ogre. Ogres are sometimes confused with trolls, due to their being of similar height, colouring, and disposition. However, trolls are not goblinoids. The easiest way to tell a troll from an ogre is by their hair and their frame. Trolls typically have long, matted black hair, and their overall body frame is more gaunt than even the most starved ogre.
Other Creatures
Some creatures are a little different in Archaea than they are in typical D&D games.
- Kobolds. Kobolds are a type of mischievous underground fey creature, most commonly associated with mines and caves. Although usually invisible, a kobold can materialize in the form of an animal, a ghostly flame, a small humanoid, or a candle. Treated with respect, they can lead miners to deposits of ore or warn them of cave-ins. Treated disrespectfully, they can confuse miners until they are hopelessly lost, or cause cave-ins.
- Trolls. Trolls are gaunt, solitary creatures with rubbery green skin and long, matted black hair. Trolls grow larger and more powerful the better fed they are: anywhere from medium, to large, to huge. However, trolls become more intelligent as they get larger. Huge trolls are at least as clever as the average human (and probably more so), while medium size trolls are little better than beasts. Large trolls are the most common.
Languages
If you are allowed to choose a language when making up your character, you may select from among these languages. Feel free to come up with an interesting reason that you know an exotic language.
| Language | Typical Speakers | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Archaean (Common) | Humans (Archaeans) | Archaean (Common) |
| Corven | Corven | Elesil |
| Dwarvish | Dwarves | Runic |
| Elvish | Elves | Elesil |
| Giant | Giants, trolls | Runic |
| Gnomish | Gnomes | Runic |
| Goblin | Goblins, hobgoblins, orcs, ogres | Runic |
| Havlin | Havlins | Archaean (Common) |
| Language | Typical Speakers | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Celestial | Celestials, priests | Volex Pem |
| Chthonic | Aboleths, cloakers, troglodytes | Khulthean |
| Druidic | Druids | Shaen |
| Mabrahoring | Demons, devils | Mabrahoring |
| Primordial (Aquan, Auran, Ignan, Terran) | Elementals | Runic |
| Saurian | Dragons, lizardfolk | Runic |
| Sylvan | Fae and associated creatures | Elesil |
| Thane | Priests, scholars | Thane |
| Thieves' Cant | Thieves, assassins | (Symbols for basic concepts) |
| Zinjan | Zinjan | (Symbols for basic concepts) |
Names
Humans
Most humans only have one name. The idea of a "family name" isn't really a thing among humans. The closest thing is "[name], son/daughter of [parent name]" or "[name] of [place name]" (e.g., Mihkel, son of Markus; or Mihkel of Dunwater). Those generally only get used among humans if there is some potential confusion about who is being referred to. Otherwise, Maarl is just called Maarl. Sometimes, if someone is well known for something, like being the only baker in town, they'll get called that (e.g., "The Baker"). Or if there are several Maarls, and several bakers, the baker named Maarl will be called "Maarl the baker".
For the aristocracy, the matter is slightly different. One might be "Maarl of the House of [famous ancestor]", and that lineage name might persist across many generations.
Magic
This is an old-fashioned fantasy game, where everyone knows that monsters and magic are real, but most normal people rarely see them. I am aiming for a setting along the line of "Magic Sword" (1962), "Golden Voyage of Sinbad" (1973), "Hawk the Slayer" (1980), "Dragonslayer" (1981), "Conan the Destroyer" (1984), and "Red Sonja" (1985).
Religion
There are a score or so major gods, and hundreds of minor gods. Each town, village, or even crossroads also has a patron god, which is usually a minor god concerned only with that location. (see Deities)
With the exception of priests, it is extremely unusual to find someone who reveres only a single deity. You are as likely to find someone who eats only oats, or wears only green. It does stand to reason that a midwife would make offerings to Anasara (goddess of families and fertility) more frequently than to Skudra (god of smiths and of scholars), but the gods all have different areas of influence, and it would make no sense for a typical person (a non-priest) to reject all others in favor of a single deity.
Priests are another matter. Priests do devote themselves to a single deity, or to a small group of related deities, and they might place themselves in opposition to priests of an opposing deity. But a priest of Anasara would still pray to Azif when trying to light the hearth on a cold winter morning.
To put it another way, someone who works for one brewery might refuse to drink the beer from a competing brewery, but they still drink water, and fruit juice, and milk, and wine, and cough syrup, and so on.
If you want to play a cleric and you don't see a deity that you think fits your character, just let me know. We can make up a new one.
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