Lost Souls Handbook

[JadedDM]

First and foremost, I suppose the question is, what is Lost Souls?

Lost Souls is a campaign setting I came up with originally when I was a kid, around fifteen or so. Hence the rather unoriginal name. It is the setting of Amtar, a world of my own devising.

It was terrible. I mean, just awful. But then again, I was only fifteen and had no idea what I was doing. While most D&Ders start as players and then, when ready, possibly become DMs...I started as a DM from day one. None of my friends who played wanted to DM, so it was left up to me to take that mantle.

In 2002, I opened up a roleplaying chatroom based on Amtar. It failed. But I did manage to acquire enough members to start running an online campaign game set on the world. I 'rebooted' the world, discarding a lot of the stupid stuff I had ripped off from whatever I liked back as a kid, and we wound up running six campaigns there.

But then, in 2008, I put aside the world and started work on a new campaign. Different world, different concepts. We ran two campaigns there, and started a third...but it never got very far. By that point, I guess I was just burned out. I don't know. The game was put on hiatus, I wound up getting focused on my Dragonlance games here at Planet, and before I knew it, over a year had passed.

So now, here I am again, rebooting it a second time. Taking what I have learned from my old games and the ones I'm currently running at Planet, and going back to my roots.

What is Amtar? I'll be up front with you. It's a pretty standard, generic high-fantasy AD&D world. Don't expect anything particularly ground-breaking or revolutionary here. It's got the usual races and classes. It might be a little different, in that I've been rather influenced by Planescape (Amtar has a strong elemental bent, and I like having lots of factions and belief systems). The main appeal to Amtar is that it's open-ended and the consequences of the party's actions matter.

In my Dragonlance games, although they all take place in the same setting, they're not influenced by each other. It doesn't matter what happens to Sturm in Chronicles--in the other games, he died bravely during the High Clerist's Tower battle. In Amtar, however, each campaign shapes the next. For instance, if the party topples a government in this game, then the consequences of this (civil war, anarchy, whatever) will have a strong impact on the second game. If your character starts a new religion, it may spread to different nations later. And so on.

Furthermore, players have some creative control over the world. A player can make up details about the world, filling in the blanks (with DM approval, of course).

My games are dangerous, but not overly lethal. I am not a killer DM, nor am I a coddling one. I think of myself as being a neutral entity. Deep down, I may want the PCs to win, but I will not intervene to save them. The dice fall where they land, and the consequences of any action play out logically.

This thread will be dedicated to all of the lore and information that a player will need to know in order to successfully run a character in a game here. I actually have a website I was going to use, but it's easier to just post it all here. I will only be posting stuff relevant to the campaign at the time, so it doesn't get too bulky. I'll add in a table of contents later to help.

Time to get started!

[JadedDM]

This is a complete list of rules and house rules that I use in my game.

Core Rules
Character Generation - I prefer using Method III (3d6, choose order). When I allow a different method, I'll announce so formally.
Rerolling Ability Scores - A player may reroll a single roll if it is 3 during character generation. Otherwise, you keep what you get. If you are unsatisfied with the results, talk to me, maybe we can work something out.
Height/Weight/Age - Players need not roll for these, unless they want to. They can just choose them. The DM secretly rolls your maximum age, to learn when your character will die of old age (if you're lucky!)
Starter Spells - A player may choose his wizard's starting spells, but still must roll to learn them. Upon reaching a new spell level, a general mage learns a new spell for that level automatically (chosen by the DM) whereas a specialist mage learns a new spell of their chosen school (chosen by the player). A mage's first spellbook is free, but additional ones must be paid for.
When XP is Given - Characters earn XP (and level up automatically upon receiving enough to do so) at the end of a thread. Threads are usually divided into chapters, and generally will end when the party rests for the night.
Initiative - I use Individual Initiative during combat. I also use all of the modifiers that come with it, including casting times and weapon speeds. Characters with multiple attacks don't use them until the end of the round (except for those who are dual-wielding).
Firing into Melee - This rule is completely ignored. You can only hit an ally during melee with a projectile weapon if you roll a fumble or if they move directly into your line of fire (and are larger than or the same size as your target). If you try and fire a projectile weapon at a target while someone else is meleeing you, the opponent gets a free attack.

Optional Rules (The rules in blue found in the PHB/DMG)
Intelligence Bonus to Proficiencies - For every language slot a character gets from INT, they get an extra NWP slot, as well.
Maximum Spells per Level - Based on their INT score, wizards have a limit to how many spells they can learn each level, total.
Racial Adjustment to Charisma - I actually apply lots of extra modifiers to Charisma when taking into account race, class, ethnicity, and so forth. For instance, a Cleric of Good proudly bearing his icon in a land of evil is likely to get a big penalty to his reaction adjustment.
Detection of Pick Pocketing - I use the optional rule that allows a thief a lesser chance of being caught pickpocketing when the victim is lower level than the thief.
Nonweapon Proficiencies - I use both weapon and nonweapon proficiencies in my game, not secondary skills. Unless stated otherwise, a character must train to learn a new proficiency slot once it becomes available.
Encumbrance - I do use (basic, not specific) encumbrance in my games. I also rule that magical armor does not count toward one's encumbrance.
Horse Traits - I do use horse traits for flavor, but don't usually enforce them.
Armor Made of Unusual Metals - I do allow this.
Spell Components - I do use these. Material components that are rare and expensive must be in the caster's inventory to work. For more general components, like sand, gum, cloth, etc., a caster needs a 'component bag' that costs 1 gp per spell level to refill (a 1st level mage would need to spend 1 gp, a 3rd level mage would need to spend 3 gp, etc.) at a mageware shop. The component bag must be refilled between adventures (or once a month, whichever comes first).
Researching Extra Wizard Spells - I allow that any spell researched by a wizard does not count against his/her limit of spells per level.
Individual Experience Awards - I use these, and group awards, too.
Training - I do not require a character train to advance in level (but they do need to train to learn new proficiencies).
Weapon Type vs Armor Modifiers - I do use these rules. Thus, a piercing weapon is more effective against leather armor, whereas a bludgeoning weapon is better against chain mail.
Parrying - I do allow this.
Multiple Attacks Against Weak Opponents - I do not allow warriors to make a number of attacks equal to their level against opponents who have 1-1 or less HD.
Polearms/Shields and Weapon Frontage - I use both of these rules.
Critical Hits/Misses - I use both. A natural 20 is a critical hit, and the character is allowed to roll for damage twice (not once and then multiplied by two). On a natural 1, the character fumbles. What this means is up to the DM, but it can involve a weapon breaking, accidentally hitting oneself or an ally, dropping a weapon or falling down to the ground. It depends on the situation.
Specific Injuries - I do not use this rule.
Hovering at Death's Door - I do use this rule. At 0 HP, a character becomes unconscious and bleeds out (losing 1 HP per round) until they reach death at -10 HP. A character who is bleeding out can have their wounds bound (no check or roll needed) to stop the bleeding. Magical healing spells only restore an unconscious character to 1 HP and no more can be used until the character has rested one day (exception--the Heal spell).
Aerial Combat - I use all of these rules, too.
Degrees of Darkness Modifiers - I use these, yep. Moving/fighting in moonlight is not as bad as total darkness, etc.
Jogging and Running - I use these rules.
Terrain Effects on Movement - I use these rules. So traveling through water, snow, heavy forest/brush, rocky ground, and in darkness slows the party down.
Terrain Modifiers for Overland Movement - I use these, too.
Command Words - Rods, wands and staves use them, yep.

Splatbook Rules
Kits - I do allow some kits, but not others. If you are interested in a kit, just ask the DM to find out more.
The Complete Fighter's Handbook - I use the rules for weapon and armor crafting, off-hand weapon use, kneeling and sitting, range and initiative, ambidexterity, fighting style specialization, martial arts, punching/wrestling specialization, disarming, grabbing, holding, pinning, pulling/tripping, sapping, shield punching and rushing, recovery of temporary damage, darkness modifiers, unstable ground, mounted combat, bone and stone weaponry, high quality racial armor, and piecemeal armor.
The Complete Paladin's Handbook - Pretty much all of it.
The Complete Ranger's Handbook - Pretty much all of it.
The Complete Wizard's Handbook - Pretty much all of it.
The Complete Druid's Handbook - Pretty much all of it.
The Complete Thief's Handbook - Pretty much all of it.
The Complete Bard's Handbook - Pretty much all of it.
The Complete Book of Dwarves - Pretty much all of it.
The Complete Book of Gnomes and Halflings - Pretty much all of it.
The Complete Book of Elves - Just the expanded archery rules and the new equipment/spells.
The Complete Book of Humanoids - Pretty much all of it.
Of Ships and the Sea - Pretty much all of it.
Dungeoneer's Survival Guide - I use the new equipment.
Wilderness Survival Guide - The rules for temperature, the rules for food and water, the rules for foraging, fishing and hunting.
Player's Option: Spells and Magic - The Cure Moderate Wounds spell only.

House Rules
No Racial Ability Minimums or Maximums - I don't bother with these at all (e.g., not being able to play a dwarf unless your STR is 8 or higher). Never saw the point to it.
No Level Limits - I don't bother with these, either. Most of my games never get high enough in level for them to matter anyway.
Lesser Alignment Restrictions - Druids and Bards can be of any alignment.
Rally Allies/Berserker Rage - The benefits of a bard's 'rally allies' ability kicks in on the first round, not the third round. Those who can go berserker can do so in one round, not ten.
No Racial/Class Restrictions - Any race may take any class in my games. A dwarf can be a paladin, an elf can be a bard, a gnome can be a ranger, etc.
Proficiency Checks without the Proficiency - In some cases, I will allow a character to attempt a proficiency check in something he/she doesn't have proficiency in. In this case, they must roll a 3 or less to succeed. And the end result will never be of high quality (someone trying to forge a dagger without the weaponsmithing proficiency will only make one of average quality at best). There are lots of stipulations to this rule. For instance, the character in question cannot even make the attempt if the DM feels that it violates common sense (a character who has never seen a horse before can't possibly hope to make a rider check). Likewise, some things are just impossible for unskilled characters, regardless of luck (someone without the armorer proficiency could try and bang out a satisfactory suit of chain mail, but full plate mail is out of the question).
Crossbow Damage - In my games, a light crossbow does 1d6 damage and a heavy crossbow does 1d8 damage.
Turn/Control Undead - I allow clerics and paladins with this ability to also use it against extraplanar creatures. A good cleric can turn evil extraplanar creatures, and an evil cleric can control evil extraplanar creatures.
Cantrips - Cantrip is not a spell, but a nonweapon proficiency that can only be taken by someone with levels in wizard or bard.
Natural Healing - The effects of natural healing and the healing proficiency are stacked.
Proficiency Slots - If a player adds an empty NWP slot to a proficiency he/she already has, they get a +2 to their rolls.
Aid Another - If two characters have the same proficiency, one can 'aid' the other in their roll, and this adds a +2 to the roll.
Familiars - I use a special rule for familiars. At level 2, a mage or bard can summon a familiar automatically, without the use of a spell. At level 4, the caster can see through the familiar's eyes if they concentrate and do nothing else. At 6th level, the caster can cast touch-spells through their familiar. Then at 8th level, the caster's familiar gains a special ability (depending on what the familiar in question is).
Reading/Writing - I rule that if you have a proficiency with Reading/Writing, you can read and write any language you can speak. This does not apply to ancient languages, though.

Forum/Posting Rules
Present Tense - Keep your posts in present tense, please.
Three Day Rule - The DM will wait for any given player at least three days before moving on.
Name Your Targets! - When in combat, make sure to specify who you are hitting or where you are centering any spells.
Roll or No Roll - If you roll (attack, damage, initiative, whatever), use Invisible Castle and then (most importantly) post the results of your rolls. If you do not roll, the DM will roll for you. If you forget your modifiers, the DM will add them (when he remembers to).
AWOL - If a player vanishes (stops posting, doesn't even log in) for at least a month without giving any prior explanation or warning, they are dropped from the game and their character becomes a permanent NPC.

[JadedDM]

Character Creation

Compared to some editions, character creation is a snap in 2E. It takes mere minutes. Or should, ideally. Nevertheless, I know more than a few players who will spend days, even weeks on a new character. *glances at HorizonsDream*

So here are some ways to help speed things up a bit, and ways to improve the odds of getting your character approved faster.

First and foremost, you need to roll. I use Method III, which means you roll 3d6 six times and then arrange the scores as you like. With this method, you'll likely end up with something fairly average. Very high and very low scores are a bit rarer. But that's okay. I like the idea that what makes a character a hero or villain is the choices they make, not the gifts they were born with. With this method, certain classes (Paladin, Ranger, Bard, Druid) are going to be harder to achieve. That's okay, too. These classes are supposed to be fairly rare.

If you want one of those classes and fail to roll well enough for it, don't fret. Talk to me. Sometimes there are ways to work things out. Once, for instance, Horizon wanted a Ranger but didn't roll well enough. I asked her why a Ranger, and she told me she had this idea of a character who rode a big panther into battle. Well, you don't need to be a Ranger for that. We made her a Fighter, gave her the Beastrider kit, and there you go, she got what she wanted without having to change her ability scores. So talk to me, it may be possible to give you what you want without changing your scores.

Once you have your rolls, arrange them, and modify them if necessary (certain ages and races modify ability scores). Make sure you show me your rolls via Invisible Castle! After that, you just pick your proficiencies, roll for starting money, buy your beginning equipment, pick your starter spells, etc., etc.

I have a list of acceptable proficiencies you may choose from here.

That's the easy part, though. The part where most players tend to get stuck is the biography that must also be submitted. A character bio should consist of at least four things: Appearance (what the character looks like; picture is optional), Personality (how your character acts), History (your character's backstory), and Motivation (why is your character adventuring in the first place?).

There's no need to go nuts here. I don't need a full length novel. Although a couple of sentences isn't enough, either. In my experience, though, I tend to get players who offer too much information than too little. Which is why character creation takes so long for some. Here's a hint when it's getting too long, though. If most of your backstory is dialogue, then you aren't writing a bio; you're writing a novel (and yes, I've had players submit bios that include lengthy dialogue sessions between characters in their history).

Motivation is pretty important and often overlooked. You need to know why your character is adventuring. Remember, adventuring while generally profitable, is also incredibly dangerous. That's why most people don't do it. Also, don't forget to ask yourself, if your character achieves their goal, what then? If, for instance, your motivation is to earn enough gold to save your family's farm from debt, what happens once you accomplish this? Retire? If the only reason you are adventuring is hoping to find the six-finger man who killed your father, once he is avenged, do you have any reason to keep going? Be careful not to write yourself into a corner when deciding motivation. If you give your character a goal that can be easily accomplished, make sure you have some backup goals planned, too.

Once everything is done, email the entire character sheet to me. If approved, the character is added to the roster and you can begin play. If not, I'll tell you what's wrong or what is needed, and adjustments are made.

[JadedDM]

The main area of Amtar where games are held is the continent of Tardiff found in the northern hemisphere. A map of Tardiff is found below, and each hex represents 100 miles.

The northern peninsula is a frozen wasteland where barbarian tribes war with each other for resources and land.

The middle area is largely fertile and home to lush, green forests and plains, as well as a number of kingdoms both small and large.

The southern part of the main landmass is a desert, modeled a lot like Arabia or Egypt.

The large island to the south is a harsh area and home to many goblinoids and orcs. Basically, think Mordor from Lord of the Rings.

Then at the equator, you have the Octhanian Islands, a group of tropical islands and the location of our first game.

[JadedDM]

Let's zoom in on our tropical islands. Here, on this map, each hex is 25 miles.

Triangles are mountains, red triangles are volcanoes, green spots are jungle, brown spots (ew) are swamps, yellow spots are barren, lumps are hills. (And green lumps are hills with jungle on them).

These are the Octhanian Islands, named after the goddess, Octhanus. Octhania has no central government. Rather, the entire area is carved up between nine independent city-states (the tenth island, the one furthest to the north, is a floating island; it is a remnant of Eonia). Each city-state consists of an entire island, and some may contain smaller towns and villages, as well. These city-states can come together in a time of crisis, but they are generally at odds with each other. There is much infighting between them, although rarely outright war.

In addition, there are assortments of underwater nations ruled by the Merfolk (creatures that live underwater) that sometimes ally themselves with the city-states, trade with them, or even war with them.

[JadedDM]

Eons ago, the two dominant societies were the elves and dwarves. Both formed massive empires that stretched over the known world. They did not conflict, as the elves took the overworld and the dwarves took the underworld. Thus did they both coexist without entrenching on each other's territories. The elves were highly magical, and the dwarves highly technological.

As the empires expanded, other, more primitive races were discovered. Gnomes and goblinoids were discovered by the dwarves, and halflings and humans discovered by the elves.

The gnomes were integrated into dwarven society, but were largely treated as second-class citizens with few rights. The goblinoids were outright driven out and slaughtered in a war. Eventually, they managed to fallback to what is now the land of Renosia and hold up there. They formed their own empire after a few centuries.

Halflings were 'allowed' to live on elven lands, but were made to 'earn their keep.' They had to work the many farmlands as serfs, making almost no money at it. Humans were first discovered in the Octhanian islands as savages. Elves saw the potential in them, and 'adopted' them. That's how the elves put it. In their minds, they saw themselves doing the humans a favor. They were providing them a roof over their heads, food, and education. All they asked for in return was that the humans serve them, to earn their keep.

The elves may have called it adoption, but to the humans, it was slavery.

The goblinoid races, meanwhile, started building up armies of any race they could find that had been driven back by the elves and dwarves. Not only goblins, hobgoblins and bugbears, but also ogres, gnolls, kobolds, and some escaped human slaves. They attacked the elven empire, but were badly beaten. Their forces were no match for the elves' magic. And so the goblins fell back.

The goblins realized that the only way to fight magic was with magic. They spent the next few centuries studying it, learning as much as they could. They discovered a process that allowed them to contact powerful beings from the Lower Planes. These beings would offer the goblinoids power, which was a much faster and efficient way of learning magic than studying tomes for years and years.

Now armed with the knowledge of demon summoning, the goblinoids attacked the elves again. This time, they were not driven back. The dwarves were even forced to ally with the elves, and even then, the war ended in a stalemate with all three empires brought to the brink of destruction.

The humans, who had learned so much for their 'guardians' saw that the time to act was now. They led an insurrection against the elves, who were too weakened by the war to put up much of a fight. The humans enlisted the gnomes and halflings in the fight, as well. When it was over, the humans had managed to conquer the elves entirely, enslaving them in a tragic sense of irony.

This was not enough, though. Inheriting the magical powers of the elves, the humans then turned their gaze toward the dwarves and goblinoid empires, which were also very weak from the war. It did not take long to conquer them, as well. Thus did humans inherit the white magic of elves, the black magic of the goblinoids, and the technology of the dwarves. Combining these three powers together, they formed the Eonian Empire, the most powerful political force the world had ever known.

Indeed, the humans were so powerful, they even managed to rip a large island out of the sea and lift it into the air. They founded their capital city on this flying island, known as Infinity. For humans, this began an age of enlightenment. For the other races, this was certainly a dark age, indeed. For the humans were no more fair or merciful toward the 'lesser races' than the elves or dwarves had been.

The Eonian Empire was not to last, though. The goblinoid races, furious that they had nearly defeated one enemy only to inadvertently create a new, even more powerful one, started searching for ways to thwart the humans. Eventually, they discovered a powerful summoning ritual. It was said to summon a creature that would have the power to destroy even Eonia. Never once did the goblinoids stop to consider the consequences of their actions. By the time they realized that the beast they had summoned was too strong for them to control, it was too late.

Legends say that the beast, known only as Carnage, was originally created by the gods. It was meant as a 'reset button' to end the world should the gods ever decide it was no longer worth maintaining. Carnage rampaged across the known world, destroying everything in its path. It killed without mercy or prejudice. It did not care about race, creed, nationality or bloodline. Not even the Eonians could stand against him. Infinity was knocked into the sea and sank to the bottom, killing millions.

All of the races were forced to ally themselves against this threat. Using everything they had, they managed to banish Carnage back to the pocket dimension he had been summoned from, putting him back to sleep to wait for the gods to call him back when the end of the world had arrived. But the victory came at great cost. The Empires had fallen, all of them. The world had been left in ruin.

The next few centuries were a time of darkness, as the races tried to rebuild. Small nations were formed, which battled each other for what meager resources remained. All of the magical and technological power of the old days was forgotten. Every race was now on equal ground.

This brings us to the present day.

[JadedDM]

Here's some information on the core races.

Humans

Overview
There shouldn't be a need to say a great deal on humans, as it's assumed the player is already intimately aware of how humans look and act.

Humanity was first discovered by elven sailors on the Octhanian Islands. They were a primitive hunter-gatherer society that traveled between the islands on small rafts. Loading them up on their massive ships, the elves transported the humans to their own lands to use as servants and slaves.

A couple of centuries later, the humans revolted and after a long, bloody war, managed to form their own nation. This nation grew in size and power, absorbing other nations around it, eventually forming the massive Eonian Empire.

Thus did humans go from primitive savages to the masters of all of Amtar. When the Empire fell, humans lost their grip on the world, but they are still very powerful politically all over the five continents.

Humans come in a variety of different sizes, shapes and colors. Their culture varies wildly depending on setting, but most humans can be easily classified in one of two sub-races: Eonians (descendants of the Empire, sometimes known as ‘civilized’ humans) and Tribals (humans that either reverted or never left the old ways, and live off the land; they are sometimes known as barbarians or savages).



Dwarves

Appearance
A typical dwarf stands 4 feet tall and weighs about 150 pounds. He is stocky and muscular. His skin is a deep tan or light brown in color and he has ruddy cheeks and bright eyes. His hair could be black, gray or brown. He favors dark, somber earth-toned clothes and wears little jewelry.

Females tend to be busty, with wide hips. Despite rumors and hearsay among the other races, they usually do not have facial hair.

Personality
Dwarves have a strong tendency to be ethnocentric, believing their way is the best way, regardless of the subject matter. As one of the two elder races, they believe they know best by default. They also see themselves as leaders of industry throughout the world. Were it not for dwarves, civilization never would have made it as far as it has, as far as they are concerned.

Dwarves are often considered expert craftsmen, miners, merchants, warriors, and mechanics. This is not from any gods-given ability, but due to the fact that most dwarves serve a 25 year apprenticeship, usually starting when they are 25 years old.

Marriages are arranged by a clan’s elders. Neither the man nor the woman has any official say in the matter, although they can express preferences (although the elder need not listen). Not being terribly romantic, dwarves view marriage as a social contract only, for the sake of the clan.

Dwarves cannot abide laziness or any kind. Any task given to them, they address with gusto. They only give up when it is truly considered hopeless; and sometimes not even then. Dwarves never do anything half-way or half-assed.

History
The dwarves are one of the oldest races in the world. They claim they are the oldest, but the elves bicker with them on this point. Nobody is really sure which came first. But relics have been found of dwarven design dating back thousands of years. The first dwarven empire known to historians is Farikak, which is said to have spread underneath most of the known world at its height.

In spreading so far, the dwarves discovered other races living underground. These included the gnomes, who they integrated into their society as a caste of servants and the goblinoids, who were far less cooperative. A war broke out, but while the dwarves had much better weaponry, technology and better trained troops, the goblinoids had massive amounts of numbers.

The war drove many goblinoids to the surface, where the elves got involved. Working together, the elves and dwarves then drove the goblinoids further out, into what is now Renosia. When the goblinoids learned magic and launched an attack on the dwarves and elves with demons, the two races were forced to team up again. This war ended in a stalemate, with Farikak left in near ruins.

Before they could recover and rebuild, the humans led the gnomes and halflings in an insurrection against the dwarves and elves. This is what led to the creation of the magical/technological human empire of Eonia. The dwarves are still pretty sore about it to this day.

When the Carnage War came, Farikak was completely lost. The dwarves were forced to retreat closer to the surface. Since then, a number of smaller dwarven kingdoms have sprouted up from the ruins, but none come anywhere near as close to Farikak’s glory. But that doesn’t stop many a dwarf from delving deep into the underdark in hopes of finding ruins of the once great empire, hoping to salvage some wealth and technology from the days of yore.

Government and Clan
Each dwarf lives in a clan, and each clan is led by a thane. Sometimes clans come together in cooperation to form guilds. A guild is usually led by a guildmaster.

This structure is very important to dwarves. They rely heavily on clan and guild to keep them grounded and on the right track. An old dwarven saying is ‘one is never lost, so long as he has his clan.’ An outcast dwarf is generally treated as dead by his own people, and something to be pitied.

Tools, Technology and Weapons
Although most of the dwarven technology was lost when Eonia fell, they managed to retain some of it. And some people try and seek out and loot lost ruins for dwarven technology. Among the technology they still have include cannons, pistols, ballistas, and various other war machines.

Gaming Notes
Standard rules for hill dwarves in the PHB are used.



Elves

Appearance
Elves are lithe, elegant creatures with pointed ears, thin limbs, and graceful movements. They stand about five feet tall and weigh between 90 and 100 pounds. They have no facial hair.

Elves are considered adults from the age of 100. They live to be much older than that, some reaching up to 700 years old. Their skin tone ranges from milky white to a deep brown, to ebony. (There are no ‘drow’ on Amtar, but there are elves that look like them. They are no more likely to be evil than any other elf, though.)

Personality
Elves are very dedicated to nature and living with it, instead of against it. They use their magic to shape the land, making homes from trees or growing them from crystal out of the ground itself. They see the world as a garden to care for, and are thus fiercely territorial of their lands.

Because they live for such a long time, elves are slow to act on most things. They are thus seen as lazy or indecisive by other races. An elf may spend a century or more learning a simple skill, for instance. A committee may discuss something for decades before reaching an agreement. Generally speaking, elves are in no hurry.

Elves can be quite arrogant too, although that is not usually their intent. They see themselves as the first race, the eldest, and the other races as children that need to be looked after so they don’t hurt themselves. They can be rather entitled at times, because of their history and their age.

While elves can be quite serious when the situation demands it, most prefer to enjoy life. They love dancing, drinking, and parties. If faced with hard work, they prefer whenever possible to use magic to overcome drudgery.

History
Ask any elf, and they will tell you, they are the first race. The dwarves disagree, but it is clear that whether they were first or second, elves have been around for a very long time.

Thousands of years ago, the elves formed the Ruara Empire which is said to have stretched over the entire known world. It was a time of prosperity and peace. As the empire grew, the elves encountered other races, including the dwarves and halflings—the latter which was incorporated into their civilization as serfs. The two races that would later prove to be their downfall, however, were the goblinoids and the humans.

When the elves found the humans, they were nothing more than primitive savages living on the Octhanian islands. The elves took the humans in, integrating them into their society as a caste of servants, teaching them to read and write and to use magic. Although many would call it slavery, the elves didn’t think of it as such. They were doing the humans a favor in their minds.

When the goblinoids learned the dark arts and summoned demons to fight for them, Ruara and Farikak had to team up. The war ended in a stalemate, however, with Ruara nearly destroyed in the process. It was then that the humans led a revolt against the elves, usurping their magical power (and the technological power of the dwarves). Thus was Eonia formed, and the elves’ supremacy in the world ended.

When the Carnage War came, what was left of elven civilization was nearly destroyed. Many were forced back into the forests, others found new homes elsewhere. One thing was for certain, though. All elves believed that things were much, much better off when they were still running the world.

Government and Family
Elves believe strongly in personal freedom of choice. They often have monarchies, but their kings and queens rule their people quite loosely for the most part; often they are treated more as celebrities than royalty.

Due to infertility among their people, elven families are usually very small, most never having more than one or two children at best, despite their very long lifetimes. Thus, elven families tend to be pretty close-knit.

Tools, Technology, and Weapons
Although much of their magic was lost in the wars that shattered the world, the elves did retain a few secrets and guard them jealously. They are also excellent craftsmen, capable of creating magical weapons and the ever coveted elven chainmail. But they do not manufacture such items, but rather treat each one as a work of art.

Gaming Notes
Standard rules for high elves in the PHB are used.



Gnomes

Appearance
The most distinctive physical trait of the gnome is an enormous nose. This is something of a source of pride to a gnome, like a dwarf’s beard.

Gnomes stand about 3 1/2 feet on average. Unlike dwarves, they are more lightly built. The brownish color of gnomes’ skin ranges from light tan to nearly black. This isn’t affected by exposure to the sun at all. Like dwarves, most gnomes grow beards. But they tend to keep them trimmed short or into fashionable shapes like goatees and such.

Personality
Gnomes have lively and sly senses of humor, especially for practical jokes. They have a great love of living things and finely wrought items, particularly gems and jewelry. Gnomes love all sorts of precious stones and are masters of gem polishing and cutting.

They can be sly and furtive toward those they do not know or trust, and somewhat reserved under the best of circumstances.

History
The gnomes were first discovered by the dwarves, living underground and fairly close to the surface. The dwarves dismissed them as irrelevant at first, but then discovered their skills with gems and jewelry. This led to the two races opening trade relations.

Over time, the dwarves started infringing on gnomish society more and more. Gnomes became dependent on the dwarves for just about everything, until they reached a point that they could no longer feasibly survive without their help. Once they were fully integrated into dwarven society, they were mostly kept in ghettoes and treated as second-class citizens.

Gnomes were oppressed for many centuries. Some would attempt to escape and form their own communities, but dwarves owned everything underground and the elves everything above. There was no place they could go where they wouldn’t be under somebody’s thumb.

Thus when the humans led an insurrection against the elves and dwarves, the gnomes were more than eager to join in. Their knowledge of the dwarves proved very useful in the rebellion, and led to the human victory over the dwarves.

Unfortunately, human overlords weren’t much better than dwarven or elven ones. The gnomes once again found themselves oppressed and treated poorly. It wasn’t until the Carnage War passed that gnomes finally found themselves free.

Government
Gnomes are clannish, with friendly rivalries between neighboring clans. Their society is well organized, with many levels of responsibility, culminating in a single chief who is advised by clerics in matters directly relating to their calling.

Tools, Technology, and Weapons
Gnomes don’t have any special tools or weapons of their own, although many sometimes use dwarven guns or elven enchanted items.

Gaming Notes
Standard rules for rock gnomes in the PHB are used.



Halflings

Appearance
Averaging about 3’ in height, halflings are slightly stockier in build than is typical for humankind. Their complexions run the gamut from pale to very dark, with hair color correspondingly blond to black and eyes that are brown or hazel. They rarely wear shoes (only in bad weather or bitter cold) and can be easily distinguished by the thick patches of hair growing atop each foot. They have no facial hair (besides eyebrows and eyelashes, of course). They wear brightly-colored, comfortable clothes, such as trousers or shirts or dresses, with a vest, jacket, hat, sash or bonnet added as a flourish. Their faces are round and very expressive, often appearing childlike to humans.

Halflings are slightly longer-lived than humans, averaging 100 years—though a few patriarch and matriarchs have reached ages of 140 and beyond. Full adulthood is generally recognized at about 25 years of age.

Personality
Halflings are sturdy and industrious, generally quiet and peaceful. Overall they prefer the comforts of home to dangerous adventuring. They enjoy good living, rough humor, and homespun stories. Halflings are not forward, but they are observant and conversational if in friendly company. They see wealth only as a means of gaining creature comforts, which they love. Though they are not overly brave or ambitious, they are generally honest and hardworking when there is need.

History
The halflings were first discovered by the elves, living in the pastoral fields of what is now Gontoria. The elves were horrified to find the industrious halflings chopping down trees for lumber or raising animals only to slaughter them for meat and pelts. Believing themselves the caretakers of the land (of all lands), the elves decided the halflings were a threat to the balance of nature. They had them relocated throughout the land in smaller numbers, and the halflings had little choice but to comply, for they had no magic to counter the elves’ own.

Halflings were forced to live in ghettos in elven cities and had little in the way of rights or freedoms. Some petitioned the elves to allow them to purchase their own land. The elves decided to allow it, but under numerous restrictions and under strict oversight. The halflings would spend generations working farmland to pay off the debts of buying the land, but the elves always found ways to increase the debt faster than the halflings could pay it off. They had effectively become indentured servants.

When the humans rebelled against the elves, the halflings were quick to join the movement. They proved instrumental in bringing down the elven empire with their stealth and cunning, by finding and exploiting weaknesses from the inside. However, when the humans took over and formed the Eonia Empire, the halflings found they were just as oppressive as the elves had been.

When the Carnage War ended, halflings began to scatter to all four corners of the known world. They do what they can to eke out a living, hoping that one day, they can reclaim their ancestral lands and live in peace and prosperity once more.

Government
Halflings generally prefer to elect their leaders through democracy, allowing the people to choose. How often elections are held and the particulars of them tend to vary from community to community.

Tools, Technology, Weapons
Halflings don’t have any special tools or weapons of their own.

Gaming Notes
Standard rules for hairfoot halflings in the PHB are used.



Half-Elves

Overview
Half-elves are the most common mixed-race beings. They are often like their elven parent in appearance. They are handsome folk, with the good features of both races. They are a bit taller and stockier than elves, but less so than humans. They typically live 250 years.

In general, a half-elf has the curiosity, inventiveness, and ambition of his human ancestors, and the refined senses, love of nature, and artistic tastes of his elven ancestors.

Half-elves tend to not form communities of their own, but rather live among both human and elven societies. Unfortunately, they often face prejudice from both sides.

[JadedDM]

Here's some information on non-core races. These are much rarer and require special DM permission to play.

Half-Orcs – Half-orcs result from orc reunions with virtually any humanoid or demi-human race except elves. These mixed breeds tend to favor the orcish parents, though a small number can pass for ugly humans. They face far worse prejudice than half-elves do, due to their looks and heritage. (+1 STR and CON, -2 CHA)

Half-Ogres – These are the offspring of ogre and human matings. They have much of the strength and size of their ogre heritage, but also retain much of the native intelligence and reason of their human side. Half-ogres stand between seven and eight feet tall, appearing as huge humans. The skin coloration that marks ogres is very much subdued in half-ogres: swarthy skin, lank hair, and usually but not always, human eyes. (+1 STR and CON, -1 INT and CHA)

Genasi – Genasi are humans who have planar blood intermingled with their own. Another term for Genasi are ‘plane-touched.’ Air genasi are descended from creatures like djinn, sylphs and such. (+1 DEX and INT, -1 WIS and CHA) Earth genasi are descended from creatures like pechs, dao, etc. (+1 STR and CON, -1 WIS and CHA) Fire genasi are descended from beings such as efreeti and such. (+1 INT, -1 CHA) And finally, there are water genasi, which come from nereids, tritons, etc. (+1 CON, -1 CHA)

Goblinoids – Goblinoids include goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears. Goblins are small humanoids, growing to a height of about four feet. (-1 STR and CHA, +1 DEX) Hobgoblins are basically larger, smarter goblins. (-1 CHA) Bugbears are giant, hairy goblins, about seven feet tall and a vicious appearance. (+1 STR, -1 INT and CHA)

Beastmen – Beastmen include aarakocra, bullywugs, gnolls, kobolds, and lizardmen. Aarakocra are a race of intelligent bird-men that live among the highest mountain peaks. (+1 DEX, -1 STR and CON) Bullywugs are bipedal frog-like amphibians inhabiting swamps and marshes. (+1 DEX, -1 INT and CHA) Gnolls are large, evil hyena-like humanoids that roam the land in loosely organized bands. (+1 STR, -1 INT and CHA) Kobolds are short, scaly humanoids. (-1 STR and CON) Lizardmen are semi-aquatic reptilian humanoids. (No adjustments)

Fae – Fae include centaurs and satyrs. Centaurs have the upper torso, arms and head of a human, and the lower body of a horse. (+1 CON and WIS, -2 DEX) Satyrs are half-human, half-goat creatures. (+1 DEX and CON, -1 INT and CHA)

[JadedDM]

There are two sets of gods on Amtar. The Guardian gods were the originals, or so they claim. The story goes that they created the world and populated it with life and energy. However, this act exhausted them so that they all went into a deep slumber.

While they slept, a new set of gods appeared and took over their creation. These are often known as the Imperial gods (as they were at their peak during the times of the largest empires). These are the gods who created the sentient races and spread them over the world.

When Carnage was summoned and the world was torn asunder, the Imperial gods vanished. Some say they fled in fear of the demon, others say Carnage destroyed them outright. Whatever the case, followers of the Imperial gods lost all of their divine-given powers and all communion was severed. The sundering of the world also served to awaken the Guardian gods. They discovered their creation infested with lifeforms and in total chaos. They have since stepped in, creating new priesthoods and doing their best to get things back on track. The Guardian gods are Crizza, Gonto, Octhanus, Renos, and Rabbah.


CRIZZA (Crusader)
Crizza is often depicted as a large white bird. He is the god of art, freedom, travel, trickery and luck. Sometimes he is known as the Crusader. The old stories claim that after the world was forged, he flapped his mighty wings to cool it, and consequently, created the atmosphere and wind currents.

The priesthoods of Crizza teach that an individual’s fate is of his own creation. They preach that a single person can change the world and that power should never be horded by a few. To a follower of Crizza, a person’s choices are what shape his future and they are encouraged to always take responsibility for their own actions. Crizza also promotes the idea that life is short and one should always take chances and live it to the fullest.

Priests of Crizza often travel the world, and so are found just about everywhere.


GONTO (Arbiter)
Gonto is often depicted as a blind mole. She is the goddess of crafts, commerce, structure, knowledge, and fate. Sometimes she is known as the Arbiter. The old stories claim that she helped forge the world from a large chunk of amethyst found in the ether. The sparks that flew from her hammer formed the stars in the sky. After she was done, she padded down the world with earth. A later story claims she was once scared so badly by the trickster, Crizza, that her eyes popped from her head and remained stuck in the sky, becoming the moons.

The priesthoods of Gonto teach that justice, like their goddess, is blind. They believe that everyone is born with a destiny, and it is up to that person to figure out what it is and follow it. Followers are taught to always tell and seek the truth and promote the idea that only by building the optimal civilization can sentient life find peace and prosperity. Without law and justice, people inevitably fall into anarchy. Only by people working together can the world be rebuilt to its former glories.

Priests of Gonto tend to be found in more civilized areas, but it’s not uncommon to find them out in the wild frontier, helping to spread civilization.


OCTHANUS (Nurturer)
Octhanus is usually depicted as a dolphin. She is the goddess of healing, love, compassion, and peace. She is sometimes called the Nurturer. The old stories claim that she filled the oceans and lakes after the world was forged.

The priesthoods of Octhanus are dedicated to the virtues of love, compassion and mercy. They believe that all living things have value and should be treated with respect. They are well known for their knowledge of the healing arts, both magical and mundane. Followers are taught to love their neighbors and forgive all wrong-doings against each other. They focus heavily on helping the weak, sick and downtrodden.

Priests of Octhanus can be found anywhere people are suffering or need help.


RENOS (Harbinger)
Renos is depicted as a wolf normally. He is the god of vengeance, passion, strength and war. He is sometimes called the Harbinger. The old stories claimed that he heated the world up, so that it could be forged. A later story claims that after being hassled by the trickster, Crizza, he breathed a ball of flame at the avian god. The fireball missed, but became stuck in the sky, becoming the sun instead.

The priesthoods of Renos teach that one must find strength within. If you want something in life, you must fight for it. Having everything handed to you teaches you nothing, except to be weak and dependent on others. True strength can only be obtained through suffering. Those with power make the rules, so you should always seek more power; otherwise, you will never get what you want in life. One should never show weakness to others, or else they will seek to exploit and take advantage of you. Slights must not go unpunished for the same reason. Consequently, followers of Renos are big on vengeance.

Priests of Renos are fairly common, especially in places where life is difficult.


RABBAH (Conduit)
On occasion, Rabbah is known as the Conduit. Rabbah is not a traditional god, but more of a force of nature. Rabbah has no priests and does not grant divine spells. The old stories claim that Rabbah is the energy that was utilized to grant life to all living things when the world was created. Although it is believed that Rabbah is sentient, and is still considered part of the Guardian gods, Rabbah does not seem to ever intervene in mortal affairs on any level.

Nevertheless, there are some cultists who worship Rabbah anyway in the hopes that one day, the deity will listen and respond.

[JadedDM]

All clerics, at third level, an acolyte becomes an anointed cleric and may perform all of the duties expected of them. At ninth level, the cleric becomes a patriarch/matriarch and may build a stronghold and collect followers. The highest ranking priest in the church is the High Priest/Priestess.

Druids worship the elemental aspects of the gods only. They may choose a specific deity (earth, wind, water or fire) or worship them all as a single entity.

Church of Octhanus
Followers of Octhanus pray by placing their hands on their hearts. This is to remind them that when in doubt, one should always listen to their heart.

Duties: Priests are expected to provide guidance and council when asked. They can perform marriages and in fact, are encouraged to help others celebrate love (they oppose the idea of marriages of convenience or politics). On occasion, priests are sent on missions of diplomacy, mercy, or aid. They must heal the sick and injured whenever asked. They are expected to educate others in the arts of healing when requested. A cleric of Octhanus must never willingly take the life of a sentient, mortal being unless there is no other option available.

Priests of Octhanus are not required to take oaths of celibacy or chastity; in fact, they are expected to get married at some point in their lives.

The vestments of a cleric of Octhanus are varying shades of blue; the darker the blue, the higher the rank of priest. An acolyte wears a very light powder blue robe. The High Priestess wears a very deep, dark blue. Their holy icon is a crescent-shaped dolphin. Priests of Octhanus are expected to wear their vestments and/or holy icon (at least one or the other) in public wherever they go, marking them as priests.

The holy canon of Octhanus is a book known as the Virtue Edicts. A copy costs 450 gold pieces and all clerics are expected to have one sometime between third and fifth level.

Church of Crizza
Followers of Crizza pray by stretching their arms skyward, like a bird spreading its wings. This is to remind them to appreciate their freedom and always pursue it.

Duties: Priests are expected to provide guidance and council when asked. They can perform marriages. They encourage those who exhibit artistic/musical abilities and participate in events where artists’ works are displayed. They are to be vigilant against forces (usually society) that make people too responsible too young, that mature them too quickly.

Priests of Crizza are not required to take oaths of chastity; but are not allowed to marry.

The vestments of a cleric of Crizza are yellow and orange. Acolytes have simple yellow robes, and as they advance in rank, more orange is added to them. The High Priest wears white robes with yellow trim. Their holy icon is a bird with its wings spread. Priests are not required to wear their vestments and icon while traveling, but do need to wear them for official ceremonies and while at temple.

The church of Crizza has no official holy canon.

Church of Gonto
Followers of Gonto pray by holding hands with other followers, forming a circle. If there are no others, the priest simply clasps his hands together, making a circle of one. This is to remind people that only by working together can prosperity be made for all.

Duties: Priests are expected to provide guidance and council when asked, particularly in the doctrine of acceptance of the will of the gods. They can perform marriages, but discourage members of their flock to marry for love if it means alienating the families and living in poverty. They are to educate those on craftsmanship and promote craftsmanship in the community. They are to show vigilance against those who would censor knowledge or spread misinformation.

Priests of Gonto are not required to take oaths of chastity or celibacy.

The vestments of a cleric of Gonto are green. As they advance in rank, the trim of the robes changes color. Copper is the lowest, then bronze, silver, gold and finally platinum. The High Priestess has robes that are trimmed with purple, representing the amethyst core of the world. Their holy icon is a mole rolled up into a ball. Priests of Gonto are required to wear their vestments and icon whenever in public.

The church of Gonto has a rather hefty and convoluted canon known simply as The Doctrine. There have been multiple editions over the centuries, and the most recent version is the fourth edition (although there is a rumor that a fifth edition is in the works). A copy costs 850 gold pieces and all clerics are expected to have one sometime between third and fifth level.

Church of Renos
Followers of Renos pray by balling up their fists and crossing their arms over their chest, forming an ‘X’. This is to represent that they are on their own, save for the grace of Renos, and cannot rely on others.

Duties: Priests are expected to provide guidance and council when asked. They can perform marriages. They are to show vigilance against complacency and tide of philosophies of peacefulness; if a land is too peaceful for too long, they must shake things up.

Priests of Renos are not required to take oaths of chastity or celibacy.

The vestments of a cleric of Renos are red. As they advance in rank, various emblems that represent their place in the hierarchy are sewn onto their robes. Their holy icon is lone wolf. Priests of Renos are not required to wear their vestments and icon when public; but they usually do, as it is a great source of pride for many clerics.

The canon for the church of Renos is known as the Burning Commands. It’s a fairly thin tome, as canons go, so a copy usually only runes 250 gold pieces. Clerics are expected to acquire one between third and fifth level.

[JadedDM]

Storm Sorcery Academy
The Storm Sorcery Academy was founded by a small cabal of wizards nearly a hundred years ago. This cabal, who were known then as the Storm Sorcerers, had become an elite group of spellcasters after many adventures on the high seas. They decided to retire by using the vast resources they had acquired to build a large school on a small, abandoned island named Ketos. The school’s motto is “Knowledge is Power.” Their mascot is a roc.

The academy generally takes students at about the age of 12. The children stay there, training in the arcane arts, usually for the next six to ten years. Students are provided with rooms in the housing-halls and meals in the college’s refectory. The tuition is steep. It costs 500 gold pieces a year.

When the student reaches the point that they’re shown to be capable of casting level 1 spells, they are given a final exam and either pass or fail. If they fail, they must continue training. Even if they pass, they can still keep returning for further classes and training, as well as full use of the academy’s laboratories and libraries.

If a wizard PC attends this academy, they start the game with Detect Magic and Read Magic, and six spells of their choice without rolling for them.

Graduates of the academy receive a special signet ring that marks them as alumni. As Storm Sorcerers are always in high demand (most ships desire at least one on their crew roster), the ring serves as a useful résumé. When any kind of magic is applied to the ring (including simple cantrips), the school’s motto magically appears on it for a few seconds. This enchantment makes the rings very difficult to forge.

Among the curriculum includes the following courses.

Physical Training, Philosophy of Magic, Basic Astrology, Spell Theory, Fundamentals of Meditation, Language Instruction, History of Magic, Magic and Society, Power Thinking, Survey of Literature, Library Instruction, Fundamentals of Spell Transcription, Principles of Casting, Spell Tutorial, Spell Seminar, Spell Practicum, Formula Analysis, and Laboratory Techniques, Seamanship Training, and Basic Principles of Navigation.

[JadedDM]

Here is some information on the ten major islands of Octhania, from south to north.

Immerfort
Government: The island of Immerfort is one of the larger and most civilized of the islands. It is a militocracy governed by a High Admiral Immer Dantante. The island is run under martial law, and all citizens are expected to serve some capacity in the navy for a time when they come of age. The navy is centered around an elite group of naval knights known as the Coral Knights.

History: The people of Immerfort descended from the Eonian navy. When the Carnage War came, the navy was all but destroyed. Those few that survived found themselves facing uprisings from the common people of the islands. They were forced to pull back to Immerfort and consolidate their numbers there.

Although generations have now passed, and the empire is long dead, the people of Immerfort are still dedicated to order, discipline and harmony. They believe it is their duty to bring harmony to all of the islands by reclaiming their former glory as masters of the sea.

Long ago, a valuable artifact known as the Dracograal was said to grant the Coral Knights supernatural powers, including the ability to breathe underwater and swim like a fish. The relic was lost after the Carnage War, and nobody is quite sure what became of it. It is considered a priority of the Coral Knights to find it, though, and use its power to restore their lost glory.

Politics: Immerfort has something of a reputation among the other islands as being a hardened police state. While its residents are treated well, they have little in the way of personal freedoms. This is for their own good, as far as the Coral Knights are concerned. Immerfort has no official alliances, but they do have decent relations with some of the other islands, including Sanctuary. They also have ties with the Guild, the Magi of the Deep, and some of the Mer kingdoms (namely, the Reef Giants, Undines, and Tritons).

There was once several clans of ogres and barbarians that dwelled in the mountains, but the Coral Knights have widely wiped them out. Most were killed in battle, but those that were captured were imprisoned and put through a reeducation program in an attempt to civilize them and integrate them into society. There has been some success with this program, and so sometimes one finds ogres and half-ogres on the island.

Because of the island’s Eonian roots, humans tend to get better treatment in society than any other race. For instance, only humans are allowed to join the Coral Knights.

Religion: The primary faiths found in Immerfort are the Churches of Octhanus and Gonto.

Trade: Immerfort trades with its underwater neighbors, usually in hopes of finding the Dracograal. They also receive shark leather and coral weaponry from the merfolk, often trading silver and gold jewelry in exchange. The mountains in Immerfort are rich with various ores, and they are mined for all they are worth.

Vaneil
Government: Vaneil is a syndicracy ruled by the Guild. The Guild controls all commerce on the island, sets the laws, collects taxes, and determines prices. The Guild itself is led by the Merchant Lord Granite Redhammer, who was elected among the High Merchant Council, which consists of nine men.

History: Long before the Eonian Empire came into being, it was common for the dwarves to banish their criminals to Octhania. As dwarves hate boats and the sea, it was an excellent prison. However, after the dwarven and Eonian empires fell, the dwarves still there (or rather, their descendants) had grown accustomed to the fresh air, sunlight, and tides.

After the Carnage War, things were very difficult. The dwarves realized that the only way to get things back on track was through commerce. Various islands had goods they could do without and goods they desperately needed. But nobody would share or trade, hence there was a great deal of murder, piracy, and theft. The dwarves thus formed the Guild in hopes of reestablishing order.

One of the first acts of the Guild was to construct Paradise City, a large tropical resort with a massive bazaar. It is a prime vacation spot for many wealthy lords and ladies all over the world.

Politics: The people of Vaneil are not only law-abiding; they are passionate creators of arcane bureaucracies. The tendency to organize and regulate everything easily gets out of control. There are ministries, councils, commissions, departments, offices, and cabinets for everything. The people are not tremendously concerned with the effectiveness of the government, so long as it functions. They try and have good relations with everyone, except perhaps the League.

Religion: The main religion in Vaneil is the church of Gonto.

Trade: Trade and commerce are what this island is all about. The Guild will trade in any goods except slaves, and only because they don’t want to cause up any trouble with bad relations. Tourism is a big money maker for them.

Hashadeth
Government: Hashadeth, from the elven phrase ‘eternal ocean freedom’ is a democracy run by an elected governor. The governor, Lorne Half-Elven, imposes few laws on the people, as they tend to vote against laws that threaten their personal freedoms anyway. People are largely allowed to govern themselves. Towns are usually protected by their own militias or by hiring mercenaries. Elections are held every five years.

History: Supposedly, Hashadeth was once a hotbed for rebel and insurrectionist activity. The elves, in particular, were said to use it as a secret base to plan a coup against the Eonian Empire. However, it never came to fruition. The Carnage War beat them to it.

When the war was over, the people of Hashadeth were often forced to turn to piracy and theft to survive. After a while, one group in particular known as the Blue Lightning became fairly well-known. They were said to never kill unless they had to, and seemed to mostly focus on slavers and pirates. Over time, the people began to romanticize this group, as well as pirates and swashbucklers in general.

Eventually, people started getting back on their feet and stopped pirating. The Blue Lightning, however, continued their activities and grew in number and popularity. Although seen as a scourge to cutthroats and slavers, they were heroes to the common folk.

By this point in time, a warlord had managed to take over the island, imposing his brutal will on the people. The Blue Lightning often thwarted him, much to the people’s delight. The warlord’s tyranny came to an end when the Blue Lightning staged an elaborate coup and removed him from power. A new government was set up, one that allowed people the freedom to choose their own leaders.

Since then, the island has been run by a democracy. The government claims to have no official ties with the Blue Lightning, which continue to attack pirates, slavers and prove a nuisance to the Coral Knights (who view them as vigilantes) to this day.

Politics: The people of Hashadeth mean well and try to do right, but have a strong dislike for big government. Although there is a single governor, most communities are allowed to manage themselves, so long as they pay their taxes and obey a few broad edicts. There isn’t much in the way of law enforcement, and the people have a tendency to take the law into their own hands when necessary. They have good relations with Sanctuary, but poor relations with Immerfort.

Religion: Any faith is allowed in Hashadeth, so long as it’s not evil. The two main faiths are the churches of Octhanus and Crizza.

Trade: The people of Hashadeth mostly trade in lumber. They refuse to associate with the guild, which they view as a monopoly that is forcing their taxes and rules on everyone.

Mond
Government: Mond has no government, at least not in any sense that the word is traditionally defined. In Mond, everyone is considered equal. There is no rank, no hierarchy and no status. People are expected to police themselves. If someone robs you, it is up to you to deal with it. The only justice is mob justice. Mond is just about a full anarchy.

Ironically, the only real authority figure is the leader of the League who dwells on the island and oversees it. She would argue she is not a leader, although many revere her, saying she is directly connected to the god, Crizza. She is a human barbarian woman named Bear Claw.

The League refers to the only organization found on the island, the League of Freed Ones. It is dedicated to maintaining the freedom of the Octhanian islands by enforcing a single agenda—to never allow power to be focused in one place.

History: Shortly after the Carnage War ended, Crizza is said to have appeared on the island. He explained that the Carnage War was a result of all of the world’s power being held in the hands of a few. The elves and dwarves had their empires, then the hobgoblins, then the humans. As long as power is split up between everyone equally, there will never be another Carnage War.

Thus did the League of Freed Ones, a religious order dedicated to making sure each island remained equal in power, form to make sure that never did any one island gain the upper-hand over its neighbors.

Politics: Mond is a pretty wild and strange place. All people are welcome, so long as they do not attempt to push their beliefs on others; there are no laws or law enforcement; and then there’s the matter of the League.

The League itself has a strong influence over the islands. The League’s spies, infiltrators, assassins and meddlers constantly interfere with the day-to-day affairs of the other islands, always making sure things stay ‘equal.’ Consequently, none of the other islands like or trust the League or anyone from the island in general, seeing them as criminals and deviants.

In truth, there is some merit to this stereotype. Because of the lack of laws and law enforcement, many criminals operate from Mond or use it as a hideout when they are on the run.

Religion: The primary faith of Mond is toward Crizza, naturally.

Trade: Any trading done on Mond is through individuals. There are no guilds or businesses there. They do not associate with the Guild whatsoever.

Sanctuary
Government: This island has a theocratic government dedicated to the gods (Octhanus in particular). It is controlled by an organization within the Octhanus church called the Divine Trinity, named so because of its three factions. The first faction is dedicated to healing the sick and wounded and is known as the Mercies. The second faction is dedicated to protecting the weak and is called the Shieldbearers. The third faction is dedicated to nurturing family and community, and they are called the Hearthtenders. Each faction is associated with a color, which are azure, olive green and lavender respectively. The island is run by the high priestess of Octhanus, Abigail Deheune. The island of Sanctuary is considered sacred ground, blessed by the gods. Although deeply devout, the people of Sanctuary are not fanatics, and are in fact, fairly tolerant to other beliefs. Their main concern is in helping people, not conquest or conversion.

History: The Divine Trinity was said to have been started up by the halflings shortly after the Carnage War ended and the church of Octhanus was reborn. People were in dire straits and in desperate need of healing, protection and rebuilding. This led to the organization being formed, along with its three factions, to properly see to the needs of the survivors.

The Divine Trinity hopes to spread its message of mercy, love and compassion to all of the islands, because the only way to end the conflicts the people are now facing is by caring about each other.

Politics: Sanctuary is a friendly and open place, where nobody is turned away, so long as they do not harbor ill intentions. There is really only one law to be followed, and that law is ‘Do no harm.’ Sanctuary has good relations with Immerfort, Hashadeth, and some of the merfolk nations.

Religion: While any faith is allowed, so long as it holds no malice, the only religion with any political clout is the church of Octhanus.

The three factions of the Divine Trinity collaborate to protect the island in times of danger. The Mercies serve as medics while the Shieldbearers fight on the frontlines. However, due to the very useful services the Church offers (such as magical healing), few people would seek to do them harm. (Note that PC clerics of Octhanus are not required to join the Divine Trinity.)

Trade: Sanctuary trades with many of its neighbors, including the merfolk. They often barter their services for whatever they need, as magical healing and protection are always in high demand. There’s also an abundance of boars and pigs on the island, and they are largely domesticated.

Draska
Government: Draska is a plutocracy where the wealthiest rule. Or in other words, whoever has the gold, rules. There’s a small council of the six wealthiest, with the richest among them being the leader. Currently that leader is one Derigo Zander. Many speculate that he is the leader of the Silent Rays, a group of smugglers and pirates that plague the seas. Officially, he claims to have no ties to them at all.

History: Like Gunn, Draska was devastated in the Carnage War. Instead of turning to slavery, though, they instead turned to piracy. Unlike the people of Hashadeth, they were very cutthroat about it. They raided many towns, villages and other ships for food, water, riches, and people.

Those who were most successful at this became very wealthy on an island of very poor people. This gave them incredible power, both economically and politically. They could buy whatever they wanted, because the people were too poor to turn them down. This included land and slaves. They hired bodyguards to protect them and assassins to deal with their rivals. Eventually, the island became as cutthroat as the pirates themselves.

Politics: The people of Draska are out to get ahead by any means necessary. The government is corrupt to the core and thoroughly broken. The council is a cesspool of intrigue, shady alliances, backstabs, and bribery.

Religion: The locals follow a strange faith that is a mix of Renos and Gonto. They believe in acquiring money and power through any means, as the strong take what they want from the weak.

Trade: They trade quite a bit with everyone that they can, and just take what they want otherwise. They do work with the guild, but often try to undermine it and corrupt it, as well.

Octhanus
Government: Octhanus is gynarchy run entirely by an elite group of female only druids and rangers known as the Swanmays. Their leader, the Swan Queen, Ashling Quinn, was chosen by the will of the gods. Despite this, all Swanmays are considered equal sisters.

History: The story goes that once these islands were populated only by humans, until the elves came and enslaved them. The elves pushed their beliefs and civilization upon the humans, but some fought back and kept to the old ways. The people of this island are the descendants of those people. The name of the islands, Octhania, comes from Octhanus. Thus, the people that live on this island often refer to themselves as ‘true’ Octhanians and generally take offense when someone uses that term to refer to citizens of any of the islands.

The gods, angered by the elves betrayal, appeared to a young woman and granted her the power to turn into a swan. She became the first Swanmay, and she learned to teach others how to as well. The Swanmays were charged with keeping nature intact, and it’s a duty they take very seriously. When the Carnage War came, the Swanmays believed that the fault lay with the males, who were too easily corrupted by power to be trusted.

Politics: The people of Octhanus live off the land, eschewing most modern conveniences and existing in harmony with nature. There are no cities or towns, only simple villages. Men are allowed on the island, but are not allowed to hold positions of power and have little say in governing matters. Octhanus has no partnerships with other islands, preferring to be left alone. They do barter and commune with some of the merfolk, however.

Religion: The only faith practiced on the island is that of the Swanmays, which are covens dedicated to the elemental aspects of the gods.

Trade: The people of Octhanus don’t trade with anyone but some of the merfolk. Outsiders and visitors are tolerated, so long as they behave, but are watched closely and treated with suspicion (especially men).

Gunn
Government: The island of Gunn is run by an autocracy controlled by one man, a wizard known as Kendril Nuhivre. His tyranny is draconian with severe laws and harsh punishments for transgressions regardless of guilt or innocence. Laws generally maintain the status quo instead of serving justice. Social class stifles personal advancement and bribery and graft are rampant. The Slaver Syndicate holds considerable political clout here.

History: Of all the islands, Gunn was probably hit the worst during the Carnage War. Originally, Gunn and Draska were actually the same island, but Carnage cut right through the land, severing the island into two. Massive storms of fire and lightning devastated both islands, but especially Gunn.

Those who survived were forced to do terrible things to live. Resources were scarce and people began fighting and killing each other for a mere sack of grain or a gallon of water. Eventually, one of the Eonian barons managed to build up an army of loyal followers and started conquering the island. He quelled the riots and forced peace upon the people by brutal means when necessary.

In this way, order and peace were restored, and the warlord declared himself king. However, there was still much rebuilding to do. Not having the money to pay people, slavery proved to be a very useful tool. If a family could not afford to make ends meet, they could sell one of their children into slavery. This would give them some money, and provide free labor for the king to help in rebuilding. Eventually, the entire economy became dependent on slavery to exist.

Criminals were made into slaves instead of executed, with the exception of the most brutal and mad ones. If a slave died before earning his or her freedom, they would be reanimated as undead to finish the task.

A syndicate was formed of slavers who were to oversee the buying and selling of slaves, as well as find ways to acquire new ones (sailing the seas for criminals and pirates to capture or searching for uncivilized cultures to cull).

Politics: Gunn can be a difficult place to live unless you toe the line or are wealthy enough to bribe your way out of trouble. Nuhivre’s word is law and breaking that law can result in you being enslaved, killed, or killed and then reanimated to be enslaved. The people keep to themselves and don’t trust outsiders. They keep their heads down and avoid trouble when possible. Gunn has decent relations with the Guild and Draska, but not much anyone else.

Religion: The primary faith of Gunn are the teachings of Renos. This faith preaches that the strongest survive, while the weak perish.

Trade: Gunn mainly deals with slaves, as few others will. They also offer their services of animating the dead for slave labor.

Doubloon
Government: Doubloon is ruled by a dictatorship. Currently, the ruler is a warlord who slew the previous leader, an insane woman named Anya Marit. She is little more than a bully, but a bully with power. She keeps her people in line with fear of death or torture. She hopes to use her army to take over the other islands one day.

History: Doubloon was actually once a fairly peaceful place. The king was not particularly benevolent or cruel, taxes were at a reasonable level, and while things could have been better, they weren’t bad enough to really be a cause for serious complaint.

This all changed about 40 years ago.

It was then that the general of the island’s army, Anya Marit, suddenly and inexplicably went mad. Or so people say. Others claim she planned this from the beginning. Nobody really knows for sure. What is certain is that despite being highly decorated and well-respected, she suddenly launched a bloody coup against her own sovereign, killing the king and taking his throne.

Since then, she’s ruled with an iron and capricious fist. People are sometimes killed or imprisoned for no given reason. She is continually building up her power, but is hindered by the fact that she keeps imprisoning or executing those loyal to her out of paranoia.

Politics: The people of Doubloon are ruled by the adage that ‘might makes right.’ Any degree of treachery or violence is accepted as a form of advancement. The only law is Marit’s law, and that law can change on a whim. It is a kingdom ruled by fear.

Religion: Both Renos and Crizza tend to be popular here.

Trade: There is little trade here. Marit takes what she wants from her own people, so she does not do without. As for the people themselves, they’re expected to fend for themselves. Their well-being means little to her.

Airlinn
Airlinn is a big mystery. It's not a traditional island, in that it is not in the sea. Rather, it floats hundreds of miles in the air. When the flying city of Infinity was destroyed, a few pieces of them survived and remained aloft. Most remained way out in the middle of nowhere, but this one managed to slowly drift toward the islands before stopping.

There are many different legends and myths about what might be found on Airlinn. Some say a flock of dragons live up there. Others claim that Eonains who survived the war dwell there, looking down on the ground-bound men from their mighty perch. Some think the island is abandoned, but may hold many old treasures and relics left behind by the Eonians.

Whatever may be up there, it's difficult to access. Only with magic or a flying mount could one reach the island. Those few who have tried never returned.

[JadedDM]

Cantrips - Cantrips are often overlooked by wizards and their players, but only because many players have overlooked the many possibilities that cantrips have to offer. Which spells do almost anything you want? There are two--Wish and Cantrip.

Apprentices to great wizards have long known the only way to learn the art of magic is to practice, and practice hard. Magical training devours years of youth, and the regime for neophyte wizards is rigorous, exhausting, and often tedious. Before a young mage can master even such simple incantations as the spells Sleep or Read Magic, he must be able to call upon magical forces to produce any effect he desires.

Such spells are commonly known as cantrips or "little wishes," and while they have only a minor influence on the surrounding world, they are nonetheless important. Cantrips teach the basic lessons of magic-simple conjurations, illusions and alterations. Once he masters the cantrip, the wizard can progress to more complex spells. At this point, many wizards abandon cantrips entirely, regarding their minor effects as beneath themselves to cast.

Mechanics of Cantrips: A wise mage, however, knows how to use cantrips to their full effect. For mages of first level or greater, cantrips are so trivial to cast that they need not be memorized. Instead, little wishes can be treated as a proficiency.

A character with the cantrip proficiency has learned enough of the rudiments of magic to conjure minor mystical effects. While all mages learn cantrips as part of their training, many forget the basics once they become fully-fledged mages. Others are too proud (and arrogant) to use such "petty magics."

When a character tries to cast a cantrip, the player must describe the form he wishes the spell to take. In combat, cantrips have a casting time of 2. A proficiency check is rolled to determine whether the verbal and somatic components have been executed correctly (cantrips do not require material components). A successful check means the cantrip was cast as desired, and a failed check means the cantrip fizzles. A roll of 20 has no additional effect, unless the DM decides otherwise.

Even the simplest spell creates a mental burden, so the number of cantrips a PC can use is limited. All characters may cast four cantrips per day, plus one per wizard or bard level. Each additional cantrip cast beyond this limit inflicts a cumulative -1 penalty on the proficiency check. Failed checks still count against the total.

School-Specific Cantrips: The cantrip spell spans all schools of magic and has a limitless number of uses. However, DMs should determine exactly which school a particular effect belongs to. Specialist mages cast more reliable cantrips in their own school of magic, and bonuses to saving throws may also apply. However, they cannot use cantrips from their forbidden schools. A list of commonly used cantrips, listed by magical school, follows:

Abjuration Cantrips
Abjuration cantrips tend to be practical, often employed by apprentices to clean up rooms, dust shelves, sweep and polish floors, wash or dry clothes, aid the caster's balance, and warm or cool foods and drinks. Minor wards can also be established (10' radius maximum) against insects or rodents, or an area can be enchanted to stay cool or warm. The cleaning cantrips may either animate cleaning utensils or create ghostly phantom utensils.

Alteration Cantrips
The cantrips of alteration magic represent a wide range of uses, from changing the colors of faded plants or garments, to altering the taste of food, or freshening spoiled food-in these forms they are permanent. Such cantrips can also gather firewood; hide footprints; cut, tie, or untie knots in rope or string; or brighten and dim lights. Alteration cantrips can also act as rudimentary polymorph spells, able to change insects to rodents or vice versa for up to one turn (10 rounds). Furthermore, they can change vegetable or animal items into others within the same kingdom for one turn or less, depending upon how drastic the change is. The physical shape of small mineral objects can be altered, such as a coin changing to a ring. Such a transformation lasts for one round. They cannot be used to alter the properties of a larger organism.

Conjuration and Summoning Cantrips
These cantrips can summon tiny creatures: normal insects, rodents, or nonpoisonous spiders, or snakes. Normal items weighing less than one pound can also be conjured permanently; such items may not be worth more than 1 gp and may not be made from any valuable material. Items between one and five pounds in weight can be conjured, but they remain for only one turn before disappearing. Invisible forces can also be conjured to rattle or tap objects or snatch at, tickle or prod unsuspecting creatures. Conjured objects may appear normal, but they are never stronger than balsa wood and break if stressed.

Divination Cantrips
Lesser divinations can be performed, such as determining the sex of a creature, discovering whether a door or chest is locked without having to touch it, locating the direction of north (magnetic rocks or nearby magic may cause distortions), divining the presence of magic in a 30' radius (but not type, direction, or strength), or searching for secret doors. In this latter case, the spell has the same chance of success and takes the same time as the caster would, but leaves the mage free to do other things.

Enchantment and Charm Cantrips
Enchanting cantrips can move inanimate objects around slowly and jerkily, as if with a crude form of telekinesis (weight limit 2 lbs.). This may spill liquids, pull items off shelves, or knock over unstable objects (such as brooms or sticks). No damage is inflicted by items used to attack. Charm cantrips affect creatures, and can force targets to wink, nod, scratch, belch, yawn, cough, giggle, sneeze, or perform any other minor, involuntary action. A saving throw vs. spell is applicable; success negates the effect or renders it unnoticeable. Cantrips such as these cannot disrupt concentration, but may prove embarrassing for their victims in diplomatic situations.

Illusion and Phantasm Cantrips
These cantrips create false sounds, images, or scents. They can make haunting sounds like moans, chains rattling, footsteps, creaks and eerie bumps, or indistinct muffled sounds. When creating images, illusion cantrips form floating, colored globes of light; alter the facial features of a creature; create illusory furniture, carpets, or bushes in a flat and empty area; or conjure a two-dimensional illusion (invisible from the side or rear). All visual illusions can be dispelled by touch or dispel magic, and they remain only as long as the caster concentrates on them. Any smell created lasts only as long as the caster concentrates, affecting a maximum area of 10 cubic feet. Breezes dissipate the smell, and it may be masked by an overpowering smell, such as a troglodyte's stench or the carrion odor of a ghast.

Invocation and Evocation Cantrips
These cantrips can create glowing lights of any color, puffs of smoke, miniature colored flames shooting from the caster's fingers, crackles of lightning and sparks, or a glowing mystical radiance. They can painfully sting another creature, scorch and destroy paper or wood without flames or heat, or cause harmless but noisy explosions. None of these cantrips can physically damage any but the smallest of targets, though they may ignite combustible materials, frighten animals, and alarm the superstitious.

Necromantic Cantrips
Necromantic cantrips foster death and decay. They can make flowers wilt or food spoil. Tiny animals such as rodents or insects may be killed by a necromantic cantrip, or animated as 1/2 HD undead creatures (no more than 2 HD total per cantrip). Bones may rattle, corpses twitch, or glowing points of light appear in the eyes of skulls or undead. Another necromantic cantrip calls out to undead creatures in a 60' radius, alerting them to the presence of a necromancer. The undead may respond to this information any way they wish, and the caster does not learn of their presence or absence.

All Cantrips must fall into the following guidelines:

No cantrip can directly damage a living target of size S or larger, although damage may be cause indirectly. For example, a fire may be started by a cantrip spark, objects may fall off shelves onto a victim, etc.

No cantrip can force a creature to lose its concentration when maintaining or casting a spell.

Cantrip effects always allow saving throws vs. spells when they affect a living target directly, and they must also overcome natural magic resistance.

No magical items can be damaged or affected by cantrips, nor can a cantrip dispel or remove another magical spell of 1st level or greater.

No cantrip functions within the confines of a protection from cantrips spell, instead being cancelled with a popping noise. A dispel magic spell automatically cancels any cantrip, as will touching any illusory creation. A divination cantrip is automatically fooled by any form of misdirection.

Areas of strong background magic warp cantrips, preventing them from functioning correctly.

If two cantrips from different wizards contest each other (such as two wizards using telekinesis on the same object, or one creating a breeze to blow away an illusory scent), the wizard with the highest successful proficiency check wins. In the case of a tie, neither cantrip dominates and the contest continues into the following round.

[JadedDM]

Arc System

I developed the arc system years back during my old chat-games and it's worked for me pretty well so far. (This is the first time I've used it in a forum-game, though.)

Prior, two minor (but often annoying) problems would crop up in my games. First, as time passed, old players would quit, new players would join, old characters would die, new characters would be rolled up. Such is the way of things. But given enough time, sometimes the original party would be mostly or even entirely replaced. This would cause issues with plotlines. Maybe the original party was gung-ho about tracking down the vile Lord Blackguard and avenging the village he burned down. But the new party would have little reason to care about that. Consequently, trying to run an epic adventure would be difficult. Often games would fall apart in the middle, as the plotlines would no longer be relevant and the players wouldn't care anymore.

A second problem was in-game time. It's common for PCs to start their career very young (most PCs are between the age of 16 and 19), which is fine. But often they would go from level 1 to level 7 in the span of a few months in-game time (in real time, of course, it took much longer). Back then, downtime between adventures was only just long enough to train and resupply, so usually a couple of weeks, tops. It seemed that adventurers would live exciting, dangerous lives for half a year or so, then retire and settle down at the tender age of 17 with their massive wealth after saving the world.

Hence the arc system. The way it works is that the game is split into several arcs (seven actually, although we've never made it past fourth). Each arc is more or less self-contained. If a game is failing or falling apart, the end of an arc is usually good enough to serve as the end of the game, allowing some closure.

Arcs follow the progress of the PCs as adventurers from apprentices, journeymen, masters, lords, heroes, myths and finally gods. Arcs end when the party reaches a certain level of experience. Arcs are always followed by downtime that equals half of the party's general level in years. When a new arc begins, the party is reunited (either by choice or by fate) and begin their adventures anew. Each arc usually has a theme and will generally ask a question. Arcs help serve to flesh out the PCs and help them feel more part of the world itself.

This is especially true in the downtime. While the downtime is mostly elapsed, it helps ground the character as real people. What do they do in the years between adventures? Stay with family? Train and study at the local academy/church/guild? Do they own property to stay at? Do they have regular jobs when they aren't adventuring? After each arc, the DM and the players hash out what is done during the downtime.

The arcs are as follows:

Arc 1 (Apprentices): This arc begins at 1st level and ends when the party reaches 3rd level (or close enough to it). The downtime after the arc lasts about a year to a year and a half. This arc serves to introduce the PCs to each other and to the world. The question asked is 'Who are you?' This is where players figure out who their PCs are and get settled into their roles. It's common for players to write a character a certain way, but then once they are put into action, take an entirely different path altogether. Alignments and personalities are often retooled in this arc (and indeed, alignment change is allowed without penalty in this arc) as the players get used to their characters and each other.

Arc 2 (Journeymen): This arc begins at 3rd level and ends when the party reaches around 6th level. The downtime after this arc lasts about three years or so. The question asked is, 'Who were you?' This is the arc where player backstory most often comes into play. The first arc is made up pretty randomly, but the second arc is custom built for the PCs. Any plot hooks in your backstory are likely to be harvested for plotlines. Of course, some players deliberately avoid putting any hooks in their backstories; they murder their family, burn down their home town, and make sure there are no ties whatsoever to the past or to this setting. Players sometimes turn in backstories so vague that they may as well have been blank (I grew up in a nameless town that no longer exists. My parents were killed by an unknown monster. I decided to pick up a sword/spellbook/lockpick/holy icon/etc. and become an adventurer! -- No joke, that is the most common backstory I get from most PCs). Well, that's fine then. Just don't get upset when you get little to no spotlight!

Arc 3 (Masters): This arc begins at 6th level and ends when the party reaches around 8th level. The downtime after this arc usually lasts around four years. If the first arc asks 'Who are you?' and the second arc asks 'Who were you?' then the third arc asks, "Who will you become?' This is the arc that tests the character and their flaws. Their convictions are tested, their shortcomings are picked at, their preconceived notions are challenged. How do they react? Do they grow and change or not? Do they bend--even break? Just so it's understood, my goal here isn't to change the PCs, just observe how they respond to these kinds of things. Whether they change or not is up to the players themselves.

Arc 4 (Lords): This arc begins at 8th level and ends around 10th level. The downtime after this lasts about five years. The question asked here is, 'What place do you have in the world?' This is the point where the game starts to shift gears from dungeon-crawling and exploration to micromanaging and worldbuilding. PCs become lords by building strongholds and attracting followers. They start hobnobbing with monarchs, high priests, archmagi and the like. They begin to gain the power to influence the world around them on a much larger scale.

Arc 5 (Heroes): This arc begins at 10th level and ends at around 13th level. The downtime lasts around six to six and a half years. Here the PCs become a force to be reckoned with and are given the ability to shape the world itself through politics, intrigue, and such. The question asked here is, 'How will you change the world?' I've never actually run a game that made it this far, though.

Arc 6 (Myths): This arc begins at 13th level and lasts until around 16th level. The downtime lasts around eight years. At this point, there is little in the world that can challenge the PCs. Indeed, the world is now a bit beneath them. Here they begin to explore the cosmos, begin walking the planes, sailing through the stars, visiting other worlds, and so forth. They now hobnob not with kings and bishops, but the gods themselves. I suppose the question here is, 'What does real power mean to you?'

Arc 7 (Gods): This arc begins at 16th level and lasts until 20th level. There is no downtime, as when this arc ends, so does the game. The only thing left for the PCs to do is to shed their mortal coils and ascend into godhood. They now join the other gods in shaping the world in a literal sense. They build their followers, establish their religions, and become permanent fixtures on the world itself. (Indeed, in future games, players can even play clerics and followers of these new gods.)