Campaign 2

Setting
Please check the PHB for game statistics, which remain unchanged in this setting. This is an overview of cultures in our game setting.

All of the following cultural descriptions are generalizations, and may or may not be true for all communities or individuals.

Wösterkhan- the large continent that our campaign will take place in, named after Wösterfuv, the legendary dwarf who drove the goblin hordes into the sea, conquered most of the known world and built five great capital cities under the largest mountains spread throughout his kingdom.

The Old Races
Dwarves, humans and gnomes are the Old Races native to Wösterkhan. All have had a presence on the continent since the Elder Days.

Dwarves
More than any other race or group of people (with the possible exception of orcs), dwarven culture has remained largely unchanged over the millennia. They regard themselves as the greatest of the peoples, and veneration of Wösterfuv as the hero king of old propagates this ideology. Tradition is the bond that unifies dwarves, along with a rich oral history. Ceremony and decorum are of the utmost importance in dwarven society. Respect for authority centers on the king and his officials, while disrespect  or dissent is dealt with harshly. Dwarven weapons and armor are sought after as the best in the world, and dwarven warriors are known for their discipline and competence in battle. Most dwarves are deeply religious. Dwarf society is very patriarchal.

When Wösterfuv reigned over the continent, he founded five dwarven cities under the mountains in his realm. These Dorrhüm (“deep citadels” in dwarven) are the capitals of the dwarven nations and their political, economic, and ceremonial centers. Three of the cities are now lost. Even if a dwarf was raised in a foreign land, he would still consider himself a citizen of one of the Dorrhüm. When playing a dwarf, it’s important to know which of these you’re from.

Kastinorok-the largest and the most influential of the Dorrhüm, ruled by Old King Rofterrek, who styles himself High King of all the dwarves. Kastinorok took part in the War of the Princelings.

Donkholdur-in the Forge Mountains, these dwarves have a small kingdom and prefer to remain isolated from the affairs of elves, humans, and gnomes. It is said their forges make the finest steel, fit for the gods themselves.

Melthiöd- many generations ago this Dorrhüm was lost to a dark, unspeakable evil. Since then,  Melthiöd dwarves have lived in exile, most living in the area surrounding Kastinorok.

Dwarves are stereotypically tough and stubborn,  valiant in war and can tend towards obsession in mundane activities or hobbies. Most dwarves value their heritage and cultural eccentricities.

Subraces
The difference between Mountain and Hill dwarves in the PHB are strictly mechanical, not a discernible difference in the game world. Choose hill dwarf for a wisdom bonus or mountain dwarf for a strength bonus.

Gnomes
Gnomes are an anomaly among the peoples of Wösterkhan. While most races are ruled by kings and nobles, aristocracies and oligarchies, gnomes have a very strong visceral reaction against anything that reeks of despotism. Bifilin, the homeland of the gnomes, is a series of democratic city-states, each independent yet inextricably connected to its neighbors. Gnomes favor innovation and progress to tradition, and religion tends to be an articulation of an important cause, rather than true piety to the gods. Above all, gnomes believe in a well-ordered society. Bifilin has produced the finest scientists, inventors, and scholars of the age, and the gnomic merchants have capitalized on all of these strengths. More than any other race, gnomes have a penchant for traveling to other areas and finding their economic niche. Very few communities in Wösterfuv are without a gnomic presence, and most would say that they are better for the gnomes that live there.

Gnome PCs can be from just about any land, as there is a gnomic presence in most civilized lands.

Subraces
Forest gnomes- there are rumored to be communities of gnomes, very unlike those found in Bifilin, in the northern reaches of the Kayiza jungle. Forest gnomes are not an available option for this campaign.

Rock gnomes are the default gnomes found in Bifilin, and the only subrace available for this campaign.

Humans
Humans, unlike gnomes and dwarves, lack a cohesive, unified set of cultural norms. Several human kingdoms and fiefs spread across the expansive western peninsula of Everstaadt. Some, but not all of these, share a common language of Staadt, and have some related traditions. Throughout the years, many kings have tried to unite all of the humans under one ruler, but none has been successful. Many generalized observations can be made about the human lands. As one travels west, the complexions of the humans become darker. The western kingdoms are also more politically autonomous and culturally diverse. The fiefs closer to the non-human realms tend to be politically weaker and smaller, culturally and linguistically less diverse, and their complexions lighter. As a human, you may be from one of the following lands (or make one up!).

Far Western Kingdoms: Tricciana, Raguska, Turam, Rashem

Central lands: Yfargo, Grario, Uffada, Agosta, Tethyrian, Damara, Illuska

Eastern fiefs: Bomore, Saxsa, Trayling, Slatbridge, Ockdon, Orlaine, Bedegar

There are no human subraces.

Immigrant Races
Elves and Halflings are non-native to Wösterkhan and immigrated after the Elder Days. Though both have been present for centuries, they are still often regarded as newcomers by the old races.

Elves
Elves arrived in great numbers and force, beginning the second era, also known as the Arcane Era. Few know the exact circumstances that led to their arrival, but it is widely accepted that they came from the feywild. The elves, using their novel arcane expertise, made quick work of many of the old kingdoms and carved out a great empire, known as Delmaria. After a millennium, a brutal civil war erupted, leading to the formation of two distinct groups-the high elves (Almarians) and wood elves (Temarians). The two groups have been at odds ever since.

High Elves (Almarians)
Almarians are the only elves that most people are familiar with. Their empire crumbled under the pressure from the united forces during the War of the Princelings. Hyflassia, their capital and last stronghold, was lifted into the air by great magic, to evade impending destruction from the united armies. This last city of the elves now floats high above the earth, aloof, mysterious, awe-inspiring, and foreboding. Over the course of several years, the Almarians have gathered all of their people to this city, ordering that they may leave only if they have a sanctioned permit. The Almarian enforcers, the dreaded High Ordinators, roam the continent seeking rogue elves and secret elven treasures and knowledge. Their highest goal is to keep arcane magic out of the hands of anyone not loyal to the Almarian empire.

High elves are proud and beautiful, exuberant in their joy and terrible in their wrath. Despite being feared and hated by the majority of people on Wösterkhan, when one meets Almarians it is difficult not to be enamored by them. Their incredibly long life spans (1000 years or more) gives the elves a different perspective from the other races, and their impatience with others (who have had much less time to consider all aspects of life) is well documented.

As a player, if you choose a high elf, you have two options. The first is that you’ve lived by yourself or in a community of Almarians that have not been gathered to Hyflassia, the last city of the elves. Thus far, you’ve eluded the High Ordinators who are tasked with gathering all Almarians their city. The other option is that you have lived in Hyflassia, but for some reason you don’t remember it, having been expelled from the city. Basically you may play a high elf, but I don’t want you to know anything more than the average human or gnome about the Lofty City.

Wood elves (Temarians)

After the civil war a millennium ago, the Temarians faction, defeated and licking it’s wounds, fled into the forrest. Since then, they’ve lives in secluded areas, staying out of world affairs. It is widely believed that the wood elves have sworn off the arcane and attempted to recreate the culture of the elves before they left the Feywild.

Elusive and mysterious, these elves are rarely seen outside Temarian Forest. Even when travelers pass through these forests, the wood elves are seldom encountered. Little is known of their culture or personality, societal structure or cohesion as a group. It is rumored that many Druidic wood elf communities exist, primarily to protect their forests.

If you play a wood elf, consider why your character would consider leaving Temarian Forest. While not expressly forbidden, travel outside the forest is rare, and usually incognito.

Dark Elves (Drow)
Very few have ever witnessed a dark elf up close. They call the Kayiza Jungles in the north their home, and are supposed by many to be demonic in origin. Drow are commonly thought to steal children in the night for dark rituals. They are not available to play for this campaign.

Halflings

Halflings are from the very extremes of Wösterkhan, roaming the expansive tundra to the far south and the warm jungles to the far north. It is unclear when the halflings arrived to Wösterkhan, though they were discovered after the elves arrived. Renown as hunters of giant creatures and ferocious warriors, halflings are feared more than perhaps any other groups, with possible exception to the high elves of Hyflassia.

Lightfoot Halflings
Lightfoots live in the northern jungles of Kayiza, and are the smallest of the halflings varieties. Lightfoot halflings are not available to play during this campaign.

Stout Halflings

Due to the frigid environment from which they hail, stout halflings are visibly hardier than their lightfoot cousins, though just as short. Having a reputation for ferocity, stout bands of 10 or less can take down huge beasts. Over the last 150 years, halfling raiders have begun to advance north further into civilized lands. Human settlements (especially Illuska) have had to try and organize against the guerrilla raids of the stouts, a costly and deadly endeavor. The halflings have become increasingly organized and bold, and many believe they are even beginning to make semi-permanent settlements as they push into warmer climates.

To outsiders, halflings appear barbarous and uncouth. Even on the rare occasions when humans or gnomes have been able to interact with halflings without violence, it has been noted that halflings are violent and even cruel with each other, often disfiguring as a sign of shame and competing in deadly blood sports for glory. Stout society is largely matriarchal, with females being in most leadership positions. Halflings warriors are loyal to each other and to clan, often willing to die to right an insult to ally or family.

If you want to play a halfling, consider why you’re not with your clan anymore, how you interact with non-halflings. You will certainly be viewed as an oddity, and many will immediately suppose you to be a savage.

Half-breeds
Half-breeds are rare, and their communities even more so, given that half-breeds are sterile. Curiously, half-elves are the exception to this rule, though few know why.

Half-Orcs

Orcs are nomadic humanoids that live in the wilds. They are often reviled for their brutish characteristics, their lack of culture, and their slow intellect. Most people assume that orcs are naturally filthy and violent. As of the past 50 years, many orcs have begun to settle permanently in the southern Illuskan peninsula, to the chagrin of the Illuskans.

Half orcs are reviled by most non-orcs. Fearful and ignorant rumors say they are the product of pillaging orcs and ravaged young human maidens. However, the truth is that a human female could never survive giving birth to a half-orc. Half-orcs are without exception, born to orcish mothers and usually raised in orcish communities. They are usually accepted as orcs by the community, though many feel out of place. They are sterile, so no half-orc communities exist.

Half Elves
Half-elves, while always a rarity, have become increasingly scarce since the War of the Princelings and the gathering of Almarians to Hyflassia, the Lofty City. Thus, most half-elves are over 60 years of age. Unlike other half-breeds, they are not sterile. Some human noble houses (notably in Illuska) claim to have elven blood, but there are no known half-elven communities or societies.

If you choose to play a half-elf, expect people to be wary of you, if not outright hostile. You will be mistaken for a high elf by the average person, and distrust and fear of elves runs deep. Consider your parentage, who raised you, and how overt you are with your elvishness.

Anomalies
Tieflings and Aasimar are mutations of other races. As it is currently understood, they are results of having an extraplanar being in one’s ancestry. While the stereotypical tiefling or aasimar is human, they can be mutations of any race.

Tieflings
Tieflings are mutations of other races who have an ancestor from the lower planes (demon, devil, yugoloth). The stereotypical tiefling has horns on his or her head, a pointed, pliable tail,  and a skin tone ranging from light pink to dark red. However, the manifestations of their ancestry can be as varied as the denizens of the Nine Hells or the Abyss. Some manifestations are functional, while some are vestigial, some subtle, others very overt and monstrous. Tieflings are not evil by default, though they can often be villainous, given their treatment in society.

For an idea of possible tiefling traits:

https://amp.reddit.com/r/DnDBehindTheScreen/comments/7f0kww/d100_tiefling_traits/

If you choose to play a tiefling, consider what your parent race is, who raised you and how accepted were you by your community, do you know who or what the ancestor is or was? Any family legends or are you clueless and want to find out? Most importantly, what do you look like? Feel free to be a standard red with horns or be as creative as you’d like.

Aasimar
Aasimar are very similar in theory to tieflings, except have ancestry from the higher planes, having celestial ancestry (as from an angel). They often are beautiful humanoids, mistaken for elves or flawless humans, but can have a huge variety of traits.

Possible aasimar traits: https://amp.reddit.com/r/d100/comments/8na5bx/lets_build_aasimar_traits/

You may choose to play an aasimar, though it’s not in the PHB.

Myths and Monsters
Dragons are myths, though some believe they exist in hidden places in Wösterkhan or across the sea. Even in the Elder Days, there was no reliable account of a dragon. Dragonborn and Kobolds are unheard of.

Goblins and Goblinoids were defeated by Wösterfuv in the Elder Days and have never been seen since.

Giants were defeated in the Elder Days by Bif and his companions, and they were forced across the Northern Ocean in their huge ships, never to be seen again.